Volume 50, Issue 28

Page 1

Volume 50

Issue 28

LOYOLA

April 24, 2019

PHOENIX

Fifty Years of Excellence: 1969 - 2019

Loyola axes program that teaches English MICHAEL MCDEVITT EMMAGRACE SPERLE mmcdevitt@luc.edu esperle@luc.edu

Not speaking fluent English might soon be a steep barrier for students who want to go to Loyola. The university is ending a program that teaches English to Loyola students who don’t speak it as a first language, but has yet to come up with a replacement to serve students who’ll still need it, officials said. The program’s 68 students are now in limbo and its faculty are negotiating their severances. Because a collective bargaining agreement exists between Loyola and the faculty, there’s a lot from both sides that can’t be discussed, according to all parties interviewed. The program, the English Language Learning Program (ELLP), is made up of both part-time and full-time faculty members. Faculty in the ELLP teach classes to English learners of all levels so they improve their proficiency to a point necessary to succeed in a Loyola classroom. Some are international students who choose to study the English language and American culture full-time. Others are international students who are

admitted to Loyola under a program called “conditional admission” — which means they have the academic standing to get into Loyola but lack fluent, “near-native” English skills. ELLP lets them study at Loyola for a semester or two to improve their English before entering a degree program at the university. Still, others are immigrants or refugees who already live in the United States. They completed high school at American schools but still lack English mastery. If Loyola detects this on a placement exam, it allows the student to participate in the ELLP so they have the best chance of success at Loyola. But on

March 13, Loyola told the ELLP professors that the program would be ceasing operations at the end of the faculty’s current contract on June 30. There’s no plan for what to do with the students in the program who hope to continue their undergraduate or graduate careers at Loyola but need to complete English courses. John Frendreis, who represents the Loyola administration in the ELLP union negotiations, said it’s still being formulated. However, ELLP students haven’t been officially notified by Loyola of the closure, ELLP faculty member Linda Rousos said.

To Rousos, it shows a lack of care for the students affected. “I have never seen the amount of lack of transparency as I’ve seen here, and it’s interpreted by students and faculty as a lack of regard and respect for us,” Rousos said. For Rousos, the decision is “heartbreaking.” “For some of these students this is their dream,” Rousos said. “This is their family’s dream and plan, to come to the United States, to learn English well enough to study at the university and get a degree from an American university.” The university has cited declining enrollment numbers in the ELLP as the reason for the closure.

Frendreis said the program’s seen a dramatic decline in enrollment in the last six years. ELLP data shows enrollment went down from more than 150 in 2015 to just under 70 this spring. He said the programs dropped below the point of covering its own costs and said students in other departments shouldn’t have to subsidize it. “At this time, it does not seem that having a program that is structured the way ELLP is structured and staffed and run is perhaps the best stewardship of our students’ tuition dollars,” Frendreis said. Frendreis said he couldn’t provide profitability numbers for the program. But Rousos, who has worked in similar programs at other universities for 40 years, said these dips are normal. “Low enrollment and fluctuating enrollment is the norm for intensive English programs,” Rousos said. “It is boom or bust. That’s just the way the industry is.” Both Rousos and Frendreis acknowledged declining enrollment may be attributed in part to increasingly anti-immigrant political sentiment. This stems from President Donald Trump’s administration, which has cracked down as much on legal immigration as it has illegal. English

4

Nick Welden: Men’s volleyball’s seventh man School

Courtesy of Rosa Maria Noriega

year ends with no provost selected

Felice’s Kitchen

KATIE ANTHONY

Studentrun Felice’s Kitchen set to close

kanthony1@luc.edu

KAYLEIGH PADAR kpadar@luc.edu

Nick Schultz The Phoenix

Felice’s Kitchen, the only student-run pizzeria in the nation, is set to close May 5 after being open for seven years. The main reason Loyola Limited, a student-run program which operates several on-campus businesses, chose to close Felice’s Kitchen (6441 N. Sheridan Rd.) was the competition from other restaurants on Sheridan Road, according to an email obtained by The Phoenix. Loyola junior Gillian Ruggeri works at Felice’s Kitchen as a manager and was vice president of finance during the 2017-18 academic year. She said she knew the restaurant was in debt and wasn’t making much money, but she’s still sad to see it go. “I know that it’s time because we haven’t been making a lot of money, but I’ll definitely miss the food and the people there,” Ruggeri, 21, who’s studying psychology and criminal justice, said. Felice’s 3

Welden holds a sign referencing recently popular song “Old Town Road,” which has been widely discussed on social media.

KYLE BROWN kbrown16@luc.edu

Nick Welden, whiteboard in hand, watched helplessly as the Loyola men’s volleyball team fell short of the NCAA Tournament after not being able to overcome Lewis University. Welden is a redshirt sophomore on Loyola’s men’s golf team, but he lives with five of the volleyball players and is one of the team’s biggest supporters. This is partly what separates Welden from the average fan at a Loyola volleyball game. “We always have inside jokes at home, and when we say [them] during the game it kind of cracks them up a little bit,” Welden said. “Whether I write that on a sign or if I just holler at them, I think it adds a little extra.” Another way Welden separates himself from other fans is with his large

whiteboard. A new tradition that started with the conference tournament game against The Ohio State University, the whiteboard has quickly become a crowd favorite. Previously, Welden would bring a poster with clever messages written on both sides. However, the whiteboard provides unparalleled creativity, and allows Welden to show off his creative genius. Welden masterfully balances his messages between positive reinforcement for Loyola and playful jabs at the opponent. Examples of Welden’s phrases include, but are not limited to, “Collin Mahan’s arm >>>>” and “I could serve better blindfolded!” The latter, of course, being directed at the opposition. “The team really liked it, they thought it was funny,” Welden said about bringing the whiteboard for the first time. “You could kind of write stuff as it happened in the game. Like a red

card in the Ohio State game or like if there’s a weird call or if there’s some downtime. I got on the big screen and wrote ‘Illinois > Ohio.’” Welden also manages to intertwine pop culture references into his signage. Against the Buckeyes, he scribbled out “Ohio State does not have the horses in the back” in reference to the wildly popular song “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X. While he’s just a fan, Welden tries to do his part to help turn the tide in favor of the Ramblers. Sometimes it’s a cleverly worded dig at Loyola’s opponent, but often times it’s shouting out a Loyola player. Against University of California, San Diego, Welden brought a sign with “U Can’t Stop Denton” written on it to match up with UC San Diego’s initials. The Ramblers went on to sweep UC San Diego in three sets. Welden 15

Loyola’s long-term search for one of the university’s highest-paid positions, the provost and chief academic officer, will continue as the school year comes to a close. John Pelissero stepped down as Loyola’s provost and chief academic officer Jan. 1, 2018, The Phoenix reported. Pelissero’s exit began a year long search for someone to fill his spot. Margaret Faut Callahan has served as interim provost since Pelissero stepped down. The provost oversees academics throughout the university, including monitoring student progress and success, according to Vicki Keough, chair of the provost search committee and dean of the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. “[The provost ensures] we have good outcomes for our students in terms of good graduation rates, employment rates, that it’s a good investment for our students,” Keough said. “They work on making sure that the investments that the students make and their families make in their education provide good returns for them.” In December, Loyola President Jo Ann Rooney sent an email to students with an update on the search. In the email, Rooney said although the committee had several finalists for provost almost a year after the process began, none of them met the search committee’s standards. Provost 5


APRIL 24, 2019

2

This is my last Phoenix byline and it’s not okay FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK So, here it is. The last issue of Volume 50 of The Phoenix. My last issue as editor-in-chief of this great student newspaper. This has been an incredible job. I don’t think I’ll ever have a job like this again. This year, I got to publish a sappy love letter to my girlfriend, an editorial saying there should be more bars near campus (which was well-written and nuanced if I do say so myself; also R.I.P. PCo’s) and hold Loyola accountable for a slew of issues. As a staff, we fought for our right to access in the university. We pointed out problems in the Campus Safety Department (again), the 8-RIDE ridesharing service and the dorms. We shared poignant stories of many Loyola students and faculty members. A Syrian refugee. A survivor of sexual assault. A member of Campus Ministry who’s run a crapton of marathons.

CONNECT WITH US Henry Redman Editor-In-Chief

hredman@luc.edu

Michael McDevitt Managing Editor

mmcdevitt@luc.edu

Mary Norkol News Editor

mnorkol@luc.edu

Reid Willis Opinion Editor

rwillis@luc.edu

Nick Schultz Sports Editor

nschultz@luc.edu

Emily Rosca A&E Editor

erosca@luc.edu

As I stare down the beginning of my career in journalism, I don’t think I’ll ever have a job that allows me this much freedom. So I’m sitting here, yelling at my staff about their stories for one last time thinking about how fun this job was, how fun the last four years at The Phoenix have been. And as I’m sitting here, writing what will be my last byline in The Loyola Phoenix, I’m struggling to find the words to sum up my time at this newspaper. I love this newspaper. I love the room this newspaper is crafted in. I love the people — past and present— who I’ve worked next to in this room. I love all the friends I’ve made along the way (can’t wait for your wedding in May, former co-assistant sports editor Dylan Conover). I’ve published dozens of stories, features, profiles, investigations, columns,

editorials and photos in this paper. I’m sorry if this is starting to ramble, but hey, my old sports column used to be called “Redman’s Ramblings,” and you’d be rambling too if you had to sum up one of your formative college experiences into about 600 words. I don’t even think I’m gonna get to previewing this week’s issue in this column because I’ve got too many thoughts swirling around. But believe me, it’s a good one. I’m realizing now there’s a bunch of people I never even got to mention in The Phoenix, and what’s the point of having unlimited power over a publication if you can’t use it to scratch the backs of your friends? So, for all the college friends who haven’t gotten a mention in the paper yet, here you go. My roommates Kyle, Chris and Tony; my friends Pat, Will, Almasa, Lauren, Bridget,

Ben, Jacob, Eleanor, Turner, Mike, Harte and McKeever and I’ll throw in one more mention for Claire (the subject of the aforementioned sappy love letter). It’s no secret I’ve had a strange college experience — see past columns. But if it weren’t for this newspaper and these people, I wouldn’t have had the amazing time at Loyola that I did. My mom once asked me if working at The Phoenix made me hate Loyola. I said of course not, I love Loyola, and by my work at The Phoenix I hope I’ve helped make it a little bit better for the people here. Welp, this is hard to end because when I stop writing that means I’m done writing at The Phoenix. This is it for my time as editor-in-chief, I hope you enjoyed it. P.S. If you’re looking for me, I’ll be crying into a Schlitz at our favorite neighborhood bar, Cunneen’s.

contents News.

3 A Loyola senior is headed to Florida to work with Disney 5 How to live green without your budget going into the red 6 April saw a streak of crime incidents near campus

A&E.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra performs in Rogers Park Steamy Harry Styles fanfiction heats up the big screen

7 Sports.

Cage the Elephant returns to the scene with new album Men’s volleyball season comes to a close

Editorial

Nick Knacks: Basketball recruiting class gets better

Loyola needs to stay unique

Schnable Scoop: Loyola needs a hockey team

14 15 16

Security Notebook

Lake Shore Campus

3

10 11 12

1. April 15, 2019: Campus Safety took a report of phone threats from two Loyola students after an encounter in the Damen Student Center.

1 2

2. April 15, 2019: A demonstration in front of Lewis Towers resulted in CPD issuing seven citations. 3. April 17, 2019: Campus safety recieved

Water Tower Campus a delayed battery report from a Loyola

student. The incident occured on the 1200 block of W. Arthur Ave.

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4. April 17, 2019: Students reported seeing a man with a gun in the alley of the 6200 block of N. Kenmore Ave.


