AS Review - February 19, 2014

Jeopardy Magazine re-opens submission period, p. 5 Men’s Lacrosse team ready for battle, p. 6 State House of Representatives to vote on “Real Hope Act,” p. 8

Vol. 29 #18 2.19.14

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The men’s lacrosse team huddles-up during their practice on Feb. 11 at Wade King Recreation Center Photo

by Isaac Martin // AS Review

MAKING YOUR LIFE BETTER, ONE PAGE AT A TIME Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu as.wwu.edu/asreview @TheASReview facebook.com/theasreview © 2014. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University.

The AS Review is an alternative-weekly that provides coverage of student interests such as the AS government, activities and student life. The Review seeks to enhance the student experience by shedding light on under-represented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.

IN THIS ISSUE NEWS

STUDENT LIFE

4 Remembering Jake 6 Men’s Lacrosse Students remember former Outdoor Center employee, Jake Merrill, who passed away in an avalanche last week

8 Real Hope Act State Senate approves Real Hope Act, which would provide aid to undocumented students

The men’s team prepares to face-off with their rival Western Oregon University

10 Paving the way Sandra Campbell speaks about her brother Willis Ball, the first black graduate of Western

FEATURES 5 Jeopardy Magazine The English Department’s literary arts magazine picks up pace with a new staff

12 Ugly buildings?

Andrew Wise, son of an architect, has a problem with a few structures at Western

We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions to as.review@wwu.edu.

We welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school, if you’re a student.

Send them to as.review@wwu.edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar.

THE AS

REVIEW Cade Schmidt Kylie Wade Isaac Martin Trevor Grimm Kelly Mason Andrew Wise Annika Wolters C Hayley Halstead Dominic D’Angelo Designer Kristina Huynh Adviser Jeff Bates

Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Photographer Copy Editor Writers

Seattle poet Ela Barton performs at Pandemonium, a spoken word event based on social justice and hosted by the AS Social Issues Resource Center, in the Underground Coffeehouse on Feb. 13. Photo by Isaac Martin // AS Review

Feb. 19, 2014 • 3

EVENTS Renting Clinics

Girl Hate

Feb. 19 // 6 - 7 p.m. // Ridgeway

Feb. 20 // 7 p.m. // MH 152 // Free

Learn the basics of renting a house or apartment before you move out of the dorms. The AS Legal Information Center is hosting a series of renting clinics in various dorms around campus. The first clinic will be this Wednesday on the Ridge, but there will be more to follow in Edens/Higginson, Buchanan Towers, Mathes, Fairhaven and Birnam Woods.

The clinics will address what to look for and what to ask about during a house tour, potential red flags, deposits, leases, health and safety concerns and tenant rights and responsibilities. For more information, contact Samantha Goldblatt at as.legalinfo@wwu.edu.

Women’s Empowerment and Violence Education presents Girl Hate, a discussion on bullying among women.

Wednesday Night Concert Series: Winnebago w/ Vactioneers Feb. 19 // 8 p.m. // UGCH // Free Catch Seattle-based alternative/blues band Winnebago performing with Vactioneers this Wednesday at the Underground Coffeehouse!

Federal Employment Resume & Cover Letter Workshop Feb. 19 // 3 - 4:30 p.m. // AW 306 // Free Brought to you jointly by the AS Veteran’s Outreach Center and Career Services, this workshop will cover the requirements and necessary formatting when applying for federal government jobs.

John Mulaney Feb. 23 // 7 p.m. // PAC Mainstage // $18 for students, $32 GA AS Productions is bringing comedian John Mulaney to campus! Mulaney is best known for his work writing for Saturday Night Live. He has performed on various late night comedy shows and co-created two shows for Comedy Central. This Sunday night, he’ll be at Western for a night of stand-up comedy.

Documentary & Brown Bag Discussion Day 1: Feb. 19 // 6 - 8:30 p.m. // MH 05 // Free Day 2: Feb. 20 // 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. // VU 420 // Free The AS Ethnic Students Center is hosting a two-day event centered around a documentary about the ESC. Day one will feature a viewing of the movie, snacks and a Q&A. Day two will be a brown-bag discussion centered on the importance and relevance of the ESC. All are welcome to one or both days!

