PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD
INTERNATIONAL
VOLUME 71 • ISSUE 20 • JANUARY 31, 2017
UK HEADS FOR THE BREXIT
P. 6
NEWS P. 4
COME TO A HEAD IN 2017
OPINION
CUT OUT THE CARTS & SAVE MONEY P. 13
THE RIGHT TO WRITE: STUDENT PLAYS AND PUBLISHING P. 10
ASPSU SUSPICIOUS OF MURDOCK TRUST
FOOD SCARCITY, TOXICITY AND PROFIT
ARTS & CULTURE
THE HANDS THAT FEED
PSU CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2017 ALANNA MADDEN
FEB. 6–24, 1–3 P.M. Portland State University is recognizing Black History Month this February 2017. For more information of events please visit the PanAfrican Commons website.
(SMSU 236) Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture: poster exhibition “A Place for All People: Introducing the National Museum of African American History and Culture”
FEB. 7, 6–8 P.M.
(SMSU 101) Black Art Night presented by Black Student Union: PSU Black History Month 2017
FEB. 8, 3:30–5 P.M.
(NASCC 180) Pan-Africanism Vision Board Workshop
FEB. 9 7–8 P.M.
(STOTT CENTER) Vikings B a s k et b a l l Halftime Show: presented by BSU
FEB. 13, NOON–1:45 P.M.
(SMSU 338) Te s t e d documentary screening: presented by Black Studies
FEB. 14, 5:30 P.M.
(SMSU 236) Black Love & Sex in the Dark: presented by Delta Sigma Theta, Beta Psi
FEB. 20, 5 P.M.
(SMSU 355) 13th documentary screening: presented by Black Studies, Black Cultural Affairs Board, and Phirst Pham
FEB. 21, 6 P.M.
(SMSU) School-to-Prison Pipeline Panel: presented by PAC
FEB. 21 & 23, 5 P.M.
(SMSU 236) Black Herstory: presented by Delta Sigma Theta, Beta Psi
FEB. 27, 4:30–6:30 P.M.
(SMSU 338) Get to Know Africa: presented by the Association of African Students
Keep reading the Vanguard every week for poems published in honor of Black History Month 2017.
CONTENTS
STAFF ASPSU’S DIVESTMENT DEBATE CONTINUES
P. 5
BOKO HARAM INTENSIFIES CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA P. 7
P. 8
P. 11
WHAT’S WITH ALL THE CONSTRUCTION ON CAMPUS?
P. 14
ADVICE FOR SHY KIDS, VEGETARIANS, AND V-DAY VIRGINS
MARKETING DESIGNER Skylar Nguyen
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Alanna Madden ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Matthew Andrews
PSU STUDENTS WRITE, DIRECT AND PRODUCE PLAYS
MANAGING EDITOR Tim Sullivan NEWS EDITOR Jon Raby
FOOD SCARCITY AND DANGEROUS CHEMICALS POSE HEALTH THREATS
EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Colleen Leary
P. 15
COVER ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN CHAPLUK, DESIGN BY AARON OSBORN
Gain experience working in a non-profit board of directors, serving on committees in the areas of finance, bylaws, elections, marketing, and charitable giving. Meetings are held monthly. As a non-profit organization, the Board of Directors’ mission is to provide support to students at PSU, while ensuring that the services offered by the campus bookstore are delivered effectively and efficiently. To apply: Email a resume and a 150-word statement of intent (why you would like to be on the board) to Russ Norton, Executive Director, at nortonr@psubookstore.com.
DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING MANAGER Chaitanya Deshpande Venkate Naga Sai Dilip Daneti
ADVERTISING
OPINION EDITOR Jennee Martinez
ADVERTISING MANAGER Madelaine Eivers
INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Alex-Jon Earl
ADVERTISING DESIGNER Sam Hicks
COPY CHIEF Thomas Spoelhof
ADVERTISING SALES Michael Hardy Ilyse Espino Caitlyn Malik
COPY EDITORS Harlie Hendrickson Jacoba Lawson ONLINE EDITOR Andrew D. Jankowski CONTRIBUTORS Gray Bouchat Joan Brown Marie Conner Cassie Duncanson Chris May John Pinney Christian Poindexter Molly Simas Nick Tool
PSU Bookstore Board of Directors is Recruiting Board Members!
DESIGNERS Lauren Chapluk Terra DeHart Shannon Kidd Lydia Wojack-West Nimi Einstein Chloe Kendall Robby Day Max Wayt
PHOTO & MULTIMEDIA PHOTO EDITOR Silvia Cardullo PHOTOGRAPHERS Stella Crabtree Cassie Duncanson Rachel Lara Roosevelt Sowka MULTIMEDIA MANAGER Andy Ngo
ART DIRECTION & DESIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Osborn
ADVISING & ACCOUNTING ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood To contact Vanguard staff members, visit psuvanguard.com/contact. To get involved and see current job openings, visit psuvanguard.com/jobs Mission Statement The Vanguard’s mission is to serve the Portland State community with timely, accurate, comprehensive and critical content while upholding high journalistic standards. In the process, we aim to enrich our staff with a quality, hands-on journalism education and a number of skills that are highly valued in today’s job market. About The Vanguard, established in 1946, is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Student Media Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. Find us in print every Tuesday and online 24/7 at psuvanguard.com.
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NEWS NEWS
ASPSU CONDEMNS TRUST WITH TIES TO ANTI-WORKER, ANTI-LGBTQ ORGANIZATIONS MOLLY SIMAS On Jan. 9, Associated Students of Portland State’s Equal Rights Advocacy Director Kaitlin Hoback presented a resolution to the student senate to condemn the Murdock Trust, which provides PSU and other universities with research funds. The resolution passed. As outlined in the resolution, the Murdock Trust’s funding of the Freedom Foundation, Alliance Defending Freedom, Portland Fellowship and crisis pregnancy centers that prevent access to reproductive resources shows support of organizations that are harmful to the PSU community. The resolution also detailed the Murdock Trust’s affiliations with gay conversion therapy in Oregon and anti-LGBTQ laws, as well as ties to organizations with practices of undermining worker unions. On Jan. 20, the Northwest Accountability Project, an organization whose mission in part includes illuminating special interests advancing agendas of “hate and division,” published an article on their website titled, “Donald Trump & the Murdock Trust: Two Peas in a Pod.” Published on the day of the presidentelect’s inauguration, the article linked several statements President Donald Trump has made in endorsing groups funded by
AN ASPSU MEETING FROM JAN. 9 WHERE THE STUDENT FEE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED BUDGET PROPOSALS. RACHEL LARA/PSU VANGUARD the Murdock Trust. According to NWAP’s article, this support would initiate the work required to put his pre-election promises into effect.
One such example is Alliance Defending Freedom, which provided model legislation and support for various states enacting anti-LGBTQ bills.
CRIME BLOTTER
Jan. 23-29
Jan. 23 Property damage
Jan. 26 Stolen bike wheel
In a fourth-floor unisex restroom, someone attacked the sharps-disposal receptacle in an effort to access used syringes. They were not successful. The restroom was locked and a work order for repair was submitted.
The back wheel was stolen from a Specialized Deluxe bike. It has no distinguishing characteristics.
Neuberger Hall
Graffiti
Science One, Stratford Residence Hall, Parkmill Building
Red paint was used to write foul words on each of these Portland State properties. A work order has been submitted. Jan. 24 Warrant arrest
SW Montgomery Street
Campus Public Safety officers responded to a report of someone suspiciously removing a bicycle from a rack. Officers caught up with the suspect and identified him as having a warrant for trespassing and theft 3. The suspect was cited and released. The bicycle was secured for further inquiry.
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Joan Brown
SW Harrison
Jan. 27 Menacing
SW 6th and College
An unknown male made statements to a student, which she believed were for the purpose of scaring her. When she left the scene the male chased her. He is described as white, early 20s, 5-foot-3 to 5-foot-4 tall. Jan. 28 Misdemeanor warrant
University Center Building
A suspicious person was reported to CPS officers. The person was cited with loitering then released.