APRIL 24, 2019

News

PAGE 3

Four crimes take place near Lake Shore Campus Katie Anthony The Phoenix

The Loyola community wasn’t notified of four crimes near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus through an email alert. The Phoenix previously reported the alerts are sent when there is an “imminent threat.”

The Takeaways Four crimes have been reported near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus in recent weeks The Chicago Police Department didn’t have some crimes in its records. It’s unclear if any of the victims were Loyola students. MARY NORKOL mnorkol@luc.edu

An aggravated assault with a firearm and three batteries were reported near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus in the past two weeks, according to Campus Safety’s crime logs. Campus Safety didn’t send an email to Loyola students and employees alerting them of any of the crimes. Alerts are sent if there is an “imminent threat” to campus, The Phoenix previously reported. It’s unclear if any of the victims of these crimes were Loyola students. Campus Safety Sgt. Tim Cunningham and Loyola’s spokesperson Evangeline Politis didn’t return requests for information by the time of publication. The Chicago Police Department

(CPD) told The Phoenix only one of these four crimes was listed in its records. The first reported battery took place April 13 around 2:30 a.m. on the 1200 block of West Arthur Avenue. CPD didn’t have information on the battery. On April 17 around 8:40 p.m., another battery was reported in Bellarmine Hall on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus. CPD didn’t have a record of this crime. The same night around 10 p.m., an aggravated assault with a firearm near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus was reported to CPD. A 19-year-old male saw a man “racking a handgun” while staring at him on the 6200 block of N. Kenmore Ave. The victim fled and no injuries were reported, according to CPD. Another battery was reported April 21 on the 6300 block of N. Sheridan and CPD didn’t have any information on the incident. All four crimes are listed in the crime logs as “handled by another jurisdiction” or “handled by other jurisdiction,” which means CPD handled the case, The Phoenix previously reported. A Phoenix investigation concluded nearly half of the violent crimes near campus with this indication didn’t appear in CPD’s records. It’s unclear if any of the crimes are connected.

Recent crime near Lake Shore Campus

Most of the crimes that occurred recently near Lake Shore Campus didn’t appear in the Chicago Police Department’s records, and Loyola’s Campus Safety didn’t return The Phoenix’s requests for details on the crimes.

Felices: Student workers look back on their time at the pizzeria continued from page 1

Rosa Maria Noriega, the president of Felice’s Kitchen who sent the email, said the presence of more restaurants on N. Sheridan Rd. caused Loyola Limited’s executive board to vote to replace the business with something else. “When [Felice’s Kitchen] was opened, it was filling a need. There weren’t any restaurants that were open late, there weren’t any pizzerias,” Noriega, 21, said. “We came to the conclusion to take a step back and to really just reevaluate what we’re offering and if we can offer something better.” Arantxa Valverde, Loyola Limited’s faculty program coordinator, said the original purpose of the pizzeria was to offer students late night food in a relatively empty area that was considered unsafe to walk in. “Felice’s has served its intended purpose and is now located in a transformed commercial corridor that is blossoming with food options, increased foot traffic and more neighborhood amenities coming into the Rogers

Edge area,” Valverde said in an email to The Phoenix. On May 4, the Felice’s Kitchen staff plan to host an event with free pizza slices to thank their customers for supporting the restaurant for so long. “We’re just really excited to be able to have everyone that’s been a part of Felice’s, all of our customers and students that have made this possible, come in so we can just say thank you for the dedication they’ve shown throughout those years and their loyalty,” Noriega said. Felice’s Kitchen was created in 2012 by Loyola students who were inspired by a semester abroad at Loyola’s John Felice Rome Center, according to the restaurant’s website. “[Felice’s Kitchen] shows how much students can accomplish on their own,” Ruggeri said. “It takes away a business opportunity as well as a direct connection to the Rome Center that the Chicago campus has.” Valverde said the space is set to be used for another Loyola Limited business venture. She said the group is still brainstorming ideas and students are welcome to suggest their own on Loyola

Limited’s website. “I know that people in my team, myself included, are all going to be pitching ideas,” Noriega said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to be opening up something new, something fresh, something that can still bring all the learning experiences that Felice’s brings now.” Julia Rivenburg, a Loyola sophomore studying communications, worked at Felice’s Kitchen as a cook and said it’s a special place on campus and she’s disappointed such a unique restaurant will close. “Felice’s was one of the things where, when I toured Loyola and I saw there was a student-run pizza place, I was like, ‘Oh that’s really cool,’” Rivenburg, 20, said. “It’s a part of Loyola and the fact that it’s closing is really sad.” Loyola Limited’s goal is to provide opportunities for students to run businesses, according to its website. Loyola Limited offers students the unique opportunity to control entire businesses, which wouldn’t be offered in other jobs run by professionals. Noriega, a junior studying international business, said she learned skills

Photo courtesy of Rosa Maria Noriega Felice’s Kitchen

The pizza restaurant, which has been open for seven years, is set to close this May.

she wouldn’t have learned in a regular job, such as how to handle restaurant health codes. The restaurant became a place where employees made new friends and formed a community, some employees said. “Working with people I probably wouldn’t have met at Loyola because they’re in different grades and different majors than I am was really fun,” Rivenburg said. “We formed our own Felice’s

family. I’m gonna miss that.” Although Noriega said she’s sad to see the restaurant close, she’s excited for the new business that will replace it. “It is definitely sad to see a place that has held so many memories for so many years come to an end, but we’re all very motivated and dedicated towards creating something that creates a wonderful learning experience in order to fill that space,” Noriega said.


4 NEWS

APRIL 24, 2019

ELLP: No current plan for English Language Learning program

Photo courtesy of Loyola University Chicago

University sources said declining enrollment numbers in the English Language Learning Program (ELLP) — which has caused financial issues — ­ is the reason for the cancellation of the program.

continued from page 1

mile a minute, take notes, ask questions if they dare and then study and read extensively in English,” Rousos said. “I know I would be hard pressed to do it.”

The Takeaways The program is being discontinued due to declining enrollment and financial issues.

“At this time, it does not seem that having a program that is structured the way ELLP is structured and staffed and run is perhaps the best stewardship of our students’ tuition dollars.”

There is no concrete plan in place for the future of the ELLP program. There were 68 students enrolled in ELLP this spring, compared to 150 in 2015.

JOHN FRENDREIS

Loyola’s international enrollment has gone from about 1,000 students for 2017-18 to about 775 for 2018-19, university data shows. Rousos said lower enrollment doesn’t mean the program isn’t needed. There were 68 students in the program this spring, according to ELLP associate director Ryan Nowak, and some have already been conditionally admitted as first-years for this fall, Rousos said. She added the coursework the ELLP faculty provide them is invaluable. “They have to be able to walk into an American classroom, listen to a professor or a [teaching assistant] speaking a

1000 Approx. international student enrollment for 2017-18

775 Approx. international student enrollment for 2018-19

Special assistant to the provost and Loyola professor

Frendreis said the university still plans on figuring out how to provide resources to students who need English help, but couldn’t say yet what that plan is. He said other universities have used outside vendors, partnered with other institutions or absorbed that role into existing courses. With the ELLP on the way out and no concrete plan in place, Rousos said

150

68

she’s concerned about English being a barrier of entry into Loyola. “If they insist [on] closing ELLP as we know it, they must come up with English as a second language coursework and processes for non-native English speaking students, because it’s not just internationals,” Rousos said. “It’s also immigrants and refugees who went to high school here, and Native American students.” Rousos said she thinks by removing this program, Loyola will be intentionally or unintentionally discriminating against non-native English speakers unless they provide a sufficient alternative. Frendreis said he doesn’t think that’s the case, although he did say he’s not sure if admissions standards will still allow non-native English speakers to be conditionally admitted into Loyola. “If people don’t meet admission standards they don’t get admitted,” Frendreis said. “I don’t regard that as insidious discrimination, if they don’t possess the credentials in order to be likely to succeed in a program.” He added there’s plenty of universities across the U.S. and in international students’ home countries that could also provide them the necessary English training to succeed at Loyola. “If a student has the desire to study at Loyola ... they will do what they need to do in order to succeed,” Frendreis

Students enrolled in ELLP in 2015

Students enrolled in the ELLP this spring

said. “So I don’t think the presence of the ELLP program in its current configuration is necessary in order to provide students those services or make Loyola a destination school for students who wish to come to Loyola.” Loyola interim provost Margaret

Faut Callahan, who made the decision, said in a statement: “Loyola is committed to providing services to our students through alternative means. We are finalizing the plans for the next academic year and will be communicating them as soon as possible.”

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NEWS 5

APRIL 24, 2019

Destined for Disney: Loyola senior lands internship at Disney University LEEN YASSINE lyassine@luc.edu

Michaela Brown, a 21-year-old senior at Loyola, is saying goodbye to Chicago’s skyscrapers for Disney World’s sky-high castles. She landed a spot in a six-month paid professional internship with The Walt Disney Company in Bay Lake, Florida. Brown — who’s originally from Marion, Iowa — will be working at Disney University, which is “where they train cast members and implement training programs,” she said. All Disney employees, who are called cast members, are able to participate in these programs in order to learn different skills while working for Disney. She will be working with a team to help implement leadership programs for cast members, executives and managers at Disney to help build their resumes and further their careers, she said. Brown, a human resources and business management double major, said she first applied for a professional internship with Disney in January and received her acceptance in April. She said she applied for three positions, but she ultimately got what she said is her “dream job” in the Leadership Development program. “A lot of people don’t want to just stick in the same career path, especially with millennials,” Brown said. “People want to move around in today’s workplace so that would be our job.” In spring 2017, Brown’s sophomore year, she said she took a semester off from Loyola to participate in the Disney College Program, which gives college students the opportunity to work in Disney’s parks and resorts while taking classes through Disney University. Through the college program, Brown said she spent most of her time working in merchandise stores. The experience didn’t relate to her

Leen Yassine The Phoenix

Brown was hired as an intern at Disney University, where cast members are trained.

career path, but it’s meant as a “stepping stone” for working with Disney. Brown said she’s loved Disney for as long as she can remember. When she was younger, she said a childhood friend’s father worked for Disney. He drew and worked on animations for shows like Phineas and Ferb and Kim Possible, Brown said. “He would draw them out of his basement and then send them to Disney,” Brown said. Brown took a human resources class while participating in the college program, but she said classes at Disney University aren’t accepted for college credit because they are “informal” and not as rigorous as Loyola’s courses. “From that experience, I learned to love the parks and I got to see

what it was like working in a resort,” Brown said. In January, a recruiter from Disney came to Loyola’s School of Communication to speak with students about internship opportunities. Brown said she spoke with the recruiter, who advised her on how to improve her resume, such as adding an internship, which she got as a human resources intern at The Make-A-Wish Foundation. Brown said many of her friends

who participated in the Disney College Program decided not to continue their undergraduate education and stayed in Florida, but Brown said that wasn’t something she wanted to do. After the Disney College Program, Brown said her plan was to “go back, get my education, then come back later if I get a job and then I did.” Brown said she’s excited, especially because she’s already familiar with the area and atmosphere from her experience in the college program. “I’m excited to be in warmth, it’s cold in Chicago a lot,” Brown said. “I’m excited to be doing what I love, which is training and development, in the most magical place on Earth.” Brown said she’s also nervous because she’ll be moving and she’s unsure if she’ll definitely be offered or accept a job there afterward. But she said the unknown is also “kind of fun.” “It’s a cool stepping stone because it’s an internship,” Brown said. “I don’t have to feel overcommitted to making this big decision that will determine what job I’m in for my life. It’s nice that it’s an internship because if I don’t like it, it ends. But if I do like it, I can keep going.”

