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Thursday, April 18, 2013
Vol. XCXX No. 24
University News
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Brouster steps down
A student voice of SLU since 1919
The Gamble of Higher Education
By WOLF HOWARD News Editor
Thomas Brouster announced his resignation as chairman of Saint Louis University’s Board of Trustees on April 12, a position he took in September 2012. SLU’s original announcement of Brouster’s election to chairman stated that he had taken a four-year term. Prior to his position as chairman, he played a major role in financing the Doisy Research Center and Chaifetz Arena as the chair of the Board’s finance committee. Brouster has been a trustee since 2001. “The University understands and respects Mr. Brouster’s reasons for his decision and is pleased he will continue as a member of the Board,” the University said in a statement. “We thank him for his leadership and service as chairman.” In an article by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Brouster said that his decision to resign was due to the increasing difficulty of managing time between his position on the board and as chairman of Reliance Bank. He took the role during a particularly volatile period for the University. His election announcement was followed closely by two votes of no confidence in President Lawrence Biondi, S.J., in addition to continued conflict between faculty See “Brouster” on Page 2
Briana Kagy / Illustrator
By DERRICK NEUNER Associate News Editor
Congratulations, you’re a graduating senior. The unemployment rate is over 7 percent nationwide, but for you, it could be over 10 percent. Are you planning on writing screenplays? Well, bon voyage. Are you planning on becoming a physical therapist? Jackpot, dear reader; you’re entering into one of the fastest growing professions in the United States. But it will cost you at least six years of school, or about $200,000 if you complete both of your degrees at Saint Louis University. Around the country, a conversation has begun about the price of college. Yes, the cost of tuition has steadily risen, to an average of $22,261 at an
in-state public school and $43,289 at a private school. But a new factor, the stagnant employment market, has cost many graduates dearly, and prompts the question: Should you follow your heart or bet on your wallet? So far, the wallet is winning. In a recent study, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences found that just 8 percent of students major in the humanities. That’s a nearly 10 percent drop in the last 40 years. Worried that enrollment in these subjects will continue to decline, university officials say it could lead entire departments to disappear. Not only are jobs not readily available for philosophers or fabric designers, public investment is going elsewhere. Consider the following quote from President Barack Obama: “Reaffirm-
ing and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century. That’s why I am committed to making the improvement of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education over the next decade a national priority.” As the United States becomes more technological and automated than ever, it’s also making the fine arts more obsolete. The Obama administration has committed $80 million so far to STEM projects. Obama has also proposed spending more than $8 billion in the next three years
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (2012)
See “Gamble” on Page 3
BACHELOR’S DEGREE: 4.5% HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA: 8.3% ALL WORKERS: 6.8% MEDIAN WEEKLY EARNINGS BACHELOR’S DEGREE: $1,066 HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA: $652 ALL WORKERS: $815 Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Activity Fee funds exceed $1.1M Town hall meeting
for MLK scholarship
$300000
FIVE HIGHEST FUNDED GROUPS- FISCAL YEAR 2014
$250000
$200000
$150000
$100000
$50000
$0
SAB
By WOLF HOWARD News Editor
INSIDE:
Saint Louis University Student Government Association’s balance for annual funding in Fiscal Year 14 totaled just over $1.1 million, cushioned by $100,000 which went unused this year due to a Chartered Student Organization planning blunder. With $35,000 of that money reserved for Spot Funding and New Charter Funding throughout the remainder of the coming academic year, this left nearly $1.07 million to
GIC
BSA
be allocated in the funding cycle. The SGA Finance Committee (FC), chaired by Vice President of Finance Vidur Sharma and populated by committee representatives and senators, began to meet with the 136 Chartered Student Organizations that applied for funding in FY14 on March 22. The Committee heard requested budgets and recommended allocation amounts in accordance with the senate-sponsored Annual Funding Directives. The directives provide a list of recommended rules for allocating funds to CSOs
NEWS
>>Meet ADG’s head man
FSAE
and explicitly prohibit funds for certain line items, such as money for travel within 50 miles of SLU’s campus or office supplies. However, senate is not strictly obligated to follow the directives, and a vote with the necessary numbers by the senatorial body can override any FC recommendations. FC recommended a total of roughly $1.04 million, cutting $302,328 from group budgets due to line items that were deemed non-fundable, or 22.5 percent of requested monies. That left $25,767 in Activity Fee funds for funding ap-
2 OPINION
>> Degrees or dollars?
SGA
peals. The Student Activities Board received the largest allocation with $274,475. Historically, SAB hosts fall homecoming events, a spring concert and various speakers and events throughout the year. The Great Issues Committee received the second most funding, with FC recommending an allocation of $160,000. GIC hosts speaking events that tend to focus on current social and See “Funding” on Page 3
4
ARTS
By MICHAEL DIMARIA Staff Writer
On April 17, a council meeting was held in the Busch Student Center discussing the current state of the Martin Luther King Jr. scholarship. The meeting consisted of talking about the past, present and future states of the MLK scholarship. This issue was brought to the public thanks to a project started by Professor Johnathan Smith’s African American Studies class talking about the flaws of and how to fix the MLK scholarship. Many initial decisions about the scholarship, “Happened in ad hoc ways,” Dr. Stefan Bradley, who was on the discussion board at the meeting, said. He talked about how he thought there was a surprisingly low African American population at Saint Louis University and an even lower percentage of African American students who receive the MLK scholarship. “[There is a] systematic issue with recruitment of students,” Bradley said when addressing one of the primary factors of a low African American population on SLU’s campus.
7 SPORTS
“I wonder what are the chances that Martin Luther King would get this scholarship?” Bradley said provocatively. He mentioned the idea of changing the name of the scholarship to something other than MLK because, as he stated, “not a lot of black people get it.” The board mentioned the need to recruit from different places than what is currently practiced. They also noted frustration with the fact that a lot of African Americans from poorer areas do not know much about the MLK scholarship in the first place. This makes it hard to help provide low-income citizens with the benefits of a scholarship, as they don’t know what they need to do to meet the requirements, the board claimed. When speaking about the future of the program and how it has advanced recently, it was stated that one of the main changes to the application process was adding essay questions to the application instead of just asking about race and geographical features; the purpose being to better See “MLK” on Page 3
9
>> Happy birthday, Arena >> Finally: SLU has Crews
2 NEWS
APRIL 18, 2013
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Let Us Introduce You: Roberto Hernandez Fraternity president, rapper waxes poetic about life By KRISTEN MIANO Editor in Chief
Junior Roberto Hernandez didn’t know what he wanted to study when he originally came to Saint Louis University. “For a brief time, I was an international business and French major, but I hated that,” Hernandez said. “Then I considered Psychology, but hated that too. It wasn’t until I took Urban Crisis with Dr. Looker and talked with him about the American Studies department and what you can do with the degree that I realized it was for me.” With a degree in American Studies, Hernandez said he might like to be the curator of an American history museum, but if he had to pick a dream job, he would peruse his passion for rap. “I’ve loved rap music since I was a kid,” Hernandez said. “I have four brothers and my older brothers all used to listen it, so it was pretty easy for me to get into it growing up. I like the music, it’s what speaks to me the most.” Hernandez writes his own raps about all sorts of things he encounters in his day-to-day life. He often writes about things he sees or things he has read. “I just try to get people dancing and get people thinking,” Hernandez said. Though Hernandez has yet to perform his music, he has read some of his poems at readings and other creative writing events. He said he does hope to perform rap in the future. Apart from rap, Hernandez enjoys listening to some rock music, like Gaslight Anthem and Frank Sinatra, who he said is his favorite artist outside of rap. When not studying America or writing poems, Hernandez enjoys cooking and eating food. “I like to make Mexican
THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Thursday, April 11
9:27 a.m. - ACCIDENTAL INJURY
A visiting high school student fainted and injured his head when he fell to the floor. High school staff was on scene and contacted the student’s mother. She arrived and stated she would take her son to the doctor. 5:23 p.m. - FIRE ALARM
DPSEP officers responded. The fire panel read “smoke/basement/
Kristen Miano/Editor-in-Chief
food, or just type a random recipe into Google and seeing if I can make it better,” Hernandez said. “I’m good at making anything with chicken, probably because it is the easiest.” Hernandez is also the incoming president of his fraternity, Alpha Delta Gamma, a role he’s excited to take on, despite the workload that comes with it. “It’s a bit more work than I was expecting,” Hernandez said. “It was hard at first because I’m not really organized, but I’m getting into the swing of things. I think our guys are going to have a really good fall semester.” As president, Hernandez is a member of all the fraternity’s committees, runs chapter meetings and ensures that communica-
tion within the organization and with the administration stays consistent and transparent. “It’s a full-time job,” Hernandez said. Off-campus, Hernandez is involved with the organization, Ready Readers, which is a non-profit in St. Louis that works with underprivileged pre-schoolaged children to aid them as they learn to read. In spite of his busy schedule, Hernandez maintains that he has a unique sense of humor. He looks for jokes in different places, but also gets a lot of his material from his family. “I don’t have a filter sometimes,” Hernandez said. “But I just like to get people laughing.”
Queens.” An employee reported hearing a “popping” sound and seeing smoke emitting from an airconditioning unit located outside of the building. SLFD was contacted, responded and checked the building. No fire was found. Maintenance responded and disconnected the air-conditioner.
10:06 a.m. - STEALING UNDER $500
A SLU student’s passenger window was smashed and his sunglasses stolen from his vehicle. SLMPD was notified and filed a report over the phone. This report was forwarded to the DPSEP Investigator for further investigation.
Monday, April 15
10:06 a.m. - STEALING UNDER $500
An employee locked $50 in her desk drawer at 8:30 p.m. on April 12, 2013. The money was discovered missing at 9:00 a.m. on April 15, 2013. This report was forwarded to the DPSEP Investigator for further investigation.
Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu
Brouster: Focuses on banking position Continued from Page 1
and administrative groups. Since the votes, members of the faculty, staff and student body have placed pressure on the Board to remove Biondi from his position. Brouster and the Board have since met with the leadership of Faculty Senate and the Student Government Association to talk about concerns and solutions for issues regarding campus climate. As a response to the conflict, the Board and Faculty Senate agreed to form the Climate Assessment Committee. Brouster and Faculty Senate President Mark Knuepfer made a commitment to continued collaboration in a Dec. 21 joint communication.
