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First Amendment Week speaks to threats against free speech
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V O LU M E
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| ISSUE 24
Tuition rises 4.44 percent Synder reveals tuition increase that continues current uphill trend of tuition and housing costs. Jackie Galvez Managing Editor @LALoyolan
via Tom Nelson
First Amendment Week, hosted by the Los Angeles Loyolan and ASLMU, works to celebrate the rights granted to the people through the First Amendment: freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition. Several events will be held on campus to recognize the importance of the First Amendment, such as the “First beer on the First Amendment” event at the Loft on March 23 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. and “The People’s Platform Festival” on March 28 from 12 - 2 p.m. on Lawton Plaza.
Last Wednesday, March 15, President Timothy Law Snyder sent an email to the LMU community regarding the University’s budget for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. LMU’s Board of Trustees met on Monday, March 6 to discuss the updated budget, approving both a tuition and housing cost increase in order to keep up with the University’s strategic monetary plan and Snyder’s global imagination initiative. According to the email, tuition rates are planned to increase by 4.44 percent for both undergraduate and graduate students, and the average housing cost for students living on campus is set to increase by 1.5 percent. Both tuition and housing increases have been an annual occurrence for the past several years in LMU’s history. During the 2015-2016 fiscal year, tuition for all LMU students was raised by 2.94 percent, and housing costs were increased by 1.5 percent. This upwards trend continued during the 2016-2017 fiscal period, with tuition costs increased by 3.94 percent and on-campus housing raised by .75 percent. See Tuition | Page 5
NEWS LMU hosts Special Games Big Day Practice . ME . HO UR OICE O V Y . WS UR YO R NE U YO
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Megan Karbowski | Loyolan
The Special Games Committee, along with volunteers, hosted Special Games practice last Saturday, March 18 on Alumni Mall. The “Big Day March” takes place Saturday, March 25.
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NEWS
laloyolan.com Page 5
Annual tuition and housing costs to increase Tuition from Page 1
This year’s tuition raise marks the largest percent increase in LMU history. According to College Board, the average tuition increase for non-profit, private universities in the 2016-2017 fiscal year was 3.6 percent, over .8 percent less than that of LMU’s most recent raise. According to LMU’s financial aid website, the current estimated cost of undergraduate tuition
and fees is $44,222 for the 20162017 academic year. The 4.44 percent tuition increase would add approximately $1,963 to this figure, resulting in a grand total of $46,185. Additionally, LMU’s financial aid website projects average on-campus living costs to be $13,808. A 1.5 percent increase would add about $207 to housing expenses for a new on-campus living cost of $14,015. The Provost’s Planning Council
— consisting of members of the President’s Cabinet (deans from every college) and other key administrators — is tasked with ensuring that all budget decisions are in line with the University’s goals, mission statement and academic priorities. According to Thomas Fleming, senior vice president and chief financial officer, LMU’s budgeting team employs various cost-containment efforts — including the repurposing of
preexisting funds and the school’s modified zero-based budgeting approach — in order to remain on track with the University’s strategic financial plan. For the 2017-2018 fiscal year, the extra money obtained from these payment increases will go toward employee benefits — including increased medical insurance coverage — as well as overtime pay for faculty members. Additionally, money will be dedicated to the recruitment and retainment of important LMU staff along with various aspects of LMU’s strategic plan — an initiative that works to implement the Jesuit, Marymount and Catholic traditions in every aspect of life upon the Bluff. “I believe students, faculty, staff and all members of the community agree that the value of an LMU
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education is unmatched,” Fleming said to the Loyolan via email. “We continually strive to ensure that all students have the best possible experience during their time on the Bluff — academically, socially and spiritually — while we work to contain costs wherever possible and strategically plan for the future.” According to Fleming, highlights that are expected to come from this extra tuition and housing money include a greater integration of technology in both student and faculty development programs, financial support to over 900 courses that have been proposed to be added to the University Core Curriculum, and strategic funding dedicated to social justice departments and programs such as the Academy of Catholic Thought and Imagination.
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LMU opens food pantry for students in need LMU’s food pantry provides assistance to students in need. Kayan Tara News Intern @LALoyolan
This March, LMU launched a food pantry that aims to provide immediate assistance to students struggling with food access and insecurity. Operating on an honor system, the pantry contains a wide range of snacks and food items that are assessable in a discreet and supportive manner to all undergraduate and graduate LMU students. The pantry is located adjacent to St. Robert’s Annex and “contains a few selection of items intended to provide immediate relief,” as stated on the food pantry’s FAQ. Most of the food items available are nonperishable snacks and instant meals, as well as canned foods, beverages and breakfast items. These items do not need to be refrigerated, nor do they have short shelf lives. The aim is to be able to provide students struggling either financially (or with other hardships) with instantaneous food relief options that are not costly or time consuming to prepare. “As a first generation college student, one of my main concerns when coming to LMU
was paying for the high cost of tuition and housing,” Elizabeth Valdes, a junior accounting and management double major said. “My stress to pay off bills came at the expense of my nutrition. My calculated budget of $10/day on the N meal plan was rough, and I did what I could to find extra food at on-campus events and offices.” “I’m extraordinarily excited to see that LMU has launched its food pantry, and the overwhelming support it has gained within the last few weeks. I know I’m not the only student who finds herself struggling to find my next meal, and while the food pantry doesn’t have a wide selection of nutritional items, I know any little bit helps — especially with those who are financially struggling.” Being the former location of the University Credit Union, the pantry has a burgundy, blue and white sign on the door that reads “LMU Food Pantry: Student Community Food Resources.” Since the pantry operates on an honor system, student using this service are not required to sign up and their confidentiality is protected if they wish to be discrete. Although there is no limit on how many items students are allowed to take from the pantry, students using this service are advised to take enough food to
fulfill their immediate needs, as well as considering the needs of others in need of this resource. “Managing expenses and costs can be challenging for many students,” Lorena Chavez, assistant director for Community Engagement at LMU’s Center for Service and Action. The cost of an education and living expenses can force students to make certain choices. Our hope is that students do not have to choose between purchasing textbooks for a class or eating a meal.” “This has been a big effort from the LMU Community because we’ve all come across students who struggle with limited resources and food insecurity. Food is the one thing students shouldn’t have to worry about. Personally, [this initiative] has given a different meaning to my own job.” Moreover, there are many ways LMU students and faculty can be involved in supporting this community initiative. The food pantry has a wish list on Amazon where items you buy for the pantry will be directly shipped to LMU’s Center for Service and Action (CSA). There are several ways LMU mitigates Food Insecurity: Snap/EBT Cards are accepted at the C-Lion located in Leavey 6. In addition, students with Community Table (AYCE) points can donate/pay for a guest who has run out of points
through the Lion Share a Meal Swipe program. The University also has a Meal Plan Scholarship that supports students cost of attendance allowing more students to participate in the Meal Plan Program via their Financial Aid Awards. LMU
Students also have access to free vegetable and produce from the community garden. Future plans include the LMU Pantry becoming a recipient of contributions from Westside Food Bank.
via Ray Dennis
The food pantry, located near St. Robert’s Annex, is now open to students.
