Portland State Vanguard, Volume 74, Issue 26

VOLUME 74 • ISSUE 26 • APRIL 7, 2020

VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT, STUDENT REACTION: ‘THE JOURNEY SHOULD NOT END THIS WAY’

NEWS THE COST OF TUITION IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS P. 6 INTERNATIONAL COVID-19 AROUND THE WORLD P. 7 ARTS & CULTURE MUSIC STUDENTS GRAPPLE WITH ONLINE COURSES P. 12

CONTENTS COVER BY BRANDON PAHNISH NEWS HILL TO HALL

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NEO-NAZIS ZOOM-BOMB ASPSU

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AS PANDEMIC CONTINUES, STUDENT GOVERNMENT IS UNDETERRED

AFGHANISTAN AND THE TALIBAN DISCUSS PRISONER RELEASE

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THIS WEEK AROUND THE WORLD

P. 11

P. 4–5

ARTS & CULTURE MUSIC STUDENTS AND FACULTY GRAPPLE WITH ONLINE COURSES

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THE COST OF TUITION IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

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QUARANTINE CUISINE

P. 13

INTERNATIONAL COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS AROUND THE WORLD

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P. 14

COVER 2020 COMMENCEMENT: LIVE FROM YOUR COMPUTER

OPINION SAFETY TOP CONCERN FOR ADULT BUSINESSES AND PERFORMERS IN QUEER COMMUNITY

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INTERNATIONAL U.S. INDICTS VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT ON ‘NARCO-TERRORISM’ CHARGES

SPORTS NCAA GRANTS ADDITIONAL YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY TO SPRING SPORT ATHLETES P. 15

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COMICS

STAFF

EDIT ORI A L EDITOR IN CHIEF Dylan Jefferies MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Welbourn 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 Sophie Concannon CONTRIBUTORS Madison Cecil Ida Ayu Dwijayanti Nick Gatlin Isabel Rekow Marshall Scheider Emma Wallace

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 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

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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

NEO-NAZIS ZOOM-BOMB ASPSU APRIL 2–3 NICK GATLIN

APRIL 2: GOVERNOR BROWN DECLINES CALLING SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN NEAR FUTURE

Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Oregon legislative leaders decided not to call a special legislative session to respond to the coronavirus. Though House Speaker Tina Kotek supports a special session next week, Democratic and Republican leaders in the State Senate said a session in order to measure the impact of a federal stimulus package and the outbreak’s effect on the economy in the near future is unlikely, according to KATU. Brown stated the state will wait for “sufficient clarity” about the extent and impact of federal relief legislation before calling a state legislative session, according to OPB.

APRIL 3: FIRST PRISONER IN OREGON TESTS POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

The Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) announced that an inmate at Santiam Correctional Institution in Salem has tested positive for COVID-19, the first prisoner to test positive in Oregon. According to KATU, the DOC has suspended visitation, cancelled group activities and instituted social distancing guidelines in Oregon prison facilities to stem the spread of the virus. Oregon criminal justice activists have lobbied for the state to improve sanitation and treatment measures, and to release vulnerable inmates, according to Statesman Journal. “Prisons and jails can be death traps when a disease such as COVID-19 breaks out,” said Oregon Justice Resource Center spokesperson Alice Lundell to the Statesman Journal.

APRIL 3: OREGON HEALTHCARE WORKERS FALL ILL AS STATE RAMPS UP RESPONSE TO COVID-19

57 hospital workers in Oregon and southwest Washington, including 19 Oregon Health & Science University staffers, have contracted coronavirus, according to The Oregonian. Casey Parr, a respiratory therapist at OHSU, said he wears the same face mask over the course of a 12-hour shift, according to AP News. State health officials say they are optimistic about Oregon’s situation, noting that Oregon’s coronavirus preparation means that the state may have enough hospital beds to meet demand, according to OPB. Citing University of Washington models, state epidemiologist Dean Sidelinger said “it appears [Oregon] will not see a dramatic spike in cases over the next month.”

APRIL 3: OREGON WORKERS STRUGGLE WITH CORONAVIRUS IMPACT

The Oregon Department of Employment (DOE) received 92,700 initial unemployment claims for the week of March 22, breaking the record of 76,500 claims for the week of March 15, according to KATU. The DOE admitted to being overwhelmed by the increase in claims, as many workers reported confusing messages and errors from the online claims system, according to The Oregonian. Willamette Week reported employees at businesses that remain open, such as the drive-through coffee chain Dutch Bros, have filed 1,152 coronavirus-related complaints since March 23 with Oregon Occupational Safety & Health, claiming they are unable to maintain social distancing guidelines in the workplace.

DANA TOWNSEND ISABEL REKOW Hackers infiltrated the first Associated Students of Portland State University (ASPSU) Zoom meeting of spring term on March 30 via zoom-bombing—the act of joining and disrupting a Zoom meeting, often with hate speech or graphic content. The hackers interrupted speakers with racist invective and ties to Nazism.

The hackers joined the Student Fee Committee’s (SFC) morning Zoom meeting, but did not turn on their cameras. They repeated racial slurs verbally and through the chat feature. Zoom-bombers also hit the Senate meeting on the same day, acting exactly as the previous hackers did. Candace Avalos, coordinator of student government relations, who co-hosted the meeting, removed the intruders.

Five minutes later, a man joined the meeting, this time with video as well as audio. Keeping his face hidden, he displayed a large swastika tattoo on his chest, declared “Heil Hitler” and spewed racial slurs. Avalos removed him as quickly as possible. A debate ensued among the ASPSU members over how or even if the meeting should continue.

Ernesto Dominguez, equal rights director for ASPSU, attended the morning’s SFC meeting and warned the disruptions could happen again.

“The SFC meeting got locked down to where you could only join if you had a passcode,” Dominguez said. “So that meant that for the rest of that meeting no one else could join. Although I understand why they ended up doing that, in

terms of equity and in terms of visibility and transparency, I don’t think that was the right move to do.”

“There are other ways to stop that from happening that weren’t being used,” Dominguez continued. “I didn’t want to continue having Senate in the way we were having it without having security up and I was overruled. But that’s my job as equal rights [director] to look at access and equity.”

After the disruptions to the Senate meeting, Avalos screened members of the public in a waiting room before admitting them to the meeting. By partnering with the Office of Information Technology, ASPSU can attempt to identify the perpetrators. However, fake identities are easy to create online.

“It presents a really challenging situation,” said Dominguez.

“We’re trying to find a way to not violate Oregon’s public meetings law, but also protect students,” said ASPSU Vice President Alexandra Modjeski.

