The Lumberjack -- September 6, 2019

IT’S TIME TO “BALL” OUT PAGE 20

THE LUMBER JACK

SEPT. 5, 2019 – SEPT. 11, 2019

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

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his is where I expose myself. I am doing so to reach maybe even just one person.

Relationships.

No I am not singling out a romantic, intimate relationship, but rather all the relationships you come across in this life. We are swarmed by professors, classmates, roommates, personal friends and family.

The carousel continues to spin at an overwhelming but extremely exciting speed. If you really think about semesters they only give us around four months to create a bond with professors and peers. These are the people we need to and are supposed to respect, but most of the time they are such a minor part of our lives in the grand scheme of things. How exhausting is that? I know I’m tired and here’s why.

The movie “The Proposal” starring Sandra Bullock as a workaholic who has worked her way into her 40s and lacks personal relationships — no parents, siblings or friends.

That’s not necessarily the plot of the movie but it’s something that I’ve MOLLY related to since 2009 when the movie was released. I have amazing parents, my SMITH siblings are my best friends and my best friends are family. The reason I think SPORTS EDITOR about this movie’s minor detail is my detachment. I’m quick to work all day, bring my work home and isolate myself.

The second I get back on campus and in the newsroom my attention shifts from the important people in my life to tasks that will always be flowing in.

Hi I’m Molly and I’m a workaholic.

So far, I’ve cast a negative light on this fact. In all reality, I think it is an amazing trait to have. It shows passion. As an editor, it is my job to rework words to accurately get a point across.

So, hi I’m Molly and I’m passionate.

My goal for this semester is to let it shine in all of my relationships. I want to build, network and create beautiful moments with the important people in my life and even those who seem like supporting characters right now.

Carpe diem and make the most of the moment in front of your face before it passes, and you’re looking back at a time in your life that came and went so quickly.

My advice to you is let the phone call go to voicemail. Wait two minutes to respond to that email and ask someone how their day is. Build relationships. Create human intimacy and don’t let beautiful moments pass because you are too busy.

Thank you for reading.

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 109 ISSUE 4

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Helton Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Managing Editor Sebastian Moore Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Director of Digital Content Brady Wheeler

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

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

Copy Chief Collin W. Clayton

Faculty Adviser, Visuals Taylor Mahoney Valerie Devoy

News Editor Scout Ehrler

Features Editor Shaelene Walker

Sports Editor Molly Smith

Asst. News Editor Trevor Skeen

Asst. Features Editor Ash Lohmann

Asst. Sports Editor Jacob Terrill

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Aleah Green

Online News Editor Ray Anne Galzote

Culture Editor Sabrina Proffitt

Director of Circulation Robyn Monroe

Director of Photography Morgan Fisher

Asst. Dir. of Circulation Anel Lamadrid

Asst. Dir. of Photography Bess Valdez

Director of Illustration Madison Cohen

Senior Photographer Shannon Swain

Op-Ed Editor Caitlin Burke

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Asst. Culture Editor Nathan Manni Asst. Op-Ed Editor D’Anna Davis

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

– Collin Pullum, NAU alumnus and academic adviser Local favorite, Galaxy Diner, suddenly closed in late August. The diner walls were filled with 1950s fashion, icons and records. Italia Diazbarriga | The Lumberjack

On the cover NAU football gathers after a 37-23 win over Missouri State to sing the NAU fight song Aug. 29, 2019 at Walkup Skydome. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

Print Chief Bella Valenzuela

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board

Online News Editor Karin Johnson

“[Galaxy Diner] was one of the locations I would take them to where they could get a very retro and American experience.”

Corrections & Clarifications Last week in the story titled “The importance of inclusivity in education” we ran the acronym LBTQ+. The story was supposed to say LGBTQ+. We aplogize for the oversight.

The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Bailey Helton at brs289@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Aug. 26 At 1:17 a.m., a student reported that another student was feeling ill. The ill student was transported to FMC for treatment, and two other students were deferred for minor in consumption of alcohol.

At 12:46 p.m., FPD reported a child had left Lura Kinsey Elementary School at parking lot 65 and was walking toward campus. The child was located and returned to their school.

At 3:44 p.m., FPD received a call from a person at Morton Hall reporting a fire alarm. NAUPD responded and discovered that body spray was the cause.

At 8:32 p.m., NAUPD reported conducting a foot patrol at Gabaldon Hall for a drug offense. Three students were criminally deferred for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Compiled by tabetha friday

to report a student with an departmental report. injured arm. The student refused transport to FMC. Aug. 30 At 6:29 p.m., an NAU Aug. 28 coach called to request medical At 9:05 a.m., a staff assistance involving a player at member called to report an the HLC. The patient was not animal that was potentially transported to FMC. trapped in a vehicle near the School of Nursing. NAUPD At 10:00 p.m., a staff responded, but no contact was member reported underage made. drinking at Reilly Hall. Eight students were deferred for At 1:46 p.m., an RA at minor in possession of alcohol Wilson Hall called to report the and minor in consumption of odor of marijuana. NAUPD alcohol. responded, and one student was deferred for possession of At 11:38 p.m. at 910 marijuana and possession of S. Milton Road, an officer drug paraphernalia. initiated a foot patrol off campus. Four contacts were At 2:39 p.m., a student made involving non-students. called to report a subject posing A non-student was arrested as an Uber driver. NAUPD and booked into the CCDF on responded and took a report. an outstanding warrant.

At 8:06 p.m., a subject called to report a non-student loitering near the Health Professions building. The non-student was arrested on an active warrant and booked into Coconino County Detention Facility (CCDF) Aug. 27 for ignoring an active warrant, At 7:15 a.m., a staff and for possession of drug member at Sechrist Hall called paraphernalia. to report a nauseated student in need of medical assistance.

Aug. 29 The patient was transported to At 7:50 a.m., an FMC. anonymous individual called from Mountain View Hall to At 8:39 a.m., FPD request assistance with two received a call reporting an vehicles creating a blockage. intrusion alarm at Old Main. Assistance was provided.

Officers searched the area, but no criminal activity was At 8:16 a.m., an intrusion witnessed. The alarm was alarm was received at Old accidentally activated by a staff Main. NAUPD responded member in the building. and searched the area, but no activity was witnessed. The At 9:12 a.m. in lot 13, a alarm was reset. student called to report another student having a seizure. The At 11:58 p.m., a staff patient was transported to member called to report FMC. an intoxicated student at Reilly Hall. NAUPD took At 10:45 a.m., a staff a supplemental report to member at the HLC called go along with a preexisting

Aug. 31 At 2:27 a.m., an officer reported being waved down by a non-student who requested a welfare check on a subject near the entrance to Citizens Cemetery. NAUPD responded, but no contact was made.

At 2:11 p.m., an officer conducted a traffic stop. One student was cited and released in lot 42 for possession of marijuana and possession of alcohol under the age of 21.

At 7:13 p.m., a resident hall director called to report someone possibly using stolen keys to enter into a dorm room in Sechrist Hall. NAUPD responded, but no criminal activity was witnessed.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

The university approved the hiring of nine tenured faculty for the W. A. Franke College of Business, April 30. MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

NAU and FCB faculty play blame game Kade Gilliss

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he W. A. Franke College of Business (FCB) has gone through numerous leadership and faculty changes since the spring 2019 semester. While there has been progress made throughout the past few months within the college, other concerns have only intensified.

Summer 2019 marked a time of leadership turnover within the college. One position that was resolved outside of the FCB was the new provost for NAU, Diane Stearns, who appointed in March. Stearns was the previous interim dean of the College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences, and she became the fourth provost in four years.

An open forum took place June 27 between the provost and FCB faculty. During the forum, there were discussions regarding planning and strategies to fill the dean position, faculty hires and reaccreditation.

