IT’S PIZZA TIME TACOPALOOZA
Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, the best tacos in the city.
page 16
In Chicago, we know pizza.
DePaulia
The
Focus, page 14
The No. 1 Weekly College Newspaper in Illinois
Volume #99 | Issue #23 | May 4, 2015 | depauliaonline.com
‘I just want to be in Nepal helping the survivors’ Chicagoan’s story of being in Nepal during deadly earthquake By Nina Gaulin Contributing Writer
“Ever since I arrived home, the best way to describe my state of mind is being trapped in shock. I truly cannot think about anything else — all that matters right now is the relief effort,” Alex Gaulin, a Chicago native, said. “I guess you could say it really has consumed me. It’s a weird feeling because being home after an experience like that feels too eerie — too quiet and safe. Being back in America, in my bubble… it fills me with guilt; I just want to be in Nepal helping the survivors.” On April 25, at approximately 11:56 a.m. NST, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 devastated the nation of Nepal. More than 7,000 lives were lost, with twice as many injured. For most of America, it’s hard to absorb the intensity of these numbers while residing comfortably on the opposite side of the planet. When the devastation is not constantly visible, people tend to forget that those affected by natural
See NEPAL, page 11
Photo courtesy of TIM VOLLMER
Alex Gaulin, center, with two Nepalese men during her trip to Kathmandu, Nepal in the days before the deadly earthquake April 25. Gaulin, a Chicago native, made it home to the U.S. safely, but the death toll from the quake has reached more than 7,000.
Budget cuts continue for 2015-16 school year By Brenden Moore
have hoped. The enrollment environment is stabilizing, but it’s not going up and so we really don’t have as much to work with Amid a challenging enrollment envi- as we’d like.” ronment nationwide, university leaders at Revenue is forecasted at about $547.2 DePaul were tasked with creating a budget million for the upcoming fiscal year, about that was realistic with the numbers, but a 2.8 percent decline from 2014. one that upheld the university’s VincenUnlike public universities that retian values. ceive funding from the state and private The budget was passed by the board universities with large of trustees in March endowments, DePaul after several months We did not have as many re- receives the vast maof work on it in var- sources as I would have hoped. jority of its revenue ious committees, from tuition dollars. where issues such as The enrollment environment is This can be postuition pricing and stabilizing, but it’s not going up itive as it somewhat employee compen- and so we really don’t have as shields the university sation were promithe state’s fiscal much to work with as we’d like from nently featured. crisis, but the downThe results inside is that even small cluded a modest Tom Mondschean, fluctuations in enrollincrease in tuition, Faculty Council ment can have a sig3.8 percent for innificant impact on the coming students, budget. 2.5 percent for current undergraduates, “Better than 80 percent of our revenue and between 1 and 2 percent for graduate comes from tuition and the remainder is and law students, as well as cuts to many primarily from investment income, gifts academic and operating units. and grants,” Executive Vice President Bob “I think we did the best we could,” Kozoman said. “And if you compared us economics professor Tom Mondschean, to an Ivy League, their tuition may be as who serves as one of the Faculty Council little as 50 or 60 percent of their revenue.” representatives on the Strategic Resource The difference is endowment, which Allocation Committee (SRAC), said. “We See BUDGET, page 6 did not have as many resources as I would News Editor
CAROLYN DUFF | THE DEPAULIA
Branding, social media play major role in deciding on DePaul By Emily Clement Contributing Writer
Decision time is now for many prospective DePaul students. While choosing a college is a big decision for a high school senior, there is a lot of work that goes into getting a student to be #depaulbound. A big part of any university’s identity comes not from an organic process, but intentional branding. DePaul’s brand focuses on respected academics, real-world knowledge, multicultural experiences and social responsibility. The undergraduate brand also specifically promotes engaged
learning and being in a world-class city. In the language used in promotional materials, this translates to small classes, instructors with professional experience, diversity, Catholic values and using the city as the classroom. The Division of Enrollment Management and Marketing (EMM) website describes DePaul’s character as “Catholic, urban and Vincentian.” Just as with any product, the university has to advertise in order to get consumers to pick DePaul. Mikey Mayers, a freshman finance major, said that last year at this time, he was
See BRANDING, page 4
2 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015.
First Look INSIDE THIS ISSUE The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.
News
Opinions
Arts & Life
Sports
Columbia students, faculty, and staff protest in Loop
The death penalty today
Cinco de Mayo, Chicago style
A journey through Draft Town
How Chicago celebrates Cinco de Mayo that’s not just tacos and margaritas. See page 22.
The NFL machine invades Chicago with Draft Town. See page 25.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Courtney Jacquin eic@depauliaonline.com MANAGING EDITOR | Matthew Paras managing@depauliaonline.com ONLINE EDITOR | Summer Concepcion online@depauliaonline.com NEWS EDITORS | Brenden Moore, Megan Deppen news@depauliaonline.com NATION & WORLD EDITOR | Kevin Gross nation@depauliaonline.com OPINIONS EDITOR | Zoe Krey opinion@depauliaonline.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Kirsten Onsgard artslife@depauliaonline.com FOCUS EDITOR | Erin Yarnall focus@depauliaonline.com SPORTS EDITOR | Ben Gartland sports@depauliaonline.com ASST. SPORTS EDITOR | Parker Asmann sports@depauliaonline.com PHOTO EDITOR | Josh Leff photo@depauliaonline.com DESIGN EDITOR | Max Kleiner design@depauliaonline.com
The group is demanding a freeze in tuition and cuts in courses as the NFL Draft takes place just blocks away. See page 5.
The U.S. is one of the few developed countries to still use the death penalty. Why? See page 12.
Correction: In the April 13 issue of The DePaulia in “The reality of crime,” the article stated DePaul Public Safety can be given permission from the Chicago Police Department to make arrests on their behalf on campus. According to Public Safety Director Robert Wachowski, this is untrue.
THIS WEEK Monday - 5/4
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Former Baxter CEO Harry Kraemer talk
Free Zumba for LGBTQA Month
The Monster at the End of Every Book
Battle of the Bands, announcing FEST artists
Time of Monsters: Dystopia & Utopia in an Age of Crisis
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News
News. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 3
Chicago activists sympathize with Baltimore
Allied groups express solidarity over Rekia Boyd, Freddie Gray tragedies By Brenden Moore News Editor
A “teach-in” was held on DePaul’s Loop campus Wednesday night to explain the controversial acquittal of a Chicago detective charged with manslaughter in the 2012 death of Rekia Boyd, a 22-yearold African American woman. The two-hour “teach-in” was hosted by a variety of social justice groups and featured five lawyers familiar with the case to break it down for those without a legal background. Held in the Lewis Center, the event was so heavily attended that there had to be an overflow room set up where people watched the proceedings via a live stream. “I think that mass incarceration and policing in the United States is horrible and unjust and people need to challenge on the streets, in the courtroom, everywhere,” said third year law student Ryan Leavitt, one of the organizers of the event. “And sometimes bringing people together for events like this is a really cool thing and we’re really excited it’s happening.” The outrage in the meeting was due to the rare and confusing ruling of a directed verdict. According to the American Bar Association, after prosecutors present their evidence, the defense has the option to file a motion for a directed verdict if they believe that the prosecution did not prove their case. If granted, all charges are dismissed. Since Judge Dennis Porter granted such a motion in this case, Chicago police officer Dante Servin was let free without even having to present a defense. According to the judge’s ruling, while there was no doubt that Servin fired into a crowd of people and killed Boyd, the prosecution did not prove that he was reckless in his actions, as required by the charge of involuntary manslaughter. Instead, the judge said that despite Servin being intentional in his actions, he could not be punished for a higher crime in which he was not charged. One lawyer on the panel said that inherently it is a travesty as anyone besides a police officer would have “been thrown the book” and charged with murder in addition to the manslaughter charge. For Biance Alebiosu, a junior fine arts major at Chicago State University, the case seemed like another instance of police officers being held to a different standard than common citizens. “It relates to the power of the police and how they are protected by the law, which is definitely skewed in favor of them,” she said. “The people don’t have any power at all. They don’t have any chance of getting justice.” The events in Baltimore were on many people’s minds given how
TERRENCE ANTONIO JAMES | CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS
A small group of protesters marches on 15th Place near Kedzie Avenue in Chicago April 20 after a Cook County judge threw out all the charges against veteran Chicago Police detective Dante Servin, who was on trial for fatally shooting Rekia Boyd during an off-duty incident in March 2012, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove that the detective acted recklessly. it is another instance of a controversial death of a person of color in police custody. Many at the event also marched the previous night from Chicago Police headquarters to the University of Chicago in solidarity with the people of Baltimore. While the event itself was peaceful, many were disturbed by the strong police presence outside the Lewis Center throughout its duration. According to DePaul spokeswoman Carol Hughes, the university notified the police as part of their standard practice. “It’s a safety-first protocol,” Hughes said. “We notified CPD in this instance based on news announcements that there was to be a protest at our Loop Campus tonight.” While many police congregated around Jackson Boulevard and Wabash Avenue, the site of the supposed protest, officers also stood directly outside the building before the “teach-in”, making many attendees feel uncomfortable. “It just conveys this message that you’re unwelcome and it is so far too from the Vincentian values the school purports to have and what not,” Leavitt said. “So it’s upsetting the way they kind of handled it.” Alebiosu said it seemed like the police were grandstanding with their strong presence. “I just think that it’s uncalled for because we’re in a teach-in, it’s not technically a protest,” she said. “We’re here to understand the law and how the police’s actions effected the case.” Officers on the scene said they understood the protestors desire to be heard and that they just wanted to ensure everyone’s safety. A protest did not occur that night.
NUCCIO DINUZZO | CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TNS
Donald Lightfoot holds a sign in support of Rekia Boyd while joining other protesters in Chicago April 20.
Photo courtesy of CARSON LEIGH BROWN
Protestors demonstrate outside of the Chicago Police Department headquarters in the Bronzevillle neighborhood in solidarity with Baltimore, where the death of Freddie Gray sparked outrage.
4 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015.
DePaul retention rate hits record By Hannah Ward Contributing Writer
The past few weeks have been busy for many high school seniors as the far-off world of college suddenly appeared right in front of them. With the national decision deadline on May 1, most prospective college students have now made their commitments and mailed in their housing forms. In the midst of the excitement and apprehension, it’s easy to forget that some of them won’t make it through the first year. The good news for incoming DePaul students is that, if current trends continue, they have a better chance of continuing to their second year than any DePaul students before them. These improved odds are due to the increased focus on retention by DePaul. Statistics reveal promising results. DePaul’s retention and graduation rates are at record highs. The first-year retention rate at DePaul for 2014 was 87.2 percent and the four-year graduation rate was 58.5 percent, which is 15.5 percentage points higher than in 2003. DePaul continues to outperform national, four-year private institutions in terms of first-year retention and five-year graduation rates, according to an annual report by the Division of Enrollment Management and Marketing. The U.S. News and World Report includes the average retention rates freshmen who entered college from 2009 to 2012 and who returned to school the following fall. DePaul has an 86 percent retention rate compared to 99 percent at the University of Chicago, 97 percent at Northwestern, 86 percent at Loyola University and 80 percent at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Perhaps the most significant statistic, as David Kalsbeek, Senior Vice President of EMM mentioned, is the difference between expected and actual graduation rates at any given institution. “On U.S. News College Rankings, DePaul’s single best ranking is the degree to which graduation rates exceed what is expected. This ranking is highly correlated with
BRANDING, continued from front page choosing between a Big Ten school and DePaul. Since he grew up in the Chicago area, Mayers was initially reluctant to stay close to home. “Chicago being the classroom was one of the reasons that I decided to stay in my home area,” Mayers said. “The university is more integrated with the city.” Jessica Le, a freshman economics major, moved to Chicago from Texas. She is very pleased with her “city as the classroom” experience so far. “As a freshman, I have an internship, I’m part of clubs and I have a foot in the door to what I want to do,” she said. The urban setting combined with small classes gives “both a small and big feel” to DePaul, Le said. However, some DePaul students find fault with the rosy picture social media — and branding campaigns — can paint. Senior Max Radakovitz, a public relations major, said the city as the classroom image is what sold him on DePaul, but he found that his experience did not quite live up to the image of a vibrant city school. “I found the whole campus life to be very un-stimulating and boring,” Radakovitz said. “When I came to DePaul, they sold me on the idea that the city was your playground and that I’d make friends and go out to the city with my friends and do all kinds of fun stuff on campus. I found none of that.”
other measures of institutional quality,” Kals- just look at how many students come back beek said. after the first year, but how many come back These trends are fueled in part by the in good academic standing one year closer to increased national interest in retention and graduation.” graduation rates, but actual improvements at Last year, 95 percent of freshmen in good the national level have been limited. Part of academic standing, which is defined by EMM the problem is college students face a wide as having a 2.5 GPA or higher and having variety of challenges that institutions are not completed at least 48 credit hours, continued always equipped to effectively address. on to their second year. “The most significant predictors of stuEMM worked to increase the number of dent retention (are) that they have the aca- students in good academic standing by evaldemic preparation necessary to succeed, the uating how the processes in place at DePaul financial support and resources, the support impact students, with a focus on how instatsystems of family or community support, and ing new processes, such as the BlueStar degree that they see themselves as part of the DePaul progress report and adding more advisers community,” Peggy Burke, associate vice pres- could improve the quality of the education. ident for student development, said. However, a personal connection to the All these factors contribute to whether or DePaul and Chicago community is just as imnot high school seniors make it to their soph- portant of a factor. “It is the experience outside omore year in college. While it is easy to look the classroom that supports the experience at the numbers and feel optimistic about re- inside the classroom,” Burke said. “A student tention, that 12.8 percent of students who do could have all the academic preparation and not continue on to their second years are real financial resources, but if they don’t see themstudents, not just numbers. selves as having a home here and connected Emma Williams to this place, then we is a freshman at Decould lose them.” Paul who decided On U.S. News College Rankings, Former DePaul last month she would student Tess Kilbane not be returning in DePaul’s single best ranking is Myers transferred the fall. from DePaul to the degree to which graduation “When I enrolled Georgetown Univerin DePaul I was un- rates exceed what is expected sity after her freshsure what I wanted to man year, but she major in,” Williams David Kalsbeek still fondly recalls said. “I thought that I the connection she Senior Vice President, EMM formed to the DePaul had until junior year to declare my major. community during That is not the case with acting, which I have her first year. decided to major in. Additionally, I lost a tu“I miss Chicago terribly,” Meyers said. “I ition waiver I had this year, and my financial miss my friends terribly. Washington doesn’t situation has changed, so I’d be hard pressed quite have the charm of the Windy City. Also, to afford DePaul next year.” there were a number of classes that I took at Financial restraints and academics are DePaul that I would never have been able to two of the most commonly cited reasons for take here at Georgetown. For example, the leaving DePaul, according to Kalsbeek. Discover Chicago courses are fantastic and a “When schools decide to improve their huge plus for freshmen. Another one was my graduation rates, they focus on all the wrong study abroad experience in Jordan.” topics,” Kalsbeek said. “At DePaul, we focus In the fall, new students will walk into not on persistence, but on progress. We don’t their first class at DePaul, each with a differ-
Though the quality of his education has been excellent, Radakovitz said that DePaul did not do a great job of integrating student life with the city. “I’ve got plenty of friends who go to DePaul, but I only met a couple of them because of DePaul,” Radakovitz said. DePaul also advertises flexible campus locations, making it sound as though a student can pick between the Loop and Lincoln Park campuses. In reality, where a student takes classes is largely determined by their degree program. For example, only eight business classes are offered in Lincoln Park this upcoming fall quarter, compared with 334 offered in the Loop. Enrollment Management and Marketing declined to comment for this article. Given the prevalence of social media in young people’s lives, it makes sense for DePaul to use social media as a tool attract incoming freshman. DePaul has official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. Each has a slightly different angle that works with the platform. The Facebook account focuses mainly on current events at DePaul. The Tumblr account is aimed at incoming freshman with pictures of life in Chicago and at DePaul. The hashtag #depaulbound has been used 418 times on Instagram. Mayers, Le and Spencer Csonka, a freshman finance major, all agreed that the Facebook group for De-
Retention by the numbers DePaul freshman retention 87.2 percent Graduated in four years 58.5 percent Graduated in six years 71.2 percent Average time taken to graduate 4.25 years 2014 Freshman/Transfer student enrollment 2,544/1,580 SOURCE: ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING
ent background and a different plan for their future — plans which doesn’t always go exactly as expected. What works for one student won’t necessarily work for the next student, and some students, like Williams, will pursue a different future than what was set out for them at DePaul. “I am trying very hard to find a job in acting,” Williams said. “But at this point, it looks like I will have to take a job wherever I can and just take acting classes. There are a lot of teachers that I wish I had gotten to have more classes with, and it will be really hard to leave my friends.”
