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The Stanford Daily

WEDNESDAY February 22, 2012

An Independent Publication
www.stanforddaily.com

SPEAKERS & EVENTS

Filmmaker explores ethics in war

By MARSHALL WATKINS
DESK EDITOR NICK SALAZAR/The Stanford Daily

Income effect widens

Socioeconomic status predicts academic success
MARY HARRISON
STAFF WRITER

Volume 241 Issue 15

In 2007, author, journalist and filmmaker Sebastian Junger embedded himself with a U.S. battle company at a remote outpost in Korengal Valley, an area of eastern Afghanistan widely considered the most dangerous region in the country. He later parlayed this experience into an Academy Award-nominated documentary, Restrepo, and a New York Times best-selling book, War. He used his experience as a reference point Tuesday night when speaking about issues of morality in armed conflict. Junger was joined onstage in Cemex auditorium by English Professor Tobias Wolff and Joseph Felter Ph.D. 05, a senior research fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC). Junger said his time embedded with Battle Company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team gave him an immense appreciation for members of the military. The platoon represented every slice of America, Junger said. Thats because of 9/11 . . . [Afghanistan] became everyones war. The human logic transcended politics. In spending a year with American forces, Junger said that he wanted to write about something that has dropped out of public conversation . . . [about] what it means

Sebastian Junger, who once embedded himself with a U.S. battle company, talked ethics in wartime Afghanistan on Tuesday evening in Cemex Auditorium.
to be an American soldier. He praised the dedication of U.S. forces, saying that few other people would do this, and especially not for someone elses country. Felter noted that the time Junger spent embedded with the troops, and his willingness to expose himself to danger on patrol, lends his reporting sustained credibility. Felter asked Junger if the lessons learned in Korengal Valley which had been convincingly stabilized before American forces withdrew in 2010 could be more broadly applied. While acknowledging that each area of Afghanistan poses distinct problems, Junger expressed cautious optimism about Afghanistans future, contingent on the implementation of a less corrupt and more representative government. The Afghans need to believe in something, Junger said. You have to give them a better government thats not corrupt, and if you do that,

Please see JUNGER page 5

In the past 50 years, socioeconomic status has become an increasingly important predictor of academic achievement on standardized tests, according to a recently published study by Stanford associate professor of education Sean Reardon. University officials, however, said the data necessary to determine whether a similar achievement gap exists between students from low- and high-income families at Stanford is dispersed between different administrative offices, making it difficult to track. Koren Bakkegard, associate dean of Undergraduate Advising and Research (UAR), told The Daily she does not know of a centralized organization in the University that analyzes both academic achievement and socioeconomic status. It may very well be that no office at the University has or combines the data that would be necessary to generate those kinds of records, Bakkegard said. In UAR, for example, we do not have information about students socioeconomic status, Bakkegard continued. To my knowledge, only the Financial Aid Office would have this information, and I would be surprised if they . . . tracked students academic performance since that is not their function. Tommy Lee Woon, director of diversity and firstgeneration programs, also could not speak to whether or not an achievement gap exists between students of varying income levels due to the way data is kept by the University. I unfortunately do not have the answers, Woon said. Data is very decentralized here, he added. Some of the data . . . may be embedded in reports, but tracking it down can be a challenge. Reardon said that although he has no statistical evidence to back up his claim, he is doubtful that such an achievement gap exists at Stanford, as judged by his research methodology, because of Stanfords highly selective admissions process. The data that Reardon used for his study came from several different nationwide standardized tests,

including data collected by the National Center for Educational Statistics and the National Assessment of Educational Progress. One of the criteria I used to decide which studies to use was that I didnt want them to be local, Reardon said. The results of his study showed that in the late 60s and early 70s, family income, rather than race, determined how students performed on standardized tests. The gap between children in the 90th percentile and children in the 10th percentile of income was roughly twice as large as the difference in achievement between white and black children. In addition, the study showed that the achievement gap between children of high- and low-income families was about 30 or 40 percent larger for children born in 2001 as compared to children born 25 years earlier. Because a place like Stanford is so selective, most students would score very high on these tests, Reardon said. Stanford students who come from low-income families would have scored high on standardized tests, and therefore their performance would not be remarkably different from that of students from middle class or upper class backgrounds. He added, however, that the way [the achievement gap] is reflected is that there are fewer students with low-income backgrounds at a place like Stanford than kids from a higher-income background. The achievement gap that Reardon saw in his research manifests itself in the fact that lower rates of low-income students attend college at all, let alone elite universities such as Stanford. With its need-blind admissions process and extensive financial aid program, Stanford aims to attract as many qualified low-income students as it can. However, Reardon said that most students from low-income backgrounds never get the chance to succeed at a high enough level to be considered by universities. Kids with lower income backgrounds do not get the opportunities to succeed academically and dont often get to go to places like Stanford, Reardon said. Contact Mary Harrison at mharrison15@stanford.edu.

SPEAKERS & EVENTS

Journalists must adapt, says fellow

By CATHERINE ZAW
STAFF WRITER

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

Senate concludes debate about banking waiver

By JULIA ENTHOVEN
STAFF WRITER

Declining newspaper ad revenue and changing readership behaviors have contributed to a psychological crisis in the journalism industry, according to current Stanford Knight Journalism Fellow Anita Zielina, who spoke Tuesday at the Bechtel International Center. Zielina said journalists have tended to be pessimistic about the future of newspaper use, which has led to layoffs and general uncertainty about how the industry should change in order to regain an audience. Zielina proposed one possible solution to this problem: reformatting the way readers engage with articles through the commenting feature on newspaper websites. To accomplish this, she challenged journalists to be more open-minded. Born and raised in Vienna, Austria, Zielina has freelanced as a journalist since her high school years. Currently an online journalist, Zielina discussed the decline of print newspapers during the talk, which was entitled A World Without Newspapers? Newspaper ad revenues have decreased dramatically since 2005, particularly classic print ad revenue, Zielina noted. She attributed this to a dramatic shift from print to online ads. While there are still people that subscribe to print articles, most of us get news by other means, Zielina said, presenting a graph on her slide depicting relative numbers of people subscribing to various

MEHMET INONU/The Stanford Daily

Knight Fellow Anita Zielina spoke Tuesday afternoon at the Bechtel International Center about the evolution of print journalism, the importance of improving reader interaction in an increasingly online world and a strong need for adaptive journalism.
news media. The trend over time for televised news has held stable, but the figures for print articles and radio broadcast news are both decreasing. The statistic for readers of news online has surged past the height of consumption of print newspapers. Zielina said that this is because social media has a huge piece of the cake. She said many individuals are now receiving their news through social channels and platforms, whether by commenting about news-related events on social neworking sites such as Facebook or watching videos on YouTube. Following her presentation of the current problems journalism is facing, Zielina suggested changes to news platforms, remarking that there is a big need for a willingness to be open and to embrace new technologies to approaching the reader. Zielina addressed a fact that she deemed positive: people are still reading and talking about the news. She continued by saying the central question is how to bring that conversation back to newspapers, especially on newspaper websites. Zielina said that one major way to accomplish this would be to change the commenting feature on newspaper articles, making them more engaging, social and user-friendly. Comments are below the article, Zielina said, as she pointed out the features on a news website. Its not the nicest discussion environment created there. People just comment, and we dont really interfere with it. That says a lot about how much appreciation journalists have for their readers. Instead of this system, Zielina suggested adopting new ways to recreate the experience of posting comments by making

