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NIVERSITY
NEWS
UMKC’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Vol. 79, Issue 19
Jan. 30, 2012
Cover article
13
COVER
UMKC Students
stars in “the
Wrestling Season” at the
Coterie Theatre
3
NEWS
Civil rights laywer speaks
at UMKC for MLK Keynot
address.
Photo courtesy of Google Images
9
SPORTS
Men’s basketball team
fights for Summit
League qualifications
Photo courtesy of UMKC Athletics
Photo courtesy of the Cotorie Theatre
2|News
Vol. 79, Issue 19
Going
green
UMKC’s own electric truck designated for delivery and pick up of campus recyling.
photo courtesy of UMKC Sustainability
A look at UMKC’s Sustainability initiatives
Recycling contest scheduled to return to campus
Kara Hart
Cafeteria switches to
compostable straws
Teresa Sheffield
Staff Writer
Dining Service’s plastic straws are out, and 100
percent compostable straws are in.
However, there is a catch: the new straws are
nearly double the cost of the previous ones.
“Even though the cost for these straws are about
100 percent more than the previous straws Sodexo
used, to save the environment for our future and
for our next generation has no value,” Dining
Services Manager Jatinder Singh said.
Singh said Sodexo’s switch underscores
UMKC’s commitment to being a 100 percent
recyclable and compostable campus.
Other efforts by Sodexo to meet the UMKC
goal include recycling all paper, cardboard and
cans, using recycled napkins and composting
about 90 percent of all food waste.
“Sodexo has trained all our front-line employees
and provided containers at all work locations to
use food wastage,” Singh said.
Singh said Dining Services is always looking
for more ways to be environmentally friendly and
hopes efforts will make campus better for students.
“The switchover is good for the awareness that
Sodexo brings to UMKC and to the students,”
Singh said. “Sodexo is an international solution
company and we have been trying to improve new
and different items daily.”
[email protected]
Asst. News Editor
Last year, UMKC ranked 49th place in
the RecycleMania competition. A goal to
place in the top-5 in 2012 has been set.
The 516 participating North American
universities will begin the competition on
Feb. 5.
RecycleMania, which runs through
March 31, is used to benchmark “college
and university recycling programs to
promote waste reduction activities,”
according to the RecycleMania website.
Past surveys have shown that 80 percent
of RecycleMania participants schools saw
recycling increase during the competition.
“UMKC will compete against hundreds
of other universities nationwide in
collecting as many recyclables as possible
throughout our campus,” said UMKC
Sustainability Intern and a senior Urban
Planning & Design major, Grace Bennett.
During the competition, universities
track recycling and trash from their
campus. Schools are ranked based on
the collection of recyclables per capita,
the total amount of recyclables, the least
amount of trash per capita and the highest
recycling rate.
“[We] strive to raise awareness on
environmental and conservation issues,
reduce waste and increase recycling across
campus,” Bennett said. “This is a fun and
easy event to achieve the goals. [It’s] as
easy as tossing a recyclable item in the
recycling bin.”
To encourage competition, Bennett said
the UMKC Sustainability will pick up
recycling bins as usual, with extra pickup
for departments that request it. The weight
measurements are sent to the school from
the company contracted to do its recycling.
This year’s events will include Wasteless Wednesdays, on which UMKC
Sustainability will organize events in
the Student Union during lunch hours.
These events include some promotional
giveaways and outreach.
RecycleMania was first started in
February 2001 by Ed Newman of Ohio
University and Stacy Edmonds Wheeler
of Miami University with the goal of
increasing recycling on their campuses.
Since then, the 10-week competition
between Miami University and Ohio
University has spread to other universities.
[email protected]
UMKC Sustainability garners awards
Kynslie Otte
Staff Writer
The Building Services’
commitment to sustainable
environmental practices is
threefold.
“We invest in the future by
being committed to protect
the environment, campus
resources and campus and local
communities through best
practices,” said the Building
Services’ website.
This new drive toward
sustainability is one of the
reasons why the
Green
Cleaning Awards (GCA) 2011
Higher Education Honorable
Mention was given to UMKC.
Cited by the American School
and University Magazine
(ASUM)
were
UMKC’s
“campus-wide
recycling
efforts, Environmental Studies
Student
Association
and
UMKC Sustainability Team,
a faculty/staff group that
publicizes green cleaning and
sustainability efforts.”
Other awards that have
been given to UMKC
recently include Bridging The
Gap, Inc.’s “Environmental
Excellence Award,” a place
on the Sierra Club’s “Cool
School 100 Top Universities”
and a designation as a “Best
Program” by Mid America
Regional Council-Solid Waste
Management District.
UMKC was also featured in
Greenability Magazine as the
“greenest” regional university.
“We’ve got a pretty
good system,” Operations
Coordinator Matt Chiesi said
of the green seal-certified soap
dispensers used in all campus
restrooms.
“We’ve
been
following along with Building
Services. It allows us to use less
chemicals.”
Chiesi
said
more
improvements will come in the
near future.
Continued on Page 4
News|3
Jan. 30, 2012
Black History Month
Civil Rights lawyer delivers keynote address
Luke Harman
Sports Editor
The fourth annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Keynote Address took place on Friday at the
Student Union, attracting a diverse audience
of 400.
The keynote speaker of the night was Dr.
Michelle Alexander, a civil rights lawyer,
advocate, legal scholar and current Ohio
State University professor, who teaches at the
Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and
Ethnicity there. Alexander presented details
of her lecture, what she labels "the issue of
the New Jim Crow Laws".
Alexander’s first book in 2010 is titled
“The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in
the Age of Colorblindness.”
The publication and her Soros Justice
Fellowship, received in 2005, was the
foundation for Alexander’s keynote address.
Alexander tackled issues of wrongful
imprisonment,
misidentification,
the
struggles previously incarcerated members of
the public go through to gain employment
after their release and possible holes in the
United States legal system.
While Dr. Alexander examines race, class
and gender with respect to U.S. history and
society, she also incorporated these ideas
in terms of their impact on current issues
within the U.S. in an attempt to increase the
awareness, understanding and "undeniability"
of the very issues which affect society.
Alexander impressed the attentive
audience with her own, personal experience.
She helped to lead a national campaign
against racial profiling by law enforcement
during her time as Director of the Racial
Justice Project for the ACLU of Northern
California and the ideas she shared with the
audience were emotion-filled and heartfelt
as she expressed her desire to "impact the
racial discriminations within what should be
a modern justice system.”
Dr. Alexander not only provided an
opportunity to learn more about the U.S.
legal system and its effect on communities
of color, but also incorporated the legacy of
King into her lecture.
She forced the crowd to question its own
role in working towards a more just society
and expressing the freedoms of this nation
to make society work for us all as a "solitary
community and not just for ones own
personal satisfaction".
Alexander discussed the Midwest
Innocence Project, a non-profit organization
dedicated to providing pro-bono legal and
investigative services for people wrongly
convicted and imprisoned, as well as the Jobs
for Justice program which aims at providing
ex-felons with working opportunies
nationwide. The keynote lecture ended with a
positive reception from the audience for Dr.
Alexander.
The annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Keynote Lecture, which was sponsored
by UMKC’s Division of Diversity, Access
and Equity (DAE), was a success, and after
such a large turnout, should continue to be
successful in years to come.
[email protected]
Director of the Henry W. Bloch School of Managament’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Michael Song, Ph.D.
photo courtesy of The Bloch School
The Bloch School’s Entrepreneurship and
Innovation program honored
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
The UMKC Institute for Entrepreneurship
and Innovation (IEI) entrepreneurship MBA
emphasis was awarded the 2012 National
Model Graduate Entrepreneurship Program
from the United States Association for Small
Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE).
According to its website, The IEI
“inspires and nurtures future generations of
entrepreneurs, delivering transformational
entrepreneurship education and experiences
university-wide.” Both the IEI and MBA
program are housed inside of the The Henry
W. Bloch School of Management.
“The significance of being recognized
by an institution like USASBE as a model
program is twofold,” said Teng-Kee Tan, dean
of the Bloch School. “First, it confirms the
excellence of our program across all key areas.
Second, this award positions us as a national
model that other institutions can adopt in
their schools to build excellent programs for
their region. This encourages investment in
this institution so that we continue to become
a national entrepreneurship education model
for others across the country to emulate.”
There were seven standards that were used
to gauge the strengths of the programs, such
as breaking edge program components, the
overall strength of the faculty teaching at
the school, the comprehensiveness of the
program, and the connectivity of the students
in the program on the entrepreneurial field
and Kansas City.
Continued on Page 5
Trivia Night to benefit
School of Law’s Child
and Family Services
Clinic
Kara Hart
Asst. News Editor
The UMKC Family Law Society will
host its second annual Trivia Night at 6 p.m.
on Feb. 10 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
(11 E. 40th St.).
The event costs $200 for a table of eight,
with proceeds benefiting the UMKC Child
and Family Services Clinic.
A silent auction and raffle will raise
additional money. Door prizes will also be
given out.
“Contestants do not need to have a
legal background to attend,” according to
a UMKC press release. “Questions are not
specific to the legal community, but will
cover a wide range of pop culture.”
Established in 2001, the Clinic has
worked with more than 600 children while
giving law students experience working with
clients. Students in the clinic work under
faculty, teaming up with area attorneys
and child welfare agencies to work in areas
of child probation, legal guardianship,
adoption, paternity, child custody, support
and visitation, divorce and modifications.”
Students in the Clinic learn about
Missouri’s child protection system and the
juvenile court through hands-on experience.
Students receive additional training from
experts in domestic violence, drug testing
and welfare programs.
In April, the Clinic will partner with area
agencies to present programs in its annual
recognition of Child Abuse Awareness
Month.
Contestants may RSVP for the Trivia
Night by emailing umkcfamilylaw@umkc.
edu or contacting Laura Byerley at 816235-1592 or [email protected].
[email protected]
For more news, go to...
www.unews.com
4|News
Vol. 79, Issue 19
Police Blotter
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
Jan. 20
10:59 a.m.
Larceny
Officers contacted roommates in regards
to a theft of a student’s sweatpants and
a button up shirt in Johnson Hall.
1:58 p.m.
Fraud
A student was scammed via email
and filed a report at the International
Student House.
Jan. 21
2:11 p.m.
Burglary
The students returned to their study
room in the Law School and found
their textbooks missing.
Jan. 22
2:22 p.m.
Warrant Arrest
Officers stopped a suspicious party
who had a felony warrant at Oak Place
Apartments.
Jan. 23
9:13 p.m.
Burglary
A student reported $30 missing from
her wallet at Johnson Hall.
11:29 a.m.
Passing Bad Checks
Officers took a report of a party who
purchased items with an insufficient
funds check at the University Bookstore.
3:25 p.m. Larceny
A student’s unattended iphone was
reported missing at the Law School.
Jan. 24
10:29 p.m.
Assault
A student reported being struck
multiple times by her boyfriend in
Johnson Hall.
Jan. 25
11:26 p.m.
Telephone Threat
Parking
Operations
at
the
Administrative
Center
reported
someone threatening to hunt down
their employees.
12:38 p.m.Larceny
An employee reported a cordless
drill missing from the back of the
University vehicle in Parking Area 16.
3:35 p.m. Smell Of Smoke
Officers and Fire were called due to the
heavy smell of smoke in the Performing
Arts Center.
Jan. 26
10:13 a.m.
Violation
of
University Rules and Regulations
Parking Operations booted a vehicle for
a fake permit at Oak Place Parking.
6:28 p.m.
Larceny
A student left his iphone at the Miller
Nichols Library and returned to find it
missing.
[email protected]
‘Green Clean:’
Cost effective
Eco-friendly cleaning
Nathan Zoschke
Production Manager/Copy Editor
In 2007, UMKC decided to shelve the cleaner it had used for years
in favor of eco-friendly cleaners. The new system, now required by
Building Services, was coined “Green Clean,” and is now used to clean
43 buildings on campus.
