OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • VOL. CXXIV, NO. 6
End.
Oregon State Police ends contract with Oregon State University
Page 3
NEWS: Charges from controversial arrest dropped 3 • SPORTS: Hodgins having career year 10 • FORUM: Halloween cartoons 13
INDEX
COMMUNITY CALENDAR MONDAY,OCT.28 Beyond the Wall
Kidder Hall, Room 210 3-5 p.m. At the opening on October 28, 3-5 pm, Stefan Roloff will talk about his experience of growing up on the “island”of West Berlin, surrounded by the wall, and the way that experience has influenced his life and artistic concept. He has been a featured speaker at Cooper Union, Columbia University and Amherst College, among others. During his talk, the original footage of the 2017 exhibit will be screened. At the end of October 2019, Stefan Roloff will transform the space of the Little Gallery and adapt the original Berlin exhibit to fit the walls of Kidder Hall. The orange and gray colors of the gallery walls will be covered by wallpaper depicting the footage stills and silhouettes of the original 2017 exhibit.
CORRECTIONS Date: 10/21/2019 Article: Oregon State Football victory at California Correction: The statistics reflected in the subhead were originally incorrect. This issue has been resolved online. The Barometer regrets this error.
Date: 10/21/2019 Article: Clery Act 2019: Statistics and resources Correction: The Center Against Rape and Domestic Violence’s hotline number was listed incorrectly. This issue has been corrected online. The Barometer regrets the error.
IN THIS ISSUE
TUESDAY, OCT. 29
Halloween Happenings - Southside Station at Arnold
Arnold Dining Center 5:30-7:30 p.m. Join us for free mini pumpkin painting and cookie decorating! Pumpkins, cookies and decorating supplies provided.
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BEavers HERE NOW: Guided Meditation Sessions
5
Popular music minor comes to life Kognito program aims to help student mental health
6
OSU researches connection between proteins, deafness
Memorial Union, Room 62 3-3:30 p.m. Relax with a different, guided 15 minute meditation each week! No experience necessary. All are welcome! Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 3 pm in the MU Wellness Nook.
THURSDAY, OCT. 31
8
Police urge moderation during Halloweekend
Hodgins having ca10 Sports: reer year in junior season
13 Forum: Halloween cartoons
Haunted MU
Memorial Union 8 p.m. - midnight OSU Program Council and the MU Fun Team are joining forces to bring you a weekend of fun and screams by hosting a variety of Halloween inspired activities leading up to the annual Haunted Memorial Union. Check out the Haunted Hangouts, the maze, and carriage rides on Thursday, watch an Illusionist Show and make slime on Friday, and jump to the beat during our Haunted Concert on Saturday! There will also be tarot card readers, crafting, games, food and so much more! See you there!
Sippin’, Slime and Spooky Time
Kidder Hall, Room 109 4-6 p.m. Join the College of Science Peer Advisors for our fall term Destress Fest! This term we will have all the supplies to make your own slime! Food and drinks will be provided, as well as good company. Costumes encouraged!
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COVER: Photo illustration by Nyjah Gobert. It was announced publicly on Wednesday, Oct. 23 that the Oregon State Police have decided to end their contract with Oregon State University, which stipulated they were to provide support and resources to the Corvallis campus.
2 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
NEWS
Bicyclists’ rights explained By MICHAEL EUBANKS News Contributor
ORAN GE ME D IA NETWORK A screenshot from a contributed witness video shows Oregon State Police Trooper Kelly Katsikis and another officer stepping foward to grab Oregon State University student Genesis Hansen. J AC OB LE | ORAN GE ME DIA N E TWORK Oregon State Police Trooper Daniel Ketcham speaks with Oregon State University students during a community fair in the Student Experience Center Plaza. OSP is ending its contract with OSU, citing a need for resources to be allocated elsewhere.
Oregon State Police ends contract with university OSU must find new law enforcement arrangements after June 30 By VADA SHELBY News Contributor
Oregon State Police has decided to discontinue their contract with Oregon State University, effective June 30. OSU will be looking into other law enforcement agencies to potentially partner with after July 1, 2020. On Oct. 23, the student body at OSU received an email from President Ed Ray about OSP’s decision, saying OSP will remain in service to OSU until June 30 to ensure a smooth transition of law enforcement on campus. According to Steve Clark, vice president of University Relations and Marketing, OSP told the university their decision was based on a priority to disperse their staffing and resources through the state of Oregon, and in doing so they would no longer provide licensed law enforcement on campus after June 30. Clark explained the current agreement ends on Dec. 31, but OSP agreed to stay until June 30 to help with transitioning law enforcement services. OSP did not respond to multiple messages asking whether this decision has any relation to the arrest of Oregon State University student Genesis Hansen, which drew controversy for multiple reasons. The charges have since been dropped. Clark said the levels of public safety at OSU will not be affected during this transition. “Our commitment to public safety is not evident alone in the services provided by Oregon State Police,” Clark said. “Public Safety as a priority at OSU is evident through our Department of Public Safety and the relationship and service provided by Corvallis Police Department and Corvallis Fire Department and the Benton County Sheriff ’s office. Public safety at its delivery is not limited to one agency at Oregon State.” OSU is home to a nuclear reactor, which requires specific training and law enforcement presence. According to Clark, OSU will work to make sure activity involving the nuclear reactor facility will not be interrupted.
“OSP is the first provider, I understand that CPD officers are trained for certain levels as well, Clark said. “Our evaluation for future service would assure that the operations and research and teaching that occurs within the nuclear reactor facility would continue without interruption after OSP’s contract ends.” The university will continue to search for agreements with other law enforcement agencies before June 30 of 2020, according to Clark. “Oregon State Police can enforce criminal and traffic laws, write citations and arrest while OSU DPS Public Safety officers cannot,” Clark said via email. “Oregon State Police are licensed law enforcement officers who are armed. OSU DPS Public Safety officers are unarmed.” According to Mindy McCartt, communications director for OSP, OSU has been a partner with OSP since the 1980s. Last year, OSU paid OSP approximately $2.5 million for services, and Athletics pays OSP a lesser amount for services as well, via a separate agreement. “For much of this year, OSP leadership has been assessing the governmental interest of continuing to provide law enforcement resources to Oregon State University,” McCartt said in a contract statement. “Oregon law enforcement resources are in drastic decline and our statewide offices are starving for police personnel.” According to McCartt, OSP decided to allow the contract with OSU to end after considering the department’s statewide obligations and a “concern for the safety of our own employees.” “Oregon State University has been a tremendous partner to the Oregon State Police for decades and OSP treasures our relationships in the greater Corvallis community,” McCartt said in a contract statement. “OSP will work closely with OSU on an exit strategy for policing resources and we offer our commitment to support them in this time of transition.”
