021814osubaro1 8

The Daily Barometer OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY • CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2014 • VOLUME CXVI, NUMBER 86

DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 541-737-2231

Oregon House passes bill protecting students’ pocketbooks

DAILYBAROMETER

Ramping up accessibility discussions n

THE DAILY BAROMETER

Students in higher education may see lower fees pertaining to student loans, thanks to a bill the Oregon State House of Representatives passed Monday.

Oregon post-secondary educational institutions will no longer be able to contract with third-party financial firms to create and manage student loans unless a series of specific transparency criteria are met, according to an Oregon Legislature press release.

The bill, HB 4102, defines a thirdparty financial firm as a “company, business or other organization that contracts with public or private postsecondary institutions of education.”

Current state law allows higher education institutions to facilitate student loans through other organizations, leaving students paying for additional and unnecessary fees. Students requiring greater amounts of aid ultimately pay the most in unwanted, extra fees.

HB 4102 states that institutions may still employ such contracts, provided students are offered a clear and concise fee schedule and full explanation of all financial logistics. In addition, thirdparty organizations will no longer be able to charge students any additional fees.

The State House of Representatives voted to approve the bill, 33–24, a move that now sends the bill to the Senate floor.

Should the Senate pass the bill, it would be sent to the Governor’s desk for approval. Once signed, it would become immediately effective. managing@dailybarometer.com

OSU College of Forestry hires new department head

By Dacotah-Victoria Splichalova THE DAILY BAROMETER

@BARONEWS, @BAROSPORTS, @BAROFORUM

External ramps among first priorities to be addressed in continuing accessibility plans

By Sean Bassinger THE DAILY BAROMETER

Nicki Silva

| THE DAILY BAROMETER

ASOSU director of accessibility affairs Bryan Williamson called the path between the library and Furman Hall “the worst on campus.”

Campus ramps and slopes can be frightening for Theresa Moore, a blind Memorial Union employee who uses a motorized wheelchair.

Moore, who works as office manager at MU building services, once had to enter the MU through an alternate route near the back of the building because an elevator in the building needed repairs.

“When these accesses were all closed off, I had to use that (road) to get into the building,” Moore said. “That was scary for me.”

Moore said she knows Oregon State University continues to make improvements toward a more accessible campus. However, current sidewalks remain uneven and potentially dangerous for anyone with accessibility needs.

Moore once offered a co-worker, Karen Fuchs, to take some time in her motorized chair to experience Moore’s routine.

Fuchs said pathways near Joyce Collin Furman Hall are among the most extreme.

“The sidewalks have so many bumps and are so uneven,” Fuchs said. “(Moore) told me to close my eyes and I said ‘no way.’”

According to Moore, the pathway between the library and Furman Hall is currently way too steep and was almost impossible to navigate when she used a manual wheelchair.

“I couldn’t get up that hill,” Moore

said. “I had to have somebody push me up.”

Other campus officials said they continue to review, understand and correct as many Americans with Disabilities Act compliance and accessibility issues as possible.

Sid Cooper, assistant director of building services at the MU, said he wanted first-hand experience of using a wheelchair on ramps and pathways connected to the building he manages.

“A good portion of our responsibilities are to make buildings accessible,” Cooper said.

Cooper said the overall experience opened his eyes to the many issues individuals with accessibility needs face on a daily basis.

In many cases, it was hard enough for Cooper to stay level on the sidewalks outside of the MU. “My forward progress wasn’t linear,” Cooper said. “This is what people face when coming to the MU.” Gabe Merrell, senior accessibility associate at the office of equality and inclusion, said many barriers have already been addressed since he arrived in 2010.

Overall, Merrell said OSU has repaired 21 ramps around campus and currently plans to fix an additional 19. According to OSU’s comprehensive accessibility plan, 44 ramp barriers exist on campus; some ramps have multiple inefficiencies such as steep slopes and lack of handrails.

“We’ve actually rebuilt or built or addressed barriers on more ramps than we have barriers left on exterior ramps,” Merrell said.

Merrell said a recent internal survey See RAMPS | page 4

Campus to function around SEC construction until 2015 n

Regular delays, detours on campus due to construction on Student Experience Center

By Kaitlyn Kohlenberg THE DAILY BAROMETER

Dr. Troy Hall will join the College of Forestry this summer as the department of forest ecosystems and society’s new department head.

Hall is an internationally known conservation social scientist who holds degrees in anthropology, cultural anthropology and forest resources.

“We did an international search, we had candidates from Australia — with a really strong set of finalists for the position,” said Thomas Maness, dean of the College of Forestry at Oregon State University. “We’re just absolutely delighted to get Troy Hall to come here and be a department head with us.”

Hall has taught a diverse set of courses, which includes communication

With winter term reaching its final stretch, construction on the Student Experience Center and the east wing of the Memorial Union continues.

While passers-by can see steel framework being put into place, a large sum of the work is done behind closed doors.

“There’s a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes all the time,” said Peter Fuessle, project engineer for Andersen Construction.

Fuessle said the construction team has between 10 and 15 meetings per week to discuss current and future work.

He added that every part of the construction process is planned in detail up to months in advance.

Pre-construction inspections and consultations and design plans took place as early as 2011. Extra consideration has been taken to ensure that the building will achieve the gold-level standard for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certification.

LEED has four levels of construction awards, with gold being the second-highest rating possible.

See HALL | page 4

See CONSTRUCTION | page 4

JUSTIN QUINN

| THE DAILY BAROMETER

The Student Experience Center, under construction until 2015, will house programs that are currently located in Snell Hall.

2•Tuesday, February 18, 2014

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managing@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-3383 Thursday, February 13

window that claimed the barber had screwed up his hair and not to go there.

She believed it to be the previous shop owner, Nelson Brown. Corvallis police spoke to Brown about a separate issue, but he allegedly admitted to posting the sign when questioned further. The current owner was not interested in pursuing charges.

Hulk: Enter dorm Oregon State police responded to the west door of Hawley Hall. Someone had ripped the card reader off the wall, disabling the machine. There are no known suspects at this time.

Friday, February 14

Perfect dorm-room centerpiece Department of public safety student officers reported the theft of a shuttle bus sign near the intersection of 26th Street and Jefferson Avenue at 10:45 p.m.

Three males were allegedly seen carrying the sign at the Weatherford Hall arch and were identified using video surveillance.

An investigation was made in their rooms and the sign was found. Oregon State

troopers cited the males, who were all OSU students, for theft III. Two of them were further cited for minor-in-possession of alcohol.

New reality show: Barbershop battles An employee of the barbershop in the Memorial Union wanted an incident documented, which happened around Thanksgiving of 2013. She reported that someone posted a sign on her shop

Sunday, February 16

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By Hannah Hoffman

from OHSU, it will have just STATESMAN JOURNAL $111 million left in bonding statesmanjournal.com for the remainder of the fiscal SALEM — Officials from year, which ends June 30.

Oregon Health Sciences Girod questioned the wisUniversity had their first pubdom of allocating so much of lic hearing before the budget that capacity on one project. subcommittee on capital con“As a graduate from there struction Friday to ask for $200 and a cancer survivor, I want million in bonding to build this project, but we have to new cancer research facilities. make sure it pencils out,” he OHSU President Joe said.

Robertson and Dr. Brian Robertson said the school Druker told the commitplans to put up $300 million tee the university needs the of its own money to match the money as part of the Knight bonds and will therefore have Cancer Challenge, a philanan even larger investment in thropic campaign launched by the project. And he said the a promise from Nike founder school needs the commitment Phil Knight that he would to the money now to prove to donate $500 million for cancer investors that the project is on research if the university can solid footing. match the amount.

House Speaker Tina Kotek, Robertson said the school who is co-chair of the comwants a commitment from mittee, questioned the need the Oregon Legislature in 2014 for more in-patient beds as but doesn’t actually want the the push in health care is to money until 2016, the year have fewer people staying in it plans to have finished the hospitals, not more.

DANIELLE PETERSON | STATESMAN JOURNAL fundraising and be ready to Druker said about half of Dr. Joe Robertson, president of Oregon Health & Science University, the university’s patients come build the facilities.

