VOLUME 78 • ISSUE 19 • JANUARY 18, 2024
PSU LAUNCHES ANTI-HATE TASK FORCE PALESTINIAN STUDENTS FEEL UNPROTECTED P. 4
CHECK O UT OUR NEW PDX EVENTS COLUMN ON P. 9
OPINION: Po land housed are treating the houseless like trash P. 6
SATIRE: Cars—the inconvenient convenience of tomorrow P. 7
ARTS: Explore cultures in 2024 by studying abroad P. 8–9
SU P T A L L A R O F N OLUM C M R O F T A L P N O SU N OPINI
OPE
FILIATION W/P • STATE NAME AND AF OSEN BY THE EDITOR CH D AN ED TE AN AR PAID, NOT GU COM • SUBMISSIONS ARE UN ITOR@PSUVANGUARD. ED TO NS IO IN OP D AN ORIES • SEND THOUGHTS, ST
CONTENTS
COVER DESIGN BY BRIANA CIERI PHOTO BY ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI
NEWS Task force launched to combat hate at PSU
P. 4
ARTS & CULTURE PSU study abroad programs
NEWS Portland State’s new digital mascot
P. 5
SCIENCE & TECH Shifting baseline syndrome
P. 10
OPINION The trash is out of control in PDX
P. 6
NEWS CROSSWORD Answers in stories
P. 11
SATIRE Cars are the future
P. 7
COMMUNITY & WELLNESS RESOURCES Updated weekly
P. 12
PDX events column
P. 8-9
STAFF EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Kat Leon MANAGING EDITOR Tasha Sayre NEWS EDITOR Zoë Buhrmaster CO-NEWS EDITOR Alyssa Anderson ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Macie Harreld SCIENCE & TECH EDITOR Anish Kumar Arumugam
OPINION EDITOR Cameron Rodriguez MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Alberto Alonso Pujazon Bogani SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR COMING SOON ONLINE AND PROMOTIONS EDITOR Alley Henrici DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Cody Frost COPY CHIEF Isabel Zerr CONTRIBUTORS Amber Finnegan Isaiah Burns Milo Loza Ian Mcmeekan
PRODUCTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Briana Cieri DESIGNERS Haley Hsu TECHNOLOGY & WEBSITE TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANTS George Olson Hongzu Pan Sara Ray ADVISING & ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood SALP ACCOUNTANT Maria Dominguez STUDENT MEDIA TECHNOLOGY ADVISOR Rae Fickle
To contact Portland State Vanguard, email editor@psuvanguard.com MISSION STATEMENT Vanguard’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills highly valued in today’s job market. ABOUT Vanguard , established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com.
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TASK FORCE LAUNCHED TO COMBAT HATE AT PSU PALESTINIAN STUDENTS REPORT FACING HARASSMENT AND DEATH THREATS ALYSSA ANDERSON In an email circulated to the PSU community on Jan. 9, Portland State President Ann Cudd announced the formation of the Task Force for Building Community and Fighting Hate at PSU. According to the email, two task force committees will work on improving violence prevention and response, as well as promoting a campus climate which nurtures the psychological safety of the PSU community. After gathering input and recommendations, the two committees intend to have a plan that reportedly will be enacted on campus by March. “We do not tolerate antisemitism, anti-Palestinian harassment, Anti-Arab discrimination, Islamophobia or hate in our community,” Cudd’s email stated. “While there might not be anything we can do or say to alter global conflicts, we can build the community we desire here at home by rejecting intolerance and cocreating an environment where peace and the pursuit of knowledge can thrive.” The email explained that Cudd commissioned the task force to “support and strengthen the community in the wake of recent events.” The task force will comprise four committees addressing various topics, including intergroup dialogue and engagement, as well as education about antisemitism and anti-Arab bias. Associated Students of Portland State University will work to ensure that each of the committees will have student representatives. In a press conference on Nov. 17, 2023, Cudd
described the task force, saying, “I am planning to charge a committee to work against Islamophobia and Antisemitism to find ways that we can help students to peacefully interact with each other, gain a more empathetic understanding of each other, and also debate and engage in dialogue.” Former President Stephen Percy, who Cudd described as a “well-known listener, bridgebuilder and convener at PSU,” will serve as the task force chair. Dr. Ame Lambert—vice president of Global Diversity & Inclusion at PSU—will serve as a consultant on the task force and trustee Mark Rosenbaum will additionally join the effort. The task force will work with Wajdi Said of the Muslim Educational Trust to engage the greater Portland community in this effort. “PSU has an opportunity to prove that higher education can and should stand against bias, discrimination and hate while also encouraging complex thinking and dialogue across differences,” Cudd’s email read. PSU circulated the email to students around the 100-day mark of Israel’s genocide of Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. As of Jan. 11, over 20,000 people had been killed by the Israeli military, with an estimated 250 people dying each day, making this conflict the deadliest of the 21st century. Before this email, Cudd had yet to address the current situation directly. Natalie Khalil—a Palestinian student
ALBERTO ALONSO PUJAZON BOGANI/PSU VANGUARD Students report their rights and ability to protest are being attacked on campus, given they have been harassed and received death threats
4
NEWS