Charges from controversial arrest of student dropped By DELANEY SHEA Editor-in-Chief
Charges of interfering with a peace officer and resisting arrest have been dropped against Oregon State University student Genesis Hansen, following review of police body cam footage by Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson. Hansen, a fourth-year student, was arrested by Oregon State Police Trooper Kelly Katsikis on Sunday, Oct. 13 after being pulled over for allegedly riding her bicycle on the wrong side of the road. Hansen refused to present identification to Katsikis, asking to view the law which required her to present it, and was subsequently arrested. Controversy erupted thereafter, with some community members alleging wrongful arrest, racial profiling and use of excessive force during the arrest, in which Hansen hit the ground twice. Some community members believe Hansen should have complied and challenged the stop later. OSP has said it is reviewing the incident, and released Katsikis’ body cam footage in an effort to be transparent. While the traffic violation case is still open, the two criminal charges of interfering with a peace officer and resisting arrest have been dropped. According to Haroldson, he did not see those two crimes occur in the body cam footage. Although bicycles are considered a vehicle under ORS 814.400, and a driver’s license must be presented when lawfully stopped while driving a car, there is no statutory requirement stating that bike riders must provide identification when stopped by police, meaning Hansen was within her rights to refuse to provide identification. Corvallis Police Chief Jon Sassaman earlier said to the Gazette-Times that while he did not want to comment on the question of whether racial bias was involved in the initial stop, he believes the state trooper’s video shows no sign of excessive force, only an establishing of control. The question of whether the amount of force used by OSP was legally justified or not also partially depends on whether or not the arrest itself was lawful. “If an arrest occurs unlawfully, any force used after that should not occur,” Haroldson said.
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The recent arrest of Oregon State University student Genesis Hansen has generated discussions and debates locally and even nationally regarding the authority police officers possess and the rights of individuals stopped by police - namely whether or not an individual is legally required to present identification to an officer of the law. Hansen was originally stopped by an Oregon State Police Trooper on Oct. 13 for allegedly riding her bike on the wrong side of the road, and after refusing to present identification to the officer, she was arrested for resisting arrest and interfering with a peace officer - charges Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said he would not pursue. Corvallis criminal defense attorney Dan Armstrong explained while bicycles are considered vehicles in many respects, a driver’s license is not needed to operate a bicycle, and nobody can be required to present identification when pulled over on a bike, although they may be detained. According to Oregon Revised Statute 814.400, people biking on a public way have the same rights and responsibilities as someone driving a motor vehicle. If an individual commits a traffic violation on a bike, they can face the same penalties as someone who committed the violation in a motor vehicle. “For purposes of a DUII, you can get a DUII on a bicycle just like you can in a car,” Armstong said. According to ORS 131.615, a police officer may stop an individual if they believe the individual has committed or is about to commit a crime, and after stopping said person, “make reasonable inquiry.” “They only need reasonable suspicion to stop you for what they think is a crime,” Armstong said. “Riding your bike down the wrong side of the road is a violation. If a peace officer has probable cause to believe she’s committing that violation, then they can detain her and stop her, and they can ask her for her identification.” One difference between the operation of bikes and motor vehicles, however, is that an individual does not need to possess a driver’s license to ride a bike. It is also not illegal to refuse to identify yourself to a police officer in Oregon, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. But, if an officer believes that an individual has committed a crime or traffic violation, they have the lawful ability to detain an individual until the individual’s identity is established. While detained, an individual cannot leave until a police officer has given them permission to do so. Still, an individual has the legal right to refuse to give identification, as Hansen did, and even refuse to speak with the officer at all. An individual cannot be arrested for either act, like Hansen was, which may be why Haroldson said he would not pursue the charges of resisting arrest and interfering with a peace officer. Armstrong said he thinks the best way to interact with police is to be polite and obey commands. “Cooperate with the police,” Armstrong said. “They’re out there doing their job.” If an individual believes charges against them are unfair or that the police acted improperly, then they have the right to raise that concern. Armstrong said he believes the best time to address those issues is not then and there, but afterward in court when the court can make a decision.
OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 3
NEWS
Oregon State University to use Kognito at-risk training Counseling & Psychological Services is launching new online mental-health awareness and suicide prevention training By TERESITA GUZMAN NADER News Contributor Counseling & Psychological Services will release an online interactive training for students, faculty, and staff. The program will use Kognito, a real-life mental health simulation to give users the skills and confidence to intervene when someone is struggling with mental health. Kognito is a company that develops healthrelated simulations that use role-play conversations with virtual humans. Kognito provides professional development and public education simulations on topics such as mental health, substance use, chronic disease, family relations, medication adherence and patientprovider communication. Oregon State University has been using Kognito’s Veterans on Campus simulation as a tool that faculty, staff and students can use to learn skills to engage with student veterans. The goal of this initiative was to help military college students to transition from military life to college life. Now, OSU has decided to invest in the At-Risk for College and University simulation. This simulation will provide the OSU community the opportunity to learn about mental health and suicide prevention. Glenn Albright, Ph.D, co-founder and director of Research at Kognito said in an email that he started the initiative Kognito for health and mental health to try to prevent tragedies such as the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, where a college student shot and killed 32 people on the campus before taking his own life. “It was clear that faculty and students needed to become aware of how to identify, talk to, and if necessary, refer students in psychological stress to support services. Using a virtual human role-play learning model was the most efficacious and cost-effective way to reach faculty and students,” Albright said via email. A research on Kognito’s Avatar-Based Suicide Prevention Training for College Students conducted by Daniel Coleman, Natasha Black, Jeffrey Ng and Emily Blumenthal, found that training 14 students in Kognito leads to one more self-referral to the Counseling Center. “Untreated mental illness has significant implications for academic success. It can cause difficulties with concentration, screening out distractions, test anxiety, peer interactions and low self-esteem,” Albright said via email. According to the National Council on Disability Students with mental health disabilities who do not receive assistance are not as aca-
SCOTT SCHMIDT | ORAN GE MED I A NETWORK
Tess Webster-Henry is one of the mental health promotional team coordinators with CAPS and has helped develop the new suicide prevention program called Kognito. demically successful as their peers, with lower GPAs and higher dropout rates. “Untreated mental illness also impacts productivity, substance use, and social relationships,” Albright said in an email. “Lastly, the monetary costs associated with serious mental illness in the U.S. are estimated to total in excess of $300 billion per year. We need to de-stigmatize mental health and provide appropriate services to promote mental health and wellness.” Albright said that education on mental illness should start as early as K12 with parents and children to de-stigmatize it. The psychological factors play a huge role in physical illness including chronic diseases, because the mind and body are intimately connected and must be attended to as a whole, according to Albright. Kognito simulation programs are currently being used by several colleges including the University of New Hampshire, the University of South Florida, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and California community colleges. The simulation At-Risk for University & College Students will take approximately 30 minutes for students to complete, where the training for faculty and staff will
4 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
Our hope is that this will encourage a community of caring in which we all look out for one another. BONNIE HEMRICK Mental health promotion specialist
take 45 minutes. “Plans are being developed to promote and mandate this program to various groups. The training will be made available to all in the OSU community. It will launch during winter term,” Tess Webster-Henry, mental health promotion coordinator of CAPS said via email. It is not yet clear which groups at OSU will be required to take the training, but the training will be available this winter term. People at OSU that are interested to take the training will be able to access it through the Bridge Learning Library, OSU’s learning management system.