“The products do a great job of cleaning, shining and disinfecting,”
said Velda Robins, interim manager of Building Services, “You can’t
argue with that.”
The American School & University Magazine (ASUM) recently
acknowledged UMKC as one of 10 U.S. universities to receive the 2011
Green Cleaning Award.
Building Services has trained 275 employees through the Green
Housekeeper Program Certification. The certificate has been made
a requirement for eligible employees to advance in Building Service
positions.
“Since the implementation of the green cleaning program, hundreds
of toxic chemicals have been eliminated from use on campus and have
been replaced with just three daily cleaners with environmentally
friendly ingredients,” ASUM said of UMKC.
Many of the chemicals used in these chemical-based cleaners are not
required to be on the label in some states, according to Terri Bennett’s
Huffington Post article “Chemicals In Your Home: How Do They Get
There?”
Some of the chemicals in the cleaners are also flammable. A 5-year
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study found concentrations
of 20 toxic compounds were as many as 200 times higher in the air
inside homes and offices than outdoors.
Use of eco-friendly cleaning supplies is seen as a way to not only
improve the air but also a way to potentially improve the health of
students and staff.
The switch to green cleaning supplies has also been a financially
green decision.
This switch has halved the amount spent on cleaners, a reduction
from $300,000 in 2008 to $140,000 in 2011 for the green cleaners and
A Campus Facilities employee using the eco-friendly cleaning products.
photo courtesy of UMKC Public Relations
Green Seal-certified hand soap.
There has also been a decrease in the number of serious employee
injuries from slips and falls. There were 462 lost hours in 2007 and only
80 lost hours January through August 2011, that is a mere 17 percent
of the previous amount.
Individual complaints about the sub-par quality of air and asthma
and respiratory problems have also decreased.
In addition to the changed cleaning liquids, for the last two years,
custodians also use microfiber towels and flat mops instead of disposable
cleaning towels and string mops and buckets.
“[The microfiber towels] are not disposable and will stand up
to repeated washings,” Robins said. “Soon all the bathroom towel
dispensers will be automatic. They need little maintenance and dispense
towels one at a time. We have made ergonomic changes, too. Crews
have lighter-weight equipment and tools that require less force to use.”
One complaint about green cleaning supplies is the lack of fragrance.
“Like most of us, [those who complained about the lack of fragrance]
connect a floral or pleasant chemical aroma with cleanliness,” said
Corey Key, former head of Building Services and Grounds. “My task is
to convince them that if we don’t smell anything, the unpleasant odors
are gone and the products are doing the job.”
[email protected]
Sustainability: Continued from Page 2
Mulching mowers that use the grass
clippings as mulch for the lawns have been
adapted.
In addition, the school has worked to
provide clean transportation alternatives.
The $14 per semester flat rate bus pass fee
allows students to use their ID’s to ride any
KCATA Metro or Max bus.
A bicycle rental program at Swinney
Recreation Center also encourages clean
commuting.
Kaye Johnson, Sustainability Coordinator
for Dining Services, said Dining Services has
reduced the amount of waste and increased
recycling as part of the Sustainability Goals
for Zero Waste.
Food Services also supports the UMKC
Garden Collective, serving produce from
a local, student-lead community garden.
Compostable straws and bulk condiments,
recent additions to Food Services this
semester, are seen as green-friendly steps.
Johnston said Food Services’ next step is to
purchase more locally-grown food.
In the past several years, Dining Services
has greened up the cafeteria by providing
cage-free eggs, composting pre-consumer
food waste and oil and using 100 percent
recyclable napkins and biodegradable cups
and utensils.
The 2010 opening of the Student Union
also meant a commitment to green.
The use of timers on lights in the Student
Union minimized electricity consumption.
Compositing bins in both the Student Union
and University Center Cafeteria minimize
food waste.
Bookstore
manager
Chris
Wolfe
highlighted some of the contributions his
department has made to green:
“We have a cardboard compactor in the
back where we crush cardboard and recycle,
where previously it all just went right to the
trash. We used to buy packing material in
order to ship books back to the publisher, but
now we save the packing material that comes
in. We have more space in this location, so
now we’re able to store it and reuse it.”
Wolfe said that on Earth Day, April 22 of
each year, the Bookstore hands out trees that
are native to Missouri. Every work station is
also provided with a recycling bin for paper
and cardboard materials.
UMKC sees its commitment to
sustainability as not only the “green” thing to
do, but also as a publicity tool.
The school’s many awards have been
publicized through local media, with
presentations given to the KC Chamber of
Commerce, Green Fest, Earth Day and U. S.
Green Building Council (USGBC), among
others.
Johnson emphasized the contribution
students make toward a greener campus “by
reusing, recycling and composting as much as
possible.”
“It is important for students to encourage
their peers to take a moment and put
recyclables in the recycling containers, and
compost in the compost container,” she said,
when asked what students can do to promote
green.
[email protected]
Jan. 30, 2012
In pictures: Going green at UMKC
1.
2.
3.
5.
4.
1. A
solar compactor uses renewable
energy from the sun to compact trash.
2. E
co-friendly green cleaners used by
UMKC custodial staff.
3. S
kylights in the Student Union reduce
electricity consumption by using natural
light.
4. A
rain garden creates an aestheticallypleasing space and helps rainwater
reabsorb into the ground.
5. A
UMKC sustainability truck.
6. R
ain barrels help reabsord water
collected from gutters around campus
into the ground.
7. C
ompostable straws now used by Food
Services are twice as expensive as
normal plastic straws, but are seen as
worth the cost.
Photos by Lindsay Adams
6.
7.
News|5
Bloch School:
Continued from
Page 3
In the past few years The Bloch School
and IEI have been recognized within
the top 25 in the nation by The Princeton
Review, for both the undergraduate and
graduate programs.
As Mara Rose Williams wrote in The
Kansas City Star, “Accolades keep coming
for the University of Missouri-Kansas
City Institute for Entrepreneurship at the
Bloch Business school of Management.”
The Bloch School of Management also
ranked first in the country in innovation
management research, according to The
Kansas City Business Journal. The school beat out 624 programs from
other universities. Each university was
thoroughly evaluated by The Journal of
Product Innovation Management.
This award was thanks in part to
research done by three entrepreneurship
faculty members, including the executive
director of the IEI, Michael Song. Song
is the No. 1 scholar in the world on
innovation management.
Song’s research includes such fields
as
technological
entrepreneurship,
judging the value or lack thereof
of new undertakings and emergent
technologies, assessing the risk for such
ventures, finding new ways to measure
the values of new technology and R&D
projects, as well as the management of a
technological portfolio.
According to his UMKC faculty page,
“Based on a data set consisting of more
than 3,000 new technologies development
and commercialization, he has developed
several global benchmark models of new
product development process designs.
He has also developed a technology risk
assessment model and option approach
to evaluate new technologies and start-up
companies.”
Included in the Greater Kansas City
Chamber of Commerce’s Big 5 initiatives
is the goal to make Kansas City the
nation’s strongest entrepreneurial city.
“UMKC is committed to the
importance of entrepreneurship education
and infusing an entrepreneurial and
innovative mindset across all disciplines,
including law, engineering, health sciences,
public administration, performing arts and
others. This drives UMKC to be one of the
central pillars in the Kansas City Chamber
of Commerce’s Big 5 initiatives along with
6|News
Vol. 79, Issue 19
Black History Month
Black history is still overlooked, scholars say
Louis Trigg
Staff Writer
When Dr. Carter G. Woodson pioneered
Negro History Week in 1926, he and other
scholars observed the week that included
the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and
Frederick Douglass, then perhaps the two
most influential historical figures in African
-American history.
Woodson created the week to acknowledge
the contributions of black people in America,
which he found had been overlooked.
In his book “The Mis-Education of the
Negro,” Woodson wrote:
“The so-called modern education, with
all its defects, however, does others so much
more good than it does the Negro, because
it has been worked out in conformity to
the needs of those who have enslaved and
oppressed weaker peoples.”
Nearly nine decades later, debate
still remains about whether or not the
educational system has been perverted to
exclude the acknowledgement of American
achievements and contributions made by
black people.
In 1986, the first year Dr. Martin King
Jr. Day was recognized as a federal holiday,
President Ronald Reagan addressed
Left: W. E. B. DuBois, a
prominent writer.
Second left: Frederick
Douglass,
an
abolitionist.
Center: Ida B. Wells, a
journalist.
Second right: E. Franklin
Frazier, a sociologist.
Right: Harold Cruse,
a pioneer of AfricanAmerican studies.
Source: Google Images
the exclusion by issuing Presidential
Proclamation 5443.
The proclamation proclaimed “the
foremost purpose of Black History Month is
to make all Americans aware of this struggle
for freedom and equal opportunity.”
“Black history is a book rich with the
American experience but with many pages
yet unexplored,” Reagan wrote.
In modern times, scholars explain the
lack of familiarity with black history at the
university-level by describing a two-tier
account of American history.
At an annual meeting of the Organization
of American Historians in 2003, University
of Michigan History Professor Kevin Gaines
said the bifurcation of American history and
African American history is a real concern
for the educational system.
“African American history is American
history,” said Dr. Clovis Semmes, hrofessor
and director of the Black Studies Program
at UMKC. “The problem is the AfricanAmerican experience is always considered to
be of less importance.”
The advent of programs like the Black
Studies Program at UMKC and other
schools has brought academic attention to
black history, but the question remains as to
whether those programs are sufficient.
Anthony Shiu, assistant professor of
English Language and Literature, said the
problem is compounded by K-12 schools that
don’t adequately cover African-American
history.
“There are always concerns about
progress, especially since students, for the
most part, don’t have a chance to engage
in the deep study of these fields but, rather,
have to experience a curriculum that tends to
see African American history and literature
as ‘additions’ to the curriculum instead of
viewing them as basic fundamentals that
deserve more time and attention,” Shiu said.
Some scholars have also questioned the
lack of black study course requirements.
Semmes believes an introductory class
should be required, at least.
“We need to learn all of these things to
understand fully the human experience and
to bring to bear the reality of this so-called
ideal of equality, democracy,” he said.
[email protected]
Women’s Center celebrates 40th anniversary with
community events
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
The UMKC Women’s Center is
commemorating its long run as one of the
oldest university women’s centers in the U.S.
and the second oldest in the Midwest. It was
founded in 1971 and has given 40 years of
service to UMKC and the community.
“This is an important anniversary not just
for UMKC, but also for the community,”
said S. Sloane Simmons and Bill Smith,
co-chairs of the 40th Anniversary Planning
Committee. “UMKC and the Women’s
Center matter to all of Kansas City – which
is why we have worked hard to include all
of the community in the 40th anniversary
celebrations.”
Three events are planned this semester
to celebrate their anniversary, they are part
of a yearlong celebration that started in
September with the event, Quilts on the
Quad.
The first is an art exhibit, “Stitches: An
Exhibit of Textiles” by Nedra Bonds, which
is featuring the Women’s Equity Quilt.
Women artists from around the country
added to the art piece, each sewing one square
of the collective quilt. The exhibit begins
with a 5:30 p.m. reception on Thursday, Feb.
2. It will be held in the
second floor Dean’s
Gallery of the Miller
Nichols Library, 800 E.
51st St., Kansas City,
Mo. 64110. The event
is free. The exhibit runs
from Feb. 2-April 13.
This exhibit was
created to commemorate
the 40th Anniversary.
The reception will
include a play inspired
by the quilt, inspired
from interviews and
writings
of
those
that contributed to
the work. The play Nedra Bonds with Kathleen Shaw, author of “Stiches” at the Quilts on
the Quad event celbrating the Women’s Center 40th anniversery.
is written by local
photo courtesy Google Images
playwright and UMKC
University Libraries, UMKC Department
alumna Kathleen Shaw.
