The Observer, Winter 2023 - Issue 6

CWU investing in geothermal heating and cooling system Men’s rugby rallies around Coach Thornley for upcoming road test

Tre’Jon Henderson Staff Reporter

CWU’s men’s rugby team looks to continue their win streak versus Saint Mary’s in this upcoming Saturday. Feb. 18 showdown. The Wildcats will be attempting to extend their win streak to five.

Thornley has held the title of head coach since 2016 and has produced over 20 All-American athletes, five of whom went on to play at the professional level ranks of Major League Rugby.

Sophomore 8 man Arona Tauiliili admires Thornely’s tenacity and skill as a coach.

“Our coach is a dog,” Tauiliili said. “The way he just plans out practice is so strategic; it is just beautiful to be a part of.”

Thornley attributes the team’s hot start to the caliber of players in the group.

“This is a talented group of men we have this year,” Thornley said. “It has been a great start to the year but as cliché as it sounds, we just

want to take it one game at a time.’’

The men’s team is already off to a significant start, winning their first four games of the season, including wins over teams including Western Washington University (WWU) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

“Being one of the only D1 programs here at Central is cool,” Tauiliili said. “The team takes a lot of pride in it. We play with a huge chip on our shoulder because some teams like to think we are below them.”

The team is gearing up to play Saint Mary’s in California on Feb. 18. The Wildcats are looking to end their losing streak against the opposing team, as last year they lost 30-27.

“Another week on the road and the challenge does not get much bigger than this,” Thornley said. “We have the utmost respect for Gael Rugby, their coaching staff and the powerhouse they have been in collegiate rugby for the past decade.’’

A geothermal heating and cooling plant is a part of the governor’s proposed package to fund the construction of a new North Academic Complex.

The Geo Eco Plant is a proposed building that will utilize renewable geothermal energy to heat the new North Academic Complex (NAC) that will be located in the plaza with the nations’ flags.

The Geo Eco Plant is a part of Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposal, which also included funding for the NAC. The proposal will not be decided until April. If the proposal does pass, Capital Planning Project Manager Scott Carlson said construction of the Geo Eco Plant will start in fall 2023 and is projected to be finished by fall 2025.

The proposed plant would go in the southwestern corner of the Dean Nicholson Pavilion lot, where there is currently a grassy patch.

According to Carlson, the plant is going to be designed as somewhere people can visit, and not just another utility building. Carlson said the plant will have an interactive panel or tablet where people can learn about geothermal power and what it can be used for.

Carlson said they are designing the Geo Eco Plant to be able to connect to and support other buildings in the future, such as the proposed Art Complex and new Psychology Building.

How geothermal heating plants work

According to Carlson, the plant will use an open loops system. This means, the water that gets taken out of the wells will never touch anything other than the pipes it interacts with.

The water comes up from an aquifer(an underground water and mineral deposit), which Carlson said will be around 900 feet below ground, running through a pipe and then returning back into the ground.

“You’re either taking the heat that is in the water to heat a building, or you’re taking heat and putting it into what would be cooler water, and sending it back down,” Carlson said.

There will be two well locations; one will be under the Geo Eco Plant, and the other location has not been finalized yet. The current location they are considering is around the Wahle Apartments.

The environmental impact

According to Carlson, one benefit of the new Geo Eco Plant is that it uses renewable energy.

“That means we won’t be burning natural gas to heat or cool [the NAC],” Carlson said. “There will be some electricity that runs the pumps, pulls the water up and pumps it back down, but there will be no natural gas burned.”

To ensure the NAC doesn’t go without heat, Carlson said

the system will be connected to the Central Steam Plant, which is currently used to heat the campus, in case something goes wrong at the Geo Eco Plant. The Central Steam Plant burns natural gas to heat buildings.

According to Carlson, the current hope of the university is that as new buildings get built and old buildings get renovated, they will be utilizing geothermal heating instead of using fossil fuels.

“If there’s anything we can do to reduce our carbon emissions, then that’s a step in the right direction,” Carlson said. “It is about the health of the community we live in.”

Carlson said that using geothermal instead of natural gas for most of the campus would be years, if not decades away.

To see prior reporting on the NAC go to: https://cwuobserver. com/24031/news/ll-and-farrellhall-to-possibly-see-new-construction-after-gov-inslees-proposed-budget/.

Morgana Carroll News Editor

ArenderedimageofwhattheGeoEcoPlantmightlooklike. Photo courtesy of Scott Carlson A map showing where the NAC and the Geo Eco Plant would be located. Photo courtesy of Scott Carlson

rugbyteamonmediaday. Photo by Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

Beyond Our Coverage

A couple in Ellensburg is using goats to spread Valentine’s love and cheer this year. According to Komo News, the Jensen couple, who own a U-pick farm for pumpkins, are doing ‘goat-grams’ and bringing the goats to surprise people as a gift.

Senate Bill 5232 in Washington would require a background check and 10-day waiting period to access newly purchased firearms, as well as proof of passing a state-certified safety training, according to Associated Press.

The average sale cut taken by Amazon from its merchants exceeded 50% as of 2022, according to a study by Marketplace Pulse. For the past six years, the amount sellers pay Amazon per transaction has increased.

Three people were killed in a fatal shooting at Michigan State University. Five more were injured when the shooter opened fire on Monday night. Police cornered the culprit and they then shot themself, according to AP News and Inside Edition. Eight were left injured, two in critical condition in Brooklyn after a Uhaul truck evading police struck several pedestrians, according to CNN. The 62-year-old driver was later taken into custody by police a few blocks away.

M&M cartoon friends are back as the rightful spokescandies. According to CNN, the brand assured everyone that Maya Rudolph will not be the face of the brand, following her Super Bowl commercial about turning M&Ms to Ma&Ya’s.

New Zealand is expecting the most intense tropical storm it has seen since the ‘90s, according to CNN. Tropical Cyclone Gabriel is expected to hit Feb. 12 and will last for multiple days.

