Portland State Vanguard, Volume 74, Issue 21

VOLUME 74 • ISSUE 21 • FEBRUARY 25, 2020

THE

CO$T

OF BEING AN

INTERNATIONAL

STUDENT AT PSU

NEWS COMMEMORATING NICK FISH OPINION ACCESSIBILITY SHOULDN’T BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT ARTS & CULTURE EXPRESSING ADVERSITY THROUGH DANCE

CRIME BLOTTER

Feb. 17–23

HANNA ANDERSON FEB. 17 Theft A Portland State student reported at approximately 10:55 a.m. that their property had been stolen from the Jordan Schnitzer Museum in Fariborz Maseeh Hall.

At approximately 2 p.m., a student reported that their property had been stolen from the Academic Student Recreation Center. Their ID was later used to check out a laptop; both were recovered.

Stolen Vehicle A student reported that their vehicle had been stolen on the corner of SW Jackson & 5th at approximately 11:20 p.m.

Tresspass Arrest

A non-student was arrested for trespassing in Fariborz Maseeh Hall at 11:24 p.m.

FEB. 18 Vehicle Break-in At 9:53 a.m. in the Art Building Parking, a non-student reported a vehicle break-in, with nothing taken.

Trespass Arrest At approximately 7:35 p.m., a non-student was arrested for trespassing in Millar Library.

FEB. 19 Suspicious Activity A PSU employee reported suspicious text messages that were sent to a fellow employee from an unknown number that claimed to be them at 9:56 a.m. in the Urban Center.

FEB. 23 Vandalism At approximately 7:11 a.m., pedestrian posts were found damaged near SW Broadway & Montgomery.

Accident Two non-students reported electrical shocks from a lamp in University Place Hotel at 12:08 p.m.

CONTENTS COVER BY BRANDON PAHNISH NEWS HILL TO HALL

P. 3

2019’S MOST UNDERRATED FILMS

P. 11

COMMEMORATING COMMISSIONER NICK FISH

P. 4

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

P. 12

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY PORTLAND TO CLOSE DOWN IN SPRING

P. 5

INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF CÉSAR AWARDS RESIGNS FOLLOWING POLANSKI CRITICISM

OPINION ACCESSIBILITY SHOULDN’T BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT

P. 13

P. 6

P. 14

THE PHILIPPINES TERMINATES VISITING FORCES AGREEMENT WITH U.S.

P. 6

CLIMATE CHANGE MATTERS AND TODAY’S STUDENTS WILL BEAR THE BURDEN

THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD

P. 7

HAVE YOU HEARD? THE PRESIDENTIAL PETS EDITION

P. 14

COVER THE COST OF BEING AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AT PSU

P. 8–9

SPORTS G.O.A.T. SPORTS AND STREET APPAREL

P. 15

ARTS & CULTURE EXPRESSING ADVERSITY THROUGH DANCE

EVENTS CALENDAR

P. 16

P. 10

STAFF

EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Dylan Jefferies MANAGING EDITOR Anthony Montes NEWS EDITORS Hanna Anderson Justin Grinnell INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Chloe Dysart SPORTS EDITOR Rich Rigney ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Nick Townsend OPINION EDITOR AJ Earl

ONLINE EDITOR Annie Schutz COPY CHIEF Hannah Welbourn COPY EDITOR Sophie Concannon CONTRIBUTORS Juliana Bigelow Jordan Cagle Bryan Carter Madison Cecil Ida Ayu Karina Dwijayanti Adira Freigeist Nick Gatlin Bela Kurzenhauser Quinn Stoddard

PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Alex Wittwer MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Owen Demetre PRODUC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR John Rojas LEAD DESIGNER Dana Townsend DESIGNERS Brandon Pahnish Sam Person DIS T RIBU TION & M A R K E TING DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING MANAGER Dylan Jefferies

T ECHNOL OGY & W EB SIT E STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Corrine Nightingale TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS Juliana Bigelow George Olson John Rojas A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher

To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com MIS SION S TAT EMEN T 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.

A BOU T 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 Tuesdays and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @psuvanguard for multimedia content and breaking news.

NEWS

FEB. 19–22 NICK GATLIN

FEB. 19: OREGON SENATE REPUBLICANS READY TO WALK OUT OVER CAP-AND-TRADE BILL

Oregon Senate Republicans are finalizing preparations to walk out of the chamber to prevent the passage of Senate Bill 1530, the controversial carbon cap-and-trade bill, according to Statesman Journal. Several Republicans have identified locations to stay outside of Oregon and have bought or are planning to buy plane tickets out of the state. Sen. Fred Girod stated, “As soon as Ways and Means passes out 1530 to the full Senate, I think we’ll walk,” to Statesman Journal. The planned walkout comes after House Republicans refused to attend a Tuesday night session after demanding that all bills be read in their entirety in an attempt to slow down the legislative session, according to AP News.

FEB. 20: JORDAN COVE PIPELINE DECISION DELAYED BY FEDERAL ENERGY AGENCY

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted 2-1 to delay their decision on the Jordan Cove natural gas pipeline, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB). The vote comes after a decision by the State of Oregon to deny the project a state permit.

AP News reported the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development has voiced their objections to the project, warning the pipeline would harm the environment. One member of the FERC called the decision-making process “rotten” and urged the commission to consider the pipeline’s effect on endangered species and greenhouse gas emissions. The commissioner cited the Natural Gas Act, which requires public interest to be weighed against adverse effects, as one of the reasons for his objection, according to Statesman Journal.

FEB. 20: DOJ TO LAUNCH CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION INTO WRONGFUL ARREST OF PORTLAND RESIDENT

The U.S. Department of Justice will lead a civil rights investigation into the wrongful arrest of Portland resident Michael Fesser, which occurred in 2017, according to The Oregonian. Fesser, an African-American man, says he was targeted after complaining about a racially hostile work environment at a Portland towing company, according to AP News. Litigation by Fesser uncovered that Fesser was surveilled and arrested by West Linn police as a favor to a friend of then-Police Chief Terry Timeus. The investigation comes after Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, called for federal action in the case, according to The Oregonian.

Each episode we talk to professionals about different macro-topics that relate to ongoing events.

Listen now to Situational Significance on

Spotify

Google Play

Apple Podcasts

Pocket Casts

FEB. 22: ICE SUBPOENAS OREGON LAW ENFORCEMENT

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued five subpoenas to the Clackamas and Wasco County Sheriff’s Offices, as well as the Oregon State and Hillsboro Police departments, seeking information on people the agency wishes to deport, according to OPB. On Feb. 18, ICE subpoenaed the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for information on two Mexican citizens wanted for deportation, one of which has been released from custody according to AP News. The subpoenas are the first to be served in Oregon and represent a larger escalation between federal immigration agencies and sanctuary cities.

Deputy Shannon Wilde, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said, “Our office is going to comply with the subpoena because it’s valid and was served properly,” according to The Oregonian. Oregon’s 30-year-old sanctuary law, the oldest in the nation, states that no law enforcement agency can use its own money, equipment or personnel to detect or apprehend undocumented immigrants who have not committed another crime.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

3

NEWS

COMMEMORATING

COMMISSIONER

NICK FISH

PSU HOLDS CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN HONOR OF COMMISSIONER FISH, WHO PASSED AWAY THIS YEAR QUINN STODDARD Portland State hosted a celebration of life in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom on Feb. 16 to eulogize Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish, who passed away in January of this year.

“One gathering alone cannot capture all that Portland meant to Nick or that Nick meant to Portland,” said Fish’s wife Patricia Schechter, who is the interim director of PSU’s Conflict Resolution Program and a professor of history. “We hope that this first public celebration will begin to release our grief toward healing as well as inspire service to the community in Nick’s memory.”