Please see KNIGHT, page 2

NEWS BRIEF

Deadline set for Redwood City expansion plans

By THE DAILY NEWS STAFF During a public hearing Tuesday, the Redwood City Planning Commission set April and May deadlines for further study of the Stanford-proposed Redwood City office building development. The Commission will provide the Red-

wood City Council with a recommendation on the projects environmental impact report and a zoning map amendment in April. The council will then hold a public hearing to consider certifying the recommendations in May. The 35-acre development project is part of Stanfords 48-acre campus renovation of an area formerly known as Mid-Point Technology Park. In 2005, Stanford Hospital and Clinics purchased four buildings at this location, and the University purchased eight.The University then proposed in 2008 to demol-

ish and redevelop these buildings in response to growth limitations imposed by Santa Clara County on Stanford through the Universitys General Use Permit. The project aims to create a complex of medical clinics, offices and facilities for research and development for employees who dont need to work near faculty and students. According to Lucy Wicks, assistant director of community relations, in an interview with

The ASSU Undergraduate Senate passed a bill during its Tuesday meeting exempting The Stanford Daily from the ASSU constitutional mandate requiring student groups to bank through Stanford Student Enterprises (SSE). Following a debate that spanned three Senate meetings, although most agreed with the preservation of The Dailys current banking system, senators disagreed about the bills provisions. Senators Ben Laufer 12 and Ian Chan 14, coauthors of the bills final version, supported a clause requiring The Daily to post its audit on the spring Special Fees ballot. They also favored another clause requiring The Daily to submit its financial receipts to SSE quarterly rather than annually, as The Daily has historically done. Were just trying to make things better, for all parties . . . I dont see any reason not to do it quarterly, Laufer said, arguing that a one-time filing of the approximately $90,000 annual Special Fees request from The Daily would impose an unnecessary burden on SSE. Other Senators, including Dan Ashton 14 and Alon Elhanan 14, argued that the provisions would force The Daily into requirements that are unprecedented for other Voluntary Student Organizations (VSOs). Although General Fees groups are required to submit their funding requests to SSE quarterly, Special Fees groups such as the Daily are not, Appropriations Chair Brianna Pang 13 said. The Senators debated whether or not it is within the Senates power to require a group to post its nonprofit audit on the special fees ballot, and whether the Senate can regulate the timing of a Special Fees groups invoice submissions to SSE. Laufer and Chan argued that the nature of the exemption gave the Senate discretion to adjust the requirements for The Daily. Elhanan said that he thought the constitution was sufficiently vague to be up for interpretation and offered up his interpretation that the constitution prevents the Senate from requiring an audit on the Special Fees ballot, as this might interfere with the electoral process of special fees. After a straw poll on the bills wording, which resulted in a split vote between requiring and encouraging The Daily to file quarterly reports, the Senators opted out of the binding provision

Please see BRIEF, page 5

Please see ASSU, page 8

Index Opinions/2 Features/3 Sports/4 Classifieds/5

Recycle Me

2 N Wednesday, February 22, 2012

OPINIONS
Established 1892 Board of Directors Margaret Rawson President and Editor in Chief Anna Schuessler Chief Operating Officer Sam Svoboda Vice President of Advertising Theodore L. Glasser Michael Londgren Robert Michitarian Nate Adams Tenzin Seldon Rich Jaroslovsky

The Stanford Daily

AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
Managing Editors Brendan OByrne Deputy Editor Kurt Chirbas & Billy Gallagher Managing Editors of News Jack Blanchat Managing Editor of Sports Marwa Farag Managing Editor of Features Andrea Hinton Managing Editor of Intermission Mehmet Inonu Managing Editor of Photography Amanda Ach Columns Editor Willa Brock Head Copy Editor Serenity Nguyen Head Graphics Editor Alex Alifimoff Web and Multimedia Editor Nate Adams Multimedia Director Billy Gallagher, Molly Vorwerck & Zach Zimmerman Staff Development

The Stanford Daily

E DITORIAL
Incorporated 1973 Tonights Desk Editors Mary Ann TomanMiller News Editor Erika Alvero Koski Features Editor Caroline Caselli Sports Editor Nick Salazar Photo Editor Matt Olson Copy Editor

Stop the brain drain? Campaign finance and conflicting career messages

Contacting The Daily: Section editors can be reached at (650) 721-5815 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. The Advertising Department can be reached at (650) 721-5803, and the Classified Advertising Department can be reached at (650) 721-5801 during normal business hours. Send letters to the editor to eic@stanforddaily.com, op-eds to editorial@stanforddaily.com and photos or videos to multimedia@stanforddaily.com. Op-eds are capped at 700 words and letters are capped at 500 words.

BURSTING THE BUBBLE

Christie the coward I

have had nothing but the greatest respect for Chris Christie, the straight-shooting Republican governor of New Jersey. A true conservative who is tough, gifted and relatable, Christie could always be counted on to walk the walk, to do what may be unpopular to get what he believes is best for New Jersey. Additionally, Mr. Christie has never been a panderer to the hardright faction of the Republican Party. He supported, at least in principle, the use of medical marijuana. He has been a staunch defender of American Muslims. He has come out to say that being an illegal immigrant is not a crime. Which is why it came as a great disappointment to me that Mr. Christie rejected the State Assemblys bipartisan bill legalizing gay marriage on Friday, calling for a statewide referendum on the issue. The veto itself was a disappointment, if predictable. But his call for a referendum was a surprising display of cowardice from a man I have grown to expect far more from. There is one overarching problem with this half-veto that goes beyond the petty politics of liberal and conservative Mr. Christie has now pitted New Jerseyan against New Jerseyan, fracturing a state and, if a referendum were to be called, flooding it with special interest money and voter passion. Organizations are already pledging hundreds of thousands of dollars to defeat same-sex marriage in Washington, where it was made legal two weeks ago. In 2010, out-of-state money flooded into Iowa judicial races as a result of

the Iowa Supreme Court upholding gay marriage. All three justices on the ballot lost, the first time any Iowa judge has lost in a retention vote. And of course, the last time same-sex marriage was put on the ballot, $83 million was spent in California in the most expensive electoral fight over a social issue in state history. Mr. Christie has always been a governor who has been willing to take political flak for his decisions. So it comes as a genuine surprise that he has passed the buck on to voters, dividing neighbors and colleagues from Camden to Clifton. He had the opportunity to unite the state for equality; instead, he has not only spurned equality but endorsed a referendum that would spurn unity as well. I have always personally respected Governor Christie for his straight-ahead attitude. You will always know where he stands on the issues, and he will always take responsibility for his actions. In many ways, he is a perfect microcosm of the New Jersey identity: no-nonsense, blue-collar, honest and straight-shooting. But his referendum will hurt the people of his state not only gays, but also everyone who will be bombarded with fiery rhetoric, misleading advertising and neighborhood tensions. And for what? So that he can escape the brunt of liberals wrath, who will doubtlessly use marriage equality as a rallying cry? So that he can protest his innocence to the virulently antigay extreme right of the Republican Party when he seeks their nomination in 2016 or 2020?

Edward Ngai
So that he will not be judged in the eyes of New Jerseys children as the one man who stood on the wrong side of history? If gay marriage is put on the ballot in a New Jersey statewide referendum, Mr. Christie would have successfully shielded himself from all the anger that stems from this volatile issue from the left, from the right, from the future. He will have absolved himself of all responsibility. I have come to expect this cowardly dodging of accountability from most politicians. I have come to know that they are selfishly willing to hurt the people they represent for their own political gain. But I once believed that Mr. Christie was above this brand of politics. And I once respected him greatly for it. On Friday, Mr. Christie disappointed an honest, responsible leader who was poised to take our politics in a new direction. This leader once urged, Now is the time when we must all resist the traditional, selfish call to protect [our] own turf at the cost of our state. It is time to leave the corner, join the sacrifice . . . and be a part of the solution. The speaker was, of course say it with me one Christopher James Christie of New Jersey. Coward. Any other bubbles that need bursting? Ed wants to hear from you. Email him at edngai@stanford.edu or tweet him @edngai.

