Portland State University

VOLUME 68 | ISSUE 32

APRIL 29, 2014

g n i r p S l l a b t o fo E R s i HE eeks w w e f t of a s o m ing e n h n t a l e p k s ma ts and u o k r Viking o on w s a e s f f of o

NEWS

OPINION

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

Portland State looks for feedback on future redevelopment plans of University Place Hotel. pg. 4

Try speaking up in class. You might just be getting the most out of your student loan money. pg. 8

Place Gallery is closed, but Portland’s experimental art scene gains a new venue, Surplus Space. pg. 21

Highlighting our spring football coverage, the Vanguard has a candid conversation with coach Nigel Burton. pg. 15

THE VANGUARD NEEDS YOU NOW HIRING News Writers Apply online @ psuvanguard.com

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

4 8 12 14 18 20 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 OPINION@PSUVANGUARD.COM Breana Harris

ADVISER

ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

DESIGNERS

SPORTS EDITOR

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

SPORTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jesse Tomaino

WRITERS

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

Claude Akins, Mike Bivins, Ryan Delaureal, Joel Gunderson, Adam LaMascus, Colleen Leary, Kennedy Martin, Alex Moore, Jay Pengelly, Matt Rauch, Jeoffry Ray, Tobin Shields, Alexandra Spring, Brandon Staley, Stephanie Tshappat, David Wooldridge

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alex Hernandez, Shaylee King, Valarie Kittle, Jeoffry Ray, Christopher Sohler

ADVERTISING SALES

Lisa Bauman, Robin Crowell, Muhsinah Jaddoo, Casey Jin

ONLINE EDITOR ONLINE@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jaime Dunkle

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.

Cover: Photos by Miles Sanguinetti, Designed by Sean Bucknam ©2013 PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY VANGUARD 1825 S.W. BROADWAY SMITH MEMORIAL STUDENT UNION, RM. S-26 PORTLAND, OR 97201

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

PSU looks for feedback on University place hotel Alexandra Spring

With a new light rail station coming to Southwest Fourth Avenue and Lincoln Street in September 2015, future redevelopment plans for the site of the Portland State-owned University Place Hotel are currently being considered.

The Lincoln light rail station will be part of the light rail extension connecting Portland to Milwaukie, and will give PSU students quicker and easier access to the South Waterfront and the Oregon University System and Oregon Health & Science University Collaborative Life Sciences Building.

Because of the increase in student traffic around the almost four acres that the University Place Hotel encompasses, PSU has teamed up with TriMet to develop this area.

“I think it would be great if this project could go to help support the South of Market EcoDistrict, which this school is a part of,” said Synkai Harrison, a graduate student of real estate development at PSU. “I think if they had more market-rate housing, [they] would have more activity in the area other than students, which is only going to add to the vibrancy.”

Feedback on the development was collected at an open house held at the hotel on January 23, during which the public was presented with potential redevelopment plans for the hotel and surrounding areas. On April 23, another open house was hosted at University Place to discuss three revised plans that could potentially become a reality for SoMa. The preliminary redevelopment plans included a

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residential model, an academic PSU-focused model, and a hybrid model that mixed both academic and residential needs. The hybrid model was the most appealing to the community during the initial round of feedback, and it served as a building block for the three revised redevelopment options, said James McGrath, architect and urban designer for CH2M Hill. “[The new light rail station and hotel development] means more opportunity and more choice,” McGrath said.

“It just sort of completes the neighborhood. This station, and any redevelopment that we see here...could just really make this much more of a place, and tie it into the fabric of the university.”

The three plans All three redevelopment models include use of the hotel, said Jerry Johnson, principal at Johnson Economics, one of the consulting teams working on this project.

University Place, built in the mid-1960s, is “a very large hotel, and a very suburban sort of structure,” Johnson said. “There’s interest in maintaining a hotel use, but it would probably be configured differently— something a little more urban that made more sense in this context.”

The first of the three revised plans, the Academic Village, according to the redevelopment scenario guide on PSU’s Campus Planning & Sustainability webpage,

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

would be a mix of residential, academic and hotel use.

The second plan, Southern Exposure, would include residential, hotel and office use.

LiveWork, the third proposed plan, includes a mix of residential, flex-office and hotel use.

All three plans propose large underground parking levels that can be accessed on Lincoln Street, as well as retail space and market-rate housing.

The redevelopment of University Place Hotel has a potentially greater effect on those living in the residences adjacent to the site than it does on students who are more removed from the area.

“It’s hard to make decisions on something like this when it’s not your field, exactly, and all you’re doing is reacting emotionally.

We need improvements, I suspect, but is this the right way?” asked Nancy Rangila, a resident of the American Plaza Towers, high–rise condominiums located off of Southwest First Avenue.

“I think they’re trying, obviously by…asking us what we think.”

Another resident of the American Plaza Towers, Joanne Jene, who has lived in the area for roughly 20 years, expressed the need for a grocery store in the SoMa EcoDistrict, which she said would be best satisfied by the Academic Village plan.

“It will be very painful going through the construction [and] demolition. But I think in the long run, it’ll be very positive for the community,” Jene said.

“The main goal is to create the most vibrant, interesting, and community and academically oriented development as possible,” said David Horsley, principal at DAO Architecture.

When asked about a possible timeline for the development, Horsley said that it likely won’t begin for at least the next couple of years.

“There’s no set statement about where the money will come from, what the design will be and what will result,” Horsley said.

To view the redevelopment proposals and provide feedback, visit pdx.edu/planningsustainability/ lincoln-station-development-strategy.

The last chance to submit feedback is April 30.

Open House attendees gather to review the possible development plans of University Place Hotel.

Alex Hernandez/PSU VANGUARD

NEWS

PSU OIT takes action against Heartbleed bug Internet Passwords and Other Data May Have Been Compromised Jay Pengelly

A recently discovered security weakness called Heartbleed has caused quite a stir in the Internet world.

It’s being described as one of the most significant breaches of online confidential information in history.

Heartbleed was discovered in early April by a member of Google’s security team, and at this time most major websites have either implemented a patch or released statements claiming their servers were not affected.

Portland State’s Desire2Learn and Banweb websites use Open SSL, the open source cryptology protocol which Heartbleed targets.

Open SSL is commonly used by major websites, including Instagram, Tumblr, Google, Yahoo and Gmail.

Chuck Lanham is the chief information security officer at PSU’s Office of Information Technology.

He explained the origins of

the flaw and fevered public reactions.

“It’s a result of a coding flaw in an open source piece of code called Open SSL,” Lanham said. “Open source is a publicly available code so anyone can grab it and make their tweak.

A coder for Open SSL inadvertently created the flaw. Because it’s part of an open suite it has a high visibility and high usage. That’s why Heartbleed is getting such notoriety.”

One of the more alarming aspects of Heartbleed is how long it’s been around without anyone’s knowledge. The vulnerable code was adopted in widespread use in March 2012, so in the last two years a large portion of Internet traffic has been susceptible to information thieves.

“Traffic thought to be encrypted was not encrypted,” Lanham said. “If that web server was performing any sort of e-commerce and credit card info was being passed— and everyone thought Open SSL was encrypted, but it

wasn’t encrypted as expected—cards, passwords, and other sensitive data could have been obtained by someone it’s not intended for.”

Also problematic is the lack of ability to track those who steal this info.

“The worst part is if someone knew about this exposure they could gather information and there is no trace left behind of the intrusion.

It was undetected,” Lanham said. “The chaos from an IT perspective is over. People have heard about Heartbleed, I’m not sure they’ve taken sufficient steps. If someone has ownership of their sensitive info perhaps they haven’t used it yet but they could and assume your identity.”

PSU has taken measures to prevent Heartbleed from affecting its systems, and according to OIT, there is no indication that any personal information was harvested from PSU servers. When the chaos of Heartbleed spread, other Open SSL users in-

stalled patches similar to those used by PSU. “It varies by company. This caught enough attention of the IT community [that] everyone dropped what they were doing to upgrade their web server,” Lanham said.

OIT recommends that all PSU students and staff change their passwords not only for pdx.edu, but for all major websites. They emphasize that the risk of intrusion is real, and that often people don’t take the necessary steps when threats like Heartbleed emerge.

“In general, people don’t understand the complexity,” Lanham said. “Once they’ve been affected or someone close to them has, they pay attention. They aren’t fully in tune with the seriousness of the consequences.”

This article at mashable.com explains the Heartbleed bug in more detail, including a list of affected sites: mashable.com/2014/04/09/ heartbleed-bug-websitesaffected/

TODD KING, a job project infrastructure coordinator at PSU OIT, works on a Wi-Fi booster in Cramer Hall.

OIT took measures to prevent Heartbleed from affecting its systems, which in many cases involves patching web services.

CHRISTOPHER SOHLER/PSU VANGUARD

CPSO chief to host coffee meetings Biweekly sessions to increase CPSO outreach Stephanie Tshappat

Starting May 1, Phil Zerzan, chief of the Campus Public Safety Office, will begin hosting a coffee hour where students and members of the Portland State community can come discuss any questions or concerns they might have regarding campus safety.

Zerzan said the only requirement is for students to show up with their coffee.

“I enjoy interacting with the PSU community, but usually it’s in the form of presentations—at parent orientations, for example,” he said. “Outreach is a really important part of police work.”

The decision to start the coffee hour was partly because of recommendations to the report compiled by the Task Force on Campus Safety, Zerzan said.

“One of the recommendations made was for CPSO

to reach out in new ways to the campus community,” he said. “By starting these sessions, we are responding to that recommendation.”

In the report, the TFCS said, “Campus Public Safety leadership should provide safety presentations and other education at events such as staff onboarding meetings, student orientation sessions, and administrative briefings. These presentations will help to

mobilize the campus community in support of the safety awareness that is an essential element of any safety effort.

“Campus safety resources cannot address concerns unless they know about them; helping the community to know where to report and receive assistance is a critical mission.”

Similar sessions have been held at other universities in the country with some success, Zerzan said.

“This is really a chance for students to be able to talk to me about the things they’re passionate about, the things they care about on campus,” he said. “This is also an opportunity for students to become engaged and be involved in the discussion about campus safety.”

Zerzan wants to make sure that part of the discussion is about educating the PSU community as to what CPSO and its officers actually do.

“I’m proud of the work our officers do, and most of it goes unnoticed,” he said. “These coffee hours will also provide the opportunity to talk about what we actually do as the Campus Public Safety Office, and how what we do contributes to student success at Portland State.”

The coffee hour will be from 10–11 a.m. and will be held in Parkway North in Smith Memorial Student Union every other Thursday.

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

It’s easy being green Psu reflects on campus conservation nationals results

Kennedy Martin

EcoReps Olivia Clarke, Jennifer Petrie and Kristen Purdy (Left to Right) display prizes given away during the Campus Conservation Nationals events.

CHRISTOPHER SOHLER/PSU VANGUARD

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Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Campus Conservation Nationals, the biggest competition in the world for water and energy reduction programs, is now in its fourth year and has helped motivate hundreds of thousands of students to work together to decrease the impacts of climate change and reduce consumption of water and energy.

