No. 6 (Nov. 16, 2017)

Vol. XCVII No. 6

A student voice of Saint Louis University since 1921

A Full House for an American Legend

November 16, 2017

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News

November 16, 2017

INSIDE SCOOP:

Photo taken by Eva Rinaldi via Flickr

ARTS

Reputation: One Album, Two Reviews Page 6

SPORTS Fiery Start For Men’s Basketball Page 15

OPINION

SLU’s Role in Social Justice Page 20

Emma Carmody / The University News

FEELING THE BUZZ: National hero tells of his experiences as an astronaut and space explorer to eager audience.

Buzz Aldrin speaks to SLU students

By MEREDYTH STAUNCH Managing Editor

After nearly 50 years since the first lunar landing, Buzz Aldrin still has his sights set on space. American engineer, Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 11, and the second human to walk on the moon following Commander Neil Armstrong, Aldrin spoke to students, alumni, and science enthusiasts at the Center for Global Citizenship Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Although decorated with achievements ranging from serving as a jet fighter pilot during the Korean War to earning his Doctorate of Science in Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and later joining former NASA astronaut Jim Lovell during the 1966 Gemini 12 flight, Aldrin stressed the importance of continued advancements after the pivotal Apollo 11 mission. “The first words that really came to me while stepping foot on the moon were ‘magnificent desolation’,” he said. “It was a magnificent accomplish-

ment for humans to set foot on another world for the first time.” But, while Aldrin acknowledged the advancements in space exploration within the last 100 years, he underlined that the future resides in space itself.

Aldrin wants to see a mission to Mars, and he believes that inspiring young minds is the first step in achieving this goal. Creating the world’s first holographic ‘archival VR’ project from LIFE VR, TIME, and tech company 8i, he launched “Buzz Aldrin: Cycling Pathways to Mars” in March 2017, where viewers travel from the Apollo 11 landing site on the moon to Mars.

“I pride myself in thinking out of the box, leading innovation,” Aldrin said. He sees today’s younger generation carrying out this journey to Mars, and he wants to foster their education and interest in space through his interactive approach and books.

“I may not be around to see much [of the Mars landing], but I do want to do ev-

erything I can to lay the groundwork,” Aldrin said. “And, this is why I wrote my plan for the future and my book “Welcome to Mars,” released in 2013.” The book challenges children to envision Mars as not just a faraway red plant, but rather as a possible home for people, and it would rekindle the golden age of space exploration.

This golden age of exploration occurred in the 1960s, when a collection of over 4,000 photographs and documentary pictures of space and the moon were captured. However, not much has occurred within the last ten to fifteen years after the Columbia disaster, where space shuttle Columbia dismantled as it returned to earth in 2003, killing seven astronauts on board.

“It’s hard for schools to do enough to educate children when it comes to sciences and space exploration because, in general, there isn’t a good development of history,” See “Aldrin” on page 5

News

November 16, 2017

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Tweets

of the week @pwcdanica No disinterested thirdparty observer should have to face jail time for protecting a whistleblower. Reporters are vital in our Republic and their sources need to be able to trust us. (Yes, us.) I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can to help restore faith in journlism.

Photo courtesy of Luke Yamnitz

ANNUAL SUCCESS: The Bhangra vs. South dance was one among many performances at this year’s ISA Fall Show.

ISA Fall Show successful once again

By SAVANAH SEYER Staff Writer

On Friday, Nov. 10th, the Indian Student Association held their fall production. The show, entitled “3 Idiots: Senior Year,” was a mix of dancing, acting, music, and food.

Before the show, attendees had the option to purchase a meal ticket and were served traditional Indian food before the show began.

The evening started with Astha A Cappella singing the Indian National Anthem and the United States National Anthem, as well as other selections.

The show’s skit was based around three members of ISA who have entered their senior year. The three boys try to navigate classes, fun, and finding their paths in life. At the beginning of the show, they make a bet with their professor that if all three pass, they get to slap him. The skit concluded with one member of the group preparing to attend a prestigious dance school, and with all three members of the group succeeding in their endeavor to pass the course. They kept the show moving with a mix of jokes, skits, and shenanigans to keep the audience laughing.

In between scenes with the “3 Idiots” and their friends, the four different class levels of ISA performed class dances, which dazzled the crowd with tradition-

al Indian dance moves mixed in with mainstream pop moves. These dances were large endeavors, allowing many members of ISA to be involved in the show and to form impressive dance routines on stage.

The show also included special performances by dance group Bhangra vs.

South, who performed a high energy dance routine that was extremely well received by the audience. The group also danced to a mix of Indian and American pop music and drew incredible reactions from those watching.

A musical group was also formed by members of ISA, who performed hits like “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, and “Attention” by Charlie Puth, among others.

The group made the songs their own by performing them in multiple languages.

The group included five musicians and nine vocalists.

The show also involved some special guests. A Capella group Beyond All Reason performed a variety of songs, including “Find me” by Sigma featuring Birdy and “Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé.

The Filipino Student Association also gave a performance, showing off impressive footwork to entertain the crowd.

Sophomore Angelica Rubi, who attended the performance said she enjoyed the

show immensely.“I loved it. I thought the show was so fun and vibrant,” said Rubi.

“A lot of my friends performed in the show, and it was so fun getting to watch them perform and cheer them on.”

The crowd was also given an update on the service work being done by the Indian Student Association and on the groups that the organization is currently working with. The two main organizations that were spotlighted were Manav Sadhna, a nonprofit organization in Ashram, Ahmedabad, that serves the underprivileged people in the area, and Pathways to Independence, a group that supports development of adults with disabilities.

The fall show is one of ISA’s largest events during the semester and requires a large amount of planning. Purvah Shah and Priyanka Patel were the ISA show chairs, and oversaw all the logistics of the show.

“The planning process was definitely long and hard,” said Patel. “It started in the summer when we came up with a theme and thought of some small logistics. But as the year picked up, we planned rehearsal dates, tryout dates, had to keep track of participants and the progression of each act. But we didn’t do all of this alone.”

To the crowd, the show seemed to

@realDonaldTrump Excited to be heading home to see the House pass a GREAT Tax Bill with the middle class getting big TAX CUTS! #MakeAmericaGreatAgain run quite effortlessly, and according to the show chairs, this is because of the incredible help behind the scenes.

“The dance and musical acts are all choreographed by our general body members. Most of the acts have around 20-30 people each, which is a lot for us to handle. To help with the acts we have a show committee which is made up of about 20 people critique the acts and improve them in any way possible. They are also there to help us on the day of the show directing people, serving food, and leading acts on and off stage,” said Shah.

“Another big part of the show is our executive board. There are many aspects of the show that each member contributes to.” For example, Shah said, “Our class representatives are constantly promoting the event to their class and we have had many promotional posts made by our public relations chairs.”

“The fall show takes months of preparation and planning, which needs the help of many people,” said Shah. “It would not have been done without the help of everyone involved, which also included those who came to watch our show.”

“After it was over, a lot of people came up to us and said they loved it,” said Patel. “I think a lot of people enjoyed it and that was the goal at the end.”

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November 16, 2017

News

Sexual Violence and God-Talk at SLU

By PATRICK HYLAND Staff Writer

On Nov. 13th, sexual violence in America was the topic of the second talk in the God-Talk series, led by Theological Studies Professor Julie Rubio and PhD Candidate Alex Giltner. In light of the fact that 20 highprofile men have been accused of sexual harassment or rape just since the accusations against American film producer Harvey Weinstein, Rubio challenged those in attendance to ask the questions “What allows this to happen?” and “What do we need to do to disable this?”

Speaking as a Christian and a theologian, Rubio wondered how Christians are contributing to the problem, citing a certain silence about sexuality, the taboo nature of “sex outside marriage,” as well as an idealization of Marian virtues such as silence and submissiveness. Rubio also mentioned the frequent uses of harmful analogies made about those who have sex before marriage, such as the comparison to a chewed-up apple. The defense of the Republican Senate candidate in Alabama, Roy Moore, by some Christian conservatives complicates, for Rubio, the role that religion may play in a society which facilitates sexual violence. Such Christian conservatives cite the perhaps similar age difference between Joseph and Mary in defending Moore’s relationships with now five women who were then teenagers.

Three words that Rubio used to describe a way forward were reverence, anger, and hope. Rubio noted how reverence for human beings is often lost in themed parties which she described as essentially a practice in diminishing human dignity. Rubio shared her hope that mutuality, equality, and intimacy be hallmarks of sexual relationships.

Aware that sexual harassment and rape are also present on SLU’s campus, Rubio read an email written by a former student of hers who was raped in the Fusz loading dock and basement during her sophomore year. The former student wrote of her regular nightmares of the incident and the silence that followed because of the shame she felt. The letter was written five years after the attack.

