The Lumberjack -- April 4, 2019

THE LUMBER JACK

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019

WINNING AT ALL COSTS PAGES 20-23

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

M

y whole life I have always been looking forward, which may sound great as opposed to looking back. But it has been an optimistic conundrum that I have stumbled into far too many times. I don’t seize the day in a carpe diem style, I don’t live like there’s no tomorrow.

I live for tomorrow. I plan my life out in big picture mosaics to the point that I feel bored and like I am struggling to find the fast forward button on life’s remote.

This mindset fails to acknowledge that there might not even be a tomorrow.

I may never have a wedding, never have kids or a career. It ignores the fact that feelings and people change and nothing is permanent. This year I have been working on trying to press pause instead, to try to enjoy what is happening now. I have amazing experiences going on in my life right now and should never treat any day like a bore.

If you’re anything like me, my advice to you is simple: Enjoy what you have.

Go outside and take a walk, write that song, paint with those watercolor paints, make that recipe you saved on Pinterest weeks ago. Do all of the little things you’d SABRINA be sad you never got to do if today was your last day. Appreciate your journey for PROFFITT the stepping stone it is on, appreciate the people for who they are to you now — not ASSISTANT who they could become. Appreciate your current world, not what you want it to CULTURE EDITOR eventually be in the future.

There’s a quote from the book “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver that has always stuck out to me and has been a reminder to myself since I first read the book in the eighth grade. Oliver wrote, “Maybe you can afford to wait. Maybe for you, there’s a tomorrow. Maybe for you, there’s one thousand tomorrows, or three thousand, or ten ... So much time you can waste it. But for some of us, there’s only today. And the truth is, you never really know.”

This quote has always been a reminder in my life that I ca not afford to wait to do the things that scare me, to talk to that person I want to start a friendship or relationship with, to do everything and anything I can manage to do in that one day.

Live life like there is no tomorrow, not as if tomorrow is all there is to look forward to.

Thank you for reading.

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 108 ISSUE 11

Editor-in-Chief Matthew Strissel

Managing Editor Bailey Helton

Director of Digital Content Conor Sweetman

Copy Chief Ashley Besing

Faculty Adviser Annette McGivney

Faculty Adviser, Photo Taylor Mahoney

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Print Chief Brady Wheeler

“Our society rinses, repeats and recycles. What we haven’t done is understand how diversity and inclusion impacts the lives of our graduating students” - Ivy Banks, Director of the Office of Inclusion at NAU and a candidate for the NAU Diversity Fellow Ivy Banks, one of the four Diversity Fellow candidates, addresses a small group of students at The Office of Inclusion: Multicultural & LGBTQIA Student Services about her qualifications before taking questions April 1. Elliot Lovell | The Lumberjack

On the cover Photo Illustration by Shannon Swain and Brady Wheeler

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Chandler Staley

Features Editor Collin W. Clayton

Sports Editor Molly Smith

Director of Multimedia James LeMarr

Asst. News Editor Ray Anne Galzote

Asst. Features Editor Pruthvi Khilosa

Asst. Sports Editor Amber Neate

Director of Photography Shannon Swain

Senior Reporter Owen Sexton

Culture Editor Sebastian Moore

Director of Illustration Katie Dobrydney

Asst. Dir. of Photography Rylee Flowers

Op-Ed Editor Peggy Packer

Asst. Culture Editor Sabrina Proffitt

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Colton Starley

Senior Photographer Michael Patacsil

Asst. Op-Ed Editor María Angulo

Director of Circulation Ariel Cianfarano

Asst. Dir. of Circulation Robyn Monroe

Senior Photographer Jack Mehl

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Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Matthew Strissel at mbs263@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat March 25 At 8:44 a.m., FPD received a supervisory alarm from South Village Apartments. The cause was steam from the shower. While searching, the officer found the resident had marijuana. The student was cited and released for possession of marijuana.

At 11:28 p.m., on Butler Avenue and Leroux Street, a student was cited and released for a DUI above 0.08.

March 28 At 10:21 a.m., an employee at the Native American Cultural Center called to report a dog running loose. The area was searched At 1:49 p.m., a student but no contact with the dog reported their passport was was made. stolen. An officer responded and took a report.

At 11:08 a.m., a Tinsley Hall RA called to report At 2:18 p.m., a complaints of a suspicious motorcyclist at parking lot odor from the second floor.

46 was issued citations for The area was checked and no motorcycle endorsement, found the odor to be from no current registration, no cleaning chemicals. proof of insurance and for not wearing eye protection.

At 3 p.m., a Tinsley Hall RA called to report the At 10:18 p.m., a odor of marijuana. An officer Gabaldon Hall RA called to responded, the odor was report the odor of marijuana. present, but no contact was One student was deferred for made. possession and use of drug paraphernalia. Another student March 29 was deferred for underage At 11:52 a.m., at the consumption of alcohol.

University Union, officers were requested for a civil standby for March 26 a group march.

At 10:39 a.m., the manager at the NAU Bookstore At 1:46 p.m., University called to report catching a Union staff reported an shoplifter. A student was cited intoxicated non-student and released for theft. loitering and bothering other students. The subject was led At 7:06 p.m., a student at off the property by NAUPD. lot 31 called to report the theft of a license plate from their At 8:29 p.m., a student vehicle. An officer responded at the NAU Honors College and took a report. reported their laundry stolen.

At 7:53 p.m., a Mountain View Hall RA called to report the theft of two exit signs. An officer responded and took a report.

March 27 At 12:28 a.m. at lot 62, an officer initiated a close patrol.

Two students were deferred for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Compiled by Montgomery Glaser

shortly after. The subject was booked into Coconino County Detention Facility (CCDF) for a DUI to the slightest degree.

The case and lab results are pending.

At 4:01 a.m., staff at Taylor Hall reported card readers malfunctioning.

Officers patrolled outside to help any students locked out.

The lock shop and Information and Technology Systems were contacted and corrected the problem.

At 8:46 p.m., at Hilltop Townhomes, officers reported assisting FPD with a possible robbery on the urban trail off of South San Francisco Street.

At 10:33 p.m., staff at Wilson Hall reported the odor of marijuana. Six students were deferred for minor in consumption of alcohol, minor in possession of alcohol and possession of marijuana.

March 31 At 1:57 a.m., Cowden Hall staff reported an intoxicated resident. The student was deferred for minor in consumption of alcohol and was transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center.

At 3:06 p.m., a Sechrist Hall RA called to report the odor of marijuana. NAUPD responded and two students were criminally deferred for possession of marijuana At 9:43 p.m., NAU and possession of drug Honors College staff reported paraphernalia. two residents stuck in an elevator. The subjects were At 6:43 p.m. a thirdsafely escorted out. party alarm company called in an intrusion alarm in the March 30 Biological Sciences Annex.

At 2:45 a.m., on South An officer responded but no San Francisco Street and East criminal activity was witnessed Ellery Avenue, officers reported and the area was cleared. initiating a traffic stop. The driver, a non-student, ran away but was apprehended

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Employed but still homeless in Flagstaff Owen Sexton

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t’s no secret that Flagstaff has above average cost of living in the state, and this has impacted the prevalence of homelessness in the city.

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Market Profile for Flagstaff, the cost of living is 15% higher than the national average.

The average apartment rental rate in the first quarter of 2018 was $1,277 per month, and it’s only going to get higher, according to the HUD’s Fiscal Year 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan.

“Rents are expected to increase more significantly as demand for home purchases is expected to remain relatively low,” according to HUD’s Fiscal Year 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan Executive Summary.

Local activist Gabriel Sunrising hopes to stop rental inflation and help get rent to be more affordable as he, himself, is currently residing at the Sunshine Rescue Mission despite working in construction. He does marketing and roofing for Lion Heart Building and Investments, LLC. “I’ve been canvasing around town and it seems everyone agrees with me that the rent is too high,” Sunrising said. “And by too high, that means it’s detrimental to society, and to Flagstaff’s community. The price of living has gone up 48% since 2014 on average, while the minimum wage has only gone up a little over 18%.”

Sunrising is worried that the inflation rate will continue to increase, even though the minimum wage will rise to $15 per hour by next year, it can cause an inflation in rental rates.

“But by 2020, it’s going to be 20% more,” Sunrising said.

He acknowledged that these projections could not end up being correct.

Sunrising has started Flagstaff Rent Revolution (FRR) by using social media and word of mouth to organize protests. He has already held some protests at City Hall and the Flagstaff Mall.

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Gabriel Sunrising advocates for rent control to be instituted in Flagstaff, March 31. Sunrising works full time but he does not have a stable housing situation. Joseph Whitney | The Lumberjack

“We’ve had one at the mall recently,” Sunrising said. “There were only about 15 of us, a third of us were homeless with jobs and a few didn’t have jobs as well.”

He hopes to emulate the #RedForEd movement and plans to hold more protests in front of city hall.

