VOLUME 76 • ISSUE 50 • JUNE 1, 2022
PSU STUDENTS HOLD VIGIL FOR SHOOTING VICTIMS
NEWS
ARTS & CULTURE
OPINION
Reflecting on a year of returning to the classroom P. 3
Rose Festival blossoms with in-person event P.7
Can the City of Portland make our streets safe? P. 10
WE’RE HIRING Copy Editors & News Editor EMAIL RESUME AND COVER LETTER TO EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM
CONTENTS
COVER DESIGN BY WHITNEY MCPHIE COVER PHOTO BY ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI
NEWS LOOKING BACK ON A YEAR OF IN-PERSON LEARNING
P. 3
SPORTS PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS FORCED OUT OF PORTLAND
P. 8-9
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATION MECHA HOLDS VIGIL FOR UVALDE
P. 4-5
OPINION HOW SAFE ARE WE ON THIS CITY’S STREETS?
P. 10
ARTS & CULTURE CREATIVE'S SPOTLIGHT: MITSUKI DAZAI
P. 6
TEXAS IS BETRAYING ITS YOUTH
P. 11
PORTLAND'S HISTORIC ROSE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 115TH ANNIVERSARY
P. 7
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE AND TECH
P. 12
STAFF EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Béla Kurzenhauser MANAGING EDITOR Karisa Yuasa PHOTO EDITOR Sofie Brandt SPORTS EDITOR Eric Shelby SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Ryan McConnell NEWS EDITOR Zoe Edelman ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Tanner Todd INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani
OPINION EDITOR Justin Cory ONLINE EDITOR Christopher Ward COPY CHIEF Mackenzie Streissguth DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Tanner Todd MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Olivia Lee CONTRIBUTORS Karina Agbisit Nova Johnson Analisa Landeros Kat Leon Ian McMeekan Carmen Peters
PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Shannon Steed
ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood
DESIGNERS Leo Clark Fiona Hays Mia Levy Whitney McPhie A Pargett
STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez
TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Rae Fickle George Olson Sara Ray Tanner Todd
To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com
STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Vacant
MISSION STATEMENT Vanguard ’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market.
ABOUT Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print Wednesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.
Looking back ON A YEAR OF IN-PERSON LEARNING MONTGOMERY RESIDENCE HALL ENTRANCE AT PSU. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
REFLECTING ON THE 2021-22 ACADEMIC YEAR ZOE EDELMAN At the start of the 2021-22 school year, Portland State students began the transition from completely online courses to either a full in-person or hybrid course schedule. Throughout the year, students have seen campus go from masks being required to being optional, in addition to an increasing number of in-person classes. Campus has gradually become bustling with student activity once again, and the once-empty Park Blocks have regained some of their pre-pandemic livelihood. Because of PSU’s diverse student body, the shift back to a primarily in-person learning experience has affected students in several different ways. “The transition from remote back to in-person has been easier than the transition to remote learning at the beginning of the pandemic, since I haven’t had to learn any new systems or programs to do so,” said freshman Nora Smith. “I would say the biggest advantage has been that I personally focus better when I’m in the classroom, since there isn’t anything for me to get side-tracked doing, so I am able to stay more on task. However, readjusting to the social aspect after not having classes with other students for over two years has been something that I feel everyone has had to overcome.” The social component of returning to school in-person has created a whirlwind of emotions for some students. Socializing with classmates, chats between classes or meeting people at the dining hall are more anxiety-provoking for some students than it previously was. However, this doesn’t overshadow the importance of the ability to form organic friendships in-per-
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
son, and many have reported making a couple of close friends during their time on campus. “I think it’s definitely easier to find friends in classes in-person, but I think that’s sort of a given,” said freshman Rose Siragusa. “Being on campus has helped my social life since I am surrounded by my peers, and it has been refreshing to be able to socialize with classmates again after the period of remote learning,” Smith said. “But since there is not a ton going on around campus, we’re never inclined to go out and do much on campus besides what we have to do, like classes and homework.” Although various organizations on campus host events weekly, the turnout of students for events this year has been varied. Some events, like the midterm llama stress-relief event boasted an almost full-capacity turnout, while other events such as movie screenings have tended to have limited participants. This turnout fluctuation might not be entirely because of the pandemic, as other factors such as the time and the date of the event can impact turnout as well. For example, most students do not live on campus, so a weekend or end-of-the-week event might suffer due to off-campus students not attending. Because many of PSU’s students are working outside of school, or commuting from off-campus, many of them are interested in hybrid learning options. “I’d love for PSU to keep some remote options in the schedule,” Siragusa said. “Though I’m a bit pissed they’ve raised the price for those classes since last fall. At this moment, on most online classes I’ve looked at, they’ve had a $150 or so charge that the same in-person class did not require. That is ridiculous, espe-
cially if you’re offering them with accessibility in mind. If you have the right teacher and the right motivation, I think remote options can be beneficial to a healthier lifestyle.” A lot of students agree with Siragusa. Online courses cost significantly more than in-person classes in most cases, particularly if that class includes a section for a lab. With a 3.6% raise in resident tuition for the 2022-23 school year, increasing the cost of online classes that are more accessible or work better for some students is disappointing to many. “I think what I am most excited for is that there are going to be options for students who want to remain remote next year,” said freshman Hunter Burr. “I think I would be less excited if it went back to all in-person with no online options offered for students, because I like people being able to have a choice, especially when it’s a choice a lot of people are choosing for safety. They’re choosing the safety of their families, [and] there are a lot of people at PSU who have children, have parents living with them, things like that. I want people to be able to be excited to be learning, whether it’s in an in-person or online space.” Having the flexibility to create a schedule that allows students to work towards their degree, despite their circumstances, is something that many PSU students believe the school should strive to maintain—and regardless of the status of the pandemic, online courses have historically been a part of helping that happen. However, despite the controversies and qualms of what to do next year, there have been countless laughs, friendships and events that would not have been possible without PSU’s efforts to return to in-person learning in the wake of the pandemic.