RAVALATIONS

On behalf of frosh in four-class dorms

Ravali Reddy
simply had to live there. So I ran home, filled out my housing forms and sent them off, eagerly waiting for the email response that would inform me of my residence for the upcoming year. When my housing assignment finally arrived, I found myself staring at my screen in confusion. I had been placed in a four-class dorm in West Lag, to be specific and I didnt really know what to expect. All of my future classmates that I had met at Admit Weekend were eagerly updating their Facebook statuses. I saw multiple Otero!!!! and OMG GUYS, IM IN TWAIN TOO! statements, but absolutely none that said West Lag. In that moment, it seemed as if every freshman but me had been placed into an all-freshman dorm. Granted, once I arrived at Stanford, I quickly learned that the majority of the residents in my dorm were fellow freshmen, and most of my real fears went unrealized. Living in a four-class dorm didnt prevent me from making best friends. To this day, my closest friends are the ones who lived in West Lag with me. I entered the housing draw with six friends from Lag, and I still live with my roommate from last year (thank you, Stanford Housing, for getting that one right). I made one of the best friends I have ever had in that dorm. This friend had actually requested a four-class, so we would never have met if I hadnt been placed in West Lag. So if everything turned out dandy, then why this column? Because, despite the fact that I ended up having a great freshman year, I still managed to miss out on a few key Stanford experiences that four-class dorms tend to ignore. I got to enjoy all the awkwardness of Scavenger Hunt and Screw Your Roommate, but I missed out on events like the infamous Game and the (supposedly) epic mess of a night that is Dorm Storm. Hearing my fellow Fourteen-ers recount stories from those nights a year later, I cant help but feel like I may have missed out on an experience I would have cherished for a lifetime. This weeks column is nothing more than a plea to those currently going through the staffing application process. Some of you will get placed as RAs in four-class dorms. On behalf of the incoming Class of 2016, I humbly request that when you plan the upcoming year, please keep in mind that you have eager freshman residents in your midst, and theres a good chance that quite a few of them requested an all-freshman dorm. Rather than ignoring this fact, four-class RAs would be better off trying to establish connections with East Campus freshman residences in order to ensure that no one misses out on any of the ridiculousness that is supposed to accompany freshman year. Ravali wants to know where you stand on the ever-contentious Stern vs. Wilbur issue. Send your thoughts to ravreddy@stanford.edu.

attended several Stanford gettogethers for students in the Bay Area during the summer between my high school graduation and my first day at Stanford, and each made me more excited and antsy than the last. The majority of these events were hosted at the houses of alumni in the area, and there were always current students present, eager to answer questions and talk to us fresh meat about what we were planning on doing once we got to Stanford. Now that I think about it, Im pretty sure shameless student group recruiting starts at these events. The get-togethers always ended in a Q&A session with a panel of the current Stanford students, usually led by the alumnus (or alumni lets not forget about that scarily high marriage rate) hosting the party. These sessions were harmless enough; the students answered questions about what they were majoring in and what they liked best about Stanford, bestowing upon all of us a piece of wisdom they wish they had known before starting their freshman year. Now, at every single gathering I went to, at least half of the current students gave us the same piece of advice: Live in an all-freshman dorm. This statement was usually followed up with endorsements such as, I had the best time of my life! Larkin love forever! or, I met all my best friends in my freshman dorm! The discussions tended to end in jocular arguments about whether Stern or Wilbur was superior. At the time, I had no idea what Stern or Wilbur was, but I knew that, as an incoming freshman, I

n Feb. 6, 2012, President Barack Obamas reelection campaign announced that Obama would start to publicly back Priorities USA, a super-PAC run by former Obama aides. Obama, an outspoken critic of the Supreme Courts 2010 ruling in Citizens United that opened the floodgates for special interest influence, was criticized by some for his reversal of position, accused of both betraying his ideals and relinquishing a distinction he could make between himself and candidates who have readily embraced super-PAC funding. Furthermore, Obama disappointed the Editorial Board, by preaching one message go into less lucrative careers where you can make a social impact and practicing another with his personal decision to opt in to a wealth-driven campaign funding mechanism. The campaigns decision was framed as necessary and pragmatic, a painful concession as Obama needed to play by the new rules in order to stay in the running in an election that has seen enormous amounts of money spent on negative attack ads. Jim Messina, Obamas campaign manager, wrote in an email to supporters that the stakes are too important to play by two different sets of rules. If we fail to act, we concede this election to a small group of powerful people intent on removing the president at any cost. Obamas recent visit to the Bay Area further underscored the current state of political fundraising: there were no free public events, with tickets to a Masonic Center speech starting at $25 and private events costing up to $35,800 a person. These fundraising decisions are certainly not unique to Obama. Mitt Romneys super-PAC has over $16 million waiting to be spent and Newt Gingrich largely hosted private events during his recent Bay Area visit. Yet Obamas outspoken critiques of the corrupting influence of money on politics makes his super-PAC move more unexpected and disappointing than similar decisions by his rivals. The justification for the campaigns decision hold on to your ideals until they become politically risky, and then sacrifice them for pragmatic concerns leaves us as students in a difficult position when faced with similar decisions on a smallerscale, decisions about whether to act in line with our ideals or to make pragmatic concessions. Furthermore, the current state of campaign financing, where wealthy individuals and corporations exert an unlimited finan-

cial influence on the outcome of a campaign, undermines the exhortations made by Obama and other political leaders to pursue careers in public service exhortations that Obama has commendably backed up with increased support for AmeriCorps and a Social Innovation Fund to grow community-based service programs. Yet these programs lose their potency when wealth becomes closely associated with political efficacy. On the one hand, we are encouraged to nurture and retain an idealistic spirit about the impact we can make on our country. We are told to stop the brain drain, to turn down Goldman Sachs for Greenpeace, and not to pursue a career based on the paycheck or bonus well be handed at the end of the year. But our present political climate forms a dark background for this message. Wealthy donors and wealthy corporations are granted an increasingly weighty share of political efficacy. So should we sacrifice our ideals and make a pragmatic decision to pursue a career with a paycheck that will lead to increased political influence in years to come? Which train of thought is the confused sophomore or perplexed senior supposed to follow: the idealist optimism that one can eschew a lucrative paycheck for a low-paying career that one finds more socially meaningful, or cynical skepticism that choosing a lucrative career path will result in increased political efficacy? Of course, the choice is not always so stark there are high-paying jobs that are satisfying and socially meaningful, and lower-paying jobs that may be morally repulsive and a student could eventually have more influence as a lower-paid senator or congresswoman than as a wealthy hedge fund manager. Yet for students who are interested in making a social and political impact (for the two are inextricably intertwined), it is difficult to reconcile the small probability that well exert political influence through activism or holding public office with the present reality that having a less lucrative career means that, in many respects, well be sitting on the proverbial political sidelines. In conclusion, though we commend Obama for his critiques of the present state of campaign finance, his concession to fundraise with a super-PAC for pragmatic reasons sends a discouraging message. We as students have become painfully aware that choosing a less lucrative career path may result in losing a degree of political efficacy in our present, wealth-driven political system.

Unsigned editorials in the space above represent the views of the editorial board of The Stanford Daily and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Daily staff. The editorial board consists of five Stanford students led by a chairman and uninvolved in other sections of the paper. Any signed columns in the editorial space represent the views of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the entire editorial board. To contact the editorial board chair, e-mail editorial@stanforddaily.com. To submit an oped, limited to 700 words, e-mail opinions@stanforddaily.com. To submit a letter to the editor, limited to 500 words, e-mail eic@stanforddaily.com. All are published at the discretion of the editor.

