VOLUME 69 | ISSUE 18
January 6, 2015
Board of trustees
approves armed officers nEWS
OPInIOn
arTS & CULTUrE
SPOrTS
PSU Board officers. pg. 6 of Trustees welcomes new student trustee Maria Carolina Gonzalez Prats. pg. 7
Students pg. campus. discuss 9 the pros, the cons and the next steps for arming campus public safety officers. pg. 8
Esports pg. pients. like16League of Legends and DOTA 2 are on the rise, and they've taken root on campus. pg. 14
Check it pg. Marathon. out! 23 Vanguard sports editor outlines new vision for Winter term. pg. 20
CONTENT NEWS OPINION COVER ARTS & CULTURE CALENDAR SPORTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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OPINION EDITOR
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Vanguard | january 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
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nEWS
John fraire named neW emsa vice president Jessica PoLLard
John Fraire has been appointed Portland State’s new Vice President of Enrollment Management & Student Affairs, effective March 23, 2015, according to a recent University Communications press release. Fraire was selected from a pool of candidates with the help of the Witt/Kieffer search firm. “Everybody who met with these candidates had the opportunity to give input and feedback. The search firm collected that and then ultimately [PSU president Wim Wiewel] made the decision, because this position is a direct report to the President,” said EMSA
Outreach and Advancement Coordinator J.R. Tarabocchia. The time it took to name Fraire as vice president was shorter than usual. “Normally a search like this can take just under a year, and in some cases in excess of a year. But Wiewel was very insistent that he would like someone to come in in short,” said University Affairs Director of the Associated Students of PSU Jonathen Gates, who was on the committee that aided in selecting Fraire. Interim Vice President of EMSA Dan Fortmiller accepted a new position in the office of Academic Affairs.
“Being interim is a really hard gig because your job is to kind of keep the ship afloat and not make too many changes, and really, the job of the interim is to keep things or make things the best as possible for the new person to come in. I think [Fortmiller] has done a really great job at that,” Tarabocchia said. Fortmiller took the place of Jackie Balzer, who left PSU last June to become the Dean of Student Life at Willamette University in Salem. “We would like to strengthen the burgeoning relationship that we had developed with Dr. Balzer before she departed. To
John Fraire, new Vice President for enrollment Management & student affairs Vice President. COURTESY Of PSU UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
some areas, she was something of an advocate for ASPSU and students in general,” Gates said. Previously, Fraire held the same position at Washington State University in Pullman. Prior to WSU, Fraire worked at Truman State University in Missouri, Harvard and several other universities across the country. Departments of enrollment management and student affairs are not usually combined at universities, which is why it is difficult to find someone with experience in both fields, according to Gates.
EMSA houses 30 different departments at PSU. Fraire will be responsible for “residence life, campus recreation, admissions, financial aid, new student programs, student health services, student life programs, and diversity and multicultural student services,” according to the press release. “There’s so much responsibility that this person is ultimately responsible for. A lot of it is enrollment management: getting students here, working with admissions and financial aid, making sure all of the nuts and bolts and behindthe-scenes things work really well. Retention is always a big project, and trying to make sure that students are attaining their academic goals and progressing towards [their] degrees,” Tarabocchia said. Fraire has been credited with helping to diversify the student body at WSU. He worked as a consultant for the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, where
he supervised the evaluation of Latino applicants. “We are making great progress in recruiting and supporting diverse students at PSU, and John has the skills and knowledge to help us do even more,” Wiewel said in the press release. Fraire is also a published playwright and theater producer. He served as an arts commissioner for the state of Washington. He is known for being involved in programs that reach minority students through theater. “I really hope that at PSU he can find a place to develop that. I think Lincoln Hall is beautiful but I think it’s underutilized,” Gates said. Having a new vice president is going to be challenging and exciting, according to Tarabocchia. “He seems really great; I think we’re really excited to have him on board and I’m very excited to see what his vision is for us and what the next iteration of this division is going to be,” Tarabocchia said.
Welcome back!
Campus opportunities abound in 2015
January marks a new year, a new term and new opportunities for students at PSU. I hope you will be able to take advantage of all the university has to offer this month, including:
· Basketball Watch the Vikings compete in Big Sky competition throughout this month in men’s and women’s basketball at the Stott Center. Go to goviks.com for schedules.
· Tribute week honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Five days of events begin on the holiday, January 19, with a Day of Service. Other events include a “Living the Legacy” keynote address by civil rights activist and academic Angela Davis.
One of my goals for 2015 is to create more opportunities to engage with students, and I hope you will follow me on Twitter @PresidentWiewel and add your voice to my page, pdx.edu/president.
· Strategic planning A large group of faculty, students, administrators and staff have launched a comprehensive effort to chart the future of PSU over the next five years. You can track the progress of this effort and weigh in with your ideas by going to my web page, pdx.edu/president. · Wellness challenge Start the new year with a resolution to join PSU’s annual “Healthy U Wellness Challenge,” an eight-week health and fitness challenge that begins January 12. Find out more at pdx.edu/recreation.
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Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
Wim Wiewel President, Portland State University
nEWS
Portland Farmers Market open year-round eLiZaBeth hendricKson
The Portland Farmers Market, located on the Portland State park blocks every Saturday, has announced it will now be operating yearround. In previous years, the market would close from mid-December until midMarch. Due to the needs of local farmers and customer demand, the market will be open every Saturday starting this year. “We have an established base of shoppers, and the push to go year-round has finally just become what we should do,” said Jaret Foster, the operations director for the Portland Farmers Market. “We felt comfortable that we had enough vendors and farmers and people who were interested in coming to the markets, and then the shopper base as well.” The shift to year-round is expected to simplify market operations. “Before, we would
move down the park blocks and open up the Winter Market in Shemanski Park just for January and February,” said Mona Johnson, the Portland Farmers Market communications manager. “I think that created a little bit of confusion for the customer, and there was probably a little bit of drop off. Some people didn’t know we had a Winter Market, so in that regard it’s going to be such a win for us to make it seem seamless for the shopper.” “For the Winter Market at PSU, we’ll shrink to just one block, and it’ll be 50 or 60 vendors to take up the whole block. We hope there’s enough shoppers to support all that, but in a couple years we’ll have a really steady group of vendors to build up the Winter Market shopper base,” Foster said. The year-round farmers’ market will play a role in
PSU’s community as well. “It’s an important part of the Portland culture to go to farmers’ markets and get locally produced products. So, having one on our campus, a place where we encourage locally grown, locally sourced, sustainable businesses and products, it just makes sense to have them right on our campus,” said Scott Gallagher, director of communications at PSU. “People are already kind of used to that ritual of going down Saturday morning to the PSU market, and they’ll just make it part of their routine, which I think is great,” Johnson said. “I come here pretty much every week. I just live down the way, so it’s really convenient,” said Daniel Dostal, a customer at the PSU Farmers Market. Dostal said the main attraction to the market is local and
VALARIE KITTLE/VANGUARD ARCHIVES
seasonal foods. He wondered how the winter season will affect produce diversity. “There’s a lot of farmers especially that blow my mind with what they’re able to bring to the market in the winter months because of all the innovative growing techniques they’re using, and just planning ahead for planting crops that really thrive during the colder months,” Johnson said. “They’re working so hard
to bring all this beautiful food, and I think we’re going to have a better stage for them at PSU. I think it’ll be better attended than our Winter Market, and people will have a destination yearround for food, which is a great story to tell.” Gallagher said the market brings the community together and reflects the values of the PSU campus. “The farmers’ market is an example of what we pro-
mote in the university as a whole. Sustainability is integrated into the curriculum at PSU and everything that we do, so having a farmers’ market is a perfect fit into the extension of that,” Gallagher said. More information about the PSU Market and the seven different markets operating under the Portland Farmers Market organization is available at their website at portlandfarmersmarket.org.
CrIME BLOTTEr
Week of Jan. 5–11
Jordan Paige
deC. 9 MarIJuaNa VIoLatIoN
Epler Hall Officer David Baker was dispatched at approximately 2:42 p.m. to assist University Housing in the search for a student room with a suspected marijuana violation. Two pipes, a “suspected marijuana bud” and a bottle with marijuana residue were found. All items were taken by Baker for destruction.
deC. 10 WeLfare CHeCK
Broadway Housing At approximately 12:27 a.m. Officer David Troppe and Sergeant Michael Anderson re-
sponded to a call from a Resident Assistant regarding the well-being of a student who was experiencing hallucinations. While interacting with the student, the RA noticed a glass pipe with white residue. The residue was determined to be diphenidine, which is not considered a controlled substance in Oregon, but whose consumption produces opiate-like effects. The student was taken to Oregon Health & Sciences University for medical assistance. The pipe and bag were taken in for destruction.
to a call regarding an altercation between a student who used a derogatory term and a student toward whom it was directed. A third student prevented a physical confrontation, but the conflict continued to escalate when the instigator began using the term toward the student who had prevented a fight. Rominger mediated between the three students, and the offending student agreed to deliver an apology in person.
deC. 15 tHeft aNd frauduLeNt CredIt Card use
studeNt CoNduCt
Broadway Housing Around 5:17 p.m. Officer Brian Rominger responded
Millar Library At approximately 7:24 p.m. Officer Baker took a report from a student who had
her purse stolen from the second floor while using the restroom. Included in the purse was a debit card, which was used to make a $2,657.74 purchase at Safeway approximately 10 minutes after the student realized her purse had been stolen. After analyzing video footage from the library and Safeway, Baker determined that the thief had either a vehicle or an accomplice, as he appeared to have changed and stashed his backpack between destinations.
deC. 17 uNLaWfuL PossessIoN
Parking Structure Three Officer Gary Smeltzer arrested an individual for
unlawful possession of methamphetamine at approximately 2:27 p.m. The individual was smoking as the officer approached him in the basement of the building.
deC. 28 studeNt CoNduCt
Broadway Housing Around 10:11 p.m. Officer Troppe was dispatched to meet RAs in regards to a conflict between two student roommates. One student reported that his room had been trashed while he was away and that his roommate had sent threatening text messages. Officers resolved the situation between the two roommates and the sit-
uation has been handed back to Resident Life.
JaN. 2 eXCLusIoN
Smith Memorial Student Union At approximately 2:25 p.m. Officer Chris Fischer issued an exclusion to a non-student for possession of a weapon in a public building. The non-student reported his name to be Theoretical I Zero Spectrum. He had a collapsed baton protruding from his backpack. The officer approached him in the basement of the building. Read the full crime blotter online at psuvanguard.com.
