The University News Celebrating 90 Years as a Student Voice of Saint Louis University
unewsonline.com
Vol. XCI No. 26
STORM READY UNIVERSITY
Respected police captain passes
Water bottles: Friend or foe? Colleges making efforts to curtail containers
Kenneth Hornak, 1957-2012 By BRIAN BOYD News Editor
One of Saint Louis University’s and the city of St. Louis’s well-respected officers passed away on April 19. Capt. Kenneth Hornak, Assistant Director of Field Operations in the Depar tment of Public Safety and Hornak Emergency Preparedness, was 54 years old at the time of passing. Described by his peers as an “outstanding supervisor who was loved by SLU students,” Hornak graduated from the St. Louis Police Academy in 1979 and began patrolling an area in the city that included SLU’s campus. He spent time as a member of St. Louis’ Ninth District detective and homicide units as well before being promoted to the rank of sergeant in 1998. His ascent through the ranks of the St. Louis Police Department continued in 2001, when he was named the commander of the STLPD’s Canine Unit. The Canine Unit partners officers with German Shepherds to assist with searching for evidence, searching for missing persons, and tracking suspects. The Canine Unit requires significant dedication and training. In 1998, Hornak was recognized as one of the ‘Toughest cops’ in St. Louis by St. Louis Magazine. He retired from the STLPD in 2010. In addition, he received honors from the STLPD for his service throughout his career. Hornak earned four Chief’s Letters of Commendation and two Meritorious Service Citations. Upon retiring, St. Louis Alderman Stephen Gregali sponsored a resolution to recognize Hornak’s career and contributions to the St. Louis area. “…we pause in our deliberations to extend a sincere thanks to Sergeant Kenneth Hornak for his long and productive service to the City of St. Louis and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department,” Gregali said in the resolution. Roland Corvington, assistant vice president for DPSEP, spoke highly of Hornak and praised his abilities not only as a law enforcement official, but a person as well. “Ken raised the level of the professionalism of our uniformed officers,” Corvington said. “I have no doubt that our campus is safer and more secure thanks to his tireless efforts.” Hornak is survived by his wife, four children and three grandchildren.
The new Missouri warning system and SLU’s preparedness >> SCIENCE
By JONATHAN ERNST Editor-in-Chief
With the fast pace of college life, students often struggle to balance wellness and convenience. Saint Louis University has worked to tip this balance recently by giving students a more defined choice when finding drinking water on campus. At the beginning of the spring semester, Facilities Management installed a bottled water filling station on the second floor of the Busch Student Center to promote the usage of reusable bottled water. The University is currently working on adding additional bottled water filling stations on campus to provide an alternative to purchasing plastic bottled water. “We want to promote more reusable bottled water usage so we are working to slowly integrate it on campus,” Project Analyst for Service Operations Brandon Verhoff said. “This is about waist diversion and we want to recognize the fact that more students want to use reusable water bottles.” These bottled water filling stations make filling a reusable bottle quicker and more convenient. Colleges and Universities around the nation have begun banning the sale of plastic bottled water in support of these reusable bottle options. Washington University in St. Louis has banned the sale of plastic bottle water all together from their vending machines and dinning facilities in February 2009. This was Washington University’s response to concerns about the environmental impacts of plastic bottled water and to encourage the use of tap water and reusable water bottles. “National statistics show that the rate plastic bottles are recycled is low and getting lower, as more end up in landfills,” Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability at Washington University Matt Malten said at the time of the ban. “Members of the Washington University community all have access to healthy water from a tap, and drinking tap water eliminates the generation of solid waste and energy usage to produce and distribute bottled water.” Civic Affairs Committee Chair for the Student Government Association Elizabeth Alberty said she supports a ban of plastic bottled water on SLU’s campus, but wants to ensure it is implemented effectively. “We looked at Wash U’s model and we felt that they didn’t properly lead up to their ban. We feel it is important for SLU to properly promote and put in place alternatives,” Alberty said. SLU’s administration has expressed concern with implementing a ban of plastic bottled water due to the limited number of filling stations on campus and their 10-year agreement with Pepsi that was signed in January 2011. Pepsi’s Aquafina is the main bottled water sold on campus accounting for approximately one third of their total sales of bottled products according to Alberty. “We want to promote more reusable bottled water usage on campus, but we want to be prepared for providing an alternative on campus,” Verhoff said. “It is tricky to do a bottle water ban because we might also eliminate the health options in vending machines and campus dinning facilities.” According to the Education Database Online, Americans consume 8.6 billion gallons of bottled water annually and only 1 and 5 water bottles are recycled. “It’s simple, most bottled water is not recycled and this causes many environmental problems,” Sustainability
See “Water” on Page 5
Relay rallies against cancer
Fixing the clock tower
Kristen Miano / Associate News Editor
The University News prints on partially recycled paper.
BROTHERLY BASEBALL Pitcher-catcher duo find connection on the field >> SPORTS
Bestselling author shares faith journey awards in his storied career. Albom is married and lives in Franklin, Mich. “Have a Little Faith,” pubMitch Albom told the Saint Louis University com- lished in 2011, tells the true munity to have a little faith. story of how Albert Lewis, On Wednesday, April 25 at 7 the rabbi of the only synap.m., the bestselling author gogue Albom ever belonged stood before an audience in to, asked Albom to deliver his the Busch Student Center eulogy when he died. Albom Wool Ballrooms and told the said he was caught off guard story of how his life was trans- and thought, “Who was I to do formed with a single question: a eulogy for a guy who does eulogies?” “Will you do my eulogy?” “The Reb” confronted AlAlbom’s speech was based bom with on his book his wish im“Have a mediately Little Faith,” after Alwhich enbom gave a It’s the choosing to joyed time speech for as #1 on the which he New York believe that we’re not returned to Times best- just here to grab for his homeseller list. It town and also aired as our own good. That admitted a made-forthat he had t e l e v i s i o n we’re all connected all but left movie in No- somehow. behind his vember of religion. 2011. -Mitch Albom Still, to Albom is uphold his the author of eight other books, includ- agreement to deliver Lewis’ ing “Tuesdays with Morrie,” eulogy, Albom embarked on a the bestselling memoir of all series of visits to better know time, and “The Five People the Reb. Each time they met, You Meet in Heaven,” also a the Reb welcomed Albom by New York Times #1 bestsell- singing his name to the tune of “Hello, Dolly!” This relaer. Today, Albom is a newspa- tionship grew over the span per columnist for the Detroit of eight years before Lewis Free Press. He also hosts two passed away at age 90. Along the way, Albom radio shows on WJR-AM and is a television commentator learned about living, met on ESPN’s The Sports Re- people who changed his life and restored his faith. Like porters. He has been named #1 the Reb’s role in Albom’s Sports Columnist in the Na- faith journey, another clergytion by the sports editors of man influenced Albom. This America (APSE) and has received more than 100 writing See “Albom” on Page 3 By MARTINA BOYTER Associate News Editor
“
”
Minghao Gao/ Staff Photographer
The Great Issues Committee hosts writer Mitch Albom on Wednesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the BSC Wool Ballrooms. Albom discussed his most recent book, Have a Little Faith.
ITS Security Team adds to Internet safety By BRIAN BOYD
Blue the Billiken
Read and Recycle
Thursday, April 26, 2012
On Saturday, April 21, Relay for Life participants walked laps around the track at Robert R. Hermann Stadium. Students lit candles and luminaria in remembrance of loved ones taken by cancer and those battling the disease. The event started at 6 p.m., and teams of students and other community members, including cancer survivors, endured until 6 a.m. to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
News Editor
In 2010, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 303,809 cyber crime complaints. Compared with the 16,838 complains that the IC3 received in 2000, the 10 year trend shows the significant increase in cyber threats and the corresponding need for information security. Last October, Shawn Henry, Executive Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, addressed the cyber threat in an address to the Information. He stated that “some of the most critical threats facing our nation emanate from the cyber realm”. Saint Louis University has responded to cyber threats by forming an Information Security Team. The Team was formed to educate the SLU community of information technology threats and respond to students in event of an information technology security incident. According to Affan Waheed, Information Technology Services Director and Information Security Officer, the University saw an opportunity to enhance security infrastructure and formed the Information Security Team. He explained that a host of
threats exist for information technology environments, especially environments that contain sensitive information such as medical records. SLU’s Department of Information Security also receives notice from government agencies of ‘advanced persistent threats’, which sophisticated and organized cyber attacks. “Because we’re custodians of the data, we have an obligation to protect it. Threats come in a variety of areas— people are trying to steal, to find space on networks to host illegal programs… there’s a variety of threats,” Waheed said. Waheed said that the first task of the Information Security Team was to create awareness of information security threats and define the perimeter of what the team is trying to secure. The team did an assessment of the University’s risks and infrastructure. Waheed said that a crucial component of information security is keeping technology updated. “Having a PC where we don’t pay attention to what software lives in it, whether it’s gone beyond its end life or beyond the support it’s providing [are risks],” Waheed See “ITS” on Page 3
News
2
unewsonline.com
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Let Us Introduce You Kripa Sreepada ‘Woman of the Year’ nominee devotes herself to diversity By PATRICK OLDS Senior Staff Writer
In the spring of 2010, there were a number of diversityrelated incidents on SLU’s campus. Students were coming into Student Government Association and town hall meetings which followed the incidents, looking for an outlet to voice their concerns. “They helped us understand the reality of our student population diversity problems,” Kripa Sreepada, then a freshman representative in SGA, said. “This was the low point, yet it provided us with the motivation and the will to move forward in such a strong way toward diversity and inclusion.” Sreepada, junior in the school of Public Health and current Vice President of Diversity and Social Justice for SGA, was recently was nominated for and was one of the recipiants of Saint Louis University’s Woman of the Year Award for her work during her first three years at the University. Given her track record of activity and leadership at SLU, it is hardly a surprise that she won. Sreepada is originally from Springfield, Mo., the “home of the original Bass Pro.” When she began applying to college, she did not have any initial interest in looking at instate schools. “I originally planned to go to school out-of-state to one of the northeast schools,” Sreepada said. Sreepada visited SLU as more of an information-gathering experience than as a real consideration of her future, but just as she was ready to dismiss SLU as an option, she realized SLU had something that was important to her. “When I came to SLU, there was obviously a sense of community,” Sreepada said. From that point on, Sreepada said she felt like she was already a part of SLU’s community. She wasted no time getting involved on campus her freshman year. She began as
THE SLU SCOOP All Information Provided by Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Sunday, April 22
5:13 a.m. - Informational DPSEP officers responded to a call of a SLU student that gained access to a restricted area in the circulation room/office located off the Knights Room. Upon officer’s arrival the student was found hiding behind a desk. Minghao Gao / Senior Staff Photographer
a pre-med student, interested in athletic training. When she joined SGA, she started as a Doisy Center Senator and would go on to represent the Doisy Center and work on the Diversity and Social Justice committee. Sreepada also began working at Little Sisters of the Poor her freshman year, which is a nursing home for the elderly. She continues to volunteer there today and believes that she has a future assisting the elderly, whom she identifies as a people that don’t necessarily have a voice that represent them. She wishes to become an advocate for them in the future. In her sophomore year, she worked on SGA’s Safety and Security committee, which sponsored a DPS safety day that went through the most dangerous places on campus. In addition to working on the Safety and Security committee, she helped found SLU/ FUSED, a group that seeks to promote socio-economic diversity among students and gives scholarships to stu-
dents who need aid for dues for clubs. “Our campus is viewed as predominantly white, middleupper class, but that is not the actual makeup of the student population,” Sreepada said. In addition to helping found the SLU organization, she partnered with Washington University as well as Duke University to bring the organization to a national level. This year, Sreepada is focused on her current job as V.P. of Diversity and Social Justice, one of her main task being to fulfill the “Oath of Inclusion.” Sreepada said that her greatest asset is faith in diversity efforts. Showing everyone there are small steps that everyone can take to bring everyone together is her goal this year. “We have had very productive dialogue in the diversity cabinet, yet just because we are apart of diversity leadership does not mean we know everything about it,” Sreepada said. “Community support through SLU is not just my goal, it’s ours together.”
Monday, April 23
1:40 a.m. - Sick Case DPSEP officers responded in reference to a student who was requesting transport to a hospital. The student admitted to smoking marijuana at approximately 1:30 a.m. and started having a reaction to the substance shortly after.
Tuesday, April 24
8:19 a.m. - Informational An employee turned over a makeup bag containing what is believed to be a controlled substance. The bag and contents were properly packaged and turned in.
7:19 p.m. - Sick Case A SLU employee became ill and passed out when she was closing up for the evening. SLFD Engine #29 and Medic #32 responded. She refused medical treatment. Her supervisor was on scene and the employee was released to go home.
