There is something very Spielberg-ian in the wells of J.J. Abrams' ("Lost") "Star Trek Into Darkness." The film begins as paper mache humanoids of the planet Nibiru are chasing Kirk (Chris Pine, "This Means War") and Dr. "Bones" McCoy (Karl Urban, "Dredd") with spears through a red forest right out of H.G. Well's mordant fantasies.

If this doesn't sound familiar, one only need to replace Pine with Harrison Ford to get a dystopian vision of Indiana Jones's famous escape from ticked-off natives.

The plot veers away to the cunning terrorist John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch, "Sherlock"), arising as the newest threat to the Starfleet Federation.

When Harrison wreaks havoc down on the steps of the Starfleet headquarters, he flees to the Klingon planet Kronos, where Kirk is sent by warmongering Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller, "Robocop") on a revenge mission with a mysterious payload of missiles and orders to kill Harrison.

"Star Trek Into Darkness" is viciously fast-paced, even thrilling at times, until you get the sense that Abrams is pulling tricks from another "Star"-focused franchise. From the warp scenes that usher in a familiar light show, to Kirk and company whizzing down tight corridors in a ship shaped like the Millenium Falcon, "Into Darkness" starts to aesthetically resemble "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi."

Conceptually, most of the technology, sound effects and creature design would fit quite comfortably within George Lucas's galaxy. The experience feels like an elaborate overture for Abrams' upcoming "Star Wars" movie.

As to matters of the cast and plot, "Star Trek Into Darkness" is a taught nuts-and-bolts blockbuster, which busts everything from blocks to entire cities. The ensemble cast returns with fine performances, especially from the reptilian, brooding Cumberbatch. There are pleasures in watching the cast show an uncanny mimicry of the original crews' sensibilities

Abrams claims "Into Darkness" is a supposed reinvention of the original canon, but it still frustratingly fits itself snugly into plot movements of its parent films. "Into Darkness" regularly borrows from "The Wrath of Khan" to "The Undiscovered Country." "Inception" might even come up as Kirk and Scotty (Simon Pegg, "Paul") run through spinning sterile white hallways as the Enterprise tumbles down to Earth.

Its structure is intrinsically tied to those films and yet it comes across almost as pandering in the name of fan service. When it comes time for the bait-and-switch, audiences will already expect it.

The script is also heavy-handed in its foreshadowing. A specific plot point in the first moments of the film is developed with an absurd amount of specificity, so much so that it defeats the purpose of the third act drama.

The friendship between Capt. Kirk and Spock (Zachary Quinto, "Heroes") is comically blunt in its eroticism, occasionally overshadowing Uhura (Zoe Saldana, "The Words") and Spock's complex relationship. It certainly won't quell fan-fiction writers' claims of a relationship, or at the least a bromance, between the two.

Abrams continues the philosophical traditions of the original films. Imperialism, the ethics of preemptive strikes, the militarization of Starfleet and what it truly means to be human are all fair game in "Into Darkness." But they are staged as the crew of the Enterprise rush through space chased by a barrage of enemies.

The cinematography continues the vein of adding enough flashy lens flairs to make the Enterprise look as if it were a swanky nightclub. The script is filled with wit, though clogged with references to the original films. Nothing needs to be said about the visual effects other than they are remarkable eye candy.

The score by Michael Giacchino ("John Carter") is soaring and relentless, occasionally throwing knowing nods to other "Star Trek" composers such as Gerald Fried, Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage.

Strangely enough, there seems to be a scarcity of space within the framing of the shots. Frequently, the tops of heads are lopped off in a scene, and the camera gets alarmingly up close to actors' faces and objects.

Perhaps reception to "Into Darkness" depends on what kind of fan will see it. But while narratively jumbled, this "Star Trek" is still a satisfactory experience, if only visually in 3D. The U.S.S. Enterprise and her crew never looked better.

dkahen-kashi@theeagleonline.com

UPDATE: May 21, 6:37 p.m.

Interim women’s lacrosse Head Coach Emma Wallace has signed an extension to remain at AU to become the full-time lacrosse Head Coach, Athletic Director Billy Walker said in a phone interview with The Eagle.

“She did a fantastic job,” Walker said of Wallace’s first year as lacrosse coach.

Wallace was promoted to head coach less than one year after joining AU as an assistant. Her new contract lasts for three years and runs through the 2016 season, according to AUEagles.com.

“It’s thrilling to me I’m extremely excited to get the opportunity to get to work with these girls,” Wallace said in a phone interview. “AU has been so supportive of me and my goals as a head coach that I feel that I am lucky to be in the position that I am.”

Despite dropping the first six games of her head coaching career, Wallace went on to lead the Eagles to their first upset over a ranked team in at least 10 years. The Eagles in beat then No. 12 Johns Hopkins 10-9 in overtime.

Wallace went on to lead the Eagles to their best record in Patriot League play since the 2008 season. The Eagles came within one game of completing conference play undefeated for the first time in school history.

“I’m excited we turned our season around and had some very significant wins,” Wallace said in an interview. “I’m really excited for the future.”

Wallace joined the AU coaching staff in July 2012 and was named interim head coach in October when then head coach Laura Campbell stepped down.

Prior to AU, Wallace served as an assistant coach at the University California, Berkeley.
Wallace is a graduate of Johns Hopkins, where she played for the Blue Jay lacrosse team that made the the NCAA Tournament three times during her collegiate career.

In addition to her promotion, Wallace was honored with the first annual AU Coaching Excellence award, recognizing her accomplishments with the lacrosse team.

Assistant Coach Colleen McCaffrey will also return for the 2013-2014 season, according to Wallace.

“I am so thrilled that we get the chance to work together continuing the effort that we put in already,” Wallace said.

Correction: The first six games, not eight as previously written, of Wallace’s head coach career at AU were losses. This article also incorrectly spelled Campbell’s first name as “Lauren.”

esaltzman@theeagleonline.com

When I heard that Harold Koh, legal scholar turned drone defender, would be the Washington College of Law commencement speaker, I was shocked.

Koh has an illustrious career and is famous for being a long-time human rights lawyer and advocate. He once referred to President George W. Bush as the "torturer in chief." Sounds good.

Until 2010, when, as State Department legal adviser, he gave a speech defending the legality of the Obama administration's targeted killing program.

Koh's speech had a lot of problems, doctrinally and factually. If you assume that administration talking points are "facts," then maybe there is no problem.

For us fancy academics who like to read those pesky little things called "studies," I suggest people look at a recent report, titled "Living Under Drones," put together by the Stanford Law School's International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic (IHRCRC) and the Global Justice Clinic at the New York University School of Law.

Along with the physical destruction and civilian deaths, the report documents how the policy "terrorizes men, women, and children, giving rise to anxiety and psychological trauma among civilian communities." Elders are scared to meet to resolve village disputes, parents are frightened to send their children to school, and aid workers delay emergency care because of reports of "double-tap strikes": in a second go-around, rescue workers are themselves targeted by the drones.

