CYRUS TWERKS HER WAY TO TOP OF CHARTS | Page 9 University of Denver student newspaper since 1899
Vol. 120, Issue 20
Sept. Oct.17, 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
USG senator tries to resurrect Boone Undergraduate Student Government, such as the Diversity Committee, Spirit Committee, Sustainability Committee, etc., is allowed to use their allotted fund to purchase any merchandise with the image of Boone on it, as well as any other image supporting school spirit, to be effective immediately.” Use of student activity fee funds to purchase items with the Boone logo was originally banned last year in a resoluryan lumpkin|clarion tion passed by USG in February. Denver Boone, DU’s former official mascot, poses on stage at the Presidential Debate last October. Hammerman expressed his distions and athletics the ability by brandon tate to purchase merchandise with pleasure on the final voting. Senior Reporter “Just like our previous the Boone logo with the use of mascots Ruckus and Pioneer On Tuesday, Oct. 1, the student activity fee money. The resolution, proposed Pete, Boone should be allowed Undergraduate Student Government (USG) voted against by USG Junior Senator Adam to be on clothing just as Resolution 7, which would Hammerman, proposed that [Ruckus and Pete] are, because have granted student organiza- “any committee or subsidiary of they’re a part of our tradition
by anita balakrishnan Editor Emeritus
The Health and Counseling Center (HCC) and the Counseling Psychology Master’s Program at the Morgridge College of Education are both working to increase culturally sensitive mental health counseling options for minorities on campus through training and hiring practices. However, both students and staff agree that there is work still to be done on campus climate. “A lot of my work has been in university counseling centers, “ said Pat Garriott, an assistant professor of Counseling Psychology in DU’s Morgridge College of Education. “What I have observed on predominantly white campuses, like DU, is that isolation, feeling marginalized or that you don’t matter, and cultural incongruity, lead to psychological stress and hesitation to seek out psychological services.” Garriott and Ruth Chao, associate professor of Counsel-
ing Psychology and Morgridge College of Education are two of DU’s resident experts on the challenges faced by minority college students when it comes to mental health as part of the program training future counselors at DU. “I think minority students might find it difficult to look for help, including mental health counseling, due to a trust issue between counselor and student,” said Chao. “According to the literature, minority students have concerns including stigmas, thinking ‘How will people look at me?,’ or concerns that they might not be within the normal populations. Some minority students may have a concern if the counselor is from a different background as to whether they can understand that. In the classrooms, the students may have concerns about teachers being from different backgrounds and the mutual understanding of cultural backgrounds may be an issue there as well. ”
SEE hcc, PAGE X
feel disenfranchised.” Healy added that he feels a mascot should not only be representative of the student body, but of the history of DU. However, those who do not support Boone maintain that the image of the former mascot is offensive to some students. “For USG to support such a polarizing figure would be very naïve and ignorant,” said USG Sophomore Senator Logan Bohlender. USG Off-Campus Senator Daniel Mason, voted in opposition to Resolution 7, feels that the mascot issue strictly deals with the DU community, instead of one specific mascot. “The big issue is school spirit and unity,” said Mason, “I think that what a lot of people think in regards to Boone is that having a mascot, specifically Boone, is the best way to achieve that and the only way. I think that’s wrong. I think there’s a lack of creativity and innovation in that discussion. I want [USG] to find a way to create [school spirit] without the image of Boone.”
SUV strikes cyclist near DU Accident puts unaffiliated victim in critical condition by clarion staff
Last Tuesday, Oct. 1, a bicyclist was hit by an SUV on University Boulevard. According to a Denver Police Department (DPD) officer on the scene, DPD received a call at 7:21 p.m. on Tuesday night of a female bicyclist struck by an SUV at the intersection of University Boulevard and Warren Avenue, located near the Daniels College of Business. The cyclist, whose condition is still critical, is not a DU student, according to Steven Banet, public information officer for the Department of Campus Safety (DCS). “The driver was not connected to DU either,” said Will Jones, DU external communications manager. Within 15 minutes, an
‘Uncle’ tempts hip Denverites with classics and new favorites LIFESTYLES | Page 7
QUOTABLE
HCC reaches out to minority students
and history of our school. Instead of banning the image of Boone, it gives the option to use it,” Hammerman said. USG Sophomore Senator Jess Davidson praised the vote. “This resolution was not a question of whether or not Boone is right, but how we are protecting and investing dollars students give through their student activity fee. I do not feel that it’s our place to say ‘Yes, we will spend your student dollars on something you don’t support,’” she said. DU alumni have also contributed to the ongoing discussion on the issue, including former USG Senator and alumnus Tim Healy, who supported Resolution 7. “I think it was a premature decision,” said Healy. “I think we should have waited until the Mascot Committee chose a mascot. Having Boone has done wonders for our school spirit. Attendance at athletic events has been up. The kids and non-DU fans love him. Since his removal, I know donations have dropped from alumni who
ambulance transported the victim from the scene. A black Toyota 4Runner SUV heading north on University Boulevard was involved in the accident and remained on the scene throughout the investigation that followed. An hour after the accident, glass and debris could be seen in the intersection of University Boulevard and Warren Avenue. The debris included a bicycle “u-lock” as well as a bicycle basket. The accident closed University Boulevard from Evans Avenue to Iliff Avenue for more than two hours. Evans Avenue and University Boulevard, one block from the accident, was the scene of a similar accident in 2012, when a DU graduate student was killed in a hit-and-run, in which the vehicle ran a red light, according to a May 31, 2012 Clarion article. Another DU student was
killed last April in a fatal accident near Evans Avenue and High Street. DU students Phillip Strom and Noelle Limbird, who were walking by the scene at 8:30 p.m., expressed their condolences about the accident. “It was unfortunate,” said Strom. Strom said that he recently saw an incident that nearly resulted in a bicyclevehicle crash. “[We] actually almost watched someone get hit on a bike earlier today. Right next to Nelson, at the four-way stop,” said Strom. An awareness campaign, called “Heads Up”, was recently initiated across campus to bring more attention to the issue of bicycle-related accidents near campus. For more information on the Heads Up campaign, see the October 2 article on duclarion.com.
“I’d rather represent the opinions of the entire student body than my personal opinions.” NEWS | Page 4
1
starting hockey Goalie sam Brittian’s number
2
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
Millenials demand action on debt BIG Event prompts big by makayla cisneros Contributing Writer
On Wednesday, Oct. 2, The Can Kicks Back (TCKB) hosted an event in the Anderson Academic Commons, including a screening of the documentary Overdraft and a panel discussion. TCKB describes itself as a nonpartisan, Millennial-led organization dedicated to finding a solution for the national debt as well as revamping the “American dream” for younger generations and future generations. The event was attended by approximately 80 people, including students and faculty. The event was sponsored by The Concord Coalition, DU College Republicans, DU College Democrats, University of Denver Institute for Public Policy Studies and the Generational Equity Tour. TCKB visited DU as part of a country-wide “Generational Equity Tour” that began at the University of California. DU is one of 25 universities that TCKB will be visiting to try to reach out to the Millennial generation in order to educate them about the national debt and gain support to pressure lawmakers to sign the INFORM act, a bipartisan budget reform bill, according to a press release issued by TCKB. The INFORM act would disclose the true size of intergenerational consequences of the national debt. TCKB hopes to moti-
vate the younger generation to become involved with pressuring Washington for long term solutions for the national debt, according to Nick Troiano, co-founder and communications director of TCKB. “Young Americans are already experiencing record high student loan debt and unemployment. We can’t pay the $200 trillion tab being left for us by older generations,” said Troiano. “Unless young people get engaged, the status quo will persist and we will become the first generation in American history to inherit a lower standard of living than our parents did.” TCKB is concerned with how politicians put off dealing with these issues, much like kicking a can down the road, hence their name. TCKB encourages Millennials to realize that the longer it takes to deal with these problems the more painful the remedies will be, according to Toriano. One of the discussion panel speakers, Isabel Sawhill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, agreed that the national debt is a problem eating away at the American economy. “It’s like termites in the woodwork of a house, not necessarily a wolf at the door,” said Sawhill. “There’s a lack of knowledge about how the government operates,” said Joan Woodward, another panelist and president of The Travelers Institute. “It’s
important to educate and raise awareness of the actual facts. It’s hard to break down why [Millennials] should care before you go back to your dorm rooms. It trickles down to you won’t be able to get a job because businesses are afraid of what the economy will do.” After the presentation of the documentary and the panel discussion, a survey of the audience was taken. In response to a question of assessing Washington’s actions on recent deficit reduction, 70 percent of the audience said, “Overall, they have done more harm than good and need to reset”. 86 percent agreed or strongly agreed that Washington should enact a “Grand Generational Bargain” that increases federal investments, slows the growth of entitlement spending and reforms the tax code to raise additional revenue. 77 percent agreed that addressing our long-term fiscal challenges should either be the top national priority or one of the top three. TCKB encourages younger people to join the movement by getting involved with collective actions taking place around the country. TCKB hopes to educate thousands of young people with the “Generational Equity Tour”, according to Troiano, as well as build support for the INFORM act. More information about The Can Kicks Back can be found at www. TheCanKicksBack.org.
finish their bachelor’s degree in three years and proceed to earn their JD in the next two. Postgraduate opportunities were an important topic at the update, with Katz discussing several initiatives aimed at recently graduated students. These included the launching of what Katz called a “solo incubator”, which will provide a safety net in the form of financial opportunities for students hoping to open their own solo law practices, the expansion of the law school’s postgraduate fellowship program and the launching of a legal residency program, in which graduates get paid to work for a law firm while gaining experience. The year-long residency program is modeled after the medical residency program and will allow students to get paid to continue to strengthen their education. “By the time you’re done with this, you’ve got a solid, very well-mentored experience under your belt, making you pretty competitive,” said Katz. The residency program is designed to build off of the law school’s dedication to experiential learning, which Katz says was just half of the school’s strategic plan that was developed and implemented in 2009. Katz said the new residency program will be launched this year. “What we did was try to go out and talk to people who
would hopefully be hiring our graduates and ask, ‘What do you need?’ and ‘What is going to make our graduates as marketable as possible?’” said Katz. From that research, two major initiatives were formed with the launching of the strategic plan in 2009. The first initiative was the creation of five areas of specialization in topics that would be useful in the job market, including environmental and natural resources law, international law, employment law, governmental law and corporate-commercial law. The second initiative was the implementation of more experiential learning opportunities. One of these was an experiential advantage program, launched this summer, which allows DU law students to earn 30 of their law credits through experiential learning opportunities. Katz says both of these initiatives have been very successful thus far. “We’ve been just thrilled with how each of these initiatives are going,” he said. “We’ve had wonderful support from the faculty.” Other successes were also discussed. The first was an increase in the DU bar exam passage rates, now at 90 percent, six percent above the national average and one percent above CU’s law school passage rates. Another was the post-
turnout, big ticket sales by brandon tate
nizations including Student Activities, DU Athletics and Last Friday, DU held the the DU Programming Board. second annual BIG Event, The BIG Event returned this year paired with the to campus this year after the annual hockey ticket cam- first BIG Event was held on pout, which sold over 500 campus last spring. season tickets according to As the stars of the BIG DU Athletics. Event, DU’s hockey team was The BIG Event was held able to skate alongside fellow in conjunction DU students as with the hockey a way to relax campout to attract “Seeing all before starting more students those people their season. according to Jill “It was Duffy, assistant who brought a w e s o m e ,” director of Stu- the tents really said freshman dent Activities. forward Emil “It’s hard to shows the spir- Romig. “Seeing get people to one it of DU. It was all those people place at DU,” said who brought Duffy, “so we’ll great to come the tents really create an atmo- and see people shows the spirit sphere where of DU. It was there’s a ton of support us.” great to come things happening and see people and where there’s support us.” something for Emil Romig, R o m i g everyone. In gen- First year student further stated eral, we’re trying his belief that to promote Pioneer spirit.” the success of the event was The BIG Event featured due to students being able to free skating with the DU interact with players on the hockey team , unveiling of ice rink. Homecoming Royalty, drawDuffy said the next BIG ings for prizes, Minute to Event will be held on FebruWin It themed competitions ary 28. Additional activities for CartoGo driving “min- may include bringing more utes,” a kickball tournament, performing artists, includhenna tattoos and free face ing the hypnotist who perpainting. It was sponsored formed during Discoveries by numerous campus orga- orientation week. Senior Reporter
Law school lauds new initiatives by lanna giauque News Editor
Law School Dean Marty Katz gave an update on the state of the law school last Tuesday, in a speech addressing new initiatives and successes in the Sturm College of Law. New initiatives presented by Katz included the strengthening and expansion of both dual degree programs and post-graduate opportunities. While the law school has offered other dual degree programs—such as a J.D./ MBA combination—for some time, Katz says there is a task force in place this year to help streamline that process as well as several opportunities to get dual degrees with graduate programs at the law school. For example, a student can now receive a J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree and an L.L.M (Master of Laws) specialized degree in topics such as environmental resource management in a dual degree program through the law school, a program that was initiated last summer. “The concept is that for a lot of you, it makes sense to try to get more education in less time,” said Katz to the law school students present at the update. “We’re going to try to provide as many of those opportunities as possible for you.” Katz also discussed the recently launched six-year undergraduate and law school dual degree program, in which undergraduate students can
graduation employment rate. Katz said graduates from the law school in 2012 were employed at a rate of 90.4 percent in professional jobs nine months after graduation, which Katz considers a success. However, Katz said only 77 percent of those jobs are full-time, permanent jobs. “That is not as good as I would like it to be,” said Katz. “We are trying to get more people into those permanent jobs.” Additionally, Katz discussed the fact that the law school has moved up 24 slots in U.S. News & World Report rankings in the last five years. This improvement puts it at number 64 nationwide. Other individual programs within the law school
also have high rankings, including several in the top 15. Katz points to the 2009 strategic plan’s emphasis on experiential learning for the increase in rankings. “We made a bet that there would be a market for schools that would provide both excellence and rigor in their education and would also provide experiential learning that would allow its graduates to compete for jobs,” said Katz. “So far that bet seems to be paying off.” Katz said the law school will continue to work to rise in the rankings and improve its reputation. “The goal is to do the things we’re doing, do them well, and hope the world notices,” said Katz.
