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What are LGBTQ policies in FSL?
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urrently in the U.S., there are a lot of potential policy changes surrounding rights of LGBTQ individuals and speculation about what those policies should be. The Trump administration is looking to narrow the definition of gender in the U.S.to be determined strictly by biology or gender assigned at birth as shown on a birth certificate. This potentially creates changes for the rights of individuals who are non-binary, genderfluid and transgender, including many opportunities and regulations for these individuals. On a college campus, one of the potential effects could be seen in greek life policy. In 2015, Title IX and the Department of Education clarified their role in FSL surrounding specifically the rights of transgender individuals in the college community. As stated in a letter from the department, Title IX has no con-
trol over the policies of greek life organizations, but does encourage leadership to become educated on the topic of LGBTQ membership. This means that on a federal level, there are no regulations on the admittance of individuals into these groups at this time. This being said, fraternities and sororities on their individual campuses have the liberty to decide on the policies for their chapter. Due to the policy changes that are in the air at this point, it is important to know what is currently available for individuals in the LGBTQ community. Specifically at DU, available information from the official chapter statements conclude that fraternities include anyone who is male identifying where sororities are open for anyone who is female identifying. Although these policies do apply to the individual FSL chapters on DU’s campus, they
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are not applicable to the Multicultural Greek Councils including the Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council. Not much information is available on specific policies from within the chapters as this topic has been one with many interview refusals on campus. The main gray area within the policies of chapters, that have been disclosed, is with individuals who are non-binary and genderfluid, as no clear policies are stated. Although this issue is not one that has had a clear solution thus far, the fraternity Beta Theta Pi has had discussions on the topic, as well as many individuals in leadership within sororities on campus. The biggest common thread through all policies so far has been that there are no bars on any individual based on sexuality, in any chapter of FSL at DU. Cameron Elder | Contributing Writer
DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF
TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor HANNAH BRANIT, Sports Editor The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.” Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion. com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. Reproduction of the Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of the Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation. The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.
HOW TO JOIN The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Hub. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.
ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Arts & Life Editor NINA PETROVIC, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor VICTORIA VALENZUELA, Photo/Video Editor SARA LOUGHRAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor CHELSIE FINCHER, Illustrator LAWSON MONTGOMERY, Paper Delivery Person HALEY BIRT, Paper Delivery Person SYDNEY KAPP, Business Manager ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Cover photo courtesy of Andis Solomon, Victoria Valenzuela
CONTRIBUTING STAFF CAMERON ELDER
JAKE GLOTH
VISHAL BEEKI
BARBARA URZUA
LAWSON MONTGOMERY
GRACE GONZALEZ
ISAIAH JAKAB
RYAN DUNN
KIANA MARSAN
EMMA COHEN
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What does Colorado do for immigrants?
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s the midterm elections creep closer, President Trump has emphasized an anti-immigrant rhetoric with his responses towards the migrant caravan approaching the Mexico-U.S. border, his threat to eliminate birthright citizenship and his encouragement via anti-immigrant ads to vote Republican. As undocumented immigrants’ state in the country becomes increasingly at risk, understanding one’s resources on a national and state level can serve to increase security. In Colorado, immigrants have access to resources that can provide them with legal guidance, legal service funding, access to a driver’s license and a form of protection by residing in Denver (which is considered a sanctuary city). Due process—the ability to contest an action proposed by the government in front of a judge—is a right afforded to all in the U.S. This includes undocumented immigrants, The New York Times explains, since they are on U.S. soil. This right is less likely at the border. The
same article describes that, with due process, undocumented immigrants can fight deportation through civil proceedings. They can also be represented by a lawyer, provide testimony and evidence before a judge and appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. The U.S. Department of Justice permits the Legal Orientation Program (LOP) which lets “representatives from nonprofit organizations provide comprehensive explanations about immigration court procedures along with other basic legal information to large groups of detained individuals.” This provides group and individual orientation services to undocumented immigrants facing legal repercussions, self-help workshops and referral to pro bono legal services. The Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network (RMAIN) is the nonprofit in Colorado that would provide the assistance described in the LOP. In March of 2018, the city of Denver launched the Denver Immigrant Legal Services Fund. The fund’s initial $385,000 will
be administered by The Denver Foundation and, as stated in the press release, they will be distributed to: “Non-profit organizations providing direct legal representation to Denver residents for (1) defense of removal proceedings and, (2) for assistance with affirmative immigration relief. In addition, direct legal representation includes DACA or DREAM Act-related relief, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, U visas and T visas, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and naturalization. Grants will also be awarded to build capacity to expand the network of pro bono and “low-bono” attorneys serving Denver’s immigration clients, including law school clinics.” The Colorado Road and Community Safety Act, SB-251, gives each Coloradan access to a driver’s license regardless of immigration status. The bill—which was passed in 2014—required undocumented immigrants to have an individual tax ID number to qualify and in-person license renewal every
three years. To accommodate for the extremely limited amount of offices that participated in the program, the newly issued Eligibility Colorado Road and Community Safety Act, SB18108, now gives participates in the program the ability to review their license online. Organizations such as ACLU-Colorado and the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition also advocate for immigrant rights. Episode 20 of the ACLU-Colorado podcast, The Purple State Report, provide an overview of general tips and additional resources for undocumented immigrants where they are faced with potential arrest and deportation.
Daniela Santos | News Editor
What is the aftermath of recent terror attacks?
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n recent weeks, the country has witnessed numerous acts of violence and hatred upon significant leaders and groups of people based on race and political ideology. While the recent mass shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the murders of two African Americans in Kentucky and the attempted murders of democratic leaders with package bombs are clear examples of the presence of hatred in the United States, the general public as expressed outrage and a demand for change. The immediate aftermath in Pittsburgh, amongst the grief, were protests of the nations gun laws and hate speech were held outside the synagogue of which the shooting took place. Many media outlets have also questioned whether President Donald Trump’s harsh criticism of democratic leaders and media led to the attempted murders. On DU’s campus, the members of Latino, Black, Asian, South Asian, Queer and Jewish student alliances held a rally to address the recent racism and acts of hatred in the community. Student Affinity groups from DU’s community gave speeches and voiced their opinions to address the hatred and importance of unity during a series of
difficult events at DU. At the national level, a significant majority of individuals believe rhetoric from influential leaders, specifically those associated with the Trump administration, has inspired the recent rise in hate crimes. Statistics on hate crimes can support such claims as the rate of such crimes across the country has increased in the nation’s largest cities, according to a study done by California State University. Nationally, was an 12.5 percent increase of hate crimes in 2017, resulting in the “fourth consecutive annual rise in a row and the highest total in over a decade.” The study also described racially charged attacks specifically against black Americans as the most common hate crime last year—evident through the murders in Kentucky. The hate crime in Pittsburgh did not come as a surprise to Professor Jonathan Scarcion, a faculty member of the Center of Judaic Studies at DU. “Anti-semitism has not necessarily grown,” said Scarion, “it is members of a local minority who are all consistently more active. I would be surprised of anti-semitic sentiment has grown across the board.” Scarcion believes that while recent rhetoric from the current administration has not
helped, these attacks are a result of long existing sentiments on a small minority. Frustrations among the Trump administration were evident through the protests comprising of over 2,000 demonstrators in the aftermath of the mass shooting. Although President Trump denounced the hateful acts of the alleged gunman, Robert Bowers, over 70,000 protestors signed a petition stating that he “was not welcome unless he fully denounces white nationalism”. These protests specifically targeted hate speech in federal government, a sign read “Trump, apologize for stoking hatred or go home.” Individuals have questioned gun regulation in this country, questioning how an individual so vocally anti-semitic hate speech could acquire a militaristic style weapon. Bowers had a history of making hateful and deadly threats to the Jewish community, calling them “the children of Satan.” Proponents of gun control argue that such statements should have prevented him from purchasing a gun. The primary reaction to these events has been anger from the public, as they demand the Trump administration to denounce hate speech and
address issues of gun regulation. While there is yet to be any political action as a result of these events, an ongoing discussion about hate crimes has gained momentum.
