Volume 21 Issue 8 October 9, 1998 |
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Contents:
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NEWS |
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Students apprehend suspect
Auraria students restrained a man Oct. 2 after a female student was assaulted with a stun gun in a women's restroom on campus. Denver Police arrested Ulises Vier-Solis on suspicion of a felony assault. Police reports said he used a stun gun on a student in the West Classroom women's bathroom on the first floor. Emi Ichihara, a 23-year-old Spring International Student from Japan, said a man used a stun gun on her right shoulder and fled the restroom when she screamed. Around 2 p.m. several students near the restroom heard her scream and some of the male students chased 28-year-old Vier-Solis to the Technology Building, where they held him until campus police arrived, said Denver Police reports. Ichihara did not need medical help and, through a translator, told police what happened. Witnesses near the restroom identified Vier-Solis as the attacker, although Ichihara couldn't positively identify Vier-Solis. A witness, Charles Mackey, saw Vier-Solis run out of the West Classroom and told the students chasing Vier-Solis he was in the Technology Building. The two students who found Vier-Solis and cornered him until help arrived. "(Vier-Solis) didn't put up a fight as far as I could tell," Mackey said. Originally, five male students split up to look for Vier-Solis, according to Mackey, who said that he was glad to see students helping the victim. "That was a reassuring thing to see, people coming to the women's aid," Mackey said. Vier-Solis, who is not an Auraria student, said he used a stun gun on Ichihara because he wanted to see how it worked, according to Denver Police reports. On Oct. 3, Vier-Solis was released
on a $3,000 bail and has a court hearing at Denver County Jail on Oct.
16. |
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2 year old OK after accident A 2-year-old girl is back in her class at Auraria's Child Care Center after being admitted to Childrens' Hospital Oct. 1 for an injury to her fingers. A shed door on the playground at the center closed onto the child's fingers, severing the tip of her middle right-hand finger and bruising another, said Mary McCain, the assistant director of the Child Care Center. The staff immediately applied bandages to the injury and called 911, said Gina Hamelin, the center's director. Paramedics and a staff member took the child, Madeline Stull, to the hospital. "The staff did a commendable job in reacting to the situation," Hamelin said. "I'm proud of the staff," she added. Family members were notified and have expressed their gratitude for the staff's professionalism and quick response, said Dick Feurborn, the director of Facilities Planning and Use. Anna Stull, the child's mother, said, "I'm pleased with the center's handling of the emergency." Hamelin requires all staff members to be trained in CPR and first aid, she said. Training classes in CPR and first aid are provided three times a year to the staff, so their certification will always be current. Campus police refused to release a report on the incident. Feurborn said he is pleased that the child is back at the center and is doing well. "Our goal is to make this place as safe as possible," he said. |
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Graduation quotas history It's affirmative. Action will no longer be taken against colleges that do not graduate a standard number of minority students. During the summer of 1998, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the governing body for Colorado state colleges and universities, changed its affirmative action policies, deciding to no longer penalize schools that don't meet the mandated 18.6 percent minority graduation rate by 2000. CCHE's new policy allows schools to create their own minority graduation goals, according to each campus' specific needs. Each school's new goals and policies must be submitted to the commission by Jan. 15. Metro's equal opportunity department is deciding whether new or different goals should be created. Under CCHE's old policy, schools that didn't meet the yearly minority graduation goals were penalized. They were required to invest more money into minority graduation and retention programs. Under the new policy, each school will issue an annual report Jan.15 that will highlight its diversity-related achievements. On July 1 every year, CCHE will issue its response to the progress. According to the commission's new affirmative action plan, the idea will be to create an improvement model composed of the "best practices" of different schools, which will be used to evaluate the new practices of schools. CCHE hopes the new policy will allow review teams to see specifically which programs contribute most to higher minority graduation rates. "With the improvement model, the commission will be able to show incremental growth as well as growth change," said Jim Sulton, senior academic officer for the CCHE. Some specific things the commission will consider during its review of new policies will be:
If schools continue to show a lack of improvement over a one- to two-year period, a CCHE assessment team will evaluate the school's efforts in reaching their own instituted goals. |
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Campus food drive planned Students from Metro, University of Colorado at Denver and Community College of Denver are banning together with the Broncos Wives group for their 17th annual Canned Food Drive to help feed the hungry and homeless in the Denver Metro area. The Bronco Wives' Food Drive, which is put on by the Bronco Women's Organization, asks public schools in the Denver Metro area to collect canned and non-perishable food for their three-week drive. Kathie Heimerdinger, the organization's spokeswoman, said this is the first time colleges have participated in the food drive. "We're trying to branch out," Heimerdinger said of the organizations community-wide project. "Last year we had 21 schools participating, and this year there's 49." The canned food drive began Oct. 5 and will run through Oct. 23. The student government offices, located on the third floor of the Tivoli, and North Classroom will serve as collection sites for the food items. Metro's vice president of communications, Alvis Montgomery, said the canned food drive raises consciousness about hunger and homelessness and offers students an opportunity to give in an inexpensive way. "This is just another part of being well-rounded in our education," she said. Montgomery said vendors on campus will be offering incentives for food item donations. The Boiler Room will give Boiler Bucks coupons to students who drop off canned goods at their student government office. "It shows we have a lot of vendors who do work with the student population
