AS Review - October 31, 2011

asreview Vol. 27 #3

10.31.11

10.3.11

Vol. 27 #7

Happy Halloween

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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

©2011. 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 Borard of Directors, and although we report on board actions objectively, our relationship should be made clear.

Submissions: We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions, or send them to the mailing address above. They will be returned as long as you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

Letters: We also welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words and include your name and phone number. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar, if necessary.

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

Editor in Chief

Assistant Editor

Lead Photographer

Copy Editor

Assistant Photographer

Staff Writers

Kirsten O’Brien

Cade Schmidt

Joe Rudko

Adviser

Jeff Bates

Adrienne Woods

Evan Marczynski

Anna Atkinson Eriver Eugenio Nick Markman Lauren Simmons Megan Thompson

NEWS / FEATURES

In This Issue:

The AS Review’s greatpumpkin explosion.

Photo illustration by Cade Schmidt//AS Review and Brett Flora//AS Publicity Center.

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READY, SET, VOTE!

What you need to know in order to be informed on Nov. 8

Q & A WITH CATHY LEHMAN

Western alumna talks about her race for City Council

VIKING SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

Program offers students the opportunity for more locally grown food

SMASHING PUMPKINS

What do to when your Halloween fun is done.

Find the AS Review on Facebook, Twitter and at as.wwu.edu/asreview/

Denise Crowe, public education specialist for Shannon Point Marine Center, uses tanks with marine life to give potential Western students a hands-on experience Monday, Oct. 24, as a part of the Compass 2 Campus program.

Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

October 31, 2011 • 3

EVENTS OCT 31 - NOV 5 monday oct 31

Happy Halloween!

Have fun and be safe

Halloween Thriller Dance downtown 8 to 8:30 p.m., Bellingham Public Market on 1530 Cornwall Ave. Free

Members from Bellingham-based fitness studio Butterfly LIFE will perform Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance to celebrate Halloween.

VU Gallery presents: Everything Small

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, VU third floor Oct. 31 - Nov. 18 Free

The Viking Union Gallery’s second show of the year is Everything Small – an exhibit about the smaller things in life. In this collection of artwork, students will find many interpretations of “small,” including pieces that are made up of smaller objects, pieces that have “small” concepts, pieces that are physically small, and representations of small things.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show Showings at 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m., Mount Baker Theatre on 104 N. Commercial St. $9 plus fees

The Mount Baker Theatre is hosting a screening of cult classic, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

tuesday nov 1

friday nov 4

7 to 9 p.m., VU 462 B Free

3 to 4 p.m., Fraser Hall 2 Free

Social Issues Resource Center Privilege and Opression workshop The Associated Students Social Issues Resource Center, in a partnership with the AS Queer Resource Center, presents the Privilege and Oppression workshop. Different forms of oppression and privilege will be discussed, including but not limited to white privilege, class privilege and gender-identity privilege.

Ethics and Social Responsibility speaker series Western’s College of Business and Economics will host Rud Browne, the founder and chairman of The Ryzex Group, as part of its Ethics and Social Responsibility speaker series. Browne’s company is on “The Green 50,” a list of the nation’s most successful environmentally responsible companies.

wednesday nov 2

saturday nov 5

Noon to 1:30, Fairhaven College Auditorium Free

10 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Firs Conference Center on 4605 Cable St. Free

Immigration Enforcement -- the human and civil rights alternative

David Bacon, a writer and photojournalist based in Oakland and Berkeley, Calif. will give a presentation on immigration policy and how it has affected those living in places such as Mexico and Guatemala. This event is part of the World Issues Forum and is sponsored by Fairhaven College, AS Social Issues Resource Center and the Center for Law, Diversity and Justice.

thursday nov 3 Business Career Fair

11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Mac Gym at the Wade King Student Recreation Center Free

The Business Career Fair is a major recruiting event that allows students and the general public to meet with hiring managers from a wide range of employers. Representatives from privatesector companies, non profit organizations and government agencies will be at the fair. The fair is co-sponsored by Western’s College of Business and Economics and the Career Services Center.

Think Locally, Act Neighborly Summit

The Campus Community Coalition is sponsoring an event to educate students about learning how to be a better neighbor in Bellingham neighborhoods, explore law enforcement and student relations, and define how students from different campuses can work together. Students and staff from Bellingham Technical College, Western and Whatcom Community College will attend.