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
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nEWS
piZZicato piZZa offers scholarships to employees aLeXandre PoMar
Pizzicato Pizza, a local restaurant franchise, is celebrating its 25th anniversary by offering Portland State scholarships to 10 of its employees. Pizzicato president and founder Tracy Frankel and her husband Marc Frankel said they founded the scholarship program to reward those individuals who contribute to the continued success of the company: their employees. Pizzicato opened in 1989 as a little shop on Portland’s west side and expanded to locations throughout Oregon, Washington and California. “When celebrating big anniversaries, many companies choose to discount customers or give away something, like
a free pizza,” Tracy Frankel said. “For us, it is very important to show the hard work by the staff and in turn reward them with a ‘true gift,’ in which they are free to choose the scholarship’s purpose.” Frankel said it is important for the employees to be able to use the scholarship money for the program of their choice. It shows that Pizzicato does not expect them to be employees for life, but rather, shows the dynamic of the company by expressing the importance of exploring education and one’s dreams. Employees must meet certain criteria in order to be selected for one of the 10
scholarship awards. They must have been employed by Pizzicato for at least a year and have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher from high school, PSU or any other educational institutions. Richard Vessells has been an employee at Pizzicato for seven years and is currently the manager at the PSU location. “This scholarship opportunity is amazing and extremely generous,” Vessells said. In addition to these scholarships, Pizzicato began a fundraiser called Dough 4 Dollars. Through the program, Pizzicato will work with a local school to designate a date during which 20 percent of the location’s daily
earnings will be donated to that school. In 2014, Pizzicato gave nearly $100,000 to local schools through the Dough 4 Dollars fundraiser. “[Dough 4 Dollars] gives a lot to the community, and these scholarships will only continue that,” Vessells said PSU Foundation Communications Manager Tanya Gross works for the Donor Engagement sector. Gross said, “[PSU] benefits greatly from scholarships funded by private donors such as Pizzicato Pizza. Scholarships help attract and retain outstanding students and help make PSU an even more attractive place for students to pursue their higher education.”
PIZZICaTO EMPLOyEE nICK CaCErES prepares a salad in the campus pizzeria.
DEVIN COURTRIGHT/PSU VANGUARD
shac teams up with red cross for second blood drive of the year coLLeen Leary
During the second week of winter term, Portland State will host a blood drive in collaboration with American Red Cross. The blood drive will be held 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the third floor of Smith Memorial Student Union Jan. 12–15. This is PSU’s second drive of the 2014–15 academic year and is open to both students and non-students. The university hosts four blood drives every school year in October, January, April and August. “I can’t overstate enough how important these school blood drives are,” said Jared Schultzman, external communications manager at American Red Cross. “It’s nice to have [a] partner in the community,
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especially this long—decades long— that’s something that’s really special.” Health Educator for PSU Center for Student Health and Counseling and blood drive coordinator Gwyn Ashcom said PSU and American Red Cross have been working together for more than 30 years to coordinate blood drives on campus. “We’ve been doing the drives officially since 1979. That’s when it became more regular. Prior to that, there were drives held on campus that were as-needed,” Ashcom said. “We did one as far back as the Korean War in the 1950s.” Schultzman said PSU’s blood drives provide a large portion of the Portland metropolitan area’s blood donation supply.
“The [PSU] blood drive is the largest Red Cross mobile blood drive operation in the Portland metro area,” Schultzman added in an email. “It also happens to be the second largest Red Cross mobile blood drive in the entire Pacific Northwest region, which collects blood throughout Oregon and Washington states.” Ashcom said the Portland metro area requires 5,000 units of blood every week, and PSU provides a significant portion of that quota. Since 1979, the university’s campus blood drives have collected 21,352 pints of blood through its collaboration with American Red Cross. SHAC’s goal for the upcoming blood drive is to collect 520 individual donations.
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
“For our last drive in October we collected a total of 569 donations from individual people,” Ashcom said. “When you think about that, an individual person could save up to three people’s lives off of one donation.” PSU’s American Red Cross student group works with SHAC and the American Red Cross to coordinate blood drives on campus. Members of the group also volunteer at community blood drives and other Red Cross sponsored events. PSU Red Cross student group president Ben Thomas said the group is working to recruit volunteers and donors. “PSU is such a huge student body and unique demographic,” Thomas said.
“Other campuses it’s much easier for students to come in and be on campus. It’s really important for our student population because we have so many people. It’s a really huge opportunity for blood donations.” In the upcoming blood drive, the Red Cross student group is hoping to incentivize potential donors by offering the chance to win an iPad Air 2 in a raffle. Anyone who refers five donors can be entered into a raffle drawing for the iPad. The student group has offered promotional giveaways in the past, but this is the most substantial promotion they have done. Thomas expressed a continued need for increasing donor participation at PSU.
“We collect maybe 500 donations a week, but we have 30,000 students,” Thomas said. “Taking an hour out of your day can save someone’s life,” Ashcom said. “It really, truly is a huge difference Where else can you make such a powerful impact in such a short amount of time?” The Red Cross needs donations from all blood types and has a special need for donors with blood types of O negative, A negative and B negative. The basic eligibility requirements for blood donation are to be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be feeling well and in good overall health. Redcrossblood.org has a full list of eligibility requirements for donors.
nEWS
close encounters of the caffeinated kind PSU professor and students design espresso cup for space anna snooK
With the help of students and faculty from the engineering department at Portland State, astronauts will soon be able to enjoy espresso without a straw. It’s already possible to drink coffee and espresso in space, but the experience isnt traditional, given the current containers they use. “They’re basically drinking out of Capri Sun [ juice] bags,” said PSU Ph.D student Drew Wollman, one of the designers of the new espresso cup. An initial design for the cup was created by astronaut Don Pettit in 2009, but recently six prototypes were designed, 3-D printed, tested and patented—right here in Portland.
PSU professor Mark Weislogel, along with Wollman and PSU alumnus Ryan Jenson, created the espresso cup using specific geometric design and surface tension to deliver coffee right to an astronaut’s mouth—not an easy feat when there’s no gravity. The design has been flight-certified by NASA. “[Certification] is generally really hard—it takes two to three years to flight-certify anything,” Wollman said. “And we’ll have certified this in nine months.” Wollman and Weislogel are a part of IRPI, LLC., a technology development company created by Jenson that made sure the cups were ready for certification.
In November, Nathan Ott, an engineering intern and high school student at Beaverton’s School of Science and Technology, presented the design to the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics in San Francisco, California. According to Weislogel, the prototypes are set to be delivered to NASA for demonstrations this month. The prototypes are set to launch in April on cargo resupply mission Space X CRS-6 to the International Space Station. The project came about after an Italian espresso machine was built to accompany Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti into space. “When we heard that, we were excited because it’s a very compli-
neW student trustee appointed
MarIa CarOLIna GOnZaLEZ-PraTS, Portland state's new student trustee. COURTESY Of MARK O ROGERS PHOTOGRAPHY
cated liquid,” Weislogel said. According to Weislogel, the basic components of espresso—the foam, the steam, the aroma, the way the coffee separates— are dictated by gravity. He was interested in finding out what happens to espresso when gravity is omitted. The aromatic part of the experience is important, according to Wollman. “Taste is highly dependent on the olfactory system,” he said. The cup’s design helps create crema, the thin layer of foam on top of well-brewed espresso, in a low-gravity environment. Astronauts will be able to enjoy the texture and aroma as if they were on Earth. The cup is designed specifically with espresso in mind, but saM BaKKiLa
Maria Carolina GonzalezPrats, a Ph.D student at the Portland State School of Social Work, became the new student trustee on the Portland State Board of Trustees on Dec. 12, 2014. The board is comprised of fifteen members including one student representative. PSU President Wim Wiewel serves on the board as a non-voting member. Gonzalez-Prats noted that her work with the Veterans Resource Center and the Women’s Resource Center has connected her with the PSU community and inspired her to continue serving the university. “I’ve been pretty involved in the Veterans Resource Center,” Gonzalez-Prats said. “That was my niche when I first got here. I served in the Army from ’98–04, so as a returning, non-traditional student coming back from the workforce, it was a good entry for me to connect with other veterans and learn more about my GI bill.” Gonzalez-Prats said she also worked with the Women’s Resource Center on several projects related to her doctoral research. “My research is around military sexual trauma; that
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION COURTESY Of MIKE RODHDE THROUGH CREATIVE COMMONS
Weislogel and Wollman are exploring the behavior of other liquids in the cup as well—milk, tea, water, even peach-mango smoothies. They experiment with microgravity simulation using the Dryden Drop Tower at PSU, which provides them with two seconds of microgravity. Ott participated in a summer internship where he conducted experiments and took measurements for several projects involving the drop tower. “We can set up rigs and cameras inside the drop tower so we can record the drop while it’s happening,” Ott said. From what’s re-
corded, they can do data analysis to find out what happened in the drop tower. After the cups are sent to NASA for demonstrations, Weislogel and Wollman expect to research and explore other applications for the particular geometry of the cup. “Our plan is outreach and fun,” said Weislogel. “But our main drive here is to demonstrate the tools that went into engineering the cup.” Ott said these tools could be used for anything from wastewater treatment to fuel distribution to life support systems in space.
is the term for sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military,” Gonzalez-Prats said. “I’m really looking at the impact of gender exclusionary policies like Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, as well as combat exclusion [for women in direct combat roles] to see what kind of culture that creates.” Gonzalez-Prats declined to state her position on specific campus issues, including the resolution to create an armed police force. “At the moment I’m not prepared [to comment], I’m still literally being on-boarded,” Gonzalez-Prats said. “I’ve gone to several of the meetings— and I’ve been impressed by both the supporters and the opponents of the change. Rigorous debate is healthy and lends itself to a more engaged student body. I hope that continues.” Gonzalez-Prats is the second student to serve as trustee. She replaced Pamela Campos-Palma, who graduated from PSU and is now a graduate student at New York University. Associated Students of PSU President Eric Noll explained that Gonzalez-Prats was chosen through a rigorous selection process that included an application and interview conducted by ASPSU, followed by
approval by the Governor’s Office and the Senate Rules Committee. Noll said that only four applications were submitted, but that they were all of high quality. “Because the selection process had to fall within the course of the Governor’s timeline, applicants had to complete a lengthy application in a three-week window,” Noll said. This included seven short essays discussing applicants’ policy experience, experience working with marginalized communities and shared governance, among other topics. Noll explained that ASPSU is working to create a relationship in which it provides support to the student trustee while the student trustee maintains independence from student government. This separation, Noll said, will enable ASPSU to serve as a true advocacy body when engaging with the board. “Moving forward, we’re going to be doing extensive work with [Gonzalez-Prats] to on-board her to the position and to build a relationship between the student trustee and ASPSU, so they don’t have to do all of the research on their own,” Noll said.
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
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OPINION
psu under the gun Keeping students safe from gun-carrying officers
Simply Complicated by David Wooldridge
The Portland State Board of Trustees, of which only a single person out of 15 is a student, has decided that we are to have an armed police force to replace our currently unarmed campus security. While I consider this move to arm and christen a law-enforcement organization specific to the PSU campus to be poorly-timed, ill-conceived, out of touch with the needs of the student body, a poor use of university funds, a wonderful opportunity for future “excessive use of force” litigation and fertile ground for the wrongful death of supposed “criminals,” the board has determined that it is a good use of the university’s money, despite student and faculty outcry. It seems as though a governing body, with no incentive to cater to the will of the students they govern, will, in fact, make decisions that are not in the interests of those students. Transitioning the Campus Public Safety Office into an armed police force might actually make students safer if it was the case that students were routinely victimized by violent, weapon-toting aggressors, but the data shows that is not a problem many students at PSU face.