Vishal Beeki | Contributing Writer
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Back to back: Women’s Soccer are Summit League Champions
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he Pioneers captured their 10th Division I league tournament title and their third Summit League Tournament Title with a 4-0 victory on Saturday, Nov. 3, over Omaha. Summit Leauge Tournament MVP, junior Hannah Adler (Oak Park, Calif.) was the first to score and helped lead the Pioneers to their second straight Summit League Tournament Title. In the 41st minute, Adler headed the ball to freshman Samantha Feller (Grand Junction, Colo.). Feller attempted to score but her shot was deflected to Adler who drilled it into the goal to put the Pioneers at 1-0. Freshman Camryn MacMillan (Littleton, Colo.) was the second Pioneer to get on the board, scoring in the 52nd minute off a pass from Feller. Feller crossed the ball to MacMillan who took one touch and then scored, shooting the ball over the hands of the Omaha keeper to make the score 2-0. Seven minutes later, MacMillan scored her second goal of the tournament just outside of the goal-box. Senior Leah Swander (Grand Junction, Colo.) earned her fourth assist of the season, and her seventh assist overall when she crossed the ball to MacMillan, who made her shot with no hesitation.
In the 75th minute, sophomore Meg Halvorson (Englewood, Colo.) had her corner kick deflected by an Omaha player into the back of the net. Goalkeeper and junior captain, Brittany Wilson (Littleton, Colo) made two saves in her 10th shut-out of the season and the 17th shutout of her Denver career. Following the game, Head Coach Jeff Hooker said “I thought we did a great job adapting to the conditions to still be able to knock the ball around quite a bit and play our game. [...] I’m really proud of our group, how we played today, how we responded to a couple adjustments that we made at halftime and how we executed in the second half.” The Pioneers placed four on the 2018 All-Tournament Team. Alder was named Tournament MVP. She was joined by Feller, MacMillan and junior Cheyenne Shorts (Denver, Colo.). On Summit League Awards night, four Pioneers were named to the Summit League First Team, and four more were named to the Summit League Second Team and three student-athletes were named to the Freshman Team. The Pioneers also had the Freshman of the Year and Hooker was named Coach of the Year. Feller was named Freshman of the Year following
a standout season that saw her lead the Summit League in points, collecting 14 points with six goals and two assists in Sumit League play. She led the freshmen with her six goals, finished in a four-way tie with her four game-winning goals. Feller was joined on the Summit League First Team with Adler, Halverson and junior captain, Shorts. Adler co-led Denver with 18 points, scoring six goals and having six assists. She was a part of the four-way tie in game-winning goals. Last year’s Freshman of the Year, Halvorson, helped lead the Denver midfield with six goals and three assists, totaling 15 points on the season. Shorts led a defense that allowed a league-low 27 shots on goal in eight matches. The defense allowed 4.5 shots on goal per game, the lowest in the league. Junior captain Wilson was joined on the second team with sophomore center back Taylor Parker (Aurora, Colo.), fellow sophomore midfielder Brittney Lewis (Centennial, Colo.) and freshman forward Natalie Beckman (Denver, Colo.) Wilson has had eight shutouts this season, four of them coming in league play. Parker has played 17 of Denver’s 18 matches this season, playing 1,460 minutes on the field. Lewis has started all 18
matches this year, collecting two assists in 1,462 minutes this season. Beckman led the league in assists during the regular season, assisting on seven goals in Summit League play and nine overall. On the All-Freshman team, Feller was joined by mid-fielder Hannah Hiatt (Parker, Colo.) and Esther Malers (Fort Collins, Colo.). Hiatt has subbed in in 15 out of Denver’s 18 matches, scoring one goal in 550 minutes. Malers has assisted on two goals in 1,284 minutes of play, starting at outside back in 14 matches. Franks earned the Coach of the Year award in his 27th year with women’s soccer. He last earned the honor in the Summit League in 2013, and earned the honor two times in the Colorado Atheltic Conference (1994, 1995), five times in the Sun Belt Conference (2011, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2010) as well as once in the only year that Denver was in the Western Athletic Conference (2012). The Denver Head Coach has a 338-144-44 overall record in his 27 years at Denver. With their win in the Summit League, Denver qualifies for a spot in the 2018 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament.
Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
Photo courtesy DU Athletics
Women’s soccer to take on Arizona in NCAA Tournament
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here was an excitement in the air as the women’s soccer waited in anticipation of their NCAA Championship bid. Last weekend, The Pioneers dominated in the Summit League Championship where they took down Omaha by a score of 4-0 to earn their second consecutive Summit League title.
The Pioneers were drawn against the University of Arizona. The Pioneers will travel to Tucson for the first round of the tournament this weekend, time and date is TBD. Other teams in their group include Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Texas Christian University. Head Coach Jeff Hooker stated, “We are excited about
the result and traveling to the an overall record of 13-5-2 warm weather. We have been and are looking for a long on the road recently and have tournament run. played well as a team. The weather we have experienced lately on the road, especially in North Dakota, was quite frigid so the warm weather will be a nice break. We are excited.” The Pioneers have played well this season with Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
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Seniors score five against Oral Roberts on Senior Night
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n Senior Night, the senior class scored all five goals in their shutout of Oral Roberts to clinch the Summit League regular season title for the sixth year in a row. Before kickoff, the 2018 senior class was recognized for their outstanding achievements over their four years playing in Crimson and Gold. The nine players recognized were Nick Gardner (Marvin, N.C.), Scott DeVoss (Centennial, Colo.), Andre Shinyashiki (São Paulo, Brazil), Eric Kronenberg (Boulder, Colo.), Moshe Perez (Shim’a, Israel), Tosh Samkange (Sammamish, Wash.) and Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan). Goalkeeper Gardner played a total of 5, 263 minutes tallying 98 saves and has a career record of 42-9-5 when between the woodwork for the Pioneers. Defender DeVoss played 7,410 minutes as the skipper of the Pioneer backline and he totaled 13 points in the offensive end of the pitch. Forward Shinyashiki has 5,346 minutes to his name along with 115 career points with 50 goals and 15 assists for the Pioneers. Shinyashiki
leads the golden boot race and is a finalist for the Senior Class Award. Forward Kronenberg tallied 1,859 minutes in his career with the Pioneers where he has scored 29 points with 13 goals and 3 assists. Midfielder Perez is a transfer from the Colorado Mesa University soccer program. His DU career has consisted of two goals and five assists in 618 minutes. Defender Samkange played 2,816 minutes with three career points coming all from assists. Midfielder Akamatsu’s career stats and other associated information are mentioned in the DU Clarion’s latest edition of Pio Personality. In the first half, the Pioneers began to demonstrate their offensive power as Perez sent a curler headed for the top corner that was just tipped away by the Oral Roberts goalkeeper in the 15th minute. Moments later, sophomore Jacob Stensson (Stockholm, Sweden) guided a through ball to freshman Stefan DeLeone (Fort Collins, Colo.) on the right side of the pitch where DeLeone sent it back into the middle.
Shinyashiki pounced and finished the ball into the back of the net from 8 yards out, getting his NCAA-leading 10th game-winner. Perez would come close again in the 20th minute with a shot off the woodwork. In the 30th minute, the Pioneers worked the ball from the backline up to Stensson who sent a switching ball to the left wing to the waiting Akamatsu. From there, Akamatsu took a few touches and sent the ball into the back of the net from 25 yards out to score his third of the season. Later in the half, redshirt-freshman Jared Jungjohann (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) sent a ball down the right side to Perez. Perez crossed it to a cutting Shinyashiki who in turn sent the ball into the right side of the net. The Pioneers would conclude the first half up 3-0. Early in the second half, Akamatsu would force a save out of the Oral Roberts goalkeeper to keep the offensive pressure on the Oral Roberts’ defense. This offensive pressure would continue at the hour mark of the match as Shinyashiki would slip a ball into Akamatsu’s path.
Akamatsu would send the ball back towards the penalty spot where Kronenberg would finish the ball into an empty net to score his first goal of the 2018 campaign. From the right side of the pitch, Stensson would send a cross into the box where the ball met Shinyashiki whom would tap it in to get his 50th career goal and 27th goal of the 2018 season. This goal would also seal Shinyashiki’s fifth hat trick of the season and would close the game out for the Pioneers with a final score of 5-0. This result solidified the dominance the Pioneers have had in the Summit League and also how crucial this senior class has been to the program as a whole. The seniors will graduate ranked fourth with the most wins over their past four years at DU. The Pioneers will be hosting the Summit League Championship this year at Ciber Field. The firstranked Pioneers will begin tournament play against the fourth seed Eastern Illinois at 1 p.m. MST.
Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
Pioneers mourn late baseball coach Jack Rose
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he Pioneer nation is mourning the loss of DU Athletics Hall of Fame baseball coach Jack Rose. Rose passed away on Saturday, Nov. 3 at the age of 86. Rose was the last baseball coach at Denver and coached for 36 years. He retired as the school’s all-time winningest coach with 785 wins during his career. When he retired in 1997, he was ranked fifth on the NCAA’s Division II list of winningest coaches in history. Rose coached the Pioneers to the Division I postseason five times, and the NAIA playoffs eight times. 31
of his former players signed professional contracts, and at the time of his induction into the DU Hall of fame in 1997, this was almost half of the 67 professional athletes in the history of Denver. Rose was recognized for his hard work nationally as he was named the District VII Coach of the Year in Division I in 1970. In 1989, he was honored as the Colorado Intercollegiate Baseball Association Coach of the Year. He served in the NCAA Division II South Central Regional Advisory Committee for over a decade while serving as the director of Olympic tryouts
for the 1984 Olympic Game. Rose received a Master’s in education from the University of Washington, attending through a tennis and ROTC scholarship. When the US Air Force Academy was at Lowry Air Base, during its Colorado Springs construction, Rose was apart of the first instructor class, leaving the service as a Captain. “Jack was a wonderful man who had a tremendous impact on the University of Denver as a coach, as an educator and as a person,” Director of Athletics Ron Grahame said. “On the diamond he was a very successful coach who
produced many pro prospects, continuing to build a tradition off success that continues to grow today. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jack’s family as they mourn a loss, but also celebrate a great life lived by a great Pioneer.” The funeral services will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 a.m., MST at Fort Logan. Rose will receive full military honors.
Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
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Pio Personality: Kenny Akamatsu
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his week’s edition of Pio Personality highlights senior midfielder Kenny Akamatsu. Kenny began his life in Niigata, Japan and moved as a young child to Tokyo where he lived until moving to DU. His love for soccer was due to his older brother, who was already playing soccer, and the enjoyment Kenny had with the ball at his feet. Kenny chose the University of Denver to continue his soccer career due to the recruitment of current head coach Jamie Franks. Kenny stated, “[Jamie] told me about DU’s great academics and athletic department. I like Jamie a lot.” He has had many memories in soccer but his favorite memory in soccer is when he was called to the U-16 Japan National Team camp. “They put me at left-back which I had never played before in my soccer life,” he chuckled. At the University of Denver, Kenny is majoring in Communications and is minoring in Asian Studies. His favorite class that he has taken during his time at DU was Stereotyping and Violence. On a normal day for Kenny, he will have soccer practice in the morning until around the middle of the day. After practice, he heads off to his classes and studies in the library. “It’s a simple life,” said Kenny. When relaxing after classes and studying, you will find him watching his favorite TV show, Prison Break, or his favorite movie,
The Blind Side. When Kenny is looking for something to fuel up, You will see him at Wow Café, his favorite restaurant on campus, or at Poké City with fellow senior and teammate, Andre Shinyashiki. On a game day, Kenny will relax at home with a cup of his favorite tea or coffee and listen to music before every game. He listens to hip-hop or preset playlists on Spotify or Apple music to get him fully focused before he steps onto the pitch. When asked about where he wants to be in 5 years, Kenny stated, “I would like to stay in Colorado or go to California, especially San Francisco. I liked it a lot when we went the Stanford University.” Kenny is also a big fan of the English Premier League in England, where he especially enjoys watching Chelsea and Tottenham. His favorite players are Ronaldinho and Eden Hazard. Kenny’s advice for the next generation of soccer is that “Soccer is definitely changing and what I learned from this program is to work hard and that is crucial for the next generation.” Looking back on his DU experience, Kenny said this when asked how DU had impacted him. He said, “I have changed a lot, not only on as a person but as a teammate and friend.” His favorite memory at DU has “Definitely [been] being apart of soccer and being apart of this program. Over the
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summer we stay with seniors in their houses and sleep on couches or the floor. Also, doing fitness with the strength and conditioning team.” In closing, the legacy Kenny feels that he has left at DU is through the men’s soccer program. “It was with these guys as they are more than friends, they are like family to me.” Kenny certainly left a mark on this program through his four years
tallying 3,305 minutes and scoring 25 career points, with 6 goals and 13 assists. When you watch Kenny play on the pitch, you not only see his skill with the ball at his feet, you witness his radiant smile that shows you the attitude in which he enters each and every lift, practice, or match.
Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
Women’s basketball takes Taylor down
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he women’s basketball team handily defeated Taylor University 106-66 on Saturday night in Hamilton. Nine of the 10 student-athletes that played recorded at least one basket and four players recorded double digits. The Pioneers distanced themselves in the second half of the game, outscoring Taylor University 57-31. Junior guard Lauren Loven (Scottsdale, Ariz) was the team and game leader with 23 points. Loven had two assists and captured five rebounds. Fellow junior Madison Nelson (Doyer, Minn.) was the starting forward and nabbed a double-double after scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Sophomore Claire Gritt (Arlington Heights, Ill.), who was named Summit League Freshman of the Year last year, played a strong game, tallying 13 points with 5 baskets, two assists and one steal. Starting point-guard, junior Briana Johnson (Carson, Calif.) finished with 16 points and added four rebounds and two assists. Denver started the game strong with an 87.5 percent from the floor to open up the lead to 13-0, with Gritt contributing six of those points. With 3 minutes left to play, Loven hit a jump shot to bring the score to 19-8 but Taylor University
responded to stay close. At the end of the first quarter, the score was 25-17. In the second quarter, freshman Sydney Mech (Englewood, Colo.) opened the scoring for the Pioneers and brought Denver’s lead to 10 points. Although Taylor University responded and brought the lead to within five points, the Pioneers responded with an 11-2 run and brought the lead back to a comfortable double-digit lead with five minutes left. Gritt added a pair of free throws to bring Denver to 40-26 and made five shots out of nine attempts. At the half, the score was 49-35. In the third quarter, Denver held Taylor University scoreless in the first four minutes. The offense picked up their pace and outscored Taylor University 31-8 to increase Denver’s lead. The defense continuously held Taylor University to only 2 baskets from the floor. In the fourth quarter, Denver passed the 100 point mark with a minute to play. The final score stood at 106-66. The women’s team opens up their 2018-2019 regular season on Friday, Nov. 9 in Magness Arena against University of Missouri Kansas City. The game will start at 7 p.m., MST and admission is free for students. Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
Photo courtesy DU Athletics
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Volleyball clinches fifth-straight regular season title
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he Denver volleyball team clinched their fifth-straight Summit League Regular Season Championship following their 24th win over Oral Roberts in Hamilton Gymnasium. The Pioneers swept Oral Roberts 25-17, 25-9 and 25-12 to wrap up their 2018 home season and extend their perfect record in the Summit League (13-0). The seniors, Becca Latham (Austin, Texas), Emma Willis (La Jolla, Calif.) and Olivia Novotny (Germantown, Tenn.) were honored for their contributions to the team over the last four years. In her freshman year at DU, Latham played in 110 of DU’s 128 sets and led the freshmen class with 140 kills and 55 blocks. From there, she only increased her numbers, appearing in all 116 sets her sophomore
year with 210 kills, followed by a junior year in which she started in all 15 matches. Latham led the Summit League in hitting percentage with a .350 and finished the year ranked 69th nationally in hitting percentage. She accumulated 323 kills that year. Due to her hard work, Latham was named to the U.S. Collegiate National Team-China Tour. During the tour, Latham led the U.S. in scoring in their match against Beijing BAIC with 18 points coming from 16 kills and two blocks. Following that match, Latham led the team again in their win against Hebei with 16 points on 14 kills and two blocks. This year, Latham has helped lead the team Willis finished third her sophomore year in the Summit League for hitting percentage, first in total blocks and first
