The University News Celebrating 90 Years as a Student Voice of Saint Louis University
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Vol. XCI No. 18
Thursday, February 9, 2012
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SGA urges SLU to halt closures Iconic coach Resolution asks administration to reconsider department changes By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor
The crux of this Wednesday’s Student Government Association meeting was the passing of a resolution to urge Saint Louis University to postpone the recommendation issued by Vice President of Academic Affairs, Manoj Patankar. Patankar advised the University to close the Departments of Public Policy Studies and Family Counseling and Therapy. Pantakar made the recommendation after a review of
both departments found they did poorly in metrics put in place for the report. Opponents of the closure feel the areas addressed in the report did not provide a clear picture of the status of the departments. The input taken on the matter also raised concerns. “Students, faculty and staff were upset they were not included in the decision,” Education and Public Service Senator, Nathan Klosterman said. Complaints were raised that while the metrics addressed things like enrollment and business model,
they did not look at other areas that were in line with the University’s mission, such as a commitment to service. “These programs are not just important to the university, but also to the community,” Klosterman said, “Family Counseling and Therapy brings in families for counseling and this can be vital in a city such as St. Louis.” Vice President of Academic Affairs, Patrick Grillot said senate was not notified about the recommendation and never received a full report on the nature of the decision. “There is a concern about
how this process will be used across the university,” Grillot said, “Assessment is good. It shows how we can improve, but if this is the model that will be used, we don’t support this. I worry this decision puts margin over mission.” Graduate School Senator Andrew Sova expressed disappointment that senate was addressing the issue, as he felt they were not equipped to debate what has been a strictly administrative decision. “While it is honorable to consider this institution, this See “SGA” on Page 2
Campaign 2012: Meet the candidates SGA hopefuls gear up for February face-off Blake Exline
Alexander Salazar Limitless
Audeo
Sophomore in the School of Public Health Major: Health Management SGA Involvement: Greisedieck Senator, Residential Affairs Committee Co-Chair Extracurricular Activities: Decadence a Capella and Internal VP for Public Health Undergraduate Student Association Reason for Running: To serve students Hometown: Indianapolis, In. Fun Fact: There is a small town in Iowa called Exline - named after his great grandfathers who were the founders.
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As president, I would have the opportunity to empower not only senate, but also the SLU community to see the limitless possibilities there are if we work together.
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Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences Major: English SGA Involvement: Black Student Alliance Senator, Chair of Constitutional Review and Rules, Chair of Policy Review Extracurricular Activities: Mock Trails and Black Student Alliance Reason for Running: Students need a choice Hometown: Dallas, Texas Fun Fact: Working on being ambidexterous
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Students don’t have power, we have influence. We are here to voice our perspective. I am fearless and never silent on issues of conscience.
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Gawande calls for the courage to act in face of fear Staff Writer
On Feb. 8, the Great Issues Committee presented Dr. Atul Gawande to the SLU community to a packed house. The Wool Ballroom at the Busch Student Center was packed with students, faculty, staff and visitors to hear Gawande speak. People were crammed up against the walls and standing anywhere they could find room to hear one of the “world’s greatest thinkers” impart his wisdom. Gawande is one of the most influential speakers on healthcare reform in America, and leads the World Health Organization’s global campaign to reduce avoidable deaths and complications in surgery and the reduction of
child deaths during delivery. His presentation did not focus on his accomplishments, however. Gawande spoke on the subject of failure, the nature of human fallibility in medicine and in life, and how to learn from failure. His message revolved around the case of a 17-yearold cystic fibrosis patient, Janelle, and her attending doctor, Dr. Warwick. Cystic fibrosis is a deadly disease that damages both lung functions and the ability of the digestive tract to absorb nutrients. Doctors treating cystic fibrosis patients focus on two factors: lung function and weight to height ratio. Janelle, until this particular visit, had excellent lung function numbers for a cystic
Ryan Doan / Staff Photographer
Dr. Atul Gawande, despite his success, stressed the need to learn from failure and to have courage. fibrosis patient. Since her last visit, Janelle’s numbers had slipped down from normal to 90% and Dr. Warwick wanted to know
eration Championship, which served as a qualifier for the for World Cup. During the 1950 World Former Saint Louis Univer- Cup, Keough started three sity soccer coach, Harry Ke- games and was the captain ough passed away Tuesday of the U.S. National team Feb. 7 at the age of 84 due to against Spain in the opening natural causes after suffering round. He was also a starter from Alzheimer’s. He led the against England, where the Billikens to five NCAA cham- U.S. team upset the British pionships, half of the titles in 1-0. Many regarded England the school’s history. to be the “Harr y best in was a true the world pioneer, repat that resenting point and the finest of Harr y was a true pio- n a m e d a generation of men and neer, representing the this one of women who finest of a generation of the greatest upsets built the foundations for men and women who in soccer soccer in the built the foundation for history. He conUnited States on which we soccer in the United tinued to play for stand today,” States. the U.S. U.S. Soccer National F e d e r a t i o n -U.S. Soccer and Olympresident pic team Sunil Gulati Federation President until 1957, said. Sunil Gulati serving as Keough was born in St. Louis and captain of the 1952 and 1956 attended Cleveland High Olympic squads. He had one School. He played soccer for goal as a defender in his 19 the St. Louis Schumachers af- appearances during his eightter joining the Navy from 1945 year run on the team. His to 1948, which ignited his lone goal came against Caninternational career with the ada in a World Cup qualifier against Canada. U.S. National Soccer Team. In 1967, Keough was hired After his stint with the military during World War II, at SLU and immediately made Keough returned to St. Louis an impact. The Billikens won and was picked to play for the U.S. team at the 1949 North See “Coach” on Page 3 American Football ConfedBy JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor
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Dropping classes part of the SLU experience By PATRICK OLDS
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By PATRICK HITCHINS
Mario Coronado / The University News
Harry Keough retired as SLU’s soccer coach in 1982. He won five NCAA men’s soccer championships in his career.
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Presidential Candidate Blue Ticket
Presidential Candidate Green and Blue Ticket
passes away at 84
why. As with all teenagers, Warwick encountered resistance to his questioning See “Gawande” on Page 3
Senior Staff Writer
“Make sure to remember the deadline for dropping classes and the requirements.” That is the line pelted to students continuously the first two weeks of the semester by academic advisers. The dropping of at least one class has almost become a requirement for a degree conferral. Of course, in no way do advisers promote the dropping of any class, but they are just making the process much easier and efficient. The result, though, has reduced in dropping a class or two to an afterthought. According to SLU coordinator for scheduling and registration Matthew Gerst, the classes that are most often dropped, according to data ranging from the Fall 2010 semester to the Spring 2012 semester, are: Theology 100, English 190, Philosophy 105, Philosophy 205, Chemistry 165 and Math 120. Gerst said that these six classes are consistently the classes most often dropped by under-graduate students at SLU. Jeffrey Jansen, an academic adviser in the College of Arts and Sciences, attributes dropped classes to students underestimating things such as the course workload and difficulty and their own interest in the subject. “The main reasons that I have formulated as to why students drop classes have to
do with a class schedule that had too much of a workload, classes that students might have been interested in but realized otherwise after a week or two, or the level of difficulty of particular classes that was not expected by the student,” Jansen said. Nearly all classes on the list of classes that are most often dropped are core classes required of all SLU students. According to Jansen, the consistent availability of course classes each semester increases the likelihood of students dropping the course. “Just this semester I dropped a course because I overloaded my schedule by mistake,” senior Joseph Yancey said. “I can always retake the course I dropped See “Classes” on Page 3
Blue the Billiken Love is in the air
Read and Recycle The University News prints on partially recycled paper.
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
Let Us Introduce You
Andre Benson
Role models paved the way for his career in service towards others By BRIANA SULLIVAN Staff Writer
Andre Benson, coordinator of support and retention at the Cross Cultural Center, has always gravitated toward serving the community. Benson was born the youngest of eight children in a tight-knit southeastern Oklahoma farming town. “It was truly a community; everyone would share, from a cup of sugar to a tractor,” Benson said. Growing up, he looked up to the dynamic, strong-willed women and men within his community who worked to keep the strong bond and support alive between all of the members. These vibrant figures inspired him to strive for a career he could express himself in, truly making a difference and evoking change within people. In high school, he entertained the idea of becoming a writer, an actor and an advertising agent. This changed when he was selected to attend the prestigious Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics. Benson went back to the drawing board and realized he still had a desire to make a difference. While attending Northeastern State University in Oklahoma, he began his journey into social work. During his undergraduate career, service learning became his favorite form of education. He began working in legal-aid services. There, he was able to experience outreach projects by advocating for Spanish-speaking families and migrant farmers. Here, Benson discovered his passions: community work and community based learning. Social work drew Benson not solely because of his desire to make a difference, but also because of his personal experience with inequality. His hometown neighbored an all-white community where he attended grade school. There, Benson was a victim to racial slurs and slander. This empowered him as he
THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Security Services
Friday, Feb. 3
2:02 a.m. - Accidental Injury A male student advised he was involved in “horseplay” with friends and slipped on wet pavement, striking his face and causing a laceration over his left eye. The student conveyed to SLU-ER for treatment.
Minghao Gao / Senior Staff Photographer
became more aware of class inequality and marginalized groups. He decided that his main goal was to help children and make a difference for them. “It changed everything to watch Dr. Martin Luther King and these people with the sheer nerve and bravery to say, ‘We are going to have a socially just world,’” Benson said. After finishing his undergraduate studies, Benson moved to St. Louis in 2008 to attend Washington University in St. Louis’ Masters of Social Work program. His concentration was in Social and Economic Development where he got to experience working with advocacy groups such as PROMO, the National Conference of Community and Justice and the Alliance of Building Capacity. After finishing his master’s
Blake Exline’s Vice Presidential Candidates
degree in 2010, Benson’s eye moved to SLU’s coordinator position. He said he was “impacted most by the passionate students who continuously aim to make socially just changes.” Now he works with Martin Luther King Jr. Scholars, develops initiative plans for minority student retention and advises student organizations. Benson said he hopes to “promote honest conversation between students and create more safe spaces for students of international, minority, LGBTQ and any other groups who feel like they deviate from the ‘stereotype.’” He seeks to create an inclusive, aware environment for all students while promoting first-hand knowledge of the St. Louis community by going beyond stats to experience the city we all call home.
Continued from Page 1
institution is a business,” Sova said. “Regardless of the measurement standard, Patankar’s report is sufficient.” Commuter Senator Elizabeth Alberty disagreed that the report was sufficient and stressed the importance and benefits of these programs. “If these programs aren’t profitable, a restructuring should be done, not elimination,” Alberty said. Grillot restated that the goal of the bill was not to stop the closures, but to ask the administration to slow down and reconsider the closures in light of SLU’s mission. “I understood where Patankar was coming from, but I read over the report and realized there was no mention of how this reflects the mission and instead focused on the ‘Top 50 goal,” Grillot said. “We want to ask if they have
Alexander Salazar’s Vice Presidential Candidate
VP for International affairs
VP for International affairs
“I’m an international student from thousands of miles away. I want to help more international students enjoy living and studying at SLU”.
“SGA is the organizer of activities around SLU, but I would like to specify its concept into an individual one. We all play the role as Billikens, and we all carry the pride of SLU”.
Bo Peng
VP for Student Orgs. “As great as SLU is, it could be even greater, and my fellow peers know what is best. I am running to better voice the opinions of my fellow Billikens”.
Keilah Johnson
Financial VP “I will always be objective and transparent in the funding process, and will hold all student organizations accountable for funds from SGA”.
Vidur Sharma
Academic VP “I
love SLU. I want students to be proud of their University. Stuents should receive the highest quality academic advising and mentoring”.
Richard Joubert
Diversity/Social Justice VP
“SGA is a voice for students, especially those that often go unheard. SGA is a body for students, by students”. Sean Worley
VP for Internal Affairs “As internal VP, I will work tirelessly to equip senators with the resources and tools they need to serve their constituencies”. Elizabeth Alberty
Monday, Feb. 6
6:07 p.m. - Supplemental Violation of Missouri Controlled Substance Law An officer noticed a student, who mRes Life searched on Feb. 5, 2012, light up what appeared to
be a “one-hit cigarette type pipe.” When the student noticed the officer, he put it out. The pipe was confiscated.
