AS Review - April 29, 2013

Review

News // Events // Student Life

VOLUME on display in the Western Galllery.

More photos on page 6.

Vol. 28 #23 4.29.13

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TAPING CROWDS FOR CA$H Crowdsourcing provides funding for startups

By Nick Markman Universities are natural incubators for ideas and innovation. Some of the most world-changing companies and ideas - including Facebook, Google, Dell and Napster - were spawned in the hearts of college campuses.

While it may be natural for college students to think of ideas, seeing those ideas come to fruition is not as easy.

Without deep pockets or angel investors, how can college students take an idea for a creation or product and see it become a reality? Part of the answer to that complicated question may lie in crowdfunding – a method of financing where a collective of individuals network to pool their money together over the Internet in support of an individual’s or organization’s ideas.

Crowdfunding websites, such as Kickstarter, Indiegogo and GoFundMe, are platforms that allow anyone with an idea for a product or creation to create a campaign in hopes of receiving funding from visitors of the site. A campaign has a predetermined length and an overall dollar goal. To reward donators, most crowdfunding websites have a perks system, which awards different things to contributors based upon how much they donated.

Instructor of Marketing for Western College of Business and Economics Dan Purdy said that while crowdfunding applications can be useful tools for aspiring entrepreneurs or creators, they are not silver bullets and should not be viewed as an end-all solution.

“A Kickstarter campaign does not fix other problems that arise,” Purdy said. “If you’re a student who doesn’t have any money, it’s fine to a point as a way to get some

investment, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to work.”

Christian Harkson, co-founder of the Bellinghambased clothing company, Disidual, realized this after a Kickstarter campaign in February for a new fleece jacket, soft-shell jacket and fall 2013 line failed to meet its goal. With Kickstarter, if a campaign does not meet its goal, the creator does not receive any of the donations. Harkson’s company wished to raise $25,000, but at the end of the campaign, around $14,000 was pledged.

“I think we had the potential to make it, but it was just a matter of a lack of communication between people,” Harkson said.

People often would think they could donate later, but then the end date came up too quickly, Harkson said.

KVIK Coordinator Robert Bojorquez said establishing and maintaining this communication with potential backers is the hardest part about running a crowdfunding campaign. Bojorquez has been part of two successful crowdfunding campaigns for film projects that together raised over $2,000 in donations.

“Where the work comes in, is doing the outreach and getting people to hear about what you’re trying to do, and explaining what you’re going to do with their money,” Bojorquez said. “It comes down to some marketing tactics and social media awareness, and that’s where the main work comes out, not so much on the backend of managing a campaign.”

Purdy said before anyone decides to crowdfund a project or idea, they should have a clear plan in place.

The plan should cover everything from how the dona-

tions will be allocated toward the project to how donators will be repaid. He said before any of the planning, the product or idea to be crowdfunded needs to be compelling and be a solution to a problem that people are willing to pay for. He said that early money in a business model could be worse than no money at all, because when you have no money, you are forced to solve problems, whereas if you have early money, you are more inclined to spend money trying to temporarily fix the problem.

“If you try to execute before you know what you’re executing, you’re just going to run faster towards the cliff,” Purdy said. “What you want to do is you don’t want to accelerate yourself toward the cliff. You want to search around and figure out where the road is. Once you’ve found the pavement, then you say ‘okay, now lets go pedal to the medal.’ That’s when you go out and you get the big money.”

Despite not meeting their goal, Harkson said Disidual’s Kickstarter campaign was not an absolute failure, and the company networked and learned a lot through the experience. He said the video they made for the campaign was able to portray the company and the direction it is heading.

“We’ve actually gotten so busy now where we are now able to do a lot of the stuff without investors, which is cool,” Harkson said. “We met a lot of people through [the Kickstarter campaign] who were interested in our company, and I think it just gave our fans and customers a view of what’s next.”

TAKE BACK THE NIGHT

By Lauren Prater In response to the death of Susan Alexander Spleeth, a woman who was stabbed to death while walking home one night in Philadelphia during 1975, many college campuses around the country began to organize the yearly event, “Take Back the Night.”

The event is an annual march to protest violence in our community, specifically sexual violence, and this year Western is hosting the event at7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1 in the Performing Arts Center Concert Hall.

“We need to stop telling people how to not get assaulted, and start telling people how to not rape people,” stated Krisy Hathaway, the AS Women’s Center Coordinator.

The event will start with a rally titled, “Why I Fight,” which will consist of statements and testimonials written by students, followed by a statement from AS President Ethan Glemaker, and a performance from headliner Elissa Ball.

Following the rally will be a march consisting of attendees of marginalized genders through campus and downtown to take back the night. During this time,

men and those who choose not to march will hold a candlelight vigil to show solidarity with the marchers.

“We live in a rape culture,” Hathaway states. “A culture in which people, specifically women and trans* folk, do not feel safe walking outside, specifically at night, due to fear of being assaulted. This is not acceptable.”

