Portland State Vanguard by Portland State Vanguard

VOLUME 68 | ISSUE 31 | APRIL 22, 2014

NEWS

OPINION

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

Members of PSU’s chapter of AAUP have voted to ratify new contract agreement. pg 7

The surprising range of reasons why men avoid pornography and masturbation in the modern era. pg. 8

The Women’s Resource Center gears up to confront violence against women with Take Back the Night. pg. 24

Is student-athlete a farce? Aren’t they a bunch of dumb jocks? How do they actually fare in the classroom? pg. 30

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CONTENT NEWS OPINION GREEN GUIDE ARTS & CULTURE CALENDAR SPORTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

4 7 10 24 27 29 COPY EDITORS

EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM Whitney Beyer

Sabrina Parys Margo Pecha

MANAGING EDITOR

ADVERTISING MANAGER

MANAGINGEDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jordan Molnar

JGEKELER@PDX.EDU Jordan Gekeler

NEWS EDITOR

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

NEWS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Coby Hutzler

Michelle Leigh

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Reaz Mahmood

ARTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Turner Lobey

OPINION EDITOR

ADVISER

ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

OPINION@PSUVANGUARD.COM Breana Harris

SPECIAL SECTION ART DIRECTION

SPORTS EDITOR

DESIGNERS

SPORTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jesse Tomaino

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR ASSOCIATENEWS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Ashley Rask

PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION@PSUVANGUARD.COM Sean Bucknam

PHOTO EDITORS PHOTO@PSUVANGUARD.COM Miles Sanguinetti Corinna Scott

COPY CHIEF COPY@PSUVANGUARD.COM Chelsea Lobey

ONLINE EDITOR ONLINE@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jaime Dunkle

Brendan Mulligan

Alan Hernandez-Aguilar, Rachael Bentz, Brendan Mulligan, Christopher Peralta

WRITERS

Hugo Agosto, Claude Akins, Mike Bivins, Andrew Echeverria, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Hana King, Adam LaMascus, Colleen Leary, Kennedy Martin, Alex Moore, Jay Pengelly, Jeoffry Ray, Sebastian Richardson, Tobin Shields, Brandon Staley, Stephanie Tshappat, David Wooldridge, Adam Wunische, Greg Young

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alex Hernandez, Shaylee King, Adrian Ian Shu, Christopher Sohler

ADVERTISING SALES

Robin Crowell, Muhsinah Jaddoo, Casey Jin, Vivian Vo

The Vanguard is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Publications Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. One copy of the Vanguard is provided free of charge to all community members; additional copies or subscription issues may incur a 25 cent charge. The Vanguard is printed on 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

NEWS

Forum to explore campus safety options delayed Stephanie Tshappat

A public campus safety forum originally scheduled to take place in late April was recently delayed until early May, and is now looking at being pushed back until this fall due to concerns of attendance and scheduling. “We’ve received feedback asking not to have the safety forum on a Friday out of fear that students may not attend,” said Scott Gallagher, PSU’s director of communications. “So, for now we’re delaying it probably

until fall due to availability and schedules.” Gallagher stressed the importance of students attending and participating in the forum in order to figure out what options are best for the PSU campus. “This is the opportunity to be informed and involved,” Gallagher said. “The forum is for the PSU community—faculty, staff, students and also the surrounding community,” because decisions made here will affect these groups.

PSU President Wim Wiewel assigned the Task Force to research the different options available to PSU to increase safety and security on campus last April. The first recommendation in the report made by the TFCS is to have access to sworn, armed police officers on campus—an option that will be discussed during the forum along with the other recommendations made in the report. Gallagher said there isn’t a timeline yet for when the

changes will be implemented, because a vital part of the decision making is receiving feedback from all members of the PSU community, especially students. “We’re trying to make this as transparent as possible,” Gallagher said. “There will be an ongoing discussion [about the recommendations] because changes like these take time to [be] implemented.” The university is trying to reach out to the campus

in new and creative ways, Gallagher said. “[The university wants to] get the PSU community involved in this discussion, get them engaged in addressing concerns they have, improving safety on campus and educating people,” he said. After the forum, Gallagher said those attending will be directed to the TFCS’s website, where there is a link available to provide feedback about the recommendations made in the TFCS report and

about the discussions occurring in the forum. It may be difficult to get through all the recommendations and their potential impacts in one forum meeting, Gallagher added. “The hardest thing to [do] will be simplifying the options because there are already some that are no longer available to us,” like contracting with Oregon State Police, he said. To read the TFCS report in full, visit pdx.edu/insidepsu/ the-future-of-campus-security

ASPSU revamps elections process for greater student involvement Turnout expected to exceed that of last year

Tia gomez-zeller, ASPSU vice president, hopes to increase student involvement in elections this year.

Colleen Leary

With less than a week left before the candidate application deadline, the Associated Students of Portland State University are working to promote awareness throughout campus. “We’ve handed out approximately 1,200 [elections] brochures. The information is definitely out there,” said ASPSU President Harris Foster in last week’s executive board meeting. The ASPSU executive board discussed the elections with a focus on fostering student involvement. Members are using social media promotion, posters, flyers and informational booths to reach out to the PSU student body.

Greater accessibility for students is expected to ensure more candidates and greater voter numbers. Years past have fallen short of expectations for voter turnout and student interest. “A lot of interest has been expressed. It looks like we’re going to have a better turn out than last year,” said Tia Gomez-Zeller, ASPSU vice president. Since March 3, when applications opened for candidacy, students have consistently expressed interest in student government involvement. “We’ve been averaging about five students a day coming in to get applications [for government positions],” GomezZeller said.

While all current board members will have to run for reelection if they want to remain in office, prior involvement with ASPSU is not required. Candace Avalos, coordinator of student-government relations and ASPSU adviser, expressed the importance of new members to each elected term. “Newly elected members provide new perspectives, opinions and approaches to [student government]. New views from new members help them to push and challenge each other.” After applications close on April 25, the elections board will notify all accepted students who meet the 2.5 GPA and

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

six-credit load requirement of their eligibility. ASPSU Chief of Staff, Shaymaa Taha, along with members of the Judicial Review Board will host several orientations for approved candidates. Candidates will also

attend meet-and-greets prior to election debates during the first week of May. Students can become candidates for student body president, vice president, senator and Student Fee Committee

member. New student government positions are elected in May and begin their one-year term on June 1. This timeline allows elected officials to settle into their positions before school begins in the fall.

PSU architecture professor wins Fulbright award Hugo Agosto

L. Rudolph Barton, professor of architecture at Portland State, will be traveling to Glasgow, Scotland, next year to take advantage of a unique opportunity to let the knowledge he’s gained at PSU serve those overseas by receiving the Fulbright Visiting Professorship from the US–UK Fulbright Commission. During the 2014–15 academic year, professor Barton will have the opportunity to do six months of research with the Urban Lab of the Mackintosh School of Architecture and Urban Design. The primary goal for Barton and his research associates is to develop an urban case study of Glasgow. “The city of Glasgow and Scotland itself are major success stories in innovative urban design,” Barton said in a press release. “Glasgow has

transformed itself from something of an industrial wasteland into one of Europe’s most energetic, creative cultural centers. I hope to bring back a few ideas so that Portland, and Oregon, can learn from Glasgow’s example.” The program he is participating in only accepts one individual per year. Barton will be embarking on his journey to Glasgow in early January, and will be coming back to the United States sometime in June. The purpose of this particular program is to “contribute to the development of curriculum and research agenda of the Glasgow Urban Lab,” according to the commission’s website. This partnered research will also hopefully create a reciprocal exchange program between PSU and the

Glasgow School of Art, according to a press release. In the same press release mentioned above, Barton said, “I am so grateful to the US–UK Fulbright Commission for this opportunity to study urban transformation in Glasgow.” Barton graduated with a bachelor’s in architecture from Tulane University in 1971, then received his master’s degree at Harvard University in 1981. Barton has over 25 years of experience in the public, private and academic sectors, and was considered a prime candidate to receive such an award. The Glasgow School of Art was founded in 1845 as a Government School of Design, and has grown to become one of the United Kingdom’s major institutions for the study of fine art, design and architecture.

L. Rudolph barton, a professor of architecture at PSU, received the Fulbright Visiting Professorship, which is only awarded to a U.S. citizen once a year.

©PORTland state university

NEWS

Laverne Cox to speak at PSU Hana King

Transgender activist, actress, producer and writer Laverne Cox will be the keynote speaker at Portland State’s annual Queer Students of Color Conference on May 9. The conference is a threeday event sponsored by the Queer Resource Center. The theme this year is “Regenerating Community: Radical Coalitions at the Intersection.” Participants will engage in workshops, exercises, lunches and activities geared toward providing a safe space for queer students of color. “The goal is to have a space where queer and trans folks of color can come and develop community and networks and work on these issues, particularly because there’s a lot of spaces for queer folks in general, but this is only the second conference that is specific for queer people of color,” said Paola Saldaña, resources coordinator for Queer Students of Color. The QRC is particularly pleased to have the Orange is the New Black star as a guest. Cox has been a very vocal proponent of transgender rights, and her rising celebrity status lends a new level of visibility to a community that has, in the past, faced a multitude of struggles when working toward agency and social equity. Cox, who is currently working on a documentary about transgender activist CeCe McDonald, as well as filming the second season of Orange is the New Black, is the only transgender woman of color to have a starring role in a major series. On the show, Cox plays Sophia Burset, a transgen-

COURTESY OF Greg Hernandez

der woman serving time for credit card fraud. Saldaña suggested that the overwhelming popularity of Cox’s character—as well as her public persona—have helped bring some aspects of the trans experience to mainstream audiences. “I think that her visibility is very telling of issues in the community, and I think where we need to start moving toward,” Saldaña said. While Cox is certainly one of the most recognizable guests at the conference, she is one among several artists and activists expected to con-

tribute. Other attendees include writer Fabian Romero, spoken word performers Climbing Poetree and activist Emi Koyama. The event will be held in the Smith Memorial Student Union ballroom, which accommodates 700 people. The price of attending the entire three-day conference is $30 for students and $60 for community members, but those prices are flexible depending on financial need. The price for seeing Laverne Cox speak is free to students and $7 for community members.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

NEWS

Faculty union ratifies new contract Coby Hutzler

The membership of the Portland State chapter of the American Association of University Professors voted to ratify their new contract agreement with the PSU administration last week. The new contract was approved by 97 percent of PSUAAUP’s 975 voting members. The ratification ends a nearly year-long bargaining campaign for both sides. The original agreement was reached in the early morning of April 6 after more than 30 hours of negotiation. Both sides have hailed the agreement. “The PSU community— faculty, students, administration and staff—can now come together for a successful and uninterrupted spring term,” PSU President Wim Wiewel said in a news release describing the agreement.

“This contract is an important step towards refocusing PSU on students and academics,” said Mary King, president of PSU-AAUP, in a press release announcing the ratification. King added in an email that the ratification is the first step in what is being called the “Long Campaign,” described by King as an effort to “reprioritize academics and the provision of affordable, high quality public higher education at PSU. “Our hope is that the strike authorization vote [of midMarch] was a wake-up call, and that the administration is serious about [Wiewel’s] recent commitment to attend better to the frustration of the campus community with PSU’s shift in direction…away from academic priorities and a student-centered budget,” King said.

“Academics has always been PSU’s priority,” said Scott Gallagher, PSU’s director of communications. “However, we, and higher education nationwide, are facing rising costs and ongoing disinvestment from the state. The challenge we face is how to continue providing a high quality public education without raising tuition to a point where it impedes access.” According to an April 6 news statement from PSU, the new contract provides non-tenure-track faculty with better job security and raises all AAUP salaries to at least $40,000 per year. AAUP’s involvement in approving changes to promotion and tenure procedures is also maintained. The new contract has been backdated to Sept. 1, 2013 and will expire on Nov. 30, 2015.

Mary king, president of PSU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, said the contract ratification is the first step in determining PSU’s future.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

CRIME BLOTTER

Week of April 15–April 21

Stephanie Tshappat

April 15

April 17

Exclusion

Southwest Twelfth Avenue and Montgomery Street At 1:25 a.m. Officer David Troppe, Officer Shawn McKenzie and Officer Jon Buck were patrolling and observed non-student Joshua Langston writing something on the ground. Officers attempted to contact Langston but he ran northbound from the area. Officer Buck stopped and contacted Langston at Southwest Clay Street between Southwest 11th and 12th Avenues. It was discovered Langston had written “Amanda fucks others 4 dope” on a grate on the sidewalk. Langston was issued a PSU exclusion.

Ondine residence hall Officer Brian Rominger, Sergeant Robert McLeary and Sergeant Michael Anderson responded to speak with a student who had had prior contacts with the Campus Public Safety Office in regard to sleeping in the lobby at 12:24 a.m. The student is not a resident of Ondine and does not have access to the building after hours. The student was compliant and knew he wasn’t supposed to linger in the lobby; he said a friend let him in. An exclusion for PSU housing buildings was issued to the student.

Hit and Run

Shattuck Hall parking lot At 12:10 a.m. Officers Troppe and McKenzie responded

to a call dispatched to Portland Police Bureau about a hit and run. PPB deferred to CPSO for the report as the incident occurred on PSU property. A student witness had the license plate number of the suspected vehicle, which came back to another PSU student who, when contacted, initially denied involvement. Later in the day, the suspect student met with Officer Gary Smeltzer at 3:30 p.m. and was issued a citation in lieu of arrest for failure to perform duties of a driver. No further information available.

April 18 Locate of missing person

Academic Student Rec Center Officer Denae Murphy and Officer Brenton Chose were dis-

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

patched to a report of a transient subject sleeping on the southeast corner of the building at 4:28 p.m. Upon arrival officers contacted non-student Steven Oliver who was flagged as a missing person through Gresham Police Department, who advised that Oliver was a paranoid schizophrenic insomniac who had walked away from his home care facility four days prior. Oliver’s aunt was contacted and he was released to her care.