Sunrising said that another barrier within the rental market, despite the rising rates themselves, are credit checks.

“Homeless people don’t have a lot of credit,” Sunrising said. “So even when you are making a lot of good money, they check your credit in the application and even nowadays around here they check your credit just to be a roommate.”

His solution would be a local legislation that would require renters to appropriate an applicant’s credit score to their income. Sunrising also worries about what will happen to

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Flagstaff if the inflation does not stop.

“If you keep doing this to this town, it’s going to be like Detroit where the population is steadily decreasing while the economy is steadily collapsing,” Sunrising said. “I don’t want that for Flagstaff.”

Another factor holding back many homeless people are their felony records, according to Sunrising.

“A homeless person is more likely, by three times, to get in trouble with the law,” Sunrising said.

He stated Arizona’s recidivism rate was around 78% as well, with many ending up being repeat offenders because housing options to those with criminal records were limited.

NAU junior Eric Soholt explained why he joined FFR. “I’m currently unemployed, I was employed last year but am doing a lot of volunteer work right now,” Soholt said. “The only reason why I’m

able to do that is [because] I get help from my parents, otherwise I would not be able to afford living.”

Local charities and shelters are feeling the effects of the rising rent as well, and Catholic Charities (CC) homeless outreach coordinator Richard Brust sees these effects daily.

CC offers programs to not only assist the homeless in finding housing but employment as well. However, the volume of people seeking these services are high.

“As far as Catholic Charities overall, it was just shy of 5,000 people last year,” Brust said. “Add winter outreach on top of that, and with unique individuals, families and family members, we provide to another 300 to 500 a year.”

CC receives federal funding and donations, and the biggest program they sponsor is Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH).

“With the PATH program up here, our main goal is to get everybody we find that thinks they are, or have ever been diagnosed with a serious mental illness and if they’re interested we can help build case schools with them to further their stepping stones to success,” Brust said.

PATH is operated on a first come, first serve basis. However, due to limited resources they cannot always help everyone as Sunrising has been turned away before seeking services.

Sunrising said even he could not get an appointment. In a recording of his exchange with a CC worker, the worker was only able to refer him to Flagstaff Shelter Services.

For those who can get appointments, CC aims to provide access to mental health care. Brust explained this is often another barrier that many homeless people face, along with identification.

“One of the biggest areas is identification assistance,” Brust said.

“If somebody comes in from out of state they might need a new ID. We try to help them out with either birth certificates, certificates of Indian blood, social security cards, things like

that.”

CC also assists in getting homeless people registered for Medicaid and the EBT program, however with two recent staff resignations within CC, the workload for Brust and everyone working there has increased. The positions will be filled this summer.

“They just moved on, so we’re waiting until the end of the fiscal year, which is July 1, to hire new staff,” Brust said.

Brust stated that the climate was another problem for the homeless.

He explained last year they had to handle a lot more people due to the fire restrictions banning camping in the forests because a lot of homeless people who usually camp in the forest were forced to try to find places to live within town.

“With the high drought levels, the fire danger was up so they closed all of the forests, so we had an influx of families that were out in town,” Brust said. “Between us, Coconino County Community Services and United Way [of Northern Arizona], we had to work on a lot more hotel funding just for their cases.”

He added the city’s ordinance banning camping within city limits was not helping that problem either.

However, an even bigger problem Brust saw while confronting the homeless who were employed was the lack of sleeping areas for those who worked overnight during the day.

“That’s the hard part too, especially if they work the night shift,” Brust said. “They can’t go back to the shelters and sleep in the day.

You have to be out on the street after 6 a.m. and that’s pretty standard at all the shelters.”

Brust foresees an increase in the number of people seeking services at CC, as well as with rent rates continuing to rise. He is preparing to try to handle it.

Sunrising is still working and still protesting. He plans to go to city council meetings to talk to council members and the mayor about these issues.

NEWS

Proposed tuition increase on NAU’s horizon Ciaran Gallagher

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AU has released its tuition proposal for the 2019 to 2020 academic year. In an email sent to students, it stated the justification for the tuition proposal is for NAU to meet Arizona’s higher educational attainment and workforce development goals.

According to the email, tuition is proposed to increase by about 2.5%, which is the lowest tuition increase within a nine-year span. The highest increase of 18.4% was in 2010 and the former lowest increase was 2.8% in 2015.

However, the proposed increase will not impact current undergraduate and graduate students attending NAU due to the Pledge Program, which states that students pay the same tuition for four years.

For incoming undergraduate students, the new tuition could be $11,896, a $332 increase from the current tuition, with the base tuition guaranteed for four years. After financial aid is dispersed, such as scholarships, loans and grants, the average student will be paying an average of less than $2,700 a year. That price only applies to students who receive any kind of financial aid.

Incoming freshman Lucas Lehman said he thinks this proposed tuition increase may negatively impact other incoming freshmen.

“While it doesn’t affect me that much due to me receiving the Lumberjack scholarship, it is still unfortunate for incoming students,” Lehman said. “While it is meant to meet the standards of the state, I think that it is unfortunate that the price of college keeps going up, restricting access to higher education for most.”

Sophomore Dakota Hitchcock has a similar point of view, as the financial burden of tuition could weigh heavy on the shoulders of students.

“I have the Lumberjack scholarship so my college expenses are little to none,” Hitchcock said. “However, I think that proposing this tuition increase right now is unfair to the incoming students due to the fact that they have to rethink their expenses.”

In relation to ASU, tuition is lower than NAU, but financial aid is not as abundant.

Keegan Dame, a freshman at ASU, said her tuition and what she has to pay.

“Tuition for me at ASU is around $10,000,” Dame said. “After my financial aid is dispersed, I usually pay around $5,000 out of pocket.”

Homicide near Route 66 Brennah Brown

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Infographic by Kaitlin Gould

Along with the proposed tuition increase, for the fourth year in a row, NAU is planning to eliminate more than 250 class fees. This is more than a quarter of all class fees.

In response to this tuition proposal, President Rita Cheng stated in the same email NAU sent out, she is proud of developing the proposal to be centered around NAU’s goals of student success.

“We recognize that tuition is an important factor at every step of the student experience,” Cheng wrote in an email. “We are proud to offer tuition options and delivery models that meet a variety of student needs, including another round of changes to reduce the number of fees, eliminating over 575 class fees in the past four years.”

According to the email, while many class fees are going to be eliminated, a few NAU campus services will also see an increase in price.

It will be a $25 increase per semester for mental health services at the Health and Learning Center and a $10 per semester increase for the Green fee.

“Our mission at NAU is first and foremost the success of our students, and everyone has a part to play in helping support students’ mental health,” Cheng stated in the email.

“The proposed fee increase to the Health and Learning Center fee will provide NAU’s Campus Health Services the resources needed to increase mental health counseling and support services for students. The proposed $10 increase in the Green fee will ensure NAU continues to lead in sustainability efforts by funding partnership projects on campus.”

These changes will not be applied until the proposal is voted on by the Arizona Board of Regents. They will consider the proposal at their April 11 meeting.

n unnamed victim was the subject of a stabbing at around 3 p.m. March 29, according to the Flagstaff Police Department (FPD).

Witnesses called FPD officers to a wooded residential area north of 3480 E. Route 66 where the victim was stabbed.

FPD officers answered and arrived at the scene where they located the victim and discovered multiple stab wounds on the victim’s body.

Staff at the Sacred Peaks Health Center issued medical aid to the victim until medical personnel arrived to treat them. Personnel pronounced the victim deceased upon their arrival.

Flagstaff investigators conversed with witnesses of the homicide and concluded that a suspect was engaged in a verbal argument with the victim before attacking them. As said by witnesses and reported by the FPD, the two individuals continued the altercation, which resulted in the suspect stabbing the victim multiple times.

The FPD was able to take the suspect, 27-year-old Phelan Connally of Flagstaff, into custody with criminal charges pending.

As stated by the FPD, the northwest vicinity of the Park Santa Fe Shopping Center is closed while the investigation continues.

More information will be released as it is provided.

Photo courtesy of Flagstaff Police Department

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Herbicides create concern on campus Synagogue vandalized Paige Arvizu

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AU Facility Services will begin campuswide herbicide applications in an attempt to suppress weed growth on landscaped areas. University grounds staff said the main purpose of these applications is to maintain the aesthetic appeal of the campus.

However, some students are concerned about the potential environmental and health risks posed by the use of these chemicals.

Matt Bloomfield, a licensed chemical applicator for Facility Services, said this operation is carried out three or four times annually.

“We use herbicides on campus to control weed populations in landscaped areas,” Bloomfield said. “It’s primarily for aesthetic purposes. An area that is not maintained can quickly become overrun with unwanted vegetation and may not provide a desirable image for the university.”

Bloomfield said the herbicides will mainly target a common type of weed known as broadleaves.