Tuesday, Feb. 7
9:11 a.m. - Stealing under $500 A SLU employee reported he left his I Pod and thermos cup in a lab overnight. When he returned the next day the items were missing. A search of the area met with negative results
Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu
SGA: Funding guidelines updated
SGA Vice Presidential candidates announced
Yiqing Huang
Sunday, Feb. 5
8:53 p.m. - Violation of Missouri Controlled Substance Law DPSSS assisted RAs and the RHC in a room search in regards to a smell of marijuana. Drug paraphernalia was found and confiscated. Items were logged, packaged and placed in the evidence locker.
Senate Candidates -Heather Brocksmith, Arts and Sciences -Elysa Cash, Education and Public Service -Nathaniel Conner, Arts and Sciences -Jeff DeSmicht, School of Medicine -Connor Doherty, Doisy College of Health Sciences -Laura Fr ye, Arts and Sciences -Rebecca Glasgow, Arts and Sciences -Patrick Grillot, Arts and Sciences -Alexander Intagliata, Commuter -Ann Knezetic, Marguerite and Pruellage Halls -Roya Massoudnia, Commuter -Ryan McKinley, Arts and Sciences -Blake O’Connor, Arts and Sciences -Colin Pajda, Arts and Sciences -Kunjan Patel, Marchetti Towers -Sambit Pattanaik, Commuter -Michael Roundcount, Commuter -Quanyce Smith, Commuter -Jessica Stearns, Arts and Sciences
really considered this.” After a roll call vote, senate decided to pass the resolution, thereby asking the administration to reconsider the recommendation to close the departments and conduct a more thorough report which include input from faculty, staff and students. Senate also looked at the University’s strategic plan for the future with a presentation by Vice President of Retention and Enrollment Jay Groff. Groff explained how SLU would like to improve the quality and diversity of SLU’s student body by 2018, the school’s bicentennial. Vice President of Rainbow Alliance Terrence Murphy gave a presentation about Safe Zone, a program that trains students to provide support to members of the queer community. Senate also passed a bill to seat seven new senators and four bills
to amend various parts of the SGA bylaws. Senate then addressed aproposed referendum to increase the Student Activity Fee in the upcoming election and a bill to create a committee dealing with the Wellness Fee. After a presentation to layout how these changes, if passed, would look in senate, tSGA passed the referendum to put the Student Activity increase on the ballot and tabled the bill to create the Wellness Committee. Finally, senate reviewed the updated guidelines for 2012 Annual Funding. The changes made to the guidelines look to shift to student group accountability and create a clearer definition of what can and cannot be funded. After some amendments to clear up wording and definitions, SGA voted to pass the updated annual funding guidelines.
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
Safe Zone strengthens support systems Coach: SLU Soccer Training program aims to increase education and awareness By EMILY CAVALIERE Enterprise Editor
A new training program will soon be available for students, faculty and staff that is designed to increase education and awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) issues. Safe Zone is a three-hour training program, open to anyone who wishes to participate in an interactive program that features short pockets of lecture with small group discussion. The training is being organized by Rainbow Alliance and the Cross Cultural Center, who have partnered together in order to create a safer campus for students who may be struggling with LGBTQ issues. Terrence Murphy, VicePresident of Rainbow Alliance, said, “Safe Zone is a program designed to erase homophobia and other LGBTQ phobia from SLU’s campus so that we have more of a cohesive community and more of a safe campus for students that identify with an alternative gender identity of expression or orientation.” One goal of the training is to educate and train people so that they will be able to “appropriately respond to someone that comes to them looking for resources or support and someone to talk to,” said
Murphy. with this concept of standardHaving a standardized ized training. training program for these “I specifically asked to types of issues will ensure work on Safe Zone because that “everyone has a basic set I saw a need to be really inof knowledge about the chal- volved with and to put a lot of lenges the community faces,” support behind it,” Grantham said Murphy. said. “Safe Zone starts the More specifically, Murphy conversation, which is really said, “The trainings will try to important because once the define a common language so conversation has begun, peothat people ple will talk can underabout it. stand terms People used in the in the LGBTQ comcoming We are better peo- out promunity. Activities will cess aren’t be done so ple when we chal- going to that people start the will under- lenge ourselves and d i a l o g u e stand what in a place it is like to our beliefs. w h e r e come out they don’t to someone -Myrinda Grantham, feel neceselse and have sarily acs o m e o n e Griesdieck Hall resicepted.” else come dence hall coordinator. One of out to them.” the results Also involved in the Safe of the training, Grantham Zone training program is feels, is initiating this diaMyrinda Grantham, a resi- logue. “People will talk about dence hall coordinator in Gri- Safe Zone and it will start esedieck Hall. Hailing from trickling out. What we’re doMississippi, Grantham re- ing is starting a dialogue members having a Safe Zone about all areas of inclusion during her time as an under- which is positively affectgraduate student. ing the environment,” said “Coming from the Deep Grantham. South—if we had it—I would This positive environment expect it to be anywhere.” “makes it more welcoming Grantham has previously when you walk in the door,” worked at a number of uni- said Grantham. “Sexual orienversities that had similar pro- tation is an invisible minoritygrams, making her familiar you don’t necessarily know
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that about someone when you see them and you never know how close it is to them, so it’s important to always have a safe environment.” A safe environment is especially pertinent at a Jesuit institution such as SLU. “Jesuits are about taking care of the whole person,” said Grantham. “It is about the fundamental dignity of a person and we are better people for understanding each other’s backgrounds and always actually listening to others and where they come from. We are better people when we challenge ourselves and our beliefs.” Grantham feels that going through training such as Safe Zone will prepare students to live in a global community. She advises everyone to go through the training. After just a few days of registration, approximately 120 faculty members have signed up for the Safe Zone training. The training is free and open to anyone in the SLU community. The first student training will be on Saturday, Feb. 11, and the first faculty/staff training will be on Thursday, Feb. 23. According to Murphy, “For any student, whether they are LGBTQ or not, knowing there is a support structure in place for marginalized people in society, they themselves will feel safer and welcome on campus.”
Westboro Baptist Church protesters send a message at local high school
legend remembered
The University News Archives
Keough holds the 1967 NCAA Men’s Soccer championship, his first as a coach and the sixth in SLU history. Continued from Page 1
their sixth NCAA title in the first year under Keough’s reign. He later won four more NCAA titles (1969, 1970, 1972, and 1973) and was unbeaten at one point for 45 consecutive matches. He resigned during the 1982 season with an overall record of 213 wins, 50 losses and 23 ties. “This is a sad day for Saint Louis University and the St. Louis soccer community,” said Father Biondi. “Harry Keough was a true Billiken legend who set a standard for excellence - on and off the field – that continues today at SLU.” “The Saint Louis University community lost a true icon in Harry Keough,” SLU direc-
tor of athletics Chris May added. “Harry was a wonderful man and champion who acted with such unmatched dignity for all of us to look up to. His teams were led by a man of true conviction and class.” Keough continued to work as a referee and as an assistant coach for the Washington University Women’s team well into his 70s. He won numerous Senior Olympics gold medals in swimming and track and field as well. His wife, Alma, his daughters Colleen and Peggy, and his son Ty, who played eight games for the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980, survive Keough. The service for Harry Keough will be at 10 a.m Saturday at St. Francis Xavier College Church.
HARRY KEOUGH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 1967 1970 1969 1972 1973 CAREER RECORD: 250 wins, 50 losses, 23 draws
Gawande: Learning from failure his point: of all coronary or heart attack patients, 40% receive inadequate care. In of this precocious teenager. addition, 60% of all pneumonia After repeated failure to elicit and stroke patients receive a response from Janelle, Dr. inadequate care. Gawande said the Warwick discovered that Janelle had not been taking problem with our system her treatments for the past is not inadequate medical three months due to some education, but the culture changes in her life that of the healthcare system made taking her treatments needs to change. He stated the importance of medical inconvenient. Dr. Warwick convinced schools teaching leadership Janelle to agree to begin and team building when taking her medicines again, educating our future health and he wanted Janelle to professionals. Gawande said spend a few days in the that so much complexity has been created and that hospital to recover . “Today?” Janelle asked. many doctors specialize and rely solely upon themselves, “Why not tomorrow?” Dr. Warwick replied, “Yes, when they could instead allow themselves today. Janelle, to rely on we have others so failed and it that they are is important to, in that we We must have able their terms, acknowledge “have it all.” our failure so the willingness to J o h n that we can Hefner, do something fail, and the coura junior about it.” pre-med It was at age to act. student, this moment feels that that Gawande m a n y b e g a n - Dr. Atul Gawande doctors are hammering focused home his on specialization and message concerning failure. “We must have the independence and that the willingness to fail, and the business side of medicine has courage to act. We know influenced healthcare. “We’ve allowed complexity there are terrible risks, but we must have the courage to to scare us,” Hefner said. act in spite of fear...and the “We’ve stopped working willingness to live with the together.” Gawande’s remarks were consequences,” Gawande not limited to the medical field. said. Gawande discussed how His message of courage in the our current healthcare face of failure and complexity system is fraught with failure applies to all professions. and lacks leadership. Instead According to junior Natalie of focusing on quantity and Tjaden, Gawande’s words are filling hospital beds, the influential across all fields of American healthcare system study. “[Gawande’s message] needs to focus on quality. Gawande said quantity is transcends the medical field expensive and by focusing on and can be used in any job, more tests and procedures, especially the willingness we are placing strain on to fail and acting instead of the system, bankrupting being afraid,” Tjaden said. Gawande’s speech echoes ourselves in the process. Gawande emphasized a quote from Winston that preventative care and Churchill. “Success is not quality of care needs to be final, failure is not fatal: it is maximized. He related two the courage to continue that shocking facts to emphasize counts.” Continued from Page1
Photos by Cassie Rohlik / The University News
Members of the notorious Westboro Baptist Church (pictured left) protested on Feb.6 at Clayton High School. The church, based in Topeka, Kan., is known nation-wide for their vicious anti-gay sentiments. According to a report by The Huffington Post, five members of the church arrived at Clayton High at approximately 7:30 a.m. and were met by a group of approximately 400 counter-protesters (pictured right). The church has infamously protested funerals of U.S soldiers and Apple CEO Steve Jobs.
Classes: Core courses dropped frequently Continued from Page 1
because it’s always available.” One of the largest dropped course rates is within the department of Philosophy, with the Intro to Philosophy and Ethics courses having the highest drop rates. According to the Chairperson of Philosophy Fr. Theodore Vitali, an unfamiliarity with studying philosophy may cause students to drop courses in the subject. “How many philosophy classes have incoming freshmen taken in their high school careers?” Vitali said. “Most students have absolutely no background in philosophy, it is so foreign to them in language and historical context that it has the potential to overwhelm.” According to Vitali, it might be the first time students have ever been exposed to great thinkers such as Plato or Aristotle. However, the drop rates for Philosophy 205, Ethics, was very surprising to Vitali because it goes against his general knowledge of students’ rationale for upperlevel philosophy courses. “It is understood that students will have a hard time adjusting to Philosophy 105 but when you get into the
higher levels of Philosophy, town, he seemed to give usually, students understand out random readings of his the importance of the favorite philosophers that subject to their liberal arts didn’t seem to correlate.” education and to their lives,” An issue that many Vitali said. “When you think students might never think about the great thinkers and would be a cause for dropping movements in history, they all is safety. take their root in philosophy, According to chairperson the sciences, of the constitutions, Chemistr y the evolution depar tment of rights for Dr. Steven man – they When you think B u c k n e r , all are rooted about the great safety has in some sort become a of philosohy.” thinkers and movebig issue T h e r e ments in histor y, for students seems to they all have their t a k i n g be some any sort d i s c o n n e c t roots in philosophy of course between with a lab V i t a l i ’ s - Fr. Theodore Vitali requirement. reasoning “If you a n d follow the some students’ national news, one of the interpretation. According to biggest issues that colleges senior Chris Graflage, it had are dealing with is safety, nothing to do with how much especially in laboratories he thought of that specific and because of that we have course’s value to himself. emphasized that as a primary Instead, it was the teacher’s goal,” Dr. Buckner said. uninspiring work ethic that “Many students are not ready motivated his dropping of the for the attention to detail that class. we pay to safety concerns “I dropped Philosophy 205 as well as the preparation because the teacher seemed that goes into a class that to be terribly unorganized must be done outside of the and was out of town to start classroom.” the semester,” Graflage said. According to Buckner, the “When the teacher was in safety concerns are so grave
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that a student in Arizona died due to contamination in a lab and the California school system is dealing with similar issues. Buckner outlined ways to prepare students for a lab course at SLU and safety and preparation topped the list. “If students, as a whole, realized those two facts before heading into the class, you might see the drop rate go down substantially,” Buckner said. The reasons that students may have for dropping classes are varying and numerous, but there are tools and resources for students to learn about a course prior to entry. Handouts are available to students detailing course listings. Also, Banner Self Service offers brief course descriptions. Jansen hopes that these resources are taken advantage of. “Take advantage of student mentors as well as handouts and worksheets that are supplied to students by every adviser,” Jansen said. “I hope the information that we send out is useful and take seriously by students. We want this to be a partnership. When we start dictating to students then that is when students end up dropping courses.”