It was during this meeting that the responsibility and “blame” for the low morale and leadership issues within the college was pointed directly at the faculty and staff within the FCB, rather than higher administration.

“It’s been a really rough year,” an anonymous long-tenured staffer within the FCB said. “You have to dig deep to find your motivation to come back and do it all over again.”

The Lumberjack reported various issues within the FCB in May. The problems stemmed from the direct impact of NAU’s higher administration decision-making and faculty morale.

Pressure mounted when the ratio between tenured Ph.D. scholarly

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positions and non-tenured faculty were unaligned for Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accreditation.

AACSB International placed NAU on a continuous improvement review to give the FCB a year to address the ratio concerns.

According to the review committee, the FCB falls “substantially below AACSB recommended guidelines.”

One of the most significant shortfalls came from the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree, which only has 27.5% scholarly academic faculty. The required ratio is typically 40%. Another deficiency is in finance, where only 24% of faculty are scholarly academics, according to the AACSB International report.

However, concerns over maintaining accreditation are not strong. It is rare for an AACSB International accredited school to lose accreditation, and NAU has taken steps in securing its license.

One of those steps started with the hiring of new interim dean Eileen Hogan who began her role July 29. Hogan is a former dean and Professor Emerita at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania and is principal of Eileen Hogan Consulting, an accreditation and assessment collegiate consulting business.

Hogan will serve as interim dean for the 2019-20 academic year, as NAU continues its search for a long-term dean.

Hogan impressed faculty with her experience with the AACSB International accreditation process, strategic planning and transparency — all of which were issues for the FCB last year.

There is no worry from Hogan regarding whether or not the school will maintain accreditation.

“It is doable,” Hogan said. “[The review team] has set out what we need to do, and we’re going to do it.”

NAU President Rita Cheng said the university approved the hiring of nine tenured faculty to help with their ratios by fall 2020. However, multiple sources, including interim dean Hogan, state there are only eight tenured-track lines. Regardless, it will be up to an internal search committee within the FCB to find those faculty.

President Cheng has also made her presence more known in the FCB after The Lumberjack reported last spring that there was a lack of involvement from the university’s president, who has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island.

“There are numerous times throughout the academic year where I am invited by faculty to talk with a class or an FCB leadership group,” Cheng said. “I anticipate having many opportunities this year and always enjoy engaging with our talented students.”

Cheng said that she was invited to speak to FCB student ambassadors during a day-long training event at the beginning of the 2019 fall semester.

“We’re in a better position than we were a year ago,” FCB associate professor Eric Yordy said. “We’re looking forward to hiring these new faculty members, and that’s a positive. I think Hogan is coming in and saying we can articulate things better and do better outreach to make sure upper administration knows

NEWS what we’re doing.”

Last spring, an anonymous letter was sent to The Lumberjack that stated about 60 classes did not have full-time faculty to teach them.

Hogan said the number is down to 22 classes.

“We are very proud of that,” Hogan said. “I don’t have the numbers from last year or the year before, but we’ve always had some. My bet is 22 [vacancies] is lower than most years.”

It is still undetermined if the FCB’s executive job shadow program will return in the spring 2020 semester, after it had to be put on hold last year due to a lack of qualified staff.

The program is an important initiative for the Franke family, who fund the college.

According to an email from Hogan, a meeting will be held to discuss the program’s future.

“The FCB staff is meeting this week to discuss the potential for bringing this program back on line,” Hogan wrote in an email. “I hope that very soon we will be able to announce this opportunity to our business students.”

Even with questions moving forward, there have been notable steps made within the college. Prior to Hogan’s arrival came another aggravated blow to the FCB faculty and staff.

Frustrations grew due to a lack of initiative from higher administration, centralization of key resources for FCB faculty and blame being directed toward structural leadership in the FCB discussed in the late June provost meeting.

The Lumberjack reached out to over 60 staff members within the FCB for a follow-up to the May report. Four agreed to interview, three of which wished to remain anonymous.

“I don’t know what to say,” an anonymous FCB professor said. “The university destroys our good traditions and policy in FCB, and at NAU. They rebuild something following their will and add extra burden and cost to us, in order to save them cost. Now they want to take the credit, not the blame?”

The extra “burden” mentioned stems from numerous reported issues.

One of those issues is the current problem with accreditation, which could have been avoided. As a faculty member who has filled various positions with NAU since 2001, Yordy said NAU has been replacing tenured faculty with non-tenured individuals consistently over the past five years.

It didn’t take long to notice that the ratio would not hold for AACSB International accreditation. Yordy said the last two deans of the college, including former dean Daniel Goebel, who is back as a professor, told him they had sought approval for tenured-track lines, but were repeatedly turned down.

“We kept showing that our accreditation numbers were going to be out of whack, and we

just kept getting denied. I don’t know who was making those decisions,” Yordy said. “So now we are playing catch-up. If we had better planning from whoever was making those decisions, we would hire one or two a year. We wouldn’t have all the faculty in a search committee to hire eight people while we’re teaching and doing research.”

For NAU, cutting down on costs, replacing tenured faculty with lecturers and minimizing faculty resources started becoming more frequent over the past five years.

Since last spring, a full-time receptionist’s position for the dean’s office has been replaced by part-time student workers.

Another budget cut came in the form of centralizing the Information Technology Services (ITS) department across campus a few years ago. ITS was an integral resource to faculty and staff in the FCB, who relied on a more professional team to update and troubleshoot complex software for their research and classes.

“Since our IT centralization, things have been ten times more difficult, at least,” an anonymous faculty member said. “The centralization just took away our autonomy.”

The source said that a software installation for their computer would have generally taken under an hour to be completed. Today, the same installation can take up to two weeks.

“I look at opportunity cost,” the anonymous source said. “But [Cheng] is an accountant. She doesn’t look into opportunity costs. What is the cost for me spending 10 times longer to just have a software install? It’s not going to reflect on the spreadsheet.”

The blame for structural leadership issues within the FCB was also placed on faculty and staff. The current leadership design within the college is managed with area coordinators rather than departments and department heads. In this structure, great responsibility and power falls on the shoulders of the associate dean, rather than it being equally dispersed throughout the college.

According to the anonymous source, the FCB had proposed departmentalization to help disperse responsibility and help with the leadership structure at no additional cost to the university. It was not approved by higher administration. “[The proposal] was shot down,” the anonymous source said. “But on the first meeting with the provost, they blame us for not being able to departmentalize our college. How can that be our fault?”

Growing frustrations and an “unpleasant” environment had the faculty member contemplating early retirement — a recurring issue within the college.

When it comes to efficiency, Yordy said FCB faculty has been at the top of its game for years, despite a lack of institutional support.

Associate professor Eric Yordy said faculty at the W. A. Franke College of Business have been taking care of business despite a lack of institutional support, April 29.

MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

“The faculty here feels like we haven’t gotten the resources we need to stay accredited,” Yordy said. “My perception is that higher administration doesn’t always understand the things that we’ve done here, so our perspective is we’ve been super efficient for years. We have no departments, which means we have no administrative assistants for the departments, and so we’re very minimal on staff ... The feeling is that we’ve been punished because we’ve been so efficient throughout the years.”

Frustration from FCB faculty reportedly grew to an extent where two professors left in the middle of the meeting.

“It’s been hard working against this reputation that’s been thrown out by higher administration — that all the troubles are coming from the faculty who are unhappy,” an anonymous long-time FCB staffer said. “[Higher administration] says that the problem is the faculty. That was painful and hurtful.”

Provost Stearns recalled the meeting and said that the context during that part of the meeting was in relation to the student perception of the FCB and how information from faculty was being translated to the students.

“I stated that faculty contribute strongly to the student perception by the messages they convey,” Stearns said in an email. “And that students listen to what faculty tell them, and to what faculty state publicly.”