“Our herbicides target specific types of plants,” Bloomfield said. “We use pre-emergent herbicides, which target seedlings and prevent germination for an extended period after application.”

Senior Zoe Jordan is majoring in environmental science and said she is concerned about the widespread use of herbicides on campus.

“Pesticides, including herbicides, are known carcinogens and can potentially cause lung problems,” Jordan said. “A chemical known as Endosulfan is sometimes used within pesticide compounds and practically never leaves the environment. It’s similar to DDT [a chemical pesticide], which was banned 50 years ago.”

According to a report published by chemical researchers at the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece, herbicides and pesticides are typically resilient and can build up over a number of years within the human body. This buildup can eventually cause serious health complications.

The report also said with some herbicides and pesticides, exposure can quickly lead to tissue irritation, headaches, dizziness and nausea. In severe cases, exposure to pesticides have led to convulsions, comas and even death.

However, NAU uses herbicides that Bloomfield said pose little risk to people and

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Brennah Brown

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A plant bed is pictured in front of the Education building, April 2. Some concerns have been raised about the herbicide used by NAU. Shannon Swain| The Lumberjack

animals in the area. He said the university employs several strategies to ensure the safety of all.

“We operate by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standards with the lowest relative level of hazard severity,” Bloomfield said. “We also apply herbicides at the lowest concentrations possible while maintaining desired results and minimal need for reapplication.”

Bloomfield also pointed out that the application process will begin early in the morning when most students are still at home.

He said application will begin as early as 4:30 a.m.

“We aim to minimize the risk of exposure by applying herbicides as early as possible, while there is less foot traffic on campus and a lower risk of spray drift caused by wind,” Bloomfield said.

Furthermore, there is concern for university grounds employees, as exposure to these chemicals can lead to potential health risks. However, Bloomfield said the department takes great preventative measures and requires

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its employees to cover up when applying chemicals.

“All workers who apply pesticides must wear the appropriate personal protective equipment, as noted by the product labels of the pesticides being used,” Bloomfield said.

Bloomfield said the university’s policies on pesticides and herbicides are in compliance with the requirements of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, FIFRA is the primary piece of legislation that regulates the use of pesticides and herbicides in the United States. The law requires the registration, labeling and safe use of pesticides in the country.

Students were cautioned last week in a mass email sent by Facility Services to be aware of spraying times and locations, which were also provided in an attached document. They were encouraged to avoid contact with these herbicides if possible.

Students living or studying nearby application zones were recommended to cover up, close their windows and remain on paved pathways whenever possible.

he Chabad Jewish Community Center, located off West University Avenue, was the target of a hate crime this past weekend, according to a media release from Flagstaff Police Department (FPD).

According to FPD, the community center, which also functions as a synagogue, was broken into and vandalized with hate symbols.

FPD officers responded to a call from the community center March 25 where they found disturbance to various rooms, some of which were defaced with swastikas carved into the wall.

Officers also observed that multiple paint cans were smashed on the floor at the time of defacement. The paint was then smeared on the windows in patterns resembling swastikas.

Multiple power tools were also damaged and left throughout the building during the incident.

Fingerprint swabs and other biological evidence was collected from the scene at the time of the investigation.

The FPD is investigating this transgression as a hate crime.

The department urges individuals who might have any information regarding this incident to contact Detective Mike Rodriguez at (928) 679-4098 or Silent Witness at (928) 774-6111. FPD stated that a cash reward may be available.

Hearts with messages of support cover the fence outside the construction site at Chabad of Flagstaff Jewish Community Center Friday, March 29. The synagogue was broken into and vandalized, with swastikas painted on the windows.

Michael Patacsil| The Lumberjack

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APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Anyone can be a racist Q Redmond

The stigma of female masturbation

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hen I was growing up, female masturbation was almost imaginary in my world. Ironically enough, my family was always very open about all things sex.

My parents separated before I could form memories, so I grew up in an all-estrogen household — my two older sisters and our mother.

As a matter of fact, my mom gave us “the talk” while taking us to elementary school.

The conversation around sex was always a very comfortable one for me, yet no one talked about female masturbation. Again, my sisters and I were allowed to openly and loudly talk about our periods and whatnot, but a society-wide shame kept us from talking about female masturbation. But, of course, not male masturbation.

SCOUT Starting as early as fourth grade, boys EHRLER around me have constantly talked about OP-ED WRITER masturbating. In middle school, this range of jokes was the holy grail. No one would shut up about how much guys masturbate. But the girls around never said a peep.

One day in the seventh grade, I was walking to class with a friend of mine — who was a grade above me — and she asked me, “Do you masturbate?”

I was shocked, appalled and wanted to run. Instead, I lied.

I said no. I didn’t think I had another choice.

Obviously, today I have no problem telling people I masturbate. For me, maturity has come with a violent need to make society a better place for that seventh-grade girl. And sometimes that means publicly announcing that I masturbate.

If boys get to talk about jacking off, everyone else should have the same shameless space.

According to data from CS Mott Children’s Hospital, only 25% of girls have masturbated to the point of orgasm by the age of 15, as opposed to 100% of boys. So, there is a real discrepancy.

Whether this is social, mental or hormonal, I don’t know. I do know that there is an established social stigma toward female masturbation, at least in adolescents.

This stigma teaches girls and women that it’s wrong to masturbate. Luckily, from my observations, the shame is beginning to dissolve and women are beginning to talk about it.

Women masturbate and it’s normal. It feels like an obvious statement, but based on my experience, it really isn’t. I’m happy a shift is happening and I look forward to a day when no one has to differentiate between “female” and “male” masturbation.

Society and media have impacted the way we treat and speak about masturbation based on sex. Which is exactly why I’m here — to say, yes I masturbate, and you should too.

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n America, white people have a history of privilege. This position has historically been maintained through violence and racist policies.

But the main reason those acts of violence and policy have worked so well is simply because white people have been the largest single group in the United States.

That is going to change.

A U.S. Census study released in 2015 found that by approximately 2044, “more than half of all Americans are projected to belong to a minority group.” This change is going to affect all of our racial dynamics — it has already started.

Whether this shift leads to more or less discrimination remains to be determined. What groups will be discriminating and what groups will be discriminated against is also up in the air.

As a culture, we hold white people more accountable for racist beliefs, costumes, jokes and so on. This is how it should be, as white people have this history of privilege and oppression. This means their actions have more implied power and pose a greater threat.

But as power shifts, the line between harmless and dangerous prejudice will as well, especially for minorities.

As someone who is half-black, I feel like I have a unique perspective on race. My skin is dark and my family has a history of facing discrimination. But I grew up in a white community and have never felt discriminated against directly.

From what I have seen and experienced, America’s culture around race is already changing, becoming more nuanced.

Previous prejudice is starting to break down, especially for black communities.

New prejudices are starting to form, especially against Hispanic and Middle Eastern American communities.

The strands are there for current minorities and oppressed groups to become the oppressors in the future. Many people like to think that because racial minorities have a history of oppression in America they have a better understanding of the dangers of prejudice and discrimination. This means moving forward we will be better suited to spreading equality.

But that is just one possibility. Another possibility is that this history of oppression leaves minorities bitter and afraid, leading to more discrimination of each other and/or white people.

Now, I do not think it is very likely white people face discrimination as they have a disproportionately large amount of political and economic power.

There have been many times in history when oppressed groups have risen to power and become oppressors.

Christianity’s entire narrative is based around Jesus being oppressed and killed by the tyrannical Rome. But that has not

Illustration By dominic davies

stopped Christians from using their power to commit atrocities such as the witch trials and the work of Spanish Missionaries.

And there is absolutely nothing that keeps an individual from being bigoted.

According to Psychology Today, “Some capacity for favoritism of one’s own group over others appears to be a natural human tendency. In many studies, people attribute more positive traits to their own group than to other groups.”

This happens across culture and affects everyone to some degree. It does not matter how arbitrary the group is. It does not matter if it is tribal groups in East Africa or boys randomly selected to be on competing camp teams.

What is important to remember is race is arbitrary.

According to The Guardian, “There are genetic characteristics that associate with certain populations, but none of these is exclusive, nor correspond uniquely with any one group that might fit a racial epithet.”

Many scientists of the past 150 years have tried to find scientific evidence of a difference between races, mostly to prove a racist point. But the more researchers have looked for a fundamental difference, the more they have found that it is not there.

The hippies were right about at least one thing. Deep down we are all the same. Especially in our capacity to be racist.

OPINION-EDITORIAL

It’s a little too late to impeach William Kerrigan

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onald Trump: President of the United States and No. 1 enemy for the liberal community.

Ever since his election in 2016, liberals have been trying to do everything in their power to get President Trump out of office. To this day, there are still ads on some YouTube videos that ask for online signatures to impeach the sitting president.

As of right now, there are 586 days left until the next election. Nov. 3, 2020 should be the goal for the left to get Trump out of office.