OSU proposes new creative writing major By JADA KENING News Reporter
After years of deliberation and planning, Oregon State University’s School of Writing, Literature and Film is working to implement a new major in creative writing. Keith Scribner, director of the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at OSU, has played a key role in the creation of the proposed major. Scribner wrote the category one proposal, which is required to implement a new degree program at a university, and submitted it to the state for approval last spring with the hope it will be accepted in time for fall 2020. OSU currently offers a degree in English, which focuses primarily on the analysis of texts. In contrast, a degree in creative writing would focus on constructing and producing texts. OSU has a total of 144 declared writing minors to date, including online students. Currently, no other public university in the state of Oregon offers a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing. Portland State University, however, offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the subject. Surrounding states, including Washington and Idaho, offer programs similar to the proposed degree, and Scribner said he hopes to draw students who are interested in these out-of-state programs to OSU. Nick Dybek, assistant professor in SWLF, said conceptualizing the proposed major was a group effort. This included researching other institutions and gauging student interest, which Dybek said seemed “very positive.” In a survey sent out to OSU students who completed a creative writing class, 39% of students said they were “very interested” in majoring in creative writing if it was offered, while 28% said they were “interested” and 18% said “somewhat interested.” Interested students came from a variety of majors, including both liberal arts and science, technology, math and engineering-related fields. “Based on that, we started to design a curriculum,” Dybek said. “Once you start making a new [program], there’s a lot of different needs that have to be satisfied, so that took a while to negotiate. That was mostly my part of it—overseeing that process.” In terms of curriculum, the new major would not require the creation of any new classes, but would instead incorporate creative writing classes currently taught at OSU. Peter Betjemann, director of SWLF, said many of the conversations during the planning stage related to career outcomes for potential students in the major, including the ability to communicate and tell compelling stories. Betjemann also said the proposed major is complementary in the sense that it can be paired with a number of other programs, including digital communication arts, journalism, speech communication, history, philosophy and STEM fields, to name a few.
See WRITING MAJOR Page 9
University implements new popular-music minor
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New minor, program director help OSU get initiated into Grammy Affiliation organization By ZOË SANDVIGEN News Contributor One of Oregon State’s newest hidden gems is the popular-music minor. Only requiring 27 credits, it may seem minute compared to other more extensive minors, but the rich histories, connections, and resources Bob Sentelli, university director of Popular Music and Performing Arts, provides for the students, puts OSU on the map. In fact, Oregon State is one of just 25 schools in the nation initiated into the Grammy Museum Affiliation, back in 2014. According to Dana Reason, Ph.D, coordinator of Contemporary Music and Research, she saw a lack of offerings in popular music on and off campus and in the music education department. “I noticed that a lot of the students want to learn about music, and they’re really interested in culturally-relevant music that speaks to them,” Reason says. “So offering these diversified options in the kind of music they love and identify with will help them have a voice when they come to college.” Reason is a piano pianist, composer and musicologist who plays, composes and performs all types of music, including jazz. Santelli, who teaches a variety of classes included in the minor, has had a long life of success in the music industry as well. He was the executive director of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, journalist for the Rolling Stone, a published author, curator of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and that’s just to list a few accomplishments. He is often asked about his decision to come to Oregon State, to which he has a number of reasons, one being he always considered himself an educator and mentor for young talent. His daughter also attended OSU, which is when he learned to fall in love with the Pacific Northwest landscape. For him, it was a welcomed change from New York City and New Jersey, where he used to live. Oregon State’s exceptional music program and trajectory for success is what led to the university being voted into the Grammy Affiliation, right up next to the Ivy Leagues. Lloyd McNemar, a first-year English major, said he ended up taking the class by accident. “This is quite the story actually, because I was planning on dropping this class the first day. I’m an English major and I need two years of language, but this is the one class I had a placement holder for, and after the first day, I was hooked,” McNemar said. The classes follow a set progression, starting with American Music, which Santelli teaches in the fall. American Music is followed by music business one and two and so forth.There is no prior music experience needed to join these courses. They are simply informative and made to spark interest in students within the field of music, including aspects of production, busi-
HOUSE AD BR ITTNE E BARRY | ORAN GE ME DIA NE TWORK
Oregon State University fourth-year student Marika Huffer practices flute on the third floor of Benton Hall. Practice spaces are available for all students with majors and minors in music.
ness and art. Santelli also hosts small offshoots of the minor such as the Album Club. Once a month, students get together and listen to an album and discuss its significance of the message, the sound and methodism. Samhita Meghashyam, a third-year psychology student who transferred from Portland Community College, said she took this class to learn more about what American music is. “My Mom and Grandma are singers and I’m very passionate about Indian music, but I took this class because I have no idea about American music. The first thing I thought of was just country and hip hop.” Reason and Santelli’s classes are more than just the descriptions online. They’re interactive and beyond what is expected out of music classes because of their personal backgrounds in the industry, and the deeper understandings they share. “Even though these are the early stages, we got the necessary building blocks in place so that we can grow the concept, the minor degree and start attracting students, almost solely because we offer popular-music studies,” Santelli said. “That’s our goal, and I think we’re on a good track now, and we need to tell people about it.” Reason and Santelli said that they hope to see the minor flourish in the next handful of years, and begin to attract students from all over the state and country to be a part of such a special, one of a kind program. OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 5
NEWS
Organization for women in STEM fields relaunches
Group gathers for the first time in over a year to reinvent idea of being women in STEM By ZOË SANDVIGEN News Contributor On Oct. 16, Steminist relaunched their organization in the Student Experience Center in hopes to form a new inclusive community of students. The Steminist were originally created to provide a safe space for women to come together and talk about the gender inequalities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Gabrielle James, director of Student Engagement, Whitney Archer, Diversity and Cultural Engagement associate director and Hattie Redmond Women and Gender Center assistant director, and Sahid Rosado Lausell, Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives coordinator, teamed up as the new founders in recruiting students, clubs, organizations and anyone with a passion for equality in the classroom and career fields of STEM. The event began by stressing that the Steminist organization is powered by students. Archer, one of the group’s leaders, said the organization started years ago with a few
women who would discuss the feeling of isolation and struggle of being present in a space that was mostly dominated by men. The group would sit over lunch and discuss their issues before attempting to expand campuswide with promotional stickers and word-ofmouth. The small group eventually disbanded from lack of support. To why the Steminist dispersed the first time around, James said great groups on campus tend to fizzle out without the support of other student organizations, or when students don’t engage. “I think the last time this was launched, the Women and Gender Center was hosting some wonderful events, and there was a really great community of people wanting to talk about feminism and STEM environments and their experiences,” James said. Archer said the Steminist organization is working to gather resources from the staff, students and organizations involved to meet the needs of the group moving forward. Kamaile Shand, member of the Society For Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science and the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, was
familiar with the group’s initial start years ago. She attended the event after receiving an email about the restarting of the initiative. “I really want [to] put my stamp in for uplifting women,” Shand said. As a woman who has been in classes that are male-dominated, Shand said she felt excited about the values of the Steminist and being recognized as a woman in the STEM field. In one of her science classes last year, her professor addressed the women in the class specifically. “In that class, our professor made all the males leave. He talked to us and he was like, ‘I’m aware that there’s a difference of sexes in this class, and you might feel suppressed by the male opinion and ideas. I’m aware of that and will try to help,’” Shand said. “I felt really heard that he was aware of that, because a lot of professors just go on with their lecture and call on all the guys raising their hands. That was really empowering for me.” The Steminist plan to grow and form a schedule and basis according to students and groups involved. For now, there are not hard rules set yet for the organization as they push forward, placing an emphasis on the members and their ideas.
BRI TTNEE BARRY | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK Kaitie Kahler talks about why she came to the kick-start STEMINIST meeting that took place on Oct. 16, 2019 in the Student Experience Center.