Committee Co-Chair Sen. meets with the Statesman Journal Editorial Board Feb. 10. from outside the Portland Fred Girod, R-Stayton, said metro area and would need to he supports the project but is concerned about the size of the be near the research facility to participate in the clinical trials. bond OHSU is asking for.

That said, Druker said the hospital has expanded its outpatient Treasury spokesman James Sinks said this week the legisla- care far beyond its inpatient care. ture has access to only $215 million in general fund bonds this The committee made no decision but will discuss the request year and $96 million in lottery bonds. If it grants the full request later during the session.

Free time is for the birds: A habit-forming experience STATESMAN JOURNAL

KYLEE ESPARZA db4@oregonstate.edu

SALEM ­­­— According to Carolyn Homan, Salem Audubon Society’s Beginning Birding Class should come with a caution label: Warning, may be habit-forming or addictive.

“I’ve really always been interested in birds, but never had the time to do it,” she said. “So once I retired, I sort of thought, you know, that sounds like that would be fun to do.”

She took the series of classes in 2011, then repeated in 2012.

“They just become more and more fascinating the longer the class goes on,” Homan said. “I don’t know how many people I’ve talked to who said ... I mean they don’t even hear the birds, and they certainly don’t see them.

“So they’re flabbergasted once they find out how many kinds there are that you can possibly see.”

In the two years since taking the course the second time, Homan has been on Audubon birding outings far and wide, from Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in the southeastern corner of the state and Summer Lake in Central Oregon, to one birding foray to Enterprise in February — not exactly a garden spot that time of year, with temperatures in the minus column.

Birding is one part seeing

BRADLEY FALLON db5@oregonstate.edu JESSICA BARZLER db6@oregonstate.edu CLASSIFIEDS 541-737-6372 PRODUCTION baro.production@oregonstate.edu The Barometer is published Monday through Friday except holidays and final exam week during the academic school year; weekly during summer term; one issue week prior to fall term in September by the Oregon State University Student Media Committee on behalf of the Associated Students of OSU, at Memorial Union East, OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331-1614.

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Meetings OSU Sales Club, 7pm, Bexell 412.

Around Campus will talk about their internship opportunties and how to better listen and understand your potential client. Come join us!

Career Services, 2-4pm, Valley Library Room: Willamette East & West. Speed Mock Interviews to practice interviewing with Employers and Career Specialists. Bring resume.

Blood Drive Association, 11am-4pm, MU Ballroom. Red Cross Blood Drive.

Save 3 lives! Come donate blood or volunteer at the drive!

Wednesday, Feb. 19 Meetings OSU College Republicans, 7pm, Gilkey 113. Join us for discussion of club and current events. Come have fun with like-minded people.

Events International Students of OSU, 4pm, International Resource Center in the MU. Cultural Heritage. An informative, educational event led by a panel of students and teachers who will answer questions having a cultural background and cultural knowledge.

Career Services, 11am-4pm, CH2M Hill Alumni Center. Winter Career Fair - all majors.

Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, 3:30-5pm, Snell 427. When Identities Collide. We will discuss how our identities can often collide with one another and how to combine one’s own identities.

Blood Drive Association, 11am-4pm, MU Ballroom. Red Cross Blood Drive.

Save 3 lives! Come donate blood or volunteer at the drive!

Thursday, Feb. 20 Speakers OSU Socratic Club, 7-9pm, Milam Auditorium. Drs. Blomberg & Steeher will debate “The Resurrection of Jesus: Fact of History or Article of Faith?” All debates free and open to the public. Q&A at the end.

Events Career Services, 11am-4pm, CH2M Hill Alumni Center. Winter Career Fair - engineering majors.

Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, 5:30-7pm, Snell 427. Put the “U” in eugenics: presentation and description on eugenics.

Blood Drive Association, 11am-4pm, MU Ballroom. Red Cross Blood Drive.

Save 3 lives! Come donate blood or volunteer at the drive!

Student Sustainability Initiative, 5:30-7:30pm, Marketplace West Large East Conference Room. Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) Kickoff Party. Join the festivities and get the inside scoop on how to win the CCN competition between residence halls.

Food and giveaways included!

Saturday, Feb. 22 Events Permias OSU - Indonesian Students Assocation, 6-8pm, MU Ballroom.

Annual Indonesian Night “Fearless Sumatra.” There will be performers and Indonesian food and beverages provided.

By Henry Miller

KALEB KOHNE db3@oregonstate.edu

Tuesday, Feb. 18

Events

Happy belated Valentine’s Day, sweetie Oregon State police responded to a car break-in at 11th Street and Jefferson Avenue. The victim reported the rear passenger window was shattered for entry to be made. Items stolen included a Nintendo DS 3D with several Pokemon games and Valentine’s Day chocolate.

OHSU has first hearing on $200M request NEWS TIPS • 541-737-3383

Calendar

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Sunday, Feb. 23 Events International Students of OSU, 6pm, MU Ballroom. A Cultural Affair: A cultural talent show.

Monday, Feb. 24 Meetings Campus Recylcing, 5:30-6:30pm, Student Sustainability Center. Waste Watchers Weekly Meetings - Come learn about volunteer opportunities and help plan waste reduction events and outreach around campus.

Events

HENRY MILLER

| STATESMAN JOURNAL

In addition to the indoor sessions during the Beginning Birding Class, Salem Audubon leads a series of outings for beginners to use their knowledge in the field. birds you never knew were there (even right in your back yard), and another part seeing fascinating places you never knew existed, and being part of a wide community with a shared passion, Homan said.

“You can be with people who also are considered crazy, if you will,” she said with a laugh. “And that’s really a great way to really sort of immerse yourself in it with people who know what the heck they’re doing, and what to listen for and what to look for.

“A good friend of mine, I talk to her about some of the

birding trips that I’ve been on, and the way she described it is, ‘It’s kind of a treasure hunt.’

You have an idea about what might be out there, but you’re just never sure. Some things that you think might be there aren’t there, and something is there that you didn’t expect at all.”

And her birding pastime meshes well with her husband Tom’s passion for plants.

“Oh yeah. My husband’s really interested in plants, so it’s really a doubling down for us. He studied horticulture in college, so he’s a plant nut,”

Homan said. “He doesn’t do the birding because he’s got so many other things that he does. But he does enjoy it when we go on trips, so that makes it nice.”

Just as the interview was wrapping up, she paused.

“I’m looking in my back yard right now, and there’s a varied thrush in my yard,” she said about a bright orange bird with a black bandit mast and collar. “I’ve never see one here.

I’ll be darned.”

About that potential for birding becoming habit-forming: You have been warned.

International Students of OSU, 4:306pm, International Resource Center, MU. Coffee Hour. Come enjoy international food, mingle with other OSU and international students and become culturally aware.

Wednesday, Feb. 26 Meetings OSU College Republicans, 7pm, Gilkey 113. Join us for discussion of club and current events. Come have fun with like-minded people.

Thursday, Feb. 27 Meetings Baha’i Campus Association, 12:30pm, MU Talisman Room. Soul, Spirit and Mind - A discussion.

Monday, Mar. 3 Meetings Campus Recylcing, 5:30-6:30pm, Student Sustainability Center. Waste Watchers Weekly Meetings - Come learn about volunteer opportunities and help plan waste reduction events and outreach around campus.

managing@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-3383

Tuesday, February 18, 2014• 3

Security leaks lead to changes statesmanjournal.com

SALEM ­ — The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is investigating incidents of personal information leaks at Cover Oregon, a spokeswoman said.

The investigation centers on reports from several people in November that they received pages of strangers’ insurance applications in the mail from Cover Oregon. The pages contained sensitive and personal data, such as names, Social Security numbers, birth dates and income details.

If the DCBS deems it warranted, it could impose a fine on Cover Oregon.

Cover Oregon officials say they have taken care of gaps in procedures that made consumers’ private information vulnerable.

Spokesman Michael Cox said a review of the incidents exposed deficiencies in the process customer service representatives used to track down missing information in application forms.

The findings from the review confirmed early theories that the leak occurred because a customer service representative accidentally picked up extra pages that did not belong together from a shared printer.

The changes in procedures Cover Oregon made include extra verification of addresses,

Cox said. In addition, instead of sending back partially filled out forms to applicants who failed to answer all the questions, staffers are mailing blank applications with the necessary questions highlighted.

