The Spectator

THE SPECTATOR

THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1923 Thursday, Sept. 12

VOL. 92, NO. 2

FALL 2013

FOR EAU CLAIRE HE WILL Singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger visited the UW-Eau Claire campus and played at Owen Park show on Sept. 6 >> NO MORE FEARS page 17

SPORTS

NEWS A PRESTIGIOUS HONOR Marketing professor receives first award of its kind in an old friend’s name

CURRENTS

PAGES 10-14

PAGES 1-7

PAGES 15-18

ALL IN THE FAMILY

HER NICHE

Senior women’s soccer captain Happy Otherwise visits The Allie Stone is no stranger to Cabin; expresses a unique success in collegiate sports art form

>> page 2 Daily updates, breaking news, multimedia

www.spectatornews.com

>> page 11 THIS WEEK ON

>> page 15

OP / ED PAGES 19-22

DECISIONS, DECISIONS Staff Writer Rachel Streich argues for living on-campus as an upperclassman

>> page 19

Which is a more productive living space for students — on- or off-campus?

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD AT www.facebook.com/spectatornews

Exclusively this week on Spectatornews.com SPORTS: Women’s soccer are still undefeated after T 0-0 at St. Olaf (Minn.) on Wednesday.

OP / ED: Ryan Spaight reflects on the patriotism 9/11 inspires and might always be very productive.

STUDENT LIFE PAGE 24

RIPPIN’ THE CHIP UWEC Waterski and Wakeboard team continues will river action into October

>> page 24

Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter (@spectatornews) for exclusive, up-to-date content!

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR: Steve Fruehauf

2

Thursday, Sept. 12

receives first Tomkovick award THE SPECTATOR Lester Human resources professor earns teaching award from colleague, friend

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Cori Picard STAFF WRITER

“I don’t think I’ve met anyone like Chuck.”

Scott Lester has been a management and leadership professor at UW-Eau Claire for 16 years. When he started working here, he met fellow management and marketing professor Charles (Chuck) Tomkovick.

“He was here when I first started teaching, so we became close friends,” Lester said. “He was amazingly upbeat, but sincere. He was always excited, but it was always genuine.”

Before Tomkovick’s passing in July, he established the Chuck Tomkovick University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Management and Marketing Teaching Excellence Award. Tomkovick personally chose Lester to be the first recipient.

The award, which Lester won in August, includes a plaque and a $500 monetary gift.

Recipients of the management and marketing award must demonstrate a passion for teaching, connection to alumni and a commitment to servant leadership, as well as being a professor in the management and marketing department, according to a press release sent out by the College of Business.

Jessica Niesing, a 2010 graduate and one of Lester’s former students, wasn’t surprised to hear her human reLESTER

sources professor won such an award.

“I had Scott for my advanced human resource management class and he was also my advisor,” Niesing said. “The course was mostly student led but he was so willing to help and you could tell he wanted us to succeed.”

Niesing worked several jobs after graduating but returned to her alma mater to work in the university’s human resources department and said she gets to see Lester from time to time.

“I definitely think he’s a great recipient for this award,” Niesing said. “He always has his students’ best interests at heart.”

Lester is the faculty advisor for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), was the 2010 recipient of the UW-Eau Claire Excellence in Scholarship award and was recently presented with the 2013 Sister Joel Read Civic Engagement Practitioners Award for the service he and the students in his community leadership course provided to Eau Claire.

“Chuck was very passionate and committed to his students and I try to be as well,” Lester said. “When I think of Chuck, I think of the gold standard of teaching. I don’t even think I’m in the ballpark with him.”

Tomkovick taught graduate and undergraduate marketing courses at the university for approximately 21 years. He led seminars for entrepreneurs and small business owners through the university’s office of continuing education and was a charter member of

the UW-Eau Claire Network for Excellence in Teaching Council.

Tomkovick knew he always wanted to start some kind of scholarship program but decided a teaching award would benefit many students and faculty, not just one student, Lester said.

TOMKOVICK The award is funded by donations. Future recipients will be chosen by a committee made up of Tomkovick’s family, colleagues and former students. Lester will be the first and only recipient to be specifically chosen

by Tomkovick.

“The fact that he appreciated what I did and saw something in me and that he felt he wanted to have my name be associated with his award, it just meant a lot,” Lester said. “It’s really special because from here on, he won’t be picking who receives the award, so knowing he made the choice, it’s incredible.”

Lester said his Tomkovick award is his most meaningful, professional award to date.

If you would like to make a donation towards the Dr. Charles Tomkovick fund, they can be made through the UW-Eau Claire Foundation.

Picard can be reached at picarcf@uwec.edu.

$750,000 grant awarded for research

Materials science professor and team of students begin five year project Brittni Straseske COPY EDITOR

Receiving a $750,000 five year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy is somewhat like winning the scientific lottery.

Matthew Jewell of the materials science department hit that jackpot this summer, receiving a grant to do research with undergraduate students for five years.

A typical grant lasts only two to three years, so receiving one of this size and for this long of a period is significant, Jewell said.

“That’s going to give us an opportunity to create a sustainable research program and really impact a lot of student researchers,” he said.

The professor and various students in the research group will spend the next five years enhancing superconducting magnets.

Superconducting magnets are used in MRI equipment. The magnetic field is what allows doctors to capture images of body tissue.

They are also used in research on atoms. To use the magnets, they must be cooled to very low temperatures.

In recent years, that cool-

ing process has changed, Jewell said. They are now able to be cooled with liquid nitrogen, which is more abundant and cheaper than liquid hydrogen, which was previously used.

What hasn’t been explored, and what Jewell and his team are focusing on, is how magnets react to the nitrogen superconductor.

Their research will show how to change the magnets to make them more resistant to cracking and breaking, senior materials science major Jason Luhmann said.

“It’s feasible that you can make better magnets, stronger magnets that last longer and are cheaper with a method like this,” Luhmann said.

Part of the research involves working with other universities.

Jewell said those are still being set up, but the research team will be both sending materials out for additional testing and receiving materials for experiments. He said he hopes the experience will open doors for his student researchers.

“My hope is to expose the students to those collaborations for a good source of potential internships or jobs,” Jewell said. “And

help them to network and build relationships outside the university.”

While they are still working on this round of research, though, he said students are exposed to the type of equipment scientists and engineers typically use and gain a sense of confidence through independent learning.

Maxwell Dylla, a junior materials science major, said he began working with Jewell as a freshman

Blugold fellow. After helping set up a lab, Dylla transitioned into working on this project.

To read more about Jewell and his grant, go to spectatornews.com Straseske can be reached at strasebn@uwec.edu.

BRITTNI STRASESKE / The Spectator

POLISHING HIS SKILLS: Jason Luhmann, a student researcher, used polishing equipment to show imperfections in superconducting magnets in the lab Monday, Sept. 9.

NEWS EDITOR: Steve Fruehauf

NEWS 3

Thursday, Sept. 12

CAMPUS CALENDAR

English 110 replaced by more tailored courses New, specific courses will match students’ specific skill level, interests Karl Enghofer STAFF WRITER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER High course enrollment, large class sizes, broad concepts and a slow course pace are all criticisms from students and faculty of the former required first-year composition course, English 110.

“It was a horrible experience,” senior Josh Kilde said. He also said the class was “ridiculous and redundant.”

For the past three years, Dr. Shevaun Watson, Director of the University Writing Program, along with the English Department Chair, Dr. Carmen Manning and Blugold Commitment have been creating a new curriculum called the Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing.

“English 110 was kind of a one-size-fits-all model,’’ Watson said.

Drastic changes have been made to the first-year composition course. To fulfill UWEau Claire’s writing requirement, starting this year students will take one of four courses

— Writing 114, 116, 118 or 120.

Each course is specifically designed to meet the composition needs of students as a result of testing into one of the four when taking college placement tests. The courses are geared towards the pace necessary for more WATSON specific success.

Each professor teaching the Blugold Seminar selects a theme, broad topic or overarching question to focus on for each section.

Some sections, for example, are titled, “Monsters,” “Gender: Myths and Truths” and “The World According to Television.” Though the theme is different in each section, all courses share the same course goals — Rhetorical knowledge, inquiry and research, writing craft and digital literacy.

Instead of English 112, which held the advanced placement students, Writing 118 is a two-credit version of the Blugold Seminar compared to the five credits in 114 and 116.

“It is the exact same curriculum gone through at a much faster rate,” Watson said.

No matter what course students are enrolled

in, they all learn from the same textbook, ‘The Blugold Guide.’”

The good news for future Blugolds is that studies show the class is already beneficial.

Watson said, in a three-year-long blind study performed by the English department and Blugold Commitment, freshmen’s self perceptions increased in every category: Writing, Reading, Rhetoric, Self-Assessment, Research etc.

Watson also said that the new curriculum helps students regardless of their major. In the study, she found in the student reviews that the rhetoric learned in the course is used in biology, political science and even music courses down the road.

Jack McCann, a freshman enrolled in WRIT 116 this semester, said he would like a class that fits his writing competency and isn’t too large. He said he wants his first experience in college-level courses to fit his skill level — exactly what the Blugold Seminar is intended to do.

To learn more about the 50 plus course sections, about the professors teaching them or if you are interested in watching an informative video with student interviews, visit www. uwec.edu/Blugoldseminar/.

Wisconsin Senate bill could strip governor of Board of Regents appointment authority COPY EDITOR

Student senate unanimously supported a bill that could give statewide student government a bigger voice in picking UW System student reps at its first meeting of the year, Monday.

Senate supports Wisconsin Senate bill 157 -- a bill that could require the governor to appoint student regent members recommended by UW system student governments.

“I fully support this resolution,” Eau Claire student senator Tyler Will said. “I think this bill going through the senate is going to be great for student governments across the state.”

Currently, the governor isn’t required to appoint student regent members selected by student governments.

State Senator Fred Risser, D-Madison, introduced SB 157 in late April. He said the bill aims to encourage student governments to participate in selecting student regent reps.

“The bill would encourage student governments to make recommendations,” Risser said.

“It would also give the governor a pool of people to choose from.

It’s about encouraging student governments to participate in the political process.”

Governor Scott Walker chose UW-Platteville student Chad Landes to replace former student member Katie Pointer in late August.

Walker initially picked fellow Platteville student Joshua Inglett, but an aide in Walker’s office discovered Inglett had signed a recall petition, and he was replaced with Landis.

UW-Platteville Student Body Vice President Joe Sigwarth said Pointer came to Platteville to encourage students to apply for the open regents spot. He said he helped Inglett fill out his application for the position.

“Josh was pretty upset after he found out he wasn’t picked,” Sigwarth said. “So we met with our state assemblyman and state senator and found out the governor had to appoint someone else from Platteville.”

Rissel said, as the law stands now, the governor can appoint any student in the UW system.

If SB 157 passes, the governor will need to pick from a student government-recommended field of applicants.

Eau Claire student senator

•

•

Jake Wrasse spoke in support of senate’s resolution during Monday’s meeting.

“As the law reads right now, (Walker) is only required to maybe look at the nominations that we put forth,” Student senator Jake Wrasse said. “The law reads the governor may consider

“Student senate supports the bill because it would give student governments more authority...”

BRYAN LARSON

Student Body President

appointments. The bill literally changes the word may to shall.

So whoever we put forth will be appointed.”

Student Body President Bryan Larson said student members are often appointed based on political views, not UW student

government decision.

Students apply for an open student regent slot and student governments recommend applicants to the governor. He said Eau Claire senate didn’t make a regent recommendation this year.

Eau Claire senate supports SB 157 because the bill would give student governments more say in picking regent reps, Larson said.

“Student senate supports the bill because it would give student governments more authority, not as a response to what happened at Platteville,” Larson said.

The Board of Regents is made up of 18 members; 16 are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state legislature. Two of the 16 members are student members serving staggered two-year terms.

State legislators held a public hearing on the bill in late August and it is still under review in the Committee on Universities and Technical Colleges. Eau Claire senate’s passed resolution will be sent to Governor Walker and a slew of Wisconsin state senators.

Beck can be reached at becknc@ uwec.edu.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 12 5 - 6:30 p.m. — Joint student trumpet recital: Jacob Kobberdahl and Quentin Volk, Phillips Recital Hall, Haas 9:30 p.m. — Karaoke, Playmakers Bar & Grill

FRIDAY, SEPT. 13 •

7 p.m. — AMP quiz trivia, entertaining trivia for prizes. Hilltop Center

•

7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. — Eau Claire Farmer’s Market Phoenix Park 9 p.m. — Haunted Chippewa History Tour, James Sheeley House Saloon, Chippewa Falls

SATURDAY, SEPT. 14 •

SUNDAY, SEPT. 15 1 p.m. ­— UWEC Players: “Thieves and Bad, Bad Lies”, Riverside Theatre, Haas Fine Arts Center

•

Enghofer can be reached at enghofka@ uwec.edu.

