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WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 2005 Vol. 126, No. 68

Rain 65° / 47° w w w. s t u d l i f e . c o m

STUDENT LIFE T H E I N D E P E N D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F WA S H I N G T O N U N I V E R S I T Y I N S T. L O U I S S I N C E 1 8 7 8

INSIDE

PHOTOS BY DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

Sunday marked the end of this year’s Ervin and Rodriguez Scholars weekend. Reporter Mandy Silver looks at what was different—and what was the same.

PAGE 7 What do you think of SWA’s decision to annex the admissions office? Numerous voices weigh in on the Battle of Brookings—the War over Wages— in Forum.

PAGE 8 • R E W A R D •

$250 Student Life is offering a $250 reward for information leading to the identification of the individual(s) responsible for the theft of last Wednesday’s newspaper from bins around the Hilltop campus. Please e-mail all information to tips@studlife.com or call (314) 935-6713. Names of tipsters will remain confidential.

WEATHER FORECAST Thursday High: 61º | Low: 42º Chance of rain

Friday High: 64º | Low: 46º Partly cloudy

Saturday High: 67º | Low: 48º Partly cloudy

INDEX News Forum Clasifieds Sports

1-7 8-9 10 11-12

SWA entered the Admissions Office in South Brookings at noon on Monday afternoon, refusing to leave until the University agrees to their demand of a living wage for all employees and contracted workers.

SWA sit-in approaches Day 3

By Sarah Kliff News Editor As they near the 48-hour mark of their occupation of Brookings Hall, student protesters are taking a more aggressive approach to asserting their demands. The activists, spearheaded by the Student Worker Alliance (SWA), say they will not budge from the Admissions Office until Chancellor Mark Wrighton negotiates with their demands for a workers’ “living wage.”

Students arrived at the office shortly before noon on Monday, April 4, carrying signs and sleeping bags. Over 170 students and faculty members so far have visited the sit-in for some length of time, while 14 students have remained completely within the office, only leaving the space to cross the hall to the bathroom and speak with prospective students attending tours. Their pamphlets tell prospective students to “refuse to attend WU in favor of a school with a living wage” and “then ‘write the chancellor a letter to tell him about it.’”

“As our campaign has fought for a Living Wage as well as negotiations concerning Washington University’s general labor practices for over a year and a half, we have realized that we had reached our tipping point,” SWA said in a written statement. “The plain and simple answer is that we feel we have the power to end poverty in our immediate community through a living wage policy.”

The University administration so far has complied with SWA’s presence in the Admissions Office and has granted the protesters permission to occupy the space. When the building closed at 5 p.m. Monday evening, WUPD Police Chief Don Strom told SWA member Danielle Christmas that the group could remain in the admissions office overnight. WUPD officers monitored the building throughout the night.

“I think that it’s fi ne,” said Christmas. “They simply asked us to be respectful of the space and

respectful to the workers, and [WUPD officers are] doing their job upholding what the administration asked them to do.”

Yesterday the protesters began marching through South Brookings, chanting and posting signs throughout the hallways.

“We’re expanding today because we had more time to do so, and we want to make it clear that we’re occupying—this is our territory,” said Christmas. “I’m considering this building mine until we leave.”

SWA has received a mixed response from the University community. A 5:00-p.m. rally yesterday afternoon drew a crowd of only 20 people, most of whom were already affi liated with the SWA. Many University employees were unfazed by the group’s march through the building, not looking up from their desks as the group passed through their offices yelling.

Wrighton briefl y visited the Admissions Office Tuesday afternoon and described the meeting as a “good interaction.” Wrighton did not express specific concern with the occupation.

“It’s certainly stressful for those involved in the administration,” said Wrighton. “But we certainly respect and support our students.”

According to the SWA, the chancellor has refused to negotiate with them until they end their occupation of the Admissions Office.

“He made it clear that he was not willing to begin negotiations until we left,” said the SWA’s Ojugo Ozuma. “We told him we were not going to leave until negotiations started.”

Earlier three students had left the office midafternoon Monday to deliver a statement to the chancellor in North Brookings, but they were stopped halfway up the staircase by WUPD. Shortly following, Steve Givens, assistant to the chancellor, met with SWA members and delivered a statement detailing the University’s standpoint on employment practices. It said that the Univer

Staff Reporter In a move to engage the student body in the University’s shopping process for new digital services, Network Technology Services will present a Digital Expo where students can view digital music, video streaming and downloading services on campus.

Students can visit the vendor fair between 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 7 in the Mudd Multipurpose Room. A panel discussion on copyright law will then follow from 10 to 11 p.m. at the Friedman Lounge in Wohl Center.

“We’re committed to providing more information,” said Matt Arthur, director of Network Technology Services (NTS) -Restech.

“We’re trying to facilitate students’ looking at the different options being offered.”

NTS has spent approximately $3,000 to fund the event. Some of these vendors will offer discounts on their services to Washington University students.

Arthur it made clear that the University is not planning to pay for music that students will be able to download. There are no plans for the University to purchase hardware for students, as Duke University did at the beginning of this academic year with an iPod distribution program to all its first-year students.

The fair and the discussion panel were organized on the suggestions of the student leadership of the Technology Resources Committee, Student Union Senate, RSAB, Residential Life, NTS and CS40.

“The concept of such an expo arose from the student demand for a downloading service and from the current efforts at several

STUDENT LIFE

By Laura Geggel Staff Reporter In a phone interview on Tuesday, Chancellor Mark Wrighton defended the University’s lack of action on Student Worker Alliance demands by stressing that “members of the administration have had precious little time to review the document [SWA] gave us.”

The passing of former University First Lady Elizabeth Danforth superseded the proposal, which was received late Friday afternoon.

“I just visited with the students that are in the lobby of the Admissions Office [and] I had a good interaction with them,” said Wrighton. “I think they are respectfully bringing to our attention a set of issues that they care about. We are united in trying to make Washington University a better place, but there are constraints that preclude me from responding to every opportunity [for change].”

In a statement released on Monday, University administration wrote, “The University is interested in continuing the dialogue in an orderly fashion, and Chancellor Wrighton has asked Executive Vice Chancellor John Klein to

See FACULTY, page 2

See SWA PROTEST, page 5

Choose your ‘iTunes’

By John Hewitt

Chancellor has had ‘little time’

GREEKS PLAYING GAMES

other institutions,” said Danielle Matilsky, the speaker of CS40.

Interactive demonstrations will be a part of the expo. Seven vendors will be represented, along with the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The vendors attending are Apple iTunes, CDigix, MovieLink, Napster, Peer Impact, Ruckus and SonicSwap.

“This event is meant to enable students to have an impact on campus life in a positive way,” said Matilsky. “We are fortunate to have an administration that is open and willing to listen to what students want and to make a decision based on the feedback from this event. These services are for us, and therefore we should take advantage of this opportunity to have a significant voice in this decision.”

The panel discussion following the vendor fair will be lead by representatives designated by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the MPAA and the RIAA. The proceedings of the panel will be broadcast on WUTV and streaming video will be posted at http: //digitalexpo.wustl.edu.

Similar vendor fairs have been held at other universities around the country, including Indiana University and Pennsylvania State. According to Arthur, the upcoming Digital Expo will be offering more vendors than the events held at other universities in the past.

Prizes, free food and music will be offered at the fair. The prizes are being provided by the companies represented.

One Brookings Drive #1039 #42 Women’s Building St. Louis, MO 63130

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DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

About 400 new members of the Greek community played icebreakers in groups all over Hilltop campus on Sunday.

Editor: editor@studlife.com News: news@studlife.com Calendar: calendar@studlife.com

Please Recycle

News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

OFF CAMPUS

ON CAMPUS

Pick up Friday’s copy of Student Life to check out Cadenza’s complete guide to the weekend

Ben Lee and company light up the Gargoyle

YOUR GUIDE TO THE WEEKEND AHEAD

THE PULSE

Brought to you by the Cadenza staff

2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

Ben Lee, Australian singer-songwriter and a fellow “Ben” along with Mr. Kweller and Mr. Folds, will perform Thursday night at the Gargoyle.

The old-beyond-his-years rocker, who started the band Noise Addict as a mere lad of 13, comes in support of his new album “Awake is the New Sleep.” Although the album has mainly received tepid reviews so far, a free show at the Gargoyle is always a good enough reason to get out on a weeknight.

Even more notable is Lee’s opening act, Har Mar Superstar, who makes a guest appearance on his album. Although he croons sleazy, super-sexy R&B, Har Man is, in fact, a pudgy, balding little man with a propensity for stripping during his shows. It should make for an interesting night. The show is free for University students, and doors open at 7 p.m.

-Matt Simonton

CONCERTS Jazz at Holmes presents the Reggie Thomas Trio Thursday 8 p.m.—Holmes Lounge Come here reknowned jazz pianist Reggie Thomas tickle the ivories at the weekly “Jazz at Holmes” series.

FILM SCREENINGS “Safe” (1995) Friday 7 p.m.—Steinberg Auditorium The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum presents Todd Haynes’ disturbing tale of suburban sickness as part of the “Inside Out Loud” exhibit. Julianne Moore stars as a California housewife who suddenly develops bizarre symptoms. The film raises questions about domestic health issues and psychological experiences.

STAGE PERFORMANCES Into the Woods Friday and Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m., $ 8—Edison Theatre The Performing Arts Department presents Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s musical merger of fairy tale and reality.

ART

Fine art plus the music of Steve Reich Somtimes it’s just plain fun to be a snob, and an art snob at that. The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will provide an excellent opportunity for snobbery (as well as wonderful art and music) this Thursday with selections from the music of Steve Reich.

