3-2-12

Northern Iowan t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f n o r t h e r n i o wa’s s t u d e n t - p r o d u c e d n e w s p a p e r s i n c e 1 8 9 2

MARCH 2, 2012

I

FRIDAY

VOLUME 108, ISSUE 41

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Jordan Bancroft-Smithe and KaLeigh White

41.8%

JOHN ANDERSON Executive Editor

28.2%

Kyle Burns and Brendan Thompson

MUSIC

531 votes

27.2%

Trevor Monnier and Beth Monnier

50%

The Northern Iowa Student Government will host a runoff election next week for student body president and vice president after no ticket gained the simple majority required

Smithe and KaLeigh White fell 161 votes short of the 50 percent target with 814 votes, or 41.8 percent of the total vote. Kyle Burns and Brendan Thompson came in second with 550 votes, or 28.2 percent of the vote, and Trevor Monnier and Beth Monnier

BUDGET

CHP: Closing Price Lab an ‘enormous hit’ Members of the College Hill Partnership discuss the impact Price Lab’s closure could have on the neighborhood. < See PAGE 4

TRACK AND FIELD

UNI takes fourth in MVC championships

Regents approve Price Lab closure Danielson,

community discuss cuts

JOHN ANDERSON

The Iowa Board of Regents voted this afternoon to approve University of Northern Iowa President Benjamin Allen’s recommendation to close Malcolm Price Laboratory School by June 30, 2012. The closure now moves onto the state legislature for approval.

Regent Robert Downer abstained from the vote, as he wished to first seek the Iowa Attorney General’s counsel on the legality of the board’s decision. His motion to defer the bill failed to gain a second. The rest of the board members voted in favor of closing the school.

The board’s motion stipulates that UNI must present a progress report with transi-

LINH TA Government Writer

recent recommendation to close Price Lab this summer and the board’s approval of the recommendation Monday.

“It’s not just the decision about Price Lab being closed,” said Cherin Lee, chair of the

When State Representative Bob Kressig (D-Cedar Falls) asked the crowd in the Cedar Falls Community Center whether they thought closing Malcolm Price Laboratory DANIELSON School was a good idea, a loud “no” was roared in consensus.

On Feb. 26, more than 400 Cedar Falls community members packed the Community Center, with many sitting on the floor or standing against walls to hear what Senator Jeff Danielson (D-Cedar Falls) and other elected officials had to say about recent University of Northern Iowa budget cut announcements, namely the closure of Price Lab. Community members also got the chance to voice their concerns over the closure and the effect it will have on the community.

< See NO CONFIDENCE, page 2

< See DANIELSON, page 3

JOHN ANDERSON/Northern Iowan

UNI College of Education Dean Dwight Watson speaks with reporters about pending university cuts in the Great Reading Room on Feb. 23.

tion plans at their April 25-26 meeting at UNI. During the board’s telephonic meeting, Allen emphasized the university’s commitment to being the premiere preK-12 higher education institution in the state

The Panthers walked away with five event titles as they finished the MVC championships in fourth place last weekend.

BUDGET

< See PAGE 8

Executive Editor Board of Regents Tuesday.

In joint session, the The University of elementary teacher education Northern Iowa Teacher and secondary teacher Education Faculty repre- education senates voted 15-1 sentatives took a vote of no in favor of the motion with confidence in UNI President one abstention. The decision Benjamin Allen, Provost comes in the wake of Allen’s

ONLINE

< See ELECTIONS, page 3

BUDGET

Executive Editor

OPINION

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG

Bancroft-Smithe/White and Burns/ for election Wednesday night.

Frontrunners Jordan BancroftThompson on ballot for runoff

550 votes

Ireland’s Grammyaward winning music ambassadors, The Chieftans, will bring Celtic culture to the GBPAC stage this weekend. < See PAGE 6

I

NISG TO HOST RUNOFF ELECTION AFTER NO TICKET GAINS MAJORITY 814 votes

Bringing Ireland to Iowa

CEDAR FALLS, IOWA

of Iowa and among the best in the nation.

“I recognize the uncertainty surrounding the future of the laboratory school creates real anxiety for students and < See BOR, page 3

Ed faculty votes no confidence in Allen JOHN ANDERSON Gloria Gibson and the state

BLUE ZONES

Cedar Falls a finalist for Blue Zones project NISG ELECTIONS

JOHN ANDERSON

Get updates on the runoff elections

Executive Editor

Get up-to-date information and analysis on the NISG runoff elections from people who know NISG. < visit NISGElections.com

INDEX I SPY AT UNI......................2 OPINION............................4 CAMPUS LIFE....................6 SPORTS.............................8 GAMES............................10 CLASSIFIEDS...................11

The city of Cedar Falls is looking to become a greenhouse for human longevity as it seeks to become one of 10 sites that will receive resources and best practices that could develop it into a Blue Zone.

The city hosted the Blue Zones Project Team, a group of individuals spearheading a state initiative to create communities of long-living, healthy and happy people, in the Cedar Falls Public Library

Tuesday morning.

The Blue Zones Project started with the work of National Geographic research Dan Buettner, who traveled to areas of the world where inhabitants typically lived longer and healthier lives to determine what they had in common. Partnering with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the project looks to develop these shared traits – dubbed the “power nine“ – in 10 Iowa cities as part of the Healthiest State Initiative.

JOHN ANDERSON/Northern Iowan

< See BLUE ZONES, page 2

Terry Hogan, UNI vice president for student affairs, cheers along with T.K. at the Blue Zones Project site visit at the Cedar Falls Public Library on Feb. 28.

NEWS

PAGE 2

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EXTENDED WEATHER FORECAST

DATA FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

30% CHANCE OF SNOW

MOSTLY CLOUDY

20% CHANCE OF SNOW

SUNNY

HIGH: 38 LOW: 30

HIGH: 33 LOW: 24

HIGH: 34 LOW: 22

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The Northern Iowan is published semiweekly on Tuesday and Friday during the academic year; weekly on Friday during the summer session, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications.

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COLBY CAMPBELL/Northern Iowan Do you know where this picture was taken? If so, post your answer on the Northern Iowan Facebook page. The winner’s name and the picture’s location will be featured in the next edition of the Northern Iowan. The previous picture, which no one identified, was on the West Gym building.

BLUE ZONES continued from page 1

Cedar Falls is one of the 11 finalists for the project.

The project will pick three or four initial cities by May 1 and will incorporate more cities as it develops.

When it came to stating Cedar Falls’ case for inclusion in the project, Mayor Jon Crews

Secondary Teacher Education Senate, “it’s partly about the process, the data, the people that have been consulted and the people that have not had any part in either supplying data or being consulted.”

Stacey Christensen, the university’s public relations manager, said the action was “very disappointing” but not “surprising.”

“The decisions that the university has made and outlined this past week are difficult for many people, and UNI remains committed to being nationally known for innovative education and for preparing students for a globally competitive world,” Christensen said.

The motion will be taken to the UNI Faculty Senate for consideration, though Lee was unsure when it would be heard, as the senate is currently in special session with Provost Gibson.

The vote may be taken into consideration this Friday afternoon, however, during a special meeting of the entire UNI faculty called by Faculty Chair James Jurgenson after he received a petition signed by 30 faculty members Wednesday morning. The submitted petition calls for a meeting to discuss “cuts that threaten the educational mission of UNI” being carried out “with no faculty input.”

At least 25 percent of the faculty must be present at the meeting, which will be held at 3:15 p.m. in the GallagherBluedorn Performing Arts Center Great Hall, to meet quorum.

had two words.

“We’re ready. We’re the best,” he said.

Members of the Cedar Falls community greeted the team members and discussed why the city should become part of the initiative through breakout sessions and an elaborate skit set in 2020 to show how the community thrived as part of the Blue Zones Project.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

continued from page 1

Managing Editor pollb@uni.edu

SAMANTHA KUENY

HIGH: 43 LOW: 21

NO CONFIDENCE

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Senior Production Typesetter Webmaster

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG | FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

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Email submissions to Executive Editor John Anderson at anderjao@uni. edu.

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Tell us what’s happening on campus. Email submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu.

