No. 1 (September 1, 2016)

the

University News

Vol. XCVI No. 1

Thursday, September 1, 2016

A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1921

Student charged with bias incident, ‘no contact’ order after making ‘Zionist’ comments at pro-Israel event A SLU student has been disciplined by the University for referring to two members of the Jewish Student Association as “Zionist fascists,” following a verbal altercation with presenters at a proIsrael event last semester.

On April 4, Christopher Winston, a sophomore at the time, attended an ATLAS Week event entitled, “Israel: First Responders to World Crisis.” The event was hosted by the Jewish Student Association and was intended to “discuss how Israel often sends aid to nations hit by natural disasters, health epidemics, and conflict,” according to its Facebook

page. Scott Lasky and David Weinstein gave an hour-long presentation on the topic, which was followed by a brief question-and-answer period.

Winston later described the event as “propaganda.” A self-recorded video posted to YouTube depicts Winston speaking up towards the end of the Q&A. He objected to claims made by the presenters about Israeli ambulances sending aid to people in need, and referenced reports that Israeli forces had attacked ambulances owned by the Palestinian Red Crescent (the Islamic version of the Red Cross).

Winston went back and forth with both Lasky and Weinstein for about two

Photo courtesy of JSA Facebook

Bias: Scott Lasky and David Weinstein filed a “no contact order” against Winston after he called them as “Zionist fascists”

minutes, their interaction remaining relatively cordial.

The video clip ends with the presenters moving on to another student’s question.

According to Winston, he later brought up the Palestinian conflict again, this time off camera. After further debate, Lasky and Weinstein threatened to call Public Safety to have Winston removed from the event. Winston states that he stayed quiet for the remainder of the event; however, as he was leaving, he addressed both Weinstein and Lasky as “Zionist fascists.”

Neither Lasky nor Weinstein were available for comment.

On April 13, the Office of Student Responsibility and Community Standards sent Winston an email informing him that Weinstein and Lasky had filed a complaint against him. The pair had also requested a “no contact order” — essentially SLU’s version of a restraining order — claiming that they felt Winston was a “threat to their health, safety and wellbeing.” The school also charged Winston with involvement in a “bias-related incident.”

After the no contact order was officially put into place by SLU, Winston continued to suffer administrative repercussions . After several weeks, Winston received another email from the university, claiming he violated section 15-16 2.7.20 of the SLU Community Standards, which relates to inappropriate conduct.

At his hearing, however, the charge was switched to disruptive behavior, in addition to the bias incident. According to the Bias Incident Response Team, the bias

Photo courtesy of The Electronic Intifada

Bias: Christopher Winston, junior, objected to statements that were made during an event he described as “propaganda.” He has been charged for involvement in a bias incident.

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“It was weird though, the incident they were charging appeal him with board is was relatsupposed ed to his to be a comment How could I ever posp a n e l ab o u t of your “Z ionist sibly face the Palestinp e e r s fascists.” ian people if I let two that deWi n c i d e s ston apZionists with a piece of on your pealed paper intimidate me? c a s e , his case but my through -Christoper Winston appeal the Stub oard d e n t w a s Appeal m a d e Board, up completely of staff,” said but was denied.

Winston.

Winston believes his case Once an appeal has been received special treatment.

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By SAMUEL GASKILL Contributor

denied, the case is closed, meaning that Winston’s charges will remain on his record and that he’ll be on disciplinary warning until December of 2017.

Despite the ordeal, Winston refused to give up his cause. “There’s no way I can get the charges dropped, so for now I am done fighting with SLU. I refuse to transfer though. If I transfer, SLU wins because I gave up. I definitely am not quitting activism either. How could I ever possibly face the Palestinian people if I let two Zionists with a piece of paper intimidate me? I couldn’t.”

As another year begins, the ‘Flammers flamme on

By CHRISTOPHER ERNST Contributor

Every year since 1963, SLU Fall Welcome has had a prevailing color—orange.

This color has been, and always will be, the color of that crazy, wild group of student leaders known as Oriflamme [OR-uh-flam]. This group, as many on campus probably know and have experienced, is the group of students that are chosen to welcome any new students to the SLU community and give them their first taste of what being a true Billiken is like.

As they do every year, the ‘flammers spend a week with little-to-no sleep in the same two identical shirts, lead-

ing the newest members of the SLU community to the events that make up Fall Welcome. While Fall Welcome has changed greatly since its inception, the orange army that makes it all possible hasn’t. The group has always been student based, led, and oriented around the new students. As the group has grown over the years, the structure has changed with it, from the small group of 16 that made up the first ‘Flamme, to the group of over 170 students this year, each bringing unique experiences to their respective roles to make up Oriflamme together.

The ‘Flamme is broken up

into 3 basic positions: leaders, team leaders (TLs), and coordinators (coords), each with their own vital role in making Fall Welcome as memorable for the students as possible. Every person that comes into Oriflamme starts as a leader and is eventually given the opportunity to take on more responsibility. The foundation of ‘Flamme is the leaders who make up the majority of the organization.

The leaders do most of the legwork during the first two chaotic days known as move in. They spend the first few days carrying futons, fridges, See “Oriflamme” on Page 2

Courtesy of SLU

INSIDE SCOOP: Stranger Things combines ‘80s nostalgia with classic horror

Page 6

Page 7

ARTS

Alexandra Rader ranks the best places to “go” on campus

SLU Rugby gears up for another successful season

SPORTS

Page 10

OPINION

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NEWS

September 1, 2016

‘Billgrims’ Descend on Poland for World Youth Day

Courtesy by World Youths Today

William Kernell / The Uniiversity News

William Kernell / The Uniiversity News

POLAND: Billgrims take part in the opening ceremonies of the Magis component of World Youth Day in Lodz, Poland. Twenty students took part in the two-week-long festivities.

By William Kernell Associate News Editor

experiment was in the Zakopane mountains. He began his day with eight-hour hikes in single-file lines and silence with his fellow experimenters. Wyatt’s group was comprised of people from Jesuit schools throughout the United States, Chile, Columbia, France and the island nation of Mauritius. When asked about his overall experience, Wyatt said “For me when I was heading to Magis, I was really only looking forward to hiking through the Zakopane mountains. The conversations with people from all over the world about God and life in general were what really made the experience special.�

After the completion of their experiments, the students reconvened in Częstochowa, Poland for the closing ceremonies of Magis.

A pilgrimage was made to the Jasna Gora Monastery, where Eucharistic adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and a vigil with the sacred image of Our Lady

On July 15, 20 billgrims embarked on their journey from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Warsaw, Poland to attend Magis and eventually World Youth Day. The Magis program, which is run by the Society of Jesus to precede World Youth Day, sent participants on Ignatian “experimentsâ€? throughout Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Magis began with a sort of jamboree of pilgrims at the Ĺ ĂłdĹş Technical University in Ĺ ĂłdĹş, Poland.

The pilgrims were given a care package that included a drawstring bag, water bottle, t-shirts with the Magis 2016 logo, and a prayer book including readings and reflections on the gospels for the duration of the two week program. For three days, the Magis participants slept in the dormitories at the university, explored the city of Šódź and celebrated the Eucharist together. The masses were said in English with the petitions read in a multitude of languages to accomFor me, when I was heading to modate the Magis, I was really only looking many naforward to hiking through the tionalities Zakopane mountains. The conpresent. versations with people from all F o l over the world about God and lowing the opening life in general were what really three days made the experience special. in Šódź, the -Wyatt Kernell pilgrims were dispersed to the their many Ignatian exp er iment s , which included hiking in the scenic of Częstochowa is located.

Zakopane mountains, livMagis 2016 closed with Mass ing on sailboats for a week, and the students made their helping nuns make jam and way to Krakow via train. retreats in Jesuit residences.

