Portland State Vanguard by Portland State Vanguard

VOLUME 68 | ISSUE 25

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

Poetry takes to the streets Street Roots poetry anthology explores issues of homelessness

NEWS

OPINION

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

PSU-AAUP files unfair practice charge against Portland State administration. pg. 5

Have you ever wanted to be a campus RA? The job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. pg.9

Miyazaki madness! The Northwest Film Center is screening nine films by Studio Ghibli in March. pg. 16

Can Vikings Men’s Basketball do enough down the stretch to make the postseason? pg. 22

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

NEWS

PSU REDUCES IN THE 2014 CAMPUS CONSERVATION NATIONALS KARISA CLEARY

Ready. Set. Go. Campus Conservation Nationals, a three-week challenge to reduce energy and water usage in dorms kicked off last Monday. Portland State will be taking part in the CCN for the second year in a row, with six residence halls participating: Broadway, Ondine, Epler, Montgomery, Blumel and St. Helens. “We’re teaching basic understanding of how important it is to conserve and the idea of why it’s important,” said Kristen Purdy, a sophomore environmental science major and EcoReps coordinator for the Sustainability Leadership Center. The EcoReps are a group of student leaders for sustainability in residence halls. Each spring a three-month window opens for universities to sign up and choose when their 21-day period will commence. During CCN, weekly energy usage is recorded and compared to typical numbers. “We take a two-week reading at beginning of the term and compare the weekly balance baseline period to compare usage,” said Noel Mingo, utilities manager for facilities and property management at PSU. After the readings have been obtained, they are documented on an interactive dashboard on CCN’s website, where they are tracked and compared with all of the other participating universities.

During last year’s CCN, PSU saved more than $2,000 in energy bills for the three residence halls that participated: Broadway, Ondine and Epler. So, why is it only three weeks of sustainability? “You may have heard before that it takes 21 days to form a habit,” said Hannah Debelius, an associate of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools, which is an organizing partner of CCN. “That’s exactly how long our competition is in order to promote longterm lifestyle changes.” To keep with the theme of sustainability, the PSU EcoReps have decided to plan several sustainability-based events that will coincide with CCN. “We’re doing a bunch of education events like tabling in lobbies of residence halls, and events like the Candlelight Dinner [that was held on Feb. 13] and more,” Purdy said. Purdy also noted that students can sign a sustainability pledge in order to continue their conservation efforts once CCN has ended. “Sustainability pledges allow students to take whatever sort of pledge they want,” Purdy said. “They can pledge to do things like set their computer to sleep mode, making sure they’re unplugging stuff that’s not being used, turning off water when brushing teeth, taking shorter showers…They get their picture

taken next to a chalkboard with their pledge written on it and they get posted on [the EcoReps] Facebook page.” The PSU EcoReps have two events coming up: Pedal for Power, which will allow students to drop in and blend their own smoothies manually using a pedaling machine, and Blackout Game Night, an event that encourages attendees to step away from their electronic devices and play board games with

others. Pedal for Power will be held in Ondine on Feb. 26 at 7 a.m. and Blackout Game Night will be on March 7 from 7–9 p.m. in the lobbies of participating residence halls. “The event is sort of a celebration event for the end of Campus Conservation Nationals where students in the residence halls can have fun and build community, all while turning off the lights in their room and coming down to the lobby,” Purdy said.

“We are also encouraging residents to unplug from laptops, TVs and cell phones and spend time with the people in their communities. We are hoping to display the data from CCN on televisions in the lobbies that have them to show what progress we made.” Purdy also noted that Blumel Hall will have kid-friendly board games along with the regular board games. Debelius believes that the events will have a posi-

tive impact on the future of sustainability. “Significant behavioral changes at home, the office or in dorms have a large impact on energy and water use,” Debelius said. “The benefit of committing to these behavioral changes on campus is that it can foster a widespread culture of sustainability.” Updates of PSU’s progress can be found at buildingdashboard.net/pdx

AMANDA MCIVER makes laundry detergent at a PSU conservation challenge.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

VALARIE KITTLE/PSU VANGUARD

NEWS

Faculty file unfair practice charge against PSU administration SARA SWETZOFF

The Portland State chapter of the American Association of University Professors filed an unfair practice charge with the Oregon Employment Relations Board earlier this month. The charge accuses the PSU administration of “bargaining with the union in bad faith”—in other words, violating provisions laid out in the Oregon Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act. “The bargaining act explicitly defines the boundaries of the behavior that the university must comport with in this collective bargaining relationship, but the administration is circumventing the system,” said Philip Lesch, executive director of PSU-AAUP.

The unfair practice charge was the latest development in contract negotiations until PSU-AAUP declared a formal impasse yesterday, which brought the union closer to authorizing a strike that could coincide with the beginning of spring term. The charge consists of a multi-part list of complaints that, according to a press release circulated by AAUP last week, “challenges a number of actions by the university administration across different departments.” According to Lesch, the document is 80 pages long and includes 100 citations. AAUP highlighted three main points of concern in their press release. These relate to, among other things, cases of faculty termination and changes to university policy. First is the administration’s

termination of the Chair of the Strike Strategy Committee. Recounted Lesch, “They targeted a key activist and terminated him. This person was a member of our executive council. We started publishing newsletters back in August about the possibility of a strike this year. No sooner had that started than he was fired.” Chris Broderick of university communications disputed this version of events, saying, “The university does not punish employees because of their union activities. That would be illegal, and such an allegation or suggestion is false.” Broderick could not give more details because the university does not comment on personnel issues. The second complaint item in the press release charges the administration with imposing “unilateral

changes to the policies governing merit increases and teaching loads” for faculty at the Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning. Gerald Sussman, a professor of urban studies and planning at PSU, explained that the administration refused to accept the latest iteration of the school’s internally-established governance guidelines, which outlined principles related to workload and merit pay decisions, despite the fact that these principles appear in a previously approved version of the guidelines. “In other words,” wrote Sussman in an email, “the administration does not want to accept departmental faculty shared governance in these decisions.” The third issue included in the press release cites the administration’s “unilateral

THE BARGAINING TABLE in PSU’s Market Center Building will be empty until administration provides a response to faculty's filed unfair practice charge.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

decision to close the Graduate School of Education’s Early Childhood and Training Center and terminate its employees, without first notifying the association about the possibility of closure and bargaining about that decision or the impacts of that decision on the affected employees.” The Graduate School of Education declined to comment. Broderick stated in an email that the elimination of positions at the center “followed PSU’s collective bargaining agreement.” Broderick acknowledged, “The union has begun the process to contest those layoffs, and the process is ongoing.”

Questions of procedure

According to Oregon law, the charged party—in this case, the PSU administration—must compose a detailed response to the allegations. The Employment Relations Board then uses that information to decide whether the case is eligible for investigation. “We feel confident that the board is going to see this as a valid set of complaints and it will go to hearing,” Lesch said. Since the passage of the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act and establishment of the Employment Relations Board in the early 1970s, more than four decades of case histories have provided a well-established interpretation of what the law means, Lesch explained. The Bargaining Act lays out specific protocol regarding the length of negotiations before a mediator is appointed, declaration of an impasse, fact-finding, strike, arbitration and so on. When this protocol is not being met, employees can file an official complaint with the Employment Relations

Board, as AAUP did at the beginning of the month. For Lesch and other PSUAAUP members and their supporters, the situation is a clear-cut breach of fair negotiation procedure. “The administration has clearly been ignoring their obligation to bargain in the areas where they are required to do so,” Lesch said.

A ‘critical crossroads’

With 11 months of negotiations behind them and no contract in sight yet, PSU’s AAUP chapter is using every resource available to them to challenge the administration and draw attention to their demands. For Lesch, the circumstances at hand are no less than a battle over which direction PSU will take at this “critical crossroads.” “This year the administration decided they were going to start a war,” Lesch said. “It wasn’t like this last bargaining cycle. The administration’s current position at the table undermines 25 years of bargaining history,” he said. Sussman echoed Lesch’s sentiment, asserting that the administration’s approach suggests a “blatant attempt to crush the [faculty] union.” The next step for AAUP’s unfair practice charge requires the administration to compose its response to the allegations. According to Lesch, the administration has assigned this task to a private legal firm, which has requested three weeks to compose the response. Once this step has been completed, the Employment Relations Board must decide if there is a case to pursue, then investigate and hold a hearing. The duration of this process could run into next year.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

NEWS

STUDENTS TURN OUT, IDEAS SPROUT STUDENT POWER CONVERGENCE ENCOURAGES STUDENTS TO DREAM BIG

SARA SWETZOFF

Saturday marked the second annual Student Power Convergence—an event where students came together in Parkway North in Smith Memorial Student Union for a five-hour brainstorm on how to improve Portland State and strengthen the new student union. Hosted and organized by the Portland State University Student Union, Students for Unity, the Food Action Collective, the Student Action Coalition and the Community Development Student Group, the Convergence marked the culmination of a weeklong series of student empowerment events called Student Power Week. The idea was that after hearing the inspiring stories of visiting organizers throughout Power Week, PSU student leaders and organizers would have the opportunity to jumpstart their own collaborative campaigns by taking their ideas straight to the drawing board at the Convergence. “Last year’s Convergence focused more on the guest speakers and less on student driven workshops,” said organizer Trey Cundall, a senior community development major and co-chair of the CDSG. “This year we really wanted to generate some ideas and passion for moving the student union forward.” The structure of the gathering consisted of two sets of breakout group sessions, with the entire body in attendance reconvening for discussion after each session. Organizers prompted students to consider what they believe is wrong with PSU,