Besides the humanitarian concerns, the attacks are likely counter-productive. In his Senate testimony, Yemeni activist Farea al-Muslimi pointed out that the attacks are a vital recruiting tool, saying that, "what the radicals had previously failed to achieve in my village, one drone strike accomplished in an instant."

I wasn't the only one angry. Two wonderful friends and allies, EmilyRose Johns and Rebecca Heinsen, both Class of 2013, were furious.

How could we invite somebody who defended the drone policy? Are we not the human rights and international law school? What kind of message are we sending to the graduating class? The legal community? The world?

They drafted a letter protesting the choice with a call for signatures. After meeting with the SBA president, and commentary from WCL Dean Claudio Grossman, it became clear that because of bureaucratic hoops, time constraints, and maybe the heavy politics of the matter, the speaker would not be changed.

I would have opposed Koh on moral and political grounds. Thanks to the excellent legal education I received at WCL, I can also deconstruct his legal position.

Some have said that, as a government official, he probably felt obligated to take such a stance.  Great message to send to a group of graduating law students: feel free to fudge the law to suit political ends and to satisfy your boss.

Cue the snickering: of course lawyers do that! You're right. They do.

But WCL was supposed to be better than that. Few people blink an eye when I tell them where I attend law school. Except when the conversation turns to international law and human rights.

WCL is the "hippy-dippy, liberal school." Yea, we are those people. The human rights advocates, anti-death penalty advocates, the defenders of the indigent and the youth, the environmentalists, the warriors for the underpaid, the exploited and the oppressed. Many of us came to WCL specifically to work with some of the finest human rights advocates in the world, including Grossman, chair of the United Nations Committee against Torture.

We are supposed to have some values (and if not values, at least a brand). There is one value in particular: human rights. A school with our reputation should always err on the side of human rights. It's pretty simple: When in doubt, human rights.

Those who are interested in reading and/or signing the petition can do so here.

Nicholas Devyatkin is in the graduating Class of 2013 at the Washington College of Law. The 2013 commencement ceremony is May 19 at 1 p.m.

edpage@theeagleonline.com

Not a long time ago, I was observing a homeless guy searching for food in a trashcan close to AU''s shuttle stop in D.C. 

When I see things like this but hear about the D.C. $400 million budget surplus which the local government refused to spend, it just doesn't make sense to me.

If the D.C. government thinks that reserving that surplus will maintain its economic strength then it is, with no doubt, wrong.

What would stable the city's economy is when we give those who are in need the opportunity to stand up for themselves, to find jobs and to live a secured life.

I am not saying that we should spend all the budget surplus and leave nothing for rainy days, but I am saying that the D.C. local government should be mindful to consider spending some of its budget surplus to cover its present needs.

It is truly devastating to realize that such decisions, made by the D.C. local government, are implemented on the expense of the city's most vulnerable.

Who said we don't need to touch the $400 million budget surplus because things are going well? According to Thrive DC, "Homelessness in D.C. increased by 6.2 percent from 2011 to 2012 and now stands at 6,954 individuals – a 9.3 percent increase since 2008".

Thrive DC also indicated that 70,000 people and households are pending for subsidized housing. Moreover, D.C. is facing an unemployment rate of 8.5 percent as of March, according to The Washington Post.

Putting all these facts in mind, wouldn't $400 million alleviate these challenges? Not only spending the surplus would do so but it would also prevent these challenges from escalating.

Is it possible for the surplus to be spent? Yes, there is a regulation that permits the usage of $100 million from the budget surplus, as The Washington Post has indicated. According to ABC7, a member of the D.C. Council implied that "...the council has the authority to spend up to $100 million of any surplus without Congressional approval…" That also reflects that spending the surplus is indeed possible.

So why should we wait? Only to make the situation worse.

As to what can be done about the issue, there are a number of things. First, a petition could be signed. One way to do that is through an online petition website titled Change.org. The website already has some petitions that indirectly demands the surplus to be spent on other specific needs.

Second, you could also join organizations that reflect on the D.C. budget surplus issue. Some of those organizations are Thrive D.C., Greater Greater Washington and Think Progress.

Finally, you could also have your voice heard by contacting the D.C. council members, whom can be reached through their website.

Keep in mind that it is our voice that will get us closer to the solution.

When we respond to such policies and demand change, we also contribute to the city's welfare and to our economy as a whole.

Wasim Ashshowwaf is a sophomore in the Kogod School of Business.

edpage@theeagleonline.com

Leonard, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, was charged with destruction of property worth under $1,000, a minor misdemeanor, according to AU Public Safety investigator Keith Gray.

Leonard pleaded not guilty to the charges of destruction of property, according to D.C. Superior Court documentation of Leonard’s case.

Judge Robert Tignor ordered Leonard April 29 to complete 32 hours of community service, according the documentation.

Leonard’s next D.C. court hearing is scheduled for Aug. 29. Leonard said that if he completes the community service and pays $1,500, the case may be dropped.

Public Safety offered him the opportunity to downgrade his charges from a felony to a misdemeanor if he confessed and named a co-conspirator, Leonard said in an interview. Gray declined to comment on further details of the interrogation.

Leonard allegedly confessed to Gray and Public Safety Manager of Investigations Capt. Kevin Mason in the interrogation that he vandalized the machines in protest of Coca-Cola’s labor practices and was inspired by the “Campaign to Stop Killer Coke,” Gray said.

Gray said he has “reason to believe [Leonard] was involved in all the vandalisms on campus.” More Coke machine vandalism occurred in Bender Arena, Mary Graydon Center and Asbury Building. The attacks often included cutting the power cords, filling credit card readers and coin slots with caulk and spray-painting the fronts.

DPS suspects Leonard based on CAUS affiliation

Public Safety originally named Leonard as a person of interest in part because of his connection to the Coalition of American University Students, an on-campus advocacy organization known for its protest of AU’s tuition hike, according to Gray.

“The MO, it fit for the type of causes [CAUS is] against,” Gray said.

Leonard allegedly implicated another member of CAUS, and Public Safety has named him a “person of interest,” according to Gray. But there was not enough material evidence to warrant a criminal conviction, Gray said.

CAUS Media Liaison Zachery Moore in an email statement denied that the organization has an agenda against Coca-Cola and said “to my knowledge” nobody else in CAUS knew about Leonard’s alleged vandalism.

“The fact that [P]ublic [S]afety considered membership in a politically active university club as a suspicious characteristic is outrageous,” Moore said in the email “...That its membership is being targeted in activities completely unrelated to the CAUS is extremely disconcerting.”

“I literally had no idea that any of that was going on…utterly nothing,” said Niusha Nawab, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a member of CAUS.

During the four-hour long investigation, Leonard claimed the charges against him were not read to him, nor was he allowed to see the warrant.

“They didn’t really tell me what I thought I should know, especially with what I was being charged with,” Leonard said.

However, Gray said that Leonard never asked to see the charges or the arrest warrant.