and member of PSU’s Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights (SUPER)—explained how their organization had been experiencing harassment even before the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas which instigated the current aggression. According to Khalil, members of SUPER were approached during a tabling event before Oct. 7 on campus by an unidentified man who aggressively began telling them he thought Muslims had caused the Holocaust. Two women at the table were wearing hijabs, and Khalil believes the man saw their table and decided to approach them unprovoked. A second incident occurred after Oct. 7, where a different man—who also claimed that Muslims caused the Holocaust and made a Nazi salute—aggressively approached SUPER’s table at an event. When someone tried to confront the man, Khalil said things escalated and became physical as the man pushed an individual down. This incident was reported through the proper channels at PSU, and she said SUPER has not done a tabling event since this incident. After reporting this incident, Khalil said they heard very little from the university. “From what we know, it doesn’t seem like much action was done,” she said. “As a Palestinian student, I don’t feel like my campus—that the people in charge—think that there are really people that act that way towards Palestinians. I just don’t think they consider that to be a big issue.” In a recent press conference, Cudd seemingly spoke on this reported incident. “There have been, of course, some interactions that may have been somewhat more confrontational,” Cudd said. “And I’ve heard about some on each side. I had heard about one incident where a student confronted some Muslim students, which violates the student code of conduct. We, of course, are taking it to student conduct to address the situation. That’s certainly a tool we have in our arsenal.” When asked about the newly announced task force, Khalil said neither she nor other members of SUPER were consulted about it whatsoever. When she read the email about the task force, Khalil said she was surprised to see Palestinians finally mentioned. “Palestinians were mentioned in one email after a hundred days of genocide in Gaza,” Khalil said. “It took almost 100 days, almost 30,000 people dead, for my president at PSU to acknowledge my people as being a legitimate people. Not Muslim, not Arab. It’s a specific region. We are people. We are actual people. Not all people in Palestine are Muslims. There are Christians that are getting murdered. It’s not just Muslims.” Khalil explained that if the university wants to support Palestinian, Arab and other marginalized students, the university will need to make significant changes.
“I think that the university needs to cut their ties with Boeing completely,” Khalil said. “Not just for Palestinians, but for Syrians and people in the Philippines. There are so many ways in which Boeing profits off of war crimes. And universities have a moral obligation, I think, to live up to what our code of conduct is…I feel like a large body of us on campus don’t feel like we’re accurately represented by our relationship with Boeing. Whether that be done in this task force, whether that be done separately, I think that needs to be an issue that’s dealt with relatively soon, at least for just in regards to the Palestinian ongoing movement or the ongoing movement of all oppressed people everywhere for solidarity reasons.” Cudd discussed PSU’s ties with Boeing in the press conference, acknowledging ties such as receiving scholarships and having alums who work for Boeing. “I will never be in a situation where I will sell out the university for some donation,” Cudd said. “There is no donation that is worth our integrity, our reputation, and our values. But things are complicated. There are many values, including the value of academic freedom. And just stepping away from the Boeing situation, but considering, as a whole, from whom do we accept donations? From whom do we accept support? That is, often, a question of first, are they violating any laws? Are they violating any values that the institution holds as a value for everyone as opposed to a partisan perspective on that? And then, is there some way that this support is essential to the pursuit of an academic or educational research mission that some faculty or group of faculty are pursuing...I think it’s important to maintain a pretty politically neutral stance in accepting that so as not to chill the free speech and academic freedom of various members of our community.” PSU SUPER member Shams Mahmoud reported feeling unsafe and their rights not being protected by the University: “We’ve actually been the ones getting harassed routinely, receiving death threats, getting harassed by an actual Nazi,” they said. “We’re afraid to have the Palestine flag out. People are calling for the removal of SUPER here, and not just like our SJP, but other SJPs around the country being labeled as criminals. That’s a direct attack on our freedom of speech, our right to protest. When we’re the ones being attacked, it is very disheartening.” Khalil explained that if this task force is going to occur, it should work to get to the root of hate itself. “There is hate on campus, and it has made students very fearful, and it should not be suppressed and or ignored,” they said. “It needs to be handled swiftly, and it needs to be addressed by people that are in charge, and it needs to be dealt with.”
