Tag: Rhodes

Rhodes Gets Grant to Prevent, Respond to Sexual Assault, Other Crimes on Campus

Post author By Maya Smith
Post date November 1, 2019

CREDIT: Facebook/Rhodes College

Facebook/Rhodes College

Rhodes College received a $300,000 federal grant to enhance its prevention of and response to sexual assault and related crimes on campus, the school announced Friday.

The grant from the U.S. Department of Justice will fund a coordinated effort to improve programs related to preventing and responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking on campus.

Specifically, the funds will be used for five purposes.

• Rhodes will created a Coordinated Community Response Team to enhance the school;s response, prevention, and education related to the four crimes above. The team will review policies and procedures.

• In collaboration with the Shelby County Crime Victims and Rape Crisis Center (SCCVRCC), Rhodes plans to enhance its mandatory prevention program for incoming students and introduce ongoing trainings for returning students. The trainings will include a bystander intervention component, with a special emphasis on students who live on campus, belong to Greek organizations, or are students athletes.

• Rhodes will also implement new-hire and ongoing quarterly or semi-annual training for campus safety personnel, disciplinary boards, and faculty and staff. These trainings will also focus on Greek life, on-campus residencies, and athletics.

• The college will implement a total of five prevention campaigns on campus, again targeting those who live on campus, belong to Greek organizations, or are students athletes.

• Finally, Rhodes will hire a project coordinator to develop and manage the aforementioned programs

According to Rhodes’ 2019 Security and Fire Safety Report, the total number of sexual offenses on campus saw a dramatic decrease between 2016 and 2018. There were a total of 19 reported sexual offenses on campus in 2016. In 2017, that number dropped to four, and then rose to nine last year.

In 2018, the college had three instances of dating violence and four stalking incidents. In 2017, there were two cases of dating violence, and 1 stalking incident. The college had three cases of dating violence and two reported stalking incidents in 2016.

There were no reported cases of domestic violence in the last three years.

Tags crimes on campus, Rhodes, sexual assault, us-department-of-justice

Art Exhibit M

Here is Your Weekend Art Itinerary, August 21 – 23

Post author By Eileen Townsend
Post date August 21, 2015

CREDIT: Still from "The Secret of Kells"

Lawrence Matthews, ‘Vote III’

FRIDAY

Lawrence Matthews, i.e. Don Lifted, “In a Violent Way” at Crosstown Arts (6PM — 9PM):
You may have seen Matthews perform as his alter-ego, Don Lifted, without knowing that the emerging artist is also a prolific painter. For this exhibition, Matthews reimagines famous images of the civil rights struggle.

Nick Pena’s “Crosscut” at Christian Brothers University (5:30PM—7:30PM):
Pena’s paintings are meditations on the fissure of The American Dream. If you haven’t seen Pena’s work before, this is a great chance to check it out.

CEREAL at GLITCH (6PM—10PM):
A group show featuring work by Lance Turner, Derrick Dent, Ariel Claiborn and others. There will also be music from C – Stilla, Dick Solomon, Purplecat Jane and Sleepy Barksdale.

SATURDAY

Animated Film: The Secret of Kells at the Brooks (2PM)
This seems promising: “Young Brendan lives in a remote medieval outpost under siege from barbarian raids. But a new life of adventure beckons when a celebrated master illuminator arrives from foreign lands carrying an ancient but unfinished book, brimming with secret wisdom and powers. To help complete the magical book, Brendan has to overcome his deepest fears on a dangerous quest that takes him into the enchanted forest where mythical creatures hide. “

Still from ‘The Secret of Kells’

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Second Terrain Biennial, all day, around the city:
Artists Terri Jones, Lindsay Julian, Melissa Dunn, Between Worlds Collaborative, Greely Myatt, Johnathan Payne, Terri Phillips, and Lester Julian Merriweather created work to be shown in yards around Memphis. A map is available at the Rhodes College website. Rhodes is hosting the event to kick off This Must Be the Place, a year-long exploration of art’s relationship to place, presented by Clough-Hanson Gallery.

