Portland State Vanguard, vol. 71 issue 30

ASPSU PORTLAND STATE VANGUARD VOLUME 71 • ISSUE 30 • APRIL 25, 2017

ELECTION GUIDE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ARE OPEN N O W T H R O U G H M A Y 3 . P. 4

N E U B E R G E R E VA C U A T E D F O R F I R E P. 1 4

T H E F R A G I L I T Y O F A 7 , 0 0 0 P O U N D B U L L P. 1 8

T U R K E Y ’ S N E W S U L T A N P. 1 6

“ M A K E T H E W O R L D Y O U R G A Y B A R ” P. 2 1

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The entire visit should take no more than 15 mins to complete (please allow for 30 mins to be safe).

Call the SHAC to make an appointment for the STI study. The option for additional testing and treatment will be available through the on-site nurses.

Testing will be performed at the SHAC every Tuesday & Friday from 10am – 2:30pm.

Walk-ins during those days are welcome, but appointments are recommended to avoid longer wait times.

Email Dr. Sailey at csailey@pdx.edu if you have questions about the study.

The PSU Bike Challenge is a month-long challenge designed to encourage both new and experienced riders to ride their bike as much as possible in the month of May. Fabulous Prizes!

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CONTENTS COVER PHOTO JAKE JOHNSON, DESIGN BY ROBBY DAY ASPSU ELECTIONS GUIDE 2017

P. 5

NEWS PSU CELEBRATES EARTH DAY

OPINION TUITION INCREASE: COULD WE HAVE AVOIDED IT?

P. 17

P. 12

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CELEBRATE NEW YEAR WITH THAI POP STARS

ARTS & CULTURE BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BAKING

P. 20

P. 15

EVENTS CALENDAR APRIL 25-MAY 1

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STAFF EDIT ORI A L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Colleen Leary MANAGING EDITOR Tim Sullivan NEWS EDITOR AJ Earl ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR Alanna Madden INTERNATIONAL EDITOR Chris May ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Matthew Andrews OPINION EDITOR Evan Smiley

ONLINE EDITOR Andrew D. Jankowski

MULTIMEDIA MANAGER Andy Ngo

Max Wayt Aaron Ughoc

STUDENT MEDIA ACCOUNTANT Sheri Pitcher

COPY CHIEF Thomas Spoelhof

PHOTOGRAPHERS Joan Brown Cassie Duncanson Laurena Hirata Jake Johnson Morgan Raymond

DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING MANAGERS Hrushikesh Apte Venkata Naga Sai Dilip Daneti

COORDINATOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Reaz Mahmood

COPY EDITORS John Falchetta Nada Sewidan CONTRIBUTORS Joan Brown Cassie Duncanson Jake Johnson Emma Josephson Ryan Morse Nick Tool

PHO T O & MULTIMEDI A PHOTO EDITOR Silvia Cardullo

CR E ATI V E DIR EC TION & DE SIGN CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Osborn DESIGNERS Terra DeHart Shannon Kidd Lydia Wojack-West Nimi Einstein Chloe Kendall Robby Day

A DV ER TISING ADVERTISING MANAGER Madelaine Eivers ADVERTISING DESIGNER Sam Hicks ADVERTISING SALES Ilyse Espino Michael Hardy Caitlyn Malik A DV ISING & ACCOUN TING ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

To contact Vanguard staff members, visit psuvanguard. com/contact.

To get involved and see current job openings, visit psuvanguard. com/jobs MIS SION S TAT EMEN T 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.

A BOU T 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.

Welcome to the ASPSU Election Guide Year after year, the Vanguard emphasizes the Associated Students of Portland State University elections and the work ASPSU does throughout the year following the elections. Students may ask, “Who is ASPSU anyway, and why should I care?”

Members of ASPSU may ask, “Why doesn’t the Vanguard just leave us alone and let us do our jobs?”

Here are some answers: We continue to cover student government with the intention to engage and inform students about the great responsibility afforded to a small group of people elected and appointed to student government. Engagement with student government is historically very low, with rarely more than 5 percent of the student body casting votes for student-elected officials. This engagement does match the level of influence ASPSU can have in the PSU community.

Maybe students don’t vote because they don’t know who their student leaders are, why they should care, or if it even matters. We encourage you to study the following pages to learn more about the work ASPSU does and how it directly affects every student on campus.

For student leaders wondering why the Vanguard continues to emphasize coverage of ASPSU: It’s important to remember that being an elected official of ASPSU means taking on the responsibility of a public figure. Part of being a public figure is being accountable to the public, and acting as a watchdog is the Vanguard’s job as a media outlet. Communicating with the public through the media is one of the main functions of an ASPSU leader’s job, and this will never change.

We cover the goings-on of ASPSU so readers are aware of what student leaders do with this responsibility, and so our student government representatives understand they will be held accountable for their actions.

A message to ASPSU and other student leaders For student leaders hoping to embark on an academic year serving the students as a part of ASPSU, here’s an inexhaustive list of what we expect from our student leaders: • Represent the majority of the student body, not only the portion of the student body whose ideals match individual beliefs.

• Actively engage a broad audience of students in open and accepting manner. This includes engagement through the media.

• Create a safe space for all students, not simply those who share the same political or personal beliefs.

• Be responsible with the platform available. People pay attention. Do your research, speak wisely and listen more than you speak.

• As a public figure, set a standard and be an example for ethical and professional behavior.

• Spend time and student funds wisely by making tangible progress beyond political statements. Create lasting initiatives.

• Navigate systems and utilize opportunity to engage constructively with the administration—take advantage of the opportunity to engage with university leaders that other students may not have or know how to get.

• • • •

Be constructive. Be accurate. Think critically.

Act professionally in all mediums and platforms. Social media is never truly private, and the words you post online will always come back to you.

Be accountable to the student body. Respond to questions and concerns.

Be honest and objective. Actively work to avoid bias and conflict of interest.

As a media organization, the Vanguard is expected to: • Hold student government and other influential student groups accountable.

• Inform the public. Provide diverse perspectives.

Accurately represent perspectives from entire student body, not just the loudest or most critical cohort.

• Know the difference between acknowledging and empowering. We can’t ignore the things that exist on campus that are unpleasant or uncomfortable. With knowledge comes power.

The Vanguard is hopeful that our incoming student leaders will uphold the professional and ethical standards and responsibilities associated with being a part of student government.

Colleen Leary Vanguard Editor-in-Chief

ASPSU El ect ions Guide 2017 ASPS-Who? P. 5 Mee t t he Candidat e s P. 6 Debat e Hig hl ig ht s P. 9 15 Now Bal l ot r e solut ion P. 10 Map: Wher e to vot e P. 11

ELE C T I O N G U I D E

What d oe s ASPSU d o?

ALEX-JON EARL “What does ASPSU do?” When asked this seemingly straightforward question, students were somewhere between stumped and snarky.

“Stuff…? What is this for, why are you asking,” one student replied. “What DO they do? Are they in charge of money, somehow?”

Another struggled to explain what the Student Fee Committee did, and another said it was just another line on a resume. “Not make quorum,” was another strong response.

Perhaps the closest and most realistic response was from one student who replied briefly, “Communicates with the Board of Trustees on behalf of students.”

What does ASPSU do?

“ASPSU is the primary student voice, and student representation,” said Assistant Dean of Student Life, Student Activities and Leadership Aimee Shattuck. “The two ways that I think are most essential…are appointing students to all university committees and representing students in these formalized ways throughout the university, and the second way is through the allocation of the student fee.”

Putting it a little more succinctly, “ASPSU is the governing body of the students and representatives of their voice to the [PSU] administration and community,” Coordinator of Student Government Relations and Greek Life Advisor Candace Avalos said.

“The biggest thing that ASPSU does is they allocate the student fee,” Avalos continued. “They are responsible for allocating to which department and student groups student fee dollars go, that incidental fee of [$221, as of Spring 2017] you pay every quarter. They’re also responsible for putting people in seats on different committees that represent different issues on campus.”

Given the importance of what ASPSU does there’s a little bit more under the hood than just what students may see at first blush. Therefore, it’s important that the impact of the group’s work is not understated.

“The potential impact is large, and it depends on the year, it depends on what ASPSU’s initiatives are,” Shattuck explained. “It depends on if they focus on that very much, it depends on if they realize that as a power that they hold, and it depends on the coordination in the organization of that year’s ASPSU.” “In an ideal way, the way that I’ve seen it work the most, they realize this a power that they hold, and a way to amplify the voice of students,” Shattuck said.

Although most students coming into the group are new to politics, ASPSU is not left to fend for itself. “It takes a ton of work to go out and find students who kind of show up, and [then] coach them and train them and mentor them to actually show up, and get the information back,” Shattuck said. “It’s hard because you have a student or a number of students on a committee, but do they represent all of ASPSU? How do they know what the student body feels? So helping students who are on those committees have those skills and do that well communicate back so the senate knows what’s going on, then that can inform their initiatives for the year.”

SO, WHAT does ASPSU DO? The question of increasing student engagement is a tricky one for SALP. “It would be great to have a sense of spirit and excitement around things like elections,” Shattuck lamented. “If there’s more students involved and there’s more students running in elections, that means there’s more students talking to more students. It’s this ripple effect, and that means that more students even know what’s happening or know why they should even vote, and even that minimum level of engagement if you have more people running, more people vote.”

Recent years have seen voting among the PSU student body in the single digits, hitting 5 percent with margins narrow enough to make the waitlist cutoff. This year may be an even more dire situation, with no real contest and very little interest.

“You have a year where there’s no contested seats, and there’s not even enough people to fill all of the seats if they’re all elected,” Shattuck explained. “That means that not as many people are going to vote, that means that not as many people know what’s happening in student government, that means that there’s not as many people who are going to volunteer to be on these committees or get involved in other ways.”

In that respect it’s important to recognize in basic terms what the ASPSU actually does.

What ASPSU does: Spends YOUR money: ASPSU gets a cut of your fees. That $221-or-so, which varies and is going up every term? They get to spend it. Here at the Vanguard we told you all about that.

Tells the Board of Trustees and President what “we” think: When only a few people vote and fewer still run, then the “we” that gets represented to the BOT and president of the school is a small pool. That’s not a diverse set of opinions representing your needs, is it?

Advocates on our behalf regarding tuition issues: They’re paid (usually) to sit and discuss tuition increases with school representatives and the BOT. Do you have a say? So do they, and it’s louder than yours.

Seats and sits on committees covering diverse issues: ASPSU hears your issues. And by “your issues,” we at the Vanguard mean only those of the folks who show up. There’s some pretty good stuff going on, some great committees, but when so few people actually participate there’s a huge gap in what ASPSU can cover or investigate.