It is produced by Professor Jennifer Martin, of Theater, UMKC Conservatory of Music
a faculty member in the Theatre Department and Dance, the ArtsKC Fund, and the Her
and features students in the Undergraduate Art Project
The second event is the Women’s Center
Theatre Program. The dance accompaniment
to the play will feature students from “Vanguards and Visionaries” reception.
the UMKC Conservatory of Theater and This exhibit features several local female
artists that have helped to shape the visual
Dance.
The new exhibit is co-sponsored by arts of Kansas City over the past several
decades. This event will ake place at 5:30
p.m. on Thursday, March 1 at the LeedyVoulkos Arts Center at 2012 Baltimore,
Kansas City, Mo. 64108. The free reception
will commemorate the past leaders at the
UMKC Women’s Center. The reception will
allow attendees to meet the former directors,
staff and members of the Chancellor›s
Advisory Board to the Women’s Center, as
well as observation the exhibit Vanguards
and Visionaries. · The final event of the yearlong honoring
of the 40th year of the Women’s Center is the
Women’s Center 40th Anniversary Gala. It
will occur on Friday, April 20 at 7 p.m. at
the River Market Event Place at 140 Walnut
Street, Kansas City, Mo. 64106. There will
be a silent auction for whose attending to
participate. Guests will be serenaded by the
music of the Barclay Martin Ensemble. They
will play the premiere of a new piece that
was written specifically for this event. All
proceeds from the gala will go to the UMKC
Women’s Center’s programs and services.
Individual ticket prices for the Gala begin
at $20 for UMKC students and $65 for
others.
[email protected]
News|7
Jan. 30, 2012
Tennis
Roos compete against
top opposition in Oregon
Kyle Martin
Staff Writer
The Men’s Tennis team travelled to do
battle with Portland, No. 56 Idaho and No.
75 Oregon this past weekend in Portland
and Eugene, Ore.
The Roos (0-4) dropped all three of their
contests as they were blown away by No. 75
Oregon (3-0) on Sunday and then fell at
No. 56 Idaho (3-1) on Saturday, after their
previous day defeat to Portland (2-0) on a
testing weekend that proved to be extremely
tough competition for the Blue & Gold.
UMKC 0 – 6 No. 75 Oregon
Against the Oregon Ducks in Eugene,
Ore., the Roos were simply outclassed, both
technically and athletically as they fell 0-6
to a far superior team who warrant their
national ranking. Summit League Player of
the Year Nino Hasandedic fell at the No. 1
line to Duck Alex Rovello 6-3, 6-0, while
in-form Roo Junior Grant Fleming’s efforts
still proved futile at No. 2 as came up short
against Robin Cambier, 6-2, 6-3.
In the contest, the Roos failed to win
a single set, falling in straight sets in
both doubles and singles play albeit the
doubles games were more competitive and
encouraging from a UMKC standpoint.
UMKC 0 – 4 No. 56 Idaho
For their first battle in Eugene, Ore., the
Roos came up against an in-form Idaho
Vandals outfit. While the scoreboard does
in fact make for bleak reading, it does not
accurately reflect the Roo efforts in the game.
Fleming (line 2), Senior Gustavo Guerin
(line 6) and Freshman Conner Edwards
(line 5) were all ahead in their matches,
but the damage had already been done as
Hasandedic, and Sophomore’s Tomas Patino
and Cameron Schoenhofer had already been
defeated in straight sets and the matches in
which the three led remained unfinished.
In the doubles matches, the Roos
continued to struggle as all three of their
lines fell in their contest with their Vandal
opponents.
UMKC 1 – 6 Portland
Before setting of for Eugene, Ore., the
Roos faced Portland in Portland, Ore. on
Friday morning. Despite a win from Fleming
at the No. 2 line, the Pilots came out on top
in a 6-1 victory.
Hasandedic again struggled at the No. 1
line, losing 6-4, 6-3 to Michel Hu Kwo, while
Patino fell 7-5, 6-4 at No.3 and Schoenhofer
was defeated 6-1, 6-3 at No. 5.
The best performance of the day came
from Fleming, who defeated Idaho Pilots’
Stefan Micov 6-4, 7-5 in a lengthy and
testing encounter.
In doubles play, Fleming and Junior David
Heckler lost 8-1 at No. 1, while Sophomore
Max Helgeson and Guerin were beaten 8-2
at No. 3. The combination of Hasandedic
and Schoenhofer almost proved a masterstroke but they were narrowly beaten 8-7 in
an intense doubles battle.
Looking to bounce back from last
weekends’ defeats and hoping to register
their first win of the season, the Blue & gold
will travel to Omaha, Neb. for a contest with
Creighton on Feb. 9.
[email protected]
Upcoming events
Women’s Basketball
Southern Utah
Cedar City, Utah
Jan. 30
8 p.m.
South Dakota
Vermillion, S.D.
Feb. 4
5 p.m.
Vermillion, S.D.
Feb. 4
7:30 p.m.
Men’s Basketball
South Dakota
Track & Field
Shocker Quad & Multi-Meet
Wichita, KS.
Feb. 3-4
8|Sports
Vol. 79, Issue 19
Track & Field
Distance
Runners
impress in
Jayhawk
Classic
Kyle Martin
Staff Writer
The track and field team competed in the Jayhawk
Classic, hosted by the University of Kansas on Friday
in Lawrence.
Junior Autumn Scott finished 1st in the women’s
600-yard run with a time of 1:27.78, while sophomore
Veronica Rollins placed 2nd with a school-best 1:25.68
in her respective session.
Johnathon Barnett placed 2nd in the men’s 600-yard
run with a time of 1:16.73. In a later session of the same
event, senior Redell Frazier recorded the third best
performance in UMKC indoor track and field history
as he clocked in at 1:12.99.
The Roos were impressive throughout the invitational,
particularly in the distance events.
In the men’s 3,000 meters event, sophomore Alloch
Burton finished 3rd with a personal-best 8:54.81 in
the morning event, while reigning Summit League
Champion Cosmos Ayabei followed up in the evening
event with an astonishing time of 8:29.60 to take 1st
place. Ayabei now hold four of the top-five best indoor
performances in this event in UMKC history.
In the women’s mile, senior Jylian Jaloma finished 1st
as she clocked 5:04.66 for the second best performance
in school indoor history. Another second-best
performance in school history was from senior Aubrey
Frederking as she came in at 3:00.27 in the women’s
1,000 meters, which was enough to clinch 3rd place.
In both men and women’s distance medleys, the
Roos finished in 2nd place with times of 10:18.78 and
12:28.51 respectively.
In the field events, the women’s side seen Freshman
Briana Carter place 5th in the “Flight One” triple-jump
with a personal best mark of 38-00.75 (11.60 meters),
while Senior Denise Branda finished in 3rd position
in the weight throw as she marked 54-01.75 (16.50
meters).
On the men’s side, the Roos proved dominant in
the weight throw as sophomore Kris Leverette and
junior Ramon Nelson clinched 1st and 2nd in the
event. Leverette’s monstrous mark of 57-10.05 (17.64
meters) was the best by any Roo performer so far this
season, while Nelson’s 57-02.00 (17.42 meters) wasn’t
far behind.
Next on the agenda for the track and field Roos is the
Shocker Quad & Multi-Meet event, hosted by Wichita
State Feb. 3-4 in Wichita, Kan.
[email protected]
Rugby team finds its niche on campus
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
Rugby has been struggling to
compete and thrive on the UMKC
campus for approximately three years.
“I believe it is important to establish
our team on campus because it is a
contact sport which we do not have,”
said Aaron Dzik, a member of the
UMKC Rugby team. “People enjoy
watching football on Saturdays, but our
school lacks a football team, so why not
replace it with a more aggressive sport
which provides the same quality of
athletes for a very enjoyable watch?”
Doing so, however, has been an
uphill climb. The rugby team has had
trouble recruiting new members due
to the relative obscurity of the sport to
many people, and the popular thought
that rugby is a rough and dangerous
game. According to Dzik, the most
rugby is shown in the sports media is
the “occasional highlight of someone
getting hurt on ESPN, which promotes
the idea that it is a very dangerous sport
which will guarantee injury for anyone
who plays. However more players are
seriously injured while participating in a
football game than a rugby game.”
Rugby has been given more of a focus
in recent years, due to multiple films’
releases that feature the sport, such as
“Invictus” and “Forever Strong”
“I love playing because it is a unique
sport that doesn’t get a lot of recognition
at the moment but is rapidly growing
throughout the United States as of
recent years,” Dzik said.
However, the rugby team is closer
to establishing themselves for good on
the UMKC campus than they have ever
been. The new year has finally given the
rugby team some new recruits. The team
has enough players to participate in
multiple tournaments this Spring. One
of the tournaments is as soon as Feb.
3-4 at the Kansas City Soccer Dome.
“In one word I would describe my
rugby experiences as unforgettable,”
said Dzik, “I decided to play rugby here
because I wanted to use my abilities
to help establish a team for future
students.”
It seems as though UMKC Rugby is
finally on its way to becoming a stronger
presence on campus.
[email protected]
Softball host American Red
Cross Blood Drive in memory
of ‘Shonda’ Stanley
Luke Harman
Sports Editor
The UMKC Softball Team will be
hosting a blood-drive in memory of
former-player Rashonda Stanley who
passed away in early October last year.
The Drive will be run by the American
Red Cross and is an effort by the
UMKC Athletics Department to appeal
for blood donations to help those in
need in the remembrance of their fallen
teammate, friend and family member.
Softball star Chelsea Hartwig is the
athlete voice and coordinator of the
event. When asked of the importance of
donating this coming Monday, Hartwig
simply responds that “there is always a
need for blood, each donation can save
up to three lives”. With Shonda’s recent
loss so close to home here on campus,
Hartwig states that Shonda was “always
working to help others, whether it was
by joining the bone marrow registry,
doing community service or her future
pledge to donate her kidney to someone
in need”. “We, as a team, felt this Blood
Drive would be a great way to help those
in need, in memory of the person who
was always doing just that”, Hartwig
said.
So why come on out to donate?
Hartwig and the UMKC Softball team
believe the better question is “Why not?”
and would like to express their deepest
appreciatiation in advance for all those
who will attend Monday’s event.
The Drive will be held at the North
Lobby of the Swinney Recreation
Center, located at 5030 Holmes
Street, on Monday Jan. 30 and will
run from 9.00am until 2.00pm. Walkups are welcome, but potential donors
are encouraged to sign-up for an
appointment time so as to avoid any
long waits. Appointments will take place
every 15 minutes starting at 9.00am.
[email protected]
Sports|9
Jan. 30, 2012
Women’s basketball
Team still on track for Summit League
Championship despite two straight losses
Kyle Martin
Staff Writer
The women’s basketball team’s Summit
League record took a hit this week as it
fell to 5-5 for the season after defeats to
the Western Illinois Leathernecks and the
Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. The Roos (148, 5-5 in Summit League play) currently
sit in 5th position in the standings as they
aim to cement their place in the post-season
championship.
Oral Roberts 83- UMKC 70
In Saturday evening’s contest with the Oral
Roberts Golden Eagles, the Roos fell. Three
players posted career-high rebounds in
the game as the Roos outrebounded their
opponents 53-33 in Tulsa, Okla.
Junior Kim Nezianya collected her fourth
double-double of the season as she led the
Roos with 14 points and a career-high 15
rebounds. Senior Dayon Hall-Jones also
recorded 14 points, while guards LeAndrea
Thomas and Eilise O’Connor produced 11
and 10 points respectively.