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Opinion
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
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Editorials Editorials are opinion pieces written by the Editorial Board of The University News. The editorials printed in this space represent the opinion of The University News. Commentaries and Letters to the Editor represent the opinions of the signed authors but do not necessarily represent the opinions of The University News.
Political engagement, participation in government a responsibility of students As the 2012 presidential election approaches, it makes sense that students begin to practice voting by exercising their voice as students in the election for Student Government Association executive board, Feb. 27. Statistics from the 2010 U.S. Census show that the age group 18-24 had the smallest percentage of voters, 48.5 percent, in the 2008 presidential elections. This reflects political disengagement in the portion of the population that should be the most involved in building the future of the country. Political engagement can be practiced at the college level by participating in the SGA elections. College-age youth comprise the most innovative and open-minded portion of the population. By voicing their opinions in the votes they cast, college students can bring new and fresh ideas into the arena and spark new conversations and new possibilities to explore. Voting is the simplest and most accessible method of participating in the government. To prove that every vote does count, just remember the Iowa caucus, an election involving tens of thousands of voters, which was decided by only 34 votes in favor of Rick
Santorum. With only one full ticket running for SGA, however, it may seem as though voting is pointless. Well, it is not. Students should still be involved in the voting process by challenging the candidates by bringing up questions and issues they would like to see addressed and by getting the prospective student leaders warmed up to serve the University community. A low voter turnout should not mean lost confidence in the system. Rather, students who feel they have the responsibility to criticize their student government should be prepared to help construct it at the onset of its formation. The future of the University rests in the leaders they choose, and the leaders they choose have to be trained and made aware of the responsibility they hold with their respective positions. Students have a responsibility in their own right to help build the society they are a part of. By recognizing the responsibilities of their leaders and their own rights and being educated about power structure they can make informed decisions to improve SLU.
Safe Zone builds tolerance through teaching The Safe Zone training initiative launched by Rainbow Alliance and the Cross Cultural Center will likely separate “pressure” from the word “peer.” It relies on the most influential people in most students’ lives, their peers, to provide the support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer students need. In general, college years are a confusing time for students. The transition from the sheltered high school environment to the independence of college itself creates an array of identity crises and dilemmas. If students are struggling with their sexuality, this confusion can increase beyond control, especially when accompanied by pressure from the environment. According to data from the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, approximately 1,100 students die by suicide every year. Since sexual orientation is not often documented in suicide recordings, little can be said about the demographics of these suicides, but mental health problems are an undeniable factor, and peer pressure and environmental tensions contribute greatly to deteriorating mental health of individuals. But Safe Zone training can provide an educated environment at Saint Louis University, and more open-minded individu-
als to provide peer mentoring to those who struggle to find acceptance because of their sexual identity. Safe Zone training is a much-needed alternative to counseling provided by the University, as it treats the situation from a different perspective. Pressure and inacceptance need not become a problem of counseling or therapy if the society develops the tolerance to accept and be educated about LGBTQ individuals. Such a program can be a model to promote inclusion in the University, and it is an excellent, proactive implementation of the Oath of Inclusion introduced by the Student Government Association. The prospect of training is a great analogy for the way the society functions at its best. If tolerance is not a quality inherent in human character, it can be nurtured. Generation after generation, we should mold ourselves as members of the society to be better educated about the diverse community we are a part of, and through this education, we can build tolerance. Students should be encouraged to participate in this act of nurturing inclusion and expand it to promote acceptance for all members of the community, regardless of their identities.
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If tolerance is not a quality inherent in human character, it can be nurtured.
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Posted below are the results from our web poll on The University News’ website. (39 votes total) How do you prefer your romantic story?
59%
Pride and Prejudice, dramatic irony
21%
Romeo and Juliet, timeless tragedy
15%
Grey’s Anatomy, medical romance
5% 0
Twilight series, paranormal love
10
20
30
40
50
60
New law requiring issuance of birth control is unconstitutional On Sunday, Feb. 5 at the 9 p.m. mass, it was announced that employers across the country, regardless of organization or religion, are required by law to provide and sell insurance to their employees that includes the coverage of contraceptives, sterilization procedures, and abortion-inducing drugs. Speaking as someone who has attended the March for Life more than once, this is a slap in the face to this movement. This forcible insurance violates the employers and the employees’ First Amendment rights to the freedom of speech and freedom of religion. As a member of the Catholic faith, I know that Catholic ideals and traditions reject the implementation of contraceptives, sterilization, and any procedure that causes an intentional abortion. Therefore, by requiring individuals to either sell or buy this insurance, the federal government is pushing aside the very principles on which this country was founded. The United States of America prides itself on freedom and equality on the surface, but when taking a closer look, that seems to be a façade. Catholics, and others with the same views, will be forced to choose between their conscience and their values and the law. The government is persecuting people who believe differently than what the law states and taking away the freedoms that are promised by it. This news was a devastating shock to the community, and the magnitude of the shock is due to the lack of news coverage about this new law. It makes one wonder why the major organizations involved in the Pro-Life movement did not publicize this event that undermines all of the dedication to the movement and why it has taken so long for something to be done to counteract this atrocity. - Brianne Keller is a senior in the Doisy College of Health Sciences.
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comments I went to a top-ranked school for my undergrad, so I have a decent baseline to make a comparative assessment of our school. Here it is: SLU will never be a top-ranked university, because it doesn’t foster an atmosphere of academic freedom. No amount of money can solve that problem. End of story. - Smeg Head on “Letter to the Editor: SLU students should be proud of their university”
Billiken Nation is on a roll; especially if SLU can get the #1 or #2 seed in the A – 10 Tourney next month. Coach “M” has the boys playing some big time “D”. Keep it up; the fans are ready for Billiken madness in March. Nice article Alex. - Vegas Gary on “Billikens with strong defense holds off Dayton, 58-50”
Racism ended?!? Why did nobody tell me? Or all the people still suffering its effects? - Washington Irving on “Black history must be honored, lessons implemented, year-round”
To put it very simply, you are wrong Sam. Over the past 3 years, things have undeniably gone from bad to worse. Obama said in 2008 “If I don’t have this done in three years, then there’s going to be a one-term proposition” Things have not improved. He promised that if we passed his stimulus bill that unemployment would never hit 8%. It has been over 8% for 33 straight months. Millions of Americans are out of work, and many have simply given up the search. Under Barack Obama, the number of people relying on food stamps has doubled. He has also added more to the national deficit than all 43 presidents before him did combined. Barack Obama has had his chance and we have had enough. The American people want a clean break now. Mitt Romney will win in November and he will restore America. - Ryan Doan on “President Obama to be re-elected in 2012 election”
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
If you are looking for an adventure, study abroad Republican Gondola rides in Venice, museum tours in France, skydiving in the Swiss Alps, camel rides in Morocco, silent discos in Madrid—the Commentary adventures are endless. Most of us are given the opportunity to study abroad in different countries. Depending on majors and other school proMaeve Donahue grams, students who choose to go abroad generally travel during their fourth or fifth semester. Although Saint Louis University has a campus in Madrid, there are many other programs that are offered by SLU. The question is how do we choose where to go? Students choose to travel abroad because of several different reasons. Whether it be to experience a new country, to travel around the world with friends or just to try something new, we all have our own reasons. Although traveling to the SLU Madrid campus seems to be the most convenient and therefore most popular and appealing option, there are other factors that go into a student’s final decision. Each campus has something different to offer a student. Each country has its own language, tradition and culture in which students can be immersed. Many students who have studied abroad in the past have said that studying abroad is all about what you make of it. Some students may choose to study in a country where they know the language and are familiar with the culture. However, there are also those students who choose to fully embrace a new culture and study in a country with which they are unfamiliar and where they are not fluent in the language. Whatever a student decides, he or she is guaranteed to have an amazing experience. Having an unforgettable adventure is the easy part. The hard part is choosing where to have this ad-
debates prove candidates’ incompetence
certainly an amusing line, but it is simply not credible. This law is not applied statewide, since the University of Missouri -- Columbia has both fraternity and sorority houses, but it does have an impact on Washington University, which has several fraternity houses but none for sororities. Again with the sexism. This university folklore has managed to spread over 100 college campuses, according to an estimate by Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun Times. Roeper claims that, although the origin of the myth is hazy, it probably stems from Puritan “blue laws” of the 17th century, which condemned immoral actions. Unfortunately for the Puritans, college is a breeding ground for immoral actions, making this guideline rather obsolete. With the presence of a “Greek Row,” or a street occupied by fraternity and sorority houses, the University budget would certainly take a blow and we would likely all feel the shock of it in skyrocketing tuition prices. But there are other considerable benefits to be seen. If off-campus Greek housing existed, it would give about 17% of the student population an opportunity to escape the tight grip of on-campus living, as well the black hole that is Front Door, LLC leasing company. Not only is it a challenge to find a place to live and people to live with, but this ongoing rumor of brothels has set yet another obstacle. I am not encouraging illegal dwelling conditions, but ladies should not hesitate to live with as many unrelated women as they desire. I feel fairly confident that it would hardly rival the Moulin Rouge. Furthermore, by vacating DeMatt Hall and having Greek students live off campus, Biondi could embark on a project in the metamorphosis of yet another building. Finally, despite the myth pointing fingers at us girls and our frequent habits of “prostitution,” let’s not forget that sorority girls are sisters. Doesn’t that count as “related?”