Curriculum: ASPSU gets a chance to put students on seats that allow a close-in view of the curriculum setting process. Shocking, huh?

What can YOU do?

Vote. Run. Attend ASPSU Senate, SFC and Committee meetings.

When asked about the benefits of increased student involvement, Avalos raised her voice slightly. “Well, it would benefit [students] because they would have more of a say in the direction that ASPSU goes and the way that they spend [student] money, the issues that they take on, the way that they speak on behalf of those issues to the administration,” Avalos said. “In general, how government works being involved gives you more of a voice and a say in what happens.”

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ELE C T I O N G U I D E

Mee t t he Candidat e s President

Senate

Brent Finkbeiner

I’m running for ASPSU president because I’m dedicated to helping students succeed. I think it’s time to find new solutions to age old problems on how our universities, local, and state government run. I served in the army from 2006–2010 as a combat medic and was the lead medical professional for 25 infantry soldiers on deployment. My values are grounded in caring for others, without limitation based on identity or background. I also have 3 years’ experience in student leadership and advocacy on a number of issues in higher education from funding, to veteran services and campus safety.

I’m a business management major and transferred to PSU in fall of 2016 from Clackamas SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD Community College where I spent my last year as student body president. I also had the privilege of serving as board chair for the Oregon Community College Student Association, where I worked with a team of leaders that represented community college students across Oregon.

Working as a senator in ASPSU for the past two terms has given me the opportunity to learn a lot about Portland State and our community here. With my time and experience, I know which practices to continue and which ones need improvement. I love working on issues that are important to students, especially when it comes to making college more affordable and accessible.

I am experienced with navigating state affairs and lobbying the legislature to make sure we get the funding we need. I’m committed to bridging the gap between faculty, staff, and students to ensure we have the most meaningful experience together possible.

I’m proud to be a part of Engage PSU, and I believe this team truly represents the diversity of Portland State. We have students who are veterans, parents, students of color, international students, LGBTQ students, and more. We built this slate to represent you, and to reflect the many voices in our community. Student engagement is our top priority, and we’ll work tirelessly to ensure the needs of students are met.

Luis Balderas Villagrana

SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD

Alex Herrera

My two years at PSU have been full of community engagement, and I intend to continue that work if elected to ASPSU Senate. I spent my second year as ASPSU’s Multicultural Affairs director and became a peer advocate for the Women’s Resource Center. I hold three positions on the leadership team at the Cultural Resource Centers, where I have made great connections with the directors, coordinators, and students, as well as planned and facilitated events and programs. I have also completed an internship with the Student SustainabilSILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD ity Center where I was able to take part in professional development, event programming and student organizing. Additionally, I have been a core team member of the ASPSU Vote OR Vote Student Voter Registration Campaign. My involvement with these programs has allowed me to develop my student outreach skills, community partnership skills, and public speaking.

Katie Kennedy

ASPSU is important to me because it is the most effective avenue I’ve found for students to enact change on campus. I’m honored to be associated with student leaders that I so highly respect and that share my values. I am most passionate about holding PSU’s administration accountable, all while practicing transparency as a senator and active member of EngagePSU.

Vice President

Donald Thompson III

Black man from Washington, D.C., pursuing a B.S. in biochemistry and in health studies through the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. I returned to college in spring term of 2016 and have been involved in student activism since my first day on campus.

I’ve joined with student, faculty and community activists and organisers here on campus to advocate for student autonomy, for a living $15 minimum wage for campus workers and for administrative accountability. I’ve spoken out against the armament of campus security, administrative bloat, and the role and power held by the Board of Trustees over students.

SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD I’ve participated in protests and walkouts on and near campus against police brutality, poverty wages and against the election and actions of President Trump.

I think that leadership is most productive when leaders are focused on how best to bring together, represent and elevate the community that they are beholden to. This is achieved by leadership making every effort to engage with their community. My expectation is that those given the power to make decisions should do so with this in mind: An empowered leader should pursue an empowered community. I’ve held a position on the Student Fee Committee since fall term 2016 and I’ve maintained this view on leadership throughout. I don’t mean to change that anytime soon.

I believe in building a campus community whose members engage with the concerns of their peers, especially those most marginalized in our spaces. PSU should be a community that seeks to improve the living conditions of students, faculty and Portland’s community at large. This means among other things the pursuit of cultural competency, increasing accessibility to the college, contending with tuition increases and holding one another (and the administration) accountable for the things we do and say.

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PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

As PSU grows, so does the need for resources for our students. Through my experience working under the current ASPSU administration, I have built respectable connections through hard work and dedication. As senator, I will continue to ensure that the ASPSU continues to evolve as a respected, mature voice within the academic community. I appreciate your support, and am excited to lead us into the 2017 academic year.

COURTESY OF CANDACE AVALOS

Emily Korte

Hello students of PSU! My name is Emily Korte and I am running for a senator position on your student government. Right now I am studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, but before that I was a senator on ASPSU for four terms.

I am a political science major with two minors in law & legal studies and economics going into my junior year here at PSU. As a senator, I SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD have strived to hear all voices and represent the students of PSU and not just those that have the loudest voices but even those that are nervous to speak up. I hope to continue to contribute to my school and to your school and make it better for everyone. I am truly open to hearing all opinions, feelings and perspectives on all issues because I believe everyone’s view of the world is valid and deserves to be heard. I look forward to working with student government once again! Thank you!

ELE C T I O N G U I D E

Zia Laboff

Nickolas Hash

I’m running for a position in ASPSU because I genuinely believe in the importance of student representation and having someone to advocate for student interests within the larger structure of the university. I want to prioritize student engagement so that ASPSU can be more of a resource for students on campus as well.

I’m a current senator with ASPSU running for my same position and hoping to retain my position or advance at some point within the sustainability committee. I am a fellow of ISS, an officer with the sustainability student group SAUCI a poli sci major and sustainability + econ minor. I possess a unique blend of traits focused around sustainability and the policy & economics to make it work that many do not. I am currently working on a number of projects that all contain some overlap, and hope to retain my position through the next year to see SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD those efforts be realized and come to fruition.

SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD

Linh Le

Sabrina Stitt

I’m running because I believe in tackling systematic issues with policy change, lobbying officials and influencing legislatures while working in real time to mend the damages that current policies have created. I’m most passionate about food security, healthcare, and tuition increase, the most pressing issue at the moment. I’d like to represent the student body.

COURTESY OF CANDACE AVALOS

Catherine Everett

I am running in the ASPSU elections because I believe that student engagement and collaboration is powerful. I believe marginalized communities must have equitable representation, especially in places like ASPSU where important decisions, like the use of student fee dollars, are made. I am dedicated to working together and building a campus and community that is accessible on all levels.

I am a junior majoring in community development with a minor in civic leadership. I am running for the senator position in the ASPSU student government, a position that connects the student body with their government. As a first generation college student, a woman of color, a veteran, and a parent, I personally know the importance of making Portland State University a safe, welcome, and accessible campus. I want to do that by empowering students to feel a sense of power over their experiences at Portland State, and thus the power to organize themselves and with others.

Cuautli Verastegui

I’ve attended Portland State since fall of 2015 and am a junior in standing. My major is community development with minors in conflict resolution and psychology. I have always been heavily involved in student life, whether it’s going to a PSU basketball or football game, playing intramurals, or attending any of the various events around campus. Lately, I’ve increased my involvement by becoming a leader of a Portland State student group: Students United for Nonviolence. As a SUN leader, I have been responsible for planning events and creating budgets. I would like to continue to increase my COURTESY OF CANDACE AVALOS involvement by becoming a senator for ASPSU.

SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD

Jocelyn Rodriguez

As an advocate for furthering prosperity for all, I will be running for a position on Senate to continue the work of sustainability at PSU. As a student studying Geography with minors in GIS and sustainability my work at PSU has been dedicated to joining teams that push the university to do its best and to keep raising their thresholds. This past year the Sustainability Affairs Committee has worked on topics ranging from self-care, green spaces on campus, food insecurity, and renewable energy sources. .

JAKE JOHNSON/PSU VANGUARD

Student Fee Committee Violet Gibson

SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD

Zoe Stuckless

I’m running for a Senate position because I believe in striving to build a better community and working to represent the interests of every student at PSU. I know that our campus has a wealth of opportunities, and I want to work to ensure those opportunities are accessible for everyone. I’m currently a freshman majoring in theatre arts, and I’ve been working around Portland in theater for a few years. I’ve had experience coordinating projects, leading large teams and working to promote arts advocacy projects within K-12 schools. I led a campaign SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD to empower youth voices by creating a playwriting program at a local high school and coordinating with a group of young actors, enabling student groups to produce work that was representative of their experiences. I believe that diversity of narrative is critical to creating a strong and engaged community.

I am running for Student Fee Committee.

This will be my third year in ASPSU. My freshman year I was a part of the ASPSU civil leadership internship. Then my sophomore year I was appointed to senate. I’m a double business major focusing in advertising and marketing with a minor in Japanese. I’m also apart of (Portland State Programming Board), so I have experience working with big scale budgets. I have been dedicated to ASPSU in the past and I’ll continue to do so in the future.

COURTESY OF CANDACE AVALOS

Amber Hastings

As a student who has collaborated on creating a budget for a fee funded area, I’ve valued a viewpoint neutral process and good communication from the SFC. These are still two areas where the SFC stands to improve. If elected I will work on strengthening the communication that SFC liaisons should be be providing to fee funded areas and the campus community at-large. I will also serve as a voice for fairness in the fee process.

COURTESY OF AMBER HASTINGS

continued p. 8

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ELE C T I O N G U I D E Andy Mayer

In my two years on the Student Fee Committee I have fought for two things: student jobs and student autonomy. In this past year that has meant fighting to fund two years of minimum wage increases without any student worker losing hours, and that fight needs to continue next year. As tuition increases we need to be funding more quality high-paying jobs for Portland State University students and reverse the trend of student jobs and Graduate Assistant positions being replaced by professional staff. We also need to expand studentled initiatives, increase wages for workers on JAKE JOHNSON/PSU VANGUARD campus to a living wage and make the mandatory incidental fee process more efficient, transparent and engaging.

Patrick Meadors

ASPSU’s importance is in representing the students whose voices are not being heard.

I am running to hear and amplify your voice and shape how our money is spent. College should be affordable and accessible but is often neither. I am passionate about working with you to change that. If you vote for me, I am accountable to you all.

