VOLUME 68 | ISSUE 37 | JUNE 3, 2014
GRADUATION GUID E
P. 16
ASPSU Judicial Board faces controversy over elections results NEWS
ARTS & CULTURE
OPINION
SPORTS
Portland City Council proposes street fee ordinance that is estimated to cost PSU $153k for first year. pg.5
PSU is teaming up with the Portland Art Museum to turn the museum experience upside down. pg. 8
Should we really be fetishizing pregnancy and motherhood in Hollywood? pg. 23
Learn more about PSU’s biggest fan, Vern Schultz, who has been attending games for nearly 30 years. pg. 29
CONTENT NEWS ARTS & CULTURE COVER GRADUATION GUIDE OPINION CALENDAR SPORTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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
4 8 11 16 21 25 27
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
Mike Bivens, Andrew Echeverria, Patricia Grant, Joel Gunderson, Adam Lamascus, Colleen Leary, Kennedy Martin, Alex Moore, Jay Pengelly, Matt Rauch, Jeoffry Ray, Tobin Shields, Brandon Staley, Stephanie Tshappat, Adam Wunische
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Shaylee King, Jay Pengelly, Christopher Sohler
ADVERTISING SALES
Robin Crowell, Muhsinah Jaddoo, Casey Jin, Vivian Vo
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: Designed by Brendan Mulligan ©2014 PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY VANGUARD 1825 S.W. BROADWAY SMITH MEMORIAL STUDENT UNION, RM. S-26 PORTLAND, OR 97201
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NEWS
Budget town hall explores PSU’s finances Largest part of PSU's budget in good health, but spending changes are encouraged Coby Hutzler
On Tuesday, May 27, Portland State administrative officials held a town hallstyle budget forum in the Smith Memorial Student Union ballroom. The forum saw two presentations, the first being a review of the 2013–2014 fiscal year, and another about the process of building the university’s academic budget for 2014–2015. The event was rounded off by a question and answer session. Monica Rimai, PSU’s vice president of Finance and Ad-
ministration, conducted the first presentation, beginning with what would become one of the themes of the forum. “Portland State University spends more money than we actually bring in year over year for revenue, and so we have tapped what we call the fund balance—some people call it the reserves—in order to balance our budget,” she said. Rimai said that for 2013– 2014, the tapped amount was approximately $11.7 million. The overall PSU budget is made up of five different fund types, the largest being what’s called the education and general fund or “E&G.” This is
where the bulk of PSU employees’ paychecks are paid out from, and is also where tuition dollars and state money are allocated. Rimai said that despite the use of reserve funds, the E&G was performing better than expected. “There’s very good news here,” she said. “We spent less money and we brought in more revenue.” The decrease in spending, Rimai said, was attributed in part to a slump in staff levels. “People were not filling vacancies as fast as we thought they might,” Rimai said, adding that in addition to Monica Rimai, PSU’s vice president of Finance and Administration, was one of the presenters at the town hall.
SHAYLEE KING/PSU VANGUARD
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the subsequent decrease in spending on wages, spending on benefits was also reduced. The increase in revenue came from a different mix of in-state versus out-of-state tuition dollars than was expected, with out-of-state students paying more to attend the university than their instate counterparts. That said, Rimai warned that the university’s habit of spending out of the fund balance could not be kept up forever, for two reasons. “First, we’re spending it down faster than we’re replenishing it, so eventually we run out. “Second, because the state requires…that we maintain a certain amount in our fund balance,” of between five and 15 percent of PSU’s operating budget. Rimai described the cuts that were needed to break the university out of this spending cycle, as well as to address a projected shortfall of $15 million for the 2014–2015 fiscal year. “None of these were easy,” she said, referring to a chart depicting the cuts and other actions. Included in the chart was the continued implementation of PSU’s online learning fee, which is currently $40 per credit. “Our hope was that we could eliminate it altogether in [fiscal year] 2015,” Rimai said. “We decided not to do that because it represents a significant amount of revenue, about $2.1 million.” Another adjustment was the elimination of the subsidy provided to PSU’s football program. “The biggest user of the education and general fund’s subsidy in athletics is football, and the decision was made that they will no longer receive that subsidy,” Rimai said. The move reduces football’s budget
by around $800,000 between this year and the next.
Open floor After P r ovost Son a Andrews presented a closer look at the budgeting process in the Office of Academic Affairs, the floor was opened for questions. In addition to several questions about the university’s financial priorities, other questions explored the overall tone of the financial conversation on campus as well as some technical aspects of PSU’s budget. Cameron Frank, a senior in English and an organizer with the PSU Student Union, asked what the university plans to do to increase the percentage of its budget dedicated to instruction. “Furthermore, we would like to present you with an opportunity,” Frank said. Several other students, rising while Frank was speaking, presented PSU President Wim Wiewel with a symbolic “reset button for the future of Portland State University,” which Wiewel pressed. In turn, he was presented by the students with a “Portland Nice” award to commemorate the moment. “I really appreciate this approach to starting a conversation, and I look forward to continuing it more extensively,” Wiewel told the students. Frank said in an email that he and other students were worried that Wiewel’s April 11 promise to keep things from returning to normal following an 11th hour faculty contract agreement would end up left by the wayside. “We therefore wanted to use the budget event as a way of taking a symbolic step towards crystalizing the promises [Wiewel] has made to PSU,” Frank said.
Patricia Schechter, a professor of history at PSU and an executive council member of PSU’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors, asked Rimai about the source of funding for faculty wage increases, noting that earlier in the presentation it had been said that PSU regularly accounts for three percent increases in expenditures. “If that’s sort of anticipated and we register that number with various official bodies, how come when the contract is settled the money comes from the rainy day fund?,” Schechter asked. “Isn’t it sort of planned for?” “We start the new budget from where we ended the old budget,” Rimai said. “So if we spent more the previous year than we brought in, that’s where we start the next year, and so we try to make adjustments from that. “The question is, what do you do about compensation?” Rimai said. “Frankly you might cut it, because that is frankly the largest portion of our expenditure budget. “That’s generally pretty unacceptable for this community,” Rimai said, adding that it would put PSU at a disadvantage for staff recruitment and that these budgetary changes are made over the timespan of years. Schechter responded by saying that the topic was worth exploring further. “In this exchange, I believe we identified an important area for scrutiny and the best of our shared governance process,” Schechter later said in an email. “In this sense, I was very glad with the outcome of the meeting.” For more information about PSU’s budgeting and to see a copy of the presentation slides used at the town hall, visit pdx. edu/fadm
NEWS
Proposed street fee estimated to cost PSU $153k in first year Adam Wunische
The Portland City Council released a proposed ordinance on Thursday, May 22 that would impose a new street fee on households, businesses and nonprofits, as well as public schools. The new fee is intended to help pay for an aging network of roads that are said to be in disarray. “Our streets in the city are in declining condition. We have resolved to stop talking about it and do something about it,” said Portland Mayor Charlie Hales. The structure of the new fee is designed to raise funds from everyone who contributes to traffic or benefits from the infrastructure. This includes cars, trucks, transit and even bicyclists and pedestrians. “We surveyed the public to see which method [of raising the needed funds] was most preferred,” said Portland Commissioner Steve Novick in an interview. “This proposed method received 50 percent of the support.” The proposed ordinance, if it is approved by the city council, will go into effect in July 2015 and is not expected to get a vote from the public unless forced by a petition. Rather, the city council opted to have voter input into how the money would be spent. The $50 million that is expected to be generated annually will fund a back log of road improvement projects, as well as projects to make Portland’s roads and intersections safer for pedestrians. Novick held a press conference on May 22 in Southeast
Portland near a busy street where he said, “One of the reasons we’re here today is that if you look out at 34th [Avenue], there’s cars whipping around curves at high speed. “Both Grout and TuckerMaxon schools are in this area. This is the kind of place we want to put in something, like a flashing beacon, to help those kids get across safely.” The method for calculating how much each person or organization will pay can be found on the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s website, which says that rates for locations are based on “nationally accepted standard estimates for trips generated.” Homeowners can expect to pay up to $138 per year, with about a 30 percent discount for lowincome homes. Homeowners with small businesses will receive a discount, so that they will only be charged for their business and not the home as well. Businesses will be expected to pay based on building or property function and then by size of that building or property. Scott Gallagher, the director of communications for Portland State, shared an estimate of how much the Portland street fee will cost the university. “[The] current estimate is $153,000 in the first year, which begins July 2015. It escalates annually based on some inflationary measure.” The fee has seen growing opposition since its introduction, and there is already a Facebook page opposing the proposed ordinance called
“Stop Portland Street Fee.” The page had more than 1,400 likes at press time. When asked if this fee places an increased burden on an already burdened population such as college students, Novick replied, “It’s a user fee and treats streets like sewer and water. “It’s a graduated system, so organizations that produce a large amount of trips will be charged less per trip than a household that produces fewer trips, he explained.” Other public organizations within Portland have estimated much higher costs. Portland Public Schools has estimated their annual cost at just under half a million dollars. Other school districts within Portland city limits would also be charged the fee, bringing the total estimated cost to school districts in Portland to over $610,000, according to figures provided by the city. “If we only charged residential properties, then only people who live here would pay for street maintenance,” Novick said. “But if we charge businesses and non-residential property, non-residents who commute into the city and also use the streets will also pay for their maintenance.” Proposed uses for the revenue generated would include safety improvements on pathways to schools, like sidewalks, crosswalks and other safety projects. “The worse a road gets the more it costs to repair it, so the longer we wait, the more it will cost,” Novick said.
Commissioner steve Novick has been a main proponent of the street fee.
Christopher Sohler/PSU VANGUARD
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NEWS
Cleantech Challenge finalists announced Kennedy Martin
The semifinal pitching round was held for Portland State’s annual Cleantech Challenge on Thursday at the PSU Business Accelerator. The Cleantech Challenge is a contest that gives students the chance to turn t h e i r e nv i r o n m e n t a l l yfriendly ideas into working prototypes in just 90 days. Fifteen teams, out of the 16 that initially applied, presented their pitches for a panel of judges in the semifinal round. Quinn Read, project manager for the Center for Entrepreneurship, opened the event, speaking about the diversity of this year’s competitors. “We have faculty members, students, [alumni] and partnerships with people in the business community. They represent departments all over campus from the busi-
ness school to the schools of engineering, biology and social science,” Read said. “We are representing a pretty broad cross section of the PSU community.” This year’s nine-member judging panel included some familiar faces from last year’s challenge, as well as some new faces and the two winners of the previous year’s competition. Judges included Brad Zenger, managing director at Pivotal Investments; Lester Lampert, co-founder of Diatomix; Anne Phillip, founder of Mobius MicroFarms; Dennis Powers, entrepreneur in residence at Oregon BEST; Greg Love, COO of Columbia Green Technologies; Surj Patel, CEO of Smart Mocha; Lori Heino-Royer, director of business operations at Daimler Trucks North America; and Erin Flynn, associate vice president for Strategic Partnerships at PSU.
