University of Oregon students were alerted around 4:30 p.m. today that a suspicious package was found in PLC. Students were warned to stay away.

UOPD Chief Matthew Carmichael said a faculty member in PLC reported the package to the police.

UOPD officers initially responded but couldn’t determine what the package was. Carmichael said they then cornered off the area and stopped anyone from entering the building.

The UOPD’s bomb-sniffing dog was brought by several officers to investigate the scene. Eugene Police Department’s bomb squad was also on-sight.

About 45 minutes later, students were alerted that there was no danger and the building was reopened.

According to Carmichael, the package was full of books.

Casey Crowley contributed reporting to this article

The post UOPD bomb dog was brought to investigate a suspicious package in PLC today appeared first on Emerald Media.

It starts with orientation. It’s your first actual campus event as admitted students of the U. It can be scary and a bit of a shift and it can potentially turn people off the idea of attending future campus events or getting involved in them. This piece is here to put you at ease. Yes, there are lots of events that happen on campus throughout the year, but they’re not as threatening as orientation can be and they’re worth going to.

Every day, you can find some club doing something at some building. There might be some late night event going on at the Peterson Heritage Center, some quirky themed event in the Union or a fair or expo in front of the library. Most of these campus events that you might run across are run by students and are there for students. They’re worth at least walking through — there might be free swag items or information that you didn’t know you needed until you saw it there.

Some of these events are much larger in scale than the others and prove to be must-sees for students who are attending the University of Utah for the first time. ASUU hosts a free annual concert called Redfest and last year’s headliner was Migos with Amine opening. The Union Programming Council hosts a late-night party at the Union called Crimson Nights four times a year and it’s the biggest campus event in the state of Utah. There’s a Wellness Fair at the Student Life Center that provides free medical services for students like STD testing and vaccinations. These are events that students should attend at least once to get the full university experience.

You can also find posters around campus for smaller events such as lectures, themed parties, organized protests, meet-and-greets and more. These events are also worth marking on your calendar and making the effort to attend, especially if the theme of the event is in tune with your interests. Even if it isn’t, it can be worth it to stop by anyway. The majority of these events provide some free swag or food to visitors. The students and faculty who organize these events are happy for anybody to come and stop by, even if it is just for the food. Plus, free food is always better than having to wait in line and pay for something, especially when you’re a broke college kid who can’t afford to eat out for lunch.

These campus events happen almost every day and they’re here for you to take advantage of. Be sure to learn about all of the events that are being promoted at orientation and mark your calendar for some of them. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that a lot of them can be pretty fun and worth stopping by for five minutes. If you’re interested in event programming, there are plenty of organizations on campus that allow students to participate in the event planning process. Be sure to take the time to learn more about ASUU, the Residence Hall Association, the Union Programming Council, the Bennion Center and other similar organizations that allow you to get active on campus.

letters@dailyutahchronicle.com

@TheChrony

The post Swanson: Another Day, Another Campus Event appeared first on Daily Utah Chronicle.

The Front Bottoms commit to new maturity, beginning of new era with ‘Ann’

Fueled by Ramen/Courtesy

Grade: 4.0/5.0

Dedicating an EP to your grandmother doesn’t seem like the most on-brand decision for an emo revival band — a band that is also at times folk-punk and, in more recent releases, veering toward indie rock — but the Front Bottoms did it anyway. The dedication is a little bizarre, a little cute and actually not that surprising.

And true to form for an EP named after a grandmother, it’s admirably mature.

The conception of Ann — named after frontman Brian Sella’s grandmother – can be traced back to 2014. That year, the band released its first “grandma” EP, Rose, which was dedicated to the eponymous grandmother of drummer Mathew Uychich.

While Rose is a definitive part of the band’s early music, it’s also a perfect example of the unpracticed sound the band tried to move away from with its releases of the past year. In “Jim Bogart,” off the Rose EP, Sella foreshadows the band’s progression when he sings, “I would play more than just four chords / If it’s a song that you might like.”