For those unfamiliar with Reich, he is one of the most lauded composers of the 20th century, considered on par with other minimalists such as La Monte Young and Terry Riley (who appeared at the University last year with Philip Glass). The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Robertson, will perform “Piano Phase,” “Music for Pieces of Wood” and “Eight Lines.”

The performance comes in coordination with the Pulitzer’s current exhibition, “Brancusi and Serra in Dialogue,” which highlights the work of two renowned sculptors. Tickets are $20, and the program begins at 7:30 p.m. at 3716 Washington Blvd.

-Matt Simonton

CONCERTS Steve Earle and the Dukes w/ Allison Moorer Thursday 7 p.m., $20—The Pageant Country rebel Steve Earle always has a lot on his mind, so don’t expect him to hold back from his independent political commentary between roots-rock songs. Shelby Lynne’s younger sister Allison Moorer opens.

Straylight Run w/ Minus the Bear, Spitalfield, Gratitude, Honorary Title Saturday 6:30 p.m., $13—Mississippi Nights Mississippi Nights serves up a melting pot of emo, pop-punk and alternative music on Saturday with an evening of five newcomers on the rock scene.

Okkervil River Monday 9 p.m.—The Way Out Club This literate folk rock group, which has drawn comparisons to Will Oldham, Songs: Ohia, and the Decemberists, performs at the funky Way Out Club in support of their new album, “Black Sheep Boy.”

Documenting Change: Abolition through Reconstruction Wednesday 5:30 p.m.—Olin Library Level 1 and Ginkgo Reading Room Part of the “Documenting Change” symposium, this exhibit features historic prints depicting the Civil War, abolition and Reconstruction from the collection of James Schiele. Lecture and reception.

Galactic w/ Buckethead Tuesday 7 p.m., $15—Mississippi Nights Jam scene mainstays Galactic will perform their New Orleans jazz-funk with the aid of one Mr. Buckethead, a virtuoso guitar shredder who wears a KFC bucket on his noggin.

EVENTS

Big River Tuesday 8 p.m., $18-$52—The Fox Theatre The musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” comes to the Fabulous Fox.

The Really Big Gay Picnic Friday 8:00 p.m.—Bowles Plaza Picnic for everyone, especially members of the GLBTQA community, and part of Pride Week 2005.

STAGE PERFORMANCES

FILM SCREENINGS Music Fair: Digital Expo Thursday 4:30 p.m.—Mudd Multipurpose Room Come speak to representatives of Napster, iTunes and Ruckus. Free food and raffle drawings.

The Webster University Film Series presents “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) Tuesday 7 p.m., $5—Moore Auditorium, 470 East Lockwood Webster University continues its “Films of Billy Wilder” series with this classic look at Hollywood during the late 40s. I’m ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille!

News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

FACULTY n FROM PAGE 1 review the SWA proposal and make a presentation to the University leadership at the next meeting of the University Council on April 11.”

While the University does not directly pay the workers for whom SWA is rallying, it hires the companies that employ the workers. Last spring the University revised its Principles and Guidelines for Basic Services Contracts, which became University policy on Oct. 1, 2004. The University’s statement expressed that they were addressing this problem.

“Currently, a group of administrators with responsibility for outside contractors is assessing the St. Louis market with respect to compensation and benefits, and we are willing to consider any new points the Student Worker Alliance has suggested in their proposed ‘Code of Conduct,’” it said.

A peaceful protest The SWA sit-in at Brookings Hall may only be comprised of students, but many of the faculty at the University are also making their opinions on SWA’s tactics and goals public.

Professor Howard Brick from the history department stopped

by Brookings on Monday afternoon to show his support for the student demonstrators.

Brick—who specializes in protest, labor, socialist and radical movements in 20th-century America—was one of 50 faculty members who signed a petition last year expressing his agreement with SWA’s activities.

“I didn’t know about the sitin until it occurred,” Brick said, “[but] I support the students who are sitting in at the Admissions Office as a way of urging the administration to deal with them and deliberate over this matter of University policy.”

Prior to the sit-in, Brick took part in an SWA presentation of a movie about Martin Luther King’s 1968 activism in Memphis regarding a sanitation worker strike.

“People who go out on a limb for an important cause need to feel that they have backing,” said Brick, explaining the mentality of activists. “I felt personally that I wanted to assure them that they have my backing, and I think they have the backing of many other faculty members as well.”

Delise Le Pool, the main receptionist at the Admissions Office in South Brookings, only found out about the sit-in about an hour and a half before it took place.

“I have no complaints with the protest because I love my students. They haven’t inconvenienced me at all in my office,” said Le Pool.

She noted that SWA members have been courteous to visitors and students entering the Admissions area.

“Unfortunately, I can’t get a lot of work done. But that’s not a major complaint because even though I am here to work, I understand what they’re doing and why they’re doing it,” said Le Pool.

SWA’s sit-in corresponds with April Welcome, a month in which waves of prospective freshmen visit campus to get a taste of the University.

“We have not had any complaints from the visitors or the upcoming freshmen at all,” said Le Pool. “A lot of visitors that are here say that they are used to this type of scenario.

They think its just part of college life.”

news@studlife.com

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

On Site at the protest: one reporter’s Experience with SWA demonstrators

DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE

By Rachel Sreitfeld Contributing Editor Space was tight. A couple of fluorescent lights shone all night long. And the floor was really, really hard.

After a night spent sleeping in hallways and under desks in the Admissions Office, student protesters rose around 6 a.m. yesterday morning to freshen up (sans showering) and get back to work. By late afternoon, the lack of sleep was starting to show as students sprawled across the office to nap.

Members of the Student Worker Alliance (SWA) and other interested students clocked in Day 2 of their sit-in on the Admissions Office yesterday with new t-shirts, new chants and some more junk food. Students hope to persuade the University to pay workers a “living wage,” and they say they’ll camp out in Admissions until administrators give way.

The sit-in started Monday when a small group of students staked out the office in a usually sedate corner of Brookings. By 12:30 p.m. that day, the number of protesters had doubled to about 30. Over a hundred students would stop by during the day to show their support.

Inside the office on Monday, the students were cheerful, determined and irrepressibly hyper. One protester, senior Jessie Rymph, recognized me when I walked in with my notebook and yelled, “Let’s hear it for our Student Life reporter!” The crowd gave me a gusty cheer.

But the joviality didn’t hamper the group’s organization. When a television crew from Channel 5 showed up to cover the sit-in, the entire crowd hurried into formation: climbing up on each other’s shoulders and jamming themselves up against the windows— right underneath carefully placed signs reading “Wrighton is Wrong” and “Workers Can’t Eat Prestige.” The “Living Wage Now” slogans on their t-shirts plainly visible, students broke into a lively chant, pumping their fists

for emphasis.

“What’s outrageous? Wash U’s wages!”

“What’s disgusting? Union busting!”

Traffic in Admissions had slowed to a standstill, but receptionist Delise Le Pool was enjoying the ruckus.

“I think what they’re doing is wonderful,” said Le Pool. “They give me my space.”

“Besides, what can I do, girl?” she asked me, laughing and gesturing to the magazine she’d been reading because of the work slowdown.

During one chant, the phone rang and Le Pool tried unsuccessfully to speak with the caller.

“Quiet down, guys,” said one student. “Delise is on the phone.”

The crowd was too pumped to quiet down enough for the phone call, but that didn’t stop Delise from having a great time. She joked that the protesters were making her day an easy one.

Students were even in good spirits about the prospect of making the Admissions Office a temporary home.

They stocked up on fruit roll-ups, Cliff bars and peanut butter and jelly. Later in the night, architecture students brought boxes of Thin Mints to the giant sleepover.

The students stretched out in the Admissions Office and the adjoining hallway to catch a bit of shut-eye.

Twenty students stayed the night.

The next morning, sophomore Joe Thomas was too exhausted to remember what students had eaten the night before.

“Dinner was…,” he paused, then turned to the group. “What was dinner last night? Somebody? Somebody?”

Turns out that a local union delivered Pizza Hut. Students had rebounded by 11 a.m. yesterday morning and were hard at work making new t-shirts with ironons.

Though not a member of SWA, senior Rachel Mercer said she’d been following the group’s 15-month effort to secure a “living wage” for the University’s contracted workers.

“I’m just here because I heard about it, and I thought it was a worthwhile cause and I wanted to support it,” she said.

Other protesters were more gungho, toting overnight bags and scheduling food runs. Twelve students have pledged to spend at least an entire week holed up in Admissions if necessary.

Thomas, a member of SWA, said the group would stake out the Admissions Office “until we graduate or we don’t.”

Washington University officer John Schmittgens worked a graveyard shift the past two nights to supervise the protesters. He said he didn’t see the protest as a threat.

“I left my nightstick at home,” he joked Tuesday.

Out in the Quad, some prospective freshmen took notice of the action.

Sarah Balke of Atlanta, Ga., said the sit-in had caught her eye—even though she hadn’t figured out who was protesting whom or what they wanted.

“It sparks my interest,” Balke said. “I want to know what’s going on.”

When I told her what SWA was protesting, she was impressed that students were “getting involved,” though she said the living wage issue wouldn’t deter her from attending the University.

“I wouldn’t base my decision on whether to come here on this,” she said.

Not if SWA has anything to do with it. Protesters are handing out flyers with a word of advice to prospective students: choose another University— one that pays its employees a living wage. Then, SWA says, write Chancellor Wrighton and explain your decision.