According to the Campus Security & Fire Report published online yearly through the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998, the most common crimes perpetrated on the PSU campus are burglaries and drug crimes. Reported rates (though not necessarily the best indicator) of violent crimes such as physical or sexual assault are very low in comparison to those of burglary or drug crimes. So I have a question: For which one of these crimes would a gun be the best solution? While a victim might feel as though two to the chest might solve the problem, the justice system, though imperfect, has a solution for these perpetrators and it does not come at the barrel of a gun. Therefore, it would make sense to give a campus police force the power to prosecute perpetrators of violent crime and bring them to justice, but that doesn’t necessitate the use or possession of firearms. According to a report made by the PSU Task Force on Public Safety, one way in which PSU could further the safety of students is by having an on-campus police force who might have the ability to, independent of the Portland Police Bureau, apply for search warrants, involuntarily detox individuals under the influence, perform a mental health hold on an individual and follow up on cases of sexual assault. These powers do not require the use or possession of a firearm and I really must wonder why the armament agenda has been pushed so much in the name of safety when no use for the thing is to be found. There is one thing I believe unites all people—they feel uncomfortable when surrounded by people, no matter how well-intentioned, who openly carry lethal weapons. It doesn’t matter what uniform the carrier of the weapon is wearing so long as they are allowed to carry a weapon that, upon the depression of a trigger, could end my life. That is an irreconcil-
Photo illustration courtesy of Scott Davidson through Creative Commons
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Vanguard | january 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
able power differential which will make me feel unsafe—and that’s without any racial profiling thrown into the mix. Luckily the Board of Trustees has taken the decision out of the hands of students, so it doesn’t make any sense to appeal to the gods of logic, self-governance, good taste and ethical use of money for some sort of solution. Instead, let us consider pragmatic approaches to prevent our newly mandated police force from murdering innocent people with impunity—something the American police force at large has yet to tackle in a meaningful way. Here is what I propose: 1. All PSU officers must wear body cameras at all times. All interactions with students or the public must be recorded by body camera. Any officer who does not follow this, depending on the action taken while the camera is off and reported by witnesses, should be penalized. If an officer discharges their weapon with the camera off it is grounds for immediate termination and legal action, as they should not be considered on-duty unless the camera is operational. 2. All firearm holsters should have a silent alarm that informs the Campus Public Safety Office immediately upon the unholstering of the firearm, along with which officer unholstered their weapon and where they are. In this way, the safety office may inform the campus quickly for lockdown purposes and will be able to best help the Portland police in the case of an emergency. 3. Any officer permitted to use a firearm on duty must maintain a regular relationship with a mental health professional (at least one meeting per month). If the officer is seen as unfit for duty in any way, then they should be relieved of their weapon or post if deemed appropriate. 4. Except in cases of violent or sexual crime, the PSU student government should have final say in whether or not cases involving PSU students should move to the judicial system. Any tickets or fines issued by campus police must first be approved by student government. 5. Any money received through tickets and fines issued by the campus police force must go to a fund completely outside the sphere of influence of student government, campus police or the Board of Trustees to ensure the interests in making money through punitive measures do not incentivize harassment of the student body. Seeing as though the student body has thus far had no say in the decision to arm campus officers, students should not be punished for its existence, nor should the campus police’s existence be justified through punitive moneymaking schemes. The issue comes down to a few simple things. People who are trained with firearms will find a time in which to use them. Crimes that are committed at PSU do not necessitate the use of firearms, nor would the availability of firearms help campus police do their jobs any more efficiently than if they were fitted with less-than-lethal options. When a campus police officer shoots someone (it’s going to happen sooner or later), there will be major costs involved; even if the shooting is justified, these costs will affect students and student tuition rates, yet will not affect those who made this decision for us. The costs of implementing and maintaining a properly armed and accountable police force will be a constant drain on university resources. In order to offset this cost, officers will likely have to issue fines and citations which will directly affect students and faculty. We might be able to afford a better trained and more capable campus safety, but guns we just cannot afford.
OPInIOn
deputiZing cpso discourages crime Portland Portents by Derek Sun
Much debate has taken place over the past several months about whether or not it would be useful to provide Campus Public Safety Officers with weapons. Arming officers, many people argue, would be an unnecessary and excessive step that would not increase the overall security of Portland State’s campus. Another common point raised is the worry that officers will take advantage of being armed to exert more control over students and profile people of color, leading to tensions and violence. The recent killings and protests in Ferguson, Missouri, and other locations across America are painful and sobering indications of the dangers of having armed police. There are, however, a number of reasons why allowing campus security to have and use firearms would be beneficial, and why arming PSU’s CPSO ought to be considered. By letting campus police possess arms, people planning on committing crimes on campus would be more likely to reconsider their attempts, and the knowledge that campus officers now regularly carry weapons may discourage criminals from approaching campus. For stopping criminals and intimidating them sufficiently to stop them during crimes in progress, guns would be extremely effective. With weapons, officers would feel less threatened when dealing with crimes, could perform their jobs more successfully and might also be able to provide more assistance to people in need. If used appropriately and effectively, weapons for CPSO would be a positive and useful addition to the security of the university. With recent increased awareness and scrutiny on police brutality, it is absolutely vital and proper that people be concerned about how much power and resources police are allowed to have. Not allowing police to have weapons, however, is not the most effective solution to preventing cases of injustice committed by police. To begin with, campus security can be provided with a certain trial period in which some officers carry arms, and if no incidents occur over a
period of several months, gradually more officers can be equipped with guns. All officers who receive guns must also receive authorized training in handling weapons, so that the danger of violent incidents is minimized. The university administration and CPSO must maintain vigilance over behavior of officers and receive feedback from students and other members of the PSU community on how well the trial period is proceeding and whether any changes have taken place. It is also crucial for the university and the city of Portland to take any reported instances of police abusing power se-
riously. The public should keep observations of police and publicize police brutality cases, and they should fight for efforts to have officers disciplined, rather than preventing them from having weapons that can stop crimes and stop criminals from further action. Body cameras may be a useful tool for overseeing police actions, as the experiences of some communities that have adopted body cameras indicates. Letting campus police wield guns may be a tremendous step in power for the university and may appear to be an unwelcome decision, but could also bring some tangible benefits to PSU. a CaMPUS PUBLIC SaFETy OFFICEr shows his currently available arms, including pepper spray and a baton.
CORINNA SCOTT/VANGUARD ARCHIVES
Letter to tHe edItor CaMPus sMoKING BaN Is PusHING studeNts aWaY sean hUggins PSU student
As a smoker, I feel compelled to finally speak up and no longer be silent about this issue that has now raised itself. This ban on smoking on the Portland State campus is both dangerous to the school and damaging to its smoking students. It is dangerous to this wonderful university on the grounds that smokers like me now have an incentive to leave. We, as a group of individuals, almost universally accept designated smoking areas and smoke-free zones. Sure, they hinder our ability to fulfill our right to use a legal product as we see fit, but it does smell horrible to others and most people don’t want to smell it night and day. We can see, as respectful members of the community, that other people also have rights, and that there needs to be a way for both
smokers and non-smokers to be a part of a community that is diverse in that way. But this ban signals to me that non-smokers are no longer even trying to be respectful. We smokers are not wanted here anymore, and at least I would prefer if you (universal “you”) were at least honest about your distaste for me. I am happy to just go somewhere else, where I can do my thing in peace and relative acceptance in a community that does not mind me, but I have a right to know when I am not wanted. This banning of smoking tells me that I need to file my money to some other college that accepts smokers or work on funding a university that will accept smokers. We are a part of the community and we, as individuals, do have a right to not associate with those who do not like us.
For my part, I did want to attend a graduate program here, but this ban does dissuade me from doing so. Without remorse or thanks I must say, I will put in my last two terms and be done with this place. I hope other smokers do likewise. But this gets at the heart of the problem for us as students too. We smokers also require an education, and by banning us from the university we are disenfranchised from the only thing that can secure us a good future. My ability to do my best for my community is now diminished by this ban. This ban hurts everyone, and it destroys individual prospects at a time when we need them most. Hopefully this too, like most things, shall pass. I just hope it does so soon, for the sake of PSU and myself.
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
9
OPInIOn
Just give them a Bench aN aLL-or-NotHING aPProaCH to BaNNING sMoKING Is tHe WroNG aPProaCH
a STUDEnT smokes on a bench outside of Lincoln Hall.
against the Current Sebastian Richardson
the citizen-run Portland Parks Board has recently recommended a potential smoking ban for all Portland parks. City Commissioner Amanda Fritz plans to propose the ban to the city council sometime in January. It could go into effect soon after. While smoking is already banned in certain public spaces in Portland such as Pioneer Square, this ban would encompass all of Portland’s 209 parks. Such a ban would not only include cigarettes but also cigars, cigarillos, kreteks, hookah pipes, chew, snuff, smokeless tobacco, and e-cigarettes and vaporizers. Already, 64 Oregon cities (along with Los Angeles, New York, San Jose, Philadelphia and Chicago) have banned smoking in public parks. Portland very well might be an eager addition to this list. Portland State’s campus will also see a similar ban go into effect Fall 2015. Banning smoking in public places is one of those issues where initially I sort of just shrugged my shoulders and said, “Makes sense, because you know, public health and stuff.” However, the more I read into the issue the more I felt less sympathetic to this plight and more attached to the sentiment of, “Wait a second, personal liberties and stuff !” For those who make their health a priority or who have lost a family member to lung cancer, such a ban is a no-brainer. Public parks are for everyone and non-smokers have rights which should be protected. But what about smokers’ rights? Most people won’t argue that if someone wishes to smoke that is their own business and personal choice. I have no interest in having a discussion about whether or not people should smoke. Not that it should be a surprise to anyone, but inhaling anything into your lungs, whether it is cigarette smoke, marijuana or e-cigarettes, is clearly bad for you. While we could have a discussion about the varying degrees of potential harm, that is not an issue I want to explore. One of my biggest qualms with these proposals is the fact that they provide no particular alternative for smokers. With smoking already banned in bars and near any entrance or exit, and with the potential addition of parks and the university campus to that list, the places where smokers can seek a safe haven to smoke are quickly decreasing. While an argument can be based on the fact that 80 percent of Multnomah County does not smoke, it’s unfair to just say “tough luck” to the people who do. Smokers are a minority, but their rights should be protected. I agree that people should not smoke in places where their smoke will be too burdensome, but I feel these initiatives are sort of tongue-in-cheek toward smoking in general. They treat smoking as an activity that shouldn’t simply be relocated but as something that should disappear completely. It’s as if by making it more difficult to enjoy a cigarette they hope to eradicate smoking altogether. When looking at the reasons for banning smoking in public parks, they fail to convey a rational and well-thought-out egalitarian approach.
