OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
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DAILYBAROMETER
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 1, 2014 VOL. CXVI, NO. 12
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Parking in the zone:
Students, faculty give first impressions of parking
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I just don’t see a reason to have a car on campus
Jimmy Flatt, a freshman in mechanical engineering, moves up the climbing wall.
OSU course certifies climbing wall instructors OSU Adventure Leadership Institute offers 20-hour course to certify student climbing instructors By Chris Correll
THE DAILY BAROMETER
During week one of fall and spring term at Oregon State University, the Adventure Leadership Institute offers climbing wall courses on campus for students looking to be certified by the Professional Climbing Instructors Association. Students who pass the climbing wall instructor course will be qualified to instruct other climbers in certain physical activity courses. The one-credit course takes place during a three-day period, and evaluates “a student’s climbing, teaching skills, rescue ability and overall professional demeanor,” according to Ty Atwater, climbing wilderness skills coordinator. These four areas are considered the most important criteria for passing. Atwater began climbing as a freshman in 2004 and took the climbing wall instructor course in 2005 before going on to teach it himself. He now manages two climbing walls here on campus and recommends the course as a good way to learn how to teach others. “(The course is) a good jumping-off point for anyone teaching in a group or public setting and trying to be comfortable presenting skills to a group,” Atwater said. Some current students who have taken the course seem to enjoy the benefits. Fermentation science major Silas Hills, a junior who previously took the climbing wall instructor course, now presides over climbing courses. “It’s very hands on as opposed to a classroom approach,” Hills said, “and a great opportunity to get involved in the outdoor OSU community.” The climbing wall instructor course acts as a prerequisite for other instructor opportunities, such as the challenge course by Goss Stadium. See CLIMBING | page 4
mckinley smith
THE DAILY BAROMETER
Josh McVay doesn’t have a car on campus. Tuesday afternoon, he walked past rows of parked cars beside McAlexander Fieldhouse toward the heart of campus. McVay, a freshman in computer science, lives in Halsell Hall and didn’t bring a car. “Parking is a nightmare, driving is a nightmare, and I’d rather have a bike,” McVay said. “I just don’t see a reason to have a car on campus.” The new zonal parking system will be put to the test this fall as permit holders begin to use lots around campus and others commute via alternate methods. Parking is currently divided into A zones, B zones and C zones. Previously, it was divided into separate staff See parking | page 4
Women explore houses during Go Greek Days Prospective pledges explore houses during recruitment for OSU Panhellenic Council
Bellingham of Go Greek Days, vice president of regulations and judicial. For Bellingham, formal recruitment is important because it gives potential members an opportunity By Ria Rankine to meet all of the chapters and find THE DAILY BAROMETER Young women convened in small the one that’s right for them. Bellingham is among the sisters circles in the Memorial Union lounge for the second day of formal within the executive council and Rho Ghamma who have temposorority recruitment. rarily disaffiliated Fa l l formal from their sororrecruitment for the ity during formal OSU Panhellenic It’s a great recruitment to Council began keep biases off opportunity for Monday in the the table. This MU with orientawomen to talk to way, Bellingham tion, which introeach other and get to can share her duced the week’s experiences to coming events. know each other pledge members Tuesday, sororwithout influencity sisters within Erika Bellingham ing what chapter the Na t i o n a l Vice president of regulations and judicial they choose. Panhellenic As a third-year Conference chapters kicked off Go Greek Days in sorority member, Bellingham has the MU, an event that allows pledge gained a lot from her involvement prospects to speak to members of within the Greek community. “I love the community,” every chapter. Go Greek Days will be held Bellingham said. “It has given me Wednesday and Thursday, alter- leadership experience ... my best nating between the LaSells Stewart friends, my sisters, and the opportunity to be on the Panhellenic Center and MU. “It’s a great opportunity for Council.” Through her participation women to talk to each other and get to know each other,” said Erika within the Panhellenic Council, n
Current men’s and women’s soccer stats
Sports, page 5
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
A parking meter stands ready for customers in the C zone at Reser Stadium. Parking has shifted this year from student and staff lots to parking zones. Annual parking permits in the C zone cost $95.
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Part 2 of Series By McKinley Smith
Josh McVay
Freshman in computer science
justin quinn| THE DAILY BAROMETER
New zonal parking begins; OSU community shares mixed thoughts on commuting
OSU football practice update Sports, page 5
Ria Rankine
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Kaylie Harden, vice president of new member services, talks to a perspective pledge during the first day of Go Greek Days Tuesday. Bellingham has had the opportunity to meet women from other chapters and embrace the Greek community, which she said is big on campus. “It’s like a sisterhood,” said Macala Bristow, a sophomore in merchandising management. “You always have someone there for you.” Bristow transferred to Oregon State University this year and is
participating in formal pledge week after hearing how other students grew from the experience. “I have friends who have gone through it, and they said it changed them a lot,” Bristow said. “The people they met have made them a better person.” Along with excitement, nervous anticipation filled the air as prospecting pledgers encountered new See GREEK | page 4
Editorial: Current events matter
Forum, page 7
2•Wednesday, October 1, 2014
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Sunday, September 28
received another voice mail.
Shots fired Around 1:15 p.m., a deputy from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of shots fired near the 2000 block of Northwest Jackson Creek Drive. A woman living there reported hearing three consecutive shots followed later by two single shots, and was concerned about people possibly shooting deer on Wednesday, September 24 her property or nearby at Chip Ross Park. Attempted phone scam Officers were unable to find anyone who A deputy responded to a call from a appeared to be in the act of hunting or concerned man who thought he was shooting. being scammed. He received a voice mail message from someone claiming Saturday, September 27 to represent a company called “Choice Large party bust Communication Services.” The mesSeveral deputies responded to a noise sage claimed that the man had written complaint near the 5000 block of Locke fraudulent checks, and the supposed Cemetery Road. Deputies estimated company would continue to call him at roughly 60 people in attendance were his home and workplace until he resolved under the age of 21. One man at the the matter. The deputy determined that party was cited for furnishing alcohol the company appeared to be a scam and told the man to contact the police if he to minors.