Protesters may be doing more to gain applicants than to turn them away, however.

“Prospective freshmen walk by and they’re like, ‘Cool, these students are really involved!’ And the parents are like, ‘Keep on walking, don’t look at them,’” said senior Anita Hernandez.

news@studlife.com

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4 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

CAMPUS

the WUrld Compiled by Angela Markle and Helen Rhee

NATIONAL New study suggests college faculties are exceedingly liberal A study released this week in The Forum suggests that there are more liberal faculties than conservatives teaching at elite American universities and colleges. The study, conducted by Stanley Rothman of Smith College, Robert Lichter of George Mason University and Neil Nevitte of University of Toronto, found that 87 percent of faculty at elite universities call themselves liberal, while only 13 percent identified as conservatives. The survey reported that there were no fields in which the conservatives outnumbered the liberals. In liberal departments such as English literature, philosophy, political science and religious studies, only five percent of faculty surveyed identified as conservative, while a striking 80 percent of those surveyed reported being liberal.

Also included in the survey are the percentages of faculty who attend church or any other religious institution. The researchers concluded that liberals, men and non-regular churchgoers were more likely to teach at top schools, while conservatives, women and religious faculty were more likely to be placed at lower-tier colleges and universities.

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SIU offers $500 reward for students who graduate on time Southern Illinois University has initiated a plan to offer $500 to any student who graduates in four years. At this time, only about 25 percent of students at the university graduate in four years, so this incentive may actually cut costs for the university. Many state and public universities and college are instituting similar programs to encourage students to graduate in a timely fashion. Texas sometimes pays off student loans for those who graduate on time, and the California State University system (not to be confused with the University of California system) has made special requirements for transferring that ensure that transfer students can complete their required units.

The new program at SIU is called Finish in Four, and the money is actually given to students in their fi nal semester, to be spent at the student’s choosing. They are also working on incentive programs that will offer money to students seeking placement in the university’s medical or law schools, or to other graduate programs, assuming that the students enroll immediately after completing their undergraduate studies.

Colby College educates students about beer and wine Colby College, a private liberal arts school in Maine, has begun to sponsor Friday night wine and beer soirees to teach students how to drink beer and wine. The directors of the program emphasize savoring, not gulping. At the soiree, students have the opportunity to learn about the beer and wines from reading pamphlets as well as talking to wine distributors and brewery owners. The events have run into initial skepticism from experts who believe that the school should not be providing alcohol to students, who are already pre-exposed to drinking opportunities. The soirees represent the growing efforts by college administers around the nation to educate students about alcohol and to slow down alcohol related injuries among college students. Currently, Cornell University offers a credit course on wine, while the University of California-Davis has a separate department devoted on studies of vineyard and winemaking.

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News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

Greeks play games, welcome members

SWA PROTEST n FROM PAGE 1

By Sarah Kliff

sity is “committed to being a premier place to work” and is “willing to consider any new points the Student Worker Alliance has suggested in their proposed ‘Code of Conduct.’”

SWA has pursued workers’ rights issues since its inception in November of 2003. The group fi rst formed with a campaign demanding the return of the 36 Nicaraguan workers deported last November. It has since turned its attention to demanding a living wage for campus workers.

SWA defi nes a living wage as “the minimum pay rate necessary to keep an individual and his or her family above the federal poverty level.” The St. Louis Board of Aldermen has determined the hourly wage needed to survive to be $9.79 per hour with benefits.

SWA claims that many janitorial, food service and groundskeeping workers at the University make less than this, with wages of $8 per hour or less.

News Editor The Greek community found a new way to welcome new members this year: a giant human knot, a game of “Have You Ever?” and 20 people simultaneously hopping over a jump rope.

All of these activities and more, sponsored by Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association Executive Board (Panhel), were part of the first New Member Day. The sororities and fraternities teamed up with YMCA Team Works to show 400 new members what it means to be a Greek.

“It’s a way to get new members in each house out to get to know each other and make it a community,” said junior Hunter Haas, IFC vice president of recruitment. “People are getting to know people outside of their houses.”

In previous years, all students joining the Greek community would attend grand chapter, a ceremony held in Graham Chapel welcoming students to Greek life. This year, both sororities and fraternities wanted to find a more active way to welcome their new members, which would emphasize the building of a community.

“Now it’s a really proactive activity,” said Tanya Charumilind, Panhel vice president of member education.

“The goal is to get new members together and get to know each other.”

Director of Greek Life Karin Johnes said the idea of an interactive welcome program for new members of the Greek community is something that has been mulled

over for the past few years. The program never came to fruition because the responsibility of planning the newmember event has historically fallen on the Vice Presidents of Member Education in the IFC and Panhel, both of whom take office at the start of February—too late to plan such a large-scale event, Johnes explained.

This year, the Greek Life Office met with New Member Educators from each fraternity and sorority in November to brainstorm ideas and begin planning.

“In the past, it’s been more like a mini-conference with different topics, rather than interactive,” Johnes said. “Our main goal this year was to have a fun community-wide event for new members to interact with Greeks from other pledge classes.”

Participants split off into 20 groups of 20–25 students and participated in team-building activities, each lead by a member of YMCA Team Works and one of the New Member Educators from a fraternity or sorority.

Johnes said she has heard many positive responses from students.

“Its success is almost 100 percent due to the New Member Educators… their enthusiasm made it more fun,” Johnes said, noting that the good weather on Sunday also set a positive atmosphere for the event.

news@studlife.com

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SOME OF THE PLACES WE FLY Albuquerque (Just an hour away from Santa Fe)

Austin

Baltimore/Washington (BWI) (29 miles to downtown Washington, D.C.)

Chicago (Midway)

Ft. Lauderdale (22 miles to downtown Miami)

Harlingen/South Padre Island

Las Vegas

Los Angeles (LAX)

New Orleans

Oakland (18 miles to downtown San Francisco)

5

POLICE BEAT Tuesday, Mar. 29 2:23 p.m. AUTO ACCIDENT, SHEPLEY—Visitor to campus reported an unknown vehicle backed into her car or sideswiped it while it was parked just north of Liggett Hall.

Disposition: Under investigation.

3:24 p.m. MEDICAL, LAB SCIENCES BLDG—Accidental injury. Disposition: Cleared.

Wednesday, Mar. 30 12:46 p.m. DRUG OFF E NSE DI ST R I BU T ION NEAR SCHOOLS, ELIOT HOUSE—Student arrested for violation of the Missouri controlled substance law for distribution of drugs. Disposition: Cleared by arrest.

Thursday, Mar. 31 11:21 a.m.

PARKING VIOLATION, Lot #10—Vehicle towed for displaying a fraudulent parking permit.

Disposition: Cleared.

Friday, Apr. 1 11:07 p.m. FIRE ALARM, SMALL GROUP #4 - Fire alarm sounded due to a student operating a fog machine on the lower level. Disposition: Cleared.

Monday, Apr. 4 5:01 a.m. PROPERTY DAMAGE, UNDESIGNATED AREA OFF CAMPUS —Caller reports person(s) unknown damaged his vehicle’s trunk in an attempt to open same, during the hours of 2 and 4 a.m.

Disposition: Referred to responsible jurisdiction.

2:58 p.m.

MEDICAL, ATHLETIC COMPLEX— Accidental injury. Disposition: Cleared.

4:49 p.m. LARCENYTHEFT, MILLBROOK GARAGE—Victim reported his parking permit was stolen from his convertible vehicle while parked inside of Millbrook Garage between 12 and 6 p.m. 3/31/ 05. Disposition: Pending.

Tuesday, Apr. 5 2:49 a.m. LARCENYTHEFT, WOMENS BUILDING—Student stated that on 4/5/05 between 1:10 and 2:15 a.m. unknown person(s) took an unsecured bike, which he borrowed from a friend, from the bike rack located on the east side of the Women’s Building. The bike is described as a Beach Cruiser, orange in color.

Disposition: Pending.

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6 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

New Blue Line shuttle route to address safety concerns

By Shweta Murthi Contributing Reporter Next year’s shuttle schedule will include new stops and a new route.

The new Blue Line will take over half of the stops on the Green Line so that travel time can be cut in half. It will also connect the Hilltop, West and North campuses.

Lisa Underwood, manager of Parking and Transportation Services, said the changes will help the shuttle serve the entire University community.

“The Green Line has been a route that was intended to serve a number of groups and it’s targeted at students that live in University City, Greenway Apartments and art students who need to get up to the Lewis Center and Art Studio on Vernon,” Underwood said. “Most recently, the University moved offices into North Campus, so what happened was that more things were added to that area so that old Green Line just grew and got a little bit too long to give quick service.”

The new Blue Line will take over the east part of the current Green Line route and will have buses running frequently and covering shorter routes. Shuttle schedules will also extend hours until 1:30

or 2 a.m.

Underwood stressed that the passengers’ safety was also a big factor in these changes.

“Most people complain that they can walk back in the time it takes to ride the Green Line, but late at night that’s not a good choice. So we’re looking at that route and we’ve decided that we need to shorten it so that we can provide the same level of service.”

Parking and Transportation Services will also revise the Red Line to include stops at WalMart, Sam’s Club and ArtMart, a resource for art and architecture students.

Underwood stressed that student input was important in creating the new routes.

“We put signs on all the buses,” said Underwood. “All the information is right there on the Web site.

What I was hoping was that people would check us out and let us know and give us comments by April 7.”

Sophomore Deniz Oran, chair of the Student Union Senate Services Committee, said that the need for a shuttle change came from a student complaint.