Due to poor planning Wyatt Kernell’s (A&S ‘16)

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and malfunction, the train ride from Częstochowa to Krakow was a four-hour standing-room-only ordeal.

This began a theme of trying times for the billgrims in Poland. The group’s accommodations were in a parish’s gymnasium in the Krakow suburb of ChrzanĂłw and required a two hour train ride outside of the city center. The billgrims were fairly positive with the Lenten lyric “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?â€? was often sung in sarcasm about the many tiring days in Krakow.

The World Youth Day events culminated with a pilgrimage to the vigil site outside of Krakow. The pilgrimage required a six-mile walk with backpacks packed to the brim through the July afternoon heat.

Upon arrival to the vigil site, students were required to either hike the three mile round trip to retrieve the group’s food for the next two days or set up the camping site. After the tumultuous trip to get food, the billgrims began to mingle with pilgrims from all over the world that were staying in the same section.

Pope Francis arrived in his popemobile surrounded by a barrage of cameras and armed guards. The night kicked o with a series of performances meant to display various Catholic themes that ranged from intricate dances to strung out musical ensembles. The Pope closed the night with Eucharistic adoration and returned the next morning to celebrate Mass with over 3 million pilgrims.

At the conclusion of the Mass, it was announced that the next World Youth Day would take place in Panama, much to the eccentric cheering of the many Panamanian pilgrims in attendance.

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NEWS

September 1, 2016

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Let Us Introduce You: Emily Johansson Let us introduce you to a busy SLU sophomore who is filled to the brim with love: Emily Johansson. If dualmajoring in political science and French with a minor in legal studies is not enough, Johansson is also on the executive board for Model United Nations, as well as a peer mentor for the Diversity and Global Citizenship Learning Community where her role is to be a loving “big sister” to over 40 freshmen students.

Stuck between joining Leadership for Social Change and D&GC last year as a freshman, Johansson thought about how, “Before [one] can incite social change, there needs to be an understanding of the people who make up the society.”

By joining D&GC, she explored the diversity of society on a global scale, while the program also opened a new world of people to love on a personal level. It was naturally “the better fit,” said Johansson.

Now, Johansson is excited to be the peer mentor on the third floor of Fusz Hall so she can “carry on the tradition” of what she experienced the year prior. For example, focusing on helping the world through diversification. Notice, she says “helping,” not ‘changing,’ the world. Although changing

the world may not be possible, Johansson can help impart a true sense of community to a diverse group of students. She hopes to help them realize their values and identities to create a ripple effect that she experienced the year before.

The ripple effect in motion, to Johansson, would look like this: “Being able to challenge the status quo, freedom of thought and diversity,” because if you lack diversity “there will be stagnancy in thought and value.”

For some students, after only a week and a half at SLU, the ripple effect has already begun. Rasika Scarff, freshman in D&GC, tells that Emily’s “nurturing essence and encouraging words allow people to feel comfortable in their skin … they have the confidence to ask questions about the world.”

On a more personal note, Johansson did not randomly acquire this infatuation for diversity. Being in D&GC the year before, Emily learned a few things about herself, such as self care, the use of her own voice and bravery.

I asked Emily about a defining moment of her life and she responded, “I have a few, but they are very personal to me.” Later, I received a text from Emily that explains her life-defining moment — the suicide of a loved one.

Near the end of the message, Johansson elaborates

on how she thought her story may be inappropriate for the UNews. But then she states that hiding that moment “conflicts with what [she] wants from [herself ] and the LC this year,” which is letting people be brave in a safe space. This bravery is needed to be able to accept one’s own and others’ differences in a society as diverse as SLU. Diversity on the third floor of Fusz is not an issue.

There are people of many races, genders, sexual orientations, religions and ethnicities. Johansson understands that this year is a massive change from what the freshmen were used to just two weeks ago. She wants to help the students in her learning community be brave and realize their identities. Freshman year of college is known to be formative and challenging, so in order to make everything easier, she would like her floor to feel absolutely welcomed regardless of their identities.

Emily Johansson is well on her way to create that safe place for the third floor of Fusz Hall and beyond.

D&GC students describe the learning community as diverse, evolving, inclusive and accepting, which is just what Emily was going for.

“Love is inexhaustible,” Johansson says. “You can never love anyone or anything too much.”

SLU Rugby Club

Ryan Quinn / The University News

LUIY: UNews sits down with Emily Johansson, a sophomore fighting for social

Oriflamme: A 53-year tradition continues Continued from Page 1

shelves, chairs, TVs and everything in between up the stairs of the residence halls to the rooms that first-year students will call home.

These leaders are assigned a specific floor to lead during the Fall Welcome events. This floor becomes their family for the next six days and they care about each member of their floors and about making real connections and relationships through the whirlwind of the week. From trying to understand the steps at the hoedown to getting jiggy with it at CU @ the rec, to bleeding floor pride during the spirit competition, none of the real enthusiasm or passion is faked. It’s the students and the floors that make the Oriflamme experience what it is for every leader, not the other way around.

TLs have a slightly different role; They are in charge of a group of leaders throughout training and Fall Welcome. TLs focus on preparing their leaders for anything that could happen throughout Fall Welcome and take

of TL training in the spring a more hands-off role in the semester, organizing “Flaminteraction with the first year milies,” distributing shirts, students. In this role, it’s not move in logistics, and much only the infusion of new life more. on campus that makes the This organization started TLs’ week, but in “seeing your 53 years g r o u p ago with come tothe idea gether that the through transition training, It’s the students and to college and then the floors that make is more making the Oriflamme experithan simreal conply a new nections ence what it is for every school. on the leader, not the other It’s an infirst day way around. troducof move tion into in” as exthe next plained by phase of Matt Gana person’s life and their denon, a TL this year. velopment personally, emoThere are four coordinationally, and professionally; tors, and they have the most It’s a transition that shouldn’t stressful and time intenbe done alone. sive job of anyone involved This group isn’t somein ‘Flamme. They actually thing that was created for spend weeks planning all the the personal enjoyment of events—from the Oriflamme the leaders, for another mark training that occurs three on the resume, or for any days before that fateful first personal accord. The whole day of move in. They plan all purpose to help the new stuthe Fall Welcome events and dents enter the campus famhandle all issues and probily and make it something lems that arise as early as a everyone can believe in. year before the start of Fall Welcome. They are in charge

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By MARGARET CIPRIANO Contributor

THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Friday, August 26 2: 22 a.m. VMCSL

Come out to join SLU’s most successful sports team

Officers responded to a call about a male yelling on the fourth floor of Marguerite Hall. The male in question was a SLU student who had ingested an unknown substance. The student had to be restrained due to his violent thrashing, erratic and incoherent behavior. EMS respondedand transported the student to SLU ER. An on view check of the student’s room also found a good amount of an unknown leafy green substance and a cigar wrapper. Pro Staff was on scene. SLMPD was contacted and took possession of the substance and also issued an “At Large” on the student.

Practices Monday + Thursday on campus Friday, August 26

No tryouts or previous experience required

Captains: -Ben “Sunshine” Schmidt ..... (618)-792-1078 -Tim “Diva” Lally .................. (314) 443-4805 Social Chair: -Weslee Haynes ................... (563) 231-6161 Call or text with questions

3: 41 a.m. AGENCY ASSIST

DPS officers assisted SLMPD, who had detained a male SLU student that had fled from themafter they had seen him urinate on a public building. The student was issued a summons and remanded to DPS custody. DPS officers escorted the student to his dorm in DeMattias Hall. Pro Staff was notified.

Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu

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Games September 1, 2016

NEWS

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If interested, email: email: managing@unewsonline.com managing@unewsonline.com

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Arts Entertainment

September 1, 2016 arts@unewsonline.com Tess Brock, Arts Editor Natalie Riopelle, Assoc. Arts Editor

MTV VMAs: Lack of host disappoints but some performances dazzle

By MADDIE SIEBUM Staff Writer

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Courtesy of AP Images

EXPERIENCE: Rihanna (above) reaches out to ecstatic fans during her VMA performance on Sunday night, August many “OMG” moments.

Drake presented Rihanna with the Michael Jackson Vanguard Award and basically declared his love for her. The world has been unsure about their relationship status for years, but we’re still not sure if this means they’re dating or not. Rihanna dodged a kiss from Drake while trying to get the award from him, which was definitely uncomfortable, but made for a memorable moment.

As for the musical performances, they can be pretty much divided into two cat-

Show of the summer: ‘Stranger Things’

By TESS BROCK Arts Editor

In the past few years, Netflix has been churning out a slew of top-notch original television series like “Orange is the New Black,” “Daredevil” and “House of Cards.” Their latest new show, “Stranger Things,” conquers their list as the best yet.

“Stranger Things” developed a stellar formula for the perfect TV series—the

‘80s, a strong storyline and a stellar cast filled with a crew of quirky and adventurous kids. These three elements, combined with great direction by creators the Duffer Brothers, will keep you glued to your Netflix account until 3 a.m.—when you finally finish all eight episodes.

Starting off, “Stranger Things” captures your attention by its glorious setting in the ‘80s. You immediately

feel nostalgia for ‘80s films like “E.T.” and “Goonies,” classics you watched growing up. Pop culture references fill the plot, and the characters’ use of walkie-talkies and cassette tapes introduce a new generation to what life was like thirty years ago.

Combining influences from the great minds of Steven Spielberg and Stephen See “Stranger” on Page 6

Courtesy of Netflix

THRILLER: Winona Ryder (left) plays a mother searching endlessly to find her missing son,

egories: Beyonce, and everyone else. It was as if Madison Square Garden was a pit stop on Beyonce’s current Lemonade tour. Her performance was a whopping 15 minutes long, but she commanded the stage for every minute of it. The set’s choreography was captivating as Beyonce went through a medley of her latest visual album. In the cut away to Key and Peele after her performance, they were speechless, and for once, I agreed with them.

As for the other performances, there was nothing

spectacular. Rihanna performed four times throughout the show, but the standout was her last set in which she showcased her impressive vocals, which was a nice change-up from the high-energy dance numbers in her other three performances. Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande looked either tired or bored throughout their song, while Nick Jonas seemed like he was trying way too hard singing about… bacon? But the absolute saddest had to be Britney Spears, who lip-synced with G-Eazy to a song that

wasn’t even hers. It may not have been half as bad if she hadn’t gone onstage directly after Beyonce, but she did, and her lackluster performance paled in comparison.

Overall, the 2016 VMAs didn’t deliver on its usual roundup of insane moments and stellar performances.

This may not be something that MTV can necessarily control, but for next year they should at least try to keep the show organized with a host. And if MTV can’t even manage that, is a twoand-a-half-hour live Beyonce concert too much to ask?

Frank Ocean surprises fans with two new albums

By TOM BERGAN Senior Staff Writer

Kanye, Beyoncé and Chance had all dropped albums earlier in the year.

Some were expected, some were not, but the one common thread between the three is that they all were released before Frank Ocean’s new album. Rumors flew of a July release date, that our four-year-long wait would finally be over. But July 31st came and went with no new music from the soulful crooner, leaving us to wonder if the supposedly titled “Boys Don’t Cry” would ever arrive. Last week, our fears were put to rest when Frank surprised the public by releasing not one, but two albums. It was almost as if he knew that we were all preparing to start classes and wanted to give us a gift to make the transition back to school easier.

And it, without a doubt, was a gift.

Both albums take us on a rollercoaster of emotions that showcase his musicality while strengthening the case for 2016 being the best year of hip-hop and R&B re-

leases that we have seen in the past decade.

The first release, “Endless,” is in the vein of Kanye’s “Runaway” or Beyonce’s “Lemonade,” a visual experience that ignites not just the ears but the eyes as well. The visual aspect is one that isn’t overly exhilarating: Frank using

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Both albums take us on a rollercoaster of emotions that showcase his musicality.

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Kahled shouting things in some balcony, and Key and Peele reacting and tweeting The Video Music Awards, behind a news anchor desk. or VMAs, could be referred to The whole thing was messy. as the “wildcard” of the variPersonally, my favorite was ous award shows. One could Kahled, whose reactions to even say that the live cerethe spectacle around him mony is less about who wins seemed pure and relatable, the actual awards and more and were actually funny. about what crazy antics Aside from the awards, the attendees will get into there were only two things this year. Only five awards that could redeem the alare given throughout the ready-struggling event: live show, something that could performances and wild cetheoretically take up just lebrity moments. Kanye West fifteen minutes of screen can always be counted on to time. Factoring in commerstir the pot. Rumors spread cials, I would say that leaves before the about an show that hour and Kanye had 45 minfour minutes left of I’m sad to say utes on the time to fill that, aside from a stage to do with perwhatever couple very good formances, he wanted. skits and performances, the Since this speeches .

2016 VMAs were a is Kanye So what snooze-fest.

West we’re did MTV talking do with a b o u t , this excess w h e r e time? i n s a n Honestly, not much. Mayity meets genius, there was be it’s due to high expectaintense anticipation. His tions after the drama-filled “speech” was chaotic, but storm that was last year’s entertaining nonetheless. show (“Miley, what’s good?”

He rambled on about everyis legendary), but this year’s thing from the Taylor Swift show just didn’t live up to situation to murders in Chithe hype. I’m sad to say that, cago. It was almost as if he aside from a couple very scribbled down a haphazgood performances, the ard list of “hot button” top2016 VMAs were a snoozeics before he went on stage. fest.

Kanye went on to introduce One thing that felt off his new music video for the about the show was the song “Fade”, which definitely fact that there wasn’t a host. shocked the audience. There This means that there was were mixed reactions, but I no one to tie each segment for one happened to like it. together, which made the It was the perfect amount of show seem disorganized Kanye-crazy. and rocky. There were cuts Other than Kanye’s four to enthusiastic MTV corminutes, there weren’t very respondents backstage, DJ

power tools to build a small staircase in a workroom. And yet it is the perfect sight to see while listening, because “Endless” is the minimalistic counterpart to the second album, “Blonde.”

The majority of the album is nothing more than Frank’s voice, an acoustic guitar and some piano. This combination leads for the full attention to be directed to the beauty that is created

when he is singing — specifically the falsetto that is center stage throughout “Endless.” Though I don’t fully understand the statement of a staircase being built, I can appreciate Frank thinking outside the box and stretching his artistic reach into the visual world. And while it is believed that this may have been made simply to fulfill Ocean’s contract with his record label Def Jam, it by no means should be overlooked.

The following day, Aug. 20, Ocean unveiled part two of his gift to the world, “Blonde.” Clocking in at just over an hour, “Blonde” is quite the event. It is exhilarating, saddening and beautiful all at the same time.

In a hip-hop community that often uses homophobic slurs, and a community and that would have shunned Ocean’s sexuality not too long ago (Ocean came out in 2012), “Blonde” challenges stereotypes while also challenging Ocean’s peers and listeners to open their minds to be accepting of all love.

See “Ocean” on Page 6

6

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

September 1, 2016

OUT On The

St. Louis Festival of Nations: Traditions from across the globe

TOWn ArTs ediTOrs’ Picks

Music Joywave, Freeze Tag The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill Sept. 1, 7:00 p.m.

The Way Down Wanderers The Old Rock House Sept. 2, 7:00 p.m.

