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PAGE 10 ILLUSTRATION BY VIVIAN SAXON / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
OPINION
Let’s talk vulnerability
First-year columnist Priyanka Kadari encourages more authentic spaces
LIFE
My big new experience PAGEGreek 6 Greek Member Experience replaces Fraternity & Sorority Standards
SPORTS
Webb’s sophomore slump
Second-year running back Ralph Webb is off to a sluggish start after starring last season ILLUSTRATION BY VIVIAN SAXON/ THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
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news
PHOTO COURTESY OF NANCY WISE
Mareike Sattler teaches K’iche’ Mayan to her Vanderbilt class and to students at University of Virginia and Duke University, who are connected through Cisco TelePresence technology.
University partnership keeps less-taught languages alive
Vanderbilt partnered with Duke University and University of Virgina to teach students K’iche’ Maya, Haitian Creole and Tibetan By ANNA BUTRICO Web editor --------------------
At 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, six Vanderbilt students sit down in Calhoun 335. Simultaneously, twelve students at the University of Virginia settle into Clemons Room 320, just as one Duke student and one University of North Carolina Chapel Hill student take their seats in their Fuqua HCA classroom. These 20 students, seated in three different universities that span two time zones, have one thing in common: Elementary Tibetan. Using Cisco TelePresence technology, the students are reaping the benefits of the VanderbiltDuke-UVA Partnership of Less Commonly Taught Languages, created in the Fall of 2013. This partnership allows students from Vanderbilt, Duke and UVA to learn K’iche’ Maya, Haitian Creole or Tibetan.
THE HISTORY
Duke and the University of Virginia originally began the partnership. Duke University decided to share its Haitian Creole classes with UVA, in exchange for UVA’s Tibetan instruction, modeling the cooperation after the Shared Language Initiative between Cornell, Columbia and Yale University. Both Duke and UVA administrators aimed to make course-sharing initiatives without imposing financial burdens on the universities. They were aiming for increased student inter-
est to maintain the demand for paying for such a specific language class. “We picked Creole because the instructor who is teaching Creole here at Duke is a very wonderful instructor, but as you can imagine, we didn’t quite have the enrollment in order to really justify sustaining him,” Walter said. “We would like to be able to keep him, because we feel the work he is doing in Haiti and with Haitian language and so on is really important.” “Tibetan was also in sort of a similar situation at UVA,” Walter continued. “They have a very strong Tibetan program, but not all that many students.” Duke and UVA continued this partnership for two years, and this fall, Vanderbilt joined in, offering instruction in K’iche’ Maya.
WHY THESE LANGUAGES?
K’iche’ Maya is spoken in Guatemala as one of the most common indigenous dialects. “Vanderbilt’s anthropology department has long been focused on Central America,” said Karen Campbell, the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Science. “Guatemala might be the most common place for our researchers and faculty members to be involved. We also had monetary/funding support through the federal government that came to the Center of Latin American Studies and helped to support our instruction in K’iche Maya.” Campbell stressed the importance of teaching K’iche’ Maya, Haitian Creole and Tibetan.
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“Professor Sattler, who teaches the K’iche Maya course, refers to these languages as orchid languages,” Campbell said. “They are relatively small and somewhat fragile, in that their base may be declining (although I don’t think that’s the case with either Creole or Tibetan); they are beautiful languages, and it’s important that we protect them. I am a sociologist by training, and so I know that when a language dies, a culture dies.” Duke, Vanderbilt and UVA all agree that this partnership will fortify their students’ academic endeavors. “We’re trying to connect the languages that students are interested in...with their academic interests,” Walther said. “So for example, students that are interested in global health and are typically interested in working with Haiti and learning Creole, and I can imagine students who are interested in Asia would be interested in taking Tibetan.”
THE LOGISTICS
To take part in these courses, students sit in classrooms outfitted with three large screens. “I call it ‘Skype on Steroids,’” Campbell said. “In the middle screen, typically you can see documents....and the other two screens show the students in the remote location. They can speak to each other, they can see each other.” The unique cameras respond to the students who are speaking, zooming in on their faces as they participate. Dr. Miao-fen Tseng, the director of UVA’s Institute
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of World Languages, is pleased with the accuracy of the technology. “It creates immersion and real-time instruction in the classroom,” she said. However, scheduling has proven to be a challenge as Duke, Vanderbilt and UVA operate on three different academic calendars. Students often have to give up two class time slots in order to attend one of these unique classes, a fact that dampens enrollment. An increased layer of complexity lies in Duke’s separate inter-institutional agreement with the University of North Carolina classes. Three UNC students are currently participating in these classes. Each of the three languages has four semesterlong courses, creating a total of 12 courses. “The agreement is that each university will teach the 1st and 3rd semesters in the fall, and the 2nd and 4th semesters in the spring,” Campbell said. Even with logistical challenges, the three schools are impressed with the success of this partnership. The first two years of the partnership hosted 20 students; this year, 41 students (both graduate and undergraduate) are participating. Campbell is optimistic for the language coalition’s future. “We are doing very well. K’iche has enrolled more students in a single class than I think has ever been enrolled in any other class in this partnership in the last two years. So K’iche is a rockstar. I have to give Kudos to professor Sattler and the instructors at Duke and UVA who are willing to learn, this very new, and quite challenging way of doing instruction,” Campbell said.
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Vanderbilt Gamecraft Campus club members develop original board games with the hope of publishing one of their creations By CHRIS WESTFALL News reporter --------------------
On Friday nights, on the second floor of the Commons Dining Center, there’s a familiar sight of a group of students crowded around a game board with two bags of luggage to the side. Their bags ,at any one time, hold upwards of 15 board games each, including classics such as “Diplomacy” and “Settlers of Catan” as well as lesser known titles. Among them are also board games that cannot be found on store shelves. Not yet, anyway. The founding members of Vanderbilt Gamecraft, a student organization whose goals include fostering student interest in playing board games as well as developing and creating their own, first met by going to Hank Ingram game nights. During junior Kevin Ellenburg’s first spring semester at Vanderbilt, he brought his own creation, “Fog,” to one of Hank’s game nights. Partially inspired by the board game “Carcassonne,” “Fog” is a wilderness board game where players have to find ways of surviving on limited food, water and energy. Players must move to tiles on the board that give them the resources they severely lack. Ellenburg explained what would happen if a person landed on a desert tile.
“You will lose a bunch of water, and a hyena is going to attack you, so you will also lose some health,” Ellenburg said. In return, the player receives food for his or her troubles. Encouraged by the reaction “Fog” received at Hank game nights, Ellenburg and close friends began toying with the idea of forming Vanderbilt Gamecraft. “From there, we very quickly wanted to form a club,” Ellenburg said. For a club founded a mere year and a half ago, dinner at the Commons followed by Hank Ingram game nights has become a tradition of sorts. Even on the few Fridays when Hank does not hold game nights, Vanderbilt Gamecraft can still be found on the Commons. “Playing games is very important to learning how to design them,” Ellenburg said. Friday game nights are followed by design meetings on Sunday devoted to brainstorming ideas and working on game prototypes. Longtime member Milo Wimmer added, “We play games to get a sense of what gaming mechanics are out there.” Many of the club’s members are working on more than one project at a time. Others focus singularly on bringing one idea to fruition, often enlisting their fellow members. The club’s common goal is to publish a game, a difficult process that is similar to getting a book published.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NANCY WISE
Members of Vanderbilt Gamecraft play both original and store-bought board games on the second floor of the Commons dining center on Friday nights. “If they [publishing companies] like it, they will offer you a publishing contract,” Ellenburg explained. Four original games were play tested at this past Sunday’s design meeting, including sophomore Sophia Intravaia’s design, the deck-building game, “Olympus Might.” In “Olympus Might,” players use their cards to perform actions and make purchases from a common pool of cards representing Greek gods and goddesses. Over the course of the game, players accumulate victory points. After three stacks of Greek gods and goddesses have been bought, players count their victory points and the player with the most points wins. “I got the idea for [Olympus Might] during one of the club’s brainstorming sessions,” Intravaia said. “I’ve been play testing it for about
half a year.” She plans to push ahead with developing her prototype into a final product ready to show publishers. “I’ve already started drawing ideas for what I want the cards to look like,” Intravaia said. In Ellenburg’s view, Vanderbilt Gamecraft benefits the university community by providing students a social alternative to the party scene. He also emphasized that the mission of Vanderbilt Gamecraft is not only publishing board games but also enjoying them. “Even if people do not want to design games, we still want to encourage them to play and come to our Friday gaming events,” Ellenburg said.
