The Easterner Volume 100 Issue 16

EEasterner The

V100 • N1• Independent student journalism SEPTEMBER 29, 2016 V100 N16 Independent Student Journalism

March 2, 2017

Table TheEasterner of Contents

3 News 8 A&E 10 Features 12 Opinion 14 Sports

Easterner Asks: What do you miss most about the PUB?

Staff List Editor-in-Chief Rosie Perry 509-359-6737 easterner.editor@ewu.edu Managing Editor Brad Brown easterner.mngeditor@ewu.edu

Jeanna Henderson senior “Maybe I’m not the right person to ask cause I don’t miss the PUB.”

Jordan Koon senior “I miss the market.”

Jackie Ryan senior “Having everyone in the same space, there’s not really any place to chill besides coming to the library now. It wasn’t just for homework or for a specific thing, you could do everything there.”

Abraham Gonzalez freshman “I spent a lot of time in the lab, and it was a lot faster to go there than to go all the way to the library from my apartment. Probably the accessibility of it.”

Erika Demmert freshman “I miss hanging out with people there and the community aspect of it.”

Cole Remmel senior “Probably just chilling in the couches between classes.”

Web and Social Media Director Jordan Perry easterner.online@gmail.com Chief Copy Editor Natasha Nellis easterner.copy@gmail.com News Editor Kristi Lucchetta easterner.news@gmail.com Arts, Entertainment and Features Editor Erin Rebar easterner.aef@gmail.com Sports Editor Brandon Cline easterner.sports@gmail.com Art Director Abbi Vance easterner.photo@gmail.com

Featured picture of the week:

Designer Gerald Maib Content Editor Ian Bouchard Copy Editor Colette-Janae Buck Staff Reporters Riley Baker Logan Stanley Kyle Fredricks

Sunny Day in Eastern Oregon

Submission Guidelines:

Logan Stanley for The Easterner

To submit photos, attach the largest file size in an email to the Art Director at e a s t e r n e r. p h o t o @ g m a i l . c o m , accompanied by your first and last name, photo name and no more than 50 words describing your photograph.

The picture does not have to correlate with any content being printed the week of.

All submissions must be received

by Monday night the week you would like it to be published. Photos must be appropriate and not include any obscenities.

I took this photo about two weeks after I had moved to Oregon.

My buddies from California came up for a visit and we made a trip to see one of the largest fresh bodies of water in the world.

Photographer Ivone Garza Whitney Bolar Faculty Adviser Carleigh Hill

About The Easterner

Program Adviser Samantha Armstrong

Our Mission

The mission of The Easterner is to inform the students, faculty, staff and nearby residents of Eastern Washington University of the governance, activities and views of the campus while providing a learning environment for students interested in journalism and related fields. Our main goal is to publish high-quality news content to the community of Eastern Washington University.

Circulation The Easterner publishes a weekly print version as well as web content during the week at http://www. easterneronline.com. The Easterner is distributed throughout the Cheney campus and business district as well as Riverpoint and various Spokane businesses. If you would like The Easterner to be distributed at your business call the Advertising Department at 509-359-7010.

Corrections

The Eastern student newspaper never knowingly publishes inaccuracies. If any error is found, the student newspaper is obligated to correct the error as soon as possible, regardless of the source of the error. A consistent location, signature and style for corrections will be used.

Correction: We incorrectly printed an incident date in Police Beat as February 28 when it should have been February 18.

Front

Abbi Vance | Art Director With the recent amounts of snow turned water, road conditions have gotten much worse around not only campus, but Cheney as well. Will we see improvements or continue to have to avoid unsavory road conditions in an attempt not to spill our morning coffees?

Original photo by Whitney Bolar

Address | The Easterner EWU, Isle Hall 102 Cheney, WA 99004 Office Line | (509) 359-6737 Advertising Line | (509) 359-7010

2 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

NEWS

The winter weather has left its mark on roads around Cheney and Spokane | Whitney Bolar for The Easterner

The Winter Aftermath Local roads surrounding the Cheney campus have been left with cracks and potholes Kyle Fredricks Staff Reporter Snow and ice covered Cheney this past winter, and the local roads show the wear and tear, forcing drivers to be even more cautious.

Erika Griffin, a student at EWU, said on top of the snow and ice on the roads,

she is noticing potholes and cracks in the pavement.

“Now that most of the snow and ice has melted, I’m realizing some of the holes in the road on my drive to school and town, and the last thing I need is a flat tire,” Griffin said.

According to the City of Cheney Transportation Improvement Plan, the

city plans to make transportation improvements of nearly 11 miles of road by 2020 to combat the damages done by natural causes and winter conditions.

The Transportation Improvement Plan also has breakdowns which roads will receive the attention of the Cheney Street Division, along with the estimated cost and year of completion.

“It’s been nice to not have to worry about patches of ice recently,” said Griffin. “But now with all the road damage, I just hope that they stay on top of this problem like they did when we had all the snow, but there’s always the bus.”

For those affected by the winter conditions, the Spokane Transit is free to ride for EWU

students with a valid student ID and offers real-time updates on route times or detours when issues, such as severe weather, occur.