Starting in early February and running approximately three months, CCN allows participating schools to hold three-week competitions on their campuses anytime during the competition window. Before the challenge starts, water and energy consumption are recorded in the residence halls in a base period that will be included in the event. The goal is to decrease energy and water use while increasing composting and recycling.

The competition at Portland State started on February 17 and ran through March 9, giving students three weeks to meet their goals: decreasing the amount of water and electricity used by student residence halls and spreading awareness and education about sustainability throughout campus.

“It was great to see so many people get involved this year,” said Kristen Purdy, EcoReps coordinator for the Sustainability Leadership Center.

“We had good turnouts at our events and were able to have some really educational conversations with students in the PSU community.”

EcoReps, a year-long program that PSU residents can get involved in to learn about

sustainability and help guide other students interested in going green, competed in CCN for the third year in a row this winter.

In the 2014 challenge, the EcoReps tracked progress in six residence halls—Ondine, Broadway, Blumel, Montgomery, St. Helens and Stephen Epler—making a big leap from the past two years of the competition, in which they were only able to track two halls the first year and three halls the second year.

Each building was monitored weekly by PSU’s utility manager and progress was logged on a dashboard provided by the CCN website.

With the challenge now at its end, the EcoReps and dorm residents can proudly show off their accomplishments. All six residence halls showed a drop in energy consumption, the largest being Blumel Hall with a 25.7 percent reduction in electricity usage. According to the CCN dashboard, Blumel saved a grand total of 38,043 kilowatt hours during the challenge.

“Bringing down the numbers wasn’t even the main goal,” said Heather Spalding, sustainability leadership and outreach coordinator at PSU. “It’s more about education and building connections, but if we do our job and educate enough students then the numbers should go down as well.”

The EcoReps hosted five events throughout the competition period to help raise awareness and encourage students to get involved. The first of which was the Candlelight Dinner, an event that had students eating by candlelight at Victor’s in Ondine to save electricity, and of-

fered the chance to win some prizes and take a sustainability pledge.

Next up was the Conservation Conversation, an event that had EcoReps on hand to field questions and talk about CCN, and Logical Laundry, a workshop that taught residents how to make their own detergent.

Pedal for Power took place at Victor’s in Ondine, and allowed students to hop on a bike and see for themselves just how much energy is needed to make a smoothie for breakfast.

Rounding out the competition was the Blackout Game Night, celebrating the end of the challenge and giving residents the chance to unplug for the night and play some board games with friends.

“The events were a really fun way for us to reach out to residents,” said Olivia Clarke, EcoRep and freshman at PSU double-majoring in French and English. “For example, we had a trivia wheel at the Conservation Conversation so students who stopped to talk to us had the chance to spin the wheel, learn some trivia on going green and maybe even win a prize.”

Next year the EcoReps hope to work closer with University Housing and Residence Life for outreach and get more resident advisers involved.

“We had a couple RAs show up to one of our events, the Conservation Conversation,” Purdy said. “They brought a lot of their residents with them and we really realized what great resources they are and how awesome it would be to work with them more in the future.”

NEWS

ASPSU meeting approves student fee increase, position changes Group to add international affairs director starting next academic year Colleen Leary

At their biweekly meeting on April 21, the Associated Students of Portland State University enacted a number of changes and moved closer to approving others.

The meeting began with an address from PSU President Wim Wiewel, who reached out to ASPSU in an effort to bring PSU’s administration into greater contact with students. He spoke of the importance of building a strong relationship between the PSU administration and the student body. Eric Noll, ASPSU’s legislative affairs director, hopes this will become a trend.

“Contact between the president and ASPSU as a whole has been nonexistent until Monday night,” Noll said. “There are a lot of ways to legitimize ASPSU. Part of

that legitimacy feeds into the ability to have meetings with the president. Hopefully in the future we’ll have better communication and more of a relationship with the administrative office.”

Following Wiewel’s address, the ASPSU senate got to work on a lengthy agenda.

The meeting covered Wiewel’s approval of a new incidental fee budget, which is used to fund Smith Memorial Student Union and student groups, among other things. The new budget includes a $2 increase per student in student fees, bringing student fees each term from $216 to $218.

“This is money that is paid by students and goes directly back to students,” Noll said.

“It keeps our recreation center free to students, pays for resources, events, student government and athletics.”

The fees paid by students each term fund all student-led organizations.

“I know a fee increase doesn’t look good to students, but this is a strategic decision made after careful deliberation during the entire winter term,” Noll added.

The senate also approved changes in multiple directorial positions within ASPSU, and has officially implemented the international affairs director as a new appointed position in the upcoming year. The new director fills a gap within ASPSU for representation of PSU’s large international student demographic. The international affairs director will work with and advocate for PSU international students to help them understand student rights and gain greater access to educational resources.

Also approved was the replacement of the position of metropolitan affairs director, which will become the new sustainability affairs director. The new position will maintain most of the old position’s responsibilities.

“The new job description will have more of a focus on connecting different student groups and other sustainability initiatives,” said current Metropolitan Affairs Director Linda Hoppes. “Because PSU focuses on sustainability, it’s important to have a representative for sustainability within ASPSU.” Also on the agenda were constitutional changes. A constitutional review board has been evaluating the constitution since before spring break. After deliberation in previous months, the review board presented its first

proposal of constitutional changes on Monday.

Many of the proposed changes redistribute responsibility between the ASPSU president, vice president and chief of staff positions.

“There were multiple significant changes across the entire constitution. We had a lengthy discussion, but no decision was made—with the exception of referring back to the review committee. Next meeting it’s either voted up or down,” Noll said. After the senate further reviews the changes, the proposed amendments will be sent to a student body vote.

The meeting concluded with an update on student elections. Student voting for new ASPSU leadership begins May 16.

“Our main priority for our leadership in ASPSU this year is elections turnout

CRIME BLOTTER

Week of April 21–28

Stephanie Tshappat

April 22 burglary

Smith Memorial Student Union At 2:16 p.m. Officer David Baker and Officer Denae Murphy received several burglary reports from the student offices on the first floor mezzanine.

All offices had recent pry marks and significant damage. A computer in office M107L was opened and a RAM and graphic card were taken. No other items reported missing at the time.

April 23 Exclusion

Parking Structure Two Officer Chris Fischer and Sergeant Michael Anderson located non-student Brian D. Young under a blanket.

A cursory search of the area revealed Astroglide

and legitimizing ASPSU,” Noll said. The senate called upon ASPSU members who will not be running for reelection to promote student involvement through informational booths and outreach events.

Applications for ASPSU candidacy were due Friday, with president/vice president teams due May 9.

Current student body Vice President Tia Gomez-Zeller said that ASPSU advisers have received about 50 campaign applications.

“Last year we had 28 people officially running,” GomezZeller said. Student voters also have the opportunity to write in candidates for leadership. Those who have applied for candidacy will soon begin assembling campaign teams, attending meet-andgreets and participating in candidate debates.

personal lubricant. Young admitted he’d been masturbating and was issued a PSU exclusion. No further information available.

Exclusion

XSB parking lot At 11:05 p.m. Officer Baker, Officer Brenton Chose and Officer Jon Buck contacted non-student Frederick E. Rook, who was located in a dumpster and admitted to being in possession of a “kit” and consented to a search of his person. The search located a syringe with a metal cap encircled with a black twist tie. Officers were unable to distinguish if the needle had been used or not. Rook was issued a PSU exclusion and left the area without further incident.

April 24 Attempted Motor vehicle theft

Southwest Park Street and Mill Street Officer Chose received a report at 9 p.m. from a student who stated she was in her parked vehicle when an unknown male approached the vehicle and tried to break the car window with an umbrella and get in the vehicle.

When confronted, the man ran away northbound from the area. He is described as a black male adult, under six feet tall, about 160 pounds, with a big gap in his teeth, glasses and wearing a black track suit with pink stripes.

Arrest

University Market At 7:44 p.m. Officer Chose and Officer Brian Rominger received a report from a student and University Market employee who stated she was being followed and harassed by a suspicious male subject, who came around her side of the counter, stepped on her toes and threw cookies at her. The subject was gone upon arrival, but his description matched known trespassing non-student David Sankey. Officer Rominger searched Smith Memorial Student Union and located Sankey in the Meditation Room with his hands down his pants. After a short scuffle, Sankey was taken into custody with the help of Sergeant Robert McLeary. The student victim confirmed Sankey was the subject who harassed her, and he was arrested for harassment, criminal trespass II and issued a new exclusion.

April 25 Arrest

Parking Structure Three Officer Gary Smeltzer and Officer Chose were dispatched to a report of a suspicious male following another suspicious male at 9:50 a.m. Officers contacted the suspect, non-student David Sankey, on the east side of the Science Research and Teaching Center. The subject who reported the issue flagged officers down only long enough to point out Sankey and then left the area. Sankey was known to be excluded from campus, and was arrested for criminal trespass II and lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center.

exclusion

Epler Residence Hall At 5:24 p.m. Officer Murphy found non-student James L. Shannon asleep on the west side of the building.

Shannon is a registered sex offender with an extensive criminal history. He was issued a PSU exclusion.

April 26 Arrest

Blumel Residence Hall Officer Jon Buck, Officer Rominger and Sergeant McLeary contacted and arrested non-student David Sankey at 1:52 a.m., as he was previously excluded on April 24. Sankey was lodged for criminal trespass II at Multnomah County Detention Center.

Read the full crime blotter online at psuvanguard.com

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

Play the fool, get more from school Simply Complicated

by David Wooldridge

I’ve noticed something. It’s a very strange thing to hear in a place of learning. You might know what I’m talking about.

It is the strange, uncomfortable and deafening silence after a professor asks a question. I’ve been in classes where it literally stretched for a minute and a half before the professor asked a follow-up. It doesn’t matter how difficult the question is—even if it is purely opinion—there will be a palpable silence immediately following a professor’s query.

It could be that no one in the room has any idea how to answer the question. It could be that no one was paying attention enough to hear and therefore respond to the question. It could be that there is a diffusion of responsibility phenomenon following a professor posing particular inquires. It could be these things, but I don’t think that’s it.

I think that we are afraid. I know that I’ve been.

I’ve been afraid of looking stupid in front of peers, professors and myself. Forget about it. I’ve said some stupid stuff in class that I still remember, if only for the look that the professor gave me (you know the one). I’ve learned that saying something, even when it’s the self-referential hot mess that is the “I have no idea at all what the correct answer to this question may be, but I’m going to take a shot in the dark anyway,” (insert massive train wreck of a theory here, end with overly self-conscious apology, stay after class for the “I’m sorry about what I said during class, I swear I’m not usually so unintelligent, or rather, I am usually more articulate about said unintelligence” packaged deal), is worth it, even if you are totally off the mark, because it moves the learning process forward.

If you’re lucky, it will make other people laugh and take this whole situation a little less seriously. The minute representation of who you are when you are going all Hermione Granger up in this piece, or making Hiroshima look quaint, is roughly .000000000001 percent of who you are as a person.

In other news, I finally submitted to Sallie Mae’s email harassment campaign and checked my student loan account. It turns out that I currently owe them $18,000. Over the next 31 days, I will accrue $64.57 more in debt. The 31 days immediately following that, I will owe them slightly more than that $64.57 yet

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VALARIE KITTLE/PSU VANGUARD

again and so on and so forth. That’s how compound interest works, to my understanding.