Since the November breaches, Cox said, Cover Oregon has not reported any new incidents of personal information leaks.

DCBS spokeswoman Cheryl Martinis said she could not elaborate on the Cover Oregon case specifically because of the ongoing investigation.

Typicially, DCBS wants to find out ifthe business or agency has in place reasonable safeguards to protect personal information, what it’s doing to fix problems and whether it is notifying individuals affected by the breach.

DCBS is the enforcement agency behind the Oregon Identity Theft Protection Act. In November, Valarie Henderson called the Statesman Journal to report that she received pages from strangers’ applications for health insurance, with personal details such as Social Security numbers, names, birth dates and income information.

At the time, Cox said Cover Oregon would “conduct a full review of our procedures and swiftly make any recommended improvement.�

Then a few days later, Cover Oregon said it had discovered two additional cases of similar leaks of personal information.

When asked repeatedly by the

Statesman Journal to produce documentation of the review over several weeks, Cox wrote in an email that the investigation was not documented in a report. “We did not produce a written report,� he said. “Rather we conducted the investigation and made the changes in real time.�

Cover Oregon did provide a letter it sent to the Department of Consumer and Business Services, apparently in response to an inquiry from the state agency.

It reads that Cover Oregon learned about the first reported case of security breach through a phone call from the Statesman Journal.

As of Dec. 13, Cover Oregon had not notified the individuals whose information was compromised, as required by state statute, because the people could not be found in its database, the letter reads.

The letter did not address the two additional incidents of personal information leaks.

DCBS in October imposed a $5,000 penalty on Samaritan Health Services Inc. for discarding patient files in an unlocked recycling bin. About 20 of the 1,222 files contained patient names and Social Security numbers, according to the administrative order.

The order states that DCBS would waive $4,000 of the total penalty if Samaritan Health did not violate identity theft protection laws for five years from its effective date.

Bend plans to break ground on controversial water project

By David Nogueras

Tumalo Creek. The city wants complete that part of the project before Deschutes County repaves the road this spring. But whether the pipe BEND — The City of Bend says it plans to ever actually goes into service could ultimately break ground on a multi-million dollar over- be up to US District Court Judge, Ann Aiken. haul of the city’s surface water system within In a lawsuit filed by Central Oregon the next week. The announcement comes Landwatch and WaterWatch of Oregon, the after more than a year of delays. But as David conservation groups allege that the US Forest Nogueras reports, the project still faces legal Service failed to adequately assess the project’s hurdles. environmental impact when it issued permits Phase one of the project calls for the replace- to the city.

On Friday, Aiken denied the groups’ request ment of a 10-mile pipe buried beneath the road that leads out to the city’s intake point at to block the city from breaking ground.

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Services TUTORING: English language skills. Individuals/groups. Editing: Dissertations, theses, publications, term papers. Experienced retired professor. 541-740-3707

For Sale 2380 PICKFORD ST - Corvallis Duplex. 2 bedrooms each side. Fenced yards. Near bus line. Great investment. Only $199,500. 541753-4567

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HOUSES AND TOWNHOUSES for next school year. Walk to class. www.ppnw.com

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By Dave Blanchard and Gretchen Kilby OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING

PORTLAND — Oregon’s Treasurer says the state’s information technology system is woefully outdated and needs attention. Wheeler made the comments on Monday’s “Think Out Loud� program.

Wheeler sidestepped questions about the troubled Cover Oregon website, but said the state has neglected other less publicized computer issues. “We still have agencies that are working on DOS, 4-tran, Cobalt. If you know what I’m talking about you’re probably 50 or older,� he said.

Wheeler says it’s hard to get the resources to fix the problems that come with using outdated systems that sometimes aren’t even serviced by the companies that created them.

He added that state of the art technology actually lowers costs and serves citizens better than older systems, and that the state should start investing in IT the way a private sector company would.

Wheeler says he doesn’t blame any one person for the problem but he says various agencies, leaders and legislatures over the years have ignored the need for IT and computer upgrades.

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The Resurrection of Jesus: An Article of Faith or a Fact of History?

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The Socratic Club at OSU presents a dialogue free and open to the public, sponsored by SEAC and Ed.Act.

The Socratic Club

Winter Tune-Up Special!

The Resurrection of Jesus means different things to different people. For some it is a foundation of faith, proof of God’s immense love for us and His sovereignty over all creation. Others call it a myth or even a lie, claiming there is no reason to trust any resurrection account. What does the evidence tell us? Craig Blomberg and Carl Stecher will present divergent views.

Craig Blomberg is Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary. He holds a PhD in New Testament from Aberdeen University. He is the author of 20 works including The Historical Reliability of the Gospels.

Carl Stecher is Professor Emeritus of Literature at Salem State University. Stecher earned a PhD at the University of Connecticut. He has written for Skeptic and The Humanist. He is the co-author of God Questions.

Thursday, February 20th, at 7 p.m., in Milam Auditorium on the OSU campus

For more information visit our website at http://groups.oregonstate.edu/socratic/ Please use the contact form to request special accommodations.

A live stream of the event will be available for viewing at http://live.oregonstate.edu/ Watch more than 20 of our previous debates online at www.youtube.com/user/orstscocraticclub

To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.

By Saerom Yoo STATESMAN JOURNAL

Treasurer Career Fair Wheeler says Tomorrow Oregon’s 11am–4pm IT woefully out of date

Yesterday’s Solution

4•Tuesday, February 18, 2014

managing@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-3383

Largest prison-workers union still hasn’t settled employment contract

By Hannah Hoffman STATESMAN JOURNAL statesmanjournal.com

SALEM — The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 75 has been working without a contract since July 1.

AFSCME, as the union is known, is the largest union in the Oregon Department of Corrections, and the second-largest public sector union in the state. It looks poised to go into binding arbitration this spring.

The state’s largest union, Service Employees International Union Local 503, settled its contract last summer after some rocky bargaining and the threat of a strike.

But AFSCME can’t make that same threat, or at least Corrections employees can’t. They’re prohibited from striking like all state workers whose jobs involve public safety.

Instead, they are subject to arbitration. That occurs when one party declares an impasse, which the state Department of Administrative Services bargaining team did on Jan. 10. A third-party arbitrator will look at both final offers and pick one both parties must adhere to. A meeting has not been scheduled.

The state had little to say about the negotiations.

“Long story short,” said DAS spokesman Matt Shelby, “we’re still in the bargaining process.”

Union representatives were more forthcoming.

Tim Woolery, corrections coordinator for AFSCME, said there is a list of primary sticking points: The union has proposed a year-long survivors benefit be added to its insurance policy for the

families of any corrections officers killed in the line of duty. The state won’t agree to it, Woolery said, because it doesn’t want to start a new benefit for all state employees. However, he said most don’t have jobs that are dangerous or could get them killed, so it’s unlikely the program would need to be expanded to all workers.

The union wants a 5 percent salary differential for transport unit employees who are required to have a commercial drivers license. This differential exists in some other departments, Woolery said, but the state won’t agree to it in this case. It would apply to 57 employees, he said.

AFSCME wants on-call pay for officers who take inmate crews out to fight wildfires, which he said should be cost-neutral because the Department of Forestry pays the corrections department for the time those officers and inmates are working on the fires.

Shutter Creek Correctional Institution wants to reduce the number of “training officers,” whose schedules are assigned as needed and are highly unpredictable, from six to two. It’s a small staff, Woolery said, and there is no need for so many people in those positions.

AFSCME wants to adjust salary levels to fix certain situations where employees with more seniority are making less money than those with less seniority.

Woolery said the bargaining process has been more protracted than usual because it took a fourmonth hiatus while the union dealt with a conflict with Oregon’s second-largest corrections union, the Association of Oregon Corrections Employees.

The smaller union petitioned to force AFSCME

RAMPS n Continued from page 1

pathway that connects Furman Hall and the library — also defined as a ramp — should be addressed sooner.

“That one is the worst on campus,” Williamson of 27 major campus buildings will help outline said. continuing priorities for OSU moving forward.

Williamson presented a testimonial to legAccording to Merrell, the accessibility ramp islature Friday in an effort to raise awareness near the side of Strand Agricultural Hall will be of continuing accessibility issues at OSU. Both removed and replaced with four more accessible Williamson and OSU officials hope to receive a slopes on each side of the building. $10 million bond from the state to help with ADA “It has some issues, though it’s not our worst compliance needs. ramp on campus,” Merrell said. “It’s not an “I think we’re going to start getting some tracinclusive entrance that brings people into the tion here,” Williamson said. same area.”

