THE LEADER THE AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT ELMHURST COLLEGE.
Journalist Thomas Ricks explains why the US doesn’t win wars anymore See page 7
VOL. 49 September 23, 2014
Tribune critics discuss Chicago’s fall arts season at EC See page 12
Students represent EC at Steve Harvey’s Campus Town Hall
Students and faculty talk over the race issues of Ferguson Madiha Saber staff writer
Photo courtesy of Steve Harvey / Deep Dish Productions Students from EC, Purdue University, and U of I prep for Steve Harvey’s back-to-school special.
See STEVE HARVEY on page 14
EC’s tenth day numbers offer some cautious optimism Andy Prignano opinions editor
It isn’t quite time to start packing your bags and planning on looking for a new college.
The new enrollment numbers may not be solving EC’s financial problems, but they offer some cautious optimism. “Last year was very bad. We had meetings up there (points
to the stage in the founders lounge) and things got very ugly,” said. Gurram Gopal, an associate business professor at EC. “Now this year things look better, so we can be optimistic”
Although Elmhurst College still lost 79 traditional full time students from last year, thanks to increases in graduate and ELSA students, the total head count is up 47 students, according to the new tenth day numbers released by Alan Ray. Ray believes these numbers solidify the college’s reputation in the Midwest. “The tenth day data show Elmhurst College remains an attractive destination for qualified college-bound students in our region” he said in an email to faculty and staff. He also drew attention to the increase in ELSA students, which had 10 more students than last year enrolled in it. “[We’re] increasingly the school of choice… for nontraditional students…. and families seeking the benefits of an ELSAtype program,” Ray continued The news may not be as good as Ray implies in his comments, but it definitely shows that EC has made progress, and may be the cause of some much needed optimism. See TENTH DAY NUMBERS on page 6
Graphic by Nikki Smith
A group of students and faculty debated the existence of a postracial society in America at a Sept. 12 discussion on the Ferguson, Missouri conflict. Director of Intercultural Student Affairs Roger Moreano led the discussion., which took place at the Chaplain’s house. He acknowledged that Ferguson is a touchy subject. “It’s a very normal thing to be uncomfortable, [but] we should embrace the discomfort, and get into the mess by working through these conversations,” he said. Society is at a point where people are apathetic towards each other, Moreano conveyed. “We seem to be in a society right now that if it doesn’t affect me directly, out of sight out of mind,” he said. “We hear comments being made from other factions but then we’re never talking to one another.” Moreano emphasized that abusive power issues among police departments cannot be resolved if people don’t cooperate with each other. However, the heat of the discussion arose when Moreno began talking about the existence of a post-racial society today as told from two different narratives. “[One narrative is] saying that we’re in post-racial America right now, that exemplifies that we have a black president, and that racism is a thing of the past,” he said. “And, then on the other hand you have folks with a different narrative saying we want a postracial society but that’s not what we’re experiencing,” Senior Dean Sprang voiced that showing empathy for the people of Ferguson can make a big difference in the struggle to end racism. “We have lost or forgotten as humans how to empathize with one another and just to really feel the pain that that community is going through, “said Sprang. Moreano agreed that this is where empathy is quite important. See FERGUSON TALK on page 4
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September 23, 2014
ecleader.org
•State of Flux•
Rethinking the war on terror Andy PRignano opinions editor
There is something incredibly wrong with the way the United States fights terrorism. Not just on an emotional and moral level, but on a logical one. The problem is that much of it is exactly what the terrorists want. Before 9/11 in much of his propaganda Osama Bin Laden talked about pulling the veil off of the “American Satan”. The idea was that the U.S. may appear to be what it claims, “the leader of the free world,” but when push comes to shove, the U.S. would become violent, ruthless, bloodthirsty, and prove that its only interest is world domination. In fact, Bin Laden believed a ground war in Afghanistan would bring about the end of the U.S. “empire.” By understanding that, it’s easier to see Bin Laden’s terrorist attacks for what they are: poking the bear. You begin to see that Bin Laden’s end game was convincing other Muslims of what he felt was true. Then 9/11 came and the war on terror began, Al-Qaeda’s numbers and funding increased, and it became the world-wide entity it is now. Before that it was mostly made up of former mujahedeen from the USSR’s invasion of Afghanistan funded by Bin Laden’s inheritance. He was able to convince some men that he was the great Saladin defending the Holy Land from the crusaders. The United States new preferred method of fighting terrorism is the drone program,
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and with its blatant disregard for civilian casualties it has become another recruiting tool for Al-Qaeda. It’s simpler than Bin Laden’s - Al-Qaeda now preaches revenge. They promise men who have seen loved one’s blown apart by US drones a chance at some sort of vengeance. The CIA even admits to the “blowback” the drone program has caused. A great example of this is Yemen who has suffered more drone strikes than most other nations. According to the NSA and CIA, what was previously a small chapter of Al-Qaeda has now become the most dangerous. Currently, we sit on the brink of a war with ISIS, a group that the NSA and CIA say poses no threat to U.S. national security. Due to horrific crimes and terrifying propaganda videos, the U.S. finds itself preparing for another prolonged battle. Former FBI agents and government officials all agree that this is playing into ISIS hands. Due to internal weakness they are seeking a war with Bin Laden’s “Great American Satan”. ISIS has even prepared a movie trailer for its war with the U.S. called The Flames of War. Yet here we are, on the brink of a war that most educated observers agree will do more harm than good. We cannot continue to take the easy option and hope military strength overcomes whatever strategy these groups come up with. We need a smarter way to combat terrorism, or risk falling into a war without end.
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A man mourns the missed opportunity of Scottish independence.
Internet photo
Luis Rodriguez news editor
Scotland votes against independence from U.K. Scotland remains a part of the U.K. after voting not to claim independence on Friday. A total of 4.3 million voters participated in the run for or against Scottish independence. The campaign against Scottish independence, The Better Together campaign, led by Alistair Darling, took 55.3 percent of the total votes. This was the expected result after taking many major cities in Scotland. The two campaigns were close in August, but as voting day approached, the Better Together campaign pulled ahead for the first time. Throughout the rest of the campaign, the “yes” side stayed ahead for the majority of the campaign. Knowing the defeat in the polls, First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond accepted that the Scottish people were voting against independence. Salmond thanked the people of Scotland and said, “We have touched sections of the community who have never before been touched by politics.” Salmond has announced that he is stepping down as the leader of the Scottish National Party after failing his charge for independence.
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Obama administration moving forward in war with ISIS
Thousands march in New York for climate-change
On Wednesday, the Obama administration said that there is no need to approve the use of military force in the war with ISIS due to an authorization to combat anyone tied with Al Qaeda. The Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) authorizes military engagementagainst any perpetrators on 9/11. ISIS and Al Qaeda were once affiliate organizations but ISIS has separated over disputes of control and the two have become their own separate entities. As ISIS is now its own separate group, the use of military force under AUMF is not completely authorized. However, the administration could justify the war as an attack on a radical version of Jihadism. President Obama has approved and invited Congress to support the war with ISIS. If Congress does not authorize the war in 60 days, the deployment of hostilities from enemy territory must be terminated under The War Powers Resolution, though the Obama administration went over the 60-day limit during the Libya intervention.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and former U.S. vice president Al Gore are expected to join more than 100,000 people marching for climate-change in New York City this Sunday. The march on Sunday will be leading the way to the U.N. climate summit on Sept. 23. President Barack Obama is attending the summit to talk about efforts the U.S. has made with climate change. The U.S. has cut emissions by 10 percent in the past 7 years, which is more than any country. By 2020 it is on its way to cutting emissions by 17 percent. China and India, the two world’s largest carbon polluters, are not expected to appear at the summit. More than 1,000 organizations from church groups to labor unions have endorsed what is being called the People’s Climate March and is the largest march for climate-change. Participants will be walking two miles through Manhattan. Participants are encouraged to bring anything that will make a loud noise and will be joined by marching bands. More than 2,500 climate change events in 158 different countries are planned to coincide with New York’s march on Sunday
The Leader is the studentrun newspaper speaking to the students, faculty and administrators of Elmhurst College. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff, and are not intended to represent those of the College at large. No text, photos, or art can be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.
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September 23, 2014
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Campus Shortz: Hard news (usually) in 500 words or less
Nora Georgieva staff writer
English professor takes medical leave Associate English Professor Mary Zambreno broke multiple bones after falling in her home on Sept. 12. She is currently in recovery, but will be away from EC until after fall break at the earliest. In her absence Associate Dean Ted Lerud and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty Alzada Tipton stepped in to cover two of her classes while various English professors will be taking over her third. “I have been incredibly gratified by how willing faculty and administrators have been to step in and help when and however they could,” said Chair of the English Department Ann Frank Wake in an emal. Zambreno is also grateful to her fellow faculty members for assisting with her classes. “I swear, this is what a college should be - coping with emergencies as a community, and seeing to it that the students don’t lose out,” she said in an email to Frank Wake. “Right now, I am very, very proud to be associated with Elmhurst.’” Only 78 students vote in recent SGA Election EC held elections for SGA on
September 9 and 10 with only a small number of students voting. 78 students voted out of the 3,410 full-time undergraduate, graduate, and adult students for the six candidates that ran. The total number of votes casted was 198, with Noell Carrillo receiving the highest number of votes - 47. All six candidates who ran were elected to represent in SGA. See The Leader’s editorial about SGA’s election on page 8. Microsoft Office now available to students All EC students now have free access to Microsoft Office 365. Students can now log into an Office 365 account, which will permit them access to a number of Microsoft programs, including the full Office 2013 ProPlus desktop suite and 1000 gigabits of free online storage. The programs offered include Office for Windows, Office for Mac, Office Web Apps, Office Mobile Apps, and OneDrive Storage. The programs are available through the Elmhurst Campus Portal, under the application menu, where the student will be asked to log in with their College e-mail username ending with @365.elmhurst.edu. Students who withdraw from EC will no longer be granted access to the free Microsoft Office programs, while alumni will continue to have access for 12 months after gradua-
Graphic by Nikki Smith
Only 2% of EC’s student body voted in the Sept. 9 and 10 SGA elections.
tion. Although free access to Microsoft Office 365 is only available for students at this time, it is expected that faculty and staff will also be granted access later this year. EC makes Top Ten Best Value Schools EC has officially made the top ten best value schools in the midwest, by U.S. News & World Report, which came out Tuesday, Sept. 9.
No stranger to the best value list, EC has been nominated for 6 consecutive years. However, this is the first time that the school has ranked in the top 10. At number 11, EC ranked highest on the best regional universities in comparison to over 100 Midwest Colleges and Universities. But this is not where it ends, as EC also shows up on other similar lists by Money Magazine, Forbes Magazine and the Princeton Review.