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
PORTLAND STATE’S NEW DIGITAL MASCOT NEW AI PROMISES TO CONNECT STUDENTS WITH RESOURCES ISAIAH BURNS
COURTESY OF OFFICE OF STUDENT SUCCESS Victor E. Bot has received over 22,000 texts, yet some students report being unconvinced of its usefulness
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
Portland State students across the city opened their phones on Oct. 5, 2023, to discover a text message from an unknown phone number offering them a helping hand. “Hey [insert name], this is Victor E. Bot [robot face emoji] on behalf of Portland State University! I’m here to support you.” The text bot, analogously named Victor E. Bot to PSU mascot Victor E. Viking, is PSU’s most recent digital communication tool aiming to connect PSU students to various resources and information they may find useful. Every student at PSU is automatically enrolled in the program and can choose whether or not they wish to remain opted in. So far, 93% of students have remained enrolled, according to data from the Office of Student Success who is the team leading the project. “We wanted to address student feedback regarding the challenges navigating PSU,” said Andrea Garrity, the executive director of student success. “Part of this is discoverability. For example, you may not know what the Learning Center is, but you might know you could use help with one of your classes, and can use this 24/7 to share that… The bot can then share more about resources like the Learning Center.” This bridge between students and campus resources seems to be at the heart of the Victor E. Bot project, which is reflected in the conversations of those students who have opted in. The text bot is a product of Edsights, a NewYork-based software company that develops text-based artificial intelligence (AI) for higher education. “Leveraging a framework built on nearly four decades of research, we use text messaging powered by artificial intelligence to ensure that the most important perspectives, those of the student, are at the forefront of every conversation,” states the mission statement on the Edsights webpage. “Supporting enrollment, retention and persistence while connecting them to the resources and people they need to succeed.” The artificial intelligence of Edsights’s chatbots may seem less complex in comparison to the recent monumental breakthroughs in AI technology we’ve seen in the form of ChatGPT. The priority is simply connecting students to resources and people rather than creating a
lifelike conversational chatbot. “The goal of this pilot is to engage and support our students by learning more from them about their PSU experience and automatically connecting them to helpful on-campus resources and/or staff when appropriate,” Garrity said. Some students remain unconvinced about the benefits of the bot. Many thought it was spam when receiving those initial texts, while others mentioned they had yet to use it. “I have not used it, but I can see the good intentions behind it,” said Lillie, a PSU student. Students also said that the frequency and kind of messages the bot delivers affect their interaction with it. “It reminded me about some important deadlines, but it texted me often enough to feel bothered by [it] and deem it unnecessary,” said Leo, another PSU student. “I would appreciate it if I got fewer than four texts per term, and if they were about financial and scholarship deadlines. Anything else is unnecessary and invasive to me.” While some students may see the bot as nothing more than a number to block, the feedback shows that some have found the new program beneficial. According to the Office of Student Success, the bot has received over 22,000 text messages from students since its early October launch, with the aforementioned 93% of students remaining opted in. “I like that it lays out these resources for you, because the websites on their own are hard to make sense of, but I don’t plan to use the chatbot more than that,” said Sapphire, another PSU student. “It is a good way to get in contact with counselors.” The Student Success Center says that the longterm goals of this project are to continually get students in contact with the resources they need while continuously developing the chatbot itself. “Since launching, we’ve been able to connect students to resources and provide staff support when students have asked for it,” Garrity said. “We’re committed to using this tool to support students.” Project updates regarding the status of the bot, as well as future goals, can be found on the Student Success website.
NEWS
5
THE TRASH IS OUT OF CONTROL IN PDX HOUSELESS PEOPLE ARE NOT TO BLAME
KAT LEON/PSU VANGUARD When trash builds up on the sides of the road like this in Portland, the houseless are often blamed when in fact, the dumping is more often due to housed people and a failing sanitation system, made worse by the pandemic IAN MCMEEKAN You see it daily in Portland—trash piling up on the streets and litter covering sidewalks. The easiest people to blame for all this litter are houseless people. Yet, are they really the cause of all the garbage throughout Portland? There’s more proof to the contrary. The Oregonian reported that the housed population primarily contributes to the prevalent issue of overflowing trash in Portland, especially noticeable in houseless camps, rather than the houseless themselves. The action taken by housed people needs to change because housed people dumping trash all around the city makes life less sanitary for everyone, especially the most vulnerable—those living on the streets. Moreover, the perception must also change, given that houseless people are most affected by this issue and are also taking the blame unfairly. It has become easy to blame and disrespect those who are houseless and some argue that these feelings towards houseless individuals stem from their visible presence on the sides of roads, often surrounded by garbage. However, it’s crucial to reject this flawed perspective and recognize the fact that this is not a problem that stems from the houseless but from a deeper systemic issue. The city of Portland reports that it is working to enhance waste management. This includes adding 150 new trash cans in underserved North Portland, upgrading older and smaller cans in neighborhoods and business districts, and working with contractors to promptly remove the debris near public trash cans while maintaining and repairing damaged containers. Yet this project has remained a work in progress since 2022. The persistent problem indicates that the houseless population continues to bear the brunt of unsanitary conditions resulting from the city’s negligence. The city must expedite and intensify
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OPINION