An unidentified flying object was shot down from Canadian airspace on Feb. 11, according to BBC News. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau plans to analyze the object, which seemed to be smaller than the Chinese spy balloon that was shot down near South Carolina one week before.

Dear fellow earthlings of CWU,

So it seems that spring has sprung and as we celebrate this week of love, remember to focus some of that inward. This issue, we have coverage of Fresh Check Day for mental health awareness on pg. 5, a double page spread about the Black History Month exhibit at the DEC on pg. 6-7, with a Valentine’s Day opinion piece celebrating different approaches to love on pg. 8.

As we round the corner to registration time for next quarter, please consider joining us here at The Observer if you have an inclination toward writing, interviewing, graphic design, photography or social media/website management. The Observer is a 3-credit practicum course open to all majors (I started while in the psychology program) but it’s especially useful for those in Communication majors. We meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 12 - 1:25 p.m. in Black Hall 227. We have several paid positions, as well as staff members who are starting out simply as members of the class. It’s a useful way to ease into professional experience in these domains, and the work you complete can make for a lasting portfolio to book future jobs with. Contact us at CWUObserver@gmail.com for more info about joining.

Go outside and look toward the sun today,

Katherine Camarata Lead Editor

Lead Editor Katherine Camarata

News Editor

Morgana Carroll

Assistant News Editor

Megan Rogers

Sports Editor Isaac Hinson

Copy Desk Lead / Opinion Editor

Jacqueline Hixssen

Online Editor Madison VanRavenhorst

Assistant Copy Editor

Brittany Cinderella

Faculty Adviser Jennifer Green

Glacie Kehoe-Padilla

Assistant Graphic Designer

Brandon Davis

Photo Editor Andrew Ulstad

Senior Reporter

Omar Benitez

Staff Reporters

Alahnna Connolly

Tre’Jon Henderson

Gavin Johnson

Charis Jones

Zileni Milupi

Joshua Packard

Deacon Tuttle

MJ Rivera

Jordyn Rossmeisl

Editorial Consultant

Editorial Policy: The Observer is a public forum for student expression, in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission of The Observer is two-fold: to serve Central Washington University as a newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in journalism. The Observer seeks to provide complete, accurate, dependable information to the campus and community; to provide a public forum for the free debate of issues, ideas and problems facing the community at large; and to be the best source of information, education and entertainment news. As a training program, The Observer is the practical application of the theories and principles of journalism. It teaches students to analyze and communicate information that is vital to the decision making of the community at large. It provides a forum for students to learn the ethics, values and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.

Photo by Dylan Hanson

Preview Day Photo Spread See more on Page 3

Photos by Katherine Camarata

Letter from the Editor

Graphic Design Lead

Preview Day Photo Spread

CWU professor appointed to Ellensburg School Board

Omar Benitez Senior Reporter

A 20-year Ellensburg resident, 20-year CWU professor and now a part of the Ellensburg School Board; Cynthia Coe is a professor in the philosophy and comparative religion department, and was also appointed to the school board’s third seat on Jan. 25.

According to Coe, she hopes her years of teaching experience and unique upbringing will help her in her new role.

A passion for education:

Coe began her new duties with the Ellensburg School Board on Feb. 8, for what she called a “trial period.”

“It’s not going to be a full four year term, I’m going to be filling out the term of someone who left,” Coe said. “That will give me a chance to see what the work of the school board is like and see how things go.”

Coe will be filling out the remainder of the term of the former member Jason White, which means she will serve on the school board for around two years.

According to Coe, joining the school board is something that she had been thinking about doing for some time now, and since the school board seat became vacant, she decided to apply. Coe was one of eight candidates interviewed by the board.

“We were all interviewed on the same day,” Coe said. “That gave us a chance to meet the school, the existing members and the superintendent.”

Afterward, the board unanimously voted to bring Coe onto the board as the third seat, according to Coe.

“I guess it surprised me a little bit when I was chosen because there were eight candidates,” Coe said. “I had a little moment of panic when I was chosen … I didn’t expect to get chosen.”

Coe said the main reason behind her decision to join the school board was to support the local school system and her passion for teaching.

“It seemed like a way to give back to the school system that has educated my children and also just support the wider community, so it’s important to me to make time for that,” Coe said. “Education is a very important commitment for me and it’s something I’m very passionate about.”

She said she hopes her extensive background in education will help her as a new school board member.

“I’m coming as someone who takes education very seriously and wants to learn more about how the public school system functions here in Ellensburg,” Coe said.

A diverse upbringing

When asked about where she grew up, Coe responded that for her, it was a bit of a trick question.

“My dad was in the Foreign Service, so he worked in U.S. embassies all over the world,” Coe said.

Coe said her upbringing was not a typical one. According to Coe, her elementary years were spent moving around and growing up in places like Chile, India and Ghana.

“It felt totally normal when I was a kid because that was just what I knew,” Coe said. “It definitely made me very aware of the diversity of ways in which people live and think.”

After her elementary years, Coe’s family settled down in a city just outside of Washington D.C., where she spent her middle school and high school years.

After graduating high school, Coe decided to attend college in Vermont, at the time still unsure of what she wanted to do.

“I thought I might be a history or English major, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, maybe become a teacher,” Coe said. “Then, I took philosophy classes and got completely hooked, and so decided to be a philosophy major.”

After shifting her focus, Coe graduated from Middlebury College with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before attending and graduating from the University of Oregon where she earned a doctorate in philosophy.

A professor of the love of wisdom

Soon after receiving her doctorate, Coe said she decided she wanted to teach.

“After I graduated, it became more clear to me that I wanted to become a philosophy professor,” Coe said.

She headed to the small town of Monmouth in Illinois to begin her teaching career.

“My first job was in western Illinois, in this tiny little college called Monmouth College,” Coe said. “My first three years as a professor was there.” Coe eventually was hired by CWU in 2003 and she’s taught here ever since.