Even then, there is still a chance all of the Trump haters out there having to deal with another four years of “hell” — when, in retrospect, he really hasn’t been that bad of a president, which is hard for some to see.

One example of how he has been successful so far during his presidency includes the dialogue he has opened with North Korea in an attempt to stop their production of nuclear weapons.

Also, the unemployment percentage in this country has dropped to around 3.9%, which is the lowest it has been since 2000. Over 3 million new jobs have been created since Trump was elected president. You could say those numbers are pretty good so far.

Trump has also made it very clear that there is a biased, agenda-pushing media that will say whatever they can, even if it is untrue, in order to keep viewers. We’ve all heard the fake news talk.

I’ll admit, he does say some outrageous stuff that we have never seen from a president.

That is just because he was a businessman and not a politician when he ran for office. But, I will agree he’s over the top at times.

The president also has to do something wrong to be impeached, which Trump has not done. You may not like what has happened and how he has changed the country, but that is not illegal.

The last hope the left had to impeach Trump at this point in time was the alleged

collusion with Russia in order to rig the election.

Well, the report written by Robert Mueller says that this was false and never took place. At the time we have not seen the whole report, but based on many sources this is what was found to be true.

Another swing and another miss for the liberals.

The left just needs to realize that their time will come when they could attempt to retake the oval office with another Democrat. But for now, all they should be doing is preparing for that time.

Just sit back, relax and realize that you still live in the greatest country in the world.

Illustration By aleah green

Consumerism is costing the planet Caitlin Burke

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eople love buying new things on a daily basis. It’s simply ingrained in American DNA. There is a reason the phrase “retail therapy” exists.

The things people buy are often packaged in multiple layers of plastic or paper. The money spent on these products fund multimillion dollar corporations that rely on copious amounts of fossil fuels to produce harmful pollutant products.

Contrary to what society wants to believe, even purchasing items like metal straws or switching to a Tesla to clear a guilty conscious after decades of contributing to the environmentally detrimental consumerism cycle, does not actually help anything in the long run.

Reusable straws are made in giant factories that operate on fossil fuels, and Tesla has been under fire for many years for using fossil fuels in the creation of their marketable “green” cars.

Consumerism is the biggest environmental threat that this planet currently faces. However,

Illustration By Christian Ayala

consumerism is the only type of culture this country has ever lived and breathed.

American society runs on consumerism because of capitalism, which exists in every aspect of life because it’s the backbone of having a free market and democracy.

“Capitalism” and “America” are synonymous.

However, it’s extremely unrealistic to think that the American consumer would ever denounce these societal norms, let alone the capitalist system that holds the country’s government infrastructure together. The chances

are close to none.

It seems impossible to imagine an American society without capitalism.

This is just one of the reasons why the environment will fall to consumerism inevitably — if it hasn’t already.

Capitalism has such a strong influence on consumer culture in being a normal aspect of everyday life. To say that the environment can only be saved if capitalism is abolished is a stretch, but there is some truth to it.

Yet this isn’t necessarily the fault of the consumer.

Career fields that are growing in popularity are more so to blame for perpetuating the cyclical nature of consumerism, such as social media marketing and advertising.

Buying useless material items and getting satisfaction from it comes second nature to humans. It’s as simple as breathing without thinking about it.

This will never change, but it will be the downfall of the air and water quality that impacts our everyday life on earth.

Funding large corporations, which

contribute the most to worldwide pollution, is the reason why climate change is accelerating at an irreversible speed. The culture of consumerism is only worsened when people think they are being more green for buying reusable “green” products that aren’t actually environmentally friendly.

Sustainability is not going to come from innovative products that are marketed as “green” to make consumers feel some type of savior complex.

“Environmentally friendly” products are a contradiction as long as these products are being mass produced in factories.

The only saving grace that should be broadcast at the same level as the reusable straw revolution is advocating for society to stop buying so many material objects that are produced in factories.

Buying food locally at farmer’s markets along with purchasing clothes and household goods second hand is the only effectivesolution to combat funding terrible corporations while also fulfilling the satisfying need to keep diehard consumer habits.

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Summer is just around the corner, and that means time off of school for NAU in education, travel, exploration and fun. We asked students on campus what the

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Hailie Loyd

Trace Rickard

Amanda Radke

Freshman

Junior

Sophomore

Communication

Business Management

Astronomy

Surprise, Arizona

Olympia, Washington

Flagstaff

uring the summer, I’m just going home and will spend time with my family. We’ll go out to eat together or maybe go to California. I’m definitely looking forward to summer vacation and a break from school.

“I have a job back in Surprise, so I’ll be working there over the break. Over the summer, I work at Chaparral Winds, a retirement home.

“I think that college students should use the summer to prepare for the upcoming school year and purchase all the books they need. Apart from focusing on school, students should really just take time to breathe, relax and de-stress.

“An internship would probably be good to have during the summer because you can get more experience toward your major.

This will be my first summer break as a college student.”

“H

onestly, my summer plans are mainly just to work, make money and take a couple of classes. I’m moving back home for the summer, and will work for the mayor’s Triple-A baseball team as a member of the grounds crew.

“I don’t have a ton of time during the school year, so during the summer I work and make money. I use a lot of money throughout the school year, so summer keeps me somewhat financially stable.

“In Washington, where it rains all year, the weather is actually really nice in the summer. For the most part, I’ll have a lot of free time. It’s nice because I won’t really have to worry about school.”

“I

’m going to take summer classes. I’m not really looking forward to it because it’s during summer, and I’d like a break from school. However, I need to take a physics course in order to continue with my degree.

“Refreshing on topics that may have been difficult might be a good thing to do over the break. If you had a hard time in math class, for example, and you know you’ll progress into more difficult courses, maybe you should review your notes before school starts.

“If you are going to do an internship, it’s probably best to do it over the summer instead of during the school year so you can focus all of your energy on the internship.”

Stories by Madeline Hollmann

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FEATURES

U students. The season provides students with all kinds of opportunities ey plan to do during the break and what they feel the time is best used for.

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Andrew Madory

Jose Flores

Grace Kennedy

Senior

Senior

Junior

Political Science

Chemistry

Theatre

Orange County, California

Los Angeles

Flagstaff

his summer, since I’ll be graduating, I’m supposed to do an internship. I’m not sure where yet. It could be back home in California, maybe here or possibly in Austin, Texas. I’ll be doing a government internship, which will involve helping out around an office.

“During past summer breaks, I’ve just hung out with friends and family, taken online courses, gone on vacation and seen the world. This past summer, I went back to Pennsylvania and the East Coast to see my friends and family.

“I would definitely recommend everyone take classes during summer. It helps get those difficult ones out of the way. That’s what helped me accelerate my graduation.

“Just keep busy. Taking a class or two over the summer has really helped me stay in the rhythm of things. I do it pretty much every year.”

“M

y most memorable summer was two years ago when I went to Hawaii. I just needed to get off the mainland. It was my first island experience and was the best thing ever. It was just so tropical. The people there were so humble. The food was amazing and so were the waters. It was a summer to remember.

“The best part about summer break is getting a chance to enjoy life and relax without the stress of academics. It’s about having a good time. I think spending time with yourself during the break is a really great way to improve your overall health. You can focus on fitness, take a hike or treat yourself to a spa day or shopping spree. Those are all ways that I take care of myself over the break.”

“I

’m going to Washington, D.C. for a theater internship. I have not confirmed anything yet because there are a few internships I’m interested in and will be interviewing for. I may be in a production position doing things like hanging lights and working with stage equipment.

“I usually travel a lot over the summer. I’ve traveled all over, mainly in the States, but I did go to Canada one summer. I’ve been to Utah and Lake Havasu for example.

“I like camping, so I do a lot of camping when I travel.

Camping makes things so much more affordable — you get to see more. I just like to see new things during summer.

“To keep myself occupied, I draw, paint and work on cars. I enjoy picking up new hobbies over summer.”

n | Photos by Joseph Whitney

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

New sustainability manager eager to make progress Brady Wheeler

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atthew Muchna has recently been hired as the new sustainability manager for the NAU Office of Sustainability.

Muchna’s hiring follows the resignation of the previous sustainability manager, Ellen Vaughn, who accepted a new position at the University of Santa Cruz. Vaughn announced her resignation in an email sent Sept. 9, 2018.

A self-described outdoorsman, Muchna attributed his interest in sustainability to his time spent in nature.

“I rock climb, trail run and mountain bike,” Muchna said. “I love hiking. I love the canyon.”

Muchna said he began cultivating his love for nature long before he took on the role of sustainability manager.

While studying to obtain a master’s degree at NAU, he started to take interest in local environmental issues, like the gentrifying effects of the Rio de Flag.

“I began to look at how the Rio de Flag, which cuts through downtown and Southside, poses local environmental justice issues,” Muchna said. “The river cuts through that neighborhood in a way that prevents flooding in the more affluent parts of town.”