NEWS
3
STUDENT ORGANIZATION MECHA HOLDS VIGIL FOR UVALDE MECHA DE PSU HONORS THE LIVES LOST IN UVALDE, TEXAS ELEMENTARY SHOOTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS KNEEL IN FRONT OF THE CANDLELIGHT VIGIL ON THUR. 26. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI On May 24, an 18-year-old took the lives of 21 victims, with 17 other people reportedly injured, in the second deadliest school shooting in the history of the United States—and the deadliest school shooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn., in 2012. The assailant began by shooting his grandmother and driving her truck to Robb Elementary School, before crashing nearby, according to The Washington Post. After shooting two passersby at the scene of the crash, the shooter went on to enter Robb Elementary School at 11:40 a.m., unchallenged by the police officers standing outside, according to director for the state Department of Public Safety, Victor Escalon Jr. At 11:43 a.m., shots were fired inside Robb Elementary School prompting the school to enter a lockdown. The shooter was not detained by law enforcement until 1:06 p.m. Robb Elementary School is located in Uvalde, Texas, which has a Hispanic population of 83.5%. Robb Elementary School has an enrollment rate of 89.9% Latinx students. In response to the tragedy, the Portland State University chapter of Mecha (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán) quickly organized a vigil to honor the lives lost in the shooting. Mecha posted a flyer on their Instagram on Wednesday afternoon, inviting members to attend a vigil to be held the following night, and prompted members to spread the word. The post amassed 245 shares within 24 hours. On Thursday, the organization sent a mass email to its members stating, “Hola Mechistas, It is with heavy hearts that we invite you to join us tonight for a Candlelight Vigil, which will be a time dedicated to honoring the victims and survivors of the tragedy that took place at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas on Tuesday. We will have a limited supply of candles and encourage you to bring your own if you have one at hand.” On Thursday night, at approximately 8:30 p.m., members gathered in the Park Blocks in front of Smith Memorial Student Union. People showed up in large numbers, even prompting other local students to show up and pay their respects. The vigil was primarily organized by the new Mecha officer team, which will be
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INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY MEMBERS PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO ROBB ELEMENTARY VICTIMS AT THE VIGIL. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
VIGIL DISPLAY ORGANIZED BY PSU MECHA ON THUR. 26. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
A GROWING CROWD IN SILENCE AT THE VIGIL. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SET DOWN CANDLES IN FRONT OF VIGIL ON THUR. 26. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
COMMUNITY MEMBERS GATHERED BY CANDLELIGHT. ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD replacing the team of graduating seniors come fall term, alongside the assistance of current Mecha co-coordinator Brenda Escalera Acosta. Pictures of the 21 victims along with their names were placed in frames in the Park Blocks, with a heartshaped arrangement of candles and flowers in front of them. New Mecha co-coordinators Kim Cano and Inle Gonzalez led the vigil by starting off with a moment of silence for the victims, before continuing with a timeline of events in Uvalde, Texas the morning of the shooting—each Mecha officer then took turns reading off the names of the victims. The victims included fourth grade teachers Eva Mireles, 44, and Irma Garcia, 46, as well as fourth grade students Alexandria Aniyah Rubio, 10; Alithia Ramirez, 10; Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10; Eliana Garcia, 9; Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10; Jackie Cazares, 10; Jailah Nicole Siguero, 10; Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10; Jose Flores, 10; Layla Salazar, 10; Makenna Lee Elrod, 10; Maite Yuleana Rodriguez, 10; Miranda Mathis, 11; Nevaeh Bravo, 10; Rojelio Torres, 10; Tess Marie Mata, 10; Uziyah Gracia, 10; and Xavier Lopez, 10. After the reading of the names, the officers set their candles in front of the vigil, after which others in the crowd followed suit, illuminating the entire display. Mecha offered an open mic for community members to share their thoughts with the crowd, which many attendees did. “It just hurts so bad, especially when it’s your own raza,” one speaker said. “Everyday that I wake up, I see one of those little kids’ faces,” said another. “I see all my younger cousins when I look at their pictures and I think to myself it could have been them.” “I just can’t imagine going into work and not seeing all the kids’ precious faces,” another community member said. “We cannot become desensitized to this, this is not normal,” one speaker added. “We can’t just read the news and say ‘oh another one.’ We can’t let this just become another one.” The speakers wrapped up around 9:30 p.m., at which point the officers thanked everyone for coming—