The Golden Eagles (14-7, 8-2 in Summit
League play), who are currently in second
place in the Summit League behind the 9-1
South Dakota State Jackrabbits, were led by
an unstoppable Kevi Luper as she collected
31 points on the night.
At the half, the Roos only trailed 31-27
despite only shooting 1 for 14 from threepoint range. While the Roos battled back
and put the home side under pressure for
the majority of the second half, it was the
Golden Eagles’ efficiency towards the end
of the contest which proved vital. With
just under three minutes left to play, Oral
Roberts increased its lead to a game-high 19
points after an excellent 12-2 run and while
the Roos answered with a 10-4 run to close
out the game, the margin was just too great.
Western Illinois 66- UMKC 63
In Monday night’s home contest with
the Western Illinois Leathernecks, the Roos
came out on the wrong end. The game was
perhaps the most tense contest seen at the
Swinney Recreation Center this season
as both teams matched each other both
offensively and defensively for the duration
of the night.
Sophomore guard O’Connor was on
fire, draining 18 points and adding seven
rebounds and three assists to the Roo cause.
Hall-Jones added 12, while sophomore
center Ashli Hill hit 10.
After trailing for the entire first half, the
Roos netted the last seven points of the
period to take a 35-32 lead into intermission.
The Foreign Language Academy drill
team graced the Swinney Recreation Center
crowd with a half-time performance filled
with drumming and dances, and while the
players applauded, the entertainers’ exit from
the court was little to smile about during
the next few agonizing minutes as the
Leathernecks went on an 11-0 run.
The visitors built a game-high five-point
lead, before Roo Kaycie Boyles reduced the
lead to the Roos’ 62-60.
The Roos’ three-point attempt was off
target as they missed their chance to send
the game into overtime.
The Blue & Gold will now hit the road
for games at Southern Utah in Cedar City,
Utah on Jan. 30 before facing South Dakota
in Vermillion, S.D. on Feb. 4.
[email protected]
Men’s basketball
Team struggles to maintain form with two defeats
Kyle Martin
Staff Writer
The men’s basketball team suffered
consecutive road defeats against the
Southern Utah Thunderbirds and the Oral
Roberts Golden Eagles. The team now
currently sits in the last remaining Summit
League Championship qualification spot to
9-15, with a 3-9 record in Summit League.
Southern Utah 57- UMKC 47
Oral Roberts 77- UMKC 67
On Saturday night the Roos fell to the
Summit Leagues’ only remaining undefeated
team, the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles in
Tulsa, Okla. The league leaders improved to
20-4 (12-0 in Summit League play) and are
now in the driving seat to take the Summit
League regular season honors as their recent
13-game win-streak leaves them three games
clear of South Dakota State, which sits in
second place with a 9-2 record.
The Roos battled throughout the contest
and had four players score double-digits.
Sophomore forward Trinity Hall led the
Roos with 17 points, while senior guard
Reggie Chamberlain added 16 of his own.
The ever-improving Junior Staton Thomas
netted 15, while Kirk Korver scored 13.
After a slow start, which saw the Roos fall
The towering Summit League leaders
recovered and kept the Roos at bay for the
rest of the game and took the contest by 10
points while shooting a blistering 60 percent
from the field.
Senior Reggie Chamberlain driving forward against Golden Eagles player at Saturday’s game.
photo courtesy of UMKC Althetics
behind 12-2 within the opening minutes,
the Roos clawed back into contention as
they drew to within four midway through
the first half. However, the star on the night
was Golden Eagle Dominique Morrison as
he hit an 28 points in the contest, and it was
his fine scoring which took the home side
into intermission 36-25 to the good.
In the second half, the Roos matched their
opponents stride for stride and a 15-2 run
in the space of three minutes reduced the
deficit to 53-51.
In Thursday night’s battle with Southern
Utah in Cedar City, Utah, the Roos fell 4757 to the fourth-place Thunderbirds (12-10,
7-5 in Summit League play).
Chamberlain led the Roos with 17 points
and Korver pitched in with 12 in a game
which was simply thrown away as the Roos
shot 22.7 percent. In the second half , they
scored only 14 points.
At intermission, the Roos seemed to be
in a dominating position as they took a 3320 lead into the locker room. A 13-1 run
from the Thunderbirds quickly changed the
momentum of the game in the beginning
of the second half and the home team never
looked back as it stormed to a 12-point lead.
The Blue & Gold will be now face South
Dakota in Vermillion, S.D. on Feb. 4 as they
look to hold onto that coveted Summit
League Championship playoff spot.
[email protected]
10|Feature
Vol. 79, Issue 19
Jazz Festival to feature
Roy Hargrove
Jazz
Studies
faculty
Douglas Auwarter
Jazz Percussion
Bram Wijnands
Jazz Piano
Bobby Watson
Jazz Studies
Al Pearson
Jazz Trumpet
Michelle Heiman Feature & Chief Copy Editor
Jazz Studies Director Bobby Watson keeps this saxophone, as well as a piano, in his office in the Performing Arts
Center.
photo by Michelle Heiman
A closeup of the
director of jazz studies
Michelle Heiman Feature & Chief Copy Editor
Stan Kessler
Jazz Trumpet
Roger Wilder
Jazz Piano
Rod Fleeman
Jazz Guitar
Gerald Spaits
Jazz Bass
Dan Thomas
Jazz Studies,
Saxophone
Feature11
Jan. 30, 2012
Bobby Watson, the eldest of six boys, graduated
from the University of Miami before moving to New
York City in 1976. It was here, with Art Blakey’s Jazz
Messengers, that he got his start on the big stage. The
Jazz Messengers referred to being educated by Blakey
as the ultimate “postgraduate school,” where young
players earned their “doctorates.”
Watson spent about 25 years in NYC before
coming to UMKC in 2000 with the William D. and
Mary Grant Missouri/Distinguished Professorship
in Jazz Studies. Here, he teaches Jazz Orchestra,
Combo, Composers Workshop Ensemble, Jazz Ear
Training, Improvisation 3 and 4, Jazz Composition,
Independent Study and Research Problems. He also
teaches various clinics and master’s classes around the
world, such as Tucia Jazz in Soriano nel Cimino, Italy
in 2009.
“I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned over the years
with students,” Watson said. “I enjoy seeing the light
bulb go off when they have these epiphanies. And I
try to find something to help each student, because
each student has strengths and weaknesses.”
Outside of UMKC, he tours with his band,
sometimes a quartet, a quintet or a sextet. He also
composes. “I’m always writing,” he said, “trying to get
better.”
From 1979 to 2009, Watson earned 15 honors and
awards, as well as having 10 professional affiliations,
three endorsements, and being the founder and
owner of the New Note Records label and the Lafiya
Music publishing company.
Beyond these accomplishments, Watson still has
several aspirations.
“I would like to be able to write a movie, and
maybe record with strings,” he said. “I would like to
be able to fly first-class everywhere I go.”
He also wants to win a Grammy one day; he already
has three nominations under his belt. Someday, he
wants to receive a Guggenheim too.
Watson’s wife, Pam, is a pianist, singer and
composer. His son Aaron is a sous chef, and his
daughter Lafiya is an online media manager who also
handles websites and photos. Lafiya created a website
for her father, www.bobbywatson.com.
Inside the classroom, Watson said he has a
“metaphysical style.”
“I introduce as much technical information as I
can, but I like to talk about the applications of it over
a period of time,” he said. “I don’t expect students to
master what I give them within a semester, or two, or
in their time here at UMKC.”
Watson also considers himself a part motivational
speaker.
“The ‘final frontier’ is in the mind,” he said. “Change
can happen in a year, month, a week, a day, an hour, a
minute or a second. Your life is never the same after
that, after it ‘clicks,’ as they say.”
[email protected]
The annual Jazz Festival and George Salisbury
Memorial Scholarship Concert will be held at
7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 in the Student Union. Tickets
are required at $10 each, and the proceeds will go
toward the scholarships for Jazz minority students.
“As a strong advocate for music education, and
jazz education, I enjoy seeing the knowledge and
understanding of America’s indigenous art form
being shared and enjoyed by America’s youth,” said
Jazz Studies Assistant Director and instructor Dan
Thomas. “These students gain experience performing
and improvising in front of a new audience as well
as experienced jazz musician/educators.”
The featured guest artist is two-time Grammy
winner Roy Hargrove, trumpet. Hargrove won a
1997 Best Latin Jazz Performancy Grammy with
his band Crisol for the album “Habana.” In 2002,
he won a Best Instrumental Jazz Album, Individual
or Group Grammy with Herbie Hancock and
Michael Break for their collaboration “Directions in
Music.” Hargrove’s first commercial recording was
with Jazz Studies Director Bobby Watson.
“We are very proud that, for the first time in our
history, we will be having two big bands from the
Conservatory perform on the evening concert with
our featured guest,” Thomas said. “The quality of our
program has risen so much and never before have
we had two bands perform in the evening concert.”
The concert will be hosted by Watson and
Thomas. The UMKC Jazz bands will also perform
at the festival.
“What separates UMKC from many festivals
throughout the country is that we are noncompetitive,” Thomas said. “We really want to
emphasize the expressionist and formalist side
of music education. We feel that if we were a
competitive festival, a number of schools would
focus on receiving hardware and might not
explore as much of the repertoire, or take time for
improvisation or creatively interpret the music.”
Visit the central ticket office website for more
tickets and information at: www.umkc.edu/
adminservices/cto.
[email protected]
Jazz Studies Assitant Director Dan Thomas, saxophone, performed at Jazz in Tune in Lincoln, Neb.
photo courtesy of Dan Thomas
Jazz program has friends
Michelle Heiman
Feature & Chief Copy Editor
The Jazz Studies program “is known for helping
each student develop his or her individual sound and
for creating an encouraging environment,” according
to its unofficial website, umkcjazz.posterous.com.
Students from the program have performed at
the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the
North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, and have
earned awards at the University of Notre Dame, the
University of North Texas, Elmhurst College and the
University of North Carolina – Greeley.
There are multiple Jazz performance opportunities
such as the Jazz Combos, the Concert Jazz Band and
the 11 O’clock Jazz Band, for which auditions are
open to all students, regardless of major, just before
the fall semester. The jazz ensembles are part of the
Conservatory’s Instrumental Studies program.
There are several Jazz Combos, led by Adjunct
Instructor Doug Auwarter, Adjunct Instructor
Gerald Spaits, Instructor and Assistant Jazz Studies
Director Dan Thomas, Professor and Jazz Studies
Director Bobby Watson and Adjunct Instructor Bram
Wijnands. Combo rehearsals are twice a week, and
they perform live at local Kansas City jazz clubs, as
well as performing at concerts in the Conservatory.
The Concert Jazz Band, directed by Watson, is
the “flagship jazz ensemble of the Conservatory,”
according to the Conservatory’s Jazz Performance
The Conservatory Jaz Band in front of the Performing Arts Center.
photo courtesy of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Opportunities page. This band consists of five
saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones and the
rhythm of a piano, guitar, bass, drums and percussion.
The 11 o’clock Jazz Band, directed by Thomas,
was formed in 2000. It includes five trumpets, four
trombones, five saxophones, piano, guitar, bass and
drums. This band performs in concerts on and off
campus several times a year.
Spaits teaches the bass students, as well as directing
a combo two times a week. “The level of students has
risen since Bobby’s taken over,” he said. “The kids can
go out and play professionally, and they’re on the right
track.”
Spaits said he likes everything about teaching,
especially “when it works.”
“I like it when they appreciate what I do,” he said.
“And when someone tells me that something I said
helped them.”
Some Jazz students have started a student
organization, The Jazz Collective. According to Senior
Brian Steever, the contact for The Jazz Collective,
the group “exists primarily as a way to get funding
for master classes.” The RooGroups profile says the
group’s purpose is “to seek funding for guest artists
and advertise for their appearances.” Membership
requirements include being a part of the UMKC Jazz
Department.