Each presenting group was given 10 minutes in front of the judges—three minutes to pitch their idea and seven more for the judges to ask questions. The following teams presented on Thursday, but did not move on to the next round of the competition. Nathan Falke proposed an idea for a collapsible cup that reduces waste from disposable cups. Alex Bigazzi submitted his creation, the Portland Ace, which is a low-cost portable device that assesses cyclists’ exposure to air pollution. Brandon Harris and Jason Schauer’s project involved biogas processors using methane from organic waste to generate electricity. Sisters Samira and Sanaz Rezaei presented a method to separate lead from fertilizer waste to reduce groundwater contamination.
Alexander Zent and Kevin Huggins described their idea, an affordable and small rainwater collection system made to reduce household water use. Daniel Wright, Craig Fairbaugh and Jacob Stone showed sand filtration, which removes heavy metals and organic compounds from waterways. Emily Smith and Tom Bennett presented ice reservoirs and artificial glaciers used to combat the effects of climate change for watershed agencies and ski resorts. Justin Hibbard proposed a way to kill viruses and bacteria on doorknobs with an electrical current and interference frequency. Margarette Leite and Paul Vorapanich want to take difficult-to-recycle products from waste streams of large scale consumers in Portland, and repurpose them with
Members of the Portland Shower Team respond to questions during the Cleantech semifinals.
CHRISTOPHER SOHLER/PSU VANGUARD
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little to no processing into products with market value. After a short deliberation period, the judges notified the teams that would be moving on in the competition. Their decisions were made public the next day, May 30. The following teams will receive a $2,500 grant for the summer and will go on to compete at Oregon BEST FEST. Sarah Shannon, Nathan Nguyen, Owen Killingsworth and David Dang presented their project, the Portland Shower, which is meant to reduce the consumption of water by recycling shower water in an open loop system. “Basically, after you push a button which starts sending water into the loop you can stand there for 45 minutes if you want, and it’s free,” Shannon said. Benjamin Hendrickson, Morley Blouke and Josh Olsen presented their idea to create improved circuit designs in order to increase efficiency and lower the cost of solar cells by using alternating current voltage. Brothers Andrew and Jonathan Thorsvik pitched their plan to manufacture a
super capacity, lithium-ion automobile battery to replace traditional lead acid batteries. “We need batteries that put our health and the environment first,” Andrew said, “and that’s what we plan to deliver.” Craig Lardiere, Matt Meeks, Sam Mohler and Matt Martinez proposed external automated shades to reduce heat gain through windows and lower the use of electricity during peak hours. Margarette Leite, Josiah Henley, Trevor Stephens and Kevin Chavez Green discussed using unrecyclable waxed cardboard to build products for the construction industry. Asif Rahman and Carl Weinberger presented an idea to use materials that retain heat and digital controls to increase efficiency of solar powered stirling engines. The final round of the competition will occur at Oregon BEST FEST—the Northwest’s premier cleantech innovation conference—in September where one of these teams will win the grand prize of $20,000, as well as recognition as a cleantech innovator.
NEWS
PSU in preliminary agreement to receive $25 million toward university projects Patricia Grant
Portland State, the City of Portland and the Portland Development Commission have signed a letter of agreement, which could direct upward of $25 million in land and money to PSU for development projects in the next decade. The preliminary deal is the result of a compromise struck by the City of Portland and PSU after Portland Mayor Charlie Hales proposed to eliminate the Education Urban Renewal Area, which was approved by the Portland City Council in 2012. The $169 million Urban Renewal Area was expected to provide $50.3 million toward PSUrelated projects over the next 30 years. Although the new proposal provides half of the $50 million agreed upon two years ago, PSU President Wim Wiewel remains optimistic. “Of the $50 million we were supposed to get—if you look at when we were supposed to get
it—most of it wasn’t supposed to come until the second and third decades,” Wiewel said. “In this new plan, we’re going to get this $25 million, not today, but over the next 10 years. So it is about equivalent to getting $50 million over the next 30 years.” Wiewel is referring to the net present value, which measures the present sum of money in contrast to the value it will have in the future. According to the letter of agreement addressed to Wiewel in early May, the Po rtla n d D e velo p m e nt Commission will supply $2 million to renovate PSU’s School of Business Administration, and a minimum of $2 million for the renovation and expansion of the School of Engineering. The PDC will also transfer ownership of the Jasmine Block, an area of land located between Fourth and Fifth avenues, to PSU. The acquisition of this block allows potential for a new building to be added to PSU’s campus.
Finally, the agreement will steer $13 million to the redevelopment of University Place Hotel, as well as secure the right for the PDC to acquire and transfer a half acre of land (located on Fourth Avenue) to PSU. As the university’s student population is growing, Wiewel believes this proposal will be beneficial for future PSU students. The renovations to the School of Business and School of Engineering, coupled with the acquisition of land, leaves the door open for more classrooms available on campus. While the letter of agreement is not yet legally binding, Wiewel is confident in Hales’ support of PSU. “To the mayor’s credit, he really listens. The nature of these negotiations that we’ve had with the city these past six months have given me a lot of faith in the seriousness and sincerity of the city’s collaboration with PSU,” Wiewel said. The finalized proposal is expected this fall.
a map of PSU’s Urban Renewal Area.
©2014 Portland Development Commission
CRIME BLOTTER
Week of May 19–June 1
Stephanie Tshappat
May 25 Arrest
Parking Structure One Officer Brenton Chose and Officer Chris Fischer observed two people in the northwest stairwell of the third floor. Nonstudents Shane Early and Diane Monson fled on foot and Officer Chose, Officer Brian Rominger, Officer Jon Buck and Sergeant Robert McLeary gave chase. Monson was located on the basement level hiding under a car next to a dirty cooker and loaded syringe filled with suspected heroin. Early fled westbound
and hid within a group of students at the smoke shack south of Smith Memorial Student Union, but was later apprehended near the Simon Benson House. In Monson’s possession was a large metal pry bar and a window punch suspected to be used to unlawfully enter vehicles. Early and Monson were both on probation for methamphetamine and detainers were issued by both of their probation officers. Early had a prior PSU exclusion and Monson was issued a PSU exclusion. Both were arrested for criminal trespass II and on the probation violation detainers, and lodged at Multnomah
County Detention Center. No further information available.
May 27 Arrest
Lincoln Hall At 9:02 a.m. Officer David Troppe, Officer Peter Ward and Officer Gregory Marks were on foot patrol in the basement when they located non-student Glenn Towne sleeping on a bench. Officer Troppe woke Towne, who did not want to identify himself and pushed Officer Ward out of the way as he was trying to leave. After a minor struggle, officers were able to handcuff Towne. Sergeant Joe
Schilling arrived and he, Officers Ward, Marks and Troppe then used force to restrain Towne and get him on the ground and apply a hobble to his ankles. A search of Towne discovered a pill bottle with six baggies of marijuana. Towne was charged with unlawful delivery of marijuana, criminal trespass II, disorderly conduct II and his probation officer issued a probation violation detainer as well. He was also issued a PSU exclusion. Towne was transported and lodged at Multnomah County Detention Center, where he attempted to fight again and was put into an isolation cell by jail deputies.
May 31 Arrest
Smith Memorial Student Union While Sergeant McLeary and Officer Chose were contacting Stoltz, a report was received of an intoxicated male causing a disturbance in Smith Memorial Student Union. Officers Buck and Rominger arrived and contacted non-student Timothy Garside, who witnesses confirmed was the suspect of the disturbance. Garside had pushed a giant metal eagle statue onto a female student, causing scrapes to her arm. Garside was also determined to be the other party from a previous “dine and dash” call
at University Place Hotel, and had a valid PSU exclusion. Garside was arrested for criminal trespass II, theft III, disorderly conduct II, criminal mischief III and reckless endangering of another person. Read the full crime blotter online at psuvanguard.com
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ARTS & CULTURE
Shine a light PSU’s Art and Social Practice program to turn the museum visit upside down
jeoffry ray
One of the Portland Art Museum’s most active nights is making a return for its fifth year running, and it’s all thanks to the students and faculty of Portland State’s art and social practice program. Hosted as a collaboration between the Portland Art Museum and the MFA art and social practice program, Shine a Light is a large-scale interactive event, which spans the length of the entire museum. In many cases, the projects intervene and weave into the museum’s ongoing programming, often inviting the participation of visiting patrons. And there’s a party note to the event as well: The students are putting a contemporary art twist on everything from karaoke to beer production. The program, which has evolved through the interaction of students, faculty and the museum, is the result of a collaboration that began with the museum and social practice director Harrell Fletcher. A noted figure in American social practice art, Fletcher has work in institutions such as New York’s Museum of Modern Art and California’s Berkeley Museum. “The idea was to create something that would be really different from the normal programming that happens at the museum,” Fletcher said. “And to give the students an opportunity to work in the high-end environment of the museum. Because of the nature of the programming, the students do sort of social interventions in the space.”
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One such intervention, spearheaded by social practice graduate students Sharita Towne, Patricia Vasquez and Betty Marín, involves introducing students from Northeast Portland’s King School to problems addressed by five artists showing in the museum. Borrowing from the curatorial scheme of the 2007 Mercosul Biennial in Brazil, Towne and Marín asked the King students to create artworks based on the problems posed by the artists. “It’s basically an educational project,” Marín said. “The basic idea of the model we are replicating is having the participating artists identifying and resolving problems in their works, and having students resolving the same problems.” The students had no previous exposure to the artists’ work. Instead, they worked from a shared idea, developing their own approach and solution to the problem in question. Towne and Marín asserted that this approach taught the students to think about work from a conceptual perspective, rather than an aesthetic perspective. “We’re moving past this dialectic of ‘like or dislike’ with the artwork,” Towne said. “The approach is about learning to read art, and moving toward addressing the problems that art can help to solve.” The King students were allowed to choose which problems they preferred to address, as well as whether they wished to work alone or in groups. They provided a range of results and solutions. One student created a
Students and faculty of PSU’s art and social practice program workshop for the upcoming Shine a Light event.