Wednesday, September 3
THE REGISTER-GUARD
EUGENE — Following Springfield’s lead, Eugene will discuss whether to impose a local tax on the recreational use of marijuana. The Eugene City Council will discuss the potential tax sometime in the next couple of weeks, before state voters on Nov. 4 will decide the fate of the legalization proposal, Measure 91. Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy has asked City Manager Jon Ruiz to place the matter on the council’s agenda as soon as a spot becomes available. “I just want to make sure we have the discussion and decide whether our City Council wants to do anything around the taxation of marijuana or not,” Piercy said Monday. Measure 91 would legalize the recreational use of marijuana by adults 21 years of age and older and create a system to regulate its production and sale. But the measure also bars cities and counties from adopting a local tax and voids local ordinances that conflict with its provisions. If the Eugene council gives city officials the OK to develop a pot tax, Eugene would join a growing number of Oregon cities that either have passed a local tax or are considering doing so before the November election. Despite the wording of Measure 91, some cities figure that they stand a chance of having their taxes grandfathered in if they approve them ahead of legalization. In July, Ashland imposed a 5 percent sales tax on medical marijuana and a 10 percent tax on recreational marijuana. Hillsboro is in line to impose a 10 percent tax on recreational marijuana but would not tax
medical marijuana. Other cities, including Portland and Tigard, are discussing a tax. Last week, the Springfield City Council voiced support for approving a local marijuana tax. In an e-mail to Eugene councilors last week, Piercy wrote that she had been following Springfield’s deliberations on a marijuana tax. City Attorney Glenn Klein advised that “such a tax might not stand up in court,” Piercy wrote, “but this would seem like an important discussion for our council to have because if the law passed and a tax was in place, we could potentially raise considerable funds for city services. “Our community would be disappointed if we did not take advantage of this window of opportunity on their behalf,” she added. The Springfield council must approve an ordinance by Oct. 20, its final meeting before the Nov. 4 election. Because the election is fast approaching, Piercy said she asked Ruiz to put the topic on the council agenda without conducting a poll of councilors to see whether at least half favor having the discussion. “I don’t do that very often, but this has a very short time frame,” Piercy said. Measure 91 would tax marijuana only at the grower level — $35 per ounce for flowers, $10 per ounce for leaves and $5 for each immature plant. The state tax revenue would be divided among schools, law enforcement agencies and programs for treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse. Springfield councilors said they expect the city to incur more costs if state voters legalize recreational marijuana use,
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Missing money A concerned woman contacted the Corvallis Police Department after finding an alarming amount of money missing from her bank account. The woman had received service from an online company called Windows Help Center, which claimed to “clean her computer to make the performance better.” The company later told the woman they needed her bank account information in order to refund her $3,999 dollars. She later realized that $3,999 had been transferred into her account, which the company later requested she return via Western Union. After she had sent the money, she saw that the money had originally been placed into her account from her credit card, not the company’s account. The case has been forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for consideration.
Eugene to consider taxing pot By Edward Russo
Calendar
such as more arrests for driving under the influence. They said a tax would raise revenue to help cover such costs. Springfield Finance Director Bob Duey estimated that the city could receive $90,000 to $200,000 a year from its share of a state tax on marijuana, should voters approve Measure 91. Piercy acknowledged that it’s uncertain whether a local tax on the sale of recreational marijuana would withstand a legal challenge to reconcile conflicts with the state law. But some think that if a local tax is approved before Nov. 4, it could remain in effect even if voters approve Measure 91. The Springfield City Attorney’s office, for example, told Springfield councilors that the Legislature could repeal the local tax prohibition in the measure, or allow local taxes approved before the measure’s passage to remain in place. Piercy said the potential legalization of marijuana was a hot topic last week at the League of Oregon Cities conference in Eugene. Piercy said she hasn’t decided whether she supports a tax. Local tax proponents like the idea of generating more money for local governments, she said. However, there’s a concern that the illicit pot trade will continue to thrive if state and local taxes make legalized marijuana more expensive than illegal pot, Piercy said. “There are a ton of issues,” she said. “For me, it seems responsible for us to have a preliminary discussion and see what those issues might be.” Council President Chris Pryor wants to learn more about a local marijuana tax. “It’s a potential revenue generator,” he said.
Events Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., 6pm, Bexell 102. An informational and service as part of rush events. Come learn what KDChi is all about and mingle with the members.
Thursday, Oct. 2 Meetings Baha’i Campus Association, 12:30-1pm, MU Talisman Room. Religion and Science - How can they be made to agree? - A discussion.
Events Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc., 6pm, Bexell 320. A social event for rush. Ladies who are interested in attending, please bring a white t-shirt to die dye!
Thursday, Oct. 9 Meetings Baha’i Campus Association, 12:301pm, MU Talisman Room. Is a world commonwealth possible or practical? - A discussion.
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New Merkley ads focus on Wehby plagiarism allegations
Friday, Oct. 10 Events Counseling & Psychological Services, Noon-3pm, MU Quad. Interactive booths with information on mental health, free food and prizes.
Monday, Oct. 13 Events Terra Magazine, 6-8pm, Old World Deli, 341 2nd St. Science Pub: The Dharma in DNA: Intersections of Buddhism and Science, by Dee Denver, OSU College of Science. Counseling & Psychological Services, 11am-1pm, MU Quad. Join us in a relaxing and rejuvenating guided meditation during a break between classes.
By Lizzy Duffy
OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING
PORTLAND — Republican senate candidate Monica Wehby’s apparent plagiarism has become ammo for Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley’s campaign. Merkley’s latest ad, “Word for Word,” points to similarities in Wehby’s health and economic plans and rightleaning sources, including a survey by Karl Rove’s political action committee, American Crossroads. The narrator says these policies would only work for her special interest backers. And last week, the Statesman Journal reported that the Merkley campaign released an ad “Cut and Paste,” comprised of news reports about the plagiarism scandal, many of them included news anchors saying, “Word for word” multiple times. Wehby’s campaign has responded to the ads, saying Merkley is trying to distract from his own failures in office. The political ads come a couple weeks after claims surfaced that long passages from Wehby’s plans were heavily plagiarized from other sources. Buzzfeed reported earlier this month that one section was lifted from a plan by Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio. Wehby’s campaign took the policies off of her website, and a spokesman later said that the staff responsible were no longer employed by the campaign.
Tuesday, Oct. 14 Events Counseling & Psychological Services, 6-8pm, MU 208. Miss Representation Film Screening. A film that explores the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence in America.
Wednesday, Oct. 15 Events Counseling & Psychological Services, 11am-1pm, MU Quad. Free Photo Booth. Reduce your stress and take time to be social by taking pictures with silly props. Counseling & Psychological Services, 7pm, meet at the Gazebo in Central Park. Finding the Light: A Suicide Awareness and Prevention Walk. An event to raise awareness, support our families and friends and connect with each other.
Thursday, Oct. 16 Meetings Baha’i Campus Association, 12:30-1pm, MU Talisman Room. Religion without clergy. - A discussion.
Events Counseling & Psychological Services, Noon-1:30pm, MU 206. Listening Tables. Engage in conversation about mental health care in our community.
Friday, Oct. 17 Events Counseling & Psychological Services, 3-5pm, MU Quad. Be Well 5K and Fair. Get some exercise in with the OSU community and check out a demonstration on biofeedback.
Wednesday, Oct. 22 Events Career Services, 11am-4pm, CH2M Hill Alumni Center. All Majors Career Fair. Don’t forget to get your photo taken at our Linkedin Photo Booth for a professional photo for use on business networking sites.