Muchna eventually became involved with the nonprofit organization Friends of the Rio de Flag as a project manager. He also made major contributions to the Southside neighborhood plan.

“I focused on how to bring people together from all different backgrounds and neighborhoods,” Muchna said. “The Southside neighborhood is very unique because it houses both students and local residents. This was causing some tension, and I was interested in discovering ways that those community members could live in symbiosis.”

It was the relationship between locals and students that piqued Muchna’s interest in working at NAU. Muchna said he wanted to work with

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Matthew Muchna effectively blends social politics with environmental consciousness as the new sustainability manager for NAU’s Office of Sustainability, March 29. Caleb Autry | The Lumberjack

the university to create sustainable options for the community.

Since becoming the sustainability manager in December, Muchna has set many goals for both himself and the Office of Sustainability.

His first goal was to understand the nature of cooperation between the departments on campus that work in unison to create a more sustainable future. Among these departments is the Green Jacks, a student-led environmentally focused club.

“I have noticed that the Green Jacks and other environmental groups on campus have been working more

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in unison since Muchna took over,” said sophomore Breanna Fimbres, cochair of the Green Jacks.

Muchna also plans to update the university’s Climate Action Plan, which was created in 2010 and last updated in 2015.

“Another goal is to create a new Climate Action Plan to reach carbon neutrality,” Muchna said.

“It’s something that, globally, is an urgent issue and something we need to quickly address on campus.”

According to the current Climate Action Plan, the university planned to reach carbon neutrality by 2020.

Muchna said this goal now appears to be unobtainable.

“It was a really audacious goal,” Muchna said. “NAU relied on a lot of emerging technologies that never emerged, so we were unable to reach that goal.”

Muchna suggested that NAU has already made great progress toward a sustainable future and said he hopes for continued progress in the coming years.

“Even though we’ve had growing enrollment, we’ve kept our emissions the same for ten years,” Muchna said. “But we need to reduce, which

requires investment.”

Muchna said he believes that one feasible investment the university could make is in biomass technology.

He said biomass technology can take natural resources, like tree limbs, and create renewable energy out of them.

Tree limbs that can’t be used by local lumber companies could be acquired and converted to energy at a very low cost.

“My goal is neutrality,” Muchna said. “It’s going to take a lot of collaboration, investment and effort to get there.”

Muchna claims that students, faculty and staff already have the proper mindset to achieve this goal.

He hopes he can use the eco-friendly culture already present on campus to create a more sustainable community.

“NAU attracts sustainableminded folks,” Muchna said. “I think we have a huge opportunity considering our culture of care toward the environment. If we can engage more of that culture, there’s no telling what we can accomplish.

It is important to recognize and give credit to the sustainability efforts that are already occurring on campus.”

Junior Alison Mae Dean, cochair of the Green Jacks, said Muchna is remarkably outgoing and dedicated to his cause.

“His personality is contagious,” Dean said. “He’s a go-getter.”

Dean also said that she is satisfied with Muchna as the new coordinator. She said he’s brought more organization to environmental efforts on campus.

Muchna encouraged students to educate themselves on the issues they are passionate about and to get involved in making positive change.

He said students who take initiative can have tremendous influence on the community.

“If you are curious about it, pursue it,” Muchna said.

Through student involvement, an updated climate action plan and further investments in sustainability, Muchna said he’s confident that NAU will make great strides towards carbon neutrality.

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

The Way Down Wanderers ramble into Flagstaff

Photos courtesyof John Williams, John Merikoski, Austin Thompson, Collin Krause and Travis Kowalsky.

Kiara Brown

F

lagstaff is known for being a small town that serves as a canvas for new artists to paint on with their music. The Way Down Wanderers band is coming to Flagstaff for the first time on April 13 at 8 p.m.

They will perform at the Orpheum Theater, a hub for new and seasoned artists to play in front of a community with diverse music taste.

The Way Down Wanderers music is a collection that primarily consists of bluegrass and eclectic sounds. They come from Peoria, Illinois and have influences in their songs that are inspired by hip-hop, jazz, pop, spoken word and more. The band consists of John Williams, John Merikoski, Austin Thompson, Collin Krause and Travis Kowalsky. To put it simply, bandmembers Merikoski, Thompson and Krause all say that if they had to squeeze their multifaceted music into one category, it would be Americana.

“People quickly put us into the

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category of bluegrass because we have a banjo player and these acoustic instruments, but we really draw from all over,” Merikoski said.

This group creates music from different ends of the spectrum, but also incorporates a large range of instruments into their songs. During performances, Krause plays the mandolin, fiddle and is also one of the band’s two chief songwriters.

Thompson plays the guitar, keyboard, sings and is the second songwriter.

Merikoski plays the spoons and drums, Williams is responsible for the bass and electric guitar and Kowalsky plays the banjo and electric guitar. “[We’re] pushing the boundaries,” Krause said. “We’ve developed a more acoustic bluegrass fanbase but we’re definitely taking some risks and making some music choices that definitely wouldn’t be consistent with a traditional bluegrass band or even folk music.”

The group just released their second album “Illusions” in late February. Merikoski said their

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sophomore piece shows their journey and growth over the five years they have been playing together.

“The first album you were kind of just thrown into,” Merikoski said. “This album we felt a lot more comfortable in the studio and all of us were more trusting of each other and of the awesome producer, David Schiffman. This was just an album where we weren’t afraid to try things and just see where the song ends up.”

Schiffman was the sound engineer for The Way Down Wanderers’ current album and has historically produced music for artists like Adele and Johnny Cash.

Krause described him as an easygoing, laidback and award-winning studio engineer. Schiffman steered them in a direction to find their own unique sound.

“I don’t know a whole lot of bands with a spoons player,” Merikoski said.

“The music is eclectic, but we always just try to play with all of the energy we can and leave it all on stage.”

The Way Down Wanderers

described their show as familyoriented. They said that their crowd ranges from toddlers to senior citizens.

“When there’s standing room there’s lots of dancing,” Merikoski said. “Definitely feels like a family and a community. There’s a whole lot of love and support.”

The band members themselves are a close-knit, big, happy family.

Krause said each band member’s family is extremely supportive. Over the course of the years of the band playing together, two members even became brothers-in-law when Thompson married Krause’s sister.

Thompson formed The Way Down Wanderers with Krause right around the same time he formed a relationship with Krause’s sister. He said the group’s creation happened just as seamlessly and they soon began playing together and making music.

Showing the other band members new music or ideas is a bit more of a worrisome process for Thompson.

“It’s kind of nerve-racking at times to bring certain songs to a

group of people you might feel super vulnerable about or just like exposed with,” Thompson said. “I think the band has grown a lot stronger having multiple writers in one group.”

Thompson needs to be in an isolated space to write music where he doesn’t have to worry about how his music may be perceived before it is finished.

“Always have fun,” Thompson said. “I guess music doesn’t have to be fun, music can be very passionate. But never forget why you want to do it or why you love doing it and try to find someone who loves it in the same way you do.”

Krause explained what he believes makes the band special and why performing is special to him and the other band members.

“What makes the band special just kind of goes down to the roots of the band,” Krause said. “We just love what we’re doing. Every moment we’re onstage and we share the music we create with other people is a special thing and we cherish that.”

CULTURE

The line between fashion and culture Braedon Huff

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he diverse community at NAU allows for all sorts of culture to be introduced to the campus. The different languages that are spoken, the variety of people on campus and the different ways of living are all a part of the community. One thing that may stand out to some people is the different fashions students choose to wear on a daily basis. With certain forms of clothing, students can embrace many different cultures and modern styles all at one time.

Certain styles around campus, including band tees, stemming from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds and fashions from modern culture have been embraced by people all around campus.

Shirts that include bands such as Metallica, Def Leppard, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin and many more are continuing to grow in popularity around campus.

Freshman Marina Shapiro said some students wear band tees as a part of being included in the modern fashion trends, while others wear them for the aspects of music culture. She said that while many people wear band tees just to wear them, others have different reasons.

“Some wear them just because it is what’s popular, but other people wear them for the cultural part,” Shapiro said. “One of my friends who I talked to about this said he wears them because it is the music he grew up on and it reminds him of his childhood. He also said his dad showed him some of this music, which makes it even more special for him.”

Shapiro also said that she likes to see people embracing music culture in fashion around campus.

“It is really refreshing,” Shapiro said. “I like when people wear band’s T-shirts for different reasons.”

Another place where fashion and culture are prominent is at the International House on NAU’s campus. The International House allows students from across the globe as well as students who are interested in global cultures to live together. The variety among these students allows for a mixture of fashions and cultures to

be examined and celebrated. Coordinator of the International Pavilion Georgia Wagner has observed international students who occasionally wear cultural clothing, as well as international students who try to embrace modern clothing styles too. She said that international students will usually try to wear more traditional clothing only around certain celebrations within their cultures.