Corrections From October 2, 2013 In last week’s issue, several photos were misattributed. The photos were taken by Kim Nesbitt. In the article “Male cheerleaders combat stereotypes”, the photo caption incorrectly labeled Jason Lau as Nick Lau. We regret the error.
Readers wishing to submit corrections, or those concerned about the paper’s journalistic integrity may contact Editorin-Chief Alex Johnson at alexander.johnson@du.edu
3
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
First debate anniversary celebrated Campus community memorializes undergrad Post; Sharon Lassar, professor in the School of Accountancy at the Daniels College of Business; Rick Palacio, Colorado Democrats chair; and Dick Wadhams, former Colorado Republicans chair and campaign consultant. The moderator of the panel was Cynthia Hessin, awardwinning host and executive producer of “Colorado State of Mind” on Rocky Mountain PBS. The panelists began by discussing Obama and Rom-
balances. I think in many ways it would be healthy to have more political discusOn Thursday, Oct. 3, sion that reflects just how Alumni Relations and the complex this all is.” Division of Marketing and Nanda agreed it is not Communications co-hosted who the president is but what a documentary screening is wrong with Washington and discussion panel in and what that means for the Davis Auditorium to celrest of the world. ebrate the first anniversary Other controversial of the presidential debate issues of discussion included held on campus. The event, healthcare and the economy. “Political Realities One Year An audience member After the 2012 Election: The asked what it would take for Debate Continues,” explored America to have healthcare effects of the for all its debate on DU, citizens Denver, the like other election and d e v e l op e d politics today. c o u nt r i e s . According Martinez to Shannon replied Cross, events it would and programs require manager of a major Alumni Relatransfortions, there mation of were 250 regideology. istered guests “We are for the event. very indi“One year vidualistic ago all eyes in how we were on the approach university as it,” said the first stop Martinez. photo courtesy of university of denver on the way “There are a to the White Panelists discuss political issues from the 2012 debate and how they stand one year later. lot of people House,” said who think Deputy Mayor Cary Kennedy ney’s performances in the healthcare is not a right. I in her introduction to the debate. They agreed that while think until more people recevent. “The road to the White there was a lot of anticipation ognize the benefits of having House is now through the for the debate, Obama did a healthy society, it will be a West.” not seem prepared that night. long way to get there.” The event premiered Masket said sitting presidents Lassar said the underlya 20-minute documentary often underperform because ing current for these issues about the presidential debate they have not had to debate is the national debt. She at DU, which showed behind- in four years, while the chal- said debt has made the the-scenes footage of plan- lenger has just come through country weak in terms of ning and hosting the debate, a grueling primary calendar. foreign policy and healthcare as well as interviews with stu“Obama was obviously because getting involved in dents, faculty, staff, alumni, capable of it, as he proved in another country or adding media and political figures. later debates and as he proved another entitlement would According to the docu- back in ’08, but it seemed require more out-of-control mentary, the university like he was not prepared that spending. hosted over 100 events lead- night,” said Masket. “Gridlock is gridlock,” ing up to the debate, with Palacio and Wadhams said Palacio. “We live in a a cumulative attendance of discussed why Romney’s political time when cooperaover 25,000. There were 1,500 superior performance in the tion and negotiation are bad ticketed guests for the debate, debate did not have greater words, and they shouldn’t including 300 students. Out- effect on the election. Pala- be. We have not made it this side, 6,000 students and com- cio said there was not a lot far as a nation by not getting munity members attended of change in the polls from along and by our lawmakers the Debate Fest. There were the first debate until election not working together to get 3,000 journalists on campus, day, which led him to believe things done.” including over 700 foreign the majority of Americans Plunkett discussed how journalists. The university already knew which can- these issues might influence earned $56 million in adver- didate they would vote for. upcoming elections. “In 2008, the president tising revenue. Wadhams said Romney lost Following the documen- the election because his cam- was promising we were tary screening was a discus- paign decided to be a refer- going to have a new kind of sion panel of political issues endum on Obama instead of politics. We wouldn’t have a addressed in the debate and “painting a personal picture” red state, we wouldn’t have a blue state, we would have the how they stand today. These of Romney. issues included campaign “By the time we hit United States of America. strategies, social media, for- September and October You look at where we are eign policy, healthcare, the the voters had no idea who right now, a year after that economy and the government Romney as a person was,” debate, and the lights aren’t even on,” said Plunkett. “In shutdown. said Williams. Panelists included Seth Meanwhile, Masket said 2014 and 2016 it’s going to Masket, associate professor of he was glad the university be fascinating to see what political science and expert hosted the debate, but events kind of candidate is going on campaigns and political like the debate often focus too to emerge. Is it going to be parties; Ved Nanda, professor much on the personality of someone who tries to be even more extreme than of international law at Sturm the president. College of Law; Lisa Marti“The president is just one the folks on the world stage nez, associate professor of player and he is limited in right now, or is it going to be sociology and expert on His- what he can do,” said Masket. someone who tries to find panic voters; Chuck Plunkett, “We have a whole political some sort of middle ground political editor of the Denver system built of checks and again and compromise.” by carli hansen Assistant News Editor
M A K E
Y O U R
V O I C E
by lanna giauque News Editor More than 100 people attended a service held at the Olinger Hampden Mortuary last Friday in honor of DU student Nickolas Williams, who died Sept. 28. Williams, who was double majoring in mathematics and physics, was remembered at the service for his charisma, exuberance, spontaneity and determination according to those who spoke. “We are here to celebrate Nick’s strength, his courage, his kindness and his tender heart,” said Damon Henry, a representative from the Olinger Mortuary who led the service. “I’ve been told that Nick was never a stranger to anybody. He’d spend his holidays sometimes at the homeless shelter giving back—he was a friend to everyone.” Throughout the memorial, Williams was likened to a star. “Nick wasn’t just a star, he was a shooting star,” said Henry. “A shooting star is unique; it’s one of a kind; it’s a brilliant spectacle that enters our lives, leaves a lasting memory, and then is gone…some are gone in just a moment.” The “prowess” Williams had for mathematics was remembered, as were his affinities for knitting and poetry. He was also recognized for
the zeal he brought to his life. “The main word I would think of when I think of Nick would be passionate,” said Williams’ brother Jacob. “He was passionate about everyone that he was around and everything that he loved to do.” Friendship was another common theme of the service, with Williams’ love for his friends emphasized numerous times throughout. “He was always about having a good time and showing everyone else that he loved them,” said Jacob. “By being his friend, you gave yourself an amazing gift,” said Henry. Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Andrei Kutateladze, who shared the news of Williams’ death “with great sadness” in an email sent out to the DU community, also mentioned this idea, saying that Williams “was well-liked by his friends and fellow majors.” Williams tutored at the math center and conducted research in the area of protein folding. He was awarded both his bachelor of science in physics and in mathematics upon his death. “Nick’s a great guy, and I think we’ll all miss him,” said Williams’ brother, Ryan. “[His death] is kind of like the star thing; the light lingers on much longer after they burn out, and will guide us through.”
FRESH.
FAST. TASTY.
H E A R D
Take our survey and tell us how the Clarion can serve you Go to www.duclarion.com today
FREAKY FAST
DELIVERY! ©2011 JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
4
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
DU opens first divorce resource center in nation by carli hansen Assistant News Editor
DU is now seeing a total of five families at the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families (RCSDF), the first center of its kind in the U.S. The center opened on Sept. 3 and provides interdisciplinary services to families going through a separation or divorce, including legal, counseling and financial services. The staff includes 13 graduate students in social work, psychology and law as well as three professional advisors, including a social worker, a psychologist and an attorney. According to Executive Director Melinda Taylor, the students started seeing their first families two or three weeks ago. “We want to start small because with those five families we’ve already had to tweak our policies and procedures,” said Taylor. “We want to ensure students have an opportunity to work with families, but not be inundated with too many families.” Each family is paired with one mental health student and one legal student. According to Taylor, mental health professionals and attorneys who work in family law often have a difficult time understanding each other’s language. The center allows these students to work together and “learn each other’s language” early on. The fee for services at the center is on a sliding scale based on a family’s income, ranging from $15 to $50 per hour. “We’re open to anyone as long as the parents are willing to work together,” said Taylor. “We thought we would get a lower income demographic, but when we opened our doors the families that came in were very much middle-income families. They just want an opportunity to work together. They don’t want to go through the adversarial process.” The idea for the center came
from former Colorado Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Love Kourlis. According to Taylor, Kourlis decided she wanted to advocate for change in the legal system in a way she could not in court. In January 2006, Kourlis resigned from the Colorado Supreme Court and came to DU to establish the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS), a research think-tank dedicated solely to making reform in the legal system, where she now serves as executive director. Kourlis hired Taylor in June 2012 to work with a team at IAALS to “think outside the box” in terms of family law. The team came up with a model and business plan for the resource center. “Our concept is that courts exist for two main purposes in the area of family law: enforcement and protection,” said Taylor. “There are a significant number of families that have relationship issues, not necessarily legal issues, and want to separate. But the only venue available to them is the court system. We free up the court to handle more egregious cases.” RCSDF received over $1 million from the Gates Frontiers Fund for a three-year pilot project. During that time, IAALS will be conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the center. “My goal is for the center to become a permanent fixture at DU,” said Taylor. “We want to demonstrate positive outcomes and replicate this model at universities across the country, as well as develop models for smaller communities.” Taylor and Kourlis have started to reach out to courts and legal systems in the community to promote the center. “Families are busy and it’s expensive to go see a therapist and then go see an attorney,” said Taylor. “The unique feature here is that for the first time ever the services are coordinated in one location.”
P o l ice
repor t
For full police reports visit www.duclarion.com/category/news/crime-report
narcotics Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 at 8:17 p.m. – The Deparment of Campus Safety responded to a call regarding the odor of marijuana emanating from a residential room in Centennial Halls. Upon arrival at the scene, officers were admitted to the room in question where they spoke with two students, one of who relinquished control of marijuana and drug paraphernalia to officers. During a search of the room, officers found an unknown drug and two knives. Due to the presence of the unknown drug, officers called the Denver Police Department (DPD) who cited and arrested both students. All contraband items were confiscated by DCS.
theft Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013 at 11:30 a.m. – DCS responded to a call regarding a student who was suspected of switching price tags on items in the bookstore. Upon arrival at the scene, officers contacted the student in question who admitted to switching the price tags. The DPD was called to the scene where they cited the student and arrested them due to an outstanding theft warrant.
detox Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013 at 4:14 a.m. – DCS responded to a call regarding an intoxicated student in Nagel Hall. Upon arrival at the scene, officers contacted the student in question who was combative and uncooperative. Officers contacted DPD who transported the student to Denver Cares. Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 at 12:20 a.m. – DCS responded to a call regarding an intoxicated student in JohnsonMcFarlane Hall. Upon arrival at the scene, officers contacted the student in question and determined that they were too intoxicated to remain safely on campus. The student was transported by Denver Cares to their facility.
Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 at 1:32 a.m. – DCS responded to a call regarding a student who was unconscious due to alcohol consumption in Centennial Halls. Upon arrival at the scene, officers provided medical assistance to the student in question until Denver Cares arrived and transported them to their facility. Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013 at 1:47 a.m. – DCS responded to a call regarding two intoxicated students in Centennial Halls. Upon arrival at the scene, officers spoke with the students in question and determined that they were too intoxicated to remain safely on campus. Both students were transported by Denver Cares to their facility.
miscellaneous Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013 at 10:15 a.m. – DCS responded to a call regarding a vehicular collision in parking lot 312. Upon arrival at the scene, officers spoke with a staff member who stated that they had witnessed an unaffiliated party back a delivery vehicle into a trash can, causing damage to the trash can. Friday, Oct. 4, 2013 at 3:33 p.m. – DCS took a report from an unaffiliated party regarding vandalism to their vehicle in parking lot 316. The unaffiliated party stated that their windshield had been broken with a large rock sometime between 7:00 p.m. on 10/03/13 and 6:00 a.m. on 10/04/13. Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013 at 3:23 a.m. – DCS responded to a call from DPD regarding a student who was in their custody near South University Boulevard and East Evans Avenue. Upon arrival at the scene, DCS officers spoke with DPD officers who stated that the student in question had been involved in a physical altercation with Denver Fire Department (DFD) personnel who were responding to an incident in the area. The student was cited and transported to the Denver County jail by DPD.