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Wednesday, October 1, 2014•3
Task force talks earthquakes By Kristian Foden-Vencil
Ad wars begin on food-labeling measure
OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING
By Peter Wong
PORTLAND— A new task force says instead of having three days of food and water stockpiled for a Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, Oregonians should be prepared to go it alone for two weeks. The task force has submitted a list of earthquake recommendations to the Oregon Legislature. Scott Ashford chairs the task force. He says there a several important things Oregon needs to do - like retrofitting bridges on the highway that acts as a back-up to Interstate 5. “The main north-south route after a Cascadia event is Highway 97,â€? says Ashford. Ashford also says the state should establish an earthquake resilience policy advisor and find $200 million in bonds to retrofit public schools, fire stations and police stations.
THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE
Missing mail discovered in Portland By Lizzy Duffy
OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING
PORTLAND — If you missed a bill, a birthday card or an expected package, there’s a chance that it was, in fact, the U.S. Postal Service’s fault — at least one mail carrier’s fault in particular. John Paul Osburn, 32, is accused of stealing more than 10,000 pieces of mail from all over Portland, including zip codes 97213, 97266, 97212, 97205, 97215, 97211 and 97233. Osburn was arrested on Sept. 25 on 114 counts of felony mail theft, 30 counts of identity theft, possession of methamphetamine and possession of a loaded firearm. He started working for USPS in June 2013 as a part-time employee. KOIN reports that mail was discovered in a Southeast Portland storage unit that previously belonged to Osburn’s girlfriend, Shawna Marie Deweese Barrett. Barrett is accused of receipt of stolen mail and identity theft. A new owner purchased the unit at an auction after Barrett stopped making payments. He opened the unit on Sept. 23 to find it filled with opened envelopes and packages dated between October 2013 to April 2014, which prompted the investigation. Police said Osburn was looking for checks, cash, electronics, passports, credit cards and other items of value. If your name shows up on the recovered mail, you will be notified by the Office of Inspector General for USPS.
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Voter movement? The Oregon record for one-side spending on a ballot measure campaign is $12 million by tobacco companies in 2007, when voters rejected an increase in cigarette taxes to pay for an expansion of children’s health care. The expansion was funded by other means in 2009. Early public opinion surveys indicate majority support for Measure 92 from those sampled, but with the campaign entering its final weeks — and mail ballots going out to voters starting Oct. 18 — the result could go either way. The latest Survey USA results, released last week by Portland TV station KATU, indicated 53 percent of 568 sampled voters favor Measure 92, 21 percent against it, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points. The share of the “yes� vote has not moved much from previous surveys conducted in June and August, but the “no� vote has moved up steadily. The latest survey also indicated that 26 percent had not made up their minds. Both sides say they expect the Nov. 4 vote will be closer than the 2002 result, which was 70 percent against Measure 27.
Expensive campaign The ads are the start of what is easily the most expensive of
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Vermont is the only state with a requirement for GMO labeling, but the law — which would take effect July 1, 2016 — is being challenged in federal court. Similar laws passed in Connecticut and Maine will take effect only when neighboring states follow suit.
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The same ad asserts the measure would create exemptions for alcohol, meat and dairy products — feed may contain GMO products — and restaurant food and beverages. The categories are portrayed in a graphic in the ad opposing Measure 92. Kaushik said none of these categories is subject to labeling under Measure 92, except under another law already on the books barring “misbranding.� Two other anti-Measure 92 ads also feature farmers: Matt Frketich of St. Paul, and Katie Fast of Perrydale, near Dallas. Fast also is vice president for public policy at the Oregon Farm Bureau Federation, which opposes the measure. “This measure hits at the heart of farmers,� Bieber said. “There is a reason why every major farming organization in the state is urging a ‘no’ vote, because it hurts Oregon family farmers.� But Kaushik said the measure specifically shields farmers from liability for labeling, unless they also are manufacturers or retailers. In addition to the Our Family Farms Coalition that backed the two Southern Oregon GMO bans, Kaushik said. Measure 92 is backed by the Friends of Family Farms and several individual Granges. The Oregon State Grange opposed a similar 2002 measure, which voters rejected, but hasn’t taken a stand on Measure 92.
the campaigns on seven statewide measures on the Nov. 4 ballot. As of last week, supporters reported raising $1.9 million and spending $1.6 million, $1 million of which went toward signature-gathering efforts to qualify Measure 92 for the ballot. The committee reported $321,458 on hand. Opponents reported raising slightly more than $1 million and spending about $467,000, leaving $561,659 on hand. Out-of-state contributions play a big role on both sides. Measure 92 opponents have amassed virtually all of their money from major food companies and biotechnology groups. Among them so far are PepsiCo, $250,000; Grocery Manufacturers Association, $161,000, including noncash contributions, and Hershey Co., $160,000. Major contributions to Measure 92 supporters have been made by Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps and Mercola.com Health Resources, $550,000 each, and Presence Marketing Inc., $200,000. There is a time lag at this point in the reporting of contributions and spending. The interval will be shortened in the next 30 days. Similar measures were defeated in California in 2012 and Washington in 2013. But spending was reported at $46 million in California and a state record $22 million in Washington. Colorado has a similar measure on its ballot.