NEWS
laloyolan.com Page 6
Trump dominates media coverage since election
Trump’s administration has saturated the media in recent months. Austin Raymundo News Intern @LALoyolan
Lately, the vast majority of articles pushed to the front pages of the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and even the Los Angeles Loyolan have been centered around or related to the Trump presidency. Since the days of the election, the media has continued to show an inclination towards reporting on Trump and his nontraditional political strategies. According to journalism professor John Kissell, “[Trump] is from a celebrity culture […] He is a celebrity by nature and has been courting attention virtually his whole career, [...] He just is an attention getter, and the media is used to giving it.” And President Trump is seemingly well aware of this. Back in January, he tweeted, “Without me, [the media would] have no ratings.” Journalists across the nation contend that their interests stem from where their obligations lie as reporters. From the Washington Post to National Geographic, a variety of news publications frequently report on news about the Trump administration’s actions. There is also less media coverage of other issues such as international stories and local
issues, and less consumption of non-Trump news. The New York Times reported, for example, that Trump received $2 billion more coverage and was given the most free coverage out of any other candidate. Since news platforms can only report so much, focus on other issues has been reduced. Some experts believe that the media’s focus on a single subject – in this case, Trump– isn’t healthy for the electorate as it ignores other issues. “When’s the last time you saw a major story on poverty?” asked Dr. Michael Genovese, Director of the Institute for Leadership Studies. “When’s the last time you saw a major story about racism in America that hasn’t been sparked by some kind of tragic event. When have we seen stories about the failure of the education system?” In fact, four of the top five Washington Post stories for this week contained Trump in their headlines. Avid readers of the news are becoming discouraged by the amount of Trump coverage and its tone. “My students are required to read the front page of the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times every day and analyze it, and I’m definitely hearing some exhaustion from them,” remarked Professor Langlois, a visiting assistant professor of journalism, “all the stories were about Trump except for one, and I noticed a few of them saying, ‘Oh it’s nice to see something about something else.’” Many readers have generally also characterized the tone of the media in regard to Trump as negative. Their reactions in
terms of tuning in or out have been mixed. “I think we know that the public is drawn to bad news but also doesn’t like bad news.” said Dr. John Parrish, professor of political science, “And so the more negative the tone is of media coverage, the more you’d expect two things to happen: one, highly concentrated pockets of immediate focus or interest, and two, a kind of running process of disengagement wherein increasingly more and more people tune out or turn off media coverage just feeling overwhelmed by sort of the
negative vibe of all.” While some Americans remain disengaged and are tuning out, experts are observing Trump trying to pull them back in. Americans avoiding coverage “puts a lot of pressure to entertain and pull in an audience, which means he gets more ridiculous almost with the day,” says Dr. Michael Genovese. Professor Langlois asserted that more Americans are more engaged because of Trump, forcing the media to pay more attention to Trump. Professor Kissell explained, “If you’re paying attention to some
guy, you’re not paying attention to all the other stuff. That’s the shame of a celebrity kind of a culture. Sometimes we focus on the wrong things.” To many media outlets, this is the problem. “The truth isn’t what’s popular, it’s what’s true but the media is in this vicious cycle where if they don’t give the people what they want or demand, people stop watching. And so there’s an incredible pressure on even responsible sources to cave in for financial reasons, because they need to exist,” says Dr. Genovese.
via Flickr Creative Commons
LMU professors have agreed that the media continues to be heavy in Trump administration coverage.
New budget cuts to change education in the U.S. Trump’s new budget for 2018 impacts both teachers and students. Babak Abrishamchian Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan
Donald Trump released a blueprint for his budget request for the fiscal year of 2018, named “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again,” and it included a 13 percent cut in overall education spending. This budget, released on March 16, cuts spending in art, science, environmental, infrastructural and foreign aid programs, shifting $54 million in spending to homeland security and defense. As a result of these changes, multiple programs designed to aid teachers and students in college and public schools would be reduced. The 2017 budget for education is $68.2 billion in spending, but Trump’s budget proposes a $9.2 billion cut bringing the 2018 budget down to $59 billion. These cuts are not something new from Trump, as he first promised to cut funding from the EPA and Department of Education in Oct. 2015 during an interview with Fox News. The blueprint suggests cuts in programs like the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG) which “provides money for school to students with exceptional financial need,”
according to the program’s informational site. This program claims to constitute just under a billion in federal spending while providing financial aid to an estimated 1.3 million students. Trump’s plan states it will save $732 million by eliminating the program. According to the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities, 13 thousand students on Jesuit campuses like LMU will lose financial aid if the FSEOG is cut. The program will also targets multiple programs dedicated to students who cannot pay for full tuition, including Federal Work-Study Programs and Pell Surplus grants. Pell grants are the largest source of financial aid for undergraduate students with lowincome families, reportedly giving out $7.8 billion to students last year. On March 17, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) released a statement in full opposition of the budget blueprint. The statement said, “A $3.9 billion cut to the Pell grant balance will erode the program’s fiscal health. On our Jesuit campuses, where 22 percent of students are Pell grant recipients, this proposed budget leaves the amount of the maximum Pell grant award unknown.” The blueprint states the cuts to Pell Grants are positives, “leaving the Pell Grant program on sound footing for the next decade.” The Higher Education Act (HEA) established in 1965, created workstudy programs as well as the Pell Surplus program. The AJCU’s statement suggests that if Trump intends to eliminate programs
created by the HEA, it should be done in the program’s next authorization in Congress rather than in his budget. Trump’s budget also proposes $43 million in cuts to 20 different teacher-training programs like the Teacher Quality Partnership program which, according to the program’s website, “Create[s] model teacher preparation programs to grow the pool of quality new teachers.” Additionally, the budget will cut $2.4 billion in Effective Instruction State Grants which funds teacher training by school districts.
Trump’s budget doesn’t just cut programs in education, however. It also increases charter school funding by $168 million, and creates a private-school voucher system with a $250 million budget. The private-school voucher system would fund high-school students who decide to attend alternatives to traditional private schools. This represents President Trump’s promise to privatize the education system while also providing increased choice in schooling for poor families. “As president, I will establish the national goal of providing
school choice to every American child living in poverty… I have no doubt that we as a nation can provide school choice to every disadvantaged child in America,” Trump said during a visit to a charter school in September 2016. During that same trip, Trump promised to direct $20 billion of federal grants to students who wish to attend charter or private schools. While the blueprint promises that $20 billion investment, no plan beyond the $418 million has been announced.
OPINION
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The First Amendment must prevail Board are in an unprecedented era when it comes As a college paper, it is our duty to ensure Editorial toWe the First Amendment, and what happens in that the First Amendment remains vital to the Tor Marom
the next few years could decide the limits of our right to free speech for generations to come. Part of what makes this time feel so foreign is the amount of outlets people now have access to for exercising free speech. The internet has given rise to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, where open public discourse can happen easily and frequently. And nobody has taken advantage of the power of social media more than President Donald Trump through his infamous Twitter account. But this era is also unprecedented because of the unique way in which President Trump has tried to suppress the press so early in his presidency. The President has a very strained relationship with the truth and has shown his capacity to use his influence by branding media outlets who don’t align with his reality as “Fake News.” President Trump has even called what is known as the mainstream media the “enemy” of the American people. Breitbart — a heavily right-winged outlet whose wanton “reports” more often than not instigate the President’s Twitter tirades — is getting preferential treatment over outlets like CNN. Both conservatives and liberals have agreed that the President’s suppression of the media is troubling. Former President George W. Bush recently said that the media is “indispensable to democracy” and necessary for holding people in power accountable. While the Loyolan is a university publication, we are responsible for truly expressing our First Amendment rights. In the world of today, the press is an easy target. If someone doesn’t like something written about them, they blame the media for their image rather than themselves.