Sean Bassinger Like Moore, Bryan Williamson, director of Higher education reporter accessibility affairs at ASOSU said the upward managing@dailybarometer.com

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KOBBI R. BLAIR

| STATESMAN JOURNAL

The Dome Building is one of the most recognized structures on the Oregon State Hospital North Campus. It now houses office space for the Oregon Department of Corrections. members to vote on whether 1,800 of them should join AOCE. The process took months, Woolery said, and bargaining had to be put on hold. The AFSCME members eventually voted to stay in the union.

Corrections Director Colette Peters told the Oregon Legislature last week that her department is struggling with budget issues, and the unresolved contract is among the problems.

Woolery said it’s the other way around, with the budget problem creating the contract problem.

“The DOC has budget issues, and it doesn’t want to pay,” he said. “I think our offer is reasonable and the state is just being stubborn, if you will.”

Union spokesman Don Loving said the problem is philosophical as well. The state doesn’t want to give this union different treatment or benefits than it gives others, he said.

“Our members do, to some degree, risk their lives every day,” he said. “It’s okay for the state to treat them a little differently.”

HALL n Continued from page 1

of Idaho.

Hall is a member of U.S. Forest Service National Wilderness Teams and has a long-lasting record of theory, data analysis and interpretation, cross- research, education and service related to wilderdisciplinary research and wilderness management. ness issues — much of it in Oregon.

With a strong background in conservation, In Hall’s career, she has supervised more than 30 graduate students and published more than 50 Hall is committed to finding solutions for workrefereed journal articles on a wide variety of topics ing together with communities and ecosystems, related to conservation and social science, accord- according to Maness.

“I think that’s going to bring a really fresh ing to Maness.

Hall has served as department head in the approach to our college,” Maness said. department of conservation social sciences and has Dacotah-Victoria Splichalova Science reporter also served as the director of graduate studies for managing@dailybarometer.com the College of Natural Resources at the University

O R E G O N S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

SPORTS CLUBS

LEAVING A LEGACY!

Bass Fishing Cycling Disc Golf Dodgeball Equestrian (Dressage, Drill, Event & Hunter Jumper) Gymnastics Intercollegiate Horse Show Judo Karate Kendo Lacrosse – Men’s Lacrosse – Women’s Pistol Polo – Horse Racquetball Rifle Rugby – Men’s Rugby – Women’s Running Sailing Soccer – Men’s Soccer – Women’s Stock Horse Table Tennis Tae Kwon Do Tennis Triathlon Ultimate Disc – Men’s

BASS FISHING – 16th Place - Bassmasters College National Championship MEN’S RUGBY – 15th place, USA Rugby Collegiate 7’s National Championships WOMEN’S RUGBY – 12th Place, USA Rugby Collegiate 7’s National Championships SAILING – 10th Place - Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) Match Race National Championships WOMEN’S SOCCER – 1st Place, undefeated season – Cascade Collegiate Soccer League TABLE TENNIS – 1st Place - National Collegiate Table Tennis Association (NCTTA) Northwest Division Tournament

FOR MORE INFO: oregonstate.edu/recsports/sport-clubs

Ultimate Disc – Women’s Volleyball – Men’s Volleyball – Women’s Water Polo – Men’s Water Polo – Women’s

Disability accommodations, please call Mitch Wiltbank, 541-737-3566.

Justin Quinn

| THE DAILY BAROMETER

The inside of the Student Experience Center, which is being constructed in the old Memorial Union parking lot.

CONSTRUCTION n Continued from page 1

“There’s a lot of time and effort that goes into coordinating all those different things,” Fuessle said.

With steel bars still being put into place, the next steps for the SEC’s construction is pouring concrete for flooring, putting the exterior framing into place and the starts of electrical ducts and plumbing being placed.

Though the bare-bones building and constant construction can be an eyesore for some, many students, staff and faculty have gotten used to the construction site.

“It’s not the most attractive thing to have going on at the center of campus, but getting the nice new building is definitely worth it,” said Jessica Downing, a sophomore in pre-nursing.

For anyone trying to get through campus via a motorized vehicle, though, the construction has added additional stress to daily commutes.

The intersection at Southwest Jefferson Way and Southwest Waldo Place is closed off for 20 minutes during passing times, creating delays and detours.

“There’s always someone that’s in a hurry or someone that didn’t realize that this is a necessity to protect the students and this is what we’re here for,” said Aldana Potter, a flagger for A+ Flagging, a company Andersen Construction subcontracts.

“We just try to sympathize with them and basically let them know that 20 minutes isn’t that long.”

In regards to the hassle of detours, Downing felt that people should accept it and move on.

“By this point, I think most people are used to it,” Downing said. “I think that if you’re driving around that time, after getting stuck once it should be easy to realize that it’d be easier to drive a different way.”

In the meantime, students can expect to see the exterior skin of the building to be completed during summer 2014. This will allow work crews to continue construction and finishing touches on the inside of the building without fear of weather damage.

Fuessle said that construction for the SEC is still set to be finished by the start of 2015, when keys to the building will be handed over to the university.

Kaitlyn Kohlenberg

Campus reporter managing@dailybarometer.com

The Daily Barometer 5 • Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Wrestling goes 2-0 to end National Duals n

Sports

sports@dailybarometer.com • On Twitter @barosports

Blalock makes most of last year Senior Oregon State gymnast Kelsi Blalock changes approach in final year after NCAA granted her a fifth year for medical redshirt

n

Despite competing in consolation, OSU knocks off 2 ranked opponents

By Scott McReynolds THE DAILY BAROMETER

Fifth-year senior Kelsi Blalock finished last season thinking it was her last.

While she had suffered an injury at the beginning of her freshman year, ending her season, she didn’t use a redshirt.

Because the injury happened early enough in the season, NCAA rules allowed Blalock to apply for a medical redshirt, granting her a fifth year of eligibility.

At the 2013 NCAA Regionals in Corvallis, Blalock thought her career finished with the Beavers, who did not advance to nationals.

“I hadn’t really known (I could get a medical redshirt for this season),” Blalock said. “And then I landed my vault and I just broke down because I thought I was done with gymnastics, and we didn’t make it and it was just an overwhelming feeling.

“Then (head coach Tanya Chaplin) told me there was a chance I could come back and it was just one of those things where I was just so happy to have an opportunity to come back and do better for the team.”

Another year of eligibility has meant one more year of performing for the school she grew up cheering for.

Blalock grew up in Gresham, where she lived until moving to Washington when she was in the sixth grade.

She grew up going to OSU gymnastics meets, and says she always felt that OSU was where she was going to end up.

“I’m really glad I chose to come to Oregon State; I have little girls that I’ve known since I was younger come watch and club teammates who get to come watch all the time,” Blalock said. “It’s just a really fulfilling feeling to be able to be someone they can look up to and to show them that with hard work this really is possible, because I wouldn’t be in college if it wasn’t for gymnastics.”

Last season, Blalock’s fourth with the Beavers, was the first time in seven years that an OSU gymnastics team had not reached the NCAA Championships.

While Blalock had already achieved personal goals — she was named a National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches First Team All-American and AllPac-12 First Team in vault last year — Blalock found herself not feeling satisfied with how things ended last year.

THE DAILY BAROMETER

After losing in the first round of the National Duals Sunday in Columbus, Ohio, Oregon State bounced back Monday with two wins against ranked opponents.

The Beavers (12-7, 3-2 Pac-12) took down No. 17 North Dakota State in its first consolation dual, followed by a one-point victory against No. 18 Illinois.

Having lost to North Dakota State in Corvallis earlier this season, Oregon State fell behind early once again.

Junior 125-pounder Pat Rollins lost, 6-0, to NDSU’s Hunter Weber in the opening bout, but OSU claimed a 6-0 lead in the next match thanks to a fall from 133-pound sophomore Joey Palmer.

Palmer — who has wrestled almost exclusively in the 125-pound weight class this season — pinned Justin LaValle in 4:37.