After graduating from Harvard and spending several years practicing law in New York City, Fish became a part of the Portland City Council in 2008. He supervised the Parks and Recreation department and Bureau of Environmental Services, coordinated cleaning of the Willamette River, as well as formed the Portland Housing Bureau—a bureau focused on the needs of low-income families, people experiencing houselessness, veterans and the elderly.

“I’ve been the clerk for 19 years,” said Karla MooreLove, the city council clerk for Portland. “That’s where I came to know Nick. I’ve worked with a lot of great city commissioners, but Nick will always be one of my favorites.”

The packed Smith ballroom had many distinguished guests in attendance, such as senior United States Senator Ron Wyden and former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts. Other guests took the stage to talk about their experiences with Fish and show their appreciation.

“One of the first people I met [coming here] was Commissioner Nick Fish,” said PSU President Stephen Percy who opened the ceremony. “He welcomed me whole-heartedly. He was encouraging to me and helped me learn more about Portland.”

Guest speakers such as state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum spoke of what made the former commissioner so well liked. “Unpretentious, inclusive, curious, friendly, funny; these were baked into Nick Fish’s DNA,” Rosenblum said.

4

Describing a previous summer picnic organized by Fish, Rosenblum said the event really showed Fish’s true colors in how he operated. “The people Nick really wanted to get to know were those who made the picnic happen. The caterers, the musicians. Nothing too menial a task to him.”

Halfway through, PSU professor of music Darrell Grant and Marcia Hocker, board member for PDX Jazz—a cultural initiative to celebrate jazz music by highlighting music education and performances in Portland—delivered most of their speech in the form of a 10-minute jazz duet. Before starting, Professor Grant spoke of how the former commissioner viewed people: “This was a man who, I can truly say, [thought] there was no ‘them,’” Grant said.

Fish’s younger brother, Peter Fish, was one of the last speakers of the event. “Reconnecting with Nick’s world is an honor for me,” Fish said. “I’m privileged to engage the love I’m encountering coast to coast. Portland gave the canvas to do what he did best: engage, confer, coalesce, serve.”

Fish’s passing leaves a vacant position on Portland’s City Council. A special election will be held to fill the vacancy this May, with a March 10 deadline for all applicants. Potential candidates filing for the position will first need the endorsement signatures of 100 Portland voters to be listed on the upcoming ballot.

There are 11 candidates who have entered their bid so far, such as former Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and Metro Councilor Sam Chase, who announced a bid to run back in January but has yet to file.

First to file for the position were community activists Robin Castro, a former PSU student, and Diana Gutman, an Army veteran who advocates for victims of domestic violence.

Other commissioner seats that will be open or contested are those of Commissioner Amanda Fritz, who plans to retire, and Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, whose second city commissioner term is contested by former Portland mayor Sam Adams, who announced his bid in January.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

NICK FISH AS HE WALKS THROUGH ONE OF PORTLAND'S NUMEROUS PARKS THAT HE OVERSAW. COURTESY OF PORTLAND PARKS & RECREATION

NEWS

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY PORTLAND TO CLOSE DOWN IN SPRING

COURTESY OF CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

HANNA ANDERSON After 115 years, Concordia University Portland will close its doors for good, ending all classes and operations in a few short months.

The university, a private Lutheran college in Northeast Portland, made the announcement on Feb. 10 with a video and statement first posted on their website. The Board of Regents, the college’s governing body, voted on Feb. 7 for the school to close after the Spring 2020 term. CU’s last day of classes will take place on April 24, with their final commencement ceremony for students on April 25.

The 24-acre campus will be returned to the The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a Christian denomination the school is affiliated with, who is expected to sell the property.

CU Interim President Thomas Ries said in the statement, “After much prayer and consideration of all options to continue Concordia University Portland’s 115-year legacy, the Board of Regents concluded that the university’s current and projected enrollment and finances make it impossible to continue its educational mission...We have come to the decision this is in the best interest of our students, faculty, staff and partners.”

CU’s media contact, Liz Louhan, was contacted for comment. In an email, she said that Concordia University has currently shared all of their available information online.

“We are now highly focused on helping our faculty, staff and students with their transition plans,” she stated.

CU currently has nearly 6,000 students enrolled. If they are unable to graduate after the school’s final term, they will have

to transfer to a new university in order to continue their education. According to Concordia’s website, in 2018, 1,569 of their students were in undergraduate programs, while 4,305 were graduate students.

According to an article by The Oregonian, only about 1,200 students attend classes on campus, while the majority of the students are in programs that take place completely online, where enrollment rates for CU have seen the greatest decline. 1,518 employees will also be laid off due to the closure, which will gradually take place beginning in February and ending in September.

CU wrote in their statement that increasing financial difficulties and a “changing educational landscape” are the school’s primary reasons for shutting their doors. According to an article by Oregon Public Broadcasting, a decline in the number of online students is also to blame, and chances for the college to recover from their circumstances were slim.

According to Ries, who became CU’s Interim President on Jan. 1, the school no longer has the capacity to borrow more money than it already has, and would need to hit enrollment rates that CU was unlikely to achieve in order to continue operating. Instead, the decision was made to close CU while they still had the resources to support students during their transition.

On Feb. 18, students walked out of classes in protest of the sudden announcement to close, frustrated that the school did not make their financial situation clear and did not offer clear

support for students and staff. At least one student has also begun filing a class-action lawsuit against CU.

PORTLAND STATE’S RESPONSE

Various schools across Oregon are offering additional support to CU students, including Portland State.

PSU released a statement on Feb. 17, announcing that the school would offer several benefits to students transferring from Concordia University.

According to their website, “During this time of uncertainty, PSU wants to extend itself as a partner to Concordia University students. We have been long-time academic and civic partners, and PSU is committed to providing any assistance required by the university or its students during this difficult time.”

Undergraduate students will have their application fee waived, housing application fees deferred, as well as receive a $300 credit towards housing on campus. International students will have their English proficiency requirement waived, as well as a guaranteed $4,500 in merit-based scholarships.

Graduate students will also have their application fee waived, the deadline to apply to programs extended and may also receive up to $5,000 in tuition remission scholarships.

PSU will also hold a Transfer Open House event specifically for Concordia Students on March 10, giving students the opportunity to meet with admissions and financial counselors, as well as tour the campus.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

5

INTERNATIONAL

BOARD OF CÉSAR THE PHILIPPINES AWARDS RESIGNS TERMINATES VISITING FOLLOWING FORCES AGREEMENT POLANSKI CRITICISM WITH U.S. CHLOE DYSART

ROMAN POLANSKI (LEFT) AT THE 2011 CESAR AWARDS. COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS. MADISON CECIL The entire board of France’s César Awards resigned on Feb. 13, just 15 days before the annual ceremony was scheduled to occur.

The board resigned due to widespread public criticism of its leadership abilities.

The César Awards are the French equivalent of the United States’ Oscars and honor directors, producers, actors and other members of the film community each year. A statement released by the academy reported it was an unanimous decision made “to honor those men and women who have made cinema happen in 2019, to find calm and ensure that the festival of films remains that, a festival.”

The Academy has come under criticism multiple times in recent years, but the most recent was the nomination of French-Polish director and U.S. fugitive, Roman Polanski.

According to BBC, Polanski has been wanted in the U.S. since the 1970s when he admitted to raping a 13-year-old girl, but the extradition requests have repeatedly been denied. He has been accused of rape and sexual assault multiple times since the 1970s, most recently in November 2019.

Polanski was nominated for a total of 12 César awards for his 2019 film An Officer and A Spy, an act which was condemned by French Equality Minister Franck Riester. The nominations received public backlash from several women’s rights groups and activists throughout France, who cited the multiple accusations against the director.