Editor-in-Chief
Jackie Galvez Managing Editor
Isabel Ngo
Managing Editor
Matt Gaydos Managing Editor
Elliot Britt
Managing Editor
Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.
people, calling attention to wrongs that the people cannot fight themselves. It is our job to make the world more transparent and try to keep the government honest in this age of confusion. We at the Loyolan are not the only journalists who have cause for concern. In light of the current political climate and President Trump’s clashing relationship with the media, the Washington Post updated its slogan in Feb. to “Democracy Dies in Darkness.” True though that slogan may be, we maintain that the Loyolan is “Your Home. Your Voice. Your News.” Especially in this nation where our president is constantly trying to shut out and shut down the press, it is crucial that people in positions of power, like Trump, understand that at the end of the day, we are just that, “Your Voice.” This week marks the Loyolan’s annual First Amendment Week. However, this doesn’t necessarily imply a celebration. While the current administration is trying to strip our freedoms from us, we must use events like these to open a discussion within the community so that we can all reach a common understanding of what the role of the media is. This country’s freedom of the press serves as a pillar to the First Amendment. In regards to the media and journalism in the face of the Trump administration, Oscar Wilde once said, “In America, the President reigns for four years, and Journalism governs forever and ever.” With this in mind, take this week to reflect on the importance of our First Amendment rights and how pertinent freedom of the press is to our democracy here in the U.S.
“This country’s freedom of the press serves as a pillar to the First Amendment.”
Spontaneity should not be necessary A Sam Dunk
are people for whom agreeing
Samantha Davis
the ones who call you at will to
to those kinds of plans is easy. They might not necessarily be
Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan
T
society
go out, but they’re usually up for it. For others, however, it’s
values
much harder to drop what you’re
and
doing and say yes to spur of the
least,
moment plans. For those of us
that’s how it appears to me.
that like structure and perhaps
I feel as if we’re constantly
even experience anxiety when we
bombarded with proclamations
don’t have it, being spontaneous
about how we should live in
is almost impossible.
oday’s
spontaneity extraversion.
At
the moment, not worry too much
about
the
future,
be
I’m
not
spontaneous.
I
tend to waver in regards to
adventurous, outgoing and fun.
my
In my experience, the media
introversion/extraversion
portrays
being
a spectrum, no one is a full
more interesting, and introverts
extrovert or introvert), but I’m
as boring and more peripheral.
definitely
I think that has shifted some
I
in the past few years due to
circumstances, but I like to have
some popular films like “The
plans and stick to them as much
Perks of Being a Wallflower,”
as possible. I have a general
but
our
schedule of how my week goes,
society still value extroverts
and I don’t like changing it.
over
That’s often perceived as being
wrapped up in my own thoughts,
is majorly disrupted by the
maybe it
but for the most part I’m not
whims of my friends, that’s not enjoyable for me. What’s more
extroverts
many
elements
as
of
introverts. Susan
Cain,
extraversion
can
be,
not
(seeing
as is
the
—
right
Hannah Kim | Loyolan
Not all people have to be spontaneous in order to live their lives to the fullest.
who co-founded a company
uptight and boring
that attempts to showcase the
is. But I don’t see the problem
sitting
abilities of introverts, argues in
with wanting to have structure to
environment
her book, “Quiet: The Power of
one’s day or week and I don’t see
think about the future a lot
—I
moment or living life how you
Introverts in a World That Can’t
how wanting to have a schedule
look at the admissions profiles
want to live it? Having structure
Stop Talking,” that our culture
is indicative of one’s personality.
for the graduate programs I
is more important to me than
values and caters to the traits
Despite my organized nature,
want to attend, I check the news
being perceived as spontaneous
of extraverted people at the
I’m one of the loudest, most
regularly and anticipate what
or living in the moment, and
expense of introverts.
outspoken, un-boring people I
to write articles about, I think
I think we should encourage
Being spontaneous is easy
know, and yet I don’t doubt that
about and plan anything I have
people to live the life that makes
and comes naturally to some
my inclination towards structure
coming up that weekend, etc.
them comfortable.
people. I have a lot of friends like
signifies something else.
Most people I know would tell
—
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BUSINESS STAFF
spontaneous.
given
EDITORIAL STAFF
around or
admiring
my
whatever.
I
me to stop planning and just
this – friends who will text you
I don’t live in the moment
randomly one morning asking if
at least not most of the time.
enjoy life. The thing is, planning
you want to go on a hike, go to
I obviously enjoy my down
is how I enjoy life. If I don’t have
the beach, go to a museum. There
time. I don’t spend that time
things planned or if my schedule
important
—
living life in the
This is the opinion of Samantha Davis, a sophomore philosophy major from La Cañada Flintridge, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email csontag@theloyolan.com.
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LOYOLAN EDITORIAL POLICY The Los Angeles Loyolan, a student-run campus organization, publishes a weekly newspaper for the greater LMU community. The first copy is free of charge. Additional copies are $1 each. Paid, mailed subscriptions can be purchased through the Business department. The Loyolan accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni, and press releases from on-campus and offcampus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication. The Loyolan reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions, including advertisements, articles or other contributions it deems objectionable. The Loyolan does not print consecutive articles by the same author that repeat/refute the initial arguments. Opinions and ideas expressed in the Loyolan are those of individual authors, artists and student editors and are not those of Loyola Marymount University, its Board of Trustees, its student body or of newspaper advertisers. Board Editorials are unsigned and reflect the opinions of the Executive Editorial Board. Guest editorials are by invitation of the Executive Editorial Board and reflect the views of the author. All advertisements are subject to the current rates and policies in the most recent Advertising Rates and Information materials. The Los Angeles Loyolan is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the California College Media Association.