Due to the fact that there have been a recentlyhigh amount of violent incidences, students should be exceptionally aware of their surroundings. This event will provide a safe space for students and faculty alike to feel empowered and supported. Hathaway explained that the first time she attended this event she couldn’t believe how empowered she felt afterwards and encourages others to take advantage of the opportunity to march through the streets alongside her. This event is free and open to all students and members of the community, and everyone is encouraged to attend.

Hathaway closed with this statement: “Sexual assault is not a women’s issue, it’s a human rights issue. We are all human and should feel strongly about preventing violence.”

EVENTS OF THE WEEK

Tuesday April 30

Jewish Cultural Festival

4-7 p.m. in VU Multipurpose Room Free

Western Hillel presents a night of Jewish food, music and traditions. Live Klexmer music will be performed by What The Chelm.

Wednesday May 1

Second Annual Green Tie Gala

6-9 p.m. in VU Multipurpose Room $10 for students, $12 for general

The Green Tie Gala is a fundraiser for the environmental clubs on campus. Students for Sustainable Food will cater the event and students from the clubs will speak on environmental issues.

April 29, 2013 • 11

Thursday May 2

Saturday May 4

8 p.m. in VU Multipurpose Room Free

7 p.m. in the PAC Concert Hall $10 for students. $15 for general

You Would! Art & Science Live Show AS KVIK presents You Would! Art & Science Live Show, a sketch comedy show with filmed and live scketches produced by Western students.

Friday May 3

Last day to vote in AS elections

Remember to cast your vote for the 2013-2014 AS board of directors. If you don’t vote, your voice can’t be heard.

Go online to wwu.edu/vote to cast your vote.

Fifth Annual Pilipino Culture Night FASA’S fifth Annual Pilipino Culture Night is an opportunity for the community to learn about Filipino-American culture through musical performances.

Video Game Tournament 12 p.m. in Parks Hall 244 $20-40 per team

The video game tournament will have groups comepte against each other in teams of four and through a bracket system. Teams will compete with Call of Duty Black Ops 2. Prizes include Xbox gold membership, energy drinks and more.

SPRING INTO ACTION: top spring quarter activities

By Lauren Simmons

EVENTS

Lord of the Rings Trivia Night Do you know the award-winning film and book series like the back of your hand? If so, attend the Underground Coffeehouses “Lord of the Rings Trivia Night” at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13. Like other trivia nights in the Coffeehouse, teams can include up to six members, with each individual paying a $1 buy-in. The first place team takes 70 percent, second place takes 20 percent and third place takes 10 percent of the prize money.

13th Annual Ridin’ Low in the 3-6-0 Western’s M.E.Ch.A hosts the low-rider show every year during “Back-to-Bellingham” weekend. This event is centered around a car show, where participants can register their cars or motorcycles to compete against each other, or just to show off all the work they’ve put in their rides. Also featured at the event will be food, contests, dancing and a variety of organizations, schools and community groups with table setups. Western’s M.E.Ch.A (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, or Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan) hopes to promote their culture in Whatcom County, drawing participants from Canada and other surrounding areas.

Queer Experience Similar to last quarter’s “Vagina Memoirs,” the “Fourth Annual Queer Experience” takes place from 7 - 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 9 in the Viking Union Multipurpose Room and on Friday, May 10 in VU Room 552. This event includes performance from individuals identifying with the queer community sharing their experiences, “breaking down barriers and reclaiming their truths.” The cast includes students and community members who created their individual pieces throughout the quarter.

Back-to-Bellingham This weekend-long event inviting alumni, current students, community members and families to come enjoy and explore over 100 different activities, performances, tours and sporting events held on campus and around Bellingham.

Ski-to-Sea Festival This annual event takes place on Sunday, May 26, spanning from Mount Baker to Bellingham Bay. The 93.5-mile relay race includes seven different sporting events that occur at different locations between Mount Baker and Bellingham Bay. Each team consists of eight relay members, participating in cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and snowboarding, running, road biking, canoeing, mountain biking and kayaking.

Along with the relay race, other events occurring during the week before include a variety of parades, the “Whatcom Art Guild Spring Ski-to-Sea” show and the “Third Annual Ski-to-Sea Community Block Party” at Boundary Bay Brewery.

Learn to Surf Memorial Day Weekend If you are planning on staying in Bellingham for Memorial Day weekend, the Outdoor Center is hosting a “Learn to Surf ” trip to Westport, Wash., a local surfing hot spot near Grays Harbor. Included in the price of $150 – which is less than half of the normal price – is two days of professional surf lessons, rentals, accommodations at the Islander Resort and Hotel and transportation. Geared toward novices, but welcome to all, the spots for this excursion will fill up quickly. Sign up in the Outdoor Center in Viking Union Room 150.

MOVIES

May is the beginning of the summer-blockbuster season, and Hollywood is not going to disappoint movie

buffs this year. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark in “Iron Man 3,” also starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Sir Ben Kingsley, who plays super villain Mandarin; “Iron Man 3 premieres Friday, May 3.” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic “The Great Gatsby” has been adapted to the big screen with Leonardo DiCaprio playing the title role, Tobey Maguire starring as Nick Carraway and Carey Mulligan playing Daisy Buchanan. The film was supposed to be released in December 2012, but the release date was pushed back to May 10, 2013. Other movies coming out in May include “After Earth,” with Will Smith and his son Jaden Smith, coming out Friday May 31. “Star Trek Into Darkness,” will be coming out Friday, May 17, and “The Hangover: Part III,” will be coming out Friday, May 24.