“Most students, when they arrive, wear clothes that are similar to the clothing that the domestic students wear,” Wagner said. “Just like our domestic students, many international students are interested in current U.S. trends, but during certain celebrations, students will wear more traditional and cultural attire. Examples of these celebrations are the Lunar New Year in Chinese culture, Dussehra in the Hindu religion and Diwali, which is a Hindu and Sikh festival of lights.”

Fashion and culture can also be seen among the students from Hawaii and what they wear around campus on traditional or everyday occasions. They embrace their cultures through their clothing, while also being a part of modern fashion at NAU. These clothes come from modern brands that also shed light on the culture it is modeled after.

Senior Alyssa Ablao, president of NAU’s HAPA Hawaiian Club, said many Hawaiian students at NAU wear brands from Hawaii but also wear traditional clothing on some occasions.

“Manaola, Manuheali’i and more are known for being modern-day Hawaiian lifestyle brands that students wear more casually,” Ablao said. “Merrie Monarch is a festival that is held every year and is a festival that focuses on the perpetuation of hula and the Hawaiian culture.

At and around events like these, people are more inclined to wear traditional clothes.”

Ablao also said students dress traditionally to show off their backgrounds and style.

“Students dress with the style of their culture for both fashion and cultural appreciation reasons,” Ablao said. “We love to represent where we are from whether we are of Hawaiian ancestry or not.”

All around campus, students are showing a little bit about themselves through styles of clothing. Whether it is modern pop culture or ethnic and religious backgrounds, students show who they are through their traditional styles.

“Students dress with the style of their culture for both fashion and cultural appreciation reasons”

- Alyssa Ablao, senior NAU HAPA Hawaiian Club president

Illustration By Amy Czachowski

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Testing the new robots roaming around campus A Starship Technologies robot delivers food to the School of Communication March 27. Michael Patacsil| The Lumberjack

Editors at The Lumberjack wanted to test the new Starship-Delivery robots and provide readers with our personal reviews of the new food delivery service. The following responses are opinions based on our personal experiences with the service.

O

Sabrina Proffitt

Sebastian Moore

Collin Clayton

Molly Smith

ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR

CULTURE EDITOR

FEATURE EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

n Tuesday, March 26, for the cheap price of about $16, I was delivered two small pizzas from The Wedge to McConnell Hall. The delivery fee is only $2, which is a pretty great price compared to much higher prices for pizza or other services like GrubHub or Postmates. The pizzas were both still warm and put together well when they arrived. I was impressed with how well they managed to stay put even though it had to travel so far. The app originally said the food would arrive in 25 minutes, although it actually took about 35 to 40 minutes. This was a little long but as I watched the map as it traveled, it seemed like it got stuck a few times and it had to travel to the very end of south campus, so it was understandable. The robot delivered the food exactly to the point I told it to on the map, even so, that I had to back up a few steps in order to not get hit when I walked up to it. The robot goes exactly where you place it, so make sure when you choose a point that is somewhere accessible and easy for retrieval. I enjoyed this service a lot. For someone who doesn’t have a car and lives on south campus, I think this will come in handy a lot, especially when it is late and the buses aren’t running as often as earlier in the day. I was disappointed that Pizza Hut, The Sushi Place and Chick-fil-A weren’t on the app since those are the three restaurants I enjoy the most from north campus. As of now, there are only a few options of places and fewer options for menu items included. I hope as this service progresses more variety will be added to. When the robot rolled up and said hello, it made the entire purchase worth it to me because it was so adorable and crazy how it is something we even have on our campus. It’s a cool idea and I assume it will get better as it goes on, I have high hopes for these little guys.

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W

hile Starship-Delivery certainly is cool, the wait time is not worth the service. I placed an order for a chicken burrito from Cobrizo Mexican Grill to be delivered to the front of the Communication Building around 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 27. As I placed the order, I had junior Joshua Johnson walk from the building to Cobrizo, order the same burrito and walk back for the sake of comparison. The ETA on StarshipDelivery was 25 minutes, but it took 54 minutes for my food to be delivered as compared to the 15 minutes it took Johnson to walk there and back. The order Johnson placed was $8.42 while my order plus a delivery fee was $10.41, an extra $1.99 charge. Although it took 54 minutes, my food was still warm upon delivery but the biggest downside of my experience was the robot needed a technician to reset the device to complete the delivery. I was standing next to the robot but the app was frozen and couldn’t guide the robot to the correct location for me to receive a delivery notification. I did not have to notify anyone, the app did on its own and a technician rode in on a bike to fix the robot. It took him less than 5 minutes to repair the robot and have it complete its delivery. While the robot did need assistance completing the delivery, it did a good job making sure I was the person to receive the delivery. Although the delivery fee is much less compared to Domino’s Pizza, Jimmy John’s, GoPuff or Postmates, I don’t think the wait time is worth the charge since I don’t live on campus.

However, I do see Starship-Delivery being useful to students during inclement weather. Call me old fashioned, but I’d simply prefer to pick up my food and save myself some money or cook at home at my convenience.

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n Wednesday, March 27, I ordered a vegan burrito from Cobrizo to be delivered just outside the north entrance of the Raul H. Castro Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Building. The original estimated delivery time quoted to me was 48 minutes. However, it took just over an hour for my food to arrive. Considering the length of delivery time, I was impressed with the warmth of my food. My burrito certainly wasn’t hot, but the insulating material lining the inside of the carrier bot seemed to be pretty effective in keeping it warm. The bot was incredibly accurate in pinpointing my selected drop-off location, which — funnily enough — wound up in the middle of a graduation photo shoot that had begun since placing my order. It seems that, regardless of who or what might be standing in the way of a drop-off location, the bots are determined to reach their programmed destinations. I met up with the bot just a few moments before it arrived to see if it would allow me to collect my order before reaching its set destination. This attempt was unsuccessful, and neither the bot nor the app seemed to recognize that my order had already reached me.

I feel the service is, overall, worth the cost — especially in situations when I’m on campus and can’t leave my location to acquire some grub.

Having to wait an hour for my food wasn’t great but honestly, the wait time was right on par with other local delivery services, like Lodel, and came at a far more reasonable cost. It seems that using automated tech for delivery significantly cuts down on prices and, presumably, carbon emissions. However, I can’t deny that it’s quite creepy having these little guys rolling around on campus, considering decades of foreshadowing given by Science-fiction novels and films.

I

f you are willing to pay a couple of extra bucks for a meal delivered straight to your door, Starship Delivery is for you. The experience is quite fun and the app is extremely easy to use. The main aspect worth questioning is the delivery time. North and central campus at NAU are fairly tight and a short walk will get you to the majority of locations Starship has to offer delivery for. Considering this service has a strict map as to where it can take the food, it is fair to say that you are in walking distance from all restaurants. I ordered from The Wedge and waited outside of The Union by the Louie the Lumberjack statue Friday, March 29. When I created the order for my pizza, Starship estimated it would be delivered in 19 minutes — not bad considering they had to make the pizza and campus was busy. Once I completed my payment the time jumped to 39 minutes and I was sitting only the length of a football field away. When my food got to me it was still hot and ready to eat. I can see this service being helpful when: Weather conditions do not permit a walk outside, it is late and you just really need that midnight snack or you only have time to pick up food or nap. Instead, you take a nap while your food is being delivered. As for midday deliveries to class, just walk where you want to go. You are either waiting in line or waiting for a robot you paid 2 bucks for. The experience is genuinely fun and if you are in no rush for food, the delivery fee and wait time is well worth it. The entertainment of watching these Wall-E like creatures roam about NAU is priceless. Considering how often you see them on campus, attempting to cross the street, it seems that the Lumberjack community has adapted to these high tech additions.

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

ONE YEAR OF

MARLOW

FROM A CONTROVERSIAL FEE TO COACHING CHANGES AND AN ESTIMATED $38 MILLION FACILITY PROJECT, MIKE MARLOW HAS KEPT BUSY IN HIS FIRST YEAR AS VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS NAU students already pay a $25 Student Activity Fee to get into athletic events for free, which also provides free admission to the Wall Aquatic Center and fitness classes at the Recreation Center within the Health and Learning Center.

At $75 per semester, NAU’s athletics fee equals ASU’s and leaps over the $50-per-semester rate at the UA. “[It’s about] having a service mentality,” Marlow said. “As an administration we’re serving our coaches and our student athletes and [there’s] a focus on putting as many tools in their toolbelt to level the playing field in a recruiting and competitive advantage.”

As a result of the new fee, which went into effect for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, $3.1 million annually will be added to NAU Athletics’ budget and, likely, climb as the student body grows each academic year.

In mid-February 2018, a survey conducted by ASNAU via email was sent out to students for feedback about the implementation of the mandatory fee and the results were overwhelmingly against the proposal.