Be a Responsible Billiken STOP. CALL. REPORT. 314-977-3000 witness.slu.edu dps.slu.edu
Panhandler poses problems in Midtown By ADNAN SYED Staff Writer
On April 20, Front Door, LLC., owner of popular nearcampus apartments such as the Cornado Building, alerted students of an ‘aggressive panhandler’ targeting the midtown area. According to the notification sent to tenants of Front Door properties, the panhandler will attempt to persuade targets to give him money and even follow his targets to an ATM. The release also said that he is “very aggressive” and has targeted areas near Schnucks grocery store, the intersections of Spring Ave. and Lindell Blvd., the intersection of Grand Blvd. and Lindell Blvd., and the intersection of Grand Blvd. and Laclede Blvd. Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Field Supervisor
Pasquale Signorino said that students should not be obligated to give money to anyone, and said that students should report incidents of panhandling on campus. “Any time this happens on campus, we want to know, so that we may deter it,” Signorino said. Signorino also said that, if encountered, some of the most effective methods to avoid a panhandler are to ignore them and keep walking. If this does not work, he said to firmly say no and recommended contacting DPSEP or the St. Louis Police. Signorino said that students without a cell phone should run ask for help in a nearby building. “There are many organizations that are out there that help people asking for money. DPSEP or the St. Louis Police Department officers can come out and suggest social organizations that can help
panhandlers rather than giving them cash that generally doesn’t go towards what it is asked for,” Signorino said. Representatives from Front Door said that the company is working with DPSEP and the St. Louis Police to prevent panhandling incidents. “FrontDoor is currently working with DPS and the police to prevent this from happening,” the statement said. “However, until this panhandler is removed from the area, FrontDoor and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department ask that you not engage in conversation with this individual.” Front Door also offered ways to help the needy without giving to panhandlers. “Please give what you can of your spare change or time to St. Patrick’s Center, another local homeless shelter or the food pantry on campus,”the statement said.
News
unewsonline.com
3
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Student government debates election reform Federal loan rate
hikes hit students
By KRISTEN MIANO Associate News Editor
Of the 18 points of business in this week’s Student Government Association agenda, senate only officially made a decision on four. Every business point brought before the association was met with enough debate to drive the meeting close to six hours in length. The meeting began with the chartering of Dumbledore’s Army, a Harry Potter fan club on Saint Louis University’s campus. The group completed the necessary probationary period, and senate unanimously granted their charter status. Next, SGA allocated $1,894 in spot funding to the girl’s Ultimate Frisbee team to cover travel fees for an upcoming tournament. Dean of Students Mona Hicks and Director of Student Conduct Katherine Weathers then gave a presentation on the upcoming review of the student conduct process and student handbook. The point they really wanted to make with their presentation was that throughout the duration of the review, Student Involvement and Conduct want to collect as much student feedback as they can. “What I’ve learned in my short but fabulous tenure at SLU is that the relationship with students is like one between a doctor and a patient,” Hicks said. “We want to impart knowledge, and [we] care about your well being.” The final thing that passed through senate without debate the passing of a resolution to commemorate Kenneth Hornak, the late assistant director of field operations for the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, who passed away last Thursday. After tabling a bill to create a Sustainability Committee, SGA moved on to discuss the bills they had tabled in last week’s meeting. Up first was a bill to amend the association’s bylaws to ensure they were consistent with current practices, particularly those pertaining to the new circumstances surrounding the Wellness Fee Committee. A point of contention among the senators was an amendment to the bill that would make it so committee representatives could not out-
Interest payments more costly Senior Staff Writer
Fangyu Wu / Staff Photographer
The Student Government Association deliberates amendments to the association’s bylaws on Wednesday, April 25. number senatorial represen- an even lower number of stutatives on the Wellness Fee dents willing to vote in an any Committee. additional election to decide “There are logistical ben- the SGA executive board. efits to having more senators “I feel the low voter turn on the committee,” said Sena- out will embarrass SGA,” tor Ben Raymond. “When a said Vice President of Interfunding bill comes up before nal Affairs Scott Hessel. “We senate, the more people in the already have a problem with room who know what went on bureaucracy and meeting during committee voting, the with constituents, and this better.” won’t help.” The vote reflected RaySenate initially voted not mond’s sentito let this ments, as the p o i n t amendment stand, but passed beafter an adfore the bill justment This won’t ruin the was tabled to the senfor another election process, it atorial votweek. ing rules The final will just change it. to reflect bill senate It’s not something we senator atdiscussed at tendance, length was a have done before. the point bill proposwas reing several considamendments -Alexander Salazar ered and to the bylaws passed. to create a better election proThe next point brought up cess. Senator Kathleen Cadi- was a motion to not permit gan, this year’s election com- the formation of executive missioner and author of the board tickets. Instead, only inbill, stated that her time spent dependent candidates would on senate and on the elec- run for each executive board tion commission influenced position. her decision to propose the Debate among the senachanges. tors focused on the practicalFirst, senate addressed the ity of making people run on proposition that in the event their own versus having peoof an election where there is ple to run with. Some argued no majority winner for a posi- that the need to be on a ticket tion, a run-off election would might scare some people take place between the candi- from running, while others dates who received the most argued that having only invotes. Concerns were raised dependent candidates would that given the consistently not provide the same kind of low voter turn out in the past motivation that being a part election years, there would be of a ticket might. Arguments
“
”
were also made that tickets have the potential the skew the election process because not everyone who runs might be best for the job, but are instead running to fill an empty ticket position. “This wont ruin the election process, it will just change it,” said Senator Alexander Salazar, who spoke in favor of ticket elimination. “It’s not something we have done before, and we don’t know what exists on the other side of tickets. We should try it.” Despite rampant debate on the issue, the point passed, making it so election tickets will not be permitted in next year’s SGA election. The next point discussed addressed the election finances. While it was agreed that anyone running should frequently disclose their expenses to the election commission, an amendment was made to only allocate $300 to the presidential candidates and $200 to the vice presidential candidates. Both the amendment and the point passed. The final point of the bill proposed making endorsements of senate or executive board candidates by any current senators or executive board members a violation of election procedure. This was the only point of the bill to fail. The bill in its entirety was tabled for another week, as were the remaining bills on the agenda. All will be voted on in next week’s meeting, which is the final SGA meeting of the year.
ITS: Security team stressing cyber safety Continued from Page 1
said. “Those are risks that make us vulnerable to the outside.” Waheed explained the need for upgrading operating systems through vendorreleased ‘patches’. He said that the patches include data which show how the downloader is now secure, but also shows cyber criminals the vulnerabilities of those who have not updated their software. “That’s what people use. People think hackers are the smartest people in the world. They’re criminal minded people that exploit people’s vulnerabilities. All that it takes is time,” Waheed said. He also said that the key to information security is awareness of threats and preventa-
suit of the American dream. “This is personal for me,” Obama said. “Michelle and I … We didn’t come from Ahead of the 2012 presi- wealthy families. We needed dential election and the dou- loans, and we needed grants bling of interest rates on fed- to get our way through. I’m eral student loans, President the President of the United Barack Obama took to the States. It was only about eight road to push his proposal to years ago that we finished stop what he says is a tax in- paying off our student loans.” crease on more than 7.4 milObama’s proposal would lion students from occurring cost the federal government on July 1. an estimated $6 billion, acTraveling to the University cording to the White House. of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, GOP leaders were quick to the University of Colorado seize on the president’s fiery and the University of Iowa, rhetoric – at one point accusthe president emphasized ing Republicans of favoring that he was fighting for stu- the wealthy over students – dents while Republicans – led with criticism of his own plan. by presumptive GOP presi“President Obama’s failed dential nominee Mitt Rom- leadership on the economy ney – were voting to prevent has led to the weakest remiddle-class cover y Americans since the from “getting Great Dea fair shot at pression, an affordable They key point here where 50 college edupercent is, is that in America of recent cation.” “The key college point here higher education can’t graduates is, is that in are unemA m e r i c a , be a luxur y. ployed or higher educaunderemtion can’t be ployed,” a luxury. It’s -Barack Obama Romney an economic said in a imperative statement. that every family has got to be “Ultimately, what young able to afford,” Obama said on Americans want and need a conference call with college is a new president who will reporters en-route to Colora- champion lasting and perdo. “So the bottom line here manent policy changes that is we can’t just cut our way to both address the rising cost prosperity. Making it harder of a college education and get for our young people to afford our economy really growing higher education, allowing again.” them to earn their degrees -The battle comes as no that’s nothing more than cut- surprise as both parties are ting our own future off at the fighting for the youth vote. knees. And Congress has to That group went overwhelmkeep interest rates on student ingly for Obama in 2008; the loans from doubling, and they president won the 18-24 year need to do it now.” old vote in 2008 by a 34 point The president also took a margin, beating GOP nomiveiled shot at Romney, who is nee John McCain 66 to 32, estimated to be worth more according to a CNN estimate. than $250 million. According Recent polls show Obama to a transcript released by the leading Romney by around 20 White House, in Iowa City, points in the 18-24 age range. Obama said he just recently The University News will finished paying off his loans have more about student and that he was committed debt – and what it means for to making sure student debt the next generation – in next didn’t interfere with the pur- week’s paper. By DERRICK NEUNER
tive techniques. Waheed said thing from a site that doesn’t that students should keep have those security parametheir spyware and antivirus ters, it’s a risk they’re taking.” software updated, not sending Waheed also said that sharconfidential ing copyinfor mation righted such as passmaterial words and through People think hackers s o f t w a r e credit card infor mation are the smartest people such as via email, and in the world. They’re B i t T o r ensuring that rent can when shop- criminal minded people pose sigping online, that exploit people’s n i f i c a n t students enrisks for sure that the vulnerabilities. students. site is secure. He said “Look for -Affan Waheed that the basic paramUniversity eters for sereceives curity. A secure website has notification of copyright vioa secure socket layer certifi- lations if the violation occurs cate and in the browser bar on one of SLU’s IP addresses, has ‘https’,” Waheed said. “If and that “it’s not worth the someone’s making a decision risk”. on the internet to buy someDespite information secu-
“
”
rity threats, Waheed said that knowledge and awareness will keep users safe. “We’re trying to be as proactive as we can. With five to six thousand computers, 8,000 staff members and the student body, the possibility that someone will download something with vulnerabilities exists,” Waheed said. “You can’t deny that. But we’re doing to monitor and mitigate has shown success.” Junior Eddie Desecki agreed that information security can be achieved by staying sensible on the internet. “Just keeping your information to yourself and staying off sketchy websites should keep you safe,” Desecki said. “I mean, I wouldn’t go give my credit card information out to a stranger, so why would I give it to strangers online?”
“
”
Albom: Calling for students to believe meetings with the Reb, Albom explained the greatest treasures he gained from the man was Henry Covington, rabbi. During his last visit, an African-American pastor Albom told the Reb that he leading a congregation heavi- did not think the two of them ly made up of Detroit’s home- were going to the same place less population. after life. “There must be a Albom heard the inspiring whole other wing of Heaven story of a ministry housed for people like you!” he said. in the oldest — and former- But the Reb responded, “But ly, largest — Presbyterian you’re a man of God, too. Evchurch in the Midwest. In eryone is.” 2010, the church was dilapiThe rabbi put himself on dated, looked abandoned Albom’s level, Albom noted, and leaked from a hole in the which was both an act of huceiling. The congregation mility and a perfect example gathered under a plastic tent of faith. inside the church. “I believe that, like the Reb, Initially, Albom said that he God sings, and all of us down didn’t trust Covington, whose here hum along. And there opening statement admitted are many, many melodies, that he had but it is all dealt drugs one song, and spent one same, years in prisbeautiful, on. “When h u m a n It’s not having the it comes to song,” Alfaith, we answers, it’s the search bom said. don’t trust Considd i f f e r e n t , ” for the answers. It’s not ering what Albom said. the end of the journey, he learned “We naturalfrom Rably undergo it is the journey. bi Albert othering: us L e w i s versus them, and Pasfamiliar ver- -Mitch Albom tor Henry sus strange.” Covington, But the A l b o m time Alshared bom had spent with the Reb what he has come to believe showed Albom that there is about life. “It’s not having the a whole story behind these answers, it’s the search for different people, so Albom the answers,” he said. “It’s not listened. the end of the journey, it is the In his lecture, Albom journey.” shared the story that he Albom concluded, “It’s the heard that day about Coving- choosing to believe that we’re ton’s struggle with his faith not just here to grab for our and more-than-flirtation with own good. That we’re all cona life of crime. nected somehow. That we However, Covington is a aren’t just supposed to go in paradigm of human redemp- the ground and become worm tion and the potential for as- food. We are here to help one cension from the darkest of another and to lean on one anplaces. other and to love one another. He had become a pastor It’s the choosing to believe in and was providing food, shel- things like that — something ter, and second, third and bigger than all of us. That is, fourth chances to people who the crazy, glorious, somewere in situations like he had times maddening but always been. satisfying in the end, journey Returning to describe his that we call faith.” Continued from Page 1
“
”
Science Science Briefs
The University News Talk to us: Liz Kiefer 314.977.2812 science@unewsonline.com
Thursday, April 26, 2012
unewsonline.com
Tornado season arrives, with some changes
Almost a year after Joplin was hit, new safety measures are put in place
Five Saint Louis University nurses honored Out of three hundred nominated St. Louis nurses, St. Louis Magazine named eighteen winners of the Excellence in Nursing awards. Eve Holzemer, Janet Severine, Dorcas McLaughlin, Lee Smith, and Joanne Thanavaro were among those honored. Holzemer and Severine, who work at SLUCare won were recognized in the neurology/psychology/behavioral health division. McLaughlin, Smith, and Thanavaro, all faculty in the School of Nursing, we honored for excellence in education.