Photo courtesy of TWITTER/DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Paul’s class of 2018 was the most influential for them. “The Facebook group helped me out,” Csonka said. “I got a lot of good info. I met Mikey because of that.” For Janet Evans, a DePaul instructor in social media, it makes sense that potential students look to Facebook groups to help inform their decisions. It is a way for them to feel out the community ahead of time, she said. “Facebook is really about community — it’s a digital town square,” Evans said. “If you think about incoming freshman, it’s a huge milestone. You are connecting with the people you have a shared experience with.” For Mayers, the Facebook page for his graduating class also provided good information. “The big difference was the faculty and staff that posted to give more accurate information than the rumors that float around,” he said. Evans said that it’s important for
universities to use social media. “The students are the ones building the future Facebook or Google,” she said. “Universities have to be at the forefront of social media because the students already know it, there’s no learning curve.” One of the newer ways DePaul is utilizing social media is with the Instagram account “I Am DePaul.” Each week a different student runs the account to give a glimpse of what life at DePaul is like. The students are carefully diverse in race, gender and major. The account has just over 2,000 followers. “Any communication channel has to reinforce who DePaul is,” Evans said. The “I Am DePaul” account does just that. The students featured participate in charitable activities, Chicago life and DePaul events of all types. They are the poster children for the “Catholic, urban and Vincentian” image the university wants to communicate. Torrence Stagger, a former De-
Paul student, said he found that DePaul came up short on the promise of diversity. He said that in a city as diverse as Chicago, he expected more diversity in the classroom. In Chicago, nearly one third of the population is black, while less than 10 percent of DePaul’s students are. Similarly, nearly 30 percent of Chicago’s population is Hispanic/Latino, but that number is less than 20 percent at DePaul. “In most of my classes while I attended I was pretty much the only person of color, except for an African American studies class and my first Discover class,” Stagger said. Both Stagger and Radakovitz said social media played no part in their decision to attend DePaul. In 2014, DePaul accepted 70 percent of applicants and of those applicants, 19 percent accepted DePaul. On May 1, whether through effective branding and social media or not, around 2,500 students committed to being DePaul’s class of 2019.
News. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 5
#SaveColumbia marches in backdrop of NFL Draft By Parker Asmann Asst. Sports Editor
Tucked behind the backdrop of the NFL Draft, individuals gathered along Michigan Avenue on a flawless May afternoon in front of Columbia College’s administrative offices with demands that would have to be met before onlookers would see their efforts disperse. Columbia College Chicago students, faculty and staff took to the streets Friday demanding their administration to freeze tuition, stop cutting courses and end the push for larger class sizes. The sit in comes in the wake of the college’s #SaveColumbia coalition, which has continued the ongoing struggle to bring higher education back to the roots and values it was founded on, rather than continuing down a road of unilateral changes. The #SaveColumbia group is a coalition of students, staff and faculty ranging in full and part time status who have organized to address the recent draft of the university’s Strategic Plan as well as the well being of its community and faculty. According to the Columbia Chronicle, the university’s Strategic Plan called for significant changes that included the establishment of a campus center, curriculum revisions, the formation of six new administrative positions along with a hiring and workforce reduction plan. After meeting at two separate forums on April 9 and 14, the coalition has hopes of promoting diversity, inclusion and equity on behalf of the students, staff, faculty and administration as a whole. In the last three years, Columbia students have seen their tuition rise considerably each year. The Board of Trustees has announced another tuition hike of 3.3 percent for the fall of 2015 after the college saw its tuition increase by 5.2 percent in 2013 and 4.4 percent in 2014. These spikes in tuition come accompanied by the hiring of half a dozen new
vice presidents on campus and have students and faculty alike weary of the path that the school is headed down. Diana Vallera, president of the P-fac at Columbia College, the union representing the interests of part-time faculty, detailed the group’s views regarding the college’s Strategic Plan in a press release. “Columbia is moving toward the state university model, with larger classes, fewer course offerings and a top-heavy administration that is out of touch with faculty and students,” she said. Many students on hand voiced concerns about the financial status of the university, specifically the budget and how student’s tuition dollars are being spent. Sarah Vesely, a fiction writing major and writing tutor at the school, expressed her personal concerns with her own job security and educational experience. “There’s a lot that’s been going on at Columbia that I don’t necessarily agree with,” she said. “My job, which is a student job, is not being cut but we’re not being paid anymore. I think it’s ridiculous that you can’t pay students minimum wage, it’s kind of silly, our tuition is going up but where is that money going?” With hopes that the university would actively listen to their voices, Vesely predicted a dim future for Columbia if their demands were not heard and met. “I think that Columbia is going to see a drop in enrollment and a lot of people transferring,” she said. “The education will not be as beneficial. Especially in an arts related field, you need to have the connections and truly be part of your department, and that is negatively impacted when it’s not as student focused.” Similar sentiments were conveyed among students participating in the picket line. Graphic design major Brian Mayzure expressed concerns about the quality of education he would
be receiving as a result of the university’s new Strategic Plan. “I have one instructor, Marlene Lipinski, who is leaving at the end of the semester and she’s been here a long time,” he said. “She has a wealth of knowledge to provide us students and her voice is being silenced. I really feel like that’s a shame and a detriment to us.” “We want the administration to listen to us. We want them to stop hiring vice presidents at six and seven figure salaries and invest in the students, invest in the faculty. We don’t need any more managing.” Students were not alone in their displeasure with the corporate model Columbia has embraced and the direction that the university’s priorities are heading. James Sherman, an adjunct faculty member in the theatre and creative writing departments, explained how these changes are negatively impacting the community. “I think the corporate model is bad for the school and the students, it certainly effects how we can do what we do to serve the students,” he said. “The class sizes are increasing and that effects my ability to have the kind of relationship that I want to have with my students. Particularly in the classes I teach, it’s about participation, these are arts classes, these aren’t lectures and they’re not seminars. My ability to interact oneon-one with each student is crucial.” Although change of this magnitude cannot be expected to occur immediately, Columbia students and faculty have made it a priority to voice their concern and displeasure with the way the university is treating and caring for their community. “Part of what makes Columbia special is that the students here are working with people who are professionals in their own fields of endeavor, and that kind of training is invaluable, it’s priceless,” Sherman said.
PARKER ASMANN | THE DEPAULIA
A professor holds a sign lamenting administrator salaries at Columbia College Chicago on May Day. Students, faculty and staff demonstrated outside the university’s campus in the South Loop, an earshot away from this weekend’s NFL Draft festivities.
PARKER ASMANN | THE DEPAULIA
Students protesting at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Harrison Street in the South Loop.
Vincentian Service Day 2015
OLIVIA JEPSON | THE DEPAULIA
PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROLYN RUBINSKY
Many students participated in Vincentian Service Day Saturday. Everyone’s day started in McGrath Arena with a kickoff event, and then groups split up to various projects around the city. People from the Writing Center (pictured above) went to Mission of Our Lady of Angels in Humboldt Park on the city’s West Side. OLIVIA JEPSON | THE DEPAULIA
6 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015.
Expenditures by College/School Amended Budget 2013-14
Amended Budget 2014-15
Proposed Budget 2015-16
$50 million
$40 million
$30 million
$20 million
$10 million
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
BUDGET, continued from front page Kozoman said can provide a buffer “against changes in enrollment” at certain universities. DePaul’s endowment was more than $443 million, according to the most recent data. While many may see that number and question why the university does not use more of it, it is actually relatively small compared with universities of similar size. “We have a relatively small endowment,” Kozoman said. “We didn’t start building it really until the early ‘80s. Although we are decent when it comes to fundraising, it’s still not a huge proportion of our budget, and our grant activity is pretty small, it’s maybe $15 million a year.” The university currently pulls about 2 percent of it’s endowment for the budget every year, smaller than many universities where that percentage is closer to four or five. “Some of us might like it at a higher percentage draw. But it’s not an unreasonable position to say that the endowment is there when you really, really need it and if we had a drop of 10 or 20 percent in revenue, to prevent massive layoffs, that we tap into it,” Mondschean said. “But we’re not there yet. So the trustees are saying don’t use it for this purpose, but save it for when there’s a really rainy day. It may be drizzling right now, but it’s not pouring.” Restricted by these factors, the university budgets conservatively and conservatively forecasts revenue.
Driehaus College of Business
College of Computing & Digital Media
Colege of Science & Health
College of Law
School for New Learning
College of College of School of Education Communication Music
“We want numbers we can 10 percent. This budget will see Science and Health have seen beat,” Kozoman said. the contribution increase by .5 their funding increase. The In order to meet expectations, percent. law school, the School of New work is done on the budget “It turns out that the going rate Learning and College of Liberal year-round. Starting in the at universities across the country Arts and Sciences have all seen summer and into early fall is 10 percent,” Mondschean said. double-digit cuts. quarter, hypothetical budgets “We’ve been under matching for According to interim provost are constructed in academic and years and so it was decided that David Miller, a lot of this has to operating units and reviewed by this year would be the year that do with enrollment numbers, but those in managing roles. we begin to restore equity on that also ability to give back. Then around September issue.” “Looking at multiple years and October, a tuition pricing While these measure will at both the revenue and expense committee studies trends add to the university’s personnel side of all those units, the fact is and data, and then issues costs, it is partially offset by the that we’ve really gone through recommended tuition rates. many retirements of faculty and these two cycles of giveback Once this work is completed, staff over the past few years. and the amount was given back the Strategic Resource was somewhat varied last Allocation Committee year compared to this year,” (SRAC) meets to discuss Miller said. various budget issues and We have a relatively small “Also looking at the We didn’t start capacity to give back,” will vote to recommend endowment. a budget to the president. building it really until the early ‘80s. he said. “Some units are The president is then off relatively more Although we are decent when it coming charged with presenting flush recent pasts had more the budget to the board of comes to fundraising, it’s still not a discretionary dollars to give trustees, who will vote on it huge proportion of our budget, and back. Some units that are typically in March. our grant activity is pretty small, it’s maybe smaller or had already Despite money being given back a fair amount in a tight, it was decided early maybe $15 million a year. previous cycle would have on that faculty and staff been held less responsible.” would get a 2.5 percent Despite the cutbacks, the Bob Kozoman raise after more than two university increased funding Executive Vice President for financial aid by 7.3 years of pay freezes. “I think that there was percent, which as a result will a general consensus on keep the proportion of aid as SRAC that even if we have to cut Many of those positions have a percentage of tuition revenue a little more at the college level, remained unfilled. steady at 45 percent. the employees needed pay raises,” The proportion of cuts In addition to that, the Mondschean said. was distributed fairly evenly university set aside $6 million As the DePaulia reported in the three executive areas in emergency funds in case the during coverage of the provost (departments reporting to the state does not follow through on search, morale was described president, departments reporting the MAP program. According by some faculty and staff as to the executive vice president, to Kozoman, the university does extremely low. Among their and departments reporting to not receive MAP funds until after many grievances was the lack of the provost), but the largest area, the student is enrolled and taking a raise. academic affairs, saw the highest classes. With the state’s fiscal In addition, the university amount of cuts. woes, it is not a risk the officials will begin to gradually increase Between 2014 and 2016, only wanted to take. its contribution to employee’s the College of Computing and “So, we’re big enough and 403b plans from 8 percent to Digital Media and College of we’re not stupid, so we know
The Theatre School
COURTNEY JACQUIN | THE DEPAULIA SOURCE: TOM MONDSCHEAN
to have enough leeway in our cash flow planning to manage something without it being a disaster,” Kozoman said. While small amount compared to the rest of the budget, MAP funding could have a significant impact on the university, as students may not be able to afford tuition. Given DePaul’s reliance on tuition dollars, the consequences could be large. “If in budget negotiations, they decide to reduce the size of the awards, that will have an effect on us,” Mondschean said. “We do have safeguards built into the budget if that happens, at least in the short run, we can help students to adjust to that.” On April 22, DePaul’s Student Government Association went down to Springfield to lobby lawmakers to keep MAP funded. According to SGA President Matthew von Nida, the association filled out more than 2,500 post cards to deliver to lawmakers. Von Nida said that “MAP grants fill in a huge gap that DePaul University needs to be filled in” and are a huge factor in what tuition pricing looks like. Von Nida was one of two on SRAC to vote against the budget. “I voted against tuition price increases and I voted against the budget solely because the budget is based off of an increase in tuition pricing,” von Nida said. “And I don’t think it would make sense for me as a representative of students to support a budget that relied on an increase in tuition from anybody.” The budget will go into effect next year.
News. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 7
Students perform at amateur drag show By Danielle Church Staff Writer
Sophomore Jeremy Martens first figured out he loved to perform drag before he moved to the city, practicing in his bedroom. Because of his love for the performance, he decided to be a part of Act Out DePaul’s annual amateur drag show on Friday, May 2. “It’s really scary, but it’s so much fun,” Martens said. “I love making people laugh and making them have fun, so I like having the opportunity to just be crazy and do whatever I want.” Martens’ stage name is Sara Tonin, a name that suits her because she “loves to party.” Sara Tonin performed two acts in the show, one duet and one solo. Martens performed the duet with his boyfriend, sophomore Arie Thompson, whose stage name is Mela Tonin because she “loves to sleep.” But Martens won the drag show because of his solo performance to the song “I Wanna F*** Right Now,” dressed as a nun. Because he came in first place, now Martens will have the chance to perform in the sixth annual professional drag show, which will take place on Thursday, May 21 in the student center at 8:30 p.m. He will not perform the same routine as he did in the amateur drag show. However, Martens confessed it will probably be something weird along the same lines. Part of the reason Act Out puts on the drag show is to let people like Martens be as expressive as they would like. This
OLIVIA JEPSON | THE DEPAULIA
A student performs at the amateur drag show last Friday. The event, sponsored by Act Out DePaul, allows for students to express themselves in ways they otherwise could not. meant adding drag kings to the list of of the nightlife in Chicago. Since many performers, women that dressed up as students are not 21, they cannot get into men. bars to perform or simply watch the drag “It’s all about the gender queer folk,” performances. Act Out President Noah Barth said. “I Act Out Vice President Patrick Pfohl really want to emphasize that cause it’s said having the drag show also allows really not about just being a king or a more students at DePaul to just become queen. Gender is such a wide variety of exposed to drag performance. beautiful people and a spectrum, but “Drag is such an accessible form of I think that everyone should have the performance and it’s very unique,” Pfohl chance to perform, especially if you don’t said. “So I think putting on a show and have the opportunity to express yourself in especially having students able to see your everyday life.” their peers performing in drag helps them In addition to this, the show is also get more used to drag performance. It’s put on because drag is such a huge part starting to become more mainstream (in)
pop culture. Having students perform is important just for the peers to be like ‘Oh my friend is doing this. This is kind of cool. What is drag?’ It gets more (people talking about it).” By talking about drag, people will not have as many misconceptions about it. One of the biggest misconceptions is that the men or women who perform want to be the gender they are performing as. However, that is not always the case. “If I dress up in drag as a woman, it doesn’t mean that I want to be a woman,” Pfohl said. “(Being a) drag queen is a performance. What people will say is ‘drag is what I do and trans is who I am’ so if you’re a trans person, that’s who you are after you take all the makeup. But if I’m just a drag queen, I’m getting the face and makeup on, but I can take it off and I’m still going to be a man at the end of the day.” Whether trans or not, Act Out hopes to have more and more students performing, in the future. For anyone that has ever wanted to perform but simply hasn’t had the courage, Martens has a piece of advice. “Find the crazy thing that you want to do and then just do it to the best of your ability,” Martens said. “Don’t be afraid to (mess) it up cause you’re going to (mess) it up a lot. Don’t be afraid to be perfect. Just do it and see what happens. You find you’re own (way) and it’s worth it.”