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
While the NWAP website doesn’t provide quotes or citations for the claims they assign to Trump, the article links to several instances of the Murdock Trust funding organizations that oppose worker’s rights, climate change policy and queer and women’s rights. These have all been concerns raised in national dialogue, with the president-elect choosing a secretary of labor who has criticized worker protections, an Environmental Protection Agency leader who is skeptical of climate change, and a vice-president who has enacted legislation allowing discrimination on the grounds of religious freedom. The official senate proposal Hoback put forth to ASPSU called for PSU’s condemnation of the trust on the grounds of the senate’s deep commitment to “standards of ethics, justice, equality and human rights for all.” The resolution concluded with the ASPSU stating its condemnation of the trust and calling for PSU’s administration and Board of Trustees to “take a stance on the Murdock Trust and its funding of organizations that negatively impact [PSU] students.”
Theft
Broadway Housing
A student reported that when he vacated the building for a fire alarm he had left his door open. When he returned, he discovered that some items were stolen. Bike damage
6th Avenue side of Ondine Building
A student reported that when she returned to her bike the front fender was dented, the handlebars were misaligned, and a parking warning was attached to it. Jan. 29 Detoxification
Parkmill Building
Someone was passed out in the parking lot. American Medical Response personnel revived the individual, who then decided to go to detoxification.
NEWS
ASPSU PRESIDENT FORBES RESPONDS TO DIVESTMENT DEBATE
JOAN BROWN
A SENATE MEETING FROM OCT. 24, HELD BY ASPSU TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION TO RECOMMEND DIVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES INVOLVED IN ISRAELI MILITARY OCCUPATION. ROOSEVELT SOWKA/PSU VANGUARD Of the four resolutions passed by the 2016–17 ASPSU senate, one called for divestment by the university. This specific resolution was met with heavy protest and support before being passed. The Vanguard talked with ASPSU President Liela Forbes about the controversial resolution. On Oct. 10, 2016, ASPSU read its “Resolution to Recommend Divestment from Companies Involved in Israeli Military Occupation.” After the reading, members of the audience were invited to speak. The voices in favor of and against the resolution were equally passionate. The resolution specified four companies: Caterpillar Inc., Motorola Solutions, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, HP Inc. and G4S. ASPSU members said they had no knowledge of whether or not PSU held investments in any of the specified companies. As of Sept. 30, 2016, the Public University Fund held assets worth $486.5 million. None of those assets were invested in G4S, HP Inc. or Hewlett Packard Enterprises. At that time the PUF had invested $1,284,683 in Caterpillar Inc. On Oct. 24, 2016, after members of the audience once again passionately stated their pros and cons, ASPSU overwhelmingly passed the resolution calling on PSU to divest from companies found to profit from human rights violations against Palestinian civilians by the Israeli government. Two days later PSU President Wim Wiewel issued a statement that he did not support the resolution: “We place a high value on the cultures, religions and political views that make up the rich mosaic of our community. I believe this resolution would divide us at a time when we are striving to nurture our diverse and inclusive campus environment.” ASPSU President Liela Forbes explained that the resolution was not founded on an anti-Semitic perspective. “It is a joint perspective of students from varying walks of life and varying experiences who want to make a change on campus they feel is ethically and morally responsible,” Forbes said. Wiewel wrote, “The resolution follows a recommendation from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement,
which was started in 2005 by pro-Palestinian organizations seeking international pressure on Israel to end settlements in occupied territories and other measures. The BDS resolution calls for divestment from companies such as Caterpillar and Hewlett Packard.” According to the BDS website, “[It] works to end international support for Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.” “This is not a BDS resolution,” Forbes said. “It is not affiliated with a larger boycott divestment sanctions movement. It is a resolution brought to our student government from students in our community asking to facilitate a divestment from companies complicit and profiting by this occupation.” Wiewel’s statement read, “[PSU] does not invest its funds. We are one of six Oregon public universities whose funds are deposited in the Public University Fund managed by the Oregon State Treasurer, who is prohibited by law from holding any equity investments. Thus, the resolution has no practical effect and is intended as a political statement.” Forbes disagreed, stating, “I think that there are plenty of examples of divestment opportunities that have happened in civil rights movements and in the clean energy and climate change struggle. If we can start that movement somewhere, then we can start incentivizing those companies to withdraw their participation because they recognize it as a risky financial investment.” ASPSU would like PSU, the city and the state to be involved in divestment. The PUF, which operates under OST requirements, has designated fixed income investment officers and is managed by the Oregon Investment Council, who have “full discretionary power to direct the investment, exchange, liquidation and reinvestment” of the assets, according to INV 405. In compliance with House Bill 4018, the PUF is under
the responsibility of an agreed-upon, designated, participating public university, which is Oregon State University. “Individual universities do not have their own distinct sets of policies for the dollars they elect to deposit in the [PUF]” said James Sinks, director of communications and stakeholder relations for the OST executive division, via email. “In a way, it is like a mutual fund. You can elect to deposit your money, or not, but you don’t pick and choose the exact securities that are helping the mutual fund generate a return.” “From an academic and financial standpoint, divestment raises risk profile and also can unbalance a portfolio because it can lead to uneven market exposure and too much concentration in certain sectors,” Sinks said. “That can result in lower performance over time. Divestment also does not create incentive for a company to change, compared to engagement by shareholders and, to a lesser degree, bondholders.” ASPSU is concerned about ethical and responsible consumerism. “We were aware going into this that the university invests in the [PUF],” Forbes said. “That doesn’t mean we as students can’t weigh in or try and make a dialog around an issue that we’re funding. We would like the administration to hear us on this. We would like to build connections with the administration to understand why this is an important issue for students. We’re not the only aspect of Portland at this time that’s divesting from doing business with these entities.” In recognition of everyone’s voices, Forbes wanted to thank each entity and individual, whether for or against, who participated in the decision. “It takes a lot to be able to stand up with conviction for what you believe in,” Forbes said. Anyone interested in any ASPSU initiative is invited to contact the organization. Senate meetings are open to the public and convene every other Monday from 5–8 p.m.
PSU Vanguard •JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
BREXIT AT TIFFANY’S
UK PM IS READY TO LEAVE THE EU TABLE CHRIS MAY
SHANNON KIDD After pulling the U.S. out of the TransPacific Partnership during his first full day in office, President Donald Trump met with U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May on Jan. 27 to discuss the possibility of a major free trade deal between the two countries following Brexit. May succeeded David Cameron as prime minister after his resignation following his losing campaign in the referendum on Article 50. While May also opposed Britain leaving the European Union, she has reiterated her commitment to honoring the will of the voters. May hopes to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, which would give the U.K. and EU two years to agree to terms for the U.K.’s withdrawal. The U.K.’s Supreme Court has ruled that Parliament must be allowed to vote before Article 50 can be invoked and Britain can formally begin the process of leaving the EU. The Vanguard spoke with Dr. Birol Yesilada, professor of Political Science and International Studies at Portland State, about the economic and political implications of the U.K. separation from the EU. Yesilada is currently writing a book analyzing the stability and future of the European Union called The Global Power Transition: The Future of the European Union. When asked about what the economic landscape of the U.K. would look like post-Brexit, Yesilada emphasized that the outcome is mired in uncertainty. One thing that seems certain is that it will be negative. “The projections are not good,” Yesilada said. One factor that determines how much pain the U.K. can expect depends on what kind of deal can be negotiated with the EU. May has
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remained unequivocal in advocating a complete withdrawal from the EU, including the single market and customs union. Yesilada went on to describe the implications of losing access to the single market: “Right now these goods move back and forth, like between Oregon and California,” Yesilada exlained. “Say it’s gonna become like Mexico and the United States—at best. You’re gonna have issues.” Uncertainty has already negatively impacted investment and the value of Britain’s currency. Regardless of a hard or soft Brexit, the landing won’t be smooth. “You can expect an impact on inflation, because the pound is already dropping,” Yesilada said. “It’s at an all-time low. U.K.’s total trade with EU is 23 percent of its economic output during the last six years. U.K.’s total trade with the EU is 44 percent, with Germany, France, Italy, etc.” Given the lack of economic logic that this move entails, why did it happen? “One reason is Britain, or at least the people who voted for this, have never been comfortable with the European Union,” Yesilada continued. “They came in and their goal was to achieve a common market.” A common market is a rung on the ladder of economic integration, above a free trade agreement like NAFTA and below an economic and monetary union like the U.S. economy. One distinguishing feature between the EU and the U.S. is that the EU is not a political union. “When you reach a common market, you become a single economy,” Yesilada continued, “where you have free movement of all goods and services and people—except capital,
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
and services of capital. And everybody has their own currency.” In addition to the consistent reluctance of U.K. public opinion toward deepening integration, Yesilada highlighted another issue: immigration. “It’s not just the people coming from North Africa [or] the Middle East, also people coming from all around the European Union,” Yesilada stated. “You know, nothing holds you from going here to New York to find a job, right? The same thing is now true over there. So they’ve had issues with this free movement of people idea.” Voters in the U.K. passed the referendum to invoke Article 50 by a margin a little over 3 percent. “All the polls were showing that ‘they’re not gonna leave, they’re gonna say no to Brexit,’” Yesilada added. “A lot of those people didn’t come out to vote.” Concerns about economic inequality and immigration? News media clamoring that economic wisdom and logic will prevail, only to witness the victory of political opportunists and demagogues? Sound familiar? If those who voted for Brexit and Trump were choosing uncertainty over economic sense, then part of the reason for that choice was that very same economic sense had left them behind for over three decades. “The problem is the failure of the neoliberal economic model, in providing the trickle down, you know, the benefits for everybody,” Yesilada explained. Neoliberalism advocates an increased role for the private sector in the economy and society through policies such as privatization, austerity, deregulation, and free trade. It is characteristic of the Reagan and Thatcher administrations in the U.S. and U.K., respectively.