Senate backs bill giving students more say Nate Beck

NOTABLE EVENTS HAPPENING BOTH ON AND OFF CAMPUS

•

MONDAY, SEPT. 16 10 p.m. — Open Mic Night, Mousetrap Tavern

TUESDAY, SEPT. 17 •

7 - 8 p.m. — Planetarium show, Planetarium, Phillips

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 18 •

5 - 8 p.m. — Former Green Bay Packer autograph party, Heyde Center for the Arts, Chippewa Falls

Foster Gallery “Art Faculty Show” 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Mon. - Fri. 1 to 4:30 p.m. — Sat. - Sun. Runs from Sept. 5 to Sept. 26 Haas Fine Arts Center

IFS Film: “Life is Beautiful” 7 p.m. — Fri. - Sat. 2 p.m. — Sat. - Sun. Runs from Sept. 13 to 15 Woodland Theater, Davies Center

NEWS NEWS EDITOR: Steve Fruehauf

4

Thursday, Sept. 12

Rentals aim to save students money Even with minimal fees, book rental system helps more than it hurts

Steve Fruehauf NEWS EDITOR

Approximately 44,000 textbook rentals are taken out on average during UW-Eau Claire’s fall semester alone, bookstore General Manager Joe Picconatto said. But renting books is nothing new for Eau Claire, the program here has been around in some form for as long as the university has, since 1916.

But something people affiliated with Eau Claire may not know about the program is it’s not exactly free. Students pay a segregated fee of $8.45 per credit until they reach 12 credits as part of their tuition. This money goes directly to keeping the university’s rentals possible.

“Our (segregated) fee covers the ability to rent any book no matter how much all of those rentals would cost,” Picconatto said. “Some students are renting say $1,500 worth of books for that (segregated) fee and other students are renting $250 for that (segregated) fee. It’s very democratic how we run it, everybody gets what they need.”

Picconatto said numbers are starting to vary, but traditionally it’s the nursing students who purchase the most textbooks on campus.

He said it’s possible for nursing majors to have six or seven textbooks in one class so when they are only able to rent one or two of their textbooks, costs can add up.

This isn’t to say there aren’t any benefits to the program. Picconatto said keeping costs low for the most part and having everything in one place makes for a very accessible, very clean textbook process.

“I think our rental program is superior to other rental programs,” Picconatto said. “One of the advantages is it’s all in one place here. If you go to other campuses, like I believe Stout

and La Crosse, you go to one location for your rental books and you go to a separate location for any other books that you need to purchase.”

Senior psychology major and bookstore employee Katie Laudenbach said she thinks there are major advantages to the university’s renting as well. She said it’s a plus when people can avoid a large payment charge because they are able to rent their books instead.

She also said she thinks paying the segregated fee is worth it in the long run. When comparing the cost for the rental program to just buying these textbooks outright, Laudenbach said it’s clearly a better deal than purchasing.

“I think that’s totally fair because, I know that it does say it’s free, but when you think about it, $8.45 isn’t that expensive per credit compared to buying a $300 book that you can’t ever get rid of,” she said. “(Students) could be paying a lot more than they are.”

It seems other schools are catching on to this idea as well. UW-Stout bookstore General Manager Julie Xenos said when students pay their tuition, they ultimately are paying for their textbook rentals as well.

“The only books that (students) have to buy outright would be lab books and every once in awhile, a supplemental literature book,” Xenos said.

Much like those in Eau Claire, Stout students owe a portion per credit. In their case, they have to pay $6.06 per credit until they reach 12 credits. Excluding the tuition payments, Xenos said students will very rarely pay more than $100 out of pocket for textbooks.

“If you are in the art or apparel program or the engineering program, that would be different, because you would have a lot of supplies, she said. “But as far as books that sell, probably a hundred would be average.”

UW-La Crosse does things a little differently. Assistant to the Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance Mike Gasper said La Crosse too has a rental program but instead of paying per credit, they pay a fixed rate of $86.96. When broken down while considering their seven credit minimum, they pay approximately $12.42 per credit.

Whether it be at Eau Claire, Stout, La

Oral historians from around the Chippewa Valley will gather to share stories and provide workshops for community members.

Katy Macek STAFF WRITER

On the weekend of Sept. 13, UWEau Claire’s Davies Center will host storytellers from the Eau Claire area to participate in the Chippewa Valley Storytelling Festival.

Rob Reid, coordinator of the event, said it was held for the first time last year as a one night “concert,” but the turnout of approximately 200 people was more than they had expected. This prompted them to bring back the event again, this time making it even bigger.

“One of the dean’s big goals is to reach out to the community … and invite them onto campus,” Reid said. “This is one way that we’re accomplishing that.”

The event is open to community members of all ages, and families are encouraged to attend as well as stu-

Fruehauf can be reached at fruehasl@uwec.edu

STEVE FRUEHAUF / The Spectator

THE RENTING PROCESS: Students go to the on-campus bookstore in Davies Center to receive a majority of their books for classes, whether that be buying the books, or renting them in the school’s rental program.

Storytelling festival to be held on campus dents and professors on campus.

“Kids are hungry for oral storytelling today. A lot of times they’re entertained by electronic entertainment and they’re exposed less and less to this oldest of art forms,” Reid said.

He also said children react immediately to these stories because they yearn for more, not having as much access to them as children 30 years ago.

The evening of Friday the 13 will be the theme for the opening day, including anything from traditional ghost stories to pirate and treasure stories and all matter in between.

The storytellers are from all around the area, and include a variety of students and professors alike.

Two of these include August Rubrecht, a retired Eau Claire professor, and senior elementary education major Adam Rose.

Rubrecht was a professor in the

Crosse or anywhere in the nation, rental programs are trying to help students save money.

While they may not be perfect or fix all of the problems involved with college finances, it seems to be a healthy alternative to spending hundreds of dollars on textbooks students will only use for one semester.

English department for 35 years, and still lives in the area. He said that he decided to participate in the festival because it sounded fun, and also because he is a friend of Reid and wanted to help out. He usually tells humorous folk tales, but this weekend he will be trying something different.

“I don’t have many ghost stories, but the Friday the 13 theme has persuaded me to tell a true experience story,” Rubrecht said. “I’ll just say it’s about an invisible animal.”

Most of the stories Rubrecht tells are written by other people or stories from his own experiences. He said these stories are told from memory rather than read off because it adds to the experience.

Rose, the other performer, was a student in Reid’s Children’s Literature class, and his story was one of two chosen to be read in the festival. He will

also be performing Friday to recite a on Saturday. trickster tale.

The last group, Sadarri & ComThere are four main storytellers pany, will be providing a multiculturfor the event that will be participating al, international and bilingual aspect in a variety of events throughout the for the festival, two day festival. and will be parTracy Chipticipating in man is the two workshops founder of the on Saturday.

Hebridean FolkSept. 14 will lore Project and contain an array storyteller from of stories, perMenominee. Acformances and cording to the workshops for festival’s website, the attendants “her repertoire is to go to from a wild and wide 12:30 - 8:30 p.m. open collection All events will of folktales, wonbe held in either der-stories, myth, the Dakota Ballpersonal narraroom, Menomitive and original AUGUST RUBRECHT nee Room, or the material.”

Retired UW-Eau Claire professor Ho-Chunk Room Marge Lochin the Davies Wouters is a chilCenter.

Details dren’s humorist from La Crosse and for the events and admission prichas been called the “funniest woman in ing can be found on the UW-Eau Wisconsin.”

Claire homepage.

Kevin McMullin is most famous for making music using parts of the body, Macek can be reached at and will be doing a music workshop macekkm@uwec.edu.

“I don’t have any ghost stories, but the Friday the 13 theme has persuaded me to tell a true experience story ...

I’ll just say it’s about an invisible animal.”

NEWS EDITOR: Steve Fruehauf

NEWS 5

Thursday, Sept. 12

Tokens allow for new accessibility Token Program allows FoodShare patrons to purchase locally grown food Rachel Streich STAFF WRITER

Phoenix Park is crowded with people every Saturday buying local food and other products at the Eau Claire Downtown Farmer’s Market. Now, another group can come enjoy this community event as well: FoodShare patrons.

Since last summer, the Farmer’s Market has run the Token Program, which gives participants of FoodShare, the Food Stamp program in Wisconsin, the opportunity to purchase fresh, local food using their Quest card. The Quest card holds FoodShare dollars that can be used at grocery stores and markets in Eau Claire.

In a simple transaction, Quest card owners can visit a table on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. where local volunteers give them tokens to use at any vendor table on any day the Farmer’s Market is open. Each token is worth $1. If a person doesn’t have cash on hand, Credit or Debit card holders can also receive tokens with an extra charge of one dollar per transaction.

The Token Program started out of a need seen in the Eau Claire community for more access to healthy, locally grown, fresh food.

“About one out of five Eau Claire County residents rely on FoodShare to help feed their families.

That’s about 17 percent,” said Nancy Coffey, the Wisconsin Nutrition Education Coordinator and Chair of the Hunger Prevention Coalition of Eau Claire County, “and often food-insecure families have less access to fresh fruits and vegetables.”

In 2012, the Hunger Prevention Coalition of Eau Claire County worked with AmeriCorps VISTA and Eau Claire County UW-Extension to start the Token Program.

According to Coffey, UW-Eau Claire was also “very instrumental in making it happen.” Eau

Claire graduate Ann Watson worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA intern to get the program going, particularly by attaining its authorization at the market. A graphic artist from UW-Eau Claire helped to promote the program as well.

After the Eau Claire Community Foundation approved a grant for the Token Program, the first year pilot program got going in July and was a success. Almost $4,000 came in from the Token Program in the months of July through October.

Farmer’s Market Manager Deidra Barrickman said every week this year thus far has been fantastic also. The first week of the program brought in $400 and every week the totals have been going up. Last week, they raised $1,000, she said.

Besides its monetary success, the Token Program has made tangible accomplishments in the

GRAPHIC BY KARL ENGHOFER / The Spectator

Compiled from University Police records

Eau Claire community as well. Feedback from the program has been positive overall, Barrickman said.

“There have been people that have never had an opportunity to shop at the farmers market before because the only money they can afford to spend on food is with their Quest card …” Barrickman said, “and some of the feedback from them is that they love being able to buy fresh, local vegetables and dairy and they felt more of a sense of community.”

In addition to this sense of community among Eau Claire residents, the tokens themselves promote equality between Farmer’s Market customers.

The blue tokens are for Quest card holders to buy only food, while red tokens are for food and other products. This helps to distinguish between FoodShare participants and the general public, but it does not single out FoodShare patrons because non-Quest card users can purchase items with the tokens.

Vendors benefit from the Token Program as well. Produce vendor Dan Sam said that it is a good program and it helps sales. Other vendors said they feel it is a positive program because it brings more people to the market and vendors receive their profits from the tokens simply at the end of the day.

As the Token Program helps to meet the needs of the Eau Claire community and its vendors, Eau Claire residents and students can help out by using their debit or credit cards to get tokens, Coffey said. Using a debit or credit cars is essentially “giving a dollar donation to help their neighbors to maximize their food dollars and also to help local farmers,” she said.

The Farmer’s Market is open Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Thursdays from 12 to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Streich can be reached at streicrn@uwec.edu.

Wednesday, Sept. 4- Police responded to an allergic reaction to a bee sting. By the time police arrived, the woman who was stung was being treated by Health Services.

Friday, Sept. 6- Police responded to a “check welfare” request. A man on the campus footbridge was called in on by a woman who said he was “acting strange,” according to the police report. She stated the man was leaning against the rail with his head resting on his arms. Police report stated the man was in good spirits when questioned and said he was there to “look at the stars.”

Saturday, Sept. 7- Police wrote two men underage drinking citations after they were seen walking down the Water Street bridge holding cans of Busch Light. One of the men had a PBT level of .13 and was stopped because he was seen “stepping off the sidewalk into the traffic lane” by the police officer.

Sunday, Sept. 8- Police responded to a “criminal damage complaint.” A report said a group of six students were grilling out on a personal grill at a covered picnic pavilion near Governors Hall. The university prohibits grilling and fires in unauthorized areas, but the students were permitted to finish their picnic.

Nine million marks best year yet The University Foundation announced a record amount of money was raised in 2012-2013 Nick Erickson SPORTS EDITOR

Chancellor James Schmidt said 30 years ago almost 80 percent of public university finances were paid for by the state. Now, he said the state only gives out 20 percent, and the students are picking up the rest.

With that said, those public universities, UW-Eau Claire included, have needed to find other ways to fund a university with a growing amount of students. The UW-Eau Claire Foundation has answered the call.

The Foundation received more than $9 million in fundraising — ­ the largest annual amount received in Foundation history — during the 2012-2013 fiscal year.

“The private dollars and the work the Foundation does is increasingly more important,” Foundation President Kimera Way said.

“We know we aren’t going to get significant more dollars from the state, so private dollars have unlimited potential and opportunity.”

Schmidt said he is thrilled to come to a campus where such efforts are implemented.

“Eau Claire is really considered to be ahead of most of the other universities in terms of number of years, experience and relative success they’ve had,” Schmidt said. “Where philanthropy really comes into play is creating that margin of excellence.”

Way and The Foundation have used different resources to put philanthropy in the playing field. Last school year, The Foundation announced the start of the Power of Possible Centennial Campaign, celebrating 100 years of the university in 2016.

The effort was launched last year with a centralizing theme of getting alumni to think about what the university has meant to them and how it has shaped their lives, Way said.

“The announcement of that campaign generated what we called a controlled sense of urgency about investing in the people and the programs here,” Way said.