PLP sweeps elections “ORGtober” encourages McCarthy says PLP played a limited role in his election. Editor-in-Chief “The PLP is a tight-knit community, Last week, the freshman class so obviously we had [their] support. I elected two senators to serve on Under- think that PLP maybe made up half of graduate Student Government (USG). my votes,” said McCarthy. The winners, Mark McCarthy and Rory McCarthy’s goals for his tenure on Moore, are both freshman members of USG include assisting the ongoing inithe Pioneer Leadership Program (PLP). tiatives that USG is already working on, Voting opened on Wednesday, Oct. 2 such as improving the safety of students and concluded the next day. Members of biking and walking on Evans Avenue and the class of 2017 were emailed handling the mascot situballots and voted online. No ation. representative from the Office “I think PLP “Students have been of Student Life responded to injured or killed even, inquiries from the Clarion as made up half while crossing that road,” to the vote turnout or the vote my votes” McCarthy said of Evans breakdown. Avenue. A total of 12 candidates “We’re trying to ran in the race to represent Mark McCarthy, impose lower speed the class. According to one limits on Evans Avenue, candidate, the final election First year senator and I’m really supportive results were close. of campus safety cracking “[I] only lost by four down more on students votes,” said candidate Morris who jaywalk and students Sparkman. who cross when the crosswalk is not Another candidate said the turnout active,” said McCarthy. rate was high, but he could not confirm Moore said that he wanted to find a the precise figures. Candidate Eddie new mascot for DU, and understood the Kamber said “a lot” of students voted. Boone controversy. Moore said that five hundred stu“I think that the previous mascot, dents voted in the election. Boone, was a good mascot although it In terms of campaigning, fliers, undermined the Native American composters and chalk could be seen all munity,” said Moore. over campus, especially concentrating He also has several personal goals in and around the freshmen residence for his time in office. halls. McCarthy, though, said he did not “There really is a gap between interemploy those tactics in his campaign. national students, commuter students “Most of my campaigning was word- and regular students,” said McCarthy, of-mouth,” said McCarthy. “Mostly just who hopes to help address that gap. talking to people that you see, walking “I’d rather represent the opinions of past them. Obviously social networking the entire student body than my personal was a really important aspect of it.” opinions,” he said. by alex johnson
students to use OrgSync by carli hansen Assistant News Editor
This year, DU Student Life is branding October as “ORGtober” in order to encourage students to use OrgSync as a resource for information about student organizations and events on campus. ORGtober will include a sweepstakes for student organizations and training sessions throughout the month on how to use OrgSync. “One of our big goals this year is to support student orgs,” said On-Campus Senator and Student Organizations Chairperson Jeffrey Mariano. “We’ve used OrgSync for a few years, but it hasn’t been fully explained. This year what we’re trying to do is make OrgSync the hub for all the information student orgs need.” Student Life recently created the Pioneer Organizations Support Team (POST), a pilot program to help student organizations with everything from marketing to planning events. “It’s been working so far. Some student orgs have reached out to us,” said Mariano. POST is also partnering with Undergraduate Program Support (UPS) to teach students how to use 25 Live, a way to reserve campus spaces for events. Other resources for student organizations on OrgSync include surveys, advertising, email listservs and syncing to Facebook. Students can also browse organizations and upcoming events on the home page.
“What they did this year was register all first years in OrgSync. We’re trying to get them used to using it,” said Mariano. All student organizations must have an account registered on OrgSync to be registered as an organization at DU. They must also relicense with USG through OrgSync once a year in order to receive funding. The majority of student organizations relicense in the spring. Over the summer, POST went through each organization to see if they had relicensed in the last year. If they had not, their page was disabled. There are now 101 organizations listed on campus, including four new organizations that were licensed at the last Undergraduate Student Government (USG) meeting. “We’re trying to update it as much as possible,” said Mariano. “Some information might be outdated, like when they have meetings. But constitutions and financial reports, what they need to be student orgs, those are updated.” According to Mariano, organizations who update their page with a renewed constitution, post on their news feed, add their members and register two events by Oct. 18 will be included in a sweepstakes to win one of two $85 prizes to fund their organization. “October is the month where everyone is already settled in and they want to start thinking about planning events for the rest of the school year,” said Mariano. “We want to give them the tools to do that.”
Oct. 9, 2013
5
www.duclarion.com
Poet laments white-washed history by isbael mccan
peoples and immigrants. He worked for some time as a tenant lawyer in Massachusetts where A deep voice bellowed from the he said he would often be inspired to podium, “For this first piece, I would write by witnessing the many immilike to take you all to the island of grant cases he dealt with. Puerto Rico,” said Martín Espada. “I had the body of a lawyer but the As part of Latino American Heri- head of a poet,” said Espada. tage Month, the DU Latino Center for Many of Espada’s poems are dediCommunity Engagement and Scholar- cated to people whom he has known, ship (DULCCES) presented a reading been influenced by or are in commemoby poet Martín Espada on Thursday at 7 ration of, such as with the last piece p.m. in the Driscoll Ballroom. he recited called “Albanza: In Praise of The reading, which lasted about the Local 100.” The byline of the poem an hour and a half, was composed of reads, “For the 43 members of Hotel Espada reciting 13 poems picked from Employees and Restaurant Employees a variety of his published works and a Local 100, working at the Windows on question and answer portion, with a des- the World restaurant, who lost their sert reception following. lives in the attack on the Espada recited his World Trade Center.” poems with passion, one “If we lie to Many of his other leg frequently shaking ourselves pieces are also written in and kicking with energy, honor of people who never as his hands and arms about history, had the chance to speak for would fly around the we lie to ourthemselves and be heard. vicinity of his head with Espada noted that giving vigor. He also explained selves about them a voice was one of the inspirations or social his major duties as a Latincontext behind each everything American poet. piece with anecdotes or else.” He also criticized the dry humor. manner in which society Espada is of Puerto seems to white-wash the past. Rican descent but origi- Martín Espada “If we lie to ourselves nally born in Brooklyn, Visitng Poet about history, we will lie to N.Y. His father, Frank ourselves about everything Espada, whom he noted else,” said Espada. is a major influence, was one of the According to the DULCCES webleaders of the Puerto Rican com- site, Latino American Heritage Month munity and civil rights movement in is celebrated across the country from Brooklyn. Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. This period of time Espada has published more than was selected because it represents the 15 books as a poet, editor, essay- anniversary of the independence of ist and translator. Some prevalent seven Latin American countries. themes that Espada’s works center At DU, Latino Heritage Month is upon are Latino culture, civil rights celebrated during the month of October and the plights of disadvantaged to accommodate the academic year. The Senior Reporter
photo courtesy of onwisconsin.uwalumni.com
Martín Espada is a Latin American poet known for his work on civil rights and the Latino culture.
political, cultural and historical legacies of Latino communities are honored with a number of activities across the campus and in the community. The arts play a large role in the celebration, with special activities including dance performances, musical concerts, culinary events hosted by various cultural groups on campus and academic discussions about relevant community issues, such as affirmative action and the legal system. Past celebrations have featured renowned Latino authors sharing their life experiences and creative works. Espada visited DU and spoke during the 2010 celebration as well. Espada’s reading highlighted for some attendees issues they had previously not considered. “He was really interesting. He made me realize there are a lot more
under-represented people than I actually expected,” said freshman Cecilia Morales from Santa Ana, Calif. Many students from various different Spanish classes at DU were present at the reading. Senior Madeline Nash, a Spanish major from Chicago, Ill. remarked about the value of these types of cultural events. “It is always great as a student to attend these because I’m reminded of the failures and successes throughout history. Literature is a beautiful way to represent our history that is more than just words in a textbook,” said Nash. To learn more about Espada’s work visit his website at [www.martinespada. net]. And to find out what else is happening for DU’s Latino American Heritage Month check out their calendar at: bit. ly/1e4LKMu.
Morgridge partnership examines ties with race and mental health Continued from page 1 HCC Director Alan Kent is not only aware of the issue of minority mental health at DU – he considers inclusive excellence “a great passion,” and is planning to focus more on inclusive excellence this year after a recent training on cultural competency this August and an upcoming September training on culturally competent healthcare. Kent has been with DU’s HCC just a year, but in that time, he has put his 20 years of college counseling experience and “extensive” background with bilingual and LGBT communities to work to improve inclusive excellence at the HCC. However, some students have concerns that there is still not enough support for minorities to explore their feelings on campus. “Right now, there kind of is [a support system for minority students], but there should be more,” said Daniel Kim, a third year International Studies major from Denver who identifies as a minority and has been involved with Latin Dance Club, ASA, HRE and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. “There’s so much controversy over our mascot, and that’s been huge for the minority community as far as what’s been talked about. There needs to be a space where each side can talk about those things that’s more comfortable than just Facebook. There’s not enough space where we can talk about these things comfortably.” Issues faced by minority students Mental health can be a major concern for college students. Fifteen percent of
graduate and 18 percent of undergraduate students have seriously considered attempting suicide in their lifetimes, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, a federally funded center. Further, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health found that in general, minorities have less access to and less availability of mental health services; African Americans are 20 percent more likely to report having serious psychological distress than Non-Hispanic Caucasians; suicide attempts for Hispanic girls, grades 9-12, were 70 percent higher than for Caucasian girls in the same age group in 2011; and adolescent American Indian/Alaska Native females have death rates at almost four times the rate for Caucasian females in the same age groups. Together, they seem to beg the question: Could the minority of students be bearing the majority of risk when it comes to mental health? Garriott and Chao train counselors to address some of the unique mental health issues faced by minority students. “Well, in terms of specific issues that racial ethnic minorities might face, I would think about racial micro-aggressions, which really refer to subtle expression of racial aggression that are often unintentional by the perpetrator but face the victim with confusion and uncertainty. That uncertainty can often make the experience even more distressing,” said Garriott. Another challenge for minorities is acculturative stress, which occurs when someone is going through the acculturation process, or maintaining your cultural norms, values and expectations while
adapting to another culture’s values, expectations and norms, said Garriott. Kim said he had experienced some of these stresses at DU. “The first time I came to DU, I was paired up with another Asian American like myself for orientation,” said Kim. “I don’t know that DU did that on purpose, but when we’d go to the cafeteria to eat, people would judge us as if we were some sort of international students. There are definitely struggles – I’m sure as an international student, that’s hard for them as the minority too.” While the stigma of seeking counseling exists for people of all races, said Garriott, stigma and shame can especially be cultural barriers for minorities. “It’s this idea that you must be weak or extremely disturbed to seek a counselor. That leads to this cultural incongruity, the idea that traditional counseling services, 50 minute talk therapy, may not be culturally congruent for a lot of clients,” said Garriott. “Another item is mistrust of psychological services, and the idea that a counselor won’t be able to help, and that can be especially true if they know someone or have had a bad experience in the past.” G a r riott said that LGBTQ groups can also be vul-
nerable to these types of stresses. “Micro-agressions can also be an issue for LGBTQ students. I mean, how often do you hear, ‘That’s so gay!’ floated around a university campus?” said Garriott. “I think even the ‘coming out’ process, drawing on my experience in university settings, you as a counselor may be the first person that they’ve told about their orientation. Then it may be even more important to help them feel not judged.” A possible remedy to this problem, suggested Garriott, is to have diversity on the counseling staff. “If the staff webpage reflects what a student looks like or they specialize in their problem, such as LGBTQ issues, it makes the student more comfortable knowing there is someone who ‘gets’ them and will understand their experience,” said Garriott. Another barrier to seeking treatment, said Garriott, is the access to mental health providers or financial means for minority clients. Part two of this story, examining what is being done, will appear in next week’s issue
6
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
Activist group stands up for elephants by kameryn tanita Lifestyles Editor
Elephants might be thousands of miles away in Africa, but a DU activist group is taking a stand to fight the illegal ivory trade all the way from Denver. A World With… (AWW) is a student activist group that is trying to fight the illegal sale of elephant ivory and to stop the slaughtering of elephants around the world. Founded by International Studies Professor Robert Uttaro last spring, the group became an official student organization in September and also joined forces with the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) to help stop this issue. Uttaro has been a professor at DU for four years and believes students and the younger generation have the ability to help fight larger global problems. “If young people realize that by organizing, they are actually making a political demand and the right to exercise their future, which my generation has the obligation to let them have, then they can begin to address the other things and there are a vast number of things,” said Uttaro. As part of their action to stop this, AWW created a petition for a non-binding resolution that will completely ban the international sale of ivory. The petition is currently being circulated around campus and is also available for e-signatures on change.org. The online petition was signed by 443 people from the US and around the world. Members of AWW also received 58 signatures after standing at the corner of Evans and University on Oct. 3, according to Uttaro. One member of the group, senior international studies and German major, Jake Schuss, grew up in the middle of nature in Basalt, Colo. and always had a connection to nature and animals. “To me, this issue is just as relevant in Colorado as it is anywhere else. People might say ‘well, the elephants are really far away’ but that’s the whole point. The idea that a lot of kids in our generation, they don’t seem apathetic, but indifferent or that they can’t do anything to change the way things are, but I want to tap back into that energy of the generation before us. No matter what generation you are part of, you have to be the one who sees it as your future,” said Schuss. The group currently has around 15 undergraduate students as well as the students from the Graduate School of Social Work. They also have another co-faculty advisor, Sarah Bexell, a visiting scholar in the Graduate School of Social Work who is the director of conservation education and communications at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. The name of the group comes from a quote from Richard Ruggiero, the Chief of the Fish & Wildlife Service in Near East, South Asia and
Africa. Uttaro was intrigued after reading an interview with Ruggiero where he asked, “Is the world better with elephants or without?” “We came up with A World With… because [the world] doesn’t have to end,” said Uttaro. Sophomore international studies and Spanish major, Natalie Neubert, from Easton, Conn., believes the issue of elephant slaughtering and the illegal sale of ivory has a lot more to do with other, larger global issues like poverty. “When we first started the group, there was a big connection to the problem of poverty in general in the world and how the ivory trade ties into that and the connection between supply and demand amongst the poachers. It was not just about the elephants, but also the other problems
that were encompassed within it,” said Neubert. According to Uttaro, Oct. 4 marked the International March for Elephants Day and 15 cities around the world demonstrated to bring an end to the ivory trade. Although Denver is not one of the 15 cities, AWW wanted to use this day as a symbol to show their support. Twelve members from AWW, GSSW and the Institute for Human-Animal Connection went to the Capitol and delivered the signed petition to Speaker Mark Ferrandino’s office. AWW is looking to get a few thousand signatures by January so they can deliver the petition to the legislature when they reconvene for the year. “This was our way of saying, we in Denver are with you, even if it is not official,” said Uttaro. Sophomore international studies and geography
major, Cody Broncucia from Denver, became a member of AWW because he wants other generations to have a world with elephants and other animals. “Every year we hear of things disappearing and you hear of just how our world is constantly losing things and so for me, it really is in our title, it is who we are. It is making sure that my kids and I can continue to have a world with things that I enjoy and care about,” said Broncucia. Although AWW is a student organization, their goal is to make this a movement across high schools, universities and campuses around the world. “We are an activist group and we can’t keep it here on campus. We have to explore how we can replicate this around the world because this is a global issue and we are not going to
solve it here at DU; but why not start here?” said Uttaro. Uttaro believes that the Korbel School’s mission is in conjunction with AWW’s mission and that the connection will help them develop and gain international awareness in the future. “This is about empowerment,” said Uttaro. “I think for too long, and it still exists in a lot of people’s minds, that the world is heading for a cliff and there is nothing we can do about it. That is the underlying reason we want this to become an international and national- type organization where people realize, if we can, saving the elephants will not save the world but it is a step towards that.” The group meets every Wednesday at 6:30 in the Cherrington Hall Room 310. To sign the petition visit: chn. ge/17PbN8T
Oct. 9, 2013
7
The Grind: Uncle nd Ugri
#D
on
clari
@DU
www.duclarion.com
The Clarion staff reviews bars, restaurants and coffee houses, attempting cultural mutiny on all things hipster
First Friday offers up a fun alternative for a Friday night by sydney sachs Contributing Writer
camilla sterne|clarion
Uncle serves up the ultimate comfort food and sophistication to boot.