The Love Below, Cynarae, DeathlikeSpeep and Totalizer at Whatcom All-ages Arts & Music 8 p.m., WhAMM on 306 Flora St. $5

The Love Below is a Southern California-based band currently on a West Coast tour. They will be joined by three other bands for an evening of metal and punk. The show is all-ages, and alcohol or drugs will not be permitted anywhere on or near the premises.

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INITIATIVE RUNDOWN

The general election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 8. Will you be ready?

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Nick Markman • The AS Review

y connecting arrows together on the ballot, voters and the lines they draw will determine the outcome of political policy as well as governmental positions in the state and county. Some of these lines, drawn by voters on this year’s ballot for the Nov. 8 election, will represent votes for or against initiatives, resolutions and amendments.

Iris Maute-Gibson, the Associated Students vice president for governmental affairs, said that Initiatives 1183 and 1125 are two particular pieces of legislation on the ballot that are of special interest to students.

From privatizing liquor sales to changing transportation expenditures, there are measures in these two initiatives that student voters should recognize before they draw their lines.

Initiative 1183

“This measure would close state liquor stores and sell their assets; license private parties to sell and distribute spirits; set license fees based on sales; regulate licensees; and change regulation of wine distribution,” according to the I-1183 ballot summary.

Costco’s Kirkland Signature Vodka, Fred Meyer’s Spiced-Rum and Safeway Gin: For now, these products cannot be purchased anywhere in Washington, since the state government controls all distribution and sales of liquor.

Washington is one of 18 states where liquor sales are solely regulated by the state. If I-1183 passes, select private retailers will be able to purchase liquor distribution licenses and sell spirits in their stores. Not every small, mom-and-pop business could buy a distribution license and start selling booze.

Retailers could only sell liquor in stores that have at least 10,000 square feet of enclosed retail space in a single structure, and the Liquor Control Board would have to approve all private distributors, according to the voters’ pamphlet published by the Washington secretary of state’s office and the Whatcom County Auditor.

This initiative would not change the laws regarding the distribution of beer and wine, but it would remove

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older regulations restrictThis measure would close state liquor stores ing price competition on and sell their assets; license private parwine sales, according to the voters’ pamphlet. ties to sell and distribute spirits; set license Maute-Gibson reprefees based on sales; regulate licensees; and sents Western students on the Washington change regulation of wine distribution.

Student Association Board of Directors, a I-1183 ballot description coalition of universities and community colleges that advocates policy for the 120,000 students This measure would prohibit the use of it represents. The WSA decided not to take any motor vehicle fund revenue and vehicle toll stand on I-1183, stating revenue for non-transportation purposes, that the initiative had and require that road and bridge tolls be set too much controversial rhetoric and unsupported by the legislature and be project-specific. estimates, Maute-Gibson said.

“Rather than taking a I-1125 ballot description stance on it, we’re really urging students to look think that people oftentimes don’t factor in those, and past the narrow scope of a lot of the rhetoric and try to so that’s really important to think about.” understand the bill as a whole,” Maute-Gibson said.

This is not the first time that a measure to privatize A lot of the controversy around I-1183 is based on liquor has appeared on the ballot. Last year, Initiatives the funding for both sides of the bill. Costco, the main 1105 and 1100 both attempted to take the power of financial backer for I-1183, has donated more than $20 liquor distribution away from the state. million in campaign funds, according to the Washington Neither bill passed.

State Public Disclosure Commission. Beer and wine Some voters feared that these initiatives would suppliers provided the majority of funds for the camdrastically decrease state revenue from liquor sales. paign against I-1183, due in part to the assumption that In response to the two failed measures, I-1183 would increased sales of liquor will lead to decreased revenues require a 17 percent fee from all retail liquor sales to go from beer and wine sales, according to NO on I-1183: directly to the state.

Protect Our Communities, an advocacy group opposed Financial estimates included with the initiative in the to the measure. voters’ pamphlet show that the fee may raise between The group argues that funding for I-1183 from com$180 to $220 million in revenue in the next six fiscal panies, such as Costco, shows that large corporation years, but opponents of the measure say that this revare trying to buy out the election in pursuit of large enue cannot be promised. profits. These controversies, as well as potential society Due to the conflicting information regarding I-1183, consequences such as increased availability of alcohol to Maute-Gibson said the WSA will leave it to the students minors and increased domestic violence, played a large to choose for themselves. part in the WSA’s decision to remain nuetral toward “At some point, it’s really important to take a stance I-1183, said Maute-Gibson. and advocate for students and then other times, it’s im“We need to be sure that we’re factoring in the fact portant to really focus on the education and empowerthat increases in consumption will likely lead to ining of students to make these decisions,” Maute-Gibson creases in volence, increases in death by drunk driving said. “Hopefully, students will do a lot of research on the incidents, and that sort of thing,” Maute-Gibson said. “I process.”