Uhane O Ka Aina-Spirit of the Land Western’s Hui ‘o Hawai’i club is hosting a luau on Saturday, May 18 in the VU MPR. The event will explore the theme - Uhane O Ka Aina or “Sprit of the Land” – and include music, hula dancing, food and other performances. There will also be items from Hawaii available for purchase, contests and raffles. Tickets for students are $12 and general admission is $15, both available online and at the WWU Performing Arts Center Box Office.

Oz the Great and Powerful Director Sam Raimi had two blockbusters released this year, and the less bloody of the two will be shown at Western on Thursday, May 16. “Oz the Great and Powerful” stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Michelle Williams and Rachel Weisz telling the story of the Wizard of Oz…not the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” but of the great and powerful Oz himself. The movie is being shown at 8 p.m. in Arntzen room 100, and it is free.

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KARIS ANDERSON Western pole vaulter discusses her sport, injuries and aspirations

“

THE SECOND YOU TAKE OFF, YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE IT OR NOT.

“

Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review

Year: Senior Major: Kinesiology Position: Pole vaulting Years in sport: Eight Personal Record: 12’10”

By Lauren Prater ASR: What are you planning to do after you graduate?

KA: I have a farm that I am starting with my boyfriend, so that’s something completely off from all of my other interests. Then, I also want to get into coaching at here at the university, which would be my dream job.

I also personal train, so I would probably continue to do that.

ASR: How did you get into pole vaulting?

KA: A cute boy. He was the cutest boy on the track team, and he was a few years older. He told me I should try out pole vaulting, and I was like, ‘I should definitely try out pole vaulting.’ I ended up catching on fast, and being really good at it. He since transferred and quit, but I stuck with it.

ASR: Was pole vaulting hard at first?

KA: It’s hard because it’s so awkward. Even just the way you hold the pole is awkward. I mean, your wrists are all caulked and in funny directions, so it’s really weird in the beginning, and you just take it in really slow steps. You learn how to hold the pole, then you learn how to drop the pole, and you learn how to lift it up so everything is broken down. So yes, it was challenging.

ASR: How difficult is the workout routine?

KA: [The workouts] are just very long. Usually we will do some kind of sprinting or plyometric of some sort. Then we will do a lot of technique. Pole vaulting is a huge technique sport—our practices can be three or more hours long.

ASR: Do you ever get bored doing pole vaulting?

KA: I wouldn’t say I get bored of it, but in college

I started right after being injured, so it was frustrating.

The only way for you to be satisfied is by [achieving] personal records. A lot of people struggle with being okay with a height that isn’t a personal record. Freshman year was really frustrating, but then I started [achieving] personal records and I realized why I was [pole vaulting].

ASR: You’ve previously injured yourself by tearing your ACL. How did that happen?

KA: Basically, there are a lot of different ways you can get injured doing pole vaulting. [Injuries can happen] if you’re pole vaulting on a pole that is too big for you, if you have a poor take off, and if you don’t have enough force to get you up and over, then you come back down on the track. That’s what happened with me.

Coaches teach you how to roll out of falling, but I never learned how to do that. I landed flat-footed out of a fall and hyper-extended my leg. It wasn’t very painful, but it was terrifying. The second you take off, you know if you’re going to make it or not.

ASR: What is the healing process for a torn ACL like?

KA: The physical therapy was very painful. Basically, you have your surgery and you build up scar tissue from it, and you aren’t allowed to walk on it. You can only straighten and bend [your knee] to a certain point. At physical therapy you have to get passed that point, and you just tear scar tissue in your knee. So, there was a lot of pain. My physical therapist was like, ‘Do you know what PT stands for?’ and I was like, ‘Physical therapy?’ and he was like, ‘No, pain and torture.’

ASR: Do you have a memorable moment?

KA: When I hit 12 feet for the first time—it is a huge milestone for pole vault. That is what separates you from being a high school and college student. When I made that, it was so cool. It was at conference in Oregon, my sophomore year at Western. My whole team was there cheering me on to make that last attempt, and it was amazing. I also hit 12 feet 10 inches, which is my current personal record at nationals. It might have been my favorite moment of all time.

ASR: Do you hold any school records?

KA: It’s kind of confusing because the school counts indoor and outdoor as two separate seasons, and sometimes outdoor is the only real season. So, on the plaque it says my record is 12 feet 7 inches, but my actual personal record is 12 feet 10 inches. I also held the record at my high school at 10 feet, which was my personal record until I graduated. I also hold the GNAC record for both indoor and outdoor.

ASR: What else do you like to do in your free time?

KA: I like to rock climb and bike. I have chickens so they are fun to hang out with. [I like to] garden, [go on] Pinterest, just hang out in the sun.

