The Eagle Nov. 16, 2010 by The Eagle

SPECIAL BASKETBALL PULLOUT PAGE 11

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PROFESSOR’S TENURE DENIAL INFLAMES PASSIONS PAGE 10 -%&!!"#$!'($)(!

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NEWS

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IN THIS ISSUE &

Police blotter / Eagle rants (3), Marcum Memorial (4), Gen Eds (5), Health Center (6), Tenure (10)

OPINION

)

Staff editorial (7), Burma letter (8), McHaney column (9)

SCENE

Off-beat sports stories (12), Crumbs Bake Shop (13), Concert reviews (15)

SPORTS

Men’s basketball (17), Field hockey (17)

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1. Provost approves changes to class time 2. Eagle rants (Nov. 8) 3. Students protest orchestra director’s denial of tenure 4. Staff Editorial: Waking up for that 7:30 a.m. class 5. In a relationship, three in bed can be a crowd

“ ‘take a redbull’ words of wisdom for a professor @AmericanU to a sleeping student in class” @A_Panda_Monium, Nov. 11

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“The chairs in my biology lab at @AmericanU are torture. Meanwhile SIS has eames, kogod has steelcase thinks and library has #aeron” @kaydenh, Nov. 9

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“@AmericanU before I can vote for you as top vegan campus I’m gonna need you to fix the constant lack of soy milk at the davenport” @Brieeeeee, Nov. 10

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“On a shuttle filled with @AmericanU undergrads going to the @AUeagles game. All hail the mighty AU Eagles!” @BillDeBeer, Nov. 12

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TUESDAY 16

WEDNESDAY 17

THURSDAY 18

FRIDAY 19

SATURDAY 20

SUNDAY 21

Obstacles to Peace in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Panel and Discussion 6:30 – 8 p.m. WHERE: MGC 203 WHAT: A panel will lead a series of discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. CONTACT: Michael Dranove at casj@american. edu

Negotiating with Iran 7 – 8 p.m. WHERE: MGC 4 WHAT: Ambassador John Limbert, former deputy assistant secretary of State for Iran and a former hostage in Iran, will speak about negotiating in Iran in the current political climate. CONTACT: spcr@american.edu

College Republicans present Rick Santorum 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. WHERE: MGC 5 WHAT: AU College Republicans present Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. CONTACT: aucollegerepublican@gmail. com

AU Symphony Orchestra and Chorus 8 – 10:30 p.m. WHERE: Abramson Family Recital Hall, Katzen Arts Center WHAT: Co-conductors Daniel Abraham and Jesus Manuel Berard present Mozart’s Requiem. CONTACT: auarts@american.edu

Patriot League Women’s Volleyball Tournament 4 – 8 p.m. WHERE: Bender Arena WHAT: Come cheer on the AU women’s basketball in the tournament. CONTACT: tortoric@american.edu

Oxfam America Hunger Banquet 1 – 3:30 p.m. WHERE: Butler Board Room WHAT: Oxfam America, an organization that works to end poverty and injustice, will host their first Hunger Banquet. CONTACT: Tania Smith at auoxfamamerica@gmail. com

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POLICE BLOTTER Nov. 4. ! An elevator technician responded and released two individuals from a stuck elevator in Letts Hall. No injuries were reported. Nov. 5 ! The D.C. Fire Department transported a sick person from Anderson Hall, accompanied by an acquaintance, to the hospital. ! The Department of Public Safety recovered a pipe and marijuana grinder from two individuals seated at a shuttle stop near the Kogod School of Business. Both items contained suspected marijuana. Both individuals indicated they had been smoking marijuana. The substance tested positive for marijuana. The individuals were sent on their way. Student Conduct charges will be filed. ! A bicycle was taken from a bike rack outside Leonard Hall. The bike had been secured via cable lock. ! A costume dress was discovered missing from a studio hall that was left unsecured in Katzen Arts Center. ! One vehicle struck an unoccupied parked vehicle in the Nebraska Parking Lot and fled the scene without

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providing contact information. ! DPS was contacted by an individual identifying himself as the boyfriend of a student’s mother. Reportedly the student sent an e-mail which raised concern for the student’s welfare. DPS contacted a resident director of McDowell Hall. DPS and the resident director met with the student and facilitated communication between the student and a counselor. No additional action was taken. ! DPS responded to a report of an individual vomiting in Anderson Hall. Upon arrival, the individual was conscious but not very alert. The individual indicated she had been consuming alcohol. DCFD transported the individual, accompanied by another individual, to the hospital. Nov. 6 ! DPS responded to a report of an intoxicated individual in Centennial Hall. A resident assistant reported the individual was assisted into the Anderson Hall lobby by another student. The individual was conscious, not very coherent, and unable to sit up or stand on her own. She had what appeared

CLASSIFIEDS Sitters Wanted. $12 or more per hour. Register free for jobs near campus or home. www.student-sitters.com

MONDAY 22

TUESDAY 23

Eid Al-Adha 7 – 9 p.m. WHERE: SIS Founder’s Room WHAT: An informative session on Eid Al-Adha, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims, will be presented with dinner following. CONTACT: Saudi Student Association at saudiclub. au@gmail.com

Seminar with Jorge Mario Sanchez 1:30 – 3 p.m. WHERE: MGC 247 WHAT: This private seminar convenes Cubanists at AU to facilitate conversations about academic developments in various themes regarding Cuba. CONTACT: Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at clals@american. edu

EAGLE RANTS to be vomit on her clothing. The individual stated she consumed alcohol beverages in her residence hall room at approximately 9 p.m., prior to leaving campus. DCFD transported her to the hospital. ! DPS responded to a report of an intoxicated individual in the fourth floor women’s bathroom of Anderson Hall. A resident assistant reported the individual was found vomiting in a women’s bathroom. The student was covered in vomit and was barely responsive. She was unable to provide details about her alcohol consumption. DCFD transported the individual to the hospital. ! DCFD, Facilities Management and DPS responded to a report of a stuck elevator in Anderson Hall. Eventually, the doors to the elevator opened on their own and allowed the individual inside to exit. The elevator was placed out of service.

READ MORE EAGLE RANTS ONLINE.

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SG Ofce of the Vice President spends $183K on speakers, musicians By ALLIE MOONEY Eagle Staff Writer

The Student Government has spent $223,410.71 so far this year, according to a second quarterly report released by Comptroller Ed Levandoski on Nov. 11. The quarterly report is the second report of its kind to be released by the SG, Levandoski said. The report aims to increase the transparency of spending in the SG and outlines the expenses of the SG from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31 of this year. Of all the SG departments, the Office of the Vice President spent the most, a total of $183,745, on its programming events through the Kennedy Political Union, the Student Union Board and the Special Events and Programming Commission departments. Due to contractual agreements, SUB and KPU cannot reveal how much speakers or artists charge individually, so the charges are grouped together, according to Levandoski. KPU spent $90,000 to

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bring speakers such as Chris Matthews, Gloria Steinem, Rudy Giuliani, Van Jones and Jeff Zeleny to AU. SUB is responsible for organizing concerts and other events on campus for students to attend. The department spent $75,797, with $47,000 of it on artist fees. The rest of the money SUB spent went towards hospitality services such as food for artists, rental costs for lighting and stages, and fees for a talent agent to bring in the artist. So far this year, SUB brought hip-hop artist B.O.B., the alternative band State Radio and electro-pop artists Super Mash Bros. to campus. Super Mash Bros. expenses are not included on this report since the event occurred on the report cutoff, Levandoski said. The president’s cabinet, which includes Women’s Initiative, the Student Advocacy Center and SG General, spent $12,096.88 this quarter. amooney@theeagleonline. com

ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE

WRITTEN MEMORIES — Leading up to the memorial held in Sue Marcum’s honor, students signed a remembrance book displayed in the lobby of the Kogod School of Business.

SPA prof to leave academia after AU denies tenure By STEFANIE DAZIO Eagle Staff Writer

Professor Jennifer Diascro’s nearly 20-year career as an academic will be over at the end of the semester, after her request for tenure was denied last spring. Diascro, a professor in the School of Public Affairs, will leave AU Dec. 31 for the American Political Science Association in Dupont Circle. She was told her research record was considered unsatisfactory, and her teaching record was not diverse enough.

Diascro came to AU in 2002 from the University of Kentucky, where she was a tenured professor. She delayed her tenure track two years when she had children, so it took her eight years instead of the usual six. Before the delay, she said her performance evaluations had been “overwhelmingly positive.” But after, the evaluations became overwhelmingly negative. “There is no doubt in my mind that my family responsibilities played a role in the process,” she said in an e-mail.

Although she filed a grievance with the Committee on Faculty Equity and Grievances in June, she cannot wait any longer. The committee has not yet met since then, as its last vacancy on was filled last week. “For me, the decision to deny me tenure — and the pace of the appeals process — has ended my career as an academic,” she said. “The end of this term will mark the end of nearly 20 years of teaching and scholarship.” Linda Barnhart contributed to this report.

PAGE 10 AU’S TENURE POLICIES EXPLAINED MORE COVERAGE OF WEDNESDAY’S PROTEST

news@theeagleonline.com

AU commemorates Professor Marcum By SARAH PARNASS Eagle Staff Writer

Approximately 800 members of the AU community and beyond came together to celebrate the life of Professor Sue Marcum in Bender Arena Tuesday night. Marcum died unexpectedly in her home Monday, Oct. 25. Police are investigating her death as a homicide. On the evening of Nov. 9, students and staff mixed with Marcum’s family and friends to form a stream of grief and support, signing a remembrance book and sharing stories of the beloved professor. Taylor Saia, eMarketing assistant for the Kogod School of Business’s Marketing and Communications Department and a sophomore in Kogod, helped plan the memorial, though he never knew Marcum personally. “It’s really touching to see how the entire campus community came together under such unexpected circumstances,” Saia said. “The amount of support and the willingness of everybody to help the family and donate to the scholarship fund [which Marcum established in her name] and write in the memorial

book and everything — I think it says a lot about AU as a campus and as a community.” Saia emphasized the number of people who spoke about Marcum through social media and other forums in the past couple of weeks. “Everybody wants to show their personal condolences, and I think it just goes to show the level of compassion [at] AU,” Saia said. Attendants came from beyond the AU community. Kogod alumnus Joel Croft said he knew a student who came in from New York for the memorial. Helen Maleady and her husband of Frederick, Md., traveled to the service with a group of women from the American Society of Women Accountants, of which Marcum was a member. Sue Marcum’s brother, Alan Marcum, lives in California but came to campus to speak at the event. He said his sister left behind a legacy of being a great teacher. “Sue did much more than simply appreciate and care about what she was teaching. She cared about what her students were learning,” Alan Marcum said.

