University News // September 16 // Issue Five

Monday September 16, 2013 Volume 81, Issue 5

NEWSUNIVERSITYUMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper

Kate Baxendale Copy Editor

UMKC’s Hospital Hill campus will be adding student housing to be completed in the fall of 2014. The campus apartments, which will be similar to Oak Place Apartments on the Volker Campus, will be located at 25th and Troost Avenue.

Gould Evans Architecture of Kansas City designed the $30.33 million project, which will be funded by state bonds and Missouri state tax credits.

“We used Oak Place Apartments as sort of a basis of design, as far as the type of construction, the general layout of the rooms and the type of rooms that we’re using, Jeff Vandel, director of Facilities, Planning, Design and Construction, said. “In general it will look similar to Oak Place, but it is made to really fit in with the part of the city where it’s being built.”

The project includes 245 beds in one-, two- and four-bedroom units, with an adjacent parking structure of 196 parking spaces. The parking structure will be located at the north end of the building, and only students with specific cards will be able to access the garage and the residential building. It will have no external exits, plenty of surveillance cameras and a UMKC police substation.

“Traditionally if you say ‘Troost,’ parents will say, ‘You’re putting the housing where?’” Eric Grospitch, dean of students, said. “I would say that if you look now at Kansas City crime statistics in the Beacon Hill area, there isn’t a reason to be any more concerned than you would be about my neighborhood in Overland Park.”

The university began research on Hospital Hill housing in 2007, according to Grospitch. The first series of market research was conducted in 2008 by an outside company, and the second series was conducted in 2012 by Dr. Larry Bunce, director of institutional research for UMKC. Bunce

conducted research that included student polling, which asked Hospital Hill students questions about what they are looking for in student housing.

“There is really a need for our Hospital Hill students particularly to have some housing up in that area,” Grospitch said. “One of the other needs is also a fitness center. Right now our fitness center is in a steel-fad building, and it doesn’t quite fit the needs of students very well. The nursing program is expanding to include the health sciences program, and so our undergraduate population is continuing to expand. With that comes the need for safe, affordable housing in the area.”

Students will have a say in the type of furniture selected for the units, along with what other amenities students want or do not want to be provided for them. Rent will be equivalent to rent at Oak Place, which will include internet, cable and all other utilities in one bill. Contrary to Oak Place Apartments, the new housing project will focus primarily on one-bedroom units as students requested a desire for more of these rooms. Rent will be assigned per bed, similarly to Oak Place’s policy.

“All of our campus housing is funded by state bonds,”

Grospitch said. “The state sells bonds and that’s basically how we borrow our money. There are no state dollars that come to fund any of our housing units. We have to generate all the revenues to run

and maintain power and electricity through rent. There are no state dollars that go into this. It is all funded by students who choose to live there. Our occupancy is very important. We need to keep it at a

decent level, but it also means we need to keep the rents reasonable in order to do that. A student who does not live on campus pays nothing for campus housing.”

The Hospital Hill housing project

will feature fenced-in courtyards, outdoor seating and grilling areas, and a walkway leading to a neighboring park per an agreement with the Beacon Hill Neighborhood Association. It will also have a 10-

foot wide promenade connecting the housing structure to Hospital Hill’s campus.

“The walkway will be well-lit and it will have benches,” Grospitch said. “Our hope is to make it as wide open and secure as possible and to deter any unsavory characters from hanging around the area.”

As requested by polled students, the new housing project will include a 1,200-square-foot fitness center in the main lobby of the building. The fitness center can be accessed by students who do not reside in the apartments with a student ID, but the residential areas will be inaccessible unless students are residents there.

The current fitness center on Hospital Hill, formerly known as the Nursing Annex, will likely be returned to the program due to expansion of that particular school, according to Grospitch.

Unlike Oak Place Apartments, which was built by an outside contractor and done as a land lease, the Hospital Hill housing project will be owned and operated by the university in order to keep rents low.

“The university realized that the company was gouging students for money, so UMKC bought Oak Place to keep rents lower,” Grospitch said. “There was not as much student feedback into

development and design process as there is for this new project.”

Vandel said the housing project gives the schools on Hospital Hill an opportunity to grow even more

by bringing

students to the area. “This brings income for the

university which helps pay for the bonds,” Vandel said.

Grospitch said there is no restriction regarding school program affiliation to live in the new housing. Any second-year and above students are able to live on Hospital Hill. Currently there is a single-gender housing policy at the Hospital Hill residence.

“The idea is that we want first-year students to really get engaged on campus and get familiar with these areas,” Grospitch said. “While you as a student may choose this type of housing for the privacy, it’s not really the best option for your success. We are still trying to focus our first-year students in Johnson and Oak Street residence halls. If a law student or an arts & sciences student wants to live there, we will sign them up. There is not a requirement per major.”

Grospitch said that the university is making every effort to ensure that the new student housing facility will be as safe as possible.

“I do hope that the thought of UMKC as a commuter campus is kind of becoming a thing of the past,” Vandel said. “We want to be of thought of as a destination place where students will stay for four years.”

[email protected]

COMMUTER CAMPUS A THING OF THE PAST

Rendering of Hospital Hill apartments located at 25th and Troost Ave.

Rendering of the Hospital Hill Gymnasium, accesible to all students by keycard.

Rendering // Gould Evans Architechts

Rendering // Gould Evans Architechts

Traditionally if you say ‘Troost,’ parents will say ‘you’re putting the housing where?’ - Eric Grospitch

A&E Coffee Cupping, p. 12Broadway Roasting Company offers weekly coffee tastings.

Feature9/11 Commemora-tion, p. 8-9Students reflect upon 9/11 memories.

Hospital Hill housing offers students convenience

Monday September 16, 2013 | Issue 5 2

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NEWSUNIVERSITYUMKC’s Independent Student Newspaper

Sumanth Koushik Kalli Beat Writer

Students may have noticed within the past few weeks some inconvenient and unprecedented glitches while logging into their emails. UMKC is upgrading the University of Missouri webmail system in two phases: waves 14 and 15.

“Microsoft will be upgrading the student email from Live@edu to Office 365 for Education beginning this Thursday, Sept. 12,” said Marilyn Reisenbichler, Director UMKC Information Services Support in an email.

Wave 14 commenced on Sept. 12 and current students should not have had any disruption in email service, but could not change their passwords during the upgrade. New students could not complete their registration process until the upgrade was complete.

“After the upgrade, students will have two separate accounts: an Office 365 email account and a personal Microsoft account for all existing SkyDrive content and other Microsoft services,” Reisenbichler said.

Technically there will be three passwords for students: one for SSO login, another for Office 365 and the last for personal Microsoft accounts. The SSO login password will not have any effect with the upgrade, whereas initial passwords for both Office 365 and personal Microsoft accounts will be the same as previous passwords. Students can change their Office 365 password by contacting the UMKC IS call center but for personal Microsoft account students must contact Microsoft directly.

SkyDrive remains with personal Microsoft accounts and can be accessed with Live@edu credentials. New students will not receive SkyDrive accounts as Office 365 only provides email services. Office 365 will not have any other features such as Lync or SharePoint. The forwarding rules and connected accounts will not be affected by this upgrade.

“UMKC will administer and support the Office 365 email account, including technical support and training,” Reisenbichler said.

The new Office 365 upgrade has received praise from many students.

“I am very excited to use Office 365 and love the O365 sign up screen,” Sree Vishnu, a computer science graduate student, said. “I thank Microsoft for doing this.”

The upgrade was also criticized for not having a smooth transition.

“I faced problems logging into my account and at one stage I wasn’t able to figure what was going on with my mail,” Sandeep Nampally, graduate student in electrical engineering, said.

With the elimination of SkyDrive in Office 365, documents saved in the previous email system may no longer be accessible.

“I am totally worried about my SkyDrive account and the files it contains because I am not able to access them now and even I do not have a copy of those” Wilson, graduate student in electrical engineering, said.

[email protected]

Webmail UpgradesKate Baxendale Copy Editor

The RooWriter replaced the Written English Proficiency Test this fall. Students now have an online essay evaluating system to fulfill the university’s requirement.

Before the RooWriter, students who had completed English 225 but had not yet fulfilled 90 credit hours were required to complete and pass the WEPT in order to graduate and be eligible for writing intensive courses. Now students are able to take the RooWriter at any time.

“The WEPT was a one-time deal,” Dr. Richard Delaware, associate professor of mathematics and statistics and RooWriter contributor said. “You took it, it was a bump in the road and then you’re glad it’s over. The idea of the RooWriter is yes, you have to do it at some time after Discourse II, before 90 credit hours. But now, you can take it before and you can take it after. The point is, you have two trained evaluators looking at your essay and giving you a report.”

The process to replace the WEPT began in the spring of 2009, when the Campus Writing Board proposed to change the way UMKC evaluates students’ writing. Delaware and Nathan Oyler, an assistant professor of chemistry, were the subcommittee of the University Writing and Reading Board, formerly the Campus Writing Board, which worked with the Division of Internal Applications of the UMKC Department of Information Access to construct the actual RooWriter website over the last 14 months.

The UWRB had to propose the first draft of the RooWriter website to the provost last summer.

“We built this in-house from scratch, so we found an open-source free word processor,” Delaware said. “It isn’t Microsoft Word, but it gives you all the basics you are going to need in this environment.”

A subcommittee in 2009 from the English department looked at other universities around the country to see what they do to assess writing. Nobody had a WEPT-like test, but nobody has an online test either.

“As far as we can tell nobody has done this before,” Delaware said.

Instead of students taking the test on campus on a particular date, the RooWriter allows them to take the assessment at any time. Students are given 72 hours to complete the essay, which must be between 750 and 1,500 words. This gives students the opportunity to save their work and even ask for help at the Writing Center. Students are also given a choice among six different reading selections, instead of just one chosen for the particular WEPT test.

“We are hoping to get reading packets from all across campus to provide variety,” Delaware said. “We really put the word out to faculty about it.”

When a student logs in to the RooWriter website, they are provided with the reading selections and then they are responsible for printing the selection.

“The WEPT was kind of illegal,” Delaware said. “You can’t really do copies of articles for 400 people. When you start getting to that number, it’s not fair use anymore. Cindy Thompson, director of public services, is who told us about the copyright issue.”

In addition to a selection from general reading packets, students also have the option of writing an essay about community or global issues.

“We thought there are a lot of students who want to help the world, the community,” Delaware said. “So we thought why don’t we provide packets where students can help to solve a problem? Students have the option of having their essay sent to someone who could potentially use the solution. It’s good for the students and it’s good for the university. I hope it catches on.”

Students can take the RooWriter at any time, allowing for ample preparation, and may take as much time as needed to read through the packet and prepare for the essay.

“We spent a lot of time on the website itself to make it very user-friendly,” Delaware said.

Dr. Henrietta Wood, coordinator of writing assessment, had her Discourse I students take the RooWriter as a test run of the new system.

“They did some silly things that we thought they would never do, but of course they did,” Delaware said. “We are working through some of the bugs.”

Instead of the former pass/fail standard for the WEPT, the RooWriter is evaluated with feedback from two trained evaluators.

“You simply take it,” Delaware said. “As long as two evaluators read your essay, it is accepted as the requirement. However, if it is obviously not a serious attempt, the evaluators have the option of

hitting a button and rejecting the essay immediately. It doesn’t get evaluated and it won’t count for the requirement.”

A RooWriter essay attempt can also be rejected if evaluators suspect conscious or unconscious plagiarism. If unconscious plagiarism is suspected, the student will be told so in the assessment. If a student is suspected of conscious plagiarism, the essay gets sent to Wood for evaluation. The student will be given a warning for plagiarizing and the essay will not count for the university requirement.