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At some point, it’s really important to take a stance and advocate for students and then other times, it’s important to really focus on the education and empowering of students to make these decisions. Hopefully, students will do a lot of research on the process.

-Iris Maute-Gibson, AS vice president for governmental affairs

Initiative 1125

“This measure would prohibit the use of motor vehicle fund revenue and vehicle toll revenue for non-transportation purposes, and require that road and bridge tolls be set by the legislature and be project-specific’” according to the I-1125 ballot summary.

Prominent Washington state conservative political activist Tim Eyman is a primary sponsor of I-1125.

The initiative would require that revenues gained from tolls could only be used to cover the costs of specific projects funded through those tolls.

Once a project has been completed, any toll that covered its cost would end. In addition, the measure proposes that revenues from gas taxes or toll lanes on state highways could not be used by the state for any nonhighway related purpose.

I-1125 would give legislators the sole power to set tolls. Under existing toll laws, most tolls are set by a state transportation commission, according to the initiative’s explanatory statement in the voters’ pamphlet.

I-1125 was the only piece of legislation that the WSA took a stance against, which Maute-Gibson said was due to the negative effects I-1125 could have on students.

Maute-Gibson said I-1125’s restriction on toll-fund allocation would delay several transportation projects, such as the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge replacement across Lake Washington in Seattle, the Clark County Columbia River Crossing, and the replacement of Seattle’s Alaskan Way Viaduct.

“Many other really communityvital projects would lose vital funding,” Maute-Gibson said. “It would create a lot more gridlock in our system, stall growth and create a lot of hassle for citizens of Washington.”

The WSA also had an issue with elected politicians being the only entity with the ability to regulate

tolling, Maute-Gibson said. I-1125 would allow legislators from the Interstate-5 corridor to determine toll policies throughout the state, she said.

“It would really particularly harm students, families and the communities in eastern Washington, which is someting that the WSA is able to take in account,” Maute-Gibson said.

Maute-Gibson said that even though there aren’t any current projects in Whatcom County funded with tolls, students who need to travel outside the county to visit home or go to work could be harmed by I-1125’s implications.

Proponents of I-1125 state that having stable toll

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rates instituted by elected politicians will be a safer bet than to allow non-elected bureaucracies the power to regulate.

Those opposed say that I-1125 will decrease jobs, harm the economy and create more taffic.

Maute-Gibson said that it is important to look at the initiative’s long-term effects. She said that I-1125 could slow down commerce and decrease the amount of available jobs, which in turn could harm the state’s economy.

The WSA wants to ensure that the state has a vital economy so that future college graduates will have a strong economy and work force to enter so they can prosper, Maute-Gibson said. the

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Whatcom County’s official ballot drop box, located in the parking lot across from the Whatcom County Courthouse on 311 Grand St. Photo by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

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CATHY LEHMAN Q & A with Western alumna and candidate for

Here’s what students can expect on campus during election week The Ballot Box:

All daylong there will be a ballot box in Viking Union 714. Iris Maute-Gibson, vice president for governmental affairs, said that Western is currently the only university in the state that hosts a ballot box. This ballot box will be staffed by students. MauteGibson, said this is a tremendous privilege for Western, and particularly for the Associated Students to host one of the few ballot boxes in the county. She said they are very expensive to run, there are not many in the county. The ballot box is meant for Western students, faculty and staff as well as community members.

Voter Education:

Western Votes, an Associated Students club, will be tabling in Red Square Nov. 2 – Nov. 4 to give students election information and promote opportunities to work with their club.

On Election Day, they will be tabling on the sixth floor of the Viking Union with computers and printers to print student ballots.

Information courtesy of Iris Maute-Gibson.

Make your voice heard!

As of Oct. 28 at 10:45 a.m., 9,880 ballots had been returned in Whatcom County.

The last day to register to vote in-person if you are not already registered in Whatcom County is Oct. 31.

Information provided by the Whatcom County Auditor’s website.