Alex Giltner admitted to his own complicity in patriarchal privilege, citing his own high school locker room experiences and the slang used to normalize the treatment of women as objects. Giltner posed the question to the audience, “What makes a rapist?”

His answer: “Through years of conversation” that effectively treats women as objects.

Such conversation was described by Giltner

as “rampant and normative.” Since persons have an “incommunicable existence” and are “unique and mysterious,” each bearing “the image of God,” Giltner described rape as a blatant failure to treat the other as a person who, he believes, has “infinite, unique value.”

The question and answer period began with a female student expressing her disappointment in the handling of her own experience of sexual harassment on campus she shared through an email sent to President Pestello. Her email was forwarded to the Title IX office on campus, she said, without any response from Pestello. She added that the Title IX office then automatically scheduled a meeting without first speaking with her.

Professor Elizabeth Block explained during the question and answer period how the title of the event was, in effect, censored by the University when it was uploaded to the University Calendar. The talk was originally titled “Sexual Violence and God-Talk: Silence, Complicity, and Social Responsibility,” but was apparently modified to just “Religion and Complex Social Issues Discussion.” Giltner believed that the censorship was further proof of patriarchy at work. He also noted what he believed to be a cover-up by Pope Saint John Paul II of sexual abuse committed by priests and what he viewed as Pope Benedict XVI’s disregard for victims of sexual abuse.

A 15-minute segment of PBS News Hour that originally aired last October preceded the panel discussion. Featured was Kelly Oxford, the creator of the hashtag, #NotOkay, and ESPN commentator Mike Wise, who described current conditions as a “lockerroom-talk culture” and an “enabling culture” which serves to actually “worship arrested development.” Brandeis Law Professor Anita Hill pointed out the harm in phrases that permit sexist commentary such as claiming that a hurtful comment was “just a joke” or asking a listener, “Can’t you just take a joke?”

This was contrasted with a Fox News segment which accused American society as being too politically correct today, and demanded that those women who are offended by such “locker-room talk” need to “grow up.”

The Theological Studies Department is open to suggestions for the next topic in their God-Talk series.

Proposed GOP Tax Reform affects students

By JAKOB BENEDETTI Staff Writer

For several weeks, Republicans in Congress have been working on an ambitious plan to overhaul the American tax system, an act that would affect a large number of people and corporations. This tax reform proposal is led by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, who is working under the blessing of President Trump.

To some, this dramatic proposal by Trump and the Republicans is a desperate attempt to score a major legislative victory after their dramatic failure on healthcare reform, as well as the recent Democratic sweeps in elections in Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, and Washington. To others, it is an attempt to fix the nation’s tax code. Along with overhauling the tax code for individuals and businesses, the Republican plan would also change a number of things in regards to higher education for students and universities.

Perhaps the most significant new proposal put forth by Republicans is to levy an excise tax of 1.4% on universities with over 500 students and over $100,000 of endowment per student. Proponents of this tax claim it will force universities to spend more money on students and student benefits, however opponents see it as a veiled attack on higher education with little real benefit. As it currently stands, SLU would qualify for this tax, but the specifics of what sort of income or assets would be taxed is not yet exactly clear.

In addition to the excise tax, the House’s proposed tax plan would also change the way that graduate students pay for their education. In exchange for helping teach courses, conducting research, and working for a university, graduate students are often offered benefits. These can vary from stipends to waivers which can be used to pay for a portion of the student’s tuition. Under the proposed plan, these incentives would be now be considered taxable income, meaning that graduate students would be paying higher taxes on money that they don’t actually have. This could eventually lead to fewer people pursuing graduate programs, and thus hurting universities. In the long run, the small amount of money gained by taxing graduate students could damage the country’s workforce. Fewer people obtaining a graduate degree results in less-specialized workers, which can harm the economy.

Another major portion of the tax plan would “streamline” the existing tax credits for students struggling with the cost of

education. This includes repealing the Lifetime Learning Credit and Hope Scholarship Credit. Both of these are intended pay for the cost of education for both graduate students and adults who want to go back to school. However, while the proposed tax plan does expand the American Opportunity Tax Credit to five years instead of four, the fifth year only accounts for half of the original amount received. More significantly, the GOP plan would eliminate the Student Loan Interest Deduction, which allows students to deduct the interest of their student loans from their tax bill each year. In 2015, 12.4 million people used this deduction. The plan also eliminates separate deductions for students with high tuition and for teachers who are forced to buy supplies for their classrooms.

From the perspective of a student, the outlook can be grim. The proposed tax plan would result in a higher tax bill for graduate students, higher interest payments for all students with loans, and less money allocated in our society for higher education and ensuring that as many people as possible have access to it.

The argument that politicians supporting the tax plan make when pressed is that the tradeoff is a lower tax rate overall for individuals, in addition to the expansion of other credits not related to education, such as the child tax credit. However, many of these positive benefits are set to phase out after ten years, right when current students will be needing them, while the cuts to corporate taxes and the estate tax are set to phase in over time. In addition, the corporate tax rate would be lowered to 20 percent from the current 35 percent along with eliminating most business deductions and credits.

Part of the reason that the proposed tax reform bill cannot add to any debt after ten years is because Republicans want to pass their tax reform bill without any Democratic votes using a Senate process called “reconciliation”. So, to avoid this rule, many parts of the bill would not come into full effect until after ten years. This has angered people who oppose the proposed tax reform, who claim that the proposal is a political move focused around maximizing the cuts to the corporate tax rate without making any compromises with Democrats or Independents in Congress.

Because of the effects that this proposed tax plan can have on students, it is important to pay attention to it and call your local representatives about how this plan can affect you.

News

November 16, 2017

Let Us Introduce You:

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Whitney Hake

By EM MILLER News Editor

Changing majors is a crucial part of the college experience, one to which Whitney Hake can attest . A current sophomore, Hake decided to come to SLU because of the location and its “urban but tight-knit” campus feeling.

Hake also decided to come to SLU because of the well-rounded pre-medicine program that she thought would assist her on her way to becoming a doctor.

Over the course of her journey at SLU, however, Hake has changed majors four times. Originally, Hake was planning on majoring in biochemistry and attending medical school after graduation. Over time, Hake realized she didn’t enjoy or connect to her classes, and that biochemistry was not the major for her. As Hake puts it, “[Biochemistry] was during my pre-med days. I wanted to be a doctor… I was young and foolish. I was not passionate about bio, nor chem. It was all bad.”

After realizing that biochemistry was not a major that interested her, Hake

switched to majoring in health management. The next semester, she switched to double majoring in economics and financing, before currently settling on accounting.

“It seemed like a nice progression.”

Hake said with a laugh, “It all followed each other. Health management is basically business and health, but then I found out I hated health. And then, I picked econ and finance because I wanted to be different than my brother. Then I chose accounting because it opened so many doors to so many new job opportunities along with offering classes I enjoy.”

Majoring in accounting will allow Hake to graduate with a BS in accounting in the spring of 2019, something that she is excited about. “Graduating SLU a year early from undergraduate will give me a head start on pursuing my masters in accounting.” Hake comments, “After achieving my masters, I’ll have to decide what I want to do. Right now, I’m thinking of either joining an accounting firm or attending law school. Both op-

tions seem like they’d be something I’d be interested in.”

In addition to her passion for accounting, Hake enjoys volunteering and making a difference in the community. Once a week, she volunteers at St. Mary’s Hospital, assisting individuals in navigating the building and managing the help desk. Recently, she reached 100 hours of volunteer service at the hospital. Though unable to do as much volunteering due to her course load, Hake has tutored at Loyola Academy and is an active member of the Honors Learning Community. Outside of her classes, Hake is part of Economics Club, AED, and Amicus Curiae.

Hake also loves puzzles, particularly sudoku.

When asked about advice for people contemplating changing their majors, Hake advised “Don’t be afraid to change majors to find something that you love. Because I did it like ten billion times, and you don’t want to be stuck in a job that you hate for the rest of your life.”

Aldrin Speaks at SLU Continued from Page 2

Aldrin said. “And, [this education] begins to fade quickly because, unfortunately, not that much has happened recently.” After the Columbia accident, he mentioned that NASA was not planning on flying the shuttle until after 2010 – However, the substitute is still not ready.

In the Apollo program, the peak of funding occurred in 1967, when there was pronounced development of rockets and spacecrafts. Two years later, Armstrong and Aldrin both stepped foot on the moon. After the Apollo 13 malfunction, which was caused by an explosion and rupture of oxygen tank No. 2 in the service module, several more missions took place until 1972. No person has traveled back to the moon since then.