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CHRISTIAN PROfETA/PSU VANGUARD
The first reason listed by the Portland Parks Board in their recommendation to ban smoking is to “be consistent with [Portland Parks and Recreation’s] mission: ‘Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland.’” Similar rhetoric is found in PSU’s smoking policy, which hopes to maintain a “sustainable and healthy campus environment.” Following this logic, shouldn’t we also ban McDonald’s and all potentially “unhealthy behavior” which might take place in Portland parks? Not surprisingly, the Portland Parks Board is quick to hide behind the talking point of “protecting children,” but their recommendation goes beyond the mere threat of secondhand smoke. For the Portland Parks Board, even seeing a smoker could potentially hurt a child by encouraging them to “start a habit that is difficult to quit.” Already there are rules preventing people from smoking within 25 feet of a children’s play structure, picnic tables or designated children’s areas. The idea of banning a legal action which is done by adults who are capable of making their own personal decisions is worrisome. We wouldn’t tell an obese person to stay away from children because it might foster bad habits. People jump at the opportunity to stand up for children’s health and wellness, but what about the parents who need to have a smoke so they can better cope with the fact that their snotty 4-year-old child running through the park is ruining all their hopes and dreams? Who will stand up for their rights? As far as the university campus goes, I can’t imagine such
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
a ban to be any more effective than the Clean Air Corridor. Such an initiative also has the potential to give Portland police and our soon-to-be-armed Campus Public Safety Officers another reason to hassle people who were simply minding their own business, having a quick smoke on their walk home or during a study break. Along with that, PSU’s campus boundaries are fairly difficult to ascertain and will probably provide a lot of confusion for PSU students, employees and visitors. I can’t help but feel people are under the illusion of an all- ornothing sort of approach. I, for one, wish there could be some sort of compromise, possibly the implementation of clearly designated smoking areas, or perhaps prohibiting smoking during certain hours when children are frequently at parks. These initiatives, under their current proposed forms, are too ambiguous and fail to account for where smoking, a legal act, might take place. They indirectly try to dissuade people from making their own decisions for reasons that aren’t all that convincing from a civil rights standpoint. All I’m saying is give smokers a bench or a covered area away from the constant traffic of people. A place that is also not horribly inconvenient. Most smokers won’t mind having their own private place away from crowds to indulge free from judgment. I’m sure they hate hearing people complain about smoking as much as other people hate having smoke blown in their face.
Watch the video story online at psuvanguard.com
OPInIOn
the viking pavilion, a renovation for all The Campus Oracle by Nathan Anderson
I chose to attend Portland State for a number of reasons, but one of the most influential is PSU’s lack of cult-like sports fanaticism that dominates the culture of so many universities across the country. Universities are schools, and as such, their focus should be on conducting research and teaching students the skills needed to succeed in life, a process culminating in students earning a college degree. Unfortunately, many universities have become little more than a breeding ground for sports fanatics, and it seems that an ever-increasing number of institutions for higher education are becoming sports-centered businesses. Their paying customers are the students and fans who mindlessly cheer on the school team and fork over lots and lots of cash for the privilege. A perfect example of this phenomenon is at the University of Oregon, where last year the new Football Performance Center was unveiled. The center cost an estimated $68 million and is considerably more opulent than what many NFL teams possess.
Considering the exponential rise in tuition over the past two decades, I find this practice of sports worship highly offensive. The UO’s proud unveiling of its grandiose and completely unnecessary Football Performance Center, with its country-club, day-spa atmosphere, helped cement my choice to attend PSU. So it was with a rising frustration that I read in a recent issue of the Vanguard that PSU President Wim Wiewel has requested $1.5 million from the Student Fee Committee for “a major renovation” to the Peter Stott Center. The newly renovated building will be renamed the Viking Pavilion and Academic Center. Currently, the Stott Center, located next to Millar Library, is PSU’s athletic center and provides recreational areas; a running track; classrooms; various squash, basketball, racquetball and other courts; and some office space. According to the PSU website, the Stott Center recently benefited from a $1 million grant for various unspecified improvements. So why does Wiewel want more money from us, the students, to upgrade a building that has already received money for upgrades? According to the previous Vanguard article, the money would be used to “add 30,000 square feet of space for studying, tutoring, advising, and health and physical education classes. It will also include a 5,500-seat pavilion that will provide space for sporting events, academic symposia, concerts and other programs.” Well now. Studying spaces, classrooms and concert spaces? Maybe this idea isn’t so bad. The PSU campus has many aging buildings, and the Stott Center is no exception. PSU seems to have paid attention to the needs of its entire student body and has fixed, maintained and rebuilt as necessary to meet the needs of its student population. The School of Business building will be receiving a huge, $60 million renovation beginning
in Aug. 2015 which will almost triple the square footage of the building to bring it in line with the needs of current and future students. While there is much progress yet to be made (the Smith Memorial Student Union in particular needs attention—something that the school has acknowledged and is working on), the fact that PSU is working to benefit all students and not just a select few that can bring them the most return on investment is a welcome breath of fresh air. It’s also important to keep in mind that many athletic spaces are not the sole domain of athletes. For example, I would be thrilled if the new Viking Pavilion were to incorporate two or three more squash courts, as squash is truly a wonderful way to pass time and vent frustrations after a long day of hard studying. I’m no athlete, but a game of squash is right up my alley. With a student population of nearly 30,000, any increase in spaces for studying and classroom use is welcome. Lack of study space is often a big problem at large universities and with Portland’s famously poor weather and the lack of student housing on campus, PSU students need as much indoor space as possible to learn and to be taught. My previous college suffered from an extreme lack of studying and teaching space—to the extent that students were studying in their cars and faculty were teaching classes in their offices. While PSU is not nearly that bad, having quiet areas to study is of paramount importance. I’m glad Wiewel puts the needs of all students first, rather than a select few. If the Viking Pavilion can truly be used as an all-inclusive building, offering something that every student can benefit from, then I support using student fees to help modernize it and make it more inviting for the PSU community. a rEnDErInG of the proposed Viking Pavilion's east facing.
COURTESY Of PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
11
COVER
Board of trustees
approves armed officers Jordan Paige
On Dec. 11 the Board of Trustees voted 11–2 to approve a resolution that will turn Portland State campus public safety officers into a sworn and armed police force. The vote came despite opposition from some students, staff and faculty. The resolution allows candidate recruitment for a sworn force to begin immediately. The vote took place at the University Place Hotel. During the vote, Public Safety Commitee Chair Tom Imeson proposed an amendment to withhold deployment of the armed officers until after the board meeting on June 11. It passed unamimously. Trustee Maude Hines, who voted against the resolution,
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proposed another amendment to withhold firearms authorization entirely until the June meeting. It failed 4–9. Hines had pointed out that there was insufficient data on the impact that armed police have on campuses. Some who opposed Hines’ amendment were concerned that prolonging the firearms decision would perpetuate the debate, which they described as an excruciating environment.
President Wim Wiewel said that he had initially been skeptical of the decision to transition to a sworn police force. Wiewel said it was the Task Force on Campus Safety that ultimately changed his mind. “I did not like the idea of spending more money or having sworn and armed police officers on campus, but that report made a very strong case...There are a lot of things a public safety officer cannot
Vanguard | january 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
RACHAEL BENTZ/PSU VANGUARD
do and that a sworn police officer can do,” Wiewel said. Now that the proposal has been approved, Chief of Campus Public Safety Phillip Zerzan said PSU’s safety department is tasked with taking careful steps to ensure extensive training for sworn officers on campus. “All of the campus public safety has a certain level of training,” Zerzan said. “There are some officers that are former police officers that work here that just have to reactivate their certification, and there are other officers that will have to be hired and there will be other officers that have to go through academy training.”
Protests and public comments Hours before the Dec. 11 board meeting, a rally against the proposal convened in the PSU Park Blocks. Speaking through a megaphone, student and PSU Student Union member Leona Kindermann criticized university administration for not taking student engagement seriously. “The people at the top making the decisions are so disconnected they don’t understand what this really means to us. They don’t get that if this decision goes through, we’re the ones who are going to have to live with it on the grounds here every single day,” Kindermann added.
From the Park Blocks, protesters marched to the University Place Hotel where they staged a “die-in.” Those attending the meeting stepped over the bodies of students. Despite the demonstration, the board meeting convened as planned. Chairman of the board Pete Nickerson said that the order of the docket was different from other board meetings, which usually save a 30-minute public comment period for the end of the meeting. “The executive committee thought that in light of the very weighty issue on the agenda that we should have public comment before,” Nickerson said. Nickerson added that this change had resulted in some confusion among the community about how to sign up to participate in the public comment period. During the public comment section, Marc Nisenfeld, a technologist in the PSU physics department, asked the board to pass the measure, though he had originally opposed it. Nisenfeld said that an increase of violent crimes—in particular, sexual assault— perpetuated by non-students on campus has impacted officers not only in their ability to protect students, but also to protect themselves.
“[Officers] are being physically attacked; they’re spit on, they’re vomited on, they’re urinated on and worse. I began to see a need to empower our CPSO as they have no tools for which to deal this abuse. They can’t charge someone for assaulting an officer, because they’re not officers. Nor can they compel someone to seek mental health treatment,” Nisenfeld said. Melinda Joy, an administrative liaison for Students Active for Ending Rape at PSU, commented on how this decision might affect sexual assault on campus. “No one has looked at how this will actually affect sexual assault. Research shows that students do not report to the police. You’re going to lower reporting rates by allowing police to come in here, and everyone stands up and says they know this is going to be helpful to sexual assault survivors. It is not going to be helpful,” Joy said. Wiewel cited a sexual assault case where it took three days for the Portland police to respond. "Having our public safety officers being able, by becoming sworn officers, to both pursue [cases like this one] and then to go off-campus to deal with it...I thought it was very important for them to do,” Wiewel said. Chris Fischer, both a student and a campus public
COVEr safety officer, emphasized that the passage of the proposal would afford him and his colleagues safety in an unpredictable environment and would ultimately benefit students. “Often times I am alone and unarmed when I deal with these dangerous offenders. These aren’t periodic moments of danger, but a reality of the environment that all campus public safety officers are faced with,” Fischer said. “I do so willingly and because I believe in the university and its mission. I want everyone to be safe. I want the university to be policed by others who are a part of the university and will return to the campus every day, helping students, engaging those who are in need and able to respond to the real threats in the community,” Fischer continued.