CORRECTIONS

In the guest column “Open letter to faculty” by Spencer Walrath in the Feb. 28 issue of the Northern Iowan, it was mistakenly reported that $50,000 will be cut from the athletics budget over the next three years. The athletics budget will actually have $500,000 cut over the next three years.

The Northern Iowan strives for complete accuracy and corrects its errors immediately. If you believe the NI has printed a factual error, please call our office at 319.273.2157 or email us at northern-iowan@uni.edu immediately.

CAMPUS EVENTS

Do you want to have an event listed here? Email us at northern-iowan@uni.edu with information about the event to have it featured.

FRIDAY

Joel Anderson, coordinator for the College Hill Partnership, and several University of Northern Iowa students got the community members on their feet as they led them in the Interlude Dance.

“I will tell you, I will think twice before I make fun of the governor and secretary of education again,” Mary Lawyer, Blue Zones Project state director, said after the dance, referring to a February event at which Iowa Governor Terry Branstad joined First Lady Michele Obama and the Interlude Dance’s creators on stage for the dance.

Lawyer highlighted milestones the state has already passed in its attempts to become the healthiest state in the union by 2016, jumping from its status as the 19th healthiest state to the 16th over the course of the last year, according to the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index.

When Joel Spoonheim, director of the Healthways Blue Zone Vitality City initiative, asked the crowd who would be changing Cedar Falls if it was picked for the project, he was met with a unanimous “we are!”

“At the end of the day, one of the most important things for you to realize … is that all of our best efforts, the team up here in front and others, is for naught if there isn’t a resounding ‘we are’ from you every day,” he said.

“THE INVISIBLE WEIGHT OF WHITENESS: THE RACIAL GRAMMAR OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY AMERICA” Sabin Hall Room 002 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, a professor at Duke University, will discuss how racial grammar is used in everyday life.

BIG BANG UNI-DOME 6 p.m.-10 p.m.

This event, which is the last one for Black History Month, is a surprise.

“RIVER TO RIVER” TAPING Lang Hall Auditorium 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

UNI is hosting a taping of Iowa Public Radio’s show “River to River,” which will air Monday, March 5. The show will include discussions about the 2012 presidential election and Iowa’s legislative priorities. The public and students are invited to participate.

SATURDAY

2ND ANNUAL IOWA ASSOCIATION OF POLITICAL SCIENTISTS CONFERENCE Sabin Hall 8:45 a.m. onward The conference will include presentations by various panels presenting research on topics such as state politics, presidential politics, foreign policy and national security. Event is free and open to the public.

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG | FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

BOR continued from page 1

their parents as well as our university students, faculty and staff,” he said. “I want to assure everyone that we are committed to providing the support necessary to make the transition process as smooth as possible.”

The university will work with the Cedar Falls and Waterloo school districts to provide new clinical experiences for education students to replace the current Level II field experiences, which students fulfill at Price Lab. Allen said the institution is looking to expand its Professional Development School model and to adopt a distributed model to provide an “outstanding array of clinical experiences.”

These models will integrate UNI faculty in public schools to support supervision and placement of UNI education students.

“One of the current concerns about faculty teachers is finding the time to supervise and place and model, and if we could offset some of those concerns by having some of our personnel in the schools, that would be very helpful,” said Dwight Watson, dean of the College of Education.

Watson emphasized the importance of proximity for the Level II clinical placements, proposing that such placements may be typically closer to the university while later field experiences would occur farther away.

David Stoakes, the superintendent for the Cedar Falls school district, believes the current Professional Development model, which was implemented three years ago, can be expanded to “easily” handle the number of preservice teachers the districts would have with Price Lab’s closure.

Gary Norris, the Waterloo superintendent, emphasized that the districts have a combined 1,200 teachers students

DANIELSON continued from page 1

“(UNI President) Ben Allen has had to make some tough decisions and I praise his leadership. I think he’s made very difficult decisions,” Danielson said. “I will reserve the right, however, to be critical of the way this process has been handled. We believe the legislature will still be a part of the conversation moving forward, and you need to know that. You still have the opportunity to join together to make your case and let your voices be heard.”

“We were blindsided, and I guess you were too,” said a member of the audience. “But it seems to us that it was a foregone conclusion with the Regents and President Allen to not give us a chance to fight for our school and do what we can to raise money ... we really

could work with, compared to Price Lab’s 50.

“We want to partner to provide UNI students with rich, authentic teacher preparation experiences,” he said. “I am confident that our teacher ed students and the great teacher ed faculty here at the university will always feel welcomed and supported at Waterloo.”

The university also looks to utilize a think tank approach to education research and development involving faculty and staff primarily from the COE, but also incorporating faculty from the other three colleges, both those involved in teacher education and those not. Allen said the university will also make funding arrangements to allow faculty from other universities, practitioners, Department of Education staff and others to participate.

UNI’s research and development will be strengthened by being located in the COE and not in Price Lab, he said.

Allen also said the university would partner with school districts across the state in order to deal with issues specific to different communities, such as potentially partnering with Des Moines and Cedar Rapids to deal with urban issues.

“A lot of areas in western Iowa are not well served by us now, I think, by having the Price Lab school here,” he said.

Allen said the university’s financial realities, including a $5 million deficit it faced at the beginning of the year, influenced the timing of his recommendation.

“The Price Lab school has had a rich history and has impacted the lives of many, and the sense of loss is not to be minimized,” he said.

Allen acknowledged the lack of faculty input sought during the decision-making process, a move he made in an attempt to avoid generating fear, and stated his appreciation for the critical comments made about the approach.

Allen emphasized the importance of incorporating UNI feel cheated by the system (and)

by President Allen. I know he’s got problems, but we really feel like we got the short trip here, and we just want to know, how did this happen? We’re here to fight; we’ll pick up the pitchforks if we have to.”

Lyn Countryman, interim director of Price Lab, was also present at the event and voiced her concern over the transparency of the situation.

“We hear in the newspaper that we might be on the chopping block, and we don’t even get it from the president,” Countryman said. “We get it from the president after we get it from the newspaper. I really have a problem with it.”

The Board of Regents voted today to close Price Lab, an action many of the audience members wanted pushed back or discussed before a vote occurred.

NEWS faculty and staff as the university looks to transition PreK12 students to new schools, UNI students moving to a different type of clinical experience and the changing roles of the faculty in the college.

“We know that for this to be sustainable … we would need to have the guidance and the input and the good thinking of the faculty,” he said.

The Regents spoke in support of Allen and his leadership of the university.

“I know there are lots of folks that disagree with this recommendation, but no one should doubt Ben’s motives or suggest that he has come to these recommendations with anything other than his most earnest consideration of what is best for UNI, our students and the people of Iowa,” said Regent David Miles.

“There should be no joy in the actions we’re taking today, even though I think ultimately they will lead to a brighter future for UNI,” Miles added.

“Rather, this should be a wakeup call to the damage that ongoing cuts to our universities have already caused and to the threat that further cuts pose to Iowa’s future.”

Miles spoke against legislators who continue to cut higher education funding despite the 24-percent reductions in state appropriations UNI has seen over the last four years.

“I decry the shortsightedness of those who do not value public higher education in our state,” he said. “It is time to stop the cuts before it’s too late.”

Craig Lang, board president, voiced his full confidence in Allen and his commitment to making difficult, strategic and courageous decisions at a LANG “critical point” for UNI. “The future of the University of Northern Iowa is in excellent hands,” he said.

PAGE 3

ELECTIONS continued from page 1

closely followed with 531 votes, or 27.2 percent of all cast.

The Bancroft-Smithe/White and Burns/Thompson campaigns move on to the runoff election; students will be able to cast their vote on the Life @ UNI tab on MyUNIverse from 6 a.m.

Tuesday to 6 p.m. Wednesday.

“I kind of wish it had ended tonight,” Bancroft-Smithe said after the runoff was announced Wednesday. “The process is very difficult; it’s physically and mentally draining. But I’m fairly confident we can pull it out in the end. We got 41 percent of the vote, so I’m feeling pretty good about the runoff.”

Burns said his campaign “optimistically” hoped the runoff wouldn’t be necessary, but wasn’t surprised.