Four years later, the band demonstrates a mastery of more than just a couple nifty new chords. Ann is a six-song extension of the experience that originated with the band’s 2017 album Going Grey — both feature a drastically more complex sound than that of Rose. There is an increased amount of instruments and synths to pick out in each song, a stark contrast to the band’s early music, which relied on the tried-and-true rock equation of guitar, drums, bass and vocals. Back then, the band only ventured into uncharted territory with the occasional trumpet or tambourine to shake things up.

All but one song on the EP have been around for years now, never released officially but occasionally played live. In deciding to update the songs, rerecording them and giving them complete makeovers in terms of sound, the band is asserting that it’s trying its hand at something new.

“Tie Dye Dragon” was the only song off the new EP to be released as a single. The song is beautiful and cinematic, its most striking aspect being its violin use, a choice uncharacteristic for the band. This song and “Pale Beneath The Tan (Squeeze)” are the highlights of Ann, beautifully showcasing the best parts of the band’s updated tone.

In “Tie Dye Dragon,” Sella sings, “I guess I’m older now / I am caught in between who I am / And who I’m supposed to be.” While the lyrics further the conversation about age that began in Going Grey, Ann isn’t about finally settling down — it’s about approaching the same lifestyle with a different sense of awareness.

The sound is far more developed than in previous releases, lacking the messy guitar strumming that once characterized the band’s style. At the same time, the songwriting feels familiar. 11 years into the band’s career, Sella is still writing about many of the same things.

This isn’t a bad thing. Sella’s commitment to raw, unpolished lyrics played a major role in the band’s success. His songwriting and half-talking, half-singing vocals are reminiscent of Max Bemis of Say Anything and John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, placing the band in the outskirts of the mainstream.

With Ann, the Front Bottoms stay loyal to a major part of what sets the band apart in the first place. Yet the band is also moving forward and experimenting with a sound that is cleaner and more in the vein of contemporary indie rock bands. It hasn’t completely mastered this sound yet — the beginning of “I Think Your Nose Is Bleeding,” for example, features a series of unnecessary synth sounds that don’t smoothly transition into the synthless rest of the song.

As a whole, however, Ann is impressive. It is bold and unabashedly experimental while still retaining the essence of the band’s identity, as shaped over the past decade.

But the Front Bottoms have always been your older brother’s garage band, clumsily fumbling around and trying to figure out what it’s doing. It hasn’t completely left that garage yet.

While Ann is in part the product of a much less clumsy rock outfit, one that that has now invested in a synthesizer, it is still reminiscent of what the band has already established. Sella is still singing about chaotic relationships, drug experimentation and staying out too late — he’s just doing it with more instruments, more advanced production and more self-awareness.

If Going Grey was the band’s declaration that it is growing up after a decade of relative consistency, then Ann is the debut release of its new maturity. The band might be “going grey” and feeling its age, but in embracing the inevitability of growing up, the band is allowing itself to move forward.

Contact Alex Jiménez at ajimenez@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

I have to admit, I wasn’t the biggest fan of 2016’s R-rated superhero sensation “Deadpool.” Sure, it was a refreshing new brand of superhero film, but Ryan Reynolds’ shtick quickly became tiresome and its thin plot was underwhelming. Its sequel, “Deadpool 2,” brings a larger budget, bigger stars and more creative freedom. The result? A much better film that thrives on its laugh-out-loud comedy despite some flaws in its story.

While its predecessor showed us how Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) became a red-suited assassin, “Deadpool 2” features Deadpool as a seasoned contract killer, traveling internationally and taking down faceless goons. When Cable (Josh Brolin), a super-soldier from the future, tries to hunt down young pyrokinetic mutant Russell Collins (Julian Dennison), Deadpool and his friend Weasel (T.J. Miller) assemble a superhero team called the X-Force to stop Cable from killing the child. This team includes the super-lucky Domino (Zazie Beetz), the acid-spitting Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard), the invisible Vanisher, the electromagnetic Bedlam (Terry Crews), the cocky Shatterstar (Lewis Tan) and the super-average Peter (Rob Delaney).