Ryan Giacomino / The University News
A year ago, SLU student Kelsey Hayes’ home was destroyed by the F4 tornado that hit Joplin, Mo.
Infomration graphic by Tess Hejna,
By ELIZABETH KOOP Staff Writer
Missouri Botanical Garden expands online plant database Two years ago, the Botanical Garden created an online database that cataloged the approximately 400,000 known species of plants. Now, plans are in place to expand the database to include scientific data and pictures. The Missouri Botanical Garden will be working with the Royal Botanic Gardens in London, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and the New York Botanical Garden. The catalog, named the World Flora, is expected to be completed by 2020.
Saint Louis Zoo to reintroduce endangered beetles The Missouri Department of Conservation received approval to reintroduce American burying beetle into its natural habitat in Missouri. Six hundred beetles bred in captivity will be set free in St. Clair and Cedar counties. The American burying beetle is important for decomposition of carrion. The beetle has been considered endangered since 1989. Other states have have also tried similar reintroductions, as its habitat spans across most of the US.
New case of mad cow disease found in California A single cow in California has been diagnosed with spongiform encephalopathy, or mad cow disease. There is no cause for alarm, however, as the cow in question was never used for dairy or meat consumption. Officials say that the cow did not contract the disease from its feed, suggesting that it will not spread to other cattle. In light of the low danged involved with this case of mad cows disease, this event has taken a toll of beef exporters. South Korea, one of the biggest importers of American beef has suspended sales in reaction.
April showers might bring May flowers, but they also bring dangerous weather. With spring in full swing in Missouri the probability for severe storms increases. Almost a year after the devastating storm hit Joplin, Mo., the state and Saint Louis University are taking more precautions to ensure the safety of residents during severe weather. Saint Louis University has an emergency plan for such conditions; it is important that students also know what causes these weather conditions and how to act in situations like these. In response to Joplin, the Midwest National Weather Service has been testing new ways of advertising the anticipated impacts of storms. This new warnings are designed to inform people of what a storm may be capable of doing before it hits, to encourage as many to seek shelter as possible and prevent deaths. The old watch and warning system will still be used, in addition to the impact-based warnings. The difference is, the more detailed warnings will only be used if the storm is determined to have the capability of destruction. The difference between knowing what to do in a storm watch and warning can me the difference in life and death. According to the National Weather Service, a thunderstorm watch is issued when
hail of 1-inch diameter or damaging winds are expected in a three to eight hour period. These watches are issued for areas that can be up to the size of Iowa, however if a storm is expected to be short lived or only affect a small area a watch will not be issued. A thunderstorm warning means that the dangerous winds, hail, or flooding rains are currently happening. A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when there is a possibility of multiple tornadoes. This is a situation in which it is important to pay attention to the weather and be prepared for a warning. A warning means that a funnel has touched down in the area. This change from a watch to a warning is instantaneous and if action is not taken as soon as possible the situation can become deadly. Last August, Saint Louis University was awarded the title of “Storm Ready University” by the National Weather Service. To receive this award the school met certain safety criteria such as establishing a number of ways to alert the community to warnings in a timely fashion, utilizing trained tornado spotters on campus, officiating annual weather safety talks and visits from the National Weather Service, and having an organized safety procedure. The Department of Public Safety sends out emails to the SLU community when a watch or warning has been issued and their website has information on how to prepare
for a tornado on campus. They suggest that students are alert to changing weather conditions and explain the danger signs of tornadoes: a dark green sky, large hail, rotating large low-lying clouds and a loud roar like that of a freight train. The website also outlines where to take shelter both indoors and out. Indoors, students will go one of the many designated areas around campus, typically a basement of a dormitory or apartment. If this is impossible, such as locations in the Student Village, it is suggested students take shelter in the most interior room and take cover in a bathroom or closet. If outside, shelter should be taken in a nearby building or ditch. Tornadoes develop when warm air from the ground travels upwards towards a thunderstorm cell. The rising air increases in speed and changes direction, causing a vortex to start, creating an invisible spinning effect in the lower atmosphere. When the lower portion of a thunderstorm cloud vortex moves towards the ground, that is when tornado warnings are issued. The University of Missouri Climate Center reports that an average of 30 tornadoes occur each year; the majority of which take place in the month of May. These storms can happen at any time of day, however Climate Center reports that many of the tornado producing storms occur between 4 and 6 p.m. While Missouri only ranks
Ryan Giacomino / The University News
Other homes in Hayes’ neighboorhood were also hit.
Ryan Giacomino / The University News
Lambert International Airport was heavily damaged by last year’s storm. number seven in the nation for frequencies in tornadoes the potential leads to dangerous weather conditions that people need to be aware of. When living in the Midwest it is important to know the dangers of the unexpected weather patterns. The constant changes in temperature and humidity put Missouri in danger of an estimated 50 severe thunder-
storms and 30 tornadoes a year. It is important for students to know what safety measures to take in these storm conditions and what to expect. Saint Louis University continues to do it’s best to keep students safe but ultimately the final responsibility lays in the students hands: stay safe and informed in this storm season.
Missouri passes indoor tanning bill SLU researchers release Parental consent mandate aims to decrease cancer rates
‘improved’ flu vaccine
of influenza B that don’t cross protect. Vaccinating against one Saint Louis University Cen- strain does little to protect ter for Vaccine Development against the other. Adding anhas recently finished a study other strain to make a quadto test the strength and po- rivalent vaccine improves our tency of a four-strain influenza ability to protect against flu and doesn’t reduce the body’s vaccine for children. Before each flu season immune responses to the othscientists predict which flu er strains.” In the study FluMist, the strains will be circulating new nasal throughout spray vacthe world. cine, was Many vactested in cines in the past Vaccinating against about 2300 children behave only a c c o m m o - one strain [of flu] does tween 2 and 19 years old. dated three The chilstrains. Nor- little to protect against dren were mally the the others. given one of vaccines three vaccounteract cines. One the two ma-Robert Belshe, M.D. vaccine was jor strains of FluMist, the the A virus new quadrivalent vaccine. and one of the B virus. FluMist, a product made The second vaccine was the by MedImmune, contains two normal vaccine, with two A strains of A and two strains of strainw and one B strain. T h e final vaccine was a vaccine of B. According to Robert both B strains. The children who received Belshe, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at Saint the FluMist vaccine, containLouis University and the cor- ing the four strains, had a responding author of the re- strong immune response. This proved that there is search said, “[c]hildren are more susceptible than adults no negative outcomes of havto influenza from one of the ing a four strain vaccine. On B strains, which changes February 26, the U.S. Food less than the A strain. Some and Drug Administration apwinters, influenza B viruses proved the MedImmune vaccause the most of the flu in cine for use in people between children and significant infec- ages 2 and 49. The vaccine could be ready for mass protion in adults.” Belshe continues, “There duction and use by the 2013are these two different strains 2014 influenza season. By TJ ALLMAN Staff Writer
By GABRIELE GEERTS Staff writer
The price of fashion is always rising — the trendy clothes, the designer bags and the fake tan. And with more increasingly solid research, there may be additional hurdles to jump in order to receive all these supposed necessities, specifically the tan. Missouri passed a law mandating parental consent for anyone 17 or under looking to bake under the tanning salon’s rays on Tuesday. “I think it’s super,” said senior nursing student, Bridget Divane.“I think indoor tanning has a lot of hidden risks and this would safeguard minors who are only thinking of the short term benefits without considering the long term health risks”. Missouri was one of the few states that does not require permission from parents to tan. The legislation passed without much dispute, although Missouri legislature has refused parental consent bills that included minimum age requirements for the past three years. The law was approved after lawmakers removed the stipulation that banned people under 15 from indoor tanning. What made voting this year different was the new research that was released by the Mayo clinic. The study showed that the rate of first-
Photo courtesy of Aleix O’Toole
Indoor tanning raises health concerns for minors as melonoma rates increase. time diagnoses of melanoma, a dangerous skin cancer, in women ages 18-39 was eight times higher in 2009 than in 1970. The increase in men of the same age was only about half that of women. The spike in melanoma cases can be equated to the steady rise of tanning beds in the past 40 years. Another reason tanning beds are receiving the blame is due to the gender specificity of the research. Women are much more likely to use tanning beds regularly, which is why the statistic concerning women is much steeper. In addition, The American
Cancer Society estimates that about 76,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year, with about 9,000 deaths. Many supporters of the bill are saying that parental permission is completely reasonable, especially since it is already a state that requires permission for other actions like abortions. However, the effect of the bill will have is unknown. Many tanning salons already practice the act of signed parental consent. See “Tanning” on Page 5
“
”
unewsonline.com
Science
5
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Declining bee populations threaten crops Water: Reusable bottles encouraged Farmers raise concerns over pesticide use in area Continued from Page 1
By TAYLOR WILSON
Graduate Student Maurice Muia said. “It is important to teach people that what they hold in their hand has to go somewhere after they are done with it and most often it goes in a landfill.” Muia said that he believes that students will buy into using reusable bottles if the filling stations are strategically placed on campus to make it convenient to fill up between activities. “The more we can do to conserve resources, the more we can spread our resources,” Muia said. SLU recently participated in Recyclemania, a nationwide inter-collegiate compe-
Staff writer
Recently, studies have shown that the bee population in the several countries, including the United States, has been dying off. The cause: pesticides. According to the published peer-reviewed journal Science, researchers concluded that “colonies treated with nonlethal levels of the pesticide had a significantly reduced growth rate and suffered an 85% reduction in production of new queens.” For those with Apiphobia, the fear of bees, this may be exciting news. However, because the bee population is significant in the pollination process, it means bad news for farms. Plants and crops need the pollination process. Without it, plants and crops would face a serious decline. In return, humans would not have the necessary nutrients from fruits and vegetables. The United States Department of Agriculture notes, “[a]bout one mouthful in three in the diet directly or indirectly benefits from honey bee pollination.” A healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables is importbatm and may even help prevent some cancers. Insects, birds, and other animals who feed off of the plants pollinated by bees are also threatened by the bee decline. What makes bees such ex-
tition to find the school that recycles the most per capita, to support recycling efforts on campus. SGA received 70 donated reusable water bottles from SLU as an incentive to get students to sign a recycling pledge. According to Alberty, more than 300 students signed the pledge and a drawing will be held to distribute the bottles. “Right now, we are focusing on the small things to make people excited for the filling stations and to recycle,” Alberty said. “If every person buys 10 less bottled waters a semester, that is a big number and it makes a big difference. Every little thing counts and everything you can reduce is important.”
Photo courtesy of WIkicommons
Bees are more important to the survival of farms than most people realize. cellent pollinators? Initially, the color of plants (yellow, blue, red) attracts bees. The aromas of these plants also keep the bees around, however the nectar is what these insects are after. When the bee is in a flower looking for nectar, pollen sacs, located in the anther or male part of the flower, attach to the bee’s legs and body. After this, the bees take the pollen sacs with them to the next flower they visit. As the bees forage for more nectar, the stigma, or female part of the flower, becomes fertilized by the pollen that is rubbed off from the
bee. A seed will form later for another type of plant where it will mature until it is released to grow into a plant, hoping for its own fertilization. This natural occurrence is often overlooked by society, but has such significance on human and plant life that it is impossible to ignore. Threatening the bees is imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, that seems to be one of the main causes of this population decrease. This chemical combination is commonly used on crops including corn and rapeseed
Unfortunately, Imidacloprid causes what Harvard calls, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), characterized by adult bees abandoning their hive. As the bee population declines, researchers are trying to find ways to attract more pollinators. These pollinators include butterflies, beetles, hummingbirds, and other animals. The New York Times reported that several beekeepers and researchers have asked the EPA to “suspend the use of the pesticide to allow pollination to occur.”
Kristen Miano / Associate News Editor
A filling station in the Busch Student Center makes it more convenient for students to reuse bottles.
Tanning: Law targets skin cancer Continued from Page 4
Even though the state did not previously mandate this action, one would be hard pressed to find a salon that did not already require parental consent for minors. This is a way for the salon to protect itself from future lawsuits and negative exposure.
Also, many young tanners are classified as “event tanners.” This means they are not regular tanners but instead only tan for special occasions, including dances and vacations. Considering this and the typical salon already requiring consent, some may believe the bill to be counterintuitive. Some oppose the bill
Opinion
The University News Talk to us: Parisa Rouie 314.977.2812 opinion@unewsonline.com
Thursday, April 26, 2012
unewsonline.com
Letters
“Freedom of the press—print, online and broadcast—is a basic right in a democratic society and is valuable in promoting the development of students as socially responsible persons ... The University News is a student voice, not the student voice. The views of The University News are the expressions of the students involved ... If [The University News] can represent a point of view around which discussion may develop, it serves a legitimate and needed purpose.” From The University News’ Charter
to the editor The views written in the letters to the editor section reflect the opinions of the individual authors and do not reflect the views of The University News. The University News reserves the right not to publish any letters that are deemed intentionally and/or inappropriately inflammatory, more than the 300-word limit or unsigned by the original author. The following are letters and/or website comments. Because the identities of website posters cannot be verified, all website comments should be treated as anonymous. Actual letters to the editor may be submitted online at unewsonline. com or e-mailed to opinion@unewsonline. com. Please include your cell phone number.