STUDENTS GATHER in SMSU for the Student Power Convergence to discuss issues affecting the PSU community.

what the student union should take on after faculty contracts are resolved and what kind of models of success could be emulated in the future. Ideas ranged from a book swap project to the total redesign of SMSU. Others included more gatherings and teach-ins in the park blocks, more services for students with kids, better food on campus and a campus credit union. Everyone agreed that resources and infrastructure on campus should be student-run, as much as possible. In the final reconvening, groups described their nascent campaigns and the next steps toward achieving them. Veronika Ivanova, a senior majoring in philosophy and psychology, participated in the communication breakout group. At the end of the day, she presented to the room her idea for a newsletter template that could easily and efficiently compile student groups’ collective events and plans into one email digest. Having just heard about the Convergence the evening before, Ivanova did not anticipate taking on such an endeavor. “I was not expecting to find myself in a room of students so critical, considerate and sincerely motivated to make our university more inclusive and progressive,” she said. “I definitely did not expect to participate in any vital capacity and didn’t expect to be valued to the extent that I was. “I’m overwhelmingly grateful that I went on a whim. I am walking away from my first meeting [as] an active

©CAMERON FRANK

part of the student union, and I’m looking forward to utilizing all my abilities for the benefit of the community,” she added. Ivanova was not the only one who ended up at the Convergence unexpectedly. Convergence planners initially regretted that they had scheduled the event for the same weekend as the regional Northwest Student Leadership Conference, also held at PSU, but in the end the Convergence became an added resource to conference attendees. Steven Button, director of student services at the Kwantlen Student Association, is the equivalent of a student body president at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Vancouver, British Columbia. He and two other student leaders from his university stumbled upon the Student Power Convergence in between conference workshops. Button ended up staying for the entire Convergence.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

“You folks are inspiring,” he told the room. “This campus shares many similarities with our own—in terms of the programs we are dealing with as an urban commuter school— but the ideas I’ve heard today are so novel. We are super excited to implement some of these approaches to building community and outreach.” The organizers were equally enthusiastic about the results of the Convergence. “I think the SPC turned out great. We had a good turnout and I feel like I walked away from it with a better understanding of what we could do via the student union to organize ourselves as students,” Cundall said. When asked if the recent faculty contract negotiations and planned student walkout influenced the success of the Convergence, Cundall agreed. “I think it gives us an easy fulcrum to organize students, as the issue of faculty contracts obviously impacts the student body.

“It motivates students to get involved in campus activism that [they] might not notice or care [about] if there weren’t such a pressing issue for people to focus on.” Sonya Friedman, a sophomore anthropology major and a coordinator with StAC, agreed that the faculty contract negotiations are empowering more students to ask questions and address their concerns. “There is no central place for students to obtain knowledge about the current conflict between the faculty union and the administration, but that is changing as we build the student union through events like today’s Convergence,” Friedman said. Referencing a walkout scheduled to coincide with a faculty info picket on Thursday, Friedman continued, “When we talked about [the] upcoming walkout today, people had many questions and were very interested in what it means for their education.”

Karissa Moden, a first year graduate student in the Master of Social Work program, said she knew of the student union but did not have the chance to get involved before the Student Power Convergence. She learned about the Convergence after a friend encouraged her to sign up for the student walkout text loop. “I wanted to attend because I have been wanting to use my energy towards a cause rather than feeling flustered and overwhelmed by all that needs to get tackled. I am also tired of sitting and talking, and I want some direction in taking action. I left [the Convergence] feeling rejuvenated and ready to speak up and for the students, as well as myself here at PSU,” Moden said. Friedman concluded, “Thanks to the Convergence, I think we’re going to see even more students turning out to support their professors this Thursday.”

NEWS

PSU’S MY LIFE FOSTER CARE PROJECT NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PARTICIPANTS OF THE PSU MY LIFE PROGRAM, Bobby Hillary (left), Joshua Erickson (back), Devonna Leiby (middle) and Lavara Robinson.

CRIME BLOTTER

Week of Feb. 17-23

STEPHANIE TSHAPPAT

Feb. 17 ARREST

Urban Plaza At 4:07 p.m. Officer David Troppe and Officer David Baker contacted nonstudent Ronnie Gregory after observing him drop a sandwich and ask a woman for money. Gregory was advised he can’t litter or solicit money on campus. Gregory consented to a search of his person, which located two syringes, two burners, a tourniquet and cotton balls. Gregory was cited in lieu of arrest for attempted unlawful possession of heroin, issued a PSU exclusion and released.

ARREST PHOTO COURTESY OF MY LIFE

KATHARINE PEDERSEN

My Life, a foster care project at the Regional Research Institute at Portland State’s School of Social Work, received national recognition last month from the Center for the Study of Social Policy in Washington, D.C. It was one of 15 foster youth support projects selected by the CSSP, of 155 submissions. My Life is a two-year project that helps teens transition from foster care into adulthood. The project reaches out to teens in the Department for Human Services foster care program within the Portland metro area who are between 16 and 18 years of age. “[The My Life] project is about the youth,” said Laurie Powers, one of the co-leaders for My Life. “We will support them and work with them through their ups and downs.” The project first began when it received grants from the

National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Education. The grants were given to My Life for a five-year pilot study, which focused on teens in special education and those with disabilities in foster care. After the pilot study received positive feedback, the group decided that the project could be successful in helping all foster care teens. Powers said that the main reason for transforming the project was “to show the project works for everyone. “We reach out to every youth in care within that age range,” she added. When the teens first agree to be a part of the program, they are randomly selected to be put into one of two groups. One group receives a year of coaching while the other does not. This is done to measure the impact of coaching on teens.

Another aspect of the project is group activities, like bowling and miniature golf. Powers said that group activities have an impact on the teens because they’re able to socialize with others who may be able to understand what they’re going through. “The youth enjoy getting together with other youth and other adults,” Powers said. Powers also mentioned that one of the major questions that the project is trying to answer is, “if we suppose youth to be more in charge of their lives, will they be more successful in their lives?” So far, the project has shown that the teens in the coaching group have showed a higher employment rate and more self-determination than the group without coaches. Powers hopes that this data will help them improve the project for teens by offering more effective services.

Engineering Building At 4:46 p.m. Officers Troppe and Baker arrested nonstudent Samuel Cottrell for trespassing. While being taken into custody Cottrell attempted to resist and there was a brief struggle. A search located syringes and other narcotic paraphernalia with heroin residue on his person. Cottrell was also discovered to have an outstanding warrant. Cottrell was arrested on said warrant and also charged with criminal trespass II, attempted unlawful possession of heroin and harassment. He was lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center.

Feb. 18 THEFT

Academic Student Recreation Center Officer Brenton Chose received a report from a stu-

dent who stated his backpack, containing textbooks and other miscellaneous items, was stolen from the sixth floor of the School of Social Work student lounge between 8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.

BURGLARY

Women’s Resource Center Officer Gregory Marks received a report from the center’s director that someone had gone through the kitchen and left behind two plastic bottles with marijuana residue. There were no signs of forced entry, but there was indication of someone climbing over the wall into the area. No further information available.

ARREST

Cramer Hall/Smith Memorial Student Union breezeway At 6:15 p.m. Officers Troppe and Baker contacted non-student Paul Kwapich, whom Officer Baker recognized as having been previously excluded from campus; Kwapich was also discovered to have an outstanding warrant. Kwapich was arrested on said warrant, charged with criminal trespass II and lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center.

ARREST

Millar Library At 9:30 p.m. Officer Chris Fischer responded to a report of an intoxicated male stumbling around Millar Library. Officers contacted nonstudent Gregory Shay who failed to comply with orders given, resulting in two officers being assaulted. Shay was arrested and lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center. No further information available.

Feb. 19 SUSPICIOUS SUBJECT

Science Resource and Teaching Center Officer Chose received a report from a female student who stated an unknown suspicious male followed her from above area to the Helen Gordon Center, saying things to her like, “You act like you don’t care” and “You have sexy legs.” Student ignored the subject and made it safely into the Helen Gordon Center, at which point the subject walked off. He was described as black male adult in his late 20s to early 30s, about fivefeet ten-inches or taller in height, of medium build, wearing black clothing and having short black hair.