KNIGHT

Continued from front page

the commenting more fun, which can serve to shape a valued debate, create intelligent discussion and, most importantly, create a landing page. We need to give the reader a way to follow the story even if they havent been in the loop before, so they can jump right into the news, Zielina said. She said this means looking at different ways to organize news on the landing page, adding that it is important that there be links on a newspapers landing page to the discussions happening on other websites. Zielina said news sites should be the central place to find all these other conversations and

topics. This is something that technicians and journalists can work together for, Zielina said, but it will only work as we journalists become more open to change. An informal discussion after her talk ranged from challenges such as offering free online news to the expertise and objectivity of journalists, the trust of readers in their news sources and comparisons of international news to reporting in the United States. It used to be that you write an article and then you go home, done for the day, and you start a new story the next day, Zielina said, but we have to realize that its not like that anymore that its more engaged and a completely different job in some ways. Contact Catherine Zaw at czaw13 @stanford.edu.

The Stanford Daily

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 N 3

FEATURES

Courtesy of Paul Csonka

Stanford students and members of the local community gather in Roble Gym to swing, waltz, two-step, salsa and polka at the January 2012 Jammix.

By SHIRLEY YARIN

liding across the floor, I hold on tightly as my partner leads the way. After several turns, claps, stomps and bows, the music stops, and, to my astonishment, the crowd cheers. No matter how fleeting or spontaneous the moment, I will always remember the first time I danced the Bohemian National Polka. I credit this experience to Cameron Schaeffer 11, a social dance aficionado. The site was Jammix, a Stanford event that features social dancing once a month in Roble Gym. Schaeffer assured me that newcomers are encouraged to join even if they dont know the dance. Unlike other ballroom venues, Jammix is about having fun, pleasing your partner and goofing off, Schaeffer said. Students may be hesitant to initially attend Jammix, partly because of the high skill level of many other social dancers. Upon entering the room, it can be pretty intimidating, said participant Rebekah Oragwu 15, but then people come up to you and guide you as you stumble and laugh during the rotary waltz, and suddenly its just fun. The event draws participants from all over campus and from all sectors of the

Stanford population from computer scientists to dance majors. Stanfords enthusiasm for social dance comes from the popular class Social Dances of North America, taught by dance instructor Richard Powers M.S. 70. The typical class enrollment ranges from 120 to 130 students each quarter. [Social dance at Stanford] all starts and ends with Richard Powers, a vintage dance instructor, ex-product designer and dance historian who revived and taught social dance when he joined the Stanford faculty in 1992, said participant Acata Felton 12. The walls inside Powers office are covered with vintage posters depicting different ballroom dances from across the world. Little figurines of dancers line the shelf. As a graduate student at Stanford, Powers studied the creative process in engineering, art and philosophy. After he graduated, Powers went into the field of engineering, from which he received seven design and twenty director awards. His first foray into movement art was tai chi, evolving from his study of Japanese and Chinese calligraphy. He quickly discovered his love of dancing with other people. At that time, I also loved history, Powers said. I took a historic dance workshop on East Coast Renaissance and Baroque dance and pushed into 19th-century ragtime-era social dance, which at the time was a black sheep for the scholars.

Today Powers also offers courses on the history of social dance that students describe as fun, contemporary and engaging. His choice to jump from engineer to dance instructor and historian stems from a desire to do the most good while doing the least harm, he said. According to Powers, the social dance classes are not solely recreational, but also a great stress reliever that offers students valuable skills in ballroom dancing and life. A significant aspect of social dance is the ability to adapt to new partners, Powers said, remarking that making split-second decisions makes one not only a better dancer, but also a better thinker. Jammix is a space where students who take Social Dances of North America can practice, share steps theyve picked up and invent new ones. Attendees generally consist of current students and local alumni who come back to campus just for the night. Music is a key component of the Jammix experience. While Powers, who acts as disc jockey for the event, has a set playlist, he also must read the energy of the crowd when selecting songs. He aims to choose music that is current, whimsical and danceable, featuring an eclectic mix of techno, Hindi pop, K-pop, swing, Latin salsa and everything in between. Visitors who walk into Roble Gym during Jammix might be surprised to view a roomful of couples swinging to Lady Gagas Poker Face or performing the cha-cha to

Marc Anthony. In terms of dance styles, students usually engage in the swing, waltz, tango, salsa, chacha and Irish line dances. When a song turns on, Roble Gym freezes for a moment as dancers feel the pulse of the music, and then the room immediately erupts into movement. As the beat of some songs can be applied to various dances, not all couples may choose the same step, resulting in hazardous situations: not infrequently, energetic dancers who opt for the galloping polka may collide with more stationary swingers. Yet dancing is not the only attraction of Jammix. I came for the dancing, I stayed for the people, Felton said. Along the sidelines of the dance floor, individuals congregate to chat while taking a break from the vigor of social dancing. Jammix and other dance events and classes have created a unique sort of social dance community on campus. For Powers, as a dance historian, the beauty of Jammix lies in the recreation of scenes from paintings and lithographs at the height of the 19th-century dance craze in Paris. I was hit by the rush of 200 young dancers swirling around with a combination of that much skill, enthusiasm and care for their dance partners, Powers said. Contact Shirley Yarin at syarin@stanford.edu.

Project Motivation instills hopes for higher education

By NATASHA WEASER

DESK EDITOR

Mission High School freshman pushed his chair back and slowly stood up. After looking around hesitantly, he said, I want to be a doctor one day. How do you become a doctor? He was part of a group consisting of 50 ninth-grade teachers and their students, all from immigrant or disadvantaged backgrounds. The group was gathered in a large conference room in the Center for Educational Research at Stanford (CERAS) for a panel on higher education hosted by Project Motivation. Project Motivation is an on-campus organization founded in the 1970s that interacts and collaborates with minority high school students in the Bay Area to encourage the pursuit of higher education by minority youth. The Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) co-hosted the event, which featured a panel of eight undergraduate and graduate students representing a range of ethnicities, academic interests and experiences, but all sharing one common bond all came from an immigrant or refugee background. The panelists provided advice and answered questions concerning both the college application process and college life. They especially focused on the need for students to pursue alternate forms of funding. Most of my friends did not go to college because they did not have the money, remarked one panelist. Yet had they known about scholarships and financial aid, they could have attended, he added. College will make you more conscious of what is going on around the world, said another panelist. It will challenge you mentally, intellectually and personally.

After the panel discussion, the students split into smaller Spanish- and Mandarinspeaking groups with Stanford students, allowing for a more intimate setting. Brian Waldman, a ninth-grade teacher at Mission High School, praised the organization and its efforts. Not every one of these students will go to Stanford, Waldman said, but it puts the idea of college into their minds, and thats the first step needed. Thanh Nguyen 14, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Vietnam, is a volunteer at Project Motivation and was a panelist during the event. He warned the students of losing themselves in the college process. Do what you love and be authentic, Nguyen said. Too many students fall into the trap of doing what they think colleges want them to do. According to Nguyen, the most challenging aspect of his work is translating the idea of college into terms the students can understand, because it is often so markedly different from the education systems to which they are accustomed. Ninth grader Jaz Lin, who recently immigrated with her family from the province of Guangdong in Southern China, echoed this sentiment. Stanford is an amazing school, and talking to these students makes me feel like if they can do it, I can do it, Lin said. But it is difficult to understand the college process and the system here. While Project Motivation typically hosts one to two tours and panel discussions per week, the organization also holds a biannual event, Day with an Undergraduate, which will take place on Feb. 21 and May 19 this year. As part of this program, 40 to 60 middle school students shadow Stanford undergraduates for a day in their classes, while