An essay may also be rejected for being too short or too long. The RooWriter website will warn the student about length requirement upon submission. One glitch is if a student writes a few paragraphs, saves his or her work and forgets to go back and finish the essay before the allotted 72 hours is up. In this case, the student will receive a rejection notification email.

Students will receive a personalized assessment of their essay compiled by two evaluators and the RooWriter website.

“There are about 60 pieces of data that are pulled in to create a RooWriter assessment,” Delaware said.

Evaluators give each essay a score on a scale of one to six for six different scales: point-purpose-idea, depth and breadth of analysis and critical thinking, support-evidence-citations, style-audience-interest, clarity and cohesion of structure-organization and grammar-usage-mechanics.

The RooWriter then provides an assessment of the scores given by the evaluators, and provides suggested resources to improve on each area.

The essay evaluation includes

an overall impression of the essay from the evaluators and additional constructive feedback for the writer.

“The 18 hired RooWriter evaluators include a couple of instructors, but mainly consist of graduate students pursuing master’s degrees at UMKC from business, counseling, English, higher education administration, history, nursing, social work and theatre, and one is a former middle school English teacher,” Delaware said. “They had to submit a CV [curriculum vitae], transcripts, get two letters of recommendation to apply and are continuing to go through RooWriter evaluator training.”

In the past, the WEPT coordinator had to hire unwilling evaluators from the English department to grade the essays, according to Delaware.

“From your point of view as a student, you didn’t get anything

out of that except for a P or an F,” Delaware said. “That’s useless as far as you’re concerned. We have all types of people across this campus who know how to write. We sent the notice out to faculty and the graduate student population to recruit evaluators. There is someone who is working as an executive secretary in another discipline who happens to have a master’s degree in English.”

The RooWriter evaluators, who were hired over the summer, participated in a training session with Wood. Wood provided the evaluators with information on how other universities like Harvard evaluate students’ writing, Delaware said.

“We want to provide students with feedback that they actually want, which is personal feedback,” Delaware said. “Students want specific feedback about their work.”

With everything online, data can be collected about the RooWriter such as the average time it takes to receive an assessment, which reading packets are being chosen and how many times a student has taken the test.

“We expect this [evaluation process] to be reasonably fast,” Delaware said. “We’re trying not to state any specific amount of time because we want to wait and collect some data.”

Instructors who teach writing intensive courses or courses with writing will soon be able to access students’ previous RooWriter evaluations.

“The instructor can have a sense of their students’ writing ability before they even meet them,” Delaware said.

Dr. Nathan Lindsay, assistant vice

The keyboard is mightier than the pen

Illustration // Aaron Cecil

provost of assessment and chair of the UWRB, said he hopes students will recognize how much better the RooWriter is than the WEPT.

“The RooWriter is certainly more convenient to take, but more importantly, it provides students with a lot more feedback on how to improve their writing,” Lindsay said. “Helping students develop stronger writing and reading skills is a critical goal shared by UMKC faculty, and the RooWriter will be a valuable tool to foster more conversations between faculty and students about ways to enhance students’ writing.”

[email protected]

Roo Writer replaces the WEPT


Ashley Hackett Contributing Writer

UMKC offers two resources to students and faculty wanting to improve their health.

The Student Health and Wellness Center located at 4825 Troost Ave. is staffed with nurse practitioners carrying out their mission to “provide quality health care and health promotion that maximizes student learning potential.” The center provides services for small illnesses, some immunizations, some sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and checkups. Due to the approaching winter season it is offering a special program where students can go to a mobile flu clinic to receive the flu shot.

Scott Thompson, administrator and nurse practitioner at the Student Health and Wellness Center, believes the flu is still a very serious illness that impacts society. Even though the center offers flu vaccinations at all times, the main purpose of the flu clinic is to make it more accessible for students.

The flu clinic will be at the following locations and times:• September 27: 11a.m-1p.m

on the 4th floor lobby of the Dental school

• September 30: 11a.m-1p.m at the MindBody Connection in the Student Success Center

• October 8: 11a.m-2p.m Law School Jury Room

• October 16: 11a.m-2p.m in Room 302 of the Student Union

• October 22: 11a.m-1p.m in Room 4307 of the Health and Sciences Building

“The cost of the flu vaccine is $15

for students and $18 for faculty,” Thompson said.

Each year in the U.S., the flu and its related complications result in an estimated 226,000 hospitalizations and anywhere from around 3,000 to 49,000 deaths. Thompson urges students to receive the flu vaccination.

He also recommended students take advantage of the Good Samaritan Project where students can get free STI testing at the MindBody Connection.

The MindBody Connection located in the Atterbury Student Success Center says that its mission is “to give UMKC students the opportunities needed to enhance their emotional, mental and physical health in support of academic success.” The MindBody Connection provides different activities to assist students in reducing stress so they can focus on their studies. STI testing is just one of the clinics working with MindBody Connection to reach out to students.

“The mission of the Good Samaritan Project is to provide advocacy, care and education to those affected by HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases,” Thompson said.

As of right now the tests are available to students on Oct. 9 and Nov. 13 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Students are able to take the rapid HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia tests and each one is simple to go through. Rapid HIV tests take 15 minutes and a small amount of blood collected by a superficial needle stick to the finger. The gonorrhea and chlamydia tests require collecting a urine sample and the Good Samaritan Project will notify student of the results within two to three days.

[email protected]

A Healthy Student is a Smart Student

Why not take the leap?Erin Melrose Broadcast Assistant

Students lined Pierson Auditorium on Thursday for the 10th annual Study Abroad Fair. Attendees were given information from returnees and the International Academic Program. Georgie Zitsch and Sydney Ingram, who have each completed the program, shed some light on the entire abroad process from start to finish.

“My parents had traveled when they were younger and they were like, if you can find a way to do it, you’ve got to do it,” Ingram said.

As one of the most popular destinations to study, the program in London is four and a half months for semester work with a six-week program offered in the summer.

“Any scholarships you have at UMKC will apply to your tuition,” Ingram said.

As most begin considering the study abroad process, one of the biggest concerns is typically money. Students who juggle a heavy course load often can’t afford to work full time as well, so other means of affording study abroad endeavors are helpful.

Those who have studied abroad through UMKC say the expenses aren’t quite as hefty as students may think.

“I spent six thousand dollars while I was there and that included living, housing and spending,” Ingram said.

The application process, though intricate, is certainly more attainable than most students think, and the experiences of being in another

culture seem to be rewarding. “You literally age years,” Zitsch

said. Having chosen a more

intimidating program in Germany, the acclamation was less painful than Zitsch expected.

“Everyone spoke English so there wasn’t much of an adjustment,” Zitsch said.

The International Academic program assures students traveling to countries that speak a foreign language that efforts to become well-adjusted will be necessary but not impossible. Language is part of the learning process like any exchange program, and grades are determined with ability in mind.

One of the most common notions students hear about making the leap abroad is the self-realization and change in perspective that follows the experience.

“I came into myself. I’d never traveled before and I began to realize I could have a lot of fun doing what I want without peers around,” Ingram said.

The program forces students to diversify culture and adapt to new styles of living. Commonly, most encounters outside of coursework become the most defining.

“In London, there’s no small talk,” Ingram said. “It’s not that people aren’t polite, but they don’t hold doors for people, they don’t chit-chat – the reverse culture shock was almost worse in that

aspect.”It is widely encouraged to get to

know the locals as much as every person in the program.

“We had kind of a clique. There were a couple of Americans and some Germans and we got to go to places that not many exchange students would go to, which was cool,” Zitsch said.

Upon completion of the application, students are further directed to the Institute for Study Abroad through Butler University. Day trips, sight-seeing and any other ventures can all be arranged by simply asking.

“Definitely do it and be well prepared,” Zitsch said.

The IAP offers ample information on every program and is located in the Atterbury Student Success Center. There are also shorter programs offered through the Henry W. Bloch School of Management. These courses include Saturday prep sessions stateside, and conclude with a week-long trip to one of the four available destinations including Hong Kong, China, London and Spain.

[email protected]

Ericka Chatman Staff Writer

UMKC’s Office of Student Involvement added another member to its team last month. Dannah Hartley has been hired as coordinator for New Student and Family Programs and assigned the task of planning UMKC’s first Family Weekend.

“We decided to call it Family Weekend versus Parents Weekend because we understand that students have a variety of people who support them and contribute to their success,” Hartley said. “We wanted to leave it open so students can bring whomever they feel matters.”

Family Weekend will be the first time UMKC has planned a weekend catered toward students’ families. Family Weekend is Sept. 20- Sept. 22 and is a time for students to invite their families to campus, share their college experiences and show off the UMKC and Kansas City community.

Hartley previously worked at the University of Kansas in academic advising. While at KU she coordinated a peer advisor team, ran student programs, helped organize orientations and hired students for leadership positions.

Her additional tasks at UMKC include hiring and training orientation leaders, working with new student programming and helping develop UMKC’s family

program. “I think I’m going to learn a lot from

colleagues on campus,” Hartley said. “I’m really excited to work with the new orientation leaders. Last year’s team was fantastic so I’m sure the new team will be just as amazing.”

No formal agenda is planned for Family Weekend but a variety of events are occurring throughout the city and on campus during that time.

“We’re encouraging families to go one of the [UMKC] women’s or men’s soccer games,” Hartley said. “We are also offering brunch as well as dinner in the dining hall. We have campus tours going on throughout that time and we’re really encouraging families to experience other things happening in Kansas City during the weekend.”

Some of the other events going on during Family Weekend are the 82nd annual Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City Royals games, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company performances, Missouri Mavericks Fan Fest and the 21st Annual Waldo’s Fall Festival.

Although UMKC has just started its family program there will be plenty of new opportunities and events for families being held over the next year.

“This is our starting point,” Hartley said. “Over the next near we will be developing a website. We’ll talk more about what role we

want families to have on campus and discuss other ways to connect with the population, because it’s integral to how our students feel and what our students do while they are UMKC.”

To register for Family Weekend

visit umkc.edu/getinvolved/family-weekend.asp. A free t-shirt is given to students who register.

[email protected]

Photo // Ericka ChatmanDannah Hartley

New coordinator puts families first

Photo // Erin Melrose

MNLC

Illustration // Joey Hill


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September 9 12:59 pmA UMKC student parking permit was stolen form a car at the Cherry Street Parking Garage.

September 10 6:53 pmA small �re started on an electric burner at the Student Success Center Cafeteria.

September 6 8:15 amA driver attempted to �ee their vehicle a�er being stopped by police at 52nd and Rockhill.

September 11, Time unknown: A cell phone case was stolen from a sta� member’s o�ce at the UMKC dental School.September 12, Reported at 3:49pm: A UMKC student reported a person stalking him for over a year.

September 9 4:35 pmA cell phone was stolen from the Miller Nichols Library.

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Prannoy Kiran Contributing Writer

The Boren Awards is created by David L. Boren as a namesake fellowship and scholarship program for international study. His creation of legislature that led to the National Security Education Program began conversations at the Senate level about a need for more experts in languages and cultures.

“To date, more than 2,300 awardees have fulfilled service,” said Craig Fredrickson, a Boren representative.

The scholarships and fellowships come from a funded grant that enables students to pursue immersion experiences with languages for both undergraduate and graduate students. Adding an important international and language component to educations, the main focus is on the geographic areas, languages and fields of study critical to U.S. interests.

Fredrickson explained the different services offered through the Boren program. While scholarships are for undergraduates and fellowships are for graduates, language flagship is an institution based program for the undergraduates. The program emphasizes learning less commonly taught languages to promote long-term linguistic and cultural inversion.

A total of $24,000 for overseas study, $12,000 for domestic and $30,000 for a combination of domestic and overseas study is offered to U.S. undergraduate students. The maximum domestic and overseas funding period is offered for two years and overseas study must be a minimum of 12 weeks with preference given to programs of six to 12 months.