Contact us: Busch Student Center Suite 354 20 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 Newsroom: (314) 977-2812 newsroom@unewsonline.com
Advertising: (314) 977-2813 advertisng@unewsonline.com
unewsonline.com facebook.com/theunews twitter.com/theunews
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JONATHAN ERNST (314) 977-1590 eic@unewsonline.com MANAGING EDITOR JAMES MEINERS managing@unewsonline.com NEWS EDITOR BRIAN BOYD ASSOC. NEWS EDITORS KRISTEN MIANO MARTINA BOYTER news@unewsonline.com OP/ED EDITOR PARISA ROUIE ASSOC. OP/ED EDITOR FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA opinion@unewsonline.com ARTS EDITOR ERIN EVERETT ASSOC. ARTS EDITOR TJ KEELEY arts@unewsonline.com SPORTS EDITOR JOSEPH CACCHIONE ASSOC. SPORTS EDITOR CHARLES BOWLES sports@unewsonline.com SCIENCE EDITOR LIZ KIEFER science@unewsonline.com RELIGION EDITOR ALANAH NANTELL religion@unewsonline.com CHIEF COPY EDITOR MARY KATE MURRAY COPY EDITORS HILARY KORABIK BRITTA NORWICK copy@unewsonline.com
TECHNICAL STAFF PHOTO EDITOR JENNIFER WANG ASSOC. PHOTO EDITOR OLIVIA OJILE photos@unewsonline.com DESIGN DIRECTOR TESS HEJNA ASSOC. DESIGN DIRECTOR MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR NICK LURIA ASSOC. MULTIMEDIA DIR. EMILY DIEHL
multimedia@unewsonline.com
ONLINE EDITOR CHRISTOPHER WEBB
webmaster@unewsonline.com
BUSINESS STAFF GENERAL MANAGER CONNOR BERRY gm@unewsonline.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE NATALIE GRASSO ngrasso@unewsonline.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE NICK JESSE njesse@unewsonline.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE DAVID RUTLEDGE
Erika Klotz / Chief Illustrator
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.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month draws attention to problem, promotes activism Consent. This is the culture Saint Louis University students have been building during Sexual Assault Awareness month. This proactive attempt by students is admirable and as effective as any campaign promoting activism on social problems. This activism complements the SLU sexual assault policy well, which can be seen by many as a reactive approach to treating sexual assault. The proactive nature of these campaigns and discussions truly creates a campus-wide awareness on the issue. It tells students specifically what they can do to build a stronger culture against sexual assault. It gives the power to the students by giving them a role in sexual assault awareness and promotion of a culture of consent. This is a sign that students and administrators have realized the ineffectiveness of pushing and enforcing a policy on students without direct feedback from the community and conversation on the topic. Promoting awareness through student organizations does just what a policy cannot do and has not done: create activism and elicit a response. The conversations started by students will spread by word of mouth and peer influence, and this has more power than anything a policy can do.
This will also reflect well on the SLU community as a whole, inspiring other universities and communities to adopt a proactive approach, as well. But what happens when April is over? Do we stop caring about sexual assault? OneInFourUSA.org reports that “one in four college women report sur viving rape (15 percent) or attempted rape (12 percent) since their 14th birthday” and “3 percent of college men report sur viving rape or attempted rape as a child or adult.” These statistics, coupled with personal acquaintance of many of us with victims of sexual assault, is astonishing and troubling. Devoting a month to sexual assault awareness should not let it be forgotten the other 11 months of the year. We hope that the University community will carr y this activism year-round and continue to be aware of this per vasive problem on college campuses. This means providing support for victims as well as being protective and aware for one’s own safety. Let us not forget the prevalence of sexual assault. Let the past, and not future instances, be our constant reminder, so that we may prevent it in the future. Let us change the culture we live in to embrace control and consent. Let us stand against sexual assault together.
Food tastes best in trucks trafficking campus It’s not exactly fine dining, but most stu- make sure to eat neatly. You wouldn’t want dents and staff would agree that food trucks the occupants of the next table to see the offer the tastiest ethnic food they have ex- noodles slide off the side of your mouth and perienced. Food trucks also offer an aspect slop onto your plate, splashing soy sauce into of the city culture that is hard to find else- your fancy fine-dining shirt. where. If you want to immerse in the diverThis makes the food taste entirely bland, sity of St. Louis and and you probably experience the fusion can’t wait to finish it of the flavors of difbecause eating unfaferent cultures, find a miliar foreign food food truck in the vicincan be embarrassity of the campus and The humble character ing. get in line. Food trucks It’s hard to imagof a food truck elevates eliminate all of that ine what sort of malitrouble. The humble the value of the food itself. character of a food cious work of food trucks causes many truck elevates the Plus, nobody cares how value of the food itcities and states to propose a ban. What self. Plus, nobody you’re eating it. harm could they poscares how you’re eatsibly have that merits ing it. It is not quite a ban? Of course, Calithe same as fast food fornia’s proposed bill either; it is far more to place a statewide ban on food trucks was respectable. withdrawn because of its vast unpopularity. You get to watch the preparers of your Food trucks offer a more authentic ethnic food toil inside the tiny truck as you eagerly food than most ethnic restaurants. Perhaps prepare to enjoy it. You get to observe the this is because of the rustic nature of the fresh ingredients, the meticulous and labofood truck itself. rious preparation of the food you are about When you go into a restaurant, it’s hard to experience. This adds to the entire experinot to be overcome by the formality of the ence and value of food. environment and be conscious of those sitIf there is any industry that does justice ting at neighboring tables. Lay down the nap- to the value and dignity of aliment, it is to be kin, fork on the left, knife on the right, and credited to food trucks.
“
”
advertising@unewsonline.com
ADVISERS LAURA THOMSON lthomso1@slu.edu DON HIGHBERGER, S.J. dhighber@slu.edu
Posted below are the results from our web poll on The University News’ website. (32 votes total) What are you most likely to do if a tornado hits?
THE EDITORIAL BOARD OF THE UNIVERSITY NEWS RECOGNIZES AVIS MEYER, PH.D. AS THE NEWSPAPER’S FACULTY MENTOR.
The University News is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, the Student Press Law Center, the College Media Advisers and the Missouri College Media Association, a division of the Missouri Press Association. -First copy, free. Each additional copy, $1.00.
0
31%
Run to a safe area & watch the weather alerts
28%
Run to the window to see the tornado from a distance
22%
Keep minding your business; it will pass eventually
19%
Scream and cuddle with your blankie
10
20
30
40
50
We will no longer be silent; the blame must stop Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” I was silent for a long time about things that mattered, things that should have been spoken about. It seems we are taught as young children to tell our parents if someone ever hurts us, but somewhere along the way, we become ashamed about the hurt that we put up with, the emotional, physical, mental, sexual abuse and manipulation that is thrust upon us. There is an unspoken agreement between people that arises. Don’t talk about the unpleasant things in life. We don’t want to hear about your pain and suffering, we have our own. If you do, we will make you regret it. But I am here to break that rule. I am here to say I will not be silent any longer, that I am no longer afraid of my own voice. Take Back the Night is a public outcry against sexual violence in all of its forms. It is a way for a community to say we will no longer be silent; we will not be shamed into being afraid of the night. We know that it is never someone’s fault if they are assaulted. We know the system that is supposed to help survivors fails them all the time, re-victimizes them, criminalizes them, shames them for their choices, finds their assailants “not responsible.” We know that many are taught that if a person is raped, a woman especially, she must have been asking for it, and if she’s had sex before, she must have really wanted it. She was tempting him, or her, or whomever. Jessica Valenti put it well when she said, “Women don’t get raped because they were drinking or took drugs. Women do not get raped because they weren’t careful enough. Women get raped because someone raped them.” We are here to stand up and say that this blaming is wrong. We stand up for all those who were assaulted, were raped. Those who were told it was their fault, those who were told so because they were drinking, because they were wearing revealing clothing, because they were flirting, because they were dating, so it must have been consensual. I stand up and I take back the night because I have been told all of those things about why people are raped. And because of this I never came forward, I never reported it; I never said this has to stop. But I’ll say it now: I am no longer afraid of my own voice; of the truths I have to tell, no matter how painful they are. My name is Theresa Meinert and I am a survivor of rape. I am stronger than ever; he will never take that away from me. This rape culture has to stop, and you all need to be the ones to stop it. - Theresa Meinert is a senior in the School of Nursing.
Quotes of the week
“
Indoor tanning has a lot of hidden risks and this would safe guard minors who are only thinking of the short term benefits without considering the long term healths risks.
- Bridget Divane, senior in the School of Nursing
“
”
See Page 4.
The acting is a challenge, but the students have hiked up the mountain. It’s a gigantic story.
60
- Tom Martin, associate professor in the Theater Department
”
See Page 9.
Opinion
unewsonline.com
7
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Boosting literacy can reduce crime, poverty in St. Louis There is no If you are reading this article, you should be grateful. We never question if our friends, family, or colleagues have trouble reading. Commentary However, just across the river, East St. Louis has one of the highest illiteracy rates in the U.S. On an even broader scope, in Missouri, one in six adults age Britta Norwick 16 and over lack literacy skills to enter simple information on a job application. These statistics are shocking. Most of us started reading at a very young age, and it’s hard to understand that 16 percent of Missouri adults are unable to do what we do every day. Whenever we go to the grocery store, drive on the freeway, go online or apply for a job, we use our reading skills. These are simple daily tasks that underprivileged people on the margins of society might not be able to do. It is important for us not only as a community in St. Louis, but citizens of the United States, to help improve literacy rates. Being able to read is an important skill for a multitude of reasons, including forging the ability to think critically, increased job opportunities, increased attention for children of single-parent families, and an overall betterment of society in regards to poverty, crime, and drug use. The ability to read opens doors for more job opportunities. Forecasts predict that by the year 2018, 63 percent of all jobs will require at least some postsecondary education. This information is vital. Without basic reading skills, there is limited opportunity for advancement. Reading is a critical skill in almost every job. Simply put, the most educated in our society are also among the wealthiest. By providing basic tutoring to both children and adults in East St. Lou-
such thing as a ‘useless major’
taken out. There is nothing wrong with community college, but an economics degree from St. Louis Community College is not exactly the same as one from Harvard. This leaves us asking, is this the death of art and humanities degrees? I think not. There will always be art in the world, regardless of education. Our appreciation of it may change, and I think therein lies the bigger problem. We have a unique education system in the U.S. that allows students to learn humanities and sciences together in elementary school through college. It is considered a well-rounded approach to education that exposes us to more than just a specific concentration that will turn into a job. However, art and music programs are losing funding in public schools to put more emphasis on math and science. In part, this is likely a move to be more academically competitive with Asia and Europe, but it is also due to the general lack of funding and interest in concentrations that are not likely to lead to economy-building jobs. In spite of this troubling news, I cannot stress enough the need for our generation to be optimistic about the future. During this recession, we are constantly hearing mixed messages from those in charge. We are told we need to go to college to get a good job, but many grads are stuck in lower-wage jobs anyway. We are told that we are the future, yet we also seemed to be too screwed over financially to be able to do anything with ourselves. As a collective, young people cannot buy into the scare tactics plastered all over the news, claiming we should never leave academia until we have multiple degrees, or else we will never find a job. It is our job to encourage each other and not listen to the baby boomers. One day we will replace them, and if we are not adequately prepared to do that because we have been suppressed, then what? So don’t despair, class of 2012. Keep your chins up and keep striving for a better future.
This is not the commentary my editors were expecting. I was going to hand in 700 words addressing last week’s commentary on Commentary the Del Taco building.But then I noticed an article on The Daily Beast entitled “The 13 Most Useless Majors, From Philosophy to Journalism,” Noah Berman and, dear reader, I snapped. Using that ever-useful pawn of malicious opinion, statistics, the Beast put together a list of 13 majors, in no particular order, that seem to result in high unemployment, low salaries, low projected growth and “related occupations.” I am a philosophy major. I noticed that “The Beast” has listed my major alongside Religious Studies, so as to totally marginalize both degrees. I spend my non-school time doing things that fit into a number of the other “useless” degrees. I would imagine that at a school such as ours, many people reading this are pursuing one or more of the socalled useless degrees. It must be quite a shock to discover that, according to statistics, you’re wasting your time. (You aren’t, not at all, but we’ll get to that.) The data that led The Daily Beast to post this article comes from a Georgetown study into employment and income rates for recent college graduates. The people responsible for the study conclude their introduction by offering advice to people about to go to college: “They should do their homework before picking a major, because, when it comes to employment prospects and compensation, not all college degrees are created equal.” It is not hard to see that times are tough. The AP recently ran the numbers and came up with the depressing news that about 53 percent of “young college graduates” (bachelor’s degree holders 25 and under) are either unemployed or underemployed. Having a “useless” degree, then, would seem to indicate that when we graduate, we are totally out of luck. Fortunately, while the data may be accurate, The Daily Beast article — slideshow, really — is far more useless than the degrees it warns against. If your metric for the worth of a degree is the amount of money you’ll make soon after graduation, or the growth of your field, or whether you’ll get to put your full skills to use on day one in post-college-career-land, you’re missing the point. Many do. When I was in first grade, I asked my teacher why we had to be in school. She responded, “So that you can get a job.” Such an understanding of the purpose of education is probably widespread but definitely wrong. We are here in college (and this is the same in our pre-college education, too) to learn as much as we can about whatever we want. We have a tremendous luxury in that for four years, we sit in rooms and listen to people who’ve spent their lives learning and studying a topic explain what they’ve discovered. Even better, we can talk to them — go to office hours, ask questions in class, etc. — and when we’re done, hopefully we understand the world a little better. We’re also learning how to think, how to process, how to question and, best of all, how to find the answers. If the only thing you’re looking for out of a college education is the best possible salary you can get when you graduate, I’m sorry for you. You’re missing a wonderful opportunity. When I tell people I’m a philosophy major, the response, nine times out of 10, goes like this: “Oh! Er… What can you do with that?” Well, just about anything. The same is true for, really, any degree you can obtain. A business major can become a famous artist, a fine arts major can become a CEO, a philosophy major can make movies, a political science major can write novels and so on. One might hope you’re getting your degree because you want to learn something about something, and then when you graduate, you’ll take what you’ve learned and go out into the world and do something useful with it. You might be unemployed or underemployed or work in a totally different area than what you got your degree in, but because you’ve been trained to think about things and ask questions, you’ll get to where you want to be eventually. The idea is not so much to be rich, I think, as it is to be happy. If I only make $30,000 a year but I get to spend every day doing something I love, is that really a useless degree? I think not.