“One of the students living in Greenway Apartments complained that she had difficulty going back to the dorm and the hours of the Green Line weren’t late enough and

the Escort Services wouldn’t go off campus,” said Oran. “Two senators and I decided to take it on and we found that there were other girls in Greenway that felt the same way.”

As for ideas in the future, Oran said that they have several ideas in the works including a shuttle to the airport for spring break similar to the Turkey Shuttle offered at Thanksgiving break. While plans are still in the works, Oran believes the changes that have been made are a great success for campus services.

Freshman Marissa Dessanti, a student in the art school, said that she will take advantage of the changes. Since she cannot bring a car to campus, Dessanti uses the shuttle system to purchase supplies for her classes.

“The stop at the ArtMart will be more convenient,” said Dessanti. “Otherwise, I have to buy my supplies at the campus bookstore, which is expensive. It’ll also be nice taking shorter time to get to the Lewis Center.”

news@studlife.com

DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE

A Gold Line shuttle queues up outside of Mallinckrodt on Tuesday afternoon. The shuttle schedules and routes for next year are being changed and a new line is being created.

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News Editor / Liz Neukirch / news@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

SU adapts to new leadership structure

STUDENT LIFE | NEWS

Ervin and Rodriguez weekend draws diversity and dissent

By David Tabor connection between students and senators has facilitated communication in the Student Union members are hailing past few months.

“We’ve gotten a lot of really good feedas a success the program implemented in January that assigns each Washington back,” said Finkelstein. “It’s gone well so University student to a senator, who di- far.”

Finkelstein expressed hope that the rectly advocates on their behalf. Reflecting on the program’s fi rst months, several program will continue to expand and senators asserted that the program had be sustained in the future. He sees the helped bring many new student concerns potential for it to continue to aid communication in coming years. to light.

“I think it’ll make for a more efficient, “We wanted to increase visibility and make ourselves more accountable, and effective, and in-touch Senate,” Finkelin that regard it has been a great suc- stein said.

He was cautious in his optimism, cess,” said Senate Speaker Marc Bridge, though, stressing the need to actively a senior.

Bridge explained that many of the nurture and support the program.

“One thing that could be improved issues that had been brought up in Senate discussion were the direct result of upon is more advertising and visibility,” students’ contact with their assigned said Finkelstein. “I worry that if it is not senators. A recent reworking of shuttle publicized enough, it will be forgotten schedules and routes, for instance, was about.”

He hopes that incoming senators will prompted by complaints by off-campus students. Shuttle schedules were revised take advantage of the communications to allow late-night transportation from infrastructure already in place, which campus to surrounding housing. In an- includes special email accounts that other case, students taking ROTC classes senators can use for the express purpose opened discussion about whether such of communicating with their constituents. Further, students can fi nd contact classes should receive academic credit.

Concern that such issues might go information for their assigned senator unrepresented was the impetus for the through the Student Union Web page.

Senator Jeff Zove, a sophomore, program’s creation. Without clear lines of communication between students and agreed that allocating groups of students their Student Union representatives, sen- to senators had helped bring forward ators feared some concerns might go un- new concerns that might otherwise be represented, particularly those relevant overlooked. He said that he could recall several instances when senators had sugto specific groups of students.

“We can only pursue the issues that we gested new issues for discussion, pointing out that constituents had contacted know exist,” said Bridge.

Freshman senator Greg Finkelstein, them with particular concerns.

The current structure has also been who sponsored the legislation to enact the program, feels that the individual useful for updating students on their senators’ activities, added Zove, noting that he had explained his current projects to his group of students If so, then give us a call. We own 98% of our properties and received feedback from them. and serve them with pride of ownership.

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Last weekend, the University welcomed its fi rst class of fi nalists for the revised John B. Ervin and Annika Rodriguez Scholars Programs. The programs, originally intended for African-American and Hispanic students, respectively, were opened to applicants of all races and ethnicities this year in response to increasing pressure from the Office of Civil Rights at the United States Department of Education.

This year’s 48 Annika Rodriguez and 76 John B. Ervin fi nalists included prospective students of Latino, Caucasian, Native American, Asian, South Asian, and African-American descent.

Finalists’ perspectives on the weekend’s focus differed widely. Some expressed reservations about the scholarships’ increased inclusiveness, while others applauded the University’s willingness to comply with the Department of Education.

St. Louis resident and Ervin fi nalist Henry Agbo said that he was pleased that the weekend’s events remained the same as in past years, including a trip to the St. Louis Black Repertory Theatre and to Saint’s, which he identified as “a typically black skating rink.” He noted that future adjustments would be necessary to preserve the sense of community within the program, as non-minority fi nalists appeared to be uncomfortable.

“It seems like the [Ervin] program has been geared towards African Americans,” Agbo said.

Agbo further noted that he did see tension and divides between fi nalists of different ethnicities.

“In a program like that, when you don’t have students from that background, they are going to feel awkward. Although people made an effort to get to know everyone, non-black fi nalists became friends with each other as opposed to with us,” he said.

Ervin fi nalist Sarah Hale disagreed. She said that her Irish and German descent initially worried her, but that the other fi nalists immediately put her at ease.

“I’ve felt very accepted, despite minor feelings of fear,” said Hale. “I was pleasantly surprised that it was so easy to speak with people—even about racial issues.”

Administrators of the two programs say that little has changed and that the scholarships still embody the same ideals that they always have.

Julia Macias, director of the Annika Rodriguez Scholarship Program, said that the Rodriguez program will continue to promote a diverse educational atmosphere on campus.

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“While our focus is no longer solely on Latino students, we continue to emphasize diversity and bringing different cultures together,” Macias said. “We continue to look for outstanding students who are willing to engage in dialogue and bring the campus together. We continue [to place] a strong emphasis on community service and outreach, as exemplified by Annika Rodriguez herself.”

Dean James McLeod, director of the John B. Ervin scholarship program, echoed Macias’ statement and stressed that the changes made did not affect the Ervin Program’s fundamental commitment to fostering a community supportive of diversity.

“The John B. Ervin Program never focused solely on African-American culture. It always focused on values and the diversity of cultures within communities. This focus remains a present priority,” McLeod said.

Despite Macias and McLeod’s resolve to maintain the core values of both scholarship programs, the change in this year’s demographics has been met with mixed feelings by current scholars, such as freshman R.J. Williams. Although Williams thinks it is important that exclusively black scholarships exist, he is willing to accept students into the “Ervin family” regardless of their cultural background.

“I would prefer for it to remain an all-black scholarship, but as long as the incoming class upholds the values of John B. Ervin, I think it will be beneficial for both the Ervin Program and the Wash U community as a whole,” Williams said.

“After meeting some of the non-black fi nalists, I think they will be comfortable in this situation.

They were selected because they promote the ideals of diversity.”

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8 STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

Forum Editor / Roman Goldstein / forum@studlife.com

FORUM

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS Write a letter to the editor letters@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039 Submit an opinion column forum@studlife.com or Campus Box 1039

STAFF EDITORIAL

Kudos to SWA, University

T

he campus experienced on Monday a pleasant break with the status quo: students teamed together to sacrifice their time and risk their freedom for the public good. Having such lovely news to report is a genuine pleasure for the staff of this paper after weeks of scandal.

Civility, camaraderie and cheer characterized the Brookings sit-in organized by the Student Worker Alliance on the sit-in’s fi rst day. The protestors who packed the Admissions Office on Monday seemed enthusiastic despite the seriousness of their goal, a living wage for University employ-

ees. Whatever one thinks of the economic issues involved, their approach to the effort must be admired.

Indeed, SWA has offered us a model for appropriate student action. It is not interested in rude pranks, but in a selfless endeavor that is well-intentioned, well-planned and welcoming to all. This is doubtless one of the reasons that the group has attracted numerous students from outside their organization.

Although angry with the administration in the abstract, the members have made all conceivable efforts to cooperate with University officials in the details of their

protest. They gave Admissions advance notice of their plans, and avoided complications with the University Police.

Much of the credit for this goes to Police Chief Don Strom, who gracefully accommodated them by working out rules that safeguarded both the security of Brookings Hall and the free speech of University students. While SWA members deserve commendation for their willingness to risk arrest, we praise them all the more for their readiness to work with authorities.

Unlike some protestors, who unnecessarily antagonize authorities through their outrageous behavior, the sit-in participants have

acted in accordance with the true spirit of non-violent resistance.

Let us not forget the admissions employees, who have graciously welcomed and interacted with their guests.

In short, this sit-in has reflected positively on the University community as a whole. We cannot forget that this is a protest, and as such represents a confl ict of opinion between the administration and part of the student body. But it is a protest in style, one that reflects the high moral character and good nature of our students and staff.

STEVE SACK | EDITORIAL CARTOON FORUM POLICIES v

OPINION COLUMN (OP-ED): A bylined essay of between 500 and 750 words that reflects only the opinion of the author. It should include the name, class, position (if applicable), major (if applicable) and phone number of the author. E-mail forum@studlife.com to submit.

v

LETTER: A piece of writing under 350 words in length, directed to the Student Life Forum editors, that may or may not respond directly to content printed previously in Student Life. It should include the name, class, position (if applicable) and phone number of the author.

E-mail letters@studlife.com to submit.

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STAFF EDITORIAL: An opinion that reflects the consensus of the editorial board. It is written by the Forum editors.

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FORUM FLASHBACK: A summary of an article previously published in Forum, followed by an analysis or update to the opinion.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Who needs a living wage?

Dear Editor: I understand the idea of the Student Worker Alliance and their requests. However, as a graduating senior who wants to work in science research or in museums, I have an issue with the SWA-proposed “living wage.”