Beyoncé The Dome at America’s C enter Sept. 10, 7:30 p.m.

Tech N9ne The Pageant Sept. 19, 8:00 p.m.

Movies Don’t Breathe The Moolah Through Sept. 8

Michelle Peltier / The University News

EXCURSION: The Festival of Nations provides a window into the cultures of people all over the world through clothing, jewelry and delicious

By NATALIE RIOPELLE Associate Arts Editor

Confession: I’ve never been outside of North America (the only other country I’ve been to is Canada, but it was Vancouver — and that’s basically still America). I’ve never been to Europe. I’ve never studied abroad. Never been to a country where the first language wasn’t English. Never been in a city where I couldn’t pronounce 99 percent of the items on the menu.

It’s lucky for me, then, that St. Louis hosts the an-

nual Festival of Nations—a chance for me to experience all of those “nevers,” without selling a kidney for a plane ticket.

During the Aug. 27 and 28 weekend, Tower Grove Park was transformed into more than 50 different countries, as it was filled with booths serving authentic food and exotic items. Some friends and I made the quick drive to the park on that Sunday for one reason only: to eat some mind-blowing food. And that, my friends, is exactly what we did at Festival of Nations.

Ocean shines

Kubo and the Two Strings In theaters Currently

A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder Fabulous Fox Sept. 13-25 Norm MacDonald Lumiere Theater Sept. 17, 9:30 p.m.

Roseanne Barr River City Casino Sept. 25, 8:00 p.m.

Maggiano’s St. Louis Murder Mystery Dinner Maggiano’s Little Italy Richmond Heights Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m.

Sister Act Robert G. Reim Theatre Sept. 10, 4:00 p.m.

King, “Stranger Things’” story follows a perfect balance of horror and humor. Yes, it may be obvious by the title that the show will have a scary element, but it is not the type of scary that will traumatize you from ever wanting to be alone in the dark. The show slowly introduces the horror elements, adding more and more intensity with each episode.

However, the fearful moments are not without their fair share of comedy.

Quirky one-liner jokes relieve some of the horror in the best way possible— they do so without taking away the intensity needed in the scene.

The laughs and scares keep the plot rolling along perfectly. The Duffer Brothers also managed to give the show an amazing amount of mystery. Each episode gives you enough to understand the plot, but always ends with a cliffhanger, keeping you entranced in the series.

The setting and script make the show great, but what truly sets “Stranger

Things” apart is the phenomenal cast. First, you are introduced to a crew of four boys, Will (Noah Schnapp), Dustin (Gaten Mattarzzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Mike (Finn Wolfhard).

Reminding you why being a kid is so great, they ride their bikes and play board

“

Sausage Party In theaters Currently

Theater

who don’t know (cue snooty tone), paella is a traditionally Spanish dish made of rice, various meats, seafood and veggies. It’s like throwing everything you liked in a bowl of rice, but were also really good at cooking — so it didn’t taste like crap.

People, I’m telling you: that paella (even with the surprisingly acceptable mussel nestled in the middle) made feeling like a disgusting, sweating mess totally worth it.

We left the park around 4:30. And by that time I’d tried peach tea and sam-

Courtesy of Frank Ocean

R&B: Frank Ocean’s “Blonde” (pictured above) was a long time coming for many fans, but well worth the Continued from Page 5

The slow-strumming guitar on “Self Control” while Frank swoons about a relationship that never quite had the right timing is nothing short of a work of musical genius.

It is one of those songs that cannot be described in any fashion that would do it justice. The song takes on an even more powerful tone upon the realization that it is quite possibly about another man — subject matter that takes hip-hop in a giant step towards being inclusive to all.

Another highlight of the album is “Ivy,” the second track on the album. Again discussing the topic of love, Ocean sings over a trippy guitar riff that creates a lucidity in which the listener feels like they’re dreaming — maybe an intentional allusion considering the line that Frank opens the song with: “I thought that I was dreaming.”

He showcases his vocal range that is absolutely bonkers in “Ivy,” and it feels like something special to simply listen to a singer who is so talented. Many people love

The Weeknd’s style, but after listening to “Blonde,” one will realize that The Weeknd is simply the generic brand product to Frank’s name brand.

I could go through other album highlights, but “Blonde” is definitely an album that is best experienced front to back in one sitting. You get the interludes, the silliness of the sample in “Be Yourself,” the rareness of an Andre 3000 guest appearance on the reprise of “Solo” and all of the fading outro interview of “Futura Free.” After four years away from the spotlight, I began to wonder if Frank had lost some of his ability to make his listeners feel raw emotion better than any other artist could.

From here on out I will never doubt his ability again, because these two releases restored my faith as a believer in Frank Ocean.

So if you want to feel immense sadness, happiness and everything in between in just 61 minutes, listen to “Blonde.” I promise it will be worth the hassle that is signing up for a free trial subscription to Apple Music.

bosa from Bosnia, croquettes and that exceptional paella from Spain, and some sweet, banana-sticky rice from Thailand. Not the biggest haul I could’ve reeled in, but my stomach is, sadly, a finite being.

Despite the heat on that afternoon, I was full and happy that, in some capacity, I had stepped outside of the United States. I caught a glimpse of the world—that huge expanse of land and water that isn’t America—and the cultures and people thriving all over it. The view was beautiful.

‘Stranger Things’ Continued from Page 5

War Dogs In theaters Currently

Suicide Squad In theaters Currently

First, let me set the scene.

It was about 2:00 p.m., and the sun was beaming particularly aggressively, frightening away the clouds, for miles. As you can imagine, it was ridiculously, stupidly humid—the kind of humid that’s clingier than a stereotypical girlfriend. Basically, it was the temperature in Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U” video, but with booths and much less sex appeal.

After about an hour of sweaty staring at countless menus, I’d settled down with a 7Up (lame, I know) and my first ever paella. For those

The casting, tied in with a brilliant mysterious story set in one of the greatest decades, makes for a perfect Netflix hit.

“

The Used The Pageant Sept. 2, 7:00 p.m.

games, teasing each other along the way. When Will suddenly goes missing, they team up to find their friend.

Their mischief leads them to a young girl, Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown), who possesses secret powers. Only twelve-years-old, Brown’s talent goes beyond her years, as she is able to steal every scene she is in while

having very limited amount of dialogue.

Winona Ryder’s portrayal of Joyce Byers, mother of the missing Will, is absolutely heart-wrenching. She refuses to give up the search for the son, even when the whole world is against her. David Harbour plays Jim Hopper, a Hans Solo-styled police chief who starts off a little rotten, but ultimately shines when he helps Joyce find her son.

Compiling the rest of the lead cast are Natalie Dyer (Nancy), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan) and Joe Keery (Steve). These talented teens introduce a compelling love triangle, again giving the audience a taste of ‘80s classics like “The Breakfast Club” and “Pretty in Pink.”

The casting, tied in with a brilliant mysterious story set in one of the greatest decades, makes for a perfect Netflix hit. “Stranger Things” keeps you hooked from its eerie beginning to its cryptic ending. With a second season already confirmed for 2017, “Stanger Things” has already become a classic hit, just like the ones that inspired its creation.

Courtesy of Netflix

MYSTERY: Millie Bobby Brown plays “Eleven,” a young girl with secret powers. Eleven teams up with Dustin, Lucas and Mike to help find their missing friend Will.