Moving forward “You won’t see [sworn officers] deployed on campus until after July of 2015,” Zerzan said. “There’s an implementation committee that will be looking at how we’re going to be implementing it—where policies and procedures are—then we go back to the Board prior to actually deploying the officers.” The board still has to approve a final resolution on policy and procedures for sworn officers at the June 11 board meeting before deployment begins. In the six months between, an implementation advisory committee will begin discussions intended to get students more involved in the implementation of the resolution. Officers will receive training that complies with state requirements—similar to training that the Portland Police Bu-
reau goes through. They will also receive additional training to be determined by the committee. When asked about the hierarchal structure between the forthcoming PSU Police Department and the PPB, Zerzan said, “They will be completely separate entities, and what we will develop is a memorandum of understanding which gives us primary jurisdiction over the campus, and that will be signed and agreed to by both parties. We don’t answer to the [PPB]. We’re a separate institution that answers to the university, and that already exists and will continue to exist. ” Zerzan added that campus officer jurisdiction is a recognition that campus police are unique. “Policing [PSU]should be something that is accountable and is reflective of the
values and mission of university,” Zerzan said. “We are a community within a community. It’s what Thomas Jefferson called ‘the academic village.’ So, we want to have a police department that is reflective of that mission and also the fact that we are kind of a separate community.” President of Associated Students of PSU Eric Noll spoke on the level of student involvement in this process. “When it comes to the development of the process from the very beginning, from when the original task force was started, the overall student body has not been involved in the process in the way they should’ve been,” Noll said. “Moving forward, it’s our hope to work with the implementation advisory committee to make students more a part of the implementation.”
“There are 650 campuses around the United States that have sworn police officers, so we don't have to invent this wheel.”
-Wim Wiewel DEMOnSTraTOrS stage a die-in protesting the decision to arm campus police.
Noll explained that he and Rayleen McMillian, ASPSU vice president, are charged with recommending students to sit on the implementation advisory committee that would report to the president’s office and work directly with CPSO. He added that the vision of student involvement wasn’t entirely clear. “Honestly, I don’t know what student involvement is going to look like moving forward until we have a chance to consult with other members of the committee and what they want to see, but it will be our role to come into that space and try to open it up as much as possible to the student body,” Noll said. Noll said that there was definitive consideration of community opinion that went into the resolution. “Whether it was visual or not, what was said in forums and what was said by the students who testified at the hearings and who engaged throughout the last four months really was heard by the folks in the decisionmaking seats. Maybe not all of them, but enough of them,” Noll said. “The first resolution we saw was fairly bare bones and vague, and after having a chance to engage it and talk with board members in a meaningful way—with decision-makers in a meaningful way—we were able to get the resolution to a place where, while going against the wishes of the protesters in this case, sets us up to have a much more inclusive process,” he added. In addition to the implementation committee, a permanent oversight committee will be established. The committee will likely include students, faculty and staff and will be in charge of receiving and responding to any complaints. This is meant to ensure accountability for campus officers. Noll further emphasized that students will make the most difference by engaging with the advisory committee in the implementation process. He suggested that protesters may still have some hope in preventing weapons on campus. “We have an opportunity through this implementa-
tion committee to say, ‘OK, this is where the Board wants us to go—now how do we do this right?’ So I think we need to be looking at it with that lens moving forward to make the most out of the implementation advisory committee’s recommendations, but that doesn’t in any way exclude, at the same time, conversations about alternatives,” Noll said.
training and implementation The board, Wiewel said, wants to see the implementation plan before anything goes into effect. “We will do it gradually. We can only train so many people at a time,” he said. “We can only hire so many peple at a time. We kind of want to see how it works. We dont want to spend anymore money than what is absolutely necessary.” Wiewel said that he doesnt think that he will be involved in the training process. While he might give a brief talk, the process will be determined by the implementation advisory committee. Wiewel said that the committee can look to other universities’ policies and procedures. “We don't have to invent this wheel,” he said. According to the Campus Safety FAQ, in addition to complying with state requirements for certification, PSU's officers will receive six months of PSU-specific training including “CPR, mulitcultural competency, deescalation techniques and federal reporting mandates.” The force's training is meant to support and maintain PSU's unique environment, the FAQ stated. “So, you have the academy, then you have six months of follow-up training and then in-service training,” Zerzan said. “Part of the attractiveness of this proposal is we as a university get to decide what that training will look like—what areas are of specific importance to us. Areas that were mentioned were: cultural competency, dealing with the mentally ill, deescalation techniques. Those are all things that will be incorporated to enter our own training program.” Additional reporting by Jaime Dunkle.
Watch the video story online at psuvanguard.com ADAM GRACE/PSU VANGUARD
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
13
arTS & CULTUrE
our league of legends CaMPus GaMers CoMPete NatIoNaLLY, But WHere's tHe LoVe? Jon raBy
Last year Trevor Hawkins and his four teammates sat at their computers, nervously chatting on microphones before a hugely influential sports match. Each player had a unique ability that benefited their team in a different way, all in a fight for domination and destruction of the other team’s base. Their opponents were rated far higher than they were; three of five were challenger tier—the highest rank—while their team members were mostly three tiers lower. Their defining mistake was made before the game even began. They got psyched out, and fears began to crowd the microphones. The game was League of Legends, a video game that falls into the genre of multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA, in which players compete to destroy opponents’ defensive structures across a vast map using an array of unique characters. The tournament was the North American Collegiate Championship. Winning that match meant a trip to the game’s publisher, Riot studios, in California; entry into the final stages of the competition; and a chance at fame and glory. Hawkins’ team’s only two losses in the tournament occurred then, so close to their goal. Their hopes fell as they made small mistakes and lacked the speed and the decisive team play required in a game where every mistake increases the other team’s lead exponentially. In this game they were representatives for Portland State, but the majority of PSU students had no idea who they were or that the tournament was even happening. “We didn't get recognized or anything like that, so it felt like a regular tourney,� Hawkins said. Currently, those planning to compete for PSU are more like renegades, fighting their own battle while the school takes no part. This certainly creates more of a challenge
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for them, as they will be battling some schools which support their players.
the rise of esports For many, video game competitions represent a new trend changing the face of traditional sports. Esports, as they are termed, are growing in popularity as competitions begun from home computers are making it to massive stadiums, like the World Cup Stadium in Seoul, Korea, where the League of Legends World Championship was held in 2014. The championship was an international competition for the best of the best in League of Legends. The majority of competitors were sponsored with coaches and funding. The stadium held 45,000 people. The 2013 finals had 32,00,000 online views, according to the game’s website. These figures, and esports in general, are just beginning to blow up. While LoL is likely the most popular and userfriendly of esports right now, it is not the only one. DOTA 2, Starcraft 2, and first-person shooters such as Counterstrike and Call of Duty also bring in huge numbers of players and viewers. Large news sources are acknowledging the growth of esports as well. The New
York Times, The New Yorker and The Wall Street Journal are among other national papers and magazines running articles on rising esport popularity, school scholarships and iconic men and women of the sport. The 2014 LoL world championship prize pool was $2,130,000, while DOTA 2’s 2014 world tournament hovered at almost $11,000,000, according to esportsearnings.com. While these numbers pale in comparison to those of traditional sports, they still display a monetary reason for more to become involved in esports’ growth. Colleges across America are being influenced by the new esports trend as well. LoL’s NACC is one example, and a way for PSU students to get involved professionally with esports. “Esports is a great way for us to showcase our school’s talent. With the NACC, we can do just that while also earning a chance for a scholarship,� said Kiki Teruya, a member of the PSU League of Legends club.
the local chapter One way students are working at building a LoL team is through the PSU League of Legends club. “At this point, it’s really all about interests, who's
interested in competing in the NACC, who’s interested in testing their skill level to see how far they can go,� said PSU LoL’s club president Vy Le. “Perhaps in the future, when our club is more well-known and is bigger, we can seriously think about forming a single team that represents the PSU [LoL] community.� Teruya set up an event for PSU LoL in early January called the Snowdown Showdown, which was intended to be an icebreaker for the members of the club. The showdown boasted 16 teams and 80 players total. Teruya said that randomizing teams was a way for club members to learn to work in teams.
“Everyone has different views and levels of knowledge. While this may be our ultimate goal, the tournament is also a great way for players to find and create teams with others who synergize well with them,� Teruya said. Another hope for a PSU esports future is the inclusion of coaches. “Our ultimate goal at PSU LoL is to have a team coordinator who will act as an analyst and coach for teams that will eventually form for the tournament,� Teruya said. Several schools across the country have already acknowledged the value of esports. One school is even subsidizing tuition in support of their esports teams. University of Chicago offered 60
students 50 percent reduced tuition for their role in various esports teams, according to The Wall Street Journal. “Compared to many of the larger schools, we have a smaller pool of students to choose from. This does not necessarily mean that we don’t have quality players,� Teruya said. Getting quality players together and formed into compatible teams is the challenge. After teams have been formed, coaches help them to improve. All of this must happen under the pressure of managing a school career and a personal life as well. Because of these challenges, it is not surprising that PSU has not officially endorsed esports. Not yet.
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FrEnCH TEaM Les Jeunes Pommes performs during a 2013 League of Legends championship.
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COURTESY Of MAMADOU278 THROUGH CREATIVE COMMONS VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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arTS & CULTUrE THOMaSIn GÜLGEÇ of the russell Maliphant dance Company.
alternative appetites MiriaM PeraLa
COURTESY Of THE SADLER'S WELLS THEATRE
russell maliphant company to perform in lincoln
Since erupting on the scene in 2011, Portlandia has been shamelessly airing the ins, outs and oddities of Portland and its locals. Now, with the help of Grace Parisi (senior recipe developer for Food & Wine magazine), its stars—Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein—have sicced their comedic scopes on the culinary scene with the release of Portlandia Cookbook: Cook Like a Local. From a strictly visual standpoint, the book is absolutely gorgeous. Using photographs from Evan Sung and illustrations by numerous local artits, it’s able to be both dynamic and twee all at once. And above that, it’s also just conceptually fun. Each recipe is inspired or paired with a character from the series, so that you might actually try one of Stu’s stews, or even roll the dice on a Gutterpunk pizza. While it’s not a particularly vegetarian-friendly cookbook, the recipes that did fall within that restriction were, on the whole, pretty darn pleasant:
rUBy King
The White Bird dance company will host the Russell Maliphant Company at Lincoln Hall from Jan. 22–24, starting each night at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $25–30, but Portland State students will be given a discounted price of $20. Along with the performance on Jan. 23, there will be a question-and-answer panel with the company, which was established in 1996 by Russell Maliphant, one of England’s leading modern dance choreographers. Maliphant and his troupe of four dancers will make their Portland debut with “Still Current,” a new program featuring duets and trios. Maliphant, who was classically trained at the Royal Ballet School, will also take to the stage in some performances. Joining Maliphant in the production is Michael Hulls, a lighting designer Maliphant has worked with since 1994; composers Armand Amar, Andy Cowton and Mukul; and costume designer Stevie Stewart.