“The three tickets were so diverse from one another; they really drew in three different circles of campus,” he said Wednesday. “So now we’ve got to try to tell students there’s another election, why there’s another election and that they do need to vote again. That’s gonna be the big hurdle to overcome, I think, for both us and for Jordan and KaLeigh.”

Though surprised by the results, Trevor Monnier was “relieved” to be done with campaigning. He plans to be “highly involved” on campus next year within the professional science program and the math department.

“I feel like we ran an excellent campaign, and I was a little surprised at the results,” he said.

Last year’s elections also appeared to result in a runoff, but the runoff election never happened after nisgelections.com columnist Trevor Boeckmann discovered an error in the vote counting that actually revealed Spencer Walrath and Ian Goldsmith won the elections. With the simplification of the vote-counting process this year, the election commission had only six ballots to count as opposed to more than 80 last year.

The tickets have already

“To think that the Board of Regents on Monday is going to decide the future of the Lab School by a telephone vote is unconscionable,” Kressig said.

Danielson said he recognized the argument that Level II education students can get their experience at other local schools. However, he believes Price Lab’s involvement in the student teaching experience is still important.

“Here at the local community, one of the problems I’ve had as a senator is (that) I have people from (the) Waterloo Community School District (and) Cedar Falls Community District (and) some of them say we can handle all those students. They can come and do their training. And to them it’s just a simple transaction,” Danielson said. “But my concern as a senator is (that) I have to look at more than just

that. I have to look at why the University of Northern Iowa is valuable to our state, and it is valuable to our state because it is the place where we know how to improve education for the future.”

Another issue discussed was the closure of UNI Museum, which Allen proposed to close

by June 30.

“People have been talking about Price Lab like it’s a separate issue, but the UNI Museum should be connected right with that. ... The students from UNI go to learn. I’d just about guess that everyone from Waterloo and Cedar Falls and the surrounding communities all send children to the UNI Museum.

Where are they going to get that education?” said an audience member.

In the audience was a student from Northern University High who shared her experi-

begun planning their campaigning for the week leading up to the elections, during which they may spend an additional $500 and use $250 of in-kind donations.

“I think our campaign’s already got the coffee machine going, and we’re gonna have a late night tonight planning for the future and this final push,” Burns said Wednesday.

“I’d like to thank Trevor and Beth and Kyle and Brendan for putting on such a civil campaign… it was an honor running with them,” Bancroft-Smithe said.

“I appreciate running with them, I appreciate them pushing us and I appreciate the better person I am now because of what they’ve done in the campaign.”

This year, 1,949 students cast their vote in the election, down from last year’s 2,256-student turnout.

Despite smaller senate, one seat remains unfilled

Following a senate reform bill passed by last year’s student legislature, the number of seats in the elections dropped from 38 to 19 in an attempt to create contested elections. While some constituencies saw multiple candidates vying for spots – the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences had nine names on the ballot for five seats, while the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences had five candidates campaigning for three seats – multiple constituencies had senators elected with votes in the single digits.

The College of Education, which failed to produce a candidate on the ballot, elected Justin Stout with three votes and Kristin Eckman with two. The college’s third spot remains unfilled, as no other candidate received more than one write-in vote. The speaker of the senate can appoint a senator to the seat after the new session begins in April.

Robert Orman was elected to represent interdisciplinary, general studies and deciding majors with three votes, while Raychael Garringer won the other spot with only one vote; all other write-in candidates were ineligible due to their majors. ence as a student from Price Lab. “I alone have entertained over 6,000 hours of Level II field experience students in my classroom,” the student said.

“Through those experiences, I have helped them learn how to succeed. I have cheered them on and encouraged them. I am a part of a laboratory community whose mission is intertwined with the core mission of UNI.” Overall, Danielson said he believes the closure of Price Lab school could potentially harm the educational core of UNI. “Education is the number one issue for our area, and certainly it should be at the top of the list for our state,” Danielson said. “A place like University of Northern Iowa shouldn’t have to decide their core mission is going to be cut.”

JOHN ANDERSON OPINION EDITOR ANDERJAO@UNI.EDU

MARCH 2, 2012

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opinion

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG

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VOLUME 108, ISSUE 41

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Members of the College Hill Partnership on Price Lab closing plans The Malcolm Price Laboratory School (Iowa’s Research and Development School) has been one of the College Hill Partnership’s major stakeholders since the beginning of our organization. Many of the College Hill district’s residents work there as faculty and staff members, many of the district’s children attend school there and many of our student residents do their student teaching there. A university lab school has been located in the College Hill neighborhood for more than 100 years.

The preK through 12 students who attend Price Lab, the UNI teaching students who do their work there and the faculty who teach there are also patrons to the businesses on the Hill. PLS stu-

dents have participated in our many events, and have championed many community betterment projects - radon testing, neighborhood plantings, neighborhood art, and creek and commercial district clean-ups. Price Lab faculty, students and families have been among the leading volunteers for the College Hill Partnership (CHP).

The CHP continues to be appreciative of President Ben Allen and his wife Pat for supporting the College Hill Partnership and improvements on the Hill. They realized early on that the College Hill neighborhood is the “front door” of the university, and supported the formation of the CHP in 2009 to lead the renovation of the College Hill district. President Allen also has remained committed

to the CHP through providing office space and funding part-time student coordinators for the organization because he understands the organization’s work brings great value to the University of Northern Iowa. The CHP has been able to make substantial progress with this support. President Allen was also a leading advocate for the establishment of Price Lab as Iowa’s Research and Development School, which brings further value to the College Hill district and— through its important work— the entire state of Iowa.

The recommendation to close the Price Lab School is an enormous hit to the neighborhood. The Price Lab School has been one the main attractions for families with children to locate in the Hill

area. One of the goals of the CHP has been to maintain a balance of single familyowned homes and renter-occupied units. This will be much harder to maintain with Price Lab’s closure. The majority (60 percent) of neighborhood properties are renter-occupied (College Hill Housing Inventory, 2010). Maintaining a balance between owner and renter occupied tenure is critical to supporting neighborhood vitality. Thus, we fear the great progress that the CHP (partnering with UNI) has made in revitalizing the College Hill district as an attractive place for students and families will be rolled back with the closing of Iowa’s R&D School.

We sympathize with UNI President Ben Allen in his difficult task to make bud-

get cuts at UNI, a situation precipitated by insufficient funding by the state legislature for UNI, the leading preK-12 public higher education institution in the state.

The College Hill Partnership asks that the state legislature recognize the importance and value of Iowa’s R&D School/ the Price Lab School by providing the necessary funding to ensure its long-term work.

Sincerely, Christopher R. Martin, President Gale Bonsall, Vice President Rose Lorenz, Treasurer Jim Stichter, At-Large Member Jill Lankford, At-Large Member Vaughn Griffith, College Hill Arts Festival Liaison

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY Letters may be no longer than 300 words, and may be edited for spelling, grammar, length, clarity and Associated Press conventions. Email submissions to anderjao@uni.edu. Not all submissions will be printed.

EDITORIAL CARTOON

MCT CAMPUS

Don’t forget about senate I might be in the minority, but I love this time of year.

No, not winter (God no), but rather Northern Iowa Student Government election season. By the time you read this, we may all know our next NISG president and vice president, but right now, I’m still caught up with updating my Facebook and Twitter statuses religiously, following what @Panther_Pundit has to say and staying up-to-date on the latest NISGElections. com analysis. Even as I write this, I’m wearing Jordan and KaLeigh t-shirt and button.

But as much I love campaigns, I readily admit that I’m guilty of doing exactly what I’m about to propose we

STEF MCGRAW

mcgraws@ uni.edu

shouldn’t be doing: focusing too little on the senate.

While the presidential campaigns may be more exciting, we have to remember that the senate is the body that makes the majority of the decisions that directly impact students. It passes legislation, approves (or rejects) funding and serves as a voice to address student concerns publicly. As such, we cannot forget about the senate.

Even though the senators

for next year have already been elected, there is more to do than simply voting.

Students need to ensure that they play an active role in keeping senate accountable for its actions.