to achieve goals," Montgomery said. She said COMPA is a food ministry that collects food items from such drives and then distributes food to more than 100 different organizations, such as homeless shelters. The drive culminates Oct. 25 at Mile High Stadium when the final cans and donations will be collected when the Broncos play the Jacksonville Jaguars. Heimerdinger said half of the food collected comes from schools. "Last year we collected $57,000 in cash at the game and a total of over 42,000 pounds of food," she said. "Of the 42,000 pounds, 21,000 pounds was collected from schools." |
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SGA to use new manual Metro's Student Government Assembly approved a new policy manual Oct.1, giving students clear definitions of SGA's responsibilities. The assembly had been operating under a new constitution and an old policy manual since the beginning of its term in April. "The new (constitution) is a minimalist's perspective," said Kerrie Dallman, attorney general of the body. While the new constitution shaved off many of the description of responsibilities and outlining of procedures, the old policy manual didn't provide this information. What this means is a lot of the descriptions of jobs, responsibilities and procedures for voting and for disciplining and replacing members haven't been defined until now. However, the new policy manual clearly delineates what student government's responsibilities are and when they are violating their duties. For example, the manual dictates how many hours an assembly member must work to be paid, detailing that five of those hours must be in the office. Student government representatives are paid $500 per month. |
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MetroBriefs Dean awarded for community relationships The award, given to Robert Mock, recognizes contributions to the establishment of strong relationships between educational institutions and the aviation industry Metro to sponsor debate contest The teams will have 15 minutes to prepare for their point on topics such as affirmative action, welfare, the future of democracy and racism. Metro's debate team will not participate in the event because it is the sponsor of the event. The competition will begin at 2 p.m. in the North Classroom Building Room 113-A. |
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Auraria to replace ailing trees Metro groundskeepers will replace ailing maple trees on campus dying in Colorado's arid climate. Red Sunset Maple trees are losing their leaves while others flourish around campus. Many of the trees are between the Auraria Events Center and the athletic field, near the Tivoli. Most of the trees have already lost leaves in different areas. "The choice of trees for the campus was not really good," said Simeon Rivera, facilities grounds maintenance supervisor. "They're from the east coast. We're trying to keep them alive but they need humidity." Red Sunset Maple does well in full sun to light shade in moist soil. Unfortunately, Colorado's dry climate is killing it, Rivera said. The tree is popular for its red foliage in the fall. Metro's facilities department plans to replace the trees with another variety of maple that should thrive in the dry climate, Rivera said. "We have some October Glory trees that are better. We're are trying to replace them one by one," Rivera added. "(October Glory trees) are temperamental in this region," said Cory Urban, salesperson at Cherry Creek Tree Farms. "They require more humidity than we have." Autumn blaze trees would do better in this climate, Urban said. The tree is a cross between red maples that give the beautiful red leaves and the Sugar Maple that thrives in Colorado's climate, Urban continued. About 12 October Glory trees will be purchased by facilities at a cost of $250 per tree, which will include a warrantee, Rivera said. |
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Students protest possible impeachment Students from two Metro political science classes marched Oct. 2 to Denver's Republican headquarters to protest the possible impeachment of President Clinton. "You can sit in your classroom and read, or you can get out and do," said Monica Bauer, who teaches the two Introduction to Political Science classes. "They're learning a lot about apathy and that it's perfectly OK to express opinions. This is a hands on civics lesson, a class project. It's not for one side or the other." Thirteen students marched at 9 a.m., and 6 of 50 in the class marched at 1 p.m. The classes had been studying the impeachment process and comparing the Clinton scandal to the Watergate and Iran Contra scandals. They learned in class that Republicans are pushing for impeachment proceedings, said Bauer. Students say they think the Clinton issue has gone far enough. "I think (an impeachment) is a waste of time," said Dianne Welton, a Metro student who marched. "We have so many other issues to focus on like health care education, children and welfare reform. This is how we voice our opinions to the politicians." "At this point in time, I don't think the opinion of the public matters," said Amber Churches, another marching Metro student. "This should have been resolved a long time ago. Impeachment is not necessary. This will drag on through his presidency. I don't think he will be able to get anything done because of it." It took a while for Pat Miller, republican spokeswoman to come out. She said the office had been busy answering numerous phone calls. "We've had a lot of calls from Democrats calling to change party affiliation," Miller said. Miller was happy to see the students demonstrating. She said students should also picket Democratic headquarters since Democrats have also denounced Clinton. "It's refreshing to see kids like this," Miller said. "It's their future that's at stake, I hate the whole impeachment process. It's a shame for the country. I would rather see him resign." The House Judiciary Committee voted Oct. 5 to recommend a full an impeachment inquiry of Clinton. The full House plans to vote on impeachment as early as Oct. 8. |
