AS Review - January 28, 2013

Review

News // Events // Student Life

Vol. 28 #13 1.29.13

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A light luminates on the southwest side of the Ross Engineering Technology building.

Photo by Cade Schmidt// AS Review

review

Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu Online: as.wwu.edu/asreview @theasreview facebook.com/theasreview

©2012. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University.

We are a student-produced, alternative campus weekly covering news and events that are of interest to the Western community. We support all programs, offices and clubs affiliated with the AS. We have a direct connection to the AS board of directors, and although we report on board actions objectively, our relationship should be made clear.

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NEWS

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BYE TO BLACKBOARD New online management system Canvas on second round of testing

EVENTS

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TRIVIA NIGHT Harry Potter hemed trivia night on Jan. 28 in the Underground Coffeehouse

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EVENTS CALENDAR See what’s happening around Bellingham

STUDENT LIFE

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HIV/AIDS AWARENESS Assocaited Students Resource Outreach Programs host several events all week long

FEATURES

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ART FOR SALE Western B Gallery showcases and sells student art

Calendar/Ads: We don’t sell ad space. Sorry. Email as.review@ wwu.edu to have an event listed in the calendar.

Early last week, the majority of the state experienced heavy fog which made the lights of downtown Bellingham exceptionally beautiful.

Staff Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Designer Writers

Megan Thompson Spencer Pederson Cade Schmidt Bradley O’Neal Nick Markman Lauren Prater Lauren Simmons Kylie Wade Todd Wells

Adviser Jeff Bates

On Jan. 12, 2012 students gathered in Red Square for a candle-lit vigil while listening to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review

January 29, 2013 • 3

BREAKING THROUGH THE GLASS CEILING Black Student Union’s 21st annual heritage dinner on Feb. 9

Nick Markman • AS Review For the 21st year in a row, the Black Student Union will host its annual Black Histor y Month Heritage Dinner. This year’s theme is “Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling.”

Do not let the name fool you; this event is far more than a simple meal. With dance performances, guest speakers, a band and a silent auction, this year’s Heritage Dinner will satisfy more than just your appetite.

The event is from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room.

Tickets are $12 with student ID and $15 for general admission.

BSU President Raven Richardson said the BSU hosts this dinner each year as a way to celebrate black histor y, heritage, culture and also to recognize the accomplishments that the BSU has made as one of the oldest clubs at Western.

“BSU has come a long way, especially being in Bellingham because there are not a lot of African Americans that are present here,” Richardson said. “We have been able to come a long way and establish a presence here, and I think that a lot of

people find that to be an achievement. We’re here to break those barriers caused by all the struggles we’ve been through - there’s no limit to what we can do.”

BSU Steering Representative Shayla Humphrey said that the club chose this year’s theme, “Breaking Through the Glass Ceiling,” to be a metaphor symbolizing the past struggles and adversity that African Americans have had to overcome in the pursuit of accomplishing goals throughout histor y. She said the theme also alludes to some of the obstacles that still exist for people of color that might be invisible or not frequently talked about. She said that this event will ser ve as a platform to talk about such obstacles.

“I’m excited for ever ything about the event,” Humphrey said. “I’ve been a part of the BSU since I was a freshman, so ever y aspect of the dinner is important to me. The food is always great, so that’s something to look forward to.”

At the core of the event is the food. This year’s menu will consist of jerk chicken, wild rice,

broccoli, salads, dinner rolls and peach cobbler for desert. A sautéed stuffed tofu dish will be available as a vegetarian entre option. The BSU will also ser ve sweet tea as a beverage option.

“Amongst African Americans in the south, sweet tea is a ver y popular beverage,” Richardson said. “We want to keep and celebrate our culture, so that is one of the beverages we are going to have.”

The BSU is bringing many performances to this year’s dinner. Sini-GANG, a dance team from the Filipino American Student Association, will perform, as well as Seattle band Triple Treat and a singer from the BSU. A theater group from Seattle will perform at the event and there will also be a silent auction. Dean of Students Ted Pratt will MC the event throughout the evening.

“This is one event that we look forward to all year,” Richardson said. “We’ve been planning for this since last quarter before school started. A lot of work and time has been invested into making this event happen.”