these efforts to swiftly address the issue and prevent further harm to the vulnerable, houseless community. The city’s slow efforts are not only to blame. The Oregonian reports that Portland depends on an unconventional and fragmented sanitation system with nearly a dozen different agencies, each handling specific aspects of cleanup without prioritizing cleanliness as a primary goal. This system was susceptible to failure even before the pandemic, and the system reached a breaking point amid the pandemic. The current state of the city’s sanitation system underscores the urgent need for a more effective and efficient cleanup approach. Houseless people are human beings, not mere creatures leaving a mess. Judging them based on their living conditions oversimplifies the complex issues they face and perpetuates unfair stereotypes. According to Angelica Thornton, in response to a worsening problem, Portland has removed dumpsters near houseless camps, given the excessive dumping of trash and unwanted items by housed individuals. The blatant disregard for the environment around camps, as evidenced by the scattered trash, is a stark illustration of how the housed population treats the houseless as disposable. Dumping trash in their living spaces implies a dehumanizing view as if considering these areas designated for both trash and the people who reside there. Addressing this issue requires holding the housed population in Portland accountable for their actions. Moreover, rather than reducing resources such as dumpsters for campsites, there should be an expansion to meet the city’s growing needs, ensuring a more comprehensive approach which allows for easier and proper disposal of waste for all. The depletion of resources poses a severe threat with poten-
tially devastating consequences, notably evident in the downtown area’s insufficient and inaccessible bathroom facilities. Part of a more equitable approach requires recognizing that access to fundamental human rights—like clean spaces and bathrooms— is essential for all individuals. According to Blair Best at KGW, the Multnomah County Health Department’s recent public health warning has emphasized the urgency of better access to accessible sanitation resources for the houseless population. The warning documented a surge in Shigella cases in Portland’s Old Town district, affecting those living outdoors and in shelters. “Shigella is highly contagious and spreads through fecal matter,” Best’s article stated. “Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, and sometimes vomiting, and can last three to 10 days.” This lack of bathrooms shows the increased risk of diseases in a highly populated area that is underserved. The reality that there is a virus spreading through fecal matter throughout downtown Portland is concerning, considering how, “bathroom access [for the houseless] is something that can require traveling miles on foot, especially for women or people with disabilities,” stated the Blanchet House, a non-profit working with the houseless in Old Town. “People experiencing homelessness can lose out on opportunities because they must prioritize satisfying a basic need. And, lack of hygiene is so degrading to self-image.” The heightened health risks, exemplified by the increased Shigella cases downtown, emphasize the need for the housed population to acknowledge their contribution to the dire lack of sanitary conditions for the houseless. Tackling this issue demands a collective commitment to ensuring the well-being and dignity of every community member. We must treat the houseless with dignity and humanity and ensure that we do not relegate them to the status of discarded trash left in the gutter.
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
CAMERON RODRIGUEZ
CARS ARE THE FUTURE
DRIVING IS EASY AND SAFE CAMERON RODRIGUEZ
After eight years of driving experience, it’s hard for me not to appreciate the most innovative style of transportation, especially for mass populations. Just the bustle of the city, traffic on the road and the smog of the morning rush is how I’ve always wanted to start each and every day. Although certain places have invested in other transportation styles, I’m glad that from the most rural areas to the most urban areas, cars are still the fastest—and sometimes the only—way to get around here in the United States. Traffic is everyone’s favorite car experience. Merging is a breeze, with people generously offering space whenever you need it. Clearly, the roads here in Portland were designed to host a magnificent parade of cars gracefully marching down a major highway at a whopping 30mph. An absolute delight for everyone involved! Sure, it will add time to your trip, but you get to spend that time with other people and feel like you’re a part of something larger than yourself. Only in spirit, of course. Most car trips are actually just one isolated driver having to get somewhere like work or run errands, but it’s always good to have space for four or six or more. Everyone is so nice on the road. If they are upset, mad, thankful or really any emotion, they can honk and the other car will just understand. If there’s an important message the other car needs—like “be careful,” “watch out,” or “your tail light is out”—again, a nice
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
honk will do as a clear, concise, catch-all message. What an adequate and universal tool—the car horn. You can trust other drivers to know what they are doing—all of them, all the time. No distractions, no emotional driving, no impatience and no drowsiness. Everyone on the road is at their best cognitive state the entire time. Ah, the road. Where disputes turn into high-stakes drama! People get so passionately invested in driving that we’ve even coined a term for these emotional rollercoasters—road rage. It’s like a refined art of recklessness, born from the perfect blend of stress, frustration and anger. Just to keep things interesting, about three months ago, a gentleman decided to spice up his drive by shooting two people in Portland. Clearly, a unique and isolated incident, because, you know, these weird occurrences only happened approximately 728 times in 2021. Fear of driving? Not me! Sure, it’s statistically a leading cause of death, but who’s counting? I’ve just embraced the thrill of hurtling down the road with a bunch of other speed demons, all flirting with the possibility of a fateful impact. People buy lottery tickets knowing their chances of getting struck by lightning twice are better, and I and so many others take that chance when we fire up our engines and hit the road. Cars are not even the most dangerous—it’s second to gun violence for children! Well, at least since 2020. Before that, cars held the crown for 60 years. Weather changes make driving that much more fun! Ice and