Feb. 21 THEFT

Blumel residence hall bike garage At 8:40 a.m. Officer James Dewey and Officer Gary Smeltzer received a report from a PSU employee of two severed metal cables with missing allen wrench tools as well as damage to the metal sign on the outside of the building. Read the full crime blotter at psuvanguard.com

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

OPINION

ENJOY THE OLYMPICS— THEY WON’T LAST “We treat the Olympics as an amusing diversion, neglecting to remember that being an athlete is an unsustainable career that most people can only do until they reach their

Global Thinking by Derek Sun

The Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, have been going on for over a week now. I’m glad to hear about the U.S. beating Russia in men’s hockey, one of the few sports I care much about, but I have purposely avoided paying any attention to the rest of the events. The media blitz over Sochi is scheduled to dissipate on precisely Feb. 22—before this article is even in print—and any Olympic news will be classified as old news, much like the events of a presidential election. All the participants, no matter how impressive their athletic accomplishments were, will be forgotten for another four years. If a certain athlete retires, he or she risks fading away from the public memory forever unless they start appearing on reality shows like Ryan Lochte, advertise cereal like Mary Lou Retton or find other ways of selling out. The modern Olympics are a far cry from what Pierre de Coubertin and the revivers of the Olympics planned over a century ago. Originally seen as a way of bringing nations together and encouraging healthy competition among ordinary people, the Olympics have become another arena for countries to compete by employing all the money available, making it even more difficult for poor nations that cannot afford the best coaches and equipment to win fairly. Rivalries develop into animosities over the course of the games, proving George Orwell right when he claimed that “sports are an unfailing cause of ill will.” Christopher Hitchens lamented the disproportionate focus placed on sports and the Olympics in his article, “Fool’s Gold,” and quipped that, “I only ask that they keep out of the grown up section of the paper.” When the festivities are over, the cold truth is that only a tiny minority of Olympic athletes return home with any medals, and even those who win glory and celebrity endorsement deals risk ending up broke and obscure. The family of Gabby Douglas, one of the biggest stars of the London Olympics, went bankrupt as the games were occurring. Banks foreclosed on the house of Ryan Lochte shortly after the games concluded in August. Olympic athletes, and NFL and NBA players commonly lose all their fame and money after the competitions end. Seventy-eight percent of NFL players are bankrupt within two years of retiring, according to the ESPN documentary Broke, while 60 percent of NBA players are bankrupt within five years of retiring. The Daily Beast described “post-Olympic stress disorder,” in which numerous athletes succumb to alcoholism, depression and obesity when they no longer receive attention and praise, and realize that hardly any athletes earn the millions that Kobe Bryant or Usain Bolt earn. We treat the Olympics as

30s, and that most never win lasting recognition or wealth.”

CHRISTOPHER PERALTA/PSU VANGUARD

an amusing diversion, neglecting to remember that being an athlete is an unsustainable career that most people can only do until they reach their 30s, and that most never win lasting recognition or wealth. The Olympic facilities and events are also forgotten as quickly as they come. When do we ever care about diving, ice skating or pole vaulting besides during the Olympics? On the same day that I watched the BBC announce that Tokyo would host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games, they also reported on the outbreak of radioactive water that was flowing from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. In the midst of raucous celebrations for Tokyo’s victory, the Japanese government offered continuous assurances that the radioactive water leaks were not a serious threat to community health, nor would the leaks endanger lives during the Olympics six years from now. Two weeks ago, Jake Adelstein wrote in The Daily Beast that several of the main organizers of Japan’s Olympics planning

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

committees possessed ties to Japan’s organized crime groups, the yakuza. The organizers had violated Japanese law by associating with known criminals, arranging shady business deals and plotting to use bribery to lobby the International Olympics Committee to make certain Japanese sports were Olympic events. Some people argue that hosting the games will bring billions of dollars in advertising, tickets and other economic benefits, and will grant a much needed shot in the arm to a country grappling with aging and recession. If the past examples of abandoned stadiums, kitschy merchandise and razed communities found in Greece and China are any indication, it is likely that the Olympics will deliver only the most temporary and minuscule improvements before being forgotten and discarded. The Olympics are a distraction that does not even deliver on the improvements it seems to promise and adds nothing to our lives.

Becoming an RA is not for the faint of heart Against the Current

by Sebastian Richardson The selection process for new resident assistants has finally begun. Many eager students will get the opportunity to work for University Housing and Residence Life come the 2014–15 school year, and my heart goes out to them. It can be a fulfilling and rewarding job, but also one that lacks professionalism, security and organization. I went through the six-month-long hiring process and the two-week-long fall training, and was on the job for a month before my contract was terminated. While my time on staff was a bit unorthodox and ended not long after it began, what I saw

and experienced left me with no feelings of nostalgia toward my time spent with UHRL. There are many things about the job I enjoyed. I loved my co-workers, my supervisors and the people I met while on staff. However, the job is a task that should only be undertaken by those who are deeply dedicated to it and who are willing to put up with all of the difficulties, trials and negativity that accompany it. The job itself is a sacrifice of not only time, but of personal commitments, close friendships and school dedications. Some RAs can pull it off. They work multiple jobs, maintain their friendships and do well in school. But for a good amount of people, the job is physically and mentally draining, and it’s not unusual for RAs to leave midyear. With weekly staff meetings, programs, being on call, required office hours, one-on-one meetings with supervisors and all of the miscellaneous stuff that goes with the role, it can feel like you are on the job 24/7. To some, this may sound appealing, but to others it is more of a curse than a blessing. Most people don’t like it when work follows them home. When you’re an RA, not only do you live at your place of employment, but you can also never separate yourself from the obligations of the job. Not only that, but your co-workers incidentally become ALEXANDER ATWOOD, an RA hire with no placement, is excited to help foster a community with PSU student housing and hopes that his experience as a lab coordinator will help him prepare for the responsibilities of the position.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

OPINION

some of your closest friends. It goes beyond mere accidental proximity, as RAs are practically their own subculture on campus. They understand the same jokes, share many of the some difficulties and spend large amounts of time with one another. However, such interpersonal relationships don’t exist without difficulties. Gossip amongst UHRL staff is like a plague. It’s unavoidable and inescapable. RAs gossip about everything and everyone: fellow co-workers, supervisors, residents and incidents. Tensions run high, people get angry and with so many different ideas, approaches and opinions it’s difficult to always be at peace with everyone. Like any stressful workplace, it’s better to keep your mouth shut and say nothing, because odds are it will be repeated. When I originally applied to become an RA, I wanted to be a person my residents could rely on and be friends with. However, this was difficult when your employers explicitly say to “be friendly, but don’t be their friend.” Rather than feeling comfortable around residents, I often felt like I was stepping on eggshells, trying not to say the wrong thing while still attempting to treat them like human beings. This inability to be myself, share my experiences and be open with my residents made every interaction feel fake and somewhat dishonest. Not to mention, in a job that demands such professionalism, there is a major lack of procedural integrity among RAs. I can honestly admit that some of the greatest violators of policy are the RAs themselves. Everything from drinking when and where they’re not supposed to, owning candles, hanging stuff from their ceiling or violating quiet hours—it’s all done on a regular basis by those who are employed by UHRL. There’s also a troubling contrast in how RAs approach their job. Some RAs take their job way too seriously, and some of them not seriously enough. You’ll have RAs who are strict and others who are too easy going. There’ll be RAs who care about their job and those who are just in it for the benefits. Such a polarization of approaches makes it difficult to maintain any middle ground. You are often pitted against your fellow coworkers by residents who have been treated unfairly, and even if you agree with them, you can’t take their side. The gauge for how policy should be enforced seems like it would be black and white, but there is a lack of any consistent, all-encompassing approach. I have seen residents get away with infractions like throwing a fire extinguisher out a window and I’ve seen residents get documented for possession of alcohol for simply having empty beer boxes that they were going to use for an art project. I’ve known RAs who blatantly turned a blind eye to marijuana use and RAs who aggressively sought out policy violators. Fair treatment is something that is emphasized during training, but the practice is far from perfect. Finally, the fall training was arguably the most tiresome and difficult aspect of the hiring process. Many people return to the job year after year, and I thought I was going to be one of them, but fall training changed my mind. While I appreciated the knowledge I gained, the time commitment was extremely demanding and many of the presentations were biased in ways that pushed a progressive social agenda where dissension could possibly threaten your employment. Let me finish by saying that I have nothing but love and respect for my former co-workers, supervisors and department heads. They are all good people and do their jobs well. While I had issues with the job, it doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t do it. However, much of what I have mentioned is what you don’t learn in the RA class or fall training. For those who are applying to become RAs, good luck, and to those who are currently RAs, I wish you all the best. Many people are not cut out for the job, but more often than not, the job is just not cut out for some people.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

OPINION

SEPARATING THE ART FROM THE ARTIST The Front Row

by Breana Harris A staggering number of articles on the Woody Allen pedophilia debacle have been spewed across the internet since Allen’s adopted daughter Dylan Farrow wrote an open letter in The New York Times claiming he molested her when she was seven years old. I don’t want to weigh in on this issue. To me, the most important element of this story is about internet vigilante justice and the age we live in, where people across the world who have never met Allen or any of the Farrow clan can effectively declare a man guilty of a crime he was never convicted of. We all have opinions, but the absolute certainty and the intense level of emotional investment displayed really shocks me. You can almost hear people congratulating themselves for their ability to passionately champion victims in comment sections on websites and declare how sick it makes them that anyone could support the work of this “monster.”

As writer Vincent Scarpa so wisely tweeted, “You’re not a hero if you stop watching Woody Allen movies.” On the internet, the idea of separating the art from the artist is often met with scorn and judgment. But the fact that this concept has become so maligned is actually really dangerous, especially if you happen to care about literature, film, music or art and consider them important to the world. I have to say, I understand that sometimes it’s hard to help. I have trouble watching Mel Gibson movies, even though I enjoyed quite a few of them growing up. Hell, I even have trouble watching Tom Cruise. I threw away my writing books by Orson Scott Card when I found out about his extreme homophobic views. And those were some really good books. But where do we draw the line? Many people are offended by Woody Allen’s 16-year-long marriage to Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, because their relationship began when she was just 19 years old. But he is far from the only great artist to have shacked up with a barely legal girl. Charlie Chaplin eloped with 18-year-old Oona O’Neill when he was 54. And the recent Ralph Fiennes-directed film, The Invisible Woman, details how Charles Dickens essentially left his wife for an 18-year-old actress when he was in his late 40s. Not only that, he was kind of a total jerk about it. Writers like Lewis Carroll, Horatio Alger and Gore Vidal have been accused of all-out pedophilia. History is full of drug addicts, sexual deviants and just general bad people who have created some absolute masterpieces. ‘ROSEMARY’S BABY’ director Roman Polanski has been the subject of much controversy.