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PORTLAND — Both sides have begun airing television spots for and against Measure 92, a ballot initiative that would require labeling of food containing genetically modified organisms sold in Oregon. The campaign for the measure has released two ads, one featuring Michael Hansen, senior staff scientist for Consumer Reports, who was in Oregon in early September. “He is really one of the nation’s best food safety experts, especially on the effects of genetically engineered foods,� said Sandeep Kaushik, spokesman for the Oregon Right to Know campaign. The other pro-92 ad features three farmers, two identified as being from Jackson County, where voters approved a GMO ban May 20 along with neighboring Josephine County. None is identified by last name. “Our ads are about providing Oregon voters with the information they need to see through the distorted and often-false claims by the other side,� Kaushik said. The campaign against the measure has released an ad focusing on the vote by a Citizens Initiative Review panel, which split 11-to-9 against it on Aug. 24. Findings and statements by panel supporters and opponents will be reproduced in the state voters pamphlet and the online voters guide. “What our ads do is start to get the facts out about Measure 92,� said Dana Bieber of the No on 92 Coalition. “The more voters know about the measure, the less they are going to like it.�
Points of dispute
Yesterday’s Solution
4•Wednesday, October 1, 2014
KE A M
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Pressure eases on PERS costs, impact uncertain By Hannah Hoffman STATESMAN JOURNAL
SALEM — Local governments are starting to relax when they look at their bills from the Public Employees Retirement System. After five years of steadily climbing costs, PERS is becoming cheaper or at least not much more expensive. Those costs have made the people who run local governments and school districts squirm and pull out their calculators for half a decade. Every year, PERS became more expensive. Finally, this year, it didn’t, as the PERS board released new employer contribution rates on Friday. The State of Oregon and Marion County will both pay a little bit more in 2015 but not so much they will have to make cuts or change their plans for next year’s budget. Salem-Keizer School District will save about $6 million, about 3 percent of its payroll costs. No one is jumping up and down with glee, but they’re not worrying about their budgets either. The state will pay about $20 million more over the 2015-17 biennium, Department of Administrative Services spokesman Matt Shelby said. About half
GREEK n Continued from page 1 people. Mikala Green, a freshman in human development and family science, was nervous about the questions recruiting sisters would ask her. At the same time, she said she felt confident that she would make a good fit in any chapter she chose. “They want girls to join, and they’re looking for girls who would make a good addition to their community,” Green said. Green said the experience so
of that will come from the general fund, which is tax revenue. It sounds like a large amount, but it’s not, Shelby said. The state will pay about $530 million for PERS over the biennium, he said, out of a $20 billion budget. That means the state will see a 3.8 percent increase in the cost of PERS, and the total cost of PERS is just 2.7 percent of the entire budget. Such a small increase offers stability, Shelby said, which the state hasn’t seen in a long time. Marion County is in a similar situation. It pays about $10 million per year for PERS, Chief Administrative Officer John Lattimer said, and next year will pay about $200,000 more for the benefits. Again, about half would come from the general fund. “We can handle that,” Lattimer said. Meanwhile, the school district will pay less for PERS benefits. Its smaller payment will shrink the district’s total payroll costs by about 3 percent, Chief Operating Officer Mike Wolfe said. That represents about $6 million less in payroll costs, he said. The district has no plan for how it
far is not what she expected, but in a good way. “I expected it to be more strict and serious,” Green said. “But to my surprise, it’s been really laid back, and they try to make it as comfortable as possible.” Formal recruitment for the Panhellenic Council will continue until Bid Day Tuesday, Oct. 7. Recruitment is open to all degree-seeking, full-time students. Ria Rankine, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
will use that extra money, Wolfe said, but that will be part of the budget planning process, which begins at the end of October and will include feedback from district employees and the community. However, he is cautious about making too-enthusiastic plans. The Oregon Supreme Court still has to decide whether two laws that cut benefits for current and future retirees were constitutional, and the outcome could change the numbers PERS came out with last week. The benefit cuts made the entire system cheaper over its 20-year life, and that is a large part of the reason local governments are not seeing painfully high numbers. If the court overturns the laws, actuaries have said it’s possible much of the savings could be lost. Wolfe said it is encouraging the market has performed so well. Investment earnings have been partially responsible for the rosy outlook in next year’s PERS costs, and it has particularly benefited school districts, whose costs tend to be more volatile. “We’re just thankful the market is performing the way it is and we hope it continues to do so,” Wolfe said.
CLIMBING n Continued from page 1 Josh Norris, director of the Adventure Leadership Institute, compared the climbing wall instructor course to a lifeguard course. It’s best for participants to have either two-to-three years of climbing experience or have previously taken a climbing course. Those who pass must renew their certification every three years, which can be done anywhere Professional Climbing Instructors Association cours-
es are offered. “It offers students specific technical skills, how to teach anesthetic skills and gives new instructors confidence,” Norris said. The climbing wall instructor course begins Friday, Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. in the McAlexander Fieldhouse. The course costs $80 for registered OSU students. Members of the OSU community may take the course for $100, and nonmembers for $120. Chris Correll, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
PARKING n Continued from page 1 and student lots. The official zonal parking system will begin Wednesday, Oct.1. The most expensive are the most popular, more central lots: the A zones at $495 a year. The least expensive are the lowdemand, less central lots: the C zones at $95 a year. Motorcycle parking is $75 a year, or $20 for permit holders. There are also carpool permits. Parking services is almost entirely funded by parking permit sales. A small portion comes from bike locker rentals, shuttle rentals, shortterm parking and citations, said Meredith Williams, the associate director of transportation services. Oregon State University does not cover costs for parking services. Freshman Ravin Chitwood, a public health major who lives in Finley Hall, also declined to bring a car to OSU. “It’s expensive, and there’s limited parking, and I can walk anywhere I need to,” Chitwood said. Chitwood said it helps her get some exercise in. “It’s nice to see everybody, but it kind of sucks when it starts to rain,” Chitwood said. But junior Ben Ballard parks his car off campus or leaves it at home. Ballard, a former OSU wrestler and current business and entrepreneurship major, commuted last year and said that parking was expensive and spaces were hard to find. Now he lives closer to campus and often longboards or bikes, but not when the weather’s bad. Senior Rahul Sharma boarded a Beaver Bus Tuesday to avoid the rain. Sharma, a new media communications major with a minor in computer science, takes a 15-to-20 minute walk from his home in South Corvallis to campus and has no car. Sharma said he loves walking, but thinks the parking
mckinley smith
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Cars park in the A3 lot beside Goss Stadium. The lot is close to key buildings like the OSU Valley Library and Kerr Administration Building. Annual parking permits in the A3 zone cost $495. situation at OSU is ridiculous. it’s early in the introduction of “OSU is spitting in my the new system, he hopes it will face,” Sharma said about the ease congestion. In addition, increased cost of some parking Malewitz has noticed students parking in his neighborhood. meters. Malewitz said he feels about Parking meters in the A zone paying for parking much like he are now $2 an hour. The Linn-Benton Loop, a bus feels about paying for taxes: It’s a necessary evil. route that conHe said he’s nects Corvallis Parking series aware that stuand Albany, serves Check in Wednesday, dents have limited people such as Oct. 8, for the next budgets, but said sophomore ecoarticle in our series, that per month, nomics major “Parking in the zone,” a parking pass Dylan Davidson, as we explore parking costs about the who commutes in the city of Corvallis. same as eating out from his home in a couple times a Albany to the university. Davidson, who has no month. An annual permit purchased car, walks around campus and uses the Albany Transit System. fall term lasts from Oct. 1, There’s a mixed response 2014 to Sept. 30, 2015. Broken from the faculty, some of whom down, a C zone permit is about $7.92 a month for 12 months. are in wait-and-see mode. Raymond Malewitz, an For A zone permits, that cost assistant professor in English, becomes $41.25 a month. Bob Drummond, an instrucsometimes commutes by bike, but has a B zone parking pass tor in the school of writing, literature and film, commutes as well. Malewitz said that although from Eugene to OSU.