I worked in a lab at this university for $6.50 an hour (and only just this past month got a training-based raise to $7.50 an hour). Back home, I have earned wages of $7 an hour and $9 an hour.

These were both acceptable wages from large corporations in San Francisco, where the cost of living is much higher. All the above-mentioned jobs were entry level, requiring no college coursework, let alone degrees.

Come May, I will have my A.B. Most of the jobs that I want are going for about $8.50 an hour, and offer 37.5-hour weeks. SWA would have us believe that is not a living wage. I understand their worries, but I do not agree with whatever formula they used to come up with a living wage.

Point: I do not have a family for which I must provide. Counterpoint: off that $9 an hour salary in San Francisco, one of my coworkers was saving to bring his wife and child to America with all of their belongings, and to fully purchase and furnish a house before their arrival.

He also paid for classes at a community college, paid rent, bought food and clothes and bus fares, and had money for his car, movies, video games and other random expenses—all without taking out any loans. If he could do that with $9 an hour, our campus workers can as well.

I absolutely appreciate all the work that our campus workers have put into making this campus beautiful. If we really want to help

STUDENT LIFE Editor in Chief Associate Editor Senior News Editor Senior Forum Editor Senior Cadenza Editor Senior Scene Editor Senior Sports Editor

Jonathan Greenberger Cory Schneider Liz Neukirch Roman Goldstein Matt Simonton Sarah Ulrey Mary Bruce

them, maybe we can offer to them discounts on classes.

Please do not change the current campus workers’ wages to quell the SWA sit-ins and protests. There are much better ways to both use the money the SWA is requesting, and to include the campus workers in our community.

-Elianna Goldstein Class of 2005

Your student government needs your involvement Dear Editor: Re: “SU Elections are a joke” [Apr. 4, 2005].

It is disheartening to see that many students base their decisions after reading Student Life.

After my being involved with Student Union for more than two years, one of my friends asked me why I was still involved with SU and argued, based on the editorial, that SU is an insiders’ organization.

Everybody involved with SU was an outsider at some point. Their continual dedication to SU and the campus community makes them insiders. These insiders are also heavily involved in various organizations and bring an outside perspective. I want to see more people who really care to get involved but there’s not much enthusiasm. Instead of being reactive and bashing the

Senior Graphics Editors Brian Sotak, Emily Tobias News Editors Doug Main, Sarah Kliff Contributing Editors Erin Harkless, Rachel Streitfeld, Forum Editors Cadenza Editors Scene Editors Sports Editor Photo Editors

elections Student Life should take a proactive stance and encourage “outsiders” to run before elections actually come around.

SU is not made up of only the four Exec members. Class councils, School councils, Treasury, Senate and the many executive committees comprise SU as well. Regardless, I spoke to many interested outsiders who chose not run for Exec because they felt that the four students running will do a great job, or they do not have 30 hours a week to devote to an unpaid job.

Instead of criticizing the people on the ballot, we should support the few who are willing to dedicate themselves to this thankless and unpaid job.

SU invited leaders of student groups to come voice their concerns and get more involved within SU. Current representatives nominated students to run for positions, all of whom received election packets. SGAC publicized elections to all student groups and requested they forward the information to their group members. SU also sent an email to every undergraduate urging them to pick up an election packet.

I encourage every student who cares about the campus community or feels that SU is an “insiders” organization talk to SU leaders to fi nd out how they can get appointed to positions. I also hope that despite claims that “SU elections are a joke,” each one of you will take the two minutes to log on to WebSTAC and support your student government.

-Harsh Agarwal Class of 2006 Representative of the Treasury

Dear Editor: Re: “Elizabeth ‘Ibby’ Danforth dies at 75,” [Apr. 4, 2005].

Thank you for your article recognizing Mrs. Danforth’s many achievements. In addition to her tangible contributions to the University, she taught students invaluable lessons about living with dignity and class. She personified grace, setting an important role model for us students to follow as she warmly welcomed new acquaintances. With her friendly manner, she quickly put students at ease by fi nding topics that she and they shared in common.

Most importantly, she had a zest for life. She took classes alongside us because she enjoyed learning and recognized that being “First Lady” of a university carried the perk of lifelong education. Her eyes sparkled when she talked about exploring the outdoors with her family, recalling float trips she and her family took down various Missouri rivers.

When Chancellor William Danforth retired in 1995, I had the opportunity to profi le her for Student Life. After the profi le was published, she wrote me a thank-you note. No one does that.

A decade later, I still have Mrs. Danforth’s note, to remind myself about living with manners and consideration for others, and as a reminder of the kind of person she was. She touched generations of Wash U alumni, and we extend our sympathy to Chancellor Emeritus Danforth and his family.

-Allen Mattison Class of 1996

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Copyright 2005 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713.

Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@studlife.com for more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy.

The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions.

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If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.

Forum Editor / Roman Goldstein / forum@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

STUDENT LIFE | FORUM

9

Staying true to losers

I

want the Cardinals to lose in the fi rst round of the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, I want them to make it. I just want the team of my new home to get absolutely slaughtered in a three game sweep by my New York Mets.

In his column from the March 29 New York Times, David Brooks details his blasphemous temptations: considering rooting for the team of his adopted home town (the expansion Washington Nationals) instead of our beloved Mets. On the surface, this seems reasonable. The Nationals are a new team, full of excitement. According to mlb.com, only the

Daniel Milstein

Red Sox have sold more merchandise than the Nationals this off-season. On the other hand, the Mets are coming off a third straight 90-loss season, and just made big-name acquisitions without helping shore up the team’s many weaknesses. But Brooks is still a traitor to me.

My situation is comparable to Brooks’. I will live here for at least the next three years. And the Cardinals are coming off a trip to the World Series, and seem destined for another one. But 19 long, hard years of being a Met fan will not stop because of the lure of having my local (and non-Yankees) team win.

The Mets are as much a part of me as anything else. According to family legend, the Mets regained fi rst place in the 1985 season the day I was born. I used to believe that the Mets were playing on the radio while I was being born (considering that I was born in the middle of the night, I now know that’s false).

I still remember my fi rst Mets game. August 25, 1991 against the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets

Nineteen long, hard years of being a Met fan will not stop because of the lure of having my local (and non-Yankees) team win.

League team. The Mets lost 120 games in 1962, more than any team in major league history.

The Cardinals have had greats like Stan Musial and Bob Gibson. The Mets traded away Nolan

The chutzpah to raise hell

T

he main reason I like the Student Worker Alliance so much, even as I’m unsure of my support of their platform, is that they have the chutzpah to raise hell.

Doing good on campus virtually always takes the form of raising awareness. There’s an awareness week for everything: sexual assault, Latin America, eating disorders, etc.

Raising awareness just isn’t enough.

Positive change requires actively fighting. The number of times I’ve heard students and administrators say they’re “having conversations” to address such-and-such problem makes me want to puke.

By contrast, on top of the 24x7 sit-in in Admissions, two protestors climbed the north face of Busch Hall yesterday to hang a banner supporting living wage. Quite literally, they risked life and limb for something they cared about.

SWA’s been fighting for a while now. They’ve steadily escalated the intensity of their activism as the chancellor has repeatedly refused to give campus workers a living wage and other benefits.

He rejected his own living wage taskforce’s recommendation to implement a living wage on campus.

Faced with the most powerful man on campus being obstinate, SWA activated the nuclear option of underdogs everywhere: shame.

SWA’s been on the rampage since shaming the University to review its Taco Bell contract because of Taco Bell’s unacceptable labor practices. The tactic has worked so well, in fact, that they got Student Union involved. Normally, SU is quite cozy with the administration (they love “having conversations”). With Taco Bell, SWA forced SU to actually find out what students wanted rather than cowing to the administration, leading to the impending departure of the chain.

And let’s not forget that in 2003, SWA leaked the fact that the University wanted to secretly deport some Nicaraguan workers to hide the University’s own shady dealings with the contractor that employed the Nicaraguans. SWA got concessions from the University because they shamed the University.

Activists or anyone who wants to advance the common good take note: the only way you make significant progress is by raising hell. “Having conversations” does little, as SWA has found time and time again. At best, you’ll get incremental improvements.

That’s why I see so few organizations on this campus as truly effective—they’re afraid to throw mud.

The Harvard psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg said that most adults’ moral code is merely avoiding social disapproval and seeking approval, or obeying the law.

Forget commitments to human rights or other universal ethical principles, people are more motivated by shame and fear of breaking the rules.

This explains why SWA has been effective where others haven’t—SWA effectively employs shame, others don’t.

Such image-tarnishing tactics would be effective against SU, Greeks and other image-conscious groups and persons (which means pretty much anybody). If I had a dollar for every time somebody complained to me about negative press (even if completely accurate), I’d be retired by now.

Like SWA, Student Life understands that progress

Roman Goldstein

Ryan, and Roger Clemens refused to play for the Mets after they drafted him.

Obviously, it’s tempting to jettison the Mets and root for the Cardinals. It seems so much happier to have three years of winning behind the best player in major league baseball, instead of three years of watching some of the highest paid players underperform. But I just can’t do that. Rooting for the Cardinals feels empty and dishonest. I would be betraying my family and myself to do so.

I honestly think that the Mets will be lucky to fi nish in third place, let alone win the NL Wild Card, thus setting up the match-up with the Cardinals and their NL-best record in the fi rst round of the playoffs. But I can hope it will happen. We’re the Amazins; the Miracle Mets.

Ya gotta believe.

won 2-1. David Cone was the starting pitcher.

