Gate's Column: Enticed By the Gore of Sports

While watching a minor league hockey game this weekend, I was struck by how much modern sports enthusiasts resemble the rowdy crowds of the Roman Coliseum. As one player was being forcefully shoved into the penalty box by a referee, the crowd booed loudly and gave him the thumbs down.

In essence, hockey is "Gladiator" on ice. And the comparison doesn't end with hockey. It does not take much effort to realize that we don't attend sports to see team players and a good game. We want bloodshed; we want carnage; and we went to see the players get utterly thrashed by the opposing team.

No one went to the Coliseum to see a nice, fair fight. They went to see gore. Today, no one goes to a NASCAR race to see drivers make left turns for hours on end. We're rooting for a ten car pile-up, one with skid marks, flames, and drivers running for their lives.

When was the last time anyone went to an MLB game to see some one run to first base on a third strike wild pitch?

I'm going to bet on never.

Baseball games are dreadfully boring, save for the bitter rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. So, aside from the clash between those two titans, baseball is a tedious sport. When people go to a game, they go for the hot dogs and for the off chance of seeing a bench-clearing brawl where Don Zimmer rushes Pedro Martinez. We know it's wrong to enjoy seeing an old man thrown headfirst into the dirt, but we can't help ourselves. We're channeling our toga-wearing counterparts from the past.

Gladiators had shields; football players have pads. And we like it when both are ineffective. Football isn't about the west coast offense or intricate quarterback sneak plays. It's about hard- hitting tackles. The type where you can hear helmet hit helmet and the groans of the devastating impact. It's about seeing the quarterback getting pile-drived into the Astroturf by a burly defensive lineman. And as they lie writhing on the ground in excruciating pain, what do we scream at the TV? "Get up you wimp!"

Good games are nice but we'd rather see one team get the living crap kicked out of them. In hockey, we like seeing people slammed mercilessly against the boards. We like a good fisticuffs, especially ones where the gloves come off and the sticks go flying. A hockey game is just not a hockey game without a bare-handed brawl.

The gladiators may have lost limbs… or died, but we've evolved. Somewhat. Sports are about competition. Sports are about organized violence and legitimized aggression. They're an outlet for our social hostility. High school coaches may stress team spirit and fair play, but even the youngest athlete knows sports aren't fun unless somebody gets hurt. After all, skin grows back.

Pipe Leak Floods Pryzbyla Offices

A leak in a waste water pipe in the Pryzbyla Center caused flooding and distributed sewage in some offices and closed the Student Restaurant this past weekend.

The flooding was caused by a rag that fell down a drain in the third floor Student Restaurant, which clogged a waste pipe located in the ceiling of the second floor. Significant flooding ensued.

Students and employees working for food services had to cope with the flooding this past weekend when the Student Restaurant closed after the brunch meal on Saturday. It was determined that the drains in the food service area were not working properly and needed to be checked for clogging, according to Steve Marr, general manager of operations for Sodexho, the University's food service contractor.

"Water was all over the floor of North [Student Restaurant] and it was clear there was a problem when I went to eat breakfast," said Ryan Mullen, a junior architecture and civil engineering major. "There were 'Caution, wet floor' signs all over the place."

After investigating the poor drainage in the Student Restaurant, Sodexho decided to close the dining hall until they could resolve the problem. In response, Sodexho transferred all food services operations to the downstairs food court where dinner was served that Saturday night. Because the problem was not fixed completely by Sunday at brunch, the decision was made to serve the meal again at the food court alone, Marr said. Normally the food court operates with limited service on the weekends but "Because of the situation, venues of food service not normally open in the food court on the weekends, such as the Pizza and Deli stations, opened for service," he said.

The Student Restaurant reopened for dinner Sunday evening when it was determined that the drains were clear and the pipe was fixed.

Regina Howell, program coordinator for University Center, Student Programs and Events, discovered the problem around 9:20 a.m. Saturday. "I walked into my office and it looked like as though it was raining from one spot on my ceiling," Howell said in an e-mail to The Tower.

Howell immediately contacted colleagues who brought in buckets to collect the falling water, and asked the Department of Public Safety to find the emergency facilities manager to report the situation. There was very little damage to Howell's offices other than water-logged carpets; this was cleaned over the rest of the weekend and was drying on Monday morning, according to Howell. "I was very happy with how the situation was handled by all parties involved," said Howell.