‘He was informed of the arrest warrant and his rights and standard investigative questions were used during his processing,” AU Associate Director of Media Relations Maralee Csellar said in an email.

Leonard was read his Miranda rights, according to Leonard and Gray.

Leonard in jail and Student Conduct

Leonard spent the night of April 9 at the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency.

AU is not suing Leonard because he confessed, cooperated and had no previous record, according to Gray.

Leonard had a one-on-one meeting with the Director of Student Conduct and Resolution Services Rosie McSweeney and a hearing officer on May 3, he said in an interview with The Eagle before the conference. Requests to Leonard for a follow-up interview after the interview were unanswered.

According to the Student Conduct System guidelines, AU can give Leonard a warning, censure him, put him on probation or have him pay restitution if the officer and Dean of Students Rob Hradsky decide he is responsible for violating the Student Conduct Code.

The Student Conduct Code prohibits, “intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging university property or the property of others.”

Leonard has the option to appeal the decision.

zcohen@theeagleonline.com

As a director, Luhrmann can be divisive amongst moviegoers. After the questionable outing that was the arduous “Australia,” it’s surprising to see him make a film like “The Great Gatsby.” Although on the surface it seems gaudy and flamboyant, it has a reserved center, displaying a maturity in Luhrmann’s direction.

Luhrmann reunites with a fuller faced Leonardo DiCaprio (“Django Unchained”) 17 years after his neon fantasy version of “Romeo + Juliet.” Considering the over-the-top parties Gatsby throws, it’s not hard to see how Luhrmann was attracted to F.Scott Fitzgerald’s generation defining novel.

The plot of the film remains the same as the novel, though with an added embellishment. The film frames the story with Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire, “Spider Man”) as he sequesters himself into a rehab. Carraway, filled with alcohol and regrets, seeks help when his doctor suggests he write to calm his nerves.

Recalling his memory by actually writing “The Great Gatsby,” Carraway retells the events of moving to West Egg, Long Island. Unknown to him, Carraway has set down next to the enigmatic Gatsby’s mansion.

Eventually, Gatsby asks Carraway if he would invite Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan, “Drive”) for tea. Carraway, who sees this as an opportunity to show a kind gesture of friendship toward Gatsby, sets off a chain of events that lead to Gatsby’s demise.

Luhrmann lets Fitzgerald’s work speak for itself, knowing full well that the strength of the novel is in the power of its words.

At times, the screenwriting duo of Craig Pierce (“Moulin Rouge!”) and Luhrmann draws parallels a little too closely to the life of Fitzgerald. Luhrmann culls from Fitzgerald’s life and letters in order to address the opulence that surrounds Gatsby’s world.

The script connects the real life friendship between Ernest Hemingway and Fitzgerald by fictionalizing it in the Hemingway-esque character of Tom Buchanan, that Joel Edgerton (“The Thing”) plays as a booming brute, and deconstructing Fitzgerald’s personality between Carraway and Gatsby. This tenuous relationship eventually coalesces into an explosive confrontation over Daisy.

DiCaprio’s performance as the golden haired midwestern boy who struck it big and eventually retreated to his empire of extravagance is more humanizing than Robert Redford’s performance in Jack Clayton’s version of “The Great Gatsby.” Redford was at the pinnacle of his golden boy persona but was icy and too reserved. Dicaprio finds Gatsby’s emotional core and exerts it for all its delirious net worth.

The weakest link, though, is unfortunately the source of Gatsby’s obsession. Mulligan simply doesn’t embody the character of Daisy well enough to make the audience believe that Gatsby would dedicate his life to resurrecting the past in order to blaze a future for them. Compared with Mia Farrow’s performance in the aforementioned Clayton version, with her sharpened cheekbones, and a voice that literally sounded “full of money,” as Fitzgerald described, in Farrow the audience believed that a man would go to great lengths to win her over. In Mulligan, we do not.

It’s also evident that much care went into recreating 1920’s New York. From Simon Duggan’s slick, expressive cinematography to Jay-Z’s curated soundtrack, production design by Luhrmann’s wife, Catherine Martin, and an evocative score by Craig Armstrong, the set becomes fevered, but believable. Luhrmann ties it together with references to films such as Alexander Mackendrick’s “Sweet Smell of Success” to Billy Wilder’s “Sunset Boulevard.”

Much ballyhoo has been made about the 3D element, which seems like a novel idea at first. But the limits of the technology are evident. Blurry shots and unfocused backgrounds make the picture fall flat.

Luhrmann and Piece’s script tries to fit in as many motifs of the original novel as possible, including the eyes of doctor T.J. Eckelberg hovering over the fiery expanse between New York and West Egg. Luhrmann also includes the troubled relationship between Myrtle and her husband George Wilson, played by Isla Fisher (“Rango”) and Jason Clarke (“Zero Dark Thirty”), respectively.

But the film attempts to fit in as much as possible. At a hefty 143 minutes, it feels muddled at times.

Suppose Luhrmann was intrigued by Fitzgerald’s novel the same way he was attracted to Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” Parallels between the two narratives unhinge at the limits of the character’s grasp of control. The machinations of a few small acts condemn both Romeo and Gatsby to their death.

Though “Romeo and Juliet ” was a tragedy about the irrationality of youth, Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” is about the projection of hope and the eventual victims of excessive hubris. Our hopes remain out of our grasp, like Gatsby’s silhouette trapped looking across the Long Island sound upon that shimmering green light.

We, too, are borne back, ceaselessly into the past.

dkahen-kashi@theeagleonline.com

Prior to Georgetown, Brennan was an assistant for two years under Jones, the same two years that saw the Eagles win back-to-back Patriot League Championships and subsequently berths in the NCAA Tournament.

“I want American University to be synonymous with ‘those guys go to the tournament every year,’” Brennan said about his goals at AU at a press conference April 30 in Bender Arena. “That’s our goal, and that’s going to be our goal every single year.”

Jones departed AU after 12 seasons to become the Head Coach at Old Dominion University earlier in April.

The search committee that selected Brennan consisted of many of the same individuals who helped in the hiring of new athletic director Billy Walker.

Brennan was selected from a group of finalists that included University of Virginia assistant Jason Williford and former Lehigh and Ball State Head Coach Billy Taylor, according to Ben Standig of CSN Washington.

“We had some unbelievably fantastic candidates, but Mike quickly rose to the top,” Walker said at the press conference.

Walker added that he wanted the next head coach to have integrity, excellent basketball IQ and the ability to relate to the AU community and recruit.

“Mike hit all four out of the park,” Walker said.

The hiring is the first major decision for Walker, who has been on the job for just 11 days.

Brennan will take over an AU squad that finished with its worst record under Jones since the 2000-2001.

“I’m looking forward to coaching these guys, and I think we can be competitive and good right away,” Brennan said.

AU will return next winter with some talent, most notably with center Tony Wroblicky and guard John Schoof, who led the nation in three-point scoring.