EC President S. Alan Ray said in a press release, “…we should also be recognized in a special way this year by U.S. News, Money Magazine and Forbes Magazine for offering outstanding value for the tuition dollar is a tribute to our hundreds of talented, caring faculty and staff. Put simply, our graduates are ‘effective’ because we treat our students as ‘individuals.’ That’s the Elmhurst difference.”
McDonald’s employees protest in hopes to raise wages Luis Rodriguez news editor
In an effort to raise minimum wage to $15 McDonald’s employees protested in early September throughout the Chicago area, mostly in Cicero. Organized by the Workers Organizing Committee of Chicago (WOCC), a fast food and retail workers union, McDonald’s employees held strikes at multiple Chicago neighborhoods. 50 of the protesters were arrested and charged with disrupting traffic. The protests did not cause McDonald’s to change the minimum wage. “McDonald’s does not determine wages set by our more than $3000 U.S. franchisees,” said McDonald’s in a press release. The protests did catch the attention of several political figures including President Barack Obama and Mayor Rahm Emanuel who support the WOCC’s fight to raise minimum wage. The WOCC has been an ac-
tive group for the raising of minimum wage since 2012. In May 2014, over 100 protesters rallied at McDonald’s Corp. in Oak Brook, demonstrating their right to unionize and a call for a higher pay. This also resulted in the arrest of over 100 protesters. The average minimum wage employee earns $15,080 annually. Recent college graduates are more likely to be employed in the food-service industry rather than the field they hold their degree with 64 percent of graduates in Illinois in debt with student loans averaging $28,028.
“McDonald’s does not determine wages set by our more than $3000 U.S. franchisees.” McDonald’s Though the people have been fighting to raise the minimum wage for years before the WOCC, McDonald’s has not attempted to ease the tension between their employees.
Fast-food workers protest outside McDonald’s in downtown Chicago on May 15.
“It’s important to know approximately 90 percent of our U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by franchisees who set wages,” said McDonald’s in a press release, “… We believe that any minimum wage increase should be implemented over time so that the impact on owners … is manageable.” As McDonald’s waits for others to raise their employee’s
wages, other companies have already increased their employee’s earnings. Ben & Jerry’s has raised their minimum wage to $16.29 saying, “As we as a business prosper, those around us should prosper as well.” West coast burger chain, InN-Out Burger, has raised their minimum wage to $10.50 with paid vacations and retirement plans included.
Internet photo
A spokesperson for In-N-Out burger said in a statement to the press, “We strive to create a working environment that is upbeat … A higher pay structure is helpful in making that happen.” Emanuel has spoken to the Chicago City Council about raising the minimum wage to $13. See MCDONALDS on page 7
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September 23, 2014
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EC Democrats hope to further engage students in local and national politics Alex Lundrigan staff writer
The EC Democrats student organization aims to make students more politically aware and engaged in local and international politics, especially for this year’s mid-term elections. Even though it has been around for two years, the organization plans on making a more conscious effort to become an influential force in EC’s political culture, its president, Junior Patrick Ackerman, assures. “We want to make sure the voters have the right information, and get people more politically aware,” he said. “We plan on working campaigns with the college democrats of Illinois State [and] running voter registration for first time voters.” The organization’s vice president, Senior Miranda Huber, hopes the group will reenergize students about politics. “We’re trying to liven things up politically… trying to inform people about what’s going on in the government,” she said. “We need all hands on deck.” Huber became involved after realizing how disinterested students at EC and members of Elmhurst’s community are in politics. “I have an internship with politician Tom Cullerton, and working for him, I was knocking on doors and realized Elmhurst
President Patrick Ackerman leads a discussion at a meeting of the EC Democrats.
had zero participation in politics,” she said. “So I meet with Pat in hopes to add to an intellectual life on campus.” Political Science Instructor Connie Mixon is glad the EC Dems are working to encourage their fellow students to vote for this year’s mid-term elections because of how important they are. “These midterm elections for Congress actually mean a lot,” she said. “They will determine which political party has control of Congress.” She also mentioned there are
also a lot of important state and local elections occurring this year, including the one that will determine Illinois’ new governor.
“We’re trying to liven things up politically… trying to inform people about what’s going on in the government.” Miranda Huber But the organization does not want to solely encourage Dem-
ocrats to vote. “We really appreciate there is an interest in politics and appreciate opposite views on campus, and we do want to collaborate with the republican students,” Huber said. “We are welcoming of all sorts of democrats, and anyone with ties to the party.” The group also does not want to recruit Democrats who all uphold the same views. “We want to break down political walls and have the most diverse groups of democrats we can possible have,” Ackerman
Nikil Saval explains why going cubed is so square Katie Shamrock staff writer
Author Nikil Saval discussed his book “Cubed: The Secret History of the Workplace” in the Founders Lounge on Sunday, Sept. 14. Saval presented his research on the history of cubicle and management theories. While fully disclosing that he “probably [doesn’t] have an answer to satisfy anyone” as to where the idea for his book came from, he tried his best to answer. He started right from the beginning: his first job as an editorial assistant, his thoughts on cubicle work, and how those thoughts shifted as he moved from the world of organized desk space to freelance editing where he spent his time working in various places. Saval explained that the office is an important part of American history, and is one that is ever changing. In 1952 one third of corporations were using personality testing when hiring employees and by 1954 that number had reached over 60%. There were flaws in this system and by the 1970s, Saval said, “the great cubing of America had begun!” Saval noted the different stances that companies take on work place organization. Apple has eliminated cubicles while IBM has continued to decrease the size of its employee’s
work spaces. He also referenced TV shows today such as “Mad Men” and “The Office” to enforce how different office planning models work. While cubicles still exist, he examined the post cubicle environment of today’s workplace. Open plan offices encourage collaboration. “Freelancing is the fastest growing sector of the economy,” he said, “making up 25%-30% of the work force.” Craig Engstrom, assistant professor of organizational communication, thought that the book was “well researched but the language could be challenging.” Engstrom didn’t agree with everything Saval had to say, “Work life will be bleak in terms of not being exploited if you don’t do something about it,” Engstrom said. Graduate Student Sam Rydberg knows it’s “extremely important to think of the work environment” and consider the future with concepts like the standing office and telecommuting. Saval seemed very enthused to speak at the college and leaving attendees with some uncertainty after his discussion he closed with, “I quit all the time,” leaving the audience with some words of wisdom and relieving their uncertainty about the workplace.
Photo by Ellen Curtin
said. The EC Democrats welcome anyone interested in politics and an open mind toward discussion to come to one of their meetings. At every meeting, its members pick a different debate topic every week and encourage each other to share their opinions freely. The group meets every Wednesday from 6:30 to 7:30pm in the Frick Center’s Melanchthon Room.
FERGUSON TALK from page 1 “If your experience is very different from what you’re hearing from others, the ability to empathize is the only way to even start opening the door to understanding things and making things better,” Moreano said. Dr. Mulvaney, professor of English and director of the honors program, also added to the discussion
“We have lost or forgotten as humans how to empathize... and just to really feel the pain that community is going through.” Dean Sprang
Internet photo Nikil Saval discussed the history of office cubicles at his EC lecture.
“Are things better now than they were in the 1850s … Yes, they are better,” said Mulvaney, “I think we need to acknowledge this to people who point out that we are not even close to a post-racial society.” She underscores that many people have this outlook because they’re in a situation where they’re not the ones being threatened. “Sometimes it’s just a lack of awareness of what it’s like to be on the other side,” she said. Rev. H. Scott Matheney ended the discussion with an inspiring quote, “You don’t see culture, it’s the water and the air we live in.”
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September 23, 2014
Center for Professional Excellence Career Connections Learn “Professional Foundations of Career Development” with CPP-299
Which Fork Do I use?
A class where you learn about you!
Solving the Mysteries of Dining Etiquette
CPP-299 is a 0.5 credit academic course that is provided by the Center for Professional Excellence. This course is especially designed toward students who are not sure what careers they want to go into and who have open majors. CPP-299 helps students understand themselves, their academic options, careers, and the work environment. Within this course students will dispel the myths and misconceptions in choosing a major, identify sources for gathering quality information about majors, perform personal and skills assessments, and learn to set obtainable goals. Students will also be assisted in choosing a career path by making valuable contacts with alumni in chosen fields, get familiar with library materials and resources that can answer important questions, and learn the art of networking. This course will also cover the following questions: I chose a major, but how do I know it’s the right one? How do I discover the career that will make me happy and successful? How do I decide on a major?
Interactive Complimentary Meal Included! Wednesday, October 8th, 2014 4:15- 6:15 pm Prospect Room, Frick Center To attend, RSVP required by October 1 st To Debbie Logan (630) 617-3058 *Professional Dress Expected* INTERNSHIP INFO SESSIONS Wednesday, September 24 4:30-5:30 Tuesday, September 30 11:30-12:30 Tuesday, October 14 4:30-5:30 Thursday, October 16 11:30-12:30 Center for Professional Excellence- Circle Hall STEP Presents:
Since this academic course is a 0.5 credit course it can be taken with the regular 4 credit course schedule. There are sections available in the Fall, J-term, and Spring semesters. A second section of CPP-299 has been opened up for this fall semester. It will start on October 23th and end December 4th. It will be on Wednesdays from 3:30-6:20. There is still time to register for this course! Sign up today and take advantage of this great self-exploration opportunity! Contact Peggy Killian at peggyk@elmhurst.edu with any questions. CPE Office Hours: Mon., Thurs., Fri., 8am - 4pm Tues., Wed., 8am - 6pm Contact Us: Peggy Killian-Director of Career Education Phone: (630) 617 - 3625 Email: peggyk@elmhurst.edu Holly Coffin- Assistant Director, Internships Phone: (630) 617 - 6457 Email: hollyc@elmhurst.edu Julie Gonzales– Assistant Dir,Educ. Enrichment Prog Phone: (630) 617 - 3188 Email: julie.gonazles@elmhurst.edu Annette Coduto-Employer Relations Phone: (630) 617 - 3190 Email: annettec@elmhurst.edu Rose Fuller-Alumni Counselor Phone: (630) 617 - 3186 Email: rosef@elmhurst.edu Ingrid Becton - First LEAP Coordinator Email: bectoni@elmhurst.edu
Follow us on: Center for Professional Excellence Elmhurst College @EC_CPE hhtp://twitter.com/EC_CPE @EC_CPE http://instagram.com/EC_CPE http://pinterest.com/eccpe/boards
"What Not to Wear to Work" Tips on Dressing to Succeed Wednesday, October 8, 2014 Center for
Professional Excellence
Resource Room - Circle Hall 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Register for this workshop online at CPEessentials.com or ECwww.ECconnect.com
Look Who’s Hiring:
Part Time Jobs: Name of Company
Position
Location
Fruitful Yield
Sales Associate
Elmhurst, IL
Crate and Barrel
Sales Associate
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Huntington Learning Center
Exam Prep Teachers
Elmhurst, IL
Two Men and A Truck
Mover/Driver
Elmhurst, IL
Full Time Jobs: Name of Company
Position
Location
World’s Finest Chocolate, Inc. Junior Buyer
Chicago, IL
Sky Zone Elmhurst
Elmhurst, IL
Events Specialist
Internships: Name of Company
Position
Location
Family Shelter Services
Development Dept. Intern
Wheaton , IL
PACT, Inc
Finance Intern
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Villa Park TV
TV Production Intern
Villa Park, IL
June Media
Editorial Intern
Chicago, IL
Indigo Interactive
Project Management Intern
Arlington Heights, IL
*Visit ECconnect.com for more information & opportunities
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September 23, 2014
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EC Starbucks receives positive reviews Evely Ortiz staff writer
This summer, the Founder’s Lounge said goodbye to Seattle’s Best Coffee and hello to Starbucks after Steven Goodwin, director of dining services, initiated the switch. “The Staff Council issued a survey asking that Chartwells bring more brands on campus,” said Goodwin. Starbucks was among these brands. “I made the decision based on the data I was collecting,” said Goodwin. Starbucks offers a larger variety and is much more familiar to students.
