Picture by Alexander Crook/Foghorn

The secrets of a great Gumbo recipe are in its wide variety of ingredients. Political analyst, author, and professor Donna Brazile favors Tabasco. “Gumbo was meant to keep us together,” she said. “You stir in the good times and the bad times.” Brazile tied in gumbo, a type of stew originating from Louisiana, to the inner-workings of family, of a community, and of a country.

Brazile also mentioned menopause at least twice. As well as Victoria’s Secret, Cosmo, wrinkles, more gumbo, and the current state of politics in the post-Obama era. These were just some of the ingredients thrown in Donna Brazile’s discussion on Feb. 25.

Brazile is a pundit on George Stephanopoulos’s and Wolf Blitzer’s CNN and an adjunct professor at Georgetown.  Though she mixed in a wide range of topics, she ultimately came back to politics. Her personable character and wit, coupled with her wide range of knowledge, captivated those in attendance.

Brazile shared her views on politics and commented on the weight that the students in a video composition expressed when discussing Obama’s presidency.

“The American people are experiencing buyer’s remorse.  We are seeing an anxiousness that is driven by the recession, the second depression,” said Brazile.

Brazile defended President Obama’s actions thus far, saying he is trying to do things in a way that won’t shake things up too much too fast.  She emphasized that “he is not Jesus” and that the American people need to be patient before they turn their backs on him.

Healthcare and other policies also came up.  Brazile reprimanded Democrats for their actions during this trying time.

“Democrats are intellectual arguers as opposed to Republicans.  We do a bad job of communicating our problems and solutions,” she said. Brazile said, that she advises Democrats to use “five cent words” when relaying their information. Five cent words are small words that everyone has in their knowledge and can understand.

Sophomore Valeri Aragon, who attended the talk, said, “She wasn’t like most Democrats; she didn’t try to act as if she is the smartest one in the group.  She brought it down a level and was a great speaker.”

Brazile included all facets of her identity in the discussion.  She spoke from the standpoints of being black, Catholic, a woman, and a Democrat.

Although Catholic values do strictly enforce all of her actions and beliefs, Brazile said that she won’t just follow blindly the Catholic doctrine, but will stand up for her beliefs.  “I don’t let anybody get in my face about my beliefs.”

Originally from New Orleans, Brazile commented on how black and other marginalized people feel about the rebuilding of their city and the aftermath of Katrina.   She also relayed the viewpoints and emotions in New Orleans since the election of the first white mayor in over three decades in this heavily black populated city.

“The citizens of my hometown are tired of talking about race; we are waiting for results,” said Brazile.  “I can’t say it’s an issue, but they want to see a renaissance take place.”

James Taylor, a politics professor at USF, asked Brazile what her advice was to the young people who were beginning to feel weary about the presidency and the current state of the country.

Brazile said that is our turn to speak up, to “Tweet, blog.  Be involved.”

“Do you want to make history or wait for history to be made?  Personally, I don’t want history to catch up with me and see I was sleeping when I could have been marching and speaking and fighting,” she said.

Brazile’s speech was well received by the audience and reached above and beyond their expectations.

“I didn’t know what to expect.  I am very pleased with what was covered in the dialogue.  It was very interesting and kept my attention,” said, Sacramento resident, Johnson Chandler.

“She was great.  Funny.  Witty,” said Joe Marshall, former USF trustee.  “I didn’t expect anything different.”

Alexander Crook/Foghorn USF professor James Taylor (right) led political analyst and Georgetown professor Donna Brazile in a discussion of politics at an event hosted by the Black Student Union last Thursday. Photo by Alexander Crook/Foghorn

The discussion invoked a wide range of emotions in the audience.

One student aggressively demanded Brazile as to why she was not doing more to influence politicians and the President to take grand action in ending the war, fixing the economy and getting pertinent polices passed.

Devon Holmes, professor of Rhetoric and Composition at USF, had a completely different feeling in the moments following her speech.  “I loved it.  I am still on high.  I thought she was absolutely amazing,”

The event was organized by the BSU, African American Studies programs, and the McCarthy Center.  It was also sponsored by a slew of other organizations and programs.

“It meant a lot for her to come to our program and be a part of our Black Cultural Dinner for Black History Month.  We are honored to have such an intellect and well-known black woman speak at our event,” said Onyi Oriji, BSU e-board member.

Alexander Crook/Foghorn Cast members of the Performing Arts and Social Justice production of ‘Orestes’ rehearse for a weekend of shows March 4 - March 8 in Studio Theater on Lone Mountain.

What do piles of rubble, a wheel chair, snare drums and rollaway beds have in common? They are all on the set of Orestes (Or-est-eez) 2.0, the Performing Arts Department spring production. Originally a play by Euripides, adapted by Charles Mee in 1992 about the aftermath of the Trojan War, and this production brings it into the context of the modern day war in Afghanistan. The story focuses on a military mental institution for American soldiers affected with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how society neglects to recognize this illness as legitimate. Director Jessica Heidt said, “Americans have been living in the shadow of a war for years.  We’ve been told it’s over, yet the body count continues to rise and additional masses of troops are on the verge of being deployed. Chuck Mee’s Orestes 2.0 looks at this modern crisis, and dissects the idea of duty to examine where the root of the matter lies. [It] is, an in your face work that holds everyone accountable.”

Unlike the original written in 408 B.C.E., this 2010 version performed in a Studio Theater at Lone Mountain from March 4th to the 8th is freshened up by pop culture. The text, setting and costumes have all been altered to fit the modern world. Maro Guevara describes the fusion: “It’s a classical play with rock-music interludes that takes place in Saddam’s Palace and alternates between contemporary and classical dialogue.” Tickets for to Orestes 2.0 are open to the public: $5 with a USF ID and $10 without one.

“The script is a collage of text from the original play, fashion magazines, soap operas, serial killers’ notes and autopsy reports” said Jenny Reed, who plays Electra. But be warned, this play makes no apoligies for the dialogue. Mee intentionally wrote it to be jarring and authentic. “He puts plays together and leaves a lot of jagged edges” stated Reed. Like so many social commentaries, this piece gives the audience as well as the actors the materials to decide for themselves; the cost of war. In between running scenes, Heidt asked her actors to explain what they thought the play was about.

An opportunity will be given to the public audience after every performance to talk about the issues brought up throughout the play. Members for the panel are not yet decided but will be a mix of professors and actors. “Hopefully, the play will provoke people to get pissed off,” Reed said.

Kate Tobie, a patient, agrees that her role in the play has opened her eyes to the difficulties soldiers face post war and commented, “Now the next step is to do something about it.”

Heidt thinks, one way, she can do something is bringing awarness through the processes of making Orestes 2.0 accessible and entertaining to a generation of concert goers. What were originally wrote as two monologues are now songs. Will McCandles worked with each actor’s musical ability, as well as stylistic preferences, to compose the melodies behind the monologues. For self titled Captain Xack (Xach Baumann), this will only be the second time he has ever performed in front of a crowd. “I played a talent show once in Japan,” he said and replied, “but I don’t think that experience makes me at all prepared.” Baumann has no plans to make a habit out of playing for audiences, but is excited to surprise the audience with his melodies. “Technically I’ll be playing a paid gig, but the audience doesn’t know that.” His punk influenced song part, although entertaining, serves an important purpose in the progression of events. “Take Action” urges Menelaus and ultimately the crowd to do something;  with lyrics like, “People always think you can take things back,” but often times we can’t. This scene was choosen for song because it is a universal message that everyone in the room needs to hear with an elaborate, entertaining, delivery. “The songs are influenced by pop culture because we want the audience to really listen, and they’ll listen better to something they recognize” said Reed.

Kate Tobie does not consider her self a singer, either, but is just as nervous as her fellow actor. “Before this I was pretty tone deaf. It’s not about how well you sing, but what you can learn from the song” she said. On the chorus of her mellow rock song, all cast members chime in, to lend Tobie vocal support,because the lyrics describes the scene of the play, in one line “The Captain said ‘Welcome home. It’s a nightmare really’.”

Although the story of Orestes is not new, the Performing Arts Department is experimenting with pop culture, with a purpose,  which is a weighty discussion. Just because they sing some songs and install text from soap operas,  does not mean the performers will not provoke the audience with intellectual thought.  On the contrary, the structure of Orestes 2.0 encourages the audience think about how the issues brought up factor into everyday life.

Junior Jessy Mekpoh sizes up a serve shot against an opponent. Mekpoh and the Dons had another tough outing on their Nevada road trip. Photo Courtesy of USF Athletic Department

This last weekend was probably the longest and the most tiring of my life – even though I didn’t play, watching tennis matches can take even more energy and be more stressful than playing.

Last Friday, my team and I had to wake up at 6 am, leaving San Francisco under a clear sky for our trip to Reno. Our coaches drove for four hours, stopping only once for a bathroom break, and while we were riding, the landscape changed slowly from a green hilly decor to a mountainous one, covered by snow.

Everyone was very excited about this trip, especially the foreign players, because we don’t have such a city in our respective countries; but surprisingly, we were quite disappointed. We found the city had no charm, and while the big hotels/casinos had a “too much” look, the other “normal” buildings – like the houses and diners – looked depressing.

The match against University of Reno was scheduled at 5:45 pm, which is a very inconvenient time because we had to wait the whole afternoon and had to get lunch around 2, so we weren’t hungry during the match. Eating after the match was another main concern, because we thought the game would probably end around 10:30 pm, and that all the restaurants and grocery stores would be closed. But we didn’t have the choice and had to adapt.

The good news was that we were going to play indoors – without wind or sun to disturb us – and that it was warm inside; the bad news was that we were going to play only on four courts (a game has six singles) – so we would wait – and that these courts were extremely fast and slippery.

The game started with the doubles, which didn’t go very well. The unbeaten Akerbrant-Heinser team did not play well, missing a lot of shots and making their opponents play better, and they lost 3-8. The pair Hashigutchi-Wartenburger had an okay match, but had a very slow start and were too inconsistent so they were down 1-4 in 15 minutes. Everything went better when my teammates made their opponents play and make more mistakes, but the Reno players were experienced and put pressure on the Lady Dons who finally lost 5-8. Number three doubles with the pair Gratian-McMahon had a tough match as they were disturbed by the fast court surface; they had hard times adapting even though they didn’t give up so easily, and lost 5-8.

My teammates had to move on quickly with the singles matches that didn’t go very well either. Junior Cecilia Gratian was the first one to be done, and she had a very tough match; she just could not adapt to the surface and remained very inconsistent or made wrong choices permitting her solid opponent to make numerous winners. My teammate lost 6/2-2/0. 30 minutes later, Senior Jenni Heinser won – not paticularly because of amazing shots, but rather thanks to her running skills and smart strategies (6/4-6/2). Another win came from Freshman Melinda Akerbrant who had a though match, but was strong mentally and never doubted she would win. After losing the first set 4/6, my teammate raised her level and won a tight second set 7/5, before winning easily and quickly the third set 6/1.

Junior Julia Wartenburger played a very good, but frustrating match; after being up 5/3 in the first set, her opponent scored four games in a row and won the first set 7/5. The second set was also tight but Wartenburger’s opponent didn’t lose her focus and won it 6/4. Freshman Yurie Hashigutchi started her match very strong, with good consistency and winners, so she won the first set 6/4, but then, her opponent started playing more consistently but still hitting the ball hard, and disturbed Hashigutchi who lost the next two sets 3/6-4/6. Sophomore Alana McMahon also had a tough match, and like most girls, she lacked consistency because of the court surface. She lost in two straight sets.

Coach Hilary Somers was disappointed, but she tried to motivate the team. “This was a good game even though I know we can win this game. And we got to win this double point – I know I always say that, but I mean it. Tomorrow, we’re going to win this game; I want to leave from here with one defeat and one win”, she said.