Eau Claire received two generous dona-

tions, one from the trust dedicated to now deceased Lt. George L. Simpson worth a total of $4.3 million and a gift from James and Anne Ramsey’s estate worth $1.5 million. Ramsey’s gift also included the Foundation’s possibility for implementing the first permanently endowed faculty chair in the school’s College of Arts and Sciences.

The Foundation has four major officers whose main goal is to get alumni involved in what is happening presently at the university.

Way said a lot of the money goes to the Blugold Promise Scholarship Program, giving monetary aid to students in financial need.

One such recipient of that scholarship is sophomore Jordan Niles of Appleton. He said the contributions from former Blugolds is astronomically helpful.

“I cannot even begin to say how important support from private donors is,” Niles said.

“Without their generous contributions, students who cannot afford to go to college, including myself, can get a chance to get the educa-

tion they need to get ahead in life.”

Schmidt said he hopes the students receiving aid can have a pay it forward mentality.

Niles proved Schmidt’s words to be right.

“After seeing how much these scholarships have helped me pay for college, I would definitely consider giving back to the campus after graduation,” Niles said. “These scholarships are something that give students the chance they need: the chance to prove themselves.”

Schmidt said being at a university as high caliber as Eau Claire’s makes the sales pitch a little bit easier.

“I talk to companies, foundations and private donors and say we have an amazing school,” Schmidt said. “We have amazing students who will contribute to society … We will continue to build so that when they see that Blugold degree on your resume, employers will associate that with that margin of excellence.”

Erickson can be reached at ericksnal@uwec.edu.

COMMUNITY NEWS NEWS EDITOR: Steve Fruehauf

6

Thursday, Sept. 12

Local bar seeks national recognition The Joynt is already historic in the eyes of some Eau Claire residents, still looks for higher distinction Katie Bast

OP/ED EDITOR There’s no sign above the door.

No neon beer signs in the windows.

It could even be overlooked and swallowed up in the chaos that is a Saturday on Water Street. But The Joynt is anything but ordinary and soon could be nationally recognized.

The 42-year-old bar is seeking a spot on the National Register of Historic Places, but to those who know it well, The Joynt will always be an important part of Eau Claire’s history.

In association with the Eau Claire Historic Preservation Foundation, the bar applied for the registry. President

of the foundation Janice Wnukowski said she thinks Eau Claire could do more to recognize its historical places.

“It would be an important move for The Joynt to be put on the national register,” Wnukowski said. “It would give it certain protections and it would be nice for the city of Eau Claire to give it the designation.”

The National Park Services compiles the National Register of Historic Places. In order to be placed on the register, a number of criSCHULZ teria are considered.

According to the Parks Service website, the main tenants are age, integrity and significance.

Two years ago, it was brought to owner Bill Nolte’s attention that The Joynt was the last place on Water Street eligible to be put on the list that hadn’t already. He recently decided to help the foundation submit an application.

Nolte bought The Joynt on Aug.

9, 1971 and has spent the time since filling it to the brim with history.

Pictures of the various musicians and poets who have performed there over the years line the walls. The Joynt has hosted over 30 Grammy award winners.

“If there’s any place in town with genuine history, that overlaps and continues, it’s here,” Nolte said.

“When you’ve been somewhere long enough, whether you like it or not, you develop some kind of history.”

But to people who call themselves regulars at The Joynt, it’s more than just the famous faces that keep them coming back. To Roger Schulz, a UWEau Claire senior geology major, it’s the familiar faces that make The Joynt such a special place.

“The staff is unbelievable here,” Schulz said. “Always friendly and willing to talk to you. Bill is always around. I like being able to talk to the owner and learn things about the history of the town, because Bill will sit and tell you about when this was here and that was there.”

Schulz said on any given day, he can expect to see at least a few acquaintances at the bar. The simple aspects of the space are what distinguish it from

Photos by: ELIZABETH JACKSON / The Spectator

SEARCHING FOR HISTORICAL PROMINENCE: The Joynt, located at 322 Water St., is currently seeking national recognition from the National Register of Historic Places.

other Water Street bars to him.

Most other places on Water Street serve whichever group of students happens to be around at any given time. Their clientele changes from year to year.

“If you’re in here with a group of your friends,” Nolte said, “you might also be in here with people who graduated 10 or 20 years ago.”

As much as some twenty-somethings would loathe admitting that they frequent the same bar as their parents, long-time bartender Craig Aasen said that might be inevitable at The Joynt.

“If you’re an Eau Claire person, chances are your parents hung out here,” Aasen said.

Even on a Friday afternoon, students can be found sitting at one of the front tables, just taking a break from class. That’s one of the most

important differences for those who prefer The Joynt over other Water Street bars.

Schulz said at any other bar, people would have to yell, but not at this bar. This quality makes it a relaxing place even for a midday break.

“I use it as my lunch break,” Schulz said. “I sit down, I’ll have my lunch, I’ll have a beer, b------- with Wes or Craig depending on who’s working, and just relieve the stress of the day.”

The casual, friendly atmosphere in combination with the star-studded past makes The Joynt historic beyond just Eau Claire.

“The bar’s already nationally known,” Aasen said. “It’s just not official yet.”

Bast can be reached at bastkv@uwec. edu

“If there’s any place in town with genuine history, that overlaps and continues, it’s here ... When you’ve been somewhere long enough, whether you like it or not, you develop some kind of history.”

HISTORY COMES ALIVE: Over the past 40 years, The Joynt has hosted over 30 different Grammy award winners. The bar is the last building on Water Street that is eligible to be put on the National Register of Historic Places that hasn’t yet.

BILL NOLTE Joynt owner

NEWS EDITOR: Steve Fruehauf

COMMUNITY NEWS 7

Thursday, Sept. 12

Roller Derby more than just another sport Nick Erickson SPORTS EDITOR

It was only three years ago when Quiche MeDeadly decided to pursue an activity completely new to her.

Now, it has become her lifestyle.

MeDeadly met some people involved in the sport of roller derby, a women’s contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in a circle. Both teams designate a jammer to attempt to skate around the opposing team in an effort to lap as many skaters as possible. Teams can also interfere by use of force, hence the contact.

Even though she was new to the idea, MeDeadly loved the atmosphere surrounding it.

“They were all such great, strong and independent women,” MeDeadly said. “I love the whole team sport idea of being together with everyone, and it was a great contact sport for women.”

MeDeadly got involved with roller derby just after the Chippewa Valley Roller Girls formed in the fall of 2009.

The CVRG are an organization whose mission is to promote strength and athleticism, positively impact the lives of its members and work together to advance the community, according to its website.

The CVRG is managed and operated entirely by the skaters within the system through numerous committees. The skaters do not get paid, but rather raise their own money to continue the organization.

“All roller derby is by the skater, for the skater,” MeDeadly said. “We get people donating their money, donating their time and we run on volunteers.

For the women involved in the CVRG, they make up for being unpaid by rewarding them-

selves in something else: being given a great place to get a physical workout while at the same time meeting a lot of new people.

Melissa Reynoso, a recent UW-Eau Claire graduate from the business administration program and current administrative manager for two adult family home companies, said she too heard about roller derby through the grapevine. Like MeDeadly, it has become a huge part of her life, as well, and she said it provides a great opportunity in more ways than one.

“Some people join it for the fitness and some people join, well, because when you get older, there just isn’t much for sports,” Reynoso said. “It’s a great recreational activity for you and it keeps you in shape.”

Not only are roller derby women kept in shape by their sport, they are kept on their toes constantly. It is one of the only defined contact sports for women, and for Crystal Skramstab, a current worker at Best Buy, it keeps one motivated at all times.

“We don’t stage it, it’s all real,” she said. “I have bruises to prove it.”

Aside from practices, usually occurring twice a week, and competitions with bouts about once every month, a great deal of fundraising and charity work is done in order to stay afloat.

MeDeadly, a bench coach and production manager for CVRG, said it is vital to get community support and in return, the organization picks a company or organization every month and assists them in a positive way.

“We choose a charity, which is always local,” MeDeadly said. “We’ll volunteer, maybe (the company of the month) will have an event that we’ll go help at. We have about one home bout a month, so we’ll present them with a check with all the proceeds.”

Skramstab said it can be just like a full-time

PHOTOS BY NICK ERICKSON / The Spectator

LAPPING THE FIELD: The jammer position, as shown above, is the one who scores the points in the sport of roller derby. Their objective is to lap as many opponents as possible.

job with time commitments to practice, competitions and charity work sometimes stemming to 40 hours a week.

Even though it can be time consuming, Skramstab and Reynoso said joining the CRVG was one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.

“The draw was the competitiveness,” Skramstab said. “That still drives me, but I’ve met most of my best friends on the team, and that’s what keeps me.”

The CRVG are constantly looking for new members, whether those want to be a skat-

er, an official or even a volunteer. As long as people interested are 21 and qualify for health insurance, they are eligible to be a part of the experience.

“The ages on our team are quite literally 21 to 50,” MeDeadly said. “We have people who are housewives, people who have careers and people who are in college. It doesn’t matter. That’s the beautiful thing about roller derby.”

Erickson can be reached at ericksna@uwec.edu.

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SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: Nick Erickson

10

Thursday, Sept. 12

Two Jenkins new leaders emerge and Mugan shine at Alumni Open Becky Olson

Engler paces Blugolds Junior named WIAC golfer of the week for her efforts Courtney Kueppers

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

The UW-Eau Claire cross country teams kicked off the season with their first meet Saturday morning at Lowes Creek County Park in Eau Claire.

The meet paired the current teams up against alumni runners. On the women’s side, senior Alana Jenkins crossed the finish line of the 5,000-meter race first from the current team with a time of 20:04. Sophomore Lucy Ramquist followed behind with a time of 20:09 along with senior Nikki Rendler (20:14) and senior Jami Riley (20:18). Jenkins said the meet was very positive due to not knowing what to expect.

“I think it went really well,” she said. “We had a big pack until the two mile, which was our goal. Obviously we don’t have other schools that we’re competing against, so it felt really good to know that my teammates were right behind me.”

With the season just getting underway, the team isn’t worried about end of JENKINS the season goals quite yet. Jenkins said the main goal at this point is for everyone to work together.

“It’s still really early to tell and it’s such a long season because we run until November,” Jenkins said. “But like I said, it’s like a pack sport, and that’s how teams do really well. So I think today was a good show of that, at least.”

On the men’s side, sophomore Ryan Mugan led the race to end with a time of 20:33 in a course spanning four miles. Following in his steps were senior Matt Scott (20:49), sophomore Nick Petersson (21:01) and junior Erik Rosvold (21:15).

Mugan said it was nice to finally have an official race to work on things as a team and know where the team is headed. Twelve members of this year’s team are freshmen, and he said the experience of the older runners helps the new team members on what they need to do as well.

“They’ve just been around for these four years,” Mugan said. “They kind of let the freshmen know coming in this is what the best guys are doing and obviously just try to meet that.”

Head coach Dan Schwamberger said his focus is taking every practice, workout or meet to try and improve more from the experience they get. He said he hopes in a few weeks the teams will have a clearer picture about the end of the season going forward.

Both teams achieved success last season. The women’s team won their sixth straight conference championship and both teams qualified for Nationals. However, Schwamberger said he doesn’t want to put the pressure of last season onto MUGAN this year’s teams.

“There’s definitely some pressure there,” Schwamberger said. “I don’t want them to have to compare to last year. This is a new year. Obviously, it’s great to see those things this year, but I think it’s a young team so there’s a lot of work to be done before we get to that point.”

Both Blugold teams compete Saturday at the UW-River Falls Invitational.

Olson can be reached at olsoreb@uwec.edu.

Open fairways with a few trouble spots made the UW- Eau Claire women’s golf team feel right at home despite being on the road this weekend.

The Blugolds traveled to Waverly, Iowa, where they competed in the Wartburg Women’s Fall Invite.

They played on the Centennial Oaks course, which head coach Meghan Sobotta said is very similar to the Blugolds’ home course, Wild Ridge.

The team finished sixth place overall out of the 15 teams present. Eau Claire finished with 664 strokes after two days of play. Junior Kate Engler finished first for Blugolds and second overall with a two round total of 148 strokes, which left her just one stroke behind the overall champion for the weekend. For her play, she was named the WIAC women’s golfer of the week, according to league offices.

“She played very well,” Sobotta said of Engler. “She shot a 74, 74, which was her lowest two-day round of her career. I was very impressed by her mental game on the last day. She didn’t give up ever even with a few shots that were off course,” Engler said she felt like she finally played the way she should be and is happy to see her scores getting lower.

Teammate Mandi Salo tied for 26th place after two rounds of play. Salo, though pleased with her consistency in recent tournaments, said she believes she has the ability to bring in lower scores than the 168 she shot this weekend.

Junior Emily Stone, who Sobotta said is consistently the Blugolds number two golfer, was unable to compete in this tournament due to an injury, which Sobotta said altered the game plan a bit. However, Sobotta was pleased with how the team handled it.

“For the issue we had, I was pleased because they all played hard,” Sobotta said. “They didn’t get scared they just stepped up and played hard.”

This change also gave younger members of the team a chance to play.

“It was kind of a bummer not to have (Stone’s) score, but we had a number of underclassmen that really stepped up and brought in some good scores. It’s really exciting just to see how well they’re doing and how much they keep improving,” Salo said.

Sophomore Amanda Tilot was one of the underclassmen who competed.