“We work here, so I’m already deeply embittered that I pay for parking at all,” Drummond said. Drummond has parked at OSU for four years and bought a B3 parking permit. Annual B3 permits cost $330. Sarah McGreevy, an instructor in the school of writing, literature and film, parks on 7th Street. McGreevy walks to campus, and had even before the new zonal system because of the expense of on-campus parking and the proximity of 7th Street to her child’s day care center. Williams said she’s received concerns about the unknown, but that the sales process has gone very well. She describes the system as a “work in progress.” As of Tuesday, permits were still available in the B1, B2 and BR zones. McKinley Smith, news editor news@dailybarometer.com
The Daily Barometer 5 • Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Sports
sports@dailybarometer.com • On Twitter @barosports
Midweek practice report for OSU football n
Beavers deal with major injuries, find hope in returning players By Josh Worden
THE DAILY BAROMETER
Justin quinn
There were plenty of injuries in Oregon State’s 35-10 loss on Saturday to USC, the effects of which were still felt during Monday and Tuesday’s practices. Sophomore wide receiver Victor Bolden, who missed the USC game with a dislocated pinkie finger, will have his splint removed on Thursday. He ran routes in practice with the team but did not catch passes. Head coach Mike Riley said Monday there is an “outside chance” of Bolden playing on Saturday against Colorado. Senior safety Ty Zimmerman missed practice Monday, but returned Tuesday. Junior offensive lineman Isaac Seumalo was on a scooter at practice Monday with his foot in a boot, though he was without the boot Tuesday. Seumalo, who originally injured his foot in the Hawaii Bowl Dec. 24 last year, removed the boot earlier this season, but has not played this year. He said Monday that the doctors were being “conservative and that something came up” to prompt a more cautious approach. Seumalo has not used a redshirt campaign while at OSU. Defensive linemen Jalen Grimble and Noke Tago both had knee injuries against the justin quinn | THE DAILY BAROMETER Trojans, and both will miss significant time: Grimble three Junior center Isaac Seumalo heads to four weeks and Tago possitoward game against PSU on Aug. 30. bly the entire season. They each were scheduled to have MRIs on Monday, but Riley was not open to media on Tuesday to comment. Grimble was on crutches Tuesday alongside Tago, who was injured on a cut block in the fourth quarter against the Trojans. At one point Monday during practice, Riley walked over to Tago and said, “sorry about your knee.” Sophomore wide receiver Rahmel Dockery (hip) practiced fully, as did redshirt freshman safety Justin Strong, who was injured late in the USC game. In non-injury news, senior safety Ryan Murphy, who returned a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown Saturday, said he has felt confident about his
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Junior defensive tackle Jalen Grimble came out on the field ready to go against San Diego State on Sept. 20.
Beaver football to focus on not flattening out Beavers reflect on loss against USC, team looks to bounce back coming into Colorado
That changed against the thenNo. 18 Trojans (now No. 16), who pounded OSU Saturday, 35-10. OSU was receiving votes in the AP top 25 poll before the game; ESPN.com now ranks the Beavers last in their Pac-12 By Josh Worden power rankings. THE DAILY BAROMETER “SC caught us on one of our worst Oregon State coaches said before nights,” said senior safety Ryan the USC game that the Beavers had Murphy. “It was just a bad, bad faced tougher competition each night for us.” week and had played better each The USC game bore similarities with last year’s matchup with the week. n
Trojans: Both times the Beavers tried to make a statement Pac-12 win, and both times USC dictated throughout. Murphy had a touchdown return in each game — on an interception in 2013 and on a kickoff in 2014 — as one of the few bright spots. His scores were the final touchdowns in their respective contests, with USC going a combined 45-3 to close out the games.
See PRACTICE | page 6
See FOOTBALL | page 6
Pac-12 women’s soccer national rankings Examining how regional teams stack up as they move out of nonconference
°UCLA (8-0-2, 0-0-1): The No. 1 team in the country that places second in this power ranking. The Bruins tied North Carolina and Stanford beat them. The Bruins started their conference schedule with a tie at the hand of By Brian Rathbone Arizona State. THE DAILY BAROMETER • USC (7-1-2, 1-0): USC is the topWith this weekend promising a ton scoring team in the conference, scoring of action for inconference, here are the Pac-12 power rankings for women’s three goals in the conference opener against Arizona, which gives them 32 soccer: goals on the season. • Stanford (8-0-2, 0-0-1 Pac-12): The • Arizona State (7-1-1, 0-0-1): Arizona Cardinal is Currently the No. 3 team in State comes in at No. 4 after taking the country with a quality win over No. 9 Texas A&M. Stanford has also only given UCLA to the wire and almost pulling up one goal all season, which is best in off the upset. The Sun Devils also have the Pac-12. The Cardinal opened Pac- a quality win over No. 9 Texas A&M. • Cal (9-1, 1-0): Cal started off confer12 play with a tied game against Utah. n
justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Coach Linus Rhode stands in silence with players during the National Anthem.
ence play with a victory over Colorado. If not for an overtime loss against No. 9 Texas Tech, the Golden Bears could make a claim for the top spot in the conference. • Utah (7-0-3, 0-0-1): Utah gave Stanford all they could handle in their opener drawing, even with the No. 3 Cardinal. Utah is one of four Pac-12 teams that has yet to lose a game. • Arizona (6-2-1, 0-1): The Wildcats dropped their opener, giving up three goals to USC. Arizona takes on Oregon State this week in the desert. • Washington State (6-0-2, 1-0): Although Washington State may be undefeated, barely squeaking by Oregon State in their opener puts the Cougars lower on this list. • Colorado (7-3, 0-1): Colorado was able to score two goals in their Pac-12 opener, but surrendered four runs in their loss to Cal. • Oregon (5-3-1, 1-0): Oregon started their conference schedule on the right note beating Washington, but a loss to a bad Portland State team earlier in the season puts the Ducks near the bottom of the conference. • Washington (7-3, 0-1): Washington dropped their opener to the Ducks in Eugene. They also couldn’t handle No. 13 Wisconsin, losing 4-0. • Oregon State (0-7-3, 0-1): It has been a rough start for the Beavers. They have been shutout in nine of their 10 games, only scoring two goals. Brian Rathbone, sports reporter On Twitter @brathbone3 sports@dailybarometer.com
justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Redshirt freshman goalie Matt Bersano elevates to protect a shot-on-goal against Northwest Christian on Sept. 22..
Conference play gears up for men’s soccer Breakdown of current conference soccer stats as Pac-12 battles commence
against St. Mary’s. The Huskies will host Cal and Stanford this coming weekend. °UCLA (5-2-2): The Bruins were the top-ranked team in the nation last week. Following a loss, they now By Brian Rathbone find themselves ranked No. 2 in the THE DAILY BAROMETER nation. UCLA has had a difficult Nonconference games are over and time finding the back of the net, Pac-12 conference games are kickonly scoring 10 goals all season. The ing off this week. The north and the Bruins open their conference play south are looking to battle. To get you against San Diego State. ready, here are the pre-conference °Cal (6-1): Very tempted to put the play power rankings for men’s soccer: Golden Bears ahead of UCLA, but it °Washington (7-1): Is currently came down to UCLA beating a very ranked No. 5 in the nation, with strong North Carolina team, while quality wins over ranked opponents North Carolina defeated Cal. Cal is Seattle University and South Florida. See MEN’S SOCCER | page 6 Their lone loss came from a game
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6•Wednesday, October 1, 2014
sports@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231
MEN’S SOCCER n Continued from page 5
opponents Marquette and Seattle. OSU can move up the rankings with strong games against No. 18 Stanford on Thursday and No. 13 tied for the lead in goals having scored 22, while Cal on Sunday. The Beavers are also looking for their first conference victory since Oct. 7, 2012. only surrendering 8. °San Diego State (5-3): San Diego State may °Stanford (5-1): The Cardinal is currently ranked No. 18, their one loss coming against have had the easiest non-conference schedule. No. 11 Creighton. Stanford is a very balanced They did not play any team currently ranked team, they do not give up many goals, but they in the top 25. Not only do they have the worst are also not one to put a lot of points on the record in the conference, but they also have the lowest point differential at +2. The Aztecs face scoreboard either. °Oregon State (7-2): The Beavers have played No. 2 UCLA in their Pac-12 opener. strong. Right now, they lack any quality wins Brain Rathbone, sports reporter On Twitter @brathbone3 against a ranked opponent, and both of their sports@dailybarometer.com losses have been 1-0 games against ranked
FOOTBALL n Continued from page 5
Justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Freshman midfielder Graham Smith makes a move for the ball against Seattle on Sept. 26.