UNews

Sports

For continued multimedia coverage of Billiken sporting events, visit unewsonline.com or follow us on Twitter @TheUNewsSports

September 1, 2016 sports@unewsonline.com Lauren Tondl, Sports Editor Vivek Gorijala, Assoc. Sports Editor

Five fall sports kick off the new school year

By LAUREN TONDL AND VIVEK GORIJALA Sports Editor and Associate Sports Editor

Cross country

Both the men and women begin their season on September 9 in the Forest Park Cross Country Festival in St. Louis. They will also compete in the National Catholic Championships in Notre Dame, Indiana on September 16. The men have a young roster, with lone senior Neal Fitzpatrick taking the reins. Freshman Aaron Dugan is the only rookie on the squad. They are a sophomoreheavy team, with 10 of the 14 members being in their second year. The women also have one senior, Nina Razavi, but the four returning juniors will bring experience to the squad. The team is looking to fill the shoes of graduate standout Isabel Leibfried. Sophomores Elise Marker, Courtney Pfansteil and Anna Schmitz return after strong freshman seasons for the Billikens.

Men’s soccer

The men’s squad comes off a 8-7-2 record in 2015. They have 11 new faces—nine freshmen and two transfers—to add to the experienced 30-man roster. The Billikens sit on a 1-1 record after their first weekend against two top-10 teams. Sophomore defender Lennart Hein and forward Anthony Brown look to make an impact this year, both holding onto Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie honors. Senior defender Joe Saad is back for his final season as the Billikens’ leading returning scorer. The men have been selected as the A-10 favorite with Dayton, last year’s conference winner, hot on their heels. Head coach Mike McGinty returns for his seventh season with the Billikens.

Women’s soccer

SLU women’s soccer finished 2015 with an 8-9-2 record, good enough to finish 10th out of 14 Atlantic-10 teams. The goal for 2016 will be to finish eighth and earn a spot in the A-10 Championship. Many important contributors to last year’s team will return, including senior forward Danielle Tolmais, who led the team with 15 points, senior forward Kirsten Clemens, who tied for second with 14 points, and senior forward/midfielder Cristina Rodriguez, who tied for the team lead with five assists. Other returning players include senior midfielder Shaney Sakamoto, senior midfielder Tori Marshall, senior defender Kacey Bright, sophomore forward/ midfielder Maddie Pokorny and sophomore defender Carli Bond.

Volleyball

SLU women’s volleyball posted a strong 2015 season, finishing 22-10 and reaching the Atlantic-10 Conference championship match, where they lost to Dayton. However, SLU will be looking to win the conference in 2016, as four starters and a libero are amongst the returning players this season. Senior outside hitter Danielle Rygelski, a 2015 AVCA All-Midwest Region honoree and a first-team All-Atlantic 10 honoree, will return. She enters the season with 1,285 career kills, fifth among active NCAA Division I student-athletes, and is eighth on SLU’s alltime kill list. Also returning are junior outside hitter Nenye Okoro, senior middle blocker Taylor Paulson, junior middle blocker Lauren Leverenz and junior libero Mackenzie Long.

Field hockey

The field hockey team is back in action with five newcomers and new head coach Danielle Baumgardner at the helm of the program. The Billikens also have a new home turf: Sportport International, in Maryland Heights, Missouri. They return sophomore midfielder Carly Kissinger, the Billikens’ top scorer, and sophomore midfielder Molly Feid, who had three goals and two assists for the women. SLU started the exhibition season with two big wins against Missouri State and Lindenwood, both 2-1. The women dropped to 0-2 after their first weekend, losing matches against Miami of Ohio and Longwood in Farmville, Virginia. The Billikens have six home contests in the upcoming season.

Former Billiken represents Australia at Rio Olympics Australia’s swashbuckling run in Olympic basketball may have fallen just short of a medal, but it will be a tournament to remember for any SLU basketball fans, as former Billiken star Kevin Lisch played in all eight games of Australia’s tournament.

A local of Belleville, Illinois, and an Althoff High School graduate, Lisch’s basketball career has taken him all over the world, with playing stints in Australia, Puerto Rico, France and Spain, before finally returning to Australia and gaining citizenship in March.

During his time with the Billikens from 2005 to 2009, Lisch was a standout point guard under both Brad Soderberg and Rick Majerus. He is the Billikens’ sixth-leading scorer, was recently selected to the Saint Louis University AllCentury Team and was a three-time All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection and 2009 Academic All-American. He will be the third Billiken to play basketball in the Olympics, following in the footsteps of Pete McCaffery and Dick Boushka. McCaffery won a gold medal with Team USA in 1964 in Tokyo

CHEER

while Boushka won gold with Team USA in 1956 in Melbourne, Australia.

Lisch’s play in Australian basketball consistently placed him amongst the top players in the league. Fresh out of college, he joined the Perth Wildcats, with who he won a National Basketball League championship in 2010 and was the l e a g u e ’s Most Valuable Player in 2012.

L a t e r, when he returned to Australian basketball as a member of the Illawarra Hawks after playing in Puerto Rico, France and Spain, he was again named MVP in 2015. When Lisch gained Australian citizenship on March 24, 2016, his sterling performances in Australia quickly pushed him into the national team conversation under head coach Andrej Lemanis.

In July, Lisch shared his thoughts on being selected for the Olympic team with his hometown newspaper, the

“

Belleville News-Democrat.

In the interview, he spoke about his pride in being able to represent Australia, especially with his Australian wife and two kids watching on. He also mentioned the satisfaction he took from being able to represent his family and all of their hard work on the basketball court.

His opportunity to play in the Olympics, he said, was a product of the hard work of his parents in raising him and his siblings.

In the Rio Olympics, Lisch proved to be a solid contributor to his team, which included NBA players Andrew Bogut (Dallas Mavericks), Patty Mills (San Antonio Spurs), Joe Ingles (Utah Jazz), Matthew Dellavedova (Milwaukee Bucks), Cameron Bairstow (Chicago Bulls) and Aron Baynes (Detroit Pistons).

He averaged 14.0 minutes per game and 2.6 points

Former Billiken Kevin Lisch played in all eight games of Australia’s Olympic tournament.

JEER

“

By VIVEK GORIJALA Associate Sports Editor

Saint Louis Athletics

OLYMPIAN: Former Billiken Kevin Lisch looks to the basket at a home game during his time at SLU from 2005-2009. He competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics with Australia. per game. One of his strongest performances came in Australia’s opening match against France, where he contributed 8 points to a landslide 87-66 Australia victory. He also made a strong showing against Spain in the

bronze medal game, recording six rebounds, although Australia lost that match in heartbreaking fashion, 8988.

While the Australian basketball team may have ended their Olympic run in disap-

pointment, Lisch will have plenty to look forward to in his basketball career. He recently joined the Sydney Kings on a three-year deal and his Olympic experience will only serve to strengthen his new team.

FEAR

WHO TO CHEER: JOEY BOSA/CHARGERS Now that Joey Bosa and the San Diego Chargers have finally agreed on a contract, both sides can focus on more important things—namely, how to get Bosa to never leave quarterbacks with a moment’s peace and how to get the Chargers to make as deep a run in the playoffs as possible.

WHO TO JEER: HOPE SOLO Hope Solo may be the greatest-ever American goalkeeper. However, her comments about Sweden being a “bunch of cowards” along with past indiscretions appear to have ended her time with the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Representatives of the U.S. are expected to be sportsmanlike, and Solo has failed.

WHO TO FEAR: CHICAGO CUBS They say that the only constants in life are death, taxes and the Chicago Cubs never winning the World Series.

The Cubs, however, have consistently been the consensus best team in Major League Baseball this season. If they heat up during this fall’s playoffs, anything is possible.

8

September 1, 2016

Tweet of the week @Noahsyndergaard

I want the name and address of the person who started the “Wave” tonight. #banthewave

Scores from the week Cross Country The men’s and women’s cross country teams have yet to compete in their first event, but they show promise going into the season. They will race at home in the Forest Park Cross Country Festival on September 9 at 4:30 p.m. Later competitions include the National Catholic Championships in Notre Dame, Indiana on September 16, the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Illinois on October 14, and the A-10 Championships in Richmond, Virginia on October 29.