“Tilot played last year at Wartburg so she knew the course,” Sobotta said. “She shot an 84 that first day, which was helpful.”

As far as improving as a whole Sobotta said the team is focusing on building week to week.

“Every week, I watch the weekend and take some notes as to what we need to work on for the next week: mostly putting this week,” Sobotta said. “We struggled a little bit but those are things that we can fix with a lot of hard work and concentration, which the team does very well for me and that impresses me.”

As they make necessary improvements each week, the team is staying focused on the end goal, which is the conference tournament.

“Ultimately our goal is conference. All these other tournaments are kind of a dress rehearsal, they are big tournaments for us, but everything for us is leading up to conference,” Sobotta said.

The Blugolds will go to the Division III Midwest Classic next weekend in Lake City, Minn.

Kueppers can be reached at kueppecm@uwec.edu.

Defending NCAA Division III runners-up ground Blugolds St. Thomas racks up 280 yards of rushing on Eau Claire; Munger impresses in quarterback debut

Nick Erickson SPORTS EDITOR

Starting the season off on the road is always a tall order.

It’s an even taller one when it’s against the defending NCAA Division III runner-up.

That’s exactly what the UW-Eau Claire football team was up against Saturday afternoon against the St. Thomas Tommies at O’Shaugnessy Stadium in St. Paul, Minn., a game in where the Blugolds lost 52-7.

“Really, it was a combination of things,” junior defensive back Thurgood Dennis said. “We didn’t execute the way we should, they were extremely disciplined and we were not. We did not react to a game atmosphere the way we thought we would, and St. Thomas took full advantage of that.”

St. Thomas scored two early touchdowns in the first quarter to make it 15-0 Tommies a fourth of the way through the contest, but the Blugolds answered right away to start the second 15 minutes.

Four seconds into the second quarter, Blugold senior and preseason All-American, Joel Sweeney rushed for a one yard touchdown to cap off a seven play, 67 yard drive in 7:06 of possession. The highlight of the drive was a 30-yard rush by Sweeney on a third down and two play. Freshman kicker Ian Scott of Mondovi, Wis., added the point af-

ter attempt to make the score 15-7 in favor of the Tommies.

“We needed that drive to stay in the game,” first-year starting quarterback Mark Munger said. “We were able to put together a really good drive. We passed a couple of times, we had some good runs. It was just huge to get that touchdown.”

After that drive, Eau Claire stopped all of its scoring. St. Thomas, on the other hand, did not. The Tommies racked up 37 unanswered points — 17 in the second quarter, seven in the third and 13 in the fourth — to run away from the Blugolds.

The Tommies had 26 first downs to Eau Claire’s 10 despite the fact the Blugolds had more time of possession in the game.

St. Thomas rushed for 280 net yards in the game, taking advantage of an Eau Claire defense coming off a season finishing eighth in the WIAC in total defense per game.

Tommies’ quarterback Matt O’Connell led the charge with 108 yards on only 11 carries out of the spread formation.

“It was mostly their quarterback that hurt us,” head coach Todd Glaser said. “They were running some read plays with him and he was a good player with good speed. He creased us a couple of times.

Munger, a junior from Eau Claire Memorial High School, started his first career game at quarterback and finished the day 11 of 18 passing for 141 yards and an interception.

“We thought he looked well in moving the ball around,” Glaser said of Munger.

“Right away, you have the nerves and the crowd and it’s a new experience so you get a little anxious,” Munger said. “But I felt confident in what I was able to do and I felt good out there.”

The Tommies were able to contain Eau Claire’s offensive juggernaut Sweeney, limiting him to just 52 yards on only eight carries.

Defensively, another preseason All-American senior Sean Graham led the squad with 10 tackles, eight of them solo.

Things don’t get any easier for the Blugolds, having to travel to St. John’s (Minn.) next Saturday before coming home on Sept. 28 to face Pacific Lutheran University, (Wash.) a nationally ranked team in Division III. St. John’s has won four Division III national titles in its program’s history, but Munger said he feels the Blugolds are ready for the challenge.

“We feel like we can play with them,” Munger said. “We know it’s going to a tough battle. They have a great stadium and a great crowd, but it’s going to a fun atmosphere and we’re really looking forward to going there and playing.”

Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Clements Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn.

Erickson can be reached at ericksna@uwec.edu.

SPORTS EDITOR: Nick Erickson

Thursday, Sept. 12

SPORTS

11

Creating her own legacy The daughter of a UW-Eau Claire athletics hall of famer and former women’s basketball coach of the Wisconsin Badgers is making a name for herself on the soccer field Ellis Williams STAFF WRITER

UW-Eau Claire women’s soccer captain Allie Stone knows what it takes to be a winner. She has been around success since her childhood days when, as a young second grader, she would sit courtside at Zorn Arena and watch her mother, Lisa Stone, coach the Blugolds to a Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in the 2000 season.

Lisa Stone was the head women’s basketball coach from 1988 to 2000 at Eau Claire. Her teams reached the NCAA tournament eleven times and reached the National Championship game in the 1996-97 season, which took place in New York City. She also won the WIAC crown six times.

Her 277 wins to only 59 losses gives her an unparalleled winning percentage of .824, the highest in the school’s history. She was inducted into the Blugold Hall of Fame in 2006.

After her stint at Eau Claire, she then went on to take the same position at Drake University, UW-Madison and now at St. Louis University.

While growing up, Allie Stone said she got to be around her mother’s players often. She said she was always the ballgirl and watergirl

THE FIELD GENERAL: Allie Stone has never been a part of a losing season on campus for the UW-Eau Claire women’s soccer team. The captain has twice been named to the WIAC all-conference team, including a first team selection a year ago.

for all of her mother’s teams. She also said she got to sit on the back of the bus with the girls and sing songs with them as they traveled to games.

“Growing up, I always wanted to be one of those players,” Allie Stone said. “That fueled me to one day play college sports, because I had been around it my entire life.”

Lisa Stone said she feels blessed her family has been with her through everything. She said Allie also felt blessed that she got to experience what she did as she traveled with her teams.

“She has been able to experience seeing one of my teams advance to the Sweet Sixteen,” Lisa Stone said. “She has been to the Virgin Islands and has visited almost every state in the United States.”

As Allie Stone grew, up she began to thrive in athletics. She also went on to demonstrate that, like her mother, she could lead teams to high levels of success. In her senior year of high school, Allie won a state championship playing girl’s soccer for Verona Area High School.

“One of my greatest experiences is winning a state championship,” Allie Stone said. “It was the best way I could have possibly went out as a senior.”

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Lisa Stone said the stars have to align a lot GREAT OPPORTUNITIES: Allie Stone has gotten the opportunity to take some trips with her mother Lisa Stone’s of the time for a team to win a championship. basketball teams. Here, the two share a moment in London this summer. Even though this was only a family She said that is exactly what happened to Al- vacation, Allie Stone has gotten to travel to the Virgin Islands and many of the 50 states with her mom’s teams. lie Stone’s team as they were playing their best soccer at the end of the season. possibility of attending Eau through all her experiences “When they won that game, and hoisted the as a coach she has learned Claire. trophy into the air, it brought tears to my eyes,” life is about balance and “Eau Claire has a special Lisa Stone said. you must love what you do. place in my heart because I Both mother and daughter agreed it was an She said Allie Stone has grew up here,” Allie Stone extraordinary moment for them to share. Lisa lived by that. said. “It felt right coming here Stone said she was extremely proud she had This season, Lisa because I was so comfortable.” the opportunity to witness her daughter win a Stone said she wants to Lisa Stone said Eau championship. see her daughter go out Claire felt like home to her “I was so happy for my child that she was with a bang. daughter and she was excited able to have that experience,” Lisa Stone said.

“This is a special team LISA STONE because Eau Claire is a very ALLIE STONE “As a coach, I want all my players to have that that has eight seniors on it,” special place. same experience, because watching it happen is Lisa Stone said. “They are all good friends and “Once a Blugold always a Blugold,” Lisa they have created great memories.” truly so amazing.”

Stone said.

Allie Stone sees eye to eye with her mother, Since Allie Stone has joined the school her As Allie Stone’s high school career came to who she credited as her biggest fan, as she wants mother formerly coached, her teams have nevan end, she was faced with the strenuous quesnothing more than to write her own name in the er finished with a record below .500. Last seation of deciding what college she would attend Blugold history books. son, her team finished second in the WIAC. and what sport she would play while at that “I want to go out with a conference chamAllie Stone is in her senior season this year for school. Allie Stone was also a standout on the pionship,” Allie Stone said. “I want to leave my the Blugolds and she was voted to be captain by basketball court at her high school, leading her mark on this program, and I believe winning a her teammates. team to a state appearance. conference title will do that.”

One of her teammates, sophomore de“Choosing to play soccer instead of basketball fender Ashley Seymour, said what makes Alwas a really hard decision for me,” Allie Stone lie Stone’s work ethic makes her a god leader. said. “I think I just enjoyed soccer a bit more.”

“She is always playing her heart out in pracLisa Stone said Allie Stone was drawn to the tice, and in games,” Seymour said. “It makes the philosophy and tradition of the soccer program rest of us want to work harder.” at Eau Claire. Allie Stone also added her mother Lisa Stone echoed similar messages about knew the women’s soccer head coach Sean Yengo Williams can be reached at williaml@uwec.edu her daughter’s strong leadership. She also said and her mother helped her get excited about the

SPORTS SPORTS EDITOR: Nick Erickson

12

Thursday, Sept. 12

Athletes succeed both inside and outside of classroom The 2012-2013 school year marked the 12th year in a row Blugold student athletes have had a 3.0 cumulative GPA Nate Beck COPY EDITOR

Gina Williams is used to balancing sports and school. She was a three-sport athlete in high school and played Blugold soccer for four years in college.

Williams said juggling athletics and academics helps her focus. She even does better in classes when soccer is in full swing.

And last spring her hard work paid off. She was named a Capital One Academic All-American — one of only 43 named in Blugold history.

“I didn’t expect anything like that,” Williams said. “There were points where I considered quitting soccer, and to get that far was an honor.”

The 2012-2013 academic year marked the 12th year Blugold athletes achieved a 3.0 GPA or better. Eau Claire’s 516 student athletes averaged a 3.124 GPA and 321 qualified for the WIAC honor roll.

Eau Claire Athletic Director Scott Kilgallon said Blugold coaches have worked hard to help their athletes perform well in the classroom.

The WIAC conference requires athletes to hold a GPA of 2.0 or better. But Kilgallon KILGALLON and Eau Claire coaches try not to tell that to students, he said. He wants Blugolds to aim higher.

“I don’t think that academic success and athletic success are mutually exclusive,” Kilgallon said. “I think that’s a message we send loud and clear. We like to tout the total package.”

Kilgallon said when athletes are in season, they get better grades due to better time management skills required when sports are in full swing.

“I may be old school, but if you take care of your academics, your athletics are going to go well,” Kilgallon said. “If you don’t stay on top of your academics, its going to be in the back of your mind any you aren’t going to be playing 100 percent.”

Kilgallon said although Eau Claire had a strong relationship between academics and athletics, he’s tried to keep borderline students from falling through the cracks.

“Even though we had a lot of students who are around the 3.75, 4.0 mark, we still have lots of students who are on the bubble at a 2.0,” Kilgallon said.

“ I don’t think that academic success and athletic success are mutually exclusive. We like to tout the total package” SCOTT KILGALLON Athletics director

Coaches fill out mid-semester progress reports for their athletes, a tool to catch kids who might be struggling and help them improve. Coaches focus on first-year students more than others, mandating a report six-weeks into classes for freshmen.

McPhee Physical Education Center also has a satellite writing center to help upper-campus students get convenient access and help with homework. It’s a drop-in room where students can get easy access tutoring.

Freshmen also benefit from team support, Kilgallon said.

First-year students have a safety net in a sports team that other students might not have.

Time management skills are a huge part of success in college, Kilgallon said, and being involved in sports forces students to use time efficiently.

Assistant softball coach Robin Baker said she and other coaches do what they can to keep their athletes on track in the classroom.

“We have priorities,” Baker said. “Faith BAKER is number one, family is number two, school is number three and softball is number four. They’re here to go to school. They chose partially because of softball, but also because of the great academic reputation UW-Eau Claire has.”

Baker said she requires some of her players to fill out weekly study tables — a two-hour study session with coaches once a week. First-year players and players who hold lower than a 3.0 cumulative or last semester GPA are required to fill out tables.

Williams said her teammates helped her focus on studying.

The fourth floor of the library was a girls soccer hangout. She could go to the library anytime and study with fellow athletes.

The women’s soccer coach, Sean Yengo, would let players skip practice to go to study sessions. Some of Williams first memories of her freshman year are studying with teammates on the bus traveling to a road match.

“Growing up, I always had extra motivation in school because I wanted to participate in sports,” Williams said. “It was a lot of extra time commitment but through it I learned leadership and gained confidence.”

Beck can be reached at becknc@uwec.edu

Williams’ secret fantasy football sauce Staff writer Ellis Williams offers up some recaps of week one of fantasy football Ellis Williams STAFF WRITER

The world of Fantasy Football is one of excitement, triumph, heartbreak, joy, and frustration.

There are few events in life that can fill people with such an assortment of emotions. (If all you’re looking for here is some sub par fantasy advice then skip down to the recap section, and continue reading.)