For a behind-the-scenes look at the drag show, see page 18.
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT : April 22 - April 28
Mayor Rahm Emanuel (L) has battled mayoral candidates (L-R) Willie Wilson, Bob Fioretti, and Chuy Garcia on Chicago’s policy of a mayor-appointed school board.
LOOP CAMPUS
Clifton Fullerton Hall 6
5
Richardson Library
7
Sanctuary Hall 9 10
Sullivan Athletic Center 1
2
11 12
DePaul Center
8
Student Center
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS
APRIL 12 1) A graffiti report was filed for damage in a Student Center
APRIL 25 6) A possession of cannabis report was filed for a room in
restroom.
Clifton-Fullerton Hall. The offender was taken into custody by Chicago Police.
APRIL 24 2) A theft report was filed for table tents taken from the second
APRIL 26 7) An illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor report was filed
APRIL 24 12) A theft report was filed for a person who found money
found in a university van without authorization. The person was taken into custody by Chicago Police.
8)
APRIL 27 13) A criminal trespass report was filed regarding a person who
4) A stalking report was filed for a student who was followed to
APRIL 27 9) A theft report was filed for a bicycle taken from the rack at the
floor of the Student Center.
3) A criminal trespass to vehicle report was filed for a person
work and to the Concert Hall.
5) A theft report was filed for a ring taken from a restroom in the Richardson Library.
for a person in Sanctuary Hall. The person was transported to Illinois Masonic by Chicago Fire EMT.
A theft report was filed for items missing from an office in the Student Center.
Sullivan Athletic Center.
APRIL 28 10) A theft report was filed for a person who lost their resident hall key at the Sullivan Athletic Center.
APRIL 23 11) A criminal trespass warning was issued to a person in the DePaul Center.
missing from their wallet in the DePaul Center.
had previously received trespass warnings on campus.
8| The DePaulia. May 4, 2015.
Dog flu terrifies dog parents, leads to empty parks By Kathryn Eardley Multimedia Editor
Puppy playtime is on hold in Chicagoland. The canine influenza H3N2 virus has infected at least 1,500 dogs and caused seven deaths in the Chicago area in the last few weeks, leaving dog parks abandoned and causing many kennels and daycare providers to close temporarily. “That is almost unheard of in the veterinary world,” Dr. Natalie Marks, a veterinarian at Blum Animal Hospital in Lakeview, said. “It’s certainly not something we’ve seen here before.” The strain originated in South Korea in 2007 and before this month had never been seen in the United States. No one is sure how the epidemic reached Chicago but it has recently been confirmed in at least four states and the suburbs. “It’s going to be a nationwide epidemic at some point,” said Marks. “Originally, we were just seeing daycare or boarding pets who had been in a communal dog area for days on end. Now we’re seeing it from dogs who barely go outside their condo building.” After the initial outbreak earlier in the month, many dog daycares and kennels closed to prevent spreading the disease but have since reopened. “Last weekend people were out at the dog beach and the dog parks all over here and we had 18 new cases on Monday,” she said. “We have to be vigilant and be educating people as frequently as we can in hopes of it really slowing down.” Symptoms of canine influenza
include cough, runny nose and fever, but individual cases can range from a dog showing no symptoms at all to severe illness and death. It is not contagious to humans, but researchers are unsure whether the virus can be spread to cats. Marks said Blum Animal Hospital and other clinics in the area are working directly with virologists at Cornell University to help create a vaccine specific to the unique strain, but there is no centralized organization to oversee the outbreak. Other clinics are working with local labs or outside agencies. “They don’t really have a CDC, per se, for veterinary outbreaks because they don’t happen that often,” Marks said. Uninfected dogs can catch the flu through direct contact with an infected dog or objects contaminated by the virus. The strain can live on clothing for up to 24 hours, so Marks encouraged dog owners to talk to their dog walkers about preventative measures to avoid spreading the disease. “If a walker goes into a home with a coughing dog and then goes directly into another home,” Marks said. “We’re just basically transferring it around the city.” Veterinarians recommend pet owners avoid all communal spaces including dog parks, kennels, daycare, pet stores and groomers. Owners of small dogs should also pick up their dogs in elevators to avoid contact. But not everyone is following these precautions. Steve Clark and his two small dogs, Lola and Rico, recently played at the nearly
deserted Wiggly Field dog park in Lincoln Park. As his Miniature Pinscher and Miniature Pinscher-Jack Russell mix played, Clark didn’t seem concerned despite the cautionary sign posted on the entrance gate and recent warnings from his veterinarian. “I’m not concerned, but it’s good to be cautious,” Clark said. “We’re probably not going to go to the dog beach though just because it’s such a concentrated amount of dogs in one area and they definitely do comingle there.” Although it is unclear how effective the H3N8 vaccine is at protecting against the new H3N2 virus, some owners are choosing to vaccinate their dogs to potentially minimize symptoms. “Cornell is also working with the USDA to see if there is any crossprotection, and hoping that what we have currently will spill over into immunity against the H3N2,” said Marks. “No one really has any idea if that is going to happen, but it’s certainly better that we do something — not just sit here.” DePaul senior Alyssa Marcy chose not to vaccinate her dogs Sofia and Rhea but is taking other precautionary measures like avoiding communal spaces and communicating with her neighbors who also own dogs. She also avoids water bowls set outside by shops and restaurants. Marcy visited her veterinarian this week but was surprised that the clinic didn’t emphasize the flu risk other than offering the vaccine. “They didn’t ask about or talk about the flu,” she said. “They asked if I
KATHRYN EARDLEY | THE DEPAULIA
An educational notice hangs at the entrance of Wiggly Field dog park regarding the canine flu epidemic. wanted the vaccine but they were just like ‘really, it might not do anything.’” In her Lincoln Park apartment Saturday, Marcy held Sofia, a Chihuahua-Fox Terrier mix in a purple kimono coat. She said the safety guidelines aren’t easy to follow, especially when living in the city without a yard. “It’s hard because just the amount of dogs on this street is crazy,” she said. “All the spaces are shared, no matter what.” Many dog owners rely on kennels, daycare centers and dog walkers to care for their dogs during the work day, making it difficult for owners to keep their dogs isolated and prevent the spread of the flu. But Brad Kriser, CEO and founder of Kriser’s Natural Pet Store, believes that dog owners are making an effort to avoid public spaces. He has seen a decline in the number of pets visiting the stores and groomers. Those who do have grooming appointments are now asked
additional health questions prior to the visit and are given an additional health evaluation at the store to check for symptoms. “There hasn’t been too many that we’ve had to turn away,” Kriser said. “People have really been responsible and taking this epidemic to heart and really trying to stop it.” Marks said all dog owners are equally responsible for stopping the spread of the virus. While some businesses and dog owners are taking precautionary measures, others are not, and the virus cannot be stopped without strict isolation. “(How long the flu might last) really depends on when the community is going to continue to take it seriously,” Marks said. “We could in theory keep it here for a while.” Which means Lola and Rico might be looking at more lonely days at Wiggly Field. “It’s kind of strange that when we got here there were no dogs,” Clark said. “I guess it’s a little more serious than I thought it was.”
ARE YOU READY FOR THE WORLD? INCREASING YOUR SECOND LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY WILL MAKE YOUR RESUME STAND OUT.
DePaul’s department of modern languages offers courses in: American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Latin, Greek (ancient), Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. For more information visit campus connect Contact Ms. Corban Sanchez at csanch12@depaul.edu
News. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 9
FEATURED PHOTO
OLIVIA JEPSON| THE DEPAULIA
Chicago became Draft Town this weekend as the NFL took over Grant Park and the Auditorium Theater for its yearly spectacle. This is the first draft in Chicago in more than 50 years. For more NFL Draft coverage, turn to page 25.
10 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015
Nation &World
BALTIMORE BURNING Riot police stand guard in Baltimore. Massive demonstrations ensued following the death of African-American resident Freddie Gray while in Baltimore police custody.
By Rachel Hinton Copy Editor
On April 25, Freddie Gray’s name was added to a growing list of unarmed black men killed by police. What followed news of his death mirrored the riots and protests after the death of Trayvon Martin in February 2012, the death of Mike Brown in August 2014 and the death of Eric Garner late last year. Attention from the media has oft-focused on the lootings and riots, the fires set to store fronts — some of which people had worked their whole lives to build — and the destruction of taxpayer funded items such as cop cars, as well as a general call for those on the streets to remember the message of Martin Luther King, Jr., whose message of nonviolence has been used time and time again in the aftermath of another black person killed by someone who has taken an oath to serve and protect. “I feel like ‘here we go again’ with the death of another unarmed black man,” said Farrad DeBerry, office assistant for the African and Black Diaspora studies department. The common theme in protests and among activist groups continues to be police brutality and how rampant it is in America today. “This was not surprising to me,” Jason Hill, professor of philosophy said. “Law enforcement have a monopoly on the use of force in society. This is part of a series of assaults against
unarmed black men. They are seen as social disruptors to many in mainstream society, which is unfortunate and unconscious, but part of the social culture of America.” The origins, or rather the most fundamental display, of police brutality came during the Civil Rights Movement. Photos of dogs sicced on protestors or peaceful protesters being moved by the force of water from fire hoses dominated the nightly news. This was coupled with the use of batons, brute force and lynch mobs. Gray’s death and the subsequent events of Baltimore show how little things have changed. These assaults, Hill noted, are related to the lack of checks and balances on police officers and the “great deal of latitude and discretion” law enforcement have when it comes to the use of force. According to the Baltimore Sun, the city has paid around $5.7 million since 2011 — a figure that doubled under current Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake — in police brutality cases. In the same article, it was mentioned that Baltimore police use rough rides, meaning that officers drive erratically with the suspect not buckled in the backseat. These policies, and the current spotlight they’re getting, have been attributed to the rise in social media and the recurrence of these police shootings and questionable deaths. Since Brown’s death, some police departments around the country have chosen to equip
their officers with body cameras. Former Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department released the findings from their investigation into the Ferguson Police Department in March, but nationwide policy changes remains a fruitless debate. “The wearing of police cameras should be mandatory, as well as better training seminars for law enforcement,” Hill said. “Their training is quite vague currently and it seems like once black, or you have a police record, that constitutes action. Blackness seems to be synonymous with violence.” Though cameras and “checks and balances” may be helpful in reducing the amount of police shootings, and providing context and evidence, they are merely one part of a possible solution. The government should also take a firmer position against the unlawful deaths. President Obama announced in December 2014 a new task force on policing that will examine what other changes might be needed. The government has not said anything else about efforts to address policing policies in America. “I don’t know if the government is willing to make the changes that need to be made,” DeBerry said. “I think it’s up to the people to create the change they want to see.” DeBerry believes that for real change to occur the “leadership of the youth must establish the change they want to see.” “They have to build community and build within the
Protesters in Baltimore hold their hands in solidarity.
MATT ROURKE | AP
MATT ROURKE | AP
MARY ALTAFFER | AP
A protester holds up a sign. Many have criticized the police, as well as the media, for failing to acknowledge many protestors' nonviolent actions. community,” DeBerry said. “They have to come together, they have to unify.” Though the issue of police brutality is getting its due attention, Hill said society must be careful of demonizing every action the police may take against a civilian rights. Though society should be questioning why there has been an overwhelming intent to kill and why suspects weren’t simply wounded, Hill believes there should be penalties for those
whose poor judgment takes lives. “This has been a phenomenon that’s been going on for a long time. It’s unfortunate and largely unconscious, but we live in an increasingly racist society where there is an assumption of guilt if one is black,” Hill said. “However, the police are overstressed, overburdened and underfunded. They shouldn’t be targeted, but they also shouldn’t have an unlimited and unchecked license to use force.”
Failed cable merger highlights issues of net neutrality, monopoly By Damian Wille Contributing Writer
The long-awaited merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable was recently terminated in the aftermath of heated discussions about net neutrality. The acquisition, first announced back in February 2014, was estimated to be a $45.2 billion investment for Comcast, whose plan was to acquire Time Warner Cable’s customers and stake in the cable television providers market. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, knowing the regulatory concerns with the agreement, was quoted saying “of course we would have liked to bring our products to new cities, but we structured this deal so that if the government didn’t agree, we could walk away.” Had the merger been successfully
carried out, Comcast would have grown to some 30 million customers and had control of over 50 percent of the broadband Internet market. Since the announcement of the mammoth merger, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) questioned how to regulate such a large acquisition. If Comcast had followed through on the agreement, it would have created a market of near monopolistic nature in what the Obama administration classified as a public utility. The danger of having a monopoly in an integral 21st-century industry could have led to disastrous outcomes had the proper regulations not been put in place, so the FCC wisely shifted the national eye to this deal. Had the merger been executed, the net neutrality debate would have been reignited after some heated discussions
last year. Net neutrality is the idea that all Internet traffic should be treated equally, or with the same level of importance. This had become an issue recently as Comcast has been found “fast-tracking” content to users if the respective website pays fees to increase speed. This created preferential treatment for websites that paid the extra fee, and slowed down speeds on sites that didn’t pay the fee to Comcast. Net neutrality became a larger issue in 2014 when the Obama administration was forced to take a position on the topic. In the end, the administration decided all Internet traffic should be treated equally. Although Comcast did not cite the net neutrality debate in its reasons for not following through on the merger, it’s difficult to deny the heavy influence of these discussions in the decision to drop the agreement.
The question of whether or not government should intervene in net neutrality remains pertinent, as another potential acquisition of Time Warner is on the fringe. This time, Charter Communications is eyeing up Time Warner for a potential merger. The two companies hosted discussions on the topic even before the Comcast and Time Warner merger was announced, so it’s likely that another offer will be made in the near future. Should another strong-arm decision come from the White House, it could cause Charter Communications to shy away from an offer. The intention of the FCC is to ensure healthy competition among cable providers, but the question remains whether such regulations, like the ones discussed in the recently failed merger, could do just the opposite.
Nation & World. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 11
Photos courtesy of ALEX GAULIN
A series of photographs showcase the state of Nepal's buildings and people after the earthquake.