How can we do this? First, students need to pay attention to what happens at senate meetings. Luckily, this isn’t hard to do. The agenda is posted on the NISG website before each meeting, and the NI live tweets continuously under the account @NIonNISG. Just skim through the agenda to see if anything is of particular interest, and scan the tweets < See SENATE, page 5

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

An alumnus’ thoughts on UNI budget cuts As a former NISG senator, Dean’s List member and graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, I would like to address the members of the current student body and faculty at my beloved alma mater. I have to say that I am not surprised that tough financial and budgetary decisions must be made at this time, and I truly believe that it’s going to get worse before it gets better — not only in Panther Country, but across our great nation. But we’ll address that shortly.

When I first walked onto the campus of UNI in August of 2005, I saw the world at my fingertips: opportunities abounded, friendships were aplenty and my future was right before me for the taking.

But what I realized when I graduated in December 2010 was I had to pay all that back with interest. And $50,000 is a lot to pay back in today’s economy.

But over five years, I saw Russell Hall, the Physics Building/Begeman Hall, Sabin Hall, the McCollum Science Building, Gilchrist Hall (2x), Shull Hall, the McLeod Center, the ITTC (East Gym), the Jacobson Human Performance Complex, the Building and Community Services Center (by the CEEE), the parking ramp and Panther Village all begun, worked on or completed. And I wondered, how

can UNI afford to do all this?

But I turned up the iPod and continued in my apathy.

But then in April 2007 I saw the stats that showed from 1997 to 2007, tuition at UNI increased from $3,100 to $6,200 per student per year, which in effect doubled the debt load for UNI students who wanted to “invest in their future.” All this was happening because over the same period of time the Iowa legislature had cut a total of $100 million in funds to UNI. But I continued to look around and see a thriving campus that was constantly growing; little did I know, it was on borrowed money.

When I look back, I was never advised in any of my classes or by any professor or advisers that I would need to implement a budget, that refund checks are NOT full of free money and that, just because you have a degree, it doesn’t mean its worth the price of the paper its printed on.

The liberal arts core still to my knowledge does not require a money management/budget course, which boggles my mind in this era of “Students First.” And in this culture of instant gratification, that class is sorely needed.

All of this brings me to my point in this op-ed: < See BUDGET CUTS, page 5

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG | FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

opinion

PAGE 5

Social media obsession

SENATE continued from page 4

either during or after the meeting. Far too many students are unaware that these resources are available, and it’s not entirely their fault — NISG needs to do a better job of advertising these.

The good news is that we can already see a trend of this happening. For better or worse, the Relay for Life funding controversy sparked dozens of Facebook statuses commenting on the issue. This shows that even though it took a controversial decision, some students have started taking an interest in what goes on during senate meetings.

And second, students need to communicate their thoughts with their senators. Yes, senators do need to a do a better job — myself included — of communicating with and asking for input from their constituents. But it’s a two-way street.

Students also need to find out who represents them and contact that person if they have any strong opinions on how he or she should vote/has voted.

BUDGET CUTS continued from page 4

We now live a nation that is $15,000,000,000,000 (trillion) in debt. We print money out of thin air and devalue our own currency (see TARP 2008) while borrowing money from China in order to “thrive” as the world’s lone superpower.

Forty-three percent of all Americans spend more than they take in each month, the average amount of student loan debt is $30,000 and the average household has more than $15,800 of credit card debt.

When we live in a nation where we ourselves and our leaders are so irresponsible with our own money, why should we be surprised that one of its own UNIversities is having to make tough decisions to reign in its spending habits?

If UNI is part of the reflection of our culture, then these tough decisions about money and spending are long overdue.

I had to learn the hard way after graduating about how to budget my money, and if that meant working two jobs I hated because I had to pay bills, that’s what I had to do. I had to make

Most senators I know would be delighted to receive feedback from their constituents — I know I was when a student messaged me regarding the Relay for Life decision. Even though this individual was upset about how I voted, I was still overjoyed there was a student who actually paid attention, held me accountable and took action to make sure I was truly looking out for the interests of the students.

What I ask isn’t difficult or time-consuming. It just takes five minutes to skim through the meeting agenda each Wednesday afternoon and five minutes to skim through the tweets each Wednesday night.

And if you have a concern, contact your senator (they are listed on the NISG website, www.uni.edu/nisg). I often hear how senate supposedly does nothing and doesn’t care about the students, but if you really think that, I would hope you take an active role in keeping us accountable.

Stef McGraw is a senior in

philosophy and Spanish from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

tough decisions about what was a want and what was a need — and then figure out what I had to do without because I just didn’t have the money.

The same basic economic principles apply with our alma mater, and because of fiscal mismanagement and irresponsibility in the past, some will lose jobs, others will lose opportunities, and that is worth our anger and our tears. But it still doesn’t change the fact that in order to grow and prosper in the long term, you still have to trim and cut in the short term.

That is a lesson that may not be taught in the halls of UNI, but we still all need to take notes from it, because sooner or later, there will be a test that we all must face. It’s called adulthood and making right decisions, and the faculty of UNI have a great opportunity right now to practice the responsibility they preach to their students by making the tough financial decisions that need to be made.

Good luck, Godspeed and go Panthers!

Sincerely, Jonathan M. Hinton Class of 2010

Whenever I say it, people don’t believe me. They think that I am absolutely crazy. In today’s society, they think I must live under rock. But it’s true. I don’t have a Facebook account.

Making the switch from Xanga to Facebook (never messing with MySpace) back in junior high, I was quick to be on the social media bandwagon. Through high school, I, like most everyone else, became addicted to Facebook. As I spent every idle minute updating my account, I became immersed with the site and let it guide my social life.

Upon graduating high school, however, I felt like it was time to grow up. I figured I had spent enough time writing on people’s walls and updating my status, and I felt that college would bring with it opportunities that would be hindered by a dependence on social media websites. Four years later, I know I made the right choice.

Perhaps other kids enjoy spending so much time in the digital world preoccupied with the happenings of everyone else.

Perhaps knowing what everyone else is doing at all times brings with a feeling of community and belonging. I believe, however, that social media too often detracts from being able to truly experience life.

With the proliferation of sites like Facebook and Twitter, personal interaction is thrown by the wayside in lieu of elec-

NICK KROB nickkrob@ gmail.com

tronic communication. Amazing experiences are turned into 140 character comments. Our identities are defined only by the things we enjoy.

I often go to concerts where I see people taking pictures of themselves and posting them on Facebook while tweeting about how great the show is. In those instances, I realize why I believe social media damages lived experience. If we are enjoying an experience, why must we tarnish it by translating it into the digital realm? When a band plays our favorite song, no longer do we simply enjoy the moment.

Rather, we take out our cameras and record it.

There is a beauty to mystery and anonymity that is lost in a social media-crazed culture.

Sites and phone applications like Foursquare and Find My Friends eliminate any form of distance and allow users to be connected at all times. Yet is this a good thing? Why do we feel that we must constantly be in touch with others? Isn’t isolation sometimes a good thing?

Social media is frequently in the spotlight in regards to issues of privacy. Simply put, people’s propensity to share too much information online often leads to

negative consequences, of which various outlets warn to avoid.

While the warnings from future employers or admissions officers may hit hard with a sense of fear, I believe the issues of social exhibitionism go deeper.

Our society is obsessed with being connected with one another. While this may appear to be a step towards a cohesive planet in which everyone successfully interacts, I can’t help but feel like it is taking us in the wrong direction than we should be going. In connecting with one another, we have lost ourselves.

Humans are incredible creatures that deserve more than a Facebook biography and 140-character tweets. Our lives are more valuable than that.

While social media can undoubtedly strengthen our existence when used in a supplementary way, it is currently being improperly implemented.

We have gotten to the point where we identify ourselves through social media and act in accordance to its power.

Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Instead of allowing Facebook to merely represent who we truly are, we are morphing into the existence our Facebook provides. We are reliant on our social media. It is now who we are.

Nick Krob is a senior in

sociology and criminology from Iowa City, Iowa.