“That more than the circus examples, more than the experience that she was able to draw upon from being a CPA, that is the lesson that she can leave for all of us who teach: that we care about what our students learn. And that matters whether we are parents teaching our children, professors in college or even kindergarten teachers.” He said in coming to the school he had seen “grief, respect, admiration and a lot of people grateful for how their lives had been affected.” “[Sue] would be both very proud and very humbled by [the reactions],” Alan said. Other speakers included President Neil Kerwin, Kogod Professor Donald Williamson, Kogod graduate student and recipient of the Sue Marcum Scholarship Fund Jeff Wilson and Marcum’s personal friends, Lisa Colten and Larry March. Rabbi Kenneth Cohen opened and closed the ceremony. As each individual stood behind the podium, they told stories of Marcum’s intelligence, perfectionism, enthusiasm and deep passion for life. The stories also revealed sides of Marcum that

students could not have gleaned from classroom interactions. Her brother remembered paying his sister to make his bed when they were children and joked that this may have launched her career as an accountant. Colten and March recounted stories of traveling the world with Marcum. They also told of her love of clothing, cooking and her two cats, which are now under March’s care. Williamson called Marcum “a sparkplug” as well as “my student, my colleague and my trusted friend.” Williamson related an incident that he said summed up his feelings about Marcum. Williamson and Marcum had prepared a presentation on a Kogod graduate program. When only two students attended the information session, Williamson felt as if their work had been a waste. “‘Well Don,’” Williamson remembered Marcum saying, “ ‘we helped two.’ ” With that, Williamson encouraged those in the audience to “help two” in memory of Marcum. sparnass@theeagleonline. com

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Pass/fail option for Gen Ed classes might be eliminated By KAY DAKIN

Eagle Staff Writer Not looking forward to that early morning General Education class? Here’s another reason to worry. The option to enroll in Gen Ed classes for a pass/ fail grade might disappear if the Faculty Senate approves a bill recommended at a Nov. 5 meeting.

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AU’s decade-old Gen Ed program allows students to take more of their Gen Eds for pass/fail marks than any other school in its peer group, according to Director of General Education Patrick Thaddeus Jackson. “The main concern is that no other school with which our graduates will be competing does this,” Jackson said. “So one can graduate

from American University with a transcript that looks somewhat suspicious because there’s lots of pass/ fail on it.” The Faculty Senate’s Joint Committee on Curriculum and Academic Programs voted 6-1-1 in favor of requiring students to take all Gen Ed courses for letter grades, according to Dr. Albert Cheh, co-chair of the JCCAP. Cheh split from the six and voted undecided, but said he would consider allowing students to take some courses pass/ fail. Eric Goldstein, undergraduate representative for JCCAP, cast the single vote against the change.

“I think we should leave it up to the individual students working with their advisers to decide how many pass/fails are appropriate for them depending on what their future goals are,” Goldstein said. “Not every student at this University plans on going to grad schools or professional schools.” A student can currently take all of his or her Gen Ed courses for pass/fail marks, which Goldstein and Cheh both considered excessive. Cheh said this is a policy that the JCCAP faculty felt strongly moved to modify. Students must earn a C or better to receive a pass mark, but if they take the

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course for a letter grade, they only have to earn a D to receive credit. Academic Affairs Administrator Michael Manson believes the pass/fail option is best applied to elective courses, not the Gen Ed program. “Pass/fail means you don’t have to put all your intellectual effort into the course, so that makes it a good option for people who are exploring realms of knowledge that they’re not sure they’re interested in yet,” Manson said. Manson believes Gen Ed courses, which are meant to make a student a wellrounded global citizen, should be represented with

a letter grade. “We want people to excel in those courses and one way of encouraging people to excel is to make it a graded course rather than a pass/fail course,” Manson said. The Faculty Senate will likely review JCCAP’s recommendation in January so the Undergraduate Senate can hear students’ opinions before the decision, according to Cheh. kdakin@theeagleonline.com

Founders’ Day Ball directors seek more funds from SG By ALLIE MOONEY Eagle Staff Writer

The Undergraduate Senate might grant the Founders’ Day Ball more money than its original $40,000 allocation. Ben Schorr, who is co-directing the ball with Residence Hall Association Vice President Amanda Silva, asked for more funds at the Nov. 7 meeting SG meeting. Due to high catering costs that are affected by the size of the event, the Founders’ Day Ball can either be a smaller affair of 500 people without tickets or it can be expanded to allow for more people with a $20 ticket. “If we want more people to attend, we are going to need more money,” Schorr said. Schorr said he would like to open up the event to more people so they can enjoy the event, especially freshmen and sophomores who know little about the Founders’ Day tradition. Taylor Yeates, the chairman of the Senate’s special committee on the budget, said he and other members are considering giving Founders’ Day additional funds so that the event can

be as large as possible. “We need to be certain that the large expenses involved with throwing Founders’ Day can be covered,” Yeates said. “By moving funds into their account, we can be assured they have a large safety net.” Along with this appeal, a bill entitled, “A Bill to Reallocate Resources in Favor of a More Robust Founders’ Day,” was submitted to the Special Committee on the Budget at the Nov. 7 Senate meeting. Schorr wants to have the maximum possible resources for Founders’ Day. “It is not necessarily looking for a specific amount of money,” Schorr said. “The goal is to provide an event we can get as many AU students to attend as possible, while maintaining the quality of the event.” The budget committee will make its decision in the coming week, as the bill was tabled for an additional week. amooney@theeagleonline. com

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Army Corps will test Health Center for groundwater contamination source expands Spring Valley perchlorate levels may be linked to AU munitions pit

By MITCH ELLMAUER Eagle Staff Writer

The Army Corps of Engineers will conduct tests to determine if perchlorate in Spring Valley groundwater near Sibley Memorial Hospital comes from the same source as the perchlorate in the groundwater at AU’s campus. The source of perchlorate in Sibley’s groundwater remains unconfirmed, but Army Corps experts believe a former munitions pit on the South side of campus called Lot 18 is causing the high perchlorate levels in both locations, project manager Dan Noble told the Resident Advisory Board on Nov. 7. Perchlorate, a dangerous chemical that can cause thyroid disorders, was used at AU during World War I to make chemical weapons. Lot 18 was the site of a major Army Corps’ excavation after several dangerous chemicals, including arsenic, mustard gas and perchlorate, were discovered there in 2004, The Eagle previously reported. The Army Corps will be taking water samples from a testing well at Kreeger Hall near Lot 18 and from a testing well near Sibley Hospital, according to Army Corps project manager Todd Beckwith. The Kreeger Hall testing site has the highest concentration of perchlorate in Spring Valley, according to Noble. If perchlorate isotopes taken from the Kreeger Hall testing site and from the Sibley well are the same, then the source of the perchlorate is likely Lot 18, according to Joyce Conant, the Spring Valley Project’s public relations specialist. The perchlorate levels at six other wells in Spring Valley also exceeded the advisory health limit, according to Beckwith. The Army Corps will also conduct groundwater tests

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at 4900 Glenbrook Rd. and on Loughboro Road because these wells could also be contaminated with perchlorate from Lot 18, he said. Groundwater around AU contains levels of perchlorate exceeding the advisory health limit, and levels of the chemical in Spring Valley groundwater increased by five parts per billion from 2007 to 2009. The groundwater investigation started in 2005 when 38 monitoring wells were installed to help determine contaminated areas. The Army Corps reported in February that perchlorate levels at the Kreeger site were decreasing, The Eagle previously reported. But Spring Valley residents were skeptical because the findings were based on readings made more than two years apart and during different seasons. The decision to conduct more groundwater tests at AU came last month after the Army Corps released the results of a test conducted in November 2009. The Army Corps will now sample groundwater from the area every three months because perchlorate levels in the groundwater change according to the seasons and the amount of precipitation, Noble said. The Army Corps has not drawn up plans to remove perchlorate from the groundwater. “It is premature to say what will be done to cleanup the groundwater, but there are a wide range of alternatives that could be considered,” Conant said. The Army Corps will share the results of groundwater tests at AU and in Spring Valley with the Department of Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and AU officials throughout 2011, according to Conant. mellmauer@theeagleonline. com

hours

By GEOFFREY BEEBE

Eagle Contributing Writer The AU Student Health Center will operate during evening hours on Mondays and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m. Dan Bruey, director of the Student Health Center, said that same-day appointments scheduled by sick students after 1 p.m. will be scheduled for the evening time slots. The additional hours are part of a pilot program that will be in effect through Dec. 3. There will be no evening hours during the week of Thanksgiving, Bruey said. Future plans to possibly expand evening hours to other days of the week will be based on the results of this pilot program. The purpose is to give more immediate care to students who are actually ill, not for routine checkups, Bruey said. He said any student seeking a routine visit should do so during normal operating hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. “[We want to] ensure the evening slots available are utilized by students who are sick,” Bruey said. “We do not want to schedule routine visits into these slots.” The pilot is a joint venture between the Health Center, Student Government’s director of Student Health and Services, Women’s Initiative and the Undergraduate Senate. The planning phase for the program went on for almost two years, according to Bruey. “I do not think our students would want to utilize a visit slot if they were not really sick,” he said. “We will not schedule gynecological annual visits, physical examinations or immunization visits during these slots.” The costs of an appointment will not change for evening hours, Bruey said. “The Health Center was able to shift resources to any extra costs to students or the Health Center,” he said. news@theeagleonline.com

AU is pretty great for people seeking to learn more about foreign countries. If you’re planning on studying abroad in Bulgaria and want to learn more about the country as a whole, there’s a club for that.

If you get set up on a blind date and all you know about the person is that they’re from Taiwan and you want to learn more Taiwanese culture, there’s a club for that.

If your best friend invited you to spend winter break at their brother’s friend’s girlfriend’s cousin’s house in Lebanon and you want to know what sites you should make sure to check out while you’re there, there’s even a club for that.

Yup, there’s a club for just about anything. Only at AU.

For more information, contact the AU Club Council at aucc@american.edu

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Student veterans at AU participated in a ag-folding ceremony on the quad for Veterans Day. http://eagl.us/donD0w

JEFF MINDELL / THE EAGLE

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Just what the doctor ordered? Student Health Center tries extended Monday, Thursday schedule

It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year — that time when we’re up to our necks in term papers, finals are right around the corner, and colds, the flu and germs in general are running amuck. Fortunately for those of us with weak immune systems, the Student Health Center is beginning a pilot program that will extend their hours. Those of you with poor timing might be in trouble as right now the Health Center will only be open late on Mondays and Thursdays, and for emergency appointments only. Why Mondays and Thursdays? We’re not quite sure, unless they’ve

released a study showing that those are the two days a week people are most likely to fall ill on that we haven’t seen yet. In addition, concerns were raised that if one hypothetically wanted to schedule a regular check up on a Monday or Thursday, they could not do so as these new hours are for emergency, day-of appointments only. All kidding aside, we genuinely applaud these efforts to create more accessible hours at the Health Center. We’ve all been in the untenable position where we get sick and the Health Center is either closed or the only appointment available

U.S. brainwashed to support militaryindustrial complex SMARTER THAN I LOOK

CONOR SHAPIRO Military veneration is so deep rooted in our culture that it perhaps is the only remaining issue to maintain legitimate bipartisan support. In fact, you can add one more to the saying, only two (three) things are certain: death, taxes, (and steadfast support for the military). Devoid of dissenting voices to chip away at this exploitive

institution — along with its cousin, religion — it’s a force of predation jammed down our throats from childhood. Its compliance is achieved through relentless propaganda, and it’s dangerous. Military idolatry isn’t reserved for Veterans Day. It’s present at halftime shows and seventh-inning stretches. It’s lurking before previews at your local movie theater. It’s evident in posted discounts at restaurants and exclusive lounges at airports. It’s displayed through commercials on television and sponsored road races on the weekend. It’s strewn together in statues, parades and official holidays.