When I first came across the story that Newt Gingrich wants to build a colony on the moon, I did so on twitter, and misread it as “moose Commentary colony.” As I’ve spent most of my life in a state with a tiger sanctuary, the idea definitely appeals. I don’t know where we ought to send our nation’s moose but I hope we Noah Berman send our nation’s Newt there, too. After last weekend’s Nevada Republican Primary, it certainly looks like one place we won’t be sending Mr. Gingrich is the White House, so maybe a nice prairie or woodland somewhere would be good for him? Romney, despite being the Republican version of John Kerry 2004 (wealthy, fairly opinion-free, possessed of a gigantic head, and the least-polarizing-candidate-not-of-adifferent-party) seems to be on his way to the candidacy. I can’t decide if that is a good or a bad thing - the idea of a President Paul/Gingrich/ Santorum scares me much more than a President Romney - but whatever happens, I don’t want these debates to end anytime soon. There are, as far as I can tell, four debates left, and I would be delighted should they just keep it going until the convention in August. In “The Apology,” Plato records Socrates as saying “But I shall be asked, Why do people delight in continually conversing with you? I have told you already, Athenians, the whole truth about this: they like to hear the cross-examination of the pretenders to wisdom; there is amusement in this.” Or as The New York Times put it in a recent editorial: “The long series of debates are an open window onto the failed policies and dubious values of the Republican Party. No wonder some people want to close it.” In this case, “it” is the series of debates. We need more of these debates because it is becoming increasingly clear that the Republican candidates flat out do not care about the people they are hoping, one day, to lead. They argue over who can get rid of the most governmental departments, or cut the most taxes, or make life difficult for the most immigrants, legal or otherwise. They argue over who has the right attitude towards being willing to attack Iran, or maybe North Korea. These things will not help the American people. So the more of these debates we have, the more we see just how unplugged from the wants and demands of the American people (or people world-wide) these Republican candidates really are. A similar argument could be made about Barack Obama, but let’s leave that to a future commentary. The results of the recent primaries are not necessarily surprising but I hope they’re not seen as a definite indicator. I hope this doesn’t make Romney seem presumptive, and I hope someone’s superPAC comes out of nowhere with its umpteen millions and upsets the next primary contest. This week’s primaries seem to prove that we’re in this for the long haul: Santorum swept three states, including the state you’re currently living in, Missouri. This suggests that the Republican electorate doesn’t necessarily want a Romney candidacy, but if Santorum is the preferable option then, well, I don’t know why the Obama team thought it was necessary to “welcome” a superPAC last week. CNN replay rights can’t be that expensive, and Santorum coverage alone should be enough to swing a few independent voters over to the democrats. According to the BBC, after the Nevada primary, Romney “made no comment on his fellow Republican rivals, instead turning his attention to U.S. President Barack Obama.” It seems clear that Romney wants to steer the conversation (much as I hate that cliche) away from his rivals and his party, and onto the bigbad-enemy of the right: a centrist democrat. The evil of evils. In this upcoming election I hope that the Obama campaign never has to run a negative campaign ad of their own. Rather, they can just replay clips of the Republican primary campaign. I hope that people begin to realize that right now, we don’t want to give the white house to a party that appears to consider trimming down government more important than actively working to help those that need it most. Most of all, though, I hope these Republican debates just keep on going, even after the delegates are locked in place, the votes counted, the game more or less over. Because we need to see just what these people stand for and just why we can’t afford to have them in office.
Stephanie Woods is a junior in the John Cook School of Business.
Noah Berman is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Starla Salazar / Illustrator
venture. What should students really look at when choosing their study abroad location? Should students go wherever they are most comfortable? Should they go where all their friends are going? So many factors contribute to this decision and at times it can cause a lot of stress on students. The SLU Madrid campus seems to be extremely popular because of its central location in the city as well as its transferable courses; and let’s not forget the fact that students would be studying abroad with fellow SLU friends and classmates! Because of the popularity of this campus students get to experience a whole new culture with some of their closest friends. Although, like every abroad program, it does require pre-planning and course scheduling, the organization and access to resources at the Madrid campus are sure to help students with the international transition. Having friends with you is sure to make this transition easier as well. While many students love traveling the world with friends, others prefer
to jet off on their own. While traveling abroad alone might seem like an opportunity of a lifetime to some, it can be very daunting to others. These students would be living in completely different worlds all on their own. This can be a huge setback for some who are nervous about venturing out by themselves, but students have to remember that they won’t be the only ones on their own. One nice thing about studying abroad is that every single student is in the exact same boat. A foreign country is new for everyone. Every student must get accustomed to his or her new home, and this might take some time. SLU students are very lucky to have a corresponding campus in another country, but not all students at other universities have this access and are therefore required to go out on their own at a new university. If students all over the country can do this, so can SLU students. The school life abroad would take a little longer for these students to adjust to because they would have to start
over and meet all new friends, but it would definitely be manageable and worth it. Either way, if students travel with new or old friends, they will all have amazing adventures. Although everyone travels with different people and for different reasons, everyone is there for the experience, and that means something. This studying abroad decision can be challenging and stressful at times, but it is important to remember that no matter where students choose to study abroad, they will all have amazing experiences. Who knows, some of these students may leave this country as study abroad students and return as future international travelers! Each campus, no matter how far away it is from your house, your friends, or your comfort zone, will offer amazing opportunities to every single student. The purpose of studying abroad is not the location: it is the adventure. Maeve Donahue is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Deform or reform for healthcare? Birth control mandate in Affordable Care Act The Catholic Church has long for the upcoming election. I don’t held the belief that the use of con- want to believe that, but I also don’t traceptives is against the will of God. want to believe that our president A recent decision is completely ignorant of the First by the Obama Amendment’s promise of the freeCommentary administration dom to exercise religion. The manhas threatened to datory inclusion of contraceptives in make this belief healthcare plans is so far away from obsolete. the basic health needs of people that O b a m a ’ s it only serves as a political tool to apcrowning legis- pease the women’s rights groups on lative achieve- the left of the political spectrum. ment, the AffordThis contraceptive mandate able Care Act should not even be included in the passed in 2010, healthcare reform law. The manJustin Hand now includes a date makes healthcare even more requirement that unattractive for employers. The only all Catholic hos- things that should be included in pitals and universities must provide healthcare plans provided by emcontraceptives to employees as part ployers are basic procedures and of their healthcare plans. surgeries. It is not the responsibilIn the past, religious institutions ity of an employer to make sure that have been largely exempted from an employee does not get pregnant. laws running contrary to funda- That is the sole responsibility of the mental beliefs because of the First employee as an adult. Amendment’s guarantee of freedom The employer should only be of religion. Obama’s decision to not concerned about whether or not include an exemption for Catholic their employees are healthy enough institutions is an unabashed intru- to work; not if the employee has a sion of the federal government into surprise gift from the stork. the religious liberties of all people, This might not seem like such a regardless of faith. big deal, compared to our nation’s This decihuge deficit sion has led to problem or a large backlash the War on from the CathTerror, but it olic Church should rank If this mandate is across the counclose up try. Rick Jervis there. When allowed to continue, it from USA Tothe federal day wrote that government will act as precedent for Catholic priests can blatantly from across the bypass the country were First Amendfurther intrusions... taking the “rare ment and tell step of reading a religious letters from the organization pulpit to urge their practicparishioners...to oppose” the contra- es are wrong and they have to conceptive mandate. form to the rest of society, people St. Louis Archbishop Robert Carl- should start to get worried. son spoke out against the mandate The First Amendment is the baand called it a “direct attack on our sis of all the liberties we Americans religious freedom.” Mitt Romney enjoy and often take for granted. tweeted that this was just another This “attack” on our religious liberexample of “attacks on religious lib- ties has to stop. The line separating erty” from the Obama administra- church and state is already a sliption. Newt Gingrich characterized pery slope. If this mandate is althe mandate as a “war” and an “as- lowed to continue, it will act as precsault on religious freedom.” edent for further intrusions into the These are just a few of the religious liberties of Americans. thoughts running across the nation. No one should fall under the beNow I have to ask why Obama felt lief that this is a problem only for the need to force Catholic institu- Catholics. Every American of every tions to provide something that goes faith should immediately realize that against their beliefs. Does he really this is a problem with huge consebelieve that it is necessary for them quences. to provide contraceptives in their Washington, D.C., is in need of a healthcare plans? He should realize reality check, provided courtesy of that the gas station on the corner of the American people. the street sells condoms cheaply. It seems almost like a political Justin Hand is a freshman in the ploy to fire up the Democratic base College of Arts and Sciences.
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Sexism in University housing rule Housing is difficult enough in college as it is, but with the alleged “brothel law” looming over many schools, including our own, Commentary some feel their rooming situation is perhaps even sinful. Most students have heard one form or another of the law that bans more than four unrelated Stephanie Woods women from occupying the same apartment because it would be, by legal terms, a brothel. Some students even revel in breaking this law. No need to turn on the red light just yet, girls. Could this bizarre rule, which has made its rounds at countless universities, be just a myth? In reality, the law is not genderspecific: “No more than four unrelated students may reside in a dwelling without creating illegal occupancy conditions.” This sounds far more realistic and understandable, and less scandalous. By keeping the number of students living in the same apartment or house to a minimum, it is assumed that the noise level and amount of damage will also be minimized. Whoever believes this theory has probably not visited Vandeventer Apartments, which is a seemily glorified fraternity house with two to three bedrooms per apartment. However, under the legendary “brothel law,” only sorority houses are banned. Why the sexism? A somewhat unique aspect of our campus is the lack of Greek houses. Of course, there is DeMattias Hall, but with the strict regulations, cramped space, dodgy bathrooms and the constant aroma of Subway, it is more a recipe for disaster than a community of brotherhood or sisterhood. Upon touring this campus, many of the group leaders will justify DeMatt’s existence by giving us the scoop on the “brothel law.” It is
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Valentine’s Day 2012 Gift Guide
With Feb. 14 falling less than two months away from Christmas, heading back to the mall to shop for yet another “perfect gift” can be quite the daunting task. It becomes all too easy to fall into the cliché trap of buying a card, a box of chocolates and a bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day, and that is exactly why we’re here to help. Take a look at the suggestions below, gathered from staff members and the editorial board of The University News, and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!
on the
TOWN Arts Editor’s Picks
MUSIC Thursday, Feb. 9 Doors open at 7:30 p.m., Show begins at 8 p.m. Parachute with La Bella Charade and Equal Squeeze The Firebird Tickets available at firebirdstl.com Sunday, Feb. 12 7:30 p.m. Trey Songz Anticipation 2our with special guest Big Sean The Fabulous Fox Theatre Tickets available at fabulousfox.com Monday, Feb. 13 Doors open at 7:30 p.m., Show begins at 8 p.m. The Toasters with Samuriot, All Things Aquatic, and Captain Dee And The Long Johns The Firebird Tickets available at firebirdstl.com
Talk to us: Erin Everett 314.977.2812 arts@unewsonline.com
Gift Milk chocolate cigars
Budget
Location
Godiva Chocolatier at the Saint Louis Galleria
$
Recommendation “If you’re looking for a classy, creative gift that doesn’t have the negative effect of smoking, try chocolate cigars. I bought these as a Secret Santa present for one of my fraternity brothers, and he really seemed to like them.” -Bretton DeLaria, senior, College of Education and Public Service
CamelBak water bottle
A gourmet cupcake
REI, Wal-Mart, Target and through camelbak.com
$
The Cup in the Central West End
$
“Reusable water bottles are eco-friendly and, with an awesome one, it reminds you to constantly hydrate. Plus, CamelBaks are perfect for the new fountains in the BSC that are made to refill water bottles.” -Jennifer Wang, Photo Editor
“One of my favorite dates was just taking an evening walk through the Central West End with my girlfriend. We had some Mexican food and walked under the glow of the street lights to get dessert at The Cup.” -Wolf Howard, sophomore, College of Arts and Sciences
Personalized
M&Ms
$
Through mymms.com
“For the candy lover, personalized M&Ms are really cool. You can choose your colors, write your own message and, of course, take advantage of gift wrapping.” -Charles Bowles, Associate Sports Editor
Movie combo package
Various Redbox sites, such as the Walgreens on Lindell
$
“You can put together an assortment of candies, popcorn and a Redbox rental for an affordable gift. And, of course, nothing shows how much you care like a home cooked meal to go with it.” -Molly Rippinger, junior, College of Arts & Sciences
Jessica Simpson “Fancy Love” Eau de Parfum
Zoo animal adoption
Most department stores, or through amazon.com
$$
“I got a sample of this perfume while I was Christmas shopping and threw it in my purse, trying to avoid the crowd. When I got home, everything in my purse smelled SO good that I knew I wanted to have my own bottle.” -Erin Everett, Arts Editor
Through stlzoo.org, or by calling the Saint Louis Zoo at (314) 646-4771
$$
“Each year I’ve given my girlfriend the gift of supporting animals and a famous local landmark. The zoo allows you to adopt the animal of your choice and, in return, you receive a stuffed animal, an invitation to the Zoo Parents’ picnic, a certificate of adoption and a photo and fact sheet of your animal, plus discounts to the zoo, free train rides and admission to the Children’s Zoo on certain dates.” -Joey Cacchione, Sports Editor
THEATER Tuesday, Feb. 14 through Sunday, Feb. 26 Show times vary by day West Side Story The Fabulous Fox Theatre Tickets available at fabulousfox.com
MOVIES Thursday, Feb. 9 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. El Bulli: Cooking in Progress The Tivoli Final night
Fruit
arrangement
iPod nano
$$ to $$$
Through ediblearrangements.com, or one of 3 St. Louis locations
-Rhobb Hunter, junior, College of Arts & Sciences
The Apple store at the Saint Louis Galleria, or through apple.com
$$$
“These are a nice alternative to the traditional ‘Valentine’s Day flowers’ thing. Sometimes they have specials or Groupon deals, and they’re pretty tight.”