Courtesy of Project Motivation

Minority high school students from the Bay Area visited Stanford for a day during Project Motivations 2010 Day with an Undergraduate. The biannual event aims to promote the pursuit of higher education by students from immigrant and disadvantaged backgrounds.
also attending tours, panels, motivational speeches and performances. This years motivational speaker will be Michael Tubbs 12, a first-generation college student from a disadvantaged background. Projection Motivation is composed of 16 to 18 core members and 40 other participants. It is led by co-presidents Kaela Farrise 14 and Kennan Murphy-Sierra 14 and has subdivisions including volunteer coordination, logistics and external relations. We want to take the students on a more personal tour when we show them the campus, Murphy-Sierra said. It is not about the history and facts, but showing them what college is like. Murphy-Sierra points to a need for a reform in high school education. There are so many students who are not aware of what college is or why they should attend it, he said. According to Murphy-Sierra, although the organization does not have concrete numbers on success rates, teachers and students he has worked with have repeatedly contacted the group with positive feedback. In an email to the organization, Krista Taylor, a high school counselor at the Bay Area School of Enterprise, praised the organizations events. In 2010, I was able to bring a group of my students to attend Stanford Undergraduate for a Day, and I found it to be one of the most rewarding experiences for my students, Taylor wrote. Besides the difficulty in measuring success rates, Murphy-Sierra identified getting busy Stanford students to volunteer, especially during the midterm season, as a major challenge. Looking to the future, Project Motivation is considering a one-on-one mentoring program to offer more personalized attention and guidance to the participating students. The group also hopes to encourage more Stanford students to volunteer their time to give back. College has opened a lot of possibilities I never thought were available, Nguyen said, reflecting on his experience with the group. When you come to Stanford you create yourself, and nobody tells you who you are, and its very liberating. I want the same thing for these students too. Contact Natasha Weaser at nweaser@stanford.edu.

4 N Wednesday, February 22, 2012

SPORTS
POWERING PAST PACIFIC
By JACK BLANCHAT
MANAGING EDITOR

The Stanford Daily

Jacob

Jaffe
Stat on the Back

When the going gets tough, All-Americans show up. Stanford baseball team on Tuesday got a massive 11th-inning home run from junior third baseman Stephen Piscotty to nab a 9-7 win over the Pacific Tigers. The No. 2 Cardinal (4-0) offense scored more than eight

runs for the fourth consecutive game, but the Stanford pitching wasnt sharp enough to notch its fourth straight blowout win of the year over the feisty Tigers (04). The Cardinal got off to a poor start when senior starter Elliot Byers gave up four runs in the bottom of the second inning. The righthander gave up a walk, a wild pitch, a single, two doubles and a

hit batter in a disastrous start and was quickly replaced by junior Dean McArdle. McArdle then held the Tigers silent for 3 2/3 innings while the Cardinal rallied to take the lead. After junior left fielder Tyler Gaffney singled home catcher Eric Smith for the Cardinals first run of the day in the third inning, Stanford exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth to take the

SIMON WARBY/The Stanford Daily

Junior left fielder Tyler Gaffney had three hits on Tuesday, but fellow junior Stephen Piscotty was the hero of the night, clobbering a two-run homer in extra innings to give the Cardinal a 9-7 win over Pacific. No. 2 Stanford remains undefeated as it prepares to take on No. 12 Texas at home.

lead for the first time. First, Gaffney tallied his second RBI of the day by singling home right fielder Austin Wilson, only to be followed by another RBI single from Piscotty. After a balk brought home Gaffney for the Cardinals fourth run of the day, Piscotty came home on a Brian Ragira groundout to make it 5-4. Stanford extended its lead by adding two more runs in the next two innings, first getting a sacrifice fly from Wilson that brought home designated hitter Christian Griffiths in the sixth inning, then a Ragira single that brought home Gaffney to make it 7-4. The Tigers didnt fade away once the Cardinal got ahead, though, as they rallied with two runs of their own in the next two innings. Right fielder Allen Riley cut the Stanford lead to 7-5 with a solo home run to right field off junior reliever Sahil Bloom, and the Tigers added another run in the bottom of the eighth. The Cardinal went into the ninth inning nursing just a onerun lead; a particularly unexpected event after Stanford blew away Vanderbilt in all three games last weekend. Freshman reliever David Schmidt was tasked with bringing home the win for the Cardinal, but he couldnt slam the door shut on the Tigers and cap off a Cardinal win in regulation. Schmidt allowed a leadoff single to Riley, who advanced to second on a wild pitch, then charged home when sophomore designated hitter John Haberman singled to center field. After two strikeouts and a failed stolen base attempt ended the inning,

Please see BASEBALL, page 5

WOMENS TENNIS

Cardinal cruises in first match at No. 1

WILL SEATON
STAFF WRITER

The Stanford womens tennis team continued its undefeated streak to begin the 2012 season by defeating No. 36 St. Marys, 6-1. This match came after a nine-day break from competition and was the No 1. Cardinals (50, 1-0 Pac-12) first match since ascending to the nations top ranking. Saint Marys (3-3) entered Tuesdays match with a winning record, including an impressive upset of then-No. 25 Oklahoma. Its

only two losses of the season had come against No. 4 UCLA and No. 16 USC, although both matches were blowouts. Stanfords No. 1 player, sophomore Nicole Gibbs, came off a loss last week against Florida to lead the lineup with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Catherine Isip. After taking some time to adjust to a new racket, Gibbs hit her stride in the first set before running away with the second set. Im playing with a new racket, and working my way into matches has been a slightly slower process because of that, Gibbs ex-

plained. But it pays a big dividend once Im in my comfort zone. Thats what you saw today. I started playing really well after I had made a few adjustments. As the team solidifies its lineup, Gibbs has a firm grasp on the top spot and has been using strong performances there to build her confidence. Its an honor to be playing at the top of the lineup or playing anywhere on the Stanford lineup, Gibbs said. Im just looking

his year, the pressure is really on the Stanford baseball team. For the first time in 10 years, the Cardinal is in the top three of all the major polls, and this season will not be a success unless Stanford gets to Omaha. How do you play with those expectations weighing on you? Quite well, thank you very much. Heres a look at just how dominant Stanford was this weekend: 10: Lets start off with a reminder that Vanderbilt came into the series as the No. 10 team in the country, which isnt surprising considering that the Commodores were in the College World Series last season. 17: After just three games at Sunken Diamond, Vanderbilt dropped seven spots to No. 17. That tumble was the second-biggest in the country, behind only the eightplace drop by UCLA, who lost two of three home games to unranked Maryland. 8: On to the actual games. The Cardinal scored at least eight runs in each of the first three games of the season. Last year, Stanford only managed to score eight runs in two consecutive games twice. 18: In the first two games, Stanfords offense was explosive, scoring 17 runs in its first 13 innings at the plate while running away from Vanderbilt in each game. Eight of the nine Cardinal regulars had at least one hit, run and RBI in the first two games, showing the incredible potential of this lineup. But that was just an appetizer for Sunday. A teams chances of winning a game that it trails 4-0 in the second arent great. Its chances of winning are even lower when its starter is already knocked out of the game, and when the opponent is a top-10 team The chances of winning that same game by 13 runs? You might as well bet on the Generals to take down the Globetrotters. Unless, of course, you have Stanfords offense. The Cardinal reeled off 18 unanswered runs to blow the