laloyolan.com Page 8
OPINION
Increased tuition costs should benefit housing A Cup of Joe Joseph Bellavia
O
Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan
n March 15, all LMU graduate and undergraduate students received an email from University Communications about the budget and tuition for the 20172018 school year. The email, signed by President Timothy Law Snyder, stated that, “undergraduate and graduate tuition rates will increase 4.44 percent and average housing costs will rise 1.5 percent.” The president goes on to mention the achievements and landmarks that LMU has attained and maintained in the last year: our success in raising $110 million in financial aid, our well-regarded student-teacher ratio as well as our record increase in undergraduate applications. These are all wonderful accomplishments for the school; however, they seem out of place in this email because none of them fully explain the dramatic increase in tuition and housing costs. According to CollegeBoard, the average increase in tuition prices for a private nonprofit university, such as LMU, between 2016-2017 was 3.6 percent before adjusting for inflation. The tuition increase this year at LMU is far above that at 4.44 percent. According to an article published by the Loyolan, this increase follows the one from last year which saw numbers around 3.94 percent — again, far above the average. There must be a reason for this. I, and many other LMU students I’m sure, want to know the reason for this dramatic price hike. Where is this money going to? Students without financial aid already pay approximately $44,000 in tuition and $14,000 for room and board. Add textbooks and other supplies, and students are paying upwards of $60,000 for a year of schooling
Ava Arshadi | Loyolan
Tuition and housing costs have increased dramatically for the upcoming school year and students deserve a clear explanation why. at LMU. This 4.44 percent increase mean that these increases in tuition are living in. The second floor sounding. Those last two are safety just builds even further upon that, aren’t detrimental to their financial washing machine has been broken hazards. These are all easy fixes that are simply not being fixed. Rather situation — especially when tuition the entire semester and it still has and it will continue to increase in than raising tuition to increase not been fixed. There is a similar is being increased annually. the years to come. What I also find interesting is issue with the machines on the funding for our already fantastic Nick Rosendin, a sophomore the increase in housing costs. third floor, which go in and out of financial aid programs, maybe the marketing major, thought that the school should focus on fixing these These increases are far below the functioning consistently. increased budgeting for financial The entire layout of each McKay types of things. national average. LMU’s increases aid was the cause for this tuition I am not blaming the housing increase. “[The school] provides in housing sit at 1.5 percent, half room is nonsensical. The bathroom department for these issues, and I door is so close to the entrance financial aid for people who can’t of the 3.0 percent for all other am certainly not saying that setting afford it, and someone who had to private nonprofit universities in the that it often gets in the way when aside funding for financial aid is country, according to CollegeBoard. entering the room, knocking the plan out their finances for the next four years because they aren’t on If anything, I would be more bathroom door off its hinges. a bad thing. However, if tuition A handyman came and simply prices are going to be so greatly financial aid has to pay more and sympathetic to a larger increase in more each year for someone else that section of student tuition. LMU hammered the hinges of my door increased, I think that students — although a beautiful campus — is back into place. He didn’t replace deserve to have a voice in deciding to go here,” Rosendin said. He also far from perfect when it comes to the hinges or repair the issue at where that money is going to go. explained that students who do not And I think that we can all agree all; rather, he did a mediocre job have financial aid will exit college room and board. that the housing situation at LMU that eventually broke once again “There are definitely issues within with loans and debt, while those McKay that seem to be recurring ... because the housing department leaves much to be desired. who covered by aid all throughout doesn’t have the money to renovate college will have a smoother and at times, I do feel it’s because the largest dorm on campus. a lack of funds within the housing transition into the job world. In addition, the back entrance Some might say that those who department,” Elizabeth Valdez, a gate plate reader was broken for do not qualify for financial aid will junior resident advisor in McKay an entire semester, water fountain Hall, said. be more likely to cover the costs of This is the opinion of Joseph Bellavia, a sophomore screenwriting major from filters are often left past due, and As a resident of McKay, I know their loans. This is not necessarily Monmouth Beach, New Jersey. Tweet true. Just because someone doesn’t firsthand the type of mediocre the emergency exit for McKay comments to @LALoyolan, or email conditions that so many students can be opened without any alarm qualify for financial aid, doesn’t csontag@theloyolan.com.
OPINION
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A personal reflection on faith from Bonn, Germany O’Round the Clock Olivia Round
F
Contributor @LALoyolan
or the past two years, I have been praying relentlessly for God to transform my heart. I have always seen myself as jaded and closed off, and I have wanted nothing more than to see my heart changed into something light and vibrant. As I grew impatient waiting for this transformation, I saw my heart grow darker than ever. Eventually, I felt as though I didn’t even recognize myself. As this went on, I considered all of my suffering to be secondhand. As bad things happened to the people around me, I saw it as just that — bad things happening only to them. Therefore, I would not let myself feel the pain of that suffering, as it felt inappropriate for me to take it on. Little did I know that I was feeling that pain very deeply, and instead of letting myself feel it, I allowed it to consume my outlook on the world around me. Very quickly, I started comparing my suffering — or lack thereof — to those around me. How could I feel bad for myself when, on paper, my life held no loss? How could I
cry for my friend’s hurt when she was the one feeling it? How could I cry when my mom lost her father, when she was the one who was by his bed when he died? How could I cry when I lost my relationship with my brother, when he was the one who seemed to lose himself? In my time abroad, I have been able to take a step outside of myself and really look at my life from a new perspective. In being able to do this, I have realized that while praying to have my heart opened, I have actively worked to close it. Looking back, I realized that in some of the hardest times in my life, I did not let myself feel anything. In matters of both life and death, love and hatred, I cut off all of my emotions. I think I did this out of fear. I feared that if I let myself feel things, I would start to hate God. If I let myself question why good things kept happening to bad people, I would drown in the ocean of sorrow that has become this world. So instead of facing this fear, I avoided it — and in the process, I isolated myself from the joy that I had previously found in my relationship with God. Slowly, while being abroad, my eyes have opened to this obstacle I have been creating for myself. I
via Olivia Round (third from left)
Immersed in a new location, the Loyolan’s former Assistant Opinion Editor reassesses her faith while studying abroad. Sometimes I am tempted to turn asking for, and while I know it won’t realized that as long as I ignored the off my brain and focus only on happen overnight, I have hope that things that were happening to me, I what stands directly before me. good things are coming my way — would be ignoring God. As long as I and by good things, I do not mean ignored what my heart was feeling, But I know deep down that God earthly successes. I do not mean a wants something else from me. He I would be ignoring what God was wants me to know the darkest parts life without loss or pain. Rather, I trying to do within me. mean good things between me and So now I let myself be angry. I let of this world so that I can rejoice in my God, so that, hopefully, I can myself hurt for myself, my friends, the brightest. eventually learn to live with all that As I approach the halfway mark my family and all the suffering the world hands me. people of the world. I have to. of my semester abroad, I look forward to the experiences I will This is the opinion of Olivia Round, a Because suffering is present in this world — with or without God. find awaiting me in the last two sophomore communication studies major from Missoula, Montana. Tweet comAnd honestly, sometimes this feels months. I feel myself finally opened ments to @LALoyolan, or email harder than avoiding the pain. to the transformation I have been csontag@theloyolan.com.
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Housing lottery winner accidently chooses McKay
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All eyes are on the student who got first in the housing lottery. Casey Lee
Asst. Bluff Editor The only thing that stresses students more than finals is housing. Picking the lottery number that will determine the fragile fate of you and your roommates’ lives for the next year can be incredibly stressful for some. That stress hit freshman theology major Andrew Lizzo like a bus when he won the lottery for the number one pick for housing, and in what can only be described as a freak accident, he found himself selecting McKay. Lizzo made it known on social media by posting Snapchat stories, tweets and announcing on Facebook live that he had the number one pick for housing. Students across campus were envious of his choice, offering up anything to switch from their 1,000-level picks to get his top pick. When asked about his plans with his pick, Lizzo said, “Man, I’m gonna turn that apartment into a total bachelor pad. Video games for me and the guys, signed sports jerseys for decoration and protein powder jars all over the kitchen, ‘cause you can never have enough protein.” The roommates all agreed on Lizzo’s planned theme for their room and added their own “manly” suggestions: loud music, mini fridges and overall dirty living, because none of them will clean up.
Emily Noriega | Loyolan
Lizzo was so happy with his number, he organized a photoshoot with it. whole ordeal, he hurriedly clicked around the webpage and accidentally selected one of the McKay suites right above Iggy’s Diner. Lizzo has since fled the school in fear that his roommates — whose other numbers were two, three, and five in the lottery — would beat him up for such a drastic mistake. On the bright side, freshman biology major Christie Chmura will be using her number four lottery pick to get her and her roommates the perfect room in Hannon, away from the Loft and the RA rooms.