Stearns also said she saw one faculty member leave, but that many faculty and staff thanked her after the meeting and stated they found the forum useful, even though the conversations were difficult.

When asked what steps the president’s office has taken this summer to address issues with staff morale, Cheng stated in an email, “I believe with Dr. Hogan as our Interim Dean and with Provost Diane Stearns as leaders, these perceived challenges will no longer exist. We have approved nine tenure track lines for hiring during 2019-20 — an example of a greater influx of resources than any other college or school this year.”

Over the past six months, there have been notable steps of progress for higher administration and the FCB, particularly when it comes to retaining accreditation. But some issues still linger and have perhaps worsened.

Regardless of circumstance, the faculty and staff within FCB have placed a clear emphasis on moving forward for the college.

“Despite higher administration, I think everybody in the building is there to make it the best possible experience for the students,” an anonymous FCB staffer said. “That is something everybody has signed up to do. We want to make it good for the students. I want them to know that they can totally rely on the staff and faculty. We are there for them.”

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

City council balks at tobacco law changes Trinity Archie

F

lagstaff residents and business owners voiced their concern in a Sept. 3 city council meeting about the possible addition of a grandfather clause to the Tobacco 21 Smoking ordinance. This ordinance prevents people under the age of 21 from purchasing tobacco products in the city of Flagstaff.

With the addition of a grandfather clause, citizens who were 18 and above before the ordinance went into effect would still be able to purchase tobacco products in Flagstaff. Even with a grandfather clause, parts of the ordinance could still apply to some citizens who are between the ages of 18 and 21.

The discussion of the ordinance was part of a Future Agenda Item Request at the Sept. 3 city council meeting. Citizens brought a petition to the council meeting requesting the addition of a grandfather clause. Among the citizens was Cloud Slingers vapor store manager Miguel Flores.

“The reason my company has brought this petition forward is because one day citizens are able to buy something they have been able to for up to two years now, [but] they next day they are not,” Flores said. “It will affect local businesses and citizens. Whether they can legally buy it or not, all they have to do is go directly out of Flagstaff and that pushes money out of the city instead of bringing it in.”

The topic of increasing Flagstaff’s tobacco purchasing age brought many citizens forward throughout the meeting.

Amanda Wheeler, executive director of the Arizona Smoke Free Business Alliance, contributed to the debate and said the city may be unintentionally creating a black market for tobacco products.

“If these individuals are no longer able to purchase products through vendors, they are likely to turn to the black market,” Wheeler said.

While many who support the grandfather clause supported Wheeler’s argument, citizens also spoke in favor of the opposing side.

Members of Coconino Anti-Tobacco Students (CATS) youth coalition expressed their concern for the health of high school students in Flagstaff. CATS co-president, Anastasia Dougi, said this law may help to prevent or lessen tobacco use in youth.

“Keeping these products out of our youth’s hands is imperative to stopping this nationwide epidemic,” Dougi said. “We see this problem on a daily basis in our middle and high schools.”

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Mayor Coral Evans leads the city council meeting Sept 3. Bess Valdez | The Lumberjack

After some back and forth debate, Mayor Coral Evans and council members voted unanimously against moving the item forward.

For now, the grandfather clause will not save citizens under 21 from the ordinance.

Also discussed at the meeting was the proposal of a contract with Gotcha Mobility for bike share systems.

“Gotcha Mobility is a bike share system company to provide an innovative, cost effective bike share system that will advance multimodal transportation options for Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University,” Evans said.

The company joined the meeting via

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telephone while climate and energy specialist Jenny Niemann spoke on Gotcha Mobility’s behalf. Niemann said the company analyzed public opinion on a bike share system in Flagstaff, which had been requested by city council at a previous meeting.

“NAU was part of the selection committee and they will be moving forward with this if the city also moves forward,” Niemann said.

Debate began on the potentially harmful effects of a bike share system in Flagstaff, and how bike companies may crowd the city’s forests and trails.

“If a business wanted to come into Flagstaff

and run bike tours, I believe that there are other permits that they would need to go through for that process,” Niemann said. “The city of Flagstaff council passed that ordinance back in June for any company that wants to bring more than 50 bikes into town.”

The council decided to approve the contract with an amendment that required a report to council six months after Gotcha Mobility launches. If any problems arise during the six month period, city council may not move forward with the company.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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VISUAL SPOTLIGHT

Roller Rave Top left: Roller skates are lined up on the floor by size at Sun Entertainment’s Roller Rave Aug. 31 at University Union Fieldhouse.

Top right: Two students hold hands while taking a turn skating at Sun Entertainment’s Roller Rave Aug. 31.

Bottom left: Freshman Chase Ford skates at Sun Entertainment’s Roller Rave Aug. 31. Ford came to the event with her roomate, who are both roller derby players.

Bottom right: NAU students skate at Sun Entertainment’s Roller Rave Aug. 31.

Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

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SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Misinformation spreads like wildfire madeline hollmann

Long distance for the long haul

T

hough cliches typically elicit an eye-roll from me, the phrase “distance makes the heart grow fonder” has been my life motto for the past two years.

I started dating my boyfriend during my junior year of high school. I was aware that we wanted to travel different paths after graduation, but I wondered if we would get to transition to long distance. I figured we may as well cross that bridge if, or when, we got there.

Since then, my boyfriend and I have been together for about four years. Two of these have been long distance while I attend NAU, and while he serves in the Marine Corps.

Weirdly enough, being apart for half our relationship definitely worked in our favor and made our commitment to each CAITLIN other stronger.

BURKE Not everyone is able to be as successful OP-ED EDITOR in this kind of relationship. Fortunately for me, I handle being independent very well, which makes being in a long-distance relationship a bit easier. I fill up my time with extracurriculars, two on-campus jobs, extra credits for early graduation and spending time with my roommates and friends.

I’ve found that distracting myself through being busy has helped my mental health tremendously.

When I wasn’t distracting myself, I would start using that time to dwell on my situation and compare it to others who are able to see their significant other everyday. I’ve realized that the second I look at other couples is the beginning of a downward slope of dread and bitterness.

The only way I see it being possible to survive a long-term, long-distance relationship is to always have the next reunion date as the light at the end of the tunnel. Combining this with keeping busy will ensure that the period apart from one another flies by.

Being apart from my boyfriend for six months at a time makes seeing him again feel like a scene out of a movie, in the best possible way. It reminds me that if we had the privilege of being together everyday, I might not be able to put my feelings into perspective without the same hardships or struggles that our relationship has overcome.

Taking time for yourself is a great way to reignite romantic feelings in your significant other, which may seem like backward logic. It mostly comes down to having the time and ability to be self-reflective and to know what to fully invest in.

In my relationship, getting to spend my college years apart from my boyfriend has taught me a lot about my own selfdevelopment, and I’m grateful for our time apart as much as I am for our time together.

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A

nyone who has been on Twitter or Instagram in the past two weeks has probably seen pictures of the fires burning throughout the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. People are very aware that there are huge fires going on in the Amazon, but what do they really know about them?

There is a lot of misinformation floating around on social media. As someone who is from the United States, I am very familiar with the destructive fires that have occurred in California and, most recently, the Museum Fire in Flagstaff. Most of the California forest fires have been accidents or natural disasters. Some people might assume that it is the same case for the Amazon rainforest fires.

The reality is that for years, cattle ranchers in Latin America have been starting forest fires illegally.

According to an article from USA Today, ranchers want to create land for their livestock to graze on.

More land means more room for cattle, which would lead to higher profits.

Now that the fires have caught the attention of the media, there are questions buzzing around.

How did the fires start? Why did it take so long for the news to spread? At first glance, assumptions could be made that the fires are a natural disaster blamed on climate change.