How Vanderbilt works with policy makers in DC
Vanderbilt’s office of federal relations works with campus leaders and Washington lawmakers to advance interests in capital
Q&A By NATHAN KIKER News reporter --------------------
Many students are unaware of Vanderbilt University’s role in Washington D.C. The Vanderbilt Office of Federal Relations works to promote federal policies that positively impact the university. This week the Hustler sat down with Christina West, the assistant chancellor for federal relations in Vanderbilt’s Office of Federal Relations, to discuss how the office works to advance Vanderbilt’s interests in the nation’s capital.
Vanderbilt Hustler: Can you tell us a little bit about the Office of Federal Relations? Christina West: Vanderbilt has had an Office of Federal Relations in Washington D.C for twenty years. There are four of us in the D.C., three of us work on legislation, and one does administrative work. Our job is to represent the university and the interest of the university, students, and staff in Washington to our federal policy makers. We interact with Congress and federal agencies to advance Vanderbilt’s legislative interests. VH: Have you seen the impact of potential budget cuts in your work with the federal government? CW: The last few years have been tough, budgets have not grown, so the research agencies are taking a hit, even though science research does have bipartisan support. VH: Can you speak to some successes that the Office of Federal Relations has had in previous years? And how has the focus of the office changed since you arrived? CW: I came to the University in 2006, and the recession in 2008 has changed the fiscal climate in Washington D.C. We’ve gone from possibly doubling the National Institute of Health funding to focusing on reducing deficits. It’s now a lot
more challenging to advocate for funding. VH: Is there anything coming at the federal level that could impact Vanderbilt? CW: The house passed a bill called “The 21st Century Cures Act” which includes $8.75 billion in new funding for NIH, which would be tremendous for Vanderbilt. If it passes Vanderbilt researchers would be able to submit proposals for funding. Traditionally, Vanderbilt researchers compete extremely well against their peers for NIH funding so our belief is that, if more funding is available overall for NIH, more NIH dollars would ultimately flow to Vanderbilt. VH: Could you talk a little about Chancellor Zeppos testifying before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions last year? CW: The Chancellor testified before the committee in his capacity as co-chair of the Task Force on Government Regulation of Higher Education, which was created by four Senators, including Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander. Senator Alexander has highlighted the work of the task force as his committee works to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. Regulatory reform is an important priority for the chairman and we were pleased that Chancellor Zeppos was able to contribute constructively to that conversation.
VH: Is there anything that you think Vanderbilt students should know about the Office of Federal Relations that you have not mentioned? CW: I hope that we are advocating on behalf of Vanderbilt students, we are always happy to engage with students and hear from students, about other issues that the student body cares about.
FEDERAL RELATIONS OFFICE PRIORITIES HIGHER EDUCATION: student aid, grants, federal loans and work-study RESEARCH AND POLICY: funding for the National Institute of Health, National Science Foundation and Department of Defense MEDICAL CENTER: graduate education, Medicare and Medicaid, Affordable Care Act ODDS AND ENDS: immigration reform and tax policies
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
opinion Take me as I am
“I should not have to defend how I got here or bear the weight of speaking to fully represent my brothers and sisters who are not standing next to me. I am not an experience that you can tokenize and selectively engage with at your choosing.”
LAUREN PAK
Authentic vulnerability gives us permission to be ourselves unapologetically
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PRIYANKA KADARI is a first-year in the College of Arts and Science. She can be reached at priyanka.kadari@ vanderbilt.edu
month into my first year of college I have cried six-and-a-half times. The worry piled on in bits and pieces — grades, friends, lack of Indian food, my family. I cried during the True Life presentation. I cried on the first day. I cried last night. I cried when I called my parents. I cried because there wasn’t enough sour cream for me to eat my baked potato and I really just wanted a goddamn baked potato. I struggled because I hated the shallowness of conversation, the repeated “What’s your major, where do you live, what house are you in, what classes are you taking?” and the disconnect between me and everyone else. I felt oddly separate and groundless among 1,600 people, as if nobody knew me. Well, nobody did. Countless people have told us that we are not the only ones who feel this way, but hearing the same words again without seeing proof in our lives dilutes their meaning. I couldn’t actually know that others were coping with the same problems precisely because I couldn’t connect with them. I mean, how exactly do we figure out if others think as we do? Where do we find that intimacy that we crave amidst the rush of everyday life? Breaking that cycle of superficiality and moving past the other’s otherness requires courage because it necessitates a shift in direction and a tug at the heart that leaves us vulnerable. Vulnerability is a peculiar facet of humanity as it can only be offered when we know someone, but how do we begin to know someone until we show each other some measure of vulnerability? Kathy Yuan, assistant photography director at the Hustler, powerfully articulated one answer in “A call to make our five-second encounters more genuine.” It starts with answering the “how are you” question with as much honesty as you have to offer. This simple gesture provides an immediate window into the little worries that flit about our heads.
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Vulnerability does not necessitate confessing our deepest, darkest secrets. It means offering our true self, without apology or fear, in order to peer into someone else.
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Another way of offering that vulnerability is sharing your silly stories and random quirky happenings. Laugh at the little weird things you do. Laying it out on the table will make you feel more comfortable, and others’ inhibitions will crumble as they know you won’t judge them for their own oddities. Share your opinions. Share who you are in order to find your people. Don’t conform to what others believe the college experience should be, because if you change yourself to fit in, you will miss out on the people who would have accepted you for who you are. For instance, I did not drink in high school, and I didn’t know yet if I wanted to in college. This isn’t a value judgment on people who do drink; I
The Vanderbilt Hustler Opinion page aims to stimulate discussion in the Vanderbilt community. In that spirit, columnists, guest columnists and authors of letters to the editor are expected to provide logical argument to back their views. Unreasonable arguments, arguments in bad faith or arguments in vain between columnists have no place in The Hustler and will not be published. The Hustler welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three methods of expression: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on vanderbilthustler.com. The views expressed in lead editorials reflect the majority of opinion among The Hustler’s editorial board and may be supposed to represent the opinion of The Vanderbilt Hustler at the time of publication. They are not necessarily representative of any individual member. Letters must be submitted either in person by the author to The Hustler office or via email to opinion@vanderbilthustler.com. Letters via email should come from a Vanderbilt email address where the identity of the sender is clear. With rare exception, all letters must be received by 2 p.m. on the Sunday prior to publication. The editor
just wasn’t too sure about it. But in the first week, everyone flocked to Dan’s and talked about photo shoots for fake IDs. In conversation I nodded along, as if I understood the intricacies of hiding vodka in my room or ordering a fake. The first few days I didn’t say anything, remaining quiet to avoid ostracism. Soon, however, I realized a few others mirrored my look of hesitation, and I started quietly saying “Yeah, I mean I don’t care if they do it. I just don’t think it’s my scene.” Every day since then, I have found more people who feel the same caution towards drinking, and I would have lost them if I hadn’t stuck to my opinions and had the courage to voice them. Opening up in that way is all but impossible in groups. As freshmen, we hang out en masse to meet a lot of people and avoid finding ourselves alone. However, group conversations can’t reach the depth and intimacy that we crave, and our inhibitions prevent them from letting loose. My favorite conversations occurred when I simply asked one person to eat lunch or when I walked around aimlessly with someone. We’d connect over anything, even a mutual hatred of bananas or a mutual love of Pokémon. Inevitably it launched us into discussions about drinking, self-segregation, racial tensions on campus, our families, our homesickness, our insecurities and our small little fears. Don’t be afraid to reach out to one person and ask to hang out or eat together. At worst, you have a slightly awkward conversation. At best, you found one of your closest friends. Vulnerability does not necessitate confessing our deepest, darkest secrets. It means offering our true self, without apology or fear, in order to peer into someone else. We can’t jump into these conversations, but we can build up to them, edging our way in here and there. And we will eventually see for ourselves how similar we are and that we can figure everything out little by little, together.