Tags animation, art, August, Christian Brothers University, Crosstown Arts, film, GLITCH, itinerary, Lawrence Matthews, plans, Rhodes, The Brooks, weekend

Music Music Features

Stax legends visit Rhodes College

Post author By Joe Boone
Post date March 6, 2014

If you have not read Robert Gordon’s fantastic history of Stax, Respect Yourself, then you are basically a Louisville fan. The book is the most in-depth history of Memphis’ integrated hit machine and one of the best things I’ve read in some time. But on Thursday, the characters come to life at Rhodes, where Gordon will host a panel of Stax’s surviving leaders. Willie Hall (pictured), Don Nix, Bettye Crutcher, and Marvell Thomas are the stars of this panel presented by Rhodes’ Mike Curb Institute.

Willie Hall. Where to start on this guy? He’s a Bar-Kay, he played percussion on Shaft, and he played drums for the whole Stax roster from the late 1960s until the label’s demise in the 1970s. A colorful character to say the least, Hall was cast for the Blues Brothers band and has backed everyone from Ray Charles to Earl Scruggs. Earl. Scruggs.

Bettye Crutcher is one of the unsung heroes of the Stax story. Crutcher wrote more songs than we can enumerate. She’s credited on Johnnie Taylor’s “Who’s Making Love,” the Staples Singers’ “The Ghetto,” and William Bell’s “My Whole World Is Falling Down.” Joan Baez, the Allman Brothers, and Paul Weller have performed her songs.

Marvell Thomas is the son of Memphis’ musical godhead: Rufus Thomas. He played piano on Etta James’ Tell Mama, the Staples Singers’ Soul Folk in Action, and was a producer on Hot Buttered Soul.

Finally, there is Don Nix. Few people have the institutional knowledge of Stax that Nix has. He was a member of the Mar-Keys, the original Stax band started by Estelle Axton’s son Packy. Nix went on to a career of music production that involved George Harrison and, most importantly, Moloch. Go to this. — Joe Boone

“Respect Yourself: A Celebration of Stax Records” with Willie Hall, Don Nix, Marvell Thomas, Bettye Crutcher, and Robert Gordon at Rhodes College, McCallum Ballroom, Thursday, March 6th, 6 p.m.

Tags Mike Curb Institute, Respect Yourself, Rhodes

Music Music Features

Doubling Down

Post author By Joe Boone
Post date February 13, 2014

Gerald Stephens

Next week is a busy one for Gerald Stephens. Stephens teaches jazz piano at Rhodes and at the University of Memphis, where he is finishing his master’s in piano. Stephens will play with his new band, Every Tribe, at Stonewall Hall on the 15th, and he has a recital at the Tuthill Performance Hall of Rhodes College on the 17th. He will perform at Otherlands on the 22nd as part of a three-act jazz bill. He recorded his first solo album, Cycles, last year and plays live in a variety of ensembles. He’s played with everyone from Valerie June to Levon Helm. Stephens has made a living playing jazz in Memphis. Many complain about the lack of work for straight-ahead jazz, but Stephens has made his way and enjoys the challenges of doing what he loves.

Flyer: Who played on Cycles?

Stephens: A lot of people: Jim Spake and Scott Thompson. Sean Murphy and Jason Northcutt. Paul Taylor’s on it. Logan Hanna, Wesley Morgan, and Chad Anderson.

That’s half of the jazz scene.

It’s a mish mash of several different sessions. I would save up some money, do a few songs and then forget about it. We recorded some of it at my house, some of it at Jeremy Shrader’s house. He uses his place for Electric Moon, which he has with Matt Timberlake.

My other band is an improv group called Every Tribe. This is only our second gig. That’s based around a vocalist from Dayton, Ohio, whenever she can be in town. I’ve got Jeff Burch and Neal Bowen. That’s on the 15th at Stonewall Hall.

You and your brother are going to play together at Otherlands. Did you grow up competing with each other?