“If rape is an art, give Polanski all the Césars,” according to an open letter from multiple feminist groups published in Le Parisien, repoted by The New York Times. “With these

6

12 nominations, the world of cinema gave frank and unconditional support to a rapist on the run.”

Roughly 400 prominent members of the French film community published an open letter in Le Monde on Feb. 11 criticizing the leadership abilities of the Academy’s board.

The letter called the Academy “a vestige of an era that we would like to be over, that of an elitist and closed system.”

The letter published by the film community members also cited the lack of democracy in the award process, while largely staying away from the Polanski criticism, arguing the nominations and awards do not reflect the beliefs of the film community as a whole.

In order to be a member of the César Academy, a person of the film community must have two sponsors from inside the Academy and have participated in at least three films in the last five years, according to The New York Times. The members are then required to pay a subscription fee. This year, there are 4,313 members. The nomination process allows the Academy members to secretly vote films selected by the board to be nominated for an award. This voting process also determines the winner of the awards.

One of the major issues cited by the film community’s letter published in Le Monde was that, while they could vote on the movies up for awards, Academy members could not vote on leadership or representatives on the board itself.

There will be a general Academy meeting after the Feb. 28 award ceremony to determine who will replace the board members.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

Rodrigo Duterte, president of the Philippines, announced on Feb. 11 that the country will end the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, marking the end of the two-decade-long military alliance.

According to The Washington Post, the VFA was designed to set rules, guidelines and legal status of the U.S. military when operating in the Philippines. The VFA also revalidates the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty as well as the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which allows the U.S. military to conduct joint exercises and operations in the Philippines.

According to The New York Times the VFA has allowed the U.S. to rotate its forces through Philippine military bases, leading to approximately 300 joint exercises per year between the American and Philippine militaries.

The termination of the VFA is expected to impact more than just military forces, as the U.S. has provided more than $550 million in security assistance in 2016–19. The U.S. has also assisted the Philippines with intelligence, training and aid from various issues such as human trafficking, cyberattacks, illegal narcotics and terrrorism groups, according to Al Jazeera.

One of the reasons cited for the termination of the agreement is the refusal by the U.S. to grant a visa to Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who has been named in extrajudicial killings associated with Duterte’s so-called war on drugs.

Human Rights Watch estimates that the war on drugs in the Philippines has resulted in at least 27,000 deaths.

Salvador Panelo, Duterte’s spokesperson has claimed that the termination of the agreement was not motivated by the denied visa, but by the Philippine’s own interests in being militarily independant.

According to Al Jazeera, Duterte is known for being outspoken and has previously condemned the presence of the U.S. in the Philippines.

In a 2016 press conference, Duterte said, “For as long as we stay with America, we will never have peace in that land [Mindanao].

We might as well give it up.”

Duterte held up pictures of the Jolo massacre, which occurred in 1906 when U.S. troops killed over 600 Moro Muslim Philipinos in the southern island of Jolo.

“This is the massacre of Jolo,” Duterte said as he held up the pictures. “Look at the bodies there. You [the U.S.] have not even apologized to the Filipino nation.”

Duterte further said that the history of the massacre has tainted U.S.–Philippines relations ever since.

President Donald Trump has responded to Duterte’s decision to terminate the agreement, telling reporters: “Well I never minded that very much, to be honest. We helped the Philippines very much. We helped them defeat ISIS...I don’t really mind if they would like to do that, it will save a lot of money. My views are different from others.”

The agreement remains in effect for the time being but is set to end after 180 days of the notice.

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

INTERNATIONAL

THIS WEEK 5

around the

WORLD

Feb. 16–23

4 6

1 2

3

1

Feb. 16

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

Several unidentified gunmen shot and killed nine houseless drug users on Feb. 16 in Kabul. The attack appeared to be relatively coordinated, but the attackers’ motives currently remain unknown. There are at least 10,000 houseless drug users in Kabul, with thousands more scattered throughout Afghanistan, the world’s largest producer of opium, according to Reuters. Estimates from the Ministry of Public Health claim as many as 2.5 million Afghanis are addicted to drugs. In early February 2020, five senior police officials were arrested in connection to drug trafficking. “It’s a social crisis,” Deputy of the Ministry of Public Health’s Counter-Drug Department Dr. Shokoor Haidari told Al Jazeera.

2

Feb. 17

QUETTA, PAKISTAN

A suicide bomber on a motorcycle attempted to attack a religious rally organized by the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jammat group, which is closely tied to Pakistani politics. Police attempted to stop the bomber outside of the rally at a safety

checkpoint, but the attacker detonated the bomb. “Instead of stopping, [the attacker] attempted to continue going forward,” said Quetta Police Chief Abdul Razzaq Cheema in a press statement. “[The police] struggled with him, toppling him and stopping him. As [the attacker] fell, he detonated himself.” The explosion killed 10 people, including two police officials, and injured at least 35 more.

3

Feb. 19

EL-SALINI, SOMALIA

Al-Shabab, a militant group with known ties to al-Qaida, attacked two Somali military bases with vehicles loaded with explosives. After a suicide bomber driving the vehicles detonated the explosives, dozens of gunmen stormed the bases and attempted to take control. While the militant group controlled one of the military bases briefly, Somali authorities quickly regained control. “[The militants] took the base and took weapons and ammunitions, this includes anti-aircraft guns fixed on pickups,” ElSalini police officer Nur Ahmen told Al Jazeera.

The attack killed at least 16 Al-Shabaab fighters and 12 Somali soldiers.

4

Feb. 19

HANAU, GERMANY

A gunman opened fire in two shisha bars in Germany, leaving at least nine dead. The suspect was later discovered dead in his home by police. Police found another dead body with the suspect, but believed the gunman acted alone and did not have any accomplices.

Since several of the victims were Turkish, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has since spoken out and has said the attack shows the “poison” of racism in Germany. The federal prosecution is treating the shootings as an act of terrorism. “A terrible evening,” said Hanau Mayor Claus Kaminsky in a statement, according to The New York Times. “It will certainly occupy us for a long, long time, and it will remain in our sad memories.”

5

Feb. 20

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

A man was stabbed in a mosque during afternoon prayers. The victim, who is a Muezzin and leads the call to prayers, is in stable condition and officials believe he will survive the attack. Worshippers subdued

the suspect until police arrived and took the man into custody. One mosque-goer, Magdi Yousef, said the victim and attacker were friends and frequently seen together. “[The attacker] seemed like a nice man, very calm and quiet,” Yousef told The New York Times. “Then he took out a big knife and stabbed him in the neck. I couldn’t believe it.

I don’t know why. He did not seem like a dangerous man.”

6

Feb. 23

IRAN AND TURKEY

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake in western Iran collapsed thousands of buildings and killed dozens in Iran and neighboring Turkey. The earthquake’s epicenter was the Iranian city of Khoy, in which dozens of buildings collapsed as a result. An additional 25 Iranian villages were severely damaged in the aftermath of the event. In Turkey, at least nine people were killed and 30 injured in the Van province. Officials believe that number will rise in coming days as collapsed buildings are removed and bodies continue to be recovered.

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

7

COVER

THE

CO$T

OF BEING AN

INTERNATIONAL

IDA AYU KARINA DWIJAYANT International tuition carries Portland State’s most expensive price tag. But students weigh in—is it worth the cost?

According to its website, PSU is Oregon’s most affordable public research university, providing immigration advising, life advising, programming and support for more than 2,000 international students from nearly 100 different countries. Despite PSU’s affordability, some international students think their tuition fee is very costly, and they have different perspectives regarding the student resources and outreach given by the university, based on their personal experience.

“Tuition is a lot for international students; it is usually $7,000 to $10,000 per term,” said Mercedeh Farrokhi, an international student from Iran. “I think it is impossible to pay it out of pocket if you’re not on different scholarships, and I’ve been lucky that I’ve got four different scholarships to pay off my tuition.”