During her time at CWU, Coe has taught not only philosophy and religious studies, but also women’s and gender studies as she served as the director of the program from 2007 to 2014.

Coe has also earned many accolades including: CWU’s Distinguished Professor of Service in 2015, and the CWU Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching Award, among others.

According to Coe, her time at CWU has helped her develop her teaching skills through experience.

“I learned a lot about how to be a teacher and how to teach material,” Coe said. “I also learned how not to teach material through making mistakes and through trial and error, which has made me a better teacher.”

CynthiaCoe,NewEllensburgSchoolBoardmember.

Photo courtesy of CWU website

The Equity and Services Council tabled at Preview Day.

PreviewDayvolunteersandpro-staffcoordinatorswelcomedeventgoersto PreviewDay.

MEChAdeCWUgaveoutcandyatPreviewDay.

CheerCatsclubbroughtjoytoPreviewDay.

CentralAfricanStudentAssociationsharingresourcesatPreviewDay.

Photos by Katherine Camarata

CWU’s workgroup aims to address gender-based violence

Megan Rogers

Assistant News Editor

CWU’s Gender-Based Violence Work Group has enhanced communication with students and student leaders, and worked to search for a new Deputy Title IX Coordinator, according to the CWU Safe website. The workgroup was originally announced on Nov. 10, 2022 and since then they have met twice.

According to the CWU Safe website, the group will “learn more about best practices and to make recommendations about specific changes that could be made to elevate the equity-minded and trauma-informed prevention, handling of gender-based violence and to increase the sense of physical and psychological safety on campus”

(See: “New Gender-Based Violence Prevention workgroup to review policies, practices and programs.”)

The workgroup is formed by representatives from CWU, including four ASCWU student representatives: Solomon Kairu, Devon Nawdish, Yaritza Granados and Annika Brimhall. Four representatives from the faculty senate: Sara Toto, Tim Lawless, Pam McMullin-Messier and Cynthia Coe. Three representatives from the exempt employee council: Marissa Howat, Chris Denison and Amber Hoefe. And three representatives from the classified employee coun-

cil: Cody Mertell, Stephanie FitzGerald and Josie Rollins.

One of the primary goals of this workgroup is to improve the campus climate for students, faculty, staff and anyone else within the community, according to Co-Chair for the Gender-Based Violence Workgroup and Professor of Philosophy, Cynthia Coe.

“Part of the challenge is going to be figuring out: how do we do that effectively, where are we now and how do we need to get better and how do we do that,” Coe said.

Marissa Howat, co-chair of the Gender-Based Violence Workgroup and director of Wellness Center, said that with this workgroup, she is happy to have multiple people involved.

“It’s a multidisciplinary task force,” Howat said. “One that has representation from both students and employees across campus. I am eager to share some of the work that happens in the office that I work in, or the good work that I know about in other areas … just get more people invested in it.”

Coe said it is important to student, faculty and employee councils because of the different experiences and perspectives everyone has.

“We’ve heard what has gone wrong and have a sense of, ‘okay, this is what needs to be fixed,’” Coe said. “Really making this not just a top-down order from high-

er administration, but really sort of gathering what’s going on on campus in terms of people’s experiences, and how do we address this issue better.”

According to the CWU Safe website, a step CWU has taken to address gender-based violence, is working to hire a new position in the Title IX office. According to Thomas Pedersen, Title IX coordinator, the position they are looking to fill is the ‘Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Education and Prevention.’

“[They] will be in charge of creating but also coordinating educa-

tion efforts and prevention efforts across campus with campus partners, for both students and employees,” Pederson said.

Pedersen said they will launch the search in the next few weeks and hopefully have someone hired for the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Education and Prevention position by spring quarter.

Students who have experienced gender-based violence can reach out to PATH (prevention, advocacy, training and healing) for support.

“PATH is free, confidential advocacy, provided on an as needed basis for students regardless of

when they’ve had experience with interpersonal violence with gender-based violence … if they’re unsure about how to feel about it or where they want to go or who they want to talk to,” Howat said.

According to Howat, students who are interested in connecting with PATH can go to their website cwu.edu/wellness/path, email them at path@cwu.edu or call the main office phone at (509) 963- 3213. For students interested in keeping up with the work of the Gender-Based Violence Workgroup, information can be found on the CWU Safe website.

TheGender-BasedViolenceworkgrouphasmettwicesinceitsformation. Photo by Brittany Cinderella

Fresh Check Day highlights the importance of mental health

MJ Rivera and Zileni Milupi Staff Reporters

With an abundance of fun games and free pizza, CWU’s annual Fresh Check Day served as a reminder of the importance of mental health and the many resources available for students on campus. This year’s event was hosted by the Wellness Center and took place on Feb. 9 in the SURC. Fresh Check Day is an initiative created by the Jordan Porco foundation. The mission of the foundation is to prevent suicide, promote mental health and create a message of hope for young adults, according to the Jordan Porco Foundation website.

According to their website, Fresh Check Day is an engaging and uplifting mental health promotion event for college campuses nationwide that features interactive booths, a festive social atmosphere and exciting prizes and giveaways.

Wellness Center perspectives

Jasmine Cottam, health promotion coordinator at the Wellness Cen

“College students should know the resources around them and be educated in suicide prevention and mental health resources, and how to find help for themselves and to open up the conversation around suicide and mental health, since it’s so taboo in our culture here in the U.S to not talk about it,” Cottam said.

Michael Wollan, wellness ambassador and peer health educator, had some advice for people who might not think about their mental health at all.

“It does not have to be diagnosed or a categorized mental illness for someone to experience it,” Wollan said. “If you are in a place where you don’t think you could be struggling with mental health and feel things are balanced, that’s fine. However, that doesn’t mean it is unimportant. I believe everyone should be conscious about their mental health the same way they would be conscious about their physical health.”