“That’s not what you would call a big payoff on that investment,” Aldrin said. “Now, of course the budget keeps on going up with inflation and such, so you can’t really say that if we have inflation, we’re going to be able to do things.”

With the expenditures noted as over-

budget and overscheduled by Congress, Aldrin wants to provide other aspects of growth to the program and the idea that the sky is not the limit, as noted in his newest book “No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons From a Man Who Walked on the Moon.”

One of the main points of his book entails looking at alternatives to foster improvement. “It’s hard to convince people to change when there’s money or power involved, and that’s called the status quo,” he said. Housing an idealistic and progressive way of thinking, he elaborated on a need to alter this status quo to promote productivity and positivity and to think beyond our nation alone.

“It’s got to involve the capable nations,” Aldrin said. “We need an accommodation for the people.” His goal of space travel to Mars might not have occurred yet, but he claims that the United States as one nation cannot do it alone.

There needs to be actions taken to include other countries in order to make the dream become a reality.

Photo courtesy of Whitney Hake

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

Monday, Nov. 13 8:17 a.m. INFORMATIONAL DPS responded to a call that a contract housekeeper was refusing to get off of an elevator in 3660 Vista DOB. Officers were able to convince him to leave the elevator and asked if he wished to be evaluated by emergency medical services. The housekeeper declined and Centaur Building Services was notified.

Monday, Nov. 13 10:24 p.m. STEALING OVER After the closing of concession stands from a men’s basketball game, it was revealed that an employee failed to report to the office and turn in the end of the night proceeds. Despite a search, the employee could not be found and the managers of Delaware North estimated the missing proceeds to be about $800.00. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police were called and took a report, and a wanted ad was placed for the employee.

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

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November 16, 2017

Needed: Opinions Editor, Illustrator, General Manager

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Arts&Entertainment UNews

Two reviews, one T. Swift

By NISH GORCZYCA Staff Writer

In mid-August, Taylor Swift’s loyal followers noticed something that they could all collectively describe as shocking: the countryturned-pop songstress wiped clean all of her social media profiles as well as her website. Then, she started posting videos of snakes.

On Aug. 23, she announced her sixth studio album, “Reputation,” to be released on Nov. 10, 2017, with the first single to be released the very next day. “Look What You Made Me Do” was an instant hit. It ushered in what everyone collectively regarded as the era of a new Taylor: a vindictive, don’tgive-a-damn snake queen taking control of the socalled “narrative” of her life that has spiraled out of control in the past year. A battle cry for her loyal band of Swifties, the lead single from the album is unlike anything that anyone has ever heard from her before. It was dark, it was slightly dangerous, and it threw large amounts of shade.

Three singles later, and the album was released at midnight on Nov. 10 on iTunes, as well as physically at Target with accompanying magazines. As for streaming services, Swift announced on Nov. 7 that she would be withholding the album for an undefined amount of time.

This comes as no surprise, seeing as she has spoken out against the low royalties that streaming services pay to artists.

The album itself definitely follows the “Old Taylor is dead” idea from the lead single. None of the songs sound like anything she’s ever released before, but the ideas she’s explored in the past,

like love, loss of love and vengeance, are still there.

She’s gone through an artistic reinvention, and once again has staked her claim over the world of pop music, further separating herself from the country world in which she got her start.

She’s still Taylor, though.

While a large portion of her f a n s were in midd l e school and high school, essentially during t h e “Fearless” to “Red” e r a s , her lyrics sounded like something out of a diary and reflected fans’ feelings turned into the words that they couldn’t find themselves. In “Reputation,” that holds true, but rather than diary-style lyrics, the new Taylor presents a high level of mature selfawareness. Her fan base has grown up, and so has she; it just makes sense.

The first half of the album is loud. It’s energetic; it’s different; and it stands out from anything else she’s ever done. From the forceful opening track, “…Are You Ready For It?” to track seven, “So It Goes…,” the songs are full of hip hop and R&B influences. Some lines hit hard. “This is how the world works / you have to leave before you get left” from “I Did Something Bad” is as blunt as the rest of the album.

Track eight, “Gorgeous,” came out prior to the album’s release as a promotional single and serves as a sort of transition to the slower, See “Taylor’s ‘Reputation’: The good” on Page 7

By CANCE POOL Staff Writer

Taylor Swift is an artist that needs no introduction; she is one of the biggest pop stars in the world and has been for sometime. For a long time, she was a pop-country icon. When I was in middle school, her country songs about boys were inescapable; to me, that was Taylor Swift at her best. But in 2012, she traded in her acoustic guitar and country style for more generic mainstream pop with albums such as “Red” and “1989.” These two albums are my least favorite of her work due to the fact that I wasn’t a massive

fan o f her count r y sty le, but it w a s typically fun,

catchy, a n d easy to Courtesy of Makaiyla Willis

listen to. Additionally, it was obvious that she had sold out and alienated her old fans with these two albums.

Her last album before “Reputation” came out in 2014, and Swift has never taken this long of a break when it comes to releasing new music, but Swift was definitely busy during this time. She was caught up in all sorts of petty drama with fellow icons such as Katy Perry and, most notably, Kanye West. Most people have a general idea of what happened, so I won’t dive into that here, but the reason I mention that is because a lot of the songs on this album are a sort of retaliation to what hap-

pened.

Her first single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” was filled to the brim with shots at West and the drama that surrounded them. I was legitimately surprised to hear that she is still on this, like you seriously still care? Because no one else does. It happened a long time ago and there are new stories about celebrity drama everyday; everyone has moved on and forgotten except for you.

So, coming into this album, I truly had no idea what to expect. Are we going to hear a bunch of Kanye West diss tracks? Will Swift go back to her country roots? Will it be another mediocre pop album? Well after listening to this over the weekend I got my answer: No on the country, but yes for everything else.

Swift kicks the album off

See “Taylor’s ‘Reputation’: The mediocre” on Page 7

November 16, 2017 arts@unewsonline.com Natalie Riopelle, Arts Editor Chandana Kamaraj, Assoc. Arts Editor

On Your Feet!

By NADIA SIRAJUDDIN Staff Writer

“On Your Feet! The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical” is an extremely feel-good show bringing a refreshing Latino-American culture to the broadway stage. The musical tells the story of the 80s singing sensation, Gloria Estefan, and her rise to fame with the help of her husband, Emilio Estefan. The show encompassed so many different relevant themes that even I, a millennial who had never heard of Gloria Estefan, found a lot to appreciate and be inspired from.

As the show began with Gloria performing in a concert, it was clear to see this was going to be a show full of upbeat energy and fun. The most unique scenes would have to be the concert scenes as no other show has blinded me with flashy colorful lights before like this one, and not to mention, I’ve never watched a musical end with confetti exploding into the audience. The settings throughout the show were executed nicely with nothing to critique. The transitions were very smooth, sometimes even involving projected captions telling me exactly where and what year the scene was taking place. The musical had a more modern touch to it, leading me to constantly feel like I was watching a movie-based musical.

The plot did not leave me constantly thinking about what was going to happen next, but nonetheless, I enjoyed it the way I enjoy the romantic comedy movies that one watches curled up on the sofa with a bowl of ice cream in hand. There were enough conflicts to entertain, and the light-hearted dialogue and humorous characters would lead me to watch it again.

As the cast performed the iconic songs recorded by Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine, I enjoyed seeing many audience members around me sing along. The cast made me want to get up and start dancing. Some of the dancers were interactive, as they high-fived people in the audience and danced down the aisle in one scene.

From Gloria’s grandmother to the bosses of record labels, every character was See “Turn the Beat” on Page 8

8 November 16, 2017

‘Thor’ three brings down the hammer

By TODD JOHNSON Staff Writer

When news of a third Thor installment arrived, the hype was unbelievable. From the posters to the first real trailer, “Thor: Ragnarok” looked colorful, fresh and exciting, but by the time the film actually hit theaters, I became worried that the excitement might have been exaggerated. I could not have been more wrong. “Thor: Ragnarok” blows the previous two Thor films completely out of the water with its clever characters, fascinating setting and relaxed, fun feel to an intense story. Despite being a complex journey through multiple worlds and dimensions the plot is easy and pleasant to follow, without asking the viewers to constantly decipher convoluted story arcs, which Marvel typically employs quite liberally. Essentially, it’s a classic comic book story of protagonist versus antagonist with some hilarious—and some serious—developments occurring along the way. “Thor: Ragnarok” is pleasurably linear, and the audience gets to enjoy it unfold with a ton of laughs along the way.