ASPSU is brainstorming how best to keep its meetings open and accessible to the public without providing a platform for hate speech. PSU emails are now required to access Zoom links to Senate and SFC meetings. Links are located in the agenda, which is posted on ASPSU’s public drive before every meeting.

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NEWS

AS PANDEMIC CONTINUES, STUDENT GOVERNMENT IS UNDETERRED

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NEWS ISABEL REKOW The Associated Students of Portland State University (ASPSU) met the first week of spring term in full force as it advocates for tuition reduction, appoints new members and prepares for upcoming elections.

Many students are unaware of ASPSU’s power and limitations, according to ASPSU Vice President Alexandra Modjeski. It can reduce student fees, but tuition remains in the hands of the Board of Trustees.

“We can advocate, go to meetings, talk to the administration,” Modjeski said. “We go to the president and we take the stories that we hear from you, and our own personal stories. They tell us what they can do and we tell them what we need.”

STUDENT FEE AND TUITION REDUCTION PETITIONS

Due to the fallout from COVID-19, including lack of access to campus buildings and resources, the Student Fee Committee (SFC) successfully negotiated a $20 reduction in the Student Incidental Fee and full refund of the $37 Student Building Fee. Jose Rojas Fallas, chair of the SFC, said reductions to tuition remain the prerogative of the Board of Trustees.

“There’s a lot of confusion as to what some of these fees fund,” Fallas said. “But I can’t blame students, because they have a lot of other stuff to worry about.”

According to Modjeski, the Student Incidental Fee funds many campus resources including the food pantry, childcare and resource centers: “if we lower [the fee] any further, students may continue to lose resources that could help them in this crisis.”

SFC began collecting information about student fee budgets on March 18, when PSU officially announced spring term would be completely remote.

Fallas voiced his appreciation of the administrators and students who contributed budgeting information on such short notice.

“This dropped on us the Wednesday of finals week and by Friday, we were up and going. Within 24 hours, they gave us all the information we needed to understand the savings and losses of spring term and how services were going to work.”

While the SFC successfully negotiated reducing student fees, ASPSU is still trying to convince the university to reduce spring tuition. Modjeski remains unconvinced by the argument that teachers would not be paid if tuition were reduced.

“That is a lot of rhetoric that people use to keep [students] from having a collective voice,” Modjeski said.

Neglecting pleas to decrease tuition could result in students dropping out, Modjeski warned, is a situation in which no one benefits.

“We’re genuinely trying to balance the needs of students and the needs of the university to continue to function. There are so many lives at stake.”

-Alexandra Modjeski ASPSU members are also experiencing increasing financial insecurity.

“I was affected by this too,” Modjeski said. “I haven’t received unemployment [benefits] yet, I still have food stamps. This is a problem that is impacting students...university officials still have jobs, but they still expect us to pay them.”

NEW APPOINTMENTS

According to Modjeski, the ASPSU Senate appointed Ernesto Dominguez—previously a senator—as the new equal rights director on Monday, March 30.

“We had seen Ernesto’s initiative within ASPSU,” Modjeski said. “He’s very vocal about how he feels despite the fact that people disagree with him sometimes. I think that’s an important piece of advocacy for students that he’s willing to speak up.”

Dominguez recognized the difficulties in the term ahead but remains hopeful. He will only hold his position for a few months, as he plans to graduate in June.

“There’s 10 weeks in the semester, I just got confirmed this week, that’s already the first week gone,” Dominguez said. “So I have nine weeks to form something really solid for the next person while also managing my classes in this really challenging environment.”

The Senate also appointed two new senators, Tom Sandhwar and Danny O’Brien.

UPCOMING ELECTIONS

Election season began with the presidential and vice-presidential debate on April 6. Next up is the SFC debate on April 7 at 1:30–3 p.m. and the Senate debate and town hall on April 8 at 1–2:30pm. Virtual polls will open on April 13 at elections.aspsu. pdx.edu and close on April 29. Results will be announced May 1.

Modjeski and Fallas are looking to increase communication between ASPSU and the student body at this critical time.

“We appreciate the patience, we hear the concern, we genuinely apologize if the perception is that the work we’re doing isn’t publicized enough, so therefore we’re not doing anything, and we promise that’s not the case,” Modjeski said. “We’re doing our best to mobilize student voices and [participate in] collective action to really advocate for the fact that students are suffering.”

Modjeski and ASPSU President Kyle Leslie-Christy met on April 10 with Kevin Neely, associate vice president of government relations, to discuss the federal stimulus package’s impact on students. Leslie-Christy will meet on Thursday, April 9 with PSU Interim President Stephen Percy to discuss tuition reduction and to petition in favor of postponing commencement.

Leslie-Christy is also creating an ad hoc committee to address financial relief for students affected by COVID-19.

“There is a ton of work being done,” Fallas said. “I just feel that the administration has not been good at communicating that.”

Sam Swan, the SFC vice chair, encouraged students to contact ASPSU and the SFC. “Reach out to us if you have any questions at all or if you have any feedback,” Swan said. “We’re doing everything we can right now to reduce fees as much as possible.”

Students can email ASPSU at askaspsu@pdx.edu, Modjeski at aspsuvp@pdx.edu, Fallas at aspsusfc@pdx.edu and Swan at aspsuvsf@pdx.edu.

DANA TOWNSEND

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NEWS

THE COST OF TUITION

IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS PSU’S RECOMMENDATIONS TO STUDENT’S FEES AND TUITION —AND WHAT STUDENTS ARE DOING ABOUT IT

BRANDON PAHNISH

HANNA ANDERSON With all classes held remotely, many buildings on campus closed indefinitely and the majority of students homebound by order of the governor, Spring 2020 looks far different than a typical term. Will its price tag look the same?

Not quite.

The COVID-19 outbreak is adding widespread anxiety to almost every part of life.

However, for many, as the economy worsens, businesses struggle and employees are laid off, those anxieties are most strongly felt over finances. Even in a pandemic, there are still bills to be paid, and the thousands of dollars students are expected to pay for tuition are no exception.

Portland State has hopes for some financial reprieve. On March 27, PSU announced a few recommended changes to be made to student’s fees this term.

“We are committed to providing a rigorous academic experience even as we modify our educational environment to address global public health imperatives,” the announcement stated. “At the same time, we recognize that many PSU facilities will be unavailable during the coming months. In response to these changes and to help alleviate the acute financial challenges we know many students are facing during these trying times, we are announcing several key changes.”

A number of fees will see some change, if the recommendations are approved when they reach the Board of Trustees on April 16.