A Chicagoan's firsthand account of the devastation in Nepal NEPAL, continued from front page disasters are still living with the aftermath — even when the news articles have melted into obscurity. But for Gaulin the despair of the Nepalese people has not faded from her mind. As an amateur photographer on the expedition of a lifetime, Gaulin was in Kathmandu, Nepal during the quake. Just before disaster struck, she had the pleasure of spending 17 days experiencing the beauty of this poor but proud nation. With the help of her expedition guides, Alex trekked through a country of strong tradition and eclectic culture to experience the mesmerizing qualities of Nepal, from Pokhara to the Himalayas. Along with the other members of her photography group, it is likely that Gaulin possesses the last photos of ancient temples and
cultural wonders before they were reduced to rubble. “We’ve been corresponding with our travel guides in Kathmandu — drivers, mountain guides and those who contributed their time to make our trip meaningful. They are some of the friendliest people I’ve encountered. We feel like they are our family,” Gaulin said. “They’ve been reaching out to us for international help and to keep us updated. The news stories fade — but these people live there, this is their home. They can tell us directly what’s happening on the ground in Nepal.” Umesh Koirala Solu, a Nepal native and an experienced tour guide, has been corresponding with Gaulin over social media about what she has seen in the country. “It is so sad to think that so many people that have died. So many have lost limbs — hands and legs especially,” Solu said about
the Everest base camp she visited. “When I’m there and thinking about all of this, I cannot stop crying. We are so worried. We’ve lost everything — we don’t have anything here.” Solu, whose home was destroyed in the disaster, has a brother in the hospital and a baby on the way. Alex has been going door to door asking local businesses to put up flyers for her GoFundMe page. She plans to give this money to the relief efforts in Nepal. Another one of Gaulin’s guides, Abhaya Khanal, tells her that what people need most is food, water and gas. He expresses to her that minimal relief is being given to the people because of the widespread devastation, and many survivors are extremely low on these necessities. Efforts to provide assistance to Himalayan villages prove to be very difficult as well. “Supplies are primarily delivered to locals in the
Himalayas by porters — men who carry goods on their backs and on the backs of animals, such as yaks and mules. The villages are tiny; they are on the edges of cliffs and are built poorly with weak infrastructure. Sometimes you see homes built of bamboo sticks and rocks. Not durable enough to withstand something of that magnitude.” For the Nepalese people, tourism is their main source of income. “The season for touring in Nepal just started; what worries me is that as the news stories begin to fade out, the people of Nepal are going to be forgotten. The country is not safe to travel to now and because their main source of income has been taken from them, the amount of aid they’ll need in keeping the country afloat is going to become enormous,” Gaulin said. However, she knows that even when the relief efforts begin to dwindle, the spirit of Nepal will
prevail. Their main values, family, hard work and tradition will be their foundation as they begin to rebuild their homes and country. “They’re selfless people; they care about each other deeply and there’s a strong sense of community within the entire country. The people of Nepal understand what’s really important and it’s what they value — family, hard work and tradition — that separates them from the rest,” Gaulin said. “I feel it is my responsibility to help this beautiful country and its people in any way I can, and I hope to make others more aware of how much the Nepalese need and deserve our assistance. They showed me such generosity and warmth when I was a guest in their country… and that light must be returned to them.” Editor's note: Alex Gaulin is the sister of the piece's writer, Nina Gaulin.
International community rallies to contribute relief aid By Kevin Gross Nation & World Editor
“Some people are saying the lucky ones are the people who died,” Raben Nepal, a software developer at DePaul and former resident of Nepal, said. Such is the mindset surrounding Nepal after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the nation on April 25. More than 7,000 lives and 100,000 homes have been destroyed as of May 3, and countless others remain unaccounted for. Nepal, as a developing country, was not prepared with the infrastructure or safety precautions to deal with such a disaster. “In places (like Nepal), urbanization happens too fast. Infrastructure is inadequate for exploding populations,” Fassil Demissie, a professor of public policy and globalization, said. “We have squatter settlements where people are building makeshift structures without building codes, and the lack of urban planning results in bad transportation, which make areas more inaccessible.” Nepal agreed. “Even simple roads can take years to build because of the bureaucracy, which doesn’t always prioritize its people fairly. There’s strong corruption to account for.” Such situations exacerbate natural disasters and create dependency on outside nations and organizations for aid. Nepal was already reliant on billions in global financial aid to help subsidize its government and society even during times of normalcy. After the quake, the United Nations had appealed
Boxes of aid from the Chinese Red Cross arrive in Nepal. for at least $415 million in additional global aid to help alleviate the situation there. While India was the first member of the international community to send aid and rescue workers, some organizations of the Western world have responded with swiftness. As of May 1, the U.S. Agency for International Development had donated a total of $10 million. The Red Cross provided 1,500 volunteers and 300 full-time staff for the relief efforts, with more possible to arrive. Yet, such efforts may not be enough. “Nepal is paralyzed right now,” Nepal said. “Kathmandu is the central nerve of the nation, and suffered (great) damage. Any country would struggle if it was in this situation, regardless of riches.” The DePaul community has been playing its part in assisting relief efforts. Mark Laboe, associate vice president for
NIRANJAN SHRESTHA | AP
University Ministry, described a new system at DePaul that allows administrators to reach the university-wide body for aid. “An email went out to the university community Monday, directing people to a place where they could give donations,” he said. “We have a partnership with a global humanitarian organization called Catholic Relief Services … (who) have been working on the ground in Nepal already, and have a whole infrastructure already set up to handle (donations).” He said that other individuals within DePaul’s community may be contributing via their own independent projects. However, even though individuals may want to contribute in other ways, he described the importance of targeting aid towards the needs of survivors. “We always have to think, ‘what’s going to be best for people on the ground?’ Having
a bunch of DePaul students flown over to Nepal probably wouldn’t be all that helpful right now,” Laboe said. “Organizations that are on the ground right now don’t really need volunteers, and they don’t really need canned foods. They mostly need skilled professionals and money.” Although the situation in Nepal may be improving from the day of the quake, the reality still remains harsh down there, and recovery could take a long time. “The monsoon (rainy season) will hit in a few months, and the earthquake will exacerbate factors such as soil erosion,” Nepal said. For Nepal to properly recover, relief efforts need to continue. “The highest likelihood to get donations is within the first 24-48 hours of a disaster. In the next week or two, this will start fading from America’s collective memory,” Laboe said. “The reality for places like Nepal, though, is that they may take years to recover.” For DePaul students wishing to contribute money to Nepal relief efforts, they can do so at Catholic Relief Services (www. crs.org); at Chicagoan Alex Gaulin’s direct funding project (http://www.gofundme. com/nepalreliefchicago); at DePaul alum Nirajan Khadga’s direct funding project (http://www.gofundme.com/swd59xg); or at the Nepali Times’ crowd funding page (http://nepalitimes.com/page/nepalearthquake-2015-relief).
12 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015
Opinions WAITING FOR THE END The death penalty in the context of an imperfect justice system A gurney in the the execution chamber at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
By Emily Clement Contributing Writer
What does the United States have in common with Somalia, North Korea, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya? They're the seven countries rated most corrupt by Transparency International. Each country still allows the death penalty. In fact, countries that use capital punishment are mostly either poverty-stricken former colonies, recently war-torn, or both, with the notable exception being the U.S. For context, nine of the 10 least corrupt nations have banned the death penalty. Since 1976, the United States has executed 1,407 people convicted of capital offenses. What constitutes a capital offense varies from state-to-state, but is generally first-degree murder. In Wyoming, burglary and resisting arrest are capital crimes. Sister Helen Prejean, an advocate against the death penalty, visited DePaul last week. On Tuesday, she gave a short talk and
answered questions about her experiences with those on death row, the families of the victims and the prison guards in charge of executions. “When I became a nun, I never dreamed I’d end up on death row,” she said. From there, she told the story of how she accompanied one murderer to his death and found forgiveness in the family of his victims. It’s the story made famous in her book “Dead Man Walking” and subsequent movie of the same name. Sister Prejean’s experiences informed her thoughtful answers to questions about policy, the justice system and racial bias. Her words reinforce the reasons that the death penalty should be abolished nationwide. One problem with the death penalty is that our justice system is an imperfect one. Evidence is suppressed, judges are fallible and juries are only human. Since 1973, 140 people on death row have been found innocent in the same courts that judged them guilty. A system
SUE OGROCKI | AP
that kills the innocent along with the guilty is not one I can support. “I have accompanied six human beings to executions,” Prejean said. Of those, she believes that two were innocent. Another flaw with the American justice system is its racial bias. According to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC), 42 percent of death row inmates are black. Black Americans make up only 13 percent of the overall population. It is not just the race of the defendant that skews the sentence, however. The same study also shows that if the victim of the crime was white, the defendant is much more likely to be sentenced to die. These facts are unsurprising but unacceptable. Moreover, defining an act that warrants the punishment of death is impossible. In 2012, President Obama attempted to do so. “I believe there are some crimes — mass murder, the rape and murder of a child — so heinous, so beyond the pale, that the community is justified in
expressing the full measure of its outrage by meting out the ultimate punishment,” Obama said. Certainly, we can understand the rage of a community. Our blood boils when we see someone take advantage of a child in such an unspeakable way. But to say that a community’s outrage is the persuading factor in the decision of the court to kill another human defies the purpose of the justice system and succumbs to mob mentality. The communal outrage in both Massachusetts and Colorado, where two young men await sentencing for mass murders, may lead Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers, and James Holmes, who shot and killed 12 people in an Aurora cinema to death row. Another reason to abolish the death penalty is that it is cheaper for taxpayers. According to the DPIC, it costs $90,000 more per inmate where the death penalty is sought than those where life in prison is the sentence. The California Department of Corrections lists
754 death row inmates, meaning California would save $67 million by abolishing the death penalty. “What’s a humane way to kill a person, really?” Prejean asked. There isn’t one. In the past year alone, there have been several botched executions that certainly constitute “cruel and unusual punishment.” Michael Wilson was executed last year in Oklahoma. His last words were, “I feel my whole body burning.” Also in Oklahoma, Clayton Lockett’s now infamous execution took 30 minutes; he died of a heart attack on the table. Finally, there is the emotional toll on the families of the victims. When the death penalty is sought, the court cases, appeals and media coverage become an unremitting ordeal for loved ones who want to begin the healing process. Billy Smith watched his father’s killer die. He told the Washington Post that it was hollow and anticlimactic after years of waiting. Other families expressed similar feelings. It turns out that “eye for an eye” justice is less satisfying than it sounds.
Don’t spend green on green technology By Frank Schmitt Contributing Writer
With last week being earth week, what once was a week to reflect on the ecological problems we face has been turned into a sort of climate Halloween in which environmentalists go door to door and try to scare the American public. Instead of wearing masks, they make outlandish claims citing the Huffington Post’s article titled, “14 U.S. Cities that Could Disappear over the Next Century,” that the ocean will swallow Miami, New York and Boston if America continues down its path of ever increasing carbon pollution. Instead of candy, these fear mongers ask for cash, which they will funnel into PACs and organizations that will elect far-left candidates. Once elected, these politicians funnel billions of taxpayers’ dollars back toward the fear mongers in the form of failed green energy projects. These green businesses receive hundreds of millions of dollars despite the fact that for every $250 billion invested in green energies, the result on the climate will be about .01 degrees a
hundred years from now, according to Bjorn Lomborg’s book “Cool It.” What’s dangerous about this system is not only that our money is being wasted on projects such as the $525 million spent on the now defunct Fisker Automotive or the $400 million on Abound Solar, but the cause of our careless spending in the first place. Claiming that global warming is so dire that Miami, New York and Boston will be underwater if we do not act to curb carbon emissions is as much counterfactual as claiming climate change is not happening at all. The scientific community estimated a one-foot sea level rise by the year 2100. There are only a handful of scientist estimates that varied from this. One side, mostly funded by large oil and coal corporations, claims the sea level is not expected to rise, to which the media rightly criticizes and chastises their view. On the other extreme, there are a few scientists that claim the sea levels will rise over seven feet in the same time frame. According to this prediction, New York would become a modern-day Atlantis. This
JORDAN STEAD | AP
Denis Hayes, coordinator of the first Earth Day, speaks to a crowd during the first annual student-hosted Climate Action Festival during Earth Day celebrations. group’s prediction is even further from mainstream science than the climate deniers. The media, however, does not criticize them but often reports their findings without any disclaimer. News stations want viewers, and as a result the most sensationalized climate studies are the ones reported, despite their scientific inaccuracies. Benjamin Strauss, a researcher at Climate Central think tank, often pedals this climate alarmism. In an interview with the Guardian, Strauss, referring to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said, “Pretty much everywhere it seems you are going to be under water unless you build a massive system of dykes and levees.” This statement was meant to scare Americans, but in fact, it is actually good news. A massive system of dykes and levees
would only cost a fraction of the $120 billion the Obama administration has spent trying to slow global warming to no avail. There is no doubt that the American people are being lied to because it is just not exciting to forecast a sea level rise of one foot. We can no longer let fear cloud our judgment. We need to be honest with ourselves. It may feel good to install solar panels, but green tech is not yet cost efficient. The money can be better spent elsewhere. Our best option right now is to continue the switch from coal to natural gas while investing our tax dollars in research and development of renewable energies. The green lobby will be disappointed to no longer receive million dollar subsidies, but our planet needs real action for a real problem.
Opinions. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 13
Policing the police By Danielle Harris Copy Editor
In the midst of Freddie Gray’s death and the Baltimore riots, an injustice in Chicago has gone practically unnoticed by the national news media. While headlines reading “unarmed black man shot by police” have become so common they have practically lost their shock value, the unjust trial for unarmed 22-year-old Rekia Boyd, an African American Chicago resident shot and killed by a Chicago police officer in March 2012, has slipped through the cracks of the American news cycle. Boyd was with a group of friends when they got into an argument with offduty officer Dante Servin. As the group had their backs to Servin in the alley, one of the men reached into his waistband for his cellphone. Servin, mistaking the phone for a gun and “fearing for his life,” shot an unregistered handgun over his shoulder in the direction of the group. One of the bullets grazed the intended target’s hand but another hit Boyd in the head, killing her. Although this incident comes as no surprise to many, what makes this case different is the absolute injustice of Servin’s trail. Just four days into the case, the judge gave a rare direct verdict acquitting Servin of all charges. He claimed these charges of involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm did not align with his actions. The judge even suggested that Servin should have been charged with
murder instead. Arguably more disturbing than the acquittal itself was the reaction by Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. “My concern is how is this going to affect policing in general in the Chicago Police Department, because every single officer who’s out there now might be in a position where they hesitate, and as a result, they could lose their lives,” he said. Police should always think twice before pulling the trigger on what could be an entirely innocent person; lethal force is supposed to be a last resort. The Chicago Police Department should be instructing officers to take every possible precaution before shooting a civilian, not teaching them to fire their guns the moment they feel their lives could be in danger. Police violence against unarmed black men and women is by no means solely a Chicago issue, and is not a simple topic by any means. “The real issues are systemic and these killings are the triggers, but in fact there are many problems of racial profiling, stereotyping of African-Americans, poverty and homelessness,” DePaul professor Barbara Speicher said. Sean Sartin, a 25-year-old Albany Park resident, explained a main root of animosity he and many other African Americans nationwide have towards the police. “I don’t hate the police, I’m just afraid of them,” he said. Chicago police are apparently aware
MATT ROURKE | AP
A demonstrator outside City Hall in Philadelphia on April 30. The event in Philadelphia follows days of unrest in Baltimore after Freddie Gray's police-custody death. of this issue as McCarthy recently announced he and other top police officials would be embarking on a listening tour to all 22 police districts in the city. He wants to talk to residents about their relationships with local police with hopes of building a greater trust between the Chicago Police Department and city residents. While the listening tour is a significant, direct effort to improve relations between officers and black Chicago residents, the systemic, historical issues will be a much more difficult task to address and resolve.
Police departments across the United States continue to try and legitimize the murders committed by their officers instead of addressing the real issues at hand. For as long as that continues, there will be protests, anger and even violence. The news media and police departments across the country have a duty to not merely address these issues, but search for long-term solutions that will resolve the tensions between marginalized communities and those who are supposed to protect them.