Assist/Student Conduct

Blumel residence hall Officers Rominger and Buck and Sergeant McLeary responded to a dorm in Blumel after hearing PPB being dispatched to a heroin overdose. In the dorm, nonstudent Ryan Ellis Kelly

was lying on his back on the ground, and his face and fingers were turning blue from lack of oxygen. The student resident had been performing chest compressions while on the phone with 911. Sergeant McLeary took over chest compressions when he arrived and performed them until fire and ambulance crews arrived. Kelly was injected with Narcan a total of six times and had to have an endotracheal intubation to open his windpipe before he became responsive. Kelly was listed in stable condition at a local hospital. The student resident was interviewed about the narcotics activity and stated she was a recovering heroin user who had relapsed six days prior, and had newer track marks

on her arms. She stated Kelly was an acquaintance and she didn’t know he was using her bathroom to use heroin. She turned over a glass jar containing marijuana and a glass pipe with marijuana residue to officers when asked if there were more narcotics in the dorm; these items were seized and marked for destruction. The student resident had her four-year-old son present in the dorm during the entirety of the narcotics activity. The report was forwarded to the Dean of Student Life, Housing, and Child Protective Services. Read the full crime blotter online at psuvanguard.com

Bring on the toys

OPINION

The Cuddlefish

by Adam LaMascus Sex sells. Nothing demonstrates this truism quite like the sale of sex toys. In 2011, it was estimated that the sex toy industry made about $15 billion, and the volume of sex toys sold actually increased as the economy got worse over the following years. This is because sex toys are fun. If you haven’t given them a try, you really should, whether you’re with a partner or flying solo. The variety of sex toys on the market is staggering; everything from gentle floggers, tame handcuffs and blindfolds to rather terrifying toys that kind of look like a cowboy’s spurs and can easily draw blood. Now, this overwhelming variety, as well as the fact that scary toys do exist, can often be intimidating to people who have never used them. While that is understandable, the amount of selection is a good thing, because it means there is definitely something for you. Introducing toys into a sexual relationship can be stressful the first time. Based on conversations with people, including somebody who worked at a sex shop, the three biggest fears about toys are: It means you/your partner aren’t good enough, you or your partner will become addicted to toys, or that toys are for screwed-up kinky people or sluts. Let’s go over these point by point, shall we? First, while the idea is totally understandable, introducing sex toys does not mean one’s partner is no good or not good enough. When bringing up the idea of introducing sex toys, make sure to tell your partner that. Don’t overdo it though, or else your delivery may make them say “methinks thou doth protest too much.” Instead, it is good to think of sex toys like unusual sex positions: They are a fun addition to spice things up periodically. Second, just about anything can become addictive when done to excess, including reliance on sex toys such as vibrators. However, let’s be honest, the odds of that are very low. Again, if you or a partner are concerned about this, talk about it and make sure to emphasize that the toys are like dessert or a sidedish—not there to replace the main course. My girlfriend and I were initially nervous about this one ourselves and therefore put off buying our first vibrator for a really long time, but we survived the experience and were fine (more than fine). You almost certainly will be too. Third, this is silly. Sex toys are like anal or oral sex; they are often socially stigmatized despite the fact that statistically they are the norm. Using sex toys does not make you a freak or anything. Even if you are a freak, that’s fine too! Kink can be a ton of fun and is itself statistically normal. If either you or your partner are worried that wanting sex toys makes you weird, talk about how it’s actually normal, possibly talk about any underlying issues there and feel free to bring up the $15 billion number to support your argument. Now, let’s assume you and your partner have decided to get something, where do you start? My girlfriend and I discussed this one, and we are in slight disagreement here. I would say that vibrators are always a good, simple start. Small, bulletmodel vibrators are unintimidating and inexpensive. Vibrator play for couples is a really wonderful thing and can open the doors to a lot of great times together.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

My girlfriend thinks that handcuffs are a better first buy because they are likewise simple and unintimidating, and they are also completely free of any lingering doubts about whether a partner is being replaced by a toy. I think it’s a sound argument she makes, so depending on what fits you and your partner best, I’d say go for one of those two. On the topic of handcuffs: I would suggest getting leather handcuffs rather than metal ones. I personally think the metal ones usually seem kind of cheap. Beyond that, leather is way more comfortable than metal or cheap fuzz-covered metal. Also, espe-

cially if one of you is nervous, go for a type of handcuff where the one being cuffed can get out themselves. It’s often a nice little way to ease any worries, knowing that you are not totally immobilized. I recommend heading down to your local sex shop to take a look in person. Lovers is my girlfriend’s preferred shop, but there are plenty of other good ones. If the idea of going out in person terrifies you, that’s understandable. Fortunately for you, the whole of the Internet exists, so you can go take a look at things online. The Google incognito window is your friend if you are especially paranoid.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

OPINION

Chastity in the modern era Against the Current

by Sebastian Richardson When most people took sex education classes in high school, the concept of abstinence arose as being the only absolute safeguard against STIs and pregnancy. I, like most hormonal teenagers at that age, snickered and passively dismissed such an idea as laughable. In my opinion, abstinence in itself is a bad word. It’s inherently negative and seems overly concerned with what’s forbidden and what a person shouldn’t do. A person who abstains willfully chooses not to take part. However, I do not believe this terminology reflects the ideas of those who willfully abstain from certain sexual practices. A more fitting term would be chastity. For some, the term “chastity” may be synonymous with a big metal belt used to prevent sexual actions that were forced upon women by an unrelenting patriarchy, but this is no longer so. The modern chastity movement is not overly obsessed with what a person shouldn’t do, but rather what they should do. For instance, respecting a person’s dignity, valuing personal relationships and not allowing base pleasures and desires to rule over you. Interestingly enough, despite the fact that we live in a time where perceived sexual norms are changing and societal views regarding things like masturbation and pornography seem to

be universally favorable, there are a rising number of people who seem to forsake such “liberation” in favor of an approach that contrasts with the current sexual climate. On Reddit, there’s a growing community of around 100,000 users solely dedicated to ridding themselves of the frequent and habitual use of pornography and masturbation. For some, it’s merely a challenge of self-control. For others, the community provides the support they need to give up the habit for good. While the motivations for taking on the challenge vary, the reasons people stay are more fascinating. People claim that abstaining from porn and masturbation, while initially very difficult and resulting in numerous “relapses,” has more benefits then they initially expected. Men within the sub-reddit claim that abstaining from masturbation, especially in conjunction with pornography, affects the way they view and act around women in a positive way. They find that they gain more confidence and don’t feel as self-conscious. They even claim that they treat women with more respect and not like sexual objects. These “NoFappers” are dedicated to their cause and will offer all kinds of support to those who seek it. Everything from porn filters, tips on taking cold showers, advice on limiting alone time and words of encouragement can be found within the online community. While I will not agree with everything they say, it seems interesting that even in the modern world, where we know masturbating won’t give you hairy palms or make you go blind, many men have decided to give it up for reasons ranging from religious practices to trying to improve their social life. While most people hesitate to see anything inherently wrong with masturbating, more and more studies are coming out suggesting that the use of pornography can have many unseen and less-than-favorable consequences on the human brain.

There have been studies linking pornography usage to erectile dysfunction and changes in brain compulsion for compulsive users. It can cause men to become controlling, anxiety ridden, introverted and even depressed. Aside from these effects, porn itself gives people an unrealistic view of what sex is. It takes away from the human and emotional aspect of sex and focuses a person’s whole attention on their own personal fulfillment. It treats women and men as objects for one’s own self-gratification, which doesn’t foster a sense of human dignity and value. That can be especially harmful if you continue such habits in a relationship. While pornography will not disappear in the near future, these studies, online support groups and movies such as Don Jon, which seeks to unveil the dark side of using pornography, will hopefully begin to change hearts and minds. For those who have not looked into the issue, I challenge you to look into how porn might be affecting your life and interpersonal relationships. I myself, a proud NoFapper, have not used pornography in over 240 days, and I can honestly say it has impacted my life in a positive and powerful way. Chastity in the 21st century will take a different shape than it did in past generations. Instead of treating sex as something that is scornful and shameful, the modern chastity movement will attempt to reconcile our human nature with our core virtues and seek a higher standard from one another. It won’t look at sex and porn as something evil, but will rather see being chaste, respecting a person’s dignity and not letting sexual desire overcome us as something admirable and virtuous. For those who are curious or wish to learn more, I recommend looking at: yourbrainonporn.com and Gary Wilson’s TED talk, “The Great Porn Experiment.”

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Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

OPINION

The great white hoax A Great White Shark off the coast of Isla Guadalupe, Mexico.

The Illuminator by Mike Bivins

Apparently someone forgot to tell the Australian government that there are sharks in the waters off of its coast. Due to an upswing in the amount of shark attacks in the last few years near Australian shores, the Australian government has, in a fit of hysteria, sanctioned the culling of sharks off its borders in an effort to reduce these attacks. It all seems to me like a big publicity stunt. Whatever the reasons are for this, the blame has been placed incorrectly. The Australian government should not blame the sharks. The sharks are just doing what comes naturally. The sharks are just doing what tigers do when a human foolishly falls into their exhibit at the zoo. Are people shocked that a bull in Pamplona gores you after it finally catches up to you? Naturally, the shark who has been gifted this opportunity is not going to turn it down. Why would the Australian government hold the shark responsible when it is the human who was in error when they decided to wade into the ocean? An ocean which gives the shark every advantage. It can attack unseen and be swimming away with our leg as a trophy quicker than you can say Jaws. Speaking of Jaws, perhaps this is a movie the Australian government has seen one too many times. The poor great white shark has been unfairly persecuted for being a ruthless and efficient killing machine. It is just doing what it was designed to do. It was intended to be an apex predator—a predator that is supposed to be a challenge for anything that enters the shark’s domain, humans included. Let me use the following example to better illustrate why the Australian government is, in a word, stupid for their actions. The bears are the apex predators of the woods. However, there are effective measures that can be taken against bears. There is bear mace, and if all else fails you can try to play dead. However, even the biggest of these bears tops out at around 1,000 pounds. We have relatively effective measures against creatures which are huge when compared to an average human. As a result, we are not deterred from entering the woods. Now, imagine if that same bear transformed to the size of a great white shark. Would you enter the woods knowing that your campsite could potentially be visited by a 4,000 pound bear? What recourse would you have against such a beast? You would have to secure your campsite perimeter with booby traps. What is there to deter the great white? Only a cage to protect you or a little button that emits some kind of signal

Creative Commons Attributions to Pterantula (Terry Goss)

“The poor great white shark has been unfairly persecuted for being a ruthless and efficient killing machine.” which disturbs the shark and makes it go away. What good is that button going to do if the shark can attack unseen from below? Perhaps it will be dissuaded from returning for your other arm? The bear cannot just pop up from beneath you like a great white can. You probably won’t even see it coming. Unfortunately, the Australian government cannot fathom people putting their lives on the line. Perhaps the Australian government is afraid that the uptick in shark attacks will have a negative impact on tourism within the country. My astute coworker pointed out to me that some people will interpret the need for culling as meaning the waters off Australia are sharkinfested, thus deterring tourist endeavors such as scuba diving. Whatever the reason, it is not worth the indiscriminate killing of sharks; the great white shark least of all. While the great white shark is mighty—and one was indeed responsible for a recent shark attack off the Australian coast, which apparently brought up this issue—it is listed by the

World Wildlife Foundation as vulnerable. Is it worth moving an integral part of the ecosystem one step closer to extinction just to give the illusion that beaches are safer? The great white is one of the oceans apex predators, and if I remember anything from high school biology, it is that an ecosystem needs its top-of-the-food-chain predators to keep things balanced. Not to mention, there is a whole community of marine biologists who would be devastated if we lost this creature. I can guarantee you that without the great white shark, there would not have been a Shark Week on the Discovery Channel, and without Shark Week to capture the hearts and minds of children, we deprive our academic community of a crop of aspiring marine biologists. Then there’s that crazy kid out there who wants to swim with the sharks. He knows the risks and is willing to take them. The Australian government should go back to doing what it does best. I am not sure what that is, but it is certainly not marine biology.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

In portland, biking is a lifestyle Greg Young

Bike Barometer Riding a bike in Portland isn’t exactly a leisurely activity that one takes part in on a boring Saturday. It’s a way of life. Portland sees six percent of its commuters travel by bike; that’s more than 17,000 people. Most cities can claim less than one percent commute by bike. Minneapolis comes as a close second, sporting just under five percent of bike commuters, but they’ve been rising steadily, coming dangerously close to beating Portland as the top bike city. Portland is also the only large American city that has earned a platinum rating for its bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Bicyclists, and was named the number-one bike city in the U.S. in 2012 by Bicycling Magazine. Portland loves bikes so much that we keep count. Down at the Hawthorne Bridge is a bike counter that counts each cyclist that crosses the bridge. Since Aug. 8, 2012, the meter has counted almost three million bikes.

Safety Be sure to wear a helmet—it’s not uncommon to have a cyclist, sometimes while cycling, chide you for not taking the necessary precautions. Eighty percent of Portland cyclists use a helmet, and the ones that don’t probably shouldn’t be on a bike in the first place. Bikes are also legally required to use a flashing light during twilight and at night. The city has installed 319 miles of bikeways in town,

and in some cases bikes get their own paths entirely, including eight miles of bikeway that separate bicycles from cars. According to BikePortland.org, Portland had zero bike-related fatalities in 2013 (as well as 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008 and 2010).

Events

a pump, someone will likely have one for you to use.