Johnson Lab researches connection between proteins and deafness By TERESITA GUZMAN NADER News Contributor A group of researchers is investigating the connection between some proteins and deafness. The researchers form part of Oregon State University Johnson Lab, a biochemistry and biophysics lab that conducts research on a family of genes linked to deafness, muscular dystrophy and breast cancer. According to the National Institute of Deafness and other Communication Disorders, about two to three of every 1,000 children in the United States are born with a detachable level of hearing loss in one or both ears and more than 90% of deaf children are born from hearing parents. Colin Johnson, Ph.D, principal investigator of the Johnson Lab, moved to OSU in 2011 to research genes linked to medical conditions. “Hearing is an extremely important sense. Hearing allows for verbal communication and socializing. Loss of hearing results in an impairment in the ability to communicate and interact with others,” Johnson said via email. “The development of treatments for all types of hearing loss provides opportunities for individuals to hear others and communicate through the auditory pathway.” Among adults aged 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three has ever used them. Even fewer adults aged 20 to 69 have ever used hearing aids that could help them to improve their hearing perception, according to the NIDCD. “Treatments for deafness are a long time coming, and right now we have cochlear implants that have been known to help, but besides being complex and costly, these
L OGAN HOWE L L | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK Researchers observe and review data in their testing of proteins’ impact on hearing loss at birth.
implants have a lot of other health-related disadvantages,” Aayushi Manchanda, Ph.D candidate in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program and part of Johnson Lab, said via email. “The need of the hour is to develop gene therapy related treatments that can reverse this defect, but, that is easier said than done, because deafness can be caused by mutations in thousands of different genes.” Johnson Lab studies a protein called otoferlin whose mutations have been found in cases of congenital deafness. Otoferlin is known to be crucial in transmitting sound stimulus to the brain for interpretation, and mutations in the gene encoding this protein can cause deafness, Manchanda said via email. The current research at Johnson Lab tries to understand how otoferlin functions in the auditory pathway. “By gaining knowledge about its mechanism, we can begin to address the changes the
6 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
mutations are causing and try to develop therapies,” Manchanda said via email. Josie Bonventre, Ph.D, postdoctoral research associate in the department of Biochemistry & Biophysics at the Johnson Lab said via email that the protein otoferlin has been shown to play an integral role in the hearing process, due to the fact that mutations in the protein lead to profound deafness. In an email, Johnson said mutations in otoferlin are often observed in people born with congenital deafness. “Deafness can be caused by a myriad of functional and physiological abnormalities. While we nominally study only the one protein within the entire, complex process we call hearing, our work provides information on other related proteins and functions within the hair cell (the sensory “input” cell), and therefore increases our overall understanding of the physiology governing the system,” Bonventre
said via email. Johnson Lab uses zebrafish, a freshwater fish, as a model organism to understand the function of the gene otoferlin in hearing. “My research in the lab has primarily been to utilize the larval zebrafish model to study otoferlin in an in vivo model system. By using a reverse genetics tool called ‘morpholinos,’ we are able to temporarily knock down the expression of the protein during development, and observe the consequence of the physiological disruption in the organism and, more specifically, in the hair cells themselves,” said Bonventre via email. Bonventre said that Johnson Lab is currently using a variety of techniques to measure the behavior of various proteins previously shown to interact with otoferlin. Johnson Lab is also trying to identify novel proteins associated with otoferlin function in the human body within the hair cells that form part of the sensory receptors of the auditory system. The ultimate goal of this particular research of the Johnson Lab is to better understand the role otoferlin plays in hair cell physiology and in the process of hearing, Bonventre said via email. “Otoferlin is part of a larger gene family that also includes dysferlin and myoferlin, genes involved in muscular dystrophy and breast cancer, respectively. A second goal of our research is to understand how these genes function as well, and to find an underlying function that these proteins have in common,” Johnson said via email. The Johnson Lab will continue studying the connection between otoferlin and deafness to create pathways for future deafness solutions that could improve the quality of life of people suffering from hearing impairment.
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First look at Men’s Basketball Beaver Basketball defeats Carroll College in first season exhibition
BRI TTNEE BARRY | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK
OSU Men’s Basketball sophomore guard Antoine Vernon drives against Carroll College in Gill Coliseum.
By BRADY AKINS Sports Contributor
Email OMN.Sports@Oregonstate.edu Or check us out at:
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The Oregon State Beavers Men’s Basketball team had their first of two exhibition games for the season on Wednesday, Oct. 23, beating the Carroll College Fighting Saints 79-60 at Gill Coliseum. The exhibition was the first game for this season’s Beavers Basketball team, and while the final result won’t impact their overall record, the match provided fans their first glance at what this team may look like going into their season opener. Few players made as strong an impact statistically as Oregon State’s senior forward Kylor Kelley. Kelley led the team in points, blocked shots and rebounds against the Fighting Saints, making an impact on both sides of the ball. While finishing second in the NCAA in blocked shots per game last year with 3.35, Kelley averaged 7.7 points per game during the 2018-19 season, fourth on the team. With 16 points against Carroll College on a game high 10 shot attempts, the team relied on Kelly on to score on Wednesday. Head coach Wayne Tinkle discussed the senior forward after the game and said that Kelley plays with confidence in a post game interview. “We were making an emphasis to throw it into him,” Tinkle said. “We’re going to expect big things from him all year.” This season, the Beavers will be missing their four year guard in Stephen Thompson Jr. Thompson Jr. graduated last year as the program’s fourth leading scorer of all time. The guard played in all 31 of Oregon State’s games last year and averaged 16.1 points per game, leaving behind offensive production will need to be made up. Coach Tinkle discussed how to maintain offensive production with the Beavers’ depth during his press conference at PAC-12 Men’s Basketball Media Day. “Because of the talent in that depth, we’re going to be able to free up some guys that maybe have had a lot of pressure on them in the
past to produce for us night in and night out,” Tinkle said during the Oct. 8 press conference. In the same press conference, Tinkle also made sure to emphasize the importance the Beaver’s depth will have on the defensive side of the ball, as well as on offense, pointing out the impact of resting players. Tinkle said the players did good things last season but the level of playing time had pressure on a few players. “I think that it caught up to us a little bit in the end and you saw that it and we lost some close games down the stretch,” Tinkle said. “I think we’ll be able to rest guys a little bit more… so that we can build the team and peak at the right time.” Against Carroll College, the Beavers’ depth was on display. Though only an exhibition, Oregon State had nine players had over 10 minutes of game time against the Fighting Saints and got 24 points from their bench players as well. Both the starting lineup and the players coming off the bench had a strong outing on defense, holding Carroll College to 34.3 percent on field goals and coming away with 11 blocked shots. Despite the win, the Beavers still showed they have room to grow on offense and defense. Oregon State ended the exhibition having allowed 15 offensive rebounds to the Fighting Saints, compared to the Beavers’ seven, and struggled with free throws, making 16 of their 32 attempts. Junior college transfer and Oregon State guard Sean Miller-Moore said to have patience with the team’s struggles while going through these exhibition matches before the season. “A lot of us have to get our nerves out,” Miller-Moore said in an interview after the game. “We work hard in practice, so we should be able to bring that to the game.” The Beavers have one more exhibition match left on the schedule. They will welcome the Warner Pacific Knights to Gill Coliseum on Tuesday, Oct. 29. They will then take on California State University, Northridge at home as their season opener on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. in Gill Coliseum.
OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 7
NEWS
Halloweekend right around corner, so are police By ZOË SANDVIGEN News Contributor Halloweekend, what college students refer to the weekend nearest to Halloween as, is fast approaching as Oregon State University students gear up to take on the festivities. Starting the weekend of Oct. 26, and spilling over into the first weekend of November, posters and reminders of safe drinking can be seen on campus. The police prepare for what could be the most rampant weekend of the school year. With so many parties there can be drinking involved, the Corvallis police are sent out to try to manage the underaged students and keep everyone safe. Lieutenant Daniel Duncan of the Corvallis Police Department weighs in on his advice for the holiday. The local police plan to staff an extra three to four officers for the evenings to ensure there is enough support available to students, Lieutenant Duncan says. He urges students to always call 911 when there is an emergency. “I think it is good to have a plan, and go out with people you can trust to make sure everyone has a safe, responsible, and enjoyable evening. Be aware of the city ordinances and state laws, and certainly do not drink and drive.” Duncan said. Even with support provided for students to ensure their safety, it is possible some will still
P HOTO IL L USTRATION BY CL AIRE N E L SON | ORAN GE MED IA NETWORK
Candy corn lies sprinkled around a spilled cup of liquid. Drinking occurs at some Halloweekend parties, and the police are encouraging students to make smart choices. seek medical attention. For a lot of students this can seem daunting, not wanting to get in serious legal trouble, but Lieutenant Duncan confirms that if medical attention is contacted, both the victim and the caller are immune to serious trouble. “Oregon has medical amnesty laws protecting persons who are in need of medical assistance. Those laws also apply to persons making the call for emergency help.” He said in reference to Oregon Revised Statutes 471.430(10). This statute prevents prosecution of underaged
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8 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
drinking if a person contacts emergency medical services for them self or others. Fraternity and sorority life throw events during this time which sometimes feature drinking. Abigail Ladd, VP of Risk Management and member of the Panhellenic Executive Council, says she and her and her counsel are heavily involved in the students’ lives everyday. “Risk Management is involved in students’ lives every day. Specifically for Halloweekend, we have worked to educate the community on
how to plan and implement safe events,” Ladd says. “We provide policies and best practices that will aid in their event planning so that we, as the community, can keep our members as safe as possible.” Not all students take part in the party festivities despite its reputation. There are several event that OSU puts on as well. Xiomara Bustamante, a fourth year merchandise management major, works at the information desk of the Student Experience Center. She said there are many different events happening for Halloween and through the following weekend. There is pumpkin painting Monday the 28 in west dining center at 2pm as well as Tuesday the 29 in Arnold Hall at 5:30pm. The Haunted MU is available Oct. 31- Nov. 2, and there is a concert in the MU the night of Nov. 2 at 9pm. All these events are free for students As for here in Corvallis, the local police plan to staff an extra three to four officers for the evenings to ensure there is enough support available to students, Lieutenant Duncan says. He urges students to always call 911 when there is an emergency. “During potential medical events, every second counts and waiting could be detrimental to the health of the individual in crisis.” Duncan says.
NEWS WRITING MAJOR, continued from page 4 Betjemann said he is particularly excited about potential pairings in STEM disciplines, since a creative writing major could provide students in science with the ability to communicate and share information effectively to the public. The proposed major has three areas of concentration: fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Students will be required to take the three 200-level classes in these subjects—introduction to fiction, introduction to creative nonfiction and introduction to poetry—and will specialize as they progress in the degree. Many other universities offering creative writing require one all-encompassing introductory-level class for all three subjects, rather than teaching the topics in separate courses. Scribner said requiring introductory courses in all three concentrations is a significant benefit of OSU’s proposed major, since it can expose students to genres they may not explore otherwise. According to Betjemann, a key and distinctive element in the implementation of the proposed major is the success of OSU’s MFA program and the strength of its faculty. The MFA program usually accepts 11-14 students out of an applicant pool of roughly 380 per year, making the program one of the most selective in the university. Betjemann said he hopes to see collaboration between the undergraduate and graduate
creative writing students, along with the broader Corvallis literary community, by co-hosting events, attending each other’s reading series and providing feedback on each other’s work. “The community and the infrastructure— I really want to stress that—are already so strong,” Betjemann said. “I really think there’s an access issue here. We need to give undergraduate students more access to that vitality.” Betjemann said he believes the program has the potential to produce famous writers, particularly with the resources and faculty already present in SWLF. “We have faculty who have literally some of the most famous and influential literary agents in the United States. These are people who know the publishing world,” Betjemann said. Like Betjemann, Scribner said he also hopes to see collaboration and integration between undergraduate creative writing majors and graduates in the MFA program if the proposed degree is implemented. “One of the things that makes this proposal, and one of the reasons I’m optimistic about it, is because the MFA is such a strong program, and this major seems like a very, very natural—and even obvious—companion to that,” Scribner said. At the top of his written category one proposal, Scribner included a quote from Steve Jobs: “it is in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough—it’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that
RID WANA RAHMAN | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK
Oregon State University English instructor, Emily Elbom, teaches a technical writing class, one of multiple English classes offered at OSU. yields us the results that make our heart sing.”
who know how to express themselves, know
the goal of the proposed degree: for students to
ing and exercising that imaginative, creative
Scribner said this quote accurately reflects
become better writers and innovative thinkers.
“That’s the idea—that if you have students
how to write, and have spent four years train-
side of themselves, they can do anything. It’s limitless,” Scribner said.
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OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 9
SPORTS
Hodgins having career year in junior season Family and faith support Hodgins, OSU Football wide receiver remains focused By MATTHEW BROOKS Sports Contributor Isaiah Hodgins is having the best season of his Oregon State Football career. The junior wide receiver is averaging more receptions, receiving yards and yardsper-reception than in either of his previous two seasons as a Beaver. His ten touchdowns in seven games this season is more than the seven touchdowns he recorded in his previous 22 appearances. “He knows the nuances of how to separate, create separation,” wide receivers coach Kefense Hynson said. “He’s got deceptive speed, and he’s got great hands, so all those things combine.” While he is proving to be an asset as a Beaver, Hodgins’ journey to Corvallis started long before he grew into his six-foot-four-inch frame. According to Isaiah’s younger brother Isaac, who is a sophomore defensive lineman at OSU, Isaiah has made leaps and bounds since their childhood. “Actually Isaiah wasn’t that good when we first started playing,” Isaac said. “We were young, we were like six years old.” Isaiah too, agrees that he was not a star right out of the gates. “My first year playing football I was the worst on the team, and after, I just kept working on drills with my dad,” Isaiah said. Isaiah also said his progression continued through his childhood years playing football, eventually standing out as a high school prospect. Ranked by 247Sports as a four-star prospect, Isaiah had offers from other schools such as Oregon, Washington and Michigan before landing in Corvallis, Ore. Now at Oregon State, the product of Hodgins’ hard work is showing itself. Going into last week’s bye-week, his touchdown total tied him for first in the nation and his 745 receiving yards put him in eighth. With his consistent play putting him among the nation’s statistical leaders, head coach Jonathan Smith was quick to recognize the work that has gone into Isaiah’s successes in orange and black. “One of my favorite things about him being so productive is he’s one of our hardest working guys in practice,” Smith said. “From a leadership role, for one of our best guys to be the guy that’s always out there first, last one off the field, always going, it’s a great example for our team. He deserves it.” When he’s not busy being one of the nation’s top producing wide receivers, Hodgins said he enjoys down time with his loved ones the most. He said he is not one for partying but enjoys hanging out with his family, friends and wife. His brother describes him as caring, funny and likable. “He’s got a good heart,” Hynson said. “He’s a good kid, and he’s got a quiet passion to be great that’s not outwardly demonstrative.” Along with his strong family ties, Hodgins’ faith plays a big role in his life. He describes himself as “God-fearing,” and said he couldn’t live without his faith. Both his Twitter and Instagram biographies have references to Biblical scripture.