One of the first “Deadpool”’s greatest weaknesses is its paper-thin plot, but “Deadpool 2” offers a slightly more packed storyline. While at times cliche and predictable, the sequel exposes new layers to Wade’s character. His almost fatherly relationship with Russell further builds Wade’s character beyond merely a wisecracking killer, and his relationship with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) reveals a vulnerability we haven’t seen before. Unfortunately, these plotlines unfold predictably, but it’s nice to see our title character show more depth. Meanwhile, Reynolds continues to own the character with an unmatchable swagger. It’s hard to picture anyone else donning the red bodysuit other than Reynolds, who clearly has a ball portraying this character.

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

The new additions to the franchise have strong character debuts, with Beetz’s Domino as a clear standout as a mutant with the superpower of luck. Beetz has a nonchalant charm that contrasts wonderfully with Reynolds’ wit, and Domino has a few magnificent sequences that utilize her unconventional superpower. My only gripe about Domino is that there isn’t enough of her in the film, although she will surely be used more in the future, perhaps in a spinoff. Brolin’s Cable is effective as the straight man to Deadpool, but he leaves much to be desired outside of that. We understand that he’s gruff and serious because of the loss of his daughter and wife, but the film doesn’t give us enough of his character to leave us satisfied. Plus, we only get a taste of some of his iconic banter with Wade from the comics.

Director David Leitch, best known for 2014’s intense action hit “John Wick,” infuses character and humor in his action sequences that other films lack. Every action scene is full of witty one-liners, gore and comedy. In fact, Deadpool slices off his enemies heads to the tune of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” in one of the first scenes. Leitch’s creativity makes even Deadpool’s gratuitous violence entertaining and adds layers to the typical CGI action.

Ultimately, its comedy is what carries the film and what elevates it from just another joke-filled superhero smash. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick throw seemingly hundreds of jokes at the audience, and certainly not all of them stick. However, the ones that do land hit so hard that I was hysterically laughing in the theater, and the film has gut-busting humor for all ages. There are countless pop culture references, from “Yentl” to James Bond to “Stranger Things.” There are deep cut references to comics and superhero movies that only hardcore fans will understand. And there are other moments of pure, gross humor that will have everyone squealing and giggling in their seats. A sequence involving the X-Force banding together is comic gold, and you must stay for one of the best post-credits scenes in superhero history.

People will complain about “Deadpool 2” because of its unseriousness and predictability, and indeed it suffers from the same troubles of many superhero flicks. But alas, as a Deadpool film, it must be taken as a comedy, and it certainly succeeds within its genre. “Deadpool 2” is, no doubt, one of the funniest comedies I have seen in recent years, and everything else that it adds is merely icing on the cake. Go see “Deadpool 2,” and prepare for an eccentric, crude and hilarious time at the movies.

Grade: B+

The post ‘Deadpool 2’ Crushes With Crude Comedy appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Spoiler Warning for the Season 4, Episode 6 of “Fear the Walking Dead,” as well as all previous episodes of the series. Spoilers from “The Walking Dead” will also be discussed. 

Kim Dickens as Madison Clark – (Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC)

Just when you think you have “Fear the Walking Dead” figured out, it throws another plot twist at you…well several, actually. The latest episode is a bit jumbled when it comes to the narrative, spending an unbalanced among of time with each story arc in both timelines. Still, there is a significant amount of backstory and character development that really props this episode up. The battle against the Vultures is just ramping up and it looks as though deadly consequences are on the horizon.

This episode makes a point to play with the timeline in the same way that “Another Day in the Diamond” did, utilizing the “BEFORE” and “NOW” cards. As the season progresses, the two stories are getting closer and closer to each other and the downfall of the Diamond nears.