prompting many to walk up to the vigil and kneel down, to offer their prayers and respect while others made their way out. On Friday morning, the vigil was relocated to La Casa Latina on the second floor of the Smith Memorial Student Union where it currently resides. Mecha de PSU was not alone in its honoring efforts, as Mecha de University of Oregon also held a vigil the same day and time at Erb Memorial Union Amphitheater in Eugene, Oregon. The mass shooting sparked international outrage, as debates surrounding gun control policies erupted. On Tuesday night, Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern appeared on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert where she condemned the shooting. Colbert asked Ardern about how New Zealand was able to collect thousands of weapons through a nationwide buyback in 2019—the same year lawmakers voted to ban almost all semi-automatic weapons following two consecutive mosque shootings. “When we saw something like that [the mosque shootings] happen, everyone said ‘never again,’ and so it was incumbent on us as politicians to respond to that,” Ardern said. “Now, we have legitimate needs for guns in our country, for things like pest control and to protect our biodiversity—but you don’t need a military-style semiautomatic to do that.” Other world leaders expressed their feelings in regards to the mass shooting. “Deeply saddened by the news of the murder of innocent children in Texas,” wrote Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine on Twitter. “Sincere condolences to the families of the victims, the people of the US and @POTUS over this tragedy. The people of Ukraine share the pain of the relatives and friends of the victims and all Americans.” Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom Liz Truss, and Pope Francis shared thoughts through Twitter. Their sentiments included expressions of grief, horror, heartbreak and condolences.
INTERNATIONAL
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EXPERIENCED MUSICIAN TALKS KOTO, AN INSTRUMENT WITH CENTURIES OF HISTORY TANNER TODD
CREATIVE'S SPOTLIGHT:
MITSUKI DAZAI MITSUKI DAZAI DEMONSTRATES A PIECE OF MUSIC. TANNER TODD/PSU VANGUARD
THE 13-STRINGED JAPANESE KOTO INSTRUMENT. TANNER TODD/PSU VANGUARD
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ARTS & CULTURE
Despite its minimalist, 13-stringed structure, the Japanese koto is a surprisingly versatile instrument in the hands of an expert like Mitsuki Dazai. “This is a very simple structured musical instrument,” Dazai said. “But the composers make this instrument seem [to have a] variety of music.” Dazai is the artistic director of Oregon Koto-Kai and an accomplished koto player in her own right, with over four decades of experience as a musician. Her instrument of choice, the koto, is a curved length of carefully carved wood with 13 strings stretched over adjustable bridges. Despite the instrument’s enormous size, it is surprisingly light, and can be picked up comfortably with two hands. After several decades of performing, Dazai is able to unpack her koto, adjust the instrument’s multiple bridges and tune the koto’s six-foot long strings in less than a few minutes. Originally from Japan, Dazai studied music in Tokyo at the Kunitachi College of Music and the Sawai Koto Conservatory. Dazai’s path to a career as a koto musician was a roundabout one, as she said that when she first enrolled in music college as a young adult, she didn’t intend to learn the koto. “I went to the college to study Western classical music,” she said. During the time period Dazai grew up in, Japanese culture was intensely focused on Western music, partly because of an effort to reshape the country in the wake of World War II. “On the weekends, my parents played Western classical music, vinyl records, that I really enjoyed.” After taking a class in ethnomusicology, however, Dazai said she was introduced to an entire world of Asian musical traditions. “The ethnomusicology class opened my eyes very, very wide,” she said. “I thought it would be cool to take lessons for some Asian musical instrument[s].” After considering several instruments, including the Indian sitar and the Japanese sanshin, she settled on the koto, a culturally important instrument with a complex history. Despite its importance in Japanese culture, Dazai said that the koto actually originally came to Japan from China. “This instrument was brought from the Chinese continent in the seventh century,” she said. “It has a long history.” Originally, the koto was not a solo instrument, but rather part of a larger ensemble. Koto performances took place alongside complementary instruments, much like chamber music is performed in Western traditions. “I don’t know when exactly, but at some point in time, someone took out this instrument from the ensemble,” Dazai said. “It was [then] played as an individual instrument.” From there, Japanese musicians and composers developed solo koto performances into a truly Japanese artform. Additionally, the policy of isolationism that Japan had for most of its history meant that koto performers were cut off from similar musical traditions in China and other parts of Asia. “Since Japan was isolated for such a long time, they created their own music,” Dazai said. Much of the music performed by her and her fellow musicians was written during this period of isolation, making the musical score itself uniquely Japanese, despite the instrument’s Chinese origins. Today, Dazai continues the long tradition of Japanese koto performance outside of her home country, in the United States. Interestingly, Dazai said that being removed from her homeland of Japan actually helped her appreciate Japanese culture more. “I was living in Japan many, many, many years,” she said. “I was born there, I grew up there. I didn’t appreciate Japanese culture because it was there. I left Japan, I discovered Japanese culture…more and more I appreciate [it].” In addition to performing koto and organizing musical projects, Dazai also teaches koto. She said that many of her Japanese students had the same experience with appreciating their home culture that she did. In addition to teaching, Dazai shares Japanese culture by playing at the Portland Japanese Garden, where she regularly performs on weekends. She said that the performances, and the garden in general, are a great bridge between the cultures of the U.S. and Japan. “It’s such a lovely place,” she said. “It’s not only providing a beautiful environment, [but it is] also introducing Japanese culture.” Dazai said that her relationship with the koto has been a source of both personal meaning and cultural identity. “It’s nice to have something you really love,” she said.