Pop Music Industry Conference Feb. 22 // 10 a.m. // VU MPR // $10 for students, $20 GA (prices go up $5 after Feb. 16) Brought to you by AS Productions Pop

Music, PopMIC is a chance for people within the music industry to share knowledge, insights and connections. The conference is an opportunity for anyone with a passion for music to come together and learn what it takes to get into and succeed in the music industry.

Western Athletics: Men’s Basketball Feb. 20 // 7 p.m. // Carver Gym // $5 for students, $8 GA The basketball season is winding to an end, but you still have two chances this week to watch the men play. They’ll hit the court this Thursday against Northwest Nazarene.

Western Athletics: Softball Feb. 22 // 12 p.m. & 2 p.m. // Viking Field // Price Softball season is underway! This Saturday will be the first of a string of six home games for the Vikings. The team plays back-to-back games against Northwest University (WA) on Saturday afternoon.

Western Athletics: Men’s Basketball Feb. 22 // 7 p.m. // Carver Gym // $5 for students, $8 GA Don’t miss this showdown between rivals as the men’s basketball team battles Central on Saturday night. The game is the last home game of the season and will be broadcast on ROOT TV.

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Remembering Jake Merrill

By AS Review staff

While with the Outdoor Center, Merrill led several backcountry ski excursions for students and aimed to make the trips as accessible as possible.

The current staff of the Outdoor Center is looking at ways to memorialize Merrill as well as educate Outdoor Center participants about avalanche safety. Equipment Shop Coordinator Brian Bates and Excursions Coordinator Jason Davis presented a tentative plan to the AS Management Council on Feb. 13, which would assemble several avalanche preparedness kits to be available for rent at the Outdoor Center.

The kits will include a radio beacon [which helps rescuers to locate avalanche victims] a snow shovel, snow safety measuring kit and avalanche float packs. The float packs can be worn by skiers and deployed in the case of an avalanche, which helps keep the wearer closer to the surface of the snow.

Associated Students personnel are currently preparing ways for students to celebrate Merrill’s life and his impact on the organization.

Jake Merrill loved the outdoors. Last year, Merrill served as the AS Outdoor Center’s Assistant Excursions Coordinator, where he planned trips for Western students to engage in the outdoors, learn about the Pacific Northwest and gain confidence at a multitude of activities – from snow camping to whitewater kayaking.

Merrill graduated from Western with a degree in Outdoor Recreation in December, and moved out to Halfway, Ore. where he worked as a ski guide for Wallowa Alpine Huts in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

On Feb. 11, Merrill was on his third day of a five-day backcountry ski trip on the 8,640-foot-tall Cornucopia Peak when he was killed by an avalanche that travelled up to 1,200 feet. A 30-year-old man from Seattle also perished in the avalanche, while six others from Merrill’s party survived, according to the Associated Press.

Merrill was a Bellingham native and accomplished skier and climber. Merrill worked as a Mountain Guide in the Mt. Baker Ski Area as *If you’d like to share any stories, memories or photos of Jake, The AS well as in the Outdoor Center. Merill also worked at the local outdoor Review would like to get in touch with you for a memorial piece about supply shop, Backcountry Essentials on Holly Street.

Jake’s life. Please contact us at as.review@wwu.edu.

Left: Merrill speaks to Associated Students employees about upcoming Outdoor Excursions during fall staff development in September 2012.

Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review. Right: Photo courtesy Mount Baker Mountain Guides.

Feb. 19, 2014 • 5

Jeopardy Magazine re-opens submission period

By AS Review staff After obtaining an almost entirely new some staff, the Jeopardy Magazine is now accepting submissions for this year’s publication until March 21 at 11:59 p.m.

Senior Taneum Bambrick was hired by the Student Publications Council last month to fill the editor-in-chief vacancy, after former Edtior-in-Chief Glen Tokola resigned, as well as three other members of the magazine’s staff.