BEFORE

At the Diamond, Naomi treats a wound Alicia sustained from a supply run, showcasing that the two have established a working infirmary in the community. Madison arrives and lets them know that they will need to scout for more food, noting that their current rations are being stretched thin. The wound that Alicia has shows just how far the survivors are going to assure that they have a least a small amount of food for the community. A huge aspect of this episode deals with Strand and the guilt he feels as he works on becoming a better person. Luciana questions where he found the truck filled with supplies, and Strand tells an elaborate tale to cover his ass. He checks in with Cole later and it seems as though their relationship is at a bit of a standstill as Cole states that he didn’t rat Strand out because of the possible repercussions he would face; is Cole afraid that Strand would enact physical harm on him? This episode touches base on one of the best dynamics in the series as Madison and Strand have a much-need talk over a bottle of liquor. Strand asks Madison why she saved his life even after he betrayed her and the rest of the Dam community in Season 3. Madison explains that she knows exactly who Victor is and that even though he may make bad choices, he is still a good person. This friendship has been through a lot since the two first met and it rewarding to see them discuss their shared history and love for one another.

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia Clark, Frank Dillane as Nick Clark. (Photo Credit: Richard Foreman, Jr/AMC)

A central focus of this episode is on Naomi as even more of her backstory is revealed following the excellent standalone “Laura” that opened her character up exponentially. It’s already been established that Naomi doesn’t like to stay in one place for too long, but this episode shows that she is not only running away from something, but that she is also running to something. She tries to flee the Diamond, but is stopped by one of the residents with a gun as Madison and the others arrive to see what the fuss is all about. Naomi covers herself by stating that she was heading to a location with supplies and seeds to grow crops at the Stadium. Alicia volunteers to come along, but Madison states that she and Strand will go with Naomi while everyone else stays behind to defend against the Vultures. The trio head out together, but stop at a motel for the night so as to not travel in the dark. There are a few roaming Infected in the motel and Madison finds a few cans of food, leading her to realize that a conflict erupted over these basic supplies that ended with people dead; this highlights just how dire the state of the world is while simultaneously showing just how far people will go to keep themselves alive for an additional day or two.

Strand finds a collection of food, mostly consisting of vending machine snacks, that the trio decide to feast upon while talking about their pasts; shouldn’t they have saved the food considering the famine happening back at the Diamond? Anyway, Naomi questions where Strand and Madison came from, prompting them to share that they originated in Los Angeles and later ended up in Mexico before traversing to Texas; there’s a brief mention of their journey across the country when Madison and Strand reminisce about a bar they visited in Roswell, New Mexico. Naomi is hesitant to talk about her past, but reveals that she is taking them to a FEMA shelter that has since been overrun. Going to the shelter with Strand and Madison wasn’t Naomi’s original plan and she explains that she actually was going to leave the Stadium behind when she was caught. Strand really doesn’t want to trust Naomi, noticing her flakiness and cowardice. Madison pulls Strand back and states that Naomi is free to leave if she wishes and that no one would blame her for it. When morning comes, Madison finds that Naomi has left the motel and taken off on her own. This is her what…fourth time fleeing? This woman is a runner.

Jenna Elfman as Naomi. (Photo credit: Richard Foreman Jr./AMC)

It’s been apparent since she was first introduced that something is haunting Naomi and that unravels further as she arrives at the FEMA shelter alone. The shelter is filled with Infected, something that really seems to weigh heavily on Naomi. Meanwhile, Madison and Strand try to chart a course to the shelter, realizing they need the supplies regardless of if Naomi is going to help them or not. This is where Strand really opens up and lets Madison know the truth about his bug-out car that he brought to the Diamond. Madison seems a bit taken aback by this, but doesn’t lash out in anger like she did after his betrayal at the Dam. At the shelter, Naomi enters and locates a notebook that appears to contain instructions along with a set of keys. She sneaks around the Infected, but comes across an area of the shelter with children’s drawings on the wall, prompting her to freeze in her place and drop to the ground in a fit of tears. The Infected are drawn by noises she makes and Naomi finds herself on the run from a small horde that chases her through a maze of corridors and cots. It’s important to note that Naomi is unable to kill any of the Infected; she tries, but just can’t bring herself to do so as she tears up at the mere thought of putting any of them down. Before she is completely surrounded, she climbs up to the top of a platform and collapses in sadness, staring down at what is later revealed to be her former co-survivors. Rule number one in the zombie apocalypse: don’t get yourself trapped.

