The Daily Barometer OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY • CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2014 • VOLUME CXVI, NUMBER 58
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Water: The bridge to peace n
Oregon State students, researcher travel around the world to study water resources, conflict resolution By Dacotah-Victoria Splichalova THE DAILY BAROMETER
Courtesy of Julie Watson
Julie Watson, a Ph.D. candidate in the department of geography, stands in the Red Sea to watch sunrise after visiting the Arava Institute in southern Israel.
The water resources graduate program at Oregon State University offers a fresh approach to communication, negotiation and conflict resolution of heated global disputes over seemingly murky waters. “Water: It’s that one thing (that) connects everybody together,” said Julie Watson, a Ph.D. candidate with an emphasis on water resources and environmental justice in the department of geography. “If we learn everything we can about water, we can be problem solvers, conflict resolvers and work toward bettering human rights and achieving the end of suffering.” Watson, who has always had a strong interest in international politics and problem solving, strives to make a difference in the world. She came to OSU to earn a master’s degree in the water resources policy management program, which is housed in the water resources graduate program. Aaron Wolf, a professor professor of geography in the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences and an internationally recognized tour-de-force on global water negotiations, is Watson’s graduate adviser. Wolf’s research focuses on assessing conflict and cooperation in water resources. This work takes him all over the world. Throughout recent years, Wolf has carried out extensive negotiations in Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Wolf has measured all the trans-boundary basins of the world (water sources that cross borders). He found that twothirds of the interactions over water are cooperative rather than conflict-riddled. According to Watson, this was a big deal. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Anan made a statement back in 2000 that “there would be wars over water in the future.” “Are there going to be water wars?” was the question Wolf sought to answer. Wolf’s findings revealed that, in fact, people tend to cooperate more than not on issues surrounding water. Water acts as a bridge for dialogues to commence on alternate issues such as human rights, agricultural practices and creating sustainable peacebuilding methods. Teaming with Wolf’s ground-breaking conclusions, Watson’s current Ph. D. research addresses the questions, “If people are See WATER | page 4
Undeclared students find guidance in exploratory studies n
UESP helps students explore interests, stay on track for graduation By Kaitlyn Kohlenberg THE DAILY BAROMETER
Heading into his freshman year at Oregon State University, Jason Kohler had a strong passion for music. Having been a disc jockey since high school, Kohler enrolled in OSU’s music department. Within the first few days of classes, though, Kohler realized that the classical music training mandated by the music program would not take him in the direction he wanted. “Immediately, like the first day of class, they were going over notes of music and sheet music,”
Kohler said. “As a person that creates music on a computer and then plays other people’s music, reading sheet music isn’t going to help me. I can still make a song, I just don’t know that the sound I made was an E flat.” Kohler said the transition into UESP went smoothly and the advisers quickly jumped in to help him set goals and course schedules based on his interests. One year later, Kohler is getting ready to declare as a new media communications major. “Anything with music and stuff like that has a great deal of media involved,” Kohler said. “NMC would not only give me ideas of how to get (my music) out there through the different forms of media, but also ways See UESP | page 4
Justin Quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Oregon State University student Jason Kohler pairs his interest for music and media. He plans to declare a degree in new media communications.
Emma-Kate Schaake
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning poses outside of Samaritan Health Services.
Mayor will not seek re-election n
Julie Manning to end run as Corvallis mayor in December, will continue to work on numerous local projects By Emma-Kate Schaake THE DAILY BAROMETER
Corvallis Mayor Julie Manning announced Monday that she will not run for re-election after her four-year term ends this coming December. In addition to acting as mayor, a volunteer position, Manning is the vice president for marketing, public relations and development at Samaritan Health Services. When she became mayor, she reduced her hours with Samaritan Health. Once she has finished with her mayoral term, she plans to increase back to full time in her position at the Samaritan Health. While she has enjoyed her term, participating fully in both positions is no small task and the balance became a major reason Manning decided not to run again next fall. Manning said she had much to learn over the course of the term and has gained from her service as mayor. “It is a tremendously interesting and rewarding job in many ways,” Manning said. “I’m continuing to learn new things every day.” Manning plans to move full-speed ahead in the following year, still continuing to serve on the board for League of Oregon Cities and the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments. This year she will also serve as the Finance and Taxation Policy Committee for the League of Oregon Cities, as well as keeping up with her other duties as mayor. Manning said she has enjoyed her term so far and is proud of the progress that she and the City Council have made on significant issues. One of the City Council goals was to increase participation between Oregon See MANNING | page 4