These new hours allow for greater exibility so students can get the care they need — a move that the diseased person’s classmates, dorm-mates, or fellow shuttle riders wholeheartedly appreciate.

And like sitting during the National Anthem, if you dare speak out against it, you’re bombarded by insults and face gratuitous intimidation and/or violence. It’s easy to gauge the depth of public brainwashing by the vitriolic responses elicited with any slighting of the military. The deeper the rage, the more indoctrinated the individual. And how can I blame them with the marketing scheme we’ve encountered each day of our lives? They’ve convinced us that “serving our nation” entails voluntarily relinquishing our autonomy. They’ve bamboozled us into thinking in boxes like “us versus the enemy.” They’ve employed words like “terrorists” to demonize the other side, while our side is applauded as “heroes.” They’ve mislead us to believe that dying for our country is “selfless” and “brave,” while fighting inconsequentially for the politics/politicians of

the day. They’ve designed addictive video games, enticing naïve teenagers toward a lifestyle of death, destruction and psychological illness. They’ve invoked terms like “unit cohesion,” “ultimate sacrifice,” and “higher calling” to justify discriminate policies, to rationalize avoidable slaughter, and to allay parents anguish when their child returns home in a flag-draped box. They’ve deemed 18 a proficient age to make a contractual decision that binds us and demoralizes the rest of our lives. The same batch of politicians responsible for the war(s) can change their minds on a whim, trivializing “service” and cutting benefits upon reentry. They’ve brainwashed us by asserting we’re fighting for “freedom,” while contributing to its deterioration. They’ve advertised “glory” and “strength” in an experience replete with severed limbs, suicide and post traumatic stress disorder. They

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happens to be smack dab in the middle of that class we’ve already skipped twice. These new hours allow for greater flexibility so students can get the care they need — a move that the diseased person’s classmates, dorm-mates, or fellow shuttle riders wholeheartedly appreciate. Back home, if you can’t get an appointment at the doctor’s office, mom or dad are usually there to help take care of you until you can finally get that coveted appointment. Here, unless you have that friend that assumes the pseudo-mom role (or worse, if you are that friend), you’re pretty

much on your own until you can figure out what’s wrong with you. By extending their hours, the Health Center is providing us with four extra hours a week to get the medical help we may need. Yes, it’s only four extra hours but it is a good start. We hope that the Health Center will continue to work towards meeting students’ needs more fully. We also hope that the Student Government will continue advocating for students. In the meantime, we applaud the Health Center for realizing the needs of students and extending their current hours of operation.

demand our obedience and respect, while deleting our human inclinations in favor of robotic submission. I could continue ad infinitum. I concede it’s unfair to neglect the positive elements of the military. I acknowledge and appreciate these underreported works of relief, development, technology, etc. undertaken by certain branches of the military. Unfortunately, those aren’t the goods sold to the public and that’s not the “work” many troops experience. Speaking out against the military doesn’t imply malevolent wishes toward it — actually quite the opposite. I earnestly wish for the expedient return and safety of American troops. By personally rejecting the military-industrial complex, I might influence my friends and their friends from conforming to this rapacious institution. Through my personal boycott, I’m issuing

a statement that I refuse to submit to the overwhelmingly manipulative instrument of war. A boycott that ultimately (I hope) will transcend my small world and extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. We’ve been robbed of innumerable lives and memories. We’ve been duped by phony promises, ambiguous policies and evocative speeches. We’ve been indoctrinated by a sophisticated media machine without a balancing, more forthright perspective. We’ve been robbed of the truth. Maybe “we can’t handle the truth,” like Jack Nicholson said in “A Few Good Men.” Or maybe, learning the truth would awaken our stupor and cease our blind reverence. Conor Shapiro is a graduate student in the School of International Service and a liberal columnist. edpage@theeagleonline. com

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Hope and skepticism abound in Burma after elections LETTER TO THE EDITOR General Than Shwe is not widely known as one of world’s worst dictators. People would likely recognize Omar al-Bashir, Kim Jong Il, or Robert Mugabe before Shwe. But he has earned the distinction. The statistics since he came to power are staggering: over 70,000 child soldiers (the most in the world), over 3,500 villages burned since 1996, forced portering, and countless cases of land mine victims, rape and torture as

State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell, characteristically optimistic in the lead up to the elections, said after, “it would be fair to say in almost every area [of the elections] we have been disappointed.” But what the U.S. has been hoping for was a changed dynamic in the country — a mixing of political fluids to start the engines of democracy that have not been started in years. What has Burma showed the in-

are calling for now is a UN Commission of Inquiry in Burma. Similar to what happened in Darfur, a Commission of Inquiry would assemble a team of observers to investigate crimes against humanity and possible war crimes in Burma. If the Commission found human rights abuses, Burma’s case would be referred to the International Court for Criminal Justice, which would then begin the process of bringing the junta and its

“It would be fair to say in almost every area [of the elections] we have been disappointed.”

Remembering that the abortion debate is about women LETTER TO THE EDITOR In light of the recent discussion surrounding the abortion debate, I feel it necessary to voice my opinion after counseling women from varying backgrounds and circumstances. Some of these women choose abortion, some do not. No matter what they choose, I support and trust them. Ultimately, with every woman I speak to, the issue is the same at its core. This debate transcends discussion of unborn babies, genocide, potential life or murder. It is about dignity, respect and the basic human right to control our lives. This debate is about women. It is about single moms living on welfare while singlehandedly raising families. It is about the ability to control our bodies. It is about not going back

to a time of back-alley procedures or the end of a dirty coat hanger. It is about the option for a woman to have a child when and if it is best for her. It is about being a person and not a tool for reproduction. It is about hearing the voices of young women silenced in our society. It is about trusting women to do what is right for them, their families and communities. It is about women. To frame this argument any other way is an injustice to the experiences of the women at the center of this debate. We so often forget these women in the midst of our political banter. We forget their fears, hopes, futures, thoughts, concerns and tears. We forget this is a legal medical procedure done — or

not done — to someone’s body. We forget women deserve respect. We forget the reality of choice. Our society has come to politicize women’s health and ultimately their bodies. My body is not a political tool. My experiences are not yours. My health care is not your business. Do not forget my voice or the voices of your friends, mothers, partners, sisters and neighbors. Our voices are the reality of this debate, not empty political jargon or hateful, uninformed rhetoric. We must remember when we get caught up in politics that the abortion debate is and always will be about women. In solidarity, Emily Creveling Senior, CAS, SIS

-Kurt Campbell Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs

the junta’s method of war. Over the summer, Foreign Policy ranked Than Shwe as one of the world’s most oppressive dictators, one slot behind Kim Jong-Il. So when Than Shwe announced elections for Nov. 7, the first in twenty years, it is no wonder few were optimistic. When the elections happened, the election officials claimed an estimated 80 percent went to the two parties created and backed by the junta, furthering reasons to believe these elections were a show. President Barack Obama called the elections neither fair nor free and even went so far as to say Burma’s junta stole the elections. The State Department’s Assistant Secretary of

ternational community? Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and political prisoner in Burma, was set free as promised this past Saturday. This most recent release is her first time out since 2002 (she has been in and out of house arrest 15 of the past 21 years). And, well, that is about it. It will be curious to see how the junta handles her speeches of freedom and democracy in Burma the next few days while it simultaneously tries to keep the country under control. How should the international community respond? The debates over sanctions aside, the option the Obama administration, activists and human rights groups

crimes to trial, which would hopefully lead to justice. Two generations have already been lost in Burma. The transfer of dictatorships ran the fastest-growing economy in Southeast Asia into the ground, and today the steps to democracy and freedom in Burma, as well as economic prosperity, will be steep and take years. What is happening today is history for Burma, and should be ingested with a degree of hope for the future, but with heavy skepticism of the present reality. Kirk Acevedo Senior, School of International Service

HAIL TO THE CHIEF? EAGLE EDITOR TALKS BACK

BLOGS.THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ONLINE AT THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Administration needs to listen to students’ input on prof tenure You may have seen musicians on the quad, posters taped up in the Katzen Arts Center, white armbands and ribbons, picket signs, music students fuming. Maybe you know this has to do with tenure denial. Maybe you just think the music kids have lost their minds. But this fight goes beyond personal stories and raw emotions. There are facts to consider. First off, I’m surprised to hear so many people do not understand the tenure process. Maybe this is because tenure is something our University does not openly discuss with its students. In any case, a professor on the tenure track is evaluated several times during their employment at AU. If, at the end of a given number of years, the professor is deemed to have performed satisfactorily, he or she is granted tenure. That is, the professor will have greater job security in order to conduct research and will also be eligible to be department chair. If the professor is not granted tenure, he or she has a year to wrap things up and then must seek employment elsewhere. The individual cannot stay at the university in any position. This is what happened to Professor Jesus Manuel (Manny) Berard — a music professor and AU Symphony Orchestra director. In Manny’s case, several key positions changed hands during Berard’s tenure process — we have a new provost, a new dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, a new president and others. People not familiar with Berard’s work were left with the task of evaluating his worth at AU. This is not a fair process. Using the AU portal, students can see teaching evaluations from past semesters. Manny’s scores are extremely high in his advanced-level courses. The marks are a little lower in the General Education sections, but Berard isn’t one to conduct a sleeper course, which could skew the numbers. What student hasn’t heard complaints about Gen Ed professors that actually assign real work? Plus,

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these scores have improved over time. The main fuel in this battle is the support of orchestra students. Our orchestra isn’t limited to music majors. Instead, the group opens its arms to people like me — people who believe in learning music for music’s sake alone. Sometimes, this means players of different proficiencies and musical backgrounds together on one stage. Considering this, our concerts could sound horrible — like a patchwork of amateurs. Instead, we make real music. The orchestra has improved significantly under Manny’s baton. We have alumni members in our orchestra who still play with us — they tell tales of days when the orchestra sounded much worse than it does now. Manny is proud of the acclaim the AU Orchestra has garnered over the years (ensemble members are, too). He often receives letters, notes and e-mails congratulating us on our performances. Without fail, he reads us these letters. Given the frequency of these memos, our concerts are an achievement the university should be proud of. Manny has also done his part in the D.C. music community. He was chosen to lead the D.C. Youth Orchestra, a group that has not only produced professional musicians, but has given AU a handful of freshman music recruits over the past few years. In a city defined by socioeconomic status, the orchestra is a cultural oasis. The group has performed at the White House and received numerous accolades. AU should honored to be connected to the community in this way. He also conducts professional groups around the country. He has had his doctoral thesis published in an acclaimed journal. As a minority, he also helps AU boost its diversity stats — something that is stressed again and again in the University’s Strategic Plan. In short, the reasons to keep Manny could fill a book. But these reasons don’t seem to resonate much with our

administration. This is my seventh semester as a violinist in the AU Symphony Orchestra. I’m not a music major or minor — I’m not going to have a Carnegie Hall career on my violin. I won’t be churning out albums anytime soon. But I’ve also sat on that stage long enough to pass judgment of Manny’s worth at AU. I’m not alone in this opinion — nearly 100 letters expressing dismay at the tenure decision were all but ignored by the provost and the CAS dean over the summer. We’ve all played under other conductors before. We’ve all had lessthan-stellar experiences in orchestral groups. By now, we know the difference between mediocrity and talent by this point. I wonder if the provost has ever been in a symphony? At this point, I’m starting to wonder if the provost has ever even been to an AUSO concert or rehearsal. If the university big wigs could sit in the first violin section, they might think twice before shutting out such a talented and dedicated instructor. This is more than a personal issue. It’s bigger than losing a beloved professor. This is about giving the students a say in how their university is run. In the world of tenure decisions, students’ opinions should matter. We’ve been denied explanations about what happened. All we’ve gotten is a flippant “it’s too complicated to understand” or “the decision is final, there’s nothing we can do.” AU President Neil Kerwin has refused to meet with us. Transparency is the basis of trust. This is a private university, granted, but decisions that effect students should not be handed down from above. We are not subjects. If this decision is based on something other than departmental politics, the school should have nothing to hide. Caitlin Hillyard Senior, School of Communication