Photo courtesy of Matt Clare

Provost: Loyola continues its hunt for an academic officer continued from page 1 “While this is not the outcome any of us had hoped for at this point in the process, I do not believe we should be discouraged,” Rooney said in the email. “We have rightly set the bar high. We have challenged ourselves to find a new chief academic officer and provost who will join us on the journey as we seek to strengthen and deepen our efforts to live out our shared Jesuit, Catholic mission.” The search committee consists of 20 Loyola community members, including professors, deans, program directors and a student government senator, according to the office of the provost’s website. Keough said the search was brought to a halt after the committee’s finalists didn’t move forward in the process. The committee plans on continuing the search in May alongside a new search firm, and hopes to have candidates and move forward before the second half of next academic year. “We’ll search all summer and through the beginning of Fall and hopefully we will have some candidates identified by the end of the fall semester,” Keough said. Students continued to receive updates on the search throughout the year, including Loyola’s decision to go with a “One Loyola” model — meaning there will be one provost and chief academic officer for all of Loyola’s campuses including Maywood, Rome, Water Tower and Lake Shore. Pelissero made around $495,000 during his time as provost for the

2017 fiscal year, according to Loyola’s “990” tax form. Callahan made around $420,000 serving as the provost for the health sciences division, according to the document. Under Loyola’s new provost model, these two positions would be filled by just one provost. Neither Pelissero nor Callahan responded to The Phoenix’s request for an interview at the time of publication. Keough said the “One Loyola” model doesn’t change the committee’s core mission to hire an experienced provost with an understanding of the Jesuit mission. However, since the new provost will be leading the health sciences campus as well they will be looking for someone with experience in that field.

“Now we are looking for somebody that also has experience with a medical center or leading a health science division,” Keough said. “Hopefully, we are going to find someone who has experience working in an environment that provides healthcare programs.” Although the search was publicized to students through email, many remain unaware of the open position and the duties the job holds. Ana Mercado, a senior studying accounting, said she doesn’t think many students paid attention to the email updates. “They haven’t done a great job, regardless of if they sent out an

Photo courtesy of Loyola University Chicago

The search process was stopped after multiple finalists didn’t move forward in the process. The committee plans on continuing the search in May.

email we aren’t going to look at it if it’s not regarding courses,” Mercado said. Gabriela Rojas, a junior studying advertising and public relations, didn’t know about the provost search but when she learned it was one of the school’s highest-paid positions, said she thinks students should be more informed. “Knowing as a student our money goes toward faculty salaries and not being aware the position exists, it should be more in your face other than an email,” Rojas said.

Rojas also said the provost could be a good resource for students regarding academic matters if they knew what the position was. Florian Hoffmann, a first-year studying biology, said he doesn’t feel the need to know exactly what’s going on in the search as long as the position’s duties are being filled. “I don’t really need to know about it as long as they do their job and ensure the education is running smoothing,” Hoffmann said. “It doesn’t affect me negatively not knowing who they are.”


6 NEWS

APRIL 24, 2019

Phoenix 101: Staying green in the city over the summer MARY CHAPPELL mchappell@luc.edu

Since the Chicago Climate Action Plan was adopted in 2008, the city has worked to motivate its residents to commit to a sustainable lifestyle. Changes have included the construction of energy efficient buildings, the promotion of clean and renewable energy sources, the improvement of transportation, the reduction of waste and pollution and the movement toward adapting to climate change. Loyola is home to seven Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) buildings, including the Damen Student Center and the Loyola Information Commons. These buildings are highly efficient and cut costs. The university also uses locally sourced food in its dining halls, encourages recycling and composting, manages and conserves water and promotes biodiversity and variety of life, within ecosystems around campus. While Loyola takes steps to be sustainable, its students and Rogers Park residents, can do things on their own time. The Phoenix provides strategies for Loyola students and Rogers Park residents to live sustainably and remain environmentally conscious during the summer months. How can I get around the city while being environmentally conscious?

With over 130 bus routes and eight train lines, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) makes Chicago one of the most accessible U.S. cities by public transportation. From the Loyola sta-

community pay for fresh, organic food, which in turn pays for farms to continue practicing sustainable agriculture against larger corporate supermarket competitors. Farmers market foods are sold in minimal packaging, also reducing the use of paper and plastic. Other farmers markets in Chicago and out of state can be found by visiting localharvest.org and entering a zip code. I have so many clothes I don’t wear… What should I do with them?

Courtesy of Loyola University Chicago

The Loyola Farmers’ Market opens June 3 outside the Loyola Red Line CTA station. The food is locally sourced and fresh.

tion, the Red Line to 95th heads directly into the Loop at the heart of downtown connecting dozens of buses and a handful of trains which provide access to numerous parts of Chicago. A single person who swaps a 20-mile roundtrip commute by car to public transportation can reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 4,800 pounds, according to a report by the American Public Transportation Association. Chicago also offers 200 miles of protected on-street bike paths and has an 18.5 mile lakefront path, according to the City of Chicago. If your destination is too far, numerous CTA stations

have bike racks. However, a study done by PeopleForBikes showed 48 percent of all trips Americans make by car are less than four miles, a reasonable biking distance. Riding a bike instead of driving a car can reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly. What small changes can I make to reduce plastic waste?

Rogers Park is home to many restaurants which offer late-night delivery options. As a way to reduce the use of paper and plastic, ask restaurants to exclude plastic utensils if you plan to eat at home and have metal utensils avail-

able. Six million tons of plastic forks are thrown out each year globally, according to One Green Planet. I’m craving fresh food. Where can i find this nearby?

From June 3 to Oct. 14, Loyola will open up its annual farmers market on Monday evenings in the Loyola Plaza near the entrance to the Loyola CTA station. The farmers market offers fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers practicing sustainable agriculture and land conservation. Support for small farms which use sustainable agriculture is a win-win. People in the

Textiles account for 5 percent of municipal waste each year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is because only 15 percent of textiles are recycled. Instead of letting clothing go to waste, opt to buy and sell items. Many consignment and thrift stores in Chicago accept donations and buy clothing in good condition. These items are then resold at affordable prices. Unique pieces can be found just blocks away from the Lake Shore Campus at Green Element Resale on North Broadway Avenue, and at thrift stores off of the Belmont Red Line stop. What temperature should I turn my thermostat to in the summer?

Even the smallest change in indoor temperature can save extraordinary amounts of carbon dioxide. Turning your thermostat up just two degrees in the summer and down two degrees in the winter has the potential to save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year, according to an article from World Wildlife Fund.


Opinion

APRIL 24, 2019

OPINION | 7

Jo Ann Rooney is running Loyola like a corporation, not a university Murillo B. Gonçalves | Loyola University

THE PHOENIX EDITORIAL BOARD Loyola President Jo Ann Rooney and her administration continue to chip away at the unique edges that make the university the special place it is. Rooney has taken Loyola’s unique student body, its campus amenities and the social justice-rooted and Jesuit-inspired experiences it offers and boiled them down to mere numbers on a balance sheet. Just this week, The Phoenix reported the university is closing its English Language Learning Program, which teaches English to students who don’t speak it fluently. Loyola decided to cut the program, despite the fact it allows a wide swath of students from more than 91 countries to attend classes on the Lake Shore Campus and lowering the barrier of entry for immi-

grant students and refugee students to go here. Instead of focusing on this, Loyola cited its profit margin as the reason for its closing. But this program offers more to Loyola than just money.

"Loyola cited its profit margin as the reason for ELLP’s closing. But this program offers more to Loyola than just money." Loyola brands itself as being an international community. This decision shows the administration

Henry Redman Michael McDevitt Mary Norkol Reid Willis Nick Schultz

doesn’t mean that; it only uses that claim to entice prospective students. This week, we also reported the university’s student-run pizzeria, Felice’s Kitchen, which sits on North Sheridan Road and helps students get business and entrepreneurial experience at all levels, will also close May 5. The reason? It was losing money. Thankfully, another student-run business is expected to open in its place, but the cold corporate reasoning behind the decision rings true. Again, this is not just a business and it’s not just there to help the university’s bottom line. It’s an opportunity for Loyola students to get the most out of their time here, something that is hard to measure in dollars and cents. In November, The Phoenix re-

TUITION COSTS: HOW LOYOLA HAS INCREASED TUITION OVER THE YEARS

Despite the cuts to many of Loyola’s special programs and opportunities, tuition has still been on the rise and is even increasing.

Emily Rosca ported the university had canceled its annual Colossus show, a twonight event that often featured a bigname singer or band and a big-name comedian. While speculation can be made that Hannibal Buress’ conduct during last year’s show led to Colossus’ demise, the official response pointed to dry, corporate cuts. The show only ever barely broke even, and for Loyola administration, that just wasn’t enough. With Loyola’s Jesuit mission, money doesn’t seem to be as important a factor as the learning experience. So what if the event broke even? The satisfaction of students getting cheap tickets to see big-name acts isn’t enough of a profit? Apparently not. The show won’t continue. The Loyola University Museum of Art (LUMA) is downsizing its operations and trading in the number of exhibits it hosts for more event rentals. The university said the museum loses it $1 million a year. With a loss like this, the decision isn’t completely unreasonable, but it comes in an environment of closure after closure of any aspect of Loyola that doesn’t make enough money. These changes lead us to ask the question: Does the administration not consider these unique experiences as more valuable than the profit they’re losing? As students, we’d appreciate an administration who treats this university as it should be — like a college, not a business. Chief financial officer Wayne Magdziarz has said the university operates on a $600 million per year budget. Surely, they can absorb loss-

es in some of these areas to keep these unique aspects of Loyola up and running? There’s a benefit that students get out of these experiences and opportunities that they wouldn’t do elsewhere. With Loyola’s tuition steadily increasing and the number of students rising in recent years, the university’s income should be able to sustain these costs in order to provide a student experience worth the $44,130 per year. These recent announcements of changes to our beloved campus cause us to ask: what’s next? If the Damen Cinema doesn’t have someone in every seat every week, maybe the returns aren’t there to justify the investment. If Ireland’s Pub 10 doesn’t see soaring numbers, maybe Loyola should look at closing it. If the use of the rock wall in Halas Recreation Center isn’t seeing the numbers Loyola’s accountants hope for, maybe that space could be better utilized. Much of the reason its students love Loyola is that it’s unique. This university has the potential to bring together a world-class education with opportunities you’d seldom get anywhere else. But if Loyola’s administration only considers its checkbook, we run the risk of becoming just another school and losing our Rambler identity. When prospective Ramblers tour campus, see what campus offers and hear about the things Loyola offers not because it makes money, but because it fulfills our mission, they want to come. Instead, they see these opportunities going away.


8 | OPINION

APRIL 24, 2019

Letter to the Editor: Save the English Language Learning Program LINDA ROUSOS Part-Time Instructor Retired ESL Faculty lrousos@gmail.com

Loyola will turn its back on its current and prospective international students if its Administration closes the English Language Learning Program (ELLP) June 30. In March, the Loyola administration stunned ELLP faculty and staff by notifying them the program “will be eliminated effective June 30” and their contracts won’t be renewed for 2019-20. The ELLP provides full-time intensive and part-time English language programs prepare international students to study at Loyola. The decision, and its aftermath, are signs of poor leadership and management at the highest levels of Loyola administration. The Loyola community should be concerned. The Loyola administration evidently failed to consider the many ramifications of its decision and has yet to present any plan for international students who are impacted. International students currently studying English fulltime and hoping to enter Loyola degree programs will need to leave the U.S. or apply to other universities offering English language courses. International students already admitted to Loyola degree programs on the condition they pass English courses through the ELLP will no longer be able to take the required English courses,

and their status at Loyola will be in jeopardy. If ELLP faculty are dismissed, there will be no faculty qualified to assess and advise as to English language proficiency requirements and readiness of incoming international students to study in Loyola degree programs.