reserves the right to edit and condense submissions for length as well as clarity. Lengthy letters that focus on an issue affecting students may be considered for a guest column at the editor’s discretion. All submissions become the property of The Hustler and must conform to the legal standards of Vanderbilt Student Communications, of which The Hustler is a division. The Vanderbilt Hustler (ISSN 0042-2517), the official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University, is published every Wednesday during the academic year except during exam periods and vacations. The paper is not printed during summer break. The Vanderbilt Hustler allocates one issue of the newspaper to each student and is available at various points on campus for free. Additional copies are $.50 each. The Vanderbilt Hustler is a division of Vanderbilt Student Communications, Inc. Copyright © 2014 Vanderbilt Student Communications.
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The call to redefine allyship
Vanderbilt should be engaging discomfort, not diversity
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here is a Korean proverb that states, “When whales fight, the shrimps are crushed.” My name is Lauren Pak, a second generation Korean American attending Vanderbilt University, and I am a shrimp. Very simply, this adage illustrates the dichotomy of unequal power dynamics and the repercussions of privilege. It’s not fair. I am being crushed by one-dimenLAUREN PAK sional frameworks that automatically devalue human is a junior in the variability and intersectionality. Under this black or College of Arts white, either/or, us or them — I am not allowed to exist. and Science. She At an institutional level, systematic oppression in can be reached at lauren.s.pak@vander- America dictates that anyone who is not white, upper bilt.edu. class, heterosexual, male, Christian, able-bodied, etc. is deviant and will suffer the consequences of a system working against them. At Vanderbilt University, I found myself questioning the validity of my experiences, my truth and my voice. I was expected to survive within a bureaucracy built to limit me. To survive in this structure, I became a murderer, butchering pieces of myself in a twisted attempt to fit problematic constructs. In an attempt to distance myself from the Asian stereotype, I separated completely. I had to prove how I couldn’t possibly be an “international Asian” or “fresh off the boat”. But when people ask where I am from because of my almond eyes, am I hurting my peers who are in fact international or my own immigrant parents with my defensive snap, “of course I’m American”? Am I disrespecting their experiences by pushing against normative assumptions?
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I should not have to defend how I got here or bear the weight of speaking to fully represent my brothers and sisters who are not standing next to me. I am not an experience that you can tokenize and selectively engage with at your choosing.
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There was a time I conformed to Western norms of beauty, such as a tan, darker makeup and lighter hair until I realized I mirrored the second generation “Bananas” or “Twinkies”, white on the inside and eager to assimilate and toss their Asian association. I countered this by frantically shaving half my head, getting my nose pierced and wearing beanies to the point where I became just a lost, angst-filled girl who couldn’t figure out where she belonged. In my attempt to navigate, hyphenate and cross between any outsider-identified pieces of my being, I confirmed the fact that I belonged nowhere. I was everything to the point where I was nothing. I was diminished to the point where every difference mar-
ginalizes me even further from being part of any group whatsoever. If Vanderbilt’s Asian American Student Association (AASA) is supposed to be my “safe space” because of projected similarity, what then if I do not fit homogeneously? How many more labels arise until we realize that we cannot compartmentalize identity on the basis of experiences? Categories become crippling as soon as boundaries are used to establish security by keeping others out. Before Vanderbilt, it never occurred to me that there were individuals who had never encountered a person of color, let alone interacted with a Korean American like myself. Vanderbilt wrecked this belief, and I was shocked by the levels of racism, microaggressions and hate-crimes on this campus. But it was from embracing my second-class societal status and admitting trauma that I found my power. Facing my “otherness” challenged me to reconcile my pain and in turn, finally find myself. I allowed myself room to breathe and occupy space. I realized that my Asian experience can never equate to an other’s Asian experience. Identity is dynamic, and thus cannot be definitively defined. I am the Asian who went from a Latino immigrant enclave to an Asian one. I comforted the mother of a son who was stabbed by a black man on his walk home this summer after being asked if he was Korean. I have known church grandmothers who had their stores broken into during the Los Angeles Riots as a symptom of the oppressed protesting the oppressor. My Taiwanese friend’s parents never told him they loved him, thinking that this would keep him from having high expectations of reality. Within my age group, I’ve watched my sisters become shadows by addictions and my brothers suffer from intra-Asian gang violence. I’ve seen undocumented status tear my community apart and the feelings of personal failure for falling out of the system built upon the “Model Minority” myth leading to despising Asianness and inevitable self-loathing. This is the perpetual fight against the never-ending layers of stereotypes that can only end in alienation. Brando Skyhorse, author of “The Madonnas of Echo Park,” responded to my question about the harmful one-dimensional nature of stereotypes and one’s active responsibility to deconstruct them, “It is unfair to you and me. But that is not your burden. If Vanderbilt students aren’t smart enough to figure that out, that’s on them.” To what point do I bear the responsibility to defend my unique identity, educate others and dismantle microaggressions against a system of oppression? I should not have to defend how I got here or bear the weight of speaking to fully represent my brothers and sisters who are not standing next to me. I am not an experience that you can tokenize and selectively engage with at your choosing (i.e. “Talk to Me” Campaign, My Greek Experience “Diversity & Inclusion” check box, a Black Cultural Center to house all colors of otherness). I began to doubt myself and internalize structural failings as my own. I asked, “Am I enough?” It is very easy to misdirect frustration at individual players rather than the system of oppression itself. However, intrinsic prejudice does not excuse outward prejudiced action. Although whales cannot help their size, whales have the responsibility to be aware of the fact that there are other equally important living things
in the sea. Though we cannot expect others to have thorough prior knowledge or diversified encounters, we can assume human ability to process under the rule of self-determination.
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There will never be enough Asians on campus to challenge, dismantle and reclaim our rights, just as there will only be administrative attention when there are enough minorities to make the caps placed on diversity an issue.