According to the City of Cheney Snow Removal Policy, action is taken when snow accumulation reaches two inches,

Continued on page 4...

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 3

Winter continued... six inches and anything more than six inches.

When two inches of snow accumulates, the city applies traction control materials at intersections and steep grades.

The materials help with tire traction, as well as aid the melting of snow and ice. Workers apply the materials to areas with the most traffic first, and then less traveled streets, according to the Snow Removal Policy.

When the snow accumulation reaches six or more inches, the city dispatches snow plowing equipment, and apply traction control materials after workers finish, according to the Snow Removal Policy.

Griffin said the possibility of damage being caused to the streets by the plowing equipment or traction materials is probably part of the problem, but it is a necessity because of all the snowfall Cheney received this year.

“I don’t think that all the chemicals and constant scraping

is good for the roads,” said Griffin. “But, the busses have to run, and students have to get to class. I’d rather have clear roads even though I have to keep an eye out for potholes and such.

It’s never a bad thing to be extra cautious when driving.” •

The City of Cheney uses chemicals to reduce the snow on the ground, which causes the pavements to disintegrate Whitney Bolar for The Easterner

Outside of Parking Lot 11, cracks and potholes leave vehicles having to avoid | Whitney Bolar for The Easterner

Cracks stretch across roads in front of campus | Whitney Bolar for The Easterner

Airway Heights

10117 W. State Route 2 Spokane, Wa

•Logan R Daily (3:15) (4:00) 6:15 7:00 9:15 9:50 Sat-Sun (10:00) (12:15) (1:00) •The Shack PG-13 Daily (3:30) 6:20 9:00 Sat-Sun (12:45) •Before I Fall PG-13 Daily (4:50) 7:10 9:20 Sat-Sun (12:15) (2:30) •Fist Fight R Daily (3:20) (5:20) 7:25 9:30 Sat-Sun (1:20) •The Great Wall PG-13 2D Daily (5:00) 7:10 9:25 Sat-Sun (12:20) (2:45) The LEGO Batman Movie PG 2D Daily (4:45) 7:00 9:15 Sat-Sun (12:15) (2:30) Fifty Shades Darker R Fri-Sun (4:40) 7:10 9:40 Sat-Sun (2:10) Mon-Thurs (3:40) 6:15 8:45 John Wick Chapter 2 R Daily (4:00) 6:40 9:20 Sat-Sun (10:50) (1:20) La La Land PG-13 Daily (3:50) 6:40 9:20 Sat-Sun (1:15)

A large pothole rests in the middle of the road on campus. | Whitney Bolar for The Easterner

4 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

www.Spokanemovies.com

EWU Immigration Conference Addresses Student Worries Logan Stanely Staff Reporter Cathi Tactaquin, executive director and co-founder of National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR), gave a keynote address to students and faculty at Showalter Auditorium titled “Immigration and the Trump Presidency.”

After the speech, EWU treats attendees to lunch, followed by a series of workshops.

Tactaquin, who co-founded the NNIRR in 1986, spoke on a number of topics, including the president’s executive orders issued on immigration and traveling, sanctuary status and the outlook of immigration under Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

The speech came after a five-week span, during which political unrest spread across the nation. This is after an executive order was passed that barred citizens of seven pre-dominantly Muslim countries from entering into the U.S. Opponents called the sanctions unconstitutional, and a court ruling stayed the order on Feb. 9, and by mobilizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The underlying theme of the speech addressed the worry regarding the recent mobilization of ICE and the new rules on immigration laws.

According to an article by The New York Tmes, the new enforcements coincide with the hiring of 10,000 new ICE officers, which is set to take effect soon.

“For immigrant communities, it’s a period of a lot of fear and anxiety, of shock,” said Tactaquin. “The worry about family separation, about people being deported, loss of income. I think it’s tragic that some of the community organizing that loss are helping people to set up their legal documents so that if they’re deported, their parents are deported, it’s clear who will be caring for their children, what will happen to their property.”

For Tactaquin, the daughter of an immigrant Filipino farmworker, the issue of immigration is a personal one. She said her upbringing certainly aided her entry into immigration reform.

The network Tactaquin helped launch “actively builds alliances with social and economic justice partners around the country” by supporting local organizers, engaging with communities, implementing educational services and

promoting legislation advocacy with officials on the local, state and federal level, Tactaquin said.

The NNIRR also functions internationally, collaborating on migrant rights with the U.N. and working with other venues to develop policy.

As well as the NNIRR, there is a program titled “JustBorders,” which is intended to serve as a tool to advocate against further militarization of the country’s borders.

“We’re trying to raise awareness about what’s happening at the U.S.Mexico border,” said Tactaquin. “We’ve found that national policy is kind of out-of-sight, out-of-mind. Most people don’t really know what’s happening at the U.S.-Mexico border, how militarized it is.”

Awareness is needed surrounding the topic of immigration, EWU senior Sokridanny Bunt, said. To Bunt, immersing oneself is vital to being aware.

“To truly understand the importance of immigrants and why they make America great, Trump needs to dive into communities where immigrants are residing and learn about their culture,” Bunt said.

