The final three holes really seemed to plague the No. 5 seed Cougars, as they posted a combined score of 8-over-par during that stretch.

This was the Cougars’ second consecutive appearance at the NCAA Regionals. Last season, they finished ninth at the NCAA Athens Regional.

Tying for 12th overall, junior Curtis Reed. Reed posted an overall score of 5-over-par, at The University Club. Sophomore Kyle Pilgrim posted the team’s lowest round of the day with a 74 and tied for 14th at 222. It was Pilgrim’s first NCAA Regional appearance.

Sophomore Roman Robledo, the reigning Conference USA individual champion tied for 45th at 231.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Although four of the positions will be permanent, half of the appointments are only interim positions. Two of the newly appointed administrators will assume system-wide roles.

The new appointments came after an announcement made by Khator on May 13 that she, along with the provost, will begin to reorganize the division of academic affairs.

“In October, the provost and I engaged the Pappas Consulting Group Inc. to create a functionally aligned organizational structure for the Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs/Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost,” Khator said in an email announcement.

“Our objective was to be able to optimally support the University of Houston’s Tier One classification and to ensure student success at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.”

After Khator announced the restructuring, Short sent out her own email, proclaiming the resignation of eight administrators.

The new eight positions announced Tuesday do not directly replace the former eight, but assume new responsibilities and titles.

Among the interim appointments are Richard Olenchak as interim associate provost of faculty development and faculty affairs, Teri Elkins Longacre as interim vice provost and dean of undergraduate student success, Dmitri Litvinov as interim vice provost and dean of University of Houston Graduate School, and Jeff Morgan as interim associate provost of education innovation and technology.

Some individuals received permanent appointments, such as Richard D. Phillips as associate vice chancellor for system initiatives, Chris Stanich as associate vice chancellor and associate provost of institutional planning and analysis, Edward Craig Ness as associate provost of finance and administration, and Ramanan Krishnamoorti as chief energy officer.

The administration remains busy as it continues to search to fill more positions.

“In addition to these appointments, we will begin searches to fill the following four positions: associate provost for strategic enrollment planning, vice provost for global strategies and studies, chief health sciences officer and chief arts officer,” Short said in her email to the UH community.

“We will also appoint a university-wide working group to develop a strategic plan for university engagement.”

news@thedailycougar.com

The only people who have threatened me with — or attempted to inflict — violence on me have been these students. When someone threw a full 40 at me and yelled a homophobic slur, it was from a second-story apartment flying a University of Oregon banner by Pegasus Pizza.

The only people who have consistently offered insults and slurs have been university students. Who keeps me from sleeping at night? Certainly not the guy trying to sleep in the alley or in the bushes; it’s the drunk students yelling in the street. The only people who respond with kindness to my greetings or return my smile are those on the margins, indigents, drifters — whatever you want to call them. If someone says “bless you” when I sneeze, it’s likely someone holding a sign, almost never a “fellow” student.

In short, university students, read some Emily Post and try and act like human beings, please.

— Matthew Ribkoff

I, like you, enjoy a crazy party, wild adventures (aka — drunken walks through the street with friends) and loudly declaring my overwhelming love of the present. We are in our twenties and ready to live life like we are never turning thirty.

I get it, I really do.

As we tromp through these formative years of tequila shots and fuzzy memories, we need to remember one thing: Discretion is freedom. You don’t want the cops coming to your party? Try to not be that house with three dozen cans of Miller Lite on the front lawn. Maybe don’t throw your glass bottles into the alleys and streets where bikers are going to run over them and pop their tires. Did you ever think someone might fall and injure themselves on that pile of glass? Trust me, it’s happened.

When people are pissed off, they complain. When people get hurt, they complain. When the neighborhood is covered in trash, people notice — and then they complain. School is stressful, and it is so incredibly necessary to blow off steam and have a good time.

Do yourselves a favor and clean up. Party hard. Party smart.

— Rebecca Emma

***

The baseball game scheduled Tuesday between Oregon and Oregon State in Corvallis has been rained out, and it won’t be made up. Currently, the Ducks are second in the Pac-12, trailing the first-place Beavers by two games. Oregon travels to Salt Lake City this weekend to take on Utah in a three-game series.

***

Oregon sophomore center Hroniss Grasu has been named to the Rimington Trophy watch list. ESPN Pac-12 blogger Ted Miller pegs him as a front-runner for next season’s award.

The game was supposed to be the second of two, nonconference games — both played in Corvallis, the first being won by the Ducks. The Pac-12 conference series, played between the two this past weekend, was won by Oregon State, two games to one.

Oregon will wrap up its regular season this weekend with a road series against Utah.

Throughout the last year, these names have all been tied to Microsoft’s next gaming console, whether it was by fans or developers. On Tuesday morning, the Xbox One was unveiled at an event in Redmond, Wash., and although no release date was set for the machine, Microsoft said it would be available by the year’s end. Rather than live-tweet and live-blog the occasion as it happened, we present you the following: Everything you need to know about the Xbox One in one handy post.

The hardware

The next Xbox looks pretty bulky. It’s definitely a departure from the sleek, streamlined design of the current Xbox 360 Slim — but it’s definitely going to pack a greater punch. While the new console features a Blu-ray optical drive, the games won’t run off the discs themselves. Instead, they’ll be downloaded directly onto the One’s hard drive. An always-on Internet connection won’t necessarily be required, but games will be tied to an Xbox LIVE account.

The box will also ship with an upgraded version of Kinect (2.0) featuring a 1080p camera and can capture RGB video at 30 frames per second. Here’s the rest of the tech specs that were revealed:

- USB 3.0
- 500 GB hard drive
- 8 GB RAM
- 64-bit architecture
- HDMI

Infinity Ward also showed off what the hardware did for its next Call of Duty game.@ More on that later.

The controller

Although there’s no integrated touch interface like the WiiU’s or the Playstation 4’s, the Xbox One controller features more than 40 design tweaks from the 360’s — most notably in button placement and aesthetic. The unit will also feature what Microsoft is calling HD rumble.

The user interface

Snap mode is the new interface that will guide Xbox users through the new system. Most notably, the UI will allow for multiple applications to run at once. With a simple voice command, users will be able to switch between apps through the Kinect sensor. When Microsoft debuted Twitter and Facebook on the 360, they required players to exit whatever game they were playing in order to post about it on social media.

A new achievements system was also mentioned, although details remain scarce. Microsoft did, however, say achievements will be cross-platform, which will allow tasks performed on smart phones and the Internet to affect your Gamerscore. Most importantly, developers will be allowed to release downloadable content without piling on another set of achievements on the player.

The games

The success of any given console depends largely on the library of games it hosts, and the Xbox One event was rife with new software. The event promised 15 Xbox One exclusive titles within the first year of launch, eight of those being new franchises. One such title revealed at the event was Quantum Break, developed by Remedy. The game was said to be a mix of traditional gameplay and cinematic storytelling, but the only footage shown was one prerendered video that featured a short, live-action scene between a mother and daughter and a CGI shipwreck.

Electronic Arts announced FIFA, Madden, NBA and UFC games, developed on the new Ignite engine, which promised for a more dynamic experience across the four franchises.

After the initial announcement of Call of Duty: Ghosts earlier this month, Infinity Ward followed up with trailers, screenshots and more. Like the protagonists in Fable and Fallout, Call of Duty players will finally get a four-legged companion to help them along. Few details regarding other features were revealed.

Microsoft Studios, one of the company’s first-party publishers, also revealed Forza Motorsport 5, which featured more detailed graphics than its predecessor and an improved engine. You can check out the trailer here.

The other media

As with the 360, Microsoft is using its next console to deliver a multimedia experience. The event announced a live-action Halo TV series headed by Steven Spielberg, who dabbled in game production when he backed Boom Blox on the Wii in 2007. Nothing much was revealed regarding the series, other than the fact that it will someday air on Xbox One.

Microsoft also also announced a partnership with the NFL, a move that makes sense given Microsoft’s current partnership with ESPN to live-stream games and matches across several sports.

The next Xbox will also allow users to use it as a set-top cable box, allowing users to watch live television through the console.

Skype is slated to return, so it’s likely safe to assume Netflix and Hulu (in addition to ESPN) streaming will also appear on the Xbox One.

Although Microsoft revealed quite a bit about its new console during Tuesday’s event, there will be another press briefing prior to E3 on June 10.

Earlier in the season the Ducks look poised to achieve this goal, playing excellent fundamental baseball and relying heavily on their exceptional pitching. However, Oregon has entered a period of struggle and it is coming at a very inopportune time.

The Emerald’s own Aubrey Wieber explains why here.

***

Major League Soccer is once again expanding, and this time with the help of an unlikely partner; the New York Yankees. In partnership with Manchester City Football Club, the Yankees will co-own the league’s 20th team that will be called New York City Football Club.

The team is scheduled to begin play in MLS in 2015.

***

According to the Wall Street Journal, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is the highest paid commissioner in all of college athletics. Making just over $3 million last year, the conference has seen a jump in its overall revenue since Scott took control.

ESPN.com’s Ted Miller elaborates on the reasons for Scott’s salary here.

In an email from Tom Whitestone, associate athletic director of media relations, he said, “Keep in mind, though, that the true version will be unveiled, in its entirety, at the Great Gold Rush Auction, June 1.”

UPDATE: 3:57 p.m., May 20, 2013

According to Mary Pina, general merchandise manager of the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore, the Nike replica football jersey that was made available for purchase was not supposed to be made public online.

The employees of the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore had to sign nondisclosure agreements about the football jersey design. The replica football jersey was not supposed to be available until after the official revealing. Pina did not give an official date as to when the jerseys would be available in the stores for purchase.

The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore website has temporarily removed all of their game day apparel until the problem is resolved. It is unsure as to when the other game day apparel will be made available online again.

The jerseys that are available in the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore are the same green and gold jerseys that have been on the shelves all year.

ORIGINAL STORY: Published at 2:25 p.m., May 20, 2013

For the many Charlotte 49ers fans that have been eagerly anticipating the reveal of the new football jerseys, the wait just might be over.

A green and black Nike replica football jersey has appeared on the Barnes & Noble campus bookstore website. The website has the Nike replica football jersey on sale for $90.

The Barnes & Noble campus bookstore has unveiled the replica jerseys before the official unveiling.

In a call to the bookstore, an employee seemed as if she had been rehearsed with what information she was allowed to disclose to buyers.

When asked if the jerseys online were actually the official football jerseys, the bookstore employee said, “If we did, we couldn’t disclose, give you any information about that until it’s made official to the public.”

Although no information about what the jerseys will look like has been made official to the public, it seems as though the public has been unofficially informed of what they can expect to see the Charlotte 49ers football team wearing on the field in August.

49ers fans can also pick up the jerseys in the Barnes & Noble bookstore on campus for purchase.

With the jerseys on sale in both the campus bookstore and online bookstore, it is hard to believe that these jerseys aren’t the real deal.

SOAR, UNC Charlotte’s orientation program for new freshman and transfer students, will be starting up within a few weeks. SOAR draws many new students and parents to campus throughout the summer months, and the bookstore is always in high demand of apparel during that time.

With SOAR sessions about to begin, It makes sense that the jerseys have hit the bookstore’s shelves earlier than expected. With so many visitors expected to be on campus over the summer stocking up on 49ers apparel, adding football jerseys to the stores seems like an extremely smart move to not only boost store sales, but sell more jerseys.

The jerseys are scheduled to be unveiled at the annual Great Gold Rush Auction, according to the receptionist of the Athletic Foundation. The auction, hosted by the Charlotte 49ers Athletic Foundation, is on Saturday, June 1 in Halton Arena.

Are you a Powell Ranger? Learn what terms such as “grovel” and “nose neighbors” meant twenty years ago as we discuss the evolution of UCLA slang and linguistic trends. We also chatted with some gamers at this weekend’s League of Legends tournament. Later, we’ll cover the hospital worker strike and arrests at the UC Regents meeting.

House of Cards, Netflix’s $100 million project and the brainchild of Beau Willimon and David Fincher, invites viewers in for a ride in the ruthlessly ambitious mind of a South Carolina congressman. Underwood, who specializes in the backroom politics of Capitol Hill, is the epitome of Cards’ central duality. He exemplifies the nuanced view of politics Fincher’s work presents: a heavy dose of contemporary cynicism dulled by a steady stream of age-old idealism. Painted as both the most corrupt and the most powerful man in Washington, Underwood is simultaneously the immoral bureaucrat of today and the commanding congressman of yesteryear.

Underwood is the point man for Fincher’s Washington critique. Although much of the show’s initial publicity was directed towards the ways that Netflix altered the consumer experience—automatically shortening credits and optimizing episode times to fit trends in its consumer viewing database—the show itself also demonstrates a careful attention to public opinion. Choosing salient political topics as episode fodder (education and environmental policy frame two of the show’s large story arcs), Cards plays directly into contemporary political cynicism. Fincher’s illustration of Washington satisfies every pessimistic vision held by Washington outsiders, sparing no prey in his caustic portrayal of journalists, lobbyists, executives, and even the military.

The Ends Justify the Means

Underwood’s blatant exploitation of both family and friend to reach the top dominates the series’ plot, but the objects of Frank’s wrath are often Fincher’s most frequent targets. The congressman manipulates media coverage through Kate Mara’s Zoe Barnes, a redheaded fireball of ambition whose curt language and je m’en fiche attitude make her the show’s most compelling character. Barnes’ raw lust for prestige jumps off the screen as Mara perfectly balances the professional and edgy aspects of Zoe’s character. Underwood uses Barnes as a media microphone to leak valuable stories; through her, he pens articles that torpedo a secretary of state nomination and release valuable White House documents.

Barnes is the focal point of the show’s derogatory treatment of the news media. Working at the Washington Herald, Barnes’ breaking news stories are treated with suspicion by her coworkers and managing editor. The White House correspondent, Janine Skorsky (Constance Zimmer), cavalierly asks her whom she seduced to get her scoops—pre-empting a later conversation at indie publication Slugline where Skorsky tacitly asserts that a female journalist who doesn’t exploit her body for stories isn’t doing her job correctly. Barnes, who had been maintaining a sexual relationship with Frank that his wife Claire (Robin Wright) was perfectly aware of, reflects on this conversation and discontinues her dalliance with Underwood, who immediately cuts her off from breaking news. The harsh message about female journalists resonates loudly, but Fincher isn’t done. Zoe’s next hookup? Her former colleague at the Herald, a news reporter she exploits in her new quest to unearth the truth behind a dead congressman.

That dead congressman is Pennsylvanian Peter Russo (Corey Stoll), a youthful representative who lives with little regard for those around him. Coming up from working-class South Philadelphia, Russo’s drive to Capitol Hill should be a redemption story. Instead, Fincher conveys Russo’s identity through his addictions to alcohol and cocaine. Caught driving while intoxicated with an escort, Russo is backed into a corner when Underwood pulls up, absolving him of all legal harm at a steep price: a debt to Frank. The debt to Underwood traumatizes Russo throughout the series. While Frank convinces him to get clean by dragging him into myriad political no-win situations, the former alcoholic is forced to swap political integrity for its personal counterpart.

Not only do Russo’s struggles with alcoholism and substance abuse fit into larger suspicions about the morality of elected officials, the way he prioritizes individual goals over his constituency matches contemporary political cynicism. His tragic ending, with the tantalizing twosome of alcohol and ample cleavage ruining the six months of sobriety he built up while running for office, preys on common conceptions about the immorality of politicians.

In an age when satisfaction with the legislators of Capitol Hill is at an all-time low, Cards taps into a reservoir of resentment in its spare-no-prisoners treatment of politics. Claire Underwood’s management of a nonprofit involves about as much emotion as her husband’s management of the country. She begins by firing half of her staff; later, at the expense of torpedoing her husband’s prized energy bill, she accepts money from a company specializing in oil production to fund projects overseas. Her noble intentions are tainted with the unmistakable stain of corruption. Much like every other character in the show, her morals are contingent on her goals and ambitions—she unscrupulously sacrifices integrity in her means to achieve the desired ends.

Claire is not Zoe, in whom Fincher exploits the inconsistency between puerile features and her aggressive and cavalier sexual presence in emotionally unsettling ways. However, Claire’s apathy as she makes her husband into a cuckold while simultaneously maintaining a detachment from her new lover is downright eerie. Her intimacy with Frank resembles more of a business partnership than a marriage; their union is predicated on mutual support and romantically falls apart when business interests conflict. Employing a cynical view of Washington that extends to the bedroom, Cards gives no room for love in sex, only a predominating thirst for power. Here, Frank quotes Oscar Wilde, “everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.” Desires for power drive sexual relationships and even the sanctity of marriage is a tryst broken in Fincher’s consummate cynical portrayal of Washington.

An Archaic Conception

For all of its political criticisms, Cards simultaneously harkens back to a forgotten ideal about the America political realm. Although the show preys upon the immoral conceptions Americans hold about Congress, it offers a tacit reassurance of the predominant worry about politicians; namely, that is, Fincher’s characters get things done.

Like the legislators of yore, Underwood is brutal but undeniably effective. Viewed through one lens, the congressman cleverly uses the death of an impoverished schoolchild for political gain, forcing the hand of his union boss opponent. Seen through another, the plea is another ruthless Washington power play. Frank’s tactics are of dubious morality but highly effective. A no-nonsense former militiaman from the South, Underwood presents a brusque tone and aggressive rhetoric that conjure up images of legislative titans like Lyndon Johnson and John C. Calhoun. His syrupy Southern drawl is at odds with his menacing attitude and creates a persona seemingly in tension with itself but also self-serving in his single-minded pursuit.

Frank’s persona reflects the dominant overtone of the series: the quest for power. It manifests itself in Zoe’s endless pursuit of the story and Claire’s emotionless abuse of both her husband and her own employees to further her own ambitions. It manifests itself in Russo’s dogged quest for the governorship and the almost-tangible hunger of Underwood’s ambition. Referenced ceaselessly in his monologues to the audience, Underwood’s preference for power over fame and fortune dominates his personality. In the series’ penultimate episode, locked into war with a billionaire as he is vetted for the vice presidency, Frank makes a haughty comment about his opponent—noting that his wealth is more important as a measure of power than material well-being.

A Reassuring Discomfort

In this way, Cards skirts a tenuous line. At the same time that it fulfills the audience’s skepticisms about politics, it aims to satisfy idealistic beliefs about what politicians can truly be. House of Cards specializes in providing us a moribund version of what we, at our core, want to see. Although Fincher satisfies every deep fear we have about politics in a reassuringly horrific sense, the director assuages our concerns with strong central characters conjuring up utopic ideas of past politicians. Immorality and the thirst for power in Washington may be the dominant themes of Cards, but Spacey’s captivating and dominating Underwood is not long behind. In more ways than one, Netflix tailored the show to the psyches of an American conscious deeply suspicious of politics, simultaneously exploiting our fears while providing a light at the end of the tunnel.

Melinda Agron ’14, a studio art major concentrating in architecture, long knew she would most likely pursue a career in architecture upon arriving at the College. Agron said she enjoys the flexibility that a liberal arts education offers as compared to a structured bachelor of architecture program, because it has helped develop other skills and interests that can be applied to her architectural studies.

“I really appreciate that here I can try a lot of different things and I have much more freedom than if I were in a more focused program,” Agron said.

While Dartmouth does not offer a formal major in architecture, the College offers various resources for students interested in the field that incorporates both the study of design and art. The studio art department offers a three-term sequence in architecture, and the art history, engineering, history, geography and environmental studies departments also offer architecture-related coursework.

Mingyu Kim ’14, a studio art major concentrating in sculpture, said she appreciates the breadth that Dartmouth’s liberal arts curriculum provides.

Architecture students with an interest in government, for example, can focus on the public sector and real estate development, while those with a passion for sustainability can study architecture’s environmental impact.

“Being an architect ensues a lot of understanding, of your clients, the sites, the programs and various other conditions,” Kim said. “The liberal arts education broadens the horizons of one’s understanding.”

Tom Bonamici ’07, who majored in geography modified with studio art, pursued architecture at Dartmouth through his coursework and extracurricular activities. During his senior year, Bonamici completed an independent study in which he designed a new workshop space for the Dartmouth Outing Club at Oak Hill. He also built a sugarhouse, a shelter and outhouses for Cabin and Trail.

“It was nice to have a professional undertaking,” he said. “I had real clients and was able to bounce ideas off of them.”

While he ultimately ended up pursuing a career in industrial design rather than architecture, Bonamici said his undergraduate focus on architecture applies to any kind of design career.

“Having a really wide range of classes was helpful in gaining a broader perspective and in thinking about how literature and music and all these different themes can come together and influence three-dimensional design,” Bonamici said.

Studio art professor Jack Wilson, who has worked for the College’s planning and design office for 25 years, agreed that a liberal arts education is the best education for a budding architect.

“Architects are real generalists,” he said. “They have to know about a lot of different kinds of things in order to practice architecture.”

Wilson, who teaches courses in drawing and architectural design as well as a class in integrated design at the Thayer School of Engineering, said a balanced liberal arts curriculum provides a strong foundation in an unpredictable world.

“You become superbly adaptable and responsive and that’s the most you can ask for from an education,” he said.

Studio art professor Karolina Kawiaka said her classes introduce students to a wide spectrum of design work that architects deal with, from designing buildings to landscapes to objects.

“The architecture classes build on the students’ work with drawing, sculpture, printmaking, painting and photography, so the students get a very grounded fine arts education while they are at Dartmouth,” she said.

A strong liberal arts background enriches undergraduate architectural studies and prepares students for premiere masters of architecture programs in the future, Kawiaka said.

“The strength of students is that they study other disciplines so they are coming to it with a knowledge of history, maybe engineering or sociology, and many other fields in the liberal arts,” she said. “They have a broader approach to design rather than coming from a narrow and maybe technical approach that focuses only on architecture.”

The skills students acquire as part of a liberal arts education also serve them well as practicing architects.

“They’re good writers, they’re good at running businesses, and they’re very articulate,” she said.

Kawiaka, along with Sue Reed ’81 and art history professor Marlene Heck, founded Dartmouth Alumni in Design and Architecture to connect students with graduates for advice on working in the architecture field and applying for graduate school.

Dartmouth has more than 1,100 alumni who are architects. The alumni network is a “good connector and way for people to network” since its creation, said Kawiaka, the group’s faculty advisor.

Kim is the president of Architecture at Dartmouth, a student organization closely linked to alumni in the architecture field, especially those who are part of the alumni group. Alumuni periodically come to Dartmouth to talk to students about their own professional experiences.

During big weekends, students and members of the alumni group often join together for Pecha Kucha, an informal gathering where individuals exchange ideas on past and present art projects. Architecture at Dartmouth also arranges field trips to local companies, architects’ offices and galleries for exhibition.

“I find being involved with [Architecture at Dartmouth] extremely beneficial because when I participate in talks or have meetings with alumni or architects from outside, it becomes very intimate and they get to know you better,” Kim said. “I get to learn so much from such a short duration of time.”

Emily Yen ’10, a first year student in the Rhode Island School of Design’s masters of architecture program, said that attending Dartmouth allowed her to pursue opportunities outside of architecture, including learning to whitewater kayak, volunteering in the Amazon and spending an off-term in Ecuador.

Had Yen completed a bachelor’s of architecture at RISD, she said she believes her undergraduate experience would have instead been dominated by time spent in the architecture studio.

“I graduated from Dartmouth as not the greatest architect, artist or engineer, but as a well-rounded person who is prepared to approach difficulties, leadership positions and Rubik’s Cube problem solving and manage my time and enjoyment,” she said.

Yen, who majored in studio art and minored in engineering at the College, took courses in both disciplines before determining that a studio art major with a concentration in architecture would best help her create a portfolio for graduate school and build a solid foundation in conceptual problem-solving.

Seeing the world through a liberal arts lens has helped keep Yen open-minded, even after graduation.

“To me, architecture is, in a way, the definition of liberal arts; everything feeds into another,” she said. “The more information and resources you can tap into, the stronger the concept.”

“This building is a tremendous catalyst to get us to that point,” said Russell Dunlavy, chief development officer for the college. “Dean Tedesco’s vision is to move the college into the top 50 engineering programs in the U.S.”

The Board of Regents’ Facilities, Construction and Master Planning Committee approved the site and program for the four-story building that is proposed to be finished February 2016.

Through this building, College of Engineering faculty will have more lab space, and the building will house major core facilities that serve the needs of the University’s engineering, energy and health research, said Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer Rathindra N. Bose.

Instead of having different research labs across campus, they will be housed in one central location.

“Our faculty deserves to have a state-of-the-art facility. The new research building will help us attract and retain top faculty,” said Dunlavy.

The University community believes the building will bring UH closer to Tier One status because UH has a Tier One target of $200 million in research expenditures by 2020.

Yet, the building with 19 labs will cost approximately $51 million, and the construction will destroy a parking lot with nearly 160 spaces.

Dunlavy said the University has received tremendous support from alumni and corporate partners and will continue to work with them to fundraise.

The University has already completed the Health and Biomedical Sciences Center and Engineering Research Center; a Health and Biomedical Sciences Center 2 is in the planning phase.

news@thedailycougar.com

Chad Curtis knows his newsroom is intense, but he knows the reward is worth the stress.

Curtis is the full-time news director for BYU’s ElevenNEWS, which was awarded Mark of Excellence honors from the Society of Professional Journalists. In a national competition among university broadcast programs, the society named ElevenNEWS at Noon the Best All-Around Television Newscast.

Producing the newscast is an elaborate effort. Students start work at 6 a.m. to be ready for the daily broadcast.

“When you are behind the scenes of media, everything that the people at home take for granted you don’t get to,” Curtis said. “The writing, the producing, the editing, the formatting, the tweaking, the polishing … has to go into a very intense four-hour period in order to get it to the point where we feel comfortable putting it out on Channel 11 at noon.”

Caleb Cox, John Hanse and Lucy Tingey anchor BYU’s award-winning ElevenNEWS. (Courtesy ElevenNEWS)

During a semester, Curtis instructs approximately 75 students. A typical broadcast requires a crew of 14 or 15 members, each with a unique role in generating the final product.

“It’s a very hectic room,” Curtis said. “Dealing with pressure — dealing with a hectic, intense situation — is part of learning to be a professional in this field.”

Brenna Donnelly of Fishers, Ind. recently graduated from the program. She emphasized the level of familiarity gained through early hands-on experience.

“From day one in the program, you’re writing for a newscast,” Donnelly said. “You’re working with your superiors, you’re with the upperclassmen and you are live on air. Sometimes that means you’re a deer in the headlights, but most of the time it means the learning curve is very sharp. So by senior year in the program, you are very comfortable with the process of news.”

Mentors facilitate rapid growth by providing students with timely, direct correction. Donnelly said some students struggle with the criticism.

“It’s an emotional, tough, hard thing,” Donnelly said. “Brother Curtis sets the bar very high and says, ‘Jump over it.’ Sometimes you stumble a little bit and he’ll let you know, but it’s all for your good. Sometimes we students laugh and say that he’s the toughest news director we’ll ever have because he treats us as professionals while we’re still just students.”

Curtis knows the students aren’t always ready for his bluntness.

“I never critique to be mean,” Curtis said. “If you’re telling me this is what you’re majoring in because this is how you want to feed your family someday, I’m going to be straightforward with you. I’m going to get you to be the best you can be before you leave here.”

For many graduates, experience at ElevenNEWS results in a seamless transition to the profession. Some have landed jobs with major networks such as Fox News, CBS and ESPN. They work in broadcast markets across the country.

Dale Green works as the show’s full-time technical adviser and has supervised many of the award-winning students.

“There’s not a college or a university anywhere for the price that you pay, for the hands-on experience that you get and for the equipment that you get to work with, that compares to BYU,” Green said. “It shows because of the awards the students get while they’re here and where they go when they leave here.”

Curtis spoke warmly about his students. He keeps in touch with many of them, even after they graduate.

“Working in this newsroom is intense,” Curtis said. “But as hard as we work, we also play. We enjoy being with each other. We have great times in here, and a lot of lifelong friendships.”

In the Fall of 2012, GSU students voted to pass a $25 per-semester fee to fund the addition of 6,200 seats, which includes two lower-level seating areas of about 1,100 seats each and a mid-level terrace with an additional 4,000 seats. The fee is to be terminated once the cost of the seat expansion is retired. The additional seating will now seat 50 percent of GSU’s student population – as opposed to the 20 percent it originally held.

“The Stadium expansion and the Football Operations Center projects represent the initial steps in our journey into the Football Bowl Subdivision,” Georgia Southern Director of Athletics Tom Kleinlein said in a news release. “As Georgia Southern continues to grow, it is important that our athletics facilities reflect the same commitment the University has demonstrated with its first-class academic facilities with the new biology building, library expansion and renovations of the College of Public Health and Foy music building, to name just a few.”

The 50,000-sq. ft. Football Operations Center is to be located between the east end zone and Lanier Drive. It will provide a central area for the GSU football operations to be held such as locker rooms, meeting spaces, coaches’ offices, strength and conditioning, and athletic training equipment. The center will also house a hall of fame exhibit to honor the history of the GSU football program.

“We want to ensure that when we become a member of the Sun Belt Conference, our facilities are attractive to prospects, provide a great experience for our fans and student-athletes, and portray the image of the prominent university Georgia Southern has become,” Kleinlein said in a news release. “This stadium expansion is in line with that philosophy and will include new amenities for all fans to enjoy while maintaining some of the traditions fans expect when they visit Paulson.”

Both projects are set for a June 6 start date with expected completion in May of 2014.

“This building is a tremendous catalyst to get us to that point,” said Russell Dunlavy, chief development officer for the college. “Dean Tedesco’s vision is to move the college into the top 50 engineering programs in the U.S.”

The Board of Regents’ Facilities, Construction and Master Planning Committee approved the site and program for the four-story building that is proposed to be finished February 2016.

Through this building, College of Engineering faculty will have more lab space, and the building will house major core facilities that serve the needs of the University’s engineering, energy and health research, said Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer Rathindra N. Bose.

Instead of having different research labs across campus, they will be housed in one central location.

“Our faculty deserves to have a state-of-the-art facility. The new research building will help us attract and retain top faculty,” said Dunlavy.

The University community believes the building will bring UH closer to Tier One status because UH has a Tier One target of $200 million in research expenditures by 2020.

Yet, the building with 19 labs will cost approximately $51 million, and the construction will destroy a parking lot with nearly 160 spaces.

Dunlavy said the University has received tremendous support from alumni and corporate partners and will continue to work with them to fundraise.

The University has already completed the Health and Biomedical Sciences Center and Engineering Research Center; a Health and Biomedical Sciences Center 2 is in the planning phase.

news@thedailycougar.com

Earlier in the season, the Ducks looked poised to achieve this goal, playing excellent fundamental baseball and relying heavily on their exceptional pitching. However, the team has entered a period of struggle, and it is coming at a very inopportune time.

The Emerald’s own Aubrey Wieber explains why here.

***

Major League Soccer is once again expanding, and this time with the help of an unlikely partner: the New York Yankees. In partnership with Manchester City Football Club, the Yankees will co-own the league’s 20th team that will be called New York City Football Club.

The team is scheduled to begin play in MLS in 2015.

***

According to the Wall Street Journal, Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott is the highest-paid commissioner in all of college athletics. Making just over $3 million last year, the conference has seen a jump in its overall revenue since he took control.

ESPN.com’s Ted Miller elaborates on the reasons for Scott’s salary here.

This week’s planned strikes include a two-day strike by the the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 union, which represents patient care technical and service workers across the UC.

About 97 percent of AFSCME 3299’s 13,000 members voted to authorize the strike earlier this month.

The court’s injunction limits the number of strikers by about 450 people, according to the UC Office of the President. The UC initially wanted the court to limit the number of strikers by about 700 people.

Another union, the University Professional and Technical Employees union, which represents about 3,300 UC health care professionals, will also be partaking in a one day sympathy strike on Tuesday.

The UC held a press conference today to discuss how the strike, which is scheduled to start Tuesday at 4 a.m., will impact care at the UC medical centers.

Some centers, including UCLA, will have to delay elective surgeries and chemotherapy or radiation treatments.

The University expects to spend about $20 million to bring in replacement workers, officials have said.

“From our standpoint, this is inappropriate,” said Dwaine Duckett, vice president for system-wide human resources at the UC, in a conference call with members of the media today. “Critical procedures are delayed because of the strike. …  I (would be) upset about that as a member of the public and as a patient.”

Representatives of AFSCME Local 3299 released a statement in response to the court’s ruling today, stating that the decision affirms the union’s right to strike while keeping patient safety in mind.

Even with the reduced number of strikers, UC officials have said maintaining quality care at the five UC medical centers will prove a challenge.

The AFSCME 3299 strike is a response to stalled contract negotiations with the University that began last year.

UC officials have said the union will not agree to the pension proposals the University put forward, while the union raises the issue of high executive compensation and low worker pay throughout the system.

Compiled by Katherine Hafner, Bruin senior staff.

The NFL, still, has faced some political problems in the past few years. Charles Pierce’s recent story on retired players’ healthcare is worth a read:

There really are no other questions left. For a long while, the league was able to mask the fact that the destruction of the human body was as central to its fundamental structure as that destruction ever was to, say, boxing. For a long while, the libertarian argument seemed to prevail; yes, the argument went, we concede the savagery and the destruction but, to paraphrase Hyman Roth, this is the business they have chosen. Both of those strategies have run their course. Scientific evidence continues to overwhelm any attempts to spin what happens to a human being over the course of a career playing football. And there comes a point at which the libertarian argument runs headlong into the question of whether it is moral for a society to allow people to commit slow-motion suicide for the purposes of mass entertainment. That leaves us with the question of what we will tolerate as an ethical and moral culture, and why. And that is the question that the NFL must answer in a whole host of areas regarding the safety and health of its employees, lest one day it get an answer that it will not like very much.

A few days ago, Sally Jenkins and Rick Maese of the Washington Post wrote a long, stunning piece about one of the NFL’s most conspicuous failures in this regard — namely, its catastrophic lack of long-term insurance coverage for its retired players. Jenkins and Maese brilliantly limn how NFL owners have arranged to game the players out of coverage that every moral and ethical standard imaginable says they deserve. (In California, the owners are lining up behind a workers’ compensation bill that, if passed, virtually guarantees that coverage for former NFL players will fall on the Social Security system, or on Medicare.) Players are faced with endless litigation; often, it seems, the team doctors who once made sure they could return to the field despite injuries that would have kept the rest of us in bed for a month turn up as witnesses against them, which is going to give those doctors something interesting to discuss with Hippocrates in the Hereafter. It’s systematized obfuscation of the only question that still demands a clear answer.

In doing this, of course, the NFL owners, most of whom ascended to the country’s corporate class during the de-unionization and deregulation of the past 35 years, are behaving the way you would expect the members of that class to behave. For example, when Jenkins and Maese point out that the failure of the NFL to cover its former players adequately for the long term ultimately causes the burden of that coverage to fall on the taxpayers, they might just as well be talking about Walmart as about, say, the Cincinnati Bengals.

There’s a lot of thought that could go both ways on this, but if anything, Pierce reminds us of the age-old adage: everything is political.

Kassi Luja
kassiluja.md@gmail.com

If political science senior Connor Smith was asked to define who he was, he would say an Alaskan fisherman.

Smith, along with liberal studies senior Ben Daigle and architectural engineering senior Ethan Meier, took this quarter off from school to head to Alaska for the salmon and herring fishing seasons. The trio is currently in Alaska for commercial fishing — one of the most dangerous and deadliest occupations in the United States.

Not only have they heard of frightening fishing incidents, but they’ve experienced them firsthand. Between the three of them, they’ve witnessed a person falling between two boats, had a boat nearly sink and had their own boat break down in the middle of nowhere.

Commercial fishing may not be how the average Cal Poly student spends their summer, but it’s a commonality the trio shares on the deep waters of the northern Pacific.

The Alaskan lifestyle

This dangerous and adventurous occupation isn’t just a job for Smith, it’s a lifestyle, he said.

Born in Homer, Alaska, Smith and Daigle have been childhood friends since the age of 4 — their families are neighbors living a quarter-mile apart.

Homer is a small, seaside community located 222 miles south of Anchorage. Most of Homer’s residents have some relation to the fishing community. The town’s harbor is home port for many fishing boats, including the Time Bandit, well-known from Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch.”

Tourist shops abound with postcards and bumper stickers that describe Homer as: “A quaint drinking village with a fishing problem” and “Homer, Alaska: We’re here because we’re not all there,” the latter of which can be found on the bumper of Smith’s car.

“You have a general idea of who everyone is,” Daigle said of the small town of approximately 6,000. “Everyone knows you and who you are.”

Along with being home to a tight-knit community, the town also houses several art galleries with a distinct art community, views of multiple glaciers and offers the opportunity for bear viewing.

Among the more tourist-drawn activities, the town bustles with outdoor recreation. Snow machines, motorcycles and boats are on hand, said Smith, who grew up hunting and fishing with his dad and three older brothers. As with Smith, Daigle spent a lot of time outdoors, but instead enjoyed snowboarding and hiking.

Daigle also spent his summers on his family’s island that lies across Kachemak Bay from Homer.

The island had no electricity and his family relied on building fires in a wood stove for heat.

“I grew up without a TV,” Daigle said. “I didn’t have a computer in high school.”

Daigle began commercial fishing from his family’s island when he was 5 years old, but it wasn’t until he was 16 that he began living on a boat during the summers and fishing in Prince William Sound, a sound in the Gulf of Alaska where Smith and Meier will also fish this summer. Daigle was the deckhand on another boat the summer he was 16 and bought his own boat at the end of the next summer, right before he entered Cal Poly as a freshman.

Smith, however, was just 13 years old when he began commercial fishing.

“I have three older brothers and they all fished, and it was just expected of me,” the lifelong-Alaskan resident said.

Growing up for Meier looked quite a bit different.

Having moved 22 times, there’s not an exact place the 22 year old calls home. But now, the Alaskan transplant is applying for Alaska residency.

Meier’s first visit to the mountainous state was the summer after his freshman year at Cal Poly when Daigle asked him to deckhand for him. Meier worked on the deck of the boat, picking fish from the net and helping in every facet of boat work.

“The first impression of Alaska is just, ‘Wow,’” Meier said. “I’ve been to a lot of places in my life, and this place just blew them out of the water.”

After three years of working for Daigle, Meier now owns his own fiberglass boat, which is 29 feet in length, 11 feet wide. Meier said he didn’t plan to buy his own boat, it just fell in his lap. This spontaneity didn’t come without some initial apprehension from his family, though.

“I told my dad about it over winter break … ‘So, um, I might be going to Alaska to do commercial fishing,’ and my dad (was) just like,‘no,’” Meier said.

Despite early concern, Meier said his family is really supportive of his new lifestyle in the state known as “The Last Frontier.”

All aboard

Though fishing can be fun, living on a boat for an extended amount of time isn’t as hyped up as it may appear.

“People tend to think that it’s really glamorous and I get asked (for) a job by every person that I meet,” Daigle said. “But it’s really shitty most of the time.”

Daigle is currently operating his own boat, a 36-foot aluminum bowpicker, starting off the season fishing for chum salmon. He said he’ll be awake for up to 50 hours of off-and-on working.

“It’s really a lot gnarlier than people think it is,” Daigle said.

But arduous demands and high-risk dangers just come with the job.

“I really love the competition of it,” Daigle said. “There’s a lot of money out there and everyone’s really, really competitive and it’s just kind of fun treating it like a game because it’s a long season. You have to have something to keep yourself going really hard.”

Smith is currently working for his captain on a six-month contract. He’s always on call, ready to work on the boat at any given time and will spend most of the six months on the boat without any significant time off.

“You stop taking showers,” Smith said. “I shower once every few weeks or so. You get used to not ever being on land. You pay attention to a lot of things that you wouldn’t think about normally.”

Smith said the hardest part about being on a boat for that amount of time is never seeing family and friends and being around the same people. He is currently writing a blog documenting his time in Alaska to give friends and classmates a better idea of the Alaskan fisherman lifestyle.

Daigle, on the other hand, said motivating himself is the hardest aspect.

“You just work as hard as you want to,” Daigle said about fishing. “But if you don’t work really hard, you won’t make nearly as much money.”

Though keeping up momentum is a challenge, Daigle enjoys boatlife.

“It’s kind of fun,” he said. “I like living on a boat because there’s nothing you can think about other than fishing. You don’t have to worry about anything else.”

Though fishing provides separation from the rest of life, Daigle said, by the end of the season, “you’re over it.”

But even then, there’s something about living on a boat that draws you back, he said.

In the face of danger

The trio’s latest return to the water comes even after hearing and witnessing some of the dangers that come with the job.

Fishermen and related fishing workers was rated as No. 1 on Forbes’ list of America’s Deadliest Jobs, with 40 total fatalities in 2011 based on preliminary data. It is ranked before logging workers, aircraft pilots and flight engineers.

Smith was witness to one close call involving a family member.

When delivering fish to larger boats, there is a space created by buoys between the two vessels, and if there is a big wave, someone can fall in between the boats and be crushed — something that almost happened to Smith’s cousin.

Luckily, Smith’s uncle was able to jump down, grab the cousin and pull him up before the boats smashed him.

“We managed to get him out,” he said. “It can kill you really easily.”

Though there are various dangers to commercial fishing, you become less scared with practice, Smith said.

“Once you kind of know what you’re doing, it’s not that scary,” he said.

But as a beginner, things are bound to go wrong.

“The first year, we were just a total shit show,” Daigle said. “Every day something was going wrong. That first year was just pretty awful.”

Meier remembers one time in particular during that first year when he was fishing with Daigle.

“We caught a bunch of salmon,” Meier said. “We went to take the fish off deck and we went and we anchored up the net for the night and went to sleep.”

Meier and Daigle woke up at 6 a.m. the next day to find the bow in the air and the stern and engine compartment under water.

“Holy shit, Ben, we’re sinking,” said Meir, who grabbed a 5-gallon bucket and began tossing water out the cabin door. This is just one close call the two have experienced in their fishing endeavors.

“It can get super nasty out there and people can die all the time,” he said.

‘Rewarding’

Despite the danger they face every time they climb onboard and head out to sea, Smith, Daigle and Meier all said they find commercial fishing gratifying.

“You can have really big days of like, money,” Daigle said. “That’s the whole reason everybody does it, it’s because you never know when you’re going to do really well and a lot of times it’s just super random. You could make $20,000 in a day if things go right for you.”

Daigle said it’s exciting not knowing how the day will pan out.

“You have to fish really hard and hope,” Daigle said.

Smith, however, finds fulfillment in the hands-on aspect of commercial fishing.

“Working hard and working with your hands … hard manual labor is very rewarding for me,” Smith said. “Getting a paycheck and knowing I worked for it. (At the) end of the day, feeling like you’ve accomplished something.”

Along with manual labor, Smith said he enjoys being a part of the fishing community his family has been a part of since 1936.

From Alaska to SLO and back again

Though Smith loves Alaska, he enjoys coming back to San Luis Obispo.

“I always love it just because of the weather and I get to go surfing,” Smith said. “The lifestyle is so much chiller I guess. Everything is paved and, I don’t know, life is kind of easy.”

With the time they’ve spent in both Alaska and San Luis Obispo, the trio definitely notices the contrast between the two locations.

“It’s like black and white difference,” Smith said.

One clear difference is in the choice of pastimes — in San Luis Obispo, Smith may ride the California waves, but in Alaska, he hunts black bears.

“If I don’t get fish and meat for my parents, they have to buy it,” Smith said.

Differences in attire also distinguish the Central Coast from Alaska.

“You wear like totally different clothes up here (in Alaska) — practical clothes,” Smith said. “In California I wear like semi-trendy things.”

Whereas Californians can be seen in Rainbow sandals, neon bro tanks and skinny jeans, Alaskans often wear Xtratuf boots and Carhartt pants splattered in oil and dirt.

This can lead to some commentary when there is crossover between the two attires: When Smith wears rain gear in California that he would normally wear on a boat, he receives comments saying it “smells like fish.”

Meier said the differences from Alaska and San Luis Obispo are a “full 180,” not just in activities and clothing.

“The mentality is completely different,” Meier said. “People just like, don’t care up here (in Alaska). It’s not superficial at all.”

Meier is currently in Cordova, located on the east side of Prince William Sound.

“Walking around downtown nobody knows me,” Meier said. “Everyone says ‘hi’ and ‘good morning.’ People are friendly and they’ll take you in if you need help.”

This camaraderie isn’t just specific just to Cordova, but is pretty much Alaska in general, he said.

Smith echoes these sentiments.

“I’ve always kind of been in love with it,” Smith said about Alaska. “Nowhere else could be home having lived this way. I don’t think I could ever do anything else, really. Just getting to be on the water, it’s very therapeutic.”

All three of the trio have to return to Cal Poly in the fall to finish their degrees: Smith plans on returning to Cal Poly in the fall for his last quarter, while Daigle and Meier both have plans to graduate after winter quarter.

After graduation, Smith said he will take the rest of the year off to go fishing again for another six months. After, he hopes to attend law school.

Daigle said he will end up in Alaska again at some point after college, though he doesn’t have any definite plans as of yet.

As far as fishing goes, Meier said he will see how his first season with his own boat pans out.

School aside, it’s safe to say the trio is enjoying time in the Alaskan outdoors.

“The pictures you see are incredible, but they don’t (do it) justice at all,” Meier said. “This place is just massive. It’s hard to get a sense of feel for it. This is kind of my office, you know? My window I look out, you see all these crazy snow-capped mountains and it’s incredible.”

Check out Smith’s first-hand account here.

Last week, UCPD officers also dug up crops planted by the demonstrators on a parcel of land historically known as the Gill Tract, which the university intends to develop. Development plans include a senior housing facility, a parking lot and a Sprouts Farmers Market grocery store. Protesters returned to farm on Saturday despite last week’s forced removal, which resulted in four arrests.

According to Occupy the Farm spokesperson Matthew McHale, the protest aims to make the land a community farm. The land previously held World War II barracks, and protesters hope to show it is still a usable natural resource.

“The fact that the UC needs to plow over the crops speaks to the power of our vision,”  McHale said. “If members were to see what an amazing agricultural resource this land could be, there would be a huge amount of push-back and resistance (against development).”

Protesters arrived at the mixed-use project Saturday morning, farming during the day and staying through the night until Sunday. Throughout the weekend, UCPD monitored the protest and alerted the demonstrators that they were trespassing, but officers made no arrests. By Monday morning, the protesters had left, and UCPD removed the plants.

Claire Holmes, associate vice chancellor for communications and public affairs for UC Berkeley, said it is important that the process of resolving the demonstration is legal and democratic, making sure all plans for the land are considered equally.

“There are some people in Albany who want a miniature golf course on the site, but those people aren’t down there establishing the golf site,” Holmes said. “(For the protesters to) unilaterally take over that spot over interests of other groups in the community — that is inappropriate.”

Occupy the Farm member Lesley Haddock, however, said that community farm advocates have been going to city meetings for the past 15 years. According to Haddock, the problem does not lie with Albany but with the university, which has had poor dialogue with the public on the issue.

“We’ve held over 10 public forums over the last year and invited the UC every single time, and they’ve never shown up,” Haddock said.

But it may be too late for dialogue between the protesters and the UC Berkeley administration. Both Holmes and Nicole Almaguer, Albany city clerk, said that the campus and city have come to an agreement and that the development plan will continue.

“The protesters have every right to have a voice at the table,” Holmes said. “However, a majority has already decided how they would like to see the land used.”

Contact Mary Zhou at newsdesk@dailycal.org.

The post Occupy the Farm in Albany continues for a second weekend appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Managing editor Steven Simeone attended the annual AWP Conference in Boston with his staff members to receive the 2013 National Program Directors’ prize for Undergraduate Literary Magazines. | Monica Tso/The Daily Cougar

The undergraduate literary journal at UH won a prestigious award and national recognition for its content during an annual convention for writers and writing programs.

Awarded for its content, Glass Mountain was presented with the 2013 National Program Directors’ prize for Undergraduate Literary Magazines at the AWP, Association of Writers and Writing Programs, yearly conference, the largest literary conference in North America. Faculty advisor of Glass Mountain Lynn Voskuil has worked with the magazine since its founding in 2006.

“Because of the national recognition we’ve achieved, the award allows us to fulfill and exemplify the tier one title of our university,” Voskuil said. “It’s the largest prize for an undergraduate publication.”

Voskuil credited her staff members for their diligence and commitment.

Specializing in the logistics of the journal, co-editor Brett Forsberg felt proud to be validated by AWP.

“We’re a group of writers who want to write and who are committed,” Forsberg said. “There’s no money involved. We simply help people find out if writing is what they want to do. We get to look at writers break into their individual styles.”