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
PORTLAND’S HISTORIC ROSE FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ITS 115TH ANNIVERSARY
AFTER TWO YEARS OF PANDEMIC RESTRICTIONS, THE FESTIVAL MARKS A COMPLETE RETURN KARINA AGBISIT After two years of pandemic-related concerns and restrictions on public gatherings, the annual Portland Rose Festival will be back in full swing, with concerts, festivals and other community events. The 2022 Rose Festival will represent the event’s 115th anniversary and will be marked by a complete return to in-person events. “As we have seen already this year, people are ready to come out of their personal isolations and lockdowns and celebrate, play and discover the world all over again,” said Rich Jarvis, the public relations manager for the Portland Rose Festival Foundation. “Especially after these last couple of years, people are really ready for the Rose Festival and it’s our job to make sure the festival is ready for the people.” This year’s Rose Festival will include some long-held traditions along with some new events. Jarvis said that each year the festival strives “to renew, reinvent and rebuild to stay relevant and current with people’s interests, while holding on to our traditional elements that make the festival unique to Portland.” A new part of this year’s festival will be the Rose City Reunion Concert featuring the Oregon Symphony, which will perform on the evening of May 26, the day before the official kickoff. The Rose Festival’s website describes this concert as featuring “the world premiere of ‘From One Rose’, an original song written by Rose Festival board member Ron Carr and arranged by Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated composer Bruce Broughton.” Additionally, “Associate Conductor Norman Huynh will lead the Oregon Symphony in performing a range of songs from John Williams and some other popular orchestral pieces.” Opening night on May 27, at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, will feature live music, food, drink, carnival rides and a fireworks show, which has been a historic tradition for the festival. Memorial Day weekend will mark the beginning of the Rose Festival Treasure Hunt, a tradition started in 1983, in which a Rose Festival medallion is hidden on public property. Daily clues will be released on the festival’s website. The first treasure seeker to find the medallion will also receive a prize package. Another established tradition is the crowning of a Rose Festival queen, which has been a central event since the festival’s inception. This year, the court of princesses includes students from two high schools not previously represented in the court—Adrienne C. Nelson High School and Jesuit High School.
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
MARCHERS PROCEED ALONG THE ROUTE OF THE ROSE FESTIVAL'S STARLIGHT PARADE. COURTESY OF PORTLAND ROSE FESTIVAL FOUNDATION
ONE OF THE ROSE FESTIVAL'S POP-UP AMUSEMENT PARK RIDES ALONG TOM MCCALL WATERFRONT PARK. COURTESY OF PORTLAND ROSE FESTIVAL FOUNDATION Three parades will be included as part of the festival: the CareOregon Starlight Parade, the Fred Meyer Junior Parade and the Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Floral Parade. The Grand Floral Parade is known for being the only parade in the U.S. that starts indoors, with its kickoff happening each year inside the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The route this year has been reduced to approximately two miles due to limited city resources for providing police support and presence. All three parades will be broadcast live by Fox 12 Plus. Fans of racing will be excited to hear this year welcomes the return of the NASCAR Xfinity Racing series. “Racing has always been a part of the festival since the streets were dirt paths, but the big car events faded away for a time,” Jarvis said. “They are making a push to get back to the fans in the Northwest and we are happy they are partnering with the festival for this event.” While the 2022 Rose Festival’s return to in-person events marks an important milestone in returning to some sense of normalcy after the pandemic, it remains to be seen how many attendees will be comfortable joining the large crowds associated with the Festival. On May 16, 2022, the CDC moved Multnomah County’s COVID-19 Community Level from low to medium. As of writing, 78.9% of Oregon’s population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. On May 20, 2022, Multnomah County tweeted “#COVID cases are on the rise again.” According to the CDC’s website, “COVID-19 Community Levels are a new tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.” As of this writing, it will be up to each visitor’s discretion whether to mask up or not at the Rose Festival. Behind the scenes, the Rose Festival is staying up-to-date on guidance from health officials. “The world changes, so we have to be flexible and fluid in our work goals and expectations,” Jarvis said. “We do coordinate with county and state health professionals on the latest info and guidance regarding the COVID-19 best health practices. We also coordinate with the city and other essential personnel on safety issues regarding large gatherings for the parades and CityFair.” For the most up-to-date information on the 2022 Portland Rose Festival and to purchase event tickets, visit their website, rosefestival.org.