Friday’s address was the latest of many for Tactaquin, who said she has seen a surge of activism lately. •

The New Rules on Immigration Law - publicize crimes by undocumented immigrants - strip such immigrants of privacy protections -enlist local police officers as enforcers -erect new detention facilities -discourage asylum seekers -speed up deportations

Campus Recreation

EWU Climbing Club

Join the Climbing Club this spring on their trips out to local crags. Each trip is just $5 per person. This is a great way to try climbing for the first time and see awesome parts of the inland northwest. The club will provide all the transportation, climbing equipment, experienced climbing instructors, and lunch.

Contact Jason Clark for more information about dates and locations: Email: Jason.clark@eagles.ewu.edu Phone: (509)999-2286

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 5

Students from all over Eastern Washingon Made Their Way to EWU for Regional History Day Kyle Fredricks Staff Reporter Voices echoed off the walls of Patterson Hall Saturday as students squeezed in one last practice round before the judges evaluated their projects.

On Feb. 25, middle and high school students from Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho travelled to EWU for the chance to compete in the 2017 Eastern Region History Day. History Day is a nationally acclaimed history education program that challenges middle and high school students to become historians, explorers, investigators and leaders through active learning.

“I woke up at 3 a.m. this morning,” said Jared Yearsly, a junior at Delta High School in Pasco, Washington. “We got on a bus at 4 a.m. and then made the three hour drive here.”

Students are divided into two divisions: junior and senior. The junior division consists of students in grades six through eight, while the senior division is for students in grades nine through 12.

21+ 6 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

In order to participate, the students had to enter one of the five categories: papers, exhibits, performances, documentaries or websites. The students worked either in groups or individually, but papers could only be done individually.

If a student finishes in any of the top three categories, they can continue on to state for a chance to compete at nationals, held July 11 to July 15.

History Day Judge John Collins said History Day is a very important event.

Students get a chance to do in-depth research, as well as think deeply and critically about a topic.

Students gain valuable skills for future assignments as they continue in school, Collins said. History Day challenges students to do extensive research, work together and present the information they learned in an interesting way.

Jared Yearsly and Cooper Jensen, two Delta High School Students who presented a project on Chiune Sugihara, said they learned how vital working together and communication is.

“You really have to stay on top of people,” said Jensen. “Nothing is worse than realizing

somebody didn’t do their part when we had months to complete it. Then you end up doing their part because you want to get a good grade.”

Yearsly said that on top of getting a good grade, his favorite part was doing research and learning about the topic.

“At the start, I knew [Sugihara] was a good person because of all the people he saved,” said Yearsly. “But the more I read the more I realized how much he cared. I like the fact that he had a heart to save people.”

While it was mandatory for some students to participate, other students like Ben Goodell and Mieri Kahsay, two seventh graders from North Central’s Institute of Science and Technology Grade Immersion program, said they wanted to participate to show off their knowledge.

“This contest seemed fun and different,” said Goodell. “Why not take a chance to show that we are as great as high school students and teach people about a topic.”

Kahsay said participating in History Day was a fun challenge. It allowed her to work with a partner and create a project that could be presented to people in an entertaining way.

“History teaches people about our past and how a certain event impacted the world we live in today,” said Kahsay. “The best thing I’ve learned is how people fight for what they believe in. They didn’t sit around and wait, they took a stand and fought for the change that they believed in.” •

Students from the Junior Division presented The Reign of Cleopatra.

Whitney Bolar for The Easterner

POLICE BEAT Kristi Lucchetta News Editor

Alcohol Offense/ Obstructing February 20

Officers responded to a call on the seventh floor of Pearce Hall at 11:25 p.m. CAs reported a male student, who smelled of alcohol, ripping down decorations in the hall. Officers made contact and found the student was underage and uncooperative. Officers charged him with a minor in possession by consumption and obstruction. The student was also referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities

Alcohol Offense February 22

Just after midnight, CAs reported smelling marijuana coming from the sixth floor of Pearce Hall. When officers responded and reported to the sixth floor, one of the resident’s doors opened and officers could smell the odor of alcohol.

Three of the five students in the room were underage and were cited with a charge of minor in possession by consumption and referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Harassment February 22

A male student, who was acquitted in an assault case earlier this year, was being harassed by a male, who is not a student. The student reported the male was pointing both middle fingers at him, making comments to him about the assault case and sending him text messages. When officers made contact with the suspect, he admitted to what he said and was then told of the ramifications if he continues with the harassment.

Counterfeit Currency February 22

An EWU employee reported a $20 counterfeit note in Sutton Hall.

The counterfeit note was sent to The United States Secret Service.

Threats

February 24 A male, who is not a student, reported being threatened over Snapchat by a male student. Both were mutual friends with a female and only have spoken over the Snapchat app. The male reported that the student was saying he wanted to fight him. When he told the student he did not want to fight, the student then proceeded to say he knew where he lived and would have people shoot up his house. When officers spoke to the male and the student, the male did not want to press any charges.

Alcohol Offense February 25

CAs called officers reporting a female student who appeared to be intoxicated. When officers made contact, the female agreed to take a preliminary breath test which was 0.229. Officers cited her with a minor in possession by consumption and referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Gerald Maib for The Easterner

Alcohol Offense February 25

A male student appeared highly intoxicated upon CAs observations in Pearce Hall on the fourth floor.