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Thespians come out and play Thespians converged on the Denver's Performing Arts Complex, east of campus, last weekend to give free performances. Music, dance and theater performances highlighted the Performing Arts Festival Oct. 3 and 4. Events ran from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. both days. While the theaters filled with people inside, performances outside included displays, singers, street performers juggling fire sticks, magic acts and clowns for children of all ages. "It's wonderful, it brings together all forms of arts and races," said Jason Herival, a Metro student singing at the festival. "It gives artists a chance to show off their work and it's free." Herival performs with four other singers in The LoDo Air Band, a vocal group. They also performed at the Taste of Colorado. The outside events concentrated on children. Clowns and Buskers performed magic and juggling fire sticks. Other displays showed art that could be created by children, such as wire sculptures. Inside theater events concentrated on adult audiences. They included Japanese drums, opera, folk music, dances from Mexico and Spain, jazz, tap, story telling and much more. All nine theaters and the grounds facing Auraria Campus, were utilized for the event. |
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COMMENTARY |
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Board bans quotas News: Views: The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has abandoned its policy of punishing colleges that don't meet its quota for ethnic minority graduation rates. Good riddance. CCHE should go one step further by scrapping the entire program. Requiring colleges to graduate
a certain percentage of ethnic minorities does little to help problems that
start long before college. Regardless of skin color, if a student comes
to Metro without the skills to learn, it's something the college can do
little about. The mechanics of learning begin developing well before a person
enters school, and For college officials, pressure to meet quotas can also introduce dangerous temptation to lower the college's standards for ethnic minorities to graduate. Of course, colleges should continue supporting ethnic minorities as they earn their degrees. Metro, and other colleges, should aggressively recruit and retain a population of minority students that reflects the population of the local area. Metro should also follow affirmative action hiring guidelines, which call for the ethnic makeup of employees to reflect the available labor pool. Metro does support its ethnic minority students throughout their college experience, and brags about it on a regular basis. We applaud the collegeâs efforts. At some point, though, acting in support of ethnic minorities becomes acting for them. That cheats all college students by lowering the value of a degree, not to mention it's also an affront to ethnic minorities themselves. Requiring a certain percentage of graduates to be ethnic minorities puts part of the responsibility for graduating where it doesn't belong: On the college. The responsibility should be squarely on the student; those who can't learn the required subject matter shouldn't graduate. Any suggestion that ethnic minorities are less able to apply themselves is not just offensive, it's racist. |
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Reviews produce tension Faculty evaluations are a sensitive subject. We've seen that in the past few weeks especially. When Metro's Student Government Assembly pledged to make student survey results more easily accessible to students, it researched different options, and is still researching different options. Here's what has been discussed so far: SGA said it would create its own questionnaire for distribution in classes. We were told professors are under no obligation to distribute them, and that comments on the surveys are considered part of the professor's personnel file and therefore are not publishable. If only some professors were willing to distribute our survey, the results could not be comprehensive. SGA members said they would format the data already compiled by Institutional Research into a handbook, and work with IR to equate a letter grade to each course's content. Some faculty and personnel at IR said rating courses would skew the data and is too subjective. SGA members said they would leave the numbers as they stand, with a scale for interpreting them. It's been said the numbers are "worthless" and "misleading." SGA members said they would work with Faculty Senate, and try to keep the lines of communication open. They were told Faculty Senate would seek legal counsel. We were told we couldn't discuss the issue with Faculty Senate without their attorney present. One would think the concept of publishing evaluations - which are already public record - would be simple. Professors have already validated the distribution, collection and compilation of the surveys by continuing to administer them over the last 12 years. If the faculty is concerned that the data is inaccurate, why haven't they addressed that concern with IR before now? After all, this is not the first time an SGA administration has sought to publish the evaluations. Professors fear that publicizing their evaluations would unfairly portray their effectiveness in the classroom. Apparently, they had little similar sympathy for Metro President Sheila Kaplan when they distributed their evaluation of her, earlier this semester, using inappropriate commentary. I like to think SGA is doing good work in opening the lines of communication between faculty, students and IR. If professors want to change the way the data is gathered, we're glad to reflect those changes when we publish the evaluations. But if after 12 years, they have not chosen to seek changes in the data gathering area, that does not mean that we, as students, should not seek changes in the area of data access. We should be working together to ensure the most accurate product available
that both students and faculty can use Alvis Montogomery is a Metro student and vice president of communications on Metro's Student Government Assembly. |
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Suicide taxes those left behind The conversation went something like this: "Hey, Charlotte! Long time no see! How the hell have you been?" "Hey, Dave. I'm doing alright, I guess. You see, my boyfriend committed suicide a little while ago." "Whoa. I'm ... um ... I'm very sorry." It was the best I could do. I was caught reeling. What do you say? How do you begin to find the words to comfort someone who's pain and sense of loss is so great? And it's not just the pain of someone who's lost a loved one. This cuts so much more. It reminded me of a friend I had in high school who I lost touch with only to find out years later that he had blown someone's leg off with a shotgun and thrown himself off a parking garage later the same evening. I thought of him when I tried to find some level with which to identify with Charlotte. The moment when I found out what he had done, I thought of how we had hung out together years before. Then I wondered if we still hung out, would I have been with him when this happened? Or, more tragically, could it all have been prevented if he still hung out with me? Had I let him down by not sticking with him when he started doing drugs more than just occasionally? Had I let him