He described Glass Mountain as a raw, passionate study of writing before professional graduate work.

Managing editor Steven Simeone has worked with Glass Mountain for four years and focused on the layout in the magazine.

“Since the award is for content, most of the recognition goes to Anthony and Melissa, but it’s a great achievement for us all,” Simeone said. “Like Bonnie Culver of Wilkes University said, our magazine does represent edgy, funny, smart and top shelf fiction and poetry.”

Poetry editor Anthony Sutton was responsible for reading submissions from writers and picking pieces for editorial suggestions.

“Glass Mountain represents ambitious work, and it showcases such diverse styles of poetry,” Sutton said. “We help writers get a voice before graduate work, and we find unexpected diversity in the undergraduate work.”

Sutton explained that after being rejected multiple times, he feels good to be acknowledged for the hard work put forth.

“We’re becoming the leading voice in undergraduate publications,” Sutton said. “We were featured in Plain China, the only national anthology of the best undergraduate writing, which is such a big deal. We will also be recognized in the Writer’s Chronicle in September.”

Assistant fiction editor Amanda Scott helped select prose submissions for the journal and sought to make Glass Mountain’s online presence more visible.

“Earning this accolade is an amazing feat, and I feel especially fortunate and proud to be part of our staff,” Scott said. “To be recognized by a national institution such as AWP means we have arrived as a staff, as a journal and as a force within the literary sphere.”

Scott characterized the journal as balanced and was humbled to know that the staff’s efforts to expose new voices are being noted.

“Though we deal with turnover like any staff, I think the revolving door of bodies and minds is beneficial to the journal’s diversity,” Scott said. “It keeps the content and aesthetic fresh and allows us to evolve while staying focused and dedicated to our main demographic – emerging writers and artists.”

The staff members of Glass Mountain thanked Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences John Roberts for his individual emails of appreciation.

Flocks of families and friends arrived in Madison during the past week for UW’s three days of spring commencement ceremonies, which began Friday, May 17 and continued through the weekend.

After an introductory speech from Interim Chancellor David Ward, who will also be leaving the university with this graduating class, the graduates heard from television series “Workaholics” star and 2003 UW graduate, Anders Holm.

Holm, in the commencement speech, shared his advice for graduates, his past experiences on campus and his own love for the university.

Despite noting that commencement speeches are his own “shortcoming,” Holm brought levity to the occasion. Holm introduced himself by describing his ideal entrance– a scene of “50 twerk babes twerking it” for him, a fog machine and groovy music.

However, Holm paired his jovial nature with some meaningful advice for the graduates, suggesting students begin a period of self-reflection in order to find both their strengths and shortfalls.

“To get what you want out of life, all you can really do is find out who you are, and do that,” Holm said.

By thinking about who you are, it will help you figure out where you best fit in and what you are worth, Holm said.

Despite emphasizing that everybody is “unique,” Holm said being unique and being special are different, noting that “special” is something people have to work for. 

Holm, who pursued a career in entertainment writing after graduating from UW with a degree in history, reminded graduates of the hard work and determination that goes into achieving one’s goals.

“You have to be able to handle rejection — just get used to it. In fact, love rejection,” Holm said.

Holm emphasized the importance of work ethic, advising students to “always say yes” to extra tasks from their bosses, even if they do not think they can take them on. 

However, his tips were not without comedic relief and awareness of the more fun things in life. 

“Be prepared to work harder than anybody else for what you want, but always take time to watch cartoons,” Holm said. 

Holm ended his points on a more serious note, encouraging curiosity and advising students to always ask questions and “want to know things.” 

Holm concluded along the same thread he began—promoting self-awareness and self-acceptance. 

“Consider what other people think of you, but don’t be afraid of what they think of you,” Holm said. 

Ending on a lighter note, Holm concluded his commencement speech with a quote from actor Jamie Foxx, which he admitted made no sense and had no relation to his advice.

However, according to Holm, “no matter what you say, if you say it slowly, in a cool robe, then it will sound more smarter.

“Jog less.”

The men had been successful, winning 15 of their last 16 games and sweeping the last three weekend series, but Oregon State was a measuring stick on many levels. Oregon State is the Ducks’ rival, their competition for the Pac-12 title, possible competition to host super regionals and the second-highest ranked team they face this season.

Oregon failed to make a statement in the series, getting blown out in the final two games with a -19 run differential. Now, in the final stretch of the season, the Ducks are far from where they want to be.

The Ducks have proved throughout the season that they are a strong team worthy of a top-10 ranking, but their slump, threatening to seep into the postseason, is ill-timed.

Oregon’s pitching, second in the conference and 10th in the nation in ERA, has always been the Ducks’ biggest weapon, but their staff ripped at the seams in the final two games. Oregon State had their way with them, scoring 21 runs in two games. Oregon’s collective ERA on the season is 2.58.

Their defense, best in the country for much of the season, has looked sloppy since mid-April and has dropped from first to fifth over the past month.

Their hitting, something they have struggled with all season, has gone completely cold. Ryon Healy, their best hitter throughout the season, has struggled at the plate over the past couple weeks, often times overthinking his at-bats.

In the final game against Oregon State, Healy had an opportunity he had relished all season: two runners on base, one out, looking at a 3-0 count. He took the fourth pitch and grounded out into a double play to end the inning.

“I thought it was a good pitch,” said Healy after the game. “That was the most frustrating thing, the fact that I wasn’t able to come through for (my team) in that situation.”

Healy showed his frustration after the ground out, throwing his bat into the air as he walked toward the dugout. The flip of the bat was telling of more than just one squandered opportunity though. The Ducks talk often about having a short memory, but their play on Sunday didn’t back up that sentiment.

After Oregon was shut out by freshman pitcher Andrew Moore on Saturday, a former North Eugene High School stand out that was heavily recruited by Oregon, Senior J.J. Altobelli said the solution was simple: just put it in the past.

“Gotta have a quick memory,” said Altobelli.

His thoughts on the solution were more complicated after Sunday’s loss: “I don’t know, (forgetting) is going to be tough. We have to find a way to do it.”

It will be tough as the teams play again on Tuesday, this time in Corvallis. Oregon won’t have their season-long backbone pitching, and with Oregon’s issues primarily being mental, a loss could quickly send them into a tailspin, erasing their Omaha aspirations.

The Ducks are tied with UCLA for second place in the Pac-12 with four games left and are a full two games behind Oregon State. The Ducks have an opportunity to go 3-2 on the series against Oregon State with a win in Corvallis Tuesday, but two of those games are considered non-conference matchups. At this point, the Beavers control their destiny, and the only team that can knock them off the top seat is Washington State, who plays them in a three-game series this weekend.

***

What was devastating to one team was also great for another. As the Beavers crushed the Ducks in two-straight games, pitcher and Eugene native Andrew Moore was named the Pac-12 pitcher of the week for the first time in his young career.

Moore was dominant in the Beavers’ two-hit shutout win this past Saturday and now holds a Pac-12 high 11 wins this season. As a freshman, Moore boasts an impressive 1.34 era, 1.58 in conference play, as well as recording two shutouts.

Moore, who was heavily recruited by George Horton, has quickly become a key piece to the Beavers’ success and holds as a prime example of why the Ducks can’t afford to lose local recruits to the Beavers.

***

Coach Frank Vogel of the Indiana Pacers recently joined the realm of NBA drama as he denied LeBron James’ claim that Vogel considered the Miami Heat to be “just another team.” Vogel went on to say that he is “looking forward to a great series” as his Pacers look to upset the almighty Heat.

The Pacers hold the regular season series against the Heat this year, and though they fell to the Heat in the Eastern Conference semis last season, the Pacers may have the best chance to knock off the defending NBA champions. Game one between the Pacers and Heat will be held this Wednesday in Miami.

As a result of the new product, which debuted last month, the Food and Drug Administration announced on May 6 that it is launching an investigation of the caffeinated gum and many other products containing caffeine. According to Michael R. Taylor of the FDA, “Our concern is about caffeine appearing in a range of new products, including ones that may be attractive and readily available to children and adolescents.”

The most obvious perpetrator of added caffeine made available to kids is soda, but it is not the only one. Several common household items are among the list of foods with added caffeine being investigated, including jelly beans, waffles and syrup. Many of the products containing added caffeine state it on the label, but that doesn’t ensure that they stay out of kids’ hands.

Wrigley’s “Alert Energy” is advertised to contain as much caffeine as one cup of coffee. Parents may not recognize that certain products, such as the gum, contain that much caffeine or even that their children are consuming them.

Some parents may not have a problem with their children ingesting caffein, or they may not understand how much is too much. The FDA has cited that approximately 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is comparable to four or five cups of coffee, is OK for healthy adults.

Ken McClain, a physician at the University of Oregon Health Center, said that while there is not a set level for children and there are not many scientific studies focused around children and caffeine, the general medical consensus is to avoid, or at least limit, caffeine intake for children.

“Physically, children are smaller in size so they are bound to be affected more per milligram of caffeine they drink or eat,” McClain said. “Also, their brains are still developing, which may also have an impact on how they are affected.”

Spencer Oien is one UO student who has experienced the effects of caffeine firsthand. Oien consumes most of his caffeine through a pre-workout supplement called N.O.-Xplode, which contains as much caffeine as approximately two cups of coffee. Oien says his body seems to have become used to the added caffeine and he experiences “caffeine headaches,” a common symptom of caffeine withdrawal, when he doesn’t have that extra boost.

“On days I don’t workout, I have to drink a cup of coffee to avoid getting the headaches,” Oien said. “Otherwise, I don’t eat or drink anything else with caffeine.”

Casey Keller, Wrigley’s president for North America told NPR, “After discussions with the FDA, we have a greater appreciation for its concern about the proliferation of caffeine in the nation’s food supply.” In response to the investigation, Wrigley’s has put the marketing and sales of “Alert Energy” on hold temporarily while the FDA continues its inquiry of the issue.

Oftentimes, students know that things such as suicide and mental disorders are happening all around them, but they don’t know how to help. Suicide Awareness Week, hosted at the University of Oregon from May 20-24 gives students the opportunity to learn more about what suicide looks like on a college campus and how it can be prevented.

“This event is made so we can get out and directly interact with students and give them information, answer questions and provide a place so the campus can know where to get information about suicide prevention,” Donna Miller, Suicide Prevention Team coordinator, said.

Events will begin on Monday with a flag display in the quad between the Lillis Business Complex and the Knight Library. Each one of the 1,200 white flags on the lawn will represent the lives of college students who have committed suicide.

Along with this representation of the losses, on Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the University Counseling and Testing Center, the Suicide Prevention Team, UO Active Minds, White Bird Medical Clinic, Lane County Crisis and National Alliance on Mental Illness will have tables set up at the EMU right above the amphitheater.

“It was extremely important for UO Active Minds to collaborate with the UCTC in hosting Suicide Awareness Week because it is closely related to our mission,” Marita Barger said, who is a current member of Active Minds. “Many college students suffer from stress, anxiety and depression due to a heavy course load and being away from their families. It is common for these students to contemplate suicide. They should know of the resources available at UO that are there to help them get through difficult and trying times.”

Following the important messages spread on Monday, speaker Kevin Hines will speak to students on Tuesday about his experience of having survived a suicide attempt from the Golden Gate Bridge and living with bipolar disorder.

In addition, the Global Scholars Hall will present the film “The Truth about Suicide: Real stories of Depression in College” on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. 

To close the event, UO Active Minds will host Stomp Out the Stigma for the second year in a row in the EMU amphitheater, an event that will inform individuals on how to talk to someone contemplating suicide.

Back in the 1990s, The Baffler, a left-wing journal of criticism and snark, declared that “interns built the Pyramids.” This is, of course, wildly inaccurate since the workers of ancient Egypt were much better paid than the interns of modern America. Also, the Egyptians weren’t so fraught with anxiety about building their resumes (they were busy building pyramids after all) or getting their foot in the door or up the ladder or whatever internships promise.

And that promise is also the problem of internships. Beyond some buzzy rhetoric — internships are “win-win,” “career-boosting” opportunities for “go-getters” interested in “networking” and “gaining relevant experience” — the practice is mostly undefined. As Ross Perlin writes in his 2011 book “Intern Nation,” “What defines an internship depends largely on who’s doing the defining,” i.e. employers, and, Perlin suggests, it is in the interest of employers to define internships as broadly as possible. 

In the United States and most other societies, it is generally frowned upon to have people work without any sort of payment. Thanks to the structure of internships, employers have found a way around compensation laws, having millions of college students and graduates work for nothing, doing things that used to come with a paycheck. Instead of money, most of them receive college credit, which just means that they are paying to work. Other employers insist that unpaid internships are worthwhile because they offer “real world” experience. Perhaps, but that would mean that our nation’s universities aren’t doing their job to prepare and train the next generation. Alas, maybe they aren’t.

All of this is a result of a society and economy growing more and more complex (often just for complexity’s own sake) and mere jobs or gigs becoming professions. This wouldn’t necessarily be bad if we had the appropriate tools and policies at hand to deal with such complexity and professionalization. But we don’t. Modernity is nice and all, what with its iPods and sophisticated dentistry, but it has its drawbacks. Sometimes, it’s enough to long for the days of the pyramids.

The festival, hosted by the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene, will run throughout the month of August, during which time 100 different public workshops, exhibitions and competitions will be hosted at locations throughout the city. Workshops range in variety from hours to days long, free to $500, felting to watercolor painting and will be offered to locals or tourists just passing through.

Brent Hanifl, the Create! Eugene coordinator, hopes that the event will facilitate new opportunities for entrepreneurial artists and distinguish Eugene as an art-tourism destination.

“Getting people to come to Eugene and interact with the art community is a great opportunity,” Hanifl said. “We really wanted to brand Eugene as a creative tourism destination.”

Barger had suffered from depression since the age of 13. At the end of her freshman year, she was faced with typical college troubles, such as arguments with her boyfriend and difficult coursework. The difference was that she was also suffering from a common but serious mental illness that typically causes constant sadness or anxiety and feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness.

In 2011, the American College Health Association administered a nationwide survey and found that about 30 percent of college students reported feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function” at some time in the past year.

Normal negative emotions usually come and pass quickly. Depression causes these deeply rooted and negative feelings to be drawn out, lasting for a long time and consuming many aspects of life. These long-lasting effects often interfere with everyday activities and can severely affect an individual’s well-being.

After struggling and feeling overwhelmed, Barger soon broke down and attempted suicide by overdosing on medication.

“I started to feel sick and began to regret what I had done so I called my friend. He immediately came to my dorm, and in time an ambulance showed up and took me to the hospital,” Barger said. “I stayed in the hospital for about a week until I was discharged.”

Upon her return, Barger hoped for a warm and supportive welcome from her sorority. Even though she was living in the dorms at the time of her suicide attempt, she had planned on living in the house the following year. Instead of a warm welcome, Barger was asked to live outside of the house because the majority of the women felt uncomfortable about the suicide attempt.

“At that moment I realized that these were not people I wanted to associate myself with,” Barger said. “My family, close friends and counseling got me through. Some days are harder than others, but I have a support system which prevents me from attempting to commit suicide in the future.”

Now she’s got the illness beat.

A good support system is one of the key elements to helping a depressed student stop feeling hopeless and exhausted. For those who are depressed, there are people everywhere, including at the University Counseling and Testing Center to help no matter what level of depression or other mental disorder a student may suffer from. And for those interested in being involved and helping others, there are several classes as well as annual suicide prevention trainings.

For those seeking help, seeing a professional can oftentimes be scary, but exploring treatment sooner rather than later can be extremely beneficial. Also, exercise and engaging in activities that interest you are proven to increase the positive aspects of a student’s lifestyle and help symptoms of depression.

Lisa VanWinkle, manager of communications of the project, predicts the biggest impact the engineering phase will have on students who live within a half mile of the projected route is increased contact with EmX workers. Over the course of the next few months, workers will be scouting the neighborhoods and encouraging correspondence from the general public in order to develop the most beneficial plans for the projected route.

The expansion will not impede existing EmX services.

“Our existing EmX service continues on in full strength through all of this,” she said. “During the engineering phase, people may notice surveying crews or technical crews around the route gathering information.”

One possible consequence of the expansion is a new market for more accessible student housing along the route.

“The beauty of this new service when it opens,” she said, “is that it will be one, ongoing route that travels from West Eugene to Springfield. It will be a one-seat ride.”

Students will be able to complete a full-year’s worth of Arabic language studies over the course of the summer. The courses became available Sunday, May 19, after the recent increase of students attempting to enroll in the language.

Arab Student Union Co-Director Hussein Abu-Hamdeh said, as of last week, the University of Oregon added Arabic as a minor for students.

“Interest in the Middle East is becoming more popular and Arabic is widely used there,” Abu-Hamdeh said.

To avoid your bike from being stolen, EPD spokesperson Melinda McLaughlin suggests to buy the most durable lock you can find, preferably a U-bolt. Even in places — garages, storage units and apartments — you think would be a secure place for your bike, she says that a number of bikes have still been stolen, so be sure to secure you bike at all times.

Make sure to register your bike with the EPD and the University of Oregon Police Department. If your bike gets stolen, the EPD and UOPD won’t have to waste any time asking you descriptive details about the bike because they’ll have everything they need on file to start the investigation immediately.

With 846 bikes stolen in 2011 and 848 in 2012, it’s important to consider these tips to ensure the safety of your own bike.

True, the film had its faults: Lovers of Dr. McCoy’s character will be disappointed as he was barely utilized. There’s a half-naked woman for no particular reason, the scene so gratuitous that it’ll knock down the fourth wall with how much it simply screams “pandering to investors!”

But, for its few let downs, allow Benedict Cumberbatch, of BBC’s “Sherlock” fame, to drag you back into the movie with his chilling, otherworldly portrayal of John Harrison, the film’s primary antagonist. Unlike the lazy black-and-white, good vs. evil plot lines provided by many action films today, Cumberbatch portrays a complex character, as sympathetic as he is terrifying. He’s no more “the bad guy” than he is “the good guy,” and not many actors can properly handle that level of characterization in an action sci-fi blockbuster, but Cumberbatch manages it with a darkly seductive voice and a graceful, hidden dangerousness. His performance reads much like a bomb about to go off.

Much less focused on romance than its prequel, “Into Darkness” also provides Zoe Saldana’s Uhura a more bad-ass role on the Starship Enterprise (though the “damsel in distress” baton is picked up by newcomer Alice Eve, who plays Dr. Carol Marcus.)

The film is complex and capable of being confusing if one doesn’t pay close attention (and having knowledge of the Original Series will clue you into twists quicker.)

In all, “Star Trek Into Darkness” was a more enjoyable watch than the 2009 “Star Trek.”

My grade: A

Lately I’ve noticed a developing trend on various media advocating that we should encourage high school students to consider alternatives to attending college. This…

Richardson, an alumna of the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, currently pursues her passion for film as a tenured professor in post-production at the film school. In addition to her work in academia, she is also a full-time film editor. She has worked on 29 films, including “Twilight,” “Warm Bodies” and “The Vow.” Most recently, her work has taken her to the MGM and Screen Gems’ remake of “Carrie.”

Richardson originally intended to be a writer and director. She had some initial luck with screenwriting, but she said she was unhappy. While some of her scripts got picked up, none of them were getting made. But in 1986, some friends from UCLA decided to make the film “Stand and Deliver,” and asked Richardson to become the film editor. She said the more concrete nature of editing lead her to pursue the career path.

“I thoroughly enjoy (editing) far more than I ever did screenwriting,” Richardson said. “It’s a lot more tangible, and you feel that you are actually making the film. You are actually putting it together and shaping it to a place where it will work as a movie.”

Michael Sucsy, the director of “The Vow,” said he believes Richardson has a great talent for editing. He said her greatest strength lies in her ability to express her opinion and to celebrate the nuances of the scenes and actors.

“The thing that I loved was that she embraced the actors’ quirks rather than trying to scrub them out of the performance, and it made it more real,” Sucsy said. “(Richardson) wasn’t afraid to push back with me and work to come up with the best idea. I really valued her opinion.”

Richardson said her process in editing a scene starts with listening to the director’s vision. Relying on empathy, she said she aims to cut and shape the raw footage to capture genuine moments. She said she got lucky with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum in “Step Up” when the pair actually fell in love.

“It’s almost like you’re bodysurfing and you catch a wave and you take that ride through,” Richardson said. “Most of the films I’ve worked on, I’ve managed to really connect with the material. … I’ve worked on all these movies where the actors actually fall in love, and you can see that in the (footage).”

Sucsy said Richardson’s aptitude for understanding the material is a product of her natural talent and her instincts. He said they give her the edge she needs to feel out the rhythm of a scene.

“Like a good dancer, (Richardson) is feeling the rhythm, not thinking about it, and you can see that in her work,” Sucsy said.

Richardson’s repertoire of films in all genres and budgets speaks to her professional success. Fabian Wagmister, the vice chair of the directing and production program, said Richardson, likewise, goes above expectation in the academic environment as well.

“Working with Nancy is intense because she is so passionate about what she does,” Wagmister said. “Any dialogue with Nancy is stimulating because it’s always about the answers of why we do the things we do; it’s never superficial. This is the kind of energy our students need.”

While the dual careers pose a massive time commitment, Richardson said she can’t choose between the two. In spending time in the classroom, she said she takes the energy she sees in her students back to what she does in the editing room.

“I really get a lot out of my film students at UCLA. They’re young, they’re passionate and they have these dreams and goals,” Richardson said. “They may be a little naïve, but they’re certainly not jaded. It helps keep my work more alive, and teaching has kept me fresh.”

Richardson said her work with film, professionally and academically, is a labor of love. She said she believes that good films all have soul – even seemingly shallow movies have take away messages about fun and humanity. She tells her students the best thing they can do is to make soulful films.

“Film, at its essence, reflects the souls of the filmmakers,” Richardson said. “I like to tell my students to develop their souls, because they can’t put anything more in the movie than they have in the depths of their souls, and I think you can absolutely develop your soul in your everyday behavior.”

A class offered at Cal Poly this fall is dedicated to examining the life of the “most popular person on campus,” who also happens to be the most-studied man in history.

Jesus, the class, is coming back for the third time.

Associate religious studies professor Stephen Lloyd-Moffett, who received the College of Liberal Arts Richard Keller Simon Faculty Recognition Award for outstanding teaching in 2011 and has taught the class the previous two times it was offered, is teaching Jesus (RELS 205) in order to give students a chance to learn about Jesus in an academic setting, he said.

“When I came here, it was a surprise that as you walk around campus and listen to people talk, Jesus is the most popular person on campus,” Lloyd-Moffett said. “I think people talk about him more than any other subject, yet there wasn’t any class that was devoted to it. I wanted to provide an environment to give an academic look at who this person is.”

The class examines Jesus from many different perspectives — from the four Gospels in the New Testament to the Quran to the modern movie “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Lloyd-Moffett said.

“Most of the course is looking at what we know about Jesus,” he said, “because it’s always struck me that for a lot of students, they spend more time researching their iPhone than who this person is that they claim to be at the center of their life.”

The class, which will meet from 6 to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, tends to attract “a fairly healthy mix of atheists, fundamentalists and people who are unsure,” Lloyd-Moffett said. There are 165 seats available on PASS, but Lloyd-Moffett said he lets anyone in who needs units or wants to learn about Jesus.

The class isn’t designed to influence students toward or away from a belief in Jesus, and is instead a rare place students can learn about him without an agenda behind the teaching, Lloyd-Moffett said. Symbols from almost every religion can be found on some item or another in his office — his desktop background, flyers for classes he’s offering or books that are stacked on shelves floor-to-ceiling.

“I’m one of the few people who is going to teach about Jesus, who has no stake in what you decide,” he said. “If you hear it and you’re inspired to convert and become a pastor, fine. If you’re a pastor and you take the course and you decide to become an atheist afterward, fine.”

Lloyd-Moffett said, however, it’s rare that someone radically changes their worldview or faith after taking the Jesus class; but faith tends to transform throughout one’s life anyway, he said.

“Here’s what I always find, nobody’s faith stays the same, but that doesn’t mean that it gets worse or better or stronger,” he said. “As you go through life, you encounter data, and you re-adjust your worldview as data comes.”

Ethnic studies junior Kate O’Leary, who is currently in the “Monotheisms: Judaism, Christianity and Islam” class taught by Lloyd-Moffett, said he’s “an incredible professor, really helpful (and) really engaging.”

O’Leary hopes to fit the Jesus class into her fall schedule.

“Being a believer and a Christian, I thought it’d be super interesting to get an academic perspective on his life and history,” she said. “I’m really interested and curious.”

Although some administration had initial doubts when Lloyd-Moffett introduced the idea, he said the class has since proven to be “an academic look at the person of Jesus.”

“The administration was a little skeptical because initially they were worried about, you know, ‘Does this become a form for proselytizing?’ and things like that,” he said.

But despite the early uncertainties, the class was named one of the “must-have classes before graduation” in the New Times 2010 student guide and has not been met by any resistance from religious campus groups or churches.

Lloyd-Moffett said he meets with campus groups such as SLO Cru, Newman Catholic Center and InterVarsity to invite students involved in those organizations to enroll.

Lloyd-Moffett said he agrees with the premise of a Tibetan monk ideal, which involves practicing arguments with other monks — one monk argues the Tibetan position and one argues the opposition, and then they switch sides when the abbot, or the head of an abbey of monks, rings a bell, he said.

“The idea is, you should know the arguments for and against so well, and then hold what you hold,” Lloyd-Moffett said.

The class uses the Bible as the main source of information about Jesus because, as Lloyd-Moffett explained, the New Testament Gospels are the primary sources about his life.

But the class also uses Greek, Roman and Jewish sources, as well as Christian texts that didn’t become part of the Bible, in addition to studying Jesus in Hinduism and Islam. The class also broaches theories that Jesus never existed and a more recent book that claims Jesus is a symbol for magic mushrooms, Lloyd-Moffett said.

Philosophy senior Derrick Crowe, who took the class from Lloyd-Moffett last time it was offered, said the Jesus class convinced him to become a religious studies minor.

Crowe said one of the most interesting topics covered in the class was the examination of the Christmas story and what is actually known from historical texts about the version popularly told today.

“(Lloyd-Moffett) did a very good job from a historical perspective,” Crowe said. “He looked at it from a very objective stance and looked at the argument for and against everything.”

Lloyd-Moffett said, as a professor, he’s there to present all the data about Jesus and discuss it in an academic setting — the rest is up to the students.

“If one wants to embrace Christ, you should know every argument that’s against it and every argument for it,” he said. “If you want to completely reject and be an atheist on everything, you still have an obligation to understand the arguments for and against.”

According to a member of Facilities Management, the emergency crews are responding to an unidentified caucasian male who jumped off the top of the deck early Monday morning.

Police on the scene declined to comment.

Niner Times will continue updating as the situation progresses.

Dishcrawl, a restaurant tour that has swept the nation, will make its debut here in Eugene on Wednesday. Four restaurants, all of which are kept a secret until 48 hours prior to the event, will serve their trademark dishes to a group of between 25 and 40 adventurous customers. The guests will make their way on foot between the restaurants, stopping for food, drink, conversation and dessert along the way.

“It’s a personal, VIP experience for all the guests,” said Rosalie Ruff, Eugene’s Dishcrawl ambassador.

Each restaurant’s chef and owner will address the group and discuss their restaurant and the plate in front of the customers. “They really enjoyed seeing who made their food,” said Sara Figueroa, who coordinated a Dishcrawl event in Portland, stressing that this intimate experience is one of Dishcrawl’s highlights.

“I haven’t heard of anything quite like this,” Ruff said of the event’s uniqueness. “You’re basically out to try food at four different restaurants. There’s no strings attached or anything.”

“I don’t know of anything that’s as simple and as easy and user-friendly as Dishcrawl.”

Forty-five dollar tickets to Wednesday’s event are available to everyone — adults, children, couples, individuals, groups of friends, fine-diners and casual eaters — until the day of the event. “We have an eclectic lineup,” she said. “You’re going to be experiencing something fairly nice, or maybe something kind of hole in-the-wall.”

The food is certainly the focal point of the evening, but it isn’t the only reason Dishcrawl has found success throughout the U.S. and Canada. “It’s not just about the food,” Ruff said. “It’s about the experience.”

“What we are really trying to do is get people out of their favorite restaurants,” Ruff said. “It’s really about getting you out of your bubble.”

Ruff and a few dozen optimistic eaters will get out of their bubbles Wednesday at 7 p.m. If exploring Eugene’s top restaurants for a night of food and friends sounds up your alley, lace up your walking shoes and join them.

They came, they saw, they conquered. CSU overcame conference opponent BYU in the semis, and then battled it out with rival CU-Boulder in the MCLA championship in Greenville, SC, rolling over the Buffs 7-2 to win back-to-back National Championships.

The RMLC proved itself as the cream of the crop in this year’s tournament, represented by three of the final four teams.

CSU defeated BYU 9-7 and CU came away with a 5-4 victory over Arizona State in the semifinals to set the stage for an all-Colorado championship.

“Our league is the best league in the country, so it was kind of expected when the brackets came out, and we were more than happy to see them again,” said senior face-off specialist Dan Warfield.

Saturday’s matchup was the third meeting between the Rams and Buffs this year, who were ranked first and second in the country, respectively, for most of the regular season. CSU was able to fend off the CU in all three games, winning 8-3, 9-6, and finally 7-2 on Saturday.

“You want to play the best teams to get the championship, and they were two of the better teams we played all season,” said junior attackman Sean Smith. “It wouldn’t feel right if we didn’t go through BYU and CU to get to the championship.”

As it has done all season, the CSU defense stifled the opponent, keeping the Buffs off of the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. Senior defender Tyler Zabor spearheaded the effort, grabbing six ground balls.

“The whole season our defense has been awesome,” said senior attackman Kacy Carter. “They have been the staple of our team for the past 4 years, and they give us the confidence we need to think we are going to win every single game.”

CSU goalie committee Jack Regan and Koltin Fatzinger were both at the top of their game Saturday, allowing just two CU goals, the lowest amount CSU allowed against a ranked opponent this year.

“Our defense was incredible,” said Smith. “As an offense we are pretty lucky to be able to go against them every day in practice, because they are the best in the league. What they did on Saturday showed everybody how good they really are, how dominant they can be.”

On the offensive end, the Rams put together a characteristically balanced offensive attack. The line comprised of seniors Kacy Carter and Austin Fisher and junior Sean Smith have been a nightmare for teams across the nation this season, and true to their selfless nature, each of them notched two points in the game.

For an entire year, Head Coach Alex Smith stressed the importance of peaking at the right time to his players. On Saturday, they proved to him that they were capable of doing just that, burying the Buffaloes on their way to their 6^th National Championship. The Rams finished the season a perfect 21-0.

“It’s a lot of fun, and its pretty amazing to think about being undefeated,” said Carter. “Coming into the year we were ranked number one and everyone was talking about how we were supposed to win it all, and that was a lot of pressure. So to pull this off and go undefeated is awesome.”

The Rams found themselves heavily represented in the MCLA All-American teams. Fisher and senior defender Hayden Porter were named 1^st team All-Americans, and another 10 Rams made their way on to the second, third, and honorable mention All-American teams.

Additionally, Austin Fisher was named the winner of this year’s Godekeraw Award, given to a player who has shown superior achievement in both on the field play and academics.

“This senior class has been probably the best we’ve ever had,” said Smith. “Missing Austin is going to be big. Playing with him is so easy because he makes everyone better. We are all best friends off the field as well, so we are going to miss having them around, but at least we were able to send them off with a bang.”

Club Sports Beat Reporter Tyrus Coder can be reached at sports@collegian.com

CSU’s perfect 2013 season (21-0):

Goals scored: 262

Goals allowed: 89

2/16 — W vs Northern Colorado, 22-8 (scrimmage)

2/17 — W vs Colorado Mesa, 5-4 (scrimmage)

2/22 — W vs Utah State, 21-2

2/23 — W vs Westminster, 14-7

3/2 — W vs UC Santa Barbara, 11-10

3/3 — W at UNLV, 9-5

3/7 — W vs Loyola Marymount, 13-3

3/9 — W vs Simon Fraser, 16-7

3/10 — W vs Virginia Tech, 14-5

3/16 — W at Michigan State, 9-3

3/17 — W at Minnesota-Duluth, 11-0

3/25 — W vs Chapman, 5-4

4/5 — W at BYU, 16-5

4/6 — W at Utah, 13-2

4/12 — W vs Georgia, 12-7

4/13 — W vs New Mexico, 19-0

4/20 — W vs Colorado, 8-3

2013 RMLC Playoffs:

5/3 — W vs Utah, 17-4

5/4 — W vs Colorado, 9-6

2013 MCLA National Championships:

5/13 — W vs Purdue, 20-3

5/14 — W vs Sonoma State, 9-4

5/16 — W vs BYU, 9-7

5/18 — W vs Colorado, 7-2

“We lacked a lot of intensity,” head coach Chris Watkins said. “We had the ball but we didn’t play as hard as we should have.”

BYU controlled the ball for most of the game but were sluggish. They had multiple chances in both halves to score, tallying five shots on goal, but a spectacular match-long effort by the Foxes’ goalkeeper kept the Cougars scoreless. BYU’s passing was especially effective Saturday night. The Cougars converted over 60 percent of their passes, while the Foxes converted less than 50 percent in the second half of the match.

The Foxes came out strong offensively, scoring midway through the first half. But it wasn’t until the second half that Real Colorado really took over the game. Colorado forward Josh Fallin scored twice in the second half to put the game away for the Foxes.

Cougar forward Garrett Losee suffered a broken arm in the second half when he collided with a Colorado player in the box. Losee had broken the same arm earlier in the year and was close to being fully healed when it was re-broken on Saturday. His playing status is unknown, but with a long week and a half of rest in front of him, he will hopefully be ready to play by the Cougars’ home opener May 31.

It was a tough physical game that resulted in more than a few penalties, including yellow cards for a couple of Cougars, Alex Neff in the 54th minute and Tanner Whitworth in the 94th minute, as well as a yellow given to Colorado forward Fallin in the 53rd minute.

The loss dropped the Cougars to fourth overall in their division behind Fresno. The top two teams in each division are awarded an automatic berth into the league tournament at the end of the season.

Despite the loss, the Cougars are hopeful for the rest of the season. They have played four of their seven road games already, and are looking forward to their regular season South Field debut on May 31 against the LA Misioneros.

Boston Police Department Officer James Kenneally said a car hit the pedestrian near Beacon Street and Charlesgate West at about 3:30 p.m.

The pedestrian, a female bicyclist in her early twenties, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a Sunday BPD press release.

Bay State Road is currently shut down from Charlesgate West to Silber Way, with caution tape blocking off the street as officers investigate at the scene. The road’s sidewalks remain open, but no vehicular or pedestrian traffic is permitted on the street.

BPD officials with the Accident Reconstruction Team are currently investigating the incident, according to the release. The cause of the accident has yet to be identified.

I check the Daily Beast and NPR multiple times per day. I also peruse whatever interesting articles come up on Reddit or my Facebook feed. It was only the last that informed me about this shooting, when somebody linked to an article asking why people were not getting upset about this. In the past few days, the story has been in the very bottom of the extended Cheat Sheet at the Daily Beast, far below the top 10 headlines. The news barely seemed to notice that innocent people celebrating their mothers in a community parade were violently shot at, and only retained their lives by virtue of luck and talented first responders. The perpetrators of this crime were at large for quite some time, yet the news media did not rise up in collective alarm.

The lack of compassion for urban violence in America is astounding and disgusting. It should not matter that such shootings have less of an “Oh, this could happen to me!” effect. Violence is violence, regardless of whether it is terrorism or gang-related or anything. Do you think that when a six-month old baby is killed in Chicago, family and friends just accept such senseless violence as a fact of urban life? To them, it is just as tragic as the Boston bombing or any act of terrorism. But in suburban and rural towns across America, people shrug and say, “Eh, it’s Chicago (or Detroit or New Orleans or Los Angeles).”

The death and injury of innocents because of violent assault, gun-related or otherwise, should be treated and respected with compassion regardless of its origin. That does not mean that news reports should invade the lives of these victims, or spend hours and days poring over the mindsets and personal lives of violent criminals. There is a difference between unconstructive and disrespectful sensationalizing (e.g. the focus on the Aurora shooter), and respectfully compassionate coverage and acknowledgement of the intense pain violent crimes bring to individuals.

Regardless of where they live, people are people. Urban violence is just as harrowing and unacceptable as any violence. I am choosing not to weigh in on the debate over gun policy here, nor stating a political opinion. Instead, I want to ask why it takes a tragedy like the Newtown, Conn., shootings to jolt America’s public consciousness. I want to ask why deaths from urban violence do not sicken people across the country and make them cry out loudly for reform. Quite frankly, something that is “strictly an act of street violence,” as Mary Beth Romig of the FBI labeled the New Orleans shooting, is not any less of a tragedy than a mass shooting in a suburban public space.

Obviously, we cannot give the same level of attention or emotion to every tragedy. As humans, we do not have the capacity to constantly feel others’ pain so deeply. However, realizing the limits of our emotion is not a free pass to show an astounding lack of compassion for urban violence. Just as no runners at the Boston Marathon expected what happened that day, nobody at the Mother’s Day parade in New Orleans expected a shootout. The location does not change the humanity and innocence of those attending the parade.

Simply put, the national news media as a whole failed astoundingly in their coverage of this tragedy. There were more articles and comments on Angelina Jolie’s double mastectomy than there were of the Mother’s Day shooting. I do not advocate for the sensationalizing of tragedies, nor the morbid fascination America has with mass murderers or psychopaths. However, for the safety and knowledge of the American public, mass shootings need to be reported on. They should be given equal attention in the media, whether they are “strictly street violence” or terrorist attacks. Unprovoked and random acts of violence are not okay, and should not be normalized nor dismissed as urban warfare. Victims deserve compassion, regardless of where they live.

Dishcrawl, a restaurant tour that has swept the nation, will make its debut here in Eugene on Wednesday. Four restaurants, all of which are kept a secret until 48 hours prior to the event, will serve their trademark dishes to a group of between 25 and 40 adventurous customers. The guests will make their way on foot between the restaurants, stopping for food, drink, conversation and dessert along the way.

“It’s a personal, VIP experience for all the guests,” said Rosalie Ruff, Eugene’s Dishcrawl ambassador.

Each restaurant’s chef and owner will address the group and discuss their restaurant and the plate in front of the customers. “They really enjoyed seeing who made their food,” said Sara Figueroa, who coordinated a Dishcrawl event in Portland, stressing that this intimate experience is one of Dishcrawl’s highlights.

“I haven’t heard of anything quite like this,” Ruff said of the event’s uniqueness. “You’re basically out to try food at four different restaurants. There’s no strings attached or anything.”

“I don’t know of anything that’s as simple and as easy and user-friendly as Dishcrawl.”

Forty-five dollar tickets to Wednesday’s event are available to everyone — adults, children, couples, individuals, groups of friends, fine-diners and casual eaters — until the day of the event. “We have an eclectic lineup,” she said. “You’re going to be experiencing something fairly nice, or maybe something kind of hole in-the-wall.”

The food is certainly the focal point of the evening, but it isn’t the only reason Dishcrawl has found success throughout the U.S. and Canada. “It’s not just about the food,” Ruff said. “It’s about the experience.”

“What we are really trying to do is get people out of their favorite restaurants,” Ruff said. “It’s really about getting you out of your bubble.”

Ruff and a few dozen optimistic eaters will get out of their bubbles Wednesday at 7 p.m. If exploring Eugene’s top restaurants for a night of food and friends sounds up your alley, lace up your walking shoes and join them.

***

The preliminary qualifiers for the NCAA Track and Field Championships to be hosted in Eugene, will take place this weekend. The east qualifiers will be in North Carolina and the west will take place in Texas. The prelims are May 23-25 while the championships are June 5-8. Full list of prelim participants for men in the west is here. For the list of ladies partaking in the Texas qualifiers click here.

***

Inspirational runner Oscar Pistorious turned into the subject of much maligning after being charged with murdering his girlfriend. The trial is upcoming and Pistorious has been allowed to travel. Recently he officially withdrew from any running events this year. 

“A lot of the time, the term ‘intern’ has the negative connotation that you don’t know anything as a college student,” senior public relations and advertising major Megan Bauer said. “You have to put yourself in a position where you have to be taken seriously or they think of you as someone who’s just starting and who isn’t really knowledgeable.”

And she would know. Upon graduating from the University of Oregon this spring, Bauer will have performed five internships and attained two professional job titles in the career field of her choice.

Although her personal experience is driven primarily by the intrinsic motivation to explore her future career prospects, Bauer’s resume reflects the kind of rigorous extracurricular agenda demanded by the modern white-collar work force.

In an increasingly competitive job market, impressive classroom work, glowing professor recommendations or an impressive grade point average can no longer be counted on to guarantee college graduates a jump start in their desired career field. Instead, job applicants are expected to have professional experience under their belts before hitting the job market.

Unfortunately, this often means working for free, and bearing the brunt of the office jokes.

Steve Bagwell, managing editor of the Yamhill Valley News-Register, would never consider hiring an employee without real-world intern or professional experience. In order to impress veterans of the journalism industry, he says, it’s necessary to demonstrate professional drive and dedication, regardless of whether or not it comes with a paycheck.

“The chances that your first internship will be paid are very slim. You’ve pretty much got to do an unpaid (internship) to get into the running,” Bagwell said. “If you’re not doing internships and you’re not working with campus media, you’re not setting the bar for what it takes.”

In response to this type of employer mindset, the U.S. Department of Labor announced in April of 2010 six guidelines used to regulate unpaid internships, drawing a fine line between voluntary, educational work and bona-fide slave labor. Among these restrictions are the stipulations that internship experience must reflect learning found in an “educational,” rather than industrial environment, that an employer can’t benefit disproportionately as a direct result of an intern’s labor and that both parties have agreed upon the terms of an uncompensated contract for the benefit of the intern, with no promise of a future paid position.

Some employers find these restrictions an undue limitation on their ability to hire interns.

“In this job you learn by doing, not watching,” said Joe Beach, editor of Salem’s Capital Press, an agricultural newspaper. “I think that you, as a student or reporter who gets experience, should have the power to decide whether you want to work for free or not.”

Despite the willingness — and sometimes even desperation — of students to gain experience, Beach refuses to take on unpaid interns. Although he’d like to help educate as many fledgling reporters as possible, he simply doesn’t have the funds to recruit more than a few paid interns and he’d rather not face federal retribution for an inability to pay every reporter who wants to contribute.

For students, this only increases the pressure.

“I knew that if you didn’t have an internship under your belt when you graduated, you wouldn’t get a job,” UO alumna Emily Jaffe said. “I knew that it was incredibly competitive in where you worked and what internships you got.”

Despite the hesitation of her parents, and the fact that it meant living at home as a poor college student, it was this competition that pushed Jaffe to take an unpaid internship in her hometown of Los Angeles in the summer of 2012. As a “web development” intern, she spent her days fetching coffee for company executives, with her own gas money.

After that, Jaffe participated in a paid internship in Portland in which she was paid little, demanded to work late hours on quick-turn around projects on short notice, and caught in the middle of a war between two conflicting supervisors.

Despite her unfortunate experiences, Jaffe believes that things turned out for the best. After graduating from the UO at the end of fall term 2012, she took a job at the PR firm that she interned for in LA — where her boss was so impressed by her dedication during her unpaid internship that he offered her a bonus at the end of the summer — and she also received a job offer from the firm in Portland, which she promptly declined.

In her opinion, the banality of the internship is a necessity that’s almost impossible to escape.

“An internship is a sacrifice,” Jaffe said. “You know you’re going to be a poor college student no matter what. But you don’t want to be a poor college student after you graduate. It’s definitely important to take those internships.”

Bauer never had to go on coffee runs. However, as a financially independent student, she has had to learn to manage part time jobs and unpaid professional experience in order to stay ahead in her career field. Unfortunately, she has also had the bitter experience of having to relinquish a renowned internship experience for the sake of her wallet.

When an opportunity arose to intern for the summer at Buzzmedia, a PR group in Los Angeles, financial restraints forced Bauer to pass it up, despite its networking possibilities.

“It’s a good opportunity because they work with a lot of celebrities and it’s a big name. It would look amazing on a resume,” Bauer said. “I just didn’t think there was any way possible for me to move down there and work for 30 or 40 hours a week and not be paid. I just couldn’t afford it.”

Two days after walking at graduation on June 17, Bauer will begin her sixth — and hopefully final — professional internship. After completing years of public relations and advertising work, Bauer is confident in her abilities to start out as an entry-level employee. She recognizes that a career-oriented internship with esteemed PR firm Waggener Edstrom Worldwide was too good to pass up, despite the fact that it means donning the title of “intern” once again.

In the end, it all boils down to the job prospects.

“It’s a little bit hard for me because I know that I’m ready for entry level, but I know that it will be a good opportunity,” Bauer said of her coming internship. “I think that I’m still a little disappointed that I’m starting with an internship, but they promote you after three months to an entry level position … So that’s why I decided to take it.”

]]> http://uwire.com/2013/05/20/no-experience-no-job-the-failures-and-successes-of-a-college-intern/feed/ 0 http://uwire.com/2013/05/20/debate-team-moves-forward-amidst-disagreements-about-supervision-and-policy/ http://uwire.com/2013/05/20/debate-team-moves-forward-amidst-disagreements-about-supervision-and-policy/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 14:02:43 +0000 Shelly Le http://whitmanpioneer.com/?p=71046 This article was written by Shelly Le, Rachel Alexander and Karah Kemmerly. Emily Lin-Jones and Blair Hanley Frank contributed additional reporting.

This article is the third in a three-part series about Whitman’s debate team. Part one examines the debate team’s culture, including accusations made about pervasive sexism and excessive drinking. Part two focuses on the Title IX investigation conducted in the spring of 2012 and reactions to it.

An editors’ note accompanying this series can be found here.

Following last spring’s Title IX investigation, the debate team made a number of changes in response to concerns regarding team culture. One aspect of team culture addressed was the relationship between students and assistant coaches.

Assistant coaches are almost always recent graduates, often just a year removed from being Whitman students. Despite their closeness in age to members of the team, they are hired as members of Whitman’s instructional staff and are expected to conform to the same codes of conduct as other staff members.

Former debaters Kate Kight ’13, Ethan Robertson ’13, and Nicole Seibert* all said that during their time on the team, assistant coaches would regularly drink and party with team members. Although Director of Forensics Jim Hanson maintains that he does not tolerate this type of behavior, the team attends anywhere from 22 to 25 conferences per year, of which he personally attends 14 to 16. At other conferences, team members are entirely supervised by assistant coaches.

Kight acknowledged that the team’s culture may have changed during the three years since she left, and said the growing numbers of women and people of color on the team were a good sign of movement in the right direction. Still, she said Hanson was largely unaware of the problematic aspects of debate culture during her time on the team. While she generally felt he was supportive, she also didn’t feel that she could come forward with complaints about the culture of the team without being ostracized by other team members.

“I don’t think he ever saw the impact that the culture had on us,” she said.

Kight responded to debaters who have said that Hanson shouldn’t be held responsible for the problematic behavior of other students and assistant coaches.

“That’s fine until someone like me gets hurt and isn’t able to come forward … [The team] makes it really hard to come forward. They make it really hard for people to feel safe. That’s not the kind of school Whitman is,” she said.

Ultimately, she said Hanson is responsible for the overall atmosphere on the team, including the conduct of assistant coaches.

Seibert agreed, noting that an assistant coach was at the party she attended as a prospective student, and was drinking and smoking marijuana with students. She felt that Hanson should have been aware that the team was taking high school students to a party and considered that they would be put in a vulnerable position by not knowing their way around campus.

“That’s a huge, huge oversight and indicative of serious misjudgment,” she said.

Guidelines for coaches
In recent years, Hanson has coordinated with the administration to make various changes to the contract that assistant coaches are required to sign upon being hired. This year’s staff of assistant coaches was required to sign an updated version of the contract in January 2013, which is embedded below. Among various guidelines, the contract forbids coaches from partying or drinking with students.

Forensic Coach Duties and Philosophy Sheets by WhitmanPioneer

Hanson said he works directly with coaches throughout the year to provide guidance and training so that they will meet the college’s expectations for them.

“Once selected, I work with the college to ensure that coaches understand the school’s policies regarding staff,” he wrote in an email. “I lead by example, and I ensure that assistant coaches are aware of my personal expectations about how we work with and interact with team members, and I’ve done that for 21 years.”

President George Bridges felt the expectations about coaches not partying with students are reasonable, despite the fact that many assistant coaches were members of the debate team just months before they were hired as staff.

“I believe it’s totally realistic, and I believe that the assistant coaches are employees and staff of Whitman College and have to be held to the same high standards and expectations as other employees.”