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tehrene firman campus life editor firmant@uni.edu

campuslife

march 2, 2012

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volume 108, issue 41

Rod Library’s Hunger Games are geared to thrill ALEC GLUESING Staff Writer

A warning to University of Northern Iowa students: Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Those registered to enter Rod Library from 7 p.m. to midnight on Friday, March 2 will contend with both threats unknown and their fellow students in a battle of wits, strength and courage — the UNI Hunger Games. Of course no actual danger will be involved, but the spirit of the competition strives to remain true to the literary source material.

The Hunger Games is the first entry in a trilogy of young-adult novels written by Suzanne Collins. The series takes place in a postapocalyptic United States, now known as Panem and ruled by the totalitarian Capitol government. The Games themselves are an annual death match fought between teenagers selected

at random from each of Panem’s twelve districts, organized and enforced by the Capitol. The competition serves as both immoral entertainment and a reminder to the districts of the Capitol’s supreme authority.

The victor of the Games in the novel earns his or her survival, but UNI competitors (or “tributes”) are fighting to win tickets to The Hunger Games’ film adaptation, coming to theaters March 23. The event was organized by a group of volunteers and Rod Library staff members, including Youth Librarian Dr. Yolanda Hood.

“We’ve actually held the Hunger Games on campus for a few years already, but for kids in grades 6 through 12,” Hood said. “This year when previews for the movie were released, we noticed all of our Hunger Games books were being checked out – college students love them

too! So this time they actually get to play themselves.”

In previous years, UNI students volunteered to help organize the event for the younger participants.

Information on the Games’ trials and activities remains largely classified, but participants are advised to bring a change of clothing in addition to their bloodlust.

“There will be some outdoor activities,” Dr. Hood said. “The challenges are both physical and mental – I think we have a good balance.”

As for survival tips, Hood only offers participants a cryptic quote from the novel — “May the odds be ever in your favor.”

Registration for the UNI Hunger Games has seen an overwhelming turnout: the limit of 35 teams (two to four members each) has < See HUNGER GAMES, page 7

Startup Weekend in Des Moines to give young entrepreneurs a platform JACOB STEWART Staff Writer

Dozens of students, young professionals and others are expected to gather this weekend in Des Moines for its third annual “Startup Weekend.” According to their website, Startup Weekends are “54-hour events where developers, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products and launch startups.”

The project has its roots in Seattle, Wa., but has had

spread as far as Kazakhstan.

“It’s an event where people come together from all sorts of different backgrounds,” said Nathan Robertson, a University of Northern Iowa graduate student who is helping organize the occasion.

Robertson said the entire focus of the weekend starts with “a web-based application pitch on Friday — everyone votes on the best idea and teams naturally form on what people want to work on.”

On Sunday night, there is a presentation of all the

projects that have sprung up, and awards are given out by individuals with experience in the entrepreneurship business.

There are also incentives for the attendants to continue work on their projects after the weekend is over.

Meals over the three days are included in the purchase of the ticket, which is $75.

However, UNI students are able to receive a $50 discount by entering the promotional code “student” when they purchase their tickets at www.dsm.startupweekend. org.

MCT CAMPUS

Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams star in Screen Gems’ “The Vow,” which was released in theaters on Valentine’s Day.

‘The Vow’: Cute but empty, like a disturbing metaphor ALEX TOFT Film Critic

Take a kitten: a sweet, adorable kitten that’s all fluff and string-chasing and adorably not pooping in the litter box yet. Now take that kitten, but it’s been stuffed.

It’s still fluffy and adorable, but now it’s in a new way, a stiff, glassy-eyed way; still identical in form, but all the life and the warmth and the pooping has been sucked out of it. “The Vow” is like a stuffed kitten.

I need a drink. You should get one too. This has gotten a bit... weird.

The really amazing thing about the “The Vow” is that it has one foot firmly placed in reality, but, sadly, the other foot is in Hollywood, which is where real things (often) go to die and (not so often) get taxidermied.

“The Vow” recounts the story of Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo’s (Channing Tatum) courtship and marriage, but in a flashback, after a car accident that puts Paige into a coma. When she awakes,

Leo discovers that Paige has forgotten everything about him, and Leo has to win her love all over again. The story is amazing, as it is based on the real story of Kim and Krickett Carpenter, who had a similar incident occur. They later wrote a book about it, which is also called “The Vow.” However, the adaptation process has not been kind; any heart the film has is removed to make room for shoehorned Hollywood romance tropes and pandering to hipsters.

Like a stuffed kitten.

The movie isn’t a total loss, though. McAdams and Tatum do a great job trying to overcome the weakness of the script, but both of them are painfully, manufacturedly “quirky,” and Tatum has a voiceover so dumb it may as well be printed in Courier font across a soft-focus picture of a Ferris wheel or tree. But they are trying, and McAdams especially does a fantastic job of looking alienated or casting meaningful glances at Tatum. < See THE VOW, page 7

The Chieftains to bring Grammy-winning Celtic music to the GBPAC stage OLIVIA HOTTLE Fine Arts Writer

Photo courtesy of Kevin Kelly

The Chieftains, Ireland’s music ambassadors, will be performing their Celtic music at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center.

On March 3, the sounds of Celtic music and the smell of traditional Irish food will fill the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center as it hosts Ireland’s music ambassadors, a Celtic group called The Chieftains.

The group, which has won six Grammys and one Academy Award, is celebrating their 50th anniversary as

a band.

“I think they’re one of those groups that, when you would hear some of the music, you’d be like, ‘Oh! That’s who that band is,’” said Janelle Darst, director of marketing and operations for the GBPAC. A pre-show reception will occur at 6 p.m. in the lobby before the show starts at 7:30 p.m. For $18, the public can enjoy traditional Irish food, including Irish soda bread,

corned beef and specialty beers.

Even thought there is a cost for the pre-show reception, students can attend the performance at no charge if they use one of the two free GBPAC tickets they are given every semester.

“I think one of the best things about being on this campus is you can experience things that you wouldn’t < See THE CHIEFTAINS, page 3

[

campuslife

northern-iowan.org | friday, march 2, 2012

arts+entertainment friday

saturday

sunday

MUSIC

THEATRE

MUSIC

MUSIC

FOOD

< 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m. < @GBPAC lobby < Members of the UNI Cantorei, Wind Symphony and Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra will collaborate under the direction of conductor John Len Wiles to present Bach’s “Jesus, nahm zu sich die Zwölfe.”

< 7:30 p.m. < @Strayer Wood Theatre < free for UNI students

< 8 p.m. < @The Lampost < free < Come and hear new jams, fresh grooves and old favorites as this band rocks the house in their acoustic, alternative fashion.

< 9 p.m. < @The HuB < $15 day of show; $12 in advance < Will perform hits from Journey, REO Speedwagon and Styx.

< 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. < @Hartman Reserve Nature Center < $8

BACH CANTATA SERIES

DYING CITY

GRINNING MATCH

Do you have a relationship question for Anthony and Katie? Email it to firmant@uni.edu.

ARCH ALLIES

FARIHA AFZAL

relationship advice strength and confidence and that’ll strike a chord. Some parents just can’t accept the fact that their child is with someone else and they’re just going to have to accept that, so all you can do is stand your ground and make clear why you are such a wonderful candidate to add to the family.

In that, don’t approach the situation as a battle either. Go in with the best positive attitude you can muster without it being synthetic. What do you have to lose? If they react positively, you’re golden, and if they react negatively, they need to get over themselves. If they react negatively and your significant other immediately breaks up with you, they had issues to begin with. Just show them why it’s great to be with their child and you’ll be fine.

Relationship Columnists

What’s your advice on meeting parents for the first time?

He said: All parents have some sort of apprehension about meeting the new guy or girl in your life. They want what’s best for their child, so naturally they are going to be skeptical — we know this. No two parents or sets of parents are alike either, so it’s really hard to say what exactly to do because it will never go the same way twice.

Some parents will greet you immediately with open arms as soon as you walk in the door, and others will meet you with immediate skepticism and will not hesitate in voicing it.

The only real thing you can do is not try to impress them with anything that isn’t true, because it will just come back to haunt you and create an immediate first strike. It sounds cliché, but all you can be is yourself. I mean, that’s why your significant other is with you. What makes you yourself keeps him or her with you (unless you’ve been lying the entire duration of the relationship; then you’re screwed).