“[Maliphant] likes working on a very small, intimate scale. Ten dancers would be somewhat of a stretch for him,” said Walter Jaffe, one of the co-founders of the White Bird dance company. Jaffe launched White Bird in 1997 alongside co-founder Paul King after moving to Portland and seeing the potential the city had. Portland has become a hothouse for dance, with companies such as Oregon Ballet Theatre, BodyVox, Northwest Dance Project and Polaris Dance headlining what’s new and current in dance. PSU had its own dance program before it was axed in the 1990s. Jaffe wanted to bring dance back to PSU and created White Bird’s Uncaged program, which regularly brings dance to Lincoln Hall and other local spots like the Newmark Theatre, a location accessible to the PSU community. Uncaged got its name from the feeling White Bird was attempting to convey, a program that is out of the box, innovative and aware of artists and creators that aren’t well-
known to Portland or other parts of the world. Maliphant’s work, while a part of this program, is highly regarded and established in England. Later in the spring, White Bird will host New Israeli Voices in Dance for its American premiere. “Maliphant is very contemporary, combining different forms of movement. I saw the program a year ago in London and I was immediately struck by the intimacy and the fluidity of movement,” Jaffe said. There is nothing fancy about Maliphant’s work, no bells and whistles to make the productions ornate. The lighting, according to Jaffe, is one of the most important aspects. Because the sets are so minimal, the interaction between dancers and light is what sets Maliphant apart from the rest. He is also continually exploring the relationship between dance, music and light. “You connect with the dancers because they are very individual. They look like us, but they don’t move like us,” Jaffe said.
summer Market Basket salad Granted, almost all of these ingredients are out of season, but with a few organic (albeit
frozen) substitutions, it’s still totally do-able. But, because of this fact, I’d suggest doubling the suggested jalapeño quantity, because mild winter jalapeños leave it tasting more like a gazpacho—sweet and acidic—than a bold salad. With that said, this was still a wonderfully crisp, light and summery dish. The dressing, however, is much thicker and less attractive than you’d expect, which is probably why the reference photo showed the salad undressed.
Marionberry Pancakes I found these to be a little thin, especially considering they’d had both leaveners and whipped egg whites added. But their texture was still light, airy and moist. As the recipe predicts, I simply couldn’t get my hands on any marionberries, but some plump blackberries were a perfectly imperceptible substitution. I would suggest making the compote ahead of time, though, for thickness if not for ease. And really, the only part of these pancakes that wasn’t soul-satisfyingly great would be the addition of ricotta. Supposedly it aids in the moistness
department and gives the cake center a custardy quality, but I found that it was difficult to incorporate and not particularly superior to buttermilk.
spicy Garlic Pickles The kind characters of Portlandia’s “We Can Pickle That” skit offer up five unique pickle variations that are just too hip to resist. Because it’s the only part of broccoli that I don’t particularly care for, I opted for their broccoli stem pickle and was certainly not disappointed. I would, however, suggest using a touch less salt and at least one more pepper than you think you can handle because the marriage of that spice with the pickled stem produces a flavor not unlike pickled daikon. And while I wouldn’t suggest popping them on a burger, these pickles would definitely make an intriguing brunch snack or party app. Sure, it’s a little pricey, painfully hip and some of the mockrecipes could literally kill you, but the Portlandia cookbook would still be a fun addition to any household. And, if all that fails to please, its artisan pretzel knot guide is positively todie for.
PORTLANDIA COOKBOOK COVER, CLARKSON POTTER/2014
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
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arTS & CULTUrE
sick of Being good 'WoMeN oN tHe VerGe of a NerVous BreaKdoWN' Is a darK, BeautIfuL CoMedY Victoria casteLLanos
'WOMEn On THE VErGE OF a nErVOUS BrEaKDOWn', by Pedro almodóvar.
LAURENfILM S.A. AND ORION CLASSICS|1988
5th avenue Cinema Presents
WOMEN ON THE VERGE OF A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
510 sW Hall st. friday, Jan. 9, 7 & 9:30 p.m. saturday, Jan. 10, 9:30 p.m. sunday, Jan. 11, 3:00 p.m. free for Psu students, faculty, staff and alumni
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Usher in the New Year and the term with Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s comedic masterpiece, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. The dark dramedy catapulted Almodóvar into widespread success following its international release in 1988, grossing nearly $17 million worldwide on a budget of $700,000. Previously infamous for his more idiosyncratic and scandalous films, Almodóvar’s Women is, by contrast, disarmingly charismatic. Protagonist Pepa Marcos (Carmen Maura) is a voiceover actress who dubs foreign films alongside her longtime (married) lover, Ivan (Fernando Guillén). In a bland voicemail, Ivan breaks up with Pepa, citing his own desire to never see her unhappy and requests she pack his things into a suitcase. Pepa lovingly crafts a fresh gazpacho with vegetables from her garden and blends it with a handful of sleeping pills, declaring: “I’m sick of being
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
good.” She then calmly sets her bed on fire, wholly ablaze, and puts it out with a garden hose. Meanwhile, Pepa’s friend Candela (María Barranco) is frantic because the man she had been seeing turned out to be a Shiite terrorist about to hijack a flight to Stockholm. She seeks refuge with Pepa, terrified the police will think she was involved. Mix in Ivan’s gun-toting, disturbed wife Lucia (Julieta Serrano), and you have a crazy cocktail. After being released from a mental institution, convinced that Ivan is still seeing Pepa behind her back, Lucia reveals that she only faked sanity so she could get out and kill Ivan. Women exists in an alternate reality in which coincidences are limitless and absurdity is commonplace. Case in point, actress Pepa appears in a laundry detergent commercial as the proud mother of a serial killer who washes her son’s bloodstained clothes so white that even forensics can’t link him to his crimes. Though certainly farcical and outspoken, it also has moments of unexpected poignancy. As the men around
them show their varied weaknesses, the women stand tall and refuse to be victims of their circumstances. Their characters are well-developed and manage to be both disparate and totally united. Antonio Banderas has a role as Lucia and Ivan’s stuttering son, as he apartment shops with his stuck-up fiancée, Marisa (Rossy de Palma). Young Banderas is not to be missed, if only for his funky ’80s do. Performances are strong throughout the ensemble cast, but Maura can’t help but outshine everyone. As Pepa, her weakness is short-lived and she rises from the ashes (of her bed) with dignity to show her ex who’s really going to save the day. Maura’s performance lends honesty, tenderness and realistic human characteristics to Pepa, who might otherwise come off as a one-dimensional 1980s character constantly clad in polka dots. Prior to the release of Women, Maura had starred in five Almodóvar films and was well-known as one of his go-to leading ladies. However, the onscreen chaos bled offscreen and the tension led to a 17-year
lapse in collaboration, until 2006’s Volver. To Almodóvar fans who have seen his 2009 film Broken Embraces, some scenes may look familiar; Embraces is about a director-actress relationship during the filming of her breakthrough role. Though starring Penelope Cruz, the role is about Pepa in Women. Never has a scene of a woman chopping tomatoes seemed so eloquent and heart-wrenching. Winner of five Goya awards and an Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, there’s not much to complain about in Women. It is a film still so culturally relevant that 22 years after its initial release it was reworked as a Broadway musical starring Patti LuPone. Aside from occasionally lagging in pace, it is snappy, satirical and visually luscious and vibrant. From Pepa’s lively ’80s getups to her expansive terrace garden, colors abound. It’s playful and nuanced in ways that perhaps only Almodóvar is capable of pulling off, and not to be missed on the big screen in stunning 35mm quality.
ARTS & CULTURE
Comply and read 'Bitch Planet' Andy Anady
Portland writer and Eisner Award nominee Kelly Sue DeConnick is wellknown for her feminist writing. Her skill has inspired a firm following, which has extended to her run of Captain Marvel and her original series Pretty Deadly. Her new series, Bitch Planet—with an actual honest-to-god intelligent use of a gendered slur—follows this trend. The planet in Bitch Planet refers to the off world prison to which noncompliant women are banished. A self-proclaimed lover of exploitation and womenin-prison films of the ’60s, DeConnick publicly admits how uncomfortable these movies make her.
And that is totally understandable, as it’s hard to find something to like that isn’t exploitative or otherwise problematic, but Bitch Planet is an answer to that discomfort. If something is wrong, remake it so it’s less awful. Even Orange is the New Black has its problems in race and sexuality, and no matter how progressive it is there’s still space for criticism. It’s too early to call Bitch Planet our comic book savior. So far we’ve only seen one issue, with the second poised to release on Jan. 14, but it’s already addressed a number of different problems inherent in the medium. DeConnick admits that while comics are notorious
for creating exploitative images for the sake of drumming up public disapproval, and thus benefit by straddling both the high and low road, Bitch Planet is a purposeful attempt to avoid that pitfall. The issue even concludes with a four-page article about internalized oppression by Danielle Henderson, a tall woman of color who keeps a popular website, as well as an article by a staff writer for Rookie. The only negative thing to say about the comic is that there are two black men who are seemingly orchestrating the prison as a whole, which is unsettling because black men are often pinned as the epitome of misogyny so as to discredit their experience in racism
while shifting blame away from white men. But it’s still too early in the series to really know the function of these men and who they are in Bitch Planet. They also might be controlling the towering image of a woman that is essentially a fancy sci-fi intercom: an entirely pink, nun-habitwearing giant with a huge gap between her thigh-high boots and panties, with boobs pouring over the top of her corset. She tells Marian Collins, a woman put in the prison by her ex-husband’s complaints of her noncompliance, to “please step forward and confess your sins,� referring to her as girl and angel, as if she
wasn’t a full grown woman in orange overalls. And noncompliance is such an important issue for the women in Bitch Planet. Not only is it what sends these so-called radical women to a penal planet, but even the art surrounding every close-up of Marian Collins reinforces this issue. While her husband Mr. Collins explains how he had an affair, Marian explains how she pushed him to it. He’s looking left and she’s looking right, but his panel is on the left and hers on the right, so that even though they should be looking at each other they end up looking opposite. I’d be remiss if I left out Penelope Rolle. The first time
she appears, her weight is labeled a gluttony on par with murder. And later when she’s given her assigned uniform, Penelope asks where she’s supposed to put her “other tit,â€? only to have a masked security guard tell her that the bright orange overalls were made with her “specific measurementsâ€? in mind. There’s something inherently wonderful about hearing a fat black woman insisting that she knows her own size. It’s almost like strangers who hate you don’t know your body better than you do. Penelope knows this, clearly. Unfortunately, ÂDeConnick says that P  enelope won’t have much of a part in issue two, though she will feature prominently in issue three.
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Vanguard | january 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
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ETC
EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, Jan. 6
Wednesday, Jan. 7
Where: Clinton Street Theater 2522 SE Clinton St., Portland, OR 97202 When: 6 p.m. Cost: $8 ($10 suggested)
Where: Women’s Resource Center, Portland State University Campus When: 12–1:30 p.m.; 5–6:30 p.m. Cost: Free
Science on Tap: Parasites
Spend the evening learning and drinking at the Clinton Street Theater. This educational presentation, presented by Dr. Buddy Ullman, will teach the audience about one of the most common afflictions to the majority of the world’s population, parasites! Drinks and snacks are available, but you’re welcome to bring your own food to the show.
