AS Review - January 4, 2015

Vol. 31 #12 01.04.16

Vol. 30 # #.#.#

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Campus on a frosty winter morning. Photo courtesy of: Matthew Anderson // WWU Office of Communications

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 © 2015. 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 underrepresented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.

Bridger the golden retriever therapy dog delighted students at Wilson library during silent and finals week. Photo by: Trevor Grimm // AS Review

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.

Marina Price Alexandra Bartick Trevor Grimm Ian Sanquist Kate Welch Morgan Annable Sarah Sharp Alexandra Bartick Adviser Jeff Bates

Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Writers

Students, faculty and staff watch Western president Bruce Shephard speak at the Town Hall meeting in the MPR on November 30, 2015. Photo by: Trevor Grimm // AS Review

01. 04. 2016 • 3

EVENTS

EVENTS Lunar New Year Tuesday, Jan. 12 // 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. // VU MPR // $6 WWU students $10 general Come celebrate the Lunar New Year with the Chinese Student Assocation and the ESC. This year is the year of the Monkey.

BRAVE Walk of Hope Tuesday, Jan. 19 // 7 - 9 p.m. // VU MPR // Free

Kayak Roll Session

Top Ten: December 1

Jan. 19 // Outdoor Center // $10 Learn how to roll in your kayak.

Education, boats and transportation provided.

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Depression Cherry Beach House

Cocoa, Committees, and Candidates

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Currents Tame Impala

Thursday, Jan. 21 //4 - 6 p.m. // VU 462 A/B // Free

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Another One Mac Demarco

Event hosted by the Representation and Engagement Programs. Cocoa and snacks will be provided.

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Clay EP Manatee Commune

Karaoke Night

Tig Notaro

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Thursday, Jan. 14 // 7 - 9 p.m. // Underground Coffeehouse// Free

Friday, Jan. 22 // 6:30 p.m. // PAC mainstage // $15 with student ID $25 general admission

Fading Frontier Deerhunter

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B’lieve I’m Goin Down...

Kurt Vile

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In Return Odesza

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Savage Hills Ballroom Youth Lagoon

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Product 3 Beat Connection

QRC Winter Cookie Social Thursday, Jan. 14 // 6 - 9 p.m. // VY MPR // Free The QRC will be hosting a cookie decorating social event so grab your friends and join us for an evening of cookies, hot drinks, buttom making, and queer friends. There will be fluten free and vegan options available.

Come by the Underground Coffeehouse for Karaoke night.

Western Action for People, Power, and Planet (WAPPAP) Thursday, Jan 14. // 4 - 5 p.m. // Miller Hall Collaborative Space // Free Hosted by the ESP, this event will include snacks form the co-op and a sustainable speaker presentation.

Ice Climing Weekend Jan. 15- 18 // Cananda // $170 Join the Outdoor Center for a weekend of ice climbing in Cananda. No experience necessary.

AS Productions presents a stand-

up comedy show with comedian Tig Notaro.

Free Yoga Every Wednesday // VU // Free Free Yoga every Wednesday with the Outdoor Center. Check their facebook page (facebook.com/ wwuasoc/) for more information.

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Abyss Chelsea Wolfe 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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SAF project aims to help manage Western’s waste

BY MORGAN ANNABLE

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etween students walking to class, prospective students on campus tours and people promoting their clubs, Red Square is always bustling with activity. That is precisely why the Sustainable Action Fund (SAF) chose Red Square as the location of their new four-part waste sorting stations. The Bigbelly bins include one section each for landfill, paper recycling, glass/plastic/aluminum recycling and compost.

“Solar panels will power compaction in the landfill portion of the Big Bellies, and a wireless system will notify the Grounds Maintenance staff for when containers are full,” SAF Outreach Coordinator Kyle Wunderlin said.

The new Bigbelly bins will replace the 16 existing landfill and recycling bins in the Red Square area.

Wunderlin hopes that, the new bins will encourage students and staff to become more aware of their consumption.

“It’s all about changing waste-sorting habits,” Senior Environmental Science major Marika Weber said.

Weber is one of the students spearheading the project. She emphasized the importance of removing the standalone garbage and recycling bins already present in Red Square. The new Bigbelly bins will soon have pictures and labels on them to help students correctly sort their waste into the proper sections.