He also said these responsibilities were clearly communicated to assistant coaches.

Rising sophomore Meritt Salathe, a member of the policy team, said the administration fails to see the benefits of social relationships between assistant coaches and team members. She said that coaches often help new Whitman debaters connect with other members of the national debate circuit.

“I think that it’s difficult when looking at debate from an outside perspective to figure out what a good relationship between students and assistant coaches is. Coaches have just graduated, so they’re still involved with the community. It makes for a better team community if debaters interact and hang out with the coaches. They can introduce you to people from other teams, and it makes an inclusive environment,” she said.

Debater Jean Erickson* also emphasized that because assistant coaches are often alumni of the debate team, many friendships between coaches and students developed when coaches were students themselves. She feels that the administration has unrealistic hopes for assistant coaches.

“I’ve been very close with several of the assistant coaches, and I think they’re an important part of building team dynamics. They’re not supposed to hang out with us, which is stupid. They do, though, and they’re an important part of building the team up,” she said.

Sean Mulloy, a rising senior policy debater who has been on the team for three years, pointed out that many faculty are able to drink with students who are 21 and over, yet assistant coaches are expressly prohibited from doing the same, which he sees as a double standard.

“They have to remember that we are adults and the coaches are adults,” he said.

Rising senior Ben Menzies, another policy debater who has been on the team for three years, also noted that rules for behavior regarding drinking are defined differently for assistant debate coaches than for most other faculty or staff on campus.

“At some level, I feel that attempts to regulate the lives of adults of age are not only pointless, but ethically dubious, especially when this level of scrutiny is not applied to any other position on campus … The way in which this standard seems to be applied to debate coaches, specifically, seems to me to be an exploitation of the fact that they don’t have a way to appeal any administrative decisions—they don’t have tenure,” he said.

Administrative relations with debate

In addition to expressing concerns about the administration’s treatment of assistant coaches, some debaters have been unhappy with the overall manner in which the administration handled their investigation into the team and displeased with some of the effects of these investigations.

Mulloy said Hanson implemented a number of new rules for the team during the past year in response to administrative concerns following the Title IX investigation. While he was happy to see problematic aspects of debate culture being addressed, Mulloy felt some of these rules were either overreaching or unnecessary, including one that prohibited the team from discussing sex at debate events. Mulloy also said that while some aspects of debate culture are problematic, the team has been excessively scrutinized compared to other campus programs such as varsity athletics.

“I think there’s been a higher level of scrutiny on the debate team than on other programs at the college,” he said.

Alumna Miranda Morton ‘13 said she fully understands any concerns the administration may have had in the past and believes action to change these concerns may have been necessary. However, she was unhappy overall with the solutions to these problems.

“Any of the investigations and preliminary sessions that have happened because of different problems of the debate team I [wholeheartedly] think were appropriate and positive. If there is turmoil on the team, I think it’s the team’s job and the administration’s job to try and find a way to fix that,” she said. “That being said, I don’t think the administration has handled trying to solve any of the problems of the team in an effective manner, or in a student-focused manner.”

Mulloy understood administrative concerns about debate culture, but emphasized the improvements made by the team. He said the culture revolves less around drinking and partying than it did when he started, and the current policy team is welcoming of new members.

“We don’t pressure our freshmen to do anything. We welcome them fully as team members,” he said.

Rising senior Paige Joki also noted that the team has become a lot closer and more inclusive in the past two years, in part because of Hanson’s efforts to make debate a safe space to talk about all issues. Hanson started a discussion on diversity and inclusivity in the debate community at the Whitman Swing Tournament in February 2013.

“[The discussion] really challenged me to think of the way our community operates, and to try to make improvements to those areas, to make sure other debaters of all backgrounds feel that they’re respected and appreciated in the community,” said Joki.

According to Joki, Hanson’s commitment towards issues of race, gender and sexuality has made the Whitman debate team overall more inclusive towards individuals of all backgrounds.

“Jim is one of the champions of inclusivity; he instills an ethic of acceptance in each one of his debaters and his students. In his classes, race, gender, sexuality are always at the forefront; we always consider social location … I can’t imagine someone more dedicated to understanding and enforcing these things,” Joki said.

Other debaters have also expressed frustrations with the fact that the administration seems to be focusing on past events and not on current debate culture.

“The administration needs to separate events of the past from the current conditions of the team. If there were problems in the past—especially legal problems in the past—those are not indicative of the climate and conditions of the debate team now,” said Morton. “Because it seems that the administration has very little knowledge of what’s going on with the team now, everything seems to relay back to old problems, which gets the debate team in cycles of blame.”

Morton reiterated that Hanson has been a leading proponent of the administration’s requests for changes to the debate team.

“Jim is an amazing liaison between the administration and the students. He was constantly working to implement the administration’s changes, but he faced challenges from his students who didn’t understand them. But I think he did a really excellent job of managing that,” she said.

Moving forward

Although Associate Dean of Students Clare Carson would not comment on the specifics of the Title IX investigation, she saw having a new full-time director as an opportunity to make the team more inclusive, noting that a full-time position would allow the coach to devote more time to addressing concerns.

In seeking a new director, Bridges hopes to find someone who can foster an inclusive environment.

“We also seek a director who will cultivate an environment in which students learn and develop through successful training and competition,” he wrote in an email. “As with all of our programs and teams, an essential ingredient of this environment is an atmosphere of respect that promotes the well-being and dignity of all students regardless of their gender, background and orientation, and that affords all participants equal opportunities to compete at the highest levels, advance intellectually and develop interpersonally.”

The debate team has met with the administration twice since Hanson’s resignation, and these discussions have largely been focused on creating an advisory group consisting of alumni, current debaters and a faculty member to provide input for a new director.

Menzies said he was happy with these plans for an advisory group, especially because he felt that current team members have more knowledge about debate and about the qualities of a good director than most administrators do. However, he is frustrated that choosing to involve the team more directly in the search for a new director was ever a question at all.

“While the conversations have been productive, as preliminary discussions can be, I’m very disappointed that we’ve seemed to have conversations on whether or not the team should be involved,” he said.

Morton would like to see a director who is a Ph.D. candidate at least, who has experience with debate and the administrative tools to book and plan trips for 20 or more people. She also stressed it would be a good idea either to hire an interim director or to set aside a year-long training period so that Hanson can work with the new director.

“When Jim took over as director of forensics from Bob Withycombe over 20 years ago, there was an entire year of transition, and that’s really important to maintaining the success of the debate team,” Morton said.

Debaters also hope more two-way conversation will occur between team members and the administration about hiring decisions and future administrative choices regarding the team.

“I feel that we’ve made some positive steps in reestablishing our relationship with the administration, but I still think that we have a long way to go in order to ensure that that relationship continues,” said Joki. “Like maintaining open lines of communication and ensuring that we have a staff next year.”

Menzies said in the past there have been conversations between the administration and individuals of the team or the team as a whole, but he feels the administration has not kept team members in the loop about changes to the team as a result of these conversations.

“In these conversations we were promised transparency. These conversations were followed by weeks, months of silence from the administration,” he said.

Some debaters hope communication between the administration and the team in future years can be focused more on positive reinforcement. Morton said most team interaction with the administration in the past year has been negative. Next year, she hopes there can be an acknowledgement of each other’s feelings and concerns.

“The administration has, if anything, in the students’ views, placed the students as the place to undue blame on the coaches and the students and make it harder for us to continue to be competitive and continue to learn and grow,” she said.

Hanson said he was heartened to see support from students and alumni and appreciated the call for administrative transparency with regard to the investigation.

“I personally believe in transparency and ensuring that our school and its programs follow ethical, professional and humane policies toward all faculty, staff and students. I’ve worked hard to create that ethos at Whitman, and I believe it is part of who we are as a community.”

*Due to debate’s tight-knit community and possible repercussions that could arise from being named, several sources requested to remain anonymous. Pseudonyms have been given to these sources.

read the Letter From the Editors

This article is the second in a three-part series about Whitman’s debate team. Part one examines the debate team’s culture, including accusations made about pervasive sexism and excessive drinking. Part three discusses the transition following Director of Forensics Jim Hanson stepping down, and what having a new, full-time coach will mean for the team.

An editors’ note accompanying this series can be found here.

Whitman’s Title IX investigation into the debate team began in the spring of 2012 after the administration received a report that a Whitman assistant debate coach had sexually assaulted an assistant coach from another school at a tournament.

While Title IX, which was signed into federal law in 1972, is best known for requiring schools that receive federal funds to provide equal funding to athletic programs, its provisions reach far beyond the realm of athletics. The law states that no person should be subjected to discrimination at a federally funded education program based on sex. According to the Supreme Court, those provisions extend to prevention of sexual harassment at institutions governed by Title IX as well.

In a 2011 letter, the U.S. Department of Education reminded educational institutions that sexual misconduct falls under the purview of Title IX and that it is the job of each institution to investigate any claims of sexual misconduct as a part of its compliance with Title IX.

The same letter required schools to designate an employee as the Title IX coordinator, responsible for overseeing any investigations into complaints made under that statute and for rectifying any situations that make students feel unsafe. In response to this directive, Associate Dean of Students Clare Carson was appointed Whitman’s Title IX administrator during the summer of 2011.

The sexual assault case reported to Whitman involved Lindsay VanLuvanee, who was chaperoning the Pocatello High School Debate Team at the Whitman High School Debate Tournament in the fall of 2010. After hanging out with friends at Whitman, an assistant debate coach offered to give VanLuvanee a ride home. VanLuvanee ended up staying at this coach’s house, and she fell asleep watching television with him. VanLuvanee then woke up to the assistant debate coach sexually assaulting her.

VanLuvanee says that she chose not to report the incident to the Whitman administration or local authorities, and she actively hid it from Hanson because she had had a former unrelated, uncomfortable incident reporting a case of sexual assault to the police. However, someone later reported the event to the college without her knowledge or permission. VanLuvanee doesn’t know whether the person who reported it was a debater, a coach or someone else, or when the incident was reported.

When the investigation began in the spring of 2012, VanLuvanee was phoned for a conference call with a Title IX investigation board that asked questions regarding the event and how comfortable she felt reporting sexual assault to the Whitman administration. In addition, the board asked VanLuvanee if she felt that Hanson’s response to the incident was sufficient.

Concerns about procedure

VanLuvanee feels that the questions she was asked during her conference call with the Title IX board placed her in an uncomfortable position.

“Some of the questions they asked me felt very inappropriate. For example, a lot of the questions were focused on Jim, as opposed to the actual person in question or the event itself,” she said. “I felt like I was forced to place judgement on Jim and the team; it felt like the questions required more speculation than perspective and facts that I could offer.”

Other debate members were also called in to answer questions regarding the former assistant debate coach, as well as the general atmosphere of the team and Hanson’s role as debate team director.

Parliamentary debater and rising senior Paige Joki was also called in to speak with the Title IX board. She said that she had been told the college needed help regarding a hiring decision for the debate team. After she went in for questioning, the board told her the hiring decision had been made, but they had questions to ask about the assistant coach who had sexually assaulted VanLuvanee and about the team culture as a whole.

“I ultimately felt that when I was notified that I wasn’t in there for an employment decision, that I had been lied to,” she said. “I felt like they were using authority in a way that was inappropriate to begin with.”

Additionally, Joki felt the questions asked by the Title IX board were uncomfortable and accusatory toward Hanson and the team.

“There were a lot of intentionally leading questions to incriminate Jim unfairly,” she said. “If I said no to a question, I felt like they kept re-wording questions and pressing for a different answer.”

She spoke to Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland about her frustration with the types of questions she was asked. Cleveland confirmed that he spoke to two or three students who had concerns about the questions they were asked and the way the investigation was handled, and he discussed these frustrations with the board.

President George Bridges said he was unsure whether students were called before the board under false pretenses or whether such a practice was standard, since he was not directly involved in the investigation. Carson, who was directly involved, declined to comment on any portion of the investigation.

Nicole Seibert*, the debater who was sexually assaulted as a prospective student, was also involved in the investigation. She felt it was well conducted, and it allowed her to voice some of her concerns about the way she had been treated on the team.

“I have felt nothing but supported and heard by [the administration] in that process,” she said.

She told Carson about being sexually assaulted as a prospective student and said the board was receptive and sympathetic to her concerns.

Investigation follow-up

VanLuvanee was much less satisfied. Following the investigation, she said she never received a follow-up from the Whitman administration. She feels that the administration used her case to scrutinize Hanson and the debate team members’ decisions and actions.

“Since my involvement with the investigation, it caused me to feel a lot of guilt, because I feel that it was handled so poorly, and that it’s still being handled poorly,” said VanLuvanee. “But Jim has always assured me that no one has ill feelings towards me on the team, and he always made an effort to make sure that I was comfortable and safe.”

VanLuvanee also said she was unhappy because one of her main concerns after being sexually assaulted was whether she would have to interact with the coach in question at future debate events, including at the Whitman National Debate Institute (WNDI), where she was planning to work that summer. The administration was unable to answer that question for her.

“They told me that they could not disclose this at that time … Beyond that, I had to rely on hearsay from Whitman debaters and searching for his [the coach's] email address on emails that I would be getting about the WNDI,” said VanLuvanee.

VanLuvanee was not told who else was investigated, whether the board talked to the assistant debate coach or when the investigation was over. She was also not given access to the board’s final report on the investigation. During and after her conference call, she was not asked whether she wanted to press formal charges against the assistant debate coach.

Joki was also dissatisfied with the lack of follow-up she received and with the administration’s lack of clarity about what would be included in the investigation findings.

“I asked specifically what things I said would be in the final investigation report, because I was unsure whether it would be taken into context. None of the things were recorded … Our quotes would be seen as anonymous, but even then it’s like, ‘Look, if you’re going to use something I said, I should be able to check it,’” Joki said. “Title IX is a wonderful process that is supposed to empower people to speak up, but that was not the type of process that took place at this school in this circumstance.”

Following the investigation, staff at the 2012 WNDI were required to attend a four-hour sexual harassment training put on by Whitman staff members. VanLuvanee believes this was one result of the Title IX investigation but said the orientation made her and many of her other coworkers extremely uncomfortable. The training also used a hypothetical situation to demonstrate sexual harassment that appeared to be based on her sexual assault.

“I felt that it violated the confidentiality that was promised at the beginning of the interview that had happened, because they used an example from my interview without my consent,” said VanLuvanee. “It was triggering for me, because it was like ‘Hey, remember this one time that you were sexually assaulted on our campus? Well, we’re going to bring it up in the four-hour mandatory meeting.’ And then, it violated any sense of anonymity or privacy with it, because obviously it was in a room full of my peers that were very close to the situation, and it became apparent because people asked me about it after the fact.”

Bridges sympathized with student concerns, but denied that the administration had any agenda when questioning debaters.

“There was no attempt by the college to microanalyze the debate team and put Jim under scrutiny. Period. I also realize that within these investigations, the topics with which we must deal and the process itself is very difficult. Feeling uncomfortable and in an awkward position is very understandable, but federal law requires us to conduct the process in a very thorough way,” he said.

Bridges was unable to comment on any particular complaints about staff conduct during the investigation because he was not directly involved in it. Both Carson and Bridges declined to share any findings from the investigation or to answer questions about specifically what the investigation was looking for when questioning students.

Title IX and other laws do not prohibit the college from publicly disclosing this information, so long as the identity of complainants is private, but the college is not legally required to share any findings. Bridges cited a college policy of protecting the privacy of people involved in the investigation as the reason for not disclosing this information. He said the college plans to share findings from an independent review of the investigation in the next few months, though with whom they would be shared and in what form had not been decided.

Hanson also declined to comment on the investigation’s findings.

Calls for further investigation

In the wake of Hanson stepping down, 135 debaters, alumni and Whitman community members have signed a petition on Change.org asking the college to conduct an independent investigation into its Title IX investigation. The text of the petition is embedded below and states that “reflexively citing ‘privacy concerns’ is an insufficient response to serious questions regarding the adequacy of the College’s approach to Title IX complaints generally and Prof. Hanson’s removal specifically.”

Call for Investigation by WhitmanPioneer

In a May 17 email to debate community members that responded to these concerns, President Bridges noted that the college retained an independent attorney, Saundra Schuster, to “provide counsel on our work involving the debate program and related matters” over the past year.

Bridges’ Letter to Debate Alumni by WhitmanPioneer

“Given our commitment to comply fully with Title IX and our belief in the importance of the debate program to Whitman, we will seek a second opinion from an independent legal expert not affiliated with Ms. Schuster or her firm in order to evaluate our response to this and any other civil rights and employment law issues that arise,” he wrote.

In response, the concerned alumni group that drafted the letter plans to write a response. Alumna Jean Tobin ’92, a member of the group, said she was pleased to see the college open to outside investigation, but that alumni still had significant concerns.

“In his letter, President Bridges asserts the importance of following Title IX. We absolutely agree. Treating individuals equally and without discrimination is an important value held by the alumni, as well as Professor Hanson. Our concern is that the actions of the administration have not prioritized those values,” she wrote in an email. “We continue to have significant concerns about the way the College conducted the Title IX investigation of the debate program and Professor Hanson. We do not believe the investigation was respectful of victims’ rights and we do not believe it was a thorough investigation. We believe a full review is called for.”

*Due to debate’s tight-knit community and possible repercussions that could arise from being named, several sources requested to remain anonymous. Pseudonyms have been given to these sources.

continue to part three

With their dominant hitting — four players batting more than .400 prior to postseason play — to their unmatched one-two punch in Jessica Moore (Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year) and Cheridan Hawkins (Pac-12 All-Freshman team) who both hold an ERA below 2.00, the Ducks without a doubt have all the key components of a great team.

Despite their recent decrease in production on the offensive side, the Ducks have kept themselves in the game with excellent defense. During their three-game skid in the Eugene Regional, they allowed a combined two runs, both coming in the opening game against the BYU Cougars.

Dominant pitching and defense have separated the Ducks from every opponent they have played in the postseason thus far and should continue to keep them in games moving forward. If the Ducks can manage to bring in a few more runs and in-field hits, there is no telling where they will be at the conclusion of the Super Regionals and potentially the Women’s College World Series.

In addition to great defensive production, the Ducks have also had their home crowd backing them up since day one of regionals. Of course, Howe Field was to be considered a neutral field for all four teams competing, but in reality, the Ducks have essentially been playing at home these past three postseason games. Moving forward, the Ducks will once again have this luxury of a home-field crowd as they get prepared for the Super Regionals, which will be held at Howe Field.

Have we mentioned that the Ducks held a 19-0 record at home this year during the regular season?

But in order for the Ducks to be at full strength, their batting will have to go from sporadic to consistent in-field hits throughout the course of the game. The Ducks have deserved to win all three games in the postseason, but with the majority of their scoring coming in one inning, or at times in a package of two, they have limited themselves from reaching their full potential. The Ducks will be facing some of the top-tier teams from here on out, and if they can manage to bat like they did during the regular season, they can contend with any team in the nation.

It has been one of the most, if not the most memorable season in Oregon softball history, and there is still so much left to be done. Oregon softball has never seen such a tight-knit group of players and coaches who all have the required experience to go all the way. Softball has become a soft-spoken powerhouse here at the University of Oregon. They won’t be satisfied without the trophy.

This article is the first in a three-part series about Whitman’s debate team. Part two focuses on the Title IX investigation conducted in the spring of 2012 and reactions to it. Part three discusses the transition following Director of Forensics Jim Hanson stepping down, and what having a new, full-time coach will mean for the team.

An editors’ note accompanying this series can be found here.

In the last week of April of this year, Director of Forensics Jim Hanson announced he would be stepping down from his role coaching Whitman’s debate team in order to take a position as chair of the newly created rhetoric studies department. Hanson has been coaching debate at Whitman for two decades and has been widely credited with getting the team to its position of national prominence today.

In the weeks following his announcement of resignation, debate alumni, students and faculty have raised questions about Hanson’s decision and the administration’s handling of the change, given that a new coach had not yet been selected for Whitman’s nationally ranked team when Hanson stepped down. Many alumni and debaters have suggested that Hanson’s change of position was not a voluntary choice, a charge which he has declined to comment on.

While the college is legally prohibited from discussing the reasons why Hanson stepped down due to laws about employee confidentiality, Hanson’s decision came in the wake of greater administrative focus on the debate team. A three-week investigation by The Pioneer has confirmed that the team was the focus of a Title IX investigation during the spring of 2012, and that other administrative concerns were raised about sexual harassment and treatment of women on the team, as well as about the supervision of assistant debate coaches, most of whom are recently graduated students.

The college’s Title IX investigation into the team has been the focus of discussions about Hanson stepping down, but the full story involves earlier concerns raised about team culture, including the treatment of women on the team.

Sexism in team culture

Alumna Kate Kight ’13, who was a debater her first year at Whitman, said she experienced sexual harassment, inappropriate comments and pressure to drink from fellow debaters and assistant coaches during her year on debate, all of which contributed to her decision to leave the team.

During her year on the team, Kight was told by a teammate, “You’ll never make it on debate because you’re a woman.”

“It was intended to be funny, but I felt [some] truth behind it,” she said.

Over spring break, the team had a tournament which she wasn’t invited to attend because she had been less involved than some other debaters. Still, she was home for spring break and the team was staying near her hometown, so she went shopping with a friend on the team who attended the tournament. The friend told her that in the hotel room the night before, team members had been discussing her body, commenting on the size of her breasts and discussing the outfits she wore and whether they were helping her get more points with judges.

“That was obviously really hurtful to be objectified that way,” she said.

Kight was not sexually active yet as a first-year, and while this was never an issue among her section-mates and other friends at Whitman, she said her debate teammates reacted negatively and continued to bring up her lack of sexual experience.

“At the time, I was just really embarrassed because people reacted so strongly,” she said. “I started acting more sexual because I felt that’s what was expected of me.”

Rising senior Tiffany Lewis, who debated for Whitman from 2010-2012 and later transferred to Western Kentucky University, felt that female debaters on the policy team were treated differently from their male teammates. Specifically, she felt that women were discouraged from partnering with other women during her time on the team.

“There was a sense that pairing females together would lead to too much cattiness. I never heard someone calling males on the policy team catty,” she said. “There have been multiple women on the team, just not partnerships [of women] …When it comes to partnering two girls together—that didn’t happen very often.”

Lewis felt she couldn’t always go to Hanson when she had concerns about sexual comments made toward other female teammates and financial concerns about not being able to afford Whitman.

“Females on the team, who may go to Jim crying for certain reasons, [would] be brushed off for being emotional, rather than [him] saying, ‘This is a problem that I need to address,’” she said.

Because of her frustrations with debate culture and financial issues, Lewis eventually left the team.

“My current experience with the military, Marine Corps and army personnel, which have been considered to be one of the most sexist organizations in the United States, has been, overall, less sexist than my experience on the team,” she said.

Hanson said he has an open door policy, and he encouraged all students to bring concerns they may have to his attention. He also said that he has never told anyone he or she may be emotional or reactionary.

“I believe it is important to listen and understand student concerns, and I always take action to correct and resolve them,” he said.

While he has never personally observed sexual harassment on the team, Hanson said he would be sure to take steps to remedy these problems if he observed them.

“I take such concerns very seriously and I do not tolerate inappropriate behavior by team members or coaches. Consistent with the school’s policies, I report any such concerns to the College, and I follow the direction given to me,” he said.

Alumnus Ethan Robertson ‘13, who was a debater on the parliamentary team from 2009 to 2011, said he only heard one moment of obvious sexism on the team, when a male debater told a female debater that only men can debate well. The woman responded quickly by spitting in the male debater’s face. After that, Robertson said he didn’t notice as many sexist comments toward women, whether subtle or overt.

“That’s not the best example of people trying to fight sexism, but it is an example of the fact that people knew the culture was there and were trying to stop it,” he said. “Even though some teammates and coaches may have said things that would have been sexist, there were people actively fighting against it. I don’t think sexism was a direct result of Jim’s behavior.”

Although Robertson only recalled one explicit incident, there were also many times he was unsure whether potentially sexist comments made by fellow team members were meant jokingly or seriously. This confusion occasionally put him in uncomfortable social settings with his teammates.

“There were some comments that were made about women, in general, but I think they were just trying to be offensive … things like ‘women are lesser than men’ or ‘women can’t do things that men can,’” he said.  “It’s really hard to parse out when they’re being ironic, when they’re just trying to get a rise out of you and when they’re saying something that they actually believe.”

Robertson was particularly struck by how quickly he began to accept these comments as normal. Aspects of debate that had seemed problematic to him when he joined the team as a first-year, such as drinking with coaches and observing casual sexism, quickly became a regular part of participating in debate.

“Looking back on my time at debate, certain things seemed okay, and seemed that they were just a part of debate then, but now looking back on then, it’s like, ‘Was that okay? Was that a thing that I should have done?’” he said.

Fighting sexism in debate

Some debaters experienced differences between Whitman’s team culture and debate culture on a broader scale. Alumna Emily Cordo ’02, who was a policy debater for four years, said that the overall culture of debate was incredibly sexist during her time on the team, but Whitman was an exception to that trend. At tournaments, she was persistently sexually harassed by the coach of another team, and eventually she decided to file a complaint about it at nationals. Although the complaint could have been risky for the team, Cordo said, Hanson fully supported her decision to take action.

During her time debating, Cordo said that judges and other debaters were often dismissive of women. For instance, on male-female teams, judges giving comments would occasionally attribute all statements made to the male member of the team, even if the woman was the one who actually said them. In response, the Whitman team developed a habit of responding to judges’ “He said …” by yelling “She said!” as a group.

The majority of current debaters interviewed for this article felt the team culture was no more sexist than society as a whole, and several also said that team culture has become more inclusive during their time on the team.

Debater Jean Erickson* said that because team members are so conscious of the way they speak, they are actually more likely to avoid sexist language than non-debaters are.

“It’s less of an issue than it would be on, say, a sports team. Sometimes the atmosphere is very locker-room-esque, but that’s a problem with broader social structures, not just the team,” she said.

She pointed out Hanson took her complaints of sexism on the team seriously.

“I think Jim has been very responsive, especially in recent years. Once when some team members were making some sexist jokes, I approached Jim about it, and he had me fill out a form immediately. He wants to know about these issues. It’s silly if people think that Jim is the problem, because he loves this team and this campus,” she said.

Many sources agreed that Hanson addressed their concerns regarding sexism on the team. Rising sophomore policy debater Meritt Salathe approached Hanson this past semester because she wanted to remain in her current partnership, and she felt he was attentive to her concerns.

“My partner and I are both women. We wanted to keep debating together because I think it gives women a better chance when they’re partnering with other women. Jim respected our wishes, and we’re still partners. He listened to everything we said in partner meetings, and he tries to give women good partners and make sure they’re winning too,” she said.

Cordo agreed that while she was on the team, Hanson created a supportive atmosphere that allowed women on the team to thrive.

“He gave us such confidence that [our gender] didn’t matter with the Whitman team, that we could demand to be treated better,” she said.

While rising senior and parliamentary debater Paige Joki similarly believes that the wider national debate community does have room for improvement regarding sexism, she also thinks that Hanson and other members on the team have been vigilant about enforcing gender equality on the Whitman debate team.

“Jim does his very best to make sure that we feel comfortable on the team, and that we feel respected both on the team and in the wider community,” said Joki. “I think the team is doing a great job, not just expecting its members to behave in [exclusive] ways, but also holding people accountable if someone says something wrong.”

Social pressures

In addition to sexist language, several ex-debaters also cited pressure to drink alcohol as one negative aspect of the social culture of debate.

Because Kight was one of the only team members who didn’t drink, she said the team often put her in situations where she felt unsafe.

At tournaments, the team frequently went to parties held by students at the host school. Kight said that once she was driven to an off-campus party by team members. As the night progressed, most of the people there were smoking marijuana, and she started to hear whispers that the police were on their way. She wanted to leave, but because someone had her driven there, she didn’t know how to get back to the hotel, so she felt she didn’t have a choice other than to stay at the party and hope nothing bad happened.

Kight stressed that the social culture of the team made it practically impossible for non-drinking debaters to avoid students who were drinking.

“Every time we were in a hotel, people had alcohol, people had marijuana on them,” she said.

Even though she didn’t drink at many of these tournaments, Kight said she was concerned because she was underage and her name was on the hotel room with the other students. The combination of sexual comments directed at her and heavy drinking also caused her to feel unsafe.

Robertson said pressure to drink was exacerbated by the fact that the assistant coaches employed while he was on the team often purchased alcohol for team parties and drank with debaters.

“I remember coming to Whitman and being pretty surprised at the fact that the assistant coaches were partying with the rest of the team, but over time, that became fairly normal for me, and it didn’t feel as out of place as it initially did,” he said.

Whitman student Nicole Seibert*, who stayed with the team as a prospective debate student, said she experienced a similar atmosphere during her time with the team. She recalled attending a party during debate prospective student weekend. The party had been listed on the schedule she received of the day’s activities as “fun,” so she felt it was likely that Hanson and other coaches were aware that the team had some type of party planned, though Hanson said he has always discouraged debaters from serving alcohol to high school students.

Although the weekend was supposed to be a welcoming event for prospective students, she said the party made her feel isolated.

“People were hanging out and playing beer pong and people were just drinking and talking, not really talking to me, so I just felt uncomfortable,” she said.

While she didn’t experience overt pressure to drink, Seibert felt as though the social setting made it difficult not to.

“It wasn’t like they were saying, ‘You have to drink this 40 or you’re a pussy.’ It wasn’t overt pressure … There was definitely a sense that everyone else was drinking and it was expected that I would,” she said.

Team members were also passing around marijuana at the party, and though she didn’t especially want to smoke, she did so to feel welcomed and included by the team.

“It wasn’t like I wanted to be smoking at the time, especially not with a bunch of people I didn’t know, but … they also weren’t really making an effort to include me in their conversations. So I thought it would help me loosen up, or help me be a part of that group somehow,” she said.

Like Kight, she felt she was put in a vulnerable position because she was unfamiliar with the campus and didn’t know how to get back to the residence hall she was staying in for the weekend.

“If I had wanted to leave at that point, I wouldn’t have been able to figure out a way to get home. I really did want to leave. I pretty much wanted to leave from the moment I got there,” she said.

A debater at the party offered to walk her home. At that point, she was both high and drunk, which made her very disoriented. She remembered him making a comment that she looked cold, then saying, “Let’s get you inside,” before leading her back to his room, which was in a different residence hall from the one she was staying in.

“I didn’t really know where we were. I sort of took him at his word,” she said. “We were in his room sitting on his bed. Before I really knew what was happening, he started making out with me and groping me.”

She told him to stop and to take her back to her room, which he did. She did not report the incident to anyone.

Hanson said he was unaware of any incidents where prospective students had been sexually assaulted, and said he would have reported them to the college immediately if he had known. He also said he was not aware of any instances of prospective students drinking with the team.

“We have always followed the instructions provided by the admission office for prospective students. I have always discouraged situations where high school students were exposed to alcohol,” he said in an email.

Although she ended up coming to Whitman, Seibert also never felt comfortable on the team or like she fit in to the team culture. She said there was a joking atmosphere on the team, and teammates regularly made sexist and racist comments and brushed them off. She recalled a teammate once referring to Arabs as “angry towel heads” during practice.

“I was brand new on the team so I didn’t want to be that girl who’s like, ‘Actually, you guys are being assholes right now.’ I was put in an uncomfortable position, so I didn’t say anything,” she said.

Seibert ultimately decided to quit the team a year after she joined.

Kight had a similarly negative experience with her first year on debate. She felt she was expected to hang out with other debaters constantly, and her desire to be involved in other activities on campus was viewed as a sign of her being insufficiently committed to the team. Although many debaters view the tight-knit nature of the team as a positive aspect of their debate experience, Kight said that atmosphere made it much harder for students who didn’t want to party or drink as much to participate.

“We couldn’t really band together because all of our reactions were to find friends elsewhere,” she said.

Eventually, Kight’s negative experiences and the team’s expectations led her to quit. She made her decision close to the end of her first year.

“I wasn’t going to be able to function with the kind of social life it seemed to require of me,” she said.

Responses to party culture

Hanson said he supports students who choose not to drink. In addition, he said the team has taken steps to curtail inappropriate use of alcohol. In the past, the team has had a policy which prohibits students and coaches from having more than two drinks in the evening while at debate tournaments.

Team members also have the opportunity to socialize at alcohol-free debate-sponsored events. When alcohol is present at these sponsored events, students are expected to follow the rules outlined in the Whitman Student Handbook.

“I sympathize strongly with the students who choose not to drink, as I do not drink alcohol. I lead by example, and I readily support students who have made this choice,” said Hanson. “Our program has discouraged excessive drinking at tournaments since I have been director.”

In September 2012, the college made changes to the two-drink policy to simply state, “Coaches are expected not to party with students and should always conduct themselves in responsible and appropriate ways.”

Hanson said that if he observes a violation of team policies, or if a student or coach notifies him of a concern, he has appropriate ways of dealing with the situation.

“The typical response is to address the particular situation and, where appropriate, to not allow the student to compete in the next tournament,” he said.

Kight’s and Seibert’s experiences were several years ago, and many current debate students interviewed for this article agreed that drinking was not specifically an aspect of debate culture, but rather part of college culture in general. Alumna Miranda Morton ’13, who debated on the parliamentary team for four years, was adamant that the team is not an exception to the Whitman norm.

“I think that college is a time when all young people find themselves in situations where they can experiment with alcohol or they can choose not to do that. At Whitman there are plenty of people who drink and plenty of people who don’t drink. That’s the same thing on the debate team,” she said.

Joki also believes that when criticizing the debate team, people often look at the way debaters behave at social events not actually sponsored by the debate team and then may see their individual actions as a reflection of the entire team.

“The difficulty I see lies in the administration’s failure to differentiate people’s actions as individuals and people’s actions as debaters. So I think that there is a conflation oftentimes that students, no matter what they do, are always debaters,” said Joki.

Morton emphasized that while some debaters do drink alcohol together, they also often find opportunities to socialize with one another without consuming alcohol.

“There is pressure on the team to spend time together, and that is to grow a community and to make sure we’re not together just in an academic setting, so that when we travel together, we know each other and feel comfortable with each other. That has nothing to do with the use of alcohol; in my view, it is often facilitated with things like dinners, movies or softball,” Morton said.

*Due to debate’s tight-knit community and possible repercussions that could arise from being named, several sources requested to remain anonymous. Pseudonyms have been given to these sources.

continue to part two

The FEMA grant would allow the groups to remove non-native trees that pose the greatest fire hazard — such as eucalyptus, Monterey pine and acacia — while preserving native plants that pose a smaller risk. Between 1923 and 1991, the hills saw an estimated 15 major blazes, the most recent of which destroyed over 3,500 homes and cost more than $1.5 billion, according to a FEMA draft environmental impact statement of the project.

The plan also calls for continued maintenance of the affected areas, including the application of herbicide to eucalyptus stumps, which can resprout after cutting. This maintenance will continue for 10 years and should prevent the trees from returning.

According to Thomas Klatt, an environmental projects manager at the university, UC Berkeley has been involved in projects like this for the last decade. The monetary cost of removing risk-prone trees, about $5 million according to Klatt, is less than the costs of large-scale fires. Klatt also said that in the 19th century, the Berkeley Hills were generally free of large vegetation, and this plan would return the landscape to its historic setting.

On Saturday, representatives from FEMA held a public comment session at Claremont Middle School in Oakland to discuss the draft environmental impact statement. More than 120 people attended the meeting, at which comments both for and against the proposal were made. Many at the meeting had serious concerns that the cutting would damage the local ecosystem and that the herbicide used for maintenance would permanently poison streams in the area.

Others are concerned that the project will limit access and ruin the appeal of the popular hiking and running trails that crisscross the hills.

“As a runner, I like having trees up there, and if they take out a lot of trees it affects the shade mix,” said Carl Rose, coach of the Strawberry Canyon Track Club. ”Trees block some of the wind, and I appreciate the natural beauty of the trees. We run up there three to four days a week — that’s pretty primary for most of our runners, and they’re in pretty serious training at the national and international level. It’s probably going to affect Cal athletics as a whole.”

The university’s share of the project will cut 22,000 trees from around 99 acres in Strawberry Canyon Recreational Area and Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. One of the zones slated for cutting borders the Clark Kerr Campus, according to the environmental impact statement.

Contact Jacob Brown at jbrown@dailycal.org and follow him on Twitter @jacobebrown.

The post UC Berkeley among applicants for tree-cutting grant to mitigate wildfires appeared first on The Daily Californian.

A contract that Alford signed with New Mexico included a $1 million buyout, but Alford said that since the contract had not officially taken effect when he left the school, he would only pay $200,000.

The $200,000 figure came from Alford’s previous contract, while the $1 million buyout total came from the newer contract. Though Alford left four days before the new contract took effect, it called for a 30-day notice of termination, which New Mexico wanted him to pay since those 30 days ended after the contract had taken effect.

A release from New Mexico last week said that they had reached an agreement on a $625,000 total, but a UCLA release clarified that the Lobos actually agreed to accept $300,000 from Alford, with the additional money coming from bonuses that the coach would have received had he stayed.

“While there has not been a signed agreement, New Mexico has agreed to accept $300,000 of their original $1 million demand. A larger figure included in UNM’s release appears to include certain bonuses which Coach Alford previously agreed to forego when he decided to terminate his contract there and accept the offer from UCLA,” the statement said.

Compiled by Emma Coghlan, Bruin Sports senior staff.

The house was spotted by Theta’s national headquarters last September after Phi Delta Theta fraternity moved out. From there, the executive board of Theta at the UO decided to move forward with the acquisition.

Theta CEO Candice Harbour believes that the home will bring Theta sisters closer together.

“Right now we’re all separated in terms of spatial composition. Being able to see everyone every day regularly, I think that will help me build a strong relationship with the chapter as a whole,” Harbour said.

The house is located just off campus on 15th Avenue and Kincaid Street, which provides easy campus access for sisters of Theta as well as their visitors.

“I think for me, just being able to have a place where I can go and be with my sisters and hang out with them, just have movie nights and eat together — it will be just kind of a fun little escape to go hang out,” Theta sister Courtney King said.

In addition to providing a home for the members to reside, fraternity and sorority houses offer a landmark for the rest of campus and a place to conduct chapter meetings. But for members such as Harbour, living in is a once-in-a-lifetime bonding experience.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting new women and becoming closer with them, just because I have 150 sisters, so it was hard to create those strong bonds,” Harbour said. “I think by living in, it will be a lot easier just because I can walk down the hallway and just have like an impromptu dance party or something like that.”

Before spontaneous dance parties are realized for the sisters of Theta, the house must be prepared over the course of the summer.

Renovations have already commenced as the front porch is currently being re-poured with concrete to be smoothed and shined so that it resembles slate. In addition to the porch, new carpets will be laid, the walls will be freshened with paint and the bathrooms will be transformed. Harbour hopes that the steps taken with the house right now will create a lasting effect for Theta at the UO.

“I hope that by having this facility we’ll be able to create a longer and stronger legacy on this campus, so that’s what I’m looking forward to the most is just being able to come back 15 years from now and see Theta’s house, wherever it may be, and just see how that’s impacted our image and our sisterhood,” Harbour said.

With the seeding set in the Conference USA tournament, the Cougars sit at No. 6 with a 13-11 conference record and a 35-20 overall record — a 17-win turnaround from last season.

Though the Cougars dropped a 6-5 decision in the final game of the series, head coach Todd Whitting said he liked what he saw from the club.

“We played hard today. I am proud of the way we settled down on the bump, and kept playing hard,” Whitting said after Saturday’s game. ”We never quit and played until the final out. We made it really interesting in the last inning and were one swing away from winning the game.”

“That’s what I love about this team. They always play hard, and that’s going to pay dividends for them (in the conference tournament).”

On the mound, senior righthander Austin Pruitt got his ninth win of the season and junior righthander Chase Wellbrock notched his 11th save on Friday during a 7-5 victory.

Junior righthander Daniel Poncedeleon notched his seventh win of the season during a 3-2 victory on Thursday. Poncedeleon pitched into the eighth inning, giving up seven hits and two earned runs.

“I was able to get a good sink on my cutter and fastball tonight.” Poncedeleon said on Thursday. “I was able to get a lot of ground balls, and my defense played great behind me.”

The Cougars’ pitching staff has stepped up as the season has wound down. The starters have often sang the praises for the bullpen’s strong outings sometimes over long relief periods. Wellbrock has been described as a “tough as nails” closer, and senior lefthander Matt Hernandez has played an important role as a long-reliever.

As for the batters, UH put up 15 runs in the three games. Junior shortstop Frankie Ratcliff tripled for the eighth time to tie for the national lead. He chalked up his success to hitting behind freshman infielder Josh Vidales and freshman outfielder Kyle Survance.

“When those guys are ripping you want to do the same, and join in on the hit parade.” Ratcliff said. “When they get on early in the game it makes my job easier.”

With the regular season now officially behind them, the Cougars look now to the C-USA Championship at Rice University’s Reckling Park. Their first game will be against ECU on May 23 followed by games against Southern Mississippi and Tulane. The Cougars are 7-2 against the members of their pool.

“It’s a wide open field. It’s one of those tournaments that anybody who is in has the ability to win it,” Whitting said. “To me it doesn’t matter if we play the way we’ve been playing, we’ll win it.”

According to C-USA tournament format, the top eight teams make the tournament and are split into two pools dictated by seed. Each team is guaranteed three games in their pool. The team with the best composite record in each pod will advance for a single-elimination championship game.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Jones played for the Braves for 19 seasons, finishing his career in 2012 with a .303 batting average and 468 home runs. He is the only switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to hit higher than a .300 and more than 400 home runs in his career.

Jones walked up to the stage accompanied by his “walk-up” music and joked that as a “dumb jock” he had no business being at Emory.

“Well, it’s a tremendous honor,” Jones said. “I mean, when the graduating class votes to have you come, that shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

As he began his speech, he said he had no set agenda in mind.

“Everyone always asks me what I am going to talk about when I come up here,” he said. “To be honest with you I prefer just winging it.”

Jones was awarded the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1999 and helped lead the Braves to a record 11 consecutive National League East Division championships — the first being in the 1995 season, which ended in a World Series win, and the last coming in 2005. This year is Jones’ first season of retirement.

“Quite frankly, I’m retired now,” Jones said in an interview after the speech. “If I was playing baseball, I wouldn’t be able to [come to Emory], but I have the time. I love talking to young people. I love to influence someone here and there, because if you talk to enough people, you influence enough people. That’s a really, really good thing.”

Jones discussed his days growing up on a fern farm in DeLand, Fla., which he referred to as “fern country.” He credited his successes on and off the field to his parents’ work ethic and drive. Both of his parents as well as his girlfriend were in attendance at his speech.

During his career, he said during his speech, he suffered two anterior cruciate ligament tears — one in his earlier days and the other at the end of his career.

“If I was diligent in my workouts and my rehabilitation, I knew that I would come back just as strong,” Jones said. “Whether I was 22 when it first happened or 38 the next time it happened, there was no difference in the mindset. These kids will be the same way. They’re tough and resilient.”

Following remarks about his career and family life, Jones turned to the audience to lead the discussion.

Graduating seniors came up to the microphone, one at a time, to ask Jones questions about topics ranging from autograph requests to his professional and personal relationship with retired Braves manager Bobby Cox.

When asked by a student to share his parting words of wisdom for the graduating class, Jones talked about staying focused on one’s work. In order to be a “good professional,” he explained, one must compartmentalize.

“There are certain things that are going to affect your life off the field, that are going to affect what you do on the field,” Jones said in the interview after the speech. “I was able to compartmentalize and go out and do my job for a few hours every night, and deal with my own demons off the field. It takes some time, but I don’t think my performance off the field suffered all that much.”

Jones also told the graduating class about what it was like achieving fame at a young age, noting that it was “very tough for me to keep attention at arm’s length.”

“Part of you wants to soak it up and, you know, live it up,” Jones said. “Trust me, I did it — it was awesome — but eventually it comes back to haunt you. And I think it’s just one of those things. You give a 21- or 22-year-old kid that much money and that much notoriety, it’s a recipe for disaster. What I tell kids nowadays coming up is, don’t read your press clippings.”

Before Jones spoke, the University held a lottery awarding two graduating seniors a baseball bat autographed by Jones and tickets for two to sit in Jones’ personal seats at Turner Field for an upcoming Braves game. The proceeds of the lottery went to the senior class gift.

The recipients of the tickets were College senior Kevin Mauge-Lewis and Nursing School senior Jason Slabach.

— By Sports Editor Nathaniel Ludewig

With the seeding set in the Conference USA tournament, the Cougars sit at No. 6 with a 13-11 conference record and a 35-20 overall record — a 17-win turnaround from last season.

Though the Cougars dropped a 6-5 decision in the final game of the series, head coach Todd Whitting said he liked what he saw from the club.

“We played hard today. I am proud of the way we settled down on the bump, and kept playing hard,” Whitting said after Saturday’s game. ”We never quit and played until the final out. We made it really interesting in the last inning and were one swing away from winning the game.”

“That’s what I love about this team. They always play hard, and that’s going to pay dividends for them (in the conference tournament).”

On the mound, senior righthander Austin Pruitt got his ninth win of the season and junior righthander Chase Wellbrock notched his 11th save on Friday during a 7-5 victory.

Junior righthander Daniel Poncedeleon notched his seventh win of the season during a 3-2 victory on Thursday. Poncedeleon pitched into the eighth inning, giving up seven hits and two earned runs.

“I was able to get a good sink on my cutter and fastball tonight.” Poncedeleon said on Thursday. “I was able to get a lot of ground balls, and my defense played great behind me.”

The Cougars’ pitching staff has stepped up as the season has wound down. The starters have often sang the praises for the bullpen’s strong outings sometimes over long relief periods. Wellbrock has been described as a “tough as nails” closer, and senior lefthander Matt Hernandez has played an important role as a long-reliever.

As for the batters, UH put up 15 runs in the three games. Junior shortstop Frankie Ratcliff tripled for the eighth time to tie for the national lead. He chalked up his success to hitting behind freshman infielder Josh Vidales and freshman outfielder Kyle Survance.

“When those guys are ripping you want to do the same, and join in on the hit parade.” Ratcliff said. “When they get on early in the game it makes my job easier.”

With the regular season now officially behind them, the Cougars look now to the C-USA Championship at Rice University’s Reckling Park. Their first game will be against ECU on May 23 followed by games against Southern Mississippi and Tulane. The Cougars are 7-2 against the members of their pool.

“It’s a wide open field. It’s one of those tournaments that anybody who is in has the ability to win it,” Whitting said. “To me it doesn’t matter if we play the way we’ve been playing, we’ll win it.”

According to C-USA tournament format, the top eight teams make the tournament and are split into two pools dictated by seed. Each team is guaranteed three games in their pool. The team with the best composite record in each pod will advance for a single-elimination championship game.

sports@thedailycougar.com

The house was spotted by Theta’s national headquarters last September after Phi Delta Theta fraternity moved out. From there, the executive board of Theta at the UO decided to move forward with the acquisition.

Theta CEO Candice Harbour believes that the home will bring Theta sisters closer together.

“Right now we’re all separated in terms of spatial composition. Being able to see everyone every day regularly, I think that will help me build a strong relationship with the chapter as a whole,” Harbour said.

The house is located just off campus on 15th Avenue and Kincaid Street, which provides easy campus access for sisters of Theta as well as their visitors.

“I think for me, just being able to have a place where I can go and be with my sisters and hang out with them, just have movie nights and eat together — it will be just kind of a fun little escape to go hang out,” Theta sister Courtney King said.

In addition to providing a home for the members to reside, fraternity and sorority houses offer a landmark for the rest of campus and a place to conduct chapter meetings. But for members such as Harbour, living in is a once-in-a-lifetime bonding experience.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting new women and becoming closer with them, just because I have 150 sisters, so it was hard to create those strong bonds,” Harbour said. “I think by living in, it will be a lot easier just because I can walk down the hallway and just have like an impromptu dance party or something like that.”

Before spontaneous dance parties are realized for the sisters of Theta, the house must be prepared over the course of the summer.

Renovations have already commenced as the front porch is currently being re-poured with concrete to be smoothed and shined so that it resembles slate. In addition to the porch, new carpets will be laid, the walls will be freshened with paint and the bathrooms will be transformed. Harbour hopes that the steps taken with the house right now will create a lasting effect for Theta at the UO.

“I hope that by having this facility we’ll be able to create a longer and stronger legacy on this campus, so that’s what I’m looking forward to the most is just being able to come back 15 years from now and see Theta’s house, wherever it may be, and just see how that’s impacted our image and our sisterhood,” Harbour said.