While the fires may not have been caused by climate change, they are certainly exacerbated by

it, and create feedback loops that make the situation worse. However, this situation comes down to politics.

According to the same article from USA Today, the Brazilian government is looking the other way, even though the practices are illegal. President Jair Bolsonaro has blamed environmentalist nonprofits for standing in the way of further developing Brazil’s economy.

His response to the increased amount of wildfires is that these nonprofits are staging them to make his administration look bad.

Other countries want to help put an end to the deforestation.

The seven nations that make up the G-7 have decided to pledge $22.2 million to combat the illegal

fires, according to The Washington Post.

Since France is one of the countries in the G-7, Bolsonaro rejected the offer, because French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly questioned his credibility.

These fires should not have started in the first place. If cattle farmers weren’t so greedy and weren’t trying to acquire more land to increase their profits, the fires would not be happening. The Earth needs the Amazon rainforest, and it is being destroyed for financial gain.

We only have one Earth, and humans are actively destroying it. It was a huge mistake for Bolsonaro to reject the $22.2 million pledged by the G-7 to help fight the fires, just because Macron won’t “apologize” for remarks he made against him.

Brazil’s government needs to accept all donations they receive before the fires become more out of control than they already are.

Social media users have been either posting about the Amazon fires to raise awareness, or they have been commenting on how reposting a simple picture won’t solve the issue in the long run.

Brazil’s government is the only one that can make a difference in stopping these fires.

Officials need to stop turning their heads the other way and put an end to illegally starting fires. The country needs to take ownership and responsibility, and ultimately needs to accept the help that other nations are offering.

The Amazon fires have gotten too out of hand to tackle without help.

Illustration By Blake Fernandez

OPINION-EDITORIAL

the classroom shouldn’t impact family life Jaden Sonive

A

s the son of an educator, I see the struggles that teachers go through on a daily basis.

With every unfortunate injustice the world faces, teachers are one of the victims who suffer most, even though they only provide betterment to society. The education profession in the United States. does not deserve the punishment that legislatures have predetermined for them through limited funding, specifically with the number of budget cuts that have occurred recently in Arizona school districts.

Growing up with a mom who was also a teacher, I have seen throughout my life the hardships they face. For instance, teachers’ moods change tremendously, and often. One of the reasons for this is that they aren’t permitted a long enough lunch break because of a shortage of funding in the schools.

Some days, my mom only gets around 10 minutes for lunch.

This also serves as her bathroom break for the whole day until she gets off.

This profession needs more help through staffing and tons more funding than the dishearteningly low numbers it currently sees. Expecting teachers to constantly work their butts off with little return will inevitably show in their mental health after the

school day ends. vulnerability.

Educators come home with so much to get done in In reality, teachers are put last not only in funding order to prepare for the next day of work. When but also in the hearts of other people. Educators in my mom comes home from her teaching job, this country deserve a high level of respect. For she goes straight to the office in our home instance, teachers spend countless hours in the so she can finish her lesson plans, create the classroom making sure that everything is perfect handmade decorations for the classroom, for the first day of school. respond to parent emails and much more.

They have kids who may have behavioral These factors take a huge toll on the issues and get almost no help from others — not families of teachers, as a sacrifice of family even their parents at home. time becomes normal for them. Sitting As these issues intensify, educators will down for dinner is a rare luxury in our drop from their jobs like flies. This will have household due to how committed my mom detrimental impacts on the educational quality is as a teacher. given to future generations. I always ground From the personal experience of seeing my myself by considering where I would be today mom’s life consumed by her job, I stand very strongly without the teachers who made a tremendous impact in favor of the Red for Ed movement, which demands on my life. more funding to help provide students with the best Teachers deserve so much more than they are given in education. every aspect of their profession.

Teachers spend countless hours making sure their students are well cared for. They always go out of their way to make sure students receive the quality education they deserve without revealing their Illustration By Diana Ortega

Paying for parking comes second to football games ryan dixon

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arking on campus has been a rising issue over the years.

Students and faculty alike have felt the frustration to find a parking spot near a building where an important meeting or class will take place.

When met with unified concerns from students and staff, the university has tackled this issue with new parking structures and housing lots. The efforts to accommodate nearly 21,000 people who proudly call NAU their college of choice have fallen short once more as paid parking permits are considered useless on certain dates.

After a freshman and sophomore year filled with parking

tickets, I finally gave in to the practical side of my brain. I realized I was paying more in parking violation tickets than I would pay if I just bought a permit and had a permanent spot on campus.

So, I entered my debit card information into the University Transit Service’s website Aug. 1 and charged my LOUIE account with $465 for an annual parking permit that would allow me to park year-round in the south commuter lot.

Along with the hundreds of other students who waited in the virtual queue to get a permit, I let out a breath of relief. No more parking tickets for me

— I rightfully had a spot on campus to call my own, and the receipt to show for it.

Imagine my surprise when a few weeks later a mass email was sent out to parking permit holders, which explained that Aug. 28 at 5 p.m., parking at the south commuter lot would be limited due to the football game that night.

Other than the grammatical errors, the most frustrating part of that email was the nonchalant dismissal of the inconvenience students would be slapped with in the first week of school.

“Students with a South Commuter permit are advised not to drive to campus … use the Mountain Line Route 10, carpool, walk, bike, or use a ride service,” the email stated.

With traditional transactional values holding true, it should be a given that if a student pays for a parking permit, they

Illustration By Amy Czachowski

should be able to park in the designated area.

I have played and watched sports my whole life, so sacrificing a day of my parking rights in order to support the NAU football team is not the biggest obstacle I have faced. However, not every student parking in south commuter shares my same passion for sports.

Why is it that their $400+ permit is thrown aside for an event that they may not attend or might not care about?

They could walk from an unknown distance or use a $5 ride-sharing voucher to get to an institution that they have already paid access to with thousands in tuition.

Has anyone actually ever taken a ridesharing service to a destination and had the final price be under $5?

I certainly have not. It is unfair to take away the use of a permit that a student has paid for and require them to pay, physically or monetarily, to get where their permit would have taken them.

NAU should value their students’ purchases and not rob them of their permitted parking over a football game, which is an event that does not threaten the safety or well-being of the students in the area — well, except for the football players maybe.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Student artist’s take on death Ashley Lohmann

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AU student artist Lydia Chase aims to promote awareness about death by thrusting those who view her paintings into a conversation with it. Thoughts of death are often accompanied by fear, but Chase said she hopes to break down this fearful ideology that many have to help them foster a healthier relationship with the inevitable.

As a senior studying fine arts at NAU, Chase, along with other seniors in the program, is developing a final visual arts project. This project includes presenting a collection of pieces connected by a theme in a bachelor of fine arts show. Senior Dana Kamberg said themes are usually chosen close to the artist’s heart and are representative of their growth in college.

“It’s all presented in November, and all the graduating students have their own project that they’ve been working on,” Kamberg said. “It can have three paintings or 15 paintings, or also a sculpture, or printmaking as well. While most people work on it for a semester, [Chase has] been working on it for about two years.”

Chase’s collection of death centered pieces is inspired by her unique relationship with death.

“My family has always been kind of like "The Addams Family,"” Chase said. “I grew up watching horror movies, and my dad and grandmother grew up in my great grandfather’s funeral home. We’ve always been surrounded by that sort of thing, so I don’t feel uncomfortable with the idea of death at all, just because it’s been so prevalent in my life. I think that helped to shape the artist that I am today.”

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Her upbringing brought Chase into a practical conversation with death earlier than most. She said she uses death as a theme for her art because she views her unusual familiarity with the subject as a foundation to spread awareness.

“I like the subjects of death and dying, and the narrative that continues after we die,” Chase said. “So that’s mostly what my work has been focused on for my show.”