"The decision, and its aftermath, are signs of poor leadership and management at the highest levels of Loyola administration." LINDA ROUSOS Contributor

ELLP students weren’t informed of the closure by the administration. In fact, faculty and staff were discouraged from informing students because there was no plan in place for postJune 30. More than 35 days after the decision, no plan has been communicated to faculty, staff or students. Nearing the end of the term, with no information forthcoming from administration, ELLP faculty recently notified students of the closure; staff is now advising students as to their options at this late date. International students must plan their finances, school applications, visas applications

and international travel far in advance; ELLP students should have been advised of the decision long ago. For the Loyola administration to make this decision without providing a plan or timely information to affected students is unacceptable. It’s appalling that this Administration has demonstrated such an unapologetic disregard for our students. The decision to eliminate the ELLP is a choice, not a necessity. In notifying faculty of non-renewal of their contracts, administration suggested that low enrollment is the rationale for the decision, but that in itself does not necessitate program closure. The ELLP is self-sustaining and has continued to be profitable for Loyola. In the over 45 years that intensive English programs (IEPs) have operated at U.S. universities, there have been major fluctuations in enrollment due to global political and economic conditions. Like other educational entities, IEPs have adapted their programs, staffing and recruitment strategies to changing enrollment. Loyola should be doing the same in the case of the ELLP. It must also be noted that low enrollment in no way indicates poor performance or inferior quality of instruction. The ELLP has provided effective English language instruction, in good standing w`ith the University and College Consortium of Intensive English Programs and the American Association of Intensive English Programs. ELLP faculty hold masters and PhDs in

the areas of linguistics, second language acquisition, language pedagogy and teaching English as a second language. They are current in theory and practice and active in local, state and national professional associations. The fact that many of our students have gone on to study in degree programs at Loyola speaks to the success of the program. Why, at a time when the country is led by a president who’s closing off the U.S. from the world and betraying America's dearest values, would Loyola choose to eliminate programs that welcome internationals into the Loyola community? Why close a program that has connected Loyola’s local and global communities through English language instruction, service learning, language exchange and special events in

"In the long term, elimination of the ELLP will result in lower international student enrollment and, intentional or not, discrimination against nonnative speakers of English." LINDA ROUSOS Contributor

accordance with the 2020 strategic plan? No person or thing will benefit from the elimination of the ELLP — Loyola's students, faculty, local/international partners, enrollment, revenue, reputation or the Jesuit educational principle of global awareness. Does the administration not value any of the above? In the long term, elimination of the ELLP will result in lower international student enrollment and, intentional or not, discrimination against nonnative speakers of English who wish to complete degree programs at Loyola. That will be the case unless the Administration continues to offer English language assessment and course work for those students. It is not too late for Loyola Administration to reconsider its decision. Administration should work with ELLP faculty, staff and partners to ensure that English language assessment and courses are available to international students and other non-native speakers of English, including immigrant and refugee students. I would urge President Jo Ann Rooney and Acting Provost Margaret Callahan to adopt a transparent, collaborative, valuesbased approach to leadership; to work collaboratively with the ELLP faculty, staff, and partners; to continue providing English language assessment and instruction; and, in doing so, to honor Loyola’s commitment to Jesuit educational principles of values-based leadership, social justice and global awareness.

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APRIL 24, 2019

OPINION | 9

MIA AMBROIGGIO mambroiggio@luc.edu

I saw a broadway show last week and was extremely disappointed when I approached a trash can to toss my cup of coffee. Their Trash/ Bottles&Cans/ Plastics garbage cans lacked dividers and all led to the ‘landfill’ option, despite their labeling. While this seems miniscule, this ideology can expand to the scale of large corporations. Not only is this misinformation and misleadingly polluting the earth, but also the brains of vulnerable and trusting consumers.

"So, when a company claims to be “more sustainable than ever before,” how do we know whether they are telling the truth?" MIA AMBROIGGIO Contributor

This raises the problem of greenwashing, defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public

Claiming green for green: When companies greenwash to profit Wikimedia Commons

image.” Basically, corporations are pretending to take eco-initiatives in order to gain public applause and profit. Sustainable clothing has made its name known recently, whether in niche communities or conscious companies. More and more information continues to come

out about fast fashion brands like Zara and Forever 21’s extremely unethical and environmentally harmful business and production practices, which allow them to lower their prices and promote the idea of quantity over quality. While a bargain deal is always appreciated, there’s a lot at risk when consuming

products from corporations that only focus on cutting their cost, and — even worse — a lot market themselves to look a lot more ecoconscious than they are. H&M, a corporation notorious for their mass amount of textile waste, has recently released a line in their brand titled the “Conscious

Collection,” which sells supposedly sustainable clothing pieces. On a surface level, this seems like a huge step for the world of fast fashion, however, upon further digging, anyone can find H&M is undeniably more a part of the problem than a pioneer in the solution. In an article from The Guardian titled “Am I a fool to expect more than corporate greenwashing?,” writer Lucy Siegle states questions the transparency in H&M’s branding. For H&M to successfully recycle and reuse 1,000 tons of fashion waste, it would take them 12 years. While this still seems like a win in the greater scheme of things, when you find out 1,000 tons of clothes is what H&M produces in just 48 hours, the statistic gets a lot less impressive. So, when a company claims to be “more sustainable than ever before,” how do we know if they are telling the truth? They might never have been actually sustainable and are only making minimal efforts, but marketing it well. The only way to truly know is by doing our research as consumers. There are websites, such as Good on You, that rate fashion brand’s sustainability and ethics and are amazing tools for being responsible consumers with minimal effort. After all, brands cannot flourish without consumer support, so holding big corporations accountable is a huge step towards a more transparent, ethical future. All it takes is a simple search.

The hidden duties for people of color in environmental science Courtesy of Loyola University Chicago

TONYISHA HARRIS tharris4@luc.edu

“I assumed you were working toward Environmental Justice.” It’s a no from me. As a woman of color with a background in diversity, equity and inclusion, I’m not surprised to hear this comment. This assumption is detrimental because it forces me into a field people think I should pursue because I'm a person of color. I'm an environmental science major and former chemistry minor — I want to conduct research. I understand the importance of being socially aware, but it doesn’t give me experience in my intended field. This assumption silos me into a field my white counterparts might not be associated with as a default. I want a job in environmental science, but as a women of color, I’ll also have to shoulder the burden of this “hidden job”. People assume people of color (POC) are willing to teach or create materials and content about diversity, equity and inclusion for free. Often at environmental events, workplaces, clubs or even in classes, I'm one of the few — if not only — POC in the room. Along with being the token black student, I often feel relegated to be the spokesperson for all POC. I feel responsible for bringing up the racial aspects of the topics we discuss in class, or else they may be

ignored entirely. This is problematic because 1) I can’t speak for my entire race much less other ethnicities, 2) it doesn’t give me experience in my intended career path, and 3) I will not be paid for this work. The hiring of “minorities on the boards or general staff of environmental organizations does not exceed 16 percent in the three types of institutions [Mainstream NGOs, Foundations, Government Agencies] studied,” according to the State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations, or the Green Report 2.0. Even if minorities are hired, they “occupy less than 12 percent of the leadership positions.” Conservation and preservation organizations don’t fare much better: “Of the 493 staff hired by conservation/ preservation organizations in the last three years, only 63 (or 12.8 percent) were ethnic minorities.” This can lead to tokenization of POC in their workplaces — they are seen and not heard. The few non-white hires create a convincing tableau of visual diversity, but the organizations may still lack actual programs or actions that reflect a deeper understanding or care for the concerns and interests of their nonwhite hires. This can place an undue burden on the few minorities who are hired to point out racial discrepancies or blinders within the organization. While interning in Michigan, I worked in the field, sampling local waterways. This required me to walk in

creeks that ran through the backyards of people’s properties. I was informed by my white coworkers they were often questioned by curious and confused residents and police. This information did little to assuage my growing fear of being mistaken as an intruder due to my skin color and being immediately thrown into a hostile situation. Black people must navigate these sorts of jobs and suspicions very differently than white people, yet my coworkers and superiors were entirely unaware of this difference in treatment and didn't know how to help or they might even need to help me. When I raised these concerns to the people around me they were initially skeptical. Eventually, they understood my perspective after further discussion. They were so affected by my points that they asked me to lead a discussion about the different safety needs for POC when doing fieldwork. I successfully raised these concerns to my organization, but it was evident that they had long been blind to the safety concerns I noticed my first day in the field. I realized that I might have to do this sort of extra, uncompensated work in the future simply to make my workplace more welcoming — or at the very least more bearable and safer - for myself and other POC. It made me also realize that other POC must do similar work to make their organizations and workplaces more holistically inclusive. This won't be in a job description and

is unique to POC. Loyola is no exception. Sophomore year, I helped organize science-based educational events for a club before committing to increasing awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Having had success with previous plans, I felt confident that this was a task I could undertake. Unfortunately, I was mistaken and greatly disappointed. I was neglected, received little help, and isolated from a group I once felt embraced by. I even began noticing differences in how my events were marketed compared to my white counterparts. I ultimately decided to leave the club for my sanity. This decision left me in despair because not only was I leaving behind three years of work, but I had also held this club in high esteem and felt hopeless due to the outcome. I committed to this club but the club didn’t commit to me. Unfortunately, this wasn't an isolated event. Another Loyola alumni and friend of mine, who is also a woman of color, felt the exclusion after finally agreeing to attend an event with me hosted by the aforementioned club. We attended an ecofeminism panel and immediately noticed the all-white panelists. Women of color are vital to ecofeminism and to not include them on a panel is insulting. What is even more disappointing is one of the panelists remarking, “I don’t know a lot about ecofeminism.” My friend asked me why I wasn’t on

this panel, having a decent background in ecofeminism and being an active student of color in the club. This event and the cold shoulder during a meeting reaffirmed her original hesitations about this club and she did not return. I don’t blame her. I felt I constantly made myself a resource for this club and it stung to realize I was overlooked for a less qualified white counterpart. Not every POC wants this kind of attention within their organization, but it’s important to ask colleagues if they’re willing to share their expertise. I raised these issues to the executive board, but it should not have been my responsibility to point out the lack of diversity and inclusivity. This experience translating to a career leaves less to be desired. I wasn’t hired to be a diversity manager, yet I did some of the work that a diversity manager would. Engaging in this type of work wasn't meaningless, but it gave me no meaningful experience in my actual environmental interests or career goals. The fact that this repeatedly happened was immensely frustrating for what I wanted my personal and professional growth from these positions to be. Sadly, I knew if I didn’t do anything to address these concerns then they might never be addressed at all. As my undergraduate career comes to a close and my first post-grad job looms in my future, I fear that as a black woman, this hidden job will follow me into the next stage of my life.