AU should subsidize Alt Break trips, help further school’s mission DIVERSITY DISCUSSED

SARAH McHANEY Every winter, spring, and summer AU students lead and participate in groups through Alternative Break that travel all over the world exploring human rights issues and doing hundreds of hours of community service in some of the most impoverished places in the world. Weeks of pre-trip training go before these trips assuring that the students are adequately prepared for the situations they will be placed in. The leaders spend months, even a year sometimes, planning every detail of the trip — even, for example, where the group will eat each of their meals. There is a day of pre-trip service and a huge emphasis on post-trip activism, bringing what we learn abroad back in a practical way to D.C. Every winter, spring, and summer AU students pay thousands of dollars to learn and serve through these trips, whereas their peers across the country do not. Alternative Break is part of a national organization called Breakaway. Around 50 colleges across the U.S. have similar

programs. And most of these colleges subsidize the cost for student participants. AU does not. For example this winter George Mason University is sending a group to Guatemala for 10 days and each student is paying $900. AU is also sending a group to Guatemala for 12 days, but they are each paying $2,000. Lafayette College reduces their costs per participant to $350 for any trip, abroad or domestic, through support from the school budget, the Student Government Association, and their community outreach office. For example, a group of Lafayette students just went to Ecuador for $350 each while AU students going to Colombia this winter are each paying $2,000. Both the trip to Guatemala and Colombia are cheaper then the one I am leading to South Africa. AU currently gives Alternative Break enough money to cover the faculty advisers that participate on each trip, there is no money left over to help students participate in these trips. This, unfortunately, often limits trips to those who have the means to pay for one although we as leaders and through the support of the Center for Community Engagement & Service try to fundraise as much as possible to reduce the cost. After learning about the subsidies other schools give their Alternative Breaks programs I

was shocked that AU gave so little. Alternative Break is by definition what AU stands for — community service, global involvement and knowing about a particular issue and region. Why then does AU pay minimal attention to a program that spreads the school’s mission farther then almost any other program? Experiences such as Alternative Break are what make AU diverse, something that AU strives to be. Why then would the administration not help fund something that can only help their case for diversity and attract more students? Instead of paying hundreds of thousands of dollars on a campaign that might draw some attention to the school, why not fund something that will spread the mission of AU across the whole world? This winter I am leading an Alternative Break to Cape Town, South Africa. This is one Alternative Break out of 13 that will be happening this year. Thirteen trips, around 150 students, tens of thousands of dollars, and almost no help from the American University administration. Sarah McHaney is a junior in the School of International Service and an AU affairs columnist for The Eagle. edpage@theeagleonline.com

TRENDING TOPICS ! " ! " !

to the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” on Thursday — hopefully you’ve already bought your tickets, Potter fans, because the theaters will be packed. to Daylight Savings Time. We may have gained an extra hour of sleep last weekend, but now we’re walking home in the dark at 5 p.m. Super depressing. to tacky holiday sweater parties. After Thanksgiving, these will be all the rage. to the influx of Christmas commercials, advertisements, decorations, candy, beverages, clothes — you name it. The season does not start until the day after Thanksgiving, people! to Thanksgiving break next week. With all the work we have these days (and the decreasing amount of food in our refrigerators), it can’t come soon enough.

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Prof’s tenure denial leads to protest By JULIA RYAN, LINDA BARNHART and ADITI HARSH Eagle Staff Writers and Contributing Writer

Carrying signs saying, “clearly you’re not justice wonks,” students protested the AU orchestra director’s tenure denial and the slow grievance process Wednesday. Jesus “Manny” Berard has been the director of the American University Symphony Orchestra for the past five years and was hired as a tenure track faculty member in 2004. Berard received a letter from the administration denying his tenure appointment in May. Berard missed the 21-day deadline to submit a grievance and has since submitted an appeal to waive the deadline, according to Peter Starr, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. If the Faculty Senate accepts the appeal, he can file a formal grievance. The Faculty Senate hears grievances in the order they were formally filed with the committee, Starr said, so other grievances will most likely be heard first. The grievance committee has not yet met this semester because there was a vacancy on the committee that was not filled until last week. Josiah Lambert, a 2008 Ko-

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god School of Business alumnus, is one of the founders of the “Keep Professor Berard” group. Lambert said that a year or two prior to Berard’s denial of tenure, he was told to achieve greater scholarship through further study and publication in notable music journals and to improve his career outside of the University. In between that recommendation and his final file review, Berard received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, published articles in notable music journals and became involved with the D.C. Youth Orchestra, Lambert said. Protest The students and professional musician Roger Whitworth, who also plays in the AU Symphony Orchestra, marched around campus for nearly two hours, playing pieces like the “Rocky” theme song and waving signs that said, “Save AU Music,” “Keep Prof Berard at AU” and “clearly you’re not justice wonks.” Berard’s daughter Julia, a high school sophomore, attended the protest. She said she was initially confused about the denial. She said her father is truly dedicated to his job and spends hours on his BlackBerry, answering students’ e-mails. Julia said her father is look-

ing into jobs in Georgia, Florida and Connecticut, but her mother has a job in D.C. Julia said she may have to move or be separated from her father. Students sent 82 individual letters and a form letter with 93 signatures to various administrators, including AU President Neil Kerwin, Provost Scott Bass and Starr on June 21, according to a flier distributed by the protesters. Bass and Starr responded in a June 30 letter detailing the tenure process, saying the University’s decision is final. “We want to assure you that this outcome in no way signals American University’s lack of support for the AU Symphony Orchestra in particular and our music program in general,” the letter said. The letter also added that AU is looking for a new conductor for the AU Symphony Orchestra. But this search is contingent on Berard’s appeal and grievance process. If his grievance is successful, the search will be terminated because he will continue to fill the position. If he is unsuccessful in having his grievance heard or accepted, the search will be taken off hold. Monday, Starr said the conductor search is on hold, pending the decision made in Berard’s appeal and possible grievance.

Meeting At the same time as the protest Wednesday, students and administrators were discussing Berard’s tenure denial at a meeting. Four of the students involved with the “Keep Professor Berard” group that organized the protest went to the meeting with the administrators Nov. 10. The meeting was scheduled in the hopes of creating a “wider discussion with all those students concerned about the case,” Starr said in an e-mail. Amanda Grossman, the AU Symphony Orchestra’s concertmaster and a senior in the School of International Service, was one of the four students at the meeting. “We were trying to express the fact that we wish this decision could be reconsidered,” Grossman said. At the meeting, the four students expressed their belief that Berard’s tenure decision was incorrect, while the administrators outlined for them the stages of a tenure review and the appeal process of a tenure denial. “While students — undergraduate or graduate — have no voting role in the tenure process, their needs are an important touchstone in any review,” Starr said. news@theeagleonline.com

Elton John brings tennis charity event to American University http://eagl.us/cESSqG

ANA SANTOS / THE EAGLE

Got tenure? A guide to AU’s professor hiring and ring procedures By LINDA BARNHART Eagle Staff Writer

Thirteen professors were granted tenure last spring. But three, including Professors Jesus “Manny” Berard and Jennifer Diascro, were denied tenure status. When a professor receives tenure, it means that their position with the university becomes permanent. “[To be tenure track] means that you have to prove yourself in various different ways as a member of the university community,” said Jeffery Middents, a tenured literature professor in the College of Arts and Sciences. “The idea behind [tenure] is that you have vested yourself within the university, and the university has vested itself within you.” AU currently has 323 tenured faculty members and 131 tenure track professors. Professors on the tenure track go through a six-year process during which they are evaluated on teaching, scholarship and service. These categories evaluate the strength of a professor in his or her teaching methods, research or scholarly works and works inside and outside of AU. Although the specific requirements vary by school and department, determining professors’ tenure status is a “very time-intensive process, done very carefully” that evaluates all strengths and weaknesses of a professor, according to Starr. Changes to the Faculty Manual A new faculty manual was approved by the Faculty Senate May 15 and contains more explicit guidelines for the tenure process and necessary requirements. Tenure decisions for Berard and Diascro were made prior to the approval of the new faculty manual. The new manual is more specific in it’s requirements than the last, according to Diascro. A professor’s tenure file is reviewed by the school and the AU administration to ensure they are meeting the requirements for tenure in their department. The cumulative records of discussion from these earlier reviews are included in the

file and highlight particular strengths and weaknesses in the file that may affect the final decision to grant tenure. Process The tenure process begins when a professor hired as tenure track faculty creates a file with student evaluations and letters of commendation that support evidence of his or her teaching, scholarship and service among other things. The dean of the professor’s school often solicits external letters from experts in the tenure candidate’s field that are familiar with their work to evaluate a professor’s scholarship. The only outlet for student input in the tenure process is through student evaluations, which are taken into account when evaluating a tenure candidate’s teaching record. The sixth and final year of tenure track is the most intensive. During that year, the candidate’s file passes through at least five stages of review with: ! The Rank and Tenure Committee, comprised of the tenured members of the department plus a tenured professor from another department ! The dean of the candidate’s school ! The Committee on Faculty Actions, comprised of senior faculty from across the University ! Provost Scott Bass ! The Board of Trustees After each stage of the process, the candidate is notified of the decision and has the right to respond within a week of each decision. AU President Neil Kerwin reviews tenure files only when the tenure decision is appealed. A professor has a three-week period after a final decision is made against granting tenure in which he or she can submit an appeal to the Committee on Faculty Equity and Grievances. If a professor chooses not to file a grievance, or if the grievance is denied, the professor has one year before they must leave the University. lbarnhart@theeagleonline. com