As the film carries on we see a new side to Thor, God of Thunder, as an Avenger who feels somewhat insecure in his status and strength when compared to his peers. He awkwardly brags about his accomplishments and value as a member of the Avengers team, giving the audience some laughs but also revealing a new Thor to which we can all relate. Both Thor and the Incredible Hulk attain a new level of character depth, hopefully to be utilized in the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War.” Prior to this film, Hemsworth portrayed a cool and noble God of Thunder.

“Ragnarok” not only let us see a more honest and fun side of Thor, but it let Hemsworth show off his range as an actor. Mark Ruffalo gave an entertaining, if not always convincing, performance as Bruce Banner, and Hulk himself had more lines in this movie than in all the other Marvel movies combined. More likely than not, those unfamiliar with the comics were probably

surprised that Hulk could speak actual sentences. A fact which makes him a far more interesting character by giving him a unique personality. Hulk is no longer just a super-strong, green version of Bruce Banner.

The characters in “Thor: Ragnarok” kept us entertained, but we can’t forget some of the best and most thrilling action sequences Marvel has ever put on the big screen. Right from the start the audience is drawn in with an intense battle to one of Led Zeppelin’s most memorable songs ever, “Immigrant Song,” played in time with the action happening onscreen. On all accounts, this film is just unbelievably cool. We get to see Thor battle it out with the Incredible Hulk in a hard-hitting, no-holds-barred gladiator matchup. Avengers fighting Avengers is always a treat in Marvel films.

And later, Thor goes up against his sister and Goddess of Death, Hela, portrayed by a terrifying, intense and flawless Cate Blanchett. After struggling to create intimidating or even memorable villains, Marvel finally figured it out.

Those who have the pleasure of seeing “Ragnarok” are in for a vibrant and hilarious ride from start to finish. By far the funniest movie from Marvel Studios, it keeps audiences laughing, while not diverging too far from the complex and fun battle scenes we’ve come to appreciate. The colorful world of Sakaar serves as the setting for most of the film where Thor meets a myriad of interesting and amusing characters, from the Grandmaster, whimsically portrayed by Jeff Goldblum, to Korg, voiced by director Taika Waititi.

If you’ve seen anything else by this New Zealand director, actor, and comedian such as his horror-comedy hit “What We Do in the Shadows” then you’ll be well aware that he gave “Thor: Ragnarok” a good measure of his own artistic flare. The near parody-like feel to “Ragnarok” is Waititi’s signature, with actors often playing alternate versions of themselves and frequently breaking character to laugh at the movie’s own jokes.

It makes the entire viewing experience beyond enjoyable, which is the best word to describe the film.

If you have yet to go see “Thor: Ragnarok,” I advise you change that immediately.

Arts

Taylor’s ‘Reputation’:

The good .... and the mediocre Continued from Page 6 Left

Continued from Page 6 Right

Old Taylor shines through some of the standout songs on the album. “I Did Something Bad” has similar themes to “Blank Space” and “I Knew You Were Trouble”. “Getaway Car” sounds like it could have easily fit in on “1989”. And if you want an old-old-Taylor romantic bop with a modern twist, “King of My Heart” is just that. “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” is basically “Mean” part two.

What is new, however, is that new Taylor explores certain topics that she’s previously stayed away from. Alcohol is the most obvious, as she mentions different drinks, like wine, champagne and whiskey, in multiple songs.

She also explores sex a lot more, especially in “Dress,” where she explicitly sings “I don’t want you like a best friend / only bought this dress so you could take it off ” and “my hands are shaking holding back from you.” Previously, the closest she’s gotten to a sexual line like that is in “Better that Revenge” (“Speak Now”) where she sings “She’s better known for the things that she does on the mattress.”

The most obvious change from the previous albums is the instrumentation of “Reputation.” Gone are the guitars and keyboards from her earlier days; “Reputation” is more pop-EDM-R&B than anything else. Full of pop synth sounds, each song uses these influences differently; while most of the first half of the album sounds like it would fit comfortably on a Drake record, “Don’t Blame Me” is rather reminiscent of Hosier and “Getaway Car” sounds a little more 1980s than anything else on the album.

Regardless of the different styles of music, new Taylor pulls the entire album together with her masterful wordsmithing, further establishing herself as one of the best songwriters of this generation.

with “...Ready for It?”, which is pretty much a rap song believe it or not. Rap is at its peak in mainstream popularity right now, and Swift had to have a piece of the hip-hop pie. This song is also a pathetic attempt at shaming Kanye West for the events that occurred over the last two years.

Songs like “Call it What You Want” and “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” basically try to do the same thing but are not as hip-hop influenced. Taylor also tries to rap on the song “End Game” which features Future and Ed Sheeran (Ed also tries to rap here and it’s arguably worse than Taylor) . Taylor needs to stick to her strengths and just sing.

Unlike “1989,” there aren’t many songs here that I really hate. The songs that I haven’t mentioned yet are just plain boring. They certainly aren’t great, they certainly aren’t horrible, they’re just bland. I don’t see any of these songs that aren’t singles dominating the charts like Taylor might expect them to. This is as uninteresting and watered down as pop music gets. Songs like “Don’t Blame Me”, “Delicate”, “So it Goes”, “Dress”, and “King of My Heart” are all perfect examples.

There are a handful of decent tracks on this project such as “Getaway Car,” which is catchy

and fun, “Dancing With Our Hands Tied,” which is equally catchy and has a really great beat, and the closing track “New Year’s Day,” which is a slow, ballad-style song. This song is also as close to her country sound as it gets. One of my favorite songs has to be “Gorgeous,” which has an interesting beat that I’m not totally sold on, but the vocal performance and the melody here is wonderful and delightfully infectious.

Overall, I did not like “Reputation.” Taylor tried to sneak in some hip-hop and rap which didn’t work out too well, she tried to give us some bland basic pop songs, and she also tried taking shots at Kanye West that come off sounding very petty and childish. So, the few songs that I enjoyed here unfortunately cannot save this album. Taylor is at an interesting point in her career, and I personally think that she doesn’t know what to do or where to go. If Taylor wants to keep going at a strong pace, she cannot make another “Reputation.” I would recommend her to experiment but also to stick to her strengths; once you recognize what you’re bad at get rid of it, stick to what you’re good at and try to make your strengths shine. Album score: 3/10

Courtesy of Big Machine Records

Arts

November 16, 2017

To do in STL

Knead Bakehouse & Provisions

The King and I

Grand Opening: Sat., Nov. 18 3467 Hampton Ave.

Tues., Nov. 28 - Sun. Dec. 10 The Fabulous Fox

Justice League

Release: Fri., Nov. 17

Russell Peters: Work in Progress

Thurs., Nov. 16 - Sat. Nov. 18 Helium Comedy Club: 1151 St. Louis Galleria St.

Joywave

Fri., Nov. 24 The Firebird

‘Turn the Beat Around’ with Gloria Continued from Page 6

t

extremely charismatic. If I must point out someone amongst the entire cast, it would have to be Amaris Sanchez, an elementary school-aged girl who played young Gloria. In the few scenes she had, a big strong voice came out of a tiny body to sing Gloria Estefan’s “Tradicion” all while performing energy-filled choreography. The music and acting is only half the show.

The actual content of Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s life story was extremely interesting. The show takes you all the way back to Gloria’s childhood. As you watch her become a college student or meet Emilio for the first time, you realize this story has a lot of themes to take in, relate to and enjoy. One of the aspects that seemed to touch the audience particularly was the protagonists’ struggle in the music industry due to being children of Cuban immigrants. In the middle of the show, the audience began a round of applause as Mauricio Martinez, the actor playing Emilio Estefan, delivered a short monologue about how he doesn’t need to change his identity to be classi-

fied as more American.

If this musical were not based on a true story, I may have enjoyed it less. The epic duo’s true story is part of the magic of the show.

I would not call this show amazing, but I would not call this show below par either. If you’re out looking for a good time, something to make you smile or motivate you, “On Your Feet! The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical” is playing at the Fox Theatre through Nov. 19, 2017. The show will leave you appreciating the melting pot of our country, admiring Emilio and Gloria’s love and attitude of never giving up in the face of adversity, and—at the very least—will get you to, as Gloria Estefan sings, “get on your feet!”

Courtesy of Matthew Murphy

9

Niall goes solo

By MADISYN SIEBERT Staff Writer

Niall Horan, also known as the Irish one from One Direction, proved that he can be a solo act on Nov. 13th at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tenn. The blonde-haired lad is currently on his Flicker Sessions Tour, featuring a 21-date run across the world.