When officers made contact with the student, his words were jumbled when he tried to speak. The student was cited with a minor in possession by consumption and referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Anyone who has any information on a pending investigation please call EWU Police Department at (509)359-7676 or the Anonymous Tip Line at (509)359-4286.

Alcohol Offense Protection Order Violation

Drug Violation February 26

February 26

Officers received a call from CAs stating there was a male student who appeared to be intoxicated in Morrison Hall. The student had previous alcohol incidents and had a restraining order against a female student who was within 50 feet of him at the time officers arrived. The student was arrested, booked into Spokane County Jail and referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities.

CAs reported two male students in Anderson Hall smelling of marijuana. When officers made contact, both of the students admitted to smoking marijuana outside of the building and signed a consent to search request. Officers found a very small amount of marijuana, which was not a sufficient amount for a charge, and paraphernalia in their room. The paraphernalia was destroyed and the students were referred to Student Rights and Responsibilities.

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 7

A&E

Cast members gather together to practice a song from “Avenue Q” | Erin Rebar for The Easterner

“Avenue Q” Comes to EWU The cast of “Avenue Q” prepares for an opening night full of laughs Erin Rebar A&E and Features Editor Winter Quarter’s theatrical production, “Avenue Q,” will be gracing the University Theatre Main Stage this Friday, March 3.

“Avenue Q” is the story of a young graduate named Princeton and the struggle to find jobs, relationships and meaning in post-college life, according to the show’s official website.

The show is unique in that it feature puppets, à la Muppets, along with more traditional acting roles.

8 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

The puppets used in the play are actually rentals, borrowed from the company, Music Theatre International, which handles the rights to the show.

“What that means for us is that we’re actually using the same puppets they used on Broadway,” said Jeffrey Sanders, the show’s director. “I love the student opportunity they have of being able to adopt this new skill of being puppeteers.

In musical theatre you always talk about the triple threat — you can act, you can sing, you can dance. Well this show

kinda is like a quadruple threat. Because you’ve got to act, sing, dance and also be a puppeteer. It adds another element that is unusual and fun. Hopefully by the time they get out in front of the audience it will seem effortless. But know that it is not.”

The production is goofy, quirky and full of catchy showtunes, but it is intended for a mature audience. The show’s material includes topics such as “sex, drinking and surfing the web for porn,” according to “Avenue Q’s” website.

Though light-hearted and at times

offensive, “Avenue Q” does contain deeper lessons, embedded into the story itself.

“I can see where people who come to see the play could walk away with a negative thought about it,” said Denny Pham, who plays the character Trekkie in the show.

“Art somehow always offends people in some way, but I think if we just stick to the satire aspect of [the play] people will walk away just thinking it’s so ironic how [the puppets] are just like people.” •

EVENTS

Courtesy of the Fox Theatre

2017 Chase Youth Awards The Chase Youth Awards recognizes outstanding young members of their community. Come enjoy the ceremony and cheer on the nominees for the 2017 awards.

Courtesy of the Women’s Study Center

International Women’s Day: Favianna Rodriguez

When: March 2 Time: 6:40 p.m.

Where: 1001 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA Cost: Free

Participate in a social justice workshop led by Favianna Rodriguez. The workshop will begin with a short lecture and a lesson on poster design. Then participants will be invited to get hands on and create a poster of their own. Make sure to RSVP online for the event.

When: March 3 Time: 1-3 p.m.

Courtesy of EWU Theatre Department

Where: Monroe 205 Cost: Free

Courtesy of EWU Sustainability Club

Courtesy of the Fox Theatre

Avenue Q

Before the Flood

Spokane String Quartet

Watch the comedic and musical play, “Avenue Q,” a performance that addresses themes about life after college. For mature audiences only.

Watch a documentary film about sustainability, climate change and the steps individuals can take to make a difference.

Enjoy a performance by the Spokane String Quartet as they play classic pieces such as Mozart’s String Quartet No. 14 and Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 9, among others.

When: March 3, 4, 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m.

March 5 at 2 p.m.

March 9 at 5 p.m.

Where: EWU Theatre Main Stage Cost: Free

When: March 7 Time: 3-5 p.m.

Where: Morrison Hall Lounge Cost: Free

When: March 5 Time: 3 p.m.

Where: 1001 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA Cost: $12 for students

Courtesy of the Spokane Symphony

Spokane Symphony Superpops: Altan Enjoy a night of music with the Spokane Symphony as they join the band Altan to perform traditional Irish ballads, reels and jigs.

When: March 4 Time: 8 p.m.

Where: 1001 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA Cost: $28 - $65 (depending on seating)

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 9

FEATURES

Abbi Vance for The Easterner

EWU Professor Researches How to Turn Numbers into Music John Corley Contributing Writer People may listen to a piece of music and interpret it as a reflection of the musician who created it. But what if music could be more than just

a glimpse into a person’s soul?

Could music also be a reflection of the weather, traffic patterns or any other scientific measurement of information? A professor at EWU, along with a few other researchers, are trying to answer that question right now.