At 10:30 pm, we finally left the tennis club – tired and hungry. My teammates who were the most hungry went to an Applebee’s open till midnight; the ones who were the most tired went to Walmart, and just got some quick snacks before going back to the hotel, taking a shower and sleeping.

This time, the game against Texas Tech University started an hour earlier than the previous day. We started again with the doubles with the same doubles teams, but once again, my teammates struggled and we lost the doubles point. The pair Akerbrant-Heinser played better than the previous day, but they still made many unnecessary mistakes against a solid team, and lost 4-8. The Hashigutchi-Wartenburger team had a good beginning. Then, they had a hard time putting their balls away to finish their points and were down 1-4, making it difficult to come back, even though they started to play well again from this point. They ended up losing 4-8. The pair Gratian-McMahon had a tough match, but managed to make their opponent play, and to make them commit errors; unfortunately, the Texas team was very solid and finally won 8-6.

Coach Somers was disappointed again and told us we would only work on our doubles game for the next weeks of practice – starting everything again from the beginning. Then, she told the team to focus on the singles, not show too much respect to the opponents, and beat them.

This time, we only had three courts, so everyone knew we would be done late again. Player number one Heinser played an amazing match technically as well as mentally, as her opponent cheated a lot. Heinser showed a lot of guts, a great focus and smart shots, so she won 6/4-6/2. Wartenburger played another great match against a very good player that was hitting her shots hard even at crucial moments. After winning the first set 6/4, Wartenburger was up 5/3 in the second set and had two match points; but like so many times, she ended losing the set in the tie-breaker (8). We thought she would be completely down mentally, but she actually raised her game level and was once again up 5/3 in the third set. Unfortunately, her opponent didn’t doubt and the two players went to a second tiebreaker, in which Wartenburger was down 2-5, but thanks to amazing shots and a fighter spirit, my teammate won 8-6.

Gratian’s match was once again very tough, even though she played better than in her previous singles match. The problem is that she had a slow start at the beginning of both sets; in the first set she was down consecutively 0-3, 1-4 before losing it 1/6, and in her second one, she was also down 0-3 and 1-4 before coming back at 3-4, but it was a little late, and my teammate finally lost 3/6. In singles number four, unlike the previous day, Akerbrant didn’t have a very good match as she was extremely inconsistent; she did had some good sequences, but it was not enough to win against such a solid opponent, so Akerbrant lost 4/6-2/6.

Hashigutchi started her match very well, winning her first set 6/2 in hardly 30 minutes; but then, she lost her focus and her opponent took advantage of the situation and became more confident in her shots, so she won the second set 6/4. In the third set, my teammate did not have good sensations anymore and made too many mistakes; she lost 2/6. McMahon – who started her match at 8:45 pm - was the last match on, and she did a good job. After winning the first set quickly (6/2) against a skilled opponent from Spain, she committed more mistakes in the second set - losing it 6/2. As Texas Tech had already won the game, the two players played a super tiebreaker in 10 points (instead of playing a third set). After being down 2-5, McMahon came back and finally won 10-7.

This weekend was frustrating because most matches were very close, and we could not win them. But we have to look forward now, as we have a long weekend coming with three home games on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday against Xavier University, Southern Utah, and Gonzaga.

One particular issue has caused significant debate in the Foghorn Office: USF’s emphasis on community service. Several staff members have advocated for service learning and the benefits that result from volunteer work. Other staff members have spent more time working at jobs and internships that relate to their major and feel that their work is less respected than the work students do on pricey service learning and immersion trips. This debate has caused much of the Foghorn staff to wonder whether the emphasis USF places on service reflects that of the greater academic community and professional sphere.

One Foghorn staff member is currently being considered for Valedictorian of the 2010 graduating class. This staff member has expressed concern that the validity of her academic achievement and professional success are severely overshadowed by USF’s demand for service. When she went to career services to rework her resume, she was told to put her limited volunteer work above her extensive work experience. The Valedictorian letter states that the selection committee will need, “A resume that includes information about your academic achievement and University and community activities and service…” The letter did not mention work experience or off-campus internships. This staff member has held many jobs and internships in her field of study, dedicated much of her time to the Foghorn and received high academic honors, but without on-campus service she didn’t have much to fill her Valedictorian application with. Although she would have liked to have gone on service immersion trips and dedicated more time to volunteerism, she wasn’t able to due to time conflicts. If this staff member was to apply for a job, instead of Valedictorian, with the same resume, she probably would have had significantly more success. This has led a portion of the Foghorn staff to think that the focus USF places on service is unrealistic in comparison to the careers some students will pursue after graduation.

Conversely, other members of the Foghorn staff think that in attending a Jesuit school, students should be aware that their involvement in service is a high priority. A different staff member, also a senior, attended multiple service trips abroad and did extensive volunteering during her tenure at USF. On campus, this involvement may be highly recognized, but in some career fields a service-heavy resume may have little clout. This staff member feels that, regardless of her future career, the service she has done has prepared her for post-college life and greatly benefited her education at USF. She points out, also, that she has received more recognition on campus for her work at the Foghorn than for any service-related activity.

Not all students with an interest in service are able to make time or provide funding for volunteer work. Because of this, the Foghorn Staff questions the emphasis USF places on service. The staff fully supports volunteerism and the Jesuit values that USF is based on, but would like to see either a greater value awarded to academics and off campus work. Since USF’s emphasis on service is disproportionate to some students’ fields of interest, USF should recognize both service and work experience as equally valuable.

Dr. Jennifer Turpin, second from left, accepted the new title of provost last Wednesday. The announcment was met with a standing ovation. Photo by Alexander Crook/Foghorn

After a community-wide search that began in early September, President Privett gave his gratitude to all members of the provost search committee. The committee did “a terrific job at developing a very strong pool of candidates and overseeing a process that was inclusive, participatory, thorough and gave each segment of the university community an opportunity to hear the candidates and be heard by the committee,” he said.

Dr. Turpin was chosen in mid-February out of a pool of three candidates. According to a USFconnect message by Tim Iglesias, Dr. Devorah Lieberman, the fourth candidate, had resigned from the search “to take another direction in her career.” In the email, Iglesias said that “this is a possibility with any search, which is one reason we decided to invite four candidates for the on-campus interviews.”

Privett made his final decision within five days after Iglesias’ email. “The strength of the finalist pool and the thoroughness of the search process highlighted for me how fortunate we are to have Jennifer Turpin as our next provost,” he said.

Dr. Turpin gave her appreciations to Privett, the search committee, and all faculty and staff who took part during her interview process. “I want to thank Provost Jim Wiser for hiring me as dean and for his guidance and for helping to learn and grow into this position,” she said. “I had the pleasure of working with an amazing team in the dean’s office and I’ll always treasure your love and support.”

During Dr. Turpin’s speech, she brought to attention the economic challenges USF faces. “In a bad economy we have to find a way to deliver to our students an education that they can afford. We must do this while enhancing our academic excellence and while delivering on our Jesuit mission,” she said. Dr. Turpin sent a message of unity to the audience, that the community together can overcome the “challenges facing the period of transformation for American higher education and for USF in particular.” With USF’s Jesuit mission and the contributions of faculty and staff, Dr. Turpin said USF can become a great university.

Privett also announced that James L. Wiser will be given an honorary degree at USF’s commencement ceremonies this year. Upon hearing of this news, audience members gave a standing ovation. Before joining USF as provost in 1998, Wiser served as provost to Loyola University in Chicago for nine years.  “All in all Jim has given 21 years of faithful, productive service and consistent leadership to Jesuit education,” Father Privett said. “The effects of his leadership, I can assure you, are felt beyond the hilltop.” Wiser will go on sabbatical the coming year and return to teach in Politics Department in 2011.

Privett also made a public response to the Foghorn’s “Street Talk,” concerning the question, “What does the Provost do?” Audience members expressed laughter as Privett read aloud the student responses published in the Feb. 4 issue.  “One student replied, ‘I have no idea. I’m guessing something to do with the church’—wrong!”

Privett set the record straight. “Let me oversimplify this,” he said. The provost directly affects students in and outside of the classroom. The provost works in conjunction with the five deans and two vice provosts to ensure “high quality teaching” and “scholarly work” throughout the graduate and undergraduate programs in all five schools, “as well as the vice president for university life and the director of university ministry. Hence, overall this is a huge responsibility,” he said.

Junior Jennie Walker said that when students were sent emails of the provost search updates, the role of the provost should have been defined. “A lot of people didn’t know what a provost was,” she said. According to Walker, if students were informed, student participation in the interview process would have been more successful. Otherwise, Walker said Dr. Turpin becoming the new provost is “a good transition for her.”

In ending her 10 years as Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Turpin will bring “a long-standing commission to the Jesuit Catholic tradition of humanizing education,” Father Privett said. “I want to thank Jenny for agreeing to step into this position. To the college of Arts and Sciences — sorry for your loss.”

Miller looks collegiate in a tie and oxford that he thrifted. Photo by Sharma/Foghorn

Professor Mark Miller was teaching his class in style last Thursday evening in Kalmanovitz 309, while leading a lecture on Bernard Lonergan.  I’m not in the class, but thanks to the glass walls of the classroom I was able to spot Miller’s top-notch outfit.

Miller was wearing a white button up shirt from the Salvation Army on Geary, a blue tie from Thrift Town and grey herringbone pants that he purchased at Urban Outfitters 10 years ago.  His brown velvet blazer is from a thrift store in Boston and he jazzed it up with mother of pearl buttons, which he purchased in the Philippines and had sewn on the cuffs.

What’s most stunning about Miller’s outfit are his Florsheims made of brown leather that he “rubs all over with stuff.”  Miller had the shoes custom made and he wears them with dark blue Gold Toe brand socks, a “cheap” brand he explains.  His Waltham watch was purchased while he was in graduate school and the striped watchstrap was $5 from the Central Watch Company, a store at Penn Station in Manhattan.

Miller’s brown belt is from a thrift store, and he was disappointed that I didn’t catch him wearing one of his belts that his sister brought him from Italy when he was 10 years old.

Miller takes great pride in buying high quality shoes.  His most expensive clothing related purchase was a pair of Ron Rider boots made of shell cordovan leather.  “The leather comes from a horse’s butt,” he explained. “It’s supposed to be the toughest leather there is.  I bought [the boots] for motorcycling.”

When shopping Miller prefers to support craftsmen or buy thrift.  “It is better for the environment,” he said. “I’m into buying good quality stuff that lasts a long time.  Three or four good quality shoes are better than 20 bad quality shoes that will wear out in a year or two and clutter up landfills.”  Miller educated me on the qualities of a good pair of shoes: they are stitched, sewn and made from full grain leather.

Dapper dress shoes keep their shine with a little TLC. Photo by Bharat Sharma/Foghorn

“I like everybody,” Miller said when asked who his fashion icons are.  “A lot of ‘80s TV shows. I love CHiPs and Battlestar Gallactica.”  But his main fashion icon is his sister as well as the slew of boyfriends she had while Miller was growing up.

A watch purchased during grad school gets him to class on time. Photo by Bharat Sharma/Foghorn.

The festival screened three student films before jumping into full-length features.  Film topics included (but were not limited to) sex trafficking, gay rights, and immigration. Nearly every student at USF could have found a film or topic that interested him or her. Obviously, some students could not attend due to time conflicts. These students should not, however, view the film festival as simply a missed opportunity. There are plenty of ways for student to get involved in human rights projects at USF, in San Francisco, and nation and worldwide. Students may not have the resources to make films about the human rights cause of their interest, but they do have the ability to take action on a smaller scale.