Chase said her paintings are scenes from the process of an autopsy — they picture the moment a body is found, a body at a funeral and anything in between. She said these scenes are portrayed in a way that’s provocative for the audience. “[The collection] twists the kind of usual grotesque idea of an autopsy, death and dying,” Chase said. “I want people to be less afraid of

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dying by seeing my work, and then not view that sort of stuff as an uncomfortable scenario.”

Chase said her work is important because it allows confrontation and exposure for each individual. She said she views confronting and accepting death as therapeutic and as a means to have more peace with mortality.

“I think that the more you expose yourself to [death] in a comfortable way, the more comfortable you’ll be with it,” Chase said. “I think that people are mostly afraid of death and dying because they don’t experience it often, and all they ever see of it are in horror movies where gruesome things are happening. I think when you see [death] from a comfortable perspective and realize that it happens to everyone, that helps alleviate that fear. So, I’m trying to help stimulate that with my painting.”

While her paintings aren’t always received

well by those who view them, Chase said uncomfortable viewers are the ones her art can benefit most.

“A lot of people see my work and are immediately turned off to it because it is a little gruesome, and it’s something that you don’t see every day,” Chase said. “It’s not a pretty picture of Humphreys Peaks with flowers and everything, but it’s supposed to be like that. Once people understand the meaning behind my work, it allows them to connect with it better, and allows them to like it better.”

Chase said when people understand why she chooses to paint death, they become more curious. Her subjects’ uniqueness makes her work stand out, which she said is helpful for provoking her audience to a higher perspective and awareness of death. She hopes that through her paintings people can learn to move on with

FEATURES

Senior Lydia Chase poses for a portrait, Aug. 14. Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack

more understanding and peace.

Chase's art is especially unique to NAU graduate Esme Jones because she does not shy away from the uncomfortable to make a point. Jones said because Chase was brave enough to confront a topic that intrigues the viewer so much, her paintings undoubtedly prompt engagement with the viewer as they did with her.

“There is a lot of atmosphere in the pieces and a kind of mystery,” Jones said. “Having dead people as models makes for a sort of neutrality, which leads the viewer to wonder about their story and how they got there.”

Jones said the technical artistic choices, along with the subject of her work, creates a stronger, more intriguing pieces.

“I liked her composition," Jones said. "[The paintings] are dynamic and intriguing. The color use has a lot of contrast and complementary colors, which make things stand out more.”

Kamberg said that unlike artists who might use death as a subject of their art for metaphorical clickbait, Chase has the experience and knowledge to use the subject of death in a meaningful way.

Chase’s upbringing led her to feel equipped to spread this awareness and prompt people’s conversations about making peace with death. Being an artist, Chase has a medium to communicate these ideas with lots of creative freedom. She said her favorite thing about painting dead bodies is having the ability to paint them realistically, but in a suspended beauty. She said people’s unfamiliarity with death allows her to manipulate reality and give clues, which grant people the ability to interact with her art more intimately. Her subject matter allows for deeper interaction, as a person’s thinking is stimulated toward understanding and accepting death better.

“I love painting dead people because I love the textures and qualities of the skin,” Chase said. “I love the shock factor that it has, so I’m going to continue working on it and expanding it through my career as an artist.”

Chase’s art was selected for display at the Local Color art show this past June. The entirety of Chase’s collection surrounding death will be on display in the fine arts showcase at the Beasley Gallery in November, alongside other senior artists’ collections.

Senior Lydia Chase works on a painting Aug.14. Chase is a student artist at NAU whose work centers around death.

Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Students stand with survivors of sexual violence Katelyn Rodriguez

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he Hollie Vargas Organization: Students Against Sexual Violence is a new club that has launched on campus this semester. The organization offers a safe space and support network for both victims of sexual violence and their allies.

The organization is named after victim advocate Hollie Vargas, who served as an advocate for sexual assault awareness.

Organization founder and NAU graduate Daisy Ornelas modeled the club after Vargas’ work after she sought out help from Vargas.

Ornelas said that Vargas worked for Coconino County Victim Witness Services for almost 10 years before her sudden death earlier this year. Ornelas said that Vargas was well-known throughout Flagstaff because of her impactful presence in the community.

The impact Vargas had on Ornelas and other survivors led her to change the name of the organization to honor Vargas’ work.

The group provides sexual violence survivors with numerous on and off-campus resources, as well as weekly informational seminars. The club gathers every Tuesday at the Health and Learning Center on north campus in room 2407 from 7 to 8 p.m. Students and Flagstaff locals are welcome to attend these meetings if they feel inclined to support the organization’s mission or wish to seek help from the club.

Ornelas said the organization’s mission is to engage the community in action toward preventing sexual violence. Ornelas also wants survivors and allies to know that if they come to one of the meetings, they won’t be pressured into speaking about their traumas or experiences.

“You do not have to disclose your name, you do not have to speak — no privacy will be revealed,” Ornelas said. “This is a safe space. Everything that’s talked about in there stays in there. No one’s assault or abuse will be reported, because this is a student-run organization.”

The club seminars are set to cover a wide range of topics, such as toxic masculinity and breaking the stigma of victimizing survivors of sexual violence.

Students Against Sexual Violence informs

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members of various local support resources.

Some of these resources include Victim Witness Services, Campus Health Services and North County Healthcare’s Sexual Assault Support Team. Ornelas also said the organization plans on having various guest speakers at their weekly seminars, such as attorneys and individuals from other support organizations.

“I wanted to make sure that students have this information about these resources — that they could come into this safe space and know exactly what the resources are and remove that intimidation from these places,” Ornelas said.

“I’ve experienced them. I’ve sought help from them. I want to remove the intimidation from these places, because I know I was reluctant to go.”

If a member is unable to attend a meeting or if a survivor doesn’t yet feel comfortable with joining the organization, Ornelas said the club will eventually record seminars for their website, and the link will

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soon be available on their Facebook and Instagram profiles. During the recording of the seminars, the organization intends to keep student and community members’ identities private. Ornelas said they want potential members to know that no one will be recorded unless they consent to it.

Ornelas said the new website will include blog posts from members who wish to contribute coping mechanisms, healing processes, outlets for medical care and a variety of other easily accessible resources.

Recent NAU graduate Amanda Frechette serves as the co-founder for Students Against Sexual Violence. She said she wanted to help Ornelas and the organization in any way she could when it was first brought to her attention.

She also said the organization wants to change people’s outlook on seeking help.

“Students should not have to do extensive research when they are seeking support,” Frechette said.

Frechette said it is important to spread awareness around campus and the community. The organization’s board members aim to

Illustration By dominic Davies

ensure that the conversation on sexual violence isn’t something that seems unmentionable.

Frechette said they want to break the stigmas that surround conversations about sexual violence and get the ball rolling when it comes to starting new discussions.

Co-chair and senior Celia Kramer reiterated what Frechette said about both herself and the organization wanting to normalize conversations about sexual violence.

“If it’s never talked about, it’s never normalized, and conversations about sexual violence become taboo and uncomfortable,” Kramer said. “Those who want to speak forward are afraid and uncomfortable, and it’s time that changed. We want to give people a voice and make a change. Hopefully, we can prevent sexual violence occurrences here in our community.

That is definitely something we all have the drive for.”

All the board members said people will be encouraged to use their voices in empowering ways.

“We are planning to have some 21-andover bar nights, all-ages nights and some open mic or free speaking events,” Frechette said. “We want people to feel accepted and cared for, and we want to have fun together as well.”

The organization’s board wants to let potential members know that there are individuals out there who want to give a voice to victims of sexual violence and help prevent it from occurring.

Ornelas said the organization plans on honoring Vargas’ work and carrying on her legacy by continuing to advocate for survivors of sexual violence on NAU’s campus and within the Flagstaff community.