10 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

Jonathan Middleton, a music professor at EWU, assisted in a study researching how music, or sound, can be used to better interpret scientific data. Middleton, along with a researcher from the Francis Crick Institute in the U.K., published

research on music and data in the online journal, Heliyon.

In his office in EWU’s music building, Middleton demonstrates a piece of music based on weather patterns by using a music algorithm program. Numbers are entered into the program and are used to determine what musical note is played. The program can also determine whether the notes are played in a staccato or legato style.

The music Middleton created is based on 10 consecutive days of weather pattern data in Finland, involving temperature and cloud cover. Middleton constructed his piece in a relatively simple manner; he uses a low flute sound to represent weather temperature and a synth keyboard sound to represent cloud cover or sunlight.

Initially, as the music is played, only a few notes from the keyboard are heard within a second or two of each other, meaning low temperatures and plenty of cloud cover early on in the 10-day weather pattern. Each note is played in a legato style, as each note carries into the next.

As the music progresses, the keyboard sounds, or temperature, starts to speed up, meaning the weather is warming up. Flute sounds, or sunlight, in the background of the musical piece also speed up. The flute is also played in a legato style. The music goes through fluctuations of speeding up and slowing down, representing standard weather patterns of temperature changes.

The weather data musical piece that Middleton created is an example of his on-going research of turning data into music.

Sonification is the term Middleton uses to describe “interpreting data through sounds rather than through visual display.”

Middleton has researched sonification since 2004, and he developed software that can turn numbers into musical melodies.

Middleton said he wanted a different way to show students how to compose music, but he also wanted to ask questions like “what does pi sound like?”

“A good example of that would be the Geiger counter, where you hear a series of intense clicks as you get closer radioactive material. The intensity of those

clicks is quite informative and maybe more informative than a needle moving,” Middleton said.

Middleton’s software developed in a collaborative effort between him and students in the Computer Science Department.

Chris Peters is a senior lecturer in computer science at EWU, and he said one of the last required courses for computer science students before graduation is to work with an EWU professor on a project.

“There have been modest advances and frustrations in that regard, all at the hands of senior project students and Dr. Middleton’s input and patience,” said Peters, referencing the collaborative effort between Middleton and computer science students developing dataanalyzing music software. “[Dr. Middleton’s] a true educator.”

For the research published in Heliyon that Middleton describes as the protein sonification project, he said the goal was to help scientists hear patterns or outliers in their data. Middleton said the process to turn data, such as protein information, into music is very collaborative because “he doesn’t know proteins so well.”

“I kind of have to rely on whoever I’m working with to tell me what’s meaningful and what’s not meaningful,” said Middleton.

“They’ll send me data and I will make sounds from the numbers, or letters, depending on the form of the data, and I’ll ask them ‘is this meaningful to you?’”

Middleton said a method scientists use to allow him to interpret their data is presenting it in tables with columns he can understand but that this collaborative process is still in its very beginning stages.

“I’ve been working on this project and all I can say is the ship has sailed; we haven’t arrived anywhere yet,” said Middleton. “The potential is quite intriguing; we could get to a point where abnormalities in protein structures could lead to discoveries of diseases, but we’re not there yet.”

Robin O’Quinn, an associate biology professor at EWU, said she has a hard time wrapping her head around situations in which sonification could be more effective than visual data. She

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Courtesy of Eastern Washington University did say, however, that she could have an open mind about it.

“I think scientists work pretty hard to convert data to the visual modality that best communicates the most information,” said O’Quinn. “So from my interpretation of what [Middleton’s] doing, he’s offering an aural way of expressing data.

It’s obviously easier for me to wrap my head around a bar graph that displays a comparison between two means, where there’s a direct application of the data. [It is] much harder for me to understand how he’s converting data to music, but I’m open to knowing more about his process.”

Middleton points out that sounds are used in the real world everyday to boost awareness of information, such as when metal detectors sound an alarm when they detect metal, or when crosswalks beep to inform the visually impaired they can cross the street.

“We have sounds all the time we’re not always conscience [of],” said Middleton. “We’re taking that idea into the world of data and science for analysis.”

Middleton’s protein research is the first of at least three or four phases he is working on with other researchers to better interpret data through sound. For now, people will just have to be satisfied knowing what getting caught with metal in their pockets through airport security sounds like. •

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 11

OPINION EDITORIAL

The Battle of the Bathroom Rages On The Easterner Editorial Board The Trump administration continues to make waves in the media with their latest announcement that revokes the former Obama administration’s 2016 guidance on transgender students’ rights to use the bathroom that coincides with their gender identity.

The “Dear Colleague Letter” cites: the lack of extensive legal analysis, no information on how the position was consistent with Title IX and that it did not undergo any formal public process, as the basis for revoking the former guidance.

Shockingly, this decision was met with varying degrees of approval on one side and disgust on the other. It’s not like this hasn’t been the same reaction for every other decision Trump has made.

Obama’s guide was met with similar reactions when it was announced in May 2016, and we all know how controversial Obama was. Those who opposed his decision cited it as over-reaching, while others viewed it as a step forward for the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think students understand that they are still protected,” said Nick Franco, the Pride Center manager. “The move itself is symbolic; I don’t think the Trump Administration realizes that it doesn’t matter, but it was symbolic of the intention,

it represents his feelings about trans people … what is says is ‘we don’t care.’”