On what drove her to choose to study at PSU, Farrokhi said “I got to see the campus and the people are really sweet here.” Farrokhi is also a mentor for the Freshman Inquiry and the leader of the Iranian Association of PSU. Matteo Fortini, an international studentathlete from Italy studying supply chain and logistics, has a full scholarship to play on the PSU tennis team.

“Fortunately, I got a full scholarship and if I didn’t have it, I would be studying in Italy,” Fortini said.

Fortini chose PSU because he wanted to experience something different out of his country and, for him, “it was a good opportunity to play [the] sport while studying.” However, for Fortini, being an international student athlete comes with a concern: “I can’t take more than one online class. Sometimes it’s hard because I travel a lot with my team, competing in other cities and states.”

8

STUDENT AT PSU

Fortini’s teammate, Nikola Dmitrijevic, a transfer international student from Serbia, said: “I couldn’t play tennis at my previous school, so I decided to transfer.” Dmitrijevic does not get a full scholarship from playing tennis, and uses a number of other scholarships in order to cover tuition.

Christina Luther, the director of international student and scholar services international affairs office, said, “International students are eligible for scholarships around the university, but most of [the scholarships] are restricted to just United States citizens, so sometimes it’s hard for international students to get funding.”

In reference to international funding, Farrokhi shared her struggle of being an international student. She experienced a financial crisis last term because one of her scholarships ended, requiring her to petition to obtain another scholarship, which succeeded.

According to the PSU website, the U.S. immigration regulations require undergraduate international students to complete 12 credits per quarter which cost around $4,230 for undergraduates, with an additional $1,410 per term for health insurance. Students who live on campus pay an average of $16,869 for housing annually.

An Oregon resident taking 12 credits during the 2019–20 academic year pays just over

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

$2,100 in tuition, $500 in student fees and an $890 insurance premium if the student did not provide proof of an equivalent health insurance policy.

Luther explained the additional charge for insurance is due to Oregon law, which requires students to have health insurance. However, if a student can prove they have an insurance policy equal to or greater than the one PSU provides, they may opt to waive PSU’s insurance, thus waiving the $1,410 charge.

“For me, I think international students are the most neglected segment at PSU,” said an anonymous PSU international student. “We have so many issues but no one is really fighting for us. Many people have left the school because they missed a payment and some of the students are fighting to stay here. We need better policy and equal rights and opportunities at PSU.” “It’s heartbreaking, it’s really heartbreaking,” Luther said in response to the anonymous student’s statement. “I’ve been working in this office for almost 22 years and I’ve devoted my entire career to support international students, making sure that they have a smooth path at [PSU].”

“I know that it’s very very expensive for international students,” Luther said. “But a part of the student obligation who wants to apply for an F1 Visa, is to show that they have sufficient

funding to study here, so the expense should really not come as a surprise.”

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam is an English language proficiency test required by some U.S. colleges and universities for international applicants. While PSU does not require the IELTS, it does require “valid proof of English language proficiency.” Meeting the minimum IELTS criteria is accepted by PSU as valid proof of English proficiency.

For international students who did not meet the minimum criteria of the IELTS exam or other English language proficiency requirements, the Intensive English Learning Program (IELP) is here to help international students improve their English before they begin their academic career at PSU. Students enrolled in IELP are still able to utilize campus resources such as the library, computer labs and the recreation center, as well as join student clubs and live in residence halls..

“The IELP has quite a lot of services specifically for international students who are learning English as a second language,” Luther said.

“They have a conversation partner program, they’ve got tutors, mentors and a learning lab for students to practice their English.”

Farrokhi took the IELTS exam but didn’t meet the minimum criteria and was encouraged to enroll in IELP.

COVER

“It wasn’t a huge change in my language, because it was only for one term,” Farrokhi explained. “[IELP] was a lot of money too, I paid around $6,000 for one term only for language course.”

Like Farrokhi, Fortini had to take IELP courses due to his language barrier, but for two terms.

“I had to take English courses before I started taking PSU classes,” Fortini said. “At first I thought it was boring, but if I look back, it was very helpful because my English improved a lot.”

“I think that I have enough points for IELTS...so I don’t have to take it and they didn’t encourage me,” Dmitrijevic said about his own experience with IELTS. Despite its high cost, Fortini spoke of a benefit of IELP. “Sometimes I receive emails from PSU and I see that they organize activities,” Fortini said. “So I think they’re pretty cool because many times international students come here and they don’t have friends, those activities gave them opportunities to meet new people.”

Farrokhi also thought the IELP is a useful outreach for students, “It was helpful, not in the way it helped my English, but it helped me to learn about different resources on campus,” she said. “I work with the office of international students, therefore, I see a lot of people reaching out to me, making sure I have the right resources.”

“Our international office is the only international student specific resource,” Luther said. “But all the other student resources provided by PSU are available for them such as student health and counseling, student legal services, women resource center.”

Seonah Choi, an international student from South Korea, said there are a lot of interesting classes that the university offers, such as Queer studies, which she could not find in her previous school in Ansang, South Korea.

Joana Isimbi, an MBA international student from Rwanda, chose PSU specifically because the business program had the best curriculum and professors. She also said that the university has a lot of diverse students from different countries which allow her to get different perspectives and insights in her classes.

Nya Mbock, an international affairs director of the Association Students of Portland State University from Cameroon, said the student-led organization is a tool for students to get information regarding student services and provide contacts to which international students can reach out.

“Me and my international committee are working with different multicultural resource centers,” Mbock said. “We encourage international students to come to our meeting so they have a space to voice their concerns that they have.”

Mbock continued: “I have a few international students reaching out to me, there was a student [this winter term] who, her housing was in the air and she didn’t really know what to do going forward and I wanted to be a sounding board for her.”

After the student voiced their concerns, Mbock reached out to the International Department to find options for the student.

Harina Ainaga, an international student from Indonesia who is studying criminal justice, said “international students are shy to reach out to the department.”

Mbock and the international committee are working to improve the peer mentor program in the international office because it would create outreach opportunities for students who need help.

“Peer mentors would help a lot for international students so they can integrate into a group of people where the differences wouldn’t be so startling,” Mbock said about enabling international students to connect with one another.

Luther also mentioned the coronavirus in the interview and how it has impacted some international students, especially those who are from China.

“We have our second largest population of students from China and they’re experiencing a tremendous amount of hardships because their family who are supporting them, haven’t been able to work for the last four or six weeks, so they are unable to send money to them.”

“I’ve reached out to them,” Luther said. “I’ve sent them emails to let them know that we’re here and if they’re experiencing challenges they should reach out to me or the other advisors. I’ve also reached out to a number of offices for remision money so that we’re ready if there’s a student who is unable to pay. I’ve nominated four of our Chinese students scholarships for the spring team from a national organization of international education.”

BRANDON PAHNISH

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

9

ARTS & CULTURE

EXPRESSING

ADVERSITY

THROUGH

DANCE

BETHANY HARVEY’S DYNAMIC PERFORMANCE IN “(UN)EASY” WAS AN INTIMATE EXPERIENCE, DRAWING THE CROWD INTO THE PRIVATE SPACE OF SOMEONE WHO IS BROKEN AND DESPONDENT AND WATCHING THEIR JOURNEY INTO ACCEPTANCE AND CONFIDENCE. ALEX WITTWER/PSU VANGUARD

10

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

DIASPORA THEATER COMPANY PRODUCES ‘BEEN READY’ ADIRA FREIGEIST The stage was stark: a blank white canvas with draping curtains, set to hold space while awaiting the introduction of expression through movement, body and emotion. The night displayed profoundly emotional and deeply personal journeys, demonstrated through the mediums of sound and dance.

On the evening of Valentine’s Day, Been Ready, a performance brought to the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art by Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater embodied choreography descriptions that transported the audience into the souls of the performers.