©PARAMOUNT PICTURES

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Now that the internet is around to document every detail of a celebrity’s life, it becomes that much easier to pass judgment on them. Recently, George Clooney told Variety how he thinks celebrities should stay off social media because it makes them too available—and he’s right. How often have you followed the Twitter of someone famous you admire and found them to be really disappointing, offensive or just plain annoying? It’s bad enough that I have to know Leonardo DiCaprio only dates 22-year-old blonde models. I’m sure he’d prefer to make that aspect of his personality as private as possible so that the rest of the population still wants to see him in movies. It’s easier when it’s actors who are there to say lines. But writers and directors are another matter, because their personality flaws can seep into their art. In many of Roman Polanski’s films, especially his adaptation of my favorite novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, you can tell he is a misogynist who fetishizes young girls. To me, that means Tess really misses the point. But does that mean we throw Rosemary’s Baby in the trash? Absolutely not. That film is amazing. It is possible to keep in mind the flaws of the director behind it and how they may have influenced it stylistically without dismissing it or most of the director’s other work. The same is true of Allen, who often makes films about crusty old men pursuing very young girls, from Manhattan onwards. Of course, his storytelling is colored by his life view. It’s the same way you’d be blind not to think that there are Mormon undertones in Card’s Ender Series, or in Twilight—but we’re talking about good art here. So-called problematic films and literature are still worthy of praise and study. We’re not about to strike A Tale of Two Cities from English classes or ban Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The inability to separate the art from the artist is a very serious symptom of the extreme political correctness that permeates the internet, which seems less about fighting for social change or advocating for the oppressed and more about ego, conformity and group think. There’s a quote by novelist Pat Conroy that I really love. He said, “As an American liberal with impeccable credentials, I would like to say that political correctness is going to kill American liberalism if it is not fought to the death by people like me for the dangers it represents to free speech, to the exchange of ideas, to openheartedness or to the spirit of art itself.” For centuries, art has been moralistically policed and censored by religious zealots and closed-minded enemies of free expression. I am not on the side of anti-semites, racists, homophobes or bad people, and I am certainly not on the side of child molesters. Still, I am left wondering when the very people who are supposed to champion creative freedom are now the people who want to censor it. You might feel like you’re making a difference by refusing to see Blue Jasmine or getting all up in arms when Robin Thicke gets nominated for a Grammy, but you’re really just contributing to a world where only a certain sect of people—those who have never committed or even been accused of a crime, said anything that anyone could be offended by or held any unpopular opinions—are allowed to be artists. The higher we make our moralistic standards, the more homogenized our culture becomes.

OPINION

SNOWLANDIA STOPS MAX IN ITS TRACKS The Illuminator by Mike Bivins

TriMet’s favorite never-ending pet project, the Metropolitan Area Express (also known as the MAX), has been a fixture of the Portland metropolitan area since 1988. There must be a lot of train enthusiasts at TriMet, because what started as the east side Blue Line to Gresham has expanded to reach the Portland International Airport, Beaverton, Hillsboro, North Portland and Clackamas. While construction is currently underway to build the newest line, the Orange Line to Milwaukie, there are some who don’t think light rail is the best choice for their city. For example, the citizens of Tigard are forcing a vote to stop light rail from being added without a vote of the citizens. This vote will be held in March. To be fair, TriMet did a decent job during the recent Snowlandia incident. However, when the snow turned to ice and push came to shove, TriMet took the MAX offline and blamed the ice for freezing their equipment. Why is it that MAX is so susceptible to equipment failure, resulting in the chipping of large swathes of their operation? A MAX train derailed at the 82nd station as recently as November 2013. This incident caused delays well into the evening, forcing commuters to find alternate routes to their destinations. Then there was also the unfortunate pedestrian who, according to Northwest Cable News, was struck by the MAX on Dec. 22 and pinned underneath it. I’m sorry to sound so pessimistic but that line could just as easily have read “woman gets run over by MAX train.” People will argue that TriMet’s focus on trains, which requires less of a human element than buses, increases safety. The woman who was run over by the MAX might beg to differ. Even if all MAX operators have to do is move the train forward and backward, the operation is still not idiot-proof. I am sure most have heard the saying, “slow and steady wins the race.” This old saying definitely applies to the Snowlandia incident. With MAX apparently crippled by a quarter inch of ice, the bus system trudged on. Mind you, the buses are not invincible. There were some places they could not make it to. The 19 bus normally goes all the way to the Willamette National Cemetery, which is the resting place for many veterans. Bus service to the cemetery was suspended because of the snow. TriMet’s buses actually did a nice job of ferrying passengers up and down the treacherous road to the Oregon Health and

“Buses running at 25 mph with chains on are better than a train that does not run at all. It is evident to me that in times of crisis, such as the city falling prey to snow and ice, buses are a better option than trains.”

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

Science University during the storm, even if the buses were running up to an hour late. Buses running at 25 mph with chains on are better than a train that does not run at all. It is evident to me that in times of crisis, such as the city falling prey to snow and ice, buses are a better option than trains. That is why I am disappointed that TriMet has thrown its lot in with trains rather than a more flexible and dynamic bus system. The storm is proof positive that TriMet has bet on the wrong horse. It has bet on the horse that will get them the most federal transportation dollars. According to a TriMet press release, the federal government is footing half of the $1.5 billion cost of

the new Portland-Milwaukie TriMet bridge—a bridge that will accommodate pedestrian and TriMet traffic only. Congestion is bad enough with all these Johnny-come-lately out-of-towners breathing up all of my air, taking all the good part-time jobs and driving up the cost of rent, and TriMet thinks that it is so special that it gets its own bridge and does not have to share with the rest of us. If you have had it up to here—at least waist high—with TriMet, then I encourage you to sound-off by sending a tweet @TriMet on Twitter, or by dialing (503) 238-RIDE (7433) and letting the person on the line know that you want to give their head honcho a piece of your mind.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

COVER

Poetry takes to the streets

VINNIE KINSELLA, publications consultant at Indigo Editing Publications, shows off a copy of ‘I Am Not A Poet.’

ATTENDEES of a ‘Street Roots’ writing workshop write letters as part of a creative exercise.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

BRANDON STALEY

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘STREET ROOTS,’ A LOCAL NEWSPAPER THAT FOCUSES ON ISSUES OF HOMELESSNESS. THE NEWSPAPER IS CELEBRATING ITS ANNIVERSARY BY RELEASING ‘I AM NOT A POET,’ A POETRY ANTHOLOGY THAT DRAWS FROM POEMS PUBLISHED DURING THE NEWSPAPER’S HISTORY. PHYSICAL COPIES OF THE ANTHOLOGY WILL BE SOLD FOR $16, WHILE THE E-BOOK WILL BE SOLD ON A PAY-WHAT-YOU-WANT BASIS. 12

Street Roots is published biweekly and features articles, art and poetry from local journalists and Portlanders experiencing homelessness. The newspaper is sold by vendors—homeless and lowincome individuals—around the city. Vendors purchase copies of the newspaper for 25 cents and sell them for $1, retaining the profits. The anthology was first conceived by a Portland State graduate, and numerous alumni helped to bring the anthology to publication. Alumni worked on nearly every aspect of the book, including editing, marketing and the design of the cover art.

Reading the poems first Vinnie Kinsella, project manager for I Am Not A Poet, became involved with Street Roots nearly a year ago when he began volunteering as a copy editor for the newspa-

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per. Kinsella said his favorite part of the paper has always been the poetry. “Even before I was copy editing, when I was just buying and reading the paper, I would always skip to the poetry first,” Kinsella said. Kinsella broached the subject of a poetry anthology with Street Roots executive director Israel Bayer and vendor coordinator Cole Merkel after only a few short months of volunteering: The two were ecstatic about the idea. Kinsella, who works as a publications consultant, offered to take the lead role. Kinsella graduated from the Portland State book publishing program in 2006. Shortly thereafter, he became an adjunct professor at the university and began teaching courses in the program. As a publications consultant, Kinsella also helps independent presses and

self-published authors to create books that rival traditional publications in content and appearance. Kinsella said his experience as a student in the book publishing program had an enormous impact on his career, specifically the way in which the program demands that students become familiar with all aspects of publishing. “You have to learn all the components of making a book,” Kinsella said. “You have to learn book marketing, book design, book editing. “In an ideal situation, anyone graduating the program has the skill set to run a press.” When Kinsella put out the call for volunteers to help with the anthology, he was overwhelmed by the response, particularly from alumni. Kinsella said he thought part of the reason for the alumni re-

sponse was the intimate, community-focused nature of the publishing program, and that those connections have a way of spreading out into the Portland publishing community at large. “Students who are coming out of the program are shaping the publishing industry locally, in many ways,” Kinsella said. “I’d venture to say that there’s probably not a publishing company, or very few, that do not have some kind of connection or tie-in to the publishing program through one of the workers or the owners.” Kinsella said the anthology is about celebrating and highlighting different perspectives, and that some of his favorite poems in the anthology deal with perspective. One of Kinsella’s favorite poems in the anthology is See POETRY on page 14

COVER COLE MERKEL runs a weekly writing workshop at the ‘Street Roots’ vendor office which has given rise to many of the voices published throughout the anthology.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

“Room With a View” by Dan Newth Mars laid heavy in the western sky the hour before dawn. Moonlit white buffalo stampede onto shore, wrecking themselves on rock spending themselves in sand. Such are the moments of life. ©STREET ROOTS

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COVER “FAMILY” by Peter Stefan

“BUSINESSMAN” by Art Hazelwood

‘I AM NOT A POET’ LAUNCH PARTY Reading Frenzy Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. 3628 N Mississippi Ave. Portland, OR 97227

POETRY Continued from page 12 “Gonna Be a Bear” by Carolyn Meade. In “Gonna Be a Bear” the poet playfully muses that if she were a bear, cultural taboos such as body hair and weight gain would be seen as attractive qualities. “I’ve always been a fan of any type of writing that has a lighthearted approach to a serious topic and gives a different perspective on it,” Kinsella said. Kinsella said working with Street Roots changed him personally. The change came gradually as he read more about issues facing individuals experiencing homelessness and those in poverty. “That’s sort of my personal driving factor,” Kinsella said. “I would love to have other

people who maybe aren’t avid readers of the paper, but who are avid readers of poetry, to be introduced to these things and be given a different perspective.”