The announcement renewed the debate about transgender bathroom rights, especially in schools, and stories are circulating in both support and in opposition. The question raised is whether or not this is truly the right call to protect transgender students.

Obama put forth his original guidance as a tool to assist schools in answering these questions. According to the guidance, “In recent years, we have received an increasing number of questions … This letter summarizes a school’s Title IX obligations regarding transgender students and explains how the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) evaluate a school’s compliance with these obligations.”

The Trump repeal simply returns the decision to the hands of the individual states, however, there is no guarantee that state policy makers will choose a position that will protect students, regardless of their own personal beliefs.

All too often we see legislation come across the table that mimics a person’s personal beliefs rather than a decision that benefits the people. There is no denying this is certainly a hot-button issue, and both sides have valid points,

Gerald Maib for The Easterner but should one group of people suffer so another feels comfortable peeing? If you feel uncomfortable with a non-cisgendered person using “your” bathroom, doesn’t that give you a better understanding of how those individuals feel every time they were forced to use the wrong bathroom?

“My sense of things at the university is that EWU seems pretty committed to its trans students, and my hope is that students will see that,” Franco said.

The EWU Pride Center established transgender bathrooms on campus over the past couple of years, and it is this focus of antidiscrimination that EWU intends to continue.

“EWU’s anti-discrimination statement includes gender identity/expression among the many forms of discrimination that it doesn’t tolerate,” said Amy Johnson, vice president for Student Life/dean of Students, via email. “EWU’s mission and

values place a strong focus on access, diversity and inclusion, so I expect we’ll continue this focus regardless of the current administration’s rescission of the 2016 guidance.”

Should one who identifies as a male be forced to use the female restroom simply because their genitals don’t conform to traditional ideals?

The fact is, transgender people, LGBTQ+ people, really any person is more than one facet of their persona. To reduce a person to one part of what makes them, them is to ignore the complex and diverse factors that make them who they are. A person is more than their sexual identity, and it is cruel to single them out and treat them differently because they live life differently than you do. •

Letter to the Editor Submission Guidelines -Letters should be 300 words or less and typed, or legibly handwritten.

-Include your full name, signature, telephone number and email address for verification.

-We reserve the right not to publish letters; furthermore, all letters are subject to editing for adherence to Associated Press style.

12 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

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COLUMN

EDITORS’ PICKS

Style Nest Find the handbag of your spring and summer dreams

Durkin’s Liquor Bar Are you bored with the same old college bars? Well then, perhaps the speakeasy Durkin’s Liquor Bar is the place for you. Located at 415 W Main Ave. in Spokane, you walk into what appears to be a 70s burger joint. Here you can enjoy a drink or two with good company and try out the food Courtesy of Durkin’s Liquor Bar they have to offer. Down the stairs in the back is the basement lounge. With dim lights, leather seats and calming background jazz music, you can kick back, relax and enjoy drinks made by their expert bartenders. If you haven’t had the chance to experience Durkin’s, I strongly suggest you give it a shot. (Ian Bouchard)

Colette-Janae Buck Copy Editor Last weekend while I was getting ready to leave work, the clasp that attaches my purse strap to my purse broke, sending my massive black bag filled with all my things to the ground.

To be fair, I had been carrying quite the load of school books and various irrelevant things around with me since fall quarter, but never in a million years did I imagine my trusty BCBGeneration bag would fail me in my time of need. For now, I’ve borrowed a strap from one of my mother’s many purses, but since the strap accident, purse hunting has been on the forefront of my mind as I search for my next replacement bag.

If you’re in the same boat as me or want to switch up your trusty black-hole accessory bag, here are some current trends for spring and summer 2017.

Most of the bags featured on the runway and other fashion outlets are taking point from the trends of the 1970s. Fringe, tassels and macrame decorations and details are extremely popular right now, and they add a vintage flare to whatever you’re pairing them with.

For reference, macrame is a type of textile making that relies on making knots instead of knitting or weaving.

Micro or mini bags are also on trend this season, followed closely by its opposite, the oversized bag.

Bucket bags, or bags with a cinch tie at the top, and their micro counterparts are also on trend for

RESTAURANT AND BAR

Gerald Maib for The Easterner 2017. Both the over-sized bag and the bucket bag are my favorite trends for this year as they allow me to maximize the amount of things I can carry with me at all times, but micro bags are just as functional for when you need to downsize the amount of things you carry with you.

Bags with crazy and sometimes impractical handles are making a buzz in the fashion world, but for someone like me who relies on shoulder straps to lug my bag around, the cute tan and gold micro bag with a metal ring handle from Cholé would be the furthest thing from an ideal, everyday purse.

Color-block bags, bags with more than one color in intersecting squares, or bags with fun and whimsical prints, such as a flower design or collage-like paint scenes, are great ways to mix lively colors and exciting prints into your outfits if you prefer a simpler style and want a nice, eye-catching contrast.

Pastel colored bags are also on trend for 2017, and they are great at acting like a centerpiece for a more simple outfit without the busy designs of printed bags.