Mahamadou Sissoko SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD I am running for the Student Fee Committee. I have been a SFC member for more than 3 terms. My time with ASPSU allowed me to get familiar with the activities and duties of the Student Fee Community. I am also involved with university housing and the Office of International Students. I am in a very good position to be aware of the challenges students face in different parts of PSU. I would like to be an SFC member one more time to be continue to advocate for students’ interests and well- being.

JAKE JOHNSON/PSU VANGUARD

Suwadu Jallow

ASPSU is important because they represent students in different issues and advocate for student needs to make sure no one is left out at PSU. I am running due to my diverse background and experience, and also because I want to be a voice for the students that don’t have the opportunity to be part of the decision making process. I am extremely passionate about giving back to my community, and I am currently involved with multiple NGOs. Students should vote for me because I will ensure their student fees are spent on programs that they value and care about.

SILVIA CARDULLO/PSU VANGUARD

Nhi Dao

I am a honors business student, a peer mentor, a note taker at Disability Resource Center, and a Judicial Review associate at Portland State University. I want to unify my teamwork skills, my leadership skills, and my accounting knowledge with a Student Fee Committee position. I am a very determined individual and a hard worker. I have the ability to learn quickly.

I work very well with others and independently. I am very well organized.

COURTESY OF CANDACE AVALOS

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ELE C T I O N G U I D E

AS PS U P RESI D EN T/ VI C E P RES I DENT D EBAT E H I GH LI GH TS

“To put our personal selves aside as leaders, to handle other people’s pain, and to listen to other people’s problems, and to do everything that is in their best interest in how they describe it,” -Brent Finkbeiner

“The need to take control over my own sense of self, that extends from me to taking part in my community and taking control of my own destiny as a student... If you see an issue and you feel capable of contending it, then you should.”

-Donald Thompson III

PHOTOS BY JAKE JOHNSON/PSU VANGUARD

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ELE C T I O N G U I D E

Pr op osal to inc r ease student wor ker wag e to $15 on bal l ot Proposal Text

Statement from 15NowPSU

Endorsements

Title: Recommend that the Portland State Board of Trustees increase the minimum wage for all PSU campus workers to $15 per hour.

PSU students have the opportunity to send a powerful message to the president and Board of Trustees: Pay a living wage to thousands of campus workers so they can afford rent and not have to stand in the food pantry line. If the president and trustees can pay 46 top administrators over $50 per hour and raise hundreds of millions for new buildings, they can carve out $3.5 million to end PSU poverty.

American Association of University Professors—PSU, Portland State University Faculty Association, Service Employees International Union Local 49, Graduate Employees Union of Portland State University (AFT/AAUP), Engage PSU, American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 1336

Be it resolved that the [Associated Students of PSU] Student Senate places the following question to the students on the spring 2017 Student Body Election ballot: Shall ASPSU recommend to the university president and the PSU Board of Trustees to increase the minimum wage to $15 for all campus workers?

Statements Against Opposing statements against the bill were absent as far as the Vanguard could tell. However, students that have questions or concerns about the measure and the $15 wage movement in general are urged to conduct research through the internet or library on the matter.

STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR 15 DOLLAR STUDENT WAGE. LAURENA HIRATA/PSU VANGUARD

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ELE C T I O N G U I D E

map of p ol l ing stat ions VOTE ONLINE at community.pdx.edu/student-government or find a polling event now through May 3.

This year’s election event “Floats for Votes” will take place within the PSU Campus’s park blocks on April 25, through the 27 from 12-1pm.

On May 2, ASPSU will host a live polling event over lunch in the park blocks from 12-1pm.

Polling stations are open for another week on May 1 and May 3 between SMSU and NH, 12-1pm.

Polls close on Wednesday, May 3 and election results will be announced on Friday, May 5 at the Simon Benson House from 1-2pm.

SHANNON KIDD

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NEWS

EARTH DAY 2017 OFFERING COMPASSION FOR EARTH TO SUSTAIN THE GOOD JOAN BROWN Portland State students and community members celebrated Earth Day 2017 on Friday, April 21, sharing their message and hopes for a global vision of environmental and climate literacy.

A diverse arrangement of clubs and organizations set up tables and canopied booths along the Park Blocks in front of Smith Memorial Student Union hoping to raise awareness for their causes to encourage student participation.

“The main thing we’re trying to get across is to bring people together to appreciate native plants,” said Zak Weinstein, who was there with Laura Harris representing Native Plant Appreciation Week from April 22–29, 2017.

NPAW offers workshops, presentations, invasive-weed pulling excursions, berry seed open house, musical exploration, and hikes.

NPAW is an affiliation of Native Plant Society of Oregon.

“I’m hoping to engage some volunteers to come out and help with our restoration projects in our parks and natural areas,” explained Mary Verrillito, stewardship coordinator for the City of Portland Parks & Recreation.

PR Volunteers go out for scheduled events and work on programs such as evasive plant removal, trail maintenance, and protection of natural habitats. “We provide tools, gloves and the necessary instruction,” Verrilli said.

Health In Harmony, a global organization, is dedicated to integrating the health of people with the help of the planet. One of the group’s projects is saving national forests in Borneo, home to some of the last orangutan populations in the world.

Communications and outreach manager Darya Minovi discussed how the people of Borneo have been illegally logging in national parks. “Not because they want to but because it’s a very impoverished area,” Minovi explained.

In Borneo, Health in Harmony has provided education in organic farming and health benefit programs. “The number of loggers in ten years has gone from over 1300 households to less than 200 loggers today,” Minovi explained.

The people who make it possible for food to be on the table are “farm workers who get paid thirty-three cents a pound,” explained Genaro Nava. “That means they’ve got to work twelve to fourteen hours just to make any money.” Nava participated at this year’s Earth Day event to represent

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THE NPAW BOOTH AT THE EARTH DAY FAIR. NPAW IS AN AFFILIATION OF NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF OREGON. JOAN BROWN/PSU VANGUARD Friends of Seasonal and Service Workers, a local nonprofit organization.

“Kids 12, 13, and 14 years old are working in the fields,” Nava said. “A lot of those kids will never get an education. At Friends of Seasonal and Service Workers, we believe we can make a difference.”

Promoting compassion, love and gentle revolution is the philosophy of artist Remedios Rapoport. “I realized all my art was working toward people wanting to make the world a better place,” said Rapoport, who was giving away free “Tax the Rich, End War, Live Love” posters along with her “Gentle Revolution Manifesto.”

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

Sacred Waters Fish Company was also present for Earth Day, a group that purchases local salmon from native Oregon tribe members on the Columbia River and practice fish processing in a “good and respectful way.”

“There are rules about catching fish,” said SWFC member Hugh Ahnapook. “Before you even fish, you sing a song and do a ceremony. And you pray for the fish and thank the creator.”

PSU’s Agri-Tech Club advocated the group’s mission statement: “to unite students of all backgrounds and disciplines in the common interest of advancing sustainable food production and agricultural technologies.”

PSU students Ryan Crist and Greg Sakradse explained designing and building systems with tanks for edible or ornamental fish and incorporating water systems that circulate through plant boxes.

The plants, edible or ornamental, are first fertilized and then the water is filtered and cycle back into the fish tanks. Tilapia fish are especially tasty when grown in these systems.

Agri-Tech Club welcomes all levels of expertise and interest in helping to develop solutions to modern food security issues. Meetings are 4–6 p.m. every Thursday in room 510 of the Engineering Building.

NEWS

PLANNING FOR JUPITER WITH LES JOHNSON

JOAN BROWN

Portland State Aerospace Society hosted a free event featuring Les Johnson, a world-renowned author, physicist and selfdescribed “space nerd” at PSU in conjunction with Rose City Astronomers on April 18. Johnson’s presentation focused on small spacecraft propulsion without liquid fuel.

“I am a space cadet,” Johnson said, whose interest in space was awakened at the age of seven when he watched Neil Armstrong walk on the moon. Johnson, author of both nonfiction and fiction science literature, is also a deputy manager for the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the Science Programs and Projects Office of Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Johnson’s presentation is especially relevant now for PSU’s space enthusiasts, thanks to NASA’s recent approval of the PSAS “OreSat,” Oregon’s first nanosatellite. In addition, PSAS has begun planning a mission to Jupiter with their next satellite project “OreSat2.”

“I think we need to be starting to work on 21st century propulsion,” Johnson explained.

“To build on some of the work I’m doing in solar sails and other technologies, which are not yet flown, that are doable and can be done. We need some innovative thinkers to go out and try to make those happen.”

Rocket propulsion has continued to be a major limitation to space exploration. “It’s that darn rocket equation,” said Johnson,

who explained the scale between the size and weight of a rocket, and the bulk and weight of fuel needed to thrust it out of Earth’s gravity. Once the spacecraft escapes Earth’s gravity, the next concern involves maintaining spacecraft functionality for the duration of its mission.

“You can’t load enough propellant on there to make it worthwhile, and if you do then you start losing payload mass,” Johnson said. “If you look at most of the deep space missions that we’ve flown, over half to two-thirds of the launch mass is propellant. That’s a crime.”

Johnson brought up the risk of explosion as an additional concern.

An alternative propulsion method currently in use utilizes electric ion thrusters. Although electric ion thrusters are more efficient than liquid fuel, there are still certain limitations and dangers involving combustion. Iodine propulsion, which theoretically provides a reduced risk of explosion, is currently being tested but has yet to be observed in space.

Johnson wants to challenge and push students in the field of aeronautics. “There’s a lot we can do if we leave rockets behind,” Johnson said.

Some of Johnson’s ideas for delivering small spacecrafts to distant destinations such as Jupiter involve momentum exchange, current collection, electric sails and solar sails. “I think solar sail propulsion is something very viable for CubeSats,” he said. In fact, Johnson has written a book on the very subject.

PORTLAND STATE AEROSPACE SOCIETY HOSTED A FREE EVENT FEATURING LES JOHNSON, A WORLD-RENOWNED AUTHOR, PHYSICIST AND SELF-DESCRIBED “SPACE NERD” ON APRIL 18 AT PSU IN CONJUNCTION WITH ROSE CITY ASTRONOMERS. COURTESY OF MAXPIXEL Johnson’s website features a photograph of him holding a piece of graphene, a candidate material for solar sails. Johnson brought a graphene sample to the presentation for audience attendees to pass around.

During the question and answer session Johnson was asked to describe the process for having his ideas heard and accepted.

Johnson’s first point of advice was to make

sure that the idea was actually “good” and to then gain credibility and learn to be the “best communicator possible.”

“I think it’s a shame if somebody has an idea and they’re too shy to share,” Johnson said. “A lot of problems could be solved if people had the freedom to think they could pose their crazy idea, because it may not be crazy.”