My parents didn’t play. But we took piano lessons. I stuck with it, and he switched to drums. I grew up in Southaven. I used to do trombone in high school band and four years of college band for scholarship. That’s where [my brother] Daryl learned drums, junior high band. But he was in a Beatles cover band in high school. But I was just old enough that we weren’t in the same bands. I was off at college. He plays in Jocephus and the George Jonestown Massacre and with Special Shoes, a punk band. But it’s the first time we’ve played a gig together in a long time. We made a record in 1998 that we never put out. It’s just him and me; it’s pretty good. We should probably release it.

How has it been going back to school?

I’m all mixed up in finishing my master’s degree. I’m doing recitals for that. That one week, I’ve got Every Tribe on the 15th, a recital on the 17th, and my tunes on the 22nd. Busy.

All I heard until I was 13 was country music and Elvis. That’s what my parents had at the house. When I got my radio, I was listening to Memphis stations. K97, Rock 103. By high school I had gotten into hard rock and psychedelic stuff. By college, the free form stuff got me into Miles [Davis] and led me over into jazz. I got into blues from hearing Clapton talk about Robert Johnson.

They don’t tell you about that in school. You have to find out on your own. I’m trying to change that in whatever adjunct capacity I have. I’m thinking about a Memphis music class in the fall. A seminar. I’m like OK, somebody’s in town who would come and talk to the class.

I hear jazz musicians complain a lot about the challenges of playing jazz for a living. But you seem to have made it work.

There is so much more supply than demand in the arts, whatever you do, not matter how good you are. This year 1,500 more young Americans will graduate with music degrees. Do you think 1,500 jobs are going to open up? Not unless they create it. Not unless they hustle. They have to create a gig. If you think in the old model of ‘Where are the jobs, man?’, you can get that way. I can’t say I haven’t thought that way, but ever since 1997, the only income I’ve had is from teaching music and playing music. I’m still alive. I’m still happy. I’m not a millionaire, but I made more than I made last year. And last year I made more than the year before. I’ve had a concept of stepping it up. But you have to do that yourself. You can’t ask what is the next thing for me. You have to say this is the next thing for me. People are maybe scared of that.

See Gerald Stephens with Every Tribe on Saturday, February 15th, at Stonewall Hall and at Otherlands on Saturday, February 22nd, with Ed Finney, Jeremy Shrader, and Michelle Bush.

Tags jazz, Rhodes, University of Memphis

Music Music Features

George Coleman Quartet at Rhodes

Post author By Joe Boone
Post date November 21, 2013

It’s homecoming at Rhodes College for a couple of old friends: Jazz greats George Coleman and Harold Mabern will perform as the George Coleman Quartet on November 23rd in the McCallum Ballroom at Rhodes.

Coleman’s resume is profound. He played for B.B. King in the early ’50s and on several of Miles Davis’ essential hard-bop recordings from 1963 to 1964, including “My Funny Valentine” and “Seven Steps to Heaven.” He also played for Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, Lee Morgan, Max Roach, Jimmy Smith, and Chet Baker. Coleman has made several albums as a leader.

Mabern is the protégé of 2013 Memphis Music Hall of Fame inductee Phineas Newborn Jr. He was also a Miles Davis sideman and worked with Morgan, Sarah Vaughan, and Wes Montgomery in the ’60s. The self-taught Mabern stayed vital in the ’70s, working with George Benson and Stanley Turrentine.

Coleman and Mabern made three albums together with Mabern leading: A Few Miles From Memphis, Rakin’ and Scrapin’, and Workin’ and Wailin’. They are out of print except for a compilation that includes Wailin’ and Greasy Kid Stuff!, Mabern’s follow-up sans Coleman.

The Mike Curb Institute for Music at Rhodes hosts the quartet as part of its concert series. Other acts have included Dan Penn with Spooner Oldham and Mose Allison. For more information, go to rhodes.edu/curb. — Joe Boone

The George Coleman Quartet with Harold Mabern, Saturday, November 23rd, 7:30 p.m. in the McCallum Ballroom of the Bryan Campus Life Center.