in blocks per set after leading Denver with 131 blocks, six of which were solo. She appeared in all 116 sets for the Pioneers and finished 73rd in the NCAA for hitting percentage, and 81st for total blocks. Her junior year, Willis appeared in all 102 sets for the Pioneers and led the team in total blocks with 117 blocks, nine of which were unassisted. She led the Summit League in three categories; total blocks, assisted blocks and blocks per set and finished the season nationally ranked in blocks per set and total blocks. This year, Willis has been leading the team in blocks and senior night was no exception. The senior tallied three blocks and ten kills to lead the team in both categories. Novotny, a libero/defensive specialist for the Pioneers, played in 18 matches her junior year,
but really blossomed her senior year, earning a Summit League Defensive Player of the Week honor for the week of August 27, 2018. This year, she has had 138 digs, averaging out to 2.60 digs per set as well as totaling 40 aces. On Senior Night, she had one ace and two digs. Overall, the team tallied 43 kills and nine aces as well as seven blocks. Sophomore Ellie Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) had 22 assists against Oral Roberts, bringing her season total to 579 assists. The Pioneers will finish their 2018 regular season with two away matches, one against Western Illinois on Friday, Nov. 9, and playing Purdue Fort Wayne on Nov. 11. Hannah Branit | Sports Editor Lauryn Butler | Clarion
Denver reveals Miller Hockey Complex
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fter years of conversation about locker room renovations, the Pioneers have revealed the new Miller Hockey Complex. Named after DU’s Board of Trustees member John A. Miller and his wife, Sandy, the new state of the art locker rooms leaves plenty of room for more banners, awards and trophies and also honors the program’s past. Denver hockey Head Coach David Carle said: “Words cannot describe the impact this new space will have on our current student-athletes and the recruitment of future student-athletes.” The new complex measures at 4,464 square feet, nearly 2,000 square feet larger than the previous locker rooms. Among some of the new amenities in the new space are a lounge, sauna, kitchen, training room and equipment. “Our student-athletes have a special place to prepare for practice and games, rehab and recover, and support their nutritional needs. We are always striving to do things the right way at Denver and the Miller Hockey Complex is no exception. We are
so excited to call it our home for years to come,” Carle said. The Pioneers pay homage to their past with a mural on the hallway leading up to the locker room, now named the Steve Cook/Jon Cook/ Marc Rycroft Hockey Hallway. At the end of the hallway, there is a display that holds all eight National Championship trophies and the entrance into the complex. “The combination of academic and athletic success at the University of Denver is unparalleled nationwide,” Miller said. “We, as alumni, must continue to support our student-athletes in both academic programs and athletic facilities. My family and I are pleased to support the Hockey Complex project as it further demonstrates the University of Denver’s commitment to excellence.” In the locker room, there is a large DU logo on the ceiling. The word “Relentless” is stationed near the front of the room underneath a big-screen TV. On each locker stall, nameplates name the name and hometown of each player and a donor plaque above each stall displays the donors that made the new locker room possible.
In the team lounge, now named the Tyler Bozak/Paul Stastny Team Lounge, pictures from each National Championship victories line the walls. From the Team Lounge, the Paul Libner/Angelo Ricco Coaches’ Locker room and Keith Magnuson Video Room lead to a hallway that displays the different team and individ-
ual accomplishments since the hockey program was started in 1949. The final two rooms are the McMorris Family Hockey Wellness Center and the Parilla Family Skate Room.
Hannah Branit | Sports Editor
Photo courtesy DU Athletics
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Men’s Hockey sweeps Western Michigan in doubleheader
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he Pioneers hosted the Western Michigan Broncos in a doubleheader where the Pioneers won both games 5-2 and 4-3 respectively. These two wins give the Pioneers their first wins of NCHC conference play and a total record of 5-0-1 In the first game, the Pioneers would open up the scoring when senior Jarid Lukosevicius (Squamish, B.C.) broke away during a Bronco power play to the Pioneers up 1-0 in the first period at 14:18. The Broncos would level the score 11 seconds into the second period to make the score 1-1. Denver would take back the lead at 6:08 when junior Liam Finlay (Kelowna, B.C.) hit a long wrist shot that took a rebound that fell to the stick of junior Michael Davies (St. Louis, MO) who would kill the puck into the top of the goal. Senior Colin Staub (Colorado Springs, Colo.) would also go down with the assist for the Pioneers. 38 seconds later, the Broncos would level the score at two a piece. At the ten minute mark, sophomore Ian Mitchell (Calahoo, Alberta) would glide through the Bronco defense and send the puck to Lukosevicius who would guide the puck into the back of the net. At 14:25 in the second period, Finlay would dance through the Bronco defense and rip a shot into the top left corner to put the Pioneers up 4-2 going into the second intermission. Davies and freshman Cole Guttman (Los Angeles, Calif.) both would go down for the assist. The third period would see Lu-
kosevicius get his third goal of the night at the 10:05 mark when he redirected a shot from Mitchell in the power play. Freshman Brett Stapley (Campbell River, B.C.) was also awarded the assist. Lukosevicius’ hat-trick puts him level with freshman Emilio Pettersen (Manglerud, Norway) for total points on the season at eight. Pioneers would go 1-2 on the power play and 2-3 on the penalty kill. Sophomore Devin Cooley (Los Gatos, Calif.) would make 26 saves on the night. In the second game, the Pioneers capitalized on a five minute major penalty on the Broncos to get the first goal of the night. Finlay and senior Les Lancaster (Ypsilanti, Mich.) would work the puck around to freshman Slava Demin (Cypress, Calif.) who would take a wrist shot from the left circle to get his first NCAA goal. The Pioneers would take the 1-0 lead into the first intermission. In the second period, Mitchell would slide past two Bronco defenders and send a backhanded pass to Lukosevicius waiting in front of the net. The Lukosevicius power play goal was scored at 7:27 in the second period and was assisted by Mitchell and Pettersen. At the end of the second period, the Pioneers were up 2-0. The third period would see the Broncos cut the lead to 2-1 at the 3:54 mark. The Broncos would score again at 6:53 to make it 2-2. At 9:10 in the third period, the Broncos would take lead 3-2. The Pioneers would come fighting back in a power play at 17:30 when Pet-
Lauryn Butler | Clarion
tersen took a slap shot from above the left circle to tie the game 3-3 and force overtime. Pettersen was assisted by Mitchell and Stapley. In overtime, Pettersen would connect to Davies who sent the puck across to Lukosevicius gliding across the top. Lukosevicius would shoot and place the puck into the top left corner of the goal to win the game 4-3 for the Pioneers and
sweep the Broncos. The Pioneers were 3-8 on the power play and 2-2 on the penalty kill. Cooley made 23 saves on the night. The Pioneers will travel to Minnesota this Nov. 9th and 10th to take on No. 2 St. Cloud State University with the puck drop at 6:07 p.m. MST. Lawson Montgomery | Contributing Writer
The Clarion Crossword: Week 9 Need some help? Visit duclarion.com for the answer key.
ACROSS: 1. Crimson canine 3. Tip a hat 5. Take a stand by not standing 7. Master of the game? 10. Whistling container 13. Woeful cry of a girl 14. Are such statistics vital? 15. Pivotal point 17. Joshua-tree milieu 18. Hide the fruit 18. Sticky stationary 22. Declare verboten 23. What’s whiffed 24. Chin divided 25. In short, she has very little money 27. Is it just mispronounced for laugh? 30. Shakespeare’s information 33. A handicap in a manner of speaking 34. Uproar at Wimbledon 36. Lo’s partner 39. Front of elephant, back of car 42. Swell party decoration. 44. Tissue issue. DOWN: 1. Grab several chickens? 2. Pictoral plan 4. Like sales and important exams 6. Chiropractors’ focus 8. Stuff to fluff 9. One always making adjustments on the job 11. To get Espeon from Eevee 12. DU mascot of early 2000s caused a disturbance 16. Perhaps on the fifth month 19. Come out in the garden, friend. 20. Partisian hue 21. Dorothy is tempestuous 24. Genre of many a beach read 26. Round tent 27. Jeer 28. Not long, nor tall 29. As usual, you swear at Thomas 32. It’s docile, thanks to yours truly 35. Influence a big hit 37. Father of nihilistic art 38. The artist’s coat 39. Trigger, as an alarm 40. A benevolent sort 41. Granny Smith throwaway 43. What makes the cloth appear?