“Not all the rich are always getting richer,” Yesilada pointed out. “But when you look at the statistics, you see that since the early 1980s when neoliberal economic policies became tractionable, in all of these countries, the shift of national income has been in favor of the richer people and corporations, right?” As Yesilada went on to explain, even if the EU wanted to address the inequities that harm the losers of globalization, it couldn’t. This is because unlike more powerful national governments, the EU is not a complete union, especially politically. “[The] EU is sinking in global competition and sinking really fast, for very complex reasons,” Yesilada said. One of those reasons has to do with the structure of the EU. “They signed and put into motion an economic and monetary union without a political union,” Yesilada claimed. “That’s a death warrant. It never works.” Yesilada went on to describe two potential scenarios: In one, the EU kicks the can down the road and invites ever more problems and instability; in the other, they pull it together to create a true fiscal union. As to which scenario seems more likely, Yesilada emphasized that pervasive uncertainty makes it hard to say what will happen. One of those sources of uncertainty is President Trump. For example, If his comments about NATO’s obsolescence sufficiently compel EU members that a political union will adequately address growing concerns about security, then perhaps in the process economic inequality and the instability it brings can be reduced. Regardless of whether the EU stays afloat or sinks, the U.K. is abandoning ship.
INTERNATIONAL
BOKO HARAM HANGS ON: EXTREMIST GROUP CONTINUES CAMPAIGN IN NIGERIA CHRISTIAN POINDEXTER
TERRA DEHART Despite President Buhari’s comments a few weeks ago that the Nigerian government had “crushed” Boko Haram, suicide bombings and raids conducted by the group have continued to ravage the region. Boko Haram is the name of an extremist Islamic group that operates out of Northwestern Africa. In the Hausa language
which is native to the region, the words “Boko Haram” roughly translate to “Western education is forbidden,” a name which reflects the main concern of the group. Founded in 2002, the group has been using violence to extend its agenda since it established a military presence in the region in 2009. In the interval between 2009 and
JAN. 21
present day, the group has reportedly killed more than 20,000 people and displaced millions more. In April 2014 Boko Haram made major headlines when the group kidnapped 276 Nigerian women and girls from the town of Chibok, Nigeria to use, they said, as wives. Since then, a few have escaped or been rescued and a large humanitarian campaign has launched. Twenty-one of the captives were released under ambiguous circumstances in October 2016; however, over 150 women and girls remain missing. Boko Haram has stated that some of the women and girls have already been killed due to Nigerian army airstrikes, which recently killed hundreds of their own native Nigerians by accident in an airstrike over one of the refugee camps. Further, the U.N. declared earlier this week that violence and displacement in the region have lead to the malnutrition of over 500,000 children, as well as the closure of many schools. The Vanguard spoke with Rachel Bruneau, a graduate student pursuing her master’s in Conflict Resolution at Portland State to discuss the causes and implications of the group. The main question that Bruneau highlighted was that of why. Why is it that extremist “terrorist” organizations like Boko Haram arise in the first place? “If you want to defeat terrorism, you have to know where it comes from first,” Bruneau said. In Bruneau’s view, the disenfranchised community is where it all begins: The realities of poverty, the lack of education, of job opportunities, and the fight of the African peoples to preserve themselves from a dominant Western culture are all high on the list of
why communities such as Boko Haram wish to separate themselves from the Nigerian government. Bruneau also said she thinks it is important to understand that these communities are in some ways reactionary: With a dominant Western culture exerting its influence on the region comes that dominant culture’s prominent religious and cultural beliefs. When a mainly religious group like Boko Haram sees Western influence and Christianity at its doorstep, it is reasonably going to be defensive of its own cultural and religious ideals. Moreover, Bruneau said that years of watching South Nigeria flourish economically and socially under Western influences, while the North where Boko Haram is stationed dives deeper into poverty, has engendered much “hostility and resentment” for Western culture and for those in the region that support or are supported by it. When asked in what ways the West could begin to form a solution to the violence and poverty affecting the region and to the kind of extremist characteristics of Boko Haram, Bruneau explained that because the problem of extremism is structurally rooted in our current culture of politics and power, the solution must be a structural one also. In other words, it is more important for us to look at the violence happening there not as an isolated incident, but as a give-andtake of power and violence, where no side is completely innocent, not even the Nigerian or Western governments that the group is fighting. “It’s not just about educating the world on Boko Haram, it’s providing education for them [that is also important],” Bruneau said.
WORLDWIDE
In response to the inauguration of Donald Trump, several million protesters filled streets around the world as part of what was called the Women’s March. The Washington, D.C. march was among the largest, with Metro ridership far exceeding that of the day prior.
JAN. 23 TOKYO, JAPAN
Sumo wrestler Kisenosato Yutaka is elevated to the rank of yokozuna.
JAN. 24 LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled that the U.K. may not begin to withdraw from the European Union under Article 50 without an act of parliament.
JAN. 26 MOSCOW, RUSSIA
The Duma passed a law that removes penalties for most non-fatal domestic violence incidents, raising the ire of feminist groups and stoking fears among human rights groups of further steps backward.
JAN. 27 UNITED STATES
Jan. 21–27 Alex-Jon Earl
President Trump issued an executive order banning refugees, visa holders, green card holders and other immigrants from seven different Muslim nations. This executive order has been widely condemned throughout the country and worldwide.