“It’s been a tough process, we’ve been really restless just waiting to get a new coach,” Schoof said following the press conference. “We are all really just ready to get back to work. It’s going to be an adjustment, but we will work to get to know coach Brennan.”

One of the first tasks facing Brennan is assembling his coaching staff. Brennan said that he had not selected anyone yet and that current AU associate head coach Kieran Donohue was being considered. Donohue has been at AU for 13 seasons.

Additionally, Brennan said he will begin both recruiting for the Class of 2014 and ensuring that players with current letters of intent decide to join the Eagles in the fall.

Brennan served under John Thompson III at Georgetown for the last four seasons.

A graduate of Princeton University, Brennan played on the team that captured two Ivy League titles. Brennan was named Second Team All-Ivy League in 1994.

He would return to Princeton to serve as an assistant coach and leading the Tigers to three more Ivy League Championships.

esaltzman@theeagleonline.com

The alternative rock group made a scene in the Tavern with electronic light up suits and a confetti cannon that shot 100 pounds of confetti over the course of the show.

Opening with “Do What You Want” and “White Knuckles,” OK Go performed in front of a crowd of about 200, stopping periodically between songs with Kulash asking the crowd for questions, chiding the AU students and guests that filled slightly over half the Tavern.

After singing “Happy Birthday” to a concertgoer, Kulash noted that his parents were in the audience and talked about the musical acts he saw in D.C. growing up such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, drawing a wave of applause.

The band’s electric guitar riffs throughout many songs were a popular part of the evening, along with a performance of “Return” using handbells. But the real highlights were the opening bars of the electric guitar during “Here It Goes Again”, OK Go’s most popular song, which was popularized by the band’s famous treadmill music video. The upbeat tone and pace of the song had the audience cheering and jumping for the length of the song.

After playing “A Million Ways” and “Get Over It,” the crowd genuinely was excited, sticking around near the stage after the band played their last track. A cheer of “one more song” echoed throughout the half-empty Tavern as the small but dedicated group of fans encouraged OK Go back onto the stage.

The band came back onto the stage with electronic lights on the back of their suits that read “OK Go” and launched into the final set of the evening.

The final song was “This Too Shall Pass,” another track that had a clever music video, this time featuring an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine. Kulash had the crowd sing the chorus of the song while the band played, drawing cheers.

For a group that has played at large music festivals including Firefly, Outside Lands and Lollapalooza, OK Go drew a small turnout.

But those who chose to go enjoyed listening to a band that has defined and subsequently recreated the early years of viral music videos.

dlim@theeagleonline.com

We appreciate your interest in the ongoing investigation of our chapter. However, there are numerous points in last week’s Eagle article that were factually inaccurate. We as an organization would like for the record to be set straight in regards to our transgressions and actions moving forward.

In recent weeks, our organization has been under investigation for hazing by the University and our national organization. That we do not deny, and we take full culpability for those actions in question.

At no time have we ever required or forced any person to smoke or intake any narcotics or alcohol as part of our new member process. We have never believed those things should define the character of a man, nor his eligibility into our organization.

However, many of the instances of hazing, as reported by The Eagle, were initiated by a former brother of the fraternity. When the organization became aware of his actions, this member was expelled for his behavior and removed from the national organization. We view these actions as disgusting, despicable and not indicative of our values.

We ask, moving forward, that the AU community accept our apology for tarnishing the reputation of not only TKE, but of the Greek community as a whole.

Despite what has happened, the members of TKE will continue to make positive contributions to the AU and D.C. community. A few examples of our contributions in the past have been:

•Raising more than $20,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the past three years

•3,000 hours of community service the past three years

•Helping start and hold e-board positions in many different clubs and communities on campus

•Members have been part of the TKE National Organization committees and councils

•Helping to actively foster a more inclusive Greek community

•Done our best both on an individual and organizational level to contribute to the greater AU campus

•Participation in philanthropy and service events organized by other organizations

We pledge to cooperate with the University, as we have always done. We ask you, the AU community, to give us your support moving forward.

We look forward to again becoming a chapter in good standing that stays true to the ideals of our founders: love, charity and esteem.

Thank you,

Elliot Jeffords

Tau Kappa Epsilon American University

Holy Cross exploded out of the gate, with Sara Hennessey scoring three goals within the first eight minutes of the game. Kat Sutton and Laura Ryan scored a goal apiece following Hennessey’s hat trick, putting the score at 5-0 in Holy Cross’s favor.

Alex Lugovina and Emily Maher were each able to score for the Eagles before the end of the first half, and the score stood at 5-2 at halftime.

AU (8-10, 5-1 PL) came out of halftime with a clear sense of urgency, with Kimberly Collins scoring once and Lugovina scoring twice to knot the score at 5-5.

After both teams traded goals to put the score at 6-6, Holy Cross’s Ryan and Taylor Zebrowski each scored to give the Crusaders a two-goal lead.

Collins was able to score with just under four minutes to go in the game to put AU within one point, but the Eagles could not score again, and the Crusaders pulled out the win.

Lugovina led AU with three goals. Collins chipped in with two goals and one assist. Goalie Teal Harrison added four saves, while Olivia Mangan collected two ground balls.

Hennessey led the Crusaders with three goals. Goalie Sarah Weber added four saves, and Corinne Caracausa collected two ground balls for the team.

Even though the Eagles lost, the 2013 season was a memorable one. Harrison was named PL Rookie of the Year. Collins, Laura Dawson and Maher were named to the First Team All Patriot League Team, while Harrison and Samantha Marshall earned Second Team honors.

The Eagles had their best season in five years, and their returning players and coaching staff puts the team in a great position for the 2014 season.

sports@theeagleonline.com

My friend’s statuses about Take Back the Night informed me that Sigma Phi Epsilon, a fraternity on campus, would be proudly co-sponsoring this event.

My first thought when I saw this was: Wow, that’s awesome! The more groups that show their support of sexual assault prevention and awareness, the better, and especially if it is from a group of men on campus.

However, after immediately doing more research, my excitement quickly turned into disappointment. I found out that Sigma Phi Epsilon, as wonderful as it was that a brotherhood was co-sponsoring this important event, was the only fraternity in the Inter-Fraternity Council on AU’s campus to cosponsor Take Back the Night. Out of the 13 recognized IFC members, 12 of them were not publicly participating.

To preface this, there are many men that I know, in other organizations that are co-sponsoring Take Back the Night, that will be at the event and who are proud of co-sponsoring it. Among these include Men of Strength, men a part of Alpha Phi Omega, and many other men who will come alone to stand in solidarity with these victims, because they too can be victims.

Overall though, the number of victims of sexual assault are overwhelmingly women. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, for every “1,000 women attending their institutions, there may well be 35 incidents of rape in a given academic year (based on a victimization rate of 35.3 per 1,000 college women). For a campus with 10,000 women, this would mean the number of rapes could exceed 350.”