ASR: Are you close with your other teammates?

KA: Yes. The pole vaulters are all really goofy. Like, you have to be a little crazy to pole vault, you know?

There has to be a screw loose for you to think that it’s a good idea to pole vault. So, we crack each other up, and get along really well. We all have similar, quirky personalities. If you aren’t going to have fun and enjoy it, then you’re not going to do well.

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The Department of Design presents “Masters of Design” featuring Volume Inc. of San Francisco. The firm’s work will be on display in the Western Gallery until May 18.

NEWS

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Photo by Cade Schmidt

review

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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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Staff

Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Copy Editor Contributing Designer Writers

Megan Thompson Spencer Pederson Cade Schmidt Serena Imani Korn Bradley O’Neal C Hayley Halstead Isabelle Hoonan Nick Markman Lauren Prater Lauren Simmons Kylie Wade

Adviser Jeff Bates

DIVESTMENT A look at Western’s investments in fossi fuels and other universities’ actions

EVENTS

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THRONE VU Gallery will exhibit a unique chairs collection beginning April 29

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STUDENT LIFE

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STARTING A CLUB Want to create your own AS Club? Here’s how you go about it.

FEATURES

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CROWDSOURCING Sites such as Kickstarter gain popularity for funding projects

KUGS Operations Director Nicholas Keefe shows off the station’s new mascot, the KUGS-bot (aka Simon) in the control room on the seventh floor of the Viking Union.

Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review

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AS PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE A guide to the four presidental candidates’ views and plans for the Associated Students in 2013-2014 TAKE BACK THE NIGHT AS Women’s Center claims a night for women to ‘take back’ and fight against sexual assult KUGS 89.3 The student-run radio station that goes full speed 24-hours per day

POLE VAULT Q&A Karis Anderson sits down with the AS Review and talks about her sport and student life

April 29, 2013 • 3

EARTH DAY FESTIVAL

Alternative Transportation Coordinator Robby Eckroth does

a cartwheel in a dragon costume during the AS Environmental & Sustainability Programs' Annual Earth Day Festival on April 20.

Photos by Cade Schimdt // AS Review

Local folk-stomp group Br'er Rabbit perform at the AS ESP's Annual Earth Day Festival.

Attendees dance to local folk group Br'er Rabbit during the AS ESP’s Annual Earth Day Festival.

Divestment

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Recently, universities across the United States began removing their stock in fossil fuel companies and investing in alternative energy.

Western is currently considering this movement, and students are getting a chance to weigh in on the topic.

April 29, 2013 • 5

STUDENTS CALL TO REMOVE FOSSIL FUEL INVESTMENTS

By Isabelle Hoonan

O

ver the last nine months, more than 250 college campuses have committed to removing fossil fuel stocks from their university stock portfolio, a movement known as the Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign. With a goal of separating university money from the fossil fuel industry, the student demand of replacing dirty energy stocks with sustainable alternatives has become a national discussion on climate change and reclaiming power from the fossil fuel industry.

Western is launching the strategy many universities are following: having students vote on fossil fuel divestment initiatives for a concise estimate of student support. Universities are also holding forums for students to become educated on the divestment campaign issues of climate change versus financial returns.

Taking guidance from the climate advocacy group 350.org’s series of rallies in 21 U.S. cities last fall, the message is the same for divestment campaigns run by students, faculty, communities and city governments.

Fighting climate change means fossil fuel companies must leave a significant share of their reserves in the ground, and removing stock in fossil fuel could potentially convince them to put these actions in place. Universities, communities, churches and city governments are taking swift action to push university administrators to shift toward socially responsible business decisions, meaning fossil-fuel free.

Western Students for Renewable Energy is one of a handful of environmental organizations and clubs invested in promoting the Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign. Along with 350.org and other Western environmental clubs, Western SRE has taken it upon itself to get support for the student divestment campaign to encourage approval by Western’s board of directors. Western Foundation’s board of directors, who handle university endowment assets, ultimately have the final say in deciding which companies to invest in. The board already has support from Western President Bruce Shephard.

Western invests 5.3 percent of its endowments in energy stock, totaling at $1.44 million, according to documents given to Western SRE by the endowment foundation. Oil companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. and BP ELC are among the 38 energy companies Western endowments are invested in, according to the document. Exxon Mobil and BP PLC are listed on 350. org’s 200 dirtiest fossil fuel companies.

For a generation labeled as “apathetic” by Ralph Nader, a former Green Party candidate, the fight for combating climate change has unfolded otherwise, with university campuses standing up to the fossil fuel industry.

So far, four universities, including Hampshire College in Mass. and Sterling College in Vermont, have become fossil-fuel-free in their investment portfolios.

Churches and city governments have joined the fight for public policy to correlate with fight climate change, too.

With widespread media attention connecting drilling

for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and other practices with a human cost to the fossil fuel companies, students are rallying against this movement.

Students’ current divestment approach was taken from the divestment concept enacted on U.S. soil during the apartheid regime in South Africa in the 1980s. Demanding total removal of stocks associated with the National Party, grassroots campaigning became a national epicenter of discussing political discourse and making changes through holding corporations socially accountable by moving money away from those companies.