The editorial staff now consists of Bambrick, Carlee Wilson, Johnna Gurgel, Charlie Lynn and Andrew Lamb.

The new staff plans to utilize spring break to review the submissions and select pieces to run in the final product, set to debut later in spring quarter. Approximately 200 submissions were collected and reviewed by the former staff. Bambrick hopes this new submission period will see that number double.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the English Department’s celebrated literary arts magazine and special events are already in the works. The staff has reached out to artists who submitted to the first magazine in 1964 in hopes for them to participate in this year’s publication.

“We’re focusing on what’s distinctive about Western’s campus,” Bambrick said. “We’re encouraging people to submit works that reflect the personality of this place. Western’s community is unique in that it has environmentalists, people who care about social justice and all sorts of different groups of people that you might not find on other campuses in such large numbers. We want to highlight what our values are as a campus and what students are interested in, while also paying attention to student talent.”

The design of the journal will be based on well-known Bellingham places and trends.

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design students Kendra Hobbs and Analese Webster are tasked with the design of the new Jeopardy.

Over recent years, the range of pieces submitted to the magazine has grown vastly wider.

Artists are encouraged to submit poetry, prose - non-fiction or fiction - as well as visual works including film. Bambrick hopes to present the visual pieces in this year’s magazine in a gallery space upon its release, so readers can physically experience the work.

Bambrick calls Jeopardy “an encapsulation of Western’s best talent,” and that writers and artists usually select their best work. Those interested are able to submit up to three pieces.

“The submissions that always meant the most to me as a reader were the ones that were really rooted in experience or emotion,” she said. “I think there’s a universal language to poetry and prose in every genre where you’re sort of striking at this human chord. A really good piece is going to resonate with the reader emotionally.”

Jeopardy’s new staff has a chemistry that will allow it to create a great end product in such a short amount of time, said Bambrick. Within the staff ’s first week on the job, all 200 submissions were reviewed.

“We’re all like, ‘Well, this is going to be a lot of work and we’re going to have to do it really fast,’” she said. “I think that makes it more exciting and worthwhile in the end.

Those interested may submit their work at www.jeopardy.wwu.edu/submit.

Top Ten: February 10-14 1

Cupid Deluxe Blood Orange

2

The Run Around Wild Child

3

I Never Meant It To Be Like This Cumulus

4

Shine Your Light Gap Dream

5

It’s Alive La Luz

6

States Paper Kites

7

Paracosm Washed Out

8

First Base [EP] First Base

9

Trouble Hospitality

10

Triangle Slow Magic KUGS is the Associated Students’ student-run radio station. Listen online at kugs.org. If you’re interested in getting on the waves, pick up a volunteer application in the station’s office on the seventh floor of the VU.

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Preparing for Battle: Men’s Lacrosse to face rival Western Oregon

By Dominic D’Angelo “Ball down!”

The call echoes across the field outside the Wade King Student Recreation Center as the Vikings men’s lacrosse team spars itself on a Tuesday evening.

A lone attackman in full gear walks from behind the goal and faces his defensive opponent. Quickening his pace he begins his drive, but is met with two sharp checks by the defensive players’ longpole. Undeterred, the attackman steps back then charges again, only to be roughly shoved back by his opponent. Seizing the moment the offensive players makes a spin move, beats his fellow man and tosses the ball to a rapidly approaching midfielder. Catch, aim, shoot. Goal. The drill begins again.

The men’s lacrosse team may only be a club sport, but it’s not one to miss. With bone jarring hits, sharp stick checks, high speed gameplay and baseball-like ball speed, men’s lacrosse is like hockey, football and basketball all rolled into one.

Training in below freezing temperatures and body-moving winds has made Western’s athletes even tougher and physically elite.

“We’d welcome anyone into this weather,” said head coach Adam Lent. “We want everyone to come here and play, this is our home field.”

Last year, the Vikings went five and seven in their regular season, but were invited to participate in the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League Playoffs. They won one game against Southern Oregon, but eventually lost against Western Oregon.

