CWU Observer - Winter 2021, Issue 2

January 20 - January 25, 2021

Vol. 118 NO. 2

President-designate lays out future of CWU

Ellensburg and CWU police departments to receive funding for body cameras

Mitchell Roland Editor-in-Chief

Star Diavolikis Senior Reporter

While he isn’t scheduled to assume the office for up to six months, CWU’s president-designate has already begun mapping out his early tenure at CWU. CWU announced A. James Wohlpart as its next president late last week, replacing James L. Gaudino. Gaudino announced in February 2020 that he planned to step down by July of this year.

One of Wohlpart’s priorities as president is increasing diversity and inclusivity, though the demographics at CWU greatly differ from his current and previous institutions.

The student population at UNI is 82.3% white, while the student population at Wohlpart’s previous institution, FGCU, is 65.3% white. During the current academic year, the student population at CWU is 54% white.

“What I’m interested in is creating a culture of belonging for everyone at the institution, so that they can feel their whole human selves and feel welcomed for who they are,” Wohlpart said.

Wohlpart said it is a “moral obligation” for CWU to ensure that every admitted student can be successful, and said he plans to

Residents of Ellensburg will soon see CWU and city police officers wearing new body cameras due to monetary requests being approved at the beginning of this month by Ellensburg City Council.

According to the council’s agenda from Jan. 4, the budget was approved in December during the 2021/2022 biennial budget, and the expenditure was approved during this month’s meeting on Jan. 4. Ellensburg Mayor Bruce Tabb said the vote was unanimous, and the council is supportive of the local police department.

Ellensburg Police Department (EPD) Captain Hansberry said having body cameras will hopefully keep and strengthen the trust they currently have with the community. He acknowledged there are people who either do not trust or doubt the police, and hopes this body camera program will eliminate these doubts.

“One of the things we’re looking forward to [with] this program is complete transparency and accountability,” Hansberry said. “Our officers want the public to know that they’re doing the right thing.

Not that they won’t ever make mistakes.”

Tabb said there is a good relationship currently between the community and the police department, especially with efforts the current Chief of Police Ken Wade has taken.

“The current chief has made some significant investments in time and energy in reaching out and establishing communication, particularly with students and the broader community,” Tabb said. “[He] has also invested time and resources in providing training to all the officers around things such as complicit bias, issues in the LGBTQ community, mental health training and just a range of different issues in things that he’s worked to expose the police department with.”

Hansberry said it is uncertain when exactly the cameras will be in use, however will hopefully be within a few weeks. These cameras provide new documentation opportunities due to how the system functions.

“The body camera syncs with the incar camera, so part of what we’re purchasing is a camera system that incorporates both the in-car camera and the officer’s body worn camera and then syncs them together,” Hansberry said. “Usually the audio from the body worn camera [is] the audio for both cameras.

Having a body camera along with the audio can dispel a lot of issues regarding

President A. James Wohlpart

In This Issue News

1-3

Scene

4-5

News

6-7

Opinion

8-9

Sports Engagement

10-11 12

Page 2 CWU preps for future

See Wohlpart, Page 3

See Body cameras, Page 3

Page 4 CBD products in Ellensburg

Page 11 New womens basketball lineup

2

January 20, 2021

NEWS

Dining services named innovator of the month Levi Shields Staff Reporter When the COVID-19 pandemic caused a drastic change in the way we all go about our daily lives, it became apparent to Director of Dining Services Dean Masuccio that there would have to be changes to the way students eat on campus when they returned for spring and fall quarter.

Now, about ten months later, Food Management magazine has named the dining department “Innovator of the Month” for January.

Assistant Director Denise Payton said that if a student on campus is identified as having COVID-19, they may access the Wellness Delivery Program through the Housing and Residential Life team, where they can use an online ordering system to have food and other general goods such as shampoo and soap delivered to them the next day.

Dining Services has implemented multiple new ideas like the Wellness Delivery Program over the past few months to keep dining safe for students during the pandemic, while also keeping the food that they eat from becoming dull, from pop-up events to mobile ordering.

“The team was very flexible, adaptable,” Masuccio said.

In regards to the award, Masuccio said “I think it validates a lot of the hard work and effort they put in.”

Dining Services started by reducing the menu on campus. The goal of this, according to Executive Chef Joe Ritchie,

Photograph by Casey Rothgeb/The Observer

Students can now mobile order food from dining services to help comply with health and safety guidelines. was to speed up service for those staying on campus.

Ritchie said the department followed an industry trend of focusing on a core menu consisting of fan-favorite items, and then evaluating and modifying the core menu over time.

The changes made over the past few months have also served to ensure that the reduced menu does not become stale.

The department is also hosting multiple pop-up events each quarter. Small food-related events give those interested a chance to eat something they

wouldn’t normally be able to order and have a little fun at the same time.

For example, fall quarter saw a pho night and a wing cook-off, where two chefs made their own chicken wing recipes and students voted on which they preferred.

This quarter, Dining Services plans on hosting a tamale night, “welcome back” steak night and what Ritchie referred to as “KFC, Kittitas Fried Chicken.”

Another recent addition to the dining scene on campus is mobile ordering.

There were plans to implement this system before the pandemic began, but Ma-

succio said it would have likely taken a couple of years to implement.

Despite this, the department was able to fast-track it to implementation in time for fall quarter, allowing students to avoid gathering inside dining areas by ordering their food remotely and picking it up when it’s ready.

With the many changes that have been made over the past few months, feedback, both positive and negative, is especially important. Ritchie urged students to reach out directly to Dining@cwu.edu.

“It’s an exciting time to be a student on campus because the dining program has made a lot of progress,” Ritchie said.

Central creates Destination 2025 for new students Madalyn Banouvong Staff Reporter Destination 2025’s plan’s main goals for the next five years include supporting new student recruitment, diversity and inclusion, retention, persistence and degree completion. Since diversity and inclusion in the classroom has been proven to be necessary to create a healthy learning environment, it is part of the reason why Destination 2025 was created at CWU. Josh Hibbard, vice president of enrollment management, said he has been excited to share the highs and lows that came to the completion of the year’s objectives. Coming off the success of year one, those involved were able to improve their capabilities to support the plan.

The enrollment management division’s website explains that currently in

year two they will be focusing on tasks like enhancing online and remote services and transfer student recruitment, support and services.

To assist with the plan, workgroups of students are split to specialize in enrollment, diversity, student success and projections. Excluding projection, each group focuses on their goal and breaks down how to incorporate it into projects, initiatives and activities for the year.

Because of COVID-19, those involved were able to quickly make changes and adapt accordingly after year one.

Events have been salvaged and saved for later dates as the enrollment division decided how to move forward, adding additional activities to the original plans in response to COVID-19.