JAN. 27 WORLDWIDE
International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
PSU Vanguard •JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
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COVER INTERNATIONAL NEWS
THE HANDS THAT FEED FOOD SCARCITY, TOXICITY AND PROFIT COME TO A HEAD IN 2017
JOAN BROWN Genetically modified organisms and biotechnology foods are increasingly integrated into agriculture management around the globe. Effects of biotechnology are studied and tested, and as the industry matures, arguments for its efficacy and safety become ever more divisive. Meanwhile, agrochemical companies are merging and acquiring each other, shifting countries of governance and methods of operations and regrouping market shares. In the United States, one of the most commonly known agrochemicals is glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup. Glyphosate was engineered to kill vegetation and is applied locally in yards and parks and globally on crops. The City of Portland, which owns and manages the Park Blocks that run through campus, uses approved herbicide products which contain glyphosate. “In 2016 it’s hard to tell at a cursory look if we are spraying any herbicides on the PSU portion of the South Park Blocks or not,” Mark Ross of Portland Parks and Recreation said. “The Park overall got seven spot treatments.” To keep glyphosate from killing the plants it’s intended to protect, crop seeds have been genetically modified to tolerate the herbicide. The widespread commercial use of agrochemicals took off in 1996. Today, GMO and biotechnology products are incorporated in agriculture management around the globe. As sales and have grown, so too have the arguments for and against. PSU STUDENTS IN ACTION “You see all these posts on Facebook about Monsanto and how the chemicals they are putting in the food relates to cancer and affects people’s health negatively—obviously,” said Portland State integrated health major Halle Wilkening. “The people affected are the lower class—the people who can’t really afford organic, non-gmo food.” General population studies based on chronic agrochemical exposure compared to non-exposure showed adverse developmental or neurological outcomes, reported Environmental Health Perspectives. The outcomes included: Tetralogy of Fallot, a rare condition caused by a combination of four heart defects that are present at birth; anencephaly, the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull and scalp that occurs during embryonic development; autism spectrum disorder; and cancer symptom clusters including memory loss and finger tremors. Use of agrochemicals and other environmental and health concerns are the passion of PSU student activist group Associated Students for Ethical Environmental Practices, which advocates for concerns involving campus and park maintenance, onshore wind farm development, genetically engineered salmon
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THE CHEMICAL PROFILE FOR GLYPHOSATE, THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN MONSANTO’S ROUNDUP. ILLUSTRATION BY LAUREN CHAPLUK and global agricultural practices. Currently ASEEP has four members and is in the process of becoming a recognized student group, which receives funds partly based on the number of members. “I’ve interned with the People’s Tribunal, which holds large corporations accountable,” said ASEEP founder Alexander Krokus. He currently interns under Oregon Senator Lew Frederick. The mission of ASEEP is to research environmental legislation, submit personal testimonies, and verbally testify before Portland City Council and state legislators in congressional committees. Members use government sources to debunk poorly written bills and offer more environmentally friendly solutions. “We will also develop citizen lobbying efforts to influence policy advisors,” Krokus said. “I’ll be going down to Salem a few days a week.” Glyphosate is a major concern to ASEEP. Studies indicate that there is potential for “commercial formulations containing glyphosate to cause endocrine related harmful effects at low levels over long periods,” reported the University of Caen Normandy. In Natural Society, Mike Barrett wrote, “[The] connection between the top selling herbicide Roundup and its causing of birth defects and disruption of male hormones [are] due to the main active ingredient—glyphosate.” In March 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans” but didn’t provide any hard facts due to limited evidence. The declaration continued, “There is convincing evidence that glyphosate also can cause cancer in laboratory animals.”
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
LEAF IT ALONE “‘We are outraged with this assessment,’” Monsanto’s Chief Technology Officer Dr. Robb Fraley rebutted on March 23, 2015, in a quote from Monsanto Newsroom. “‘This conclusion is inconsistent with the decades of ongoing comprehensive safety reviews by the leading regulatory authorities around the world that have concluded that all labeled uses of glyphosate are safe for human health. [The] result was reached by selective ‘cherry picking’ of data and is a clear example of agenda-driven bias.’” Using glyphosate enables farmers to kill weeds that are detrimental to crops without the practice of tilling. Eliminating the use of tilling curbs soil erosion and runoff while increasing soil cover, soil aggregation, water infiltration and elevated soil organic matter development. One of the benefits of genetically modified seeds is they reduce the need
for spraying during crop growth and maturation. Spraying is expensive and polluting due to wind drift. Monsanto’s website states, “Comprehensive toxicological studies in animals have demonstrated that glyphosate does not cause cancer, birth defects, DNA damage, nervous system effects, immune system effects, endocrine disruption or reproductive problems. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified the carcinogenicity potential of glyphosate as Category E: evidence of non-carcinogenicity for humans.” Insects are another burden to crops. To resolve this problem seeds are genetically modified. This allows plants to be selectively poisonous to certain pests, such as earworms in corn. Again, this practice cuts down on the times per growth stage that crops need to be sprayed. “Many studies have been done on the health risks of glyphosate,” concludes Environmental Sciences Europe in “No Scientific Consensus on GMO Safety.” The article reported that results were varied or suffered from a lack of consensus. Since widespread commercial sales started in 1996, the time lapsed may not be enough to accurately gauge long-term health and environmental effects of GMO and biotechnology. “Do they get tested in every circumstance?” asked current PSU student and retired organic chemist Dr. Walter Greizerstein. “At every step of research and development of products you use the best available information at the time.” PCB’s or Polychlorinated Biphenyls have become common terminology when talking about hazardous chemicals produced commercially since 1929, according to Environmental Chemistry.com. PCBs are no longer available in the U.S., although the use of PCBs in floor finishing products has shown to be effective for fire prevention. “A lot of people were killed by fires in floor finishes in tenements,” Greizerstein said.
“Now is the time to act, the 2017 legislative session for every state in the country. You need to set strict environmental policies now because the federal government is not going to be helping us out.” – ALEXANDER KROKUS, ASEEP FOUNDER
COVER
CORN IS ONE OF THE UNITED STATES’ PRIME CROPS AND 89 PERCENT IS GENETICALLY ENGINEERED. MANY FOODS CONTAIN CORN PRODUCTS, SUCH AS CORNSTARCH AND CORN SYRUP. “We saved a lot of people from dying by burning and we created problems with PCBs,” Geizerstein continued. “Someone has to do all that evaluation, and someone has to sit down and say what are the benefits. Are there other ways to prevent fires? Yes.” In Geizerstein’s opinion, feeding the world’s population and water scarcity is a large concern. He asserts that we need to have more effective agriculture management. “We need to be more clever about how we handle GMOs,” Geizerstein said. “Eliminating them will create a lot more hunger, a lot more death, a lot more plagues. We need a better understanding of the problem. Just to stand in the way is misplaced dogmatism. University students ought to recognize that there is a benefit in knowledge, and in discretion, analysis and intelligence. We go to school to think. Stop and think.” FEEDING THE GROWING POPULATION “You don’t want to be ingesting anything toxic,” said biology and premed student Page Murphy. “[But] we don’t want to not have a lot of food either.” The United States is one of the biggest users of GMO and biotechnology products. Corn is one of the United States’ prime crops and 89 percent is genetically engineered. Many foods contain corn products, such as cornstarch and corn syrup—it’s virtually everywhere. The World Health Organization suggests ingesting chemicals such as glyphosate through a secondary source would not casually saturate the body enough to cause harm. Guidelines of safe and harmful consumption have not yet been established. The argument in favor of GMO and biotechnological agriculture management claims that seeds may be fortified, resulting in produce that has, for instance, increased amounts of certain vitamins. Agrochemical companies argue their products are helping to raise the quality of health in regions where diets are otherwise deficient. An overall argument is the question of how to feed the rapidly growing global population. Produce from GMO and biotechnology plants grow faster with fewer resources and are enriched with needed nutrients. “We are more than six billion people on the Earth,” said Mubarak Mobarak, a Morocco