A&E

APRIL 24, 2019

PAGE 10

First-year Latin student wins foreign language graphic novel contest SASHA VASSILYEVA avassilyeva@luc.edu

From Marvel superheroes to political cartoons, comics have been a large part of American culture from the 19th Century to present day. This year, the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures hosted a foreign language graphic novel contest for all Loyola students. First-year Ace Chisholm, whose passion for languages and art pushed her to participate in the contest, took first place for her Latin graphic novel. The contest was spearheaded for the first time this semester by Paulina Dzieza, the director of the Language Learning Resource Center (LLRC). The contest was open to all Loyola students, no matter what major or whether enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program. Dzieza said the contest is set to happen annually and all the graphic novels are on display at the LLRC until the end of the spring semester. The award ceremony took place at the LLRC April 11, where the topthree participants were awarded Visa gift cards. The novels were judged using a rubric which covered overall story, originality, creativity and illustrations, Dzieza said. She said they

received entries written in Latin, Polish, French and Italian and she hopes that in the future, the contest will grow and reach more students and include more languages. “I think that the contest was successful,” Dzieza said. “I am hoping that next year more students will participate and we will get entries in all languages taught at Loyola.” Chisholm’s novel, titled “Dies Maximus,” tells the story of Roman legionaries who stop on an island during their journey and, while hunting for deer, encounter a young harpy — a half-woman, half-bird creature in Roman mythology. The Roman soldiers mistake this bald, feathered creature to be a young barbaric boy and take her back to their camp to talk and share a meal. Throughout the novel, the soldiers fail to see the creature they’ve taken in is a harpy, and Chisholm said she used this as a running joke through the story. “[The soldiers] don’t realize that she’s a harpy despite the different hints that she drops,

Courtesy of Ace Chisholm

such as when she says that she has no father but many fierce mothers,” Chisholm said. “[The mothers] are all the harpies that she’s referring to but they don’t pick up on that or the fact that she has a feminine name.” The harpy’s name is Alcedinosta, which Chisholm explained is a combination of Latin words she used to create a charming name for her main character. “It’s mashup of Latin word for kingfisher, which is the bird that I based her design off of, and ‘nosta’ which is ‘our,’” Chisholm said. “So it’s kind of like ‘our kingfisher.’ It’s just like a cute, endearing term that I made up for her name.” Alcedinosta spends time talking with the soldiers and hearing stories of their travels as they sit gathered around a fire, whose blended red and

orange shades light up the darker cool-colored background. She receives a wooden doll as a gift from Gaius, a soldier who enjoys whittling in his free time. Alcedinosta observes the big Roman warrior carefully carve the small, elaborate figure and eagerly reaches her feathered wings out to Gaius when he offers her the doll. The theme of the contest — “The best day of my life” — is ever-present in the story as Alcedinosta enjoys a day of antics and new experiences. “[Alcedinosta] says it’s one of the best days she’s ever had, in the sense that its been the most eventful day,” Chisholm said. “I use the word ‘maximus,’ which means ‘greatest,’ in the sense of ‘largest’ or ‘fullest,’ so it’s a little play on words in terms of the English translation. That’s why [the title is] ‘maximus’ instead of ‘optimus.’” Chisholm, 19, is a Latin major and a member of Loyola’s Honors program. She said she intends to pursue a second major in computer science. Throughout high school, Chisholm said she

Olivia Turner The Phoenix

took Latin classes with a teacher who inspired her to pursue Latin in her undergraduate studies. Although she said she doesn’t quite know what the future holds for her, Chisholm intends to pursue her fervor for linguistics. Though she has no professional art training, Chisholm said she has been drawing for as long as she can remember. “I was born with a pencil in my hand,” Chisholm said. Each page of the graphic novel, which Chisholm illustrated digitally, is filled with bright colors and intricate details. Meticulous characteristics, such as fingernails, facial wrinkles and feathers are featured throughout the novel. Chisholm said the contest is a great opportunity to practice creating dialogue in another language in a different way, instead of just listening to or reading it. She said she would participate in it again and encouraged anyone who’s learning a new language to take part in it as well. “Anyone who wants to practice the language they’re studying should participate, anyone at all,” Chisholm said. “It was really fun, great practice and there was a lot of freedom to do what you want [with] just a prompt and a page limit.”

Courtesy of Ace Chisholm

Ace Chisholm won Loyola’s first graphic novel contest held April 11. Chisholm is a Latin major and first-year student, and her novel tells the story of a mythical creature who bonds with Roman legionaries.

CSO musicians bring message and music to Rogers Park CARLY BEHM cbehm@luc.edu

Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) violist Max Raimi joined the ensemble in 1984. He’s worked under legendary icons in music history: Sir Georg Solti, Daniel Barenboim and Riccardo Muti. In the 35 years since, he’s experienced three strikes — one in 1991 lasting about a couple weeks and another in 2012 which lasted about a couple days. Now, musicians have been on strike for more than a month, but that hasn’t stopped the music for a quartet of CSO musicians called “The Musicians of the Striking CSO.” Raimi, violinist Rong-Yang Tan, cellist Karen Basrak and flautist Emma Gerstein performed a free show Saturday in Rogers Park hosted by Flatts and Sharpe Music Company (6749 N. Sheridan Road).

CSO musicians went on their seventh strike since 1970 over contract negotiations with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) and board of trustees. Two key points of contention are the musicians’ base pay and their pensions. The strike, which began March 10, canceled or postponed concerts through April 30, according to the CSO website. CSOA spokeswoman Eileen Chambers shared a press release detailing its final offer to musicians with The Phoenix. In the release, CSOA President Jeff Alexander said management has continued to listen to musicians to create a new contract. Although the strike interrupted scheduled performances at Symphony Center, the musicians continued to play. There have been several free CSO concerts across Chicago, including a show with the full orchestra at

the Apostolistic Church of God (6320 S. Dorchester). Flatts and Sharpe owner Chris Bell said Raimi suggested the Saturday performance to help raise awareness about the strike. The music shop has had a good relationship with the CSO, and Raimi’s son is taking music lessons there, Bell said. A full crowd packed into Flatts and Sharpe’s small space while some watched through the storefront window. The musicians were clad in black on the store’s small stage. The quartet played four pieces in the hour-long concert: Mozart’s Variations on Ah Vous Dirai-je Maman K. 265; Mozart’s Quartet for Flute and Strings K. 285; Beethoven’s Serenade for flute, violin and viola in D Major, Opus 25; and a composition Raimi wrote. Chamber music is performed by smaller groups compared to a large sym-

phony, and they tend to showcase the composer’s emotions more, Raimi said. “I think of a Beethoven Symphony — that’s like Lincoln giving a big speech … but a Beethoven quartet, that would be like having dinner with Lincoln [and] having a conversation with him,” he said. Raimi said the Beethoven piece was especially significant. Serenades were written for wealthy people, opening with a march and followed by easy listening, Raimi said. Beethoven didn’t grow up in a wealthy family and wasn’t respected by the upper class. Raimi said Beethoven’s serenade was written to command the attention of the rich and powerful. “On the surface it has these very charming gestures that you’d expect in a serenade, but under the surface there’s all this subversion,” Raimi said. Although the piece sounds like a typical serenade, loud, brash chords

interrupt melodies, catching listeners off guard. This isn’t the first time the CSO performed at Flatts and Sharpe. However, Bell said this concert meant a lot to her. Before purchasing the business in 2007, Bell was a union worker under Pipefitters Local 597, and she said she understood the musicians’ struggles. “I believe in unions and I understand what a pension means to a working class person,” Bell said. “It means everything. It’s why you take the job. It’s because it’s going to afford you security in the future that nothing else is going to provide.” Raimi said he hoped this concert would bring awareness to the strike. “This is our way of keeping ourselves in front of the public: showing what we’re about and why we’re important and why the orchestra is not the bureaucrats and the trustees upstairs, but the musicians on the stage,” he said.


APRIL 24, 2019

A&E | 11

Harry Styles fanfiction-turned-film ‘After’ will have fans up all night MADDY BALTAS mbaltas@luc.edu

Director Jenny Gage’s newest film “After” might make most viewers run out of the theater. But to a niche group of One Direction fans, this film throws them back to the glory days. At the height of One Direction’s fame in 2013, Anna Todd published “After,” a Harry Styles fanfiction — fictional literature written by fans of a work — on Wattpad, an online platform for amateur writers to publish stories and other works of writing. Due to the story’s remarkable success on the website, Todd was offered a publishing deal one year later and a film soon followed. Adapted to the big screen by Susan McMartin (“Mom,” “Two and a Half Men”), “After” brings to life the story of Tessa Young (Josephine Langford), a studious 18-year-old, as she enters another world: college. Not long after she arrives on campus, Tessa meets Hardin Scott (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin), an irresistible bad boy who soon steals her heart. But they’re not in ideal situations — Tessa has a boyfriend back home and Hardin has a secret and a slight aversion to dating. During the first week of school, Tessa ventures out to a party with her roommate Steph (Khadijha Red Thunder), who emcompasses everything Tessa isn’t — tattoos, piercings and a love for nightlife. At the party, Tessa plays a game of truth or dare and is dared to kiss Hardin, the brooding boy dressed in all black who has finally decided to take a break from his side piece. While Tessa tries to prove herself to her new friends, she backs down at the last second and leaves the room.

After attempting to avoid each other, a smitten Tessa and surprised Hardin realize their connection is stronger than they thought. The pair take their relationship to the next level — Hardin reveals his family secrets, the pair prematurely move in together and they make frequent midnight memories. Unlike the emotionally abusive and manipulative Hardin depicted in Todd’s book, the film’s Hardin respects Tessa’s boundaries and allows her to make her own decisions. In the novel, the two move in together because Hardin is insecure about Tessa’s mostly platonic relationships with his friends. Hardin controls her day-to-day happenings, what classes she takes and who her friends are. In the movie, Hardin isn’t abusive, but rather a boy who’s hurt by the careless actions of his father. Langford was the perfect actress to play Tessa, despite her short resume. In the original version on Wattpad, Todd cast Indiana Evans (“H2O”) as Tessa, leaving Langford’s casting a pleasant surprise for fans of the novel. Her combination of innocence and confidence makes her the best actress to play this role. While Fiennes-Tiffin proved himself worthy after his time in the Harry Potter franchise, the film lacked character development for Hardin. Even though Hardin tells Tessa why he’s the way he is, Tessa barely addresses it and the topic is never brought up again. The cinematography lacked sophistication. There were multiple hard cuts, and the scenes moved too quickly from one to the other and weren’t always tied together well. But to some’s delight, the film’s ending is ambiguous and hints at the possibility of a sequel. To the average viewer, “After”

might seem like an overdone story with poor acting, but to many One Direction fans, this nostalgic piece brings back the days of Wattpad book club and being consumed by the happenings of a young British boy with an incredible voice. Sprinkled throughout the movie are nods to Harry Styles. Hardin adorns the same Ramones t-shirts, chunky rings and ship tattoo. These small details would go unnoticed by the naked eye, but this is what makes the movie so special to the supporters of the British boy band phenomena. “After” serves an unexpected narrative while easing the heartbreak of One Direction’s hiatus which is seemingly — and tragically — never-ending. “After,” rated PG-13, is playing in theaters nationwide.

Courtesy of Voltage Pictures

“After” is based off of a Harry Styles-inspired Wattpad fanfiction by Anna Todd.

Courtesy of Voltage Pictures

Actors Hero Fiennes-Tiffin and Josephine Langford star in the film as Hardin Scott and Tessa Young, respectively.