Horan released his debut album, “Flicker,” on Oct. 20 of this year, and the singer dubs it as the most personal album you can get from him. Horan explained that all the songs relate to him in personal experiences that have shaped him since One Direction’s hiatus. The album track lists 13 songs, featuring his three singles “This Town,” “Too Much to Ask,” and most famously “Slow Hands.” Upon release, “Flicker” debuted at No. 1 in America.

Horan hand-chose local Irish bands and singers to open for him across this tour, and for Nashville, Gavin James opened. He added a nice spunk to the fun atmosphere, with his acoustic guitar and melodic voice filling the venue. He even explained how Horan hand-picked his setlist and picked out all the sad songs.

After James’s set, Horan was on stage, opening the show by immediately going into “The Tide” and following it with a solo version of “Seeing Blind.” “Seeing Blind” is a duet between him and Maren Morris, a well-known country singer. The duo recently performed it together for the first time live on Nov. 8 at the Country Music Awards . Morris will be opening up for Horan next year on his arena tour in 2018.

Horan then took time to express to the crowd how exhilarated he was to be playing at such a historic venue and in such a musically-empowered town. Horan explained how there are four places on his bucket list to play: Croke Park, Wembley Stadium, Madison Square Garden, and the Ryman Auditorium. Horan was determined to make the sold-out show a night to remember.

Horan continued his setlist, playing a stream of slow, melancholy sounds that matched the acoustic sound of his album. He paused in the middle of his setlist to explain how one of the producers on his album was present in the show that night. Horan did not address that Luke Bryan and Charles Kelley from Lady Antebellum were also in attendance.

Horan continued the show with a moving acoustic version of “Flicker,” the song that stood out most to him,

and is his self-proclaimed favorite. He has expressed on multiple occasions that it is the song that means the most emotionally to him as well. He got the crowd to remain quiet throughout the song, and upon finishing, he explained it as one of the best moments of his life.

He started to play more of his upbeat songs after and soon came to introducing his band. Horan stuck with his Irish theme with all members of his band, minus one, being from the island of Ireland The other was an Englishmen.

Horan soon reached the encore where he performed a cover of a One Direction song titled “Fools Gold,” alone on stage with just his guitar. The crowd was excited to hear a song that did not get much recognition while he was in the band.

He concluded the show with his two must upbeat songs, “Slow Hands” and “On My Own,” sending the crowd into a frenzy. Horan’s adrenaline to be performing at such a small venue, only holding a little over 2,000 people, was clear as everyone danced and jumped to the music.

Horan expressed wishing he had more than one album for moments like these, so that he could be on stage for longer, but hopefully in the near future this can be a reality.

Horan was the underdog of One Direction with little solos and not being seen as the “fan favorite,” but now the 24-yearold is taking the world by storm and crushing radio station airplay, something One Direction was never even able to do. Horan is a force to be reckoned with, and at any opportunity to see him live, I highly suggest it.

Courtesy of Getty Images

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Games

November 16, 2017

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November 16, 2017

Photography

11

The most beautiful time of the year at SLU

By EMMA CARMODY Photo Editor

It’s a well-known fact that fall is the best season at SLU. Brightly colored trees line West Pine and make SLU look like a picturesque college campus.

It seems like students are in a better mood at SLU during the fall, whether they’re getting a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, sitting outside enjoying the crisp autumn weather or simply walking to class. Many students take to Instagram during this time of year to show off just how beautiful our campus is. The iconic Clocktower photo is one of the most popular shots on campus, oftentimes accompanied by students wearing large scarves and fall colors and holding their choice of warm drink. The colors that encompass campus help bring students’ spirits up during a season of not only bright colors, but tests, projects, papers, and the looming prospect of finals after Thanksgiving Break.

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Photography

November 16, 2017

Fall at SLU on

@raegan_jackson

@rahya_ashour

@lauryn_98

@alyssad.bradford

@rachel_liv

@slu_official

@annieebryan

@andreasimms13

@trech_voran

Photography

November 16, 2017

SAB brings Josh Peck to campus

By EMMA CARMODY Photo Editor

13

On Tuesday, Nov. 14, Student Activities Board brought actor and internet personality Josh Peck to speak at campus. He is best known for his role in the TV show “Drake and Josh” and his famous Vines and YouTube videos. Before he came on stage, SLU’s improv group, League of Laughter, played some improv games for the audience. Peck then sat down for a question and answer session with SAB’s Vice President of Events, Caroline Rectenwal. It was SAB’s first Q&A that they’ve ever done. It included pre-written questions as well as questions from the audience that were submitted on Twitter. Peck had a lot of fun with the audience and interacted with several individual fans. He even signed one student’s neck brace.

14

Photography

November 16, 2017

Buzz Aldrin draws a crowd at SLU

By EMMA CARMODY Photo Editor

SLU’s Great Issues Committee’s second guest of the year, Buzz Aldrin, came to speak at the CGC on Wednesday, Nov. 15. His arrival was anticipated by SLU students and St. Louis community members alike who lined up down West Pine to get the opportunity to see him speak. With people arriving outside as early as 4 p.m., the CGC was filled to the brim. Aldrin is best known as the second man to walk on the moon. He is also a very prominent figure in the science and aerospace community. He talked about his accomplishments as an astronaut and scientist and how he got to that point in his life. He also discussed the work that he has done to get humankind to Mars. Although he has led an extremely successful life, he is continuing to look forward to the future of science by helping young people in STEM fields.

Michelle Peltier/The University News

Sports

November 16, 2017 sports@unewsonline.com Bobby Stilwell, Sports Editor Monica Ryan, Assoc. Sports Editor

Roo Ikeda/The University News Saint Louis Athletics LEFT: Redshirt junior Javon Bess gets ready to pass the ball in from the sideline. Bess leads the team with 27 points, and averages 13.5 points per game.

RIGHT: Head coach Travis Ford draws out a play during a timeout. Ford guided the Billikens to a better than predicted conference finish last year.

Men’s Basketball wows the crowd three times

By Bobby Stilwell Sports Editor

SLU Men’s Basketball season is underway! The men opened play with an exhibition game against cross-town foe Harris Stowe, defeating the Hornets 69-51. Redshirt junior forward Javon Bess notched a double-double, with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman guard Jordan Goodwin, sophomore forward Jalen Johnson, and senior guard Davell Roby also scored in the double digits in the contest.

SLU opened the regular season with a 2K Classic matchup against Seattle. SLU got off to a rocky start, exchanging buckets with Seattle throughout the early part of the first half. Redshirt junior D.J. Foreman ignited a 13-2 run with a layup, putting SLU up 27-16 with seven minutes left in the first. Seattle closed the gap, narrowing the SLU lead to four points with 3:45 left, but Bess hit a pair of free throws in the final seconds of the half to send SLU to the locker rooms with a 34-27 lead.

SLU opened scoring in the second half with a dunk by freshman forward Hasahn French. SLU traded buckets again, before a French jumper ignited a 11-0 run, bumping SLU’s lead to 58-38 with 3:39 left in the game. Seattle tried closing in, but SLU kept a healthy lead in the final minutes, going on to win 62-46.

Redshirt senior guard Aaron Hines led scoring with 18 points, going 7-11 from the field. Bess chipped in 17 points, hitting 9 of 11 from the charity stripe.

Besides leading in scoring, Hines was excited to open the season with a win. “It feels good to come out and get a good win at the home opener.”

Roby’s ready to play his final year with the team this year. “I love those guys.

We’re encouraging each other. I’m proud that I’ve got them here for my last year.”

Despite a bunch of new players for Seattle, with no film, head coach Travis Ford

was proud of the men. “Really proud of our team’s effort tonight. Our defense was consistent and tough—it was especially what we needed against a team where we didn’t know what they’d be running.”

Fresh off a hot start, the Billikens hosted fellow Jesuit school Rockhurst as part of the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight. Oddly enough, this game was an exhibition game for Rockhurst, but part of the regular season for SLU. SLU initially took an 8-point lead on an early 8-0 run. After a trio of free throws for Rockhurst, SLU again embarked on another 8-0 run to jump out ahead 17-3 with 12:23 left in the first half. The two teams traded baskets until the end of the half, when Rockhurst hit a last-second trey to cut SLU’s lead down to three points, 29-26.

Roby ignited the offense in the second half with a jumper and trey, with French hitting another dunk. SLU jumped ahead

36-26 with 18:17 left in the second half.

Rockhurst closed the gap to five points with 14:47 left, but SLU’s offense caught fire, and SLU easily cruised to a 74-50 victory.

Johnson led the team with 14 points, shooting 5-7 from the field and 3-4 from the arc. French chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds. Bess scored 10, going a perfect 4-4 from the charity stripe. The team also had five dunks on the night.