Everything seems quite hopeless for Naomi…and it even looks as though this might be where she actually dies. That simply isn’t the case as Madison and Strand arrive and rescue Naomi from the platform; Naomi initially rejects their help, tossing the keys to them and stating that she is supposed to be here. Strand really jumps into action as he uses rope to create an escape route for Naomi to pull herself across the Infected; this is incredibly similar to the tactic Spencer Monroe used in “The Walking Dead’s” Season 6 episode “Heads Up,” which is an adaptation of a similar moment in the comic series. Madison kills several Infected while Strand helps Naomi off the rope, proving once again that teamwork makes the dream work, especially in the apocalypse. After getting away from the Infected, Naomi finally opens up about what happened to her prior to joining the group and why she has such a somber connection to this location. Naomi reveals that she had a daughter named Rose and that they lived at the FEMA shelter with several other survivors, including a woman that taught classes on survival skills to prepare for the worst (similar to Carol at the Prison in “TWD”). At some point, Rose got extremely sick and Naomi left to find medicine to treat her, hiding her daughter in a closet to prevent the others from finding out and exiling her. Rose apparently died, turned and attacked the survivors, leading to the entire shelter’s downfall. Naomi places all of the blame of what happened squarely on herself and you can feel the pain as Jenna Elfman delivers a wholly emotional performance.

Colman Domingo as Victor Strand. (Photo credit: Richard Foreman Jr./AMC)

Outside of the shelter is a parked car that Naomi explains was packed by the woman who taught survival classes. She called it the “just in case” truck, which could be used to keep the survivors alive should their shelter fall. There’s a lovely moment as Strand points to a plant growing out of a bag of soil, noting to Naomi that things can always get better and that no one is beyond redemption. The trio arrive back at the Diamond as Nick, Alicia and Luciana step outside to speak with Mel. They basically rub it in the Vultures’ face that they are beating the odds and finding supplies outside of the fifty-mile radius that has been searched. The tables turn a bit as Mel sees that they are basically wasting their time with the Stadium and should just move onto another location that could have more attainable supplies. Mel does impart a chilling warning on Madison before leaving in that bad things always happen and that the community still likely won’t be safe. The mood is more upbeat that in recent weeks as Nick explains that the supplies brought back from the FEMA shelter will allow the community to start over and yield enough food for everyone. Later, Madison speaks with Alicia and hands over keys to a vehicle with the instructions to stash it with supplies “just in case” something goes wrong. Madison is using Strand’s method of putting herself and her family first…and can you blame her? She may be the leader of a community, but the apocalypse basically forces you to look out for yourself in the end.

NOW

Following their split from Althea and the others, Morgan and John have been traveling in search of clues that will lead them back to the others. They come across a Vulture named Edgar (Jason Liebrecht), who has been looting a gas station of basically everything, including light bulbs and others random objects. John demands answers from Edgar, yelling at him while holding a pistol to him. The effect of hearing about Naomi is clearly turning him dark, so much so that he even shoots one of Edgar’s fingers off when the Vulture tries to go for his gun. John finds one of the maps that the Vultures carry and questions where they will be meeting next. He also angrily orders Edgar to explain what happened to Naomi at the Stadium, but the Vulture plays coy and states that he wasn’t with the scavenging group at that point. Morgan urges John to ease up a bit before stepping in and telling Edgar to leave and warn his group against going to their meet point. John seems to be uneasy about how the altercation went, showing his discomfort toward his own darker side. On the road, Alicia questions Althea about the rigged machine guns in the SWAT truck. Althea isn’t keen on answering questions, stating that she is the one who asks the questions. She also makes it clear that she will act as a neutral party in whatever happens in the conflict with the Vultures. This is an extremely interesting role for her to play, specifically considering the role that journalists typically play in the real world. There’s also an underlying sense of secrecy still hidden behind Althea’s character. What is she keeping to herself?