If you don’t want to shell out the cash to purchase a new bag for spring, a great way to change up the look of a bag you already have

is to tie a scarf around the handle.

Another trend from the 70s, taking a nice silk square scarf and tying it into a loose knot on the handle of your bag can give new life to an old favorite of yours.

The best part about using a scarf to re-envision your bag is that if you get sick of its look, you can always take the scarf off and add a new one, or you can just remove it all together.

If you are in the market for a new bag, I would recommend looking first at department discount stores, such as Nordstrom Rack or TJ Maxx, to see what they have lying around from a season ago or even from what’s currently in season. If you’re diligent enough, you can sometimes find gems hidden between the other rows of purses.

Nordstrom Rack also has frequent 25 percent off sales, so the age old trick of finding a bag and keeping your eye on it until a sale hits works wonderfully at Nordstrom Rack. Websites or apps such as Modcloth, Poshmark and Bag, Borrow or Steal, if you’re looking for higher-end bags, are also great ways to find inexpensive purses to help round out your spring and summer looks. •

LIQUID CONTAINER

Hydro Flask The humans over at Hydro Flask are onto something. The goal is simple; keep hot things hot and cold things cold, regardless of external temperature.

I was a skeptical snake when I received a water bottle as birthday gift from the family, but I was soon blown away Courtesy of Hydro Flask by my device’s ability to maintain the temperature of the liquid inside. Case in point: I’ve filled this container up with water and added ice, and more than 24 hours later the ice was still in the container. I find myself taking this double-walled vacuum-insulated bottle to more places than I ever imagined. It costs a pretty penny, but it also delivers. (Brad Brown)

LIVING CARD GAME

Android Netrunner Android Netrunner is set in a dystopian future where everything is controlled by huge corporations, everything except the Runners.

Runners are hackers that attempt to breach the security systems of these huge corporations, be it for money, Courtesy of Fantasy Flight Games fame or pure sport. Android Netrunner is an asymmetrical competitive deck builder that pits two players against each other, one as the corporation and the other as the runner in a race to see who can advance/or steal their agendas first. If you have ever enjoyed Magic the Gathering, Yu-Gi-Oh or any other competitive strategy game, I recommend giving netrunner a try. I’m always down for a game). You’ll need the core set to start out and more cards are available either in big box expansions (about $25 apiece) or data packs ( from $10-15). (Jordan Perry)

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 13

SPORTS

Senior Anandae Clark won the first conference title of her career at the 2017 Big Sky Indoor Track & Field Championships, winning the pole vault with a vault of 13-7, a 6-inch personal best The Easterner Archives

Clark and McGee Lead the way for EWU at Big Sky Championships Keshun McGee adds Big Sky Conference Male Freshman of the Year honors to his accolades Logan Stanley Staff Reporter

Over the weekend in Pocatello, Idaho, the EWU track and field team saw two of its athletes crowned Big Sky Conference champions in their respective events.

Freshman Keshun McGee got the Eagles going in the long jump. McGee, who hails from Bremerton, Washington, jumped 25-0 to secure the conference title. The jump was just short of placing McGee in the top 16 in the nation, which would have been made him eligible to compete at the Division I Indoor Championships.

McGee’s jump places him second all-time in the history of EWU and the freshman bested the rest of the field by a staggering 8 inches.

“Keshun McGee introduced himself to the Big Sky Conference with a phenomenal performance in the long jump,” men’s head coach Stan Kerr said to GoEags.com. “The team and coaches are proud of Keshun.”

McGee also competed in the triple jump, leaping 51-1 to place second. The mark is the second-best in school history.

In total, McGee scored 18 points at the

14 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner

championships, ranking him third among male competitors at the meet.

The performance was enough to anoint McGee the Big Sky Conference Male Freshman of the Year award, the league

“From the get-go,

day one of indoors,

the vaulters have

been the strength of the team.”

Marcia Mecklenburg, women’s track and field coach office said on Feb. 27. It is the first year the award has been handed out.

Joining McGee as a conference champion was senior pole vaulter Anandae Clark.

The senior, a native of Nine Mile Falls, Washington, vaulted 13-7, a 6-inch personal best and good enough to place her third alltime in conference history. The senior is now second all-time at EWU.

The win comes after Clark came close to being a Big Sky champion when she placed second as a sophomore at the 2015 Indoor Big Sky Championships and third at the 2016 Outdoor Big Sky Championships as a junior.

“The championship is something I have been trying to get for a while,” said Clark to GoEags.com. “I came out to win, and that was my goal the whole time. I wanted the 10 points for the team, so I was telling myself to just be calm and you will be fine.”

Clark led a stout group of pole vaulters, all who contributed and scored points. Sophomore Elizabeth Prouty placed fourth with a mark of 12-9 and senior Erin Clark placed fifth in 12-5 1/4. That group was expected to be contributors, which left women’s head coach Marcia Mecklenburg unsurprised.

“From the get-go, day one of indoors, the vaulters have been the strength of the team,” said Mecklenburg. “I knew going in that’s where we were going to do the best.

Every meet, meet in, meet out, I felt they performed very well.”