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I am a person, not a problem. It’s problematic that I must constantly negotiate my identity to reassure you that I am not the “yellow peril” you fear by pushing away any and all ties I have with Asianness to rid myself of the associated stereotype. I was relieved for a split second until I realized that in this structurally oppressive world, my comfort means that it is upon the sacrifice of another. I escaped my prison of structural oppression, and for that I am privileged. I had the opportunity to leave my enclave and the compounded chains of immigrant status behind to receive an education at a top private university. I cried for my Asian peers who should have had the educational opportunity I have. I cried for the Black girls who suffer in contrast to the “exoticism” of Asian women. I cried tears for the inhumane exploitation of undocumented labor during my law cases at Worker’s Dignity. There is a great need for partnerships and transcendent responsibility between minority groups, rather than expressions of violence and mistrust toward others that skirt around the real issue and distract from balancing unequal power dynamics. We all suffer as a consequence of our identities, which raises the question of multilateral prevention and intervention tactics between groups. We must constantly reframe our constructs to fit those who enter our orbit rather than arguing for their inexistence or inferiority. I cannot avoid or run from all the individuals at Vanderbilt who have not interacted with “Asians” enough to avoid stereotypes and prejudiced expectations. I cannot run from conversations about underrepresentation that render me invisible. There will never be enough Asians on campus to challenge, dismantle and reclaim our rights, just as there will only be administrative attention when there are enough minorities to make the caps placed on diversity an issue. I will own my space unapologetically but will be reminded that I will not experience wellness until every member of the human community is standing beside me. True empowerment is the complete and collective space for universal, holistic wellbeing. I yearn to live, but the culture of peace cannot be built alone, so I’ll be waiting until you come find me.
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life
GO DO
THIS
Garba 2015: Saturday Night Spice
Student Life Center, Saturday, Oct. 3, 8-11 p.m. The South Asian Cultural Exchange and VPB’s The VenUe are hosting a celebration based on Garba, an Indian dance form. Garba is traditionally performed during the nine-day Navratri festival, a celebration held each fall in honor of the Hindu goddess Durga. Saturday Night Spice will feature many Garba-inspired activities, including dancing, free henna and food.
Revamped Greek standards push chapters to become more engaged around campus ‘Greek Member Experience’ emphasizes a more individualized approach By SARAH FRIEDMAN Life reporter --------------------
The new Greek Member Experience program seeks to encourage Greeks to individualize their campus involvement and broaden their horizons. Launched at the beginning of this school year, the program replaces the Fraternity & Standards Program, the set of expectations that formerly guided Greek chapters through their expectations throughout the school year. GME is modeled after My Vanderbilt Experience, a program in its second year that tracks student involvement in campus events. Like MVE, GME is managed through Anchor Link where students can view their progress in each track. There are 15 minimum expectations involved in GME. Nine of the expectations are “operational” in nature, such as a minimum GPA and having a chapter advisor, according to director of Greek Life Kristin Torrey. The other expectations are encompassed by six tracks, each of which must be completed by 80 percent of the chapter members. The tracks are Campus Involvement, Community Impact, Diversity & Inclusion, Faculty Engagement, Healthy Behaviors and Personal Development. Every member must complete the 15 hours of community service included under the Community Impact track. The Fraternity & Sorority Standards used to require chapters to attend events as a groupm and each chapter had to host a certain number of events per year, putting strain on chapter leadership. GME, however, is entirely based on individual involvement. Potentially, every chapter member could complete a different set of activities to satisfy the requirements. “An individual Greek member can look at the options and decide what makes most sense for them based on where they are in their Vanderbilt career with regards to the kinds of activities and engagement opportunities they would like to participate in,” Torrey said. “So I think that makes this program superior to what we were doing in the Fraternity & Standards because it allows for more individualized experience.” The program also takes stress off chapter leadership, who no longer have to organize every event that the chapter attends or hosts. “It helps with the over-programming issue because instead of Zeta having to put on three diversity and inclusion events, we can go to ones that other organizations are providing,” said Zeta Tau Alpha president Meena Heberling. “It actually is kind of nice that you can go to things that work with your schedule.” To preserve chapter unity, the program also allows chapter leaders to create chapter-specific events that satisfy a requirement in the program. Some chapters have a national requirement to complete various types of programs, such
as risk management, which they can satisfy by creating a program that can double-count for both the national requirement and a GME credit. “I think there is a good combination in this program that allows both the individual choice but also allows the chapter leadership to identify critical issues they want addressed in the chapter,” Torrey said. First-year students who join a fraternity or sorority during the second semester must still complete the GME tracks by the end of the year and should begin considering this as they go through their first semester. All events that first-years go to during their first semester that are part of GME, including logged community service hours, will count towards their GME credits once they join a sorority or fraternity. One way for first-year students to ensure they have a headstart on GME is to participate in My Vanderbilt Experience, which includes many of the same events as GME. “Most first-year students really want to see what’s out there on campus,” Heberling said. “They go to everything, and that ends up being really helpful for both GME and My Vanderbilt Experience.” Torrey expects that most students will not have to go too far out of their way to complete the program. She says that students will fulfill many of the requirements simply by being “good explorers” of campus. For example, the Alcohol and Social Responsibility Training that is required for eligibility in greek life also counts as a credit under the social responsibility track of GME. “These are events that for the most part people in our organization were already attending,” said Sarah D’Amico, Alpha Chi Omega president. “Now it just allows more things to count for these standards.” In order to choose the events that count for the program, Torrey and Lori Murphy of the Office of Student Organizations and Anchor Link met with over a dozen campus partners over the summer to determine which events would be appropriate to include as credits within GME. They needed to make sure that the programs had a high enough capacity for a large number of students (there are over 3,000 students involved in Greek life) and had a mechanism for tracking attendance. One key change in GME is that members have to log their own 15 community service hours. Heberling said that while this made her nervous at first, she designates 5-10 minutes at the start of chapter meetings to logging hours and all has gone smoothly. Overall, chapter presidents seem to be in favor of the program and its emphasis on individual responsibility and flexibility. “There’s a quote that I really really like, and it’s ‘The only time mandatory comes before motivation is in the dictionary,’ and GME lets members choose how they want to fulfill the standards of Greek Life,” D’Amico said.
GME BY THE NUMBERS
15 3.0 80
expectations for each chapter to complete average GPA required per chapter
percent of chapter members that must complete each track
minimum number of nonalcoholic events executed by each chapter
6 0 15�
violations of new member education & hazing policies community service hours required per member
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National past times combine at Nashville Brew Fest Beers, baseball and good music mix at inaugural craft beer festival this Saturday By WOODY GRIFFIN Life reporter --------------------
Ever wanted to sample unlimited beer in the outfield of the Nashville Sounds baseball stadium? This Saturday, you can at the first-ever Nashville Brew Festival. The event will take over First Tennessee Park on Oct. 3 from 12-4 p.m. The company Drink:Eat:Play will host the event. The company hosts similar alcohol-themed events throughout the country — in Chicago, Washington DC, San Francisco and several more cities. Dan Silberstein, the event promoter, said they chose to expand to Nashville because of its up-and-coming beer scene. The group contacted all the local breweries in Nashville and the four major distributors to reach out to their craft breweries. Fifty-five breweries committed to stock the festival, and each brewery will sell two or three different beers. Some of the breweries attending include Black Abbey, Fat Bottom, Sweetwater and many more local and national names. “We have a great selection, and I don’t know if anyone is going to be able to top that,” Silberstein said. “For a lot of people,
they are still in a discovery period where they are still trying to discover new breweries and what they like, and the best way to do that is to go to an event like this, get a sampling of different beers and figure it out for yourself.” Along with the beer sampling, there will be food for sale, cornhole and music to listen to. The digital scoreboard in the baseball park will be synced to the event soundtrack and play the corresponding music video. Silberstein believes that baseball stadiums are great venues for events such as the Nashville Brew Festival due to their unusual environment. In addition, several basic necessities that usually need to be brought in, such as bathrooms, are already in the stadium. He also says the festival’s location will be a major draw for the Nashville Brew Fest, which will have to compete with three other brew festivals taking place later in October (Nashville Oktoberfest is from Oct. 9-11, and both the Nashville Beer Festival and the Tennessee Beer & Wine Festival are on Oct. 17.). “I think the location is better than anything else somebody could throw out there,” Silberstein said. “I think a baseball stadium and the experience of being on
PHOTO COURTESY OF NASHVILLE BREW FESTIVAL
First America Park opened earlier this year on April 17, 2015. It replaced the Nashville Sounds’ former home park, Herschel Greer Stadium. an outfield with the other amenities that a baseball stadium can offer makes the event incredibly unique and different.” Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite. General admission tickets are $40
and allow attendees to enter the festival at 1 p.m. VIP tickets are $50 and allow attendees to enter an hour earlier at noon.