Uncle: 4.2 beans
Say uncle and go to Uncle. by camilla sterne Assistant Lifestyles Editor
Ramen is an essential word in every college student’s vocabulary. Perhaps because it is possible to subsist on the noodle packed soup with a limited income for four whole years (alternating with tuna), but also because it’s just so damn good. But in their relentless cultural superiority, the proverbial hipster will never settle for your run-of-the-mill, Safeway bargain bin, sodiumoverdose-inducing ramen. And for exactly this reason, Uncle, located at 2215 W. 32nd Ave. in the momentarily hip Highlands neighborhood, is precisely the place for those who won’t settle for anything less than preeminence. With streamlined wooden interiors, self-serve chopstick and napkin set-ups and a wooden bar surrounding an open kitchen, Uncle is the very picture of a ramen restaurant, only, somehow better. With a salivary gland activating menu, Uncle has filled a niche as comfort food for the eternally fabulous. While mere mortals indulge in canned soup and discount ice creams gallons in their times of need, Uncle provides a haven perfectly suited to hipsters in need of pricey consolation. Any visitor to Uncle must start with an obligatory order of steamed buns, which come in charming pairs and are each doused with the ideal combination of meat, sauce and a veggie of some sort. In their lust for mouthwatering steamed buns and ramen, patrons to Uncle may overlook their small dish menu, which includes options like Crispy Duck Gizzards and Chilled Tofu, but it might not matter. The Ramen menu, with its five equally mouth-watering options was affirmed not only by our Grind writer’s enlightened taste buds, but by the exclamations of nearby modsters giving compliments to the chefs. Braised
pork belly, shredded pork, spicy chicken, duck and veggie are the subtly varied options, and each come with different but equally complementary garnishes. Uncle offers Churros for dessert, but it’s likely that dessert will be unwelcome or just plain superfluous after two steamed buns and an entire bowl of ramen. The drink menu offers a worldly selection of beer, sake, cider, cocktails and wine, but like dessert, the drinks are mere distractions from the main event. Despite its minimalist set- up, Uncle does not have minimal patronage. The restaurant fills to the brim on most evenings, and right-handed visitors would be best advised not to sit next to a lefty so as to avoid elbow brawls provoked by amateur chopstick wielders. With a friendly staff, the open kitchen indulges food gawkers who love to see how their food is prepared, perhaps in hopes of recreating it at home. Uncle’s typical patrons are the quintessential hip-mongering, craft beer guzzling, recently self-proclaimed foodie Denverites, and in the pursuit of hipness, are able to justify the pricey menu. Most will be able to do the same, after that first dainty slurp of aromatic broth. However, for hipsters on a budget, there are plenty of Buzzfeed articles that explain how to make regular ol’ ramen into ramen super food (hint: always add an egg.) Head over to Uncle for some ideas on how to DIY in the future. And if comfort is your goal, keep in mind that jam-packed restaurants provide the perfect opportunity to ‘accidentally’ bump into the excessively tattooed, ironic t-shirt clad hipster who has chilled sake still glistening in his impeccably facetious handlebar mustache. The noise will surely dictate close proximity in order to have a conversation, so go all out (or in, as the case may be).
There is a place for art lovers of all shapes and sizes to gather together; a place where music can be heard from different locals along the bustling street, food trucks of all kinds emanate fragrant street food aromas and beer and wine flows freely as crowds gather to appreciate the work of some of Denver’s great local artists. This place is the First Friday Art Walk, which takes place on several adjoining blocks in the Denver Santa Fe Art District. This district has hosted an Art Walk every first and third Friday of the month for about the past ten to fifteen years, according to Staff Member Terryl Lofgren. From 6 - 9 p.m., patrons can take advantage of the extended hours to browse the exhibits in art galleries on Santa Fe Drive. “I felt like the Art Walk was a great expression of the artistic culture of Colorado. I would definitely go back next month to see more exhibits, and it really inspired me to take advantage of more of the cultural opportunities
photo courtesy of denver.org
Denverites gather outside of various art galleries to enjoy First Friday.
number of the dozens of open galleries that make up the Santa Fe Art Walk. One of the first galleries from the shuttle stop is the Denver Art Society. With live music, a life-size sculpted Santa Clause in the corner and artists drawing in the midst of the organized chaos, the bustling scene leaves little to be desired. Young couples, old friends and intrigued children watch the performers and browse the tables of jewelry and paintings that are for sale. Some visitors buy artwork, but many just survey the sights, sounds and
photo courtesy of hypedenver.com
Patrons of the arts gather inside various galleries to observe different featured artwork.
that we have in Denver,” said sophomore undeclared major, Alex McDonald from San Francisco, Calif. According to Lofgren, First Friday is the much more popular of the two, primarily because of the ease of transportation. Every First Friday a shuttle, sponsored by The Rackhouse Pub and Breckenridge Brewery, runs continually from 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. The shuttle picks up patrons from various locations including the Osage RTD Light Rail Station and West High School parking lot. The ride takes them down Santa Fe Drive through the Art District where patrons are recommended to exit the shuttle at 6th and Santa Fe; they can then make their way down the street where they will eventually be picked up at 10th and Santa Fe. Upon exiting the shuttle and making one’s way down the street, the senses are overwhelmed by a plethora of art, music, food trucks, fashion and eccentric artists, many of whom set up on the street. Every few feet there is a new gallery or shop with different attractions. The following galleries are merely a
smells that make up the event. Half a block down is Artists on Santa Fe, a gallery that exudes an entirely different atmosphere than the initial one. Room leads to room in an endless maze of upstairs and downstairs, leading from a scattered workshop to a dimly lit basement bursting with exquisitely crafted vases
Continue a bit more and you can find yourself in Kanon Collective, with expressive art that comes alive on the walls. There is an otherwise blank surface crawling with small ceramic spiders creeping into a crafted open mouth. Walk around the intriguing wall and through a door to the back, and you can exit into a back patio that will take you over into Chac Norte, an even more bustling gallery with a bar in its midst. In here, the crowd is still exceedingly diverse, with children grasping their parents’ hands and elderly couples examining paintings on the side, but, aided by the plethora of alcohol, the vibe is louder and more upbeat than many of the other quiet, thoughtful galleries. Across the street is an entirely different kind of art in Art District Antiques; take a moment to wander around the ordered clutter of the antique shop as you dodge around antique typewriters and trunks. Once it is time to move on, Conscious Alliance down the street offers up wine and cheese for patrons’ enjoyment while they browse through the local band posters displayed on every surface. For the art lover looking to purchase a piece, they can place a bid in the silent auction. Farther down the block is John Fielder’s Colorado, one of the more spacious and quiet galleries. With beautiful landscapes and cityscapes among this month’s collection, the gallery seems to attract a slightly older and softer crowd. The Art District’s First Friday Art Walk is a perfect
photo courtesy of denver.org
First Friday events are held in the Santa Fe Art District of Denver.
and pots. Walk outside, take a quick turn, head upstairs and you’ll be in yet another world of art. It begins in a small room containing refreshments, strangely comical posters and clown-themed art and continues into a narrow hallway entirely lined on all sides by paintings.
opportunity to take advantage of the beautiful art galleries so close by and to learn more about Denver’s artists. If you miss First Friday, Third Friday offers a suitable, if less lively, alternative. To find out more information on these events check out: bit.ly/cbsVeH.
8
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
Guide to fall adventures in Denver The Clarion brings you a guide to all activies of the autumn variety. by sydney sachs Contributing Writer
extra attractions do come at an additional cost that varies by attraction, but for the price of a normal ticket, $34.99 if you buy it online, you can still take advantage of the thrilling rides and eerie atmosphere.
Fall is here at last, the season of falling leaves, pumpkins patches and hot apple cider. There are so many things to do that it might seem overwhelming, so here are a few ideas of what Denver has to offer this fall. Fright Fest Elitch Gardens Weekends in October Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout October, Elitch Gardens holds a Fright
photo courtesy of elitchgardens.com
Fest. With children’s activities during the day followed by haunted houses and spooky shows at night, there is a little something for everyone. The
photo courtesy of therightcontext.com
Denver Botanic Gardens Pumpkin Patch Oct. 11-13 Alternatively, for those looking for something a bit lower-priced, the Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield will have a pumpkin patch from Oct. 11-13, open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. You’ve got to get that perfect pumpkin somewhere to jazz up your room with some holiday spirit and provide you with a post-pumpkin carving snack. Adult admission is only $7, and there will be live music by Stray Dog Colorado, face painting, pumpkin carving demonstrations and pumpkin bowling.
Halloween Costumes Local thrift stores Speaking of Halloween, don’t forget that Halloween is rapidly approaching, and the costume search must commence. The pressure is on to find that perfect costume that can blow everyone else’s out of the water, and wearing that old cowboy hat for the third year in a row is just not going to cut it this year. Well, there’s no better time to channel your seven-year-old self and give everyone a blast from the past. There’s no need to blow your entire summer’s savings on a costume that you’ll wear for one night. Dressing as a character from your favorite childhood TV show can be an easy DIY costume that brings back the fun, childish spirit of
photo courtesy of jasontravisphoto.tumblr.com
Halloween. Get creative and head over to Buffalo Exchange or Goodwill on Broadway and
pick up something unique and vintage to create your own one-of-a-kind costume.
photo courtesy of denverartmuseum.org
Passport to Paris Fall DAM Exhibit Beginning Oct. 27 For some unique indoor fun on those days when it is just too cold to leave the comfort of the heated indoors, take a trip across the world with the Denver Art Museum’s “Passport to Paris” exhibit. Open from Oct. 27 through Feb. 9, the exhibit will be featuring French-themed art from the 1600s to 1900s. And to make it even better, the museum is only a light rail ride away from DU. Just take the F-line towards 18th & California, get off at 16th & California, and the museum is only a 0.7 mile walk away located on 14th Avenue Parkway.
Zombie Crawl Skyline Park Oct. 19 Get in the Halloween spirit with the Denver Zombie Crawl. Happening on Oct. 19 at Skyline Park, the event is completely free, with only a requested donation of one non-perishable food item for donation. Have some fun and get creative with gory zombie costumes when you join the rest of the undead with a zombie crawl down 16th street and a costume contest at the park. You might as well get an extra wear out of this year’s Halloween costume.
photo courtesy of flickr user gary glasser
There is no excuse to spend this fall moping inside because summer is over. With everything to do to celebrate the new season, grab your friends and take advantage of the fun around you with some fall festivities.