Tuition itself, however, will remain untouched.

The first recommendation is to waive the Campus Recreation fee entirely, after Campus

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Rec completely closed on March 15. While the department has begun to offer exercise classes online, all of its events and facilities are closed or canceled.

Other fees, such as those for the Center for Student Health and Counseling, will not see any change, as the center adapted to offer services in spring term. In-person appointments are still available by appointment, and while some services—like counseling—will be offered remotely, others will not be offered for the foreseeable future.

Changes to both the student incidental fee and student building fee were both first recommended to PSU by the Student Fee Committee (SFC), which proposed a flat $20 reduction in the former and waiving the latter.

“We have full confidence that the decisions and recommendations provided...are in the best interest of students and all stakeholders,” SFC chair Jose Rojas Fallas wrote in a statement following the March 30 meeting. ”We do not take any of these decisions lightly or with joy, we fully understand where the ability to make these recommendations comes from...We hope that this communication returns some ease, however small, to your everyday life.”

PSU adopted the $20 reduction in the incidental fee; however, according to its announcement, the building fee would only be recommended to see reductions.

All of these changes will have to be approved by the Board of Trustees at their next meeting in order to take effect. Students who have already paid their spring bill in full prior to the final decision would receive refunds. The April

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16 meeting was meant to address changes to tuition for the 2021 academic year, but this decision will be deferred. While some additional course fees may be waived and no late fees will be charged for a delayed April payment, tuition for this term—the bulk of a student’s bill—isn’t changing.

For many students, even if these recommendations are approved, they aren’t enough. Anxieties over payments existed since the beginning of the pandemic, and the initial response to the announcement has largely been negative.

“I understand how you feel like this is helping students, but this is ridiculous to think $64 is going to help,” read one comment on PSU’s Facebook page, “At what point does PSU stop modeling greed and work for students[?]”

“While hundreds are being saved for not having a commencement ceremony,” another comment stated. “Again, clearly, students are not being represented here. Will you be sending a link tomorrow asking for student perspectives after a decision was already made like it was done for commencement? Leadership involves everyone, not just the PSU Board or committees.”

A petition to reduce the cost of tuition and fees began soon after it was announced that classes would be held remotely. As of April 4, the petition, started by PSU junior Jarod Perada, had received over 3,700 signatures.

“This is a global crisis, and the fact that these things are still happening, and our students are suffering financially is unacceptable,” Perada said. “There needs to be more

transparency about the budget, there needs to be more transparency to the students.”

While some of the petition’s requests were included in PSU’s announcement, it couldn’t compare to a change in tuition.

“Students and faculty are beginning to see that remote education without on-campus resources are not comparable to in-person instruction,” Perada stated in response to the announcement. “This lackluster university experience, along with discontent over the handling of some budgetary/severance issues—tuition hikes, $880,000 settlement to [the] former university president— serves to alienate students and creates a sense of academic and financial insecurity. These issues disproportionately affect socioeconomically disadvantaged students, as well as students who rely on campus resources for their everyday needs.”

To continue to push for transparency in the school’s handling of tuition, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, Perada has begun to organize a group of students, PSU Students for Immediate Tuition Reduction.

“We're just trying to kind of build this from the ground up,” Perada said. “We're learning as we go, but it's definitely important that we don't let this one go. Because people are really suffering and students are really suffering and it's going to be hard on everyone.”

In the meantime, PSU’s price tag will remain largely unchanged.

“This is something that has now permeated the daily lives of everybody,” Perada said. “And it hits people the hardest who are already financially insecure.”

INTERNATIONAL

COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS AROU N D TH E WOR LD

JAPAN

PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

Foreign travelers banned

BELGIUM

PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

Non-essential travel and public gatherings banned

IRAN

PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

Restricted travel and banned public gatherings

ECUADOR FULL LOCKDOWN

KENYA

No foreign entry, implementation of curfew

PARTIAL LOCKDOWN

SAM PERSON

Schools shut down and selfquarantine encouraged

NEW ZEALAND FULL LOCKDOWN

Borders closed to nearly all travelers, declared state of emergency

MADISON CECIL COVID-19 is spreading around the world and there has yet to be a universal measure taken to prevent the pandemic’s further spread. Here is a breakdown of what some countries are doing in order to slow the rate of infection.

opportunity to encourage the use of cashless payments and have removed fees for mobile money transfers under $10. The Central Bank hopes the increase in cashless payments will continue after the COVID-19 pandemic.

JA PAN

ECUA DO R

As of April 1, Japan had over 2,300 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 57 related deaths. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his deputy Taro Aso are no longer attending meetings in an attempt to limit the leader’s exposure to the virus. Foreign travelers from the United States, China, South Korea and the majority of Europe are not allowed to enter the country. Japan has yet to declare a state of emergency, but Abe implemented a new policy on April 1 that disperses two reusable face masks per household.

“We’re barely holding it together,” Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said to Al Jazeera. “If we loosen our grip even a little, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a sudden surge in cases.”

K E N YA

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 appeared in Kenya on March 13, and the country began implementing restrictions on March 16. The country has been on partial lockdown since the restrictions began, which includes the shutdown of schools. The only people allowed to enter Kenya at this time are Kenyan citizens, who are required to self-quarantine for two weeks upon their arrival. These measures are to stay in place for at least 30 days. According to BBC, the Central Bank of Kenya is using this

confirmed there were 647 cases in New Zealand with 14 people hospitalized and one death.

I RA N

As of March 17, no one is allowed into Ecuador, including citizens and residents, for at least 21 days. On March 14, Ecuador reported two COVID-19 related deaths and 28 cases, but by April 1, there were 2,758 confirmed cases and 98 deaths, according to The Council of the Americas. There is also a nightly curfew being enforced from 9 p.m.–5 a.m. Authorities are limiting road traffic according to license plate numbers, and have increased internet and cell phone service throughout the country. The government is providing free COVID-19 tests for anyone who is displaying symptoms.

Despite banning public gatherings and widespread travel restrictions, Iran remains the most affected country in the Middle East, according to Reuters. Many disregard the regulations in place and continue to travel around the country in celebration of the Persian New Year. Photos of highways filled with cars have been posted on many social media platforms and media outlets. Between March 29–30, the country saw 117 COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the death toll up to 2,757. “Unfortunately, some Iranians have ignored advice from health ministry officials and traveled during the new year holidays,” Government Spokesperson Ali Rabiei said in a statement according to BBC. “...This could cause a second wave [of COVID-19].”