Wollan said one thing he’d want students to take away from the event is for people to give love to their friends and check on them.

“All it takes is one thing for someone to check in and ask if something is going on, it could make a difference,” Wollan said.

Tabler and volunteer perspec-

One of the clubs that had a table at the event was the CWU Happiness Club. Their goal was to help students learn more indepth about self-care and mental health. The president of the club, sophomore

believes that happiness is a give and take.

“You need to be sad to be happy. You can’t always be happy,” Zacher said.

The CWU Happiness Club has been running for several years, and their goal is to create a support system for students. The club is a place for students to make friends, do activities together and discuss mental health.

“How do we expect to be happy if we’re not checking in with ourselves and acknowledging the times that we’re not happy?” Zacher said.

Zacher said that self care can look different for everybody.

“For a while when I thought of self care, I just thought of taking a bath and doing a face mask and that is self care, but it can look different for everyone,” Zacher said.

Zacher’s advice for CWU students is to spend time intentionally focusing on their interests outside of school. She said that it is important to do fun activities, spend time with friends and get involved with campus activities. Happiness Club meets Thursdays at noon in SURC 135.

Sara Stubbs, case manager in the office of student success, had a table called 9/10, an organization named after the statistic showing that 1/10 college students have had suicidal thoughts.

“We want the other 9/10 students to feel comfortable checking in with friends, fellow students or workers about their mental health, recognizing warning signs, and particularly making it comfortable to ask them the question, ‘are you thinking about suicide?’”

One might think that mention ing suicide would give a struggling peer the idea, but the opposite may be true, according to Stubbs.

“It can give somebody who’s experiencing mental health challenges and thinking about suicide a sense of belonging, and it really lets them know that you care about them,” Stubbs said.

She said it is important for students to look out for each other, and that there are signs that indicate someone could use extra support from friends.

She said some of those signs are: “engaging in risky behavior that isn’t normal for them, if their sleep habits or their hygiene changes, and if they’re not showing up to things that they really cared about in the past.”

Senior Mark Sechler who volunteered for Fresh Check Day said he hopes students will learn to be more in-touch with their emotions.

“It’s alright to just actually say, ‘Hey, I care about myself. I need to care about myself,’” Sechler said.

He said he has tried to bottle his feelings up in the past, but that it is ultimately not a healthy way to live.

“There are better ways and when you find those ways, you will feel immensely better,” Sechler said.

Sechler’s own tactics include keeping in touch with friends, playing games and painting. He said that reminding those you love that you love them is also a great way to be happier.

Dustin Jackson, student ambassador tabling for the Transfer Center, explained how there were games and activities that showed students different ways to deal with stress.

can be social so it allows people to connect through that,” Jackson said. “My table is all about things that you identify as but not a stereotype.”

Jackson gave an example of a student who wrote ‘I am neurodivergent but not lazy.’ Other students who share the same identity might see that and feel seen or not alone.

Sophomore and public relations major Brian Valencia shared his thoughts about the event.

“This is a great opportunity for a lot of students to learn,” Valencia said. “There’s tons of people that are afraid to reach out because they think there’s some sort of stigma and this event is a great way for students to reach out and open up.”

Junior and marketing major Ethan Cook gave his thoughts on mental health and how the event helped students.

“I have roommates and friends who struggle with their mental health, so getting out there and talking about it is really important,” Cook said. “Today, I think everyone is doing a great job in spreading positivity and making sure everyone is aware of it.”

Resources

Cottam said she hopes this event allows students to feel it’s okay to talk to their friends about suicide. According to Cottam, resources available at CWU include Student Counseling Services, the Wildcat Care 365 app and support groups available throughout each quarter through these programs.

BannersdisplayedphrasesremindingstudentstomaintaintheirmentalhealthduringFreshCheckDayonFeb.9. Photos by Andrew Ulstad

CWUVeteransServicescomparedmentalhealthtoholdingaweightatarmslengthforseveral minutesduringFreshCheckDayon. Photos by Andrew Ulstad

THEDIVERSITYPAGE Sharingperspectives

Supportingawareness

Black History Month recognized by DEC exhibit

Alahnna Connolly Staff Reporter

The deafening silence of contemplation filled SURC 137 A & B as visitors wandered through time at the Black History Month exhibit from Feb. 8-10.

Black History Month has celebrated the contributions that African Americans have brought to the U.S. since Congress passed a 1986 law instating Feb. as Black History Month.

Paige Hall works for the DEC, where they showcased information about Black History Month and the civil rights movement.

The exhibit also had books on display like “The Life and Pilgrimage of Jesse Jackson” by Marshall Frady, “COLORBLIND” by Time Wise and “How to be an ANTIRACIST” by Ibram K. Kendi, which can be checked out in Brooks Library.

Timelines were featured in the exhibit, including a civil rights timeline that dated back to 1500 B.C. and showcased the development of the African American community.

The Black Panther’s 10 point program

The exhibit featured information about the Black Panthers, a civil rights group with an ideology for self-defense, specifically against police brutality.

day, Feb.ruary 8th- February 10th where theyand showcased some amazing information about Black history.

A part of the exhibit was the Black Panter’s 10-point program, which shared their operations and what they believed in.

The 10 points were: we want freedom, we want full unemployment for our people, ending the robbery by the capitalists in the Black community,

decent housing fit for the shelter of human beings, education for the people that exposes true nature, black men to be exempt from military service, immediate end to police brutality, freedom of all black men in federal, state and county prisons.

According to the exhibit, The Black Panther party also wanted land, bread, housing, clothing, justice and peace.

Jim Crow laws

The DEC also featured a display of Jim Crow laws in the United States. The Jim Crow laws legalized segregation in the U.S.

According to archive.gov, segregation laws first appeared on a mass scale after the landmark 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, where Homer Plessy, a mixed race man, tried to board a whites only train car. This court case is also notable because the court’s decision was worded as “separate but equal.”