LOOKBOOK: AUTUMN A LA MODE Check out the fashion forward looks of students on the DU campus.
photos by camilla sterne|clarion
Top Row L-R: Allison Firmin, Blake Rodich, Gabrielle Margas, Olivia van den Berg. Bottom Row L-R: Jordan Lewis, Alyona Makarova, Bo Zhang, Devon Varoz.
Oct. 9, 2013
9
www.duclarion.com
Appeal of ‘Gravity’ plummets
photo courtesy of nypost.com
Astronaut Ryan Stone, played by Sandra Bullock, embarks on a space mission to fix a broken satellite in the film “Gravity.” When something goes wrong and an explosion occurs, she becomes stranded outside of her space shuttle.
by jacob dahl Contributing Writer
The film “Gravity” is, in short, a very simple one. It is about two astronauts, the charming Matt Kuwalski (George Clooney, “Ocean’s Eleven”) and the nervous, incapable Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”). Their mission, when viewers first see them, is to fix a satellite. Disaster then strikes when a Russian missile hits a nearby satellite and explodes. They are both forced to deal with the repercussions of the accident, and we see Bullock fight her hardest to make it back to planet Earth alive. This film tries to be good. The idea itself is pretty interesting, as viewers witness the harrowing journey of one astronaut being forced to deal with a bad situation. It seems like the filmmakers wanted viewers to see exactly what being alone in space would do to a person and how it
would affect them. However, the idea of a film and what viewers actually see are two completely different entities. The acting itself is not bad. With Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, how could it be? That being said, just because the acting is good does not mean the characters will be interesting. And they are not. First, Bullock’s character simply has no business being in space. In almost every dangerous situation she must to deal with, she screws something up. At one point, she even tells the audience that she crashed a flight simulator for one of the spaceships every single time. Who lets someone that incapable go to space? She also just is not any fun to watch. We watch her hyperventilate and make awful decisions for an hour and a half. The only thing she does that is remotely interesting occurs when she begins to howl like a wolf when she is alone in one of the space-pods. The only reason that scene
is interesting is because of comic relief. Viewers are not supposed to laugh, but it will be hard for them not to. George Clooney’s character is slightly more interesting and charming. His constant storytelling is a good alternative to Bullock’s whining, but that’s about it. As for plot, there really is not one. There is no climax. After the initial accident, the film is just a series of bad events that almost happen, but then don’t. The cinematography is alright; it is a space film, so naturally most of the background is computer-generated. The film does a good job of capturing the characters, and making viewers truly realize how immense space really is. The film is able to show the vastness of space, making viewers at least slightly scared for Stone and Kuwalski. All this being said, the film just is not good. There are plenty of famous books about people being alone and lost, struggling with all they have to fight their way
back to civilization and their families. However, none of these books have been made into films, or at least into good ones. The idea of a character being alone for an hour and a half is best suited for books, the exception being the film “Castaway” with Tom Hanks. It is hard to make a movie where there is little dialogue, and the character can really only float around in space for the whole film. Again, the concept of “Gravity” seems compelling, but you just can not make watching one person in space for an hour and a half that interesting. The dialogue is minimal, and even if it was not, the film would still get old. There are essentially only two characters, and one of them is incredibly boring. “Gravity” tries, and it fails. Viewers have much, much better things to do than see this movie and will be glad to save the $9.00 instead of wasting an hour and a half of their lives on the atrocity called “Gravity.”
as being heavily influenced by late-80s altrock icons The Pixies. This time around, while The Pixies comparison is still apt, one sees a lot of inspiration from current, modern alt-rock fellows Arctic Monkeys and The Strokes. This should be hopeful for the band because both The Strokes and Arctic Monkeys have similar low-key, garage-band upbringings and have become some of the biggest bands of the current alt/indie era. Producer Jay Joyce has done an admirable job edging Cage the Elephant along from hyped up, garage-band blues to a more polished form of rock that both excites and aesthetically pleases. The album leads with pumping rhythms in the form of the song “Spiderhead.” It makes you want to get up and move, and the refrain of “Spiders in my head, spiders in my mind / you can take my eyes, but baby I’m not blind” is undeniably catchy and captures the listener’s attention immediately. This song is probably the most similar to “Thank You, Happy Birthday” and serves as an excellent introduction to the more subdued work that follows. The
lead single, “Come A Little Closer,” grows on you the more you listen to it until you can not stop reciting “come on, come on, come on” to everyone you know. It is a strong song with bluesy tendencies and deep lyrics. “Telescope” is a softer song that calms the listener with light vocals and an intriguing drum line. “I’m Just Forever” tells the story of two lovers and their obsessive relationship with each other. Alison Mosshart from The Kills lends her voice to tell the female side of the story and the grittiness of Shultz’s voice contrasts with Mosshart’s husky, delicate vocals. The next few songs are all unspectacular but add to the more composed emotions Schultz wants to convey and they do a good job of it. The stand out of the four is “Take It or Leave It,” which borrows classic Beach Boys-esque elements and showcases the creativity and changing style of the band. The edging bass lines and killer transitions in “Halo” are not to miss either. The album now comes full circle with the spectacular “Teeth,” which is sure to stand out even more during Cage
the Elephant’s already fantastically energetic live show. The final song “Cigarette Daydreams” is the best, most mature song on the album. It showcases the exact kind of maturity the band wanted to achieve with this album. Shultz sings that if “You wanna find peace of mind / Looking for the answer / If we could find a reason, a reason to change / Looking for the answer / If you find a reason, a reason to say.” These are the last few lines of the album and highlight their newfound maturity whilst keeping an album that stays energetic and true to form. Within “Melophobia,” Cage the Elephant covers all bases as musicians; it excels technically and lyrically, and should keep their previous fans happy while attracting new ones with a more polished sound. Cage the Elephant has continually been called a young band to watch out for and an up-and-coming garage-band that brings back memories of great musicians, but maybe it is time to stop calling them the future of rock and start realizing they are the present.
‘Melophobia’ conquers listeners’ fears by logan baker Contributing Writer
“Melophobia,” the new album by Bowling Green, Kent. native recording artists, Cage the Elephant, is a slight departure from the chaotic distortions of their youth. Listening to the album as a whole, one senses the maturation of lead singer, Matthew Schultz; in previous albums, one could feel a lot of anger pulsing through their records, such as 2011’s “Thank You, Happy Birthday” and their eponymous debut album in 2008. This time around, that pounding energy is still there but also allows for a few quiet (yet still throbbing) moments of reflection. There are some more noticeable changes in their newest work, namely Shultzs’ frequent usage of higher notes. In their past albums, his voice struggled to find the consistency that we see on this album and the harmony that exists between Schultz’s voice, lead guitarist Lincoln Parish and drummer Jared Champion becomes electrifying. The band has described themselves
Oct. 9, 2013
10
www.duclarion.com
Cyrus’ new album is bangin’ by kaitlynne birkett Copy Chief
Miley Cyrus is one of the most talked-about artists right now; she has manipulated the world into giving her the fame she wants; she has finally broken away from that plaguing Disney image. Everyone has their own opinions on Miley Cyrus’ current rise to stardom, but what cannot be disputed is the intensity, velocity and variety in her newly released album, “Bangerz.” She offers a wide scale of tempos, but manages a fluidity in her transitions of which most artists could never dream. The album opens with “Adore You,” a slower song with some truly painful lyrics. “You and me were meant to be / In Holy matrimony / God knew exactly what he was doing / When he lead me to you” is indicative of the pain Cyrus has gone through in recent relationships, reminiscent of the already released single “Wrecking Ball,” which shows up later in the album. Despite her current image of spontaneity, gaiety and sexual freedom, these songs provide a small window into the soul of someone who is truly hurting. “We Can’t Stop,” from the infamous twerking video, follows right after the ballad, bringing the album to a more upbeat place. One of the most enjoyable songs is “4x4,” featuring Nelly. Cyrus’ style of singing on this track actually speaks slightly to “Hoedown Throwdown” from her Hannah Montana days, but the subjects are clearly vastly different as she sings “I’m a female rebel, can’t you tell?” rather than a very intricately described line dance.
Another college-worthy dance song can be found in “Love Money Party.” Though this song is less of Cyrus singing and more of a lyrical rap, it surprisingly works well and coincides with the new image she is presenting to the world. The song obviously focuses on the material aspects of life, but a deeper meaning is revealed. Cyrus points out that “money ain’t nothing but money,” but in the moment, it can seem to be everything. She does keep some of her well-known vocal parts throughout the album, as in “Wrecking Ball”, but she has also segued into a more edgy pop vibe. These are songs you aren’t afraid of blasting in your car because they do not sound like Hannah Montana and her tendency towards vapid lyrics (Did you really have the best of both worlds? I think not.) Cyrus has brought forth some previously untapped talent—this is no longer a vanilla wafer country album, but a conglomerate of all her best and most varied works. This album stands out starkly against everything else she has previously released. Even the more wild “Can’t Be Tamed” album cannot hold a flame to the fire that is “Bangerz.” The difference in her music tastes evident in this album are not bad transitions—her tunes are still catchy and have actually become more meaningful. A lot of the criticism Cyrus has been receiving for this album comes from the perceptions people have of her—many forget than she is a 20 year old woman who has grown up in the Hollywood scene, where drugs, alcohol and a need for atten-
photo courtesy of sawfirst.com
One of the six different album cover designs for Miley Cyrus’ new album “Bangerz.” This cover comes from the deluxe album.
tion are prevalent. The musical improvement is good, but more importantly, Cyrus is discovering her independence and in choosing to include more serious lyrics, gives new dimensionality to the album. These evolutions
are often common among a girl of her years; she should stop being shamed for this self-intuition and self-discovery. “Bangerz” is a musically prodigious album that will be greatly enjoyed by a lot of people
and looked down upon by just as many. After such a dynamically interesting album, it will be exciting to see what she comes out with next. In the meantime, we can wonder why it took so long for her music to get this fantastic.
critics. “Sean Saves the World” itself is a throwback to typical 1990s multi-camera, laugh track sitcoms that are so familiar to veteran director, James Burrows, who also directed “Will & Grace.” Fans of “Will & Grace” should expect to see many familiar themes, as Hayes played a single gay father with a teenage child on that show as well. Given the recent strides that gay rights have made in the past few years, “Sean Saves the World” has a chance to show the intricacies of a gay parent raising a rebellious, yet ultimately curious teenager. Sean’s mother Lorna, played by Linda Lavin (“Alice”), is a brusque, unmotherly character who reminds viewers of Charlie’s mother, Evelyn, from “Two and a Half Men.” Sean’s friends, Liz, played by “Smash” star Megan Hilty, and Hunter, “Ben and Kate’s” Echo Kellum, play stereotypical sitcom coworkers who are trying to cope with their terrible new boss, Max, played by “Reno 911’s” Thomas Lennon. The show does a good job of portraying the single parentchild relationship, complete with awkward personal moments and at times over-zealous parenting, though Isler’s character can, at times, seem too aware of what that dynamic should be. The scenes featuring Sean and Ellie are relatable and real, but just are not as funny as the workplace
scenes, which could spell trouble as they are ostensibly the main focus of the show. Isler’s lack of experience is buoyed by her ability to play, essentially, herself, a teenage girl. While Sean’s mother provides an additional comic character at home, Lavin and Hayes’ characters seem to constantly try and outdo each other, which leads to some of the jokes falling flat. The most amusing times come when Sean’s desire to be closer to his daughter is juxtaposed with his utter lack of desire to be close with his own mother. While the show features a large amount of comedic talent, including “Chuck’s” Vik Sahay, the competing storylines from Sean’s personal and professional lives leave the pilot feeling disjointed. Introducing all the characters from both settings in just a 20 minute pilot might be the only reason for this, and more focused episodes could allow for the cast’s natural talent to bring the show from an average sitcom to something more. In all, “Sean Saves the World” is a good option for those with comedy in mind and twenty minutes to kill, but not something one should plan a night around. It remains to be seen if future episodes can bring together the show’s all-star cast for a true comedy gem. While not perfect, it certainly has potential. “Sean Saves the World” airs Thursdays on NBC.