“It's easy to just throw waste into a trash can and not think about where it goes,” Senior Environmental Science major Kari Clausen said. “Sorting waste and having the options to compost or recycle makes people

think about where the waste is going and also reduces from accessing the waste, keeps out rain and snow and how much we send to landfill.” prevents wind from scattering the waste within.

The SAF will monitor the success of the Bigbelly Weber and Clausen began working on this project bins installed in Red Square. If the project is success- two years ago, along with four other students. In that ful, they hope to expand by placing more of the bins time the group has worked to find a company that around other areas of campus. makes the kind of bins they wanted as well as improv“WWU really needed compost bins outside. We ing the outreach portion of their project. picked Red Square because it has the most foot traffic “Through working on this SAF project I feel like on campus and hopefully the bins would be accessible I've learned a lot about the process of seeing a project to the highest number of students,” Weber said. through that involves many different players and peoIn addition to helping people learn how to properple on campus,” Clausen said. ly sort waste, the Bigbelly waste management system Both Weber and Clausen encourage students to collects and provides data regarding the fullness of apply for a grant if they have an idea for a project they the station. Since the inception of public garbage cans, want to see implemented on campus. The SAF hosts those in charge of trash collection have had to guess idea labs on campus which students can attend for how often to empty each garbage can. Bigbelly bins more information on how to apply. Winter quarter use solar power to collect data and communicate with Idea Labs have not yet been scheduled. the Bigbelly cloud. The solar panel charges an internal battery, which in turn powers waste compaction within the unit as well as wireless communication with the Bigbelly cloud.

The exterior of the bins are made of recycled steel and recycled plastics, often leftovers from diaper manufacturing plants. Handles on the outside of the bin prevent people from getting too close to the compaction The BigBelly bins, located in Red Square, have four waste disposal mechanism while it is operating, receptacles. Photos by: Alex Bartick // AS Review prevent insects and other pests

Get to Baker: hitting the slopes on a student budget

BY KATE WELCH

In all it’s glory. Photo from Creative Commons Snow sports are expensive, but they don’t have to be outside the realm of possibility on a student’s budget. This is a comprehensive guide to get you on the mountain without breaking the bank.

Getting There The Baker Bus is a bus that runs between Bellingham and Mt. Baker ski area. Round trip tickets are $14 and picks up at the Lincoln Creek Park and Ride just before 7 a.m. each day the ski area is open.

Other transportation options are driving if you have a car, or hitching a ride with someone who does. The drive is 114 miles round trip from campus, which could use more than 10 gallons of gas, depending on your car, costing an estimated $26 per trip.

Lift Tickets Unless trudging up a mountain is your thing, a lift ticket is a necessary cost. At Mt. Baker Ski area, the least expensive option is to go mid-week for only half a day. Plus, this leaves you the entire morning after you get there on the bus to explore. A half-day, mid-week, non-holiday lift ticket will cost you $46.

Equipment For a full equipment rental during your half-day of skiing, during the middle of the week, not on a holiday, it will cost you $25 if you rent at the ski area, including the helmet.

An equivalent snowboarding rental will cost $36.

Lessons Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous, so beginners may want to invest in a lesson before they hit the slopes. Mt. Baker has a package specifically designed for beginners, and it includes an all day rental, a lesson, and a lift ticket for the beginner slope. This costs $49.

Overall Cost Beginner package with bus transportation: $63 Beginner Package driving: $75 Snowboarding with ski area rental and bus transportation: $96 Snowboarding with ski area rental and driving: $108 Owning equipment with bus travel: $60 Owning equipment with driving: $72 Winner if you’re a beginner with no equipment: Riding the bus and getting a beginner package at Mt. Baker Ski area.

Winner for regular skiers: bringing equipment on the bus to ski a half weekday not on a holiday.

01. 04. 2016 • 5

Stay active this winter: our new weekly column

by Morgan Annable

Annable climbs at Independence Mines State Park near Palmer, Arkansas. Photo courtesy of Morgan Annable

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ccording to my parents, I began climbing before I began walking. Trees and mountains have called to me again and again; I can’t resist their pull. I am a pole vaulter on Western’s track and field team and I know from personal experience that when I am injured or otherwise unable to be active that it increases my stress level.