“The Staff Council issued a survey asking that Chartwells bring more brands on campus.” Steven Goodwin While Seattle’s Best offered the typical mochas, coffees, and lattes, Starbucks found great success with the Frappuccino, seasonal specials, and an increase in the overall quality of its products. Sophomore Tony Estrada praised this variety. “When we had Seattle’s Best you felt pretty limited. Now, you can customize your own drink.” Since the recent switch, sales have grown 25%, proving the change to be a success.
TEN DAY NUMBERS from page 1 There are currently 56 fewer traditional undergraduates enrolled at EC as there were at this same time last year. The number of full-time students out of high school is up by four, and there are currently 19 more transfer students. In other words, this entering class is up by 23 students.
“Last year was very bad... now this year things look better, so we can be optimistic” Gurram Gopal The reason for the drop in enrollment is the decline in returning students, which Gopal explained could be due to anything from students dropping out to graduating last year. Gopal went on to explain that much of that drop is from 2012 when new enrollment far exceeded expectations, and that the drop in overall students was less than what was expected. “Years ago we had a much bigger class than expected, you see. So this drop off was expected. It is actually lower than we thought it would be.” Gopal said. The overall number of traditional undergraduate students is down, but this year’s entering class is larger than last year’s.
Barista Francesca LeDoux serves sophomore Kelly Winters an iced peach tea at EC’s new Starbucks coffee shop.
“When we had Seattle’s Best you felt pretty limited. Now, you can customize your own drink.” Tony Estrada
“I think it was a great switch,” said Goodwin. “Students have been happier across the board with what Starbucks offers.” Freshman Rahim Shareef agreed that Starbucks is a good addition to the college. “Having a Starbucks on campus is really convenient just because you
don’t have to go off campus to get any. It’s just right there.” However, not everyone is completely happy with the change. “I was kind of disappointed when it switched, but it’s growing on me,” said Junior Kenny Zimny. “I still prefer Seattle’s Best.”
Photo by Ellen Curtin
While Starbucks is one of the leading coffee chains in America and the number one requested coffee brand for college students, only time will show its success at EC.
Panelists Discuss Conflict, Violence in Syria Sonam Vashi
The Emory University Wheel The Emory University’s Institute for Developing Nations (IDN) hosted a panel titled “Sexual Violence and Conflict in Syria,” addressing the myriad and multifaceted problems surrounding the conflict and the widespread gender-based violence occurring there. The Jones Room in the Woodruff Library was filled with audience members who listened to and interacted with the panelists, who included Lauren Wolfe, director of the Women’s Media Center’s Women Under Siege project and an awardwinning journalist; Christopher McNaboe, a program associate at the Carter Center who developed the Syria Conflict Mapping project; and Liz McLaughlin, the associate vice president of CARE, a humanitarian aid group. The panel was moderated by Pamela Scully, Emory professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies and African Studies. Scully, who has written on humanitarian intervention and sexual violence, is also on the advisory board for IDN. The discussion centered around the epidemic of sexual violence occurring as a result of the Syrian conflict, where over 38,000 people sought help from the UN after surviving sexual or
gender-based violence in 2013 alone, according to the IDN. Wolfe, whose Woman Under Siege project was originated by feminist activist Gloria Steinem and investigates sexual violence in global conflict, relayed personal, painful stories from Syrian sexual assault survivors that she spoke with when reporting near the Syrian border. “It’s particularly shocking to me how silenced the women in Syria have been,” she said. “Women here have been put up on this pedestal and made to be seen as pure, which makes sexual violence so effective [in war] and shocking to these women.” McNaboe explained the Carter Center’s Syria Conflict Mapping project, which researches citizen-created online information and social media about the conflict in Syria. He said that over 600,000 videos had been uploaded of the conflict, and, according to the online data, there are more minutes of video of the Syrian conflict than the actual duration of the conflict, which does not even count activity on Twitter and Facebook. “It creates an incredible history of this conflict,” McNaboe said, elaborating further on the convoluted causes and parties involved in Syria. McLaughlin weighed in on the difficult role of aid workers in this conflict, who often do not have the resources to make meaningful change. With
CARE, an organization founded in 1945 and headquartered in Atlanta that fights global poverty and responds to humanitarian crises, McLaughlin said that the need for psychological help for Syrian survivors of sexual violence is paramount, especially in refugee centers in neighboring countries. “Within the refugee population, there’s a tremendous psychological need that’s not being addressed,” Wolfe agreed. She added that there is an “incredible taboo in the Middle East about mental health.” When questions were opened to audience members, some asked about the role of the United States intervening in the Syrian conflict.
“It’s particularly shocking to me how silenced the women in Syria have been.” Lauren Wolfe Director of the Women’s Media Center’s Women Under Siege McNaboe replied that, with policy-makers, “the debate was always, do we arm, or do we not arm? Since the rise of ISIS, a third option has been refreshingly introduced to the debate, which is — what do we do to
protect the most civilians?” He cited the U.S. intervention on Mt. Sinjar as a positive example of the third option. “I think the panel presented a very important issue that we’re maybe not talking or thinking about enough, especially regarding women,” Laney Graduate School student Rachel Shapiro said. Her favorite part was the personal stories from Syrian women relayed by Wolfe. “It’s one thing to hear ‘30,000 cases of gender-based violence,’ and it’s another to hear personal stories that affect on a more personal level,” Shapiro said. Wolfe was at Emory last year to talk about sexual violence in Syria at an event called “The Other Red Line: Sexualized Violence in Syria and Beyond” in November 2013, and she and Scully will also take part in today’s 3 p.m. event, “Research, Reporting and Advocacy: New Opportunities and Challenges Facing Public Scholars” at the Rita Anne Rollins Room at the Rollins School of Public Health. Founded in 2006 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and University President James W. Wagner, the IDN is an scholarship-focused, action-oriented partnership between Emory and the Carter Center’s Peace and Health programs that targets global development efforts, according to its website.
Beat
ecleader.org
September 23, 2014
Journalist calls for a more disciplined and effective United States military Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author Thomas Ricks argued that the United States no longer wins wars, as evidenced by recent campaigns in Iraq, because its military lacks the discipline and strategy it once prided itself on. Ricks, who spoke at EC on Sept. 11, wrote the bestselling book “Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq” (Penguin Books, 2007) after traveling to Iraq five times, reading thousands of documents, and conducting hundreds of interviews. According to The New York Times, the book “offers a comprehensive and illuminating portrait of the willful blindness of the Bush administration to Iraqi realities.” Drawing on two decades of experience in military reporting, Ricks said the U.S. used to win wars because George Marshall, the chief of staff of the United States Army during World War II, implemented a system of “rewarding success and punishing failure.” In comparison to those under Marshall, Ricks claimed that today’s generals fundamentally lack the self-control necessary for running an effective military. “It was [Marshall’s] duty to speak truth,” he said, referring to the Chief of Staff’s altruistic attitude. “[Our generals] aren’t disciplined like [him] in that sense of selfless duty.” Ricks explained the reasons today’s generals fall short; he argued that they are not stewards of their profession, they do not speak truth, they want to get something back for them, along with other reasons. Today’s military also lacks the effective strategies it once employed because the U.S. has become too good at conventional warfare, Ricks contested. He claims they lack the adaptability and initiative they had during the World Wars. “You need [generals] who are comfortable with chaos,” he said. “For generals, you don’t want people
MCDONALDS from page 3 “This is a down payment and an effort to make sure the city of Chicago is on record to raising the minimum wage to $13,” said Emanuel in a press conference, “We’re taking the steps in the city of Chicago to make sure if you work, your kids aren’t raised in poverty.” Though the issues with minimum wage are just beginning to take hold, President Obama brought the minimum wage issue to the national spotlight in his weekly address on August 30. “The bottom line is, America deserves a raise. But until we’ve got a Congress that cares about raising working folks’ wages, it’s up to the rest of us to make it happen,” said Obama. “And in the year and a half since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, Americans of all walks of life are doing just that.”
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who are nice and stick to comfortable strategies. You want sons of bitches.” Ricks then related the military’s lack of strategy and discipline to the United States’ recent military campaigns in the Middle East. He argues that the U.S. has been in a war with Iraq since the Gulf War of the 1990s because they have yet to succeed in rebuilding a stable government there. “What we’re dealing with is a [25year] misunderstanding in Iraq,” he said.
“You need [generals] who are comfortable with chaos.. For generals, you don’t want people who are nice and stick to comfortable strategies. You want sons of bitches.” Thomas Ricks The United States’ strategy in Iraq has been ineffective because the U.S. has been using force to attempt to rebuild its government, Ricks argued. “You can’t kill your way out of the Middle East,” he said. Several students and faculty members appreciated Ricks’ honesty regarding the military, including senior Miranda Huber. “[Ricks] said a lot of things that needed to be said about the military,” she said. “Things that people are uncomfortable pointing out for fear of being seen as unpatriotic.” Huber believes the military is a very important topic for students to explore.
“[Ricks] said a lot of things that needed to be said about the military.” Miranda Huber
Photo by Peter Flockencier Thomas Ricks gave an in-depth and honest analysis of the US military at his EC lecture.