The flooding also affected the Career Services office, located on the second floor of the Pryz beside UCSPE. Some of the office furnishings and telecommunication devices were damaged, according Alan Goodman, the office's director. "The carpet was soaked and needed to be dried out, however it has been cleaned and dried since Saturday's flooding," said Goodman.

Career Services' telephone system was also "compromised" due to the flooding. "We are contacting CUA Telecommunications regarding the phone," Goodman said.

Despite this damage, the University informed the office on Monday, "immediately and thoroughly," according to Goodman, and he was pleased how well it communicated and responded to the situation.

Five Students Assaulted

Four assaults on students occurred on campus within the past ten days, raising concerns about safety by both the administration and students, though the attacks are considered unrelated by the Department of Public Safety.

The attacks occurred in different locations on campus, including in the Student Restaurant on the third floor of the Pryzbyla Center. In addition three students were mugged, two near Gibbons Hall and one behind the Pizza Hut on Monroe Street. Another female student was assaulted in Mary's Garden, located behind the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

On Monday evening, October 25, a temporary employee contracted by Sodexho Corp., punched Carlos Jemio, a junior architecture major, according to a letter issued to the campus community by Tom Morgan, District Manager of Campus Services for Sodexho USA.

According to Jemio, he was in the upstairs dining hall around 7 p.m. when his assailant, a first day employee working at the omelet station, responded in a threatening tone after Jemio thanked him for his food. "I said thank you for preparing my meal, and his response to me was, 'Don't be talking to me like that,'" said Jemio.

Jemio attempted to apologize for insulting the man, whom he described as wearing a "chef's outfit," but the confrontation escalated, as the temporary worker threatened to harm the student. "I kept apologizing and telling him that I meant no harm, but he kept threatening me. All I wanted to tell him was that he had done a good job in preparing my food," said Jemio.

After a few minutes, the situation intensified when, according to Jemio, "the employee came over to where I was standing and threw off his gloves and hairnet, ready to assault me."

The employee then punched Jemio in the face, bruising his face and tearing his lip. Jemio attempted to retaliate, but two students held him back. The assailant fled the scene of the incident, leaving his backpack in the building. DPS, Metropolitan Police, and D.C. EMS reported to the scene.

In response to the event, Sodexho issued a campus-wide letter of apology stating, "We will work closely with Catholic University to ensure we are providing the best possible dining experience for the entire Catholic University community."

Despite being attacked, Jemio, who received a free meal from Sodexho, still respects the food service employees. "Despite the incident, they still do a good job; however, everyone should know how to act in a responsible manner, unlike the man who attacked me," Jemio said.

Sodexho is investigating to ensure no other temporary employees will act in this manner when working at the University, by making sure standards are met during training, Morgan said.

Besides the assault of Jemio, a female student experienced an attempted assault in Mary's Garden, adjacent to the Basilica, last Friday. According to a DPS crime report, a male who identified himself as Chris approached a female student. The two engaged in conversation as they walked to Mary's Garden, where the male attempted to assault the victim. She struck the assailant and fled, notifying DPS of the attempted assault. No arrest has yet been made.

In addition to these two assaults in the past ten days, two separate robberies occurred on the southern part of campus. The first robbery occurred when an armed assailant approached a female student. He demanded money, then snatched her purse, according to a DPS crime alert. In addition, the suspect threw the student to the ground; she sought medical attention and was treated at the scene.

The second robbery occurred last Thursday, when two CUA students were ambushed from behind some bushes near the former University Center, and they surrendered their purses to the suspect.

With such crimes occurring within such a short period of time on campus, some students said they are concerned for their safety.

"I feel horribly unsafe on campus," said Kathryn Bergeron, a junior French major. "I walk back late from the library alone late at night, and do not feel safe sometimes walking back to Regan Hall, where I live on campus."

In addition, sophomore psychology major Kristin Heineman expressed fears about her safety on campus. "I feel a lot less safe after the number of crimes lately," said Heinman.

Though some students expressing fears, freshman Sandi Roznovsky, a history and secondary education major, disagrees. "I still feel safe on campus. Students just need to be aware of their surroundings on campus. Campus is safe as long as you stay alert," Roznovsky said.

