FLAGSTAFF GOES FULL TILT PAGES 17-18
T H E L U M BE R JACK
SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEPT. 12, 2018
Online at JackCentral.org
From the Editor
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ometimes it’s hard to balance life in general. We’re both editors for The Lumberjack, go to school full time and work. Our days are usually spent in the newsroom, surrounded by a scribbled-on paper and engulfed by the noise of typing and editors talking. Amidst all the stories to edit and daily meetings, we try to find time for basic necessities — like eating and going to the bathroom. After our time in the newsroom is done, it’s off to our classes and work. So yes, full schedules kind of suck. Although it’s easy to get stressed with a full schedule, we try to remember that it’s important to find the time to do the things we like. It can’t always be editing and school and work and finding time for your friends and roommates. Sometimes, you just need to stop and do the things that benefit you. Mental health is the most important thing. Students, especially, can’t do everything if they don’t have time for themselves. Not that we don’t love what we do — we thrive on a busy schedule. For Ariel, ARIEL CIANFARANO she tries to have time alloted for self-care on Sundays, like painting her nails, deepMANAGING EDITOR conditioning her hair and not doing homework. Ashley always tries to sneak in time for Candy Crush between classes and the occasional bubble bath at night. Don’t forget that you’re human and need time for yourself. It can’t always be work, work, work or only play, play, play, there needs to be a balance. The opinioneditorial article, “Battling expectations in college,” reminds students and both of us to make sure personal wellness is a priority. Yes, work and school are important and we love what we do, but mental health is just as crucial. If reading is something that you like to do in your free time, go ahead and flip to page 10 and take a look!
“Wigs to me was Flagstaff. Without him, none of [my friends] would be together.”
Thank you for reading.
ASHLEY BESING COPY CHIEF
- Jason Wygle’s childhood friend Eric Kooinga, 2018
Photo courtesy of Alexa Popejoy Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011
THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 107 ISSUE 3
Editor-in-Chief Matthew Strissel
Managing Editor Ariel Cianfarano
Director of Digital Content Conor Sweetman
Copy Chief Ashley Besing
Faculty Adviser Anette McGivney
Faculty Adviser, Visuals Valerie Devoy
Sales Manager Marsha Simon
Print Chief Brady Wheeler
Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Owen Sexton Culture Editor Sebastian Moore
Features Editor MaryAnn Witt
Director of Circulation Deja Berkstrsser
Asst. Features Editor Director of Social Media Devyn Coons Teana Long
Op-Ed Editor Peggy Packer
Sports Editor Kade Gilliss
Asst. Op-Ed Editor Maria Angulo
Asst. Sports Editor Bailey Helton
Director of Illustration Katie Dobyrdney Senior Illustrator Colton Starley
Director of Multimedia Director of Photography James Lamarr Shannon Swain Senior Photographer Asst. Dir. of Photography Michael Patacsil Shannon Ainsley Cowan
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On the cover Jessica Perrino and Abby Collier perform during Dark Sky Aerial’s “Tilt” Aug. 30 at Hotel Monte Vista. Bess Valdez | The Lumberjack
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 Aug. 27 At 7:30 a.m., an officer reported that a semi-truck was blocking the roadway near the Skydome. An NAUPD officer responded and the vehicle was moved.
given an administrative referral for violation of the student code of conduct. The student was in possession of a valid Arizona medical marijuana card and agreed to remove the marijuana from campus.
At 11:08 a.m., a student near the college of Social and Behavioral Sciences called to report her dog missing. NAUPD officers responded to the scene and provided assistance.
Aug. 29 At 8:54 a.m., a Drury Inn staff member called to report finding a chainsaw near the inn grounds. An NAUPD officer responded to retrieve the item and returned it to NAU’s grounds department.
At 12:17 p.m., an NAUPD officer came into contact with a skateboarder who had been riding in the roadway near Beaver and McCreary. The officer responded and gave a verbal warning to the skater informing them they were not allowed to skateboard in the street.
At 7:09 p.m., an NAU staff member called to report that a student had fallen from the rock climbing wall in the Health and Learning Center. The Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD), Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) and NAUPD responded to the scene and the student was Aug. 28 transported to the Flagstaff At 1:10 a.m., a parent Medical Center (FMC). called to request a check on their student with whom At 10:56 p.m., during a they had been on the phone foot patrol an NAUPD officer only an hour earlier when the discovered two students using call cut off. NAUPD officers marijuana on the corner of responded to University Union San Francisco and McConnell. east to find the student in good Additional NAUPD officers health in their dorm room. responded to the scene and served criminal deferrals for At 9:35 a.m., a student possession of marijuana. called from outside Peterson Hall to report finding a lost Aug. 30 dog. An NAUPD officer At 8:49 a.m., 10 students responded and took the dog to entered the NAUPD office to a local shelter. request to take a photo with an officer. An NAUPD officer At 1:23 p.m., an NAUPD provided assistance and posed. officer reported discovering a license plate that had fallen At 10:05 a.m., an NAU off of a vehicle in the San staff member called from the Francisco parking garage. Liberal Arts building to report NAUPD contacted the owner a student feeling faint. FFD, and the license plate has since GMT and an NAUPD officer been returned. responded and offered the student transport to FMC, but At 3:50 p.m., an RA from the student declined. Gabaldon Hall called to report an odor of marijuana. An At 10:25 p.m. a staff NAUPD officer responded to member in Reilly Hall called to the scene and one student was report the smell of marijuana.
Compiled by Tara Yngelmo An NAUPD officer responded but no odor was present upon their arrival and no marijuana was located. At 11:32 p.m., at the Roseberry Apartments the fire alarm was activated to which FFD and NAUPD responded. Upon arrival, no fire was found and it was discovered that the alarm had been set off by burnt food. Aug. 31 At 10:04 a.m., a staff member in McDonald Hall called to report a theft of couch cushions. NAUPD responded and took a report. However the cushions have yet to be located, leaving the couch quite uncomfortable. At 5:46 p.m., a staff member at McKay Village called to report that several fire extinguishers had been discharged for no reason. NAUPD responded to the scene and took a report. The McKay Village hall staff also notified Fire Life Safety. Sept. 1 At 2:06 a.m., an NAUPD officer reported a vehicle parked in a wooded area on the corner of Lone Tree and Zuni. The officer informed the driver that no camping is permitted in the area. The driver left and no citations were given. At 10:30 p.m. an NAUPD officer on patrol in the San Francisco parking garage reported being with an intoxicated student. FFD, GMT and an additional NAUPD officer responded to the scene to provide medical transport. The student refused transport to FMC and was given a criminal deferral for underaged consumption of alcohol.
SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEPT. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 3
NEWS
The big three state propositions Chandler Staley
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his year’s election appears to be pivotal in determining Arizona’s path forward as a state. Propositions 126, 127 and 305 have attracted plenty of attention over the last few months as they each seek to provide long-term solutions to problems Arizona faces. However, not everyone agrees that the propositions are the best guide to navigate the state to a better destination. Tax increases are always a controversial topic, especially when legislators raise taxes without voter approval. Proposition 126 would amend articles nine and 13 of the state constitution, prohibiting the government from increasing taxes on any in-state services without voter approval. It aims to protect the cost of living for Arizona residents by making it illegal to raise taxes on any service you pay for from haircuts to car repairs and many other routinely-taxed services. The goal of making it part of the state constitution ensures it would be extremely difficult to change compared to other methods of implementing policy. If Proposition 126 is approved by voters, it will limit the government’s ability to fund public needs and forces them to make ends meet through other methods. Resources for energy are extremely valuable in maintaining societal functions and people will have a choice to make concerning them in November. Proposition 127 provides a possible solution to energy shortages in the future. If approved, it will mandate that 50 percent of Arizona’s energy must be clean energy by the year 2030. Given the fact that Arizona is a desert state, solar energy could be used in abundance. Persistent winds in the high country could be harnessed and utilized by wind turbines as well. In addition, having 12 years to meet this standard gives Arizona some time to gradually adjust to a more permanent and cleaner source of energy. However, there are repercussions that many people are concerned about. Particularly, the group Affordable Electricity has been advocating against this proposition. Matthew Benson, a spokesperson from this campaign, explained that he was opposed to the proposition because he thought it lacked focus. “I can’t imagine an initiative with broader impacts than those of Prop 127,” said Benson. He went on to state that every independent
If proposition 127 passes, 50 percent of Arizona’s energy souces would be required to come from clean energy by 2030. AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin.
entity that had studied the proposition had come to the conclusion that it would significantly increase the price of electricity if approved. The proposition, if approved by voters, would require public utilities across the state to phase out many of their power plants, including the nuclear Palo Verde Generating Station. This would force the companies to take on approximately $15 billion in additional expenses for solar farms, battery storage, transmission lines and other infrastructure. Benson believes these costs would get passed along to consumers. Benson also questioned those who were behind the proposition, as he discovered that it had been funded by California billionaire Tom Steyer, an influential political activist. Steyer is most known for creating NextGen
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America, a nonprofit political action committee dedicated to fighting for clean energy in America among many other progressive goals including an active voter-registration campaign. “The fact of the matter is that Tom Steyer isn’t going to be here after the election to deal with the increased electric rates, lost jobs and other consequences of this initiative,” Benson said. Finally, Proposition 305 takes aim at Arizona’s education system. Traditionally, most students receive their education through public schooling, where teachers are responsible for developing the minds of the future. In recent years, other methods have become more popular such as private and charter schools or homeschooling.
Rather than having their children attend public school, Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) allow parents to receive and utilize public funds to pay for their child’s private education. On April 6, 2017, Gov. Doug Ducey signed SB 1431, which permits the expansion of ESAs and increased government funding for private education. If approved, Proposition 305 will expand funding for ESAs by 500 percent. Moreover, ESAs can only be used for educational services that are for profit, such as private tutoring and schooling. Those opposed to this proposition argue that it would take hundreds of millions of dollars away from public education to fund the ESAs. A political group called Save Our Schools (SOS) is actively fighting against 305. SOS communication director Dawn Penich-Thacker wants legislators to fix the public school system first. “Public schools in Arizona are already scraping by as it is,” said Penich-Thacker. She laid out how it would be a massive blow to schools in rural communities in particular because they have even less funding than metropolitan schools. “It would shut down schools and teacher vacancies would be more common because there would be no money to pay educators or keep the lights on,” Penich-Thacker said. “It is devastating to the public school system.” In addition, she believes it would impact other areas in the state from the economy to healthcare. A vast majority of workers and employees come from public schools, and if companies can not hire skilled workers locally, it forces them to allocate resources to recruit employees from out-of-state as well as internationally. Moreover, empty schools lower property values in their perspective communities. She stated that the quality of healthcare people receive will also be impacted if nurses and doctors aren’t properly educated. “Every time we hurt the public school system we hurt our community and our economy,” Penich-Thacker said. The future of Arizona is up in the air right now, and whatever the voters decide it is sure to have lasting repercussions for years to come. Being informed in these issues and voting on them is an opportunity for Arizona residents to choose their future. The polls open Nov. 6.
NEWS
Monsoon rainfall sets record
The bank of the Rio de Flag is covered with vegetation as monsoon storms brew in the distance. Rio de Flag is subject to flooding during monsoon season, Aug. 25. Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack
Manny Castrellon
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his year’s monsoon season in particular has been exceptionally wet, especially when compared to the average amount of rain Flagstaff usually sees. The increase has been dramatic, with Flagstaff now seeing 8.67 inches of rain this year, and the historical average of 2.75 inches of rain per monsoon season, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Megan Taylor. . According to the state-run online reference Arizona Experience, monsoon storms tend to peak between the middle of July and middle of
August. As August concludes, Flagstaff saw the rainfall replaced with high winds. Since Flagstaff is a mountain town at a higher elevation it receives more rainfall than other towns in Arizona at lower elevations. With this high amount of rain comes certain hazards. The thunderstorms bring flooding, high winds that can cause property damage, hail and of course lightning. Taylor went on to state that the storms are even responsible for deaths. “Thunderstorms create hazards,” said Taylor. “Every year we see a fatality caused by lightning strikes in Arizona.” Taylor warned the biggest threat in her
opinion was still flash flooding, as not only can flash floods cause property damage, but deaths as well. Stacy Brechler-Knaggs, grants and contracts manager for the city of Flagstaff gave insight as to the scope of damages so far. “Regarding the July 2018 monsoon, we had numerous damage sites,” said Brechler-Knaggs. “This led to primarily city-wide debris removal on our Flagstaff Urban Trails System and in our city parks. Drainage culvert cleanup, emergency sandbagging operations and etcetera.” He went on to share the economic impact of the monsoon season so far.
“The preliminary estimated amount of damage is $273,000,” Brechler-Knaggs said. According to a BBC newsround guide, flooding can spread infections that can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Other hazards accompany this as well, from downed power lines to drowning. Within the Flagstaff area some roads end up being closed down due to flooding. This can cause traffic to build up and it is an inconvenience, to say the least. The biggest tip meteorologist Megan Taylor had for Flagstaff locals was to stay informed, reminding people that up-to-date weather reports were always available to view at the National Weather Service website. Knowing when and where these storms will strike will allow people to plan ahead in preparation of monsoons. Although there are dangers with the monsoon season, there are also benefits to it as well. Taylor further explained that in April, there were closures in the Coconino National Forest due to fire restrictions, resulting in people not being allowed to enter or camp in many popular areas including Humphreys Peak. “People have been looking for moisture to mitigate forest fire danger,” Taylor said. Despite the abnormal amount of rain, there have still been fires in the area, but the rain has aided in fire-fighting efforts. As of July 11, fire restrictions were lifted. As Flagstaff transitions into fall, the monsoons are expected to decrease, but monsoon thunderstorms in Arizona can still develop quickly and can happen at any time. Although some Flagstaff locals welcomed the rain as it brought an end to fire restrictions, it brought other hazards. Taking all the right precautions to stay safe and preventing injury is recommended. Despite being almost 6 inches above average, Flagstaff saw a gradual decline in rainfall toward the end of August, which indicated that the worst of the monsoon season has passed. Thankfully, this means flooding and other hazards associated with the monsoons will end. Despite the monsoons coming to an end in September, damages have still been made to the city and it has been quite costly. With a few more weeks left in the monsoon season, it does not hurt to be prepared. Put on a jacket, use that umbrella and drive with extra caution if caught in a storm.
SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEPT. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 5
NEWS
Photo courtesy of Paul Deasy
Photo courtesy of Regina Salas
Photo courtesy of Alex Martinez
Candidates seek student support Paul Deasy As an NAU employee, Paul Deasy hopes to better the relationship between NAU and Flagstaff by creating better career options within the city for graduating students. “I want students to stay here [in Flagstaff] to be honest,” said Deasy. “I think it’s better for our town. We have great skill sets coming out of this university that we’re not utilizing. We have a top 50 engineering program. Where are the engineering jobs?”
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Regina Salas Regina Salas wants people to know she comes from a very politically active family. Her father, Rodolfo Salas, was the leader of the resistance movement in the Philippines that resulted in the ousting of dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986. She earned a master’s degree in Industrial Relations from the University of the Philippines and worked public relations and communications for various city officials before moving to Flagstaff. “Being an independent and being born-and-raised in a developing world, I can offer a broader perspective from my unique experiences,” said Salas. “I want to put forward balance and pragmatism in leadership. In my old environment, we didn’t have the luxury to whine and complain about our situation. We just had to work together, thinking, ‘there’s got to be something.’”
Alex Martinez Alex Martinez’s daughter works as a nurse in Flagstaff and he wants to see more opportunities not only for her, but for all residents in the city. Though bringing in more big businesses like W.L. Gore is a goal, he wants to help support small businesses in Flagstaff too, especially making the process of getting permits smoother. “There’s a couple of small businesses in town that I know of being on the Planning and Zoning Commission that have gone and gotten their permits to open their businesses out in town,” said Martinez. “However, once they get the permits, folks from planning and zoning say, ‘Oh by the way, you have to do this, this and this first,’ instead of telling them what they need to do up front. You know, add a sprinkler system or something.” When he was in the Navy, Martinez recruited engineering students for the Navy from NAU, but if elected he hopes to create opportunities that enable students from NAU to stay in Flagstaff after they graduate.
NEWS
Photo courtesy of Adam Shimoni
Photo courtesy of Austin Aslan
Photo courtesy of Dennis Lavin
Adam Shimoni Adam Shimoni wants to let NAU students know that they too have a say in the upcoming election. “There’s a lot going on in Flagstaff that’s being discussed that is impacting students and a lot is being decided that influences them and affects them,” said Shimoni. “And they’re not at the table. The minimum wage was being discussed and they wanted to hold a special election for it in May, but the students wouldn’t have been around at that time.” He noted that the council did not approve the request for a special election and put the minimum wage initiative on the ballot for voters to once again decide in November. With three council seats up for grabs, Shimoni wagers that he needs to get at least 10,000 votes to win, and after coming up 59 votes short of getting on the council in 2016, he hopes younger voters will take his advice and get more involved in politics and that they will vote for him too.
Austin Aslan Austin Aslan hopes to capture potential voters at NAU because his wife is a professor at the university. Because of this he has access to the university and is able to talk to students to see what is on their minds. “I think it’s in the student’s best interest to vote for me as one of their new council reps because I have a close relationship to the university community of teachers, staff and students,” said Aslan in an email. He believes he can better the relationship between the university and the city.
Dennis Lavin Dennis Lavin wants students to get involved with the community, as they are involved in its growth. He believes the city has the right financial base and though it is doing well, could be performing better. “I would offer my experience and skills with corporate governance, strategic planning, budgeting and mentoring to grow Flagstaff’s financial strength over the next four years,” said Lavin in an email. “Given the opportunity, I will strive to continue securing our financial stability and working collaboratively with our partners.” With his campaign focusing on fostering improved communications between residents and City Council concerning Flagstaff’s and NAU’s growth, he invites students to get involved in the city. “Our talented city employees take pride in their contributions to our greater Flagstaff community,” Lavin said in an email. “I will continue to support their efforts. So welcome and become part of a great community.”
SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEPT. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 7
COMIC SPOT
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SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEPT. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 9
OPINION-EDITORIAL
Battling college expectations Ray Anne Galzote
Say bye to biphobia
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he “B” in LGBTQ+ stands for bisexual. Apparently this is something people, especially within the LGBTQ+ community, tend to forget. People who are attracted to only one sex, whether they are gay and straight, have the tendency to misjudge those who are attracted to both sexes. While it may be hard for some people to comprehend that someone may be attracted to both men and women, that doesn’t make it OK to judge them or mistreat them in any way. Biphobia is real and it is discrimination. The problem with labeling yourself as bisexual is that you are immediately subjected to judgment from straight, lesbian and gay PEGGY PACKER people. The whole lot. This judgment stems OP-ED EDITOR from many different misconceptions about bisexual people. When you are bisexual, not only do people have trouble believing that you really like both sexes, but they sometimes even doubt it. This comes from the idea that bisexual people are only bi for attention. Wrong! It is very possible for us to be attracted to both sexes for reasons that don’t involve gaining the attention of straight people. Another issue when it comes to being bisexual is the struggle to find relationships. This sounds backwards, considering liking both sexes inevitably means more people to choose from when finding a partner. However, having the “bisexual” label provides its own challenges. Being bi causes people to have this irrational fear that you will always leave them for the opposite sex. I can’t count how many times women have told me they would never date a bisexual girl or guy because they will leave them for a man. This implies that we can’t like both men and women equally and that we will always have to choose what we like better. Thus, biphobia. What’s confusing is that members of the gay community are some of the biggest perpetrators of biphobia. This seems odd because the gay community has always pushed for equality and acceptance ... but not when it comes to bisexuals. Why isn’t shaming bisexuals just as wrong as shaming gay, lesbian or even straight people for who they’re interested in? We should allow bisexuals to be bi, without asking them to cling to our standards on love and relationships. The only time we get “respect” is when people bring up the topic of three ways or when boys are in the mood to watch girls kiss girls. We are not toys used for your entertainment. We are real people with genuine feelings and emotions that we just so happen to feel toward both sexes. Let us embrace these feelings, and stop trying to put us in a box.