Timeline of Events
Sept. 25, 2012
Faculty Senate Votes no confidence in Patankar
Oct. 11, 2012
Arts & Sciences vote no confidence in Biondi
Oct. 30, 2012
Faculty Senate vote no confidence in Biondi
Dec. 15, 2012
Patankar resigns
Dec. 21, 2012
Announcement of campus-wide climate survey
Jan. 14, 2013
Harshman hired as interim VPAA
April 12, 2013
Brouster Resigns
May 4, 2013
Final Board of Trustees meeting
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APRIL 18, 2013
NEWS
3
SLU Philosophy Club holds first conference MLK: Budget plans presented to Senate By WOLF HOWARD News Editor
The Saint Louis University Undergraduate Philosophy Club held their inaugural, three-day spring conference on the weekend of April 12, featuring keynote speeches by Dr. Elizabeth Schechter of Washington University, Dr. Sara Bernstein of Duke University and Dr. John Bengson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Schechter’s presentation focused on the concept of self in split-brain subjects, or those who have had the left and right hemispheres of their brain separated from each other by the severing of the corpus callosum, an act performed by doctors to treat patients suffering from epileptic seizures. The procedure is no longer utilized in the United States. The central question for Schechter was whether split brain subjects held two distinct conceptions of a self — one in the left hemisphere and one in the right — or if the subject maintained one self and merely lacked communication between both parts of the brain. Schecter argued that the right and left hemispheres
referred to oneself by colBengson’s talk conlectively constructing a cerned the arguments put unified idea between the forth by some proponents two separate collections of of experimental philosophy, knowledge held by either or x-phi, which claimed to hemisphere. prove that intuition — or Bernstein gave a talk cenhumankind’s innate sense tered on what sort of causal of knowing — is systematisignificance omissions have cally biased or unreliable. in the world. Looking at Studies done by exstatements such as “if I did perimental philosophers not water my plants, they showed a large difference would have died,” she quesin responses concerning intioned whether the possible tuitive knowledge dependaction, as compared to the ing on a person’s cultural actual action, of not waterbeliefs, the order of the ing the plants had a sigquestions presented and nificant the wordr o l e usage presin the ent in a given plants’ cenario. [The event] would sOne deaths. would S h e be somewhere be- expect there c o n to be little c l u d e d tween a colloquia d i f f e r e n c e t h a t in natural, o m i s - and a workshop or intuitive, sions knowledge are imwhen asking por tant -Ben Conover any number to the of people a causal question. relation, but don’t necesThe philosophers concludsarily cause things in themed that intuition was, in cerselves. tain cases, a faulty source Bernstein then argued of knowledge because the that the context of a given responses were so varied. situation determined what Bengson argued that the level of relevance an omisstudies did not give people sion has, and what extranean opportunity to demonous factors had an imporstrate whether or not they tant role in the outcome in had an instinctive answer a series of events. to certain questions, con-
“
”
tending that in many cases people don’t claim to know something intuitively but merely state their best guess. He also maintained that the questions may have prompted “stray answers,” which departed from intuition and instead followed a line of detailed and extended reasoning. For this reason, Bengson claimed, x-phi’s attack on intuition is false. Other sessions throughout the weekend included presentations by SLU faculty and students, as well as a panel on intergenerational justice, and social lunches and dinners. In addition to hosting another philosophy conference next spring, the Philosophy Club plans to hold an additional event in the fall semester focusing on the philosophy of science. “[The event] would be somewhere between a colloquia and a workshop,” Ben Conover, the president of the Philosophy Club, said. “People would have their thesis papers they’re working on, and hopefully the professors would be willing to [review them].” The colloquium would be open to all SLU students and Conover hopes to have them in early November or late October.
APO holds spring induction ceremony
Michael DiMaria / Staff Photographer
Speakers during the April 17 MLK Scholarship town hall panel. Continued from Page 1
inform the interviewers about an applicant’s character. “[The program] is still growing and is still making changes,” said George Winston who is the program director for Multicultural Recruitment and Outreach. He suggested that certain requirements should be put into place that more closely follow the Jesuit mission. These would include things such as service requirements. Margaret West, the associate director of the John B. Ervin Scholars Program at Washington University, talked about SLU’s need to make the school more appealing to African Americans. She stated that a sticking point for that advancement would be the low African American population currently. During the latter half of the meeting, the board members and audience members brought up possible solutions to the problems addressed. The major-
ity of what was discussed surrounded increasing African American enrollment at SLU. There was a general consensus that SLU needed to reach out to more majorityminority schools that are primarily located in low-income areas — not just in St. Louis, but around the entire country. Other actions proposed were “phone-a-thons,” special mailings and offering additional counseling for MLK students. West suggested that current MLK scholars should conduct interviews for the program so the applicants can develop a connection and feel more welcomed on campus. “Students have much more power than you think,” said Bradley when talking about advocating for a higher percentage of African American students. The Senior Legacy Symposium will be held in the BSC on Tuesday, April 23. The public is welcome to attend the symposium, where there will be further discussion concerning the MLK scholarship.
Gamble: Cost, jobs key to degree decision Continued from Page 1
John Schuler / Photo Editor
The Delta Delta chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at Saint Louis University held their Spring Activation event on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. The APO chapter at SLU is the largest in the United States and is known for its service, namely its participation in Make A Difference Day, Relay for Life and Showers of Service.
Funding: SAB, GIC top funding allocations FIVE HIGHEST FUNDED STUDENT GROUPS (50.3%)
REMAINING 131 CSOs (49.7%)
Continued from Page 1
cultural concerns. They have previously held speeches by Patch Adams, Ehud Barak and others. The Black Student Alliance received $39,250 in funding. BSA often hosts speakers, as well as an annual fashion show and various cultural events. FSAE (Formula Society of Automotive Engineers) Parks Racing received $25,444, and SGA received $24,155, these five groups making up the highest individually funded groups
in FY14. In total the top-five groups received $523,324, or roughly 50 percent of available activity fee money. Of the 136 budgets that were heard, 113 student groups received funding without appealing their allocated amount. These budgets were placed in an omnibus bill for the April 13 senate meeting and passed in a vote by senate. 23 groups appealed their funding and appeared before senate to present their case to the larger SGA body. The majority of appeals concerned conferences that
were cut from budgets. Senate funding directives define two criteria that make a conference fundable: “the attained information and experience must be used to benefit the SLU student body,” or “the attained information and experience must be integral to the leadership operations of the attending CSO throughout the entire Fiscal Year.” Most conferences were struck because FC found that they lacked a strong contribution to the SLU student body. However, many groups were able to dem-
onstrate that the knowledge they would obtain from conferences would help them bring back new events to host on campus. A lengthy debate took place on SGA’s April 17 meeting concerning senate’s responsibility to follow funding directives, inspired by a second appeal by the SLU Club Tennis. Vice President of Academic Affairs Richard Joubert made the point that the funding directives were not binding for senators, and that it was up to senate to determine whether a particular budget was worthy of exception. Senator and Vice President of Finance-elect Parry Draper countered the point, arguing the fact that senators voting the directives into place meant that they had a responsibility to follow the directives, regardless of their contractual obligations. The current VP of Finance Vidur Sharma also made the point that breaking directives in one vote didn’t imply that directives should be broken again, responding to senators who argued directives were broken in Saturday’s appeals. A total of $21,590 was granted in first and second budget appeals. Total funding amounted to $1.06 mil.
to develop job training opportunities at community colleges that satisfy the needs of big industry. And wherever Uncle Sam spends, the American universities will go. And where the universities go, so do high schools around the nation. If you build it, they will come, so the saying goes. Sitting in a cooking class recently at Columbia High School in Columbia, Ill., just over 15 miles south of St. Louis, Adam Babb and Reed Greatting are more concerned about their chicken pot pie than their future. Both have made their decisions to attend universities, and both cite factors indicated by national trends. Teammates on the football field, Babb and Greatting offer a microcosm into the selection of high education by today’s high school seniors. Greatting will be attending the University of Missouri – Columbia in the fall. He will be studying accounting in the Trulaske School of Business; its accounting program ranks 29th in the nation. “Definitely, I would say choosing a major that could lead to a job after college was a major part of my decision to go to Mizzou,” Greatting said. “I saw Mizzou’s program had a 97 percent job placement for accounting graduates. I looked at cost, programs and distance, and realized Mizzou was my best bet.” As an Illinois resident, Greatting will be eligible for Mizzou’s in-state tuition rate if he stays for more than a year. A Missouri resident pays $22,387 in tuition or about 61 percent less than out-of-state students. Though Mizzou has not expanded its in-state tuition eligibility, some public schools have. For instance,
Southern Illinois-Carbondale will grant in-state tuition to citizens of Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas and Indiana if they fall within a certain radius from the school. The practice is becoming more common, as public schools compete for students. Greatting said his parents have agreed to pick up the payment for his tuition, though he will be left to pay for extra-curricular activities he chooses to engage in, such as joining a fraternity or a bass fishing club. Babb, on the other hand, has chosen to be a Billiken. Come August, he will be enrolled in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. He picked SLU over Maryville University and University of Evansville in Indiana because of its unique freshman-entry doorway. Babb, a four-year two-sport athlete at Columbia, had previous experience with physical therapy, and that led him to research the profession more. “I saw how much physical therapy made a difference in my life, I knew I wanted to make the same difference in other people’s lives,” Babb said. “And SLU’s job placement [in P.T.] is 100 percent, so that sealed the deal.” Babb will fund his SLU experience through scholarships and tuition exchange through Washington University in St. Louis. Under the exchange, Babb will receive a maximum of eight semesters of undergraduate tuition at SLU because his mother is eligible for tuition remission at Washington University. That made coming to SLU an easy decision. “Knowing I wouldn’t have to worry about the cost, I knew that SLU was my favorite of the schools I visited, and I knew if I got in, that’s where I wanted to go. And I did.”
U OPINION
APRIL 18, 2013
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SGA president emeritus and wife set record straight
Mike Hogan/ Opinion Editor
Turning a critical eye toward higher ed College is about asking questions and thinking critically. As students at Saint Louis University, we would like to think that we’ve learned these skills. So perhaps it’s natural that we should turn our collective critical eye toward the ver y system that helped us develop them—the higher education system in the U.S. What did we expect out of college? And what is the reality? Most people say that higher education isn’t just a means to obtain a better job and earn a fat paycheck. Education opens horizons, builds better citizens and can help people lead more fulfilling lives. And of course, college can be fun. But at the end of the day, economics is always a factor. If, for some reason, a college degree couldn’t help you get a better job or increase your lifetime earning potential, most people probably wouldn’t go. As enriching and enjoyable as college can be, it’s not something that most people would purchase as a luxur y. Fortunately, we live in a world where a bachelor’s degree still improves your career prospects. But the benefits of going to college aren’t always the same ones that are advertised in the recruitment pamphlets. Ostensibly, students come to college to learn the material on the syllabi. Grades are an ever-present concern, making classroom performance a top priority. But learning academic subjects is not the only, or even the principal, benefit of going to college. Classroom learning isn’t necessarily what makes a college graduate a valuable employee. In fact, many employers report that college doesn’t teach students the practical skills necessar y for a profession; once hired, recent graduates have to learn the ropes while on the job. Certainly the concepts taught in college courses provide many students with the theoretical underpinnings for their chosen occupations. But it seems that some of the greatest lessons students learn in college aren’t taught in the classroom at all. Social skills, financial responsibility, discipline and meeting deadlines are perhaps the most important things that students
learn in college, especially at a four-year university. This isn’t exactly what universities paint on their billboards, though. “How to deal with bureaucracy” and “How to set your own schedule” don’t sound quite as sexy as “Neuroscience” or “International Business.” Still, the former are just the skills that are necessar y to get by in modern society, regardless of which career path you choose. Many of these skills are best gained through extracurriculars, a fact that employers recognize. In this economy, good grades aren’t enough to land a job any more. It’s important to demonstrate commitment to organizations and projects outside the classroom. Moreover, as cynical as it may sound, sometimes going to college isn’t about learning at all. To some extent, higher education is a credentialing ser vice. The diploma itself is almost as important as the learning it’s supposed to represent. And the value of those credentials varies; it could be argued that attending an expensive school is worthwhile, not because of the improved learning experience, but because of the brand recognition associated with the degree. When it comes to finding employment, the brand name matters. In an inter view, it’s a lot easier to flash a fancy alma mater than it is to convince an employer that you’re an intelligent and hardworking individual. It used to be that a bachelor’s degree was essentially a ticket to a high-powered career. Today, that isn’t necessarily the case. College is a great experience for many people, but it isn’t for ever yone. And even those that do attend shouldn’t feel obligated to attend an expensive four-year university; community colleges and studying part-time are great options for those seeking an affordable degree. As students already enrolled at SLU, this discussion may seem moot. But by considering what we want from our college experience, we can tr y to make the best of it. And perhaps our insider perspective can help those still deciding which path is right for them.