J.J. Altobelli is tagged out at the bottom of the eighth inning in the Ducks vs. Beavers game on Sunday at PK Park. Oregon State scored seven runs in the first three innings and beat Oregon, 12-2. (Tess Freeman/Emerald)

Oregon State player Ben Wetzler (28) hugs Andy Peterson after he scores a run in the eighth inning. Peterson scored three runs in toto for Oregon State, helping the team beat Oregon 12-2 in the final game of a three-game series. (Tess Freeman/Emerald)

Oregon pitcher Jimmie Sherfy pitches in the seventh inning of Sunday’s game — the last of three games against Oregon State. He is a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. (Tess Freeman/Emerald)

Duck Aaron Payne attempts to tag out Beaver Michael Conforto in the eighth inning. Confronto was responsible for six runs batted in during the third game of the series of Oregon against Oregon State. (Tess Freeman/Emerald)

The Ducks display the Oregon “O” at the end of the final game of a Pac-12 conference series at PK Park on Sun., May 19. The two teams meet up again on Tues., May 21, at 5:35 p.m. up in Corvallis for a nonconference game. (Tess Freeman/Emerald)

Andy Coolquitt’s exhibition launched Friday evening at Blaffer Art Museum | Thuy Nguyen

The opening of Andy Coolquitt’s exhibition, “Attainable Excellence,” is a collection of 60 discrete sculptures and tableaux made between 2006 and 2011. Coolquitt uses non-traditional materials, and he creates ready-mades and assemblages from a potpourri of trash and other found objects.

Coolquitt has garnered attention only in recent years that put himself into national and international art awareness.

“I’m more interested in, basically, creating a place, and all these objects are just things I can use to that end,” said Coolquitt. “I’m not interested in imparting my meaning on the viewer.”

He is known as a “master bricoleur,” curating human activity through his collection of the remnants of a wasteful society and transforming them into bright, visual displays.

A freelance designer and photographer Nadia Pacheco appreciated Coolquitt’s work.

“I find them very playful, cutting meaning away and putting them,” Pacheco said. “It’s a very interesting approach; he brought his studio with him.”

Several people were surprised by Coolquitt’s work, and some of his most iconic works were on display. His condensed wall of spindly “stick-pole” light sculptures feels off-putting at first glance, but upon further inspection, they become mesmerizing.

A local sculptor Daniel Esquivel Brandt valued the exhibition’s unique qualities.

“I feel very good to see the different forms and colors. It expresses happiness,” Brandt said. “They’re different but have harmony.”

Coolquitt’s crude work includes a display of hands flipping the bird, collections of lighters used by crack-addicts, “stick-poles” that resemble lamps, trails of dirt and a dirty, knit Pacman monster.

His materials are mundane and familiar, but his obsession with spatial language and social encounters lend these assemblages a sense of warmth, comfort and connection.

The ongoing exhibition at Blaffer will continue through Aug. 17.

arts@thedailycougar.com

With the loss, Oregon falls two games behind Oregon State in the Pac-12 standings and with four games left in the regular season, one coming against the Beavers this Tuesday in Corvallis, Oregon State controls their own destiny.

“We got whooped, there’s no question about it,” said Oregon coach George Horton. “We got out pitched, out defended and out hit.”

“If things go the rest of the way in the Pac-12 like they probably will, if they handle their business like they have all year … It’s a hard thing to say, but their the best team in the conference. Sometimes you just need to call it as you see them.”

Jake Reed (6-4) got shelled, going just two and two-thirds innings, giving up seven runs (two earned because of two errors early, one on Reed himself) on eight hits while striking out two.

Oregon State blew the game wide open in the second inning when Reed loaded the bases, then walked in a run, giving Oregon State a 2-0 lead. Michael Conforto, 3-5, 6 RBI, ripped his second homer of the series, this time a grand slam, giving Oregon State a 6-0 early lead.

“Conforto is seeing (the ball) really well right now,” said Reed. “It’s tough to pitch to that kid when he’s seeing it really well. I played with him over the summer and when he’s going, he sees it like a beach ball.”

Oregon bounced back in the middle of the game thanks to a couple strong innings from Darrell Hunter and Garrett Cleavinger, but fell apart in the eighth inning for the second-straight game. Jimmie Sherfy, their most reliable pitcher out of the pen, had a forgettable two-thirds innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits.

Oregon State again scored a run in the ninth, giving them 12 runs on an unbelievable 17 hits.

Oregon, for the second straight game, and really since the third inning of Friday’s game, had their offense shut down. The Ducks could only muster two runs on six hits with Scott Heineman being the only Duck to have a multi-hit game.

Turning Point. Oregon’s best opportunity came in the bottom of the second inning as a response to the Oregon State five run second inning. With the bases loaded, J.J. Altobelli stepped up and hit a ball to the warning track in center field.

The hit would have been out of nearly every park in the country and looked like it would surely drop and score three for Oregon. OSU’s center fielder  Max Gordon robbed the Ducks of three runs with an incredible leaping grab. Instead of a 6-3 ball game with seven innings to play, the Ducks were staring at a six run deficit.

“It was carrying up there for awhile so I thought he might have a chance,” said Altobelli of the catch. “On Friday he made another play like that. It was just a good play. That was a big momentum changer.”

Oregon, having one the first non-conference game against Oregon State, has a chance to win the season series against their state rivals on Tuesday and carry some momentum going into their final series with Utah when they take on Oregon State in Corvallis. The game is the second of two non-conference games between the teams.

For Oregon, it was Cole Irvin, who entered the game with a 10-2 record, a 2.64 ERA and having pitched three complete games so far this season.

For Oregon State, it was righty Andrew Moore, who, with his now 11-1 record and 1.34 ERA, is perhaps the more impressive of the two on the season.

It quickly turned into a game Oregon will try to wipe from their memory. Moore didn’t have overwhelming stuff, finishing with only two strikeouts, but he went a full nine shut out innings and allowed just two hits.

“His fast ball location was real good and he was throwing his breaking ball on the first pitch, which is a good pitch,” said J.J. Altobelli of Moore. “He just got after our hitters.”

Irvin started strong, shutting Oregon State out through the first five innings, but at times looked shaky. In the top of the sixth, Michael Conforto hit a powerful opposite field home run to left field to put the Beavers on the board.

“Conforto’s home run the other way was a good pitch,” said Oregon coach George Horton. “When a guy can hit an opposite field home run in this ball park … He didn’t sneak up on me though, I know he’s pretty good.”

The Beavers again struck at Irvin in the seventh with another homerun. Ryan Barnes absolutely crushed the ball out of centerfield for his first home run of the season.

However, the sixth and seventh innings were small fries compared to the show Oregon State put on in the eighth.

Darrell Hunter took the mound to start the inning, promptly giving up three runs in two-thirds innings. Christian Jones was then brought in to snag the final out but first gave up an RBI single to Barnes, plunked Kavin Keyes and then threw a wild pitch allowing Barnes to score.

He eventually got the final out, but not before the Ducks had surrendered five runs in the inning and fell into a 7-0 hole.

The ninth wasn’t kind either as the Beavers smacked around Jared Priestly, who gave up hits to his first three batters faced and allowed two more insurance runs for the Beavers.

“We got out played,” said Horton. “Tip your cap to the Beavers. What you do when things don’t go your way Friday night, you get up off the deck and do something about it. I thought they were extremely good. Unfortunately Darrell [Hunter] didn’t make enough good pitches and their little second baseman (Andy Peterson, who went 4-5 with two RBI) is a scrappy little guy.”

As one -sided as the game was, the series is tied at 1-1 headed into Sunday’s rubber match and with a win, Oregon can tie Oregon State for first in the Pac-12. However, a loss would put them two games behind and, with three games left in the season, all but guarantee a Pac-12 title for Oregon State.

“Gotta have a quick memory,” said Altobelli. “It was a good ball game until the eighth and things got away from us a little bit. That kid for them pitched a great game. He’s a good pitcher. We got another one tomorrow.”

Oregon will have a chance to rebound from the loss and get a series win on Sunday. Jake Reed will get the start, first pitch is at 12p.m.

UT officials estimate 25,000 people came to see the 8,358 students from the Class of 2013 graduate. Sanya Richards-Ross, former UT student and Olympic gold medalist, delivered the keynote address at the ceremony, which UT officials have been planning for all year.

The class’ graduation rate, a report UT officials consider crucial, was not available by press time. UT is leading an effort to increase its four-year graduation rates, which currently stand at 52 percent, to 70 percent by 2016.

Attendees also faced new security standards and were unable to take any bags larges than 12 inches into the ceremony, a precautionary measure UT adopted after the Boston bombings.

Richards-Ross told the crowd about the successes and failures she had experienced in her running career. She was diagnosed with a rare disease that gave her mouth ulcers, which she said made it difficult for her to run. 

Richards-Ross said she pushed through this obstacle to do what she loved and urged graduates to do the same.

“In order to achieve greatness, you will experience failure. It’s the bitter ingredient in the recipe for success,” she said. “Without trying and failing, you never get the opportunity to stand in the face of your disappointments, your insecurities or your arrogance, your pride, and say ‘I’m stronger.’”

UT President William Powers Jr opened the ceremony and conferred degrees at the end. He said this year’s graduates came from 66 countries, 48 states and 158 Texas counties.

“That’s more than 8,000 unique paths leading here to the Main Mall, it’s a big night,” Powers said. “Size and diversity are among our greatest strengths and throughout history we’ve welcomed students seeking knowledge, expertise, inspiration and opportunity.”

Rod Caspers, director of University Events, said his office began physically setting up for graduation in April. Hundreds of people are brought in to replant flowers, paint the streets and set up chairs, among other tasks.

There are six immediate staffers in his office and more are brought in to help with graduation. Many of UT’s events are volunteer-based, he said. About 65 people signed up to volunteer at graduation.

Caspers said people could watch the ceremony in front of the UT Tower or in any of the nine indoor viewing locations across campus, including the Student Activity Center and Hogg Memorial Auditorium. Many go there to avoid the heat, he said.

“It’s kind of like we’re inviting family and friends to our house. You don’t invite family and friends if you don’t have enough food,” Caspers said. “I don’t want people to have a bad experience because we didn’t plan for it.

UT officials said last year 52 percent of 6,679 first-time freshman who came to UT in 2008 graduated in four years; 324 were dismissed; 871 dropped out and 2,000 continued onto a fifth year. Officials said final numbers would be available in the fall.

Event personnel checked bags at all entrances to the weekend’s graduation ceremonies. UT spokeswoman Tara Doolittle said the University prohibited bags larger than 12 inches to be brought into the ceremonies and all other bags would be checked. She said UT worked to inform graduates of the change.

Chemical engineering graduate Rebekah Scheuerle said she appreciated the opportunity to work in a research lab during her time at UT and network with the school’s most talented students. 

Philosophy graduate Paulina Sosa said she felt the social experience of studying on campus and interacting with various student communities, studying abroad in Italy and being involved in UT’s entrepreneurship program have changed her life.

“This is the time to really show your biggest supporters, your family, friends and mentors just how much they have impacted you over the years,” Sosa said. “You get to share this victory with the people that believed in you along the way. It's a joyous time that all of us graduates have looked forward to since the beginning.”

Contact Christine Ayala christineayala@utexas.edu or follow her on Twitter @christineayala. Additional reporting by staff writer Jody Serrano.

Somewhere in those hours, Nonna slipped away. My dad picked me up and we drove to Massachusetts. I tried to write a daily theme from the passenger’s seat. I tried to keep going because otherwise everything would stop; but the car was too quiet and the road was too blank.

***

I’m still not sure how much Nonna and I were intrinsically similar, and how much I actively modeled myself on her. If we’re talking genes, I do have blue eyes and a gap between my front teeth. I do not know how to flirt. Every time that I try to ride a bicycle with no hands, I think of how once, with the same hope of free air, she rode a scooter with her eyes closed straight into a Venetian canal.

But there’s also everything that she shaped in me, everything about her that I have tried to emulate. She gave me For Whom the Bell Tolls when I was thirteen and here I am, ten years later, turning in a senior project on Hemingway in Spain. When World War II ended, she danced in Piazza San Marco until dawn, and there I was in January, two days after she died, thinking I should go to Wednesday Toad’s as a fitting celebration of her life.

But I couldn’t go to Toad’s. I just wanted to sleep. Every day for three weeks, I woke up feeling disoriented, like I had been cut loose from the narrative that I had been writing myself for twenty-two years.

Words had always been my favorite toys, and Nonna had always been my favorite subject. In high school, I spun myths from her dinner-table stories about dancing on the Lido and swimming at dawn. Turned around caught, laughing in surprise joy. The summer her scrape got infected, I flattered myself that I captured old age nicely. The fragile skin of her veiny shin peeled off like an apple sticker. There were, too, the words I knew because of her, the Italian that we spoke over the phone or when we were together in the four summers that I lived with her. Her long voicemails looped from start to finish. Ciao bella, è la Nonna, they started. Baci baci, è la Nonna. In her stories, in her being, she gave me words for where I come from and words for where I’m going.

There are no words, my professor said, in a lecture about precision in writing. And there weren’t, in the few weeks after Nonna died—not mine, at least. Writing a daily theme took me hours. I didn’t try to speak Italian because I was scared my tongue couldn’t do it. My English didn’t fare so well either. If I talked, I babbled, but mostly I just wanted to be quiet.

This wanting to be quiet felt like the antithesis of being a Yale student. I had spent almost four years learning how to express myself in ways that would both connect me and set me apart. That was almost four years of introducing myself, speaking in section, writing essays, editing articles, interviewing for jobs, tutoring middle schoolers, and telling stories over beers about last night and last lines and what I did last summer. I think we deal in stories, here. We build ourselves through conscious narratives, tales we know we’re writing.

***

I had heard the story. A woman bought the unfinished framework of a one-story house in a field and started to build it higher and wider. The wind-bleached wood looked like bones against the blue February sky. As she scrambled between the ribs of the top floor she whistled, the neighbors say—continuous whistles, as if she only ever breathed one breath. When the season spread into spring, and then summer, she became quiet. She ran out of songs, one neighbor said, but I bet she just wanted to listen to the heavy hum of cicadas. She bought a harness and belayed herself up and down each of the six outer walls to shingle them with cedar. By the end of the summer she was brown, and her hair had turned blonde. She painted the cedar shingles white. In the autumn, when the frost stiffened the fields, the neighbors didn’t see her anymore. They could hear hammering from inside, and sometimes a drill.

No one else touched the house’s bones, they tell me, though when I climb up the stairs years after they say she began, that seems incredible. The rooms are complete and smooth. The second floor is made out of windows. There is no furniture. To the right of the staircase, on the third floor, there’s a small hexagonal room. The woman has a low, square table set on top of a Turkish carpet, and stacks of paper, and a jar of yellow pencils. It’s February, and the water in a clear drinking glass is frozen. I tilt my chin up and notice there’s no ceiling. The woman looks up from a sheaf of lined paper. Such a pleasure, she says, to wake up to that blue sky.

***

In lecture on a Tuesday in February, I heard someone reading those paragraphs out loud. I looked up from my notebook and remembered that I had written them and felt like I was in one of those dreams where you go to class in your underwear. Hello World.

We had been assigned write a theme about a dream and I had pulled my laptop into bed half-asleep. I hadn’t re-read the words that I had typed. When we read the piece out loud in class, what I had written made me nervous because it was so true. What I had written was about what it felt like to grieve in the middle of senior year at a place of productivity and self-definition: existing quietly, letting out what wells up in whistles; trying to build something you have no idea how to build; wanting space and looking to fill space at the same time. After lecture, I read the story over and over. Words I hadn’t chosen had said everything I wanted to say.

***

Maybe, I thought, I could explain everything without trying. Maybe I could build myself from subconscious stories. After that dream, I kept a notepad by my bed and wrote every morning as soon as I woke up. And I could tell you more stories from that notepad; stories from the week before spring break and the week after spring break and the week we spent at Nonna’s house during spring break, packing up boxes of books and going through a closet of clothes that still smelled like her Shalimar perfume. There was the one where I walked by a building as its scaffolding fell down; the one with an empty train in the woods; the one where my neighbor walked into my room and told me not to resist love. The one about skiing and falling; the one where Nonna spoke and pulled a sweater from her closet; the one where I lost a heart-shaped rock in a game of hide-and-seek.

The truth is, I’m not sure if they’re relevant anymore. I want my stories to be conscious again; I want to do something with my words instead of exist within them. Fables don’t last long around here, anyway. I go back to that story about the house, but now it ends differently. I wake up and build a roof and stand on top of it and the view is so much richer than plain blue sky.

UC Berkeley researchers Bill Jesdale, Rachel Morello-Frosch and Lara Cushing published the study Tuesday in Environmental Health Perspectives. Using U.S. census data and satellite imagery, the researchers found that heat-prone neighborhoods without tree canopy and surrounded by hard surfaces like cement were disproportionately populated by African Americans, Asians and Hispanics.

The study found that African Americans were 52 percent more likely than Caucasians to live in neighborhoods that were “urban heat islands” — microclimates that cause their environments to be slightly hotter than areas with trees — while Hispanics were 21 percent more likely and Asians were 32 percent more likely.

“There is a lot of literature and a lot of evidence that shows in the U.S. how low income communities of color are disproportionally burdened by pollution and have less access to environmental amenities,” Cushing said. “We are concerned that disadvantaged populations might be at greater risk because of climate change.”

Researchers say the findings highlight the racial disparities of different neighborhoods during a time when some experts say climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat waves.

Incidents of extreme heat are responsible for about 1 in 5 natural hazard deaths, and studies of extreme heat have shown large racial disparities in heat-related deaths, the study says.

Cushing said the lack of tree canopy and number of impervious surfaces like sidewalks, roofs and driveways in such neighborhoods trap heat and can actually create “urban heat islands.”

Diana Almanza Camarena, an East Oakland community organizer with Communities for a Better Environment, a California-centered environmental justice organization, said that the study confirms the conditions she sees when organizing in communities of color.

“You’ll see no trees for the entire stretch of a whole block,”Almanza Camarena said. “(The study) definitely sheds light on the fact a lot of these communities are suffering disproportionately. (They) don’t have a lot of greenery. There is a lot of industry, not trees and not community spaces — like parks, for example.”

Morello-Frosh said the findings reveal the residential segregation of communities of color on a national scale.

The researchers looked at 304 metropolitan areas across the United States, which included more than 63,000 census tracts. Some of the most pronounced racial and ethnic disparities were in the midwest, northeast and southern parts of the country, she said.

Many of these communities have the least resources — like access to air conditioning — and therefore need more aid in protecting their families against heat-related illnesses.

“Not everyone is equally protected,” Cushing said. “We need to make sure that (these communities) are getting the resources and the attention needed. Those who are exposed to more heat risk-related cover are often least able to protect themselves so it is kind of a double jeopardy.”

Researchers suggested that to minimize heat risks in neighborhoods, city planners can plant more trees, paint roofs white and use pavement surfaces that absorb less heat.

“These social equity issues are going to have be taken into account if we are going to protect the most vulnerable populations,” Morello-Frosh said.

Alyssa Neumann covers city government. Contact her at aneumann@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @AlyNeumann.

The post Study finds racial minorities more likely to live in areas of heat appeared first on The Daily Californian.

One night after winning the Big 12 Conference regular season title, the K-State baseball team secured a series win over the Oklahoma Sooners with a 5-2 victory at Tointon Family Stadium. The Wildcats were led by starting pitcher Joe Flattery on Saturday, who delivered a nearly flawless outing.

“We turned it over to our pitching tonight,” said K-State head coach Brad Hill. “Joe Flattery man, we needed that out of him. It was hard to get going today and we needed a great pitching effort.”

Flattery was perfect through the first four innings before giving up a single to start the fifth inning. He left the game after 5.1 innings pitched with no runs and just three hits allowed.

“I came with the mindset that I need to come up to a good start,” Flattery said. “I knew we were probably going to be a little slow so it was important to come out and be sharp.”

The Wildcats scored a run in the first inning off an RBI ground out by Jared King to take an early 1-0 lead. Then, in the sixth inning, the Wildcats hung two more runs on the board after an error by the Sooners’ second baseman Hector Lorenzana, who overthrew his first baseman with the bases loaded.

In addition to Flattery’s good start, the relief pitching from the Wildcats was impressive as well. Gerardo Esquivel and Jake Matthys made appearances for K-State, and the relievers held the Sooners to just three hits after Flattery left the game.

“That’s been the game plan all year,” said Flattery about the bullpen’s performance. “If our starter has gone well through five, we have a great bullpen and you saw that tonight.”

The top hitter for the Wildcats on the night was designated hitter Mitch Meyer, who was 2-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs. His two-RBI single to right field in the bottom of the seventh inning put the nail in the coffin as the Wildcats took a 5-0 lead off of it.

“Our team, we always go out and play hard,” Meyer said. “So I don’t think we were worried that we weren’t going to play the way we have all year.”

Sunday’s home matchup at 11 a.m. between the Wildcats and Sooners will give the Big 12 champions a chance to sweep the series as they close out the regular season.

“We got to have the same mindset and come out and be prepared to win,” Meyer said. “They’re kind of struggling and wanting to get a win so you know they’re going to bring their ‘A’ game, so we have to bring that, too.”

Saturday’s win moves the Wildcats’ record to 39-15 overall and 16-7 in Big 12 play.

Since Hanson’s announcement, rumors and pieces of information about the reasons Hanson stepped down have been circulating throughout campus and the wider debate community. We hoped to be able to add a more thoroughly researched version of events as soon as possible following his announcement, but we also felt it was important to confirm stories and take the time required to present information from every possible angle.

We fully expect that some aspects of this story will be frustrating for many of the stakeholders and members of the Whitman community who have a vested interest in this issue. Because of laws governing the confidentiality of matters of employment, any issues relating directly to Hanson’s employment with the college cannot be publicly disclosed. In addition, while the college is free by law to share findings from Title IX investigations, as well as the concerns that motivated them (so long as the identity of complainants is protected), there is no law compelling Whitman to do so. To date, President George Bridges and Associate Dean of Students and Title IX Administrator Clare Carson have declined to provide The Pioneer with any specific information relating to the investigation itself, other than to confirm that it occurred and that it was prompted by a complaint about sexual assault on the team.

While writing this story, we faced the challenge of organizing and presenting a significant quantity of sometimes conflicting information. We opted to tell the story in three parts and to include as much as we could about the Title IX investigation itself, as well as perspectives and stories about the team’s culture and Hanson’s leadership. Our intention was to respect the truth of every individual’s experience, whether debate was a place where they felt unsafe, a positive and defining feature of their college life or something in between.

Critics of both debate team culture and the Whitman administration will likely find confirmation of their beliefs within some of the stories told to us, but it is our feeling, after reporting this story, that it defies a simple narrative. We hope that these articles can serve to further conversations occurring within the Whitman community about the future of the debate team, the college’s response to gendered discrimination and sexual assault, and administrative oversight and transparency.

Sincerely,

Shelly Le

Pioneer Editor-in-Chief

Rachel Alexander

2012-13 Pioneer Editor-in-Chief

For Oregon, it was Cole Irvin, who entered the game with a 10-2 record, a 2.64 ERA and having pitched three complete games so far this season.

For Oregon State, it was righty Andrew Moore, who, with his now 11-1 record and 1.34 ERA, is perhaps the more impressive of the two on the season.

It quickly turned into a game Oregon will try to wipe from their memory. Moore didn’t have overwhelming stuff, finishing with only two strikeouts, but he went a full nine shut out innings and allowed just two hits.

“His fast ball location was real good and he was throwing his breaking ball on the first pitch, which is a good pitch,” said J.J. Altobelli of Moore. “He just got after our hitters.”

Irvin started strong, shutting Oregon State out through the first five innings, but at times looked shaky. In the top of the sixth, Michael Conforto hit a powerful opposite field home run to left field to put the Beavers on the board.

“Conforto’s home run the other way was a good pitch,” said Oregon coach George Horton. “When a guy can hit an opposite field home run in this ball park … He didn’t sneak up on me though, I know he’s pretty good.”

The Beavers again struck at Irvin in the seventh with another home run. Ryan Barnes absolutely crushed the ball out of centerfield for his first home run of the season.

However, the sixth and seventh innings were small fries compared to the show Oregon State put on in the eighth.

Darrell Hunter took the mound to start the inning, promptly giving up three runs in two-thirds innings. Christian Jones was then brought in to snag the final out but first gave up an RBI single to Barnes, plunked Kavin Keyes and then threw a wild pitch allowing Barnes to score.

He eventually got the final out, but not before the Ducks had surrendered five runs in the inning and fell into a 7-0 hole.

The ninth wasn’t kind either as the Beavers smacked around Jared Priestly, who gave up hits to his first three batters faced and allowed two more insurance runs for the Beavers.

“We got out played,” said Horton. “Tip your cap to the Beavers. What you do when things don’t go your way Friday night, you get up off the deck and do something about it. I thought they were extremely good. Unfortunately Darrell [Hunter] didn’t make enough good pitches and their little second baseman (Andy Peterson, who went 4-5 with two RBI) is a scrappy little guy.”

As one -sided as the game was, the series is tied at 1-1 headed into Sunday’s rubber match and with a win, Oregon can tie Oregon State for first in the Pac-12. However, a loss would put them two games behind and, with three games left in the season, all but guarantee a Pac-12 title for Oregon State.

“Gotta have a quick memory,” said Altobelli. “It was a good ball game until the eighth and things got away from us a little bit. That kid for them pitched a great game. He’s a good pitcher. We got another one tomorrow.”

Oregon will have a chance to rebound from the loss and get a series win on Sunday. Jake Reed will get the start, first pitch is at 12 p.m.

The Ducks celebrate a big two-run homer by freshman catcher Janelle Lindvall. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Wisconsin’s Stephanie Peace (22) connects with a pitch by freshman left-hand pitcher Cheridian Hawkins. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Oregon head coach Mike White argues with an umpire over a call that resulted in the Ducks third out of the inning. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Badger Kendall Grimm (17) barely misses reaching first base safely due to the ball coming home in the first basewoman’s glove beforehand. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Senior right-hand pitcher Jessica Moore (12) turns around and smiles at head coach Mike White (stationed at third base) after celebrating freshman catcher Janelle Lindvall’s home run that put the Ducks up 3-0 at the top of the 7th. She then shrugged at him and headed back to the dugout. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Badger Kendall Grimm (17) pulls back to make the easy catch of a pop-fly ball. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Wisconsin huddles during a change in innings. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Oregon’s Alexa Peterson picks up a nearly foul ball that rolled just short of crossing the line. Both she and a fellow teammate purposely let the ball roll, in anticipation that it would cross the line — though it ended up stopping an inch or so away from it. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Wisconsin’s Mary Massei (3) swings and hits the ball in the bottom of the 6th inning. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Badger Whitney Massey (2) and Duck Jessica Moore (12) find each other after the NCAA Regional final for a chat. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Leading the Ducks in the third round was Rak Cho (-1) who carded a 71 after he birdied four times to finish in a tie for 35th place overall in the individual standings. Jonathan Woo (-7) and Brandon McIver (-7) both shot a 73 as they finished in a tie for 10th place. Rounding out the Ducks were Sulman Raza (+5) and Zach Foushee (+12) who finished in a tie for 49th place and 69th place respectively. 

In the 75-player field Washington’s Cheng-Tsung Pan (-15) finished atop of the individual standings, finishing three strokes ahead of: MJ Maguire (North Florida), Chase Seiffert (Florida State) and Daniel Walker (individual, Richmond) in conclusion of the three-day, three-round event. For the team standings, North Florida (-34) finished on top as they finished with a three-stroke lead over Washington (-31) to win the Tallahassee Regional.

The season has come to a close for the Ducks as they recorded eight top-ten finishes in the Spring, which also included a championship at the Duck Invitational back on March 26th. With a sixth place finish at the Pac-12 Championships and a fourth place finish at the Bandon Dunes Championship, the Ducks have concluded what was a solid season and will be looking to build on this season next year as they return all players aside from the two seniors.

Given the nickname “Big Poppy,” center fielder Samantha Pappas has been key to countless Duck victories this season and she came up big once again in the Duck’s victory this afternoon. Slamming a solo-home run in the top of the second inning, Pappas put the first run on the board for the Ducks and put pressure on the Badgers to play catch-up for the remainder of the game as it gave the Ducks a slim, but important 1-0 lead.

“I told Sam it was the best swing I’ve seen her take since UCLA,” said coach Mike White. “Hopefully that’s going to be a bearer of things to come.”

An important key to the Ducks success today was the pitcher Hawkins, who started ahead of Moore for the first time this postseason. Hawkins pitched a total of four innings and finished with three strikeouts as well as not allowing any runs while she was in the game. Despite getting taken out in the bottom of the fifth, Hawkins not only controlled the tempo of the game, but she also had one of the better, if not best play of the game in the bottom second. With one out remaining and runners on first and second, Hawkins had to decide whether to throw to first or third and with a simple, but effective fake throw signaled towards first, Hawkins faked out runner Michelle Mueller at third to proceed to tagging her out. Despite the play being early in the game, the Badgers didn’t have many opportunities better than this to score and Hawkins masterfully ended both the inning Badgers’ chances to score with a spectacular play.

“Hawkins with mixing up her speed to start the game and then bringing in Moore with that extra speed, it kind of got their (Wisconsin) bats a little slower,” said Coach White. “We played some great defense behind her (Moore) to finish the game out so all-in-all it was a good tournament for us; we played well, we got better as the tournament went along and we had some good fan support, so thank you (fans).”

In addition to Hawkins, third basewoman Koral Costa came up huge in the victory as she pulled in multiple grabs throughout the game. Costa’s best moment came in the bottom of the sixth as she made an impressive throw from third to first to end the inning. The Ducks have relied on their defense as of late and Costa just happened to be the key player on defense this afternoon.

Both teams would go scoreless for four straight innings before the Ducks would essentially end the game with a two-run home run late in the seventh inning. With two outs in the top of the seventh and Pappas on first, catcher Janelle Lindvall stepped up to the plate and blasted a two-run homer to give the Ducks a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the bottom seventh. Not only did this put tremendous amounts of pressure on the Badgers heading into the final inning, but it also accounted for another late-game game changer, which the Ducks have become accustomed to in this year’s post-season. After Moore came in to start the bottom of the fifth, she finished with a team high four strikeouts and proved down the stretch why she is one of the most dominant pitchers in softball.

As the Ducks prepare to play once again in front of their home crowd with higher stakes and better teams, the experience of Moore and her team will be very important moving forward. The Ducks are without a doubt legitimate contenders for an NCAA title this year and it will come down to whether they can continue to play at the same high level of play that they have already been playing at in the upcoming NCAA Super Regional.

“It (playing front of home crowd) will be really nice especially with us in school right now; we’ve got some big weeks in class, so it’s nice just being able to sleep in your own bed, be able to relax and have everybody else worry about all the other stuff that’s going on,” said Moore after the game. “Our crowd is getting bigger it seems like every weekend so hopefully our community will get really excited about the Super Regional at home and we’ll have a lot of fan support.”

“Congratulations to Wisconsin, I thought they did extremely well,” said coach White after the win. “It was a great championship game; I thought both teams played exceptionally well with some excellent defensive plays, some good hitting and very good pitching,” said White. “Pitcher of Wisconsin did a very good job of controlling our bats, mixing speeds, mixing in the curve and the drop and I thought we battled very well, probably one of our best offensive performances, even though we only got three hits, I thought we had some quality at-bats against a very good pitcher.”

Turning Point: The score read 1-0 in favor of the Ducks from the top of the second until the top of the seventh, when Lindvall ended the game with a two-run home run to essentially cut the Badgers just short of advancing to the Super Regionals. Lindvall’s home run came during a crucial moment in the game and really set-up Moore to finish the game off with her late-game experience.

On the horizon: The Ducks now advance to the NCAA Super Regional which will be held at Howe Field. Games will begin next Thursday on May 23. The Ducks’ opponent will be determined shortly.

“[In "52"] Superman‘s a completely different person than the one I’ve been reading about for the last 20 years. He’s distant from humanity, whereas, before, he grew up as a human and thought of himself as a human, even though he knows he isn’t.,” Adam Coon, an avid DC Comics reader, said.

The idea was simple. A restart in the DC continuity meant original stories and new characters. That way, DC could draw in fresh blood to buy its comics. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. Where some comics told stories of character origins, others dropped readers in the middle of action sequences. Such scenes failed to describe what was going on.

Greg Gage is the owner of Black Cat Comics in Sugar House. Despite seeing an increase of sales from the new “52” in the beginning, he is also not impressed with many of DC’s changes.

“I think the biggest weakness, story wise, is probably them having to feeling the need to do crossovers with everything. Everything has a crossover. When something’s not selling so well, instead of putting together a creative team and looking into why it doesn’t work, they cross it over into Swamp Thing or Batman to get it to sell,” Gage said.

DC Comics’ next mistake came by way of television. For years, audiences followed DC cartoons like “Batman the Animated Series” and “Teen Titans” due to developed characters and fantastically written plots. Then, shows aimed toward younger viewers started popping in and a drought seemed to settle. Finally, “Young Justice” came along. Every Saturday morning, kids and adults thrilled over mature characters and themes that melded perfectly with well-known superhero action fights. Characters, like Superboy and Artemis, quickly became fan favorites, alongside the familiar characters of Batman and Robin. The first season wrapped up with fans craving more and waiting for what will happen next.

Unfortunately, the second season of “Young Justice” turned cataclysmal. The series added dozens of new characters, with little to no backstory. In addition, the already introduced characters aged by five years. The show was more twisted and confusing than an episode of “Lost” in Latin translation. To add insult to injury, the episodes were shown sporadically. In March, the show was cancelled and DC had another group of angry fans to appease.

Finally, there’s “Man of Steel.” Not much can be said for this film, since audiences are only given vague and confusing trailers that tell nothing about the overall plot. One has to go to IMDB.com to even find the film’s villain, which is not a good sign for a superhero film. However, with the talent of the director Zack Snyder (“Dawn of the Dead,” “Sucker Punch”) there may be hope.

Regardless, the future of DC looks grim. With more kiddy shows coming out for Cartoon Network and the sale of comic books in decline, it feels like DC may be taking its last breath, unless, one of DC’s heroes, perhaps Superman, shows up at last minute to save the day.

“These incidents appear to be a prank, and the fires did not threaten any buildings, were minor and were quickly addressed,” CSU’s Public Safety Team wrote in an email to the campus community Friday afternoon.

CSUPD responded to the fires and is reviewing video footage to try and identify those responsible.

According to the Public Safety Team, there is no threat to campus at this time but were obligated to inform campus as a requirement of campus safety obligations set at the federal level.

Jacob Lauing
jacoblauing.md@gmail.com

As Joey Wagman put it, no starting pitcher ever wants to come out of a game.

But with a standing ovation, it’s a little bit easier.

Wagman recorded his 11th win of the season Friday night as Cal Poly (35-16, 13-9 Big West Conference) defeated Cal State Northridge, 5-1.

Tonight marked game one of a three-game set with the Matadors (31-21, 15-7 Big West) and the Mustangs’ penultimate series of the 2013 season.

With Cal State Fullerton running away with first place in the Big West, Cal Poly will likely need to win the majority of its remaining games to get a postseason bid.

“We have to make sure that second place spot is ours,” right fielder Nick Torres said. “It would have been great to win the Big West, but at this point we are just trying to keep up with Fullerton.”

The Mustangs got the leadoff man on in each of the first four innings, something head coach Larry Lee preaches on a regular basis. But Cal Poly couldn’t capitalize on those base runners, leaving men on base in the first and second inning.

“We had a chance to really do some damage offensively,” Lee said. “We just haven’t been able to do that the majority of the season.”

With the leadoff man on in the third inning, Denver Chavez and Torres both cashed in with RBIs, giving the Mustangs a 2-1 lead.

Torres reached out of the zone on a fastball and sent a line drive the opposite way, barely fair down the right field line.

“I figured since I already smacked a couple of curveballs, they were just going to try and blow fastballs by me,” Torres said. “I was on them, just chased a little bit out of the zone. As soon I saw that it was going to get chalk, I started booking.”

Torres landed on second base for catcher Elliot Stewart, who started the game over a struggling Chris Hoo.

“(Stewart) gives us a better chance offensively,” Lee said.

On Friday, Lee was correct. Stewart joined the third inning RBI parade and added a couple of his own with a two-out double.

But before the Mustangs were on the board, Wagman had to work hard early.

After a couple quick singles from Cal State Northridge in the second and third innings, Wagman found himself in back-to-back jams.

“That’s baseball,” Wagman said. “I’ve pitched here long enough to know that stuff is going to happen. It’ s all about how you can control that.”

Wagman, with help from the explosive third inning offense, was able to right the ship and settle into a groove.

“It’s always nice when the offense explodes like that,” Wagman said. “It makes me a lot more comfortable and it allows me to stay in my game plan of attacking.”

Even with the high stakes in the Big West, tonight’s game meant a little more to Wagman, as the senior tossed his final game under Baggett Stadium’s bright lights.

“We knew that he was going to come out and shove tonight with it being his last home start of his career,” Torres said. “He scuffled a little bit at the beginning, but we know that we had to put up runs to win the game.”

After 135 pitches, nine strikeouts and only one walk, Wagman exited the game in the eighth, jogging off the mound to a standing ovation from Baggett Stadium.

“The fans have been great here,” Wagman said. “They’ve been unbelievable all four years for me. I definitely heard the crowd.”

Reed Reilly, currently tied with the all-time single season school saves record, took over for Wagman and shut the door on Cal State Northridge.

And after dropping two of three to UC Irvine last weekend, Cal Poly fell to a fourth place tie with UC Santa Barbara in the Big West.

But according to Lee, the approach doesn’t change, even if the Mustangs rank below three teams with five games to play.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with where we are placed in conference,” Lee said. “Winning tonight continues to put us in a real good situation for postseason opportunities.”

Sophomore Matt Imhof will take the hill tomorrow afternoon for his 14th start of the season.

First pitch is at 1 p.m.

“We just go out and play the game that’s in front of us,” Wagman said. “We always say, no matter what the day is, the next game is the most important game of the season.”

Juniors Hilary Burns and Aaron Colston will continue in their positions as Editor-in-chief and Online Managing Editor, respectively.

Sophomore Ian Rutledge will now serve as the Print Managing Editor. Rutledge has been an editor in the news section for three consecutive semesters and looks forward to his new position.

“My primary goal as the Print Managing Editor is to serve as a resource for the rest of the editorial staff in terms of helping with both production and the development of story ideas,” Rutledge said. “I also look forward to working closely with the incoming freshman staff members and showing them the ropes in terms of how production and management of a newspaper section works.”

Now that Rutledge will be stepping out of the news section, freshmen Sarah Moran and Austin Cook will serve as co-editors of the news section.

“My main goal for the news section is to make sure that we continue to cover important topics that students care about with quality writing,” Cook said. “I want to make sure that we’re the go-to source of important news and information for Wake Forest students.” Moran seconds these sentiments.

Sophomore Molly Dutmers will continue to serve as the life editor. Dutmers plans to work with the online team to produce weekly blogs for the OGB and expand the multimedia section.

With sports editors Ty Kraniak and Max Wohlmuth studying abroad in Spain next semester, sophomores Nick Weldon and Alex Spear have been promoted to be co-editors of the section.

“Alex and I are really pleased with the direction that the section is moving in right now, but we hope to take it a step further next semester,” Weldon said. “One of our main goals is to include more feature and opinion pieces in the print edition. This would mean that game stories would go mostly online and hopefully be posted as soon as possible after the conclusion of the match.”

Spear adds, “I just feel really motivated to step up as a section editor. The OGB has an effective system in writing and producing each issue and I’m so happy to be apart of it.”

Sophomore Kristopher Kolb will continue serving as an opinion editor but since his co-editor Ade Ilesanmi will be studying abroad in London, junior Annie Johnson will step up as a co-editor.

Freshman Adrian Martino will take over as the Photo Editor and senior Lauren Lukacsko will continue as the graphics editor.

“I am proud of our progress this semester. I feel that we have delivered interesting content and we have worked hard to expand our presence online,” Burns said. “I am excited to continue working over the summer and into the next semester with this enthusiastic staff.”

For those who missed the event, here’s a recap of the night’s winners:

Best Solo/Duet Entry: Sarah Summers

Best Band Entry: The Street Hearts

Best A Cappella Entry: Bruin Harmony

Best Production Entry: Hooligan Theatre Company

Best Overall Entry: Bruin Harmony

Best Overall Participation: Alpha Delta Pi and Theta Xi

Best Group Director: Caitlin Myers for Delta Gamma and Pi Kappa Phi

Best Company Video: ”Now 1919″

For a recap of the night’s events, read the Daily Bruin’s live blog.

Compiled by Jessica McQueen, A&E senior staff.

Jacob Hannemann and the Cougars clinched a WCC tournament berth with a victory over Saint Mary’s Friday night.

BYU baseball clinched a spot in the WCC tournament with a 6-3 victory over Saint Mary’s Friday night.

“I’m just really glad that we finished it tonight,” head coach Mike Littlewood said. “I just can’t say enough about the overall attitude of our team. There was no anxiety, there was no tension. They wanted to get it done in two games and they got it done.

The Cougars (29-19, 14-9 WCC) earned at least the fourth seed in the tournament and could nab the third seed with a victory tomorrow afternoon. With the loss, the Gaels (21-33, 11-12 WCC) were eliminated from playoff contention.

“Our next goal is to try and get the three seed,” Littlewood said. “You’re going to play a good team no matter what.”

BYU scored early and often in support of starter Jeff Barker, who earned the win, pitching 5 1/3 innings and giving up two runs on five hits

The scoring started early as both teams picked up a run in the first inning.  The Cougars took the lead in the second inning on a two-out double by Hayden Nielsen that scored Kelton Caldwell. BYU tacked on one run each in the third and fifth innings to take a 4-1 lead.

The Gaels cut the lead to 4-2 in the sixth when Markus Melgosa scored on a double by Anthony Villa, causing Littlewood to bring in Adam Miller in relief. With runners on second and third and one out, Miller struck out Collin Ferguson and got Darian Ramage to ground out to end the inning, leaving the tying run in scoring position and ending one the Gaels’ biggest threats of the night.

The Cougars quickly got the run back on Whitney’s solo home run to left center in the bottom half of the sixth. Adam Law hit a solo home run of his own to lead off the eighth inning, extending BYU’s lead to 6-2.

The Gaels attempted to mount a comeback in the ninth, loading the bases with no outs. Reliever Matt Milke struck out pinch hitter Christopher Akmon for the first out. Saint Mary’s pushed one run across when Cole Norton grounded into a fielder’s choice, but Milke struck out Melgosa to end the inning and preserve the victory.

Tomorrow’s game will start at 1 p.m. MST. It will be televised on BYUtv and broadcast on KOVO Radio 960 AM.

Oregon pitcher Tommy Thorpe throws the first pitch of the second inning at PK Park Friday night against the OSU Beavers. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon State infielder Danny Hayes (9) tags out Oregon’s Scott Heineman (6) during the first baseball game of the Civil War series. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon’s Ryon Healy tries to stop Oregon State’s Jake Rodriguez from reaching first base during the baseball game Friday night. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Outfielder Scott Heinemen watches his fly-ball as he darts for first base during the Duck’s baseball game against the Beavers. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon’s Ryon Healy smashes the baseball in the first game of the baseball Civil War. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Dark and ominous clouds loom over PK Park during Oregon’s Civil War match-up against the Oregon State Beavers Friday night. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon infielder Aaron Payne grimaces after missing the pitch at the Oregon versus Oregon State match-up Friday night. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

The Oregon baseball team celebrates with the crowd after winning the first game of the Civil War series 3-0. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon’s Ryon Healy speaks with the press after Oregon won against the Beavers Friday night in the first game of the Civil War series. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

An undergraduate tuition freeze and the DREAM Act may soon become realities at the University of Minnesota.

The state Senate and House both passed the higher education omnibus bill on Friday, which allocated $42.6 million to the University for the tuition freeze and funding to give undocumented students in-state benefits.

The bill also includes funding for a new University research initiative, MnDRIVE, with an appropriation of $35.65 million. A signature from Gov. Mark Dayton, which is due by Monday when the current legislative session ends, is the bill's last step before taking effect.

The bill's main goal is “to fill the jobs of tomorrow,” said  Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, who is the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee  chair.

The DREAM Act, officially called the Prosperity Act, was unanimously adopted by committee and will take effect July 1. Proponents say it will help address Minnesota's achievement gap and workforce needs.

In an emotional testimony, Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, gave her support for the program at Wednesday's committee meeting.

“This has been so very important to so many young people and this is what we are about in higher ed is providing education to young people,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where they were born; they come to the United States.”

The DREAM Act will cost $100,000 in a one-time appropriation from the Office of Higher Education general fund.

Some, including Sen. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, had issues with the act's inclusion in the omnibus bill at the Senate hearing Friday.

Westrom said he voted against the bill because the DREAM Act allows undocumented students to accumulate student debt but they can’t work to pay it back after graduation because of their immigration status.

“We all know how hard it is to pay college debt off,” he said. “Without employment, that becomes nearly an impossible task.”

Westrom and other lawmakers have said the issues tackled in the DREAM Act need to be handled at a federal level.

Though the state House didn't pass the DREAM Act, legislative rules state it could be included in the bill's final version because the Senate passed it, Bonoff said.

MnDRIVE, a University research initiative, was given more than $35 million in funding, just short of the full Senate’s proposed amount.

To receive the full funding, the University will have to complete three of five performance goals, like decreasing administrative spending by $15 million. The other goals include improving graduation rates, increasing undergraduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and filing more invention disclosures.

In the bottom of the ninth inning with the bases loaded and one out, Oklahoma Sooners pitcher Jacob Evans threw a ball that got past catcher Anthony Hermelyn. Tanner Witt, who was standing at third base, sprinted home to score the winning run and gave the K-State Wildcats a 6-5 walk-off win that earned the team a Big 12 Conference title on Friday .

“There was a lot of balls being thrown,” Witt said. “The first thing I was thinking was maybe walking off with a walk, but then I just saw the ball get past him and I ran.”

The Wildcats were down 4-0 after 5 1/2 innings, but in the bottom of the seventh inning, Witt tied the game with an RBI single to center field.

In the bottom of the eighth, pinch hitter and freshman Lance Miles belted an RBI single to right field in just his 29th at-bat of the season to give the Wildcats a 5-4 lead.

The Sooners tied the game in the top of the ninth with a home run over the left field wall by shortstop Jack Mayfield. However, Wildcat reliever Jake Matthys stayed in the game after that and recorded the next two outs to keep the score even.

“I just believed in my team,” Matthys said. “I knew they were going to fight for me and I knew they were going to try and pick me up.”

The Wildcats loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the ninth, and the passed ball ended up being the championship-winning run for the Wildcats.

“I was thinking run, Tanner, run,” said K-State head coach Brad Hill. “And ball, don’t bounce back to the catcher.”

The Sooners put their best pitcher on the mound to start the game in Jonathan Gray. Projected to be a top-two pick in the MLB draft, Gray started the game out with five scoreless innings.

However, the Wildcats hung four runs on Gray in the sixth and seventh innings to force him out of the game.

“He’s an absolutely unbelievable arm,” said catcher Blair DeBord. “Early in the game we just kept communicating to start early and slow. We started seeing his pitches a little better, he started getting a little tired out there, and we were able to put some balls in play.”

The baseball team’s Big 12 title follows the standard that the football and men’s basketball teams have set this academic year, as both those squads won titles as well.

“Our vision is to have a model collegiate athletics program,” said K-State Athletics Director John Currie. “And we believe we can do that at Kansas State. Coach [Bill] Snyder talks about the 16 goals, and we should not have self-limitations at K-State.”

With such a young team that is dominated by over a dozen freshmen, the Wildcats were originally predicted to finish seventh in the Big 12 preseason polls. The regular season championship by the team marks the biggest jump in conference history for a conference champion from their standing in the preseason poll.

The Wildcats still have two more weekend games against the Sooners, starting at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at Tointon Family Stadium.

Head to tinyurl.com/aburvpp for more photos of Friday’s game.

Enacted in 1965 and reauthorized four times since, the VRA is credited with significantly reducing voter discrimination with respect to race. Rather than making a binary decision to uphold or strike down the law, the Court will answer two key questions in Shelby: whether discrimination today is pervasive enough to warrant continued federal intrusion into states’ rights, and what measures Congress should use to identify likely sources of voter discrimination.