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ttending college these days can become stressful because of the expectations that students are held to. It can be difficult for students to manage most, if not all, of what is expected of them. College students can never really escape expectations, whether it be from themselves, from their families, friends or professors. Not to say that expectations are necessarily bad, but an abundance of them can become more of a negativity in a college student’s life instead of being a motivating factor. By “abundance,” I mean expecting students to be able to juggle 15 or more credits while being a part of several clubs, playing a sport and participating in campus activities. Many other students also deal with work to pay rent and maintain a social life that college students have been conditioned to have in order to get the “full college experience.” First, families can place a lot of high expectations on their children to do good in school and not do dumb things. Yes, that is very important. However, the constant reminder and nagging can stress the student out and possibly force them to spread themselves too thin in trying to be the perfect child. Second, friends are considered vital in a new environment. They can keep you sane, provide you with fun times and will be there when you’re breaking down in the middle of the night. But the expectation that you also always have to be there for them, anytime and anywhere, constantly lingers. Trying to switch between different friends and friend groups, figuring out how to please people and matching up schedules could possibly be a stressful assignment in itself. Third, some professors may be overly demanding in what they expect from students — as if we don’t already have four other classes to maintain, a job to do and a sports team or a club to be part of. I get it, they’re doing their job. But there are only 24 hours in a day and not all of it should be dedicated to just school. A constant state of stress, specifically on one aspect of life, can be extremely detrimental to a student’s sleep schedule, mental and physical health and learning ability. So, what do you get when you mix all of these expectations together? Stress! These are all different expectations in which alone, they can be achieved, but together, can become damaging to a student’s health and overall academic performance. Piling on a bunch of expectations that students have to fulfill all at once, or complete in a short amount of time can prevent their learning abilities and end up being roadblocks versus being their motivation. No one should be expected to do more than what they can physically and mentally handle. Having to deal with all of these expectations pulls the focus from students having fun, relaxing and doing other things that they also need or want to do for themselves. It also can lower the quality of the work produced because students really just want to meet these expectations, be done with
them and then move on to the next. This then becomes an endless and tiring cycle that can last the whole semester, the whole year or for one’s entire college career and beyond. Also, having many expectations placed on a student can lead to missing out on personal, school and work opportunities because of the fact that they may feel like there are doing more than they can handle. Sometimes students purposely turn things down because of high expectations and the fear of spreading themselves too thin. I’m not saying to ignore some or all the expectations placed upon you, but rather prioritize the most important ones and focus on those that are personally and mentally beneficial and necessary to complete.
OPINION-EDITORIAL
Letting go of toxic relationships LANCE DYER
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oes being in college really mean surrendering to the sustained torture that is your current relationship? As freshmen start up the new semester here at NAU, it’s time to realize we have some big changes coming. Now, we aren’t just talking about the physical changes like moving into a new dorm room and leaving your parents behind, or even the new elevation of 7,000 feet that Flagstaff is known for. The biggest change of all that has yet to come is the change within yourself. Believe it or not, you will actually completely change as a person by the end of the semester, and even more so by the end of the school year. You’ll grow into a new person who has not only adapted, but has evolved. Coming into college can be scary. So we hold onto those things that we’ve known in the past: old friends, old habits, and perhaps the worst of all, old relationships. These relationships may seem great at first. They can be loving and familiar, but they can also be dangerous. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. In high school, there seems to be a big fear that if you let go of someone, you may never find love again from someone else. Even if that person has hurt you, torn you apart, made you cry yourself to sleep at night wondering what it was you did wrong. Ladies and gentleman, let them go. They are not worth it.
If your partner doesn’t understand that you may not have time to talk to them every minute of every day, then they aren’t mature enough for a college-level relationship. If your partner wants you to ditch classes to spend time with them, they just want to control you. For many individuals, arriving onto a college campus means surrounding yourself with new things. This can include many great things, like friends, clubs on campus, activities to attend and more. But this can also mean being surrounded by things that will create pressure and stress in your life, such as alcohol, drugs, parties and sex. What’s important is for you and your partner to be on an even playing field. Both of you need to understand what each other wants and what the other person is ready for. If you or your partner isn’t ready to give you the space or Photo illustration by Maria Saldivar the time that you need
to grow, then let them go. Toxic relationships can mean more than just peer pressure. A harmful relationship can take many forms, like physical and mental abuse. This could be your partner screaming in your face, hitting you, pushing you into a wall or even turning your head to make you look at them. Mental abuse can be in the shape of ignoring you for long periods of time, trying to control who you talk to, hang out with, what you wear and especially blaming you for the reason they shout or are mad. Things like this are not healthy and under severe cases, can even be considered criminal domestic violence. College is a time for change. That means letting go of the past in order to move on into the future. This transition is not easy and will most likely hurt more than the break up itself, but it is necessary. For many of you, this change in who you are will occur almost instantly upon your arrival at NAU. For others, this change may not occur until you surround yourself with new people. What’s important is that you notice a change within yourself. You are around much older students now. You have the opportunity to meet people from different ethnicities, backgrounds, languages and cultures. All of these wonderful things are what make us unique. Embrace these new ideas and create a new person that you want to be. Word of advice: Always make sure at least one person knows everything going on in your relationship. If you can’t take your own advice, maybe you can take theirs.
We are more than just corporate sheep Gabriella Johnson
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hat we “do” is something we probably thought about for much of our lives, but our jobs aren’t the only thing that makes us who we are. For as long as I can remember, I have been thinking about what I want to do when I grow up. As children, we are conditioned to begin to think about what we want to be. But what we choose for a future career changes so much because as individuals we change all the time. Why should our career options stay the same and why should it be the only thing that seems to matter or define who we are? When I was five, I graduated from kindergarten. I remember being asked a couple days before what I wanted to be when I grew up, so it could be announced when all the children walked the stage. I walked toward the podium to receive my diploma and it was announced that I wanted to become a nurse like my mom. Since then, I have wanted to be a veterinarian, environmental scientist, university professor and probably more. Now I’m studying journalism, but I still don’t know exactly what I want to be when I “grow up.” It’s not commonly discussed that many people don’t end up doing what they studied in undergrad. It’s absurd that we are
expected to study something and then do that for the rest of our I thought the things that made me feel good were not as lives. important as my work. I thought if I wasn’t working toward a job Even more ridiculous is we begin thinking about it when all or making money, it was a waste of my time. But a job we may we want is to be carefree children. Staying in one job for a whole have in the future isn’t everything we are. life doesn’t happen very often. If you write, you are a writer. If you make art, you are an According to The Washington Post, only about 27 percent of artist. If you enjoy learning about plants, feel free to call yourself college graduates have a career pertaining to their major. People a botanist. The amount of publicity your work gets or how much change jobs, life takes different turns, new interests are discovered money you make does not matter. and pursued. Exposure, contracts and income don’t define who you are or In introductory conversations, the most common what you “do.” questions is “What do you do?” and We need to think more critically typically, the response is in regard to the about how we answer, “What do you do job a person has. But jobs are not the most for a living?” I study journalism, but I also important thing about us. read, make art, take care of animals and What sparks your passion? What spend time in nature to live. ignites your fire? At a certain point in the Don’t forget that your major isn’t all education system, everything I learned and you are. Rekindle your passions. If you did seemed as though it was meant to prepare are studying engineering, for example, it me for the workforce. doesn’t mean you can’t also be a fiction Art and music were separate classes — which writer. gradually received less and less funding — and We need to spark the children in all of there was little creativity included in math us. Remember what makes you feel alive, or science after a certain point. Illustration by Katie Dobrydney not just what you do to pay the bills.
SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEPT. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 11
FEATURES
Recruitment counselors Caitlin Noles (top left), Makayla Sutton (top center), Amanda Frechette (top right), Megan Laurich (bottom left), Claire Fineberg (bottom center) and Shannon Delaporta (bottom right) gather in the du Bois Center for a moment of peace during sorority recruitment Aug 31. Caleb Autry | The Lumberjack
NAU greek life recruitment and rush getting started Kirsten Bublitz
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t was a late Thursday night when Matt Gladheim, junior criminology and criminal justice major, received a call from an unknown number. He recognized the San Diego area code and answered, assuming that it was an old friend from his hometown. The caller was not an old friend, but a Phi Sigma Kappa member congratulating Gladheim on his bid, meaning that he was one step closer to initiation. Rush season has sneaked up on the students at NAU, and this weekend men like Gladheim
will receive life-changing calls from active members that they are closer to becoming active members themselves. However, receiving a bid is far from the first step when it comes to being initiated. It all starts with rush. “Rush is the process where potential new members and chapters can find each other to see if they are a good fit,” said Gladheim. A high school athlete, Gladheim was accustomed to the community and comradery of his teammates. After graduation, reality sunk in that Gladheim’s community was splitting up because his teammates were attending different
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universities. He quickly decided that he wanted to find a new community of like-minded guys who have “a good moral compass” and who he could “kick it with.” Since the phone call Gladheim received that Thursday night, he has been an active member for four semesters and is currently NAU’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) Vice President where he takes care of the nuts and bolts of rush week as well as makes sure that no chapter violates community, NAU and IFC policy. Typically, rush is a week-long event, but Gladheim is excited to mix things up for this
semester by adding an additional three days to process where potential new members (PNMs) will discover more about the chapters before making their decision. On one of the days, PNMs will even get the opportunity to hear 20-minute presentations from each chapter. Gladheim explained that the rush process is very individualistic. “Everyone does their own thing at their own house. It’s low key,” Gladheim said. “For sororities, all the PNMs are in the same place and get shuffled from chapter to chapter.” Because the rush process for fraternities
FEATURES is more relaxed than the recruitment process for sororities, Gladheim explained that from his experience, it was easy to get a bid but the challenging part came with the associateship, the semester-long process all PNMs must go through before getting initiated. During associateship is when active members really get to know PNMs, and at any point, a pledge can choose to disaffiliate themselves from the chapter or vice versa. “In fraternities, pledges have to keep putting in the work even after receiving a bid,” Gladheim said. Rushing can be stressful because it is unfamiliar. But as Gladheim explains, “Chapters want the best guys and aren’t interested in scaring PNMs away. Be genuine and let the people you want to join see how you actually are.” Like Gladheim, receiving a bid was a highlight for sophomore and dual Business and Spanish major Micah Meehan, also a member of Phi Sigma Kappa. “My roommate got the call and I was stressing that I didn’t,” said Meehan. “But finally I got a call from the VP who went to my high school. I accepted the bid and it was definitely one of the most exciting parts.” The sophomore from Ahwatukee, Arizona says that rush is a time to ask questions and get to know the active members. Every fraternity keeps their doors open, giving PNMs the opportunity to grow in friendship with active members. Not everyone gets a bid, but the chapter members hope is that the men that do will be a great fit to the fraternity. “It’s a brotherhood, and they are guys you never would have met unless you rushed,” Meehan said. Just as Meehan sees his fraternity as a brotherhood, Caitlin Zellner, junior elementary and early childhood education major and Alpha Delta Pi member, is thankful for the sisterhood she found. Remembering the uncertainty of her own recruitment process, similar but not identical to rush that men go through, she encourages any PNMs to be confident. “Be brave and be yourself because all they want to see is yourself,” said Zellner. “They want to see your true colors and honesty come out.” Zellner was prompted to attend college with an open mind, thanks to her youth minister, who encouraged Zellner to step outside of her comfort zone. “I didn’t have an idea of which sorority I wanted to join but I was lucky to find ADPi the second day of recruitment,” Zellner said. Witnessing how close the chapter was those first days of recruitment, especially the alumnae, warmed Zellner’s heart and, three years later, that love she first experienced for her chapter continues to grow.
“Recruitment is a way to expand our chapter and to find your home away from home,” Zellner said. “It’s a way to explore all that you can do and all that there is in Greek life.” While sporting a pink shirt with her sorority’s letters that read, “On Wednesdays We Live for Each Other,” — a phrase that embodies all that Zellner believes her sorority to be — Zellner explained that ADPi is not only a community of friendships, but of sisterhood. PNMs visit with active members each day and narrow down the amount of chapters they visit until they have found a sisterhood that fits them. Recruitment started Aug. 31 with Meet the Chapters Day, where PNMs visited all nine chapters. PNMs gradually narrowed down the chapters they were interested in over the course of Philanthropy Day, Sisterhood Day and Preference Day. Like rush, Zellner explains that it all leads up to bid day. “On bid day, PNMs receive envelopes explaining which chapter they will be a part of. All of the recruitment officers are there and you hear chants from sororities and see how fun and crazy we get,” Zellner said. “PNMs will run to their home and have a welcoming celebration.” Freshman major Charlotte Payne is counting down the days until she receives that envelope in her hand and runs to her home away from home. Payne grew up in the small town of Williams, Arizona, a place where everyone knows each other. “I have a few friends who came from Williams to NAU, but we all have completely different majors and classes,” said Payne. Payne is on the hunt for that sense of community that she had in Williams, a closeknit friend group who she can rely on. “I didn’t come to NAU thinking about joining a sorority.,” Payne said. “It’s really last minute but after researching clubs, I thought that it looked like something fun to do and it would provide me with opportunities to help out in the community.” As Zellner suggested, Payne is keeping an open mind, not having her heart set on a particular sorority, but really getting to know the people she meets and connecting with women that will lead her home. Although rush and recruitment have their differences, there is a common thread that knits the two together: community. These next few weeks will be packed full of students like Payne looking for their homes, as well as current chapter members like Gladheim, Meehan and Zellner excitedly watching as their communities grow.