There were far more women’s organizations than men’s and, from my own observations being there and looking around, be far more women in attendance (just as there was last year), than men. So, why is it a problem that 12 out of the 13 men-only organizations in the IFC are co-sponsoring Take Back the Night?

Just last year, on the day of Take Back the Night 2012, the VP of IFC made a Facebook status stating that the women participating in the event were “inexplicably angry women.” This year, a group of certain fraternity brothers wore shirts to the Jacobs Fitness Center that stated, “please don’t feed the sorority girls…Campus Beautification,” which in and of itself, is harassment against women.

We don’t just see this sort of aggression and harsh discourse regarding women in fraternity men. No, it’s somehow become part of our culture for many men, affiliated or non-affiliated, to see this issue of sexual assault and rape as only a women’s issue.

Well guess what, it’s not a women’s issue.

In March 2010, former Eagle columnist, Alex Knepper, implied that rape is in the control of women when he stated, “‘Date rape’, is an incoherent concept ... Sex isn’t about contract-signing. It’s about spontaneity, raw energy and control (or its counterpart, surrender) ... Feminists don’t understand history, psychology, biology or sexuality.”

In accordance with Knepper’s statements, saying that rape and sexual assault is a women’s issue implies that it is something that women are causing and thus having to live with and take care of. Saying it’s a women’s issue implies that men are completely off the hook for any and all sort of sexual crimes.

This discourse around sexual assault and rape as being the fault of the women and the absence of most men in the discussion has to end in order for any progress to be made. Sure, after the incident last year regarding the ignorant Facebook post, the IFC made a public statement saying that they did not endorse this post and that they take sexual assault very seriously. Sure, the fraternity that caused the incident this year made the same public statement saying that they did not support those t-shirts and they felt it was wrong to send that message of public harassment of women.

It’s very easy to apologize and hindsight is 20-20, but progress in the realm of sexual assault, all assault for that matter, will only be made when our campus can have proactive support from all of the male organizations on campus, making this issue be seen publicly as less of a women’s issue and more of an everyone’s issue.

Tamara Stein is a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs and Joanna Rosenhein is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

edpage@theeagleonline.com

“Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity’s vision is that we are ‘Better Men for a Better World,’” Babine said in an April 25 press release. “Reported behavior of the local chapter and its men is not representative of our fraternity’s ideals nor do we believe it is representative of the high ideals expected by the American University community.”

TKE is not eliminating the possibility of reopening the fraternity at AU and would work with AU to re-establish a colony and chapter of “value-based American men” on campus, Babine said in the release.

The decision to close AU’s chapter was based on a four-month-long joint investigation by the University and TKE International of the alleged hazing practices, Babine said in a phone interview with The Eagle. Babine informed AU Dean of Students Rob Hradsky of the chapter’s closure at 4:45 p.m.

The closure process depends on the type and severity of misconduct and whether it is a chapter-wide or individual issue, Babine said.

Closing AU’s Upsilon-Omicron chapter means TKE cannot hold meetings or recruit more men as an organization at the University. The status of individuals as members of the fraternity depends upon the outcome of AU’s ongoing disciplinary hearings, Babine said.

The international organization considers a chapter separate from its members in disciplinary matters, Babine said. A brother can still be considered a member of the fraternity even when his chapter is closed.

Brothers may continue to wear clothing with TKE’s Greek letters and attend TKE International social events such as conventions and alumni association meetings unless AU imposes sanctions to disallow individual memberships, Babine said.

An article published in The Eagle on April 25 detailed the alleged hazing based on evidence from five active TKE brothers who asked to remain anonymous. Nearly all 5,000 copies of the April 25 edition of The Eagle went missing from news stands across campus beginning at 9:30 a.m., The Eagle reported later in the day.

“Their behavior is not becoming of the organization, it does not represent the organization,” Babine said. “We have no place for this type of hazing or this type of men ... In my fraternity, this is not acceptable.”

As of publication, Chapter President Phil Seggio, AU Interfraternity Council President Dan Kerins and AU Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Curtis Burrill had not responded to requests for comment sent after business hours.

“Our goal is to eradicate those members and get them out,” Babine said of brothers who commit acts that violate the fraternity’s constitution.

TKE International did not seek an agreement with the University to close the chapter before acting because they wanted to end the brothers’ “unacceptable behavior” immediately, according to Babine. The international organization normally works with the school to close a chapter rather than on its own, he said.

TKE International closed four chapters and opened 14 chapters in 2012, Babine said.

“I personally hope [AU does] adjudicate and deliver the sanctions for the individual actions,” Babine said.” [The brothers] need to have that information before they head home or wherever they’re going next.”

rkaras@theeagleonline.com

Stacks of the latest issue of The Eagle have disappeared from the stands the morning of April 25.

Newspapers are missing from the stands in the Ward Circle building, Anderson Hall, MGC, Letts Hall, the School of International Service, the library, the East Quad Building, Battelle-Tomkins Building and Hurst Building.

Stacks can still be found in McDowell Hall and Katzen Arts Center as of 4:45 p.m.

Brothers of the then-AU chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon allegedly sent out teams, including the newly, unofficially initiated brothers, to “raid” the newspaper stands before the community could see the paper, a TKE brother who requested anonymity told The Eagle. It is the same brother who made allegations that TKE brothers engaged in hazing.

The order allegedly came from the members of the TKE executive board. The brothers took the papers from the stacks and took them off campus to be thrown away, the brother said.

Brothers allegedly started removing papers at 9:30 a.m., he said.

The brother did not know if TKE members had plans for the story on the website, but he said they are calling it an invasion of privacy.

Gabe Fridkis, a brother in TKE, said he did not know about members of the fraternity removing papers from the stand.

He said he could see why people were upset, because the article said “untrue” things about the fraternity.

Jake Carias, a brother in TKE, said he believes much of the information published in the article was false and said that he warned The Eagle that the information came from unreliable sources. 

Carias said in a phone conversation with The Eagle that he stole “all your f[*****g] newspapers” and that he would have fun burning them. He admitted to taking 20 or 30 copies of the paper.

At least three members of TKE, identified by their letters when approached by The Eagle, declined to comment.

An investigation by the Department of Public Safety, at the request of The Eagle, is ongoing.

Individuals with knowledge of the papers’ whereabouts should contact the Department of Public Safety at 202-885-2527.

The Eagle prints 5,000 copies of its weekly edition. About 150 are accounted for and are now in The Eagle’s office in Mary Graydon Center. One stack of those recovered newspapers was found by Eagle staff in a recycling bin on the first floor of the University Library’s main stairwell.

The total value of the print circulation this week, including advertising revenue as well as printing and delivery costs, was valued at $4,100, according to Eagle Business Manager Jake Kelderman. 

Papers are delivered to buildings on the main Quad, residence halls, Tenley campus, the Washington College of Law and a few off-campus buildings, including WAMU’s office, said Adam Blech, who delivers the papers every Thursday during the academic year.