“[Students] should consider military affairs relevant because we’re all tax-paying citizens who fund [it],” she said. Despite Huber’s claim that Ricks’ talk was significant, only 97 students were present in the event’s audience of over 500 people. Connie Mixon, the Director of the
Urban Studies Program and a political science instructor, believed the lack of attendance was a result of how EC students view politics. “We have a culture of antipolitics,” she said. “EC students are the typical 18-22 year olds… they have a lot of cynicism about the government.” Ricks ended the lecture with the
phrase “What would George Marshall do?” and challenged the audience to pay closer attention to the actions of the military’s generals. “All of us want to support the troops… but if we really want to support [them], we should hold their generals accountable,” he said.
US Colonel explores Vietnam-era propaganda at Texas lecture Sebastian vega
The Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin Col. Gregory Daddis, history professor at the U.S. Military Academy West Point, spoke on campus Tuesday about the “salesmanship” of the Vietnam War, analyzing propaganda released at the time to convince Congress and the American public to support the war. “What I would like to do this afternoon is talk about the truth,” Daddis said. After looking over statements released by Army Gen. William Westmoreland and other senior war managers, Daddis said that the Vietnam War illustrates the dangers of over-propagandizing. Daddis said, in contradiction with the public’s view of the war, Ambassador Ellsworth
Bunker told the host of “Meet The Press” that his South Vietnamese allies were making excellent progress, while Westmoreland said he could easily see the growing optimism wherever he went in the war-torn country. “We are making progress,” Westmoreland said. “Within two years or less, we will be able to phase down the level of military effort, which means that we could reduce the number of people involved.” However, Daddis points out that three months later the country was attacked by the North Vietnamese Army and the National Liberation Front, better known as the Viet Cong. “The American military apparatus in Vietnam became a vast lying machine, telling Washington what Washington wanted to hear and insisted
upon hearing,” said David Halberstam, Vietnam correspondent for “The New York Times” during the war. “The purpose of this vast lying machine was to propagandize our alleged progress in the war and convince the congress and American public to support the war.”
“What I would like to do this afternoon is talk about the truth.” Col. Gregory Daddis U.S. Military Academy West Point Daddis said America’s status in the war was a mystery in 1967. Officials were not able to determine American progres-
sion during the Vietnam War and answers to whether the war was moving in a positive direction depended on who was asked. Daddis said, if the government loses the public’s trust, gaining it back may not be easy. “It’s possible that language — this vague language, this imprecise language — requires us as the public to question the relation of truth to any larger wartime assessment, and certainly I think Vietnam also illustrates the dangers of overselling progress in wartime assessment,” Daddis said. “The credibility of a government and its senior officials is a precious commodity that is difficult to replenish once it begins to slope.”
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opinions
ecleader.org
l Editorial l
How not to elect a legitimate government, as told by SGA
Cartoon by Vinnie Lotesto
You may not have noticed, and judging by the numbers you haven’t, but there was an election for EC’s Student Government Association on Sept. 9 and10. There were only 78 students to vote for SGA out of the 3,410 students at EC. That is barely over 2% of the student population. In comparison, 58.2% of eligible voters took part in the U.S. general election in 2012. This is untenable. SGA is supposed to represent the interests of all of the students. How can that be possible when only 78 students vote? That doesn’t even come close to a representative portion of the student body. The top representative only got 47 votes. That’s enough for someone to grab all of their friends to vote for him or her. It’s always easy to blame eligible voters for not voting, but that would be the easy way out. It would be understandable if this was something heavily advertised and students just decided not to vote. That would put the onus on the students. However, the blame has to be on SGA. There was no mass email sent to students. There was no alert on the campus portal. The only reminder we could find was on SGA’s Facebook page, which only has 261 likes, which means only 261 people were guaranteed to be notified of it. To know when to vote, any student who doesn’t like SGA on Facebook would have to either remember from last year when voting took place, or happened to look at Bluenet’s SGA voting link.
SGA controls the student activities fund, which is over $500,000, and is able to make policy suggestions to the college administration. Again, they’re in charge of more than half of a million dollars and have regular access to the college administration. It is not ok to hope word of mouth is enough advertisement for the election. Under these conditions, there will be many students left out who have an interest in voting. We think candidates must give some sort of statement during a presentation in the Founder’s Lounge, then provide answers to a short series of questions, on who they are and why they should be elected, that will be available to all students online or in The Leader, and the entire process must be advertised more. There should be an ad in The Leader, flyers all around campus, an alert on campus portal, and without a doubt, some sort of mass email informing prospective voters. These are steps that SGA must be interested in taking. Otherwise they will continue to be an illegitimate governing body and The Leader will retreat to its old position and suggest that the entire SGA be disbanded to make away for a new governing body. Frankly, SGA needs to be as upset as we are at this turnout; this is not the way a legitimate government is elected. If they are serious about their role on campus, the recently elected members should step down and hold a new election. Do it right this time.
ecleader.org
l Under the Microscope l
To GMO or not to GMO
BRETT PETO
staff writer
You’ve seen the tag sticking off grocery store shelves: a monarch butterfly, resting on a check mark of grass against a sky blue background. To the right, you read “NonGMO Project.” Before you put the sweet corn, crackers, or bread in your cart, you check the price, probably wince, and consider whether non-GMO— non-genetically modified organism—is worth an extra buck or two. Many scientists would say no, and scorn distrust of the biotechnology that has increased crop yields, enriched foods with more nutrients, and produced herbicide-resistant corn, soybeans, and rice that can survive treatment for killing pests. Many laypeople would say yes, and scorn scientists for scorning their distrust of the biotechnology that has forced farmers to buy the same seeds year after year, potentially introduced common allergens into unrelated foods, and engineered experimental livestock that grow faster for slaughter sooner. Neither side is without sin. The American Medical Association saying labeling of GMOs is unnecessary because they haven’t harmed anyone yet is shortsighted. The Greenpeace extremists who broke into an Australian research facility to destroy wheat that diabetics could process more easily are thuggish. In any battle so bitter, the truth is often somewhere between the extremes. There are far too many facts to fit in one column, but here are a few. Commercial GMOs—those on the grocery store shelves without the butterfly—are considered intellectual property. Their DNA sequences are patented by the companies who invented them and who sell their seeds annually to farmers. Much like the songs you rip from YouTube music videos, growing GMOs outside of licensing agreements can get you sued. There is a limit on what life can be patented. According to the Supreme Court’s Diamond v. Chakrabarty court decision
in 1980, only life that does not naturally exist is fair game for patenting. This sounds okay, until you think about it. We barely know a sliver of what life naturally exists. So far, we’ve classified about 1.5 million species. Estimates of total species on Earth run up to 100 million. And the limit isn’t even much of a limit. Conceivably, if a researcher introduces one more letter into an organism’s DNA, and nobody can show it already exists, it’s patent time. But here’s another fact: certain GMOs may be more nutritious than conventional food. Take golden rice. First created in 2000 and improved in 2005, golden rice is modified to produce more of a molecule called beta-carotene, which is a precursor of vitamin A. In developing countries, vitamin A deficiency causes blindness in 250,000 to 500,000 children per year, and half die within a year of going blind. But here’s another fact: remember how I said GMOs increase crop yields? Well, a recent report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service discovered that, though GM crops have been in regular use for 15 years, yields haven’t significantly gone up compared to non-GM crops. Actually, GM crops sometimes return lower yields than non-GM. But here’s another fact: some GMOs can be grown in places where non-GMOs die. As more and more land worldwide becomes dedicated to housing and infrastructure, land for agriculture becomes rarer. Farms are pushed to often salty, thin soil. Common crops like tomatoes and tobacco have been altered with a gene from the grey mangrove to tolerate such environments. But here’s another fact: I don’t know where the truth lies. I suppose, if I had to declare an opinion, I would advise caution and avoid GMOs until more long-term studies of their effects on human health are done. There are some on animals, but not on us. In the past, the promised benefits of GMOs have persuaded me to strongly support them. In the future, they may win me back. In the present, they leave me uncertain, alienated, and in a state like Hamlet’s when he questioned whether to be or not to be in that famous soliloquy. Would we “rather bear those ills we have” with non-GMOs? Or would we “fly to others that we know not of” with GMOs?
opinions
September 23, 2014
Letter to the Editor: Men’s role in sexual violence prevention dillon Roseen and Christopher Mast
Technique, Georgia Tech Men…we need your help. We can be leaders in working to end sexual violence on college campuses. At Tech, we can, and should, be doing just that. This summer’s report from the Sexual Violence Task Force convened by President Peterson illustrates the Institute’s concerted efforts to educate the Tech community about sexual assault and prevent acts of sexual violence on our campus. As male students who served on this task force and who are involved in these efforts, we understand the importance of engaging men to end sexual violence. According to data from the CDC, approximately 20-25% of women experience attempted or completed sexual assault during their time in college. National statistics show that 5.3% of men have experienced some form of sexual violence. Members of the LGBTQ community are at equal or even higher risk for experiencing sexual violence in their lifetimes. Surveys conducted at Tech show us that these statistics are a reality on our campus. Together, these numbers help shape a picture of the environment we live in today; one in which every single person likely knows someone else who is a survivor of sexual assault. Notably, in the task force’s final report, there are five distinct mentions to how men are a critical group within Tech that must be engaged in working towards ending sexual violence. While some efforts to engage men on
this issue already exist, these references point to the need to develop additional sexual violence prevention and education projects designed to “engage men both as leaders and program facilitators.” As male students on this campus, we agree. Here is what we know about how sexual violence pertains to men: we know that while men are most often the perpetrators of sexual violence, only about 6% of men on college campuses are actually responsible for the majority of cases, and are often repeat perpetrators. This means that the vast majority of men do not commit acts of sexual violence. We know that men can be effective bystanders and intervene in potentially dangerous situations, as well as act as role models for respect in our community. Given all of this, as well as the gender ratio on our campus, we know that men must be a part of the community response to change the culture that allows sexual violence to exist at Tech. We recognize that it will take a coordinated campus-wide response to effectively change the Tech culture, but it is important to note some of the progress that has already been made in some of our individual communities. The Greek community at Tech is taking a strong stance against sexual violence. Sororities have always been a great supporter with various seminars and specially programmed events. To increase sexual violence awareness and leadership amongst Greek men, the IFC chapters are looking to increase their new member education programs as well as encourage fraternities to host their own local and cam-
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pus-wide events. This academic year, there will be a number of fraternity events addressing masculinity and sexual violence. A few specific events include the third annual Man Up Week and Fraternity Men Against Violence trainings hosted by the VOICE Initiative. Additionally, one well-supported student effort, led by members of One Voice Atlanta, has focused on a video campaign specifically created to engage men in the conversation around ending sexual violence. Dozens of men have already stepped up, willing to lend their collective voices to support the message that enough is enough. Another community partner is the Athletic Association (GTAA), which is a strong supporter of campus efforts to address sexual violence. All men’s and women’s varsity athletic teams receive annual training on sexual violence prevention and response. GTAA is also partnering with VOICE to bring a large-scale speaker on this topic to campus in the spring. The speaker will specifically address how men can be a part of the solution to preventing sexual violence. We must acknowledge that men play a crucial role in helping to end sexual violence. However, at the end of the day, we are counting on every single individual, regardless of gender, to take action and help end sexual assault at Tech. We need to be diligent in seeing that this vision becomes a reality. For more information on how you can become involved in the effort to end sexual violence at Tech, visit voice.gatech.edu.