Christopher Sohler/PSU VANGUARD
recorded dance piece while another chose to create a humorous art print. Towne noted that many of the students displayed significant development in both form and confidence as they developed their work. “They’re all in different areas and different places as well, in terms of risk-taking,” Towne said. “Today, a lot of children think they’re right or wrong, as an answer. That can be challenging to get past that point just because of the way schools are these days.” Marín agreed, pointing out that she and Towne were looking to approach art education from a different direction. She noted the challenge
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of working with younger students, who are often more familiar with replicating aesthetics and craft, rather than working with concept. “The traditional art educational model is to go off an artwork,” Marín said. “We make observations about a certain piece, and try to replicate that. That is also useful, but it’s also useful to flip things to get more abstract. We tried things with different levels of thinking in art. For me, it was about trying to be creative in thinking of things.” In addition to works such as that of Marín and Towne, Shine a Light will also present a Distributed Book Fair. Featuring Portland-based art
book stores, such as Monograph Bookwerks, the Independent Publishing Resource Center and PSU’s Ooligan Press, the book fair will have displays spread throughout the museum, in some cases interacting with the exhibited work. Fletcher explained that even the displays would be art works of a sort, commissioned from 12 students as creative pieces. “They will be displayed as sort of sculptural objects,” Fletcher said. “It’s kind of a way to slip in student artwork in the context of a museum, but also to function as a book fair. This way you’ll be able to see them more individually, and you’ll have someone
there talking about and selling their books.” Shine a Light also has a few things to offer to the partygoers—in an art context, of course. This year, Towne and others are hosting an event titled Karaoke in the Museum. The event will feature an art world take on popular karaoke songs. The tunes will remain the same, but the lyrics have been tweaked to the tune of various artworks and museum practices. “We’re writing karaoke songs about pieces on display, we’re telling about their context and museum dynamics,” Towne said. “We’ve done See shine a light on page 10
ARTS & CULTURE
A directionless approach to film North by Northwest closes out 5th Avenue Cinema’s spring schedule andrew echeverria
A dirty living room. 2002. The television is on and roaring as gray and white snow tears across the screen. No signal. My father is grunting with frustration as he attempts to hook up the DVD player, yet he’s unmistakably smiling in a way I’ve never seen before. Today marks a special moment in the relationship this father (and probably most fathers) has with his sons: He’s going to share his favorite movies with us. We’re going to have the Father-Son Hitchcock Marathon Extravaganza he’d always dreamed of. While we wait for the DVD player to work, my younger brother and I sit on the couch and read the synopses on the backs of the DVD cases from Blockbuster. Vertigo sounds
boring. The Birds sounds promising, and is all the more intriguing after Dad tells us that it gave him nightmares for weeks and scared everyone in the country half to death. For that matter, I am genuinely afraid to watch this Psycho movie (a translucent “joke” Psycho shower curtain at a cousin’s house, complete with knife-wielding shadow and bloodstains, had ruined my appetite for ever watching it). But it’s the plot on the back of North by Northwest that really catches my attention. Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959) is a film with an unsuspecting and unwitting hero. Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), a man whose name and hairstyle are as sexy as they are firmly cemented in the 1950s,
is mistaken as a spy contact by government agents and tossed into an assortment of thrilling and intense situations in set-piece moments across America. Touted by Ernest Lehman, who penned the film’s script as “the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures,” North by Northwest is a riveting classic from start to finish. But the last thing the world needs is another gasbag singing Hitchcock’s praises. Yes, North by Northwest is playing this weekend at 5th Avenue Cinema. You probably have already made the decision whether or not to go see it. Let’s assume you already know Hitchcock’s films are mostly incredible, and at the very least entertaining. Let’s assume you al-
ready know that the famous director repeatedly churned out classic movies over a decades-long career that spanned a large chunk of the 20th century and began in the silent film era. Nobody needs to say, “Hitchcock made great movies.” It’s like saying, “Oxygen is good for you,” or, “Wow, pizza sure is a tasty food!” North by Northwest is an important picture, no doubt. But what makes it truly important to my experience is that while watching it that day with my father, listening to his commentary and memories of watching it as a child, I became aware of a film’s ability to operate beyond surface-level entertainment. I began to understand why people cherish movies.
A debonair, grim-faced Cary Grant flees from certain doom as the blades of an airplane swoop down on him from above. My father explains that the crop-duster on Grant’s tail is actually a converted fighter plane from World War II. I’m not sure if he’s telling the truth, but this Dad Fact™ makes the scene all the more enjoyable. After subsequent Dad Facts™, I find myself aware of the camera, the sets, the extras and the character’s motives. I know that’s not actually Mount Rushmore (“It is, son,” Dad tells me). I can tell that the camera is set up so I can see the scene from a certain perspective, that this isn’t just a series of pictures stringed together to tell some hackneyed story. I feel frustration and triumph in unison with the characters. I feel the joy radiating from my father, reliving childhood memories. Old memories are returning to him, memories tied directly to this film. For the first time in my life, I’m being forced to watch an old movie and wouldn’t rather be watching cartoons or doing really just about anything else. Ironically, North by Northwest gave me no true direction to head off toward in order to pursue my newfound interest in film. But nonetheless, it got me thinking. It got me asking questions, and that’s all any person with some level of imagination
needs to set out. Maybe I was directionless (maybe I still am), but I was out there in the world and discovering which films and directors moved me. I wanted to find the movies I would show my own children one day. Surely every appreciator of film can remember the movie that brought them into awareness of the medium as an art. It is these precious moments that create life-long appreciation and understanding of how movies can operate. Not every film or director has something to say, but when they do we have those first films to thank for the capacity to listen. Remember these first films, these first moments of understanding, and treasure them. We are watching a climactic scene where a character is shot in a restaurant. Dad tells us to pay attention to a certain kid in the background, the “tell-tale extra.” Sure enough, before a gun is even produced, a kid has plugged his ears with his fingers in preparation for the bang. We are overconfident in our own anticipation, and the ensuing gunshot makes both my brother and I jump. Dad laughs. He is laughing again a few weeks later during another trip to Blockbuster, when I approach the checkout counter with Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai in hand. It had begun.
5th avenue cinema presents north by northwest Friday, June 6 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Sunday, June 8 at 3:30 p.m.
Eva Marie Saint helps Cary Grant hide from the police in ‘North By Northwest.’ ©Warner Home Video
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ARTS & CULTURE SHINE A LIGHT Continued from page 8 some tests, and we’re still doing some trouble-shooting.” There will also be beer, as part of a recurring project for the event. Fletcher noted that a former PSU student will return for a continuing project: Brewing beer in the museum using gathered yeasts. Fletcher also pointed out that these projects will exist along with the artwork in the museum. He explained that the event provides an opportunity for the museum to attract new patrons. At the same time, Shine a Light offers a chance for students to work in the institutional setting of the museum. “There are all of these interventions occurring, but it’s also a chance to just look at the collection,” Fletcher said. “Working in an institution, whether it’s PSU or a regular art institution, comes with a lot of benefits
and a lot of challenges. I think giving the students the chance to work with that institution while in school is a great learning opportunity.” Shine a Light is just one of many developments for the art and social practice program, now and in the coming months. Connected to the museum event, the program will host Assembly, an unorthodox conference focused around the book and the gun. Cohosted by the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Assembly will occur June 7-8 and will focus on the work of artists Julia Ault and Pedro Reyes. The art and social practice program is also working on future collaborative projects, including an exchange residency program with the British Council, and social work in Portland public schools. Fletcher noted that these collaborations are just
the start, and that he and the program are interested in reaching out to other elements of the PSU community as well. “We’re really interested in making connections to the larger PSU community,” he said. “Students from other departments can take social practice classes. We want to encourage the larger campus to get involved in what we’re doing, and find connections across campus as well.” Towne said that Shine a Light will offer a new experience for everyone, from the museum regular to the occasional visitor. “For someone from the public that comes, I think it’s a great opportunity to be aware of yourself in that place,” she said. “So often we go into museums, and it’s a very passive experience, and sometimes almost morose. In this case, it’s sort of a living event, it doesn’t exist without you. We need you to do it. It’s very much their artwork as well, and it sort of blurs the lines of creation.”
More than just wizardry NASCC hosts renowned game designer Brenda Romero
Brenda Romero, a leading figure in gaming, delivers a presentation titled “The Mechanic is the Message,” her series of non-digital games developed with the human experience in mind.
CHRISTOPHER SOHLER/PSU VANGUARD
Brandon Staley
The Portland Indie Game Squad and Pixel Arts Game Education, in partnership with Portland State, hosted a talk by famed game designer Brenda Romero on Saturday at the Native American Student and Community Center. Admission was free and the talk was open to the public. Romero is known for her work on the fantasy-based role-playing computer game series Wizardry, released between 1981 and 2001. Recently, though, her work has veered away from digital games and into the realm of the physical. Her talk, entitled “The Expressive Power of Games,” revolved around a strange question Romero had received in a telephone conversation with another game designer: “What mechanic do you use to add emotion to your games?” She said the question made her consider her process for designing and building games. “Games really have infinite expressive power, but there’s a caveat to that, and it’s a tremendous caveat,” Romero said. “You cannot transmit a feeling that you do not have. If you are trying to make a game about something and you have not tried to feel
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what those people felt, and do what those people have done, your game will fail.” Romero spoke extensively about the board games she has been building from scratch. The games are part of her series, “The Mechanic is the Message,” which aims to capture and express difficult experiences through the medium of game. One of those games, Síochán Leat, deals with the Cromwellian invasion of Ireland, where the English brutally confiscated large amounts of Irish land. Romero, who is of Irish decent said, “everything you need to know about me is in that game.” Síochán Leat is played on an elevated glass board supported by pillars. The pillars are held in place by a burlap sack. Romero said the pillars were originally going to be supported by living grass, but the prospect of players having to water her game was daunting. One Falls for Each of Us, a game about the Trail of Tears, is still being prototyped. Romero said when the game is finished it will include close to 46,000 figurines, one for each native person affected. “You can say that’s utterly ridiculous,” Romero said. “Yup, it
sure is. Blame Andrew Jackson, I didn’t make this happen.” Romero was invited to speak by Elizabeth LaPensée, a designer, writer and researcher of indigenously-determined games. LaPensée said Romero was happy to speak at the NASCC partially because of her work on One Falls for Each of Us. Romero said, just prior to being invited to speak, she had come to the decision that she needed to commit her time to refining a single game. That game ended up being One Falls for Each of Us. Within 24 hours of making that decision, which she revealed to no one, Romero said she was invited to speak at the NASCC and a native technology conference. She has given hundreds of talks, but never in a native community or with an indigenous focus. “You can call it coincidence,” Romero said. “But I think the universe believes I’m ready for this now.” Additional information about “The Mechanic is the Message” and the games of Brenda Romero can be found at romero.com/analog. More information about the Portland games community can be found at pigsquad.com.