Liz Kiefer is a senior in the School of Public Health.
Noah Berman is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Brandon Woods / Illustrator
is, illiterate individuals will be able to read and understand a job application, and may even use analytical reading skills on the job. Another pressing issue linked to this problem is the increased existence of single-parent families. In such situations, it is difficult for single parents to take on the role of both parents. Extra attention on children is necessary for them to grow, develop, and learn. Oftentimes, children are left to fend for themselves. It is important that these children are able to learn to read in order for them to advance and succeed in today’s modern world. Children should be taught how to read not only for schooling purposes, but for recreational purposes as well. Reading can be a fun and eye-opening activity, stimulating such aspects of creativity and imagination. It is important to consider the implications of illiteracy. If children do not learn to read and read well, there exists a myriad of negative consequences that they may
fall victim to. Illiteracy is closely linked to other issues such as poverty, crime, and drug use. Statistics show more than one-third of all juvenile offenders read below the fourth-grade level. Without a strong focus on education, children may become distracted and consequently involved in negative and even illicit behaviors. Three thousand students drop out of school each day in America. The majority of these students possess inadequate reading skills. Without the tutoring help they need, America’s youth are being led astray from the path to education and success. In East St. Louis alone, nearly 28 percent of adults did not complete high school, compared to a national average of 15 percent. Education is a necessity, especially in a continuously advancing modern society. Without a high school diploma, let alone a college degree, advancement in the working world is extremely difficult. By providing highly publicized
awareness and tutoring aid to those who cannot read in the St. Louis area, not only will illiteracy rates decrease, but all of the associated issues of poverty, crime, and drug use have the potential to decrease as well. Tutoring can help prevent students from dropping out or being misled by opposing negative activities. Anyone who can read is able to contribute to this cause. There are a few organizations involved in literacy tutoring, including the YMCA of St. Louis. Visit www.ymcastlouis. org to learn more about volunteer tutoring opportunities. Their volunteer opportunities page provides ample information regarding what type of volunteer position you can apply for as well as the multiple locations in the St. Louis area. If people in the St. Louis community can contribute their help, an overall betterment of St. Louis will develop as a result. Britta Norwick is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
April reminds us of the distinct experiences of women in society Sexual Assault Awareness Month brings many things to mind. Without disregarding the male share of victimhood in this soCommentary cial canker, one cannot deny the distinct experiences of a woman in society. The gossip, the judgments, the shame, the belittlement, the condemnaParisa Rouie tion, the blame, the responsibility, the abuse of those who allow themselves to abuse her, the perceptions and judgments of those who allow themselves to judge her and speak about her, to trample her reputation and to speak on her behalf, when she has a voice of her own. Perhaps it would be a much better world if everyone just worried about their own social responsibility, but, as it must be, we must all judge each other. I speak here specifically of judging a woman based on her appearance. Chances are that you have seen or met a woman who covers her hair and her entire body. She might be a nun, she might be Muslim, she might be Jewish or something entirely different. Last week, I came across someone who apparently had not made such an encounter in his life. He had a nineyear-old daughter. “Do you keep that on all the time?” he asked. I explained that I didn’t have to, when I was in the house, but that I wore it outside to cover from other men. I explained that it was a religious obligation, a personal choice, a form of worship and a personal statement, among other things. “What if it’s like 102 degrees?” Personal commitments and statements don’t change with the season, I explained. I let him know I appreciated the questions. If you take it at face value, covering the body has a very simple message. It says to the onlooker: “You don’t have the right to look at this body; it is not to be reduced to its appearance; it is sacred and not to be objectified and trivialized.” This could be a very straightforward message to grasp, if it weren’t for religious stereotypes and prejudice. You could be like the guy I encountered and ask the question, but most people won’t. The misinformed stigma still exists, even among communities
“
who are aware and knowledgeable about “hijab,” the Muslim covering. In its most superficial depiction, the covering of women can be seen as an oppressive and unfair disadvantage to women, because the men don’t cover their hair and body in the same way. Those who hold this view probably haven’t bothered to ask a covered woman about her experience. Even if they did, they disregard her voice. In fact, such covering of the female body is a most egalitarian religious mandate. It takes the outward appearance out of the equation, focusing on the person. It takes away the disadvantage women (and also men) may have of being abused and judged because of their bodies and their appearance. It takes out of the equation the consciousness of one’s body. But there is another part of hijab that is not easily seen. It is the responsibility upon all of guarding their gaze. The Quran says: “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity…” (24:30). The subsequent verse about women is much longer and begins as such: “And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms [in public] beyond what may [decently] be apparent thereof …” (24:31). This is the constant consciousness of the tendencies of human nature, but also a constant reminder of respect and regard for the person, untarnished by evaluations of visual attractiveness. As I said about my covering to the man I encountered, this commentary, too, is a personal statement. Other women may share this view, but I do not speak for all. Although, I think I speak for all women when I wish the world were different, where rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault and the deprecation and oppression of women did not exist. Unfortunately, the existence of these social cankers is incontestable, yet I must speak out against them, every day of my life. I also contest the judgments made about a woman based on her appearance. If you want to know a person, make conversation, make a substantial attempt to get to know them, but no one has a right to infer anything about anyone based solely on their appearance. No woman is her body. No woman is her appearance.
There is another part of hijab that is not easily seen. It is the responsibility upon all of guarding their gaze.
”
Parisa Rouie is a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Starla Salazar / Illustrator
Fine Arts, Humanities lament Sometimes I think Van Wilder had the right idea by staying in college to avoid the pitfalls of being a productive member of Commentary society. The fact that unemployment for recent college graduates continues to fall does not exactly have me jumping for joy at the thought of graduating Liz Kiefer and entering the workforce. Currently, about half of recent graduates with bachelor’s degrees cannot find work appropriate for their degrees. And as if that is not bad enough, we are getting the blame for the already-exorbitant student loan crisis. Because of our ever increasing loan debt, we know we need to find stable jobs right out of school. To do this, more students are looking at degrees in the highest paying industries. While some talk of loan forgiveness as the only solution, others claim job creation will solve the debt crisis. Creating more jobs is an optimistic answer, because most jobs that would be created would be in very selective industries that are not likely to utilize humanities majors or even college graduates. However, not everyone is affected. Most science, health, language and education majors are flourishing. The majority of these down-ontheir luck grads are fine arts and humanities students. Not to mention student loans and tuition are on the rise. And if that is not depressing enough, now the government is telling us that Social Security may run out more quickly than expected -- not like many of us in college ever expected to see a dime of it. I feel punished for wanting the best education I can access. In high school, we were told we needed to go to college if we wanted to get anywhere in life, but now trade schools and community colleges are being pushed on high school students to avoid more loans being
Games
The University News Thursday, April 26, 2012
unewsonline.com
Advertise with us: 314.977.2813 advertising@unewsonline.com
Comics/Student Art
By Tyler Sondag
Last Week’s Solutions:
Sudoku
Crossword
Word Search
Arts
The University News Talk to us: Erin Everett 314.977.2812 arts@unewsonline.com
Thursday, April 26, 2012
unewsonline.com
OUT
At Chaifetz, The Black Keys are ‘Howlin’ For You’
TOWN
Indie rock duo to appear with Arctic Monkeys for sold-out performance
on the
Arts Editors’ Picks
By JASON MCCOY
MUSIC Friday, April 27 8 p.m. The Black Keys with Arctic Monkeys Chaifetz Arena Tickets are sold out Saturday, April 28 7 to 9 p.m. Asthapalooza! Tegeler Hall Astha A Capella’s Annual Spring Concert Sunday, April 29 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. String Quartets and Guitar Ensemble St. Francis Xavier College Church Wednesday, May 2 4 to 5 p.m. Piano Ensemble Concert St. Francis Xavier College Church
THEATER Friday, April 27 & Saturday, April 28 8 p.m. SLU Theatre Presents Caryl Churchill’s “Vinegar Tom” University Theater in Xavier Hall Tickets are $7 for students
Staff Writer
The Black Keys and Arctic Monkeys will travel to the historically blues-friendly town of St. Louis for a sold-out show at Chaifetz Arena on Friday, April 27 at 8 p.m. The two bands are currently on a tour of the United States that will end in the middle of May. The Black Keys will then hop the pond to start a European tour, as the Arctic Monkeys continue in a U.S.based direction. “We have been really excited to have this show,” said Carly Susral, marketing coordinator for Chaifetz Arena. “This is a different genre of music than we usually have.” Chaifetz Arena organized a luxury suite giveaway contest in order to provide one group of students the chance to attend the concert for free. Residence hall floors, chartered student organizations and other student groups were encouraged to send a photo of themselves to be posted on the arena’s Facebook page. The photo with the most likes and comments as of noon on Wednesday, April 25 was selected as the winner. Susral confirmed that the prize package has been awarded to the SLU Men’s Volleyball team. “This contest was something exciting we could do to interact with the SLU community,” Susral said. The Black Keys are seven albums into a 10-year career. Their early albums are filled with a raw blues-rock sound. Around the time of their fifth album, “Attack & Release,” they started to come into a sound that moves freely from blues-y, folksy and psychedelic tones. The duo is currently riding high on their “El Camino” album, which made it to No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200 list. Arctic Monkeys released a purple 7-inch album in June 2011, entitled “Suck It and See,” which made it to No. 1 on British charts and No. 14 on Billboard’s Top 200.
Photo by Danny Clinch / Courtesy of Chaifetz Arena
Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums) of The Black Keys will perform at Chaifetz Arena on April 27. Arctic Monkey’s sound has changed a great deal in their last two albums. “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” and “Favourite Worst Nightmare” are witty, edgy, and have a danceable beat. Their most recent, “Humbug” and “Suck It and See,” are atmospheric and mellow when compared to the first two. Early Arctic Monkeys is characterized by an almost constant use of British slang— a slang which is strikingly absent in newer albums. It seems that Arctic Monkeys have moved from energy-packed beginnings, and perhaps found a larger audience for their music. If this week’s show is anything like others this year, Arctic Monkeys are great openers, and will play songs that are well-received in the
U.S. before transitioning to their newer catalog. The Black Keys will rock through their catalog, emphasizing their more recent hits. Stage effects will be awesome. It’s an unwritten rule of concerts that you do not listen to the music of a band you’re driving to see. But, this concert is at the Chaifetz Arena, so you will likely be walking. Regardless, don’t listen to “From the Ritz to the Rubble” from Arctic Monkeys’ early stuff, and “Don’t Sit Down Because I’ve Moved Your Chair” from their most recent album. Listen to “Busted” from The Black Keys’ first album to experience their early grit and grime. Oh, and watch the music video to “Lonely Boy” from “El Camino” to get some dancing tips from some old guy.
Courtesy of Chaifetz Arena and the SLU men’s club volleyball team
The SLU men’s club volleyball team won Chaifetz Arena’s luxury suite giveaway contest by receiving the most Facebook likes and comments on the photo submitted above.
Theater production revisits 17th Century Pop icon and artist Andy
OTHER
Warhol featured at SLUMA
Friday, April 27
By ZENITA THOMAS Staff Writer
9 to 11:30 a.m. Preview of Student Art Exhibition Boileau Hall Ceremony and awards from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27 3 to 5 p.m. Rainbow Alliance presents Erin Davies Tegeler Hall Film director will discuss her latest documentary Friday, April 27 6 to 7 p.m. League of Laughter Improv Comedy Show Xavier Hall Black Box Admission is free Friday, April 27 7 to 11 p.m. Una presents “Take Back the Night” In front of Griesedieck Stand up against violence with music, performances, sketches, art projects, etc. Sunday, April 29 7 p.m. BSA Fashion Show: An Exploration of Africa Through Fashion BSC Saint Louis Room
Photo by Dan Donovan
L to R: Taylor Steward and Gabrielle Greer star in Caryl Churchill’s play “Vinegar Tom.” By TJ KEELEY Associate Arts Editor
ater techniques from Bertolt Brecht, such as the use of songs, to tell its story. “Vinegar Tom,” like most of Churchill’s work, is concerned with structures of power and discrimination against women. The play gets its name from Joan’s cat, who may have more than a paw in the supernatural occurrences.