“With 8GB of storage capacity, personalized engraving and a cute little white gift box (both free with purchase), Apple will ship a great gift to you from their online store.” -Federico Garcia Lorca, Associate Opinion Editor
Engraved locket
Things Remembered at the Saint Louis Galleria
$$$
“Technically, I got this as a birthday present for my girlfriend, with engraving on the front and back. She’s worn the locket every day since.” -Jonathan Ernst, Editor-in-Chief
Record player
Vintage Vinyl in the Delmar Loop, and many online vendors
$$$
“I totally recommend Pioneer brand record players. There’s just something about playing a record instead of a CD— the sound is so much richer. And, browsing through records in the Loop makes for a great date.” -David Mooney, junior, College of Education and Public Service
Your own creation!
Free
“I’ve earned a lot of brownie points in the past for handmade stuff. I think it just has a special meaning that store-bought stuff is missing.” You decide!
-Richard Pugh, junior, Doisy College of Health Sciences
Friday, Feb. 10 through Thursday, Feb. 16 Times vary The Oscar Nominated 2012 Short Films: Live Action and Animated The Tivoli One week only Tuesday, Feb. 14 7 p.m. SAB Valentine’s Day Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You BSC 170
OTHER Wednesday, Feb. 15 6 p.m. reception 7 p.m. program “Anatomy Is Destiny” performance art piece
Contemporary Art Museum Co-sponsored by SLU Fine and Peforming Arts and the World Chess Hall of Fame
The Fox welcomes ‘West Side’ twist on love story and the Sharks — two ethnicity-based street gangs fighting for territory and respect. The Love will reign this Feb- Jets’ leader, Tony, encounruary, as “West Side Story” ters Maria, the younger sismakes its way to St. Louis. ter of the Sharks’ leader, and “West Side Story” is a tale is captivated by her. Filled of two worlds coming together with love, Tony refuses to be in the pursuit of love and hate. weighed down by those who It is a dramatic and dynamic question their relationship, dance of human emotion. One but young Maria is more apof the most compelling love prehensive. The two struggle stories of all time, the produc- to let their love grow when tion will be opening on Valen- family, friends and the city attine’s Day at The Fabulous tempt to keep them apart. Fox Theatre and performed Cast member Laura Irion, by a new Broadway cast. who plays a Jets girl named Based on the book by Ar- Zaza and a tomboy character thur Laurents, and with music named Anybodys, has experiand lyrics written by Leonard ence in the St. Louis theater Bernstein and the always-bril- community. Born in Ohio and liant Stephen an alumna Sondheim, of the Unithe musical versity of first graced Michigan, the stage in perThough the music Irion 1957 and has formed on since been and dance stick to the Muny’s per formed stage durc o u n t l e s s tradition, the script ing her coltimes around lege sumhas been changed. the world. mers. Set in “ I ’ m New York -Laura Irion, thrilled to City, the mu- cast member be back in sical is looseSt. Louis,” ly based on Irion said. William Shakespeare’s “Ro- “As Zaza, a Jets girl, I have to meo and Juliet,” and follows be sassy and very different the struggle between the Jets from Anybodys. A Jets girl By T.K. SMITH Staff Writer
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© Carol Rosegg 2011
“West Side Story” will be performing at the Fox Theatre from Feb. 14 through Feb. 26. hangs out with the gang. Anybodys is the polar opposite. As a tomboy, she gets to be tough and physically violent.” “West Side Story’s” musical score is a show within itself, from its quick, daring tunes to its soft, heartwrenching melodies. Popular songs such as “I Feel Pretty,” “One Hand One Heart” and “America” stick with the audience long after the show is over. The choreography, too,
is energetic and dynamic. “We are using the original Jerome Robbins choreography,” Irion said. “Though the music and dance stick to tradition, the script has been changed. More Spanish has been added, and it makes it much more authentic, I think.” “West Side Story” will be playing at The Fox, located at 527 N. Grand Blvd., from Feb. 14 through Feb. 26. Tickets
range from $15 to $85, and student rush discounts are offered on a day-of-show basis, if available, one hour before the show begins. For a limited time only, join the new Broadway cast in celebrating one of the greatest love stories ever told. “If you come with a group, everyone will get something different from it,” Irion said. “But, it’s an experience everyone can identify with.”
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Thursday, February 9, 2012
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Singer-songwriter Ryan Adams disappoints Artist’s demands, hushed audience detract from ‘beautiful music’
Hidden Treasures By CASSIE ROHLIK and LINDSAY NOESEN Columnists
As everyone’s favorite day in February is fast approaching, we thought it only appropriate to talk about every romantic’s dream: date night. Whether you are preparing for a lover’s night in or looking for an adrenaline rush, we have some ideas for you. The best part? These treasures aren’t too hard to find. If you are looking to do something special for your special someone, why not show off your moves in the kitchen? Just southwest of campus, on the outskirts of St. Louis’ own “Little Italy,” The Hill is the perfect stop for those hard-to-find ingredients. Everyone loves pasta — especially if your valentine’s favorite movie is “Lady and the Tramp.” Within just a short block of each other, DiGregorio’s and John Viviano’s offer a wide range of premium Italian ingredients, with a family atmosphere you won’t find elsewhere. At Viviano’s, you can find the most delicious bread to go with your feast, as well as a variety of different sauces and pre-made frozen pasta meals from local eateries. We recommend the Victoria Cacciatore sauce, perfect for chicken. Next, head over to DiGregorio’s, where the deli counter abounds with tantalizing possibilities. Or, grab a package of their homemade dried pasta, throw in some marinated artichokes and call it a trip well spent. Both of these places will have you and your valentine on the fast track to an indoor picnic. But maybe you and your significant other are past the “honeymoon stage,” and need a foodie adventure. Our solution: The new food truck craze. The number of these traveling gourmet food vendors seems to multiply daily, with everything from Filipino comfort food to divine cupcakes to woodfired pizza rolling around the city. The adventure is in
the chase. Each truck is stationed somewhere new every day. If you are lucky, they might post their location on Facebook or Twitter, like the Guerilla Street food truck. Coming out of this service window is nosh so unique, you might find yourself chasing after the truck for more. Whether you venture to try the vegetarian fried rice or the hearty pita, stuffed with stewed cabbage and spicy shredded pork and topped with a cool and creamy aioli, you won’t be disappointed. Further your adventure by finding The Sweet Shop truck, and indulging in one of their outrageous cupcakes. The Mississippi Mud will leave you with a richness of fudge and marshmallow, plus an unforgettable crunch of pecan. Try anything with their peanut butter frosting on it, and your adventure will surely be complete. Now, the most important part of any lover’s holiday: chocolate. Sure, it would be easy to rush to the grocery store last minute, but wouldn’t it be better if you were guaranteed the most luscious and smooth chocolate experience? We are sure your valentine would prefer the latter. Fannie May, hailing from Chicago, is now available in some Schnuck’s and at a stand-alone location in Ladue. It is like heaven came down and built a chocolate store just for us. The milk chocolate caramels literally melt in your mouth, while the English toffee gives you the crunch and sweetness everybody craves. Choose a premade variety or make your own. This time of year, the chocolate roses and chocolate heart lollipops are just what you need to show your special someone how much you care about them. Obviously, the surest way to your valentine’s heart is through chocolate.
The disappointment began early on Tuesday night at the Ryan Adams concert when the audience realConcert Review ized that, by the artist’s request, food and drink were not allowed inside the Peabody O p e r a Doug Anstoetter House’s auditorium. Bartenders and concession workers, used to earning tips, couldn’t hope to make many sales while thirsty music lovers chugged their drinks and headed into the beautiful theater, where they would encounter a series of annoying Courtesy of David Black demands and a musician who hardly seemed to be enjoying Solo artist Ryan Adams made a stop at the Peabody Opera House on Tuesday, Jan. 31. himself. The crowd was warmed by a short but exceptional set little more depressed,” and beat songs, “New York, New much every song was slow, by singer-songwriter Jason then launched into a soft and York,” soft and slow on the and people could even be Isabell. He played acoustic passionate rendition of “Oh piano. It sounded great, but it heard shushing each other. guitar and sang with a deep, My Sweet Carolina.” was not the song known and At the concert’s end, Adrich voice that held a noticeThe opening song indicat- loved by his fans. ams brought Isabell back out able Alabama twang. Between ed what was to come. The muNot long into the show, for a duet encore, announcing songs, he joked with the audi- sic was unarguably gorgeous. the audience became aware that Isabell’s birthday was the ence and demonstrated the Adams has a beautiful voice, of more of Adams’s irritating following day. They played friendly audience/artist rela- his lyrics are melancholy and quirks. Anyone going to the acoustic guitar and sang totionship common to the softer poetic and he knows what he’s bathroom was not allowed gether, harmonizing delightside of rock. His performance doing with an acoustic guitar. back into the auditorium un- fully. The encore was probwas one of the S o m e til the completion of a song. ably the best part of the show. highlights of h e a r t - No one was allowed to take Overall, Adams proved the night. wrench- photographs of any kind. that he is a spectacular musiAfter a i n g From time to time, audience cian and singer. Some songs Audience members harmon- members would yell things to were so painfully sweet that it brief intermission, Adams whispered to each ica solos Adams— as is common at a became easy to overlook the strolled onto added a concert. Girls expressed their show’s less enjoyable aspects. the sparsely other, and no one sang m u c h - desire for him, to which he But, as a performer, Adams set stage. Two n e e d e d gave no acknowledgement. dropped the ball. When thoured, white and along . . . People could flare to When folks called out re- sands of people pay to see a blue acouss o n g s quests for their favorite tunes, musician they love, that musitic guitars, an even be heard shushing l i k e he would dully reply, “No,” cian has an obligation to put upright piano each other. “ C o m e and continue his set. The pia- on a show. and a case full Pick Me no was even angled in such a He just didn’t seem too of harmonicas Up” and way that Adams’s back was to thrilled to be there. He was sat in front of “ F i r e - his audience. not flat-out rude, but he was the black curtain, with a col- cracker.” The atmosphere in the not particularly enthusiastic. lection of stools, microphones A few songs played on the crowd was more reminiscent Adams’ lackluster attitude and monitors. Lacking a piano, such as “Rescue Blues” of a stuffy church than a rock and diva-like demands made band, Adams announced to were similarly beautiful, but concert. Audience members for a night of beautiful music the audience that he was go- rarely lively. He played one whispered to each other, and that really didn’t feel much ing to “make [them] feel a of his most popular and up- no one sang along. Pretty like a concert.
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UNEWSONLINE.COM/CATEGORY/ARTS >> For a complete schedule events SPECIAL FEATURE>> Check out www.unewsonline.com for coverage andofphotos from at The Pageant ondepartment 9/14! in theThe FineScript and Performing Arts during the Spring 2012 semester.
On-campus studio art exhibit opens
Jennifer Wang / Photo Editor
On Friday, Feb. 3, a studio art exhibit opened in Boileau Hall. The exhibit was organized by studio art professors and will run through April 21.