Targeting companies to be held accountable within the public sphere is as much a goal as divesting in university portfolios, according to Go Fossil Free Organization.

“It’s a great model back in the apartheid because lots of universities divested from companies doing busi-

Western invests 5.3 percent of its endowments in energy stock, totaling at $1.44 million.

Oil companies including Exxon Mobil Corp. and BP ELC are among the 38 energy companies Western endowments are invested in. ness with South Africa, including Western,” said Neil Baunsgard, a senior and Western SRE club member, “that’s kind of been our model because we already have a socially responsible investing clause that says that our number one goal is to generate revenue but not if the investment causes substantial social harms.”

Andrew Eckels, a sophomore and director of Transition Western Club and Western SRE club member, said he sees Western SRE’s leadership role to spread awareness about the divestment campaign, not just as socially ethical, but also as fulfilling a grassroots-led tactic of targeting the youth to build a movement.

“Our political climate is really not there,” Eckels said.

“We really need a social movement and huge pressure to make these changes happen.”

In addition to having hosted an on-campus divestment campaign forum open to all community members on March 7, 2013, Western SRE is looking to student support to strengthen the movement’s presence at Western. Their current focus is on passing the divestment ballot initiative, presented for student vote April 29 to May 3, which gathered over 1,000 signatures. Besides having the power to sway university administrators and endowment board members, junior and Western SRE President Jenny Godwin sees the initiative as an opportunity to get everyone on board.

“The initiative is a way for students to support the ongoing discussions happening between students, faculty, administrators and people on the endowment

board, and for them to all be engaged in a conversation about divestment,” Godwin said. “At this point, ballot initiatives are simply advisory statements, so they don’t set anything in stone, but they are a further push for our administration to continue this partnership within the divestment issue.”

Although seeing support in numbers could resonate with Western’s board of endowment, Western SRE realizes the long process toward achieving their goal of being fossil-fuel-free in five years. According to Baunsgard, transitioning stock portfolios can be a lengthy process.

“Divestment is the first step and reinvestment is the second step. For our portfolio, we don’t make any positive investments in sustainability, which kind of doesn’t seem like it goes along with Western’s mission,” said Baunsgard.

Western remains steadfast in their goal of becoming the first fossil fuel free public university within the next five years.

“Seth Vidana at the divestment panel was quoted saying that from the administration he’s not hearing ‘no,’ he’s hearing ‘how,’ which is really promising,” said Eckels.

Although the intention of the divestment campaign is to combat climate change, the financial logistics of divesting have created skepticism around the campaign from the fossil fuel industry and university administrators. The industry spearheaded a study arguing the faults of divestment, stating that universities would be abandoning high-performing investments by selling their stocks. University administrators’ concern are in losing investments that could impact the university’s ability to give financial aid and scholarships.

Gathering signatures and hosting weekly meetings open to all students are only a couple ways Western SRE is working towards divestment. As a campus of students who previously convinced university administrators for sustainable buildings and recycling programs, Western SRE believes all who join their efforts in the divestment movement will be a part of social change that so often is stimulated and strengthened on university campuses.

“Looking ahead, climate change is what I see to be the hugest issue of my generation,” Godwin said.

“Through this movement, so many clubs and organizations are involved. It’s not just an energy issue, it’s something that’s really connecting a movement that’s become one that’s dealing with fighting against oppression, against racism, and against a classicism that’s part of climate change in that people who are the poorest are the most effected by issues of justice.”

Eckels said he believes that this movement is a multifaceted cause that should spur everyone to look at their individual impact.

“I want to see mass movement. I want to see people being engaged in making change all of these issues across the board, and I see this as an avenue towards getting there,” he said. “I’m excited to see people getting involved, being engaged and making change.”

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WESTERN GALLERY: VOLUME

The Department of Design presents "Masters of Design" featuring Volume Inc. of San Francisco. The firm's work will be on display in the Western Gallery until May 18.

Photos by Cade Schmidt // AS Review

April 29, 2013 • 7

GAME OF THRONES

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By Kylie Wade his week, the Viking Union Gallery will unveil a unique exhibit that puts a special emphasis on an everyday object.

The gallery will display significant pieces from Western’s collection of modern and historical chairs.

The exhibit is the fruition of a dream that Western senior and industrial design major Samuel Martin harbored for years. Martin first came into contact with the chair collection during an introductory-level history of design course, and has since developed an extraordinary passion for the collection. He has spent over two years trying to organize an exhibit showcasing the chairs, but struggled to find an open gallery time slot. Now, in his senior year at Western, Martin has finally succeeded in booking the exhibit.

Hannah Fenske, the VU Gallery director, said she was instantly intrigued when Martin approached her about bringing the chair collection to the gallery.

“When I got in and first saw the chair collection, I got super excited, because they’re really cool. They’re all very different; some of them are very colorful; they’re completely different shapes and sizes,” Fenske said.

“If you’re not an industrial designer, or someone who builds or makes chairs, you don’t really appreciate them, you don’t realize that you’re sitting in a work of art.”