Individual Enforcement Will Remain

The most important part of the VRA is Section 2, which prohibits states, counties, and cities from enacting voting procedures that racially discriminate. The federal government, and specifically the Department of Justice, has power to enforce Section 2 through litigation. The DOJ may ask courts for preliminary injunctions to prevent enactment of discriminatory voting procedures, and private individuals can also bring Section 2 lawsuits. Between 2000 and 2009, the DOJ brought only 26 lawsuits under Section 2, yet the threat of litigation is often enough to pressure jurisdictions into election reform. However, Section 2 is not at issue in Shelby, and the DOJ and individuals will retain their power regardless of the Court’s decision.

Section 2, combined with the Constitution’s 14th (equal protection) and 15th (universal male voting rights) Amendments provides a basic level of federal protection of minority voting rights. Further, political pressures constrain elected state and local officials from enacting discriminatory legislation. Abigail Thernstrom, vice chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and the author of two books on the VRA, noted this political constraint to the HPR, explaining, “it is politically impossible in America today to come off as racially uncaring.” Voter backlash against the Republicans’ recent immigration reform proposals is an example of this practical check, something Democrats are quick to highlight.

Is Voter Discrimination Still a Problem? 

The Court in Shelby will instead analyze the merits of Sections 4 and 5 of the VRA. Section 5 requires that select jurisdictions receive prior DOJ approval, or “preclearance,” before enacting any changes to their election procedures. Preclearance provides an early check for the DOJ to ensure that certain jurisdictions do not enact racially discriminatory voting procedures. Voting changes requiring preclearance include redistricting, moving of polling stations, redrawing precinct lines, purging voters, changing bilingual voting methods, amending candidate qualifications, and altering voter registration procedures. Section 5 was originally intended to be a temporary, five-year remedy. However, since 1965, Congress has extended it four times, most recently until 2031.

Section 5 is widely considered a vast expansion of federal power, necessary to prevent voter discrimination in the 1960s. Nevertheless, preclearance significantly intrudes upon traditional state powers to set voting standards. Such an intrusion may no longer be justified in light of reduced levels of discrimination. Ilya Shapiro, senior fellow of constitutional studies at the Cato Institute, described preclearance to the HPR as “a big blunt intrusion” into state powers that was “outside the constitutional norm and originally justified by … the exceptional conditions on the ground.”

In Shelby, the Court will determine whether the discriminatory conditions present in 1965 persist to an extent large enough to warrant continued federal intervention in core state affairs. As Kent Greenfield, professor of constitutional law at Boston College, explained to the HPR, “There must be a close fit between the exercise of [federal] power and … the potential violations of constitutional rights.” If the Court believes that substantial discrimination still exists, then it will likely uphold federal preclearance, but if it determines that modern discrimination tactics are neither prevalent nor effective enough to significantly impact minorities’ constitutional rights, then Section 5 will likely fall.

Supporters of Section 5 argue that, while the most heinous forms of voter discrimination are relics of the past, minority voter suppression still exists. Tactics such as unexpected changes to voting locations, voter ID laws, and the selective enforcement of criminal background checks by registration officials all constitute what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has called “second generation devices.” While not as overt as poll taxes or literacy tests, these newer devices may be equally effective in suppressing minority voting. Bernard Simelton, chairman of the Alabama NAACP, explained the importance of voter ID laws to the HPR: “True, we aren’t facing the same things we were facing in the ‘60s,” he said. “But nevertheless it still achieves the same result: you don’t vote.” Supporters fear that if the Court strikes down Section 5, there will be no remaining constitutional check on these tactics.

Opponents of Section 5 claim that race relations have sufficiently improved to render preclearance obsolete and there is no longer any justification for the time and resources that the DOJ uses to process the 20,000 preclearance cases it handles each year. Further, opponents say the relics of voter discrimination that may still exist do not warrant the broad federal intrusion into core state powers. They are skeptical that subtler methods of modern discrimination produce the same undesirable effects as those pre-1965. These skeptics often cite the following statistics: among the 11 former Confederate states, eight have smaller disparities between white and black voter turnout than the national average, and among the eight states nationally that have a higher percentage of black than white voter turnout, four are former Confederate states.

How Should Congress Identify Voter Discrimination? 

The Court in Shelby will also determine the validity of measures that identify jurisdictions suspected of voter discrimination. Section 4 of the VRA establishes several tests to identify suspect jurisdictions. These jurisdictions must submit all proposed voting changes for DOJ preclearance. The Shelby case focuses on the Section 4 requirement that preclearance applies to any jurisdiction where fewer than half the voting age residents either (a) are registered or (b) turned out to vote. However, instead of using current census data, the VRA uses data from the 1972 presidential election. Section 4 captures nine states, as well as isolated counties and municipalities in seven other states. Thus, a key question in Shelby is whether 1972 voting data is applicable to measuring racial discrimination today and in the future.

Supporters of Section 4 argue that determining the proper identification method is a legislative decision in which the Court should not intervene. In 2006, Congress reauthorized Section 4, and its reliance on 1972 voting data, for 25 additional years by overwhelming bipartisan votes of 98-0 in the Senate and 390-33 in the House. According to Greenfield, these votes show that “Congress has given a clear answer” about whether to update the methodology. Similarly, Mr. Simelton said that in 2006, Congress “had significant evidence that this [method] needs to stay like it is.” In effect, supporters argue the Court should respect the separation of powers doctrine and defer to Congress.

However, despite the Congressional vote, Section 4 has become antiquated. Nationwide, voter registration is 59.8 percent. Applying the Section 4 registration requirement to 2010 census data, only Hawaii would be subject to statewide preclearance. Meanwhile, voter registration in the nine states currently subject to preclearance ranges from Louisiana, with the third highest state voter registration of 73.2 percent, to Texas, with the fifth lowest state voter registration of 53.2 percent. Overall among these nine states, voter registration is just 0.4 percent lower than the national average.

Pre-cleared states generally have a smaller gap between white and black registration than the rest of the country. Of the five states that have a higher percentage of blacks than whites registered, three are subject to preclearance. Meanwhile, of the 13 states with the smallest disparity between white and black voter registration, seven are subject to preclearance. Finally, while the gap between white and black registration is 8.2 percent nationwide, the gap is only 3.5 percent among the nine pre-cleared states.

Congress would never consider basing environmental or fiscal policy on 40-year-old data. Opponents of Section 4 say that federal policies on voting discrimination are no different.

Possible Court Outcomes

The Court largely has three options in deciding Shelby. First, it may find that voter discrimination based on race remains pervasive and that Section 4 provides an appropriate method to identify offending jurisdictions. This ruling would simply maintain the status quo. Second, it may find that discrimination is no longer prevalent enough to warrant federal preclearance. Under this ruling, individuals and the DOJ would retain the power to fight voter discrimination through Section 2 litigation, but the DOJ could not pre-clear states’ voting changes. Third, the Court may reason that voter discrimination is still significant enough to justify federal intervention, but that the current identification mechanism is outdated. This ruling would require Congress to utilize more current data to identify jurisdictions that discriminate.

Unfortunately, the public’s understanding of the Shelby case has fallen victim to media sensationalism. Like many cases that reach the Court, Shelby is more nuanced than a sound bite or newspaper headline. Contrary to general perceptions, a decision to strike down Sections 4 and 5, would not be an invitation to reestablish Jim Crow laws. Instead, the Court would recognize the tremendous progress the country has made in reducing voter discrimination and call on Congress to develop a relevant model, with current data, to continue this progress into the future. America’s ignominious history of racism and its current preoccupation with political correctness make it extremely difficult to debate any deficiencies of the VRA in a rational manner. However, both sides of this debate should view Shelby not a referendum on the VRA, but as an opportunity to determine the most effective ways to continue improving race relations in America.

When the number of women on campus rushing sororities jumped to approximately 250 in both 2011 and 2012—up from about 150 in 2008—demand for an additional sorority at Harvard began to mount.

This semester, an Alpha Phi chapter joined Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Kappa Kappa Gamma as Harvard’s fourth official sorority.

Jeanie Nguyen ’14, president of the Cambridge-Area Panhellenic Council, said that the Council welcomed the new addition to Harvard’s Greek scene.

“There’s definitely an increasingly high demand to join Greek life, and the Cambridge-Area Panhellenic Council is honored and more than happy to support an inclusive community where any girl who wants to join a sorority can do so,” Nguyen said.

This semester, the sorority held its first spring formal and has participated in philanthropic activities, including Relay for Life and volunteering at a food bank with fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi.

Megan Bouché, director of marketing and extension for the Alpha Phi International Fraternity, wrote in an email that she feels the new Alpha Phis at Harvard have bonded well over the past semester.

“The fun, friendships, and activities Alpha Phis developed and participated in this past semester mirror those of the other three sororities,” Bouché wrote. “From sisterhood events at SkyZone to volunteering at the Greater Boston Food Bank to the chapter’s first formal, Alpha Phis were able to spend time together and build their sisterhood.”

Looking forward, Bouché wrote, the founding members of the Harvard Alpha Phi chapter will be able to draw upon the long-established network of Alpha Phi members and alumni.

“A few of the most exciting parts of being a founding member of Alpha Phi are the opportunities to help shape the character of Alpha Phi, chart its course, and create the traditions of a group that establish a lasting legacy at Harvard,” Bouché wrote.

Alpha Phi conducted its recruitment process in late February after the other established sororities to build awareness and accommodate women who had not been chosen by other sororities, had not accepted their bids, or had not participated in the first rounds of recruitment.

Alpha Phi will host its recruitment process at the same time as the other sororities next spring.

—Staff writer Laya Anasu can be reached at layaanasu@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @layaanasu.

—Staff writer Elizabeth S. Auritt can be reached at eauritt@college.harvard.edu. Follow her on Twitter @eauritt.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: May 17, 2013

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that an Alpha Phi chapter became Harvard’s newest sorority this April. In fact, the chapter officially launched at the start of this semester.

Jose Lumbreras, 25, has pleaded no contest on two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated for the deaths of 22-year-old UC Berkeley graduate Milanca Lopez and her 6-year-old son, Xavier Chevez. The Alameda County District Attorney’s office is requesting the maximum 12 years in prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Teresa Drenick.

“It is a tremendous relief to know this particular chapter has come to a close without the trauma of what we knew would be a painful trial for her family and friends,” said Rue Mapp, a UC Berkeley graduate and neighbor of Lopez, in an email. “We will continue to celebrate Milanca and Xavier’s lives and remember the beautiful friend and mother she was in our community.”

Paul Wolf, Lumbreras’ defense attorney, disagrees with the prosecution’s pursuit of the maximum sentence. He said Lumbreras has suffered greatly from the accident and that 12 years is too severe for the crime.

“Jose has never denied nor sought to shirk his responsibility for the damage and pain for which he has shared and continues to experience,” Wolf said. “He loved both of them. It’s an accident, and he’s responsible for it.”

Wolf will argue for a lighter penalty during Lumbreras’ sentencing on June 11.

At approximately 1 a.m. on May 18, 2012, Lumbreras drove into a tree in central Berkeley, killing Lopez and seriously injuring Chevez. According to police, his blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit.

Chevez was placed on life support and died from his injuries one week later at Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland.

Prior to her death, Lopez and her son lived in university student housing at University Village in Albany. Lopez began studying at UC Berkeley in 2007 and was planning to begin a master’s program for teaching at UCLA following her graduation.

Lumbreras came to UC Berkeley in 2010 after receiving a degree in sociology from UC Santa Barbara. He received a graduate degree from UC Berkeley’s ethnic studies department not long before the accident.

The couple was allegedly drinking in celebration of their recent graduations prior to the collision, Wolf said.

Lumbreras is currently being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, and his bail is set at $200,000, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office inmate locator.

“It’s one of the most tragic cases I’ve ever been involved in, and I’ve been a criminal defense lawyer for 37 years,” Wolf said. “It caused nearly intolerable injury and loss to three people and their respective families.”

Andy Nguyen is the lead crime reporter. Contact him at anguyen@dailycal.org
and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Truc.

The post UC Berkeley alumnus found guilty of DUI deaths appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Oregon pitcher Tommy Thorpe throws the first pitch of the second inning at PK Park Friday night against the OSU Beavers. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon State infielder Danny Hayes (9) tags out Oregon’s Scott Heineman (6) during the first baseball game of the Civil War series. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon’s Ryon Healy tries to stop Oregon State’s Jake Rodriguez from reaching first base during the baseball game Friday night. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Outfielder Scott Heineman watches his fly-ball as he darts for first base during the Duck’s baseball game against the Beavers. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon’s Ryon Healy smashes the baseball in the first game of the baseball Civil War. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Dark and ominous clouds loom over PK Park during Oregon’s Civil War match-up against the Oregon State Beavers Friday night. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon infielder Aaron Payne grimaces after missing the pitch at the Oregon versus Oregon State match-up Friday night. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

The Oregon baseball team celebrates with the crowd after winning the first game of the Civil War series 3-0. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon’s Ryon Healy speaks with the press after Oregon won against the Beavers Friday night in the first game of the Civil War series. (Ryan Kang/Emerald)

Oregon, notoriously slow starters at home, came ready to play Friday night. Brett Thomas hit a strong line drive up centerfield to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Aaron Payne then hit a textbook bunt up the third base line, safely arriving on first and advancing Thomas to second.

Ryon Healy hit a single to left field, scoring Thomas. Next Mitchell Tolman moved Payne and Healy into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Heineman followed with another sacrifice bunt, this time scoring Payne.

“Obviously you want to score first,” said Healy. “Definitely playing at home, you want to make the score feel like it’s more. I feel like with the atmosphere we had here tonight it definitely felt like it was more than 3-0.”

Oregon picked up where they left off to start the second with Nick Catalano hitting a double to the left field corner and then moving to third on a sacrifice bunt courtesy of Josh Graham. J.J. Altobelli then drove him in on a high pop single to shallow center.

Through three innings, the Ducks had six hits. On the season, they average 8.5 hits per game.

After the third inning, Oregon State starter Matt Boyd (10-3, 2.04 ERA) tightened things up, allowing just one more hit through the rest of the game.

“He was cross-count a lot,” said Healy of Boyd. “He got me on a 2-0 (count) and on a 3-1 change-up, got me to swing and miss. He was doing a great job mixing speeds. He was pounding in fast balls and did a real good job not missing with those. Hats off to him, he’s threw one heck of a game.”

The lively bats in the first two innings separated Oregon from Oregon State, but the true MVP of the game was Thorpe. Thorpe threw eight innings and allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out seven.

Most impressive, though, was his efficiency. He flew through innings, working his slider and curve ball, he kept his pitches low, forcing batters to ground out. He finished eight innings on an incredible 92 pitch count.

“Tommy! That was unreal,” said closer Jimmie Sherfy of Thorpe’s impressive start. “Our pitching staff here is so great, to have him Friday night and then Cole (Irvin) Saturday, Jake (Reed) Sunday … I think we have the best starting staff in the nation. Tommy was just dominant like he usually is. It was no surprise at all.”

Since Oregon head coach George Horton made the change in the starting rotation, putting Thorpe in the Friday spot and moving Jake Reed to the Sunday spot, the Ducks have swept every weekend series. Thorpe has been fantastic against other Friday guys, but this was his most impressive performance of the year.

“I felt awesome,” said Thorpe. “Going out and throwing a shut out was awesome. I couldn’t ask for anything more. I was on top of the ball. My slider and fast ball were low in the zone so I was able to get a lot of ground balls and pop ups.”

Perhaps the only hiccup of the night came in the ninth after Thorpe walked his first batter . Horton pulled Thorpe and sent Sherfy, a usual guaranteed save, in to close out the game. He struck out his first batter but plunked the second, sending him on base. He then struck out the next batter.

Ryan Barnes came to the plate and after a bit of a count battle, Sherfy lost command and hit Barnes square in the helmet, sending him to the ground.

Sherfy was notorious for hitting batters last season. The 13 he hit prompted the “Wild Thing” nickname that had become so popular. However, this season he found his control and hadn’t hit a single batter until Friday night.

He battled back though, getting the final out on a pop up from Oregon State’s Danny Hayes. The save was his 20th, eclipsing the school record of 19 he set last season.

“We had planned that if one guy got on we were going to go to Sherfy,” said Horton of his decision to pull Thorpe. “(Sherfy) wobbled a little bit but he gets that last out more times than he doesn’t.”

The Civil War series will pick back up Saturday at 2 p.m. Cole Irvin will take the mound for the Ducks.

Leading the way for the Ducks were two familiar faces in freshman Brandon McIver and sophomore Jonathan Woo, who both shot a 67 (-5) in round two of competition. The two players are currently in a tie for sixth place in the individual standings in a pool of 75 total players.

Also finishing strong were Sulman Raza (74) and Rak Cho (74), both of whom shot a two-over on the day. Raza is currently in a tie for 34th place while Cho sits in 47th place, respectively. Leading the entire individual leaderboard is North Florida’s MJ Maguire (-11).

On the horizon: The Ducks will play one final round at the Golden Eagle Golf and Country Club as they conclude play at the The Tallahassee Regional tomorrow morning. Tee off time is set for 7:55 a.m. as the Ducks vie for a top-five finish.

Oregon junior infielder Courtney Ceo slides into home plate during the top of the second inning, narrowly missing being tagged out by Tar Heels catcher Amber Parrish. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

The Oregon players didn’t waste a moment in celebrating their 3-0 victory over the University of North Carolina, as the Ducks flash their iconic “O’s” while Tar Heels player Jenna Kelly makes her way off the field. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Senior right-hand pitcher Jessica Moore (12) throws a pitch early in the fourth inning. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Senior Oregon player Kaylan Howard connects on a bunt during the top of the first inning, courtesy of a pitch from Tar Heels pitcher Lori Spingola. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Junior infielder Courtney Ceo (22) hurls the ball toward first base in an attempt to out the UNC batter. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Tar Heels pitcher Lori Spingola brings down a bunt from Ducks player Kaylan Howard during the top of the first inning. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Senior second base woman Kaylan Howard (3) stretches out to catch a ball while freshman infielder Erin Satterfield (3) launches herself forward and tries to reach second base safely. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

A WWII-era B-17 bomber soared directly over Howe Field during the top of the fifth inning. Developed by Boeing in the 1930s, the iconic B-17 “Flying Fortress” is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft with a top speed of 287 mph. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Senior Oregon pitcher Jessica Moore faces her first Tar Heel batter during the first inning. The Oregon Ducks defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 3-0 at Howe Field during game two of the Eugene Regionals. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Freshman infielder Erin Satterfield (3) pulls back to catch a fly ball as a light rain drizzles Howe Field. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Tar Heels redshirt freshman Jenna Kelly pumps her fist in frustration after failing to out Oregon infielder Courtney Ceo at first base. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Senior second baseman Kaylan Howard makes a successful diving catch between first and second bases, outing Tar Heels senior Haleigh Dickey during the bottom of the fifth inning. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Tar Heels second baseman Erin Satterfield jumps in celebration after notching an out against the Ducks during the top of the sixth inning. The Oregon Ducks defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels 3-0 at Howe Field during game two of the Eugene Regionals. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Fred Roellig and his four-year-old grandson August Roellig take in the action along the perimeter fencing at Howe Field during the bottom of the sixth inning. “We came with two innings left,” Roellig noted, “and I wasn’t willing to pay $12 (for admission).” The pair have attended Oregon softball games together since August was one year old. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon freshman utility player Koral Costa reacts in frustration after being struck out during the top of the seventh inning as the Ducks led the Tar Heels with a comfortable lead of 3-0. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon head coach Mike White shouts instructions to his players from the dugout during the top of the seventh inning. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon’s star pitcher Jessica Moore, right, makes her way through acknowledging the University of North Carolina Tar Heels roster after the Ducks took down the Tar Heels 3-0. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon junior utility player Kailee Cuico drops a pass at first base as Tar Heels outfielder Tisha Mahon scores a base hit during the bottom of the fourth inning. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Sophomore outfielder Janie Takeda (19) tries to recover after dropping a ball that flew out into deep left field. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Tar Heels second baseman Erin Satterfield reacts to an umpire’s call after Oregon infielder Courtney Ceo is ruled safe at second base. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon softball took care of business in their second-straight game in regional play as they took a 3-0 victory over UNC.

Star pitcher Jessica Moore had her second start in under 12 hours but was effective as always.

The Emerald’s Hayden Kim has a full recap.

***

Oregon baseball will take on Oregon State in a Civil War with Pac-12 title implications. The two teams have separated themselves from the rest of the conference and both are looking to host super regional play.

Here is a full preview.

***

The list of awards Jimmie Sherfy is contending for is growing by the day. Earlier today it was announced that Sherfy has been made a semifinalist, one of 40, for the Dick Howser Trophy. Other awards Sherfy is being considered for include the Golden Spikes Award for the top player in the country, the NCBWA Stopper of the Year and Pitcher of the Year, which now has only 22 candidates.

“As Coach Miller says, ‘It’s better to win ugly than lose pretty,’” said Coach Mike White in reference to the quick turnaround from game one to game two. “We knew it was going to be a tough morning and we seemed a little bit sluggish, but we came out and ran the bases well. I didn’t feel like anything was a let down: I thought we pitched well, so I don’t think (the quick turnaround) was too much a factor, which was really good. Obviously they had a couple more hours of rest than we did, but right now it’s about getting it done; finding a way to win and we were able to find a way to win today.”

Beginning in the top of the first inning, the Ducks came out fast and strong as Janie Takeda flew in from third base to give the Ducks an early 1-0 lead. Not only was Takeda the lead-off batter for the Ducks this morning, but she also didn’t waste any time to record a crucial steal to put the Ducks on the scoreboard.

After a UNC throwing error to try to tag her at third base, Takeda immediately booked it for home plate and ended up scoring on her first at-bat. UNC did manage to get a runner on third base in the bottom of the first, but Moore struck out two batters to prevent the Tar Heels from tying the game up at one a piece.

“We let some pretty good strikes go by,” said Takeda in reference to the offense in the beginning of the game. “The pitcher had some good movement, but I think that we will be able to make the adjustments and come out swinging tomorrow.”

In regard to her success with stealing in today’s game and the first scoring play, Takeda had this to say: “I just get the steal sign and run as fast as I can. I was stealing third because we had the fake bunt on, and when I got to third I just saw the ball rolling out to the outfield so I just took home.”

Continuing on to the top of the third inning, the Ducks came out firing on all cylinders as they extended their lead to 3-0 after producing excellent batting. With a lone out in the top of the third, Takeda once again forced the action as she nailed a perfect bunt to set up Courtney Ceo for a great scoring opportunity.

Just before Ceo recorded an RBI single, Takeda put her running shoes on once again as she stole two bases and was eventually brought in by Ceo’s hit. Following Takeda’s score, Samantha Pappas drove in another RBI single to bring in Ceo to bring the score to 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Aside from the Tar Heels advancing runners to third base on multiple occasions, Moore prevented them from converting any opportunities to score. Moore finished the game with an astonishing nine strikeouts and lead the Ducks to another crucial victory as they continue their path to the NCAA Championship.

“(Pitching two consecutive complete games is) not anything really new to me,” Moore said. “I’ve had to (pitch complete games) the past three years. Last year I probably had it a bit worse out in Texas, so coming out and throwing this morning’s game wasn’t too bad for me.”

“Obviously it was a good win for us, I mean at this stage any win is a good win — playing against a quality opponent North Carolina with a good pitcher, and it went kind of how we thought it was going to be,” said White. “It was going to be difficult to score runs off of her (Lori Spingola). “(Spingola) controlled the strike zone pretty well and it was difficult to hit, but fortunately we were able to lead off with our short game and capitalized off a couple mistakes and put some pressure on the base running.”

“We’ve always talked about treating every game the same,” said White. “It’s about playing Oregon softball; our game is to have a balanced attack, to set our game up with our small ball, run bases and get good pitching. Right now it’s more about controlling what we do and making the adjustments to whoever we play.”

Turning point: The game essentially ended in the top of the third inning as the Ducks — and UNC for that matter — scored their last runs of the game. With two RBI singles from Ceo and Pappas late in the inning, the Ducks gave themselves just enough an edge to grind out the rest of the game with great pitching from Moore and solid defense from the rest of the team.

On the horizon: The Ducks will now prepare for the championship game in the regional final, which will be held at Howe Field tomorrow at 12 p.m. as they continue their pursuit of an NCAA title. Their opponent will be determined in the second game this evening.

No. 4 Oregon State has been nothing short of spectacular this season, sitting atop the conference and boasting the lowest ERA in the Pac-12 (2.06).

Oregon has won the only game between the two this season; a non-conference game in Corvallis. Over the past three years the home team has swept the series. Oregon, the home team this weekend, will look to keep that streak intact.

Oregon’s top hitter, Ryon Healy, has sat out the last three games due to a back strain but is expected to be available for the Ducks Friday night.

First pitch will be Friday night at 6 p.m. at PK Park.

No. 4 Oregon State has been nothing short of spectacular this season, sitting atop the conference and boasting the lowest ERA in the Pac-12 (2.06).

Oregon has won the only game between the two this season; a non-conference game in Corvallis. Over the past three years the home team has swept the series. Oregon, the home team this weekend, will look to keep that streak intact.

Oregon’s top hitter, Ryon Healy, has sat out the last three games due to a back strain but is expected to be available for the Ducks Friday night.

First pitch will be Friday night at 6 p.m. at PK Park.

An undergraduate tuition freeze and the DREAM Act may soon become realities at the University of Minnesota.

The state Senate and House both passed the higher education omnibus bill on Friday, which allocated $42.6 million to the University for the tuition freeze and funding to give undocumented students in-state benefits.

The bill also includes funding for a new University research initiative, MnDRIVE, with an appropriation of $35.65 million. A signature from Gov. Mark Dayton, which is due by Monday when the current legislative session ends, is the bill's last step before taking effect.

The bill's main goal is “to fill the jobs of tomorrow,” said  Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, who is the Senate Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee  chair.

The DREAM Act, officially called the Prosperity Act, was unanimously adopted by committee and will take effect July 1. Proponents say it will help address Minnesota's achievement gap and workforce needs.

In an emotional testimony, Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, gave her support for the program at Wednesday's committee meeting.

“This has been so very important to so many young people and this is what we are about in higher ed is providing education to young people,” she said. “It doesn’t matter where they were born; they come to the United States.”

The DREAM Act will cost $100,000 in a one-time appropriation from the Office of Higher Education general fund.

Some, including Sen. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, had issues with the act's inclusion in the omnibus bill at the Senate hearing Friday.

Westrom said he voted against the bill because the DREAM Act allows undocumented students to accumulate student debt but they can’t work to pay it back after graduation because of their immigration status.

“We all know how hard it is to pay college debt off,” he said. “Without employment, that becomes nearly an impossible task.”

Westrom and other lawmakers have said the issues tackled in the DREAM Act need to be handled at a federal level.

Though the state House didn't pass the DREAM Act, legislative rules state it could be included in the bill's final version because the Senate passed it, Bonoff said.

MnDRIVE, a University research initiative, was given more than $35 million in funding, just short of the full Senate’s proposed amount.

To receive the full funding, the University will have to complete three of five performance goals, like decreasing administrative spending by $15 million. The other goals include improving graduation rates, increasing undergraduate degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and filing more invention disclosures.

The University of Minnesota’s new vice provost for student affairs and dean of students was announced Friday, following a five-month search.

Danita Brown, who has worked as Purdue University’s dean of students since March 2011, will assume her new post July 31, pending Board of Regents approval.

“I am confident in Danita's leadership qualifications and experience to successfully lead the Office for Student Affairs and serve as a key member of my senior leadership group,” Karen Hanson, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost said in a statement.

In addition to her work at Purdue, Brown has served in a number of administrative and leadership positions at institutions including West Virginia University, Ohio University and Loyola University. She is also involved with a number of Greek and other student organizations.

Brown will replace Jerry Rinehart, who stepped down April 1 after seven years in the position and 35 years at the University.

Rinehart’s total salary in fiscal year 2012 was $173,960.

Andrew Marian

For most, being forced to sing in front of their middle school class would be cruel and unusual punishment, but for one 2013 Spring Sing contestant, having to learn and sing “Mi Burrito Sabanero” in Spanish class marked a turning point in his life: it was the moment he learned that he could sing. Andrew Marian, a fourth-year psychology student, is one of this year’s performers in the soloist category. Read more

Ariana Afsar and Andrew Cedar

Fourth-year ethnomusicology students Arianna Afsar and Andrew Cedar perform a duet of their original song “Trade Hearts.” The song, which explores heartbreak and the desire to move on, will be featured in Spring Sing 2013. Watch the video profile above.

Free Food

Free Food, a hip-hop, soul, and retro funk fusion band will be performing at this year’s Spring Sing. Listen to how they feel about transitioning to adulthood in their original composition, “Circus Funk.”

India Carney Band

Second-year voice student, India Carney, and her band perform “Drive,” a song about the questions that come after heartbreak. The India Carney Band will perform at Spring Sing this Friday.

Paul Haro

From Kerckhoff Coffee House to Royce Hall, Philip Haro has performed almost everywhere on campus. But this Friday he will be performing on Pauley Pavilion’s much bigger stage as a Spring Sing soloist. Read more

Ruby Lee (aka Halle Charlton)

The prospect of singing to 8,000 spectators in Pauley Pavilion would be terrifying for any UCLA student. But for ’40s vixen Ruby Lee, this kind of thing is old hat. Third-year theater student Halle Charlton and her alter ego Ruby Lee will perform “I Owe You Nothing” at Spring Sing. Read more

Sarah Summers

The spotlight will shine directly on her, as she picks at the banjo, producing a twanging sound that combines with her mature, deep voice, and sings about her past and the exciting mystery of her future. Sarah Summers, a first-year dance student, is one of the students selected to sing in this year’s Spring Sing. Read more

Suze Papazyan

A first-time participant in Spring Sing, Papazyan will perform an original song, “Forever for Now.” Papazyan said her lyrics usually embody a personal experience or feeling, but the content of this song portrays the concept of a hope or a dream. Read more

The Street Hearts

Winner of the JazzReggae Festival Battle of the Bands, The Street Hearts performs “Head in the Clouds” and talks about the confusion that accompanies impractical passions, which motivated them to write the song. The band will perform in this year’s Spring Sing. Watch the video profile above.

Moore, the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, threw her 12th complete game of the season.

The Emerald’s Hayden Kim has a full recap.

In addition to the Ducks 17 All-Pac-12 honors, the softball team was also recognized with six All-Region honors. The six awards — five first-team honors and one second-team honor — leads the nation.

First-team recipients: Jessica Moore, Kaylan Howard, Courtney Ceo, Alexa Peterson, and Janie Takeda.

Second-team recipient: Cheridan Hawkins.

***

The strong first-round play at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional Thursday from Oregon men’s golf gives them a tie for fourth place heading into round two.

***

The Oregon club ultimate men’s team is ranked No. 1 as they head into the USA Ultimate College Championships. It is the third time in the past four seasons they have headed into the championships with this ranking.

***

The Maloof Brothers have decided to keep the Kings in Sacramento, selling controlling stake of the team to a group of Sacramento investors Thursday for a reported $348 million.

Chris Hansen and his group of Seattle-based investors were offering $406 million for the team, but with pressure from NBA commissioner David Stern, the bros gave the Sacramento group a home-town discount.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby in “The Great Gatsby.”
Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Studios

Baz Luhrmann’s new film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s acclaimed classic, The Great Gatsby, is exactly what the title implies: great. Gatsby follows Nick Carraway (Toby Maguire) as he recounts the tale of his first summer on Long Island Sound. The mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby lives next-door, and hosts lavish parties almost every night in the hopes that his lost love, Daisy, who lives across the sound, might wander in one night.

Luhrmann’s directorial vision takes every single aspect of the novel and turns it into a decadent vision of the nineteen twenties, just as Fitzgerald intended. From the overly vibrant waters that separate the forlorn lovers to the synchronized movements of the hired help, Gatsby’s world is akin to a crystalline Neverland where the bottles of booze are bottomless and every curtain is made of the finest lace. The art direction perfectly highlights the materialism of the American dream, from the mysterious mist that surrounds the green light of Gatsby’s hopes and desires to the simple sheen of the yellow car the film includes as an homage to the 1974 Robert Redford version; every aspect of the film conveys the boozy haze that Carraway describes.

Leonardo DiCaprio’s fantastic portrayal of Jay Gatsby is possibly the most noteworthy aspect of the film apart from its magnificent art direction. DiCaprio’s Gatsby is both incredibly shallow and heartbreakingly idealistic in a way that endears him to the soul of every member of the audience. His likability, however, becomes deeply troubling when one realizes the materialistic vision of his dream to create a decadent world of things for Daisy to exist in. Both DiCaprio and Mulligan’s portrayal of their characters conveys the inability of Gatsby and Daisy to understand or to properly convey the feelings that they possess for one another.

Luhrmann makes interesting choices in molding the characters of Nick and Gatsby. While the film underscores the unreliability of Nick as a narrator by making the audience of his reverie a psychologist. The film also makes the shady source of Gatsby’s mysterious fortune much more prominent than it is in the novel, raising some interesting questions. If Nick has gone through a break down, how much of this story is actually believable? Is this a defense of Gatsby’s character altered by his friend, or the true story of Gatsby’s tragedy? Does the source of Gatsby’s fortune corrupt the dream world that he has created for his long lost love?

While the film creates an amazing artistic vision of the drunken debauchery of the 1920’s and the materialistic aspect of the American dream, Luhrmann draws from a more modern pool for the soundtrack. During the magnificent party scenes at Gatsby’s house, Luhrmann uses music from rap artists such as Jay Z to draw an interesting parallel between the party culture of the roaring 20’s and the party scene of today’s rap culture.

While The Great Gatsby will undoubtedly disappoint those who wanted Luhrmann to stay completely true to the text, those who were looking for a decadent, overly extravagant Gatsby with interesting changes made to highlight the broken vision of the American dream that exists today will consider the film a classic for years to come.

UH announced that its final game of the season on Nov. 29 against SMU will be played at Reliant Stadium. Three home games against Southern (Aug. 30), BYU (Oct 19), South Florida (Oct. 31) and the annual Bayou Bucket against Rice (Sept. 21) were already planned to be played at Reliant Stadium.

The only two remaining games to schedule are against Memphis (Oct. 12) and Cincinnati (Nov. 23).

To rent Rice Stadium, UH would have to pay $115,000 per game, while the price for BBVA Compass Stadium is approximately $130,000 per game plus a $1.50-$3 ticket fee, according to the agenda for Monday’s board of regents meeting.

The financial terms of playing at Reliant Stadium were also released. UH will be charged a $75,000 license fee and a $85,000 facility fee based on an attendance of 30,000, both per game. There is an additional $2 fee for each attendee when attendance is more than 30,000.

Here are the other terms to the deal:

• UH will keep all ticket revenue except for suites.
• 1,250 parking spots will be provided for donor parking. All additional spots are $10.
• All parking and concession revenue will go to Reliant.
• 20 percent of merchandise sales will be paid to Reliant.
• SMG and Texans will promote game dates to respective fan bases to increase ticket sales.

• “Quick turn-around” field conversion for USF and SMU game will be determined.

sports@thedailycougar.com

"Sen. Kel Seliger's Ten Commandments: College Edition"

State Senator Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, rewrote the Ten Commandments in modern times on stage in front of a thousands during his UT commencement address at the Frank Erwin Center. 

Seliger delivered the commencement speech for UT's College of Liberal Arts joint ceremony despite a busy schedule at the Texas Legislature. He kept his speech light and peppered it with jokes, inspiring laughter from the crowd throughout his time on stage.

High-profile speakers at college commencements across the country included President Obama at Ohio State University and Oprah Winfrey at Harvard University.

"You have me," Seliger said. 

The highlight of his speech was when he delivered the Ten Commandments and rewrote them to apply to college life. Some of Seliger's commandments are below:

-     The last supper would be pizza and cola the next morning.

-     There would be a new edition of the Ten Commandments every two years to limit reselling. 

-      The forbidden fruit would be eaten completely as long as it did not come from the Jester cafeteria. 

-      The end of the world would be known not as armageddon, but as finals. 

-     There would be no mules or sheep or goats, just mountain bikes. 

-      Moses and the Israelites wandered the desert for 40 days because they didn't want to answer directions and look like freshman. 

-     Creation was not done in six days. People would wait until the last day, pull an all-nighter and be done by 8:15 a.m. 

Seliger kept the crowd laughing throughout his speech, opening with brief excerpts from his college experience.

"My college education meant a tremendous amount to my family. It stopped my mother from ragging on me," he said. Seliger graduated from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

11 a.m. Schmoozing with government graduates

Government senior Victoria Soto left Gregory Gym with a sparkle in her eye.

Soto was surrounded by family and friends as soon as she left Gregory Gym, where 314 students graduated from the College of Liberal Arts Thursday morning. 

A crowd of about 500 students, their friends and family gathered outside to talk and take pictures after the ceremony. Soto said she was feeling overwhelmed and a little scared after walking the stage.

"I don't want to leave," she said. While she is leaving UT, Soto said she is planning to stay in Austin for two years before she applies to law school. 

Tiffany Williams also graduated with a government degree Thursday. Williams was accepted to the Cornell University Law School in New York and plans to attend in the fall. 

"It's kind of just starting to set in that I won't be here next year and I'm moving on," Williams said. 

Williams said she is in the process of finding a summer part-time job. She said she felt attending a school with a diverse student population has prepared her to live anywhere. 

She had a few parting words for her fellow graduates: "We did it, so go apply it." 

10 a.m. – "Celebrate good times, come on"

About 314 students left Gregory Gym with government degrees after the first College of Liberal Arts commencement ceremony Friday morning. 

Matthew Haynes, a senior academic advisor for the college, said he will remember the Class of 2013 as the independent class. Haynes said this group of students went beyond just going to classes, taking internships and other opportunities.

"Don't stop continuing to find your own opportunities," Haynes said. "Don't wait around for them to be handed to you – make your own." 

The ceremony ended with "Celebration," a song by Kool and The Gang. 

Contact Jody Serrano at jserrano@utexas.edu, or tweet her @jodyserrano 

Frances Monson, wife of LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson, passed away Friday morning surrounded by family and friends. Monson, 85, died at 6:35 a.m. from “causes incident to age,” according to a release in the LDS Newsroom.

Monson served alongside her husband in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for several decades. President Monson frequently praised his wife for her support when he was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1963, sustained to the First Presidency in 1985 and began serving as Church President in 2008.

Sister Monson served extensively in the Relief Society and Primary auxiliaries of the LDS Church. She is survived by her husband, 85, and her three children, Thomas, Ann and Clark.

Sister Monson had also been receiving hospital treatment for several weeks. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Editor’s Note: Further information will be given as it becomes available; stay tuned for updates.

Moore, the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year, threw her 12th complete game of the season.

The Emerald’s Hayden Kim has a full recap. First pitch between Oregon and North Carolina on Friday starts at 11 a.m. at Howe Field. The game can be watched via live-stream here.

In addition to the Ducks’ 17 All-Pac-12 honors, the softball team was also recognized with six All-Region honors. The six awards — five first-team honors and one second-team honor — leads the nation.

First-team recipients: Jessica Moore, Kaylan Howard, Courtney Ceo, Alexa Peterson and Janie Takeda.

Second-team recipient: Cheridan Hawkins.

***

The strong first-round play at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional Thursday from Oregon men’s golf gives them a tie for fourth place heading into round two.

***

The Oregon club ultimate men’s team is ranked No. 1 as they head into the USA Ultimate College Championships. It is the third time in the past four seasons they have headed into the championships with this ranking.

***

The Maloof brothers have decided to keep the Kings in Sacramento, selling controlling stake of the team to a group of Sacramento investors Thursday for a reported $348 million.

Chris Hansen and his group of Seattle-based investors were offering $406 million for the team, but with pressure from NBA commissioner David Stern, the bros gave the Sacramento group a home-town discount.

Their ranking is thrilling for the team, but this isn’t the first time they’ve earned the ranking.

“It’s pretty cool,” Ego captain Dylan Freechild said. “We were number one last year also. Actually, in the last four years, we’ve been ranked number one three times going into nationals.”

Ego’s journey up to this point hasn’t been an easy one though.

Like all great sport stories, the team has a rival. They lost to Carleton College by one point in their first match-up for the season at the Stanford Invite, which almost cost them the No. 1 seed.

“After we lost to them,” he said, “we had to win all of our other games from there out if we wanted to get a good seed.”

They went out with that goal in mind and achieved it — beating Carleton by four points in the finals of the Stanford Invite.

Ego clinched a bid to Nationals in late April by defeating regional rival University of Washington, 13-3, in the Regional Championship. The team will compete in Madison, Wisc., beginning May 24.

“It’s kind of exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time,” he said. “But I’m confident in our team.”

Ego finished out the regular season 28-3.

Eugene band YamaYama performed at the UO’s Willamette Valley Music Festival on Saturday, May 11.

This video features excerpts from the performance and interviews with band members Merlin Showalter (drums), Scott Mitchell (saxophone), Milo Fultz (bass) and Dario LaPoma (keyboard).

“We’re taking stuff that we like today like video game music and elements of electronica, and we’re putting it together with a jazz philosophy,” Showalter said.

For the first time in the 75-year history of the decorated Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta, the host program took home the title. The Drexel Dragons, defending their home Schuylkill River, captured their first overall team title in the long history of the prestigious regatta.

The grand event, held May 10-11, pitted Drexel against some of the nation’s best crew teams. The Dragons, led by Director of Rowing Paul Savell, sent 12 boats to the semifinals, a new record for the program, and sent six out of nine shells to the grand finals.

Drexel’s chances coming into the regatta were heightened because of the team’s previous victories April 27 in the Bergen and Kelly Cup regattas.

“We set goals, train hard and prepare to win,” Savell said. “I felt confident that our team had a shot, and [I am] proud of our work ethic and dedication this season.”

The Dragons were able to secure the title with 30 overall points. The University of Michigan and the University of Virginia finished second and third with 26 and 21 points, respectively.

The men’s varsity eight keyed the victory with a gold-medal finish in the Lois Krall Boat. They finished with a time of 5:42.605, earning the program’s first-ever men’s varsity eight Dad Vail gold. That shell was coxed by Marc Smith, along with strokes Kurt Linton, Vanja Busic, Aleksandar Radovic, Lorenzo Albala, Sebastian Ryan, John Pieper, Michael Faust and bow Casimir Czworkowski to earn the Richard O’Brien Trophy.

“Winning the men’s varsity eight title means we had the fastest boat on the river, period,” Savell pointed out.

Drexel was considered a big underdog to the perennial powerhouse Florida Institute of Technology for the heat, but the Lois Krall Boat jumped out to a big lead and was able to hold off the field.

Another major group of contributors to Drexel’s first-place finish was the novice eight. They won their first gold medal since 1997, winning as a No. 1 seed in the Vince Vidas Boat. Their effort included contributions from Christopher Henderson, strokes Daniel Dollin, Mikulas Sum, Nicholas Capaldi, Michael DiLucca, Dave Hanrahan, Daniel Palombo, Daniel Pyleand bow Lawrence Lindawan. With the victory, they earned the Lev Brett Bowl, capping off an undefeated spring season.

Finally, it was Drexel’s men’s pair that secured the men’s points trophy for the overall regatta. Although the Dragons had already secured the overall team title, the pair of stroke Timothy Drake and bow Cameron Staines clinched the men’s title.

Their time of 7:03.697 in the Julia Grace Boat was good enough for the Bob Negaard Cup. Savell was impressed with the come-from-behind fashion in which the pair won.

On the women’s side, Drexel’s second varsity eight defended their first-place title from last year. In the Maria Papadakis Boat, Catherine Hamilton coxed along with strokes Elizabeth Campanella, Emily Gartland, Olivia Babiec, Sierra Baca, Amanda Kleuser, Elizabeth Daugherty, Tori King and bow Elise Levito. They finished in 6:50.013, good enough to be awarded the Coleman D. Boylan trophy. Savell described this victorious heat with one word: “Awesome.”

Not far from awesome were the performances of a few other Drexel boats. Among them were the men’s second varsity eight, who finished in 5:59.140, two seconds behind Michigan, to settle for a silver medal. The women’s varsity four won a bronze medal in their heat, medaling for the first time in that particular event in the program’s history, which impressed Savell very much.

“The women’s varsity four winning a bronze was also great,” Savell said. “It is a very tough category, and this is the first year we have had the depth to medal in the eights and the fours.”

In Savell’s opinion, the weekend cemented Drexel on the nation’s crew map. In addition to Drexel’s performance in the river, Alexandra Paulin, a former Dragons coxswain on the women’s varsity team, covered the regatta for 6ABC. The presence and success provided by the Dragons, most importantly their overall victory on the nation’s largest stage, confirmed Drexel’s place among the elites.

“Dad Vails is the largest collegiate regatta in the country,” Savell said. “It has really put Drexel [crew] on the national rowing map.”

The coach was glad to see his players gain recognition for their work all year. He was thrilled to see the hard work by his team realize a goal.

“It was such a great feeling to be able to see our athletes achieve their goals, especially knowing how hard everyone worked for it,” Savell said.

Drexel is under consideration for being named Rowing Team of the Week, which will be determined in an online poll at www.row2k.com. Savell is calling for support and for fans of the team to vote for his squad.

Savell was already very appreciative of the support his team received thus far. All along the river were Dragon fans dressed in their school colors, supporting their alma mater, classmates and favorite Philadelphia program.

“There were so many Blue and Gold fans out there cheering us on, and [we] appreciated all of the support,” he said.

The post Crew team victorious at Dad Vail Regatta appeared first on The Triangle.

Drexel University has announced plans to build a new 13,000 square-foot Center for Jewish Life at 118 N. 34th St., according to a May 6 University press release.

The center — which will be comprised of a chapel, a student lounge, and several dining aspects including a kosher dining hall, cafe and kitchen — will be the first Jewish center in Philadelphia erected by a university rather than the Jewish community. It is projected to cost $7 million and will be established 36 months after at least half of funding is secured, according to Rabbi Isabel de Koninck, director of Drexel Hillel.

“Quite frankly, at Drexel we need [this center]. We’re growing out of our space left and right. We have tons of Jewish students who are really engaged and want Jewish life to be part of their collegiate experience, so we are enormously excited that President [John A.] Fry and the University think that now is the time to help make Jewish life more accessible to students,” De Koninck said.

Hillel is an international organization that seeks to enrich the lives of Jewish students on college campuses. Currently, Hillel is centered in an office in the Intercultural Center, and according to De Koninck, the size of the space is not conducive to the large, active population that it serves. The new Center for Jewish Life, however, will have enough space to serve the entire Jewish student population, including space for simultaneous worship services that serve different Jewish populations and interests.

Fry began the initiative for the student center, and De Koninck says she’s been involved in every step since the beginning. “I guess it was about two years ago that we first brought together alumni, students and parents to envision what it would look like to build a future for Jewish life on campus,” she said. De Koninck and the president’s office have collaborated in all aspects from fundraising to meeting with architects and discussing prospective designs.

“Most important, we’ve worked with students to imagine what would be most beneficial for our campus,” she said. De Koninck explained that from the beginning, it was evident that kosher dining would be among the top accommodations that the center would need to provide.

“The dining component will allow students to have access to hot, kosher meals on a regular basis. We expect . . . to make campus life easier for those that are already here,” De Koninck said. De Koninck added that she wants Drexel to appeal to students for whom kosher dining is a factor in their college decision process.

Presently, kosher dining is not readily available on Drexel’s campus. Drexel has worked with the University of Pennsylvania, which has a large Jewish student population, to offer “guest meal plans” for Jewish students at Drexel.

Chabad serving Drexel — Rohr Jewish Student Center has also worked to provide kosher meals for Jewish Drexel students. Chabad is another international Jewish organization that extends accommodations for Jewish life beyond the college campus.

The Chabad House, which has been in Philadelphia for approximately two years, is not affiliated with the University. There is a Chabad student group that receives funding from Drexel just as any other student group; however, the Chabad house does not receive funding from the University.

“There’s only so long you can go without a hot meal, which you cannot get from around here if you keep kosher,” Rebbetzin Moussia Goldstein, co-director of the Chabad House, explained.

The Chabad House began offering kosher meals over Passover and other Jewish holidays, but due to large student interest, the house now offers daily meals to all who wish to keep kosher. For the most part, the meal plan is funded by voluntary donations given by parents in appreciation of the accommodation. Even if a student or parent can’t afford a donation for the meal plan, Goldstein said, “There’s no turning anyone away.”

The Chabad House also serves on average between 50 and 70 students, and at most around 150 students every Friday night for Shabbat dinner.

Chabad is excited that the Center for Jewish Life will accommodate the needs of all Jewish Students. However, students of Chabad have thus far not been included in the planning process.

“I think our students are happy about the center but a little disappointed that they didn’t even receive a mention,” Goldstein said. “They want people to understand Chabad and that they’ve done so much in changing the Jewish student community. They’re not only attracting students but retaining them as well and building a family in the process.”