The first performance, “(Un)easy,” was choreographed by Bethany Harvey in collaboration with dancers. Harvey and Annie Miteva took the audience through two variant perspectives on how depression and anxiety can manifest and show up differently for people.

Harvey and Miteva walked the path of being broken, isolated, beaten down and stigmatized, to finding freedom through what felt impossible by loving themselves, accepting their flaws and connecting with their self-identified communities.

The precise movement of their bodies, sometimes in unison but often disjointed, expressed the complexity and arduous task of navigating their emotions and stigma while searching for culturally relevant mental health support.

“Shaped,” choreographed by Michael Galen, was a performance to remember.

Featuring Galen, Decimus Yarborough, Jamie Minkus, Saqualla Q Allen and Nekicia Luckett, the movement spread across the entire stage.

The dancers opened or took space on the floor, displaying the systemic weight that people carry in parallel experiences because of bias. The inability of many that hold privilege to see through the eyes of someone different than themselves creates a world filled with inequity and suffering, the information on the performance explained.

“When I Dare to be Powerful,” choreographed by Jamie Minkus in collaboration with dancers, sent chills down the audience’s spines. Minkus, Oluyinka Akinjiola, Brianna Gordon, Bethany Harvey and Mari Scharf stood evenly spaced across the stage, their bodies shaking while shouting, “did I cause this?” “was this my fault?” “was I showing too much skin?”.

For survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence, this expression of pain, loss, sorrow, fear, turning into joy, self-expression and love is a gift few give to the world. For Minkus, “the process has been surprisingly healing.”

As their painful journey continued, the women began to aggressively run their hands over the limbs of their body, it was “like your body betrayed you,” said Minkus.

“I didn’t ask for it, I did nothing wrong. I am a woman, a human. Humans are sexual beings. We continually perpetuate the dehumanization of women.”

This culture tells us, “If we are [sexual], we deserve to get raped, or we deserve to get beaten. We arrest the way we choose to behave, the way we dress, how we act, in order for them to give us the responsibility of being the custodians of everyone else’s ethics,” Minkus said. As the dance continued the women began to learn to love themselves, glancing in the mirror, wearing clothing that emboldened and gave them strength.

“My truth is being a rape survivor and domestic abuse survivor. It was something I was so ashamed of that I wouldn’t claim it. Just because it happened doesn’t mean it’s over, we carry it our entire lives.”

In closing, the women placed drab tan fabric over their bodies. They looked down upon themselves, ripping through the confinement to expose colorful clothing, rejoicing in their ability to persevere.

“Black On All Sides: Freedom From Your Presumptions” was a strong display of courage, choreographed by Decimus Yarbrough in collaboration with dancers. As the production began, a man, Yarbrough, stood with a shackled leg, as he moved towards his dreams, only to be pulled backward.

Shortly thereafter, Yarbrough was joined by two Black men, Malik Delgado and Brandon Harrison, also shackled. As they navigate their lives together, supporting one another, they become empowered and find the confidence to remove the shackles.

The final piece, “Roots to Crown,” was choreographed by Oluyinka Akinjiola and cast by Latoya Lovely, Saqualla Q Allen, Nekicia Luckett and Bethany Harvey. The dancers skillfully demonstrated examples of microaggressions Black women deal with daily.

The dance continued, moving through the chakras, energy that our body encapsulates. Halfway through the performance, the words “code switch” were announced, and the Black women transformed into privileged white women. As the “code switch” progressed, a sense of uneasiness spread through the audience as people shifted in their seats, trying to find comfort amid their surroundings.

Been Ready demonstrated the lived experiences of oppressed and marginalized individuals from their own perspective, in their own voices. It pleaded for a voice for the powerless and begged those with systemic power to use it for justice.

ARTS & CULTURE

2019’S MOST UNDERRATED FILMS BELA KURZENHAUSER 2019 was a year of great cinema for all audiences. Avengers: Endgame ($858.3 million United States domestic) crushed the box office. Director Bong Joon-ho’s film Parasite ($44.3 million U.S. domestic) became the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture, and people across the nation were able to bring their dysfunctional family to see the film about dysfunctional families, Knives Out ($162.2 million U.S. domestic) for Thanksgiving. However, there were still multiple worthy films overlooked by most U.S. audiences. Here are 6 films that went under-noticed in 2019.

'MONOS'

dir. Alejandro Landes U.S. Box Office: $406,000 Rotten Tomatoes Critic/Audience score: 93/85%

Earning a relatively tiny $406,000 in the U.S. domestic box office, Colombian director Alejandro Landes’ third feature Monos landed without a splash but certainly not without applause. The film scored top honors at the BFI London Film Festival, securing the prestigious Best Film award, as well as drawing in an additional $930,000 internationally.

Monos chronicles a platoon of teenage soldiers assigned with the monitoring of an American prisoner of war and a dairy cow on a feverish island. The film is shrouded in layers of mysticism and environmental fear—the island is illuminated with terrifyingly gorgeous waterfalls and unearthly sunsets at massive elevation. Mud and dirt coat the kids as they traverse through the jungle, mixing the perverse themes of Lord of the Flies with the griminess of Apocalypse Now.

'A HIDDEN LIFE' Terrence Malick

$1.7 million

80/72%

The story of a hero largely erased from the history books, Terrence Malick’s return to form tells the true story of Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector living in Austria during the start of WWII in 1939. It poses questions on human obligation to stand up, to be an activist or to simply defy the powers of evil. It’s pure, old-fashioned Malick, forming a lovingly human vision of a martyr, ingrained with his own personal beliefs and spirituality. It’s a gorgeous film as well—intimate close-ups and Malick’s own emphasis on visuals over dialogue paint an expressionist and ethereal biographic picture. The emotion carried through the film cannot be described by words but rather must be experienced.

'THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO' Joe Talbot

$4.5 million

93/84%

The Last Black Man in San Francisco represents a tour-deforce in debut filmmaking. It was sadly overlooked during its release due to the poor distribution of the film, resulting in it opening in very few theaters. Co-written by childhood friends director Joe Talbot and Jimmie Fails, who stars as himself, the film is a beautiful, poetic exploration of the long-term effects of gentrification on urban neighborhoods. Fails and Talbot are both San Francisco natives who went into the film with nearly no prior filmmaking experience, relying on their own skills and knowledge of the medium to break the mold and put out a truly masterful examination of the world around us and how we affect it. It carries a considerable amount of joy and compassion, for both the audience and the city itself. It comes directly from the heart.

'PAIN & GLORY' Pedro Almodovar

$4.5 million

97/91%

Making an autobiographical film is always a challenge.

There’s a fear of gluttony, feasting upon one’s own personality, painting a portrait that feels more egotistical than humble. Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar’s latest film is heartbreakingly honest and beautifully sincere, depicting the struggles of growing old, leaving behind the people you know, and reconciling with your inner demons. It’s endearingly compassionate and bittersweet, heartpanging in its beauty. It’s gorgeously shot, with impeccable colors piercing through the frame, reiterating on Almodovar’s classic usage of red in his films. It’s a mature and subdued film from a director who built his fame through sexually pungent and transgressive cinema. Although Pain & Glory didn’t land box office fame in the U.S., it was able to draw in an impressive $37 million internationally.

'THE LIGHTHOUSE' Robert Eggers

$10.8 million

90/72%

Shot entirely on location off of the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Robert Eggers’ second feature is a miserable nightmare plagued by the elements: maelstroms, hurricanes and a flock of particularly annoying seagulls. It tells the tale of a lighthouse kept by two keepers on a five-week shift, distanced from the rest of civilization as both peck at each other, waiting to see who will crack first. It’s a vicious duel that’s equally as funny as it is horrifying—embodying pure loneliness, desperation, misery and insanity. It’s drenched in Greek myths and folklore, dripping with realistic mariner dialogue, with every inch of the sets providing depth and atmosphere to the mucky film. It’s a purely original film, the likes of which rarely come along.