Youth homelessness is a human rights issue that directly affects the USF community.  All students at USF have had the opportunity to go to college. For some students this process was easier than others, but regardless of background, students at USF have all experienced a certain level of privilege. The next generation of USF students has the potential to consist of many intelligent students who currently do not have the opportunity to go to college. Homelessness disables many youth, creating a hostile environment to be educated in. Homeless students might drop out of school in order to find a job or (most likely) because they do not have the resources to be successful in school. USF students have the ability to personally create change in society and fight against the unfortunate reality that human rights abuses often occur in our own city. Organizations like “StandUp for Kids” and “Opportunity Impact” were created in San Francisco to help local youth overcome poverty and homelessness. Both of these organizations are looking for volunteers and can be contacted at their respective websites www.standupforkids.org and www.opportunityimpact.org.

USF prides itself on high levels of racial, ethnic, and sexual diversity that foster an accepting and open minded environment and community. The rest of the world, however, does not always share similar values. Civil rights issues are some of the most prevalent human rights concerns in San Francisco and the city offers a plethora of opportunities to further your involvement in the civil rights cause of your choice. The Global Fund for Women (www.globalfundforwomen.org) operates in downtown San Francisco and is involved in both local and global campaigns for women’s rights and gender equality. Equality California (www.eqca.org) is an organization that fights for the civil rights of gays and lesbians across the state. Currently, they are involved in the campaign for equal marriage rights, repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and increasing criminal penalties for hate crimes. Immigration issues present a debate over who should receive civil rights and whether citizenship is required for civil rights rules to apply. The African Immigrant and Refugee Resource Center (www.airrc.org) works to help immigrants from Africa secure jobs and housing in San Francisco. They also perform legal support for immigrants seeking citizen ship and offer language proficiency programs.

These organizations are just a small taste of what the San Francisco non-profit community has to offer. Students at USF need to shake their feelings of apathy about human rights and start getting involved. Ignorance is not an acceptable excuse for forgetting the extreme need for human rights persisting both in the city and around the world.

The USF women’s rugby players joined forces with players from San Francisco State and Sac State Universities to compete against University of California, Davis. Photo Courtesy of Heather Spellacy

After more than one (which is one more than necessary) Ke$ha dance session in the USF club sports van, I and the rest of the women’s rugby team arrived at UC Davis ready for a day of play. After our last two games were cancelled due to the rain (and the unfinished Negoesco Field) we were all itching to get some game time in.

The team has gone through a lot of changes in the past few months, with a much-needed addition of new faces, leading to a boost in the teams’ morale. The group, with girls from both SF State and USF, amounts to nearly 15 (the magical number needed to fill a side), though only thirteen were able to make it to the game this past weekend. With a few extra girls from Sacramento State filling in our missing spots, we had the numbers needed to get the game on the way.

After a few minutes of chaotic play we all began to gain our bearings, with the newer players catching on quick. While both USF and Davis both made it within yards of their individual goals a few times throughout the first half, no tries were made. With a score of 0-0 after thirty minutes of play, I must say I was proud of our team for keeping the opposing side’s scoring at bay.

The second half started off well, with a breakaway run from SF State’s, Sally Le. Nearing the try line she was taken down by a player from Davis only to get back on her feet and continue her run. Unfortunately, Le was unable to reach the try line successfully and no goal was made.

As time went on it was clear our fitness was lacking. As we drug ourselves across the field, Davis was able to outrun the team on a few plays, and managed to find the holes in our defensive line. Eventually they managed to score two tries on us, leaving the score at 10-0.

The game was a great learning opportunity for both new and old players. Many of our girls had never seen a rugby game play out, and it’s nearly impossible to understand concepts at a practice without enough girls to field a single side. The loss didn’t dismay anyone, including USF’s coach, Kathy Flores, who spoke only positive words within the team huddle at the end of the match.

USF definitely has the potential to strive forward in the coming season. With a continuing influx of committed players the future of women’s rugby is shining bright.

Photo Courtesy of Heather Spellacy

This vandalized sign in the garden between Gillson and Phelan is representative of many students’ disregard for USF’s non-smoking policy. Photo by Cass Krughoff/Foghorn

Smoking on campus has been restricted to two designated areas since Fall 2008, but according to students, cooperation from smokers has not been very effective. Smokers continue to smoke outside the boundary areas, including high-traffic places like the front of The Market, by residence halls, and Harney plaza. Yet the designated areas are located on main campus and Lone Mountain. One is behind War Memorial Gym and the second by the Rossi Wing. The smoke free campus policy has been an effort to eventually convert the university into a non-smoking campus.

“Smokers are still smoking everywhere. I don’t think the policy has done much to change that,” said junior Alexandra Garcia. Garcia works the front desk at Hayes-Healy and often sees smokers outside the building on her way to work and on her way out. “I can always count on seeing at least two or three people just hanging out smoking. It doesn’t bother me because I’m used to it, but I’m sure it bothers others.”

Kamal Harb, Director of Health Promotion Services, said that the policy is supposed to be a collaborative effort within the entire community. Not only should smokers be expected to use the designated areas, but students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to go up to smokers and ask them to relocate to a designated area.

“Compliance has been an issue. People know about the policy but they are not complying by the policy,” he said. “Many support the policy, but the key is enforcement and compliance.”

Complying with the policy is a challenge because of the new students entering the university who are not well aware of it, Harb said. Dependence on bystanders to enforce the policy has been highly emphasized, since public safety officers are not expected to issue tickets or some form of punishment if smokers are found outside the designated areas.

“Public safety has other issues to deal with besides chasing smokers on campus. That’s not the purpose of the policy, to treat them like outlaws,” Harb said. However, if smokers become abusive of the people asking them to relocate, public safety does have the authority to intervene or report the incident.

Harb said that the biggest holdup in the policy is that young people don’t encourage  their peers to smoke in the designated smoking areas.

“I don’t want to seem whiny,” Freshman Pablo Abarca said. “It’s really inconsiderate because they’re smoking where they’re not supposed to.” Abarca said he has never asked people to relocate in the past, but if he was sitting at a bench near someone smoking, he would ask them to smoke elsewhere.

Harb said that the policy has made somewhat of a change, which is meant to change the norms of the campus. “If you pass by a designated area, you’ll find many smokers are smoking right there. Change is happening but change is slow in coming.”

Senior Anders Christiensen is a smoker on campus, and said that he has no problem going to the designated areas or going off-campus to light a cigarette. If USF became a non-smoking campus, he said, “it woundn’t bother me, I would just go smoke a block away from campus if I had to.”

Harb said that this semester, Health Promotion Services will send the Dons Mascot to go around campus and distribute lollipops to promote the policy and non-smoking.

He said the policy is really a means to encourage people to quit smoking. Health Promotion Services offers free programs to students looking to quit. Even free smoking aides are provided.

Since the policy was implemented, three or four people have come into Harb’s office every semester interested in quitting. “It usually takes four to six weeks to decide the best way to quit smoking,” Harb said. “Many individuals think when they meet with me, they have to quit right away. But it’s a process. I believe in small steps to reach the ultimate goal. It takes practice to smoke, and its going to take practice to quit smoking.”

Harb has even gone up to smokers and provided them with information to make an appointment if they were interested. People often turn down his proposition because they don’t want to quit, he said. “Its an addictive thing, and many young people think they can quit anytime,” he said.

As a public health professional, Harb has noticed that smokers tend to be younger and younger, particularly because tobacco companies target younger people with messages that promote indepence and personal rights. Messages that question, “Aren’t you tired of people telling you not to smoke anymore?” Harb said.

For Harb, it’s unfortunate because second-hand smoke kills about 52,000 people annually, and the policy is to also protect non-smokers. He has received complaints from Parina Lab, because smoke enters the windows of the computer lab when people smoke outside of Harney. “People are inhaling smoke and it’s not fair,” he said.

At the end of the two-year period, Task Force, USF’s evaluation system, will evaluate how the policy has measured up in terms of enforcement and compliance. Data will be collected through surveys distributed to the campus community, and ASUSF Senate will also be contacted to get student feedback.

The information will be considered to decide if it is the right decision to completely make USF a smoke-free campus. The USF’s Presidential Cabinet will have the final say to change the policy or not.

“We don’t want to treat smokers as criminals,” Harb said. “We want to provide them with educational information on how to help them quit smoking.”

Photo by Elizabeth Brown

Bharat Sharma entered his media class to shouts of delight from Professor Kaiser and impressed or confused stares from his fellow classmates.  “Whenever I give a presentation I try to suit up.  People are watching me and think ‘look, he’s wearing a tie. He must have something important to say. Maybe I should listen to him.’” Sharma’s suit commands attention, and he believes it was Stefano Pilati who once said, “A suit is a modern man’s armor.”

Sharma’s blue lightweight wool suit is vintage, a find from Held Over on Haight Street. “I get basics from Gap and J. Crew. But lately after reading Campus Chic – not even kidding – I decided to peruse the long disorganized rows of clothing in vintage stores. Not to say I’m a vintage junkie, but I could become one, one day.” His crisp white button up shirt is from the Gap. His tie, two inches wide, belonged to his paternal grandfather, Amarnath. “He used to work for the Indian government and he did some legal work towards the end of his life. Every time I go to New Delhi I raid his attic. I feel good wearing his old ties.”

Photo by Elizabeth Brown

The tie clip, which has an emblem of what Sharma believes is a gargoyle of sorts, belonged to his maternal grandfather, Hiro. “I have some of his clothes as well,” Sharma said.

Sharma likes to mix textures and with his light weight wool he wears light brown suede wingtipped shoes from Martin and Ossa and his “some sort of derivative of camel” colored socks are lightweight cotton.

Sharma keeps accessories to a minimum and wears a large face watch with a brown leather strap. The watch is from a street bazaar in Florence. “I like this big dial. There is something classic about it. I’ve never worn a digital watch in my life.”

Next to his watch he wears a faded pink string.  It is from an Indian ritual called Rakhi. Sharma does not go into it with too much detail, but explains how the string was tied onto his wrist by his younger sister Natasha.

A pair of classic wayfarers add a nice young touch to the ensemble, while remaining functional on a bright San Francisco day.

Sharma admires the style of men like Scott Schuman, Cary Grant and Thom Browne and is not afraid of adding color to his outfits.

First: Go to class. Considering how much you pay for each session, whether or not you go to class shouldn’t be debated. Your presence in class does not only allow the professor to put a check mark on his or her attendance sheet, it actually benefits you and the other students. Classes at USF are small enough to allow significant discussion and small group work. If you don’t show up to class then you are diminishing discussion possibilities and missing out on a whole day’s worth of information. Missing class can cause you to fall behind on homework and miss important lectures. Additionally, most professors take attendance and have strict attendance policies. Missing class could cause your professor to drop your grade. Some students intentionally miss class because they do not do the readings or homework. In those cases, just consider how frustrating it is for your classmates to update you on all the things you missed either because you didn’t read or didn’t even show up. You are in college for a reason, so don’t let yourself or your classmates down.

Professors are hired at USF directly to teach students. USF is not a heavy research university, so the main focus of all USF professors is (or at least should be) educating students. If students don’t understand the material covered in class or just want a more in depth analysis, they can visit professors at their office hours. All professors at USF are required to have office hours specifically for helping students. In high school, teachers did not have office hours and visiting them after class might have been considered strange or embarrassing. This is not the case at USF. Students here are heavily encouraged to attend office hours and make the most out of each class and their relationship with professors.

Networking is one of the biggest resources professors offer. Even if you don’t have questions about the material covered in class, go to your professor’s office hours and establish a relationship with him or her. This professor can write you letters of recommendation in the future or be a reference when you apply for jobs or graduate school. Even if you are not particularly good at the subject, showing dedication to learning will most likely still impress your professor. By getting to know your professor, a whole world of opportunities arises. Professors can recommend the best classes, connect you with off-campus internships, and even mentor you as you prepare for graduation and life after USF. The resources USF faculty have to offer are endless. Instead of wasting $4,000 on a class you don’t care about, invest a little more time to maximize the benefits that each class can offer you.