Sokolowski Defends Speaker Policy In E-Mailed Document

Monsignor Robert Sokolowski, one of the preeminent and longest-tenured professors in the School of Philosophy, issued an extensive document critiquing a statement written and signed by two-thirds of ordinary professors in the School of Arts and Sciences, which argued that the policy violated principles of academic freedom.

In contrast, Sokolowski said in his document that for those who advocate against Church teaching on certain values, "it would not be unreasonable to deny that person a forum at CUA, even if he wishes to speak about something else."

Sokolowski's document, which has circulated among the faculty for several weeks, was sent by e-mail to more than 100 philosophy majors on Tuesday.

Sokolowski's statement "corrects some misconceptions … on campus at the moment concerning what a Catholic university is and how the pursuit of truth happens here," wrote Philosophy School Associate Dean Jean De Groot, who sent the document to the students.

Unlike the Arts and Sciences professors' statement, Sokolowski's did not carry other professors' signatures. But its transmission from De Groot, who also said the document was being sent from Philosophy Dean Rev. Kurt Pritzl, would seem to indicate support for it.

The Arts and Sciences statement, Sokolowski wrote, "does not recognize why there is a problem with certain speakers at CUA. It seems to recommend that CUA act like a purely secular institution. But CUA is affiliated with the Catholic Church," he wrote.

"It is, of course, inevitable that some people who speak on campus will have views differing from Church doctrine on many matters, but the problem arises when the person is known as a conspicuous advocate for that point of view," Sokolowski wrote.

Sokolowski also argued that the speaker controversy was "an academic matter" and should have been brought to the Academic Senate.

"Well, I didn't agree of course with a great deal that was in it," said English professor Joseph Sendry, who was part of the drafting committee that produced the Arts and Sciences statement. "In a way, I felt somewhat flattered that [Sokolowski] read it with such care," Sendry said. "He is somebody who has a very penetrating mind. Clarity is his strong suit."

Sendry, who said he spoke briefly with Sokolowski about the issue on Tuesday, said he felt a camaraderie with Sokolowski who, like Sendry, has been teaching at CUA for decades.

Both statements came after O'Connell barred actor Stanley Tucci, who is known to support abortion rights and was recently honored by the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, from speaking on campus during an Italian film festival this month.

Sokolowski's document, at three times the length of the Arts and Sciences statement and drafted in late September, argues that moral teachings and values "are not determined by debate or academic inquiry."

"To illustrate this point: Would we want to invite as a speaker someone who seriously advocated slavery, racial hatred, or terrorism, so that we could hear his arguments and perhaps be persuaded by him?" Sokolowski wrote. "Certainly not; such things are not open to debate."

"Are we, in the terms used in the [Arts and Sciences] statement, to 'inquire, discuss and ponder' whether practices such as slavery, racial hatred, terrorism, abortion, and assisted suicide are morally wrong?"

Sendry said Tucci was sought for the festival because of his film expertise. "We have a drama department where people are trained in acting…and we have a media studies department where people are studying film…and he's an expert in that," Sendry said.

Sendry also cited the University's statement on academic freedom, which states that "The university is a center of discourse where inquiry is encouraged and discoveries are verified and refined by the interaction of scholar with scholar."

"I think [Sokolowski] tends to downplay the issue in the speaker controversy as a matter of academic freedom. But I think it is," Sendry said.

Responding to the Arts and Sciences professors' claim that the death penalty and justifiable grounds for waging war are also serious concerns in the Church, Sokolowski distinguished abortion from the other two.

"The Church's position on abortion," Sokolowski wrote, "is different from her position on the other the other two issues, in that prudential judgments are possible with respect to the latter but not with respect to the former."

Nov. 5 Issue Is Under Construction

We're sorry for the delay of the web publication of this week's issue. The Tower is experiencing difficulties with the University network. We will post the issue as soon as we can. Thank you for your patience and for reading The Tower.

Editorial: Simple Steps Needed For Improved Safety

After every crime spike, The Tower editorial board meets to talk about the major news of the week and what message our editorial ought to send. Many times, we resolve to write about the need to improve the safety on campus-but in truth, there is no easy way to make this happen.

Once again, after four separate incidents in which students were assaulted, we feel the need to somehow promote increased protection for members of the campus community. How can this be done? We believe there are a number of factors that can be altered to significantly improve campus safety in the immediate future.