Men’s Soccer Billikens 1 Wake Forest 0 The men made a huge statement with a seasonopener win on the road against no. 5 Wake Forest with a first-half blast from sophomore forward Anthony Brown. Junior goalkeeper Sascha Otte recorded a career-high 11 saves and 20 shutouts.

Billikens 0 North Carolina 3 SLU split the weekend with a tough loss to no.

8 North Carolina. Otte recorded seven saves for the Billikens.

Women’s Soccer Billikens 3 Fort Wayne 0 Senior forward Danielle Tolmais came off the bench to score two goals in forty seconds, giving her a team-leading three goals on the season.

Billikens 1 Illinois 0 An early penalty kick from senior midfielder Shaney Sakamoto brought her to six points on the season.

Goalkeeper Mary Niehaus was A-10 Defensive Player of the Week behind her second straight shutout.

Volleyball Billikens 0 Michigan 3 Senior outside hitter Danielle Rygelski led all attackers with 13 kills.

Billikens 0 Northern Iowa 3 Sophomore setter Camila Rivas earned her first career double-double, with 21 assists and 10 digs.

Billikens 2 Miami (Ohio) 3 Rygelski earned a careerhigh 33 kills, while senior setter Ashley Gagen had a career-best 35 assists.

Field Hockey Billikens 0 Miami (Ohio) 9 Three separate Billikens had shots, two on goal and the defense tabbed 11 saves. This was SLU’s first loss after an impressive 2-0 exhibition season record.

Billikens 2 Longwood 6 Despite the loss, sophomore midfielder Carly Kissinger converted twice to put the Billikens on the board. Sophomore goalkeeper Jessie Bryan recorded seven saves.

SPORTS

This week in sports Thursday, Sept. 1 River City Rascals 7:05 p.m. at Florence Freedom

Friday, Sept. 2 Women’s Soccer 4 p.m. at Nebraska v.

Valparaiso Volleyball 7:00 p.m. v. Arkansas State

Saturday, Sept. 3 Field Hockey 11:30 a.m. at Iowa v.

Fairfield Volleyball 12:00 p.m. v. Western Kentucky 7:00 p.m. v. Cal Poly

Sunday, Sept. 4

Monday, Sept. 5

Field Hockey 11:30 a.m. at Iowa Men’s Soccer 7:00 p.m. v. Tulsa Women’s Soccer 7:00 p.m. at Nebraska

St. Louis Cardinals 3:05 p.m. at Pittsburgh Pirates

Tuesday, Sept. 6 Wednesday, Sept. 7 St. Louis Cardinals 6:05 p.m. at Pittsburgh Pirates

St. Louis Cardinals 6:05 p.m. at Pittsburgh Pirates

Fresh start for field hockey: “Why can’t we?”

By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor

Field hockey head coach Danielle Baumgardner Saint Louis Athletics

The fresh faces of the SLU field hockey team do not only reside on the player roster, but also on the coaching staff. Head coach Danielle Baumgardner, who served as assistant coach for the last two years, is beginning her first year at the helm of a revamped squad. Her experience as a two-time national champion in NCAA Division I Field Hockey and her passion for coaching will help bring the Billikens to a new level, both on and off the field.

When Danielle Baumgardner first came to Saint Louis University, she was fresh off an extremely successful career as a member of

the field hockey team at the University of Maryland. She helped her team to four Final Four appearances, three national championship games and two national championship titles. “I was fortunate to be a part of a field hockey dynasty,” Baumgardner said.

Now, she sits at the head of a team that is aiming for success, growth and a new look on their mission and values as a program. Her experience as a collegiate field hockey player at a high level and role as an assistant coach are key to carrying this team through the season with the mindset of getting better every day and realizing their potential as a collective.

Despite her success as a player, Baumgardner did not begin her field hockey career in diapers with a stick in her hand and ball at her feet. Throughout her childhood, Baumgardner had a wide range of experiences in other sports such as basketball, soccer and dancing, but she added field hockey to her résumé later in her career, around seventh grade.

The game that is now her calling was not always her cup of tea, however. “I actually hated field hockey the first year I played and wanted to quit every day,” she said. “It was so difficult to hit a small ball with a

wooden stick in thick, fiveinch grass.”

The parts that she despised most about the game ended up being the reasons for why she now loves the sport so deeply. “As the years passed, the game became faster with rule changes, technological advances and the increasing availability of artificial turf fields,” she said.

“I think that’s what I love most about field hockey, the speed of the game. The ball can reach speeds of 96 miles per hour. Also, since we play with a stick and can only use one side of it, there are so many different skills to use in the game. The combination of fine motor skills with gross motor skills is unlike any other sport.”

Talent and high-level play constantly surrounded her in those four college years, but what she has learned most is how to use those varying talents to form a cohesive team.

“All of the players that were recruited to Maryland were very talented and successful individual players. There was always a huge role adjustment in order for us to come together and work as a team,” Baumgardner said. “My role on the team was very different than it was on any other team of which I was a part. I was never a starter, and my playing time varied dramati-

cally depending on the type of team we played. This experience, although at times was difficult, has helped me tremendously as a coach.”

Her coaching techniques have already been put to the test this season, as the Billikens started off 2-0 in their exhibition season with 2-1 wins against Missouri State and Lindenwood.

Although they dropped their first two contests on the road to Miami of Ohio and Longwood, Baumgardner and her team are looking at the bigger picture of the season and where the team is heading as a rebuilding program. “My strong drive, or stubbornness, which helped me to play at Maryland, guides me on a day-to-day basis,” she said. “Every single day, our team and staff strive to make the program one percent better than before.”

“Our team theme this year is ‘Why can’t we?’”

Baumgardner said. “There has been a stigma associated with the field hockey team in the past that we are trying to change this year, and this phrase reminds us that we can be whatever we set our minds to. The only thing truly limiting our potential as an individual, team and program is ourselves. If there is a will, there is a way!”

Baumgardner is not alone

in her efforts. She has recruited two assistants, the most coaches the Billikens have had in the history of the program. “I have seen so much potential in this program, and I am excited to finally start implementing some changes,” she said. “We have multiple promotional events at our home games, we’re holding multiple clinics and camps this year, we have a character coach that is working with us, and we are finally playing on a good surface. I’m extremely optimistic about the future of this program.”

Most of all, Baumgardner’s mission is to serve her team and bring out the best in each of her players. “I absolutely love seeing individuals recognize their potential and reach it one step at a time,” she said. “As a coach, I try to provide them with the tools and resources and then step out of the way. There is room for growth every single day in lots of areas.”

The field hockey team is back in action this coming weekend in Iowa against Fairfield and the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Baumgardner and the Bills will be back at Sportport, their new home turf, on Sept. 11 to take on Missouri State for the Salute to Service game.

Rugby reloads after championship loss

By LAUREN TONDL Sports Editor

While the rest of SLU’s student body was away on summer vacation a few months ago, SLU’s rugby team was training rigorously for the Division II 7’s National Championship Tournament in Cary, North Carolina.

The team placed second overall out of 16 teams that were vying for the title.

Although it was a disappointing end to a long road of preparation and hard work, the squad felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in their season and post-season play. “I think as a whole we knew we were a very talented team up and down the roster,” junior Tim Lally said.

“Even though there were a few different rugby magazine writers who didn’t even pick us to advance out of our pool, we were confident in our abilities to succeed at the national level.”

The team placed fourth in the nation the previous year, but SLU was definitely an underdog in the eyes of the rugby world. “We walked into the tournament undersized and underestimated, and not many teams took us seriously in terms of contending for the title,” senior Conor Brady said. “Our team really thrives on being overlooked and proving that we can play with, and beat, some of the best teams in the country.”