snow will exaggerate everyone’s skill while driving. But don’t get too worried. Stress can have that effect, too. If we remember, the last freeze in Portland left drivers stuck and abandoned on freeways for hours with no way of getting home safely. It was the community-building activity everyone wanted. Then we have the new and approved headlights turned LED lights. Nighttime wouldn’t be complete without these dazzling beacons, overshadowing mundane things like roads and making them nearly invisible. Oh, the sheer thrill of owning a vehicle! It’s such a joy to shell out money for registration, fees and titles. Truly, an investment in something that depreciates in value by 11% just by driving off the lot. My trusty car, faithfully draining my bank account, has taken me on countless adventures. The pride of spending thousands just to call it mine, knowing it’ll last me a lifetime—a car lifetime of 12 years. Then I’ll get to finance a new one, yippee. Once I have paid off this treasure, the real fun begins—maintaining it as it gracefully deteriorates. Oh, and let’s not forget the regular fuel and oil fund contributions. And who can forget insurance—the quintessential mandatory subscription for the thrill of driving! It’s like paying for the privilege of worrying less about accidents, with the bonus that if I ever do have one, I might only have to partially drain my bank account for another car. Because, let’s face it, cars are the pinnacle of transportation excellence, especially in the bustling paradise of Portland.
SATIRE
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PSU STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS THE STUFF YOU CAN’T LEARN IN A CLASSROOM MACIE HARRELD Many short-term study abroad programs, led by faculty members across various academic fields, are available to Portland State students in the summer of 2024. Four of these programs are detailed below.
LONDON, ENGLAND
Literary London - Texts and Contexts Literary London - Texts and Contexts provides students with a deeper historical and cultural understanding of English literature while exploring the city of London. This program, July 8–20, 2024, is led by English Professor Dr. Keri Behre. The program is worth four credits as English 399 and prepares students with guided readings and discussion before the onset of the trip. In London, students will take part in tours highlighting “many sites and locations where a lot of English literature had its start,” Behre said. Students will visit the Tower of London and the Globe Theatre to watch a Shakespearean play, take a sightseeing cruise on the Thames River, visit the city of Bath where the Jane Austen Centre is located and experience the treasures of the British Library—one of, if not the largest, library in the world. “We have an optional trip to the shrine of Julian of Norwich, who’s somebody that all of my medieval literature students read and study, but getting to go and see her shrine and the location of Norwich is just such a beautiful opportunity to connect with the texts that we
already may know and love and to really just get that deeper experience,” Behre said. “There’s not a lot that can replace the connection with place and historical context that you get from actually visiting a place,” Behre said. While the cost of living in London is relatively high compared to many other major cities, Behre has structured the course with the goal of minimizing costs. “We have worked so hard to make this as affordable as possible and really prioritize affordability for students,” Behre said. “For example, students are staying in shared apartments with kitchens because eating out in London is really expensive,” Behre said. “And I also think there’s just something so special about having a regular grocery store in a foreign city. So students will get that opportunity to shop and create some of their own meals.” This program’s core is English literature, but London—with its population of nearly 10 million people and more than 300 spoken languages—is a diverse and cosmopolitan center. For Behre, studying abroad “really changed the course of my life in so many ways, [like] helping me—a first generation college student from the Midwest—really see myself as a global citizen. And that’s what I’m hoping to bring to my students as part of this experience.” “Especially for someone who hasn’t traveled abroad before, it’s this really incredible perspective shift that, I think, can really deeply enrich how you see yourself in the world,” Behre said.
COURTESY OF KERI BEHRE Professor Keri Behre is leading “Literary London - Texts and Contexts”, where students will experience “many sites and locations where a lot of English literature had its start,” said Behre
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ARTS & CULTURE
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
Popular Culture, K-Pop in Seoul Michael Lupro, Professor of University Studies at PSU, is leading a program from Aug. 24 through Sep. 4, 2024 called Popular Culture, K-Pop in Seoul. This course analyzes the global circulation of culture through the context of Korean media, arts and communication systems. “There’s nothing more consequential, I think, in the global media environment right now than the rise of Korean cultural production,” Lupro said. “Not just music, but also film and television. And whether it’s ‘Squid Game’ or Parasite, there’s many examples of Korea really having an outsized influence on global pop culture, given the size of [the] country.” “Students will have the opportunity to engage [in] many facets of pop culture,” Lupro said. “Like, we’ll go to media firms and advertising companies, fashion and not just music… The focus is on K-pop as a cultural phenomenon.” This program is a four-credit University Studies course called Examining Pop Culture. Lupro’s approach to teaching this content focuses on “how things are made, [and] the stuff
that shapes us,” Lupro said. “So getting access to people—[those] who are actually making things—and hearing what they have to say about how they’re trying to communicate… we can then compare [that] to the communication we receive. [That] is the core of my approach to the pop culture class.” Thus, the program’s itinerary contains many insights into the production of Korean media. “We’re gonna get a dance class from a real K-pop choreographer,” Lupro said. “We’re gonna go see an MTV taping. We’re going to be able to get behind the scenes a little bit in a way that you wouldn’t be able to just as a tourist.” Participating in a study abroad program such as this allows students to benefit from unique social and cultural exchanges without the pressures and anxieties of coordinating travel logistics. Transportation, SIM cards, hotels, travel insurance and most meals are all built into the program and organized by local guides. “I think it’s worth it to have that local expertise, like people who know that city… people who are professionally dedicated to providing that experience and are native to the place,” Lupro said.