‘Sean Saves the World’ fails to save comedy
photo courtesy of huffpost.com
Sean Hayes, playing himself, hugs his fictional daughter Ellie (played by Samantha Isler) on the new sitcom “Sean Saves the World.”
by daniel muzi Contributing Writer
This week, “Will & Grace” star Sean Hayes returns to a lead television role for the first time since the critically acclaimed show went off the air in 2006. “Sean Saves the World,” which premiered on NBC on Oct. 3,
centers around the character of Sean, a divorced gay father with a successful but time-consuming job. His life takes a dramatic turn when his 14-year-old daughter Ellie, played by Hollywood newbie Samantha Isler, moves in. Not one to do things halfway, Sean must balance raising a teenage daughter with the everincreasing demands of work. On
the surface, the show seems to be a new take on the traditional sitcom, but the cast of characters is anything but revolutionary. The series was created by Victor Fresco, known for shows like “Better Off Ted” and “Andy Richter Controls the Universe,” both of which debuted to low ratings and quick cancellations despite being well-received by
Oct. 9, 2013
11
www.duclarion.com
‘Originals’ pilot just plain ‘sucks’
photo courtesy of hollywoodreporter.com
Sophie (Daniella Pineda, “Newlyweds”) honors her deceased sister in the pilot episode of “The Originals,” a spin-off series stemming from “The Vampire Diaries.”
by kaitlynne birkett Copy Chief
This past Thursday, the CW premiered a new spin-off show entitled “The Originals.” It is based off characters from season two of “The Vampire Diaries”, the original vampires who previously ruled an empire out of New Orleans. Despite the popularity of “Diaries,” the pilot episode was confusing, especially for those unfamiliar with the world of vampires. Too many storylines were presented, which was probably a hurried attempt at keeping the viewers enticed, but it merely came off as an inability to be concise with important plots. The episode opens with an unnecessary introductory scene, wherein a young sailor meets the Mikaelson Family. Elijah (Daniel Gillies, “Spiderman 2”) appears to be the eldest, with his composed sister, Rebekah
(Claire Holt, “Mean Girls 2”), and their wild brother, Klaus (Joseph Morgan, “Immortals”). In the scene, the three display their killing prowess. Sadly, the special effects are not any better than what was seen in “Twilight”, so the ability to take the show seriously has already become a struggle. Klaus’ performance is the only one who stands out in the entirety of the show, yet even then he fails to wholly terrify. At first, it appeared that the sailor was going to have more importance, but he never again appears, and the Mikaelsons continually show their thirst for blood through violence in the rest of the pilot. This time could have been much better spent explaining the confusing plot lines. The real plot begins as Elijah follows Klaus to Louisiana after he has been summoned there by some witches. The plot gets a bit muddled here- the witch who had summoned Klaus is dead, but her sister is imprisoning a woman with whom Klaus
had a one night stand and impregnated. The child is some sort of miracle baby because the woman, Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin, “Tomorrow When the World Began”), is a werewolf while Klaus is obviously of the neck-biting variety. The plot continues to thicken as Marcel (Charles Michael Davis, “Grey’s Anatomy”), a previous protégé of Elijah, now dominates New Orleans. He has got some issue with supernatural beings and wants to kill everyone but himself. Additionally, Klaus has werewolf abilities even though he is a vampire, which lends itself to his malice. Some kind of romantic energy also begins to pass between Hayley and Elijah, which is probably not going to go over well with Klaus. And these are not even all the potential plot directions the pilot included. Granted, “The Vampire Diaries” pilot was another swing-and-miss, but the show has infinitely improved since its starting days, as hopefully “The Originals” will.
The plot proved to be most confusing in its explanation of relationships. For avid watchers of “Diaries”, these characters are well-known, but when ten different, important people are thrown into a pilot, the viewers struggle to remember them all. Additionally, several of the characters look alarmingly alike, which adds more difficulty to telling the varying vamps apart. It proved difficult to connect with the characters because too much time was spent discerning which characters were which. By introducing vampires, witches and werewolves in a single fifty minute episode, it may be hard to keep viewers interested. If the writers had waited to reveal the witches and werewolves later, it would have added much more plot intrigue. Now that all the supernatural beings have been revealed, there does not appear to be much that can shock anyone anymore. One of the more painful scenes to watch is the face-off between Marcel and Klaus. Truthfully, the actors put much effort and fervor into their portrayal of dangerous vampires, but it is another contrived machismo scene, this time with fangs. There is a lot of hissing, a weird English dialect that only the vampires use and more bark than bite. In the post-“Twilight” age, it proves more and more difficult in the passing years to present a vampire that is actually scary. Too many books and movies have now begun to present previously horrifying monsters, from lycans to zombies, as redeemable beings who are now only seen as meek. A vampire that doesn’t drink human blood? It’s like depriving a lion of meat and expecting it to be satisfied on mere vegetables. The creators of “The Originals” are going to have to put in a lot of work to increase the quality of this show right away. Because it is a spin-off, it is easy to fall into the trap of expecting these characters to already be developed and fully understood in the viewers’ minds, but for those unfamiliar to the show, their allusions and actions fall flat. Deeper character portrayals would potentially change the entire show around, but at the moment, “The Originals” leaves much to be desired.
Brown’s new album shows darker side by logan baker Contributing Writer
Danny Brown is thirty-two years old. He’s been rapping for a while now, perhaps unrecognized, but he knows how to please people. He finally reached national prominence back in 2011 with his critically acclaimed album, “XXX.” It was awarded album of the year by multiple publications, most notably, Spin magazine. His followup, “Old” has been tremendously hyped all year and arrives as one of the most anticipated albums of 2013. With this album, Brown has handled the hype incredibly well and brought forth something even better than “XXX” “Old” is split into two sides, similar to “XXX.” Side A is the more introspective part and deals directly with issues Brown has faced with fame: his dark, drug-filled past and his childhood in the ghetto of Detroit. The first song “Side A (Old)” has Brown telling his listeners that he is not going to rap about selling and making drugs anymore. He deals with his past up-front and has no issues telling his listeners they are not getting that “old” Danny Brown this time around. The next track of note is “25 Bucks,” which features an unlikely feature from indie/electronic duo Purity Ring. The combination works incredibly well and is one of the highlights of the album. That is followed by “Wonderbread,” which feels silly the first time you hear it, but tells the story of what Brown saw daily and the common occurrences on the poverty-ridden streets of Detroit. It also is extremely technically impressive and shows Brown’s versatility as a rapper. The beat is almost Seussical and features a change in Brown’s style that remains impressive through multiple listens.
The rest of Side A is highlighted by a stellar verse by Schoolboy Q on “Dope Fiend Rental” and continued reminders of Brown’s struggles in songs “Gremlins,” “Torture,” “Lonely,” “Clean up” and “Red 2 Go.” Lines such as “Problems in my past haunt my future and the present,” from “Clean Up” and verses in “Lonely” such as “I don’t need your help homie / Cause no one really know me” and “Hipster at heart, but I can tell you how the streets feel” really show the isolation Brown feels from the rest of his younger hip-hop peers and the divide his fans have in his style. Side B showcases Brown mostly rapping double-time over grimey, trap-influenced beats. This is expertly shown in “Side B (Dope Song),” “Dip,” “Break It (Go),” and “Handstand.” All of these songs have incredibly fast-paced beats and Danny excels at spinning his grime-infused gospel. This album is not supposed to represent “XXX” two years later. This album is proving his career is about the recursive nature of drug-fuelled escapism and the inability to get away from where he started. This album is about Brown recognizing that he may have been suicidal at the end of his last album, but now he is in a position where everyone is forcing him to own up to that part of his life and rap like that “old” Brown. Because of the recidivist nature of escapism and drug addiction, he immediately embraces drugs to forget all about his denouncement earlier. In every fast-paced song on Side B, the bad memories from his youth still show up. This is on purpose, and the fact that the songs are even more druginfluenced is even more depressing. He does not care about what he said earlier,
photo courtesy of hiphopnetonline.com
Rap artist Danny Brown just released his most recent album, entitled “Old,” at the age of 32.
because he feels the drugs are helping him forget his darker years. At the end of the album he seems to be in an even worse place than he was in his earlier days. He is in the midst of an intense drug binge that came about to treat the pain and desperation that was apparent on “XXX.” Suicidal depression is easier for people to recognize than the torrential image that Brown has created. This ending is not meant to inspire sympathy from anyone; it is meant to capture the fear of a man becoming what he feared the most. He is organizing an image of himself becoming the addict that he witnessed in his youth. Perhaps the only part of the album that could be criticized is the lack of the
track “ODB.” It was originally supposed to be the closing song and would balance the album with ten songs on each side. “ODB” deals with Brown’s age and reflects on the person some people view to be his predecessor in rap, the deceased member of Wu-Tang Clan, ODB. He passed away from his own downward spiral into drugs and his story can relate personally to Brown’s. This track was not able to have its sample cleared so it leaves the album slightly unbalanced. Without this track, the message that Brown was trying to portray might not be as obvious, but should still be realized by his listeners. This album is incredibly emotional and entertaining; if you have a chance to sit down and listen track-by-track, you should.
12
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
Government shutdown is the Freshman balks at Boone ban result of Republican bickering by adrian bogart Contributing Writer
What is DU? Many (myself included) believe our former mascot Boone defines what DU is and what it means to be a Pioneer. Representing strength, resiliency and a sense of exploration, qualities that frontiersmen had in the past and DU students have in the present, Boone is our symbol of past progress and future aspirations. He is an icon of triumph and success that DU has achieved since 1864 and should be our mascot today and for years to come. However, many people disagree and do not believe Boone and this quintessential part of DU history should be present in the future. Boone is seen as representing intolerance, racism and the dark side of America’s westward expansion, a symbol of the cruel and inhumane acts American settlers perpetrated many centuries ago. As DU moves into the future, many steps have been taken to stop and reverse Boone’s presence on campus. Creating a steering committee to adapt a new mascot, physically removing Boone from campus and eliminating him from the campus psyche and most recently rejecting a USG proposal to allow clubs to keep Boone merchandise without consequences, is evident of the devotion and depth these individuals will go to eliminate Boone from DU’s future. This process is harmful and damages our pride as Pioneers. It is attempting to reject our history and replace a deeply embedded part of our livelihood with something foreign to DU. We are the Pioneers, and we love our school. Our history and mascot are ours, and it is critical to keep a treasured part of our history and work towards keeping Boone as a part of our future.
However, it is also our duty as DU students to recognize the flaws in our past and the history behind our traditions and our school. We must recognize our triumphs and our failures, and move towards the future at peace with our past. We must understand the immoral actions that shaped the United States and realize the evil acts committed by those who once settled in these lands. Once we can accept our past, our future can be defined, and we can move forward with the knowledge of our faults and flaws. I believe Boone should be our mascot, and although a dark past surrounds him and America’s past experiences with westward expansion, it is wrong to eliminate this piece of our history. We must accept that our history is filled with flaws and reconcile with that past. But now, more than ever, it is critical for DU to be united in spirit and pride. Go beyond the mascot, go beyond the controversy and what you will find is a devoted and loyal group of students, who are proud to announce to the world that they are Pioneers. It is time to resolve this conflict and create a future that recognizes our past with reverence to our faults, but full of pride with our successes. We are Pioneers, and we define DU, so let us work together to create a future of which all Pioneers can be proud of. What is DU? Many call it “the Ivy League of the Rockies”, some call it a school devoted to athletic and academic excellence, but we, as Pioneers, call it home. As students here, DU encompasses our past successes and experiences, but also encompasses our dreams and aspirations for the future. We define DU, and DU defines us. Let us now work together to honor and understand our past while we continue to achieve new heights and define a new age of progress for the future.
“We must accept that our history is filled with flaws and reconcile with that past.”
Despite party bickering, the American people are the ones most hurt by the shutdown by danny zimny-schmitt Senior Reporter
On Oct. 1, the federal government shut down for the first time in seventeen years. As a result, nearly a million government employees are being furloughed, all of America’s national parks are closed and many government services are either slowed or not available to the public. This avoidable debacle is the result of a rift in the Republican party between traditional conservatives and the new class of ideological conservatives in Congress. Why is there a shutdown in the first place? Congress did not agree on a budget to fund the government for the 2014 fiscal year, which started on the first of this month. As a result of no funding for the year, non-essential government services are suspended and federal employees are being furloughed. The reason why Congress has not agreed on a budget has to do with the fact that hardcore conservatives are using the budget as a last-ditch attempt to prevent the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare) by refusing to fund it in the budget. Even though Obamacare became law in 2010, it will not be fully implemented until 2014, meaning this is the absolute last chance to prevent it from taking effect. This charge has been led by ideologically conservative Republicans who have safe House seats, many of whom were elected in the Tea Party sweep of 2010. They are fully committed to preventing a budget from being passed if it funds Obamacare. There are two dozen or so of these hardcore conservatives who are opposed to Republican House Speaker John Boehner’s plan to keep the party unified. One of these conservatives quoted in the New York Times on Oct. 1,
“We’ve passed the witching hour of midnight, and the sky didn’t fall, nothing caved in,” said Representative Steve King, Republican of Iowa, who still believes Republicans can achieve “the end of Obamacare.” “Now the pressure will build on both sides, and the American people will weigh in.” The influence this small group has over the broader and more mainstream Republican Party has sparked an internal backlash from more traditional and moderate Republicans who are demanding that Boehner stand up to them. But they plan to give no ground and refuse to pass any budget that funds Obamacare. The true reason for this shutdown lies with the inability of the Republicans to negotiate amongst themselves, not with the inability of the two parties to negotiate with each other. There needs to be a reconciliation between the traditional, establishment Republican leaders and the Tea Party group that has come to power in recent years, because as it now stands, we have three parties competing for power in Washington, not two. Until the Republican Party can reach an agreement amongst themselves, no agreement can be reached with Democrats across the aisle. Moderates and Tea Party Republicans alike will each have to make concessions and find a middle ground before a bargain can be reached to end this shutdown. The rift is unlikely to end until some ground is given by both groups. Over on the Democratic side, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama see no reason to negotiate since they consider Obamacare a done deal, and polls show that Americans blame Republicans for the shutdown more than they blame Democrats. In the meantime, federal workers and the American public pay the price for this shutdown. It is easy to see why the congressional approval rating is so low: our Congress seems more committed to shutting down the government than keeping it open.