The high price of always low prices By Sam Schwindt Staff Writer
It is possible that Wal-Mart is closing stores for repairs. It is much more likely that Wal-Mart is closing stores to silence activism. According to the LA Times, a Wal-Mart store in Pico Rivera, California is closing for six12 months purportedly for “plumbing repairs.” Five hundred employees will lose their jobs. They will have to find other ways to survive and feed their families. Do the stores need to close? Do the repairs necessitate a lengthy shutdown? “One wouldn't have to ask why, of the list of 50 ‘plumbing issues’ Wal-Mart provided to the Times dating back to July 2014 for the Pico Rivera store, half were identified as ‘non-emergency’ and involved problems such as leaky urinals and broken toilet handles,” LA Times reporter Michael Hiltzik said. “One wouldn't have to ask why such problems hadn't been fixed when the store underwent a $500,000 refurbishment over the last year, during which it didn't have to be closed — a refurbishment that included the restrooms and the grocery department.” So, why is the store closing? It is not out of the realm of possibilitiy that it is an effort on the part of the corporation
to silence the activism of the workers, who have been seeking higher wages and better working conditions. The workers filed a complaint on Monday, April 20, with the National Labor Relations Board. The workers are part of a national effort to raise the minimum wage — an effort under the name of the “Fight for 15.” On April 15 of this year, protesters across the country gathered to fight for a minimum wage of $15 per hour. Public support for raising the minimum wage in the United States is overwhelming. A survey by Hart Research Associates and sponsored by The National Employment Law Project showed that 75 percent of Americans support an increase in the minimum wage to $12.50, and 63 percenet supported a raise to $15. The vast majority of Americans, including 53 percent of Republicans, supported raising the minimum wage. So, why hasn’t it happened yet? A raise to the minimum wage has not occurred because, according to some experts, it would not benefit the economy, or more importantly, those supposedly affected with low wages — the poor. Economists Thomas MaCurdy and Frank McIntyre of Stanford University conducted a study in which they simulated “the effects of a minimum wage
ZBIGNIEW BZDAK | TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Wal-Mart workers and supporters block Jefferson Street as they protest in front of Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market on Nov. 28 in the West Loop in Chicago. increase in a world with no job loss or decreased profit margins.” Their findings suggested that, while one in four “of the poorest workers gain from an increase in the minimum wage, three in four of the poorest workers lose from shouldering the costs of higher prices resulting from the wage increase.” To be more specific, the economists concluded, “lowfamilies are not necessarily lowincome families. So, contrary to conventional wisdom, raising minimum wages poorly targets the poor.” Dealing with economic
issues such as the minimum wage is never without complications. It’s not as simple as deciding that people are worth more than they are currently paid — it’s about the effect it will have on the rest of the economy. Do people deserve to be paid $15 per hour? Absolutely. Will it benefit the individuals it is supposed to benefit while improving the economy? Probably not. Everyone may deserve to be paid more than the incredibly low minimum wage in this country, but the costs seem to
outweigh the benefits at the moment. If three in four of the poorest workers in this country would not benefit from an increase in the minimum wage, what is the point of raising it? Perhaps, activists should re-emerge with a different goal in mind before they launch campaigns against WalMart. Wal-Mart is wrong for attempting to silence activism, but workers need to go back to the drawing board to come up with effective solutions that deliver concrete benefits before they can truly create
The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
14 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015
Focus
By Erin Yarnall
LIFE OF PIE
Finding out Chicago pizza is more than just deep dish
THE PIZZA REVIEW | FLICKR
GRAB A SLICE Thin crust
Chicago has its own brand of thin-crust pizza unlike that of New York and Italy. The crust is thin, yet firm enough to have a crunch. The pizza is also frequently cut into squares.
Deep dish
Deep dish pizza is baked in a special pan and is covered in chunky tomato sauce and large amounts of cheese. The pizza was developed in Chicago and has become a food staple in the city.
thin-crust Neapolitan format popping up throughout the country. Focus Editor Chicago has become known for its own It has brought people together, but at variation on the beloved food — deep dish the same time it has torn people, and two pizza. The pizza is baked in a specialized, of the largest cities in the United States, round pan, which is usually one and a half apart and created intense rivalries. It has inches deep, allowing the crust to expand. made billions of dollars. Who would have The pizza is also covered in large amounts guessed that a simple combination of of cheese and tomato sauce. dough, tomato sauce and cheese could do This type of pizza has been criticized so much. for going against the traditional thin-crust Pizza is one of the most popular foods format, creating a debate that has lasted in the United States, and Lincoln Park decades between New York-style and recently celebrated their local pizzerias Chicago-style pizza. Jon Stewart recently in the Lincoln Park Pizza Tour. The tour took a side in the debate, saying “Deep dish was organized by Local First Chicago, a pizza is not only not better than New York network of locally owned, independent pizza, it’s not pizza. It’s a f****** casserole,” businesses and community organizers. in an episode of The Daily Show that aired The tour took participants to 17 different Nov. 13, 2013. restaurants within Lincoln Park, nine of “To me, pizza is pizza,” McDonald said which served up a slice of pizza. about the intense rivalry between New “The best education is usually York-style and Chicago-style. “They taste experiential — not just hearing facts, so different but at the end of the day both but seeing places, meeting people, fulfill you. I love both types.” hearing and tasting and bringing Chicago has found itself home to back memories,” Mark Walden, more than one variation of pizza, though. Executive Director of Local First In January, chef Laura Martinez opened Chicago said. La Diosa in Lincoln Park. Although it Walden and Local First was originally intended to be a Mexican Chicago wanted people to restaurant with French influences, La experience the local restaurants Diosa has begun to serve up a tartizza — a Chicago has to offer, rather combination of a tart and a pizza. than chain pizza places such as Martinez credits the invention of the Dominos and Little Caesars. tartizza to experimentation. “One thing I knew about “I gave a sample to my neighbors and (Lincoln Park) was that there they liked it,” Martinez said. “I decided to is great pizza here,” Walden name it the tartizza because it’s part tart said. “We did a Google Maps and part pizza. The dough is pretty much search, and found more than like a tart, but it’s not quite a pizza. It’s kind a dozen independent pizza of in between.” places in one square mile, which Martinez, a blind chef, faced difficulties confirmed that it’s in opening her a unique strength One thing I knew about (Lincoln restaurant due to of the Lincoln Park her disability, but Park) was that there is great community.” has found success The proximity of so pizza here. with her spin Mark Walden, on the average many pizza places could contribute to the fact that Local First Chicago pizza. She sees the pizza is such a popular future of pizza as food. According to pizza. being much more com, the average American eats 46 slices creative. of pizza per year, but some Americans “It will probably be something more admittedly eat far more. creative than just the thick dough, or the “I used to eat pizza every day. Seven dry, thin crust,” Martinez said. “Pizza can days a week. I have friends who can be more nice than just pizza. Something attest to this,” DePaul sophomore Charia more sophisticated.” McDonald said. “I gave it up for lent, and A large change in pizza is uncertain, since then I’ve cut back to twice a week.” as pizza is one of the most beloved foods The modern version of pizza was within the United States, and has gained invented in Naples, Italy, in the 18th or a fanbase that few other foods are able to 19th century, and was brought over to amass. the United States by Italian immigrants “Everyone has that one thing that just in the late 19th century. Since then, pizza completes them,” McDonald said. “Some has become a national phenomenon, people have relationships, some have with different variations from the original hobbies and jobs. I have pizza.”
Stuffed Through experimentation with deep dish pizza, Nancy's Pizza and Giordano's created the stuffed pizza. The pizza has much deeper topping density, and the crust works as a bowl.
Experimental slices Recently, pizzerias have been experimenting with combinations of toppings, and their original creations are contributing to their success within the Chicago area.
Piece Brewery & Pizzeria 1927 W. North Ave. (773)772-4422
Lou Malnati's 958 W. Wrightwood Ave. (773)832-4030
Giordano's 1040 W. Belmont Ave. (773)327-1200
Dimo's Pizza 3463 N. Clark St. (773)525-4580
Rosati's Pizza 4863 N. Broadway St. (773)334-3333
Pequod's Pizza 2207 N. Clybourn Ave. (773)327-1512
Nancy's Pizza 2930 N. Broadway St. (773)883-1977
Ranalli's 1925 N. Lincoln Ave. (312)642-4700
Focus. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 15
My personal pizza nightmare By Erin Yarnall Focus Editor
When I found out about the Lincoln Park Pizza Tour, I could not have been more excited. An opportunity to eat pizza and desserts at 17 different restaurants? Did I die and somehow end up in heaven? The day of, I was so excited to completely stuff myself that I didn’t eat all day and arrived at Amato’s Pizza close to a half an hour early with my dad. They brought out the pepperoni pizza first and, as a vegetarian, I jealously watched my dad eat the delicious slice with a growing hatred in my heart. How much longer could the cheese take to bake? After what seemed like years later, but was realistically closer to a few minutes, the cheese came out. In an effort to get ahead of the herds of people about to embark on their pizza journeys, my dad and I quickly devoured our pizzas while running down Sheffield Avenue. Following that was a flurry of desserts and pizzas that were all delicious, including Strawberry Italian Ice at Annette’s Italian Ice and chocolate chip cookies at Ten Thousand Villages. Some pizza and desserts were better than others, but altogether every restaurant was a fun stop and contributed to a memorable day. We reached Lou Malnati’s, the 11th stop on our tour, at around 4 p.m., leaving us an hour and a half to reach the rest of the restaurants. This was our most anticipated stop of the day, and my dad was pathetically full by the time we reached it. But I made sure I would bring my family glory by eating at every single one of the 17 restaurants. I quickly devoured my deep-dish cheese slice, and instantly felt as if I was going to die. The pizza itself was incredible, but after eating at 11 restaurants, no food would ever look appetizing again. We kept going, though. I’m not one to give up although Dad was ready to throw in the towel. We made it through a few more stops until we got to our last three — Jam & Honey, McGee’s and Homeslice. Jam & Honey offered a delicious nutella pancake, which I somehow managed to keep down. I ate a bite of pizza at McGee’s and was disgusted with myself, and once I got to Homeslice it was a struggle to keep back tears. Overall, I felt incredibly ill and begged my dad to carry me to the car, but it was not a regrettable experience.
Neopolitan pizza The original pizza is made with tomatoes and mozzarella. The pizza is thin crust and comes in three varieties, pizza marinara, pizza Margherita and pizza Margherita extra. Pizzeria Da Nella 1443 W. Fullerton Ave (773)281-6600 Balena 1633 N. Halsted St (312)867-3888
Carolyn Duff: Assistant Design Editor
Erin Yarnall: Focus Editor
Address: 3643 N. Clark St.
Address: 953 W. Belmont Ave.
Dimo's Pizza
Blaze Pizza
Crust preference Thin-crust
Crust preference Deep dish
Favorite topping Sausage
Favorite topping Green olives
Dimo’s is my favorite because they truly have a pizza to satisfy every craving. Dimo’s offers New Yorkstyle pizza by the slice, with toppings not typically found on a pizza. More often than not, I end up ordering The Mac pizza, which is the ultimate comfort food. With mac and cheese as a topping, this pizza flawlessly unites two of America’s most beloved dishes. Other favorites of mine include the BBQ Chicken
Bacon Ranch, and the Chicken n’ Waffles pizzas. With so many options, Dimo’s truly delivers the element of surprise. The employees’ ability to quickly rattle off 12 obscure pizza names when asked the inevitable “what kinds of pizzas are these?” never ceases to amaze me. Dimo’s is perfect for any college student.
In the summer of 2014, I was given an opportunity to study abroad in Rome. Everything in Rome was indescribable — but most importantly, the food. I ate pizza almost every single day for six weeks straight. Nothing will ever compare to the pizza I ate in Italy, but since I have returned I’ve abandoned old favorites in search of a pizza similar to the perfect slices I would eat in Rome.
The closest I have had is Blaze Pizza’s Red Vine pizza, with ovalini mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, parmesan, basil, tomato sauce and an olive oil drizzle. The pizza contains all the ingredients I loved in Italian pizza, and for a cheap price as well. Until I'm able to go to Italy again, I’m fine with sticking to Blaze Pizza.
Megan Deppen: News Editor
Max Kleiner: Design Editor
Address: 958 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Address: 1149 W. Diversey Pwky
Lou Malnati's
Sarpino's
Crust preference Deep dish
Crust preference Thin-crust
Favorite topping Spinach
Favorite topping Green peppers
A rarity in the Chicago area is a dish that’s just as good in the ‘burbs as it is in the city. Lou Malnati’s consistently serves everything you’d want in a deep dish pizza: thick, chunky tomato sauce, a slab of good cheese, and classic toppings. As a Chicagoan, I take my deep dish seriously. To complement the acidity of the tomato sauce, you need a crust that can hold its own and not overwhelm you with too
much seasoning. You also don’t need to overindulge in toppings. Sausage will get the job done, but an off-the-beaten path favorite of mine is the spinach pizza. (Although throwing spinach on a Lou’s pizza won’t negate the calories). Lou Malnati’s Classic holds its own among the deep dish kings in Chicago, no side dish required.
The mere utterance of the name sends men, women, children and an assortment of rats skittering away in droves. And then there’s me. Being from Michigan, I had never even heard of it but once I was shown the light of Sarpino’s puffy, lightly cheesy, tomatoey goodness I was sold. I will always cite Sarpino’s as my favorite pizza because it's accessible. It’s as ubiquitous as Domino’s in the city, without that garbage
mark e t ing scheme where they basically tell you to your face that they make bad pizza. Everyone else will tell you that when you suggest Sarpino’s for any group gathering. But maybe that’s for the better, since you can get three pizzas for $20. More for you, more for me. Less for the haters.
Brenden Moore: News Editor
Courtney Jacquin: Editor-in-Chief
Address: 29 E. Ohio St.
Address: 938 W. Webster Ave.
Pizzeria Uno
Homeslice
Crust preference Deep dish
Crust preference Thin-crust
Favorite topping Pepperoni
Favorite topping Cheese
Sometimes original is the only way to go. When I need my deep-dish fix, Pizzeria Uno is my go-to place. While being the first restaurant to feature Chicago’s distinct and tasty form of pizza, no other competitor stands up. The ratio of cheese to sauce is always spot-on, while the crunchiness of the crust provides contrast to great effect. Just add some pepperoni and you have a perfect pizza pie. And despite
being a national chain, the Uno’s in River North gives off an old school Chicago feel that everyone should experience at least once (if you’re lucky to get a table, that is). And the pizza is pretty damn good too. It may be tomato soup in a bread bowl to Jon Stewart, but to me, it tastes like home.
Homeslice is not just good for being near campus, it’s genuinely great pizza. The crust is chewy but not too doughy — the perfect middle ground between thin crust and deep dish — and there are tons of different toppings and pre-made pizzas to choose from. A personal favorite is the Special-K with Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, provolone, parmesan and a spinach and ricotta sauce. Nor-
mally I’m pretty plain when it comes to my pizza and prefer red sauce, but Homeslice has changed my mind. Bonus points: Homeslice has a great selection of craft beers. Even more bonus points: The patio at Homeslice is perfect for summer nights with overhead lights and cozy chairs. Photos by DEPAULIA STAFF
16 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015
Arts & Life
TACO TAKEOVER From the authentic to the outrageous, tacos are big-time trending in Chicago
¡Hello Tacos! de cero Avocado, $3.75 West Loop 814 W. Randolph St.
Big & Little’s Samurai, $4.75 Near North 800 N. Orleans St.,
Tallboy Taco
Velvet Taco,
Cowboy 12hr Smoked Brisket, $4
Crisp Tikka Chicken, $3.95 Gold Coast 1110 N. State St.
Taco Joint
River North 325 W. Huron St.,
Pork Carnitas, $7
Al Pastor, $3
Wicker Park 1360 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Lincoln Park 1969 N. Halsted St.
D.S. Tequila
L’Patron
Lakeview East: 3352 N. Halsted St.
Logan Square 2815 W. Diversey Ave.