Jazz Friends, founded in 2000, “aims to encourage
the creative artistry and talent of UMKC Conservatory
students and faculty, heighten the eminence of the
Conservatory’s Jazz Studies Program and celebrate
the legacy of Kansas City jazz.” Scholarships are a
priority for the organization, as are funding for guest
artists, providing unique sheet music for the Concert
Band and helping with financial support so the groups
can travel to national and international competitions.
[email protected]
12|Arts & Entertainment
America I Am:
Vol. 79, Issue 19
The African American Imprint
Kharissa M. Forte
Forum Editor
“What is perceived dismantles the taught
idea of a savage, barbaric people unable to
operate in a refined, cultured manner. In fact,
just the opposite is exposed. “
On October 22, 2011, Union Station
introduced to Kansas City its most racially
radical exhibit to date, America I Am: The
African American Imprint. The display was
presented by Tavis Smiley, a Black author,
advocate, and philanthropist who is popular
Reading
in the time of technology
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
This column is all about books; some
books that have or will spawn television
shows or movies, but still, just books. In
almost all cases, the books are better. If
you’re not a fan of reading or literature, let
me just say that if you think you don’t like
to read, it is probably because you haven’t
found the right book yet.
I have always loved escaping, relaxing and
exploring through reading. Once I started
college, it progressively became more difficult
to find time to read for pleasure on top of
my already heavy literature-class workload.
Many people feel they do not have time
to read a book with busy schedules, and it
discourages them from even starting.
Now for those of you who may be rolling
your eyes and insisting you don’t have the
time, you honestly do. It just requires you to
take a break from other leisure activities. I’ve
realized there is a very simple way to find
time to read for leisure, and it is comprised
of three simple steps.
1. Put away the computer beckoning you to
immerse yourself in social networking and
spoof videos. Even if you intend to buckle
down and really start that book you’ve
been meaning to read for the last month,
you’ll never follow through with reading it
if a friend sends a link with the next viral
video or if you’re Facebook-stalking the
cute guy who sits next to you in literature
class.
2. Put away your phone and iPod. This will
allow you to immerse yourself in a new
world. While you are losing an hour
of texting, emailing, internet chatting,
Angry Birds or Annoying Orange Videos,
the hour spent reading will more than
make up for any possible trauma from
technological withdrawal.
3. Find a quiet space for an hour or so. If
you complete these three steps, you’re all
set.
There is really nothing worse than taking
the time to get into a book, and then having
it disappoint you. Because of the time
commitment it takes to finish a book, the
bad taste it leaves is far bitterer than seeing a
bad movie or television show.
Thus, over the next semester, I will be
reviewing and suggesting great books and
book series that will keep you on the edge
of your seat, guessing whodunit, laughing,
reading at stop signs and other various side
effects of brilliant novels.
Over break I took advantage of the three
weeks by trying to catch up on the reading
I hadn’t kept up on during my semester. I
finally read “Watchmen,” the iconic graphic
novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It
is about a wave of “superheroes” who fight
crime. They are coined the “Watchmen” until
they are torn apart by public fear, their own
deep-seated insecurities and in-fighting.
Once a controversial superhero, The
Comedian, is found murdered, events are
set into motion that bring the “watchmen”
out of hiding, and set a relentless paranoid
vigilante, Rorschach, into a search that
leads to destruction. The nonlinear narrative
sweeps between the many characters, times
and planets. The depth of not only the story,
but the drawing, lends itself to rereading and
discovering the layers that create the novel.
“Watchmen” creates a believable alternate
U.S. history in which the story is set, using
events such as the Vietnam War and The
Cold War as the backdrop. The characters
are compellingly and chillingly drawn,
most notably in the character of Rorschach
whose constantly shifting mask mimics his
inscrutiable psyche. The unfolding of the
story is long and tortured and one of the
more impressive things I have experienced.
This will captivate even those who are not
graphic novel readers.
[email protected]
for his radio shows and television broadcasts.
The forty-seven-year old social leader created
the exhibit to answer a question posed by precivil rights movement forerunner, W.E.B.
DuBois. The question: “Would America
have been America without her negro
people?” Upon visiting, one will conclude a
resounding no.
As onlookers walk into the gallery, they
come face to face with this very question
plastered in big, glowing orange letters on
a wall. After voyaging into small rooms
and hallways with introduction-styled
artifacts, the journey
begins. It starts in
Africa, educating
viewers on the
beauty and riches
of the motherland,
a
name
that
descendants have
affectionately given
to the continent.
Spectators
are
able to admire
original art created
by Belin, Yoruba,
and Mali tribes.
Most importantly,
they are able to
gain insight on an
authentic, civilized
society of people
ruled by kings and
queens
adorned
in stunning attire
and
headdresses.
What is perceived
dismantles the taught idea of a savage,
barbaric people unable to operate in a refined,
cultured manner. In fact, just the opposite is
exposed.
Continuing on, the exhibit commences
the transition Africans that altered their
lives from royalty to ruins. The raw and
harrowing image of metal, rusted chains
forced tightly around the necks, wrists, and
ankles of Africans were carefully concealed
in glass cases; an eerie feeling of the souls of
those who were once coerced to wear them
drifts at each station. Pistols operated to
murder sick slaves, chains, and various types
of whips were also on display. The Middle
Passage sector of the exhibit illustrated the
different places in which kidnapped Africans
were sent to such as South America, North
America, and Jamaica.
The next rooms show several stimulating
personal items. Two frocks once belonging
to Frederick Douglas – a man who escaped
from slavery and became the father of the
civil rights movement – lay next to each other.
Dolls and blankets created by a slave woman
are out for everyone to marvel at, as well. The
rooms also show many different pieces slaves
made: jugs, vases, bowls, and irons. Talented
and skilled, these objects were not kept for
themselves. Masters would take these items
and sell them, pocketing whatever profit was
gained.
As the exhibit persists, the era of freedom
is launched with the flaunting of the
Declaration of Independence (a document
that did not free slaves, but freed America
from British rule. The wording created by
the founders of this
document was used
by many slaves to
petition their rights
as human beings to
be free people), the
13th
Amendment
(ended slavery), 14th
Amendment (gave
Africans citizenship,
making
them
African-Americans),
and
the
15th
Amendment (gave
African-Americans
the right to vote).
Next, the civil
rights movement is
revealed. Astonishing
artifacts are seen
in various rooms.
One of the most
remarkable artifacts
is the journal and
Qur’an belonging to
Malcolm X. Another staggering object is
an original autographed copy of Dr. Martin
Luther King Jr.’s first book, “Stride Toward
Freedom.”
Moving forward, audiences wander into
a startling room with a hanging Ku Klux
Klan robe. A bright, red background hangs
behind the malicious cloak, symbolizing the
countless drops of blood spilled by the hands
of KKK members. The advertising images of
“coons,” “mammies,” and “black-faces” are
also gawked.
Following this daunting corridor, watchers
come into a room filled with spirituality as
the power and influence of the Black church
– the centerpiece of African-American
culture – is paraded. Strong, inspirational
sounds of gospel choirs fill the room’s space.
The last few rooms show Black
achievements from the first Black sorority,
Alpha Kappa Alpha, to Black sports teams
and Black music. The stage attire of legends
like Luther Vandross, Etta James, and
Smokey Robinson are carefully draped
Continued on Page 16
Arts & Entertainment|13
Jan. 30, 2012
Tattoo of the week
Kierei Broadus
Kynslie Otte
UMKC Student Meredith Wolfe as Kori and actor Tosin Morohunfola as Matt in the Coterie Theatre production of “the
Wrestling Season.”
photo courtesy of the Coterie Theatre
‘The Wrestling Season’
pins audience to stage
Lindsay Adams
News Editor
“The Wrestling Season” is more than just entertaining
and thought-provoking. It is more than just well-acted
and technically sharp. It is something that excites and
enthralls the audience every moment an actor is on stage.
The plot of “The Wrestling Season” is a fairly generic
teenage angst plot. It addresses the lives of eight
teenagers in their last year of high school. A rumor gets
started that two friends on the wrestling team, Matt
and Luke, are gay. There is the mean girl, rather cleverly
named Heather, her well-intentioned sidekick, Nicole,
who allows herself to get pushed around, the school slut,
Melanie and an outsider named Kori. Kori is friends with
Matt and Luke, not to mention the two homophobic
jocks, Willy and Jolt, who start the rumor. However,
rather than retreading the ground John Hughes has
overused, it attacks the material from a fresh, new and
heartbreakingly honest perspective.
The rumor sets into motion a series of events
that cause the characters to make difficult and often
destructive choices. They realize things about themselves
and each other that make the show much richer than
most depictions of the teenage experience.
“It’s so fun to do this and play the archetype of the
jock, the jerk jock,” said Rufus Burns, who played Jolt in
the show. “I’ve had experiences, I’ve had friends, I’m sure
I’ve had moments myself in my life where I was a bit of
a jerk, so I take those moments and I get to blow it up
onstage.”
The rumor slowly eats away at Matt and Luke. One
of the most notable visualizations of this was a moment
when Matt was jumping rope and the other actors moved
around him, catcalling, snickering and whispering.
The wrestling worked as a metaphor for the struggles
the teenagers experienced. There is a character called
the Referee, who through his calling of the different
moments in the show as if each scene were a match,
gives a sly commentary on the power struggles of the
characters.
The acting was exceptional. The actors created a
fleshed-out individual character and worked as a single
unit during the ensemble chorus chants that were
incorporated in the show.
The set was minimalistic, with only a platform that
had a slightly raised wrestling ring on it. The lighting was
used to great effect with transitions, mood and place. The
Continued on Page 20
Staff Writer
Student Kierei Broadus
made the decision to get her
first tattoo in January 2009
when she was 19 years old.
In the beginning, her tattoo
was simply the letter “K” on
the upper-middle section of
her back. Broadus proceeded
to extend her tattoo from just
one letter into an entire piece
of artwork down her mid-back.
When asked what the initial
letter “K” stood for, Broadus
said, “I got it for the first letter
in my name, and in my son’s
name (Kaleb). I turned it into
‘karma’ in March of 2011,
when I was 21.”
The tattoo covers most of her
back and was inked at “Freaks”
on Burlington for $180.
“I decided to have it
cover so much of my back
because it plays a large part
in my everyday decisions,”
Broadus said. “Before acting,
I remember to think, because
the consequences can decide
what happens in the present
and future.”
While discussing why she
got the tattoo, and why she
chose to extend it, Broadus
said, “I turned the tattoo into
‘karma’ because I had a lot of
things going on in my life and
I couldn’t understand, ‘Why
me?’ According to Hindu and
Buddhist beliefs, [karma] is the
act of good or bad, which result
in consequences that are either
good or bad in a person’s present
life or their next existence. The
overall meaning is in order for
me to live a better life, I need
to make better choices. To have
good occur in my life, I must
start with myself and do good
regardless of the circumstances,
the person, et cetera.”
Broadus said her parents
weren’t thrilled about her
new tattoo. “My parents
don’t know I’ve extended the
piece, but I’m sure they would
overreact. When I got the ‘K’
they assumed I was trying
to show I’m an adult and can
make decisions on my own,
regardless of how permanent
they are. They didn’t know
about the ‘K’ until after I got
it done. They were supportive
with one tattoo, but now I have
five. Although they all have a
significant meaning, they think
it’s a little extreme.”
Despite her parents’ reaction,
it does not undermine the
significance of the tattoo.
It is also helpful to have a
supportive group of friends.
“My friends think the
tattoo is cool,” Broadus said.
“It represents what I’m always
trying to convince others they
should consider when making
decisions. Because it‘s further
down on my back, people
typically ask what the entire
tattoo is if they can’t see it.”