BASKETBALL — SCHEDULE — MEN’S BASKETBALL

Nov. 17

Md.-East. Shore

7:30 PM

Nov. 20

at Fla. Atlantic

1:00 PM

Nov. 23

at Howard

7:00 PM

Nov. 28

Columbia

2:00 PM

Dec. 1

at West Virginia

7:00 PM

Dec. 5

Florida

2:45 PM

Dec. 14

at UMBC

7:00 PM

Dec. 16

at Northwestern

8:00 PM

Dec. 20

at Mt. St. Mary’s

7:00 PM

Dec. 22

at Pittsburgh

7:00 PM

Dec. 29

vs. Fordham @ Santa Clara

11:15 PM

Dec. 30

vs. TBD @ Santa Clara

TBA

Jan. 3

Brown

7:30 PM

Jan. 8

Lehigh *

2:00 PM

Jan. 12

Bucknell *

7:30 PM

Jan. 15

at Colgate *

2:00 PM

Jan. 19

Army *

7:30 PM

Jan. 22

at Holy Cross *

2:00 PM

Jan. 26

at Navy *

7:00 PM

Jan. 29

Lafayette *

4:00 PM

Feb. 6

at Lehigh *

2:00 PM

Feb. 9

at Bucknell *

7:00 PM

Feb. 12

Colgate *

3:00 PM

Feb. 16

at Army *

7:00 PM

Feb. 20

Holy Cross *

2:00 PM

Feb. 23

Navy *

7:30 PM

Feb. 26

at Lafayette *

4:00 PM

Mar. 2

Patriot League Quarterfinals

TBA

Mar. 6

Patriot League Semifinals

TBA

Mar. 11

Patriot League Championship

4:45 PM

Nov. 17

at Mt. St. Mary’s

7:00 PM

Nov. 21

at Maryland

2:00 PM

Nov. 26

vs. Sam Houston St. @ Lubbock, Texas

9:00 PM

Vlad Moldoveanu

Nov. 27

at Texas Tech

1:00 PM

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Nov. 28

vs. Charleston So. @ Lubbock, Texas

1:00 PM

Dec. 2

George Mason

7:00 PM

All it took was one season and the Blue Crew is already ‘Mad for Vlad.’ A 6’9” forward from Romania, Moldoveanu was the heart of AU’s offense last season and is expected to play an even bigger role this year.

Dec. 4

Youngstown St.

2:00 PM

Dec. 18

George Washington

2:00 PM

Dec. 22

Troy

7:00 PM

Dec. 29

vs. Binghamton @ West Long Branch, N.J.

4:00 PM

Moldoveanu transferred to AU after two seasons with George Mason University, and instantly became a crowd favorite when he scored 26 points and snagged eight rebounds in his AU debut versus Depaul University.

Dec. 30

vs. Brown/Monmouth @ West Long Branch, N.J.

TBA

Jan. 2

at Md.-East. Shore

3:00 PM

Jan. 8

at Lehigh *

7:00 PM

Jan. 12

at Bucknell *

7:00 PM

Jan. 15

Colgate *

2:00 PM

Jan. 19

at Army *

7:00 PM

Jan. 22

Holy Cross *

2:00 PM

Jan. 26

Navy *

7:00 PM

Jan. 29

at Lafayette *

1:00 PM

Feb. 5

Lehigh *

2:00 PM

Feb. 9

Bucknell *

7:00 PM

Feb. 12

at Colgate *

2:00 PM

Feb. 16

Army *

7:00 PM

Feb. 19

at Holy Cross *

1:00 PM

Feb. 23

at Navy *

7:00 PM

The First Team All-Patriot League selection ranked third in the Patriot League in both scoring and rebounding last season. He also and led his team in points, averaging 18 a game and ranked second in rebounds with 6.5 per game. In the Eagle’s season opener against St. Francis University, Moldoveanu played with the same intensity and skill he demonstrated last year. Moldoveanu led AU with 24 points in the game and picked up six rebounds. Look for a consistently strong performance from Moldoveanu all season long. Moldoveanu could be AU’s ticket back to the NCAA tournament.

Feb. 26

Lafayette *

2:00 PM

Mar. 5

Patriot League Quarterfinals

TBA

Mar. 9

Patriot League Semifinals

TBA

Mar. 12

Patriot League Championship

6:00 PM

Michelle Kirk Michelle Kirk enters the 2010-11 season as the leader of the AU women’s basketball team. After being the first Eagle ever to be named Patriot League Player of the Year last season, Kirk returns hoping to guide AU to the Patriot League Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Kirk has shined ever since stepping foot on campus. As a freshman, she played in all 32 games and tallied double-digit points in seven contests. During her sophomore campaign, Kirk was named to the All-Patriot League First Team and led the squad in scoring at 14 points per game. She scored in double figures in 23 of the season’s 30 games. Last season was perhaps Kirk’s finest. She registered 565 points on the season, the most in school history and the eighth-best single-season output in Patriot League history. At season’s end, Kirk ranked eighth in the program’s history with 1,168 career points. The two-time all-conference first team pick heads a team predicted to capture the conference championship by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

* Indicates conference games / Home games in grey

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Underrepresented sports make movie magic Thanks to AU eld hockey’s great season, The Scene is clamoring for a great eld hockey movie. Having found none (in English, at least), we present our favorite movies based around obscure sports.

By YOHANA DESTA Eagle Staff Writer

According to the sports editors here at The Eagle, AU’s field hockey team had a truly incredible season. We in The Scene naturally don’t know what to do with this information. “Can you compare it to a movie or some other piece of pop culture detritus?” we ask while scratching our heads like chimps. “No” they answer, and then they put us back in headlocks. But we want to understand, and we need Hollywood to help. So, where’s our movie about field hockey? You have done good movies about

underrepresented sports before. Need inspiration? Here are our picks for the best non-traditional sports movies. “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story” This film quite literally has everything you could ever want — Ben Stiller with flawless, feathered hair, pirates and tons of quote-worthy comedy. “Dodgeball” follows the story of a group of friends competing in a national dodgeball tournament in order to win prize money to keep their gym from closing down. Starring Vince Vaughn, Ben Stiller,

Justin Long, and chock full of surprising cameos from the likes of Chuck Norris and David Hasselhoff, “Dodgeball” is a hysterical caricature of America’s most-beloved (and feared) PE sport. “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” While some say there’s nothing more American than football, NASCAR comes in at a pretty close second. In “Talladega Nights” Will Farrell and John C. Reilly pull out their inner rednecks to play the unstoppable duo of Ricky Bobby and Cal Naughton Jr., two stock car drivers and best friends that dominate the track. However, problems arise in the form of French champion Jean Girard (played by the hilarious Sacha Baron Cohen) when he suddenly starts posing a challenge to the twosome’s winning streak. It’s absurd and inaccurate, but NASCAR has never seemed so funny.

AU Wind Ensemble performs film scores from Hollywood blockbusters By LIDDY HERNANDEZ Eagle Contributing Writer

The Department of Performing Arts offered another flawless performance Nov. 12. Faculty, family and friends gathered to attend a powerful and enticing performance by the AU Wind Ensemble, titled “At the Movies.” It was an entertaining rendition of movie soundtrack favorites. As the lights dimmed and the audience settled into their seats, a group of 49 artists captivated the audience as they, under the direction of Professor Marc. F. Boensel, shuffled through eight diverse pieces. The scores presented included a number of genres. Boensel said he believed it “would be very fun to do music from some really good scores. It is always nice to hear a song that reminds you about the characters you fell in love with after only two hours and

the feelings you felt when you initially saw the movie.” The program began with the merry “Overture to Barber of Seville.” composed by Gioachino Antonio Rossini. Boensel told the audience that he chose this piece because it was a perfect representation for the moment when music and plays first met to form a bond between different medium. The second piece, “British Eighth” was played in honor of Veterans Day. Boensel stopped for a moment and pointed out the members of the audience who had served in the army. The piece was a march composed by Zo Elliott. The remaining six pieces were reminders of some of the past few year’s most thrilling and, at times, emotional movies. They were: ! “Pirates of the Caribbean” composed by Klaus Badelt. This piece was not only excellently performed, but brought

“Lords of Dogtown” Based on the true story of the Z-Boys in Santa Monica, California in the 1970s, “Dogtown” is a gritty coming-of-age film about the beginning of skateboarding. Starring then unknown actors John Robinson, Victor Rasuk, Michael Angarano and Emile Hirsch, the film follows a group of teenagers pushing the boundaries of the sport, developing new tricks and skating in empty pools. “Dogtown” is a noholds-barred view of the ups and downs of adolescence, sickness and of course, skateboarding. The film also boasts a killer 70s soundtrack, from the likes of Iggy Pop, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix, as well as memorable performances from the late Heath Ledger and Mitch Hedberg. “Ping Pong” Alright, so maybe pingpong is a sport mocked more often than celebrated, but the 2002

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Japanese film “Ping Pong” managed to turn the game of table tennis into a lesson of friendship and adventure. The film is adapted from a manga of the same name, which of course means that the film has elements of the supernatural and gratuitous amounts of high-flying drama. Whether you’re a geek for pingpong or not, this film has all the makings of a great sports film. “Caddyshack” This classic film from 1980 has stood the test of time as one of the best comedies ever made. “Caddyshack” takes place at the Bushwood Country Club, following the story of Danny Noonan (Michael O’Keefe) who becomes a caddy for rich golfers like Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) and Judge Smails (Ted Knight) in order to save money for college. In addition, the film follows the colorful and kooky antagonist, Al Czervik (Rodney Dangerfield) and

greenskeeper assistant Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) who’s hell-bent on ridding the golf course of gophers. “Caddyshack” is a simply fantastic film and a funny portrayal of life at a country club. “Bring It On” First, let’s just get this out of the way — yes, cheerleading is a sport, and a difficult one at that. And “Bring It On” is perhaps the best film to display the competitive world of the sport. The film follows a high school cheerleading team attempting to recreate their image and reinvent the moves they’ve learned. It’s a hyperbolic high school experience, but is incredibly entertaining, starring Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union. The only thing that could possibly taint the film’s awesomeness is the horrendous slew of sequels it spawned. ydesta@theeagleonline.com

How can you stop this girl from becoming the next Miley Cyrus? Incubator blogger Kaitlin Carpenter has the answer. blogs.theeagleonline.com

forward great joy and laughter. ! “Avatar” composed by James Horner. ! “Harry Potter” composed by John Williams. ! “The Chronicles of Narnia” composed by Harry Gregson-Williams. ! “The Lord of the Rings” composed by Howard Shore. ! “Star Trek” composed by Michael Giacchino. The last three were performed with such grace and eloquence that audience members could once again imagine themselves in the theaters awaiting the movies’ start. “I want to thank all of them for such a great semester,” Boensel said as he gave his final remarks and thanked his group for all the hard work and dedication they show throughout the semester. thescene@theeagleonline. com

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Crumbs Bake Shop continues current Capital cupcake craze By KELLY HOLLIDAY Eagle Staff Writer

Half-Baked

Grasshopper

Like most successful bakery stories, this one began with something sweet — a vanilla coconut cupcake, to be exact. When Jason and Mia Bauer first started dating, they spent their summer at the Hamptons soaking up vitamin D and eating Mia’s famous vanilla coconut cupcakes. Jason, smitten with Mia’s sweet treats, suggested they take advantage of her culinary talents and open a neighborhood bakery. With no professional baking experience between them, the Bauers opened Crumbs Bake Shop on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in March 2003. “That [cupcake] was really the inspiration for Crumbs,” Jason said. The Bauers are continuing their countrywide cupcake takeover with the opening of three Crumbs locations in D.C. The F Street location opened this past Saturday morning, and stores in Clarendon and Union Station will open by the end of the year. Crumbs is widely considered to be the pioneer of the cupcake explosion, being the first “cupcakery” in New York City and in the country. In the early 2000s, the only places to sell cupcakes in New York were the famous Magnolia and Cupcake Café, but Crumbs was one of the first to profit on the cupcake business.