By being yourself, the parents really don’t have a choice but to eventually accept you. You’re showing

THE CHIEFTAINS continued from page 6

ordinarily try,” Darst said.

“I think students are used to going to a movie, they’re used to going to a football or basketball game, but, you know, the opportunity of having a world-renowned Celtic group here on campus is really a pretty cool thing.”

The Chieftains have been a group that has been

{

The Chieftans

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Staff Writer

She said: When meeting parents for the first time, it’s important to be yourself, but what’s more important is that you’re polite, attentive and enthusiastic. Not that you’re not all of these things now, but you just need to make sure you’re an enhanced version of yourself — very engaged in the conversation and completely on your best behavior. I know that sounds weird, but sometimes we forget that we’re making a first impression and we’ll let one of our not-so-attractive

traits show.

This can be an extremely nervous time for some people. Not everyone is an expert at starting conversations or finding things to talk about. If you find this is the case, turn the attention to your significant other. I mean, after all, at this point that’s the only thing you and the parents have in common.

It is guaranteed that they will direct the conversation to you in order to find out what you’re like, what your interests are, what you’re doing in school, etc. This isn’t an interview process, but rather a time to get to know each other. Keep things lighthearted and share with them your goals and things that you enjoy.

Remember that it is always important to ask them questions as well. Nobody wants to have a conversation with someone who is only going to ramble about themselves.

Maybe you could ask them what they do for a living, where they went to college or how they met. I’m sure that through this point in the conversation, you will have found something else that you have in common.

So remember, always be yourself, but make sure you’re using your manners, being polite and saying things like “please” and “thank you.”

Also, find talking points to bring up in conversation as well so they’re not the only ones asking you questions.

sought out by the GBPAC for a long time. Because the group had been touring abroad, touring on the West Coast or not touring at all, the GBPAC was unable to secure their performances in Iowa. However, Darst says that after another try to get the group, everything finally “fell into place.”

“They were going to be in the Midwest, touring was going to work with the dates

and even more exciting that we can have it in March, which is kind of fun because it’s close to St. Patrick’s Day,” Darst said. “It all fits together like a puzzle sometimes when you’re trying to get a group.”

Tickets can be bought at www.unitix.uni.edu or by calling 319-273-4TIX. Students can obtain their student tickets up until the time of the concert.

March 3

|

7:30 p.m.

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GBPAC

To order tickets, visit www.unitix.uni.edu or call 319-273-4TIX.

}

MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL

Kappa Sigma to host ‘Dodging for Diabetes’

He said, she said: ANTHONY MITCHELL & KATIE HUNT

]

page 7

Students will dodge, duck, dip and dive for diabetes this weekend during Kappa Sigma’s fourth annual “Dodging for Diabetes” this weekend.

The event, which takes place on March 4 in the upper courts of the Wellness and Recreation Center from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., will bring forth dodgeball teams in the area who will fight it out until only one team is

HUNGER GAMES continued from page 6

already been reached, with an additional 18 teams being held on a waiting list.

“If this is successful, we could definitely expand it

THE VOW continued from page 6

There are some surprising moments where the film doesn’t take the easy way out or hits upon a charming line or thought from

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left standing.

Kappa Sigma hopes to raise up to $2,000 this year.

Teams will consist of six to eight people and the entry fee is $5 per person. All of the proceeds will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to find a cure for America’s fastestgrowing health problem — diabetes.

For more information about “Dodging for Diabetes,” visit the group’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kappasigmauni. to accompany more teams,” said Dr. Hood. “Of course, it’s all dependent on what resources we have; finances as well as volunteers. We would love to hold another Hunger Games for the next movie release!” its characters, but it can’t redeem the movie for its need to appeal to as wide an audience as possible, and thus can’t really engage at all. You can’t fool anyone with a stuffed kitten.

BRAD EILERS SPORTS EDITOR EILERSB@UNI.EDU

MARCH 2, 2012

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VOLUME 108, ISSUE 41

BRAD’S SPORTS BLURB

Panthers look to finish the basketball season on a high note some key stats:

Photo: ERIC CLAUSEN/Northern Iowan

SHOT SELECTION

First 11 games of the season: 45.9% shooting overall; 41.8% shooting on 3-pointers Last 20 games of the season: 42.6% shooting overall; 38.1% shooting on 3-pointers

First 11 games of the season: Allowed an average of 57.4 points per game on 41.8% shooting

DEFENSE

Last 20 games of the season: Allowed an average of 64.6 points per game on 45.1% shooting

65

Magic Number: The Panthers are 13-4 when scoring at least 65 points

BRAD EILERS Sports Editor

After starting the season 10-1 and possessing one of the top RPIs (Rankings Percentage Index) in the country, the University of Northern Iowa men’s basketball team seemed poised to make their sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last nine years. However, since their Dec. 19 victory over Division-III Loras College, the Panthers are just 9-11 overall and 9-9 in Missouri Valley Conference play.

UNI’s recent struggles have forced them into their current situation, where they will be forced to win three games

and are a mere 6-8 when scoring less than 65 points.

The Panthers are 16-5 when holding opponents under 65 points and are 3-7 when allowing 65 points or more.

in three days during Arch Madness to have a shot at an NCAA Tournament bid. The Panthers’ quest for an MVC Tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA Tournament starts Friday at 2:30 p.m. when they square off with the Illinois State University Redbirds. MVC Tournament games can be seen on MVC TV, Comcast Sportsnet and CBS. While the Panthers (19-12, 9-9 MVC) certainly don’t face an easy road this weekend in St. Louis, I still think they can make a run for the MVC championship if they play like they did at the start of the season.

In the opening month of the season, the Panthers secured a road

MEN’S BASKETBALL

FOLLOW @NISportsLive on Twitter for LIVE updates from the MVC Tournament victory over perennial Colonial Athletic Association powerhouse, Old Dominion University. They won the South Padre Island Invitational, winning four games in six days, including winning back-to-back days on a neutral court. UNI knocked off NCAA Tournament-bound Iowa State University in hostile Hilton Coliseum.

Plus, they beat the University of Iowa, which has been better than expected

this season, by 20 points at home.

Throw in a victory over Colorado State University, who currently has the No. 28 RPI in the nation, and the Panthers played some fantastic basketball in the opening month of the season.

What were UNI’s keys to success during that stretch? Good shot selection and fundamental defense.

In the Panthers’ first 11 games they shot 45.9 percent from the floor and 41.8 percent from 3-point range.

On top of that, UNI made at least 23 field goals in seven of their first 11 games. In the 20 games since that < See BLURB, page 9

TRACK AND FIELD

Tuttle named MVC Track and field finishes fourth Freshman of the Year and sixth in MVC championships BRAD EILERS

Sports Editor

Four University of Northern Iowa Panthers have earned All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for their respective performances this season, highlighted by Seth Tuttle earning the MVC Freshman of the Year award.

Tuttle, a freshman center from Sheffield, Iowa, started every game for the Panthers (19-12, 9-9 MVC) this season and averaged 9.4 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game while recording three double-doubles.

He became the first freshman in the MVC history to lead the conference in shoot-

ing percentage; Tuttle shot an astounding 65.8 percent this season. Tuttle is just the second Panther in the history of the UNI men’s basTUTTLE ketball program to be named MVC Freshman of the Year.

Joining Tuttle with AllMVC awards were freshman point guard Deon Mitchell, junior guard Anthony James and sophomore forward Chip Rank.

Mitchell played in all 31 games this season, starting 21 of them, and averaged < See TUTTLE, page 9

MAT MEYER Sports Writer

The University of Northern Iowa track and field team hosted the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships last weekend in the UNI-Dome. UNI walked away with five different event titles by the end of the meet on Sunday.

UNI’s Carlos Anderson (60 meter dash) and Justin Romero (shot put) were able to defend their conference titles, and the women’s 4x400 < See TRACK, page 9

JUSTIN ALLEN/Northern Iowan

UNI senior Daniel Gooris (pictured) set a new personal best in the pole vault by clearing 16 feet, 8.75 inches.

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG | FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

BLURB continued from page 8

point the Panthers have shot just 42.6 percent from the floor and 38.1 percent from beyond the 3-point arc while making 23 or more field goals just nine times.