Athletics Fee and Student Opposition Of the 2,816 respondents, 92% were opposed to the fee with just 1.3% in agreement and Less than two months after taking 6.8% who were “somewhat unsure.” over at NAU Jan. 16, 2017, Marlow The Arizona Board of Regents’ proposed some significant changes to his ATHLETICS FEE: (ABOR) regulations require evidence of new university. This came in the form of student consultation to any tuition or a mandatory $75-per-semester athletics program fee proposal for an on-campus fee proposition. According to NAU program.

Athletics, the fee is not a new concept to In January 2018, a report from the universities, especially within the Big Sky Arizona Auditor General revealed that Conference, where such a fee is used by NAU previously failed to follow ABOR programs to remain competitive between procedure of mandatory student surveys other conference departments. with the implementation of some fees.

S

Kade Gilliss

ince taking over as vice president of intercollegiate athletics in December 2017, Mike Marlow has led the forefront for change in NAU’s athletics department. However, there may be reason for concern going forward for NAU Athletics and the student body.

It started with a controversial athletics fee, and now, an arms race for facility enhancements puts an estimated $38 million construction project on NAU’s plate.

Similar heavy investments over multiple years during Marlow’s time at his alma mater Washington State University (WSU) as Deputy Director of Athletics has burdened the program with a heavy, accumulating debt that still needs to be repaid.

Marlow’s seven-year tenure of program and facility expansion at WSU could foreshadow what is ahead for NAU.

UA $50 ASU $75 NAU $75

20

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

SPORTS Despite the apparent resistance from students, the fee was pushed along with support from ASNAU. The proposition passed through ASNAU March 15, 2018 almost unanimously with a 10-1 vote in favor of the fee proposal and would eventually be accepted by ABOR. The lone opposing vote came from former Senator Jo Olas who stated during an interview last April that NAU Athletics and administration told them if the fee did not pass through ASNAU, then it would just be implemented into the tuition plan for next year’s undergraduates.

There was little leverage for ASNAU. “I don’t think it’s a very creative thing [NAU is] doing,” said Olas in April 2018 after the fee passed through ASNAU. “I think [putting money into athletics] is something that happens at a lot of universities ... I think the vast majority [of students] don’t want to go to the games.”

ASNAU President Dylan Graham was part of the senate that voted in favor last spring and believed the best thing to do was accept the mandatory fee to arrange greater opportunity for student input and transparency to the fees allocation.

“Back then, when I was a senator, I felt a bit trapped just thinking that there’s going to be an increase, even if it doesn’t affect me directly,” Graham said.

“But long-term [consideration with an emphasis in encouraging more student involvement with the fee] was a lot of the other senators’ thinking.”

After Marlow first brought up the proposed fee February 2018, at student forums, the survey and the decision was made by ASNAU about six weeks later.

“We weren’t able to conduct the best survey,” Graham said. “It wasn’t reviewed by the survey committee on campus and I’m sure students took the survey multiple times. [Some] might not have even been an NAU student who took the survey ...

I did feel kind of pressured in terms of we weren’t able to do another survey or hold one more forum.”

In the end, ASNAU negotiated nine conditions for the newly approved athletics fee, including its current rate at $75 per semester be capped until at least 2026.

“I’d be naive if I didn’t think it would be a bumpy road at times, but we wanted it that way,” said Marlow on student opposition to the fee. “Because we want to build a relationship with the students that is genuine and sincere and not all

take, take, take without giving something back.”

Part of bridging that relationship has been the implementation of an NAU Athletics Student Advisory Committee, which was one of the nine conditions reached by ASNAU. This year’s committee is made up of eight voting students who were screened by both Marlow and Graham to provide input for how the athletic department should invest the athletics’ fee revenue. Members consist of three student athletes, three “at-large” students and two graduate students.

The committee meets twice a semester to discuss unique ways to bring student engagement with athletics, according to Graham, but has gone through some struggles early on.

“This year it’s been a little difficult,” Graham said. “Just because I think the students are having a little bit of a hard time grasping what the committee should be doing at each meeting.”

Graham hopes that next academic year, the committee can take the broad purpose of their responsibilities and focus it on opportunities that can be put into action.

“Any time we utilize the student fee, we are searching for how [it can] benefit the students,” Marlow said.

One of those investments includes $2.8 million in Walkup Skydome renovations with $1.8 million directed toward three video displays on both the north and south end zones.

Half of the $2.8 million was paid by institutional support in order to avoid interest charges, while the remaining $1.4 million was covered by the athletics fee.

Next year, the athletics department will repay the balance they owe NAU by using funds from the athletics fee, according to NAU Vice President for the Budget Office Bjorn Flugstad.

Institutional support is common practice in the Big Sky Conference, unlike at the Power Five level — the five major athletic conferences, including the Pac-12 which holds WSU — where departments are expected to manage their own finances through their revenue.

The visual enhancements in the Skydome are also to be used for students during commencement and special events, such as the Arizona North Regional Robotics Competition that took place this past March.

Athletics is continuing to look at strategic means of raising revenue through its partnership with IMG Learfield Ticket Solutions to provide exposure in various ways for the university.

NAU partnered with IMG in September 2018, becoming the university’s first outbound ticket sales team and recently becoming a milliondollar property for the first time, according to Marlow.

Nevertheless, even with a larger reach in revenue opportunities, Marlow knows that student support is essential to NAU Athletics success.

“It’s an interesting balance because what we’re trying to do here is not done elsewhere,” Marlow said. “We’ve got a group of students that will sit down at the table with us and see how it will benefit the students as well. We’re going to get that type of input from students on everything we do.”

Marlow had a previous relationship with IMG at Washington State as the “IMG liaison” under WSU Athletic Director Bill Moos, but it was not all positive. According to an internal audit commissioned by WSU that was completed May 2018, $40,000 in free football tickets were given to IMG beyond what their contract required.

The audit also revealed that WSU employees took advantage of upgrading to premium seating at football games for a discounted rate that could have cost the university $130,000.

The discounts are no longer an option for employees, according to the audit.

The audit also found possible inflation of home football games and came to the conclusion that: “The environments within [WSU] Athletics ... did not support a culture of compliance or fiscal responsibility.”

The university’s response in the audit stated a “culture change” within the

“I’d be naive if I didn’t think it would be a bumpy road at times, but we wanted it that way” - MIKE MARLOW, vice president of intercollegiate athletics

NAU’s new Athletic Director Mike Marlow being interviewed at the Sky Dome Jan. 30, 2018.

Raymond Felix Olivarez | The Lumberjack

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

21

SPORTS two 9-win seasons and an 11-2 record in 2018 where the Cougars finished 10th nationally in the Associated Press’ Top-25 poll.

Even more importantly, the football team generated $21.7 million in profit during the 2017 season, despite operating as the second-lowest financial value of any Pac-12 team, according to the Equity in Athletics Data Analysis. With how last season panned out for the Cougars, more profit can be expected, which can be used to alleviate some of the athletic d e p a r t m e n t ’s financial burden.

Leach gave some praise to Marlow and his influence on WSU Athletics during his tenure. “[I] thought [Marlow] had a huge impact [on WSU Athletics], always positive,” said Leach in an email. “ [He] Just made things work very efficiently and was great at creating a team-work atmosphere …

I thought he was great at seeing the whole picture of a university and an athletic program.”

Marlow is hoping to strike gold again after hiring former Memphis defensive coordinator Chris Ball as the Lumberjacks new football head coach after a 123-114 overall record for NAU in the previous 21 seasons under Jerome Souers.

Ball and Marlow crossed paths during their times as WSU, when Ball was an assistant coach from 2008 to 2011 and Marlow the deputy athletics director.

What Marlow saw in both Ball and Leach were two different people who shared the same philosophy.

“They’re certainly very different personality types, I promise you that,” Marlow said. “The common denominator between both of them is they’re teachers. Not just the X’s and O’s of the game, but teachers of accountability, responsibility, a focus on academics ... they’re teachers at heart.”

Marlow also acknowledged that Ball carried a “humble confidence” that NAU football could be special.

After speaking to 80 candidates for the head coaching position at NAU and meeting in-person with eight across the country, Marlow said he knew he had the man he wanted.

A Race for Facility Enhancements: What to expect and what could go wrong

Falling behind in the athletics’ facility front was one of Marlow’s biggest concerns upon taking the position at NAU. Facilities at NAU fell behind other Big Sky Conference schools, far behind in the eyes of Marlow.

“Off the top of my head, I’d say we’re 15 to 20 years off pace,” said Marlow on the university’s shortfalls for athletic facility enhancements. “[It’s] significant, and it has gotten even more-so since I arrived in January.”

Since his arrival, both UC Davis and Weber State have announced facility projects within the conference UC Davis announced November 2017 that they were in the process of building a $40 million, 38,000 square foot Student-Athlete Performance Center as a training facility, sports medicine center and a multitude of other services.

Weber State plans on having a new football facility opened by the start of the 2019 season that will feature “state-of-the-art” strength and conditioning equipment.