SLU’s Theatre department is gearing up for its last production of the semester. This time, they take us back to the 17th century for “Vinegar Tom.” Written by Caryl Churchill, best known for “Cloud Nine,” “Vinegar Tom” tells the story of Alice and Joan who live in a small village in England. After a hijinx on their neighbors’ farm, Alice and Joan are accused of practicing One could make witchcraft. Written in the mid-’70s, the case that [Churchill] “Vinegar Tom” deals with women’s rights issues as is one of the greatest Churchill saw them at the living English time. Over time, the play has become a favorite for univer- playwrights. sity theaters. Director Tom Martin said that he and his colleagues se- -Tom Martin lected the play for its “political stance and casting opporSLU’s production stars tunities,” as well as its author. Daniel Blackwell, Greg Cuel“[Churchill] is one of the lar, Joe Denk, Gabrielle Greer, lionesses of our stage,” Mar- Katy Keating, Tyler Linke, tin said. “One could make the Kara McLaughlin, Ryan Nacase that she is one of the talino, Kyle Powell, Taylor greatest living English play- Steward and Alyssa Ward. wrights.” In addition, Theatre stuThe play uses epic the- dent Kristin McGuire wrote
“
”
and adapted some of the music, and gathered an all-women chorus to perform during the play. The music constitutes a sort of Greek chorus that comments on the play from a modern perspective. It is this unique approach to the music, among other things, that sets this play apart from others. Martin encourages students to support the show and “to celebrate the talent of your fellow classmates. The acting is a challenge, but the students have hiked up the mountain. It’s a gigantic story.” This production culminates and concludes SLU’s theater season, which included mostly comedies. The year kicked off with “The Secret in the Wings.” Next was Noel Coward’s farce “Blithe Spirit.” Then came the quirky, macabre musical “Bat Boy.” “Vinegar Tom” premieres Friday, April 27 at 8 p.m. It repeats on Saturday, April 28, Friday, May 4, and Saturday, May 5, all at 8 p.m. The final show is on Sunday, May 6 with a 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets for students are $7.
Andy Warhol, a prominent artist and pop icon of the 20th century, proved to be an influential figure in the American art scene with his versatility and talent as a painter, filmmaker and photographer. Warhol captured the true essence of beauty through his photography. In particular, his artwork focused on celebrities that we all know and love, including Liza Minnelli, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor and John Lennon. Through the use of his Polaroid “Big Shot,” Warhol shot more than 20,000 prints and paintings, all of which embraced his artistic skill to execute commercial art, fine art and portraits. Warhol’s selection of images is not only aesthetically pleasing but also creatively executed. In the ‘60s, Warhol charged
a fee of $10,000 per portrait. He photographed anyone that could afford to have portraits taken of them. Warhol wanted to sense his subject’s personality before shooting them in the studio. He used the phrase “show yourself,” to encourage his subjects to let their true personalities shine through in his photographs. The Gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to Saint Louis University Museum of Art (SLUMA) in 2008 included Polaroids and black-and-white photographs. This gift is truly an honor because SLUMA was chosen among a select few university art museums. “Warhol’s Polaroids: A Method” will display about 85 photographs, including: Luciano Anselmino, an Italian art publisher; Liza Minnelli, an actress and singer; Jules See “Polaroids” on Page 10
Gift of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
American actress and singer Liza Minnelli’s portrait is among the Andy Warhol collection at SLUMA, through June 10.
Arts
10 Ensemble rom-com explores male brain
The University News
unewsonline.com
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Rules of romantic relationships parodied in ‘Think Like a Man’ The rules of relationships for women and men unfold in “Think Like a Man.” “Think Like a Film Review Man,” a romantic comedy directed by Tim Story, debuted on Friday, April 20. The film revolves Zenita Thomas around four couples that experience the ups and downs of relationships. As the saying goes, “Love is not all it’s cracked up to be.” This saying rings true because, although love can be a beautiful thing, it has its downfalls. Men, in particular, find out how difficult it is to pursue women that are brainwashed, so to speak, by Steve Harvey’s book, “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man.” “Think Like a Man” is a glimpse of what real life is all about, in terms of relationships. Fighting, breaking up, getting back together, rekindling old romance and starting anew are all part of the relationship process. This film depicts realistic relationships where insecurities surface for the other partner to see. Harvey’s advice stirs up conflict within these relationships, because the couples are playing “mind games.” Men, as well as women, play mind games in order to teach their partner a lesson. But once couples come to the realization that they cannot live without each other, they profess their love for one another and try to make their relationship work. This element of self-realization proves to be an underlying theme in almost every romance film. The talented and comical cast, starring Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Steve Harvey, Meagan Good and Romany Malco, makes this film very appealing. Hart’s crazy antics and wit-
Courtesy of ThinkLikeAMan-Movie.com
“Think Like a Man” opened in theaters on Friday, April 20. ty remarks bring humor and fans of comedians Hart and entertainment to the film. His Harvey and other popular cework as a comedian shines lebrities, such as Chris Brown throughout the film. Hart and Wendy Williams. is by far the funniest actor, Critics might point out that alongside Harvey. “Think Like a Man” resemThis film brings the funny, bles a clichéd relationship all the while comedy simkeeping ilar to Tyler a serious Perry’s film tone during “Why Did scenes in I Get MarThis romantic which the ried?” Othcouples are comedy underlines the ers might a r g u i n g , beauty of love, but love see this film reflecting as a long on their re- will only sur vive if both comedy that lationships partners are willing to lacks any and conreal depth, templating compromise . . . and continutheir longously proterm goals. motes Har“Think vey’s book, Like a Man” was devised to which turns all the attention appeal to hopeless romantics from the film to him. and to those who are diehard Although critics may have
“
”
a point about Harvey’s selfpromotion, the film still offers moviegoers three things: comedy, drama and romance. Obviously, there is no such thing as a “perfect man.” But women should not get off that easy, because they are not perfect beings, either. This film highlights the fact that men and women are both at fault for problems in a relationship. “Think Like a Man” gives valuable insight into how men and women sabotage their relationships without being aware of it. This movie serves as a guide to fixing and building healthy relationships. The film is not only entertaining, but it also offers life lessons that are important to take note of. One lesson is that it should be a top priority to tell the truth, no matter how much it hurts. This romantic comedy underlines the beauty of love, but love will only survive if both partners are willing to compromise in order for their relationship to blossom. Time is of the essence, and moviegoers might learn a thing or two from this particular film. “Think Like a Man” is a must-see film that is guaranteed to make you burst out in laughter.
Think Like a Man
B
THE GOOD
All four of the love stories are hilarious and engaging.
THE BAD Too much focus on the book is distracting at times.
THE VERDICT A welcome guide for fixing relationships.
Brews, beats and eats: St. Louis food trucks Kitchens are hot. Sounds like an obvious statement, right? I thought so, too, before I went Restaurant Review to culinary school in New York after high school. There I gained a whole new appreciation for the saying: “If Molly Rippinger you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Hop in line for a dinner shift, and you’ll be dying as you try to work your tickets— sautéing over flaming burners, engulfed in 500°F air from opened ovens— all in a space that seems far too small for the tasks you have to accomplish. Now, take that image, shrink the size of the line and add three people to the mix (all while serving a relentless queue of hungry customers watching your every move.) Congratulations — you have got yourself a food truck, my friend! This past weekend, I had the great opportunity to play the role of the customer, instead of the cook. Down in Soulard, the 4 Hands Brewing Company played host to a casual gathering for some of the most popular food trucks in St. Louis. Most of the big names were there, and their avid fans flocked to the site for a sunny April afternoon, filled with delicious local brews, beats and eats. As a fairly new phenomenon for the region, food trucks have absolutely exploded in popularity since the formation of the St. Louis Food Truck Association in 2011. Beginning with just seven members, today they are more than 30 strong, with trucks specializing in everything from cupcakes to sushi. Even if you haven’t had the chance to catch a curbside lunch yet, we have all had exposure to mobile food vendors. Ever chase an ice cream man down the street as a kid? Well, this weekend, I was just about as happy as a four-year-old, roaming around the trucks and sampling some of their best dishes.
Fashion show explores African culture, fashion throughout history ety and meaning found in the different clothes, saying that it is different from the cliché The fashion of Africa will idea of “animal print, stuff like be on display Sunday, April that.” 29, at the Black Student Alli“Historically, it was a charance’s annual fashion show. ity fashion show,” Thomas The show is themed “An said. The switch to a cultural Exploration of the African focus was brought on by Continent Through Fashion.” changes in the Student GovIt will be a showcase of tradi- ernment Association’s fundtional African attire from the ing guidelines, which now time of the African diaspora, bar SGA from giving activity but also will have modern fee funding indirectly to charclothing with traditional inspi- ity. Last year’s theme was ration. “Seven Deadly Sins,” with all The African diaspora is his- proceeds going to the Keep A torically considered the time Child Alive charity; two years when the Atlantic Slave Trade ago, money was donated to displaced millions of Africans Doctors Without Borders. from their native country, and Both Woolfolk and Masent them into slavery in the hone agreed that the new inAmericas. tent to eduIt has also cate has not been used taken away in recent the enWe picked our current from times to tertainment d e s c r i b e director . . . because she value of the the willful is a non-traditional nurs- show. migration “It’s a of Africans ing student with over 20 good way to to seek years of fashion modeling get involved education and meet and a better experience. people. It’s standard of been really living. fun,” Ma-Monica Frazier The hone said. show will Ever ybe held in the Wool Ballroom, thing is student-led, and and is free for SLU students each year a different direcwho contact the BSA for a tor is chosen. According ticket before the day of the to Thomas, the director is show. This year the show has given creative control of the a more cultural focus, hoping production. An open call was to inform the audience about released to suggest potential the customs and trends of directors, and a committee inAfrican style that most prob- terviewed the top candidates. ably do not know much about. This year’s director is Tammy There will be outfits demon- Burton-Phillips. strating the style of royalty, as “We picked our current well as those of the average director . . . because she is citizen. a non-traditional nursing “We wanted to show the di- student with over 20 years versity of clothing in Africa,” of fashion modeling experiDiontray Thomas, activity ence,” Monica Frazier, the chairperson of the BSA, said. vice-president of the BSA, Model Chante Mahone said. “Her resume was outsaid that being involved with standing for our show.” the production has defeated Participating models are the stereotypes common to not exclusively SLU students; African clothing. there are also Harris-Stowe, “It’s not what you’d ex- Washington University, Unipect,” Mahone said, mention- versity of Missouri – St. Louis ing that the show will include and high school students set formal wear as well as casual to walk on stage. The BSA wear. welcomed anyone to join in Some of the clothes that the performance. will be on display are bor“You really only have to rowed from larger clothing show interest to get involved,” chains, one such corporation Thomas said. being H&M, but there are Burton-Phillips and her also some pieces being made crew have been leading the specifically for the show by lo- creative vision of the show, cal retailers. but the students have been Mahone said that she was very involved and influential impressed by the fact that in the preparation process. all of the clothes have been Students have also been traincustom-fitted to the specific ing models that do not have model wearing them. previous modeling experi“We express not only our- ence. selves, but also the African The BSA Fashion Show culture,” Woolfolk, a partici- will take place on Sunday, pant in the fashion show, said. April 29 at 7 p.m. in the BSC For Woolfolk, it was the Af- Saint Louis Room. Admission rican theme that sparked his is free for SLU students with a interest. He was very curious valid student I.D. to see the differences and simTickets for the general ilarities between our fashion public are $7 in advance and and that of the African people. $10 at the door, and can be Woolfolk mentioned that he purchased at slubsafashion. was surprised to see the vari- eventbrite.com. By WOLF HOWARD Staff Writer
“
”
Polaroids: SLUMA displays Andy Warhol collection Continued from Page 9 Min Zhuang / Senior Staff Photographer
Food trucks have become a local favorite since the 2011 formation of the St. Louis Food Truck Association. Most trucks use social networking to update their daily locations. Walking up to the parking lot of the 4 Hands Brewing Co., I was quickly welcomed by the tantalizing mixture of cooking smells and the sounds of music and laughter. I was a little overwhelmed by the huge crowd of people, but considered beer a good place to start. With my blonde ale in hand I formulated a plan: Knock out the longest line first . . . which meant I was heading to Seoul Taco. Korean BBQ Tacos, eh? Having never tasted the wildly popular fusion dish, I was very excited to make my way through the line. When I got up to the window I was faceto-face with Andy Heck, one of the partners responsible for starting the truck. He insisted that, for my first taste of Seoul, I had to have the Spicy Pork Taco. Moving to the open back end of the truck, I had the chance to chat with David Choi, the chef responsible for bringing Korean street food to St. Louis. As he whipped up my taco— spooning in a generous portion of the hot, sauce-laden pork on a soft flour tortilla, and passing it
down the line to be topped with crisp greens, sliced green onion, sesame seeds and a quick squirt of Seoul sauce— I gave the mobile kitchen a once-over. My God, it was small. Logistically, I was completely baffled at how they managed to serve hundreds of customers from the tiny kitchen. When I asked Choi about the space, he said that storage was definitely “one of the biggest challenges.” Like any good kitchen, though, they streamlined the production process by having each guy work a station with a specific purpose. Trust me, their system works. They were flinging out orders at a steady pace all afternoon, and each item looked just as perfect as the taco I held in my hands. After a quick squeeze of lime, I took my first bite of a Seoul Taco. Instantly, the succulence of the pork hit my palate, a result of the unique marinade and cooking process. The spiciness came through next, but was kept at a pleasurable level by the balance of the fresh greens and tortilla. That little wedge
of lime perked up the Seoul sauce, which added a great dimension of creaminess to the taco. If you don’t like pork, they also offer a delicious Korean style of beef, called bulgogi, which is a wonderful version of steak. Chicken and tofu are also available and each taco, regardless of filling, packs a spicy punch for only $2.50. Quesadillas, a significantly larger portion, throw cheese and sour cream into the equation for $6. For the voracious eater, Seoul Taco has their take on the traditional gogi bowl. For $7, you can get a heaping of rice topped with meat, veggies, a fried egg, sesame oil and a hot pepper paste— a genius construction because, when you hit the soft egg with your fork, the oozing yolk creates a rich sauce with the pepper paste, coating the rice, meat and veggies. Honestly, I could’ve stayed at Seoul Taco all afternoon, but other trucks were calling! For the next hour I roamed
See “Food trucks” on Page 11
Brassner, a New York gallery owner and art collector; Robert Pittman, “the father of MTV;” Stephen Sprouse, a fashion designer and artist; William Burroughs, a novelist and poet; Vitas Gerulaitis, a professional tennis player; Richard Weisman, a keen art collector and friend of Warhol’s; Frau Buch, an ordinary individual; Evelyn Kuhn, a model for the Ford Models Agency; and an individual named Natalie Sparber. This exhibition shows that Warhol photographed not only celebrities, but also ordinary people and influential individuals from different fields, such as businessmen, media moguls, models, artists, art collectors, singers, actresses, fashion designers, writers and athletes. “The purpose of this exhibition is to educate the public, and for the public to get a glimpse of Warhol’s life and the creative process behind his photographs,” Petruta Lipan, director of Saint Louis University Museums and Gal-
Help us fill our issues.