CL AIRE NELSON, JONATHAN HOPPER | ORANGE MED IA NETWORK TOP: Hodgins lines up with the Beaver offense in their match against the Stanford Cardinal on Sept. 28 and finished the day with 1 touchdown. (Claire Nelson) BOTTOM LEFT: Hodgins celebrates with teammate and redshrit sophomore wide receiver Tyjon Lindsey versus the Stanford Cardinal. (Claire Nelson) BOTTOM RIGHT: Hodgins shares excitement with a teammate versus Oklahoma State on Aug. 30 where he scored 2 touchdowns. (Jonathan Hopper)
With his faith and family helping support him off the field, his on-field results are leading to recognition. Heading into the bye-week where the Beavers didn’t have a game, he was leading the fan vote for the Fred Biletnikoff award, an honor given to college football’s best wide receiver. The award is voted on by different college football writers, broadcasters and commentators from all across the country. Two Beaver football players have won the award in the past, including Mike Hass in 2005 and Brandin Cooks in 2013. Hass spent three seasons in the NFL and Cooks now plays for
10 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
the Los Angeles Rams in his sixth season as a professional. “It would mean the world,” Hodgins said of potentially winning the award. “It’s something I prayed about for so long and I feel like it would help, not mainly me, but the program.” In this moment, Hodgins is exactly where he envisioned he would be when growing up. He had dreams of playing on the biggest stages against talented defensive backs, and ultimately wants to someday play at the next level. “[There’s] still room for him to keep growing, I think he understands that, but I wouldn’t put a limit on his potential,” Hynson said. “I think he
could obviously play at the next level and be a good player at the next level.” The Beavers return to action next Saturday, Nov. 2, for a 1:30 p.m. matchup with the Arizona Wildcats. Hodgins, however, remains focused on the current moment. “I just have to sit there and pray on that and wait and see, stay patient. I don’t want to look too far ahead and not enjoy the moment,” Hodgins said. “I feel like the future is bright, but I also feel like the present is bright, so just staying in the moment is big for me.”
SPORTS
FOOTBALL Football
MEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER
VOLLEYBALL
OKLAHOMA STATE AUG. 30 L, 36-52
COASTAL CAROLINA AUG. 30 L, 1-2
VILLANOVA AUG. 30 W, 2-1 (2OT)
OREGON SEPT. 26 W, 3-2
CAL POLY SEPT. 14 W, 45-7
COLGATE SEPT. 1 W, 2-1
SAINT MARY’S (CALIFORNIA) SEPT. 1 W, 3-0
COLORADO SEPT. 27 W, 3-1
STANFORD SEPT. 28 L, 28-31
DAVIDSON SEPT. 6 W, 2-0
NEW MEXICO SEPT. 5 W, 1-0
CALIFORNIA OCT. 4 L, 0-3
UTAH - HOMECOMING OCT. 12 L, 7-52
PACIFIC SEPT. 9 W, 4-1
UC DAVIS SEPT. 8 W, 3-0
STANFORD OCT. 5 L, 0-3
WASHINGTON NOV. 8 7:30 P.M.
UC SANTA BARBARA SEPT. 15 L, 2-3
IDAHO SEPT. 19 W, 2-1
USC OCT. 18 L, 1-3
ARIZONA STATE NOV. 16 TBD
UCLA SEPT. 19 W, 2-0
STANFORD OCT. 10 L, 0-2
UCLA OCT. 20 L, 2-3
SAN DIEGO STATE SEPT. 22 W, 2-1
CALIFORNIA OCT. 13 T, 0-0
WASHINGTON STATE NOV. 7 6 P.M.
UC DAVIS SEPT. 29 CANCELLED
WASHINGTON OCT. 18 L, 1-2
ARIZONA STATE NOV. 15 7 P.M.
STANFORD NOV. 7 4 P.M.
UCLA OCT. 31 7 P.M.
ARIZONA NOV. 17 12 P.M.
CALIFORNIA NOV. 10 1 P.M.
USC NOV. 3 1 P.M.
WASHINGTON NOV. 15 TBD
OREGON NOV. 7 7 P.M.
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PAC12 XC TOURNAMENT: NOV. 1 MEN’S ROWING REGATTA: NOV. 16 WOMEN’S ROWING REGATTA: NOV. 17 GRAPHIC BY OMN CREATIVE // INFO PROVIDED BY OSUBEAVERS.COM OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 11
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Letter from the Editor: You’re our watchdog By DELANEY SHEA Editor-in-Chief
GRAP H I C B Y N ATA LIE LUTZ | OR ANG E MEDIA NE TWORK
SHS: Clearing up STI questions By SHS SEXUAL HEALTH TEAM The Birds and the Beavs is a weekly column answering your questions on the topics of sexual health, consent, and relationships, written by the Oregon State University Sexual Health Team. This week’s topic is on STI (sexually transmitted infection) testing. The only way to know your status is to get tested. Here at OSU Student Health, we often refer to STI testing as TasP, which means “Testing as Prevention.” Like any health problem, knowing early if you have an STI will make treatment easier and prevent the further spread of the infection to partners. Q: I had unprotected sex last week, and I’m nervous I could have an STI, where could I get tested? A: You can make an appointment to see a clinician or request your own labs, also known as selfrequested testing, to get tested for chlamydia/gonorrhea, syphilis, or HIV at Student Health Services (SHS) Lab in Plageman Hall. With self-requested testing you do not need to see a clinician prior to being tested, and the entire process takes only about 20 minutes. You also self select the areas you would like tested, collect the testing swabs on your own, and select which tests you would like performed. The SHS Lab also offers low-cost service and discreet billing. So if you are concerned about anyone who has access to your student account seeing that you were STI tested, you don’t need to worry. Charges show on your account only as “lab”, similar to if you had a throat culture for strep throat. For self-request-
ed testing, you can come directly to the lab on the first floor of Plageman Hall to make a request. There is no appointment needed and results are posted to your account on the secure patient portal at myhealth.oregonstate.edu! Q: How often should I get tested? A: Individuals should get tested every 3-12 months depending on the frequency of changing partners. Ideally, we recommend testing between every partner. If in a committed and monogamous relationship, we also recommend testing before going condomless and then again every year at an annual check-up. Additionally, you should get tested if you are symptomatic. Common symptoms include: painful urinations, vaginal/penile discharge, pain during sex, lower abdominal pain, and more. If you are unsure if you have an STI or something feels “off” you can make an appointment with a clinician or do self-referral testing. Keep in mind that not everyone has symptoms when they have an STI, so we recommend testing between every partner. Q: I just was STI tested and am still being told by my clinician to use a condom. What gives? A: It is important to note that it sometimes takes 3 months for an STI to be detectable on an STI panel. So you may test negative, but may still have an STI. Using a condom is a good way to prevent spreading an STI to a partner or contracting on yourself. You can access free condoms at any of our Safer Sex Spot locations on campus. Tune in next week for Part 2 on STI Testing!