Requesting some Midtown additions Space is scarce around Saint Louis University. It’s one of the trade-offs of situating your school in a city. But there are a few tracts of land adjacent to campus that remain unused. Consider the old buildings on Forest Park Avenue, south of the Laclede Parking Garage. And the basement of the Coronado, once occupied by Chuy’s (rest in peace), remains empty to date. So here’s a list of some additions we’d like to see in the Midtown area: Build-a-Billiken workshop – Bears are boring. We need a store where you can stuff your own symbol of SLU spirit. Give it as a gift for good luck! MIM-104 Patriot missile defense system – With tensions between the U.S. and North Korea mounting, we’d feel safer knowing our campus was protected by one of the most advanced missile defense systems in existence. OK, so maybe St. Louis wouldn’t be a primar y target, and we’re pretty far from the coast, but you can never be too careful. Another “Star-potle” – The Chipotle-Starbucks on Grand has been a hit, so much so that we’d like to see another one on the other side of campus. Or maybe two more. Actually, just replace ever y eater y around campus with Star-potles. Nap center – Wouldn’t it be great if there were a place where you could just crash between classes? A room full of mattresses would be awesome. OK, so those exist, but they’re typically tr ying to sell you the
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mattresses. Come on, we’re in college; ain’t nobody got a dime for that. Sur vey center – We just can’t get enough sur veys. After a long day of studying, ever ybody just wants to unwind and rate statements on a scale from “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree.” But sometimes, after eagerly refreshing your inbox, you realize that there are no more sur veys to fill out. Strongly disapprove. There should be a building where you can fill out surveys to your heart’s content. Strongly approve. Zipcarts – Lots of cities have Zipcar, the car sharing ser vice that allows you to easily rent a car for a day. But that’s tough on the environment, and many of the roads on campus are closed anyway. We want Zipcarts: a center where you can rent one of SLU’s golf carts. Apple store – Here at SLU, we want only the best merchandise. Golden Delicious? Please. It’s hard to eat healthy on campus, so we want a store that sells all the finest varieties of the world’s greatest fruit. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Fuji and all your favorites. Oh, you were looking for a computer store? Tr y the Galleria. So, there are some suggestions for how to make Midtown a more vibrant (and secure) area. Sure, some may prefer more housing options, or a more lively nightlife scene, but ever y university has that. These innovative additions would make the SLU area truly unique. And if you disagree, you’ll be able to register your opinion at the new sur vey center.
In his April 11 commentary (“Fr. Veltrie responds to Dr. Parker”), Fr. Jim Veltrie, SJ, a family friend, mentioned me as representative of people who have moved on from the no-confidence vote in 1999 (over which I presided as Student Government president) and, by implication, “forgiven” Fr. Biondi and his offenses toward students, faculty and staff. While I respect Fr. Veltrie and am grateful for his long friendship with my family, I have never discussed these issues with him, and he has obviously profoundly misunderstood my views on Biondi’s leadership of Saint Louis University. My wife and I were frankly shocked to be cited in support of Fr. Veltrie’s suggestion that a longtime tenured professor at SLU pack up and get lost if he could not support the highly controversial actions of Biondi and the Board of Trustees. To avoid confusion among those who may know me from my tenure as SGA president, I feel it necessary to respond to Father’s letter. My wife and I have certainly “moved on with our lives” since 1999, as appropriate after one graduates from college, but graduation has not effected a change in our opinions or our interest in the university. We have the same interest as all alumni in seeing our alma mater flourish and in someday recommending it to our children, who could be thirdgeneration Billikens. We probably follow events at the university more closely than most through connections with former professors, and each year that goes by strengthens our conviction that the university will only suffer while Biondi is its leader. As such, Mary Catherine and I wish to express our whole-hearted support for the current no confidence effort. While some of the issues that caused Student Government to vote no confidence in 1999 were resolved with a change of personnel, the deep rift between Biondi’s hand-picked administration and students, staff and faculty has only grown in the past 14 years. Nothing could have made that clearer than the successive decisions that led to the embarrassment of the Law School and the administration’s proposal to end faculty tenure at SLU. These decisions have jeopardized the value of our degrees and imperiled the very relevance of the institution. We applaud, and have joined as much as possible, the efforts of those who have opposed these measures. I believe Fr. Veltrie’s confusion about our position comes from two sources. The first is that I avoided raising the issue of no confidence in front of him at the birthday party we recently attended, in order to avoid making him and others uncomfortable. Obviously, I did not expect my restraint to land my family on the Op-Ed page of the U. News as now supportive of Biondi. The second source of Fr. Veltrie’s confusion is that, as alumni, the avenues of protest open to my wife and me are naturally limited. Until recently, our views could be expressed mainly through refusing general donations to SLU and the Jesuits until Biondi is the former president of the University. (In this, we are in good company: Our generation includes an enormous proportion of “conscientious objectors” pending Biondi’s departure.) We regret that we have had to qualify our otherwise robust recommendation of the university to potential students with a caveat about the effects of Biondi’s presidency. Since last year, we have welcomed opportunities to assist those seeking recognition of the recent votes of no confidence. We have solicited signatures for a letter to the Jesuit trustees; my wife and daughter joined a novena on campus; and I spoke with the current SGA president about no confidence. In short, we have protested Biondi’s leadership as much as we could as alumni. Fr. Veltrie’s comparison between myself, an alum, and Dr. Parker, a tenured faculty member, is grossly unjust, because if I were a member of the faculty or staff, I hope I would be standing alongside Dr. Parker and other professors—some dear friends of ours—in leading the way through this turmoil. Joe Hodes, A&S ’98, SGA President ’98-‘99 Mary Catherine (Martin) Hodes, A&S ‘99
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APRIL 18, 2013
OPINION
5
To seniors: Freedom lies in choosing Writing is egotistical I’m not going to tell you that I know what it means to be an adult. I think that if you a s k e d m o s t adults, t h e y wouldn’t know, either, and I doubt there is m u c h Roberta Singer w i s d o m to be gleaned from the telling. But if there is any voice that breaks through the smog of trite aphorisms and hackneyed tales of becoming college students are inevitably overwhelmed with this time of year, I would listen to the late writer David Foster Wallace. In 2005, Wallace gave a commencement address for Kenyon College called “This is Water.” His introduction includes the anecdote of an old fish asking a few younger fish how they liked the water; the younger fish reply, “What the hell is water?” The metaphor indicates a problem of consciousness. It’s a problem of being a thinking person and remaining aware of the wider world even though our lives and careers will involve banalities. Because they will. Don’t think for once that after graduation, life will become this incredibly engaging and stimulating thing right off the bat and forever. It will often be tepid. Our jobs will often be something we go through and don’t take the time to contemplate deeply because our automatic reaction to boredom is to shut down or seek refuge in something frivolous.
The truth is that the four years of work and study at a university constitute perhaps some of the more diverse and interesting work you will engage in. The real battle for me has come after; it has lain in bearing the sometimestedium of the ever yday. I don’t think that right now it’s possible for seniors to really know, or imagine, having to wake up ever y morning to go to a job that is only tolerable, day after day after day; that this can consume years of one’s adult life; that the lucky few are those that have found a passion that earns them a living or who have the privilege to hold out for the perfect career rather than mucking through something because they know they have to pay the rent. But this is existence. This is reality. It is in the light of this exacting and ver y real fact where the real work of life, what Wallace calls the “work of choosing,” begins. It is all too easy to go to work and narrow our focus to a specific task or a set of monthly goals and return home, fatigued from the busyness and the hard work and all too ready to surrender to the routine of dinner and television and sleep and repetition. It’s easy to forget that there are other people and a larger world of things and ideas that have nothing to do with the fields we enter. It is easy to be so tired at the end of each day that we begin to look at other people as existing for our mere convenience and then get pissed off at the clerk in Target who is taking forever to ring someone up, or the driver who cut us off, because in our routine 6 p.m.
Mike Hogan / Opinion Editor
lethargy, we forget about ideas and people outside ourselves. We forget how to be compassionate. This is where our Jesuit learning will ser ve us best--in reminding us to be radically conscious. Our freedom is in the way of Camus’s “The Myth of Sisyphus,” in choosing how and what to think about. If we are mindful, we can break away from ourselves and the 10 thousand petty frustrations that come with being an adult. We can gain some enlightenment from public radio in the car instead of getting
impatient and angr y, or take a moment to consider the actual person behind the counter and what it would be like to be them in their particular circumstance. We can break free from solipsism. Wallace writes in closing, “This is the real value of education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and ever ything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over: ‘This is water.’”
Finding real passion in the ‘hook-up culture’ Both literally and metaphorically, colleges all over the United States have what I call a rising “hook-up culture.” Hooking up (as defined by me) is when two people engage Shreya Walia in a fleeting, informal sexual activity. It is a ver y simple four-step process: meet, flirt, hook up and leave. It’s followed by apathy, un-attachment and – I hope with all my heart – dissatisfaction. This superficial engagement has expanded out of our sexual encounters and bled into our daily lives. For instance, it’s alarming to me that many of my peers show no enthusiasm for their chosen career paths. And perhaps this is more a criticism of the larger society we live in,
where happiness is meadia? Are we conditioned to sured by the zeroes on live in this passive, nonyour paycheck, but even questioning state? so, I yearn to see some We are constantly givpassion. en scripts of how to live One of my favorite through literature, telequotes by 20th centur y vision and music. Think w r i t e r “T wilight,” Howard Kendrick T h u r Lamar, “Jerman is as sey Shore.” follows: We are constantly Bella Swan, “ D o n ’ t a role modask what given scripts of how to el for many the world live through literature, teen girls, n e e d s . is a characAsk what television and music... ter whose makes you I challenge people to e m o t i o n a l alive, and developgo do it. deviate away from this ment lies B e c a u s e culture. completewhat the ly in the w o r l d hands of needs is another people who man. And have come Kendrick, alive.” thank you for teaching my I too wish to see more younger brother the impeople come alive, espeportant things in life. He cially on my campus. now knows how silly it is Taking it a step further, to take two or three shots, it should be questioned when really he should be where to place blame. Is it diving in pools of liquor. the continuous, brainwashEnlightening. ing tactics used by the meI challenge people to
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deviate away from this culture. Engage with your surroundings on a deeper, more passionate level. Don’t just change your Facebook profile picture to support gay rights, don’t do pre-med if you’re only in it for the money and don’t passively accept being brainwashed by the media. That’s all hooking up. Rather, I dare you to fall madly in love. Come alive. Find the career of your dreams and marr y her. Voice your opinions and strive to make a difference. Feel pain, feel love, and when you can’t feel anymore, I hope you feel dissatisfied. Marriage, the kind my grandparents had, was also a four-step process: meet, fall in love, work through problems and stay committed for life. It’s followed by feelings of wholeness, satisfaction and happiness. That is how we must strive to live, not only in our relationships, but in all facets of life.