In addition to increased diversity and inclusion of more traditionally under-represented student groups, the

plan’s third main objective is to increase retention and completion rates. This goal involves more than first year students and affects all those who choose to enroll at CWU. “The goals go beyond just new student recruitment,” Hibbard said. “In many ways we really think about number three as student success and how that plays into our overall enrollment.”

All students are encouraged to create plans for success and connect with the staff during their time at the university with Destination 2025.

There are yearly overviews and quarterly check-ins the plan stays on top of to make sure everyone is proceeding like they are supposed to. The workgroups focuses are documented and measured to see if the goals have been met or they need help to reach the fullest potential.

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Monthly meetings between all areas help to follow the progress and discuss how to to overcome roadblocks.

Hibbard said he is especially passionate about Destination 2025 because not every university has an enrollment program like this that shows they are committed to what they’ve outlined for their students. It is important to the team that not only does CWU have a plan, they intend to follow up frequently on each of the objectives.

“I think the fact that we have a plan and branded Destination 2025, it demonstrates our commitment to these things,” Hibbard said. “Because we’re not just saying we value these things, we are building a plan and developing action items that we can measure every single year that takes us one step closer to achieving the goals in the plan.”

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January 20, 2021

NEWS

Body cameras from Page 1

Wohlpart from Page 1

having incomplete records of what happens in certain events. With these body cameras and microphones, there will always be audio and video documentation of the event.

Hansberry said the new system will pick up all audio due to the microphone being on the body worn camera. In an example, Hansberry described during a traffic stop the police officer will now have full audio and visual documentation. “Where before, you might hear the scuffle on the mic, or the mic might be breaking in and out, but you don’t see any video from the dash camera and you have sketchy, if any, audio at all from the microphone to the in-car.” Following this event, the officer will be able to log the audio and video footage for case records.

A setback was the laws surrounding body cameras that made them costly. Legislation recently changed regarding body camera laws that made things easier for police forces interested and caused the total costs to lower, which in turn made it more obtainable for EPD. “After several years of legislative work on privacy concerns for both the public and the officers, the laws and guidelines for body worn cameras are in line with our expectations,” the meeting agenda stated. “The Police Department has researched body worn camera systems and identified Coban Technologies as a vendor that will sync body worn cameras with an in-car camera system.”

Within this budget, there are other costs besides the cameras alone. Hansberry said a budget for staff that is dedicated to sifting through the footage is required, and the meeting agenda states redaction software will be needed. The redaction software will be necessary when public disclosure requests are made.

review the curriculum, hiring and other policies at CWU. Wohlpart said at FGCU he was “part of that process” to increase diversity on campus.

“The work that I’ve done, both at [FGCU] and UNI, is to help those students of color be successful,” Wohlpart said. “I think that I have incredible experience with understanding how to build teams and initiatives that allow those students to thrive.”

Wohlpart has an extensive history in university administration and currently serves as the provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI). He previously served as interim president at Northern Iowa from July 2016 to January 2017.

Before his work at UNI, Wohlpart served in various roles over 21 years at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) including as dean of undergraduate studies from 2011 to 2015, the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2005-2011 and chair of the Division of Humanities and Arts from 2000 – 2005.

Wohlpart holds both a Ph.D. and B.A. in English as well as a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Tennessee and an M.A. in English from Colorado State University.

During an all-faculty forum on Jan. 14, Wohlpart said it is “essential” for CWU to diversify its resources and that he planned to look at CWU’s budget model.

“We know that the state resources ebb and flow, and we also know that they may

ebb more than they have in the past,” Wohlpart said. “And we need to be prepared for that and have a resilient budget model.”

Part of his plans to address CWU’s budget will be to increase the university’s fundraising efforts.

“I will be elevating the profile of the university in terms of fundraising so that we can greatly increase student scholarships,” Wohlpart said.

When Wohlpart began at UNI, the university had just begun a three-year effort to raise $50 million for student scholarships. UNI hit the $50 million mark in a year and a half and ended the drive after raising a total of $75 million.

“I really will focus a lot of my energy on those kinds of work, to support [students],” Wohlpart said. “It will be about [students] when I am off campus doing that leadership.”

This effort for additional scholarship funding could include endowed professorships and named colleges at CWU, Wohlpart said, and he estimated as much as half of his time would be spent off-campus and speaking with legislators and donors.

While much of Wohlpart’s time in office will be spent off campus, CWU’s next president has visited campus before. After his interview for the presidency, which took place in Seattle, he drove to Ellensburg afterward to tour the campus.

“I will tell you it’s a beautiful campus,” Wohlpart. “You all have a spectacular campus.”

Wohlpart will stay at UNI through their spring commencement, which is scheduled for May 8, and will officially take over for Gaudino no later than

3 June 21, though his start date could be moved up.

Wohlpart plans to take several trips to Ellensburg before he officially starts the job, though this is contingent on his ability to travel safely.

“I will spend a lot of time between now and then meeting people, and building those relationships,” Wohlpart. “That is a priority for me.”

Nathaniel McMillion, the BOT student representative as well as a member of the search committee, said in a student forum on Jan. 15 that Wohlpart has “a lengthy history of inclusion, of diversity, of making sure that all voices at the table are heard.”

McMillion said Wohlpart was not only the candidate ranked in the top five for everyone on the search committee, he was also the only candidate ranked either first or second among all the trustees.

“I’m really, really excited to see what he’s going to be doing with [CWU],” McMillion said in the forum.

During an exempt and classified staff forum on Jan. 14, Carolyn Thurston, director of academic concerns and dispute resolution and a member of the search advisory committee, said that during the interview process, Wohlpart talked about things that matter to her.

“He talked about having spent an enormous time studying leadership philosophies. He mentioned specific authors of books on leadership, culturally sustaining pedagogies and the coming realities for higher ed,” Thurston said. “All things very, very timely and important for us here at CWU.”

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4

January 20, 2021

SCENE

The pleasant lack of roommate-induced cabin fever have had the fun privilege of learning from them.”

In the few months that Petersen With the stay-at-home orders due to has lived in his house, he said he has the pandemic, some students worried that learned multiple profound life lessons.

“For example, one of [my roomevery morning they would have to wake up and do online schooling in a living mates] spent their entire quarantine space that they had to share with people with their best friend, and now they they did not respect or like. However, they absolutely can’t stand each other,” Pewere pleasantly surprised by how much tersen said. “It’s really eye-opening to how too they have much time bonded with can ruin their housing relationcompanions. ships.”