WESTERN SEEKS TO REPLACE BLACKBOARD Newer Learning Management System ‘Canvas’ in testing

Lauren Simmons • AS Review Currently, there are about 1,500 Western courses on Blackboard, the learning management system (LMS) that allows students and faculty to communicate and coordinate online. Blackboard has been the industr y leader and probably the oldest LMS around, said Peter Agras, the Western teaching, learning, technology and user ser vices senior instructional designer.

The Blackboard system has been adopted all over the world and is one of the largest shareholders in the industr y, but it has become less innovative in its development, Agras said.

This year, Western is exploring other LMS options. Canvas is a newer LMS that is being tested as a possible replacement and is something that many other community colleges and universities have done, said Kevin Dixey, instructional technologist Teaching, Learning and Technology and User Ser vices at Western. Dixey is in charge of troubleshooting and technical support.

For the past two years, Agras and Dixey have been researching different LMSs to replace Blackboard.Why replace Blackboard?

“Blackboard is more archaic,” Dixey said.

One of the main concerns while looking for a new LMS was answering the question: can it be used to teach effectively in the classroom and online?

Canvas was developed through trial and error.

The developers travelled from college to college showing off what they had, getting feedback from the campus, reprogramming the system and then heading to the next college to repeat the process, Dixey said. “[Canvas] spent a lot of time getting feedback from the actual potential users, and it really shows.”

Dixey said. “It’s really user-centric.”

Right now, Canvas is in its second phase of testing at Western. The first pilot was during fall quarter 2012 with about 25 faculty members and their courses, Agras said. During the quarter, focus groups were held on a biweekly basis to show faculty new features, answer questions and ask how effective it was in the classroom.

The second pilot phase with Canvas, involving over 100 faculty and almost 2,000 students, is stepping away from the trial aspect and moving more toward the informational phase of testing. Agras

and Dixey are focusing on doing further training for more faculty and students, Agras said.

So far, there has only been a small amount of negative feedback in regards to using Canvas. Onein-four students favored the program, and 90 percent of faculty preferred Canvas over Blackboard, Agras said.

While still in the early processes of this switch to a new LMS, Canvas is being discussed by administrators as to whether the campus wants to get rid of Blackboard altogether. If approved, the next step would be researching how Western would transition off of Blackboard and onto Canvas. No dates for a campus-wide switch to Canvas have been announced.

The overall goal is to offer students and faculty the most effective user experience that produces the highest level of productivity. If Canvas proves to be a worthy alternative to Blackboard, students and faculty can expect to see further development throughout the year.

“This is your tool,” Dixey said. “You tell us what you want, and we’ll build it for ya.”

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A NIGHT OF WIZARD KNOWLEDGE

Kylie Wade • AS Review

If you know more about the history of Hogwarts than the history of any school you’ve actually attended, or if you can easily identify the various aspects of a Quidditch match or remember the name of Albus Dumbledore’s brother, this is your opportunity to shine. On Monday, Jan. 28, the Associate Students Productions and the Underground Coffeehouse is giving you the chance to turn your wealth of Harry Potter knowledge into monetary gain by bringing back one of the most popular events from last year: Harry Potter Trivia Night.

Harry Potter Trivia Night begins with sign-ups at 6:30 p.m. with trivia starting at 7 p.m.

You can come alone or in a team up to six. Dress in your finest Wizarding outfit or just your average Muggle garb and attempt to prove that you and your team are the uncontested Harry Potter superstars of the Western campus.

To play, every member of a team must sign up and pay a $1 buy-in. The event is open to everyone, but the majority of students on a team must be Western students with a valid Western ID. After an evening of intense questioning, the top three teams with the most correct answers will split the pot made up of the buy-in money.

The first place team will take home 70 percent of the pot, the second place team will win 20 percent and the third place team gets 10 percent.

“You can be there with five of your best friends or five people you don’t know who know a whole lot about Harry Potter,” said Jordan Swider, the ASP Marketing Coordinator of Music and Entertainment.

You can even play solo to avoid having to split the winnings within a team.

“Some individuals just prefer to play on their own,” said Michael Vierela, the AS Underground Coffeehouse Coordinator. “We’ve definitely had some students come in on their own and absolutely destroy.”