NAU students wait in the du Bois Center to meet the next sorority chapter during NAU’s sorority recruitment Aug. 31. Caleb Autry | The Lumberjack
Potential new members celebrate the end of round one of sorority recruitment Aug 31. Caleb Autry | The Lumberjack
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FEATURES
Lab coats, statistics and fear: Is research scary? David Smith
F
or years, NAU has offered many students a chance to join an undergraduate research group. Whether it is the name or the pictures on the flyers of students and faculty members in white coats in a lab handling delicate equipment, not many students appear to be keen of joining. Senior Program Director Tina Zecher, from the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship, gave a more in-depth look into what these groups offer. “Average students think the groups are for the higher achieving students and are intimidated by the images of white coats and looks of professionalism,” said Zecher. “In reality, there are [researchers] in theatre, arts, science and so much more.” The research groups have a variety of fields a student could learn from, whether it concerns their major or not. From sciences to the arts, there is almost always something that will interest a student as each of NAU’s individual colleges that offer many opportunities for research on a variety of different subjects. Students will have an opportunity for getting real hands-on experience in the field, rather than learning in a classroom lecture. Students could either learn in a lab or outside in the field, working side-by-side with fellow students and faculty members. Scholarships and grants are also offered for students to either pay their education fees or to continue doing their research. They are given a chance to see what it is they are learning and to even assist in doing actual work, while in the process of learning to enjoy themselves. Junior physics and philosophy major Mingyang Li described his experience when it came to participate in the research himself. “I just gave it a try. My mentor encouraged me, and it taught the importance of research,” said Li. “I wanted to travel abroad, but I learned a lot more in the summer in the research group that I was a part of. I gave up the opportunity to travel abroad and stay with the groups to continue doing research.” Li said the groups helped him to start building connections with people who he will be working with in the field, as well as allowing him to make new friends with fellow undergraduate students who share the same passions as he does. All his fears of the research group being highly developed and judgmental were proven false, and he is now being offered grants and
Photo illustration by Isaac Smith
other funding to do research. For Li, the groups encourage him to overcome different challenges and to keep advancing in his studies. Doing research may not sound like a glamorous way to spend your free time, but it can be helpful in more ways than one. This is true even for students who are undeclared. The program gives these students a chance to see what they are really interested in, to help them discover what is it exactly they would like to do with their lives. Sometimes it may end up surprising them in seeing where their real interests lie. Ashley Jones, senior microbiology and chemistry major, never would have guessed her general interest is in biology if she had not joined a research group in that field. Her original plans of going into medical school were
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changed after doing lab research — she changed her area of study right after. Her curiosity and further exploration into that subject led her to getting a certificate in biotechnology before even graduating. “Any student, whatever major, can do research, it’ll only help you.,” said Jones. “You will talk to faculty who will explain how research will go. If you get your own ideas, they’ll encourage you to explore what interests you.” Though not as afraid as most of her peers, Jones said her first meeting with her mentor went well. Dressed in regular clothes instead of a lab coat made him easy to approach and to talk to. She is still doing research with the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at NAU to prepare herself for graduate school. “It’s extremely helpful with learning
subjects in class. We have hands-on practice and experience,” Jones said. “It made more sense doing it than merely listening to a lecture.” Jones also states how this has helped her, as well as Li, to understand what it means to “think outside the box.” It gives them a chance to use critical thinking in their two different subject matters to find a solution to any challenges they face. Being part of a research group is also seen as a bonus, as it can help students find their dream jobs quickly. With their combined skill set of knowledge, their own personal experiences and the contact they help set up for themselves, the students will have a far more easier time getting employment in their fields of study. Students can even get recognition for doing their research. Whether it is co-credit for doing research on history or assisting a mentor in writing a book, there are many ways for a student to learn a thing or two about their intended fields of interest. However, despite the growing campaign to get more students to join, few people have taken advantages of what the research groups have to offer. Many students have a perception that only advanced students can join the research groups, Zecher explained. They do not realize what they can get out of participating in the program, from hands-on experience all the way to getting good references for a potential job. The fear of rejection is enough to hold many students back and be hesitant to join. However, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship, as well as other individual research groups, and the research students themselves are now advocating more for fellow students and even teachers to join the groups to learn more. Gaining experience in the field and learning to effectively use the mind is proving to be a very effective combination, especially when the students return to the classrooms. Some students do not want to join for fear that they do not have the time to indulge in such groups. However, as time goes by, more jobs are being offered to students who goes out and take the initiative. “We have resources to help [students succeed],” Zechner said. “Not just to get grades, but to know what they want to do in their lives. So many people go out of college with theory knowledge, but this will give them the experience to use that knowledge.”
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CULTURE
Always sunny at the Sunnyside Market Jay Buttcane
A
lthough the summer season is coming to an end, the Sunnyside Community Market continues to show its support for local farmers and producers. Located on East Seventh Avenue, the market takes place every Wednesday from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. through Sept. 12. Flagstaff locals are welcome to come and listen to live music while they check out garden-fresh produce and make connections with others in town. Many of the vendors have tables full of fresh produce such as radishes, carrots and tomatoes, while others offer organic ingredients utilized in teas and herbal sprays. The market is prepared to serve those who arrive with an appetite for some barbecued chicken or beef, among other foods. Sunnyside strives to make anyone feel like a close neighbor. Vendors and attendees are quick with a “hello,” highlighting a warm-hearted sense of caring within the community. When people come to a farmers market, it can be expected that the quality of goods sold would likely surpass that of the ones that can be purchased at a grocery store. This is because the ingredients often come from the farms surrounding the Flagstaff area as opposed to across the country. There is less time and travel involved for an item to be made and brought into the hands of the consumer when it is produced locally. A number of the vendors will offer a sample of their foods to show just how rewarding it can be to support locally grown food. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not the only items available for sale at the event. Guests can pick up a sweet jar of raw, organic honey from Sweet Sting Honey or feel the burn of Big Red’s Hot Sauce. The Sunnyside Market aims to support independent growers and producers in the region while also emphasizing sustainability with environmentally-friendly alternatives to those found in a franchise grocery store. Vendors who can often be seen at these Wednesday gatherings include Aguiar Farms, Herbs from the Heart, Communal Uprising Chocolates and Brandini Toffee & Ice Cream. A free apple pressing service is also available, so attendees are encouraged to bring apples from home to make freshly squeezed apple juice. Deana Tatro is a personal chef who helps coordinate the Sunnyside Community Market. She believes there is more to the weekly event than just pushing one’s own product and that it should instead be looked at as a new wave for Flagstaff businesses. “It keeps small businesses alive,” said Tatro. “It keeps the money in Flag,” . Tatro also runs Deana’s Cocina, which offers food but has ice-cold beverages at the market particularly on Wednesdays. “Today I have a ginger-mint drink with real pieces of fresh ginger in it. It’s good for reducing inflammation and the stomach,” Tatro said. “I also have a lavender lemonade. Some of these are influenced from when I lived in Hawaii.” A significant aspect of the Sunnyside Market is how considerate vendors can be to each other when it comes to offering their products. Tatro usually offers strawberry lemonade, but decided not to sell it that day since another vendor had already brought some.
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Tatro mentioned how many of her ingredients come from her garden, but also used some products provided by Wong’s Farm, another local supplier of fruits and vegetables. Another vendor who can be found at the market on Wednesdays is Christian Day, owner and brewer of Rock Stacker Kombucha. “I’m brewing kombucha about every four to five days,” said Day. “They come in small batches and they’re brewed here in Flag.” A branded growler, also referred to as a large container, of the beverage can be purchased and brought back to be refilled. Otherwise, kombucha tea is also packaged in a can and bottle form for consumption. Flagstaff local Kyle Begay visited the Sunnyside Community Market for the first time and was impressed by the selection of organic goods. “I’m glad there is an alternative place to get fruits and vegetables besides just going to the store,” said Begay. “It feels good to support farmers who actually make a living by bringing their stuff for other people in the area to enjoy.” The Sunnyside Community Market will finish its operations for the fall season Sept. 12, but many of the same vendors can be found at the Flagstaff Community Farmers Market on Sundays located near city hall.