Joshua PeBrook tersen, a senior It is really cool to hear Monteith, majoring in his work, and since I’ve an educacomputer scition junior, ence and mathmoved in I have learned a has had a ematics, only bit about making music, very differknew one of ent experihis five roomBut that’s not all I have ence. Monmates when he had the fun privilege of teith signed moved into his her lease new home. learning from them. in Febru“It was ary and, at weird trying the time, to get to know - Joshua Petersen, a senior mahad no idea them during joring in computer science and she would quarantine, mathematics be isolated but I feel lucky with her because they roommates. are all chill and “I knew pretty much both of keep to themmy roommates, so I didn’t feel overselves,” Petersen said.

One of Petersen’s roommates is whelmed when I found out I was going an artist and spends most of his time to be trapped with them,” Monteith said.

“I just had to assume and trust that they creating new music.

“It is really cool to hear his work, were safe and that we would take all the and since I’ve moved in I have precautions we needed to.”

Monteith preferred being isolated in her Ellearned a bit about making music,” Petersen said. “But that’s not all I lensburg apartment over her childhood home.

RachelAnn Degnan Senior Reporter

“I love my family, but the two things Brown said he was pleasantly surI am most excited about to have here in prised by how friendly and accepting his Ellensburg over my home is the internet roommates are, and he has continued to and having my own space,” Monteith pursue a friendship with them. said. “I hang “Recentout a lot with ly, we went [my roomup to Snomates], but qualmie Pass we also reand hit the spect personmountain I love my family, but the al space, and together,” it prevents us Brown said. two things I am most from over“We havexcited about to have whelming en’t had any each other.” problems here in Ellensburg over Montewith workith said she ing online my home is the was also either beinternet and having my extremely cause we grateful for just commuown space. her roomnicate with mate’s cat, each other - Brook Monteith, who providand let othjunior in education ed comfort ers know when she we are in a felt alone. meeting. It “The cat makes the is so nice to whole evhave around erything oneven if she does steal our blankets,” line part of college a bit more bearable.”

Monteith said. “There is just a presence Brown is excited to continue always in the apartment, and some- making memories with his roomtimes that is really comforting when I mates, and he suggests that othfeel alone.” er people put in the effort to Ben Brown, an aviation junior, lives get to know the people living in a dorm with his three roommates. in your home.

“At first, since we were in the “Reach out to them, if you can, bedorms, we had to mask up and keep fore you move in. Find some common to our [individual] rooms for about interests and try to find things you a week,” Brown said. “Now, when can do together,” Brown said. “Doing we have everything done, we hop this will make it easier to communion to one of our roommate’s TVs cate and stay civil throughout your and play Xbox games together.” time together.”

Local businesses invest in CBD products David Snyder Staff Reporter Cannabis Central Store Manager Margaux Ulstad wouldn’t call cannabidiol (CBD) a “super chemical,” but because of its many believed medical benefits, the business has found a diverse market for its CBD products. “[Customers are from] all across the board; from the 21-year-old who has test anxiety to grandma who has arthritis,” Ulstad said. “I’ve literally seen every age, every gender, [come in] for just CBD.” Ulstad said people with chronic ailments, like cancer, commonly use it. Or, like Ulstad herself, some just use it to help with common ailments like pain, stress and anxiety.

“My best description for a good CBD feeling is kind of like sinking into a hot bath at the end of a long day,” Ulstad said.

Part of the cannabinoid’s allure is its non-psychoactive properties.

According to Ulstad, many customers gravitate to CBD because they want the perceived benefits of cannabis but don’t want to get high.

She said she believes there is still a strong stigma toward marijuana and the psychoactive compound in cannabis called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Because of the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-derived CBD products that contain 0.3 percent or less THC are federally legal.

Many are looking to capitalize on the new market, including cosmetic companies, culinary companies, and now, apparently, mattress companies.

Posted outside Cramer’s Home Furnishings on Main Street is a sign which

reads, “Try our CBD infused mattress.”

Store manager Greg Maes said he doesn’t know much about the product, despite having it displayed on the sales floor for two months.

“We brought it in on a recommendation from the manufacturer,” Maes said.

“CBD is all the rage these days – I think that’s why we have it.”

According to its manufacturer, Therapedic, the B-Calm Solace mattress incorporates CBD through a topical coding and “microencapsulating technology.”

Therapedic’s website states that “research and anecdotal evidence suggests that CBD may help with both falling asleep and staying asleep,” although it doesn’t mention how the CBD in the mattress enters and affects a user’s body.

So far, Cramer’s hasn’t sold a single Solace mattress, and Maes said customers have reacted indifferently to the bed.

Ulstad is skeptical of the mattress, mostly because the product uses hempbased CBD and doesn’t incorporate THC. She believes CBD products need a good ratio of THC in order to achieve their desired effects. By contrast, Marijuana-based CBD products, which are legal in Washington state, contain some THC. “They act as a catalyst to each other; they work better together than they do apart,” Ulstad said. “There are receptors in the brain – and in your body, in your system – for THC. [There aren’t] any for CBD. So, the THC helps the CBD bond to those receptors as well.”

According to Ulstad, at legally licensed cannabis dispensaries like Cannabis Central, most CBD products sold contain varying amounts of THC.

Photograph by Casey Rothgeb

Several retailers now carry hemp-based CBD products as interest in them grows.

Some of her best-sellers are a deodorant-stick-like topical called “Dragon balm,” fruit jellies (candy), oil tinctures, oil capsules and mints. She said the most popular products are those with a heavy CBD ratio (much more CBD than THC).

Another dispensary in town with a wide selection of CBD products is The Fire House on South Canyon Road. Sales associate Travis Tucker said the store has sold everything from bath bombs to medically infused sriracha sauce.

Does your dog need something to mellow out? The Fire House sells tinctures of CBD oil for them too.

“The fact that we have some in stock right now is crazy. It flies [off the shelves],” Tucker said. “Pretty much anything you could put marijuana in, companies are doing it now.”

Tucker believes the stigma toward cannabis is slowly fading. In his time with the store, he’s seen customers (generally from older demographics) go from shopping for CBD products solely to experimenting with other stuff around the store.

“When you mix [CBD and THC], it’s just better… the stigma is going down, for sure,” Tucker said. “We have something for everyone.”

January 20, 2021

5

SCENE

An extended winter break Libby Williams Staff Reporter After two quarters of mostly online learning, many students have opted to take some time off from school. Some feel that an online curriculum doesn’t compare to that of an in-person class, and the lack of structure accompanied by an increase in mental strain may not be worth the price of tuition.

Thomas Marchant, a junior studying musical education with an emphasis on chorale, said he’s struggled with the online structure since it started last spring, noting that he’s not as strong a student when dealing with an at-home approach.

“I really felt like, with my major specifically, it benefits so much with an in-person learning experience,” Marchant said.

“I just really wouldn’t get the same thing out of an online version.”