PRACTICE n Continued from page 5 ability to return kicks since spring ball after his sophomore year. Riley wasn’t surprised that Murphy took his first collegiate kick return to the house. “When I first ever laid eyes on him, I saw him gain 225 yards running the ball in a game,” Riley said of Murphy, who rushed for nearly 2,000 yards as a running back for Oakland Tech (Calif.) High School. “He’s very capable, obviously.” Murphy was excited by the chance to field kickoffs, but he said a return touchdown is still trumped by an interception. “Those are real hard to come by,” Murphy said. Josh Worden, sports reporter On Twitter @BrightTies sports@dailybarometer.com
justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
The question is: What can OSU do to avoid mirroring last year? The Beavers’ loss to USC last season was in the midst of a five game losing streak, and OSU did not win another game in the regular season. Of course, losing out this year would be a lot tougher since eight games remain. Still, OSU players and coaches know that a turnaround is needed from the USC game in order to compete in the Pac-12. “I told them this morning exactly what’s going to be asked: ‘How tough are you mentally?’” said head coach Mike Riley. “Nobody was promised that it was going to go smoothly all the time.” “I think the guys know what we did wrong, I don’t need to tell them again,” said junior offensive lineman and team co-captain Isaac Seumalo. “If I felt like there’s something I need to say, then I would. I think these guys are self-motivated.” Murphy, also one of the team’s four captains, said his role is to “make sure we don’t
flatten out.” One aspect that could help prevent such a flattening is next week’s opponent: Colorado, ranked No. 11 in the same ESPN power rankings. The Buffaloes lost to California on Saturday, 59-56. Colorado sophomore quarterback Sefo Liufau tossed seven touchdowns against Cal, but his defense countered his effort by allowing seven passing touchdowns as well. That bodes well for a Beaver team that averaged 3.8 yards per pass attempt against USC. More important than any particular matchup, however, is the mental state of the team — especially the same team that lost the two games immediately following last year’s USC contest by a combined score of 99-44. Seumalo didn’t travel to Los Angeles due to injury, but gauged his teammates’ outlook after their return to Corvallis on Sunday. “Everyone was disappointed,” he said. “We felt we had an opportunity to win. Obviously, we didn’t. Nobody was happy about it.” “I don’t want to jinx us or nothing — we’ll see when we
get to Colorado — but coming in this morning for meetings, looking at guys, we don’t look down,” Murphy said. “We don’t look like the season is over with. Most guys feel like we could have won that game. The score didn’t show how we played during the game.” It helps that the Beavers don’t have to play a ranked team — they faced No. 21 Arizona State on the road after the USC game last year — but Colorado won’t be an easy win. Junior wide receiver Nelson Spruce already has 10 touchdown receptions on the year while Liufau has a 17-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The important thing about Saturday’s game, however, may not be facing the Buffaloes themselves but more so bouncing back from a 25-point trouncing seven days prior. Seumalo said on Monday that the team has already progressed to that point. “We looked at it Sunday and we went over it this morning, but we’re done with SC,” he said. Josh Worden, sports reporter On Twitter @BrightTies sports@dailybarometer.com
Junior defensive tackle Jalen Grimble gets in some practice time.
Learn media by STUDENTS for STUDENTS in a professional production environment
Student Media Open House Wednesday, October 1, 2014
5:00 p.m. • KBVR TV Studios • Snell Hall Student representatives and professional staff will be there to talk to you about how you can get involved in media production. Student Roles Learn how media is produced and the opportunities involved with a career in this field. Learn how media skills can augment other career fields. We’ll give you the tools and knowledge to produce content and learn how media works! Stop by or come to the open house on the first Wednesday of each term. News & Sports Writer Columnist Entertainment Writer Cartoonist Photo Editor Photographer Opinion Editor Editor in Chief Advertising Sales Rep News Editor Distribution Manager Delivery Drivers Business Manager News Announcer Sports Announcer Music Reviewer Talk Show Host
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justin quinn| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Sophomore safety Cyril Noland-Lewis makes a play against PSU at Reser Stadium on Aug. 30.
Gain valuable experience, have fun, and earn good money! The Daily Barometer is now hiring students for local advertising sales for Fall 2014
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Pick up an application at MU East 118 (Snell Hall). Please include your resume and a cover letter. Applications are due Friday, Oct. 3 (open until filled). For more information, call 541-737-6373 or baro.business@oregonstate.edu
The Daily Barometer 7 •Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Editorial
Forum
Editorial Board
W
TeJo Pack Christian Campbell Cassie Ruud
managing@dailybarometer.com• 541-737-2231
tudents who sit closer to the front of the class like the class more, have better attendance and get better grades. You probably didn’t need a research study to tell you that. But you might need a research study to tell you why this is so. You have probably noticed that front-row students are a little different from back-row students. One front-row student we know placed not one highlighter, but a complete rainbow set on her desk each day. And the only place either of us has seen a student searching eBay for a horse saddle was near the back of Cordley 1109. It seems obvious that people who are more interested in the subject — or more conscientious in general
Dr. Becker-Blease Keiko Bostwick
The Daily Barometer — gravitate toward the front, while those who are less invested choose to sit in the back. But could the reverse be true? Could where you sit make you more engaged and learn more? Yes. Where you sit actually causes you to like the class more (or less), to come to class more (or less) and to get better grades (or worse) regardless of any individual pre-existing factors. How do we know? When students are randomly assigned to sit near the front, they do better than when they are assigned to
sit near the back. Because they were assigned a seat by random, there are no pre-existing differences between the groups that might otherwise explain the results. For example, physics instructors Katherine Perkins and Carl Wieman put students at their university into groups and asked them to sit together in the same location so they could work with the same team throughout the course. They went all out to make sure everyone in the room was engaged. They made sure that students in the back could see well. They used clickers, demonstrations and student discussions. TAs and even a second instructor, roamed the room to make the magic happen. But despite all of this work, there were big differences in attendance,
Same-sex couples deserve to eat their cake too
T
he owners of the now-infamous Sweet Cakes bakery, Aaron and Melissa Klein from Gresham, Ore, came back into the spotlight Friday by making a plea to Christian voters in respect to their religious freedoms. The couple garnered notoriety back in 2013 by refusing to make a wedding cake for a gay couple. This has led to a long case on civil liberty vs. religious freedom. The Kleins claim that making such a wedding cake goes against their religious beliefs and Mr. Klein was quoted in the Oregonian as having said, “To be told they’re going to
ested in adhering to the section of the Bible that refers to a long list of “abominations,” I hope they’re prepared to not eat bacon or wear Cassie wool socks and cotton t-shirts at the same time. They certainly didn’t work well force me to convey a message other with the whole “love thy neighbor” than what I want to convey — it flies suggestion. Nor does it seem that they have in the face of the Constitution.” The lesbian couple that ordered a clear eye for smart business — a the cake claim that they were called mistake that Arizona almost made “abominations” after Sweet Cakes back in February. A controversial religious freedom asked for the name of the groom. bill allowing business owners to And here we are. Given that the Kleins are so interSee RUUD | page 8
Ruud
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.