What makes this really interesting is that this money that I agreed to borrow when I was significantly less informed about life is being used by the American government to pay its outstanding bills—you know, for stuff like war and bailing out AIG. The only downside is that instead of buying planned obsolescent capitalist paraphernalia like a house or a car, I get the opportunity to live in a sort of debt slavery limbo. I don’t know about you, but I am really looking forward to this.

The truth is this, comrades: We of low class, we of independence, we the “I guess I should go to college” generation, we of that prophesied future, we the ones who dare to get excited by learning and bettering ourselves, have bought in. We have, of course, been played. Even as you signed that document that said “I accept these loans,” you probably felt your ass clench.

And so we have been forced to play the fool in order to be productive members of society. It might be my imagination, but I feel the dramatic irony is strong here.

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

So what does this have to do with that eerie silence? Everything.

You and I have paid and will pay for this privilege that we call higher education. It’s a done deal. You’re here. The dunce hat has been placed ever so callously on our heads.

Since this is the case, the logical question for the thrifty, pragmatic capitalist student is: Are we getting our money’s worth out of this experience?

The learning process necessitates falling gracelessly on our asses a large amount of the time. Can we honestly say that we are putting in the effort to get a worthy end product when we are so afraid of looking stupid? That train left the station a long time ago, and there is no way to turn it around again.

This is why I’m totally fine making jokes, looking like an idiot in class and asking those terribly specific, annoying follow-up questions that are relevant to the topic at hand. I’m just getting my money’s worth. Falling on your face, asking the dumb questions, beating your head against the wall until you are laughing hysterically and don’t know why…consider it a good investment.

OPINION

PERS: Poisonous payouts The Illuminator

by Mike Bivins

In a nutshell: The Public Employee Retirement System exists to give those who have committed themselves to state, county and municipal work a steady pension upon retirement.

This is fair and definitely well-deserved. However, there are some former public workers receiving outrageous amounts of monthly PERS benefits.

I’m talking about people like Mike Belloti, former University of Oregon head coach. Belloti is making somewhere in the neighborhood of half a million dollars annually due to his PERS pension. In a reasonable world, the idea of a pension is to give you something to live off of when you retire, not enable you to continue to live the same extravagant lifestyle you have undoubtedly become accustomed to in your time making millions at the University of Oregon.

Am I jealous of Belloti? You bet I am. Admittedly, through public work, I too am vested in the PERS and will myself be entitled to a small pension when I retire. However, it will be a drop in the bucket compared to what Belloti receives.

CHRISTOPHER PERALTA/PSU VANGUARD

In fact, there are over 800 people in this state whose annual PERS benefits are in excess of $100,000. Many members of the working poor, like me, have contributed to this fund and have worked just as hard and are just as deserving of a bloated pension as the aforementioned 800 people.

Unfortunately, the PERS seems like one big scheme that is designed to further benefit those at the top. Massive payouts such as these are poison to our state general fund, and the issue will only get worse as more and more high-paid bureaucrats and overpaid football coaches retire.

My contributions to the PERS previously went into some mystery fund which I had no say in the investment of. Then I would receive annual statements telling me how much my money had made for me on the market. Of course, I could not see this money. Unlike my current retirement plan (which is more like a 401k than an actual pension), I was unable to borrow money from my PERS account and then pay it back at a later time. I would attribute this to the fact that the money needs to stay in the pool to fund the massive payouts to people like Belloti, who are at the very top of the pyramid. Seems like an advanced Ponzi scheme to me. You take the money from the new entrants to pay those who have been involved in the scheme for longer. Bernie Madoff could not have done it better.

I suppose I do not have much room to complain. My PERS benefit was paid for completely by my employer. However, I suspect there are others out there who probably had to pay into this system out of their own pockets only to receive peanuts each month in the very end. That is, if they even live to see these benefits.

Let us also not forget that the Oregon PERS lost $80 million in the fiasco that was Enron. Is the state really the best steward of our money? Are they going to funnel this money into their buddies’ companies? It is hard to say. I will tell you this though, I really enjoy having the freedom to invest my retirement money where I want instead of having to rely on the Oregon Investment Council. This council is nothing more than an appointed pack of pencil-pushing bureaucrats who think they know something that we do not. They are not special, and they do not necessarily know what is good for my money. The fact that members of this council, such as Keith Larson, work for companies with a very local presence like Intel gives me some reservations about their ability to invest my money in an impartial manner.

If you have the time and the inclination, I implore you to conduct your own thorough research on the matter of the PERS and whether or not it is superior to a 401k style retirement account. However, PERS recipients might also want to get details from the Oregon Investment Council to obtain relevant information.

“Massive payouts such as these are poison to our state general fund, and the issue will only get worse as more and more high-paid bureaucrats and overpaid football coaches retire.”

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

9

OPINION

EVERYTHING’S Better down where it’s wetter The Cuddlefish

by Adam LaMascus What are we discussing today? Lubricants! These wonderful liquids can make your sex life much more fun, exciting, easy and pleasurable. There are many reasons to use lubes: anal sex, toys, condoms that just are too dry and somebody just not being wet enough for whatever reason.

This little primer is designed for people who have never used lube before or are general lube novices. Much of the information was provided by a good friend who worked at an adult shop and has acquired the moniker “Dirty Mike” among our circle of friends.

First, there are four basic types of lube, all dependent on what the base for the lube is: water, silicone, water/silicone and oil. Each of these have their own vices and virtues.

Water-based lubricant is the most common type and comes in different variants such as warming, cooling, flavored, tingling or plain. It’s also the cheapest lube, both in price and quality, though quality and price differ by company. It’s easy to clean up, being that the main ingredient is water. You can also use it on your sex toys and condoms. However, you can’t use it if you are having sex in the shower, as it just washes away. One other possible downside of this type of lube is that it often contains additives to stimulate the skin and help it exude moisture. These additives may cause a minor rash on some people.

Regarding brands of water-based lubes, Dirty Mike said, “The lube/toy company Wet makes many excellent waterbased lubes. They also have the advantage of being not overly expensive. A better and more expensive water-based lube is made by the company Jo. But for first-timers, Wet is a good buy. Until recently, KY was the most common, as it was the only one really on the market. And, until recently, it comparatively sucked. They’ve come up in quality, however. Depends on what you’re going for. KY has a nice line of warming lubes.”

Next, there are silicone-based lubes, which is the type of lube you find on most lubricated condoms. Silicone is an inert chemical, meaning it doesn’t react with human tissue. It is therefore safe and naturally hypoallergenic, which is something that may interest those of you that have sensitive skin.

Because it works so well, and because silicone is a little harder to get than water, these lubes are a little more expensive.

Also, silicone lubes are not recommended for ingestion, so flavored varieties are out. They won’t hurt you, but they will give you diarrhea. Be careful using them in the shower. They don’t wash away, but they can also make the floor of your shower slick. And you absolutely CANNOT use silicone lubes

10

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

on silicone toys. Just about the only thing that silicone bonds with is other silicone, so if you use it with your silicone toys it will result in a gluey, warped mess, ruining the toy and your sexy mood.

According to Dirty Mike, Wet makes a pretty good silicone lube, as does Jo. The brand Sex in the Shower makes a pretty popular silicone lube as well.

The third type of lube is the water/silicone hybrid. As the name suggests, these are lubes that try and make the best of both worlds. Primarily consisting of water, these add 5–15 percent silicone to the mix to help the lube stay slick by slowing the absorption of the water from the lube. They aren’t as hard to clean up as silicone lubes, and most have the added benefit of being silicone-toy safe as they don’t have enough silicone to do any damage to the toy.

Lastly, there are oil-based lubes. Oil has been used as a sexual lubricant by people for millennia. Vegetable oil, Crisco, lard, butter—you name it, we’ve probably used it for sex. Some historians even think that a major reason olive oil was so popular in ancient Greece was its use as a sex lube. Nowadays, there aren’t many oil-based lubes out there because of a very important chemical fact: Oil eats plastic. Rubber is a form of plastic.

Latex is a form of rubber. In short, oil eats condoms. It can also upset the pH balance of a person’s genitals, and when that hap-

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

pens we have fungus among us. But, since it’s slow to absorb into the skin, it stays slick for a good long while.

Dirty Mike said, “If you absolutely HAVE to use oil AND a condom, make sure your condoms aren’t rubber. You can find condoms made from lambskin, neourethane and polyurethane that won’t react to the oil, and thus won’t break. Be advised, however, that condoms made from materials other than latex are not as effective at preventing STIs.” Something else to keep in mind: The little $1–2 trial packages of lube carried by sex shops are your best friend. When you’ve never tried a certain lube before, get it in the trial size. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that sometimes you or your partner can have reactions to lubes that can’t be anticipated. Somebody once complained to me that they would never buy a full-sized bottle on the first try again after one experience that left them with an unpleasant burning sensation and a wallet $12 lighter.

On a similar note, discussing lubricants with employees at sex shops is often a good idea. They are knowledgeable and talking about stuff like this is their job. It has been my observation that they have often tried a few of the brands, so they can offer suggestions based on personal experience. If you or your partner are sensitive and prone to allergic reactions or general irritation, the employees can help steer you toward brands that are less likely to cause problems.

OPINION

Game of drones Selective outrage over HBO's hit fantasy Nikolaj Coster-waldau as Jaime Lannister and Lena Headey as Cessei Lannister in season 4 episode “Breaker of Chains.”

©HBO

The Front Row

by Breana Harris disclaimer: This post contains spoilers for season four of Game of Thrones up to the episode that aired April 20, as well as discussion of a scene in the book A Storm of Swords.

I can’t be the only fan of HBO’s hit series Game of Thrones who is marveling at the fact that the type of nerdy fantasy novels I used to read in middle school are now part of the cultural lexicon.

Despite a host of very vivid and powerful female characters, George R.R. Martin’s epic still has the vibe of being written for basement-dwelling, Comic Con-frequenting boys who want to read about naked wenches. But Martin himself is an extremely talented and eloquent writer, which is why I think he’s broken through some of the stereotypes and managed to appeal to a broader audience.

The television show Game of Thrones has featured a host of grisly, gory and otherwise disturbing scenes from the books, including beheadings, child murder, massacres at weddings and incestuous sex. That’s why it seems kind of ridiculous that the Daily Beast has deemed the rape scene between Jaime and Cersei Lannister as potentially “the most disturbing scene in Game of Thrones history.” Really?

As Martin himself said on his blog, the scene is meant to be disturbing. Jaime violates his twin sister as she is grieving

over the body of their son, Joffrey. The internet uproar over this scene has ranged from the justified to the completely ludicrous, and I’m really torn about it.

On one hand, the argument that it is a wrong and even sensationalist creative choice, and that it does a disservice to Jaime’s character development, is valid. But I also think the moral policing of art has gone way too far, especially on a show with so many other violent elements.