Redshirt freshman Joey Delgado followed with a 3-0 victory, and No. 11 Scott Sakaguchi (149-pound weight class) and No. 11 RJ Pena (157-pound) combined for seven team points, giving the Beavers a commanding 15-3 advantage.

North Dakota State fought back, however, winning the next three bouts. Sophomore Toney Chay lost via technical fall in the 165-pound weight class, followed by back-to-back decisions for the Bison in the 174 and 184-pound bouts.

No. 12 Taylor Meeks knotted four more team points for OSU at 197, earning a 20-8 major decision. No. 14 Amarveer Dhesi followed with a 3-2 decision, giving the Beavers a decisive 23-14 victory.

See GYMNASTICS | page 6

Senior Kelsi Blalock performs her floor routine Saturday in Gill Coliseum.

See WRESTLING | page 6

justin quinn | THE DAILY BAROMETER

Freshman throws shutout in debut Oregon State baseball knocked off Pacific, 7-0, Monday in Arizona to improve to 4-0

weekend at Tempe Diablo Stadium with four wins in four games.

Freshman right-hander Jake Thompson threw seven scoreless innings in his collegiate debut, striking out three and allowing five total THE DAILY BAROMETER base runners on three hits and two No. 2 Oregon State continued its walks. perfect start to the season Monday, Thompson retired 10 of the last 11 topping Pacific, 7-0, to conclude its batters he faced, earning his first win n

Conforto THE DAILY BAROMETER

Junior left fielder Michael Conforto is The Daily Barometer Athlete of the Week after his offensive onslaught over the weekend at the Husker Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

The left-handed hitting Conforto went 7-for-14 at the plate in the four

victories for No. 2 Oregon State, including 11 runs batted in, five runs scored and six walks.

Conforto is off to a hot start in 2014 after winning Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2013.

Conforto went 0-for-4 in OSU’s 4-3 win to start the season against Gonzaga, but got on track, going 2-for3 against Nebraska, 3-for-3 against Pacific and then 2-for-4 against Pacific again.

Conforto, a preseason All-American, won multiple accolades last season, including Perfect Game All-America First Team, College World Series AllTournament Team and was Pac-12 Player of the Week twice.

as an Oregon State Beaver.

Junior left fielder Michael Conforto led the Beavers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three runs batted in. The reigning Pac-12 Player of the Year finished the weekend a combined 7-for-14 at the plate, including 11 RBIs, five runs scored and six walks.

See BASEBALL | page 6

He batted .328 in 65 games during his 2013 campaign, including 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 47 RBI. Conforto was arguably better his freshman year, as he was named the Louisville Slugger Freshman Hitter of the Year as well as First Team Freshman All-American. He was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year behind a .349 batting average, 13 home runs and an Oregon State school record 76 RBI. Conforto and the Beavers are back in action Friday when they travel back to Arizona to face Nebraska in the Aramark Pac-12-Big Ten Tournament.

The Daily Barometer On Twitter @barosports sports@dailybarometer

FINAL SCORE:

OREGON STATE 7, PACIFIC 0 2 OREGON STATE

PACIFIC Sullivan cf Brusa dh Mansfield ph Sullivan ss Drongesen c Lockwood 1b Murphy rf Wagner 3b Gosano 2b Klein ph Haddad 2b Totals

ab 4 3 1 4 3 4 3 3 2 1 0 31

r 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

h 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 4

bi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

bb 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2

so 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

Hendrix cf Peterson 2b Conforto lf Davis rf Howard dh Hamilton 3b Clark 1b Mildenberg pr Keyes 1b Ice c Morrison ss Totals

Pacific Oregon State

ab 3 3 4 5 4 4 1 0 3 3 4 34

r h 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 1 2 1 1 7 10

bi 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7

bb 1 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 8

000 000 000 - 0 001 001 50x - 7

E - Murphy (1), Peterson (2). DP - OSU 1. LOB - Pacific 6, OSU 14. 2B - Murphy (1), Keyes (2). 3B Conforto (1). HBP - Hendrix (2), Hamilton (2), Ice (1).

Pacific Lydon L, 0-1 Taasaas Arobio Lombardi Benson Hammann Pacific Thompson W, 1-0 Reser Flemer

IP

H

R

ER

BB

SO

3 2/3 1 1/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 1

3 0 2 2 2 1

1 0 1 3 2 0

1 0 1 3 2 0

4 0 2 1 1 0

4 2 1 0 0 0

7 1 1

3 1 0

0 0 0

0 0 0

2 0 0

3 1 0

so 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 2 7

6•Tuesday, February 18, 2014

sports@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231

Women’s golf takes 12th at Invitational Sewell leads the way for Beavers, who finished 12th of 14 at Peg Barnard Invitational

par 70-72—142 at the par-71, ending with the fifth top-10 finish of her career.

The Beavers started the weekend out strong, shooting a 16-over 300 in Saturday’s opening round, but THE DAILY BAROMETER slipped back to a 24-over 308 Sunday Oregon State senior Lauren Sewell as they fell from a tie for eighth fired a 1-over 72 in the final round place into 12th out of the 14 teams of the 19th Annual Peg Barnard in the field.

Invitational Sunday to finish in a tie Sewell had three birdies Sunday for sixth place, but the Oregon State after shooting four in the opening women’s golf team was unable to see round. She only had two bogeys, as much progress as they finished the well as a double bogey on the par-4 tournament in a tie for 12th place. ninth, her second hole of the day.

Sewell finished the two-day, Senior Seshia Telles shot a 6-over 36-hole tournament with an even- 77 for the second straight day and n

finished in a tie for 42nd with a 12-over 154, while sophomore Chelsea Saelee and junior Anica Yoo both finished in a tie for 53rd with a 14-over 156 as Saelee went 78-78 and Yoo posted rounds of 75 and 81.

Sophomore Ashlee Pickerell rounded out the tournament for the Beavers, finishing in 74th with a 27-over 83-86—169.

The Beavers return to action when they compete at the Westbrook Spring Invitational in Peoria, Ariz., Sunday.

Eggers: Ducks shoot to rivalry win, but is either team relevant?

By Kerry Eggers PORTLAND TRIBUNE

EUGENE — The moment of truth came late for Oregon, as usual.

Oregon State had trimmed an early 19-point deficit to 72-70 on a pair of Hallice Cooke free throws with 5:11 remaining Sunday, and the partisans among the Matthew Knight Arena throng of 10,013 were duneasy as a windsock in a tornado.

The Ducks (16-8 overall, 4-8 in Pac12 action) had been there before. Too many times over the past month, they had taken opponents to the wire before falling, losing five games by four points or fewer.

This time they were up for the challenge, outscoring the Beavers 15-4 over the next four minutes to salt away a 93-83 victory.

“We got in the huddle and said, ‘Fellas, take a deep breath. It still comes down to execution and finishing some plays,’ “ Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “For the most part, they did a good job of that.”

Over the decisive four-minute period, the Ducks got points from all five players on the court, including junior guard Joseph Young, whose game-high 25 points spelled doom for the Beavers (13-11, 5-7) as much as anything.

That and what happened at the 3-point line almost before the fans had settled

into their seats.

The Ducks sank their first seven attempts from beyond the arc. By the time they finally missed one, they led 31-12 and there was still half of the first half to play.

“They live on 3’s,” Oregon State coach Craig Robinson said. “Our whole game plan was to stop them shooting 3’s. They shot about 30 of them in the beginning of the game.”

Oregon entered the game having attempted the most 3-point shots of any Pac-12 team in conference games (228 in 11, nearly 21 a game) but ranked only eighth in percentage of makes (.325).

The Ducks cooled off after the torrid start, making only 2 of 7 3-point attempts after finishing 9 for 14 in the first half. By that time, though, too much damage had been done.

“You can’t play any game -- let alone a Civil War -- where you give them a 19-point lead head start,” Robinson said.

The Beavers -- who entered the game leading the Pac-12 in 3-point percentage in conference games (.476) by a wide margin -- were only 5 for 16 on treys. Oregon’s 18-point edge from the stripe was simply too much for the visitors overcome, even while scoring 48 points in the second half, since the Ducks tallied 48, too.

“It was more of an offensive game than anything,” Altman said.