COVER
ASPSU Judicial Board faces controversy over elections results Colleen Leary
ASPSU elections committee members Adam Wunische and Titi Ngo (Left to right) address candidates’ concerns at Thursday’s meeting.
After two delays last week, the Associated Students of Portland State University released on Friday the elections results for the new student body president, vice president, Student Fee Committee members and senators. Take Back PSU!’s Eric Noll and Rayleen McMillan were announced as ASPSU’s new president and vice president. They received 34 percent of the votes. See ASPSU on page 14
MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD
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COVER Rayleen McMillan and Eric NOLL immediately after being announced as the new vice president and president of ASPSU.
Miles Sanguinetti/PSU VANGUARD
ASPSU Continued from page 11 Disqualified candidates Marcus Sis and Erica Fuller from the Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today platform received the most student votes, with 48 percent—201 more votes than Noll and McMillan. The votes for Sis and Fuller were nullified as a result of last week’s Elections Committee decision to disqualify them from the running, for violating PSU’s Acceptable Use Policy by sending out a mass email to PSU addresses soliciting votes. Sis, Fuller, SFC candidate Khalid Alballaa and Landru Parker, the platform’s campaign manager, received major infractions. A major infraction results in automatic disqualification. Every remaining member of the Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today platform received a minor infraction, which does not automatically disqualify them. Most of these candidates were voted into the SFC and senate. The decision to disqualify Sis, Fuller, Alballaa and Parker, and issue minor infractions to the entire slate, has been highly controversial within ASPSU and caused several delays in releasing the election results,
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which were originally to be released May 27. Getting here Rulings on infractions come from the Judicial Review Board, which acts as the Elections Committee during elections. The J-Board’s function is to hear and answer requests, and rule on issues within ASPSU, while the Elections Committee is charged with running the elections. One of their main functions is to hear and rule on infraction requests that arise during the elections. According to the ASPSU constitution, elections candidates have the right to a fair appeals process when they’ve been issued an infraction. Previously, the JBoard acted as a body that could review the appeals of infractions decisions made by the Elections Committee. Two years ago, the J-Board and the Elections Committee were merged by ASPSU, a move approved by a senate and student vote. The same members can serve in both bodies, though the J-Board and Elections Committee carry different responsibilities throughout the year.
As the two bodies are comprised of the same members, the possibility for appeals to be heard by a distinct body in ASPSU has been eliminated. ASPSU Adviser Candace Avalos said the merger came after the legitimacy of the original process came to be doubted. “What I understood from my colleagues is that in the past, it became where people were getting infractions from the [Elections Committee], then going to the J-Board and it was bouncing back and forth between those bodies and there was no legitimacy in the process,” Avalos said. “Someone decided to change it so it became one. This is all before we got here, and we’re still suffering from the lack of clarity of how that was supposed to work,” Avalos added. J - B oa rd Chie f Justic e Victoria Hutfilz explained how this affects the appeals process for infraction hearings. “Having the Elections [Committee] and the J-Board be the same, they have to rule on their own ruling,” she said. Legitimacy and responsibility “There are two levels to it— the way it’s affected myself and members of our team,” said Sis, the disqualified presidential candidate.
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“Then there’s the broader issue of legitimacy in general— whether or not the board and the organization is functioning overall and to what extent that might have contributed to the decision that affected us.” Noll, the new ASPSU president, commented on the outcome of the election process. “Ideally, the email wouldn’t have been sent out, no university policy would have been violated and there wouldn’t have been an infraction in the first place. “The J-Board made a decision, and who was chosen to be the student body president was the person who had the next highest number of votes,” he added. When asked about the JBoard’s responsibility for the election’s outcome, J-Board member Adam Wunische said that the situation was complicated. “Whether or not we’re willing to take responsibility for deciding the election—I don’t think it’s that simple,” Wunische said. “In the absence of a formal appeals process, there were still appeals that were made.” Wunische said that the Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today slate made an appeal to the senate, but that then-ASPSU President Harris Foster decided not to hear it. Then, Wunische said, the slate “made appeals to the Dean of
Student Life, and she also decided not to get involved.” “I don’t think that was solely on us to make that decision, it was also the involvement of advisers. I think the circumstances were much bigger than us simply deciding an election,” Wunische said. After the J-Board made the decision to disqualify candidates Sis and Fuller, Sis reached out to PSU’s Dean of Student Life Michele Toppe, asking her to delay the election results and look into the situation. “When I talked to the Dean of Student Life, she said she didn’t have the power to delay it and told me to work with the student government,” Sis said. “That’s the route that we’ve gone down, but [Toppe] stated pretty clearly that she doesn’t have the authority to intervene with this.” Because of Toppe’s response, Sis filed an appeal to the J-Board on behalf of Fuller and himself. “There’s a question about how fair that appeal process would be because it’s the same members on a different board,” Sis said. “That said, there is an appeal process that’s laid out. So we were hoping to utilize that.” The J-Board held an emergency meeting on Friday. Before they announced the elections results, they publicly revoted on their decision to disqualify Sis, Fuller, Alballaa and Parker. They did not grant Sis’ appeals request. “Traditionally that would be the J-Board, but seeing how it’s the exact same members as the Elections Committee, it wouldn’t really make any sense to have the exact same people hear the exact same case,” Wunische said. “Going forward, we want to make sure that there’s an actual legitimate appeals process.”
J-Board under fire After the original ruling against Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today was announced last week, four former members of ASPSU took notice of the decision. They drafted a letter to Toppe that criticized the Elections Committee for several violations. The four signatories to the letter, Ann Coughlin, Kelly Hess, Joseph Kendzierski and Anthony Stine, are current students at PSU and have all served, in some capacity, on the Elections Committee or J-Board within the last four years. The J-Board’s violations cited in their letter to Toppe were: failing to follow rules and procedures laid out in ASPSU constitutional elections bylaws, failure to comply with Oregon Public Meeting Law and failing to properly execute the Elections Committee’s duty to act as an impartial body of ASPSU. “There are basic fundamental human rights being violated in this system—due process rights,” Stine said. The letter cites these due process violations as “failing to provide a process for review and appeal,” and “failing to properly discriminate between the accused parties associated with the accused.” “That is a core problem,” Stine said. “You have a right [to] not be lumped in with someone who did something on your behalf that you didn’t know about.” “That’s guilt by association, which is also a violation of due process,” said Kendzierski, another of the signatories. “You can only be charged and held liable for infractions you, yourself, committed.” “That’s been one of our biggest contentions,” Sis said.
“Ideally, the email wouldn’t have been sent out [and] no university policy would have been violated...” Eric Noll, ASPSU president
COVER “Not only is it violating due process by not having an appeals process—they’re claiming guilt by association.” “I’d like to remind everybody that [Fuller] was not invited to that meeting,” Sis added. “[Fuller] had no testimony on her own behalf. It’s been an issue with all the other candidates who had minor infractions that they weren’t able to be there as well.” “For that reason alone, to have the testimony and everything behind closed doors and then to do the vote publicly, I think is disingenuous,” Sis added. Wunische disagrees. “It was a case filed against the slate and the slate was informed of this meeting. I assumed they brought everybody they thought needed to be there,” he said. “We have a right as a body to hear from people that we think we need to hear from,” Wunische added. “Not everyone has to speak at these things. Given the fact the hearing was over an hour long, I don’t think we could have had any more information from [Fuller] that would have swayed our minds.” Wunische cited the JBoard’s public revoting of the case, held at Friday’s emergency meeting, as an attempt to follow OPML. The J-Board noted its decision to abide by OPML was a
courtesy. Wunsiche issued a statement last week that read, “The Elections Committee continues to operate under the understanding that we are a judicial body, and therefore exempt from Oregon Public Meeting Law. Judicial bodies are only required to be open to the public, without the specific requirements of the OPML. However, given the gravity of the decision, we see the great importance of maintaining the highest level of transparency.” Stine and Kendzierski say that this doesn’t quite pan out. “At PSU it’s called the Judicial Constitution and Review Board. The [J-Board] grabs onto that judicial part, when really they should be grabbing onto the review part,” Stine said. “There’s nothing within any sort of document that grants the J-Board judiciary status,” Kendzierski said. “They ’re part of ASPSU, which is still a public body because it handles public funds—i.e. our student fee. “They necessarily fall under the definition of OPML. This new interpretation saying, ‘We’re a judicial body’ is, in my opinion, invalid.” A question of malice The authors of the letter and members of Students for a Better Tomorrow, To-
day pointed out the use of the word “malicious” in the J-Board’s original conclusion of this case. The written decision on the case against Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today reads, “We find that clear violations were committed of a particularly malicious intent.” “Having looked at it from the outside, [the decision] reads very biased,” said Coughlin, another of the letter’s signatories. The letter to Toppe refers to the legal definition of malice as, “a conscious, intentional wrongdoing either of civil wrong like libel, or a criminal act like assault or murder, with the intention of doing harm to the victim.” The J-Board has claimed that they are not using malice in this case by its legal definition, but for the purpose of conveying the gravity they perceive this Acceptable Use Policy violation to bear. “How can you arbitrarily use terms that don’t have any sort of definition? That’s why we have definitions,” Kendzierski said. “I think what happened is serious,” Sis added, “but it’s disproportionate to the punishment they levied. I think it’s totally been blown out of proportion.” “It’s easy for people to look at us as being the ones who
“I think what happened is serious, but it’s disproportionate to the punishment they levied. I think it’s totally been blown out of proportion.” Marcus Sis, disqualified Students For A Better Tomorrow, Today presidential candidate
were trying to decide this election,” Wunische said. “To a certain point, our decision may have determined an outcome, but we were put in a circumstance to make that decision.” “As far as appeals are concerned, I think [Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today] exhausted all of their options. And that’s what we were waiting for before we made the [elections] announcement,” he added. Wunische said, however, that despite the measured nature of the announce-
ment, the announced results could still end up being undone. “Since Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today essentially own the senate and SFC, it’s possible that they could seek impeachment of [Noll] and [McMillan],” he said. Wunische said that for this to happen, an attention request would have to be filed with the J-Board. “If [the J-Board] think there are grounds for impeachment, they will file articles of impeachment and then the senate would hear the case.”
“There would be nothing that would be able to stop them. The J-Board can overrule them, but the J-Board decision can be overturned by two-thirds of the senate. They have enough of a majority to essentially do what they want.” Sis has alluded to plans to pursue this issue further. “We have a contingency plan in place,” he said. “We’re moving onto the next step of that. You’ll have to stay tuned. It will become very clear to everyone very soon.” For updates, visit psuvanguard.com.