native. “It is not easy to give them all food by using the natural practices. We need modern practices. It’s difficult to find food for everyone; that’s one reason for GMOs.” “We’re dealing with biology,” explained Paul Minehart, finance and federal corporate affairs officer at Syngenta, an agrochemical company. “The kinds of things that affect [farmers’] crops are things like insects and disease and weeds. We’re a very R&D-intensive kind of business. We have to be continually innovating and developing new products and solutions for farmers to keep ahead of what their demands and challenges are.” CHANGING RELATIONS “They restrict their farmers in the sense that they restrict their seeds, and then with those seeds they can’t use them in the following years,” Wilkening said. “Each year they have to buy and repurchase seeds, which is interesting and sad. They are just really getting the most money out of them as they can.” Around the globe, six mega-agrochemical companies are merging into three. Anticipated mergers for 2017 are Bayer and Monsanto, along with Dow Chemical and DuPont. Syngenta is in the process of being purchased by ChemChina. Bayer pharmaceutical company was founded in 1863 by a businessman and a textile dyer performing experiments using their kitchen stoves. In its 153 years of existence, Bayer has grown, stumbled and morphed into one of the globe’s largest innovators of agriculture products. Based in Germany, Bayer operates under its supervisory board, the German Corporate Governance Code. Through its signatory with the United Nations Global Compact, Bayer undertakes, among other initiatives, “to support the protection of human rights within its sphere of influence, to guarantee international labor standards, to improve environmental protection, and to fight corruption and bribery,” according to its website. Monsanto is one of the globe’s largest, multinational chemical companies, along with being a global mega-company in the seed industry. Founded in 1901, its first product was saccharine and it began producing and marketing agricultural chemicals in 1945. In
COURTESY OF USER ANDREW MALONE THROUGH FLICKR
1982 it produced the first genetically modified plant cell. In 1964 the herbicide Ramrod was introduced, and in 1996 Monsanto introduced in-seed insect protection. Through the years, Monsanto has purchased interest in other companies that produced agriculture products, such as Calgene and the Jacob Hartz Seed Company. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Monsanto operates under U.S. laws and regulations. Monsanto’s shareholders approved a $66 billion acquisition by Bayer. The completion of the deal is expected late this year and was widely publicized in December 2016. Fortune Live reported that once Monsanto and Bayer combine, they will own 28 percent of the seed and pesticide market shares. “Scientists at DuPont and around the world are working hard to improve food nutrition that will help reduce health-related deficiencies through biofortification, the process of breeding critical vitamins and micronutrients into crops,” states the DuPont website. For 2016, Dupont expects full-year operating earnings to have increased 17 percent. Dow Chemical is headquartered in Midland, Missouri. Its 2016 third-quarter financials show an increase of 11 percent. The Dupont merger with Dow is anticipated to occur in the first half of 2017. The mergers of Bayer and Monsanto and Dupont and Dow would allow enriched opportunity for research and development. It would also bring into consideration disadvantages and advantages to the laws and regulations of each company’s country of operation. Syngenta, globally headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, was formed in its current state in 2000 by combining the agrochemical branches of Astrozenit and Novartis, Minehart explained. Syngenta’s website states they have 28,000 employees in over 90 countries. Reported sales for the third quarter of 2016 were $2.5 billion. In the global food industry their focus is on cereals, corn, diverse field crops, rice, soybeans, specialty crops, sugarcane and vegetables. China National Chemical Corporation, ChemChina, posits, “Life needs chemicals.” Based in Beijing, it employs over 140,000 people and has operations in 150 coun-
tries and regions. Revenues for 2015 were reported at $45 billion. ChemChina produces products for many industries. Its agrochemical specialties are chemical fertilizers and pesticides. ChemChina’s purchase of Syngenta will leave Syngenta intact but with a new owner, according to Minehart. “We maintain our management, our products, our location,” Minehart said. “We’ll still be exactly who we are in terms of providing what we do for our customers and other stakeholders. Essentially it’s business as usual with us, even though that’s not the case with some of the others.” “We have to get approvals from various countries around the world,” Minehart explained. “We operate in about 90 different countries. Now, we don’t have to get approvals in all those 90 countries, but there are a number that we do. We’ve got about 13 already. Significantly, there was a national security review, not in the United States, and we’ve already completed that one. We have not completed the antitrust approval in the U.S. yet, but that is well under way. It’s all moving along very well.” Syngenta’s purchase by ChemChina will likely occur in 2017. “We certainly hope to grow our market share, but it doesn’t automatically change with being acquired by ChemChina,” Minehart concluded. THE HANDS THAT FEED US “At a certain point people are going to die, there is just no avoiding that,” said PSU political science student Bien Metcalfe. “The way nature works is there is too many people and not enough food, so some people die, and then there is enough food for everybody that’s left. I think at a certain point that’s what’s going to happen.” Concerns raised by the merging and purchasing of these companies encompass their diversity of laws and regulations, their potential control of the global seed market and reproductive potential of seeds, as well as a monopoly by a few mega companies on the insecticide and pesticide industry. Another concern is that we live in a multiplying population, and food and water shortages are a major obstacle in our future. To get involved in ASEEP contact Alexander Krokus at akrokus@pdx.edu.
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NEWS ARTS NEWS& CULTURE
DEMYSTIFYING THE PUBLISHING PROCESS PSU’S OOLIGAN PRESS HOSTS ANNUAL WRITE TO PUBLISH CONFERENCE FOR EMERGING WRITERS CASSIE DUNCANSON Jessica Clark and Alison Cantrell, a pair of grad students in their second year in the graduate program in Book Publishing at Portland State, have spent many busy months preparing for and organizing the ninth annual Write to Publish conference. The conference, hosted by the English Department’s notfor-profit publishing house Ooligan Press, takes place all day Feb. 4 in Smith Memorial Student Union. The event aims to demystify the publishing process for the public and give emerging writers insight into the professional world. Previous conferences have seen a myriad of topics covered, from comics to the New Adult genre, and this year is no less intriguing. Write to Publish 2017 will host panels focusing on diversity in publishing, legal issues, self-publishing, and best practices for researching publishers and literary agents. Following the panels, workshops will answer questions such as “What constitutes well-written dialogue?” and “How to write a query letter,” among other topics. Attendees will spend time in panels listening to and engaging with writing professionals and then receive hands-on experience in the workshops; the panels and the workshops play off one another in a manner similar to the publishing program’s blend of classroom and practical learning. Clark and Cantrell both expressed excitement for the diversity panel, which will examine the obstacles facing diversity efforts within the publishing community and industry. This panel follows in the footsteps of movements such as We Need Diverse Books. During lunch, participants will have the option to present their elevator pitch to professionals and receive feedback on their approach. A representative from HarperCollins’ Children’s Department will be in attendance, emphasizing the conference’s focus on research before action. For writers with an epic YA fantasy novel in the works, she might the best person for feedback. This year, Ooligan received a record number of fiction and poetry submissions for
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the annual writing contests. This reveals an exciting trend for the annual conference: while Write to Publish maintains its local roots and its focus on forming relationships within the community, more and more writing communities are taking notice and supporting the event. Attendees are expected from across the country. In addition to supporting new writers, the other main aim of Write to Publish is to raise money: The not-for-profit event is Ooligan’s biggest fundraiser, and the event’s vendors and sponsors also help the program establish connections within the community. Sponsors include Portland’s nonprofit Independent Publishing and Resource Center and artificial intelligence app developer Devon Technologies; among the vendors are local student-led organization Unique Ink, brand experts Peaceful Media, online and print publishing platform The Masters Review, and others. Write to Publish has also partnered with Literary Arts, a local nonprofit literary center. Recipients of the Literary Arts Writers of Color Fellowship will receive a free pass to the upcoming conference. Ooligan will host two supplementary events in the week leading up to Write to Publish. In a Feb. 2 lecture on Native Americans in Writing and Publishing, panelists will focus on Native writers and professionals in the publishing industry. The lecture is free to the public; venue to be announced. On Feb. 3, Ooligan hosts “Storytellers Unite,” an opportunity for speakers and attendees of Write to Publish to meet informally and share their work before the conference. More information regarding the lecture and the meetand-greet will appear on their respective Facebook event pages.
PSU GRAD STUDENTS ALISON CANTRELL AND JESSICA CLARK ORGANIZED OOLIGAN PRESS’ WRITE TO PUBLISH 2017 EVENT. CASSIE DUNCANSON/PSU VANGUARD
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Event tickets are $80 for the general public and $35 for students. For further questions about Ooligan and Write to Publish, visit publishing.pdx.edu/ or contact w2p@ooliganpress.pdx.edu.