Coffee Rubbed Steak, $5
Antique Taco
Lengua (beef tonque), $2
Del Seoul
Spicy BBQ Pork, $2.90
Big Star
Taco de Pescado, $4
Lincoln Park 2568 N. Clark St.,
Wicker Park 531 N. Damen Ave.,
CAROLYN DUFF | THE DEPAULIA
By Sarah Perkins Contributing Writer
Known for its over-the-top hot dogs and deep-dish pizzas, Chicago adds another food staple to its repertoire: the taco. Don’t be fooled: the small, simple dish packs a punch with authentic and interesting takes. And they’re certainly not those hard shell excuses found at a certain bell-branded franchise. With Cinco de Mayo around the corner, Chicago has hopped on the taco bandwagon sweeping the nation. Although neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Logan Square have gained notoriety for their taco outposts (think Big Star and L’Patron), the rest of the city is starting to catch on to the craze. It seems every few months another taco restaurant is opening up. This past October, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises (LEYE) added Tallboy Taco to its long list of cuisine hotspots. Situated inside the same space as River North’s Nacional 27, Tallboy Taco brings in a younger, more frugal crowd for lunches and late nights for (what else?) tacos and tallboy beers. Shane Mones, 23, is a manager at Tallboy Taco and recent a DePaul University alum.
He understands the fad from a business and customer perspective. “First of all, tacos are a very lowcost food item,” Mones said. “In terms of assembly and paid labor, you don’t necessarily have to have a sous chef or someone with deep culinary roots. It’s quick and cheap, and you’re able to sell a lot of them.” Tallboy Taco reels in customers with a list of traditional and standout items. Mones said the best selling tacos are the classic beer-battered fish taco with chipotle aioli and the brisket taco made with beef from LEYE’s Bub City. From the customer’s perspective, Mones noted that tacos are catching on for their convenience. “I feel like in an urban setting, people are always trying to move,” Mones said. “Time is of the essence, so tacos are fast and quick to assemble.” That quick and easy mentality drives the Gold Coast’s Velvet Taco, which opened up this February. In a neighborhood known for high-grade restaurants like Carmine’s and Nico Osteria, it would seem Velvet Taco would stick out like a sore thumb. However, the Texas-based franchise looks for downtown locations, especially when the strip of bars on Clark and Division
streets is not too far away. Rory Jenkins, 25, is a manager at Velvet Taco and helped open the new Chicago outpost. “We want an uptown feel around a bunch of bars,” Jenkins said. “Normally they are open later and we are open late, too. It’s a nice spot you can come for dinner and then go out with friends, and you can come back for a snack when you head home.” Velvet Taco is known for its creative taco fillings, such as crisp tikka chicken, shrimp and grits, falafel, Cuban pig and the fan-favorite, grilled flank steak. Jenkins also believed convenience has pushed the trend. “They’re a quick, easy food,” Jenkins said. “They’re handheld and you can put pretty much whatever you want in them.” Beyond the ideals of frugality and quickness, Matt Timms, 41, believes there is more to the taco trend. Timms is the founder of the Takedown series, a nationwide organization that hosts food competitions for home cooks. On April 19, Timms held the Taco Takedown at Lincoln Park’s historic Lincoln Hall. The competition featured about 10 taco varieties, including a fiery Texas brisket
with green apples and a sweet, chili pork with mashed sweet potatoes and plantains. Timms expected to sell 200 tickets for the event. While the tasty dish is easy to handle even in a packed room, Timms believes the taco fad is all about the cycle of food trends and consciousness. “I think every now and then there’s hills and valleys of foods that are exciting to people,” Timm said. “Maybe seven years ago was when bacon had this tidal wave of popularity.” The taco wave doesn’t seem to be slowing down for Chicago. Lincoln Square welcomed Taco in a Bag on April 22 for a tortilla-less experience, and Lakeview will hold its popular Sam Adams Taco Fest for the third year this fall. Lakeview residents can also be on the lookout for Barcocina in May, which will serve creative dishes like lamb French dip, Hawaiian pineapple pork and cheeseburgers. “People are more conscious of authentic Mexican food than they’ve ever been because people are more conscious about food in general,” Timms said. “People understand this is exactly how you should be eating tacos. There’s a million ways and interpretations of that.”
Students launch Springboard Theater Company By Michael Schmidt Contributing Writer
Spring Theater Company premieres its third production Saturday — and this time, the theme is improv. “Panic! at the Sketch Show” will showcase talents of multiple DePaul students’ — whether as sketch writers or improv connoisseurs. Formed this year as an outlet for students to get involved in extracurricular theater activities at DePaul, Springboard Theater Company aims to bring a night full of laughs in the comfort of the Brownstones Annex. Springboard’s first productions — “The Mousetrap” by Agatha Christie and “The Night of Stories” hosted by professor Joyce Miller Bean — have paved the way for the theater company to expand its involvement within the DePaul community. “All the sketches are original, written by students at DePaul. All DePaul,” director Ella Lubienski, who performed in “The Mousetrap” and “The Night of Stories,” said. For this production, Lubienski assumes the role as director. Founders Gabe Reiss and Peter Bucci, two freshmen students, decided to extend the role in order to emphasize the involvement that Springboard encourages from theater aficionados. Peter Bucci, artistic director for Springboard Theater Company, finds himself pleased and optimistic for the theater company and the direction of “Panic!” “We wanted to get other people involved. We knew Ella, we trusted her.
She knows her stuff about acting, improv and comedy,” Bucci said. “She was the most obvious choice. And after “Mousetrap,” Gabe and I decided to step back from the shows to focus more on the structure of Springboard.” Alongside the fresh direction of “Panic!,” new talent will make its way on stage. The cast consists of four writers, who will also act in some of their written and submitted sketches, and seven actors — the improvisers. “There is a really good mix of experienced actors and newcomers,” Lubienski said. “There are actors who have done one show in their past or have done crew, and then you have your more experienced actors who have taken Second City classes. The ones who are newer are learning from ones who are older.” One of these promising newcomers is freshman Madeline Mosso, who made her theatrical debut in “The Night of Stories” in April. Thus far, she has been pleasantly surprised with her experiences. “I told myself to not go into it with any expectations. I didn’t even expect to make it when I auditioned,” Mosso said. “But I found you don’t have to be hilarious to do improv. It’s wittiness. If you’re good in conversation, you’re probably good at improv.” To offer a glimpse into what to expect, Lubienski described a couple of her favorite sketches. “We have one that involves moms in a yoga class who are all very typical upper, middle-class yoga moms, but over stereotyped. Their kids have names like Kale, Chamomile and Zapato. Then a
Arts & Life. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 17
KIRSTEN ONSGARD | THE DEPAULIA
KIRSTEN ONSGARD | THE DEPAULIA
(Clockwise from top) Melody Mangu, Madeline Mosso and artistic director Peter Bucci practice skits during a Springboard Theater Company rehearsal Wednesday. normal person shows up,” she said. Mosso looks forward to one improv game called “Death Poetry Club,” in which three improv poets create haikus on the spot. Springboard’s “Panic! at the Sketch
Show” opens its doors at 6 p.m. for its 7 p.m. show Saturday, May 9. The cost of admission is $3 for students and $5 for general admission. “It’s nice and easy to watch,” Bucci said. “It’ll be a laid back night. Doesn’t matter if
Organic, GMO-free fare hits the healthy spot New campus eateries and groceries speak to many Millennials’ preference for organic foods. By Maria Garcia Contributing Writer
A long lunch line of hungry customers ended right in front of DePaul’s College of Communication building on Earth Day. Many customers stood in line patiently waiting to order their first meals from Just Salad, a newly opened restaurant. While the consumer demand for organic foods is expected to increase in the coming years, many of its heavy demanders are people in the younger demographic profile, including college students. Just Salad, located to the left of the communication building, is the Loop’s latest addition of restaurants focused on serving its a selection of customers healthier, organic and GMO-free foods. The shop opened up a few weeks ago and recieved immediate traffic from students. “Business is great and the response from the local community has been phenomenal,” Jason Rotter, Chicago Team Leader and Partner of Just Salad, said. Just a couple weeks since opening, Franky Martinez, brand ambassador for Just Salad, said the restaurant has stayed busy, especially during the lunch hour rush. “We’ve been getting a lot of students
from surrounding colleges, faculty and city workers who are already very loyal customers,” Rotter said. As of Spring 2014, a little more than 43 million people have started purchasing organic foods. “I’ve talked to students and they’ve told me that they wanted more healthy options here because the majority of restaurants surrounding this area are fast food,” Rotter said. For a while, DePaul students in the loop had limited healthy dining options like Potbelly’s, Jimmy John’s, Hannah’s Bretzel and Halsted Street Deli. If students are specifically looking for organic and GMO-free foods they now have Just Salad in addition to Chipotle, which officially announced a GMO-free menu earlier last week. “Being non-GMO is a huge a plus,” sophomore Breanna Otto said. “It won’t make me want to eat there more than I already do but I will feel better when I do eat there.” Since the demand for organic and nonGMO has gradually increased over the last decade, Benjamin Bui, a DePaul student, believes the healthy eating food movement stemmed from various documentaries including “Super Size Me,” “Food Inc.” and Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign,
which encourages children to fight obesity by adapting healthy lifestyles at an early age. “I feel a combination of these caused the public to question their own food, and from that point on they decided to look into organic and healthy food,” Bui said. Restaurants are responding to the large demand by adding more whole, natural and green foods to their menu. “We’re doing really well and part of the success is attributed to our food initiative,” Matt Bare, a marketing strategist for Chipotle said. “Chipotle is a pivotal point in our food history and although we can’t take full credit for a movement, I think we’re an important piece to that and hopefully will continue to be.” DePaul students like Otto are excited about the opening of Just Salad as well. Rotter said Just Salad has featured nonGMO ingrediants for awhile now. While Just Salad’s doors are close to Chipotle, he said the company is looking forward to coexisting with Chipotle. “We’re just trying to give our customers more of a variation,” Rotter said. As more healthy restaurants continue to open up near DePaul’s Loop Campus, DePaul’s cafeteria in the DePaul Center is one of the businesses that might be negatively impacted. A manager for the Chartwells in the Loop dining hall believes the opening of Just Salad will most likely impact business because of the disadvantage of being on the 11th floor.
The manager added that not many people are willing to come upstairs for food if they can easily pick up food on the main level. A health trend that seems to be growing has already impacted DePaul’s Lincoln Park community with its latest grocery store opening of Whole Foods next to the Fullerton Red Line stop. “The placement of Whole Foods right next to campus was the greatest idea ever,” Bui said. “It’s so close to campus that anyone can just go there and grab something healthy to eat on their way to or from class.” Although Bui said he doesn’t have the budget for Whole Foods groceries, he still made a switch to eating healthier foods such as salads, soups and sandwiches after constantly having fried food from the Ranch in DePaul’s Lincoln Park dining hall for an entire quarter. “I stopped eating at the Ranch because my stomach started hurting from eating their food too much,” Bui said. “I also started working out and felt it was best to let go of all the junk and fried food I was eating.” With food sales reaching $35 million in the organic market, Bui believes that the health trend is here to stay . “If you want to be healthy, you should make that decision for yourself,” Bui said. “No one should be pressured into eating healthy if they don’t want to, especially not to follow a trend,” he said. “It’s a lifestyle decision that should be made to improve their own health.”
18 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015
Crowning a new queen A do-it-yourself generation of drag queens takes center stage By Emily Clement Contributing Writer
As Brooke Candy’s song blasted through the Cortelyou Commons, Sara Tonin, scantily clad as a nun, stomped and gyrated in platform boots under the watchful gaze of a dozen portraits of priests. The crowd ate it up. DePaul’s Amateur Drag Show had the room packed Friday night. Every chair was filled and people lined the walls to cheer on the queens and kings. After a final lip-sync battle to “Stupid Girls” by P!nk, Sara Tonin was crowned the queen of the queens, meaning she will perform at the professional drag show later in May. Jeremy Martens, a.k.a Sara Tonin, and Arie Thompson, a.k.a Mel A. Tonin, agree that they are in drag for the fun of the performance. “We’re not trying to be girls,” Thompson said. “I’ve been doing theater since middle school, and I really liked acting,” Martens said. “And like every gay man my age, I watched RuPaul.” It’s worth noting that Martens changed wigs — from a blonde Sia-like wig to a short black bob — for his interview. Both sophomores in the theater school, Thompson and Martens performed a duet Friday night to “Complètement fou” by Yelle. They said that there isn’t an elaborate backstory of the characters, except that they are sisters and both CEO-types. “I think it’s connected to our personalities,” Martens said. “Yeah, because I’m really sleepy,” Thompson said. Men dressing as women for performances has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years; records from Ancient Rome show that male cross-dressers were not uncommon. While men dressing as women for performances was considered okay, cross-dressing men were seen as degenerates. “It’s a celebration of femme-ness,” Kathy Ferolito, their self-described momager, said. “Or just of weird queer-ness,” Thompson said. Although the term “drag queen” was first used in the late 1800s, drag balls were forced underground during the world wars to avoid police harassment. In the 1950s, America’s conservative culture and fear of the subversive meant that drag queens and drag shows continued to be viewed as immoral by mainstream society. After the Stonewall Riots in 1969, drag continued to grow. “Paris is Burning” documents the ball culture of New York City in the 1980s, especially in the African American and Latino/a gay and transgender community. The movie “Party Monster” serves as the inspiration for the drag Martens and Thompson like to do, an anything goes, dress how you feel kind of mentality. The “club kids” from the movie were somewhat infamous in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Despite the popularity of RuPaul, the 1980s was considered the golden era of ball culture. Martens’ first show was last year at the amateur show; this was Thompson’s first performance. Briget Diehl, a DePaul theater student and amateur drag performer, described the New York balls as a “seedy but loving community.”
Photo courtesy TAYLOR GILLEN
Photo courtesy TAYLOR GILLEN
Jeremy Martins (left) performs as Sara Tonin and Arie Thompson performs as Mel A. Tonin at the Amateur Drag Show Friday. Drag shows have evolved since the golden age of ball culture in the ‘80s to encompass a variety of styles, from pageantry to comedy.
“It used to be that your mother would teach you makeup and the aesthetic. Now, there are a lot of orphan queens, for better or for worse.” Michael Conroy During that era, drag queens would be part of a house where they would have a drag mom and probably share a name. The moms would teach the new queens the ropes, kind of like bigs and littles in sorority houses. “Your drag mom beats your face,” Diehl said — meaning putting on the makeup. “It usually takes queens two years to get the face technique.” The ball scene is not as prevalent now, and drag has evolved into several different styles, and RuPaul’s Drag Race, now on its seventh season, helped it go more
mainstream. Diehl described a few styles of drag from pageant, where queens focus on beauty and polish, to comedy, which is more of a nightclub and party scene and less about looking fishy, that is, like a woman. Diehl and Michael Conroy, another theater student, said the new generation of drag queens is more “do-it-yourself,” especially because YouTube has a plethora of tutorials for full drag makeup. “It used to be that your mother would teach you makeup and the aesthetic,” Conroy said. “Now, there are a lot of orphan
queens, for better or for worse.” As part of the new generation, Thompson and Martens are teaching themselves the makeup. “We’re still learning,” Martens said. “But it’s really hard.” The process is worth it, though, because they get to express something in themselves that can’t be expressed in everyday life. Plus, it’s fun. “I just like to dress up,” Thompson said. “It’s more fun when you go to a party all dressed up or in character,” Martens said.