ARTS & CULTURE
7
THE COMPLEX HISTORY OF THE PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS’ HOME STADIUM WHY HOME GAMES ARE 14 MILES AWAY FROM CAMPUS ERIC SHELBY
THE PORTLAND STATE VIKINGS
The Portland State Vikings football team is a D-I program that plays in the football subdivision called the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). They compete in the Big Sky Conference with other schools like Eastern Washington and 2021 National Champion runner-up, Montana State. The Viks began playing in 1947, a year after Portland State became a university. In 1958, they joined the NCAA College Division which is now known as Division II. The team has a total of eight conference championships, with two in the Oregon Collegiate Conference and six in the Western Football Conference. In their time at D-II, the Viks were successful as an independent program starting in 1981, appearing in the postseason eight times from 1987 to 1995 with a postseason record of 12-8. They made a championship run two years in a row in 1987 and 1988, being national runner-ups in both seasons. They joined Division I in 1996, in the Big Sky Conference. The Viks’ postseason as a D-I school has not treated them well. They lost to Northern Iowa in 2015, when they had an incredible season, beating Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams Washington State and University of North Texas. The Viks have struggled since then, going 26-43.
HOME TEAM HISTORY
The gridiron Viks host their home games at Hillsboro Stadium, 14 miles away from the Portland State campus. The Viks have called Hillsboro Stadium their home since 2018, ever since the renovation of Providence Park, which is now being used for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer and the Thorns of National Women’s Soccer League. College football in Providence Park—which was known as Multnomah Stadium and Civic Stadium at the time—was a major sport being event. Not only did the Vikings call it home, but the University of Oregon and Oregon State hosted neutral site games there regularly. There have been seven Oregon-Oregon State rivalry games hosted at the stadium in the ‘50s through ‘70s. During the time it was called Civic Stadium, the Vikings under Head Coach Mouse Davis, known as the godfather of the run-and-shoot offense, made historic wins. With his unique offense style, Davis led the Viks to a 42-24 record over six seasons from 1975-1980. In 1980, Davis and the Viks scored a heavy seven touchdowns in just the first quarter against Delaware State in which they went on to win 105-0. In 2007, Providence Park also saw the highestscoring college football game in D-I history, when Weber State beat the Viks in a 73-68 loss, with a combined total of 141 points. A Big Sky Conference team is expected to play a game at Providence Park next season, but it’s not our Vikings. Montana State will play Oregon State in September, due to the Beavers renovating the current stadium on their campus.
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SPORTS
PORTLAND STATE VS MONTANA STATE GAME AMONGST PSU FANS. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
THE CURRENT LIVING SITUATION
The Viks made Hillsboro their official home in 2019, joining the softball and women’s soccer teams who already hosted their games there. With the rising popularity of soccer, scheduling conflicts arose between the Viks and Timbers. A year before the official move, the Viks played four of their five home games at Hillsboro because of the conflict. The Viks will see Hillsboro as their home for the foreseeable future, as there are no scheduling conflicts with major league teams. Part of the reason for the move from Providence Park was that it was hard to bring up attendance at the stadium—the D-I program usually brings in roughly 4,000 fans each home game. Despite not having its own venue, PSU’s football program isn’t going anywhere, as it makes the most money out of all the sports at Portland State. The Viks get paid $500,000 each time they play non-conference games at the beginning of the season.
For example, the Viks started out their 2021-22 season traveling to Hawai’i to play the Warriors, and next week will play the Washington State Cougars in Pullman. The Viks play San Jose State on Sept. 3 and University of Washington on Sept. 10. Even though both the Viks and Montana are in the Big Sky Conference, in 2021 during the pandemic, the Viks and Griz did not have a season so they agreed to play a single game together. Montana paid Portland State $36,000 to travel to Missoula and play them in a scrimmage-like game. Unfortunately, expenses are still a problem for the Viks. The Viks pay rent to each game they play at Providence Park. In 2014, they paid $17,500—and $32,000 in the 2018 season. The Viks only pay $12,500 to compete in Hillsboro Stadium which is better for the Viks who only grabbed 4,000 fans for a 21,000 stand venue. To keep the cost even lower, the Viks stopped having practice at Hillsboro Stadium on Fridays, which was costing $2,000 for travel to and from the stadium.
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
Portland State isn’t the only school facing the problem of having no football stadium on campus. One of the most popular college football programs, UCLA, plays their games at the Rose Bowl, a 90,000 seat stadium in Pasadena. University of Connecticut plays their football games 23 miles away from their campus.