If you’re trying to wade through the myriad of press this scene has received, I would suggest starting with a blog post

by Natalie San Luis on xoJane. While I feel wary at correlating fictional rape between an incestuous brother and sister with the realities of rape in the real world, San Luis makes an excellent case for why the scene in A Storm of Swords that the television scene was based on was not really more consensual than it was on screen, despite what most of the media and know-it-all Internet posters are arguing. The scene in either context involves Cersei initially saying no and protesting, but then seeming to give up and relent to her brother’s desires.

Even in such a heightened fictional setting as this, the argument that a woman initially saying no until she relents doesn’t change the fact that she was raped is completely valid. In fact, I think half the problem with the scene is that show director Alex Graves and actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays Jaime, have both refused to fully characterize the act as rape.

This would be disturbing if they were talking about something that happened in real life, and it also wasn’t very smart of them to say in the press. But if Graves and Coster-Waldau want to discuss the gray areas of Jaime and Cersei as characters, the complicated emotions that might lead to a “yes and no” answer and the subtext of the scene from an artistic standpoint, they ought to be allowed to.

I think it’s great we live in an age where media is being scrutinized through a more progressive lens, simply because sex-

ism and all forms of bigotry do exist and are prevalent in the pop culture we consume. Game of Thrones may indeed have a problem with using sexual violence as a cheap and easy plot point, or it may be interpreting these already-sensationalist scenes from books that were written a decade ago.

Many people criticizing the Jaime and Cersei scene point to a scene in season one where Daenerys is married off to Khal Drogo, and the consummation of this wedding was filmed as much less consensual than it was in the book. But in the book, Daenerys is fourteen years old. Is that somehow less offensive?

The truth is that Game of Thrones, while mythical in nature, is obviously based on a Middle Ages-esque society where these things were the norm. Martin, as well as countless others like him, may approach things like rape with the intent of being shocking or titillating. It might also be one part of an incredibly well-written larger story or character arc. If that bothers you, you are free to not read the books or watch the show, or you are free to judge for yourself and start a real discussion online about why this is wrong. But it should be wrong because it’s bad storytelling, not because of some imposed moral obligation on art and artists.

If we start a conversation about what art “should” teach or what kinds of subjects, words and ideas “don’t need” to be explored, we start down a very dangerous path. Censorship is no more of a welcome idea when it is born out of progressive politics than when it is born out of conservative politics.

There are dozens of things on Game of Thrones that could potentially spark outrage, and yet we pick and choose what’s most offensive based on arbitrary cultural values and trends.

We need and should welcome voices who will challenge the legitimacy of certain pop culture and artistic works and the motivation behind them. But we also need to live in a country, and hopefully a world, where artists are free to tell stories how they see fit. Even if they want to tell a story about fantasy incest twins.

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11

COVER

Spring footb Vikings make the most of a few weeks of offseason workouts and planning

Jesse Tomaino

Calisthenics, cone drills, and sevenon-seven plays set to a soundtrack of Gucci Mane and Ice Cube; that’s all that spring football practice is, right? How much work can these guys possibly have to do when the first game isn’t until August 30?

Turns out there’s a whole lot of work to do and not a whole lot of time in which to get it done. The NCAA restricts the amount of time that football coaches have to work with their teams during the off-

season. Coach Burton and his staff get just 14 practices and an intersquad spring game to do all the crucial work that’s impossible to do in the midst of a season when the next week’s opponent is looming.

That work consists of integrating new members to the coaching staff, indoctrinating players who’ve transferred from junior colleges into the team’s system, and figuring out who’s ready to step into

SO R PATR IC K ON W UA SA FE T Y

#8 • Junior • 6'2"

year’s team, gives us a player’s perspective on spring ball and the work that surrounds it. We spend some time with running back heir-apparent Shaq Richard. We also take a look at the recent transfer players and what impact they might have on the season, as well as a preview of the NFL Legends game PSU is hosting on May 18. There’s a lot to be excited about in 2014 for the Vikings football program, so let’s get started early!

During the first week of practice, fundamentals were the focus. The first order of business was special teams.

Players broke up into groups and did walk-throughs of the less than glamorous aspects of a football game. Kicking

AN TH ON Y M cN IC HO LS

LIN EB AC KE R

• 225lbs.

football at Arizona in Played one season of in 2011.

2012 after redshirting : “I heard he was one Coach Burton said g, best athletes on of the hardest workin l at Arizona. The leve the team in his time e from him when we of maturity that cam l. He talked about recruited him was coo for him to get his how important it was chances of playing degree, what were his munity service events and what kind of com in.” he could get involved

M AX LY ON S

DE FE NS IV E BA CK #10 • Sophomore • 5'9"

roles vacated by players who graduated since the end of last season. Oh, and they also might want to set aside some time to add a new wrinkle or two to the offensive and defensive schemes.

This week’s Vanguard sports section is almost entirely given over to introducing you to the 2014 version of the Vikings team, while they’re currently hard at work getting ready for a season that starts with a huge in-state game versus Oregon State (preview on p. 15.)

We have a profile of head coach Nigel Burton, checking in with him as he heads into his fifth season at Portland State. Kasey Closs, the leading wide receiver from last

• 175lbs.

Played one season at Pier ce Junior College in Los Angeles.

Coach Burton said: “Wh en you watch him on film you see a savvy football player with a high IQ. He is tough and will throw his body in there. I like how he plays with his emotions on his sleeve a little bit.”

SEAN BUCKNAM/PSU VANGUARD

#13 • Junior • 5'11" •

235lbs.

Transferred from Gold en West Community College.

Coach Burton said: “An thony is a guy who is an athletic, savvy play er. His highlight film we watched for ente rtainment value.

He reminds you of how (All-American) Ian Sluss was his senior year , but taller. Every time you turn around Ian was around the ball, getting interception s, making plays.

Anthony is the same way . He is a playmaker.”

ZAC K BER G LINE BAC KER

#52 • Junior • 6'2" • 235lbs.

ing.

Transferring from University of Wyom Zach Coach Burton said: “We recruited next out of high school. He was always that ing guy in for Wyoming. With the coach a new change there he decided to go with fun start. We are happy to have him. The is part when watching his highlight film h he the way he can kick off even thoug is a linebacker.”

30-yard field goals without an opposing defense may not be that exciting to watch, but making sure that the snap and the hold are automatic can save some points in the season.

While the field goal unit was busy banging home kick after kick, their counterparts were practicing getting in the way of a phantom opposing kicker, learning the timing and spacing necessary to block a kick without taking a costly penalty for running into the kicker.

OM A N M IC H A E L D DE FE NS IV E

5lbs. ore • 6'4" • 26

#94 • Sophom

m BYU. Transferring fro e off a said: “Michael cam Coach Burton past season s thi U BY at yed mission and pla ect him to shman. We exp as a redshirt fre dership to lea and ity tur ma bring a level of ends ht tig to fits e l giv the team. He wil who can ause he is a guy everywhere, bec ds and ends at 270 poun stand over tight for them.” make it difficult

IA N BO OZ ER

KIC KE R

No Number • Sophomo

re • 6'0" • 185lbs.

Played at Fullerton Jun ior College.

Coach Burton said: “He was supposed to walk on this past fall, but chose to go to Fullerton Junior College where he played very well. We could have used his consistency this past year. He is an Oregon guy who has only played foot ball for two years, and he will get much bett er at it. He is an athlete.”

Transfer players could be wild-cards for defense 12

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EN D

Tobin shields

COVER

ball is here A player’s perspective: Kasey Closs

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

The Vikings leading wideout breaks down his spring schedule

Throughout practice the position coaches were hammering home the details that need to be internalized long before the whistle blows for real—fumble recovery drills for the linebackers, offensive linemen taking their stances underneath a metal cage to keep proper form, exploding forward with low centers of gravity ready to drive opposing defenders out of the way of the Viking running game.

The wide receivers spent time working on running crisp, clean timing patterns, coming out of their break right as the ball arrives, trusting that it will be where it needs to be so they can cut upfield and turn a short pass into a big gain.

Coach Burton ran three groups of defensive secondary through interception

return drills, shouting “big play today!” as he prepared to loft the ball from the end zone. The safety or corner closest to the pass brought it in while his teammates formed up to escort him into the end zone over and over.

A few pick-sixes like that would go a long way toward ensuring the Vikings have a successful season if they happened during games.

The only way big plays like that happen in the fall when the lights are on at Providence Park is by getting as many reps as possible during these few spring practices.

Once the team is on the same page and no one has to question their assignments, they can just play football, letting their athleticism and instincts take over.

Putting questions to rest is a big part of spring ball. Figuring out what they have to work

with now gives the coaches some time to put game plans together for the season. Even coming off of a season like last year where the Vikings had many things to feel good about and build on, there are still plenty of questions that the coaches need field time to answer. Who will step up on the offensive line to replace the departed Mitches Gaulke and Van Dyk? Will Kieran McDonough take a step forward as the quarterback? Is there a running back the caliber of D.J. Adams on this year’s roster?

Answers to these questions and more will hopefully present themselves over the next couple weeks of practices.

There’s not much time left before the spring game on May 18 at Hillsboro Stadium, and then it’s countdown to kickoff in Corvallis.

M y own per s o nal schedule goes something like this: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays are the days that we are out on the field practicing as a team. I don’t have class at all these days because I want to focus primarily on football. Practice is from 12–4:30 p.m.

After that I usually have work or it’s designated homework time.

Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days we don’t have practice. We have weights at 6:30 a.m. (some of the guys have weights later in the day depending on their class schedule).

Then a little time to grab breakfast before class, which is pretty much nonstop from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. I find time throughout the day to grab food for lunch and dinner but spring is the offseason— time to cram in as many classes as possible.

In general we plan classes and study halls around football. Guys who have study hall have extra hours built into their schedules and need to complete all the hours before the end of the week is up.

When it comes to the personality of the team, we’re all jokesters. We’re always having fun messing with each other, but at the same time know when to be serious and amp up the energy and focus level. At the end of every fall camp there’s a skit night, all new freshmen and transfers have to put on a skit for the team. This is when true characters and personalities come out. It’s a comical night full of laughter and jokes. (Jokes are primarily directed toward the coaches, especially coach Burton).

Right now it’s too early to tell how our team looks compared to last year. We’re about one third of the way through spring ball. I know this, our senior class will make sure this team goes out on a good note in the 2014–15 season. WE WILL BE BETTER THAN LAST YEAR’S TEAM! I promise you that.

We have the talent and guys to make a push at the Big Sky Championship and a deep run in the playoffs. As a team

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

we lost some key guys on defense, but we feel like we have the right guys to fill their shoes.

Coach looks to myself and other leaders on the team to set a standard and continue to show our teammates what it means to be a Vik. As leaders, spring is a time for teaching and showing guys what it takes to play. During the spring, we as leaders are trying to change the culture so that mediocrity isn’t acceptable. We are striving to be the team that everyone looks up to. The team that works hard and is the most physical and imposing team for the full 60 minutes of the game.