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Pick a front-row seat to get more out of classes
Stay current on S world events hen living in a little college town, it can be hard to keep up on current events. Sometimes it’s hard to pull our attention away from this weekend’s party or next week’s final paper. Besides, how could it possibly be important to us to know what’s happen on the other side of the world? Well it is important, and we should know. Major headlines from around the world can have subtle but profound effects on the everyday lives of everyone. Even small-town students at a college like Oregon State University. So, put down the camera phone and start paying attention. The world doesn’t revolve around your selfie addiction, and frankly, your Facebook friends are tired of seeing duckfaces. We know what you look like. There’s no need to remind us. Currently, the U.S. is involved with airstrikes against a group in the middle east calling themselves Islamic State. Or is it ISIS? Or is it ISIL? Someone needs to make up his mind. The fact that thousands are being displaced from their homes and killed is bad enough, but now that our country is involved, be prepared for other consequences. Our involvement affects our economy, our votes for future leaders and our soldiers. Another important event to get a grasp on are the protests happening in Hong Kong. In an occupy-esque fashion, citizens are crowding major streets in an effort to force the powers that be in Beijing to give them a little freedom. The fact that we do a lot of trading with China is just the tip of an old and large iceberg. Experts are afraid of economical collapse brought on by protesters forgoing their jobs to live in makeshift camps and eat donated food. And the Chinese government might shut down the networks that allow citizens to upload protest videos and communicate to the world using platforms like Twitter. That type of control is frightening. Also, take a lesson from this week’s surprise volcano explosion in Japan that killed nearly 40 people. Due to limitations in equipment, scientists had no way to predict that a gaseous cloud of poison and ash was on its way to the earth’s surface. With Mt. St. Helens just down the street, we in the Northwest should tread lightly. It’s not that hard to cultivate a basic understanding of big world events. Usually, it just takes having the news on in the background while you’re putting on your makeup or updating your status. Try following international news outlets on Twitter or Facebook. And have some real-life conversations with flesh-and-blood humans.
Sean Bassinger Editor-in-Chief Shelly Lorts Managing and Opinion Editor McKinley Smith News Editor
Ryan Mason is a senior in graphic design
Email questions for the column to managing@dailybarometer.com, with the subject “Ask Dr. Psych.” Your name will not be published.
attitudes about science and grades over the term. Those who were assigned to sit in the front did better at first. Halfway through, they were moved to the back to give those in the back a chance to sit up front, but it was too late. Attendance for those initially assigned to sit in the front dropped less than 1 percent, even after they were moved to the back. But students who had initially been placed in the back not only attended fewer classes when their seats were in the back, but they also missed more class after See DR. PSYCH | page 8
Jesse Hanson
The Daily Barometer
Turn off phones in class
I
f I were to tell you that limiting your cell phone usage during class could lead to significant improvements in your academic performance, and ultimately in your final grades, would you believe me? We live in a world where multitasking is the norm. Our days are spent constantly juggling various aspects of both our personal and professional lives, a trait which is ingrained in us from a young age. While the art of multitasking is often a wonderfully useful and beneficial tool to have in our toolbox — especially in our continually changing and fast-paced society — there are some instances in which balancing too much can be extremely counterproductive. One of the most predominant examples of this is in the classroom. With recent advancements in modern technology making multitasking easier and more tempting than ever before, many students struggle on a daily basis to maintain focus during their lectures. Given the allurement of social media being accessible at every moment, checking our cell phone has become second nature for many of us. Think back to the last time you were in a lecture. How often did you pull out your cell phone just to scroll through social media or respond to a text? Though it may seem that our use of technology has a relatively small impact on our ability to focus, the amount of time we spend preoccupied with our cell phone or laptop has a substantial effect on our learning capabilities. Think about it this way: If you spent — on average — approximately 10 minutes per every 50-minute class period distracted by your cell phone, you would essentially skip an entire class once every five days. And that is assuming you only have one class each day of the week. Imagine how much class time you truly waste on your cell phone as a full-time student. The issue here is clear as day. However, coming to a solution on how to limit our cell phone usage during class may not be so simple. As we all know, checking our phones has become a matter of habit. So how do we break the habit? For some of us, it may not be so easy. But the way I see it, we only have one option: Turn it off. See HANSON | page 8
8•Wednesday, October 1, 2014
managing@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231
Government needs to get off growers’ backs
T
he “Hot Goods” designation — given to growers that violated federal minimum wage laws, child labor laws, special minimum wage laws and overtimepay regulations — is a punishment for those set forth by the Department of Labor. When an employer has been found to be in violation of these labor laws, the Department of Labor — under the Fair Labor Standards Act — can prevent the shipment, sale or offer for shipment of any goods that are produced in violation with the law. Although the law had good intentions, it quickly got out of hand in 2012. During that year, the Department of Labor accused a few Oregon growers of being in violation of the Act, and threatened the growers by designating their blueberries as “hot goods” and prohibiting their shipment. The growers’ choices were slim: Suffer dire financial problems and let their blueberries rot, or accept a settlement with the Department of Labor, which included signing a confession and paying $170,000 in reparations. The growers took the agreement. Recently, this decision came under fire. The growers later challenged it, and a federal judge declared the deals as “unlawful because they were signed under economic duress,” according to the Capital Press. The growers asked the Department to return $220,000 in “alleged back wages and civil penalties,” per the Capital Press. The Department has only paid $146,500, because it claims the money has already been distributed to blueberry pickers. The Agency said that the cash
Tyler
Pike
was distributed, “in good faith to workers pursuant to the terms of the consent judgments.” The Department also said that “no monies currently appropriated to the Department are available for repayment.” Two of the farms seeking repayment are claiming the Department does not have the right to keep their money, even though the settlement deals have been vacated. The Departments’ claim that no appropriated money was available is legally invalid. The Department has been found at fault in several situations, and seems to be in a legal bind. In addition, the way the Department had designated the growers’ blueberries as “hot goods” has many calling foul, and some calling it extortion. I agree with the courts and the growers that the Department owes them money for doing them wrong. This sort of heavy-handedness hopefully will not appear again in the labor debate, or any debate with regards to agriculture. However, this event begs another question: Should labor laws for agriculture be restructured? This is, indeed, a tricky question. Agricultural workers do not work a nine-to-five job, and often are in the field very early in the morning until late. These hours merely come with the territory. The nature of agricultural work does not
entail putting the shovel down at 5 p.m. You quit working when the job is done, especially during harvest times when many put in 18-hour days, get minimal sleep and continue the next day when the weather permits. Weather is the other contributing factor to agricultural hours; you don’t always decide when you have to work. The weather may decide for you. Cutting hay needs to occur at a certain stage of development, and unless you want your barn to catch on fire, you better bale the hay at a particular moisture reading. The windows that allow agricultural workers to complete their jobs is sometimes very small. There may be only a few days of hot weather to get hay baled and moved out of the field before another rainstorm hits. There are numerous tasks in agricultural work that depend on the weather, and others that you merely have to work with whatever Mother Nature gives you. To try and limit the hours agricultural workers can complete their jobs seems unfeasible. The simple fact is that you can’t work only nine-to-five and be successful in agriculture. Trying to limit hours, trying to prevent young adults from working on farms is also unfeasible if you want them to really absorb information and develop skills that can help them in future endeavors. Especially if they want to take over the farm. t
Tyler Pike is a senior in agricultural sciences. The opinions expressed in Pike’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Pike can be reached at managing@dailybarometer.com.