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Movies to Watch on a Rainy Day Geena Jacobson Staff Writer
As we get back into cold rainy weather (and the dreaded possibility of another ‘Chiberia’), its time to take out those favorite sweatpants and instant hot chocolate pack-ets. Gloomy weekends may not be the best days to trek to the movie theater but in an age of Netflix and an endless supply of online flicks, blasts from the past are a great go-to for those rainy (or snowy) days. Here are a few oldies to check out when you’re ready to take a break from study-ing.
Note from the editor: These movies are by no means the only movies one can watch on a rainy day, but simply a small list compiled by a few beat writers
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“Sleepless in Seattle” (1993) It’s always rainy in Seattle so why not stay in curled up in a ball to watch this 90’s classic? After his wife’s death, Sam Baldwin’s (Tom Hanks) and his young son start anew in Seattle. Worried that his father’s love life isn’t moving forward, son Jonah (Ross Malinger) calls in to a national radio show in attempt to find his dad a new match. Tons of women listen in and write to Sam after being charmed by the story of the father and son, including Baltimore native Annie Reed (Meg Ryan). Although, Annie is engaged to Walter (Bill Pullman), she goes to great lengths to meet Sam after feeling an unexplain-able connection.
“Witness” (1985) Romance movies not your thing? How about a 1980’s action film starring “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” icon Harrison Ford?. In a drastically different role, Harrison stars as Officer John Brooks, in charge of protecting a young Amish boy’s life after the boy incidentally witnesses a killing. As they go into hiding in Philadel-phia Amish country, Brooks must adapt to the new culture along with his feelings for the boy’s mother (Kelly McGillis).
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“While You Were Sleeping” (1995) While today’s rom-coms are increasingly predictable, this unique romantic comedy is perfect for snuggling. Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock plays Lucy, a lonely CTA ticket booth seller who has a crush on a dreamy commuter Peter (Peter Gallagher). After Peter gets mugged at the train station and put in to a coma, his family mistakes Lucy as his fiancé, through a series of comical miscommunications. Accepted by the family of her secret crush, Lucy must choose whether or not to tell of her true identity. Also, this movie takes place in Chicago and highlights tons of iconic places in the city!
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“There’s Something Mary” (1998)
About
In the age of delightfully crude comedies such as “The Hangover” or “Brides-maids”, this Ben Stiller flick is the perfect pick for a night-in with friends. Ted (Stiller) has not seen high school prom date Mary (Cameron Diaz) in thirteen years and hires a private detective (Matt Dillon) to track her down. Hilarity ensues as the detective falls for Mary and the two men are left to fight for Mary’s love. When Ted finally has a second chance to woo the girl of his dreams with his ‘unique’ charm, the story takes off as the perfect laugh-outloud movie for those dark, gloomy days.
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“Sixteen Candles” (1984) Known as one of director John Hughes (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, “The Breakfast Club”) most iconic films, this classic 80’s teen comedy is one that every movie buff should see. Sam Baker (Molly Ringwald) is a middle-child and high school sophomore whose sixteenth birthday becomes a day of trials, tribulations, and teen angst. Popular boy Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling) and eccentric ex-change student Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe) only bring the start of the embarrassment in this coming-of-age tale. This comedy will take you back to your own teenage years and make you glad that those years are long gone.
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“Die Hard” (1988) Nothing makes a thunderstorm more intense than an action film with Bruce Willis. Willis plays New York detective John McClane who visits his family for the holiday. The plot thickens as a group of German terrorists take the Nakatomi Plaza Hotel hostage, forcing McClane to put a stop the terrorists and save the hostages be-fore it’s too late. This action-thriller will have your heart racing and blood pumping.
Children of the Corn (1984) Gloomy days become exponentially creepier when you sprinkle in a spooky town and psychotic children. In this cult classic horror film, a young couple find themselves in a deserted town where all of the adults are dead. They encounter a group of children in a cult who believe every adult must be killed. Warning: the light-hearted may end up sleeping with their light on at night.
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Graphics and Layout by Nikki Smith
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Beat
September 23, 2014
ecleader.org
Tribune critics shed light on fall arts Kailey hansen beat editor
The Hammerschmidt Chapel became a hot spot of journalistic talent on Sept. 16, as six highly acclaimed critics from the Chicago Tribune took to the stage for the fall arts preview. Moderated by Nina Metz, arts and entertainment reporter, the panel was hosted in a conversational style and included professional criticism of movies, music, theater, and dance. The audience was disappointingly sparse and made up primarily of non-students but the panel was successful nonetheless. Each critic gave insight into the best of Chicago’s upcoming cultural events and shared their opinions on why these performances are not to be missed. Film Critic Michael Phillips, best known for his appearances on “At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper”, gave a brief overview of films hitting the theaters soon that’s well worth your time and money. One of his top picks was the 2014 Sundance Film Festival winner “Whiplash” which stars Miles Teller (“21 & Over”, “Project X”), an aspiring drummer in a band led by an aggressive conductor played by “a very intense” J.K. Simmons. An up-and-coming drama starring Steve Carrell was another flick Phillips felt audiences should keep an eye on. The story follows Olympic medalist brothers Mark and Dave Schultz and their disturbing connection to millionaire John du Pont. “You just wait for [comedians] to get the right dramatic role,” said Phillips. “I think this is Carrell’s moment.”
“You just wait for (comedians) to get the right dramatic role. I think this is Carrell’s moment.” -Michael Phillips The rest of the critics narrowed the scope to performances hap-
Photo by Peter Flockencier Entertainment critics from the Chicago Tribune discuss cultural events happening in the city.
pening within the windy city. “There’s a trend of shows focusing on examining the final years of our lives” said theater critic Chris Jones. This trend encompassed his current favorite production of King Lear playing at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Looking at Chicago as a ‘preBroadway’ location, Jones also discussed the fad of experimental musical theater coming to our city. These shows bring non-traditional elements to classic American Broadway and use Chicago as a starting point for testing riskier ideas.
“There’s a trend of shows focusing on examining the final years of our lives.” -Chris Jones
A musical centered around the story of composer John Newton, best known for his hymn “Amazing Grace”, is one of the up and coming shows here in Chicago. A story of religious conversion that led to a two minute song is “unbelievably risky” according to Jones. He also compared the essence of the show to the popular “Les Miserables”. Dance expert, Laura Molzahn added to Jones’ opinion, commenting on the similar trends seen in recent dance. “Dancing without music is a thing,” said Molzahn. “There’s a collaboration between Hubboard Street Dance and 2nd City Dance coming up. Huge potential for failure. It’ll be dance, theater, text, and humor combined.”
“Dancing without music is a thing.” -Laura Molzahn While these critics focused on visual arts, the Tribune’s three music critics also had much to say. Rock critic Greg Kot discussed the controversial collaboration between Apple and U2, whose new album was released to approximately 7% of the planet as a promotion for the iPhone 6. He called it a “Big Brother issue” that has had mixed feedback, especially by older iPhone users who feel that their rights are being violated by Apple forcing a record to their music library. The Chicago Opera’s unique adaptation of “MacBeth” was classic music critic John von Rhein’s most praise-worthy pick. The show originally devel-
oped in 1906 has been reworked and translated into English for a “terrific show”. Jazz critic Howard Reich discussed the Hyde Park Jazz Festival that becomes the “city of jazz for one day” on Sept. 27-28. Reich also recommended an upcoming event very close to home. “February hosts the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival” he said, receiving applause from the audience. “It’s one of the best.” The group all interacted as cohorts, exchanging friendly dialogue and keeping the audience engaged with witty comments.
“February hosts the Elmhurst College Jazz Festival. It’s one of the best.” -Howard Reich The audience participated in a question and answer portion, voicing questions about handling negative criticism in their line of work. “We’re taking the work seriously and assessing it.” Metz replied. “It’s not just cheerleading.” By the end of the night, these Tribune critics gave Elmhurst students a sneak-peak into an array of new cultural experiences to get ready for this upcoming season. A brief word by Tribune entertainment editor, Scott Powers highlighted the importance of the arts in our modern age, deeming them a connection to our culture and also to our world.
Internet photo Steve Carrell and Channing Tatum play radically different roles in the upcoming film “Foxcatcher”.
For full interviews, see The Leader’s Youtube channel.