Harry Potter Trivia Night is part of a series of trivia nights taking place over the course of the year at the Underground Coffeehouse. The trivia nights are part of a new line of programming that began last year designed to widen the scope of entertainment options available on campus.

“Trivia night is a way to get a different crowd of people involved,” said Swider. “We always have the music, the open mic nights and that kind of stuff but not everyone is always the on-stage type of person or the performance type.”

After exploring the expanded programming last year, it has been refined to best suit the interests of the student body. Instead of weekly trivia nights, which happened every Monday night last year, the Coffeehouse is now hosting special themed trivia nights every couple of weeks. Like last year, Tuesday nights are open mic nights, Wednesday nights feature a concert series and Thursday nights are AS Club nights designed to give clubs a space to meet, perform or just interact with the wider Western community.

The decision to streamline the trivia night programming was made after last year’s themed trivia nights saw a dramatic jump in attendance. General trivia nights

usually brought in 20 to 30 people, but when a themed night rolled around, the Underground Coffeehouse was packed to capacity with 100 to 150 people.

“It definitely gets a little crazy. People get way more competitive than you would ever think,” Swider said.

“They just get so into it and it takes it to another level than just general trivia. It gets silly.”

Swider said the themed trivia nights can also be a unique way for people with common interests to get to know each other.

“It’s a great event to go to, especially if you don’t know a whole lot of people because you’re going to find a lot of people that have the same interests as you,” Swider said. “It’s a nice conversation starter. There’s never that blank moment where you’re like, ‘I don’t know what to talk about’ because you’re all there to talk about the same thing.”

Vierela encouraged students to come check out Harry Potter Trivia Night, but to also explore all of the different programming offered through the Underground Coffeehouse.

“It’s a great community that gets started in the Underground Coffeehouse,” Vierela said. “We have a lot of different types of events, and we’re trying to serve as many students as we can. Our hope is that students will know that there is weekly programming at the Underground Coffeehouse so they can show up and really get involved in that community and that atmosphere.”

If you can’t get enough trivia, be sure to check out Star Wars Trivia Night coming up on February 11.

WESTERN B GALLERY

January 29, 2013 • 5

Art students showcase their work for sale

Photos by Cade Schmidt // AS Review Skulls collected by Director & Curator Mariah Klemens.

The Department of Art’s B Gallery is used for student-run exbitions and the selling of students’ work.

This piece by Jarod O. Faw can be purchased at the B Gallery for $30.

Director & Curator of the B Gallery Jake Reller (top left) uses the space to work on a painting set to show in the Viking Union Gallery in early April for the Department of Art's Bachelor of Fine Arts program's exhibition Reller concentration is in print-making, and his work was featured in the last edition of Jeopardy Magazine. Mariah Klemens is Reller's Co-Director & Curator.

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HIV AWARENESS WEEK

The Associated Students work together to raise awarnesss Former Vice President for Academic Affairs Fabiola Arvizu gets tested for HIV by Evergreen AIDS Foundation during last year's AIDS Week.

Todd Wells • AS Review the Law. This event will be great for students that want to learn more about the legal issues surrounding HIV/ AIDS.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 30 AT 7 P.M.

In MH 138 the Sexual Awareness Center will be hosting BABES: A Sisterhood of Women Facing HIV Together.

“BABES Network is a peer education and support program for women living with HIV. It is an organization that was started by a group of HIV positive women in Seattle who came together to share information, experience and support,” explained Kristy Hathaway, Coordinator of the Associated Students Women’s Center.

Everyone is invited to hear the beautiful, powerful, personal stories of two women living with HIV/AIDS. The event is geared towards debunking stigmas, myths and stereotypes surrounding people living with HIV/ AIDS,” said Hathaway.

THURSDAY, JAN. 31 AT 7 P.M.

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his week the Resource Outreach Programs, in collaboration with other Associated Students organizations, is hosting HIV/AIDS Awareness Week, a week of events to learn and come together.

“The idea behind HIV/AIDs Awareness Week is to expose Western’s campus to a wide array of educational topics that relate to HIV/AIDS awareness. We want to give students the chance to learn from several different angles and mediums,” said Brandi Ball, AS Resource Outreach Director.

“We are also trying to encourage community building and help to offer support to students. Several of our events are in collaboration with local organizations which helps us to further our mission of providing students with resources on and off campus,” she said.