Joining McGee and Clark in the medal count were junior sprinter Rebecca Tarbert and junior high jumper Tierra White.

Tarbert placed third in the 60-meter

dash with a time of 7.60. The five-time school record holder (3x indoors, 2x outdoors) was the 2015 Indoor Big Sky champion in the 60-meter dash. This is the second time Tarbert has earned a medal in the event.

“She basically ran unchallenged and blasted to a 7.60, beating the times of two athletes in the second final heat,” Mecklenburg told GoEags.com. “That is very difficult to do.”

White, who won the 2015 Big Sky Indoor championship in the high jump, leaped 5-7 to place second. This is the third time White’s placed in the top five at a championship meet during her EWU career.

The 2016 Indoor Big Sky Championships signal the end of the indoor season for EWU, with the outdoor season beginning on March 18 at the Whitworth Buc Scoring. •

SCORES Women’s

EWU

70 EWU

61

16 21

1st 2nd

08 15

14 19

3rd 4th

04 15

Feb. 25, 2017

14 10

1st 2nd

15 13

16 21

3rd 4th

13 17

EWU

82

Men’s Basketball Clinches First-Round Bye and Wins 20th Game of Season in Final Homestand Riley Baker Staff Reporter A bittersweet day that began with an emotional Senior Day ceremony ended with an extra dose of sweetness as EWU defeated Idaho State 89-77 to earn their 20th win of the season.

This is the third time in program history the team has reached 20 wins, joining the 1985-86 (20-8) and 2014-15 (26-9) squads.

“It’s huge,” said Jake Wiley. “This being my last season, [and] along the way you realize how hard it is to win games, especially in Division I basketball. So 20 wins with this group, and new guys coming in,

I think it’s a testament to how hard we worked this year.”

Before Saturday’s game, seniors Wiley, Felix Von Hofe and the injured Julian Harrell were all honored in the team’s final home game of the season.

The win capped off a triumphant weekend, sweeping the two-game homestand after defeating Weber State earlier in the week 82-72.

The 20-9 overall Eagles are currently riding a four-game win streak, sitting in second place in the Big Sky Conference at 12-4 behind North Dakota (13-3).

On Saturday, Wiley, who watched from the stands at last year’s senior day, scored 38 points to accompany

89

his 15 rebounds in his eighth doubledouble performance of the season.

“A year ago we were wondering how we were going to replace Venky Jois,” said head coach Jim Hayford. “[Wiley] came and worked his tail off all summer … He just keeps getting better each week, and he’s a big part of why we have such great chemistry.”

Bogdan Bliznyuk also had a double-double, his sixth of the year, with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

EWU has two games left on their regular season schedule, both on the road, starting with Southern Utah (3-13) on March 2 before the conference tournament tips off from Reno on March 7. •

Conf. / Overall

13-3

18-8

Sacramento State

8-8

11-16

EWU

12-4

20-9

Portland State

7-9

14-13

Weber State

11-5

16-11

Northern Colo.

5-11

9-18

Montana State

10-6

15-14

Northern Arizona

5-11

8-21

Idaho

10-6

15-12

Idaho State

3-13

5-23

Montana

9-7

14-15

Southern Utah

3-13

5-24

Conf. / Overall

Women’s

Men’s

Conf. / Overall

North Dakota

14-2

Montana State Northern Colo.

Montana St.

58

32

1st

30

50

2nd

42

72 Montana St.

Feb. 25, 2017

43

1st

33

46

2nd

44

77

TWEET OF THE WEEK @marcanderson_

“Awesome work by @EWUWBB and @EWUMBB to #SweepTheWeek! Excited to watch both squads finish the season strong! #AllWeDoIsWin #GoEags”

QUOTE OF THE WEEK Jim Hayford

“[Wiley] came and worked his tail off all summer, and then went on our foreign tour to Australia, and Jake said ‘I like this offense, it works for me.’ And then his coach says, ‘I like this post player, this works for me.”

BY THE NUMBERS

BIG SKY STANDINGS North Dakota

42

Weber St.

Men’s

Feb. 23, 2017

EWU

Senior Felix Von Hofe shooting a three-pointer on Senior Day against Idaho State | Brad Brown for The Easterner

Weber St.

Feb. 23, 2017

Conf. / Overall

19-8

Portland State

7-9

13-15

13-3

20-6

Weber State

6-10

12-15

12-4

20-7

Sacramento State

6-10

10-17

EWU

11-5

16-11

Northern Arizona

4-12

8-19

Idaho

10-6

15-12

Montana

2-14

5-22

Idaho State

10-6

16-11

Southern Utah

1-15

6-21

26.3

The number of points Jake Wiley is averaging per game in conference play, the most in the Big Sky Conference this season.

10.2

The number of rebounds Wiley is averaging per game in conference play, the most in the Big Sky Conference this season.

The Easterner March 2, 2017 | 15

Easterner Online Exclusives EWU Participates in Black History Month

By Marco Vargas

Women’s Basketball Closing in on first-round bye

By Brandon Cline

Emmanuel Lutheran Church Hosts Festival of Chocolate

By Logan Stanley

16 | March 2, 2017 The Easterner