Boren scholarships also provide up to $20,000 for a full academic year and $8,000 for summer semesters. Both graduate and undergraduate applicants must be applying for funding in approved languages including Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese and Swahili.

Requirements for the fellowship program include being enrolled in or applying to a U.S. graduate program and planning to study an eligible world region and language. The online application includes transcripts, three recommendations, a language proficiency form, budget estimate, three essays and letter of overseas affiliation.

“The National Security Education Program gives the flexibility for the students to come up with their own definition of interests,” Fredrickson said.

The primary goal of NSEP is to deal effectively with the challenging

global issues of the 21st century.The NSEP service requirement

insists award recipients work in the federal government in a position with national security responsibilities. The Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State or any element of the intelligence community are priority agencies. If an applicant can validate there are no positions available in these preferred areas, applications can still be considered through a petition process.

Fredrickson encouraged interested applicants to turn in all necessary materials by Feb. 5, 2014.

[email protected]

STUDY WITH BOREN’S AWARD – A BOOST TO THE US STUDENTS

Hope Austin Contributing Writer

The intersection of the digital and literary worlds was the topic of the night at Dr. Matthew Jockers’ lecture, “Mining the 19th-Century Novel: A Report from the (Literary) Lab,” hosted by the classical and ancient studies program.

Jeff Ryberg-Cox, director of the classics program, introduced Jockers to an audience of students, professors and other members of the community.

“I think one of the questions that people in the humanities are starting to deal with in the last five or six years is, ‘What do you do when it’s all been digitized?’” Ryberg-Cox said. “The best answer I’ve seen to this is Matt’s book on Macroanalysis.”

Jockers, author of “Macroanalysis: Digital Methods and Literary History,” expanded on the ever-changing nature of his field, digital humanities.

“The nature of my work is such that it’s always a work in progress,” Jockers said.

Jockers explained how he used his book as a way to take a lab-report style approach to literary analysis.

“Unlike the more traditional style of literary scholarship which is largely about making associations and then arguments, this genre is designed to emphasize not just the outcomes but also the processes and the methods,” Jockers said. “The lab report lends itself to the sort of foregrounding that we thought was important for reaching our traditional literary colleagues while at the same time detailing the methods in ways that would make our work repeatable for those with a more technical

background.”While Jockers devoted some of his

lecture to bridging the gap between the literary and the digital, he focused mainly on his findings in one database of 19th-century literature. Jockers demonstrated his findings by generating word clouds, a list of words commonly used in web content, of an author’s 100 most used words.

From these word clouds, Jockers explained how literary scholars can interpret these findings. For instance, they might be able to infer that some authors such as Jane Austen became popular because they used location settings that were popular at the time, such as London.

Jockers also spoke about his upcoming book, “Text Analysis with R for Students of Literature,” which has a free draft available online. Ryberg-Cox thought that a book like that would help brighten the prospects of humanities students.

“I think all English majors should have to learn a programming language,” Ryberg-Cox said.

Jockers is an assistant professor of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. To learn more, visit his website at http://www.matthewjockers.net.

[email protected]

Macroanalysis: Bringing Together the Literary and the Digital

Photo // Prannoy Kiran

Craig Fredrickson presents on Boren awards.


Hiral Patel Contributing Writer

Robert S. Kaplan, leadership professor at Harvard University presented at the Bloch Executive Hall on Sept. 9. He spoke to an audience of more than 80 faculty and students about leadership in professional fields.

Kaplan’s speech provided inspirational messages and tips on leadership.

“In order to be a great leader, you must ask questions,” Kaplan said. “If someone in your company doesn’t know what they believe, then it makes it difficult for them to add value and to act on it.”

Kaplan was invited to speak at UMKC as a guest of Kevin K. Nunnink’s Guest Speaker Series. According to the Henry W. Bloch School of Management, this series “provides educational opportunities for students and maintain a connection with the professional real estate community and is dedicated to providing timely information that relates to today’s real estate industry.”

“What’s our vision, what are the top priorities, and are we in or out of alignment?” Kaplan asked. He defined alignment as staying on task and knowing the end goal.

Kaplan later talked about the limit of being independent versus being reliable.

“Most CEOs, mid- level and young people, struggle with knowing their strengths and weaknesses,” Kaplan said, “Don’t sit passively waiting for someone to tell you what your strengths and weaknesses are. The advice is only as good as your story,

and your story is destroyed.” He continued to talk about what

aspects of leadership should be collaborative.

“Mutual understanding, trust, and respect constitute my definition of a relationship,” Kaplan said.

Kaplan concluded his session with a round of questions by the audience and book signings. Audience members received Kaplan’s book, “What You’re Really Meant To Do: A Road Map For Reaching Your Unique Potential.”

Kaplan’s book draws on his years of experience as a leader. According to his book, Kaplan addresses “the critical issues you need to address in order to reimagine your future and achieve your dreams.”

Along with “What You’re Really Meant To Do: A Road Map for Reaching Your Unique Potential,” Kaplan has written another book titled “What To Ask The Person In The Mirror.”

“One is about analyzing your situation and one is about understanding yourself, [respectively],” Kaplan said.

Along with being a professor, Kaplan is senior associate dean and the Martin Marshall professor of management practice in business administration at Harvard Business School. In addition, he is the co- chairman of the Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, a philanthropy firm. He is also the chairman and co- founder of Indaba Capital Management. He previously worked at Goldman Sachs, an investment banking division, as a vice chairman.

[email protected]

Leader of today speaks to leaders of tomorrow Prannoy Kiran Contributing

The Miller Nichols Library and newly added Learning Center together provide an area for students to study and gather in the center of campus. With the learning center expansion that opened this semester, the entire facility now offers a wide array of resources, both old and new.

Further innovations planned for the spring include moving the LaBudde Special Collections to the third floor from thefourth and ground levels. A workspace is going to be created for research work and is said to be one of the most anticipated changes coming soon.

“We have plans to innovate and we’re gonna start publicizing it soon,” Mark Mattison, university libraries director of advancement said.

With anticipation of these newer resources, students will have access to more library services than ever before.

One element of the library is the Automated Storage and Retrieval System also known as the RooBot.

“The ASRS helped us stand at 17th place in 1969 and we are still [within] the [top] 30,” Mattison said. “This makes us unique from other libraries.”

According to Mattison, Miller Nichols is an innovative design that includes classroom attachments, a rare commodity at most university libraries. However, visionary design has been a goal since the library commons was renovated years ago.

Sharon Bostick led a major strategic planning process and helped guide architects, consultants and constituents in the vision and design of Miller Nichols Library’s expansion and renovation project, which included the installation of the RooBot.

“Former Dean Sharon Bostick proposed one of the best solutions to store the materials offsite in Columbia,” Mattison said.

The Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching located on the second

floor of MNLC, provides a faculty operated service focusing on academic excellence. It is managed by the provost’s office and sponsors forums for discussion, assessment, development and documentation of various teaching practices.

Mattison said FaCet helps emphasize student learning, providing sessions about teaching practices that have varying effects on students.

The Robot Café is a spot for a study break to grab a hot cappuccino and fresh bagels without leaving the building. Located on the first floor, the café is also surrounded with a colorful seating area with televisions often broadcasting national news.

The online service is a branch of the library that allows users to access

resources through their digital devices. With many publishers opting into e-books, this option aligns the library with anticipated technological advances.

For the 2013 financial year, annual reports show a total of 498,224 visitors to the library, 2,322,783 database searches, 785,706 online journal article downloads and 427,218 online book chapters downloaded. A total of 16,902 books and articles were borrowed and 28,721 books and articles were loaned.

In addition to the online databases and free journal access on the library’s website, staff at the library is always on hand to assist with online searches.

“Chat box is an interesting service that pops up from the staff live after an assured time if there is any help [needed],” Mattison said.

There are also subject librarians who help provide sources for

individual research and biographies.“Ask a Librarian is a new way to

reach students,” Liz Johnson, library information specialist, said.

Texting “UMKC” with a question to 66746 sends the message to a librarian at the front desk. Students can also reach the front desk by calling 816-235-1526 or email to [email protected].

The music and media library is another archive that provides students with information and resources on music media. The collection includes videos, sound recordings, scores and music books. The listening and viewing center is available for use by anyone with a valid photo ID. Located by the north door to the library, the music media desk is the place for all audio and visual material needs.

The Writing Studio has been a campus resource for more than 25 years.. This is overseen by the Atterbury Student Success Center and the studio at the library acts as a satellite. It offers peer consultation services and is free for students. Peer consultants can help students with a wide array, writing everything from English to economics, from music to science, from engineering to business.

A class titled “Post your Presentation Poster” helps students through the graduate services which includes source gathering.

Jen Salvo-Eaton, head of resource sharing and graduate student services, explained the interdisciplinary research program and the interlibrary loaning system, which expands the materials the MNL can offer UMKC students and staff.

Savlo-Eaton vouched that Miller Nichols librarians would be able to assist with finding materials even if the topic is not one in which a particular librarian has expertise.

“I encourage graduate students to come and take advantage of the program,” Salve-Eaton said.

[email protected]

MILLER NICHOLAS LEARNING CENTER – THERE’S A LOT HAPPENING

Miller Nichols Learning Center

ASRS System

Study Place

Robot Cafe





Mal Hartigan Copy Editor

UMKC will host two days of a four-day Urban Crime Summit Sept. 16-17, sponsored by Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster, to discuss ideas to decrease Kansas City’s violent crime rate. The city’s crime rate ranks as one of the nation’s highest. The Summit, held 9 a.m – 3 p.m. both days in the Atterbury Student Success Center’s Pierson Auditorium, includes presentations from Mayor Sly James, Police Chief Darryl Forté and national crime specialists, as well as scheduled discussion panels.

City officials hope to generate successful solutions to transform Kansas City into a safer area.

According to the Kansas City Star, Forté supports hot-spot policing, which increases law enforcement coverage in high-crime areas, but alternative methods of policing will be discussed at the Summit.

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly,

a proponent of the NYPD’s controversial “stop and frisk” policy, will speak on Sept. 16.

Grain Valley’s Chief of Police David Starbuck will address gang migration and violence in Kansas City. Cynthia Lum of the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University will discuss foundations of evidence-based policing among other topics.

On Sept. 17, Koster will introduce the second day of the Urban Crime Summit. UMKC Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology Andrew Fox will speak and topics such as the cost of violent crime on public policy, inner city violence and using technology to better combat the city’s violent crime will be addressed.

The two-day Summit is free and open to the public. The event will then travel to St. Louis on Sept. 18 and 19.

[email protected]

UMKC to host Urban Crime Summit


Chloe Robbins-Anderson Copy Editor

The Leanna Flandermeyer Children’s Beanstalk Garden at Swope Park is open through Oct. 19 and is a great way to teach children about everything that goes into growing plants.

The main attraction at the garden is a large “beanstalk” made of hyacinth beans growing on some wire mesh. According to Sharon Goldstein, a

Get Growing KC team member, this vine was planted in May and is close to 20 feet now. The hyacinth bean vine grows approximately one foot per week. There are smaller vines growing on poles and trellises in other areas as well. They have brilliant violet flowers and bean pods, which visitors are encouraged to taste.

Besides this, the garden includes sections with vegetables, fruits, herbs, seeds and grains, water

plants and a curiosity garden with interesting and unusual plants. Goldstein said there are about 50 different herbs and 20 kinds of peppers, plus oats, peanuts, Asian pears, strawberries blackberries and more: many plants children wouldn’t be able to experience in their natural state otherwise.

Visitors can take a guided tour or explore the garden on their own. Goldstein said the tours usually last an hour to an hour and a half,

depending on the group. The beanstalk garden is a full immersion experience for visitors, who are encouraged to taste some plants that guides point out, and they are shown some sensitive plants that curl up when touched.