The exhibit said that Washington in particular had three major aspects of Jim Crow that were notable: the prohibition of marriage, restrictive housing laws and a discriminatory code of ethics for realtors in Seattle.

According to the exhibit, the Capitol Hill and Broadmoor areas of Seattle passed municipal laws in the 1920s stating no part of the properties in the area “shall ever be used or occupied by any Hebrew or any person of the Ethiopian, Malay or any Asiatic race.”

This mindset continued into the 1950s, with realtors sworn to a code of ethics that kept people who “will clearly be detrimental to property values” from buying homes in certain neighborhoods.

their operations and what they be lieve in.

They also had a display of Jim Crow laws in the United Sstates. The Jim Crow laws were about segregation in the U.S.Uunited Sstates.

The exhibity also had books onfor display like “The Life and Pilgrimage of Jesse Jackson,”, “COLORBLIND” and “How to be an ANTIRACIST,” which you can check out infrom the CWU Brooks Llibrary.

1963

Brown v. Board of Education declares school segragation unconstituational.

1954

Rosa Parks arrested, sparking desegragation of interstate trains and buses.

1955

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his “I Have A Dream” speech in Washington D.C.

BooksbycivilrightsactivistswereondisplayduringtheBlackHistoryMonthexhibitin theSURC.ThesebooksareavailableattheDECforcheckout. Photo by Andrew Ulstad

TheBlackHistoryMonthexhibitattheSURCdisplayedexamplesofpropagandacommonduringtheJimCrowera.

Photo by Andrew Ulstad

CommunitymembersgatherinformationattheBlackHistoryMonthexhibitintheSURC. Photo by Andrew Ulstad

Congress passes the Civil Rights Act, outlawing racial discrimination.

1964

1968

1965

Civil Rights activist Malcolm X assassinated in Manhattan, New York.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee.

TheBlackHistoryMonthexhibitdrewinstudentsandstafffrom Feb.8-10intheSURC. Photo by Andrew Ulstad

TheBlackHistoryMonthexhibitfeaturedexamplesofcivilrightsprotestsigns. Photo by Andrew Ulstad

SignsweredisplayedfortheBlackHistoryMonthexhibitintheSURC.

Photo by Andrew Ulstad

PartoftheBlackPanther’scommunityprotectioninitiativewascreatedbytheBlackPantherPartytoenforceasenseoffairtreatment,accordingtotheexhibit. Photo by Andrew Ulstad

Rihanna at the Super Bowl: an analysis on society’s reaction

overall production was lacking, but in my eyes, the simplicity allowed Rihanna to shine even more.

She was pregnant! It’s almost as if another living being was sucking her nutrients away while she did more than most of us could.

Rihanna, legendary pop-R&B icon of the 2010s with a career spanning over a decade, broke her five year hiatus from the stage by performing for the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show.

Rihanna had her first child in May last year, according to CNN, and revealed at the halftime show that baby number two is on the way.

The artist danced and sang atop an illuminated platform before ascending to the heavens by means of aerial rigging. She sported a tight, all red outfit with newest baby bump on full display.

Typically, artists at the Super Bowl choose to share the stage with a guest artist, but Riri dominated the stage as a solo act with nothing but dozens of backup dancers in loose-fitting white costumes taking up the expanse of the multi-level stage. Some critics across YouTube said the

Rihanna sang some of her quintessential hits (which would have been a hard choice given that she had 14 no. 1 hits) including “Bitch Better Have My Money,” “Run this Town,” “Umbrella,” and finishing with an emotional performance of “Diamonds.” The performance clearly implemented heavy use of backing tracks throughout the event as many vocalists do, though there were moments that focused on actual live vocals, and those moments cut through.

Riri’s choreo wasn’t overly intense, given that she was pregnant, but it was definitely still a carefully choreographed show with a glowing Rihanna serenading a crowd of many people there specifically for her. Critics, namely the honest review channel on YouTube, claimed that Rihanna’s energy wasn’t there and she didn’t seem committed.

Rihanna’s music, star power and openness to sensuality is inspiring. It shows women that being pregnant doesn’t have to stop you from working, following your dreams, dancing sensually and sharing a powerful presence with the world.

She performed well overall, certainly not the worst Super Bowl performer of all time, yet why have comments across Twitter and Facebook been lambasting her mercilessly, calling the performance “the worst of all time,” and saying they would “rather be subjected to torture?” Does it have anything to do with bias against pregnant women, a historically underrepresented population? It certainly makes me wonder if other artists were performing, would they be ridiculed for giving the same level of performance? Would Jay Z have been ridiculed for the same

The Best Actor gauntlet

Isaac Hinson Columnist

One of the most coveted awards of the ceremony, the Best Actor race is always tight, and this year seems to be no different. After being won last year by Will Smith for his performance in “King Richard” no more

than three hours after the Chris Rock slap incident, the Academy seems to be looking for a feelgood story with this year’s class.

Nominated this year are Austin Butler for “Elvis,” Colin Farrell for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Fraser for “The Whale,” Paul Mescal for “Aftersun’’ and Bill Nighy for “Living.” Farrell, Butler, Mescal, Fraser and Nighy are all first-time nominees, which only further shows that the Academy wants a fresh start.

Austin Butler

If I had to choose right now who I think is going to walk away with Best Actor, I would say Austin Butler. The Academy awarded Rami Malek for far worse work in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and his work in “Elvis” is likely the most seen among general audiences and academy voters.

Butler is admittedly the safe pick, both for myself and for the Academy. I don’t think Butler has the best work here, but it’s not bad by any means, in fact he is quite good in the movie, and rarely does the Academy award the truly best work of the year. In many years, people will tell you that the best performance of the year wasn’t even nominated.

performance? If Rihanna was not with child and performed without her baby bump showing, would she then be worthy of basic decency?

There are multiple intersections at play here, given that Rihanna is Black and Black women have historically been oppressed for doing too much or too little of anything.