Entrepreneurs Cedar, Leland and Nuriya prepare homemade chocolates for customers during the Sunnyside Community Market Aug. 28. Alexa Meagher| The Lumberjack
Locally grown seasonal vegetables are sold at the Sunnyside Community Market Aug. 28. Alexa Meagher | The Lumberjack
CULTURE
Dancers fly through the night sky Pruthvi Khilosia
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erial dancers and spotlights joined the starry sky during rehearsals for Dark Sky Aerial’s 2018 TILT performance. From Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, the historic Hotel Monte Vista hosted an immersive platform for a performance that sheds light on human experience, themes of connections and struggles while highlighting human potential. Dark Sky Aerial was established in 2015 by five women: Abby Chan, Carrie Gaydos, Elisa Venezia, Isabelle Dove-Robinson and Joan Garcia. Their passions for aerial art and social impact drew them together. Together, these five women created an award-winning aerial theater company based in Flagstaff. Dark Sky Aerial aims to create breathtaking aerial theater that challenges perceptions and pushes human boundaries. Graphic design major Natalie Zec noticed a Facebook advertisement for Dark Sky Aerial and thought it looked interesting. “The advertisements really helped and I just liked how it was put across,” said Zec. The mesmerizing spectacle of aerial and dance performances all represented the message of conflict and illusion. The prelude of the performance transformed from a ritualistic narration to feats of aerial acrobatics highlighting the human potential. Audience members appeared mesmerized by the beating drums, tranquilizing music and colored lights as acrobats descended from the sky and onto the stage. TILT is a show that is made to immerse the audience in the performance. The theater turns into a kinaesthetic space that took attendees into the Monte Vista for a grand show. Attendees were taken through a maze of scenes within the Hotel Monte Vista. The atmosphere of the hotel has an eerie vibe and as music played, the crowd was taken through the mind of the protagonist. The audience was captivated by this creative, thought-provoking style of theatre through an interactive and immersive experience. After the crowd is taken away from the opening act, the world turns upside down and the audience suddenly find themselves in a dystopian nightmare. The audience noticed that the narrator will
lead them through the maze which appears to be the protagonist’s mind. Attendees were taken from room to room in the Monte Vista where an aspect of the protagonist’s mind is put into perspective. “The narrator brings it all together as the story seemed to get lost last time – it’s happening all inside her head,” said artistic director and cofounder Elisa Venezia. Performers wearing sinister masks, which they use to constantly stare at the audience, kept the onlookers hooked in the moment. There were 110 performers that led the viewers into the darkness of the hotel. Audience members got to experience an array of emotions, some of which may have had an impact on an individual’s self-conscious. In an eerie, green-lit bedroom is a scene not to miss. Two girls fought amongst themselves in lingerie as body-conscience insults were hurled at one another. However, one act that will keep the audience up at night is one where a half-naked man, utterly silent, is able to draw the audience into his wicked world through his body language. This kinaesthetic style of theater is to be experienced, not just seen. Ray Severian, an NAU graduate and professor of science, said he wanted to see what it was all about. “I wanted to see what the performance offered as I thought it would be a good way to get children involved in the arts and culture,” said Severian. Dark Sky Aerial received inspiration for their name from Flagstaff, which is known as the world’s first International Dark Sky City. Local communities from the area and around it includes a vast array of performers: aerialists, dancers, acrobats, actors, visual artists, poets and musicians. Dark Sky Aerial offers a chance for people who are passionate about the arts to get involved or volunteer. They are also open to people who would love to act alongside the performers. Lovers of dance and theater can submit a video of their performance skill to the casting director to join the team. Dark Sky Aerial’s TILT is an ambitious performance. This unconventional style of performance, which is full of modern dance and other art forms, has laid the groundwork for nontraditional spaces.
“... i thought it would be a good way to get children involved in the arts and culture” -Ray Severian
The Oracle performing in Hotel Monte Vista’s lobby Aug. 30. Bess Valdez | The Lumberjack
SEPT. 6, 2018 – SEP. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 17
CULTURE
Top Left: Heather Lynn-Elliott and Elisa Venezia dance on the side of a building Aug. 30 during the TILT performance. Top Right: A performer dances in front of the Hotel Monte Vista Aug. 30. Bottom Left: Abby Collier puts on a performance about the mask of beauty at Dark Sky Aerial’s performance of TILT. Bottom Right: Claira Hart is performing about wasted time at Dark Sky Aerial’s performance of TILT Aug. 30 at Hotel Monte Vista. Bess Valdez | The Lumberjack
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SPORTS
NAU Athletics creating new advisory committee Bailey Helton
O
n Thursday, April 5, the Arizona Board of Regents unanimously voted in favor of a new $75 athletic fee for both NAU in and out-of-state students. Students that are enrolled in the 2018-2019 academic year are the first set of students to pay the athletic fee. NAU Athletics is now in search of student members to be part of their Athletics Advisory Committee to help weigh in on potential investment options. Prior to the current academic year, NAU was the only school in the Big Sky Conference and the state of Arizona to not have an athletic fee imposed on university students. Since the approval of the fee, NAU Athletics is now seeking out ways to spend the funds received from the university’s students. However, they are not making these decisions on their own. On Aug. 27, ASNAU President Dylan Graham sent out a “Welcome Back Jacks” email to the student body. Part of the email introduced the student body to the Athletics Advisory Committee. “Athletics has developed a committee to provide student advice regarding the fulfillment of NAU’s Athletics’ goals and to provide input on how Athletics invests the Athletic Fee revenue,” said Graham in her email to the student body. “You must be enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student on the Flagstaff campus, have an understanding of or willingness to learn about Intercollegiate Athletics, and serve a twoyear term to become eligible for application.” The purpose of the committee according to NAU Athletics is to “provide student perspectives, advice, and ideas regarding the fulfillment of objectives and goals of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics.” As well as “provide input and prioritize opportunities for how athletics should consider investing athletics student fee revenue.” This committee will be composed of two non-voting members, Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Marlow and Graham, as well as eight diverse students. According to Associate Athletics Director Matt Howdeshell, there will be four student athletes, one of which will be a female, one a walk-on athlete who is not receiving athletic scholarships. The other four will be non-athlete students, one of which will be ASNAU Vice President of Student Affairs Samariah Riggins, while the other three will be selected through the application process. Applications to be part of the committee
Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Marlow joined NAU Athletics in January and has made it his priority to unify NAU Athletics and the student body. Raymond Felix Olivarez| The Lumberjack
for non-athlete students are due by Sept. 7, and can be found on the NAU Athletics website. The role of the eight selected students is one that is intended to influence the revenue spending. “The students will provide their input on how they think we could prioritize our investments,” said Marlow. Although the task of choosing how millions of dollars is spent seems as though it could be overwhelming, NAU Athletics will be providing resources to the committee so they are well educated. One resource according to Howdeshell is previous financial reports. Not only does Howdeshell and the rest of
NAU Athletics plan to prepare, educate and work with the committee but they also see the potential advantages of including students in the decision-making process. “Having students at that table [will] provide that voice, that input. They’re the experts,” Howdeshell said. “They know what they want to see at the games [and] at athletics events. That’s an area we can grow [in] and go on to make that experience better.” With NAU Athletics being so optimistic in the potential turnout this committee and the fee could have, there still seems to be a question that has yet to be answered. In previous discussions regarding the athletic fee, NAU Athletics spoke