It takes Blech about an hour and half to deliver the papers around campus. He did not notice missing papers when he finished his round at Katzen Arts Center and Nebraska Hall, he said. This morning, he said he finished delivering the papers on campus at 9:30 a.m.

“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Blech said of his rounds. “Business as usual.”

When Blech went to the library after a class he noticed that the stack of papers he delivered an hour and a half before were gone, he said.

The April 25 edition of The Eagle was the last one of the academic year and the last weekly edition of the campus newspaper, which has printed since 1925.

news@theeagleonline.com

The University has failed in its ability to mediate hazing rituals, and it’s the AU community that will suffer.

The AU chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon was reprimanded last year for hazing pledges. However, these charges have resurfaced and, in fact, have gotten worse.

Things are bad within the TKE fraternity. Brothers are fighting with each other, pledges are forced to find their way home without cellphones from Maryland and verbal and physical abuses are committed time and time again.

So much for the University cracking down on hazing.

Not to mention that the brother in charge of all of this is not technically allowed to be a brother. He has not been a student since fall 2011, and according to Greek life regulations all members must be enrolled AU students. That’s right, the pledge master is a super, super senior spending his time creating hazing rituals that are beyond disgusting.

We know hazing is bad, all AU students understand that. Anyone can distinguish right from wrong in hazing rituals and know that being forced to drink alcohol and being marched into the woods blindfolded is not a good idea.

The problem is not the hazing, it’s the fact that the University let it get this bad.

How is it that freshmen boys are continuously forced to smoke marijuana and no one is doing anything about it? Supposedly, the Interfraternity Council is there to keep Greek organizations from hazing.

The Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution is also there to help mitigate these situations. But both have failed entirely.

These allegations are not a secret. TKE has been investigated by The Eagle,, the University and by TKE National. The University has known about TKE’s abusive hazing for a year.

AU cannot defend itself on this one. It just let the issue slide.

The University will face repercussions for letting these obscene hazing rituals go unchecked. Prospective students are making their final decisions, and the bad reputation this will give AU may sway their decisions.

Yet TKE’s actions create a horrendous and unfair portrayal of Greek life at AU. Not all Greek organizations are like TKE. Fraternity life can be a rewarding experience, if done honorably and legally.

It is simply unfortunate that the actions of a few will reflect on all of Greek life.

Responsibility needs to be taken for the minimal investigation done this year. The University has an obligation to let students know what is going on and to let future pledges know what they are getting into. AU needed to step in before it got this bad, but they can still step in now and give the incoming freshmen the opportunity to stay away from dangerous fraternities.

Fraternity brothers also owe it to themselves to protect incoming members. The five whistleblowers who came forward to the University should be commended, and more should follow in their path. If Greek life is ever going to be policed, part of it will have to be done by the organizations themselves.

Laws need to be made, and enforced, to protect AU students. The last thing we want is news of some freshman boy passed out in the middle of Maryland next Welcome Week. ≠ E

edpage@theeagleonline.com

AU’s chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon is the subject of a University hazing investigation for the second time in the past year, according to members of the fraternity.

Five of its brothers accused the fraternity of physically and verbally abusing pledges. Alleged practices include forcing pledges to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana; do planks, wall sits, pushups and extensive walking; drink an entire gallon of milk in one hour or less (known as the “gallon challenge”); eat an entire jar of mayonnaise; and other tasks detailed by an active brother of TKE who asked to remain anonymous.

Hazing this extensive has been common practice since the Upsilon-Omicron chapter’s inception at AU in 2008, according to the anonymous member.

“We decided to come forward to the school as a group because we realized that this hazing would continue unless we acted,” five TKE brothers who asked for anonymity, including the brother mentioned above, said in a collective email to The Eagle. All five brothers separately confirmed their support of the statement. “We thought the hazing would be over last spring after being put on probation, but it only got more severe. We all went through the hazing ourselves, in the year that we pledged, and do not want to see others be hazed and insulted like that. We are the minority.”

Tau Kappa Epsilon International Chief of Staff Pat Gleason confirmed an investigation was underway, saying Director of Standards Adam Kearns recently visited AU and is looking into the allegations.

“We are partnering with the University and are fully cooperative to make sure that what is going on at the University is what should be going on,” Gleason said. “If any of our members have acted against our code of conduct or against any state or federal law, we will work with the University to make sure they are disciplined for their actions.”

Kearns did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.

“TKE nationals did not put an end to this and instead defended our chapter when we were accused of hazing last spring, and it is disturbing to see the national organization defending the practices they swear to abolish,” the anonymous group of TKE members told The Eagle in their email. “You would think they would do something when the same brothers are accused of hazing again and again, and this year, there is direct evidence implicating the accused.”

Notifying the University

Four active TKE brothers first notified University officials of the alleged hazing practices in late January, according to emails shown to The Eagle. The brothers gave Dean of Students Rob Hradsky and the Office of Student Conduct and Resolution evidence of hazing within the organization that dates back to fall 2011, the anonymous brother said.

“We hope that coming forward with this new evidence will shed some truth on the situation our fraternity experienced last year, and expose those who are truly at fault,” the anonymous group said in the email.

The fraternity’s actions are documented in photographs, audio recordings, chapter meeting minutes and screenshots of Facebook posts and chats. The Eagle obtained copies of this evidence on April 19.

“The current leadership of the chapter all supports hazing practices, and they hold secret events without alerting the rest of the chapter to haze the pledges,” the anonymous group told The Eagle in its email. “When we actively speak up against the hazing, we are told to ‘shut up’ and are not included, or even told about pledge events.”

University policy defines hazing as a “physical or psychological . . . intentional act or method of initiation . . . subjects another person, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, to conduct that may injure, abuse, humiliate, harass, or intimidate that person.”

Chapter President Phil Seggio and four other members of the fraternity declined to comment.

Reports of forced hikes, alcohol

At events called “tuck-ins,” members of an unidentified AU sorority were allegedly invited by TKE brothers to strip the fraternity pledges down to their underwear, tie them to chairs and ask questions such as, “What is our sorority flower?” and “What’s my sibling’s middle name?” according to the anonymous brother.

Pledges allegedly had bottles of alcohol poured down their throats as punishment for giving incorrect answers, the brother said.

“They’re things you’d never have any idea how to answer,” he said. “The end goal is to get them puking.”

Around 11 p.m. one night in February, TKE brothers were said to have stripped pledges of their cell phones and wallets, blindfolded and drove them to Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda, Md., the anonymous brother said. Brothers allegedly told the pledges to get out of the vehicles and then made them walk for about 10 minutes into the woods. The pledges were allegedly then told to perform push-ups and squats, while the brothers snuck away and drove back to AU, he said.

View Larger Map
This map shows the alleged spot where pledges were taken and then compelled to walk back to campus, also marked.

When the pledges completed the physical tasks, they were allegedly left with a note that read, “Find your way home,” the brother said. Cabin John Regional Park is approximately 10 miles from AU.