Attendants of Thursday’s meeting, largely ASPSU candidates, gather in Smith Memorial Student Union to discuss ongoing issues with the election process. MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD
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SEAN BUCKNAM/PSU VANGUARD
GRADUATION GUIDE
roller coaster of a year
Brandon Staley
This year at Portland State has been a heck of a roller coaster. Sometimes that roller coaster has gone too fast, and we’ve collectively shouted for the operator to slow down, please, just slow down—only to be ignored. But really, it’s the good kind of roller coaster. It’s the kind of roller coaster that builds character and makes you more employable. This roller coaster will leave us with memories, so many memories. Here are some of the memories I’ve accumulated over the year that I can’t get out of my head, ever.
November Someone had the bright idea to spruce up the lighting around campus, and it was a particularly illuminating decision. In November, many of the light bulbs in parking structures and throughout the Park Blocks were replaced with LEDs, cutting down on carbon emissions and making campus safer through glorious incandescence. Thanks, PSU electrical engineers, for not taking your jobs lightly.
Oct. 22 PSU doesn’t have a journalism program, so when Anderson Cooper came to visit on Oct. 22 we were all appropriately jazzed. Cooper talked about his extensive history in the news industry and answered questions from students and faculty. He didn’t answer any questions about hosting the 2001 espionage-based reality show The Mole, though. And believe me, I asked.
Dec. 5 Everyone needs a friend sometimes, even teens (though they’ll
oc t
never let you know it). Enter the Friendtorship program, which pairs local high schoolers in art classes with PSU art and design students, who offer guidance to the young artists. The Friendtors and their charges came together on Dec. 5 to showcase the resulting art and prove, once and for all, that the kids are all right.
dec
$
$
v o n $
2013
$
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October We know money is the root of all evil, but apparently it’s covered with cocaine, caffeine and urine, too. At least, that’s what a special lab conducted through the University Honors program taught us last October. Students had the unique opportunity to test various denominations of currency for contagions and, well, solidified all your worst fears. Don’t you just fucking love science?
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jan
$
January There are three rules in sports: throw hard, kick far and
no slaps. But those rules and the university money that funds them almost came crashing down in January. The crisis stemmed from a petition to defund athletics that began making the rounds in the wake of mounting budgetary concerns. PSU’s sports teams don’t pull in big bucks like University of Oregon’s Ducks do, but the petition ruffled some feathers nonetheless.
GRADUATION GUIDE Feb. 27 Poetry might not be the most lucrative field
these days, but maybe it can change lives. That’s what PSU alumni found out on Feb. 27 when they came together to launch the Street Roots poetry anthology I Am Not A Poet. The anthology, which featured poetry by vendors for Street Roots, is a newspaper sold by and featuring the writing of Portlanders experiencing homelessness. Alumni worked tirelessly to edit, market and design the anthology.
Feb. 28 A torrent of babies flocked to the university on Feb. 28, corresponding with the opening of the Little Vikings day care center. The center offers convenient, affordable child care for students with children. Little Vikings also welcomes drop-ins, alongside scheduled child care, for up to four hours per day and 12 hours per week. If nothing else, just wook at der widdle boots. D’aaaaaw.
May 27
Some real House of Cards nonsense went down on May 27 when the announcement of the ASPSU election results were delayed due to reports of numerous infractions. The infractions, which included sending a mass email to students in a last ditch effort to garner votes, disqualified numerous candidates. Despite the infractions, student voter turnout nearly tripled since the last election.
m a r
feb
March 31 The Food For Thought Cafe used to be the go-to place on campus to get your faux mac ‘n’ cheese with kale fix. No longer, though. The cafe closed on March 31 due to financial woes to the tune of about $100,000 in the red. Allegations of mismanagement by its student employees didn’t help the case. Presently, the cafe is slated to stay shuttered.
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March 13 The old adage says that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but this March really seemed to rock its lion pride, didn’t it? It is, after all, the month when the PSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors authorized a strike and then came really, scarily, dangerously close to actually striking. The union green-lit the strike on March 13 and held numerous rallies until university administration and the union were able to strike a deal.
April 3 April was the month KPSU, the university’s on-campus radio station, held their 24-hour charity broadcast. The event was part of AMP KPSU, a series of events aimed at raising station awareness and piquing interest in KPSU acquiring an FM signal. The 24-hour broadcast began on April 3 and ended the next day.
CHRISTOPHER PERALTA/PSU VANGUARD
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GRADUATION GUIDE
PSU’S CLASS OF 2013–14 by the numbers 55%
Number of Graduates
Degrees
4,375
Master’s Ph.D.
38%
Bachelor’s
Top Three Majors
1,625 Master’s
Psychology 8%
Social Work 11%
Applied Psych (Ph.D. only) 12%
Social Science 7%
Education (MEd) 8%
Ed Leadership: Curr & Inst 12%
Criminology & Criminal Justice 4% Education: Special Education 6% Public Affairs and Policy 9%
90
22%
Ph.D.
15%
14% 11%
17%
14% 15%
12% 7%
Gender 61% Female
Ages
r
al A ber
Diversity
Out of State Students
B
Asian Black or African American Hispanic/Latino
Overall
2% California
ess usin
American Indian/ Alaskan Native
Average 29 34 42
2%
3%
ol
-C ces
n
cie
S ts &
Li
72 71 63
3%
3%
53% Female
Youngest 19 21 27
Oldest
6%
3%
56% Female
28% 27%
11%
ch
-S min
Ad
U
ool
n rba
&P
ic ubl
Aff
a
f
eo
g olle
C
ol
C irs-
r ts
A the M
1% 1%
C
Sci
5% 3% 2%
Multiple
6% 4% 4%
Native Hawaiin/ Pacific Islander
3% 2%
1%
67% 66% 72%
White
9% 7% 4%
ion
at duc
ol cho of E S l o k r o o Sch lW . a i d Soc Gra gr/
En oll
hC
e ase
p om
Declined
4% 4% 5%
International Students China 2%
China 21%
BRENDAN MULLIGAN/PSU VANGUARD
Bachelor’s
China 18%
Bachelor’s 28% Master’s 18% Ph.D. 2%
Thailand 2% Thailand 5%
Arizona
Hawaii
Master’s 2%
Zimbabwe 2%
Vietnam 18% India 38%
Bachelor’s 6% Saudi Arabia 20%
Washington
20
Bachelor’s 30% Master’s 20% Ph.D. 4%
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Source: Office of Institutional Research and Planning. Degrees awarded summer 2013 through spring 2014.
OPINION
Dealing with long-distance love The Cuddlefish
by Adam LaMascus We’ve done it. We’ve reached the end of the academic year. As a result, many of us will be going home or to new places. Either way, many of us university students are either beginning or already involved in long distance relationships. Those are often pretty unpleasant and have rightfully developed a reputation for being difficult to deal with. However, they aren’t insurmountable, and I thought this week I’d share some information I’ve learned about making LDRs work. First and most importantly, as is the case with just about every aspect of a relationship, communication is key. Fortunately, we live in the amazing 21st century, and communication is easier than it’s ever been before. Gone are the days of pining away for weeks on end, waiting for a letter to arrive in the mail. These days, Skype (or Gmail video chat, which I actually prefer), phone calls, texts and emails are your best friends. Set aside a regular time to make video calls or phone calls to your significant other, and if it is possible, try to text them moderately often. I’m hesitant to suggest literally scheduling a time, because some people like that while others think schedule=chore. So talk to your significant other and figure out what works best for you. Lots of regular communication is crucial, and in all seriousness, being able to see the person’s face and hear his or her voice helps a lot. Webcams are cheap and often come preinstalled in laptops, and programs like Gmail video chat or Skype are free. Also, I would suggest as a side thing (especially if there is a marked time difference) to send random emails expressing affection and such. These can be a lot of fun, and a nice surprise for your SO. Frequent, honest and open communication is key. On the note of webcams and phones, let’s be frank here. If you are sexually active with your partner, webcam sex or phone sex is really important. I spoke with eight different friends in LDRs, and they all said webcam sex with their partner helps tremendously. While the concept may sound really silly, don’t worry about it, honestly. It isn’t silly, and it will make you feel better. Also, I know I joked about not having to rely on snail mail letters, and while that is true, don’t neglect them. You recall how I said random emails to your SO telling them how much you care about them and are thinking about them? Do you know what’s even better than that? An actual letter. One of my friends does really fantastic calligraphy and will sporadically send his SO hand-written calligraphy letters and orders of flowers, which is very romantic and always a big hit. When my girlfriend and I were dealing with a sort of mediumdistance relationship, I wanted to do something like that, but my handwriting is terrible. So I actually wrote her a letter using a 1940s typewriter, which she thought was fantastic. Remem-
CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD
“Remember, romance is still important from far away, and gestures like flowers and real letters can contribute a lot to keeping it alive.” ber, romance is still important from far away, and gestures like flowers and real letters can contribute a lot to keeping it alive. Next, it’s important to set realistic expectations about what you expect or need in the relationship. Those will obviously vary from person to person, but it is important to have this conversation. An important issue that goes along with realistic expectations is time limits. Having a definite end to the LDR is a really big deal, and oftentimes that’s what makes or breaks it. I asked around my circle of friends, and the ones who had LDRs with time limits on when the LDR would revert back to a “normal” relationship, tended to actually pull it off. The ones who had LDRs that were lasting indefinitely have all ended up splitting up. Keep that in mind, and honestly, if you are heading off to something that will keep you away for an unknown number of years, it may just be better to part amicably now and agree to
talk about getting back together in the future, if it works out that way. Lastly, hope is something I wouldn’t recommend. I was recently listening to Dan Savage, and in response to a letter asking about LDRs, his default response was to adopt a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and just have sex with random people on the side while you are apart. While I respect Savage and think he’s done a lot to help a lot of people, I think this is pretty bad advice. Introducing other people into monogamous relationships, even when it’s “don’t ask, don’t tell,” is a really complicated and tricky prospect that often has unpredictable and dire consequences. So if that’s something you and your partner think you need to do, go ahead and discuss it. However, I won’t suggest that as a way to deal with LDRs. I really think that communication and the other things I talked about are a far superior method of dealing with missing your love.