PILGRIMAGE MUSIC FESTIVAL THE LONE BELLOW
WEEZER STEVEN TYLER
CAGE THE ELEPHANT PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOSLEY JARRETT
‘I pledge on my honor...’
Examining what the promise every Vanderbilt student makes means By Matt Lieberson, Features editor
The signatures of every student on campus adorn the wall of Sarratt Cinema. Those signatures bind every student on campus to follow the Honor Code, which has defined Vanderbilt academic integrity since the school’s inception. But those signatures can ring hollow. A recent survey conducted by the Vanderbilt Hustler found that — excluding first years, who have only been in classes for a few weeks — 47 percent of students have witnessed cheating, out of 118 non first-year participants. “That’s a high number,” said Garrott Graham, senior and president of the Honor Council, visibly troubled by the statistic. “One of our goals as an Honor Council is that we’re [making sure] that number is always shrinking. This is speaking aspirationally, but we want to foster an environment where … the school holds its students to a high standard of character.” That number does not look to be shrinking. According to data provided by the Honor Council, the number of Honor Code sanctions has risen from 61 in the 2012-13 school year to 97 in the 2014-15 school year.
UNDERSTANDING THE HONOR CODE
The Honor Code defines and judges instances of academic malfeasance on campus, and the Honor Council is the group of students that is responsible for educating students about academic integrity and presiding on panels to investigate, hear and determine penalties for student cases. Punishments assigned by the Council range from failure in the course — the presumptive penalty for a first offense — to expulsion for a third offense. Graham acknowledged the Honor Code signing for incoming first-years is ceremonial, rather than informative, in nature. Senior Nancy Pendleton said even upperclassmen students haven’t even read it. “I signed it like an hour ago [on an exam] and I don’t even remember what it said,” Pendleton said. She’s not alone in thinking that the Honor Code signing is a “formality” soon forgotten. For junior Gracie Gonzalez, honor is something a person values or doesn’t — signing a piece of paper isn’t going to alter that.
“I think it’s easy to put your name on something,” Gonzalez said. “I just think there’s a lot of pressure here for people to succeed, and I think a lot of people find their version of success through dishonorable methods.” Others feel they don’t need to read the guidelines, potentially heightening the chance for misconceptions. “Me, personally, I wouldn’t cheat, so I didn’t read it,” said Sreeja Kondeti, first-year. “But I think there are a lot of people out there who didn’t read it and are just going to do whatever.” Sophomore Paige Southworth said part of the problem is that people don’t understand the consequences of violating the Honor Code. “You know there’s an Honor Code, and you know there’s an Honor Council to deal with it if you break it, but you never really hear about people that have drastic consequences,” she said. HOD Professor Andrew Van Schaack finds that students are not very motivated to seek out the necessary information about where the cheating “line” falls on their own. “The line students are stepping over is clearly laid out in the student handbook,” Van Schaack said. “But who reads the student handbook?”
WITNESSING CHEATING
Under the Honor Code, it’s a violation not to report witnessed cheating. Yet one anonymous junior remembered witnessing blatant cheating — people talking during tests and passing quizzes around — under the nose of a professor. The junior knew about the professor and course entering, and it was part of why the course was appealing. “There was a reputation,” the junior said. “I know kids who took the course for that reason.” Even with the obvious cheating, the junior didn’t report any violations to the Honor Council. “I thought that wasn’t my place. If they wanna do it and get caught, so be it. I’m not out there to screw anyone,” the junior said. “I don’t want to be the person to get someone in trouble, especially considering I’ve done things too that I am guilty of.” Other students echoed similar sentiments.
THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER ◆ WWW.VANDERBILTHUSTLER.COM during his exams. “I announce on the first day, ‘I want us to have a relationship of trust,’” Bess said. “You trust me not to grind some ideological axe … and I want to trust you that you will do the work as best you can and not try to weasel your way to a better grade than you deserve.” Bess thinks that by treating students with this kind of trust and respect, he is able to quell cheating that may occur. While Bess understands the instincts to cheat to get a better grade, he finds that the biggest punishment for cheaters is self-administered. “When they look at themselves in the mirror, some part of them in their mind knows, ‘I’m a cheater, and I’m advancing through my education partly by cheating,’” Bess said. “‘And that diploma that I get will partly be gotten fraudulently, and it will therefore be a little less real.’”
HONOR AT PEER INSTITUTIONS
ALEC MYSZKA / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
TEST BANKS: DANGEROUS TERRITORY
According to Graham, test banks — collections of old class materials such as tests, essays or lab reports maintained by various organizations on campus — aren’t inherently illegal, but they definitely aren’t encouraged. “They are not inherently violating the Honor Code, but it is easy for a student using test banks to come across unauthorized material,” Graham said. “You don’t know what students are putting in there, so it’s definitely dangerous territory.” Graham defined unauthorized materials as something a professor would not want circulated — for example, photos of an exam that is not returned to students for them to keep. “It’s my responsibility to make sure things that go in there are following university standards,” said the academic chair of a Greek chapter on campus. While the academic chair was confident that their chapter’s test bank followed school rules, they couldn’t say the same for other Greek chapters, claiming that many other chapters are not vigilant about keeping their test banks legal. The academic chair also emphasized that Greek chapters are not the only ones using these kinds of methods to share information, and said that non-Greek test banks may even be less regulated.
A PROFESSOR’S PERSPECTIVE
Professors acknowledge the reality of test banks at Vanderbilt. “I expect that these will happen. I don’t condone it, but I expect it,” Van Schaack said. “Think of it this way. Does Munchie Mart sell ping pong balls and Solo cups? Why would we do that — kids are avid ping-pong players? I don’t wanna say the university tacitly condones certain behavior … but they pick their battles.” Van Schaack also takes extra steps to ensure his students are well-versed in plagiarism. Van Schaack, who teaches a research methods course in Peabody, has found an online plagiarism certification system that educates students about what they can and cannot do in their papers. History professor Michael Bess has been at Vanderbilt for 26 years. His approach is more hands-off, as he leaves the room
While Vanderbilt’s Honor Code only pertains to academics, some peer schools like Duke University and Washington and Lee operate on Honor Systems that govern more than academic life. “The threshold we ask ourselves is if [something] violates my trust or the community’s trust,” said Caroline Bones, a member of Washington and Lee’s Honor Council. The Honor System at Washington and Lee grants students considerable freedoms, such as self-scheduled finals. Duke University’s comparable “Community Standard” is similar in its reach beyond academics. “It’s more of a way of living ... and thinking about how your actions affect other people,” said Bryan Higgins, public relations chair for Duke University’s Honor Council. The major difference between Duke’s Honor Council and Vanderbilt’s is that Duke’s Honor Council is not responsible for punishment, with that role falling to a separate Conduct Board. Higgins believes Duke’s Honor Council works but faces many of the same issues seen at Vanderbilt. “One of our biggest problems is not every student knows ... what we do, and we would be able to have a bigger impact if more students knew,” Higgins said.