POTENTIAL
Portland State has not been as lucky as schools like Georgia State. Based in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, what was once used for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, was turned into a baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team until 2016 when their lease was up. The 24,000 capacity stadium was not in use for a time until Georgia State bought it, turning the parking lot into student housing and academic space along with a stadium renovation. If only Portland State could find an open venue in downtown Portland to renovate, too. Lincoln High School, a school in downtown Portland next to Providence Park, is renovating a new building, replacing their old building as well as working on a new football stadium. Athletic Director at the time Valerie Cleary set up an offer in a $65 million partnership with the school. The partnership would include an extra 6,500 seats to the original 1,500 to the stadium and a press box, and a couple of weight rooms as well as locker rooms. The Portland State administration wasn’t on board with helping supply the $65 million and told athletics that the money would have to come from private fundraising. The second-to-last option for the Viks is to keep everything as it is and continue playing at Hillsboro Stadium because of cost. There is no problem with having a stadium off-campus, especially when the campus is on expensive ground in the downtown of a major city. The only thing Portland State needs to worry about is attendance and fan engagement. The Viks have a hard time bringing in fans to games, even in the Viking Pavilion, home to the basketball and volleyball teams. Portland State and Portland State Athletics feel like two different businesses that do not coexist well, and athletics like football—the largest money maker—is suffering. Since the 2022 commencement will be hosted at Providence Park this year, it should not be hard to have the gridiron Viks host at least one game at the park next season, or the 2024 season. Oregon State and Montana State will host a collegiate football game for the first time in Providence since the Viks left so it’s not off the table for the Viks to host again, at least one game. It would be fitting for the Viks to host their last game of the season at Providence Park—on Senior Day or against a rival school like Eastern Washington University.
TYREESE SHAKIR RUNNING OUT THE TUNNEL. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
CHEERLEADERS WITH SIGNS AT PSU VS MONTANA STATE GAME. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
FANS AT HILLSBORO STADIUM AT PSU VS EASTERN WASHINGTON GAME. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
PARKER MCKENNA MAKING A STOP AGAINST CAL POLY. ERIC SHELBY/PSU VANGUARD
SPORTS
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HOW SAFE ARE WE ON THIS CITY’S STREETS? GUN VIOLENCE IN PORTLAND IS BECOMING AN INCREASING ISSUE
IAN MCMEEKAN It feels like living in Portland has increasingly become less safe. Over the last few years gun violence in Portland has increased, making the city a less secure place to live. According to Protect Portland, part of the Keep Portland Safe PAC sponsored by the Portland Police Association, “there were 388 shootings in 2019, 891 shootings in 2020, and in just the first half of 2021, there have been 567 shootings.” How can we help but wonder what officials are doing about this? Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell has attempted to answer this question by reassigning detectives in the police bureau to help with the spike in homicides, with one example being his decision to reassign detectives from the cold case division. This division usually investigates unsolved killings dating back to 1970, however all three members of the team have now been reassigned to help with the rise in gun-related homicides. This is a step in the right direction, but simply moving three
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OPINION
JUSTICE CENTER IN DOWNTOWN PORTLAND ON MAY 28, 2022. SOFIE BRANDT/PSU VANGUARD officers will not alleviate the serious and deadly problem posed by gun violence. The city government needs to crack down with more gun regulation. Better gun regulation would help ensure firearms are not going into the hands of those who may go on to commit murders. In the wake of the terrible mass shootings these past weeks in Buffalo, NY and Uvalde, TX, this point is more poignant than ever. The issue of gun violence is more urgent and in the forefront of the national consciousness once again. It is because of events such as these that we need better solutions to combat the violence problem in Portland and across the rest of the country. There should be better background checks on people purchasing guns, because when anyone can buy firearms, events like these recent tragedies are bound to happen. Recently, the Portland City Council has been doing more than just shuffling officers around. The City Council, along
with the Portland Police Bureau, created the Focused Intervention Team, a specific sector of the bureau committed to addressing gun violence. This team is meant to replace the Gun Violence Reduction Team, which was disbanded in 2020 in the wake of the George Floyd protests, amid allegations of racial profiling. The program is still fairly new but results are promising, and since its implementation in Feb. 2021, the Focused Intervention Team has made 32 arrests and confiscated 19 firearms. The creation of programs like the Focused Intervention Team should’ve been considered a long time ago—many lives could have been saved. Clearly the police are trying, but what we have needed this whole time was a team to respond directly to this issue. In the meantime, one can only hope that the number of deaths due to gun-based violence both here in Portland and nationally will recede and that lives will be saved.
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
TEXAS IS BETRAYING ITS YOUTH POLICY MAKERS DESTROY LIVES OF TRANS AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING CHILDREN
LEO CLARK
KAT LEON Nobody wants to live a life of uncertainty. Despite the debate about nature versus nurture, it is all but certain that one’s origins play a role in shaping who one becomes. We are social creatures who thrive on connection and support. Unfortunately many of us—including myself—have not been so fortunate in the family department. When children find themselves in unsafe families, there are systems in place that should protect them. Nevertheless, as with most systems, child welfare agencies are not immune to abuse by those in positions of authority. The Texan government, led by Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott, have recently taken it upon themselves to use the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to attack the families of trans and gender non-conforming youth. This brazen move condemns parents and doctors that support a child’s right to their own bodily autonomy in receiving genderaffirming care. According to NPR, Gov. Greg Abbott has equated this care to child abuse. Attorney General Paxton’s opinion briefing appeared to support these claims as well. Using dubious sources, he outlined seemingly well-researched information that focused primarily on the reproductive effects of gender-affirming care and used ill-gained statistics—all but calling gender dysphoria a phase. However, researchers from the Yale School of Medicine took a closer look at the memo and found that the sources used lacked credibility. They stated that the AG’s opinion does “ignore established medical authorities and repeat[s] discredited, outdated, and poor-quality information— also [the memo] mischaracterizes reputable sources and repeatedly cites a fringe group whose listed advisors have limited (or no) scientific and medical credentials and include well-known anti-trans activists.” Anti-trans legislation is unfortunately nothing new, as attempts at conservative legislation across the nation have become increasingly more transphobic and hostile to the LGBTQ+ community. Lambda Legal, an organization fighting to protect LGBTQ+ rights, found that Texas is the only state to threaten to take kids away from parents for providing them with gender-affirming care. Having personally lived in a home where danger was an everyday occurrence—and having been removed from that home—I find it troubling to hear these threats made, as though the consequences that follow them would not be life-shattering even in the best of circumstances.