Portland Bitcoin Group
Where: Lucky Labrador Lounge 915 SE Hawthorne Blvd., Portland, OR 97214 When: 8–10 p.m. Cost: Free Lucky Labrador Brewery is hosting the Portland Bitcoin Group. Come and meet other bitcoin enthusiasts to trade and share experiences. Meets every first and third Tuesday. FREE
All About Scholarships
This seminar will show attendees how to find and apply for college scholarships. Mainly focusing on Portland State and the Oregon Student Assistance Commission scholarships. Presented by Anna Vetter. FREE
Thursday, Jan. 8 The Wizard of Oz Exhibit
Where: Portland Children’s Museum 4015 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221 When: 9–5 p.m. Cost: $9–10 Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the cinema classic, the Portland Children’s Museum displays interactive exhibits inspired by The Wizard of Oz. The installation is open daily until Jan. 18.
The Mystery of Irma Vep
Where: Winningstad Theater 1111 SW Broadway Dr., Portland, OR 97205 When: Thursday–Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Cost: $24–47
Winningstad Theater presents Third Rail’s rendition of The Mystery of Irma Vep, an amalgamation of Victorian literature and classic monster movies. The co-starring actors, Isaac Lamb and Leif Norby, shuffle through a multitude of different characters while personally engaging with the audience.
Friday, Jan. 9
Oregon Story Board’s Demo Day
Where: Hollywood Theatre 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR 97212 When: 2 p.m. Cost: Free The first in a series of classes showcasing the stories of five Oregon companies: Chroma, Built Oregon, Mountain Machine, Studio
Kate and A Fourth Act. Hear inspiring stories about how companies have advanced and what keeps them passionate about their field of work. FREE
Saturday, Jan. 10
Bergamot Burlesque Brunch Where: Lola’s Room 1332 W. Burnside St., Portland OR 97209 When: 12:30 p.m. Cost: $28–48
Get over Saturday morning’s hangover at Lola’s Room’s Bergamot Burlesque Brunch. Be titillated and teased old-school while throwing back mimosas and plowing through a plate of eggs Benedict. Think Moulin Rouge, with less tuberculosis. Hosted by 1970s burlesque star Gabriella Maze and MC Vincent Drambuie.
Sunday, Jan. 11
2015 Global No Pants Day
Where: TBA When: 2–7:30 p.m. Cost: Free; donations of hats, scarves and mittens welcome. Starting in 2002 as The No Pants Subway Ride, Global No Pants Day is the one day that you can leave your house without your pants (for a good cause). Bring a backpack (with pants). Bring an alibi (to stay out of trouble). FREE
Crystal Ballroom’s 101st Birthday Free-For-All
Where: Crystal Ballroom 1332 W. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97209 When: 1 p.m. Cost: Free; overnight packages $180–240 The Crystal Ballroom is throwing an all-ages and everyone-invited birthday bash. There will be music, comedy, tours of the historic building and special deals on food and drink. You can also indulge in a mini holiday and book a room at the Crystal
FREE
FEATURED EVENT The Know 10th Anniversary: Red Fang, Gaytheist, Drunk Dad Where: The Know 2026 NE Alberta St., Portland, OR 97211 When: 7:00p.m. Cost: $8
Portland’s hottest music commodity, Red Fang, rings in The Know’s 10th year of existence. This is a venue so small you can smell the stench of stale cigarettes on the band’s clothing. Definitely a show you shouldn’t miss. Recommended by the Managing Editor.
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Vanguard | january 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
PSU FREE
Hotel. The overnight packages include lodging, two meals at the Zeus and a special surprise. FREE
Monday, Jan. 12
Career Workshop: Intro to Interviewing
Where: Advising & Career Service Office, University Service Building, 402 When: 3–4 p.m. Having difficulty landing that job? Come to the Career Workshop: Intro to Interviewing and learn the skills to rock your next interview and snag the career that you want. FREE If you have an event to submit for consideration for the calendar please contact the managing editor at:
MANAGINGEDITOR@ PSUVANGAURD.COM *Inclusion is left up to the discretion of the managing editor.
21+
OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER
ETC
horoscopes John Pinney
Capricorn dec. 22–Jan. 19
Study up! This new year is a year of testing for you, both inside the classroom and out. It’s time to knuckle down, Capricorn, and put that famous stubborn streak of yours to good use.
aquarius Jan. 20–feb. 18
This new year sees you swimming along at a fast clip, but maybe you’re swimming too fast. Try slowing down a little; become one with the jellyfish. After all, Aqui, if you swim too fast, you’ll eventually miss a beautiful sunrise.
Pisces feb. 20–March 19
You won’t win every bingo game this year, Pisces, but you don’t expect to, do you? The odds are in your favor, though since you’re entering the House of Luck! If you decide to play, you just might win big.
aries March 21–april 19
Your new year will be filled with joy if you embrace your inner fat kid and eat more jelly doughnuts.
Taurus april 20–May 20
Your new year is fraught with emotional peril. Someone in your family wants to get married or remarried, and you’re not the biggest fans of each other. Learn how to tread lightly.
Gemini May 21–June 20
If I told you that this year was the year of the Gemini, would you be at all surprised? Not to let you brag or anything, but this is the year that you could make your mark if you embrace yourself.
Cancer June 21–July 22
Libra sep. 23–oct. 22
Leo July 23–aug. 22
Scorpio oct. 23–Nov. 21
This is the year of new chances and new romances, Cancer! 2015 is your year to find love, the greatest gift you’ve ever wished for yourself. Only don’t fall in love with someone with piercings. Remember, you’re looking for Mr. Right, not Mr. Right Now . Gemini gets to have a great year and you, Leo, well, you’ll just have to grin and bear it. Your house is in retrograde, your basement is about to flood and the milk you drank is two weeks expired. Update your health insurance.
Virgo aug. 23–sep. 22
Dearest Virgo, are you listening? This new year is an opportunity for you to be curious about the world! Find yourself in a new place, a new restaurant, a new car or a new friendship and embrace it all.
Get settled for an upcoming year of quiet nights at home with wine and board games, Libra. It’s not that your friends don’t want to hang out, it’s that you’re transitioning and this is that weird year where nothing feels right. But it will pass, I promise.
All that energy should go into being productive in the New Year, Scorpio. What you need is a new hobby and a new outlook based on the idea of hope. Think about it this way: Mr. Gold can only push Belle so far before she starts pushing back, and you’re not Belle in this scenario.
Sagittarius Nov. 22–dec. 21
Everybody’s favorite is gonna have a party year! Be ready for all the social engagements you can handle and then some, Saggy. Seriously, you can be the life of the party and I know that’s what you secretly want.
ELISE fURLAN/PSU VANGUARD
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across 1 Tailender's middle stump is knocked out, causing division (6) 5 Leaves legendary Aussie fast bowler, we hear, with protective gear (4,4) 9 Ball to bring regular partygoer from the closet? (10) 10 Cricket side, 1 for 0 declared – why, that's dubious (4) 11 Compounded lead before tea perhaps like some 5 dn's (8) 12 Easy catch can be a poser (6) 13 An afterthought: Stewart's boundaries can be said to attract attention (4) 15 Tubes from Kennington ground reduced by half – I'd cut off strikers' capital (8) 18 Resembling former England spinner or something similar (8) 19 Throw from Boycott's a corker, on reflection (4) 21 Streamer starts to fly as Lara gets one 50 after another (6) 23 Puts in man at slip, not having a spinner? (8)
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25 It supports the late bowlers chiefly, and that's right (4) 26 No bowler here in Yorkshire? (6,4) 27 View boundaries from Emburey, Edmonds and four from Knight (8) 28 Paradoxically they've been asociated with 22 for a long time, but only recently! (6) down 2 Warne, quality bowler, keeps fit (5) 3 A trial game? No, the real thing (4,5) 4 In six dot balls we see Ambrose's first becoming his last. Is that plain? Yes (6) 5 Leggate? (3,6,6) 6 Securing runs, oldish Pakistan opener bats with authority (8) 7 Needle a fielder (5) 8 Former England bowler is fed up with misdirected satire (9) 14 How bat sounds when single is captured by Sky 2 broadcast (9) 16 Describing a wicket for which there is no 20:
"South African leaves bouncer directed round top of leg" (9) 17 Writer who was never on the batting side? (8) 20 SA's no. 2 is to question the umpire (6) 22 Home ground of 1200 members? (5) 24 NZ international who gets pairs, we're told (5)
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
19
SPORTS editorial
In Praise of Viking Glory Matthew J. ocasio
In a December 2007 interview with Bill Moyers, Keith Olbermann told us what skill he picked up at the sports desk that led to his success as a news anchor. He points to skepticism as being the key factor. In his own words… KEITH OLBERMANN: It’s what we do. It is the necessity of journalism. Skepticism. Especially if you’re trained in sports. BILL MOYERS: Why in sports? I mean, what does sports have to do with news reporting? KEITH OLBERMANN: In sports reporting it is almost assumed that you need to have some predictive ability. And you have to be able to discern patterns and also discern when somebody’s telling you, “No, our shortstop’s great,” and he really isn’t. And what the difference between those two things are. When the results don’t match up to the
hyperbole, you need to be able to see that and you need to be able to say it in some sort of informed way. When you cover a sport like baseball or football or whatever […] you’re here for this part of the story. [Y]ou’ve joined it 75 […] or 100 years in progress. It should be the same way when you’re covering the news and particularly in politics. Our mission at the Vanguard sports desk is to bring you the in-depth Portland State sports journalism that you can’t get anywhere else. I would like to kindly direct you to goviks.com, PSU’s homepage for Viking sports, if you are looking to stay abreast of the latest goings on in our athletic department. The web page does damn good work giving you reliable game recaps, scores and news briefs pertaining to mainstream Vikings sports.
In the Vanguard’s ongoing coverage of the athletics department, we are going to do what only dedicated journalists can—analysis and investigation into the state of Vikings sports. There are a lot of changes generating a lot of questions heading into the new year. We’ll have interviews with the new athletic directors and team coaches, answers to where PSU will allocate and generate funds and how the changes will affect our players going forward into the new year. We’re going even deeper in 2015 to cover PSU sports beyond the athletic department, for there are so many other arenas where Vikings claim victory. Perhaps it is my own position on the Portland Menace men’s roller derby team that inclines me to recognize often-overlooked athletes, but to a great many
BLOOPERS!
Matthew J. ocasio
Your ticket to Valhalla A Viking’s last-ditch cunning We were down 14 points with just seconds left on the clock in our Dec. 3 men's basketball game against the Portland Pilots. Bryce White, fighting to the last breath, offers what would seem a congratulatory handshake to Alex Wintering, in possession of the ball. Drunk on victory, Wintering lowers his guard. White strikes, stealing the ball from his enemy’s clutches, and rushes it to the net, dunking in glory. Be it known that for the Portland State Vikings, the battle is over only when we can play no more!