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Ugliness and our response
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t has slowly turned into a cliche: “this has been a week of tragedy,” “we denounce the hate, “we are disgusted be the violence,” “we mourn them.” Despite the truth behind these statements, they start to ring hollow because we have spent so much fucking time denouncing and mourning. We have spent so much time being disgusted and being disappointed. And, it has happened again. In our country two black people were shot to death in a grocery store for the color of their skin, and 11 Jews were murdered in their synagogue while the killer screamed anti-semitic slander. The mere mentioning of these atrocities in context to the hate that still lives in our country, starts to water down the reality. They will not just be added to the number of people targeted because of their identity. Not in my mind. Thirteen individual people, all with complexity and beauty, were killed because malicious people hated who they were. Hate on a different magnitude has been felt here at DU too, and unlike administration would sometimes like students to believe, it has been here for years. These last two weeks have certainly been a culmination of that fact, however. An email full of racism, sexism, homophobia and discrimination towards people afflicted by poverty was sent across campus. This week, DU’s affinity groups have been unfairly burdened with the task of event planning and unification. They have done so remarkably. The Latino Student Alli-
ance (LSA) directed the event with backing from the Black Student Alliance (BSA), Queer Student Alliance (QSA), Asian Student Alliance (ASA), Native Student Alliance (NSA), Hillel and others. On Monday and Tuesday, students gave testimonials about the reaction to the email in an empowered environment. On Wednesday the video of the testimonials was released. On Thursday, Hillel and Chabad held an interfaith gathering to show support for the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting. Finally on Friday at noon on the Driscoll Green, students gathered to rally around one another. The rally was introduced by members of LSA who recognized that the land that DU occupies is Arapahoe and Cheyenne territory, and led the crowd chanting Raza Unida: “united race.” Chancellor Rebecca Chopp stepped onto the stage next. She read her speech that acknowledge the hatred but lauded the efforts of the school to ameliorate the situation. Chancellor Chopp did not seem to capture the ired tone of the students in attendance, but the following affinity groups did. They spoke to the email, but they focused on the larger issue: the persistent and unique bigotry that perpetuates on campus. Every group identified that much more needed to be done, and that it was the responsibility of the school to truly rectify the situation. Marginalized students have been relied upon to fix these issues while privileged students get to sit in the simplic-
ity of complacency. Large scale change had to be made, and the school had to make efforts to do it. These culminated into four distinct demands: racial bias training for incoming first years in the Discover DU Canvas orientation; a revised FSEM curriculum so that all first year students must take a course on power, privilege, oppression and cultural awareness; a distinct and safe location for those with historically marginalized identities to be able to work and organize; and for Joint Council be apart of the Board of Trustee meetings, especially the important meetings that deal with big university decisions. Bryce Armijo, the Student Body President, took to the stage next. He received the email directly when it was first sent, attacking his Latino, black and queer identities. He told the audience that he had been thinking of his Latino grandfather recently, and how hard he had worked to gain citizenship in his seventies; he loved this country. Armijo shared his wishes for a campus and a country that cared for the students the way they cared for his grandfather. He yearned for a school and country that could be worthy of affection. Through impassioned tears he apologized to the students and said that he wished it was better. The audience felt his sorrow. They also felt validated. They wanted a leader to show them that those in charge felt the same anguish that students felt. In that moment, that audience knew that they were cared for by the student leadership. Where
the DU administration came short, Armijo showed empathy and resolve. He demonstrated passion, and students felt that they could trust him to create change. I have never been more proud to be a DU student. He made me proud to go here in a time where shame permeates every area on this campus. I want Armijo’s dreams of a better future to embolden us to take action. I do not want us just to be mad. My favorite quote is an Eastern adage that says “better to light a candle than complain about the darkness.” In other words, do not stir in anger about what you think is wrong when you can work to fix it instead. It is easy to sit in complacency and castigate the status quo, but it not enough. Each and every one of us needs to be an integral part in changing the culture and the community on this campus. We cannot let the marginalized shoulder the burden of change while we complain about injustice from the ivory tower. Instead, we need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow students; we must fight for equity equally. We recognize the darkness that exists at DU, and we need to work together to banish it. After we banish it here, we can start working on banishing it in our world. I felt proud of DU when Armijo spoke of change, with the passion of someone who was devoted to fix that which made him furious. I want desperately to feel that pride every damn day. Isaiah Jakab | Contributing Writer
The DU email scandal has shown deeper cybersecurity problems
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n Oct. 24 at 10:41 pm, an extremely hateful email was unleashed onto the DU community. The email itself was the rambling of an unintelligible troll, but what is concerning is that they were able to reach so many members of the DU community through our own mail servers. Obviously, DU’s cybersecurity is not up to scratch. After some quick research and poking around DU’s mail server security, one will find some frightening results involving a lack of filtering and security. DU needs to make some serious changes to their security or a crazy email will be the least of their worries. Those who would defend DU’s weak mail server filter and lack of safeguards would cite its convenience. The security argument is one of convenience vs safety. DU’s security flaws begin on their own website. All staff email addresses are open to the public. This means everyone has the ability to send mass emails to the staff of DU with relative ease. Luckily the student email list is private, so they are protected from the more lazy scammers and trolls. The problem, however, is
Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis
the extremely simple format of every student’s email. The firstname.lastname format makes it easy for someone with a list of students names to send mass trolling or spam emails. A certain mass hate email might not have been released if not for the easily accessible email directory. A strong filter or email monitoring might have prevented the
email from ever reaching the DU community. A quick DNS test on DU’s mail server unearths a series of filtering problems. A DNS test basically probes the website for obvious vulnerabilities. In laymen’s terms, it is not good. Outside email addresses can very easily communicate with any DU address. This opens the door to threats much
greater than a hateful email such as Tabnabbing and other phishing attacks. Tabnabbing is the practice of sending a fake email to gather personal information on a person using a cloned version of an official website. Supporters of DU’s open email policy may claim that it is worth the risk so that convenience can remain. These supporters, however, do not see the more dangerous threats. The distribution of malware and the practice of Tabnabbing could spell disaster for the DU community. Safety is of much greater importance when it comes to cybersecurity. A private email directory would make it more difficult to communicate with non-DU personnel, but it allows a safer environment for DU students and staff. A more complex email format may make it harder to figure out someone’s email, but it protects the students from outside phishing or trolling emails. A stronger email filter may block commercial emails, but it would protect students from hateful emails and malware. When it comes to students, safety is always more important than ease of access. Jake Gloth | Contributing Writer
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The impact of social media on shootings
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n the aftermath of the Pittsburgh shooting that killed 11 and injured six in the Tree of Life synagogue, the experience of looking through the archive of disturbing posts made by the shooter has an ominous, foreboding quality to it. “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered,” Robert Bowers, the 46-year-old white male, posted on the alt-right social media website Gab just hours before his attack, “Screw your optics, I’m going in.” While Bowers had no criminal record to speak of, online, his presence was strong. Through Gab, he interacted with hundreds of pieces of anti-Semitic content. As with most shootings, the evidence is alarmingly there and painfully acute in hindsight. While some claim that social media sites such as Gab should be held accountable for missing these warning signs, it is difficult to determine how much the implementation of stricter filtering and censorship would tangibly address the problem. With Nikolas Cruz, the shooter in the Parkland, Florida tragedy, it didn’t do much. The exclamatory remarks he made
on YouTube were reported, yet the FBI still didn’t go through any follow-up procedures that could have saved his victims. Most of the time, no report is made at all. In a space as large as the Internet, it isn’t reasonable to expect the government or the companies that run social media platforms to be able to pore through all of the content that is uploaded, ascertain correctly what is a plausible threat and what is not and do it in a timely manner. It is a perverted picktwo triangle, so most of the time, people seep through the cracks. These incidents are almost impossible for authorities and social media sites to take notice of and and intervene in because the task “amounts to [looking for] a drop of water in a digital ocean” as Wall Street Journal reporters Georgia Wells and Sarah E. Needleman put it. While online sites and the government scramble to improve their systems, this discussion has raised the question: is social media the weapon that leads to shootings or the weapon that will save us from them? For individuals such as Bowers and Cruz, it served as a
vacuum that validated and facilitated their racist and prejudiced beliefs. For their victims, though, it was a form of salvation. In some cases, such as the Ohio shooting in 2012, social media was how students let others know they were okay. For those in Parkland, it was how they voiced their frustrations with a broken system and commanded attention to a cause they cared about and had affected their community deeply. In the days that followed the shooting, the passionate narratives students such as Emma González and David Hogg told of their experiences kept the event in the public eye much longer than other shootings had been a point of discussion in the past, and the students amassed followings composed of thousands and in González’s case, millions. “Two things that tend to spread on social media are anger and hope,” Laura Olin, who launched the Clinton campaign’s digital strategy and worked on the digital team for Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election, told Vanity Fair, “And these kids are helping to bring both to the gun debate.” When tragedies such as those