Parachute: Pop culture phenom By MADDIE GUY Staff Writer
There is a good chance you may be a Parachute fan without even knowing it. This fivepiece band has been making a name for themselves in the music world — popping up just about everywhere. Parachute’s music was featured on skin-care brand Nivea’s 2008 national television campaign, as a free iTunes Single of the Week, and has been blasting out of the sound systems in airports and retail stores from coast to coast. They’ve had tours with artists such as The Goo Goo Dolls, Plain White T’s, Kelly Clarkson, a collaboration with the multiple Grammy-winning trio Lady Antebellum and, oh, that rumored romance between lead vocalist Will Anderson and the infamous Taylor Swift. Parachute’s most recent full-length, “The Way It Was,”
is filled with addictive melodies and catchy harmonies. Anderson’s honest lyrical style, when combined with his versatile and rich voice, creates an elaborate and engulfing listening experience, displayed best in tracks such as “What I Know” and “You and Me.” Additional highlights from the album include the sincere ballet, “Philadelphia,” and the strong young lover’s anthem with a twist, “American Secrets.” The band’s real strength lies in their versatility, a quality often difficult to find in the indie rock genre. Their discography includes many sounds that color outside the lines of their simple rock label, including blue-eyed soul, punch-filled pop and vocal harmonizing that can rival famed pros such as Mumford & Sons and Relient K. Everything comes together during their live show,
which has the ability to turn any passerby into a super fan. On stage, the songs come to life, bringing the audience into Parachute’s world. The crowd quickly becomes a community governed by dancing, singing and incessant toe tapping. To put it simply, these young men have the ability to impress without any effort at all. For those looking to get in on the Parachute action, a good place to begin is with the song that started it all, “She Is Love.” From there, tracks such as “Ghost,” “Blame It On Me” and “White Dress,” are all must-haves to begin your journey to ultimate Parachute fandom. To officially seal the deal, pick up a ticket to their Feb. 9 headlining show at The Firebird. Supporting artists include La Bella Charade and Equal Squeeze. Tickets are available for purchase at firebirdstl.com for $15.
DJs, glow sticks and lasers dominate electro-music festival Behind invasive pat-downs and metal detectors, a spectacle raged in perpetual motion. DJs manipulated Concert Review towers of electronic instruments, high-powered lasers traced patterns in the fog of smoke maJason McCoy chines and fire and belly dancers hypnotized the crowd. And yet, the real show was the glow-stick-adorned mass of fans that pulsed with life. Winter Warpdrive is an electro-music festival, currently in its seventh year and its largest venue. With a humble beginning in abandoned warehouses, the festival has come a long way and pulled out some big name artists in recent years. It all went down last Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Family Arena in St. Charles. This year the festival featured Eoto, a unique dubstep duo that does every set live and improvised, like jazz musicians of old. Jason Hann pounded on the drums while Michael Travis used a combination of live looping, keyboard and guitar. In stark contrast with classic rock musicians, electro artists do not rock a packed stadium, with groupies screaming from the front row. Electro artists stand behind pulsating racks of keyboards, mixers and laptops, keying out melodies and beatmatching tracks. Even from the front row, it is hard to see the musician’s face. Most artists actually choose to fill the stage with fog to intensify the effect of the laser show going on around them. At an electronic festival such as WWVII, the electro musician is just one part of
the event, and not the main focus. The shows focus is a fan’s experience. The dedicated electronic fan spends weeks crafting their costume and perfecting their hula-hoop skills. At an electro concert, a group of fans can become friends through the experience of hearing their favorite songs together, instead of a packed mass of people worshipping the guitar god on stage. At about 1 a.m., BT took the stage and charged the crowd like only a Grammynominated artist can. His anthem-inspired beats echoed through the re-purposed basketball stadium. Most outside the scene do not know his name, but BT has songs that appear in the movies “American Pie” and “Blade II.” He has also produced for such artists as ‘N Sync and Sting. However, BT’s greatest claim to fame is an audio technique of his own invention called
Stutter Edit, which is expected to dominate pop music like auto-tune’s sweep in the late millennium. While these titans of electro ripped the air a new one, a group known as The Fire Technicians performed dances inspired by aboriginal peoples of the world, with hoops and batons ablaze. The Valhalla Dance Collective performed the Arabian art of belly dance as a synchronized group, with lasers and strobes to back them up. In the wee hours of the morning, Marco V took the stage, as the dance floor ignited with energy few have witnessed and even fewer have been a part of. The fists of hundreds pumped to Marco V’s remix of The Killers’ song “Mr. Brightside.” As the final electronic drumbeat echoed through the stadium, fans left feeling more satisfied than they were seven hours before.
Courtesy of Wil Wander / KDHX.org
Marco V took the stage as the final act of Winter Warpdrive VII, a local electronic music festival, on Saturday, Feb. 4.
Sports
The University News Talk to us: Joseph Cacchione 314.977.2812 sports@unewsonline.com
Thursday, February 9, 2012
unewsonline.com
>>Men’s Basketball
Billiken Briefs Softball Starts The softball team will start their season on Friday, Feb. 10. The team is under the guidance of Head Coach Christy Connoyer. Last season, the Bills finished 29-24 overall and 10-8 in the Atlantic 10. Junior Jessica Buschjost is returning and hopes to expand on her .331 batting average from last year. SLU will be starting off the season playing in the Jacksonville Classic against Buffalo and Virginia Tech. Good luck to the team as they start their season.
Swiming
and
Diving
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving team will compete in the Atlantic 10 Conference championship from Wednesday, Feb. 22 through Saturday, Feb. 25. Be on the look out for freshman diver Zach Billingsley to continue his recent success in the tournament. Junior Taylor Streid and sophomore Lizzy Osterman look to lead the Billikens on the women’s side.
Billikens win tough road game at St. Joe’s Team improves to 19-5, will face next challenge in road game against La Salle By CHARLES BOWLES Associate Sports Editor
Cody Ellis really brought the thunder from down under against St. Joseph’s as the Bills (19-5,7-3) won the first of their two road games in Philadelphia, 72-60. Ellis led the team with 20 points, converting six of his three-point attempts and scoring five of his six three-pointers in the second half. Brian Conklin scored 13 points and Kwamain Mitchell scored 12 points in the win against the Hawks. This was the third straight game that Mike McCall Jr. started in place of Kyle Cassity. The Bills jumped out to an early 12-0 lead in the first 4:57. The run was capped by a layup by Mitchell with 15:03 left in the first half. The Hawks would respond with a 17-5 run after the Bills jumped out to the 12-0 lead to tie the game, 17-17 with 6:34 left in the first half. The game continued back and forth until the end of the
first half when St. Louis reclaimed the lead at the 1:50 mark in the first half, 26-23. SLU will hang onto the slim lead going into halftime, 2927. The Bills slowly increased their lead in the second half, 39-32. Rob Loe converted the first of many made 3-pointers in the second half. After the media timeout, the Hawks went on a 7-0 run to tie the game again 39-39 at the 11:44 mark. This would be the last tie of the game. After the break, the Bills jumped out on a 13-1 run. The Bills had three straight three-pointers in the run was capped by a Mitchell three-pointer. This run extended the Bills lead into double-digits, 52-40 with 6:00 left in the second half. The Hawks would cut the lead to eight, but would never come closer than that. Ellis was on fire in the second half. He scored all 15 of his points on three-point attempts in the second half.
The Bills made 50% of their three-point attempts, converting 10 of their 20 attempts. The Bills, who have been up and down with their free-throw shots, made 70% of their free-throws. SLU forced St. Joe’s to commit 17 turnovers. The Hawks were led by Langston Galloway. who scored 15 points, and Ronald Roberts Jr. who scored 13 points. The Bills are not done with this Philadelphia road trip. The Bills will play La Salle in the second game. La Salle is led by Ramon Galloway and Earl Pettis. Galloway averages 15.1 points per game and collects 4.5 rebounds per game. Pettis averages 15.0 points per game and collects 4.2 rebounds per game. The Bills are currently in second place in the Atlantic-10 Conference Standings behind Temple and will compete against La Salle in Tom Gola Arena at 1:00 p.m. central standard time.
Ryan Doan / Staff Photographer
Sophomore Jordair Jett advances towards the net.
>>Women’s Soccer
Soccer welcomes veteran head coach Kat Mertz by the Numbers 13
Years of coaching experience at the collegiate level (5 as head coach)
9
NCAA Tournament appearances (including 3 as head coach)
2008
Mertz was an assistant with the U-20 Women’s National Team that won the U-20 World Cup. The team included players like Alex Morgan and Sydney LaRue.
Baseball The SLU men’s baseball team begins their regular season next weekend in Nashville against Lipscomb University. The UNews will be running a complete men’s baseball preview, so be sure to pick up next week’s issue to get the inside scoop on this year’s team.
436
The number of saves Mertz made as a goalkeeper while playing at N.C. State (a school record)
60 Courtesy of Billiken Media Relations
New women’s soccer Head Coach Kat Mertz has made nine NCAA Tournament visits.
New head coach, Kat Mertz, to lead SLU next season By CHRIS ACKELS Staff Writer
BILLIKEN SCOREBOARD
R
Men’s Basketball
W 58-50 vs. Dayton
W 72-60 @ Saint Joseph Women’s Basketball
W 56-55 vs. Duquesne
L 50-66 vs. Temple Men’s Tennis
W 5-2 vs. Eastern Illinois Women’s Tennis
W 7-0 vs. Bradley
Academic All-Conference players in Mertz’ program during her five years at UNLV.
Last week, Saint Louis University announced the addition of a new head coach for the women’s soccer program, completing a months-long search to fill the position. Kat Mertz, a collegiate coaching veteran with more than a dozen years of experience under her belt, joins the Billiken soccer program with tangible excitement and a clear vision for success. Mertz has spent time at four Division 1 programs and has made nine NCAA Tournament appearances in the past 13 seasons. For the past two years, she served as an assistant coach with the University of Texas. The Longhorns made NCAA Tournament appearances in both of those seasons. Prior to her stint at Texas, Mertz held the head coaching job at UNLV for five seasons, from 2005-2009. The Rebels made two NCAA Tournament appearances during her tenure and three times shared in the
Mountain West Conference title. In 2007, Mertz was named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year. “I knew I wanted to be a head coach,” Mertz said. Her time at Texas allowed her to grow in understanding of the collegiate game, and it also helped her realize her calling as the head of a program. “When the [Saint Louis head coaching] job opened up, there was a lot of vibe about the position,” Mertz said. “I hadn’t seen the campus, but I know the A-10 is a wonderful conference, and there’s such a rich soccer history and tradition here in St. Louis that I was excited about.” After touring campus, Mertz said she knew right away Saint Louis could be a winner. “I’ve been on a lot of different campuses,” Mertz said. “As a coach, you want to be somewhere where you can bring a recruit to campus and get them to say ‘Wow!’ You can really do that here.” Mertz also said that SLU’s
academic reputation is an important recruiting tool. “In this day and age, there’s such a high value in education, and that’s something we want our athletes to place a high value on,” she said. “You need a place where students are going to grow on the field and off the field. They’re going to get a good education, and I really believe that we can do that here.” For any new head coach, recruiting is hot on their radar. Mertz has experience recruiting in the Southwest through her time at Texas and UNLV, as well as her stints with UCLA and her time coaching the Regional Olympic Development Program for youth soccer. But she knows that coming to the Midwest presents a new set of challenges and a new set of talent. “There’s some really great talent and great club teams in this area,” Mertz said. “If I get in the car and drive five hours, I can hit a lot of really great club teams. I think it’s important for us to build that relationship with the local club teams and with the Mid-
west region.” But her first concern is to work with the players already wearing the Billiken uniform. “I’ve watched a few game tapes from last year and noted the areas we are good at and where we need to improve,” Mertz said. “We’re going to have to work hard this spring.” Mertz’s soccer philosophy is built around ball possession. It’s a seemingly simpleminded idea with complex strategic implications, but above all, it stresses smart play and a balanced attack. During Tim Champion’s 16 seasons at SLU, the team was known as a defensive stronghold, but at times it lacked an offensive spark. Mertz’s philosophy continues to stress a defensive presence, but she looks to emphasize offensive production. “In the end, you have to score goals,” she said. As far as one overarching goal, Mertz again opts for the simple answer. But again, it’s one that requires years of work and strategy. “My basic goal is to win.”