Numbers offer hope for Omaha

Please see WTENNIS, page 5

Please see JAFFE, page 5

WOMENS SWIMMING

Chasing the first Pac-12 Championship

CARDINAL LOOKING TO UNSEAT NO. 1 CAL
By GEORGE CHEN
DESK EDITOR

GYMNASTS FACE MIXED RESULTS

WOMEN WIN, MEN LOSE SECOND STRAIGHT MEET
By CONNOR SCHERER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Stanford womens swimming and diving team is set to compete in the inaugural Pac-12 championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash., starting this Wednesday. The four-day conference championship will be the Cardinals secondmost important meet of the year, behind only the NCAA championships that will take place in March. Recent conference history seems to be on Stanfords side, as the Cardinal has won the past two Pac-10 championships. In 2011, Stanford trailed Cal by over 50 points with one more day of competition left, but the Card managed to storm back and edge out the Golden Bears by 22 points. Two years ago, the Cardinals margin of victory was much larger, as it finished ahead of Cal by over 100 points. Once again, the biggest competition for No. 8 Stanford (9-1, 6-0 Pac-12) will most likely be No. 1 Cal (7-1, 7-1 Pac-12). Despite Cals higher ranking and status as the top-ranked team in the nation, its important to note that the official polls have not been updated since late January. Much has changed since then, most importantly the Cardinals dual-meet win over the Golden Bears in early February. Stanford will be bringing a host of veterans to the meet. Leading the way is senior Sam Woodward, who has the fastest 100-meter butterfly time in the Pac-12, as well as the secondfastest time in the nation. Sophomore teammate Felicia Lee follows closely behind as the third-fastest seed in the event. If Lee can edge out second-seeded Lauren Smart from Arizona, a Cardinal 1-2 punch would certainly boost Stanfords momentum. At last years Pac-10 Championships,

Stanford Daily File Photo

Please see WSWIM, page 6

Nicole Pechanec (above) was one of three Stanford gymnasts to earn a 9.925 in Saturdays victory over Brown and the University of Bridgeport. She and Ashley Morgan tied to win the floor exercise, and Shona Morgan earned a 9.925 in the beam.

The Stanford mens and womens gymnastics teams both took to the mats this weekend, with the men at home, squaring off against rival California and the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars, and the women in Texas, facing Brown and the University of Bridgeport. The women won their second meet in a row and recorded multiple team- and personal-best scores, while the mens team continued to struggle, finishing third. The No. 12 womens team looked to continue its recent momentum as it traveled to Texas for its meet with the University of Bridgeport (8-4) and Brown (2-6) last Saturday. The Cardinal (7-2) ran away with the Metroplex Challenge victory, scoring a total of 196.375, the teams second-best score of the season, followed by Bridgeport (193.600) and Brown (191.725). The meet was the fourth of five straight road competitions for the Cardinal. Despite experiencing struggles away from home earlier in the season, head coach Kristen Smyth said that the team has improved with each meet and has really come together as a group. She explained that the teams strategy for the season was to start slower in order to protect the athletes from injuries and to gear up for the playoffs (the Pac-12 tournament occurs in late march, and the NCAA championships are in April). Saturdays meet, however, was far from slow, with strong individual performances in a variety of events allowing the Cardinal to coast to victory.

Junior Ashley Morgan won two events for the Stanford team, which won three of the four events on the afternoon. She scored a 9.875 to win the uneven bars event, but was even more impressive on the floor exercise, scoring a season-best 9.925 to earn a tie for victory in the event. Morgan struggled on the balance beam, putting up her season-worst performance with an 8.675, but still finished second in the all-around competition. Matching Morgans floor exercise score was senior Nicole Pechanec, whose 9.925 was also a season-best. Prior to Saturdays meet, the Cardinal had posted just two 9.925 scores on the whole season in any event Pechanec on uneven bars against Cal and senior Alyssa Brown on beam against Oregon State but the squad put up three 9.925s in Saturdays competition alone. Sophomores Shona Morgan, a 2008 Olympian, and Amanda Spinner also had career days. Shona Morgan tied with Pechanec and Ashley Morgan for the leading score of the day, a career-best 9.925 to win the beam event. Spinner also scored a personal best on the beam, with a 9.800 in only her second collegiate performance. Saturdays meet was a day of new benchmarks, as the Cardinal was ultimately able to rack up two career-best and five season-best scores (one of these tied a previous season best) by the end of the competition. The strong individual performances combined to help Stanford score season-best team scores on both floor exercise (49.275) and beam (49.175).

Please see GYM, page 6

The Stanford Daily

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 N 5

Third baseman Stephen Piscotty was the slugger many people predicted he could be, as he knocked in seven runs on Sunday alone. He hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season and a grand slam on Sunday, putting him two-thirds of the way to his entire 2011 homer total of three. His three extra-base hits have helped him accrue an otherworldly .786 slugging percentage. Somehow, that isnt even the best on the team though. 5: That distinction belongs to designated hitter Christian Griffiths, who missed all of 2011 with an injury. Despite hitting at the bottom of the lineup, he managed to slug .909 thanks to a home run and a pair of doubles. Griffiths had five RBI in his 11 at-bats this weekend, almost eclipsing his career total of six RBI in 65 at-bats coming in. .500: Speaking of slugging percentage, five of the nine regulars are slugging at least .500. Last year, the Cardinals leader was left fielder Tyler Gaffney at .472. Likewise, Stanford has five regulars with an on-base percentage of at least .500, which is well above Piscottys teamleading .423 from 2011. 6.1: With all this hitting, youd have to be crazy to say that the most impressive performance was on the mound. Luckily, Im crazy. And more importantly, John Hochstatter was terrific. Who, you ask? Hochstatter, a freshman lefty, came on in relief of A.J. Vanegas on Sunday with the Cardinal trailing 4-0. All he did was throw 6.1 scoreless innings to pick up the win. And oh by the way, he got those 19 outs without allowing a hit. So while the Cardinal batters were piling up all those runs, the Commodores were going quietly against Hochstatter. Hochstatter wasnt the only Stanford pitcher to have an impressive outing over the weekend. Friday starter Mark Appel looked every bit the No. 1 pick many expect him to be in the upcoming MLB Draft, throwing seven innings of two-hit ball to lead the Cardinal to the easy opening win. Saturday starter Brett Mooneyham, pitching for the first time since 2010, also looked to be on top of his game, allowing just three runs through six innings to help Stanford cruise on Saturday as well. If the pitching continues to be solid, itll continue to be tough to match the Cardinals hitting. 12: Stanford doesnt have long to pat itself on the back, as No. 12 Texas comes to town this weekend, following a midweek game on Tuesday at Pacific. The Longhorns took two of three from the Cardinal last year in Austin and could pose a greater threat than Vanderbilt. Of course, Stanford poses quite a threat itself. 2: Somehow, despite winning in such convincing fashion (outscoring any team 35-13 is impressive, let alone the No. 10 team in the country) while No. 1 Florida lost one of its three games to then-No. 25 Cal State-Fullerton, Stanford did not move up in any poll, so itll have to settle for No. 2. For now. Jacob Jaffe thinks even he could pick up a win on the mound with Stanfords offense backing him up. Talk about pitching mechanics with Jacob at jwjaffe@stanford.edu or on Twitter @Jacob_Jaffe.

JAFFE

Continued from page 4

Commodores out of the water and end its opening weekend with a bang. Consider this: last season (when, I should point out, Stanford did reach the Super Regionals) the Cardinal had 13 weekend series, each lasting three games. Only twice did Stanford score 18 runs in an entire series, and both came against the two worst teams in the Pac-10. Sunday, it took just seven innings against a top-10 opponent from the nations best conference for the Cardinal to put up 18 runs. 7: With all these runs on the board, it comes as no surprise that several players stood out for the Cardinal. In his first seven at-bats, first baseman Brian Ragira had six hits, and he finished the weekend with seven hits. Vanderbilt had only two players with more than two hits for the series.