Adventures in publishing Mary Locke, editorial and marketing lead for I Am Not A Poet, was one of the alumni to reach out to Kinsella when he began recruiting for the anthology. Locke is something of an anomaly among the alumni who worked on the anthology. She didn’t graduate from the publishing program. Locke got her publishing experience elsewhere; she published a book while still an undergraduate at PSU.

Locke’s book, Skint Portland, for the Frugal Vagabond, is a guidebook to Portland that focuses on utilitarianism over consumption. The book was published in 2011. “Having that experience and then seeing another call for a similar project—bringing a book to fruition—I knew I had the skills to draw upon,” Locke said. Locke said the anthology touches on a wide variety of themes. “A lot of the poets are experiencing homelessness, so you would think that would dominate what they’re writing about,” Locke said. “While the book does talk about street life, it also discusses things like love, mental health issues and recovery.” Locke said she spent nearly 2 1/2 months helping to curate I Am Not A Poet. Volunteers combed through every poem ever published in Street

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Roots—nearly 1,000 poems. The book will contain 200 poems when it’s released. Locke said poems were not excluded for their subject matter. Poems appear exactly as they did when first published in Street Roots, which itself provides an unflinching look at street life. “These are all issues that should be explored,” Locke said, “There was no censoring or filtering.” Locke said working on the anthology has given her a greater understanding of Street Roots and has helped her see the vendors in a new light. “Before, I would see them in passing,” Locke said. “I didn’t realize their commitment and the hours they put in.” Locke said her favorite poem in I Am Not A Poet is “Mirror” by Twila Nesky. Locke said “Mirror” is a

poem about the poet accepting her own beauty by way of acknowledging her daughter’s beauty. “I like the resolution at the end,” Locke said. “I like the eloquence of her words. I like how simple it is, and then I enjoy the revelation that she arrived at.”

Writing from the heart Several of the poems included in I Am Not A Poet were written in Cole Merkel’s creative writing workshop. Merkel, who acts as the vendor coordinator for Street Roots, has hosted the workshop every Wednesday for the past 2 1/2 years. “We see people who are in constant states of crisis,” Merkel said. “Through creative writing we see almost a transformation, where people who aren’t necessarily able to communicate can finally get their voice out in poetry.”

A wide range of people with varying backgrounds attend the workshop, Merkel said. Some never graduated high school. Others have college degrees. Part of the challenge of running the workshop is to make the exercises relevant to everyone in the room. Merkel said he considers the anthology to be a 15-year retrospective of street life in Portland. Merkel said he has noticed certain recurring themes in the poems, which include addiction, recovery, love, anger and a desire to shake established systems to their foundations. Merkel’s favorite poem in the anthology is “Dull Point Blues” by Michael Vance. Merkel said he likes the poem because, while it’s about the poet struggling through their darkest hour of addiction, the poet ultimately retains his sense of hope.

ARTS & CULTURE

NORTHWEST ARTIST SCULPTS THE FACE OF PREJUDICE ELIZABETH HENDRICKSON

Larger-than-life depictions of haunting human expressions are currently on display at the Portland Art Museum. This powerful collection of sculptures is the creation of regional artist, Tip Toland, whose recent exhibit elicits a chilling insight into the depths of prejudice against albinos in Tanzania. Toland’s work has been displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Center on Contemporary Art in Seattle, the Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, Wis., the Museum of Art and Design in New York and in many other exhibitions across the country. The exhibit, which includes five portrait heads of African children with albinism whose terror is acutely depicted in their sun-spotted faces, will be on display through May 11. “I wanted to get an energetic feeling of quiet horror. [They] should get the feeling that [the children] were haunted, and see that feeling left on their faces,” Toland said. Toland’s exhibit is a part of APEX, a series of exhibitions presented by the museum featuring Northwest-based artists from Oregon, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming and Montana. APEX is curated by Bonnie Laing-Malcolmson, the Arleen and Harold Schnitzer curator of Northwest art, who has been following Toland’s work for years. “She wanted each face to depict a specific, particular emo-

tion, and I think she really did it,” Laing-Malcolmson said. Toland was inspired to create the series after learning about the mutilations and murder of Tanzanian albinos stemming from superstition in the region. “It’s just terrible what’s going on,” Toland said. “I just couldn’t get past it when I started looking at these poor kids and what was happening to them.” People born in Tanzania with albinism, a genetic condition that devoids the skin, hair and eyes of pigment, are often subject to strong adversity. In the hot African climate, these people face dangerous natural consequences from overexposure to the sun. However, they are also harmed by their own people’s prejudice against their appearance. Many of those who survived being hunted and terrorized are left with missing limbs. Frequently, their body parts are harvested for ritual use by witch doctors. Each face in the exhibit holds an intense expression of terror, despair, pain and hopelessness. “I worked off a number of photographs, so each face is its own character that was stimulated from its own photograph,” Toland said. As well as artistic expression, this horrific display of emotion has humanitarian and political intentions, Laing-Malcolmson explained. “I want people to think about what responsibility

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

we have as world citizens, and is it our government’s place to take a strong position in humanitarian issues or not.” Laing-Malcolmson also expressed her appreciation for Toland’s exhibit. “I think the work is just incredibly powerful. I want the viewer to come in and feel the emotion in that room and feel the power of it and understand what a master I think she is.” The five figures on display surround a 10-foot long sculp-

ture of a reclining woman, symbolizing Mother Africa awakening to her children’s anguish. Together the pieces invoke a painful empathy for the victims of this prejudice. “It was a major feat of ceramic sculpture,” LaingMalcolmson said. The sheer proportions of the children’s hopeless expressions, more than twice life-size, can be overwhelming, “kind of like a magnifying glass put on those poor kids. They confront you and hold you there,” Toland said.

Because of the sheer size of the sculptures, the reclining woman herself weighing half a ton, the process of creating them was elaborate. Each sculpture was cut into pieces, hollowed, fired, then put back together and painted. However, Toland doesn’t want to express the daunting nature of her process. “You don’t have to be good to do anything creative or ambitious—you don’t have to have a lot of skills. You can just sort of stumble your way forward into these things.

You will inevitably figure it out as you’re doing it and find the skills somehow along the way,” Toland said. “I think it’s really important for visitors to spend a lot of time with this exhibit. I really want them to take the time and get a sense of what the whole installation is really about and to understand it. This is the kind of exhibit that makes one think about how to make the world a better place,” LaingMalcolmson said. More information can be found at portlandartmuseum.org

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ARTS & CULTURE

MIYAZAKI MADNESS

HOLY SPORES! ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind’ (above) screens March 1. ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ screens March 7.

MARCH IS STUDIO GHIBLI MONTH AT THE NORTHWEST FILM CENTER ANDREW ECHEVERRIA

Throughout the month of March, the Northwest Film Center will be presenting “Classics from Studio Ghibli,” a retrospective of the world-famous Japanese animation studio’s acclaimed works. At least one film per weekend will be screened at the Whitsell Auditorium, including classics such as Princess Mononoke (1997) and My Neighbor Totoro (1988). The presentation will be sure to please, riding the wisps of breeze trailing behind beloved director Hayao Miyazaki’s final film The Wind Rises, which recently screened at the Portland International Film Festival. “Ghibli is unquestionably the most innovative and influential animation studio in the world,” said Nick Bruno, PR and marketing associate with the NWFC. “We’ve honored their work before with a 13-film retrospective back in 2012. Since we knew in advance that we’d be opening [PIFF] with The Wind Rises it seemed like the perfect time to bring the films back in a nine-film version of that prior series.” Studio Ghibli was established in 1985 in Tokyo by directors Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Since its inception, the studio has been a channel for the imaginative dreams-

capes of Miyazaki, Takahata and a collection of other brilliant directors and animators under their guidance. Studio Ghibli has created some of the world’s most acclaimed animated films. They dominated the highestgrossing animated movies lists in their native Japan and won both a Golden Bear and an Oscar within the same year for their masterpiece Spirited Away (2002), which will be showing on March 22. Before the previous retrospective in 2012, the NWFC acquired 35 mm prints of each film that were created by Studio Ghibli themselves. These same prints will be shown in the same venue for all those who missed the opportunity to see the films on the big screen the first time around, as well as those who wish to experience them again. “Most students on campus are of an age to have seen many of the Ghibli films on home video. I think it’s truly exciting to think about those who are deep fans of the work getting to see the films theatrically, possibly for the first time,” Bruno said. The NWFC has shortened its Ghibli retrospective from 13 to nine films this time around, making sure to keep the films that affected the audience most power-

fully on their list of films to show. There is no chronological flow to the screening; this isn’t a typical beginning-to-end run of the studio’s releases. Rather, the NWFC has opted to screen the films based on a flow or mood that will allow audiences to navigate Ghibli’s works effectively, opening with their flagship Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and proceeding with a smattering of lesserknown films sprinkled with popular classics. To experience any one of these incredible films on spectacular 35 mm prints crafted by Studio Ghibli is an opportunity that Portland State students won’t want to miss. Especially for those students with families and children of their own, this upcoming series will be a great chance to introduce loved ones and new generations alike to the joy and splendor of Studio Ghibli, or maybe for some, to film in general. “I’ve become a huge fan of My Neighbor Totoro, although I only experienced it for the first time during our last stab at a Ghibli program,” said Bruno. “I’m mostly looking forward to it this time around because I’m planning on taking my son to it. It’s going to be his first time seeing a film in a theater.”