Trails There are numerous trails for cyclists throughout Portland, and the city has managed to map out a collection of nine popular routes to take. These rides all add up to nearly 225 miles of cycling,

often looping throughout each of the city’s five regions. Start out in Northeast Portland, ride west across the bridge (any of them will do), cut through the Pearl, head into downtown, ride over the Hawthorne Bridge, and find yourself in Southeast. Or continue out west toward the wilderness and steep hills, climbing as high as

Pittock Mansion, and barrel your way back down. Or take a ride out to the Gorge, which can be a 60 mile ride.

Bike Bars It’s not uncommon to find a pub that cyclists will stop in to enjoy a pint. Take for example the Hopworks Bike Bar in North Portland.

Heavily influenced by bikes, the ceiling directly above the bar is lined with bike frames and is located on a prime bike commuter street. There is even a stationary bike outside that customers can use to generate power to the building, and for every 15 minutes the bar will give you a dollar. Something to keep in mind!

To further encourage bicycle safety, Portland is the home of Pedalpalooza, a weeks-long cycling festival with 34 different events, many of which are created by participants. Pedalpalooza events include the Zoobomb Century ride, which is a 100-mile race where the participants ride mini bikes down steep hills on the city’s west side. But the highlight is the famous World Naked Bike Ride, the largest nude bike ride in the country. It is exactly what it sounds like: An event spreading awareness to cyclist vulnerability on the road. Nude bike rides can also be found elsewhere in the country, but Portland’s is the largest, attracting up to 8,150 participants. Riders show up, dress down, slap on body paint (if they so choose) and embrace oncoming traffic, displaying fully the dangers of cycling on the road.

Bike Shops There are at least 60 bike shops located in Portland, including Portland State’s very own Bike Hub. If a cyclist ever has an issue with their bike, help is always just around the corner. It’s also likely a fellow cyclist will show up and help you out with whatever the problem is. If you have a flat tire and you don’t have

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Shaylee King/PSU VANGUARD

GREEN GUIDE

trimet’s messy mixed bag

tHE COMPANY FACES INTERNAL PROBLEMS, voter resistance and too much hype Breana Harris Portland has a great reputation for its public transportation options, but a resident’s perception of this public transportation can be skewed from both sides. Is TriMet a dysfunctional, money-gobbling headache? Or is it the brand name of our shiny, car-free utopia? As it turns out, neither one is true. A 2014 report by Walk Score ranked Portland 10th of the top 10 cities for public transportation in the U.S. Considering the number of reliable train and subway systems on the East Coast, a number 10 ranking doesn’t seem so bad. Of course, it might seem a little weird that Los Angeles is ranked number nine. Yes, that Los Angeles. That mecca of traffic pollution, where they can’t legally build a school within 90 miles of a freeway because all the children might get chronic bronchitis. How can it possibly rank better in public transportation than Portland? It’s simply because the voters in that city have reached a breaking point, and a surge of new light rail projects are being funded by taxpayer money. According to the Sierra Club, Los Angeles is working to build a sprawling infrastructure of trains, which will go into construction this year. Portland is obviously further along in the evolution of that infrastructure than most U.S. cities. But the city’s status as a leader in public transportation might be at the root of some of TriMet’s most glaring issues. A 2012 article by Governing magazine chronicles the rise of TriMet and Portland’s position as an ideal

model for public transportation to the rest of the country, despite having a modest population of around 600,000. Perhaps because of the hype, TriMet continually bites off more than it can chew financially. Plans to expand MAX trains and streetcar routes manifest despite safety concerns and concerns over TriMet’s unsustainable health care and retirement benefits for its workers. According to TriMet’s website, the organization is facing nearly $1 billion in unfunded benefits, mostly due to current and future retiree health costs. Funds also get tied up in repair and renovation projects, which do not generate profit. TriMet also doesn’t enjoy the same public support that public transportation in other cities have secured. Elite hipsters are always the first to cry gentrification, implying that the addition of rail lines to Portland neighborhoods brings bigger business and higher rent prices. But even plans to renovate buses have been voted down. Most of the resistance comes from outside the city, in areas like Lake Oswego and Vancouver, Wash. The Columbia River Crossing project, which would extend the MAX trains to Vancouver, has been met with red tape and insane hoop-jumping for years. Compare that to public transportation in Seattle, Sound Transit, where an impressive train system links the city with suburban areas like Everett and even neighboring cities like Tacoma and Bellevue. Sound Transit can boast that over 90 percent of trains arrive on time, while TriMet had to issue a public apology last year for letting

Alex Hernandez/PSU VANGUARD

its reliability drop to just 40 percent. Why the difference? I imagine it has to do with the way business is run, but it may also have to do with the city’s attitude. Having spent most of my life in cities where the only public transportation option was a dirty and probably unsafe bus, I had a hard time imagining why anyone complained about TriMet. Sure, some people think the focus on railways over buses disenfranchises the poorest of public transportation riders,

but that’s why fare prices are all the same now. The streetcar is only a dollar. And to be honest, even though the stigma of riding the bus is different here than in most places, trains and streetcars are cleaner, less confusing and much more convenient. Plus, the government will invest in them. The environmental values that Portland is so known for seem to clash with the elitist, anti-expansion vibe that is also prevalent around here. But perhaps they always did.

Back in the 1970s, when an urban growth boundary was first adopted, Portland prided itself on tearing down freeways to build parks instead of expanding to accommodate population growth like most of the U.S. But the population growth came. More people have been coming to this city than it can possibly hold, creating a commuter culture and a need for methods to alleviate traffic problems that are beyond what a city this size should have.

The rail system in Portland is admirable and ahead of its time, and it should definitely be expanded. But there are indisputable problems with TriMet as a company, as well as with the reliability and safety of its trains. All across the country, public transportation use is rising, and while Portland may not always be the hyped-up model for efficiency and innovation it once was, there’s no room to go backward. Nothing is perfect, especially not progress.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

How to calculate your ecological footprint Adam Wunische For those of us who’ve spent our entire lives in the United States, we may not realize that the American standard of living is vastly different from those around the world. Because of this, the ecological footprint for people living in the U.S. can be quite shocking. An ecological footprint is a measurement of the impact that you have on the environment based on the amount of resources you consume. Many websites can calculate this for you, and some research has been released ranking countries on this measurement. At footprintnetwork.org, you can enter information

about how you live your life and they will calculate how many Earths it would take to support your lifestyle if all seven billion people lived like you. My lifestyle is fairly modest. I mostly take public transportation or my bike. I’m a student living on financial aid so I don’t buy large amounts of consumer goods, and I always recycle. But even with this modest lifestyle, if everyone lived like me we would need the resources of 4.6 Earths to support the demand. The Global Footprint Network, which operates the website mentioned above,

provides a questionnaire to determine the resource intensity of your lifestyle. One important factor is your diet. Vegetarians consume far less resources than meat eaters. This is because animals are a very inefficient source of calories compared to something like corn or rice. Studies have shown that we produce enough calories to feed 11 billion people, but people still starve because much of these calories are allocated to feeding animals and producing inefficient food sources. The next set of questions involves the amount of trash you produce. To determine

this, the website asks how much you buy. Things like clothes, books, magazines, furniture and electronic goods can all increase your ecological footprint. Following this are questions about your living situation. Living in a high-rise apartment building is more efficient than living in a detached home in the suburbs. Other factors play a significant role as well, like square footage, insulation, types of appliances and type of exterior. Last is a series of questions regarding your transportation habits. Studies looking at improving our environmental situation have praised cities because of their efficient potential. Tightly packed populations require far less transportation compared to populations that are spread over great distances. These questions include issues like, “What forms of transportation do you use?” These can range from a motorcycle, to a train, to an SUV. Each of these different forms of transportation consumes different amounts of

resources. This is often the category where people notice the biggest differences between the U.S. and other nations. Scooters are popular in Southeast Asia, while Americans are known for their love of off-road vehicles that never leave the pavement. At the end of the questionnaire you receive your number of necessary planets and a breakdown of categories that consume the most resources, from food, to mobility, to services, to shelter. It also shows which resources are used the most by your lifestyle. Finally, you are given the option to go back and make changes to your responses to see how you could cut back on your ecological footprint. Just to see how few planets I could get, I changed all my answers to the lowest possible amount. I was a vegetarian, living in a high-rise, using no electricity, producing no trash, requiring no transportation and never taking a vacation. Expecting to be using less than one planet, I was shocked to see that my seemingly impossible lifestyle had

only lowered my impact to 3.2 Earths. How is this possible? The Global Footprint Network’s answer for this is that our ecological footprint is not wholly determined by individuals. We live in societies that will consume and use resources regardless of our personal lifestyles. This includes factors like the transportation needed for the national economy, the resources needed for military equipment and operation, and the resources needed to maintain infrastructure. My journey to determine my ecological footprint ended much as you would expect any venture that looks at the human impact on the environment: certainly depressing, while still slightly hopeful. Although my lifestyle and society are well beyond the means of this planet, there are steps that I can take. If similar steps are taken by others, we can someday only require the resources of one planet. I don’t think Mars will be producing much anytime soon.

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Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

It’s not our fault, it’s the Cascadia Fault Being green can't save you when the earth is out to kill you Andrew Echeverria

Let’s get one thing straight: The world hates you. Insofar that the Earth is not a sentient being—an angry, bitter old man yelling at you to fuck off from behind his Lumberjack Slam breakfast, or a mugger holding you at knifepoint outside a Denny’s, or a madman rampaging through the same Denny’s with a chainsaw—it might as well be. We can talk about recycling and tree-planting all week, but the fact is that the world does not appreciate your efforts. This planet wants you and me dead. Take for instance the Cascadia Fault, a subduction zone that rests where the Juan de Fuca and North American plates intersect (that’s right under us, bub). This zone, which covers an area ranging from Victoria, B.C. to northern California, builds tectonic pressure and releases it in the form of violent earthquakes that can reach a magnitude of over 9.0, wrecking the Pacific Northwest every 300 to 600 years. The longer the interval of time between releases, the stronger the quake. Unfortunately, the last earthquake on record took place in 1700. We are overdue for a catastrophic earthquake, and it could happen at any time. But fear not! We have compiled a list herein of the safest hills readers can head for once the ground inevitably

begins to rumble beneath our feet.

That one big field with deer in it Steering clear of the downtown area, or really any location with many buildings, would be in your best interest. Large, open areas will be the best places to make for. There’s this great field I saw outside the city with some deer in it, and those deer aren’t going to be phased by the quake at all. Heading to that field might be a good idea. Regardless, I’m sure the deer will naturally rise up to take our place once we’re gone. After evolving into some form of deer-human hybrid, they will rebuild from the rubble left behind by Cascadia. Undoubtedly, they will build a newer, better Denny’s: Deer Denny’s. Portland will be renamed Deer City, and it will be as grand as a Grand Slam from Deer Denny’s. Assuming it’s still standing, that big deer sign on Burnside will finally make some damn sense too.

The Beach The Beach is a great place to go and unwind after a long day at the office or while avoiding earthquakes. Boasting 50-cent wings and $3 oyster

shooters ALL DAY on Sundays, The Beach is a premier bar located in Charleston, S.C. that 73 people are talking about on Facebook. The other side of the country will definitely be a prime spot to be when Cascadia hits. If you made the foolish mistake of thinking this was a suggestion to go to an actual beach in the Pacific Northwest, then grow up. Ever heard of a tsunami, pal? They usually happen after earthquakes, so don’t go to the beach. But by all means, go to The Beach! After enough oyster shooters and mimosas, it’ll feel just like relaxing at a real beach!

Latitude 65º, Longitude –23º In this quiet and peaceful bay outside Iceland, you can rest easy knowing that you have escaped the terrors of Cascadia. There are no Denny’s, but sacrificing a hearty breakfast for some beautiful scenery is a fair tradeoff. Shielded by a large bluff and backed by an ocean, this will be a solid position to defend yourself from the oncoming Eyjafjallajökull pirates that will no doubt make life hard for you here. But hey, no earthquakes! Also, I buried a treasure chest for you on a nearby island, so feel free to help yourself. Spoiler: it’s three króna, a DVD-R with season 2 of Friends burned on

Creative Commons Attributions to Curps

it with Spanish audio, and a $10 gift card to Denny’s.

Outer Space It will be lonely and there won’t be any bacon-maple sundaes for purchase from your local Denny’s up in space…but as far as we know, there won’t be any space-

quakes to worry about since those haven’t been invented yet. Feel free to stare the murderous Earth right in its green-and-blue face from the safety of your space vessel! Celebrate your escape from certain doom with some Denny’s brand astronaut toothpaste-food and enjoy your new life in the black void!

Note: The Vanguard will not be held responsible if earthquakes coincidentally ravage these evacuation areas at the same time as Cascadia, nor if space-quakes have already been invented. All further grievances should take the form of a middle finger directed downward at the Earth.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

Dig in!

A quick and dirty guide to newbie composting Hana King Let’s talk about composting. Everybody’s doing it, especially in Portland where we wear our earth-friendly attitudes on our sleeves. But, as composting hits peak levels of popularity, it’s important to make sure we are doing it right. On an individual level, composting is about converting your food waste into something rich in nutrients that can be used to nurture your garden or grow more food. According to Tony Hair, the waste management coordinator with Portland State’s Campus Sustainability Office, and Brad Melaugh, the food diversion coordinator, composting has a variety of different meanings. At its most basic level, Melaugh defines compost itself as “the product of breaking down of biodegradable materials that can be mostly used for agricultural production.” Composting, on the other hand, refers to diverting food

scraps and other biodegradable materials from the landfill into other, more practical uses. “Composting is the collection of organics to compost,” Hair said, emphasizing the common misunderstanding that some people have regarding the word. “I’m sometimes guilty of it myself. I say ‘oh, we’re composting’ when in fact all we are doing is collecting the organics here to be sent somewhere to be composted and turned into compost. ” Now that we know what it means, there are several ways newbies can dig in for themselves and become acquainted with the composting process. Both Melaugh and Hair practice vermicomposting at home. Vermicomposting refers to the usage of worm bins to break down food waste. Hair says he’s always been partial to vermicomposting not just because of its effectiveness, but also because he thinks it’s cool.