We met up with Lizzo during his scheduled housing selection time, wanting to experience the number one choice for ourselves. Lizzo admitted to being slightly nervous, but slightly is a understatement. No amount of antiperspirant could save that shirt. As he completed the online application, Lizzo cautiously moved his mouse to the Hannon Apartments selection, but he did not prepare for the violent sneeze that caused him to select McKay suites instead. In a rush to get out of that pit of embarrassment and end the
Coffee grants student powers Caffeine causes miraculous change in student’s behavior. Sami Leung Bluff Editor
In an extraordinary turn of events, freshman physics and biology major Starr Bucks has developed the world’s first case of Surge of Power Excited by Electrolytes in Drinks, or SPEED. Bucks — after ingesting 12 straight cups of caffeine — will temporarily gain the ability to run at the speed of light, vibrate through walls and,
most impressively, complete a fully researched, perfectly formatted 10 page essay in as little as six minutes. “We’ve never seen anything like it,” Doctor Maxwell House, lead researcher on Bucks’ unique case, said. “We’re used to students getting hyper off caffeine, but never to the extent of SPEED!” According to Bucks, the discovery came one frantic Sunday night when he realized that he had a paper due the following Monday. “I just kept ordering coffee off Tapingo and sat in the library so I could easily go get the drinks as they were prepared,” Bucks said. “After the 12th drink, I noticed my hands were typing a lot faster and I was
more focused. Within about five minutes, the rest of my paper was done and in the blink of an eye, I had run out of the library and back to my dorm on the other side of campus.” Crowds at coffee dispensaries across campus have gotten even more congested as students try to replicate Bucks’ actions. Coffee ingestion nationwide has also increased by 40 percent. “I hope no one hurts themselves trying to replicate what I did,” Bucks said in a TV interview. “SPEED is not common, and probably not good for me, but I’m definitely using it to my advantage next time my professor assigns me a paper.”
Cameron Woodard | Loyolan
Starr Bucks, pictured above on SPEED, is using his newfound power for good; running from class to work in record time. The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.
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life+arts
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‘The Taming:’ A fire that cannot be tamed Shani Like A Melody Shani Hogan
Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan
W
ith March being Women’s History Month, more people have been turned their attention to female role models and strong women in general. If you haven’t figured out how to celebrate yet, you should consider seeing LMU’s production of “The Taming.” The title and the show are loosely based on Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” but you’ll have to see the play to discover how. The play, written by Lauren Gunderson (who is among the most-produced playwrights currently alive), tells the story of what happens when Miss America kidnaps someone conservative and someone liberal, and tells them that the three of them are going to rewrite the Constitution. This play premiered back in 2013, but the relevance of it is more palpable than ever. I know that you may be thinking “Oh good, ANOTHER political play,” but this isn’t your average play. “The Taming” is a show completely centered around political discourse and what happens when strong ideals come to blows.
via Julia Biber
Combining politics, humor and even sexual tension, this production captures the interesting journey of three completely different girls. The cast consists of senior theatre major Jena Fakroddin, junior theatre major Tiffani Williams and senior theatre major Alex Luce. This free play is a very small production because senior theatre and film production double major Kayla Kaufman has chosen to direct it for her senior thesis. On the topic of the process of choosing a play, Kaufman said, “Well, I had read this play a couple of years ago but reread it the morning after Election Day 2016. I was feeling discouraged, not only because of the results, but because of how extremely difficult it had been the whole election season to talk to anyone
who held beliefs different from mine. This play talks about those difficulties, and also why it is so important to have those discussions anyway.” Kaufman says she also knew she had to direct this to encourage more discussion, more empathy and the development of a more perfect union. Another important thing to mention about this show is that it’s incredibly funny. Through all of the sexual tension (which there is an abundance of), well placed jokes and accurate commentary on government, this show is guaranteed to keep you laughing from the first minute until the last. “The Taming” is a show that
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everyone can laugh at and relate to. You’ll feel pretty smart as your U.S. history knowledge finds its way back into your brain and if you care about this country even a little bit, you will sympathize and root for these characters as they work their way towards resolution. The show is relatively unknown, and this performance will be the first time it is being performed in Los Angeles. Throughout these next few years, this show will gain popularity not just because of its relevance, but because it is a gateway to discussion. Junior Williams said, “I think people should see this play because the political state of
our country, as of now, is in danger. This play will shed light on different political aspects, regardless of who you vote for.” “The Taming” will be running from March 30 to April 1 at 8 p.m. There are only three shows, so reserve those seats soon! The run time is a bit over an hour, and it is a must see for this spring show season. Tickets are free, and all you need to do is send an email to thetaminglmu@gmail.com saying which date you’d like to attend and how many seats you’ll need. This is the opinion of Shani Hogan, a freshman communications major from New York, New York. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
life+arts
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Student organization spotlight Aja’s Angle
Aja Hoggatt Copy Editor @LALoyolan
T
here are nearly 200 student groups on LMU’s campus. This includes service groups, arts groups, Greek life, club sports and academic clubs. Club Fest is a great way find groups that suit your interests; however, it can be difficult to keep track of them all. So, for the next month, I will be highlighting one student group every week. First up is Steam House or the House Comedy Club. Steam House is one of two comedy clubs on LMU’s campus. The other is Laser Squad Bravo, which focuses solely on improv. Steam House, however, has a broader comedy focus, as they perform stand-up, improv and sketch as well as teach all different forms of comedy. The club was founded in September
2013 by alumni Geordy Shallan (‘16), Joey Glyman (‘16) and Samuel Lock (‘16). Although the founders graduated last Spring, Steam House has continued teaching and putting on shows each semester. “We teach and perform standup and sketch comedy,” Bryce Lutz, junior political science major and president of Steam House said. Steam House welcomes undergraduate and graduate students, as well as anyone with a connection to LMU so long as they are around college age. All majors are welcome since it is not only a performing environment but a teaching one as well. There are approximately 14 active members currently, and the group is always excited to have new members. Because Steam House has a focus on teaching comedy, there are no auditions to join the group. However, in order to be involved in one of the six live performing shows that happen each year, there is an audition process.
Lutz considers Steam House more of a family than a club. “My favorite memory from my time in Steam House is the first time I ever came in,” he said. “I put on a tan blazer, and I was making a bunch of Barney Stinson references from ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ and everyone got them and they made me feel welcomed and accepted.” The group brings out a giant wooden house every year at Club Fest to attract attention, so be sure to stop by their booth next semester. Steam House also recently had their second show of the semester on March 16 and will have their final show of the semester on April 27. Closer to the date of the show, there will be posters advertising the event around campus, so make sure you’re on the lookout. This is the opinion of Aja Hoggatt, a senior English major from Los Angeles, California. Tweet comments to @ LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
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SOCIAL JUSTICE
Adichie criticism calls for conversation Karried
A-Quaye Karis Addo-Quaye Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan
A little over a week ago, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s controversial comments about the labeling of transgender women shook feminists everywhere. The typically appraised author, speaker and role model declared in an interview with Britain’s Channel 4 News that “When people talk about, ‘Are trans women, women?’ my feeling is trans women are trans women.” For many, this came across as a trans-exclusionary feminist rhetoric. Several prominent transgender women and LGBTQ+ activists expressed that Adichie’s comment dismissed the variety of experiences among trans women, including the harsh and frequently violent realities many face today. In a follow-up Facebook post, Adichie – a prominent LGBTQ+ activist in her home country Nigeria – maintained her original position, stating that unlike their biologically female counterparts, trans women pre-transition have “experienced the privileges that the world accords men.” However, she clarified that the distinction “does not dismiss the pain of gender confusion or the difficult complexities of how they felt living in bodies not their own.” Although she didn’t believe Adichie was actively seeking to diminish the voices of trans women, Victoria RodriguezRoldan was still wary of Adichie’s wording. Rodriguez-Roldan is the Trans/Gender Nonconforming Justice Project Director at the National LGBTQ Task Force. While she agreed with Adichie’s clarification that gender is a social construction, Rodriguez-Roldan explained to Vox that Adichie’s initial comment nevertheless “sends the message: ‘It’s okay not to think about trans women; they’re not the same as us.’” On Twitter, Laverene Cox, a transgender woman and LGBTQ+ activist, recounted her own story as a very feminine boy who was bullied and suffered from selfesteem issues growing up in Mobile, Alabama. While she did not directly address Adichie, Cox emphasized the need for understanding gender on a highly varied and culturally influenced spectrum. “There’s no universal experience of gender, of womanhood ... Class, race, sexuality, ability, immigration status, education all influence the ways in which we experience privilege,” Cox tweeted. “So though I was assigned male at birth I would contend that I did not enjoy male
privilege prior to my transition.” In her 2009 TedTalk “The danger of a single story” Adichie herself illuminated the importance of recognizing this complexity in people’s life experiences. “Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize.” As one transgender Los Angeleno writer noted in her insightful article “What Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Got Right — And Really Wrong — About Trans Women and Male Privilege” (featured in NewNowNext), that very TedTalk is in many ways what catapulted the Nigerian author into the mainstream of the American consciousness. With all of these prominent and powerful voices speaking at once, the question seems to become “Who is right and who is wrong?” But is that even the most pressing question to answer in a situation like this? When I first heard about this controversy last week in my feminist theories course, the conversation in the classroom took an interesting turn. The focus shifted from what those like Adichie, Cox and Roldan were saying onto those figures themselves. I personally have clung to Adichie as a feminist figure who captures not only my feminist ideals about gender equality but who also provides a cultural context in which I can, if not entirely, at least partially see reflected in myself. Being born in the U.S., yet raised with my Ghanaian heritage, the way she humorously but still insightfully articulated the danger of a single story resonated with me in a way I had never before seen received so popularly in the American mainstream. I was an avid reader growing up, yet Adichie’s book “Americanah” introduced me to the first beautifully complex female protagonist whose observations about the world, whose ways of speaking and cultural perspectives so closely captured my own. So you can imagine how crestfallen I was upon hearing how her rather flippant comment impacted the LGBTQ+ community, especially those among them who, like me, held her in such high esteem. Immediately, my mind raced with thoughts about how people might assume she was somehow prejudiced because of her African cultural background or that she would, as one classmate perfectly put it, join the host of other celebrity social justice advocates in a #Chimamandaisoverpartystyle Twitter takedown. Yet, as I braced for the worst, I could not help but feel disappointment. Her apology clarified some important
via Flickr Creative Commons
Despite her recent controversial statement about transgender men, as a feminist icon, Adichie has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Her article featured in NewsWireNGR responded to an anti-gay law passed in her home country, Nigeria.