WTENNIS
Continued from page 4
forward to doing the best job with my position that Im capable of. It was good to get back on the court after my individual loss at Florida, too, and regain the confidence Im going to be building on for the rest of the season. Freshman Ellen Tsay put in the days best performance, steamrolling her opponent 6-0, 60. Her recent play has continued to prove that she is a valuable addition to a Stanford squad that took only one recruit for the Class of 2015. It really feels great because I didnt lose a single game, Tsay said. At the end, my opponent shook my hand and joked, Cant you just give me a game? she added. I had played [Gael sophomore Jade Frampton] in singles once before, so I knew what she was like. I was really relaxed today, was aggressive and everything went the way I had planned. Just five matches into the season, Tsays entrance to the team has been smooth, aided by relationships that she developed with her teammates prior to joining the squad and by practicing amongst an accomplished group of players. Coming into Stanford, I was just really excited because I would be able to practice with a

group of really strong players on a regular basis, and basically all my expectations have been fulfilled, Tsay said. Ive improved a lot since I came to Stanford as far as being aggressive and hitting the ball harder goes. Sophomore Kristie Ahn showed continued improvement, still adjusting to match-level play in her return from injury. She and her partner, senior Veronica Li, secured a dominant 8-2 doubles match before Ahn, playing at the third spot inside the stadium, earned a 6-3, 6-4 singles victory over Anna Chkhikvishvili. Its just always a pleasure to play in the stadium, and no doubt Saint Marys is a good team, Ahn said. It was a really good test for me as well as the rest of the team. The stadium is always great because the competition is better, but I think it makes me want it that much more. Other match scores included an impressive 6-3, 6-4 win by Li and a close 6-4, 7-5 win by junior Stacey Tan. Stanfords sole loss came at the No. 6 spot, where sophomore Amelia Herring lost 6-1, 6-2 to Carla Lindlar. In doubles, Stanfords No. 1 team of Mallory Burdette and Gibbs won 8-4, and the No. 2 team of Tan and Tsay won 8-4. The Cardinal next returns to the courts on Friday, when it welcomes Cal Poly to Taube Family Tennis Center at 2 p.m. Contact Will Seaton at wseaton @stanford.edu.

BASEBALL
Continued from page 4
the Cardinal and Tigers headed to extra innings tied 7-7. After a scoreless tenth inning, Piscotty played the role of hero in the 11th, clobbering his third home run of the season over the left field fence to make it 9-7. Sophomore righty Sam Lindquist came in and closed out the Cardinal win with two strikeouts in the final frame to earn his first save of the season. With his bomb, Piscotty tied his home run total from all of last season, as the junior already has three in the first four games of the campaign. Altogether, Piscotty ended up 2-for-6 with three RBI, and Gaffney went 3-for-4 with two RBI after his 25-game hit streak was snapped on Sunday against Vanderbilt. Despite giving up the tying run in the ninth, Schmidt earned his first college win to go to 1-0 on the season. The Cardinal now returns to the Farm for the weekend, where it will take on No. 12 Texas in a three-game series. The Cardinal and Longhorns will take the field at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Sunken Diamond. Contact Jack Blanchat at blanchat@stanford.edu.

SIMON WARBY/The Stanford Daily

Sophomore Nicole Gibbs, Stanfords No. 1 player, won her match 6-3, 6-0 as the Cardinal captured a 6-1 victory over St. Marys on Tuesday. The top-ranked Cardinal will face Cal Poly at home again on Friday.

JUNGER

Continued from front page

theyll take care of the Taliban. Weve squandered some of the goodwill, he added, but I think that we can regain it. Wolff inquired about how Jungers desire to integrate himself into the platoon co-existed with his journalistic responsibilities, and how his ability unlike the platoon members to leave at any time affected his efforts to build trust with soldiers. Junger said the U.S. military was extraordinarily open with journalists in Afghanistan, compared, in particular, to NATO allies such as the United Kingdom and France. He said, however, that earning soldiers trust was the result of constantly proving himself on the front line, demonstrating that youre risking something, youre sacrificing something as well. Wolff and Felter, who served in Afghanistan as an officer in the U.S. Army before retiring this year as a colonel, both commented on the drawbacks posed by withdrawing from Korengal Valley, observing that the removal of NATO troops may jeopardize progress created and protected by loss of American life. We should worry [about] what would happen to the women in Afghanistan, Wolff said, as well as [to] the girls just starting to go to school. Observing that Afghanistan wont succeed or fail because of the Korengal, Junger nevertheless acknowledged that the American withdrawal will likely have negative ramifications for the

BRIEF

Continued from front page

the Stanford Report, the University would continue leasing space to non-Stanford users while the project undergoes approval. We currently have leases with a number of non-Stanford companies, and we plan to continue to offer space to these companies for the foreseeable future, Wicks said. This, of course, could change as Stanford determines its need to redevelop or occupy space in the future. The long-term redevelopment project would take as many as 30 years for completion. Plans also include structured parking, gyms and eateries. The project would also seek to improve the sites surroundings, adding an open space in Spinas Park, providing shuttles and transportation alternatives and would help fund storm water improvements. The Commission is studying traffic-congestion remedies and ways to mitigate increased density with greener, more attractive architecture. Stanfords proposed environmental impact report and precise plan are currently available for the public review until March 12.
Ileana Najarro

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Afghan population. He argued that in comparison to the 1990s when Afghanistan was wracked by sectional conflict, with an estimated 400,000 civilian deaths the 10 years after NATOs 2001 intervention were marked by unprecedented stability and aid-fueled socioeconomic development. We brought a lot of good things that civilians need, Junger said. If you want to pull out, you have to acknowledge that a lot of good things will stop happening, and there may be terrible reversals. The audience posed questions focusing on the human impact of the conflict, specifically the burden borne by young Americans serving in Afghanistan. Guys who got out were far more of a danger to themselves and society than the guys who stayed in, Junger said, noting that the adrenaline and intensity experienced during combat becomes difficult to replicate in civilian life. They came out alone into society, and they struggled with it . . . A whole generation was really affected by this war, and America will have to figure out how to take care of them. I thought Junger did a really good job of revealing [in Restrepo] what its like to be a soldier in Afghanistan, said audience member Jack Duane 13, and this conversation was a very good opportunity to examine the morality of being a soldier. The talk was part of the Ethics and War Series now in its second year and was sponsored by the Bowen H. McCoy Family Center for Ethics in Society and Stanfords Creative Writing program. Contact Marshall Watkins at mtwatkins@stanford.edu.

6 N Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Stanford Daily

the afternoon, with Cal outlasting Stanford 344.900-343.600, while the Japanese All-Stars put up a 354.700 to easily take first place. Junior Eddie Penev, who was named NCAA Player of the Week earlier in the season, took the meet off to rest, as he had competed in every single event in each meet leading up to Saturday. The team was also missing freshman Brian Knott, who recently underwent surgery for a torn bicep. Without Penev and Knott, the team had no gymnast compete in the all-around competition. However, despite its lack of manpower, the Cardinal nearly matched its score from last week, when team-leading Penev was competing. Freshman Sean Senters was crucial in making up for the teams lost gymnasts, as he set season-high scores in both floor (14.900) and vault (15.500), with his vault result tying Penevs for the nations best vault score this season. The Cardinal also captured the individual title in the pommel horse, with junior John Martin finishing first with a 15.300 and junior Gabriel Alvarado taking second with a career-best 15.200. The Cardinal trailed the Bears by 0.700 points going into the final round, but Cal was able to pull away on the high bar to win the event and seal the season-series victory in the teams last regularseason meeting. Stanford next takes on Michigan at home on Sunday at 2 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion. Contact Connor Scherer at cscherer@stanford.edu. Special Fees approval The Senate approved five special fees funding bills Tuesday to be voted on by the general student body in the spring election. All of these bills were unanimously approved except for the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) budget, which Laufer opposed. ASB, a VSO which hosts spring break trips and programs that promote public service and student activism, submitted a $90,000 budget proposal that met all ASSU guidelines. For a group that immediately serves less than 5 percent of [the] Stanford undergraduate population and rejects so many others, I do not think undergraduates should contribute $12 to $15 each towards a $90,000 budget, Laufer said in an email to The Daily explaining his opposition. Contact Julia Enthoven at jjejje@stanford.edu.