NEW ZEALAND

B E LG I U M

New Zealand’s borders have been closed to almost all travelers. The country is making some exceptions on a case-by-case basis. The government has declared a national state of emergency. Flights to return tourists to their home countries were temporarily suspended, but have since been resumed as long as the foreign governments who arrange the flights abide by New Zealand’s health regulations and use Air New Zealand.

Individuals with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases are not allowed to leave the country. As of March 30, The Guardian

Belgium banned all non-essential travel and public gatherings until at least April 5. Police are patrolling the streets to enforce the new regulations. The government is requiring supermarkets and other essential businesses to regulate entry into shops and stores. Residents may go bike riding or hiking if they are alone or with the people they live with. The Belgian authorities are not calling their regulations a lockdown out of concern the negative connotation of the word may create more fear and panic in the general public.

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COVER

HANNA ANDERSON

PSU DECIDES TO HOLD COMMENCEMENT CERE

College is, for many students, a four-year journey. College is also a lot of freedom and responsibility, and a lot of classes and tuition payments. For some students, it’s even longer. Not every student will make it to the end. For those who do, however, it all culminates in a commencement ceremony. No matter how hard the years are, students could look forward to walking across the graduation stage like crossing over a finish line.

However, for the graduating class of spring 2020, crossing the finish line means staring at their computer screens as commencement goes virtual. For Portland State, it’s the only acceptable option—for many students, it’s no option at all.

PSU announced on March 26 commencement, for all schools and colleges, and for all graduates and undergraduates, will be held remotely—the latest in the school’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision was first released in an email to graduating students, and later to the PSU community at large, urging the community to support the class of 2020.

“These are very difficult decisions we have to make,” stated PSU Interim President Stephen Percy in his announcement. “But we are making them now in recognition of the seriousness and uncertainty of the global public health challenge in front of us.”

The decision was made to help stem the spread of COVID-19, a highly infectious disease with an exponential increase in confirmed

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2020 COMM LIVE FROM YOU

cases daily. The disease spreads primarily from person to person, according to the Center for Disease Control, which recommends people stay at least six feet away from each other. The CDC also currently recommends canceling gatherings of over 250 people if there is a minimal or moderate spread of the disease in an area.

Meanwhile, attendance numbers for PSU’s commencement ceremonies often reach thousands of graduates, with even more attendees per each student. Squishing them into one space is difficult, even without accounting for six feet of space between each person.

The University of Oregon also announced it will not hold its commencement ceremony in person. Oregon State University, according to its website, is still evaluating the situation.

In its response, PSU insisted even with no physical ceremony, commencement was by no means canceled, and had no chance of being postponed. Instead, the school plans to host various, virtual ceremonies online on their website on June 14. It will include videos from various speakers and personalized slides for each student graduating—exactly what it will look like, however, is still unclear. PSU released a survey asking for student ideas.

However, for many students, virtual commencement cannot compare to a ceremony in person. The initial student response to the decision has largely been negative.

“After learning that PSU had decided to hold a virtual commencement ceremony for the class of 2020, I was so upset,” Emily Pappas, a PSU student, stated.

“As a PSU 2020 graduate, I was looking forward to this commencement after four years of hard work. The purpose of a commencement ceremony is to be a symbolic step in our careers and lives, and I feel this would not be accomplished through a virtual ceremony.”

In addition, a large number of students took to social media to express their dismay over the decision. PSU’s original Facebook post announcement currently has over 200 comments, with more comments regarding commencement on posts about tuition and other subjects.

“We understand how hard you’ve worked towards graduation and how important it is for PSU to recognize your accomplishments. We know it is disappointing not to have a traditional in-person com-

“As a PSU 2020 g looking forward t ment after four ye The purpose of a c ceremony is to be a our careers and li would not be acco a virtual ceremon

MENCEMENT: UR COMPUTER

COVER

EMONIES ONLINE—PSU STUDENTS RESPOND

graduate, I was to this commenceears of hard work. commencement a symbolic step in ives, and I feel this omplished through ny.”

–Emily Pappas

mencement,” PSU stated on its website. “Moving to a virtual ceremony was not an easy decision, but one we were forced to make because the threat of the coronavirus is prohibiting large gatherings in Oregon until further notice.”

While many students are expressing their sadness over the announcement, they’re also wondering—why not postpone the proceedings until after the pandemic, and give the students the chance to walk in person?

Multiple petitions exist online asking for this very thing, having garnered hundreds of signatures between them. The petitions suggest a few solutions, from postponing the ceremony to the fall term, or even waiting to allow the class of 2020 to walk with the class of 2021. At the very least, the petitions demand a decision be made that takes student input into consideration.

“It’s clear that students were not involved in the decision, and despite the overwhelming feedback from students, the school continues copying and pasting the same sentiment, failing to respond to the individual feedback they’ve received,” PSU student Natalie Smith stated. “The Class of 2020 has made it clear that we do not want a virtual ceremony, that we’d be content with even waiting a year and walking with the Class of 2021.”

For other students, they hope that not only will they be able to walk down the aisle for the diploma, but that the people who helped them get there can also see them through.

“My journey to earning a Bachelor’s degree took more than studying but the support from my friends and family as well,” Omar Ramirez, a PSU student, stated. “I am the son of immigrants who sacrificed and left everything behind. I am the son of parents who one day dreamed of hearing their son’s name be announced to receive a degree. They contributed as much as I did to earn my degree.”

“The hard work, stress, and sacrifices are not worth an online commencement. The journey should not end this way.”

PSU’s student government, the Associated Students of PSU, also announced, in an email to students, its support for postponing the ceremony.

“We understand the position the University is in to abide by health officials’ decision to limit large gatherings, but similarly understand how important graduation is to students here, especially those who

are first-generation college students,” ASPSU President Kyle LeslieChristy stated. “The whole process of graduation is a monumental moment that people will remember for the rest of their lives. We at ASPSU support postponing this year’s graduation to a later date in which an in-person ceremony can be held safely.”

Shortly after the original announcement was made, however, PSU commented once again on its own, original post, with little change.

“We are not able to postpone commencement mainly because it is not possible to know how long coronavirus restrictions will last, which puts any future bookings of large venues in doubt,” PSU stated. “In contrast, planning to host virtual ceremonies on the previously scheduled day of June 14 will enable us to recreate the pomp and circumstance of commencement and ensures that we will be able to celebrate all of our 2020 graduates.”

Regardless of whether or not commencement is held in person or online, the amount of work students have put in cannot be denied.

COVID-19 has affected nearly every aspect of life suddenly, as the number of cases rises and states struggle to flatten the curve, and unfortunately, college is no exception.

However, a sudden change of events can’t change the long number of hours, days and years that head to a student’s graduation.