Beat
ecleader.org
Music Review Joe Tassi staff writer
September 23, 2014
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•Culture POP• U2 – “Songs of Innocence” On September 9, U2 released their newest album “Songs of Innocence”, surprising fans by releasing it in an innovative fashion. Making no announcements prior to the release, the band gifted the record free to iTunes users, uploading it directly to over 500 million iPhones in approximately 119 countries, according to a BBC News report. The album was added to music libraries without consent of the owners. The album kicks off with the LP’s first single “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)” paying tribute to the front man of the legendary punk rock band The Ramones. Besides the tune’s impressive guitar melodies being layered in the background, it seems odd that a song whose title implies roots of punk rock, does not actually have much of an affiliation to punk rock music at all. Instead this number sounds more like a typical radio friendly pop tune. Bono’s vocals shine throughout the songs, which is one of the album’s biggest strengths. His personal track “Iris (Hold Me Close),” reflects upon his life since the death of his mother, and proves as one of the album’s best features. Although the record has these few gems, in the end, “Songs of Innocence” just does not have enough standout material to make it hold up for the future. Many of the songs feel repetitive and pull from U2’s classic pop rock sound that they have been developing for years now. It seems as though the most memorable thing about this album will be its release but the majority of “Songs of Innocence” will soon be forgotten. Top Tracks: “Every Breaking Wave,” “Iris (Hold Me Close),” “Cedarwood Road”
Ryan Adams – “Ryan Adams”
Singer and songwriter Ryan Adam’s 14th studio album, appropriately titled “Ryan Ad-ams”, debuted on September 8. The former folk singer took a new approach to his musical style, combining a full band electric setup with his Americana roots. The record has a punchy start, specifically through the electrifying guitar chords from the album’s lead single “Gimme Something Good”. This track is certainly one of the strongest on the album, bringing a thick rock groove that features a Hammond organ to tie it all together. Although most of the full-band electric songs sound great, this album really proves itself when Ryan Adams is alone with an acoustic guitar. One of his best is an ironic and honest de-piction of love in the eerie track “My Wrecking Ball.” Front to back, this album stands strong and is some of Ryan Adams’ best work. It may in fact prove to be one of the best albums of 2014. Top Tracks: “Gimme Something Good,” “Kim,” “My Wrecking Ball”
Chris Brown – X A full year and a half after its initial announcement, Chris Brown finally released his latest record, X, on September 18. With promising singles leading up to its release, the album had Brown fans buzzing with anticipation. The title track, “X”, gets things started in an interesting way, starting off as a slow ballad before transitioning into a Euro-pop dance beat. The album does not feature an extreme amount of diversity, aside from a select few standout numbers. The songs are definitely geared for a dance party atmosphere, but aren’t appealing for much else. One track that surprisingly stuck out is titled “Autumn Leaves.” The song features a slow guitar melody line accompanied by the soulful singing of Brown’s voice; a nice change of pace from the typical Auto-Tuning and repetitive dance club beats which this album beats into the brains of its listeners. Top Tracks: “Autumn Leaves,” “See You Around,” “Add Me In”
“As Above/So Below” is a long way down Movie Review Hunter Heilman niner online - UNCC “Found footage” horror films are dead; they have been since “Paranormal Activity 3,” and nothing has ever come along to convince me otherwise, until now. “As Above/So Below” has the prime component of a disappointing horror film, promise, but in a shocking twist, this film delivers what it sets up in gleefully terrifying fashion. Rather than following a generic Caucasian couple setting up cameras to prove that “paranormal phenomena” is occurring in their home, “As Above/So Below” feels authentic in its use of handheld cameras due to its setting and plot, rather than using it as a shameless gimmick. Scarlett Marlowe (played by a wonderful Perdita Weeks), is an archaeologist whom we meet during her expedition to find the Philosopher’s Stone, an artifact believed to be able to turn metals into gold and grant
immortality. Marlowe will do anything to find this stone, as to restore her father’s reputation after he committed suicide searching for the stone. Scarlett believes that the stone is located deep within the catacombs of Paris, and brings along partner George (Ben Feldman), documentary filmmaker Benji (“The Purge”’s Edwin Hodge) and local urban explorers who can get them to restricted sectors of the catacombs. This soon spirals into chaos when each explorer is presented with hallucinations of their own fears and transgressions, and soon are hunted by the supernatural and demonic forces that lie with the 6 million corpses underneath Paris. The use of handheld and helmet cameras in this film accentuates the film’s claustrophobic atmosphere that brings the terror that much closer to the audience, and while it does get a little headache-inducing as per usual, it’s almost always very engaging. Acting is exceptional by horror movie standards, with
Weeks leading the pack to create a sympathetic, intelligent and charming protagonist, and Feldman close behind with his geeky, adorable sidekick, who is slightly less interesting as his female counterpart. The screenplay, penned by director John Erick Dowdle and his brother Drew Dowdle, is profound, well-paced and only contains one line of truly terrible dialogue, which is a shame as it sticks out much more than it would have in a mediocre screenplay. Though the true star of the film comes with its setting, the usage of the catacombs was unique and interesting, providing the film with more lore and history than one might expect from a modern horror film. “As Above/So Below” simply put, is the best horror film since “Oculus,” which isn’t a small accomplishment in my book. It uses its atmosphere exceptionally, and keeps the audience engaged through its tension, pacing and visuals. Weeks is fantastic as Scarlett Marlowe,
mirroring Karen Gillan’s spectacular performance in this year’s horror film “Oculus.” This film also uses the “found footage” genre effectively for the first time since the original Paranormal Activity, rather than using it for shock value, it enhanced the confined feel of the film. The film’s literal ele-
ments of claustrophobia and past misdeeds are almost as effectively frightening as its supernatural and demonic elements, which can hopefully spark conversations after the movie has ended, apart from raving about how frightening the film was.
Movie poster of “As Above,So Below”
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Beat
September 23, 2014
ecleader.org
STEVE HARVEY from page 1 Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
Finishing a segment on overcoming the “freshman fifteen,” TV personality Steve Harvey announces the show will be taking a quick break. The crowd of college students stand up to cheer and clap until the camera stops rolling. As the students fall back into their chairs, Harvey, a comedian, radio-show host, and bestselling author, turns to the audience to reveal a secret about himself. “If I knew what I know now back in college, I would have been successful a whole lot quicker,” Harvey said. “You’re looking at a man who messed his life up real good.” After being invited by the producers of the “Steve Harvey Show”, EC sent 40 students to participate in the Sept. 4 shooting of the daytime TV show’s campus town hall back-toschool special at NBC Tower in downtown Chicago.
“If I knew what I know now back in college, I would have been successful a whole lot quicker. ” Steve Harvey Along with students from large state schools, such as U of I and Purdue University, EC students starred in the episode’s studio audience, watching Harvey answer students’ questions about relationships and the show’s various segments on college life. Even though the episode was filmed almost three weeks ago, the organization that runs the show, Steve Harvey/Deep Dish Productions of Chicago LLC, has yet to set an airdate for it. The producers of the “Steve
Photo courtesy of Steve Harvey / Deep Dish Productions Sophomores Alex Romano and Kayla Hansen cheer for Steve Harvey with their fellow students.
Harvey Show” originally contacted EC in late July about filming the back-to-school special on campus, Managing Director of Public Affairs Desiree Chen confirmed in a phone interview. She gave the producers a tour of the college and even though they “loved the look of [our] campus,” they ultimately decided to film the show in the studio. However, they asked Chen in August if the college could send “40-50 of our most engaged students” to participate on the show. She contacted Student Affairs about recruiting students to at-
tend the event and Associate Director Student Activities & Greek Life Elizabeth Doyle sent an email to all of the student organizations on campus. Students were required to fill out a brief application, asking why they wanted to attend, what they loved about EC, and what organizations they were involved in. Over 60 students responded, which Chen deemed “terrific,” and from that pool, Chen and Doyle, along with Associate Dean of Students for Student Activities and Director of the Frick Center Ian Crone, chose 40 students to attend. “These students were chosen
to represent Elmhurst College because of their love for the College and their inspiring individual journeys,” Doyle claimed in a letter to faculty members. Chen and Doyle then sent the list to the producers, who then contacted the students directly to give them the opportunity to apply for larger roles on the show, beyond that of an audience member, such as a ‘town hall speaker’. Sophomore Alex Romano was chosen to be one of these speakers, which gave him the chance to ask Harvey a question directly. When students arrived at the event, Romano was whisked
away to hair and make-up, went over his lines with a production assistant, and was given front row seating in the studio audience. “It was so cool to see behind the scenes of a TV show,” he said. “There’s so much more that goes into it than you see on screen.” Chen believes the students’ appearance on the show will have a big impact on the college’s public image.
“These students were chosen to represent Elmhurst College because of their...inspiring individual journeys” Elizabeth Doyle “I think this will be great for the college. We were the only small liberal arts college represented,” Chen said. “We had just as many students there as the big schools.” She also thinks the show will also present EC as a schooling option to millions of students and parents nationwide. “It’s going to give people around the country an introduction to Elmhurst College,” she said. After getting his make-up touched up, Harvey turns back to the audience to share a bit of wisdom. “Your faith, whatever it is, is something available to you,” he said. “Pray man. It will bail you out of any situation.” The stage manager gives Harvey the cue to ready for the next segment. He sits down on stage, looks at the camera, and continues filming the show.
Photo courtesy of Steve Harvey / Deep Dish Productions Sophomore Lexie Dames poses with a student from Loyola University in Steve Harvey’s “Social Media Lab.”
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ecleader.org
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EC’s values clash with Steve Harvey’s Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
While most of the EC students who attended agreed being on a TV set was a unique experience, several of them disagreed with Harvey’s views on sex and gender roles. Junior Angil Tate was appalled by some of the dating advice Harvey gave to students, deeming it exclusive to heterosexual individuals who adhered to a patriarchal view of society. “His responses to students’ questions were not appropriate for daytime television,” she said. “They were masochistic and heteronormative.” However, Tate was proud she was culturally aware enough to notice Harvey’s preconceived notions. “I’m glad I was able to recognize the errors in what he said as a young adult,” she said. “It made me realize that there’s still a lot of [cultural] work to do in our society.” Associate Dean of Students for Student Activities and Director of the Frick Center Ian Cron, who accompanied students to the show, also recognized that Steve Harvey’s rhetoric was not as inclusive as EC’s. “Unfortunately we saw that there was a disconnect between the values Steve Harvey espoused and the values of Elmhurst College,” said Crone in a phone interview. Furthering that point, senior Meredithe Mimlitz argued Harvey’s advice excluded various cultural groups that have a strong presence on campus. “[The content of the show]
was not really representative of the Elmhurst College community,” she said. But not all students had a problem with the majority of Harvey’s advice. “I disagreed with a lot of the things he said about male and female relationships, but I like what he said about [achieving] success,” said sophomore Alex Romano. Even though Harvey’s advice was not as inclusive as many students thought it would be, Crone believed students remained civil. “In light of the heterocentric and sexist…assumptions Steve Harvey made, our students were able to recognize his advice excluded others and respectfully disagree with him.” Several students and staff that attended also felt like the show’s producers didn’t value their presence.
“Unfortunately we saw that there was a disconnect between the values Steve Harvey espoused and the values of Elmhurst College.”
Photo courtesy of Steve Harvey / Deep Dish Productions Steve Harvey shares a bit of wisdom off-camera with the college students in attendance.
Ian Crone Tate thought the shoot was disorganized and felt like they weren’t able to have a real conversation with Harvey. “I was excited to be an audience member until I was an audience member,” she said. “I felt like I was just there to clap.” Crone was also worried that the students weren’t given the opportunity to play a significant
part in the show because of how scripted it was. “The show was so heavily produced that I was worried our students were being treated more like props than audience members,” he said. Students and staff had mixed responses on whether or not participating in the “Steve Harvey Show” was a valuable experience overall.
Tate believes the students who didn’t attend lucked out. “It was a cool experience to have but it’s not something I’d do again,” she said. “I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.” Romano highly valued the experience because it gave students the opportunity to interact with student leaders on campus and those from other schools.
“The whole experience was worth it because of the people I met from Elmhurst and the other schools,” he said. Because Harvey’s views and ideals clashed with EC’s, Crone wishes they had the opportunity to be on a different show. “I think I would have preferred a TV show that better aligned with EC’s values,” he said.
Be a cheap date...party goer we filled with stuff like clothes and accessories and weird random things that you wouldn’t normally wear,” Nichole Finke, graduate student in interior architecture and product design, said. “It just became our date party box and we just got it out when we found out about our next date party.”
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Macklemore exemplifies being a ‘cheap date party goer’.