Crumbs now joins the competitive league of cupcake shops, including Georgetown Cupcake, here in the nation’s capital, but Bauer is not intimidated or worried. “We love and believe in our product and the flavors, the variety and the consistency, and the quality … We don’t really pay much attention to anyone else,” he said. Bauer added that he’s a “numbers guy” and is primarily concerned with how well their business is faring. “I think there are a lot of great bakers out there that make a lot of great products,” he said, “but I don’t know how many great business people there are, and you need that combination to have a nice business.” The Crumbs Bake Shop business has steadily been growing for eight years. They are the largest cupcake retailer in the U.S. and have 36 locations in the country. With over 100 varieties of cupcakes and other baked goods like cookies, Danishes, cakes, brownies, pies and tarts, Crumbs offers something for anyone with a sweet tooth. The popular Red Velvet and the Squiggle, modeled after the iconic Hostess Cup Cake, are highly recommended for traditionalists. Caramel Apple and Pumpkin are sure to be favorites for Autumn-lovers, and Devil’s food will please any chocoholic. Don’t expect Crumbs to be another Georgetown Cupcake repeat — the bakery prides itself on selling gour-

met cupcakes with different filling, frosting and topping combinations than that other D.C. staple. Each cupcake is inspired by family recipes and is Mia’s own creation. While the cupcake trend can be traced back to the opening of Crumbs, most food fads come and go fairly quickly. Whoopie pies and French macarons are dominating today’s bakeries (Red Velvet whoopie pies are even on the Crumbs menu), and food bloggers are sure to become obsessed with another sweet treat come January (popsicles, perhaps?). Bauer isn’t concerned with cupcakes going out of style, however. “In the 1940’s and ‘50s, people were having this same conversation about ice cream stores,” he said, adding, “I don’t pay attention to whether this is a trend or this is a fad… People will stop eating cupcakes when they stop eating dessert.” Judging by the looks of the cleared-out case of cupcakes, Crumbs will only get more successful. One lone vanilla coconut sits in its tray, proving its status as one of the best cupcakes Crumbs has to offer. “I look at that cupcake in the case I and say to Mia, ‘Remember when you used to make these on the weekends just for us?’ And now look where we are.” kholliday@theeagleonline. com

TOP 3 CUPCAKES Half-Baked — “Marble cake lled with white butter cream, topped with half vanilla cream cheese frosting mixed with chocolate chip cookie crumbs and half chocolate fudge mixed with brownie pieces and covered with chocolate chip cookie and brownie pieces.” Grasshopper — “Rich chocolate cake lled with chocolate fudge and topped with mint avored cream cheese frosting with chocolate cake crumbs, edged in mini chocolate chips with a vanilla buttercream rosette.”

Candy

Candy — “Vanilla cake with our classic vanilla buttercream lling and frosting with candies covering the top.” Photos and descriptions courtesy of Crumbs

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SMALL SCREEN

EMILY GUILFOIL I love British television. The day I discovered BBC America was a legendary step forward for my television experience. Apparently American television executives love British television just as much as I do. The network executives and producers have this terrible habit: they decide to remake perfectly good British shows for American audiences with mixed

results. For some reason, producers in the U.S. feel that every good show created on the BBC simply needs to be remade. I blame the popularity of “The Office” for this trend, although Americans did remake some British shows previously. As is common in Hollywood, other networks will inevitably try to replicate the results in order to make more money. Currently, there is an American remake of the British series “Skins” in development, and I have no moral qualms with mercilessly judging it based on the one-and-a-half minutelong trailer that has been released. The original “Skins” is

amazing. It is a deliberately over-the-top teen drama that doles out more drugs, sex, swearing and insane parties than I have seen on any other show in the U.S. “Skins” is also unique in that the writers let their teens grow up. The show switches casts every two seasons when the kids graduate. This helps to keep the storylines fresh. Based on the trailer, the U.S. version seems to be line-for-line identical reproduction of the original series, only this time it includes terrible acting. I see no reason to remake the show if they are just going to do the exact same thing with American accents. I don’t see the point of making another version of

a popular show that is still on the air. The British version even has a movie on the way. The American remake seems like a cheap ploy by MTV to capitalize on the success of the superb original. Maybe the show will surprise me. I would be shockingly pleased if the U.S. version of “Skins” manages to be anywhere near as great as the original. The U.S. version of “The Office” used the original’s pilot script for their first episode, but it quickly found its own identity with creative scripts and quirky characters. If the “Skins” writers decide to go that route, it might have a shot at being a decent show.

One point in its favor is that the creators of the original series are involved in the remake. As long as the writers don’t neglect the British version, I am hoping they put a lot of effort into the new show. The more the creators are involved, the happier I will be. “Skins” does not premiere until January, but don’t fret. This means you all have tons of time to catch up on the British version while I shamelessly ridicule any new footage that MTV releases. thescene@theeagleonline. com

BLOGS.THEEAGLEONLINE.COM

American remake of ‘Skins’ might fail to capture British original’s superior acting, over-the-top dramatics

VISIT THE INCUBATOR

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MOVIE REVIEW

CONCERT REVIEWS

127 Hours

Suuns By JESSE DRUCKER

Eagle Contributing Writer

CHUCK ZLOTNICK / FOX SEARCHLIGHT

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE — The latest drama directed by Danny Boyle, “127 Hours,” follows Aron Ralston (James Franco) as he finds himself trapped in a canyon.

Runtime: 94 minutes Grade: A Scene Says: Potentially monotonous story lifted up by excellent directing, acting. By GEOFFREY BEEBE

Eagle Contributing Writer Every so often, Hollywood releases a movie about a real life event that is well-publicized and widely known. This creates two types of filmgoers: the ones who want to see how the story is told, and the ones who will ask, “The Titanic still sinks, right?” “127 Hours” is the story about Aron Ralston — a canyoneer who is faced with an impossible choice: amputate his own arm, or die alone in a canyon where no one knows where to look for him. James Franco plays Ralston as a reckless lover of life — he’s completely prepared and geared for hiking and in love with the outdoors, but is less rigorous with his own life. This was one aspect that Oscar-award winning director Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire”) chose to emphasize, and it was executed

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spot-on. Unlike many of Boyle’s other films, there is less control over the setting and characters — a huge departure from “Trainspotting” and “28 Days Later.” The audience instead is exposed to the raw force of Ralston’s character, evoking a strong sense of empathy from the audience. When that dark moment of Ralston’s nearlyfatal accident actually happens, your heart skips. For a majority of this film, the only character on the screen is Franco — a type of movie that can easily become boring due to its potential monotony. That very potential seems magnified when one considers that most of the film is located in one spot. Luckily, Boyle and Franco pull it off with a little panache and twisted humor. This is a movie with a series of acts that simply make a person want to cringe. In an interview with The Eagle, Danny Boyle expressed his concern over the fear factor.

“That’s what the producers were worried about — people leaving the theater,” Boyle said. “When we screened it the first time, we asked ‘how many walk outs?’ and we were told ‘none.’” Part of the success is because of the music. A.R. Rahman, the composer for “127 Hours” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” employed an electric guitar for most of the background music. This makes the most cringe-worthy moments in “127 Hours” bearable. When the moment is over, there is this sense of elation that one would not normally expect from such a film. “127 Hours” is an engaging story, even if we already know the outcome. Franco succeeds in delivering a broad spectrum of emotions, which makes the film a fantastic drama. “127 Hours” is now playing in theaters everywhere. thescene@theeagleonline. com

Montreal electro-rock band Suuns is currently wrapping up its nationwide tour with Land of Talk. The Eagle had the opportunity to chat with two members of Suuns at the Rock and Roll Hotel about the tour and their recently released album, “Zeroes QC.” Before beginning to work on the album, Suuns spent three years shaping their sound and “getting to know each other musically,” according to vocalist and guitarist Ben Shemie. It shows in the album. When listening to “Zeroes QC,” one immediately notices the strength of the relationships between the band members. They bring nothing superfluous to their songs, instead relying on the intriguing dynamic that forms from the various layers built to drive the performances. In the song “Arena,” they slowly let elements build on top of each other, easing the listener into a tension-filled, trance-like state. The band shines when they take a single riff of rhythmic

pattern, draw it out and let it morph into a totally different song. In “Armed For Peace,” they allow the tension of the robotic electro-beat to build to an unnerving level before letting it explode into guitardriven Zeppelin-esque rock. “We get a lot of energy from these really simple ideas,” Shemie said. “It’s a sort of germination thing.” Enhancing that idea, Suuns is not afraid of using constructive dissonance to add depth to some simple dance-hall tracks. At times during the performance, Shemie would use his guitar to create a drone of feedback and scratching that underpinned the more melodic progressions. Being on tour for six months has allowed the band to really develop its live performances, evident in the creative ways the band members engage with one another, according to bassist and keyboardist Max Henry. Throughout the show, every band member experimented with the songs and with each other in incredibly engaging ways, sometimes pushing the boundaries of what the ear can handle but al-

ways stopping short of chaos. Shemie stressed that this sort of experimentation “is a really important part of the creative process but can manifest itself in more or less conspicuous ways.” However, just as the process of “germination” produces incredibly stimulating songs when it succeeds, the songs may leave the listener feeling let down if it fails. In the performance of “Gaze,” for example, all the parts were there to create a moving tune but they weren’t put together in quite the right way, throwing off the entire song. Nevertheless, one gets an overall impression that the members of Suuns have an acute self-awareness that allows them to create a sort of intensity on stage that very few bands manage to find. Something in the mixture between the band’s charisma and down-to-earth attitude allows them to find a very unique and authentic sound. thescene@theeagleonline. com

Deer Tick By JILL WHEELER

Eagle Contributing Writer When Deer Tick played the Black Cat last week, there was something about the sound that reverberated through the room, the lightheartedness of the band, and the energy of the crowd that made the show extraordinary. The Providence, R.I., -based band made a splash with their first two albums, “War Elephant and “Born on Flag Day.” Their growly country sound booked them on tours with Neko Case and Jenny Lewis, and even got a boost from NBC News anchor Brian Williams on his music podcast. Deer Tick walked on stage looking like they just wanted to have a good time. And with each member armed with their instruments and a beer, everyone knew that was exactly what they were setting out to do. The magic started when they played the first song, “These

Old Shoes.” The fun everyone expected was there, but there was also a mysterious underlying element of something else. At first, it seemed like it came from lead singer John McCauley’s voice, which was both reminiscent of gritty old country folk and newer rock ‘n’ roll. His voice was pure, tormented and almost growling at times, as he gave the music an entirely new vibe from the album and an emotion that made the songs earnest and intriguing. The band’s stage mannerisms also prove that the boys themselves are charming. When drummer Dennis Ryan came to the front of the stage to sing backup for a song by rhythm guitarist and singer Ian O’Neil, his shyness was endearing as well as the way the band supported him. In addition to the charisma they displayed, they maintained a beautiful chemistry. Deer Tick is a family of musicians that work well together and have fun doing it. When