It’s also astonishingly gorgeous, shot on moody black-andwhite 35mm film stock.

'UNCUT GEMS' Josh & Benny Safdie

$49.8 million

92/52%

Following an admirable train of overwhelming praise at festivals in Telluride and Toronto, it seemed that Uncut Gems was surely on its way to securing a spot as one of the most acclaimed films of the year. However, what followed was a C+ grade on Cinemascore, a 52% audience approval on Rotten Tomatoes, and a shocking zero Oscar nominations. However, beneath the profanity, toxicity and cacophonous soundscape of the film lies one of the most delightfully anxiety-inducing masterpieces of modern cinema. The Safdie brothers are at the top of their game here, punctuated by a decade-topping performance from Adam Sandler. It grants the audience no mercy, filling you with terror and tension that climaxes spectacularly in the best ending of the year.

DANA TOWNSEND

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

11

ARTS & CULTURE

OWN THEIR WORDS IN TRANS AND NONBINARY INDIVIDUALS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES THE CAST OF "OUR BOLD VOICES," A GROUP OF TRANS AND NONBINARY STORYTELLERS WHO SHARE THEIR UNIQUE AND POWERFUL EXPERIENCES AND STORIES. ALEX WITTWER/PSU VANGUARD

JULIANA BIGELOW AND NICK TOWNSEND Trans people often have their own narratives stolen and co-opted by others to demonize trans people, consolidate a base or prop up a political campaign. A Portland event gave trans people the opportunity to tell their stories in their own voices.

“Igniting Voices: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary Lives and Stories,” an event organized

by Our Bold Voices, presented six trans and nonbinary speakers of varying age, backgrounds and experiences. Each speaker shared a five-minute true story, presented with no notes or visual aids, so the audience was forced to focus fully on the speaker’s truth.

“Oftentimes we’re not asked, especially as marginalized people, to get up on stage and share our stories, and today we are, through storytelling and music.”

Held at the Eliot Center on Feb. 22, each audience member wore their complementary heart-shaped trans flag sticker proudly as they made room to overflow seating in the already crowded pews.

Paul Iarrobino, the founding artistic director of Our Bold Voices, introduced the event using witty jokes laced within his more important sentiments. After making the crowd chuckle he confidently stated, “Oftentimes we’re not asked, especially as marginalized people, to get up on stage and share our stories, and today we are, through storytelling and music.”

12

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

Sponsored by the First Unitarian Church of Portland, the event aimed to expose a wider audience to the experience of trans and nonbinary individuals. Tyler Horan, the youngest storyteller at 16, elegantly and humorously discussed his first visit to a sex shop to buy a chest binder with his mother at age 12, recounting the first non-family use of his correct name and pronouns while being surrounded by an assortment of penises.

“I express my story through comedy best, even though it’s not really a comedic story at heart,” Horan said.

After the event Horan’s father, Dave Horan, spoke on the importance of the event.

“I’m still learning everything,” he said, “so it gives me a moment to go out and learn and be open, and obviously a platform to be able to tell these stories, which is just amazing.”

Iarrobino had a similar sentiment when discussing the motivation behind the event.

“I feel the need to work with new storytellers for them to be able to express themselves so that they are able to educate the community,” Iarrobino said. “But also able to ignite their own voices in terms of moments that are really important to them and their development, and why their stories matter.”

The oldest of the speakers was 77-year-old Marilyn Lowles. She fully transitioned in 2014, but her story went back much farther than that.

“In 1994, I was 51, I went to a Halloween party with my wife and she dressed as a man and I dressed as a woman,” Lowles said. “I remember

standing in the bathroom with makeup on and putting the wig on and looking in the mirror, and staring back at me, was actually me. I instantly recognized the person that had been rumbling around inside me.”

“For the next twenty or so years, I would dress occasionally with friends on nights and weekends,” Lowles said.

Beyond the stories, the event also featured music from the community outreach group Achord.

Amir Shirazi, the group’s director, spoke on the importance of musical storytelling.

“We use music as a tool to bring visibility to our community and to celebrate who we are and to show that trans people are brilliant, resilient and powerful,” Shirazi said.

Community member Gabby Nunley spoke about the performers after the event.

“It took so much courage and bravery,” Nunley said, “which says so much about who we are as human beings, and how we’re all connected.”

After the event, the venue hosted a marketplace featuring trans and nonbinary artists and community outreach organizations tabling.

The attendees gathered to visit the non-profits in attendance and make new connections.

Beyond the outreach, the event gave the speakers an opportunity to reflect on their own progress.

“I didn’t stop and think about things before and during my transition,” Ari Rain said. “[I’m] taking time at a point of stability to look back and say ‘oh yeah I’m proud of myself.’ Getting some ownership over my journey.”

OPINION

ACCESSIBILITY SHOULDN’T BE AN t h g u o af ter th

AJ EARL After three hours of being stuck in the sub-basement of Smith Memorial Student Union, I’d had enough. Finally responding to an offer to be escorted to safety, I acknowledged that I’d been completely beaten down by the failure of SMSU’s elevators. Riding a freight elevator generally used for trash with a building maintenance team member, I was finally freed and went to another building to await my next class that was, by then, several hours later.

While campus staff was accommodating to some extent, I was still trapped in the first place. I had thoughts of a fire and what I’d do, and when I absolutely had to pee, I dragged myself up the stairs to the basement one floor above, at points using my cane to pull myself up the steps. I still managed to tweak my hip, a painful reminder of how physically taxing it can be to navigate a space without accessibility features.

This was not the first time this type of thing has been an issue for me either.

My first year of graduate school was at American University in Washington, D.C. There, one class was scheduled for a building that lacked any elevators or ramps at all. As my mobility worsened, it became clear that I would not be able to continue attending classes in this building. At the same time, classmates in a group project with me told my advisor that they worried about their grades since my fatigue made certain meetings impossible to attend. The result was the first class being moved to an accessible building and my finally dropping the second class.

I was simultaneously a burden and unworthy to attend classes at American. Nevermind that when my bodily tremors and gait became more pronounced, I was stopped by an undergrad who loudly asked me “What the fuck is wrong with you?” and that when attempting to order food at a campus cafe, having lost my voice by then, I was mocked by two people to my face who also insulted me for slowing the line.

So when I found myself again needing help, I felt guilty.

It should not be this way, and efforts by the Disability Resource Center at Portland State and the Academic and Student Resource Center at American, welcome as they have been for me and other disabled students, are futile against the built-in systemic inaccessibility in campuses all over the country. Allies and advocates are needed now more than ever.

WHAT DOES ACCESSIBILITY LOOK LIKE?

In order to understand what accessibility should look like, the more important question is what a disabled person looks like.

The answer to that latter question is easy; a disabled person looks like basically anyone. There is no single “disabled look,” and students who have accommodation needs often look indistinguishable from one’s idea of a normal person passing on the street. It’s not just those with mobility aids, those who talk using American Sign Language or people that require basic assistive technology such as oxygen tanks. It could be anyone.

Certainly I have an idea of what accessibility looks like to me, as my disabilities are related to mobility and speech, but what about those with chronic pain who need seating? Those with learning disabilities who need help taking a test on campus? The range of need among the disabled is broad, but at the same time, so many methods of incorporating accessibility into a campus environment are almost universally enriching.

Ramps and more efficient elevators can help move more people. Captioned classroom presentations and videos can help increase comprehension by not only the deaf and hard of hearing but all students. Safety measures can reduce the risk of injury throughout the student population.

The considerations that go into making a campus like PSU accessible are the very same that should go into making it an efficient, welcoming one.