COURTESY OF MICHAEL LUPRO Michael Lupro with tour guide in a Seoul dance studio, where students will learn KPOP choreography from professional dancers in this Pop Culture study abroad course
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
COURTESY OF ISABELLA THOMAS During the program “Architecture of Mexico City”, students will visit the School of Architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. This building, adorned by the mural Historical Representation of Culture, is the university library and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
Architecture of Mexico City Juan Heredia, Professor of Architecture and Director of the School of Architecture at PSU, is leading a study abroad program to his hometown of Mexico City, Aug. 4–17, 2024. The program accepts students from any major but prioritizes those majoring in architecture and art history. Through an architectural lens, this program examines the rich cultural history of Mexico from within the country’s capital and secondmost-populated city in the Americas. At the same time, students will engage with the artifacts and structures spanning thousands of years of Mesoamerican history. “There are many archaeological sites that are very important… [and] very close to Mexico City or within Mexico City, and many cultures within that, [like] the Aztecs or the Teotihuacans,” Heredia said. On this trip, students will have the opportunity to experience the remains of Teotihuacan, the largest pre-Columbian city in Mesoamerica. “We look at pre-Columbian architecture,” Heredia said. “We look at colonial architecture, especially the early colonial architecture. That is very interesting because you see the clash of cultures occurring all of a sudden. And then some type of resolution that began to form the identity of what is now Mexico during the seventeenth and eighteenth century, the so-called Baroque period… At the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, Mexico became an independent country, and then the history continued.” This program provides students with a unique connection to the culture and history of Mexico City that a textbook cannot replicate. “The city is a little bit of a palimpsest,” Heredia said. “Like a codex, that you see the traces of what happened behind or before, underneath. So that synthetic experience cannot be readily explained in a lecture class.” Also included in the itinerary are visits to many of Mexico City’s national museums and museums of political and artistic luminaries, such as Frida Kahlo, Leon Trotsky and Luis Barragan. The coursework supplementing the travel experience includes readings, lectures, group discussions, sketchbooking and a retrospective presentation. Students can receive six credits from various courses within the departments of architecture, Indigenous Nations studies, Chicano and Latino studies, or urban studies and planning.
VALPARAÍSO, CHILE
Arte y Cerebros en Chile Artist Jeff Leake and Neuroscientist Bill Griesar both teach in the psychology department at PSU. Together, they will lead the Arte y Cerebros en Chile—aka Art and Brains in Chile— program from June 28 to July 26, 2024. This course utilizes the experience of international travel itself as a means for students to understand neuroscience on a very personal level. “Studying in a new cultural language environment directly challenges these ingrained neural networks of perceptual bias and prediction by undermining expectations of what we will see, hear, taste and smell, and how others perceive us and our behavior, introducing surprise and novelty and often pulling us into the conscious present,” Griesar said. “So we explore the nature of that process, like what’s actually going on in all of us, including your instructors at the time, when we’re involved in the study abroad program in Chile,” Griesar said. Students will live in the colorful port city of Valparaíso, an ideal setting for a course at the intersection of neuroscience and community arts. These coastlines are unique in that they are home to the Humboldt squid, a species with unique nervous system physiology that has attracted neuroscientists from around the world and ultimately contributed to the development
of the field in this region. “There’s an extraordinary program there at the Universidad de Valparaíso in Chile in neuroscience, with lots of neuroscientists that our students get to meet,” Griesar said. “And so they go to the labs; they actually see the research being performed. They meet the grad students. They get to view a squid.” Students will apply neuroscience concepts to artistic projects, such as mural work, sewn textiles, engravings and model making. Additionally, students will visit many museums and institutions related to Chilean history and art. “[In Valparaíso], they essentially legalized street art,” Leake said. “And so every surface in the city is covered with artwork. So it’s a great place to go and experience the culture through the artwork that’s there.” Students will learn about and create their own arpilleras—a Chilean tradition of representing memory or trauma in the form of a patchwork tapestry. This is a way for “students to encapsulate the memories they had from their experience there, but also understand some of the national history and trauma of Chile in general,” Griesar said. This course is communal and ultimately shaped by interactions with locals, including homestay families, artists, neuroscientists and group members. “You’re there to experience the culture, but then there’s also a kind of intent around that,” Leake said. “It’s not just like you’re going somewhere for a vacation or something.” “When you’re meeting with the local scientists and artists and the people in that community, [students] really see how excited they are to share what they know and their own experience,” Griesar added. “It’s a much more engaged and collaborative way to go somewhere and change your brain.” Studying abroad is often a highlight of the college experience. More than the novelty and excitement of international travel, organized study abroad programs are evidenced to be professionally, intellectually and emotionally enriching. Combined with a student’s existing financial aid package, students can participate in programs at a highly subsidized cost or, for some, at no personal cost. The deadline to apply for most summer programs is Jan. 31, and students interested can reach out to the lead faculty members and/or attend the upcoming information sessions.