Marchant said he is hoping to return to campus next quarter, as long as things begin to get back to normal.

In the meantime, he’s found some food service jobs to save money, and is enjoying working on his own personal music projects.

“Looking back on the past two quarters, I wish I would have just differed the whole year,” Marchant said.

Michael Christensen, a senior studying musical theater, said he feels a similar frustration towards online learning when it comes to performance.

Graphic by Ilse Orta Mederos

“Doing theater … it’s a major that requires you to be there with somebody,” Christensen said.

Christensen, who is back home in Montana, spoke with some of his friends who attend other universities, and the exasperation is unanimous.

“It seems like every university that my friends are attending, it’s the same struggle,” Christensen said. “They’re not learning anything comparative to being in person.”

Christensen said he is hoping to work during his break to save money for future quarters. He said he’s in no rush to finish his degree and is thankful he can save

some money and relax, but ultimately is hoping for a sense of normalcy so he can return to his friends.

“I want to be there, and it sucks that I’m not,” Christensen said.

Peyton Brown, a junior studying history and social studies education, is taking winter quarter off as well, and says she’s been looking forward to a break for some time.

“I really love being in the classroom and being on campus, so I kind of lost my passion and love for learning from my house and doing it all by myself,” Brown said.

She said she felt a sense of relief watching her roommates log in for the first day

of the quarter, knowing she could take some time for herself.

Brown said it wasn’t just the pandemic and online learning that prompted this time off. She said she had been feeling burned out for a while, and everything came to a head during fall quarter.

She said that she’s feeling confident about returning spring quarter, refreshed and ready to start again. She urged any student feeling exhausted to consider their options.

“I think if at any point you’re feeling burned out, you should take a break, because that’s a lot of money,” Brown said.

“I wouldn’t want to spend that much money to be unhappy or unwell.”

Coffee shops fuel community through pandemic Jackson Sorensen Staff Reporter The pandemic has altered the way that we interact with each other and businesses have struggled to keep their doors open. As 2021 begins, so has a new set of COVID-19 restrictions. A lot of businesses are still feeling the effects from the very beginning of the lockdown.

A few coffee shops in Ellensburg are working and collaborating with each other in an effort to support businesses that might be on the verge of closing for good.

Jolt Java, located at 617 Vantage Hwy., is one of the coffee stands that is actively working with locally owned businesses to keep doors open.

Greg Harvill, the owner of Jolt Java, is an avid supporter of the Ellensburg community. Harvill prides himself on the customer service that he and his staff maintain on a daily basis.

“The formula is super simple, awesome drinks with awesome service at an awesome price,” Harvill said. “Having staff that care and realize that people could get coffee anywhere else, yet they come here because of how they are treated.”

Jolt Java has been collaborating with The Verge Apartments and the Kittitas Valley Hospital to provide easy access to energy to power through the day. Their most recent collaboration is with The Pearl Bar and Grill. This collaboration introduced the inclusion of Keto-friendly food options. Harvill said he is excited about the collaboration and what comes from it.

Photograph by Casey Rothgeb/The Observer

Jolt Java serves customers on Vantage Highway just east of Ellensburg.

“[The collaboration] offers something a little different than you would typically find at coffee stands,” Harvill said. “While we still offer muffins and breads, typical food items that you would find at a coffee stand, we now offer something healthier for people that are on a Keto diet, or just want to offer healthier options.”

Mark Holloway is co-owner of D&M Coffee, which has been a local business in Ellensburg since 1990 with five locations scattered throughout Ellensburg. Holloway said he is passionate about his business and the community.

“The business has been to countless events hosted by local businesses and the campus as well,” Holloway said. “I think people really like D&M because we’re a

local business that’s been around and are always there to support the community that we live in.”

Ellensburg’s coffee community had a new member in June 2019 when Dutch Bros opened up on the I-90 off-ramp. The owner of the stand, Darren Nelson, said that he and his employees have partnered with organizations and participated in community empowerment events.

“When that fallen officer passed away, the Dutch team donated product and help to that officer’s family,” Nelson said.

Nelson said some community events that they have done included donating and working with Fish Food Bank and Bucks for Kids. Buck for Kids is an event that has been held on Sept. 1 for the past

10 years. For every drink ordered on this day, $1 is donated to a children-oriented organization, hand-picked by the Dutch Bros team.

“We are meant to give back because we are uniquely well-suited,” Nelson said. “Since we are open, we felt the need to give back to those that have always supported us.”

Nelson said the stand has implemented a no cash transaction policy to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. He said all transactions made are contactless and the drinks are served to the customer on a plastic tray that is sanitized after each transaction.

“We really take our customer’s safety seriously,” Nelson said. “We want to keep everyone safe.”

On-campus students required to get “Welcome Back Testing” Written by Justin Zabel

C

WU students are required to get tested for COVID-19 if they live, work or have class on campus. If students are not tested, they will not be allowed access to campus. Testing was done in groups based on a student’s grade level.

The Welcome Back Testing went well from what students have said, but some are worried

Designed by Rebekah Blum

that group poll testing, which was not specified as the means of testing by SHS before the event, could negatively impact their life on campus and their education.

Ryan Summers, a junior, is one student who received a COVID-19 test during the event due to working on campus. He said the process of getting tested was simple and straightforward. He said he walked right in and there was only one person in front of him.

Summers said there were two types of set-ups for being tested.

The first section was check-in, and once students were checked in, they were told to head to the

next section and wait to get called up to take the test.

“I felt pretty good, I actually felt kind of relieved now that I can hopefully go back to work next week,” Summers said.

However, Summers said that poll testing was done at the event, which is where “an individual person’s test gets grouped with others and then if someone in their group tests positive, the group will have to get retested until the group tests negative.”

Clarke Catledge, a freshman, is another student who received a COVID-19 test during the Welcome Back Testing event due to his participation in the men’s vol-

leyball club. Every person on the volleyball team had to get tested as well.

Catledge said he was worried his test results would come back positive because of the way the SHS conducted the testing. This made Catledge question if the testing process could set back his club sports and ability to be on campus.

Madison Child, a junior, is another student to receive a COVID-19 test at the event due to being a student athlete. She is on the cross country and track and field teams.

All of her teammates had to get tested in order to be able to participate in practices and weight

1.

2.

3.

Remove the nasal swab from the wrapper by pulling the two ends of the wrapper apart (like you would to open a band-aid).

Be careful to only touch the handle, not the tip.

Gently insert the entire soft tip of the swab into one nostril until you feel a bit of resistance and rub it in a circle around your nostril 4 times.

Open nasal swab

Next, gently insert the same swab into the other nostril and rub it around the same way.

Lower the swab, tip first, into the provided tube.