MONDAY, JAN. 28 AT 7 P.M.

In VU 565 the Disability Outreach Center and Legal Information Center is hosting Disabling Discrimination: Red Ribbon Jars of Hope. Through this event Western students are invited to come make gift jars (containing either flower, candle, candy or words of hope) wrapped with a red ribbon to donate to Evergreen AIDS Foundation and Sean Humphrey House, both local HIV/AIDS organizations that can pass the gifts on to spread hope throughout the HIV/AIDS local community.

TUESDAY, JAN. 29 AT 7 P.M.

In AW 205 the Social Issues Resource Center will be presenting The Criminalization of an Epidemic: HIV and

In MH 131 the Veteran Outreach Center and the Queer Resource Center are co-sponsoring Myth Busting HIV/AIDS. All students are invited to join in on the inclusive and educational environment to openly discuss topics about HIV/AIDS. “Scott Bertani from Evergreen AIDS Foundation will be discussing the myth that HIV/AIDS is a ‘gay’ disease and touching on the topic of current blood donation policy and restriction,” said Janelle Marshal, the Veteran Outreach Coordinator.

Ball said about the event, “There is always room to expand your education about HIV/AIDS and the ways in which students can support those living with HIV/ AIDS. The offices have done an amazing job at collaborating to bring Western’s campus a variety of event topics.”

Hathaway added, “I heard rave review about the event when BABES came to campus last year. The women’s stories were so powerful and beautiful. I think that students are often afraid to go to events that are on the more serious side, but by letting that deter them they are missing out on an incredible experience.”

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There is always room to expand your education about HIV/AIDS and the ways in which students can support those living with HIV/AIDS. The offices have done an amazing job at collaborating to bring Western’s campus a variety of event topics.

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Brandi Ball, ROP Director

January 29, 2013 • 7

EVENTS CALENDAR Monday, Jan. 28

Beginning of “Free the Girls Bra Drive” When: All week long Where: VU, 6th floor lobby Price: Free

Tuesday, Jan. 29

Winter Excursions: Avalanche Training When: 6-10 p.m.

Where: Level 1 avalanche course Price: $275 as.wwu.edu/events/avalanche-training

Wednesday, Jan. 30

Underground Coffee House Concert:

The Ames w/ Brite Lines When: 8 p.m.

Where: Underground Coffee House Price: Free

Thursday, Jan. 31

SAC: Virginity and the Myth of Purity Where: VU Multi-purpose room When: 7-9 p.m.

Price: Free

Friday, Jan. 1

CSA Lunar New Year Night When: 6:30 p.m.

Where: VU Multi-purpose room Price: $3-5

Saturday, Jan. 2

ASP Pop Music Conference When: 10 a.m.

Where: VU Price: $10-20

‘MUSIC AS A MOVEMENT’

Associated Students Pop Music Industry Conference on Feb. 2 Todd Wells • AS Review The Associated Student’s annual Pop Music Industry gram,” Housekeeper said. “We don’t have ‘music busiConference has a theme for the first time this year; “Mu- ness’ like some colleges have; we have the music departsic as a movement.” ment, we have the business department, but we don’t “[The theme helps us focus on] exploring the relation- really have a mix of the two. An event like this conference ship between music as an economic business model, as will really supplement student’s educational experience.” well as how that effects social issues and how music can This year, the committee decided to do things a little be used to better the world and use it more as a move- differently. ment than just as economic gain,” said Megan House“It used to be very informative-based like ‘Hey, guy keeper, AS Pop Music coordinator and co-chair for the who works at a venue, what’s it like to work at a venue?’