Many members of the Foghorn staff have taken the initiative to connect with professors throughout their years at USF and fully embrace the opportunities this school has to offer. Now, these individuals have internships at organizations they are passionate about and have started to build their careers. None of them could have done this without going to class, establishing relationships with professors, and taking the initiative to capitalize on their education.

Photo by Alexander Crook/Foghorn

The USF Dons beat the LMU Lions 75-66 on Saturday at War Memorial Gym for the home finale of seniors Blake Wallace, Dontae Bryant, and Dior Lowhorn. The crowd gave a standing ovation to the three graduating seniors in their introductions and at the end of the game. With the win the Dons earned their 11^th of the season, improving their record to 11-15 and 6-5 in the West Coast Conference, which puts them into fourth place in the league.

After the ceremony celebrating the Seniors, USF started hot from the floor jumping to a quick 8-2 lead. But quickly after that LMU went on a run of their own and they took a 17-11 advantage around the midpoint of the first half. Junior Vernon Teel scored eight points on the Lions 15-3 run. Even though the Dons fell behind early against the Lions, they managed to catch back up, leading into the half 34-29. The bench play was key for the Dons in the first half as they outscored LMU’s bench 7-0. USF also shot well in the first half as they made 45% of their shots as they went 10-22 from the field. In addition to shooting well from the field, the Dons had a major advantage at the line as they shot 12 free throws, making 10 as opposed to the six taken and four made free throws for the Lions. But a weakness for the Dons was their turnovers as they allowed nine points off of eight turnovers.

The 2nd half continued in the same manner, with USF making the first few shots while the Dons held onto their lead. LMU would not leave without a fight and they battled their way back tying the game at the eight-minute mark. But USF pulled away and added a little padding to make the game at its widest separation an 11-point lead over the Lions with 4:57 left in the second half. From that point on USF was able to protect their lead, as they never trailed for the remainder of the game.

LMU had a hard time breaking the man coverage and zones of the USF defense. The LMU offense was persistent at trying to pass around the perimeter and driving inside to open a lane in the Dons zone. However, the Dons managed to create turnovers, either rebounds or steals. The USF defense played well in the game, especially at the end of the game. Unlike other times during the contest, USF was able to preserve the lead. USF played a well-rounded game as they were able to score enough on offense to take the lead and their defense didn’t allow much room for LMU to score.

The game picked up speed in the final minute when LMU needed to score several times to tie. LMU pushed a full court press. However, the Dons managed to pass and dribble around the defense and without intentionally fouling, the game came to a calm ending in the Dons possession. The Dons high scorer was Dior Lowhorn with 26 points, seven rebounds, and two steals.  Senior Dontae Bryant scored seven points while racking up four rebounds and four assists. Senior Blake Wallace dropped in nine points to go along with six rebounds. Up next for the Dons is a critical road trip in which they play conference foes Santa Clara, Portland and Gonzaga. Sitting two games back of both Portland and St.Mary’s the Dons may be able to climb up the WCC standings if they can win out and hope that both teams lose their remaining games.

Vandalism in USF’s freshman residence halls has popped up in the form of graffiti and a bashed in wall. The most recent serious offense is a poster that was burned in Gillson Hall, which could have led to a more serious fire. Residents are being fined for these offenses, while the perpetrators are yet to be caught. Photos by Cass Krughoff/Foghorn

Gillson Hall residents were annoyed and confused this past weekend when they received an email from Gillson’s hall director, Francisco Grajales, informing them that an incident of arson had occurred in their hall and that all of them were going to shoulder the price of damages if the student or students responsible didn’t come forward.

According to Grajales’ and students’ accounts, the incident took place just after 9 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 1, when the elevator door opened to reveal that a poster inside had been set on fire. An RA quickly beat the flame out with her shoe.

Other acts of vandalism, including graffiti, have been taking place in dorms, such as in Hayes Healy, where, according to fifth floor residents, the wall was bashed in by a student possibly having kicked it or thrown something at it. The wing’s RA allegedly put up a sign threatening to have students pay damages if no student claimed responsibility. A fifth-floor Hayes Healy resident who wished to remain anonymous expressed indignation at the idea of the entire wing having to pay for a few students’ misbehavior, particularly when forced to by the RA. “They don’t have the authority to do that,” he said.  So far the holes in the Hayes walls have been repaired, the sign has been taken down, and little has come of this warning.

No student has taken the blame for the arson in Gillson, either, and so the $250 fine, which Grajales described as “paltry in comparison to the severity of the violation,” was distributed evenly among the 389 Gillson residents, amounting to a fine of $0.64 per student.
“I don’t mind paying 64 cents,” said freshman and Gillson resident Danica Swenson, physics major. “But on principle I still think it’s dumb.”

Grajales countered by referencing an incident at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, in 2000, which, he said, “started similarly but ended very differently.” According to a USA Today article, two students at Seton Hall set fire to a banner after their university’s team won a game–an action that led to three students’ deaths due to asphyxiation by smoke.

Grajales suggested that while nothing came of the arson in the Gillson elevator, such pranks could have far worse consequences. “Please be aware that this is a serious violation that could have resulted in significantly more damage to property and persons,” he warned residents in his e-mail.

For now, said Grajales, RAs  will deal with the situation by addressing it at their monthly floor meetings with residents. “I imagine that the person(s) who did this probably had no malicious intent beyond the usual juvenile thrill of petty destruction,” he said, “but hopefully through discussion with RAs and perhaps other residents, they will realize the potential damage that their actions could have caused.”

The cast members of “The Vagina Monologues” get some direction as they prepare for their weekend of performances at Presentation Theater. Photo by Cass Krughoff/Foghorn

For the tenth year in a row, the women of the USF College Players are performing “The Vagina Monologues.” The play attempts to erase the taboo and awkward-ness often surrounding the female anatomy. Written by Eve Ensler in 1996, “The Vagina Monologues” is a set of eleven anecdotes about women and their experiences of their lady parts from childbirth to rape. Performed from Feb. 11, 12 and 13 in the Presentation Theater, this longstanding Valentine’s Day tradition is part of a campaign to end violence against women all across the globe. On Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. there will be a panel discussion given by USF professors as well as those working directly on the performance.

A major goal of the performance is to teach the public about the hardships women face. After 10 years running the same show, the cast and crew still feel dedicated to participate. Director Julianne Fawsitt  said, “Until women are in a political position to do something about violence against females, the show will still be relevant.” So far, the audience agrees. Every year men and women fill the seats. Fathers, brothers and boyfriends are all present.  Some of them are not there by choice. “One year the entire basketball team was forced to come,” Fawsitt said. “They all sat in the back awkwardly, but sometimes that’s the point, to make people feel uncomfortable.”

As embarrassing as it might feel sitting in the audience, the cast members spend their nights shouting to a room full of strangers about the most private parts of women. Alex Platt, a senior Media Studies student, has been involved in the show since her freshman year. “The awkwardness is the first to go,” she said. The cast starts rehearsing three or four weeks before the show starts for four hours a day so they get to know each other fast.

In such a female-centric group, one might assume it would be full of drama and gossip. However, these ladies try to keep it drama free. When trying to empower women, pettiness only distances the actresses from their goal. Instead they pull together to form a type of sisterhood that encourages girls to say the hard things and support each other. The V-Day sisters are their own therapy group. “Things that you thought were really weird about yourself, you learn it’s not,” said Platt.

Most of the women working on The Vagina Monologues have all seen it performed, worked as stage managers or been on stage delivering the monologues at some point in their college careers. “Initially, the issue [of violence] is what draws girls to want to be involved” said producer Meg Tomasetti. “But they stay for the bonds they make,” said Fawsitt.

Members of the cast keep in touch with each other, return to USF for the show as alumni, donate toward the campaign and even end up running the entire production. Fawsitt graduated last year.

“Girls from the show are still my role models. We are a network of feminism,” said Platt. The show is as much about learning and empowerment for the audience as it is for the Players.

The group has ground rules to maintain their supportive environment. No men are allowed anywhere near the monologues. They are even supposed to stay as far away from the technical labor. “We want this to be a performance that showcases women as much as possible,” said Fawsitt.

Along with the no boys allowed rule, in order to run the show lawfully, the V-Day organization requires ten percent of the proceeds to aid women of the Dominican Republic of Congo. Tomasetti noted that the other ninety percent will be donated to local women’s organizations, although they have not been finalized yet. If all of the criteria are met, each institution performing the show receives the scripts for free, with eleven predetermined monologues and the 12th monologue chosen by individual directors.

Upon first hearing about The Vagina Monologues, many people think that it is a show for women or that it is a place for them to vent and share stories. In fact it is just as important for men to see and understand the monologues. “Women can only do so much in preventing violence, at some point men have to be involved, too,” said Platt.

Although University of San Francisco is a private school, the Foghorn Staff believes that state budget cuts to education are a serious and relevant problem. It is important for the USF community to understand the impact of these budget cuts and stand in solidarity with our fellow students. Considering the immense changes taking place at state schools, the Foghorn would like to encourage USF students and faculty to appreciate the financial stability USF has offered us. We must also recognize and support the members of our community who are currently fighting for their right to be educated.

At San Francisco State University many students are scrambling to get into their necessary classes. The budget cuts have reduced the number of classes being offered, resulting in students being added to classes that are already past capacity or leaving students unable to register. While these students were protesting the obstruction of their education last semester, many students at USF were protesting having Friday classes. Although the schedules for next year at USF (which include more classes on Fridays) are causing conflict with student internships, jobs, and other responsibilities, it is important to have a sense of perspective. The five day school week may be inconvenient, but it is significantly less inconvenient than not having classes at all or not being able to pay for the increases in state tuition.

USF students have been quick to point out that, even with the 30% increase, our tuition will still be significantly pricier than that of California State Universities and University of California campuses. This is a legitimate claim and USF students have a right to be disgruntled by reality of private education costs.

A few things should be taken into consideration, though, before any animosity in the USF community materializes. First, students at USF choose to pay over $30,000 a year for a certain standard of education. Most of us could have gone to a public school for significantly cheaper, but decided not to, making any discontent with USF’s tuition our own responsibility.

After the budget cuts, many state-funded universities are being forced to increase class sizes to several hundred, while here at USF our class sizes remain in the thirties. Our tuition did not increase drastically during the recession and is not directly influenced by state budget deficits. USF students sometimes take these measures of financial security for granted. Lastly, many students at USF have received huge scholarships and grants to cover part of their tuition. Private funding has allowed USF to offer more diverse financial aid than most state schools.

For these reasons the USF community should appreciate the benefits of private education and recognize that differences in tuition prices between public and private universities do not necessarily reflect differences in student commitment to education.  Currently, students and faculty at state universities need the greater academic community’s support.  Education and service are two fundamental Jesuit values and the current state of higher education in California offers the Jesuit commnity an opportunity to get involved in and advocate for the rights of students across the state.

Sophomore Heidi Anton takes a contested baseline jumper over a few St.Mary’s defenders. St,Mary’s limited USF to 46 points. Photo by Cass Krughoff/Foghorn

The women’s basketball team dropped to an unimpressive 4-22 overall record with their most recent loss against the St.Mary’s Gaels. The loss was also the Dons’ ninth in the West Coast Conference and extended their losing streak to 15 straight. Although USF was unable to pull off the victory, St.Mary’s certainly had a hard time pulling off the 56-46 win.

Before tip-off both USF and St.Mary’s players wore pink warm up shirts in honor of USF’s annual “Pink Zone” game. The “Pink Zone” game’s main goal is to raise awareness for breast cancer. Coaches as well as fans sported pink clothing to support the cause.