Mindful of their prior season, this year’s Vikings are eager to make a winning legacy.

“I think we’re going to do really well. We

got a good group of guys. Last year we missed it together to settle with a 16 – 9 loss. the mark, but this year I think we got what it “There’s a lot of great players on our team. takes,” said junior defensive-midfield Skyler I mean you win as a team, you lose as a team.

Bridgeman.

All I ask is that they show up and make a play The Vikings have already played one losing that they’re capable of making,” Lent said. game against The team Simon Frasier is scheduled to “You win as a team, you lose as a team.

All I University in play Western ask is that they show up and make a play that Canada, but the Oregon on game served as March 8, along they’re capable of making.” a testament to with the rest of the nature of the Northwest play they are willing to put up. Down by nine Northern Division and other teams like in the first quarter, the team eventually pulled University of California San Diego through

Above: Members of the WWU men’s lacrosse team compete during practice. Next page: Head coach Adam Lent talks the WWU men’s lacrosse team through plays at their practice on Tuesday Feb. 11. Photos by Isaac Martin // AS Review

Feb. 19, 2014 • 7

to the end of April or May depending on seems to do pretty well, so hopefully that will playoffs. work against them.”

“It’s a pretty good veteran team right The team’s head coach said one of the now, but we also have a bunch of new players team’s strongest attributes is its tenacity. with pretty good skill sets. Western Oregon “These guys, their spirit to want to win,

UPCOMING HOME GAMES: WWU MEN’S LACROSSE vs. Western Oregon March 8 // 1 p.m. // Western Washington University

“These guys, their spirit to want to win, you can’t recreate that.” should be pretty interesting though, at least you can’t recreate that,” Lent said. “Anyone those guys who have a bit of a chip on their that wants to come out there, we would love shoulder,” said senior goalie Cort Anderson. to see them. We always want a crowd.”

“We just threw in a new zone defense, which

vs. University of Puget Sound April 5 // 1 p.m. // Western Washington University

vs. Central Washington April 12 // 1 p.m. // Western Washington University

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Senate passes “Real Hope Act” Awaits vote in House of Representatives version of the DREAM Act in the House, since the House passed the original version of the DREAM Act on the first day [of its session],” On Jan. 31, the Washington State Senate voted 35-10 in favor of Bobbink said. “I don’t know if it would be changed before it passes, Senate Bill 6523, which would allow undocumented students to be it could be amended. It could become unrecognizable by the time eligible for state financial aid. The bill is entitled the Real Hope Act it’s passed.”

[Real Educational Access, Changing Lives] and now awaits a vote by This year’s Associated Students Legislative Agenda, approved the state’s House of Representatives. in December, highlights making state financial aid accessible to The Real Hope Act is the Senate’s own version of the DREAM students who are undocumented, giving the issue a priority status [Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors] Act and along with renovations to the Carver Academic Facility and dedicatwas approved with 10 Republicans and more than two-thirds of the ing revenue to higher education.

Senate’s Democrats voting “Yes.” “We’ve run several DREAM Act Days of Action, in the hopes to It was renamed the promote student aware“Real Hope Act” by the ness, as well as to show Senate Majority Coalition, legislators that students “In reality, the state has already funded them throughout in which the Republicans support this [bill],” high school. Why not continue to give them the shot to pay Galloway said. are now the majority.

If approved in the “It’s been an issue in-state tuition? They have been here, they deserve that.” Demo cratic-controlled that we’ve been advoAS Vice President For Diversity Mayra Guizar House, the bill will then cating for at least two move to the desk of years now.”

Governor Jay Inslee, who’s During AS Viking expressed adamant supLobby Day in Olympia, port of the bill.

University President Bruce Shepard expressed his support of makIf Inslee were to sign the bill into law, Washington will become ing financial aid available to undocumented students. Shepard said the fourth state to allow financial aid to undocumented students. with the nation’s growing and diverse work force, it only makes sense California, Texas and New Mexico already have such laws. to level the playing field for students who’ve grown up in the states The House of Representatives already passed a similar bill, House but are still undocumented, so the U.S. is able to compete with other Bill 1817, on the first day of regular session, Jan. 13. growing markets.