Employees of the University and its contractors ought to be carefully screened. The incident with Sodexho Food Services is now the third time an employee has been prosecuted for a violent act in as many years. We know that the vast majority of workers in the dining halls are nothing short of pleasant and professional. Yet a pattern is appearing, and a criminal background check ought to be put in place for new-and especially temporary-employees coming to work here.

The University can also maintain the grounds so that they are both pleasant-looking and safe. Bushes ought to be trimmed so that criminals cannot hide and wait for a vulnerable person to walk by. Isolated places on campus, like Mary's Garden and the old University Center (now Cardinal Hall) can be patrolled more aggressively. After all, crime is much more likely to take place in isolated places as opposed to busy places.

Which brings us to our last point: Students, as ever, need to protect themselves. No, we're not talking about House Republicans' efforts to rescind the firearm ban in the District. We're talking about being smart. Walk in groups of at least two, avoid the isolated places on campus that are known to be troublesome. And pay attention to DPS's crime alerts and The Tower's other crime reports to be aware of crime on campus and where and where it appears to consistently take place.

Former Chancellor Hickey Dies at 84

Cardinal James A. Hickey, the Archbishop Emeritus of Washington who also served as the University Chancellor for twenty years, died early Sunday among friends. Since his retirement in 2000, Hickey, 84, had been in residence at the Jeanne Jugan Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor and died due to pneumonia.

In 1980, Pope John Paul II appointed Hickey as Archbishop of Washington, and eight years later, Cardinal Hickey was elevated to the College of Cardinals. As Archbishop, the cardinal oversaw a significant expansion of the social services offered by the Catholic Church in Washington.

"We serve the homeless not because they are Catholic, but because we are Catholic," Hickey was quoted to have said in a Washington Post article. "If we don't care for the sick, educate the young, care for the homeless, then we cannot call ourselves the church of Jesus Christ."

The cardinal was also known for his orthodox Catholic teaching and loyalty to direction from the Holy See. He retired as Archbishop of Washington in 2000, and spent his last days with the Little Sisters of the Poor on Harewood Road, who cared for him until his death on Sunday.

As Chancellor of CUA, Cardinal Hickey brought with him a significant amount of experience in Catholic higher education: he was rector of St. Paul's Seminary, and later the North American College in Rome.

A canon lawyer and theologian, Cardinal Hickey himself spent a significant amount of time as a student in Michigan, Washington and Rome.

He chose, "Veritatem in Caritate" [Truth in Love] as his episcopal motto. It is a reference to Ephesians 4:15, "Rather, living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ."

Central to his time as Archbishop was Cardinal Hickey's exercise of the bishop's teaching office. A number of people with different perspectives of the cardinal shared their memories. Throughout these accounts from varying perspectives, two threads ran constant. First and foremost, Cardinal Hickey was loyal to the Catholic Church and the Magisterium. Second, he was a loyal son of CUA who cared deeply for his alma mater.

These principles permeated Cardinal Hickey's vision for Catholic higher education. Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Bridgeport Bishop William E. Lori described how Cardinal Hickey saw higher education. "The cardinal loved higher education and was himself a teacher to the core … He felt strongly that Catholic higher education should be authentically Catholic and intellectually rigorous-because he was that way himself," Lori said.

Cardinal Hickey saw evangelization both of the culture and of the student body as integral to Catholic education. "The other thing the cardinal saw as the mission of Catholic higher education was evangelization… to bring the truths and values of the Catholic intellectual tradition to bear on the dominant culture… also to evangelize students in Catholic universities in a way appropriate to their time and state in life," Lori said. Lori was among the cardinal's closest aides, serving as theologian, priest-secretary, vicar general, and auxiliary bishop before being sent to Bridgeport.

University President Rev. David M. O'Connell and University Spokesman Victor Nakas refused to comment for this article.

Cardinal Hickey's tenure as chancellor was not without controversy, much of which centered around his use of the teaching office of the bishop. One of the most significant controversies surrounded the teachings of Rev. Charles Curran, a former CUA professor of moral theology.

"The Holy See put out a notice that in their opinion, Father Curran was not qualified to be a professor of theology at Catholic University," recounted Cardinal Avery Dulles. "So he [Cardinal Hickey] had to take away the [Curran's] canonical mission." As a result, Curran was fired from the University and unable to teach theology at other Catholic universities. "I don't think he [Cardinal Hickey] really had any choice in the matter," Dulles said.