“It’s really enjoyable,” Hair said. “I like the sounds the worms make when they’re in the bin.” For the adventurous composter looking to try their hand, vermicomposting is a relatively simple process. “It’s a technique where you intentionally inoculate a bin with red wiggler worms… There’s a method behind the madness. It’s a little bit of a science because you are dealing with habitat creation and dealing with food, but it’s really low maintenance and accessible once you set it up,” Melaugh said. In order to set up a worm bin, Melaugh and Hair recommend to start by laying down shredded newspaper to soak up the excess moisture, add food waste and worms to the mix, and then let the worms work their magic. While vermicomposting is doable, Melaugh encourages See COMPOST on page 18

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Worms are an essential element in vermicomposting.

©Jacob Levine

GREEN GUIDE

Urban Gardening 101 Stephanie Tshappat I have always loved gardening. My mom has a green thumb, and growing up she turned our yard from the almost dead patch of grass that it was into a lovely escape full of food and flowers. For me, gardening is therapeutic—and cheaper than actual therapy, so it’s a win-win! Now, this is Portland—we have urban chicken farmers— so urban gardening should be as easy as “buy dirt, buy plant, stick plant in dirt,” right? Well, successful urban gardening requires a tad more attention, but is still relatively simple. First, decide where in your yard or patio you plan on planting your garden. Pay attention to how much sun the space gets throughout the day—most fruits and veggies need full sun throughout the day (at least six hours) to thrive. If you have a yard, raised garden beds are a great idea for the Portland area because they help with water drainage. Raised beds can be made

with wood from the local hardware store or even cinderblocks, depending on your preference. Also make sure the spot is reachable with a hose for easy watering. Don’t worry if you don’t have a yard, you can still grow your own food in pots or planter boxes on your patio or balcony. The key with growing plants this way is to make sure whatever kind of container you use has a drainage hole at the bottom for excess water to drain from the soil. For garden beds, make sure you prep the area you’ll be using by breaking up the soil with a shovel or pitchfork and remove any rocks or weeds you come across. If you have compost that is ready to be used in the garden, add it in to your soil now, then even out the soil with a rake, which will help water soak in evenly. If the soil in the area of your garden bed isn’t up to snuff or you don’t have enough of it (we are urban,

after all) adding potting soil to your bed is perfectly fine. For pots or planter boxes, potting soil will definitely be needed. Now, there are an insane number of varieties of potting soil: potting soil for veggies, potting soil for containers, potting soil with manure already added, potting soil that will hold water longer. It can definitely get confusing. Most of my own gardening experience is with containers. I’ve tried a few of these different varieties and honestly haven’t noticed a difference between them. So, I try to go with the simplest, most regular potting soil I can find. When it comes to choosing which fruits, veggies and herbs you want to plant, it’s important to choose foods you like and will actually eat. Remember that one plant will generally yield quite a bit of food, so keep in mind how many people you’ll be feeding See gardening on page 18

Shaylee King/PSU VANGUARD

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

Community gardens in the City of Roses Elizabeth Hendrickson

With the advent of spring, Portland State offers students a chance to test their green thumb. Located on Southwest 12th Avenue and Montgomery Street, across the street from Stephen Epler Hall, PSU’s community garden allows residents and students the joys and experiences of gardening. “The weather’s beautiful, and I think that [gardening] is a nice way to get out,” said Hannah Johnson, a resident assistant who is helping to organize one of the plots in PSU’s community garden. “It’s a good way to pause from everyday life, because when you’re gardening, you’re closer to nature.” The community garden, provided by the Residence Housing Association, offers on-campus residents the opportunity to plant, foster and harvest vegetables and fruits throughout the year. PSU’s community garden boasts over 40 plots, which generally consist of 40 to 60 square feet per plot. The garden also is home to a community Native Garden, a sandbox for children to play in, a tool shed, and a patio area for barbecuing and relaxation. Students who tend the community garden are encouraged to plant whatever they would like, as long as it is non-invasive and does not easily spread out of control. Georgi Ryan, the PSU community garden coordinator, said that besides pro-

viding a break from the city, the garden offers benefits for the gardeners and provides a sustainable option that is usually not available in an urban setting. “It’s a great place to be around, either [to] socialize or be by yourself and study,” Ryan said. “It’s a great spot, especially with the urban environment. You can get caught up in it, and it can really affect you emotionally and just the way you act towards people. I think having a garden is a really important thing.” The benefits of a community garden aren’t unique to the PSU campus—they extend to the rest of Portland as well. “We see [community gardens] as an opportunity for people to get outside and be active, engage in a recreational activity,” said Laura Niemi, the community garden program coordinator at Portland Parks and Recreation. “Community gardens give people an opportunity to get fresh air and exercise and grow food.” The community garden at PSU is one of several throughout Portland. Parks and Recreation has nearly 50 gardens in their program, in addition to community gardens operated by churches, non-profits and other independent groups. However, depending on location, involvement in a garden plot could require a waiting list of up to three years. “There’s a fair amount of unmet demand within the city of Portland, at least in our program,” Niemi said.

PSU’s Community Garden provides students with their own space to grow food in an urban setting.

Christopher Sohler/PSU VANGUARD

“So there’s definitely potential to grow.” Part of the popularity of plots in a garden is the sense of mutuality it provides. “What we are trying to achieve is a garden that encourages non-experienced gardeners and experienced gardeners, because few people understand how easy a garden can be, and an important point of a community garden is to make communication between the two possible,” Ryan said. “They [community gardens] are an asset for the community,” Niemi said. “The garden is a great place for residents to come togeth-

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er and talk about issues facing their neighborhood, get to know each other, and just have a positive presence in the community.” Referencing an article in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening by Guitart and others from 2012, Olyssa Starry, an urban ecologist in the Honors Program at PSU, emphasizes the benefits of community gardening include social development, financial perks, better health and diet, and enhancement of cultural backgrounds and biodiversity. Parks and Recreation takes many of these factors into account when building a community garden.

“I consider community gardens part of the urban environment,” Starry said. “Even though community gardens can by highly controlled and maintained, ecological patterns and processes are still at play in these systems. We have a lot more to learn about how various garden designs relate to ecological functioning.” “I think that it’s a cultural thing, that our generation has just moved away from [gardening],” said Ryan, regarding the impact urbanization has had on gardening. She further explained that some things can’t be taught through modern devices such

as the Internet, and instead can be found in the collaboration she witnesses in the community garden. “My favorite part is the learning that happens through communal effort,” she said. “It’s a great experience, and I think everyone should have a part of it. I want people to feel as connected to their gardens as I feel with this one.” Plots are assigned on a revolving timeline, and generally involve a waiting list. More information can be found on the Residence Hall Association website, or by contacting the garden coordinator at psucg@pdx.edu.

GREEN GUIDE

Exploring Locavore Living at the PSU Farmers Market Claude Akins In 1992 the original Portland Farmer’s Market debuted with 13 vendors in the Albers Mill parking lot. Today there are more than 250 vendors at eight different sites, with sales upward of $7 million dollars annually—most of which goes directly to the vendors themselves. This is but one example of the types of services offered by an artisan economy—the type of economy that Portland is nationally recognized for supporting. But, what exactly does it mean to be an “artisan economy,” and how does that help us understand the significance of the vendors at Portland State and the hundreds of shoppers who happily walk through the congested Park Blocks? For one, an artisan economy focuses on handmade instead of mass produced. This means that there will ultimately be more variation—and often higher-quality products—and allows the artisans to follow their own rhythms and live more independent lifestyles. And, most importantly perhaps, is the fact that these ar-

tisans contest big businesses who tend to take money from local economies, and instead keep that money flowing cyclically through the local industrial web. An important caveat should be noted: Many of the farmers and vendors at PSU’s market are not located in Portland. They are from Salem, West Linn, Joseph, Philomath and Bend— from all over Northwestern Oregon. These satellite vendors may take money from Portland, but the effect this has on deterring big businesses—while keeping the money in the state and filtering it into smaller, rural communities who often struggle to generate revenue—is still hugely influential on Portland’s economy, way of life and the state as a whole. Now, let’s turn to a few vendors and see what theory looks like in practice. While walking north past the library one Saturday, I saw beneath a white tent a somewhat tucked-away vendor, Minto Island Growers. They attend markets in Salem and Portland, and also feed customers through community supported agriculture, or CSA.

“Soon, we will be able to sell tea. The first tea grown and sold in Oregon,” said Rene Stars, who works for Minto Island Growers. “We are amazed. We didn’t know tea could be grown in Oregon,” Stars said. “We will have black tea, green tea and oolong.” This is only their second week at the PSU Farmers Market, but they’ve been attending the Salem market for five years, and as such it’s become a major source of their income. This year marks their first year selling tea. It will be available by the second week of June. The farm was started by Elizabeth Miller and Christopher Jenkins, and is located at the Miller’s family property. I look around their stand and realize they only sell starters. “The market sets a limit for how many people can sell produce directly. There can only be so many people selling vegetables,” Stars said. “And how does this affect you?” I asked. “I like it,” she said. “It keeps competition in check.” After an hour or so of idle rambling and buying a few

French breakfast radishes grown in Joseph and some Mexican red beans grown on Sauvie’s Island (the PSU market, I should add, accepts SNAP, making it a realistic option for the starving college student), I met Elan Hagens, a mushroom lover who got her start by training dogs to truffle hunt. She sells homemade caramel, shiitake mushrooms, sea beans, as well as other foraged goods. Hagens attends the PSU market and the Beaverton market.

“They are comparable,” she said. “The Beaverton one is really good.” Does she have any competition here? “Yes, there’s another mushroom guy. He lets me set up here. He’s been here since, like, it started almost 20 years ago!” But, all in all, one gets the impression that she’s doing well, and besides selling to local eateries, these markets are her main source of income.

“They put fancy names on mushrooms,” Hagens said, “but it’s all about how long it’s been growing. All those mushrooms in the store are the same strain. They put fancy names on it to trick Americans to buy them.” A list of vendors can be found at the PFM website. But, of course, the best way to get in touch with the vendors is to walk through the Park Blocks on Saturdays and simply strike up a conversation.

Elan Hagens sells a number of foraged goods at the Portland Farmers Market.

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Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE COMPOST

gardening

Continued from page 14

Continued from page 15

anyone interested to do their own research beforehand. For those slightly more squeamish, prospective composters might also be interested in building compost heaps in their yards. Like vermicomposting, the process is slightly scientific. “There are certain ratios of carbonaceous materials versus nitrogen based materials, which I like to think of as brown stuff versus green stuff—leaves versus weeds,” Melaugh said. Tom Langston, a junior mechanical engineering major and member of the PSU Environmental Club, maintains a compost heap at home in addition to using the city provided compost bins. He is very specific about what goes in the heap and what doesn’t, right down to organic and nonorganic veggies.

“Organic vegetables or vegetables that we grow on site we compost in our yard…we do a heap, but it’s in a container, not just piled up,” Langston said. “It’s in a black container with minimal ventilation. Over the winter we didn’t compost as much because in the winter it doesn’t decompose as quickly.” “I think it’s really good that I’m not throwing all that stuff in the trash,” he continued, “because when they take that trash away, all they’re going to do is put that trash in a landfill and it’ll last for 10 times longer than it will in a compost bin.” While not everyone can be as vigilant as Langston, there is a protocol to composting in a heap. Heaps should be turned over every few weeks and consist mostly of yard debris and not foodstuffs, as a way to avoid too many un-

wanted pests. However, not all pests are bad pests. “The benefit to certain types of animals is that they’ll probably poop in your pile, and most animal scat is very high in nutrients and beneficial when broken down properly,” Melaugh said. Both Melaugh and Hair are able to see the direct benefits of composting in their everyday lives. “It’s really enjoyable to see the process all the way through and to see what you’re making dinner with, and see it through to the end instead of just having it end in the trashcan,” Melaugh said. “Engagement and getting people involved in their food systems is really important, and so is the recycling of nutrients trying to create zero waste in terms of beneficial nutrients for the soil.”

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Shaylee King/PSU VANGUARD

when figuring out how many plants to buy. This information can usually be found on the tag that is stuck in the soil of the plant when you buy it. But, if you end up with too many fruits and veggies, you can always give the extra to neighbors and friends. Other important information is included on the plant tags, like when they need to be planted, how far apart to space the plants and how much sun they need. Once you’ve selected which plants you want to grow and have your garden bed or containers prepped, you’re ready

to plant! Keep in mind, if you’re growing tomatoes, you’ll want to purchase a tomato cage to help hold up the weight of the plant; cucumbers also work great in them, especially small spaces, since they will climb up the cage. For veggies like beans and peas, which also climb, a trellis or tomato cage will be necessary as well. Either dig a row (for garden beds, paying attention to recommended spacing) or a hole (for containers). Then gently remove the plants from their containers by gently squeezing the sides and shaking the plant loose. Then, loosen the

roots at the bottom of the root ball. Before placing the plant in the hole or row, my mom always filled it halfway with water, to give the plants a little drink as soon as they get in the ground. Next, fill in the hole with soil and make sure the roots of the plant are covered. Water the plant a little more, just enough to wet the top layer of soil. And you’re done! Keep up on watering (always in early morning or evening), and depending on the type of plant and variety, you’ll have your own urban-grown food on your table in no time.