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
After both positions argued their side, the Supreme Court ruled that while it is within Abbott and Paxton’s rights to express their opinions, the child welfare agency is “not compelled by law to follow them.” There are those who may consider this a partial victory. On the other hand, one might argue that ambiguity in the law—especially when such disruptions of families and lives accompany it—facilitates an abuse of power. Child protective agencies have not always had the most reliable record of managing the power they possess. The AG’s opinions also highlight the historical ramifications of sterilization for minorities and vulnerable populations. Yet he fails to acknowledge that the very people he is empowering with justifications for bias are one of the organizations that historically and currently disproportionately targets minorities. Research presented by Shanta Trivedi of the University of Baltimore points out that “there is a dire risk that caseworkers’ subjective views of ‘good parenting’—and, worse yet, their subconscious biases—will determine whether or not a child is removed.” This happens time and time again to people of color, those struggling with the effects of poverty and other disenfranchised communities. The mere fact that abuse is not as recognized in stereotypical, white, middle and upper-class families does not mean that it does not occur. As a person who grew up in a family like this—an abusive white middle-class family—I am a testament to the fact that abuse happens within the child protective systems as well as in households. Unfortunately, the stigma of abuse was not attached to my family, so I spent 16 years living in an abusive home—an outcome that may have been different had my family’s status or race differed. Trivedi added that the systemic and disproportionate focus on minority communities seems to lead society to “respect the privacy and autonomy of middle-class families, but accept coercive intervention and intrusion in low-income families.” Trivedi also noted a similar trend for families of color, stating, “The state is more likely to permit white children to remain with their families and take Black children away from theirs when faced with similar allegations.” LGBTQ+ youth are also more likely to enter foster care and face discrimination than non-LGBTQ+ youth. Kate Murphy, senior policy associate at the nonprofit advocacy group Texans Care for Children, told The Texas Tribune, “LGBTQ+ youth in foster care tend to experience more bullying, more physical violence, more sexual violence. We’re not doing these kids any favors by bringing them into a system where they might continue to experience trauma.” The foster care system in Texas is already barely managing
the kids it has under its care. As reported this year by The Texas Tribune, “Officials struggled to place children in appropriate facilities as a result, leading to record numbers of children staying in unlicensed placements—often dangerous or under-regulated.” Furthermore, The Texas Tribune also reported that “more than 100 kids were sent out of state last year.” While it is clear that Texas’ child welfare system seemingly fails to serve the children under its care properly, the possibility of harm coming to children removed due to the biased opinion of lawmakers comes in more forms than one. In cases where removal from parents does happen, the risk to the child— especially when the displacement is unnecessary—is significant. A study by University of Michigan Law School reported that “child removal and entry into foster care evokes emotional and psychological trauma and is the most drastic safety intervention utilized by a child welfare agency. Even brief separations can cause the release of higher levels of cortisol-stress hormones that begin to damage brain cells.” My own personal experience in these systems imprinted on me that the removal process is highly stressful and uncertain. Kids get dragged into the process without being aware of what is taking place and with having little to no control. The evidence of the adverse effects of unnecessarily criminalizing families of LGBTQ+ children who seek only to support their children’s choices is undeniable. Parents offering a safe and supportive environment and allowing their youth to seek genderaffirming care is backed by overwhelmingly positive evidence. The Texas Tribune also reported that “transgender teens were 60% less likely to be depressed and 73% less likely to have thought about self-harm or suicide after one year of using puberty blockers compared with those who didn’t start the medications.” We are faced with biased misinformation that has left gray areas in the law and provides ample room for abuse of power. How can we assist mistreated children when the only systems in place to protect abused children are doing the opposite? The system has become the perpetrator of the abuse it was created to prevent. How can we stop the endless cycle of trauma when our leaders willfully perpetuate policies that harm their constituents and vulnerable children? The challenge is not to turn away from these questions or deny these facts but to raise our voices and scream into the seemingly endless void. Our children and our future deserve no less.
OPINION
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THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE AND TECH WHITNEY MCPHIE
REFLECTING ON WHERE TECHNOLOGY IS HEADED RYAN MCCONNELL The field of science and technology is one that’s constantly evolving. Over my tenure at Vanguard, I’ve had the pleasure of covering a wide variety of topics that have significantly changed or evolved. For the last week of Science & Tech, we look at what the future could look like for all the main topics that have been covered over the past year, as an homage to both the progress of this field and the variety of topics discussed along the way.