In an interview, Curran said he understood Hickey's reasons. "Given the action by the CDF [the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith], 90 percent of the bishops in the United States would have done what Hickey did … I think it was bad for the University but I tried to respect the good things he stood for."

That action reflected Cardinal Hickey's view of the episcopacy. "The cardinal was a very thorough man and he was a man of duty and honor," Lori said. "When he had a task to do, even a difficult task, he was never one that he wanted to hurt or offend anyone, but he would do it as thoroughly and professionally as he could," he said.

Cardinal Hickey did not confine his teaching office to correcting doctrinal errors. "When it came to teaching the faith, I think the cardinal did that willingly and happily. He understood that the first responsibility is to teach the faith. The teaching office of the bishop creates the space for the office of sanctifying and governing," Lori said.

As Cardinal Hickey became ill, he encountered Curran at a funeral Mass and the two put aside their differences. "Cardinal Hickey was at the memorial Mass for Monsignor [and former University professor George] Higgins in the chapel of the Shrine," Curran said. "He was ill in a wheelchair and it was clear he made an effort to be there," Curran said. Curran delivered the memorial talk at this Mass.

After the Mass, Curran went up to Cardinal Hickey and embraced him. "I strongly disagreed with Cardinal Hickey and thought his actions did not benefit CUA," Curran said. "At the same time, I didn't think Hickey was a bad man and I don't think Hickey thought I was a bad man, but we had differences."

Monsignor John Wippel, professor of philosophy and provost emeritus recalled Hickey's loyalty. "[Hickey] was very faithful in attending official University events such as the opening Mass of the Holy Spirit and the annual Commencement ceremony," he said. "In sum, he understood the challenges and complexities involved in maintaining a university that is both a true university and one that is really Catholic … he was a true friend of the University."

As time passed, and he became consumed by his illness, Cardinal Hickey grew closer to God, according to Lori. "He was a man of prayer and Eucharist. I saw him draw closer to the Lord over the years. I saw his life of prayer-which was good-increase. I saw him grow more gentle as time went by," said Lori, who was with the cardinal in his final moments.

"The great thing about the cardinal is that he was the same both in public and private. You knew where you stood; he never put on airs. He was always a good man whether you were looking at him up close or far away," said Lori.

When Cardinal Hickey was asked by The Washington Post in 1989 what he wanted to be remembered for, he said, "First, I'd like them to say he was always loyal to his church. Second, that he was a friend to Catholic education. And third, if they don't want to say the first two, at least I would hope they would chisel on the stone, 'He served the poor.'"

Brislin's Column: "Do It All" Slogan Fails

The lamp-post signs have been hung and the glossy brochures have been printed. Figuring prominently in them is CUA's new jingle, "Do it all. Discover excellence. Experience success." Before CUA decides to give "Do it all" prominence equal to "Deus mea lux est," it would do well to consider whether "Do it all" is a slogan worthy of The Catholic University of America.

There are a number of significant flaws in "Do it all." First, it fails to communicate the University's mission and identity. Also, it misrepresents the significant effort necessary to find success at Catholic. Third, and perhaps most significantly, "Do it all" is a miscalculation for the reason that it fails to account for the fact that CUA is trying to sell itself to students. The examination of these shortcomings leads one to conclude that CUA's "Do it All" campaign was truly ill-advised.

A marketing jingle such as "Do it all" should try to communicate that which is central to the University's identity: its values. A cursory look at CUA's mission statement shows those values that are particular to CUA's identity. As a university, CUA is committed to the pursuit of truth, conducted in reflection of the Christian faith. "Do it all" fails to communicate that the pursuit of truth is our raison d'etre and fails to acknowledge CUA's Catholic identity. To those who are open to it, CUA also provides a ripe environment for spiritual growth. There is a focus on the harmony between faith and reason.

Certainly CUA students have intellectual and spiritual opportunities that are not available at any other university. Many people are not aware of or do not fully realize the import of these opportunities. CUA is not the only place where one can discover excellence and experience success; that can also be done at Harvard. Harvard, however, does not have schools of philosophy or canon law and does not have the theological experts that Catholic has on its faculty. Thus instead of trying to justify enrollment because Catholic has programs that most universities have, it should try to emphasize those things which make it unique.

