2015–16 Issue 13

CAMPUS CHRONICLE ISSUE 13 - VOL XCII - MAY 12, 2016 PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE

GREEN EGGS AND HAMILTON PAGE 8

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS… PAGE 9

TO TRAY OR NOT TO TRAY PAGE 9

Campus Chronicle

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Letter From The Editor

By Tara Hattendorf

News Blurbs

By JJ Nash Oklahoma’s new state law announced at the end of April sparked controversy when the state ruled that oral sex is not considered rape if the victim is unconscious from alcohol. The ruling was a unanimous decision.

Victim advocates and legal experts are not happy with this ruling. Many are saying that the judicial system is now victim-blaming.

The case began when a 17-year-old boy was accused of taking advantage of a 16-year-old girl. She was taken to the hospital with an alcohol blood count of above .34. The boy claimed that she gave him consent to oral sex, yet the girl had no memories of the night.

Dean of CUNY School of Law, Michelle Anderson, who writes about rape law said, “This is a call for the legislature to change the statute, which is entirely out of step with what other states have done in this area and what Oklahoma should do.” She continued, “It

This issue could almost be called the “Social Revolutions Issue.” By chance, as small movements have been happening in the world, we happened to have written about many of them in this issue. This issue of the Campus Chronicle covers everything from two movements happening on Pacific Union College’s own campus — one, a slew of faculty resigning about academic freedom, and the other a push for student safety — to the movement bringing women to the face of U.S. currency, to an album dedicated to freedom, to a musical about the actual American Revolution, and finally the next up-and-coming movement you’re just now hearing about: cafeteria trays. As students, our voice is important, which all these revolutions and movements remind us. There are many changes that can be made in the world by working together and listening to one another; take up your pen and, like Alexander Hamilton, “write like you’re running out of time.”

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creates a huge loophole for sexual abuse that makes no sense.”

NPR reported on the “gap year” trend, which involves taking the year off before beginning your freshmen year of college to pursue other interests.

President Obama’s eldest daughter, Malia, is following this trend by taking a year off before she hits the books at Harvard University in the fall.

Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist at the University of Miami, led a study that analyzed data and risk factors for stroke among blacks, whites and Hispanics. The study revealed that those who had higher scores in cardiovascular health did better on mental health exams verses those who had a lower score in cardiovascular health. This concludes that by keeping your heart healthy, you are helping your brain as well.

Week of Respect

Senior Krista Bathan kicks off PUC's first Week of Respect May 9 in Scales Chapel. The week, led by Bathan and senior Jade Tuleu, focused on promoting consent and safety in relationships, with the tagline: My Body. My Choice.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Email thhattendorf@puc.edu Editor-in-Chief Tara Hattendorf

Fitness & Sports Editor Malek Sheen

Assistant Editor Taylor Pittenger

Opinion Editor Glorianne Besana

Layout Editor Taylor Smith

Copy Editors Emily Mathe Kevin Tran

News Editor JJ Nash Features Editor Janet Morales

Faculty Advisers Lynne Thew Michelle Rai Cover Photographer Taylor Pittenger

May 12, 2016

vol. xcii

Harriet Tubman on $20 bill The current face to the $20 bill is Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States. Jackson, a war hero, is not going to be on the front bill anymore because a new person has moved in. Harriet Tubman will be the first African-American whose photograph will be on U.S. currency. Jacob J. Lew, the Treasury Secretary, announced that Harriet Tubman will be on the front face of the bill and Andrew Jackson will in the back, with the White House as the background.

Harriet Tubman is deserving of this honor for all her help she has done in promoting freedom for slaves.

There has been a growing movement in the last few years to include women on U.S. currency. The person behind Harriet Tubman being chosen to be on the $20 bill is a woman named Catherine Clinton — writer of a book on Tubman called “Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom.” She gave the book to Lew who read the book then did a discussion and vote in order to

REVO Fashion Show As the year comes to a close there are just a few major events left in the school year. One of these events is the annual REVO Fashion Show featuring groups of student designers, coming up May 15 as part of Spring Fest. In the past the fashion show has featured collections inspired by Disney, social media, Alice and Wonderland and cultural heritage. The show has also usually taken place at the water fountain or outside the grind, however, this year the event will take place at gym.

