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St. Catherine University student newspaper
March 18, 2011 - Volume 78, Issue 11thewheel-scu.tumblr.com
This newspaper, like many other things, is recyclable.
›› pg. 8
March Madness for dummies
“We would hope that our customers are not under the impression that we are only making these changes because of any contract issues...” Tim Ness, Dining Services Interim General Manager
By Alexa Chihos and Rachel Armstrong with reporting by Esther Moss, Becky Doucette, and Jordyn Arndt
“We are falling relative to our peers in the ACTC institutions and are near the bottom in the Minnesota private schools...”
--James Ashley, SCU associate professor of economics
By Rachel Armstrongassociate editor
News in brief• Updates on headlines from around the globe
Tsunami in Japan:The largest earthquake to hit Japan in
over a century triggered a tsunami on March 11. Authorities estimate the death toll to be nearing 10,000 people. Japan’s Emperor Akihito appeared on television to appeal to the public not to lose hope after last week’s disasters. The U.S. military has delivered more than 7,000 pounds of supplies, and more than $5.8 million in U.S. aid has been sent to Japan.
High levels of radiation from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant continue
Order up• Concerns persist as Sodexo makes changes
By Devon Arndtsenior staff writer
St. Catherine University (SCU) Dining Services and Sodexo, the company that manages the food on campus, have been making changes recently, many of which have been well received. These include updated and expanded food options, longer hours, and environmentally friendly options. However some community members question Sodexo’s motives for many of the changes, as Sodexo’s contract with SCU is set to expire May 31, 2012.
Many of Sodexo’s changes have centered o n p r o v i d i n g sustainable dining options for the SCU community. Sodexo re c e n t l y b e g a n offering discounts to customers who purchased and used reusable cups, and has begun to provide compostable to-go containers. A similar program has begun at the Coffee Shop. Customers who bring their own mug will receive a discount on beverage purchases.
“The reusable cup program began as a national program. It has already been quite successful at SCU. We have sold out of our reusable cups and are currently ordering more,” Dining Services Interim General Manager Tim Ness said.
Ness feels that it is important that Sodexo continues to be responsive to SCU’s environmental concerns, which aligns with Sodexo’s commitment to sustainability.
According to their website, Sodexo is “committed to developing and implementing
• SCU professors’ pay gap debated
Each year, St. Catherine University (SCU) participates in the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) survey. The information the AAUP receives is then published in Academe. The 2010 information provided by Academe has spurred discussion in the SCU community surrounding professors’ compensation.
According to average salary numbers reported by Academe in 2010, the mean professor salary within reporting Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) schools
Fair compensation(Augsburg College, Hamline University, Macalester Collge, the University of St. Thomas, and SCU) is $88,500. The mean salary for a professor at SCU is $73,700.
Associate professor of economics James Ashley reflects on the significance of these numbers at a women’s university where the majority of faculty are women.
“This is somewhat revealing because if you divide our salary by the average [ACTC] salary, professors get 83 percent, associate professors get 86 percent, assistants get 84 percent, and all ranks combined get 81 percent of the salary of their ACTC peers,” Ashley said. “The reason that is significant is because we are sort of like society – because 80 percent of the faculty [at SCU] are women.”
Susan Sexton, director of Human Resources at SCU, finds comparing compensation based on Academe numbers problematic.
“In the March-April 2010 Academe issue, Augsburg [College]...had not reported any See COMPENSATION, pg. 2
data. Also, [the University of] St. Thomas and Hamline [University]include their law and business professor salaries in the data they report, making it difficult to make meaningful
comparisons,” Sexton said. “Academe will issue its next report in April 2011.”
Academe also published reported numbers
from the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC), which compared both the salaries and compensation professors receive from their respective institutions. SCU professors, associate professors, and assistant professors all ranked 13th out of the 15 schools reporting.
“We are falling relative to our peers in the ACTC institutions and are near the bottom in the Minnesota private schools,” Ashley said.
The SCU administration has recognized these concerns and has attempted to address them.
“[President Lee] has consistently made compensation a high priority for the university. In 2007 [she] established a college-wide commission to develop a compensation plan to guide decisions around compensation,” Sexton said. “The plan situated compensation as a priority of the highest order within the school’s priorities. Originally the plan was to be for a period of three years; however, due to the stresses of our country’s economy, our Board of Trustees approved an extension to the plan.”
For associate professor of French, Francine Conley, as SCU’s institutional identity changes,
new and more effective ways to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water, promote responsible waste management, and reduce the use of toxic chemicals.”
Despite Sodexo’s commitment to sustainability however, some students have been frustrated by the slow progress.
“It’s clear that students want a greener campus, and Sodexo is making some attempts to do that. The changes have been slow, and there are many things we can do to make it more environmentally friendly. Speaking from experience, it has been difficult to get certain demands met with Sodexo,” sophomore Liesl Wolf said.
Another change set to begin next fall is a discount program offered specifically for resident students. Beginning in the fall of 2011, students who live on campus will receive a 25 percent discount in the dining room, while those not on a meal plan will pay full price.
Resident Housing Association (RHA) has been working on this program for years and Heidi Anderson-Isaacson, Director of Resident Life, encourages students to offer feedback to either Sodexo or RHA.
“Ultimately, it is our job to listen and respond to our cus tomers’ concerns and we can’t do that if they don’t share their opinions,” Anderson-Isaacson said.
While most feedback surrounding Sodexo’s changes has been positive, especially among younger students, some students feel that Sodexo and RHA should have offered this program sooner.
“I think it is a good program to benefit resident students, but it is frustrating that it took them until my senior year to implement it,” senior Caitlin Mans said. “I feel like it would have saved me money and may have influenced me to eat healthier, because the healthier food tends to cost more. There are still some changes to be made.”
Ness agrees and addressed concerns of some community members who feel
these changes are Sodexo’s attempts at contract renewal.
“We are here to provide a service to our customers; we strive to make our locations a destination that people can come to eat, visit, and study. There have been quite a few changes but most of them have been brought on by new leadership. We would hope that our customers are not under the impression that we are only making these changes because of any contract issues,” Ness said.
Despite concerns, many see the contract expiration as an opportunity to work with Sodexo.
“Perhaps if [Sodexo] continues to listen to students’ concerns and their contract is renewed, we can begin to work more efficiently together,” first-year Jennifer Rowe said.
Devon can be reached at [email protected].
Salad options in the SCU dining hall. Photo by Heather Kolnick.
New displays and food options in the SCU dining hall. Photo by Heather Kolnick.
to worry the international community. The three St. Catherine Universtity (SCU) students currently studying in Japan are safe. Two of the students were not in the vicinity of the earthquake or tsunami, and the third alerted officials that she was safe.
NFL Labor Dispute:The National Football League Players
Association (NFLPA) has decertified for the first time since 1989, after 16 days of talks between players and owners. In dispute are the player compensation gap, implementation of year-round health and safety rules, establishment of a new legacy fund for retired players, and compensation reduction for veterans, among other things. The owners proposed to “split the differences” between NFLPA demands; however, without proper financial documentation, the NFLPA did not accept, and chose to decertify. Ten players have filed an anti-trust lawsuit against the NFL.