UNIONS FOR THE MODERN ERA
On May 23, 2022, Raven Software became the first AAA video game studio to form a union. This is a landmark case and a major win for all game company employees. The video game industry has come under fire over the past year for astounding amounts of sexual harassment and general worker abuse. This industry has a history of overwork, severe burnout and underpaid staff. Game companies have some of the most toxic workplaces in modern history, but now that a major studio has its first union, there is real hope that these companies can legitimately unionize to fight for ethical and healthy workplaces. However, it’s not just game companies that are paving the way for unions. As of April 1, Amazon has its first union based in New York. That a union could triumph over relentless anti-union propaganda and Amazon’s army of anti-union lawyers is unparalleled and awe-inspiring. These unions are a stepping stone to a bright future for employees under tech companies. Now that there is evidence to suggest tech unions are possible in predatory corporations, it’s likely more will be created, solidifying a work environment that puts people over profit.
LOADING THE INTERNET’S UPDATE
The internet is in the process of a major evolu-
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SCIENCE & TECH
tion, known by most groups and individuals in the industry as Web 3.0. The reality of Web 3.0 is still up for interpretation. However, the more pressing question we need to face lies within the rise of the so-called splinternet. The worldwide web isn’t very worldwide anymore. Countries and authoritarians alike have caught up with the internet’s power, and begun building digital walls and different regulations depending on the region. Countries like China and Russia have almost exclusively siloed themselves away from open communications between other non-national web companies and have included their own personalized rules and regulations for using the internet. Europe, meanwhile, has implemented more legislation protecting the digital privacy and autonomy of its citizens, thus limiting the ability for tech companies to engage with Europe if they are not built to accommodate these new laws. In order for the internet—and ourselves—to progress, we must be willing to ask ourselves what is more valuable to us, and how we can hold tech companies accountable, both new and old. Silicon Valley startups really like Web 3.0’s counterpart, the metaverse, but many consumers express clear and vocal opposition to these products. This kind of behavior hasn’t happened before, as most new technology proposals have been embraced with open arms, and concerns have typically arisen a decade or so after widespread adoption. Web 3.0, as an independent entity, has the formula to solve genuine problems created over the past decade—though creating new ones in the process. Its decentralized backbone is essentially authoritarian-proof, because data placed on a network fundamentally cannot be censored from its records. This doesn’t mean data can’t be changed or updated, but rather that there will always be a record of a previous version, and this
is intertwined with the system itself. Web 3.0 also has the potential to hand digital ownership over to individuals, and not the companies that often collect and broker their data without their knowledge. The heavy cost of this advancement is the environment. The exact amount of energy consumed by these networks is complicated, but is estimated to be more than some entire countries. Ethereum, a cryptocurrency, is currently planning its migration to an environmentally-friendly system, as it has been for years. It is unclear how much longer until this implementation happens. Web 3.0 is a rare beacon of hope for a right to digital autonomy. The question we must answer is what we are willing to pay for those rights, and how we can protect the planet in the process.
A QUANTUM LEAP IN POWER
Cybersecurity has been an important part of discussing scientific and technological industries, and for good reason. Ever since the pandemic, many professional hacker groups have been targeting essential components of our national supply chains, from oil to healthcare. The greatest leap in our nation’s ability to defend against these attacks can only come from one thing: processing power. The amount of cost, energy and physical space it takes to house supercomputers capable of industrial processing is increasing exponentially. The solution? Quantum computing. Now, countries are in a race against time for who can build the world’s first capable quantum computer. At its core, quantum computing is about efficiency. In traditional computing, bits represent two options: 1 or 0. Quantum computing is essentially expanding what a bit is—now known as a quantum bit—by representing either a 1 or 0, or both at the same time, providing three options instead of two. This means the amount
of data that can be stored increases exponentially per bit. Another advancement in this field, published on May 25 in Nature, demonstrated the use of quantum teleportation for sending information. This technique entangles two quantum particles together to represent a certain value. This special law of physics demonstrates that when two particles become entangled, they are identical to each other. What makes this finding important is how scientists have figured out not only how to entangle these particles, but also how to untangle them. This allows quantum bits to be used and reused in a method identical to computer memory. All of this occurs at the speed of light and is unhackable, because nothing can intercept physics itself. The future of cybersecurity in the U.S. rests in the hands of quantum development. If we cannot develop quantum computers at scale before another country, entire systems we depend on— like our banks—would be hopeless against hacks. The strongest form of encryption could be cracked in minutes, and there would be no recourse against it because it could not be intercepted.
THE INDUSTRY ITSELF
The final topic is a simple one: is the tech industry sustainable? While big banks are predicting inflation balloons and a recession, people are re-evaluating their reliance on investing in what used to represent the pinnacle of U.S. innovation. This recession, if it occurs, will act as a true litmus test for the tech industry. There is no way to predict the magnitude or consequences of such an event. Tech companies could fall and be bailed out of a financial downfall like the big banks of the Great Recession. Growth could become stunted for a decade. The industry could bypass economic woes altogether. Only the future can tell us the answer.
PSU Vanguard • JUNE 1, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