Second-baseman Gregg Jeffries hit a homerun.

John Franco got the save. I’ve been just a little bit obsessed since then.

Both the Cardinals and the Mets have had storied histories. The Cardinals have won nine World Series, more than any other National

requires truthful mudslinging, because shame makes the world go forward. That’s why we expose shady SU dealings, Greek misconduct and the administration’s student-unfriendly policies: we want to be part of the solution to campus problems and injustices.

A cautionary tale: exposing the truth cuts both ways. When SWA started their sit-in, they were excited about the press being there. After the second day of being largely ignored by the University, though, they’re becoming irritable. They’ve kicked out reporters and invoked secrecy in meetings—in short, the signs of a group with something to hide.

(It’s ironic that in an act of civil disobedience, SWA seems to be using the police to keep undesirables out of Admissions. Apparently, the administration supports the policy, meaning that even as SWA fights the administration, protestors are hiding behind Wrighton’s aegis.)

And they have nothing to hide but frustration at their ineffectiveness. By ignoring them, the University is trying to embarrass SWA into discontent and ultimately, disbanding.

Student leaders should study this situation as a model for future action. SU can learn that cooperating with the administration isn’t always the most effective path; some truthful mudslinging might shake things up a bit. Greeks should start publicly shaming members that don’t uphold Greek ideals. And individuals can further progress by whistleblowing, calling attention to injustices.

Positive change starts with having the courage to raise hell.

Roman is a senior in Arts & Sciences and the senior Forum editor.

He can be reached via email at forum@studlife.com.

Daniel is a freshman in Arts & Sciences and a Forum Editor. He can be reached via email at forum@studlife.com.

Lee 3: Beyond the defecation

By Lisa Sullivan Op-ed submission

T

he Student Life headlines have said a lot about Lee 3 in the past few weeks. As a member of Lee 3, I am not going to deny that much of what has been written is true.

Some members of my floor drank more than they should have on March 18 and made some choices that all of them regret. What was intended to be a harmless prank got out of hand. While Student Life’s description of this incident may have been presented according to facts, the now widespread impression of Lee 3 may not be the most accurate representation of what life is actually like on my floor.

Before Lee 3 became famous as one of the wildest floors on campus, the floor was more remarkable for its unity and overwhelmingly supportive atmosphere. After several months of living on Lee 3, I was surprised to learn that not all floors traveled together when they went out on the weekends.

When I was in a play earlier in the semester, I was not surprised that my entire floor came to support me on opening night.

Not all college students leave their doors open for any of their neighbors to stop by. Not all floors will often stay in on a Friday night rather than going out to Frat Row. It took me a while to realize that the sense of community on Lee 3 was not usual. Maybe this was part of the reason that Lee 3 won fi rst place in the “Ridiculous Olympics,” and why the Lee 3 intramural basketball team made it to the championship with nearly the whole floor cheering in the stands. When I was in a play earlier in the semester, I was not surprised that my entire floor came to support me on opening night.

Even if Lee 3 has become known for its “drinking culture,” I doubt that we differ greatly in this respect from most other college dorms. The drunken mistakes of other South 40 residents may not have been made so widely publicized, but that is not to say they have not occurred.

However, we do know on Lee 3 that if someone comes home sick, there will be people on the floor taking care of him or her. If someone is stranded at a party, the residents of Lee 3 make sure that that person will not have to walk home alone. As a member of Lee 3, I know that the 47 intelligent and thoughtful individuals who I live with will always be watching out for me.

My personal estimation of the Lee 3’s character cannot condone or defend the mistakes that some of my co-residents have made, but I feel the campus should be aware of the danger in judging a group of individuals solely on the basis of impersonal facts. One newspaper article cannot defi ne a floor, just as one unfortunate decision cannot defi ne a person. I am asking the readers of Student Life to keep this in mind before passing judgment on the events of March 18.

Lisa is a freshman in Arts & Sciences and a resident of Lee 3.

She can be reached via email at lisasullivan@wustl.edu.

RACHEL TEPPER | STUDENT LIFE

Student Life as anti-Greek as everyone else

W

orking for Student Life’s editorial board (which picks and writes the unsigned staff editorial), I hear a lot of comments about the Greek system at Washington University.

As a member of the Greek system, I also hear a fair share of complaints about the paper, in particular accusations of an anti-Greek bias or editorial slant.

Speaking only for myself (and not for Student Life), I believe these are valid criticism, but that Student Life’s coverage of Greeks is no worse than that by the University and St. Louis community.

Readers attack the reporting, claiming facts are wrong or exaggerated, quotes taken out of context. They also take issue with the content, suggesting we should be able to find better things to cover, or that the behavior of one Greek organization is of no concern to the greater community.

However, I believe this complaint usually means the article was not entirely positive.

Aaron Seligman

Also I think student groups need to understand that unlike major papers, Student Life has very few “beat” reporters: I tend to write about politics, Roman Goldstein tends to write about SU, but neither the editorial nor the news section has correspondents who specifically cover one area.

So, poor reporting aside, I believe Student Life reflects an overall Wash U bias. We hold Greeks to higher standards, which constitutes a compliment, privilege and sometimes unfair set of responsibilities for Greeks.

The individual actions made entire chapters and Greeks accountable. National charters are revoked, and local chapters face sanctions when hazing or other violations occur. ResColleges and apartment buildings don’t report collective GPAs, community service hours or document all other activities, but Greeks do. I don’t expect my fraternity to oversee the study habits, pledge process or even parties of other Greeks, but apparently Wash U does.

Because Greeks have so much influence and effect on social events on campus, we Greeks are more visible both in our good and bad behaviors. Greek formals, rush and Thurtene dominate campus. Events such as Relay For Life, Dance Marathon and other philanthropy events get great participation from Greeks. Unfortunately, when a big party

goes well or gets busted, people know it.

Those in charge of Greek oversight, like any person, are more attracted to sensational and scandalous events. After the Sigma Chi pledge tapes went public last year, WUnderground, the satire paper, wrote a story about the fraternity releasing tapes of its members doing normal activities like going to class and sleeping. It was a funny article, because no one would think of this as news.

Sigma Chi, Alpha Phi and Student Life’s Sex Issue all made St. Louis local news for a reason. Sex, violence and drugs make for exciting headlines.

As an analogy, Greeks are to Wash U in some sense like the U.S. is to the world.

Both are the most prominent, powerful, influential, hated and closely watched parts of a greater whole. No one cares about Canada, and no one is outraged by all the Lee-Beaumont residents for the actions of a few kids on Lee 3, because “My-tie” doesn’t exactly rock Wash U’s world.

Much like the U.S. State Department, I think a solution to the issue of negative coverage of the Greek system will come on three fronts. First, Greeks need to accept that they are public, accountable individuals and though it may be totally unjust, the actions of affect the reputation of many. So don’t give Student Life or any group more ammo.

On a second and related front, Greeks do a horrible job of public relations.

Keep your messages positive. Take a page from your Miranda Rights: anything you say can be used against you. Don’t just repeat events year to year, make them creative and exciting. Just know that one drunken punch thrown will erase months of carefully planned philanthropy.

Lastly, everyone needs to hold Student Life accountable. It’s not a very competitive job market to get on staff, and we do get paid.

Don’t just send letters to the editor after you get kicked out of the City Museum; make your kickball tournament twice as big next year. Send good press releases and follow up with our reporters, don’t just complain after a negative story.

In Spiderman, Peter Parker’s uncle Ben said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” By behaving, being proactive and better at P.R., Greeks may not change St. Louis or administration perceptions of Greeks in general, but you can certainly change the stories you read in the pages of Student Life.

Aaron is a senior in Arts and Sciences, a brother of Beta Theta Pi and a Forum editor. He can be reached via e=mail at forum@studlife.com

10 STUDENT LIFE | CLASSIFIEDS

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

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--SUMMER HELP -Apartment leasing/ clerical, or maintenance/ clean-up/fix-up for W.U. area apartment management company. 725 -5757.

EXCITING SUMMER JOB Looking for outgoing, selfmotivated girls to sell roses at top concerts in the St. Louis area. Contact Liz at whit1er@cmich.edu or 810 656 - 4154.

FULL-TIME NANNY NEEDED for summer work. $500 per week. Interested? Call 314909-9333.

GET PAID FOR YOUR OPINIONS! Earn $15 -125 and more per survey! w w w.money for sur veys .com READY FOR EXCITING opportunity? Great locations, great concept. Join San Sai Japanese Grill for position in sushi, grill or cashier.

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SUMMER BABYSITTER NEEDED Monday, Wednesday, Friday for three kids in Clayton area. Must have car.

Call 725 -8062.

SUMMER WORK! THE KUMON Ladue Center is currently hiring math and reading helpers for summer. Eight to ten hours available per week at $15/hour max. Great kids, great location, great job! Applicants who can continue in fall preferred. Call 993-9192 or e-mail your resume to tdk@cse.wustl.edu.

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FOR RENT: 1 BEDROOM available June 1st. $475 includes heat. 6321 Southwood Clayton. 314-997-7267.

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$595/mo. 314-567-9992 or seanrosen@aol.com 3 BEDROOM 1.5 BATH APARTMENT. Half block from RED line shuttle. Many amenities! For more info www.homeandapartmentre ntals.com Tom 314.409.2733 5316 PERSHING THE CONGRESS WEST Large 1BR apartment, secured entry, offstreet parking, balconies, laundry, equipped kitchen, near Wash U, hospitals, park.