Even to people with an interest in industrial design, Western’s extensive chair collection can be an astonishing thing to discover. Aidan Borer, a junior industrial design major who serves with Martin on the student chapter of the Industrial Designers Society of America and helped Martin curate the exhibit, said when he first discovered the collection, he was completely shocked at what he saw.

“I was just blown away by the wealth of artifacts of design history that we have here at the university that really nobody knew about. With this show, it was really important to Samuel and myself that we showcase this, and bring them out into the light so people can see it and experience it,” Borer said.

The collection is comprised of more than 50 chairs, and according to Martin, many of the chairs are still in production despite being designed hundreds of years ago.

Sarah Clark-Langager, the director of the Western Gallery and curator of both Western’s chair collection and the outdoor sculpture collection, said the chair collection was started by the head of the Western’s nowdefunct home economics department to give students inspiring examples of design to reference while they worked.

“If you went to the Museum of Modern Art in New York or in San Francisco, their departments would have the same chairs, [these are] famous chairs by famous designers,” Clark-Langager said.

The exhibit was carefully curated by Martin, Borer and other members of the student chapter of the IDSA, and will feature roughly 20 chairs from the collection.

Fenske said the exhibit was selected to showcase the chairs that have big reputations and will be easily recognizable, are attached to significant designers, have made a major impact on the design world, or, as is the case with some of the chairs in the collection, are featured in classrooms around Western.

Borer said he hopes the exhibit will give viewers the chance to reconsider how they perceive many of the objects that surround them.

“We tend to live in a very materialistic culture and we’re just surrounded by products in our lives and inundated with them, but most people give very little thought or consideration to where those objects come from,” Borer said. “To look at these things and learn about the stories behind these chairs I think might spur people to look at their silverware and wonder about who designed that fork and look at the light next to their bed and ask the same questions about that.”

Martin said he hopes the display of chairs, which is something he is extremely passionate about, can inspire people to find ways to share the things they are passionate about.

“I really want people to know that they could be throwing these types of community organizations themselves,” Martin said. “I just consistently reinforce the fact that there’s the opportunity to organize an event like this and show a bit of your passion.”

Up until the debut of the exhibit, the chair collection was housed in a locked room in the art department.

“They’re on racks on the walls and kind of stacked up and not very well displayed, they’re more just kind of stored in there, which is unfortunate because it’s a wonderful collection,” Fenske said.

Martin said he is eagerly anticipating seeing the chairs out of storage and on display.

“It’s sounds silly, I suppose, but [I’m excited about] just giving these objects an opportunity to shine,” Martin said. “A lot of these pieces are a lot older so you can see the wear, you can see the character, and I’m very excited to see what that looks like out of the collection and in a well-lit, groomed space.”

The exhibit opens April 29 and runs through May 17.

On Wednesday, May 1, there will be opening reception with refreshments, desserts and coffee. The exhibit is free and is open every weekday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After the chairs finish their run at the VU Gallery, Martin said he is working to find a place to store them where they can be on display instead of behind a locked door. While nothing is finalized yet, Martin said he hopes to have the chairs on display in either the industrial design department or the art department within the next few years.

For those who see the exhibit and become as entranced with the collection as he is, Martin encouraged anyone who is interested in learning more about the industrial design program to contact Arunas Oslapas, the Industrial Design Program Coordinator, at arunas. oslapas@wwu.edu.

8 • as.wwu.edu/asreview

AS PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

A rundown on what the candidates said at the April 25 debate

By C Hayley Halstead With $519 charged to the nearly 15,000 Western students through annual tuition and allocated to the service and activities category, one of the recipients of this fee is the Associated Students administration. Each year, students have the opportunity to vote on representatives and can learn about these candidates through posters covering high traffic areas on campus, speaking with candidates in Red Square and the debates.

Thursday, April 25, the four students running for AS president participated in the 3rd Annual AS Presidential Debate. Speaking in the Viking Union Multi-Purpose Room, candidates Cody Brower, Carly Roberts, Patrick Stickney and Glen Tokola discussed six predetermined questions relating to higher education, improving relations between the AS and university administration, supporting the six different vice presidents while balancing their own duties, reaching out to non-traditional and graduate students, being inclusive to all student voices, and having one tangible outcome to achieve in the position. The audience was able to make inquiries at the conclusion of the prepared questions.

The presidential debate is “an opportunity for the community to come and get to know their candidates in a way that they may not be able to just by walking around campus and seeing posters,” Roberts said.

“I’ve been doing my preparation for this debate for the last three years because I don’t believe that you have to work extra hard to represent yourself or your ideas if you’re getting to this place of running for the AS President.”

Stickney explained, “When we’re just out in Red Square, you don’t have the ability to actually come up and talk about issues, and having a debate and having people directly asking you questions makes sure that those are really flushed out so the student body is able to know what each candidate is about.”

Organized by AS Elections Coordinator, Graham Marmion, roughly 50 audience members attended the debate and were treated to refreshments and snacks while the contenders stood before their podiums. Current AS President Ethan Glemaker and AS VP for Academic Affairs Victor Celis moderated the debate. Each candidate opened with a three-minute statement and had two minutes to respond to each question.