In a Facebook chat conversation obtained by The Eagle, one member of the spring 2013 pledge class described going to sleep at 6:30 a.m. after a night of tasks, before having to wake up at 9:45 a.m.

“[A]pparently it’s a good idea to make pledges walk three miles, buy their own poster board, create their own ransom note letters, and force this all on them when half the pledge class has strep/the flu,” the pledge said in the chat.

“Ransom notes” are letters cut out from magazines and glued together to recreate a portion of TKE doctrine, according to the anonymous brother. No two letters are allowed to be the same style and the process takes eight to 10 hours, he said.

In a “line-up” on Feb. 28, brothers allegedly blindfolded the pledges and led them into the basement of the fraternity’s house, where they were drilled on TKE history and symbols, according to a brother who recorded and transcribed audio of the event.

Pledges were berated throughout the process, called “goddamn rodents” by one fraternity leader and singled out for verbal abuse if a question was answered incorrectly, according to a seven-minute audio recording of the line-up obtained by The Eagle. Brothers forced the pledges to perform push-ups and planks for incorrect answers as well.

The line-up lasted longer than two hours, according to the audio transcription obtained by The Eagle.

Allegedly, pounds of marijuana are often present in the fraternity house, and the drug is used to haze pledges, according to the anonymous brother. Chapter minutes obtained by The Eagle confirm the presence of pot in fraternity activity.

At a chapter meeting March 3, fraternity leaders allegedly planned to take the pledges to Battery Kemble Park on Nebraska Avenue NW on March 6 from midnight to 3 a.m., according to a transcript of the meeting obtained by The Eagle. Battery Kemble, known as the “dog park,” is about a mile from AU.

The brothers discussed how to avoid police in the area and said not to wear fraternity letters, as the park is closed after dusk and patrolled by the U.S. Park Police and D.C. police, according to the transcript. TKE has allegedly hidden pledges in the bushes to avoid law enforcement during hazing events, the anonymous brother said.

When discussing freshmen pledges’ midterm exams, a fraternity leader said only “minimal study hours” were needed and did not want to change the pledging process to accommodate exams, according to a transcript of a March 3 chapter meeting.

The University is also allegedly treating TKE’s rendition of the popular “Harlem Shake” YouTube videos as evidence of hazing, the anonymous brother said.

“So, I’ve been watching ‘Greek,’” one TKE brother said of the ABC Family television series in a private group post on Facebook on Nov. 13, 2011 obtained by The Eagle. “I realize why the fraternities on the show are so tame. None of the s*** we actually do could EVER be put on TV. Even the tame s***.”

Though the then-pledges supposedly voiced their disapproval with the process, TKE brothers allegedly threatened not to initiate anyone in the class who came forward with information about hazing, the anonymous brother said.

Pledges are blinded by the end goal of becoming a brother and are willing to endure hazing despite the physical and mental harm it causes, he said.

Unofficial pledges and brothers

TKE reported that it had 30 members as of Jan. 11, according to University Registrar records. Its spring 2013 pledge class was allegedly secretly initiated during the weekend of April 20, the anonymous member said.

The pledge class has 16 bids and five “ghost bids,” according to a private list obtained by The Eagle. A ghost bid is a student who is pledging without meeting the University’s academic standards required to participate in Greek life, according to an anonymous member.

Potential new members must complete 12 credit hours of courses, maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 and be in good standing with the University to join a Greek organization, according to the Student Activities website.

The TKE brother listed on the AU chapter’s website and referred to in the evidence as the “hegemon,” the executive board member in charge of the 2012-2013 pledging process, is not actively enrolled at AU, according to the University Registrar’s office. He has not been enrolled since fall 2011 but did not graduate. Fraternity rules state executive board members must be current students, according to the anonymous TKE brothers.

When asked for comment, the brother denied being the hegemon but would not say who currently holds the position.

University involvement

Hradsky, the dean of students, and Director of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution Rosie McSweeney said they could not confirm or deny an ongoing investigation into TKE’s behavior.

If a hazing complaint is brought forward, the Office of Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution reviews the information to determine what level of disciplinary action should be taken, McSweeney said. The Dean of Students office can also investigate such cases and is responsible for the care of and concern for students’ well-being throughout the process, she said.

Curtis Burrill, assistant director of fraternity and sorority life, said he is unable to comment on the situation.

AJ Custard, executive vice president of IFC, said that to his knowledge, the University has not notified the Council of a conduct violation by TKE. The IFC is not involved until the end of the process if the University finds an organization guilty of misconduct, he said.

Previous allegations

Four TKE members disaffiliated from the fraternity after the fall 2011 semester because they took issue with the alleged hazing practices, The Eagle previously reported. One brother was allegedly kicked out of the fraternity after requiring pledges to eat an entire onion in late March 2012.

Last spring, during an investigation by TKE nationals for hazing, certain members of the chapter leadership allegedly decided to try to blame the hazing on one specific member and attempted to kick him out of the group, five anonymous brothers said in a statement.

“The e-board leadership put together a false compilation of evidence against the member in an attempt to scapegoat him for the chapter so we did not get as harshly punished by nationals,” the anonymous group of TKE brothers said in their email. “We feel deeply sorry that this happened and sincerely wish that member did not have to experience that injustice.”

UPDATE: April 28, 5:28 p.m.

Assistant Vice President and Dean of Students Rob Hradsky submitted the following statement April 26.

“Hazing is antithetical to the values of American University and has no place on our campus. The university takes allegations of hazing seriously, and aggressively investigates all matters brought to our attention in accordance with the American University Hazing Policy. All members of the university community are expected to report allegations of hazing to the Office of the Dean of Students and/or the Department of Public Safety.”

“When an incident is reported to the university, a “cease and desist” order is issued to the alleged organization or party effectively ending all communication and activity among members pending the outcome of an investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, alleged violations of the Hazing Policy are forwarded to the Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution Services office for resolution. Typical sanctions for hazing involve suspension or dismissal from the university. It is the policy of the university not to comment on specific hazing allegations during the course of an investigation and while matters are being resolved through the Student Conduct Code.”

“It is our understanding that the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity’s national headquarters closed the Upsilon-Omicron chapter at American University effective April 25, 2013, and that they have suspended all members of the chapter.”

rkaras@theeagleonline.com

Isn�t life lovely sometimes?

These are the some of the stories that students wrote and directed themselves in a project for the Department of Performing Arts for their senior capstone titled “And They All…Six Grim(m) Transformations” playing in the Katzen Studio Theatre April 25 to 27.

And boy are they grim.

Adapted from the stories of the Brothers Grimm and modified through the various lenses of the students� imaginations, there are moments in which “And They All…” will promise to shock, thrill and disturb the audience.

Cara Gabriel, assistant professor in the DPA and a director of the segment “Freddy and Cathy,” said that the show was inspired by various areas which the students had to study in class.

“We looked at theater that was inspired by real life events, historical events,” Gabriel said. “Theater that�s inspired by another play. So we studied all these things in class and then the students, six students, each wrote one 10-minute play based on one of those areas.”