Tags Curb Institute, George Coleman, Harold Mabern, jazz, Rhodes

Opinion

Bike Striping of North Parkway Is Underway

Post author By John Branston
Post date September 27, 2011

Paint crews were putting in white stripes and markers for a bike lane on North Parkway Tuesday.

They were working on the eastbound lanes between Manassas (a block east of Danny Thomas) and the overpass at Watkins. The finished product will include bike lanes on both sides from Danny Thomas to Rhodes College east of McLean.

In a couple of other bike notes, I like the idea of closing Riverside Drive now and then for bike events like the charity ride for St. Jude last weekend. The hills and scenery are great this time of year. A couple of Sunday “Riverside Drive Rides” each month might generate more interest in biking in general and the Harahan Project in particular.

This Saturday there will be a 100-mile Blues City Blues ride to Tipton County starting at the Pyramid for the benefit of the Greenline.

Finally, I was really impressed by all the bikes in Missoula, Montana when I visited there last week. The campus bike racks were jammed, as were the racks and lightposts and just about anything else to lock on to downtown. Great network of paths to near and far, campus and town, factory and farms. I don’t know how cities reach critical mass but I suspect it starts with students. I’m always surprised by how few bikes I see at Rhodes or U. of Memphis.

Tags bike lanes, Rhodes, Riverside Drive

Opinion

Mike Cody’s Last Mile

Post author By John Branston
Post date March 14, 2011

Mike Cody

Mike Cody ran his last mile Sunday on the campus where he set high school and college records in the 1950s.

The well-known Memphis attorney and mediator has logged more than 80,000 miles and 14 Boston Marathons in his career. At 75, his heels finally failed him. The padding simply wore away, making it too painful to run. Cheered on by family and old friends, he took four more laps around the track at Rhodes College Sunday, finishing in just under nine minutes.

In his prime, Cody ran the mile in 4:24, the half mile in 1:56, and the quarter mile in 48.7 seconds. He was good enough to have competed at the highest levels of the NCAA Track and Field Championships but chose to go to Rhodes, then Southwestern, instead.

“My folks didn’t have any money at all, and at East High School I wasn’t even sure I was going to go to college,” he said. “Back then you would be drafted if you were not in school. I thought I would have to go in the Army. East had no track so the coach would put me on the back of his motorcycle and take me to Southwestern so I could run over there. The coach there talked admissions into giving me a scholarship.”

Cody was a one-man track team at a time when points were awarded for various events. Track was a big deal in the Fifties. Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile barrier in 1954, and runners were regularly featured on the cover of a new magazine called Sports Illustrated. But the national running craze was still 20 years in the future.

“We hardly had a team at East,” said Cody. “It was a bunch of us would couldn’t make the baseball team.”

Cody weighed 125 pounds, which gave him an advantage on banked indoor tracks where a mile was 11 laps. He could stay low on the turns and thereby shorten the distance. Outdoor tracks were made of cinders, and runners would often have to bring a little shovel to dig makeshift starting blocks. Cody’s half-mile times might have been better if he had not typically run the mile earlier in the day, with a relay or two coming up. Still, his times would have made him competitive with any college in Tennessee except for UT-Knoxville, which was in a league of its own.

Cody was on the leading edge of the road-running craze that swept the country after the 1972 Olympics and the publication of books by runner/author Jim Fixx. His best marathon time was 2:48, when he was 45 years old. He starting keeping a personal running log in 1973 and kept it up until he closed the book on Sunday.

“There were hundreds of people on the track yesterday including lots of little kids,” he said. “It’s a whole different sport. It’s good for fitness but it’s not as serious.”

Last year Cody told me a story about an old friend who tried one sport after another until he finally found his athletic calling and declared “I always knew there was a sport I was really good at, it just took me 50 years to find it.”

Cody plans to get his exercise from now on in the pool or on a stationary bicycle. His good luck was to find his sport early on and pursue it for a lifetime.

Tags marathon, Rhodes, running