in February on their priority of enhancing the “Skydome experience” as well as their desire to update intramural fields located on south campus. “Now we’ve identified three areas really,” Marlow said. One is enhancing the dome experience ... and make sure it’s something that can be utilized for student activities ... make sure that it’s multipurpose. Two, looking at the potential of building an additional outdoor artificially-surfaced field that could be used, not just by athletics, but intramural and club.” Marlow has now found a new area of focus that he and the rest of Athletics plan to consider with the student committee. The next discussion will revolve around the plan of giving revenue attention to a new facility, which Marlow references to as a “performance center.” A place where all athletes will be encouraged to work on both their athletic and academic performances. Of the three areas, the one that will take the most time to get approval on will be the performance center. NAU Athletics put out a general release Aug. 28 titled, “NAU Athletics has entered a Feasibility Study with Nation Groups for Facility Enhancements.” According to the Nation Groups website, they are a professional service company that focuses on project development and program management. According to Howdeshell, a Feasibility Study is exactly what it sounds like — it’s a financial study to determine whether there are enough funds for the creation of a new facility. The financial study itself will take around two months to conduct. Depending on what the study reveals, the timeline for the performance center project will then be decided. Other factors that go into the start and end date of this project include, but is not limited to: equipment, technology, building size and furniture. With the study and the committee still in the works, Marlow has predicted that seeing improvements in the student athletic atmosphere can take up to two months. However, Marlow is sure of one thing, he wants to see a unification form between the student body and NAU Athletics. “We’re looking for a true partnership,” Marlow said. Additional reporting by Kade Gilliss
SEPT 6, 2018 – SEP. 12, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 21
SPORTS
Time to pay up
P
rogress, as we know, is a cruel and painstakingly slow process. Often, it has to go through multiple regressions before ever moving forward. Frequently, it’s all about timing. The world has to be ready for it, people must be aware of it, then they must act on it. So now the time has come for the Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) athletes to be given higher wages like their male counterparts. No, I don’t mean WNBA MVP Sylvia Fowles should be taking home the $35.3 million that NBA MVP Russell Westbrook is cashing in. That is an extremist view, and likely belongs to someone with a brain too stubborn to get the actual message. Or one that pulls fake quotes like Barstool Sports. KADE GILLISS When looking at the $7.4 billion SPORTS EDITOR of revenue the NBA raked in last year according to Forbes and comparing it to 2016 when half of WNBA teams lost profit, then that discussion ends. Yet, that is exactly where individual’s minds wander off to when it comes to the pay gap between male professional basketball players and women basketball professionals. The big figures will always make the headlines, but the percentage of revenue that players take with them is what should be focused on. Out of the billions the NBA pulled together, the players returned about half of that, leading to the increasingly lucrative deals we witness every off-season. According to Adam Grosbard of the Dallas Morning News, WNBA athletes make under 25 percent of their total revenue. That averages out to around $79,000 salary per player, and about $19,000 more than the United States median household income. As professionals, and one of the best in the world at what they do, that is laughably underpaid, no matter how you look at it. One of the highest paid in the WNBA, Nneka Ogwumike, earned $95,000 in 2016. Forbes calculated she was underpaid by nearly $900,000. Most WNBA players have to play in another country just to get properly compensated. Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner makes $113,500 this season for the WNBA, but got almost $1 million for one season in Russia sources. These players, however, must compete in two seasons year-round, with little to no time for recovery. Work abroad also isn’t the answer. The answer is more promotion within their ESPN affiliation, who is responsible for half of the WNBA’s $50 million revenue in 2017, according to Forbes. Even for playoff games, coverage is strenuous to come by. You will find reports on Little League series before coming across a WNBA championship game. It’s been over two decades since the WNBA came to fruition, they shouldn’t have to fight for the spotlight. They shouldn’t have to travel across the world for respect. It’s time to pay up.
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On-campus ice rink in the works Kade Gilliss
I
t wasn’t long ago that former IceJacks head coach AJ Fairchild dreamed of the team’s return to the NAU campus. He envisioned the installation and completion of a new ice rink in the University Fieldhouse sometime by 2018 for his powerhouse team. As the students make their way into the fall semester, the rink project is anything but complete. “We are at the mercy of NAU brass making a final decision,” said Fairchild in an email. After initial construction began back in summer 2017, the outlined rink within the Fieldhouse has remained dormant for the past year, with most of the work going on behind the scenes. Last September, NAU Spokesperson Kimberly Ott stated the ice rink was only a “concept” during that time, and that a time frame along with costs were undetermined until further development. In the past year, the concept has gradually progressed into the “design” stage — the point in time where NAU will determine building needs and costs for the project. The design is centered around the mechanical cooling system needed to create the ice. A design company, LightVox Studio from Phoenix, has recently been hired to begin the process. “We don’t have an estimate on when that will be complete,” said NAU Media Relations Officer Carly Banks in an email. “But we do need the design to determine costs, which is needed to determine funding, which is needed to determine construction.” Since construction began in summer 2017, that’s about all the information the IceJacks have been given. “Right now, it’s basically been stagnant as far as we know,” said D2 IceJacks assistant coach Kris Walsh. “We don’t have any real communication with them about the rink as of lately.” NAU has reached out to the club in regards to funding, but the team doesn’t have a lot of resources to choose from unless progress has been made on the rink. Thus continuing the sluggish back-and-forth headway. “We don’t really have any major funding source right now,” Walsh said. “Although the [Arizona] Coyotes alumni have said that if there is ice, they’d be willing to put in some money toward it. That would be a huge benefit but there’s definitely a ways before that’s going to happen.” The IceJacks have received strong contributions from the
Coyotes in the past. Their annual Coyotes Alumni vs. IceJacks exhibition dates back to 2012. Ticket sales for the match go directly toward the team’s funding and has assisted in paying for their trips to the American Collegiate Hockey Association Nationals, including last season. Talks of funding began early on when the university asked the IceJacks for hockey specific items for the rink. The estimated $100,000 was based on talks between Fairchild and a hockey equipment supplier in order to convert the rink into a club-level hockey ice rink. The $100,000 is completely separate from the total cost of the project, which still needs to be determined. From both sides, the time frame for completion is up in the air and neither can give an estimate. Interest remains from each party, but it is clear that the university is in no rush for the projects Illustration By Katie Dobrydney completion. The school does plan on benefiting from the rink as much as the IceJacks. “The rink and the Fieldhouse will be able to accommodate many different activities,” Banks said in an email. “The rink can be used for student open-skate, figure skating, curling, FIT classes, academic PETE classes and intramural broomball competitions.” The team plans to return to the campus, where on multiple occasions, filled the Walkup Skydome to the brim with fans during their five-year NCAA Division I reign in the early ‘80s. After the 1985-1986 season, the team disbanded from the university due to ice rink damages, state budget cuts toward NAU and Title IX compliance. The team’s dominance has thrived in recent memory as a Division II and Division III unit in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. After leading the team for over 13 seasons, Fairchild stepped down with an above .700 winning percentage and seven top-10 national finishes in the association. However, there biggest achievement yet may be the longawaited return to the campus of NAU. “Obviously, all these guys here want to be playing at a rink inside their campus,” Walsh said. “For these guys I’m sure it’s something that would be very honorable to do. But that’s something that NAU, when they’re ready to start having those conversations, then we’re ready to have those conversations.”
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