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

Opinion: virtual reality needs to advance to stay relevant MARCELLO PICCININI mpiccinini@luc.edu

If virtual reality (VR) is going to be the next step for the gaming industry, there’s one important thing it must do: advance. Virtual reality has come a long way since its inception. Beginning as stationary arcade machines, VR never got a foothold in gaming reality until Oculus Rift — a crowdfunded project on Kickstarter — was announced in 2012. Oculus Rift, Sony’s PlayStation VR (PSVR) and the HTC Vive released to the public in 2016, featuring a hands-free and portable product setting them apart from their 20th century counterparts. PSVR has been the most successful VR headset to date, selling 4.2 million headsets as of March 2019, according to an official blog post by Sony. But even though the hardware has been successful, that doesn’t mean VR com-

panies should get complacent. For consumer interest to remain, bold moves must be made. Similar to how “Halo: Combat Evolved” — a futuristic first-person shooter (FPS) game — revolutionized the FPS genre, the VR market is in dire need of a title that realizes its full potential. Games like “Superhot,” “Beat Saber” and more make full use of a VR headset, but reception to VR games with mainstream characters, such as Batman, have been lukewarm so far. This is partly due to pop culture character VR games still being in their infancy — exacerbated by big publishers not willing to take the risk funding a failed project. Batman’s VR experience — “Batman: Arkham VR” ($20) — received a 74 out of 100 rating and a 7.2 out of 10 user review score on Metacritic, a user and critic review-aggregating site. Reviews ranged from praise for

its proof of concept to disappointment for the short length of about one to two hours. The announcement of “Marvel’s Iron Man VR” — developed by Camouflaj — for the PSVR is showing promise, with players able to control flight freely by moving controllers to their sides. With the developers saying the game world will be fully traversable — and Sony Interactive Entertainment publishing the product — it may be the breakthrough the VR industry needs to move forward. Efforts are still being made to keep VR relevant for years to come. The next Sony gaming system, PlayStation 5, has been confirmed to support the current PSVR system with newer iterations on the way. The big challenge is to introduce more people to VR systems, a task that can prove difficult for the savvy spender. The current cost of a PSVR

headset is more than $250, with a PlayStation 4 (PS4) Pro — a PS4 system released November 2016 with updated technology — costing about $300. With a price of entry similar to that of the latest Sony console — and a game library eclipsed by it as well — it’s difficult to justify spending so much on so little. According to Sony’s internal estimates, the PS4 console sold more than 90 million units by the end of 2018, with only 4.2 million PSVR headsets sold by March 2019. This means only about 0.05 percent of PS4 owners own a PSVR headset. Developers must also create VR games worth coming back to for the market to grow. With the current market consisting of mini-games and brief titles comparable in a couple hours, the creation of fully fleshedout experiences — such as “Marvel’s Spider-Man” and “God of War” — is a

necessary step yet to be taken. Similar technological advancements in the gaming space have met unfortunate ends due to a lack of focus. The Nintendo 3DS handheld system — the successor to the Nintendo DSi XL handheld system — released in 2011 with a distinct feature: the ability to play games in 3D without special glasses. Despite an interesting selling point, the system went on to become the weakest Nintendo console launch since the Nintendo Virtual Boy in 1995. The 3D gaming market has since dissipated, with 3DS games relying on the 3D feature less for gameplay and more for gimmick. In order for VR to become as accepted as modern video game hardware, developers and publishers need to put the same funding into the market as they do their consoles, lest it fall into obscurity.


APRIL 24, 2019

12 | A&E

Cage the Elephant returns with familiar psych-rock sound on ‘Social Cues’ MARY GRACE RITTER mritter3@luc.edu

Psychedelic rock powerhouse Cage the Elephant’s fifth studio album, “Social Cues,” released April 19, further established its place in the alternative rock scene. The Kentucky natives stick to their roots with another album of thought-provoking lyrics sung in fuzzy vocals and instrumental layering. Fading in with a quick percussion of drummer Jared Champion, fuzzedout guitar of rhythm guitarist Brad Shultz and synthesizer of guitarist and keyboardist Matthan Minster, the album’s opener, “Broken Boy,” wakes up the listener. The fast-moving track demands attention and provides a sense of urgency. An abrupt end matches the abrasive nature of the song as a whole. Following “Broken Boy,” the album’s title track showcases the lyrical strengths of the band. “Social Cues” addresses the pressures of being in the spotlight as lead singer Matt Shultz sings, “I don’t know if it is right to live this way, yeah / I’ll be in the back room / Tell me when it’s over / People always say, ‘Man, at least you’re on the radio.’” “Night Running” is a breath of fresh air on the album with its reggae-inspired beats and lead guitarist Nick Bockrath’s infectious guitar riff that bookends the song. The shift could be attributed to the fact the track features the genre-bending singer Beck, who

will be co-headlining a tour with Cage the Elephant this summer. Throughout the album, there’s a lot of talk of running, but there’s no specific mention of what they’re running away from or toward. “Skin and Bones” comes close to answers with lyrics “I’ve been running for so long / All that’s left is skin and bones” expressing the toll all the running takes on one’s well being. Leaving listeners to speculate on the nature of the chase, the band continues to present the disarray of Shultz’s mental state through the lyrics. The pressures exemplified in “Social Cues” are echoed in “Tokyo Smoke.” The short, poetic lines, “My public smile / My double face / Half in the light / Half in the shade” evoke imagery of a mask hiding one’s true self. Many of the tracks move quick, furthering the illusion of running. The garage rock tune, the thumping bass of bassist Daniel Tichenor and the nearly monotone verses of “House of Glass” create tension almost as if the house of glass is about to shatter. The lead single, “Ready To Let Go,” gave fans a preview of “Social Cues.” With the Cage the Elephant sound fans have come to know and love, the song acted as an accurate representation of the album. Though the album does have the band’s identifiable sound, bits of it end up blending together and even

into the rest of the band’s discography. Drawing on the same sounds and techniques that have been used in past albums — the fuzz of 2015 album “Tell Me I’m Pretty” and the biting guitar of 2013’s “Melophobia” — creates a sense of familiarity for the listener. Coming off of a Grammy win for Best Rock Album in 2017 for “Tell Me I’m Pretty,” it makes sense Cage the Elephant would continue with a familiar strategy, but it could leave fans a bit bored. “Love’s The Only Way” breaks up the guitar-and-synth-filled album with a classic string section and acoustic guitar. The simplicity of the instrumentals echoes the simplicity of the titular message of the song: love is the answer. That love may be the only thing that gives Shultz rest in his metaphorical race. Exhausted from all the running and hiding, he looks for a place “where a soul can find some sleep.” The theme of peace and love continues in “The War Is Over.” The band takes a seemingly political stance with the track as Shultz sings, “You can build your walls / Love will tear it down” — an apparent reference to President Donald Trump’s proposal for a border wall between the United States and Mexico. Cage the Elephant bids the listener “Goodbye” with the closing track. It was the final single before the album’s

Courtesy of Neil Krug

“Social Cues,” Cage the Elephant’s fifth studio album, was released April 19.

release, giving a preview into the slower side of “Social Cues.” The somber tune takes on a deeper sadness as members posted to social media about the passing of multiple friends of the band in the past months. Back in January, just before the band began teasing its first single, it tweeted of the passing of Kentucky-based musician Billy Swayze. At the beginning of this month, members again took to the band’s account to honor Tiger Merritt, frontman of psych rock band Morning Teleportation, days after doing the same for musician and producer Dylan Graves. Devoting time to delicate matters, harsh instrumentals and the middle ground, “Social Cues” boasts Cage

the Elephant’s variation within their unique brand of psych rock. Despite the sonic comfort and repetition within the album and the band’s discography, it’s impressive that Cage the Elephant has been able to carve out its niche in the genre. This album only confirms Cage the Elephant is here to give the fans their fix of rock ‘n’ roll. “Social Cues” is available to stream and buy on Spotify and iTunes. Cage the Elephant and Beck will be playing Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (1300 S. Linn White Dr.) July 31. With Ticketmaster’s fluctuating price system, tickets are upwards of $300. They start at $90 currently on StubHub.

Local art organization flourishes with gallery and events SASHA VASSILYEVA avassilyeva@luc.edu

On the corner of Winthrop and Granville Avenue sits a seemingly normal, old city apartment building. But through the first floor doors lies a hidden gem. String lights run along silver air ducts, shining down on exposed brick walls covered by canvases, panels and frames. Established in December 2017, Gallery 1070 is the most recent addition to local art organization Edgewater Artists in Motion (EAIM). Since its opening, Gallery 1070 has been the site of several exhibits, according to Kevin Flynn, president of EAIM. Most recently, the gallery held a Women Empowerment exhibit, which featured art ranging from paintings to photography, sculpture, mixed media — combining multiple mediums in one piece of art — and jewelry, with each piece tied to the empowerment theme. Gallery 1070 has also been used for pop-up shops, workshops and is open to the community as a space to rent for parties and other events, according to founder of EAIM Rae Ann Cecrle. Georgia Velisaris is a former teacher and local artist whose work was featured in the gallery’s Women Empowerment exhibit. After learning about the gallery from a friend who had already been involved with EAIM, she participated in a pop-up shop and said she plans to continue to be involved with the organization in the future. Velisaris said the gallery is a great local space for all the artists in the area to come together and display their work. “Being an artist can be a very solo kind of a job … but I think it gives artists an opportunity to connect with their fellow artists and share thoughts and ideas … [and] to have a place to show their work and let the public know what they’re doing,” Velisaris said. Lucy Clasen, a jeweler and Edgewater resident who has been involved with EAIM for seven years, said her work has been featured in several shows and she has done multiple pop-up shops in the gallery since it

Courtesy of Kevin Flynn

Gallery 1070 hosted a Women Empowerment exhibit March 7 - April 14. The gallery showcased a variety of mediums created by Edgewater Artists in Motion.

opened. She said the gallery is a great outlet for artists to show their skills and for community members to see local art. “I think it’s a real positive because it’s getting people more aware of the artists in the area,” Clasen said. “The goal is to bring more and more art related things to this whole neighborhood.” EAIM was founded in January 2009 by Cecrle, a property owner and investor. On her way to a meeting, she noticed multiple businesses had shut down and left behind nothing but bare storefronts. As the country’s unsettled economy hit Edgewater businesses, Cecrle saw opportunity in a dark time. She said she contacted other property owners and asked to use their vacant storefronts for advertising. Keeping the greater good of the community in mind, Cecrle said she started with advertisements in the windows and soon set up a sign calling for artists to submit their work to fill the empty spaces. Abandoned

storefronts soon turned into public art displays. “We started having artists bring in their artwork, we cleaned up vacant storefronts, we put lights around the windows … and eventually we had about 28 different windows filled and about 140 artists in the windows,” Cecrle said. “So that began Artists in Motion … our mission was to help the businesses and to help the community and then also to be helping the artists.” Cecrle said the first storefront she fixed up was on Broadway Ave. and it’s now occupied by ice cream shop Lickity Split. EAIM repurposed unoccupied windows in Edgewater’s commercial districts and CTA stations. Eventually, businesses began to flourish again and EAIM started losing its storefronts, but this didn’t stop the organization from bringing art to the community. In 2013, the area’s alderman, Harry Osterman, asked the organization to do an art show, which marked the

beginning of an annual tradition. Each year, on the last weekend of September, tents line Granville Ave., live music plays on three different stages and members of the community come out to enjoy the work of artists from the Chicagoland area. From jewelry to paintings, pottery, photography, clothing and more, the Edgewater Art Festival provides something for everyone to enjoy. Cecrle said the festival features the work of about 100 artists. It also includes a children’s corner with face painting, a puppeteer and other family-friendly activities, creating entertainment for all ages. “I know that the community really loves this little art festival,” Cecrle said. “It’s different. It’s more unique than other festivals throughout the city of Chicago and we want to maintain that.” While Cecrle and Flynn said the festival is the organization’s main event of the year, EAIM continues to grow with new programs and

events. These include classes that are held in the gallery and concerts that take place in the gallery and a vacant building across the street (1101 W. Granville Ave.) about every two months, Flynn said. Cecrle and Flynn encourage students to get more involved with the organization, whether by attending concerts, browsing exhibits at the gallery or volunteering at events. “We want Loyola to be involved,” Flynn said. “There’s just so much excitement and buzz around here — it’s youthful energy, it’s good … I’m trying to make it so it’s not just a bunch of old people … so we have to keep new energy in.” A spring-inspired exhibit called Art of Rebirth will run at Gallery 1070 from May 2-June 9, and EAIM will hold a Prince tribute concert June 7 at 1101 W. Granville Ave. More information about upcoming events, renting the gallery space or getting involved with EAIM can be found on their website.