down when I turned my head while he drank himself into oblivion and assaulted a school official? And if I had, what was the moment when there was no turning back? How much time did I let go by, not doing anything, while the cards piled up against him? It tore me apart for a while, which I guess is what leads to the "concentric circle" suicide theory the experts talk about. Or not. Maybe it's nothing more that morbid curiosity that does it for the copycats. That's the point. There is no point. Suicide is pointless. The wake left behind is devastating. You can't share your anger with the dead, for they are gone. You have too much empathy to blame the living. It's not their fault. It's always mine. I can be fairly vindictive. It's one of my character flaws. But I could never think to visit that kind of pain on my family and friends. No matter how isolated or angry I've felt growing up, it just wasn't an option. It's the surest way to hurt someone you love with more ferocity than had you taken a hammer to their head. It's more like a screwdriver through the heart. That's why it's so alien to me, but that's the way it is with clinical depression, which is what afflicted Charlotte's boyfriend. I don't know if that's what ailed my high school friend. I wasn't around long enough to find out. I still haven't completely forgiven myself for not being there for him while he sank into madness. And it's good that I haven't, though I wouldn't wish these feelings on anyone else. You see, I think if I hold onto some of that guilt, maybe I'll be able to prevent it from happening again to somebody else. The most heartening thing about my conversation with Charlotte is that she's really at peace with what happened. She blames her boyfriend's clinical depression for his death, as sure as if it had been cancer. Sure, she bears the guilt that anyone in her position would. But after talking to her, there is little worry that she is the next in a cycle. To Charlotte, I admire your courage and strength. Dave Flomberg is a Metro student and a copy editor/columnist for The Metropolitan. His e-mail address is flomberg@mscd.edu. |
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SGA, profs should cooperate Editor: I read with interest the article regarding the dispute between (Metro's student government) and the Faculty Senate over the publication of teacher evaluations. Members of both bodies are in no way ignorant of the law, so the miscommunication baffles me. Faculty Senate members know those records are public and I would wager that they have no problem with their unaltered publication. SGA members know that altering those records in any way, shape or form constitutes misrepresentation of the data, and is decidedly unethical, if not illegal. The results of teacher evaluations are statistical, and there is only one section (III) geared toward providing feedback to other students. The evaluations overall were created and are geared toward providing information to department chairs and administrators for evaluation of faculty performance. This information may or may not be helpful to students when evaluating instructors for their needs. Qualitative information does not always translate easily into quantitative form. Frankly, the results are difficult for those of us not well-versed in statistics to interpret, much less discern, which instructor best suits our needs. Here's a thought: SGA and Faculty Senate could sit down and draft a separate question sheet specifically geared toward providing tangible and useful information to prospective students to be included in the packet sent out by the Office of Institutional Research. It is my understanding that a document already exists. While both bodies work on getting a separate document included in the Institutional Research packet, publish the unaltered results of the current evaluation system. Make the inclusion and completion of this new form compulsory, and let Institutional Research compile the data for the students. Students do have a right to view and consider teacher evaluations just as faculty have a right to be evaluated and portrayed accurately and fairly. Both bodies have legitimate concerns. Remember: Working together ensures that the true mission of higher education is not ignored or compromised by politicized administrators. Good luck! Rebecca Geist |
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Reviews unreliable Editor: Publication of the faculty evaluations is a good idea if it represents the truth about the instructors. The evaluations are given to a student in the class who volunteers to give up a few minutes of his/her time. The student hands out, collects and delivers the evaluations to the applicable department. The process reeks of corruption, and here's why. Let's assume I value volunteering for this project more than wondering around aimlessly on campus. What prevents me from filling out the remaining evaluations in the envelope? Likewise, what prevents me from casually thumbing through the evaluations after the class has departed and taking out evaluations that do not match my own, especially if I have strong opinions about the professor-good or bad? How many Metro students actually fill out the forms as intended? Publish the evaluations if you wish. Until the process of collecting the data is changes, I will put no stock in their value. Jeff Nelson |
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Great thinkers to visit Editor: We in the Metro Philosophy Department want to take a moment to mark the
accomplishment of University of (Topics include) gender and visual perception to phenomenology and social injustice. There will be philosophers - such as Nancy Fraser, David Ingram, Hugh Silverman, Lenore Langsdorf and Gary Shapiro - whose writing, though difficult at first, remains humane and cogent. We encourage all Auraria students to look over the program and find something of interest to them. At the same time, it is important to remember that the CU-Denver Philosophy Department has already brought a range and a depth to this campus that can only be welcomed. The student of philosophy at Auraria can now obtain an education comprising a wide range of perspectives and a tremendous incentive to the rigor and the capacity for self-criticism which are among the hallmarks of a philosophical training. Indeed, Auraria now even in the work of Jurgen Habermas himself. Sandra Gudmundsen (Metro) once worked under the direction of Habermas in Germany. In short, the convening of SPEP on this campus is not merely a single flower
- however significant - but the Tim Gould |
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Registration drive was successful Editor: The Colorado Public Interest Research Group has been working in coalition
with 20 other groups and stores on campus on our Student Vote '98 Campaign.