GREEN GUIDE

Recycling: It’s not easy being green Elizabeth Hendrickson “Instead of seeing it as a piece of trash, see it as something valuable,” said Tony Hair, the waste management coordinator in the Campus Sustainability Office at Portland State. “[Recyclers] pick up that aluminum can and see that this aluminum can can become another aluminum can or a bicycle. It still has potential.” While the desire to recycle is often well placed, regional recycling laws and over-enthusiasm can often lead to complications in the recycling process. “A lot of people think everything is recyclable,” said Kristen Purdy, the coordinator of EcoReps, a student group at PSU dedicated to spreading the word about sustainability. “You want to recycle. You’re programmed to want to do good, but when you’re not educated about it, it ends up being bad.”

When in doubt, throw it out “We like to think that our resources are unlimited and the places we can put things we don’t want are unlimited, and that’s not true at all,” said Thea Kindschuh, the reuse coordinator for the sustainability office at PSU. “Just because you put it in a bin doesn’t mean the problem’s over. It’s really just the beginning of a process.” Thanks to the green mindset of the PSU campus, recycling rates have increased from 29.5 percent in 2008 to 34.9 percent in 2013.

However, there is still much to improve. In 2013, Community Environmental Services, a research unit under the environmental studies department, conducted a campus-wide waste audit, Hair said. The audit found that 86.7 pounds, or about 13 percent, of landfill-bound waste was easily recyclable. “[It was] the stuff that was really easily recycled, like plastic bottles, aluminum cans, paper—things that you can just put into a recycling container,” Hair said. One of the most common problems in the recycling system is contamination of recycling bins. “A lot of it is carelessness, and a lot of it is overly optimistic,” Kindschuh said.

Unfortunately, the clamshell to-go containers, commonly found at the famous food carts near PSU, are not recyclable. One of the difficulties of recycling is the variation between cities. Even if plastic waste has a recycling symbol, sometimes it’s not recyclable. “[The recycling symbol] is all about the type of plastic, but here it’s about the shape,” said Peter Daeges, waste reduction specialist at PSU. If you’re thinking about getting food to go, try investing in reusable containers.

Recycling tips

Pizza Boxes

When unrecyclable materials are thrown into the recycling bin, often the recycling has to be hand sorted or simply taken to a landfill. The PSU Recycles! page offers a list of things often wrongly assumed to be recyclable. The Waste Reduction Task Force, a student-led initiative promoting responsible waste elimination at PSU, names several common sources of contamination.

Usually, pizza boxes have too much grease to be recycled in Portland. Instead, the task force suggests composting them.

Coffee Cups During a recent waste audit of the PSU library, the Waste Reduction Task Force separated out the coffee cups from approximately half a day’s trash and filled six, overflowing garbage bins with coffee cups. To reduce coffee cup waste, the task force recom-

mends the use of a durable coffee cup or thermos.

Clamshell To-Go Containers

Plastic Bags Although plastic bags are banned throughout most of Portland, it’s important to be sure they don’t end up in recycling bins. “Plastic bags will gum up the [recycling] machinery. It gets caught in the cogs and the machine could shut down,” Hair said.

Go Green “Everyone always thinks you’re trying to save the environment, but it’s really about helping people,” Daeges said. “It’s our resources that we’re using. You’re helping

Adrian Ian Shu/PSU VANGUARD

you and all the generations after you.” Students can take action in recycling by making small changes in their life, such as buying durables. “Invest in durables, like durable mugs, durable food ware,” Purdy said. “You can even keep a container in your backpack for when you go out to eat instead of having to take one of those take-home

boxes.” A lot of the time, you can just prevent some of that stuff from being recycled by having stuff that’s reusable in the first place.” Purdy also suggests buying products that have post-consumer or post-manufacture labels, meaning the materials used were made by recyclables. With Earth Day upon us, there are multiple ways to

get involved with recycling in the community as well. The EcoReps are hosting several waste audits in the coming weeks, including one at the Branford Price Millar Library today from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Student organizations, such as the Waste Reduction Task Force, offer many other opportunities for students to get involved in recycling.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

Vegetarian 101 Three plantiful Recipes for the urban vegetarian or vegan Tobin Shields

Vegetarian Enchiladas with Homemade Red Chili Sauce As a former vegetarian, one of the biggest problems I ran into was that I could never seem to stay full. I had a hard time finding meals that left me feeling full for any longer than an hour or two. It wasn’t until I came across this awesome, filling recipe that I walked away feeling full for hours. Starting with the sauce, you’ll want to begin by heating oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft (this shouldn’t take more than a minute or two). Stir in the chili powder and add broth, water, oregano, garlic powder and salt.

Vegetarian Pad Thai with Homemade Sauce Stir-frys have always been a vegetarian’s best friend. Usually, we can just throw whatever we have leftover in the fridge into a pan, top it with soy sauce, and enjoy the deliciousness. However, the king of all stir-frys ends with a flavor packed pad thai. Below is my favorite from-scratch recipe for an authentic pad thai experience.

Vegan Roasted Butternut Squash For vegans, it’s all about balancing flavor with sustenance. While I never had much experience with a totally vegan diet, I did come across an amazing vegan squash recipe that worked as either a killer side or a filling main dish.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until thickened—this process should take about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally! While the sauce is cooking you’ll want to begin your enchiladas. Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees and coating a medium-sized baking pan with oil or cooking spray. In another sauce pan add oil, mushrooms and onions, then cook over medium heat. Continue until both mushrooms and onions are soft (about 2–3 minutes). Next, add the taco seasoning and beans to the mixture, and cook until beans are smooth. Next, pour about 1/4 of the red sauce into the greased pan. Arrange 4–5 tortillas on the bottom of the dish, allowing for some overlap to cover most of the bottom. Pour a third of the bean mixture

onto the tortillas and spread evenly with a spoon, then top with cheese and lettuce. Next, lay down another layer of tortillas, beans, cheese and lettuce. Finish with another layer of tortillas and the rest of the beans. Pour the remaining red sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese and lettuce. Bake the dish until hot and bubbling, which should be about 15–20 minutes. After cooling, dig in! Tips: If you don’t want to be bothered with making your own red sauce, I would recommend a can of La Victoria’s red enchilada sauce. It is absolutely the best canned sauce out there. Also, don’t be tricked into paying for vegetarian refried beans. Simply buy fat-free refried beans, which contain no bacon fat (the only source of animal in them). It’s usually a few cents cheaper.

Let’s start things off by bringing a pot of water to a boil, and then switching off the heat. Soak the noodles in the hot water for 4–6 minutes until soft and limp, but still too firm to eat. Drain and rinse the noodles in cold water. In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients for the sauce and stir until well-mixed. Begin warming up a skillet to medium-high heat and add oil. Cook the green onion, ginger and chili. Fry for no longer than a minute. Add the

cabbage and fry until slightly softened. Push ingredients aside and scramble the eggs. Then, add noodles and the set-aside sauce. Cook for 2–3 minutes while stirring, making sure that the noodles don’t burn or stick. Turn off the heat and add the sprouts and cilantro, folding them into the noodles. Top with chopped peanuts and enjoy! Tips: This dish can easily be made vegan by simply removing the eggs! Who knew?

Start things off by preheating your oven to 400 degrees in a lightly greased baking dish. Peel the squash, cut in half, remove the seeds/gross middle, chop into one-inch cubes and place into the baking dish. Coat the squash in olive oil and sprinkle garlic and onion powder to taste, along with the parsley, salt and pepper. Cover the dish

with a lid or tinfoil and let bake for about 45 minutes. While baking, chop the nuts and kale. Once finished baking, remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Stir in the chopped kale and nuts and bake for another 5–8 minutes, until the nuts are lightly toasted. Watch closely to not burn the kale or nuts.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

White mushrooms are a good source of B vitamins, which help fight depression on those dreary Portland days.

PHOTOGRAPHER/PSU VANGUARD

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

Ingredients Red Sauce 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup Mexican chili powder 2 cups vegetable broth 1 cup water Garlic powder

Oregano Salt Enchiladas 1 can 15-ounce refried beans 4–5 medium-sized

chopped white or crimini mushrooms 1/3 pack of taco seasoning 2 cups Mexican blend cheese 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 cup shredded lettuce 10–12 corn tortillas

Ingredients The Sauce 1/4 cup vegetable stock 3 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon chili sauce or cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons brown sugar Pepper

The Fry 8-ounce dried pad Thai rice noodles 2 eggs 4 chopped green onions 1 teaspoon ginger root 1/3 head of chopped cabbage 2 cups bean sprouts

1/3 cilantro 1/4 unroasted, unsalted chopped peanuts or cashews Garlic powder

parsley 1/2 tablespoon olive oil Salt Pepper 1 cup roughly-chopped

kale 1/4 cup almonds 1/4 cup pecans

Ingredients 2–2 1/2 lb butternut squash Garlic powder Onion powder 2–3 tablespoons chopped

GREEN GUIDE

the benefits of Going veg Kennedy Martin If you live or go to school in Portland, vegetarianism and veganism are probably not foreign ideas to you. You may even be familiar with some of the reasons that cause people to choose these lifestyles. Two of the most prominent reasons are the desire to end animal cruelty and to improve health. However, there is one other well-known (but no less important) reason to avoid consuming animal products: The effect the animal agriculture industry has on the environment. It’s commonly known that to “go green” it’s wise to recycle, compost, drive less, bike more, take shorter showers, turn your lights off when you are not using them, etc. But did you know that if you eat just one less burger a week, it reduces your ecological footprint as much as if you took your car off the road for 320 miles? Animals raised for food require huge amounts of food, water, land and energy. The byproducts of the animal agriculture industry (animal waste and methane gas) also pollute air, land and waterways. In industrial livestock operations that hold thousands of animals, large quantities of animal waste accumulate and leach harmful nitrates and pathogens into groundwater, threatening our drinking water supplies. Such operations are also responsible for the destruction of many wetlands, coral reefs, mangrove swamps and other similarly vulnerable ecosystems. What is industrial agriculture, or factory farming? The following definition refers to a modern type of agriculture system that rears livestock for food using intensive methods: Factory farming is characterized by dense popu-

lations of livestock raised in confined spaces and requiring huge amounts of water, food and medical attention. Industrial agriculture has strayed so far from traditional techniques that it is no longer referred to as “farming” by the government. Statistics from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals say “chickens, pigs, cattle, and other animals raised for food are the primary consumers of water in the U.S.: A single pig consumes 21 gallons of drinking water per day, while a cow on a dairy farm drinks as much as 50 gallons daily. It takes more than 2,400 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of cow flesh, whereas it takes about 180 gallons of water to make 1 pound of whole wheat flour.” Meat production is an inefficient use of grain as well—as many as 13 pounds of grain go

to produce just one pound of edible flesh. The grain would be much more efficient if consumed directly by humans. A shocking 51 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are released by animal agriculture operations, and a meat eater’s diet is responsible for up to seven times more emissions as a vegan’s diet is. The United Nations recently published a report titled “Industrial Livestock Production Near Cities Can Damage Environment,” concluding that a significant worldwide shift toward vegetarianism/veganism will be necessary to effectively fight the effects of climate change. When factory farms pollute communities, they also affect public health and increase medical expenses. Jobs are lost at small traditional farms and businesses that are bankrupted by corporate consolidation.

Even with all of this knowledge, outdated and misguided policies actually promote environmentally damaging livestock production and even subsidize harmful chemical fertilizers. Factory farms also employ powerful lobbyists to influence the government agencies that monitor them, and because they are technically considered agriculture and not industrial, their scale of production (and pollution) is not regulated in an effective manner. Industrially produced food appears to be expensive, but when you go to the grocery store to buy meat or dairy the price tag doesn’t even begin to reflect the real cost behind your dinner. So, what can you do? Everyone can play a part in ending the environmentally unsound factory farming system. First, consider decreasing the amount of animal prod-

ucts you consume. Even if you cut meat out of your diet just one day a week—perhaps on “Meatless Monday”—you’re on your way to making a significant impact. Second, try buying from local sustainable farms. The Portland State Famers Market is a great resource and is set up in the Park Blocks at 8 a.m. every Saturday. When you buy sustainably grown and produced food, you send a message with those dollars that says you’re not willing to sacrifice the health of the land or quality of your food.

PETA Fact Sheet: • A vegetarian diet can feed more people than a meat based diet. For example, approximately 20,000 pounds of potatoes can be grown on one acre of land. Comparatively, only around 165 pounds of beef

•

can be produced on one acre of land. The total production of excrement by the U.S. population is 12,000 pounds per second. The total production of excrement by U.S. livestock is 250,000 pounds per second, which would be greatly reduced if humans ate a more plant based diet and had little or no need for domesticated livestock. Cows and sheep are responsible for 37 percent of the total methane (23 times as warming as CO2) generated by human activity. The livestock industry generates 64 percent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain. Livestock production is responsible for 70 percent of deforestation in the Amazon region of Latin America, where rainforests are being cleared to create new pastures.