“We have reached a zenith,” Moore said.

“Fifty percent of the country won’t talk to the other fifty percent. Inquiry and debate are being shut down; now screaming and misinformation run wild. In my opinion, right now, the left is largely to blame.”

The event is hosted by student group Freethinkers of PSU as part of its year-long theme of free speech and classical liberalism. PSU student and event organizer Blake Horner explained why the self-described secular humanist group would sponsor a visit by Rarely does a journalist’s career accelerate a political conservative. to notoriety as instantaneously as Moore’s has.

“The way we see it is that free speech perWhen the former editor-at-large of Out and secution has been coming mainly from the The Advocate magazines published his expose left, and a lot of the speakers who have been of miscreant provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos vocal about it are on the conservative side,” in September 2016, the well-established, well- Horner said. connected gay writer found himself ostracized Freethinkers of PSU describes itself as a overnight from the liberal community he had nonpartisan student group. embraced. The abrupt shunning sparked a revHow will the PSU community react to elation in Moore. In a recent interview with the Moore’s appearance on campus? Show up to New York Post, he came out as a conservative. find out.

JOURNALIST CHADWICK MOORE SPEAKS AT PSU 7 P.M., APRIL 28 IN SMSU ROOM 294. COURTESY OF CHADWICK MOORE

AN INFIDEL IS COMING TO PSU THOMAS SPOELHOF

When asked whether he is concerned about potential protest against his upcoming event at Portland State, contentious New York-based author Chadwick Moore had this to say: “Protest, by all means. I love it. You should speak up for your beliefs. But you do not have the right to prevent someone else from speaking theirs.”

Moore brings his inciting dialogue entitled “The Joys of Being an Infidel” to PSU’s campus 7 p.m., April 28 in Smith Memorial Student Union room 294. Admission is free.

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NEWS

‘CAN YOU SEE ME? DEFINING MY OWN BLACK MASCULINITY’

JAKE JOHNSON

University Studies Dialogue Series’ second presentation was given on Thursday, April 20 by Dr. Michael A. Brown, director of PSU’s Learning Center. The presentation, “Can You See Me? Defining My Own Black Masculinity,” was a very personal talk centered around Brown’s own experience and the journey that led him to be the self-confident, gay, black man that he is today.

One point Brown consistently brought forward is that societal definitions of what it means to “be a man” do a disservice to the reality that everyone is, in fact, different.

Brown also connected this point to the importance of looking to black feminism as a model of intersectionality.

“Five years ago when I started this study of my dissertation,” Brown explained, “I just wanted to explore the experiences that young African-American males go through when trying to construct their own masculine identity.”

Wanting to dig deeper, Brown hoped to highlight experiences of males outside of what society identifies as being masculine.

His research unearthed feelings and philosophies; however, the experiences Brown found about gay black men were confined to the ’80s and ’90s AIDs/HIV crisis. These experiences didn’t relate to Brown and reinforced the idea that his experience was important to share.

Young and different Brown remembers being teased at six years old for playing jump rope with the girls. Upset, he ran inside. His mother reminded him, “Sticks and stones break bones but words can’t hurt.” Brown, who felt hurt, disagreed.

Reluctantly, he obeyed his mother and went back out to play. On his way out his grandmother urged his mother to send him away to stay with his uncle because she feared that Brown, being raised by two women, had been influenced too much. “‘There is no place in this society for a sensitive black man,’” Brown said, as he recalled his grandmother’s words.

Growing up in church, Brown remembered how a guest in his congregation had a particularly hard time one Sunday. This visitor was a man with feminine features and longer hair. Brown recalled the drive home that day, where he overheard his cousin and grandmother bantering about “God’s displeasure at the feminine man who wore makeup.”

“Never once was my existence acknowledged during the entirety of their conversation,” Brown recounted. “The more my grandmother and cousin spoke, the more God’s benevolent love appeared to come with contingencies.”

What struck Brown the hardest was noticing the look of disdain on his grandmother’s face, and how it was the same look she’d had when suggesting Brown live with his uncle years before.

Black women raising black men According to Brown, his mother raised him and his siblings “with an iron fist.” Brown remembers trying so hard to make his mother proud, but it wasn’t enough. “‘In my house, I’m punishing you out of love,’” Brown said, recalling his mother’s

words. “’But when you get out on the streets, you’re nothing but another black man.’”

Brown’s research led him to assert how black men are meant to be feared. One main source of this, Brown believes, is negative imagery.

“African-Americans account for less than 10 percent of violent crimes committed in this country,” Brown stated. “Yet when violent crimes are portrayed on television and in media, 80 percent of them are portrayed by African-Americans, specifically males.”

“So what do you do when you see that image?” Brown asked. “You wanna do whatever you can in your community to ensure that black males know that they are more than whatever they are portrayed as by society.”

Looking back, Brown understands that the way his mother raised him was within the context of “womanism.” Womanism is an extension of feminism from the perspective of women of color that purports that not only are women of color women, but they are also people of color, oftentimes coming from a place of poverty, and raising children without men.

This intersectional theory of black feminism helped Brown understand that not only is he a gay man, but he is also a person of color.

Q&A One attendee, student Alyssa Clayton, wanted Brown to expand on black feminism, referencing Audre Lorde’s encouragement of spirituality.

“Would you encourage us to pursue that?”

Clayton asked. “The university is a very secular place and can be a little suffocating.”

Brown recalled his first black professor, who separated spirituality from religion. While the two can be intertwined, Brown proposes that spirituality is personal and that different people have different spiritual needs. While no longer religious, Brown felt his spirituality definitely gave him the strength and warmth that has helped him through difficult times in his life.

One attendee asked Brown what other experiences he discovered while doing research for his dissertation. Brown responded that most of what he could find were people’s feelings in specific situations and that most of the longform experiences Brown discovered about gay black men were set in the context of the HIV/ AIDS crisis, one that doesn’t pertain to Brown personally.

“Standing here now, if the gentleman from the back of the church walked in here to Smith 294, do you have something you’d want to say to him?” asked attendee Carol Gabrielli.

Brown responded he would initially want to apologize, but also thank him for showing vulnerability. The disdain his church had for this man was eye-opening.

In closing, Brown wanted everyone to remember that all experiences are different.

“The experience that I am sharing with you is mine and mine only,” Brown said. “In no way should it be meant to generalize the experiences of anyone with a similar demographic as I. So please do not leave here thinking that you have a better understanding of what it is to be a black gay man. But you can leave saying, ‘I understand Michael a little more,’ and that’s all that is.”

CONFLAGRATION! MAYHEM! COLLAPSE! …NOT REALLY

SMALL FIRE SHUTS DOWN NEUBERGER HALL ALEX-JON EARL

At 9:04 a.m. on April 19 a fire was reported in room 451N in Neuberger Hall. Hazmat, fire, and a media circus arrived on cue to investigate, and students were evacuated. Among major concerns was the potential for a spread of the fire and the presence of asbestos.

Students were allowed back in at noon. No cause has been announced.

This fire came just one day before a planned Portland Design Commission review meeting to look at several modifications to the exterior and ground floor of Neuberger and amid frequent student complaints about the state of the interior of classrooms.

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FIRST RESPONDERS GATHERED BETWEEN SMSU AND NEUBERGER AFTER A SMALL 4TH FLOOR FIRE. CHRIS MAY/PSU VANGUARDVANGUARD

INTERNATIONAL APRIL 17

JERUSALEM

After an essay by prominent Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti was smuggled out of prison and published as an op-ed in the New York Times, 1,000 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel joined a prisoner hunger strike already numbering 5,000. Barghouti’s essay criticized what he called Israel’s “judicial apartheid,” and protests supporting the prisoners amassed in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

APRIL 18 LONDON,

UNITED KINGDOM

The U.K.’s next general election will happen this June instead of 2020, following British Parliament’s approval of a plan announced by Prime Minister Theresa May to pull the election forward. Negotiations with the EU concerning Britain’s departure will be effectively suspended as May attempts to establish a stronger mandate for future Brexit talks and citizens and politicians reopen fresh wounds by entering campaign mode once again.

APRIL 19

JAKARTA, INDONESIA

APRIL 20

PARIS, FRANCE

APRIL 21

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama conceded his re-election bid and thus marked the end of Indonesia’s most contentious and polarizing election to date. Ahok, who is Christian and ethnically Chinese, was charged for insulting Islam under the country’s 1965 blasphemy law and saw his lead in the polls disintegrate after the circulation of a creatively edited video of his comments during a campaign speech led to mass protests.

In the heart of Paris a police officer was killed and others seriously injured after a gunman opened fire on the Champs-Élysées avenue before being fatally shot himself. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, which occurred just days before the first round of France’s presidential election.

April 15-21 Chris May

Aya Hijazi, an Egyptian American humanitarian worker, finally returned to the United States after three years bouncing between a Cairo jail cell and a kangaroo court. Hijazi was acquitted on charges stemming from her arrest during a widespread crackdown in 2014 that swept up many civil society groups. Despite ongoing concerns over human rights violations, Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi met with President Trump earlier this month, the first time an Egyptian leader has visited the White House in eight years.

JEWISH STUDENTS THAI POP STARS GRACE OBSERVE FIRST NEW YEAR EVENT PASSOVER SEDER EVENT AFTER DIFFICULT YEAR ANDY NGO

EMMA JOSEPHSON AND ANDY NGO

On Friday, April 14, the Thai Student Organization presented a culture show for Thai New Year at Portland State. The holiday is celebrated from April 13–15 every year. Students, faculty, family and friends gathered to watch performances by entertainers based locally and abroad. The event featured special performances by female Thai pop singers Wanwan, Bowky and Violette. The Thai Collective Band also made a guest appearance.

Multimedia at psuvanguard.com

COLE KEISTER READS A HEBREW PRAYER FROM THE HAGGADAH. ANDY NGO/PSU Portland State’s Jewish Student Union organized its first Passover Seder on April 11. Event organizers said they were motivated to host the event after what they described was a difficult year on campus for Jewish and Israeli students.

In October 2016, the student body government overwhelmingly passed the “Resolution to Recommend Divestment from Companies Involved in Israeli Military Occupation.” The

nonbinding resolution called for PSU to divest from businesses that work with the State of Israel. President Wim Wiewel described the resolution as divisive.

In March 2017, a backward swastika was found carved in a men’s restroom stall in Neuberger Hall.

At the Passover Seder students and Jewish community members observed several prayers and rituals before enjoying a kosher dinner.