“I think this event is important for students because it’s a possibility and a great way for students to become more civically engaged on campus,” Brower said.

“Several friends of mine came to this room to support me tonight, but the second thing I told them was to be aware of the other candidates, what they are representing. It’s much more important to have a wellinformed vote,” Tokola said.

Roberts started her statement by sharing that she has been working in the AS for the past three years and hopes to continue that service. She referred to herself as a “cooperative communicator and proactive problem solver.”

Following Roberts, Brower spoke about his two years of experience serving as a student leader within the resident hall institution on campus and believes it has given him the confidence in candidacy for the president position.

In Tokola’s opening, he described what he participates in: student senate, dance, Humans vs. Zombies, the International Affairs Association and Model U.N., and emphasized his level of involvement on campus as community service, not defined by a job description.

With Stickney’s introduction, he discussed his familiarity with Western and the AS by talking about being a committee member, club leader, work study student, regular student, KUGS disk jockey and VP of governmental affairs for the past year. He said that representation was a value of his and aims to ensure the student body voice is heard and represented.

Brower started the debate with the first topic regarding advocacy for higher education. “Education should be a universal right to anyone regardless of their background,” Brower stated. He touched on lobbying in Olympia, Wash. to prevent rising tuition. Because of Brower’s involvement with resident halls, he devised a plan to increase the number of students participating in the AS by hosting programs in the residential halls and giving oncampus residents awareness about their resources. Being part of the Resident Hall Association, Brower shared that he had contact with administration frequently and cherished the concept that better relationships can be created through stronger communication lines. In order to represent many student identities, Brower believes in listening to students and better reaching out to associations and clubs. He aims to increase sustainability around campus.

Tokola’s said a student mentality needs to change from students with regards to the administration when dealing with particular issues so that students can have improved experiences, especially since “higher education is student life; it’s how you conduct your business on and off campus for as long as you are paying tuition.”

He wants to create closer ties with administration to prevent programs from being cut and wants to make

issues on campus become a priority to students. Despite the fact that Tokola has not worked for the AS, he stated that he was the most qualified candidate for the position due to his ability to understand where students are coming from at different levels. His tangible goal is to have a visible board of directors, and rather than having an open-door policy, he hopes, to bring that door to the students.

Stickney said he already had experience advocating for higher education and student rights when he travels to Olympia and administration meetings. He believes “we as students can make a lot of change on campus. We need to understand our power behind our voices.” Stickney admits to good university relations with administration, but does believe that organizing a group of committed people can make a difference. He has reached out to nontraditional students to understand issues they have. He would like to get a signed commitment from the administration to divest completely from fossil fuel companies.

When Roberts had the opportunity to speak, she said, “Going down to Olympia is not in my job description as the VP for activities, but I pursue every opportunity I’ve had to go on lobby trips to legislative receptions with our lawmakers and advocate for higher education.” She went into her goals to increase student involvement, “Student rights are human rights and should be advocated for as such.” In addition, Roberts said she values the ability to strongly and frequently communicate and believes it can develop the strong connections necessary for improved relationships between students and administration. Roberts took a moment to share the importance of listening and efficiency with how student dollars are utilized. Her tangible outcomes as the president would be to watch the changes in the board of directors go into effect and to have higher quality AS events and programs.

Once candidates had completed answering the questions by the moderators, several members from the audience asked about topics such as an increase in tuition to international students, wanting to know how the AS has already reached out to clubs, understanding diversity and how to represent 15,000 students, making meetings more transparent and connecting Western to the Bellingham community.

Elections open Monday, April 29 and will close Friday, May 3 at 2 p.m.

To learn more about the candidates and vote, visit as.wwu.edu/elections/ballot.

April 29, 2013 • 9

HOW TO START A CLUB Easy as one, two, three

By C Hayley Halstead

After a group of graduate students from the Huxley College of the Environment was meeting informally for about three years, they decided it was time to be officially recognized as a club. The Associated Students acknowledges The Huxley Graduate Research Working Group after going through the club creation process.

While the AS distinguishes over 200 clubs, there is always room for growth when there lacks a club that meets a group of students’ needs. It is recommended that those interested in joining a club check out the official list of clubs, which can be found at the Club Activities Office’s website, wwu.orgsync.com. If Western does not already have the club a group is looking for, the AS makes it easy for the creation of one.

First, all involved must read the AS Club Recognition Procedure document on OrgSync. The student group wishing to be formed must begin their creation process by drafting an clubs and organizations recognition request and registration form to the AS Activities Council.

Because Eleanor Hines, president of Huxley GRWG, had experience with other clubs, she started the process of Huxley GRWG’s creation by drafting its constitution.

Once the document was established, the group met with student activities advisor Casey Hayden for a new club consultation so that he could review their document before putting it on the council’s agenda. s In addition to the required documents, the club is

By Isabelle Hoonan

required to have a minimum of three officers (president, vice president and treasurer) and two members. Once the activities advisor deems the group is ready to go before the activities council, at least the two top leaders must attend the club orientation session to learn about the resources and processes in order to learn how to have a sustainable club. Upon club approval by the council, access will be granted to OrgSync to organize and invite students to the newly formed club.