This campaign has three phases: registration, education and "Get Out
the Vote." The first part of the Campaign ended on Monday, October
5. We would like to thank the Advocate, the CoPIRG is now working to educate the community about the issues that will
be voted on in the Nov. 3 election. Mim Mirsky |
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FEATURES |
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A Metro student is honored
twice for her leadership efforts Gabriel Hermelin is a woman with a message. This woman has something important to say. Hermelin, a Metro student, has been an active participant in campus activities. She served as vice president for communications for the student government from 1997-98. She is the only student of five diversity trainers who works with the safe zone project to resolve student conflicts on Auraria Campus. Off campus, Hermelin works as a supervisor and an "adult buddy" with Rainbow Alley, a youth drop-in center for gay and lesbian teens. "It's the kind of place I could have used when I was their age," Hermelin says of the center. Hermelin now heads the speakers bureau services and often is called upon to speak on campus in many venues. She has what she calls her Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Trans Student Services 101 lecture she gives to classes that identifies the work of the GLBT Student Services and answers students questions about the organization. Then there is her GLBT upper-division lectures. In those speeches, she deals with more specific questions from students on campus. For example, Hermelin says she is often asked about her life in the military, and the effect it had on her lesbian lifestyle. Or as a practicing Christian, she is often asked how her beliefs come into conflict with the traditional Christian orthodox stance toward lesbians and gays. The Colorado Business Council
was listening this past year when they took nominations for their professional
Anne Price headed a seven-member panel, representing both the gay and straight communities, that made this year's selection. The panel's criteria for choosing the Woman of the Year was a professional business woman working in a primarily non-gay business environment, academic department or governmental agency. Price said the nominees were "employees who made inroads into their organizations on behalf of the gay community." This resulted in getting their employers to value the gay community as a whole based on their individual efforts. It was her work with the GLBT
Student Services that brought her to the attention to Sandi Adams and the
Colorado Last week, Hermelin was chosen for another honor. The Lundy Foundation and The Gill Foundation have put together a three-year training program called the Leadership in Community Building Initiative. Hermelin says this is the first such endeavor sponsored by gay philanthropic foundations. She said she was invited to apply and has been chosen along with 35 - 40 other participants to embark on the three year program. Hermelin said the first year will be spent getting to know the other members of the group and working on transformational skills and conflict resolution. In the second year, the group will examine the gay community, identify where they see weaknesses and work to strengthen the bond between the diverse members of the gay community. In any group in society, diversity can create stress, as well as be a source of strength and pride. She said, "The noise in a microcosm is louder," simply because the group is smaller. It is on this issue the group will focus in the second year. In the third year, the group will take the knowledge they have acquired during the previous two years and go out into the community. Hermelin says through collaborative efforts with existing groups and leaders, they will work to strengthen and unify the effort of the gay community to promote harmony and acceptance within the community at large. Since this is the first such initiative, she points out, the end result may vary from her present understanding of the initiative's current goals. In speaking with Hermelin, one comes away with the sense that whatever the end goals may be, the result will be a better world. |
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A day of Hatred Denver priest spoke to his congregation about the unexpectedness of death in 1908. A week later he was killed. The Rev. Heinrichs, a priest from St. Elizabeth's Church on Auraria Campus, was shot during mass on February 23, 1908 by Giuseppe Alia. Alia was an anarchist and he hated priests, he said. Alia, a short man with a bulky frame, laid restless in his bed the evening before the shooting. The thoughts that ran rampant through his mind did not provide him much rest. That night dragged on, while a conspiracy developed in his subconscious. At 6 a.m. Sunday on Feb. 23, the bells at St. Elizabeth's rang, but that morning was different. Alia was awakened by the bells, arose from bed, dressed hurriedly and followed the sound of the chimes. Alia would not attend church that day to worship God, but he declared that the "chimes recalled alleged wrongs experienced in his native Italy, and attributed them to the church," according to press reports of the time. Alia would soon commit a crime that would go down in history as one of the most heinous the Catholic Church ever saw. As the bells rang, the crowd grew larger and they all began to file in to the Gothic-Romanesque structure. Rev. Leo Heinrichs began the mass and administered communion. Heinrichs had only begun to lead the church in the autumn of 1907 and was considered a great community leader from the time he arrived. The Rocky Mountain News reported in 1908 that he was, "loved by all who knew him. Since his arrival in this city, Father Leo had endeared himself to all with whom he came in contact." Alia walked into the church, blessed himself with Holy water and soon after leapt at the priest's throat. Heinrichs administered the communion as he would on any Sunday morning mass, and when it came Alia's turn to receive the wafers, he calmly walked to the altar rail and waited his time. When Heinrichs approached with his hand outstretched to administer the holy sacrament, Alia stood up, spat out the wafer, pulled a gun from his coat and held it to Heinrichs' chest. An altar boy, Joseph Hines, realized what was happening and called out a warning to Heinrichs. "When I saw the man spit out the holy Eucharist, I watched him closely when he reached back his coat flew up and exposed the revolver. I grasped the arm of Father Leo and called to him to be careful," Hines said. Alia fired the gun, sending a bullet into Heinrichs' chest. Father Heinrichs fell to the floor with the sacred wafers falling with him. The assassin turned and fled toward the church doors. When he was intercepted by E.J. Quigley, a Rio Grande conductor, Alia turned the gun on him, however his life was spared when Daniel Cronin, an off-duty officer, grabbed him by the arm preventing the shot. Alia was immediately taken to jail and interrogated by police. Alia was accused and later admitted to "anarchy involvement," as well as the murder. An autopsy revealed that Alia used a revolver and