PERFORMERS DO A MODERN INTERPRETATION OF A TRADITIONAL DANCE FROM NORTHEASTERN THAILAND. MORGAN RAYMOND/PSU VANGUARD

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INTERNATIONAL

TURKEY’S NEXT SULTAN? CHRIS MAY

On April 17, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced victory in his campaign for a constitutional referendum that will have a profound impact on the balance of power in Turkey’s government.

Professor Birol Yeşilada, the endowed chair in Contemporary Turkish Studies and director of the Center for Turkish Studies at Portland State, said he fears for the future of Turkey.

“We cannot talk about any legitimate degree of democracy in Turkey any longer,” Yeşilada said. “Anybody who says otherwise needs to get their head examined.”

The constitutional changes will replace Turkey’s parliamentary system of government with a presidential system, abolishing the office of the Prime Minister and giving Erdoğan sweeping powers to appoint judges and ministers.

However, unlike the presidential systems in the U.S. and France, under the new constitution Erdoğan would be the de facto head of both the legislative and executive branches of the government. The independence of the judiciary has also been all but eliminated, with the courts being increasingly unwilling to stand up to Erdoğan.

Following the referendum results, Turkey’s high election board rejected legal challenges by the country’s main opposition parties, who called for an annulment of the referendum results. Cited in the challenge was the last-minute decision by the board to accept potentially hundreds of thousands of unstamped ballots, a decision which appears to be in direct violation of Turkish election laws.

“I never thought this was going to be a fair and free referendum, but this was over the top,” Yeşilada pointed out.

“He has been campaigning for a yes vote, he’s been wanting these changes even though he has been running the country like a sultan.”

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in

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Europe issued a report that highlighted myriad irregularities surrounding the referendum campaign, including “the dismissal or detention of thousands of citizens,” “one side’s dominance in the coverage and restrictions on the media,” and “late changes in counting procedures.”

Leading up to the vote, a climate of fear and intimidation was created by Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during a state of emergency announced after a failed coup attempt in July 2016.

Amanda Sloat, fomer Deputy Assistant Secretary for Southern Europe and Eastern and Mediterranean Affairs at the State Department, came to PSU earlier this month. While discussing her diplomatic experience and time working for the State Department and as Senior Adviser to the White House Coordinator for the Middle East, she described the complicated history of Turkey’s descent into autocracy.

A key figure in that history is Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim cleric and former head of an Islamic sect based on Sufism, currently living in exile in the United States.

“When Erdoğan came to power in 2002, and this is something the Turks don’t talk so much about, Erdoğan and Gulen actually worked very closely together,” Sloat said.

Gülen and the transnational religious and social movement he started have been accused of instigating the coup. While the extent of Gülenist involvement remains unclear, the crackdown following the coup saw tens of thousands of arrests, which included thousands of judges, prosecutors, academics, and teachers.

Turkey currently has more imprisoned journalists than any other country in the world.

“Today, anybody you don’t like in Turkey, all you have to do is complain that they belong to a Gülenist organization, and you’ll ruin their

lives,” Yeşilada explained.

“This is very scary.”

After the establishment of the modern Turkish state in the 1920s, organizations like Gülen‘s were driven underground as a new secular republic formed from the ashes of the Ottoman Empire.

Erdoğan and Gülen’s original shared objective was to get the military out of power.

Sloat went on to describe how attempts to undermine Turkey’s secular institutions and the military eventually devolved into a power struggle between Gülen and Erdoğan.

“This is no longer an attempt of outright Islamization of a secular republic,” Yeşilada later explained. “That was the agenda earlier, but now it’s beyond that. It’s all about the personal ambitions of one man.”

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

“Interestingly, you have some people that would be OK with Erdoğan having this degree of power,” Sloat said. “But they wouldn’t necessarily be OK with the unknown person who comes after Erdoğan having the power.”

According to Yeşilada, attempts by Erdoğan to stir up nationalist sentiments with slogans referring to “NeoOttomanism” betray a lack of understanding of history.

“As someone who has studied Ottoman history, I can tell you that AKP people who claim to be neo-Ottomanist have no clue what the real Ottomans were like. Ottomans ruled over a multi-ethnic, multi-religious empire. It wasn’t about Islamization. It wasn’t about promoting Sunni Islam. That happened toward the end of the empire, when it was collapsing.”

Erdoğan has continued to distance himself from other European nations.

Turkey is still a member of the Council of Europe, which means that it falls under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. While it’s possible that a suit could be brought against the government for violating Turkish citizens’ human rights, Erdoğan has already hinted that he will disregard any attempt by outside authorities to intervene.

“They’re anti-NATO, anti-EU—they used the EU as a vehicle to diminish the powers of the Turkish military,” Yeşilada explained.

“Look who their best friends are: Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, Saudi Arabia, Gulf states—not secular Arab states.”

Daily protests have followed the referendum results, and despite dozens of arrests, hundreds of people throughout cities in Turkey have continued to take to the streets.

“They’re calling for justice and they’re getting beaten up and arrested,” Yeşilada said.

He went on to say that he was impressed with the degree of opposition that has emerged and the willingness of demonstrators to question and take legal courses of challenge without resorting to arms.

“I’ve heard followers of Mr. Erdoğan—I‘m not just talking about ordinary people, I’m talking about party leaders, administrators,” Yeşilada went on, “who say, ‘If there is an opposition that resorts to violence, we will just crush them.’”

THE PRESIDENT OF TURKEY, RECEP TAYYIP ERDOĞAN. COURTESY OF USER MICHAŁ JÓZEFACIUK THROUGH WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

OPINION

OUR TUITION JUST WENT UP BY 9 PERCENT: COULD WE HAVE PREVENTED IT? The Complete Tool

by Nick Tool Portland State’s Board of Trustees just voted to increase in-state tuition by nine percent. Across the state tuition is rising. University of Oregon is boosted its tuition rates by more than ten percent, and Oregon State University is looking at a 4 percent bump. For PSU, a $693 increase for the entire year may not seem like a lot to some students, but over the last 12 years tuition increased 82 percent for in-state students, from $4,960 in 2005 to $9,030 for 2017–18.

The only decrease in tuition during the last 12 years followed a 29.9 percent tuition increase from 2010 to 2011 which set instate tuition higher than ever at $9,261. It was quickly dropped by 18.6 percent the following year to $7,653, which breaks out to about a five percent net increase per year for that time period. On average for the last 12 years, tuition has increased 6.14 percent per year. For the last three years, tuition was increased by 5.2 percent from year-to-year. This year’s 9 percent increase nearly doubles the last three increases, and is 30 percent above the average annual increase from 2005–2016.

Federal Pell grants have been slowly falling behind tuition at PSU. In the 2005–06 academic year, 5,971 PSU students received $14,974,290 from federal Pell grants. Tuition was $4,960 that year which means the averaged $2,507 students received covered almost 29 percent of their annual tuition. In the 2016– 17 academic year, around 24,000 awards were handed out over all four terms totaling $37,298,633 from Pell grants, which is roughly $1,555 per-student per-term. Pell grants supplied about 20 percent of tuition for students in 2016. This nine percent drop over ten years shows a decline in federal support for students seeking undergraduate degrees.

The Oregon Opportunity Grant has also been slowly losing ground. In 2005–06, 3,058 students received $3,935,217 for the entire year–$1,287 each on average–which paid about 26 percent of annual tuition. For all of 2015–16, the OOG provided 5,856 students with $10,165,295 in financial aid, which comes to about $1,736 per student on average. Compared to the $8,711 tuition rate for that academic year, the OOG paid roughly 20 percent of students’ annual in-state tuition. This six percent decrease is not the end of the world, but it is a sign that tuition is beginning to outstrip what the state is willing to contribute to higher education. For the 2015–16 academic year, 22,506 students were enrolled as undergraduates, which means only 26 percent received aid from the OOG. An important factor to note is that total enrollment has declined in the last six years at PSU, and that means fewer students are around to foot the bill. What is also evident in the figures above is that grants are not being awarded to the majority of students. Whether this is through qualification restrictions, application rates, or a lack of available funds is unknown.

On the day of BOT’s vote, entirely too few students gathered in the Park Blocks to hold a brief march displaying their disapproval of the proposed increase. Although the university hosts around 30,000 students, less than one percent of students showed up to the march. The Board’s decision seemed unaffected by the desires expressed by the current student body, and the reason why requires examination.

Rising tuition is an issue that should be important to the entire student body. Annual in-state tuition for full-time students will be $9,030 after the increase takes effect. If a student receives the maximum annual Pell grant of $5,920 for the 2017–18 academic year, it covers less than two-thirds of tuition. The OOG can award students an additional $2,250 for the 2016–17 academic year which kicks in roughly 25 percent more. The maximum award for 2017–18 has not yet been determined. Not all students at PSU do receive grants however, and those who do still have a portion of their annual enrollment cost that needs to be made up with loans or personal income.

The PSU students protesting the tuition increase reminds me of the Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011 and 2012.

The Occupy movement was born organically from an idea.

Protesters sought change from large companies and government organizations. The group built its motivation around the concept of justice for the ordinary person. There’s the rub: The organizations that Occupy targeted are rooted in a realm of concrete and specific goals or ideas. When representatives from governments, banks, or other large companies finally agreed to listen to the demands of the Occupy movement, they did not understand what they were being asked. Occupy’s demands were ethereal and vague. With differences so vast between the two parties, they might as well have been speaking different languages.

PSU’s student body and BOT currently face the same problem as Occupy and its adversaries. The Board and the students are not speaking the same language, and they cannot find a mutually agreed-upon solution for their common problem.

Students do not want tuition increased at all. Some students involved in the rally on Tuesday even expressed a desire for free education. Here is where the two groups begin to diverge.

From the students’ perspective, an increase in tuition is avoidable. From the Board’s perspective, tuition can only go up.

Tuition keeps the lights on at PSU. The problem is, increasingly fewer students are footing the majority of the bill at this point. Comparing the cost of a degree to the available salaries for most entry level positions causes some people to question whether or not higher education is really worth it. Just imagine what it is like for students who do not get the degree, but take home all the debt from financing an education. What becomes clear is that high tuition is a problem.

So, how can students reduce their financial obligation in the face of almost guaranteed tuition increases? Get involved with the side that makes decisions. Associated Students of Portland State provides input each time the Board adjusts fees and tuition. Contact your student representatives, or create an organization of your own that makes a change. Students are part of the voting public, but it is easy for a student’s voice to get lost.

An individual has a hard time getting the ear of a politician. A group on the other hand can have the power required to change whatever matters to them—including tuition.