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©WALT DISNEY PICTURES

The Northwest Film Center presents

CLASSICS FROM STUDIO GHIBLI WHITSELL AUDITORIUM 1219 S.W. Park Ave. Portland, OR

MARCH 1 NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY SAT. 7:00 p.m. OF THE WIND 1984 MARCH 7 MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO 1988 FRI. 7:00 p.m. MARCH 15 ONLY YESTERDAY 1991 SAT. 2:00 p.m. MARCH 15 PRINCESS MONONOKE 1997 SAT. 4:30 p.m. MARCH 22 PORCO ROSSO 1992 SAT. 2:00 p.m. MARCH 22 SPIRITED AWAY 2002 SAT. 4:30 p.m. MARCH 23 POM POKO 1994 SUN. 4:30 p.m. MARCH 24 CASTLE IN THE SKY 1986 THU. 7:00 p.m. MARCH 29 HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE 2004 SAT. 4:30 p.m.

ARTS & CULTURE

A PLAY TO DIE FOR

PSU’S SCHOOL OF THEATRE AND FILM PRESENTS ‘ROMEO + JULIET’ SHARON JACKSON

During a time when the aftermath of World War II left Italy with a destroyed economy and a divided society, a pair of star-crossed lovers took their life. This is the story of Romeo and Juliet— a gritty play with sweat and blood. Portland State’s School of Theatre and Film presents a provocative and inspirational production of William Shakespeare’s classic tragedy Romeo + Juliet, premiering Feb. 28 in Lincoln Performance Hall. The play will be led by special guest director Jim Iorio. Iorio is an adjunct professor of voice and movement at PSU as well as a professional actor and director. He was recently on Broadway in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge with Scarlett Johansson and Liev Schreiber. Iorio’s television and film work includes Law & Order, and Leverage and Grimm. Locally, he has starred as Benedick in the Portland Center Stage production of Much Ado About Nothing. Iorio has been in 24 professional Shakespeare productions and is familiar with Shakespearean language. This production will be a fresh take on the classic story. “If I have worked [on] something before, I try to come to it completely fresh, as if it were just written, never produced, not hampered by preconceived notions,” Iorio said. In this production, Iorio had moved the setting from the original Verona to a small post-war mountain village in southern Italy, circa 1948; a place that was heavily affect-

ed by WWII when the Allies pushed out Nazi forces. “The setting made sense for the fact the folks in the story would carry around the bayonets left behind from WWII soldiers as weapons,” Iorio said. Shakespeare’s Italy was fictional, while Iorio’s Italy derives from the American image of post-war Italy. A good impression of what this version of Italy would be like is the 1950s movies of Federico Fellini, Iorio said. “A time when the young guys have no work, a lot of time on their hands, out on the street getting into trouble.” The costume and set designers are also working with imagery from films such as Vittorio De Sica’s The Bicycle Thief and Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso. The play explores the political divide in Italy at the time, as a new political regime was coming in, aiding to the division of the town. “I also wanted to focus on the conflict never fully described in the text between the houses of Capulet and Montague,” Iorio said. Iorio’s dedication to a new direction for Romeo + Juliet can also be found in the play’s cast members. In the leading role of Juliet is Shawna Holt, a senior at PSU studying theater. She has also played Ya Ya in the winter quarter stage reading of Limonade Tous le Jours. Holt is beaming with excitement for the role. Even as a lead character in the play, she still has goals for developing herself as an actor. “Personally, I want to let go of holding back vocally, emo-

ROMEO (LEFT, PLAYED BY TYLER MILES) lies down with Juliet (played by Shawna Holt) in a rehearsal put on by PSU’s School of Theatre & Film.

HELENA WOLFE/PSU VANGUARD

tionally. To let the words really move me,” Holt said. Juliet is usually known as a young naïve girl in love, but for Holt, it is a priority to break that mold. “I want the audience to feel and understand that the emotions, the character is real. Love makes you insane and do crazy things, but Juliet knows what she is feeling is real. She is logical and smart. I want to portray and show a Juliet not anyone has ever seen,” Holt said. “I believe the time period helps to show how Juliet’s actions were even more against the grain in society’s proper standards for a woman. Iorio supports us by giving us an

outlet to be the characters that we want to bring to the table,” Holt said. Friend and former coactor Robyn Daniel, a senior at PSU, will be playing Juliet’s nurse. Seasoned actors continue to push their boundaries as well. There is a first time for everything, and for Daniel this is her first Shakespearean play. “It is like speaking a foreign language,” Daniel said. “This role is real, an emotional roller coaster, as she is really funny and at other times distressed.” Tickets are available at t he PSU B o x Office: pdx.edu/ boxoffice

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ETC

EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, Feb. 25

Information Session: Summer Networking 101 Workshop 5:30 p.m. check-in Study Abroad in Sicily

Unveiling Event: Gamelan at PSU

Monday, Mar 3

Enlightened Parent Relaxation Luncheon

Noon – 1 p.m. East Hall, room 236 632 S.W. Hall St., Portland, OR 97201

6 p.m. Lincoln Hall, room 37 1620 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97201

Free Taijiquan/Tai Chi Practice Class

Noon – 2 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 338 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Students who also happen to be parents are invited to a lunch hour that will offer them some time for socialization and relaxation all at once, courtesy of the Resource Center for Students with Children. Activities include massages, a tea bar, yoga, manicures, and much more. Child care will be provided. FREE

Wednesday, Feb. 26 Women on Weights 9 – 10 a.m. Academic and Student Rec Center, weight room 1800 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201

Women on Weights is a session offered to women who are interested in learning how to properly utilize the weight room. A certified personal trainer will be available to instruct those who attend on basic workout principles and strengthening specific muscles groups. FREE

Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

Thursday, Feb 27

Portland State alumna, Connie Plowman, will lead this workshop session that is design to bring students and alumni of all fields of study together to establish connections and create professional relationships. Dessert and a presentation on networking, as well as plenty of opportunities to exchange information, will make this workshop worth any student’s time. Admission is $5, and tickets can be purchased by visiting http://psuaa.ticketleap. com/2014networking101/

#PSU25K Facebook Fan Appreciation & Mobile App Party

Friday, Feb. 28

PSU faculty member, Angela Zagarella, will be on hand to provide information about a 6-week study abroad program in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy. The program will take place during summer term and students will earn 12 credits for their participation. No background in the Italian language is required to apply. FREE

11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, game room 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Join fellow students and friends in a celebration that marks not only the 25,000 facebook fans PSU has acquired, but also the launch of the new PSU mobile app. Free pizza, games, bowling and pool will be offered to those who attend and guests are encouraged to tag their photos and posts with #PSU25K.

Friday Flat Fix Clinic Noon – 12:30 p.m. Portland State Bike Hub 1818 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 Bring your bike to the Bike Hub this Friday to learn how to fix a flat quick. This is a great clinic for both cycling veterans and those who are new to the occasional setbacks associated with getting around via bike. FREE

Lincoln Hall will be presenting an unveiling event to welcome the tradition of the Javanese gamelan to Portland State. There will be a short demonstration of how gamelan music is made and information about its origin, as well as about PSU’s upcoming ensemble. FREE

Noon – 1 p.m. Millar Library 1875 S.W. Park Ave. Portland, OR 97201 This free class offered every Monday in front of the library will teach you the basics of Taijiquan/Tai Chi and is a great way to fit some exercise and meditation into your life. All are welcome to attend. FREE

Saturday, Mar. 1 Changing the Way We Eat: TEDx Viewing Party 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Urban Center, Parson’s Gallery 506 S.W. Mill St., Portland, OR 97201 Speakers from various backgrounds involving the cultivation and study of food are brought together for a video viewing at the Urban Center. Learn about where our food comes from and various food programs that have been set up to make the production to consumption experience smoother and healthier. FREE

Online: Managing Information 7 – 8 p.m. Online This information session will offer graduate students the chance to improve their research process by learning effective ways to gather and manage new information. For more information on the course, email professor Michael Bowman at bowman@pdx.edu.

Tuesday, Mar. 4 Careers in the City: How to Apply to Jobs with the City of Portland

Noon – 1 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, Multicultural Center (228) 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Human Resources representatives from the City of Portland invite you to come and chat with them if you are interested in an internship or career working for the City of Portland. Full time jobs, summer jobs, and internships are all possibilities for discussion, as well as tips to make your application really stand out. FREE

Library Third Floor Renovation Celebration 3 – 4 p.m. Millar Library 1875 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97201 Provost Sona Andrews and University Library Dean Marilyn Moody invite you to come and celebrate the opening of the newly renovated third floor of the Millar Library. Refreshments will be provided and students will be encouraged to take in the new feel of the student collaborative space. FREE

FREE

21+

PSU FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER

FREE

FEATURED EVENT

WHAT THE...?!