“And They All…” features music by New York-based composer Kristen Lee Rosenfeld and some lyrics for a few of the songs by her collaborator and mother, Luanne Aronen Rosenfeld.

The process of writing and producing the production began when Gabriel asked her students what they wanted to do their capstone on. Seniors had to synthesize all they learned over the course of the semester and their years and AU. They controlled the production from script to stage.

One of the students suggested Grimm�s Fairy Tales and the creative process took flight.

“So they brought in news stories, they brought in playwrights, and someone suggested Grimm�s fairy tales and when I went home over winter break I thought, you know, there are so many Grimm�s fairy tales that we could do anything with that,” Gabriel said.

Molly Riddles, College of Arts and Sciences and School of Communication senior and writer of the multifaceted tragedy segment of “Pink,” the story of a Mark (played by CAS senior Matthew Ingraham), a father, whose daughter passes away in a homicide leaving him a broken man, with CAS and SOC senior Jenny Christine Haining and CAS senior Adrianne Morrow-Jones in the supporting roles, said she was inspired by news events and history in order to craft the tale for the capstone.

“I worked closely with the dramaturge, [CAS senior] Erin Hannigan, and we looked really closely at interviews and photographs of people who lived through things like this, and a lot of what they were experiencing was just rage,” Riddles said. “So originally, I didn�t have that and I realized that I had to explore [the character�s] emotions a lot deeper and really give him justice as far as what he was really feeling. I wanted to make it honest.”

Grimm�s stories might not be for everyone since they bely savage roots and contain moralistic tales, but “And They All…” showcases the worst and best of the fallible efforts in the human condition.

April 25-27, 8 p.m.

american.tix.com

dkahen-kashi@theeagleonline.com

Since 1925, The Eagle has been the campus’s main source of news, recording all of the major decisions that have shaped the history of the University.

As I alluded to back in January, financial pressures have compelled us to take a look at our expenses, and, like many other newspapers, we can no longer afford a weekly print edition. Advertising revenue, our only source of revenue, has decreased substantially over the years. We cut circulation from twice a week to weekly in 2010, and further cuts have left our technology woefully obsolete.

But this is not the end of The Eagle. Not by a long shot.

It is our goal to continue to print, but with much less regularity than what you’ve seen in years past. Over the summer, Editor-in-Chief-elect Paige Jones and I will craft a business and editorial strategy that uses monthly or semesterly publications and a daily website, all dependent on the funding we can secure from Student Media Board, advertisers and donors.

We are in the digital era, and we all know it. This “digital-first” strategy will not only allow you to access The Eagle on multiple platforms, but it will also provide you with the opportunity to experience stories with not only words, but with video, photos, graphics and more.

However, we cannot successfully make this transition without your input. Fill out our short survey online so that we may incorporate your opinion into our transition. We want to hear what you would like to see from your student newspaper.

The Eagle is not dying. It is simply changing form. We mourned the end of the typewriter, and now we embrace the tablet computer. Paper maps have been replaced by GPS and Google. 

And we’ve never looked back.

All of those relics of years past, including weekly print editions, hold a special place in our hearts, both as journalists and readers. But the future is here, and we’re not waiting any longer to join the 21st century.

Zach C. Cohen is the editor-in-chief of The Eagle.

zcohen@theeagleonline.com

The sorority is the newest NPC addition to the University since Chi Omega joined in 1993.

“This is really exciting,” Burrill said. “It’s a great opportunity for women who didn’t find a place within our current community to potentially be a part of Panhellenic as a founding member of an organization, which is a unique experience.”

Delegates from the current seven Panhellenic Council sororities voted on April 23 to bring in Alpha Xi Delta over Kappa Kappa Gamma and Sigma Kappa. They also voted to bring Sigma Kappa within 3-5 years if Panhellenic sorority numbers reflect demand for another organization.

The decision caps a year-long process to put a new group on campus. Fifteen of the 19 NPC sororities not at AU applied to begin a chapter at AU in August, and the process costs each national chapter between $8,000 and $10,000, according to Burrill.

Outgoing President of the AU Panhellenic Council and School of Public Affairs senior Rachel Jones could not be reached for comment in time for publication.

dmitchell@theeagleonline.com

Daniel Abraham, associate professor in the Department of Performing Arts, conducted the AU Chamber Orchestra and Singers through this and another famous baroque composition on April 19 and 20 for “Bold Baroque.” The concert in the Abramson Family Recital Hall featured works by Handel and Antonio Vivaldi.

The “Dixit Dominus” showcases Handel’s earliest choral writing.

The program began when Abraham was working with two Russian orchestras for the groups to perform with. Although some suggested Aaron Copland and Mozart, they eventually settled on Baroque period music due to its reviving popularity.

“I got a response from the Russians that said ‘Oh my God, people here love Baroque music and there’s not enough performed,’” Abraham said. “And we’re hearing more and more of it and there are some real performance period practice things starting to grow in Russia. It’s very new, but I basically received a message that said people tend to flock to these baroque programs.”

The Vivaldi piece entitled “Gloria, RV 589” is known for its more jovial string passages, though contrapuntal to that is the “Dixit Dominus,” based on the Latin Psalm 110, which contains areas that have elongated intonations, making it a challenging piece for singers to contend with.

The AU Chamber orchestra, which just began resurfacing in the past couple years, went on a hiatus from 2006.

“There hasn’t been an active chamber orchestra till last fall, with Yaniv Dinur, the new AU conductor.” Abraham said. “He’s been putting this chamber orchestra in more of an active role.”

The Dixit Dominus was the centerpiece of the night, featuring elaborate choral passages performed by College of Arts and Sciences senior Jennifer Glinzak.

“It’s very youthful,” Abraham said. “It’s filled with a sense of the German cantorial tradition of Bach in that harmonies are quite complex, the counterpoint is very robust and [Handel] took that spirit of his youth to Italy for three years when he was touring and learning the craft of writing vocal music. This work was, in essence, one of the crowning achievements at the end of his three years of his pilgrimage to the land of voices.”

The program of “Bold Baroque” is a celebration of two masterworks by two incredible accomplished composers and pleased the palate of classical aficionados.

dkahen-kashi@theeagleonline.com

The twist: Phillip and Elizabeth are both KGB operatives posing as American civilians in order to sabotage the U.S. government.

It�s a juicy premise that invites the audience to root for characters who would usually be the villains.

Further complicating matters is the tremendous Noah Emmerich (“Warrior”) as Stan Beeman, a morally confused FBI agent who lives across the street.

This show provides ample suspense, potent action and superb visuals, but it also provides a complex portrait of marriage at varying degrees of authenticity.

As Phillip and Elizabeth try to figure out how much they love each other—- if at all—- “The Americans” remains one of the most exciting shows on the television landscape. It airs on Wednesdays on FX at 10p.m.

mlieberman@theeagleonline.com