Pioneer Voices:
do you think the criticism against miley cyrus’ new artistic style is justified?
kim waters Sophomore Colorado
“Yes, her style is antifeminist.”
amanda williams Senior Arizona
“To some extent.”
peter cal Freshman Colorado
“I think that some of the criticism is justified.”
andrew tores Sophomore Colorado
“I think the criticism is justified.”
13
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
Obamacare affecting rural and urban areas differently Although the Affordable Care Act aims to give health care to all, it puts rural areas at a disadvantage by danny zimny-schmitt Senior Reporter
On Oct. 1, despite the government shutdown, the health care insurance exchanges opened, allowing Americans to buy health insurance in an online marketplace where they can compare prices and benefits of different, available plans. Everyone is required to buy insurance or must pay a fine to the government. However, this rollout of so-called “Obamacare” is affecting rural and urban America differently, which is fundamentally unfair. There are some baseline rules and assumptions that everyone must abide
by as the law is rolled out. All Americans must buy managed care plans, which usually come in one of two forms: preferred provider organizations (PPOs) or health maintenance organizations (HMOs), which allow subscribers different options as far as doctor choice and other technical and payment options are concerned. One guarantee everyone has is that 80 percent of their premium will go to medical services, with a maximum of 20 percent going to administrative costs. It is also assumed that most all individuals under 35 will see a massive hike in their health insurance premiums which helps to subsidize the more expensive care needed for the elderly or those with pre-existing conditions. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, rural residents
are more likely to be covered by employers with less than 50 employees or purchase their own insurance on the market than their urban counterparts, likely leading to higher premiums. Rural residents are also more likely to be enrolled in PPOs than HMOs, and PPOs pay double the tax charged to HMOs, increasing the disparities. Decisions by some states to expand the Medicaid program and recommendations by the Department of Health and Human Services to recertify access to hospitals are also causing concerns about rural access to health care. The states that refuse to expand Medicaid as part of the health care reform will see the rural poor hit the hardest. These disparities make rural residents subsidize urban residents as the law is rolled out. This will
happen everywhere from the Colorado Front Range to California and New York, and the significant ruralurban divides in those states. This is fundamentally unfair, however, as no one should have to subsidize others’ insurance premiums simply because of where they live. Colorado is an important state in this disparity since there are already heightened tensions between the liberal urban areas on the Front Range and the rural areas on the Eastern Plains, and central and western Colorado. This subsidy of sorts to urban dwellers at the expense of the rural population will only exacerbate this problem. Steps need to be taken to account for these unfair disadvantages experienced by rural America as a result of this rollout of Obamacare. It is only fair.
contents are of their meals. But one better look out, because Subway’s Big Philly Cheesesteak is about twice the calories and sodium content of a McDonald’s Big Mac, weighing in with an average of 1000 calories and 2560g of sodium. The average sandwich purchase at Subway comes in at about 784 calories compared to McDonald’s average of about 582 calories. The leader of this study, Dr. Lenard Lesser, stated, “We found that there was no statistically significant difference between the two restaurants and that participants ate too many calories at both.” Subway may promote its menu as healthy, but it’s still fast food. Besides, we all know that compared to their commercials, their sandwiches are pretty disappointing. The cherry on top of this, from a plant-based diet perspective, is that it is slim pickings for any vegan. Last year, Subway gained a few health and vegan points when, after the
prompting of an organization called Compassion Over Killing, they test ran three vegan sandwiches in Washington, DC. They were a huge success, but Subway has since failed to make them a permanent item on their menus nationwide. Guess they’re sticking with six inches of wilted lettuce and factory farmed meat. Though the Sodexo representatives here at DU claim to be limited to three restaurant chains, one of them being Subway, this would appear to be less than true. After a brief Google search it is easy enough to discover that on other campuses around the U.S., Sodexo has collaborated with Café Spice, Cosí and even Jamba Juice. Any of these options are more appealing. Café Spice serves traditional Indian food and would be a great way to not only diversify our meal options, but to promote inclusive excellence and support international students. Cosí, a Parisian inspired café, would
provide great ambiance with their openflame stone ovens as well as a fantastic variety of gourmet foods. They are known for their flatbread pizzas, but also serve soups, desserts and even coffee. And lastly, Jamba Juice would offer quick and relatively healthy smoothie options all year round. Chill on the Green, though healthy and delicious, has limited hours and months of operation. Smoothies found at Jazzman’s or the library café are overly sweet and artificial. And let us not forget we already have a Subway less than a block away, why not bring in some new options? Undoubtedly, here on campus they’ll receive some business. Grabbing a sandwich between classes is a nice option for many. But five dollars of meal plan cash for a foot-long sodium stacked and calorie-charged sandwich isn’t a great deal. I’m just advising people to “think fresh” and to be aware of the nutritional content of the items on Subway’s menu.
Choice of Subway to replace Pub is subpar by naomi forman Staff Writer
You’ve probably heard the news that the world’s largest fast food chain is taking over Sidelines Pub; that’s right, Subway is invading. Though I never once ate at the Pub and don’t support the burgers and wings they sold, I’m not a huge fan of Subway either. Though it is viewed as a healthier option, it has been found to be just as sodium and fat ridden as McDonald’s. Not exactly the best way to fuel the active minds and bodies of DU students. In a recent UCLA study it was found that people that ate at Subway versus McDonalds only consumed about 100 less calories. Due to Subway’s “Eat Fresh” campaign and support from weight-loss spokesman Jared Fogle, the public views them as having a “health halo.” As a result, consumers are less concerned with what the nutritional
five people. six weeks. one circle.
CIRCLE transformation b y
a n n i e
b a k e r
D E P A R T M E N T O F BLACK BOX
box office
303-871-7720
www.newmantix.com
JMAC
THEATRE OCTOBER 16-20 10 S
T
U
D
I
O
STUDIOS
ALL TICKETS
www.du.edu/theatre
7 : 3 0 p m C U R TA I N , 2 : 0 0 p m O C T 2 0
$
14
Oct. 9, 2013
www.duclarion.com
Taking “steps” toward inclusivity by naomi forman Staff Writer
White, black, Hispanic and so forth; we can’t refute or elude these classifications or labels. Understanding how we’ve each experienced being of different heritage or skin color is not an easy task. This fundamental incongruence causes miscommunication, over complication, intimidation and lack of collaboration. A divide. Between “us” and “them,” the initial, inescapable, linguistic segregation of people. My intention is not to place blame on individuals or institutions, but rather to encourage the recognition of personal responsibility in cross-cultural consideration. Broadening our perspectives, maximizing our empathy and expending effort to support one another is critical. I’m white and grew up in a predominantly white community, but nevertheless have thought of myself as an inclusive person. This didn’t mean I had any inkling of the other perspective though, what it was like not being white, what their experiences were and how sharing those experiences brings them together. My little white bubble, that a couple weeks ago I hadn’t realized even existed, was popped. Questions raised that blew my mind in multiple dimensions. Questions such as, “how would you feel if you walked into a room and were the only white person?” not only were genuinely difficult to accurately imagine, but the fact I had never asked myself these questions blew my mind. A mild feeling of self-disappointment crawled into my psyche, making me doubt the extent of my compassion.The issue of diversity on campus was immensely apparent when on Saturday, Sept. 21 I attended DU’s annual Stroll Off. This event was organized through the various “non-traditional” Greek fraternities and sororities in DU. These include a chapter of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) and various other international and culture based Greek incorporations. All of DU’s Greek Life was invited, not excluding the 12 “traditional” Greek houses. Each was acknowledged in the opening formalities and after cheers and calls were heard for the attending “nontraditional” houses, the silence following the others was rather disconcerting. The entire DU community was encouraged to attend yet the composition of the audience lacked diversity, case and point being I was one of a half dozen white people. Perhaps you weren’t aware of the event or maybe, like me, you didn’t even know what “strolling” was. For those of you still wondering, strolling is a form of dance that was developed by the NPC, otherwise known as the Divine Nine. It has become an integral part of “non-traditional” Greek life identity and tradition and is upheld through these events that enable each house to exhibit their unique skill and enthusiasm. Another similar and recent event was the “Step Show.” This was a competition that took place the following week in the Hamilton Gymnasium. Several “non-traditional”
sororities and fraternities, students of DU and beyond, both current and of quite some time ago, participated. The audience of a few hundred was entertained by not only amazing performances, but also a great comedian host and surprise giveaways. Stepping is another form of traditional dance that incorporates coordinated movements and stomping, scripted skits, the art of cane twirling, cheers, hand signs and a multitude of other creative art forms. Having never seen stepping, I was thoroughly entertained and overly impressed. I was thrilled to be there supporting my friends in Kappa Alpha Psi, but rather disheartened by the undeniable fact that I was one of three white people in my entire row … and I had come with the other two. This was immensely disturbing and frustrating to me and undoubtedly to those whom this event was important to. Why the divide? Why is it that I knew really nothing of the culture of these members of my community? We live side by side, but pay no heed to the unique backgrounds and differences of one another. Blame for this cannot only be put on white people or solely “traditional” Greek life, and that is not my intention. This is a two-way street for sure. We all self-segregate. And when this is done seemingly based on race, it can be somewhat harder to comprehend and more intimidating from an outsider’s perspective. But we all do. Why? I have a vegan club because I’m vegan and I want to have a network of people that can understand my struggles and frustrations, have a like mind of values and that can be supportive. This is the central reason for organizations such as the Black Student Alliance (BSA), the Asian Student Alliance and all of the “non-traditional” Greek. They were brought together due to their common history and experiences, for the purpose of providing empathy and support. On their website, BSA demonstrates this by stating that they are, “humbled to be a part of a family of student organizations that endured innumerable obstacles and prejudices in the pursuit of justice and equality for our people.” Though this may seem to promote the lack of collaboration, these student organizations are as inclusive as any other. When speaking with the President of BSA, Cameron Simmons, who is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, he said that he encourages non-black students to be involved in BSA, would love to have a white brother in his fraternity and would be incredibly impressed if a “traditional” Greek house learned to stroll. This huge divide is solved through conversation and exposure. It is a matter of the individual. The individual responsibility to one’s own community and to one’s consideration and awareness of others. Bringing more collaboration among all members of our DU campus is about cultivating an understanding and mindfulness of one another and compassion for all. From conversation to conversation we’ll take “steps” forward.
Weekly Wealth: The Rod Report The opinions in this article are for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell the stocks/funds/bonds mentioned. Past performance of the companies discussed may not continue and the companies may not achieve the earnings growth as predicted. Investments in stock markets carry significant risk, stock prices can rise or fall without any understandable or fundamental reasons. The Clarion does not recommend that anyone act upon any investment information without first consulting a financial advisor.
by roderick o’dorisio Business Manager
How would you like to turn $20,000 of savings into $500,000 by the time you retire? Open a Roth IRA (individual retirement account), and watch your wealth multiply. Typical college students are not focused on retirement savings. They have just stepped out from their parents’ nest and are enjoying their first taste of freedom. Even though they may not have much money, they have the most coveted possession of all retirement planners – time. A Roth IRA is an excellent investment vehicle for college students for a variety of reasons. The primary argument for opening a Roth IRA is the expectation of being in a higher tax bracket in the future. College students who have summer jobs, work-studies or part-time positions are usually paying a fairly low tax rate because their income is not very substantial. However, taking a portion of your income to make small deposits into a Roth IRA can reap major savings in the long run. The liquidity of the Roth IRA makes it one of the most valuable investment options for young adults. In case of an emergency, you would be able to withdraw your contributions immediately with no penalties. Tim Maurer, CEO of Financial Consulate, says “Roth IRAs are unlike any other retirement investment bucket, for lack of a better term, as you’re allowed to back money out of the account for any reason at any time at any age and without any tax consequences or penalties.”’ For example, let’s say you deposit $5,000 each year of college into a Roth IRA. Over four years, the total contributions will be $20,000. Assuming that your investments have an average growth rate of 7.5 percent each year until you are 65, you will have accumulated over $530,000 in your Roth IRA – all tax-free! If your investments grew at an annual rate of 8.5%, then your IRA account would be worth over $820,000 by the time you are 65. Unlike Traditional IRAs or company 401(k) plans, the Roth IRA is funded through taxed income. Even though you will not receive the upfront tax break that traditional retirement plans offer, you will not have to pay any type of taxes on withdrawals from the Roth IRA because most withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax-free.