At the end of tours, everyone receives a basil transplant with instructions on how to plant it and take care of it. Goldstein said there are more than two thousand children

who visit the beanstalk every year.For parents, it’s a beautiful stroll

through a paved garden, but children can learn about many different types of plants, how to food in a garden, insects that help and harm gardens, the nutritional value garden foods provide and the scientific side of plants. There is also a fort for children to crawl into a play in, and picnic tables for groups to relax and enjoy a meal among the plants.

“It’s an experience for the five senses,” Goldstein said.

There are signs posted throughout the garden to give some of the information a tour guide would offer, but it is not as full an experience.

“People are more than welcome to walk in,” Goldstein said. “If you want to walk in, it’s free.”

The beanstalk garden was originally forged in 2005 in part by Kansas City Community Gardens board member Leanna Flandermeyer, who passed away this year. The group held a memorial for her this summer and added her name to the beanstalk garden’s title.

The garden has various events throughout the year, including Beanstalk Fest at the beginning of every September and fundraisers like “The Gardens at Sunset” this past weekend. These help keep the gardens running for children to learn about plants for years to come.

The garden is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays, located at 6917 Kensington Rd.. The cost is $2 per person for a guided tour, including children. Goldstein asks patrons to call ahead for a tour, but self-guided tours are free and don’t require appointments. For more information, please visit http://www.kccg.org or call (816) 931-3877.

[email protected]

Children find wonder in beanstalk garden at Swope Park

Photo // Chloe Robbins-Anderson

The beanstalk in the Leanna Flandermeyer Children’s Beanstalk Garden is close to 20 feet high.

Hyacinth bean vines grow on a lattice tunnel in the Beanstalk Garden.


2013 Campus Crime & Safety ReportOn Sept. 13 an e-mail was sent from Chief of Police Michael Bongartz announcing the annual Campus Crime and Fire Saftey report for October 2013 is now available on the UMKC Police Department website (http://www.umkc.edu/finadmin/police/default.asp). The document may be downloaded and printed directly from the UMKC Police Department website. If you would like a printed copy of the document, stop by the UMKC Police Department at 5005 Oak St. You may also request a copy be mailed to you by calling (816) 235-1515.

The annual security report includes statistics from the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus, in certain off-campus buildings and property controlled by UMKC and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes campus loaw enforcement policy, drug and alcohol policies, sex offense policy, missing student policy, crime prevention programs, as well as information regarding notification of crime on campus and where to access information such as daily crime logs.

The administrative division of the UMKC Police Department has prepared this report using internal crime reports and other statistical data and information. In addition, data and information is supplied by the UMKC Division of Student Affairs, Deans, Directors, Department Heads and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. The Campus Safety and Crime Report, also known as the Clery Report, is compiled each year to comply with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998.

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Oak Place Apartments11/12/2012, 00:05: Fire, Arson, $130,878 worth of damage

Oak Place Apartments1/28/2012, 19:22: Cooking (alarm/no flame)


Lindsay Adams Senior Beat Writer

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” has been said since the beginning of time, and, according to many studies, the saying is true. The most recent of which was done by the Harvard School of Public Health.

This study, published in late July, found men who usually or often skip the morning meal have a 27 percent higher risk of heart attack or heart disease than others who regularly eat breakfast. Those who did not eat breakfast were hungrier later and ate meals later at night.

Kick-start your metabolism Healthy food in the morning will

positively affect one’s whole body, but it especially does wonders for metabolism. The Harvard study found that skipping breakfast eventually caused metabolic changes as well as heart issues. Eating breakfast gets one’s metabolism started earlier in the morning, which leads to burning off more calories.

According to the surgeon general, a healthy meal in the morning “may be important in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.”

After an analysis of 18 years of survey data from a pool of more than 3,000 people, researchers at the

University of Minnesota published the results of the studies. They found that people who ate a morning meal every day gained four pounds fewer, on average, than their breakfast-skipping counterparts. Those who ate breakfast also had a lower risk for obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

Eating any breakfast is important, but eating an abundance of protein each morning is best.

“Protein blunts your hunger the most, and is the most satiating,” Purdue University researcher Wayne Campbell, PhD. said to WebMD.

Getting protein can be as simple as cooking a couple of eggs in the morning. Although many say eggs have a high fat content, they are also a great provider of protein, which more than makes up for the higher calories.

Make it a routineBreakfast is important, but

finding time for breakfast is difficult while juggling classes and jobs. The best way to make sure to include breakfast is to plan time in the morning for it, just as one would do for exercise or finishing a paper for a class. Once breakfast is added to a morning routine, it will become second nature.

[email protected]

The Most Important Meal of the DayDan Moreno

Senior Beat Writer

New York Knicks Head Coach Mike Woodson visited UMKC for a conference at the Student Union sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management on Friday.Woodson also observed an instructional workout with four UMKC men’s basketball players and staff, and conducted a clinic for local basketball coaches at Swinney Recreation Center.

Approximately 50 students and professors showed up to listen to Woodson’s advice on success and leadership.

Woodson shared a behind-the-scenes look at his commitment to excellence beyond athletics and how the right relationships and partnerships led to his success as a student, scholar and entrepreneur.

“I don’t think you can be successful in anything in life if you are not prepared and disciplined,” Woodson said.

Woodson also spoke about the road to success.

“First and foremost for all the young men and women who study at UMKC, you got to go to class and take it seriously,” Woodson said. “You got to be tough enough to go through college because things are not always going to go your way. I truly believe that everybody has a purpose in life and I encourage you to fight for what you want, you just got to seek it and do the right thing.”

Woodson won the 2004 NBA Championship with the Pistons and also enjoyed an 11-year NBA career

playing for several teams including the Kansas City Kings.

“I am a living witness of the “I Have a Dream” speech,” Woodson said. “He [Martin Luther King] opened up so many doors, and not just for black people but for people in general to be able to explore and do pretty much anything you want to do in life. I am really blessed. Because of that dream, Mike Woodson is able to sit here and talk to all of you about how I pursued my dreams just like he did.”

After about 30 minutes of speaking, Woodson answered some questions from the audience and joked with the students about this upcoming season with the Knicks and their superstar Carmelo Anthony.

A student asked Woodson if this year, Carmelo would take all the shots again or if he would get his teammates more involved.

”Let me ask you something, if you were coaching my team, who would you rather have shooting the ball: Tyson Chandler or Melo? Kenyon Martin or Melo?” Woodson said.

Woodson concluded on the humorous note, further explaining the Anthony’s importance to the Knicks’ success.

“My team won 54 games last year, which hadn’t happen in a long time,” Woodson said. “Melo made a huge jump that season. He was the leading scorer in the NBA and he also helped take the team deep into the playoffs, so if you’re asking me to tell Melo to pass the ball, well, I don’t think so.”

[email protected]

NY Knicks head coach visits UMKC

Health Journal:

Woodson poses with members of “Men of Color.”

Photo // Dan Moreno


Just in time to usher in the fall, here is a great recipe that will fulfill any pumpkin cravings. While very healthy, clocking in at only 277 calories per muffin, and chock full of the nutrients needed with 2.7 grams of fiber and 4.7 grams of protein per muffin, they are so tasty they feel like an indulgence, especially with the sweet crumble topping. Easy to eat on the go and with enough protein to get the metabolism going in the morning, these muffins are a great start to any day.

Ingredients:Pumpkin Oat Bran Muffins:1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

puree1 cup oat bran1 cup whole wheat flour1/2 cup packed light brown sugar1/4 cup granulated sugar1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon ground ginger1/2 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 2% milk 1/3 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt1/3 cup canola oil2 tablespoons molasses1 large eggCrumble Topping:3 tablespoons melted butter1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar1/2 cup chopped walnuts1/2 cup oats

Directions:Simmer the pumpkin puree over

medium heat in a small nonstick pan. Reduce the puree to 1 cup, stirring occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes. Allow the pumpkin to cool to room temperature and heat oven to 350˚F.

Mix the dry ingredients, oat bran, flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt, in a large bowl until combined.

Then whisk the wet ingredients, cooled pumpkin puree, milk, Greek yogurt, canola oil, molasses and egg, in another bowl. Combine the liquids into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and stir until batter is just slightly lumpy. Evenly distribute batter into a muffin tin lined with paper cups. Don’t overfill them, as there needs to be enough space for the crumble topping.

To make the crumble topping, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, walnuts and oats in a small bowl, then use the mixture to evenly top the muffins. Bake for 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. The recipe makes 12-16 muffins.

ladams@!unews.com

Morning Glory muffins

Morning Glory muffins

Photo // Lindsay Adams


Photos // Jessica Turner


Jessica Turner Senior Beat Writer

Kappa Alpha Psi’s Nu Epsilon chapter collaborates with UMKC’s Student Veteran Organization to share their

storiesStudents gathered at the University

Playhouse on the 12th anniversary of Sept. 11 to reflect on and remember the tragedy that took nearly 3,000 lives.

In collaboration with the UMKC Student Veterans Organization, the Nu Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi hosted the event to encourage students and veterans to exchange stories and celebrate the country’s progress.

Kappa Alpha Psi member Zachariah Hinton invited students to sign a banner dedicated to those who volunteered, served, died and contributed to the relief and recovery efforts of 9/11.

“Right now we’re celebrating the soldiers, but also paying homage to those who didn’t make it,” Hinton said. “Listen to some of the stories that veterans have to tell, and that our own student body has to tell.”

As guests turned to salute the flag atop Swinney Recreation Center, student Mimi Dean sang the Star-Spangled Banner to spectators.

“I was in the fifth grade,” Hinton said. “I remember the teacher frantically searching for the television…at that time, being in fifth grade, it’s hard to understand the hurt in someone’s heart to want to do something so tragic as to kill thousands of people. And I remember just being a little kid, trying to…understand why was it that somebody could be so hurtful…towards people that didn’t deserve to die.”

UMKC junior and Desert Storm veteran Gerald Lee prays that President

Obama doesn’t pick another fightUMKC junior and army veteran Gerald

Lee also addressed the audience.“We’d like to thank each and every

last one of you for coming out [for] this celebration because this was an attack on America, not just soldiers,” he said. “It was an attack on America through terrorism, which we go out to fight. I’d like to start off with a scripture, because I believe that when you put God first in your life, He’s still in control of it.”

Lee recited Psalms 23:1-6. —“Though I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me…”

“I hope that prayer stays with you and everybody else that suffers through things that we just don’t understand,” Lee said. “I’m so proud to be a veteran, but I’ve been a veteran [for] years and years of my active duty service and I still suffer from the scars of the battlefield.”

Lee described a non-profit organization he hopes to develop, and currently works with Vietnam veterans. He said his goal is to help counsel troops and help them readjust to civilian life.

“We need to help the soldiers who are coming home—the ones who are still in the fight—and pray that we don’t pick another one,” Lee said. “Because as we speak, right now, the President [of the United States] is deciding—and wants—to go start something else somewhere else. But at the end of it, somebody’s life will be taken. And we have enough soldiers dying. We want to know what it’s like to live in America, not die for America.”

Hinton planned four brief moments of silence throughout the event: to remember the first plane hitting the first World Trade Center building, to remember the children lost in the daycare center, to remember the second plane that many Americans witnessed crash live on television and to remember the victims of Flight 77, which collided into the Pentagon.

Alpha Kappa Psi brother Reginald “Reggie” Simmons played music as DJ Asylum during the event, and shared his memory.

“I was in the fifth grade as well,” Simmons said. “The principal came over the intercom… We didn’t know what was going on…then we saw on the news the planes crashing into the buildings. As kids, we were all kind of devastated. We didn’t really understand it. We were asking a lot of questions. It stuck with me. A few of my classmates actually had relatives that were in the building.”

Many students spoke about the fragility of life and testified that although they weren’t in New York and may have only been 10 years old, they were still affected by the incident.