Although the process may seem tedious, the Club Activities Office, serves as a resource for students regarding anything club-related and will help those in the process of club creation. “Anything [club creators] have a question for, we pretty much have an answer,” said AS Club Coordinator Jarred Tyson.

One of the reasons many groups decide to become official clubs are to have the ability to reserve rooms and to have the ability to request funding from the AS Activities Council. Because Huxley GRWG plans to host a conference for all graduate departments at Western this year, it now has access to those club benefits.

“We became an official AS club so that the AS could better support our conference in conjunction with the graduate school,” Jacob Lesser, Huxley GRWG treasurer said.

Now that Huxley GRWG is a club, Vice President Jonny Kemp shard his goals for his newly formed club.

“I’ve used this year as a learning experience. I want to try to put together more workshops, at least one a quarter. I also want to bring in more first year students.”

While Huxley GRWG is geared towards graduate students, undergraduate students are encouraged to join who are thinking about becoming graduate students.

This quarter, Huxley GRWG is the only new club, but last quarter there were 18 new clubs created. Generally, clubs don’t get created in the spring, but it shouldn’t divert those who want to have their club form now.

Despite the fact there are 34 academic or departmental clubs, there are many other categories such as social issues, Ethnic Student Center clubs, gaming and recreational. When creating a club, there must be a distinctive category it fits into.

A different perspective to club involvement proposed

by Mixed Identity Students Organization President Tiffany Law said, “Although a club brings people together, there are always standard deviations in ideas, and people must learn to work together and respect the differences, especially when they are involved with a club.”

With studies showing on-campus involvement linking to success in school, and a portion of student tuition going towards the Service and Activities Fee Committee to allocate to Student Life, the importance of club involvement is stressed by Tyson. “Clubs are part of the college experience; it develops people,” he said.

INSIDE THE KUGS STUDIO

Walk into KUGS office in Viking Union 700 at any hour and you will find a DJ camped out in the studio.

With KUGS spring programming in full swing, new DJs are hitting up audiences with their new or old shows around the clock.

“Tune in from hour to hour and you will hear such different sounds, everything from progressive electronic -music to underground hip hop,” said junior Tristan Wood, KUGS marketing and development director.

“And the fact that our offices are running 24/7 says a lot about the dedication of our DJs.” With radio host training cycles in constant rotation, springtime often brings new DJs into the mix of personalized radio shows at KUGS. Embracing the diverse array of musical tastes of its listeners and DJs, KUGS encourages DJs to experiment with the 33,000 CDs or 27,000 vinyl albums at their disposal.

With vinyl’s antique allure currently relevant to many DJs for its raw sound and iconography as a slice of music history, KUGS vinyl training sessions are an enticing creative process for many jockeys. Along with training for “Music for the Masses” as well as specialty DJ shows, these offered trainings create a niche experience for KUGS employees and volunteers who, as a prerequisite,

are generally obsessed with music.

For KUGS volunteers and employees, sometimes their various skills built at KUGS are not easily envisioned skills to be translated elsewhere. So, for the beginning of this quarter, senior and KUGS Program Director Lauren Stelling organized a KUGS all-station meeting where three KUGS alumni spoke about their professional experiences within the music industry.

One guest was Jackson Long, the drum tech for Death Cab for Cutie and audio engineer for KEXP in Seattle. Highlighting on how his in-studio experiences at KUGS translates seamlessly with his current job, he also added how KUGS gives employees and volunteers a chance to learn about the music industry.

Sam Parker, former KUGS program director and currently working at Brown Paper Tickets, and Nick Duncan, former KUGS music director and Yellingham co-founder, were also guests. Speaking of how their time at KUGS influenced their time at Western and the careers they sought after graduating, they claimed the people they bonded over music with at KUGS and learning the promotion side of KUGS has helped them navigate the music industry.

Staying current on the local music scene is another

spring programming staple. With an incendiary breadth of diverse bands playing in Bellingham or coming through Bellingham venues, KUGS hopes to foster the talent of these artists. Whether playing local artists on the specialty show “Back Tracks and Local Snacks” or interviewing bands in-studio, phone interviews with bands such as the Thermals, highlighting artists coming through Bellingham is an emphasis at KUGS. Despite a local emphasis, DJs doing specialty shows are encouraged to express themselves through their ranging musical palette.

“Students first have to go through news reading and then Music for the Masses. But after that, if someone has a passion, they can curate their own show accordingly,” said Jamie Hoover, general manager for KUGS. After being at KUGS for four years and DJ of the beach pop show “Tide Pool Party”, Stelling agrees.

“Anybody can have an iTunes playlist but DJ-ing is like sharing your music opinion,” said Stelling. “The AS really emphasizes diversity, and I think KUGS really represents that through the diverse personalities here, which are expressed through their musical tastes. We have everyone from the person who’s into avant-garde screamo metal to happy jazz.”