Everybody’s a critic, and this immense amount of public scorn from people often under qualified to be giving such critique is something most artists are aware of when entering the industry.

Simply by being a woman who dances somewhat provocatively and sings about sadism and masochism (as in her track “S & M”) subjects artists like Rihanna to immeasurable criticism, often from misogynists who think women belong at home with their husbands raising children. Being pregnant likely only amplified this criticism.

Men (and some women), please stop tearing somebody down for

growing a whole human while also being an artist.

At the end of the day, I’d be very surprised if people leaving horrendous comments about Rihanna’s pregnant performance and how it doesn’t appeal to their standards of attractiveness will ever even get the chance to impregnate a human woman in their lives.

Colin Farrell

With a win at the Golden Globes, and being awarded the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival, Colin Farrell is currently the consensus front-runner to win Best Actor. Since his breakout in 2002’s “Minority Report,” Farrell has been riding the line between B-list action star and auteur, and it seems he finally is going to be acknowledged for his efforts with the latter. Farrell is truly incredible in “Banshees.” It’s his best work to date, and he deserves recognition for it. He captures and deconstructs masculinity, our attachment to others and our longing for closure with his performance here.

If there were no storylines involved with voting, and the award went to the wholly best performance of the year, there’s no doubt in my mind that Farrell would be leaving the show next month as a first-time Oscar winner.

Brendan Fraser

In what is the most storyline driven nomination of the year, Brendan Fraser has already won the Critc’s Choice Award for Best Actor, arguably one of the most influential awards to win

pre-Oscars. However, it seems that Fraser has all but lost all of his steam heading into the Oscars.

This has to do with one thing: people are actually getting a chance to see The Whale, and they’re not liking it. Prior to the last month, it was nearly impossible to actually watch The Whale unless you lived in New York, Los Angeles or had a chance to catch it on the festival circuit. Now that people are seeing it in normal environments, and they’re not being caught in the emotions of being in the same room as Fraser while watching, the lackluster script and questionable ethics of the movie seem more prominent.

However, this is an acting award and by all accounts voters seem to really enjoy the performance. There’s a chance it could win by aggregating enough second and third place votes, but with how loaded this year’s class is, I would say that’s unlikely. A Fraser win seems like a pipedream at this point.

Paul Mescal

Mescal comes to this year’s ceremony as the new kid on the block. Just turning 27 on Feb. 2, “Aftersun” is Mescal’s first real break into the American-film

scene. He has received awards and praise before, for his work on “Normal People,” but this has been his first exposure to the mass movie-watching population.

In terms of being a surprise contender, I think Mescal is the most likely non-Butler or Farrell actor here to win. He has all the momentum in the world, and I think will receive a lot of second and third place votes. “Aftersun” has had one of the hottest wordof-mouth campaigns in recent years, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it pays out in dividends.

Bill Nighy

While Bill Nighy is a fantastic actor, and gives an incredibly sentimental performance in “Living,” it’s hard not to look at this nomination as simply filler and a legacy-nomination.

This doesn’t mean Nighy doesn’t deserve his flowers. He is a long-time screen acting legend, for his work in “Love Actually” among other things, and has never really been able to find the right role to be showcased on a big stage. But, “Living” simply hasn’t made enough noise for true contention, and I think that Nighy, while good in the movie, doesn’t elevate it enough to break that barrier.

Katherine Camarata

Columnist

Photo courtesy of ShutterStock.com

Photo courte sy of pexels.com

The gay agenda: when the closet comes crashing down

Katherine Camarata Columnist

Love manifests differently for everybody, but for those of us raised in heteronormative environments, where homosexuality was an oft unwanted deviation from the norm, heterosexuality can seem like the default option.

This is referred to as “compulsory heterosexuality,” the feeling that you must be straight because everybody is straight, and so you search for evidence of straightness simply because this is how the majority of people express love.

However, these numbers are swaying in the opposite direction, with 7.1% of Americans identifying as homosexual in 2022 according to a Gallup poll, a number that has over doubled since 2012 when it was 3.5%. Despite this shift, heterosexuality is still what the majority of the world is formed to accommodate.

30 countries in the world allow same sex marriage along with some areas of Mexico, while it remains prohibited in all other areas, according to Pew Research. Don’t even get me started on polyamory, a lifestyle of having more than one romantic partner at a time. Polyamorous rights are still not recognized in America, where people are only allowed to legally marry one person at a time, even if they have multiple life partners.

What does living in a world engineered for straightness entail?

It means seeing limited representation of queer couples in happy relationships in the mainstream media, especially in previous decades. It means feeling you have to hide your identity from your

Valentine’s Day is the best holiday

MJ Rivera Columnist

Valentine’s day is the best holiday because every type of love is worth celebrating.

is said to be based around Eros, the Greek god of love, who, Greek poets say, shot golden arrows at people to make them fall in love, according to History. com.

family members, who may be religious and condemn you to hell for your love.

It means fearing for your safety and ability to work peacefully if you are outed involuntarily at an inopportune time. It may even mean you attempt to conform to straightness by entering into a relationship with a “beard,” somebody of the opposite gender who fulfills a role that gives the appearance of being straight to avoid the persecution that may come from being out of the closet.

There are many reasons to remain closeted, compulsory heterosexuality being one of the foremost barriers. The first person you need to come out to is yourself, because it takes so many people years if not decades to admit this proudly, if they ever even get to that point. I know for myself, I didn’t admit I was attracted to all genders until I was 25, but I had many experiences with same sex partners prior to that point of recognition.