Both teams got off to a good start, although neither team could take and hold the lead. USF was moving the ball well and getting everyone involved in the offense, as eight different players scored in the first half. The Dons were also able to play sound defense, as they didn’t allow the Gaels to a large lead early in the game. The largest lead of the half was only four points, with St.Mary’s leading 30-26 with 2 minutes left in the half. But USF did a nice job of hanging around with St.Mary’s, not allowing them to expand on that lead. The game went into the half with St.Mary’s leading 32-30. USF went into the half shooting only 37.5% from the field, as well as 28.6% from three-point land but they were able to hit 80% of their free-throws (4-5). St.Mary’s struggled to find their shot as well as they shot 38.5% from the field, 28.6% from three and a laughable 28.6% of their free throws as they missed ten freebies (4-14). The Dons bench gave them a spark as they outscored the Gaels bench 15-7. But what the Gaels lacked in depth the made up for in points in the paint where they outscored USF 16-10. Both teams were evenly matched throughout the first half and the win was up for grabs going into the second half.

The start of the second half was a lot like the first half, with neither team able to gain a hold of the lead. The Gaels scored first but USF answered with a three-pointer by freshman guard Mel Khlok. USF went on to score five straight points to give them a four-point lead and momentum. From that point on St.Mary’s didn’t hold back. St. Mary’s quickly went on an eight-point run and didn’t allow USF to gain back the lead for the rest of the game. The eight straight points marked the beginning of 11-2 run. From the moment where USF led by four until the end of the game, the team scored only eight points compared to the 22 by St.Mary’s. After playing well for a majority of the game, USF was unable to keep up their level of play. At least they can build on the fact that they competed with the second best team in the WCC.

USF continued to struggle scoring points, like it has all season, especially on their recent losing streak. During their losing streak they have scored at least 55 points in only four games. Hopefully they will be able to find the basket soon because you can’t win without scoring. USF will look to do just that against Pepperdine when they visit Malibu on February 11^th.

Plumbing issues, including hot water faucets that do not work, in tbe bathrooms on the top floors of Phelan Hall are deemed unbearable by residents. Photo by Cass Krughoff/Foghorn

With the upcoming renovations of the University Center, and, at some point in the future, the Harney Science Center, some students are wondering when exactly it will be Phelan’s turn.

“USF should not be wasting money on laying brickwork stars in front of the cafeteria or trying to beautify our school with new landscape; they need to get their priorities in order and focus on the interior,” said Montana Dillenberg, Phelan resident.

Phelan Hall, which  is the oldest dorm on campus according to USF’s website, has been showing signs of its age for a while, according to the students who live there.

Nick Wright, English major, said that “The heaters here don’t make your room warm at all.”

“Well, ours won’t turn off,” said biology major Mari Feuz.

There are a variety of other complaints, regarding both building-related and non-related issues–showers that take a long time to heat up, noisy halls, a puddle of vomit that remained uncleaned in the bathroom during the Lovefest weekend–but above all, the residents’ main plague seemed to be related to the bathrooms.

“Once a week we get puddles in the bathroom from old plumbing that hasn’t been fixed,” said Wright.

Dillenberg said that four out of the seven sinks on her floor’s bathroom don’t have functioning hot water knobs.

Feuz agreed, and also demonstrated that tiles are falling in the showers, and that two of the stalls on the sixth floor bathroom have doors that cannot close.

The plumbing may be a contributor to the mysterious stench that several residents observe.

“There’s been a horrible smell in the past few days,” said Taryn Larribas, psychology major. “I think it might be the plumbing.”

Dillenberg went further to state that “Living in Phelan is like living in a communal garbage can. Quite frankly, it’s disgusting, the sixth floor in particular. Not only do the bathrooms carry a horrible stench, but the hallways as well.” Because she cannot access the internet from her room, she has to “sit outside in the hall that reeks of horrible odors to get connected to the internet.”

Internet connection has been another complaint that seems to be cropping up; “The internet is absolutely terrible in Phelan,” said Wright.

Steve Nygaard, director of the Office of Residence Life, said, “ORL has worked with ITS to improve the wireless access setting on the network equipment in Phelan that prevents non-ITS network devices from providing unauthorized network IP Addresses.  The setting only allows a ‘trusted’ server to provided network addresses.  The typical ‘Non-ITS’ network devices that we see are consumer-level routers  that are commonly used at home to share Internet connections. Often students do not understand the impact of the plug-in devices to share a network connection with their roommate or visiting classmate/friend.  This is common in Phelan where only one data port is available per dorm room. With improvements to USFwireless coverage we have seen less issues relate to ‘rogue’ routers.”

Regarding the plumbing, he said, “The administration is in complete agreement that the Phelan plumbing facilities are in great need of repair. When the University renovates Phelan, in addition to addressing the plumbing issues, it is also looking to improve the privacy of the restroom facilities, create floors with the potential for co-ed facilities and greatly improved lounge/common area spaces.”

When will these renovations actually be taking place, however? Dillenberg said she contacted ORL, but that they did not give her any information on the time frame for the renovation. Attempts were also made to contact Mike London, assistant vice president of facilities management, but a response was not received by the time of publication.

Until that indefinite time, students must continue to deal with the occasional plumbing leak and wafting bathroom odor. While some, like Dillenberg, remain angry and frustrated, most are willing to wait.

“Calling it unlivable is a bit overdramatic,” said Wright. “If a few little things got changed, I’d be fine with it.”

Sophomore Kwame Vaughn attacks the basket against the Gonzaga defense for an easy score. Photo by Cass Krughoff/Foghorn

The USF Dons defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs 81-77 in overtime on Saturday night at a jam packed War Memorial Gym. The hype and anxiety that filled the crowd throughout the game, bursted in an all-out celebration at mid-court after the final buzzer, imaging a small school that had just won a BCS Championship.

The game began with a packed and sold out looking gymnasium filled with a quarter of the lower level with Los Locos, half of the upper level with Gonzaga fans, and the rest filled with students and parents alike.

From tip off it seemed as if the Dons had been matched in their own team strategy of fast paced and quick passing. While the Zags kept pushing the tempo faster with fast breaks and turnovers, the Dons were forced to slow down their pace to recollect from the high intensity that the Zags were playing with. Within the first five minutes, the Dons appeared shaken defensively by example of inattentive or unset for the Gonzaga offense which brought the ball down court and made a play within the matter of three to four seconds.

The first half was filled with the Dons slowing down pace to attempt better shots, while the Zags tried to keep tempo up forcing bad shots and creating fast breaks. At half time the Dons managed to claw within range of 26-33.

The early part of the second half seemed a continuation of the end of the first half. However, with the Zags pushing tempo, the Dons managed to take advantage of a several mishaps for the Zags in forms of steal and loose ball turnovers. By the second half of the second half, the game had turned tables. After multiple mishaps and turnovers for the Zags, the Dons began to pursue pushing the tempo higher with full court presses, while the Zags tried to slow down the pace by resetting and passing the ball around the perimeter.

As the Dons fought and held within striking range the game became a nail biter with 1:19 left to play in regulation time with the Dons down 62-65. After a prolonged timeout, the Dons put the ball in play trying to break inside of the Gonzaga zone by passing around the perimeter and trying inside drives that were shut down only leading to kicking the ball back out to the perimeter and taking a good outside shot bringing the game closer at 64-65 with 36.8 seconds left.

After attaining the ball, the Zags were encountered with a full court press and an intentional foul by the Dons to regain ball control. The Zags made one of two free throws bringing the game to 67-64 with 25.3 seconds left in the game. The Dons called a crucial timeout trying to strategize a last second shot to tie the game.

When the Dons re-entered the court, they ran a play that had the Zags defense confused in their own man coverage, leaving Dior Lowhorn open at the three point line to shoot a game changing shot. Unfortunately for the Dons, Lowhorns shot missed. But off the tip of a Gonzaga player’s hand, another player threw the ball back into court saving the turnover. This pass went directly into Lowhorn’s hand for a second shot, which went in, tying the game 67-67 and taking the game into overtime.

From overtime the Dons must have been pumped, because the ensuing five overtime was dominated by the Dons who pushed tempo and took an early lead which the Zags could never come back from. With the final seconds of the game in suspense from timeouts and fouls from Gonzaga, the iced the game with a final free throw being made at 5.7 seconds. When the buzzer went off hundreds of students and fans ran for center court as possibly one of the biggest upset this season occurred in the West Coast Conference.

Regardless of political persuasion (or, in some cases, political apathy), students should care about the State of the Union for a few key reasons. First, President Obama described his ideas for lowering the cost of higher education. In this description he mentions increasing tax credit to up to $10,000 per family, forgiving student loans, and increasing Pell grants. These actions could greatly affect the financial burdens students and their families currently shoulder. Even if students are skeptical of President Obama’s plans for reform, it is still imperative that students are aware of how these changes could affect their lives and what actions they can take to either support or oppose changes in the education system.

In addition to education reform, President Obama talked at length about the job market and how to stimulate the economy through job creation. Most current USF students will graduate and become part of the workforce in the next few years, but the current recession has limited student options after college. Understanding where jobs are being created and which career paths are sustainable will greatly enhance students’ ability to find a job after graduation. The State of the Union is a great place to develop an understanding of what the executive branch is doing to support job creation. More research about specific jobs and majors may be needed, but the State of the Union provides the entire nation with information about the changes expected in the coming year.

President Obama made several statements in his speech that will affect students here on the USF campus. Fist, he has promised to have all troops removed from Iraq by August 2010. This means that ROTC students on campus are less likely to be deployed overseas after graduation and some of the money currently invested in Iraq will be redistributed, potentially to education or domestic job creation. Second, the President vowed to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, acknowledging that gay Americans have every right to “serve the country they love.” This action will create more job opportunities for gay students at USF, as well as potentially upset conservative groups on campus and in the community. Third, President Obama directly addressed health care. The many families in the USF community without health insurance undoubtedly need to be informed about how healthcare reform could affect them. Those families with health insurance must assess the needs of their neighbors, as well as their personal views on government taxation and the public option. Students at USF have a responsibility to educate themselves both inside and outside of the classroom and without basic knowledge of the governance of the country, students may not be able to make informed decisions about their careers, finances, or social and moral obligations.

USF style guru Addysen Trumper travels in high fashion on her adventures studying in Paris. Photo by Addysen Trumper/Foghorn

Everywhere we turn in the world of fashion, it seems a new concept hits us between the hangers. At times this can feel a tad annoying. Frequently we run into new, expensive trends that cancel our current investment piece, we long over new body parts on magazine cover models, or face new economical hardships that prevent us from obtaining our desired “new” view. Well my friends (old and new), we are shooting this Style File from a different angle. Let’s consider ourselves renewed. We have just entered a brand new year, a spanking new decade, a restored semester and a fresh take on cutting edge clothing from fashion around the world.

Speaking of around the world, I will be reporting to you from a new location this semester. Fabulous style is about diversity so I thought I would freshen my point-of-view while spending this semester studying in Paris, dotted with various European adventures of course.  While I may be an American girl in Paris, I will observe and note the French way of style everyday. I will have many opportunities to gush over the classically styled Parisian women and coiffed French men. But in this edition, let’s size up moving to a new country code.

At some point in your college career, many of you will choose to study abroad, travel for a long period of time, or simply find yourself living out of a suitcase. Before heading to Paris, I am nested in Cannes, France with 35 new classmates for a language program to prepare me for classes at La Sorbonne and daily Parisian life. Even though I am now familiar with the salt from the clear Mediterranean lingering on my skin and the smell of the macaroon shop tempting me to venture near, it is the fur dress-coats on the local elders bobbing down the street causing my style spirit to sag with my limited wardrobe resources available.

Nevertheless, USF friends I have now mastered the art of neatly living out of two suitcases in a petit room with two other roommates while looking chic and “French fresh” every day. These are my tips on limited resource dressing and suitcase digging for your study abroad experiences or early spring break planning.