Emily moore
the kansas state collegian In college, it can seem like there’s a date party to go to every weekend. More often than not, there’s a specific theme attendees need to adhere to: from barn parties to decade parties and everything in between. While fun, the numerous one-time-wear date party outfits add up quick. I mean, when is the next time your going to wear that tutu again – really? Fortunately for your wallet, there are a few creative ways to
keep spending to a minimum. Thrift shopping If you’ve only got $20 in your pocket, take a trip to a local thrift store. You may be surprised by some of the things people toss out, or ever owned for that matter. For example, if the date party’s theme is Back to the ’80s, there could be a few bell-bottoms and platform shoes just waiting to find a new home in the back of your closet. “Going to thrift shops is a cheap way to find clothes that are going to probably get ruined
anyway,” Zeke Albert, senior in accounting, said. “Thrift shops pretty much have everything and they are clothes that you aren’t necessarily going to save anyway.” Some students even limit themselves to a set date-party budget. This provides a safeguard from overspending, even at a low-priced store like a thrift store. “I usually go to Grand Ol’ Trunk or Goodwill and limit myself to about $5-$10,” Davis Millard, sophomore in criminology, said. “I try and find something that goes with the
theme and it usually always works out.” Borrowing College is filled with diverse groups of people and closets. When planning date party outfits, there might be someone who already has a prop or article of clothing that you could borrow. Some students take it a step further by sharing a costume box. “When I really moved out of (Kappa Alpha Theta), I lived with a bunch of other juniors and we actually had this box
Collecting After a date party, saving those seemingly unwearable clothes may save you and others money later. There’s always a possibility to repurpose clothes, whether costume or not, for date parties. Albert mentioned he will occasionally use clothes from his old high school football games for sport-themed events. “The best way that I have saved money getting ready for date parties is saving up clothes over the years,” Albert said. You don’t have to spend a fortune on date party outfits in order to have a good time. So save some cash by shopping cheap or swapping costumes for your next Barn Party or Superhero Social and spend it on what really counts – your date.
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September 23, 2014
ecleader.org
Expand your brew Kailey Hansen beat editor
The aroma of newly-brewed coffee grounds and a refreshingly personable atmosphere greeted me on my visit to the Sept. 15 grand opening of BrewPoint Coffee. Elmhurst’s new coffee hot-spot BrewPoint Coffee is nestled into a tiny space at 124 West Park Ave. and owned by 26-year-old Palatine local Melissa Villanueva, whose goal in starting this business is to foster a place of community. “I want this to be a place that’s inclusive, builds relationships, and also has a cool vibe.” Villanueva said during an interview. “Expand Your Brew is our motto. Our philosophy is opening people to new ways of drinking coffee and new ways of thinking.” In a fast-paced ‘get your coffee and go’ culture, baristas taking the time to make small talk is something you don’t see
every day. BrewPoint hosts a relaxed feel that encompasses a tiny nook for reading and a slew of literature at the ready. The owner began working at a financial firm after college, but quickly decided she wanted to interact with people on a more personal level. She says the cafe is designed to be more than just your standard in-andout coffee shop and will act as a place that college students can come and hang out or study.
“I want this to be a place that’s inclusive, builds relationships, and also has a cool vibe.” -Melissa Villanueva “In October we want to start keeping the shop open later,” Villanueva said. “When I was in college I wanted to get off of campus in the evenings and find somewhere else to hang out. We have free wifi and outlets next to
every seat. We are also working on student discounts.” “When I was in college I wanted to get off campus in the evenings.” As you enter BrewPoint, you are greeted by travel-themed decor that is meant to give a cross-cultural feel and open people to the “multi-facetedness” of the world, according to Villanueva. The coffee itself is shipped from countries such as Guatemala, Ethiopia, and Kenya through an organization called Counter Culture Coffee that works to give people authentic flavors and maintain sustainability. Along with the world maps, the shop sports a menu filled with famous explorers. Each coffee drink has been named after an adventurer so costumers can order a ‘Lewis and Clark’, a ‘Sacagawea’, or an
Photos by Nikki Smith Top photo: Brewpoint Coffee owner Melissa Villanueva makes a drink during the cafe’s opening week. Bottom photo: Co-Owner Angelo Sepulveda greets a customer.
‘Amelia Earhart’. Their specialty drink, and Villanueva’s personal favorite, is deemed the ‘Bartolome’ after the freedom fighter who supported Native American and African America rights. The mixture of espresso, a nutty base, coconut milk, honey, and cinnamon makes for a unique blend of flavors for any coffee risk-taker.
we are hoping to rent out space and open this up to the community.” When asked about her vision for the future of BrewPoint Coffee, Villanueva seemed enthusiastic about the new occupancy of space that previously held ‘Enlighten Cafe’.
“Expand Your Brew is our motto.”
“Our philosophy is opening people to new ways of drinking coffee and new ways of thinking.”
Another way that BrewPoint hopes to make a mark on Elmhurst’s community is offering space for rentals at night. “It’s a possibility that we are looking into” said Villanueva. “If you have a club that meets at night,
“We are open to other locations if the opportunity arises but that is not our main goal. We would like to focus on growing the space in this location first and then see where it will take us.”
sports
ecleader.org
September 23, 2014
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Hannah Nimrick brings laughter and drive to Elmhurst’s volleyball team
Tyler York staff writer
A smile and laughter is something that never leaves sophomore volleyball player Hannah Nimrick’s face. Head coach Julie Hall describes her as a big goofball who is a lot of fun with a great sense of humor. Nimrick is from a small town near the border of Illinois and Iowa. Hannah was raised by a very caring family with who she is very close to. Both of her parents have never missed one of her games and plan on traveling down to Texas in October to watch her play for the Bluejays. Hannah goes home to visit every two to three weeks when volleyball is in the off-season. She says the best part of going home is to see Bane, her dog who is 1. Growing up Nimrick had several traditions that she loved to do. Her dad had season tickets to the Cubs game and the two of them would always go and sit
on the first base line. Starting in 8th grade her volleyball coach would take her to see the Penn State game every time they would come to Iowa to play. Growing up she loved to watch Nebraska played which helped inspire a want to play at the collegiate level. Beneath this friendly small town girl is a fierce competitor. In high school, Nimrick played both basketball and volleyball. She originally played both sports here at Elmhurst, but decided best to leave the basketball team and focus on volleyball. Growing up as a little kid, Hannah always had the dream of being the first women to play in the NBA, so the decision to stop playing for Elmhurst was a hard one for her. Her reasoning for choosing the volleyball team is simply because she felt closer with the team and had already make great connections with her teammates. “Everyone is best friends and
has good chemistry,” she said. Coach Hall touched on how Nimrick’s character helps that chemistry grow. “Hannah is a lot of fun,” she said. “She always has a big smile on her face and loves to laugh.” Being the setter on the volleyball court is equal to being a quarterback in football. Hannah is required to come in early and watch extra film and dedicate more time to the sport than some of the other girls on the team. Hard work is in Hannah’s nature. As a freshman last year, she was able to fight her way to the top at a chance to start on the varsity squad. Nimrick played in 38 varsity matches while starting in 14 of those contests. This season, she has started 10 out of the 12 matches so far. Hannah may have earned her starting spot this year on the squad, however the coaches expect more than that from her. Even though Nimrick may only be a sophomore, Coach Hall wants the best from her right now. “Hannah is only a sophomore, however she needs to treat it like she is a senior,” said Hall. “I want her to be her best right now for the seniors.” Nimrick is driven to succeed and perform by her teammates. “My motivation to perform well would have to be playing and giving 100 percent for my team,” she said. “I don’t want to let them down especially the seniors they have been working so hard to be the best players they can be and they deserve an unforgettable season!” Nimrick and Sophomore Bailey Sachtleben are the only girls in their recruiting class left
Photo by Peter Flockencier Hannah Nimrick may seem like a friendly small town girl, but she’s actually a fierce competitor.
which lead to her becoming really close with the seniors.
“My motivation to perform well would have to be playing and giving 100 percent for my team.” Hannah Nimrick Some of Nimrick’s goals for the season are to always beat
out the other setter on the opposite side and to get 5 kills a match. So far this season, Nimrick is right near her goal recording 58 kills in 12 matches. Nimrick also leads the team in assists with 365 and assists per set with 9.36. Nimrick and the Bluejays will hope to continue their 8 game winning streak at the second Elmhurst Invitational Tournament starting September 19.
Women’s soccer beats Volleyball’s winning streak Monmouth 1 to 0 gets cut short Tyler York staff writer
Elmhurst Women’s soccer team secured their fourth straight victory after Junior Anna Garrintino scored her first goal of the season against Monmouth College. The Bluejays came out strong as the first and only goal was scored in the 7th minute. Elmhurst defense stayed strong only allowing 5 shots on goal. Elmhurst may have outshot Monmouth 13-9, however, Garrintino believes they could have done better. “We are struggling offensively to score and starting to piece together an offensive mindset,” she said. The Jays strategy heading into the match is to start off strong and dictate the speed of the game. Garrintino thinks that they accomplished that,
but not to the best of their ability. She described problems connecting passes between positions moving the ball up the field. Nonetheless, Elmhurst secured another victory as division play is coming up in a few weeks.
“We are struggling offensively to score and starting to piece together an offensive mindset” Anna Garrintino Garrintino says the strategy for the rest of the season is “Fixing the little things. Work on closing out games and making it a clear victory by controlling the game.” The Bluejays had hoped to fix those changes in their most recent game against Marian
University, but fell short in a 4-2 loss. They were able to pick themselves back up to win their match against Greenville College in a 2-1 victory. The women’s soccer team is now 5-2-0 heading into their Sept. 23 match against the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The Bluejays hope to turn it around with another victory as they only have two non-conference matches left.
The strategy for the rest of the season is “fixing the little things. Work on closing out games and making it a clear victory by controlling the game.” Garrintino
Zachary Bishop editor-in-chief
At their second invitational of the season on Sept. 19 and 20, the EC women’s volleyball team continued their winning streak until the last game of the tournament. They lost to the College of St. Benedict in three sets on the second day of the tournament. St. Benedic’s Laura Schmitt powered her team with 12 kills and Lexi Rinde added 10 kills in the win. Even though the team ended with a loss, they still had a 3-1 record for the invitational. Earlier that day, the team secured a victory against Eastern University on the second day of the invitation-
al. Hannah Nimrick led the team to victory, making 18 kills and 33 assists. On the first day of the tournament, the Bluejays won against the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in four sets Elmhurst hit .208 for the match with 53 kills and 26 errors in 130 attempts. They went on to beat Emory University in five sets. Both teams hit an identical .223 for the match against Emory. Elmhurst totaled 63 kills and 26 errors in 166 attempts while Emory finished with 60 kills and 25 errors in 157 attacks.