With such an impressive finish to last year’s season, the team does not plan to rest on their laurels. They realize that there is room for improvement and a chance for establishing a winning tradition for SLU rugby.

Brady and Lally have stepped up as two of the captains for this year, and both plan on holding the standard high for this program in a competitive sense and maintaining a cohesive, tight-knit group of men. Their dedi-

cation to each other off the field is what helps them succeed at such a high level on the field.

“As a captain, I try to focus on keeping guys motivated on and off the field,” Brady said. “A lot of things have to happen off the field to keep the team running in terms of administrative issues, recruiting, and scheduling that the captains help oversee. We do whatever we can do to make sure the team is performing at its highest level.”

Lally also noted the importance of being a captain outside of practices and games. “It’s my job to lead this team by example. We also are responsible to do administrative work and look after younger players,” he said. “We have had a string of some very good captains in recent years who have gone above and beyond in their duties. I have had nothing but the utmost respect for our previous captains, and I hope to carry on the strong tradition of SLU Rugby that they have passed on to me.”

Joining their captains will be a large roster of returning players that will set the tone for the year. The group will rely on experience this year, as they only graduated three seniors from their roster. “We definitely have a good group of returning players this year,” Lally said.

“We have a lot of talent and experience that will help us achieve our goals.”

While the team will always remember the success of last year, they know it only raises the expectations from the rugby community, and those they have of themselves. “[Last season] just raises the expectations that the captains and coaches have for the season,” Brady said.

“We saw how well we did last year, and now we are looking to improve on our second

place finish. The success we had last season really acts as a motivator because we now know what it takes to play at the national championship level.”

This just may be the year for SLU’s rugby team to clinch the national championship title with the combination of a seasoned squad and a hunger for redemption of their second-place finish.

“I really do believe that this is our year to win a national championship in both 15s and 7s,” Lally said.

Prior to this season, SLU rugby used Forest Park as their home turf. The team will enjoy a change of scenery this year, as they will be playing some home games on SLU’s Medical Campus.

SLU rugby starts their season on September 3,

when they face Indiana State University in Casey, Illinois at 1 p.m.

Following that, they have three conference matches this month. SLU goes to Maryville on September 10 at 1 p.m., then they travel again to Southern Illinois University on September 17 at 1 p.m. Finally, they host Principia on September 23 at 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Todd Lunow

BREAKTHROUGH: Senior captain Conor Brady fights against two UMass-Lowell defenders at the 2016 NCAA Division II Men’s 7s National Championship tournament.

The team finished second overall in the competition, falling 29-5 to the University of Minnesota-Duluth. This year’s team is vying for titles in both the 15s and 7s divisions.

Junior captain Tim Lally will join Brady to lead the team this coming year.

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Opinions Editorials

September 1, 2016 opinion@unewsonline.com Trevor Rogan, Opinion Editor

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Spring Hall Opens, Other Sites Neglected

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In August 2011 SLU purchased the site of the former Pevely Dairy Company Plant, a complex that in 2009 was nominated and accepted to the National Register of Historic Places.

Although SLU initially did not divulge its intentions, in December 2011 the school requested permission to tear down the complex despite its historic label. When the city planning commission denied the school, former President Biondi threatened to close Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine and transport its operations to the county. The city planning commission overturned the denial in February 2012, ceding to the university, and in early April 2012, demolition began.

Since then, however, SLU has yet to develop anything on the site where the plant once stood. This site is not

an anomaly. SLU owns many properties that have been either reduced to an open field or left in a state of disrepair.

In discussing SLU’s plans for the medical center, architect and member of the Pevely Preservation Coalition, Paul Hohmann, weighed in on SLU’s land use options.

“SLU has acres and acres and acres of land all over the place to build their medical office buildings,” he said.

“You’ve got to think they have a 20-year master plan on what to do with all that property. After all, they’re buying it. But if they have such a plan, they’re not showing it.”

Perhaps SLU should spend more time developing the land it already owns instead of investing so much on building new structures like Spring and Grand Hall.

While improving resident living certainly adds to

the school, expanding the school’s borders while leaving them undeveloped does not help the community.

Where a business or residential space could establish itself, SLU has instead bought these properties to account for future expansion. This is especially harmful to the city because these undeveloped spaces do not produce tax revenue; SLU is a not-forprofit institution and thus tax- exempt.

Of building the new dorms, Dr. Pestello said, “Under Fr. Biondi’s leadership, there were many investments across the campus.

It’s now time that we turn to our residence halls.” At some point SLU must also turn to the properties it has acquired, preferably before it ventures to purchase more.

In this way it might give back to the community it claims to serve.

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Quotes of the Week

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I really do believe that this is our year to win a national championship in both 15s and 7s.

Tim Lally, rugby captain, page 8

Both albums take us on a rollercoaster of emotions that showcase his musicality while strengthening the case for 2016 being the best year of hip-hop and R&B releases that we have seen in the past decade.

Tom Bergan, senior staff writer, page 5

How could I ever possibly face the Palestinian people if I let two zionists with a piece of paper intimidate me?

Christopher Winston, junior, page 1

NBC’s Olympic Monopoly Disservices Viewers On August 21, the 2016 Olympic Games ended after months of speculation of whether Brazil was fit to host, with its slow construction time and the number of urban poor being ignored in the background. Despite conflicts that occurred—such as the Egyptian judoka who refused to shake hands with his Israeli opponent and the infamy of the U.S. men’s swimmers who vandalized a gas station— other stories made the games much more of a celebration.

From Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhi, who challenged traditional taboo by mentioning her period and how it affected her performance, to Usain Bolt’s continuing legacy of

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dominating the sprints, much of the competition can be viewed positively.

But NBC’s coverage of the games has not been. NBC currently holds a monopoly over Olympic coverage in the U.S., owning the rights to publish content until 2032. They have restricted a multitude of videos on YouTube and no other source can stream footage in the U.S. In most cases, videos of the contests were trimmed to clips lasting less than a minute. If you’re a fan of long distance races, such as the 10K, it might be hard to find the race if you missed it. NBC’s official YouTube account only features short clips of Olympic competition. If

you want to watch full length races like the 10K, you might be out of luck.

The Olympic Opening Ceremony did not set the stage for successful coverage.

The ceremony was delayed by an hour in the U.S., in order to fit advertisements in at every other moment. With so much spent on purchasing the rights to the games, the broadcasting company had to earn back some of the money. Also less than pretty was the commentating during the ceremony, which involved an insulting joke about the country Djibouti and an overemphasis on the U.S. The camerawork did not align with the commentating either, displaying

images of the subjects, such as American crowds, instead of the figures being discussed.

By promoting certain events and through tape delaying, NBC attempted to display the events that the United States would be competitive in, like swimming and gymnastics. Footage of women’s gymnastics—which took place at night—was delayed until the following day. But in a world of social media that runs continuously, the results had already been released, lowering the suspense of the competition and discouraging many from watching the games. Other sports were under-covered, such as the field events. One of NBC’s former

analysts, Dwight Stones, went as far as to say that NBC’s coverage “ignored and belittled” the field events, such as the shot put.

Although the U.S. made its star athletes out to be the ones who defied the odds and fought hard to earn Olympic fame, it ignored many of the international stories to celebrate, such as content revolving around tennis singles champion Monica Puig, the first Puerto Rican to win gold.

Stories about athletes from across the world and those that had smaller fan bases were also neglected.

Most of NBC’s decisions were commercially-oriented, with an obvious frame of U.S.

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ILLUSTRATOR SOPHIE LAPPE

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Until last month, Saint Louis University had not opened a new residence hall for nearly two decades.