Writing is an incredibly narcissistic act. By taking the time to write, I’m arguing that I have s o m e perspect i v e , s o m e knowle d g e , some noMike Hogan tion that is worth expressing. I’m asking you, Dear Reader, to take a few minutes of your life, irrecoverable minutes that you could have spent on absolutely anything else, and waste them considering whatever it is I have to say. I’m arguing that my thoughts are worthy of taking on a material form. I’m arguing that my words are worth the paper they’re printed on and the tree that was murdered to make that paper, or the energy used to run a ser ver in some basement that will store my scribblings in digital form indefinitely. To me, that seems pretty arrogant. Some people are exempt from this generalization, however. Some people have had amazing experiences, have faced tremendous challenges, have discovered incredible things. For those people, it would be selfish not to write; their thoughts deser ve to be shared with the rest of humanity. But trust me, I’m not one of those people. Like ever yone else, my life has had its ups and downs, I’ve done some cool stuff, seen some cool things, and maybe had a unique thought once or twice in my 22-plus-change years of existence. But the key phrase here is, “like ever yone else.” Now, Reader, you may argue, “But Mike, ever yone’s perspective is unique! Ever yone has something valuable to share!” That may be true, but at the end of the day, we’ve each got a finite number of minutes on this earth, and we aren’t going to spend them tr ying to read ever y little thing that ever y person on the planet has written. We want to read only those sentences that can offer us something valuable, something unique. Unless, of course, we’re just reading to kill time… but who pours their heart and soul out onto paper just so it can be a time killer? No, to write is to say, “I’m different! I’ve got something to say that you need to hear!” Well, ever y snowflake may be unique, but they’re all made of the same water. Again, Reader, you may argue, “You don’t have to have unique experiences to be a writer. You just have to be good at writing.” That’s even worse! In that case, to write anything is to say that you’re good at writing. Seems like putting the cart before the horse, doesn’t it? Besides,
that line of reasoning implies that the content of our writing doesn’t matter, just the style. I don’t believe that, and I doubt many other writers do, either. Sure, I tr y to play with words, but I probably only do it out of shame for the extreme arrogance of writing at all. I make little puns, cute analogies and silly rhymes so that my readers know it’s just a game. And if you enjoy my verbal tricks, then I didn’t waste your time, even if whatever I had to say was boring or rehashed or blatantly false. An example of such tricks: Writing a commentar y about how writing is narcissistic. Irony is my friend. But I didn’t write this commentar y for the sole purpose of printing a bit of irony. That would be too PoMo, too hipster for my taste. I’m writing to say that writing is narcissistic, and that’s OK. Because when you think about it, writing is actually slightly less narcissistic than a lot of other things we do ever y day. For instance, speaking. Dear Reader, at any moment you can put this paper down and go do something better with your life. But when I’m speaking, you can’t get off so easily; you have to physically remove yourself from my presence and from my voice, which imposes itself upon you. Heck, even just living is narcissistic; I’m breathing air and consuming nutrients that any other organism would gladly have used. But writing? Writing’s pretty harmless. Whether it’s in a newspaper or on a blog or on the side of a bathroom stall, writing just sits there, passively waiting for a passerby to read it, or not, at his or her discretion. We’ve even trained ourselves to tune out some of the most inyour-face writing, like billboards and tornado alerts. So there’s really nothing to lose. Put your voice out there; it may founder in the void, unread by anyone, but so what? No harm, no foul. And maybe, just maybe, you sold yourself short when you thought you had nothing of value to say. As for me, I basically write because I love literature, and so whatever I produce will either: (a) Be a valuable contribution to the world of letters, or (b) Make good writing look better by comparison. It’s a win-win. Write with me. If ever yone does it, I’ll look less pompous for implicitly arguing that my words have value. Was this entire commentar y just a ploy to get people to contribute to the opinion section of The University News, of which I am the editor and which I am required to fill with words ever y week? Maybe. But hey, writing is selfser ving. I told you that from the beginning.
When it comes to threats of nuclear war, it’s better to be safe than sorry Let me start with a disclaimer: I am not the Secretar y of Defense. I do not claim to k n o w ever ything about war and nuclear weapons and which of the Emily “bigger” McDermott count r i e s could demolish all the “little” countries. Now that that confession’s out of the way, let’s talk about those things. In the past few months, North Korea has been taunting the U.S. with talk of nuclear weapons, and the U.S. has laughed at the thought of this bitty-baby countr y tr ying to wipe us
out in one fell swoop. Ever ything seemed all fine and dandy, but in the last few days, North Korea has become a bit more aggressive; in a recent statement, officer Sin Chol Ung of the North’s Korean People’s Security Forces announced that North Korea had drawn the “arrows” for “merciless retaliator y strikes” at the U.S. mainland. Merciless. Retaliator y. Strikes. I have not personally met North Korea’s supreme leader, Kim Jongun, but I have to imagine he needs to have a pretty good poker face if he’s going to be bluffing about a statement like that. I know we’re pretty much landlocked here in the good ol’ Midwest, but if I was in Alaska or Hawaii, I would be getting a
little antsy. I mean, come on guys! People are saying they are going to bomb us! Who cares who it is, shouldn’t we be a little more concerned? The other day on the evening news, the top stor y was about Obama saying the attorney general of California was an attractive woman. Scrolling along the bottom of the screen was the phrase “North Korea to bomb America” snuggled right in between the DOW and the score of the NCAA basketball championship. Real helpful, Diane Sawyer. Maybe it’s because Netflix has recently sucked me into the TV series “24” and I have a ver y Hollywood-ized idea of the implications a nuclear weapon could have. Maybe it’s because I know Jack Bauer isn’t going to be here to
save the day if something like this actually happens. Maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about and North Korea’s idea of a nuclear weapon is a water gun. Regardless, I’m getting a little ner vous over here. I’ve been ner vous since day one when this whole nuke thing came about. We can’t say we weren’t warned. I mean we did have the scrolling marquee at the bottom of the evening news. In my extremely humble, but mostly biasedAmerican opinion, North Korea is like an orner y toddler testing the waters to see just how far they can push the parents. No one thinks the two-year-old will draw on the walls, but Mom turns her back for one minute and all of the sudden there is a budding
Picasso scribbling away. Yes, I realize that makes me sound like I think America rules all and that we have to keep an eye on ever yone. I’m not saying we have to keep an eye on ever yone, just the ones who say that they’re going to wipe us out with a nuclear bomb. Let’s just pretend for a hot second that we prepare for a nuclear strike and nothing happens. Would that be the worst thing in the world? Sure, it may cost us a buck or two and we may need to learn one more drill (joining fire, earthquake and tornado), but in the long run, couldn’t that only over prepare us? If there is one thing I’ve learned from “24,” it’s that the government more often than not knows more than they tell the public,
for fear of widespread panic. I’m cool with that. I’m not big on panicking. But if the clock’s ticking away and the strike is going to happen “within the hour” as Jack would say, then I feel like it’s time to take action. Let me reiterate: I do not know all the ins and outs of keeping the world’s most powerful nation safe from nuclear attack. If I did, I probably would have gotten higher than a B in my political science class freshman year. All I’m saying is, it wouldn’t hurt to lead with this stor y, rather than send it scrolling at the bottom of the screen and leaving it up to viewer interpretation. If anyone needs me, I’ll be in my bunker. In the meantime, do less, North Korea. Do less.
6 GAMES
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APRL 18, 2013
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U ARTS
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APRIL 18, 2013
Anniversary: Chaifetz turns five CHAIFETZ ARENA BY THE NUMBERS
Music
7,735,356 Ounces of soda consumed (enough to fill 30,696 regulation sized basketballs.)
Weird Al Yankovic April 19 Family Arena 7:30 p.m. from $28
80,363 Hotdogs sold (enough to stretch around the bases of a baseball field 130 times.)
Jay Chandresekhar April 20 The Firebird 9 p.m. $15
594 Total number of events held at Chaifetz Arena
Open Mic Photo courtesy of Wilson Delgado
Chaifetz Arena is one of the highest ranking college venues in the nation. The arena hit its highest attendance record ever last season at a men’s basketball game versus Butler with 10,612 people in the stands.
April 21 Plush 4 p.m. free
By ALANAH NANTELL Arts Editor
All-German
April 19-20 Powell Hall 8 p.m. from $30 (student tickets $10)
Art Joy in People
Until April 28 Contemporary Art Museum hours vary $5 (free with student ID)
Ammie Rubin: Another World
Until May 12 Delmar Charak Gallery Tues-Thurs: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri-Sat: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sun: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. free
April 10 marked Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz Arena’s fifth-year anniversary. Known as the “jewel of Midtown,” this facility has become the heart of major events at SLU and has undergone some big changes in its first few years. One person who has been able to see the transformation of Chaifetz up close is three-year employee Jim Wynkoop. Wynkoop is the general manager at Global Spectrum, the company responsible for managing events at Chaifetz. Chaifetz has become the mainstay for the University’s athletics, and it may be best known as the home for Billiken basketball. Thousands of students stream in every season to see both the men’s and women’s teams play for their spot at the championships. “At all the Billiken basketball games there’s an excitement in the air which makes me have a great time,” sophomore Carla Gibbs said. While the facility is a major hub for sports, it is much more than that for the University. Chaifetz provides a convenient place for everything from freshmen convocation to graduation commencement. It
is also a valuable resource for departments like admissions, which hosts different events throughout the year. Chaifetz has not only been a valuable resource to the SLU community, but many organizations in the St. Louis area utilize the arena for events of all kinds, including fundraisers and various celebrations. “I think Chaifetz is an awesome space for not only the SLU community, but the St. Louis community to gather and celebrate at large,” said Gibbs. Wynkoop agrees. “We’ve really developed and shown that the building is for lots of uses. We have a consistent use from the community,” he said. Annual events include the St. Louis Public School backto-school event and the St. Patrick’s Center sports trivia contest. “We’ve become a resource for a lot of different people for a lot of different things,” Wynkoop added. Chaifetz has hosted everything from wrestling matches to Cirque du Soleil shows, and even Girl Scout anniversary parties. In fact, the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s 100-year anniversary celebration was one of the most memorable for Wynkoop. Almost 10,000 girls and their families attended the event in 2012, lighting up the dark
arena with florescent bubbles and glow-in-the-dark face paint and shoelaces. Musical performances have also been a staple at the arena. Chaifetz knows no bounds when it comes to genres, and has had artists from all over sell out shows. Crowds have enjoyed popular artists, such as Carrie Underwood and Lil’ Wayne, as well as old favorites, like Salt n’ Peppa and Frankie Beverly. Some artists are specifically brought in for students, including Motion City Soundtrack and Ben Folds. “It’s become a place where people feel comfortable coming,” Wynkoop said. The diverse attractions that are brought to Chaifetz have allowed the facility to be successful with people of all interests. While Chaifetz has had a great first five years, Wynkoop believes that there is much more that can be done and is excited about what the future holds. At the end of the day, Wynkoop is all about progress. “You start out kind of nowhere and you have to develop. You have to take advantage of your opportunities, build on that, and keep tooting your own horn. As long as there’s a day that’s not being used for something, we’re not doing 100 percent what we can do,” he
Other Earth Day Festival April 21 The Muny Grounds in Forest Park 10 a.m.-6 p.m. free
6,398 Hours spent installing and removing the basketball court. 70 Concerts held at Chaifetz Arena
10,549 Points scored by the SLU men’s (6,072) and women’s (4,477) basketball teams
37,451 Number of high school and college graduates to walk across the Chaifetz Arena stage to receive their diplomas
‘Evil Dead’ darker than the original SLU alums, students take on Shakespeare By SARAH MALLICK Staff Writer
The River Between Us Exhibit
Until August 25 Laumeier Sculpture Park 8 a.m.-30 minutes past sunset free
said. Wynkoop hopes what most would hope for any business: that it continues to grow and thrive so they are able to provide more events for patrons. The more shows Chaifetz is able to book, the busier and happier everyone will be, including community members. In fact, being able to watch the reaction of patrons during show time is what drew Wynkoop into this business in the first place. “The reason I got hooked into the business is that moment when the lights go down and the fans cheer and there’s that moment of anticipation. That’s what it is for me,” Wynkoop said. “At that point our job for setting up is done. That’s the moment that I enjoy because it’s the moment when the fans who have paid their money to come see it can have a great time.” “We don’t make anything, we don’t make a product, we don’t sell an item, we sell memories,” Wynkoop said. Although no one knows exactly what the next five years will hold, it is clear that the employees of Chaifetz are ready to keep moving forward. “Five years flew right by, and I’m sure the next five years is going to fly by too.”