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

13

SPORTS SCORES

UPCOMING

PSU GOLF

PSU SOFTBALL

BIG SKY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

1st PSU @ OREGON STATE TUES. 4/29 1:00 p.m. | DOUBLEHEADER

Top Performers: A Ram Choi, 5-under par to win the individual title

WEBER STATE vs. PSU FRI–SAT. 5/2–5/3 | 3-GAME SERIES ERV LIND STADIUM

PSU WOMEN’S TENNIS

PSU MONTANA

Top Performers: Dané Vorster 6–4, 6–4

1 PSU TRACK AND FIELD 4 PACIFIC TWILIGHT FRI.–SAT. 5/2–5/3 | FOREST GROVE, OR NBA PLAYOFFS

PSU SOFTBALL

PSU OREGON

Top Performers: Becca Bliss, 2–3, RBI

2 PORTLAND @ HOUSTON 4 WED. 4/30 6:30 p.m. | TNT MLS

HOUSTON PORTLAND

Top Performers: LaMarcus Aldridge, 29 points and 10 rebounds

120 123

SAT. 5/3 7:30 p.m. | PROVIDENCE PARK WHL FINALS

EDMONTON vs. PORTLAND SAT. 5/3 7:00 p.m. | MODA CENTER

MLS

AFL

PORTLAND HOUSTON

Top Performers: Gastón Fernández, 1 goal

1 PORTLAND @ TAMPA BAY 1 SAT. 5/3 4:30 p.m. | KXTG 750 AM Claude Akins

WHL PLAYOFFS

Top Performers: Brendan Leipsic, 2 goals

7 3

WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE TITLES IN A ROW FOR THE WINTERHAWKS. THAT’S BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK-to-BACK for those keeping score at home.

14

vs.

DC UNITED vs. PORTLAND

NBA PLAYOFFS

PORTLAND KELOWNA

Looking Ahead: Vikings vs Beavers

While the rest of us are waiting until August 30 to see the Vikings in action against Oregon State, they’ve already begun preparing for the opener and held their first practice of the year on April 14.

“The idea is to make sure you get better every day that you are out here. We have a host of guys who have played a lot of football for us, so now it’s about making sure we improve,” said head coach Nigel Burton.

The Viks finished last year at 6–6 overall, and 3–5 in conference play. This year, though, brings with it a significant amount of continuity: 48 letterwinners are returning to the Vikings, 14 of which were full-time starters last year. And given the propensity for the Beavers to lose non-BCS games early in the season, Portland State has perhaps a bit more than a puncher’s chance.

Looking at OSU, one sees a team full of talent. They beat Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl to finish with a record of 7–6, a win that prevented the Beavers from closing the season on a dreadful six-game losing streak. Quarterback Sean Mannion is returning and is set to break nearly every OSU passing record. The senior is expected to have

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

another strong year despite losing two receivers—including his top wideout Brandin Cooks—to the NFL. But the weaknesses are there. One glaring weakness is the running game on both sides of the ball. The Beavers were 115th last year in rush offense, and were generous defensively as well. However, even with the loss of DE Scott Crichton, they should still be better than a handful of Pac-12 schools.

OSU’s tradition of losing non-BCS games early in the season (as alluded to earlier) has a recent precedent.

It was opening day last year, August 31, when they lost to Eastern Washington, making it the third time ever that an AP-ranked FBS program was beaten by an FCS program.

So, the natural question, homer or not, is how do the odds stack up against PSU? To begin with, 2013 was a great season for the Vikings’ run game. They set school records for total rushing yards (3,330), rushing average (277.7) and rushing touchdowns (36). This bodes well against a team that has traditionally struggled against the run. We are losing D.J. Adams, though, the man behind a lot of that rushing (he

finished sixth in the nation in rushing touchdowns). Some combination of Shaq Richard, Nate Tago, and incoming freshmen Steven Long and Rey Vega will have to carry the load.

Kieran McDonagh will return for his fourth season at PSU, and as the quarterback, is representative of the continuity of the PSU squad. Also

returning is Kasey Closs, who led the team last year with 63 receptions and eight touchdowns. His 1,167 yards was the third-highest total in PSU history.

All signs point to a definite improvement for the Vikings, and history has shown that the Beavers are beatable.

How far away is August, again?

Spring Football Schedule The Vikings have two more weeks of practices followed by the NFL Legends game and PSU spring game.

Current NFL stars and former Vikings Julius Thomas and DeShawn Shead will coach the Legends game. Other NFL luminaries appearing include PSU Hall of Famer Neil Lomax, Warren Moon, Steve Largent, Dwight Clark, Roger Craig, Garrison Hearst and Terrell Owens. Tickets available at GoViks.com

Remaining practices at Stott Field: May 5, 1:30–4 p.m.

May 7, 1:30–4 p.m.

May 9, 1:30–4 p.m.

May 10, 10 a.m.-Noon May 12, 1:30–4 p.m.

May 14, 1:30–4 p.m.

NFL Legends Game followed by the PSU spring game at Hillsboro Stadium.

May 18, 5:00 p.m.

The Nigel You Don’t Know Joel Gunderson

The words come out soft, but powerful. His voice rarely rises above a whisper, baritone in nature, surely belonging to a football coach. It’s not for show. This is Nigel Burton: no frills, low-key in nature, a man with a plan.

Sitting in his office, high atop the SHAC building in downtown Portland, Burton, entering his fifth season as Portland State’s football coach, laughs when asked about his football upbringing—a simple question to get the ball rolling.

The answer is surprising, his start in the sport a bit uncommon.

“My Grandma…” his voice trails, “she used to wake up, and on Sunday mornings we would watch NFL from nine until four. That’s all we did.”

He smiles as he pulls the memory out, a rare trip down memory lane for a man who must live his life in the now.

“My grandma was hard.

She wasn’t the typical doting grandma. That was a time we could spend together and she wouldn’t be yelling at me,” he said, a deep laugh slipping out.

“We lived with her when I was younger, and that’s where I learned the game.”

After failed attempts at other sports, he settled for football. “[Football] ended up being the only thing I was good at.”

It’s been four seasons since Burton returned to the Park Blocks of PSU. His career has spanned the entire country, from South Beach, Florida to Corvallis, Oregon. He’s been here and gone, Nevada and back again.

Now he’s found a comfortable spot to impart his principles, a place to teach more than football.

“This is one of the few places where it didn’t matter where kids came from. We saw that a lot of our former players were successful when they left here, and that’s what I got into coaching for.”

Born in Sacramento, California, Burton found success on the football field first at University of the Pacific. When the school dropped its football program he headed north to Seattle, where he joined the Huskies of Washington.

After his playing days, Burton jumped immediately into coaching, joining South Florida as a defensive assistant. After one year, he found his way west again for the first of two stops: PSU. “I loved the city. The vibe, the openness—lots of things to do.”

After two years bigger schools came calling, namely Oregon State. As a secondary coach he helped Oregon State to a 39–24 record and solidified them as a player in the conference.

In 2008 Burton was offered the defensive coordinator position at Nevada, a decision that would ultimately lead to his first head-coaching job—back to PSU. Burton’s wife hails from the West Coast as well, providing a blanket of family and friends that are a welcome comfort as the stresses of the job mount.

His two kids keep him busy— his homebody mentality mixed with their youthful desire to play with dad.

“My son plays lacrosse, football, basketball—I enjoy that. It

keeps me busy,” he said. “We’ll go play catch in the rain. It doesn’t matter to him.”

As for his daughter?

“Luckily I’ve been able to avoid dress-up so far…but most dads would do anything for their daughter, so who knows.”

Torre Chisholm, the man responsible for hiring Burton away from Nevada, said there was never a hesitation when it came to Burton, a man known for his strong dedication and commitment to his players.

“He presented [in the hiring] a well-defined vision and philosophy for being the head coach at PSU,” said Chisholm, who currently sits as PSU’s athletic director. “His approach was very studentathlete centered, and this was verified in reference calls with players he had coached; he demonstrated infectious energy and enthusiasm.”

Those would be necessary qualities, as PSU has notoriously lacked support from students and alumni.

A downtown setting along with playing in an MLS stadium creates an awareness issue, not to mention the two PAC-12 schools they share the state with. Selling the program has been a big part of Burton’s role since he came, a task that never slows down.

“We need the students,” he said matter-of-factly. “It doesn’t start with the alumni, it starts with the student body.

That’s what college football is all about. If we can get them, then we can start to get everyone back around.”

He hesitates for a moment.

“We need to turn the environment around.”

SPORTS

Coach burton watches his defense run drills.

Miles Sanguinetti/PSU VANGUARD

Andrew Pompei, PSU’s strength and conditioning coach for football, has been with Burton for years, following him from South Florida to Nevada, and finally back to Portland. All that time together has given him an appreciation for who Burton is as a man as much as a coach.

“He’s taught me how to be consistent in managing a team and the players as a whole.

That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned,” said Pompei.

A friendship has been built between the two that’s unique in the cutthroat world of college football.

“You definitely develop a friendship working with

someone for a few years,” Pompei continued. “I think if you don’t, then the professional relationship won’t be as strong. There needs to be a certain amount of trust between coaches, and that comes with developing a degree of friendship.”

Burton has seen mixed successes in his four years. Replacing Jerry Glanville—the “man in black” who was more of a sideshow than a coach— was not an easy task, as he had to restock the talent pool that was left decidedly empty.

The upcoming 2014 season has some holes to fill, but overall Burton likes the direction of his team.

“We have a big-time running back to replace, which we think we have in place.”

Entering his fifth season at the helm of the state’s largest school, Burton knows the task at hand. An 18–27 record, while not shiny, is less an example of his coaching as it is the state of the program when he arrived. Developing a successful culture takes time, and with a bricklayer like Burton on board, PSU would be wise to let him keep building.

While the wins have been slow coming, one thing’s been evident from day one.

“We always play an exciting brand. That’s what our program is built for.”

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

15

SPORTS

Next running back up?

Shaq Richard has been patiently waiting FOR his turn to break out Alex Moore

A little over five years ago, current Portland State senior Shaq Richard was waiting.

A junior at Junipero Serra High School, Richard was a second-string running back, waiting for an opportunity to show his potential as an athlete. Growing up in a family that stressed hard work and patience, Richard knew his time would come; he just had to wait.

Finally, his time came.

Richard saw his teammate in front of him get suspended and recognized it as the opportunity he had been waiting for. Richard scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime, seizing the opportunity that he’d worked hard for.

“I’ve always been taught to be humble, and just keep working hard,” Richard said.

“So to see an opportunity like that manifest, it was just such a great feeling.”

But even with people watching the televised game in which a second-string running back came in and made a difference, Richard didn’t get the recruiting love that some would argue he deserved. He waited and waited for a letter, a call or any kind of recruitment that would be fitting of a talented athlete coming out of Los Angeles.

“I never really got the looks that everybody else at my high school got,” Richard

16

said. “It was around January [of my senior year] and I still hadn’t got any solid offers.”

But after waiting, PSU called wondering if he was still available, hoping that the athlete hadn’t signed with any other school. Richard hadn’t, and before they knew it the soonto-be freshman was already in Portland, visiting the campus and making sure it was the right fit for him.

He missed an all-star game to visit PSU, but it was worth it. “I just fell in love with it,” Richard said. “Being from LA and the city, it was the perfect fit for me.”