The House’s bill didn’t identify a source of funding, while the Shepard said, “For many of us who have privilege, it should be Senate’s bill proposes an allocation of $5 million from the state’s called the ‘wake up and smell the coffee act.’” general fund into the State Need Grant Program by June of 2015, The state’s Latino population has reached 11 percent, with according to section three of the Senate bill.

Washington’s undocumented residents contributing a total of $327.7 “That’s kind of unheard of,” said Associated Students Vice million in taxes annually.

President for Governmental Affairs Kaylee Galloway. “That the The population of Latino high school students in Washington House passed a bill on the first day of session. Essentially from that has grown by 492 percent since 1986, according to a report by One day until recently, students had been continuing advocacy for the America and the Washington Student Association.

DREAM Act. We were seeing it being blocked in the Senate.”

“A lot of the arguments we were hearing from people who were AS Legislative Liaison Matthew Bobbink said in a phone inter- not in support of the DREAM Act was the fact that the State Need view that he was shocked to hear the bill had passed in the Senate.

Grant is already underfunded,” Galloway said. “The argument was, “I think there is a very strong likelihood that we will see some ‘Why add more students to the pot of eligibility when in fact we can’t

By Annika Wolters // Graphic Design by Kristina Huynh

Feb. 19, 2014 • 9

fund the students who are already eligible?’”

Yet Sen. Barbara Bailey said the Senate decided to move the Real Hope Act forward after making sure that students that are already U.S. citizens and on financial aid waiting lists would be covered by the bill’s $5 million allocation into the State Need Grant Program.

If the bill were to be signed into law, undocumented students also referred to as the 1.5 Generation by the American Immigration Council - [1.5 refers to the trend of the undocumented immigrant youths receiving socialization in the US. Thus, making them in between first and second generation] would be eligible for the State Need Grant if they received a diploma from a Washington high school, have lived in the state for three or more years, provide an af-

DREAM Act first 2001 introduced in Senate.

The study also found that students in need who didn’t receive the Student Need Grant were less likely to be successful because of the implications of financial stresses.

AS Vice President for Diversity Mayra Guizar said she didn’t expect the bill to get this far. She called it, “a real win for students and a real win for Washington State.” Guizar said the passing of this bill will hold positive results for every student in Washington.

“It will give students that real shot and opportunity to actually be part of [higher education]. In reality, the state has already funded them throughout high school. Why not continue to give them the shot to pay in-state tuition?” Guizar said. “They have been here, they deserve that.”

JAN13 DREAM Act, House Bill 1817 passes 2014 the first day of regular session.

House Bill 1817 referred to Senate JAN14 Higher Education Committee. 2014 fidavit planning to become a permanent resident when eligible and work to acquire U.S. citizenship.

Last year, more than 100,000 students applied for the State Need Grant, with only enough funding for 74,000 of them, according to KUOW News.

The Washington State Need Grant Program began in 1969 and is based on median family income and public tuition costs.

A study conducted by the Washington Student Achievement Council shows that student financial need has dramatically increased, with a 65 percent increase of Free Applications for Federal Student Aid [FAFSA’s] completed over the past five years.

JAN31 Senate votes 35-10 in favor of 2014 the Real Hope Act.

The extension of financial aid to immigrant American youth is also necessary to position them for economic success and strengthen Washington’s competitive edge in the world economy, according to section one in the original DREAM Act, introduced in 2001.

“It’s not going to solve all the problems,” Guizar said. “We still need to make higher education more accessible. Tuition is still high.

But this is definitely a step in the right direction.”

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Sister of first black graduate visits campus mother always made fun of me for that.”