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Your Horoscope for Wednesday, April 6, 2005

By Linda C. Black, Tribune Media Services Today’s Birthday (04-06-05). You’re usually too busy to spend much time in peaceful contemplation. This year, however, that will be the most valuable time of all. Ask questions that don’t, at first, appear to have logical answers.

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

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 6. It’s not a good day to travel. There’ll be too many complications. You’ll have enough on your mind if you hide out and go through your lists, instead.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 7. Confer with a person who’s got the technical expertise you lack. You may be planning to spend more than necessary, and you’d hate that.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 7. Be alert, and try to see things from many points of view. You can act as translator and mediator for people who can’t get along.

Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is a 6. The answer to your question may be found the next county over. Don’t go there; you can’t afford to take the time. Do make inquiries.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7. You’d like to give a loved one something special, but the odds are high you’ll pick an item that’s not quite right. Best to take the recipient along when you go shopping.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6. The situation at home may be tumultuous, at least for a while. That’s because it’s a work in progress. Don’t be too critical; just keep putting in the corrections.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6. Creative ideas are difficult to control. They seem to come when they want, not when you want them to. You can put yourself in a place for that to happen however, and open up.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 7. You’d like to

buy your loved ones the Sun and Moon and Stars. Miniatures are a better idea, or offer a rain check. You’re a little short on cash.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 6. You don’t have much patience with whiners, and you’ll be even more disgusted if the person complaining is you. Let loved ones talk you out of a stinky mood.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 6. You’re about to drop a preconceived notion. It got you this far, but now it’s time to let it go. You’ve learned enough to start moving up to the next level.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is a 7. There’s instability around your financial situation now. It’s not a good time to buy, sell, loan money or start a new job. Take care.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 6. Some of the ideas you come up with seem almost bizarre to others. That’s partially because

Sports Editor / Mary Bruce / sports@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2006

STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

11

Eighty-six years in Confessions of a the making: Opening Yankees fan Day ‘05 Picture it: it’s Opening Day in 1919. The scene is an optimistic one. The Boston Red Sox begin their defense of the World Series crown against their hopeless—and championshipless—rivals, the New York Yankees.

And while we can only envision the past in black and white, the Red Sox boast on their roster the most colorful—and arguably the greatest—ballplayer of all-time: George Herman Ruth, “The Babe.”

Eighty-six years later, on a cold and misty Bronx night on Sunday, April 3, the 2005 Boston Red Sox set out on their first World Championship defense in so many years against the same, now 26-timechampion New York Yankees. The night began with ovations and boos, cheers for the Yanks and jeers for the Sox. There was an eerie October feel in the air, and when the first pitch of the ’05 season was thrown, one could have been convinced that they had dozed through summer and that it was already playoff time.

Randy Johnson, the Yankees’ most coveted offseason acquisition, loomed tall on the mound and set the Red Sox down in order in the first inning, striking out two. Johnson is third on the all-time list for strikeouts, and he’s 41 years old, which by professional athletic standards puts him on life support.

Johnson, however, wasn’t the only 40 -plus athlete featured in this game. This offseason the Red Sox also enlisted the services of a 41year-old pitcher, ex-Yankee David Wells, the Red Sox’s opening-day starter.

Wells has had a tumultuous past with the Yankees. Returning to the scene of his 1998 perfect game, Wells sported his hero Babe Ruth’s #3—just months after the curse of the Bambino was lifted when the Red Sox mounted the most gritty and improbable comeback in sports history against their hated rivals in the American League Championship Series and then went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.

With so many competing subplots, one could have almost missed it completely when a baseball game broke out. The Red Sox drew first blood, scoring in the second inning. But that would be their last run besides a mean-

Rafi Kohan

ingless second in the ninth. Randy Johnson was impressive in his Yankees debut, striking out six in six innings.

The Yankees knotted the game at one in their half of the second. Jason Giambi, in his first regular-season at-bat since his admission of past steroid use, received a partially standing ovation from the supporting crowd and singled through the right side of the infield, setting the stage for the tying run to score on a sacrifice fly.

Wells collapsed in the third inning, giving up three runs, the last on a balk—an obvious mental breakdown. Pulled in the fifth with the bases loaded, Wells—a former Bronx favorite—left to a chorus of boos.

The Yanks added to their lead in the sixth and eighth innings. And when the Red Sox finally scored again in the top of the ninth, the game was quickly over. Yankees 9, Red Sox 2.

The Yankees were overwhelming in their victory. Johnson’s presence, as a bona fide starter, reassured Yankees fans that they now had the dominant starting pitcher they desperately lacked in last year’s postseason and that if they had had “The Big Unit” (Johnson) last year, the Sox would still be in their rightful place in the American League: second place.

The last few seasons have escalated the Red Sox–Yankees rivalry to levels of intensity not seen for decades. Arguably featuring the two best teams in baseball, the competition has taken on a life of its own.

Despite physical brawls and trash talk, the rivalry is bigger than any one of the players, even bigger than either of the teams. It’s larger than a game, a series, a season. Yet somehow, up until last year, it was always one-sided. With the Sox victory, the rivalry is finally legitimate.

The 2004 Red Sox lived out a magical season and have ensured enough ESPN Classic footage to last them ‘til their next World Series crown—whenever that may be. Yankees fans must accept this.

After the Yankees’ victory on Opening Day, there was no champagne popping or tickertape parading. But one can’t help but feel that after a summer of baseball disarray and the insufferable Johnny Damon posing as a mainstay on the talk-show circuit, order has been restored to the baseball universe.

Yankees fans worldwide are inevitably counting the days until they can once again chant, “20 - 04!”

There is nothing quite like walking into a baseball stadium on Opening Day. After a nearly six-month break, the sight of players between the foul lines is a beautiful thing. Watching the first practice swings, the first long tosses and the first warm-up pitches reminds all baseball fans how much we’ve missed the sport since the last World Series. Of course, Opening Day is even better when Randy Johnson is pitching for your team.

My name is Alex Schwartz, and I am a Yankees fan.

Do we (the Yankees) outspend everyone to get the players we want? Yes. Does our owner have fewer social skills than a Pet Rock? Absolutely. Do we employ the face of steroids in professional sports? Of course.

None of it matters to me, though. I’ve come to accept that I root for the most hated franchise in baseball. The fact is, it’s fun to be a Yankees fan. They’ve won more than 100 games in each of the past three seasons, they’ve won 26 World Championships and aside from a late-season collapse in the ALCS last year (“I’m not here to talk about the past…”), they’ve owned their biggest rivals, the Boston Red Sox, historically.

What about the players? How can I pull for a team with a revolving door of free agents? For all the quotations we saw from Red Sox camp during spring training, Alex Rodriguez is a Yankee. Hideki Matsui is a joy to watch hit. Jason Giambi, even when he’s battling benign tumors in his pituitary gland, has the best control of the strike zone this side of Barry Bonds. Gary Sheffield has the quickest bat I’ve ever seen.

Each of the players the Yanks bring in quickly becomes a Yankee when we watch them play. You don’t have to win a World Series to gain the support of the fans —it just helps a little.

Whenever I get into conversations about whether or not the Yankees are destroying the game of baseball, I always end up making the same argument. It isn’t the Yankees, who draw the most fans at home and on the road, who are “destroying” baseball—it is the owners who refuse to spend money to put legitimate teams on the field who are upsetting the competitive balance. The Milwaukee Brewers, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays—these are the teams that need to be scrutinized. Should there be a salary cap in baseball? I think so—but I also think that a salary minimum of somewhere in the 60–70 million-dollar range is far more important.

So as the Yankees roll into your town this summer, gearing up for another run at another World Series title, ask yourself this question: are the Yankees really that bad for baseball? Is their uncompromised desire to win, their willingness to please their fans and their ability to pack any ballpark they play in detrimental to the game we all love? If you think about the answer long enough, I think maybe—just maybe—you’ll begin to respect the New York Yankees franchise a little more.

Alex Schwartz

PAUL J. BERESWILL | KRT CAMPUS

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More than just textbooks.

A few lucky Student Life sports reporters got to see the Final Four live. Not to rub this in your face, but you’re probably thinking that we got passes, right? Wrong.

Here’s what I went through just to see the Big Dance come to a close.

I didn’t actually have tickets. I did it the illegal way. As my birthday present, my parents told me not to spend more than five hundred dollars for all three games. I thought that would be more than enough—that is, until the first scalper I spoke to wanted $1,100 for nosebleed seats.

Right when I was about to give up trying to get a ticket at a reasonable price, a guy asked me how much I was willing to pay.

My genius friend blurted out $400 before I could open my mouth.

“400 a piece?” the guy asked.

At that point, I couldn’t back out. I got my tickets.

Needless to say, the seats were awful. I saw the first game on Saturday from behind the moveable bleachers they had in the middle of the dome. When the second game started, the only player we could make out without knowing everyone’s number was UNC’s Sean May. A few minutes into the second game, we saw that a bunch of Illinois fans had left. So we walked over to the Illini student section— me in a Duke shirt, my friends wearing Tarheel blue—and jacked a few empty seats. These center-court seats—400 level—were absolutely amazing.

On the MetroLink ride back after the game, I began to fall off of cloud nine.

“What are my chances at getting a hundred-dollar ticket to an Illinois-UNC final?” I asked my friends.

So when Monday came around, I called Mommy and Daddy and begged and pleaded to spend a little more. It was my own money after all. And it wouldn’t be worth it to waste hours I could be doing homework trying to get tickets and end up missing the game for the train ride back.

In the end, my dad said that I could spend no more than three hundred.