The Daily Barometer

On Twitter @barosports sports@dailybarometer.com

BASEBALL n Continued from page 5 The Beavers stranded 11 runners through the first six innings Monday, but claimed the first lead of the game with a fiverun seventh highlighted by a two-RBI single from sophomore center fielder Jeff Hendrix.

Freshman shortstop Trever Morrison and senior second baseman Andy Peterson contributed RBI singles of their own in the inning.

Oregon State will return to Arizona Friday for four games in Surprise. The Beavers take on Nebraska to open the tournament, followed by bouts with Michigan State, No. 10 Indiana and Washington.

The Beavers face the Hoosiers Sunday in a rematch from last year’s College World Series. OSU eliminated Indiana from national championship contention when the two teams met last June in Omaha, Neb. Friday’s matchup with Nebraska is set for 12 p.m.

PST. The Daily Barometer On Twitter @barosports sports@dailybarometer.com

nicki silva

justin quinn

| THE DAILY BAROMETER

Cerise Witherby and Kelsi Blalock wave to the Gill Coliseum crowd against Iowa State Jan. 25.

BLALOCK n Continued from page 5 “I needed to stop thinking about myself and have success as a team and reach those goals because those are so much more fulfilling than being an All-American,” Blalock said.

Right now, the young OSU squad is ranked No. 12 in the nation, but Blalock hasn’t yet performed at the level she did a year ago. Still, the coaching staff realizes her importance on the mat and the level she could reach by the end of the season.

“I think we are really going to see her contribute the most toward the end of the season because she’s experienced this all,” said associate head coach Michael Chaplin.

Her experiences have led to a changed perspective. In the past, Blalock said she focused on her own performance. This year, she’s putting the team in front of herself.

“I’m really hard on myself when I don’t do well,” she said. “(This year) was a really big change for me to be able to be happy when the team has success and I don’t.”

As a fifth-year senior, Blalock has

been instrumental in helping the Beavers’ group of talented freshmen in adjusting to the collegiate level. Her experiences, and the newfound ability to always put the team first, have allowed her to assume a leadership role she wasn’t accustomed to in the past.

Blalock knows that the team will ultimately help her and her team achieve their goals. She wants to make it to the Super Six, where the final six gymnastics teams in the nation compete for a national championship.

Blalock’s goals are bigger than they were at the beginning of the season.

“I’ve had success on vault one day and on floor the next day,” Blalock said.

“I feel that I have a lot more potential than I gave myself credit for.”

Anyway you look at it, Blalock has made her mark on OSU gymnastics.

She’s an All-American, she’s 10th on OSU’s all-time list for vault (9.950) and has been All-Pac-12 multiple years.

There won’t be anymore redshirt seasons for Blalock, and this year really will be her last as a Beaver.

She hopes it ends with a shot at a national championship.

Scott McReynolds, sports reporter On Twitter @scottyknows80 sports@dailybarometer.com

| THE DAILY BAROMETER

Junior 197-pounder Taylor Meeks wrestles Oklahoma’s Travis Rutt in Gill Coliseum Jan. 25. Meeks went 2-0 Monday at National Duals in Columbus, Ohio.

WRESTLING n Continued from page 5

lead to just two.

Latham quickly put the Beavers back up 15-10, however, giving OSU some needed breathing room.

Illinois would win two of the remaining three bouts — Against Illinois, the Beavers fell behind early again, this time 6-0 when Rollins was pinned. But like the win a major decision at 184 and a decision at heavyweight against North Dakota State, OSU quickly fired back win- — but Meeks earned a 5-2 decision at 197 giving OSU its second win in as many tries. ning the next four bouts.

Monday marked OSU’s last dual competition of Palmer won, 10-4, followed by a 4-1 decision from Delgado. Sakaguchi earned a narrow 2-1 decision against the year, as the team now looks ahead to the Pac-12 John Fahy, and Pena notched a 6-1 decision against Zach Championships, which start March 2.

Brunson.

The Daily Barometer Mirroring the earlier matchup, Illinois fired back with On Twitter @barosports a decision in the 165-pound matchup narrowing OSU’s sports@dailybarometer.com

PHOTOS BY justin quinn

| THE DAILY BAROMETER

Cerise Witherby (middle) and Katelyn Ohlrich (right) congratulate Kelsi Blalock (left).

The Daily Barometer 7 •Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Editorial

No-reward holidays: Should we care?

I

t seems to be a phenomenon of adulthood, the declining importance of holidays that aren’t bank or federal holidays. It can make our lives harder when bank and federal holidays don’t coincide, but when they do it’s tough enough.

Have you ever tried to get things done on a holiday when the banks are closed, or when stores are either closed or observing special, restricted hours for the holidays?

(It’s great that the employees get to celebrate too, but it makes our lives harder. Yes, we’re crying about our First World problems, but aren’t those the only problems students in universities cry about?)

It’s difficult, though thanks to the Internet, much less difficult than it used to be when we were kids and our parents were grumbling about the very days we were so stoked about.

If a holiday doesn’t mean we get a day off school or work, or that people are going to give us presents or candy or an excuse to drink and party hearty, most of us don’t even care anymore.

Observation of religious holidays that don’t include traditional gift-giving tends to fall by the wayside for most of us once we’re out of the aura of parental influence. And those are the days we’ve had pounded into our heads as holy days since our skulls were still soft. If we’re forgetting those days, do national holidays we’ve never associated with anything even stand a chance?

Monday was Presidents Day. Some people probably knew that. Some people probably cared. Most of us in the newsroom were more worried about upcoming midterms and didn’t realize the day was a national holiday.

Well, is it really that important, if we don’t get a day off of school? Not observing Presidents Day doesn’t make us anarchists. It’s not like Mother’s or Father’s Day, which if you forget to observe, it generally results in an epic guilt trip or two. But whether we get a holiday off of school doesn’t make it important. We only get a set number of days off per term, and this term was spent on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The real reason we think we’re not paying attention to these “benefit-less” holidays is that we’ve got a whole hell of a lot more on our plates than we did back in grade school, when book reports and spelling tests were the height of most of our obligations.

Now, we have classes that actually matter and will affect our degrees and the rest of our lives, massive debt to worry about, household chores to do that actually make a difference if we skip them since no one’s picking up after us anymore, groceries to buy and bills to pay. t

Editorials serve as means for Barometer editors to offer

commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board’s majority.

Letters

Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be printed on a first-received basis. Letters must be 300 words or fewer and include the author’s signature, academic major, class standing or job title, department name and phone number. Authors of e-mailed letters will receive a reply for the purpose of verification. Letters are subject to editing for space and clarity. The Daily Barometer reserves the right to refuse publication of any submissions.

The Daily Barometer c/o Letters to the editor Memorial Union East 106 Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-1617 or e-mail: editor@dailybarometer.com

Forum

Editorial Board

Warner Strausbaugh Editor-in-Chief Megan Campbell Managing and News Editor Andrew Kilstrom Sports Editor

Irene Drage Alyssa Johnson Shelly Lorts

Forum and A&E Editor Graphics Editor Online Editor

forum@dailybarometer.com• 541-737-2231

High school doesn’t even come close to college S

ome people look back at high school fondly. But there’s also the others who heave a sigh of relief, because they’ve finally been released from its tyranny.

I can understand both sides, to a point.

In college, everything is a little more muted. Yes, there may be things in high school that transfer over to college, but — perhaps because everyone’s pursuing an intentional goal — there seems to be less hierarchy and more camaraderie in college.

Gone are the days when your friend group is the core of your life outside of school, and that friend group is comprised of students of similar social standing. You have a choice of who you associate now, and the options are more varied.

Gabi

Scottaline And the academic aspect is completely different.

Now you pick your classes, remind yourself to do homework and decide on your own if taking on extracurricular activities would be a good use of time. But don’t forget that in college, books and tuition cost more than a small tropical island lair.

A sur vey conducted by Princetonreview.com revealed that high school seniors are more worried about the debt they’ll accrue while in

college than choosing a major and making a decision that will affect the whole direction of the rest of their lives.

When I was in high school, one of the main unknowns that terrified me about college was the academics. I had this image in my mind of cartoonish mile-high textbooks and being expected to know unheard-of concepts the first day of class.

I eventually discovered that was, thankfully, extremely unrealistic.

College may be pretty different from high school, but that doesn’t mean professors of lower-division classes are going to be unrealistic.