They want to make sure that survivors and allies everywhere know they aren’t the only people going through this, and that they do not have to fight this battle by themselves.

“This organization is about continuing her work,” Ornelas said. “Continuing to support, and advocate and to never allow herself, nor those who she advocated for, to be silenced again. It will honor her legacy by making sure these voices are still heard, and that more voices come to light, and that more lives continue to be saved.”

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DRINK SPECIALS: $4 Pints $3.60 360 Vodkas

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At the end of each Bingo Night we will play our Blackout Game.

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5 S SAN FRANCISCO ST | 928.779.2739 3 S Beaver St | Flagstaff, Az | 928.779.0079

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

The B Words

Travis Scott sums up his inspirational 2018

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acques Bermon Webster II, also knows as Travis Scott, had an astronomical year in 2018. He welcomed his first child, Stormi Webster, Feb. 1. Nine days later, Feb. 10 was declared Travis Scott Day in his hometown of Missouri City, Texas. He performed the halftime show at the Super Bowl, and his long awaited album “ASTROWORLD” was released in early August 2018, with a world tour that followed.

I went to that tour in Phoenix. My mosh pit credential is still hanging from the rearview mirror in my car. It catches my eye every now and then on the road, never failing to take me down a rabbit hole of reminiscence. Despite countless NATHAN bruises and losing my hat, I had an unforgettable MANNI time partying with Travis Scott and some of my ASSISTANT closest friends.

CULTURE EDITOR Fast forward to the present day, and Travis’ documentary was released on Netflix Aug. 28.

The film, titled “Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly,” has a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes and was directed by Tyler Ross, also known as White Trash Tyler.

The opening minutes of the documentary show clips from various Travis Scott performances. The themes of a Travis Scott show remained consistent between what I saw in person and what was shown in the documentary: sweat, pyrotechnics and a massive horde of rowdy kids seeking euphoria.

The camera cuts from a venue manager preparing security detail for the mayhem of a Travis Scott concert to fans flipping into the audience and crowd-surfing, just as Travis encourages them to do.

The crowds at his concerts weren’t always as electric and lively as they are today. The documentary shows a clip of Travis early on in his career, performing for a tiny crowd. The director juxtaposes this with a view of him watching his old performance, before he took the stage in a sold out arena.

It is moments like these that make the documentary so inspiring.

There are multiple points in the film that show moments of Travis’ upbringing, then immediately switch to scenes that highlight how his daring childhood dream has taken him so far. Like when he visits his old bedroom at his grandmother’s house, then waves her goodbye and drives off in his chocolate-brown Lamborghini.

It is rare that we get an insight into Travis’ creative process. I love what the documentary offers, showing the artist’s studio work with James Blake, audio engineers and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, as they contributed to songs on “ASTROWORLD.” There is no narration, just a hodgepodge of clips dating from Travis’ childhood to last year. It flows better without a narrator, in my opinion.

The film’s message is more effective when scenes are viewed raw, rather than with someone explaining them.

The documentary shows his stellar journey last year, from beginning to end. The documentary’s high points are its inspirational moments and behind-the-scenes footage, like Travis losing it when he first hears Drake’s guest verse on “SICKO MODE.” Ultimately, the documentary is great for fans to experience Travis’ creative process and work ethic, and I’m happy to see a smidgen of that.

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Freshman students take the field as part of the annual Running of the Freshmen event Aug. 29 at Walkup Skydome.

Michael Patacsil| The Lumberjack

Running like the bulls ian Sloan

W

hile the event itself was a short explosion of energy, the Running of the Freshmen was more than just a sprint across the football field.

Gabaldon Hall resident assistant (RA) Savannah Jones arrived with her freshmen somewhat early to the tailgate. “[RAs] just knew to take the freshmen over here,” Jones said. “This event is a great way for the community to get together and bring together different generations.”

Eventually, more RAs showed up with freshmen following close behind. Some visited the face painting station where the traditional NAU colors of blue and gold were applied in various ways. Fraternity and sorority chapters were recruiting alongside stands where attendees could buy food and NAU merchandise.

Freshman Jeremy Hakes was less excited about the tradition, but more so about the social opportunity he got to experience.

“I wasn’t too completely set on going to university, but when I decided to go I think it was huge for me to participate, meet new people and experience new things,” Hakes said. “I think that’s huge for college.”

As the Lumberjacks arrived, the team was met with fanfare from the marching band and cheer squad. Everyone in attendance cheered and cleared the way for the team to enter the Walkup Skydome. Shortly thereafter, all the freshmen were rounded up to go over cheers during the game.

Then came time for the lineup. RAs guided the freshmen down to the stadium entrance, where they sprinted across the field. At the head of the line were four shirtless students with the letters “NAU” written on them — one letter per student — and a fourth bearing painted axes on his chest.

Those at the head of the line took the opportunity to

raise the excitement of the crowd in a few different ways.

Several chants were started, the most common being “N-A-U, N-A-U, N-A-U,” and the crowd took a few attempts at performing a wave. The first two attempts were stopped short, but the third time was the charm, and the crowd managed to get far enough to round the stadium corner.

Members of Housing and Residence Life were also present to ensure the event flowed smoothly and that students were safe. Residence Life coordinator Jamie Lloyd said the running is important to NAU because of how it connects new students to the school.

“It’s a pretty long-standing tradition,” Lloyd said.

“With early programming, we always want to have as many things as possible to get students connected. The next time you’re on the field is when you graduate, which is kind of a cool bookend to the experience.”

Lloyd also discussed how the running of the freshman creates a memory for students as they go through schooling.

Lloyd also said it is a way to show off their love for the university.

“You’re going to remember that you did the running of the freshmen at your college, and you’re going to see it on the video screens, and it’s going to be on social media forever,” Lloyd said. “If you have a Snapchat video of you running across the field, that’s a pretty cool thing.”

Events like this are meant to introduce the NAU experience to incoming freshmen and give them a taste of what school spirit is like at this level. Louie the Lumberjack came out just before the national anthem to give the crowd one last round of excitement. After some silence with respect to the anthem, the door was raised and the freshmen poured into the stadium.

Students of all colors and cliques were rushing in as one entity to be met with excitement from the band and cheering from the crowd.

CULTURE

The good, the bad and the lice Kyler Edsitty

F

or many students, moving into a dorm is their first time living on their own.

This transition can be both exciting and daunting for newcomers. Three NAU students shared their experiences, good and bad, with living in freshman dorms.

Sophomore Edin Lewis moved into Tinsley Hall fall 2018. She was nervous because this was her first time being on her own, and because her two roommates were randomly selected for her.

“I was unsure of what to expect from my roommates,” Lewis said. “I was also excited about the possibility of making new friends and about leaving home and being more independent.”

Although Lewis was excited about her new living situation, there were some problems she faced. Lewis said living with two other people doesn’t provide much privacy. She would have to leave the room to take personal calls and tried to avoid being stuck in her room. This allowed her to make new friends and have time for herself.

Cleanliness and cooperation is another challenge Lewis faced. Taking showers in the communal bathroom disgusted Lewis because of how many people used them. She said she had difficulty cooking because of the communal

kitchen, too. Lewis had to wait until the kitchen was available and had to rent pots and pans from the front desk.

She also had problems with her roommates regarding the cleanliness of their room. They had issues determining who would take out trash and who would vacuum.

“No one tells you that it will be hard living with a stranger, but it gets easier as time progresses,” Lewis said. “Living in a dorm helped me adjust to being on my own, and although I wouldn’t do it again, it was a necessary step.”

Sophomore Breanna Begay had more trouble getting along with one of her roommates. Begay moved into Reilly Hall with two roommates: One was a high school friend, and the other was randomly selected for her.

Begay said living with her friend was easy, but living with a stranger took some adjusting.