Ball’s journey to Western started on the opA college campus is by its nature dynamic, posite corner of the country, in Winter Park, shifting with the winds of progress, pop culture Fla. In 1942, after the breakout of World War II, and social revolution. In the spring of 1956, a Ball’s parents moved the family to Bremerton, man named Willis Ball received his diploma Wash. and took jobs at the Puget Sound Naval from Western, becoming the first African Shipyard. Ball went from a segregated school American to graduate from this university. in the south to being one of just a few AfricanBut Willis Ball was not the kind of man who American students at a predominantly white would seek recognition for his accomplish- school in Bremerton. Attending college was ments. Ball’s younger sister, Sandra Campbell, the expectation for Ball and his sister. attended the Black Student Union’s annual din“My grandmother was a college graduate ner on Feb. 8 to speak about her brother’s life. before she got married and started a family.

After high school, Ball spent four years in the U.S. Air Force. In the fall of 1952, he began his studies at Western. He was a talented defensive tackle for Western’s football team, earning an Associated Press All-American honorable mention in 1955.

“He said that people here were very friendly, and that he felt comfortable here,” Campbell said. “He was very comfortable with himself.

He radiated that comfort and people around him as a result were more comfortable.”

That ability to communicate would translate into a long career at the Seattle Parks & Recreation Department, where Ball worked as a recreation manager from the mid-1960s until 1987.

There is a scholarship in Willis Ball’s name offering an educational opportunity for families who value education as much as Ball’s did.

“We know that there are a lot of other families who feel the same way but aren’t able to give their children the assistance that they would like to,” Campbell said. “My brother was a generous person. He worked tirelessly for organizations in the community. So [the scholarship] was just kind of an outgrowth of what he was doing.”

Campbell praised not only Western’s efforts in recruiting students of marginalized identities, but more recent efforts to increase the retention rate of those students. She added that Ethnic Students Center clubs are crucial to achieving those goals.

Campbell’s husband, Willie, who worked Sandra Campbell, sister of Western’s first African-American graduate, at the Black with Ball, described Ball as a combination of Student Union dinner on Feb. 8. Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review Steve Harvey and Bill Cosby, a proud individCampbell and Ball were separated by six- There were eight children in her family and ual, but honest and no-nonsense. teen years of age, so Campbell said she saw her six attended college. Four earned master’s deCampbell summed Ball’s values up with brother as a “third parent.” She has vivid mem- grees and this was very early on in the century,” this maxim: “Be real, be right and be ready.” ories of visiting Ball while he was at school.

Campbell said. “The expectation was that you In 2012, 243 students at Western identified “He was living in a big, old house and there go to school so that you could better your situ- as black or African American. On a campus were a bunch of other guys,” Campbell said. ation and opportunities. The route that you that prides itself on its diversity in all aspects, “It was a total mess, a real guy thing. I started took was up to you. But you were expected to it is important to remember that, for each picking things up and putting them away. My go and you were expected to finish.” community, it all began with one.

By Andrew Wise

Feb. 19, 2014 • 11

Two more days to check out Western’s Wunderkammer

Displays in the Cabinet of Curiosity exhibit currently in the Viking Union Gallery. Photo by Trevor Grimm // AS Review “The cabinets of curiosity is historically an encyclopedic collection, which allows us to present all of these really interesting objects through Where can you find Pictionary, a two-headed snake and a replica of a loose interpretation,” Scott said. the Mars Rover all in one place? All these pieces and more can be found According to VU Gallery Attendant Debbi Kenote, some of the at the Cabinet of Curiosity show in the Viking Union Gallery. most popular pieces at the gallery are the cow heart, the two-headed The show, curated by VU Gallery Director Caitlin Scott, features snake and the collection of beetles, which includes some of the largest items from larger collections hidden in plain sight all over campus. known beetles in the world.

“The purpose of this show is to allow students to see really interest“The show is an assortment of strange objects,” Kenote said. “I like ing items that are parts of larger collections that they have access to on the double-headed snake, I think that one is my favorite. It’s really cool campus but may not realize that they have access,” Scott said. “I tried and you wouldn’t really see it anywhere else.” to incorporate all these different collections together into one cohesive However, Scott says her personal favorite is Pictionary. representation of what Western has to offer.”