Many Western students, myself included, chose Western in part because of Bellingham’s multitude of outdoor activities but too often find themselves indoors or doing the same few outdoor activities time and time again. There is nothing wrong with that, but for those who wish to break out of their routine I want this column expand their possibilities.

Up here in the Pacific Northwest, a disproportionate number of people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and for some people, getting outside and active in the fresh air can help alleviate the symptoms.

Throughout the quarter, this column will include reviews of my own hikes, bikes, and other activities, updates on the Outdoor Center, and suggestions of indoor activities to keep the body moving for those who wish to avoid the rain.

As a college student without a car, I always have to rely on friends, my bike, or the trusty Whatcom Transit Authority for my transportation needs. As such, I am sympathetic to the feeling of wanting to go hiking but not knowing how to get there. In my column, I will address how to get to the locations as well as what to do there. Whenever possible, I will strive to include suggestions of disability accessible locations.

I hope to motivate readers to get out of the house and do something active by bringing to light the accessibility of fun winter outdoor activities.

Stay tuned for next week’s column, in which I start off the new year with a splash! For now, check out this winter events calendar hosted by the Outdoor Center.

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Beat the Blues with the AS Disability Outreach Center

BY MARINA PRICE It comes to no surprise that students at Western experience Seasonal Affective and services to make sure students can take the assesment as privately and anonymously Disorder. SAD commonly effects residents of areas with limited daylight in the winter as possible,” Fleming said. months, and according to a report by CityData.com, Bellingham experiences the lowest The screening is a certified assesment to determine if the participant may be suffering amount of daylight in winter of any city in the United from SAD, and is taken on a laptop provided at the event.

States.

The results aren’t calculated right away. After taking the On January 12, the AS Disability Outreach Center assesment, students will be able to use provided relaxation will team up with BRAVE and Western’s Counseling stations, which will include music, coloring books and the Center to put on an event to help students get inforsame therapy dogs seen in Wilson Library during silent and mation on, screened for, and relief from SAD. finals week each quarter.

Disability Outreach Center Coordinator Annika When the result of the screening is calculated, the stuFleming hopes that any student feeling the blues dents will be able to speak with a counselor about the result, setting in this quarter will attend. and explore options and resources for where to go from “A lot of students feel bad during the winter and there. don’t know why. SAD is a disorder and a diagnosis, Fleming wants to make sure that people get access to the and this is a place where people can go for free and care that they need. get checked out,” she said.

“Whether that’s setting up appointments with a counselor The event will take place in the VU MPR and or getting in touch with other mental health professionals,” will feature campus and community mental health she said. She also emphasized that she wants people to unresource stations, including representatives from a derstand that disability has a broader definition than most number of different local mental health organizapeople assume. tions, such as NAMI of Whatcom and CPIT. “A lot of folks I think, think of disability as souly disability It will also include SAD screening stations where diagnosisis, but disability extends to mental and chronic students can take a test to see if they may be suffering ilness as well. Not just in the social justice space, but in the from the disorder. Western’s Counseling Center will legal discription as well,” Fleming said. be providing the assessment.

The event will be in the VU MPR on TuesIllustration by Kylie Owen // AS Publicity Center day, Jan 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free.

“We want the screening to be as secluded as possible. We’re going to take advantage of the VU facilities

Club Spotlight: TED x WWU

BY SARAH SHARP One day out of the year, students, professors and community members have the opportunity to share their ideas to the Bellingham community under one roof.

TEDxWWU is an independently organized TED event that serves as Western’s platform for idea-sharing. Currently, club members are gearing up for their annual event in April by evaluating speaker applications.

While TEDxWWU’s association with the international TED speaker series gives the club name recognition, the speakers are independently chosen based on the campus climate.

“As a school, Western is unique, especially to the Pacific Northwest, so I think it’s important we have our own taste of TED,” TEDxWWU Treasurer Nanette Jackson said.

Club members will make their final decision for the first round of candidates on January 8, Jackson said.

Each speaker discusses an idea for about ten minutes, in succession. The topics of discussion during last year’s TED talk ranged from equity in healthcare to transgender inclusion in NCAA athletics, she said.