Spring Hall, constructed beside Beracha Hall and just a stroll from Fusz Hall, will be followed by the second dorm in two years: Grand Hall, scheduled to open in August 2017. The primordial structure beside Griesedieck Hall, which looks anything but grand at this point, will become a 530-student dorm complete with a 740-student dining hall, continuing the university’s efforts to improve student housing.

While Spring’s construction went less noticed, the remodeling of SLU’s grounds in preparation for Grand Hall has been harder to ignore.

At the corner of Grand and Laclede, anyone driving by the school will notice the space has changed since last year. Where trees once grew, beautifying the campus, a blue fence now guards the site: the ugly duckling of SLU’s Frost Campus.

This eyesore, however, is relatively fleeting, unlike many properties SLU has acquired over the years.

Within the city after which it is named, Saint Louis University is an organism that continues to grow and change. It has expanded farther than most students are aware, and will continue to do so. Between Chouteau Avenue, South Compton Avenue, Park Avenue and 39th Street, SLU has created a 60-block area where much of its property holdings reside. Under former President Fr. Lawrence Biondi, the school gobbled up property after property, many times coming into conflict with its neighbors.

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patriotism. While all media companies must appeal to their viewers in order to sustain themselves, NBC appeals to its viewers to a nauseating extent.

NBC’s product cannot be ignored as one that does not embody the international spirit of the games. The way NBC has a monopoly over coverage of the games in the U.S. does not characterize the games accurately and does a disservice to U.S. viewers. By limiting the scope to one company, NBC controls coverage in an authoritarian style, preventing access to the games despite technology that should make access easier than ever.

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September 1, 2016

OPINION & EDITORIALS

A comprehensive ranking of SLU’s loos

According to a map of Saint Louis University’s Frost Campus, there are 63 buildings in the plot of land between Lindell, Laclede, Compton and Grand. Add in Reinert—which I usually don’t—and that makes 64. While all of these buildings are assigned different departments and purposes, there is one very natural, very human need that they all fulfill. Each of them has a bathroom. While I do not purport to have visited every commode on campus, I have taken careful note of the ones I have visited.

At its best, a bathroom is forgettable. It meets the needs of the individual without leaving any noticeable impression. At its worst, a bathroom is an experience one cannot forget. Saint Louis University encompasses the whole bathroom experience in its 271 acres.

In this article, I will be reviewing the bathrooms of Cook, DuBourg, Macelwane, Monsanto, Ritter, the Rec Center, Tegler, Xavier, the Lecture Halls and the BSC. The Cook School of Business has a lot going for it.

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Alex Radar

The building itself is new, I’ve been there enough times pretty and occasionally has to recite the sign reminding free breakfast for some reawomen that toilet paper is son. While its bathrooms are a solid waste. They function not adequately spaced, the well, they never smell, and I ones it has are always clean, never have to dry my hands odorless and the appliances on my pants. I think their are brand new. I have only signs that ask people not to attended this building for a squat on the toilets are worktheology course. The bathing too because I never have rooms in Cook Hall proto hover. 4/5 because the tile vided a much-needed relief is hideous and no one wants from the eyes of God. Cook to look at themselves under Hall bathrooms get a 4.5/5 fluorescents. because they’re great, but Monsanto’s bathrooms there aren’t enough of them. would probably be cleaner if Ask me a year ago what Chem Lab students stopped I thought of the DuBourg wetting their pants and bathrooms and I would have stress vomiting: 2/5. said, “you mean the ones I’ve only used a Ritter that smell like drywall and bathroom once but I rearen’t available for use?” member thinking, “this is But now I wouldn’t say that literally the worst SLU bathbecause they’re open, and room that I’ve ever been in.” they’re brand new. Great It achieved the bathroom water presversion of sure, new rubbing toilets, and salt in the frequent wounds by cleaning On the whole, the not only bemake DudisgustXavier bathrooms ing Bourg an ing, but by are the toilet of excellent having no the university. choice for soap with the discernwhich to ing bathwash one’s room-goer. hands. My I was one of only theory the first people to use these for how these bathrooms new lavatories. The downcould have gotten so gross side to this was that they had is that the janitors kept reforgotten to supply toilet pavealing themselves as math per. The upside was that they prodigies a la “Goodwill had forgotten to remove Hunting.” 1/5 because the the key to the toilet paper stalls still functioned and dispenser. So I took it, and water alone is only marginpromptly lost it. DuBourg ally better than soap as long gets a 4.8/5. as you scrub properly.

Macelwane’s bathrooms The Rec Center bathare consistently clean, and rooms are always clean, and

even if they aren’t, I wouldn’t know because the chlorine fumes from the nearby pool give the illusion of cleanliness. They’re always well stocked and all the stall doors work properly—ironic, considering it’s the only room on campus where nudity is appropriate. 4.9/5 because none of their scales are accurate and the freshman fifteen is a myth.

On the whole, the Xavier bathrooms are the toilet of the university. They receive a 0/5 for having no hot water, broken stall doors, and constantly clogged toilets.

The individual bathroom on floor one, however, is awarded a 5/5 because it is newly renovated and often features live music from the adjacent practice room.

The Lecture Hall bathroom reminds me of an airport bathroom. Everyone looks like they’ve just finished a flight from BIO and have four minutes to catch their connecting flight to CHEM. Also, much like an airport bathroom, there are bags all over and everyone refuses to make eye contact.

If there were more crying children and fewer crying adults, it would be just like Newark: 2/5.

Finally, you really can’t go wrong with the BSC. Even if one stall is out of toilet paper, there are a dozen others you can choose from. It’s clean, new, and there are full length mirrors. 4.95/5 because the biohazard waste container on the wall makes me nervous.

Kylo Ren: an Underrated Villain

Michael Tettambel

The Star Wars saga is regarded as one of the most iconic film series to appear onscreen. In December, the studios released the newest installment of the series, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” A staple of the film franchise would be the sinister Darth Vader, Jedi turned Sith Lord. Vader set the standard for villains in modern cinema. Producer J.J. Abrams was faced with a near-impossible task when directing the seventh edition. How do you introduce a villain more sinister than Vader?

If you have not seen “The Force Awakens,” I would advise you to not read on for there are spoilers. After the sixth film, the Galactic Empire is in shambles but remnants still exist. More characters step up to transform the Empire into the First Order, with a similar mission: to wipe out all Jedi and to rule the galaxy. This is where Kylo Ren comes into play. The son of Han Solo and Leia Organa, he trains under his uncle, Luke Skywalker, to continue the path of the Jedi. To some of the audience, Ren is an angsty teen who disobeys

his parents, but he is much more than that. The movie does not detail his origins, but it does reveal that he was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. He venerates his grandfather, Darth Vader.

Going back and analyzing “The Force Awakens,” I noticed a number of powers and characteristics of Ren that add to his résumé of cruelty. Throughout the film, the audience sees Ren lash out in anger, destroying monitors and other devices.

Many interpreted his spurts of anger as temper tantrums, but they are much more. It shows that this character is unpredictable and unable to contain his rage, adding to his manic persona. His tactics of interrogations are new to the films. He uses the force to enter the mind of Poe. Vader is able to enter Luke’s mind but only for communication.

An overlooked detail in the film is the few seconds that show Ren slamming his helmet into a table of ashes while he questions Rey. J.J. Abrams enlightens audiences in the behind-the-scenes stories of the Blu-ray release that Ren’s helmet rests on the ashes of his enemies.

This detail brings to light the vicious nature of Ren. He collects, burns and preserves the remains of his foes.

Overall, I believe that J.J. Abrams did a superb job introducing a new memorable villain to Star Wars, and one that could possibly rival Vader as the iconic villain of the franchise.

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