NEWS & OPINION2 | The Wheel March 18, 2011
ST. CATHERINE UNIVERSITY WHEEL STAFFVolume 78, Issue 11
Editor-in-Chief: TREZA ROSADOLayout Designer: SARAH WENTEAssociate Editor: RACHEL ARMSTRONGAssistant Editors: BECKY DOUCETTE, ALEXA CHIHOSCopy Editor: DANA BLOOMQUISTPhoto Editors: JESSICA JONES, HEATHER KOLNICKAdviser: SHEILA ELDREDSenior Staff Writers: CLAIRE DAVIDSON, ELISSA JOHNSON, DANA BLOOMQUIST, DEVON ARNDTStaff Writers: CHEYFAUN BRYANT, BRE BERG, JENNIFER QUAYLE, JANESSA SCHILMOELLER, MOLLY DAVY, ESTHER MOSSIf you would like to write for The Wheel, please contact us at [email protected].
MISSION STATEMENTThe Wheel aspires to reflect the diversity and unique atmosphere that comprises St. Catherine University. We strive to provide an inclusive newspaper primarily for the students and by the students. The Wheel promotes the vision of empowering women to lead and influence as well as an understanding of the university community inside and outside of the gates. As a staff we aim to meet the highest journal-istic standards and stand in accordance with the 1st Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America and policies of prior restraint. The Wheel is not a public relations vehicle for any SCU indi-vidual, group, department or for the college as a whole. We welcome feedback and encourage an open discourse. The Wheel is supported by student funds and is distributed free of charge.
COMPENSATION continued...
Dear Editor,I am writing this letter to you on behalf of the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group,
(MPIRG)’s Environmental task-force at St. Catherine University (SCU). MPIRG has been empowering the students since 1971 on many different issues such as fair trade, campus sustainability, women’s rights, and youth-voter participation.
This semester, MPIRG is most concerned about the excessive use of plastic water bottles by SCU students. MPIRG is cooperating with Sodexo, and has begun a campaign to provide reusable water bottles to students at a reasonable price. The reusable water bottles are available in the dining hall and the Coffee Shop on campus. MPIRG is also collecting students’ signatures to petition for the reduction of disposable water bottles on campus. Since this is a matter of concern to the students, faculty and staff, MPIRG will also be presenting the signed petition to the Student Senate. Our hope is that Senate will encourage the reduction of plastic water bottles on campus.
This is the first step MPIRG is taking towards making SCU eco-friendly. I know it is not possible for MPIRG alone to establish SCU as a plastic free zone, but we hope to encourage people to reduce the use of plastics in their day-to-day lives. The use of reusable water bottles is the most effective way to reduce plastic waste. Additionally, encouraging people to use recyclable paper bags or biodegradable products will also help minimize plastic waste on and off campus.
Sristi Sadashankar SunarSt. Catherine [email protected]
To the Editor,
I am writing to point out some inaccuracies in the article “Radio Ready” that
appeared in the March 7, 2011 issue of the Wheel. I am a 2010 international alumna
of St. Kate’s with a degree in communications. In this article, Rosado and Armstrong
write that the radio station is “the brainchild of communications professor Joshua
Haringa.” This is a misrepresentation. I approached the communications department
in 2009 with the idea to start a campus radio station after presenting the idea in one
of my classes. I then worked one-on-one with Joshua Haringa during my 2009-2010
senior year to brainstorm the station’s mission and work through the protracted
process of getting the station approved by the university. I continued working on the
station the summer after I graduated, and was then joined by two other students who
helped prepare for the station’s soft launch.
I am writing because I’d like to set the record straight on how the station started.
The statement in this article directly conflicts with what was written in the February
issue of SCAN magazine (“Log On, Listen In”). It is also inconsistent with the account
published in a previous issue of the Wheel (“Student run station broadcasting soon from
SCU”, September 24, 2010), which mentions that student initiative started the station.
As a women’s university that encourages women to take ownership of their ideas
and work, and whose mission is to celebrate the achievements of its women students,
it is ironic that much coverage of the radio station has chosen to focus sole credit on
the faculty mentor. It is also telling that despite the September 2010 Wheel article
mentioning the names of myself and the other two students as starting the station,
Joshua Haringa is the only source quoted in the article, leaving the “voices” of the
students who started the station unheard. In the latest Wheel article even the students’
names are blotted into oblivion and anonymity. It saddens me to have to challenge
this culture of omission at the university that has minimized the contributions of its
students. In my classes at St. Kate’s I learned how women and minorities have often
made contributions throughout history that have gone unnoticed. Yet, this has been my
experience of starting the station and later seeing and trying to correct the inaccurate
coverage about it. In the future I hope the university faculty, administration and
community will be more sensitive to acknowledging the contributions of their students.
I also want to point out an error in the article about the website of the radio station.
The correct website is http://radiohere.stkate.edu.
Annette Dias
2010 Alumna, Communications Studies
SCU
Photo courtesy of http://maxinethomashomes.blogspot.com/
compensation must continue to be discussed.“We are in a state of flux as we transition
into a new and bigger shape and compared to colleges at similarly sized institutions, our salaries are below what would be considered a ‘starting’ salary for most jobs,” Conley said. “If money is a measure of [our] value here, then an outsider might speculate that we are not compensated in monetary terms for the amount of work we do.”
However, Conley acknowledges SCU’s support of faculty, even if this support is not always demonstrated directly through compensation.
“I appreciate the way SCU embraces faculty who, like me, are artists. [Our] performance or written work as artists is not discouraged
than other comparable institutions makes a statement,” Cecilia Konchar-Farr, professor of English, said. “The larger problem is the central value of the institution, which is creating knowledge. Ritual and having a beautiful campus are secondary.”
The conversation surrounding compensation will continue, as administration seeks to address these concerns.
“We are currently reviewing the data from larger group of National Master’s Universities with Religious Affiliation,” Sexton said. “There will be continued communication regarding compensation and benefits with the faculty Allocation and Compensation Committee as the planning proceeds.”
Regardless of the discussion surrounding benefits and compensation, SCU students continue to value their professors’ work.
Letter to the Editor: The bottle battle
[give] a lot of time, effort, patience, and attention to SCU students and I don’t believe they would s t i l l be around just for the salary if they didn’t enjoy teaching here,” sophomore student Caitlyn Witt said.
Senior Cirien Saadeh echoes Witt’s sentiment.
“It’s the teachers who make things m a k e s e n s e . They’re the most important people to our education,” Saadeh said.
Alexa can be reached at
a n c h i h o s @stkate.edu.
Rachel can be reached at
Letter to the Editor: Clearing the airwaves
The Wheel strives for accuracy, and sincerely regrets any and all errors. Comments and questions can be emailed to [email protected].
as being somehow “unacademic”, as it would be at other better- paying institutions who only believe publishing in journals or book form constitutes serious academic work,” Conley said.