At this point, the excuses for not creating an accessible, safe campus are few. With campus renovations following nearpredictable cycles at this point, the refreshing and renewal of campus spaces and learning technology should by default include accessibility features. This includes ensuring safety and redundancy measures in infrastructure like elevators, incorporating ramps to campus spaces as often as practicable, and ensuring that student technology is acquired with thorough vetting from accessibility advocates and consultants.

It may seem to be a narrowly tuned effort when accessibility is considered on a large campus like PSU, but there is no reliable way to predict when or how someone will become disabled; the need for accessible spaces is universal. Furthermore, attracting top talent to PSU includes disabled talent, not as an afterthought, but as part of an inclusive vision for the future of this university. Passing over a potential scholar because they need an in-class interpreter or they utilize a screen reader for assignments is unnecessary and discriminatory.

For all these reasons and more, we should work to ensure an open, welcoming campus.

All disabilities, visible and invisible, should be considered when creating a campus like PSU. To fail to do so would be negligence and not in the spirit of PSU.

JOHN ROJAS

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

13

OPINION

CLIMATE CHANGE MATTERS, AND TODAY’S STUDENTS WILL BEAR THE BURDEN AJ EARL

Our youngest generations—impacted by climate change the most—should be aware of the number 405.7: the number that defines our current climate debate. The current measure

of CO2 in parts per million (ppm), this number is 33% higher than the previous maximum concentration of carbon dioxide since humans showed up. It’s 16% higher than the 350 ppm threshold suggested as a target for meaningful reversal or limitation of climate change.

When most of the youngest Portland State students were born, that level was 375 ppm, meaning efforts to stop or slow climate change since their birth have been completely unsuccessful.

This is why it’s important to recognize the contribution and agency of people under 25 worldwide—it’s their future, and they will either shoulder the burden or turn the tide. It’s for this reason activists like Vanessa Nakate have taken their protests global; it’s why Greta Thunberg has been holding vigil in a student climate strike for months. It should not be forgotten, however, that these young activists are the children of the generations now in power.

For these activists to succeed in their efforts at turning the rising tide of climate, they will need the support of prior generations.

Global well-being should not be predicated on the continued degradation of the environment, nor should the health of this planet be the domain of vanity projects from billionaires like Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates. Instead, efforts should be turned to meaningful cooperation and unified effort. It is vital that the wealthy pay their share and that all generations come together in the interest of our collective future.

Just this month, Jeff Bezos offered just $10 billion to help with efforts to combat climate change. His wealth and the assets of Amazon combined are in the neighborhood of $375 billion, meanwhile both entities take in billions each year. $10 billion parted out into grants over the next few years are ultimately nothing to a man who helms a corporation that, combined with his own largesse, will

churn through trillions over the next few years.

So acute are our problems that the use of money is no longer an adequate salve. The very principle of money is in question: Major corporations constitute the bulk of pollution of all sorts, and as such they—and the politicians that enable them— hold blame for climate change. When environmental protection policy is governed more by concessions to top polluters and not the other way around, there is absolutely no hope for the future.

Pro-corporate, anti-reform voices insist that nothing is wrong and that the world is fine. For the sake of their children and children’s children, let’s hope they’re right. Meanwhile, it wouldn’t hurt to start cleaning our planet up. We’ve got generations ahead of us to consider.

BRANDON PAHNISH

HAVE YOU HEARD?

THE POLITICAL PETS EDITION

AJ EARL

DANA TOWNSEND

14

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

Prior to coming to Portland State I received a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Washington. Imagine, if you will, what this current political climate is like for me. I could say something cliché like “oh, it’s like catnip!” but honestly: what the hell is going on? Everything is a muddle.

Anyway, I was wondering if you knew about the history of political pets. Speaking of catnip, appropriately, the history of pets in the White House is full of illustrious pets, some with horrid names—looking at you, Amy Carter—some that are amazing and great and worthy of every memory (Socks!) and others who were famous for their leap into the public limelight, like Fala the dog.

You don’t know about the famous Fala Speech? In 1944, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was accused of spending an exorbitant sum to ferry Fala around Alaska on a Navy ship. Accusing Republicans of inflaming Fala’s

“Scotch soul”—Fala was a Scottish terrier—FDR managed to turn their accusations into an indictment of the lack of seriousness in Republican ranks.

Sometime later, Richard Nixon, then a senator, gave the Checkers speech to similar acclaim, a speech that is often credited with helping ensure his election as Vice President in 1952 and creating a legacy that ultimately swept him to the presidency. His predecessor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, also contributed to this, his poor dog Him (actual name) being hoisted by his ears by the famously impolitic president.

Beyond our borders, famous dogs and cats have changed political fortunes. For example, did you hear about how Tsai Ing-wen, President of Taiwan, used her cats Think Think and Ah Tsai for publicity, gaining support broadly for the tender image they provided her campaign? In the United Kingdom, corgis have long been used for similar purposes with the first corgi, Dookie, arriving during the reign of George VI. Closer to home, somewhat, Oregon Senators Merkley and Wyden both happily opened their offices to dogs, with Ranger the Pug holding court in Wyden’s DC office, and Juneau and Baci in Merkley’s. That leads me to a question: Would you vote for or against a politician that refused to have pets for no reason?

Finally, I myself have met a famous cat! This one was named Alexander, or Alex for short, and he had a big role in politics in Cobb County, Georgia as a lobbyist, according to his owner.

SPORTS

G.O.A.T. SPORTS & Street Style OWNER GRANT BLODGETTE OFFERS VINTAGE SPORTSWEAR AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

GRANT BLODGETTE AT THE COUNTER TO HIS SPORTSWEAR SHOP IN SELLWOOD. BRYAN CARTER/PSU VANGUARD RICH RIGNEY In 2015, 18-year-old Grant Blodgette sold his first piece of sports memorabilia on eBay as a sophomore in college. Four years later, he opened the doors to his first brick-and-mortar shop, G.O.A.T. Sports & Street Style.

What started as a hobby and a way to make a little extra cash has turned into a full-time commitment for Blodgette. While the location and inventory have changed significantly since Blodgette’s first sale back in 2015, the mission at G.O.A.T. remains the same: “provide the curation, expertise, and experience necessary to help make vintage and distinctive attire a realistic and attainable option for mainstream audiences,” according to his website.

Having grown up around customer service—Blodgette’s family owned retail stores when he was young, and his mother sold items professionally on eBay—Blodgette felt he had the knowledge and skills necessary to enter retail himself.

“I really started selling a lot my sophomore year of school,” Blodgette said. “I got sick with mono; it was really bad. I had to take a term off, so I was just sitting around with all this time and I started putting some things up online, and then more things—because it’s kind of like an adrenaline rush.”

“It started out as something I was having fun with,” Blodgette said. “I was making enough

money to keep going, and I was having fun while I was doing it, so it was like, why stop now?”

As his business was gaining traction, Blodgette was attending classes at Linfield College, where he majored in marketing.

Almost immediately after Blodgette graduated from Linfield, G.O.A.T. was up and running in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland.

“I signed the lease on this spot in February, and I was working on the buildout during my final term at Linfield,” Blodgette said. “I graduated late May, and I opened doors June 1. So about a week later—not a whole lot of downtime there.”

As the G.O.A.T. store has evolved from an online hobby into a full-time job with employees and international shipping, Blodgette has had to fully devote himself to ensuring business runs smoothly. “It’s really just become my life,” Blodgette said. “It’s become very all consuming.”

“At a certain point there will need to be more balance, but at this point where I am— being 22 years old, fresh out of college—I think I really enjoy it,” Blodgette said. “I feel like I’m doing something with myself and trying something and whatever comes out of it, I’m going to have a hell of a story.”