at Pittsburgh occur, it’s tempting to focus on the ‘what-ifs’ because we believe they’ll help us pinpoint what parts of the system are broken. But, those ‘what-ifs’ do more work to pin blame on others than work that will save those who could find themselves impacted next. The reality is that there are shootings that occur entirely outside of the digital world where there are no clues for the public to trace and put the pieces together with. Politicians can have online platforms filter for threats as much as they want, but social media is not the key that will make the U.S. lose its position as a country where mass shootings are on the uprise. Social media is, though, the key to starting to ask the right questions; it’s the beginning. “The fact is that I have to represent our movement,” Delaney Tarr, a Parkland student, told the New York Times. “It’s not just me tweeting whatever I want to tweet about. It has to be drawn back to who I am to the media, to who I am to the country.” Kiana Marsan | Contributing Writer
Reflecting on Governor Hickenlooper’s time in office
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overnor Hickenlooper’s eight year reign is coming to an end. Now, let’s have a look and see what exactly is it that he did and didn’t accomplish through his two terms so we can determine what the next Colorado governor can learn. Hickenlooper was thrust into politics in 2003 as Mayor of Denver, having switched from being a brewer and geologist. Interestingly enough, he is the first Denver mayor to be elected as governor in 150 years. He is also the first brewer since Samuel Adams in 1792. On top of that, he is the first geologist to become governor in the entire history of the United States. Taken from his website, as a Democrat, his goals are to create a pro-business state government that also maintains environmental and ethical standards. Upon his inaugural speech in 2011, he stated, “We will measure everything we do and make changes where change makes sense. We will protect our land and water and preserve the natural beauty that helps define Colorado. Above all, we will focus on education as the social bedrock for the hopes and dreams of our children and the quality of their jobs.” One of the most remarkable changes that has taken place is the implementation of FasTracks, which created 119 miles of extended and new commuter-train and light-rail lines. This is one of the largest regional transportation initiatives in U.S. history. Searching beyond that, Hickenlooper enforced numerous executive orders to promote the environment. Some exam-
ples are: Extending Regional Air Quality Council, creating an Advisory Committee to the Director of the Colorado Energy Office on the Effectiveness of SB13-252, the Increase Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard
tion sector, the rise of wildfires and the dwindling amount of natural resources available. One of the most anticipated topics is the legalization of weed that occurred under his first term. In 2012, medical canna-
Photo courtesy of Colorado.gov
so as to Encourage the Deployment of Methane Capture Technologies, and creating the Task Force on Wildfire Insurance and Forest Health. These orders were implemented in response to the increasing emissions of carbon through the transporta-
bis was legalized, and in 2014 recreational marijuana was legalized. At first Hickenlooper was hesitant, but after his constituents swayed him otherwise, he agreed. It’s worth acknowledging the repercussions of this legalization. Although the econ-
omy evidently took off, it also had its side effects. One of those is an increase in car accidents. According to Lift&Co Magazine, in 2014, traffic accidents rose by 14 percent in Colorado, which can arguably correspond to the legalization of cannabis. Another effect is that the price of living in Colorado has risen due to the prospering economy and influx of people. Most notably, the economy is absolutely booming. Construction is popping up everywhere. One cannot drive to downtown Denver without seeing multiple apartment complexes being built. In 2014 alone, Colorado received over $76 million in revenue, and $35 million of that went straight to the state’s education system. Total tax revenues from marijuana rose to over $135 million. As of July 2018, total marijuana sales rose to approximately $140 million. The trend is continuing upward. It’s difficult to say how much of Colorado’s success was due to Hickenlooper. Nonetheless, in enabling the legalization of weed, and promoting sustainable, clean, and environmentally-friendly efforts, Hickenlooper was able to effectively guide this success in a good direction. A direction where Colorado is put on the national grid. It appears valid to state that Hickenlooper did a good job as governor, as the prospering economy stands as evidence to his accomplishments. Future governors should look at what Hickenlooper did, because the trend that Colorado is following seems pretty optimistic. Megan Cooney | Contributing Writer
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PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:
What are you doing to prepare for finals?
“Honestly, trying to get healthy because I’ve been sick for a few weeks now.”
“Just trying to get through week nine.”
Kylie Marshall, second year
Grace Ganz, second year
“Studying and trying to get enough sleep in.”
“Attempting to get more than six hours of sleep every night and trying to desperately figure out when office hours are.”
Beatrix Short, second year
June Churchill, second year
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Great Lake Swimmers explore new sonic horizons on “The Waves, the Wake”
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ony Dekker is having a hard time remembering the last time his band, the Great Lake Swimmers, played in Denver. “I think we were here about ten years ago?” Dekker wonders aloud to the assembled mass of fans who have haphazardly congregated around the stage at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox on a Wednesday night. Dekker doesn’t mean to imply that Denver is somehow unmemorable but is merely showing the signs of a musician who recently celebrated the 15-year anniversary of the Great Lake Swimmers 2003 self-titled inaugural release. Much has changed in the years following Dekker’s sparse, 10-track debut, which was recorded in an abandoned Grain Silo near the singer/songwriter’s hometown of Wainfleet, Ontario. Despite their largely-recognized status as a band, Great Lake Swimmers have seen members ebb and flow over the years, with Dekker serving as the only constant member of the group. Guitarist and banjoist Erik Arnesen is the band’s second-longest tenured member, having contributed to the follow up to “Great Lake Swimmers”, 2005’s “Bodies and Minds.” On their current tour, Dekker and Arnesen are accompanied by longtime bassist Bret Higgins, newly-added drummer Marshall Bureau, and multi-instrumentalist Kelsey McNulty, who primarily plays keyboards and accordion. This unusual structure has allowed the band to evolve and develop their music, which takes on a shimmering new form on “The Waves, the Wake,” released in August of 2018. “I see Great Lake Swimmers as a singer/songwriter project that different players come in and out of; it’s not re-
ally a band but it is kind of a band,” said Dekker shortly before his set at Ophelia’s. The group’s latest project offered a stark departure from their previous releases, featuring a wide array of instruments and arrangements that give the album a bright, lush ambiance. Dekker credits this to Toronto’s folk scene, a community in which the bandleader is now an established elder-statesman. “I feel like the city of Toronto was kind of the backing band for the new record,” said Dekker of “The Waves, the Wake”. “It was that kind of thinking all along, like ‘This one could really use this instrument, who do we know who could do this?’” By featuring a variety of contributors on this project, Dekker was able to incorporate different songwriting methods, furthering the album’s innovative sound. Whereas previous songs were primarily written on an acoustic guitar, the Canadian songwriter experimented with writing songs on different instruments and later paring back certain layers of the track to give the record a more intimate sound. Like many of its predecessors, “The Waves, the Wake” was recorded in an unorthodox locale. Rather than previous haunts such as the aforementioned grain silo, or the Ontario cave used to record the group’s sixth album, “A Forest of Arms”, Dekker and co. opted to record their most recent effort in the 145-year-old Aeolian Hall in London, Ontario. The venue, which is home to a historic church that was recently converted into a music school, was selected because of its acoustics. “There’s something in the music—like a tone or a sonic layer that you can’t quite put your finger on, and it’s just like a layer of sound that adds a little bit of
Photos courtesy of The Great Lake Swimmers on Facebook
something extra, like the natural reverb, everything just sounds a little more real to me,” said Dekker of the band’s habit of recording its albums in nontraditional locations. “It’s hard to put your finger on.” Dekker said that the writing comprised the bulk of the “heavy lifting” of the album cycle and added that it took him about six to eight months to compose the twelve songs that would become “The Waves, the Wake”. Many of the songs on the album feature delicate instrumentation juxtaposed against rather cutting lyrics that underscore a number of key tenants the band holds dearly. Dekker mentioned the importance of clearly stating a message in his music, and said he felt that all Great Lake Swimmer albums can be connected through the theme of finding spirituality in nature. “I think nature as a refuge is an important theme for thisrecord in particular,” said Dekker. “I think in the larger sense though there’s this narrative in all our records of like approaching a sort of spirituality in nature and in the natural world.” Some songs on the record touch on other themes as well, such as “Alone But Not Alone,” which highlights the paradoxical disconnectivity brought on by the current technological age. “We live in a society now where everyone is more connected than ever through our devices, but at the same time it seems like we are more disconected than ever,” said Dekker. “I think part of the sentiment of that song was feeling connected but disconnected at the same time and feeling like around people but also completely removed from being around people.” The albums most bare track, “Visions of a Different World,” features a lonesome Dekker hop-
ing for a more environmentally responsible human race The track is the only one on the album that doesn’t feature any backing instrumentation, just Dekker’s voice. This allows for the singer to clearly communicate his message and made for a stunning live performance that was backed by McNulty’s haunting keys. “We have problems in society,” said Dekker of the track. “It’s a pretty scary time right now, especially in light of all the reports that are coming about global warming.” “That song was more of a message of hope that we can still turn things around if we wake up a little more and be more conscious.” As for his own vision for the future, Dekker said that environmental stewardship will be a key facet in forming a more responsible society. “I think that trying to get the reins back from big corporations, especially big oil is a big task, but I think we need more of a balance between corporate rule and environmental care, true environmental stewardship,” said Dekker. “It’s a big vision, it’s a big dream, but somehow, if we could start a new way of thinking about things in small ways which maybe lead to big ways, then maybe it’s possible to save ourselves.” Despite his band’s near-constant state of change, Dekker said he would like to continue with The Waves, the Wake’s unique sound. “I feel like maybe we might have turned a corner with this new one,” said Dekker. “I just feel like we might have hit onto something and I’m really looking forward to exploring the concept even further.”