For some professors, however, this is not enough.
“It’s an issue of justice – the fact that we are a women’s institution and we pay our faculty and staff at a lower rate
“Never have I heard a professor g i v e a p o o r quality lecture or seen a professor unhappy with what they teach a t S C U a n d blame it on a p o o r s a l a r y. Our professors
Photo Illustration by Heather Kolnick.
NEWS & OPINIONMarch 18, 2011 The Wheel | 3
By Elissa Johnsonpolitical columnist
Theory to action:Global activism from your couch
Editorial: Living the Liberal ArtsBy Tréza Rosadoeditor-in-chief
We’re all familiar with some unfortunate aspects of St. Catherine University (SCU). Tension between the administration and students is never fun. Neither is listening to a classmate use large group classroom discussion to debrief about her recent breakup/surgery/tangential stream of consciousness. I’ve been disappointed by the academic standards of SCU on more than one occasion. However, it’s been more than three years since I first wanted to roll my eyes at a “St. Kate’s overshare,” and it is no longer low academic standards that get me down.
What really upsets me is hearing my peers complain about feeling under-challenged and then seeing those same people do just enough to get by. We need to take more advantage of the professors and opportunities that an undergraduate experience at SCU offers. Granted, many of us are so over-burdened we can’t imagine taking on one more project. However, nothing looks better on a resume than collaboration with a faculty member or an extra-curricular project. Initiatives such as the Assistant Mentorship Program (AMP) offer such opportunities in a structured environment, and places like the Center for Women have money to help students do extra-curricular research.
Feeling uninspired? That won’t last long – just keep in mind that these four years are the best, most resource-rich time of your life in terms of academic support. And, considering the current crisis of higher education, the support and money may only get scarcer as the years go on. Nothing gets creativity flowing like a ticking clock.
At the risk of shameless self promotion, I think it worthy to mention how I’ve taken advantage of such opportunities. After returning from study abroad in Ecuador, I wanted to find a way to return to the country and do research . The first step, for me, was to send that desire out into the universe. I thought through what my research might look like and started talking to everyone I knew about how I might make that happen. Sure enough, after many dead ends and much frustration, I found funding through the Faculty-Student Research Collaborative Grant and academic support with Spanish professor Kristina Bønsager. We spent a month in Ecuador this January, interviewing indigenous women and learning about the connections between gender and cosmology in the Andes. It wasn’t easy, but it was definitely worth it, and the support I received from Academic Affairs certainly took the edge off.
My point here is that SCU faculty and staff are hungry for bright, motivated students to work with them on projects of either’s choosing. We might not have as hefty an endowment as some of our neighbors but in my experience, the affirmation and encouragement of the professors I’ve worked with made up for any finances that were lacking. So, the next time you are sitting in class feeling bored, pull out a piece of paper and jot down ideas for the next great SCU international research project. Then, when your class ends, talk to your professors about how they can help you make that happen. I promise, they won’t roll their eyes.
Esther can be reached at [email protected].
You might have heard that the 2010-2011 academic year has been declared the “Year of the Liberal Arts” by St. Catherine University (SCU). The campus has been host to several special events and lectures throughout the humanities in celebration of the launch of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences. The Year of the Liberal Arts reaches its peak with the arrival of Azar Nafisi, author of the bestselling novel “Reading Lolita in Tehran.” Nafisi is this year’s Bonnie Jean and Joan Kelly Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence and will visit the campus April 18-20.
SCU has spent a considerable amount of time and funding on art exhibits, film screenings, and guest speakers to accompany the highly publicized School of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences. This increased attention on the liberal arts has led to an elevated debate regarding the changing place of the liberal arts at SCU. As we come to the end of another school year and as the university approaches the culmination of the Year of the Liberal Arts, the Wheel will be providing a different perspective each issue on the successes and shortcomings of the year’s humanities-centered celebrations. These articles, roundtables, audio interviews, and editorials aim to situate the Year of the Liberal Arts in the larger context of the future of liberal arts at SCU.
As the only student-led newspaper, we are uniquely situated to explore the issues most significant to our university community. In that regard, we recognize your voices as the most important element of the paper we produce. The Wheel would like to encourage its readers as students, faculty members, staffers, administrators, alumnae, and SCU community members, to contact us with ideas, opinions, or commentaries centered around the liberal arts and SCU.
Submit questions and thoughts to The Wheel site (thewheel-scu.tumblr.com) or email any editor (ie. [email protected]).
We look forward to your input as we close out the 2010-2011 school year.
Tréza can be reached at [email protected].
International Column: Getting the most out of undergradBy Esther Mossguest columnist
That’s what we all want to hear, right? You can make a difference in the world by barely lifting a finger. Door-to-door canvassers and mail-out donation asks pride themselves on this idea. There is a huge population of people with some disposable income who would back most any organization that fronts to be on “their side” without thinking about it too much. As long as they can write a check, toss a twenty or sign on some line, their good will is complete. They can rest easy knowing they will be kept abreast of the goings-on of their favorite public radio station, community-supported art gallery, the shelter puppies, or that endearing kid in Africa. But does this count as activism? Where is the line between saving face and saving a movement? Who wins the “best activist” award: the philanthropist who cut a giant check or the twenty-something community organizer?
There may not be any real answer to these questions. The fact is that it takes money to get things done. Campaigns cost a lot to produce signs and pay the people who are working long hours for what they believe in. Services that allow broadcasts like public television and radio cost money for airtime, copyrights, and again those pesky wages. There are issues that take lobbying, fliering and picketing to defend rights and create a better world for everyone. Individuals who cut checks to the organizations doing the work they enjoy help to make that work doable. Without funding we see organizations like the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), scrambling for the dollars of the people they know benefit from their existence.
But what if it stopped there? Organizations need more than money. People, not dollars, are the ones who fill lawns in protest of motions to deny rights to workers at the Wisconsin capitol. Real bodies, not checks, are the ones who speak their stories and bring legislatures to tears when lobbying for equal marriage rights. When I say “agents of change,” I don’t mean the coins in your pocket. I mean bodies of this movement. But when your body can’t move with the crowd any longer, then you can cut that check and feel good about it.
It takes more than money and it takes more than bodies. Think about putting your money toward some of the organizations that are doing work you respect or depend on. If you don’t have money, volunteer to mail letters, call people who might have the funds, or carry a sign for your cause. America tends to speak with its money, so be conscious of where yours is going. Social activism doesn’t pay well in dollars but, with some help, it sure feeds the world some justice.
Elissa can be reached at [email protected].
St. Catherine University - Office of Global Studies - 305 Derham Hall - (651) 690-6472 2004 Randolph Avenue, #F-09 - St. Paul, MN 55105 - [email protected]
ATTENTION:
RETURNING
STUDY ABROAD
STUDENTS...