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2014
HANSON n Continued from page 7
power required to fight the Multitasking is a great tool, urge to check social media but like everything, there is a once every 10 seconds. time and place for it. The classroom is not one And in doing so, you allow The best way to break a habit is to minimize yourself the opportunity to of them. t the amount of willpower dedicate your full attention to your education, which after Jesse Hanson is a sophomore in physics. necessary. opinions expressed in Hanson’s columns If you turn your phone off all is the only reason you are The do not necessarily represent those of The Daily immediately at the beginning sitting in that lecture hall in the Barometer staff. Hanson can be reached at of class, you eliminate the will- first place. managing@dailybarometer.com.
DR. PSYCH n Continued from page 7
What if you just like sitting in the back? Some students say they intentionally sit near the back because they want or need to multitask, come late, leave early or be less hassled their seats were moved to the front. by entire experience. Fair enough. By the end of the course, those initially Making a decision to prioritize some assigned to sit in the back were much less likely other class or situation in life over learnto score in the top 20 percent of the class. ing and grades in any particular class may In fact, more than half of those initially well make sense, and we do think stuassigned to sit in the back actually ended up dents are in the best position to judge. with worse attitudes toward physics. Just know that you won’t magically perform Remember: There were no differences in better or like a class more just because you these students before class. have a good reason for being less engaged in it. Something about sitting in the back led to On the other hand, if you find yourthe difference. self in the back, with a little extra enerSitting in the front is a good bet, but dependgy, you can make the best of it. ing on the classroom, sitting in the middle We have had students who sat in the back may be key. and yet were some of the most enthusiastic Psychology professor Lloyd Stires let stuparticipants in the entire class. dents at his university choose a seat in one We do not mean to say that sitting in any section, and then asked them to keep sitone seat absolutely determines the outcome. ting there. In another section, he randomly Rather, on average, sitting near the front and assigned students a seat. in the middle causes most people to come to Stires reasoned that in his classroom, the class, learn and like the class more. seats on the sides of wide classrooms were just Humans only have so much motivation, as bad as the seats in the back. willpower and energy. Tweaking your environHe was right. ment to make it even just a little easier to do Students sitting in the middle earned higher what you need to do is a no-brainer. exam scores, liked the class and instructor betTo enjoy your classes more and get higher ter and it didn’t matter whether the students grades, sit in the front and the middle. had chosen their seat or not. t Students sitting in the middle front got Dr. Kathryn Becker-Blease is an assistant professor and directs the about a 4 percent boost over those sitting the Human Development and Learning lab in the School of Psychological Science. Keiko Bostwick is a member of the Human Development and side back. lab, and is pursuing an MAIS degree. The opinions expressed That’s the difference between a B- and a Learning in Becker-Blease and Bostwick’s columns do not necessarily represent B. Not bad for something that takes no time, those of The Daily Barometer staff. They can be reached at managing@ money or effort. dailybarometer.com.
RUUD n Continued from page 7 specifically refuse service to gay customers nearly cleared the fence through the state, and was only vetoed when giants like Apple, Marriott, American Airlines and even actor/activist George Takei expressed concern that it would be very bad for Arizona’s businesses. Takei even rallied a call for a boycott of Arizona, should the bill pass. Because when Mr. Sulu wants to get things underway, you can bet it’s at warp speed. Thanks to Arizona’s rapid backtracking, its business economy is still happy and healthy. Having a group of people threaten to no longer use your business — and perhaps garner sympathy from others you would want to use your business — is just not good for business. It would be like Nordstrom deciding that it will no longer cater to people with blonde hair, because of irrational, oldfashioned and illogical reasons. All the Kleins have achieved
RACQUETBALL FLAG FOOTBALL
t
Cassie Ruud is a senior in English. The opinions expressed in Ruud’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Ruud can be reached at managing@ dailybarometer.com.
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have to stay with the rough draft forever; we can go and make changes to move our nation toward a better place for everyone involved. If we didn’t, then I wouldn’t be able to write this column or attend college. Kleins, do you really want to be seen in the history books alongside other intolerant schmucks who refused service to individuals based on things they couldn’t control? That is a very long and nasty list that I for one would not want to associate with. But if that’s your aim, then you’re doing a marvelous job of digging your own grave. In fact, your protest isn’t even a protest anymore — gay marriage has been legalized for more than a year now. Your little protest is but a whimper in the coming storm of equality, and all it will do for you is ruin your business and reflect poorly on you throughout future history books.
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with this little temper tantrum of religious freedom is a generally negative public image that will stick around for a very long time. This isn’t the 1950s anymore, and a 2013 Gallup poll showed that Americans are becoming more tolerant in terms of accepting gay and lesbian relations — reaching a gorgeous high of 50 percent. And with this claim of religious freedom in refusal of service due to something that cannot be controlled, you potentially offended that 50 percent who could all be happily purchasing muffins from you right now. “Flies in the face of the Constitution,” my foot. You are part of a nation that caters to a wide variety of religious and personal expression, and if you haven’t learned to appreciate and accept that by now, then perhaps you should move shop to Kansas to hang out with the Westboro Baptist Church. I’m sure they’d eat your muffins of intolerance. The great thing about this country of ours is that we don’t
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