38,040 Gallons of water used to create the ice for Disney on Ice, (enough to fill the bed of a pickup truck 126 times.)
Photo courtesy of Evil Dead
Shiloh Fernandez plays David in “Evil Dead,” a horror movie released earlier this month. Buckets of blood and gallons of gore splattered the screen in director Fede Alvarez’s remake of Review the 1981 cult-horror film classic “The Evil Dead.” Not for the faint of heart, the recently Ashley Locher released “ E v i l D e a d ” strictly adheres to the archetypal horror genre while
inventively deviating from the mold of campy screaminducing thrillers. When five young adults find themselves holed up in an abandoned cabin, they stumble upon a “Book of Dead” from which they unknowingly summon demons residing in the surrounding woods. What sets “Evil Dead” apart from other fright fests of its kind is the guise under which these unfortunate young adults have gathered at the cabin. In an attempt to kick her drug addiction, Mia (Jane Levy) rallies her estranged brother and his
girlfriend, David (Shiloh Fernandez) and Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore), and their childhood friends Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Olivia (Jessica Lucas) as a rehabilitation support group. Their job? Assist her through the withdrawal period by barricading her far away from civilization where it is impossible for her to access the vice that continues to tighten its grip on her life. Within minutes of the opening scene, evil makes itself apparent. See “Evil” on Page 8
On April 20, Saint Louis University’s Alpha Psi Omega will be hosting a rendition of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the grand opening of the Sweet Divine Cupcakery in Soulard. Directed by senior Mollie Amburgey, the play is circus-themed, and admission is free to all. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was produced solely by Saint Louis University students, and stars SLU graduates and students alike. A few members of the cast include SLU graduate Ryan Natalino as Helena, and other members of the SLU community, including Rikki Koehler as Bottom, Joey Sminchak as Puck, Alex Bolano as Demetrius. “I wanted to make it family friendly,” said Amburgey. “The theme is to connect everyone on a common ground, if you’re 8 or 81.” Amburgey chose a circus-themed play because “a childhood dream influenced it” and going to a circus is something “which you can enjoy at any age.” The play
itself is enthralling and Amburgey’s circus theme adds a whimsical quality to it. The great cast works well together and performs diligently. The rehearsal alone felt realistic; many nuances exist in theater and it was interesting to view the play behind the scenes. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is one of Amburgey’s favorite plays. Amburgey said that her favorite aspect of directing the play was spending “quality time with the actors.” “As a director, it’s very rewarding to see people working hard,” she said. “At the end of the day, when you see the light bulb go off and things click, it’s a great thing. Theater is work and it’s art, yes it’s a challenge, but at the end of the day it’s a great thing. We get to bring it to the community and to people who don’t normally get to see Shakespeare.” The play is part of the “Shake 38” Festival, which runs from April 19 to 23. Sponsored by Ken and Nancy Kranzberg, the festival is an ode to Shakespeare, and sponsors his plays in schools, on streets and in parks.
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8 ARTS
Grammer brings ‘soulful power’ to STL
APRIL 18, 2013
Another Ghibli success
Photo courtesy of Studio Ghibli
“From Up on Poppy Hill” is released in St. Louis on April 19.
Photo courtesy of Mikec6282
Andy Grammer played in St. Louis at the Old Rock House on April 11 with Andrew Ripp and Parachute to a sold-out crowd. How do you sell out the Old Rock House? Apparently by taking a two-year hiatus from the touring circuit. Andy Gramm e r could proba b l y Stephanie tell you b e s t , Mueller though, as he played to a sold-out crowd last Thursday, April 11. Coming back after a near-silent 2012, Grammer took the stage as a headliner for the first time, backed by Andrew Ripp and Parachute. Ripp, a Nashville native, acknowledged his general anonymity immediately, noting with a laugh that he was definitely not Grammer. A stirring mix of Appalachian-sounding folk and soulful power, Ripp floored the audience with his unexpected voice and heartfelt lyrics.
His “We Will Rock You” sing-a-long mash-up with Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was a welcomed surprise for the audience that immediately launched into its best attempt at rapping along. The female-heavy, prominently teenage audience struggled but gave its best effort, which has to count for something. Ripp ended with what he called “a song of hope,” entitled “You Will Find Me.” It was sincere and raw, two qualities that alone may not propel Ripp to the success he dreams of, but, in that moment, were exactly what he needed to draw in the vulnerable audience. Parachute took the stage, welcomed by what was arguably more applause than that which Grammer received. The majority of the crowd could sing every word of the band’s set until the phrase “new song” was boldly uttered. Prior to this concert, I had heard a total of two songs from Para-
chute: “She is Love” and “Forever and Always.” They sang exactly zero of these songs, which are their number one and number three top-selling songs on iTunes. For a band that hasn’t hit truly notable commercial success, it seemed like they should take advantage of their two most recognizable hits for the benefit of the radio listeners. Andy Grammer ran onstage to “Keep Your Head Up,” drawing even the cynics in, because honestly, how could you not sing along? Other tracks from the album followed, including his newest single release, “Fine By Me.” Between these were unexpected covers of The Lumineers’ “Ho Hey” and Macklemore’s “Thrift Shop.” The former was done in a very “Andy Grammer” way, with his signature sound and fast-paced enthusiasm, but “Thrift Shop” was almost an exact replica of the original track. Covers deserve a twist, a
surprise factor that forces the audience to remember why they enjoy the artist so much. Failing to do so seemed like a ploy to raise the excitement level of the audience. Despite the success of this ploy, it seemed like a cop-out to what the audience came for in the first place. Before Grammer even took the stage, it was clear that this was an insider’s concert. This was not a show for the casual fan or the occasional listener. This was for the die-hard fan who had been anxiously checking Grammer’s Twitter, hoping and praying that it would be the day that he went on tour again. This was a show for the people who held on to the 11 tracks of his sole release, “Andy Grammer,” as if it were the golden wrapper of recordings. For them, this was likely the show that they had been waiting for, but for me, the outsider, it was just another show.
Studio Ghibli’s most recent release is slowly making its way into the U.S. “From Up on Poppy H i l l ” tells the story of a young g i r l named Umi in 1960s Maggie Japan. Needham W h e n s h e meets a boy named Shun who works for the school newspaper, she becomes involved in the debate over the Latin Quarter, the school’s clubhouse. In the midst of the modernization of Japan, the higher ups of the school have decided to tear it down. Umi and Shun team up to head a movement to clean up the clubhouse and prove that it is worthwhile, not only in spite of its age, but because of it. Meanwhile, Umi and Shun are both in the midst of their personal journeys, coming to new understandings of their pasts and their families’ histories. A poetic theme of old and new living together provides a beautiful backdrop for a charming love story. Here in the U.S., the animated film industry is dominated by CGI and computer animation for children. Pixar is no doubt beginning to change this, with its movies such as “WALL-E” and “Up” receiving rave reviews from critics as more than just entertainment for kids. Still, go to any animated movie in the States and the theatre will be full of children; most adults there will be chaperones.
Not so for Studio Ghibli. Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio known for its beautifully hand-drawn animated feature films and charming fantasy atmosphere. Many of its films may be known to Americans simply as Disney movies, as Disney held sole international distribution rights for Studio Ghibli for most of its history. Founder Hayao Miyazaki is the mastermind behind most of Ghibli’s works. As a writer, producer and director, he has worked significantly with 11 of the studio’s 16 feature films. With masterpieces such as “Spirited Away,” “Princess Mononoke,” and “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” Hayao Miyazaki has proved himself a genius of storytelling and animation. In an attempt to find younger directors to take the reigns as Hayao Miyazaki gets older, his son Goro Miyazaki took his first shot at directing with 2006’s “Tales from Earthsea,” which fell extremely short of Studio Ghibli’s standards. “Tales from Earthsea” remains the only Ghibli film to score a below 60 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. With his father writing the script for “Poppy Hill,” Goro Miyazaki’s second chance has been a much larger success and points to a continued legacy for the Miyazaki family and Studio Ghibli. “From Up on Poppy Hill” opened in select theatres in the U.S. beginning on March 15 and has slowly been spreading to more and more cities throughout the country. It will open in St. Louis this Friday, April 19, at the Landmark Plaza Frontenac theatre.
Evil: Remake takes on horror, addiction Continued from Page 7
Cue the nauseating violence, poor decisions and desperate fight for survival. So what is all the chatter about? So far, “Evil Dead” sounds like every other generic horror flick. However, as the late film critic Roger Ebert said, “It’s not what a movie is about, it’s how it is about it.” Brilliantly done, the culmination of a well-formulated plot and clever imagery allows “Evil Dead” to climax in a strong metaphor for the evils of addiction. Mistaking demonic possession for withdrawal symptoms, David and the gang are unpleasantly surprised when they discover the cause of Mia’s outbursts. Not to mention, Alvarez did the unthinkable and managed
to construct this grim tale without the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI). How does “Evil Dead” fair against its 1981 cult-horror film classic predecessor, you ask? Die-hard fans of “The Evil Dead” adamantly proclaim their dismay regarding the remake. Void of satirical jesting aimed at the horror genre, “Evil Dead” embodies a darker humor geared toward modern viewers. The five main characters upon whom evil descends find themselves visiting the remote cabin for differing reasons, and the manifestations of evil vary. Also, the names of the main characters were changed in the remake and the protagonist is no longer a male. The biggest quips voiced
regarding the remake revolve around small plot changes such as the presentation of the “Book of the Dead” and the deviation of the ending from the original film. Despite the negative feelings voiced by zealous fans of the original, “Evil Dead” is a film worth seeing for those with a strong stomach. Sure it is gory and implausible, but the unorthodox methodology with which Alvarez pulls viewers in is well worth the $8.50 movie ticket. Succeeding at providing moviegoers with a well-orchestrated plot complemented by screamworthy imagery, “Evil Dead” will appease the horror fan’s need for clever carnage. I only advise that you do not go alone.
We love Missouri state parks
Photo courtesy of Kristin McGuire
There will be an opportunity to support Missouri State Parks on Tuesday, April 23. Missouri is considered to have some of the most beautiful and best visited parks in the nation, but they are facing a backlog of $400 million in funding. Environment Missouri and SLU’s Wilderness Adventure Club (WAC) will be hosting a press conference at 10:30 a.m. next to the Dolphin Pond in front of the BSC to raise awareness and gain support for our State Parks. Speakers include WAC President Theresa Reynolds (pictured), State Advocate Stuart Keating and Public Health professor Chris King. Students are encouraged to attend.
U SPORTS
unewsonline.com
APRIL 18, 2013
Crews: From interim to full time Crews’ control= sustained success?