12 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
It is my understanding there are some of you who are concerned about or frustrated by The Baro’s coverage of Genesis Hansen’s arrest and ensuing events. I will explain our publishing process and why we chose to publish what we did, when we did. I hope it will provide insight into the sincerity of our intentions, and the value of our work. Additionally, I am asking and inviting everyone who feels like their concerns haven’t been heard to reach out to me so that we can talk face-to-face. I’m not looking to lecture, but to understand where we could have done better, to answer questions and hopefully to show you the humanity behind what I think can sometimes be perceived as a faceless entity churning out knowledge on a mysterious agenda, seeking pageviews. There are a few things I do regret, regarding our initial story, and a few things I hope to clarify. The process began when I saw the videos Genesis had posted on Twitter. She is a valued member of our team, and an award-winning writer to boot. Even so, our process would have remained exactly the same if Genesis was not an employee of Orange Media Network, with the possible exception that the event may have entered our collective consciousness slightly later. The initial outcry necessitated a story - the arrest scared and angered members of the community, and it happened to a student near campus. It was still necessary for me to write an editor’s note declaring Genesis’ employment, because that is part of being transparent. I pitched the story to my reporters, and Vada picked it up. I co-wrote, due to the sensitive nature of the topic and the fact that it had already been a full day since the event when we started writing the story, and timeliness is of the essence. Our coverage plan was discussed with multiple editors and our advisers, although the decision of what to publish and when to publish is fully mine. When writing, we ensured what I believe to be a clear distinction of what was verified fact, what was witness impression and what were beliefs we were working on verifying. Everything published as verified fact was fact-checked before publication. Unfortunately, we did get something wrong - I was told by the Oregon State Police over the phone that Oregon Revised Statute 814.400 justified the arrest. I read the law, and read related laws, which seemed to check out. However, clearly, the arrest was not legally justified as the charges have now been dropped by the District Attorney. Although a bicycle is considered a vehicle
in many aspects, it is not considered a vehicle when it comes to requiring identification presentation during a stop. From this, I have learned to be extra cautious about legal interpretation. My strongly ingrained guiding principles, which align with the The Baro’s guiding principles - include honesty, honor, steadfastness and humility. Most, if not all, of our reporters are here to help communicate the truth and make our community a more understandable place. We were not seeking pageviews with this story. We were not seeking to stir the pot. We were not seeking to turn any tides of public opinion. We saw an emotionally-charged conflict which affected the public, and stepped in to provide facts as soon as we could verify them. Regardless of intent, I should have made sure we explained that the videos were provided to us by a witness, who we chose to keep anonymous because they said the police had mentioned a possible phone confiscation if they published the videos with their name attached. We did not trim or edit the videos in any way. I did not realize people would think we had, but I should have. It would indeed also have been ideal to have sought the body cam footage earlier, although at that point I am unsure of how quickly we would have received it. What happened in the witness videos, though, is confirmed to have happened and part of the full context. We’re a watchdog, with a responsibility to seek and publicize the truth, to keep power in check. But we are a power as well, and this is not something I take lightly. I am quite cognizant of the fact that news shapes reality. What spreads in the vacuum without news can so easily become a cesspool of tangled rumors. And what spreads when news is done incorrectly can so easily become a cesspool of tangled rumors. Our initial published story regarding the arrest was fair coverage of an event that affected the community, which gave all main parties involved multiple chances to speak, and made clear to readers that more details would be coming. Since then, we have published emerging details as quickly as we could verify them. It would not have been right of me to delay publication of this story, because rumors and questions were already spreading. Stories unfold over days, weeks, months and years. It would have been inappropriate to withhold verified truths and explain current prevailing opinions, when it was relevant and affecting the public in the present. To level with you - it breaks my heart to see comments calling out “the media” for not caring about the people we’re writing for and about, or for trying to prompt action in our news articles. To reject sources which hold themselves to high standards of fact
vetting and perspective collecting is to reject the most important foundation for building opinions. We are student journalists because we care very deeply about our community and believe everyone deserves to have access to the truth. We are always striving to improve. At the same time, I do understand - I have seen coverage of the arrest which was horribly biased. And it is frustrating. We did not publish this story with animosity or a grudge toward any party involved. I do not believe it is fair to assign blame for the controversy, or for any of Oregon State Police’s following decisions, to the reporting. The collective public makes decisions about how to act on, or not act on, the truth we publish. Laying out facts and viewpoints from all sides means we cannot emphasize one way forward, and it is up to you to consider, understand when details are still emerging, and subsequently make decisions. I hope I can help show over my tenure as Editor-in-Chief that The Baro’s agenda is to publish accessible, truthful information to challenge assumptions, keep powerful people in check and create a community which understands its own context. I did not take this job because I thought it would get me power, attention or money. I applied to become Editor-in-Chief because I feel a loyalty toward my community, and I feel compelled to foster a trustworthy news source which functions as an accountable public servant. If you have concerns about our coverage, if you think we botched an article, forgot an angle or misrepresented something, I want to listen to what you have to say. I mean that. I have had some enlightening conversations over the past couple of weeks with people whose opinions fall on all sides of the controversy which unfolded before us. I have informed of ways our coverage could be perceived which I hadn’t thought of. I received critiques regarding missed perspectives which informed future coverage decisions. I cannot, nor do I want to, guarantee that I’ll be able to reconcile or agree with every negative judgement - ultimately, the full truth rarely satisfies everyone. And in this position I have a responsibility to push for the truth and to pass on the truth to you, the public, who are fully capable of drawing your own opinions. We know we don’t need to do that for you. That was a pretty long-winded way of saying that if you want to know why I made a particular coverage decision, or you believe I have abused my power and want to confront me, I will always make time to have a discussion. I will be fully present and listen to you with an open mind. I will be fully genuine with you. Count on it. I can be reached at baro.editor@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-3191.
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Student Proved By DEREK SNYDER
In This Essay I Will By LUKAS DUMESTRE
Letter to the Editor: Public safety officers should not be armed What will OSU use to replace OSP? While I personally am happy that OSP chose to leave voluntarily, the question still remains unanswered. Following past incidents at Portland State University, where an unarmed man was shot by campus police, there has been a strong backlash against armed campus police officers. So, in light of incidents like this,
and incidents of police shootings around the country, I think it is safe to suggest that any public safety officer should not be armed or permitted to carry any firearms at all while on regular patrol around campus. I think how the University proceeds in this situation will be a highly contentious issue in the next year. I think it is important, that we, the Students
of Oregon State University, voice an opposition to armed private security on campus, lest somebody gets seriously hurt or killed by people who are drunk with power.
Letters to the Editor will be reviewed for submission on a first-received basis. Letters must be submitted by the Thursday before the next print publication. Letters must be 200 words or fewer and must include the author’s signature, academic major, class standing or job title, department name and phone number. Authors of emailed letters will receive a reply for the purpose of verification. Letters are subject to editing for space, style, clarity and civility. Letters which are timely, relevant and accurate will receive priority for publication. Each reader will be allowed one published letter per month. Letters may be published either in print and/or online.
Millicent Taylor-Durand Fourth-year sociology student OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 13
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Up For Interpretation By SHRIDA SHARMA
YAYS & NAYS The Barometer lists OSU’s favorite and least favorite things this week.
Southern Isle By KEVIN MASSIE
YAYS • YAY to Oxford commas • YAY to bagel sandwiches • YAY to Prism art & literary magazine (submissions open now) • YAY to Halloween and dressing up and candy and parties and haunted houses!