BRENDAN MULLIGAN/PSU VANGUARD

Visual Language of Chinese Buddhism Saturday, Mar. 1 9:30 a.m. Urban Center, room 250 506 S.W. Mill St., Portland, OR 97201 Dr. Kevin Greenwood, assistant professor of art history at Willamette University, will be at Portland State to provide a lecture about the “visual language of Chinese Buddhism.” This lecture will discuss the art of bronze sculptures and what we can discern of their meaning FREE when examining them.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

“You’re not going to get a monkey without a suit.”

ETC

Pisces Feb. 19â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Mar. 20

Taurus Apr. 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 20

The last two years have been a whirlwind, all culminating in what is currently one of the greatest adventures of your life. Try not to press forward too quickly, dear Pisces; youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to remember these times.

What no one ever tells you is that when the going gets tough, the tough actually want to hide under the table just like the rest of us. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get down on yourself for feeling under pressure, but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let that pressure get the best of you. Just take your problems one at a time.

Aries Mar. 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Apr. 19

Gemini May 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Jun. 20

Life is a series of peaks and valleysâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that the truth? Right now, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re standing on a peak with a view. And as you look ahead, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to look behind; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll make the next valley seem all the less daunting.

Saying you are going to do something is not the same as doing it, and honestly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not going to force you to do it any sooner. Actions speak louder than words, dear Gemini, and we all know youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re more than capable.

Cancer Jun. 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Jul. 22

What goes up must come down, dear Moonchild, and right now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reality youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re falling into. Instead of mourning the death of your social life, embrace the opportunities that are coming your way. You have to work hard to play hard.

Leo Jul. 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Aug. 22

Will it ever stop, dear Leo? Life has been less than kind to you in recent months, which has led you to less favorable ways of thinking. Easier said than done, but resist the urge to feel sorry for yourself. Instead, focus on the joy you know you deserve. Your open heart will be rewarded.

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Forgivinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t easy but lovinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sure is! Looking back can be useful at times, but right now your best bet is to appreciate what you have and look to the future. People make mistakesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how they learn. Right now, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a part of someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s learning process.

Libra Sept. 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Oct. 22

Scorpio Oct. 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Nov. 21

Capricorn Dec. 22â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Jan. 19

Sagittarius Nov. 22â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Dec. 21

Aquarius Jan. 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Feb. 18

Life is rather up in the air for you right now, dear Scorpio, and though youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re well equipped for uncertainty, you could use a little something to hold onto. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let the suspense weigh too heavily on your mindâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll only slow you down.

Rem em ber a few months ago when you were standing in the shadow of a very tall and very intimidating mountain? Funny how that mountain starts to look more and more like a hill the taller you climb.

Do you ever feel like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re Healing is a slow proWhy count someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rushing into something? cess that starts in the blessings when you can Like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re taking a big, mind and flows through count your own? Life is risky leap and you have no the heart. It may not treating you well, dear idea how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll end up? The happen as quickly as Libra, and if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re busy thrill of the unknown may weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like for it to, but thinking about what you be right up your alley, but then again, isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t delayed donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll forget all some things require a little gratification a form of The do. New York Timesextra Syndication Sales Corporation healing in itself? about what you thinking. The New York Times Syndication Sales 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y.Corporation 10018 620For Eighth Avenue,Call: New1-800-972-3550 York, N.Y. 10018 Information ForRelease Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Tuesday, February 25, 2014 For Release Wednesday, February 19, 2014

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Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

SPORTS SCORES

UPCOMING

PSU MEN’S BASKETBALL

PSU SOUTHERN UTAH

Top Performers: Gary Winston, 26 points

86 PSU @ NORTH DAKOTA 79 THURS. 2/27 5:00 p.m. PSU @ NORTHERN COLORADO SAT. 3/1 6:05 p.m.

PSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SOUTHERN UTAH PSU

Top Performers: Mikaela Rivard, 22 points

86 PSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 79 NORTH DAKOTA vs. PSU

THURS. 2/27 7:00 p.m. | STOTT CENTER

NORTHERN COLORADO vs. PSU

PSU MEN’S TENNIS

PSU NORTHERN COLORADO Top Performers: Alec Marx and Ian Risenhoover both won in straight sets

PSU WOMEN’S TENNIS

NORTHERN ARIZONA CHATTANOOGA

Top Performers: Dané Vorster, 4–6, 6–2, 6–1

SAT. 3/1 2:00 p.m. | STOTT CENTER

2 5

Top Performers: Damien Lillard, 32 points

Top Performers: Oliver Bjorkstrand, 1 goal, 1 goal during shootout

PSU MEN’S TENNIS

PSU @ MONTANA STATE 1 UNIVERSITY–BILLINGS FRI. 2/28 10:00 a.m. 6 PSU TRACK AND FIELD

97 108

BIG SKY INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP THURS.–SAT. 2/27–3/1 | POCATELLO, ID PSU SOFTBALL

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE TOURNAMENT 2 1

THURS.–SAT. 2/27–3/1 | NORTHRIDGE, CA NBA

PORTLAND @ DENVER TUES. 2/25 6:00 p.m. | CSNW

EVENTS THAT JAZMIN RATCLIFF AND CECELIA JACKSON WILL EACH BE COMPETING IN AT THE BIG SKY TRACK AND FIELD INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS. 20

CLOWNEY takes a play off during a game against East Carolina.

“JOHNNY FOOTBALL” is looking forwardto the NFL draft.

PSU @ MONTANA PSU WOMEN’S TENNIS

WHL

PORTLAND EVERETT

The NFL Combine and the value of position

FRI. 2/28 11:00 a.m.

NBA

MINNESOTA PORTLAND

MANZIEL OR CLOWNEY? CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTIONS TO SHUTTERBUG459

CREATIVE COMMONS ATTRIBUTIONS TO IAN MCCORMICK

CLAUDE AKINS

In a lot of ways professional sports leagues are like market economies, and therefore player contracts—and draft positions—fall under the laws of supply and demand. The NFL Combine is where the values of the NFL economy are tested and shaped. Deciding where to select a player in the draft is determining exactly where the player’s skill set ranks in the larger NFL value system. It’s like a job fair that deals exclusively with athletes and doles out million dollar contracts. Only, in addition to interviews, character assessments and other normal job fair activities, there are also vertical jumps, 40-yard dashes, bench presses, three-cone drills and physical measurements. You know, a job fair. Of course, besides supply and demand, there are individual talents to be reckoned with. But nevertheless, there is a market logic. The current market logic, based on average salary, says that the quarterback position is the most valuable in the NFL. The second, interestingly enough, is defensive end. Which brings me to the curious debate over the Houston

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Texans’ first overall pick: QB Johnny Manziel or DE Jadeveon Clowney? Now think about this statistic: The last 10 QBs drafted in the top 10 have played in a combined zero Super Bowls. And, if perhaps you are thinking that these players have not had enough time to get adjusted to the NFL or if the talent around them has not yet had time to develop, consider that I have gone as far back as 2008 to compile this list, when Matt Ryan was drafted third overall. What I am arguing is that the draft value of the QB position is actually an inflated value. There are only three QBs from these past six drafts that have played in a Super Bowl. Joe Flacco, Colin Kaepernick, and Russell Wilson—all drafted outside the top 10. Wilson, the reigning Super Bowl champ, was selected in the third round. Although the mock drafts presently released vary, many of them have three QBs going in the top 10. Johnny Manziel, Teddy Bridgewater (who is the best QB prospect in my opinion, based on name-awesomeness), and Blake Bortles. Some believe the Texans should even draft Manziel first.

While the value of a talented QB is unquestionable, it often trumps other, more crucial skills when it comes to winning football games. The Seahawks, for instance, were already a semisuccessful team when they drafted Wilson. They had an established defense and a fantastic every-down back in Marshawn Lynch. They needed a QB of course, but part of the reason for Wilson’s success is that he was surrounded by quality parts. Cam Newton and Andrew Luck have been success stories too, and one has to think that one of them, if not both, will win a ring sometime in their careers. Matthew Stafford has been a quality NFL QB, and so has Robert Griffin III. But then there are the other, more plentiful cases of first round QB busts or semibusts: Mark Sanchez, Blaine Gabbert, Ryan Tannehill, Sam Bradford, and if one were to go further back in history, the ratio of bust to boom QB picks would only grow more disproportionate. The point is, if you are the Texans and you can have the preternaturally talented DE

Jadeveon Clowney—who reminds some pundits of the legendary Javon Kearse— why risk wasting that opportunity with an always risky QB choice? Manziel is gifted, of course. He has that indefinable “it” factor that scouts drool over. He is a playmaker. Watching him scramble out of a pocket, turning broken plays into 30-yard gains is exhilarating. No one can question that. The problem is that football games are not typically won because of miraculous playmaking. They are won through a cohesive series of parts functioning at a high level for 60 minutes. Most would argue Peyton Manning is a better QB than Wilson. In the end, it didn’t matter. The fact is that the Texans, no matter who they draft, will not be a good team next year. And QBs, as proven with the Wilson and Flacco cases, are given better opportunities to grow when they are surrounded by talent. So then, the Texans’ choice is simplified. They just have to ignore the status quo of the NFL’s current market logic. Easy.