Ford was again proud: “Good effort by our basketball team. I thought our guys were absolutely, off-the-chart, locked in against a very tough team to guard.”

SLU heads out to Madison Square Garden in New York City for more 2K Classic action, this time against Virginia Tech.

Tip-off is set for Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2.

16

Sports

November 16, 2017

Roo Ikeda/The University News

IN THE PAINT: Senior guard Jackie Kemph dribbles toward the basket for a layup in the exhibition game against Lindenwood.

Women’s Basketball drops nailbiter to LMU

By Erin McClelland Staff Writer

The Saint Louis University Women’s Basketball team opened up their season at home Monday, Nov. 13, against the visitors from Los Angeles, Calif., Loyola Marymount University. Both teams came into the matchup with a 1-0 record. It was a heartbreaking ending for the Billikens when Loyola Marymount launched a pass to the basket and finished a 2-point field goal with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock for the buzzer-beating finish.

The game opened up with a 12-0 run by the Billikens, started by Aaliyah Covington, in which six different players scored a bucket for the Bills. The Lions responded with a

CHEER

13-1 run that tied the game at 13 where it stayed for the remainder of the first quarter.

At the start of the second quarter, the Billikens were able to regain the lead with two baskets, but the Lions responded quickly with a 14-2 run that put the Bills down by 10. SLU scored eight points to LMU’s two to end the half trailing by just four points, 27-31.

The third quarter started with a bucket by the Billikens to lessen the lead to just a single point, but Loyola Marymount was able to hang onto the lead for the remainder of the game, save two ties in the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter was very eventful after SLU started their comeback with a 10-0 run to lessen the lead to just two points, then

WHO TO CHEER SLU MEN’S BASKETBALL The men have started regular season play 2-0. Junior Javon Bess leads the Billikens with 27 points so far. Sophomore Jalen Johnson has shot .714 from the line, second to Bess.

to tie it at 54. The Billikens were called for a foul on a LMU layup giving the Lions a chance to shoot two, but after the play, an LMU player was called for an unsportsmanlike foul, allowing the Billikens to shoot a matching two. With 55 seconds remaining, senior Jackie Kemph dropped a pair of free throws to bring the game to a 60-58 LMU lead. With just 0.4 seconds remaining on the clock, Kemph was fouled and made both free throws to tie the game and make it appear as though it would be headed to overtime.

After an LMU timeout, the ball was advanced over half court and, in a last-ditch effort, the Lions inbounded the ball with an overhead pass toward the basket where

JEER

there was a waiting Lion to bank the ball in at the final buzzer. After a brief review, the basket was deemed a good field goal and the Billikens fell in a heartbreaking finish.

Saint Louis won the turnover battle and only surrendered 11 turnovers whereas Loyola Marymount had 22 miscues. Kemph lead the Billikens with 21 points and Maddison Gits recorded her second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. SLU Women’s Basketball moves to 1-1 on the year after defeating Indiana State in their season opener and Loyola Marymount moves to 2-0 after beating UC Riverside. The Billikens are next in action this Friday, Nov. 17, against Mississippi in Chicago, Ill. for the Maggie Dixon Classic.

FEAR WHO TO JEER

WHO TO FEAR

LiANGELO BALL, CODY RILEY, JALEN HILL The three UCLA freshman are suspended from the men’s basketball team indefinitely after stealing in China. This comes after President Trump intervened to get them back to the U.S.

BEN SIMMONS The Philadelphia 76ers chose Ben Simmons in the 2016 draft.

Due to a training camp injury, Simmons didn’t participate in the 2016 season. Simmons currently leads all rookies in points (17.8), rebounds (9.2), and assists (7.5) per game.

Sports

Thursday, Nov. 16 Men’s Basketball 6 p.m. v. Virginia Tech

Friday, Nov. 17

This week in Sports

Saturday, Nov. 18

Sunday, Nov. 19

Swim/Dive Women’s Basketball Volleyball @ Northwestern Invitational, @ Maggie Dixon Classic, 3:30 p.m. v. Dayton Evanston, Ill. Chicago, Ill. Swim/Dive Volleyball 4 p.m. v. Mississippi @ Northwestern Invitational, 12 p.m. v. TBD Volleyball Evanston, Ill. 4:30 p.m. v. George Washington

Tuesday, Nov. 21 Women’s Basketball 7 p.m. @ SIUE

November 16, 2017

Friday, Nov. 24

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Saturday, Nov. 25

Women’s Basketball Women’s Basketball @South Point Shootout, @South Point Shootout, Las Vegas, Nev. Las Vegas, Nev. 10 p.m. v. Cleveland State 10 p.m. v. LSU

Saint Louis Athletics FOCUS: Senior outside hitter Lauren Leverenz gets ready to spike the ball over the net. Leverenz posted 35 kills and led the team with 12 against George Mason.

Volleyball ends regular season on a four-game win streak

By Megan Hammond Staff Writer SLU women’s volleyball had a clean sweep at home and away these past two weeks in their matches against Fordham (3-1), Rhode Island (3-1), George Mason (3-0) and George Washington (3-0). The season is almost over, and next is the A-10 Conference Championship hosted by Duquesne Nov. 17-19. After their fourth consecutive win, the Billikens clinched the third seed in the conference.

Against Fordham, the Billikens lost the

first set (21-25), but won the next three (25-14, 25-16, 25-17). Sien Gallop led the team with 21 kills, 10 digs, four service aces and hit .311. Maya Taylor had 13 kills, Lauren Leverenz added 11 kills and hit .444, Mackenzie Long had 22 digs, and Kennedy Cordia had 12 digs and a doubledouble with 43 assists.

On Senior Day, SLU defeated Rhode Island 3-1 (28-26, 15-25, 25-13, 25-21). The seniors recognized for their final at-home appearance were Lauren Leverenz, Mackenzie Long, Maddie Oh and Nenye Okoro.

Gallop posted a career-high 25 kills, 10

digs, three service aces and hit .327. Taylor had 17 kills, Leverenz had 12 kills with three service aces, Cordia had 42 assists and 11 digs, and Long had a match-high 20 digs.

On Nov. 10, SLU defeated George Mason 3-0 (25-23, 25-10, 26-24). Leverenz lead the team with 12 kills and a .647 hitting percentage. The first and third sets were close; the 12th tie in the first set was 21-21 George Mason had a service error, and Gallop served an ace to give SLU the lead. The third set was tied at 24-24, and then a kill by Cordia and a George Mason

attack error ended the match.

Nov. 11, the Billikens won their last regular season match against George Washington 3-0 (26-24, 27-25, 25-15). SLU had a season high hitting percentage of .371.

Notables include Taylor with 14 kills and a .542 hitting percentage, Gallop with 14 kills and three service aces, Cordia with 41 assists and nine digs and Long with 13 digs.

Next, SLU challenges George Washington again in a quarterfinal contest hosted

by Duquesne on Nov. 17 at 4:30 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa.

18

Sports

November 16, 2017

Cross Country finishes outdoor meets Swimming has strong showing at home

Saint Louis Athletics

Saint Louis Athletics ABOVE: Junior Isaiah Williams won the 500-meter and 1000-meter freestyles in the home opener.

BELOW: Senior Riley Kirby touched the wall first in the 100-meter backstroke in the home opener.

ABOVE: Junior Manuel De Backer finishes first at Atlantic 10 Championships.

BELOW: Senior Courtney Link led the Billikens in two of the four meets this season.

Saint Louis Athletics

By Megan Hammond Staff Writer

Saint Louis Athletics

By Sam Glass Staff Writer

The Saint Louis University Cross Country teams headed out to Iowa State on Friday, Nov. 10, for the NCAA Division I Midwest Region Cross Country Championships.

The Billikens went into Friday’s meet with hot feet after junior Manuel De Backer won the Atlantic 10 individual title. De Backer won the race on Sept. 28 with an 8K time of 25:12.3 that saw him become the first Billiken to claim an A-10 Cross Country Conference Championship.

The men’s team wrapped up the meet with a ninth place finish, and the women finished in 11th.

The men’s team ended up in 21st at Friday’s meet with an average 10K time of 30:56 and a total team time of 2:34:40. De Backer clocked in with a time of 30:08.9 and an average mile time of 4:51.1. His time at the championship this year was over a minute faster than the previous year, which saw him with a time of 31:20.9, and increased his overall finish from 51st last year to 49th this year.

The women’s team saw a 26th place finish in their 6K race with a total team time of 1:50:26 and an average run time of 22:05.

Junior Courtney Link finished 94th overall for the Billikens with a time of 21:42 flat.

The Billikens have consistently competed throughout the season and are looking to refresh and prepare for the indoor season.

Last week, the Billikens had their home opener against Lindenwood-Belleville.