Watch the video clip online at psuvanguard.com
COURTESY OF YOUTUBE USER JOE KUFFNER
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Vanguard | january 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
others on campus, sports aren’t just the teams in the athletic department. We have a vibrant and diverse campus full of athletes of all stripes, with 34 competitive recreational teams at last count. So when the Breakin’ crew dominates in a breakdance competition, or when the PSU Green Dragons race their mighty boat up the Willamette, we’ll be there with the coverage you can’t get anywhere else. The Vanguard will pay due to sport that makes use of the strongest muscle humans have: our brains. We’ll tell you how The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition turns out for our brave mathletes. We’ll let you know when the PSU Debate Union brings a verbal smackdown to their conference rivals, or when Portland State Chess topples opposing kings. Finally, we’re going to investigate the seeds of the next generation of sports. Competitive electronic gaming (known as esports) is already a multimillion-dollar
industry, and it is only getting bigger. Streaming video services like Twitch are bringing in huge audiences, recording 4.5 million unique viewers each watching for over two hours during The International. A live broadcasting of a League of Legends tournament (of which PSU has a huge, dedicated team) sold out the Staples Center in 2013. Esport tournament payouts have been increasing exponentially since 2010, with over $30,000,000 in prize money awarded in 2014. As more people are playing games, with ever-increasing technological advancements to make gaming more immersive and with ever-more funds being poured into their production and promotion, the Vanguard will be covering the rise of PSU’s future esports champions. Not content to just cover the spectrum of athletes at PSU, we will be covering the full spectrum of athletics available at PSU with an increased section focus on health and fitness. We’re hiring new writers
to cover such things as hiking, yoga, exercise, healthy eating and nutrition. We’ll provide a “Rec Center Rundown” of new and exciting classes, gym challenges and ways to get yourself out of a desk and moving in 2015. We’ll have an expanded games calendar telling you where and when to root for all of your PSU teams (the Vanguard does not officially condone tailgating the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition, but we will want photos if you do). And just because this editor grew up loving them more than just about anything in sports, we’re introducing a Bloopers section of the oddest moments in PSU sporting. In 2015, the Vanguard’s sports section will be the premier source for PSU victory. Keep your eyes on these pages for in-depth analysis of our athletics, for cuttingedge coverage of burgeoning Viking battlefields and for information on how you can keep yourself primed for victory in the new year.
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SPOrTS
state of psu hoops Jay PengeLLy
The calendar turns from 2014 to 2015 and both Portland State basketball teams make their New Year’s resolutions. The men resolve to enter the Big Sky Tournament with a high seed, while the women resolve to up their game into tournamentlevel play. The men’s team, off to a hot start, are resolved to continue the play that is rising them through the ranks. The women’s squad, which has struggled with injuries and offensive slumps, wish to forget the way they played in 2014 and bring home more victories in 2015. After the holiday break, both men’s and women’s basketball have been back in action with the all-important Big Sky Conference games beginning. They’ll attempt to do what so many of us fail at: living up to our resolutions.
Mens basketball will continue to dominate the court The Men's team, who tied for the second-best start in school history with four straight wins, have dominated their home court but will need to get wins on the road against conference opponents. Like most collegiate basketball teams, the teams in the Big Sky Conference are ruled by guard play. The perimeter players have the ball in hand most of the time, and offense is initiated through the dribble, drive and dish. PSU has an ideal roster to compete in this environment. They usually start three guards, all contributors, and off the bench can insert Dashaun Wiggins. As a reserve, Wiggins is leading his team in scoring for the second straight season and is the reigning Big Sky Sixth Man of the Year. Any of PSU’s guards might bring up the ball on a given play. They like to mix it up, especially in transition. Nominally the starting point guard is senior Tim Douglas, but during game time it’s just as likely for Wiggins or soph-
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omores Gary Winston and Bryce White to trigger the offense. All of them, especially the big-bodied White, have the quickness to get around defenders. Though they don’t rely solely on dribble penetration, all four guards can shoot the three ball. Wiggins and Douglas lead the way percentage-wise with .463 and .439, respectively. If there is any area these talented guards could improve in it would be assists. As a team, the Vikings average almost 12 assists per game, Winston leading the team with just over three dimes a game. They assist on nearly half their made field goals, but with such effective scorers and passers handling the ball it does seem that percentage should be higher. Some plays they are whipping the rock around the horn, trying to find the open shooter. At others, a player becomes determined to score and will lower their head as they ignore teammates and force up a shot. Guards who are determined to score themselves, forgetting the team offense, are one of the few downsides to having multiple wing players who can create their own play.
Geving’s resolutions Often unheralded are the big men of PSU basketball. Both Braxton Tucker and Tiege Bamba have been starting with each averaging over ten points and five rebounds. Head coach Tyler Geving points to the former as a key contributor to his team’s success. “Tucker has done a great job,” Geving said. “I call him the Junkyard Dog. When he brings it, is rebounding, doing the little things, he makes us a better team.” The 6'6" sophmore is surprisingly agile and quick for a post player. While not much of a back-to-the-basket player, Tucker operates best when picking and rolling toward the hoop. He has soft enough hands to finish around the basket. Geving, who despite his team’s success is always con-
sidering how they can improve, believes that if his big men can increase their rebounding output, it may be the difference between wins and losses in conference play going forward. “As coaches, we tend to focus on the negative. I think we need to get better at rebounding. It’s something we talk about all the time. We have good shooters, good scorers, guys who have done it in the past, but it just hasn’t clicked all at once,” Geving said. The Vikings entered conference play with the secondbest record in the Big Sky at 6-4. Only the Eastern Washington Eagles, PSU’s rival in the Dam Cup series, had a better mark at 9-4. The first matchup will be at the home game on Jan. 15. For Geving, his team’s positive attitude and interpersonal bond are the most promising attributes as they enter a meaningful stretch of games. “On the positive, I think it’s a group that likes each other,” Geving said. “They’re relatively easy to coach, there’s not a lot of drama. Outside the X’s and O’s, that’s a huge part of sports, just getting along with each other and team chemistry.”
Women's basketball resolve to rise The women’s basketball team has a further road to travel if they’re to reach the Big Sky Tournament. They have managed two wins in their first twelve games. In the Big Sky Conference they are last in overall offense, rebounding, assisting, steals, and turnover margin. While the women’s team have established veterans, their three leading scorers are upperclassmen who have seen serious playing time in previous seasons. An influx of transfers and freshmen, however, has led to a team that has been learning one another’s strengths and weaknesses throughout the season. On paper they look good, with a balanced roster of guards and post players. Their
Vanguard | JanUary 6, 2015 | psuvanguard.com
DESHaUn WIGGInS maneuvers around Linfield's defense.
DEVIN COURTRIGHT/PSU VANGUARD
guards are led by junior Emily Esom and team captain and senior Lauriel Powell. Both players can dribble, defend and shoot. In the post is senior Mikaela Rivard and junior transfer Alicia Carline. Rivard scored a career-high 24 points in a Jan. 1 loss to Southern Utah. Carline, a 6'3" native of New Zealand, has been the most exciting addition to the women’s team. Averaging eight points and almost seven rebounds, the PSU center fills up the lane on defense and shows real post moves on offense. Their offense seems to operate best when Carline touches the ball. She has the size to receive the ball over most players trying to guard her. When PSU runs a pick-and-roll with her and Powell, Carline usually gets a high percentage shot. Far too often, though, the guards will spend the entire shot clock swinging the ball ineffectively from one wing to another. Perhaps Carline is still adjusting to the level of play in the Big Sky—she had previously played for Gillete College, a two-year community college in Wyoming. The New Year's resolution to win in the 2014–15 season may
very well rest on this one New Zealander’s shoulders. January will be a busy month for both PSU basketball teams. They each have 10 games to play, and from now until early March every game is against a conference oppo-
UPCOMInG PSU Men's Basketball
Psu @. NortHerN CoLorado thur. Jan. 8, 6:00 p.m.
Psu @ NortH daKota sat. Jan. 10, 12:00 p.m.
PSU Women's Basketball
Psu Vs. NortHerN CoLorado thurs. Jan. 8, 7:00 p.m.
Psu Vs. NortH daKota sat. Jan. 10, 2:00 p.m. .
Psu @ easterN WasHINGtoN thurs. Jan. 12, 6:00 p.m.
nent. The good thing about conference play is it is much like a New Year’s resolution. The slate is wiped clean and all that matters is what one does going forward; PSU basketball will be looking for wins in this new year.
SPOrTS
Welcome to portland state, mark NeW atHLetIC dIreCtor eNters at tIMe of fLuCtuatING LeadersHIP
MarK rOUnTrEE incoming Psu athletic director. COURTESY Of PORTLAND STATE
aLeX Moore
Portland State announced the hiring of new athletic director Mark Rountree, who will be taking over the position Jan. 20. Rountree was formerly a deputy athletic director at Miami University of Ohio. It has been over two months since former athletic director
Torre Chisholm left PSU to pursue other positions. Less than a month later, head football coach Nigel Burton was fired after posting a 21-36 record in five seasons. Arguably two of the most important positions in PSU’s athletic department were vacant. “There really wasn’t too much of a concern,” said interim Athletic Director Valerie Clear. “I think there was a public conception that there was a concern; it’s quite unusual to have a vacancy at the athletic director spot and the head coaching spot at the same time. But we were fortunate enough that we have great staff who were
able to keep it going in the right direction without too much of a hiccup.” An associate athletic director and senior woman administrator, Cleary and Vikings administration knew that her position was temporary. PSU put together a search committee—with Cleary on it—and went to work. The position garnered over 80 applicants from across the nation. During finals week of fall term, the two finalists for the athletic director came on campus to interview for the position. Three weeks later, Rountree was announced as the hire. One of the two biggest positions in PSU athletics had
been filled. If you’re waiting for the other one to follow suit, don’t hold your breath. For now, it seems like the Vikings are going to be sticking with interim head football coach Bruce Barnum for this recruiting class and into next season. “Really right now the way the football hiring cycle goes, it’s kind of done for football coaches at this point,” Cleary said. “In order to do a really good search, we’re going to have to wait until after this next football season.” The football program has decided to go interim. For the next year, Barnum will be coaching the PSU Vi-
kings football team. Burton was fired months ago when there had not been an athletic director hired. In that time, the Vikings were unable to get a head coach to a program that has had a painful atmosphere in the recent past. Barnum will be a part of a package that is supposed to attract students to games. This attraction includes Providence Park, a big professional stadium. However, it looks like a ghost town when the Vikings come to play. Three thousand students in an arena that seats around twenty thousand does not make our home crowd seem intimidating.
More importantly, Barnum will be the head man of a team that has had one winning season in five years. Winning solves all problems, but can the Vikings win with an interim coach? Can they bring in the athletes that will lead to wins in the future? Rountree has his hands full. On top of everything going on with the football program, Viking Pavilion looms in the background as a $44 million project yet to be undertaken. And even with all that said, we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of problems within PSU's athletic program. Welcome to PSU, Mark. We’ve got some work for you.
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