If you feel attracted to members of the same sex, if you have experimented with members of the same sex, if you are surrounded by queer folk or even if you simply aren’t sure and are tired of assuming you are straight, it may be worth looking into some queer historical figures or content creators (Kat Blaque and the Chosen Family podcast are some of my favorites), or paying a visit to the Diversity and Equity Center or Helen House to connect with like-minded individuals. Don’t rule out the idea of being homosexual, bisexual, pansexual or even asexual simply because it seems like every man and woman is pairing up and giving each other chocolate and flowers this Valentine’s Day. You are allowed to love people of the same gender, you are allowed to be outwardly gay, even if others don’t always approve, including family and close friends. You are allowed to detach from gender entirely, or be trans and gay at the same time.

You may lose some people after coming out, but you will gain your sense of identity and independence instead of conforming to fit into a societal standard that only existed to oppress us.

Pope Galasius declared Feb. 14 as Valentine’s Day near the end of the 5th century. The first Valentine’s note was a poem written from the Duke of Orleans to his wife after he had been captured in war in 1450, according to History.com. (History.com).

Since Valentine’s Day became known as a celebration of romance, it’s no wonder that Cupid

Originally created because of a Pagan festival for pairing up and potentially marrying, Valentine’s Day had always been a day for couples. Today, however, there have been efforts to move the focus away from couples and broaden the significance of the holiday.

‘Galentine’s Day,’ for example, is defined on Cosmopolitan. com as, “the friendship version of Valentine’s Day—a whole day dedicated to celebrating the platonic love between the women and non-binary people in your life.”

Valentine’s Day tends to be a touchy subject. Many people have had a bad experience in the past on Feb. 14 and choose now to celebrate in a more anti-Valentine’s fashion, but I’m here to provide an alternative approach:

celebrating every type of love.

You’re not left out if you’re single on Valentine’s Day, instead you have a chance to hug your friends, call your family, compliment a stranger’s outfit or whatever you can think of to spread love and light.

I use this day as an opportunity to catch up with old friends or family members who have moved away. Checking in to remind someone that they’re important to you, even when they’re far away, is important for long-lasting friendships.

Of course you can show people that you care about them on any day, as you should, but Valentine’s Day is the one day each year that we all simultaneously pause to think about the love in our lives, to all affirm and appreciate those closest to us; what’s materialistic about that?

Sure, anyone can buy a heartshaped box and fresh tulips from the store, but that’s not what it’s all about.

The key to a successful Valentine’s Day is to not lose sight of what really matters; that there are people who you care about and people who care about you. The universal feeling of loving and being loved unites us, and that is why Valentine’s Day is the best holiday.

American Pride. Photos courtesy of Pexels.com,

photo illustration by Andrew Ulstad

Photos by MJ Rivera

Photo courtesy of pexels.com

Track & Field closing out their indoor season

Charis Jones Staff Reporter

With the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Indoor Championship right around the corner, CWU’s track and field team is readying themselves before they step foot into The Podium in Spokane, Washington on Feb. 20.

“It’s always a good first taste of what championships could be for us this year,” Track and Field Head Coach Kevin Adkisson said. “We definitely want to establish ourselves in the top half of the conference and see if we can compete well with some of the other more ‘full teams’ that are out there, just because not every conference school carries a full large roster.”

The team’s most recent events took place on Feb. 4 at the WSU Open and Feb. 11 at the Whitworth Invitational. According to Adkisson, the weather has played a huge role in the team being able to prepare for these upcoming meets.

“We’re trying to take advantage of the good weather we got in January, which we were very happy for and pleased to have our snow on the track melted off,” Adkisson said. “That’s the

big thing in this early phase of the season overall, being able to get quality training in because we’re still keeping the big picture of the season in mind. We’re trying to train now to improve for the main peaking of the year, which will be later in April and May.”

CWU’s indoor track and field team has quite a few athletes whose names have been acknowledged for various awards, one recently being mid-distance runner Johan Correa. According to an article published on Jan. 23, Correa was recognized as one of the GNAC Track and Field Players of the Week for his performance so far this season.

Correa is a junior transfer student from Spokane Falls Community College and during his short time here in Ellensburg, he not only broke his third school record during his third meet for the Wildcats, but he is also ranked fourth in the GNAC mile event this season. Correa had been prepping hard for CWU’s indoor season and his numbers speak for themselves.

“I’ve been training hard since summer for the indoor season while also taking care of my body so I can be at my best during practices,” Correa said.

“My off-season training has been successful and I’ve been feeling really good during practice and meet days.”

Not only is Correa feeling good, but Adkisson also mentions that he is excited to see what spring will hold for this year’s team.

“As we move to outdoor and [regain] our full roster, we re-

ally want to be able to compete hard for top half of the conference, and preferably targeting top three,” Adkisson said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us to do, but I think we’ve got a lot of solid people … we’re excited to see what the new crowd is going to do to help us improve as we build into the season.”

Sports Spectated

Isaac Hinson Sports Editor

Holy hell I got a prediction right, the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes has solidified himself as an all-time great, as has Travis Kelce. It was a really great game, very high scoring and full of great plays by both teams. Unnecessary turnovers cost Philadelphia the game in the long run, with Kansas City leaving no room for error. However, a controversial call at the end of the game is what truly put KC over the edge.

Kevin Durant is a Phoenix Sun??? What??? In maybe the biggest in-season trade of all time, the Brooklyn Nets have decided to entirely move on from the KD/ Kyrie/Harden era of Brooklyn basketball. They are left with Mikal Bridges, Nic Claxton, Spencer Dinwiddie and a plethora of 3&D wings. By no means are they a bad team, and my bold prediction for the remainder of the season is that not only will they make the playoffs, but they will give one of the top seeds a run for their money.

CWU encourages nutritional self-care

times play a role in nutritional decisions as well.

“Body composition, gaining weight, losing weight. We don’t want to talk about that,” Miles said. “If we’re going to lose weight, we’re going to be in a calorie deficit. When we do that, we’re going to have less energy consumed and it may negatively impact performance.”

If anyone is interested in learning more about sports nutrition, Miles suggested taking NUTR 446 taught by Kelly Pritchett.