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sports
September 23, 2014
ecleader.org
Game On: America’s Sports Leagues in Emerging Markets Mark Bode
harvard political review In 1989, then-National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern journeyed to China, a first for a commissioner of the league. He came with the offer of free programming to state-owned television, the first bargaining chip in the NBA’s strategy to build its brand in the Chinese market. On a day off, Stern’s delegation visited the Terra Cotta Warriors near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Xi’an. When their tour guide inquired as to the nature of their visit, Stern explained that the group was from the NBA. “Ah!” exclaimed the guide, remembering one of the league’s organizations, “the team of the red oxen!” Twenty-five years later, American sports leagues have moved far beyond the point when an excited Chinese tour guide incorrectly identifies the Chicago Bulls. Despite competing with the cultural phenomenon that is soccer, three of the four major American leagues—the NBA, the National Football League, and Major League Baseball— have capitalized on emerging markets that feature high economic growth rates, large populations, and a middle-class consumer base. By establishing and maintaining a physical presence in these markets, the leagues have successfully grown their brands.
Finding Footholds Undoubtedly, soccer (futbol) remains the global sports king. More than a billion people watched the 2014 World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina—nearly ten times the 2014 Super Bowl’s viewership. Soccer’s role as a cultural centerpiece in much of the world has allowed it to transcend sports. Moreover, soccer is easily and widely accessible. Kenneth L. Shropshire, director of the Wharton Sports Initiative, told the HPR that soccer’s ease of play has been a large part of its success. The only equipment necessary is a ball, and even that is often a sphere molded from assembled refuse. This simplicity, coupled with its cultural advantage, indicates that soccer is unlikely to be unseated by another sport in the foreseeable future. Therefore, leagues representing other sports often work around the edges of soccer to carve out slices of the available market. David Carter, director of the Sports Business Institute at the University of Southern California, believes the leagues are of-
ten just looking to get a foot in the door. “The NFL [probably doesn’t] think there’s a massive market opportunity in many of those nations,” he told the HPR, “but that doesn’t mean they don’t hope to market the league and maybe sell merchandise to build [a] brand.” These marketing efforts don’t shy away from soccer strongholds. Even in Latin America, home of this year’s World Cup and a bastion of futbol fever, “we are going to see interest in other sports,” Lourdes Casanova, academic director of the Emerging Markets Institute at Cornell University, told the HPR.
An increase in the middle class’s disposable income not only encourages consumption of professional sports but also enhances participation at a local level. According to Casanova, “As countries become richer, the people can afford to play sports that need a little bit more equipment and a little bit more infrastructure.” In particular, the economic stability of the middle class benefits sports in two ways. First, parents “don’t need the help of the children in the house, or they need it less than before. Second, they can afford to pay a little extra bit for those racquets, or whatever’s needed for the sports.” Local participa-
ting people to play,” Shropshire told the HPR. “ None of [the leagues] have a perfect strategy, but it does seem to be, if possible, to get people to play. If not, being sure to have a presence, whether exhibition or otherwise.” Some leagues are more successful than others in encouraging participation. For decades, the NBA has sent players overseas to hold clinics and make public appearances. Indeed, the NBA has expanded its presence in China to the point that, during the summer of 2013, 47 players journeyed there. By all accounts, these efforts have been successful.
Internet Photo The 2014 World Cup Final between Germany and Argentina had more than a billion viewers world-wide.
Targeted Factors When judging their ability to penetrate emerging markets, American leagues typically focus on three key elements: economic growth, population size, and a consumer-based middle class. Individuals and families within the markets must be able to afford the merchandise and media platforms of the leagues. The more people can afford these products, the more revenue the leagues can unlock. In written correspondence with the HPR, ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla listed regions that fit these characteristics: “It seems clear that China, India, and Africa have all been targeted for growth by the NBA.” Because these particular regions represent a large portion of global emerging markets, the leagues focus their efforts there to capitalize on potentially enormous revenue streams. A burgeoning middle class is also a key criterion in targeting emerging markets. Casanova sees a direct link between the economic success of developing nations’ middle classes and the ability of sports to penetrate their markets.
tion opens the door for leagues to gain an economic foothold.
League Strategies Such characteristics of emerging markets make penetration possible, but the leagues’ specific strategies are what ultimately determine their economic success in the regions. Participation by local populations, team exhibitions, and importing and exporting players are all part of efforts to have a physical presence in targeted markets.
“The NFL [probably doesn’t] think there’s a massive market opportunity in many [In Latin America]... but that doesn’t mean they don’t hope to market the league.” David Carter Univ. of Southern California “The best way to develop a fan base, in the long haul, is get-
Fraschilla estimates that, in a nation of 1.3 billion people, “400 million … play and watch the game of basketball.” Bleacher Report corroborates this figure, reporting a Chinese fan base of 450 million, with 300 million playing the sport. By contrast, the NFL’s efforts to grow participation in American football have sputtered. In two failed ventures, the World League and NFL Europe, the NFL was unable to spur participation abroad. Shropshire points out that these failures caused the NFL to “move away from the multiple participation market” and instead focus on holding a handful of regular-season games in London. Importing and exporting players allows the leagues to grow their brands on two fronts. First, bringing in talented international players enhances the quality of the games. “[The leagues] are not going to bring in players with an international bent … ‘just because,’” Carter told the HPR. Rather, “they’re going to do it because these guys are talented and can unlock revenue for the teams.” The 2014 NBA Champion San
Antonio Spurs are a testament to this strategy: the team used seven foreign-born players (out of a roster of 12) en route to capturing the title. Likewise, the 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox powered their way through the playoffs thanks to the masterful pitching of Japanese-born Koji Uehara and the strong bat of Dominican-born David Ortiz. Importing foreign talent is a winning strategy. Additionally, importing and exporting players sparks the interest of fans outside of the United States. Exporting players allows leagues to increase market share without sacrificing their talent pool within the United States. The vast majority of college basketball players are not sufficiently talented to make it to the NBA, but many find success overseas. This increases the quality of the overseas leagues, thereby increasing interest in the game. Naturally, this interest boosts the number of local participants, some of whom are talented enough to join the ranks of the NBA’s international players. These players draw viewership to the NBA, as locals enjoy watching their national heroes compete at the highest level. When leagues master the balance between importing and exporting, Carter says, “it helps build interest in the league domestically and abroad. If you do that, then the fan base will follow.” Of course, some factors that determine the success of market penetration are beyond the control of the leagues. The degree to which television and social media are present in developing markets has enormous bearing on how easily leagues can reach potential consumers. However, the leagues are left to react to these realities, rather than manipulate them. Government limitations may also interfere with efforts to grow brands. Still, Carter says, “if you look at it long-term, the barriers are being broken down. If you look at the limitations … or opportunities right now in a certain country, that doesn’t mean it’s always going to remain that way. … So I wouldn’t focus on where we are right now.” Challenges notwithstanding, American sports leagues today are in an excellent position, with much more growth to come. As the economies of developing markets continue to grow, so too will the influence of American sports leagues abroad. Higher rates of participation, viewership, and spending are sure to accompany this expanding influence. For the leagues, a bright future of profit and power awaits. Game on.
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ecleader.org
September 23, 2014
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FOOTBALL from back page
EC football players attempt to block U of Chicago players from tackling quarterback Joe Camiliere. The Bluejays achieved a total of 224 yards of offense on 58 plays while the Chicago team amounted a total of 312 yards on 69 plays. The Elmhurst team really strived to the top during the first half of the game. Junior and running back Josh Williams accomplished a 19-yard run and ran out of bounds just before he made his way into the end zone. Later in the game, the team even made an impressive 21yard field goal from junior kicker and punter Brett Bayer, which took the Elmhurst team to a 3-0 lead in the game. Throughout the rocky moments in the game, the Elmhurst team’s offense really stepped up their game when they made it to 73 yards in 12 plays with senior quarterback Joe Camiliere carrying out a four-yard touchdown run.
Camiliere even completed a four-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Adam Bowers after a 15 play, 83-yard drive. Junior safety Valdez Honorable and sophomore linebacker Brian Tucker really held the team together by leading the team’s defense with seven tackles each. Despite the team’s loss, head coach Ron Planz believes the team is on a path to success. “The ultimate goal for the season is to get better every week. If we can do that, then we’re going to win a ton of games,” he said. “This is a program that we’re building. This is a program that needs to be built with a solid foundation, and we’re on the right path.” He’s also proud of his players for their effort. “You know, these guys play
Men’s golf takes fifth place at Wis.Lutheran Joseph Passarelli staff writer
The Elmhurst College Golf team recently took fifth place out of 15 competing schools in the Wisconsin Lutheran College Fall Invitational last weekend. The 620 stroke two-round
total from the team was their second best finish of the season thus far. Sean Lencher led the Bluejays to the solid finish with a tally of +7, with Kyle Brenkman and Wyatt Stickney each finishing in the top-25.
hard. They never quit, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for,” said Planz. “And just like what happened to us last week, you never quit. And then things go your way, and sometimes they don’t. And this week, it just didn’t.” Camiliere believes the team needs to improve their execution on the field. “Chicago played a great game. They played hard. They had a great scheme defensively against us,” he said. “So I think it just comes down to us executing our game plan,” he said. The quarterback also believes they need to step up their game, now that they’re playing against conference teams. “With conference, it’s a whole new season. We have a week off just to work and get better, and then we have seven straight weeks of tough conference
games...We want to be successful and finish the end of the season on top of the conference,” said Camiliere. “So that goal is obviously still attainable. We haven’t played any conference games, so I think we’ll be ready to go and really learn from this game and get ready for conference in a couple of weeks.”
“The ultimate goal for the season is to get better every week. If we can do that, then we’re going to win a ton of games.” Ron Planz Williams is hopeful that the team will learn from their mistakes. “We missed some of our opportunities that we thought we
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Photo by Allen Riquelme
had. But everything is a learning lesson, and we’re going to build off of what all happened tonight,” he said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t come out on top, but that gives us an opportunity to learn and build off of what we know we can do.” Despite this rough start to the season, the Bluejays are determined to defeat all of their opponents in the conference, Assistant Coach Glen Brittich assures. “The CCIW is the best conference in the country. Every week will be a battle. We need to bring our A-game consistently… [but] our players are determined to outwork every opponent. The team will take to Langhorst Field on Saturday, Oct. 4 to play against Augustana College.
Football team falls against University of Chicago Allen Riquelme staff writer
After a strong fight against University of Chicago, the EC football team finished their game with a score of 17-29. At this September 20 game day, it was clearly evident that Chicago’s defense did not want to share the ball with Elmhurst team. See FOOTBALL on page 19
Quarterback Joe Camiliere waits until the right moment to make a pass.
Photo by Peter Flockencier