Ryan Dunn | Contributing Writer
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T he sur prising s h a pe of “T h e Shap e o f Thi ng s ”
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Victoria Valenzuela | The Clarion
he DU Theatre Department’s showing of the play “The Shape of Things” opened last Thursday night with a bang—or should we say blow—with actors’ mouths used for more than just running lines (an unexpected scene in the bedroom leaves the audience silently squirming and contemplating looking away, wondering what exactly type of show they came to see). Roughly 20 people showed up to support the four actors on opening night in the intimate setting of the Byron Theatre, with the unique effects of a rotating stage, located in the Newman Center for the Performing Arts. The play, written by Neil LaBute, takes place at a liberal arts college in a small conservative midwestern town
and follows the story of two young couples, illustrating the drama of their intertwined relationships and the metamorphosing effects they have on each other. While a little slow in the beginning, the play captures the essence of college romance and is relatable to any student, mentioning everything from the necessity of working Friday nights (the penniless college kid stereotype) to the sometimes-forced friendships associated with roommates. The characters and situations demonstrate a cringiness reminiscent of the show “The Office” and similarly engender one of two responses from the audience: full-on laughter or simply an uncomfortable smirk. Throughout “The Shape of
Things,” the shape of issues in romantic relationships is portrayed, such as the negative effects of changing yourself for someone else, the complications of history and past love interests and the never-welcome presentation of ultimatums to a significant other. It isn’t until scene nine out of 10, however, that the true message of the play is shockingly unveiled, literally, by a white cloth: the show is a social commentary about the plasticity of personality, the conventional definitions of desirability and the true meaning of art. You know when the word “titillating” can be scripted into a conversation in the first ten minutes that the play will keep your eyes wide awake and your ears perked
the whole time. “The Shape of Things” surely will not disappoint, and the cushioned red benches of the Byron Theatre provide for a fun night out with friends celebrating the performing arts. While some audience members left the play feeling down and a strong disdain towards one particular character, this unexpected and provocative drama will no doubt leave you contemplating its implications long after the final curtain call. “The Shape of Things” runs for one hour and 45 minutes with no intermission. The play will be showing until Nov. 11, and tickets can be purchased for $10 either online or at the Newman Center box office. Grace Gonzalez | Contributing Writer
Día de los Muertos event electrifies the Santa Fe Art District
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he First Friday Art Walk on Nov. 2 was unlike any other. The art walk was energized by a Día de los Muertos celebration that drew an impressive crowd to the Santa Fe Art District. The First Friday Art Walk on Santa Fe’s historic art district is a long standing Denver tradition. On the first Friday of each month, the stretch of Santa Fe between 13th St. and Alameda Ave. lights up with activity. Local artists have a chance to display their work while art buffs gather to appreciate creativity. Most of the art walks draw a large crowd to the district; however, this past Friday brought a crowd like no other. Hundreds poured onto the streets of the art district to admire and celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a popular Mexican holiday on Nov. 1 in which family and friends come together to remember their loved ones who have passed. Those who celebrate it will often build altars, or ofrendas, used to welcome spirits back to the world of the living. These ofrendas are often intricately and meticulously decorated with food, photos and flowers. Other traditions include face painting and decorating sugar skulls. This mix between the regular scheduled Art Walk and the Día de los Muertos celebration culminated in a beautiful display of color and excitement. The streets were packed with couples, families, friends and entertainers. Street musicians and performers could be found on every corner. A group of young children
performed an impressive traditional Mexican dance, which drew the attention of onlookers. Food trucks arrived to serve authentic Mexican fare, and face painters were hard at work painting the faces of the many children at the walk. The art galleries were bustling with activity. Artists proudly showed off their work to anyone who approached. Art galleries can be found just about anywhere in the Santa Fe Art District, including in back alleyways. Some galleries even offered spectators the opportunity to decorate their own sugar skulls. The night also offered opportunities for unique events not usually found on the First Friday Art Walks. The night was kicked off with a free screening of the hit film “Coco.” Then, a traditional procession made its way around the streets of the art district. The night ended with a costume contest and a closing celebration. This Día de los Muertos celebration on Santa Fe’s Art District was a chance for those of all backgrounds to appreciate and celebrate Mexican culture. The environment was extremely welcoming and most everyone seemed to enjoy the fun. While the next Día de los Muertos celebration returns next year, the next First Friday Art Walk will be held on Dec. 7. Most of the studios on Santa Fe Drive are also open to visitors throughout the week. The art walk is an excellent way to unwind, relax and have fun after a long week. Barbara Urzua | Contributing Writer
Barbara Urzua | The Clarion
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Religious Studies Department honors Dr. Luís León Nina Petrovic | The Clarion
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n Nov. 1, the Religious Studies Department held an informal gathering during Día de los Muertos, a Mexican holiday where family and friends commemorate loved ones who have died, to honor their fellow friend and colleague Dr. Luís León. Dr. León passed away of natural causes on Oct. 16. The department expressed shock and sadness when sharing this news a month ago. Religious studies masters’ students, undergraduate students and the religious studies faculty gathered in the department in Sturm Hall, chatting amongst each other and discussing their love and admiration for Dr. León. Food and refreshments were served as well. During the gathering, a Día de los Muertos altar made by re-
ligious studies master’ student Stefanie Fajardo, was displayed. Altars during the holiday are meant to show the dead are not forgotten and that they are welcomed in their homes. A photo of Dr. León was displayed at the top, along with flowers surrounding the altar and his published works centered below the altar. Those attending the gathering were invited to either add something to the altar or simply look at the altar made in Dr. León’s honor. Dr. León was a specialist in American religion, particularly in the West, and taught courses such as an FSEM on atheism and courses on Latinx religions. He was especially interested in the theory of how religion operated on borderlands. “Dr. León opened up a lot of questions for us, such as what was religion like in the West of
the country and how we should rethink that instead of thinking religion began in the East from England and began to move West,” said Dr. Sandra Dixon, professor of religion and psychology at DU. “What is this U.S. religion when the border with Mexico is somewhat artificial? What is American religion? Is it just in the U.S.? Probably not. So what should we think now? That was the kind of thing Dr. León brought to the department.” Dr. León’s published works further discussed the theory of religion in the borderlands from books such as “La Llorana’s Children: Religion, Life and Death in the United States - Mexican Borderlands” to “The Political Spirituality of Cesar Chavez: Crossing Religious Borders,” a book discussing the meaning of political spirituality and if spir-
ituality is something only linked to religion or in other areas such as politics. The Religious Studies Department fondly remembered Dr. León’s contributions to religious studies, as well as his vibrant personality. “He was a live wire. He liked to talk to and greet people when they came into the department. He never ploughed through the students in the department and hid in his office,” said Dr. Dixon. “You had that sense he was really alive and interested in a lot and engaged and we miss that constantly. Every day.”