©U.S. Department of Agriculture

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

GREEN GUIDE

Chemtrails What are they and how do I become one? Brandon Staley Everyone worth their bodyweight in salt knows that chemtrails are definitely not a real thing. Never have been, never will be. Completely, unquestionably fake. But when have facts ever kept The Truth from coming out? Chemtrails, in the libertarian fairy tale dystopia where they exist alongside our beloved Kenyan president, are cloudy trails left behind by planes flying overhead. These trails, reportedly rife with chemicals, can do a number of things, such as alter the weather, disperse toxins over populated areas and control minds. One theory even claims that chemtrails are the government’s attempt to seed the atmosphere with a lining that reflects solar radiation, thus canceling out the effects of global warming. This is known as “geoengineering,” which is a cool word to say to a scientist on his or her lunch break if you’ve ever wondered what it would look like for a person to laugh, choke and cry at the same time. In reality, chemtrails are contrails. A fact sheet released by the Air Force describes contrails as “streaks of

condensed water vapor created in the air by an airplane or rocket at high altitudes.” This fact sheet, released in 2005, did nothing to dissuade tin-foil-hat-clad visionaries of their convictions. These rugged, underappreciated modern prophets claim you can tell a contrail from a chemtrail because the chemtrail will dissipate more gradually. In reality, contrail dissipation rates are dependent upon numerous factors, such as humidity, wind speed and direction. The fact sheet also attempts to address reports of mass illnesses caused by chemtrails, which are still not real. “There is no such thing as a ‘chemtrail.’ Contrails are safe and are a natural phenomenon. They pose no health hazard of any kind,” the fact sheet states. “If there are massive outbreaks of illnesses, your local health department should be able to tell you if it is an abnormal event.” The fact sheet goes on to recommend that, in the event of an outbreak, it would be best to contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not the Air Force, because presumably airplanes make terrible doctors.

The chemtrail debate was largely popularized in the ‘90s through the most logical and natural of mediums: talk radio. Broadcasters like Art Bell, former host of Coast to Coast AM and famed magnet for conspiracy theorists, were happy to broach the topic on behalf of weird people living in aluminum trailers. Today the chemtrail war is largely fought online. As with any other terrible thing, YouTube seems to have become the primary battlefield. One YouTube user, Unsolved Mysteries, recently uploaded what can only be described as a magnum opus of chemtrail videos. The video, titled “Chemtrails ==[and then an airplane emoji]” features a video of billowing residue rising off the backs of airplanes in flight, landscapes in which the horizon is marred by crisscrossing cloudy streaks, and one picture of a sunset that was actually really relaxing to look at. It would be foolish to assume that chemtrails, which are absolutely fictitious and the result of deeply unsettled, paranoid minds, exist in a vacuum. A detailed examination of the website Chemtrail

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Alex Hernandez/PSU VANGUARD

Central reveals that people who believe in the chemtrail conspiracy are also prone to believing in other phenomena, such as chemclouds (exactly what they sound like), UFOs (exactly what they sound like), and sundogs

(not at all what they sound like, sadly). It’s impossible to tell where the chemtrail debate will end. All manner of reputable organizations have produced tangible, easily digested evidence denouncing the existence of

chemtrails, but each report falls on deaf ears. It seems like chemtrails are here to stay, which might not be so bad. Everyone needs a hobby, after all. And lots of canned goods. Also, a bunker. You should definitely have a bunker.

GREEN GUIDE

coal exports Full Steam Ahead

I’d prefer not to

Mike Bivins

David Wooldridge

Oregon needs to complete the Coyote Island Terminal coal export project and begin importing coal from Montana and Wyoming, which will then be shipped abroad. The only legitimate argument that the opposition can make against this statement is that coal is bad for the environment. Let’s get this out of the way quickly. Things like nuclear power plants and cars are bad for the environment, yet they are still in existence. Like coal exports in our region, some things that are bad for the environment can be seen as a necessity when viewed through the lens of job creation. However, the environmentalists’ arguments are not without merit. Their actions have been quite successful at times. Locally, they have crimped logging. Logging is very destructive for the environment and an eyesore. However, is it any worse than the feeling a wife must have when her husband comes home and has to inform her that they closed the mill? It is stories like this, and anti-job measures such as the protests surrounding the coal terminal, which explain why Oregon has the 14th highest unemployment rate in the U.S. As a result of reduced logging, counties such as Josephine face double-digit unemployment rates. Another problem caused by the reduction of logging is that this county must busy itself by squabbling with the federal government over timber subsidies. I have read comments that compare this part of Oregon to Appalachia as a result of years of job decline. This poor area has become literally lawless and has just two officers to patrol an entire county of 80,000 people. This is the result of budget cuts, which are a direct result of no jobs. We should let this tale of Josephine County guide our

decision in making better use of our natural resources. We should not be afraid to use natural resources when the payoff is being able to lift Americans out of poverty with gainful employment. Our statewide unemployment numbers are sad, and we need to raise them. We wonder why our roads are bad and why our schools are failing. A large part of the problem is that there are not enough of us earning a taxable income. Our tax dollars constitute the lion’s share of the state general fund. The Midwest is experiencing an energy boom, and states like North Dakota and South Dakota lead the way with unemployment numbers hovering around 3 percent due to their proper utilization of natural resources. Why shouldn’t Oregon be able to get in on the energy boom?

Allowing coal exports to happen in Oregon will have a ripple effect. The added traffic of the ships alone will require more workers to get the ships loaded with cargo. The extra train and ship hours nationally, as well as internationally, will have a positive effect on economies the world over. There is also the idea that if we do not build an exporting industry, and capitalize on it, then someone else will. Coal is going to get exported one way or another, and it is up to Oregon to take this opportunity and make the most of it. So far, the project has passed muster with the Department of Environmental Quality. It has also secured three out of the four permits required for the coal exporting operation to begin. It would appear that it is only a matter of time before we reap the rewards of coal exports.

If you visit the Morrow Pacific coal export project website and examine the socalled “Myth vs. Fact” page, it would be easy to accept the message contained in the corporate rationalization rhetoric. Coal is here to stay. By not benefitting from coal exportation, Oregon would be wasting an opportunity for job growth. Furthermore, they assert that the environmental impact of the coal exported (.01 percent of the world’s coal consumption) would only be a drop in the bucket compared to the total pollution already produced by coal consumption. The subtext of whether or not Oregon is complicit in any portion of that pollution is unimportant so long as there is sufficient economic benefit. These are practical points. Oregon exporting coal to Asia

won’t make any difference at all to the amount of pollution that Asia produces from coal (pollution that makes its way across the Pacific to the West Coast). Not exporting the coal from this state would only drive potential consumers to other exporters. These other exporters would most likely have lower prices due to more lax environmental protection policies. These very same environmental policies are actually causing problems for the Morrow Pacific project right now. The project was issued a Department of Environmental Quality permit, but the permit has been challenged by the Sierra Club, Columbia Riverkeepers, and Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility in order to protect people from the pollutants spread by the mere

Coal cars in Ashtabula, Ohio.

Creative Commons Attributions to Decumanus

transport of the coal. An independent study found that the annual transport of the proposed eight million tons of coal would exceed clean air standards for particulate matter by 1,000 percent and nitrogen oxide by 700 percent. These pollutants would most immediately impact the Columbia River Gorge surrounding the proposed facility, but would then spread quickly through the water and air currents that the gorge is known for. Barring environmental concerns, one would also have to take into account the demand for coal in terms of profitability. Once these coal transport facilities are created, the demand for expensive American coal would need to be consistent for the project to ensure job security for the workers (50 potential permanent jobs) and future profitability. The problem with this is that China, the world’s largest consumer of coal, typically gets its coal for lower prices internally or from other nations. America has been known as a swing exporter— selling when prices are high, holding when low—and yet past attempts at West Coast coal exports failed in the 1980s and ‘90s. The crux of the matter is whether or not creating a couple thousand very temporary construction jobs, 50 permanent jobs (depending on the coal market) and a bit of extra money for a corporate entity is worth polluting the Columbia River, including its air and wildlife. Having a constant stream of coal trains and barges using Oregon to wipe their shoes? Taking greater responsibility for Asia’s air pollution (that will end up here) and global climate change? I just don’t see it.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ARTS & CULTURE

WRC to host Take Back the Night PWCL to host Bike Back the Night in tandem Brandon Staley

The Women’s Resource Center gears up to host Take Back the Night, an annual event aimed at recognizing and speaking out against violence toward women. Take Back the Night will take place on April 24 from 5:30–8 p.m. in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 101. The event will be held alongside Bike Back the Night, during which participants can show their support by biking along designated routes. The ride will begin at Colonel Summers Park located at Southeast 17th Avenue and Taylor Street at 5:30 p.m. “As far as we know, Bike Back the Night is the only one of its kind,” said Kari Anne McDonald, events and publicity coordinator at the WRC. “It was created in order to get our thriving Portland bike community involved in this important issue.” Take Back the Night will begin with a resource fair. The fair will allow attendees to learn more about interpersonal violence services offered in the Portland metro area. It will be followed by the Bike Back the Night ride and a march through downtown. McDonald said marchers will hold signs with messages about ending sexual violence. The theme of the event is “Transcending Rape Culture: Rewriting the Narrative” which will be specifically addressed by the event’s guest speaker, Monika Weitzel. Weitzel, an advocate at Portland Women’s Crisis Line, will address concrete ways attendees can aid in ending rape culture in their communities. The event will end with a vigil and survivor speak-out. Students have been largely responsible for planning both the Take Back the Night and Bike Back the Night events. “Without student involvement we would not have an event,” McDonald said. A student committee has been meeting every Wednesday since January to plan the events, McDonald said. Students have determined what kind of entertainment will be present, which speakers to invite, how events are scheduled and what activities will take place. The student committee has also been active in canvassing and raising awareness for the events. The first Take Back the Night march took place in 1975 as a response to the stabbing and murder of Susan Alexander Speeth, a microbiology student, while she walked home alone in the dark. “The ‘70s were a time of feminist revolution, fostering demonstrations like Take Back the Night,” said Virginia Martin, assistant director at the WRC. “Today, Take Back the Night is still focused on raising awareness about sexual violence, building community and providing a space for survivors to be heard.” Martin said the event will also feature a clothesline activity where attendees can write encouraging messages or their own experiences on cutout paper T-shirts. The T-shirts will then be hung up and displayed. “Our clothesline project will be a creative outlet for participants to rewrite the narrative of rape culture through sharing their own stories,” Martin said.

Take Back the Night will conclude with a candlelight vigil and survivor speak-out, which will allow victims of violence to voice their stories in a safe environment. “The survivor speak-out will honor survivors and their stories by believing them without question or judgment,” Martin said. Take Back the Night is being co-hosted by the Portland Women’s Crisis Line, a 24-hour hotline that offers resources for victims of sexual violence. The PWCL has been hosting the Bike Back the Night portion of the event since 2008. While the primary focus of the PWCL is the crisis hotline, the organization also works toward social change. “We’re a really small staff,” said Fawn Livingston-Gray, the volunteer coordinator at PWCL. “Partnering with PSU allows us to extend our reach and do projects that are maybe bigger than what we can do on our own.”

Bike Back the Night arose out of a desire to include a major aspect of life in Portland, cycling, into an event that is inherently about changing culture at large, Livingston-Gray said. Bike Back the Night is not a bicycle safety event, but is instead intended to be fun and a reminder that bikes can be empowering tools. “I think we’re at a really interesting point in thinking about transcending rape culture,” Livingston-Gray said. “There’s been a lot more talks this year about what that is and what that means, so I think it’s a really interesting time.” Livingston-Gray said she thinks social media has played a major role in connecting activists with a larger audience. “There have been some really interesting conversations about engaging a broader base of folks,” Livingston-Gray said. “Not just the activists, but also folks who really care about creating safety and ending violence.”

Bike back the night, hosted by the Portland Women’s Crisis Line, uses bicycles as tools of empowerment.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

ARTS & CULTURE

Souvenir Driver releases new record ‘Living Water’ Jeoffry Ray

Portland-based Souvenir Driver is on fire. Self-styled as bliss pop, this collection of musicians is making waves in the city with a lineup of songs skirting the spheres of Britpop and shoegaze, with just a hint of post-punk sprinkled into the mix. After a hectic round of live performances and production, Souvenir Driver is out with their newest LP, Living Water. This 10-track album follows their first full-length one, Lifts the Curse, released in 2012, and is available in vinyl, cd and digital formats. To celebrate the work, the band will perform at a release party at North Portland’s Mississippi Studio tomorrow at 8 p.m., along with fellow area bands, Tender Age and Bubble Cats. In the spirit of previous work by the band, Living Water features an array of tracks, pop-infused and dreamlike, uplifting and sweetly dreary. Haunting guitar leads sparkle atop a backdrop of searing synthesizers and driving bass lines, creating an atmosphere evocative of bands such as Interpol, Explosions in the Sky, and the Lower Dens. Frontman Nate Wey’s reverb-washed vocals sometimes whisper into the compositions, distant and solemn, before rising to raw and emotive heights. In addition to Wey, the band is made up of bassist Ethan Homan, drummer Bob Mild and keyboardist Travis Hendericks. Having formed in 2011, the band has seen a consistent evolution of their sound. Wey pointed to Souvenir Driver’s proactive cycle of writing and recording as a key factor in developing their style. “You start getting more comfortable playing around each other, and you start to

get a feel for what the other person’s going to play,” Wey said. “You might be jamming, and eventually you hear this sound, and you feel, ‘oh, that sounds like us.’ It’s like this muse that’s in font of us. We find it and approach it, and it moves further away, so we look for it again.” Though Souvenir Driver maintains aspects of familiar genres in their overall sound, the band’s songs manage to capture something uniquely their own, through what Wey described as a willingness to write dangerously.” For Living Water, he pointed to a desire on the band’s part to explore a range of sounds and moods. “We’ve always been interested in having our own kind of sound,” he said. “I mean, it’s pop or rock and roll, so it’s not like an experimental band. But we’re all really focused on pushing the ideas we explored earlier even further. We tried to encompass a lot of different moods in the album. There are some sugary songs, and some darker tunes also.” Living Water could certainly be described as moody. “I Touch You Honey” has all the bubbling pop-punk bounce of a Ramones hit, with airy vocals lending to a quality more nostalgic than playful. “Jellyfish,” meanwhile, is a resonant dirge, its guitars droning and somber. “All the Patterns” uses a mix of watery guitars and crooning vocals to compose a stirring, soulful ballad. The album was recorded and mastered by sound engineer Greg Williams at his home studio, The Trench. Wey noted that he was impressed with Williams’ intensity of approach to recording, as well as his innovation

in setting up the recording space. Recording of the album took place in less than a week, with Williams invested in every song each step of the way. “It’s really insane,” Wey said of The Trench. “He built it so that every room in the house has XLR inputs and outputs. You can record in any room you want to. He was really good at catching all the different moods we wanted. He was really proactive about every single song having different sets of microphones and instruments.” For its part, Souvenir Driver practices a similar intensity in their process of writing, performing and production. Though the band has only been together for four years, they have maintained a consistent performance schedule, playing in venues across the city and in California. But they’ve never stopped writing. Wey considers that an important aspect of the band’s success. “A big part of how we approach the band is never to rest,” he said. “We can’t just sit back once the album’s done. We always start right back up with writing the next one. With Souvenir Driver it’s awesome because nobody in the band is afraid to try new things. Everyone has a fresh approach to things, and it’s very safe to try something new or different. When we’re rehearsing, no one’s going to judge anyone in the band for busting out something new.” Living Water provides another example of Souvenir Driver’s ingenuity as songwriters. With simple, soaring leads and a cool, groovy rhythm section, these musicians craft a sonic environment that is both blissfully

Souvenir Driver vocalist Nate Wey performs at Rontoms.