leries, said. “Visitors will get a sense of the variety of people that Warhol photographed, which includes every walk of life that he offered ‘15 minutes of fame.’” In addition to the photographs in each art gallery, visitors will be able to view artifacts that Warhol began using in the 1960s and 1970s, such as the Polaroid “Big Shot” camera. Visitors will have another opportunity to view “Warhol’s Polaroids: A Method” in May during the Art Walk in Grand Center. The Andy Warhol exhibition will open on Friday, April 27 with a reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and will end on Sunday, June 10. This event will be held at SLUMA. Admission is free for this exhibition. In correlation with the exhibition, Bradley Bailey, assistant professor of art history at SLU, will host “Warhol in a Snapshot: A Closer Look at the Man Behind the Camera” on Wednesday, May 2 at 5 p.m. at SLUMA.
advertising@unewsonline.com (314) 977-2813
unewsonline.com
Arts
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Boots swaying in the air Food trucks: at Eric Church concert Local favorites In an interview last week, up-and-coming country singer Eric Church commented on his rebel attitude. Concert Review “I don’t care what the label thinks,” Church said. “I don’t care what radio thinks, I don’t care Chris Ackels what fans think.” Church said that he simply plays what he likes to play, and lets the creativity flow. If there was any doubt as to his rebellious ways, last Friday night at Chaifetz Arena made one thing very clear: Church does what Church wants. And Church knows how to rock the house. The self-proclaimed outlaw of country music has had nine Top 20 singles in his career. You’d think he would choose one of those to open the show on his first-ever headlining “Blood, Sweat and Beers Tour.” Nope. Church opened with the little-known song, “Country Music Jesus,” elevating from a hydraulic lift on the stage in front of flame torches and a massive American flag. He followed this introduction with “Guys Like Me,” a single from 2006, and “Pledge Allegiance to the Hag,” from his first album. Something else became clear very quickly: this concert was for the fan. It was for true Eric Church fans— the ones who have liked his music from the beginning. While he did play recent hits— including the popular “Homeboy,” his No. 1 single “Drink in My Hand,” and the current hit, “Springsteen” — it was obvious that Church had intended for this concert to be a “thank you” to his biggest and most loyal fans. The sell-out crowd never sat down, and the energy in Chaifetz rivaled other big shows such as Lupe Fiasco and Blake Shelton. Church was extremely high-energy, running and
jumping around the stage and interacting with the crowd like a born performer. It is clear this guy loves what he does. Church worked the St. Louis crowd with ease, mentioning past trips to The Pageant and his memories of the city. Before singing his hit single, “Love Your Love the Most” — a song that mentions his love for barbeque— Church said he had eaten at Pappy’s for the first time that day. “And it kicked my ass,” Church said, to the delight of 10,000 fans. His set list included two covers: Hank Williams’ “Country Boy Can Survive” and The Band’s “Up on Cripple Creek.” More prominently, it included lesser-known Church songs that his fans would enjoy, like “Creepin’,” “Keep On” and “Jack Daniels.” Nearly every hit from his gold-certified album “Chief” found its way to the Chaifetz Arena speakers. Church is an award-winning songwriter and has written or co-written every song on all of his albums. He is a perfect example of up-andcoming country artists, and his music may likely represent the future of the genre. Both of St. Louis’ major country radio stations had booths at the concert, and people from around the community were in attendance. One Chaifetz Arena employee joked about the number of pickup trucks in the Olive Compton Garage on Friday afternoon— the show certainly attracted a huge outside audience. And while it might be expected that Church would draw from a country crowd, it also made for the most moving part of the concert. During his encore, Church sang his anthem song “These Boots,” while thousands of people took off their boots and held them high in the air. Church has always said that his boots are part of who he is. They inspire him to write songs. And seeing thousands of boots swaying in the crowd was certainly a sight to see. (Check out The University News’ full interview with Eric Church at unewsonline.com.)
on wheels
Continued from Page 10
around the lot, striking up conversations about the different dishes and sampling some fantastic food. Some of the nicest people I met were the husband and wife team of Go! Gyro! Go! As I sampled a classic lamb gyro that Nick made me— truthfully, some of the best lamb I’ve ever tasted — they shared with me how they became involved in the food truck world. The couple had a history of being involved in the restaurant industry, but Nick’s full-time job was in real estate. In May of 2011, they decided to take the plunge and start a food truck. Filled with determination, they compiled their favorite family recipes and took their passion to the streets. I know firsthand that a restaurant job is grueling. The hours are miserable, the work is physically draining and the repetition of each service can quickly become mundane. This is not to say that food trucks don’t face the same realities, but I observed a more relaxed and carefree atmosphere in each of the trucks. You can tell that they are there because they want to be, and that what they do brings great joy. They love engaging with their customers and seeing the happiness their food brings to people. It’s that instant gratification, the elimination of the middleman, which makes the food trucks so satisfying. I had a terrific time exploring the food truck world of St. Louis, and highly encourage you to do the same! The trucks communicate through social media, so follow them on Twitter or like them on Facebook to follow their locations. Also, on May 11, you can head out to the southwest side of Tower Grove Park to catch the trucks in action from 5 to 8 p.m. for the first Food Truck Friday of the season. Not only will you get a great meal, but it will be the perfect way to procrastinate studying!
11
Sports
>>Baseball Feature
Billiken Briefs Men’s Baseball Junior Alex Alemann was selected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher of the Year watch this past weekend. Alemann has a 5-0 record on the season with a 2.71 ERA through 64.1 innings of work. He has collected 48 strikeouts and held opponents to just a .222 batting average. Earlier in the season, Alemann threw 27.2 innings in a row without giving up an earned run. The winner of the Pitcher of the Year award will be announced on June 30 in Lubbock, Texas.
Men’s Basketball To commemorate the 2011-12 basketball season, Saint Louis University will be holding a men’s basketball banquet at Chaifetz Arena on Sunday, May 6. The tickets start at $30 a person and may be purchased by calling the Billiken Ticket Office at 314-977-3250 or by email at jahearn3@slu. edu There will be a special recognition for Billiken seniors Kyle Cassity and Brian Conklin during the banquet to celebrate their success during their four years at SLU.
The University News Talk to us: Joseph Cacchione 314.977.2812 sports@unewsonline.com
Thursday, April 26, 2012
unewsonline.com
>>Commentary
Mancuso brothers stay together by playing together Colts are looking for The senior pitcher and freshman catcher enjoy their final season together a little Luck three home runs, 31 RBIs, By CHARLES BOWLES Associate Sports Editor
Senior pitcher Jerry Mancuso ran out to pitch against St. Joseph’s, but unlike his previous pitching appearances, he had a clear advantage. Jerry was pitching to his younger brother, freshman catcher Joey Mancuso. The brothers have a connection by blood and by the baseball diamond. The brothers have been a pitcher-catcher duo since high school and have rejoined for one year in college. Now, the Mancuso brothers are going on different paths. His brother Joey is beginning a bright career as a catcher for the Billikens this year, while Jerry is ending his career with the Billikens as an outfielder and pitcher. Jerry is reflective about his career winding down at SLU. “It definitely brings a reality check, baseball has been my life since I can remember, and it has always been day in and day out thing for me. It will be different,” Jerry said. Jerry and Joey have been playing together since high school. Joey occasionally joined his brother on the baseball field when he was still in middle school. They played together at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, MO for one year as a pitchercatcher duo. “We were on the same summer organization so we were always practicing together and for the most part we have always worked together with baseball,” Jerry said. Jerry, in 2009, started to play for the Billikens and then three years later his brother Joey continued the tradition of playing together in college. Joey said that it does have its “advantages” to have an older brother on the baseball team.
Homoud Al-Jalahma/ Staff Photographer
Jerry Mancuso delivers a pitch to his brother, Joey, against University of Massachusetts. “It’s nice having an older brother there to keep you under control, to keep you calm, to keep you going if things aren’t working, to tell you ‘keep working it is going to be alright,’ so it is nice to have family within baseball,” Joey said. Since they have been playing together for so long, Jerry said there is a “natural connection” between the two of them
since they have been playing together for so long, but there is also a time to make sure they get some outs. “Business is business… I’m a realist, I’m going to tell him how it is and I know that he would do the same for me,” Jerry said. Jerry had some great offensive production his freshman and sophomore years. Jerry’s freshman year, he hit
BILLIKEN SCOREBOARD
and collected six stolen bases that year. Jerry also had an 11-game hitting streak his freshman year. His sophomore year, Jerry had three home runs again and was a part of the team that won the Atlantic 10 tournament that year. Jerry has pitched all three years while at SLU and his ERA has gone down every year since his freshman year. His has mainly been a reliever, but has started a few games during his career at SLU. Jerry hopes there is a chance that he can play baseball after this season, but recognizes that you can’t think about that on a daily basis and is appreciating the time that he has his senior year and the opportunity to play with his brother, maybe for the last time in such a capacity. Joey acknowledges that he will miss his brother, but recognizes the fellowship that he has made with his fellow players. “You grow close with everyone and they turn into your brothers on and off the field, even though he [Jerry] is gone it will still be like having a family around,” With the baseball season winding down for the team, the Mancuso brothers have have fewer opportunites to be the pitch and catch for one another. Even though Joey will have his new-found family around, it will be different not having his brother with him. It seems, however, that Jerry has had a lasting influence on Joey; from his baseball career throughout high school and at the beginning of his college career, Jerry has exhibited the calming influence only an older brother can have.
Homoud Al-Jalahma/ Staff Photographer
Joey Mancuso’s freshman year has found him in the backup catcher role, but has been using the role to develop his skills and prepare himself for his sophomore year. >>Baseball
Baseball struggles at home vs. Massachusetts
Men’s Baseball
L
5-6
vs. Massachusetts
3-2
W
vs. Massachusetts
L
0-12
vs. Massachusetts Women’s Softball
L
5-11
vs. Charlotte
L
1-3
vs. Charlotte
L
1-2
vs. Southern Illinois Women’s Tennis
L vs. Charlotte
2-4
By THOMAS HANLON Staff Writer
After winning three of their last four games, the Billiken baseball team dropped two of three to A-10 foe Universitiy of Massachusetts in St. Louis over the weekend, splitting a pair of one run games and capping off the series with a 12-0 drubbing. After a hot start to the season, including a 13 game winning streak, the Billikens are now 26-13 overall with an 8-7 record in conference play. The first game of the series was a 6-5 heartbreaker for the Billikens as the Minutemen broke a 5-5 tie in the top of the ninth and were able to hold down the Billiken bats in the bottom of the inning to earn the win. Junior Alex Alemann got the start for the Billikens but was hit hard giving up nine hits and four earned runs in four innings of work. The loss, however, went to freshman James Norwood who pitched 3.1 innings in relief giving up four hits and one earned run. A bright spot for the Billikens was senior Travis Parker who threw his 28th straight inning without giving up an earned run. “Baseball is an up and down game. One minute you’re a top 30 team in the country and the next you’re in 7th place in the Atlantic 10. It’s hard at times but that is why this game is so mental,” said Connor Gandossy. In the second game of the
Minghao Gao / Senior Staff Photographer
Connor Gandossy watches a pitch in front of the Billiken dugout during a game against the University of Massachusetts. series, the Billikens were able to get in the win column with a 3-2 victory over the Minutemen. The Minutemen scored 2 quick runs in the top of the third to take an early lead but the Billikens responded in the bottom of the inning with a run, and then again in the 4th and 5th with a run in each inning. SLU’s pitching was much better this game as starter Clay Smith struck out five players and only allowed six base runners in his eight in-
nings of work. Travis Parker wrapped up the game for the Billikens in the 9th, recording his 6th save on the season. In the rubber match of the series the Billikens struggled, suffering their first shutout of the season in a 12-0 loss. The minutemen opened the game with a 6 run first inning and never let up, scoring in all but 2 innings. Billiken pitcher Damian Rivera took the loss for the Billikens, dropping his record to 3-4 on the season. Freshman
Alec Sole and Junior Mike Levine were the lone bright spots for the Billikens as Sole went 2-for-3 and Levine went 2-for-5. The Billikens will next take on SIU Edwardsville on Wednesday April 25 at home and then travel to Philadelphia to take on the LaSalle Explorers for a weekend series starting Friday, April 27. When asked abou the possibility of playing in the College World Series, Alemann responded, “focus on one game at a time.”