O’Neil took to the mic for “Hope is Big,” the precision in timing, the smiles between band members, the electric 50’s rock sound and the punctuated drum combined with the almost psychedelic keyboard proved that these boys were meant to play together. They ended the set with “Mange,” off their new album, “The Black Dirt Sessions.” They stretched out the song as if they weren’t ready for the night to be over. Each member of the band played to their fullest and engrossed themselves into the song — bassist Chris Ryan started dancing as keyboardist and saxophonist Rob Crowell appeared hypnotized, closing his eyes, tilting his head to the ceiling and losing himself in the music. To wrap up the night, they played a powerful encore with a cover of Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba.” thescene@theeagleonline. com

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TUESDAY 16 Mistress of the Apes 8 p.m. WHERE: The Passenger, 1021 7th St. NW METRO: Metro Center (red, blue and orange lines) WHAT: The Washington Psychotronic Film Society, a group of film lovers with an affinity for the strange, are always welcoming guests and new members to their weekly screenings. Mistress of the Apes is about a woman who takes to the jungle after her husband goes missing. COST: Free ($2 suggested donation) CONTACT: www.wpfs.org

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SCENE CALENDAR WEDNESDAY 17

THURSDAY 18

Brendan Benson 7 p.m. WHERE: 9:30 club, 815 V St. N.W. METRO: U Street/AfricanAmerican War Memorial/ Cardozo (green and yellow lines) WHAT: Brendan Benson is one of the co-founders of popular rock band The Raconteurs. He’s joined by The Posies and Aqueduct for their ongoing nationwide tour. COST: $25 CONTACT: www.930.com

Earl Greyhound 9 p.m. WHERE: Black Cat, 1811 14th St. NW METRO: U Street/AfricanAmerican War Memorial/ Cardozo (green and yellow lines) WHAT: Classic rock trio Earl Greyhound is joined by Knights on Earth to restore rock ‘n’ roll to its roots with songs from their latest album, “Soft Targets.” COST: $10 CONTACT: www.blackcatdc.com

MOVIE REVIEW For Colored Girls

IN RAINBOWS — Tyler Perry’s latest film deals with many heavy topics.

Courtesy of LIONSGATE

Runtime: 134 minutes Grade: C+ Scene Says: Tyler Perry’s screenplay hinders efforts of remarkable actresses.

FRIDAY 19

SATURDAY 20

SUNDAY 21

AU In Motion 8 p.m. WHERE: Greenberg Theatre, 4200 Wisconsin Ave., NW WHAT: AU In Motion features our school’s largest student dance performance with a variety of styles ranging from contemporary, jazz, hip-hop and more. COST: $10 ($7 with AU student ID) CONTACT: www.american. edu/cas/greenberg

Chuck Brown 11 p.m. WHERE: 9:30 club, 815 V St. N.W. METRO: U Street/AfricanAmerican War Memorial/ Cardozo (green and yellow lines) WHAT: D.C. legends both new and old take to the stage for this late show at the 9:30 club. Godfather of gogo Chuck Brown is joined by Rare Essence and Suttle Thoughts for a memorable night of one of the District’s musical staples. COST: $30 CONTACT: www.930.com

D.C. Rollergirls 3 p.m. WHERE: D.C. Armory, 2400 E Capitol St, SE METRO: Stadium-Armory (blue and orange lines) WHAT: The D.C. Rollergirls are kicking off the Thanksgiving season with a roller derby brawl. The Cherry Blossom Bombshells take on the Scare Force One as the D.C. Demoncats go up against the D.C. All-Stars. COST: $12 CONTACT: www.dcsec.com

MONDAY 22 Aloe Blacc 8:30 p.m. WHERE: Rock and Roll Hotel, 1353 H St NE METRO: Union Station (red line) WHAT: Soul and hip-hop musician Aloe Blacc joins Maya Juniper in his D.C. stop during his “I Need a Dollar” nationwide tour, named after his popular track that was featured in the HBO show “How To Make it in America.” COST: $10 – $12 CONTACT: www.rockandrollhoteldc.com

By FAITH SAGAILLE

Eagle Contributing Writer Tyler Perry has become the master of the dramatic and soulful romantic comedy. With blockbuster hits like “Diary of A Mad Black Woman” and “Madea’s Family Reunion” under his belt, Perry is once again taking inspiration from the stage to the silver screen. But this time around, he’s sinking his teeth in a little bit deeper. Perry’s latest venture (which he wrote, produced and directed), “For Colored Girls” takes audiences on a journey of eight women who are thrown into situations dealing with love, STIs, sexuality, identity, abandonment, rape, infidelity, abortion and finding sisterhood. The film is an adaptation of the poetic stage play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf.” Ntozake Shange wrote the play in 1975, which was staged on Broadway was nominated for a Tony Award for best play in 1977. While the film’s main demographic is African-American females, actress Phylicia Rashad — best known for her role as Clair Huxtable in the iconic sitcom, “The Bill Cosby Show” — believes it’s something all women should see. “There are so many women in this world who share these

experiences of hardships and they are not all from one place,” Rashad said. “Nor are they from the same socioeconomic status or ethnicity. These are experiences that are shared by women all over the world throughout time — and that’s that truth.” While Rashad knows that the heavy themes of the film might make audiences uncomfortable, she says it is important to recognize these issues and work together as a society in order to find a resolution. “I think all women are colored women. I think it’s something to be taken through the labyrinth of these lives and exposures and to come to the resolution at the end,” she said. “It is a resolution that is so worth getting there. It is so worth the journey to get there.” The film boasts a slew of famous names, such as Janet Jackson, Thandie Newton, Whoopi Goldberg, Loretta Divine, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise, Kerry Washington and Phylicia Rashad. Each performance is powerful, truly making up the heart of the film. They make the audience care for characters that are trapped in an endless melodramatic film that at times appears too soap opera-ish for the average moviegoer. Rashad believes the format of the story will be new to the audience. “I saw the original Broadway production when it appeared

in the late ‘70s. There has never been anything like it and this film is doing the same thing.” And yet, that is a particular criticism of the film. It’s presented as an adaptation of the play, however, it does not come off that way. Rather, it’s merely a play being recorded on camera. The audience is presented with the dialogue and plot, but is drowned with extended monologues and poems reciting the same experience that the audience just witnessed. The difficulty transitioning the poetic play into film is apparent and it is not a good thing. At times, the characters take turns bashing men, particularly black men. It often seems as though the hardships and struggles of each character all resulted from men doing wrong. The film balances this notion with revealing the damaging effects of men who are broken by a society that offers them no opportunities to shine, suffocated by systems that have failed them. The performances portrayed in the film are well worth the $15 ticket at the box office, but the mediocre screenwriting creates a soap opera atmosphere that could potentially make the audience lose focus on the characters’ struggle in finding a resolution. “For Colored Girls” is now in theaters everywhere. thescene@theeagleonline. com

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RACHEL DEVOR / THE EAGLE

MAKING A MOVE — Point guard Daniel Munoz dribbles past a defender in Friday’s season opener at Bender Arena. The sophomore point guard netted 10 points and two rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench. The Eagles return to Bender Nov. 17 to take on the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks at 7:30 p.m.

Eagles top St. Francis in season opener Field hockey’s strong By TYLER TOMEA Eagle Staff Writer

The AU men’s basketball team used a strong second half to overcome a lackluster opening 20 minutes and defeat the St. Francis University Red Flash 62-52 Friday night at Bender Arena in their season opener. Vlad Moldoveanu poured in a game-high 24 points to go along with six rebounds as the Eagles outscored the Red Flash 35-16 in the second half to turn a nine-point halftime deficit into a double-digit victory. Troy Brewer scored 12 points and Daniel Munoz came off the bench to add 10 for AU. Mislav Jukic paced the Red Flash with 21 points, shooting 9 for 12 from the field. “That was a really, really physical, hard-played opening game,” AU Head Coach Jeff Jones said. “[I’m] certainly not pleased with how

we played all the time, but the fact that we were able to respond in the second half and come out with a win, I’m very pleased.” Jukic scored the first four points of the game as St. Francis opened the contest on a 9-0 run. AU would start off cold, not netting its first points until over three minutes into the game. After the Eagles cut the deficit to one at 15-14 in the game’s early going, the Red Flash scored the next eight points. A Chris Johnson three-pointer with 7:21 remaining in the first half put St. Francis ahead 23-14. The Red Flash extended their lead to 28-18 minutes later when Jukic, who had beat the Eagles all night inside, stepped out beyond the arc and hit from long range. “I was extremely impressed with Jukic,” Jones said. “He’s a good player, he’s tough [and] he’s really strong.” Trailing by 10, Munoz knocked a three-pointer, and

two jumpers from Brewer cut the Red Flash lead to 3025 with just over two minutes left in the first half. But, as they seemed to do throughout the opening stanza, St. Francis answered every AU run. This time, the Red Flash closed the half on a 6-2 run to take a 36-27 lead. “We came out slow,” Brewer said. “St. Francis was hungrier than us, and it showed in the first half.” The tide would turn in AU’s favor at the start of the second half, as the Eagles scored the first seven points to pull to within two at 3634. Nick Hendra was the catalyst for AU, as his threepointer to cap the run led to an early timeout. With the Eagles later trailing by three, Moldoveanu’s first three-pointer of the contest led to the game’s first tie at 40 apiece with 12:07 to play. Moldoveanu then notched a layup at the 11:05 mark, giving the Ea-

gles a lead they never relinquished. AU scored 12 of the next 18 points before Munoz, who played well in 24 minutes off the bench, made a layup to put the Eagles ahead 56-46 with 3:20 to play. St. Francis would get no closer than nine down the stretch, as the Eagles outscored the Red Flash by 19 in the second half for the 62-52 victory. “We had to go toe-to-toe with them and do it with our defense, and do it with our rebounding,” Jones said. “In the second half, instead of taking what the defense gave us, we were more focused on trying to get what we wanted.” The Eagles will next be on the road against the University of Albany Great Danes on Nov. 15 before returning home on Nov. 17 to take on the University of MarylandEastern Shore Hawks. ttomea@theeagleonline. com

season cut short by UConn Huskies By MARK NATALE

Eagle Contributing Writer The AU field hockey team’s season ended on Saturday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA tournament after being handed a strokeoff loss to the number five University of Connecticut Huskies. UConn’s scoring started early, pushing two goals past the flat-footed AU defense in the first seven minutes of the game. Off the second penalty corner of the game, UConn’s Anne Jeute poked the ball past goalkeeper Hannah Weitzman in the sixth minute. UConn’s Ali Blankmeyer followed just two minutes later off a pass from Cara Silverman, placing the ball past a Weitzman kick. “We weren’t really turned

on,” senior Anne van Erp said. “Our structure was filling and our play was kind of sloppy.” The Huskies had one more penalty corner, during which Weitzman had to save two more shots before coach Steve Jennings called a timeout to gather his team and try to get them to regroup. “We challenged them [in the timeout],” Jennings said. “It had little to do with tactics and much more to do with heart.” Coming out of the timeout, AU looked more composed and started driving up the field, creating opportunities and challenging the UConn defense. With seven shots in the first half, the Eagles put pressure on goalkeeper Sarah Mansfield, but six saves !