Last April, mostly professors and students comprised the 13 speakers at the event. This year, Jackson is looking to diversify the pool of speakers by encouraging more community members outside of Western to voice their ideas.

“It’s really cool to listen to people who are very educated and have the experience of being very wealthy and living out their dreams, but it’s also cool to have people in the community that you might know and have these ideas that you know nothing about,” she said.

Jackson hopes audience members will take away inspiration to share their own ideas or engage in the issues addressed at the TED talk. “‘Active minds changing lives is our motto,’ and there’s so many people changing lives here, Jackson said. “Out of 13 people, there’s got to be one person that inspires you to do something.”

Once the first round of speaker candidates are notified, they must submit a video representation of their idea by January 24. TEDxWWU club members will solidify the final speaker selection shortly after.

01. 04. 2016 • 7

Associated Students offices: new year, new goals

BY SARAH SHARP

empower students to add their voices to the fray, all working together for a sustainable present and future,” according to the ESP website.

What they want to do in 2016: The ESP’s programming goals for 2016 center around three tenants of sustainability: social, economic and environment, and how they intersect and impact each other, ESP Director Anna Kemp said. “We are going to intensely focus our programing to be inclusive to people outside of the traditional environmental movement and examine how environmental issues disproportionately impact marginalized communities and how we as students can be aware of this and work to change it,” Kemp said.

Representation and Engagement Programs

What they do now: The REP encompasses student decision-making committees, elections for the Board of Directors, state and local legislative liasons and the student-run organization, Western Votes. The program’s overarching goal is to “ensure student representation in decisions that impact The Associated Students staff pose on the Stairs to Nowhere sculpture in September. students at the university, local, state, and federal levels; to promote effective citizenship and civic engagement through Photo by: Trevor Grimm // AS Review services, programs, and collaboration,” according to its website.

Associated Students offices are gearing up for the new year with a different or renewed set of goals and aspirations for their departments. The AS Review reached What they want to do in 2016: The REP’s aim for the new year is simply a out to a few of the AS programs and centers to see what they have planned for renewed sense of purpose in not only registering more students to vote, but also 2016. in encouraging them to follow through when election time comes around, said Rachael Belisle, the voter education and registration coordinator. When she was Associated Students Productions a freshman, Belisle didn’t even know the AS Board of Directors existed, let alone What they do now: The ASP plans entertainment events of the musical, artistic or the REP on the fourth floor of the VU. In 2016, they want to focus more on getting educational variety. Some of their most recent events include the BANFF Mountain their name out on campus, and in turn provide more students with the information Film Festival World Tour, an art exhibit featuring works of Quinton Maldonado, to make an educated vote. “We want people to know what the REP is, what it stands Robert DeLong’s concert, the Last Comic Standing, November Movie Nights, an art for and how get more involved and civically engaged,” Belisle said. exhibit of bikes and a film screening of “Cowspiracy.”

What they want to do in 2016: The ASP’s broad goals include hiring an additional productions assistant through work-study and growing their volunteer program.

“Anyone interested in the entertainment industry from artistry to management to event production can benefit from getting involved,” ASP Director Jonah Falk said.

The various ASP coordinators and directors are also working on programming for their individual departments. VU Gallery Director Jean-louis Gazabat is working on bringing an international exhibition to campus. Underground Coffeehouse Coordinator Karimeh Daneshmandi plans to showcase underrepresented genres on campus. Special Events Coordinator Alex LaVallee is preparing for stand-up comic Tig Notaro to perform at Western in January.

Environmental Sustainability Programs

What they do now: The ESP encompasses several different offices and programs on campus, including the Green Energy Fee project, Sustainable Transportation Office, the Outback Farm and the Environment Center. “Together, the whole ESP works to keep the environmentally-conscious conversation growing on campus and

Outdoor Center

What they do now: The Outdoor Center offers equipment rentals from sea kayaks to avalanche beacons, excursion trips throughout the year and wilderness medical training courses. During fall quarter, the Outdoor Center led excursions at Mount Baker, Viqueen Lodge, the Chuckanut Mountains, Skagit River and Vantage. The Outdoor Center’s main office is located in Viking Union room 150A, though Western students also have access to boat rentals at the Lakewood Watersports Facility on Lake Whatcom.