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APRIL 24, 2019

A&E 13

My emotions: They’re sappy like a Christmas tree except with words

Emily Rosca | A&E Editor erosca@luc.edu

rosca’s ramblings I’m going to start this giving you full disclosure. Prepare for some sap. Every Sunday since deciding — or rather since being ordered by our editor-in-chief — to start this column, I found myself throwing column topics back and forth with our staff. News Editor Mary Norkol once joked that discussing that upcoming week’s Rosca’s Ramblings was like our second staff ed meeting. There are a lot of ramblings I thought of writing for this last issue. I could’ve written about my passion for film photography in hopes of encouraging anyone reading this to buy a disposable camera and take a stab at it. I could’ve easily written 1,000 words about frozen kefir. I could’ve dedicated an entire column to stories of my parking and driving mishaps. But instead, I’m going to tell you about the 16 editors I’ve spent at least 350 hours with this past academic year. To those of you who I shot down when you suggested I write a sappy column because this time of year calls for one, you won. I fought the resistance and lost. So often, the words for these columns of mine flow right out of me and you read my thoughts on paper. But this time around, it’s not quite as easy. Maybe it’s because part of me doesn’t want this semester to end and some of my favorite people to graduate. But maybe it’s actually because I took the shuttle downtown instead of the train. The shuttle hinders my creativity. Joining The Phoenix has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. It’s some of the best experience you’ll get as a journalist in college. You meet all kinds of folks, make connections and get to do some of the wildest things (i.e. visit a virtual reality

Rosca’s Ramblings

Courtesy of Ralph Braseth

Franz Schubert once said, “Some people walk into our lives, leave footprints on out hearts, and we are never the same.” This year’s Phoenix staff will have a special place in my heart forever and always.

lounge before it opens or interview your favorite actors). The best part is the people you meet. I’ve met some of my favorite people working on this staff, and yes, when my possible future children ask what my favorite thing was about my time on student newspapers, it’s the people. When you’re forced to spend so much time with people, you’re almost forced to be friends. I think we would’ve been friends either way. Tuesdays — the day we work hardest and lay out the paper — are when the most time is spent together. From early afternoon until sometimes 2 a.m. we’re enclosed in our windowless, but inviting, newsroom. By 10 p.m., the room often smells of fast food — usually McDonald’s, thanks to Sports Editor Nick Schultz. It’s not always the most pleasant late in the night, but our jokes get funnier as our eyes grow weary — something Opinion Editor Reid Willis can attest to every time he tunes in to the A&E corner of the room. When we had our first production night — back when I was a fetus editor — I knew this year would fly by. Working for a newspaper that prints on a weekly deadline, you quickly base your life around that deadline. That makes the year go by so much quicker, and I didn’t expect to already be here writing this column about how much I love my co-editors. Before the fall semester officially started, I had already started my job as then-assistant A&E editor. I covered all four days at Lollapalooza with the then-editor, and we made

some, uh, minor mishaps with our time management. Editor-in-chief Henry Redman was not shy about yelling at us over the phone, and he still brings it up once in a while, much to my chagrin. Henry, I still think my argument was valid. He’s a true leader — I’ve improved, and he says that since he hasn’t yelled at me since, I really must’ve gotten better. Opposite Henry in a role of power is Michael McDevitt, our managing editor. Mike, you’re a true pal and the true master of practicing the art of the crossed language. Never change, pal. Then there’s the rest of the staff. Henry and Mike’s underlings. Norkol, you’re going to head next year’s underlings, and I can’t wait to run this thing with you. Prepare yourself for a year filled with visits to Whole Foods and the kefir shop. Oh, and lots of chats about Timothée Chalamet. I’m not sorry about it. Chappell. “Chapstick.” What will you do with 95 Chap-Ice chapsticks? You and your immediate family will be set for the rest of your lives. Jane, I hope you’ll bring with you those tokens of your administrative admirations to Washington D.C. and Rome next year. Schultz, if you don’t keep a plush basketball in this room … Abby, my work wife. You kind human. Even though we sit on opposite sides of the newsroom now, I’ll be hovering over your shoulder all next year waiting to read your pages so we can get out of the newsroom at reasonable hours. And we can have sleepovers. Emma, you truly are the snack queen. You bring snacks, and you’re

Emily Rosca The Phoenix

a (self-described) snack. John Stamos would definitely agree. Behm, only you would write three articles for the last issue of your college career. After you got a job at the Sun-Times. After you said your feature about the WLUW founder would be your last. You wrote that weeks ago, and you’ve written more than several writers combined. Reid, I will say I’ll miss our car conversations. Isn’t the skyline stained with that day’s sunset the best? It makes my day every time. Almudena, sometimes I wonder if our friendship would’ve gotten off to the rocket-speed start it did if we hadn’t gone to that poetry reading way back when. I’m going to miss your presence so much, sweet human and fearless Society of Professional Journalists leader. Maggie, you wanted me to write only bad things. The only bad thing I can think of is it’s truly tragic your favorite teas at Argo are seasonal. Of course you’d crave those drinks on

the off-season. Say hi to BJ for me. Ally, my newsroom mom but also one of my favorite creatives. I don’t cook, but I’ve cooked risotto with you more times than I can remember this past year. Let’s keep movie nights alive for a long time to come. Maddy, you’re a late-comer to The Phoenix staff, but you completed our puzzle of quirkiness. I’m going to forever laugh at our lunch in Chinatown. Trying to eat with chopsticks that morning was a real struggle. Also, “After.” Alanna, my film photography-loving friend. McKeever: Teases. Whole ‘lotta good vibes. And beer. Did I mention beer? And thank you to Timothée Chalamet for encouraging me with your chiseled jawline and luscious curls from the black-and-white screensaver on my newsroom desktop. I can’t wait to move you to my new desktop this fall.

Claire Denis’ ‘High Life’ examines the best and worst of humanity against a cosmic backdrop CARLY BEHM cbehm@luc.edu

A group of criminals face an inhumane cosmic fate in “High Life.” French director Claire Denis’ first English film, released April 12, tackles questions of morality and human rights through the lens of death row inmates. Monte (Robert Pattinson) is among several criminals who chose a space mission seeking alternative energy from a black hole instead of life in prison. Onboard, the crew is headed by Dr. Dibs (Juliette Binoche), whose space operation is a twisted, abusive experiment. The inmates can’t have sex with each other and can only resolve their sexual frustrations solo in “The Box,” a room where a normal human activity becomes cold and clinical. Dibs is hellbent on making a baby through artificial insemination and subjects inmates to her attempts. In one graphic scene, the doctor rapes Monte while he’s unconscious, and he becomes the father of a baby named Willow. The moments leading up to the present, when Willow (Jessie Ross) is a teen, are presented as flashbacks. The movie’s ending is unclear, but

that doesn’t matter. “High Life” is a meditation on humanity and dealing with circumstances pushing the limits of sanity. “High Life” parallels Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar” (2014), a science fiction movie focusing on a father-daughter relationship. In “Interstellar,” a man’s space mission to a new planet is guided with the help of his daughter. Likewise, the father-daughter bond helps keep Monte and Willow sane. This is where Pattinson’s acting shines. Monte has to raise a daughter in the worst possible environment, yet he’s still a tender, loving parent. He’s as emotionally dependent on Willow as she’s physically dependent on him. This is evident in the first five minutes of the movie when Monte quickly attends to his baby’s cries, even after discarding inmates’ dead bodies off ship. Viewers who haven’t taken the former “Twilight” heartthrob seriously as an actor should start paying attention to him after seeing “High Life.” His emotional performance forces audiences to ponder Denis’ hard quandaries on ethics. The movie questions how criminals should be treated. Monte isn’t a violent serial killer, and neither

Courtesy of A24

Robert Pattinson and Jessie Ross star as father and daughter in French director Claire Denis’ “High Life,” released April 12.

is Dibs — the other inmates’ backgrounds are unclear. Regardless, viewers are inclined to be sympathetic to the inmates. No one deserves to be subjected to sexual abuse and a brutal, uncertain death. The only thing the movie would have benefitted from is time. At an hour and 40 minutes long, audiences don’t learn much about the characters and how they landed in jail to begin with. Viewers don’t get to see how a pregnancy is sustained in

space or how Monte raises Willow to be a well-adjusted teen in an unorthodox environment. “High Life” is a tense movie, and scenes convey this as much as the dialogue. Up close shots of inmates’ bodies — and their fluids — are uncomfortable to look at. Many scenes are tinted with a blue or red hue, creating a gloomy and chilling atmosphere. At the end, the scene is washed in yellow. “High Life,” rated R, is in theaters nationwide.

Courtesy of A24


PAGE 14

Sports

APRIL 24, 2019

Men’s volleyball season ends in MIVA championship Sydney Shipe | The Phoenix

Loyola senior outside hitter Collin Mahan, who was named first team All-MIVA this season, goes up for a kill against Purdue Fort Wayne in the MIVA Tournament semifinal match at Gentile Arena April 17.

ANDREW ELLIOTT aelliott2@luc.edu

Despite making it to the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Tournament championship, the No. 9-ranked Loyola men’s volleyball team (218, 12-2) missed out on the NCAA Tournament. Now, the Ramblers are preparing for the offseason. Loyola’s season ended April 20 with a 3-0 loss to Lewis University in south suburban Romeoville. Lewis received the MIVA’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, and the Ramblers didn’t receive an at-large bid. “[Lewis] was pretty sharp, I thought they exposed us a little bit,” Loyola head coach Mark Hulse said.

“I don’t think it was a desire thing so much as it was an execution thing and they were really good on their Ps and Qs. We were just OK.” In their two previous matchups, Loyola fell to Lewis 3-1 both times. The Ramblers came into the match hoping to use this opportunity in the MIVA Tournament as a revenge game on their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since winning the 2015 national championship, according to Hulse. The Ramblers started off their regular season with a loss to No. 4-ranked University of California Irvine before going on a six-match win streak to improve to 6-1. Loyola would go on to have multiple wins against ranked teams such as then-No. 5-ranked Pep-

perdine University, No. 11 California State University Northridge, No. 15 Purdue University Fort Wayne and No. 12 Ball State University. Over the course of the season, the Ramblers were led in kills by senior outside hitter Collin Mahan with 3.38 kills per set and in assists by sophomore setter Garrett Zolg with 10.87 assists per set. Senior libero Avery Aylsworth led the team in digs with 2.33 per set and moved to sixth in total career digs in program history with 609. Mahan, Aylsworth, senior middle blocker Will Tischler, senior middle blocker Paul Narup and Zolg were all named 2019 All-MIVA, while first-year opposite hitter Luke Denton being selected to the MIVA All-Freshman Team. Hulse praised the seniors on the

team for all of the work they’ve done during their time at Loyola. Mahan won two MIVA Offensive Player of the Week awards this season while Narup both won a MIVA Defensive Player of the Week award. Over the course of the season, the Ramblers went 12-3 at Gentile and 8-5 on the road. After the game, Hulse praised the Ramblers fans who made the trip out to support the team, as well as those who came to watch good volleyball — even those who made the trip to Romeoville. “It was nice [to see so many Loyola fans at Lewis],” Hulse said. “We weren’t that concerned of having to go on the road here. … There were a lot of people [at Lewis] that just like volleyball and were just cheering for

good plays on both sides.” Hulse said he’s proud of the team’s season and looks forward to the offseason. Loyola is set to return 12 players to the roster next season, including Zolg and Denton. “We had pretty lofty goals for the [team] because it was a really good group,” Hulse said. “I thought we were tough and got better throughout the year … we had a tough match down the stretch at the end and we fell short of what I think our really big goal was.” With another season in the books comes a new set of goals for the team. Hulse said he looks forward to improving upon this year’s record next season, adding it’s all about making small improvements and adjustments every year until the team gets to where

Academics, athletics make Loyola perfect fit for Shields ABBY SCHNABLE aschnable@luc.edu

Jessica — better known as “Jess” — Shields of the Loyola softball team has been playing softball since she was eight years old. Although she started her college career at Division II school University of Wisconsin-Parkside, she transferred to Loyola this year in hopes that she could make an impact in some way. Shields, 21, currently boasts a .452 on base percentage, which ranks third on the team. She also has scored the most runs on the roster, crossing home plate 39 times this year, and sits third on the team in batting average with .390.