WHO TO
CHEER
Marathon Runners
by No. 12-seeded Oregon Ducks, who dismantled the Bills 74-57. “I’ve always thought that the best success is shared success,” Crews said. “I’m very, very humbled and honored that these guys were willing to accept and let us share their team, their program, their season with me and the other guys on the staff… They accepted us in a very nonjudgmental way. They knew the system better than us and they taught us, which I thought was pretty cool.” Prior to joining the SLU staff in 2011, Crews served as head coach at Evansville (1985-2002) and Army (2002-2009). He has a record of 382-355 over his 25 seasons as head coach with a total of 15 NCAA Tournament berths as a player, assistant coach and head coach. He got his start in college basketball at Indiana University, where he spent 12 seasons under legendary coach Bob Knight, four as a player and eight as an assistant. He won two National Championships at IU—first as a player in 1976 and again as an assistant in 1981. In 1985, he was chosen to replace Dick Walters at Evansville. Tasked with rebuilding an Evansville program that had fallen on hard times, Crews posted a record of 294-209 over his
Jim Crews was the right hire for Saint Louis University men’s basketball team, but… Crews w a s named interim h e a d coach at the beginning of the 2012-13 Derrick Neuner s e a s o n when it was announced that Rick Majerus would not coach this season. Crews led the Billikens to a school-record 28 victories (28-7), Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season and tournament championships and a second straight NCAA Tournament bid. For his leadership, Crews earned national coach of the year awards from the Sporting News and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He was one of four finalists for the Naismith Coach of the Year award. In addition, he earned his fifth conference coach of the year honor when he was named A-10 Coach of the Year. So, naturally, why search for one of the most celebrated coaches of year when he’s in house? Let’s be honest. Crews is the natural, dare I say perfect, choice to lead the Billikens. He led a group of young men through perhaps the most arduous period of their lives — unexpectedly losing someone who was more of a father figure than a coach. But not only did Crews lead them, he was also masterful in creating a seamless transition from Majerus’ resignation to the NCAAs. To you and me, Crews’ role as head counselor of the Billikens may not seem like much, but don’t overlook how it will look to a high school senior’s mother. And beyond the offthe-court standards which Crews demands, his on-thecourt game plan is exactly what this group of players has executed so well for the last two seasons. Why mess with a well-oiled machine? For you basketball aficionados, the new head coach of the Billikens runs essentially the same style of man-toman defense that Majerus was a maestro of. Crews will look for the three and four position to be domi-
See “Crews” on Page 10
See “Hire” on Page 10
bonappetit.com
When explosions rocked the Boston Marathon Monday afternoon, many runners extended the marathon an extra 1.5 miles to Massachusetts General Hospital to donate blood to those who had been injured. Already exhausted from the first 26 miles of the marathon, no one gave a second thought to the extra 1.5 miles or the toll their body would take after running so far already. These runners, along with the first responders and emergency personel stand out as heroes in a time of tragedy.
John Schuler / Photo Editor
After working on an interim basis, Jim Crews was announced as SLU’s permanent head coach on April 12. He’ll be looking to build on the 2012-13 campaign, when he led the Bills to a 28-7 record.
After historic season, Bills hire Crews full time By BRIAN HAENCHEN Staff Writer
WHO TO
JEER Chip Kelly
www.philly.com
University of Oregon is facing significant charges from the NCAA including “lack of institutional control,” stemming from alleged payments to a Texas recruiting service during Chip Kelly’s coaching tenure. Kelly’s behavior, bolting to the NFL just before sanctions are handed down, is reminiscent of Pete Carroll’s jump from USC to the Seattle Seahawks in 2010. Typical of the NCAA, only the school and current and future players will be punished, while Kelly will be roaming free on the NFL sidelines, just as Carroll is.
WHO TO
FEAR Atlanta Braves
It had been nearly three weeks since Saint Louis University men’s basketball team’s 2012-13 season came to an end in San Jose, but Saint Louis University officially named Jim Crews its full time men’s basketball coach last Friday, making him the program’s 25th fulltime coach in the program’s history and the third since 2002. “Jim Crews is the perfect fit to lead the Billiken men’s basketball program,” Director of Athletics Chris May said. “He led the program with great class to the best season in school history, and he has a vision and plan to lead it successfully into the future.” “It’s always good to see good things happen to great people,” one of his former players, Evansville coach Marty Simmons, said in a phone interview. “We followed [the Billikens] right from the start. With everything that happened, the way they were able to stay together and battle the adversity in such a positive way was encouraging for myself, my team and, I’m sure, a lot of other people out there.” Crews took blame for the rather lengthy delay, explaining that he did his own negotiations (he had a “long wish list” for the program) until the final stages when
Club swimming has successful first season By ALEX KOZICH Staff Writer
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Although it’s early in the season, the Atlanta Braves have separated themselves with their early 12-2 record. This blistering start can be attributed to a pitching staff that has allowed the fewest runs in baseball. Through their first 12 games, the Braves’ pitching staff has a miniscule 1.83 era with teams batting just .204 against them. With a weekend sweep of the Nationals, the Braves have cemented themselves as the early NL favorites. By ALEX KOZICH Associate Sports Editor
an attorney helped him with that featured wins in 21 of the fine print. its final 24 regular season “We knew were going to games (four against ranked get to this point,” he said. opponents) and culminated “It just took time.” in the school’s first outright Crews, 59, was doing conference title since 1957 TV work and youth coachas well as its highest AP ing before he received a ranking (13) since Decemphone call from then-coach ber 1964. Rick Majerus asking him to “In the midst of uncerjoin his staff with just a few tainty, they did the next days left until the start of right thing,” Crews expractices. He reluctantly acplained with a faint smile. cepted but had so much fun “When tragedy hit, they in year one that he signed did the next right thing. on for another season. Just When we got bad breaks, a few months they just did later, Crews the next right found himself thing and filling in for the when sucailing Majerus cess came, as interim head they did the coach. next right “When Rick thing. That called me two was someyears ago, one thing—I can’t of the things thank you he really emguys enough phasized was, for making ‘I think you’re us coaches a really going to part of your Brian Haenchen / Staff Writer enjoy the people team and a here at Saint Biondi helped to part of your Louis,’ ” Crews introduce Crews Fri. program.” said. “People The Biltrump everylikens conthing. All across the camtinued their domination pus, the way people treat of the Atlantic 10 at the each other is incredible.” conference tournament in Hampered by injuries to Brooklyn, powering past Kwamain Mitchell, Keith Charlotte, Butler and No. Carter and Grandy Glaze, 25 VCU to clinch the prothe Bills stumbled to a gram’s second-ever confer3-3 start before they were ence tournament title. dealt another blow with the Placed in the Midwest death of Majerus on Dec. Region as the four-seed, 1. Less than 24 hours later, SLU cruised past New the team took to the court Mexico State in round two, against Valparaiso and before being denied its first kicked off a historic run ever trip to the Sweet 16
Founded in October 2012, the Saint Louis University Swim Club finished their first season of competition earlier this month. The club, started by sophomore Alec Schenk, has already grown into one of the largest and most popular club sports on SLU’s campus. “I was an orientation leader over the summer and [swam] for almost 10 years, and a student asked me if they had a club swim team here,” Schenk said. “And it made me realize that there were probably students on campus here that would be interested in starting one up. I put out an interest form over the summer and had almost 110 people fill it out, and [the club] just took off from there.” Being a club sport, the SLU Swim Club still has practices three times per week and meets against other clubs on weekends, but the atmosphere is much more laid back than you would find on an NCAA Division I squad. “One thing I really like about our team is that it is
very laid back,” Schenk said. “There are no requirements for practices or for competitions… It’s pretty much whatever the swimmer wants to make of it.” With around 70 members, a unique facet to the SLU Swim Club is that it has members of all different swimming skill levels, from novices to grad students who competed at the Division I level at other schools. “We have people who could have definitely swum in college, we even have one guy who is a med student here who swam for Southern Methodist University for three years on the varsity team as well as some who swam for the SLU swim team,” Schenk said. “At the same time, I dragged some friends into it who had never swum a competitive lap in their lives. No matter what your skill level is you can find a fit with the team.” The club uses four separate lanes during practice based on a person’s experience and skill level, which allows the beginners to swim together while the experienced swimmers can compete and thrive off
each other. In its first year, the club competed in four tournaments, including the Mizzou Halloween Invitational, Indiana University Hoosier Invitational, Northwestern Invitational and the University of Illinois Invitational. The SLU Swim Club was meet champion at the Northwestern Invitational and finished in the top five in each other invitational it competed in. “It’s an awesome sense of camaraderie. We always eat well after the meets, which is important,” Schenk said. “It’s all about the team effort. At the Northwestern Invitational we were a brand new team and didn’t have any expectations on how we would place, but we actually won the entire meet, which was awesome.” As for how the club plans on building on this year’s successes and expanding the club even further, Schenk has a few ideas. “One thing about this year was we started in October because the pool was closed and a lot of people already had their groups picked out for what they wanted to do so I think we
Alex Schenk / SLU Club Swimming
SLU Club Swimming recently finished their first season, picking up a victory at the Northwestern Invitational. can be even bigger,” he said. “There is really no limit to how many people we can have.” In addition to expanding the size of the group, Schenk has high hopes for their performance.
“One of our goals for next year is to go to all of the meets and place really well,” he said. “We did really well at Northwestern, but I think we can have that caliber of swimming at every event.”
unewsonline.com
10 SPORTS
APRIL 18, 2013
BILLIKEN BRIEFS
Bats continue A-10 domination
Baseball
Baseball team takes down Milwaukee, Wash U.
In SLU’s game against Wash U. on Wed., Alex Kelly recorded 4 walks, one shy of the school record.
Atlantic 10 Standings 1. SLU 8-1 2. Xavier 7-2 3. La Salle 8-4 4. Richmond 6-3 5. Charlotte 6-3 6. Rhode Island 6-3 7. Butler 7-5 8. St. Joe’s 5-4 9. Temple 5-7 10. GWU 5-7 11. VCU 3-6 12. St. Bonaventure 3-6 13. UMass 3-6 14. Dayton 2-10 15. Fordham 1-8
Tennis The women’s tennis squad is the No. 8 seed in this weekend’s Atlantic 10 Championship. The Bills (12-7) take on the Temple Owls (9-13) in the first round. The Billiken women are fresh off a 7-0 victory over Butler last Saturday.
Softball The softball team swept La Salle in a double header this weekend, led by Brianna Lore’s 11 strikeouts. The Billikens (17-17, 5-5 A-10) took game one 6-5 before Lore led the squad to a 6-0 shutout in game two.
Chaifetz Arena On April 10, SLU marked the fiveyear anniversary of the opening of Chaifetz Arena. The arena has hosted 594 events and welcomed more than 1.7 million visitors since opening in 2008. Follow us @TheUNewsSports for the latest Billikens sports coverage.