Arts & Life. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 19
Soothing signs of student stress By Kirsten Onsgard Arts & Life Editor
If you want to know how many students are feeling, just eavesdrop in the library. There’s talk of full workdays capped with night class, sleep-deprived sophomores sprawled across chairs, freshmen juggling smartphones, laptops, desktops, tablets and a few old-school notepads. IT technicians burrow into books between fielding questions by students with withdrawal shakes, fearing their computer has crashed. It’s a feeling junior Paige Dunseith — whose schedule includes five classes, tutoring and working as a lab assistant and acting as co-president of Global Brigades — sometimes describes as “spinning plates.� “Needless to say, my schedule keeps me rather busy,� she said. “My days start early and end rather late. On the plus side, I’ve grown to like mornings.� In a word, it’s stress: that itchy prickling at the pit of your stomach, the electroshocks buzzing through your hands, the whispering midnight thoughts, the spasticness that saps creativity and begs to be quenched by coffee. At its prime, it springs you into productivity; too much, and it leaves the mind numb and the body aching. At worst, it could be a descent into a deeper mental health problem. Tolerating stress, avoiding burnout and staying healthy is about self-management and seeking help if conditions worsen. “Having too many work burdens can definitely be an intense stressor for people, especially if the stakes are high (in terms
La Casa
of their goals),� Kathryn Grant, a DePaul psychology professor, said. “Just like all other forms of stress, too many work burdens can predict and cause mental health problems, especially with genetic vulnerability. But it can happen to anyone if the stress gets high enough.� More than half of college students felt overwhelmed or exhausted within the past 30 days, as indicated by the National College Health Assessment. “I’m in the library like all day, pretty much,� freshman Sam Blackwell said with one midterm down and another to go. “Stress-wise, I’m taking one assignment at a time.� It’s something even yoga instructor and DePaul junior Christine Veit knows well, as a student juggling 18 credit hours, a parttime receptionist job and teaching a class at the Ray. She said now her schedule isn’t too weighty, but self-care is still something she makes time for. “I definitely go to yoga even if I don’t have the time or if I have a lot of homework,� she said after instructing a class in the John T. Richardson Library designed to mitigate midterm stress. “I’ll still make an effort to go because it challenges me, and then relaxes me.� Though it’s an obvious solution, exercise is often that good advice some hate to take. Untangling tense muscles and sweating off steam can be key for a healthy mind — and it doesn’t hurt the body, either. “When I’m done with my own yoga practice, physically I feel relaxed, and all my tension is gone away,� she said. “Then I
is
Your Casa
feel a sense of euphoria and lightness, like a glow in my skin. It’s just easier to focus on other things because it allows my mind to relax as well. I can fill it with other things instead of worrying, and what I have to do.� But while stress is draining and a sign of over-engagement, University Counciling Services Director Jeffrey Landfear said burnout might be a “symptom of imbalance� caused by being overworked or under-challenged. Blackwell described burnout as submitting to stress; she loses motivation, naps and gives in. “Though stress is not unusual in college students, it’s important to notice if these symptoms persist for more than a brief time frame,� Dr. Landfear said. Grant said it could be especially apparent in those who take personal value in achievement, and can manifest itself in other ways. “Semantic things, like physical health symptoms, or it could be headaches or stomach aches with no medical cause,� she said. “Certainly symptoms of anxiety, depression and irritability.� This, in addition to isolation, distress or shutting down, can be a sign to reach out to family, friends, counselors or others in a support system. It’s hard to succeed when you’re dragged down, and it’s an unhealthy way to spend a college career. “Remember to enjoy college,� Dunseith said. “With a busy schedule, it’s easy to get caught up in studies and work. When you look back a couple years from now, you should remember more than the nights spent studying (in the library).�
Best ways to beat stress and burnout Recharge Unplug and take regular breaks. It’s hard to stay focused for more than an hour at a time.
Exercise Blow off steam and relax tension, or try more mindful exercises like yoga.
Sleep regularly Though rest is usually the first to go, compromising sleep can make it worse.
Positive friendships Surround yourself with people who won’t ruminate over work or school.
Reach out Utilize a support system and resources if anxiety or depression arises.
DO SUMMER BETTER AT MARQUETTE. Take a class and get six weeks closer to graduation while you enjoy the best season in Milwaukee.
Photos by Anthony May and courtesy of Urbanworks.
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20 | The DePaulia May 4, 2015
YOU'RE HERE
FOR WHO?
We did the homework so you don't have to. Check back each week for the scoop on bands you can't miss at Pitchfork, Lollapalooza, North Coast and Riot Fest this year.
By Erin Yarnall Focus Editor
The Wombats The Wombats should be more popular than they are. Finding a way to blend the garage rock revival movement with pop and alternative dance music, their set this summer is one not to be missed. The English indie-rock trio is finally returning to the other side of the Atlantic to tour in support of their third studio album “Glitterbug,” which was released April 13. Their first album, “A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation” led them to great success, including their music being featured on television shows such as “The Inbetweeners” in the United Kingdom. While “A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation” seems inspired by other popular British indie bands such as the Arctic Monkeys, “Glitterbug” is more reminiscent of British post-punk bands such as New Order. Their new album is filled with a poppy energy, despite the depressing and anxiety-filled nature of many of the band’s lyrics going back to their previous albums. The new pop influence is musically noticeable on tracks such as “Emoticons” and “Your Body is a Weapon,” and should carry over well to a live performance. Despite the new sound, the lyrics are just as fun as ever, as “fun” is one of the signature trademarks of anything The Wombats ever put out.
The Wombats Lollapalooza Photo courtesy of THE WOMBATS
The Julie Ruin
The Julie Ruin Pitchfork
Started as a side project for one of the most inspirational musicians of the past 30 years, The Julie Ruin should be mandatory viewing at Pitchfork this year. The band, which officially formed in 2010, is fronted by Kathleen Hanna, previously of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, and also features Bikini Kill band mate Kathi Wilcox on bass, guitarist Sara Landeau, keyboardist Kenny Mellman and drummer Carmine Covelli. The Julie Ruin initially began while Hanna was taking a break from the famed riot grrl band, Bikini Kill. Hanna released a lo-fi album under the pseudonym Julie Ruin. The album, which was recorded in her Olympia, Washington apartment, touches upon the themes of feminism, resisting police abuse and even crocheting. In 2010, Hanna returned to the project with a full band and they released their first album, “Run Fast,” in 2013. The album is filled with as much energy as Hanna’s band from decades ago and combines the punk roots of Bikini Kill with the electrodance fun of Le Tigre. The music addresses the same issues as Hanna’s prior bands, such as feminism, with a type of snarkiness and honesty that Hanna has become known for in her lyrics. The song “Girls Like Us” can be seen as a rallying cry for girls who don’t fit society’s mold of what a girl should be. The Julie Ruin was scheduled to perform at last year’s festival, but pulled out of their performance due to a relapse in Hanna’s Lyme disease, which she discussed in the documentary “The Punk Singer.” Check them out at Pitchfork this summer.
Photo courtesy of THE JULIE RUIN
Ne-Hi
Quickly becoming one of Chicago’s most exciting live bands to see, Ne-Hi is performing at North Coast Music Festival this September. The local band based out of Humboldt Park has become a Chicago staple lately, and even played at Reckless Records on Record Store Day last month before playing the Empty Bottle on the same day as part of the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival. After releasing their self-titled debut album last year, which was recorded entirely in Logan Square, the band, which consists of members Jason Balla, Alex Otake, Michael Wells and James Weir, has not taken a break and continues to churn out energetic live performances. Their music spans a wide range of sounds on their nine-track release, while altogether emanating a relaxed vibe, especially on songs such as “Turncoat” and “Since I’ve Been Thinking.” Describing the strong guitar riffs present throughout the album makes a reviewer feel like Goldilocks, as they are not too overbearing, but powerful enough to carry the album, they’re just right. Another feature of the band worthy of praise is the double vocals from Balla and Wells, which complement each other well. The music itself is nostalgic, calling back to surf-rock bands of the ’80s and ’90s,’ despite the fact that they are located thousands of miles from any ocean. Ne-Hi’s popularity is only going to continue to grow after their past year of success, so attendees should make sure to check out their set at North Coast Music Festival.
Ne-Hi North Coast Photo courtesy of NE-HI
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22 | The DePaulia May 4, 2015
Chicago celebrates Cinco de Mayo GEOFF STELLFOX | THE DEPAULIA
By Olivia Mohseni
Cinco de Mayo events
Contributing Writer
Named the “best fiesta north of the border” by Mercadito, one of Chicago’s most celebrated holidays is here — Cinco de Mayo. The entire city celebrates with Mexican food, music and art in commemoration of Mexico’s improbable victory against French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1892. This was one of many battles during the Franco-Mexican War, which lasted from 1861-1867. It is widely mistaken that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day. Mexican Independence, called “El Grito de la Independencia” (The Cry of Independence) is celebrated on September 16. In 1810, more than 50 years prior to the Battle of Puebla, a call to arms declared war on the Spanish colonial government ruling at the time. Krystal Rodriguez, a student at DePaul who celebrates Cinco de Mayo, recognizes the importance of distinguishing the two separate holidays. “It’s not actually Mexican Independence Day like most people think, it’s just a day the Mexicans won a battle against the French,” Rodriguez said. “While the tacos and margaritas are fun to eat and drink, I think it’s important to remember to not use the day to appropriate Mexican culture. No sombreros or ponchos if you’re not Mexican.” Mexican culture is extremely influential on American culture, especially as they are the fourth largest ancestry group in the U.S. with over 31 million people living here, according to Business Insider. Mexican culture is a mixture of appealing food, native legends, artistic expressions and Spanish cultural elements as well, all making this culture unique. This has clearly left its mark on American culture, like TexMex food, Spanish language learning and even using piñatas at birthday parties. Pilsen, Logan Square and Little Village are all predominantly Mexican neighborhoods and are sure to be lit up this Cinco de Mayo. From the celebrated murals on the sides of buildings to live mariachi bands in restaurants, Pilsen and Logan Square are the two of the top destinations for May 5. Aside from Pilsen’s authentic Mexican food and colorful building murals scattered throughout the neighborhood, the neighbhorhood is home to the National Museum of Mexican Art, located at 1852 W. 19th St. This museum includes a wide range of powerful exhibits and collections that interpret Mexican culture and history
La Vaca Margarita Bar 1160 W 18th St 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. There will be a live mariachi band and there is sure to be dancing on their dance floor. Food and drink specials last the entire day. Churro Factory 2214 S. Wolcott Ave. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Featuring special flavors for Cinco de Mayo, this place is known for having the best desserts. National Museum of Mexican Art 1852 W. 19th St. Tuesday — Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Located in Pilsen, the National Museum of Mexican Art is a way to incorporate authentic Mexican culture into your Cinco de Mayo. Admission is free. Pilsen Mural Walking Tour Begin at 18th and Loomis Streets; finish at 19th Street and Wolcott Avenue. Follow this route to see some of the most iconic landmarks in Pilsen: 1.The Declaration of Immigration, 1401 W. 18th St. 2. Stop the Gentrification of Pilsen, 1805 S. Bishop St. 3. Mexican Women of Different Generations, 1701 W. 18th St. 4. Increíble Las Cosas Que Se Ven, 1900 S. Ashland Ave. 5. Gulliver En El País De Las Maravillas, between S. Wolcott Ave. and S Cullterton Ave.
Photos by GEOFF STELLFOX | THE DEPAULIA
The Cinco de Mayo parade and festival took place in Little Village last weekend. through art. Taste on Chestnut, a restaurant in Winnetka, Illinois., is celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year with a week’s worth of their “Taste of Mexico” menu from May 5 to 9. Chef Sergio Correa incorporates his
own heritage into the menu, including appetizers, soups, salads and entrées with Mexican flavors such as lime, cilantro, jalapeño and chipotle. “Every culture has its own favorite spices, flavors and ingredients. It is fun to
be able to experiment,” Corea said. Even though Cinco de Mayo is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico with the primary celebrations only held in the town of Puebla, in Chicago it’s celebrated for nearly a week. Because it lands on a Tuesday this year, many Cinco de Mayo celebrations occurred over the weekend, including the three-day festival at Douglas Park followed by the Cinco de Mayo parade down Cermak Road in Little Village. But even if you missed these activities, there is still much celebrating to be done.
Arts & Life. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 23
what’sFRESH North Coast Music Festival announces 2015 lineup
DePaul Art Museum presents new photography exhibition ‘Liminal Infrastructure’ May 14
North Coast Music Festival announced its 2015 lineup this week, including headliners D’Angelo and the Vanguard and The Chemical Brothers. The festival takes place Sept. 4-6 at Union Park on the near West Side. A third rock headliner has yet to be announced, unusual for the typically jam and electronic festival. Other artists include Atmosphere, Chromeo, Knife Party, Porter Robinson, Portugal. The Man, Steve Aoki, The Disco Biscuits, The Glitch Mob, The Roots, Tycho and Wale. North Coast is touting this lineup as its “most eclectic yet,� and includes genres from jam and electronic to rock and indie. Three-day passes are on sale now for $159, and this year, the festival is only open to fans ages 17-and-up.
Pinhole cameras are often the smallest and simplest photographic devices, but as one of the world’s largest drove through Chicago as a shipping container, it produced stunning landscape photos of the city. Images created by this camera, known as the Liminal Camera, will be on display at the DePaul Art Museum during “Liminal Infrastructure,� which runs May 14 to Aug. 9. The exhibition was produced in collaboration with the Chicago Humanities Festival and features works by artists Lauren Bon, Richard Nielsen and Tristan Duke during their exploration of the Great Lakes region last fall. “The Liminal Camera breaks down the photographic process to its most basic and raw elements,� Greg Harris, curator of the exhibition, said in a press release. “It makes people step back and think about how photographs originally came into the world, and that is really important in a time when our lives are inundated and saturated with digital images.� The exhibition includes dramatic and large-scale photographs of Chicago up to 8 feet long, which Harris said gives viewers a � truly unexpected and rare way for people to see the city’s infrastructure and historic locales.� “Liminal Infrastructure� opens with a presentation by the artists and reception at 4:30 p.m. May 14 at the DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton Ave.
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24 | The DePaulia. May 4, 2015
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Find this and all our DeJamz playlists on depauliaonline.com and on our spotify account By Kirsten Onsgard Arts & Life Editor
What began as a rural Tennessee jam band festival in the early 2000s has grown into the multigenre and multifaceted festival we now know as Bonnaroo. While much has changed, what’s fascinating about the festival is that it seemed to maintain much of its initial integrity and “radiate positivity” mantra since its inception. Is Bonnaroo’s lineup the best this year? No. But in my experience, it has the kindest, happiest people. Partially it’s due
to camping — living together means, to some extent, you have to cohabitate in peace — but the festival has been able to institute a cultural shift unlike any other. My yearly trip marks the beginning of the summer with a road trip with friends, finally hot weather and some great music. Here are some of the acts I’m looking forward to seeing, illustrating some of the best things about Bonnaroo. 1. Mac DeMarco — “Salad Days” Thursdays are for setting up camp and settling into the hustle of the festival. Without a headliner, it’s a day set aside for
Crossword
rock acts. Two years ago, Mac Demarco played on a small side stage against Macklemore; this year, he’s slotted for a midnight set that’s sure to draw. 2. Earth Wind & Fire — “September” I can’t think of a better time and place to see Earth, Wind & Fire than at midnight in some field in the middle of nowhere Tennessee. And when else are you actually going to see Earth, Wind & Fire? 3. Flying Lotus — “Never Catch Me” Centeroo, where all of the performances take place, never
Across 1. Quench 6. Beach locale 10. Issue a caveat to 14. Personnel director, often 15. Sometime today 16. Cookie brand 17. It might be jumpin’ 20. Lay waste to 21. When the expectant are expecting 22. Type of whale 23. Permitted 24. Certain beach bird 27. “___ will be done” 29. Taro root 33. St. kin 34. Chinese dynasty (var.) 36. Worthy of a medal 38. It’s not proof of future success 41. Parting words 42. Complain pettily 43. When you might
closes, and there are no artist curfews. Flying Lotus, STS9 and Odesza are slotted for that prime late night slot with only a suggested end time. In 2013 I woke up for a 6 a.m. bathroom run and Pretty Lights was still playing. One of these artists is certain to take advantage of this Bonnaroo perk. There’s also a chance Kendrick Lamar could make an appearance at Flying Lotus’ set. 4. War on Drugs — “Red Eyes” Though The War on Drugs put out arguably one of the best albums of last year, they’re slotted for a late afternoon Saturday set time, and after a
come down 44. Transmit 45. Suffix for a world record 46. Expression of praise (var.) 47. Personals, e.g. 49. Select carefully 52. Like some elephants 56. Scared, to a stereotypical hayseed 60. From Methuselah’s time 62. Connive 63. Common canine name 64. Garden bulb 65. About half of all detectives 66. Addition column 67. All in Down 1. Certain herring 2. “That’s ___” 3. Music and dance are two 4. Continue
long Friday night, it might be the first of the day for many. But a festival perk is being able to sit in the back, take in the environment and relax a bit. Luckily, their rich sound is ideal for lounging. 5. Billy Joel — “Piano Man” After a long weekend, Sunday is sometimes physically difficult. The sun’s a little hotter, your body aches, you’re a bit delusional from sleepiness and you’ll probably miss a set or two. Good thing there’s a kumbaya sing-along to cap it all off, and “Piano Man” is too perfect for it.