points and her intentions weren’t anti-LGBTQ+; yet her words, as she herself recognized, still hold sway and power as a Famous Feminist Figure. From legislation banning transgender people from accessing public toilets to anti-LGBQ+ sentiments being expressed by our nation’s government officials, now more than ever, we need voices championing the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Any threat, intentional or not, is that much worse in this current sociopolitical climate. The London-based Nigerian transgender model Miss Sahhara also criticized Adichie’s transexclusionary comment. Sahhara, who runs an online support community for transgender women called transvalid.org, said in an interview with the BBC Trending that there is no male privilege for trans women in Africa. She shared her own experiences of physical abuse as a child in rural northern Nigeria for challenging the strict gender norms of her society as “a girl in a boy’s body.” She also pointed to the many messages she receives online from trans girls in Nigeria who feel they are living in “a nightmare.” Here in the U.S., seven murders of transgender women of color were reported, setting 2017 up to be “the deadliest year yet” for transgender women, according to AlterNet. That is in addition to the regular discrimination, harassment and lack of access and visibility many ordinary transgender people experience in their daily lives. Angela Peoples, the director of the national LGBTQ+ organization Get Equal, told AlterNet, “If you look at the broader Movement for Black Lives and the movement against deportations — waged long before Trump was in office — trans women’s leadership has been central to these efforts.”
Organizers have recognized these contributions with rallies and vigils across the U.S. in response to these devastating statistics. But there are still innocent lives being taken and livelihoods being threatened by transphobic and homophobic people – which all too frequently occur without justice being served after the fact. Closer to home, Rainbow Week at LMU is bringing awareness and support to the LGBTQ+ students, faculty and staff. Last year, our campus faced major challenges as hurtful and discriminatory rhetoric against LGBTQ+ Lions were countered by the uplifting and supportive voices that sought to overcome that needless negativity. I suppose that dynamic can also be seen when those like Adichie who advocate for equal rights and feminism on the national and international platform fall short. Even when not intentional, their hurtful, even thoughtless language can diminish the efforts toward inclusion and acceptance that they and so many others strive toward in our society today. However, they should not be allowed to derail the movement. Nor should those who make these mistakes be disposed of so quickly — which so often happens with pop culture icons who fail at some point to do justice by the social groups and feminist issues of today. They should still be challenged. In fact, I believe this criticism shows how much more work there is to be done among even our most well-respected advocates. But that’s just it, there’s more work to be done. Yes, these conversations are difficult and rife with frustration and misunderstandings. Both personal and cultural perspectives are varied and oftentimes conflicting. Still, I believe where there is a will to change, there is a way, to make amends and then to grow — and role models are
humbled and humanized by their mistakes. How we interact with one another and how honest we are with ourselves matters. Just as we show respect and patience to others, we must also adopt an open-mindedness and humility when confronted with our own shortsightedness. From this understanding, a shared and intersectional conception of how we imagine our future can successfully take form. We can learn from Adichie’s own process of acknowledgment and learning – her willingness to put aside her defensiveness and attempt at clarifying her original statement. “My first thought was – how could anyone think that? [But] I didn’t like that version of myself. It felt like a white person saying ‘I’m not racist, I supported civil rights,’” Adichie wrote in her Facebook post. “The truth is that I do think one can be trans phobic while generally supporting LGBTQ+ rights.” All of us, including myself, have more to learn and more conversations to have. I hope to be able to confront those challenges with a comfort in being uncomfortable, while trying my best to understand the realities of those who come from backgrounds and identities not entirely like my own. I also hope for understanding and openness in turn as I awkwardly and clumsily stumble, just as others might likewise try to understand me and my perspectives. After all, like each person or even groups of people, feminism itself is complex and constantly changing. It cannot be confined to a single story. We just have to be willing to open the book, even if we get some paper cuts along the way. This is the opinion of Karis AddoQuaye, a psychology major from Las Vegas, Nevada. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to kaddoquaye@theloyolan.com.