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Senior Marco Mejia picked up his fourth save of the season against Milwaukee and picked up a win after forcing a crucial double play against Washington University. By TONY TRAINA Sports Editor
After a 0-4 loss to the University of WisconsinMilwaukee snapped the Billiken baseball team’s six-game winning streak on Friday, April 12, the squad was able to rebound with strong performances over the weekend. SLU ended up taking two of the three games against Milwaukee, a midseason out-of-conference opponent. The Billikens (26-11) first took a 4-2 victory over the Panthers on April
13, led by sophomore Nick Bates on the mound. Bates went six innings and brought his season record to 5-2, matching senior Alex Alemann’s mark. In addition, senior Marco Mejia picked up his fourth save of the season, getting one strikeout in the effort. Alex Kelly led the Bills at the plate, going one-forthree. He registered two RBIs in the seventh with his double, cushioning what had been a 2-1 Billiken lead going into the inning. From there, Mejia, with relief help from freshman Matt Eckelman, was able to close
Crews: ready for offseason, recruiting posting an 11-19 record in 2008-09, good for fourth in the Patriot League. His tenure at Army came to a end 17-year tenure, with four in the summer of 2009. Conference Coach of the Crews has a knack for Year awards. He guided the graduating players: under Purple Aces to, among othhis watch, 52 of the 53 player accomplishments, four ers who spent four years at trips to the NCAA TournaEvansville ment. graduated. “He did While at so much Army he for the He’s much more graduated basketball program at than a basketball all 30 fouryear playEvansville,” ers in the Simmons e x p l a i n e d . coach. He treats program “He’s “We’re rea tremenally, really you like family. dous bashappy and ketball excited for -Marty Simmons coach… him to be but it’s the named head relationcoach at Saint Louis Univerships he builds with his sity.” players during their time,” In 2002, Crews left Simmons said. “He’s much, Evansville for West Point. much more than a basketAfter winning just 19 games ball coach. You become a over his first four seasons, member of his family. He Crews appeared to have treats you like family.” the Black Knights on track, Continued from Page 9
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Hire: Perennial power? Continued from Page 1
Track & Field Fri.
Vandy Invite
Softball Fri. vs. Temple Sat. vs. Temple Sun vs. St. Joseph’s
Baseball Fri.-Sun.: Three-game series vs. St. Bonaventure Tues. vs. Missouri State
out the Billikens’ 24th win of the season. On a windy Sunday, the Billiken offense exploded to cap off the series, picking up an 8-4 victory over Milwaukee. The game got off to a fast start, as both teams put three runs on the board in the third inning. However, the Billikens were able to break the game open with a three-run seventh inning, giving them a 7-4 advantage. The inning scoring was spurred when centerfielder Danny Brennan was hit by a pitch and was later driven in by Mike Levine. Then, with runners
on second and third, Jake Henson slapped a grounder to the Milwaukee first baseman. The ball was too hot to handle, and Henson gained two RBIs, giving SLU a 7-4 lead. Finally, in a mid-week tussle with cross-town rival Washington University, the Billikens picked up another win, topping the Bears 5-4. While Josh Moore got the start for SLU, Mejia picked up the win, forcing a crucial bases-loaded double play in the top of the ninth. Mejia’s clutch pitching set the stage for the Billiken offense, which was able to load the bases in the bottom of the ninth. After Levine was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Washington intentionally walked Bozarth, bringing Kelly to the plate with the bases loaded. The Washington pitcher, Max Zhang, walked Kelly, sending Levine to home for the victory.
nant and complement those players with a smart point guard and outside shooters. Sound familiar? It should. Jim Crews works well as the head coach of the Billikens now. What about the “figurative tomorrow,” though? I have three main concerns going forward and it may take years to figure out the answers. 1. Will Jim Crews maintain the Majerus system or will he begin to implement his own system? 2. Will he be able to recruit the appropriate players to fill the needs of that system? 3. What did SLU do to make sure that hiring Crews wasn’t just a safe choice but the right choice? The first question gives me the least concern. It’s Crews’ team now, so he is free start using his own playbook. Yes, they have similar systems, but Jim Crews is not Rick Majerus. Maybe it is time for SLU
to move on and embrace the style of their new head coach. This could also be more of a formality than a real concern. We’ll see next fall. Crews has previously lamented the time and effort it took to recruit players. It is an incredibly taxing job, but nothing could be more vital. So far, he has landed a touted recruit in Reggie Agbeko; so the arrow is pointing up. My opinion is that it’s not imperative that he lands the top recruits in the nation, but rather players who are the perfect fit for his style. It’s worked here before. And finally, what exactly did SLU ask before offering Crews the job? What outside opinions were given? SLU has finally turned the corner of national prominence. A Big East invitation could be in the mail any day. Crews is the captain of the ship now. I have faith that he will keep the program sailing in the right direction. Only time will tell.
Jim Crews Overall record: 378-356 194-209 in 17 seasons at Evansville 59-140 in 7 seasons at Army 28-7 in 1 season at SLU 5 NCAA Tournament appearances (4 at Evansville, 1 at SLU) Five-time conference Coach of the Year 2013 Sporting News and NABC Coach of the Year Assistant at Indiana under Bobby Knight from 1977-1985 (won 1981 NCAA Tournament)
SLU lands 6-foot-8 recruit from Conn. By ALEX KOZICH Associate Sports Editor
The Billiken basketball team picked up their second recruit last week when 6-foot-8 power forward Reggie Agbeko choose SLU to play his college ball. Agbeko, who was born in Ghana, played high school basketball at South Kent High School in Connecticut. The 225-pound forward is rated as a three-star recruit by Scout.com and a two-star recruit by ESPN. com. Agbeko chose SLU over a host of other schools, including LaSalle University and the University of Massachusetts. Toward the end of his recruitment, rumors that Duke was pursuing the late-blooming powerforward began to surface. Agbeko is known for his strong rebounding and defensive play, which should help him transition seam-
lessly into the defensive culture of SLU basketball. During his senior season at South Kent, Agbeko averaged a double-double, scoring 13 points per game while grabbing 10 rebounds. He also averaged two blocks per game and one steal. The commitments of Agbeko, along with guard Mike Crawford, who was voted third in Indiana’s Mr. Basketball contest, should help to offset the loss of seniors Cody Ellis, Cory Remuken and Kwamain Mitchell. With the commitments of Crawford and Agbeko, SLU has two more scholarships remaining for newlyminted head coach Jim Crews and staff to dole out to try and fill out the 201314 Billiken roster. “We really like Reggie’s ability to score on the block and he is an outstanding rebounder. He has a very high ceiling,” coach Jim Crews said.
Thunder from down under By WILL STARNES Commentator
The Masters is the most prestigious tournament in golf, and until this year, an Australian had never won it. Adam Scott broke the barrier for Australians at the Masters and overcame a personal hurdle, winning the first major of his still young career. Until this past Sunday, he had some of the most devastating heartbreaks in major appearances. Most recently and notably, Scott collapsed at the 2012 British Open, where he bogeyed the last four holes to lose to Ernie Els. A collapse of that stature could have easily ruined his promising career, but instead it made Scott more resilient, and it showed on Sunday, as Scott had to pull off the win in a playoff with Angel Cabrera, a two-time major champion. Before the tournament started all of the focus was on Tiger Woods. He found a new way to make it in to the news this time, as he was nearly disqualified for an illegal drop that ended up costing him a two-stroke penalty. Without the penalty, no one knows how the tournament could have gone. History has proven that Woods at the top of the leaderboard is a different monster to handle than when he has to come back (he’s won all 14 of his majors when leading after the third round). However, that doesn’t take away anything from Scott’s victory. He did everything he was supposed to do. He arguably had the most pressure of anyone in the tournament to pull off the win, from his country and himself. The mental blocks that Scott overcame were bigger than simply winning a major. This victory is worth more than just one major; it is worth every major he wins in the future. The longer the drought carried on, the harder and more improbable winning a major would become. History was also not on Scott’s side. Typically, golfers with historic collapses don’t win a major and their career takes a turn for the worse. As an example, fellow Australian Greg Norman, whose talent closely rivals that of Scott’s, did not win another major afer his infamous collapse at Augusta. He became more known for his choking habits than talent. He did muster up some top-10 finishes, but when you are the world’s number one golfer, a top 10 simply doesn’t cut it. In comparison, it only took Scott two majors to get a win after his collapse. Now, the world of professional golf better brace itself for what Scott could soon unleash. He has one of the best, most consistent swings in golf and I would be shocked if this was the last time Scott won a major. Now he has jumped that first hurdle, which is always the hardest one to clear. Just ask Phil Mickelson, who’s won four majors since the floodgates opened at Augusta in 2004. Now Scott knows he can win a major, and that will make him that much better. Another major advantage Scott has on his side is his caddy Steve Williams, who was Woods’ long-time caddy. Williams can offer invaluable insight into coming down the stretch at these major tournaments. Obviously, Scott has to execute the shots and has the final say in everything that goes into the golf shot, but there has never been any golfer as dominant as Woods was in his prime. Anyone that was around that dominance and could share from those experiences is a good person to have on your side. This is just the beginning of a great career for Scott, who has multiple major victories in front of him – perhaps as many as six or seven. Stay tuned.
U RELIGION
Calendar of Observances April 21 May 2 Ridván - Baha’i
April 25 Hanuman Jayanti Hindu
May 5 Easter - Christian (Orthodox Christian)
May 15 - 16 Shavuot - Jewish
By ADNAN SYED Religion Editor
Prayer of St. Francis Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
unewsonline.com
APRIL 18, 2013
Museum offers a unique look at Jesuit history By DAVID BARGER Staff Writer
Tucked away in the third floor of the Saint Louis University Museum of Art (SLUMA) is a permanent exhibit on Jesuit history. The Collection of Western Jesuit Missions exhibit has been at SLUMA since 2001 and is on permanent loan from the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus. The collection features many old, valuable and significant pieces of Jesuit history. One of the corners of the exhibit focuses on the planning and building of Saint Francis Xavier College Church. A letter shows that in 1913, Joseph Grimmelsman, S.J., got permission to build the church if he could keep the debt under $200,000, which, if adjusted for inflation, is just over $4.5 million today. There are pictures from the construction showing many of the intricate features being installed. One aspect of the church that was particularly difficult to build and get funding for was the bell tower. Records in the museum show that the three bells installed were cast in Seville, Spain in 1761, 1789 and 1812. The final bell had to be recast, as it was broken during a battle. “This bell was recast because of its having been broken in pieces by a shell which the French threw
from Trocadero,” St. Francis Xavier Church said in a statement from that time. “[It was] the fifth (night) of the glorious struggle of the Spanish people against tyranny.” Another corner of the exhibit focuses on PierreJean DeSmet, S.J. DeSmet was instrumental in bringing the Jesuit mission west into America and across the Mississippi. The exhibit features several letters and personal artifacts that belonged to DeSmet. DeSmet Jesuit High School, a Jesuit Catholic college preparatory high school, located in Creve Coeur, Mo. and founded in 1967, was named in honor of DeSmet. Throughout the main part of the collection are several items from around the St. Louis and greaterMissouri area. There are many monstrances from churches around the area, some of which are quite valuable. One in particular, which came from Saint Stanislaus in Cleveland, Ohio, was valued at over $2 million. Other highlighted items include the reliquary casket of Saint Victoricus, a martyr from the third or fourth century. (The casket is from the 18th century.) There is a pair of ornate wooden globes that were made in 1696 and brought from Europe by DeSmet. Many other Jesuit artifacts are featured from a wide range of time periods.
Alex Garbin / Staff Photographer
The Saint Louis University Museum of Art is located at 3663 Lindell Blvd. in St. Louis, Mo.
Alex Garbin / Staff Photographer
Artifacts, such as personal items of Pierre-Jean DeSmet, S.J., are also located at SLUMA.