Rabbi Chaim Goldstein added, “We came here to campus, and we’re just an independent organization and just do things on our own, so I think Drexel just may not know about our presence.”

Moussia Goldstein explained that she and Rabbi Goldstein have met with Fry and other University faculty members but are unsure if they are aware of the extent to which Chabad impacts Jewish student life.

Rachel Wener, a sophomore web development student, said, “Chabad changed my life. When I was a freshman, I was in a lot of clubs and went to all of my classes and was really trying to get involved, and Chabad really provided me with something that the other clubs couldn’t. There is something about Chabad that is so ‘homey’ — you can’t come here and not make friends. It took my college experience from ‘regular freshman’ to ‘I can’t leave Drexel if I tried.’”

Noah Gross, a senior mechanical engineering major and two-time president and former treasurer of the Chabad student group, explained that he has been in contact with Dean of Students David Ruth as well Ken Goldman, president of the Office of Institutional Advancement and chief philanthropic officer, expressing a desire for Chabad to be included in planning.

“I told them that Chabad has grown exponentially in the two to three years that we’ve been here and there are no signs of slowing down. I wanted to let them know that we are excited about the Center for Jewish Life but a bit disheartened by the initial oversight in the preliminary stages of planning,” Gross said. “We look forward to being an active force in planning and figuring out what steps we can take to enhance the accommodations that the Center for Jewish Life will provide.”

Chabad Vice President Ariel Arbley, a pre-junior business major with concentrations in finance and legal studies, said he hopes that the Center for Jewish Life will allow for a variety of Jewish needs to be met and will spark new collaboration between Hillel and Chabad.

“Everyone gets something different out of each one, which is what I think is good about Chabad and Hillel. I think they work really well together and complement one another. … We’ve done events with Hillel in the past, and we work together to create events to bring Jewish students together,” Arbley said.

Currently, Chabad and Hillel sponsor some events together, such as Shabbat 200. Each aims to serve the entirety of the Drexel Jewish community, which at 5 percent includes between 900 and 1,200 students.

Gross said that the Center for Jewish life will “give a sense of pride for Drexel students that says, ‘This is my university, and it has the resources to accommodate me religiously, spiritually, culturally and academically.’ I am excited to see what the future brings and the growth of Jewish life on campus when we have an official building to call ours.”

The post Jewish Center will be first of its kind appeared first on The Triangle.

Drexel President John A. Fry hosted a town hall May 13 for professional staff of the University, where he gave an update on the strategic plan for Drexel through 2017. He discussed the six strategic priorities for the University as well as the transformational themes from the 30-year master plan.

The two overarching goals of the administration are to redefine Drexel’s physical presence in University City and its interaction with the surrounding areas, and to enhance the overall student experience through better retention efforts, an expanded co-op program and a lower student financial burden.

The strategic plan is less than a year old at this point but is already being implemented across the University. The medical school is in the process of being integrated with the rest of Drexel, removing the legal firewall between the institutions. Each college has also been tasked with creating its own strategic plan, a process that is well underway.

“We’re moving at a very accelerated pace, but we’re all adjusting to it,” Teisa Brown, a staff member of the College of Engineering, said. “The whole process is moving very fast, but it’s not reckless.”

The most visible part of the strategic plan involves the physical building out of the campus and shifting the new growth east toward 30th Street Station instead of north into residential neighborhoods. The expansion of the University has had a profound impact on the neighborhoods north and west of the University, to the point where only 16 percent of houses in Powelton Village are owner-occupied.

By shifting the new developments to the area around 30th Street, along with community outreach through the Dornsife Center, the University hopes to re-establish real neighborhoods and move away from having students overtake residential areas. This involves new University-sponsored housing at Chestnut Square and Lancaster Avenue, as well as development programs like mortgage support for employees and investing in the local K-12 schools.

The University has also started pouring resources into improving its student retention rate, which currently sits well below Drexel’s peer group of universities.

Drexel hired Huron, a management consulting company, to perform a complete evaluation of the University.

“The No. 1 challenge, far and away, that was identified by Huron is improving retention and graduation rates,” Fry said. “This is critical to our competitiveness in the future and is critical also to our students’ impressions of us because we do lag significantly behind our peers in both the yield rate of accepted students who enroll and the persistence and graduation rate of our students.”

Drexel is starting a pilot program with 60 freshmen in the fall to try to address some of the retention issues facing the school. It will be a learning community with better advising, peer tutoring and much more faculty interaction. Drexel’s retention rate lags behind competitors by 12 points, according to Fry. If the program is successful, it will be expanded to include more freshmen in upcoming years.

“The philosophy needs to be ‘recruit to retain’ as opposed to ‘recruit to enroll.’ We’re really interested in bringing in students who are a better fit with our institution and keeping them here for their four or five years so they graduate. And our retention rates need to have an eight in front of them instead of a six,” Fry said.

Along with these retention measures, the administration is focusing on making Drexel more affordable to students. Drexel is consistently ranked among the most expensive colleges in the nation, which threatens the enrollment targets of the strategic plan.

“I think you’ll see Drexel gradually dialing down the percentage increase in tuition and room and board. We’re at about 3.9 percent combined, and that’s down from about 4.5 percent last year. We are very sensitive to this, and we’re going to try and think about ways we can constrain that growth over time,” Fry said.

In addition to partnering with community colleges so that students can transfer into Drexel after two years, the University is also planning a round of endowment fundraising to support undergraduate student aid.

More information about the campus strategic plan and the 30-year master plan can be found online at drexel.edu/strategicplan.

The post Fry updates faculty on strategic plan appeared first on The Triangle.

Having your Drexel co-op in Italy is amazing, but having your Drexel co-op in Italy while working for an Italian football team is just incredible. Luckily enough, that is exactly what two sport management students, Rene Coleman and Cullen Hynes, are doing.

The Parma Panthers, based in Parma, Italy, are an American football team playing in the Italian Football League. Parma is located between Florence, Milan and Venice and is famous for its Parmesan cheese.

If you can’t tell by now, this is a once-in-a-lifetime co-op, which is something Coleman really wanted to take advantage of.

“As a transfer student, this was going to be my only co-op, so I wanted to make sure it was going to be something I wouldn’t have the chance to do later in life,” Coleman said.

The interview process was unconventional, much like the entire co-op experience.

“Out of the blue, we got an email from our professor, Amy Giddings, alerting everyone in the department about this opportunity she was working on for a co-op in Parma, Italy,” Hynes said.

A few interviews later, the duo found themselves being interviewed over Skype with the head coach of the Panthers.

“I was doing a Skype interview with Andrew Papoccia, the head coach of the Parma Panthers. One week later I got an email saying they were offering me the position, and the rest is history,” Hynes said.

Football is far from the most popular sport in Italy. It’s very much behind soccer, rugby and basketball, but that is exactly why Coleman and Hynes were hired.

Coleman said, “Outside of making their social media pages more attractive to fans, we are also help[ing] run the team’s TD Club (booster club) as well as try[ing] to bring on new sponsors and start camps.”

Marketing football in Italy is a very important aspect of the Panthers developing a fan base.

Hynes mentioned some of his duties working in Parma: “Every day I check on the team’s Twitter and Facebook, make sure all information is up to date, engage with fans, and try to expand our social media reach.”

Marketing and promotion seem to be working because when Hynes and Coleman walk around Parma with a Panthers shirt on, many people do recognize the team. But one of the major issues is having Italians understand all the rules of the game.

“Imagine going to Europe and watching a rugby match having never seen one before,” Hynes said. “You’d be so lost. That’s how it is in Italy.”

The Panthers have a solid 400-500 fans who come out to every game and really love the sport.

Coleman said he hopes that his internship promoting the Panthers will have a positive effect on the perception of football in Italy. “By doing a better job letting the public know about the games, hopefully those numbers will increase over the next three home games.”

So far the Panthers have had one home game this season, and both Coleman and Hynes were pleased with the turnout. “All of the fans were engaged, loud and excited for the team to win. Even at the four away games this season, every game featured at least a few Panthers fans, even the 3.5-hour road trip to Ancona.”

The Panthers have won three consecutive IFL championships and are looking for their fourth this season.

Coleman said he believes that more fans will come out to watch the best team in Italy. “The fans know that the Panthers are the top team right now and expect nothing but the best from them. They really get into the games and will even stay after to congratulate the players.”

Even though both Coleman and Hynes are working hard, they do have time to explore the beautiful country of Italy. Hynes was able to visit Rome with the three American players on the team.

“We spent two days and two nights roaming the city and stirring up trouble,” he said. “It’s a memory that I’m definitely putting in my scrapbook whenever I enter the scrapbooking part of my life.”

Coleman said he has loved taking team trips so far and seeing the different Italian cities. But his favorite part of the trip is right in Parma’s backyard.

“My favorite thing about being in Parma is the fact that we are in what I would call real Italy,” Coleman said. “It’s not one of the tourist cities, so we are truly immersed in Italian culture.”

Even though the IFL Super Bowl is July 7, Coleman and Hynes will be doing work until mid- to late August.

Feel free to check out the Parma Panthers on Facebook (ParmaPantersAFT), Twitter (@ParmaPanthers), the Web (www.panthers.it) and YouTube.

The post Drexel students co-op in Italy with Parma Panthers appeared first on The Triangle.

Last week the Drexel community finally got to see the product of the Drexel Players’ last couple months of work as they close the 2012-13 season with “The Grapes of Wrath.” Preceded by two lighter performances, “The 25th Annual Putnam Country Spelling Bee” and “To Fool the Eye,” the adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic is a much graver production and a powerful closing to a successful season. This particular stage adaptation was created by Frank Galati and enriched by original music from Michael Smith. Having been originally produced on Broadway, the show won a Tony Award in 1990. It is not surprising that such a solid rendition was chosen to create a lasting impression of the company near the end of the season, as well as to be the inaugural production of the brand-new URBN Annex Black Box Theater on 34th and Filbert streets.

Following up their productions of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “To Fool the Eye,” the Drexel Players put on a show based on John Steinbeck’s Depression-era novel, “The Grapes of Wrath.” This stage adaptation was created by Frank Galati with music by Michael Smith.

The power of the evocation naturally has to do with the substance of Steinbeck’s novel — that is, the painful burden of caring for one’s impoverished and underprivileged family during the Dust Bowl of the Great Depression in 1938. Yet the age of the actors and the fact that the production was staged at a college theater gives it another dimension,  one of a coming-of-age narrative. Although it is obviously not the case in the novel, it seems like we can create an alternative reading based on the vivacity and youthful rebelliousness that actor Alex Cummiskey added to the character of Tom Joad, the leader of the family, as they make their crossing to California.

Another powerful aspect of the shift in reading the characters onstage is the focus on Ma Joad, portrayed by Alexis Pozonsky. Even though her nature as the fabric that holds the family together is present in the novel, it seems like Pozonsky’s powerful interpretation focuses much more on this feature.

However, it is not only the story of the Joads and director Nick Anselmo’s reading of it that makes “The Grapes of Wrath” an exquisite production in the Drexel Players’ repertoire. The original music by Michael Smith, using themes and based on the characteristic harmonies of the South, definitely adds a ton to this rendition of Steinbeck’s story. In fact, the beginning of the play has so much music, realized outside of the storyline, that the audience would think it rather a musical. Short interludes and musical themes make their appearance throughout the play as well, using music as the suggestion of the progression of action. It is a purely cinematic method, and its use onstage makes the play smooth and pleasurable to watch.

As it happens, viewers should not mind the show’s two-and-a-half-hour runtime but should instead let themselves become engrossed in the characters’ lives. For that reason, “The Grapes of Wrath” is truly a top-notch production right on Drexel’s campus. You have until May 25 to make your way to the Black Box Theater and support the Drexel Players in their stage endeavors.

The post Classic Steinbeck comes to life in Drexel Players’ ‘Grapes of Wrath’ appeared first on The Triangle.

It always feels like you went back in time to 1940s Manhattan when you dine at The Prime Rib. The first Prime Rib restaurant location opened in Baltimore in 1965, followed by Washington in 1976 and Philadelphia in 1997. All three restaurants were modeled after supper clubs that were popular during the 1940s in New York City. Brothers Buzz and Nick BeLer designed the restaurant to possess an old-school atmosphere. Guests sit in dark high-back leather chairs and are served by wait staff dressed in tuxedos. Large floral centerpieces decorate the tables. Large mirrors line the dark wooded walls along with framed Louis Icart lithographs. While conversing with your companions and eating, live music plays in the background — there is a baby grand piano and a bass player.

Located at 1701 Locust St., Prime Rib restaurant transports its diners back to the 1940s with its supper club inspired decor. The eatery serves both surf and turf options.

A block away from Rittenhouse Square at 1701 Locust St., The Prime Rib is located inside the Radisson Warwick Hotel. The steakhouse and seafood restaurant is open daily in the evening only for dinner, beginning at 4:30 p.m., requiring business casual attire. On Sundays, customers can bring their own wine if they do not wish to select a beer, cocktail or wine from the restaurant’s extensive list. There is a $45 prix fixe menu offered on Sundays and before 6 p.m. Monday thru Saturday. Private rooms are available for parties and business functions.

The entree selection is vast and will satisfy anybody’s cravings. To begin, the roast prime rib is a classic and favorite choice by customers, with a starting price of $36 or $55 for the full cut. The beef is selected from the finest grain-fed steers and aged for four to five weeks before being roasted in the restaurant’s special ovens. The steaks are consistently tender and flavorful. Another popular entree is the USDA prime filet mignon, which is prepared similarly to the roast prime rib. If you find yourself not wanting steak, there is also the porterhouse veal chop, rack of lamb, chicken piccata or roaster organic chicken. As for the seafood entrees, the imperial crab is the finest jumbo lump with light seasoning and baked in a shell. Furthermore, the Chilean sea bass and yellowfin “ahi” tuna are delectable. To conclude your meal, definitely try the creme brulee or key lime pie.

The Prime Rib is the perfect place to dine with friends or family; however, it is better to leave young children at home with a babysitter or at a friend’s house. Additionally, with the dimmed lights, intimate setting, music resonating from the baby grand piano, and delicious food and drinks, you could make it a romantic evening with your companion. Food & Wine magazine listed The Prime Rib as one of the top five romantic restaurants. The Zagat Guide ranked The Prime Rib as the No. 1 steakhouse in Philadelphia. Also, Esquire Magazine included The Prime Rib’s steaks as one of the top 20 served in the United Sates.

The service is impeccable; the waiters and waitresses know the menu and are able to give customers insight into the food and drinks. The classy, upscale restaurant has the best steaks, wonderful staff and elegant decor that every meat lover should experience.

The post Prime Rib creates 1940s vibe appeared first on The Triangle.

In his article, Strauss brought up his religious convictions pertaining to LGBT issues, and although I personally disagree with them, it needs to be pointed out that those opinions must be accepted by everyone in order to move forward with the issue. As an LGBT individual I felt no personal assault by Strauss’ article, even though our opinions on various social issues do not align, and why should I? I have my opinions and others have theirs, but they should not influence how I treat them or vice versa. This brings us to a very important realization that many on both sides of the social argument need to adhere to: Instead of promoting the childishness of a playground argument (which most of the debate on LGBT rights has become), both sides of the issue must be willing to listen to and respect the opinion of the opposition. Society has experienced a very minimal amount of this basic courtesy. Especially in recent years, words such as “bigot” and “homophobe” have been thrown around without any real consideration or respect. These personal attacks serve no purpose in bettering the image of the LGBT community and only propagate an image of hostility.

In almost a militant fashion, both sides of the argument have used their rhetoric and actions to increase tension against the opposition. As a result, many LGBT individuals harbor a deep resentment to religion when, in reality, they should be content with the fact that the Catholic Church even has a compassion-driven position in its Catechism. LGBT rights may not be a desired outcome for more conservative organizations such as the Catholic Church, but their position should be respected. For many Catholics to adhere to this doctrine by disagreeing with LGBT issues such as marriage is perfectly acceptable; no one should be forced to accept something that goes against their personal moral convictions. Additionally, their opinions do not make them bigoted any more than your own personal beliefs in opposition to theirs make you a bigot. The system of religion-bashing and name-calling does not help either cause any more than it does in any other argument.

This brings me to a very caustic point that I feel needs to be reiterated in detail in order for the point to hit home. In my last column I wrote about abstaining from pride events and LGBT activist groups because I believed them to serve more of an alienating purpose than a universal approach. The main reason for this analysis is negative media portrayal of pride events. While such events do invite a sense of community and culture, it is important to be careful about how we approach them. With mass media honed in on anything that is deemed “out of the norm,” portrayal of the LGBT community lingers in the minds of the outsider as a queer fetish culture. Instead of telling the story of the happy couple, America’s television screens are bombarded with images of kink, hypersexuality and promiscuity. Additionally, many were upset with my statements regarding protection of the ally status under certain legal clauses. Most cited that heterosexual cisgender individuals already possess protection from discrimination based on their gender and sexuality. I respectfully disagree; in a work environment where personal opinion and political affiliation can still make or break a career, it is important that allies are included in such documents, as even support of LGBT individuals can spark tension.

When it comes down to it, most of what the LGBT community is doing today seems to be a gigantic waste of energy. A majority of time and energy wasted intensifies the standoff between LGBT detractors and the community as described above. Controversy, hatred and intolerance will only subside once one side makes the first move toward empathy. Tearing down the foundation of another’s opinion does more to offend than it does to comfort. Unfortunately, with animosity between both parties rising to higher levels by the minute, the playground debate doesn’t look like it will be ending anytime soon.

Vaughn Shirey is a freshman environmental sciences major at Drexel University. He can be contacted at op-ed@thetriangle.org.
Queerview publishes biweekly in weeks 3, 5, 7 and 9 .

The post Queerview | Moderation has a place in LGBT rights issues appeared first on The Triangle.

Marion County Judge Sheila Carlisle scheduled Shuai’s trial for Sept. 3, 2013. The prosecution assigned Terry Curry, the chief prosecutor of Marion County, to Shuai’s case. On the other side, Linda Pence, an experienced defense attorney, is defending Shuai.

I believe this case definitely opened the Pandora’s box of women’s rights. Based on the verdict of this trial, pro-life and pro-choice advocates can both either strengthen or weaken their arguments on abortion’s legality. Therefore, it is obvious that women’s rights groups ought to advocate for a verdict of “not guilty” through protesting against the prosecution and creating petitions for her innocence. I do understand that this case is very crucial; it represents one of the most controversial issues in the United States. However, we should not forget that the duty of this nation’s judicial branch is to bring justice to everyone who rightfully deserves punishment or compensation. Therefore, we must not let external circumstances cloud fair judicial rulings in this case. Furthermore, it is indeed very painful and cruel to force a woman who lost her newborn daughter to go through the intense procedures of a criminal court. If she truly deserves the punishment for murder or feticide, the judge should not hesitate to declare her guilty.

On the other hand, if she is not guilty, not only does she need to be treated properly, but the government and interest groups should also cooperate to help any pregnant women who are experiencing psychological difficulties. Every mother has the right to protect and successfully deliver a new life.

After reviewing the facts written by Pence, I came into doubt that the baby died because of her mother’s attempted suicide. I will review the situation of Shuai at the time of attempt of suicide. She was experiencing severe depression from her breakup with her boyfriend just before the tragic incident. While she was pregnant, she attempted suicide at least three times in front of her boyfriend before that. Clearly, anybody might think about killing oneself after being left alone with a heavy burden. However, Shuai was not in an ordinary situation at all; the baby was almost fully grown in her womb. Obviously, she was aware of the baby’s existence and the consequence of her action. Anybody with even the slightest maternal love would think again if the suicide attempt would have cost the life of a baby.

Yes, it is true that her mental state might have been so extreme that she did not consider her baby, but when she was rescued by her friends and taken to a hospital, she did not refuse treatment. Moreover, testimony from hospital employees stating that she sincerely cooperated with doctors was more than enough to prove that her maternal love was real. How does this contradiction occur?
Regarding the rat poison, it is roughly 60 times stronger than any regulated poison. Chinese women have traditionally used it to ensure quick and definite death. Rat poison does not have an expiration date and is just as deadly no matter how old it is. Miraculously, the poison did not kill Shuai. She recovered completely in a matter of days, and her baby survived for at least three days, which is remarkable considering the damage that rat poison can do to a baby.

The question arises: If the poison was not enough to kill both of them, did Shuai underdose? I seriously doubt that she mistakenly consumed less poison because studies have shown that people who commit suicide with poison often use a large dose to ensure a quick and relatively painless death. If she intentionally consumed less rat poison to survive, why would she risk her baby’s life?
With limited information, I will not jump to conclusions. However, I do wish for the truth alone to be revealed in this case. In order to obtain the truth, the judge should exclude the external matter of woman’s rights even if this matter is very crucial politically.

Alex Cho is a political science major at Drexel University. He can be contacted at op-ed@thetriangle.org.

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Drexel’s study abroad program has several features that make studying abroad easier for students. For example, DrexelNow announced May 14 that an international area studies student was recently awarded a Boren Scholarship to study abroad in Russia for the 2013-14 school year. The scholarship awards up to $20,000 to undergraduate students interested in studying and working in a foreign country. Other scholarships include the CIEE Global Access Initiative Scholarship, the Gilman Scholarship, the Sharif Rahman Scholarship and several others. The abundance of study abroad scholarships available at Drexel gives students the opportunity to travel to a country of their choice without dishing out obscene amounts of money in addition to high tuition. Additionally, Drexel also offers short-term trips that students can apply for if they have summer term off and are unable to leave Philly while class is in session.

Unfortunately, upperclassmen often lead other students to have misconceptions of other countries and their inhabitants. These fast-spreading stereotypes often influence students’ decisions to study abroad. For example, tensions have recently increased between the U.S. and Russia in lieu of the Boston Marathon bombings, which could deter students from choosing to study abroad in Russia. The Editorial Board believes that we shouldn’t use the actions of the few to judge the whole. General stereotypes can cause students to think wrongly about foreign countries, making them unaware that in opting out of traveling to a certain country, they could be missing out on a fun and unique experience. Students should take the time to research countries before allowing societal misconceptions to make decisions for them.

We’ve often heard that people who didn’t study abroad during college regret it. It’s one of those things that we should take advantage of before we’re tied down with full-time jobs, families and/or other adult commitments. It will probably be difficult to plan an economical trek around all of Europe if you have kids or to explain to your boss why you’re requesting three months off to soak in the culture of South America. There may not be another time in your life where you’re relatively unattached and could ditch your life for three or six months — let alone have people encourage it! Drexel trains us to think practically, and so naturally we consider what we have to gain professionally from studying abroad. In the U.S., almost all industries have gone international, and we all have something to learn from our educational or professional counterparts abroad.

Part of going to college is being exposed to the world in ways you never knew in your high school cocoon. Studying abroad is an opportunity to see everything from a different perspective and to taste the real world in its entirety instead of reading about it online or seeing snippets of it on television. Depending on where you choose to study, you’ll face different challenges. Even if there’s no language barrier to worry about, being thrown into unfamiliar waters and potentially living with a host family is something that will probably make you a little uncomfortable. That’s the point! Not only will you get to experience a new culture firsthand and potentially learn a new language, but you’ll also learn to adapt and appreciate other cultures and avoid the ethnocentrism that Americans are stereotypically known for feeling.

Even if you’ve traveled around the country, you’re kidding yourself if you think we can even begin to comprehend the variety of worldly cultures and lifestyles. At one point or another, most people refuse to expand their taste buds, and a friend replies, “How do you know you don’t like it if you’ve never tried it?” The same goes for the lives that we’ll be choosing in the next few years.

How do you know what you’re missing if you never try it? Don’t waste your youth planning and putting off traveling the world. Be proactive and spontaneous, pick a country, and just go. It’s that simple.

The post Pick a place on the map and go appeared first on The Triangle.

“It’ll boost our economy!” they say. “It’ll create jobs!” “It will give the U.S. energy security!” “It will make our gas cheaper!” The list goes on and on. Now I want you to think about these statements as I delve deeper into our two root issues: tar sands and pipelines.

Tar sands. It already sounds gross. Tar, as we know it, is a black, gooey substance that our roads are made with. Sand is the stuff we find on beaches that is composed of ground-up rocks, seashells and coral. Now let’s put the two together, and what do we get? The Alberta Tar Sands. But how does that make oil? Well, the process is quite simple, actually:

Step 1: Clear cut the precious Boreal Forest that represents more than half of Canada’s land area, sustains countless plants and animals, and plays a critical role in mitigating global climate change.

Step 2: Start digging. And by digging, we mean use some of the largest mechanical machines known to man that are capable of gouging out 16,000 cubic meters of earth per hour, filling up dump trucks that are 22 feet high and nearly 50 feet long, then hauling 400 tons of sand per load.

Step 3: Crush the sand into tiny particles using crushers. Mix the crushed sand with hot water with added chemicals to draw out the sludge (known as bitumen). This tar is so thick that you have to cut it with solvents in order to transport it in the pipeline.

Step 4: So you added solvents. This makes it difficult to process, but there is a solution: just hydrotreat your sludge (use a lot of water, natural gas and oil) to get rid of those solvents like nitrogen, sulfur and other metals. Now heat it again to remove the carbon and add hydrogen. No big deal, we fixed it, guys!

Step 5: Now we’re ready to send it through another pipeline to refine it, but because most of our refineries aren’t built to handle the task of the heavy bitumen, we’ll have to build new ones. We got this.

That’s a lot, but what else? It takes as much as four tons of sand and four barrels of fresh water to make a barrel of synthetic oil, which is good for about 42 gallons of gas, or one fill-up for a 1997 Chevrolet Suburban. This process of extracting tar from sand to feed our fossil fuel dependence is just absolutely ridiculous. In addition, the greenhouse gas emissions are 19 percent higher than traditional fossil fuels. The European Union attempted to single out tar sands as “highly polluting,” and Simon Hughes, the deputy leader of the British Liberal Democrats, compared them to land mines, blood diamonds and cluster bombs. Sounds great, right?

So then, let’s talk about the pipeline. There are obvious issues with it like leaking, explosions, damage to wildlife, imposing on people’s property, etc. (We’ve seen about five pipeline issues in the past few weeks not relevant to the Keystone XL Pipeline, which are signs of what’s to come), but there’s also a lot of false information about the benefits created by the pipeline that the U.S. State Department has put in its State Impact Report of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The U.S. State Department stated that the pipeline would create many jobs. In reality, it will create 35 permanent jobs and 3,900 construction jobs (for one year), and only 10 percent of those jobs will be filled by local people living in communities along the route.

But we won’t be dependent on foreign fossil fuels, right? The State Department found that the purpose of the pipeline will likely be to export Canadian crude from the U.S. after it’s refined. An estimated 60 percent of crude oil will be exported after it’s refined. Well, that does us a lot of good, especially because it will not lower gas prices for Americans by a single cent!

So the State Department got a few things right, but there are also some things they missed, like the fact that the Keystone XL Pipeline will drastically expand the tar sands industry and increase carbon pollution. The pipeline will also be a major threat to fresh water. The total carbon pollution impacts of Keystone XL increase to the equivalent of over 9 million cars on the road when considering the total emissions to produce tar sands and the combustion of the crude oil. Despite alterations in the route of the Keystone XL Pipeline, it will still cross more than 1,000 water bodies across three states and 875 miles, threatening fresh water for millions of people if there is a bitumen spill. Tar sands oil is almost impossible to clean up because it sinks in water, costing billions of dollars to recover. TransCanada’s first Keystone pipeline has spilled 14 times in the U.S. within one year of operation, including the spill in Kalamazoo, Mich., where 40 miles are still contaminated and may never be recovered.

I’ve had the privilege of attending both anti-Keystone XL Pipeline rallies on the National Mall in Washington. This past year in February, I gathered with over 50,000 like-minded friends and individuals to stand up to Big Oil and the government that it chokes with money. The Keystone XL Pipeline is not our future — in fact, it’s the end of the future. Please take a stand.

Nicole Koedyker is the president of the Drexel Sierra Club. She can be contacted at op-ed@thetriangle.org.
The Drexel Sierra Club contributes weekly.

The post EnviroWeekly | Stop the KeystoneXL oil pipeline now appeared first on The Triangle.

Firstly, I have great respect for people who are religious. I fully believe in the constitutional right to practice whatever religion one chooses and to be free from persecution while doing so. However, I equally believe that religions should have no influence on public policy, using the same First Amendment justification. Congress may not “make … law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” This has, in over 200 years of United States history, come to be understood to provide a separation of church and state, which the U.S. Supreme Court has also upheld in its jurisprudence. Strauss follows Catholic teaching and says that his faith “would require [him] to vote against [LGBT rights].” While this is not direct interference by a religious organization in public policy, it certainly shows a certain blind deference to faith. I’m not suggesting that we can stop people from voting based on their religious beliefs, nor do I think we should. However, the influence of religious organizations, such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, must be scrutinized. These organizations are tax exempt, but that is dependent upon them refraining from political discourse. We should be taking a better look at these organizations when the speech of their leaders seems to be political or politically related in some way, and if they are found to be violating Internal Revenue Service rules, they should have their tax-exempt status revoked.

The other problem with using religious reasoning on civil issues, such as gay marriage or an LGBT-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, is that these are civil issues, not religious ones, as obvious as that sounds. Catholicism teaches that marriage is a divine institution created by God. That’s absolutely fine; it’s a religious belief, and I have no problem with the church teaching that. What I do have a problem with is when religious people make the argument that because the church has this religious belief, we, as a country and society, must make laws following that teaching. Marriage has become a civil institution. It is an important part of many religions, but it is also part of our civil society. There are over 1,000 benefits provided to married straight couples on a federal level that are denied to same-sex couples, even if those couples are legally married in a state. For the church to claim that same-sex marriage is a threat to the institution of marriage, or that marriage is inherently religious and not a civil issue, is ludicrous. There are people who made similar arguments against interracial marriage in the 1960s, and yet today, decades later, marriage is still an integral part of our society. Prohibiting same-sex marriage is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution, as it discriminates against a particular group based on their immutable characteristics. In the oral arguments for Hollingsworth v. Perry, a Supreme Court case addressing the issue of Proposition 8 in California, Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked the lawyer arguing for those opposed to same-sex marriage whether he could think of “any other rational basis, reason, for a state using sexual orientation as a factor in denying homosexuals benefits or imposing burdens on them” outside of the context of marriage. The lawyer was unable to provide a rational basis for such discrimination. Why should the LGBT community be discriminated against in marriage if there are no other contexts in which it would be admissible? Additionally, why should we use the Catholic Church’s position on marriage specifically? There are many other religions, including both supporters and opponents of same-sex marriage. To use the views of one religion on a civil issue is to foist them unwillingly upon everyone who is not a member of that religion, thereby violating the First Amendment.

I’m all for religious understanding and having a dialogue about the issue. As Strauss said in his article, a dialogue works toward the common good. However, it’s fairly black and white that on this issue, the common good is equality for all Americans. Just as discrimination based on race, gender or religion is unconstitutional, so is discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. And just as it took decades for those forms of discrimination to be recognized, so it is taking time with LGBT rights. Now, though, is the time for it to happen. Public opinion is swaying, with several national polls showing that a majority of Americans support same-sex marriage. In less than two weeks, three more states legalized gay marriage, bringing the total to 12 states and the District of Columbia. So yes, let’s debate, let’s dialogue, let’s reach the common good. But recognize that opposing rights for all citizens puts you on the wrong side of history, and please, don’t try and force me to follow your religion.

Sean Craig is a co-chief copy editor at The Triangle. He can be contacted at sean.craig@thetriangle.org.

The post Take a stand on LGBT issues appeared first on The Triangle.

Sports might seem larger than life, but they are not. Life itself is complex, but sports are relatively simple. Athletes play games that result in wins and losses. This can bring people together or tear them apart. Fights between rivals in the parking lot balance the scale of high fives between pals at the bar.

Whether friend or foe, there have been, and will always be, moments in sports that anyone can appreciate. Jackie Robinson breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier showed that the nation’s pastime could finally be integrated. Michael Oher making it to the NFL showed that anyone can succeed in sports, no matter what background he or she comes from.

Yeah, sports sure do have some great stories to fall back on, and some even better moments. The 1980 Miracle on Ice and the David Tyree catch in Super Bowl XLII, among many others, are unforgettable. However, these special occasions in sports are the exception, not the norm, and sometimes we lose sight of that fact. For every comeback win there are countless wire-to-wire victories, and that is just fine.

Not every athlete is special, either. People have good qualities and bad. People do the extraordinary and underwhelm. Athletes are the same way because athletes are people. We should not glorify the athlete, just as we should not glorify the person who makes a meatball sandwich at Subway. Too often we put an athlete on a pedestal only to realize that he or she is not perfect in every way.

Athletes are made into gods, just to be broken down when they do not live up to those unrealistic expectations. Roy Halladay does not owe you an apology for being injured while playing a game that you casually watch while eating nachos on your couch. Ryan Howard does not deserve to get booed because he is not “living up to” a $125 million contract.

Philadelphia fans are a prime example of this, but we are all guilty in one way or another. Morality does not spawn from talent; good players are not always good people. Tiger Woods can be the greatest golfer of all time and still be the worst husband. Floyd Mayweather can be the greatest boxer of his generation and still be the biggest stooge. Really, it is OK.

A defendant is innocent until proven guilty in the court of law, but an athlete is wonderful until proven inadequate. Should it not be the other way around? It is that way in basically every other part of life, but why not sports? Is it the stage? Is it the money? Is it the media influence? I do not know.

However you care to evaluate it, the ultimate conclusion is that our view of sports is skewed. We do not allow great things to happen in sports; we make them happen through predetermined storylines and heightened expectations. If they are to “transcend,” we must make sure they actually deserve to do so. Sports should be celebrated for what they are, not for what we want them to be.

Bryan Fyalkowski is the assistant sports editor at The Triangle. He can be contacted at bryan.fyalkowski@thetriangle.org.

The post Sports aren’t perfect appeared first on The Triangle.

A multimedia exhibition telling the story of the Iraq War through the perspectives of a Marine, a reporter and a photojournalist, “Invasion: Diaries and Memories of War in Iraq,” opened May 15 with a panel discussion in the URBN Center Annex.

The exhibition, currently on display in the URBN Center lobby, includes diary pages from Marine Lt. Timothy McLaughlin, texts by journalist and author Peter Maass, and photographs by Gary Knight of the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It was brought to Philadelphia by Drexel’s Kal and Lucille Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies and the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.

The discussion, led by Rudman Institute Executive Director Karen Curry, included the details of how the exhibition came to fruition and why the exhibit is important, as well as the panelists’ personal opinions on the Iraq War, post-traumatic stress disorder and the media today.

In 2003, Maass and Knight were reporting on the Iraq invasion with the same battalion in which McLaughlin was serving as a tank commander. Although they didn’t meet during the war, their paths would eventually intersect in 2008 when Maass was assigned to write a story about the toppling of the statue of Saddam Hussein in Firdos Square. When the statue was toppled in 2003, one marine put an American flag on the head of the statue.

“When I started researching this story, trying to reconstruct what happened, how that flag got there, how the statue was toppled, who gave the orders and how this kind of image was created in the media, I needed to find the flag guy. That was one of the threads that I needed to follow,” Maass said.

After some investigation, Maass learned that McLaughlin was the marine who placed the flag on the statue. Maass and McLaughlin met and got to know each other, and in 2009 McLaughlin took Maass to his parents’ home in Cambridge, N.H., where the flag was kept in a safe deposit box. While at McLaughlin’s parents’ home, McLaughlin showed Maass some of his military equipment and things he kept from the Iraq War. In his trunk of souvenirs laid two diaries he kept during the invasion of Iraq.

“You start working on something and cover something, and then something that you don’t even expect to happen, happens,” Maass said.

Maass showed the diaries to Knight, who saw the pages not only as a great story but as works of art. From here, the idea of combining each of their “versions” of the war into one exhibit was realized.

“There were so many different versions of the same event. There’s a bunch of us traveling in these cars up to Baghdad, and we witnessed everything differently and we bring our accumulated experience. I’m a photographer, Peter’s a writer, Tim’s a Marine; and I realized in the diaries that this was another version of history that we all shared,” Knight said.

McLaughlin was 25 when he wrote the diaries. The pages include light things like a picture of a young woman that McLaughlin was dating at the time and a letter he wrote to a Victoria’s Secret model. The pages also included the more serious aspects of McLaughlin’s war, like a letter to the parents of one of his Marines who was shot in the leg during an accidental fire, when he accidentally shot a civilian cab driver, as well as a list of events that changed McLaughlin’s life.

“It’s a little weird for me, to be honest. I didn’t write the diaries for you to read them,” McLaughlin said about having his diary pages on display. “When I explain to you what it is, it’s a third person explaining it to you. It’s not 2003 Tim anymore. It’s a different experience for me that I didn’t expect.”

McLaughlin left the Marine Corps in 2006 and said he had a lot of trouble transitioning. “I moved to Bosnia so I could go someplace more normal for me, which should sound weird to you.”

After coming home from Bosnia in 2009, McLaughlin said he had nightmares constantly and couldn’t sleep. Finally, in 2010, his wife told him to go get help. “Think about a 6-foot-3-inch, 230-pound war-veteran marine going up to the mental health floor. That was not an easy thing for me to do,” he said.

“If you go see a doctor in the military, we call it going to see the wizard. You probably guessed that that’s not a good connotation. You’ll get made fun of, you probably won’t get promoted, and you certainly won’t be in command of anything,” he said.

“My goal is to stand here and tell you, … on the credential list, I wear everything that I need to wear. And I tell you that I have PTSD, or whatever you want to call it, because it’s normal, and it shouldn’t be a stigma. And people should understand that when you ask [a Marine] to go do these things at 18 years old, he’s going to be affected,” McLaughlin said.

“It’s not post-traumatic stress ‘disorder’ … it would be a ‘disorder’ if I was not affected. I would be Charles Manson if I had had my experiences and wasn’t bothered by them,” he said.

McLaughlin was candid in explaining his opinion of the Department of Veterans Affairs, saying that the bureaucracy of getting seen by a doctor is too much. “The people of this country need to do a better job of making sure that the VA is there to catch people who aren’t as fortunate as me,” he said. “I’m a bright guy, and I’m capable and I can take care of myself. There are lots of people with my experiences who didn’t get as lucky as I did. … I don’t know what you think about the VA, but it doesn’t really work that well. They mean well, [but it] doesn’t work.”

McLaughlin, Maass and Knight all had a hand in picking which diary pages, photographs and texts would complete the exhibit. “It was hard because there are three of us and not one of us,” Maass joked. They wanted the exhibit to reflect their versions of reality, so they didn’t include outside producers, directors or curators.

Maass said the exhibit is a new way to tell a story. He said he hopes that people come away from the exhibit thinking about how old stories can be told in different ways because the old ways aren’t as effective. “Be experimental; find new ways of telling the same old stories because it hasn’t sunken in yet,” Maass said.

“There’s a lot of imagery; there’s a lot of video. A lot of great stories have been written about some of the war in Iraq, but what [the exhibit] does, I hope, is personalize that in some way and give you a different lens through which you can look at this war,” Knight said. “We’re just three ordinary guys who found ourselves in an extraordinary place at an extraordinary time.”

The exhibit premiered previously at the Bronx Documentary Center in New York from March 14 to April 19. It will be on display in Drexel University’s URBN Center lobby May 15-23. The exhibit is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a photo ID will be required to enter the building after 3 p.m. The full contents of McLaughlin’s diaries can be viewed at wardiaries.org.

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A doctor at Drexel’s College of Medicine has helped to create the first cesarean section “manikin” that will save lives through realistic C-section simulation training in developing countries. The simulation, dubbed “C-Celia,” will teach health professionals how to perform emergency surgical interventions in areas of the world where neonatal and maternal mortality rates are extremely high.

“This is truly a first-in-the-world simulation and a design to save lives,” Dr. Owen Montgomery, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Drexel’s College of Medicine, said. “There are birthing simulators, which are not very lifelike, but there are no other simulators that allow you to do what we do.”

C-Celia was brought to Montgomery by colleague Dr. Robert Buckman in February 2011, who created the prototype and asked Montgomery if he could train people to use it. In July of that year, the simulation won first place in the Saving Lives at Birth category for the Grand Challenges in Global Health Grant.

As a lifelike model of a pregnant woman in need of a C-section, C-Celia prepares health professionals for what they will see in the operating room. An operator will need to cut through C-Celia’s abdomen, uterus and placenta to retrieve the model infant inside. C-Celia is also designed so that a single person can perform the operation alone, which may be the case in areas of the world where trained professionals are scarce. This is done with the use of a plastic ring retractor that keeps the abdominal incision open.

People are trained on C-Celia in small tasks. An operator will first be taught to make a skin incision and do so multiple times until he or she is proficient. Only after mastering skin incisions will the operator be able to move onto the next step of the surgery. Once proficient in all steps involved in performing a C-section separately, the operator will actually get to deliver the baby on C-Celia. Training in this way cuts down on costs, as the parts of C-Celia that get destroyed by incisions need to be replaced.

This simulated operation will need to be done while wearing gloves because the model features fake blood and amniotic fluid. Additionally, C-Celia can be adjusted to create difficult birthing situations.

“We can actually teach complicated deliveries by putting a baby in the uterus in different positions, so you have to know the different mechanisms to try to get a difficult baby out. We can make the model bleed, requiring the surgeon to know how to repair ruptures and bleeding lacerations,” Montgomery said.

C-Celia can also train an operator on how to perform a hysterectomy, a feature that will be used primarily in the U.S. The simulation’s main purpose is to instruct nonobstetricians, such as midwives and other health technicians, on how to carry out a lifesaving emergency C-section.

According to the World Health Organization, over half a million women die every year in pregnancy and childbirth in the developing world, and many of these deaths occur in Africa. This is where Montgomery saw a need for intervention in maternal and neonatal care, citing what he referred to as the three delays in delivery that lead to these subsequent deaths — the delay in deciding to seek care, reaching care and receiving care.

Reaching care proves extremely difficult in some countries where the two- to four-hour ambulance ride increases the mortality rate up to 50 percent. Though these countries often have small, local hospitals and clinics, distant university hospitals are the only places that offer emergency measures such as C-sections.

“We had resources and needs that weren’t mixed well. I believed I could train whoever was there rather than putting a woman into an ambulance and having her bleed to death on the way to the hospital. There are a couple of small hospitals around [The Gambia], but there are no providers of emergency obstetrics. They have midwives, and they can do routine obstetrics, but not complicated obstetrics,” Montgomery said. “So if we could teach one of the providers right there how to do a lifesaving cesarean delivery, even if they’re not an obstetrician, we could save two lives —the mom’s and the baby’s.”

Teaching local village technicians how to perform C-sections with the simulator has additional benefits. Nonphysicians trained locally have a much higher chance of remaining with the village clinic or hospital than do physicians, who will often leave after being trained.

“You’re not maintaining the ability to perform lifesaving deliveries by training the very few physicians there are because they go back to the capital or the United States to do something else,” Montgomery said.

In a country like the U.S., where the infant mortality rate is only 14 per every 100,000 births, teaching physicians to deliver with C-Celia is less purposeful. However, these skills, when taught to midwives and other nonphysicians, can be used when they go to developing countries.

“You have to go to where it is that you’re doing the most good. You can help women in Philadelphia, and we do every day, but we can’t have the same level of impact in Philadelphia by adding this technique because every hospital in Philadelphia is already fully capable and ready to go. Of course I can train the doctors here better, and I can train them in emergencies they don’t see all the time. But if 99 percent of the deaths occur in Africa, you have to go to Africa,” Montgomery said.

C-Celia has been used in simulations of natural disasters and extreme emergencies to prepare operators for worst-case scenarios. During an on-campus simulation day April 30, teams of students had to deliver a baby with C-Celia after the event of a simulated car accident. The objective of the operation was to intervene and save both mother and child at a time when the mother’s vital signs were fine and encouraged teamwork among the students.

“We teach as a team because when you go into the world, you’re going to practice as a team. So it’s entirely possible for medical students to learn all of their medical stuff and nurses to learn all their nursing stuff, and the first time they ever work together, they’re actually treating real patients. Well, that’s not the best method,” Montgomery said. “So what we want to do is to train people to work in the teams they’ll be working in later on because that will actually improve quality and satisfaction and safety. We use simulation as a vehicle to put teams together to train.”

Montgomery has met with several universities abroad that wish to work with C-Celia. He has also spoken to world leaders such as the first lady of Zambia, Dr. Christine Kaseba-Sata, who is an obstetrics and gynecology specialist herself and wants the model to be used for training in her country.

“Every once in a while, what I’ve learned and how I practice will save a life, and that is the absolute most rewarding thing. I can’t save lives if I’m not there, but I can teach people who can save lives every day,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery predicted that C-Celia will be ready to use for training in Africa within the next 12 months.

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Two members of the Drexel men’s golf team were honored for their contributions to the team this season. Head coach Mike Dynda was voted the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year, and freshman Christopher Crawford was voted CAA Rookie of the Year. Crawford was also named Second Team All-CAA.

Their awards reflect the success achieved by the Dragons as they capped a successful season with a fourth-place finish at the CAA Championship. It was the highest finish for Drexel in the Championship since joining the CAA in 2002.

In his 10th season as head coach, Dynda led the team to five top-five finishes, including a victory Sept. 24 in the Swarthmore Open in Wilmington, Del. The team was in first place at the end of the first day of competition at the CAA Championship before falling to fourth by Sunday.

“Personally, it means a great deal, but obviously nothing can be accomplished without the unity of a team,” Dynda said of receiving the award. “At the CAAs, the Delaware coach came to me and said, ‘Your kids have made the greatest improvements,’ which is true. They continually strive to improve in all facets, including school and golf.”

The standout performer for the Dragons’ season was Crawford, who had one of the best first-year campaigns in Drexel history. Crawford’s 74-stroke average was the best by a Dragon in four years, and he claimed two individual victories this season. He finished first out of 60 golfers in the Swarthmore Invitational and first in the Lafayette Invitational out of 105 golfers. Crawford had seven individual top-10 finishes.

“This award is truly tremendous for him,” Dynda said of his freshman golfer. “He will keep getting better. … There are many more victories to come.”

Crawford had three rounds of scoring 70 or fewer this season, including a career-best 67 at the George Mason Invitational. The 67 is the best one-round score by a Dragon in the last four years. Crawford finished an outstanding rookie season by placing 13th at the CAA Championship. The Bensalem, Pa. native, who attended Holy Ghost Preparatory School, fired an opening-round 72 and was in second place after his first round.

This was by far the Dragons’ most successful season in Dynda’s 10 years as head coach. With Crawford returning only as a sophomore, Dynda will look to improve on his team’s performances and take his players to new heights in upcoming years.

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Seeing a former athlete in the broadcast booth has turned into a common occurrence in today’s sporting landscape.

However, a sport like crew typically lacks big-name stars, so when Drexel University graduate Alexandra Paulin found her way into the 6ABC booth for the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta May 10 and 11, it was quite the noteworthy occasion.

Paulin, who graduated this year with a bachelor’s degree in communication, was a successful member of the women’s varsity crew team during her time at Drexel. She guided the women’s varsity eight boat to a first-place finish at this very regatta her senior year.

One year later, she broadcasted the event for a television audience.

“[Not being part of the race] was a little different,” Paulin said, “but being on crew teams, I’ve watched so many races that I’m not in anyway, so I was kind of used to it.”

Paulin stepped into the booth with poise after three co-op opportunities with production assistants at different television stations. She also had numerous medals and four years of collegiate crew knowledge to her credit, which is why she said the experience, while amazing, was not too intimidating.

“I didn’t think it was incredibly difficult just because I know the sport so well,” Paulin said. “However, I still did a lot of extra research on the teams and the event, looking for any interesting tidbits, which I wouldn’t normally do if I were just going to the race.”

She also said that a few of her friends from high school who attend other local schools were able to give her information on their respective institutions’ teams, an extra insider’s advantage for someone who was already an insider.

However, while she and her friends and former teammates know the sport inside and out, crew is not an extremely mainstream sport. Paulin said she and her fellow anchor Ducis Rodgers made an extra effort to explain the rules and terms of crew to their audience, explaining terms such as coxswain along the way.

“[Rodgers] didn’t know a lot about crew,” Paulin said. “We were going over the rules during the broadcast, and I know the sport well enough to explain it.”

The former Dragon said that the hardest part was finding a way to avoid being a biased Blue and Gold cheerleader.

“In the beginning I came in not wanting to be too pro-Drexel as the broadcaster,” Paulin said. “As it went on, though, it was impossible. The last hour was a complete Drexel commercial, especially after the men’s varsity eight.”

After the Dragons’ largesse of success at this year’s event, it seems that Paulin was the team’s good luck charm on channel 6. However, she said she does not have any immediate plan for broadcasting jobs.