Local A&C Events MILO LOZA
Portland, Oregon City Tour
706 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Jan. 18, 10:30 a.m. $69 Visit Portland’s prettiest areas and learn about local history and culture from a tour guide
Comedy Night
McMenamins Al’s Den Jan. 19, 10 p.m. $10 A showcase of a variety of local comedians, hosted by Brandon Lyons and Chris Johnson
Groundation
The Get Down Jan. 20, 9 p.m. $33 A reggae band with American roots, influenced by jazz and dub
Amazing Bubble Man
Alberta Abbey Jan. 21, 2 p.m. $10–17 Louis Pearl thrills the audience with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles
El Oh Hell
Dante’s Jan. 22, 4 p.m. Free A comedy open mic inside of a hell themed bar, with five-minute sets, hosted by Bryan Withawhy
Airplane Flight Tour over Portland, Oregon
Troutdale Airport Jan. 23, 10 a.m. $99 Get stellar views of iconic sites like downtown Portland and Providence Park, from inside an airplane
What the Constitution Means to Me
Portland Center Stage Jan. 24, 7:30 p.m. $25+ Explore humor, history and the U.S. constitution’s impact in a show culminating in a live debate with an actual teen of today
COURTESY OF NORTHWEST NOGGIN: NEUROSCIENCE OUTREACH GROUP (“GROWING IN NETWORKS”) Arte y Cerebros en Chile (Art and Brains in Chile) will take place in the coastal city of Valparaiso, where students will students will experience Chile’s neuroscience scene, alongside cultural education and artistic projects
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
ARTS & CULTURE
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SHIFTING BASELINE SYNDROME A LOSS OF GENERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE
HALEY HSU
ANISH ARUMUGAM Surrounded by nature in Portland, it is crucial to pause and reflect on an oftenoverlooked phenomenon which affects our natural surroundings and our perception of them. What we consider normal today might vastly differ from what our ancestors deemed healthy. Welcome to the intriguing world of shifting baseline syndrome (SBS). Coined by marine biologist Daniel Pauly in 1995, SBS leads to a gradual shift in what we accept as normal for our natural environment, fueled by a lack of experience, memory or knowledge of past conditions. SBS is not just an environmental term but a psychological puzzle that is a result of environmental generational amnesia. Dr. Eleanor Jane Milner-Gulland is a professor of biodiversity in the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford and director of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Conservation Science. Milner-Gulland and her coworkers have studied two different types of ways knowledge about the ecology of an area is lost—generational amnesia and personal amnesia. Generational amnesia about the environment occurs when one generation fails to pass down ecological information to the next. For example,
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SCIENCE & TECH
Milner-Gulland says that what people consider pristine forests worsens with each new generation. The idea of amnesia emphasizes losing knowledge without being aware of it, which is a key part of understanding the phenomenon of shifting baselines. This theory emerged when scientists explored urban children’s perceptions of nature. Daniel Pauly’s coinage of the term marked a turning point, highlighting the pervasive issue of humans inaccurately perceiving nature due to shifting baselines. SBS has significant effects because it changes how well we measure how the world is changing. Given that we don’t remember or have experience with how the environment was in the past, we tend to judge the health of our surroundings based on our own normal standard without taking historical benchmarks into account. “The problem comes in where the syndrome limits people’s ambition in terms of restoration aims, as our baselines for ‘good’ are also removed from what we are realistically able to get back to,” stated Dr. Ben Siggery, a research and monitoring manager at Surrey Wildlife Trust in the United Kingdom. “So the true answer sits somewhere in the middle of the ideal and the perceived.”