Copts and Muslims clash at famous cathedral in Egypt By KAREN GIRGIS Staff Writer
Since the overthrow of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, Coptic Christians have witnessed a surge of recent sectarian violence against their community. On April 5, graffiti of crooked crosses resembling swastikas appeared on the walls of Al-Azhar school and incited clashes between some Muslims and Christians outside of Mar Girgis Church. This resulted in the death of four Copts and one Muslim. Reuters reported that shops belonging to Christians were smashed and an apartment inhabited by Muslims was also burned, along with several other buildings. Following the clashes, a funeral was held for the AlKhosous victims on the following Sunday in St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, where the head of the Coptic Church, Pope Tawadros II, resides. As mourners, Christians and sympathetic Muslims alike left the building that day, there was chanting for the removal of newly-elect-
ed President Mohammad Morsi, a former Muslim Brotherhood member. Unknown assailants then attacked the chanting crowd and the cathedral. The assailants threw firecrackers and stones, as riot police watched and even assisted the attackers. Their actions sparked outrage among Egyptian activists. The attack left two dead and 90 injured. While Morsi condemned the sectarian violence by saying that he considered “any attack on the cathedral an attack against [himself]” and pushing for an investigation, others near him have taken a different approach. An assistant to the president, Essam Al-Haddad, issued a statement blaming Christian youth for the violence, claiming that “angry mourners vandalized cars,” which gave rise to the cathedral attack. Furthermore, Tawadros dismissed the president’s reassurances as empty rhetoric. “We need actions, not words,” Tawadros said, “we need to see something on the ground.” A senior Coptic bishop did thank Muslims for attempting to protect Christians amidst the
Photo courtesy of Andrew A. Shenouda
St. Mark’s Church in Cairo, Egypt was the scene for acts of violence during recent clashes. recent sectarian violence. Many Egyptian SLU students are concerned for the future of Egypt under the right-winged Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. SLU graduate student Peter Gadalla worries for “the safety and the future of all Egyptians” in situations like this, and feels that there is a “deep tension” between Muslims and Christians in Egypt “that needs to
be brought out and talked about in a rational peaceful manner.” He said that because of situations like this, the Muslim Brotherhood has “proven incompetent in handling the responsibility of being in power.” Skynews Arabia, a 24hour British News channel, interviewed Sahar Serbana, a Coptic woman who returned to Egypt from the
U.S., who indicated that the problem was with the government and their Islamist policies, rather than Islam itself. “Never did I regret. Not me, nor my children, nor my husband, did we feel regret in leaving America and returning to Egypt,” Serbana said, “Here is our country, here is our Church, here are our roots. We did not find this anyplace else.”
Weekly Shabbat dinners with JSA Every Friday since my freshman year, I head to Washington University for Shabbat. I never thought that these dinners would become such a huge part of my life. When I first came to SLU, I expected that while at a Jesuit university, Judaism would take a back seat in my life. However, these weekly meals have become something I look forward to. I had no idea how difficult adjusting to a school with only a handful of other Jews would be. Sometimes I felt like I was from a different planet. The Jewish Student Association has become my family here on campus, and by extension, the individuals at Washington University who we celebrate with every Friday have become my extended family. To clarify, Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, begins at sundown on Friday and ends at sundown on Saturday. Friday Sarah nights are typically celebrated in one’s home with a ritual Friedman candle lighting, ceremonial wine, braided egg bread called challah and some sort of meal. Back home in Arizona, my family celebrated Shabbat on Fridays so that we knew that for one night a week we would be together. Now that I am in college, I celebrate Shabbat with a different kind of family. When I was little, my Hebrew teacher taught us a song called “Wherever You Go.” One of the repeating lines in the chorus is, “Amsterdam, Disneyland, Tel Aviv, oh they’re miles apart, but when we light the candles on Sabbath eve, we share in a prayer in each one of our hearts.” These words from this children’s song perfectly sum up my experiences celebrating Shabbat in St. Louis. Every time I go to Shabbat dinner, I am reminded that no matter where I am, and no matter how far I am from my family, I am forming a new family, and my Jewish roots will keep me connected to all of the people that I love, and introduce me to new and wonderful people along the way.
What Shabbat dinner represents to me is community. Every Friday, it is a chance to bring my faith and culture to the home, even when it isn’t my own home. Being in a comfortable environment where I can reflect, laugh, eat and be with others who are Jewish is a rarity. Already having the feeling that I am the odd fish out in the big pond, being Jewish at a Catholic and Jesuit University, it can be an overwhelming feeling at times. Friday nights at Shabbat dinner is where I feel comfort among people like me. The religious part of the Sabbath is not even the most important to me. The element I appreciate and cherish most is the kinship of our culturally Jewish tie that brings us together. While I don’t observe Shabbos traditionally like some do, refraining from the use of technology or driving, I take Shabbos to reflect on the week past, to relax and enjoy the little things in Alexandra life. Even not using my phone during dinner for a couple hours Baines is a breath of fresh air in an overly connected world. I crave the times where I can be unattainable, when I’m usually reachable at the click of a button. Obviously food is a big part of Shabbat dinner. (If I’m being honest, though, my favorite part of Shabbos is challah, a type of braided egg bread.) The ritualistic nature of the evening, the singing and the hand washing has special meaning to me because I worry about nothing else but where I am and who I’m with. At Shabbat dinner every other care and concern in my world can wait a few hours. Some people feel that it is an obligation, a chore, but I look forward to Shabbat dinner every week. I could say that I feel a connection with God at Shabbos and that I reflect on my faith, but I wouldn’t be being completely honest. It is a time to reflect on my beliefs, but that is only part of it. Shabbos, to me, means the end of one week and the commencement of another. The symbolism of that cyclical new beginning gives me hope every week that I can improve myself and each day is a new opportunity and a new day to be happy for.
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APRIL 18, 2013
RELIGION
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Campus Ministry: Here to serve Students to celebrate traditional Ministers seek to combine both faith and service spring festival of color on campus By BRENDAN PAIGE Staff Writer
Imagine sitting in your office when someone knocks on the door, enters, sits down and tells you that they want to help people. What do you say? It may seem a daunting task at first. Help people? In what way? In what capacity? How much? Where do you send them? To the library? To the streets? On Saint Louis University’s campus, there are people who experience this situation on a daily basis: campus ministers. Their jobs are to facilitate service, volunteerism and community involvement with a foundation in their Christian faith traditions. To some, they are quite literally stewards of stewardship. Julie McCourt, Fr. Patrick Quinn and Rachel Kondro are three of the campus ministers at SLU. When asked questions about the role that faith plays in their lives and how it influences their service to the community, they responded in a variety of ways. Despite similar Catholic upbringings, they all had unique views of what faith and service has meant to them. McCourt made a distinction between faith and religion, saying, “Faith is based on your experiences and connections with the religious community,” whereas religion is “organized and set out.” “Faith is what you make out of your religion. You own your faith,” McCourt said. Quinn stated similarly
that he views faith as “something more of the lived experience.” A campus minister since 2004, Quinn said that experience comes to us in the reading of scripture, the contemplation of prayer, the participation in the sacraments of the church, the grace of family and community, and the growing in holiness through the practice of compassion and charity. Kondro added an even more holistic viewpoint, and described her faith as “influencing every area of [her] life.” While McCourt and Quinn indicated how faith is expressed through experience, Kondro focused on defining faith in terms of “relationships.” She said the primary relationship is her relationship with God, which “draws in relationships with other people.” Her love of a communal dimension is what drew her toward a career in campus ministry. Erin Swezey, writing as a coordinator for community service at Loyola College of Maryland and an expert on the different organizational structures of campus ministry offices, said, “Essential to any vision of campus ministry is a faith in action directed toward service.” How did these three SLU campus ministers react to this claim about the relations between faith and service? Quinn said, “While some may come to service from a more abstract or altruistic perspective, for me, service comes from my experience of God’s grace.” He said that service was not just an attempt to serve, but also to teach others to serve.
Kondro possessed a “faith first” mentality, where faith initiates service and shapes the types of service performed. For example, her faith as a Roman Catholic influenced her decision to work with Our Lady’s Inn, a shelter for women and children, and Students for Life, SLU’s pro-life chartered student organization. She described her relationship between faith and service using a metaphor of a wheel. “The faith sets the wheel in motion,” but once it’s moving, “the service strengthens the faith...propels the wheel forward.” For McCourt and for many other campus ministers, service is more than just volunteering. Service is a strengthening of the community, a means of learning, of developing faith, of ecumenical collaboration, of ensuring social justice and a responsibility. McCourt said, “The two [faith and service] work best when they are combined” because the effect of one deepens the other. That effect is what campus ministry is all about. Campus ministry enables students to build bridges between their developing faiths and their lived experiences through service, community and reflection, helping to create a broader vision for the love and renewal of human life, both in one’s self and in others. What do faith and service mean to you? What are you waiting for? These three campus ministers, and others like them at SLU, are in their offices just waiting for you to knock on their door.
Photo Courtesy of Deval Patel
Holi participants from last year, covered in colored powder and water from water balloons. By SARAH MALLICK Staff Writer
On April 28, the Hindu Students Community will be hosting a festival to celebrate the coming of spring and the Hindu tradition of Holi. It will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Tegeler Field, and there will be over 9,000 water balloons, inflatable pools and colored powder, all imported from India. In each of the past few years, over 200 people attended the event, and it’s completely free to everyone. Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun, which is the month of March in the Gregorian calendar. Deval Patel, president of the Hindu Students Community said that the event will be held in late April, rather than in March, due to the weather. “Since we are working with water balloons, colors and outdoor activities, we want-
ed adequate temperatures so that it would be enjoyable for everyone,” Patel said. The name Holi originated from the name “Holika,” the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu. In one story from Hindu mythology, the demon king Hiranyakashipu tries to kill his son, Prahlad, who is a devout follower of Vishnu, a supreme god in Hinduism. The belief is that he incarnates on Earth from time to time as an avatar, to eradicate evil forces and to restore the Dharma that regulates the universe. Hiranyakashipu has a sister, Holika, who cannot be burned by fire. Hiranyakashipu tells Prahlad to sit with Holika in a burning fire and Prahlad obeys. Lord Vishnu protects Prahlad while Holika burns to death. This is why, often, effigies of Holika are burned during the celebration of Holi to signify the
victory of good over evil. The festival commemorates Prahlad being saved. Primarily, Holi celebrates the new season of spring, a time for new beginnings. “Holi symbolizes the colors of spring, and the fact that winter is finally over. Everyone wears white, and each color means something different,” Patel said. Other stories of Holi say it is a celebration of the love between Radha and Krishna and marks the coming of spring. Radha and Krishna are the combination of both the feminine and the masculine aspects of God in the faith tradition. The different colors that people play with and cover each other with symbolize the colors of spring. The festivities are delightful and bring together the whole community: young and old, men and women, and different castes.
ATLAS Week addresses issues of faith
Adnan Syed / Religion Editor
Sponsored by the Department of Theological Studies and Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis, the 53rd meeting of the St. Louis Dialogue of the World’s Religions and Philophies brought together leaders of different faiths to discuss different faiths in the Wool Ballrooms Wed., April 10.
Ikra Ahmed / Photographer
Sponsored by the Muslim Student Association and a part of the Hijab Awareness events, a Hijab fashion show was held last Tues., April 9. All students and faculty were invited to come and try on different kinds of Hijabs for the day in different styles and fashions.
APRIL 18, 2013
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Take 20 minutes to hear a presentation or see a poster display of the academic achievements of SLU seniors.
S A I N T L OU IS U N I V ER SI T Y
2013 SENIOR LEGACY SYMPOSIUM
Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors Check-in at the Info Desk to be eligible for prizes!
Seniors
Presenters and Attendees check-in at the Info Desk for a chance to win a free cap and gown!
3 - 5 P.M., TUESDAY, APRIL 23 BUSCH STUDENT CENTER Visit slu.edu/senior for a detailed schedule.
APRIL 18, 2013