Style Passport

Take a moment to reflect about your style. Individual mode is like the human body: everybody initially works with the same stuff but in different sizes and proportions and with different attitudes. We all have something about our look that sets up apart from everyone else. Before you pack a bag to live out of for five months, figure out your style. For some of us, fashion defines us and leaving our closets full of our unique pieces makes us want to seek therapy. No matter what, you cannot bring your whole wardrobe.

The key to success is planning. When you understand yours, you can strip down to choosing the basics that suit your individual look. For your everyday street wear, only pack pieces that you know you can wear with more than one outfit. Rule of thumb: every piece of clothing that you bring must be able to meld into three different outfits. The only exception to this rule is the one or two party pieces that you bring for special nights out. Also consider comfort, since each item will get a lot of wear in the upcoming months.

Step two of your packing project is to be a savvy accessorizer. American travelers benefit by blending into their home on loan. Sooth the culture clash with your get-up. Challenge yourself in wearing your grey cords three times this week and changing it up every time with a new accessory. Change your outfit with a scarf, next drape a fur across your shoulders and lastly hang massive chains around your neck. Or consider this, one day wear your boots with your jeans with your hair in a knot then disguise them by wearing a long top over them with a funky hat the next day to change up proportions.

While it may not be as easy as having the option of grabbing anything from your closet (or your roommate’s closet) this is a new chance to see how creative you can be. Let your passport be your excuse to change up your looks and experiment with your style.

“Space Case”

When I arrived in France with my two suitcases loudly rolling behind me on the cobblestones, I looked around to see that many girls were hurling their one piece of luggage with great difficulty. Don’t let a number fool you. While one suitcase might seem like it is less to handle, I found that two gave me the opportunity to organize my outfit choices with greater ease. This is the one time that I am proud to say that I was a woman with some serious “baggage.”

Suitcase # 1: Clothes and shoes. Don’t try to get anything else in there. After I placed my carefully chosen six pairs of shoes on the bottom of the suitcase, I only filled the rest up with my dresses, pants, skirts and tops. I have a different place for each category so I know where everything is located.

Suitcase #2: Accessories, bathroom gear and books. After picking out my basics from my other suitcase, I just turn around to my other one to find what makes my ensemble unique in suitcase #2.

This system has not failed me yet. While some days I will start with suitcase #1 to pick my functional clothing, I will change it up from time to time to start with suitcase #2 to begin my day with a little color and inspiration. The way your clothes are organized affects the way you look on a day to day basis. If the home of your clothes is chaos then your style will reflect that. Just remember that these are the days that you will remember the most as you will have pictures to document your travel threads.

One of the perks of traveling is everyday you are greeted with something new.  I would encourage you to embrace any opportunity that you have to create a vogue voyage with style experimentation and no inhibitions.

I am not quite sure where this odyssey will take me and my fashion, but I welcome you to follow my journey at my fashion/travel blog: http://lamodeinadifferentzipcode.blogspot.com.

Junior Kevin Kunze (far right) organized a protest to gather signatures for a petition opposing the proposed schedule. Photo by Melissa Stihl/Foghorn

“Sign this petition, you with the USF shirt!” could be heard across Harney Plaza last Wednesday, Nov. 11, as three student protesters urged passersby to sign a petition to protest the new class schedule announced by James L. Wiser, provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Junior Kevin Kunze organized the protest, after a number of professors expressed their discontent with the new class schedule, announced in a Nov. 3 message to faculty. “If professors are complaining, it should be a serious concern for students,” he said.

Wiser proposed that a Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Tuesday-Thursday schedule format would replace the existing Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday schedule beginning in the fall 2010 semester, which has been in place for the last eight years.

Converting twice-a-week courses into three days would make each class run about 50 minutes. In the email to faculty, he said the new schedule was formed in response to the space problem that the university has been facing. Many professors were given classrooms with inadequate space for their class size, forcing them to resort to lounges or library rooms, or no classrooms were found at all.

Wiser said the new class schedule will allow an additional 180 course sections on Monday-Wednesday-Friday and 60 sections on Tuesday-Thursday. “At the beginning of the fall 2009 term we had approximately 40 course sections without classrooms,” Wiser said.

After student complaints circulated, Wiser sent out a message to the university on Nov. 12, explaining that the new schedule format starting in the fall 2010 semester was a proposed plan, not a final resolution. Wiser said at a November Policy Board Meeting with faculty that the message was intended to eradicate students’ misconceptions on the class schedule proposal.

Yet amongst students, the proposed plan has not been taken lightly. After only an hour out in Harney Plaza, Kunze said he accumulated about 7 pages worth of signatures. He has since continued to ask anyone who crosses his path to sign the petition, eventually gathering over 600 signatures.

Rebecca Waterhouse was one of many students who signed the petition. “It’s less logical making people take Friday classes,” she said, since many students commute and would have to come on Fridays for only a 50-minute class.

Students are concerned about the short time frame, since “50 minutes is going back to high school,” Maggie Gehegan said, but also about the flow of information. Gehegan said “I was annoyed that [the administration] didn’t tell the students.”

Senior class representative John Coon stopped by the protest, but chose not to sign the petition. “The way it is labeled, I’m not comfortable signing the document,” he said. A handout listing the “Pros and Cons for the ‘New Measurement’” was distributed at the protest, but Coon said after reading the provost’s message, he believes the new class schedule will benefit the students, and said that the “detractor is actually the faculty.”

University of San Francisco Faculty Association (USFFA) President Elliot Neaman said there is a “rumor that students would just skip Friday. I think they have a responsibility to come to class,” commenting on certain students’ unwillingness to give up their Friday.

As for the faculty, Neaman said professors have a problem because they use Fridays for research, or work outside of their teaching responsibilities. Professors have also already organized their courses around twice-a-week time slots, and do not believe that 50 minutes is enough time to lecture. In accordance with students, the new class schedule also conflicts with professors who commute to the city.

“When I first heard about it, I understood why the university was doing it, but I anticipated the provost to write out reasons for it and then present it to faculty,” he said. Neaman then comprised a survey with help from the psychology department, to collect data on “who was against it, for what reasons, and from what department. Sometimes home has to do with what are the surrounding issues,” he said.

The decision was “not clear to me that the new schedule had to be done quickly.,” he said “The provost has admitted that the process of consulting faculty could have been done better.”

From the survey, Neaman learned that about 70 percent of faculty opposed the schedule, and 30 percent were in favor. “Scientists are here 3 days a week and they don’t see why their colleagues are upset. One more day [to them] isn’t so bad.” Neaman said that many professors are already on campus 5 days a week, and resent that others have reduced their teaching schedule to three, two, or even one day. “Some feel the new policy will lead to a more vibrant university life, and force departments to establish more equitable schedules,” he said.

To resolve issues with the administration, a Policy Board meeting was held on Nov. 11 with the provost, Dean of Academic Services BJ Johnson, and Associate Dean of Academic and Enrollment Services and University Registrar Archie Porter, and members of the faculty.

Favoring the schedule change, several faculty members pointed out that it would allow more faculty interaction on campus and more opportunities to work with students. Alternative solutions were also given, one that would keep the Monday-Wednesday schedule and still create additional slots, by making classes run 180 minutes rather than 200 minutes.

Media Studies Professor Andrew Goodwin said, “I have argued for years that it would be good to teach a Wednesday-Friday class. It would be nice to have been asked about that idea. Our chair in media studies also pointed out to me that a Friday-Monday 75 minute class could . work very well. We could easily work out a rational way to maximize space at USF and keep everybody busy on Fridays without making cumbersome and irrational proposals that would set the University back ten years.”

However, deadlines for implementing a new schedule are fast approaching, with the Colleges of Arts and Sciences on Dec. 4th. To this problem, Wiser said he would consult with deans to see if there is room to expand the timeline in developing a new schedule.

Neaman said the meeting was “very productive,” because the administration now understands the problems that faculty are facing.

If students would like to take part in the conversation, senior representative Jon Coon said they could approach Senate with their concerns. “Whenever a big issue comes out, it’s not a formalized process,” he said. “Students can come in and speak up.” Coon said that Senate could invite tWiser to speak at a Senate meeting, and answer any concerns students may have.

Kate Greenspan/Foghorn Did she inhale? West Seegmiller and Deidre Doyle star in USF’s poduction of the popular musical Reefer Madness.

USF’s fall play, Reefer Madness, drew packed audiences to its seven performances this November. The College Players, USF’s on campus performing arts association, sponsored the production, a satirical musical about marijuana use in the early 1930’s. The melodrama follows the relationship of teenage sweethearts Jimmy and Mary, whose relationship is compromised when Jimmy is seduced by a drug-dealing clan of society’s “undesirables.” The story unfolds under the direction of the Lecturer, who narrates the story.

The production was directed by Joey Price and starred exclusively USF students. Senior James Godbolt gave an exceptional performance as the Lecturer, as well as playing several other minor roles and appearing in nearly every scene. Lauren Bellenie, a freshman performing for the first time at USF, portrayed Sally, a marijuana-addicted harlot. Her witty performance, as well as her singing ability, both amused and impressed the audience. Deidre Doyle gave a riveting performance as Mae, the victim of drug-induced domestic violence, who suffers from an emotional breakdown in the second act of the performance.

The cast as a whole performed well together, creating an entertaining and comical show. Reefer Madness combined dance, song, and drama in a provocative spin on reality that kept the audience laughing and intrigued. The set design, which included a two-story structure, was bare but effective and costumes were creative and easily identifiable. The biggest flaw of the performance was the problems with microphones, several of which cut out frequently or produced distorted sound. By the end of the show, microphone problems did not take away from the show’s entertainment value or the cast’s talent.

In the initial email, Wiser stated the schedule change would be taking place for the following reasons: 1) Difficulty in finding space for current classes. 2) Insufficient classroom size. 3) Because of lack of space, lounges and conference rooms were converted into classrooms. 4) Lack of classrooms makes it difficult to offer new classes for students. 5) Classes are overlapping too often creating scheduling conflicts. 6) USF wants to add more two-credit classes and with the lack of space it makes it difficult.

For these reasons, the administration is implementing a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule and will in effect shorten Monday, Wednesday classes to 50 minutes instead of the current 75 minute length. This equals to about the same amount of class time, but the classes would take place three times a week rather than two. This change will free up more classrooms and allow more sections of classes and more two-credit classes to be added.

Some students and faculty members take issue with this inevitable change for the fall semester for a variety of reasons.

Many Students do not want Friday classes because it would ruin their three-day weekends that they have become accustomed to. Let’s face it, for students Thursdays are the new Fridays. Students have adjusted to having Thursday as their designated party night, and with the new schedule, might show up to class “under the weather” or not at all. There is also the more legitimate argument that Friday classes conflicts with students’ jobs or internships. Many students need to work to make money for tuition and rent, or even just spending cash. Whether their job is on or off campus, having Fridays free to work a long shift is very important. Likewise, with internships, which students need to gain valuable work experience, they almost always need to come in on Fridays to work a full shift.

Professors do not want their class time on Mondays and Wednesdays to be cut from two long classes to three short classes because shorter classes will make it harder for them to include their entire lesson plans. Media studies students, for example, watch a lot of media content in their classes. Having a shorter period would make it less likely for them to see the content and also have a quality discussion about it, which is imperative for their major. Science majors require longer classes for lab work, and visual or performing arts disciplines would find shorter periods unsatisfactory for their studio/workshop needs. Professors who commute from outside the city also find issue with Friday classes because it makes them have to come to campus an extra day.

The Foghorn staff believes the schedule change needs a some adjustment and would take some getting used to, but there are more positives than negatives from the change. Ultimately it seems necessary for USF student education to be improved. We come to college with the intent to get the best possible education we can. Without sufficient classroom space it is impossible for the learning environment to thrive. Having more choices and opportunities to explore also facilitates student learning. With the new schedule it makes this possible for students to have more classes and varied learning opportunities.