AS Pop Music Industry Conference. and that’s how it was organized,” Garman said. “But now The conference will take place from 9:30 a.m. to about we have a theme. We’re [also] discussing the connection 4 p.m. on Saturday, between music and Feb. 2 in the Viking social activism and We don’t have ‘music business’ like some Union. For students, how you can use muthe tickets are $10 and sic as a tool to do good colleges have; we have the music departfor the public, $20. and promote change, ment, we have the business department, If you’re unable to which is included in pay the $10, students but we don’t really have a mix of the two. An the different kinds of should email Mepanels.” event like this conference will really supplegan Housekeeper at The event includes as.popmusic@wwu. an opening keynote ment student’s educational experience. edu. The event began speaker, a closing keyegan ousekeeper as an opportunity for note speaker, various Western students to panels and an exhibiconnect with music industry professionals, said Shadi tion in the VU Art Gallery - another first for the conferGarman, co-chair of the AS POP MIC committee. The ence. conference acts as a networking event that works toward The opening keynote speaker is Hollis Wong-Wear, community building and creating relationships with pro- a staple in the Seattle hip-hop scene, Housekeeper said. fessionals many students would not be able to connect She was tour manager for the Blue Scholars, produced with until after Western. various music videos, toured with Macklemore and is a “On campus, we don’t have a music industry pro- musician herself.

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The first panel is “Music Industry 101.” During this panel, common industry terms will be defined and explained, Garman said. This panel acts as a foundation for the rest of the conference so that no one feels stupid or uncomfortable about asking questions, she said.

“You don’t have to know everything about music to come to this. You have to just be a music fan or someone who cares about issues,” Garman said. “If you have a favorite song that you listen to once in a while, that gives you enough qualification to come.”

A few of the different panels showcased are “Sounds and Stereotypes: Music’s Influence on Artists and Listeners,” “Media Morality: The Role of Press in the Music Industry,” and “Reppin’ It Right: Social Responsibility in the Music Industry.”

The exhibition in the VU Art Gallery, titled “Sold Out,” showcases various Bellingham-based graphic designers who design and create show and concert posters.

Occurring in the middle of the conference, it is a time for participants to mingle and relax, Garman said.

The closing keynote speaker is John Roderick, the songwriter and singer/guitarist of The Long Winter. He has written for many Seattle music publications like The Stranger and Seattle Weekly, as well as MSNBC, Housekeeper said.

“I view music as something that is universal because everyone can find a song that they like; it doesn’t matter if I don’t like it. Everyone can find something that they like and it can be used as this tool to do so much,” Garman said. “I just want everyone to walk out of there feeling empowered and pumped and excited.”

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UNDERGROUND COFFEEHOUSE

Western and Filipino-American Student Association alumnus Jazz Espiritu opens for Midwestern rooted singer-songwriter Jesse Marrow (Left). Marrow serenaded a well-sized crowd which sang along with his tender-hearted lyrics in the Associated Students Productions Underground Coffeehouse on Jan. 23

SAC SPEAKS: LOSING VIRGINITY

Sexual Awarness Center event to discuss sexual taboos Lauren Prater • AS Review

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ex is a common subject that is often danced around in conversation. Virginity is a word and concept that is often avoided and misunderstood.

“A virgin, by its original definition is an unmarried woman” said Sexual Awareness Center Coordinator Taneum Bambrick. “The concept of virginity is extremely gender targeted, heteronormative and employed most often to shame sexual decision making.”

In an attempt to inform people about the subject, the Sexual Awareness Center (SAC) is hosting an event called “SAC Speaks: Losing Virginity.” The event, which was originally named after the Jessica Valenti novel titled “The Purity Myth,” will take place on Jan. 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Viking Union Multi-purpose room.

“We know that there are many people who feel

strongly about the subject,” Bambrick said. “We wanted to stay neutral and wanted the event to stay neutral as well.”

Many students, staff and community members have been impacted in one way or another by the taboos surrounding the concept of virginity, so the SAC decided to create a safe place for these experiences to be shared.

The event will feature performances by students, staff and community members speaking about their experiences and how it has impacted their lives.

Anyone who is interested in performing or speaking at the event is invited to send a submission to the SAC coordinator at as.sac@wwu.edu.

Performances can be anything from readings to poems, even song and dance. All submissions will be

briefly screened, but the process will not be competitive or exclusive.

In addition to these performances, Western Professor of Sex and Society Billie Lindsey and Fairhaven Professor of Words Stan Tag will be speaking about various topics surrounding virginity and purity.

“We want to increase sexual positivity,” SAC Assistant Coordinator Marya Kampmann said. “We want to give people an opportunity to be open about their experiences in a comfortable place.”

Virginity is a concept that has often been portrayed in movies and in society as something to be ashamed of and ridiculed. This event is designed to open people’s eyes, ears and hearts to a touchy subject shrouded in taboos.