Fantasy football’s mission objective is simple.

Assemble the best collection of players in hopes of outscoring the roster of the others in your league, and earning bragging rights over your friends for the week that was.

Every since I was a little boy, I’ve been fascinated with fantasy football. I am in three leagues this year, and take pride in them all. In this inaugural column, I will first react to the performance of several fantasy relevant players that sparked my interest. Then I will go on to preview a few players that I believe in this week, and others that give me doubt. Some weeks I will include some buy low/sell high options as well as hot waiver wire targets.

Now readers, please understand I cannot predict the future. If I could, I would be working for ESPN right now as an expert fantasy sports analyst because my insight would far succeed the mediocre advice of New York Times bestselling

author Matthew Berry.

But I can’t, which is why I am simply an average UW-Eau Claire student who thinks that they know a little more than the average guy when it comes to fantasy football. Alright enough is enough. If you scrolled past my introduction no worries for here comes the good stuff, or as I call it, my secret sauce to success.

Week One Recaps: Broncos vs. Ravens: If you started any combination of Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, or (the greatest slot receiver in NFL history) Wes Welker, then I tip my Yankee’s hat to you. If you went against any of those three or in some sad cases all three then I feel your pain. I was down 40 points Friday morning in my league due largely to the actions of Thomas.

Fantasy Feeling: Peyton Manning is on pace to throw 112 touchdowns. My fantasy senses are telling me that will not happen. They are also telling me Manning will not throw for 50 touchdowns. To do so he’d have to average 2.8 touchdowns a game. I don’t see it happening. Cash in on the king’s ransom you could receive for Manning and trade him if you have a guy like Eli Manning or Matthew Stafford on your bench.

Packers vs. 49ers: Packer fans I apologize.

San Francisco is the class of the NFC. Green Bay played some of the best football they could have, and still the game never felt as if it was ever out

of the hands of Colin Kaepernick. Was his success due to the fact that the Packers secondary isn’t as talented as most believe, or is Kaepernick an elite NFL QB? I’ll take the ladder. Kaepernick is the real deal.

Fantasy Feeling: In the words of the former great Minnesota Viking coach Dennis Green: “The [Packers] are who we thought they were.” Simply put, start your Packers pass catchers. James Jones will be fine, and remember this; Eddie Lacy will be touchdown dependent all season long.

Giants vs. Cowboys: This was a weird game to say the least. There was a total of 91 passes thrown in this game, and yet Dallas was able to still run the ball 20 plus times. Miles Austin led the Cowboys in catches, and Jason Witten, who scored only three touchdowns all of last year reached pay dirt twice. While Dez Bryant was taken completely out of the game, as he could not shake the double, and triple coverage’s that were sent his way. Eli’s first pass was an interception and then he went on to throw four touchdowns, and David Wilson showed that he has fumble fever.

Fantasy Feeling: The Giants passing attack is going to be elite this year. Hakeem Nicks is healthy. Victor Cruz is big time, and the Giants running backs seem to be addicted to giving the ball to the other team. As for Dallas keep an eye on Dez Bryant’s ankle injury. Go out and trade

for DeMarco Murray for he has a lot of talent both running, and catching the football. Murray saw 20 carries in the game. If he stays healthy Dallas will make him their workhouse this season.

Week Two Predictions Quarterbacks I believe in: Cam Newton & Robert Griffin III : If you own Cam Newton you are playing him. I just believe that Cam will have a big week this week. Buffalo allowed 273 yards passing, and 158 yards rushing last week. Now Newton isn’t Tom Brady, but he’ll be able to move the ball well on this Buffalo defense. RG3 faces everyone’s favorite Green Bay Packers this week.

Sorry Wisconsin, but the Pack gave up 415 yards passing last week. Griffin will throw for at least 300. Everything else on the ground will be gravy on top.

To read more about Week Two predictions, go to spectatornews.com

Williams can be reached at williaml@uwec.edu.

SPORTS

Thursday, Sept. 12

SPORTS EDITOR: Nick Erickson

13

Volleyball splits second straight tournament Freshmen step up for a young Blugold team

Kate Engler

Karl Enghofer

STAFF WRITER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER For the second straight weekend, the UW-Eau Claire women’s volleyball team went 2-2 at a tournament. After splitting a quartet of games a weekend ago at the St. Benedict (Minn.) tournament, the Blugolds did the same at the Augsburg Invitational, hosted by Augsburg College (Minn.) Friday and Saturday.

The Blugolds started day one with a 3-0 loss against St. Thomas (Minn.) Friday night. Though the first and last sets were both close (25-22), it was not enough to win the best-of-five match. St. Thomas had more kills (45), more digs (51) and more attacks (44) than the Blugolds (33, 41 and 30).

St. Thomas is ranked first in the country, according to the latest NCAA rankings.

H e a d coach Kim Wudi said the women played well against St. Thomas considering their ranking, however she thinks they could have gone 3-1 in the tournament.

“We need WUDI to be more consistent,” she said. “We made some errors that we shouldn’t have made.”

Volleyball is kind of a random sport, Wudi said. “The score can fluctuate largely depending on who is on a streak and who makes less errors.”

“Many points are scored on errors, and in most cases, it’s the team that made the least amount of errors that wins,” Wudi said, especially during the close games.

The Blugolds bounced back from the St. Thomas loss and beat the host school, Augsburg, 3-1 in the second game Friday. Eau Claire won the first two sets while the Auggies won the third. After winning the first set 25-20, the Auggies worked their way to a 2222 tie in the second set. The Blugolds triumphed however with the close 26-24 win.

Game three took place on Saturday as the women took on University of Northwestern-St. Paul (Minn.). The Blugolds won the first set by two points, the second by three points, and capped off the victory by winning the third set with a 25-21 score.

In game four, Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) came out on top, defeating Eau Claire 3-1. After losing the first two sets, the Blugolds needed to win the third to stay in contention. They did just that by winning with a score of 25-20. Set number four would be the last for the Blugolds as they lost 25-19.

Errors again were detrimental to the Blugolds against Gustavus.

They recorded 33 attack errors, which was 23 more than their first match against Northwestern.

“I think we underperformed in that particular match,” Wudi said, who added that in the fourth game of a weekend tournament, teams can lose focus or simply become fatigued, though she said she feels the Blugolds are a well-conditioned team.

During the tournament, Wudi started four freshmen out of the six players on the court, which Wudi said is exciting and gives them many options.

Mackenzee Pierog was one of those freshmen and she said she is excited to be a starter at college-level play.

“There’s lots of other girls on the team so it’s definitely a challenge,” Pierog said. “You want to live up to it.”

She said she thinks the team is always improving at working together as one, given the constant rotation.

Another freshman, Katrina Raskie, is second overall in kills with 77, total attempts 260 and points scored with 87.5.

The women have five losses this season and have the opportunity for redemption as they will face three of the five opponents later in the year.

Enghofer can be reached at enghofka@uwec.edu.

GRAPHIC BY KARL ENGHORFER

This weekend, Engler helped the UW-Eau Claire women’s golf team finish in sixth place at the Wartburg College Fall Invitational with 664 strokes. She led the Blugolds with a second place overall finish with 74 strokes on both days, reaching a personal goal for herself, she said.

“I feel like that’s what I should be shooting,” she said. “The first weekend I shot 81/79, which is alright, but it’s not fun to shoot high scores when you know you can shoot lower.”

Women’s golf

GETTING TO KNOW ENGLER If she had to play a sport besides golf: Soccer Favorite food: Spaghetti Favorite restaurant: Though she doesn’t eat out at restaurants a lot, she likes Olive Garden Favorite TV show: “Duck Dynasty”

Junior Beloit, Wis.

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CURRENTS EDITOR: Emily Albrent

Thursday, Sept. 12

CURRENTS 15

Heartbroken but ‘Happy’ Happy Otherwise has a unique way of expressing sadness

Karl Enghofer

STAFF WRITER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Josie Johnson started writing songs when she was 14 years old.

Learning piano and singing for people didn’t woo the boys like she thought it would. Instead, after moving from Minnesota to Portland, Ore. with the man she planned to marry, she was quickly replaced with her boyfriend’s stronger relationship with drugs.

Heartbreak soon began to be the theme of her songs. Sadness produced songs inspired by experiences that every human has been through, Johnson said.

“I think I write about the things that are going on around me, and I try to write about things that I understand — that I know other people will understand,” Johnson said. “I’m depressed and melancholy most of the time, but I’m happy otherwise.”

It was only fitting that Happy Otherwise would become the name of her band. The trio consists of Johnson on lead vocals, piano and guitar, Kendra Lynn on drums and Adam Raitano on bass guitar.

At one point there were 21 people in attendance (including Johnson’s mother and some friends) at the band’s performance in The Cabin last Saturday, in a performance Johnson said was intimate, but difficult.

“Boy, oh boy, it’s harder to play when there’s less people because one of the big things is the energy coming at you,” she said.

It’s a challenge, she said because playing in a dark bar or rock club, like most of the venues on the band’s Midwest tour, is less awkward than

looking straight into the faces of the crowd, especially when singing about emotional topics.

Becca Lawrence, co-chair of the Cabin Committee, part of the University Activities Commission, said if 30 people show up, it’s considered a good night.

Lawrence said The Cabin is pretty small, so they usually don’t get a huge turnout, but considering this show was the first performance on this year’s Cabin schedule, the turnout almost met her expectations.

Sam Bauer, a freshman at UWStout was in the crowd Saturday, and he said he would consider transferring to UW-Eau Claire just for The Cabin.

“I’m depressed and melancholy most of the time, but I’m happy otherwise.”

JOSIE JOHNSON

Singer-songwriter in Happy Otherwise

“It’s so cool, I wish we had something like this,” Bauer said. “It’s so quaint and nice that it’s on campus.”

Molly Smith, a freshman at Eau Claire said she also enjoys The Cabin for its live performances and spends her downtime between classes in the venue.

Smith said she really enjoyed Johnson’s calming, unique voice.

Eau Claire was the last stop on Happy Otherwise’s Midwest tour.

Johnson said the three of them drove a minivan from Portland and took turns driving, while jamming out to Ween and 90’s classics on Lynn’s iPod. She said the gang likes to “get the full experience” of wherever they tour.

Being in Wisconsin meant buying gross amounts of cheese. Johnson and Lynn, despite being lactose intolerant, bought bags of cheese curds, string cheese and some exotic, cajun-spiced-Colby cheese.

“Poor Adam,” she said, joking about the smell inside the van on the road.

There is a story to all of Johnson’s songs, and she tells the audience before she performs them.

Some songs were inspired by past flings and relationships, Ruby, a two-year-old she used to babysit, and many about Nicolei, her boyfriend and inspiration for Happy Otherwise.

Johnson said she writes from experience. She doesn’t keep a diary.

The songs she writes are her diary.

Johnson said she’s tried writing songs that aren’t attached to herself, but they all seem foreign when she plays them in the end.

“You can try to get away from yourself,” Johnson said, “but you’re kind of stuck with yourself.”

Happy Otherwise’s music can be downloaded on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and Youtube, and they also have a Facebook page and band website: www.happyotherwise.com.

Enghofer can be reached at enghofka@uwec.edu

GRAPHIC BY KARL ENGHOFER / The Spectator

Every week, The Spectator staff will choose a professor and ask them unique questions to help bridge the gap between students and teachers.

Martha Landry MANAGING EDITOR

Martha Landry: How many years

have you been in the communications / journalism field?

Vadhavkar: If you are talking about work being affiliated with an organization, that would be since the mid ‘80s. I would say, gosh, over 30 years. But I’ve been freelancing since I was a kid.

ML: So, you have a lot of experience!

GV: Yeah. Right now my academic

experience in journalism is more than the writing part. The writing part I did as a reporter. I was pretty active until about ‘85 and after that, I’ve been a correspondent and then I was freelancing but not so much since I’ve gotten into academia.

ML: If you could pick, what would

you say is your favorite part about journalism?

GV: What I like is storytelling. The storytelling part of it, but I like the fact that you have to really know when to write without showing bias. I like the idea of sharing, and I like that even if you are a beat reporter, political reporter, it challenges you to stay updated with what is going on.

ML: What is your favorite part about

KARL ENGHOFER The Spectator

you have ever traveled?

GV: Bahamas, Bermuda. Actually, if I think about it. Jamaica. The Caribbean.

Ganga

For me, it’s education because it’s not just about writing or video, audio.

Those are just skills. It is the challenges of interpersonal communication that come into play because getting a good story means not just being able to communicate but communicate effectively.

I love journalism because it’s people, getting in touch, meeting people. You never know what stories are going to come up. Every story is different.

SWEET MELODY: Happy Otherwise, an indie band from Portland, Ore., performed its final stop on it’s Midwest tour at The Cabin Sept. 7. From left: Adam Raitano, Josie Johnson and Kendra Lynn.

ML: What is your most favorite place

Eau Claire or UW-Eau Claire?

GV: I’m amazed that, being a small town, there is still so much to do. I love that people are friendly and very down to earth. You could have one foot of snow on the ground in May and people will still look happy, which amazes me!

SUBMITTED

ML: How come?

GV: Because I feel ... people go there

because it looks exotic in magazines and in the news, but you really see that’s just part of it. There are a lot of people who don’t have what people in the US have, but yet they are so happy.