While explaining why she
chose her back for the tattoo,
Broadus said, “I chose to get it
on my back to decide when I
do and don’t want to expose it.”
Her back also supplies a
larger canvas when she decides
to add more to the extensive
and intricate tattoo. “I plan
to get it more detailed in the
future, so there will be more
room for the extra work.”
If you have a tattoo
with a personal story, deep
significance, or one that’s
simply
exotic,
contact
[email protected] to be
featured in a future issue.
[email protected]
14|Arts & Entertainment
Vol. 79, Issue 19
‘Form
Follows
Function’
Exhibit showcases Theatre department’s
costumes, lighting and scenic design work
Kynslie Otte
Staff Writer
On Friday, Dec. 2, the UMKC Theatre
Department opened an exhibit at the Box Gallery
in the Commerce Bank building at 1000 Walnut
St. The exhibit is called “Form Follows Function,”
and its primary goal is to highlight the hard work
the costume, lighting and scenic design graduate
students contribute to UMKC performances
behind the scenes.
The exhibit showcases costumes that have
been used in UMKC Theatre productions (such
as “Our Town” and “Great Expectations”), as well
as small-scale replicas of a variety of different
sets. Sarah M. Oliver, visiting assistant professor
of Costume Technology, spoke briefly about the
model sets. “I think a lot of times, the people in
the audience don’t realize we do this work for
the director,” she said. The scenic design students
make models like the ones on display in the
“Form Follows Function” exhibit for each and
every play the department does, meaning they are
not strictly for entertainment.
There are pieces of art in the exhibit created by
students using various types of fabrics and dying
processes. Also lining the walls of the exhibit are
costume sketches drawn by the students. The
exhibit is beautifully compiled, and accurately
showcases a side of the Theatre Department that
isn’t often seen.
“It’s always about the play. And it’s about what
the character needs and what the director wants
for each character,” Oliver said. “It isn’t always
about making the person look lovely. Sometimes
it’s about making them look grotesque, recessive
or wild. The design has to serve that.”
“Form Follows Function” is curated by Oliver
and Associate Professor of Costume Design
Lindsay W. Davis. Davis began working at
UMKC following a 30-year career in New York.
He designed for 13 Academy Award-winning
actors, and has received design awards in New
York, Los Angeles, Florida, Washington D.C. and
San Francisco. He also designed for productions
internationally in Europe, Japan and Korea.
Oliver has created costumes all across the
country, including the New York Opera and
the Los Angeles Opera. She has also been a
seamstress or costume designer for nearly every
theatre company in the Kansas City area.
The UMKC Theatre Department has been
considered one of Kansas City’s best-kept secrets.
It has been ranked by U.S. News and World
Report among the top graduate theatre training
programs in the country.
Part of the purpose of the exhibit was to give
the department a portion of the recognition it
deserves.
On Jan. 12, the “Form Follows Function”
exhibit was featured on KCPT’s “The Local
Show.” “The Local Show” spoke very highly of
the exhibit, and praised the Theatre Department
for its success.
The “Form Follows Function” exhibit will
continue running through Feb. 24. The exhibit is
open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through
Friday.
[email protected]
Advertisement
Arts & Entertainment|15
Jan. 30, 2012
Common: The Dreamer/The Believer
Despite high anticipation from fans and critics alike, the album is only subpar
Rating: 3 out 5 Stars
Pandora radio
to go global?
Kara Hart
Asst. News Editor
T
he album is inconsistent. The
theme is not clearly defined. The
concept of dreaming and believing
seems to be just a catchy idea.
There are a couple of tracks that don’t need
to be on the album.
Mixed messages are constantly present,
Kharissa M. Forte
causing the CD to contradict itself. It’s just
a jumbled mess.
With that said, however, there are plenty
of good tracks. Lyrically, Common has
obviously grown (though “Ghetto Dreams”
and “Sweet” evidently do not reflect his
growth) from hits like “I Used to Love
Forum Editor
H.E.R.,” “Come Close” and “Go.”
Musically, No I.D. conducted fabulous
work on the production side. Basically,
if tracks two, four and maybe nine were
omitted, then The Dreamer/The Believer
would be a five-mic album. Since that isn’t
the case, three mics it is.
Expressive and jazzy, “Gold” is a song that multi-generations can
enjoy.
Lonnie Rashid Lynne began his rap career in 1991 under the
alias of a simple moniker: Common. Common recently released his
ninth album, “The Dreamer/The Believer.” The project was produced
completely by No I.D. Despite high anticipation from fans and critics
alike, the album overall is subpar. Here’s why:
Track #6: Lovin’ I Lost
A soulful sound explodes from the speakers, setting the tone of
the album. Common’s wordplay and lyrical style perfectly match the
music’s artistic attitude. Powerful, yet gentle; inspiring, yet not too
complicated. His most poetic line states, “Maybe I’m a hopeless hiphop romantic; I’m a dreamer.” The track’s sweet noise is concluded
with a shift into an original poem by the incredible African-American
activist and poet, Maya Angelou. The teacher of sorts uses her feature
to encourage African-Americans to continue to dream. And then the
second track shoots it all to hell.
Track #7: Raw (How You Like It)
Track #1: The Dreamer feat. Maya
Angelou
Track #2: Ghetto Dreams feat. Nas
After such a renowned icon wrapped up the first track, it’s
astonishing that no more than five seconds into the second track,
Common is tossing around the n-word and other unnecessary
obscenities. Here, he delivers a message of what he envisions his
dream wife to be: a b---- with big t----- with a baby in one arm, a
skillet in the other and who is good for pretty much nothing but lying
on her back and watching reality shows. Nas’ verse isn’t any better; he
wants his b---- to buy him nice s---. What a dream, gentlemen. Two
thumbs up on being positive role models for young black men.
Track #3: Blue Sky
This is absolutely beautiful. Common mentions different people he
looked up to while growing up, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and
Denzel Washington. Common does a great job catering to No I.D.’s
production on this track, but Kanye would’ve killed it. Even so, the
song does a pretty good job of stimulating listeners to achieve their
goals.
Track #4: Sweet
Contrary to its title, “Sweet” is anything but. With pointless and
redundant curse words. This time, however, Common seems to be
speaking to someone directly. It isn’t clear who caused Common’s
anger. Lyrics suggest he may be spitting fire at a wannabe rapper who
apparently has challenged Common at his craft. Whoever it is, the
song is obviously filler and the album could have done without.
Track #5: Gold
Common bounces back to his wholesome, good-boy side. This
tune is very mellow, comprised of a modern-day Motown feel. The
latter half of the song is all instrumental with a little ad-lib singing.
Here, Common divulges a story of heartbreak and a relationship’s
demise. He briefly mentions his father on this track and how
growing up without him in the home contributed to the heartbreaker
Common has become. Sampled from The Impressions’ “I Loved and
I Lost,” No I.D. does an amazing job of renovating the 1968 hit into
a new reverberation. As this song wraps up, the first half of the album
is complete.
It starts off good, but the temporary musical switch-up about
a minute into it throws everything off. It sounds like the CD is
skipping. However, it’s intentional since it appears more than once.
It seems the title is a play on words. Beyond discussing unsafe sex,
Common uses this term to paint a picture of the type of artist he is:
real, rare, unrestrained and raw.
Track #8: Cloth
Another love song, Common speaks to his girlfriend concerning
how awesome they are together. The cloth is described as keeping the
two as one. A victory song, the tune is perfect for any couple who has
endured a range of ordeals and distress together, yet come out on top.
Track #9: Celebrate
The feel-good song “Celebrate” is a party hit for family gettogethers and high school reunions. When drama ceases and nothing
but positivity, love and optimism remain, “Celebrate” is the song to
commemorate happy days.
Track #10: Windows
“Windows” is a charming song, uplifting and empowering young
women, particularly his daughter. Ironically, this song comes eight
tracks after he refers to his future wife as a b----.
Track #11: The Believer feat. John
Legend
A reccurring theme of persistence appears but alters from an
encouraging memo of dreaming to a sanction of believing the dream
will actually come true. John Legend’s hook continually sings, “They
will talk about us,” a feat that comes when dreams transpire into
realities.
Track #12: Pops Belief
Common’s father presents an impromptu spoken word piece that
addresses what he believes to be true for the past – starting back with
creation – the present, and the future. The last track on the album,
“Pops Belief ” rounds out the CD with a delivery that essentially ties
it back to the beginning of the project.
[email protected]
Pandora, the No. 1 online radio service,
is looking to launch globally, giving
college students around the world hours
of free, personalized radio service during
long nights of homework and studying.
Currently, Pandora’s licenses only
allow for U.S. distribution, but that could
change.
“The opportunity for us is global,”
said Tim Westergren, the co-founder of
Pandora. “That’s the big vision.”
Many of Pandora’s listeners are
students.
“I usually listen to [Pandora] when I
wake up and when I’m cleaning or in the
shower and when I do homework,” said
Jenny Carter, a junior communications
major who recently switched to Pandora
from Slacker Radio.
Carter said she has only been using
Pandora for about three months, but
many of her friends have been using it
longer.
“My favorite thing is that the
commercials are so short,” Carter said.
Pandora’s ads are spaced out about
every 10 songs and last less than a minute,
but are necessary to cover the royalty costs
Pandora pays for its music.
According to Pandora’s FAQ page,
“Advertising allows us to cover these costs
while offering you a lot of great music for
free.”
According to a recent article by Jefferson
Graham in USA Today, Pandora’s user
registration increased from 75 million last
year to 125 million this year.
Average monthly listening per user
is now up to 18 hours, according to the
article.
Pandora is now available on tablet
computers, smartphones, audio receivers
and even in the car, with its now 16
alliances, including Kia and Acura.
According to Triton Media, the
personalized radio service now owns 68
percent market share of Internet radio
listening and had nearly 900,000 different
“sessions” of radio listening with users this
past November; Clear Channel, another
online radio service, ranked in 2nd place
with only 117,374 sessions.
Martin Pyykkonen, an analyst at
Wedge Partners, said Pandora has the
advantage of being the first and having
the widest reach compared to other
personalized radio services.
[email protected]
16|Arts & Entertainment
Vol. 79, Issue 19
APCinema Movie Night The Health Journal
Tower Heist
Cabbage and potatoes
Ingredients:
Directions:
1 head of green cabbage
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
4 potatoes
4 cups of chicken stock
3 Wyler’s bouillon cubes
A pinch of sea salt
1. Fill up a large pot (the larger the better) with four
cups of chicken broth and water until the pot is half
full of liquid. Cook on high heat.
2. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt and three Wyler’s
chicken bouillon cubes into the pot.
3. As the liquid is heating, chop up the potatoes,
peppers and cabbage and place them in a bowl.
4. Dump the bowl of vegetables into the pot.
5. Cover the pot with a lid and turn the heat down to
medium.
6. Let cook for one hour, then enjoy.
Recipe of the week:
Kharissa M. Forte
Forum Editor
Sports Editor
APCinema hosted a movie night
in the Student Union theatre this past
Monday, and while the attendance was
nothing to write home about, the event
itself proved to be a welcome surprise for
all present.
The fifty-odd students who attended
were greeted on the night with no
guest speakers, no opinion surveys and
basically no fuss, just a simple cinematic
experience right here on the Volker
Campus.
The film of choice was Tower Heist, a
comedy caper about working stiffs who
seek revenge on the Wall Street swindler
who stiffed them. The all-star cast seen
Ben Stiller star alongside comedian
Eddie Murphy.
While the production opened with an
apology for the poor projection quality
of the large screen, i couldnt help but
take this statement as some form of
educated sarcastic whit as the event itself
was flawless and littered with free candy
from the theatre shop.
Monday night, free movie, free candy,
free event - so why is this great events
arena of the Student Union theatre so
under-used?