The guilt struck me about an hour before I was planning on leaving. I decided

Allie Wieczorek

not to go. I had seen both teams play already. I had the experience. They were both teams I had to hate for one reason or another anyway, and it was a lot of money.

So I didn’t go.

At about seven o’clock on Monday, a little more than an hour before game time, my friend, who already had a ticket, called me and said, “Get on the train right now. I can get you a ticket for face value.”

Sixty-five bucks for the seats we had on Saturday. I hopped in a cab, and the driver told me the MetroLink would take forever and I’d miss the 8:20 tip-off. So he took me all the way there. I ran to the Gate-A entrance, and my friend was waiting there with my ticket. I went up to my seat, and as I was eavesdropping on the people behind me talking about meeting Dick Vitale, my family friend who goes to Illinois text-messaged me, saying, “Come to section 132 to say hi.”

I went to section 132, which was not only completely orange, but almost center-court with an absolutely incredible view of the game. I was so close that if Sean May fell down I would have jumped out of the way and feared for my life.

Despite the awkwardness when everyone around me was cheering and I was shaking my head or when everyone else was leaning back in their seats looking like they wanted to die, I was jumping up and down. After all, it was the best night of my life.

I don’t know what was more surreal— actually being at that game or sorta-kinda rooting for North Carolina on Monday night. When you were all watching the “One Shining Moment” montage on the TV in your dorm room, I was watching Roy Williams and his (well, sort of his) National Championship team watch it. I saw all of those amazing shots and moments at the end live. I watched the halftime report from ten feet away and met Seth Davis when the game ended. But perhaps best of all, I saw Illinois lose and a team that my Dukies beat earlier in the season take it all. I’m going to take this opportunity to say I told you so. The Big Ten has nothing on the ACC. When we asked Seth Davis—a Duke graduate and Cameron Crazy himself— who he was rooting for, he said he was rooting for “a good game.” (You see, we Duke fans can’t or at least shouldn’t really admit to rooting for our archrivals). So, yeah, I was rooting for a good game. Did I get it or what?

12 STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS

Sports Editor / Mary Bruce / sports@studlife.com

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 6, 2005

SPORTS Men’s tennis 2005: servin’ aces regularly

By Jordan Katz Contributing Reporter What a great weekend to be a sports fan in St. Louis. If you think I’m referring to the Final Four, you’re way off. No basketball for me (besides the Cleveland Cavaliers romping of the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday...alas, I digress). I’m talking Division III men’s tennis. If you, like so many others, were ignorantly immersed in the amateur basketball festivities this weekend, you probably missed our Washington University men’s tennis team going 4–0.

That’s right, undefeated. That’s more than the Fighting Illini can say about their weekend.

The Bears beat Carthage College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Wheaton College and the University of Chicago in stylish fashion. With match scores of 4–3, 7–0, 5–2 and 5–2, the Bears added four more victories to their season total, which leaves them at 8-2 for the year.

From afar it may look like the Bears have had it easy, but that is far from true.

“We keep putting ourselves in difficult situations yet always find a way to fight back,” said senior Shaul Yecheskel.

Yecheskel listed the “ability to keep competing and not give up” as one of the Bears’ greatest strengths.

Every match this year, it seems, has been a battle for the Bears. The season won’t be getting any easier, either. The Bears will most likely take on third-ranked Emory University at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championships on April 15-17, considered by Head Coach Roger Follmer to be their toughest opponent. However, Follmer, who has lead the Bears to two straight Elite Eights, says the team must “focus only on ourselves and work on competing hard” against everyone they face.

As the Bears look toward the rest of their season, they hope to work on their doubles, which Follmer believes is one of the team’s weaknesses and needs to be addressed in order for the Bears to advance past the Elite Eight.

Follmer listed a “lack of communication” in the number-one and number-two doubles teams as a point that must be improved. Follmer further added that the one and two tandems could take some pointers from the number-three doubles team of Yecheskel and junior William McMahan, who have played very well together.

Despite this needed improvement, the Bears boast an impressive record in singles, with junior Ari Rosenthal leading the way. Rosenthal came into the season ranked 21st in singles and has consistently put forth dominating performances.

In addition to stellar play, Follmer believes that the team’s work ethic is “stronger and better than last year” and that “camaraderie is at an all-time high.”

So what can we expect from our Bears for the remainder of the season? The UAA tournament, which will be hosted by Brandeis University later this month, will give a good indication of whether the Bears will be an elite team this year.

Follmer says “there will be tough matches across the board” at the UAA, but the real chal-

lenge is going to be Emory, whose team has placed first in the UAA every year since 1990. It would be quite an accomplishment for this year’s team to dethrone the perennial dynasty from Atlanta.

Before the Bears jump the gun, Yecheskel thinks “the next two weeks are important for positioning for nationals and trying to make history with a win at the UAA tournament.” With three home matches in the next two weeks, the Bears will hopefully have a nine-match winning streak to their credit before the UAA tournament begins.

So what’s your next move? Are you going to cry about college basketball being over? Are you going to watch juiced-up baseball players cheat their way into the record books? Or are you going to come out and support your super-classy men’s tennis team? They play on regulation-sized courts (unlike college basketball players), they aren’t doped up on performanceenhancing drugs and it won’t cost you to go see them. I think the choice is clear. See you on the courts —but don’t be too loud!

PAM BUZZETTA | STUDENT LIFE

Doubles partners senior Shaul Yecheskel (front) and junior William McMahan (back) square off in an intense match this past weekend, when the Bears went 4–0 and improved their season record to 8–2.

PAM BUZZETTA | STUDENT LIFE

Freshman Charlie Howard shows off his serve. Howard leads all Bears this season with 17 games won.

(Nearly) arrested courtside at the Final Four The real cost of sneaking into the NCAA championship game for free On Monday night, I had a Final Four adventure and left with some pearls of wisdom. At six o’clock I was sitting on my couch watching SportsCenter, and by nine I was standing on the championship floor going to my free courtside seats. That’s right—free. Being on the floor with all the players, coaches, members of the media and crazed fans looking down at me was quite an experience.

To be honest, I was speechless.

This season’s Final Four wasn’t very important to me. The quality of basketball, although still competitive, lacked the high level of talent that has been seen in years past. Not to gloat, but I didn’t really understand why all these people flocked to St. Louis just to take part in this one event. That was, until I stepped onto the floor and realized that this was perhaps the greatest event in all of sports.

It all started last Thursday night when my Dad met Rick Majerus, former University of Utah coach and current ESPN analyst. My Dad thought I would love to meet him and called me and told me to contact Larry Thompson, the general manager of the Missouri Athletic Club. I arranged to meet Majerus on Friday afternoon.

Before I get started, a little bit of background information on Majerus should be important. He has had bypass surgery, is vastly overweight and spent his time at Utah living in a hotel while coaching at the university. He also had a .700 -

Derek Winters

plus winning percentage at Utah and led them to a National Championship game before losing to Kentucky in 1998.

I arrived Friday afternoon at the Missouri Athletic Club downtown, met Majerus at Larry’s office and then proceeded to run some “errands” with him that were only going to last a short 30 minutes. Two and a half hours later, I was an hour late to work and Majerus, his two personal assistants and myself sat down to eat and have what Majerus called a “snack.”

The man loves to eat and began to quiz me on my closest favorite restaurants. During our two-and-a-half-hour “errand” we picked up his media pass, dropped off two packages at the Westin and Hilton, ate a lavish meal and did a radio show and a Sports Illustrated On Campus interview (about food). All the while I was also attempting to squeeze in my own interview and score a free ticket to the championships.

Fast forward to Monday night, and I still didn’t have a ticket and was running out of ideas. At 6:30 p.m. my Dad ran into Majerus in the lobby of the Missouri Athletic Club and discovered that Majerus had an extra media pass for me. I caught a ride down to the Edward Jones Dome and picked up the pass.

Although I anticipated a slew of potential problems, I walked right through every security checkpoint and decided to take it all the way to the court. All of a sudden, I was standing courtside at the NCAA championship game. For free! As I walked over to the ESPN media section to sit in Majerus’ seat, I saw the likes of Andy Katz and several other well-known media figures and decided to sit down and enjoy the game in the second row of the press seats.

For nearly ten minutes I was just sitting there. The Tarheels and Fighting Illini were going head-to-head in one of

the most exciting championship games to date. Despite the strange looks from the people around me, I was too busy watching the game to care. That is, until I was confronted by the head of NCAA security.

After being confronted by the security officer and laughing when he asked if I was actually Rick Majerus (who is easily 120 pounds heavier than I am), I was taken into St. Louis Police Department custody and charged by the NCAA for several unclear accounts. After being informed that I was going to be arrested, the two St. Louis police officers led me off the court and began questioning me.

At first I was somewhat nervous because I had never been arrested, and I wasn’t completely sure what they were going to do—but my biggest worry was getting kicked out of the game.

I told the officers who I was and how I met Rick Majerus and that I wasn’t a threat, just some little punk college kid trying to see the game courtside for free. The officers told me not to worry and that all I had to do was give up the press pass and then I could go as I pleased—as long as I didn’t come back, in which case I would actually be arrested. I quickly agreed and then worked my way back up to the club seats, where I snuck in to catch the second half.

Most people who have heard this story have a variety of questions. Most want to know if I was scared, or if, since I avoided arrest, I consider myself $500 ahead of the game, and if so, why don’t I buy them some beer? I’m not going to lie. I was a little nervous, but then I realized, hey, this is the city police, they have a lot more stuff to worry about then some kid like me watching a basketball game. I wouldn’t have changed this experience for anything, and I will always remember my Final Four experience.