Find people who want to make the same kind of change Most people get this step right. The newly formed group then needs to decide on a structure. The best way to do this is to study the organization with which the group will be communicating and create a similar organizational structure. One of the most notable failings of the Occupy movement came from an interaction with the mayor of Denver. When the mayor insisted that the group select a leader, the Occupy group elected a dog as president. Create a structure that facilitates communi-

cation between equals. Do not send a dog to talk to the mayor.

Think like PSU’s BOT In the case of tuition increase, approach the problem in the same way that the group you talk to will. Most people develop their perspective from their environment and experience, and people treat problems and solutions differently based on their perspective. Develop a solution that will make sense to these people because it is these people who will ultimately make the decision. Present a solution that solves problems.

Explain how the solution benefits everyone. Focus on all the positives to make a case for how your best interests are everyone’s best interests.

If all else fails, organize a public event Draw attention to your cause. Decide on how to present your cause. Most importantly, consider your audience.

Marching on the day of a vote did not dissuade the BOT because they do not decide the amount of funds they have to allocate. Members of the BOT are not the only people who need to see a public display of opinion. Politicians need to see that a group of the voting public care about tuition so they can supply the funding that students need. The BOT cannot keep tuition low just to keep future student debt down. Tuition will go up regardless because cost is going to go up regardless.

Focus on state-level boards Students and faculty in favor of change should focus on state-level boards and committees like the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. The HECC’s vision is “to [foster] and [sustain] the best, most rewarding pathways to opportunity and success for all Oregonians through an accessible, affordable and coordinated network for educational achievement beyond high school.” If students want the HECC to continue to provide accessible and affordable opportunities for a college education, they need to start telling the Commission that their needs are not being met. The members of the HECC all have public contact information. Any student can reach out to the HECC to start a dialogue, but doing so as a group would have a more profound impact. First, start closely following the schedule of the HECC. Find out when they will be making decisions, when budgets come under review, and subscribe to their newsletter to keep up to date on what they are doing.

An easy way to start building a case for change with the HECC is to make a prewritten email publicly available.

Make an email template with grievances and possible solutions, include contact information for the organization that is advocating this change, and ask students, alumni, and faculty to send in their own copy to the pertinent points of contact.

Leave space for personal comments from the sender and a place in the signature line for their name. Open letters are another great way to generate public awareness for your cause and shed light on problems like rising tuition or student debt. Writing a detailed, comprehensive explanation of your case and the possible solutions can be one of the best steps on the pathway to change.

Whether you want more grant money available to qualifying students or more students to receive financial aid, it’s imperative to get involved. Find a group or form a group.

Create a clear message with real solutions, make a plan to keep escalating the cause, and do not stop until a change is made.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

THE FRAGILITY OF A 7,000 POUND BULL Why This Is Important Evan Smiley

In a press release dated Wednesday, April 12, the artist of Wall Street’s Charging Bull, Arturo Di Modica, announced his intention to file suit against the investment firm that commissioned the Fearless Girl for copyright violation and unspecified damages. Di Modica and his lawyers said they believe the Fearless Girl changes the meaning of his statue and projects his work in a negative light. For Di Modica, the Fearless Girl makes the Charging Bull a villain.

In observance of International Women’s Day this past March, State Street Global Advisors commissioned the Fearless Girl from sculptor Kristen Visbal to comment on the indisputable lack of women in Wall Street board rooms. The Fearless Girl currently stands opposite the Charging Bull in the New York City financial district. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio recently extended the permit to display Fearless Girl, resulting in the now pending suit.

Di Modica created Charging Bull two years after the Stock Market Crash of 1987. For Di Modica, the bull symbolized American strength and financial tenacity. The bull acted as a rallying cry from Di Modica for the American people to persevere and succeed. He erected the 7,000-pound bull in the middle of the night without any permit as guerrilla, or street, art.

Due to popular opinion, the bull found its permanent home on Wall Street, where it has lived for almost 30 years.

Made in the same medium and established under night cover, the Fearless Girl paid homage to Di Modica and his bull.

A humble four feet tall and 250 pounds, she by no means overshadows the bull. If anything, the reverse is true. Despite this, in less than six months, the little girl has shown the area in which she surpasses the bull: strength.

After researching the history of Di Modica and his bull, I respect both. I respect his dedication to his work, and I believe in the honesty of his intention to create a lasting symbol of strength for America. However, Di Modica fails to acknowledge that as a nation, our cultural understanding of strength is changing.

Strength no longer need be personified as relentless aggression, financial advantage, and physical dominance. Strength isn’t simply conquering and overpowering obstacles, but confronting and overcoming them.

Di Modica’s symbol of strength echoes the gender and cultural biases of the time in which he created it. The 1980s were wrought with toxic stereotypes of masculinity Di Modica physically represents in the Charging Bull.

Seriously; have you seen the balls on that thing?

Most importantly, the industry Di Modica aimed to rally was predominantly male in the 1980s, as it still is today. The Charging Bull symbolizes every reason why Visbal created the Fearless Girl.

Di Modica’s active resistance to the residency of Fearless Girl similarly depicts the uphill climb of cultural change that the statues themselves represent. Di Modica does not see his Charging Bull as inherently or toxically gendered. For him it

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TERRA DEHART logically personifies his understanding of strength, but again, his understanding of strength is distorted through a culturally conditioned lens.

At the heart of the pending suit is resistance to cultural change. The bull represents a social norm, and Di Modica’s reaction demonstrates that any challenge to the norm—even a fourfoot child—provokes unrest, personal offense and resistance.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

The Charging Bull is a product of culture, not a villain; but if allowed to bully the Fearless Girl from where she stands for the sake of norm, he will be. Culture evolves. Understandings change. Symbols fall in and out of relevancy.

Thank you for your work, Di Modica, but we overcame the Stock Market Crash of 1987. Now we have bigger bulls to fight.

OPINION

UNCOMFORTABLY ADVANCED TECH THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM 404: Column Not Found Ryan Morse

ROBBY DAY

It’s an afternoon in early April, and I’m reading a story about workers in Sweden implanting microchips into their bodies. The story itself isn’t as sinister as it sounds—Sweden’s work environments aren’t making implanting these chips mandatory. Rather, the workers at Sweden’s Epicenter voluntarily allow rice-sized chips to be implanted into their hands. As of right now, the chips are more of an experiment of how technology can be used in the workplace. Ultimately, these chips aim to make tasks simpler. They make unlocking doors, using a printer, or even buying a smoothie easier by simply waving your hand.

This news story itself isn’t new. These chips have been in Epicenter for years. About 10 years ago, NBC Nightly News ran a segment predicting that in 2017 lots more of us would have microchips implanted into our bodies. These devices would not only better help identify who we are, but also contain important information like our medical history for easy access in a hospital.

I’m fascinated by technology like RFID chip implants, but I can’t help but wonder how ready we are to actually start talking about some of this more “out there” technology. When you read these types of stories about advancing AIs, stem cell research and cybernetic enhancements, the writer or reporter will conclude that this technology

raises questions “for another time.” Technology advances faster all the time, yet we still seem fairly uncomfortable addressing it. It’s something of an elephant in the room that we bring up, then grow silent and change the subject.

Honestly, we should get ready to be more comfortable discussing this technology. Tech like RFID chip implants can allow people to easily access your information. That can definitely be scary or creepy to some, but there are also valuable benefits that these chips could provide if you

“IT’S SOMETHING OF AN ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM THAT WE BRING UP, THEN GROW SILENT AND CHANGE THE SUBJECT.” were in an emergency. These questions—the less irrational ones at least—can raise valid moral, ethical, and security questions. While devices like chips at Epicenter perform fairly arbitrary tasks, they do end up collecting data on the chip’s user, like an employee’s time spent at work or their purchases. In a world where internet service providers are

free to sell your browsing history, health and financial information, and geo-location, it’s not unreasonable to be wary of tech implanted inside you by your boss that records your every move.

It’s also important to recognize that many of these questions aren’t dramatically concerning or wild new concepts either— for better or worse, we agree to give up this kind of information about ourselves all the time. That being said, we should all start thinking more critically about what we’re going to be okay with.

I doubt we have any sort of general consensus. Right now America can’t agree on whistleblowing, surveillance, gun control or female protagonists in movies. I don’t believe we’re ready to handle implanting RFID chips. Ultimately, it’s incredibly unlikely there will be a mandatory “chip implementation” either nationwide or at management level. These raise so many questions that we ultimately will probably never raise an overall consensus of opinions or agreements on this kind of tech. It’ll end up being something each person has to decide for themself.

As technology is changing more quickly each day, we should definitely try to think, discuss, and figure out what potential changes are comfortable for us.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

WTF IS THAT?

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO DECODING BAKING RECIPES

CLASSY COOKING WITH CASSIE

by Cassie Duncanson Got a question or a recipe request? Email us! arts@psuvanguard.com

cream of tartar to give you the same reaction that baking powder yields.

ACRONYMS

SHOULD I MEASURE INGREDIENTS BY WEIGHT OR VOLUME?

AP All Purpose t Teaspoon T Tablespoon c.

Cup qt.

Quart g.

Gallon oz.

Ounces lb.

Pound

HANDY CONVERSIONS 1T 1/4c.

4c.

1g.

16oz.

= = = = =

3t 4T 1qt 4qt 1lb

DO THE MEASUREMENTS HAVE TO BE THAT PRECISE?

The short answer is yes. The long answer is no.

If you are just starting out baking, precisely measured ingredients are crucial to obtaining the correct reaction between fats, liquids, flour et al. Until you have been baking long enough to spot the reactions you are looking for, exact measurements and times are crucial to keep in mind.

When I started out as a baker, mass producing breads and desserts, I had to check the temperature of my loaves to see that their internal temperature was 180. Now that I have made thousands of loaves of bread, I know the look and sound to look out for (hollow).

CAN I SUBSTITUTE BAKING POWDER FOR BAKING SODA?

Good god, no.

At this point in my stress/procrastinating baking life, I make sure that I always have both stocked. If you happen to have baking soda and cream of tartar (buy this once, and you’re set for half a decade), combine 1T soda with 2T

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If you are looking to improve as a baker, baked goods are more consistent when measured via weight. Do yourself a favor and buy a scale. Bed Bath & Beyond typically has them for under $20, and as Broad City teaches us, BB&B coupons never expire.

DO I NEED TO SIFT THE FLOUR?

Sometimes! Baked goods that are traditionally lighter and more delicate in texture should be made with sifted flour.

Sifting flour gets rid of lumps that can weigh down your batter or dough, even if you are lucky enough to have a KitchenAid or a hand mixer that can beat them out. Everything that comes out of my kitchen is usually mixed with a whisk, fork or by hand, so I tend to sift most of my flour to prevent as many lumps as possible.

