Special Projects Archives – The Daily Utah Chronicle

The Sanctity of Nature

By Mark Draper

June 6, 2019

This project arose from two observations I had regarding my peers — the first being that almost none of them were religious, and the second being that the outdoors had a huge place in all their lives. My first thought upon putting this together was that the environmental movement must be...

Religion on Campus More Diverse Than Rest of State, With Proportion of Latter-day Saints Over 15% Lower

By Emily Anderson

May 10, 2019

Statewide, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints comprise 61.55% — nearly two-thirds — of the state population, according to a December 2018 article published by The Salt Lake Tribune. Although the University of Utah is the state’s flagship institution, its demographics lo...

Brown: BYU Nepotism and University of Utah Bias in Utah’s Top Tech Companies

By Jacob Brown

May 6, 2019

It is no secret that the student cultures of the University of Utah and Brigham Young University are at odds with one another. A commonly held sentiment at BYU is the belief that the U is a second-rate academic option for students who are morally unworthy or intellectually incapable of att...

Former U Professor and Filmmaker Sterling Van Wagenen Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Child

By Elise Vandersteen Bailey, Investigative Coordinator

April 30, 2019

Warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of sexual abuse. Former University of Utah film professor Sterling Van Wagenen pleaded guilty in an initial Utah County court appearance on Tuesday to a count of the sexual abuse of a child. Van Wagenen's attorney stated that he will als...

Classical Indian Dance in Salt Lake City

By Madge Slack

April 25, 2019

The tradition of Indian dance goes back as far as the people's rich cultural history. It is deeply interwoven with Hinduism and is beautiful for its precision and comprehensive storytelling. Every minute detail from the angle of the eyes in relation to the tension in the fingers has a meaning. T...

Goodbye, Daily Utah Chronicle. Yes, Yes, We Promise We’ll Call.

By Madge Slack, Emily Anderson, Greyson Harness, Christina Giardinelli, Zach Janis, Kristiane Sonnenberg, Andrea Alvarado, Aiden Keenan, Amy Loret, Katelyn Collett, Mandi Johansen, Alli Milne, and Ashlyn Cassity

April 25, 2019

Emily Anderson: Editor-in-Chief Every Sonic Youth song longer than five minutes (most of them). Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Training for a marathon — or, even, a half marathon. That was a list of things I’ve started and never finished. I feel like I’m ending my tenure as edit...

Navigating Religion in the U’s Theatre Department

By Josh Petersen, Digital Managing Editor

April 23, 2019

The University of Utah Theatre Department does not shy away from controversy. In November, the play “Big Love” featured onstage nudity, explicit sexual content and graphic violence. Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints disavow media with profanity or strong sexual...

Former University of Utah Employee Linked to Hate Group Propaganda on Campus

By Christina Giardinelli

April 19, 2019

In recent years, the University of Utah has been the target of racist messages and propaganda from numerous hate groups. Over 240,000 of these groups' chat room messages were leaked in March by Unicorn Riot, a non-profit left-wing media collective, revealing that some of the flyers hung on cam...

An Inside Look at the Life of Author R. B. Scott

By Hannah Keating, Arts Writer

April 16, 2019

The Life of R. B. Scott Author Ronald B. Scott is a Salt Lake native. Raised in the valley as the oldest of eight, he found himself able to explore the city in different ways. Wandering home from school and piano lessons, what Scott refers to as, “the bright side of being unsupervised,...

Filmmaker, Former U Professor Sterling Van Wagenen Charged with Sexual Abuse of a Child

By Elise Vandersteen Bailey and Emily Anderson

April 12, 2019

Warning: This story includes graphic descriptions of sexual abuse. Former University of Utah professor and noted filmmaker, Sterling Van Wagenen, was charged on April 2 with one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first degree felony. Court documents allege that 71-year-old Van Wage...