For every student, it is an amazing achievement—worthy of the appropriate acknowledgement.

DANA TOWNSEND

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INTERNATIONAL

US GOVERNMENT INDICTS VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT ON ‘NARCOTERRORISM’ CHARGES MARSHALL SCHEIDER

NEWLY ELECTED VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO AS SEEN EXITING A MEETING IN CARACAS. ENEAS DE TROYA/FLICKR CREATIVE COMMONS.

The United States government indicted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro on March 26 on charges of narco-terrorism. In the latest in a string of attempts aimed at unseating the socialist president of Venezuela, Maduro and members of his administration were charged with a number of crimes, including drug trafficking and corruption, according to Reuters.

Along with the charges, the U.S. State Department announced it will offer up to $15 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and prosecution. Maduro is accused of conspiring with a Colombian rebel group to ship cocaine to the U.S. However, it is unlikely that the charges will lead to a trial or conviction, Reuters reported.

The charges come after almost a year of tightening U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, following a failed coup attempt last April by the U.S.-backed Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

Despite receiving immediate support from the U.S. and other global powers, Guaidó was unable to levy the domestic support necessary to oust Venezuela’s sitting president in April 2019.

The Trump administration threatened military intervention in Venezuela last summer if Maduro would not step down. Guaidó met with president Trump in Feb. 2020, and has recently redoubled his efforts to unseat Maduro, according to NBC. President Maduro quickly dismissed the recent U.S. claims regarding drug trafficking, calling Trump a “racist cowboy,” according to independent news outlet Democracy Now! Maduro went on to criticize the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The U.S. has become a threat to the public health of Latin America, the Caribbean and the world,” Maduro said. “There is no public health system in the U.S. The entire system is private.”

While the U.S. recently became one of the countries struck hardest by COVID-19, with over 300,000 cases recorded as of April 4, Venezuela has seen only five deaths related to the virus under its nationalized healthcare system.

Financial Times reported as the virus spreads, the situation may become dire in Venezuela.

The small oil-producing nation has fallen into a

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deep economic recession under U.S. sanctions, causing shortages of medicine and other necessities—some hospitals lack running water.

Since 2017, U.S. sanctions have been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 Venezuelans, according to a 2019 study published by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Economic and Policy Research. In a teleconference with United Nations officials, Venezuelan leaders said challenges faced by the Venezuelan health care system were caused by U.S. sanctions.

Guaidó has criticized Maduro’s response to the worldwide pandemic. Guaidó called for the assembly of a national emergency government to combat the COVID-19 virus. The coalition government proposed by Guaidó does not include Maduro.

The recent U.S. indictments have placed Guaidó himself under renewed scrutiny in Venezuela. Cliver Alcala, a retired Venezuelan general and long-time critic of Maduro, was recently arrested on the same narco-terrorism charges facing the Venezuelan president.

Alcala said in a radio interview on March 2 he signed a contract with Guaidó and U.S. officials to organize an armed coup against Maduro, according to AP News.

The recent charges against Maduro and other Venezuelan officials are expected to increase tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela. The Trump administration announced on April 1 that U.S. Navy destroyers, combat ships, aircraft and helicopters, Coast Guard cutters and Air Force surveillance aircraft are being deployed to the region, according to BBC. Administration officials announced U.S. sanctions on Venezuela will be lifted if Maduro consents to a power-sharing agreement with Guaidó. The agreement proposed by the Trump administration would require Maduro to step aside while a transitional council prepares for new Venezuelan elections, according to BBC. Support for Guaidó has decreased in Venezuela over the past year, yet unrest has persisted. Shortly after the Trump administration’s indictment was announced, the International Monetary Fund denied a request by Maduro’s government for $5 billion in emergency funds to fight the spread of COVID-19.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 7, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

AFGHANISTAN AND THE TALIBAN DISCUSS PRISONER RELEASE IDA AYU DWIJAYANTI The Afghan government and the Taliban announced on March 25 they had been discussing prisoner releases through Skype as the coronavirus pandemic has curbed international travel, according to Al Jazeera.

Zalmay Khalilzad, the United States special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, has led peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban through hours-long video conferences, according to NPR. “Technical meetings will continue to make sure the process goes smoothly,” Khalilzad said, referring to the conference between the representatives of the Afghan government, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the U.S. and the Gulf state of Qatar.

Despite the conference running smoothly, Al Jazeera reported the Afghan government and the Taliban proposed a different number of prisoner releases; the Afghan government suggested 1,500, whereas the Taliban proposed the government should release 5,000.

It is uncertain how many prisoners will actually be released.

The deal was rumored to start peace talks between the two sides, which have been involved in a four decades-long conflict. The deal was also meant to create a power-sharing accord which would allow NATO forces and most U.S. citizens to withdraw from Afghanistan, according to NPR. However, because of the released prisoner disagreements, along with a political feud between rival Afghan politicians, the deal suffered setbacks.

Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesperson, tweeted “The meeting decided the release of the prisoners will practically start by the end of March,” referring to the negotiations under a U.S.-brokered peace process, according to Al Jazeera.

Khalilzad also advised the prisoner releases should take place “as soon as possible” because of the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Khalilzad tweeted on March 25, “The Taliban commit that released prisoners will abide by the commitments made in the peace agreement and not return to the battlefield,” and the violation would undermine the peace process.

Khalilzad also said the pandemic affected U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, as the deal between the Taliban and Washington required Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to release 5,000 prisoners without preconditions.

In Afghanistan, at least 337 coronavirus cases have been confirmed as of April 5, but there are growing fears among its population and government since thousands of Afghans will return from one of the worst-affected nations and Afghanistan’s neighboring country, Iran.

According to CNN, approximately 3,000 new cases of coronavirus were reported as of March 31, adding to a total of 44,606 total cases in Iran. According to Iranian Health Ministry Spokesperson Kianush Jahanpoor, the country’s death toll was 2,898 as of March 3, while 3,703 hospitalized patients remained in critical condition.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington is “disappointed” in the country’s rival leaders, which led to a decision of slashing $1 billion in U.S. aid to Afghanistan due to the inability of those leaders to form a government, according to NPR. Pompeo also said that last year’s disputed presidential election between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, resulted in “harmed U.S.Afghan relations and, sadly, dishonors those Afghan, Americans and coalition partners who have sacrificed their lives and treasure in the struggle to build a new future for this country.”