Nina Petrovic | Arts & Life Editor
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Does cannabis make you more creative?
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s long as humans have been making art, we have been doing it while under the influence of psychotropic substances. Since the first ancient human covered his hand in the pigments of flowers and pressed it against a stone wall, art and drugs have been deeply and intrinsically intertwined. Cannabis, the most used illicit recreational drug in the world, has for its entire history been linked to increased creativity and appreciation of art. For many, the substance is a harbinger of increased creativity, and many creative individuals are distinctly linked to the drug. While cannabis might be— within our cultural narrative—connected with increased creativity, the actual facts might be a little more obscure. The first major issue in actually determining whether cannabis increases creativity is the nature of creativity itself being unmeasurable. There is really no universal definition of creativity, so researchers usually test two different processes of thinking, divergent (a thought process wherein many possible solutions are brought forth to solve a problem, i.e. brainstorming), and convergent (a process that involves judging a specific number of possible solutions to arrive at one encompassing correct answer, i.e. multiple choice test), as a measure of creativity. The second issue is that researching cannabis is incredibly difficult, and for much of
the past, feasibly impossible. Due to the illegal nature of the substance, researchers have struggled with being able accurately conduct studies, as comparison and peer reviews can be close to impossible. In 2015, researchers at Leiden University in the Netherlands tested participants in both divergent and convergent thinking processes, giving some participants either a low (5.5mg), or high (22mg) dose of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and others a placebo. The results of the study were that divergent thinking, a major measure of creativity, increased very slightly with a low dose of THC, but under a high dose, dropped considerably. In blunt terms, high potency cannabis actually impairs divergent thinking. If you were to ask a random stoner, or past famous ones such as George Carlin, Steve Jobs, Carl Sagan, Alexandre Dumas, Hunter S. Thompson, Jack Kerouac, Bob Dylan and countless others, you would find that many noted an increase of creativity when imbibing in the substance. Sagan, writing anonymously in 1969, noted that “I find that most of the insights I achieve when high are into social issues, an area of creative scholarship very different from the one I am generally known for.” But if cannabis has such a strong reputation for creative thoughts, for helping people move beyond their neural bounds, why doesn’t science seem to back it up?
The answer might lie less in the substance itself, but in the mind of the individual taking it. Individuals, like Sagan or Dylan, are already creative persons, what they might find as marked increases in creativity due to cannabis could very well just be them becoming more aware of their own personality. Another study, conducted by University College in London looked at the difference in divergent thinking between two groups, one defined as “low,” and one as “high,” on a scale of creative traits. Unlike the Dutch study though, these participants used their own marijuana, on their own time, in their own home. They performed cognitive thinking assessments both sober and high. The results from this study shed a little more light on the issue, as it found that those with marked “high” creativity experienced little increase in divergent thinking under cannabis. However, those who were labeled “low” on the creative scale, had noted increases in divergent thinking while using cannabis, making them “as creative” as the sober “high-creative” individuals. Basically, if you’re already a creative individual, cannabis use might not really offer you any noticeable increase in creativity, but if you’re not creative, or maybe experiencing a complete lack of creativity in the moment (writer’s block for example), cannabis might help. A glass or two of wine can lead
one to making new connections in their work, losing inhibitions and making art they wouldn’t have originally, but an entire bottle of wine might lead one less to new creative ideas and more likely, to complete garbage. The same can be said with cannabis, moderation is key. High doses, and sustained use can actually inhibit creativity, and sustained use might cause already creative individuals to become more complacent with their work. Lower doses of cannabis might offer creative benefits, as seen in both aforementioned studies (the London study used considerably lower THC cannabis than the Dutch one). The connection between cannabis and creativity is going nowhere, especially with a new industry that is devoted to connecting strains with specific benefits (such as creativity). Hopefully, with legalizations spreading, further studies will be conducted that might bring greater scientific light to the relationship between our brains and one of our oldest indulgences. Justin Cygan | Arts & Life Editor
“Big Mouth” season two: Take it or leave it
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eason two of “Big Mouth” has been out for a about month now, and if you haven’t watched it yet, I can’t blame you. If you didn’t see season one—even if you did—it’s likely you can’t get past it’s shockingly crude nature; it makes “South Park” look like a PBS Kids show. Though it does contain some important commentary on topics such as slut-shaming, depression and homophobia, my advice is: take it seriously—or don’t. You could choose to heed the show’s messages, or simply watch it for the abundance of sexual innuendos and toilet humor. Many people designate “Big Mouth” as their show to watch only while inebriated; whether or not you use substances before or while you watch the show, it’s definitely worth giving it a chance. Episode one picks up right where season one left off: Jay, as a result of his misguided and sexually curious nature, has rUn away with his pillow girlfriend and child (yes, in the “Big Mouth” universe, pillows can get pregnant) with Jessi tagging along, still dealing with the fall-out of her parents’ separation. The two of them soon head home after realizing their mistakes, returning to their families and peers who
are also dealing with the horrors of adolescence. Nick and Andrew are still at opposite ends of the development spectrum; Nick, voiced by one of the show’s co-creators Nick Kroll, is a stunted “squirrel of a boy” who has help from one of the most defective Hormone Monsters there is: Rick. Undoubtedly the best part of the show, Rick gives relationship advice like, “Say it louder, she didn’t hear your race comment!” and thinks every single person he meets is “the man.” He eventually retires after finally getting Coach Steve, a 47-year old “man baby,” to lose his virginity, but I’m truly hoping he makes a comeback for season three. Andrew, voiced by comedian John Mulaney, is developing so rapidly that his parents forcibly wax his mustache off, which starts a downward spiral of self-loathing and poor decision making that introduces the Snape-like Shame Wizard (or “Shane Lizard,” as Coach Steve calls him) to the show. The quite aptly named Shame Wizard makes Andrew and the rest of his peers feel ashamed for things that are a natural part of adolescence, adding an unexpected lay-
Photo courtesy of “Big Mouth” on Twitter
er of depth to the show. There’s a slight detour mid-season with “The Planned Parenthood Show,” where Nick, Andrew, Jessi, Jay and Missy all participate in various skits to educate Coach Steve about the various services Planned Parenthood offers. Missy, a proudly awkward geek voiced by Jenny Slate, leads a journey within the female reproductive system to make a point about de-stigmatizing women’s health issues. Andrew is yet another victim of the “blue waffle” myth, as he endures a nightmare situation where the fictional STD wreaks havoc on his life and those around him. The season ends with Nick, Andrew, and Jessi in “puberty headquarters,” where all Hormone Monsters deliberate about the ongoings in every adoles-
cent’s life. Jessi, after she began a streak of stereotypically rebellious behavior as a consequence of her parents’ imminent divorce, lands in the grips of Kitty, the embodiment of depression. Nick, Andrew and their hormone monsters team up with Jessi’s Hormone Monstress and get Jessi out of Kitty’s control, but it leaves us wondering where Jessi will be in season three. Again, if you’re appalled at the premise of this show, that’s quite alright. But, it’s writing is brave and funny enough that you shouldn’t count it out immediately; I’d say Rick alone makes it worthwhile. You can watch season one and two exclusively on Netflix.
Emma Cohen | Contributing Writer