ANNUAL STUDY ABROAD PHOTO
CONTEST Study Abroad Photo Contest Instructions:
Submit up to 4 photos. You may enter two pho-tos in each category (Katies Abroad and Cultural Connections). Descriptions of categories are available on the Global Studies internal website.
Photos should be submitted electronically via email to [email protected] or on a CD to the Office of Global Studies, Derham Hall 305.
Photos must be submitted in JPEG format and
Complete the Study Abroad Photo Contest entry form. Include titles, locations, terms abroad, and a 2-3 sentence description of the image. The en-try form is posted on the Global Studies website.
4 Winners will be chosen, two in each category, and CASH PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED!
Entries must be submitted by March 28, 2011
SCU Office of Global Studies305 Derham Hall(651) 690-6472
S t u d y A b r o a d P h o t o C o n t e s t I n s t r u c t i o n s :
• Submit up to 4 photos. You may enter two photos in each category (Katies Abroad and Cultural Connections). Descriptions of categories are available on the Global Studies internal website.
• Photos should be submitted
e l e c t ron i c a l l y v i a em a i l to [email protected] or on a CD to the Office of Global S t u d i e s , D e r h a m Ha l l 3 0 5 .
• Photos must be submitted in JPEG format and 4x6’’ size. Please notify us if you have questions.
• Complete the Study Abroad Photo Contest entry form. Include titles, locations, terms abroad, and a 2-3 sentence description of the image. The entry form is posted on the Global Studies website.
• 4 Winners will be chosen, two in each categor y, and CASH PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED!
• Entries must be submitted by March 28, 2011.
The suspect in the sexual assault case near Augsburg College and St. Catherine University (SCU)’s Minneapolis campus, Jerome David Roy, 41, was arrested Friday and charged with One Count Gross Misdemeanor Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Fifth Degree. Suspect remains in custody.
Laura Goodman, Director of Public Safety, issued this statement in regards to the sexual assault near Augsburg College and St. Catherine University.
“It is an unfortunate state when a woman cannot walk down a city street without being
accosted. While we wish that women did not need to learn situational awareness and self-defense (and that men who make a living teaching self defense to women would spend equal time teaching men not to be violent against women), the public safety department offers self-defense classes and safety escorts and encourage campus community members to use these services.”
The SCU community should report any suspicious activity to Public Safety right away. For more information, contact Department of Public Safety, x8888.
Crime update
FEATURES4 | The Wheel March 18, 2011
•SCU graduate takes women’s education to the workplace
Alumnae spotlight: Carol Eiden
By Brie Berg and Jennifer Quayle
The Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) and People Respecting Identity Differences and Equality (PRIDE) have collaborated on developing St. Catherine University’s (SCU) first workshop centered on radical consent culture.
Sophomore PRIDE President Emily Monson (EM), first-year MPIRG and PRIDE member Rachel Thompson (RT), and first-year Women and Gender co-task force leader Leah Matz (LM) sat down with The Wheel to discuss the importance of consent.
What is radical consent culture?
LM: Radical consent culture is a culture that applies heavy communication to anything that has to do with bodies, minds, or spirits, and assumes that everyone has their own beautiful and unique boundaries. People do not have the right to assume what those boundaries are with any individual and we have the responsibility to communicate and ask questions to know when we are overstepping boundaries.
RT: “Yes means yes” is respecting people’s boundaries, triggers, and histories to make sure that nothing uncomfortable happens [between individuals].
What is the consent wor k shop?
By Alexa Chihos and Becky Doucetteassistant editors
Yes and no• The Wheel sits down with PRIDE and MPIRG members to discuss radical consent culture
An avid intramural participant, English Club member, and Honors student, Carol Eiden was a busy and involved student who is now among the countless successful alumnae of St. Catherine University (SCU).
Eiden graduated from SCU, then the College of St. Catherine, in 1990 with majors in English and mathematics. She then went on to earn her law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.
For Eiden, the hardest part about transitioning from a student to the professional world came after she graduated from law school. Upon entering the workforce, her first job made her much more aware of the existence of sexism.
LM: The consent workshop was an opportunity for students at St. Kate’s to talk about what consent is, their ideas about consent, how that applies to sexuality, and how that applies to our everyday lives and our everyday interactions with people.
EM: We also highlighted a lot of the important everyday interactions, and stressing that those interactions that we feel are okay (but don’t usually think of as consent) are actually a part of consent.
Is consent only important in intimate relationships?
LM: No! That’s the point of a radical consent culture...Consent is important in any kind of personal relationship that we can ever have.
RT: Consent is not only in intimate relationships. It applies to any interaction you have with anyone at any time, including both physical and verbal interactions.
EM: Consent is important with any person that you might encounter on an everyday basis. It has to do with hugging people, asking if you can sit with them, asking to borrow something.
Why is radical consent important in our culture and on the SCU campus?
LM: It is so important to remember the high
frequency of sexual violence victims that are female and how many of those victim survivors
conscious about avoiding gendered language in the creation of this workshop and making sure that this information is accessible to anyone.
RT: Consent is not a gendered issue although various identities experience it in different ways. It’s a woman’s job to ask whoever her partner is for consent as equally as it is a man’s.
How did you decide on what content was going to be covered in the event?
LM: We recognized that within the programs that are offered to students at [SCU], any type of consent workshop is not offered. This is generally incorporated into the orientation programming in most other colleges. We took it upon ourselves as PRIDE and as MPIRG to come together to develop this workshop.
EM: We have the perspectives of all the students who are able to participate in the two-part workshop development that we put on between these two organizations; all of their voices are present in this workshop. It was community-focused and community-created, and will also be community-facilitated.
What is the importance of bringing the Women and Gender task force and PRIDE together to collaborate on this workshop?
EM: The consent workshop touched on the fact that consent isn’t a gendered thing and since PRIDE does a lot of work in recognizing that there are multiple different kinds of genders. [It] makes sense that what our group represents paired with the Women and Gender task force.
LM: The MPIRG Women and Gender task force is widely understood to be the
“I was the first woman to ever work at the law firm and I had to break a lot of ground there,” Eiden said.
Eiden was taken aback by the apparent sexism in her workplace and eventually left that firm after four years. Her experience served as a s ignif icant learning experience because she realized success is not always about good grades or skills.
“All throughout school, I learned that if you work hard and perform well, you would be rewarded. It was when I entered my first job out of law school that I realized how different the real world could still be,” Eiden said.
T h e s e x i s m s h e experienced was also reflected in her paycheck.
“I learned right before I left [the law firm]that I was never paid what the male attorney who was about 5 years ahead of me was paid at any step of the way after I had been there two years, three years etc.,” Eiden said. “At
Carol Eiden. Photo courtesy of Carol Eiden.
school you are isolated from sexism, but once you step out into the real world, it is completely different.”
She worked at that f irm for four years before joining Oppenheimer Wolff & Donnelly, a Minneapolis law firm that represents businesses. Eiden has worked at Oppenheimer since 1997 and now is a partner at the firm. The typical day-to-day tasks associated with Eiden’s p o s i t i on con s i s t o f communicating with her clients regularly, document drafting, and negotiating with other attorneys.