“The pitching is better in Division I. Division II is still really competitive ... but you just see a little bit higher caliber here.” JESS SHIELDS Junior outfielder

“She scores a lot of runs,” said Loyola softball head coach Jeff Tylka. “It’s allowed some of our other players behind her to not have to sacrifice bunt as often or things like that because now she can get herself into scoring position. When she gets on first base, there’s a good chance that there’s going to be a solo base somewhere in there.” As soon as Tylka knew she was

looking to leave UW-Parkside, he started recruiting. He said she brought a dimension to the team that wasn’t there previously — stealing bases and getting on base. Tylka said Shields has been on his radar for a while, but due to a lack of money missed out on the opportunity originally. “She was a kid that her travel ball coach told me about when she was in high school, kinda later into her high school career,” Tylka said. “We just didn’t have money available at that time. It was one of those situations that if she ever decides to leave then to let us know and we’d be interested in talking to her.” Shields’ said her fast start wasn’t something she expected. Coming from a D-II school, she said she was nervous for the different level of play. She added the transition from D-II to D-I was instrumental in her game. She said the coaching staff at Loyola helped her work on her swing mechanics. “At Division I, there’s a lot more depth on a roster,” Shields said. “The pitching is better in Division I. Division II is still really competitive, in my opinion, but you just see a little bit higher caliber here.” The switch from Wisconsin-Parkside to Loyola was a match made in heaven, according to Shields. Not only did it satisfy her athletic needs, but her academic needs as well. She said she wanted to take a different path academically and was grateful Tylka had a spot available for her. Outside of her economics major and finance minor, she said she wanted to make an impact on the team — no matter how big or small.

Sydney Shipe | The Phoenix

Junior outfielder Jess Shields has made an instant impact on the Loyola softball team after transferring from Wisconsin-Parkside.

“I didn’t really know what my role was going to be coming in,” Shields said. “Whether that was going to be being a cheerleader for my teammates and making sure that I’m supporting everyone or doing my job on the base paths or getting on base.” Her impact has gone farther than just being supportive. She’s quickly become one of the leading contributors on the team and has started all 42 games this season. Shields added transitioning to a

different team dynamic worried her. She said she enjoyed her old school and her team was worried about clicking with the other players at Loyola. Tylka said he was never worried about how Shields would fit in — but after talking to people close to her, he knew she’d be a perfect match. “After she had made her decision to leave, I had talked to a good amount of people about [Shields],” Tylka said. “Most of the conversations I had didn’t revolve around

softball. They were simply about what kind of person she is, what kind of leader she is and those things. Every single person I talked to said she’s just a phenomenal human being.” But her biggest worry was whether or not she made the right decision. “It’s been a process,” Shields said. “[But I knew I did] when I started to get to know all my teammates and figure out that these girls were going to be lifelong friends is really what did it for me.”


SPORTS | 15

APRIL 24, 2019

WELDEN: Golfer becomes men’s volleyball’s biggest fan Sydney Shipe | The Phoenix

Nick Welden (left), a redshirt sophomore on the Loyola men’s golf team, can be seen at Gentile Arena during men’s volleyball holding his trademark whiteboard or a poster to taunt opposing teams.

continued from page 1 “[First-year opposite hitter] Luke [Denton] had been playing alright up to that point, but that game he went off,” Welden said. “He was like, ‘Man, I love the sign. It kind of got me going,’ so I like to think I’m helping out a little bit. That was probably one of my favorite [signs] because after the game I got him to sign it and it’s up in our locker room now.” These interactions between Welden and the team are common at a men’s volleyball game. It’s a two-way street with the members of the team reciprocating the attention being thrown their way. This includes head coach Mark Hulse. The golfer and the volleyball coach have an unexpectedly unique relationship. “I don’t have a very good poker face,” Hulse said. “If he’s doing something funny, I don’t care what time of day it is,

I’m going to laugh and tip my cap to him … whatever I did after the first time [he wrote my name on a sign], he kind of took the bait and has been running with it ever since.” Welden has a tendency to write whatever pops into his head on the whiteboard. For example, during the match against Ohio State, he wrote “Happy Birthday Hulse” on the whiteboard while serenading the coach with birthday wishes despite it not actually being the coach’s birthday. As for Hulse, he seems to love the energy Welden brings, often asking Welden if he’ll be at the next game. Also, Hulse managed to “sneak” Welden a marker after a bad marker nearly ruined the first game with Welden’s whiteboard. “He actually hooked me up with a marker [against Ohio State] because I had a crappy red one,” Welden said. “I wrote on the board ‘Hey Hulse, extra marker?” and he was like, ‘Give me a

minute.’ He gave me a little wink, and then a little later he gave me a marker. He’s been awesome … I remember I made a sign with “HULSE” and put a heart around it and he gave me a little heart symbol with his hands. He gives the energy right back.” Hulse gave his side on Welden’s story about the marker, but playfully said he “accidentally” dropped a marker that Welden just happened to find. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to officially be aiding and embedding whatever he was doing in the stands,” Hulse joked. “So I ‘accidentally’ left a whiteboard marker in a very obvious place and he ‘accidentally’ found it. That is my official stance on that.” Although men’s volleyball didn’t draw as large of a crowd as men’s basketball, Welden said volleyball matches are his favorite due to the more personal atmosphere during those games and the fact that he’s more likely to be heard.

Sydney Shipe | The Phoenix

Nick Welden makes fun of Purdue Fort Wayne with his whiteboard at Gentile Arena.

JUCO guards make Moser’s best recruiting class even better

Nick Schultz | Sports Editor nschultz@luc.edu

The roster is set. Now, it’s time to evaluate. Loyola men’s basketball head coach Porter Moser has brought in arguably his best recruiting class since taking over the program in 2011 — a class that includes three highly-touted graduating high school seniors and two junior college transfers. They’re all “Porter Moser players.” Moser has said many times he doesn’t recruit five-star recruits or players who’ll play one year before darting for the NBA. Instead, he looks for players who’ll fit his system, who have won championships and who will stay four years to graduate. “I’m not going to sign a kid because some scouting service says he’s one

star higher than this guy,” Moser told me two weeks ago. “I’m going after a certain profile of guy. I want winners. I want athleticism, speed, [a player] that is skilled. I want guys that want to be part of a program. I want guys that want to get an education.” This recruiting class — Paxson Wojcik, Tom Welch, Marquise Kennedy, Keith Clemons and Jalon Pipkins — is exactly what Moser said he looks for. Wojcik, Welch and Kennedy are all listed as three-star recruits on 247sports.com, and Clemons and Pipkins were some of the top junior college players in the country. Clemons won a National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship this past year, while Kennedy, a graduate of Brother Rice High School on Chicago’s South Side, hit a crucial shot to send Brother Rice to the Illinois High School Association regional championship in February. Moser wants winners? Well, he’s got some. Wojcik and Welch also joined Kennedy on the Illinois Wolves — a top-tier local club team coached by former Loyola associate head coach Bryan Mullins’ dad, Mike — so they’re no strangers to high expectations, either. On paper, this class looks like it could be instant-impact. But of the five, only Pipkins has played in a Division I game; he played in 23 for California State University, Northridge before transferring to junior college two years ago. It’s tough to tell just how

Nick Schultz | The Phoenix

Marquise Kennedy (left) and Paxson Wojcik are two of the Loyola men’s basketball team’s five signees for next season.

much of an impact they’ll have. But if what’s on paper translates to what could happen on the court, this could be one talented team next year. Kennedy might be the most talented of the group in terms of scoring. He averaged 23.8 points per game for Brother Rice this past year and shot 60 percent from the floor. But Welch, the 6-foot-8 big man from Naperville North High School in the south suburbs, also has the ability to make some

noise considering he dropped 22.9 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game this season. Couple them with Wojcik’s passing ability, and the “Three Little Wolves” have potential to do big things in their four years at Loyola. Don’t overlook Clemons and Pipkins, though. Given Moser’s track record with junior college transfers — specifically 2017 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Sixth Man of the

Year Aundre Jackson and 2016 second team All-MVC nominee Montel James — they should adjust quickly. I said this was Moser’s most talented recruiting class before Pipkins and Clemons signed. Now, it’s even better. Next year might be about developing seeing as though guard Bruno Skokna will be the team’s lone senior. But the 2020-21 season? If this group stays together, watch out.


16 SPORTS

APRIL 24, 2019

Dear Loyola, please for the love of hockey fans add a hockey team

Abby Schnable | Sports Editor aschnable@luc.edu

It’s crazy the Stanley Cup Playoffs are wrapping up its first rounds. Luckily for me, my hometown team — the St. Louis Blues — advanced to the second round. Just over three months ago, I had the opportunity to cover the Blues while shadowing beat writer Tom Timmermann at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. At the time, the Blues were in last place and it didn’t seem like they’d even have a chance at Lord Stanley’s Cup. Now, after defeating the Winnipeg Jets in dramatic fashion, they’re the 5:1 favorites to win the whole thing, according to Las Vegas betting odds. That experience with the PostDispatch not only made me realize how much I want to go into sports journalism, but also how much fun it would be to cover a hockey team after graduation or even collegiately. The excitement of the Blues also makes me wish Loyola had a hockey team. Imagine all the hype fans pour into the men’s basketball team poured into a hockey team. Fans walking around in maroon and gold hockey jerseys. Buses to the hockey rink to support the “Ice Ramblers.” ChickFil-A handed out before games to get people there. It would just be a lot of fun for people who love professional hockey.

Photo Courtesy of Luke Ignell

Members of Loyola men’s club hockey team celebrate after a goal. Also pictured: just one of the many benefits of having a hockey team maroon and gold jerseys.

Think about it. Chicago fans already go hard for the Blackhawks and a majority of Loyola’s population is from Chicago, so I could totally see them becoming full-fledged fanboys and fangirls for a men’s hockey team — not only Blackhawks fans, but people from other cities as well. Soon-to-be Phoenix overlord Mary Norkol pointed out Loyola has a giant Minnesotan population and they love hockey. “Hell freezes over there for months at a time, so it’s the only thing to do,” Norkol said. Not only would it have a huge

fanbase, but it would also allow for more athletic opportunities. If Loyola Athletics was to take on a men’s hockey team, in order to conform to Title IX, they’d also make a women’s team. That’s two more teams with equal opportunities for men and women. Another reason to add a hockey team is because of Chicago weather. It’s too cold for outdoor sports from as early as September to as late as April. So introducing another indoor sport — even though it’s on ice — would allow for more sports for more fans to go to. One aspect of hockey fans love is the fights that break out among the athletes

from both teams. While a Jesuit school would not endorse fighting, the students definitely would endorse the violent act of dropping gloves. Here’s the bonus: Loyola would already have people wanting to join the team. There are both men’s and women’s club hockey teams, and those players would probably love to play collegiately. I have a friend who’s on the men’s club team and he was actually between Loyola and Saint Louis University (SLU). He was looking at SLU because he’d have a chance to be on the Billikens’ Division I hockey team. While he ended up at Loyola, it was definitely a factor in his decision.

Plus, Chicago has a huge adolescent hockey system already in place, so it’s not like Loyola would have trouble recruiting people out of high school. Sure, there are counter arguments — money and space come to mind — but honestly, there are so many more benefits than consequences. So, Loyola Athletics, please read my column and take this as my official letter begging you to at least consider adding hockey teams for all the reasons above and more. And if nothing else, it would make Loyola more attractive as a school. *wink wink*


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