However, most flours found in the standard grocery store are refined to the point that you can get away with not sifting in your own kitchen. This is where the scale comes in handy. Whichever you choose to do, a cup of sifted flour and a cup of scooped flour are going to be significantly different weights.

CAN I JUST USE AP INSTEAD OF BREAD FLOUR?

There is a reason why flours are labeled and sold differently, and it typically has to do with the amount of gluten in each.

Bread flour has a high gluten content and develops a strong protein structure. AP flour’s gluten content isn’t as high. Cake flour has a much lower gluten content.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

CASSIE DUNCANSON/PSU VANGUARD For many homecooked recipes, AP will still work. However, if a recipe calls for one flour and you’re using another, that change in ingredients is going to change your times. AP will take longer to develop a heartier gluten structure. Ideally, it is best to use the ingredients the recipe calls for.

SHOULD I BUY BLEACHED OR UNBLEACHED FLOUR?

Bleached flour is consistent. Its benefit is that it creates a softer texture. However, if you are making bread, bleached flour destroys the nuance of the original wheat that can develop really lovely, subtle flavors in a loaf of bread.

CAN’T I JUST BAKE EVERYTHING AT 420?

You’re welcome to try. But enjoy that burnt crust and raw interior.

I FOUND AN AWESOME RECIPE ON THIS BLOG. WHY DIDN’T IT COME OUT LIKE THE PICTURES?

Unless the recipe has been tested by a professional kitchen, the likelihood of the food coming out exactly like in the pictures is practically none. The conditions of your kitchen and the blogger’s are radically different. Elevation and moisture content of the air impact the times and reactions of baked goods. These are things the blogger might not be taking into consideration.

If you find a recipe you really want to try out, save it and check out a couple of other food blogs that have made the recipe before. See how they create the dish similarly and differently. And this is one time you do want to read the comments.

SHOULD I LINE THE BAKING SHEET WITH PARCHMENT PAPER?

Save yourself some cleanup/scrubbing time. Yes.

ARTS & CULTURE

420 WORDS WITH ‘MISTRESS OF THE UNIVERSE’ PATRICK BUCKMASTER ANDREW D. JANKOWSKI

Full Disclosure: The author of this piece is a current PR intern at Dante’s and the Star Theater and has been hired by Patrick Buckmaster three times to hang promotional posters. The author also participated in the promotional campaign for the First Annual Cannabis Cabaret in 2015.

Oregon achieved the repeal of marijuana prohibition in 2014. The next year Dante’s, performance venue and home of the KEEP PORTLAND WEIRD sign, started hosting a cannabis-themed cabaret every April 20, showcasing the erotic arts of burlesque, circus, pole dance and drag. This year’s revue, 420/24/7, is under new management, transitioning from Go-Go Rocket Productions to the trio of Baby Le’Strange (Rose City School of Burlesque), Nikki the Glitter Beast (Blow Pony, Kit Kat Club) and Patrick Buckmaster (Sad Day, NecroNancy, Club Kai-Kai).

The Vanguard sent Buckmaster a list of questions generated from social media and our sub-basement office, and Buckmaster responded via email. This exchange has been edited for punctuation and clarity.

VANGUARD: How do you feel about marijuana three years after prohibition repeal?

Patrick Buckmaster: I feel beautiful. I feel hopeful. I feel love. I feel free. We are living in an age where we witnessed something illegal becoming legal. People are changing their minds (and the laws) about something deemed “bad” and redeeming it as “good.” Since when is mother nature illegal but mankind is legal?

Marijuana has never killed anyone but mankind does everyday. This is groundbreaking in many ways and I know this will be a revolution for we(ed) the people.

VG: How is 420/24/7 at Dante’s different from other 4/20 parties, or even the previous two versions of this show?

Buckmaster: This event is curated to showcase the highest of Portland talent.

Performances that not only pay honor to our ganja goddess but to our wonderful city/state that legalized marijuana. Though I’m a sativa diva, 420/24/7 is a hybrid! This show has drag, burlesque, comedy, drama, and marijuana. 420/24/7 isn’t just a party name—it’s a religion. I personally 420 24/7 and I suggest you do the same. When life’s got you down, get high.

VG: How do you see safe and queer spaces in 2017? Wide market publications keep saying that gays don’t need gay bars

PATRICK BUCKMASTER IN SKULL DIVER’S MUSIC VIDEO “8 PACK 8 LEGS.” COURTESY OF DARREN HARTMAN anymore, etc. because of how accepting straight people are.

Buckmaster: First of all, I never listen to publications: I listen to my myself, MY MOM, my community, and Shitney Houston. Gay/ Queer bars are not just bars, they are a community center. They are the eye of the hurricane. Everything outside is chaos, but on the inside it’s calm compared to the shitstorm outside. Gay bars are a place of love and acceptance. While there are no true safe spaces, there are safer ones. Queer people used to have to gather in basements, hidden/secret locations, and people’s homes to do what we do in a gay bar, which is just being ourselves with people like us and those who support us. Having a place where you can be yourself is something we all need, despite our sexual preferences. Society tries to cage us and put us behind bars, so I say: make the world your gay bar. There are people all over the world who are being killed and tortured for being who they are, so we need to live proudly for them, ourselves and our future generations.

VG: Do you have advice for students getting to know themselves (queer, straight, gay et al.)?

Buckmaster: You already know yourself.

You know the best and worst parts of yourself. You know who you are but you let outside

forces question that. No one can know you like you, no one can hate you like you, and no one can love you like you. You aren’t the problem, you are the solution.

VG: What is it like working with national celebrities?

Buckmaster: I think you mean international and universal, darlin’. Working with people who you have looked up to for most of your life and have shaped who you are is the most surreal moment. Life imitates art.

As wonderful as it is: it’s my friends, family, and community that are the real celebrities.

I spent my whole life wanting to work with people that love what they do and want to change the world. And I never knew I would find them in my own backyard instead of on television or in a magazine.

VG: In public, you’ve mentioned sometimes being afraid to leave the house, e.g. shortly after the Pulse Massacre; or, you were recently featured in a Pizzagate video about Dante’s, which I’m sure must be scary to some extent.

What gets you to set foot outside?

Buckmaster: I (un)dress how I do, walk like I walk, talk like I talk, and leave my bell tower because people need to see me. Seeing me is seeing yourself and the world around you that might have never even considered.

I am the unicorn that you only dreamed of.

Stop dreaming and start living! People need to see someone like or unlike them to see beyond their own vision. Look at the bigger picture, not just the materials that created it. I leave so myself and those like/unlike me can stay forever. I do it for those that can’t because they don’t have the confidence, the ability, or safety concerns. It’s important to show visibility because that shows others they can do the same but still be different. I don’t want to die afraid, I want to live fearlessly.

VG: Who is your favorite 420/24/7 cast member and why?

Buckmaster: Me. VG: What is your favorite post-show ritual?

Buckmaster: After last call, I say on the microphone: “Thank you so much for supporting (queer) art and love. If no one today told you this, ‘I love you.’” Then giving a hug and saying thank you to every person that came out to my event that evening. Then going home alone and crying myself to sleep.

VG: What is your 2017 trend forecast for nightlife?

Buckmaster: The end of trends.

VG: Least favorite part of nightlife/celebrity culture?

Buckmaster: People not realizing that sometimes even giants feel small.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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April 25–May 1

EVENT LISTINGS

OFF CAMPUS FEATURED EVENT

POP WONDER BALLROOM BETTY WHO, VÉRITÉ $16–199, ALL AGES FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 8 P.M. The Australian hipster pop star comes to Portland in support of her new release, The Valley. Read our show review and interview with Vérité online at psuvanguard.com.

TUESDAY, APRIL 25 COMEDY ALBERTA ROSE SHOW SHOW THEATRE 6 P.M. $15–20, ALL AGES The Portland Design Week edition of the regular standup comedy show where comedians and their acts are drawn by live animators. Featuring Adam Garcia, Mary Numair, Pat Castaldo, Melody Rowell, Adam Pasi, Wendy Weiss, Jason Traeger, Chris Ettrick and Lucia Fasano.

MUSIC CLASSIC PIANOS ELLA AT 100 $15, ALL AGES 7 P.M. Musicians Rebecca Kilgore, David Evans, John Moak, Randy Porter and Tom Wakeling celebrate Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th birthday with their renditions of her songs.

FILM CLINTON STREET DUELLE (1976) THEATER 8 P.M. $5–8, ALL AGES Church of Film presents this experimental French film about the Queen of the Night (Juliet Verto) and the Queen of the Sun (Bulle Ogier) battling for a diamond that would allow the victor to remain in contemporary Paris after Carnevale.

THURSDAY, APRIL 27 ART PORTLAND ART $5 AFTER 5 MUSEUM 5 P.M. $5, ALL AGES This will be the first $5 After 5 for an exhibition on 20th century architect John Yeon.

COMEDY DATES / TIMES) TOM GREEN HELIUM COMEDY CLUB 8 P.M. (MULTIPLE SHOW $20, 21+ The Tom Green Show namesake brings his legendary brand of standup to Portland.

CABARET CRUSH DRAG DANGERZONE $5, 21+ 8:30 P.M. Valerie DeVille and Marla Darling host this burlesque/drag “open mic.” Music by DJ Aurora.

HIP-HOP ROSELAND THEATER TAYLOR BENNETT $15, 21+ 8 P.M. Chance the Rapper’s bisexual younger brother tours in support of his new mixtape, Restoration of an American Idol.

CABARET 9 P.M. PORTLAND BURLESQUE FUNHOUSE LOUNGE MARA-THONG $12–125, 21+ Almost two dozen burlesque performers gather for a showcase of their very best numbers.

SPOKEN WORD DANTE’S JAKE THE SNAKE $25–55, 21+ 9 P.M. The WWE Hall of Famer is on his Unspoken Word Tour, delivering comedy and stories from his extensive professional wrestling career.

FILM $6–9 (FREE FOR BEST OF THE WE NORTHWEST FILM LIKE ‘EM SHORT FILM CENTER AND FESTIVAL PORTLAND ART 7 P.M. MUSEUM MEMBERS) WHITSELL AUDITORIUM Founder and director Brian Vegter presents animated and short comedic films from Baker City’s annual We Like ‘Em Short Festival.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 MUSIC 6 P.M. FRINGE CLASS, GOLD LOLA’S ROOM CASIO, PLEASURE $5–8, ALL AGES CURSES Our friends at KPSU are putting on a fundraiser with one of those rare all-ages events we keep saying don’t exist in Portland.