“I eventually became unfazed by my roommate’s bad habits, and it became repetitive,” Begay said. “Our different backgrounds and personalities contributed to the fact that we never could have gotten along.”

Perhaps the most difficult situation for Begay was when her roommate possibly brought lice to the dorm after returning from a visit home.

Begay’s roommate returned to NAU after a weekend trip home to realize that her younger sister had lice. The roommate took precautions and treated her hair with lice-killing shampoo.

The others washed their clothes and blankets to halt the possible infestation.

“I wasn’t taking any chances,” Begay said.

“The last thing I wanted was for it to spread to other people. That would be so embarrassing.”

The lice scare stopped there, but the situation put even more distance between Begay and her roommate. Although living in the room could be tense, Begay went outside her comfort zone to find other friends in the dorm.

“The best part of living in a dorm is the diversity within the hall,” Begay said. “I lived by another room of girls, and they were the same majors as I was. Whenever I had trouble with homework, I would always knock on the door closest to me. There are many kids to meet when you move in, and meeting new people who are also interested in helping their communities also made me like dorm life.”

While moving into a dorm can be challenging for incoming students, resident assistants (RA) face challenges of their own.

Senior Andrew Manzur was an RA in Cowden Hall for two years. His position was

difficult at times, but he also said it was fulfilling.

“Being an RA is a very demanding job,” Manzur said. “It’s very difficult to live and work in the same building, while maintaining school work and a personal life.”

Manzur said he saw his position as a learning experience rather than a job.

“I didn’t keep the job for the pay but for the life lessons it taught me,” Manzur said. “I enjoyed being able to learn about people’s experiences and offer guidance whenever I could.”

Although Manzur said he had many sleepless nights and felt like he was working constantly, his experience is something he wouldn’t trade for anything.

“Although it can be tough, I encourage students to live in resident halls,” Manzur said. “On-campus housing opens the doors for students to gain new experiences, such as living with a roommate and being a member of a community.”

Although on-campus housing can be paired with roommate disputes or uncomfortable situations, it can also offer a learning experience that pushes students to grow.

Left: The entrance to Reilly Hall, Aug. 29. Right: Reilly Hall residential assistant Kyra Cowgill does homework in her dorm, Aug. 31. Nicholas Campbell | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

FlagShakes keeps Shakespeare alive Nayomi Garcia

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ocal theater company FlagShakes celebrates Shakespeare’s legacy each year with its renditions of his historical plays. After more than four years of coordinating outdoor Shakespeare festivals and performances, the group is getting ready to wrap up its 2019 season.

Executive director Dawn Tucker created the group to bring her love of Shakespeare to Flagstaff. Tucker has a bachelor’s degree in theater performance from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in Shakespeare in performance from the American Shakespeare Center.

“I grew up in Flagstaff, but there was no place here to do professional theater,” Tucker said. “Flagstaff is a lovely mountain town — great for outdoor productions — so it just made sense to start FlagShakes off with Shakespeare plays. Flagstaff is an artsy town, and I wanted to bring more of the arts to it.”

While working as an actor in Phoenix for a few years, Tucker decided to start her group with other actors she met there. Once she had formed the group, she took on the position of executive director. Tucker’s role places her in charge of programming and development within the group. She said she oversees the business side of theater production as well.

After establishing her group, Tucker posted auditions online to expand the number of actors in FlagShakes.

“Flagstaff is an artsy town, and I wanted to bring more of the arts to it.”

– Executive director Dawn Tucker “We began posting auditions and found a lot of people around the

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Illustration By Christian Ayala

nation wanting to audition for the group,” Tucker said. “People that want to join us are usually graduate students who find our group online and come audition to gain more experience as an actor.”

Some NAU students have also become involved in FlagShakes.

FlagShakes company manager Alex Oliver graduated with a bachelor’s in theater from NAU. “NAU was a great school for studying theater,” Oliver said. “The

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theater program here gave me a broad set of skills, like learning how to be an actor, a stage manager and a technician. It gave me what I needed to learn to be part of a company like FlagShakes.”

Although Oliver didn’t participate in the company while he was studying at NAU, he eventually came back to Flagstaff to be part of the group. Oliver was performing plays in Mesa with the Southwest Shakespeare Company.

FlagShakes Artistic director Jesse Kamps was working on shows with Oliver for the company. Kamps informed Oliver that they needed a few actors to fill up spots for the FlagShakes production of “Twelfth Night.”

“I immediately said yes, and I kept coming back to be a part of the group,” Oliver said. “I participated in anything, like making sets and keeping an eye on all my fellow actors.

I always helped out whenever I was

needed, which led to me becoming company manager.”

Oliver said his position as company manager is to assist the actors and to help behind the scenes of the productions. His job includes making sure the actors have their contracts filled out, and making sure they’re healthy and taking care of themselves.

“An example of this is our dress rehearsal week,” Oliver said. “This week can be extremely hectic, which causes stress on our actors. I always try to make sure they’re feeling content and do what I can to make them feel comfortable. Even if I’m not acting, I do whatever I can to make sure our shows are great.”

Oliver said he hopes to act in the 2020 season. He acted in their production of “Much Ado About Nothing” this year but hasn’t acted in any of the other plays they performed in 2019. He said he’s excited to see where the company goes, and will always be there to help make the shows great and entertaining for the audience.

Although some NAU students find it difficult to be a part of the play, they may have time to attend the productions that FlagShakes performs.

Sophomore Natalie Crepeau has attended a few FlagShakes productions since her freshman year.

“I’m really into theater, and I wanted to find some local productions when I got here last year,” Crepeau said. “I really liked watching their shows, because the audience can tell that they’re so proud of their acting and plays. I think it’s important to have organizations like FlagShakes so the public can become more educated about the arts.”

Flagshakes will be wrapping up their 2019 season by performing Shakespeare’s “Winter’s Tale” and Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol.” The plays will be performed at the Museum of Northern Arizona and Ardrey Auditorium at NAU, respectively.

VISUAL SPOTLIGHT

TOTALLY TAPESTRY Once again, Dilip Naik from San Diego returned to NAU to sell hand-stitched tapestries imported directly from India. You can purchase a tapestry from his stand outside the Union. MacKenzie Bower | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

19

SPORTS

NAU Football defeat MSU in season opener Thomas Rodgers

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he smell of fresh turf, sweaty jerseys, and stadium popcorn filled the air inside the Walkup Skydome as NAU kicked off the Chris Ball era against the Missouri State University (MSU) Bears Aug. 29.

After a slow first quarter, NAU found some success in the deep passing game, rolling past the Bears 37-23.

NAU freshmen flooded the field for the Running of the Freshmen tradition, and there was a moment of silence in memory of offensive tackle Malik Noshi prior to the national anthem. Senior linebacker Brandon Worthy carried Noshi’s jersey out on the field as the Lumberjacks met MSU at the center of the 50-yard line for the coin toss before the game began.

The game began with 10 Lumberjacks on the field to honor Malik Noshi as their elventh man playing on their side. MSU declined the delay of game penalty.

NAU scored the first touchdown of the night when sophomore wide receiver Brandon Porter took a backwards pass from senior quarterback Case Cookus, and tossed a 55-yard touchdown to junior receiver Stacy Chukwumezie, extending the lead to 13-6.

Junior tight end Matthew Kempton went down from a low tackle after completing a pass in the second quarter. He limped off the field, being escorted by the team trainers.

“Unfortunately [Kempton] getting hurt really sucks, but that’s football. Guys get hurt, and you have to step up,” senior tight end Joey Gatewood said.

NAU took control after a rocky and mistake-riddled first quarter, finishing with a 20-6 lead.

This was a huge turnaround from their appearance last season, when MSU defeated NAU 40-8.

“First game, you know everyone has jitters and make mistakes including myself,” said Cookus.