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from EAGLES on page 17

kept the ball out of the Huskies cage. During the second half, the Eagles looked like a completely different team, stringing passes together and forcing the ball down the field while keeping it away from the dangerous Connecticut attack. After AU received three penalty corners in the first five minutes, the Eagles had several opportunities to cut the lead in half, but none of the corner variations fooled UConn and the Eagles remained down two goals. Freshman Constanza Palma was forced to leave the game temporarily after receiving a cut above her eyebrow from an errant stick. With 16 minutes remaining in the game, UConn called a timeout to regroup after a couple of strong AU attacks up the sideline challenged the lights-out defense. Just 30 seconds later, a penalty corner was called in

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./$!"#$! favor of AU and freshman Jaclyn Anspach was able to gather a rebound from Gina Hofmann shot and got the score. “All we had to do was get the first goal,” Jennings said. “It gave us a surge, made us that mush sharper.” Anspach redirected a Palma shot just three minutes later, beating Mansfield to the right and tying the game 2-2. “We were playing really hard,” Anspach said. “Nobody could do it by [themselves].” The Eagles continued to drive towards the net, but their four shots were futile against Mansfield’s saves, sending the game into overtime. While each team had several opportunities during both overtime periods — Connecticut had six shots and American had three — neither was able to capitalize and the game was sent to a stroke-off. Weitzman saved the first

shot she faced with ease. However, Mansfield was just as strong and blocked Tatum Dyers’ shot, forcing the pressure back on Weitzman. Both teams then put away the next four shots — AU got help from Hofmann, Christine Fingerhuth, Kirstin Gebhart and Lotte van de Mierop while UConn’s Jestine Angelini, Alicia Angelini, Blankmeyer and Robin Kleine sent the stroke-off to sudden death, where UConn’s Rayell Heistand was able to score to give the Huskies the victory. “We gave it our all,” van Erp said. “Right after the game everyone got together and it’s nobody’s fault. [The loss] is devastating.” sports@theeagleonline.com

MARK NATALE / THE EAGLE

TOUGH LOSS — The AU field hockey team takes their loss to UConn hard after a defeat in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Eagles lost in a stroke-off after two overtimes.

Freshmen basketball players take on court, dorm life together By ERIC SALTZMAN

Eagle Contributing Writer

RACHEL DEVOR / THE EAGLE

LIFT OFF — Junior forward Stephen Lumpkins takes a shot in Friday’s 62-52 victory over the St. Francis Red Flash. He finished the game with nine points and six rebounds.

Guard Wayne Simon II and forward Tony Wroblicky are a freshman dynamic duo for the men’s basketball team. “Wayne is definitely Batman,” said Wroblicky of his teammate and roommate. Simon and Wroblicky are the only two freshman on the team. While they are teammates on the court and good friends off the court, they couldn’t be more different. “They are both really quiet guys and I know they’re well-liked,” said Head Coach Jeff Jones. “They are roommates and even though one guy is little, one guy is big, one guy is from the Midwest and one is from [Los Angeles], something about it works.” In the Eagles’ first game of the season on Friday against Saint Francis University, Wroblicky made his AU debut, coming off the bench in the second

half. In his seven minutes, Wroblicky contributed two rebounds. Meanwhile, Simon has been recovering from an ankle injury and did not see any playing time. Jones said that Simon is almost fully recovered from the injury and isn’t feeling any lingering effects. Simon comes to American from St. Joseph’s High School in Westchester, Ill. He matched his on-court achievements with great progress in the classroom, posting a 4.54 GPA. Simon’s on-court record is as impressive as his offcourt résumé. As a senior Simon averaged 13.6 points, 3.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game for his team. He helped his team to a regional championship in 2009 and 2010. The 2009 run included an appearance in the East Suburban Catholic Championship. Simon played in numerous games, including the Chicago High School Classic All-Star game. He received recognition for his

outstanding play by being selected to the AP Second Team All-State his senior year. “With Wayne, he has a feel for a game, he has some stuff to his game,” Jones said of his freshman guard. “He can handle the ball, he can get it to where he has to be. He is crafty and knows how to penetrate the defense.” Coming out of high school, ESPN.com described Simon as a quick, athletic and intelligent guard with good shooting range. But perhaps his best asset is his long arms, which allow him to guard bigger defenders and deflect passes. “I would say my ability to penetrate the defense is my best skill,” Simon said. “Because I have long arms I’m good at defense and deflecting passes. I try to model my game after Chris Paul, Derrick Rose and some of the other good guards in the league.” Wroblicky played high school ball at Loyola High ! see FROSH on page 19

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from FROSH on page 18

School in Los Angeles. He was part of a Loyola team that had back-to-back appearances in the California State Championship tournament with a showing in the semifinals in 2009. “I like my ability to rebound, block shots and finish around the basket,” Wroblicky said. “I try to model my game after a fundamentally sound player like Chris Kaman.” Wroblicky was described by ESPN.com as “one of the most intriguing sleepers on the West Coast.” He comes to the Eagles with a good frame and room to strengthen and grow. Wroblicky has also been noted as a two-way player who possesses good defensive skills with the ability to be a great shot blocker. He also has very soft hands, making him an excellent rebounder. “Tony has a knack for the game and some good instincts,” Jones said. “His size and athleticism let him move well for someone his size. He has good hands and he is not afraid of contact. He gets the ball off of rebounds and he puts the ball in the basket.” The Eagles have a veteran team with high expectations. Given the Eagles’ situation, it’s unlikely either freshman will see many starts this season, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be making contributions. “If Wayne keeps making improvements and continues to impress, he can compete for some minutes at point guard,” Jones said. “Tony is going to be the first big man off the bench, most likely being (Stephen) Lumpkins’ backup for the foreseeable future.” Despite not being starters, both players know that they are on a great team, and with hard work they will see more playing time and help the team succeed. sports@theeagleonline. com

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Men’s soccer falls to Bucknell in Patriot League Championship match By MARK NATALE

Eagle Contributing Writer The third-seeded AU men’s soccer team started off its Patriot League tournament by surprising No. 2 Lehigh on Friday night, but fell in the championship game to No. 4 Bucknell at Colgate’s Doren Field in Hamilton, N.Y. Lehigh AU started its game against Lehigh with a scoreless first half. Lehigh had six shots to AU’s three. Coming out with a strong attack in the second half, the Eagles were able to put the pressure on Lehigh, forcing them back on the defensive. Mike Worden received a pass from Alassane Kane from outside the box and launched a shot into the back of the net in the 47th minute, putting the Eagles up 1-0. The Eagles were able to keep their momentum going by continuing to move the ball down the field, forcing Le-

high to play defense. With just three minutes left in the game, Kane secured the victory on a breakaway, receiving a pass from Worden and poking the ball past the keeper, sending the Eagles to the finals with a 2-0 victory. Goalie Matt Makowski was stellar in net, saving six Lehigh shots on the way to victory. “Everyone took care of their individual roles and we came away with a great victory,” Head Coach Todd West told AU Athletics. Bucknell In the championship game against Bucknell University, Makowski faced a stellar attack and lost his first challenge to Bucknell’s Ross Liberati, as he headed the ball past the AU goalie off a pass from Tommy McCabe. Bucknell was able to keep the attack in AU’s defensive third, receiving corner after corner and forcing Makowski to keep making saves. Eight shots in the first half had Makowski moving all over the net.

Fall sports set AU attendance records By ALLIE MOONEY Eagle Staff Writer

AU athletic attendance has increased this year, bringing in record-breaking crowds at men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and women’s volleyball games. “Attendance so far this year has been tremendous,” said Andrew Bashuk, assistant director of marketing for Athletics. “I think that we certainly hope and expect that to continue … It’s about spreading the word and making sure students know when the games are.” One of the three recordbreaking athletic events so far this year was the

women’s Aug. 29 volleyball game against George Mason University. It broke the record for the amount of people to attend a volleyball game in D.C. with 2,055 attendees. The other two of the three record-breaking athletic events were the men’s soccer game against Bucknell University and the women’s soccer game against Georgetown University. Record attendance numbers this year include the following, according to AU Athletic archives: !"Women’s volleyball: Aug. 29 game against George Mason University (2,055) !" Men’s soccer: Sept. 25 game against Bucknell University (1,006)

Twenty-one minutes into the game, Liberati secured the win for Bucknell, again heading the ball past Makowski. The Eagles continued to struggle to put the ball in the net for the remainder of the game, getting 14 shots towards the net. Worden managed a solid shot in the 59th minute off a Jamie Davin corner kick, but AU’s best chance came from Kane on a rocket saved by Bucknell’s Marc Hartman. Managing to fend off five shots in the closing minutes, Hartman showed why he was selected as the tournament’s most valuable player after not allowing goals in either Patriot League tournament game. The Eagles outshot Bucknell 14-12 but shots on goal advantage went to Bucknell 6-2. Bucknell will move on to the NCAA tournament.

THIS WEEK’S SCORES Field Hockey

AU: Lehigh:

25 25 25 23 23 23

Volleyball AU: 25 25 25 Lafayette: 14 23 9

Men’s Basketball

AU: 62 St. Francis: 52

AU: 2 Lehigh: 0

Men’s Soccer

sports@theeagleonline.com

!" Women’s soccer: Aug. 23 game against Georgetown University (1,511) !" Women’s field hockey: Oct. 10 game against Duke University (1,013) “Attendance at athletic games is better than it’s ever been before,” SG President Nate Bronstein said. The Student Government and the Department of Athletics are coming together to ensure the continuing improvement and support of AU school spirit. Bronstein issued an executive order to combine the Blue Crew with the SG Department of Unity and Spirit, providing the student leadership Blue Crew was lacking before. AU’s Blue Crew student group is an avenue for spreading spirit and encouraging students to attend athletic events on campus, Bronstein said.

Final (SO) AU: 2 UConn: 3

“The Department of Unity and Spirit does not have the name or recognition of Blue Crew, but it does have the infrastructure,” Bronstein said. “Blue Crew has the name and recognition, but doesn’t have the leadership. What I decided to do was to combine them.” As a result, Bronstein created the Blue Crew Representative position in the SG Department of Unity and Spirit. Bronstein has received multiple applications for the position. Despite its new oversight by the SG, the Blue Crew would still be financed by the Department of Athletics. “We want something that is not only good for next year, five years, ten years. We want to create something that’s lasting,” Bashuk said. “This is a way to have it down on paper and say this is what we’re

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AU: 0 Bucknell: 2

doing.” Bashuk said athletic attendance is only part of the equation. Although it is ideal to have a large turnout for games, spirit and support are more elusive aspects that make for a great season, he said. “The crowd is important, but it’s more the support,” Bashuk said. “Sometimes it’s intangible, and we judge it by a crowd number. But there’s more to it than that. This is another step that will last beyond us.” amooney@theeagleonline. com

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