AFGHAN PRESIDENT ASHRAF GHANI SHAKES HANDS WITH U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY ON MARCH 1, 2020. STAFF SGT. NICOLE MEJIA/U.S. ARMY

INTERNATIONAL

THIS WEEK

around the

WORLD

Mar. 29–Apr. 6

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6 3 4

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March 29

GAROWE, SOMALIA

Somali Governor of the Nugaal region Abdisalan Hassan Hersi was killed in a suicide bombing on March 29. “[The governor] was badly wounded in the blast, and he had little chance of surviving such serious injuries,” said an unidentified source at the hospital where Hersi was treated to Al Jazeera. Former police commander Farah Galangole and one civilian were also injured in the attack, but are expected to make a full recovery. The attacker ran up to the governor’s car before detonating an explosive vest. The attack was claimed by AlShabab, an armed group in Somalia with known connections to al-Qaida, according to BBC. 2

March 30

LAREN, THE NETHERLANDS

Vincent Van Gogh’s “Parsonage Garden at Nuenen in Spring” (1884) was stolen from the Singer-Laren Museum the night of March 30—the artist’s 167th birthday. Dutch museums have been closed since March 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but, regardless of the museum’s closure, there are no overnight

guards who patrol the museum. Local authorities responded to the silent alarm which was triggered when the thief or thieves shattered a glass door, but when they arrived at the museum the suspects and the painting were gone. Authorities are still looking for the painting, but have yet to announce any leads to the public.

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April 3

MEXICO

Grupo Modelo, which produces and distributes Corona, Modelo and Pacifico beer, is suspending production throughout Mexico following the government announcing a national health emergency and shutting down all non-essential businesses, including the breweries. The health emergency was declared after Mexico reported over 1,500 cases of COVID-19 and at least 50 related deaths. The suspension of nonessential businesses began on April 5 and will continue until at least April 30. Constellation Brands, the distribution company for Grupo Modelo in the United States, said they did not yet predict a shortage of the company’s beer products in the U.S.

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April 3

MEXICO

In Madera, Mexico, an armed conflict between the Sinaloa and Juarez cartels left at least 19 people dead and one injured. Authorities found 18 dead bodies, two grenades and multiple vehicles and firearms at the scene of the incident.

One of the victims died in the hospital, and the one wounded individual is currently in custody.

March 2020 saw at least 2,585 homicides, which is more than any month since 1997. “It seemed in late March, when the coronavirus had become more widespread, that we would have a considerable reduction [in violence],” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said in a statement, according to Al Jazeera. “Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way.”

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April 4

ROMANS-SUR-ISERE, FRANCE

A Sudanese man in his 30s was arrested following a knife attack in a usually-crowded shopping center that left two dead and five injured. Of the five injured individuals, two are reportedly in critical condition. France is currently in lockdown due to COVID-19, and authorities reported it is

because of this that there were not more people at the center during the attack. French officials opened an investigation in “murder linked to a terrorist enterprise,” and arrested two more men who lived with the original suspect, according to BBC. “Light [will] be shed on this odious act which casts a shadow on our country, which has already been severely tested in recent weeks,” President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement, according to The New York Times.

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April 5

JERUSALEM

Israeli authorities arrested Adnan Ghaith, the Palestinian governor of Palestine-occupied East Jerusalem, for illegal activity. This is the seventh time in less than 18 months Ghaith has been arrested by Israeli authorities. The government of Israel recognizes all of Jerusalem as their country’s capital, while Palestine views East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, which has been the source of multiple arrests in the area. The majority of the international community, with the exception of U.S. President Donald Trump as of 2017, does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 7, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

NICK TOWNSEND

“I FEEL LIKE I’M LOSING A WHOLE TERM OF WORK AND PROGRESS” MUSIC STUDENTS AND FACULTY GRAPPLE WITH ONLINE COURSES ABOVE: LINCOLN HALL’S MAIN THEATER, AS SEEN FROM BACKSTAGE, ON FEB 26, 2020. ALEX WITTWER/PSU VANGUARD

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PSU Vanguard • APRIL 7, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

The closure of Portland State’s physical campus and the move to online classes has changed the curriculum for students in every major and discipline, but nowhere has the change been so stark as in the School of Music & Theater.

As late as week 10, music students had reason to believe that classes would continue roughly in their usual fashion during spring term. Instructors passed out music to wind symphony students and other musicians to look at over spring break. In many classrooms, no contingency plans had been made for the possibility of mandatory online instruction.

University Communications emailed students and faculty on March 12; the message was that all spring term classes would be conducted remotely through midApril. Students and faculty in the music department prepared for several weeks of independent practicing in anticipation of a shortened window for group rehearsal.

“My hope is that this will level off mid-April and things will return to normal,” stated George Colligan, head of the PSU jazz studies program, in an email to students on March 12. “Obviously, it’s impossible to recreate the experience of a real ensemble via Skype or D2L. However, everyone, including me, needs to shed! (meaning woodshed, or practice your instrument!) So for my ensembles, I will have stuff to email you that you can work on at home.”

Students shared Colligan’s optimism. “My plan was to return to my parent’s house to weather it out and work remotely,” said Alyssa Tanskley, a music education and performance major. “I was anticipating being back to PSU mid-April to then jump into my ensembles/studio classes.”

That reality shifted on March 18 when PSU announced the full duration of spring term would be online.

The week of spring break became a time of uncertainty and confusion for students in the School of Music & Theater. “A lot of teachers haven’t told me exactly what’s happening [or] changing but a lot of them have admitted it’s going to be weird,” said Ash Phillips, a music education and practices major. “I take things like piano and aural training and those things are near impossible [online].”

“My thoughts got clouded by a lot of anxiety and anger. Being a music major is such a hands-on, collaborative effort, especially in the ensemble setting,” Tanksley said. “At first I couldn’t see at all how it could be done.”

In an email sent to students over spring break, Director of Bands Pat Vandehey clarified his vision for the term.

“Each ensemble director is taking a slightly different route, but all ensembles will be offering what we hope is a meaningful alternative to gathering, rehearsing and performing, which is now impossible.”

Vandehey went on to explain the shape of the symphonic bands to come. Students in both of PSU’s wind ensembles will spend their spring term listening to recordings of pieces that, under normal circumstances, would have been rehearsed and performed. Vandehey and students will meet in a discussion group on Zoom during normal class time to discuss assigned listening. Students will submit recordings of their parts on the pieces as midterms and finals.

“Ok, I know what you all are thinking,” Vandehey stated at the close of his email, “This in no way replaces performing in an ensemble. There is no way to do that. This is the most viable option we could come up with in a very short amount of time.”