“Even if we are miles and miles away, the

truth of the matter is that it felt like it was happening in our own back yards,” Hinton said.

County commissioner Terrence Maddox puts the events of 9/11 into a

relevant context for students and young people

“I was a freshman in college,” Maddox said. “That moment was…something that’s so traumatic that you never forget about it. It becomes a stain on the brain.”

He considered the meaning of 9/11 by reflecting on second chances.

“I just think about the individuals that went into work that morning—who may have argued with their spouse, or not kissed their kid but were on the 13th floor and they never made it home. And they never had that second chance… but you have a second chance every day,” Maddox said.

He challenged the students to love one another, to call their mothers and to stop taking each other for granted.

Alpha Kappa Psi member De’Angelo Thomas agreed with Maddox’s message that peace begins in the community.

“I’m a veteran myself,” Thomas said. “I served four and a half years in the 125th Delta Unit before I served in Ordnance Unit, where I [fixed] artillery and Humvees. If we actually take that initiative to break barriers and stop disrespecting each other, laughing at each other, putting each other down…some of these things would probably not exist.”

Thomas reflected on his memories of the

UMKC students and veterans remember 9/11 twelve years later

Students stop by Alpha Kappa Psi’s 9/11 commemoration to exchange stories and reflect on twelve years.

Nu Epsilon’s Alpha Kappa Psi ‘Reggie’ Reginald Simmons as DJ Asylum at the fraternity’s 9/11 commemoration event.

UMKC Junior Specialist Gerald Lee spoke as a veteran at Alpha Kappa Psi’s 9/11 commemoration event Sept. 11.


UMKC students and veterans remember 9/11 twelve years latertragic day.

“I was in the fifth grade,” he said. “We…watched the recap of one plane going into one of the towers, and the second plane. As my mind processed it, I was like, ‘What is actually happening?’ When I went home, my parents and my grandparents were speaking about it and…it hurt my heart just to see how people could even hurt people and how we don’t value the people surrounded around us.”

Maddox agreed and reflected on the fate of young people in the country.

“Just think about the people who were flying the planes,” Maddox said. “We never know how they were treated. We never know what happened to them. We were just told they were terrorists. But how

many people didn’t speak to them? How many people may have cracked jokes on them, or didn’t say, ‘Hello’? Just a simple walk onto campus and waving at someone and saying, ‘Hello,’ can stop somebody from going home and committing suicide.

It can stop them from going into a bank and shooting somebody. So all I’m saying is, at the end of the day, you have to live your life as a change agent.”

Reversing stereotypes and demonstrating peace starts at

homeThe event focused on the memory

of 9/11, but the veterans and students who spoke all seemed to have a message that could relate back to why these events happen, how they can be avoided and how they have affected us as a nation and as individuals.

“We need to realize that after [9/11], the way we started to treat certain people, [and] the way we started to view certain cultures—we started to treat them differently,” Hinton said. “Before we’re quick to

pass judgment, I just want you guys to…calm down with the negative stereotypes. Because now they have to live their lives differently for the rest of their [lives] because of the stereotypes that we put upon them.”

UMKC School of Education’s

graduate student, Dominico Nguyen, wrote a song to commemorate 9/11. He first spoke about his own 9/11 experience.

“I was in my history class in eighth grade at Lincoln College Prep,” Nguyen said. “At that time, I didn’t know what the World Trade Center was at all. I was a kid. And I saw my teacher crying, because he said he might have known somebody that was [there]. I began to ponder the tragedy, and I wanted to make something out of it. I recognized that there is one positive thing that happened on 9/11, and that is a lot of people began to come together in prayer.”

Nguyen proceeded to sing his song, “The Voice of America,” as the audience clapped their hands to the rhythm.

Marine and President of the Student Veteran Organization, Gunnery Sergeant Jude Castro speaks of his personal ritual on 9/11 before the official memorial balloon release each year.

“Normally on this day, I like to not really focus on what happened in Iraq, but more on my friends…who actually served,” Castro said. “Most of us joined knowing that we were going off to war. So today is more about showing love to my friends that I served with. So I’ll text them or write them on Facebook, because they’re the ones that actually put boots on ground. As a Marine, our job is to go forward and fight.”

Born in New York and stationed in Germany, Castro is a first-generation American.

“My parents weren’t born here, so they’re very proud that I got to serve this country,” he said. “The one thing that I would say about being a student veteran and my time in the service is that coming back to civilian life is a very difficult transition. In the military, whenever you have an issue, you’re taught to work through it. The military has taught me…leadership skills and to meet individuals of different races and cultures. Being here in college…KC has given me a lot of support, and I appreciate that.”

Many service members have trouble adjusting to civilian life, and being a student in addition to those

p r e s s u r e s can make it even more difficult. Lee e x p l a i n e d p r o g r a m s available for s t r u g g l i n g veterans who should find no shame in reaching out for assistance.

“It’s okay to cry,” Lee said. “It’s okay to feel pain. It’s okay to say, you know, ‘I need help’.”

C a s t r o presented Hinton with a challenge coin as a token of appreciation from the SVO to Alpha Kappa Psi.

“Think about the hard work that every individual has done to make sure that we’re safe in the USA—even sacrificing their lives to make this place better,” Hinton said.

There was an official balloon release, during which students gathered in the center of the Playhouse and released dozens of red, white and blue balloons into the sky and watched as they floated higher and higher and eventually disappeared.

“The balloon release was exactly what I wanted it to be,” Hinton said. “It was an intimate moment where we were able to just understand why we’re here…and it was a moment for me to realize that it’s okay to shed a tear because of something that has affected us all. When Jude

gave me a symbol of appreciation, that allowed me to know that I’m doing something good and that at the end of the day, people will be affected by great doings.”

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Alpha Kappa member Specialist De’Angelo Thomas chats with a fellow servicemember as students greet him to shake hands and thank them for their dedication and sacrifice on the twelfth aniiversary of 9/11.

Students and Alpha Kappa Psi members conduct an official balloon release at the 9/11 commemoration event.

Alpha Kappy Psi member Zachariah Hinton shows off the token of appreciation he receives from Student Veteran Organization President Jude Castro.


Insidious: Chapter 2

Arctic Monkeys in the AM

Lindsay Nelson Broadcast Assistant

“Insidious: Chapter 2” opens with footage of a home in 1986. The audience is introduced to three characters — Elise, Lorraine and Josh — 25 years prior to the events of the first movie. This exposition unloads an immensity of new plot points.

Josh (Patrick Wilson), the father in the first film, apparently has the same affliction that his son does in the original. However, his memory was suppressed so that he would forget everything about his ability to enter into purgatory.

“Insidious,” released in 2011, tells of a child trapped in a realm called “the further” by evil creatures who wish to never allow him to leave.

The opening credits take the audience back to present day, just moments after the traumatic events at the close of the first film. The question at hand is whether Josh returned from the purgatory realm as himself or possessed by a demonic creature.

In successfully tackling every plot twist while simultaneously scaring each and every audience member, “Insidious: Chapter 2” fulfills all expectations established by the original. The intricacy of the plot surpasses any preconceived ideas.

The scenes that are woven into scenes from the first movie leave audiences astounded. The comedic relief supplied from writer Leigh Whannel and Angus Sampson as paranormal investigators Specs and Tucker is given in ideal doses. Wilson delivers a phenomenal polar performance. Once again the lights come on and the audience is left wondering what could possibly happen next.

A third chapter is looming in the future and will clearly be the most petrifying film in the saga.

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Lindsay Nelson Broadcast Assistant

Only two years after the release of the fourth studio album “Suck It and See,” the British-indie band Arctic Monkeys released their newest album “AM.”

The first single the band released this summer “Do I Wanna Know?” is the longest song on the album, but otherwise an odd choice for a single. It is a well-composed song, but it is one of the more monotonous tracks on the album. Practically the entire last minute of the song is a rendition of the line, “Do you wanna know,” repeated in relatively the same tone and phrasing.

The second track “R U Mine” has great potential, but continues with the theme of repetition. The verses are loaded with transfixing lyrics like, “Come to find you fall in some velvet morning,” and “She’s a silver lining, lone ranger riding,” that are sure to lure in listeners, but “Are you mine?” sung five times between each verse is entirely excessive.

On the album, skip three songs then listen to “No. 1 Party Anthem,” a sort of lamentation, making it the best song on the album. The song opens with, “Leather jacket, collar popped never knowing when to stop, sunglasses indoors,” which gives an adequate depiction of the message in the following verses.

The band’s apparent love of echoing the same line finally worked with a simple, “Come on, come on, come on,” separating each verse. Even the bridge of this song is worth listening to twice in a row.

A few songs past the “anthem” is the second single from the album titled “Why’d You Only Call Me

When You’re High?” The overall melody of the song is catchy and easily enjoyed, but the narrative of the lyrics provides the only dimension to the song.

The Arctic Monkeys embark on a fall tour starting Sept. 16 in New York.

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Victoria Lampton Staff Writer

Adell Hendon, UMKC alumnus and creator of YouSpin, a socially interactive app that allows customers to select their own music to play on a local bar jukebox and vote for a song. “It’s about making connections through music,” Hendon said.

“There are a lot of slow nights at bars, and a lot of times the music isn’t up to par for some customers,” Hendon said. “I had to figure out how to change this.”

In November 2010, the idea for YouSpin was born and the app was finally released June 21. Hendon is now marketing his app to local

businesses throughout Kansas City. “This app is not only for bars,”

Hendon said.He said he hopes to be able to

expand his business to include bigger venues and private parties as well.

From classic rock to hip-hop to jazz and even reggae, this app offers a wide variety of popular music and also offers the option for the consumer to submit more music ideas by email.

“This is ideal for incorporating the local and independent artist that is not yet signed to a major music label,” Hendon said. “It gets their music out there.”

Hendon can be found at Czar Bar

every Wednesday from 8-11 p.m. The bar is one of the first local venues to facilitate the YouSpin App.

“YouSpin is a startup company, so we are always looking for bright, young and enthusiastic people to help push the company and its vision forward,” Hendon said. “I encourage everyone to follow his or her dreams just like I did.”

YouSpin is available free of charge for download on Apple App store and the Android Market.

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YouSpin App Offers New “Spin” on the Classic Jukebox

Graphic // Joey Hill

Graphic // Joey Hill


Photo // Siri Kommareddy


“This and That” jump-started the Fall Shorts series at the Fishtank Performance Studio. Bryan Moses’ work gave a nuanced, realistic view of a ridiculous situation.

Following the tradition of the Summer Shorts, the Fall Shorts are script-in-hand readings of plays by local playwrights. This fall, Nick Sawin, a graduate of the UMKC MFA program, is premiering a

sampling of his works. The shorts are structured with

actors reading the characters. The playwright reads the scene directions, then answers questions and shares his inspirations in a discussion afterward.

This past Sunday was the first reading of Tyson Schroeder’s “Bastard.” On Sept. 29, Brianna Nicole Taylor will be reading her work “Closed Spaces,” followed by Nicholas Sawin’s “Queer Thoughts: The Monologues” on Oct. 6. The series will be capped off by a reading of Phillip Russell Newman’s “Our So-Called Loved Ones” on Oct. 13.

“This and That”Bryan Moses’ play “This and That”

is composed of two short plays, named appropriately enough “This” and “That.”

“This” tells the story of two strangers who meet under rather unusual circumstances. The man correctly guesses the woman’s name is Aimee, introduces himself and then proposes marriage to the woman. “That” details their second meeting, exactly one year later.

Unsurprisingly, a reading can

quickly become stale if not in the right actor’s hands. The actors, Andy Perkins and Hailey Jones, did a credible job of infusing the words on the page with emotion and action.

Moses does a fantastic job creating a textured and detailed background story to the characters. The slow moments when the characters are somewhat timidly getting to know each other were extremely well written. Their common ground in the first scene later became part of an inside joke in the second show.