Once the tip is at the bottom, break the swab handle at the top of the tube by bending back and forth.

training. The way they practice is mainly independent, however, if they practice together social distancing rules must be followed and masks must be worn.

Child got tested at 9 a.m. when they opened the Welcome Back Testing for juniors. Child said she was able to walk right in and out.

She said when she got tested the swab tickled in her nose, but she has gotten used to this feeling from previous COVID-19 tests.

“I didn’t have to wait at all.

They were very helpful, and got us all right through. I thought I had a pretty good experience,” Child said.

Screw the red cap on tightly.

Swab nose

Put swab in tube

I didn’t have to wait at all. They were very helpful.

- Madison Child, junior

Photograph by Casey Rothgeb/The Observer

8

OPINION

January 20, 2021

Please stop thinking Facebook memes are truthful Star Diavolikis Columnist Facebook memes are never a reliable source, no matter if that right-wing or left-wing Facebook page claims to only tell the truth. Chances are these memes contain cherry-picked quotes, misleading statistics and anything else to deceive. It’s 2021, we should all know how to get reliable sources by now.

I recently saw a meme going around quoting Joe Biden regarding a statement he made addressing voter fraud. The meme stated something along the lines of, “BIDEN ADMITS TO ORGANIZING VOTER FRAUD AND GETS AWAY WITH IT, WAKE UP AMERICA” followed by a quote.

Biden’s quoted statement is, “We have put together, I think, the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics.” While this quote is real, it is cherry picked and lacks context from a podcast interview Biden participated in.

The quote comes from “Pod Save America,” a podcast interview hosted on Oct. 24 by Dan Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer asked Biden for his response regarding citizens who had not yet voted nor do they plan to vote, and his response is where this quote comes from. Biden answers the question in multiple parts; firstly mentioning potential voters can make a plan to vote and proceeds to address resources available if citizens are having issues voting, where this quote comes from.

In short, this quote was taken out of will target any and all politicians in the context to deceive unknowing Facebook public eye. These memes may also target celebrities, users trying businesses, to get inorganizations volved in poland other itics without entities. doing propA Faceer research. book meme Biden’s “votshared by the ing fraud orpage Proud ganization” Republican is actually a USA shows system set an image of in place to boards being prevent votput in the er fraud, not windows of the other Detroit’s balway around. lot counting Thankfully center, with this post was the caption taken down, “Poll workhowever, ers board it wasgot up windows shared many at Detroit’s times from TCF Center one user beso observfore being ers can’t see removed for ballots being being miscounted.” leading.

It T h i s is unsure is anothhow many er case of a right-leaning page being or anti-Biden Graphic by Meghan Salsbury misleading pages have regarding the election process, as the reposted this meme individually.

Memes painting politicians in bad post implies the workers are hiding illelight happens daily on the internet, and gal activity. This led to comments such

as, “The only way Dems could steal [the] election!”

Detroit Free Press reports the real reasoning for boarding up the windows is due to challengers being aggressive towards ballot counters and appearing intimidating, which also included members of the crowd attempting to photograph or record the counting process. Security addressed the issue by boarding up the windows.

Please inform your grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunt and whoever else to fact check these memes before believing them and sharing them. We all most likely have one family member who believes in these with their heart and soul. There are many reliable sources to confirm these quotes and events in these memes.

Reliable fact-checking sources include FactCheck.org, politifact.com and snopes.com. Facebook has recently installed a feature that notifies the user of “potentially misleading information” if a meme gets enough attention, and this feature also provides a source to explain why the meme may be misleading or incorrect.

The public relying on Facebook memes as their main source of information for world news is harmful to both the general population and to journalism itself. Sharing of these misleading posts creates distrust for news outlets and distrust in the government, and while nobody can officially stop these memes from being created, we can all discourage the sharing and the trust put in these memes.

Believe it! “Naruto” has a valuable lesson to teach The Akatskuki are strikingly compelling villains, originally started by a war orphan named Yahiko as a means of pacifistically bringing peace to their country, I recently watched both “Naruto” and which often suffered from being caught its sequel, “Naruto: Shippuden” with my in the crossfire of larger warring counboyfriend at his request. It was an endeav- tries on either side of it. or that took us six months of watching inAfter the traumatic death of Yahiko, tricately plotted, at times convoluted epi- the new head of the group and one of his sodes during dinner, but it’s finally over. best friends, Nagato, decides that the only Admittedly, I went into “Naruto” and way that peace can be achieved would be its sequel expecting a children’s show for everyone to experience such resonatabout ninja fights. To my own surprise, I ing pain that they could never again willactually now believe that at the center of ingly inflict it on anyone else.

Naruto is a lesson on the importance of He acts on this ideal, which through questioning why we hold our ideals and a long series of events ends up involving the value of critical thinking.

Naruto. Up to this point in the anime, It wasn’t until we started getting Naruto has shown us repeatedly that he into “Naruto: Shippuden” that I realized is both steadfast in his ideals and able to “Naruto” was a show critically that, at its core, asks consider the its viewers to conperspecsider questions about tives of othwhy we accept ideals. ers. After a The examples it gave, devastating being at least a little attack on bit a show about ninNaruto’s vilja fights, were particlage by Naularly about how best gato, Naruto to end conflict. faces him in In “Naruto: Shipperson and puden,” a group of vilhears the lains called the Akatrationale suki are introduced, behind his and while it’s not beliefs. immediately all laid After plain, they’re working doing so, toward a larger ideNaruto exology while still posplains that sessing nuanced (and though he at times conflicting) can unGraphic by Ilse Orta Mederos worldviews of their own. The way these derstand Nagato’s reasoning, espeideologies unfold over the course of cially in the light of trauma Nagato the anime ended up surprising me with has undergone, he rejects the path how complex and intertwined they all to peace he is trying to take. Ulwere with each other and with the ninja timately, Naruto argues, cycles of world as a whole. hurt must be broken for healing to

Bailey Tomlinson Columnist

begin, and this healing from hurt will bring peace.

Naruto does this in a way that is so compelling, Nagato gives his own life to undo the damage he had recently done to the residents of Naruto’s village. I won’t try to pretend that to viewers Naruto’s argument is a give-your-life level of compelling, but for the purpose of the story it’s trying to tell the meaning is clear.

Naruto believes in something more rooted in truth than Nagato does, and his willingness to listen and understand allows him to bring attention to Nagato’s faulty reasoning while proving the same flaws don’t appear in his own.

We see Naruto do this many times over as “Naruto: Shippuden” progresses, facing off against ill-proposed solutions to conflict that range from ending all conflict by trapping everyone in a dream to becoming the most powerful villain in the world so everybody else must unite against them.

Every time, Naruto argues that he won’t give up on the people he loves and that cycles of hurt must be broken for healing to begin, and every time he is able to show the villain of the moment that this holds more truth than their faulty, though just as tightly held, beliefs.