The USF Dons stretch to warm up at the beginning of practice. Photo by Matt Steinbach/Foghorn

While most students were already at home preparing themselves for the Thanksgiving feast they were about to have, the USF men’s basketball team was hosting Montana State. The Dons entered the game Wednesday on a two-game losing streak, hoping to end that skid at home. Montana State, which plays in the Big Sky conference, came into the game with a 1-2 record looking to get to the .500 mark.

The game started off with both teams battling back in forth to get out to a quick lead. USF had the upper hand in the first 10 minutes of the first half jumping out to a lead that reached eight points. But Montana State continued to battle back. Montana State went on a 13-2 run, which included 10 straight points by the Bobcats. USF missed a few shots and Montana State was able to capitalize, hitting back to back three-pointers followed by a lay-up, a jumper and a three-point play. This gave the Bobcats a three-point lead but USF did a good job of not allowing the Bobcats to increase their lead.

Once Montana State obtained the lead both teams battled back and forth, trading baskets. USF cut the Montana State lead to one with one minute left before halftime but Montana State scored five quick points before the half ended. They entered the half with a six-point lead. Senior Dior Lowhorn led the Dons in scoring going into the half with eight points while sophomore Kwame Vaughn added seven points. Freshman Perris Blackwell also added six points and Angelo Caloiaro scored five points. The main difference between the two teams was points in the paint as Montana State controlled the paint outscoring the Dons 14-8, which explains their six-point halftime lead.

The start of the second half was no different than how the first half played out, the teams were trading baskets, not allowing someone to pull away. USF spent the first part of the second half trying to cut the Montana State lead. With ten minutes to play in the game, USF started a run to take a two-point lead. The Dons scored nine straight points using their defense to force turnovers, which led opportunities to score. USF was aggressive, getting to the free-throw line and hitting all five of their free-throw attempts. But Montana State would not let the Dons build on their lead as the fought to take it back.

The Bobcats took a 63-58 lead with five minutes left to play but once again USF was able to use the free-throw line and good defense to pull within one point. The teams traded baskets until the two minute mark when USF went up by one 66-65. Montana State then stepped up their defense and went on a run just as they had done before the end of the first half. And once again Montana State scored five straight points to end the half and the game, winning 70-66. Lowhorn led the Dons in scoring for the game, finishing with 19 points as well as nine rebounds. Caloiaro and Vaughn each finished with 12 points.

This weekend the Men’s basketball team began a Colorado road-trip by playing its first game against Colorado State on Sunday before playing the University of Colorado on December 1st. USF entered this game on a three game skid with hopes of getting back in the win column. But they did not get off to the kind of start that they would have hoped for, making only one of their first 10 shots and not hitting another field goal until around the 10-minute mark of the half. USF was able to stay in the game early on by converting on six free-throw attempts and by limiting the scoring of Colorado State. Although the Dons couldn’t score the ball early on they did an excellent job on defense, not allowing Colorado State to score much either.

The Dons offense finally woke up in the middle of the first half as they finished the rest of the half by shooting .500(6-12). The efficient shooting to end the half tied the game at 25-25 and was a good sign that USF had ended its shooting slump. Both teams went into the half evenly matched as evident by the score. Colorado State outscored USF 14-8 in the paint but the Dons outscored the Rams 10-6 on points off of turnovers and 11-9 in bench points.

The second half was not as sluggish as the first half as both teams were trading baskets. The lead was never more than six points as each team battled to pull away but neither team was able to. Senior Dior Lowhorn, who was held to four points in the first half, carried the Dons offensively along with Sophomore Rashad Green down the stretch; Green scored 12 points while Lowhorn scored 10 points in the second half. Lowhorn was perfect from the free-throw line in the half, which accounted for most of his points. The tandem combined for 22 points with the rest of the Dons combining for 12 points.

With 28 seconds left in the game USF took a two-point lead, 59-57 on a three-pointer by Sophomore Angelo Caloiaro. Colorado State then hit two free throws after a foul from Lowhorn. The game was tied 59-59 and neither team was able to get a basket to fall, forcing overtime.

The first overtime period was a continuation of the second half, meaning each team battled back and forth trading baskets with no one pulling away. Once again USF was up by two points with less than 40 seconds to play and Colorado State tied the game with free throws, sending the game into a second overtime.

The second overtime was dominated by Colorado State, as they went on a 16-2 run to end the game. USF had a season high-four players foul out, which hurt them especially because of the length of the game.

The fouls also hurt USF on the boards as they were out rebounded 46-39, with Pierce Hornung of Colorado State grabbing 17 rebounds. USF was whistled for 31 fouls as a team and Colorado State was called for 25 fouls. The number of fouls shows how physical the game was and that the refs had a quick whistle that night. Lowhorn and Green each finished with 21 points on the night, leading the Dons in scoring. The loss marked the fourth straight USF as they fall to 2-4 on the young season.

Campus trendsetter Chris Moore shows off his simple and hip ensemble.

Chris Moore is fabulous.  He’s like the male Twiggy.  I spotted Chris the other day fashionably dressed in a black peacoat belonged to his friend Isabel Taylor. “She went to Italy and bought this coat,” Chris said. “I told her I wanted it, so she gave it to me.”

Chris revealed a tag inside the coat that said Moda International. and a gaping hole in the lining of the pocket.  Underneath the coat is a red and white striped shirt from Urban Outfitters, and his jeans are Levis from Wasteland. His white tube socks are from “Sears or something” and his brown sturdy shoes are from DSW.

Chris’s look exudes intelligence. He got his tortoiseshell glasses “at some eye place in the Westfield mall.”  They used to be sunglasses, he explains. Chris’s briefcase, decorated with a variety of stickers, is from the Billens Crowe collection.

Moore’s Ray Bans were originally sunglasses, but he had them converted into normal glasses.

Chris’s right hand man, Chet Bentley, said of Chris’s style, “The clothes have to be a little dirty.” And Chris agreed, saying, “I get up and wear dirty clothes.” Chris’s favorite article of clothing is a purple polo shirt from Express.  “It’s not the typical Ralph Lauren material,” he said. “I’ve had it since 8th grade and just held onto it.”

Sturdy boots are a must-own for the winter in San Francisco.

Although lead singer Pharell suffered a migraine through the Homecoming concert, students were enthused to see N.E.R.D perform. Photo by Akima Brackeen/Foghorn

Hip-hop group N.E.R.D kicked off homecoming weekend with an entertaining show that excited the students in attendance. Artist Bobby Ray, formerly known as B.o.B, opened the concert, showing his versatile musical skills as he rapped, sang and even played the guitar.  His unique music proved a good opening act to complement N.E.R.D’s upbeat and pounding sounds.

“N.E.R.D was very entertaining and they exceeded my expectations,” senior Nina Sasson said. “Bobby Ray was a great opening act because he got everyone excited and he was a fantastic singer, his voice was really nice.”

In October, N.E.R.D added a new member to their group, Rhea, who handles the vocals alongside Pharrell Williams. Rhea and Pharrell’s styles complimented each other nicely; Rhea’s strong and harmonious voice works well with Pharrell’s smooth style of singing. Backup vocalist Shay Haley excited the students by continuously bouncing all around the stage. The crowd seemed to feed off his energy, as he was the only band member dancing for most of the concert.

Pharrell disappointed everyone when he announced that he couldn’t put on his usual high-energy performance because he was suffering from a migraine headache. However despite his migraine, Pharrell still managed to entertain the crowd.

“That was a great concert, it was fun and both [N.E.R.D and Bobby Ray] put on good performances” said Billy Cistone, a student from San Jose who was at the concert with his USF friends. “I didn’t expect the concert to be as fun as it was, it was definitely worth it.”

From the actions of the crowd, it seemed that everyone in attendance enjoyed the show. During the show the band had to tell the crowd a few times to take a step back from the front of the stage. The crowd was jumping around and dancing to the music but their excitement caused the people in front of the stage to be squished into the barricades; no one was hurt though.

N.E.R.D performed all of their hit songs including, “Spaz,” “Everybody Nose,” “Lap Dance,” and “She Wants to Move.” They even performed some of their new songs off their upcoming album Instant Gratification, which were all well received by the audience. For the entire two and a half hour concert, Bobby Ray and N.E.R.D managed to keep the crowd upbeat and into the show, providing everyone in attendance with a great homecoming concert.

Senior Forward Dior Lowhorn goes up for a reverse layup during the Dons practice this week. Photo by Matt Steinbach/Foghorn

Coach Rex Walters gave the Dons a message of hope and improvement after the Dons 91-77 exhibition win over Cal State University Monterey Bay on Saturday. “If we get better we have a good chance to do some great things” he said.

The young Dons, whose game consisted of some fast paced offense and defense, are looking forward to a strong season. Coach Walters explained, “We want to be [fast paced]. But we need guys to stay out of foul trouble, we need to get a little more solidified back up play, and we need more solid play from our wing spots.” Dominance of the underneath and the opening of the outside shots is how the Dons came to victory over the Otters.

Both teams began the first half with a tight man to man defense that caused a quick passing game for both teams. Aside from a few bad passes, most of the game was fairly tight knit for both the Dons and the Otters.

However, in the first half, the Otters climbed back into competition with the Dons by a couple good 3 point shots from Keith Wilson. But the Dons responded by trying to open up outside shots to the guards and wings and having a good inside presences with Senior Forward Dior Lowhorn and Freshman Forward Perris Blackwell.

After a brief timeout by Monterey Bay, USF responded with a tighter defense, which brought more pressure from a full court press.

Monterey Bay tried to regain momentum going into the half by screening and breaking through the inside of the man defense of the Dons. However, the Dons responded well with a couple of 3 point and underneath shots by Sophomore Forward Angelo Caloiaro.

The first half was a real fight for owning the paint by both teams. The intensity of both teams hard work had several timeout interruptions to reset and re-establish a foundation to work off of. However, the first half ended with a score of 50-36 USF over CSUMB.

The second half saw the same intensity of the first, but by five minutes into the second half the Otters had switched into a zone defense to try to slow down the Dons presence in the inside and force a perimeter game for the Dons.

A couple of three point shots by Senior Forward Blake Wallace, reopened the inside game for USF and the tireless defense continued their pressure game forcing a few bad shots by the Otters.

However, with 6:24 left to play the Dons saw a very comfortable lead dwindle to 73-63. The defense of the Dons seemed to slow down, while the production from the offense began to slow down. Lowhorn explained,  “We should have been more spread offensively. But defensively, we got to do better because we shouldn’t have allowed them to score seventy-seven points.”

Still, even with a win to open the season, the Dons are aware of their need to improve as Sophomore Forward Angelo Caloiaro said “I’m just happy we got the win. But overall as a team we still got to improve and that’s our concern right now.”

One of the things that they wanted to be improved is as Coach Walters explained it, “We did some good things early. But we’re a very young, inexperienced team that doesn’t know how to close out a game. And that understanding that how you extend a lead, is the same as how you got the lead.”

With all the hard work they put in the off-season and the summer  such as, “[taking] a summer class. [And] we’d all hit the gym together, get shots up and work our handles” describes Angelo Caloiaro, the Dons will continue to move in the right direction.

There is no doubt that we should see some improvement, especially if the team abides by the saying of Coach Walters as Dior Lowhorn said “Coach Walters said ‘if you fall, you gotta get right back up and get to the play.’”

USF is a Catholic university, but it also has the Jesuit influence that differs from some traditional Catholic principles and from other Catholic Universities in the country.

The University of San Francisco has taken criticism for their liberal outlook on Catholic teachings. As a most recent example, the Catholic community condemned USF for inviting Irene Khan of Amnesty International to our campus last week.