Marlow has plans to bring the student committee to other universities within the conference to see how others use their athletics fee and check on the standard of their competition, according to Graham.

However, NAU President Rita Cheng also wants to make sure NAU is expanding its facilities for the right reasons.

“My focus is making sure that we have facilities that support our students, our student athletes and our faculty and staff and less about keeping up with other programs,” said Cheng in an email. “With that

“I’d say we’re 15 to 20 years off pace [for facility enhancements]” - MIKE MARLOW, vice president of intercollegiate athletics

Washington State University Athletics DirectorBill Moos answers questions at the Ernie Kent press conference April 2, 2014 in Beasley Coliseum. Connor McBride | The Daily Evergreen Continued from Page 21

administration was already in place.

Moos left WSU for Nebraska October 2017 and was later replaced by former Athletics Director for Florida Atlantic University Pat Chun. Marlow left for NAU just two months later.

A university investigation at WSU was started in October 2016 on former WSU Athletics Administrator John Lucier. In April 2018, a year and half later and four months after Marlow left WSU, the investigation found that Lucier violated the Title IX policies over a three-year period by, “making inappropriate comments in the workplace and demeaning employees because of their gender,” according to The Daily Evergreen, the student-run newspaper at WSU. An employee told investigators that she felt Lucier was protected by his relationship with senior administration, such as Athletic Director Moos and Deputy Director Marlow.

Lucier, the former director of compliance for WSU, was also a

22

beneficiary of away football games and access to preferred seating areas that were not permitted, according to the audit.

According to a May 2018 report from The Daily Evergreen, Marlow and Lucier were good friends during their time at University of Oregon where they all previously worked with Moos.

Moos told Norfolk Daily News in May 2018 that padding attendance numbers is “common practice” in the NCAA and they count sold tickets, whether or not those people actually showed up to the game.

Marlow stated the discounted tickets for premium seating was only used on empty seats, so WSU Athletics was able to get some revenue for those seating options, rather than nothing.

Phil Weiler, WSU vice president for marketing and communications found that the audit helped WSU Athletics’ progress with findings that can improve the department in the future.

“The audit was actually a good

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

thing for the new athletic director because it really gave him a road map to make sure that we had tightened it down,” Weiler said. “It wasn’t that [administration was] being malfeasant, I think it was really a case of us not tracking it as closely as we should have.”

A new face to NAU football Marlow knows firsthand the value a great football coach can bring to an athletics program. From 2003 to 2014, WSU held just one 9-win football season. In their past four seasons, WSU had three teams with at least nine wins under the lead of head coach Mike Leach.

During his seven-year tenure at WSU under Moos, Marlow played a role in maneuvering Leach to WSU for the 2012 season.

After his first three seasons, coaching two 3-win records, Leach has gone on to coach the best fouryear run in WSU football history.

Since 2015, he has led the Cougars to

SPORTS said, we recognize that the prospective student athlete we want to recruit to NAU is comparing our facilities and programs with others in the Big Sky conference.”

NAU Athletics seems to be taking a similar path to UC Davis as they plan to build an estimated $38 million facility for student athletes with opportunities for kinesiology students at the university, according to Marlow.

There are also plans for a high-altitude training center within the facility because NAU holds a great advantage due to its geographic location at a 7,000-foot elevation. “[NAU] is a goldmine,” said Ball on the investment in facilities during his introductory press conference Dec. 12, 2018. “Just look around at the commitment that’s been made.”

NAU Athletics is still exploring a location, but the plan is for it to be built at the edge of the parking lot closest to the Skydome.

The cost estimation is open for change since the contractor and architect for the project have only met once since early March. NAU hired DLR Group as the design professional and CORE Construction, Inc. as the construction manager who will work together to put a realistic timescale for the project, according to Flugstad.

NAU has hired CORE for numerous oncampus projects, most recently a $15 million 255-capacity Kitt Recital Hall for NAU’s School of Music.

The facility would also provide a new home for the men’s and women’s basketball teams with approximately 3,000 seats. It is estimated to open as early as November 2020, according to Marlow.

“For athletes, [this facility] allows us to keep our commitment to them and their family members,” Marlow said. “When they come and we tell them that we’ll do everything we can at NAU to maximize your athletic and academic potential, this allows us to keep that promise. For students, it allows a certain group of students at NAU to leave with a portfolio, which is an unbelievable opportunity.”

The facility currently has $2.8 million in fundraising commitments with opportunities in corporate sponsorship, advertising and concessions open for funding the project. NAU is hoping to have as much success in fundraising as UC Davis, who raised approximately 90% of their $40 million required through a “variety of sources,” according to the UC Davis website.

NAU will likely take their facility project to ABOR June 13 at the Flagstaff campus ABOR

meeting and if it is approved, they will seek to begin construction shortly after.

According to a March 2019 NAU Athletics student fee budget forecast, approximately $2.2 million will be put into the performance center come fiscal year 2021. The estimated budget from the athletics fee is at $3.2 million for that year.

The loose estimation was covered during a Athletics Student Advisory Committee meeting earlier in the semester. Budgeting and costs are expected to change once athletics gets a more comprehensive outline of costs and student enrollment for contributions toward the athletics fee.

Keeping up with other conference programs and facilities has been an emphasis for the athletics department and university, according to Graham.

“I think [competitiveness] was a big driver of the athletics fee,” Graham said. “Bringing up NAU’s standards, whether that was a facility or new equipment or new programs to campus. I think that would help increase our competitiveness.”

However, a battle for the mightiest of facilities can lead to a more problematic outcome.

“Unfortunately, there is an arms race going on in athletics around facilities,” WSU’s Weiler said. “A lot of universities are investing heavily in their physical infrastructure for athletics and using that to try and recruit and encourage fans to come to the games.”

Currently, WSU is facing a projected $85 million athletics budget deficit by 2023 that is linked to over $130 million in facility enhancements, including a $61 million football complex.

After the football complex was completed in 2014, WSU football went on their historic run of four-straight bowl game appearances.

In 2016-2017, WSU’s revenue brought in $64 million, which ranks dead last in the Pac-12 by a margin of $14 million.

NAU only brought in $18 million during that time but is in the middle of the pack for their conference, according to USA Today.

The decision for the heavy facility investment directly correlated to Moos and a supportive President’s Office that saw great value in a competitive athletics department, according to Marlow.

Although Moos expected to be working at a sizeable deficit after the investments, contract

“Unfortunately, there is an arms race going on in athletics around facilities”

- Phil Weiler, WSU Vice President for Marketing and Communications

INFOGRAPHIC By KATIE DOBRODNEY

buyouts, debt service and a substantial shortfall in earnings from a Pac-12 Network television deal added heavily to the WSU’s debt.

“At the time, the thought was live sports is going to be the most valuable property on television,” Weiler said. “Little did we understand how quickly people would be abandoning terrestrial television and looking at streaming services and other forms of securing content that they wanted to watch. So, the contract for live sports didn’t pan out the way that the conference had hoped it would.”

WSU’s plan was to reach solvency by 2019, but the athletics department went four-straight years with more than $10 million in budget deficits according to The Seattle Times, despite large profit from football’s generated revenue.

Under new Athletics Director Pat Chun, WSU has now pushed its plans for a balanced budget to 2023, where the accumulated debt from investments by previous administration is projected to reach $85 million.

Could a similar issue arise at NAU, with a race for facility enhancements in athletics leading to future debt? Marlow doesn’t believe so.

“At the Power Five level you are managing all of your own finances with limited campus involvement,” Marlow said, “Here, we are looked at no differently than the College of Business from a budgeting, expenditure perspective. So, there’s so many more frequent checks and balances in the bigger picture that I

don’t believe it’s possible at NAU. We’re just not set up that way.”

However, an athletics deficit is a circumstance that has risen in the conference for both Big Sky Conference schools Montana and Eastern Washington in recent years, with Eastern Washington operating at a $5.8 million deficit and Montana at over $4 million, according to The Spokesman-Review and the Missoulian.

Even with the more frequent checks and balances on potential debt, NAU currently finds itself facing, realistically, an $11 million shortfall due to both a drop in enrollment and retention.

If department funds are not balanced in university accounts by June 2019, the university will end the fiscal year in a deficit.

The shortfall is a result of a 2% decrease in student retention rates through all six colleges on campus and a decline in enrollment. Of NAU’s revenue, 40% comes from student tuition and fees, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. Budget adjustments for the 2018 to 2019 fiscal year for academic and nonacademic departments is approximately $5.5 million at NAU. All adjustments will be complete before the end of the fiscal year, according to Flugstad.

Both Marlow and NAU have made an emphasis on heavy investments toward athletics, only time will reveal how it will play out.

To access the sources and reports mentioned in this story, there are hyperlinks attached to the online version on jackcentral.org.

APRIL 4, 2019 – APRIL 10, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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