Although Eiden is proud of the successful career she has built for herself, nothing means more to her after a day at the office than the members of her family: her children, Aubrey and Alycia, along
with her husband Jon.“They are the highlights of my life,” Eiden
said. Reflecting on her experience as an
undergraduate at SCU, Eiden credits the critical thinking skills she developed as a result of her liberal arts education as one of the biggest benefits she took away.
“St. Kate’s is all about questioning, researching and learning. There was always lots of opportunity to do research, presentations, and big papers. St. Kate’s provides in-depth study that students can present in a variety of ways,” she said.
Eiden has been in the “real world” for a number of years, yet she has still maintained relationships with professors she had while attending SCU. She cites her relationship with former SCU English professor Margery Smith, CSJ, SP ‘49, as a prime example of the unique features of this school.
“St. Kate’s allows students to develop close relationships with professors and the professors really take interest in their students,” Eiden said.
Based on what she knows now, Eiden has some advice for current SCU students.
“Take advantage of the opportunities you can in order to both educate yourself but also prepare yourself for future leadership positions...It will benefit you later in life,” she said.
Brie can be reached at [email protected] can be reached at [email protected]
only student group that explicitly works on women and gender issues. With the idea of this consent workshop coming from within MPIRG and considering who we might want to work with in developing this workshop, clearly when we want to incorporate the ideas and perspectives of as many different identities as possible, it just seemed like the most sense to pair with PRIDE.
Did the administration have a role in the consent workshop?
EM: The only SCU staff member that was directly involved in the making of the consent workshop was Brigette Marty and [The Taskforce to Eliminate Violence Against Women] here at SCU. They gave us the funding, provided us with the space, getting the catering, and publicity. Otherwise the rest of the workshop was formulated by students.
LM: It’s not necessarily, intentionally exclusive of the administration, as much as it was created by students. We would certainly love to work with administration in the future.
What do you think SCU will do with this in the future?
LM: We have had some conversations about taking this and putting it in different contexts on the campus. There is conversation happening but nothing set in stone at this point.
Alexa can be reached [email protected]
Becky can be reached [email protected].
are on this campus. . .The eventual goal is that w e h a v e s t u d e n t s come to this workshop [ w h o ] understand r a d i c a l consent and understand what it looks like, and are integrating it into their lives.
E M : W e have been trying really h a r d a n d being really
Small group discussion at the consent workshop Wednesday night . Photo by Jessica Jones.
Workshop facilitators Caitlin Snodgrass and Emily Monson perform a skit. Photo by Jessica Jones.
FEATURESMarch 18, 2011 The Wheel | 5
Would you rather?• SCU students share their ideal spring break
Listen local: Remembering Eyedea
By Claire Davidsonmusic columnist
It’s a common scene in my life: I’m driving in my car with 89.3 The Current turned up full tilt. A few bars or verses hit my ears and suddenly I’m in love. Mostly, and quite conveniently for this column, the hymns of heartache or sound bites I encounter are from local artists right here in the Twin Cities. Last Sunday was no different, except for one thing: although the track itself was unfamiliar, the voice was most definitely an old friend. It was someone who had been making me think and inspiring independent hip-hop for years. I was listening to Eyedea, of Eyedea & Abilities. It was, of course, an old song because there isn’t going to be any new music from the man behind Eyedea & Abilities; he’s not with us anymore.
It’s hard to believe that it was only five months ago that Minneapolis rap legend Michael Larson aka “Eyedea” passed away at the age of 28. Though memorial services were held at the time of his death, I’ve been meaning to commit a column to one of the most inspiring young artists of my generation, a local music mainstay of what it means to create not only independent hip-hop but independent thought. Along with his best friend Max Keltgen, aka “DJ Abilities,” Larson formed Eyedea & Abilities and became part of the Rhymesayers crew in its early years.
More than a rapper, Eyedea was a true philosophic spirit and not enough people knew of him until his death. On one of his most thought-provoking tracks, “Void-Internal Theory,” he spits a beautiful rhyme containing the kind of paradox and reflection that is found in the best poetry. “Violence saturates our surroundings, my heart is pounding, I am one of the strong that noticed the sirens sounding/Striving to wake you up, so we can grow to maturity/While we’re all buyin the government’s repent from social security/ Patterns of emotion change shape from different situations, lanterns shed light on the dark side of imagination/Scattered is good and evil, through various people and areas of ego, but we know we can be peaceful with the right participation.”
Though any sort of “review” I could give you of Michael’s music would scarcely do it justice, keeping the spirit of independent hip-hop alive is the most important thing to take away from his art, and one that I hope local artists continue to support after his death. While there will always be days when you are pushed to think yourself in circles, and mind-numbing music or television or thought sounds like a beautiful escape, there is a true beauty in celebrating the philosophy found in underground rap. Larson was an inspiring example of the kind of thought-provoking hip-hop that increases our personal awareness and elevates our consciousness.
Claire can be reached at [email protected].
Tanell Green First -year
What are you wearing?
Jacket from Forever 21, shirt from Price by the Pound, pants from Urban Outfitters, universal scarf from H&M, and boots from Heartbreaker for 8 dollars!
Any deals?
Any and every thrift around the nation.
What inspires your fashion sense?
The fact that people can portray a sense of their personality through clothing without even having to speak. It’s beautiful.
What is one thing you would never wear?
Neon colors.
What excites you most about fashion? Being able to show people that I
have no limits.
“What are youwearing?”
Compiled by Jessica Jones
• A look at St. Kate’s most fearless and fashionable
Think your department or major has some exceptionally stylish students or professors? Let us know and your department may be featured in a future fashion article. Contact [email protected] with suggestions.
Nitomi Wong
Senior
What are you wearing? A black military-inspired collared
shirt, black knit tube scarf, black pin stripe skirt from Express, floral tights, knee length black boots from Nine West brand from Herberger’s - modified by me.
Any deals?
Shirt was a gift, the tube scarf is handmade and the boots were originally $129 but I got them for $85.
Where do you like to shop?
Online! Well, I don’t really have a favorite place. I shop almost anywhere.
What inspires your fashion sense?
Alternative, sub culture.
What is one thing you would never wear?
Flip flops, sweats, jeans (I don’t even own a pair) - basically boring things.
Set up camp in front of the T.V. and not get off the couch for days on end,
ORHead out to see that museum you’ve always been telling yourself you’d get to?
Call and catch up with old high school friends,OR
Plan a trip with your new college friends?
Have game nights cuddled up on the couch,OR
Hang around the St. Thomas campus to see if there are parties you can crash?
Do assignments assigned for break the first weekend to get them out of the way,
ORSave them until the day before classes start?
Finally spend time making an elaborate meal, OR
Let Chinese takeout containers slowly pile up on all surfaces around the house?
Stay on campus where you would be alone but would finally have that flatscreen in the lounge all to yourself,
ORGo home and deal with your parents’ well in-tended but misguided smothering tendencies?