sharpened the bullets to a point. The bullet pierced the left ventricle of Heinrichs' heart. An original copy of the autopsy no longer exists, according to the coroners office. Original records dating from 1889-1916 were either destroyed when Cherry Creek flooded or burned in a Denver fire. Alia was a native of Sicily and came to America in 1906. He spent some time in Paterson, N.J., the hotbed of anarchy, according to the Rocky Mountain News and then went to the mill towns of Massachusetts and Chicago. He was a shoemaker by trade, but he taught anarchy in New Jersey. "I am glad I did it because it was in accordance with my principles, part of my teachings, an act inspired by my anarchist beliefs. I am an anarchist; a zealous one, and striven hard all of the last 15 years of my life to carry out the precepts," Alia said. Alia said he had a great hatred for priests. He said three more priests lives were spared only because he was caught that day. After Alia was arrested, officials found a printed list of the world's rulers among his belongings, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Ironically, even after Alia murdered one of their own in cold blood, Heinrichs' colleagues still asked the governor for clemency, according to Steve Leonard, chairman of the History Department at Metro. The priests were not opposed to the death penalty, but did not feel it was right to take another man's life in addition to Heinrichs'. Even after Alia confessed to the murder, he later denied the murder as well as his involvement with anarchy. At one point, he even claimed he murdered the wrong priest - that he was looking for a man he fought with 12 years prior in Italy. However, on the night of his hanging, standing on the platform ready to meet his fate, he declared that Heinrichs was the right man, and he had followed him to this country, he knew he was the right man by the scar he bore on his face. Alia claimed he had worked for him in Portugal for five years and that Father Heinrichs had done him and his family a great wrong. Alia's trial was held March 9, 1908. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to the death penalty. He was sentenced to hang the week of July 15-20, according to original documentation still at the Denver Courthouse. At approximately 8:30 on the evening of July 15, 1908, Alia was led from the death chamber to the execution house by a warden and a deputy. Alia was prepared for the death trap, the noose was tightened around his neck and his head covered with the death cap. His legs were pinioned, and the platform that held his feet was released, according to the Rocky Mountain News. Alia's neck was broken upon release of the platform and was dead in minutes. His body dangled 19 minutes before it was removed. He called to his wife and baby at his hanging. Alia was still cursing the Roman Catholic priesthood and praising anarchy even as he took his last breath. Heinrichs said the week before, "Death may come at anytime and under particular circumstances...we must live so that when that end comes, we will be at peace with God, and then to us, death will have no terror, but will merely be the transition to a happier life." |
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Zany nuns deliver fluff Screw the Los Angeles Raiders. Real women wear black and white. Those real women are the zany nuns from the screwball musical, Nunsense. This show, which is nowhere near the pinnacle of American musical theater, is fun. But don't expect to get much out of it, other than a few really good laughs. Consisting mostly of fluff, the story begins when five nuns need to raise
the cash to bury their four sisters who died of botulism (Actually, 52 nuns
died, but they could only afford to bury 48 of them after Mother Superior
(Beth Thus, their four deceased counterparts rest quietly in the convent freezer
until they raise the money. It's humor works for older generations, but the younger people in the audience weren't as impressed. But as far as the performance is concerned, the Country Dinner Playhouse does a commendable job. The characters don't really stick out in major ways, because they all do the same thing (sing and dance). But the actresses do fine jobs of creating individualistic creations that, by the end of the show, are endearing and lovable in their own ways. Particularly, Sister Mary Amnesia (Brenda Faatz) is clumsy, but Faatz plays her in a way that makes her the play's most lovable character. Her comedic timing is impeccable. Also impressive is Flynn, whose improvisational comedy is reminiscent of her role as Louise in Always ... Patsy Cline last year. Nunsense plays through Nov. 8 at the Country Dinner Playhouse, 6875 S. Clinton. (303) 799-1410. |
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B-Movie Cafe is grade A A cafe on Auraria Campus offers students something different. The B-Movie Cafe, located across from the AMC movie theater in the Tivoli, is reminiscent of an after-school hangout from the 1950s. As its name promotes, the cafe is decorated with posters of all-time favorite B-movies like Captain Sinbad, King Kong and Barbarella. A life-size poster board figure of Marilyn Monroe stands in the corner and a jukebox plays a variety of tunes from the 1980âs in another. The cafe's menu caters to the average college student, said Dale Trujillo, 37, the cafe's owner. "My philosophy is to keep prices resonable for students, who make up the majority of our clientle." Repeat customers are the key to their success in the coming year, he said. Trujillo also owns Cafe Fresco in the Tivoli and said that low prices are
imperative to maintain an eatery on campus. "I'm in this for the long run," he said. Appetizers on the menu are priced from $1.50 to $4.75 and entrees range from $2.85 to $5.95. Beef and vegie-burgers are delicious, yet the spicy chicken sandwich is superb. Beer is also available. Trujillo said the cafe is busiest during weekday lunch hours and on Friday evenings. |
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Metro students caught in Mousetrap The Mousetrap is a tangled web that is never completely unwoven. The play, showing at South Suburban Theatre Company's Annex Theatre, is a difficult play to put on. Any way you look at it, there is always an obstacle to overcome: It has a big, eight-person cast (five of which are played by Metro students). Everyone in the cast (excluding one) speaks in an accent of sorts. It takes place in the ornate great hall at the Monkswell Manor (which needs to have many doors, a fireplace, a snowy window and the beginnings of a stairway). Lastly, it is a mystery (meaning: Clues have to be dropped quaintly but - not obviously. Timing is essential. And red herrings must not be overacted/underacted to the point of losing a character altogether). This company does a fine job with this show, but with such a complex play,