The dialogue was naturalistic, with pauses, misdirection and stutters to which the actors played

well. Overall the play needed some

structural work. It felt uneven at times and started to circle back to places it had already been without bringing new content into the discussion. The first play, “This,” came off a bit trite at times, but the storyline was one that is difficult to make believable and not menacing. The story had trouble getting to the climax quickly enough, falling into a bit of a rut. The second play, “That,” had a much better pace and the end resonated with the audience.

InspirationOne of the first questions after the

reading was from Heidi Van, actress and curator of the Fishtank, who asked Moses why he picked “this” piece to read, causing much laughter at the inadvertent pun on the piece’s name.

The fact that the show made it to the Fall Shorts was just short of miraculous. Moses explained that his computer crashed after writing it , but fortunately had sent one physical copy to a friend to read.

Bryan Moses admitted he is a big fan of the Cubs and baseball in general, which is something discussed by the characters in the show.

“Baseball, to me, has the most poetry of any sport,” Moses said.

Moses said he sees sports as a way for people to connect, even if they have no history together.

The audience offered feedback and asked questions about the plot and the ending.

“It’s a surprise when I write it,” Moses said. “I just kind of write what I see in my head.”

He described his style of free writing as “puking.”

The bittersweet ending of the show is perhaps a reflection of the playwright.

”I’m such a sucker for heartbreak, I guess,” Moses said.

Overall, the reading and discussion was quite interesting and entertaining. There is a fantastic casual atmosphere at the shorts, which leads to a candid and fun discussion afterward and an enjoyable evening.

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New season of shorts at the FishtankBryan Moses’ “This and That” mostly charms

Photo // Fishtank

Playwright Bryan Moses discusses his work.

Actor Andy Perkins prepares for the performance.

Hailey Jones recites her lines.

Photo // FIshtank

Photo // NIcholas Sawin

Siri Kommareddy Staff Writer

When people walk into Blue Nile Café on 20 E. 5th St., the welcoming and cozy look is apparent at first glance. The restaurant is small, seating about 30 people at maximum capacity. With many masks on the walls and decorations covering the tables, Blue Nile transports its visitors directly to Ethiopia.

The best time to go to Blue Nile is during lunch because of the distinctive buffet offered every

weekday. For approximately $10, customers can choose from two soups, the butternut squash soup and the creamy chicken soup, as well as an array of Ethiopian dishes ranging from rice to lentils.

The lentils are delicious for any vegetarian looking for some flavor-packed protein. In addition, Blue Nile offers vegetable and meat dishes to satisfy any flavor palate.

The cabbage and potato stew is a stand-out dish and will make anyone love cabbage, even die-hard haters.

Upon completing the satisfying meal, dessert offers a rare indulgence, which should not be passed up. Special attention is taken to prepare the rice pudding offered at the lunch buffet. The owner simmers the rice, milk and vanilla beans for hours to get a creamy and flavorful dish. Ask them to sprinkle the bowl with a little cinnamon sugar and get ready to be transported to paradise.

Blue Nile offers healthy and affordable food for anyone looking to try new cuisine. It is a true gem nestled in Kansas City’s City Market that provides flavor-packed meals.

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Blue Nile Café Offers a Variety of Ethiopian Cuisine

www.youtube.com/user/UMKCUnewsBroadcastCheck out the U-News broadcast channel for exclusive video content at:

Rice pudding dessert.Blue Nile has many Ethiopian cuisine options. Photo // Siri Kommareddy


Chole’ Robbins-Anderson Copy Editor

The Broadway Roasting Company, located at 40th and Washington, hosts free coffee tastings every Wednesday at noon. Coffee Cupping 101 shows coffee brewing as a scientific process for evaluating the quality of the bean.

“It’s meant to get people thinking about something they drink every day,” John Cates, co-owner, said.

The process of evaluating the quality of the bean is usually done by growers, importers, exporters and baristas, and the Broadway Roasting Company has been doing this in the back room since 1992. Last October, the company hired a new barista, Emily Norton, who had experience leading coffee tastings and offered to start up the service. In January, they were officially set up to allow consumers to learn behind-the-scene details about their daily cup of coffee.

Upon entering the tasting area, customers are presented with multiple cups of two different types of coffee grounds and are encouraged to smell each cup and observe aloud any differences they might notice. Once everyone has smelled, baristas pour hot water in all cups and let them brew for four minutes. It’s a full immersion method of brewing, similar to a French press, except the grounds are dissolved instead of pressed. This process allows for a fuller flavor, making it easier to taste

all the subtle differences.“Nobody really ‘cups’ coffee at

home,” Cates said. After the coffee has finished

brewing, everyone smells each cup before “cracking the crust,” which involves holding the nose to the cup while dipping a spoon in three times, allowing for the grounds to be fully mixed. The first crack is when the fullest smell will be noticed. Once all cups are cracked, employees skim off the top before tasting begins.

Customers are shown how to absorb the full flavor all over the

mouth and into the nose: get a spoonful and quickly slurp. Everyone is urged to try a slurp from every cup to taste any differences. Professionals try three cups of each brew for possible defects.

Finally, baristas take the same types of coffee grounds, this time using a French press as the brewing method. They are poured into snifters and customers smell and taste one of each.

“It’s really easy [to recognize the different flavors] even if you don’t know very much,” Norton said. “People who don’t know anything can still taste different flavor profiles.”

Cates said the word is spreading and cuppings have started to see regular customers on their lunch breaks. There are also new attendees every week. Because of the set-up, the Broadway Roasting Company sets a limit of six people per cupping session, and people can reserve a seat online at http://www.broadwayroasting.com.

The Broadway Roasting Company is located at 4012 Washington St., just down the street from the Broadway Café. There is also a smaller café inside the roasting building, with a reduced menu to enjoy while waiting for the cuppings to start.

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Broadway Roasting Company Informs Customers in Weekly Coffee Tastings Morayo Bakare

Staff Writer

Sleep-deprived college students depend on caffeine to make it through a day and UMKC students are no exception. Starbucks is a popular choice, as well as Jazzman’s on campus, but other coffee places around Kansas City remain largely unexplored.

Oddly CorrectOddly Correct is located

on the corner of Main Street and 39th Street in a small, quaint building with a mostly wooden finish, customers sit on high metal stools at long wooden tables bolted to the floor.

“It has a simple and cool vibe. It’s not overly elaborate,” said Michael O’Brien, Senior performance major who frequents Oddly Correct.

O’Brien ordered the cranberry kiwi black coffee, which is a mixture of cranberry kiwi juice and coffee brewed from South American coffee beans. There are three choices of fruit flavors, rotated during the week in order to provide variety.

The Filling StationThe Filling Station, located

in the parking lot near the Old

Westport sign at the intersection of Westport Road and Jarboe Street provides quick coffee on the go. The Filling Station has indoor seating or customers can utilize the drive-thru. They carry many types of coffee, including a rotating selection from Oddly Correct. Cold-brewed black coffee is called “toddy.” They also have cinnamon rolls, croissants, hot chocolate and tea on the menu. For a quick pick-me-up, the Filling Station has it all for less than $5.

Westport CoffeehouseWestport Coffeehouse is located

at 40th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This quaint coffeehouse emits a calm, relaxed atmosphere with dimmed lights and smooth jazz playing in the background. The menu offers a variety of coffee types, many with curious names such as “Snickers Latte” and “Chocolate Monkey,” which are very sweet and delicious, a great departure from black coffee.

The drinks were served with little plant shapes i l l u s t r a t e d in foam. The prices are m o d e r a t e l y low, but the snacks are a bit more expensive.

The sitting area was littered with small tables, chairs and arcade games. M u l t i c a d e

and Pac Man were provided, and a jukebox sat discreetly in the background. Westport Coffeehouse also has an internet café with free Wi-Fi. This allows for a wonderful place to have a good drink and get homework done. Each Saturday at 8 p.m., the coffee house provides Improv shows for only $5 for students.

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Starbucks Isn’t the Only Coffee Shop in KC



Broadway Roasting Company is the home of Coffee Cupping 101, a weekly coffee tasting meant to develop a deeper appreciation of customers’ daily cups of coffee.

John Cates, co-owner of the Broadway Roasting Company, leads coffee cuppers in smelling multiple samples of Tanzanian and Costa Rican coffee blends.

The barista brews coffee using the pour-over method.

Large array of desserts at The Filling Station. Photo // Morayo Bakare

Photo // Morayo Bakare

Morayo Bakare Contributing Writer

The Conservatory Orchestra performed in its first recital of the semester on Sept. 13 with professional conductor Robert Olsen and graduate assistant conductor Parinya Chucherdwatanasak. The orchestra presented a marvelous program of classical music comprised of Franz Schubert’s “Overture in D Major,” Benjamin Britten’s “Sinfonia da Requiem” and Sergey Prokofiev’s “Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major.” Each piece evoked a different, but powerful opinion on war to the audience, varying from Schubert’s dark beginnings to Britten’s lamentations. concluding with Prokofiev expressing the victory of the human spirit.

Schubert’s “Overture” opened ominously, as the horns resonated deeply with the strings. As the torturous air continued, the instruments increased in sound as if to signal in a dark presence. In the first 40 seconds, the piece appeared to be preparing for a morbid song but suddenly changed its tone to a more cheerful temperament. The

woodwinds and strings flowed into a melodic and peaceful tune and the song continued with the resonating feel as it moved away from its deep beginning. The horns injected a majestic sound and carried the orchestra into bursting and powerful moments as the piece progressed. The rest of the orchestra carried the song into a whimsical melody as the horns followed along with loud, uplifting bursts of sound. The overture progressed into an inspiring and forceful finale as all instruments proudly executed their loudest notes. The piece ended with a banging that resonated slowly into silence.

After the first piece, Olsen had a brief intermission to describe Britten’s upcoming piece and offered a small explanation of its connection to the first.

“They [Britten’s symphony and Schubert’s Overture] both have a constant theme running through them: that of war,” Olsen said.

Britten’s symphony is a requiem for war. He said he originally composed the piece unwittingly for the Japanese government, but they found it to be insulting. He then dedicated the symphony to the memory of his parents.

The symphony contained three movements named “Lacrymosa,” “Dies Irae” and “Requiem Aeternam.” These movements continued seamlessly from one to the next without intermission or pause. The first movement began with a strong and loud downbeat from the piano and timpani. Then, as the instruments softened while resonating menacingly in the background, the cello began playing a two-note melody, which became a four-note melody performed by the bassoon. The instruments must play these notes similar to how a siren rings: gradually becoming louder, and then receding to the background, only to become loud again. This theme is repeated in the first movement many times.

In the second movement, an angelic alto saxophone appeared to offer hope and redemption to the listener. The strings sounded like galloping horses as the flutes performed an eerie and creepy unknown tune in the background. There was a consistent juxtaposition of a major chord and its minor counterpart being played one on top of the other throughout the piece. The third part of the symphony returned to the tragedy

portrayed by the first movement and ended with a sad pulsing from the orchestra that disappeared slowly into the background.

Written in 1944, the final symphony by Prokofiev consisted of movements dedicated to the human spirit.

“As I listen to this music, I fail to be convinced that it is not heavily influenced by the world war,” Olsen said.

The first movement began with a lovely melody played by the bassoon and sounded as if it was highlighting the beauty in life. The tune sounded content until the flute and the bassoon began to take on an angry rhythm.

By the end of the movement, the orchestra was so cacophonous and overwhelming that it is as if the “Nazi army is moving through Moscow,” Olsen said.

The second movement opened with a melody from the violins and the clarinet, which played the most important theme in the piece. The theme was fast and melodious. It continued the pace until picking up with dry staccato notes in the middle. The movement built speed and energy and ended as the instruments

began to clamor and sounded as if they were falling apart. The third movement was brooding in tone.