HOW THE HONOR CODE CAN EVOLVE
While all Vanderbilt students sign the document, it clearly is not working to its fullest capacity on campus. So how does Vanderbilt get students fully on board with the Honor Code? When the Honor Council observed an uptick in cheating in the Computer Science department, they reached out to the department over the summer to see what they could do. The Council helped the department revamp their CS-specific Honor Code document, taking into account previous cases. “It was very helpful to review it and say, ‘This is what has come up,’” said Julie Johnson, director of the Computer Science department. The department also asked the Council to talk to introductory CS classes early in the year. “I felt like if a student chose to listen, they said some really valuable stuff,” Johnson said. “And I think students did choose to listen.” Johnson said the CS department’s collaboration also made the point that due to the differing nature of many departments, the Honor Code would likely apply differently by discipline or course. “I think [this programming] is something other professors may want to consider, because … realizing how different the classes are, it’s probably worth a few minutes to explain how the Honor Code applies to your class specifically,” Johnson said.
“
When they look at themselves in the mirror, some part of them in their mind knows. ‘I’m a cheater, and I’m advancing through my education partly by cheating.’
’’
“How do we get students to buy in?” Graham asked. He answered his own question by mentioning some programming ideas in the works, such as an event for Greeks and potentially a speaker to discuss academic integrity. While Graham admits their programming can’t reach every student, he hopes by engaging more students in more critical thinking about the Honor Code, students will be aware of it and understand its importance. Programs like this are no doubt a positive step — but ultimately, the onus falls on the student. In Graham’s words: “The Honor Council works — the Honor Code works — to the extent that students want it to.”
— Andy Fehlman and Alexis Banks contributed to this report.
SURVEY METHODOLOGY The Hustler surveyed 151 students in Rand and The Commons Center for this survey. The survey contained five true-false questions about nuances of the Honor Code. The Hustler also asked those students if they have witnessed cheating on campus. Visit vanderbilthustler. com for further statistics.
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sports
THE BIG STAT
Ralph Webb’s yards per carry on 3rd down and 3 or less yards to go. He’s also averaging 0.9 yards per carry inside the other team’s 10 yard line.
1.5
SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 4
Each week, I rank the teams in the SEC 1-14. This week, Vanderbilt’s defense looks stout as ever, we remember how great music was in middle school, and we draw names out of a hat to determine the end of the power rankings. By BEN WEINRIB Sports editor --------------------
1. No. 3 Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) After putting up 43 points against Alabama, and averaging 63 points per game, Ole Miss only managed 24 points against the Commodores. But how can you blame them? Vanderbilt’s defense is clearly the best in the nation. Western Kentucky’s season-low scoring output? Against Vanderbilt, 22 points less than their season average. Georgia’s season-low scoring output? Against Vanderbilt, 14 points less than their season average. Austin Peay? Their 7 points was one higher than their season low. This Vandy defense is a juggernaut. 2. No. 9 LSU (3-0, 2-0) Somehow, some way, Leonard Fournette does not lead the nation in rushing. The guy who is leading? Jordan Howard, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back who transferred from UAB’s closing program and chose Indiana over Vanderbilt. That stings. 3. No. 8 Georgia (4-0, 2-0) This weekend’s upcoming game against Alabama is a must-win for the Crimson Tide because another loss would effectively bar them from the College Football Playoff. The game is also a must-win for Georgia because if they lose this, Florida will inevitably go 7-1 in conference and steal the SEC title from a clearly better Bulldogs team. 4. No. 13 Alabama (3-1, 0-1) The last time Alabama played Georgia in the regular season was back in 2008, when John Parker Wilson was Alabama’s quarterback, Knowshon Moreno was hurdling defenders, and Whatever You Like by T.I. was the number two song on the Billboard Hot 100. Yeah, it’s been a while. 5. No. 14 Texas A&M (4-0, 1-0) I can never fault a team for winning an SEC game on the road, but needing overtime to beat Arkansas, Texas A&M? You’re better than this! Your former offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, and Texas Tech beat the Hogs down 35-24 last week and said Arkansas would get their “ass kicked” by A&M.
Getting Webb to flow
ZIYI LIU / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER
By JOSH HAMBURGER Sports reporter --------------------
When Ralph Webb broke open a careerlong 43-yard run around the left side in the third quarter against Ole Miss (4-0, 2-0 SEC) this past weekend, he provided Vanderbilt (1-3, 0-2) with just what it needed: a big play. Maybe even more importantly though, it showed just how valuable the running game is to the Commodores. It took Vandy just a few simple plays afterward to tie it up with a Johnny McCrary touchdown pass to Webb. Although Webb recorded 90 yards on the ground, the other 24 carries averaged just under two yards per attempt. Considering Webb has just a handful of rushes over 10 yards this season, the majority of overall handoffs have led to similarly meek gains. After setting a Vanderbilt freshman team record with 907 rushing yards last season, there seemed to be immense optimism for an ever better sophomore year. However, coming into the Ole Miss game, Webb had only managed 192 yards on 58 attempts. That equated to 3.3 yards per carry, a full yard less than last season. He raised it just one-tenth of a yard overall after the loss to the Rebels. The Vanderbilt offense has branded itself a run-first team, especially considering the hiring of offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig over the offseason. In his lengthy career, Ludwig has coached twelve 1,000yard rushers, a mark Webb has eyed since spring. Both Ludwig and Head Coach Derek Mason have stated their commitment to
this approach from the spring. Yet the inefficient run performance and trailing behind in games have forced Vanderbilt to rely on the pass more this season. Only three quarterbacks have attempted more passes than Johnny McCrary nationally, a sign of a possible shift in philosophy. However, Vanderbilt enters Week 5 ranked 115th nationally in rush yards per attempt, only ahead of Missouri in the SEC. Backup running back Dallas Rivers has also struggled to find open holes, which lead to opportunities for true freshman Josh Crawford. As Johnny McCrary continues to improve weekly, there has been tremendous pressure added to his workload without a strong running game. When running with Webb on first down against Ole Miss, the team only averaged 1.75 yards per play, taking the 43-yard dash out of consideration. Only twice did Webb gain four yards, while twice putting up zero. While Webb’s long dash proved valuable in the moment, Mason seemed more focused on the short gains. “It’s important for Ralph to get the big runs,” Mason said. “But there’s little runs in there that we got to hit too that should go for four and five, instead of one and two.” For Vanderbilt to sustain drives, they will need stronger runs on first and second down. Without the one big run, Webb is averaging just 2.8 yards on first down and 3.1 yards on second down. About this conundrum, Scheu explained, “He is a big focal point to every defense so it is not a surprise he is having to fight for everything that he’s getting.”