Compiled by Dana Bloomquist
FEATURES6 | The Wheel March 18, 2011
XXX
• Campus Ministry volunteer celebrates 60 years as a CSJ
Spotlight: Sr. Florence Steichen
Amy Herman, a contributor to St. Catherine University (SCU)’s Year of the Liberal Arts, visited campus last week to share interdisciplinary applications to the real world.
In the spirit and celebration of the liberal arts,
• Amy Herman ties art to medical observationBy Molly Davystaff writer
In the eyes of the beholder
Above: Amy Herman facilitates a discussion with SCU students at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. Title Photo: SCU Nursing and Art History students analyze works of art at the MIA as a part of the Art of Perception workshop. Left: SCU students consider a painting at the MIA. Photos by Heather Kolnick.
and using the critical and analytical skills of art historians and others in the art field in their own work.
Herman began her academic career as an undergraduate in art history, later going to law school and practicing law for several years. Eventually, she went back to school for a Master’s in art history and became head of education at the prestigious Frick Collection in New York City. It was through a fellow gallery volunteer at the Frick Collection that Herman heard of an interesting and highly innovative program instituted at Yale Medical School and designed for medical students.
This program would later be adapted into Herman’s The Art of Perception seminar, designed for law enforcement. The program has allowed Herman the opportunity to travel all over the world teaching for organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Department of Homeland Security. Most recently, the nursing, art,and art history departments at SCU have benefited from the seminar.
At her seminar, Herman introduced the idea of “inattentional blindness,” in which viewers bring their experiences into a scene they are viewing, and let that personal experience overshadow their way of interpreting the visual information they see.
Herman urges us to divorce
asked the audience to describe what they saw.
“How much more effective things would be if we could communicate clearly and effectively,” she told the audience.
To many people’s surprise, the audience’s attempts at observing the presented scene were actually inferences. Rather than objectively describing the painting as perhaps a person playing an instrument, many people are inclined to instead make assumptions about the subject. For example, even assuming that the cello player is a cello player at all (Herman says Eakins could have easily arranged to pay for a model he meets off the street) is an inference rather than an observation. Also, the fact that the subject holds the cello bow in his right hand is an assumption that he is right-handed; the subject could just as easily be ambidextrous or following a directed pose for the artist.
SCU couldn’t have chosen anyone more suited than Herman, who shared her presentation entitled “The Art of Perception” with SCU students, staff, and community members. “The Art of Perception” analyzes the positive repercussions of combining analysis in the arts with observation of patients in the medical field. The seminar seeks to teach professionals how to enhance their observation skills by viewing works of art
from this urge. For example, she shows the audience Thomas Eakin’s portrait The Cello Player which shows a person with a cello. She
What it all comes down to for Herman, is that these small inferences can make or break how we view the visual information we are presented with. Herman’s exercises in viewing art works are a testament to the fragility of making definitive statements using the crutch of our personal experiences.
“Assumptions are sometimes detrimental to visual analysis,” Herman said.
The lecture, as a whole, was enlightening for members of the art and nursing departments alike. Any chance to realize crossover between such polarized areas of the academic world as the arts and health sciences is certainly something to experience. Herman’s lecture was a true testament to SCU’s attempt to unite the liberal arts and sciences.
Herman’s advice to nursing students in art classes and art students in science classes would most likely be a phrase she used often throughout her lecture: “appraise, analyze and articulate.”
Molly can be reached [email protected].
By Janessa Schilmoellerstaff writer
Sr. Florence Steichen recently celebrated her 60th anniversary with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ). Born on June 6, 1928, Steichen grew up in right here in the Twin Cities. Back in 1950, joining CSJ “seemed like a natural evolution” Steichen, who went to CSJ schools from third grade through her time at St. Kate’s, said.
A friend from high school had joined CSJ
because Israeli law required a permit for any gatherings of more than five people. As time went on, class sizes expanded to 15, and the rest of the students were allowed to take the underground classes as well.
Steichen learned to be patient and adaptable in the face of many daily challenges under Israeli occupation. Steichen had to keep track of which students were pregnant to avoid sending them to classes in areas subject to frequent tear gassing. She also made sure that students with yellow plates took classes in Jerusalem and those with blue plates took classes in Bethlehem, in accordance with Israeli travel laws. Steichen even created special make-up work policies for students in prison, some of whom would be gone up to 15 years, so they could come back and finish their degrees.
This continued until Oct. 1, 1990, when the university re-opened two years and 11 months after the initial closure. Steichen returned to Minnesota in December 1992, but her experiences are still fresh. Her hope “is for justice for all the people, which will necessitate the end of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land and all the control of
resources and all aspects of daily life that entails.”
Since returning to St. Paul, Steichen remains active in advocating justice for all Palestinians. She is the former president of Middle East Peace Now, a member of the Women Against Military Madness Middle East Committee, and stays involved with the CSJ social justice group, book clubs, and more.
Steichen is a phenomenal woman with a lively spirit and courageous heart. Steichen enjoys swimming, conversation hours with friends, the occasional concerts or plays, and even jet skiing. Sr. Florence is also celebrating 15 years with Campus Ministry this year. She volunteers once a week coordinating opportunities such as room blessings and retreats between the sisters and SCU, and she also keeps an active list of CSJs who are available for TRW class interviews.
Please stop by to thank her for the great work she is doing for social justice and congratulate her on 60 years as a CSJ!
Janessa can be reached [email protected].
and told her, “This is the life!” So after a sister at St. Kate’s suggested it, Steichen jumped on board. Steichen’s fellow CSJs have been some of the greatest mentors in her life. However, it was through experiences at Bethlehem University that Steichen learned the most about patience, adaptability, and justice.
In 1987, leaders at the CSJ encouraged Steichen to apply for the position of registrar at Bethlehem University located in the West Bank in the Middle East. Steichen arrived in Bethlehem that summer before taking over as the registrar.
On Oct. 27, 1987, the students were having a nonviolent rally on the property and waving a Palestinian flag, which was illegal. Steichen vividly remembers how “an Israeli sniper shot and killed one of [the] unarmed student leaders, and closed the university for three months.” On Feb. 1, 1988, when the three months closure was over, the university re-opened only to be closed again at the end of the day. “We then began to work off campus with students in small groups who were closest to graduation” recalls Steichen, who was in charge of scheduling off-campus class and finding safe, private locations. Classes were small at first
Sister Florence Steichen, enjoying a gather-ing commemorating her 60 years as a CSJ. Photo by Sarah Wente.
Steichen and friend Julius Gernes jet skiing in August of 2010. “This was was my first, and most likely last, time on a jet ski. It was fun; I was hanging on for dear life,” Steichen said. Photo courtesy of Sister Florence.
HEALTHMarch 18, 2011 The Wheel | 7
By Rachel Armstrongassociate editor
Spring Break safety• Suggestions for a great break
Spring Break is almost here. Hopefully, most of you are doing things that are more interesting than my plans, which include lying on my mother’s couch and eating non-microwavable food for once. Whether you’re staying on campus, traveling to visit family or friends, or taking a car or plane as far south as you can get, the St. Catherine University (SCU) Health and Wellness Center has a few tips for having fun and staying safe over break.