Jason Liebrecht as Edgar and Kevin Zegers as Mel. (Photo credit: Richard Foreman Jr./AMC)

The final act of the episode takes place at the Vultures’ meet point as Strand, Alicia and Luciana stage an ambush. Morgan and John arrive instead, leaving the trio confused and angry as Morgan lets them know that he warned the Vultures from coming, noting that they can find another way to move forward without fighting; he even references Nick and states that he should have done more to convince him not to use violence. To the relief of Strand and the others, a caravan of Vultures rolls up the to scene…but they have come armed and ready for a fight, thanks to Morgan’s warning. Mel explains that he is sorry for the killing of Nick, but Alicia retorts by stating that she feels no sorrow over the death of Ennis. The Vultures seem to be far more violent than they were in the “BEFORE” timeline, hinting that a lot has happened between the two time periods. In a drastic turn of events, a Land Rover arrives and a woman steps out, fully outfitted in Vulture-esque garb. To the surprise of everyone, the woman is revealed to be Naomi, alive and aligned with the Vultures. John is most stunned and he walks over to her, but Alicia angrily turns her gun on Naomi and fires a shot. John steps in the way and takes a bullet to the abdomen and collapses to the ground as Naomi and Morgan rush to his aid. “Fear the Walking Dead” is noteworthy for its deadly reunions…and this might just be added to the list. Will John really be the next victim of Season 4? What did Naomi do to make Alicia so angry? WHERE IS MADISON?

“Just in Case” isn’t a perfect episode and does suffer from some issues in regards to the editing and overall scattering of storylines. That being said, there is a ton of strong material here that adds to the mystery element of the season while providing plenty of answers as the climax seems to be near. Naomi’s backstory is devastating and the parallels to other characters in the “TWD” Universe that also lost children help to make viewers sympathize with her; there’s also excellent parallels between her and Strand as both have their own redemption paths. Jenna Elfman delivers yet another incredible performance showing the full ranger of emotions that one would expect a grieving and guilt-filled mother would feel. The setting of the FEMA shelter also deserves praise, adding a layer of realism to the story by showing an example of the government’s attempts to keep things going as the apocalypse struck; FEMA shelters have been seen before in “The Walking Dead” at the high school near Hershel’s Farm and in Downtown Atlanta, both of which were overrun. The mysteries keep piling up and the list of questions continues to grow, but it definitely seems as though the Mid-Season Finale will be very revealing. Is the conflict with the Vultures nearing its end? Who will come out on top?

“Fear the Walking Dead” will take a short hiatus for Memorial Day and will return with the penultimate episode of Season 4A on Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m. on AMC.

Sebastian Moraga dove headfirst into the California art scene six months ago, mingling with visionaries at music concerts and neighborhood bodegas to create his most recent artwork.

The fourth-year world arts and cultures student displayed his project “MOVEMENT JOURNAL: Identity, Neighborhood Change, Interdisciplinary Arts” at “InSight,” a senior showcase for students in the world arts and cultures/dance department, on Friday and Saturday. Over the course of six months, Moraga developed the 36-page journal composed of photographs, interviews and essays encompassing the narratives of creatives throughout California.

“The main thing I learned in this project was … how slow it is to be the sole creator of something,” Moraga said. “I see magazines that have 100 contributors for a 150-page magazine, and at first I questioned, ‘How on Earth are there that many contributors?’ But now I know.”

Moraga said his project is a hybrid between an art book, magazine and zine, and presents a combination of wide-ranging topics, from poetry that explores race and masculinity, to early 2000s-inspired fashion drawings, all the while maintaining a minimalist design. Looking at the vibrantly hued, clean-cut geometric forms that complement textual passages on glossy pages, Moraga said viewers might not suspect the journal’s convoluted creation process.