As a Colts fan, this is an unusual year. Usually when April rolls around I’m speculating on what draft choices my favorite team will make. T h i s year, I’ve k n o w n who the James Berlage Colts will take since mid-April. Spoiler alert for anyone without access to ESPN: the Colts are taking Andrew Luck in the 2012 NFL draft. Luck, a quarterback out of Stanford, put up impressive numbers during his time — the last two seasons, his completion percentage has hovered around 70 percent and he has passed for well over 3000 yards. Luck’s performance is complemented by the fact that he plays for an offense similar to the offense he’ll encounter in the NFL. For the Colts, Luck’s NFLready quality might outshine his college performance. Since the end of last season, the Colts have cleaned house. While their release of Manning was the biggest story to come out of the Colt’s front office this year, the cuts have not stopped with Manning. The obvious sign of changing the regime in Indianapolis was when General Manager Bill Polian was fired. Polian had drafted Manning, Edgerrin James, and Dwight Freeney. Polian made the Colts into a passing oriented, fast and athletic defense which took the Colts to playoffs year after year. When Polian was released it became obvious that the Colts were going to let go of Manning. Bill Polian, one of the architects of the last decade of Colts football, was cut along with his son Chris. Coach Jim Caldwell was let go. Running back Joseph Addai was cut along with tight end Dallas Clark, safety Melvin Bullitt, linebacker Gary Brackett, and backup quarterback Curtis Painter — finally. When the cuts were announced in March, it seemed like Colts owner Jim Irsay wasn’t just trying to get rid of Manning. It looked like he was trying to draft a whole new organization. For the longest time, I thought that Irsay’s goal was to leave the Manning days in the past. He was folding his cards and waiting for a new hand. Which, honestly, is why the draft of Luck makes no sense. Despite all Irsay’s cuts, the offensive line that allowed Manning to get so much throwing time remains intact (with the exception of Jeff Saturday, whose exit was almost inevitable given his closeness to Manning). Veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne remains on the roster. Essentially, the Colts are ready to rebuild, as long as rebuilding means that the Colts offensive strategy remains the same as it has for the past decade. The Colts seem dedicated to being a passing offense with a weak run game and defense. New coach Chuck Pagano may as well get used to it. The Colts strategy going into the 2012 NFL draft seems to be to hire Luck and hope that he’s as good as Manning. Let me change that — hire Luck and hope he’s as good as Manning at the offense Manning built. I was sad to see Manning go, and I personally think that he earned the right to stay in Indianapolis until he chose to retire. The face of the Colts is changing. Luck has many of the attributes that could make him the next Peyton Manning, but let’s not forget that some thought Ryan Leaf, the quarterback after Manning was projected by some as the better quarterback and look how that turned out. Quarterbacks are very difficult to evaluate just based on how they played in college and the hype they receive from ESPN analysts. But as long as the Colts are rebuilding, they should let the new quarterback and coach have a chance to find the offense they like. The choice to draft Luck makes it seem like the Colts aren’t ready to let Manning go so quickly.
unewsonline.com
Sports
13
Thursday, April 26, 2012
>> Club Softball
Club softball competes in national tournament
Who to
CHEER
By JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor
The women’s club softball team did something no other SLU softball team had done before: compete in the national tournament. SLU placed fourth of sixteen in the tournament this past weekend in Columbus, Ga. “It feels surreal. For being the first year in the league, I really can’t believe. We had no idea what to expect, and we were definitely the underdogs going in. But we played our game, and it paid off,” said team captain Maddy Urban. SLU played nine games total in Columbus, Georgia against the top 16 of the 96 teams in the country. After a regular season conference record of 9-3 and overall record of 25-10, the Billikens qualified for the tournament. “I think our success this season can be attributed to the hard work and dedication of our players. Everyone played for their teammates, always striving to do better and win games for us, said Urban. Claire Kranz pitched all 9 games and was voted the runner up for the tournament MVP. She also recorded wins against the number 2, 3, 6, 7, 12, and 13 teams in the country. Overall, the team went 6-3 in their nine games. “The team played with pride and a never give up attitude, earning the respect of many other teams and administrators in the tournament,” said Urban. Not only did Urban perform well on the field, going 10-34 with a team leading 14 RBIs, she also kept the team focused before and after the
Courtesy of bleacherreport.com
Phillip Humber
Courtesy of Maddy Urban
SLU’s club softball team finished fourth in the country after going 6-3 in the National Club Softball Association World Series. games to prepare them for a long post-season fun. “I think Maddy’s leadership skills paired with new and old talent just brought us together as a team,” said sophomore outfielder Margaret Zagone. The Billikens look forward to their sophomore season and are poised to prove to their doubters that this year was no fluke. They are out to show the
country that they are a perennial threat to win the National Club Softball Association World Series. “Our team just needs to keep the same focus that we had this year and continue to work hard. We have such a great team dynamic and as long as we continue to grow as a team, we will definitely be a force to be reckoned with next year,” said Cole Roth. The team will have six se-
>> Women’s Tennis
niors graduating this year, leaving it in the hands of four juniors to lead their team of sophomores to victory next year. “We have a young team, so we have nowhere to go but up. We are very excited to continue our hard work and be invited back to the World Series competition, now that we have certainly put SLU’s name out there,” said co captain Mia Hurley.
Hopes are high for Billiken softball, and everyone’s eyes are set towards next year. Though reaching the top does not mean it will get easier. “Next year we need to stay focused. People know how good we are now, and will look to knock us down. We will continue to work hard and be dedicated, and we will be just as successful, if not more so!” said, Urban about her prospects for next year.
SLU wins against Fordham, loses to Charlotte Bills drop two double headers By JOSEPH CACCHIONE Sports Editor
Courtesy of Billiken Media Relations
Freshman Maria Toro Moreno returns a serve during the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. By NICK LURIA
SLU’s women’s tennis suffered a disappointing end to their season with a 4-2 loss to Charlotte in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 tournament this past Friday. The Billikens, who were ranked 10th, upset the Fordham Rams, ranked 7th, in the first-round of the A-10 tournament on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals in Charlottesville, VA at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. Brooke Urzendowski started SLU’s success with a victory in single’s play, winning 6-2, 6-2. Freshman Stephanie Hol-
lis and sophomore Maria Toro Moreno carried the team against Fordham, winning both their singles matches and their doubles match. Moreno fought hard against Fordham’s Julie Leong and was the 7-6, 6-3 victory. Hollis found herself on the winning end of a back and forth match, taking the ends of the three-set match 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. Unfortunately Hollis and Moreno were not able to carry this streak through for their games in Charlottesville. With Hollis losing 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 and Moreno 6-1, 6-1. Fortunately for these two young ladies there is a long career as Billikens ahead of them. SLU senior Jenny Nalepa
and freshman Brooke Urzendowski defeated their opponents with a 6-2, 6-3 victory for Nalepa and a 6-3, 6-4 victory for Urzendowski. Nalepa was also able to gain a victory with teammate Mia Elmore in their doubles match with a 9-7 victory over Charlotte. Gaining victories in both her singles and doubles match, Nalepa can graduate from SLU with a tennis career to be proud of. With seniors Nalepa and Kasia Tomalak graduating in May, a young team will be left in the hands of the single senior, Mia Elmore. The hopes are high for this group of young ladies, and we can only anxiously wait for next season.
The women’s softball team’s losing streak has reached a season-tying high of five games after being swept by Evansville and Charlotte in back-to-back double headers. Jessica Buschjost had a big first game against Evansville, going 3-4 with a double and RBI for the Billikens (1928). In the fifth inning, Kerri Dockins led off with a walk and moved to second base on Buschjost’s bunt single. Erin Harcar advanced the runners on her sacrifice bunt, and Dockins scored on an RBI groundout by Laura Bohning. Alyson Brand then tied the game with a clutch twoout single to score Buschjost. The game remained tied up until two outs in the sixth inning when Hannah Huebbe (10-12) gave up a 2-run single to give Evansville the lead for good. During the night game, Evansville started off strong, scoring two runs in the second inning. The Bills tied the game in the fourth, but that would be as close to victory as they would get, for the Purple Aces put up a three spot in the fifth to secure their second victory. Julian Austin (4-8) allowed only three earned runs but suffered in the loss. Lindsay Friedman recorded an RBI single to score pinch runner Liz Jones.
Huebbe started the first game of the double header against Charlotte, but suffered another loss after giving up 9 earned runs in just 5.1 innings in the 11-5 defeat. Buschjost had another strong game at the plate, going 2-4 against with an RBI in the leadoff spot. Third baseman Kelsey Biggs hit a 2-run homerun, her third of the year, which contributed to the majority of the scoring for the Billikens and Van Nostrand hit her first homerun of the year. The second game against Charlotte was a much more evenly-contested game, as the Bills battle Charlotte but ultimately came up short in the 10th inning, surrendering 2 runs and losing 3-1. Julian Austin pitched all 10 innings for the Billikens, giving up three runs on 11 hits and 4 walks with seven strikeouts. Lindsay Friedman’s single down the left-field line in the second inning scored the lone run for the Billikens in the second inning, but the Bills had many other opportunities to score. In the ninth, the Bills had the bases loaded with just one out, but Katie Watkins of Charlotte retired the next two Billikens to bring the game to the 10th inning. SLU continues their Atlantic 10 conference play on April 27 with a two-game series in Philadelphia against Temple and then head next door to play a double header against Saint Joseph’s.
>> Women’s Softball
Track and field competes in McDonnell Invitational, sets record By EMILY DIEHL Assistant Multimedia Director
This past weekend the Billiken track team traveled to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville to compete in the John McDonnell Invitational meet. Sophomore Callan Luetkemeyer started things off for the Billikens by setting a new school record for Saint Louis in the women’s hammer throw. Luetkemeyer finished fifth in the event with a mark of 146-11. Shortly after Luetkemeyer beat a SLU record, sophomore Hannah Kuenzel broke another. She came in second in shot put, establishing a school record for the Billikens with a heave of 45-2.25.
Who to
JEER
>> Softball
Tennis ousted in tournament SLU loses fifth straight
Multimedia Director
The White Sox pitcher recently threw the 21st perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Humber was very humble about the situation. I also heard that he loves “The Hunger Games” and is quite the hunter. If he ever comes to St. Louis I’ll buy him a drink at Humphrey’s.
On the men’s side, senior Brian Holdmeyer set a school record in the 5,000 meter run. He finished with a time of 14:29.11, and finished the race in third. Additionally, many of the Billiken student-athletes set personal records during the meet. Allison Walter ran the 400-meter dash finishing with a time of 56.26 for the Bills’ top time this season. Brittany Bastain competed in the 200-meter dash and finished with a time of 25.60, setting a personal record for her and the fastest SLU time of the year thus far. Sophomore Margo Richardson finished fourth for Saint Louis in the 1,500 meter run. She finished with a time of 4:27.56, which was a
seasonal best for Richardson. Senior Brittney Cloudy placed second in the long jump with a seasonal best of 19-3.25. Cloudy also placed second in the triple jump with a distance of 39-4. The Billiken’s men set personal records as well. Freshman Sean Canavin set a personal record competing in the 800-meter dash. He finished with a time of 1:53.00, placing tenth in the event. Dahmar Smiles, senior, just missed the mark for qualifying for the finals in the 110-meter hurdles, finishing in a time of 14.68. The Billikens are on the road again this coming weekend, traveling to Des Moines. Saint Louis will be competing in the prestigious Drake Relays.
Courtesy of bleacherreport.com
Metta World Peace The Los Angeles Laker was ejected from a game for throwing a vicious elbow to James Harden. In retrospect, hiring Greg Williams as a defensive coordinator seemed like a strange decision for the Lakers.
Who to
FEAR
Courtesy of the Los Angeles Kings
L.A. Kings The Blues will face the Kings in the second round of the NHL playoffs. I did some research and it turns out that the Kings do NOT have Wayne Gretzky on their team anymore so the Blues should be fine.
By: Jonathan Auping Courtesy of Billiken Media Relations
The Billikens continued their spring season at the University of Arkansas this past weekend.
Staff Writer
Advertisements from Student Development
14
Thursday, April 26, 2012
unewsonline.com
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS
WE ARE ALL BILLIKENS