“It was a one-time thing, as far as I know,” Paulin said. “I would love to work for them in the future, but I’ll probably start somewhere a little bit smaller.”

As for what we can expect when she does find her way back to the broadcast booth, Paulin said that while it is not her strong suit, she would not be opposed to continuing her young sportscasting career.

“I’m up for anything, really, including sports, but general broadcasting is what I want to do,” she said. “In sports I can talk about baseball and crew, but crew doesn’t get a lot of coverage, as it’s a smaller sport. I couldn’t talk about something like hockey during a broadcast, but really, I would cover any topic if I was broadcasting it.”

Having proven her ability to represent Drexel and bring luck to the Dragons crew team, it would not be surprising if Paulin appeared on the Dad Vail broadcast team next year, flying the Blue and Gold underneath her broadcast uniform.

The women’s team will try for its third straight title in 2014, and the Dragons are bound to need their good luck charm.

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When it comes to movies based on true stories, it is always fascinating to see unbelievable events transpire in a real-life setting. While most schlocky horror movies these days claim to be extracted from reality, it is the crime genre that really succeeds in grabbing and holding my attention. In “The Iceman,” Israeli director Ariel Vromen (“Rx”) tells the incredible true story of Richard Kuklinski, the Polish Mafia hitman who killed over 100 people by the time he was apprehended in 1986. The Academy Award-nominated Michael Shannon (“Revolutionary Road,” “Take Shelter”) cometh as the cold-blooded murderer (hence the nickname) with an intensity that made me realize that he is truly an underrated actor. Set in a time period between 1964 and 1986, the movie follows Kuklinski through his marriage and recruitment by the mob. Vromen, who co-wrote the screenplay with Morgan Land, does a fine job with a film that is chock full of familiar actors, A-list or otherwise. Still, you may be yearning for some more substance in this newest installment to the crime genre.

Released May 3, “The Iceman” recounts the unbelievable life story of Richard Kuklinski, a Mafia hitman who killed over 100 people before his arrest in 1986. “Man of Steel”’s Michael Shannon stars as the infamous murderer with Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, James Franco, David Schwimmer, and Chris Evans co-starring.

The movie’s opening scene helps introduce Kuklinski as somewhat of a paradox. We find him sitting in a restaurant with his future wife, Deborah, played by Winona Ryder, who still seems as innocent and charming as ever. Kuklinski compares her to a prettier version of Natalie Wood. When prompted on what he does for a living, he claims to dub cartoons for Disney (“Cinderella” is his favorite). In reality, he makes a decent living creating pornographic films in a sketchy New Jersey lab. Like a real gentleman, he bids Deborah goodnight and then kills a man who rubs him the wrong way in a pool hall.

Throughout the movie, Vromen allows his leading man’s talents to shine. Shannon, who will portray General Zod in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot “Man of Steel” (out June 14), plays Kuklinski like a hulking automaton with a slight limp, speaking in low monotones. The 6-foot-3-inch actor, truly menacing in the role, flawlessly encompasses the character, switching between tranquility and bouts of anger and violence. It is a marvelous thing when we adore and fear a character at the same time. More importantly, Shannon perfectly emulates a conscienceless killer. In the words of Ian Holm’s Ash from 1979’s “Alien,” Kuklinski is “a survivor unclouded by conscience, remorse or delusions of morality.” Unfortunately, the film fails to get truly inside this man’s deranged head, deciding instead to conduct its business on a playing field of pseudosanity. Shannon’s performance is reminiscent of Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector in 1991’s “The Silence of The Lambs,” a storm of murderous rampage just waiting to break free at any minute. Nevertheless, he still retains some shred of humanity through his personal code of refusing to murder women and children.

Richard and Deborah get hitched and have two daughters. All he really cares about is his family, acting on instincts like an animal, mindlessly killing and protecting his younglings; he is an antihero of the highest caliber. Kuklinski is soon employed as a hitman by mafioso Roy DeMeo, played by Ray Liotta in a predictable yet comfortable role reminiscent of “Goodfellas.-”. At this point, the filmmakers may have wanted to change the title to “101 Ways to Kill a Human Being,” as Kuklinski carries out hit after hit- — stabbing, strangling and shooting. His name is no longer Richard; it’s “Pollack.” One sequence features a cameo from James Franco, who seems to have a part in every movie these days, pleading with Kuklinski — and God — for his life.

The juxtaposition between his family and crime lives is fascinating to watch, especially because Kuklinski works so hard to keep them separate. The scenes where he snaps are the best, especially those involving his family. In one instance he tears up his house while fighting his wife, and in another he drives like a crazed maniac, putting his daughters in danger.

Among DeMeo’s posse is the pathetic Jewish wannabe mobster, Josh Rosenthal, played by none other than David Schwimmer with a ponytail and 1970s porn star mustache. He messes up just one too many times, causing Kuklinski to come into cahoots with Robert Pronge, another contract killer who rides around in the perfect cover in the form of an ice cream truck. Chris Evans (“Captain America”) takes a break from playing heartthrobs and superheroes to embody a ruthless gun for hire. Pronge is an intriguing mixture of disheveled, sleazy and brains. Like no big deal, he keeps frozen bodies in his truck while serving ice cream to young children and cuts up corpses as if it were a recreational activity.

The movie is set against the backdrop of a 1970s New Jersey and New York, similar to that of Ridley Scott’s 2007 “American Gangster.” While “The Iceman” accomplishes the look of the times (clothing, hairdos, televisions, etc.), it lacks the grittiness and realism of ‘70s-era crime movies like William Friedkin’s 1975 “The French Connection.” Moreover, we see no investigations into all the murders, with cops only showing up at the end. While this film just feels a bit too artificial, its dark tone helps make up for what it lacks. It is not a pure crime story, but a character study of a man who lives in two conflicting worlds. Unlike other movies set in the disco era, music doesn’t play a major part, but the songs that are used are used perfectly, like Electric Light Orchestra’s “Livin’ Thing,” which ironically preaches that a life is a terrible thing to lose.

Even before seeing this film, Shannon proved his worth as a maniac to me thanks to his intense narration of the now infamous angry sorority email for Funny or Die. Although it won’t become an instant classic anytime soon, Shannon’s performance makes it worth sitting through the almost two-hour runtime. I wouldn’t go so far as to call “The Iceman” the “Citizen Kane” of crime movies, but it has spunk, something a lot of movies could really use nowadays. The final verdict: Don’t turn a cold shoulder to “The Iceman.”

The post ‘The Iceman’ tells incredible true story of cold-blooded Mafia hitman appeared first on The Triangle.

Some people are content with the typical toast and butter. I am definitely not one of those people. Adding an assortment of your favorite ingredients can transform an ordinary piece of toast into a gourmet dish. 

Mexitoast is something I concocted while studying for and taking midterms during my sophomore year. When I was growing up, my mom always made omelets for breakfast on days when I had tests. She taught me about the importance of breakfast: that feeding your brain in the morning will help you function throughout the day.

In college, many students lose good eating habits by forgoing breakfast. People have told me they don’t have enough time for a good meal in the morning; making eggs takes prepping, cooking and cleaning time. I came up with a substitute breakfast that’s scrumptious and full of nutrients. Mexitoast is fast and easy and can be taken on the go! It was originally intended for breakfast,, but it works for any meal!

Mexitoast

1 large piece multigrain toast

¼ average size avocado

½ small tomato

2 tablespoons fresh cut mangos

Chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Cilantro Dressing

Sriracha

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Dash of salt

A squeeze of fresh lime

Toast your bread.

Cut the avocado into fairly thick pieces. Cut your tomato and mango into small pieces.

Lay the avocado on the toasted bread. Spread the tomato and mango on top.

Sprinkle on the cilantro dressing. Add Sriracha and red pepper flakes. Dash a little bit of salt, squeeze fresh lime and spread chopped cilantro on top.

Enjoy!

The post Fork U appeared first on The Triangle.

In what is estimated to be one of the largest green retrofitting projects in U.S. history, a makeover of the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is underway in New York City. The cost of the transformation is on the order of $463 million. While the effects that the green technology will have on the massive convention center and its surrounding environment are not yet known, they will be closely monitored by a team of engineers from Drexel University and The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art.

The 6.75-acre green roof is the centerpiece of a series of renovations designed to make the 27-year-old building an example of retrofitting for sustainability. When it opened in 1986, the Javits Center was, according to many architects, outdated by sustainable design measures before it even opened.

“In the last few years, the City of New York has made major commitments to sustainability and to different forms of green infrastructure,” Franco Montalto, a professor at Drexel’s College of Engineering and the team’s lead researcher, said. “The Javits Center green roof exemplifies the kind of environmentally sensible urban redevelopment projects that the City wants to encourage. The retrofit building will reduce urban runoff, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and potentially have a cooling effect on the streets and buildings that surround it. Our research will seek to quantify these benefits.”

Under the direction of FXFOWLE Epstein in New York City, a joint venture between FXFOWLE Architects and Epstein Global, the Javits Center’s major renovation project includes replacement of the building’s curtain wall, upgrades to the mechanical and electrical systems, and interior reconfigurations that will enhance the visitor experience as well as operational efficiency. These modifications are in addition to the green roof, which, at 292,000 square feet, will be the second-largest green roof on a single freestanding building in the United States.

As part of the research study, four climate stations will be installed on and around the green roof. Flumes, thermistors, soil sensors and a series of weighing lysimeters will be installed within the green roof itself. Together, these instruments will be used to evaluate what effect the green roof has on its immediate microclimate by measuring how much rainwater ultimately runs off and/or evaporates from its surface and to what extent the roof — and the intake for the convention center’s air conditioning system — is cooler once the vegetation is in place.

The design and installation of the sensor system will be led by Montalto’s research team, which is currently monitoring more than 15 other green infrastructure sites in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Students from The Cooper Union will monitor the data and use it to learn about and model functional sustainable design projects.

“The Javits Center green roof project provides Cooper Union students with a significant learning opportunity to study sustainable design and use New York City as a learning laboratory,” Joseph Cataldo, a professor in the Albert Nerken School of Engineering at The Cooper Union, said.

The students are currently developing a model that will use climate and infrared data to predict the thermal behavior of the green roof. This model will help them better understand the temperature patterns in green roofs and New York City.

“Water and energy are intimately linked through the process of evapotranspiration. Incident solar radiation changes liquid water, originally deposited on the roof by precipitation, into water vapor, which then leaves the roof surface, Montalto said. “The energy consumed by this process keeps the roof and building cooler than it otherwise would be, since without the green roof this energy would simply heat up the roof surface. At the same time, if the air in the vicinity of the air conditioner intake pipes is cooler, these units have to work less to cool the already cooler building.”

The architects at FXFOWLE Epstein predict that the renovations will decrease the center’s energy consumption by as much as 26 percent.

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The Goodwin College of Professional Studies Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts Program offered its students the opportunity to create a five-course meal for a collaborative dinner May 14 with one of Philadelphia’s top French restaurants, Le Bec Fin.

Two Drexel students were paired up with a chef to create a specific course for the meal. The students were able to incorporate their own ideas into the dishes while being guided by established and experienced chefs.

At the event, the students explained each course before it was served, pointing out the freshness and uniqueness of the dishes they prepared along with from where the organic ingredients came.

Each dish was uniquely presented to reveal its freshness; this included assembling the first course, halibut chowder, at diners’ tables.

“It’s deconstructed chowder; you’ll get to see all the ingredients before the soup is poured. We wanted to showcase the freshness of the ingredients. We got to work with shellfish and scallops that were straight from the shell. Halibut is in season right now and has a very short season up in Maine, so we wanted to showcase this because of its freshness,” Erin McGuire, a sophomore culinary arts major, said.

After the chowder, diners were served Hudson Valley foie gras almond profiterole followed by broiled amberjack. The main course was a trio of Quarry Hill farm lamb.

The meal concluded with a cheese tart and a rhubarb desert with ice cream.

Prior to the dinner, 10 culinary art students, along with Le Bec Fin Chef de Cuisine Steven Eckerd and Drexel Culinary Arts Program Director Jonathan Deutsch, went to the Headhouse Farmers Market to select the ingredients for the dinner.

“Working with the chef and the entire team to shop for ingredients at Headhouse Farmers Market, visit Quarry Hill farm, suggest wine pairings, and develop and execute the menu is an amazing opportunity for our students and one we’re so proud to be able to provide,” Deutsch said.

Working with Le Bec Fin allows for the next generation of chefs to get real-world experience as a supplement to their classroom instruction. The students were not only given the chance to create and prepare a meal at a fine-dining restaurant, but they were also able to collaborate with seasoned chefs who have sculpted the Philadelphia food scene.

“We used to do a lot together — Le Bec Fin and Drexel — but that sort of fizzled out over the past few years. … Let’s try to reinvigorate this connection,” Deutsch said when introducing the inspiration for the dinner.

The event was open to the public. Tickets were priced at $110 per person or $85 for students, with an optional wine pairing for an additional $55. A portion of the proceeds from the collaborative dinner will benefit the Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts Program.

The post Culinary students cook at Le Bec Fin appeared first on The Triangle.

The India pale ale style originated in England in the mid-1800s. The famed brewing waters of villages like Burton upon Trent contained large amounts of minerals, which served to bring forth and accentuate the flavor of the hops. It’s interesting to note that to this day, many brewers of IPAs intentionally add gypsum and other minerals to their brewing water in an attempt to achieve that extra hop “punch.” I’ll touch more on the wonderful early history of the IPA style in later musings, but in case you’re interested, I recommend Stone Brewing Co. brewmaster Mitch Steele’s recent book on the topic (creatively titled “IPA”).

IPAs were originally aged in large wooden barrels for many months, resulting in a pale and mellow beer, far different from what we call an IPA today. American IPA has become a style unto itself, and in many ways it is becoming one of the defining modern American beer styles. Go to a bar with more than a couple beers on tap, and I bet you’ll find an American IPA.

In the American version of India pale ale, the dominating flavors come from the huge amounts of hops used, typically highly aromatic American varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest. The hops really take center stage in these ales. Breweries on the West Coast of the U.S. are especially known for taking this to a new level, using insane amounts of hops in their IPAs. Green Flash’s aptly named West Coast IPA is a shining example.

Green Flash Brewing Co., located in the hills of sunny San Diego, was founded in 2002 by former pub owners Mike and Lisa Hinkley. The name of the brewery comes from an awesome optical phenomenon that appears very briefly during sunsets over the ocean (Google “green flash” —it’s pretty cool). The West Coast IPA is Green Flash’s flagship offering. At $12 per four-pack, it’s not hard to see that they think pretty highly of this beer — but rightly so! Let me explain.

I uncapped a bottle and was immediately hit with strong hop aromas. As I poured the beer into a glass, I could smell the hops from across the room — they definitely dominate the aroma. The beer pours a cloudy red-tinged amber. Somewhat surprisingly, hop flavor doesn’t dominate the taste of the beer as much as would be expected from the powerful nose. There is a noticeable sweet malt character mixed with wild and eclectic hop flavors. This beer is very bitter and full-bodied. It is certainly not a beer to play flip cup with, especially at 7.3 percent ABV.

This is the kind of beer to enjoy over a long period, allowing it to warm slowly to room temperature. It’s amazing the way the flavors evolve as it warms. The hops really open up, and the nuanced flavors of the beer really start to come forth. One sip of this beer certainly goes a long way — I could still taste it five minutes after drinking it.

This beer is awesome. It’s a fabulous example of a hop-heavy, well-brewed American IPA. Whether you are an unapologetic hophead or are simply in an adventurous mood, grab a West Coast IPA. This beer is definitely a flavorful adventure that brings mirth and merriment to the palate in a hundred different ways.

The post Hop aroma dominates Green Flash’s pale ale appeared first on The Triangle.

Got any tips for building a resume?

Sincerely,

Workaholic Will

Dear Workaholic Will,

As a master of deception, I have a few tips on embellishing your resume to make you appear irresistible for even the most competitive jobs. I suggest making every hobby or skill of yours appear sophisticated. For example, if you’re someone who enjoys spending time playing Club Penguin, I suggest writing “children’s entertainment enthusiast.” If you eat lots of toast because you’re not Martha Stewart, then you’re a “toastmaker extraordinaire”. It’s simple — just make everything sound professional. Pull a Gatsby and deceive everyone. I also suggest asking trustful people — and those you meet on Craigslist don’t count — to take a look at your resume and help you make it better.

Sincerely,

Eloise

Dear Eloise,

I’m a freshman, and I want to take advantage of my only free summer during my time at Drexel. What should I do?

Sincerely,

Summer Samantha

Dear Summer Samantha,

Because it’s your only summer, you should make it the best one yet. I suggest sitting at home, eating peanut butter sandwiches and watching entire seasons of “Law & Order” on Netflix. If that doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, you should cover your body in Nutella and roll down a bunch of hills. However, I don’t suggest this because I am not sure if it is legal and also because that’s a waste of Nutella. Get a job bagging groceries, become an indentured servant and take an unpaid internship, or take a class over the summer to get ahead. I also suggest buying some aviators, getting a tan and spending lots of time people watching at your local pool. Just have some fun, for Pete’s sake!

Sincerely,

Eloise

Dear Eloise,

This spring weather is driving me nuts; it’s cold in the mornings but extremely warm in the afternoon. What do I wear to class?

Sincerely,

Fashion Fiona

Dear Fashion Fiona,

I suggest putting deodorant on your legs circa Paulie Bleeker in 2007. Then buy a pair of pants that have zippers on the legs and turn into shorts. This way, when it gets warm you can just unzip layers and leave them behind. Layers are really key here; think of yourself as a cake. Just make sure you don’t eat too much cake because you want to maintain your summer figure underneath all of these cakelike layers. In reality, I think you should just wear a sweater or jacket that you could take off in the afternoon. Enjoy the weather before the summer heat makes you melt like a Popsicle.

Sincerely,

Eloise

The post Dear Eloise appeared first on The Triangle.

The Good Idea Fund and Drexel’s Active Minds hosted an event May 13 for the first day of Mental Health Awareness Week with Tamar Chansky, a psychologist focused on anxiety disorders, who gave a lecture titled “Freeing Yourself from Anxiety: How to Not Let Stress Freak You Out or Worry Fake You Out of Doing What You Want.”

Throughout her presentation, Chansky reminded the audience of her key point: “The problem isn’t ourselves; it’s the alarms we have.” In other words, humans are built with a fight-or-flight response triggered by the brain’s amygdalae. This type of response has allowed the human race to prosper in the face of great perils over time.

However, even though humans typically do not have to confront those types of dangers anymore (like tigers), the amygdalae still respond the same way to nervousness at an interview or anxiety over beginning a new serious relationship. It is the reason why many people find their hearts racing and palms sweating when they are anxious.

Chansky discussed another source of anxiety in areas like school and work — the fact that people waste too much time worrying about the problem rather than working toward a solution. They attribute the problem to an “external locus of control,” meaning that the issue is not rooted within themselves but rather in an outside force they cannot control. However, people can often control their problems. Chansky offered four steps to overcome this anxiety.

First, she suggested that people who find themselves overly worried pause and relabel their issues. She compared it to a caller ID. There are two separate phone lines: the one with accurate feedback and the one with bad news. If the receiver never pays attention to which call he or she is taking, then the negative thoughts will be interwoven with his or her own, and that person will dwell on the negative thoughts. However, by recognizing these negative calls, the receiver can filter the issues and address the root cause of the problem.

Secondly, Chansky recommended that the problem should be boiled down to its most specific state. People tend to create universal problems when they are lacking in one aspect of their lives. Chansky provided an example: “I can’t rely on any of my friends.” If this statement is analyzed further, its source could be as simple as, “One friend let me down.” When seemingly insurmountable issues are broken down to their most basic forms, they are usually just one magnified problem.

Thirdly, she stated that in order to solve problems effectively, a variety of solutions must be considered. One way to gain multiple perspectives is to create a list of four people — heroes, role models, family, friends and the like — and with that list in mind, consider what advice they would offer in a particular situation. She said it works, even though, in her words, it sounds “campy.”

Finally, mobilization is critical to solving any problem, and it begins with finding the small movable parts of the problem — the parts that your imagination creates or the parts that don’t really matter. Again, it is about getting to the true source of the issue rather than trudging through the infinity of surface-level negativity.

“Maybe you’re thinking about starting a business or a serious relationship. Put that goal on the top of the page and plan it out from point A to point B,” Chansky said.

Despite how simple it sounds, it will help solidify the goal in a visual context, thus making it more achievable.

Following this discussion of anxiety and its remedies, Chansky briefly discussed perfectionism and procrastination. According to her, perfectionists have a “do-good mindset” rather than a “get-better mindset,” meaning that perfectionists believe they are failures unless they do well from the start without faltering.

Their biggest problem is that they spend so much time evaluating and judging themselves that their performance, focus and mental health suffer in the process.

As for procrastination, Chansky advised, “Set up your launching pad, then walk away.” Launching pads are the places where work is done, where books are open to the required pages and laptops are ready to go. After a mental debrief by hanging out with a friend or grabbing some lunch, it will be easier to return to that launching pad and finish the required tasks.

Toward the end of her presentation, she said, “Don’t just weed out the bad [thoughts]; bring in the goodness.” A major stress reliever is gratitude. Many people have started keeping journals of random acts of kindness or moments that made them smile because it creates a sense of appreciation and well-being.

Chansky also said, “Empathy reduces stress anxiety.” So rather than hate someone for not smiling back or worry about some incident, Chansky said that we should empathize with those who hurt us. No one knows what is going on in any one person’s mind or life, but trying to understand others makes life less stressful. There is no need to reciprocate animosity or tension. That only causes more anxiety. Maybe, by considering other people’s situations, some of their anxiety can be relieved through empathy and compassion.

Chansky closed by saying, “It’s your choice. Choose wisely.” Even though thoughts cannot be changed, reactions to them can be. With the right reactions, unnecessary anxiety will dissipate and productivity will increase.

The post Fight or flight instinct causes stress appeared first on The Triangle.

Dario Salvucci discussed the advances made in modeling multitasking in the latest lecture in the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Lecture Series. The talk, titled “Walk, Text, and Chew Gum: A Computational Approach to Understanding Human Multitasking,” was presented May 14 in Mitchell Auditorium.

Salvucci, an alumnus of both Princeton University and Carnegie Mellon University, began the lecture by reviewing the various activities that fall under the banner of multitasking. He highlighted distracted driving as “the most salient and the most newsworthy these days.”

The audience was given an abridged version of multitasking theory. Salvucci focused on the concept of threaded cognition, an idea that he and other collaborators developed to describe and predict the effects of multitasking.

“The idea is that you have these threads of thought in your head that can be expressed computationally, and then you want to try and predict how these threads can interact with one another,” Salvucci explained.

Referencing Albert Einstein, Salvucci continued on to describe the brain as a “thought kitchen.” While the brain has a number of resources available, it is ultimately limited by the capacity of a central processor, just as a chef can only cook so many dishes at a time. The theory points to the basal ganglia of the brain as the limiting factor in our ability to multitask.

Salvucci and his colleagues aimed to understand more about the nature of this procedural pileup. They developed a model using a programming language with human flaws and capabilities. This model was incorporated into a driving scenario and used to measure the effect of distractions while driving. The driving model is a central feature in a device named “Distract-R,” which allows users to predict the degree of distraction caused by different tasks, such as tuning the radio or dialing a phone number.

Ford Motor Co. collaborated with Salvucci and his team to test the validity of the model. While it was difficult to express the effects of different multitasking activities quantitatively, the rank order of the interfaces of the tasks ended up being good for the test.

“We may not have the numbers exactly right, but we may be able to say that a certain way of using this radio is a lot more efficient than the different way,” Salvucci said. Considering the accuracy and convenience of the model, Salvucci hopes that it will one day reduce the amount of human testing. Taking human subjects off the road while testing potentially dangerous multitasking would not only save time and money but would also serve to make this line of research safer.

Now that there is a reliable model of distracted driving, researchers hope to expand this study to observe the effects of multiple distracted drivers with the use of variables such as traffic and commute time. Preliminary research shows that one distracted driver in a group of 20 cars can, in fact, produce a significant ripple effect. Salvucci went on to say that the future of driving is heading toward an age where vehicles will intake far more information than they do currently. For example, a driver may be able to communicate with adjacent vehicles or may receive a warning projected into his car from a red light. This upcoming influx of potential distractions poses both advantages and disadvantages for drivers, which can be evaluated by understanding the effects of multitasking.

Salvucci concluded his talk by explaining the societal implications of his research and the emerging debates on distracted driving. “This sort of underlying science and engineering is really important to give us more information to make these kinds of decisions.”

The post Multitasking strains brain resources appeared first on The Triangle.

Twin sisters and Drexel students Gabriella and Sage Cifaloglio have both been selected as members of the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleading squad for the 2013 season. Sage, a junior business administration major, has already been on the cheerleading squad for one year, and this will mark the first year for Gabriella, a senior design and merchandising major. Both sisters are in the Phi Mu sorority and are former members of the Drexel Dance Team. They were among 38 women who were chosen April 24 to be part of this year’s cheerleader roster.

The 2013 Eagles cheerleaders received their pom poms and uniforms April 30 during the first meeting with the squad, and their first official event took place May 8, when they shot photos in Cape May, N.J., for this year’s Eagles calendar. The proceeds from the calendar sales will go to the Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund.

During the semifinal round of the selections, the prospective cheerleaders had to introduce themselves to an audience and a panel of judges, which included a select group of season ticket holders, along with performing a dance onstage in a group of three. Those who called the hotline number and made it to the finals had to participate in a “fitness” round, where they modeled a bathing suit and then went through a different round of interview questions, which was followed by another dance performance. Gabriella has an extensive background and experience with dancing, having had practice from the age of 7. She said that she considers her dance experience the biggest factor in her success as a cheerleader today.

Gabriella is still undecided about how big of a role cheerleading will play in her future. “For right now, it will probably just remain as a college job to me. But seeing all my friends on the squad and how much they love doing it, I am definitely keeping my options open to it being a possible career in the future.”

Gabriella continued, “The NFL is not just about people’s individual talents or skills but their showmanship ability and how well they can combine their talents with their ability to grab the audience’s attention.” When asked from where her inspiration to become a cheerleader originally came, Gabriella attributed this to her dancing and explained how dancing helped her prepare as a performer for cheerleading.

Understanding that she will be a role model for many younger girls who are aspiring cheerleaders, Gabriella offered her words of advice for girls who are interested in following her footsteps: “Always be yourself. Never try to be something or someone that you are not, and portray confidence in yourself; people will love you for who you really are. Above all, never forget that hard work can get anyone anywhere they want to go in life.”

“A cheerleader really has to be able to be as friendly as possible, always displaying a positive attitude and mentality. They must be able to respect themselves as well as other people at all times, and most importantly, they must be able to represent. When I say represent, I do not mean necessarily to represent themselves by name but rather to represent the organization that they are working for and carry that image with a sense of pride,” she said.

The cheerleaders will have rehearsals Tuesday and Wednesday nights starting in June. They will also be required to attend special appearances and will be at Lincoln Financial Field for eight hours during home games.

The post Twins chosen for Eagles cheer team appeared first on The Triangle.

The 11th annual Italian Market Festival is being held in one of Philadelphia’s most established neighborhoods — the stretch of South 9th Street in South Philadelphia now known as the 9th Street Italian Market. This area just south of Center City has always been a multicultural and vibrant mix of people and businesses. In recent years the Italian Market area has started to attract an upscale population. New condos, restaurants and coffeehouses are filling the area. The festival originated in 1971 and was revived for 2003 with a flavor of the old and in keeping with the new face of 9th Street. Several corporate sponsors have already committed to underwrite this exciting event. This is a perfect location for a craft festival. Bring the entire family to experience the annual Procession of Saints and to enjoy the live entertainment, family events, crafts, food, food and more food!

Italian Market, 9th and Christian streets
Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cost: free
www.italianmarketfestival.com

Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival

The annual Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival is coming back Saturday, May 18 for another year and is expecting an attendance of over 50,000 people! Visitors will be able to stroll along Walnut Street and enjoy tastings of spring fare (not to mention free wine tastings) from renowned restaurants in the area. There will also be live music and even a fashion show.

Walnut Street between Broad and 19th streets
Saturday, May 18, noon to 5 p.m.
Cost: free
www.rittenhouserow.org

Brewerytown Spring Festival

The annual Brewerytown Spring Festival will transform the 2700 and 2800 blocks of West Girard Avenue into a colorful and tasty street festival celebrating art, food and music. The event will include live music, specials from local businesses, 15 to 20 unique food trucks from the Philadelphia Mobile Food Association, children’s activities, and talented arts and crafts vendors.

2700-2800 W. Girard Ave.
Saturday, May 18, noon to 5 p.m.
Cost: free
www.fairmountcdc.org

What’s Out There Weekend Philadelphia

The Cultural Landscape Foundation invites you to explore and discover What’s Out There Weekend Philadelphia, featuring a series of free expert guided tours highlighting the city’s remarkable landscape legacy. During the weekend, members of the public can visit more than two dozen different sites around the city.

Various locations around the city
Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19
Cost: free
www.tclf.org

Broadway hits the Kimmel Center

We are proud to present Broadway Philadelphia’s 2013-14 Season! This unforgettable lineup will have you dancing in the aisles and belting the classics! From the creators of “South Park” and winner of nine Tony Awards, “The Book of Mormon” anchors the season with a limited six-week engagement. The New York Times calls it “the best musical of the century” and Entertainment Weekly says it’s “the funniest musical of all time.” Our blockbuster season also features the beautiful Irish melodies of “Once,” Queen’s epic hits in “We Will Rock You,” and the iconic rhythms in “Flashdance The Musical,” as well as Broadway legends “The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess,” “Evita,” and the premiere of an all-new production of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Remember, season ticket holders are guaranteed the best seats in the house and have access to single tickets BEFORE they go on sale to the public. Order your season tickets TODAY!

Various theaters

Now-2014

Cost: varies

www.kimmelcenter.org

The post What’s Happening In Philly appeared first on The Triangle.

Members of No. 3 Oregon celebrate during player introductions as they prepare to face BYU during the first game of the Eugene Regional. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Seven-year-old Gracie Hester was unfazed by the torrential downpour that resulted in an hour-long delay for the beginning of the game, although her grandfather, Ed Quigley, did not share her unfettered enthusiasm for the elements. The pair munched on hot dogs in the near-empty stands as NCAA officials waited for the rain to subside during the Wisconsin vs. North Carolina game. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

BYU senior outfielder Bailie Hicken gazes through the dugout netting during the bottom of the second inning as Oregon led 3-2. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon’s Kailee Cuico tries to beat the ball to first base as BYU player Katie Manuma anticipates the pass. Cuico was ruled out at first base. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon outfielder Alyssa Gillespie tries in vain to steal second base during the bottom of the second inning. Cougars second baseman Coco Taualii tagged her out on the play. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon center Alexa Peterson is soon to be embraced by her teammates at home plate after she drilled a three-run home run in the first inning, notching a 3-0 lead over BYU. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Freshman infielder Danica Mercado, center, shares a laugh with her teammates Karissa Hovinga, left, and Cheridan Hawkins. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon infielder Karine Shaver, left, and her teammates take cover in the team’s storage shed as a heavy downpour begins to subside, allowing the preceding Wisconsin vs. North Carolina game to conclude. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

University of Oregon Athletic Director Rob Mullens didn’t let hour-long game delays or rainy weather affect his mood as the Ducks prepared to face the Cougars. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon infielder Karine Shaver tracks down a ball during pregame warmups in the outfield. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Standout Oregon pitcher Jessica Moore is framed by a beam of fading sunshine as she warms up her arm in the bullpen. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon infielder Karine Shaver takes the field after being introduced to the crowd at Howe Field. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon center Alexa Peterson blinks as a pitch floats by her at the plate. The junior player blasted a three-run home run with the subsequent pitch to give the Ducks a 3-0 lead heading into the top of the second inning. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Senior outfielder Samantha Pappas, center, hams it up with her teammates in the outfield between innings. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

The BYU dugout could only look on as Oregon’s standout pitcher Jessica Moore made her way through a rotation of Cougar batters. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

A waxing crescent moon peeks through the passing fog over Howe Field as the game played on into the night-time darkness near 10 p.m. due to an hour-long delayed game start because of inclement weather. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon head coach Mike White speaks to players Kaylan Howard, left, and Kailee Cuico before the bottom of the fifth inning as the Ducks led the Cougars, 4-2. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon sophomore outfielder Janie Takeda warms up her swing during the bottom of the seventh inning as the Ducks seemed poised for a victory over the Cougars. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Oregon pitcher Cheridan Hawkins, center, and her teammates flash their “O’s” to the crowd at Howe Field after taking down BYU during the first game of the Eugene Regional. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

“I think we played pretty well,” pitcher Jessica Moore said. “I think we struggled with sticking to our game plan a little bit at times. We didn’t execute the way we should have with the game plan that we had, so I think it was a good game to get the jitters out.”

The game began in weird fashion as BYU starting pitcher Tori Almond threw eight illegal pitches right off the bat, which led to an early substitution.

“I wasn’t looking too much at that,” Oregon head coach Mike White said in regards to the illegal pitches. “There was a little bit of error there, but a lot of it is the interpretation of the umpire. Sometimes it gets called, but they were probably frustrated that it wasn’t called at the beginning of the year, but again that comes down to your conference. I know in the Pac-12; they are pretty tough on that stuff, so they aren’t going to let you get away with anything. They just call what they see; if they see an error there, they are going to call it.”

The Ducks would convert on Almond, however, before she was taken out. Alexa Peterson blasted a three-run home run to give the Ducks a 3-0 lead at the top of the second inning. With the early offense, the Ducks gained crucial momentum early in the game, which might have been the difference.

“It was great to be able to come through for our team that first inning,” she said, “because that’s huge having that momentum right at the beginning of the game. I knew she was having some problems with keeping her backfoot on the ground — so I knew that was getting inside her head, and I was just waiting for a mistake to pitch it over the middle.”

“Getting off to the start with three runs in the first inning was huge for us,” White said. “It kinda breaks the jitters a little bit and your pitcher is struggling just a little bit with the illegal pitching calls, and we took advantage of that. Jessica came out and threw a great game to get us started. It got a little tight in the third inning, but we were able to manage; we kind of bent, but we didn’t break. We got to make sure we capitalize on our opportunities and get ahead and use our pitching and defense to keep it that way.”

The Cougars answered with a couple runs of their own in the top of the third after Carly Duckworth recorded a game-changing RBI double. Not only did this give the Cougars some much needed rhythm, but it also forced both the Ducks and home crowd to take them a bit more seriously. After defeating the Cougars last season 4-1 and 6-4 in Regional play, the Ducks came into tonight with a confident mindset. But the Cougars weren’t going to fade away easy. Heading into the third down just one run, momentum was in favor of the Cougars.

Each team would go scoreless in the third after having their fair share of opportunities to score. The Ducks would convert in the bottom of the fourth, however, after Moore was brought in with the bases loaded. After multiple pitching errors in the bottom of the fifth, the Ducks scored one more run after Kaylan Howard came in due to a Moore walk.

To finish the game, Moore struck out Lacey Millett early in the seventh inning as the Ducks eventually went on to hold their 5-2 lead over the Cougars. It wasn’t the cleanest game, but the Ducks can be happy to move on in regional play Friday morning against the Tar Heels.

In regards to this game against North Carolina, White had this to say: “UNC — they move the ball well, and we got to be ready for them. They are going to want to come at us hard tomorrow, but we’ll have a game plan set in place with how to deal with their offense and defense as well and have a good approach overall.”

First pitch will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Howe Field. The game can be watcher via live-stream here.

The earliest and most egregious misstep in the film is the rewriting of Nick Carraway’s story. We find him in the winter after the summer of Gatsby, staring ponderously out of snow-frosted windows, speaking even more ponderously about his binge-drinking habits and general sense of malaise. It becomes clear that he is being treated at some sort of swanky sanatorium—taking time to decompress from all he witnessed. This setup leads to his doctor telling him to write it all down, even if no one will read what he produces. It is difficult to parse whether this order is based on a premonition that the ensuing book will be a great work of literature, or on a deep and utterly understandable desire to stop listening to Tobey Maguire’s listless narration as Carraway. On the occasions when the film does directly quote the novel, the timbre of Maguire’s voice has a kind of grating insistence to it that does considerable damage to Fitzgerald’s original prose. In fact, the novel seems largely at odds with the film, something not at all mitigated by the uncomfortably heavy-handed insertion of floating text during especially poignant moments, the letters of which dissolve into snowflakes more often than not.

It’s not all bad, though. In fact, it’s often dazzling and affecting, especially during the more intimate moments of character development. Carey Mulligan’s Daisy feels slightly too human for the role, rarely reaching the heights of cold vapidity that the character does in the book. However, her chemistry with both her husband Tom(Joel Edgerton) and of course Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), is easily the cause of some of the best moments in the film. The infamously ambiguous shirt scene between Daisy and Gatsby has a resonance to it that transcends melodrama, and the final scenes between Daisy and Tom have almost palpable force thrumming beneath them.

The choice of DiCaprio for Gatsby feels almost too easy: the middle-aged star is easily the most bankable of available options for the tricky-to-cast role. However, though the choice seemed inevitable, DiCaprio certainly gives it his best effort. He truly shines in the moments when Gatsby is off-balance or vulnerable, seeming manic with the possibility of defeat, while always maintaining an iron sense of control. His characterization of Gatsby is not necessarily moving, but then again, Gatsby is not a pitiful character, and DiCaprio’s performance is true to this, erring on the side of giving the character distance instead of revealing him at his basest state.

The strong acting—though it holds the film together—is far from the focal point of the piece. The camera work seems committed in many parts of the film to turning debauchery and murder into a theme-park ride. The pans back and forth between the East and West Egg neighborhoods are unnerving and even nauseating in 3D as the camera skims the surface of the water. The party scenes at Gatsby’s are astonishing, replete with fireworks and mechanical Charleston dance moves.

The real problem at the core of the movie seems to be restraint: Luhrmann has none. When the aesthetics that marked the early party scenes carry over to the final, gory moments of the film, they feel plastic and hurried. There is no moment when the story breaks open to reveal its rotten core—even a concluding funeral scene has an impenetrable gloss over it. It seems apparent that Luhrmann is entranced with the first half of the story but confounded by the finale, and the film stumbles as it tries to explain why we should care about all this in the first place. While entertaining and visually magnificent, “The Great Gatsby” misses it mark for the sequins in its eyes.

—Staff writer Sorrel L. Nielsen can be reached at sorrelwestbrook-nielsen@college.harvard.edu

Despite Major Lazer’s recent canellation, students say they are excited for to see his replacement, Shaggy.

Emily Kong ’16 said that she was excited for the change of pace that Shaggy might bring.

“It’s cool that it’s a different genre,” she said. “It’s not just the electronic rap that’s so entrenched in the pop culture of today.”

Cody Bell ’15 agreed that Shaggy would be a good addition to the Green Key music line-up.

“Shaggy’s a legend, has one of the most unique voices, and was part of my music scene growing up.”

A number of student groups will perform over the weekend as well. As students crowd into Leede Arena on Saturday to watch Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity’s “Game of Thrones”-themed step show, others will gather in Spaulding Auditorium to enjoy the Handel Society’s culminating performance or head to Soul Scribes’ open mic night. This year’s Green Key weekend offers a wide range of arts-related performances and activities for students to enjoy.

Doug Payne ’15 said that he is excited about the selection of major artists hosted by fraternities during the weekend. He said that he is looking forward to going to a variety of concerts as they add to the atmosphere of the weekend.

“My house is bringing Afroman and being a big fan of rap it’s really exciting,” he said. “Everyone in the house loves ‘Crazy Rap’ so we’re really excited to see Afroman. I plan on hopping around and seeing different artists — this is why Green Key is the best big weekend out of the three in the academic year.”

Archana Ramanujam ’14 said that she found out about Adventure Club from a friend at Dartmouth during her sophomore winter, and they are one of her favorite DJ/artist-pairs.

“Their dubstep remixes are great — not too aggressive — and they pick good tracks to mix,” she said. “They’re good for a chill night, hanging with friends. I’m surprised they’re not bigger already.”

Tiantian Zhang ’16 said that she is thrilled for Adventure Club because they are a very hot dubstep group that knows how to put on a good show.

“I meant to go see them at Ultra this past spring break and I didn’t get to, so I’m glad that I’ll get to see them live,” Zhang said. “They’re not that big but they definitely know how to get the crowd going, and they’re a lot of fun so I think their music will be a good stress reliever from the typical academic routine.”

Although only two members of Alpha Phi Alpha are on campus this term, the step show will not be scaled back, with performances by Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Sigma Lambda Upsilon sorority, Lambda Upsilon Lambda fraternity, Sheba and Staccato. Doors to Leede Arena open at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

According to Alpha Phi Alpha president William Hernandez ’13, approximately 1,500 students typically attend the show, and he expects a similar turnout this year.

For the first time, the entire event will encompass a singular theme — a fun, light parody of Game of Thrones — due to the show’s popularity among students.

“This is the first year we are doing one overarching narrative, so it will be interesting to see how people view it,” Hernandez said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how it plays out.”

Each performance will take on a group or theme from the television series.

“The main plot of the step show is that every group is fighting for power and control,” Sheba co-director Gabriela Maica ’14 said. “By the end, all groups will come together and head toward one, unified goal.”

Hernandez said the step show holds importance for the College outside of its entertainment value.

“It is a good way for multi-cultural groups, fraternities and sororities to show how positive they can be through dance,” Hernandez said.

At 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, the Handel Society will perform Bach’s “Saint Matthew Passion” with its 100 singers, a 50-person children’s chorus, a double orchestra and five visiting soloists, Hopkins Center publicity coordinator Rebecca Bailey said. A second performance will take place in Spaulding on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The show will present Bach’s culminating life work, considered one of the largest and most significant compositions in classical performance. Conductor Robert Duff, who completed his doctoral treatise on “Saint Matthew Passion,” said he is anxious to share the work with the community.

“It’s a piece that gets done every 30 years given the effort it takes to learn,” Duff said. “I look forward to having a better understanding of the intention of the composer, both through the music and its meaning.”

The time and effort that the Handel Society has put into the performance is improving their appreciation, student manager Kristen Colwell ’13 said.

“I love the music, or at least I’m starting to love it,” Colwell said. “It’s a sort of thing where immersing yourself in something and learning all of the details, notes and how various parts fit together makes it way better.”

Soul Scribes will host an open mic night to allow returning alumni to perform.

“The poetry community can be a little bit isolated in Hanover so it’s nice to get outside performers, especially alumni,” Soul Scribes president Anna Winham ’14 said.

The weekend will also include a number of concerts at Greek houses. Alpha Delta fraternity’s Lawn Party on Saturday afternoon will be headlined by DJ Viceroy and feature the student band Chuck.

“This year, it will be a little different because we are on probation,” AD president Siegfried von Bonin ’14 said. “No alcohol will be served, but it will still be a fun time.”

Baauer and DJ Sliink will play at Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity.

Other performance groups did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Free Food, a hip-hop, soul, and retro funk fusion band will be performing at this year’s Spring Sing. Listen to how they feel about transitioning to adulthood in their original composition, “Circus Funk.”

A bill to protect underage drinkers seeking emergency help is one step closer to becoming law in Minnesota.

Thursday, the state House passed medical amnesty legislation, which would provide legal immunity from the possession or consumption of alcohol for underage drinkers if they seek help for themselves or others.

“We want to encourage responsible choice,” said Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, the bill's author.

Some Minnesota colleges already have medical amnesty policies, but student organizations, including the Minnesota Student Association, pushed legislation to make it a statewide policy.

With a 124-8 vote, the House bill passed with bipartisan support, but a few dissenters had issues with the bill's necessity and scope.

Rep. Ernie Leidiger, R-Mayer, said the measure “legislates common sense.”

“When it comes to saving a life,” he said, “isn't it common sense that we're supposed to [seek help] first?”

Supporters, however, said the bill is necessary because it will make minors more likely to seek emergency medical help.

“This bill does not legislate common sense,” Liebling said. “It just removes one of the barriers to common sense.” 

Others questioned the measure's scope, but Liebling answered them by clarifying the bill only provides exemptions.

“The bill itself is very, very narrow … it has to be someone calling 911 for a medical emergency,” Liebling said, adding that the bill “strikes a good balance” in its scope.

The Senate is expected to hear its medical amnesty bill on Friday.

BYU baseball used a seven-run third inning and eight solid innings from Desmond Poulson to beat Saint Mary’s 11-1 on Friday night.

“I was really happy with how we came out ready to play,” BYU head coach Mike Littlewood said. “I didn’t sense that we were flat, everybody was on point and ready to go. Desmond did a great job for us on the mound.”

The game was the first of a decisive three game weekend series, with the winner getting the final spot in the conference tournament. The Cougars poured in 18 hits on a night in which the offense gave Poulson plenty of early support.

BYU exploded to break a scoreless tie when they scored seven runs in the third inning highlighted by a two-run double by Bret Lopez and a two-run single by Dakota Hernandez. Kelton Caldwell, Hayden Nielsen, and Jaycob Hannemann also had run-scoring hits in the inning.

Cole Norton’s home run to lead off the sixth inning was the Gaels’ only run.

BYU tacked on runs in the sixth and seventh on run-scoring singles by Nielsen and first baseman Brock Whitney to take a 9-1 lead. The Cougars put up two more in the eighth on a two-out, two-run triple by Brennon Anderson for the final margin.

The teams will play again Friday at 6 p.m. A win for the Cougars will clinch the final spot in the tournament as the fourth seed. With a series sweep, BYU would be tied with San Diego and San Francisco at 15-9 in the conference standing. BYU would take the third seed by virtue of a series victory over San Francisco.

Tomorrow’s game will be broadcast on KOVO Radio 940 AM.

BYU pitcher Desmond Poulson threw eight strong innings, earning a win over St. Mary’s on Thursday at Miller Park.

Hundred of students simultaneously launch corn flour into the air during the second “color toss” at the Indian festival of Holi. (Mason Trinca/Emerald)

Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, originates from India and holds its roots in Hinduism. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Students throw colored powder into the air in celebration of springtime colors as part of the Indian festival of Holi. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Freshman Spanish major Chrislyn Kircher flashes a wide grin as she experiences her first Holi festival. “It just looked cool!” Kircher noted, after discovering the Facebook event invite for the color fest. Kircher applied her own face paint. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

LeeAnn Sturrock is balanced upside down by her friend Tovi Ross. The South Eugene High School pair of seniors drew a crowd of onlookers as they displayed their acrobatic maneuvers among the grass. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

UO students gather at the EMU lawn to celebrate the Indian Holi Festival of Color, which is to commemorate the vibrant colors of spring time by throwing colorful powder at one another. (Andrew Seng/Freelance)

Pre-business freshman Archana Sriram pauses from a Super-Soaker fight with her friends during the third annual Holi festival. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

The evening’s second synchronized “color toss” kicks off as students hurl their handfuls of multicolored corn flour into the air in unison. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Sophomore biology student Nardos Tadesse’s face is an illustration of the multicolored packets of corn flour that are flung onto participants during a Holi celebration. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

LeeAnn Sturrock balances upon friend Tovi Ross in an acrobatic act displayed amidst the water- and powder-slinging of Holi. Ross and Sturrock are fellow seniors at South Eugene High School. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

A student receives a palm (caked in multicolored corn flour) to the side of his face as the event kicks off. The third annual Holi festival was celebrated at the UO on the EMU lawns. The event featured packets of multicolored corn flour thrown among a throng of students in celebration of the Indian tradition for the new spring season. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

UO student officers of the Indian Subcontinent provided over 200 pounds of colored cornflower imported from India to celebrate the Indian Holi Festival of Color held at the EMU lawn on Thursday, May 16. (Andrew Seng/Freelance)

Freshman Zoe Panchesson laughs heartily as she takes a break from the color madness of Holi. The cinema studies major found a quiet patch of grass to rest on near the edge of the EMU lawns where Holi took place. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

A student takes a shot of water to the face. Attendees were encouraged to bring water guns and water slingers. Several unsuspecting victims also saw large bins of water poured upon them. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

A wide assortment of colored powders were available for students to throw. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

Attendees were often soaked with water launched from a hose. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

A student watches as her friend throws colored powder into the air. (Nate Barrett/Emerald)

A student’s stained teeth provides some insight into the extent that the colored walls of corn flour permeated every crevice of participants in Holi. (Michael Arellano/Emerald)

Holi, the Indian festival of Color, took place on the EMU East Lawn on May 16, 2013. (Tess Freeman/Emerald)

Apply early for jobs and internships
It’s stressful when you have no plan for after graduation. I didn’t start applying for internships and jobs soon enough, and I’m feeling the weight of it now. Instead of making my mistake, accept early on that college will end and make a plan for what you’ll do when it happens. Some internships begin accepting applications as early as November for a start in June the following year.