>>Men’s Soccer
McGinty welcomes 11 new recruits, two transfers By CHARLES BOWLES Associate Sports Editor
The men’s soccer team has a large incoming recruiting class for the upcoming fall season. Head Coach Mike McGinty announced the 2012 recruiting class last week. There are 11 new recruits that include two St. Louis natives who are transferring from other Division I schools. McGinty has been the head coach of Saint Louis University since March 2010. This is McGinty’s second
recruiting class for SLU. “We believe these are championship-caliber players. We are confident that this group is going to leave a lasting impression on the program,” McGinty said to Saint Louis University Athletics. Eight of the 11 players for the Bills new recruiting class are midfielders. These players are replacing a large outgoing senior class which mainly consisted of midfielders and defenders. “We lost Chadd (Vandergriffe) and Blake (Schneider) to graduation, Alex Johnson
and Beau (Bellomy) graduated and they gave us coverage in the back,” McGinty said. “One of our things were defenders and midfielders and if they were a midfielder could they do more than one thing and with this class we have a lot of cover for different positions.” McGinty said that he has not spent much time talking about the incoming recruiting class with his current team. They are currently focusing on spring practice before the upcoming spring exhibition season.
McGinty did not rule out the possibility that some of these incoming freshmen could start next fall. “We certainly have guys who could come in and play right away, they are that good,” McGinty said The recruiting class has some international flavor as two players are from Bermuda and one is from Ireland. Read on to meet the incoming players for Coach McGinty’s recruiting class, who are the new faces of the team. See “Recruitment” on Page 11
>>Commentary
Bills on the bubble of tournament The Billikens men’s basketball team has the chance to achieve something that hasn’t been done in over a decade: make it to the NCAA Tour nam e n t . Throughout the season, JACOB BERRY they have widely been considered by a number of analysts to be the surprise of the Atlantic 10 conference. The Billikens, 19-5 overall and 7-3 in conference play (before the game against St. Joseph’s), are sitting at second place in the conference right now, trailing Temple. This is a huge step up from the disappointing season one year ago when they won only 12 games. Over the past few years, the Billikens basketball team has shown glimpses of what they can do but could not seem to put it all together. This season has been different. They have played with great team chemistry and sound fundamentals. Their mixture of developed upperclassmen and skillful youth has been the major difference between this season’s success and last year’s disappointment. The Billikens will need that leadership and energy down the stretch of the regular season if they want to solidify their spot in the NCAA Tournament. There are three games worth emphasizing which can prove vital to their tournament run: last night’s game at St Joseph’s, this Saturday’s game at La Salle, and a rematch at home versus Xavier on Feb. 28. Saint Louis has taken their share of hits on the road. Four of their five losses this season have been away from Chaifetz Arena, the most recent being against Massachusetts. The game against La Salle this Saturday will be particularly interesting. Much like SLU, La Salle is sitting near the top of the conference standings with a suprisingly strong season. The two teams’ styles of play are quite different. SLU enjoys getting the ball down low, while La Salle shoots from the perimeter A few weeks ago, the Bills snapped Xavier’s 43-game home conference winning streak. They have the ability to win big games on the road. Now they just need to prove that they can consistently win big games on the road. The St. Joe’s game as well as the upcoming game against La Salle will offer much insight into whether this Saint Louis team has what it takes to make a legitimate run for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Sports
10
The University News
unewsonline.com
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Who to
CHEER
>>Women’s Basketball
Billikens beat Duquesne, fall to Temple at Chaifetz Arena Turnovers ultimately doom the Billikens in the second half By JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor
Courtesy of swotti.com
Tom Coughlin The Giants head coach was rumored to be fired just a few months back. Now he has won his second Super Bowl in five years. Speculators are guessing that it will be just a matter of time until he is playing backgammon with Tony La Russa.
Who to
JEER
The pink uniforms helped bring breast cancer awareness to the fans, but they did not bring the Billikens any extra luck as they lost to the Temple Owls, 66-50. The pink uniforms were a part of the “Play 4Kay” Initiative, created by the the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association to bring awareness to and raise money toward brest cancer research. The name “Play 4Kay” comes from former North Carolina State Women’s Basketball Head Coach Kay Yow, who passed away from breast cancer in 2009. With the loss, the Billikens fall to 8-16 overall and a 2-7 record in the Atlantic 10. They now are in 11th place in the conference with just five games remaining in the regular season. Temple won their seventh consecutive game over the Billikens and eight straight games overall with their win Wednesday night. The preseason favorite improves to 15-8 overall with an 8-1 conference record, good enough for third place in the A-10. Desirae Ball and Courtney Webb both reached double figures for the Billikens by scoring 17 and 10 points, respectively. Lorreal Jones recorded
eight strong rebounds, and Mallory Eggert pitched in seven of her own. The Billiken defense could not stop the offensive attack of BJ Williams, however, as she scored a season-high 21 points for the Owls. Rateska Brown also scored a career-high 12 points, and Victoria Macaulay added a career-high-tying 10 points as well. Billiken Janisha Gearlds played an unselfish game, recording a team-high four assists to compliment her 5 points. At the end of the first half, the Billikens had kept the game within striking distance, only trailing by five and shooting 39.3 percent from the field, better than the 30.3 percent shot by the Owls. The Billikens not only shot more accurately than the Owls, but they also outrebounded them 36-35. SLU could not hold onto the ball however, committing 21 turnovers and giving the Owls many extra chances to score points. The Owls, however, were able to shoot the ball more frequently throughout the game, outshooting the Billikens 63-51 due to the large amount of turnovers. A strong-shooting second half put the game out of reach for SLU. SLU couldn’t keep the Owls from reaching the free-throw line, giving up 16
By ADNAN HAQUE Staff Writer
Ryan Doan / Staff Photographer
The Billikens won in dramatic fashion against Duquesne on a last second shot by Jenna Mueller, 56-55 on Sunday, Feb.5. foul shots while only taking nine themselves. The Owls capitalized on the Billiken’s fouls, making 75.0 percent of their free throws. The Bills jumped out ahead early, leading by nine points before the first media time-out.
Temple responded forcefully though with an 11-1 run to regain the lead 16-15. SLU hopes to bounce back from this tough loss and fight their way back into the middle of the A-10 race by winning against Saint Joseph’s Sunday, Feb. 12 in Philidelphia.
Dance, cheers lift spirits on, off the court Saintsations sideline act inspire Billikens, community By JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor Courtesy of Soccerreporters.com
V-Day Sports Let’s be honest. If there is a special lady in your life you probably won’t be watching any sports on Feb. 14. And if you are single, there is something about Dick Vitale breaking down an offense that makes you feel that much more lonely.
Who to
FEAR
Courtesy of sportslogos.net
La Salle Explorers The Billikens men’s basketball team will travel to Philadelphia on Feb. 11 to take on the A-10-leading La Salle Explorers. With La Salle on top of the Atlantic 10, college basketball experts are really starting to buy into this whole Mayan apocalypse theory.
By: Jonathan Auping Staff Writer
With Saint Louis University’s men’s basketball team playing as well as they have recently and the implementation of free student admission, more fans have found their way to Chaifetz Arena to cheer on their beloved Billikens. Those who do that job the best, however, are not sitting in the student section of the stands, but rather are on the court right alongside the team. The Saintsations are comprised of two groups: a cheering squad and a dance team. The dance group performs during the halftime show and also cheers along the sidelines in front of the fans. The cheer team performs acrobatic displays of tumbling in order to energize the crowd. The Saintsations cheer and dance every home game in hopes of inspiring their basketball team to victory and entertaining the fans during intermissions and timeouts. Cheering and dancing, however, are not as simple as the talented group of young women makes it seem. “We perform a new halftime show each game. We spend one day learning a new routine for two and a half hours and then three more days perfecting it and working on our techniques. We also have workouts twice a week,” explained senior Saintsations’ dance team captain, Alyssa Wedding. Wedding has been dancing different styles ever since she was a young girl. She participated in jazz dance and ballet when she was young and then joined the dance team at Alton High School. The transition from high school dance to a collegiate team was not easy for Wedding.
Curtis Wang / The University News
Alyssa Wedding cheers on the Men’s Basketball team. “At first it made me nervous dancing in front of so many people, but now I am excited to see people I know and their faces in the crowd,” she said. This is Wedding’s last season as a Saintsations’ dancer, but she does not plan to hang up her dancing shoes anytime soon. She plans to audition for the St. Louis Rams dance team and join in the footsteps of former Saintsations Alicia Purdy and Tessa Eichenauer. In Chaifetz Arena’s fouryear history, only one other time has there been a larger crowd than there was on Feb. 4 for the game against Day-
SLU triumphs on last-second shot
ton. With such an electrifying crowd, the Saintsations’ job to energize the team was not only easier, but more enjoyable as well. “With more people in the stands, it makes cheering more fun. It is always better with 10,000 people there than 5,000,” junior cheer captain Jenae Dearing said. “Saturday was the closest I have been to being nervous. Not because I was afraid to perform, but because I just wanted the team to win.” This doesn’t mean that the women only perform during the men’s games. The Saintsations also perform during
soccer games, women’s basketball games and volleyball matches. Dearing isn’t your average cheerleader; she also is a nursing major, hoping to some day use her wisdom to help others that have fallen ill. Her determination to be the best at everything she does drives her daily. These women are no slouches in what they do. Their devotion to the SLU community is unmatched by any in the amount of time they spend practicing and performing for the enjoyment of others. You don’t have to attend SLU, however, to appreciate the work of the Saintsations. “Not only do we work hard to support all of SLU’s athletic teams, but we also reach out to many organizations in the St. Louis Community,” Dearing said. That’s right. As if balancing jobs, classes, homework, practices, performances and other extra-curricular activities wasn’t enough for these women, throw on making public appearances at different hospitals and charity fundraisers in the St. Louis area. The Saintsations have worked with the Junior Saintsations, which provides young girls with the opportunity to perform dances, participated in the Race for the Cure Run for the fight against breast cancer; volunteered at Cardinal Glennon and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, giving t-shirts and basketballs to ill children; made an appearance at “The Bull” country radio station’s “Boat Loads of Toys” event to give new toys to underprivledged children; and much more. “We are a smart, ambitious, dedicated group of girls, Wedding said. “ Our hearts are out there to cheer on the teams whether they are good or bad, but we are more than just dancers.”
Jenna Mueller hit a jumper with one second left on the clock to help Saint Louis University to a one-point win over Duquesne University at home 56-55 to earn their second victory in conference play. The Billikens improved to 8-15 overall and 2-6 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, whereas the Duquesne Dukes fell to 15-8 overall and 3-5 in the conference standings. “This was the biggest win of the season for us,” SLU Head Coach Shimmy GrayMiller said to SLU Athletics. “We didn’t just beat anybody. We beat one of the top teams in the Atlantic 10 Conference. We out-worked, out-played and out-toughed Duquesne from beginning to end.” Coach Gray-Miller added, “It wasn’t just one person. Everyone stepped up and made big plays for us when we needed stops, rebounds or points. I really feel like we are going to turn the corner for these last six games and finish strong.” The Billikens raced out to a 10-2 lead. The Dukes responded with a 15-2 run to take the lead by forcing turnovers through a full court press. Following a 30-second timeout, the Billikens answered with back-to-back threes by Webb and Johnson to regain the lead 18-17. The teams entered halftime tied at 23-23. In the first half, SLU shot 29 percent from the field on seven of 24 attempts, but 50 percent from beyond the arc on four of eight attempts. Similarly, Duquense shot 23 percent on six of 26 attempts, but missed all five of its three-point attempts. SLU out-rebounded the Dukes by nine, but it was negated by SLU’s nine extra turnovers. The Billikens made five of six attempts. The Dukes opened the second half on an 8-2 run followed by a 6-0 run by the Billikens to tie the game at 33. From the 14:43 mark, the game went back-and-forth with 14 lead changes and six ties that made for a climactic finish. Duquesne claimed a 55-54 lead on Agunbiade’s shot with 15 seconds left. On SLU’s final possession, Jones attempted the first shot and missed, but Jamesia Price was in position and tipped the rebound to Jenna Muller, who made the game-winning shot. In the second half, SLU and Duquesne both shot an identical 52 percent from the field on 13 of 25 attempts, including 50 percent from beyond the arc. SLU retained the rebounding differential, but Duquesne turned the ball over four fewer times than the Billikens Overall, SLU shot just over 40 percent for the field on the game, 50 percent from beyond the arc and 77 percent from the free-throw line. SLU outrebounded the Dukes by 20. While Duquesne’s bench outscored SLU’s bench 3516, SLU held the scoring advantage for points in the paint and on second-chance points. Lorreal Jones recorded her fifth double-double of the season by leading the team with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Courtney Webb added 12 points. Morgan Johnson chipped in 6 points, and Mallory Eggert contributed 9 points and eight rebounds. Jenna Mueller’s 8 points were a season high. The Billikens will return to Chaifitz Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. against Temple.