We as tourists go to admire the beauty and take in the beaches and all. But then you see kids on the street with no footwear, running around, don’t have much, but yet they are happy.

Makes you not appreciate just the natural resources there, but also the people who grew up with that but they don’t have the luxury of enjoying it like we do. But yet they are appreciating life. It’s like you don’t need much to be happy. That’s what I learn when I go there, just like India but I’m not saying India because I grew up there.

Landry can be reached at landrymm@uwec.edu

CURRENTS 16

Finding beauty in the darkest places CURRENTS EDITOR: Emily Albrent

Thursday, Sept. 12

Holocaust film uncharacteristically comedic; doesn’t dwell on sadness ried, and have a little boy, Joshua. Guido has opened his bookstore.

In one of the first scenes with Guido and Joshua we get a feel for how Guido tries to protect his son from the atrocities of Fascist Italy that is currently being occupied by the Nazis. Guido, his uncle and his son are eventually deported to a concentration camp. Guido, knowing what is going to happen, convinces his son that the whole thing is a game, and the prize, a tank.

Elizabeth Jackson PHOTO EDITOR

It’s a hard to imagine a movie about the Holocaust being funny. It might seem that making a funny movie about the Holocaust funny would be in bad taste. It was possible that “Life is Beautiful” could have taken a tragic turn, but the comedy in it stayed sweet and hopeful throughout.

“Life is Beautiful” is, essentially, a love story, set amid Fascist Italy in the 1930s and 1940s. In the first few minutes of the film, Guido, played by director Roberto Benigni, quickly falls in love with a school teacher, and throughout the first 20 minutes, keeps bumping into her in comical ways.

Guido, in order to meet Dora (played by Nicoletta Braschi), the woman he keeps bumping into, poses as the minister for education, who has been invited to the school to give a talk on why the Italian school children are racially superior. Guido jumps on the table and proclaims that he was, naturally, selected to give this talk because he is a perfect specimen of racial superiority, which the children are shocked by. Guido, to give you a picture, is short, skinny and balding.

During the first half of “Life is Beautiful,” it is never outright said Guido is Jewish. There is no tension between Guido and Dora because he is Jewish. For the first half of the movie we just see Guido as the romantic lead. It’s wonderful that the filmmakers chose not to stress that the main character is an Italian Jew. Yes, the audience can figure that out, but it doesn’t really matter.

The second hour of “Life is Beautiful” takes a much different twist. This is a few years in the future. Guido and Dora are mar-

in the beginning of the film when Guido asks a prospective employer about the latter’s political views.

The employer turns his attention away from Guido to yell at his young sons, who are fighting, and calls one of them “Benito.” The humor is sweet, and Benigni knows what material he’s working with.

This might be a comedy, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t sad.

There were parts of the film where it was tough to digest the comedy. It was hard to believe that someone, going through all of this, would be able to laugh through it. There will be parts where you’ll want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Watching the movie, though, you come to the conclusion that it isn’t going to end happily. I think it goes without saying that when you watch a movie about the Holocaust, you shouldn’t go in looking for a happy ending. But even as I say that “Life is Beautiful” doesn’t dwell on the sadness. Guido’s whole mission in the movie was to keep his son hopeful and away from the hatred and misery of the concentration camp. Even after everything that happens in the movie, the idea of hope still prevails for Joshua.

Life Is Beautiful Woodland Theater, Davies Center

7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 15

SUBMITTED

The comedy in “Life is Beautiful” is reminiscent of a silent movie. It isn’t over the top, but it does have a few silly moments.

I couldn’t help but compare this movie to Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator,” which poked fun at Hitler in 1940. There is a point

Jackson can be reached at jacksoec@uwec.edu

Higherground gets a makeover Dance club moves to the Bowling and Billiard Center; ‘Highergrind’ nickname might be here to stay

Cori Picard STAFF WRITER

Sorry ‘Highergrind’ fans, Higherground is getting a revamp and a brand new name.

In May, the UW-Eau Claire student-run dance club and event space had its last event in its original location, above the Crest Wellness Center. Renovations are underway in the Hilltop Recreation Center for the Lookout, a brand new, upgraded dance club.

“I’ve never been to Higherground, but I’m guessing moving the place will attract a lot more students,” said junior Barry Bakunowicz, a transfer student from Madison. “A lot more people go to Hilltop and it sounds like there will be more room for different events.”

The idea for the move has been in the rough plans for a while without a timetable, said Joseph Haferman, coordinator of student organizations

and late night activities. The idea surfaced in early spring when Jason Anderson, event production coordinator in the Event Services office approached Haferman.

“Jason came to me and mentioned that Hilltop would be getting a sound renovation over the summer,” Haferman said. “We talked a bit and decided that with the renovations planned, it may be a good time to move the Higherground space over as well.”

The directors of the University Centers and the University Recreation and Sports Facilities created a committee to discuss plans for the move.

In mid-April, a plan was approved by the two directors and renovations followed.

Funding for the project is provided by University Centers and Recreation and Sports Facilities, Haferman said. The renovation includes the move of Higherground, updates to ceiling tiles in the Bowling and Billiards Center the main first floor hallway and upgrades to the outdoor space.

The new dance space will likely host similar

events, such as swing dancing and drag shows, but will also be available for other events the smaller, less-equipped Higherground could not host. Haferman wants to find ways to branch out and run activities and programs that haven’t been done in the space before.

“The layout will be more accommodating for bands, comedians, magicians or whatever we come up with, so our student managers will be looking into some of those things,” Haferman said.

Students who have used the old facility before are looking forward to the larger, more spacious area in hilltop.

“I think it’ll be nice to have more space,” said senior Cory Bristol, a music education major who enjoys the swing dancing events hosted by Higherground. “We would always run into other dancers while dancing at the old place.”

The Lookout, the new student run dance club and event space will have a larger dance floor, a stage, a moveable DJ booth lighting trusses, and

the outdoor space will have a new fence, a fire pit and outdoor speakers.

“The most important reason for the move is that Hilltop has much more student traffic than Crest Wellness Center,” Haferman said. “This move allows University Centers and Recreation and Sport Facilities to work more closely together and will likely be mutually beneficial as we increase utilization of both of our spaces.”

The old Higherground location will be turned over to the Recreation and Sports Facilities. The Lookout, Haferman said, is tentatively scheduled to open at the end of October.

“I wish I had an idea for a new nickname,” Bristol said, “but I think the upperclassmen will always call it, ‘Highergrind’ and only the freshman will call it ‘The Lookout.”

Picard can be reached at picardcf @uwec.edu.

CURRENTS EDITOR: Emily Albrent

Thursday, Sept. 12

No more fears

CURRENTS 17

The title, “The Last Fears” relates to a story Geiger told about riding a roller-coaster when he was younger.

“I remember I really wanted to go on the roller-coaster, but when I was actually going up the hill I was crying,” Geiger said. “I was up there with my dad, and he said ‘if you weren’t afraid, this wouldn’t be any fun.’”

He said it all has to do with the moment of anticipation which he feels when he plays at shows or when he performs a new song to someone.

“There’s that moment where you have the last fears, and they become excitement and energy,” Geiger said.

next to him, and get personal with him,” Geissler said.

Catch Geiger on tour. He’ll be playing his next concert at 5 p.m.

Sept. 22nd at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.

Albrent can be reached at albrenec@uwec.edu.

Check out the hit song, “For You I Will (Confidence)” by scanning the QR code below!

In the spotlight

PHOTOS BY EMILY ALBRENT / The Spectator

BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT: As the sun goes down, singer-songwriter, Teddy Geiger plays for an audience of both students and community members playing songs from all three of his albums.

University Activities Commission brings Teddy Geiger to Owen Park; new album,“The Last Fears” available now Emily Albrent CURRENTS EDITOR

All the way from Haas Fine Arts Center, cheering and shouts of “Teddy,” could be heard. Owen Park was packed with students and community members Sept. 6 waiting for singer-songwriter Teddy Geiger to take the stage.

Geiger is best known for his song, “For You I Will (Confidence),” which appeared on his first album, “Underage Thinking,” in 2006. He has also acted in the movie, The Rocker alongside Rainn Wilson (The Office) and Emma Stone (Easy A) in 2008.

Even though the audience was screaming his name to play some of his past hit songs, Geiger remained composed.

“You kind of get used to dealing with distractions,” Geiger said. “Whether it’s hecklers, or someone being like, ‘I love you’ good or bad you are always faced with something.”

The University Activities Commission here at UW-Eau Claire brings artists to campus every year.

UAC Concert Co-Chair, Laura

West said they wanted to bring in a bigger name to campus right away to help spread the word about their organization and hopefully get more students involved.

“We like to look for every genre,” West said. “There was a time when we did a lot of alternative but now we have branched out. We are trying to look at what’s popular now-adays in music.”

The journey Geiger was previously signed with Columbia records, but soon decided to part due to creative differences.

“I sent songs in, and they were like, ‘that’s not a hit, sing this song,’” Geiger said. “It felt very different from the first one I did, so eventually my manager got a job with another label and I left.”

Geiger didn’t give up; he started writing again. He later moved to New York City where he met another manager. He decided to go through PledgeMusic, a fundraising site for artists and musicians.

Fans donated enough to allow Geiger to self-produce the record and do it how he felt it should be done. The second record was titled, “Living Alone,” and came out in 2010. The title of the album held a lot of symbolism for Geiger, he said.

He moved home for six months and started working on new songs.

“It was me just starting to learn about production, basically just put a bunch of demos out,” Geiger said.

“A lot of stuff came out of jams with friends and getting back into writing and getting back into where music came from and also feeling pretty isolated at the time.”

Geiger said moving back home was difficult because all of his friends were off at school, he just left his manager and felt he didn’t have any direction. Soon after releasing the album he moved to New York City and started on another album called, “The Last Fears,” which is out now.

During his concert, Geiger played songs from all three of his albums. He played his song, “For You I Will (Confidence)” twice, at audience request, but in slightly different ways.

Geiger said he has never had a fan get too far out of line, but one situtation did stick out to him.

“I have had condoms thrown at me,” Geiger said.

Down the line, he said he hopes to do more writing, production and touring full-time.

After the concert ended, the park was full of people waiting to meet Geiger.

“It was the best night of my life,” Eau Claire freshmen Brooke Kersten said. “I have always been a Teddy Geiger fan. I would love to meet him one day.”

Another student, freshman Rachel Geissler said she was excited to have been so close to the singer.

“I liked that he let us come right

Upcoming events by UAC / The Cabin Sept. 13: The Saturday Giant Sept. 14: The Broken Bicycles Sept. 20: Kenzie Joy Sept.21: Open Stage

TWO TIMES A CHARM: By popular demand, Geiger played his hit song, “For You I Will (Confidence)” twice during his concert.

CURRENTS CURRENTS EDITOR: Emily Albrent

Thursday, Sept. 12

18

GRAPHIC BY KARL ENGHOFER / The Spectator

Forest Swords, “Engravings” 7/10 Every week, Chief Copy Editor Zack Katz will be listening to albums over a variety of genres and voicing his opinion on them.

I think a lot of the time I spend listening to experimental music, I’m either challenging my taste or feeling out what it is I like to begin with.

Matthew Barnes, a Liverpool native under the moniker Forest Swords, is sending me on that trip after washing my opinion of his full length “Engravings” about a handful of times before it even dropped on the 26th of last month.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

Though this is only Barnes’ second full length album, Forest Swords has been a familiar name in electronic music for some time due to the

groundbreaking success of the 2010 LP “Dagger Paths”.

There’s no instantaneous ‘love it’ or ‘hate it’ to be found in “Engravings”, but in the long run this album is profound enough to generate some definitive reactions.

My only real beef with this record comes from a lack of daringness on the part of Barnes. Through one or two listens, rarely did I find the ‘wow.’

I need to start this track over and hear that part again” moments I see in the work of other relevant dub artists like Burial or Four Tet. There were some underwhelming pieces to the puzzle, but Barnes’ minimalist intentions should be recognized. With a ton of deep, earthy tones, “Engravings” pushes some surprisingly dark and exciting beats.

The typical Forest Swords fan will not be disappointed with this release, and the hype created since “Dagger Paths” substantiates that.

Those in the market for a drowsy, laid-back sound, hit up “Engravings,” out now on Tri Angle records.

Fun Fact: Cats sleep 16 to 18 hours per day

Katz can be reached at katzzt@uwec. edu

A review Managing Editor Martha Landry gives her two cents on the newest place to snag food on campus.

Credibility: I will admit that I am a newbie to sushi. At first, eating raw fish just didn’t sit well with me, but after three years of friendship a pal of mine (you know who you are!), managed to convince me to jump in feet first. Now, I’m addicted. I’ve even tried raw eel.

Sushi-Do is the newest addition to Blugold Dining’s spread of options in the Davies Center meals.

The unique campus addition has taken place of the original location of Caribou Coffee (to the left of the main dining). Don’t worry kids! Caribou moved to the right of the main dining in a larger area.

My favorite part about the sushi place is the price. I order a California Roll, received nine pieces of sushi and only paid $5. I will repeat $5. If you haven’t tried sushi before but always wanted to give it a shot, this is a perfect opportunity without your bank account taking a huge hit.