A similar curriculum has developed in the jazz program. “None of my classes are on Zoom and all are on D2L. It’s primarily just video tutorials and assignment submissions,” Mars Horner, a jazz major, said. “For my combo class it’s a series of tunes to work on weekly and stuff to transcribe, we also have to submit videos of us playing from time to time.”

Although instructors worked to create a worthwhile experience for music students, many question whether it’s worth the full cost of tuition.

“I’m definitely not getting my money’s worth...I feel like I’m losing a whole term of work and progress,” Phillips said.

Tanksley, an upright jazz bassist, agreed. “I do not feel I am getting my money’s worth. I am paying to receive hands-on and in-person [instruction] and I am not receiving that. I am grateful for my professors trying to make the most of it, but I am paying to be in an environment playing and collaborating with other musicians in ensembles and it isn’t the same navigating that online.”

It remains unknown when PSU musicians will be able to re-enter Lincoln Hall and rehearse with each other. Currently the building, along with others on PSU campus, remains closed to students—including practice rooms, which music students pay to access. Until then, Tanksley and others in the program will continue to grapple with the daily challenges of online curriculum.

“A major aspect has been stripped from me for the remainder of the academic year, and I am still grieving that,” Tanksley said.

ARTS & CULTURE OPINION

QUARANTINE COOKING IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS NICK GATLIN If you’re like me, you’ve spent the past few weeks of quarantine cleaning more dishes than you thought possible, and wistfully remembering the days where you didn’t have to cook every godforsaken meal for yourself.

Some restaurants are still open for takeout, but most of the time, you’re going to have to deal with whatever you have in the pantry.

It’s a good idea to stock up on dried and canned goods during this time, so you go outdoors for food as little as possible. This guide will present some cooking tricks that have helped me during this pandemic. This is less of a recipe guide and more of a rough list of techniques that you can adapt to your specific circumstances.

And hey, maybe all your time spent cooking and baking will mean less time terror-watching CNN all day! Just me?

PASTA: CACIO E PEPE

LENTIL SOUP AND CACIO E PEPE MADE WITH PANTRY STAPLES. NICK GATLIN/PSU VANGUARD

Pasta, at worst, requires a little skill to get right—at best, it requires barely any effort at all.

I have about four half-empty pasta boxes in my pantry, with not enough pasta to justify any effort in cooking them, but too much to just throw away. My favorite dish to get rid of these pasta scraps is Cacio e Pepe, Italian for cheese and pepper. The recipe is incredibly simple. It’s literally just cheese, pepper and olive oil.

LENTILS: LENTIL SOUP

Dried or canned lentils are some of the most versatile, and more importantly, cheapest foods you could buy. If you have lentils in your pantry, you have a meal.

Ingredients:

Pasta of your choice—I used bucatini Olive oil Hard Italian cheese—parmesan, Asiago, pecorino, etc., substitute nutritional yeast if vegan

BLACK PEPPER

All you have to do for this recipe is boil your pasta according to the directions for al dente, heat a pan with some olive oil, then toss the cooked pasta in the pan with your cheese and pepper. When you make your pasta sauce in the pan, drizzle in some of the water you cooked the pasta in. The pasta water is full of all the rich, creamy starch that makes your sauces smooth and emulsified. Otherwise, the fat in the cheese will break and you’ll get a runny, oily sauce, which no one likes.

Once you get bored of just cheese and pepper, mix it up. Throw some red pepper flakes in there for some spice; mix in some chopped up parsley and basil for an herby bite; add a squeeze of lemon juice for acidity to balance out the richness of the cheese and olive oil.

The culinary world is your oyster. We all have some time at home to think about things, so why not experiment with your pasta?

Ingredients:

BEANS: SLOW SIMMERED BEANS

My first reaction to hearing about the pandemic was to hyperventilate a little bit while I prepared to sit at home for three months. My second reaction was to buy a shit-ton of beans.

In my pantry right now are black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cannellini beans, adzuki beans, pinto beans, white beans, oh so many beans. I have so many cans and jars of dried beans that I’m pretty sure they weigh more than me. My pantry shelves creak from the weight of a week of bad decisions and panic buying. What am I going to do with all these beans? Oh god I bought so many beans, why did I buy so many, oh god.

Pick your favorite dried beans. Take a portion you can reasonably see yourself eating, and submerge it with cold water in a bowl.

Leave that overnight, then drain off the water before putting the beans in a pot of clean water. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer for a few hours, or until the

beans are soft and cooked through. You know what the texture of a bean should be. Just taste them!

The secret to the perfect pot of beans comes from two ingredients: acid and sugar. Take a small amount of equal parts acid and sugar, and add it to your beans while they’re cooking. I’ve tried lemon juice and white sugar, rice vinegar and brown sugar and lime juice and molasses. You can get creative with what you have on hand. The interplay of sweet and sour will bring out the subtle flavors of the beans, while perking up the flavor so it’s not so boring.

Once your beans are done cooking, dress them up however you like and eat them. You could drizzle some sour cream and lemon juice on them over some brown rice, or cut up some tomatoes and make a chili bowl. This recipe is so simple because making a great pot of beans is simple. Once you’ve tried making them yourself, you’ll never go back to canned beans.

Lentils Stock/Bouillon Spices Tomato Onion Cook half a diced onion in a saucepan in some oil until slightly brown on the edges. Add a can of tomatoes, or diced fresh tomatoes, if you have them, and some stock. Add your lentils and more broth to submerge them. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the lentils are done. You have lentil soup! This is one of the easiest meals I can think of, and I make it once or twice a week. Add whatever spices you feel like—I went for an Indian-inspired flavor profile this time, with turmeric, paprika and asafoetida. You can customize this however you like, so you have a unique meal every time.

This is obviously not an exhaustive list of everything you can cook with pantry food, but it should be a good start. During this time in quarantine, take the time to work on your cooking skills—it’s a fun, relaxing activity during this anxiety-inducing time, and your taste buds will thank you.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 7, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

SAFETY TOP CONCERN FOR ADULT BUSINESSES AND PERFORMERS IN THE

AJ EARL

COMMUNITY

As COVID-19’s impact ramps up in the United States, Portland-area adult businesses and workers are bracing for a long isolation and closure period for closure businesses. With Governor Kate Brown declaring a stay-at-home order for non-essential businesses, adult-oriented establishments are having to close and are taking a wait-and-see stance toward future reopening. Workers, meanwhile, are facing precarity, as their businesses or performance venues are closed.

Steam Portland is a 17-year-old business on Northeast Sandy Blvd. Steam is a bathouse that

caters to queer men, providing a space for sex and fetish acts with a constantly rotating clientele. As a result of this necessary close contact, Steam was among the first businesses in Portland to close, due in part to the erratic nature of Governor Brown’s announcements regarding the stay-at-home order.