Bellingham City Council

Megan Thompson • The AS Review

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t is election season again, and that means it’s time to choose whom your vote belongs to.

Ever wish you could know more about candidates than what they write in their allotted informational space? The AS Review asked Bellingham City Council candidate Cathy Lehman for her opinions on the major issues affecting the city.

The Western alumna is running for the council seat of the 3rd Ward, which is located just north of campus. The ward contains the city’s central business district, the majority of the York, Roosevelt and Lettered Streets neighborhoods, and portions of several others. Originally from Seattle, Lehman said she never wanted to leave Bellingham after graduating from Western in 2000 with a bachelor’s in communication.

She is a strong supporter of having the city enforce rental licensing. She said that during her time at the university, she lived in rental housing on both High Street and North Garden Street that was not up to code.

The AS Review: What is the role of the City

Council?

Cathy Lehman: Primarily the council sets policies and approves the financial budget.

Review: What was your previous employment before running for City Council?

Lehman: I was a sustainable business manager and pushed the Green Power Community Challenge to make Bellingham the greenest city. We encouraged businesses [in Bellingham] to switch their energy to green power.

Review: What do you hope to accomplish, if

elected?

WESTERN VOTES All daylong on Nov. 8

Lehman: I hope to focus my energy on four primary things. One is downtown economic development. The second one is ensuring neighborhood livability with different transportation choices, and the third is improving our work to fix Lake Whatcom drinking-water quality. The fourth thing is continuing the waterfront redevelopment project.

Review: What do you hope to see in terms of the Georgia Pacific Waterfront redevelopment?

Lehman: I think we should have public access to the water as soon as possible, and I would like to see the city and the [Port of Bellingham] move together on it.

Review: What is your stance on rental licensing?

Lehman: I’m in support of rental licensing; I have been

since early on. We have safety issues in many of our rental units that are becoming apparent to many people. In this economy, we have a lot of folks who have to rent, and it’s being taken advantage of by certain landlords.

Review: How to do feel about exporting coal at Cherry

Point?

Lehman: I think my employment history, my endorsements and my life choices all support my position that investing on coal as an energy source is not good. I am interested in utilizing the Cherry Point site for industry.

Review: What kind of industry would you choose for Cherry Point?

Lehman: I would like to see something go in there that provides high-wage jobs, but not coal. I think what’s confusing about that is the proposal for that site is about a project that would ship coal, but the potential for that site could be something that could be very, very different.

I would like to talk about what we could put in the terminal. the

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Cathy Lehman graduated from Western in 2000 with a bachelor’s She is running for Bellingham City Council.

Photo courtesy of Cathy Lehman

degree in communication.

October 31, 2011 • 7

VIKING SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

New program will give students access to more locally grown, sustainable food Nick Markman • The AS Review The Office of Sustainability, in cooperation with Growing Washington, an organization dedicated to strengthening local communities through sustainable practices, will be giving students and staff the opportunity to receive fresh, locally-grown vegetables and produce through the Viking Supported Agriculture project.

The VSA project is a take on the well-established CSA, or community supported agriculture project.

Students and staff can sign up to receive VSA boxes by emailing Student VSA Coordinators Simon DavisCohen at Simon@readthedirt.org, or Samuel EisenMeyers at SEM5007@hotmail.com.

“The idea behind it is that we’re connecting consumers with farmers to purchase local and organic vegetables,” Campus Sustainability Manager Seth Vidaña said.

“The intent is to get people aware that we are a county that has agricultural plenty as well as provide direct support for farmers who need our financial support to make their farms run.”

Students, staff and faculty will be able to customize their VSA boxes each week, choosing from a variety of more than 35 different fruits, vegetables and herbs.

There will be three types of boxes: a faculty and stafftargeted $25-per-week Viking box, featuring 10 to 11 items; a $30-per-week Veggie Bomb Box, featuring 14 to 15 items; and the Starving Student Box, which is the student equivalent to the Viking Box that comes with a $3 subsidy from Growing Washington, making the box $22 per week.

“It’s an opportunity for students to receive a discount-

ed price for local, sustainable, nutritious food that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to,” Davis-Cohen said.