there will always be downfalls. After they all arrive, the house gets snowed in. The unsuspecting couple is still unsuspecting. Someone cuts the phone line. An unexpected guest arrives. A know-it-all Scotland Yard detective comes out of nowhere. They are all in grave danger, he says. Someone's murdered. The detective retraces the steps of everyone in the house at the time of the murder. Etc ... Mystery plays employ similar techniques, but this has a few sleeves up its trick. Or is it the other way around? Director Roy Ferguson, also a Metro student, took a natural approach that worked - except for a few unwarranted stage crosses here and there. The acting, however, ran hot and cold. The backbone of consistency turns out to be Grimes, whose performance is solid and accent is stable. Her general frantic nature is contagious, and just watching her makes you itchy. Also, Cory Pearman helps carry the show with his giggly, mousy interpretation of Christopher Wren, a gay and suspicious house guest. His line delivery is classic, and his lofty approach fits the role perfectly. One nit-pick: Pearman's crosses to the stage-left wall in the second act look forced and very uncomfortable. Other actors warm up as the night continues. Lou Metzger plays the role of the suspicious foreigner, Mr. Paravacini. His character has unusual circumstances, so a little weirdness is understandable. But some of his character's traits (posture, vocal inflection) are carried a bit too far and a bit too inconsistent for audience comprehension. But Metzger's reactions, mostly seen in his facial expressions and eyebrows, are fantastic. Blaine Daniel was amusing as the fumbling Detective Trotter, but needs to take more time to internalize the information he's being handed. He has some good lines that are laugh- or thought-worthy, but he needs to give them more of a chance to breathe. Unfortunately for all the actors, the lighting was chalky, pasty and muggy throughout the play. The sound was right on with the cues. Best line: Christopher Wren about the detective: "I always admire the police - so stern and hard-boiled." The Mousetrap runs through Oct. 31 at the Annex Theatre, 1900 W. Littleton Blvd. Information: (303) 347-1900. |
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SPORTS |
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Coach admits using his head The question was posed to me this week about what goes through my head during one of our games. Contrary to popular belief, things do go on in my head. I'll try to give you a rough sketch of what that might be. In the pregame, my assistants do all of the team warm-up. This allows me to do all of the pregame meeting with the opposing coaches and officials and allows me to troubleshoot any other thing that may pop up before we get going, while still giving consistency to the warm-up. During this period I try to think through each scenario we may see during the game. If we have injured players, how do they look in the warm-up? How long will they last while in competition? What will be the most effective time to use them during the course of the game if they are not entirely fit? I also look at the things we will see from the opposing team. How will we handle a change in the formation that we expect from them? In the early stages of rebuilding this was a major concern for us. Now we expect to impose our style of game on the opponent, instead of worrying about the intricacies of their system. In our final talk before kickoff, we also have to address things such as how will we handle the weather conditions, the crowd in some places, any special set plays that the opponent might use, and of course, a little rah rah. Game time in soccer is a time for the coach to evaluate more than anything else. Because the game flows and sometimes situations will occur that you may never see again, most of our effective coaching goes on in training during the week. Players must be prepared for the situations they will see so they can react appropriately. It is impossible for us to help them make these decisions in a split second during competition. Most of the time, only minor adjustments will be made while we are playing. During the game, we are looking to see where we are effective and why we are effective. We also need to see situations where we are not effective and the reasons for it. Is the breakdown because of technique? Tactics we are using? Mental or physical fitness of the players involved? At half time we then address these issues. Half time is usually a short and to-the-point talk. We address the issues that we can fix and try not to give extraneous information. We get their legs and their focus back and send them back to play. After the game all of this information is used to evaluate our job of coaching during the previous week and plan the training for the week ahead. A look at the game film usually confirms what we are thinking. The cycle then starts again in preparation for the next game. What an exciting life. Don't you think? |
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Mix and match bunch with punch They come from all walks of life, bringing varied backgrounds from different areas. Some see the volleyball court first, others see the classroom while still others marvel at the city lights. The Metro volleyball team is as diverse as the school itself. Half the team members are players right out of high school, while the other half come from other colleges, giving the team a wide array of talents and experiences to build from. Seniors Audra Littou, Kelly Hanlon, Amy Buchanan, Kelly Young, Jill Keller, junior Chris Brink and sophomore Laura Darling all have previous college experience. Between them, they bring to the Roadrunner program six years of Division I experience, a Division II National Championship, experience at the Junior College National Championships, a Club National Championship and six High School State Championships. So far, the combination has been successful as the Roadrunners are currently
in a three-way tie for first place in the East Division of the Rocky Mountain
Athletic Conference with a 7-1 record, 22-6 overall. Regis and Colorado
Christian occupy the other two spots. "Joan was the first reason I came out here," Brink said. "She's very personable, you can really talk to her. But when I got out here, I fell in love with the school and with the city." It was an easy decision for Brink, who knew players who had played for McDermott and related positive experiences to her. She also had a good recruiting experience with her even though she didn't originally follow McDermott. Brink is currently ranked fifth in blocks in the RMAC, averaging 1.18 blocks per game. But what solidified her decision was the school. "I really liked the school," she said. "And they had exactly what I wanted, public relations." Sophomore Laura Darling is another player who comes from a different college, bringing success with her. Darling last played for the University of Colorado club team as they captured the Club Volleyball National Championship. She was looking for a bigger challenge and has found it. "I love the level of play here, it's a lot higher," she said. "I love volleyball and I've really wanted to play at this level for a while." Darling knew what she was in store for her when she arrived; a team on the rise, a good coach and that final plus, an education in her desired major, Aviation Technology. Jill Keller is one of six seniors on the team and an original McDermott recruit at Morningside College. After two years there, she decided to move on as her new coach at Morningside didn't believe in a defensive specialist, Keller's fortay. She thought of transfering within her conference but decided to come to Metro and it wasn't just McDermott that persuaded her. "I came and took a tour of the campus and really liked it and the climate of Colorado," she said. Keller played in 36 matches last year and tallied 301 digs, collecting career highs in assists, service aces and digs. She gives McDermott much of the credit. "She gave me the confidance which I had lost the year before," she said. "She built me back up mentally." Starting setter Kelly Young is another transplant who came here from a