This isn’t even to speak on the side plots that occur throughout the whole show. We see other characters struggle with questioning their beliefs, and surrounded by people who aren’t Naruto we see them led astray through faulty logic and malicious appeals.

Because it is an anime and Naruto is the protagonist, he invariably leads them back to the correct path. But seeing these characters struggle throughout the show is just as powerful as seeing Naruto be right in the face of irrationally held ideals, I would argue.

Naruto provides a pre-teen crash course in critical thinking, and I think him modeling how to critically think in this

way is a really valuable thing in a show, especially one aimed more towards the pre-teen age group. To that point, however, I’m 21 and I found the beginning and middle of Shippuden compelling. It has enough depth for it to be interesting for anyone who wants to engage with it, regardless of age.

As far as how it is as a show in general, I’ll say that if you plan to watch it and you’re not 11 years old, I recommend you skip all of “Naruto.” As in, the entire first anime. Read a synopsis. Go straight to “Naruto: Shippuden.” Naruto as a young child is one of the most nerve-grating, exhausting ordeals I’ve been put through in the name of entertainment media and there’s not really enough payoff content-wise to justify it. By “Naruto: Shippuden” he is a teen, and though he’s the same person, it’s more bearable and the plot of the show becomes much more interesting to help make up for it.

The ending of “Naruto: Shippuden” also takes a lot of big leaps very fast, which was disappointing. The focus shifts from the Akatsuki to other villains that get larger than life with otherworldly powers too quickly, and it reaches a point where it can feel entirely unrecognizable from the show it began as.

Overall, in the parts where “Naruto: Shippuden” felt balanced and well-explored, I was pleasantly surprised with the questions it prompted me to ask myself about the situations it presented. There were moments throughout where some villains would explain their logic and for a moment I’d go, “Oh no, that makes total sense,” which I feel is the mark of a well-written villain with a compelling ideal behind them.

I would show this to a pre-teen and fully believe that they could get something valuable out of it. I think many of us could be surprised at the value we could get out of “Naruto.”

January 20, 2021

9

OPINION

CWU’s Wi-Fi is Loading… Please Wait Hollis Zepp Columnist Nothing in college is more frustrating than having a laggy Zoom call, or even worse, being kicked out of a class because your Wi-Fi suddenly disappeared. In my short time as a student here at CWU, one thing has been blatantly apparent.

The school Wi-Fi is in no way shape or form stable or fast enough to sustain all of the students that are on campus.

For example, I have an Xbox One console, and as many may know it needs a stable wireless connection to load pretty much everything it could hope to provide.

When I first moved in, I was very surprised to find that the public wireless network provided for students wasn’t secure, or strong enough to sustain a connection.

Then, after many inquiries, I discovered there was a network that was supposed to be faster if you registered for it with your device. However, I was very disappointed to find that it still wasn’t stable or strong enough.

Eventually, I figured out that if I used an ethernet port, then it would work most of the time. I got lucky enough to have an ethernet port in my room, otherwise I wouldn’t have even been able to use my console.

I have figured out when good times are to get online on my computer, but I know that not everyone has the freedom to get on whenever they want. I know that the Wi-Fi gets incredibly slow and spotty during the afternoon, when the majority of the students have class and are using the bandwidth.

The really unfortunate part is the fact that campus isn’t even at full capacity right now, so it is only going to get worse. My

roommate has gotten kicked from multiple zoom meetings just this quarter, and she also very rarely is able to turn on her video so that her professors can actually see her. I can only imagine what it must be like for teachers that are on campus trying to post and host lectures.

Y o u may be wondering why I am s u r prised at the statements that I h a v e j u s t m e n tioned.

Well, when you’re paying $15,076 just for tuition and living

expenses, you would be surprised too. That price doesn’t even include mandatory fees, and the one of the required meal plans that comes when you live on campus as I am.

That price is after a full three quarters, with 18 credits per quarter. The end price will vary slightly person to person depending on your meal plan and where you decide to live, but I as a freshman am paying $6,474 for tuition every quarter, and $8,602 to live on campus for 30 weeks of classes. When you’re giv-

ing an institution that much money, you would think that they would have good, if not great, internet.

According to SecureEdge Networks, there are several different things that could be contributing to this problem.

One could be that the design of the network is outdated, and when they started expanding the cam-

p u s with new buildings they didn’t redo everything.

Another could be that the sheer amount of users is bogging d o w n the signal and using all of t h e bandwidth, and they haven’t

added any WiFi boosters to try to help solve the issue. I am making assumptions, since these are the most common reasons that large facilities or companies have Wi-Fi that struggles to meet the requirements.

On SecureEdge Networks, it is provided that “The type, amount and location of your access points can have disastrous effects for your mobile devices and how well they perform.

Deploy too many APs (access points) and you can cause too much interference, too few and you don’t have enough coverage.”

Wi-Fi boosters are generally under $50 for the bare minimum, and I find it very hard to believe that what I am paying to live on campus won’t cover at least one booster. That route wouldn’t be very hard, it would just depend on the range of the boosters that they purchase.

Another option would be to invest in MU-MIMO (Multiple-user, multiple input, multiple output) access points, which would mean that the Wi-Fi signal would be directed toward a specific device, instead of spread out in a general area. The price for these depends on who CWU goes through for the internet.

The resources for the University are in no way limited, so there is no reason for students to be missing out on class, and people who live in on campus apartments having to purchase their own Wi-Fi. CWU has the resources, the only question is whether they know about the problem, and if they have the desire to fix it. Once this problem is fixed, online school won’t be nearly as stressful.

Graphic by Ilse Orta Mederos

Stick with your iPhone until it stops working Clara Wetzel Columnist Annual iPhone upgrades are a waste of money. Every year Apple Inc. comes out with its newest iPhone model along with the newest iOS updates. The newest models illustrate Apple’s latest designs such as better camera abilities and the newest security features - but is it worth it?

Let’s be honest, even with the iPhone upgrade program you will still be paying 12 monthly installments before you are eligible to upgrade to the newest model. Dumping upwards of $35 in monthly installments in addition to paying your phone bill every month for endless years to come is a waste of money - especially for college students living on a budget.

I know it’s difficult to hear, but just because you don’t have to spend the money all at once, does not mean you won’t be burning a major hole in your pocket.

According to data provided by price comparison engine Flipsy, the average lifetime cost of a smartphone comes to a staggering $75,000. This includes usage bills, equipment and apps, among other things. Now just imagine how much that price increases if you’re someone who purchases the latest models on a bi-yearly or yearly basis.