However, their SEC opponents have been rather difficult to run against, with both Georgia and Ole Miss ranking in the top 40 in terms of yards allowed per rush. The difficulty will hardly ebb even against Middle Tennessee State University this weekend, as they too rank in the top 40. “Defenses obviously know about him and the impact he can have on every single game,” tight end Steven Scheu noted. “So they are really keying on him.” Facing top defensive talent, such as Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, has certainly been on the mind of Ralph Webb. “It’s been tough,” said Webb. “But we just have to keep fighting and keep trying to wear those guys out.” Even with such a great freshman season, Webb’s longest run was only 28 yards. He has not been an especially explosive player, but rather one who grinds hard for solid yardage. Although Webb’s ground attack has seen a decline this year, his prowess as a receiver has increased exponentially. After just 30 yards on 10 receptions last season, Webb has already managed 117 yards on 15 receptions with two touchdowns in just four games. For Vanderbilt to continue their upward progression, they will need better short production from Ralph Webb. The long gains may help a drive or two a game, but the ability to tack on a couple extra yards to one and two yard rushes will have a tremendous impact. “We just know we have to keep pushing,” Webb said, a common motto echoed by Commodore coaches and players.
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3 MATCHUPS TO WATCH: MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
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SEC POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 4 6. No. 21 Mississippi State (3-1, 1-1) Mississippi State hasn’t gone into Auburn and beaten the Tigers since September of 2007, back when Ben Tate was Auburn’s feature back, Sylvester Croom was the first and only black SEC coach, and Crank That by Soulja Boy was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. God, 2007 and 2008 had the best music. 7. No. 25 Florida (4-0, 2-0) If Florida upsets Ole Miss, I swear the Gators go to the top of the power rankings. I’m fully prepared and excited for them to pull a Mizzou and trip their way into the SEC East title as a terrible team.
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GREG FRENCH / SIDELINES
VANDERBILT SECONDARY VS. BRENT STOCKSTILL
VANDERBILT SPECIAL TEAMS VS. MTSU SPECIAL TEAMS
Tommy Openshaw is ranked sixth in the BLAKE DOVER / THE VANDERBILT HUSTLER country with nine field goals through the The secondary will have its hands full first four games. However, a blocked punt By JOSH HANSAN once again as Middle Tennessee is the and a missed field goal might have been Sports reporter third team in five games that Vanderbilt the difference between a win and a loss -------------------has faced with a top-15 passing attack; against Ole Miss last week. If the special JOHNNY MCCRARY VS. THE RED ZONE they’ve already put up 70 points twice teams can convert mid-game, Vanderbilt It’s no secret that Vanderbilt quarterback this season. Quarterback Brent Stockwon’t have to play from behind late in the Johnny McCrary has struggled in the still is 12th in the nation in passing, game as they had to against WKU, Georgia red zone this season. Middle Tennessee having thrown for 1221 yards through and Ole Miss. On the MTSU side, kickwon’t offer much of a reprieve as they just four games thus far. After holding ing is perhaps the weak link. Kicker Cody are ranked fifth in the country in red high-powered Western Kentucky quarClark missed the game-winning 43-yard zone defense, even after facing perennial terback Brandon Doughty, who is now powerhouse Alabama in its second game. second in the nation in passing yards, to field goal last week against Indiana, and McCrary looks much better after getjust 209 yards in Week 1 and picking off MTSU coach Rick Stockstill already lacked confidence in his kicker. When asked if he ting some experience under his belt; he’s Chad Kelly twice on Saturday, the secavoided the costly red zone interceptions ondary has to have confidence knowing thought if Clark would convert, Stockstill said, “Not really. I mean we’ve been inconthat hurt Vanderbilt against WKU and it can execute against the best offenses Georgia. If he can take care of the footin the country. Until the Ole Miss game, sistent this whole year; I’m not going to lie ball, MTSU is going to have a tough time the Commodores had not intercepted a to you and say that I thought he was going to make it.” stopping an improved passing attack. pass yet.
AROUND THE NCAA: THREE GAMES TO WATCH
VS NO. 6 NOTRE DAME AT NO. 12 CLEMSON Despite their lower ranking, Clemson is actually favored in this clash of unbeatens, and for good reason: There are few more hostile environments in the nation than Death Valley. And coming off a bye week, you can be sure the Tigers will be ready to play. Notre Dame, however, has already shown themselves as an extremely resilient team. They managed to squeak out a win on the road against Virginia despite losing starting quarterback Malik Zaire in the third quarter. With Zaire ruled out for the season, the Irish have yet to show signs of slowing down, with a win over then-14th-ranked Georgia Tech last week and blowout of UMass at home this past Saturday. Look for the Tigers to feed off the energy of the crowd and try to put pressure on sophomore quarterback DeShone Kizer in the first tough road test of his career.
By TORBEN GINSBERG Sports reporter --------------------
VS MINNESOTA AT NO. 16 NORTHWESTERN With games decided by just one score in each of the past three years, these Big Ten West rivals always keep things interesting. Northwestern comes into this matchup as one of the more surprising teams of this young season with impressive wins over Stanford at home and on the road against Duke. Minnesota, meanwhile, is better than they have shown over recent weeks against lackluster competition. In the season opener, the Golden Gophers took No. 4 TCU down to the wire, showing they can play with anyone. In order to stay in this game, Minnesota will have to slow down the Wildcats’ lethal rushing attack, which has averaged 265 yards per game.
VS NO. 13 ALABAMA AT NO. 8 GEORGIA The Bulldogs get their biggest test of the year so far with Saban & Co. heading down to Athens. With their loss to conference rival Ole Miss last week, this showdown with Georgia has become a must-win game for the Crimson Tide if they want any chance of returning to the College Football Playoff. For the Bulldogs, with just one game against a ranked opponent remaining, a win at home over the Tide would put them in prime position to chase both an SEC title, which would be their first since 2012, and a playoff berth of their own. Alabama will need a stronger performance from their secondary than they got against Ole Miss, as Georgia quarterback Greyson Lambert has been close to perfect over his past two games against South Carolina and Southern (3335, 476 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT).
8. Kentucky (3-1, 2-1) When the year started, would you have been more surprised to see Kentucky football rise all the way up to eighth in the football power rankings or fall to eighth in the basketball power rankings? 9. Missouri (3-1, 0-1) Head coach Gary Pinkel suspended quarterback Maty Mauk one game for violating team policies, which really shouldn’t hurt them too badly considering he has a 51.8 percent completion percentage, down from his career 52.7 percent rate. 10. Tennessee (2-2, 0-1) Josh Dobbs only threw for 83 yards on 10-17 passing at the Swamp. 83 yards! Wide receiver Jauan Jennings and running back Alvin Kamara threw for 82 yards on two trick plays in the same game. I don’t know what it will take for people to realize that dude isn’t very good. 11. Auburn (2-2, 0-2) Gus Malzahn switched to Sean White at quarterback, who managed to put up an even worse QBR (35.7) than Jeremy Johnson did through three games (43.0). Maybe now people will appreciate Nick Marshall as a good college quarterback. Or we can just imagine what Malzahn could have done with Cam Newton. That sounds like more fun. 12. Vanderbilt (1-3, 0-2) We really couldn’t decide how to rank the teams 12-14, so after sitting in the newsroom for 10 minutes, we drew names out of a hat. We literally got a hat, put each team’s name on a piece of paper, and blindly drew them. Go online, there’s picture proof. 13. Arkansas (1-3, 0-1) Arkansas doesn’t appear to have a winnable game until they host UTMartin on Halloween. However, considering their history against non-conference teams this seasons, they’re just as likely to blow that one. 14. South Carolina (2-2, 0-2) Sure, South Carolina has a better record than Vandy and Arkansas, but sometimes the football gods have other ideas when it comes to power rankings. Namely, drawing names out of a hat.