The biggest difference between LA and Portland is the weather, but that was no problem for Richard, who has grown used to cloudy days and rain since he came to the Northwest. Five days after he graduated high school, Richard was already at PSU getting used to everything.

He started working out with the team early, showing how dedicated he is.

“My parents always told me to work hard and do the right thing,” Richard said. “That’s what I do. I do what I do, do what I’m told. I’m not about stats, playing time or anything like that.”

That hard work paid off for Richard, who found himself playing as a true freshman. That year PSU had the TCU Horned Frogs on their out of conference schedule, a team coming off a Rose Bowl appearance the year before. Richard went out and

Shaq Richard takes a breather at a recent spring practice on Stott Field.

SHAYLEE KING/PSU VANGUARD

ran for 90 yards against a tested college football team, which would have been over 100 yards had it not been for penalties.

Ever since then Richard has continued to work hard, and now as a senior he finds himself as one of the key guys on PSU’s roster. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I expect to be the go-to guy this year. The game

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

changer, the guy that everyone wants the ball in my hands for third and fifteen, or third and short. I want to maximize my potential playing running back, receiver, returner, wherever the team needs me. I want to be the guy that helps get our team to the playoffs for the first time in a long time.”

PSU has never been the biggest sports school, and recog-

nition as an athlete here is far different from other schools in Oregon. But that hasn’t bothered Richard. He came here to play football and get an education.

“We don’t get too much publicity, but all that doesn’t mean too much to me. I’m grateful that someone was interested in me, and I wanted to return the favor by working hard. It doesn’t really

matter where you are, someone will find you.”

This will be Richard’s last year playing football for PSU, as he hopes to graduate next spring or summer. He’s majoring in communications, but his hopes post-graduation lie in professional football, whether that is in the United States or in Canada. As long as he has the opportunity, Richard will continue to work hard.

SPORTS

Winterhawks Conference Champs—AGAIN Jay Pengelly

The Portland Winterhawks have won their fourth straight Western Conference Championship after defeating the Kelowna Rockets in five games. They are only the fourth hockey club in the Western Hockey League’s history to win four conference championships in a row. Portland won four straight games, outscoring Kelowna 21–10 to close out the series.

After stealing one in British Columbia, the Hawks looked forward to playing two games in front of their rabid home crowd. With the Blazers in Texas, Portland’s hockey squad was center stage in local sports.

Both games were played at the Rose Garden (known to some as the Moda Center).

Game 3 was an overtime thriller.

Rockets goalie Jordan Cooke had an incredible 65 shots come at him, which he saved 61 of. It was the second straight game the Hawks had 50 or more shots at the net. Despite his team losing, everyone praised Cooke’s defensive efforts.

Portland netminder Corbin Boes made his first playoff start and saved 30 of 33 shots, with several dramatic stops in OT to keep the score tied.

Left-winger Taylor Leier scored the game winner 10 minutes into extra time, giving the Winterhawks a 4–3 win.

The next night the Rose Garden faithful were loud enough to consider the arena full (Winterhawks games close off the 300 level and generally seat around 10,000 when not playing at the Memorial Coliseum). They were merciless with refs and Rocket players alike, booing the physical play and early 0–1 deficit. But the Winterhawks regained their com-

posure after a sloppy first period, and Nicolas Petan went out to steal the show.

Petan scored Portland’s first two goals before capping it off with a career highlight for the hat trick. Petan’s back was to the net and he slipped the puck backward between his legs, where it ricocheted off a Kelowna stick into the net.

“He can do that sometimes, he can make special plays,” Mike Johnston, Winterhawks head coach and general manager said of Petan’s spectacular goal. “Players like that in playoff time, you always hope and expect that they can come up in a key moment and that was really a big goal for us.”

“I kind of lost it,” Petan said after the game. “And then I put it through my legs. I tried to pass it over but it went in, so I’ll take it. It just happened in the moment.”

Oliver Bjorkstrand also scored on a breakaway unassisted goal with a backhand move. Solid defense throughout the third led to the Rockets pulling their goalie in hopes of last-minute heroics. The plan backfired when Paul Bittner scored an empty net goal with two minutes remaining, leading to the game’s final score of 5–1. Boes continued to protect the net from everything that came his way; he saved 31 of 32 shots by Kelowna.

With their backs to the wall and season on the line, Kelowna returned home for Game 5. The Hawks looked sharp in the first and took an early 2–0 lead with goals from Dominic Turgeon and Brenden Leipsic. Both clubs battled through the second.

Leier increased Portland’s lead to three but Kelowna wouldn’t go quietly, scoring twice to set the score at 3–2 going into the third. A flurry of scoring by the Hawks

ended all hope for a Game 6.

Four different Winterhawk players scored in the third, with Boes deflecting all but a Justin Kirkland shot late in the period. The 7–3 victory sends Portland to the WHL finals.

Several Winterhawk players have established alltime team records during this playoff run. Derrick Pouliot is first all-time in playoff scoring by a defenseman, with 62 points. He also holds the franchise record with 50 playoff assists.

Pouliot, in his fourth year in Portland, is also the franchise leader for playoff games played, now 79.

Leipsic, who has played two fewer playoff games than Pouliot, passed Dennis Holland for third all-time in playoff scoring. He is also fifth all-time in playoff assists with 41, two shy of Randy Heath for fourth place. Both players have been at the top of their games in this postseason; they have registered at least one point in every game so far.

Danish-born Bjorkstrand, who turned 19 years old earlier this month, has been the third head of Portland’s offensive dragon. He leads the team with 15 playoff goals after 50 in the regular season.

The Winterhawks will play the Edmonton Oil Kings for the WHL championship, the Ed Chynoweth Cup. The Oil Kings are fresh off a 4–1 series victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers. Portland has played Edmonton in the previous two WHL championships, splitting the two series.

The Winterhawks have home ice advantage against their opponent, so Games 1 and 2 will be in Portland. Both games will take place at the Rose Garden (or Moda Center if you must) this weekend, May 3 and 4.

ToToWhom ititMay Concern Whom May Concern To Whom it May Concern Dear Vikings Fans, A couple of weeks ago I wrote in this column about athletes needing to engage with non-athlete students so that we can create a better, more exciting and enjoyable atmosphere at all home games.

That’s only a small part of what ’s needed to help create the best home field/court in the Big Sky. Another portion needed to create it revolves around you, the fans.

I can’t count how many Vikings athletic events I’ve been to where it seems as if there are more players on the field or court than there are fans in the stands. Sticking with this week’s theme surrounding Vikings spring football, I will use last season’s game against Cal Poly as my example.

That week was Viking Week at Portland State, where over 150 events were put on to engage students and show new students what PSU is all about. That Thursday, the Vikings football team was slotted to play Cal Poly at what was then called Jeld-Wen Field. As part of the Viking Week celebrations there was a barbecue to rally fans before the game. After the barbecue, students went to the stadium to cheer on the team. Once I arrived there and found my seat in the student section, I noticed something was a bit off—the students weren’t cheering.

I’ve been going to Seahawks, Ducks and Beaver football games since I can remember. At every game I’ve been to the fans were loud and passionately cheered on their beloved teams, even when their teams were not doing well. I wasn’t expecting the environment at Jeld-Wen to be anything near what I’ve experienced at the Kingdome, Century Link Field, Autzen or even Reser Stadium, but what I saw surprised me quite a bit. At the time, the Vikings were one of the top three producing offenses in Division 1 football. Fans 21 years of age and over were allowed to drink in the stands, and you could easily get a seat within the first 15 rows. Yet only a small portion of the student section was cheering enough to make an impact on the game.

It only took a few minutes for me and my friend to realize that something needed to be done to make this experience exciting. We talked to some friends who were in the smaller but louder section in the front row, and they agreed to follow our lead. At the same time, my buddy and I yelled, “P-S-WHO?!” to which the section of our friends energetically responded, “P-S-U!” Before long we had about a third of the student section following our lead, while the rest of the student section laughed and scoffed at us.

That situation sums up exactly what needs to change at Vikings football games and other athletic events. Rather than worry about what your peers may think of you at these games, I encourage you to let loose and yell as loud as you can in support of your team. It’s actually amazingly exhilarating when it leads to a turnover or false start penalty. Knowing that you can affect what happens on the field has the ability to transcend you being a spectator, to feeling like you have a stake in the success of your team.

So Vikings fans, next season when your defense has their (or better yet, our) opponent backed up on their own goal line and you hear that rowdy bunch of students screaming at the top of their lungs, I ask that you step outside of your comfort zone and yell louder than you have ever yelled before. If we can get even half of the stadium doing this, we’ll have the ability to create something new and special at PSU: a home field advantage.

Sincerely, Matt Rauch Vanguard Sports Desk

GET THE DEETS IN TWEETS FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @psuvanguard

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

17

ETC

EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, Apr. 29

Info Session: Working for the CIA

Lecture: Is There Hope for Wild Salmonids in the City?

Envisioning a Justice Based Movement to End Gender Violence

6–7 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union, room 236 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

7 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union, room 327/8 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

Noon–1:50 p.m.

Native American Student and Community Center 710 S.W. Jackson St., Portland, OR 97201 In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a panel will gather to discuss Andrea Smith’s recent piece, “Beyond Eve Ensler: What Should Organizing Gender Violence Look Like?” which takes a look at how the dominant violence against women discourse currently affects feminist, activist, organizational and national struggles. FREE

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

Have you ever wondered how to get a job working for the Central Intelligence Agency?

Recruiters will be on campus to talk about employment opportunities and give students the chance to ask any questions they may have about jobs with the CIA. FREE

Professor Alan Yeakley, director of the School of Environment at PSU, will present a lecture on the influence of the urban environment on wild salmonid, and what the future holds for them in the face of possible further development and change. FREE

Wednesday, Apr. 30 Thursday, May 1 Climate Change and Washington D.C. Noon–1 p.m.

Market Center Building, room 123 1600 S.W. 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 Dr. Johannes Loschnigg was a senior policy analyst at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in Washington DC from 2009 to 2013 and a part of OSTP’s Environment and Energy Division. He will be at PSU to provide an overview of climate change debates and to discuss recent activity on the climate change front. FREE

Spring Community Carnival 1–4 p.m.

Native American Student and Community Center 710 S.W. Jackson St., Portland, OR 97201 Various PSU organizations invite you to gather at the Native American Student and Community Center for an afternoon of food and fun. Learn how to do Native American beadwork, participate in seed swapping and much more. Everyone is welcome at this event. FREE

Portland State’s Hong Kong Student Association presents the first annual “Hong Kong Culture Night.” Join the HKSA for an evening celebrating Hong Kong culture and enjoy traditional food and games.

Admission is free for PSU students, $5 in advance for the public and $7 for the public at the door. FREE

Portland State’s Confucius Institute presents a lecture

by Weijun Cao, freelance curator and writer based in Dali, China and Sapporo, Japan.

He will be speaking about the core of Chinese visual culture, through an objective understanding of the inner coherence and causal logic of modern Chinese history and explaining how modern Chinese history, which has primarily been a social, political and economic construct, raises questions about the issues of debate underlying the artwork. FREE

Friday, May 2

Saturday, May 3

Friday Flat Fix Clinic

Portland’s Other Historic Chinese Gardens: Organic Vegetable Farmers

Hong Kong Culture Night

6:30–9 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union ballroom (355) 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

Noon–12:30 p.m.