They do a fairly good job of easing new students into college academics.

While the mental health of freshmen is declining, their drive to do

well in academics is on the rise, according to Tamar Lewin in “Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshmen.”

I’m not sure if that is a great tradeoff, but I can see what would cause this outcome.

Because college offers a whole new set and caliber of worries, life can seem overwhelming at times. But balancing these things is all part of the job. It can even be the fun part, if you’re smart about what you need to do and diligent to do what you can.

But if you want to avoid the hassles of college completely, there’s always that small tropical island lair. t

Gabi Scottaline is a senior in English. The opinions

expressed in Scottaline’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Scottaline can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.

Emergency kits for any-pocalypse easily within your means W

e’ve had two snowpocalypses in the past three months, and the rain we’ve been getting these last few days is comparable to the amount of tears shed at the end of “Titanic.”

If the inclement weather this winter has taught us anything, it’s to be prepared.

The most recent snowstorm dropped seven to eight inches on Corvallis, according to Oregon State University’s Hyslop Weather Station.

Some parts of Corvallis received a whopping 20 inches, according to

the Gazette-Times.

After our recent weather, it doesn’t take much searching to find fallen branches scattered around campus, with suspicious-looking crime scene tape cordoning off the areas.

And if we in Corvallis thought we had it tough, Portland and the rest of Western Oregon got slammed with not just snow but power outages, downed lines and fallen trees.

And, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for most of Western Oregon, according to The Oregonian.

You sit, cold and alone in the dark of your little concrete box, devoid of heat, the risk of pipes freezing a reasonable concern, with only Cassie ready-to-eat meals available. But most important of all is the fact that your laptop has only a few hours of battery life before it, too, dies in the It can be easy to look outside at ever-encroaching darkness. the impending doom and shrug Considering that this situation is from inside your well-lit and warm likely regardless of where you live apartment, with your Pandora sta- and can also extend to your car — tion set to Daft Punk while another probably without the coffee in that pot of coffee brews in the kitchen, situation — the solution is to be until suddenly the power goes out. prepared.

Here are some things you should have at the ready just in case the unthinkable occurs. Flashlights are glorious creations, and will bring a bright spot to your dreary situation.

Be certain to have a steady supply of batteries ready.

These batteries will also fuel a radio, which you should acquire — and not just for jamming to some KBVR tuneage, but also to be able to hear if the Powers That Be have provided any information about the current situation.

Emergency candles are also an excellent resource, unless you want to be blindly fumbling for old birthday candles from yesteryear.

There’s nothing worse than cozying up in your plethora of blankets, finally cracking that book you’ve been meaning to read if it weren’t for the silly thing called Netflix and boom — your handy little flashlight starts its slow decent into bitter darkness.

They provide a good backup in case the flashlight gives up the ghost. Glow sticks are a good plan C, because then you can pretend you’re hosting a rave. By yourself. Without drugs, because drugs are bad.

Don’t forget duct tape, rope, a good old-fashioned can opener and a first aid kit. These are all excellent items to have on hand in your living space and your car, just in case worst comes to worst.

Other things to keep in your car include a healthy supply of water, snacks, a siphon pump, a spare tire in working condition, blankets or sleeping bags, a flashlight, emergency flares, jumper cables and a shovel.

Any Eagle Scout would advocate for an axe or hatchet of some kind.

All the better to cut down trees for firewood or deter a meandering gaggle of zombies.

You should also be certain to check over your emergency kits regularly, and to update them if need be.

Go forth and prepare for disaster, or the next snowpocalypse.

Ruud

t

Cassie Ruud is a junior in English. The opinions

Ryan Mason is a junior in graphic design

expressed in Ruud’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Ruud can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.

8•Tuesday, February 18, 2014

forum@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231

Best Picture frontrunners hustle for Oscar gold T

he Oscar race for Best Picture always comes down to two. The problem with the politically charged atmosphere of the Academy is that often, the best-crafted film falls to the more relevant, heartfelt and gritty picture. Those who campaign for the little gold men aren’t above pulling stunts for their craft or wiggling their ways onto the project most likely to win.

My top two contenders for Best Picture of the 2013 running year are “12 Years a Slave” and “American Hustle.” The gambling websites agree — not that I would ever use my insider knowledge to win a little side cash for a shoe fund.

I’ll save the predictions for next week. Right now, I want to concentrate on what makes these two films exceptional.

“American Hustle”

This David O. Russell film follows Christian Bale and Amy Adams as con artists in the 1970s.

It’s loosely based on a series of FBI sting operations. Russell worked with Bale and Adams on “The Fighter,” and also reunited with “Silver Linings Playbook” stars Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper to round out an all-star cast, which also included Jeremy Renner and a brief appearance by Robert DeNiro.

This screenplay, originally written by Eric Warren Singer, was almost produced with Ben Affleck in the director’s chair. Ultimately, Russell bought the rights, rewrote the characters and inserted a perfectly aligned cast.

Though I’m usually not a fan of Adams, her performance in “American Hustle” is dark and deep. Bale, in his usual fashion, messed with his waistline, becoming a chubby, quick-talking con man, which earned him a Best Actor nomination. But America’s favorite onscreen couple, Lawrence and Cooper, stole the show.

This film is well-paced and vomits 1970s colors, fashions and idioms. It’s worth watching.

“12 Years a Slave”

Based on a true story, a free black man is kidnapped and transported to the pre-emancipation South as a slave. Director Steve McQueen hit Oscar gold with this film.

Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup, this picture is a brutal look into slavery. A welldeserved Oscar nod has been garnered by Ejiofor for delving into the darkest corners of America’s past.

This movie is violent and raw, but it’s also gripping and well-crafted. My personal pick for

Best Adapted Screenplay goes to writer John Ridley, whose explosive work captures intricate character arcs of every player on screen.

With an original score by Hans Zimmer and the backing of Brad Pitt, cameos abound in this biographical flick, including Benedict Cumberbatch (what isn’t he in these days? Not that I’m complaining, since his cheekbones are almost deities), Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson and Pitt himself.

It has, not surprisingly, received an obscene amount of nominations.

The technical production of this film is nearly perfect. Cinematographer Sean Bobbitt creates a grippingly real, disturbing and beautiful version of the South, opting for uncomfortably long and static shots, which made me squirm from realism overload. Every camera angle, lighting trick and color saturation is purely intentional. His snub for an Oscar nomination makes me angry.

Visually, this film is breathtaking.

“12 Years a Slave” has cleaned up in the Best Picture category at nearly every awards ceremony on the planet.

But it isn’t a family picture. Don’t watch it unless you can devote your full attention to it.

It’s the top film of the year.

Shelly Lorts, online editor

On Twitter @ShellyLorts webmaster@dailybarometer.com

‘How I Learned to Drive’

Oregon State University Theatre’s 2013-14 Season of American Voices continues with Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece ‘How I Learned to Drive.’ This powerful exploration of abuse and manipulation runs Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. on the Withycombe Hall Main Stage.

Tickets are $5 for OSU students, $8 for youth and other students, $10 for seniors and $12 for general admission, and are available at the OSU Theatre box office, online or by calling 541-737-2784.

‘Fiddler on the Roof’

“Fiddler on the Roof” opens in the Corvallis High School Main Stage Theatre Thursday.

This production features the work of awardwinning professionals, local artisans, talented community actors as well as wonderful students from Corvallis and Philomath school districts.

Tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for students 12-19, $5 for youth aged 11 and younger and are available online.

There will be a free show Saturday at 2 p.m. for anyone who has not yet seen a Corvallis School District production. Seats will be first come, first served, and tickets will only be available at the box office, which will open at 1 p.m.

The Majestic Presents the Tony Furtado Trio

‘The Dish’is prime example of Australian comedic cinema

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t’s not often you find an Australian film showing in theaters in 2014, let alone one made in 2000 and set in 1969.

“The Dish” is an Australian comedy that is part of the eighth annual Crossroads International film festival. Crossroads International is a local group, which helps improve the experience at Oregon State University for international students.

Loosely based on a factual story, “The Dish” follows the small Australian town of Parkes, which in 1969 is in the midst of being a part of the moon landing. Out in the sheep pastures stands a radio telescope the size of a baseball diamond, which was one of the dishes responsible for receiving the Apollo 11 moonwalk broadcast.