“But overall, we started meshing better, and that was on all fronts.”

Porter had two additional catches, scoring the first three touchdowns for the Lumberjacks and putting NAU ahead by 21 points early in the third quarter. However, Porter wasn’t finished.

He ended the night with 140 yards and 3 touchdowns — new career highs to start off the season.

Gatewood opened up potential opportunities with two catches for large gains to finish the night with 79 receiving yards and a new career catch of 43 yards. Cookus aired out the Skydome, throwing 18-29 for 290 yards and 2 touchdowns, and making his presence known early in the season.

MSU attempted a comeback by scoring a touchdown in both the third and fourth quarters to bring the score to 37-23. The Bears could not get out of the deficit as NAU took the win 37-23 to complete the first game of the season.

“The blaring mistakes from [tonight were] our penalties,” head coach Chris Ball said. “Way too many stupid penalties and things we have to get settled next week.”

With the win, NAU starts the season 1-0 and will head to Tuscon to take on the UA Wildcats in an Arizona school rivalry matchup Sept. 7 at 7:45 p.m.

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Brandon Porter runs up the field after a reception Aug. 29 at the Walkup Skydome. Porter scored two touchdowns in the season opener.

Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

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SPORTS

Top: Redshirt junior wide receiver Stacy Chukwumezie receives a pass for a touchdown Aug. 29 at the Walkup Skydome. | Middle: NAU students paint their chests to show school pride at the first home football game. Right: Joe Logan runs the ball for the Lumberjacks. | Bottom: NAU’s marching band gathers before halftime. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

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His Luck ran out

he love an athlete has for their sport is what drives them to become the best athlete they can be. However, when certain circumstances arise and effect that passion, they have to make a hard decision whether or not to leave the game.

After six seasons in the NFL, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck lost his joy playing football. During his time in the NFL, Luck had suffered through torn cartilage in two ribs, a partially torn abdomen, a lacerated kidney, concussions and a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder. He could not catch a break.

Luck decided to retire this offseason at 29-years-old. The reasoning behind his decision was that these injuries during his career took his joy away from the game.

He said he was not able to live the life he JACOB wanted to. His life consisted of constant TERRILL ASSISTANT SPORTS physical rehabilitation, both during the EDITOR regular and the offseason. The decision Luck made was something he said was the right one, because it was good for his mental and physical health.

Former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland made a similar decision back in 2015. Concerned for his health, he retired at 24. Football is an aggressive sport, and it is essential for the players to take care of themselves mentally and physically.

When constantly getting hit, a person’s body is not always able to fully recover, no matter how long they rehab.

“After 2016 when I played in pain and was unable to practice regularly, I made a vow that I would not go down that path again,” said Luck in his retirement press conference. “I find myself in a similar situation, and the only way forward for me is to remove myself from football.”

When news broke during the Colts preseason game against the Chicago Bears, Luck walked off the field being booed by his own fans. It’s heartbreaking to watch any person who has put so much effort into something they love receive negative reactions from fans. Even still, Luck said this was the right decision for him, and the fans should’ve been more supportive toward him.

Luck’s decision gives athletes around the world dealing with injuries a role model to follow if their love isn’t in the game anymore. It’s important that an athlete remembers to always take care of their mental and physical health. It’s OK to let the game go, and to move on if it is the best decision for them.

There are always other ways to contribute outside of playing, and just because you have left the game doesn’t mean the game has left you.

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Bernie Andre goes up for a layup in a game against Northern Colorado Jan. 26. Maria Saldivar | The Lumberjack

Hooping to help his Haitian home molly smith

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he NAU men’s basketball team has arguably been in a slump for some time now. A change in direction came their way this summer when the Lumberjacks sent junior forward Bernie Andre to a Haitian national team minicamp.

Andre was born and raised in Miami, Florida, but his parents were born in Haiti and raised him and his older brother with their roots close to the heart in everything they worked for.

The 6-foot-7-inch forward received a phone call and was told he could contribute to the goals of the Haitian team. He was invited to a minicamp to showcase his talent as a prospective representative for Haiti on their national team.

The camps have been hosted in Miami for several years now, because the Haitian team lacks the proper indoor facilities to host such an event.

In 2010 Haiti experienced a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake that rocked the small Caribbean country. After more than 50 aftershocks, an estimated 3 million people were affected.

“It’s more than basketball,” Andre said. “It’s drawing attention to a country that is still very poor and needs a lot of help.”

Andre said from a young age it has been a goal of his to give back, and to use any privilege he might have to help raise awareness of what is going on in Haiti.

In 2017, the HuffPost reported that 2.5 million Haitians are in need of humanitarian aid. Housing, schools, medical and government buildings were all destroyed in the 2010 disaster that left nearly 55,000 people in makeshift camps.

“My country was already in a bad place,” Andre said. “But

my people got the short end of the stick again.”

The initial death toll varies among sources, but it was multiplied due to the already existing poverty and national debt.

“I was very fortunate to even just have basketball shoes growing up, but some kids don’t get that,” Andre said. “Skal Labissière was at the camp and is doing something that I hope to do one day.”

Labissière is a power forward for the Portland Trail Blazers.

He is only 22 years old and fled Haiti after the earthquake that left him unable to walk for weeks. His humanitarian projects began with a camp in 2017 for the Haitian youth. He taught them basketball skills, life lessons and gave them a safe space to play the game they all love.

“It’s more than basketball. It’s drawing attention to a country that is still very poor and needs a lot of help ” –Bernie Andre Andre said the camp was a little different than what he was familiar with. Playing with new people was not an issue. As a basketball player, you are asked to go from team to team and experience what it is like to play with strangers on the court.

Photo courtesy of Bernie Andre

“I’ve never played with so many Haitian guys on one court,” Andre said. “We connected on a level more than just loving basketball.”

Andre said the experience heightened his goals and allowed him to see how many opportunities are out there if you work hard enough.

“We’re here to win games by guiding these men to take it to the next level,” head coach Shane Burcar said. “It’s more than a game, especially in the age of social media — they are capable to use their voice for great things. I want to help them find their voice.”

The people that stand behind Andre show more than encouragement — they validate his goals.

“I’ve only been here for a year, and there have been some changes to the team,” Andre said.

“But that did not stop anyone from cheering me on, posting me on social media and just letting me know that they are supporting me.”

This summer, he was also involved in some pro-am’s, which allowed Andre to experience playing with NBA players. Pro-am’s create an opportunity for amateur athletes to receive

feedback and take on professional players.

Andre said a highlight was playing with Derrick Jones from the Miami Heat. He received a lot of good feedback that fed confidence into how he continues to play the game.

Ralph Diaz has known Andre since seventh grade, and shared a piece of his best friend’s character.

“He’s a church loving, family-oriented guy,” Diaz said. “He loves basketball, and I 100% believe that he could play at the highest level.” Diaz said.

Diaz said their relationship was made through basketball, and well into their 20s it is still based around basketball.

Over the summer they trained in the morning and got reps in on the court to prepare for both of their upcoming seasons.

Andre is entering the 2019-20 season as a junior with two years of playing time left. He joined the squad as an NCAA sophomore after playing at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama.

Andre completed his first season at NAU by making appearances in the Big Sky Conference

Photo courtesy of Bernie Andre

statistical leaderboards. He was third in the conference for rebounds with 263 total, and scored 428 points, which ranked 13th in the conference.

“This team had a lot of chemistry last year, making it easy to be successful,” Andre said. “I can’t wait to see what we do on the court.”

Although Andre participated in the minicamp this summer, he still has time for a

break before the regular season begins. However, he said there is never a break.

The men’s basketball team begins its journey to the title of Big Sky champions Nov. 6 in Tucson at UA. Following the Tucson game, they have a cushion of comfort with four consecutive home games.

SEPTEMBER 5, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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