COURTESY OF HEATHER BOYD

distant and immersive. Their presence is emotive, but cerebral, invoking the dreamlike writing influence of Latin magical realism, offered by Wey as personal inspiration to his own writing. Whether a fan of gritty rock tunes or reverb-laden shoegaze, any Portland indie follower is sure to find something special in Souvenir Driver.

SOUVENIR DRIVER PRESENTS ‘LIVING WATER’ Release Party Mississippi Studios 3939 N. Mississippi Ave. Portland, OR 97227 Wednesday, April 23, 2014 8 p.m. Tickets $6

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ARTS & CULTURE

Raise them bones New printing brings ‘Lost Dogs’ back to life Turner Lobey

Top Shelf productions is set to reprint the often outof-print graphic novel Lost Dogs by Jeff Lemire on May 2. While Lemire has recently become a household name in comics—perhaps best known for the comic staples Essex County and Sweet Tooth—the new printing will allow readers unfamiliar with Lemire or the book to experience the creator and his first professional work in comics. The story follows a farmer—an enormous monolith of a man—who takes his wife and daughter on a trip to the city. After wandering into the wrong part of town, that which is most precious to him is taken. He is a broken man, but when he discovers a glimmer of hope in the

darkness, the farmer is forced to reinvent himself as a bareknuckle fighter to get back what he thought he had lost. Part of what makes the book so great is the art—it just wouldn’t work if it was illustrated in a traditional, tidy comic style. Lost Dogs is raw and rough, but one can still see Lemire’s distinct style, even in this early work. Lines are thick and heavy, and the only bits of color come in blots and splatters of red. Lemire’s ink work is expressive, often telling more than the minimal dialogue and lack of narration in the story. At first glance, one may think this is the work of an amateur, but Lost Dogs reads more like a storyboard from a

weekly missive KPSU is home to over 60 DJs that host dozens of hours of unique programming each week. It’s our hope that that in this space right here we can profile each one of them. Its thoughtful, it’s entertaining, it’s interesting—this is your KPSU DJ of the Month: Gevon Wheeler aka Slik The DJ, host of Sounds of the Bay, airs Sundays at Midnight Many of us on staff have noticed Gevon putting serious time in our station’s produc-

powerful storyteller and artist discovering the medium than anything else. Just as a warning: Lemire’s work is a punch in the gut that makes your heart hurt. Lost Dogs is loss and misery with no light at the end of the tunnel or uplifting moments of joy. In short, Lost Dogs is not a book you read and set down. Lost Dogs is a story you read and carry with you. Apart from being an incredible story, it’s rewarding to see one of the most compelling graphic storytellers of this generation discover the craft, which is reason enough to pick it up. If you’re looking for a depressing read, or you want to experience Lemire at his beginnings, Lost Dogs is the way to go.

By Blake Hickman Assistant Promotions Director

tion booth doing pre-production and working on beats and interludes for this show. Relatively new to Portland (hardly uncommon among KPSU’ers), Gevon has brought a host of Bay Area hip hop artists ranging from big names like E40 to more underground artists like M.A. Da Pilot to populate his KPSU playlists and takes great pride in where he comes from. Still though, Gevon is stoked on KPSU. “I saw PSU had its own radio station and thought it was for me,” Gevon said. “I had just

started DJing at parties and wanted to have my own show.” How does the Bay Area hip hop scene compare to the Portland scene? Gevon noted that in larger metro areas the hip-hop scene is much more competitive than here in the Rose City. Still though, this more level playing field yields opportunities. “I came out here and saw just how free the market is for hip hop and now I feel like a lot of friends of mine from the Bay should move up here and make it.”

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

©TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, Apr. 22

to human rights throughout Southeast Asia. FREE

Film Screening: Glacial Balance

Wednesday, Apr. 23

5 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 296 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

SHAC Anniversary: Dental Services

The Institute for Sustainable Solutions invites you to a free screening of the film Glacial Balance, a film depicting a journey through the Andes, from Colombia to Argentina, which looks at the lives of Indigenous people in the area. The film will be followed by a discussion with PSU geology professor and local glacier expert Andrew Fountain. FREE

The Disappearance of Sombath Somphone: Implications for Civil Society and Human Rights in Laos

11 a.m. Center for Student Health and Counseling 1800 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 Join SHAC as they continue to celebrate ten years of service to students by offering information about dental care options available on campus. They will also be offering information about their other services and having a giveaway for those who attend. FREE

Thursday, Apr. 24 Extreme Makeover: LinkedIn Edition

6:30 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97220

5:30 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

Sombath Somphone, a man often described as the Nelson Mandela of Laos, was abducted at a police stop in the Laos capital in December, 2012 and has not been seen since. Sombath’s wife Shui-Meng Ng, herself a prominent civil-society advocate, will use her husband’s case to discuss the challenges

If you have a LinkedIn profile in need of some sprucing up, or are interested in creating one at all, this workshop can show you how to make your profile into the type of page that potential employers want to look at. Tickets are $5 for students or alumni. To purchase tickets, go to: psuaa.ticketleap.com/

extreme-makeover-linkedinedition/dates/Apr-24-2014_ at_0600PM

Tales of Ise: The Shrines, Their Priests and Patrons in Post War Japan 6 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 296/8 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Dr. John Breen, an eminent scholar of early modern and modern Japanese history, and an expert of early modern and modern Shinto and shrines, will discuss the historical significance of this famous, ancient Ise Shrine, also known as the Grand Shrine of Ise. The shrine is a sacred pilgrimage site and is designated a National Treasure by the Japanese government, it receives millions of visitors each year, attracting both worshippers and tourists. FREE

Friday, Apr. 25 Joan Gordon: Down in the Uncanny Valley with Monsters, Hopeful and Otherwise 6 p.m. College of Urban and Public Affairs, room 204 506 S.W. Mill St., Portland, OR 97201 Associate professor of english at Nassau Community

College, Joan Gordon, specializes in science fiction and animal studies. She is a former president of the Science Fiction Research Association and an editor. She will be at PSU to discuss projects that explore representations of alternate realities such as science fiction, utopia, dystopia, uchrony and fantasy throughout all time periods. FREE

Rose City Rollers Doors at 7 p.m., starts at 8 p.m. The Hanger at Oaks Park 7805 S.E. Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202 Roller derby is an exciting sport fit for all ages to enjoy. Come see Guns & Rollers vs. Heartless Heater’s battle it out at Oaks Park on April 25. Admission is between $14 and $20 and more information on roller derby in Portland can be found at www. rosecityrollers.com

Earth Day Festival

study sessions, which will focus on “reshaping the world after the Holocaust.” The sessions are part of a weekend of learning benefiting the Oregon Holocaust Memorial and Education Fund. To RSVP or for more information, visit www.eventbrite. com/e/reshaping-the-worlda-weekend-of-learning-tickets-10170723909.

11 a.m.–2 p.m. The Learning Gardens 6801 S.E. 60th Ave., Portland, OR 97206

Tuesday, Apr. 29

sault Awareness Month and features guest speakers on topics ranging from “Sexual Violence and Neoliberalism” to “Healing Internalized Patriarchy.” This event is sponsored by the International Socialist Organization and Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights. FREE

Free food, live music, a planet sale and raffle are all a part of the Earth Day Festival at the Learning Gardens. Come celebrate what the planet has to offer and what we can do to take care of it in return and feel free to bring family and friends. There will be children’s activities available. FREE

Sunday, Apr. 27

Saturday, Apr. 26

Reshaping the World After the Holocaust: Study Sessions

Gender Liberation Conference

9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

10 a.m.–3 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 296/8 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 The Gender Liberation Conference is an activity that coincides with Sexual As-

ETC

Renowned Jewish-Christian and Holocaust scholar, Rabbi Yitz Greenberg, and noted Jewish feminist Blu Greenberg, will be at PSU to present two

The Intersection of Interpersonal Violence and Disabilities 3:30–5 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Join Portland Women’s Crisis Line disability advocate, Zoë Zachariades, for a talk aimed to show how domestic and sexual violence can impact people with disabilities, myths that continue the cycle of violence, and how to provide support to those affected by this. FREE

FREE

21+

PSU FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER

THE VANGARDE

FEATURED EVENT

BRENDAN MULLIGAN/PSU VANGUARD

Film screening: ‘Sisters in Arms’ 4–6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Apr 23 Women’s Resource Center 1802 S.W. 10th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 Sisters in Arms is a film about the important roles that women fill on the front lines in combat situations. Following the film, viewers are invited to participate in a discussion of the content of the documentary. FREE

©Beth Freeman

“We are all individuals. We can all think for ourseleves.”

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ETC

Aries Mar. 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Apr. 19

Gemini May 21â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Jun. 20

Transitions can be tough but trust your instincts; they will be your guides in questionable times. Make the decision and move on, come what may. You got this Aries!

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a news flash for you, Gemini. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been dropping the ball left and right lately. What happened to you? You may be floundering, but you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lost it. Get your shit together, and make it snappy!

Taurus Apr. 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;May 20

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

The path to glory is fraught with obstacles blocking the way. Do not be discouraged or let your vision be clouded. Continue onward and you shall reap the reward.

You gotta have thick skin when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re at the top. This is good for you because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re tough as hell and you kick ass. So fight your way up and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let anyone stop you. This is your week, Cancer. Way to be!

Leo Jul. 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Aug. 22

The sun has risen on a

beautiful new day of productivity for you, Leo; make sure you get out of bed before noon to enjoy it.

Virgo Aug. 23â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Sept. 22

The year of the horse is a time for movement and change. Get out of your rut and shake things up. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re bored you have only yourself to blame, so hop on your horse and ride into a new adventure.

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

Real talk, Libra: It seems like youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got your eyes on the door, conjuring up a reasonable escape plan. Poppycock! The workload may be heavy and the sun

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Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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may be enticing, but you of all people can surely find a way to have it all.

fun. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in your outspoken nature to tell them right where to shove it.

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

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

It seems easier than ever to get on your bad side lately, Scorpio. While your taste in friends is always second to none, you should hand out a few more chances to the people closest to you. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in your life for a reason.

times forget to take othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; emotions into consideration. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one person in your life that you really need to reach out to this week. While this may be outside of your comfort zone, this conversation will be good for the both of you.

Your heart and your mind are pulling you in two different directions this week. While you typically have a logic-based approach to situations, it might be good to consider the other side of things for once. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make any rash decisions and take the time to evaluate what makes you happy this week.

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

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re generally content with the way things are, but a recent Sagittarius Nov. 22â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Dec. 21 excursion has you feelSpring is a great time of ing those post-advenyear to be the life of the ture blues. Turn your party, and nobody knows Aquarius Jan. 20â&#x20AC;&#x201C;Feb. 18 longings into actions, that better than you, Sag. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always very in The Newpeople York Times Syndication Sales Corporation dear Pisces; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let The other tune with yourself, dear New York Times Syndication Sales 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y.Corporation 10018 plenty out there youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d 620For Eighth Avenue, New1-800-972-3550 York, bog you down with drama Aquarius, butN.Y. you10018 someInformation Call: love to see. For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 when you could be For having Release Tuesday, April 22, 2014 For Release Wednesday, April 16, 2014

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SPORTS

Vikings keep swinging at Championships Alex Moore

The Portland State Vikings golf squad is in the midst of the Big Sky Conference Tournament, in which PSU is looking for its seventh Big Sky Championship in 11 years. PSU is one of 11 teams vying for the title. Since the beginning of the season the Vikings have been the favorite in the Big Sky, and they want to back that up with their performance now that the conference season is coming to a close. The Big Sky Tournament is a three-day event. It started on Sunday, with 18 holes being played each day until it concludes today. All 54 holes will be played at Ocotillo Golf Club in Chandler, Ariz. The Vikings are led by junior A Ram Choi, who was the 2013 Big Sky Conference player of the year. Choi’s even par 144 for the first two days has the Vikings tied for the lead headed into Tuesday. Choi has had an impressive career at PSU, especially last year when she added a trip to the NCAA Regional Tournament to her resume. The junior has continued her success this season, which included leading the Vikings to their first tournament win since 2011 at the Price’s Give ’Em Five Tournament in New Mexico. Choi shot eight under par in that tournament, which was the best individual performance in a season. That’s a record pace for Choi, who is on track to break her own PSU scoring average for a season. Choi’s success as a young athlete has all of Vikings athletics waiting to see what’s next, including the golf pro-

SCORES

UPCOMING

PSU MEN’S TENNIS

PSU SOFTBALL

IDAHO STATE PSU

5 PSU @ OREGON 2 TUES. 4/22 4:00 p.m.

Top Performers: Jonathan Pike, 6–4, 6–4

PSU SPRING SOCCER

PSU @ SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

PSU WOMEN’S TENNIS

SAT. 4/26 10:00 a.m.