SPORTS

ALL QUIET ON THE TRADE FRONT NO TRADE MOVEMENT FOR PORTLAND, THE FUTURE BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE JAY PENGELLY

The 2014 NBA trade deadline has come and gone. For the Portland Trail Blazers’ management, they decided the best move to make was none at all. The 15-player roster that began the season will stay intact through the end, hoping to bank on the chemistry and effective play that marked this team early in the year. Both owner Paul Allen and head coach Terry Stotts told media sources they did not expect the team to make any trade deadline moves. This lack of movement shows Trail Blazer fans one important facet of the team’s direction: The Blazers are preparing for the future. They will not jeopardize what they have already built for the chance of a one-year playoff run. This means management trusts the guys they have and expects improvement in upcoming seasons. Regardless of this season’s outcome, it will be a big summer for Portland. They bring back most of their roster (everyone but Earl Watson is signed on for at least one more year), but will possibly have zero draft picks. Their first round selection was sent to the Charlotte Bobcats in the Gerald Wallace trade. It is top-12 protected so will likely go to Charlotte. The second round pick was part of the Raymond FeltonAndre Miller trade, so it is the Denver Nuggets’ property. Free agency may also be difficult, as the Blazers are $4 million plus over the salary-cap. Blazers’ general

A PACKED MODA CENTER cheers on a Blazers team built for long-term success.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

manager Neil Olshey will have to find creative ways to improve this roster. Leading up to the deadline, speculation involved the Blazers acquiring a backup big-man, hopefully one who could provide a scoring punch off the bench. This need has been highlighted in recent games with injuries to the Blazers’ front line: LaMarcus Aldridge, Joel Freeland and Meyers Leonard have all missed games in the last two weeks.

Around the league there were no earth-shattering moves this year, more like a few small shifts. Former University of Oregon standout Aaron Brooks went to the Denver Nuggets, while the Rockets got Jordan Hamilton in exchange. The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired Spencer Hawes (who was discussed as a Portland option) from the Philadelphia 76ers for Earl Clark and two second-round picks. Former Trail Blazer guard Steve Blake—known as

the prettiest guy in the league— was traded from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Golden State Warriors for Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks. Trade deadline rumors swirled around several key players who are assumed to be unhappy in their current situations. Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love has been the target of such rumors for several years now. In his sixth year and still without a playoff appearance, Love has been

speculated as wanting to move to Los Angeles, where he played college ball. Also in the news was the Cavaliers’ Luol Deng, who it is feared will leave the team as an unrestricted free agent. Both Deng and Love stayed with their respective teams past the deadline, a roll of the dice in hopes the franchises’ fortunes change. After a rough last month, winning only five of their last 14 games, the Trail Blazers head into the final stretch of

the season with their eyes on playoff seeding. Rip City has fallen to the fifth spot behind the Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets, a dreaded position where one must play primarily on the other team’s home floor, and face the number one seed if they do advance past the first round. Ideally, the Blazers want home court advantage in the first round, at least so their rabid fan-base can propel them to the first playoff series win in over a decade.

Vanguard | FEBRUARY 25, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

SPORTS TO WHOM WHOM ITIT MAY MAY CONCERN CONCERN TO Dear Damian Lillard, This Blazers team has the potential to be the best team in over 10 years. This team could be better than the Brandon Roy teams that rocked Portland and brought back Blazermania. In 2009 the Blazers won 54 games, but lost in the first round to a Rockets team that outplayed and out-coached them. Today, you and the rest of your team have an opportunity to finish with a better record than that team in the regular season. But you know what? That’s not what Blazers fans should care about. Damian, I want the Blazers to play well. I want you guys to play to your full potential going into the playoffs. There was a bit of a struggle with consistency going into the All-Star break, and I can point to at least three games you guys should have won. I don’t have to tell you those three games, but they involved the cities of Los Angeles, Oklahoma City and Indianapolis. The truth about all of these games is that the Blazers should have won. You should have won. But mistakes were made and referees made calls. What to do? But here’s how I look at it: you guys had a chance in some games with a playoff atmosphere. So here is what I want from the Blazers after the All-Star break: proof that you guys can win the big ones. The West is a huge scrambled mess right now, and you and I both know any team could beat any other team on a given day. There’s not much you guys can do to pick your matchup, except win games and hope for one of the weaker, lower-seeded teams. To do that, you’re going to have to come up big. Aldridge has missed some time, and all of a sudden the Blazers injury-free season has come to an end. But us Blazers fans know all about unlucky injuries, and this certainly isn’t one. You are an All-Star, and this group of games coming up for Portland is huge. There’s no reason why this team can’t be third place in the West, or even better. Consistency is key in all of this. Play like you want to make a name for this city in the playoffs every night. It’s a long regular season and I know you guys will drop one every once in a while, but the key is not to drop a few in a row. Make everyone remember who hit two gamewinners in a row on that East Coast road trip. Remember who competed at five events at All-Star weekend. You’ve just reached the tip of the iceberg as far as respect you can gain in this league, so be hungry for more. There is a way to do this that doesn’t include winning a ton of games in the regular season, and it’s playing well in the playoffs. Everyone recognizes players who step it up during April, May and June. So make it happen. We haven’t seen a series win in way too long. I’m tired of hearing that stat, end it now. This city needs a big sports win, but it’s not going to happen overnight. Let’s start small, by winning a series. You get there by getting a good playoff seed. You get a good seed by winning regular season games and playing consistently. The Blazers play consistently when Damian Lillard is an All-Star point guard. Sincerely, Alex Moore Vanguard Sports Desk

CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT BERTH JUST A FINGERTIP AWAY JOEL GUNDERSON

In what has been one of the more up-and-down seasons in Vikings history, it seems only fitting that their conference, the Big Sky, is in similar upheaval. With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Vikings sit tied for ninth in the conference—yet are just one game away from third place. Talk about a close race. A season that started with such promise plummeted in a mid-season slump, bounced back with a flurry of dramatic wins in January and, fittingly, comes down to a weekend showdown with Weber State and Idaho State in the first week of March. Ironically, it was those two opponents on a cold weekend in early January that helped

propel Portland State to its strong finish. On the fateful road trip one player was lost and another, Gary Winston Jr., was finally given an opportunity to shine. All he’s done is become the Vikings’ most dynamic player. Since taking a bigger role following the team’s Jan. 4 loss at Weber State, Winston has been lights out, averaging 14 points per game in the team’s last 13 contests—including a career-high 26 against Southern Utah. The top seven teams in the conference make the Big Sky Tournament, which means there is still plenty of work for the Vikings to do. Unfortunately for them, that task is made even harder by a visit from conference leaders Weber State, a perennial thorn in PSU’s side. The Vikings have two road games left before Weber and Idaho State come calling—

North Dakota and Northern Colorado—and must get at least one of those to stay in contention for a top-seven spot. Assuming the Vikings make it, you have to like their odds. In postseason play, in all sports, games become more tense and the pace of play generally slows down. For the Vikings—who have steady leaders in Tim Douglas and Winston—they could fly into the conference tournament at just the right time. It’s often said that the hottest team, not necessarily the best team, will make the most noise in the postseason. If the Vikings make it, odds are they will have won at least three of their final four, undoubtedly gaining an enormous amount of confidence along the way. A hungry team, underthe-radar and playing with confidence? That’s a recipe for success.

GARY WINSTON has turned up the heat this winter.

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SPORTS

WINTER GAMES WRAP UP IN SOCHI TEAM USA BENEFITS WITH ADDITION OF MORE MODERN EVENTS TOBIN SHIELDS

As the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics finally come to a close, Team USA ended the event second in total medals, and fourth in gold. That’s respectable when you take in the fact that 88 different nations competed. Although, in comparison to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, it’s nine less total medals than we had last time around. This being the case, many on the team are calling the games somewhat of a disap-

pointment for the U.S. While there were some who didn’t finish as well as they had hoped, a new U.S. starlet was born during these games: Mikaela Shiffrin. This came after winning a gold medal in women’s alpine skiing. The 18-year-old skier made history as the youngest person to ever win an Olympic slalom gold medal. She is already making plans for the 2018 games in South Korea.

“Right now, I’m dreaming of the next Olympics [and] winning five gold medals, which sounds really crazy,” Shiffrin said the day after her win. “I’m sorry I just admitted that to you all.” There was also another bit of good luck for the U.S., although some don’t think of it that way. Out of the nine gold medals won, five of them were in events introduced just this year. No other nation had more than

RUSSIA: 33 TOTAL

two medals in these debut events. On the one hand, this allowed the US to up their medal count, and keep them competitive internationally. Though, had the Olympic committee not introduced these events into the games, would the U.S. results be that much more disappointing? There’s no way to know for sure, but I am sure the nation is glad to have the medals nonetheless.

USA: 28 TOTAL

9 CANADA: 25 TOTAL

10 NETHERLANDS: 24 TOTAL

10 5

doesn’t seem to be affecting the competition too much. Overall, Team USA did a great job. We are still one of the most athletically competitive nations in the world, and are always a force in every event. While this time we may not have come out on top, 2018 in Pyeongchang will be an opportunity to medal in both the newer and older events. Let’s get back to our speed skating and crosscountry skiing roots.

U.S. MEDALS

NORWAY: 26 TOTAL

On a larger scale, seeing 26 nations earn medals at Sochi was fairly predictable. In the seven Winter Olympics held from 1992–2014, the number of nations to take home a medal has never been lower than 20, and never higher than 26. However, during that same period, the participating nations dramatically increased from 64, to this year’s 88. This tells us that while it’s great to allow smaller, more remote countries to compete—it

The U.S. fares well on the slopes, but if we want to stay near the top of the medal count in Pyeongchang and beyond, we will need to improve in the skating and sliding sports.

GOLD SILVER BRONZE Freestyle Skiing

Snowboard

Alpine Skiing

Figure Skating

Bobsleigh

Skeleton

Ice Hockey

Short Track

Luge

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