“I was going through Special Collections [in the library] and saw Interesting items were pulled from a variety of departments here Pictionary sitting on the shelf, I asked Paul Piper ‘Why is that in Special at school, including a Collections next to the seismograph from the “We wanted to figure out a way that we could incorporate a rare books?’” Scott said.

Department of Geology, “It turns out the person lot of items from all different departments that don’t really fit who created Pictionary an atlas moth and bird wing butterflies from the was a Western alumnus.” together on their own.”

Department of Biology, The show, reminiscent a Tesla Coil from the of an odd garage sale, feaSMATE Program and tures the hidden treasures many more. of Western, check them out before they go back into hiding.

The title of the show, “Cabinet of Curiosity,” comes from sixThe VU Gallery, located in VU 507, is open Monday through teenth-century Europe, birthplace of the original cabinets of curiosity Friday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Cabinet of Curiosity” ends Feb. 20 at 3 p.m. known as “wunderkammern,” according to the Museum of Modern with a closing reception on Feb. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. The visual art Art’s website. Much like the gallery, these exhibits showcased exotic featured in the Women’s Center’s literary arts journal “Labyrinth” and diverse objects. will be on display in the VU Gallery next, from Feb. 24 - March 14.

By Kelly Mason

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Son of an architect haunted by “ugly” buildings

By Andrew Wise I should preface this by saying that I am the son of an architect. I spent my childhood on family vacations dominated by the observation and photography of architecturally significant buildings, and my tendency to criticize the architecture around me is much more a curse than a blessing. But it has been bred into me from an early age, and the fact is I can’t help it.

There is good architecture on this campus, don’t get me wrong. The Wade King Student Recreation Center is modern and glassy without being ostentatious, the Environmental Studies Building is a decent example of 1970s brutalism and Academic Instructional Center West makes great use of natural light. And of course, Old Main is spectacular.

But it was the short-sighted construction projects between 1959 and 1969 that produced the most disastrous results. Odd geometric shapes, tiny windows, superfluous and oddly shaped columns, Formica and a color palette ranging from floral to orange, with an array of browns and beiges in between, were at some point considered “pleasant.”

One of the worst motifs that managed to attach itself, virus-like, to many of the mid century buildings on campus is the repeated obtuse triangle. It defines the roof line of Carver Academic Facility and the entry ways to the Humanities Building, and crowns the top edge of most of the buildings on the Ridge.

It’s not exactly easy to explain why it’s bad. I see them as angry eyebrows drawn on face of an unsuspecting building by some sadistic child.

Andrew Wise, son of an architect, considers his developed architectural palate to be more of a burden than a gift. Photo Illustration by Isaac Martin // AS Review

But this is where my architectural snobbery makes my life worse, because while everyone else walks through campus at ease, at least in terms of architecture, I sense the constant angry eyebrows staring down at me. I don’t know if the giant ones that hang over Carver are worse than the dozens that sit above every single window on every side of Humanities.

In the library, I look for any chair upholstered in not-orange. It’s a load of completely unnecessary stress, and the truth is that all of these buildings serve their purpose adequately.

The Ridge isn’t that bad of a place to live [yeah, I live there], Carver is perfectly good place to watch a basketball game [even if it may be on the verge of collapse - see AS Legislative Agenda 2014] and plenty of people survive their classes in Humanities without ever noticing those angry eyebrows above all the windows.

I’m certainly not saying we should all rise up and demand brand new, beautiful buildings.

I guess one of the great things about Western is that we get the most out of everything we have.

No matter how ugly a chair might be, if it’s still functional then there’s really no good reason to get rid of it.

But I have to stand by what I know, and what I know is that, though it may not hurt anyone else, though it may not really even affect my education in any way, shape or form, there are some ugly buildings on this campus. More than anything, I think I needed to get these thoughts off my chest. To you who have read this to the end, you probably think I’m being a bit overdramatic. You might just be confused.

Either way, whatever you think of me, I’d like to thank you for letting me unload this obnoxious criticism onto you. And on the other hand, if the angry eyebrows haunt you too, if you also are the spawn of an architect, then I am truly sorry, and I hope we can find solidarity in this burden we share.