For starters, the events at the Student
Union, much less the Student Union
theatre, are not well advertised online.
The 329 seater arena is an amazing
location for similar event to the
APCinema movie night, right in the
heart of campus, and perhaps most
importantly for students, it is completely
free.
The only real way to find out about
these events is to stop by the Student
Union at some stage during the day to
check the events schedule but in what is
ultimately a University which is making
the switch from ‘commuter college’
status, the number of bodies either
walking through the building, or indeed
staying around campus that long with no
notice, is a fraction of what attendances
could be like were there to be advanced
notifications or online event schedules
for students to view.
So until that changes, your stuck
with the task of going from class to
the Student Union to check a posted
events schedule in the hope of finding
something that fits into your day, only
to return later to experience it. And until
this promotional technique changes, and
changes drastically, then the Student
Union theatre will only fill 50 seats out
of its capacity.
That being said, with the proper
promotional strategy, theatre events
could be crowded with stressed students
looking to enjoy a free movie and beying
for free candy.
[email protected]
Cabbage is a Mediterranean
vegetable that resembles
lettuce. There are several types
of cabbage: red, green, Napa,
bok choy, Brussels sprouts and
Savoy.
The health benefits of
cabbage are illustrious. For
starters, cabbage is a source of
Vitamin C.
Cabbage is also rich in fiber,
which is helpful for healthy
digestion. Another marvelous
health benefit is that cabbage
generation to the next, I
created my own. Let me tell
you, it’s delectable.
My cabbage and potatoes
dish is the perfect dinner
choice during the winter
season. It’s hearty, nourishing,
and almost too easy. The
recipe feeds up to eight
people, making it perfect for
get-togethers or leftovers.
Excellent by itself, my meal
also pairs well with corn on
the cob (healthy) and corn
bread (not so healthy). At just
100 calories a cup, it’s well
worth a try.
Health Tip of the Week:
Sit up straight! Did you
know that posture can make or
break the health of your back?
If you find your back constantly
uncomfortable and in need of
some tender loving care, the
first step to fixing it is to check
your posture. Slouching can
really damage your back and
shorten your walking days
as you get older. If you want
to minimize your chances of
Quiz
scooting around with a walker,
cane or wheelchair one day,
then take care of your back.
Start by checking your posture
as soon as you sit down and
straighten it up. Doing light
back exercises position are
excellent, too.
Bonus: the stretches can
be done on all fours, while
standing or while sitting.
Simply take a deep breath
and move into cat position as
you exhale, hold it for three
breaths and then sit up on the
last exhale. Take another deep
breath in and move into cow
position as you exhale. Hold it
for three breaths, and then sit
up on the last exhale. Repeat
twice.
[email protected]
Answers:
1. True 2. True 3. False 4. False
Luke Harman
is a great detoxifier, causing
it to be an ideal veggie when
wanting to rid the body of
impurities and toxins.
Digestible both raw and
cooked, I opt for cooking my
cabbage. The crisp, edgy flavor
of raw cabbage just doesn’t
gratify my taste buds.
I recently prepared cabbage
for the first time without
the help of my mom and my
grandma, a feat that neither
of them thought would yield
success. Instead of borrowing
from their traditional recipe
passed down from one
How much did you learn from this week’s Health Journal? Take the quiz and find out!
America I Am: Continued from Page 12
behind glass walls.
Finally, the last room is a video
demonstration of the exhibit. It is an
audiovisual commentary of the influence
and impact of African-Americans on
America from beginning to present day.
The last day of the America I Am: The
African American Imprint was originally
on Sunday, January 8. However, due
to popular demand, the exhibit was
extended to Sunday, January 29. Though
the tour has concluded in Kansas City, it
is a traveling exhibit. More information
can be found on America I Am: The
African American Imprint by visiting
www.Facebook.com/AmericaIAmExhibit
[email protected]
True or False: Brussels sprouts are a type of cabbage.
True or False: To detoxify means to rid the body of impurities and toxins.
True or False: Slouching won’t harm your back.
True or False: Having good posture doesn’t play a role in the health of your back.
Jan. 30, 2012
New Executive
Chef Joins UMKC
Dining Services
Please welcome Chef Jeremy O’Neal as the
newest member of the UMKC Dining Services
Management Team. Jeremy joins our team
with sixteen years of experience as a
professional chef and looks forward to
bringing many new and exciting menu
offerings and events to the Resident Dining
Program. We encourage everyone to drop in
and introduce yourself to Jeremy and share
any thoughts or concerns you have regarding
the Caf. He looks forward to meeting each
and everyone of you.
Arts & Entertainment|17
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on the web
www.unew.edu
Find us on Facebook
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Follow us on Twitter
@UNewsScoop
18|Forum
Vol. 79, Issue 19
The Real Housewives
of Everywhere
They’re called TV
personalities for a reason
Kharissa M. Forte
Forum Editor
It all started with Desperate Housewives, a fictional
television series launched by ABC in October of
2004. The outlandish drama, passionate romances,
and never ending mayhem were all I needed to be
one of the 2.1 million fans hooked to my set intently
watching every episode. A year and a half later, Bravo
came out with The Real Housewives of Orange County.
The new show included all of the confusion and
chaos that had me addicted to Desperate Housewives
with one bonus: this was real life. Or it claimed to be,
anyway. After RHOC aired, I completely forgot all
about Desperate Housewives.
Then, when The Real Housewives of New York
City came out in 2008, I nearly lost my mind. The
interesting factor with this group of ladies is that it
included Bethenny Frankel, a single chick with no
kids who was adamantly pursuing happiness in love
and in work. She now is – in my opinion – the most
successful “housewife” who has reached her goals
and even has her own thriving Bravo series, Bethenny
Ever After. With two Real Housewives series down,
the beginning of an incredible new reality television
era was born.
Later during the same epic year that RHNY
debuted, the best Real Housewives cast popped
into the picture: The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
RHOA starred the loud hot mess diva that we all
have come to love, NeNe Leakes. With an attitude
as thunderous as her mouth, Leakes was the perfect
feature on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice last year. I
delightfully recall when she and Latoya Jackson had
a brief altercation in which Leakes referred to her as
“Casper the friendly ghost.” I nearly peed my pants,
I laughed so hard.
Soon after the ATL crew came about, Bravo
ran smack dab into its first RH failure: The Real
Housewives of D.C. The cast was dull and mindnumbing to say the least. RHDC was nothing but a
wearisome washed up version of the New York City
cast. Needless to say, it’s no longer on the air.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any livelier than
the Atlanta girls, Bravo bounced back with The Real
Housewives of New Jersey. And they are off the chain.
Between Teresa Giudice flipping tables, Danielle
Staub’s criminal past, and Jacqueline Laurita’s
jacked up relationship with her daughter, my head
was spinning a mile a minute. Giudice is the next
housewife to be featured on Celebrity Apprentice
premiering on February 19.
Then two years ago came – my favorite – The Real
Housewives of Beverly Hills. While the RH casts
of other cities seem to be nothing more than high
profiled socialites, RHBH stars actual celebrities.
There’s, the sister duo, Kyle and Kim Richards who
are the real life aunts of Nicky and Paris Hilton. Kyle
appeared in shows as old as Little House on the Prairie
and as new as ER. Older sister, Kim, is known for her
Disney roles in Escape to Witch Mountain, Return from
Witch Mountain, and several television appearances.
RHBC
also
stars
Kelsey
Grammer’s exwife,
Camille,
Kharissa M. Forte
whose divorce
proved to be the best thing that could ever happen
to her bank account. The newest member of the cast
is the sweet and daring Brandi Glanville. Her claim
to fame: ex-husband Eddie Cibrian left her for
LeAnn Rimes. What a douche. Moving on.
The only Real Housewives series that I never
really got into was The Real Housewives of Miami
which made its debut in February last year. The
network is currently filming a second season, so it
must’ve done alright.
America isn’t the only country obsessed with
the RH sensation. Believe it or not, there’s a Real
Housewives of Athens, Israel, Vancouver, and
Brazil/Mulheres Ricas, too.
VH1 must have caught the bug, as well. Shows
like Basketball Wives (the best freakin show ever
to grace my television set), Basketball Wives L.A.
(#epicfail), and Love & Hip Hop are very popular
with women all across the country.
As entertaining as these shows are, I do have
a little concern. The images these women are
displaying are subconsciously tarnishing how real
women in real life view relationships with other
women, relationships with men, and how to define
self-worth. I mean, let’s face it; they’re on the air for
a reason. They’re called TV personalities for a reason.
She’s either a hoe (sorry) or she’s in some sort of
dysfunctional relationship. And if she doesn’t fit into
one of those categories, she’s a mean girl or a control
freak or classless or insecure or… you get the picture.
For every five cast members with an issue, there’s
only one who really does have it all together. Think
about it.
Remember on Basketball Wives when Evelyn
confessed to Tammy that she had an affair with her
husband? That was beyond messed up. To top it off,
Evelyn then had the audacity to tell Tammy that she
was a “non mother f****** factor” during the affair.
She deserved to get beat up. She even went as far
as to create and sale t-shirts with the crass phrase
splattered over it! Was she serious about donating
the profits of the shirt to Tammy’s charity? See,
this is exactly what I’m talking about. What does
this say to viewers about how we are supposed to
treat each other, how we should value the principle
of marriage, and what should determine our selfworth? Not a whole lot.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that, yes, these
shows are entertaining and I hope that they never
end, but – at the same time – we can’t let these
characters influence who we are as women. If
anything, we should learn from their drama and
choose better paths to venture down. Until next
week.
[email protected]
Failure 101
The drive to triumph is
what will make you try
again and again until
you achieve success
Ben Campero
Staff Writer/Distribution Assistant
Every person has his or her own
definition of success, and we all want
to be successful. If we don’t achieve
success, then it is said that we have
failed. Many people are afraid of
failure. Nobody wants to fail, but you
have to understand that failure is a
part of everyone’s life. Every single
person in the world fails at least once
in his or her life. The reason is simple:
there is no perfect human being.
Since we were little kids, we
were taught that failure is bad.
Indeed, there are some people that
are extremely value perfection and
whose biggest fear in life is failure.
But the problem is that you can’t
avoid failure; it’s going to happen
sooner or later. The people that are
not used to failing will have a harder
time overcoming it.
I am not afraid of failing anymore.
To be honest, I don’t even remember
being afraid of failing and I really
have to thank my parents for this.
Since I was a kid, they taught me
that it’s ok to fail and that it is ok
to fall down. They taught me to
see failure as an opportunity, as
something good, as a second chance,
and as something that will make you
stronger. This has really helped me
so much in my life. Thanks to my
parents, I learned to see failure as
part of life and as a positivity instead
of a negativity.
On the other hand if you’ve been
taught all your life that failure is a
bad thing, what should you do when
you fail?
• Take a break. If you suddenly
failed without expecting it, it is ok to
take a break. It is ok to be sad; you
can even cry if you need to. Take one
Ben Campero
or two days at maximum to recuperate. Any longer would be giving up
and giving up is not allowed. The
sooner you start trying again, the
better.
• Analyze. Think about what went
wrong. What happened to cause failure? Once you have identified these
things you can:
a) Try again, but this time harder
and putting more effort into your
goal.
b) Try again, but this time change
the strategy.
• If you fail again, repeat steps one
and two until the desired outcome is
obtained.
These are three simple steps that
will lead you to success. I will advise
you that the hardest step to follow is
the second one. I’m amazed of how
many people give up after failing just
once. The questions that you need
to ask yourself are, “How bad do I
want it?” and “Am I willing to do
everything I can to achieve success?”