After you’ve opened up a Roth IRA for 5 years, you now have the availability of withdrawing up to $10,000 of earnings from the account to buy your first house tax and penalty free. This unique characteristic of the Roth IRA is an excellent incentive for students to begin saving money towards the beginning of a brand new life after graduation. Once you turn 59 1/2 years old, you are now allowed to withdraw the earnings portion of the Roth IRA, but without having to adhere to required minimum distributions or withdrawals as with Traditional IRAs or 401(k) plans. You have complete control over the account. Also, a Roth IRA allows you to continue to make contributions to the account forever, unlike the traditional accounts that do not allow contributions past the age of 70 1/2. These characteristics are particularly valuable for estate planning purposes, as the account has the potential to keep growing until death. This also allows heirs to inherit a Roth IRA and not be subject to any income tax on that money. Opening a Roth IRA is fairly simple. Choosing the right financial institution is the hard part. My advice is to look at the “Big Three” – Fidelity Investments, The Vanguard Group and T. Rowe Price. They offer numerous types of retirement accounts that will suit your investment needs and styles. Once your account is open, I suggest avoiding single stock purchases for your portfolio. Instead, as recommended by countless financial advisers, buy low-cost, diversified mutual funds or index funds. This is the best way to embrace the “get rich slowly” ideology and a smart way to own a piece of the market while mitigating risk. For college students, Roth IRA funding offers an incredible opportunity to benefit from decades of tax-free, compounded growth. Don’t let this one pass you by. Rod’s Five Stocks to Watch: Blackstone Group LP (NYSE: BX) Visa INC (NYSE: V) Kimco Realty Group (NYSE: KIM) LoJack Corp (NASDAQ: LOJN) Bravo Brio Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: BBRG)
2055 E. Evans Ave. | 303-871-3131| du.clarion@du.edu Facebook.com/DUClarion Twitter: @DUClarion Instagram: @DUClarion
Editorial Board
Staff Writers Naomi Forman
alex johnson lanna giauque
News Editor
carli hansen
Assistant News Editor kameryn tanita
Lifestyles Editor
camilla sterne
Assistant Lifestyles Editor
Editor-in-Chief
sarah ford
Managing Editor gusto kubiak
Photography Editor calvin jouard
Sports Editor
paul heinen
Web Editor
kaitlynne birkett
Copy Chief
samantha kern
Copy Editor
Contributing Photographers Emily Krebs
chris bach
Opinions Editor meg mcintyre
Entertainment Editor Social Media Director
Staff Photographers Kim Nesbit
Faculty Adviser
Andrew Matranga
Senior Reporters
Kaitlynne Birkett Isabel McCan Brandon Tate Danny Zimny-Schmitt
Contributing Writers
Logan Baker Adrian Bogart Makayla Cisneros Jacob Dahl Wyatt Forman Daniel Muzi Jillian Queri Sydney Sachs Alex Zorn
Advertising Representative Brooke Edelson
Online and Digital Sales Manager
JD Arora
Advertising Manager
Adrienne Leonard
Business Manager
Roderick O’Dorisio
The Clarion is the official student publication of the University of Denver. It serves as the Voice of the Pioneers. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, the staff and/ or the administration. 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. Any photograph that has been substantially altered or staged for use as a graphic will be labled as a photo illustration. Weather forecasts are of courtesy of the National Weather Service. 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 350 words. Some letters may not be printed because of space limitations, or because they are similar to a number of letters already received on the same subject or are libelous. Letters may be emailed to editor@duclarion.com. You may also fill out a form on The Clarion’s website, duclarion.com.
Oct. 9, 2013
15
www.duclarion.com
Pios lose preseason contest to New Brunswick by calvin jouard Sports Editor
Spectators and players alike continued to acquaint themselves with a new hockey squad Sunday night in the team’s only preseason game against the University of New Brunswick. “Our goal was to try and begin to understand how we want to play,” said Head Coach Jim Montgomery. “The good thing was, our effort was there all three periods. We were watching a little bit, especially the first 30 minutes. In the last period we really established how we want to pressure pucks when we don’t have them.” The Pioneer hockey squad fell behind by a two goal margin in the first period, and eventually lost to visiting New Brunswick 2-1 in their first and only preseason contest. The visiting Varsity Reds, a team that won its fourth University Cup in seven years last season, were out-shot by the Pios 38-21. The Pios also piled on 19 shots in a scoreless third period. “The third period is a step in the right direction to how we want to play, and that’s how we had a lot of offensive zone time and a lot of power play,” Montgomery said. The Pioneers were on the power play 4 separate occasions during the first period, but couldn’t take advantage, and went 0 for 11 overall on the power-play. Instead of cashing in on man-advantage opportunities, the Pios chose to score short-handed. Junior Daniel Doremus scored the only goal for the Pios at 10:32 in the second period. A New Brunswick player missed a one-timer shot on during their 5-on-3 advantage, allowing the puck
gusto kubiak|clarion
Freshman Defenseman Will Butcher fends off a New Brunswick fore-checker during the Pios’ 1-2 preseason loss Sunday night. The season officially starts Friday against Merrimack.
to scoot out to center ice where Doremus corralled it and went on to flick a backhand past Varsity Reds goaltender Charles Lavigne. “Offensively there were some guys that did some really good things,” Montgomery added. “I thought Ty Loney was all over the puck, and we saw Trevor Moore’s skill a couple of times. As a whole, we didn’t generate enough.
But that’s normal, it was a little bit hectic, a Chinese fire drill out there.” The Pioneers had their share of penalties, racking up 16 penalty minutes through three periods of play. “I think two or three of those penalties were unnecessary,” Montgomery stated. “[It’s] something we have to address, but that’s why it’s great to have this exhibition game. Because
emotions get high in that first game, and we have to learn to control our emotions better.” Senior Goalie Sam Brittain helped keep the game close, making 15 saves on 17 shots through two periods. Freshman Evan Cowley stepped in and made four saves in the third period. “I was really happy with Sam Brittain,” Montgomery said. “The two goals he let in, he
had no chance, he was screened on both, and he was very solid swallowing the puck and not giving up any rebounds.” The Pios will open the season in a two-game set against Merrimack College this weekend, with the first game on Friday. Merrimack is currently un-ranked by the United States College Hockey Organization (USCHO) and sits on the outskirts of the Top 20 poll.
Men’s basketball starts practice Fast break Expectations sky high after record 22 win season by wyatt forman Contributing Writer
The men’s basketball team kicked off the 2013-14 season with their first official practices of the year this past week, starting on Oct. 2. Coming off a season that included 22 wins and a share of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title, the Pioneers, now in the Summit League, are preparing for another strong season that has the potential for an even better outcome than last year’s second round appearance in the NIT tournament. The team returns three of five starters from last year’s squad, including sophomore Guard Jalen Love, junior Guard Brett Olson and senior Guard Chris Udofia. Not returning from last year are Guards Chase Hallam, who graduated, and Royce O’Neale who transferred to the Univer-
sity of Baylor to be closer to the league will be the perforhis family. The Pioneers have mance of last year’s standout made some additions as well, sixth man, Cam Griffin, who including three freshmen and will be taking on greater Forward Griffin McKenzie, a responsibilities as a starter. transfer from Xavier, who is After averaging 6.1 points per eligible to play this year. game off the bench last year, There are a great deal of Scott is looking for Griffin to expectations surrounding this “go from a really, really, really team after two straight years good sixth man to a really, with more really, really good than 20 wins, “[Our players] starter.” but Scott Another cruonly cares know our own cial component to about the expectation is to this year’s squad team’s expecwill be the perfortations of do what we did mance and leaderthemselves. ship of Udofia. last year; win the “The only Named preseason expectations league.” all mid-major, that count are Udofia is coming ours,” Scott off a season in said. “[Our Joe Scott, which he averplayers] know Basketball Head Coach aged 13.3 points our own per game, 4.5 expectation rebounds per game is to do what we did last year; and 3.6 assists per game. win the league”. Scott added Coach Scott has a great that strong performances deal of faith in the senior. during the regular season will “[Udofia] really exemeventually translate into qual- plifies not trying to do too ity postseason victories. much… he just makes his A pivotal key to winning teammates better,” he said.
a brief recap of DU sports
Men’s soccer Recently: Beat Fort Wayne 5-0, tied Oakland 1-1 What’s next: HOME vs. IUPUI at 7 p.m. on Saturday Women’s soccer Recently: Shutout Fort Wayne 4-0 What’s next: HOME vs. Western Illinois at 7 p.m. on Friday Hockey Recently: Lost to New Brunswick 1-2 What’s next: HOME vs. Merrimack at 7:37 p.m. on Friday Volleyball Recently: Swept North Dakota State 25-20, 25-14
and 25-18 What’s next: Away vs. South Dakota on Friday
Women’s golf Recently: Currently in 10th place at Schooner Fall Classic What’s next: University of Texas Betsy Rawls Long Horn Invitational Oct. 13-15 Men’s tennis Recently: Sophomore Henry Craig made it through three days of play at the ITA All American Championships, but lost 6-3, 7-5 during a Pre-Qualifying singles match. What’s next: ITA Regional Championship on Oct. 16.
Oct. 9, May 22,2013 2012
16
www.duclarion.com
Tennis courts success
Davis garners Defensive www.duclarion.com Player of the Week honors
16
Oct. 9, 2013
by jillian queri Contributing Writer
courtesy of du athletics
Sophomore Henry Craig reached the third day of competition during the 2013 Saint Francis ITA All-American Championships.
Tennis poised to repeat last year’s late-season success? by alex zorn Contributing Writer
The offseason was anything but easy for a men’s tennis team that vastly over-achieved in their 2012-2013 campaign. After losing three of its top players to graduation this summer, it’s hard to say what expectations are for a team that is sure to have its share of growing pains. A nine game losing streak put the 2012-13 season in jeopardy, but strong play led by seniors Enej Bornin, Jens Vorkefeld and Max Krammer allowed
the team to pull off one of the biggest upsets in NCAA history over No. 15 Florida. “Last year was a great year. We were the first team to beat a top 16 team in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Never been more proud of our guys,” said Head Coach Danny Westerman. Building on such a strong and historic season will be difficult after losing leadership and talent that cannot be replaced. “However, [the] team is training really hard and trying to get a lot of match play in. The whole goal of the fall is to get ready for the spring. Seniors Fabio Biasion and Alex Clinkenbeard are doing a great job helping our large freshman class mature and
get ready for the season,” added Westerman. This year’s freshmen class is the biggest in the tennis team’s history. “Everything considered, the freshmen are doing an incredible job. They are working really hard and they understand it’s their turn.” With three tournaments in the fall, the team is focused on training hard and being ready for a long and hopefully very successful spring. The ITA Regional Championship on October 16 in Las Vegas is the last tournament that remains on the fall calendar. The team posted several wins at the ITA All-American Championship last month. Sophomore Henry Craig made his way through three days of competition after following up a first round bye with a victory against Philip Seifert (Rice) 6-3, 6-4 and then winning against David Bisoca (East Tennessee State) 7-6 (0), (6-0) in the third round before being defeated by Brett Clark of North Carolina 6-3, 7-5 on Sep. 29. However he played a bonus match on October 1 and defeated Hunter Koontz. Freshman Alex Gasson had a successful tournament as well. After securing a win in his first round match on Saturday, he went on to beat Augusto-Bueno 7-5, 7-6 (6) in the second round, but was defeated the following round in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 to Nick Papac. He also played a bonus match on October 1, but was unsuccessful, losing to Joao Monteiro 6-2 4-6 6-2. The two played a double match, but unfortunately could not pull it out, losing to Harrison Richmond and Justin Shane (8-4). The team looks to build from a lot of strong play as they prepare for Las Vegas, a tournament in which they have been historically very successful.
Senior Goalie and Colorado native Amelia Davis was named the Defensive Player of the Week by the Summit League for DU’s Wo m e n’s Soccer team. This is her first conference recognition. “It’s a really nice courtesy of du athletics honor. Senior Goalie Amelia Honestly, Davis. all of the credit goes to our defensive line. They’re the four people in front of me and they almost never get any credit. I’m just doing my job to try to keep the ball out of the net, but they do a lot of the work as well,” Davis said. Davis made her first collegiate start against No. 17 Brigham Young (BYU), where she tallied five saves and recorded a shutout in a 1-0 victory over the Cougars. Davis also helped the Pioneers seal a 2-1 win against UC Santa Barbara, making three saves. This was Davis’ second collegiate start and win. “I treated it like any other soccer game. It’s the same game that we’ve been playing since we were little. I had tremendous support from my team and coaches,” Davis said. Originally from Grand Junction, Davis has been playing soccer since the age of five. With her career at DU almost finished,
Davis gives credit to her fellow seniors, teammates and coaches for helping her improve over the past four years. “Playing at DU has been a really great experience,” Davis said. “Having that team experience and being able to play your sport at the next level is great. The group of people who you’re playing with will be your friends for life because you go through so much with each other and really create a strong bond.” Two graduates and past goal-keepers in particular, Laura Campbell and Maria Conn, set a positive example for Davis and were constantly pushing her to be the best that she could be. With Summit League play already underway, Davis has high hopes that the Pioneers will be able to continue through the remainder of their games with great success. “We are really happy with where we are right now, but now we have to start to focus on the Summit Conference,” Davis said. “We’re really hoping to win every game and to hopefully win the conference. We have such a strong team and every player is extremely valuable. We have full confidence that anyone on the team can step in on the team whenever needed, whether you’re a starter or on the bench. We are successful because every player is an important member of the team.” Six games remain for the Pioneers before the Summit League Tournament begins. “I just want to continue the high level of play,” Davis said.
TICKETS START AT $9
The high scoring, ha family experience of rd hitting and affordable Cutthroats hockey re turns this fall to the Denve r Coliseum. CBS4 Pack: $40 incl ud Ends and 4 $5 gift ce es 4 tickets in the Upper rtifcates for merchan dise
Season Starts October 18 DenverCutthroats.com • 303.295.3474 • /DenverCutthroats