In UNI’s first 11 games they allowed an average of 57.4 points per game on 41.8 percent shooting. However, in the past 20 games, the Panthers have allowed an average of 64.6 points per game on 45.1 percent shooting.

The magic number for the Panthers this season appears to be 65. The Panthers are 13-4 when scoring at least 65 points and are a mere 6-8 when scoring less than 65 points. On the opposite side of the ball, they are 3-7

TUTTLE continued from page 8

7.1 points per game for the Panthers. Mitchell’s performance earned him a spot on the MVC All-Freshman team with Tuttle.

James was an honorable mention for the AllMVC team after leading the Panthers in scoring this season with an average of

TRACK continued from page 8

meter relay team was able to come away with a first-place finish for the second year in a row.

The UNI men finished fourth in the team race with a final score of 106 points, and the women finished in sixth with a score of 72. Southern Illinois University took home the win for the men’s side with 142.5 points, and Missouri State University grabbed the victory with a score of 132 points for the women.

UNI recorded new personal bests in the pole vault for both the men’s and women’s events. Jenna Wexter improved her record by clearing 13 feet, 1 inch and earned All-MVC honors. Daniel Gooris recorded a new personal record by clearing 16 feet, 8.75 inches. Gooris also improved his time in both the 60-meter hurdles and the 1000-meter.

The Panthers dominated the men’s 60-meter dash as they took the top three spots in the race. Anderson took first place with a time of 6.82 seconds and was closely followed by Jarred Herring, who finished with a time of 6.83. Panther Derek Kremer came in third with a time of 6.95 seconds to help give UNI some momentum in the meet.

“It’s important, and we need those fire starters that help spark momentum for our team,” said UNI head coach Dan Steele of his team’s performance in the 60-meter dash.

when allowing opponents to score at least 65 points and are 16-5 when holding opponents under 65 points.

While the Panthers have not won three straight games against MVC opponents at any point this season, I still think they can do it in St. Louis. If UNI can shoot the ball well and play the type of lock-down defense they are capable of they can beat anyone in the MVC. That just means that one question remains: Which UNI team will show up?

The one that has struggled down the stretch, or, the one that dominated opponents to start the season?

If it’s the latter of the two, I like the Panthers’ chances to be dancing in the NCAA Tournament.

13.3 points per game. James scored in double digits 21 times this season.

Rank was named to the MVC’s All-Bench team, which honors the top role players in the conference.

Rank averaged 6.2 points per game and 2.8 rebounds per game this season while starting just one game for the Panthers.

UNI’s senior shot putter, Romero, entered the meet holding the conference title from last year. After a careerbest throw of 18.05 meters, he walked away with the MVC title for the second year in a row to help the Panthers in the meet.

“Getting a conference title as a senior feels really great,” said Romero. “We were competing today and scoring twice as many points as we were expecting.”

The men’s 4x400 meter relay team fought through a close race to come away with the Panthers’ last victory of the meet. The three freshmen in the Panther lineup - Jordan Guske, Aaron Stockstell and Marshall Hill - helped the team record the winning time of three minutes, 16.33 seconds, but it was UNI’s Sheldon Magee who got a step on Illinois State University right at the finish line to ensue the victory for the Panthers.

The Panther women followed suit and closed the meet with a victory of their own in the 4x400 meter relay for the second year in a row.

They edged Indiana State University by more than a second to finish with a time of three minutes, 43.57 seconds.

“I’m really pleased with both the men’s and women’s teams,” said Steele. “I think we have an exciting, bright future for our team.”

UNI will return to action when they travel to South Bend, Ind., to compete in the Alex Wilson Invitational on March 3.

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WRESTLING

NCAA West Regional predictions MATTHEW BLUMBERG Sports Writer

On March 3, the University of Northern Iowa wrestling team will host the 2012 NCAA West Regional tournament at the McLeod Center. The tournament will feature the seven squads associated with the Western Wrestling Conference. This is the first step for many wrestlers as they hope to garner All-American honors or even the distinct recognition of being a national champion.

The WWC boasts many highly ranked wrestlers. Many of the weight classes are open, presenting opportunities for many wrestlers to make their way to the NCAA Tournament held in St. Louis.

At 125 pounds, the WWC features No. 18-ranked Michael Martinez from the University of Wyoming and No. 19 Trent Sprenkle of North Dakota State University.

However, one cannot count out UNI senior Cruse Aarhus as he has had a very solid year and has some big wins under his belt. My predicted winner is Martinez.

No. 5-ranked Joe Colon of UNI headlines the 133-pound weight class in the WWC. Colon is coming off recent wins over ranked wrestlers, and former No. 1-ranked Devin Carter. However, you can’t count out another Wyoming wrestler, No. 15-ranked Zach Zehner, who could challenge Colon in this weight class. My prediction is Colon.

The WWC does not have any wrestlers ranked in the top 20 at 141 pounds but features a competitive weight class. UNI will be represented by Levi Wolfensperger, who could meet up with Wyoming’s Chase Smith in the finals.

I think Smith will take this wide-open race at 141 pounds.

Cole VonOhlen of the Air Force Academy headlines a tough class at 149 pounds.

VonOhlen is ranked No. 3 and will likely meet up with No. 15-ranked Josh Wilson of Utah Valley University. UNI will likely be represented by Ryan Jaunch, who will look to build upon his 17-10 record. I predict VonOhlen to win this one.

No. 17-ranked David Bonin will represent UNI at 157 pounds where the WWC features two top-20 wrestlers. No. 11-ranked Steven Monk of North Dakota State lost to Bonin in their dual earlier in the year and they will likely meet again in the finals. I’m taking Bonin in the 157-pound weight class.

Wyoming will be represented by another ranked wrestler, this time by No. 3 Shane Onufer at 165 pounds. However, No. 10-ranked

ERIC CLAUSEN/Northern Iowan

The UNI wrestling team will be hosting the NCAA West Regional tournament in the McLeod Center on Sunday.

This is the first step for wrestlers who hope to make the NCAA Tournament and garner All-American honors.

Gabe Burak of the University of Northern Colorado will look to challenge Onufer. Barak will present the best opportunity for Northern Colorado to crown a champion at the West Regional. Riley Banach of UNI will also be in the mix. My pick is Onufer.

At 174 pounds, the WWC does not feature any ranked wrestlers. Omni Prestidge will represent UNI, and I’m picking Patrick Martinez of Wyoming to win this weight class.

No. 1-ranked Joe LeBlanc of Wyoming will come to the McLeod Center where he will look to square off against No. 8 Ryan Loder of UNI in the finals. This is the most anticipated matchup of the day as both wrestlers look to earn All-American honors in the NCAA Championships, if not a national title. I’m picking Loder.

Taylor Kettman will represent UNI at 197 pounds. The WWC boasts No. 9-ranked Alfonso Hernandez of Wyoming, who will continue the strong presence of his fellow Cowboy wrestlers. I’m taking Hernandez in this weight class.

There are no ranked wrestlers at 285 pounds. However, Blayne Beale will look to qualify for his first NCAA Championships as he hopes to remain undefeated in conference duals at 285 pounds for the Panthers. I think Beale will stay undefeated against WWC competition and will win this weight class.

The WWC will be well represented in the NCAA Wrestling Championships and will likely crown many All-Americans. UNI hopes to add to that number through the crowning of multiple champions at the West Regional.

The tournament is slated to begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. in the McLeod Center.

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brandon poll managing editor pollb@uni.edu

fun & games

march 2, 2012

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northern-iowan.org

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page 10

volume 108, issue 41

67 Balmoral attraction

By Frank Virzi

Across 1 Stands 7 Load in a basket 11 Label 14 Busts 15 Potent introduction?

16 Nabokov novel 17 Source of mints, at times 19 With “on” and 59-Across, a hint to the theme hidden in three places in this puzzle 20 7-Across destination, eventually 21 New York City’s __ River 22 Chowderhead 23 They often accompany stretches 25 “I Loves You, Porgy” and others 26 House on TV, e.g.