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OPINION
The American myth of the rugged individualist The Illuminator by Mike Bivins
Rugged individualism is a myth. At one time, the rugged individualist did have a place in America. However, the once noble ideal has been perverted into a myth that is perpetuated to give people living in substandard conditions a reason to crow about the fact that they refuse to take what they would describe as government handouts. They also refuse to apply for programs which most of them directly paid into, such as workers compensation, to cover costs when work-related injuries arise. The rugged individualists are too proud to claim what is rightfully theirs, and as a result the government keeps it—no questions asked. The working poor are the ones primarily responsible for keeping this myth alive, because by keeping their heads just above water so as not to become homeless, they feel that they have accomplished something. That is probably what is most disturbing about this situation. The same people whom I am scolding for draping themselves in this feel-good attitude feel a very real sense of accomplishment, yet are somehow unable to see that life in America should not be so cutthroat. They are unable to see that their tax dollars, which could be spent on improving their standard of living, are wasted on pet projects thousands of miles away and military spending. Meanwhile, they are sitting there silently, not asking for a dime. It is sad really. These poor saps have been conditioned to sit down, work and stay quiet, and then maybe one day they might have something to show for it. I hope they have a fairy godmother like Cinderella had, because as a friend of mine who ships boxes at UPS and bounces at a bar downtown put it, “I work two jobs, and I’m still poor.” Unless his fairy godmother pays him a visit, he is going to be scraping by for quite some time. This myth would be a great case study for my Communications 316 class this term. The cognitive dissonance theory could be applied. Basically, the working poor who would classify themselves as rugged individualists are a miserable bunch and need to rationalize why it is OK for them to suffer. Accordingly, the myth arises, and these poor people are able to count themselves among a mythic bunch who “don’t ask nobody for nothin’.”
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Shaylee King/PSU VANGUARD
And if they make it, they are somehow better than those who took assistance from government or social programs along the way. Well why don’t I just fire up Microsoft Word and print them an award. A person who is able to overcome obstacles and pull themselves up by their bootstraps is to be applauded. However, when a person is down in the gutter spewing this nonsense in between swigs from a flask, it is enough to turn my stomach. While the person with the flask is merely a representation of what I know to be out there, allow me to reconstruct a real rugged individualist whom I used to know. I say I used to know him because he turned out to be a scumbag. The connection between him being a rugged individualist and a scumbag is entirely coincidental, I am sure. Let us call the rugged individualist Frank. Frank is from
Vanguard | JUNE 3, 2014 | psuvanguard.com
Arizona and somehow washed up in Portland. Frank has been struggling for years and years. One day I asked Frank why he doesn’t try to get his act together, get loans and go to school or something so that he would not have to worry about where his next meal was going to come from. These talks usually occurred as this rugged individualist was receiving a handout from the Bank of Mike in the form of a fully subsidized Muchas Gracias burrito. Frank responded that he never asks for handouts from anyone. It wasn’t so much what he said that got under my skin, it was how he said it. Never mind the irony of the situation. Frank made it seem like he was doing something noble. He made it sound as if he was Jesus on the cross, and he was performing God’s work by suffering. It wasn’t noble. It was pathetic.
Generation bump watch The Front Row
by Breana Harris With her curvy figure and presumably large cup size, Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks has already been a target of Hollywood’s archaic attitudes about women. But in a recent interview with Health magazine, she proved that it isn’t just her body which makes her different than the norm. She revealed that she and her husband, Geoffrey Arend, aren’t interested in having kids. I’m not going to act like this is more revolutionary than it is. According to Salon, the number of women who choose never to become mothers has doubled in size since the 1970s to around 20 percent. Nobody in my family has ever really been offended when I say I don’t want children and don’t actually believe in marriage. Though this might be because they know I’m overweight and extremely difficult to get along with, I count it as a victory for feminism anyway. Most of the internet chatter has been in support of Hendricks, though you do get the occasional person who is sad that she will never experience the bright smile of a child in a field of daisies, and that her life will always be selfish and empty. These days, most people know that anyone who isn’t committed to having kids shouldn’t have them. I always think of Eat, Pray, Love, when Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how her friend was excited about being pregnant at the same time that Gilbert was excited about a journalism assignment in New Zealand. “Until I can feel as ecstatic about having a baby as I do about going to New Zealand to search for a giant squid, I cannot have a baby,” she says. Although I do love kids, I’ve always been a giant squid type of girl. You’re probably judging me for quoting that book more than you are for my self-awareness.
Unfortunately, this trend toward embracing the choice to be child-free doesn’t entirely extend to the entertainment industry. Though I defended Vogue’s decision to use Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on their April cover, I admit that my main problem with it was that she was promoting her upcoming marriage and her baby. There seems to be a lot of that going on these days. I don’t know when the phrase “baby bump” entered the social vernacular, but I find it incredibly creepy. Even creepier is the “bump watch” that comes whenever candid photos of a recently married female celebrity appear. Pregnancy and motherhood has become a gateway to fame and a bizarre kind of fetish. This aspect of fame goes way beyond your average Kardashian. I admit to having a total fascination with the campaigning that goes on during awards season, and you can find a lot of appalling sexism in the bid of an actress to win an Oscar or Golden Globe. Watch Natalie Portman’s Black Swan victory speeches from 2011. Pregnant and engaged at the time, she had a habit of talking about everything involved in her participation in the film besides the actual acting, including the fact that she met Benjamin Millipied, her now-husband, on set. “Thank you to Benjamin, who is helping me continue this creation of [sic] creating more life. Benjamin choreographed the film and also you might remember him in the movie as the guy, when they ask ‘would you sleep with that girl?’ He’s like ‘no.’ He’s the best actor, it’s not true. He totally wants to sleep with me!” Michelle Williams followed a similar track when she was racking up nominations for My Week with Marilyn a year later. She even went so far as to tell reporters that she didn’t even know Oscar nominations were being announced because she was too busy “being a mommy.” The narrative is often the same when young women are trying to appeal to the Academy, over 70 percent of whom are old white men. Women aren’t ambitious. They don’t care about their careers. They do award-worthy acting work in their spare time when they’re not hunting for men to impregnate them or making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This same narrative works for people like Jennifer Aniston who aren’t particularly talented and will never really do quality projects. She is 45 years old, and yet the majority of press about her revolves around when she’ll get married again and
OPINION
whether or not she is pregnant. If it didn’t, would anyone talk about her? I don’t think women who have children are necessarily lacking ambition. Mothers are as varied a group as non-mothers, and every woman comes to that decision on their own terms, hopefully. But I do think pop culture may be doing a disservice to all women with this lust for pregnant celebrities. In the same way that actresses are asked about their clothes and diets while actors are asked about their work, any highly-motivated female performer is expected to make motherhood a part of her brand because that’s presumably what housewives in the Midwest want from them. I give a thousand times more credit to women like Hendricks. And I think the public should be given more credit too. Unless we’re all rushing to Just Jared to read the story about how Drew Barrymore looks like she’s “about to pop.” Come on, guys. You’re journalists, not someone’s awkward great-aunt at a barbecue. Leave everyone’s uterus alone.
Guest editorial illustration from Juliana Johnson & Kate Gaimbrone’s graphic design 210 students
“Pregnancy and motherhood has become a gateway to fame and a bizzare kind of fetish.” COURTESY OF ANGELA RAWSON
Vanguard | JUNE 3, 2014 | psuvanguard.com
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SUN
EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, June 3 Nerd Nite Portland: What Can Garbage Do For Us? 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show Clinton Street Theater 2522 S.E. Clinton St., Portland, OR 97202 Professor Marco J. Castaldia, City University of New York, will be at the Clinton Street Theater to offer a lecture that outlines the research he is doing on how to generate energy using garbage. Guests are invited to come and enjoy this educational opportunity, and perhaps a few drinks. Guests are asked to bring a $10 donation when arriving at the door, or $8 in advance. However, no one will be turned away for any amount of donation. For more information, visit www.viaproductions.org
Wednesday, June 4 Summer Movie Night: ‘Chocolat’ Dusk Pix Patisserie 2225 S.E. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97214 June 4 kicks off a summer of movies accompanied by delicious treats at Pix Patisserie. The films are free to enjoy
with a minimum $5 purchase, but be sure to bring a blanket or something to sit on and to keep you warm, as movies will be shown outside in the courtyard. The first film will be Chocolat.
students and participate in games that can win you some great prizes. FREE
Thursday, June 5 Interview Like a Champ: Strategies for Success
Poetry, Pomegranates & Patriarchs: Narratives of Identity & Space in Qajar Local Histories
6–8 p.m. Bridgeport Brewery, Heritage Room 1313 N.W. Marshall St., Portland, OR 97209
7 p.m. Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 James M. Gustafson, assistant professor of history at Indiana State University, invites you to listen to him lecture on the last decades of the 19th century in Iran, and how they inspired a resurgence of local historical and geographical writing throughout the country, and why this is significant today. FREE
Midnight Breakfast: Casino Night 9 p.m.–Midnight Smith Memorial Student Union, ballroom (355) 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 If you are stressing over finals and need a little break, Midnight Breakfast is the event for you. Come enjoy free food and fun with your fellow
Lori Rush, president of Rush Mentoring Services, will help you take a strategic look at interviewing, and will offer advice and specific examples of what you can do before, during and after an interview. Learn what questions to anticipate, how to develop the right questions to ask, and how to best answer behavioral questions by developing and delivering the most powerful response. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at psuaa. ticketleap.com/interviewlike-a-champ-strategies-forsuccess/dates/Jun-05-2014_ at_0600PM
Beer Quest: Haunted Pub Crawl & Ghost Tour 7 p.m. Various Locations Do you like to drink? Do you enjoy history? Are you fasci-
nated by stories of paranormal activity? If so, and you are also 21 years of age or older, this pub crawl around Old Town in Portland is the perfect activity for you. Though the tour is $40 per person, it includes entry to many places not freely open to the public, and seven samples of some of the finest spirits Portland has to offer. For more information, visit www.beerquestpdx.com
Dragon Boat Festival: Zongzi Party 6:30–8 p.m. School of Business, room 490 615 S.W. Harrison St., Portland, OR 97201
Shine a Light at the Portland Art Museum
This unique cultural event will teach attendees something about Chinese culture surrounding the dragon boat races and how to make zongzi, which are traditional Chinese dumplings that are typically made with meat, peanut, egg yolk or other sweet fillings, wrapped in bamboo leaves and boiled or steamed. Participants will be able to make and taste zongzi themselves. FREE
6 p.m.–Midnight Portland Art Museum 1219 S.W. Park Ave., Portland, OR 97201
Saturday, June 7
Friday, June 6
Graduate students from PSU’s art and social practice program invite anyone and everyone to come and learn how to change their relationship with art and to engage with the Portland Art Museum in a new way. Various displays and performances will help facilitate the experience and give examples of socially engaged works of art. For more information and pricing, visit www.portlandartmuseum. org/shinealight
FEATURED EVENT
Portland Rose Festival: Grand Floral Parade
ETC
a spot on the street, or pay a small fee to see it from a seated position at the Memorial Coliseum. For more information and to find out about the parade route, visit www.rosefestival.org FREE
PSU Community Chorus Concert 11 a.m. Simon Benson House 1803 S.W. Park Ave., Portland, OR 97201 PSU’s Community Chorus will be performing at the PSU Farmers Market on the porch and steps of the Simon Benson House. The group, conducted by current PSU student Jason Sabino, is comprised of current and retired faculty, staff and alumni. The group will be singing six pieces from contemporary composers. Come show your support and enjoy this free performance. FREE
10 a.m. Downtown Portland The Grand Floral Parade is the largest and most anticipated event of the Portland Rose Festival. Featuring 17 floats decorated entirely with flowers, 18 marching bands and 19 equestrian units, the festival is a highly entertaining event. You can catch the parade for free if you can find
FREE
21+
PSU FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER
THE VANGARDE
BRENDAN MULLIGAN/PSU VANGUARD
Portland Naked Bike Ride 8 p.m. meetup time Normandale Park N.E. 57th Ave. and Halsey St., Portland, OR 97213 One of the best things about living in Portland? Obviously public nudity is the answer! And also our incredible cycling community. If you are into either of these things, or preferably both, the Naked Bike Ride is sure to please. This event always takes place on the evening after the Grand Floral Parade and anyone and everyone is welcome. This event is free to join, or to watch, if you can guess the heavily guarded secret that is the route. FREE ©shift
“After students have pumped thousands of dollars into the university, you’d think the least they could do is give you a free cap and gown.”