Originally, Moraga said he intended the project to be a personal novella about familial relations and his mixed Chilean, English and American cultural identity. But as he met with and connected to other creatives, the project evolved to convey their struggles, successes and artistic trajectories instead.

“The whole project became a mixture of me networking, making friends and then watching artists doing things that I don’t even think about,” he said.

During the curation process, Moraga watched a designer sew for 30 hours over a two-day period to complete a stylized leather jacket. He said the energy artists channel into their work inspired him to cover their stories and forge connections to support their challenges and celebrate their efforts.

The journal features five artists, including Steven Cheung, a Los Angeles-based rap and pop music producer who plans the monthly music event “Good Alibi” in Echo Park. In his interview with Moraga, Cheung discussed the aims of “Good Alibi,” as well as the challenges of surviving as a musician in Los Angeles. The honest content makes Moraga’s journal honest and relatable, Cheung said – its inclusion of a range of artists makes it an accurate and intimate account of contemporary creative issues.

“The journal is relevant because the artists involved are all people who are making a lot of sacrifices for their art and struggling for their art to some degree,” he said. “By building relationships with all the people he interviewed, he was able to get a more vulnerable side to them that they conveyed to him as a friend, which makes it more valuable by nature.”

Another project Moraga chronicled in his publication is Clinton Hughes’ “Prototype Sessions.” Hughes, a Los Angeles-based fashion designer and DJ launched the multisensory experience event, which encourages contact with other cultures through food, drink and music, in Seattle.

“I think this being a college publication, it can reach a lot of students that have come from different cultures, neighborhoods, suburbs or urban environments,” Hughes said. “For people who are not hip to the scene or about to transition from the college campus into the big world it’s nice to have your ear on the pulse of what’s going on.”

Moraga said he included “Prototype Sessions” in his project because of the program’s conscious efforts to create an inclusive place for people of various cultures, as well as its collaboration with underrepresented DJs to create a safe space for people of all races and sexualities, Moraga said.

Moraga said the project was an enriching opportunity for a hands-on and involved learning experience, since he was wholly responsible for both sourcing artists and designing the journal. He put his curatorial skills to the test through coordinating and presenting artists’ stories in a publication, a practice he said he developed at UCLA and plans to continue after graduation. Moraga said he is considering continuing the production of his art journal and unfolding it into biannual publications, providing consistent outlets to feature the stories he collects and documents.

“As a person who has grown up in the arts and loves the arts, I never thought I’d be creating (art) physically because I like people more,” he said. “But that’s exactly what this project is – it’s about people.”

Goodrich C. White Hall is set to undergo major renovations that commence as early as Summer 2019. / Jason Oh, Contributor

The University is planning major renovations to Goodrich C. White Hall, which could include redesigned classrooms and increased handicap accessibility, according to Facilities Project Administrator Dwight Raby.

The renovations, which might commence as early as Summer 2019, may also address deferred maintenance and sustainability improvements.

A feasibility study is exploring design options to renovate the building, which has not undergone significant changes since its construction in 1977. The study is exploring what renovations the current structure of the building could support, as well as the logistics of planning and construction.

Construction could begin as early as Summer 2019, but will likely begin in 2020, Raby said.

The project has a base-level budget of $13 million to $14 million, with the possibility that the project will receive more funding later.

“The initial budgeted amount will get us a lot done, but it will be tough to address the entire building,” Raby said.

Renovation planning began two-and-a-half years ago with a space study that concluded White Hall was in need of renovation “if it is to support our teaching efforts going forward,” Raby said.

One of the main goals of the renovation is to modernize classrooms.

“The way we teach now and the way we would like to teach in the future is much different than the way we taught 40 years ago,” Raby said.

Flat floor plans that would better facilitate collaboration among students would replace the building’s current tiered lecture classrooms, according to Raby.

Raby said the College will send out surveys to students and faculty in the next few weeks to gain input on what features they would like to see in their classrooms in the future.