Looking forward, Blodgette hopes to establish his vintage sportswear and street apparel

store as a viable option for customers looking for quality, authentic vintage clothing at an affordable price. Blodgette described the concept of a walk-in vintage sports store like his as “kind of uncharted territory.”

“There’s been a few of these stores around the country who have tried to appeal to a streetwear enthusiast customer,” Blodgette said. “But I’m really trying to make it approachable to everyone, to families, neighborhoods, people who haven’t been exposed to vintage tees or collectible items.”

“Our average customer is probably not a streetwear junky enthusiast who’s really into the grail items,” Blodgette said. “Our average customer is more casual-suburban feel. They’re just looking for something that has a good retro feel but not obscenely expensive. It’s kind of an introduction for them.” He added, “I want it to feel like you’re getting a cooler item at the same price you would otherwise pay.”

Looking further down the road to even greater aspirations, Blodgette envisions his collection one day being sold at professional sports venues alongside the more contemporary apparel. “I think it would be super cool if we could get the Blazers to be the first professional sports team that starts selling vintage collectible gear at the stadium—that would

be my long term goal,” Blodgette said.

“If we had a rack with vintage Blazers gear

by G.O.A.T at the Moda Center, that would be really cool.”

For right now, Blodgette is content to serve as an inspiration to others and a role model for those looking to follow their own passions.

“I feel like I’m showing the kids in the neighborhood that you can be creative with what you do,” Blodgette said. “In the business program, everyone’s mindset is, ‘Oh I’ve got to work for Nike or work for Adidas,’ and I didn’t want that.”

“I’m just trying to stand up and show people that you can—even if there’s not a clear, proven road to it—you can pick something that you’re passionate about, that you enjoy, and if you care about it like I do then other people will feed off of that and you can build that,” Blodgette said.

Blodgette has come a long way since that first sale in 2015. Who knows what the future holds for the evolution and continued growth of G.O.A.T. Sports & Street Style, but for now, Blodgette is happy just doing what he loves.

“I think I’m just most proud that I’m trying it, and that I’m seeing how it will go,” Blodgette said. “It’s a scary leap of faith, and I’m putting everything I have into it.”

PSU Vanguard • FEBRUARY 25, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

15

Jordan Cagle

FEB 25–MARCH 2

TUE FEB 25 WED FEB 26 THU FEB 27 FRI FEB 28 SAT FEB 29 SUN MAR 1 MON MAR 2

ART

MUSIC

FILM & THEATRE

COMMUNITY

“SOMEDAY THIS WILL ALL BE GONE” PUSHDOT STUDIO 8:30 A.M.–5 P.M. FREE A series of new works by photographer Mike Vos. These pieces explore a world where humans are no longer present.

DEVIN PHILLIPS & CHRISTOPHER BROWN JACK LONDON REVUE 8 P.M. $15 Nothing wrong with a little jazz on a Tuesday night.

‘INDECENT’ PSU LINCOLN PERFORMANCE HALL 7:30 P.M. Profile Theatre, Artists Repertory Theater and PSU all come together to help produce Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel’s play.

PORTLAND MARDI GRAS PARADE N MISSISSIPPI & N HUMBOLDT 7 P.M. FREE From Victoria Bar to Ecliptic Brewing, come out and throw some beads.

“BRIGHTER WORLDS AND ELEMENTAL MEDITATIONS” PARAGON GALLERY NOON–7 P.M. FREE Come check out two Portland artists’ recent works.

SIREN AND THE SEA, BLOSSOM, SNUGSWORTH MISSISSIPPI STUDIOS 9 P.M. $5 • 21 + Siren and the Sea (AKA Cristina Cano) comes to Mississippi Studios.

‘MUNA MOTO / THE CHILD OF ANOTHER’ PCC CASCADE 7 P.M. FREE A film from Cameroon that is heralded as a classic social realist African masterpiece. A Romeo and Juliet-esque tale.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING CITY HALL 9:30 A.M. FREE Weekly reminder to get out there and get involved.

MIA FARRINGTON, JESSE WEITZEL LE GRAND STEPHANIE CHEFAS PROJECTS 12 P.M.–6 P.M. FREE Two exhibitions: “Parallels” by painter Mia Farrington and “Droopy Hideaway” by sculptor Jessie Weitzel Le Grand.

NO MANA 45 EAST 9 P.M. $10 • 21 + Hour-long house set from DJ No Mana.

‘FREEDOM FIELDS’ PCC CASCADE 7 P.M. FREE A Libyan documentary film that is a part of the Women Filmmakers Week. This doc follows the lives of three Libyan women soccer players.

SHANROCK’S TRIVIOLOGY EASTBURN 7 P.M. FREE Come out and compete in some top-rated trivia.

“WHO AM I, ANYWAY” NATIONALE 11 A.M.–6 P.M. FREE Tribute to the prolific Portland artist Carola Penn.

TIMOTHY BEE DIG A PONY 9 P.M. FREE • 21+ Timothy Bee brings you a set full of throwback hip hop and R&B classics.

‘PAPICHA’ PCC CASCADE 7 P.M. FREE An Algerian film and continuing the Women Filmmakers Week. The story follows a feminist who is passionate about fashion design and her fight against oppression.

TGIFF (THANK GOODNESS IT’S FOURTH FRIDAY) NORSE HALL 7:30 P.M.–11 P.M. $8 Every fourth Friday the Norse Hall hosts a social wear you can come and learn Norse dances.

“AROUND THE NARRATIVE LENS” FORD GALLERY 9 A.M.–5 P.M. FREE Curator Cass Gray presents works from Marrie Conner, Kyle Lee, Hector Ornelas, Tatyana Ostapenko and Mami Takahashi.

THUNDERCAT, GEORGIA ANNE MULDROW, BROWN CALCULUS PORTLAND ART MUSEUM 9 P.M. $48.50 • 21 + Thundercat is at the Portland Art Museum, enough said.

LIFE IS FARE PCC CASCADE 7 P.M. FREE The 30th annual Cascade Festival of African Films is wrapping up with this U.S. and Eritrea based film. The director Sephora Woldu will be in attendance to present her film.

MONSTER JAM TRIPLE THREAT SERIES MODA CENTER 1 P.M. & 7 P.M. $20 & UP Come out and ironically enjoy this monster truck rally, or enjoy it unironically. No judgements here.

“DITCHED” CAMERAWORK GALLERY 10 A.M.–4 P.M. FREE Becky Wilkes brings an exhibition of new works from Texas. These pieces document imagery of waste along the shoreline of Eagle Mountain Lake.

BRANDON COLEMAN, TOMMASO CAPPELLATO, SOUL CYPHER JACK LONDON REVUE 8 P.M. $15 • 21+ Los Angeles-based keyboardist, composer, vocalist and frequent Kamasi Washington collaborator Brandon Coleman comes to Portland.

‘THE WOOD’ FIFTH AVENUE CINEMA 3 P.M. $5 GENERAL ADMISSION / FREE FOR STUDENTS No better way to spend a Sunday than to catch a free matinee.

KARAOKE NIGHT TRIPLE NICKEL 8 P.M. FREE Weekly reminder to get out there and show them what you got.

MT. HOOD PERSPECTIVES: COMMUNITY ART SHOW PITTOCK MANSION 10 A.M.–4 P.M. FREE W/ MANSION ADMISSION Local painters and illustrators share their interpretations of Mt. Hood.

URAL THOMAS & THE PAIN GOODFOOT 9 P.M. $10 NW soul musician is at the Goodfoot. Great idea for a date night.

‘PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE’ HOLLYWOOD THEATRE 6:30 P.M. & 9:05 P.M. $9 GENERAL ADMISSION / $7 STUDENT First run of Portrait of a Lady On Fire.

DORKBOT MEETUP CTRL-H 7–10 P.M. FREE Part hackathon, part geek social, Dorkbot is a relaxed, informal gathering for tech nerds of all types.