30 Poker star Hansen 31 River from the Cantabrian

COMICS

Mountains 32 Invasion leaders of the ‘60s 39 It prohibits illegal search and seizure 41 The recent past 42 Huit + trois 43 __-Aztecan languages 44 Buyer, in legal usage 46 Love 49 Roundup need 52 Zoom 53 Sub 54 Once and again 59 See 19-Across 60 Subject of a 1922 archaeological discovery 62 Santa __ winds 63 One who often doesn’t pick up?

64 Some chickens 65 Craving 66 Show closers, perhaps

Down 1 Start of a tots’ song 2 1922 physics Nobelist 3 “__, old chap!”

4 Taj Mahal topper 5 Developmental stage 6 Prescott-to-Tempe dir.

7 Smith attendee 8 Round up 9 Hissy fit 10 Went underground 11 Attraction near U.S. 395 12 Go with the flow 13 Jenga and jacks 18 Remote letters 22 Broom alternative 24 Prefix with -pod 25 Pair 26 Challenge 27 Clarinet cousin 28 French vineyards 29 Agony 30 Blues and others 33 It’s cut and dried 34 Morph ending 35 Emmy-winning Arthur 36 Provided temporarily 37 Auto designer Ferrari 38 Prank ending 40 Head of Québec 45 Lepidopterous opponent of Godzilla 46 Orderly grouping 47 “Tell It to My Heart” singer Taylor 48 Expanse with crests 49 Reveal 50 Most Syrians 51 Cain was the first 53 Dance with flowing gestures 55 Distance 56 “__ a man with seven wives” 57 Forearm exercise 58 Start of Massachusetts’s motto 60 Medicine amt.

61 “Original, crispy or grilled?” co.

Answers in Classifieds, Page 11.

HOROSCOPES

By Nancy Black Tribune Media Services (MCT) Today’s Birthday (03/02/12).

A quick pace moves you through this next year, with community projects flourishing and financial decisions to make.

Donate skills and talents rather than money. A new home or relocation could develop after June; choose lower payments.

Enjoy domesticity.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -Today is a 7 -- Mercury enters your sign today, bringing communication confidence. The next two days are good for making changes at home. Stick to the core message. Replenish reserves.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Listen and learn. Your concentration’s especially keen. You’re earning admiration from someone you respect. Keep a low profile this evening to recharge.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Choose to learn skills by which you can profit. Social networking opens doors. Brevity is the heart of elegance. Do what works. Keep your word. Watch the bottom line.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Someone’s paying attention; accept their love fully. Balance studies with socializing. Your words have power today, so use your charm for good.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Education looks good on you, and you can’t get enough. You can find a great opportunity. You’re an intellectual warrior in the fun zone.

Go ahead and make plans.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You’ve got great ideas for home improvement, with action and intellect lined up around creativity and romance. Light candles and have a dinner party. Get artsy.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -Today is an 8 -- Show respect and gain love. Your charm captivates. Put it in writing, and send it out. Keep the deadlines, play by the rules,and new bonus opportunities arise.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Your selfdiscipline is impressive. You’re getting more attractive and others are taking notice. How will you use your charm?

Think long term.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 6 -- You’re being pushed to take action. Meditation clears up the doubts and makes it easier to make a decision. Don’t discuss personal matters yet.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Go over the instructions again. There’s a tendency to want to do it all at once, which could be challenging. Let other people help.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Figure out new ways of making money, and get into the action without delay. Find a quiet space where it’s easier to concentrate. Get some rest.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -Today is a 7 -- Words of love flow with extra ease today. Say it with flowers, maybe, to add color to the poem. Share music that speaks your heart with your muse.

classifieds

Brandon Poll Managing Editor pollb@uni.edu

MARCH 2, 2012

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NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG

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FOR SALE / FOR RENT

FOR SALE / FOR RENT

HELP WANTED

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266- 5544, 273- 6264

Help wanted: Olive Garden, 1315 East San Marnan Drive, Waterloo. Servers, bussers and to-go specialists. Apply online at www. olivegarden.com.

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Call 231- 2242 110 North College ST. 3 bedroom duplex. Central air, garage. $900 per month. Available May 1st. No pets. Call 231- 2242 2 bedroom apartment close to campus. Clean and nice. Reasonable rent, responsible landlord, off-street parking. No smoking, no pets. 12 month lease begins June 1st. Call Dennis 232- 6819

1 BR. available January. Most utilities included. Cats allowed.

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3 bedroom apartment at 620 West Seerly. Small basement unit. $800. On site laundry, off-street parking. 277- 8719 1221 College Street. Large 3 bedroom house. $1100. Laundry, garage. 277- 8719 3 bedroom suite $875/MO. plus utilities. Free laundry, off-street parking, A/C. Each tenant has own kitchen. 269- 1743

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Nice 4 bedroom duplex. Available June 1ST. Two blocks to UNI. $1280/MO. Free laundry, dishwasher, central air, off street parking and garage. No pets/no smoking. 319- 231- 0517

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Rooms for rent in 4 bedroom house until May 1ST. $350/MO. per person. 319- 239- 4246. Leave message.

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Position open until filled. Apply to: Superintendent, Jesup Community Schools, P.O. Box 287, Jesup, IA 50648-0287. EOE/AA

4 bedroom house for rent in quiet neighborhood. Close to campus and College Square. 1.5 bath, with garage. 1300/MO. plus utilities. 319- 239- 9077. Available June 1ST.

Ultimate Entertainment, Iowa’s Largest Mobile DJ service, is looking for 2-6 new DJ’s for this coming wedding season. Some experience would be helpful, but you will be well trained. We need people with PERSONALITY and music knowledge. You must be able to read a crowd and customize your delivery and music choices to best fit the event. Applicants must be at least 21 and will be in town for summer of 2012.

Call 319-266-0717 or email at ultimate@cfu.net.

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319- 239- 2135 2 & 3 bedroom apartments.

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2, 3, 4 bedrooms. No pets. June 1st lease. Call 712- 358- 0592 1, 2, 3, 4 bedroom units, 10 minutes north of Cedar Falls. Security gated complex. Some utilities/cable paid. $400-800/MO. www.hildebrandrentals.com.

319- 352- 5555 4 BR. duplex. 610 Iowa Street. $900/MO. 319- 236- 8930

Single bedroom unfurnished apartments available on-campus in Hillside Courts. Must be grad student or 23 or older, or married or veteran. 319- 273- 6232 weekdays or www.uni.edu/dor link to housing: apartments

Stop In And Get Pre-Approved…

If you are a student at UNI or work for UNI, are an employee of the Cedar Falls School system, or are an employee or retiree of MidAmerican Energy, or a family member of any of the groups—YOU QUALIFY to become a member of UNI Credit Union.    

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Answers to Games Page

Come Home To The Villas

MISC

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2115 Walnut - Washer/Dryer on-site - Spacious apartments - Off-Street parking

Subleaser needed for studio apartments. Three blocks from campus. $525/MO. Available now until May 5th. 319- 230- 7759

Avoid Sticker Shot

Earn $1000-$3200 a month to drive our brand new cars with ads. www.AdCarPay.com

Large 4 bedroom apartment $1,175/MO. plus utilities. Free laundry, off-street parking, A/C. 269- 1743

For rent: 4 bedroom duplex.

Quiet neighborhood, off street parking, W/D. Nice. $1200/MO. 319- 240- 8278

VOLUME 108, ISSUE 41

Make a DIFFERENCE! Be a CAMP COUNSELOR! Friendly Pines Camp, in the cool mountains of Prescott, AZ, is hiring for the 2012 season, May 26 - August 1. Activities include horseback riding, waterskiing, canoeing, ropes course and more. Competitive salary, room and board, travel stipend. To apply, contact Sylvia at sylvia@friendlypines.com or 1- 888- 281- CAMP. Be part of something AMAZING, and have the summer of a lifetime!

Help wanted. Tony’s Pizzaria downtown Main Street. Hiring servers, cooks and drivers. Go to www.277tony.com. Fill out application and mention The Northern Iowan.

Page 11

Call Tim 319-404-9095 timothy.hoekstra@gmail.com www.cedarvalleyproperty management.com

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classifieds

NORTHERN-IOWAN.ORG | FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2012

PAGE 12

Campus Court Apartments

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