The women also competed against Little Rock. SLU was victorious with women winning 2-0 and men 1-0. The women defeated Lindenwood-Belleville 182-34 and Little Rock 141-82, rising to 10-3 overall.

The men won 165-49 against LindenwoodBelleville and are now 6-4.

In the relays, the women took the 200 free (Natalie Daniel, Mina Glenesk, Elaine Mahon and Maggie Sheean) with a time of 1:38.62 and the 200 medley (Riley Kirby, Emily Kishish and Savannah Nichols) at 1:49.54.

For the women’s individual events, Mahon was first in the 100 free (53.43) and 200 free (1:56.74) and Katie Schmude won both the 100 fly (59.90) and 200 IM (2:11.61). Mary First, Kirby, and Glenesk

all took one event each: First the 50 free (24.71), Kirby the 100 back (58.77), and Glenesk the 500 free (5:05.15).

The men’s team also had a strong performance. Isaiah Williams won the 500 free (4:48.30) and 1000 free (9:59.63).

Matt Bales and Collin O’Brien tied for first in the 100 breast (1:00.04); O’Brien took the 200 IM (1:58.69). Luke Van Gorp posted the top spot in the 100 free (48.91), T.J. Halliburton the 100 back (51.71) and Grant Streid the 100 fly (51.37). For diving, Harry Niswonger was first in 1-meter diving (168.48).

The relays proved no challenge for the men’s team as well: they won the 200 free relay (Williams, Gorp, Justin Mars and Ryan McCoy) and 200 medley relay ( Bales, O’Brien, McCoy and Halliburton).

On Nov. 17-19, SLU travels to Evanston, Ill., to compete in the Northwestern Invitational.

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November 16, 2017

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Opinions&Editorials

November 16, 2017

opinion@unewsonline.com Opinion Editor: Open

Justice: SLU’s Responsibility cannot even conceive of love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors.” The following are two ways the University can put that love into action and work for those in the margins of our communities.

Grant Mayfield Identity Editor

Saint Louis University is a billion-dollar-plus enterprise with significant economic and political influence. It’s time for SLU to decide what its role will be in the fight for justice. Will we take the lead in equitable reform, or continue our complacency with current systems of injustice? If we really are the mission-driven institution we purport to be, we must use our power in the community to push for the rights of the oppressed.

Pedro Arrupe, SJ, perhaps the most influential Jesuit in modern history, wrote that we are called to be “people who

control where the money goes.

We can allow private investors to build retail businesses that will undoubtedly make our campus more dynamic and attractive to donors and prospective students, or we can ensure the area includes low income housing, afford353 Plan able healthy food options and inclusive healthcare. We can SLU is currently overseeing decide if it is adequately cona massive renected to public transportadevelopment of the neightion and has borhood be-“It’s time for SLU to de-meeting spaces tween our for community two St. Louiscide what its role will begroups and c a m p u s e s .in the fight for justice.various faith The area exhomes. pects to seeWill we take the lead At this moover a billion Uniin equitable reform, orment, versity addollars of i nv e s t m e n tcontinue our compla-mini st rat ion to divest over the next cency with current sys-plans few years and of around 60 as the over- tems of injustice?” p r o p e r t i e s seer of a 353 that SLU owns redevelopin the Shaw ment plan, neighborhood.

SLU has a unique ability to There is no plan on how to

turn them over to the community. Options include gifting them to the St. Louis Land Bank, which is already trying to reduce their inventory, by working with city officials on a collaborative solution and selling them to investors for the highest possible profit. The last would undoubtedly be the “best” decision financially, especially as we continue to run deficits year to year. But with a budget outlook that puts us back in the black by 2018, we are now able to invest in the community beyond our irongated campus to a greater extent.

We should be much more actively engaging with the residents of Shaw and other transitioning neighborhoods to understand the impact of our existing facilities, our growing geographic footprint and the needs of our neighbors.

We absolutely must use this opportunity to advocate for individuals with little social, economic and political power.

Although we can do more for those unaffiliated with our University, there is still much more work to do internally.

Clocktower Accords As soon as we discovered we would be running a deficit a few years ago, we created a concrete infrastructure for reform and hired an internationally-renowned consulting firm to assist us in what has proven to be an enormous undertaking. We have all been affected by Magis, whether we know it or not, but we are constantly assured that it will lead to a better, stronger University. In fact, when we created this process, we named it after a Jesuit ideal, “Magis,” signifying a striving for excellence.

In 2014, the University administration signed onto the Clocktower Accords, a series of institutional commitSee “Justice” on Page 23

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

When: Nov. 18, 2017 Where: Wool Ballroom Time: 1p.m.-1a.m.

November 16, 2017

Why I am pro-life

Betsy Daly Contributer

Before the SLU Students for Life (SFL) Cemetery of Innocence display was stolen in its entirety last month— and then partially stolen again after it was re-set up a week later—another show of protest to the pro-life display was raised in the form of sidewalk chalking. Little more than 24 hours after the 176 crosses—which represented lives lost or affected by homicide, the death penalty, abortion, and poverty—were set up for the first time in the quad in front of Dubourg, a student wrote various statistics and questions in chalk on the West Pine sidewalk in front of the display. While some of the statistics seemed to grant more credibility to the purpose of the crosses display, it was clear that the chalker’s intent was to undermine the display’s prolife nature.

The chalking was frustrating and offensive to SFL club members who put time and energy into the pro-life cause week after week.

That frustration and offense was dwarfed by the hurt and exasperation that resulted when the whole display was stolen the next day. SFL club members and supporters have responded to the incidences with various emotions since their occurrence. As for my response, there were two questions written in chalk that have stood out to me and helped me process these shows of protests. One question was “Are you listening?” and the other was “Are you pro-life or pro-birth?” So let me answer these questions.

The chalking and the thefts have made it difficult not to listen. They have made it clear that something is wrong. Something about the prolife movement isn’t reaching—or isn’t working for—a group of people.

There is a lot of tension, so much so that, instead of those who disagree with pro-life views talking directly to pro-life people or SLU’s pro-life club, they protest by chalking and theft. I am listening, and I am responding.

My response is this: I am pro-life, not just pro-birth. Before you quit reading this and say that I am lying, I ask you to please listen to me, too.

I truly am pro-life. Every. Single.

Life. Matters.

That includes your life and my life, the lives of those who have committed murders and heinous acts of terror, the lives of those who are poor and homeless and those who have disabilities. The lives of those who are so old or ill that there just doesn’t seem to be a reason left to live. The lives of the unborn, the hungry, and those at high risk of violence. The lives of those who are facing a pregnancy that is unwanted, untimely, or very inconvenient. The lives of those who have had one abortion or ten abortions. The lives of those who disagree with me and who hate what I stand for. The lives of those who undermined the SFL crosses display through chalking and theft.

Every single one of these lives and more matter to me.

When I say that I am pro-life, I don’t mean that I want to just take away a “woman’s right to choose” and force them to carry a pregnancy to term without offering them any help. No, I mean I want to build a world in which every choice is life-giving to all affected. I want to build a world in which our question isn’t “Whose life matters more?” but rather “How do we show that every life matters?” This isn’t a simple task and the solutions themselves are often a whole other controversy. But they are solutions worth fighting for and controversies worth sorting out, for the sake every human life in-

“No, I mean I want to build a world in which every choice is life-giving to all affected.”

FTK!

21

See “Pro-Life” on page 23

22

Opinions & Editorials

November 16, 2017

Questioning SLU’s event space You can study literally anywhere on campus. When you have lots of people coming for an event, probably better not to have the event in a building that only holds one-thirteenth of the university student population. Here’s the thing: I get it. The CGC is an important building. Many great leaders have spoken there, and it has prestige for our campus. However, the time has come. When you’re going to hold events that many students want to go to, hold them in places that everyone can actually get in. Not to mention the substandard seating we face when we get finally get inside. We either need to hold events in a new space, or make our old one more habitable. If we’re dead set on keeping the CGC as the main venue for speakers, then I only have six words. Dr. Pestello, tear down that wall.

Now let me talk about the lack of class. Throughout my short time here at SLU, I have been massively disappointed with how SLU has handled its events. Poor planning, bad hosts, and substandard accommodations have been prevalent in each event I have attended. Let’s continue with Wednesday as our example. When the event was announced, it was advertised as free and open to the public,

with priority seating given to students.