"Do it all. Discover excellence. Experience success" seems to negate the academic rigor that is a hallmark of a CUA education. Although this is an era of grade inflation, CUA has remained exempt from that particular phenomenon. In most of the classes at the University, a significant investment of effort is necessary to earn an "A". "Do it all," emphasizes the pleasure one gets from personal success. This seems, however, to dilute the value of a CUA education. The pleasure of achieving "A" grades is in the end insufficient. Unlike some colleges, which have almost entirely transformed themselves into trade schools, CUA still seeks to provide its students with a liberal education. The experience of a liberal education has little if anything to do with success. The happiness that results from a liberal education is instead the enduring pleasure that comes from the intellection involved. Yet again, "Do it all" fails to accurately communicate the CUA experience.

Finally, it seems that Catholic failed to use teleology in developing its jingle. The proper end of "Do it all" is selling the University to students. Empirical observation has shown that CUA students have not received the new slogan well. For many students, "Do it all" has become a laughingstock that many students ridicule on a daily basis.

I will be the first to admit that marketing to students is not an easy task. It seems that the new slogan was developed by a committee that consisted primarily of administrators. My advice to these administrators is to include more students in the process. Students know what is credible and not credible. The core problem with "Do it all" is that students do not find it to be credible. Students are bombarded with advertisements and solicitations on a daily basis. Two effects have resulted from this volume of advertisements. (A) Students have become very skilled at filtering out those ads which are obviously pandering to them. (B) The volume of advertisements has turned the students into very discerning consumers.

While this makes the task of attracting students to Catholic more difficult, it provides the University with the opportunity to achieve the excellence it purports to offer. The first and necessary step in achieving this excellence is retiring "Do it all" and starting from scratch. The challenge thereafter is to effectively enlist the great minds on campus in the task of promoting The Catholic University of America. Given the opportunities that abound on this campus, there is no reason why the students should settle for an image-driven slogan that does not effectively represent our school.

Health Services Acquires 65 FluMist Doses

Student Health Services has announced that they have acquired 65 doses of FluMist, a nasally administered flu vaccine made from a live virus.

Health Services called FluMist "as effective as the flu vaccine" in healthy people. Students interested in receiving the vaccine are asked to email staudt@cua.edu. A list will be compiled and the vaccine will first be offered to those eligible on a first come first serve basis.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: Actress Sonntag Cuts Hair to Play Male Role

Most women would probably be upset if they were mistaken for a man. Actress Amy Sonntag, however, has willingly shorn her long locks to play a boy in CUA's production of "The Secret Garden," a musical based on the classic children's book about a lonely girl who befriends an invalid boy.

Sonntag, a junior musical theatre major, is not the first actress to "go short" for a role: Emma Thompson cut her hair to play Vivian Bearing, a woman suffering from cancer, in "Wit," while Demi Moore shaved her head, on camera, to play a female Navy SEAL in "G.I. Jane."

Sonntag's hair, which once reached past her waist, is now cropped closely to her head. Earlier this summer, Sonntag cut 11 inches to donate to Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces to children who have lost their hair due to long-term medical hair loss. She took off another eight inches to play the male role of Colin Craven in "The Secret Garden."

Sonntag said director Jane Pesci-Townsend was striving for a realistic production and wanted to avoid using a wig. Sonntag also said that Pesci-Townsend told those auditioning that they had to be willing to cut their hair for the role. Sonntag said she thought, "Sure, why not?" But not everyone was as adventurous as Sonntag. "Out of 12 girls [who were called back], there were only four people willing to cut their hair."

When the time came for Sonntag to lose her locks last Monday, after rehearsing the play for two weeks, cast-mate Debbie Barber took up the scissors. "It was a big event. The entire cast was there staring at me. I was really nervous. I just wanted to look at it and get use to it," Sonntag said.

After living with her new do for a week, Sonntag said that she does not regret the move. "I was really excited about getting the part," Sonntag said. "Then I got really nervous about how I would look after it was done. Before, I would have never cut off my hair. Ever. But this was worth it."

But the new look has taken some getting used to. "The one thing I don't like is looking in the mirror and not looking like myself. I don't hate it; I'm not depressed by it. I just need to get use to the fact that I look different." Once the production closes, Sonntag said she plans on growing her hair out. "Some people say I should keep it, but now I know how I look with short hair. I can always go back."

Sonntag's younger brother, Andrew, is also a member of the cast; when asked what he thought of his sister's change, he said, "She looks like a boy when it's combed for the show, but it's awesome… She still looks like my sister. A haircut doesn't change your eyes or energy."

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