In 2007 Amnesty International reversed their long-standing position on abortion from opposed to neutral. The Catholic community saw Khan’s invitation as a direct contradiction to Catholic beliefs.

Patrick Reilly, the president of the Cardinal Newman Society stated in a Life News article that choosing to have Amnesty International speak at USF was “a direct betrayal of its own mission in service of human rights.”

The Catholic blogs also critiqued films shown on campus. In 2007 USF, hosted a film festival which featured films about same sex marriage and abortion. One of the movies featured a Nicaraguan girl who was pregnant after being raped and was seeking an abortion. Another film surrounded Mayor Gavin Newsom’s decision to allow same-sex marriage in San Francisco.

The Catholic community was less than pleased to hear these films were being shown and supported by a Catholic university. Life Site News regularly recognizes these contradictions to the Catholic faith that USF makes.

Life Site News also cited a study done by nursing students taken from the Contra Costa Department of Public Health. The study promotes contraceptives.

Although not every speaker at USF represents the traditional Catholic ideals, the Foghorn supports USF’s initiative to bring a broad spectrum of speakers to our university. USF is a multi-cultural campus with students who have different religious beliefs.

The Foghorn believes that as a university, USF should be open to different points of view presented by students, which USF is.

By allowing films that may not follow Catholic teaching, the university is not denying that those viewpoints exist and encourages its students to be more educated about the world around them.

Although USF may not support gay marriage, contraceptives, or abortion, it chooses to recognize that some people do. If USF chose to shield these viewpoints from the community, it would restrict students’ work, expression, and education about the world around them.

Plans to completely redesign the University Center to accommodate student organizations, SLE and the bookstore are in the works and will be finalized in December. Photo by Melissa Stihl/Foghorn

The UC Renovation Project is in the “staging process,” according to Christina Sanchez, assistant vice president for University Life.  The goal is to modernize the aged building and then make it the center of the university, as its name and location indicate, by putting student groups and services in renovated areas within the building.

Sanchez said the UC Project has been put on hold for the past 9-12 months due to financial uncertainty, but USF has recently approved collaboration with Sasaki Associates, an architectural and design company to develop a design plan for the UC’s fourth and fifth floors.  Sasaki Associates was hired in 2007 to assist in planning and constructing the UC.

Sanchez said the project is a “staged process” and the cost is unknown. “It is a process of exploration,” she said, adding that an estimated cost will have to be approved by the Board of Trustees and more definite answers will come “within the next two months.”

Within those months, USF Project Planner JJ Thorp, assistant vice president of Facilities Management Mike London and Sasaki architects will present their UC plan to the President’s Leadership Team, an 18-member team headed by University President Rev. Stephen A. Privett, S.J. The team will give a decision this December on priorities and a timetable.

Vice president of University Life Margaret Higgins said the new Center of Science and Innovation is the university’s first priority, but she and Thorp see room for multiple projects to take place simultaneously.

The UC plan is intertwined with the Phelan Renovation Project, as offices of some student groups and the USF Bookstore, currently at the bottom of Phelan Hall, will relocate to the UC.

According to Greg Wolcott, director of Student Leadership and Engagement, the goal of the Phelan Project when it was first conceptualized 5-6 years ago was classroom efficiency.  Plans have since shifted to focus on residence hall space.

Photo by Melissa Stihl/Foghorn

Living space has been an issue at USF for years. In the Sept. 9, 2004 issue, the Foghorn’s Street Talk asked students about campus space.  Some expressed frustration over crowded dorms and campus remodeling.  Freshman Dhruv Patel described his Hayes-Healey dorm room experience in detail.

“I’m living half out of my suitcase,” said Patel in 2004.  “There are screws sticking out of the floor where the TV stand used to be.  I’m still waiting for a room to live in for the rest of the year.”

In the Sept. 23 issue of this year, the Foghorn reported that the Office of Residence Life (ORL) was reconsidering housing policies including but not limited to the requirement of second-year students to live on campus.  ORL was also reportedly aiming to modify residence halls by redesigning bathrooms and creating more student lounge space.

Clearing out the bottom of Phelan Hall will free space for approximately 80 more beds, allow a front desk to take the place of the bookstore, and provide an opportunity to fix the building’s leaky plumbing system.

Photo by Melissa Stihl/Foghorn

The plan calls for College Players, ASUSF Voices, USFtv, Foghorn and Residence Hall Association to join the bookstore in moving to the UC.  The lone survivor would be University Ministry, which would expand into the next door Foghorn Office.  According to Higgins, the newsroom will likely become an interfaith chapel.

“No decisions have been made yet,” said Higgins.  On Monday, Oct. 26, Higgins joined Associate Vice President of University Life Mary Wardell, JJ Thorp and architects from Sasaki Associates on a tour of offices that could be relocated.  Wolcott said student groups can expect to begin packing by this coming spring semester and to move shortly afterwards.  The goal of the tour was to find out how much space each group would need in their new home.

In a 2008 intensive study of the USF campus, with the involvement of the ASUSF Senate, Sasaki consultants concluded there was not enough student lounge space on campus.

The finding fueled the plan to recreate the fourth and fifth floors of the UC with administrative offices on one end, student organizations on the other, shared conference rooms in the middle and student lounge spaces in locations that would give them the most natural sunlight possible.

Student grievances have centered around shared space, visibility and after-hours access.

On Tuesday, Oct. 27, London introduced parts of the UC plan to the ASUSF Senate and received feedback and reactions from both senators and students in attendance.  Editor in Chief of the San Francisco Foghorn Laura Plantholt and Executive Producer of USFtv Alex Platt both expressed concern during the meeting pertaining to the amount of space their organizations would have in their new homes.

In response, London explained that modern corporations are shifting towards shared work spaces such as community conference rooms.

“Shared space is a reality in design and has been part of the University’s projects” said London, adding that his office is in his department’s conference room.

JJ Thorp’s primary job is to make suggestions for what the UC should look like.  He envisions the future UC as a shared space, meaning a sign-out system in which faculty and students would have to reserve work spaces when needed. But with this plan comes the issue of late hour access.  Student groups rarely work on a rigid 9-5 schedule, with some groups working over nights and well into the morning.  According to Wolcott, USF is open to late hours for student groups, though Higgins said 24/7 access is not a guaranteed part of the plan, and such a system would have to be worked out with the Public Safety Department.

ASUSF President Bobby Marquez, who along with Wolcott is a student advocate throughout the process, says 24/7 access is vital to student work schedules.

“I am absolutely an advocate for 24/7 student access,” Marquez said, adding that he is confident it will happen.  Marquez said his two biggest concerns are more bed space in Phelan and following through in his role of being an advocate of student concerns throughout the process.

USF’s undergraduate enrollment made significant increases in 2001, 2003 and later in 2006, prompting the Foghorn staff to say in its September 9, 2004 staff editorial, “It’s very clear that there is a huge space issue at this school and there’s a dire need for expansion in order to keep up with the growing number of faculty and students.”  The staff was not in favor of the increase at the time, saying “On an everyday basis, it is becoming more and more clear that the there are too many students at this school,” and going on to say that USF is putting too much of an emphasis on the future and neglecting the present, as Sam Sharkey said.

The future of 2004 is today’s student body, and the future is looking much like it did five years ago. At this point, there seems to be a strong commitment to incorporate student input in the plans.  Higgins and Thorp both said they are willing to listen to student concerns through e-mail.  Wolcott said he would like to hear from students who have ideas about the projects, and Marquez encourages students to talk to him or any ASUSF Senator about what they would like the future USF campus to look like.

In Thorp’s ideal plan, the UC would be an open space of community lounges and meeting spots, full length windows would replace walls, and individual offices would be an idea of the past, replaced by small work stations that encourage collaboration among and between students and faculty.

The fourth and fifth floors would look very similar, and Sanchez insists they would be half student organizations, half administrative space, and shared meeting rooms.

Thorp’s idea for the third floor include adding to Harney Plaza and extending it behind the current ITS computer lab, around the UC, and back towards Harney Plaza near the Public Safety Office.  Thorp discussed the possibility of removing the ITS computer lab in order to create more student lounge space, while disbursing the lab’s computers throughout other parts of campus.

The second floor would remain largely unchanged because the level is almost entirely a cafeteria, but Thorp envisions a merger of the USF Bookstore, Outtahere, and Crossroads into what he called a “Barnes and Noble atmosphere” on the bottom level of the UC.

The bookstore would take the place of the Student Leadership and Engagement Office, which will move to either the 4th or 5th floor of the UC.  Next would come a complete redesign of how the bottom floor looks, as the wall that creates the hallway between the ASUSF Senate Office and Crossroads would be torn out, eliminating the separation of the Bookstore, Outtahere and Crossroads.

As it stands, the fifth floor of the UC where renovations would begin is merely a 13,000 square foot clean canvas from corner to corner, outlined by windows on all sides.  The level is clear of doors and desks, yet full of plans and potential to transform this former maze of faculty offices into the epicenter of student life.

“It is just a matter of painting that canvas,” said Marquez.

The Foghorn staff appreciates that the USF administration values the student experience, and devotes funds to improving our buildings to make them not only more useful but also more aesthetically pleasing. However, we have concerns about how the space will be allotted, and, selfishly, are worried about the office space that will be given to us and fellow funded accounts.

One concern in particular is that we would no longer have our own offices. We cannot speak for everyone, but in our office we conduct meetings, hold interviews for stories, write articles, work with writers, edit stories, and lay out the paper for each coming week. We work late hours and use our space all the time.

The suggestion to share offices with other clubs is not workable. If we had to ask permission to use the office for a meeting, to reserve a computer at a certain time, or had to close the office at a certain time, the paper would suffer.

The Foghorn is not the only group affected by this move. It would not be fair to other organizations that have also been accustomed to their own office space to share with another organization. Just as the Foghorn would suffer so would the other organizations’ work.

Chris Begley, the Executive Producer of USFtv, said that the move for USFtv “would be ridiculous.” Begley stated, “Our office would have to be moved in the summer. And who would move it? It would probably have to be Alex [Platt, a fellow USFtv producer] and I. I would have to be forced to stay here during the summer to handle the situation.”

Another one of Begley’s main concerns is security. Begley said administrators have proposed lockers for the group’s expensive equipment, including thousands of dollars worth of cameras and editing equipment. Begley is worried about the equipment being stolen or damaged without having the group’s office to store it in.

Having new and improved facilities for student groups would be a positive change, if implemented properly.

We at the Foghorn try to represent the students of USF, and have brainstormed how we would blueprint the UC. The UC is a space that is supposed to serve students, so who better than students to determine how it should be used? Our floor by floor plan is as follows:

The bottom floor of the UC should contain Outtahere, Crossroads, and the bookstore. This is the plan that has been set forth by the architects, and we support it. We believe that having the café and bookstore near each other would improve business and give USF a better area for students to socialize and eat.

On the second floor, we support the architects’ plan to leave it largely unchanged. The cafeteria takes up most of the space, and we appreciate the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Student Resource Center being centrally located.

The third floor is where USFtv, the Foghorn, and other student organizations that need visibility should be moved. Being visible to the student body is imperative for these organizations to have consistent members and recognition. Offices that are currently on the third floor but do not require frequent interaction with students, such as the McCarthy Center and Events Scheduling, could be moved to the fourth or fifth floor. Being in a less central location would not impede those groups from fulfilling their missions.

On the fourth and fifth floors, services for students should be located. International Student and Scholar Services, the Learning and Writing Center, the Language Centers, Health Promotion Services, and other services for students should be on the fourth floor. Organizations like Student Leadership and Engagement, the McCarthy Center, Events Scheduling, and other organizations that offer services to students should be located.

We support renovating Phelan Hall and the University Center, and making our campus a more  beautiful and functional place. However, we ask that the committee listen to and consider our requests.