It opened with a plain melody performed by the violins and progressed in a sad and ordinary, but beautiful tone. In the middle of the movement, anger could be heard from the orchestra. The plain tune quickly returned and ended happily with the piano. The final movement had a repetitive theme that is introduced by the clarinet each time. A cello quartet then joined and added to the melody. Variations of the theme were performed throughout the movement and it progressed to where the violins seemed to play to the wrong timing. The ending of the piece was both clamorous and quick.

The Conservatory will have two more performances this semester, one with the Conservatory Orchestra again on Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. and one with the Conservatory Chamber Orchestra on Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is always free with a UMKC student ID.

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Conservatory begins the new semester with a nod to war and the human spirit


Chloe’ Robbins-Anderson Copy Editor

The Campanella Gallery at Park University in Parkville, Mo., is hosting an exhibit by Matthew Boonstra titled, “Have You Tried Walking?” The exhibit features both the titular sculpture and a sculpture named “Human, Human, Human.”

The namesake piece features a steel gasoline nozzle growing out of a plaster pair of human legs, meant to show the effects of mankind’s dependency on oil, according to Boonstra’s website. The other piece, a large car key that is transformed into a human torso and head, is also made of a mixture of steel and plaster. Attached to the key ring is a foot. This is an extension of the idea that mankind’s dependency on vehicles can be overcome.

Boonstra received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at Eastern Michigan University and his Master of Fine Arts at Michigan State University. He now teaches art at Oklahoma State University. Most of his works use steel, plaster and tire rubber, with a focus on man’s impact on the environment.

The artist had works exhibited in 2011 at the Mallin and Charno Galleries for the River Market Regional Exhibition, hosted by the Kansas City Artist Coalition. The previous director of the gallery, Donna Bachmann, became interested in Boonstra when she saw the socially conscious works. Although Bachmann left and was replaced by Matthew LaRose, who is also the chair of Park’s department of art and design, the exhibit contract stayed.

The exhibit opened Sept. 3 with a reception in the minimalist gallery, with students, faculty and community members in attendance.

“It was really low-key,” LaRose said. “I’m trying to establish something a little more professional, whether with students and staff or art students here. I persisted on having an opening to get people out of the woodworks .”

The exhibits range from socially charged to personal, according to

LaRose. The last exhibit, “My Life Sentence” by Michelle Childers, was much more personal to the artist.

“The summer show was very revealing of a particular artist and her trials and tribulations,” LaRose said. “It was challenging to say the least.

If this one is minimum, that one was maximum. [The gallery] was filled to the max.”

LaRose said he also welcomes submissions for the gallery’s upcoming season. Interested artists should send a website or images to his email at [email protected]. The next exhibit will be a photo show of adjunct faculty member Bill Eickhorst, opening Oct. 21. The directors of the gallery have strived to attract artists from around the world who practice very different kinds of art.

“We see the gallery an extension of the classroom,” LaRose said. “We use it as a teaching tool to talk about the art.”

To learn more about the artist and see his other pieces, visit www.mattboonstra.com.

The exhibit will be available through Oct. 11 and admission is free. Campanella Gallery is located in the McAfee Memorial Library within Park University, which is open to the public 8 a.m.-9:30p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-4p.m. Saturdays and 4-9:30 p.m. Sundays.

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Najid Ali Staff Writer

Located close to downtown in the eclectic Crossroads district at 19th and Main Street, Extra Virgin is a unique eatery. Upon entering, customers are met with eye-catching, modern designs and a warm, earthy color scheme.

Owned and operated by James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Smith, Extra Virgin is known for its exotic menu with items ranging

from crispy pig ear salad to duck tongue tacos. Although some dishes may be less exotic, such as Mexican grilled corn and Spanish meatballs, this restaurant is definitely for the adventurous eater.

The Poblano mac and cheese is a restaurant favorite. It is a simple dish, but Smith’s execution is simply mouthwatering. He begins with penne pasta and a creamy white cheddar sauce, but elevates the dish with the addition of the Poblano

peppers. The peppers add a spicy kick to the rich, creamy sauce while giving the dish a hint of smoky flavor. It is completely irresistible.

The best time to savor any of these dishes is during happy hour every Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Extra Virgin is an ideal place for those looking for a good time, a satisfying meal and a warm environment.

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Exotic Tastes are Satisfied at Extra Virgin

Park University Exhibit Raises Fuel Consumption Awareness

“Have You Tried Walking?” by Matthew Boonstra.Photo // Chloe Robbins-Anderson


“Have You Tried Walking?” by Matthew Boonstra.

The Campanella Gallery’s new exhibit, “Have You Tried Walking?” by Matthew Boonstra features two of his works that focus on mankind’s relationship with the environment and machinery.


Morayo Bakare Staff Writer

The Kansas City Art Institute held ArtSounds on Sept. 10, an event initiated by KCAI and UMKC in order to explore artistic pieces that combine disciplines in a performance setting. This is the eighth year for ArtSounds, which is slowly growing in popularity. The night opened with an act by the World Woodwind Duo, consisting of Thomas Aber and Dwight Frizzel.

The recital began with the song “Osiris Wobble” and the wailing of Frizzel’s invented instrument, the zwoom. This unusual device consists of a long hose connected to a mouthpiece. Frizzel’s zwoom has a one-inch thick pipe that was a little more than a yard long. Frizzel specializes in various woodwind instruments, so experience led him to prefer a bass clarinet’s mouthpiece, but any mouthpiece can be used.

The name “zwoom” comes from the sound the instrument makes when its open end is twirled in the air as the musician blows into it, resembling an airplane flying over, but at a higher pitch.

“I had a shower hose… and I put a brass mouthpiece on it and I started buzzing,” Frizzel said. “I started swinging and it would get the Doppler Effect.”

The Doppler Effect is the sound of a siren, for example, becoming louder as it approaches the listener but recedes as it moves away. With the zwoom, the effect can be controlled effortlessly by swinging the tube in the air at varying speeds and height. As Frizzel and Aber strolled in with the zwooms on their shoulders, drummer Patrick Conway kept time and the song turned into what appeared to be a discussion between the two musicians.

When Aber would respond with a note, Frizzel would interrupt with many notes and a tune, taking the more dominant role in the duo. Afterward, the piece moved into more of a jazz sound as Frizzel and Aber switched the zwooms for a bass clarinet and saxophone. This part of “Osiris Wobble” was more melodic and structured than the beginning portion.

The next piece, titled “Sho-Chi,” was played by Robert Carl on his wooden flute. The song opened with the dimming of the lights and a mystical sound traveling slowly through the room. The opening played from a miniature stereo system but as the quiet moaning

continued, it evolved into a louder, more melodic sound and Carl joined in with his flute, harmonizing with the song but never overpowering it. The atmosphere changed instantly and the audience was transported to a more relaxed ambience.

It is no surprise from the sound of the music, the Japanese translation of the title is “ground from which all life springs.” The song continued with a peaceful but whimsical earthy sound that kept the audience afloat in another world the sound had created until the calming end.

The rest of the performance followed with the World Woodwind Duo playing with guest performances on songs called “Star Seed,” “Tree of Life,” “Oceans of Kansas,” “Aquarius” and “Devil Dog.” “Star Seed” focused on the constellations and was accompanied by a projection of a metal disc with the constellations engraved on it.

“Tree of Life” had a projection of Darwin’s chart on the hierarchy of animals while the musicians complimented the slides with their woodwinds and the Yamaha WX5, a digital wind controller.

“Oceans of Kansas” had slides of waves crashing peacefully against a rock while wave music played in the background alongside the bass clarinet and alto clarinet.

“Aquarius” was a song created by German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in 1975. The piece is one of twelve melodies each symbolizing a zodiac sign and uses a music box played into a microphone which guides the other musicians who play alongside it.

The night ended with the last song, “Devil Dog,” performed with Conway on the drums and two students, Will Bradley and Colin Rausch. Rausch played on a bongo drum while Bradley performed mutilated synthesizer sounds on a modified child’s alphabet toy. With the combination of the toy and the woodwind instruments, the style could be classified as “synthetic jazz.”

The Kansas City Star has described the World Woodwind Duo performances in the past as “an eros-fueled space opera.” Their recital at ArtSounds correctly fit that description. To hear more from The World Woodwind Duo, listen for them on KKFI 90.1FM on Wednesdays from 12:30-1 p.m. on the program “Arc to Microchip.”

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ArtSounds Sounds Off the New Semester with Wind Instruments and a New Vibe


Disclaimer: The views of individual writers expressed below in this section do not represent the official stance of U-News. U-News welcomes participation from all UMKC students. Letters to the editor may be submitted to Editors-in-Chief Roze Brooks and Elizabeth Golden, [email protected].

Marlee Newman Staff Writer

I’ve always had a problem with the phrase “no good deed goes unpunished.” Optimism and kindness have always been at the top of my list. I somehow thought this fact might change as I grew older and experienced the things those older and wiser than me said I would one day experience. I was assured this would ultimately lead me to the catalyst that would end up sparking newfound cynicism within me. “No good deed goes unpunished.” This phrase is divulging the idea that if you do something good for someone that something bad is bound to follow, because, well, that’s just life. What a miserable point of view. Age has somehow done the opposite and the challenging experiences that have accompanied me or that I’ve seen others cope with, and even witnessing the the sometimes hostile state of the world has only taught me how crucial the tiniest of good deeds can be. Growing up has shown me the importance that lies within the moments when others decide to act on good will, in opposition to this phrase. I’ve never been one to believe in “karma”, but I do believe that life is undoubtedly a cycle; everything is connected. I’m aware this idea is dripping in cliches, but sometimes cliches are cliches for a reason. Often times they are true.

I understand that it can be hard not to become pessimistic in today’s world. I realize there is injustice and oppression on such a large scale that it seems impossible that we could ever have any control over positive outcomes in these situations. But what about the areas of our lives that we DO have power over? Why feed into an idea that hinders the amount of control we do have?

I do not want to get all corny and soft, but I guess I’m going to. I guess I’m asking the question: What if everyone truly believed in the sentiment that this phrase is striving to deliver? All that comes to mind at the moment are the brave men and women who risked their lives to save the innocent people who were in the wrong place, at the wrong time, on 9/11. Not only did the first responders perform a “good deed” when they ran into all of the smoke, heat, and danger of the Twin Towers, but they put their duty before their own lives, knowing that they may not make it to see any award, but doing it anyway, without a thought

of what will go unpunished, in order to save people they never knew.

On September 11, 2001, I was in third grade and living in a town in Pennsylvania that is located on the border of New Jersey. Many people from my town in particular would take a train in New Jersey that took them to New York City in order to work. Although I was old enough at ten years old to interpret the worried looks on my teacher’s face as she re-entered the classroom and later that day, my father’s as he sat in front of the television, I definitely did not comprehend the weight of the situation or understand the implications of what had happened so closely to where I lived. Everything became clearer in the days to come. My parents explained what happened as best they could. There were brief discussions about it in school and although I never personally knew someone who had a loved one or a friend taken on that day, I do remember hearing of children my age that had lost someone close to them and seeing empty seats in my classroom throughout the weeks that followed.

This is one of the most prominent first memories I can recall of feeling empathy for others on a large scale. Not only did I feel bad for those in my town that I knew were somehow connected to this day, but I thought of those who I had never seen – the people who worked in the Twin Towers, the people on the flight. I really think the opposition to this phrase, “every good deed goes unpunished” is not a similar phrase, but starts with the idea of empathy – being able to place yourself in one’s shoes to such an extent that selfishness can disappear, and good deeds can be performed, even if they might go unpunished.

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Earlier this month a video was posted of a frosh chant during Halifax’s Saint Mary’s University orientation. It seems like just another normal college orientation, except for the fact that this chant’s lyrics praised sexual assault. The lyrics of the chant go, “SMU boys, we like them young. Y is for your sister. O is for oh so tight. U is for underage. N is for no consent. G is for grab that ass.” The video clip shows Saint Mary’s students, male and female, chanting it alike with gusto.