highly respected program at Barton County "When I talked to Joan, she seemed like a nice coach and was trying to build her program up," Young said. "Plus, I liked the campus when I came here." Young and Littou have both been mainstays for the Roadrunners this year. Littou leads the RMAC in digs, averaging 3.98 per game. Young is second in the conference in assists, collecting 12.90 per game. Hanlon and Buchanan are also major contributors. Hanlon leads the RMAC in kills with 5.17 per game and Buchanan is second in service aces with 28. The Roadrunners are also at the top of the RMAC stat sheet in three of the six team categories. They are tops in hitting percentage (.231), Kills (16.40 per game) and digs (18.91 per game). Yet another example of the wide range of talents that embody the Metro volleyball team. |
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Bubba is a bear on pitch Don't mess with a guy named Bubba. Which Metro men's soccer team member was most likely to be tormented when the movie Forest Gump first came out, but refused to take any crap from anyone? Perhaps the one who is known for rolling up his soccer shorts during games just to be different. Or the same player who used to have a "big blonde afro" and is in the process of growing it back? That's right, the one and only Bubba Davis. Davis, whose birth name is Robert, received the nickname Bubba from his father when he was younger and chubbier, all to the disdain of his mother. However, the name never really stuck with him until he saw the Police Academy movies with Bubba Smith in them. From that point on, he has been known as Bubba, and the nickname even shows up on official documents like his school transcripts. Davis, a forward, has been playing the sport since he was 6 years old. Growing up in the Montbello area, he was involved in club soccer where he met many of his "mentors." For that reason and others, he now coaches soccer for a club team in Montbello. He volunteered to coach children who are under the age of 7, including his nephew, and enjoys it tremendously. Although the 20-minute drive from his house to the fields where the kids practice isn't great, and adds to two-and-a-half-hours of his own soccer practice, Davis goes to "see the smiles on their faces." He also gets satisfaction from knowing that he is teaching the children soccer skills and watching them learn. After his start in Montbello club soccer, Davis continued to play at George
Washington High School in Denver. Yet, from there he did not walk onto the Metro soccer fields to play for the Roadrunners. Instead, Davis began his collegiate career at the University of New Mexico, a Division I school. In New Mexico, he was more of an unknown and felt less at home. Therefore, after an offer of a full scholarship from Metro head coach Brian Crookham, Davis decided to return to Colorado. "There was nothing to do in Albuquerque, and my family is here," he said. When Davis first arrived on the Metro soccer scene last spring, Crookham noticed some of the other players were a little intimidated by him. Yet, as time moved on, they realized Davis was a "good team player and a fun person to be around," Crookham said. "He is entertaining, spontaneous, and loosens the team up when need be," Crookham said. Davis' fun personality must show through as he riles up the team when it is down, but not out. He admits to leading the team in chants of "home team" to show that wherever they are playing, they are the "home team" and thus have a supreme advantage over their competition. Davis also played for the Colorado Comets recently. The team is composed of players who play in the NCAA and those players
who do not hold amateur or professional status. Many of the players were
former Colorado Foxes team members with many years of experience. Davis
said that he "learned a lot from his time with the Comets," as
well as having a lot of fun. Somehow the sophomore does it and is majoring in the field of international law - the fact that the University of New Mexico was a law school and his previous interest in being a lawyer lead him to that major. Yet now he is leaning in a completely different direction. Davis first hopes for the possibility of being drafted for a professional soccer team. If that does not pan out, he is looking to follow in his father's footsteps and become a fireman. Davis says that the pay starts out well and that firemen don't work every single day, both are ideas that he could get very used to. But as for now, he will just have to settle for being a dominating force on the soccer field. |
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No. 6 Roadrunners lose 1st tilt with Mesa The Metro women's soccer team started off last season 6-0, ranked No. 3 in the nation, with no worries. Then they lost their first game. Then another ... This season, the Roadrunners started off with a eight-game winning streak, then tied with Colorado Christian University, then won two more games to go 10-0-1 and earn another ranking — this time at No. 6. Mesa State College handed the Roadrunners the first loss of this season, 3-2, on Oct. 4 at Auraria Fields. With nine games left in the season, could the Roadrunners and coach Ed Montojo face another disappointing end to the season? "Not at all," Montojo said. "The loss was disappointing. "We did not play well for the first 60 minutes of the game plus we gave them three goals. With 30 minutes left in the game, we decided that we needed to start playing. We nearly pulled it off." Montojo believes the teams are different, last year's and this year's, despite 15 of the 26 players on the 1998 roster were on the team from last year. "This year's team believes in each other and pushes each other to get better," Montojo said. "Last year's team had some talent, but there were a lot of finger pointing after a loss and blaming each other, rather then accepting the loss as a team." The main keys to the Roadrunners success this season have been more scoring from different players and the fitness of the players. "Kari Pierce has been tremendous this year (11 goals, four assists in 12 games)," Montojo said. "Last year we were inconsistent in scoring. "This season, by spreading the scoring around, from the midfielders to even our defenders coming up and scoring a few goals it takes some of the pressure of Kari." With nine games left on the schedule, five at Auraria Field where the Roadrunners are near perfect, (6-1-0), Montojo likes his teams chances of renewing the streak. |
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