With incidents involving binge drinking on college campuses making news, Jeannine Mueller-Harmon, Nurse Practitioner at SCU has a few words of advice for SCU students who decide to drink over break.
By Dana Bloomquistcopy editor
The Melting Point:Feminist forestry
About five hours due north is a place you probably have not seen and probably do not know much about: the Chippewa National Forest. One of two national forests in Minnesota, the Chippewa consists of one and a half million acres of land and water. It is home to some of the nation’s largest populations of bald eagles and goshawks, according to the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, a publication of Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and is one of the most aquatic national parks in the United States, with tens of thousands of acres of lakes, streams, and wetlands. Many biologists call the Chippewa National Forest home: the Forest provides one of the United States’ largest research forests.
But the Chippewa was not always a protected national forest. Around the turn of the twentieth century, federal arrangements had been made to sell much of northern Minnesota’s forests to be logged and possibly destroyed forever. Luckily, that never happened. But why? Who provided a voice for the forest and a call to action? The people who provided the impetus to preserve the great north woods were a group of passionate women. Maria Sanford, a professor at the University of Minnesota, provided the driving force behind a movement that resulted in federal protection for the forest. Sanford wrote a scathing and urgent editorial in The Courant, the publication for the Minnesota Federation of Women’s Clubs. The Federation proved instrumental in advocating for scientific forestry and conservation of the forest, although it advocated for much more.
The Federation of Women’s Clubs, after its inauguration in 1895, quickly became known colloquially as the “Brainy Women of Minnesota” for its membership of outspoken and progressive women, and for its goals (among others) of advancing education, expanding library resources, and streamlining the garbage disposal system in the Twin Cities. Among the Federation’s broad goals was the preservation of health and beauty, so the call to forest conservation arose. It was this organization that called attention to the fact that no government representatives from Minnesota at the time stood for the creation of a national forest; it was this organization that put enough pressure on the U.S. Congress to designate the land as federally protected.
In my experience there is usually a compelling story behind why things are the way they are, and the story above is no exception. As members of a women’s university whose history very much parallels the history of the Chippewa National Forest in terms of who created it and why, perhaps we can pay the forest a visit soon. Perhaps we can walk through the woods and better understand what a small group of women had to do, and how they had to struggle, for us to have the privilege.
Visit the DNR’s website at dnr.state.mn.us or the National Forest Foundations’ website at nationalforests.org to schedule your adventure in the North Woods.
Dana can be reached at [email protected].
Ask Katie!• The Ask Katie! peer health advisers answer your health-related questionsCompiled by Dana Bloomquist
This week, Ask Katie! explores endometriosis, how this disease affects women, and what can be done about it.
Endometriosis is when the tissue that normally lines the uterus (the endometrium) migrates to areas outside the uterus. The new, misplaced tissue growing outside the uterus forms what are called implants. Usually the areas affected are usually nearby, and may include the uterus, ovaries, Fallopian tubes, or the bladder. Endometriosis is problematic because:
1) It’s painful. The endometrium sheds when you have your period, and then builds up again during your menstrual cycle. Implants swell as the endometrium builds up, but don’t shed when you have your period (because they are trapped in the body, there is nowhere for the lining to leave). This means that they grow over time and can cause painful pressure in the pelvic area and lower abdomen.
2) It can affect your fertility (ability to bear children). If endometriosis is present in areas of the ovaries and/or Fallopian tubes, it can cause scarring that can impede the passage of eggs into the uterus (where a fertilized egg can be implanted). In some cases, endometriosis can even cause enough damage to the ovaries that a woman’s reserve of eggs is compromised.
Luckily, not al l women who have endometriosis experience fertility problems. It can, however, still be a painful condition. Some studies estimate that up to ten percent of women in the United States have endometriosis to some extent, and there is a variety of relatively effective treatments for it.
Endometriosis is usually diagnosed in women’s twenties or thirties, but it is estimated that the condition can actually begin when menstruation begins. There are some early warning signs and symptoms to look out for to help ensure early diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis:
Family history and risk: If you have a mother or sister who has been diagnosed
with endometriosis, you are relatively likely to have it as well.
Menstrual history and risk: if you started menstruating when you were particularly young, or have periods that last longer than a week, you are at a slightly higher risk of endometriosis.
Symptoms: the main symptom of endometriosis is pain. This comes in the form of painful periods, abdominal pain before menstruation, pain during sex, and lower back pain, and irregular vaginal bleeding.
Warning sign: if you have been trying to get pregnant for a year with no success, endometriosis may be part of the reason why.
It’s important to note, however, that endometrial implants can be present in a variety of places, so symptoms and the severity of the condition can vary greatly between individuals. For example, some women with very mild endometriosis (small implants) have intense pain, while other women with severe endometriosis feel no pain whatsoever.
Treatment of endometriosis often involves hormone therapy. This is because implants grow due to hormonal signals that stimulate the growth of the endometrium. The idea is that if you can stop the hormones that make endometriosis grow, you can stop it from getting worse. Hormone therapy usually means pills that contain estrogen and progesterone to induce a state of “pseudopregnancy” to prevent the ovaries from emitting the hormones.
There are also surgical treatments for endometriosis. For severe cases, especially if an individual does not want to have children, a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) can be performed. This is often accompanied by the removal of the ovaries and Fallopian tubes. A less invasive surgical treatment is called laparoscopy. This involves inserting small scopes into the uterus to see if there is an incidence of endometriosis and removing what is found.
All this information and more was found at the National Institutes of Health Pub Med Health’s endometriosis website (ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.pubmedhealth) and endo-resolved.com.
Please note that the Ask Katie! advisers are not trained medical professionals; contact your health care provider with immediate questions or concerns. AskKatie! should not be used in place of professional consultation.
If you still have unanswered questions about STDs, don’t forget to go to the Ask Katie! stall in your residence hall and write a question on the anonymous notepad. If you live off campus, email questions to [email protected].
Ask Katie stall in St. Mary Hall. Photo by Heather Kolnick.
“I would remind students that the legal drinking age is 21. If you are under 21, you should not drink. If you are of legal drinking age and decide to drink, do not drink in excess. Students should designate a ‘sober’ group member so that students do not drink and drive a car or drink and do something dangerous or stupid,” Mueller-Harmon said.
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism, women appear to me more vulnerable than men to many of the consequences of alcohol use.
“Women achieve higher concentrations of alcohol in the blood and become more impaired than men after drinking equivalent amounts of alcohol. Research also suggests that women are more susceptible than men to alcohol-related organ damage and to trauma resulting from traffic crashes and interpersonal violence,” a report from the Institute said.
Whether you do plan to drink over break, or are spending the majority of your time on your mother’s couch like me, enjoy your Spring Break responsibly.