I finished my entire tray (because that’s the way I roll ... get it?) and didn’t feel lethargic or down at all. It was so refreshing to have a lighter, healthier option for lunch. Obviously, there is salad bar, but you can only eat fancy lettuce so many times.

The avocado was fresh, the rice wasn’t overcooked and the line was super quick.

I heard from friends that their sushi was made right in front of them, but mine was not. In Sushi-Do’s defense I did eat there right around the lunch rush, so it’s under-

standable that they had a little bit of food pre-prepared.

The packaging items are not compostable yet, but Christian Wise, director of Blugold Dining said they are looking at changing this soon.

Sushi-Do offers tasty food, student friendly prices and they even provided chopsticks, trays for soy sauce, wasabi and ginger! No complaints here.

Landry can be reached at landrymm@ uwec.edu

ELIZABETH JACKSON/ The Spectator

OP/ED EDITOR: Katie Bast

OPINION / EDITORIAL Upper campus living comes with benefits for upperclassmen

STAFF GRAPHICS BY KARL ENGHOFER / The Spectator

Each week, Op / Ed Editor Katie Bast will analyze two of the biggest news stories of the week and help you decide which is worth your time and which isn’t.

It’s hard to say the events in Syria aren’t getting enough attention since that seems to be on the tip of everyone’s tongues lately.

The problem is: do those tongues really know what they’re talking about?

Now, I don’t claim to be an expert on Syria by any means, I hardly know enough to inform other people. But it is our responsibility to keep ourselves informed.

When something this major is happening, we should be doing more than just watching the morning news or scanning the headlines on our smartphones.

Not every channel can report everything perfectly, so we owe it to each other to expose ourselves to a variety of news sources.

Here’s an overview of what’s happening: — Peaceful protests began in ­­ March 2011.

— The Syrian government overreacted and began killing civilians in huge numbers. Thus, a civil war broke out.

— There doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, especially now that chemical weapons have been introduced into the mix.

— In recent weeks, President Obama has considered taking military action again the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

— If the U.S. were to get involved, we would be in yet another war we probably have no business being in.

Don’t consider yourself informed now that you know that, though.

Go out and do your own research. Take a look at what The New York Times thinks or what Brian Williams and Megyn Kelly have to say.

Heck, let Jon Stewart in there.

One of his correspondents might interest you enough to find out more.

You may even find a perspective on the issue that really matters to you.

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Thursday, Sept. 12

I know we all love a good viral video. And when it includes twerking and a girl setting herself on fire… even better.

That’s the gist of the latest viral craze and I think it’s totally fine to indulge in that kind of thing.

However, it crosses the line when it’s aired on news shows and cable news networks. The ladies of “The View” yapping about it is one thing, but when you’ve got people over at MSNBC — “a place for politics” — airing the video and trying to turn it into news, I can’t help but think there must be something more important going on somewhere.

Yes, our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. And yes, we are relying more on the entertainment value of our news. But when people tune into a cable news show, they’re expecting a cable news show.

If people want to seek out “epic fail twerk girl” that’s their own business (and while I think their time could be better spent doing, oh, I don’t know ... anything else, I get it).

These frivolous videos shouldn’t be forced upon us in what is supposed to be a forum for information gathering and intelligent debates.

Unfortunately, the news media are just giving us what we tell them we want. The presence of short videos in news broadcast is a direct reflection of our culture. That’s what gets ratings, so that’s what’s on TV. The best part of this whole thing is it was all staged by Jimmy Kimmel.

He and this stunt woman, Daphne Avalon, quietly posted this video and it quickly went viral.

When even Jimmy Kimmel is laughing at us and how easily distracted we are, we might need to reassess our priorities.

I’m all for taking the occasional break from the scary “real world” with silly YouTube videos, but when those videos are infiltrating our news regularly, we have a problem.

The unpopular choice to live on campus as an upperclassman is a worthwhile decision Rachel Streich STAFF WRITER

After a long day of classes, studying and work, the junior or senior UW-Eau Claire student needs a place to rest and call home.

Usually this is an apartment or house off campus. Nevertheless, a dorm on campus can be just as much of a positive environment for an upperclassman.

While most upperclassmen choose to live off campus, staying on campus comes with benefits that you might not always consider.

Senior organizational communication major Katie Allan has lived both on and off campus as an upperclassman and is glad she lived in the dorms for three years.

One of the most positive aspects of living on campus is the unique kind of community sustained among students who live there.

“There are definitely more opportunities to meet new people when you’re on campus,” Allan said.

The dorms provide students with a healthy social environment because it’s easy to meet and get to know people when you live among so many of them.

On the other hand, it’s important to remember that living on campus is not for everyone and being around people so much may be a downside to living in the dorms because you always have a roommate and other students next door.

Living in a house or apartment often allows you to have more privacy and separation between home and school.

“It’s a place where you can be done with school, and when you’re in the dorms, it’s more like you’re still at school,” Allan said.

Yet, the convenience of living on campus with academic buildings only a short walk away and having “your life all in one place,” as Allan said, often makes a significant difference.

Another convenient aspect of life in the dorms is not needing to buy groceries and cook your own meals.

While some students find eating and making their own food a better and healthier option, it’s easy to simply go to “the caf” rather than cook a meal or go to a restaurant. The

cafeteria can also be a place to have community and connect with other people, Allan said.

An important factor to consider on the topic of food is its cost, and the cost of living on or off campus in general. The College Board averages the cost of on campus room and board to $6,720 per year, while off campus averages $6,300. This includes utilities and food.

“There are definitely more opportunities to meet new people when you’re on campus.”

KATIE ALLAN Senior

Living on campus can be more cost effective, and buying groceries can be cheaper than the meal plan’s average cost of $1,525 per year, but it depends on how wisely an off campus student spends money.

Despite the cost, living on campus can be beneficial for a student’s involvement in extracurricular activities. Students who live off

campus might not have as much exposure to advertisements for organizations, and they may also not be as connected.

Allan is involved in one student organization, a Christian organization on campus called Cru, and she made an important point about being a part of a student organization when living off campus.

“It depends on the organization … but, I think it’s harder to get to know freshmen and sophomores from those organizations and be connected that way,” she said.

The choice to live on or off campus depends largely on where your friends are. Many upperclassmen move off campus because it’s what their friends do, and people tend to move with their groups of people. If the majority of an upperclassman’s friends live off campus, that student is less likely to live on campus.

On this topic, it is important to remember that the choice to live on or off campus depends significantly on personal preference and there are advantages and disadvantages to both environments.

However, keep in mind that living on campus is, as Allen said, “a unique experience that you don’t get once you’re out of college.”

Streich is a junior journalism major and Staff Writer at The Spectator. She can be reached at streicrn@uwec.edu.

OPINION / EDITORIAL OP/ED EDITOR: Katie Bast

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Thursday, Sept. 5

Russia not fit to host 2014 Olympics Recent discriminatory laws in Russia make the country a bad host for Olympic games Courtney Kueppers STAFF WRITER

Russia repeatedly made headlines this summer when on June 30 President Putin, with the unanimous backing of the State Duma, passed a controversial law.

The bill banned the “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations to minors.” Or as The Atlantic Wire reports, basically the distribution or promotion of any information that displays, “gays and lesbians as ‘normal,’ and gay and lesbian relationships as ‘socially equivalent’ to heterosexual ones.”

The law has made gay pride parades illegal in multiple cities within the country, including Moscow. It has implemented large fines for citizens and foreign visitors within the country who are accused of “pushing this propaganda.” And as a result violent attacks on gays or those suspected to be gay has become common, according to an article published on Policymic.com.

While our own country is far from free of discrimination against members of the LBGT community, my heart breaks for the people of Russia.

GO TO

I think about the victories that have happened in our country, especially in the last couple years, in moving toward equality. I think about that moment last May when marriage became a reality for same sex couples in Minnesota and how unbelievably proud I felt to call myself a Minnesotan on that day.

I think about, despite often disagreeing with our president, how great it feels to live in a country with a leader who openly supports all kinds of love.

Or even the fact that as I drive in my car Macklemore’s “Same Love” often plays on the radio.

The steps that our country continues to take towards love being the law for all makes me proud to be an American. And as we get so consumed in moving our own country in the right direction it’s easy to look at equality as a domestic issue instead of an international one. Thank goodness we have Russia to remind us.

Unfortunately Russia does not stand alone on the world stage with these horrid laws that condemn freedom of love. But there is something that, at the moment, makes Russia different.

MAJORYOU.COM

The 2014 winter Olympics, which will convene in February, are set to take place in Sochi, Russia. The idea of the games being held in a country that has made it clear in the past few months that intolerance and discrimination are on its agenda is making people upset, and rightfully so.

It raises important questions like how LBGT athletes will be treated when in Russia, and it also forces the very integrity of the games to be in question.

An article published on Thinkpress.org said it best with the statement, “a government that wants to uphold an intolerant law and the support of a sporting organization whose own mission statement calls on it to promote tolerance and understanding of all kinds of people.”

The Olympic games are, in my opinion, the greatest spectacle in sports, but they are so much more than that. It is a time that for sixteen days every two years the world comes together. People

STAFF GRAPHIC BY KARL ENGHOFER / The Spectator

the world over are inspired. Inspired by the athletes and the magical idea that maybe we aren’t all that different.

Moments like watching Tahmina Kohistani became only the third Afghani woman to participate in the games in 2012 are forever imprinted in my mind. Moments like these make it seem like the world is moving forward toward equality.

A country that is intolerant and discriminatory is not a place to host such a powerful and inspiring event.

Russia hosting the games seems to say their recent actions are okay.

Where the games takes place plays such a role in the event. Cultural aspects of the host country are always displayed throughout broadcasts. For those sixteen days it is as though you are transported to the host country. I for one do not wish to be transported to a country that is moving backwards and making discrimination law.

Kueppers is a sophomore journalism and political science major and staff writer at The Spectator. She can be reached at kueppecm@uwec.edu.

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OP/ED EDITOR: Katie Bast

OPINION / EDITORIAL

Banbury Place is a harmful waste of space Economic and environmental inefficiencies plague Wisconsin Street Zack Katz

CHIEF COPY EDITOR My work commute feels something like a tour of Eau Claire: I bike through Phoenix Park, downtown past Galloway Grill and then the entire span of the historical Banbury Place — a 1.9 million square foot ex-rubber mill on Wisconsin Street stuck in a half-hearted renovation effort.

Sometime between choking on the building’s exhaust and noticing the feeble-looking Watch Swan statue that has broken at the neck I wonder what about this decaying building Eau Claire residents value as so essentially historical.

There’s no question the building was at one point an economic keystone of present-day Eau Claire, but now it serves little benefit to the average Eau Claire citizen.

Certainly the windows serve as a nice set of targets to rock slinging local kids, but there doesn’t seem to be any sort of intrinsic value for the building, save the restaurant Moneatza’s you’ve never been to or the alcohol awareness class your friend was assigned to take.

The Banbury Place’s website is the first indication of the responsible par-

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Thursday, Sept. 12

ties’ attempt at clinging to the unrealistic prospect of preserving the building.

The title says everything the building is failing to be: “A Historic Restoration.”

Vague wording such as the description of on-site apartment housing, “It offers a wide range of on-site amenities creating a vibrant activity center,” offers me nothing.

Perfect. We’ve utilized fractions of this building for studio apartments and storage units, while the vast majority remains a rat-infested odyssey.

Consider the input costs of the building when matched up against these supposed business prospects and historic allure — Banbury Place is the fifteenth highest polluter of Eau Claire.

In a city about the same square mileage of Paris, a building sitting riverside emitting 9,758.41 ­­­­parts per million in pollutants per year sounds pretty extreme.

Because the building is so large and overlooked, consider how frighteningly lawless Banbury Place has the potential to be. Although I’m personally glad the homeless have found a way to make use of the underground tunnel system to shelter from weather, I can

think of a half dozen crimes off the top of my head that could occur in such a huge amount of unregulated space.

Realistically, I would be willing to bet the building’s historical attraction comes more from ghost stories and tragedies such as the maintenance worker who electrocuted himself in Building 13 than the actual history of rubber production.

I don’t have any concrete suggestions for what direction the city should take with Banbury Place, but I do know that on my way to work I’d rather see the area utilized as green space than the building in its current state.

Of course, in such an industrial setting, that doesn’t sound feasible. But the building should be reimagined and downsized with efficiency in mind — in terms of both economics and environmental safety.

Eau Claire is brimming with history, and the Banbury Building is no exception — but in my eyes holding on to nearly two million square feet of trash borders on greed.

Katz is a junior journalism major and Chief Copy Editor of The Spectator.

He can be reached at katzzt@uwec.edu.

Current issue: students don’t follow global news

A broad world view should be required to meet graduate goals Nick Erickson SPORTS EDITOR

As a journalism student knowing exactly what I intend to pursue after graduating in May 2015, I am in my third science class of college with a mindset not terribly conducive to making me successful.

I certainly appreciate UW-Eau Claire’s efforts to make me a well balanced person by having me learn across every academic field, but nine credits of science for a journalism student? Perhaps a bit excessive.

Instead of tacking on additional classes in an academic area we have already suffered through, a current events class should be mandatory for every student, just like English 110 for us non-freshman students and Writing 114 for freshman.

Here’s why.

Out of a little poll I conducted amongst students, only three of the six could tell me what is happening in Syria right now regarding the chemical weapon attack.