See your friends
These people are your family when your family’s not around. See all of them as much as you can during your senior year because seeing each other after graduation will probably require a plane ticket. Sometimes something as simple as a dinner date is enough to keep you up to speed with a friend.

Enjoy It
You’ll never get to live like this again. Ever. This year will go by faster than you could ever imagine, and you’ll miss things you never thought you would. So savor the small stuff and take part in things you wouldn’t have during the past three years.

Breathe
When the reality of school finally being over and becoming a real adult sets in, remember to breathe. Then go have a beer because you’ve earned it.

UH announced that its final game of the season on Nov. 29 against SMU will be played at Reliant Stadium. Three home games against Southern (Aug. 30), BYU (Oct 19), South Florida (Oct. 31) and the annual Bayou Bucket against Rice (Sept. 21) were already planned to be played at Reliant Stadium.

The only two remaining games to schedule are against Memphis (Oct. 12) and Cincinnati (Nov. 23).

To rent Rice Stadium, UH would have to pay $115,000 per game, while the price for BBVA Compass Stadium is approximately $130,000 per game plus a $1.50-$3 ticket fee, according to the agenda for Monday’s board of regents meeting.

The financial terms of playing at Reliant Stadium were also released. UH will be charged a $75,000 license fee and a $85,000 facility fee based on an attendance of 30,000, both per game. There is an additional $2 fee for each attendee when attendance is more than 30,000.

Here are the other terms to the deal:

• UH will keep all ticket revenue except for suites.
• 1,250 parking spots will be provided for donor parking. All additional spots are $10.
• All parking and concession revenue will go to Reliant.
• 20 percent of merchandise sales will be paid to Reliant.
• SMG and Texans will promote game dates to respective fan bases to increase ticket sales.

• “Quick turn-around” field conversion for USF and SMU game will be determined.

sports@thedailycougar.com

Fred Armisen at Oregon Episcopalean School
At OES in Portland, the high school’s 78-student graduating class of 2011 was in for a treat when Fred Armisen, at the peak height of “Portlandia” hype, spoke. While Armisen kept it light-hearted with humor, he shared the stereotypical, yet effective sentiments of “persever(ing) in spite of times when you did (fail),” and included tales of the days when he would do stand-up in a Laundromat. The comedian noted, “you don’t have to be defined by your work” and warned graduates to “avoid people who tell you that what you want to do is not possible.”

Conan O’Brien to Dartmouth 2011
O’Brien touched on the job market and college culture.

“I decided to prepare with the same intensity many of you devote to an important term paper,” he told the crowd. “So last night, I began. I drank two cans of Red Bull. Snorted some adderall. Played a few hours of ‘Call of Duty,’ then opened my browser.”
“If your child majored in fine arts or philosophy, the only place they are really qualified to get a job is ancient Greece … You will spend more money framing your child’s diploma than they will earn in the next six months. The only people hiring right now are Panera Bread and Mexican drug cartels.”

Oprah to Stanford 2008
As always, Oprah is an inspiration to all.

“Lesson 1: Follow your feelings. If it feels right, move forward; if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Nobody’s journey is seamless or smooth, we all have setbacks. If things go wrong you hit a dead end, as you will, it’s just life’s way of saying, time to change course …  Ask every failure — this is what I do — I say, what is this here to teach me? And as soon as you get the lesson, you get to move on.”

A huge mistake many young adults make is neglecting to acknowledge that what happens on the Internet stays on the Internet … forever. Even once it’s deleted, someone, somewhere can find it. Myspace pictures? Yeah, they’re floating around in cyberspace. By now, that probably seems inconsequential. (Those pictures were taken in 2006!) Years from now, your “Raaaaage” album on Facebook will seem inconsequential to you, too, but people trying to hire you might disagree.

“I make a point to never have pictures taken of me with a beverage in my hand because I know it can be on Facebook,” said Sammy Thom, a University of Oregon senior.

Even if you don’t do this, at the very least, make sure your privacy settings are secure.

Facebook is the primary social media site for most college students. It’s where picture albums, statuses, location updates and links are posted. It’s where lists of favorite shows, movies, books and interests rest forgotten about. This is awesome if it’s up-to-date and appropriate. However, I’ve done some intense Facebook stalking in my day, and most profile information I’ve seen hasn’t been updated since that Myspace to Facebook switch was made.

More likely than Facebook to have inappropriate information is Twitter. It seems innocent because it has a 140-character limit and requires less brainpower than Facebook to update.

“People just don’t post continual statuses on Facebook and when I see that on my timeline it’s annoying,” said Randi Brown, a UO senior. “With Twitter, it’s just more accepted that you tweet more often. What comes with that is tweeting insignificant things.”

These “insignificant things” are often word vomit not important or clever enough for Facebook. Since older family members aren’t usually on Twitter, it also tends to be where drunken college ramblings go. No, it isn’t necessary to tweet while six shots deep, and it isn’t necessary to tweet about it the next day, either.

While using Twitter responsibly isn’t as fun, it’s better in the long run. Having a private account seems suspicious, so that’s not a viable solution. If it’s too difficult to tone down your amount of inappropriate tweeting, another option is to create two accounts: one under an alias for your friends, and one under your real name for the rest of the world.

At the end of the day, what you put on the Internet should reflect the kind of image you’re okay having others assign to you. College life has its place and we all love it, but it’s also important to remember that we’re not the only ones looking at the pictures of our habits.

“I make sure my privacy settings are pretty tight,” said family and human services major Diana White. “I would say I try to keep my Facebook and Twitter as politically correct and ‘clean’ as possible. It’s my friends’ activity that I have to worry about some days. I would like to think employers wouldn’t be too horrified, but being elected president could get dicey because of some Facebook activity.”

This was my first realization of the real world — sitting alone in my room, too shy to go out and meet my hallmates. I would walk to the door, turn around, walk back to my bed. Repeat.

With the help of my roommate, I eventually made some friends, and later that week we attended our first “real” college party. I think I wore jeans and a t-shirt. One of my friends had her hair in two braids. We had no alcohol and awkwardly lurked around the house trying to bum some beer. It might have worked better if we hadn’t looked 12.

Somehow, my braided friend got ahold of way too many PBRs. We made it back to some guy’s house where she proceeded to throw up into a water bottle and all over her striped v-neck. Unable to move her, another friend and I ended up sleeping on the floor and experiencing our first walk-of-shame back to the dorms in the morning.

Welcome to college.

My freshman year, I couldn’t imagine a time when I’d be leaving, a time when I’d have figured out college just in time to go. I suppose we all have to grow up sometime.

It’s been real, Oregon, but before I say “goodbye,” let me remind you of all the things you’d better not change.

The way Autzen looks encased in golden light right before the sun sets. The way Pre’s Trail feels after months of not running. The way Californians complain about the rain. The way campus comes alive in the springtime.

These memories don’t even begin to describe all the things I will miss about my four years at UO. That’s not to say everything was perfect, but I wouldn’t take any of it back.

Coming to school here gave me everything I was missing before. I think about what my life would be like had I gone somewhere else, and it would be lacking. Nothing makes me happier than thousands of hands making Os in the air. Or laying on rooftops. Or seeing the city from the top of Spencer Butte. Or closing Max’s. I think about all the things I never would have done. The people I never would have met. The places I never would have gone.

I think about my time at Oregon and I think about all of you. All the people who made me who I am. All the moments that made my heart speed up.

Thank you, Oregon, for everything. I’m ready to leave but it is going to be so very hard to go.

— Ninkasi Brewing Company: If your parents are curious about brewing, like many residents of Eugene and Portland are, or just like beer, take them here for a tour or to the tasting room for a sampler tray and one of their many brews, accompanied with local snacks. Located on 272 Van Buren St.

— Spencer Butte: Hiking Spencer Butte is a rite of passage with a great view, perfect for sunny weather and good for any age. To get there, just travel up Willamette Street past 30th Avenue. You’ll know you’ve made it when you see a large gravel parking lot. Just don’t be surprised to see it full if the sun’s shining. Start from this lot and expect a walk of a little more than a mile. Drive a little closer to the top for a shorter walk. Don’t forget to bring your little brother and grandma along.

— Whiteaker neighborhood: Real Eugene culture lies within this neighborhood surrounded by colorful, quirky houses and good food from restaurants like Papa’s Soul Food Kitchen. Located north of Sixth Avenue off Blair Street, it’s often called an up-and-coming part of town by city leaders.

The changes, including a $94.4 million decrease from the $181 million Walker originally proposed, were outlined in a letter from Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch to the Legislature’s finance committee. The letter came weeks after lawmakers learned of $648 million in reserves at UW System, $414 million of which came from tuition.

The total decrease in funds from the original proposal is $94.4 million, although $65.7 million comes from the state general funds that pay for areas like education. UW System would now see an $87 million funding increase during the next two years.

“The Walker administration is saddened that UW System did not show leadership during a fiscal crisis, and instead made the burden of a public higher education heavier while stockpiling cash,” Huebsch said in the letter.

The Legislature has to approve the changes Walker proposed, although Republicans have called for funding decreases, and both parties support the tuition freeze.

UW System Board of Regents President Brent Smith emphasized in a statement UW System officials have been “good stewards” of resources, although he said a “formal policy” on future reserves is needed.

Hours before news of the reserves came out, UW System President Kevin Reilly had called for a 2 percent tuition increase, which would have been the lowest increase in recent history. 

“We share the governor’s interest in keeping college affordable and tuition low,” Reilly said. “While UW tuition is already lower than many peer colleges and universities, a two-year tuition freeze will send the right message to Wisconsin students and families.”

UW System institutions will shift $42 million in other funds to cover what UW System would lose in revenues from the tuition freeze, according to the statement.

A Marquette Law School poll released Tuesday showed 76 percent of the public supported a tuition freeze. 

Dylan Jambrek, government relations director for United Council of UW Students, said his organization is thrilled with Walker’s proposed tuition freeze.

“It will give relief to families and students who are turning increasingly to loan debt,” Jambrek said.

While Jambrek said he is pleased with the tuition freeze, he said Walker’s budget changes are disappointing. He said he would rather see Walker using money to increase financial aid.

“Students were charged tuition increases that weren’t really necessary, so putting it back into financial aid would really return that money to students,” Jambrek said.

The 78-year-old Tibetan holy figure, who was adorned in his Buddhist monk robes and a baseball cap, was joined by distinguished individuals in fields ranging from economics, neuroscience, journalism and psychology in two panel discussions on global health and sustainable well-being.

A sold-out crowd welcomed the series titled “Change Your Mind, Change the World,” moderated by Daniel Goleman, a psychologist and science journalist, and Arianna Huffington, founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post. The Center for Investigating Healthy Minds hosted the event in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin’s Global Health Institute.

In addition to his standard role as a teacher and professor of wisdom, the Dalai Lama took the part of a student, posing questions, and attempting to glean new insight from all of the panelists, who updated him on their research and areas of study.

The panelists, most of who shared stories of previous encounters with the Dalai Lama and cited him as an inspiration to their life work, addressed global health in the individual, regional and planetary context, emphasizing the connection between mental and physical well-being—an area closely related to the Dalai Lama’s teachings.

“There’s no more important conversation going on in this planet than the conversation that has been going on at this conference,” Huffington said in an introduction to the afternoon panel.

The Dalai Lama, who has been touring Madison since Monday, shared his commentary between speakers, responding to the presentations of his peers and adding his personal insight. He emphasized the importance of Buddhist psychology, a factor of spiritually he finds separate from faith and the Buddhist religion.

After receiving clarification on the connotation of the word ‘”secular” from English economist Lord Richard Layard, the Dalai Lama said the word is not “anti-religion.” He concluded that if people, from kindergarten to the university, are educated and trained in “secular ethics,” widespread happiness can be achieved.

Layard, who said the Dalai Lama’s words had previously inspired him, cited the idea of secularism in naming the two fundamental aspects necessary for a more peaceful world.

“There basically are two facts that we need to bring together: Everybody would like to be happy, and, two, each human being is equally important,” Layard said. “And if we can get everybody to accept that secular ‘every human being is important’ then we can try and create as much happiness in the world that we can. And we have to get to that point without mentioning the deity. That is what is essential to the secular morality.”

According to the Dalai Lama, the only path to instilling such “secular morality” is through education and the training of the human mind.

Richard Davidson, founder and chair of the Center for Investigating Healthy Minds at the Waisman Center, reiterated the idea that mental health and focus of the human mind is connected with the happiness and physical health of the individual and the community.

A push for further international focus on mental health was a common thread among the panelists, many of whom cited mental illness as a root cause in disparity, unhappiness and economic inefficiency. Huffington even questioned a connection between “burned out human beings and burning out the planet.”

The Dalai Lama agreed with such a notion, restating his role as an advocate for education on such issues.

Emphasizing the power and complexity of the brain and its impact on the body and community, the Dalai Lama said, “the proper way to deal with the human mind, is with the mind itself.” Secular training on the importance of human connection, altruism, kindness and mindfulness from a very young age is the solution to world peace, he added.

“I always stress the importance of education, not faith, education,” he said, adding the need to systematically educate people.

“There is sufficient material to educate people. I think there is possibility,” the Dalai Lama said. “Better world means more compassionate world…then peaceful world.”

Graduating in only three and one-half years, Joseph Steven Nainoaonahoku Wilmes, a journalism major and multimedia minor University of Oregon graduate from Beaverton, Ore., reflects back on his time as a student at the UO after having now spent one year in the post-graduation “real world.”

Working at Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District he revealed, “I know that working at a rec center as a sports instructor and after school program leader isn’t what I wanted to do after college, but it isn’t a terrible job. It doesn’t pay the seven-figure salary that I was going for, but it’s my fault in the end. I didn’t produce a résumé during my free time at the UO.”

Starting out, he had no set ideas on what he wanted to do with his four years at the UO.

“I never really knew what I wanted to do in life as a high school senior,” he said. “As a college graduate, I’m still somewhat confused.”

He experienced all the common panics each college student goes through at some point or another. From the fear of that one professor who fails students based on a single typo to the classic feeling of under-involvement, he admits that these issues are rooted within one’s own personal attitude and actions.

“One of my regrets would be not joining as many clubs,” he said. “I should have been an activist or started up a ping pong club or something. My super boring résumé with a B-minus GPA average would have been much more attractive with a diverse participation in UO clubs.”

While he worked for UO Housing Services as a sandwich artist and spent a large portion of his time focused on academics in order to graduate quickly, he shared the sentiment of feeling overwhelmed amongst the countless amount of clubs and groups UO has to offer. But regardless, he acknowledges his lack of participation put a damper on his overall experience. This regret played a role both in and outside the classroom.

“I just wanted to go to class, take the exam and go home,” he said. “I didn’t try to communicate much with my professors. I saw my professors as if they were there to teach the course, and I was there to fill in the bubbles of my Scantron.”

At a university with more than 16,000 undergraduate students, it’s very difficult to avoid feeling out-shined and outdone. But he advised: “Don’t be lazy. You’re paying so much money to go to school — you would be silly to not be the best you can be. Work hard and play hard.”

So while Wilmes has looked back on his college experience with a few regrets, for now he plans to keep enjoying his time as a fresh grad.

“I want to be 22 for a bit longer,” he said, “Sooner or later, someone will give me a ‘big boy’ job. I know it will come eventually, so I’m not rushing right now.”

Leading the way for the Ducks in round one were sophomore Jonathan Woo and freshman Brandon McIver, who both carded a 69 (-3). The former recorded a total of five birdies, while the latter followed with a total of four birdies. McIver finished the round with only one bogie as he tries to continue his spectacular play tomorrow morning in round two.

Freshmen Sulman Raza and Zach Foushee also finished strong for the Ducks, as they shot a 70 (-2) and 72 (E) respectively. The former also recorded a high total of five birdies, equaling Woo in round one of play. Rounding out the Ducks was sophomore Rak Cho, who carded a solid 73 (+1) as the Ducks end the first day of competition in strong fashion.

On the horizon: The Ducks will continue play at the Golden Eagle Golf & Country Club tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. as round two begins.

The Ducks won their first-ever Pac-12 conference title this season and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament for the second-straight season. This Regionals appearance will also mark the Ducks fourth-straight under head coach Mike White. With their 46-9 overall record and 19-5 in Pac-12 play, the third-seeded Ducks will get to play the first round here at Howe Field.

If the Ducks win the double-elimination Regional round, they will have an opportunity to host the next round, the Super Regionals, in Eugene next weekend. A win during Super Regionals would earn Oregon another trip to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Last season, Oregon made it to the WCWS but fell short, losing to both Arizona State and California.

Oregon welcomes No. 25 Wisconsin, as well as North Carolina and Brigham Young University to Eugene for this upcoming weekend of regional play.

Their first match is Thursday at 6 p.m. against the BYU. The Cougars travel to Eugene with a 33-23 overall record. With BYU’s win in their conference-title game, they earned their ninth-straight postseason appearance.

Wisconsin and North Carolina will face off first at 3 p.m., Thursday. If the Badgers win over the Blue Devils, they could be the Ducks’ biggest challenge coming out of the strong Big Ten conference, with a 16-7 conference record and 42-11 overall.

The winners of both games will play each other on Friday at 11 a.m., with the NCAA Regional Final is set for noon on Saturday.

It’s undeniable the Ducks pose a threat in Regionals due to their strong pitching and home field advantage, winning all of their 16 home games.

Strength has come in the circle due to the strong pitching duo of senior Jessica Moore and freshman Cheridan Hawkins. With Moore being one the best pitchers in Oregon softball history, this season, she boasts a 25-4 record. In only her first year, Hawkins has a 1.68 era and 17 wins for the season. Also contributing to the Ducks is pitcher Karissa Hovinga, who is 4-0 on the season.

Junior catcher Alexa Peterson and sophomore centerfielder Janie Takeda lead the team at bats. Both hit over .400 this season, and Takeda has led the team in hits with 84.

Oregon is also looking to junior shortstop Courtney Ceo and senior second baseman Kaylan Howard to be hot at the plate. The former is hitting .394 with 25 RBI this season, while the latter leads the team in RBI with 46. Junior first baseman Kailee Cuico has also made her mark in the potent offense, leading the squad with 14 homers.

The games are are available via live stream here.

Leading the Ducks were sophomore Jonathan Woo and freshman Brandon McIver, who each carded an 69 (-3) in conclusion of round one. Following them were freshmen Sulman Raza and Zach Foushee, who recorded a 70 (-2) and 72 (E), respectively.

The second round of the NCAA Tallahassee Regional will tee off Friday morning at the Golden Eagle Golf & Country Club at 8 a.m.

***

Moving on to the realm of professional football, linebacker Rolando McClain announced his retirement at the age of 23, explaining he needs to get his life in order, and “God willing,” he might find his way back to the NFL in the near future.

After being released by the Oakland Raiders back in April, he was quickly signed by the Baltimore Ravens. Ten days after signing, he was arrested in his hometown Decatur, Ala., and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. His court hearing is scheduled for July 9 this year.

This was his third arrest in Decatur since 2011, after having being charged with a shooting and having his car windows tinted back in January. When considering his recent history, his retirement makes a little bit more sense, but this without a doubt leaves the Ravens with an interesting scenario moving forward.

***

Former NBA union head Billy Hunter recently filed a suit against National Basketball Players Association President Derek Fisher, claiming Fisher had secretly made a deal with owners during the 2011 lockout leading to personal benefits as well as benefits for his publicist and certain players.

Hunter stepped down from his position back in February following an investigation into his business practices. Despite finding no illegal conduct, there were many citations retaining to conflicts of interest, questionable business decisions and hiring practices.

The bottom line is: Who does Hunter think he is trying file a suit against one of the most respected and beloved players in the NBA? He lost all respect of the players’ union after stepping down during the NBA lockout, and this recent attempt at trying to pull Fisher down with him is utterly ridiculous.

Thursday: FUZZ

According to KWVA music director Thor Slaughter, “FUZZ is the loudest live band of all time.” Little else is known about this proto-metal side-project other than that it is the rad creation of multifaceted San Francisco native Ty Segall.

What little material has been released by FUZZ reveals that the band lives up to their name. Segall and company produce intense, psyched-out ’70s stoner-rock likened to the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Black Sabbath.

FUZZ features Segall on vocals and drums, as well as lifelong pals Roland Cosio on bass and Charlie Moonheart on guitar. FUZZ will kick off the first night of KWVA’s Betterfest alongside Colleen Green and You Me & Us this Thursday, May 16.

Friday: Ducktails

Ducktails is the side project of Matthew Mondanile, a member of New Jersey based indie-rock outfit, Real Estate. Mondanile produces a sound which could best be described as one lingering between a recent Wes Anderson soundtrack and a Polaroid picture taken somewhere in southeast Portland. It’s the type of music that suggests introspective nostalgia and yet, does so in a way that never comes across as pretentious or frustratingly hipster.

Ducktails is easy-going, yet exploratory, composed of Mondanile’s close friends and colleagues, as well as a number of other artists — from the backing of popular east coast band Big Troubles to contributions from Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), Madeline Follin (Cults) and Noah Lennox (Panda Bear).

You can catch Ducktails at the WOW Hall on Friday, May 17 alongside The Beets, The Memories and White Fang.

Saturday: Naomi Punk

It’s unfortunate that “post-grunge” is used to describe bands like Creed and Linkin Park, who commercialized grunge’s foreboding obscurity in the early 2000s; because now, contemporary bands like Naomi Punk, who take the style’s basic tenets and send it in a far more interesting direction, are sometimes associated within the same genre. While Naomi Punk uses the genre’s basic elements, their songs aren’t even remotely comparable to the cheaply synthetic recreations of Puddle of Mudd or Staind.

The Washington state trio’s response to grunge signifies that the genre has not been destroyed by your dad’s favorite 2000s band.

The trio will play alongside Weed, Cascadia and The Helio Sequence for the final night of Betterfest on Saturday, May 18.

The notorious image of being buried beneath debt post-graduation has become more prevalent each year due to the exponential growth in tuition rates. Since 1978, the U.S. has seen a 1,120 percent increase in college tuition and fees.

53

The percentage of students graduating from the University of Oregon with tuition and fees debt.

$22,736

The average debt a UO graduate is stuck with upon walking.

$26,600.

The national average for student loan debt held by university graduates.  According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 62 percent of graduates from public universities and 72 percent of private nonprofit graduates exit with student loans.

But despite these soaring costs, which include classes, books and room and board, students also continue to dole out cash for all the other college “necessities.”

$500

This is how much the average college student spends per  year on alcohol and curbs their late-night hunger by spending up to $1,820 on fast food.

After four years, the costs of just these two categories alone can peak at an extra $7,460. For the average Duck exiting with debt, that bumps up the expenditures to $30,196, and that cost does not even begin to include the money students spend on other luxuries.

A bill to protect underage drinkers seeking emergency help is one step closer to becoming law in Minnesota.

Thursday, the state House passed medical amnesty legislation, which would provide legal immunity from the possession or consumption of alcohol for underage drinkers if they seek help for themselves or others.

“We want to encourage responsible choice,” said Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, the bill's author.

Some Minnesota colleges already have medical amnesty policies, but student organizations, including the Minnesota Student Association, pushed legislation to make it a statewide policy.

With a 124-8 vote, the House bill passed with bipartisan support, but a few dissenters had issues with the bill's necessity and scope.

Rep. Ernie Leidiger, R-Mayer, said the measure “legislates common sense.”

“When it comes to saving a life,” he said, “isn't it common sense that we're supposed to [seek help] first?”

Supporters, however, said the bill is necessary because it will make minors more likely to seek emergency medical help.

“This bill does not legislate common sense,” Liebling said. “It just removes one of the barriers to common sense.” 

Others questioned the measure's scope, but Liebling answered them by clarifying the bill only provides exemptions.

“The bill itself is very, very narrow … it has to be someone calling 911 for a medical emergency,” Liebling said, adding that the bill “strikes a good balance” in its scope.

The Senate is expected to hear its medical amnesty bill on Friday.

At the University of Oregon, online courses follow one of two fiscal models: tuition based, or self-supporting. In accordance with the Oregon University System, tuition-based online classes differentiate in price according to residency status and credit load and are managed through individual UO departments. Self-supporting courses, however, are offered through a department in conjunction with the office of Academic Extension and follow a set fee determined by Academic Extension. This results in a set price, regardless of residency status.

In fall term of 2013, the average 12-credit undergraduate student will pay $227.19 per credit. For an out-of-state student, the price-per-credit is almost tripled at $670.18. The average price of a self-supporting online class is $230 — regardless of which state you call home.

According to Sandra Gladney, associate director of Academic Extension, the decision as to which model to follow rests in the hands of the department offering the online class. For example, all online classes offered through the economics department for the fall of 2013 will follow the traditional, residency and course load-based tuition model. In contrast, all online classes in the School of Architecture and Allied Arts will be funded through self-support.

Ian Edwards, an adjunct instructor in the department of anthropology, has taught the class Anthropology 161: Introduction to World Cultures both online and in person. As an instructor, he strives to ensure an equal educational opportunity for the students in his class, regardless of the platform with which he delivers it or how much the class costs. Although this requires making small alterations in class syllabus, online discussion boards in lieu of discussion sections for example, similar grade distributions in both of his courses leads him to believe that the caliber of education he provides is the same across the board.

“I would have to say that I strive for the best in making them comparable. That’s kind of what’s required of me,” Edwards said of his classes. “So far things are suggesting that they are.”

Trevor Smith, a junior majoring in political science, has taken six to eight online classes over his last three years at the UO. As an in-state student, he is more motivated by efficiency than finance.

“Mostly I just take them because of flexibility,” Smith said. “I can do work on my own time and I don’t have to be locked into a schedule.”

Although they may present a cheaper model of education for out-of-state students, Smith doesn’t necessarily believe that they represent an easier or less time-consuming one.

“Just like any normal class, the difficulty ranges from class to class … if you don’t manage your time well, it will really mess you up,” Smith said. “In the end, I’d say that you get basically the same education either in-class or online.”

He leads the nation in saves with 19, tying the school record he set last season as a sophomore. He also boasts a 1.00 ERA and leads the nation with 13.05 strikeouts per nine innings.

With seven games — four against Oregon State and a series against Utah — left in the regular season, he will surely eclipse his record of 19 saves in a season.

Cunningham, along with graduate adviser Carly Smith and faculty adviser Jennifer Freyd, led a study in which they surveyed 299 UO students. These students were asked to self-report whether they were victims of sexual assault, whether they had been betrayed by an institution and whether they identified as part of the LGBT community. Of the students they surveyed, 29 were self-identified members of the LGBT community. The results that came after were surprising.

Cunningham and her team saw that across the map, those part of the LGBT community suffered more than heterosexuals — not only from sexual assault, but from institutional betrayal as well. Probably as a result, they also suffered more psychological damage — such as depression, anxiety and other psychological implications.

“I was curious to see if there was a difference between LGBT students and heterosexual students when it came to sexual assault,” said Cunningham. “And we found there is. It really brought the problem of institutional betrayal in the LGBT community in particular out into the open.”

And there’s more research out there that backs up Cunningham’s data. According to a recent study by Boynton Health Services and Center for Disease Control, one in two bisexual women will be raped in her lifetime, while 64 percent of transgender individuals have experienced rape at least once before. It’s clear, yet startling. There is a higher percentage of victims in the LGBT community than in any other.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, someone in the United States is sexually assaulted every two minutes. Only 46 percent of these cases will be reported. 

This lack of reporting is due in part to the fact that many cases don’t lead to an arrest and prosecution of the perpetrator, even when reported. And when higher-ups don’t take sexual assault seriously, whether they are officials of a university or police department, it’s likely we’ll experience betrayal for the second time.

Even more startling is the fact that many of these cases are never reported or are not taken seriously even when they are.

“There needs to be more institutional intervention to educate officials how to be supportive of survivors,” Cunningham said. “Some are just unfamiliar with how they should react in situations like these. I hope this study can get published some day and help bring awareness to this important issue of sexual assault and institutional betrayal in the LGBT community — and beyond.”

What’s more, after creating a username and password, students can use myEdu to explore internships, search job opportunities around Eugene and build a portfolio to showcase achievements to potential employers. This website has it all.

According to Bill Morrill, assistant director for technology in the UO Office of Academic Advising, myEdu and other networking websites like LinkedIn and Rate My Professors are examples of a student movement toward increasingly digitized educational and occupational networking.

“I’ve been working in advising and career counseling for 19 years now, and there’s been a big change in the use of technology,” Morrill said. “I have seen and heard more and more from students trying to pick classes from what other students are saying about professors.”

For junior cinema studies major Zachary Twardowski, technology simplifies planning ahead. Although he sticks to DuckWeb for building his schedule and browsing potential classes, Twardowski runs his potential teachers through Rate My Professors in addition to speaking with friends who have taken the same course. It was through applying for online scholarships through Fastweb.com that Twardowski first encountered myEdu. Since, he has used the portal to augment the resources provided by the UO for job and internship searches.

From an academic advising standpoint, Morrill believes that Twardowski’s balance between digital and personal interaction is key to planning ahead.

“It’s difficult to use reviews about personal teaching styles without having the full story in the background,” Morrill said. “Personally, I think talking to the professor beforehand is a good way to choose classes. Talking with students who have taken the class before would also be helpful because then you can actually ask questions.”

To keep up with increasing digital dependence, the UO Career Center is planning its own technological overhaul.

 By fall 2013 the UO hopes to have developed a site similar to popular portals like myEdu and LinkedIn, says UO Career Center Director Daniel Aguilar. Ideally, Aguilar says, the site will generate an automatic profile for any student with a UO identification number.

Twardowski, for one considers the possibility entrancing.

“I think that’d be very helpful,” he said of the Career Center’s potential website. “It kind of streamlines the process so that someone calling you in for an interview already knows a lot about you and your activity and involvement in things.”

Although sites like myEdu and LinkedIn create a portal through which prospective employees can connect with employers, Aguilar hopes to remind students that they are merely tools for providing meeting opportunities. True connections, he says, continue to require real life face time.

Evgeny Morozov is a man to take very seriously, namely because he is a very serious man. He possesses the dour authority of a Belarusian scholar, which is precisely what he is. Along with thousands and thousands of words published in numerous places and numerous languages, Morozov has written two books that explore and critique our relationship with “the Internet” (he would insist on the scare quotes): “The Net Delusion,” which dared to assert that perhaps, despite utopian claims, the Internet isn’t a liberating force against authoritarianism after all, and, most recently, “To Save Everything, Click Here,” a polemic against “solutionism” (the idea that the world can be saved one app at a time) and “Internet-centrism,” a worldview that sees the Internet as a totalizing, inherently progressive institution from which nothing in politics and culture can escape.

On Tuesday, Morozov spoke at the university’s Turnbull Center in Portland, mostly to an audience of people born before computers, let alone “the Internet.” And now is probably a good time to address those quotation marks. According to Morozov, the notion that there is a singular Internet out there, one somehow imbibed with a sense of self or purpose, is a falsehood, a myth upon which gadget-geek solutionists have built a technocratic religion.

“There is something almost sacred about the Internet,” Morozov said at a Future Tense discussion earlier this year. “I’m trying to secularize it.”

His task is a considerably difficult one — the alluring promise of iSalvation is hard to argue against — but it is necessary. Not because belief itself is a bad thing, (people believe things all the time; I believe Ke$ha is great!) but because this particular belief distorts our understanding of what it means to be a good citizen in society and reconfigures our relationship with each other in a way that should be worrying.

Solutionist fixes require “nudges” or incentives in order to work. If we’re ever going to reach the computerized promised land, we will have to be automatons.

“Some people would say that we shouldn’t just get people to do the right thing,” said Morozov. “We should get people to do the right thing for the right reason.”

Otherwise, Morozov warns, we will become nothing more than robotic clusters of data, consuming and responding without self-awareness or reflection. The solutionist vision of utopia demands that we destroy what it means to be a human being.

This kind of thinking also distorts our understanding of the corporations that help foster the myth of “the Internet.” Google is here to make money, not save our souls. “Don’t be evil” is a slogan, not an ethos. Alas, though they’re not spiritual shepherds, we still may be sheep.

But what was Steve Wozniak’s Cal experience really like? We at the Daily Clog sat down with the Wizard of Wozillia himself to find out.

The Daily Californian: Can you tell us a little bit about how you arrived at UC Berkeley? Why did you choose to transfer here for your junior year?

Steve Wozniak: My parents had me apply to the University of California because it was an awful lot less expensive. So I applied. Berkeley really was the school I would have wanted to go to because it had a reputation for intellectual free-thinking. Civil liberties and the politics and economics of war were being challenged. Freedom of speech was being brought up as a subject. So I really admired Berkeley in that sense. I just wanted to be among great thinkers. So in my third year of college, I transferred into Berkeley.

DC: Where, in your experience, is the best place for experiencing what it means to be a Golden Bear?

SW: Oh my gosh. The first place that comes to mind is the rallies before the Big Game. As part of Berkeley itself, Sather Gate stands out in my mind as the most prominent feature of the university.

DC: Sproul Plaza has always been a center of campus activity. Any memories, strange encounters or lessons that you learned there?

SW: I often saw musicians sitting down and playing the guitar. I was into that kind of folkish approach. Sometimes, I’d sit down and listen to them — and even skip class for it.

DC: Cool. Other than music, Sproul is known for its demonstrations. Was this true when you were at Cal?

SW: We had sit-downs in those days. But there was one protest where marchers went to Bancroft and Shattuck and smashed every window. The cops would be shooting rubber bullets, so the kids in the dorms would love to go looking for them. I never found (one) — but thank God I never got a hit by one.

DC: While living in Norton Hall, Unit 3, you describe phone phreaking. Can you tell us a bit more? What experience stands out?

SW: Wow. I discovered, the day before coming to school at Berkeley, this whole idea that you could put little tones into a phone and dial calls anywhere in the world. It was  a bug in the phone system. I was talented enough to build tone makers — I did this with Steve Jobs — and I was excited that we would be able to make a device that would make calls all over the world. We were honest enough to tell our parents what we were doing. They just said not to make any of the calls from their phones. So we would mostly do it from the dorm rooms.

DC: Tell us about the Blue Box. We know it’s a device that you used to make international calls for free, but what did you do with it?
SW: It was never my idea to sell a Blue Box — just to make one to show off. But Steve Jobs said, “Why don’t we sell these to students?” He was always short on money. So we would set up demonstrations in dorms around campus and would set up an appointment to come back that night. I would be the master of ceremonies. I’d tell stories about what phone phreaks have done and what they could do. I’d make a demonstration Blue Box call, and we would wind up calling around the world. At every single demo, we sold a Blue Box.

DC: Wow, it sounds like you could do some crazy stuff with the Blue Box. Did you pull any pranks with it?

SW: We called the Pope. I pretended to be Henry Kissinger with Richard Nixon at a summit meeting in Moscow. I said that I wanted to talk to the Pope. I reached the Bishop, who going to be the translator, an hour later — but he had called the real Henry Kissinger. So, I was busted. We didn’t have caller ID in those days.

DC: Looking back, what advice would you give graduating seniors?

SW: Don’t expect that right away — even though you’re smarter than someone else — you’re going to stand out and have better ideas and approaches. It takes a while to learn that.

Contact Alex Mabanta at amabanta@dailycal.org.

The post The Clog interviews Steve Wozniak appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Five Knives. Photo courtesy of Fresh and Clean Media.

The stage lights dim. Two figures approach the stage. The hooded figures are adorned in completely black attire, wearing ominous reflective metal masks.

As the masked men find their places, a woman then approaches the stage and takes the reigns.

Wearing similarly dark attire and shirt that reads ‘playdead’ under a image of a playboy bunny, she grabs the microphone, wraps the cord once around her hand and says, “Bass.” The bass kicks in as this band, Five Knives, begins their set on stage.

On Wednesday evening, this Nashville band brought this crazy rock meets EDM energy to Amos’ Southend in Charlotte. The show was their final one with New Politics and headliners Twenty One Pilots before heading out for Warped Tour next month.

Five Knives is sure to thrive at the Warped Tour circuit. The mix of grungy and electronic caters to the new age fans of revamped young adult rock ‘n’ roll.

Front woman Anna Worstell uses a mix of strong and raspy vocals alongside sleek and sinister whispers throughout the performance. She envelops herself with the music, flowing around on stage, greeting and interacting with her band mates, Zach Hall, Nathan Barlowe and Shane Wise.

And it’s easy to see why the band has been on tour with Twenty One Pilots, as they are a eerie and different in a more mainstream way. Their melodic technology-mixed choruses with fast paced hardcore make for a dirty punk with a groove, like an often more vulgar Hollywood Undead/Halestorm mix.

The mannerisms of Five Knives were eccentric; Wortsell looked to the left and right often and sticks out her tongue in a peculiar way. She even has reminiscent vocals of a Minaj or Stefani-type character, especially throughout “Messin’ With My Mind.”

Her and other other band mates decided to spit across the stage whenever they have excess saliva. Even Hall pushed Worstell off of him in a playful manner.

The way they carry themselves onstage is a reflection of their submersion into their performance and music. It’s as offbeat and diverse as the electronic elements present within their sound.

Five Knives will be performing on Warped Tour all summer, which will come to Charlotte on July 29.

As the temperature rises in Eugene, college students love to head to the nearest bodies of water to cool off. Going to the McKenzie River sounds like a fun weekend adventure until, of course, someone gets hurt.

According to the World Health Organization, second to traffic accidents, the most common non-internalized cause of death for children and young adults is drowning and water accidents.

Following simple safety rules and making smart choices can make a visit to the river just as fun and exciting as it should be.

The McKenzie River is a direct runoff from the mountain, so even though the forecast for the day calls for 80 degrees and sun, the water can still be near freezing. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the McKenzie River can get as cold as 38 degrees and no warmer than 58 degrees.

Even the strongest swimmers have a hard time in the cold and quickly become too weak to swim due to hypothermia.

Hypothermia occurs when the body is exposed to abnormally cold surroundings. When this happens, the body temperature begins to decrease, and shivering and mental confusion occurs. Even though hypothermia happens gradually, the human body can become unresponsive in a matter of minutes.

The wave current and water levels on the river are also something to look out for. The McKenzie River has Class 2 and 3 rapids, meaning that the rapids either have inconsistent smaller waves, or that they have larger and irregular waves, making them more difficult to maneuver.

Despite the class of the waves, remember that a current of any size is strong enough to carry a swimmer in any direction.

As far as diving goes, make sure to check the surrounding areas. Cliff diving from any height is one of the most dangerous extreme sports. According to the Glen Canyon Natural History Association, cliff diving puts tremendous stresses on your body. If you jump from 20 feet above the water, you’ll hit the water at 25 mph giving the body an impact that is strong enough to compress your spine, break bones or give you a concussion.

If you still decide that you are experienced enough to jump, preview the surrounding area to ensure that the water is both deep enough and that there are no surrounding rocks or ledges.

John Miller, search and rescue coordinator for Lane County, suggests to play in the water, but to stay within your skill ability.

“There are lots of safety rules to deal with when you are out there. Learn how to read the water, understand how to float, don’t swim in our rivers and lakes alone, always have someone there with you and keep an eye on each other,” Miller said. “You’ve got to take care of yourself.”

The group arrives in the Central Valley around 10 a.m., ready to engage the students in workshops about topics such as drug abuse, political debates or college planning.

Mendoza is the founding member of the Central Valley Project, a mentorship program for high school students.

“When I came to UCLA, I knew I wanted to find a way to give back to the Central Valley community where I grew up,” said Mendoza, a former sociology and Chicana/o studies student who graduated from UCLA last quarter.

She recently won the Charles E. Young Humanitarian Award for her work in the Project. The $1,000 award is given annually to select UCLA students involved in community service to give to a public service organization of the recipients’ choice.

Charles E. Young, a UCLA chancellor from 1968-1997 and the award’s namesake, said the award represents the commitment students have to benefiting their community.

“I think (the award) will form a habit (of service) that will stay with (students) for the rest of their lives,” Young said.

The Central Valley Project does not provide tutoring for the high school students. Instead, it focuses on teaching the students about community engagement, sex education, and planning for future education and employment. Across sites in the Central Valley, project members mentor about 40 students overall.

Mendoza said two of the high school seniors she helped with college applications will attend UCLA in the fall.

Fabiola Figueroa, one of the students who will go to UCLA next year, said the Project has opened her eyes to the problems facing her community.

“Maria has taught me to always give back. She is my role model; she is from my town, she went to UCLA and now she is a successful woman, so I want to be like her,” Figueroa said.

Mendoza said she intends to use the money from the Humanitarian Award to start a scholarship fund for the students involved in the project.

“We want to motivate students to aim for higher education,” she said.

Frontman Blake Christiana said he enjoys audiences who get active during shows.

“Last month a guy jumped onstage, but then he just kind of stood there,” Christiana said. “I think he was surprised he even made it up there, and he didn’t know what to do. That’s always fun though.”

Yarn’s name has a double meaning: they are a string-based roots band, and their lyrics often spin stories and yarns. Since 2007, they have released four records that have topped the AMA and R&R radio charts. Dartmouth will be one of their first college performances, as they typically perform at festivals and clubs.

Christiana met his bandmates in Brooklyn, though their record label is based in Tennessee. Their cross-country travels influence music that is derivative of a range of styles.

“We kind of run the gambit,” he said. “We take the music in a lot of different places.”

Christiana, who plays acoustic guitar, often writes songs in the morning.

“That’s often the cleanest time to get things out,” he said. “I’m not thinking about late bills and whatnot. Sometimes writing in the car is good too.”

Yarn is known for their engagement with fans. They record all of their live shows and post them online, and one of their albums was released through Kickstarter, a fundraising platform for creative projects.

“I kind of felt like we were panhandling through the Internet at first,” Christiana said. “But if we didn’t do something, we weren’t going to get this record out.”

Their Kickstarter campaign raised $50,000, though they had hoped for just $15,000.

“We’ve got some really committed people who have connected with the music,” Christiana said. “Any time we play in a new city, we hang out with the fans afterwards. Now we have friends all over the country.”

Christine Wang ’14 said the band will add diversity to Green Key’s usual lineup of pop and rap lineup.

“It’s a brand of music that embraces positivity and good vibes,” said Zach Wooster ’15, a member of the new country band Chuck. Yarn’s style “fosters the atmosphere that comes from being at Dartmouth in the springtime, just kind of letting loose and having fun with your friends during Green Key,” he added.

Yarn recently signed on with Grammy-nominated producer Bil VornDick, who has worked with Bob Dylan and Alison Krauss. VornDick saw the band at a festival in Nashville and later stumbled across them on the radio. Since then, the band has over 150 tour dates per year.

Their influences include Paul Simon and Neil Young, among others. In this day and age, having an old-fashioned rock-and-roll or folk band can be difficult.

“Rock, you know how it is, it’s got cycles,” Christiana said. “It’s a hard business and it always has been.”

While the Internet allows the industry to be oversaturated with bands, it can also “reach millions of people,” he said. “If you know how to find your audience and your audience can find you, you can be successful.”

Yarn’s new record comes out Sept. 4.

BYU men’s golf will travel to Pullman, Wash. to play in the regional tournament on May 16-18. The tournament includes 14 teams and will be hosted at the Palouse Ridge Golf Club. There will be five other tournaments occurring at the same time, and the low five teams from each regional will advance to compete in the finals at The Capital City Club, Crabapple Course in Atlanta, Ga.

BYU has excelled as of late, finishing seven straight tournaments in the top three. Throughout the season, the Cougars have received 10 top-five finishes out of the 12 tournaments they have played in.

The Men’s golf team will compete in regionals in Pullman, Wash. this weekend. (Universe Photo)

“With the win at the Cougar [Classic], hopefully we’re just full of confidence and we go up there and make a lot of putts,” BYU head coach Bruce Brockbank said in a recent news release. “If we do that we’ll have some success, but it is a shootout. Every year there are so many great teams around the country. You have 54 holes and you have to figure out how to get one of those spots.”

81 teams total are scheduled to compete in the six regionals, and 30 of those teams will advance to the finals on May 28-June 2.

BYU can be followed in the NCAA Pullman Regional live at golfstat.com. For a complete list of all teams competing in this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships visit ncaa.com.

[View the story "Project #UTgrad: Gearing up for graduation" on Storify]

As the temperature rises in Eugene, college students love to head to the nearest bodies of water to cool off. Going to the McKenzie River sounds like a fun weekend adventure until, of course, someone gets hurt.

According to the World Health Organization, second to traffic accidents, the most common non-internalized cause of death for children and young adults is drowning and water accidents.

Following simple safety rules and making smart choices can make a visit to the river just as fun and exciting as it should be.

The McKenzie River is a direct runoff from the mountain, so even though the forecast for the day calls for 80 degrees and sun, the water can still be near freezing. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the McKenzie River can get as cold as 38 degrees and no warmer than 58 degrees.

Even the strongest swimmers have a hard time in the cold and quickly become too weak to swim due to hypothermia.

Hypothermia occurs when the body is exposed to abnormally cold surroundings. When this happens, the body temperature begins to decrease, and shivering and mental confusion occurs. Even though hypothermia happens gradually, the human body can become unresponsive in a matter of minutes.

The wave current and water levels on the river are also something to look out for. The McKenzie River has Class 2 and 3 rapids, meaning that the rapids either have inconsistent smaller waves, or that they have larger and irregular waves, making them more difficult to maneuver.

Despite the class of the waves, remember that a current of any size is strong enough to carry a swimmer in any direction.

As far as diving goes, make sure to check the surrounding areas. Cliff diving from any height is one of the most dangerous extreme sports. According to the Glen Canyon Natural History Association, cliff diving puts tremendous stresses on your body. If you jump from 20 feet above the water, you’ll hit the water at 25 mph giving the body an impact that is strong enough to compress your spine, break bones or give you a concussion.

If you still decide that you are experienced enough to jump, preview the surrounding area to ensure that the water is both deep enough and that there are no surrounding rocks or ledges.

John Miller, search and rescue coordinator for Lane County, suggests to play in the water, but to stay within your skill ability.

“There are lots of safety rules to deal with when you are out there. Learn how to read the water, understand how to float, don’t swim in our rivers and lakes alone, always have someone there with you and keep an eye on each other,” Miller said. “You’ve got to take care of yourself.”

The Emerald has more on today’s game here.

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Ken Goe of The Oregonian reports that according to track and field analyst Jack Pfeifer, the women’s track and field team may have some competition with Kansas for the national title this year.

The title could possibly come down to the 4×400 race where the Ducks hold the NCAA’s fastest time and are defending champions.

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ESPN reports that soccer stud David Beckham will retire at the end of the season.

At 38 years old, he has two more matches left at Paris Saint-Germain against Brest on Saturday and at Lorient on May 26.

He started his career with Manchester United and also played with Real Madrid and the Los Angeles Galaxy. He won titles with all three clubs.

When Steven Kirby tries to impress the ladies, he opens with the following: “I’m the third funniest guy in the state of Oregon.” The response he typically gets? “Are the first two single?”

But don’t feel bad for the political science and planning, public policy and management major. The 20-year-old took third place at Oregon’s Last Comedian Standing competition last month, winning $500 and $1,500 in prizes. He was one of three students that made it into the competition’s semifinals in its first year in Eugene.

Kirby, who likens his style to that of comedian and comedy writer John Mulaney, got his first taste for stand-up comedy last summer in a Washington, D.C., bar.

“It’s always something I’ve been fascinated by and something that I’ve always wanted to do,” Kirby said. “Whenever I was home sick in elementary and middle school, I’d always watch the daytime Comedy Central Presents. I’ve always loved public speaking and making people laugh.”

Kirby’s comedic style is observational. He finds himself typing half-formed ideas into his phone throughout the day, heading home later to write it out into a coherent bit he can use onstage.

“Once I get up there, it’s game time,” Kirby said. “If you’re not nervous before every set, you’re doing it wrong. Once I get up on stage, I’m really calm.”

Despite his talent, Kirby isn’t looking to make comedy his primary career. That’s not the same for all of University of Oregon’s student comedians.

Sophomore Joe Glasgow, one of the semifinalists at Last Comic Standing, is seeking a profession in comedy. Glasgow won second place at this year’s 18th Annual Eugene Laff Off competition and has been doing stand-up for a year and a half. His first stage performance came after taking a stand-up comedy class at Lane Community College with UO professor Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant when he told jokes to the winter term graduating class. Since then, Glasgow estimates he’s been on stage about 30 times.

“I prioritize comedy over schoolwork,” Glasgow admitted. “It’s what I love to do.”

Last year, Glasgow and fellow funny-guys Brandt Hamilton and Ben Schorr started The Stand-Up Society, a group of aspiring student comedians who meet wee