SPORTS
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Water Polo bounces back during 2017 Invitational Victoria Beckham Victoria Arevalo
Asst. Sports Editor @LoyolanSports
F
or many of us, weekends are nothing but a well deserved break after a long and tiring week of school, however for many student athletes, weekends mean game time. This past weekend was particularly eventful for the Lions, as they returned to action with the 16th Annual LMU Water Polo Invitational. The tournament took place at the Burns Aquatics Center, from Friday, March 17 to Saturday, March 18. The tournament began with a match between PomonaPitzer vs. George Washington, and ended with yet another match between Pomona-Pitzer vs. Michigan. Throughout the two-day tournament, the Lions hosted 12 games all together. Water polo games tend to be cost-free but this weekend the proceeds from both days were directed to the Lions Athletic Fund — which benefits current and future LMU student athletes. Just before the tournament, the Lions remained with an overall 5-10 overall and were led by senior Caitlin Schafer (4) with 29 goals and 40 points. Sophomores Hana Villanova and Morgan Molloy follow Schafer as second and third top scorers with 19 and 16 goals, respectively, as stated by LMU Athletics. “Sophomore Katie Hungerford
leads the team with 20 assists and helps anchor the Lions’ defense with 20 steals, second to only Schafer’s 21. Senior Kiana Etrata is second on the team with 12 assists, adding 13 steals,” according to the Athletics website. LMU’s defense has proven to be stable throughout this season, ranking among the best in the Golden Coast Conference thus far. On each day of the tournament, six matches took place in the Burns Aquatics Center, with each participating team playing two matches. The first day consisted of 6 matches. First up was PomonaPitzer vs. George Washington (6-5), followed by Michigan vs. LMU, 8-7. Later that morning, Long Beach took on Whittier 18-2, and shortly after LMU was back facing PomonaPitzer, winning 10-7, ending with an 8-7 win for Whittier vs. George Washington, and a 4-14 loss for Long Beach State vs. Michigan. The second day consisted of six matches yet again. A match between LMU and George Washington kicked off the day, resulting in a 11-5 win for the Lions. A 20-4 win by Michigan vs. Whittier followed the opener, and shortly after Pomona-Pitzer took a 6-8 loss vs. Long Beach State. Later in the afternoon, LMU took another win vs. Whittier 9-6. Long Beach State then defeated George Washington 13-1, while Michigan closed the tournament with a 14-4 win over Pomona-Pitzer. It was no surprise that the No.6 team in the country — Michigan — won all four matches of the tournament. However, LMU proved
via LMU Athletics
Sophomore Katie Hungerford, among other players, stood out during the 2017 LMU Invitational tournament. to be a fierce competitor, as they won three out of four games and fell short to Michigan by just one single point. Long Beach State follows the Lions with three total wins. Pomona-Pitzer and Whittier were able to each win one match during the tournament, while George Washington fell against all other teams. The “trio of Lions” that most stood out this weekend were Caitlin
Schafer, Morgan Molloy, and Hana Vilanova, scoring two goals apeace against the Wolverines. While goalkeeper Sky Flores made nine saves in the loss, according to LMU Athletics. LMU is currently ranked sixth in the Golden Coast Conference with an 8-11 overall, followed by Concordia University in seventh place with a 6-10 overall, and Fresno Pacific in eighth place with
a 12-9 overall score. The Lions will continue fighting to rise in the GCC rankings, as they face Fresno Pacific up next at home this Friday March 24 at 4 p.m.
This is the opinion of Victoria Arevalo, a freshman communication studies major from Los Angeles, California. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email tdevries@theloyolan.com.
SPORTS
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What to watch for in the Sweet Sixteen Matty Light Matt Rodriguez Asst. Sports Editor @LoyolanSports
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he NCAA’s March Madness Tournament has always produced thrilling narratives of upsets and Cinderella stories and this year has been no different. With 68 teams all playing for the same prize, there is bound to be some drama. Here are just a few examples: No. 8 University of Wisconsin upsets No. 1 Villanova University After winning their first championship since 1985, Nova’s repeat-championship hopes were cut short this year as they fell to Wisconsin in the second round of the tournament. Nova became the first No. 1 seed to be eliminated this year. Villanova was led by senior guard Josh Hart with 19 points. Unfortunately, Nova had a disappointing performance from the savior of last year’s season, as senior forward Kris Jenkins found himself in a shooting slump where he went 2-9 from the field and 4-22 in the two games of the tournament. For Wisconsin however, this marks the fourth consecutive season of Sweet 16 appearances for the program. The Badgers look to win their first NCAA title since 1941, behind the leadership of seniors Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig. These two seniors are the only remnants of the 2014-2015 team that made it to the NCAA championship game. Going forward in the tournament, the Badgers will look to these two for their experience. Wisconsin will face No. 4 University of Florida in an attempt to upset another top seeded team.
No. 11 Xavier looks to upset three teams in a row After upsetting No. 6 Maryland, 76-65, in the first round of the tournament, Xavier routed the No. 3 Florida State University 9166. In both of these games, junior guard Trevon Bluiett was the stand out player. Against Maryland, he recorded 21 points with four steals. Also in the game against FSU, he recorded a game high of 29 points and six rebounds. Xavier will be going against the red hot No. 2 University of Arizona, who are on a five game winning streak. The Wildcats have a very solid team, but there are two stand outs with sophomore guard Allonzo Trier and freshman forward Lauri Markkanen. Trier and Markkanen currently lead the team in points per game for the season and have continued this trend throughout the tournament. Markkanen racked up a double-double against the No. 7 St. Mary’s College. Trier also had an impressive game against SMC, tallying 14 points, six rebounds and two assists. No. 7 University of South Carolina upsets crowd favorite No. 2 Duke University In a game that ruined 2.3 million brackets, No. 7 South Carolina upset crowd favorite No. 2 Duke. The Gamecocks flustered the Blue Devils, scoring 65 points in the second half; the most given up in the Mike Krzyzewski era. The Gamecocks stifled the Blue Devils through their relentless defense forcing Duke to turn the ball over a season high of 18 times. The Gamecocks overcame a 10 point deficit at the half in order to move onto the Sweet Sixteen. South Carolina shocked the college basketball world with the help of senior guard Sindarius Thornwell with 24 points, senior Duane Notice with 17 and sophomore
forward Chris Silva with 17. On the other hand, Duke’s leading scorer Luke Kennard struggled through the game tallying only 11 points, and going 1-of-6 from beyond the arc. This coupled with the season high turnovers, only spelled out a recipe of disaster for the Blue Devils. The Gamecocks face the No. 3 Baylor University in the Sweet Sixteen. No. 8 Northwestern has dreams cut short in the second round After earning their first ever bid to the NCAA Tournament, Northwestern was eliminated by No. 1 Gonzaga University. The definition of a Cinderella story, Northwestern fought their way to the tournament. On the verge of mounting a comeback against Gonzaga, Northwestern had their dreams dashed after the officials failed to notice a clear goal-tend committed by the freshman forward Zach Collins. After the goal-tend, Northwestern’s head coach Chris Collins
stormed onto the court granting him a technical foul and giving Gonzaga two easy buckets. The NCAA supported his claim, confirming it was a goal-tend. Unfortunately, the game was already over and the Wildcats had their first NCAA tournament cut short. Gonzaga saw another great game from junior guard Nigel Williams-Goss after he got the team high in nearly every category, recording 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists. The Tale of Two Stars: Lonzo Ball vs Malik Monk Two of the best college basketball players, freshmen guards Lonzo Ball and Malik Monk are going to show off their skills as their teams, No. 3 UCLA and No. 2 University of Kentucky, duke it out for a spot in the Elite Eight. The projected No. 2 draft pick Ball has been picking up his game lately scoring a combined 33 points in the past two games, along with 12 assists and 11 rebounds. The projected No. 10 draft pick Monk on the other hand has
somewhat been struggling in the last two games with an average of 13 points per game, on an average of nearly 30 percent from the field. This is far from the norm for him since he has been averaging 20 points per game this entire season. UCLA has had a relatively easy tournament so far beating No. 14 Kent State University, 97-80 and No. 6 University of Cincinnati 79-67 On the other hand, Kentucky had a rough couple of games, barely edging out lower seeded teams. In the first round, Kentucky beat No. 15 Northern Kentucky University 79-70. The Wildcats also struggled against Wichita State University, barely edging out a win 65-62. This upcoming game is going to be a dual between the two stars Ball and Monk. Each player has an electrifying effect on their respective teams and can push their teams to come out on top. This is the opinion of Matthew Rodriguez, a sophomore political science major from Milpitas, California. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email tdevries@ theloyolan.com.