ARTS & CULTURE
STUDENT-WRITTEN, STUDENT-DIRECTED, STUDENT-PRODUCED
PSU THEATER GROUP PREMIERES PLAY WRITTEN, DIRECTED, AND PERFORMED BY STUDENTS GRAY BOUCHAT Come one, come all to the world premiere of The Hick Inbreds of Valley Low, produced by student club PSU Stage and written by Portland State theater major and club leader John Pinney, whom Vanguard readers will recognize from his regular column Subpar Advice from the Sub-Basement. Directed by PSU student Andrea Acosta, the two-act drama/ comedy tells the story of a single mother and her family, with a twist on the title: The family aren’t really hicks. The play starts at 6 p.m. and runs Feb. 2–3 in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 294. Pinney is one of the three creators of PSU Stage club, which produces student-run productions, workshops, volunteering and educational opportunities, and is funded by the Student Activities and Leadership Program. Pinney is the only one left from the original three leaders; as he is graduating this term, the club is seeking new leadership. “We all have kind of the singular mission of advocacy for students,” Pinney said. He believes that theater can help any kind of student, and often helps students overcome the fear of public speaking. Students with all different interests—be they pre-med, pre-law, electricians, anthropologists, or physics majors—can come together in the all-encompassing theater. Pinney believes that students need to get out of their comfort zone and make an effort to learn what they enjoy. “It’s a matter of people saying, ‘hey, I really want to do this,’” he said. “It’s like what I say to students: You need to advocate for your education. We will give you a job, but what is it that you want to do, what is the experience you want? And if you don’t know you can always say, ‘I don’t know!’ and that’s great—we will find something for you!” “As a new student, I don’t think you realize how much power you actually have,” Pinney said, adding that he is huge on the idea of advocacy through student groups and firmly believes in being an active participant in one’s own education. “Often times, I don’t think people understand how much they affect the quality of their own education.” He has taken full advantage of this educational opportunity, which led to him creating and producing his own play. For this play, he took the approach of “don’t judge a book by its cover.” “These characters are amazing people with passions,” Pinney said. “Just because you are from a farmhouse doesn’t mean you can’t be a genius or have beautiful thoughts.” Director and PSU junior Andrea Acosta chose to focus on how close-knit the family remains throughout their struggles. “One of the main characters has his own struggles, but he really has these people that are there for him,” Acosta said. “Whether they help him in the right way or not, they are there.”
Acosta has previous directing experience, but calls this her first “grown-up” play. Director and writer worked together to make their interpretations of the play come to life. Pinney specifically chose to ask someone other than himself to direct so that he could see someone else’s vision of it. “The vision I have as a playwright is directed differently by everyone,” he said. PSU sophomore Raz Mostaghimi portrays local pastor Jenny Macmillian, who advises one of the main characters on a trip abroad. Mostaghimi has never acted in a play written by a fellow student but is excited for the new experiences it will bring. “It’s interesting how the playwright is here in rehearsals,” Mostaghimi said. “We get this view of the script and the play that we don’t normally get in rehearsals.” Mostaghimi also feels that performing a peer’s play brings a new sense of appreciation for the arts. “We aren’t just tak-
ing some scrump we found in the library and performing it,” Mostaghimi said. “We’re bringing something that a fellow PSU student worked so hard on, and we are bringing that to life.” The production is completely free for all, as the main goal is to allow the audience to get a glimpse of what PSU Stage is about. And anyone can create their own student group: All it takes is three student leaders and a total of five student members. Clubs which continue to meet for one year without funding are then assigned a SALP advisor to begin funding. Visit pdx.edu/student-leadership/join-or-start-studentorganization for more about joining or starting a student club. More information about PSU Stage is available at facebook.com/PSUSTAGE.
A DRESS REHEARSAL FOR “THE HICK INBREDS OF VALLEY LOW,” PRODUCED BY STUDENT CLUB PSU STAGE AND WRITTEN BY PORTLAND STATE THEATRE MAJOR AND CLUB LEADER JOHN PINNEY. STELLA CRABTREE/PSU VANGUARD
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OPINION INTERNATIONAL NEWS
SEARCHING FOR COMMUNITY ON A COMMUTER CAMPUS TalkFest by Marie Conner
Every day we wake up, get dressed and go about our business—each and every one of us. We are not that different. Students attending college are surrounded by other people going through similar experiences, learning how to navigate this phase of our lives called adult education. A campus in the center of a metropolitan city like Portland is additionally enveloped by an active cultural community. However, many Portland State students struggle with making social connections when they leave home to begin their college journey. Why can it be so difficult to find real community on a campus and in a city filled with people—many of whom share similar attitudes about the world? How can it feel so hard? Embarking on a new adventure can be both exciting and terrifying, and starting school is no exception. It can also be incredibly lonely. Moving to a new place where you don’t know anybody, traversing new systems with increased expectations and deadlines, shouldering the pressures of work and personal commitments, all while trying to figure out your own view of the world can make it feel impossible to establish roots and find support. I went off to college at the University of Oregon straight out of high school, mostly because I wanted something more for my future than my parents had. Sure, I probably could have used a year to figure out my path, but dropping out after six months had more to do with living off campus and my lack of support and connections than any other factors. It took me another twenty years to pay off those initial loans and find the impetus to return to school. I was determined that this time would be different and worked to find the alliances that would support my success as a student. It is especially difficult to establish that support at a university where a majority of students live off campus. Access to a
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community that understands this could prevent other students from the same stops and starts in their educational journey that I had. Residence halls often hang fliers and announce ways to get involved, but it isn’t quite as easy for those of us who only come to PSU when we attend classes. There are abundant avenues on campus for students to seek allies in whatever way we need, and it can sometimes be useful to have a little help finding them. A perfect place to begin your search is on OrgSync.com, a portal for connecting communities online, where you can search student groups to get involved with and learn about other activities and happenings, such as student government openings and Student Operated Services events. If you want to start your own student group, you can contact the Student Activities and Leadership Program, which advises studentrun organizations and can also be found on OrgSync. Let’s not forget the potential camaraderie to be found at our various resource centers. The tremendous diversity of opportunities for creating networks at these centers include cultural affiliation, sexual orientation, physical ability, women’s resources, veteran status and more. It only takes a few minutes to dig around on the PSU website to find fellow advocates for what is important to you. Last but not least, take a look at public postings around campus. There are boards of fliers announcing gatherings and events that are posted by students and groups. You can see these all over the place, such as in the library next to the main floor bathrooms and along the wall of the first floor of Neuberger Hall by the administrative windows. It can be intimidating to get started, but taking that first step can create a system of support that will carry you through your education and beyond.
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LYDIA WOJACK WEST
OPINION
THE TRUE COST OF DINING A LA FOOD CART The Complete Tool by Nick Tool the frequency at which a person goes out to eat can have a massive effect on their budget. Grabbing food outside of the house seems cheap on a day-to-day basis. The average meal at one of Portland State’s roughly 45 nearby food carts only costs about six bucks each time, but that means people who frequent carts spend IF YOU WANT TO 30 bucks a week on quick lunches. SAVE MONEY, Adding in a sitCUT OUT THE down dinner here CARTS. DINING and there could bring that up to OUT SHOULD BE 50 bucks a week BIMONTHLY AT or more. Looking out further, that is MOST. $200 a month or $2,400 per year. Add that on top of grocery expenses, which are about $150 per week for low income Americans according to a Gallup poll. Groceries plus dining out comes up to $800 a month, or $9,600 annually. If you want to save money, cut out the carts. Dining out should be bimonthly at most. Eating on a budget starts at home. Setting the bar at six bucks a meal means that preparing three meals just needs to cost $18 or less per day plus some snacks here and there. Three meals and a few snacks at $18 a day, without dining out, will only cost $549 healthy lunch. Amazon has a multitude of per month. lunch containers available. Finding a packTo recap, the starting figures are based on age of multiple, dishwasher-safe boxes with eating lunch at a cart once a day, a weekly separated compartments and lids is a good dinner at a restaurant and the average cost start. Other essentials—in case any readof groceries. All that adds up ers are starting with empty to $800 a month. Going with pots, pans, SAVING AN EXTRA kitchens—include groceries only and preparing baking pans, a slow cooker $3000 A YEAR IS all meals at home with a tarand various cooking utensils. get of $18 a day costs $549 a WHERE THE APPEAL Also, grab some common month. That is a savings of household spices. A quick REALLY STARTS TO internet search will yield $251 per month, or $3,012 KICK IN. annually. several lists of spices. Pick Saving an extra three grand the most common ones a year is where the appeal really starts to across a few lists. kick in. Start out with an easy recipe to get used The first thing to do is outfit your kitchen to cooking at home. Roasted chicken with a with everything necessary for packing a vegetable is an easy start, and the leftover
ILLUSTRATION BY
CHLOE KENDALL chicken bones are good for chicken stock. Buying expensive things like meat in bulk Saving money on groceries comes can lead to some months in which grocerthrough kicking out non-essentials. Soda ies cost less than $100. The key is using and juice are big ones. All your everything purchased bebody needs to drink is water. ALL YOUR BODY NEEDS fore it expires and sticking Buying flavored, sugary drinks to a meal plan. TO DRINK IS WATER. is not only unhealthy, it is fiTo get started on BUYING FLAVORED, nancially unsound. your money-saving jourShopping by price (instead SUGARY DRINKS IS NOT ney, set a monthly food of brand or variety), buying ONLY UNHEALTHY, IT IS budget using an educated fewer packaged, premade guess, track expenses each goods and going to the store FINANCIALLY UNSOUND. month, and make revisions with a list are some healthy to the budget. Establish habits for saving money on groceries. Planning limits on how much food should cost per out cheap and healthy meals can cost very little month. Stay within the limits and watch as the per day with careful planning. amount spent on food gradually decreases. For a few years, I made a game out of spendCut out the junk. Learn to cook for yourself. ing as little as possible per month on food. Save money.