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
2DRILL MINUTE
This weekend in Commodore sports By MAX HERZ Sports reporter --------------------
FOOTBALL (1-3, 0-2 SEC) at Middle Tennessee State Saturday, Oct. 3 at 6 p.m. Murfreesboro, Tenn. TV: CBS Sports Network (Channel 18 on Vanderbilt Cable) The Commodores travel 40 minutes southeast to play the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro for the first time since 1956. Vanderbilt looks to even its record against Conference USA opponents this season after falling to Western Kentucky on opening night. MTSU fell 37-10 against SEC opponent Alabama on September 12 and lost to Big Ten foe Illinois by just two points last week. After keeping it close with No. 3 Ole Miss on the road last week, the ‘Dores make one of the shortest road trips possible in search of an important non-conference win. Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro is just 36 miles away, and the team needs your help crashing MTSU’s Homecoming game. Student tickets are available at the McGugin Center ticket office for $32, and the first 50 students at VPB’s Movie Night in the Stadium on Thursday will receive free tickets for the game. Gates for Movie Night will open at 7:30.
SOCCER (5-5-2, 1-2-1 SEC) at LSU Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. Baton Rouge, La. TV: SEC Network+ Vanderbilt Soccer hits the midpoint of the SEC season in an important road match against the Tigers, a team they will compete with for an SEC Tournament position down the stretch. After facing ranked opponents in two of the team’s first three conference games, Vandy will likely see just two ranked teams in its last eight matches. LSU is currently tied for last in the SEC at 7-3-2 (1-3-0), but sophomore Jorian Baucom leads the conference with 11 goals in 11 games this season. On the other side, Vanderbilt sophomore Christiana Ogunsami is second among SEC goalkeepers with 41 saves this year. A one-game weekend will give the Commodores an opportunity to take a few extra days off before hitting the road again next Friday.
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Behind enemy lines MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE
The Vanderbilt Hustler sports editor Ben Weinrib and MTSU’s Sidelines assistant sports editor Connor Ulrey discuss their teams before Saturday’s matchup Connor Ulrey: How important has the defense been, holding all four opponents to their lowest outputs of the season? Ben Weinrib: The biggest difference for the Commodores this season has definitely been the defense. Head Coach Derek Mason took over play-calling in the last game of the season against Tennessee, and the defense has looked much improved since then. Vanderbilt is 17th in red zone defense, 34th in total defense and 40th in scoring defense this season, up from 70th in total defense and 107th in scoring defense last season. The defense also forced its first turnovers last game, so they’re just now hitting full stride. CU: Ole Miss last week. How does the result, though a loss, help with the team’s confidence coming into this game? BW: This is still a very young team led by mostly sophomores, so going into hostile enemy territory and only trailing the No. 3 team in the nation by 4 points for most of the fourth quarter is encouraging. Johnny McCrary didn’t throw an interception for the second straight game, which was encouraging, and Ralph Webb broke off the longest rush of his career. Vanderbilt didn’t come into the season with much expectations, but they’ve shown twice now that they can stay competitive against top-10 competition. CU: Who’s been the most impressive player thus far offensively and defensively? BW: Offensively, the answer has to be Trent Sherfield. Coaches and teammates have been talking up the wide receiver for two years now, and he finally broke out this season when leading receiver C.J. Duncan went down with a lower leg injury. He’s currently second in the SEC in receiving yards after breaking the Commodores’ single-season receiving record of 240 yards against Austin Peay and leads the conference with 28 receptions. Defensively, Oren Burks has taken a big step up, picking off Chad Kelly last week in Oxford and leading the team in tackles (22), pass deflections (5), forced fumbles (1) and fumble recoveries (1). CU: What are the matchups that scare you the most this weekend? BW: Vanderbilt will be facing yet another high-powered offense led by a strong quarterback in Brent Stockstill. They were able to hold Western Kentucky and Brandon Doughty to just 209 yards, and he’s now second in the nation in passing. Ideally, Vanderbilt would be able to force a turnover in the air, but they didn’t get their first pick until the fourth game of the season. Holding the aerial attack in check could go a long way for Vanderbilt. CU: Is McCrary a long-term option at QB? How has he progressed? BW: I’m a big believer in McCrary. When he originally committed to Vanderbilt, he was the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the nation, and you can see flashes of it when he plays. He’s cut down on his mistakes as the season has progressed, and his legs appear to be a legitimate weapon when, in the off-season, coaches said he was more fast than elusive. Fellow four-star recruit Kyle Shurmur could be effective down the road, but if McCrary keeps progressing — and eliminating dumb mistakes — the Commodores have a four-year starter in their hands. CU: X Factors, and prediction? BW: The Commodores looked poised in their first road game, and they will certainly have more support in a game played 45 minutes away from home in Murfreesboro. Western Kentucky’s offense was more powerful than the Blue Raiders’ is, and Vanderbilt held them to 14 points. Save for more red zone turnovers — or turnovers in general — the Commodores should be able to put at least 20 points on the board. Prediction: Vanderbilt 24 MTSU 17
BW: MTSU averaged 31.6 points per game last season and 29 points per game the season before. This season, they’ve averaged 44.5 points per game; what’s been the biggest difference? CU: I would say the difference this season has to be the passing threat, and the experienced receiver core that comes with it. Stockstill has brought a calm to the pocket, and shows more poise than what is usually shown by redshirt freshmen. Last season, the threat was the run, with the option ability of Austin Grammer, and the core of running backs. The stable of running backs are still there, and having added Stockstill’s arm, and the receiving core with senior leadership from Ed’Marques Batties and standout freshman Richie James have built a juggernaut offensively. BW: Brent Stockstill is 12th in the nation in passing in his redshirt freshman year. Did this come as much of a surprise, or was he expected to be this good? CU: Seeing how Stockstill performed in camp, it’s something that was a possibility, but something people don’t see all that often from a redshirt freshman. Taking last year to learn the offense, and build quietly, really helped him at the quarterback position, and it’s shown all through camp, and through four weeks of the regular season. BW: MTSU barely lost to Illinois on a missed field goal. Does that seem like a missed opportunity that could cost the Blue Raiders a bowl berth? CU: The Illinois game is one that I slated as a win in my predictions, but with non-conference those games are hit or miss. It was a big opportunity to bolster the schedule, obviously with Vanderbilt this weekend, another chance. With how the offense has performed, and how the defense has played, the team could still do really well in conference and I think they would easily capture a bid. I predicted early on a 9-3 finish for the Blue Raiders, and thus far in the season, they’re not too far off my prediction, but don’t have much wiggle room. BW: Is there any exhaustion from Rick Stockstill after ten years of coaching, four winning seasons and bowl games, and a 59-57 overall record? CU: I think Coach Stockstill is about as fresh as you can be after doing this for so long. He’s still as determined as ever, and as passionate about his job as he can be. I think back to camp, and interviewing players, and Coach came around and joked and played for a minute. I would say it’s little things like that, that would make it worthwhile for him. BW: What did the 37-10 loss at Alabama teach you about the Blue Raiders? CU: The loss at Alabama showed different glimpses of brilliance for the Blue Raiders. Offensively, they controlled the tempo much of the first quarter, and into the early stages of the second. The defense was brilliant for most of the game, but the mistakes cost the team. The loss was expected heading down to Tuscaloosa, but it gave the team a chance to grow as a unit, and they performed really well minus the turnovers. BW: X Factors, and prediction? CU: I would say the X-Factor for Middle Tennessee has to be Batties. After setting a school record with 13 catches last week, and breaking the 170 yard mark, I look for the senior to go for another big game Saturday. Prediction: 28-24 MTSU. Vanderbilt once again shows that their defense is large, slowing down the high octane Blue Raider offense; however, coming off of last week’s heartbreaker, I look for Stockstill & Co. to rebound at home on Homecoming.
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