The renovations will also address deferred maintenance and sustainability concerns of the building, much of which is related to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The feasibility study will examine how the HVAC system may be optimized to accommodate for the building’s busiest hours, which are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Raby.

The project will be completed in phases so the building can be used during construction, Raby said.

Emory hired New Orleans-based architecture firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple to conduct the study.

“[Eskew+Dumez+Ripple] stood out with their innovation around environmental concerns, especially with existing buildings,” Raby said. “They also had experience with [White Hall’s] style of architecture, which can be difficult to work with.”

The University held a town hall meeting on April 20 to gain input from about a dozen faculty members, staff and students on what they would like to see in new White Hall classrooms. Raby said there will be opportunities for more input from the Emory community in future meetings.

Raby sent a May 14 email to Emory students with a link to a survey to gauge students’ opinions of White Hall. The survey asked questions about which entrance students used most often, which classroom styles they preferred, windows in classrooms, study spaces and dining options.

The post White Hall to Undergo Renovations appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

James Finney | Technology Editor

On May 23, 2018, Trevor Noah will host the “Battlefield V” reveal event alongside members of the Dice development team.

The event will be streamed on the “Battlefield” YouTube channel as well as on the “Battlefield” official … Read More

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When Johnny Le founded the largest hackathon in Utah, he never expected any recognition. Today, he is the proud recipient of the 2018 Ivory Prize in Student Leadership. The prize consists of a $2,000 award in addition to a $10,000 donation to his program HackTheU.

“The prize recognizes the extraordinary, influential student accomplishments and leadership that impact student success and positively affect campus or the broader community,” said the Office of Undergraduate Studies.

When Johnny Le joined the world of computer science at the University of Utah, he had no idea where to begin. Le started out with a mind for medicine, but after his first computer science class wiped his resume clean. A mentor suggested Le try out a hackathon, so off he went to events in Colorado and Texas.

“I was just so inspired. University of Utah students have so much talent and they were going out to other states and winning competitions,” Le said. “Why don’t we have one just right here at our doorstep?”

Le’s HackTheU is a 24-hour competition to solve provided prompts via virtual reality, augmented reality, Internet of Things and more. In 2017, the event hosted over 200 students. Students who fall short of first place still receive practice and access to workshops with professionals from the community. The first event took nearly three months to put together back in 2016.

“The biggest thing is to not be afraid to reach out to anyone who is going to listen. A lot of people have ideas,” Le said. “Ideas aren’t worth anything. It’s really if you create something with them that matters. Passion is the biggest thing. Passion and determination, without those, I feel like half the biggest companies in the world wouldn’t exist. It’s really passion that drives everything.”

Le lives by the motto, “Shoot for the moon and even if you miss you’ll land among the stars.” A key role model in shaping this view of the world is his dad. Le’s father immigrated to the United States from Vietnam in the ’80s and has worked hard to provide for Johnny and his sister.

“My dad is the type of guy who is the biggest handyman, really good street smarts … That’s the kind of guy he is, so growing up I just had a lot to look up to,” Le said. “A guy who could work so hard and create such a great life for me and my sister from nothing.”

Le’s high goals pushed him to create the largest hackathon in Utah, but dreams are not the only thing someone needs to become an award-winning leader.

“I realize that the biggest thing is when you have other people helping you out, you really have to make them feel like they own the project as well,” Le said. “Whenever you’re working on a project, you’ve got to make sure that if you assign someone something, it’s not you telling them to do it, it’s their task and they can do it how they want to. I have found that that is the most successful way to run an organization and make something as successful as HackTheU.”

Other students, Le believes, can find success at the U if they simply take advantage of what is right in front of them.

“I truly love the University of Utah and if there is anything that I hope that everyone else hears about is that at the University of Utah you have the opportunity to be able to do so many things and it’s really up to the individual to go out and reach that,” Le said.

m.mcdermott@dailyutahchronicle.com

@kenzomcd

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