Stationed at the observatory is Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill), a recently widowed scientist who is respon-

sible for the whole operation.

Alongside Cliff is Mitch (Kevin Harrington), the confident man in charge of keeping the equipment running. There’s also Glenn (Tom Long), the mathematician who is struggling to get the nerve up to ask out the town sweetheart.

Also featured are the NASA correspondent posted in Parkes, Al (Patrick Warburton), and the goofy but lovable security guard, Rudi (Tayler Kane).

The group is in charge of what’s sure to be the pride and joy of the town, as they are the place to which the Apollo 11 broadcast its signal all the way from the moon.

In the space-crazed town, the mayor welcomes the Australian prime minister, as well as the U.S. ambassador, hoping that all goes well through the process. Of course, complications ensue.

Being ill-prepared for a power

Derek Saling

Arts & Entertainment outage, the crew working at the observatory must overcome a brief blackout. Later, they must struggle to keep the enormous dish standing in the face of strong winds, over 60 knots, which threaten to take the whole station down.

“The Dish” gives us a peek into a lovable small town, intertwined in a worldwide triumph, and the characters who find themselves amazed at the history they are taking part in making.

Director Rob Sitch made a movie unlike most of the comedies Hollywood churns out today.

You won’t see any vulgarity, nudity or slapstick in this film, but what makes this movie good is the likability of all the characters, along with the dry humor sprinkled

throughout.

Something I really enjoyed was the great use of the physical dish.

There are a lot of great shots, showing the strange beauty of a huge machine located in the middle of farmland. The best moment, though, is when Cliff, Mitch and Glenn are on top of the dish, playing cricket.

Sunday will be the final day for the film festival, and the last chance to see “The Dish.” It will be playing at 1:30 pm at the Darkside Cinema, located on Fourth Street in downtown Corvallis.

I say go see it. It’s a good movie, and supports a good cause. It also gives you a great example of what an Australian film is like when compared to a traditional Hollywood movie.

Derek Saling, A&E writer forum@dailybarometer.com

Unstoppable Underwood undermines ‘House of Cards’

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evin Spacey won my heart in the last five minutes of “The Usual Suspects,” when his seemingly helpless character revealed himself to be Keyser Soze, the legendary criminal mastermind, in what is still the greatest plot twist in film history.

And no, you don’t get a spoiler alert for that.

It came out 20 years ago. It’s your fault for not experiencing greatness. You do get one now, however.

Warning: The column contains spoilers for season two of “House of Cards.”

Keyser Soze might have been a relentless and savage crime lord, but Frank Underwood has just as much “devil” in him — maybe more.

I spent my weekend binge-watching “House of Cards.” You’re welcome, Netflix. These are still fresh reactions to an entire season of a show, but season two doesn’t leave me wanting more.

It actually left me wanting less.

The overarching problem with the second season of this Netflix original series is the ease in which Underwood rises to the presidency.

There is an acceptance that the main character, especially someone with Spacey’s prestige, is not going to be fizzled out or killed off (unless he signs on to do more “Horrible Bosses” sequels — let’s hope they stop at two).

Even so, a truly great series — which is what “House of Cards” strives to be — needs to have conflict. At the very least, it needs a conflict that has its audience fearing the worst for the hero, or in this case, anti-hero.

Underwood is an enigma even fiction can’t

comprehend: He’s the most impenetrable politician in Washington, yet is also the most corrupt.

No, this show isn’t based off any reality. I understand there’s a level of political satire.

At a certain point, Spacey being an incredible actor isn’t enough.

In season one, all of Underwood’s plots were meticulously planned out and executed to perfection. We, as the audience, were following a man’s twisted power trip, but there was a sense of motive and direction.

Season two was disconcerting.

It was if the writers went into this season with the end goal, “Frank Underwood is going to be president by the season’s end, no matter what,” and didn’t think out the process aside from removing anyone who would try to stop him.

Three reporters from a fictional D.C. metro newspaper — Zoe Barnes, Janine Skorsky and Lucas Goodwin (I had to IMDb his name; that’s how unremarkable he was) — finally decided to investigate and act upon Underwood’s schemes.

Good for them. Underwood pushed Barnes into a subway train, Goodwin was entrapped and imprisoned and Skorsky is too scared of Underwood’s clout and malice to go near him.

Three reporters? Child’s play.

An international money-laundering scandal that directly connects Underwood’s chief of staff?

Easier to get out of than jury duty.

Taking down one of the richest and most powerful businessmen in the world should be tougher, right? Not really.

The president of the United States? Big whoop.

It took a longer, more thought-out plan to get his bodyguard Meechum to have a threesome with him and his wife.

Don’t get me wrong, the acting and visualization in “House of Cards” is incredible.

I’d peg Spacey and Robin Wright (Claire Underwood) as Emmy favorites. I watched 13 episodes in a threeday span; it kept me interested. I was an addict ready for my fix after Kate Mara took the red line subway to Baltimore. But that was the season’s peak, and it happened with 92 percent of the story remaining.

The entire season ended up being a prolonged and mostly uninspiring boxing match between Underwood and the gutless President Walker.

After a couple big blows and initial excitement, the two just stood in the ring with their gloves on each other’s shoulders until one of them decided to find his second wind and go for the knockout.

Underwood provided the uppercut, and it shocked nobody.

Warner Strausbaugh, Editor-in-Chief On Twitter @WStrausbaugh editor@dailybarometer.com

The Majestic presents the Tony Furtado Trio with Stephanie Schneiderman at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Furtado plays captivating music that’s his own creative interpretation of a hybrid of Americana and indie rock.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door (the advance price will still apply at the door for students, seniors, veterans and Majestic members), and are available online at majestic.org/tickets or by phone at 541-738-7469.

Crossroads International Film Festival

The 2014 Crossroads International Film Festival features six engaging films from around the world.

The last screening of the film festival is Sunday at the Darkside Cinema in downtown Corvallis.

Showing Sunday: Back by popular demand, “Hitler’s Children,” a German and English historical documentary will have an encore showing at 11:30 a.m.; “The Dish,” an Australian dramedy showing at 1:30 p.m.; “Teddy Bear,” a Danish and Thai dramatic romance showing at 4 p.m.; “Chico & Rita,” a Spanish animated musical romance showing at 6:30 p.m.

Admission is $6 per film. Discounted festival “passports” are available for $30 — each passport entitles the holder to six tickets for the price of five.

For more information email crossroadsosu@gmail. com or call 541-737-6310.

Chamber Music Corvallis

The 55th season of Chamber Music Corvallis continues with the “Ebene Quartet: Mozart Meets Lennon and McCartney” on March 6 at 7:30 p.m. in the LaSells Stewart Center.

The Ebene Quartet will play Mozart’s “Quartet in E-flat, K. 428”; Bartok’s “Quartet 4” and arrangements of jazz and popular songs by Arlen, Shorter, Corea, Springsteen, Lennon-McCartney and others.

Individual tickets are available online, at the door and from Grass Roots Bookstore in Corvallis. Ticket prices range from $24 to $27.

The Majestic presents the Vagabond Opera

The Vagabond Opera will perform on the Majestic Theatre’s main stage March 8 at 7:30 p.m.

The Vagabond Opera is a six-piece, Portlandbased, European-style Bohemian Cabaret, featuring vintage Americana, Balkan belly dancing, neo-classical opera and old-world Yiddish theater. Vagabond Opera presents the new wave of opera — lusty voices singing in 13 languages and presenting a cabaret of rich musical phrasing, sparkling lyrics and indomitable stage presence, all played with exuberance, skill and a gritty Vagabond edge. Vagabond Opera’s goal is to liberate and reinvent Opera so it’s enjoyable for everyone.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door (the advance price will still apply at the door for students, seniors, veterans and Majestic members), and are available online at majestic.org/tickets or by phone at 541-738-7469.

‘Beyond Therapy’

Oregon State University Theatre’s 2013-2014 Season of American Voices continues with Christopher Durang’s “Beyond Therapy.” The show will run March 6-8 at 7:30 p.m. and March 9 at 2 p.m. in the Withycombe Hall Lab Theatre.

Tickets are $4 for OSU students, $6 for seniors and $8 for adults, and are available at the OSU Theatre box office, online or by calling 541-737-2784.