Vanguard | JUNE 3, 2014 | psuvanguard.com
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ETC
Gemini May 21–Jun. 20
Leo Jul. 23–Aug. 22
Nobody ever got ahead while sitting on their behind—remember that, Gemini. The push you need isn’t physical in nature, but this old adage applies all the same. Don’t let laziness come between you and your objective. Emulate your values.
Libra Sept. 23–Oct. 22
You’re feeling proud of your accomplishments, and rightfully so. However, dear Leo, you should be wary of falling into the rut of routine. Variety is the spice of life, and lately things have been a little bland in your corner of the kitchen.
Virgo Aug. 23–Sept. 22
Cancer Jun. 21–Jul. 22
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Vanguard | JUNE 3, 2014 | psuvanguard.com
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Capricorn Dec. 22–Jan. 19
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Don’t beat yourself up just because the shiny allure has all but worn off, Aries. New things are fun; and for what it was worth, you had a good time. At least you can say you did something new, right?
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When you really step Taurus Apr. 20–May 20 back to get a look at the When one door closes, When you start to feel big picture, highs and another opens. You’re on like the mountain is lows become cyclic patthe cusp of a new adventoo big to scale, reterns of emotional states. ture, Capricorn. The best member the peaks Like cloudy weather or a you can do while you wait from which you came. microburst of rain, your for the journey to start is Taken in small steps, feelings will always come anticipate happiness and no task is insurmountto pass. give thanks for the place able. If anyone knows you are leaving behind. that, it’s you. The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation The New York Times Syndication Sales 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y.Corporation 10018 620For Eighth Avenue,Call: New1-800-972-3550 York, N.Y. 10018 Information For Call: 1-800-972-3550 ForInformation Release Tuesday, June 3, 2014 For Release Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel takes forever to get to, and because of that you may start to wonder if it’s even real. Don’t allow relenting feelings of exhaustion to trick you into losing hope, Scorpio. You are closer than you think.
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Remember when you used to imagine the place you are at? Do you recall hoping, waiting and wishing? Don’t let anyone tell you that daydreaming is a waste of time, Sagittarius. After all, look where it’s landed you.
Scorpio Oct. 23–Nov. 21
Nothing is sweeter than the feeling of getting to a place you’ve wanted to be for a while. You are a busy, busy person these days, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to not stop and pat yourself on the back.
End of the term got you down, Moonchild? The rejuvenation you need is well on its way. Take this time to rest and reflect; when your breath of fresh air comes, you’ll be on a skateboard straight into the next set of adventures.
Sagittarius Nov. 22–Dec. 21
In the midst of chaos, one rarely has time to take note of how far he or she has traveled. You have a rare lull in your busy schedule this week, dear Libra. Relaxation may be at the forefront of your thoughts, but be sure to engage in some reflection as well.
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SPORTS
It’s almost Hops season!
SCORES
UPCOMING
MLS
MLS
VANCOUVER PORTLAND
Top Performers: Maximiliano Urruto, scored in the third minute for the early lead
4 PORTLAND @ REAL SALT LAKE 3 WED. 6/7 7:00 p.m. | ROOT SPORTS AFL
ARIZONA vs. PORTLAND FRI. 6/3 7:00 p.m. | MODA CENTER
AFL
PORTLAND SPOKANE
Top Performers: Danny Southwick, 25/36 252 yds, 6 TD
48 58
Building better baseball in Hillsboro
HILLSBORO @ EVERETT 5-Game series | FRI.–TUES. 6/13–6/17 kpoj 620 am
salem-Keizer vs. HILLSBORO 3-Game series | FRI.–TUES. 6/18–6/20 ron tonkin field
Tobin Shields
Portland has begun to build a better reputation as a sports town. The Blazers have represented Portland since 1970 in the National Basketball Association, and the Timbers, in one soccer league or another, off and on since 1975. However, it feels as if Portland has been sorely missing a baseball team for quite awhile. While we had the Beavers playing downtown in the past, their move to Tucson, Arizona back in 2012 left quite the gap in Stumptown’s sports scene. Thankfully, the void was filled with the newly branded Hillsboro Hops just a season later. While the Hops play in a short-season A league as opposed to the AAA Beavers, the fact that their league is comprised of other local teams helps generate some additional excitement. The rosters may not be filled with once and future major leaguers but it’s pretty easy to root against any team from Eugene. Originally founded in 1977 down in Salem (known then as the Salem Senators) the team became the Yakima Bears in 1990, and was planning to move to Vancouver, Washington in 2012—a deal that eventually fell through. Seeing an opportunity, the city of Hillsboro agreed to take on the team and build a brand new 4,500 seat stadium for them to play in. Ground was broken in September 2012, and the team was able to play their first game in June 2013. While the team’s first season on the field was only decent, they have captured national attention with their branding. The Hops
MiLB
viking football games that will be televised this fall—including two on the PAC-12 network and three on root sports. ©hillsboro hops
made it into the MiLB’s top 25 merchandising list for 2013, a surprising feat considering it was their first season with the new brand. Their logo was also named the best in all of MiLB by Ballpark Digest. To the team’s surprise, they sold more merchandise on their opening day alone than they did in their entire final season in Yakima, Washington. “I was blown away,” Hops general manager K.L. Wombacher told the Oregonian. Wombacher has worked
in minor league baseball for the past 14 years. “We far exceeded any team in merchandise in our league, ever. It was a good surprise.” It would appear that a large part of the local success has stemmed from both their logo and their sponsor, Bridgeport Brewery. The Hops found it fitting to pair up with a local brewery. Not only are beer and baseball closely associated, but quality hops are what set apart most craft beers from standard stadium swill.
Last season, Bridgeport released a special beer that was only intended to be served at the stadium called Long Ball Ale, an easy drinking summertime blonde ale. Wombacher reports that the signature brew outsold Miller and Coors at a ten-to-one clip during the Hops’ 2013 season. The popularity of the Long Ball Ale has prompted Bridgeport to make the beer available outside of the ballpark. Wombacher reports that 22-ounce bottles will be available at local grocery
stores beginning in June. While the team knows that sales next season may dip due to a lack of novelty, Wombacher remarked that they intend to offer an even wider variety of merchandise next season, and also step up their beer sales. The Ron Tonkin family of auto dealerships have offered to invest a total of over $1.5 million into the team over the next ten years, in exchange for the naming rights to Hillsboro Stadium. This massive investment in Ron
Tonkin Field, and last year’s merchandise sales seem to be the perfect start for the new anchor of the Portland area baseball scene. The Hops’ season officially starts June 13, but they do not play their first home game until June 18 against the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. If you are looking for a great summer evening at a ballpark with a good beer, while supporting Portland’s growing sports scene, then don’t miss the Hops’ 2014 season!
Vanguard | JUNE 3, 2014 | psuvanguard.com
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SPORTS To Whom it May Concern Dear Landon Donovan, Four years ago, a younger version of me saw you score the most exciting goal in a lifetime of watching soccer. I’m sure you remember it: It was against Algeria, to advance the U.S. to the knockout stage, in extra time. After that, American soccer fans were disappointed by Ghana for the second World Cup in a row. After that game, I quickly calculated your age. I wanted to know if I was going to see you again in Brazil. I figured I would. I hoped I would. Four years later and you, the face of American soccer, will not be on the roster come World Cup time. You could say I’m a little bit disappointed. But my issue is where should I point my feelings of disappointment? Toward Jurgen Klinsmann? Or toward you? I’ve heard all the rumors about you not being in shape, or not taking soccer seriously when you arguably needed to the most. And if that’s all true, then I’m definitely OK with the decision. Come on, man, there’s no room for that on any professional sports team, let alone the biggest stage for soccer that exists in the world. But on the other hand, if you are in shape and what has been said isn’t completely true, then I don’t understand why you’re not on this roster. Who cares if you’d have a starting position? Who cares if you’d play any minutes? The biggest impact that someone like you could have comes from your knowledge and experience of being THERE. This team is full of young guys who don’t have anywhere near the amount of experience you have, and I’m guessing it sure would be nice if they could look over their shoulders and talk to you about how to act and react to certain situations. Regardless of what is true about your last few months, Landon, I want you on this team. I never root for injuries in sports no matter how much I hate a player, but if something happens to someone on this squad and Klinsmann has to name a replacement, it would be fantastic to see you go one more time. But if we had to do it over again, I’d much rather see you make the final 23, instead of having to go through all of this. Thank you. You put a great face on American soccer, and I’m sure you brought new fans in to support you while keeping it exciting for everyone who has supported U.S. soccer for a long time. Watching the U.S. play without you on the field will be an interesting experience for me, and for most young soccer fans who’ve grown up seeing you score goals on the world’s largest stage. But I think we can both agree on one thing: Success for the U.S. is what’s most important, no matter who’s out there. With good chemistry and strong team play, I believe that we will win. Sincerely, Alex Moore, Vanguard Sports Desk
CALLING ALL SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS THE VANGUARD IS LOOKING FOR Sports Writers Apply online @ psuvanguard.com
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Vanguard | JUNE 3, 2014 | psuvanguard.com
Vikings Go Overseas For Talent Joel Gunderson
If you ever needed proof that recruiting at the collegiate level isn’t for the faint of heart, look no further than the Portland State women’s basketball team. With a roster overturned by graduation, head coach Sherri Murrell and her staff knew they had an offseason full of travel ahead of them, with the need to replace at least five players for the upcoming season. So naturally they headed to Germany. Huh? Not exactly a basketball hotbed, but Murrell and her staff may have found a gem. Nele Aha, a member of the 2011 under-16 German National Team and the 2013 under-18 team, has signed on to be the newest member of the Vikings squad. Murrell told GoViks.com, “[Aha] brings to our program a ton of international experience competing at a very high level of play. She is an extremely smart player with exceptional passing abilities and athleticism. She has the potential to be an immediate impact, not only for our team, but also in our conference.” At 5 feet 7 inches, Aha brings good size to the point guard position, where she will join a young roster looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2013–14 season, in which they went 8–21, including 6–14 in the Big Sky. Under the play of Aha, the under-16 team won the European Championship in the B Division. She was also part of the BG 74 Göttingen team
Nele Aha is the newest recruit for the 2014 Vikings.