Fox Business did a nice little breakdown for us using Flipsy to determine

how much money the average American spends on smartphones over the course of a few years. Assuming that we begin our purchase history at the age of 18 and upgrade roughly every 32 months with the latest models having a minimum selling price of approximately $500, the average American will spend $12,559 in just ten years.

Apple is a $2 trillion company and it’s no wonder why. We live in a material world where status can be determined by which latest model of smartphone we have.

As a long-time iPhone user myself, I admit that I too have occasionally fallen victim to upgrade envy and late model shame. As I have gotten older, and consequently wiser, I have realized that my money can be better spent on more important things. I have also caught on to the corporate America agenda of consumerism and realized that smartphone upgrades are by large a scam.

Apple capitalizes on pushing their latest models onto consumers and we don’t even stop to second guess their true intentions.

In addition to the annual model releases, Apple also releases iOS updates for all iPhones and has openly admitted that they slow down older models intentionally.

Apple claims that the updates are meant to prolong the battery life of older models and protect against hardware malfunction in order to keep up with the peak app demands. This was confirmed after a shared performance test indicated that older iPhone models slowed considerably after iOS updates had been installed but retained their original speed after battery replacement.

Apple stated that it is not their intention to encourage people to upgrade through slowing down older models but it is certainly more enticing to upgrade to a shiny new model than it is to replace the battery.

Now, I’m not saying that you should never upgrade your phone, but what I suggest is that you hold on to your phone until it no longer serves your requirements. If you’re someone who needs fast internet speed and high-quality camera capabilities, then by all means, upgrade.

However, if your phone works well enough and performs its base-line functions, hold on to it and save your money.

There will always be a newer, shinier model, but don’t fall victim to the corporate consumerism. Your iPhone model doesn’t make you any cooler and it certainly doesn’t determine any kind of social status.

Graphic by Meghan Salsbury

10

SPORTS

January 20, 2021

Intramural sports stays virtual this winter In past winters, the Recreation Center has been able to interact with students on campus through tabling events at the SURC. This year, the Recreation Center is using social media platforms such as Although COVID-19 has restricted Instagram @cwurecreation, Discord and on-campus activities, intramural sports Twitch to interact with students and get are following COVID-19 protocols and them involved. offering virtual events this winter.

Senior and Intramural ManagThere er Spencer are severDalvell said al events that the Recplanned for reation Centhis quarter is finding ter, includnew ways to ing esports, get students trivia nights to interact on Twitch, with each the Hyother, since dration COVID-19 Challenge, affects in-perWildcat Fit son events.

Challenge “As we’ve and the inbeen able to door Ironhave a couman. ple quarters T h e to experi- Shanna Kessler, Recreation ence what Intramural Sports and Special Center has it’s like with Events Coordinator plans to of[COVID-19], fer in-perwe’re figurson events ing out some as well, but new things to Intramural kinda introSports and duce and try Special Events Coordinator Shanna Kes- to expand upon what we already have,” sler said that, depending on what phase Dalvell said. the county is in, those events are still in Senior Intramural Sports Supervithe process of being approved. sor Madison Fritts said the Recreation “Each quarter since the pandemic so Center staff offers several online portals far we have had the opportunity to learn for different levels of fitness. The gym is as we go and then reflect back on what taking reservations, and the Recreation worked and what didn’t,” Kessler said.

Center is offering different programs for

Ondrea Machin Staff Reporter

Each quarter since the pandemic so far we have had the opportunity to learn as we go and then reflect back on what worked and what didn’t.

Photo courtsey of CWU recreation center

Student’s playing basketball inside the Recreation Center while being socially distant.

people who prefer to stay inside or find the gym intimidating.

“Getting people involved in some kind of activity is really beneficial for mental health, since we are stuck inside all the time and sitting behind our computers all day,” Fritts said.

Fritts oversees the Hydrate and Wildcat Fit Challenges. These events are virtual and at our own pace with health profes-

sionals to help people along the way.

Kessler said that the staff is highly prepared to enforce COVID-19 policies and handle conflict and help people understand what is going on.

All intramural sports, except the indoor Ironman, have no fees or cost to participate due to the financial circumstances of each student being different. For some students, it is a difficult time financially.

Football team targets character building as it continues to persevere through COVID-19 restrictions Gabriel Strasbaugh Staff Reporter The Wildcats’ return has the football team preparing for a season that’s better late than never. Despite the continuation of the pandemic, the football team’s 2020 season is in the final stages to get into competitive gameplay.

While off from classes, winter conditioning has the players keeping up their workout regimens for not just themselves, but their teammates as well.

Junior Linebacker Daeon Hudson said the team’s first mindset is what defines the culture in the locker room.

“We hold ourselves accountable” Hudson said, “keep in contact through ourselves and within our groups like defense.”

Part of their accountability is presenting individual progress with the players in each positional group.

“We be taking pictures of the work that we’ve done for that day. When you see your brothers doing their thing, it motivates you like I can’t let them down,” Hudson said.

Inspiration has now claimed its spot atop of the Wildcats’ checklist heading into the season.

Last season the Wildcats’ defense gave up an average of 29 points per game. With the core group of players still intact with a strong junior

Photo courtsey of CWU athletics

CWU’s football team participating in a ROTC winter condition last year inside the field house of Nicholson Pavilion.

and senior foundation, the defense is looking to cut that number down to swing clock possession in the Wildcats’ favor and present more scoring for their offense. The final six games of the previous season showed the turning of the tide for the Wildcats, as they did not come up short on the scoreboard for the rest of the year.

Success on both sides of the ball are results from the difference in culture in the locker room.

According to Hudson, the culture now resembles the 2017 team whose sole loss came in the postseason. A willingness by each person on the team to speak their thoughts and feelings.

“We got a hundred people on the team, players, coaches and all. And we all come

from different backgrounds. So, we all have to come together to make the one,” Hudson said.

The coaching staff has now adapted their winter conditioning to feature more of an emphasis this season on character building; you being the change while inspiring others to follow suit.

Offensive Coordinator Zachary Tinker said the emphasis on unity is just part of the plans and lessons they as a staff persist to instill in the players.

“It hits all of our core values of character strength and honor. The concept of perseverance knowing that the tough times won’t last,” Tinker said.

In regard to the university, following government regulations continue to impact the team’s plans in the foreseeable future.

Head coach Chris Fisk said that the adversity continuing just makes his team stronger.

“I think one thing [COVID-19] has taught is to appreciate and be excited about what you do have, and what you can do. We will make the most of it,” Fisk said.

“We’ll have to make a few adjustments to our winter conditioning due to some of the close quarter combative contact stuff we would do in the past.”

Fisk said the first day the team will meet in person since winter break will be Martin Luther King Day, with their first conditioning tentatively scheduled for Jan.19.