PSU Bike Hub 1818 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 Bring your bike to the Bike Hub this Friday to learn how to quickly fix a flat. This is a great clinic for both cycling veterans and those who are new to the occasional setbacks associated with getting around by bike. FREE

A Portrait of Visual Transformation Over Thirty Years

9:30–11 a.m.

Urban Center, room 250 506 S.W. Mill St., Portland, OR 97201 Dr. Tracy Prince, scholar in residence at the Portland Center for Public Humanities, will be presenting a lecture on the former Chinese farming communities of Portland, a fascinating history that many current Portland residents may not be aware of. FREE

6:30–8 p.m.

School of Business, room 490 631 S.W. Harrison St., Portland, OR 97201

FEATURED EVENT

Naimuma Traditional Pow Wow 11 a.m.–10 p.m.

Peter Stott Center 930 S.W. Hall St., Portland, OR 97201 The United Indian Students in Higher Education present their annual Naimuma Traditional Pow Wow. This event is aimed to be an educational experience that highlights indigenous culture and celebrates family. Music and dancing will run through the day, as well as a market of indigenous goods.

A dinner break will offer guests the chance to enjoy a meal together around 5 p.m. This event runs through Sunday.

FREE

5th Annual Portland’s Prom 8:30 p.m.

Star Theater 13 N.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97209 Portland’s Prom is an adult event that calls for participants to dress their best and come to experience the “prom you wish you had.” Come celebrate with drinks and live music, and best of all: no teenagers! Admission prices vary, for more information, visit www.startheaterportland.com

FREE

21+

THE VANGARDE

PSU FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER BRENDAN MULLIGAN/PSU VANGUARD

Free Comic Book Day After Party 7–10 p.m. on May 3 Things From Another World 2916 N.E. Broadway, Portland, OR 97232 Did you know that May 3 is Free Comic Book Day? Well it is!

And Things From Another World wants to help you celebrate a day of collecting free comics by ending it with free burgers and beer. There will be games, giveaways and live music. Vegetarian options will also be available for free, and children are welcome to attend. FREE

“You can’t smoke in the Clean Air Corridor!” ©Things From Another World Comics

18

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

ETC

Aries Mar. 21–Apr. 19

Gemini May 21–Jun. 20

Leo Jul. 23–Aug. 22

Libra Sept. 23–Oct. 22

Sagittarius Nov. 22–Dec. 21

Aquarius Jan. 20–Feb. 18

Your natural bravado usually serves you well, but it might be time to reign in your fearlessness, Aries. A little dose of looking before you leap never hurt anyone, and thinking before you speak is even better.

Gemini, coincidence and fate figure largely in our lives. Don’t beat yourself up if things get a little rough or if things don’t turn out how you wanted them to. All you can really do in life is try.

Leo, there’s a difference between having your head in the clouds and having your head in a place where the sun don’t shine. Screw your head on straight, or you’re in for a troubled week.

What are these knobs and dials? No one knows, and no one has ever known. Today you will find out, and this glorious revelation will change everything.

Be bold, Sagittarius! Do something adventurous!

Cancer Jun. 21–Jul. 22

Virgo Aug. 23–Sept. 22

Look at the clock. What time is it? That’s right.

It’s beer o’clock, which means it’s time to set work aside and take the train to Cold One City.

Ignore your responsibilities, put your feet up and enjoy some high-quality liquid relaxation.

Envelope yourself in nature. Lay upon cool grass. Feel the sand between your toes. Drink from the roots of life.

Speak to trees. Trees can speak. What will you do with this information?

Life won’t serve you what you want on a silver platter, you need to go out there and get it. Take these words of wisdom from the great Arnold Schwarzenegger: “DO IT! DO IT NOW! COME ON! DO IT!�

All of your efforts for selfimprovement are paying off. This is your week to kick ass, take names and get shit done! You’re unstoppable, so don’t take any B.S. and don’t take any prisoners. Get it, Virgo!

Taurus Apr. 20–May 20 It’s your time of year, Taurus, and your birthday will bring the urge to spoil yourself. Make sure you keep a close watch on your finances when you’re out living the good life. It’s going to be a long summer.

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Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

19

ARTS & CULTURE

KPSU GETS AMPED for fm Ryan DeLaureal

Last week, Portland State’s student-run radio station KPSU completed its fundraising drive, AMP KPSU. The drive, which ran March 31–April 20, featured a series of programs and events designed to help raise awareness for the station’s efforts toward acquiring a Low-Power FM signal.

KPSU applied to the Federal Communications Commission in November 2013 for an FM signal and is currently waiting for approval. The station is tied in consideration with two other applicants for the local signal space.

The expected range of the signal would be a 3.5 mile radius from the location of the antenna, the proposed placement of which would be on top of Ondine Hall on the PSU campus. The signal from the antenna could reach as far as North Killingsworth Street, East 82nd Avenue, Reed College and the city’s west hills.

Magic Mouth performs at the second annual KPSU Kruise, the final event of the radio station’s fundraising drive.

AMP KPSU AMP KPSU kicked off at the Pony Club Gallery on April 3, with music provided by KPSU DJs. Assistant Promotions Director Blake Hickman described the event as “a really cool rock inspired art event…we had some awesome DJs playing.”

“It was really awesome just to see the whole community come out. It was definitely a bit of a different crew than our events usually play to. It was really packed. It was a good kickoff,” Hickman said.

The kick-off was followed the next night by a 24-hour live broadcast, in collaboration with PSU.tv, at the KPSU studio. The continuous broadcast featured sets from 18 different local bands.

Gabe Granach, the station’s promotions director, said the 24-hour live stream was a success.

“We surpassed the amount of visits to our website in the entire month previous in two days.”

Subsequent nights of music were held at Ground Kontrol Arcade, The Knock Back, the Hollywood Theatre and Holocene.

The event at Ground Kontrol included free arcade games and live sets by KPSU DJs. The venue was filled to capacity for the majority of the night.

“It’s always nice to have our DJs playing live at events because you really get to see what other DJs are doing and what kind of music they’re into. It was a really awesome selection of DJs that we had in that night,” Hickman said.

The AMP fundraiser culminated on April 18 with the KPSU Kruise, an event which featured music by local Portland bands Magic Mouth and Orquestra Pacifico Tropical, taking place during a nighttime Willamette River cruise on the Portland Spirit, docked near the Hawthorne Bridge.

FM for the future Station Manager Keegan Meyer said the AMP drive was an opportunity for KPSU to increase awareness about radio and highlight what KPSU means to students and what it would mean if the station acquired an FM frequency An FM signal would allow KPSU to reach more listeners and would help convince local businesses and organizations to advertise at the station.

“It will be able to be more of a revenue source because of the opportunity to be able to be heard by more people, known

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ALEX HERNANDEZ /PSU VANGUARD

by more people and thus hopefully be able to bring in more money because of that interest,” Meyer said.

Another goal of the drive was to raise money to supplement the funding that the organization receives from the Student Fee Committee at PSU. All the money that was raised during the AMP drive went straight to KPSU. “All of the money that we get will allow us to provide a better service, whether that’s to update our equipment, to be able to have more money to book fundraising concerts or maybe to get a KPSU mobile app going,” Meyer said.

Granach said the drive brings much needed funds to a student organization that has experienced budget cuts from the SFC in the past—as much as 30 percent in the last year.

When asked if the possibility of future cuts to KPSU’s budget could impact the station’s greater FM goals, Meyer laughed, “I’m already worried about it.”

“The university is already cutting programs,” he continued.

“I’m definitely pissed off about it when it involves student

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wages and the Educational Leadership Service Award model.

I want to say on the record—I fucking hate the ELSA model.”

ELSA awards are the financial aid awards that students receive as compensation for their involvement in student organizations such as KPSU. Acquiring an FM signal, and the increase of interest in involvement at the station that would come with it, could stimulate the administration to decrease students’ compensation for their work.

Meyer said that current efforts to rebrand student involvement in the station as a resume-building experience rather than positions that provide financial compensation could be harmful.

“They [the administration] think that they can start changing certain student organizations, especially the media publications, to go down that route. I’m very concerned about it. It will be something the future generations of KPSU employees will have to tackle,” Meyer said.

ARTS & CULTURE

Surplus space PDX Former mall gallery director Gabe Flores on the march with new projects, prospects Jeoffry Ray

Last month, Pioneer Place Mall came down hard on Portland’s art scene when it suddenly forced closed its own local experimental arts space, Place Gallery.

But the closure did little to stop Place Gallery Director Gabe Flores. The artist and curator has already stepped up his game, starting up a host of new independent projects.

Foremost among those projects is the new experimental space, Surplus Space Gallery, which Flores codirects with curator Travis Nikolai. Originally scheduled to run concurrently with Place’s programming, Surplus is a house that was converted into an art exhibition space as an experimental project. In addition to Surplus, Flores and his collaborators are also launching a radio project titled Some Lady in New York on XRAY 96.1 FM, beginning this week.

Flores initially expected Place to run through November 2015. But in late February, after a series of exhibitions led to a chastising letter from Pioneer Place General Manager Bob Buchanan, things began to change drastically.

Though Flores reached out to make what adjustments he could to continue operating the space, Place received a notice of lease termination on March 19.

Pioneer Place Mall, which subsidized the art space’s rent, cited financial reasons in the termination notice.

The Place staff remain convinced that the termination was a response to a recent series of controversial exhibitions. But while Flores regrets the string of canceled shows caused by the change, he remains upbeat.

“It reminded me that it was just a project,” he said of the closure. “When you’re in and performing a project, it’s hard to remember that there is an endpoint. Even if you tell yourself that it ends, while you’re in it there’s still a sense that it’s something more like a job. It’s nice to be able to look back at what we did, and have some time for reflection before the new project begins.”

Information about Place’s closure, including transcripts of final correspondences, is available online at placepdx.com.

Flores pointed out that the location and context of Surplus makes it a fundamentally different project from Place. Whereas Place’s location in a downtown mall gave it the feel of an institution, Surplus will have what Flores described as lived-in and neighborhood components, all of which will figure prominently into the work showing.

He also noted that there will be an aspect of going through the remaining belongings of the owner, a friend who consented to the process.

“In the same way that Place was an experiment, Surplus is an experiment on multiple levels,” Flores said. “When you go through someone’s collection, you’re looking over their values and making decisions based on those values. Galleries and institutions are very similar in terms of collecting on someone’s values: What is allowed in, what isn’t allowed in?”

Nikolai, Surplus co-director and curator, explained that part of the project entailed Flores living in the house and residing with the art itself.

“Part of the interest in it for Flores is having to live around somebody else’s curation, to broaden his own vocabulary,” Nikolai said.

For Surplus, Nikolai is adopting a curatorial direction focusing on politically-engaged work. The current show, which features artists Caitlin Rose Sweet and Daniel Duford, involves installation, paintings and drawings gathered around themes of gender.

Their previous show, by the Naught Collective, involved social practice sessions discussing new, anarchistic approaches to the education system.