“We actually closed for member safety shortly before the actual announcement was made,” said David Pettit, general manager of Steam. Pettit noted they get the same information as everyone else in the same way—through the press. State agencies did not reach out to

businesses, which left managers like Pettit to turn to the news.

Steam’s closure, like the closure of many strip clubs, has impacted the club, but according to Pettit, as an adult business focused on being a meeting—and sometimes performance—space, they have low overhead. In Steam’s case, employees were sent home and Pettit worked with them to ensure they had unemployment payments coming in for the duration of the closure.

Pettit also said he plans to clean the entire establishment, though as a bathhouse this is already standard procedure. By the time they do reopen, Pettit said the virus’s lifespan will have been long since passed, meaning cleaning will be doubly effective in this regard.

Steam is not the only bathhouse to close.

Hawks PDX lists their closure on their website, and multiple other clubs have done the same. Strip clubs, whose performers rely on tips they receive from dancing, have also closed, leaving them in a precarious position.

Some clubs have improvised, taking advantage of their food service capacity to become delivery and take-out spots. One strip club even went so far as to make their staff into a delivery service cheekily called Boober for a time.

Performers at queer clubs, however, are given less stability than straight clubs.

“We were told everything was fine leading up to it,” said Portland rapper and club dancer Toño. “We even checked in daily to make sure the venue was still gonna be open, but I guess on that last Saturday on the night before Werk Your Body they were dead.”

Even so, Toño noted the closures were not a surprise.

“Everything else hasn’t caught me off guard, I mean we’re in a pandemic,” Toño said.

While the U.S. waits for this pandemic to eventually pass, venues have struck a hopeful tone regarding the future. Messages of hope have accompanied notices of closure, with businesses announcing that they are closing, but expressing their desire to see their clients safe and healthy.

Hawks PDX, a bathhouse in Portland’s Central Eastside neighborhood, closed several days prior to the required close date for non-essential businesses. Like Steam, it recognized the difficulty in keeping patrons more than six feet apart. Even amid this complicated health crisis, its tone remained positive.

“Be well, stay safe, wash your hands, stay home when you can, practice social distancing and take care of each other,” a message on the Hawks PDX website reads.

Pettit was similarly hopeful, and like Hawks PDX, very aware of the need to protect club members at this time.

“We’ve received much love from the community and our members for doing the right thing closing and waiting this out until it’s all safe,” Pettit said. “When the day comes that we can open the doors again we can’t wait to see all our members again. We have so many regulars that not seeing them on a daily basis as well is hard. They’ve become part of our daily lives as well.”

In spite of this difficulty and sense of longing, Pettit had a message for the public.

“To all, have faith we will return,” Pettit said. “But not until we are 100% sure it’s safe for everyone—members and employees.”

A SIGN ON THE DOOR OF STEAM’S BATHHOUSE ALERTING PATRONS OF CLOSURE DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. EMMA WALLACE/PSU VANGUARD

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PSU Vanguard • APRIL 7, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

SPORTS

DECISION RECEIVES MIXED REVIEWS, QUESTIONS REGARDING FINANCIAL AID RICH RIGNEY the Division I Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association made the decision on March 30 to allow schools “to provide spring-sport student athletes an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility” for athletes whose seasons were canceled as a result of COVID-19.

While good news for some, the decision raises questions and concerns for many athletes who will not have the opportunity to compete for an additional season. Winter sport athletes, many of whom were in the midst of their conference tournaments when the cancellations took place, will not be granted an additional year of eligibility.

Portland State men’s basketball would have played in the second round of the Big Sky Conference tournament on March 12, had the tournament not been canceled the same day.

In addition to the cancellation of all conference tournaments, the NCAA made the decision to cancel the 2020 NCAA Division 1 basketball tournaments for both men and women, the tournaments that decide the national champion for men’s and women’s college basketball.

Besides bringing in a substantial chunk of the NCAA’s yearly income—think hundreds of millions of dollars for the men’s tournament alone— the NCAA tournament can be the best opportunity a college athlete with aspirations of playing professional basketball has to showcase their talents on the national stage and increase their draft stock prior to entering the NBA or WNBA.

As a result of the cancellations, many collegiate athletes played their final game without ever knowing it, and the opportunity for one last tournament run was taken from them.

The decision has forced athletes across the country to reconsider their collegiate and post-college plans.

According to Haily Bartz, a senior softball player for the University of Nebraska Omaha, “You have your life planned out and then this kind of pushes everything back another year. At the same time, it’s really hard to pass up because it’s a game of love.”

While it is true that the majority of winter sport athletes were able to complete the entirety of their respective regular seasons—a luxury that spring sport athletes did not have—it is impossible to measure the value a tournament run could have had for each school and their individual athletes.

The decision to grant an additional year of eligibility to spring sport athletes raised questions surrounding financial aid and how this added year will impact the financial aid packages not only for those students granted an extra year of eligibility, but the winter and fall sport athletes who were not, and the general student population as well.

The NCAA is a separate entity from universities across the country, with separate financial constraints and obligations. It’s one thing for the NCAA to make this decision, but it’s another entirely for universities to accommodate this eligibility.

The NCAA did not guarantee financial aid to current seniors who choose to return for another year.

The amount of scholarship money each senior ath-

lete who would have graduated will receive will be determined by the school they attend.

“We had long discussions around the fact that this does not avoid substantially difficult circumstances,” said Division I Council Chairperson Grace Calhoun following the NCAA’s decision. “At the end of the day, each institution is going to have to figure out what it can do.”

The NCAA stated, “Schools also will have the ability to use the NCAA’s Student Assistance Fund to pay for scholarships for students who take advantage of the additional eligibility flexibility in 2020–21.”

Additionally, members of the Division I Council have adjusted financial aid rules “to allow teams to carry more members on scholarship to account for incoming recruits and student athletes who had been in their last year of eligibility who decide to stay.” A complete explanation of NCAA accommodations and guidelines can be found on their website.

How this will affect the financial aid packages of individual universities and students is currently unclear.

Financial Aid services did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

To the Portland State community and any collegiate athletes who wish to share, Vanguard wants to hear your thoughts on how the NCAA’s decision has impacted you or someone you know. Questions, comments or concerns, we want your voice to be heard.

Please email us your thoughts at sports@psuvanguard.com. Selected submissions will be published alongside our ongoing coverage of the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on PSU.

BRANDON PAHNISH

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 7, 2020 • psuvanguard.com

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DANA TOWNSEND