SBS is supported by environmental scientists and conservationists. While solid evidence supporting its existence is difficult to collect given the need to collect mass amounts of data from different generations who can speak to different environments in the past, tales from across the globe tell a story that supports SBS. In Eastern Indonesia, where biodiversity loss paints an unsettling picture, younger fishers remember fewer animals in the past. So, they unknowingly underestimate the extent of the ecological damage compared to their older counterparts. Similarly, in Bolivia’s Amazonia, younger generations believe fewer locally extinct tree and fish species exist than older generations recognize. This shows a gap in how well younger generations understand the past richness of their environment. The concept of SBS has proven invaluable for conservationists in understanding how local expectations for environmental health deteriorate over time. By balancing contemporary perceptions with various forms of evidence, researchers can more accurately assess historical ecosystem decline. A common reference point researchers like Siggery used to understand SBS was the num-
ber of insects splattered on car windshields. Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife have run a Splatometer study since 2004 and recorded a 59% decrease in “insects splattered” on people’s vehicles nationally across the UK. “I know that when people talk about the ‘hundreds of butterflies’ that would flock to their gardens, I can’t relate to [it] and feel a strange sense of having missed out,” Siggery stated. SBS creates a complicated story of perception and forgetfulness in the real world. As we deal with environmental problems, it’s important to understand what SBS means for us to find a sustainable way forward. The key to outreach for younger generations is helping them understand the scale of what was lost to establish the generational knowledge of our ecology and reconnect with our planet. Moreover, we can better understand how our actions affect the ecology of our world if we understand how the small changes build up over time and slowly impact our definition of normal and, thus, the overall health of our planet. It’s crucial to acknowledge that our understanding of a healthy environment might be a product of our generational amnesia. SBS is not just a scientific term, it is a call to action to reassess what we consider normal.
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com
VANGUARD CROSSWORD 1/18/2024 - Crossword Labs
1/14/24, 2:22 PM
Answers in stories 1/18/2024 MILO LOZA
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PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com https://crosswordlabs.com/view/1182024
CROSSWORD
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Community & Wellness Resources UPDATED WEEKLY By Milo Loza
Happening Soon Weight Room Orientation Academic & Student Recreation Center Jan. 18, 11 a.m. Free for students
Resources
Wellness
PSU Basic Needs Hub
SHAC Mind Spa
SMSU Suite 435 Mon–Fri, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free for students
UCB Suite 310 Mon–Fri (by appointment) Free for students
Helps students access resources such as funds, food, housing, employment, childcare and health support.
Solo space to experience biofeedback, light therapy, meditation, massages, relaxation and more. Must be enrolled in at least five credits for summer or fall.
Join a certified personal trainer for an introduction to the weight room and other fitness spaces
PSU Food Pantry
Pickleball League
1704 SW Broadway (temporary location) Tues–Thur, 12–4 p.m. Free for students
Academic & Student Recreation Center Jan. 18, 6:30 p.m. Free for students Make new friends and learn the fastest growing sport in America!
Board Game Night SMSU Cafeteria Jan. 19, 3 p.m. Free for students Play board games with new friends or hang out and watch!
Open Basketball League Academic & Student Recreation Center Jan. 22, 7 p.m. Free for students 5v5 Open Intramural Basketball open to all skill levels and genders
Tote Bag Painting with Delta Gamma SMSU 323 Jan. 23, 6 p.m. Free for students Decorate a tote bag and discover how joining a sorority can enrich your college experience!
Brainz on Gamez SMSU Viking Game Room Jan. 24, 6 p.m. Free for students Eat, drink, play, game and maybe even sing at the neuroscience club’s game night!
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RESOURCES
Access to free groceries in a welcoming, equitable, trauma-informed way. Must be enrolled in at least one credit for summer or fall.
Multnomah Behavioral Health Online Available 24/7 Free Discover resources and communities for behavioral health, including mental health and addiction
SMART recovery meetings
Mindful Meanderings
University Center Building 340 E Times vary Free
Listen on Spotify Available 24/7 Free
In peer recovery, students with shared experiences connect to reduce stigma and build a campus recovery community.
PSU-produced podcast about being mindful while outside, practicing gratitude, finding joy and being in the moment
SHAC weekly online parent support group
Telus Health Student Support
Online Thursdays 11 a.m. Free Come together as parents in a relaxed setting to support each other, share ideas, collaborate and commiserate
Women’s Resource Center Online Mon–Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free Confidential advocacy services to students who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, violence and stalking
Oregon Energy Fund Varying Locations Mon–Fri, hours vary Free Provides energy bill assistance to low-income Oregonians to support household stability
Download on App Store or Google Play Available 24/7 Free Connecting students with free, confidential mental health and wellbeing support
Outdoor Workshop Wednesdays Watch on Youtube Available 24/7 Free PSU Campus Recreation Center staff videos about topics ranging from Leave No Trace and plant identification to hiking spots and land acknowledgments
BORP online fitness studio Watch on Zoom Mon–Sat, hours vary Free Bay Area Outreach and Recreation Program’s (BORP) virtual exercise classes for people with physical disabilities
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 18, 2024 • psuvanguard.com