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CONSTRUCTION ON CAMPUS: WILL IT EVER END? TalkFest by Marie Conner If you live on campus, you have likely been awoken by the sounds of construction. The constant pounding of jackhammers and grating of backhoes has probably roused you from sleep way sooner than you’d like as you find yourself hoping for one more hour before having to face the day. You probably wish they would bury themselves in that hole they are digging. I realize that construction is a necessary part of maintaining and upgrading any campus, especially one like Portland State where many of the buildings are at least 50 years old. Some are over 100 years old. However, sometimes it feels like it will never end, and maybe that will be the case, at least as far as the span of my education goes. As soon as one project begins, another one is already in the works and on it goes. It seems like there are more projects happening at once right now than any other time since I first started here in 2010. (Hi, I’m Marie and I am a serial student.) Capital funds are raised to improve the buildings that need revision, upgrading to meet fire codes and seismic structural designs, and even some that don’t yet need upgrading. Have you seen the hall-length glass wall in the Architecture department? As long as the funding can be found, we’ll keep breaking ground.
How much does all of this continual building cost, and where do the funds come from? The big money projects currently include the new Peter Stott Center & Viking Pavilion coming in just over $50 million, the rebuilding of the School of Business with a budget of over $60 million, and the revamping of Neuberger Hall, which is still in the design phase with a projected cost of around $70 million. There is no short answer for the question regarding where the funds come from, as the financing for each project comes from a variety of different resources. Why isn’t that money used to cut the cost of education for the students? Once again, the answer is complicated. Tuition rates are figured with many factors in mind and these big projects are often awarded with a combination of grants and capital project funding. Some of it is definitely paid for with our tuition, but the money needs to be spent and the improvements need to be made whether we like them or not: Otherwise, there won’t be any buildings to hold classes in. As far as the actual construction itself, it may be annoying to listen to the clanking sounds of metal beams and the beeping of equipment, and it definitely can be annoying when being diverted to another corner to cross the street, but
CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW VIKING PAVILION ON A SNOWY DAY. RACHEL LARA/PSU VANGUARD students do benefit from the inconvenience. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but make no mistake, the construction happening now will improve the life of students on the PSU campus down the line. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: How does this affect me? You enjoy the exercise equipment and swimming pool in our amazing Academic and Student Recreation Center, right? It opened in 2010 and the students who came before had to deal with that construction for years. Do you take chem-
istry or biology classes in the Collaborative Life Sciences building? That was finished fall of 2014. Those are just some of the new buildings. There are countless improvement projects happening all the time to make sure the buildings we spend our time in every day are safe and up to date. So while it may suck to wake up at 6 a.m. to the sound of booming metal breaking the very earth apart while reverberating through your window, just try and remember the benefit for future PSU students and that this too shall pass. Someday. Maybe when you graduate.
OP-ED
Letter to the Editor: Organizations in the Northwest are promoting hatred as well Guest Submission The presidential election has shown us unsettling realities in America and even in our home state. As students [we] need to be more vigilant in resisting the xenophobic, racist, and homophobic rhetoric that has been pushed this election. Through all of it, many across the nation are taking a stand. If we in Oregon are going to take a stand against bigotry, we need to start by tackling it here in our own communities and at our own school. Right here in the Pacific Northwest, the Murdock Charitable Trust has been funding organizations that are anti-LGBTQ, anti-environment and anti-worker.
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The Murdock Charitable Trust is based in Vancouver, Washington, right across the river from Portland. Among them is the Alliance Defending Freedom, an anti-LGBTQ organization that pushes discriminatory laws all across the United States. They are known for creating the notorious North Carolina “Bathroom Bill” that barred transgender people from using bathrooms that match with their gender identity. One of the co-founders of ADF once questioned if AIDS is one way God punishes the LGTBQ community. ADF was also instrumental in advising current Vice-President
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Mike Pence when he was the Indiana governor on their anti-LGBTQ legislation. In addition to anti-LGBTQ organizations, the Murdock Trust also funds the Freedom Foundation, an anti-worker organization based in Washington that is backed by networks tied to the Koch brothers. The Freedom Foundation has opposed minimum wage increases, paid sick leave, and increased funding for education. They are also actively working to undermine the ability of workers to have a voice in the workplace. Their staff have argued against the Supreme Court case that legalized marriage equality.
Why is this relevant to us as students at PSU? The people that Murdock grantees try to undermine are fellow students, alumni, the workers who make our school better and our teachers. As students we need to make a stand against the type of hateful organizations that Murdock funds.
Kaitlin Hoback
Associated Students of PSU Equal Rights Advocacy Director
ETC
TOO SHY TO BE EXCITED SUBPAR ADVICE FROM THE SUB-BASEMENT
JOHN PINNEY
Seasonal Jitters writes:
Oh So Shy writes:
I hate Valentine’s Day. But this year I have actually somehow managed to have a date. Totally random happenstance. What should I do?
So my sister has the most adorable kid ever. I’ve babysat a few times and I’m starting to get worried. She’s just a couple years away from being a tween but acts more like she’s three. She hides when introduced to people, hates making eye contact and doesn’t want to hang out with anyone her age. In fact, she’ll usually end up playing with littler kids instead. It’s not that she’s not smart, she just seems afraid. Should I voice my concern to my sister?
Heya Jitters, First of all, good for you! Second of all, don’t go the Shaun of the Dead route or the “Sheldon at Christmas” route. There’s definitely a happy medium.
Heya Shy,
How do you define this first Valentine’s Day for yourself? I get the idea that maybe it’s not all that important to you, but perhaps it is to your date. Do you have a sense of agreement between the two of you, or are you just lurching around in the dark and hoping that if you throw a dart at the board, it’ll hit a bullseye?
I mean, you can voice your concern, it’s a free country after all, but you have no idea what your sister is actually trying to do to work with her daughter. Maybe the kid is just an introvert. Maybe one day the kid’ll wake up and everybody will be her new best friend. It’s hard to say with kids, but I get the sense most are kind of like those little rubber bouncy balls from my Neko Atsume game—those things always bounce. I feel like maybe you were a little too shy as a kid and now you’re projecting. So the question is: What’s the fear? Is it related to the idea that she’s missing something because you missed something? And what exactly is the end goal here? What do you want her to be less shy for? What confidence in her life is she missing that you feel so compelled to gift her with? Maybe she’s just taking a little longer to bloom. Maybe she never blooms. But if you love her, her quality of life won’t be any worse. She’ll still get to have a good life. So love and everything else comes out in the wash. Hearts and Stars, Your Advice Guru
I think Valentine’s Day celebrations should fit the couple. If it’s a person you know relatively well as a friend and you’re now making a bigger leap, just do something you like. Maybe ramp it up a little on the romance but don’t, like, paint the sunset in a hot air balloon if that’s going to feel extravagant.