Tennis teams record dominant victories on road Men’s team defeats Eastern Illinois, women’s team destroys Bradley By ZACH BUTTNER Staff Writer
The Saint Louis University men’s tennis team added another win this past Friday, moving to 4-1 on the season. They defeated the University of Eastern Illinois 5-2 at the St. Clair Tennis Club. Eastern Illinois came into the mix looking for their first win of the season, and things were looking up as they snatched points away from the Bilikens in tightly contested number-one and number-
three doubles matches. However, the Billikens rallied. Joe Flanagan, Bobby Kidera, Drew Feder, Pat Kella and Nishad Balachandran all won their singles matches. The five singles victories, four of which were taken in straight sets, would be enough to push Saint Louis over the edge to claim victory. A 4-1 start to the season is around what the team would expect. This is an experienced team, anchored by senior Dave Welkener and featuring two juniors, four sophomores
and one freshman. The team is also playing under the most successful coach in the program’s history. There’s even an international flair to this group: sophmores Joe Flanagan and Vuk Poledica are from Melbourne, Australia and Belgrade, Serbia, respectively, and freshman Yehia El Sallaly is from Cairo, Egypt. With these advantages, the team hopes to have another solid year. On the women’s side, SLU dominated both the singles
and doubles competitions, winning the majority of their matches against the Bradley Braves. The Billikens won all but one match in straight sets. Brooke Urzendowski won her singles match decisively with a 6-1 victory, and she continued her dominance with Stephanie Hollis in her doubles match with an 8-1 victory. Mia Elmore also shined for the Bills with her victories in both the singles competition and doubles competition with Madeline Jolly. The women’s team has
won both of their matches this spring after winning all of their dual matches last fall. Both the men’s and women’s teams’ next opportunity to keep the momentum going is Friday, Feb. 10, when they host Western Illinois at the Sunset Tennis Center. The men’s team will play Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis at home on Saturday, Feb. 11. The men’s team will close the month by playing Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville and Bradley University.
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Recruitment: Men’s soccer welcomes new players Continued from Page 9
Donte Brangman-Midfield-Bermuda/ Montverde (FL) Academy According to ESPN, He was the No. 125 overall college prospect. Brangman was on last year’s national No.1 high school soccer team. Brangman is also a member of the Bermuda national soccer team. He will be joined by his fellow high school teammates Jair Minors and David Graydon. “Dante is a complete allaround player, and he’s comfortable in a number of positions,” McGinty said to SLU Athletics. Jair Minors-Midfield/ ForwardBermuda/ Montverde (FL) Academy Minors is also from Monteverde Academy. He is an attacking midfielder who is very quick and was also a part of the national champion Montverde Academy team. Minors is also a part of the Bermuda national soccer team. He along with his fellow teammates had a 23-0-4 record as a senior at Monteverde. “He has electric pace and a knack for the goal,” McGinty said to Saint Louis Athletics. David Graydon- Midfield- Kildare, Ireland/ Montverde (FL) Academy Graydon is another ESPN top 150 recruit. Graydon had 10 goals and 18 assists for Montverde in his senior year. After his season with Montverde, he competed in the MILK Cup in Northern Ireland. “He is creative with a great attitude and a great mentality,” McGinty said.
Tyler David- Midfield/ Defense- Minneapolis/ Lakeville North David plays for the Minnesota Thunder US Soccer Academy. He has been the team captain for five years. Both of his parents played soccer in college previously. “Tyler is positive, confident and comfortable playing in a number of positions,” McGinty said to Saint Louis Athletics. Issac Fraley- DefenseTulsa, OK/ Jenks Fraley is a second-team Allstate selection. His club team, Tulsa Soccer Club Hurricane, won five state championships and won the 2011 US Youth National League Championship. “He has great academics, great character and gives us a defender with some toughness that we’re looking for,” McGinty said to Saint Louis Athletics Khalil Karl- Midfield/ Defense- Austin, TX/ Lockhart Karl was a member of the Lonestars SC of the US Soccer Academy. He helped them to a third place finish in the USFF Development Academy. “He’s an absolute star in the classroom, in the community and on the field. He has natural leadership qualities,” McGinty said. Dirk van der VeldeDefense- Turlock, CA/ John H. Pittman Van der Velde’s club team was ranked seventh in the nation in 2011. He is originally from Holland and his father was a professional golfer. “He’s very self-motivated and a guy that will give us everything he has every day of
Yuqing (Shah) Xia/ Senior Staff Photographer
Mike McGinty has brought in a top-notch recruiting class for the upcoming fall season. The team last season finished 6-10-1, which is typical for most SLU seasons. the week,” McGinty said. Evan Wright- Goalkeeper- Kansas City, Mo./ Blue Valley Wright played club for Sporting KC Soccer Academy. His senior year at Blue Valley, he had six shutouts and had 182 saves. “Evan is a great person and a great goalkeeper. He plays club for Sporting Kansas City, and I know they have high hopes for him,” McGinty said. Patrick Conroy-Midfield/Defense-St. Louis/ DeSmet Conroy played at DeSmet. His senior year he was captain of the team and lead DeSmet to a 25-4-1 record and won a Missouri state championship
in 2011. His uncle, Don Aubuchon, played for Saint Louis from 1974-1977. “Pat is a great example of the type of young man we want: great character, great leadership and great academics,” McGinty said. Richie Hoffman- Midfield- St. Louis/Saint Louis University High/ Loyola Chicago (Transfer) Hoffman transfers with four years of eligibility remaining. He redshirted last year at Loyola Chicago. In 2010, he was the St. Louis Post-Distpatch player of the year. He was a teammate of current player Nick Maglasang. “Richie is a tough midfielder from SLUH. He is good
with the ball and we are excited to have him on the team,” McGinty said. Josh Kohring-Midfield-St. Louis/ Webster Groves/ SIUE (Transfer) Kohring appeared in eight games last year for SIUE. He enters the program with three years of eligibility left. “Josh is a great addition for us. We are happy to have him in the program as we recruited him out of high school,” McGinty said to Saint Louis Athletics. Certainly, Coach McGinty has done a lot to replace the outgoing senior class with a large incoming recruiting class that will have high expectations for this season and many seasons to come.
>>Track and Field
Track and Field sets records at Meyo Invitational Richardson and Kuenzel sets school records in mile and shot at Notre Dame By CHARLES BOWLES Associate Sports Editor
The track and field team is running toward the Atlantic 10 Conference championships. In their last meet before the A-10 championship, the team had a lot of success at the Meyo Invitational at Notre Dame University. The team set a number of school and personal records at the meet. “Our performances this weekend were what we were looking for as we move into our preparations for the A-10 championships,” Saint Louis University Track and Field Head Coach Jon Bell said to Saint Louis Athletics. The women’s side had many school and personal records at Notre Dame. Margo Richardson and Hannah Kuenzel set school records. Richardson set the school record in the mile with a time of 5:00.23. Richardson sets this record after placing sixth in the mile two weeks ago. While Kuenzel set a school record in the shot put with a toss for 43-4.5. “When I threw the school record, I looked over at coach and shrugged my shoulders like ‘Yeah, that was pretty good,’ but I hadn’t even realized how far it went. It was a great feeling to see them mea-
Photo courtesy of Billiken Media Relations
Margo Richardson (middle) set a school record in the mile with a time of 5:00.23. Richardson is a junior and has consistently won events for Saint Louis University. sure it and realize it was the furthest I had ever thrown,” Kuenzel said. Ashley Roche, Mallory Dugger, Dana Siebenaller, Lauren Fyalka, Elise Medley and Jessica Hoefert all had personal records and bests on the women’s side. Roche and Dugger scored personal bests in the 200-meter with a time of 26.22 and 26.48, respectively. Both also had personal records in the 400-meter. Dugger posted a time of 58.48, while Roche
had a time 59.23. Roche and Dugger previously set their personal best time at the 400 in the Indiana Relays meet two weeks earlier. Siebenaller had a personal best in the 800 with a time of 2:16.11. Fyalka and Medley had personal records in the 3,000-meter with times of 10:06.74 and 10:26.44, respectively. Hoefert had a personal record in the 5,000-meter with a time of 17:39.84.
Siebenaller and Hoefert both have times that rank in the top 10 in the A-10 for their respective events. The men’s side also had several personal records. Stewart Van Horne and Jose Mendez both set personal records in 800. Tommy Whittaker had a personal record in the 400-meter with a time of 52.54. Van Horne previously set his personal best time in the 800-meter two weeks ago. Michael Scolarici had a
time of 8:33.32 in the 3,000 meters. Scolarici’s time in this event places him in the top 10 in the A-10. Other outstanding performances from the men’s side included: Tim Zeller who ran the 3,000 meters with a time 8:40.41 and Andy Gomez who threw 43-11.75 in the weight throw. After having meets for three straight weeks in a row, the team will get a week off from meets before traveling to the A-10 conference championship. “We will now shift our focus to putting on the final touches to our training, as well as making sure we heal and recover from some minor injuries and sicknesses,” Bell said to Saint Louis Athletics. The team is preparing for this A-10 Conference championship this week. “Our team is doing very well this year and we are in a good position to perform well at conference,” Richardson said. “Across the board, both men’s and women’s, we have many athletes in the top eight. We can be extremely competitive next weekend,” Kuenzel said. The team will travel to the University of Rhode Island Feb. 16-17 to compete in the A-10 Conference championship.
>>Commentary
Why we hate it when all teams do is win I was simply ecstatic on Superbowl Sunday when the New England Patriots lost 2117 to Eli Manning-I mean, the New York Giants. I am a sore winner. When I don’t want an opponent Derrick Neuner to be victorious, my level of glee following my own victory is two-fold because of their disappointment. It seems strange to get so much gain out of other’s pain. Especially considering I wasn’t rooting for New York. I was rooting against New England. I could care less that little Manning just passed his big brother in the number of Superbowl rings or that Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin went from hall of shame to hall of fame overnight. I wanted the Patriots to go down. Why? The Patriots have won it enough. They deserved to lose simply so they wouldn’t win again. That’s how I feel, and I bet I’m not alone. I gave this some thought over the past week – why does the American sport fan so deeply despise the sport dynasty? Why is it that with every championship more and more Americans turn against franchise? Think I’m wrong? New York Yankees. Duke Blue Devils. Detroit Red Wings. Los Angeles Lakers. All among the most hated and most winning teams in the sporting world. Maybe it has to do with our political culture. After all, George and Co. decided they had had enough of King George III, and set up a government that was decidedly anti-dynasty. After years of single families wearing the crown in Britain, Americans put on their New World caps and limited the terms of the President to limit patriarchal succession. Oops. I guess we as Americans forgot that lesson. I bet Jeb for Prez 2014 and Chelsea C for the Big P 2028 hope we keep forgetting. Maybe instead we choose to root for the underdog because we are so used to the underdog winning (see: 1776, Apple Inc., the Shake Weight). After all, who doesn’t get teary-eyed and inspired when a nobody becomes a somebody through triumph in battle. Last Sunday, the answer was probably New York Jets fans. And Dallas Cowboys fans. I’m sure they didn’t find Superbowl XLVI exciting at all. I guess I’m at a loss as to why we hate success in this country. That’s a shame. President Willard Romney has such a ring to it. Maybe the reason why I don’t understand this phenomenon is because I, myself, am guilty of rooting for a champion. It felt so good to win the World Series in November. Were we an underdog, too? Maybe that doesn’t count. Meanwhile, go Billikens. This sore winner has to go find a Cubs fan.
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