©Christian Reinhard
in the Women’s 2 Bundesliga, the second-highest league in Germany, where she played under Washington State graduate Jennifer Kerns. “I want to thank [Aha’s] coach Jennifer Kerns, parents Biggi and Olli Aha and Viking assistant coach Jennifer Mountain for all the work they put into helping make [Aha’s] dream of playing Division I basketball come true,” said Murrell who, along with Aha, has brought in four other new players this offseason. Three freshmen, including Aha, will make their way to Portland: Shelby Sanders, Cici West and Aha. Junior
Alicia Carline, a 6-foot-3inch center, and sophomore Danah Haley, a 6-foot-0-inch forward, will also be part of the 2014 Vikings squad. PSU did end the season on a bit of a high note, winning two of their last three, and look to turn that into a rejuvenated 2014 campaign. They will boast only four seniors out of the 12 players on the roster, and will look to their youthful exuberance as a driving force. PSU hasn’t had a winning season since 2011–12, when they went 15–14. Let’s hope these new recruits help turn that around.
SPORTS
A Superfan Among Us Jay Pengelly
Vern Schultz spent his 50th birthday with his favorite people in the world: the athletes, coaches and everyone associated with the Portland State athletics department. First he had a pizza and cake party prior to a basketball game against Montana. He was stunned when he entered the arena and saw the entire crowd wearing T-shirts in his honor. The front said “Viks” with the school logo, but it was the back that was special, reading “Vern is 50.” We will call him Vern here, because that’s how everyone knows him. Going on 30 years now, Vern has attended every home athletic event for PSU that he could. Every sport, every game, meet or match, he is there. He always has a smile on his face and is usually the most enthusiastic Vikings supporter. He has even gone to away games with a Vikings team. In 2008 he traveled to Corvallis to watch a wrestling showdown with Oregon State. It’s very rare that extreme circumstances force Vern to miss a game, such as the snowstorm last winter. Vern’s endearment toward PSU sports is reciprocated in full. Everyone knows his name, and they make sure to say hi or give him a fist bump when passing in the Peter W. Stott Center. Vern found a community that accepted and embraced him, but what he’s given back to PSU athletics may be the most special part of his story. “Portland State can count on him to do everything he
can do to help,” said equipment manager Mike Haluska. “Student athletes see that. He’s an inspiration to a lot of them. The example he gives everybody, they gain insight into what real problems are. They realize they have it easy.” Vern’s life was forever altered when he was hit by a car as a young boy. He was in a coma and doctors suspected he would never speak or walk again. Vern’s first taste of overcoming the odds followed, with him waking and rehabilitating his mind and body. The result of the car accident left Vern with cerebral palsy, a degenerative disorder which primarily affects body movement. For years Vern had a walker to assist him, but as he grows older, he more often rides a motorized wheelchair. He tries to stay as active as possible, working out at 24 Hour Fitness, and in years past, with PSU teams. His introduction to PSU came when Vern was brought in as part of an assistance program. The program was designed to teach job skills and provide work experience for disabled and rehabilitating persons. It was a volunteer position where Vern would spend his days in the equipment room or cage, folding and handing out towels. He immediately fell in love with the people and the excitement of Vikings athletics, and ever since has been the most consistent part of the program. The athletics department staff has worked over the years to find grants or other sources of revenue to pay
Vern Schultz watches softball at Erv Lind Stadium.
jay pengelly/PSU VANGUARD
Vern for his services. Former softball coach and current PSU sports broadcaster Teri Mariani recalls Vern showing up at 5:30 a.m. every morning to help her set up softball practice. She was neighbors with Vern when he was growing up in Ladd’s Edition in Southeast Portland. Some of her earliest memories of Vern are of him riding up to her house on a tricycle and singing her songs. To this day, Vern works 20–30 hours a week at the Stott Center, regardless of compensation. Some coaches have even paid Vern out of their own pockets. “Jerry Glanville [former PSU football coach] paid me big bucks,” Vern said. Mariana wanted to pay Vern for all the time he spent
helping, and did so from personal funds. She remembers him showing up outside her office at 8 a.m. on the first of every month, eager for his payday. Current coaches recognize how generous Vern is with his love and support of their teams. “A loyal fan, die hard PSU guy. It’s always neat to see him at your game. A special person,” said Tyler Geving, men’s basketball head coach. If you’ve ever been to a PSU basketball game, you’ve heard Vern. Regardless of the crowds engagement, Vern is yelling and cheering from start to finish. His signature has been trash talking the opponents when they shoot free throws.
“Air ball!” Vern shouts, drawing the two words out as long as it takes the player to shoot. There are some perks to being a fan of Vern’s caliber. He is not charged admission to any games and often receives the newest Vikings gear. It pays to be a school’s numberone fan. While a supporter of every sport, Vern has a special passion for Vikings football. He has a sharp mind for remembering sports information and can tell you what was happening in PSU athletics at any point in his history. Recalling one of his favorite coaches, “Our old head coach Tim Walsh went to Army and later on became head coach at Cal Poly.”
Vern is also keenly aware of the state of PSU athletics. He has seen sports disappear over the years. He remembers fondly the days of wrestling and baseball, two programs he would like to watch again. “There’s no money to bring back baseball,” Vern said. “We are hurting right now.” Vern has racked up some achievements over the years. He was inducted into the PSU softball hall of fame for his tireless work in support of the team, and in 2013 was named most inspirational male in PSU athletics, an award usually reserved for players. He has also been the team manager in several sports. In the past, Vern reguSee SUPERFAN on page 30
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SPORTS SUPERFAN Continued from page 29 larly competed in the Special Olympics; his specialty is the softball throw. A Portland native, Vern is quite independent. He lives alone, conveniently close to Providence Park where PSU football plays their home games. He takes the MAX and bus everywhere, and knows the transit schedule almost as well as PSU sports stats. If you ask around the athletics department, everyone has positive words about what Vern means to PSU. “He’s our number-one fan,” said administrative and scheduling assistant Jenna Wilson.
“He’s kind of a mascot: a supporter, a fan, a friend,” said Mike Lund, communications director. “He was always such an inspiration to my team,” Mariana said. She affectionately recalls Vern at the end of her softball practices giving the team a report. He would announce all the softball games that week and what the weather forecast looked like for Vikings games. Inspiring people may not have been Vern’s intent when he adopted PSU as his own 30 years ago, but it could be how he is remembered.
His sphere of influence also should not be limited to the athletics department. PSU fans could take a page from Vern’s playbook and show up with consistency and enthusiasm. We could all learn something about hard work and dedication from the example Vern sets. Past faces from PSU sports still talk about Vern cheering them on. “Former players from 13, 14 years ago remember his support, grace, personality,” said Sherri Murrel, women’s basketball head coach. “He is Portland State athletics.”
Vikings run well in Arkansas
Track and Field has talent to build on Jazmin Ratcliff (Center) competes in the 100-meter hurdles.
©Larry Lawson
Matt Rauch
vern with the Seagals before a basketball game in February. COURTESY OF PORTLAND STATE ATHLETICS
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Last weekend, the Portland State track and field team competed in the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds at John McDonnell Field in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Any athletes who placed in this preliminary were slated to join other athletes who placed in the other regionals around the country by heading to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Track Town, USA—better known as Eugene, Oregon. Beginning on Thursday, senior distance runner Sarah Dean ran in the 10,000-meter and finished with a time of 35:11.57 minutes, which landed her in 21st place. With only the top 12 finishers advancing, Dean will not be advancing to the championships in Eugene. The other Viking who competed on Thursday was fre s hma n G e nna Settle. Settle ran the 100-meter in 11.99 seconds in the fifth heat of the event. Though she finished eighth in the heat, she placed 36th overall and will also miss out on the trip to Track Town, because only the top 24 competitors advanced.
On Friday, four Vikings competed in various events. Jasmine Woods placed 43rd in the first round of the 200-meter with a time of 24.73 seconds, which was not good enough to advance. There was, however, a bright side to Friday in the 100-meter hurdles. Junior Jazmin Ratcliff finished in third place with a time of 13.77 seconds, which automatically advanced her to the quarterfinals on Saturday. Freshman CeCelia Jackson just missed making the cut and advancing to the quarterfinals with Ratcliff by three-hundredths of a second, with a time of 13.87 seconds. The slowest time that advanced was 13.84 seconds by UC Riverside sprinter Danielle Littleton. Saturday proved to be a heartbreaker for Ratcliff. Running in the third heat of the 100-meter hurdles and placing sixth in the event, 17th overall, with a time of 13.53 seconds, Ratcliff ran a tenth of a second slower than what she needed to advance to Tr ack Town in June. The slowest time that advanced in this event was 13.44 seconds by USC’s Melia Cox.
The Vikings also competed in the 4x100 meter relay on Saturday, running a 46.39 and finishing 20th overall, once again leaving them just short of advancing to Eugene. Though no Vikings advanced to the 2014 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, there is definitely something Vikings fans and athletes can look forward to next year. The only competitor from this year’s preliminaries who will not be returning is senior distance runner Sarah Dean. Ratcliff, who advanced to the quarterfinals in the 100-meter hurdles, is still a junior, and CeCelia Jackson, who barely missed advancing, is only a freshman. The return of Ratcliff and Jackson, in addition to sprinters Jasmine Woods and Genna Settle, a junior and a freshman respectively, leaves many Vikings fans hopeful for improved success next year, as well as in years to come. Barring injuries or transfers, there is a great chance that the Vikings will not only make it to the NCAA West Preliminary next season, but could quite possibly advance all the way to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
ATTENTION PSU STUDENTS! PSU STUDENT MEDIA IS OFFERING YOU THREE WAYS TO
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