Rachel can be reached at [email protected]
According to American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, alcohol use is linked with:
• About one half of fatal car crashes• Two thirds of drownings• One half of fires• One half of severe falls• Violence (including domestic violence)• Suicide• Damage to the fetus and newborn that lasts a lifetime
Drink responsibly.
SPORTS8 | The Wheel March 18, 2011
By Cheyfaun Bryantstaff writer
The other side of March Madness• Four NCAA women’s teams to watch for
If you only paid attention to ESPN and your brother’s bracket-obsessing, you might think the NCAA Men’s Championship is the only trophy on the line. However, the NCAA Women’s Championship, typically a footnote to the men’s March Madness, includes several more thrilling match-ups than the bracket setup for the boys. Although the men’s Final Four could go to anyone, the women’s Final Four could very well be a collection of the top-seeded teams from each conference.
Below are some teams to watch out for in the NCAA Division I Women’s Championship, from the perennial favorites to the 2011 dark horses.
University of Connecticut Huskies (1)Even if you don’t follow college basketball,
there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the UConn Huskies, the dominant force in the Big East Conference. Headlines for the Huskies have most recently centered on the team’s remarkable winning streak (90 consecutive wins across two seasons) which finally ended in a loss to Stanford this past December. The Huskies have won seven NCAA Division I Championships in their storied history; they were recently named the third greatest sports franchise of the decade by Sports Illustrated. Their coach of 25 years, Geno Auriemma, has overseen 767 total victories in his time with the champion Huskies.
account the team’s rating percentage index (a number used to rank teams according to their number of wins and losses and difficulty of opponents in comparison to other teams), national ranking, conference record, and other factors.
Once the final choices are made, the 68 men’s teams and 64 women’s teams are placed into one of four regions and given a seed to determine their rank within the region. Each team in a region is given a number between 1 and 16, with the best team in that region getting the number 1 spot. Each region has a regional championship and the champions of the regions make up the final four. The
March MadnessThe NCAA for dummies
As many sports fans in the United States gear up for March Madness 2011, there are some of us who may be a little less in tune with their athletic side.
Here is a quick summary of the NCAA tournament: the teams, the rivalries, the madness.
March Madness is the championship tournament for qualifying National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s and women’s basketball teams. This three-week long tournament usually begins on the third Thursday in March, but the anticipation of March Madness begins earlier. To be able to participate in the NCAA championship tournament, a college or university must be a Division I, II, or III NCAA team, and must be invited to play.
This year there are 68 spots for men’s teams and 64 spots for women’s teams. The competing teams are chosen by a selection committee of NCAA athletic officials, and the men’s and women’s divisions each have a separate committee. The committee automatically picks 31 teams to be invited to the tournament based on the teams’ regular-season records while the remaining teams require further review before they can be chosen to participate. At the end of the selection process, the decisions of the committees are announced on television in an event called “Selection Sunday.” When choosing the teams the committees take into
and NCAA Championship games will be held April 2 and 4, respectively. The following men’s teams are predicted to make the final four this year: Clemson College, Michigan State University, St. Mary’s University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. The University of Alabama, Colorado State, the University of Memphis, and Pennsylvania State University are predicted to fall out of the race very early.
A few favorites who are predicted to make it to the Final Four in the women’s tournament are: the University of Connecticut, Stanford
“I catch as many televised and live games as possible, but as college coaches we have to share these March Madness days with recruiting at high school basketball games. It is good to watch the March Madness games for new and exciting ideas and to see how the game is evolving. If the coach’s plan works, I love listening to the reporters praise them. If their plan doesn’t work, I love listening to the reporters say how they should have done the opposite.” Cooley said.
Usually Cooley roots for the University of Minnesota’s Gophers. But this year she’s rooting for Ohio State University on the men’s side and anyone but UConn on the women’s side.
Senior forward Sonja Ellingson, one of the three captains on the SCU basketball team, also gives into the madness.
“I don’t necessarily have a favorite team but I always enjoy seeing underdogs win or go far in the bracket, and I must say I enjoy it when Duke [University]loses!” Ellingson said. “My favorite part of March Madness is watching awesome basketball. It’s the best offensive and defensive basketball anyone can see.”
Everyone has their opinions about this year’s tournament, and millions of people will be tuning in to watch it all happen. With all the excitement this year’s March Madness is sure to be one of the most thrilling tournaments yet.
Cheyfaun can be reached [email protected].
lower numbered teams are considered possible “Cinderella” teams because they have a chance at unexpected success in the tournament.
Once all of the teams are in their respective regions, the excitement of March Madness really begins. In the first two days of the tournament, the first round of games begin and the 68 or 64 teams are cut in half. In the next round the teams are cut in half again, making the “Sweet 16”, the last 16 teams in the tournament. During the second week of the tournament the 16 teams are cut down to the “Elite Eight,” and then cut down to four. The four remaining teams create the illustrious “Final Four” and are one step closer to winning the NCAA championship.
This year, March Madness began with Selection Sunday on March 13, and the first round on March 15 and 16. The Final Four
University, the University of Tennessee, and Baylor
Head coach Gary Rufsvold expressed
his experience with the tournament.
“I always participated in selecting teams for office pools at my old job, however since I became a college coach the NCAA does not allow coaches to be involved in this activity,” Rufsvold said. “I usually have different teams I support every year. This year I am supporting Brigham Young [University] because they have an exciting player and team.”
Assistant coach Carrie Cooley also has a background with March Madness.
University.The St. Catherine
University (SCU) basketball team and coaching staff had their own picks for March Madness.
By Tréza Rosadoeditor-in-chief
Stanford University Cardinal (5)That’s not a typo--the Cardinal (singular)
rallied to the top seed in the Pac-10 Conference and paved the way to another Final Four appearance. Stanford, the team that curbed UConn’s winning streak in 2010, also managed to unseat the Huskies in the 2008 Final Four. Stanford has manged to appear in the Final Four for the past three years but hasn’t won a championship in 19 years. That long-simmering drive could finally push the Cardinal (singular) into the winner’s circle.
University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10)
Seeded second (tied with DePaul) in the Big East, Notre Dame finished its regular season strong and is headed into the chaos of March Madness with one of the highest scoring percentages in the league. Led by sophomore star Skylar Diggins, Notre Dame could provide a challenge for the Huskies. Although they lost both of their regular season games against UConn, the third time might just be the charm.
Baylor University Lady Bears (4)If Baylor can get past their Big 12 conference
rivals, Texas A&M, the Lady Bears could find themselves in the Final Four for the second consecutive year since their NCAA Championship in 2005. The returning Lady Bears (including star center Brittney Griner) will provide helpful March Madness experience for their first-year point guard, Odyssey Sims. As one of the best defensive teams in the country, Baylor is likely in it for the long haul this year.
Tréza can be reached [email protected].
For more information on teams, access to blank brackets, and broadcasting times for games, visit ESPN’s website at http://espn.go.com/ and click on NCAA-BB.
Drawn by Heather Kolnick and compiled by the Wheel staff.