METAL 6 P.M. ANTHRAX, KILLSWITCH ROSELAND THEATER ENGAGE $35–180, ALL AGES I really only know about Anthrax because of Scott Ian’s aughts residency on VH1, and I really only know about Killswitch Engage because of their “Holy Diver” cover. Sue me.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 28 COMEDY SIREN THEATER LEZ STAND UP $10, 21+ 7:30 P.M. Portland’s funniest lesbian-centric comedy show, with sets by Caitlin Weierhauser, Laura Anne Whitley, Bob Wolf and Kirsten Kuppenbender, featuring special guests and music by DJ Mr. Charming.

CABARET 8 P.M. 9TH ANNUAL FIRE DANTE’S ENTERTAINER OF THE $10, 21+ YEAR Eight fire performers from the Pacific Northwest compete at one of the only two venues in Portland legally allowed to showcase the pyro performance arts. $1,000 cash prize goes to the top performer.

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

NIGHTLIFE LOVECRAFT BAR CLUB KAI-KAI $5–10, 21+ 9 P.M. This monthly queer dance party’s theme is Second Halloween. Arrive in attire inspired

by Halloween and the Halloween film series.

NIGHTLIFE 9 P.M. SNAP! ‘90S DANCE HOLOCENE PARTY $5, 21+ The best ‘90s night in Portland. Fight me.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29 ART OPENING TIME | JESSE NARENS THE GHOST OF THINGS 6 P.M. THAT HAVE BEEN FORD GALLERY SITTING FOR A LONG FREE, ALL AGES The contemporary artist exhibits a new collection of altars and large-scale works.

EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC PNCA SIX FREE, ALL AGES 7 P.M. Sonic artists and musicians (yes, there’s a difference) showcase new work. This year features Cat Ross, Marbletop Orchestra, Strategy, Felishia Ledesma, Rebecca Gates + Marcus Fisher and Choir.

MUSIC ALBERTA ROSE HOWIE DAY THEATRE 7 P.M. $19–24, ALL AGES The “Collide” and “She Says” singer returns to the Alberta Rose Theatre.

FUNDRAISER 8 P.M. CAP ART AUCTION MONTGOMERY PARK PARTY $50–3,000, ALL AGES Dinner and art auction gala to benefit the Cascade AIDS Project (CAP). Emceed

by Poison Waters and Nay-Nay Leakes Carter, food from some of Portland’s best restaurants, and a contemporary art marketplace. Registration required by 4/27.

METAL AND ASEITAS BLACKWITCH PUDDING, 8 P.M. BEWITCHER, GORGON TWILIGHT CAFE STARE, CHRONOCLOPS $5, 21+ These bands gather on Walpurgisnacht Eve to benefit the Portland chapter of the Satanic Temple. Ritual magick held at midnight.

HIP-HOP LOLA’S ROOM BASS & FLOW II $5–6, 18+ 7 P.M. Our friends at KPSU host a DJ, producer and/or rapper hip-hop showcase.

COMEDY DANTE’S GRINFERNO $10, 21+ 7 P.M. Adam Pasi opens for the legendary Dante’s Sinferno (included with price of admission).

ROCK STAR THEATER SONDRE LERCHE $18, 21+ 8 P.M. The Norwegian indie rocker tours in support of his new album, Pleasure.

EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC DOUG FIR LOUNGE KAWEHI $15, 21+ 9 P.M. The literal one-woman band was featured in Intel’s Superb Owl 50 commercial and must be seen to be believed.

MONDAY, MAY 1 CULTURE 10 A.M. ASIAN & PACIFICLAN SU CHINESE AMERICAN HERITAGE GARDEN MONTH $10, ALL AGES The first day of a month-long celebration of immigrants from India, Thailand, China, Japan, Cambodia, Indonesia and Hawaii & the Pacific Islands.

FILM (MULTIPLE DATES / DAVID LYNCH: THE ART TIMES) LIFE (2016) CINEMA 21 4:15 / 6:45 / 8:45 P.M. $6–8.50, ALL AGES This new documentary explores the life and career of the filmmaker behind Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet and more.

MUSIC THE OLD CHURCH THE HARP TWINS $12–15, ALL AGES 7 P.M. Identical twins Camille and Kennerly Kitt play electric and acoustic harp, and are famous for their covers of rock and heavy metal hits.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30 FILM 10 A.M. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS MISSION THEATER (2016) $21, 21+ Who gets up this early to see a movie? You do, when Poison Waters’ drag brunch is screening the film version of the cult British TV series.

THEATER DATES / TIMES) THE TOXIC AVENGER BRUNISH THEATER 2 P.M. (MULTIPLE SHOW $25–35, ALL AGES This hit off-Broadway musical focuses on “New Jersey’s First Superhero.”

LYDIA WOJACK-WEST

Andrew D. Jankowski

ON CAMPUS FEATURED EVENT

CONFERENCE APRIL 28–30 QUEER STUDENTS OF SMSU COLOR: DECOLONIZING $10–25, ALL AGES QUEERNESS The seventh annual Queer Students of Color conference centers around the role of queer identity in colonization and decolonization.

Keynotes from Caleb Luna, Karolina Lopez, Kay Barrett and Taylor Amari Little.

Registration is required.

TUESDAY, APRIL 25 WORKSHOP 11 A.M. CULTURALLY SMSU 238 RESPONSIVE FREE, ALL AGES WORKSHOP SERIES Dr. Lisa Grady-Willis presents “From Cultural Competence to Cultural Humility: Understanding the Shift & Embracing the Work,” a workshop which considers “cultural humility” vs. “cultural competency” in the evolution of inclusive spaces.

FAMILY 11:30 A.M. MINDFUL PARENTING SMSU 026 LUNCHEON FREE, 18+ Students with children can meet to learn how to incorporate mindful routines into their children’s daily schedules. Registration is required.

SPEAKING 7 P.M. LISTEN, WE NEED TO PARSONS GALLERY TALK FREE, ALL AGES Professor of Political Science Melissa Michelson (Menlo College) and Brian Harrison discuss their new book, Listen, We Need to Talk, a collection of groundbreaking research on how to change attitudes around LGBTQ rights.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26 GALLERY TALK LITTMAN GALLERY KAYLEY BEREZNEY FREE, ALL AGES 4 P.M. The sculptor gives a gallery talk during her M.F.A. thesis exhibition, Bowed by the Wait of It All, about her lived experience with metastatic breast cancer.

LECTURE DESIGN COMPETITION A CONVERSATION 4 P.M. ON THE UK’S SHATTUCK HALL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL ANNEX INTERNATIONAL FREE, ALL AGES Panelists Brad Cloepfil, Lisa Strausfeld, April Slabosheski and Clive Knights discuss what it means for the U.K. to remember the Holocaust post-Brexit. Part of Portland Design Week.

Registration is required.

NOT CHURCH 4 P.M. UNPACKING SMSU 026 MISCONCEPTIONS FREE, ALL AGES This interfaith series and dinner is part two of an ongoing series devoted to exposing people to different faiths, religions and world views.

OPEN HOUSE SCHOOL OF ART + PSU SCHOOL OF DESIGN GRAPHIC DESIGN FREE, ALL AGES 4 P.M. Reception to meet graphic design students and see their work.

LECTURE 6 P.M. LET’S TALK ECOTRUST TRANSPARENCY $5, ALL AGES Almost a dozen presenters represent the Portland Material Transparency Collaborative and their mission to integrate full disclosure as a benchmark for quality and success. Part of Portland Design Week.

THURSDAY, APRIL 27 SHOPPING SMSU 462 FREE SHOPPING FREE, ALL AGES 9 A.M.–4 P.M. Come get free clothes and household supplies from the Resource Center for Students with Children.

ARTIST TALK LINCOLN LAYLAH ALI PERFORMANCE HALL 75 7 P.M. FREE, ALL AGES The Massachusetts-based artist has been featured in the Whitney Biennial and the Venice Biennial, and speaks about her small, figurative, gouache paintings on paper.

FRIDAY, APRIL 28 SPEAKING SMSU 026 KANAK MANI DIXIT FREE, ALL AGES 6:30 P.M. Nepalese journalist & civil rights activist speaks ahead of the 2016–17 Film Southasia Festival.

PANEL VISIONS FOR THE CITY CONVERSATION 4 P.M. ON PORTLAND SHATTUCK HALL PROVOCATIONS: ANNEX ARCHITECTURAL FREE, ALL AGES Discussion with Portland designers and architects, including Anna Goodman, Sara Huston, Andrew Santa Lucia, Aaron Whelton.

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

FITNESS URBAN PLAZA WORLD TAI CHI DAY FREE, ALL AGES 10 A.M. PSU’s Confucius Institute hosts this gathering to celebrate and participate in multiple aspects of tai chi, including fan & sword, performances and more.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30 FILM DATES / TIMES) FILM SOUTHASIA 5TH AVENUE CINEMA FESTIVAL $4–5 (FREE FOR PSU 3 P.M. (MULTIPLE SHOW STUDENTS), ALL AGES Showcase of documentaries and non-fiction cinema rarely exhibited outside of South Asia.

MONDAY, MAY 1 PERFORMANCE ART AB GALLERY AMERICAN LOGS FREE, ALL AGES 5 P.M. M.F.A. candidate Sam Sanderson gives the first of five performances for his thesis exhibition related to toxic whiteness, American mythology and problematic histories.

INDIE ROCK PARKWAY NORTH THE DOMESTICS FREE, ALL AGES NOON The Live @ Lunch series presents this Tender Loving Empire band, consisting of Michael Finn, Leo London, Kyle Moderhak, Matt Moore and Brad Norton.

MUSIC PARKWAY NORTH KPSU AMP FEST $15 (FREE FOR PSU 3 P.M. STUDENTS), ALL AGES XRAY.FM and PSU Professional Sound team up with KPSU for a mini-festival featuring Mount Eerie, Haley Heynderickx, Whitney Ballen, Strange Ranger, Lisa Prank, Floating Room and Chain, along with a podcast recording and panel discussion.

LECTURE WOMEN’S RESOURCE QUEERING SEXUAL CENTER VIOLENCE FREE, ALL AGES 6 P.M. An editor and a contributor for Queering Sexual Violence, Jennifer Patterson and Angie River, center a discussion around queer survivors of domestic violence. Featuring panels from PSU, Bradley Angle’s LGBTQ Program and the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence.

WATER SPORTS CAMPUS REC CENTER BATTLE SHIP FREE, ALL AGES 6 P.M. Teams of 3–4 compete in a real-life version of the popular board game/Rihanna movie.

CHLOE KENDALL

PSU Vanguard • APRIL 25, 2017 • psuvanguard.com

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SHANNON KIDD