2 5 PSU @ WESTERN WASHINGTON

EASTERN WASHINGTON PSU

SAT. 4/26 2:30 p.m.

Top Performers: Marina Todd, 6–2, 6–0

NBA PLAYOFS

PSU SOFTBALL

2 PORTLAND @ HOUSTON WED. 4/23 6:30 p.m. 3

PSU SACRAMENTO STATE Top Performers: Brittany Hendrickson, 1–3, 2 RBI

A RAM CHOI lines up a putt during her record breaking junior season.

MLS

PORTLAND @ HOUSTON

PSU TRACK AND FIELD

SUN. 4/27 12:00 p.m. | KPTV FOX 12

OREGON RELAYS

WHL PLAYOFFS

25 new seasonal best marks by PSU athletes Top Performers: CeCelia Jackson won the 100m hurdles, 13.95 seconds.

KELOWNA vs. PORTLAND TUES. 4/22 7:00 p.m. | MODA CENTER AFL

NBA PLAYOFFS

PORTLAND HOUSTON

Top Performers: LaMarcus Aldridge, 46 points, 18 rebounds

122 120

PORTLAND @ JACKSONVILLE SAT. 4/26 4:00 p.m. | KXTG 750 AM

WHL PLAYOFFS

PORTLAND KELOWNA

Top Performers: Nicolas Petan, 1 goal, 2 assists

5 3

Courtesy of Portland State University

gram’s first-year coach Kailin Downs. Downs stepped into the program with high expectations, and so far she has lived up to them. She previously coached at Oregon State before she was hired in September of this year. Just seven months later, Downs now finds herself in the middle of the biggest tournament of the year for PSU, with six conference titles in the last 11 years behind her, and a seventh looming. For a first-year coach, Downs adjusted quickly. In

her first week as the Vikings’ head coach she led PSU to a fifth-place finish at the Rose City Collegiate Tournament, before she’d even held a practice. Now Downs is leading PSU in Arizona. Choi hasn’t been the only athlete that’s had an impressive season under her leadership. The Vikings have a strong cast of golfers including freshman Madisen Bentley, who currently holds the lowest scoring average ever by a freshman in PSU history. Bentley is

second on the Vikings in scoring average. After Bentley and Choi, the Vikings are led by sophomore Kristin Henno and junior Kelly Miller. Northern Arizona are the defending champions, and they’re looking to hold on to their title. The tournament will conclude today, with a champion at both team and individual levels named. The team crowned champion will represent the Big Sky at the NCAA Regional Tournament May 8–10 in Cle Elum, Wash.

POINTS FOR LAMARCUS ALDRIDGE IN THE BLAZERS FIRST PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST THE ROCKETS—A CAREER HIGH AS WELL AS A FRANCHISE RECORD.

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

SPORTS

The Unknown Success of Student Athletes Tobin Shields

The first term I attended Portland State, I was rather impressed with what it had to offer. I thought that the students were a great change of pace from Mt. Hood Community College where I had previously attended, and was pleased with the challenge that came with higher-level courses. However, almost the first day of class, I found that there was a general resentment toward both the sports program and its athletes. Up until that point I never paid much attention to college ball, but the various comments took me by surprise and made me take a closer look at what they had to say. I heard my fellow classmates accuse professors of simply giving passing grades away to student athletes, or express the sentiment that most didn’t actually do any work in their classes. There were even some students accusing both the coaches and administration of putting pressure on the faculty to make sure that athletes pass their classes. The general consensus was that students who played for PSU only cared about their sport, and little for their education. Honestly concerned about this possible issue, I decided to look into what student athletes were really doing with their time. The first thing I wanted to know was how the average GPA of student athletes compared to the PSU student average. If professors were simply handing out “passing grades” to athletes, then their GPA should reflect something around a 2.5 to around a 2.75 (which is about a C+ average).

According to the athletics department, this past winter term the athletes averaged out at about a 3.09, which is comparable to the 3.11 GPA of the average PSU student as of the 2013 school year. In fact, according to Athletics Director Torre Chisolm, the student athlete GPA “has historically been a little higher than campus average.” Higher than average, not lower. This surprising fact made me realize that these players were not just passing their courses, they were actually maintaining over a B average. Still not totally convinced, I decided to look into what kind of requirements student athletes had to maintain while playing a sport. “Grades are important to the coaches because they want us to succeed not only on the field, but in the classroom,” said Ariana Cooley, a junior soccer player. “We have mandatory progress reports that we have to turn in to our coaches twice a term to make sure that we are on track.” She went on to explain that professors have to fill out a number of different questions to track the progress of each student athlete in their class. They even go as far as to let the coaches know what the student should be doing differently to succeed better. Athletes are also required to not only meet with their departmental adviser each term, but also an adviser within the athletics department as well. Cooley said, “[The adviser] makes sure that I am following the NCAA rules so that I can par-

ticipate in the sport I love. We have mandatory meetings with him to make sure that we [are] in the right classes and [are] keeping up with our grades.” While I was sure that there was some kind of check-up of grades, I had no idea that athletes were required to submit multiple progress reports and meet with multiple advisers. And while it seems like the department as a whole is interested in the educational success of their students, their coaches are as well. “In the beginning of each school year, my coach reinforces his belief that school comes before tennis with the team,” tennis player Megan Govi said. “He encourages us to help one another and check up on one another in our schooling. There is not a great need for him to check our grades because we are studious pupils. Our team GPA was around a 3.8 last term.” Govi herself is sporting a whopping 3.92 GPA and has been playing sports throughout her entire college career. So while it seemed like the grades were by no means just given away, I wanted to know if teachers had ever treated any athletes differently because they happen to be playing sports at the time they were attending class. When I asked freshman football player Austin Powell if he thought his professors treated him differently, he said, “sometimes.” He said that most of the time he didn’t see any kind of treatment difference from his professors, but that if he did see anything change it was often

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Megan Govi hits the books as hard as she does tennis balls.

Christopher Sohler/PSU VANGUARD

a manifestation of some kind of negative bias they had with student athletes. “Some professors have stereotypes with negative connotations attached to football players that are deeply rooted in their DNA. When that is the case, it is almost impossible to remain completely neutral until they get to know you.” “When we always have to run to practice or travel to a game, our teachers know and usually help us if we are willing to repay their efforts by giving 100 percent in that class,” said Justin Outslay, Powell’s roomate and fellow football player. When I asked how the two of them were doing in school, they shocked me by saying that the average GPA between the two of them was 3.93. Outslay also said that he has a tremendous support

system around him, and felt that he owed much of his success to other people. “My goal,” he continued, “is to prove that not all student athletes are ‘dumb jocks,’ and most of us are actually very intelligent and work tremendously hard on and off the field.” So it didn’t seem like professors were giving any kind of preferred treatment to student athletes. In fact, some found that professors showed almost no leeway in terms of allowing them to make up any missed work because of practice or games. These students appeared to have worked incredibly hard to make sure they were successful both on the field and in the classroom, and didn’t appear to have any overarching help from administration.

Toward the end of the conversation I had with Govi we talked about how crazy it can sometimes get managing her social life, high grades and athletics. She said, “Like any art form, sports have taught me the true essence of focus and concentration until mastery. Thus, the brutality and mindfulness of sport have greatly assisted my mindfulness towards schoolwork, making me a better student. My education has never been given away. In fact, I enjoy school and the chance to learn something new in every course.” Govi’s beautiful description of how sports have given her the skills it takes to master other elements in her life convinced me that there are indeed students who not only work hard for high grades, but truly deserve them.

Winterhawks steal one on the road The lesser known Portland–Rockets playoff matchup returns to the Rose City Jay Pengelly

A common saying during playoff time is “a series does not begin until a team loses on their home floor.” The 2014 Western Hockey League Western Conference Finals have begun. Portland split the first pair of playoff games. This is the fourth consecutive year Portland is playing in the conference finals. The Portland Winterhawks traveled to Kelowna, British Columbia, for the first two games of their best of seven series. During the regular season the Kelowna Rockets defeated the Hawks in all four meetings. Kelowna was fresh off a sweep of the Seattle Thunderbirds. Game 1 was a back-andforth affair with Kelowna scoring last, giving them a 4–5 victory. Portland’s right winger Oliver Bjorkstrand scored the game’s first goal 33 seconds after the puck dropped and again with 5:49 remaining in the first. Chase De Leo scored the Winterhawks’ third goal on Rockets goalie Jordon Cooke late in the period. Kelowna came back with a pair of goals by Tyson Baillie and Madison Bowey. Bjorkstrand almost scored a fourth Portland goal in the closing seconds of the first, but an official review showed that the puck entered the net after the game clock reached 0:00. The Winterhawks took a 3–2 lead heading into the second period, which had a less feverish pace and once again Portland scored first. Keoni Texeira scored on a drop pass from Dominic Turgeon to give the Hawks a two-goal lead, but Kelowna’s Rourke Chartier scored to cut the lead to one going into the third.

Justin Kirkland tied the game on a power play 4:17 into the final period, and a Jesse Lees go-ahead score gave the game its final numbers. The next night, game 2 took place and the Winterhawks knew if they could steal one on the Rockets’ home floor their chances to advance to the finals would be significantly greater. They were fired up and aggressive, with 53 shot attempts against Kelowna’s 27. The game began with an early pair of goals by the Rockets’ Nick Merkley and Riley Stadel. It wasn’t until the second period that Portland got on the board with a Turgeon goal. Bowey returned the favor with a Rockets goal, bringing their lead back to two. The Winterhawks then decided to replace starting goaltender Brendan Burke with Corbin Boes. The second period was then all Portland from there. Nic

Petan scored on a power play followed by a Bjorkstrand and Leipsic pair of goals 13 seconds apart. It gave Portland a 4–3 lead heading into the third. The Hawks made 25 shots in the busy second. Both teams battled hard in the final period and the goaltenders were blocking everything that came their way. Forward Alex Schoenborn scored the only goal of the period to cap off the Winterhawks’ 5–3 win. Petan was the Winterhawks player who shone the brightest, he finished with three points from a goal and two assists, and Schoenborn recorded two helpers. Now deadlocked at 1–1, the series moves to Portland for the next two games. The Rose Garden (known to some as the Moda Center) will host the home games on Tuesday and Wednesday and the final three matchups will alternate between Kelowna and Portland.

SPORTS ToToWhom WhomititMay MayConcern Concern Dear Sam Hinkie, As GM of the Philadelphia 76ers, you have all but held a press conference to declare that this season is a waste of time. You cheated all NBA fans by intentionally losing. Let’s go all the way back to the 2013 NBA draft. The Sixers trade away All Star point guard Jrue Holiday—who was coming off a career year admittedly marked with a few low-efficiency blemishes—to the New Orleans Pelicans for Nerlens Noel and a 2014 first-round pick. This trade could not have worked out better for Philadelphia. Holiday gets injured, Michael Carter-Williams, the point guard they drafted with their eleventh pick, is arguably this year’s Rookie of the Year, and New Orleans has had a disappointing season, netting Philadelphia yet another lottery pick in what has been touted as the most talented draft class in years. So far so good. And then, at the trade deadline of this year, Hinkie, in all of his unabashedly tanking glory, makes the following trades: Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen for Danny Granger and a second-round pick in 2015; Spencer Hawes for two 2014 second-round picks, and Earl Clark and Henry Sims (don’t feel bad if these names mean nothing to you). They promptly cut Granger, who is now playing for the Los Angeles Clippers. Both Turner and Hawes are quality players. They may not be starters on a contender, but are they serviceable rotation players? Of course. That is why both Indiana and Cleveland traded for them. The point is that the chance of those second-round picks materializing into something better than Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner is highly unlikely. It was a blatant tanking move. The great joke in all this, however, is that the goodhearted and earnest Milwaukee Bucks are still three games behind the 76ers. And what happens after these trades? They lose 26 games in a row. Twenty. Six. Straight. There is a narrative happening here and this tragic Philadelphia season is just the climax. At the end of the 2012 season The Warriors traded Monta Ellis for an injured Andrew Bogut and shut down Stephen Curry for the remainder of the season. They went 5–22. Why? Because their first-round pick was “top-seven protected.” They got the seventh pick and drafted Harrison Barnes, who is now considered integral to what looks like a perennial playoff team. This is a systemic flaw, and creative ways of fixing the tanking problem have already come to light. One such idea predetermines each team’s draft-day slot, so every team gets equal draft value throughout a 32year cycle. Another, per Bill Simmons, would be to set up an inter-conference sweet-16 style finale at the end of the year. Both are better than what we currently have. What do you say to your fans, Mr. Hinkie? “Sorry season ticket holders! Come back in 2016 when we’ll be good and the tickets will be more expensive!” What do you say to current players Thaddeus Young and MCW, who’ve had to suffer through such an embarrassing season? How can they reconcile that a whole season of their careers will be forever asterisked? And moreover, what will you say to your 2014 draft picks? How do you claim you operate with anything besides brutal pragmatism? I got an idea: “Welcome to Philadelphia—where the future matters more than the present. (P.S. Don’t get too comfortable.)” Sincerely, Claude Akins, Vanguard Sports Desk

CALLING ALL WRITERS THE VANGUARD IS LOOKING FOR Sports Writers Apply @ psuvanguard.com oliver bjorkstrand faces off against Kelowna. ©Bryan Heim/Portland Winterhawks

Vanguard | APRIL 22, 2014 | psuvanguard.com