Well I Was Excited writes: My boyfriend and I have just moved in to our first apartment together. It’s a really big deal to me, and I was super excited about it. So excited in fact that I made the rookie mistake of planning a big dinner party and inviting everyone over. I didn’t think being a vegetarian and having a vegetarian dinner party would be an issue, until my dad chimed in that I was “forcing my beliefs on him” and that if I’m hosting a dinner party, I should have a carnivore option for people that aren’t vegetarian. I’m stunned and kind of just want to cancel the whole thing. What should I do? Heya Excitement Delayed, Your dad sounds like a blast. It’s so fun that he’s criticizing you even though you’re way ahead of most people in your age bracket. Throwing a dinner party and in your own first apartment? It’s a big undertaking. But one of the greatest joys of having that party is getting to set the rules. For instance, I don’t drink. I would expect any person bringing alcohol would do so in moderation and also that they’d take the rest of their booze with them when they got their Lyft home (because buzzed driving is drunk driving, end of story). I would probably say something like this on the invitation. I would expect people to respect my home and my space and to get over it if they’re looking for a booze party (that’s what a 1920s theme is for). Don’t cancel your party—that’s the long and short of it. Your dad is really just pushing the button to see what he can get away with. And if it’s that big of a deal for him, he doesn’t have to come. I’m sorry to say that he might just not. But if you cave, it’ll be one more thing that he’ll whittle into you when something doesn’t go just the way he wants later on. And don’t let him bring pork chops or something to prove a point.
And don’t put yourself into debt. Debt is not sexy. Work at something. And I’m not talking about elbow macaroni glued to a piece of paper during Mother’s Day when you’re five working. I’m talking Rachel Maddow, put some thought into it, do some research working. There is a blacklight minigolf course not far from campus. It is pirate themed. But… about halfway through the course, the theming kind of gives up, so if you’re super into minigolf (or pirates), that might ruin it. But if you just like being with someone and have a hint of a competitive streak, dinner and minigolf could actually be a nice night out—if at-home intimacy isn’t something you’re into at this point, or if you’re still trying to get to at-home intimacy. The act of doing is important when considering Valentine’s Day, but empty acts of doing aren’t going to get you anywhere. Let your mind wander a little. Prepare yourself but be fanciful. Make a list of ten random ideas, then pare it down. Keep going until you have a top two or three and then make a plan. Or make someone else make the plan so you can be surprised. Either way, everyone should win. Enjoy your night! Hearts and Stars, Your Advice Guru
There’s probably going to be animosity as your dad works to reconcile your adult self with your kid self, but either it’ll happen or you’ll just eventually stop talking to each other. I don’t know if that brings comfort or terror, but to quote Tina Turner, “That’s just the way of the world.” ILLUSTRATIONS BY ROBBY DAY
Hearts and Stars, Your Advice Guru
PSU Vanguard •JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
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$30 premium seats for students
John Pinney
EVENT LISTINGS FOR FEB. 1–7 FEATURED EVENT 27TH CASCADE FESTIVAL OF AFRICAN FILMS MULTIPLE TIMES HOLLYWOOD THEATRE 4122 NE SANDY BLVD. AND
PCC CASCADE CAMPUS 705 N. KILLINGSWORTH STREET ALL SCREENINGS FREE
Running from February 3 to March 4, this documentary-heavy celebration focuses on the life of those from the African continent as seen through the eyes of African filmmakers and directors. I’ll just quote here from the Travel Portland event listing to give you an idea of what they’re going for: “The films celebrate Africa’s achievements, expose Africa’s failures, and reveal the possibilities for change and a hopeful, more prosperous future. They show us pictures of Africa through the eyes of Africans, rather than a vision of Africa that is packaged primarily for western viewers.” All showings are free and open to the public, though your mileage may vary based on content and personal sensibility. Visit africanfilmfestival.org for complete listings.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 1 PORTLAND WINTER LIGHT FESTIVAL NIGHTFALL OMSI 1945 SE WATER AVENUE
Back for a second year, this glowing festival is a way to fight back the dark night of winter’s cold. Come see bikers with lights, bridges with lights, fire troupes, a silent disco and more. Remember: PSU students can ride the Portland Streetcar for free! If you haven’t taken a ride across Tillikum Crossing, here’s your excuse.
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WRITE AROUND PORTLAND: COMMUNITY READING 6:30-8:30 P.M. TABORSPACE 5441 SE BELMONT STREET FREE
Come and hear the tales of your fellow Portland citizens. Write Around Portland expressly likes to bring to light voices that you otherwise might not hear. Every Community Reading has its own publication, Light to the Edge, with sales benefiting the nonprofit’s work.
THURSDAY, FEB. 2 THE HICK INBREDS OF VALLEY LOW 6 P.M. SMITH MEMORIAL STUDENT UNION, ROOM 294
Massacooramaan will have your back. It’s recommended you get there before 11 p.m., because the entrance line gets long.
PDX-RATED BOSSANOVA BALLROOM 722 E. BURNSIDE STREET 21+ FEE: $15 ADVANCE/$20 DOOR
This body-positive, queer-positive, sex-andkink positive, clothing-optional party happens the first Friday of every month at the boss Bossanova Ballroom. Come and leave your inhibitions at the door, but remember there’s nothing sexier than consent and respect.
SATURDAY, FEB. 4
PSU STAGE presents a free production written by the Vanguard’s very own John Pinney (That’s me!). This story of three siblings trying to escape the rural community of Valley Low will hopefully leave you touched and with just a little chuckle in your throat. This is the first original student production at Portland State in several years and will also be shown Friday night.
QUEER COMPOSERS: FINDING OUR VOICE 7:30-10 P.M. CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH 1820 NE 21ST AVENUE FEE: $18 GENERAL, $12 STUDENTS & SENIORS
THE ILLUSIONISTS - LIVE FROM BROADWAY 7:30 P.M. KELLER AUDITORIUM 222 SW CLAY STREET FEE: $25+
BARRACUDA 9 P.M. DOUG FIR RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE 830 E. BURNSIDE STREET 21+ FEE: $15
Come see Broadway’s spin on the art of magic, brought to you by some of the top talented illusionists in the country. It’s like Now You See Me, but if Dave Franco was replaced by a talented Asian guy.
FRIDAY, FEB. 3 THE CAVE 9 P.M. BLACK BOOK 20 NW 3RD AVENUE 21+
If you’re a dancer looking for a mix of rap, raggaeton, and some surprises, then DJ
PSU Vanguard • JANUARY 31, 2017 • psuvanguard.com
The Portland Lesbian Choir presents the beginning of their 31st year, pulling songs from the last 100 years together into a truly sublime and uniquely queer repertoire. Dance to follow.
If you’re looking for a rocking night out, then look no further than the luscious and hardpowered tribute to the ultimate ’80s band: Heart. Endorsed by founding member and guitarist Roger Fisher, there’s no way you’ll want to leave this alone.
SUNDAY, FEB. 5 THE GOONIES 7-9 P.M. PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY 128 NW ELEVENTH AVENUE FREE
Celebrating the story of Astoria (where The Goonies was filmed), this film is a love story not just to the ’80s but also to Astoria itself. Come and remember the iconography and also that Goonies never say die. Free pizza and soda.
THE SUPERBOWL ALL DAY; DOORS AT 2:30 ALADDIN THEATER 3017 SE MILWAUKIE AVENUE FREE
The best deal that I can find for watching the Patriots take on the Falcons, besides your couch and some take-out Buffalo Wild Wings (my annual pilgrimage), is the Aladdin Theater. Not only is admission free, there will be food and drink specials as well as 4 buck drafts for those of age. Food from the nearby Lamp may be brought into the theater.
5TH AVENUE CINEMA
510 SW HALL STREET FEE: FREE FOR PSU STUDENTS W/ID, OTHER STUDENTS $3, GENERAL ADMISSION $4 THIS WEEKEND’S SHOWTIMES: THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE 1967–1975 FEB. 3, 7 P.M. & 9:30 P.M. FEB. 4, 7 P.M. & 9:30 P.M. FEB. 5, 3 P.M.
Lots going on at 5th Ave. this weekend. You have no less than five opportunities to catch Black Power Mixtape, an “archival montage” shot in the ’60s and ’70s by Swedish journalists following a group of young Black Power Movement activists. The film features footage of Dr. Martin Luther King, Huey Newton, Eldridge Cleaver, Stokely Carmichael, and Angela Davis, with contemporary commentary by Davis, Erykah Badu, Harry Belafonte, and others.
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD FEB. 4, 10 P.M.
George Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead, prime candidate for Patient Zero in the zombie craze, screens once, late Saturday night. Popcorn, as always, is free for all.