HOME IS SWEET TO CARD GYM

TOURNAMENT TITLE SECURED
By MILES BENNETT-SMITH
SENIOR STAFF WRITER

It didnt take long for the Stanford softball team to wash away the bad taste of a walk-off loss to UC-Davis. The No. 8 Cardinal returned to the Farm for its first home games of the year and went 4-1 overall on the weekend, winning the Stanford Nike Invitational title.

SOFTBALL STANFORD 3 BRADLEY 0 2/19, Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium
Junior pitcher Teagan Gerhart lived up to her billing as one of the Pac-12s best in the circle, throwing a complete-game shutout in the championship victory over

Bradley (4-6) on Sunday afternoon. Appearing to be approaching midseason form just two weekends into the season, the Norco, Calif., native allowed just two hits and improved to 8-1 overall on the year for the Card (8-3). Stanfords offense gave Gerhart all the support she needed with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Junior second baseman Jenna Richs sharp single to left field brought in sophomore Corey Hanewich, and senior Jenna Becerras bases-loaded walk gave the Cardinal a bit of breathing room against a pesky Braves team that refused to go away. But Gerhart was up to the challenge, allowing just one runner to reach as far as second base while striking out three in her 10th start. With the win, she lowered her ERA to 1.88 10 of the 14 earned runs she has allowed this season came in one game against Texas A&M. What remains for Stanford to

SIMON WARBY/The Stanford Daily

Sophomore Corey Hanewich (above) and the Stanford womens softball team returned to the Farm for their first home games of the year. The Card went 4-1 on the weekend to win the Stanford Nike Invitational.

figure out, however, is how to ensure that Gerhart can stay fresh through Pac-12 and postseason play. With the graduation of Ashley Chinn who went 16-4 in 20 starts last season the Cardinal needs freshman Nyree White to step up and shoulder some of the load. White got the call on Saturday, starting her first game in the circle after seven appearances in relief, but the freshman struggled mightily against a surprising Nevada team. In 3.1 innings, she gave up eight runs (six earned), as Stanford was run-ruled for the first time this season in an 11-3 loss. The Wolfpack (3-7) scored seven runs in the top of the fourth inning, helped along by two Stanford errors. Despite RBI by junior designated player Tegan Schmidt and Rich in the bottom half of the fifth, the Cardinal suffered its third loss of the season. There was little time to regroup, however, as the teams met in the second game of a doubleheader just hours later. In the semifinal matchup, it was all Stanford from the get-go. Senior outfielder Sarah Hassman led off with a bunt single, stole second, took third on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Card a 1-0 lead. Gerhart escaped damage in the second inning, and Stanford broke through with three runs as Hassman tripled to right field and came home on Leah Whites second single of the game. A late run from Nevada closed the deficit, but outfielder Caitlyn Puras two-run triple erased all doubt and pushed Stanford through to the championship game against Bradley, where the Cardinal finished a dominant weekend with a 3-0 victory. It was the same kind of offensive production that Stanford received on day one of the tournament, as almost the entire lineup got in on the action during two victories over Pacific and Bradley. Becerra went 2-3 with a long home run against the Tigers, and Schmidt knocked in the gamewinning run in the sixth inning of a 3-2 win over the Braves. Nevertheless, Stanford will need to prove it can win without Gerhart in the circle, as the team travels to Southern California for next weekends Cathedral City Classic. With a matchup against No. 4 Oklahoma looming on Friday night, the Cardinal must gear up for an early preseason test ahead of conference play. Contact Miles Bennett-Smith at milesbs@stanford.edu.

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The Cardinal looks to extend its current win streak as the team takes on top-ranked Utah this Friday. While Utah is one of the nations powerhouse gymnastics teams, Smyth feels good about her teams chances, noting that the Card has a lot of momentum and [its] confidence is growing. Last season, Stanford took down the then-No. 4 Utes in a thrilling meet, ending Utahs streak of 20 straight regular-season home victories. Stanford will look for a similar result this year as it faces the Utes on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. in Salt Lake City, Utah. A shorthanded Stanford mens gymnastics team faced Cal for the fifth time in five meets to open the 2012 season. Coming into Saturdays meet, the series was tied at 22, with the Golden Bears winning the first and fourth meetings and the Cardinal taking the second and third, and both squads looking to emerge with a victory in the fifth and final matchup of the season. While rival Cal was a main priority for Stanford, the team also faced the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars, the Cards first and only international opponent of the season. The Japanese All-Stars established their dominance early on in the competition, but Stanford and Cal stayed neck and neck for the entire meet. Ultimately, the last event decided the final outcome for

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and approved a clause encouraging The Daily to submit reimbursement requests to SSE quarterly. Instead of requiring The Daily to post its annual audit on the special fees ballot, the final bill included an amendment, suggested by Senate Parliamentarian Alex Kindel 14, requiring that The Daily provide documentation to the student body on the Spring Elections ballot that fulfills the requirement specified in Appendix I, Section 4.E.10 of the ASSU Joint Bylaws. This section of the bylaws offers several options for The Daily to provide financial information about the current and previous years expenses to inform the student vote.

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Woodward and Lee finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 100 butterfly, but both of their times during this regular dual-meet season have already been faster than their postseason performances last season. Despite being just a sophomore, Maya DiRado will also be a major contender at the conference championship. Backstroke specialist DiRado has the fastest time in the nation in the 200 backstroke. Just as impressive is the fact that no other Pac-12 swimmer is within eight-tenths of a second of DiRados time this season. The versatile Cardinal swimmers will also be competing in the 200 and 400 individual medleys. In these events, the competition will be much tougher, as the conference is especially strong in the medley. Three of the countrys four fastest times in the 200

individual medley and the three fastest times in the 400 individual medley come from Pac-12 swimmers. DiRado is ranked second in the Pac-12 in the 200 individual medley and third in the 400, and will have to square off against USCs Katinka Hosszu, the fastest swimmer in both events. The Trojan senior may arguably be the best swimmer in the country, as she looks to defend her three conference and national titles this postseason. Hosszu was so dominant last year that she was nominated for ESPNs ESPY Award for Best Female College Athlete. Going into the conference championship, Hosszu is the top seed in four individual events. Cal junior Caitlin Leverenz, seeded third in the 200 individual medley and second in the 400, will also be in contention for the conference titles in the two events. In its bid to win its third consecutive conference title, Stanford will look to claim as many relay titles as possible. The Car-

dinals safest bet is probably the 200 freestyle relay an event in which the team has the fastest time in the country. In the other four relay events that will be contested, Stanford is seeded second in two of them and fourth and fifth in the other two. On the diving board, sophomore Stephanie Phipps will be the top diver for the Cardinal. Despite finishing fourth in the 3meter springboard event at last years Pac-10 Championships, Phipps managed to cap off an impressive postseason campaign by qualifying for NCAAs at the Zone Diving Regional and earning All-American honors. Phipps hopes to build off last years success and possibly come away with a Pac-12 title on the springboard. The 2012 Pac-12 Championships at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash., will splash off at 6 p.m. this Wednesday and conclude on Saturday. Contact George Chen at gchen15 @stanford.edu.

SIMON WARBY/The Stanford Daily

The No. 8 Cardinal will travel to Washington today to compete for the inaugural Pac-12 womens swimming and diving championships. Its toughest competition will be No. 1 Cal, defeated by the Card earlier this season.