After the outrage over the video the student orientation leaders are being disciplined and the president of Saint Mary’s Student Union has tendered his resignation. CBC News called the video “shocking” and “unbelievable.”

Is the video awful and disturbing? Absolutely. But, shocking? Not so much. The only shocking thing about the chant is that it had been used for 5 years before someone did something about it. That only goes to show the power of the mob mentality.

We live in a world where popular media forms condone and/or normalize rape and violence against women. How then are we surprised when people mimic the attitudes of the media and culture all around them? This video is not a detached event; it’s a symptom of a society where the glorification of sexual assault can be heard every day on the radio.

There is a constant media reinforcement of sexual assault and violence toward women, especially in the music industry. Hip-Hop and Rap are perhaps the most egregious offenders, but that’s not to say that it doesn’t take place in other genres as well.

Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” featuring Pharrel Williams and T.I. is a worldwide hit, selling over 5 million copies in just 22 weeks in the US, faster than any other song in digital history, which also has been criticized as being “rapey”, for good reason.

In an interview, Thicke said the lyrics are based on catcalling at women. “We started acting like we were two old men on a porch hollering at girls.” Both Thicke and T.I. use the word ‘bitch’ to refer to women. Thicke sings in the refrain, “I hate these blurred lines/ I know you want it/ I know you want it/ I know you want it.” The phrase “I know you want it,” a catchphrase often used to

insist that no means yes, is repeated a staggering 18 times in the song.

There are two versions of the video, the same except for the fact that in one the models are topless most of the time. In the video, right before Thicke sings “I hate these blurred lines,” a model is shown lying on her stomach with a stop sign sitting on her bare buttocks. The ‘blurred lines’ of the song are clearly them being unable to understand that no actually means no. As if to drive the point home T. I. raps near the end, “I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two.”

The only problem I have with all the outpouring of feminist fury being heaped upon Thicke is that some of the commentators seem to be treating this as if it is the first song in popular media to be degrading and/or violent toward women. That is unfortunately not the case.

This has been happening for a while. A song that takes violence way further than Thicke is by, who else but the real Slim Shady, Eminem. I, for one, think Eminem is an extraordinarily talented rapper, however, my appreciation of his skill stops when it comes to his lyrics as he seems to be unable to find anything else to rap about other than violence toward women or demeaning women. Just look at his song “Kill You,” which features such charming lyrics as, “Slut, you think I won’t choke no whore/ ‘til the vocal cords don’t work in her throat no more?!” and the constant refrain of “Bitch, Ima kill you.” The album that song was on came out in 2000. This is nothing new. It’s just been allowed to get worse and worse.

If that isn’t enough, look at Rick Ross’ rap in the song, “U.O.E.N.O.,” which describes him date raping a woman. The offending lyrics in question, “Put molly all in her champagne/ She ain’t even know it/ I took her home and I enjoyed that/ She ain’t even know it.” In case you aren’t up on your drug slang, the word, ‘molly’, is slang for MDMA in its crystal form. So essentially, he is going to drug a woman, so that she will be incapacitated, and then he will rape her. Ross’ response was that that interpreting the lyric that way is misunderstanding it. “The term rape wasn’t used,” said Ross, “I would never use the term rape in my records. We don’t condone rape and I’m not with that.”

Ross is correct, the term rape is never used; it’s just described graphically and glorified. But

according to him, the fact he didn’t specifically say rape, means his song is completely okay.

Musical artists don’t come out and say that they support rape, but then they go make songs glorifying it. And as long as there’s an infectious beat and a good hook the majority of people dance and sing along to it; mindlessly accepting and condoning what it is saying.

This is more than an affront to women; it’s an affront to every human being. These songs are commoditizing people and treating them as if they are something to be owned and dominated. Every single one of us has been treated badly or has been made to feel inferior before, surely you don’t wish that on someone else.

This is not just a “feminist” or a woman’s issue. That’s an easy out; it’s a little like saying murderers aren’t your problem, because you don’t plan on getting murdered. This is an issue that concerns every person who downloads music or listens to the radio, so pretty much all of us. Next time you hear a song on the radio, actually listen to the lyrics. Look them up online if you have to, to understand them, then think about what those lyrics are saying.

This may be an issue that concerns women more personally in certain ways, but guys…even if the lyrics don’t seem problematic to you, think about what they might mean to your sisters, your girlfriends, your mothers, your friends. Make sure that what you listen to is a version of what you stand for in your life because that’s what it is. You are making a tacit agreement every time you buy a song or create a Pandora station. You are telling them we want more of this. If you don’t, it is time to put your money where your mouth is.

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Why I’ll Never Be Able To Abide By This Phrase

I’m drawing a line and it’s not a blurred one

Marlee Newman

Lindsay Adams


Matt Melson Broadcast Assistant

America needs the National Security Agency. This is a fact that a lot of the American public has had a hard time swallowing over the past couple of months.

Since the Eric Snowden incident this past June much of the nation has been in a panic with thinking about the NSA intercepting all of our personal information and using this information for national security. Now debate about if Snowden’s actions were courageous or not isn’t the point. The point is to discuss whether or not the NSA should have the power to invade our privacy?

The simple answer is yes. Now before you mutter to yourself that this article is ridiculous and throw it down, read the rest before you dismiss it.

The National Security Agency was founded in 1952 after the beginning of the cold war. According to the NSA website its “primary purpose is to encode and decode communications intelligence and to protect U.S. signals and information systems.”

The NSA clearly states that they need to “encode and decode communications intelligence”, meaning all communication and this job description didn’t just appear out of thin air, the NSA has had this goal since the beginning. If that is the purpose of this organization than they were clearly doing their job well.

The problem that comes with the NSA peering into our lives isn’t from the NSA, it is from the sense of entitlement that Americans have had for years. Every American demands to have their rights, whether it is their freedom of speech or right to bear arms, people love to quote the constitution, but the constitution does not protect the right to privacy. Nowhere in the constitution will you find that any American has the right to privacy.

There are sections that allude to ideas of privacy such as no unreasonable searches and seizures but nothing that directly protects you from the government over hearing a phone call or looking at a text message.

Besides addressing the privacy issue itself there are other aspects of this “scandal” that have not been addressed. The most interesting question is: why does America get up in arms about the NSA but not for other violations of privacy?

If any of you have gotten on the internet recently to look for directions you probably have used the website Google. Now this website has a very unique function that comes along with getting directions, it is a program called “Street View.” Street View was accomplish by Google sending cars around in cities with cameras on top to take pictures.

These cameras took pictures of every house, car, fence, light, road, sign, building, pretty much anything that was in the sight of the camera, that it came by. All of these pictures are now on the internet for people to see. So why exactly is the NSA getting more heat than Google?

Some of you may be thinking “well these are clearly two very different things,” but is it really? What is to stop someone from looking up your address, casing your house, and then trying to rob you after they have studied you location enough?

These are both clear invasions of privacy but one is actually trying to maintain the security of this country. The NSA is trying to protect the country from any type of harm whether it is terrorism or not and if the worst thing that the NSA is going to do is check a text or listen to a phone call then you may want to consider yourself lucky.

There is exists in the philosophy world the idea of a “Social Contract.”

This concept basically means that you have to give up some of your rights to receive the protection from the government. The Social Contract is not anything anyone can actually sign but it is the implied giving up of certain liberties. Whether you like it or not you have signed the social contract by being a citizen of this country.

In addition, the NSA was not invading our privacy in the horrific manner that everyone is conveying it to be. Instead of breaking in homes, randomly searching people, or personally investigating our lives piece by piece, the NSA chose to listen to phone calls, check e-mails, and look at texts.

If you really think the government cares that you and your spouse are in an argument or that you are sexting your significant other or talking to your friends about meeting up, then you should probably get over yourself. You are not that special.

The goal of this organization is to stop the evil of the world from prevailing, they could care less about your social life. They are trying to make sure that someone doesn’t kill you.

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America Needs the NSA

Vikki Lampton Staff Writer

When you hear Service members speak of the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, their language may get a little colorful, and you may even hear obscenities. The VA is known for long hold times, drawn out disability claims, untimely manner of processing educational benefits, and substandard healthcare. Knowing that quite a few veterans, including myself, utilize their services, a small waiting period for claims filed is understandable, but I have known some veterans to wait up to 2 years to hear back about disability claims. Where is the swift action for veterans? In a country that screams patriotism, and prides itself on how much they support our veterans, the long process for a disabled vet to be compensated for his/her injuries incurred while in military service is astonishing. It’s hard to comprehend the words “homeless” and “veteran” in the same sentence, but according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban development in 2012 it was determined about 633,782 veterans are homeless on any given night. Not all of this is as a result of alcohol, drug abuse, or mental health issues, but either directly or indirectly as a result of either being denied specific veteran’s benefits, waiting too long for compensation, and also the lacking of family or social support during transition into civilian life.

Transitioning is already a hard, stressful process. I spent months sending my resume out to different organizations searching for work in my field specialty. My VA disability claim has spent 5 months on the first stage of processing. The VA needs to be reformed. Immediately. This is only hurting veterans. I was fortunate with my injuries; there are many vets that have more extreme,

long-term injuries. Imagine the many service members that returned from deployment with either severe PTSD, or other physically injuries as a result of service to their country. The least the government can do is provide faster services to them. Families of wounded combat veterans have already been through so much; the least that can be done is ensuring they are taken care of in a timely manner.

As of now there are over 903,000 veterans waiting for disability and compensation benefits. The average wait for a claim to be processed is 332 days, according to the Center of investigative Reporting. The Boston Chronicle reported that 19,500 veterans have died while waiting for their claims to be processed as of 2012. That is pretty ridiculous. The VA coughed up over $436 million to compensate families of these deceased veterans, but the problems still continue.

This is how we repay our veteran men and women for their sacrifice to this country? Time for change, time for the government to move the American veteran up on its priority list.

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Veterans suffer for benefits

Dan Moreno Senior Beat Writer

Two years ago I transferred to UMKC from Universidad Intercontinental in Mexico City, where I was born and raised.

Honestly, I did not know what I was putting myself into. I did not know what to expect, how did people live in this country or even if I was going to be able to learn as much as I was learning back home.

Surprisingly, the culture shock I was told would experience, never came to me. Kansas City welcomed me with open arms and I felt like this little town, yes little town considering I was coming from the biggest city in the world surrounded by 25 million people could be my second home.

Without a doubt, my favorite thing about UMKC is the multicultural atmosphere that I encounter every day on campus. I have made friends from Argentina, Chile, India, Ghana, England and even from my own country, Mexico.

I have also had great professors from different countries, which I think is the key for my easy adaptation and learning.

This fall, three out of my five professors are not American. First of all, there is professor Gregory Gutenko from Canada, who I have taken two communication studies classes with and learned everything about mass media and photography. Also professor Julia Cole, who was born in Jamaica but raised in England

is teaching Mass Media, Culture & Society in her second year at UMKC. Last but not least is professor Louis Imperiale, who was born in Italy and speaks many languages but teaches several Spanish courses at UMKC.

My other two professors might not be from other countries but that does not mean they are not brilliant because they are. Professor Peter Morello, who teaches a couple of communication studies classes used to be an international correspondent and covered many historical events like the war in Bosnia or the fall of the Berlin wall. And teaching me Electronic Journalism is an expert in the media production process, Kevin Mullin.

For these and many other reasons, UMKC has become part of my life and I encourage each one of you to enjoy your college years and to get involved with school.

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UMKC brings together international community

Matt Melson Vikki Lampton

Dan Moreno

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University News // September 16 // Issue Five

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Transcript of University News // September 16 // Issue Five