Seems fair, right? However, this was literally the only guidance anyone was given. There was no suggested time to get in line or an estimated number of seats that the public would be able to fill. And let’s not forget to mention the elite President’s Circle and alumni groups that got to reserve tickets and get in before the rest of the crowd. I stood with my mother in the community line for Wednesday’s event, and the amount of older St. Louis community members who waited for hours in the cold only to be turned away because of SLU’s lack of planning was infuriating. Towards the end, when members of the public were being turned away, so were students like myself. The truth is, student fees paid for Buzz Aldrin to come, and for most people, those student fees are parent’s money. My mother was turned away at the door for an event she technically already paid for.

Wednesday isn’t the only example of a lack of class I’ve witnessed here at SLU, it’s just the most recent one and the most flagrantly bad. The truth is, any institution like ours relies on our relationship with the community.

Wednesday night, we forgot that relationship. It’s not about the fact people were turned away at the door; that’s bound to happen sometimes. It’s about the fact that no one really needed to be.

If the CGC was not cut in half, or the event was held in a different spot, everyone could have gotten a seat. At the same time, if the event had not been advertised as open to the public, students would have been the only ones in and would have filled the space, and that would have been fine. But it was open to the public, and the public were given no guidance on how to best handle this event. SLU needs to practice a little customer hospitality. Make people reserve tickets, or just don’t open it up to the public at all. Don’t make older citizens desperate to see their childhood hero stand in the cold for two hours only to be turned away. And stop thinking that we need to have everything at the CGC because that’s the way it’s always been. We celebrate the past here at SLU, but after 200 years, it’s really okay to look to the future, or at least look into new buildings.

We can do better. We can do better for our students, for our community members, and for our legendary astronauts. Give a little guidance, accommodate people when you invite them in, and, for the love of God, hold big events at the giant stadium we all pay for, not our now-glorified study room.

Call it, “The Shell”

work there and patronize it. The gas station is, ironically, fairly welllit contrary to its nickname. When you say the phrase “Shady Shell,” you insinuate that the people that work, shop, or hang around there have something intrinsically shady about them. It’s no coincidence that most of these people aforementioned are people of color. It’s almost satirical how quickly the communities surrounding our bubble are dubbed as shady when it was SLU that disrupted these communities in the first place. The phrase “Shady Shell” is rooted in several forms of oppression namely classism and racism.

It’s White Supremacy that allows some of us to label community members and their spaces as shady, while at the same time consuming their resources. Dually, this creates a hostile environment where our peers who identify with the people of these communities are alienated. Calling something the “Shady Shell” in reference to the people that populate that space is oppressive and exclusive. It is my hope that we can become aware of oppressive language we use and learn to eliminate that language from our conversations. I hope we can create a culture where the Shell at 35 South Grand is called “The Shell”.

Savannah Seyer Staff Writer

There are two very important things I have learned from my mother: First, a touch of class goes a long way; and second, never become emotionally attached to a piece of property. We have a serious problem with both of these at SLU. While attending the oldest university west of the Mississippi, it is easy to see why the school is so attached to their property. However, that does not excuse the poor planning and lack of class that goes into many of our events here at SLU. My first target? The wonderfully comfortable and spacious (not) building we like to call the Center for Global Citizenship. My article has nothing to do with the meaning and mission behind the CGC, but rather, the actual building. Let me say this, if it wasn’t good enough for the basketball team, it shouldn’t be good enough for world class speakers like a man who’s walked on the moon.

For anyone that doesn’t know, SLU turned away a large number of the St. Louis community and several students at the door of the CGC on Wednesday, Nov. 15. The reason for this? Lack of space, and lack of class.

The lack of space was because the inside of the CGC is cut in half. For no apparent reason other than to have a couple little study spaces. News flash:

Jaryn Blackshear-Bryan Contributor

“If it wasn’t good enough for the basketball team, it shouldn’t be good enough for world class speakers like a man who’s walked on the moon.”

I have no idea where the phrase “Shady Shell” came from, but the phrase has reached the point where it effortlessly rolls off the tongue for many of us. Most of the time when it is used, its nature is not questioned and, though we assume it to be harmless and innocent, the reality of the phrase is oppressive. There is nothing shady about the Shell gas station at 35 South Grand, including the people that

Opinion &Editorials

November 16, 2017

Guest Essay:ISA Encourages Attendance at Cultural Events Aravinda Ganapathy

On Friday, Nov. 10, SLU’s very own Indian Student Association (ISA) put together a grand cultural display, replete with dancing, singing, Acapella, and even an entertaining skit based off the famous movie “3 Idiots.” The purpose of this show was not merely to entertain, but also to educate and demonstrate Indian cultural heritage.

Ticket buyers were able to enjoy traditional Indian food while viewing different forms of Indian dance and song, from different regions of India. For example, a performance aptly titled “Bhangra vs. South” showcased the stark difference in style between South Indian dance and North Indian dance. The music group beautifully contrasted Western-style songs with Indian songs, melding them into a simple yet elegant melody.

Some of the performances, such

as the class dances, are intended to mix various styles into one dance, and allow each class to show off their individual skills. A group of choreographers from each class volunteer each year to choreograph their class dance, and several practices are held in preparation for this performance. A bit of competitive attitude develops as each class scopes out the other classes and attempts to make their dance the most unique and best of all. How early does this preparation begin?

Well, practices begin mid-September as participants have a little over a month and a half to perfect their routine. Each routine is given about six minutes, and everything from transitions to the grand finale must be completed by then.

Overall, attendance at cultural showcases such as these are almost always high, but it always strikes me how low attendance is by individuals of other cultures. Perhaps it’s to be expected, but a brief scan of the crowd produces a large predominance of Indians, along with a cou-

Justice Continued from page 20

ments intended to promote racial justice.

Since then, we’ve made very little progress in accomplishing the accords.

Part of the problem is our lack of institutional infrastructure to do so. Currently, the accords fall to Dr. Jonathan Smith, the Vice President of Diversity and Community Engagement, whose position was created as one of the agreed upon accords. He and his administrative assistant are the only two SLU employees whose job includes work with the accords.

This enormous institutional undertaking requires a level of community support and buy-in that outpaces even the Magis Operational Excellence program. Unfortunately, our community

can never expect real change to occur without providing the effort reasonable infrastructure. We know how to make strategic reform when it involves our financial solvency and requires the layoffs of hundreds, but not when it is about racial justice and would require us to confront our own systemic failures and negligence to black Billikens.

This University can do more with our institutional power than moments of silence at the clocktower and well-intentioned, yet abstract emails regarding our values and mission. Our Jesuit mission requires us to do everything we can for justice at every occasion. If we neglect to use every tool at our disposal to do this, I have to question our commitment to our supposed values.

ple tables that are interspersed with different ethnicities. Every year, our association attempts to address this issue in novel ways, advertising out of our normal “friend groups” to try and capture the interest of others.

Yet every year, we are faced with the same issue. Personally, I try and attend as many different events from as many different organizations as I can. We are all lucky to be on a campus filled with such diversity and culture that we are able to learn firsthand from others about different traditions and customs.

No organization looks to put on events purely for members of their own culture. Every individual I know revels in the opportunity to share and explain their traditions to others. Earlier in the fall, ISA put on an event known as Onam, where we provided authentic South Indian food to SLU students and shared our knowledge of the festival with them. The best feeling is when someone is so interested they begin to ask their own questions beyond the scope of the normal

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presentation. Culture includes a variety of things from food to dance to clothing and style. There’s always something new to learn about, and the more we know about other cultures, the better. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “Bigotry is the disease of ignorance…Education and Free Discussion are the antidotes.”

A world filled with understanding and shared traditions is a better world indeed.

Opportunity is often hard to come by, but rarely will one find a better opportunity for cultural learning and discussion than on a college campus. Diversity is all around us: in our classes, in our clubs, even in our apartments. Every week, clubs work hard to put on a seemingly simple event just to share some little part of their culture, and to invite discussion and learning. Take advantage of these opportunities! They will be well worth your time, trust me.

Pro-Life Continued from page 21

-volved. My view of what it means to be pro-life is not necessarily the view of all pro-lifers. And the pro-life movement, including the SLU SFL club, has failed in so many ways throughout the years. I, myself, have failed to be truly prolife and I am not proud of that. But our failures and shortcomings do not make the movement invalid.

Perhaps it is pro-life to admit that life is not perfect, and to bear mistakes. As a pro-life leader, I truly care about every life because I believe that every human person has dignity and purpose from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. And that dignity and purpose are worth preserving

even when we can’t see it or understand it, or it seems to conflict with another’s livelihood.

So to the people who chalked in front of the Cemetery of Innocence and who stole the crosses: as a prolife person and the president of SLU SFL, I am trying to listen, and I want to listen more. Talk to me.

Because I am pro-life and not just pro-birth. Your life—your opinions, your experiences and your story—matter to me. Help me to be a better pro-life person.

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