January 20, 2021

11

SPORTS

Hope for CWU men’s basketball season rises gating these challenging times he e points to the fact that injuries are random but this virus is an uncontrolled variable that The men’s basketball team represents has been thrust into sports suddenly.

“This is one of the tougher things several attributes to people both on and off the court – teamwork, commitment, I’ve been through in my 20 year career,” and dedication.The CWU men’s basket- Rinta said.

T h e ball program Wildcats’ has been inattitude is jected with positive in new life during the face of these uncerthese trytain times. So, ing times. what does that The team look like for goal is to this year? create a Head coach sense of Brandon Rinunity and ta said movto improve ing forward o v e r they’re trying all when to get some compared games on the to the fall schedule. quarter.

T h e s e Unfortugames will be - Brandon Rinta, Head Men’s nately for non-conferBasketball Coach students ence and the and fans opponents are alike Rincurrently unta wanted decided. This to inform is the game those that plan unless if games begin, “...the opportunity to see COVID-19 begins to spike once more.

When asked how Coach Rinta is navi- is [going to] be limited.”

Deacon Tuttle Staff Reporter

This is one of the tougher things I’ve been through in my 20 year career.

Photo courtsey of CWU athletics

Freshman Forward Gaige Ainslie doing a lay up drill at practice.

Junior Forward Matt Poquette when asked about playing as a team said the team starts practice on Jan. 19 and hopefully they can play sometime in February.

Regarding COVID-19 restrictions and how that will affect practice, Poquette said they’re going to be testing every week which will allow them to have a regular practice. Masks in this process are still being discussed. In Poquette’s eyes the keys to success in these following months are self-discipline and a strong work ethic.

CWU’s play-by-play commentator Danny Debock regarding the prospect of a

season noted, “for me and for [CWU] this was going to be a big year.”

According to Debock, he lives and breathes sports along with many others around campus. With no games to cover it will feel as if there is something missing.

Debock’s excitement rose when talking about last season and how impressive it was to see the team starting to really mesh at the end.

Once the climate is healthy to cover games for the Wildcats, no one is going to be more eager than Debock to mention CWU’s accomplishments.

New faces look to help the Women’s Basketball Team compete for a GNAC championship Dakaline White Staff Reporter Team newcomers look to provide dynamic play making abilities along with experience to this roster. Getting better every day is the ultimate goal for the women’s basketball team.

After talking with some of these newcomers and head coach Randi Richardson-Thornley, excitement and anticipa-

Randi Richardson-Thornley, Head Coach

tion seem to be the feelings going into the year. Their core values of compete, learn and love drive them to enjoy the game and being on the team, both on and off the court.

The past year has challenged everyone in different ways. The women’s

basketball team has had the conversations that are needed emotionally in a time like this. They also use their time working on their skills as an outlet to get away from the world that, at times, seems to be on fire.

Junior Forward Kiera Bush said the state of the country right now has challenged her and the team to be there for each other in a new and different way, it has also brought them closer as they’ve become a family in the process.

Senior Guard Kizzah Maltezo mentioned the coaching staff allows the team to be open and have the conversations needed during these trying times.

Richardson-Thornley excitedly claimed that Maltezo “can flat out score the basketball at a high rate.”

Richardson-Thornley preached how after transferring over from Concordia University, Maltezo has stepped in immediately as a great leader. Maltezo’s experience and leadership provide an excellent option for the team on the court. Confidence is valuable for her role.

“I’d like to say I am a scoring threat,” Maltezo said.

Luckily, this year CWU can look forward to having Maltezo as a scoring option rather than have to game plan against her.

Redshirt Freshman Forward Erika Brumfield is dynamic in the post.

Brumfield transferred from Portland State University.

“She will fit into our system because she has the ability to play with her back to the basket,” Richardson-Thornley said.

“But she can also step out and knock down scoring ability. With an expanded role three’s as needed, which makes our 4/5 we should see Gardner making a lot of group really tough to guard.’’ three-pointers for this team like she did at Brumfield’s inside-out game will Portland State. surely benefit this team once on-the-court Whether they play games or not this play resumes. season, our RichardWomen’s son-ThornBasketball ley said team’s apBush brings proach will a “physical be the same. back to the The group basket presplans on getence in the ting better paint.” She every day and also mencompeting to tions Bush’s win. If they drive, hard get a chance work and to play this coachability year, those being a solid games will be plus for this a pathway to team. help compete - Randi Richardson-Thornley, Bush said next year for a she brings GNAC chamHead Coach a form of pionship. physicality to “We are the post that going to work will help the as hard as we team. Bush can today and likes to keep the energy on the court up then we’ll do the same thing tomorrow and enjoys running the floor. with what tomorrow brings,” RichardSophomore Guard Cassidy Gardson-Thornley said. ner is an “elite level point guard who can With new Washington state shoot the ball at an extremely elite level,” COVID-19 guidelines being enforced, Richardson-Thornley said. whether we see the women’s basketball As a freshman at Portland State team get some on the court playing time University, Gardner had some big or not, we can expect them to be ready games where she showcased her unique physically and mentally.

We are going to work as hard as we can today and then we’ll do the same thing tomorrow with what tomorrow brings.

12

January 20, 2021

ENGAGEMENT

Photograph by Casey Rothgeb

Graphic by Bekah Blum

Weekly Calendar Jan. 20 Group X - Student Union and Recreation Center Group Exercise Room 287 9:30-10:30 a.m. Yoga 12-1 p.m. Mobility 5-6 p.m. Barre

Jan. 24 National Compliment Day

Puzzle by Abby Duchow

Jan. 21

Jan. 22

12-1 p.m. International Cafe - Virtual Location for Online Events 7:30-9:30 p.m. Winter Concert Series: Jake Houser, featuring Aaron, Brea, Jacob and Henry - Virtual Location for Online Events

Jan. 25 2-3 p.m. ASCWU Public Meeting - Virtual Location for Online Events 7-9 p.m. Monday Movie Madness:

The Help - Student Union and Recreation Center Theatre Rm 210, -Virtual Location for Online Events

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CWU Observer

Jan. 23

3-4 p.m. Group X: Yoga - Student Union and Recreation Center Group Exercise Room 287

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CLCE Leadership Institute - Virtual Location for Online Events

4-5 p.m. A Dead Tree’s Excellent Adventure: The Ecology of Dead Wood by Ken Bevis

Jan. 26

Jan. 27

Group X - Student Union and Recreation Center Group Exercise Room 287 6:30-7:30 a.m. Yoga 3-4 p.m. Butts and Guts 6-7 p.m. Zumba 6-7 p.m. ASCWU Open Forum: Elections - Virtual Location for Online Events

National Chocolate Cake Day

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cwuobserver@gmail.com

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