Viking Box: $25 per week, 10 to 11 items Veggie Bomb Box: $30 per week, 14 to 15 items Starving Student Box: $22 per week, 10 to 11 items More than 35 different fruits, vegetables and herbs are available Students and faculty can pay for one box a week for the entire run of the program, or for a box every other week until Dec. 1, when the VSA project will discontinue for the year. Final payments must be made by Nov. 10. The VSA boxes will be available for pick-up between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. every Thursday, excluding Thanksgiving, outside of Carver Gym. “From support of local agriculture to support of organic agriculture to being more in connection with your local food shed, there’s a wide variety of reasons why [VSA boxes make] sense,” Vidaña said.

While the logistics for this program are new this year, Western saw its first CSA pilot program last year when the Campus Sustainability Planning Studio, a hands-on, problem-based learning class, came up with the idea of hosting a farmers market in the Performing Arts Center plaza.

“Going out and talking with people, the research group found that maybe we weren’t ready quite yet for a farmers market,” Vidaña said. “But people really wanted to have a connection with local agricultural businesses and local farmers.”

Thus, a short-lived CSA program was born. Funding from a grant through the Whatcom Community Foundation enabled the Office of Sustainability to hire a small staff and pay for advertising for the new VSA boxes.

Growing Washington, the organization supplying the VSA boxes, is the same organization that supplies the dining halls with much of their vegetables and produce.

Dining Services has a commitment to the Office of Sustainability to provide at least 20 percent local, organic, fair trade and community-raised foods in the dining halls on average each year, through what is known as the Real Food Challenge.

“Dining services and the VSA are dealing with the same entity,” Vidaña said. “We’ve just said [to Growing Washington], ‘Great, we’re getting your vegetables in the dining halls, but we want to provide the great produce that you guys make for faculty staff and students as well.’” the

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CAMPUS EVENTS IN REVIEW: COMEDY AND CONNECTIONS

LEFT: Tobias Childs, a junior, perfroms at Last Comic Standing on Oct. 21 in the Viking Union Multi Purpose Room. RIGHT: Students attended the Connections & Expressions event, hosted by the AS Women’s Center and AS Sexual Awareness Center on Oct. 24. A variety of student clubs and community organizations promtoed healthy lifestyles and educational resources.

Photos by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

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THE SMASHING OF PUMPKINS Creative options to dispose of your Halloween pumpkin creations

Nick Markman • The AS Review

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alloween involves a lot of cleanup, especially in Bellingham. While candy wrappers and empty cans can be tossed or recycled, the iconic Halloween pumpkin poses a more difficult disposal.

Disregarded pumpkins weather away, turning once grinning faces into smelly, moldy piles of mush.

It just so happens that this natural decomposing process, known as composting, is the most environmentally friendly way of disposing of post-Halloween pumpkins.

While many students may not have a compost pile at home, all are welcome to take their aging pumpkins to the Outback Farm, just

south of the Fairhaven dorms.

“If everyone had a compost pile, it would take huge portions out of our waste stream, and then at the same time, you’re creating top quality soil for your garden,” Outback Coordinator Roby Ventres-Take said. “It’s too easy.”

The Outback is a joint project of Fairhaven College and the Associated Students that seeks to support and educate students on sustainable agriculture and sustainable practices.

It consists of a 5 acre plot divided into many smaller gardens, including a community garden where students can maintain their own plot for free.

“If you haven’t been there, it’s by far the best place on campus,” Ventres-Take said.

Ventres-Take said the composting process would be more efficient if the pumpkins are cut up first. According to composting101.com, an online guide for do-it-yourself composting, the process can reduce yard waste that would usually be trashed by 50-75 percent.

“There’s so much waste that we produce in our society that is actually compostable,” Ventres-Take said.

To compost pumpkins through the Outback, or for more information on composting, contact the Outback at 360-650-2433 or email at as.outback@wwu.edu. the

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More creative pumpkin disposal solutions from your friendly AS Review staff 1) Throw it away.

2) Feed it to seagulls at Boulevard Park.

3) Cut your pumpkin in two halves.

Place in a body of water. Light aflame and push it off from the shore. Commence Viking funeral.

4) Play a (short) game of kickball. 8) Feed it to an animal (like a 5) Before throwing your pumpkin in friendly deer). the trash, create a stencil of the de- 9) Don’t do anything with it; docusign so someone else can use it.

6) Fashion it into a snazzy helmet.

7) Play basketball with it.

The AS Review disposed of our pumpkin by dropping it from a ladder. If you follow our example, be sure to clean up afterward!

Photos by Cade Schmidt//AS Review

ment how many different types of mold grow on it.

10) Put it in the attic for next year.