What they want to do in 2016: One of the Outdoor Center’s goals in the new year is to provide adaptive sports equipment for students with disabilities, said Equipment Shop Coordinator Spencer Pickell. For example, Pickell would like to offer hand bikes for people with paralysis in their legs. The Outdoor Center has also considered installing a lift to the boat rentals at Lakewood to make them wheelchair accessible, he said. Another broad goal for the center is to create a more professional staff by providing trained in specialized areas, such as advanced bike repair. The end goal, as always, is to “keep customers stoked,” Pickell said

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Viking Radio Theatre hosts annual script writing contest

BY ALEX BARTICK

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ages students who are interested in voice acting, script writing, audio engineering or sound to stop by one of their meetings. “[Our club meetings are] a very low pressure, welcoming environment where you can come and you can learn,” said Lutsch.

According to Lutsch writing scripts for radio drama can be very helpful for students who want to get better at writing dialogue. “What you have to convey the story is the dialogue and the sound effects, you don’t have as much of a scene description to paint the scene for people so it strengthens a writer’s skills,” he said.

For students who are less interested in the script writing aspect of radio theatre, the club also does exercises in voice acting during their club meetings. Western’s theatre department currently does not offer any classes in voice acting, so students interested in this form of acting can test out the skill at Viking Radio Theatre with other skilled students who

help coach and give advice and tips on how to make voices more dynamic for radio and without the assistance of visuals.

Viking Radio Theatre was created by Lutsch in 2013, and is now in its third season. Lutsch decided to start the club out of his love for radio theatre. He said growing up he listened to tapes of radio dramas his mother had from when she was a child. Listening to the sound effects and creating the scenery in his mind led him to build an appreciation for radio theatre.

The first episode of season 3 was aired on November 21, with a new show aired once a month. Each program is an hour long and includes a few shorter segments, from 5 minutes in length to 30 minutes. Currently the club is working on creating a series that would air every month, similar to a TV show.

Viking Radio Theatre is aired online on their website and YouTube or on the radio. The show is aired on Western’s radio station KUGS 89.3 FM and on KMRE 102.3 FM, a station broadcast out of the Spark Museum downtown. KMRE plays Viking Radio Theatre’s archived shows each week at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Mondays at 8 p.m. Their new show is aired the third Tuesday of every month.

n the 1930’s a common pastime for families was to gather around their radio in the evenings and listen to radio dramas. Without the assistance of visuals, listeners would have to use their imaginations to create pictures of the productions in their heads.

Through creatively written dialogue and the use of sound effects, radio theatre was able to capture the attention of millions of families tuning in from their living room.

One of the most popular radio theatre productions in America was the broadcast of Orson Welles’ “The War of the Worlds”. This piece was so powerful in its use of communication and accompanying sound effects that it convinced a large majority of its audience that an actual invasion from Mars was taking place.

Western’s club Viking Radio Theatre meets weekly to celebrate this art form by producing radio drama productions. “Our goal is to bring back this lost art of stories that are told purely through audio,” said Walter Lutsch, production director for Viking Radio Theatre.

The club uses scripts written by Western students and community members and then works with voice actors and sound engineers to bring the script to life. Each year, the club holds a contest to get more material to read for their programs. From December 1 – January 15, students and community members can submit a script through a link on the club’s website (wp.wwu.edu/vikingradiotheatre/) or e-mail a copy of their script to vikingradiotheatre@ gmail.com.

The scripts will be reviewed by a panel of judges and the top three will be performed by the club and aired on a special episode of Viking Radio Theatre. The panel of judges will be made up of five members of Viking Radio Theatre who are not participating in the competition.

First place winners will receive a $75 AS bookstore gift card, second place a $50 gift card and third place a $25 gift card. The special winners episode of Viking Radio Theatre will air sometime at the end of winter quarter.

TOP LEFT: Viking Radio Theatre members record their show in KMRE’s recording studio. RIGHT: Viking Radio Theatre Viking Radio Theatre meets every Tuesday from 4 - 6 p.m. in in KMRE’s studio. Photos courtesy of: Viking Radio Theatre. BOTTOM LEFT: Members of Viking Radio Theatre Miller Hall 135. Lutsch encourgather in the library for a club meeting. Photo by: Trevor Grimm // AS Review.