The drive to triumph is what will
make you try again and again until
you achieve success. Remember, if
you want to succeed, failure will
always be needed. You will have
to try again. It’s up to you to see
the positive part of failing. A great
example of this concept is Thomas
A. Edison. When he was asked
about all the times he failed in his
experiments while trying to create
the light bulb, he allegedly said, “I
have not failed 1,000 times. I have
successfully discovered 1,000 ways
to not make a light bulb.”
[email protected]
See more at
www.unews.com
Forum|19
Jan. 30, 2012
Ugly and unsafe
Mal Hartigan
Arts & Entertainment Editor
“The yard in front of the building
literally looks as if a murderer dug
a giant trench to bury a body and
carelessly threw the dirt back on top.”
Usually, when braving the cold
winter, it’s difficult to notice the
appeal of our campus. During the
fall semester, however, it seems
impossible to overlook the ginkgo
trees creating a beautiful overhang
when strolling on the sidewalk
toward Haag Hall and the attractive
landscapes dispersed throughout
the rest of campus. The architecture
is also far more inspiring than
that of my hometown’s university,
Missouri
Western. Buildings
seen in the quad and even
the unused Epperson House
are all aesthetically charming.
Yet, if you take a stroll around
campus toward the UMKC houses
located on streets such as Charlotte
and Holmes, the appealing
appearances quickly dwindle away.
I’ve worked at The University
News for two semesters. The office
building is located on Holmes
Street. Various problems tend to
rise monthly – sometimes even
weekly – with the quaint little news
house in which our staff spends
Sundays editing the paper. Since we
have keys to the building, some staff
members (including me) choose
the U-News house as an ideal
study location. The house is usually
empty and quiet and it’s easier to
focus without distraction. But
unfortunately, upon approaching
and even entering the building,
its physical appearance becomes
distraction enough.
Most
homeowners
can
understand that houses tend to
depreciate unless they are wellmaintained. If you frequent Home
Depot, you’ll see plenty of families
purchasing supplies in order to
ensure their home remains stable.
It is questionable whether or not
the U-News house is legitimately
maintained. This is not to say that
I’m complaining about the fact
that the building UMKC allows us
to occupy isn’t “good enough,” but
there are some outright issues that
Mal Hartigan
need fixing.
For starters, as I walk up the stairs
to the front door, it’s impossible
to avoid noticing the front lawn.
The yard in front of the building
literally looks as if a murderer
dug a giant trench to bury a body
and carelessly threw the dirt back
on top. The lawn is an eyesore to
avoid at all possible costs. I haven’t
inquired how it obtained such a
grotesque appearance, but the yard
was dug up nearly two months ago
without any sign or promise of a
solution. One would think that
having such an unattractive mess in
the front yard would reflect poorly
on UMKC; it is their property,
Music to soothe
Kynslie Otte
Staff Writer
Being a college student can be
incredibly stressful, which I’m sure
is not a surprise to anyone. It also
isn’t easy living on your own while
working a full time job. When
I begin to feel overwhelmed, I
step back from the madness for a
moment and turn on something
soothing by one of my favorite
bands. Regardless of the mood
I’m in, I always feel just a little bit
better after doing so.
Music has always been an
incredibly influential part of my
life. When I was just three years
old, my grandmother forced me to
take piano lessons. I took lessons
for about eight years and resented
her for it for most of that time.
She always told me I would thank
her when I was older. She was
right. Since then, I have become
somewhat of an amateur musician.
I taught myself how to play the
guitar and I also dabbled in violin
for awhile. In my opinion, having
a strong musical background has
made me a very well rounded
individual. When life gets a little
crazy, music is the first thing I turn
to.
Music has a way of impacting a
person that is comparable to almost
nothing. It has the ability to make
one incredibly happy, or even “oh
my god, I think I might die” sad. I
think music allows people to express
their emotions in a way that they
would otherwise be unable to. I can
almost guarantee that everyone has
at least one song that makes them
nostalgic of a different time, happy
enough to dance around without
inhibition, or sad enough to lock
themselves in a dark room for days.
In my life, music has proved to
be a great way to network. As a
freshman in college, I moved 500
miles away to the University of
Oklahoma. I didn’t know a soul. I
wasn’t as nearly as outgoing then as
I am now. In my free time, I would
sit outside my dorm on a bench
playing my guitar. It’s unbelievable
that I made as many friends as I did
that way.
If I hadn’t taken my guitar with
me when I moved, I’m not sure I
would have survived the semester.
Any time I started to feel lonely,
I would just pick up my guitar
and play around for awhile. It was
a great distraction and it was a
productive way to spend my free
time. My roommate may not have
appreciated it as much as I did, but
it certainly proved to be a good vice.
You don’t necessarily have to
have any sort of musical talent to
have an appreciation for music. In
fact, a large number of the people
I know who consider themselves to
be music connoisseurs don’t have
the slightest idea how to play an
instrument.
So the next time you feel like
you’ve got your back against the
wall, turn on some feel good music
and dance around for awhile. I bet
you’ll feel a thousand times better.
[email protected]
after all. The issue has yet to be
resolved and will likely remain that
way until someone has the time (or
remembers) to remedy the issue.
Sometimes on Sundays, I
would also go onto the secondfloor balcony to have a smoke. The
balcony overlooks the horrendous
front lawn and the rest of Holmes
Street. I quit doing this because of
the condition of the balcony. Made
of once-sturdy wooden planks, it
has begun to sag and tilt, giving the
impression that it could collapse
at any moment. This is concerning
because it’s clear to anyone who
stands on the balcony that it may
be considered unstable, but I have
not received a notification from
anyone on the U-News staff or
anyone affiliated with UMKC that
the balcony is unstable and should
be blocked off. Needless to say, I
smoke on the front steps now.
The building also has a very
slight tilt to it as well, which
has occurred from the shifting
foundation. The U-News house is
very old. Oftentimes, old houses
are to be coveted. They hold a lot
To file
or not
to file?
Kara Hart
Asst. News Editor
In the mail, I recently received
a “Combined Tax Statement” in
regards to my savings account
from my bank. On the same
day, I also received a document
from one of my previous colleges
with the header “Information
for Determining Federal Tax
Benefits for High Education
Expenses.” I have no clue what
to do with either of these.
These pieces of mail make it
undoubtedly clear that state and
federal tax preparation time is
here, and it’s also time to renew
my FAFSA again. I can’t speak
for anyone else, but I’m confused
of history, typically have wooden
floors, and nostalgic creaking
steps. This is not the case with
our building because it has been
poorly maintained. The shifting
foundation has caused problems
inside the house, as well. Upstairs,
the doors to our Editor-In-Chief ’s
office are hard to open or get stuck.
Let me be clear: I am grateful
for the building UMKC allows
us to have. I love having a private
edifice for staff members where
we collaborate and produce our
independent student newspaper. I
appreciate how beautiful Holmes
Street is and the wonderfully
paved parking lot in which we’re
allowed to park our vehicles. There
are even adorable gardens around
the sidewalk leading to building.
I am not asking for a mansion
to work in; that would be highly
unnecessary.
Observing
our
building just leads me to question
how much pride UMKC takes in
all of their structures, or if they
need more funds to fix and properly
maintain them.
[email protected]
Kara Hart
by all of it. I’ve filed my FAFSA
every year since I graduated from
high school, but I’ve never filed
taxes before because I’ve never
had a job until this semester.
I really think that there needs
to be a class in high school that
teaches all of this. There may be
classes available in some schools,
but I know there weren’t in mine.
The government decided to add
a “Personal Finance” curriculum
requirement for high school
students, starting with my class
year, in order to help students
learn how to manage finances for
the future. In this class, we went
over writing checks and how to
balance a checkbook. I already
knew how to do these things, so
Continued on Page 20
To file or not to file: Continued from Page 19
this class did nothing for me academically.
The check and checkbook are almost extinct
thanks to debit cards and online banking,
which dumbs everything down and makes it
to where people don’t even have to do math.
Therefore, there are probably more important
topics that the class should have taught than
what to write in “Pay to the order of ” and
which box to put the check number in. The
class didn’t even mention anything about
taxes.
I don’t even know if I am supposed to
file taxes since I didn’t have a job. With
the ever popular third or fourth party story
about someone they know being fined
or put in jail for not filing their taxes, it’s
a pretty important and worrisome issue.
Every time I ask people for help, I get mixed
results. Some people say that I have to
because I’m in college and receive grants and
loans. Others tell me since I don’t have an
“earned income,” I don’t have to file taxes. It
would have been beneficial to have all of this
explained in a high school course before it
got to this point. We already have to take the
“Personal Finance” class, so why not just add
a segment about taxes to the curriculum? It
seems like more people need help with taxes
than balancing a checkbook.
I definitely feel that there needs to be
an addition to high school curriculum
somewhere that educates students about
W-2’s and taxes. After you are out of high
school – or even before that, if you have a
job – it becomes an annual ritual in life. Since
high school is supposed to get you ready for
the “real world,” as so many of my teachers
cautioned, it would probably help to discuss
such a topic, so that people will be burdened
by it every year for the rest of their lives.
audience was seated on all four sides of the
square stage, requiring extreme creativity
with the blocking of the show. The blocking
was fresh and inventive, incorporating much
of the physicality of wrestling. This extreme
physicality was a challenge for the actors
involved.
“They specifically were looking for people
who had an athletic awareness about them,”
Burns said. “Leigh [the wrestling season
director]really focused on putting us in
the mind frame of wrestlers so he had us
do wrestling drills. We had two hours of
wrestling practice before we even touched
the script.”During the actual wrestling
matches depicted in the play, the two actors
showed the most important parts of the
match in slow motion. Every character is
moving in half-time with reverberating rock
music. The wrestling scenes are as gripping
and high octane and many film action scene.
A Chat with Fische and Chips:
A melllo dou of mates conversing at
random
It draws in the audience even if they have no
interest in the sport of wrestling.
“When I first heard we were going to be
wearing singlets, I got a little nervous. Oh,
singlets, pretty exposed, but I think that’s
the point of it,” Burns said. “We’re all the
same, and we’re all exposed in the same way
to some degree.”
There are moments of pain and fear the
audience experiences with the characters.
While some of the scenes may cause the
viewer much anxiety, like a disturbingly
murky sexual encounter that verges on
assault and a beating received by one of the
characters, it’s hard to look away.
“The Wrestling Season” has a simple and
yet timeless message. “You have to be true
to yourself, and once you’re true to yourself,
negative things that come your way are a lot
easier to dismiss,” Burns said.
[email protected]
Come join the team!
Writers and Photographers
needed!
NIVERSITY
NEWS
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Advertising Manager
Business Manager
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Asst. News Editor
A&E Editor
Sports Editor
Chief Copy Editor
Copy Editor
Copy Editor
Feature Editor
Forum Editor
Photo Editor
Video Editor
Online Editor
Distribution Manager
Distribution Assistant
Faculty Adviser
University News
5327 Holmes Kansas City, MO 64110
Mark Linville
Phil Bolin
Mutsa Majee
Nathan Zoschke
Rosita Rique-Sanchez
Lindsay Adams
Kara Hart
Mal Hartigan
Luke Harman
Michelle Heiman
Nathan Zoschke
Jeremy Van Ryn
Michelle Heiman
Kharissa Forte
Johanna Poppel
Jeremy Van Ryn
Ethan Parker
Mutsa Majee
Ben Campero
Jon Rand
Editor’s desk: 816-235-5402
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U-News is an equal
opportunity employer.
Board of Publishers of the University News:
Stephen Dilks, Chair, Robin Hamilton, Wayne Lucas, Allen
Rostron, Jon Rand, Mark Linville, Patrick Hilburn, Patty
Wolverton, Chad King
Cartoon by Mario Avila
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Opinions expressed in Roo Views do not reflect the University or its staff. Letters to the Editor can be submitted by mail or to [email protected]. Letters should be 350 words or less and are subject to edits for clarity.
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