5. Baseball miscue 6. One who quarantines 7. Former French coin 8. Like an artistocrat 9. Follow afterward 10. Furniture material 11. La Scala solo 12. Cost of living? 13. School jotting 18. Soused one’s sound 19. Boeing 757, e.g. 24. Spanish finger foods 25. Avoid doing 26. Fir tree exudation 28. Angry fits 29. Good bit of history 30. Beneficiary 31. Pronouncements 32. Indian or Atlantic 34. PC “brain” 35. Spell 36. Many mins. 37. Pair of jammies? 39. One of the Kennedys
40. Shunned ones 45. Break out of jail 46. Emphasize the importance of 47. Consumed 48 Performed, in Shakespeare 50. Alien craft 51. Some boxing blows 52. Dangerous snakes 53. It holds plenty of fodder 54. Get ___ a good thing 55. Play divisions 57. Part in a sitcom 58. One of “The Waltons” 59. U.S. govt. subgroup 61. “Hither” partner
Sports. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 25
Sports
JOSH LEFF | THE DEPAULIA
JOSH LEFF | THE DEPAULIA
JOSH LEFF | THE DEPAULIA
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: An overview of the crowd at the Selection Square; Tampa Bay fans take photos with their phones; Two Tampa Bay fans pose in full costume.
CHICAGO CLOCKS IN
An evening spent in ‘Draft Town’ as Chicago hosted the 2015 NFL Draft By Matthew Paras Managing Editor
Roman Diaz walked through Grant Park Thursday night decked in pirate gear, with a full-length coat and a plastic skull mask covering most of his face. He even completed the outfit with a captain hat, black with gold trim and a plastic skull and crossbones glued to it. No it’s not Halloween. For the 38-year-old Diaz, it’s even better — the NFL Draft. “I had to support my Buccaneers, support my team,” Diaz, a Tampa Bay native, said. “Everything is a life experience for us all. I’m trying to prove to the world there is such thing as a Bucs fan — a traveling fan who supports his team.” On the surface, the draft is a simple selection process. But like everything else with football, the NFL has mastered turning simplicity into a theater of entertainment. It’s why 38-yearold men dress up in costumes and travel across the country. And after a night through Grant Park with the first round of the NFL Draft, the NFL’s full marketing machine was into full effect. For the first time, bodies upon bodies packed — estimated
between 50,000 to 100,000 — in “Draft Town” in Grant Park to get a taste of what the NFL draft brought to Chicago. During the night, I soaked it all in.
Before the draft
I’ve been to music festivals before. Riot Fest is my annual jam for my pop-punk, emo-loving soul. So it was to my surprise to see how much Draft Town felt like a music festival, each having their own sections. Getting there at 5:30 p.m., an hour and a half before the draft started, I spent a lot of time navigating the set up, “up for whatever.” (Note: Seeing signs for Bud Light and wading my way through crowds of people holding Bud Light may have influenced my last sentence). I eventually made my way to a fan tent for the New York Jets. Notorious for being one of the most passionate fan bases in the NFL, I hoped they would live up to the billing. DePaul senior John Porrazzao, dressed in his Darrelle Revis jersey, didn’t disappoint. “I just want them to do something positive, and that won’t affect us bad in the long run,” Porrazzao said, spoken like a true Jets fan. “Last year was tough. It
didn’t make sense to what we were doing. “Having class two or thee blocks away, I was just able to come over here to come watch the Jets make their first round pick. It’s going to be amazing.” I needed to see for myself if the draft was going to be “amazing.”
Watching the draft at Selection Square
When the draft started, I made my way back to Selection Square where NFL personality Scott Hanson and former Chicago Bear Curtis Cinway worked the crowd to provide analysis and add excitement — all of which lasted until the Bears made their pick. As the draft began, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made a brief appearance to announce Tampa Bay was on the clock. In his brief appearance, Chicago did not disappoint, drowning him out with boos. Goodell was also booed every time he was shown on screen. But compared to the first four picks, Goodell getting booed was the most exciting thing to happen. All four picks were predicitable. Thankfully, the next pick of the night provided the most excitement. With the fifth pick, Washington’s football team selected guard/tackle Brandon Schreff, a player few had
JOSH LEFF | THE DEPAULIA
Carolina Panthers fans await their team’s pick in the Panther’s tent. linked to Washington. Upon hearing the news, Virginia native Chris Kanpstein got up from his front row seat and ran down the aisle and back to highfive his friend. He had that much excitement for Washington selecting a guard? “Don’t think of as a guard,” Knapstein said. “Think of it as 10-time player on the Redskins, a player who can play a decade. Think Steve Hutichson, Larry Allen, guys like that.” Sure. Regardless of Knapstein’s excitement, the atmosphere soon ramped up when the Bears were
two picks away from making their pick. Hanson, a natural host, added to the excitement asking the Chicago crowd if they were ready and teased up potential options. And, for what seemed like too long, the Bears finally made their pick by selecting wide receiver Kevin White at No. 7. The Chicago crowd erupted. The city got their player — a dyanmic wide receiver that can add some excitement back to Chicago football. He may not pan out, and many of the 256 players picked over the weekend may not either, but what did pan out was Chicago as a draft city.
26 | Sports. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia TENNIS, continued from back page John’s, who also turned out to be not much of a challenge. DePaul head coach Mark Ardizzone said that being in the Big East final before certainly helped this year. “They kept their composure,” Ardizzone said. “They’re just a stress free team. I stress them out enough at practice that when things get moving around or the weather is bad, they just know what the goal is. They are very business like. Other teams were kind of all over the place and we just kept our composure.” DePaul senior Rebecca Mitrea said getting back to the tournament is a “great thing.” Mitrea had an impressive Big East tournament, going 5-0 in singles and doubles play and was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big East Championship. Despite having an impressive outing, Mitrea said DePaul has a new goal for the NCAA tournament this year. “One of our goals is to make the second round of the NCAA tournament,” Mitrea said, a task the group didn’t achieve last year. “We have this chance and we’re just ready for Kentucky.” Ardizzone said the Blue Demons are facing a great team. The Wildcats are ranked No. 25 in the country and are 1512. So far this season, DePaul is 4-3 against teams in the top 25. “They are an SEC team and they play great teams all year,” Ardizzone said. “It’s a great opportunity for us. They’re in the top 25, and we’re looking forward to that opportunity for sure.” But it’s the closeness of DePaul that’s led to their success this year, Ardizzone said. DePaul has seen valuable contributions from seniors in Fargas and Mitrea while also getting a lot out of newcomers in
Photo courtesy of DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Senior Jasmine Kling has had success in doubles partnering with freshman Yulia Shupenia and senior Patricia Fargas in 2015. Yuliya Shupenia and Patricia Lancranjan. “Rarely have I had a team this close that’s really gelled together,” Ardizzone said. “We’re just so deep. We just have strength in numbers. I could put in our seven or eight kids and I still think we could beat any team. We just thrive off that.” “They just really pull and cheer for each other.” In her time at DePaul, Fargas has seen the tennis program continue to evolve. The team went 15-8 in her freshman year and then took a massive leap forward the last two years. “For me, this couldn’t have been better ending it like this,” Fargas said. “I’m so proud of the team. I’m really glad I got to be here for four years and for two of them, we were the Big East champions.
First round matchup
vs. 21-4
15-12
ITA Rank: 37
ITA Rank: 25 May 8, 2015. 9 a.m. Ann Arbor, Mich.
COMING FALL 2015 CERTIFICATES IN MODERN LANGUAGES
DePaul’s Department of Modern Languages will offer certificates in Intermediate, and Advanced Languages. For more information, visit: http://las.depaul.edu/departments/modernlanguages/undergraduate/pages/certificates.aspx Ms. Corban Sanchez at csanch12@depaul.edu
Sports. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 27
Recruit Develle Phillips reaffirms his commitment to DePaul By Ben Gartland Sports Editor
After being recruited by one coach and eventually committing to said coach and school, it can be a burden on a recruit’s mind when that head coach announces he will not be at the program the next season, leaving the recruit in limbo. This was the mindset of DePaul 2015 recruit Develle Phillips, who had some thoughts of de-committing from the program when former DePaul head coach Oliver Purnell announced he would resign March 14. “My first reaction was kind of like devastated,” Phillips said. “I wasn’t really shocked since they didn’t really have that good of a year this year and I was kind of thinking that he might resign. Other than that it was just, you know, a heavy burden or figuring out what I was going to do next.” Phillips said he found out that Purnell resigned from former DePaul associate head coach Renard Phillips, who was let go the day after Purnell announced his resignation. Renard Phillips, a Baltimore native, was hired to help DePaul recruit the Washington D.C. area, which encompassed Develle Phillips. “At first the thing was that I was just hoping that Coach Renard would stay, but he got fired I guess,” Phillips said. “Then that’s when skeptical thoughts came into my head and I was
Photo courtesy of DMVELITE.COM
After committing to DePaul in the fall, Develle Phillips has no doubts about attending with a different coach. thinking about de-committing and going to another school.” Phillips is still going to honor his commitment to DePaul. The 6-foot-8 power forward was ranked three stars by 247sports. com and was the first DePaul
signing for the 2015 class. One of the reasons why Phillips decided to stay with the Blue Demons was because assistant coach Billy Garrett Sr. convinced him about new DePaul head coach Dave Leitao’s positives.
“He came down and we talked a little bit and had a nice conversation about what happened and moving from this point forward,” he said. “You know, he was just talking about how Coach Leitao is a good
person and family orientated. He made sure that I was okay and I kind of took his word.” Garrett Sr. took over the helm of recruiting for DePaul briefly in between the resignation of Purnell and the hiring of Leitao. Even though Renard Phillips, who was the one that he established a strong relationship with, Phillips still felt confident under Garrett Sr. “Yeah it helps because I’m still cool with him too,” he said. “I believe that I can trust him with me being up there and if I ever need anything he’ll be there.” Phillips said he did talk to Leitao for a little while and they talked about the system that Leitao is going to run and how Phillips will be able to play in it. “Talking to Coach Leitao, at one point he was just saying defense and was enforcing defense on the kids that’s playing,” he said. “When I was talking to him, it was like defense is the primary thing that I do, so I wasn’t really worried about transitioning from a different thing.” Even though the style of Leitao might be different than what Phillips was expecting under Purnell, he’s still ready to adjust to a new team at a new level. “It’s not really frightening, but you might have to get adjusted to a different system than expected,” he said. “(Leitao) just stressed defense and said you can play however you want on offense. I was excited and looking forward to next season.”
VOLLEYBALL, continued from back page The attitude among the team has been to put in the work and to carry that momentum through summer and into the season’s grind. “I think that we’ve been working really hard and I know we just want to come back and have a really strong year next year,” freshman Caitlyn Coffey said. “Everyone just always gets in here early ready to work and I think that’s really going to help us going into next season.” One thing that spring workouts allow is the time to work on little parts of the game that will not always be possible to work on extensively during the season. “We’re working hard every single day, and again, we’re teaching the game and we’re getting better at the fundamentals, and you know, I think that’s the biggest thing in terms of measuring our growth,” Edwards said. “They know the goals for next year and I think they’re ready to go and they’re pretty excited.” Part of the motivation has been the goals the team has set forth for the autumn. Despite their losing season in 2014, the Blue Demons are looking to compete and compete big in 2015. “We’re ready to win,” Coffey said. “We’re definitely working on winning the Big East conference and I think we’re going to do well in the tournament when we make it there and hopefully get a bid to the NCAA tournament.” The goals are there from the coaching staff and the players alike. “Our goal is to tackle one match at a time and be able to use the preseason to prepare us for the Big East Conference,” Edwards said. “I think it’s wide open and
Photo courtesy of DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Redshirt sophomore Randi Leath started 21 matches out of 25 for DePaul in 2014 and will likely play a large part in 2015 as well. She earned all of her career high statistics in 2014. there’s an opportunity for DePaul to be seen in the Big East Tournament this year.” They see the biggest opportunity from how well they competed against some of their Big East competition towards the end of 2014, and how they can overcome
that hurdle to make it to the NCAA tournament. “In the last couple years there have been three or four teams in the Big East Tournament that have competed in the NCAA tournament so if the girls are
motivated and they come in and work hard every single day, they know it’s not going to just happen,” Edwards said. “But the opportunities for them to do really well next year are out there.”
Sports. May 4, 2015. The DePaulia | 28
Sports
ALL THAT RACKET After winning their second straight Big East championship, women’s tennis looks to make some noise in the NCAA tournament. By Matthew Paras Managing Editor
Photo courtesy of DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Junior Ana Vladutu brings experience to the 2015 NCAA tournament.
DePaul women’s tennis went into the Big East tournament with not only the goal of defending their Big East crown — they wanted to dominate as well. They did just that. The Blue Demons tacked on another Big East championship with commanding performances April 24-26, and they are now set to face No. 24 Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Ann Arbor, Michigan on May 9. “It means a lot to us to make the tournament for another straight year,” senior Patricia Fargas said. “We’ve been working really hard this entire season. We had really high expectations coming in from last year’s Big East so we really wanted to prove ourselves once again. We wanted to prove there was a reason we were the No. 1 seed.” Over the course of three days, the Blue Demons, who are ranked No. 37 in the country, went into Indianapolis and dominated their fellow Big East rivals with a 4-0 sweep in each match. To get to the finals, DePaul (21-4, 5-0 Big East) dispatched of Providence and Marquette. The wins set them up for St.
See TENNIS, page 26
Photo courtesy of DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul will play Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Volleyball gaining experience from spring tournaments By Ben Gartland Sports Editor
There’s been a constant theme since the end of the 2014 season. With the team miring in the Big East cellar, DePaul volleyball looked at the season as a learning experience. “I think it’s just growth and chemistry,” head coach Nadia Edwards said after a Nov. 9 loss to St. John’s. “Throughout the season, the girls have had a chance to play almost 30 matches together and learn everybody’s strengths and weaknesses.” Six months later, volleyball is ready to take the lessons learned from their 3-27 campaign in 2014 and turn it into results in 2015. “I think that just shows our resiliency and the type of team that we have,” junior Colleen Smith said. “We’re always coming to the gym early to work and fight through the hard times and I think that’s what’s bringing us together as a group.” The team hosted a spring tournament April 11, where they faced area teams such as Indiana State, Green Bay and Indiana
University-Purdue University Indianapolis, in addition to general offseason workouts. “I think spring has been going really well just in terms of people stepping up and being more comfortable with the group in general and being able to compete,” Edwards said. “We have goals every single week and their more technical goals, amping up our serves and working on our first ball contact and other specific things. I focus on those specific things to kind of measure our growth.” With no seniors on the 2014 squad, the entire team is back for spring workouts and there will be two freshmen additions before the start of the 2015 season. “This is really helpful because we have that opportunity to be able to have the team all here together training for six months and being here over the summer,” Smith said. “It’s going to be an easier transition for the girls coming in next year because we’re already going to have that team feel and it’s going to be really good.”
Photo courtesy of DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul volleyball will return all of their players, as well as their freshman recruiting
See VOLLEYBALL, page 27 class, for the 2015 season.
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