“It looks at energy systems, carbs, proteins, fats and then she kind of takes the remainder of the quarter and guides it with the current thing in sports nutrition,” Miles said.

According to Miles, while it is an upper-level class with prerequisites, it’s possible to reach out to Pritchett and see if non-nutrition and exercise majors can take the course.

protein-like lean meats. Good carbs for you like brown and white rice.”

For his playstyle and his body, Matlock said he focuses on high-protein foods and always gets a source of vegetables.

“Whether it be broccoli, asparagus, spinach, things like that,” Matlock said.

According to Matlock, nutrition is important year-round for each athlete but the off-season is a priority.

“Using the off-season is when you really get your time to focus on getting better nutritionally and physically,” Matlock said. “It’s the best time to do it. You don’t have to worry about practice time.”

With so many options, builds and lifestyles, Matlock said the most important piece of information is staying disciplined with what you decide for yourself.

Meanwhile, the Josh Hart era of Trail Blazers basketball ended abruptly, mere minutes before the start of a game. He was dealt to the New York Knicks in exchange for Cam Reddish and a first-round pick. The Blazers also added defensive wizard Matisse Thybulle at the deadline, acquiring him from the Philadelphia 76ers. Thybulle played well in his Blazers debut, and has the potential to be a real difference-maker for the team. I’m excited to see what he brings.

Deacon Tuttle Staff Reporter

Whether it’s dunking basketballs into hoops, or cookies into milk, CWU athletes know that and off season they need to be conscious of their nutrition.

Calories, carbohydrates, protein and produce are all part of our nutritional intake. CWU has trainers, students and athletes who wish to highlight a healthy lifestyle for each student, depending on their individual needs.

Marissa Miles is a graduate staff-

ing and teaching assistant in the field of sports nutrition. Since eating is a very personal action, Miles said he believes there are no bad foods.

“All foods fit, within moderation, and balanced throughout the diet,” Miles said.

According to Miles, she offers nutritional advice depending on the sport each person is playing and what role they function in.

“I break it up whether it’s endurance-based or strength-based,” Miles said. “As well as what goal they’re aiming for.”

In-season versus out-of-season

Additionally, Miles cited helpful resources like the Nutrition Club and the exercise science major programs. For example, pure nutrition education involves student training while being overseen by two dieticians.

“Anybody that’s looking at losing weight, gaining weight, how to just eat healthy. They are available,” Miles said.

CWU football player Zach Matlock has recently started to dive into nutritional logistics over the past pre-season.

“I saw the results, especially when summer hit,” Matlock said. “I started going straight into bulking and

“It’s kind of cliche, but trust the process,” Matlock said. “Your plan of [nutrition] and how you want your body to feel eating and how you want your body to feel.”

Resources:

CWU Sports Nutrition Page: https://wildcatsports.com/ sports/2018/10/2/sports-nutrition

CWU Nutrition Club Page: http://www.cwu.edu/~nutritionclub/

NUTR 446 Course: https://catalog.acalog.cwu.edu/preview_ course_nopop.php?catoid=60&coid=137133

JohanCorrea. Photo Courtesy of Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

ZachMatlockwarmingup. Photo by Jacob Thompson / Thompson Sports Media

OF THE WEEK

N’ Scratch”

Artwork by Mason Saulsbury

ART WORDS

Junior, Film

OF THE WEEK

“When the Raven Called”

When the raven called you laughed at how absurd it sounded echoing amongst scenic surroundings. And indeed, it was a crude sound compared to the gentle babble of the stream or the soda-pop bubble of your laugh. How I wished to be the raven. To make you laugh. Now, I wish I could see you again. Wish I could hear your voice echo off these four white walls instead, I sit in the quiet, wanting.

by:J.R.

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Wildcat Words:

by Andrew

“I

What’s the best thing about your partner/being single?

“She understands everything about me and I understand everything about her, and we fill in each other’s missing pieces.”

Q&A

having

rely

other people for things … I would like to be in a relationship, at some point, but right now I like being to myself.”

is an academic advisor for the departments of English and

Amber Hay

What is your favorite part about advising students at CWU?

“He has the best sense of humor, he always makes me laugh … he just knows how to

“You just focus on yourself, accomplish your own goals. You don’t have to get so caught up in someone else.”

“I can come home after a hard day … I just know that my fiance is there, that we can just de-stress and he knows exactly what I’m talking about without having to be there.”

Getting to work with students at various points in their lives, whether they are coming straight from high school or working on their second (or third) career. I love having a diverse mix of students with unique stories to share!

How did you begin advising at CWU?

I finished grad school in May 2017 and an advising position at CWU happened to open up around that time. I started in the First Year and Exploratory Advising Office, working there for four years before transitioning to my current role in Oct. 2021.

What do you wish more people knew about the College of Arts & Humanities (CAH)?

That the disciplines within CAH can add so much value to degrees in other areas! Both the arts and the humanities help us understand the world we live in. The arts enrich everything in our lives so much so that we don’t even notice it; think about it - anything you watch has elements of theater, music, film, and art. Humanities are the same way - philosophy and religion help us to make sense of the world and our thoughts. History provides the context of present day society. Communication, languages and culture allow us to understand one another, no matter our backgrounds. Completing a major or minor in any of CAH’s fields can truly enhance preparation for any career.

What is your favorite class to recommend to students?

Honestly, I don’t have one. My hope is that students will take the time to look through their options and select the right course for them - whether that is a required course for their major or an elective. One of the beautiful elements of college is the freedom and responsibility of self-determination. I encourage students to really take the opportunity to be intentional in the development and creation of their degree. Course selections, particularly where there are choices, can really help students take ownership of their education. I want students to take an active role in exploring all Central has to offer.

What’s one book you can’t stop recommending to people? Your textbooks!

Dakota Egbert Sr. Secondary English Education

Miles Klingler Soph. Biomedical Science

Tyler Henry Sr. Secondary Math Education

Amber Hay

Communication.