“A lot of people make work like this, but I think part of the interest in this space, is having the work centered around a parlor as a space for discussion of these sorts of things,” Nikolai said. “I’m interested in hearing what other people are interested in talking about.”

Flores agreed and pointed to the neighborhood as a particularly important aspect of the politics weaving through the works showing at Surplus.

“We’re using current events and phenomena as social and politically relevant work, and asking artists to respond in that way,” Flores said. “What’s really interesting about these two folks is that they’re very familiar with the neighborhood. I could probably hit a tennis ball through his house from my house. And [Rose Sweet] used to live in a house next door, so they’re very familiar with the area.

So it’s really fun to have these embedded responses.”

Place, which operated for nearly four years, joins a number of Portland-based

contemporary art spaces that have closed their doors in recent years, including Alberta’s Appendix Space in winter 2013 and Worksound in summer 2012. Place’s abrupt closure, as well as its location in the mall, set its end apart from others. But Flores asserts that Place’s clash with the American consumer culture of the mall illustrates important questions for today’s art world.

“I think that it’s really important because of how we end up seeing art, and

what we think art should and shouldn’t be allowed to say, and the kind of conversations that are acceptable in art,” he said. “When it becomes too challenging, it’s because it mimics too close what we see in the everyday experience.”

Flores acknowledges that while Place is closed, the project around Place is ongoing. Currently, he hopes to ensure that Pioneer Place continues to reserve his former space for future art endeavors, and that those art

spaces are held to the same standards as the mall’s consumer spaces. Much of the debate around Place’s closure centered around complaints leveled with the gallery about See gallery on page 22

SURPLUS SPACE 3726 N.E. 7th Ave. Portland, Or 97212 Gallery Hours: Saturdays, 12-6 pm

Photo caption

Artist Caitlin Rose Sweet prepares her installation piece in the Surplus White Box Gallery.

JEOFFREY RAY/PSU VANGUARD

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ARTS & CULTURE

UISHE to Host Traditional PowWow on Campus Brandon Staley

The United Indian Students in Higher Education, a Portland State-based student group that assists American Indian, Alaskan Native and Indigenous Peoples in maintaining cultural values while pursuing educational goals, will host the annual Naimuma Traditional Powwow this weekend.

The powwow will be held at the Peter Stott Center on Saturday and Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m. on both days. The powwow will feature drum groups, traditional dance and food, and craft jewelry by native artisans. The event is free and open to the public.

Layla Woelfle-Deene, of Eastern Band of Cherokee and Nez Perce heritage, and co-coordinator of UISHE, said the group has been planning the powwow for nearly a year.

The powwow is the largest free student-run event on campus.

Woelfle-Deene said the Naimuma Traditional Powwow will focus on Northwestern native traditions. Many aspects of powwows, such as dress, dance and drum style, differ depending on their regional origins.

Powwows are immensely important in native culture.

Woelfle-Deene said powwows give native peoples a chance to set aside time in their daily lives to revisit tradition. They also act as an opportunity for distant friends and family to reconnect.

“It’s basically like a gigantic family reunion,” WoelfleDeene said.

Woelfle-Deene said numerous vendors have been invited to the powwow. Traditional fry bread, smoked salmon, beads and jewelry will be available. All of the arts and crafts for sale will abide by the Indian Arts & Crafts Act, which requires

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artisans to prove native heritage before claiming their wares are native-made.

“It’s such a wide variety,” Woelfle-Deene said. “But at the same time, it’s all authentic.”

UISHE made a conscious effort to employ powwow staff members working within the education field, Woelfle-Deene said.

Thomas Morning Owl, of Umatilla heritage, who works in language preservation, will emcee the event.

Emcees play the critical role in announcing and directing powwows.

“Because we’re a college powwow, we want to make sure that the people involved with it have some connection to the education system,” Woelfle-Deene said.

Woelfle-Deene said she is most excited for the Tiny Tots dancers. There are several styles of dance scheduled to be performed at the powwwow. Dancers are separated by age group. Tiny Tots is the youngest age group. For many in the Tiny Tots group, it will be their first time engaging in traditional dance.

UISHE has partnered with Kevin Thomas, the cultural sustainability coordinator at PSU’s Sustainability Leadership Center, to ensure that the powwow will be almost completely compostable, Woelfle-Deene said.

The powwow will use biodegradable dishware and a team will be on site to separate compostable and recyclable items from garbage.

“This will be the second year that we’ve done this,” Woelfle-Deene said. “We’re so proud of the fact that we’re trying to make this as much of a carbon neutral event as possible.”

While UISHE has taken point on planning the pow-

wow, support has also come from the university’s Native American Student & Community Center.

Alina Begay, of Navajo heritage, and NASCC community manager, said the Native Center has been helping to advertise the powwow by posting to social media and dispersing flyers around campus. The Native Center also acts as the primary meeting and planning space for UISHE. Begay said the powwow serves as a way to dispel rumors and stereotypes about native culture.

“Most of us are urban natives living in Portland,” Begay said. “We dress the same, we talk the same, but we also have our culture that is intact.”

The modern concept of the powwow came about in the 1970s as a way for tribes to come together in one spot, Begay said. The late ‘60s and early ‘70s were rife with conflict regarding Native American civil rights. The American Indian Movement and other organizations rose out of that

Two women in traditional regalia dress laughing and talking during an intertribal dance.

Photo courtesy of NASCC

greater desire for cultural acknowledgement and respect.

Melissa Bennett, NASCC program coordinator, of Umatilla and Nez Perce, and Navajo and Blackfoot Lakota heritage, said it is important to listen to the emcee at any powwow. Emcees indicate when attendees can take pictures and engage

in certain dances, as some ceremonies are not to be photographed and some dances hold deep, cultural significance.

Volunteers will be present at the powwow to answer any questions attendees might have.

“I think it’s a really good opportunity for nonnatives,

or people not familiar with the PSU native community, to come out and just be a part of it,” Bennett said.

“Get to know us, watch the dancing and get a feel for the native community as it is now.

“We’re a living, breathing, urban community.”

ing projects in store, though he opted to keep the details close to his chest. But he pointed to the opportunity to work with others, such as Nikolai, to be a primary benefit of his new situation with Surplus.

“In the house, living with somebody else’s work becomes very important,” Flores said. “Being able to do it with someone like [Nikolai], who is incredibly respectful and polite, but is also willing to push

it. By adding other voices, I can add a level of strength to the process, and it becomes a more interesting engagement for myself. And I think if it’s more interesting for me, it’s probably going to be more interesting to someone else that might be coming to it for the first time.”

As of this printing, Surplus’ second exhibition opening has ended, but works by both Duford and Rose Sweet remain available for viewing

each Saturday through the month. Surplus will also have a temporary quality, operating no later than November 2015, but Nikolai pointed out that this was an important and positive aspect of the alternative project space.

“I do hope the project goes on for awhile,” he said. “But in alternative spaces, it’s very important for them to be ephemeral. To keep moving and to adapt to the needs of the community itself.”

Gallery Continued from page 21 issues that were overlooked for consumer spaces. Among the complaints against Place were the use of a visible swear word, references to violence in art versus interactive violence in video games, and a video critique about American consumerism itself.

Ultimately, Flores is gracious for the experience of Place and is looking forward to the advance and completion of Surplus. He also has a few other upcom-

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ARTS & CULTURE

Mad Max in tight pants?

It’s the Killjoys Turner Lobey

Do you think comics are all about buff guys in tight spandex suits with overly emphasized crotch bulges zoomin’ around and fightin’ baddies? Space dudes shootin’ their “pew pew pew” laser beams at some aliens? Dark and gritty men punchin’ out their daddy issues? Well, if you answered yes to any of those questions, you’re probably right.

As a reluctant lover of cape comics, I’ll be the first to admit that it gets a little exhausting reading superhero books.

They’re monotonous, repetitive and predictable. To those on the outside, this can be more than a little alienating.

The curious comic reader shouldn’t let the prominent powers books, published by the Big Two (DC and Marvel), stop you from picking up something graphic. There are plenty of exciting books out there—sans superheroes—with plenty to offer.

Portland’s own Dark Horse Comics provides anti-capers with one such book, The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, slated for release on May 7.

The book is co-penned

by Gerard Way and Shaun Simon. Way is probably best known as the frontman for the band My Chemical Ro-

mance, but he is also a skilled comics writer. His series The Umbrella Academy won an Eisner Award—the comics version of an Oscar—for Best Limited Series in 2008.

Fans of My Chemical Romance will probably notice that the comic is somewhat related to their album of a similar name, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. The comic Killjoys is a sequel to the story told in the record, but readers don’t need to like the band or listen to the record to know what’s going on. Don’t like My Chemical Romance? It’s okay. There isn’t an ounce of Hot Topic in the Killjoys comic.

The story revolves around the Girl, the sole surviving member of the original Killjoys. You ever see The Warriors? They’re a lot like that.

The Killjoys were a famous, idolized and now dead band of rebels who fought against Better Living Industries, the maniacal corporation responsible for the dystopian world of the comic.

Sixteen years later, scattered bands of extravagantly dressed rebels hide away in the desert while struggling to keep the hope of rebellion alive. Food is hard to come by, but glittery pants and hair

spray are somehow easy to get ahold of. Just go with it.

Way and Simon dump you into the middle of a world, which can be a little confusing at first. We enter halfway through the story with people who don’t have time to fill us in because they’re too busy running and gunning and overthrowing corrupt corporations. The world unravels as you read, but it fleshes out into something of a mix of Blade Runner, George Lucas’ THX 1138, and the iconic Japanese comic and film masterpiece, Akira. It feels more like style over substance really, but it’s damn good fun.

The best part of Killjoys is the art by Becky Cloonan. Her work here, which is a borderline manga style, is what really makes the book.

You’d think that after decades of being bombarded by recycled and regurgitated post-apocalytic and dystopian stories in movies, books and comics, it’d be nearly impossible to make it fresh again, but Cloonan’s ability to transform these generally overused settings into something palatable is more than impressive.

Cloonan even makes desert anarchists badass again, something that hasn’t been done since Mad Max.

At the end of the day, Killjoys isn’t something revolutionary or groundbreaking, but it is a lot of fun. It isn’t perfect, but it is a fantastic escape from the superhero stories that dominate the medium.

Dark Horse is set to release a limited hardcover edition, which at $79.99 is a

little steep. The hardcover is definitely sexy, but it is a little lacking in the special features department.

This 232-page oversized version includes a sketchbook with artwork from Cloonan and Way, as well as from contributing cover artists Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon and Paul Pope, but

it’s also available in the paperback version. Unless you have some cash really burning a hole in your pocket, I’d stay away.

I’d recommend shooting for the paperback version priced at the budget-friendly rate of $19.99. Or better yet, Dark Horse offers a digital version for only $5.

©DARK HORSE COMICS

DARK HORSE COMICS presents ‘THE TRUE LIVES OF THE FABULOUS KILLJOYS’ Gerard Way, Shaun Simon and Becky Cloonan Release date: May 7 Deluxe Hardcover 232 pages $79.99 Trade Paperback 160 pages $19.99 Digital, via Dark Horse Comics $5

Vanguard | APRIL 29, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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