NAYS
Left-Handed Vision By ARTHUR LINDHJEM
• NAY to having to use Oxford
commas
in
Associated Press style • NAY to the actual name for a female peacock being a peahen... • NAY to getting DUIs, so don’t
14 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
HOROSCOPE
Facebook: DailyBarometer
MO N DAY OC T OBE R 2 8 T H , 2 0 1 9
Twitter: @DailyBaro and @omnsports
S U D O K U LEVEL: 1 2 3 4
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)
Today is an 8 -- Cover all
Today is an 8 -- Imagine
Today is a 9 -- You’re
Today is an 8 -- You’re
financial bases. Follow
perfection, especially with
getting into a profitable
motivated by a team cause.
rules carefully and check
romance. Share creative
Share brilliant ideas, talents
ideas and possibilities.
groove. Stay in action.
procedures. File and
Have fun with family and
Make a persuasive case
and resources. Leave
process papers, forms and applications. Disciplined
your sweetheart. Allow for
efforts pay off.
pleasant surprises. Weave
Coordinate actions.
dreams together.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)
Today is an 8 -- Partnership
Today is an 8 -- You may
Today is a 9 -- Get creative
yields benefits. One of you
need to get your hands
and innovative. You can
gets in where the other
dirty to make the domestic
realize a personal dream.
can’t. Collaborate and
transformation you envision.
Go for what’s most
network. Share resources,
It’s amazing what paint can
authentic and honest.
data and talents. Work
do. Energize a creative idea.
toward a shared dream.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Today is an 8 -- Prepare
Today is a 9 -- Begin a
public statements and
new phase in your work,
monitor breaking news.
health and fitness. Words
Imagination and creativity
and action align for an
illuminate a profitable idea.
energizing lift. Get farther
and boost sales. Provide excellent value. Your work is in demand. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Increase integrity for greater workability. Take charge. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 6 -- Minimize
nothing to chance. Express your compassion. Ride a wave together. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8 -- Revolutionize your attitude around a work assignment. Analyze the basic structure and make adjustments. Shift the context and consider possibilities from another vantage. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today is a 7 -- Keep building bridges to realize
noise and fuss. You can be
a dream. Learn from other
especially effective behind
cultures and perspectives.
Prepare, edit and issue
the scenes. Let someone
Design an educational
than expected. Discover
comments and declarations.
else take the limelight. Your
adventure. Study options
future options.
Make connections.
greatest strength is love.
and possibilities.
Does this describe you? If any of these apply to you, come work with us! We are always hiring. Come check us out on the fourth floor of the Student Experience Center.
C R O S S W O R D
Across 1 Gives in to gravity 5 Annoying little kids 9 Hunter’s plastic duck, e.g. 14 Clear off the road, as snow 15 Actress Gilbert of “The Conners” 16 Make amends 17 What “Ten-hut!” is short for 19 Income __ 20 *Do business shrewdly 22 Tidy up 23 “__ you kidding?” 24 Off-the-wall 27 Walmart warehouse club 28 *Murmur lovingly 32 Muslim mystic 33 Lake near Carson City 34 *Basic experimentation method 39 Sea item sold by 39-Down, in a tongue-twister 40 Say no to 41 *Like a typical walking stride 44 Bygone Japanese audio brand 48 Conclusion 49 Boardroom VIP 50 The Lone __ 52 Compromising
standpoint ... and what the answers to starred clues contain? 55 Deck alternative 58 Belittle 59 17-syllable Japanese poem 60 Suffix with major 61 Auth. unknown 62 Desert retreats 63 Monica’s brother on “Friends” 64 German thinker Immanuel Down 1 Reproduces like salmon 2 __ Gibson, first African-American to win a Grand Slam tennis title 3 Pep rally cheer 4 Candy and such 5 Turkey’s largest city 6 Principal 7 Spur to action 8 Beach footwear 9 Job of typing in facts and figures 10 List-shortening abbr. 11 Courteney who played Monica on “Friends” 12 Single 13 “By all means!” 18 Phillies’ div.
21 Significant stretch of time 24 Twice cuatro 25 Way in 26 Forest female 29 “__ tree falls in the forest ... “ 30 High-end chocolatier 31 __ es Salaam 32 Lustful 34 At that time 35 Oboe or clarinet 36 Not feeling well 37 __ volente: God willing 38 Vigorous qualities to put into one’s work 39 See 39-Across 42 Nancy Drew’s beau 43 Walk feebly 44 Arctic jacket 45 Exotic lizard kept as a pet 46 Was happening 47 Passionate 51 Buenos Aires’ country: Abbr. 52 Karaoke prop that often ends in “c” nowadays 53 Jared of “Dallas Buyers Club” 54 Tolkien creatures 55 Vietnamese soup 56 Small battery 57 “__ the season ... “
OCTOBER 28, 2019 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • 15
NEWS
Drag show aims to ‘educate, entertain, inspire’ By TANVEER SANDHU News Contributor
On Oct. 26, the Fall Drag Show was held by the Rainbow Continuum at the LaSells Stewart Center. Performer Frisky the Transgender Reindeer hosted the event, and there were 13 total performances. The songs chosen ranged from “Cell Block Tango,” to a Joker mashup, and the Spanish song, “Corazon.” Frisky the Transgender Reindeer, whose real name is Dharma Mirza, won Beaver Royalty in 2016 and hosted the 2019 show. “For me, I’ve used drag as a way to process my emotions, to work through my depression, my loneliness,” Mirza said. “When I won Beaver Royalty in 2016, I did a piece about self-harm in the trans-community, and still to this day, people say that ‘you have saved my life when talking about these things.’” During the show, Mirza advocated for many issues—including Genesis Hansen’s arrest, HIV and violence against trans people. “I think that we all have a responsibility to approach social justice issues through an intersectional lens. For me, it’s not really an option, it’s something I have to do,” she said. “As a queer, transgender and person of color, I have do to these things in order to survive, but it’s also something that I’m really passionate about.” Mirza said it is very important for people who have the privilege to talk in front of hundreds of people to advocate social justice issues. “I’ve been given such a big platform through the drag community, through my advocacy work, that, for me, it’s really important to touch on these issues, because if I’m taking up all this space, but also not giving back in someway, then that would feel really wrong for me,” Mirza said. Another performer, Lorenzo De la Luna stood out by being the only one to perform to a Spanish song. He said he listens to many genres, but he wanted to do a Spanish song because that’s what he mainly listens to. He was also very nervous before his performance, but thought everything went well in the end. “The whole routine got put together for me really last minute,” Lorenzo De la Luna said. “I knew the song, but I didn’t practice or come up with anything until like last week. So I was practicing up until the show.” Another performer, Giardia, won Beaver Royalty in 2019. She said she wasn’t really that nervous before the show. Rather, she just wanted to have fun. “Drag is more like a performance, I’m not here for just looks, I love lip-syncing, I love performing and embodying some sort of diva on stage,” Giardia said. The term ‘drag’ was first coined in the theatre. Women were not allowed to perform, so men played female characters instead. When wearing their costumes, men commented that their dresses would “drag” across the floor when walking. Today, drag performers come from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Their gender identities range from cisgender men and women, transgender and/or gender non-conforming people. The Drag Show described their drag performers as, “divas that walk the earth to educate, entertain and inspire you through drag.”
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[3] CLAI RE NELSON | ORANGE MED I A NETWORK
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16 • DAILYBAROMETER.COM • OCTOBER 28, 2019
(1) Jammin’ Clammin puts on a performance dressed as the Joker at Rainbow Continuum’s 2019 Fall Drag Show. (2) Lorenzo De la Luna performed to the song “Corazón” by Maluma. (3) Drag performer Crusty Kitty pulls a red cloth from their skirt as they perform their routine. (4) Last year’s Beaver Royalty, Giardia Dharma, performed a routine acting as Siri, Apple’s artificial intelligence virtual assistant.