LMU earns series win in WCC opener Can You Dignum? Andrew Dignum Sports Intern @LoyolanSports
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aking the field for the first time in West Coast Conference play, the LMU Lions (11-8, 2-1 WCC) played the University of San Francisco (11-9, 1-2 WCC) in a three-game weekend series. LMU baseball took the series 2-1 behind several close finishes. As each game was decided by the last out in the ninth inning, each game had a unique, thrilling finish. The Lions opened play against the Don’s on a sunny, Friday afternoon, walking away with a 6-5 victory. For LMU, Blake Redman took the hill against San Francisco starter Grant Goodman. Redman recorded the win behind the offense’s five-run third inning. This offensive outburst, keyed by Brandon Shearer’s grand slam, his first career home run, was enough to hold back the University of San Francisco’s efforts to crawl back into the contest. The Dons, after they scored two runs in both the fourth inning and the seventh inning, had cut the Lions’ lead to one heading into the ninth inning. Thankfully for the Lions, Codie Paiva put an end to the Don’s hopes with two
outs in the ninth inning. With the bases loaded, he retired San Francisco batter Manny Ramirez Jr., who popped out to third baseman Brandon Shearer, ending the game. In another thrilling finish, a walk-off grand slam by San Francisco right-fielder Bady Bate capped USF’s 4-0 victory over LMU in the second game of the series. Led by Brenton Arriaga’s 6.1 innings of five hit ball, the Lions entered the ninth inning in the midst of a pitching duel against San Francisco starter Daniel Slominski. With the game tied 0-0, the Lions pushed Slominski out of the game, who had previously limited the Lions to three base runners. Attempting to break the tie, LMU sent Jamey Smart to the plate. However, with two outs, and runners on first and second base, San Francisco reliever Sean Parker cut short LMU’s attempt to break the tie. Then, with momentum in their favor, USF completed their own rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Amidst walks, pitching changes and errors, the Lions watched their grasp over the game disappear. San Francisco outfielder Brady Bate finally put an end to LMU’s misery, crushing the game winning home run to deep left-center field. In the final game of the weekend, the LMU men’s baseball team won by the score of 3-2, earning
Megan Karbowski | Loyolan
Junior right hand pitcher Cory Abbott (40) throws for seven innings and records a career high eight strikeouts. their first series win in WCC play. Junior right-hander Cory Abbot contributed 7.0 stellar innings, allowing just two runs and striking out a career-high eight batters. Crucial to their victory was the hustle of second baseman Phil Caulfield. Down by two runs in the third inning, Caulfield drove a
RBI-single into center field. After advancing to third base, Caulfield scrambled to home plate after a wild pitch, tying the game 2-2. In the win, shortstop Nick Sogard, right-fielder Niko Decolati and leftfielder Jimmy Hill each recorded two hits. LMU baseball travels back
home to Page Field for a pair of outings March 21 against Cal State Northridge (11-10) and March 23-25 against BYU (9-9, 0-0 WCC). The Lions look to steal a series win against Brigham Young University, who finished first place in the West Coast Conference Standings during the 2015-2016 season.
SPORTS
SCORES UPDATE SOFTBALL
LION
19-2 L
vs. Dartmouth
SPORTS
BCH VOLLEYBALL 5-0 W
at CSU Bakersfield
3-2 W
BASEBALL
@ San Francisco
W. WATER POLO
9-6 W
vs. Whittier
Follow us on Twitter @loyolansports for up-to-date scores.
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LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | March 22, 2017 | laloyolan.com
The Beauty of Being Bracket-less in March Big Time Timmy Jim Tim De Vries
Sports Editor @LoyolanSports
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illing out March Madness brackets is a time-honored tradition for the American sports fandom, and the NCAA Tournament is widely regarded as one of the most exciting, unpredictable and often poetic sporting events in the world. To me, it embodies many of the things which make sports great. Close games, highlight plays, upset victories, the most jubilant of triumphs and the bitterest of defeats. For the programs that participate, it’s a matter of passion, pride and prestige. As fans, filling out brackets and testing our knowledge of college basketball against our friends and total strangers alike —either for bragging rights or other prizes —allows us to participate in the action as well. In the simplest terms, filling out brackets is fun. This year — however — is different. By pure circumstance and a truly impressive example of my ability to procrastinate, I failed to make a bracket in time for this year’s tournament. By the time I came around to it, the games had commenced. While I was originally disappointed that I was missing out, I soon realized that I am able to enjoy the tournament in a different way than I have in the past. This year, I just get to watch the games, and root for whoever I want. I can enjoy every single game and every single result, without
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worrying about the fate of my bracket. The NCAA Tournament never fails to produce intriguing, exciting storylines. If those storylines interfere with your picks however, they can quickly become less exciting and less intriguing. I can’t imagine that No. 1 seed Villanova fans — and those who picked them to advance deep into the tournament — are getting a whole lot of enjoyment or finding much solace in the fact that the No. 8 seed University of Wisconsin Badgers were horrendously under-seeded, and are playing like they want to prove it to everybody. The fact that No. 7 seed South Carolina is one of the hottest teams in the country right now does no good for those who had No. 2 seed Duke winning it all. Despite having really enjoyed the first couple rounds of this year’s tournament, I certainly feel that my attitude towards this year’s competition is partly a means of coping with the fact that I didn’t make a bracket. It’s nice to be involved. Filling out a bracket is one way to do so, and one that I generally favor. This year, I’m involved because I realize there are teams that I enjoy watching, and teams that even we as LMU students can connect to in some way. The West Coast Conference Champion and No. 1 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs — the basketball champions of LMU’s athletic conference, and a fellow Jesuit university — still remain in the tournament, and perhaps have the best chance they’ve ever had to go deep into the tournament. A good reflection on the conference is a good reflection on the teams within it. Los Angeles itself has a stake in the
Christian Boggs | Loyolan
A busted bracket can lead to confusion and distate with the tournament. tournament still, with No. 3 seed UCLA reaching the Sweet Sixteen for the third time in four years. To me, that’s exciting from a local pride standpoint. If they win, they’ll likely face No.1 seed North Carolina in the Elite Eight, in what would certainly be one of the headline games of the tournament. No. 7 seed Michigan, No. 11 seed Xavier, No. 2 seed Arizona, No. 8 seed Wisconsin and No. 7 seed South Carolina have all garnered national attention after
statement wins before and throughout the first two rounds of this year’s tournament. Every single team is carrying a lot of momentum, especially the Badgers. When two teams with a lot of momentum collide in late March, you tend to get some highquality basketball. These middle-seeded teams are no joke, and they all want to prove that they belong. As a basketball fan, looking at the upcoming games is like getting to see your presents before Christmas. Sure, you can still enjoy all of these things and root for these teams while still having a bracket. If that’s something you can do, then my hat goes off to you. For me, I always find my competitive nature overcoming my ability to have fun. I’m still not over the fact that Michigan State lost in the first round last year. It ruined the whole tournament. But, I digress. The beauty of being bracket-less is simply enjoying the many twists and turns in the annual sports narrative we call March Madness. Without being tied to picks in a bracket, it makes no difference who wins the tournament, as long as the process of determining a winner is worthwhile and exciting. The Sweet Sixteen this year features both perennial powerhouses and upstart talents. All of the teams who remain are immensely talented basketball teams that are capable of winning on any given day. Drama and excitement will ensue, and that’s just fine with me.
This is the opinion of Tim De Vries, a sophomore engineering major from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email tdevries@ theloyolan.com.
FIRST AMENDMENT WEEK 2017
FREE IN-N-OUT
TUES. MARCH 28 | NOON – 2 P.M. AT LAWTON PLAZA
Join us for a celebration of the First Amendment & the free expression it protects for all of us. Along with free In-N-Out, there will be demonstrations & performances by members of the community, as well as petition signing. PRESENTED BY