However, all of them could associate “twerking” with Miley Cyrus after her now infamous rendition of “We Can’t Stop” at the Video Music Awards.

Knowing what “twerking” is, however, isn’t going to help shape our future.

The fact of the matter is that we could go to war over what is happening in Syria.

First off, I should probably note what is happening in Syria for those who are unfortunately unaware.

The Ghouta attack, as it is known as, was an incident involving potential chemical bombardment in the Damascus region of Syria on Aug. 21. A wide range of citizen death numbers have been reported, but it is believed to be somewhere between 400 to even 1,200 deaths, according to the Los Angeles Times.

There is an ongoing question of whether or not Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered the attacks or not, which has led countries such as the United States to question an attack on Syria.

President Obama stated in a press conference on Aug. 31, he would be willing to launch a military strike, if

necessary, on the country bordering Iraq.

Yet, many college students don’t even know where Syria is located on a map. If the United States had to carry through on Obama’s words, millions of college students would immediately be affected because, for goodness sake, a war that might require a lot of military personnel could very well come out of that.

Aside from being physically thrown into the fire, which might ERICKSON happen in Syria, it is important to know what types of economic pieces of legislation are being voted on in the Senate because it shapes our policies.

College students might not recognize it now because many are still dependent on family money, but once they enter the workforce, these types of things are going to matter in the blink of an eye.

The most powerful tool a citizen has is a vote, but there is no room to complain if you can’t exercise that power because you didn’t vote due to a lack of global awareness.

But the university can fix that problem.

Right now, 45 credits of general education classes are required to graduate from this institution.

That’s a lot of credits to play with, and having to take a third class in a field that doesn’t interest you in the least perhaps could be interchanged with one class that will make you knowledgeable and aware of events happening around the world that are affecting us more than we even know it.

Eau Claire prides itself on being well-rounded and making students learn about a wide variety of subject matters. Taking apart the day’s headlines and analyzing them in a three credit class would only enhance that mission.

“ Only three of the six (students) could tell me what is happening in Syria right now.”

ZACK KATZ / The Spectator

GOOSE DOWN: The death of the Banbury Place’s Watch Swan reflects the current state of the forgotten building. The building, which encompasses over one million square feet, has not been a fully functioning part of the town for some time.

Erickson is a junior journalism major and Sports Editor of The Spectator. He can be reached at ericksna@uwec.edu.

OPINION/EDITORIAL OP / ED EDITOR: Katie Bast

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Thursday, Sept. 12

University should expand on-campus parking UW-Eau Claire’s current parking layout forces students to park farther away Steve Fruehauf NEWS EDITOR

UW-Eau Claire’s campus parking needs a lot of work. I’m only in my second year with a car in Eau Claire and I’m already finding this out.

Given there are only two main parking lots in all of lower campus (Hibbard Hall and Davies Center), and thousands of students currently attending the university, finding a spot ultimately becomes very frustrating.

Granted, my own situation is a special one. I only live five blocks away from campus so there’s no real need for me to drive to class on a regular basis. Walking or biking is much more reasonable for me. With that said, there are instances where I need to have my car on campus.

Considering I walk to class most of the time, I find it financially unnecessary to buy a parking permit.

I would be paying money for something I would only use sparingly. So essentially, I would be throwing my own money away just to park a couple times a month. But what if I’m in a rush after a full day of class and I need to get to a meeting? Where will I park?

I can’t settle for the 20 minute maximum lot near either Hibbard

KATIE BAST / The Spectator

FRUSTRATION: The restrictions on the limited parking spaces near campus cause timing and financial frustrations for students.

Hall or the Davies Center. I’ll most likely get a ticket if my meeting lasts longer than 20 minutes. I won’t be able to park in the main lots either because I don’t have a permit. I know the lots open to everyone after a certain time but what if I need to park during the day?

This means the only shot I have at a parking spot is on the street. But people with the same situation as me

have already landed all of the spots closest to campus. So I end up driving a street away from campus. Packed full. Two streets away. Still packed full. I usually end up parking at least three to four blocks away from campus anytime I take my car.

How is this effective? I end up blocks away from campus and now have a big trek ahead of me. By this time, it probably would have been

Jet-lagged chicken anyone?

USDA’s lift on ban of Chinese poultry not in the public’s best interest

Nicole Miller STAFF WRITER

How many roads does a chicken cross before it ends up on your plate?

When the chicken comes from China the answer is a lot.

Heavy contention between the United States and China over the poultry trade relaxed a bit after the U.S. Department of Agriculture lifted a ban on processed chicken imports from China.

While some are happy the move improves trade relations between the U.S. and China, others feel public health

shouldn’t take a backseat to trade relations.

The USDA is the agency within the government that holds the responsibility of ensuring the safety of meat for public consumption.

On Aug. 30, the USDA approved four of China’s poultry processing plants as equivalent to those in the United States.

The products produced in these plants will now be shipped to and sold in the U.S. and will require no country of origin label.

American consumers of poultry will have no way of knowing if they’re eating chicken from Chinese processing plants.

From McDonald’s chicken nuggets to canned chicken noodle soup, the unsanitary products will make their way onto local grocery shelves and into restaurants you eat at with

no way of knowing the difference.

D-Rep. Rosa DeLauro is the former chairwoman and current senior member of the subcommittee responsible for funding the USDA. In a statement released to the media, she described China as having an “atrocious food safety record” and said that the move should be “deeply worrisome” to American consumers.

Past safety inspections of China’s poultry processing plants reveal unsanitary conditions, particularly with chicken products.

An FDA

smarter to just walk or bike like I usually do. I think the university needs to at least make a larger effort to accommodate students in my position.

One simple idea I would propose is changing the 20 minute parking meters to hour-long parking spots.

Who really is driving to the university for only 20 minutes? This would also work in Eau Claire’s favor. Hourlong parking means more money in investigation traced the deaths of more than 500 dogs and some cats to chicken jerky treats produced in China.

Up to 2,500 animals got sick before the eventual recall, according to The New York Times.

Other reports also conclude sanitation problems with China’s food safety.

Recently, thousands of dead pigs were found in the waters of Shanghai, rat meat was passed off as mutton and an outbreak occurred of the H7N9 bird flu virus in fresh meat markets, according to National Public Radio.

As disturbing as this all sounds there are some Americans who feel changes that could pave the way for a significantly larger amount of chicken products from China is a good thing.

But Food and Water Watch, a group that petitions for Chinese food safety measures, are not happy with the new U.S. standards.

They feel U.S. officials want China to lift restrictions on U.S. beef shipments and

“From McDonald’s chicken nuggets to canned chicken noodle soup, the unsanitary products will make their way onto local grocery shelves ...”

the meters, thus, more money for the parking office and the university as a whole.

Right now, these 20 minute meters are landing students ticket after ticket. I, myself, have fallen victim to a number of citations on campus since I first brought my car here.

Another proposition is making the time the main lots are available to everyone earlier rather than later.

Currently, the entirety of the Hibbard Hall and Davies Center lots open to all at 6 p.m. How many people need to use the parking lot then?

The university could branch out to so many more student drivers if they made this time even two or three hours earlier. They’re only reaching a fraction of the demographic right now.

I don’t think there is an clear, obvious answer to the big picture problem but I do think there is need for change. Campus is already hectic as it is and when students’ time begin to be wasted walking from their car to class, more baggage is just added on.

There should be more alternatives for student drivers who don’t regularly drive to class.

Fruehauf is a junior journalism major and News Editor of The Spectator. He can be reached at fruehasl@uwec.edu. therefore are allowing trade to trump public health.

Americans are increasingly desirous to be conscious of where their food comes from. I think companies with quality products will advertise the superiority of their products.

Therefore these products will bear the label of their country-of-origin regardless of regulation to flourish in U.S. consumer markets.

However, those who don’t have access to money to buy nutritional food will most likely end up personally affected the most by the USDA’s decision. It is the perspective of these “poor” Americans that I feel worsens most.

It is our collective and personal responsibility as a society and as citizens to look out for one another.

The precious gift of life has been entrusted to us to nurture, strengthen, and pass down.

The USDA’s decision to lift a ban on Chinese poultry reflects the politically backed encroachment of business upon innocent Americans to self-serve monetary desires with no real analysis of long-term societal consequences.

Miller is a senior journalism major and staff writer at The Spectator. She can be reached at millernm@uwec.edu.

STUDENT LIFE STUDENT LIFE EDITOR: Martha Landry

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Thursday, Sept. 12

Rippin’ the Chip UWEC Waterski and Wakeboard team hopes to continue practicing in the Chippewa River into late fall Martha Landry MANAGING EDITOR

School is back in session, leaving the Chippewa River without tubers floating leisurely downstream.

But as the temperature begins to cool, one group of students are just jumping into the water.

The waterski and wakeboard club team is just underway with their 2013-2014 season, and are headed out into the water as much as possible.

Club president, senior Jaunna Jones said getting out on the water is the perfect escape from a busy day of classes and homework.

“It’s really awesome to get a break from schoolwork during the fall,” Jones said. “When you are busy with stuff it’s really nice to go out on the water for an hour, forget about all the stuff you have to do and ski.”

Freshman Zac Armstrong is new to the team this year. He has already participated in a competitive tournament with the team because he got involved right away.

Meeting upperclassmen and leaving for the weekends, Armstrong said he has had a bit of a different start to his freshman year than most.

“I feel like a lot of people are

jealous when I say I’m going out on a boat,” Armstrong said. “That’s the biggest difference.”

He pursued the club and didn’t get recruited at Blugold Organization Bash like most new members. Jones said having BOB indoors last year dramatically affected the number of people who joined the team.

“This year having it outside in the central mall, we had 40 people show up to our first meeting,” Jones said.

“This year is a very promising year for us, and I’m really excited to see where it goes.”

Catching wake The club has varying experience on the team, Jones said. Jones has been skiing since she was a kid with her family and joined the team when she first started at UW-Eau Claire for the competition option.

The team typically heads out on the water whenever a boat driver can.

They work in hour increments to allow enough people time out on the water.

New to the team this year is a flyhigh attachment to allow for more air when doing tricks. Armstrong said it’s hard on a wakeboarders’ knees to land flat when using a fly-high so he tends to just use the tow pylon, the lower attachment.

Some members have joined without any experience, Jones said. Members have been taught how to ski after joining whereas others have mastered tricks, like barefooting.

Jones said she has barefooted before but is nowhere as talented as some team members.

Ice ice baby Vice President Emily Janzig said the team will try to keep the boat in the water until at least mid-October and put the boat back in the river as soon as the ice melts.

Most skiers and boarders wear wetsuits and drysuits as the weather cools off. A drysuit is designed to keep a person completely dry inside the suit.

It uses seals around the ankles, wrists and neck to keep water out and air inside so a lifejacket isn’t even necessary.

Jones said only a few members of the team are brave enough to face the cool water without some protection, and Janzig is one of them.

“I actually never really use a drysuit or a wetsuit even in the spring,” Janzig said. “Because you aren’t in the water for that long.”

Jones said it gets so cold that people get brain freeze from being in the water so late in the fall, and at competitions in past years they have even skied while it snowed.

But currently the team is still able to get out on the water in just swimsuits and life jackets.

Not so serious

FLYING HIGH: Senior Jaunna Jones has been a member of the UWEC Waterski and Wakeboard team for three years. She trick and long distance jump skis during competition.

The skiers and boarders have three tournaments in the fall semester and three in the spring.

They have already competed in their first tournament in Iowa on Sept. 7 and 8.

In competitions, there are three different components of a tournament: slalom skiing, trick skiing and long distance jumping.

Armstrong said at the first competition, he was able to get four wakeboard tricks completed in the 20 seconds he had during the trick

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

BARE: Senior Nick Glaser barefoots during UWEC Waterski and Wakeboard practice.

skiing competition.

To be a part of the team, members do not have to compete in tournaments, but Jones said they are some of her favorite memories of her time Eau Claire because the team can hang out and have fun with skiers from other schools.

Jones said she knows students from universities all around the Midwest she never would have been able to meet if it hadn’t been for the team.

“Going to competitions, it’s more or less to meet new people and

have a good time, just for the whole experience,” Janzig said.

Jones, Janzig and Armstrong all said they love the team because they are able to be around fellow students with the same passion for skiing and wakeboarding.

“Skiing is very different than any other competitive sport. We are always encouraging the people we are competing against to do well,” Jones said. “It’s a very cool atmosphere.”

Landry can be reached at landrymm@ uwec.edu.

Team information Membership rates: One semester, $45; Full year, $90.

Next meeting: 9 p.m., Sept. 17. Email Jaunna Jones jonesjb@uwec.edu for location.

Fall Tournaments Iowa Hawkeye Skifest Dates: Sept. 7 - 8 Location: Eagle Lake in Evansdale, Iowa Hosts: University of Iowa Waterski Team Shane DeJong Fall Classic Dates: Sept. 14 -15

Location: Dream Lakes Estates in Cambridge, Iowa Hosts: Iowa State University Great Plains Conference Championships Dates: Sept. 21 - 22 Location: Waters Edge in Chicago (Wilmington), Illinois Hosts: Waters Edge Ski Club Midwest Collegiate Regionals Dates: Oct. 28 - 29 Location: PITS Lake in Decatur, Ill. Hosts: P.I.T.S. Water Skiers Inc.