Another change to the fashion show this year is that students are working with a theme presented to them, instead of themselves choosing what they want to present to the student body. This year’s theme is about reusing and recycling material. Therefore, designers this year have each been presented with one single item or items to work with and also have a set budget. Although there are changes to the rules for this year’s fashion show, they have not hindered the student’s creativity. In fact, it has only challenged them to think outside the box.

The teams are: Amanda Musvosvi & Cindy Huacasi; Ashley Camacho & Kinsey Mathews; Taylor Pittenger, Aaron Hernandez & Hannah Barnes; Krista Bathan & Rachel Acob; Suzi Deberry & Bree Mary.

Campus Chronicle had the chance to speak with two teams on how their collections are coming along for this year’s REVO Fashion Show.

Taylor Pittenger, Aaron Hernandez & Hannah Barnes Material: Cardboard Cardboard can be thought of as a stiff and boring

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By Sara Toussaint

have Harriet Tubman on the bill. The new $20 bills will be out to the public in 2020.

A little bit about Harriet Tubman: Harriet Tubman is an African-American woman who escaped slavery to help conduct the Underground Railroad — which helped free over 300 slaves, including family members. Tubman was born in Maryland in 1820. She worked as a house servant and field worker until she suffered a major injury to the head. Tubman married a free man named John but felt that the master would move her away from John so she ran away, and by the help from a kind woman, was successful.

Tubman made over 19 trips to the South and helped bring her sister, sister’s children, her brother and even her 70-year-old parents to freedom. In the Civil War, Harriet Tubman was a spy, kitchen cook and a nurse.

Afterward, she took residency in New York, where she died in 1913.

The face on the $20 bill will be changing by 2020 to feature a woman for the first time, Harriet Tubman.

By Janet Morales material to use in a collection for a fashion show, however this team has managed to work with the material and even include a subtheme — armor. Armor through different cultures and periods of time can be seen throughout their collection.

“The problem with working with cardboard is that honestly it feels like we will never be finished, because it’s in pieces and it has to be assembled,” said Barnes.

“I feel like it’s a versatile material. And there’s like different types of cardboard,” said Hernandez.

Proudest piece: “I think the samurai piece is the one we are most proud of, “ said Pittenger. In the samurai piece the armor is made of painted cardboard pieces with a cherry blossom design that Aaron drew.

Advice for future REVO designer: “Build a team! Do not do it alone,” said Pittenger.

“It’s important to not give up and get frustrated,” said Barnes.

“It’s a lot work but its really rewarding,” added Pittenger.

Kinsey Mathews & Ashley Camacho These girls joined the REVO Fashion show in order to use their creativity and take part of this cool experience, which is also helping a good cause.

Material: Kitchenware Although stressful at first because they were only working with one single type of utensil, they have used their creativity and extended the material usage to all kitchenware.

Cardboard is the material chosen for fashion show designers Pittenger, Hernandez and Barnes. Despite the difficulties working with the stiff material the group made it work by painting armor designs.

This group is featuring models of different backgrounds and ethnicities. “We wanted to show that all women are beautiful and empowering and God made us.”

Favorite piece: Gabby’s dress is the big statement piece and it involves sharp objects.

Advice for future REVO designers: Keep on track be dedicated and passionate and passionate for the cause.

Senate Passes Student Amnesty Protection Bill A bill aimed to aid Pacific Union College students in emergency scenarios passed Student Senate unanimously April 20. Authored by junior Joshua Tobing, the bill seeks to ensure medical amnesty, sexual misconduct and assault amnesty and Good Samaritan/ bystander amnesty by adding appropriate clauses to the Student Handbook by the 2016–17 school year.

The bill was inspired by the required online training on sexual misconduct, alcohol and drug awareness, and prevention and bystander assistance, as federally required by Title IX. While completing the training, Tobing noticed that PUC’s Student Handbook and Code of Conduct do not contain amnesty clauses to protect students, so Tobing set out to add the appropriate clauses.

The bill makes it clear that the proposed policy amendments are not to be exploited or abused, but rather that they are to be used in clear medical emergencies. The bill states, “Medical amnesty will apply in instances of drug or alcohol overdose, in which life-saving emergency medical attention is a necessity.

Students should be encouraged to seek help for oneself or others who are felt to be at a life-threatening risk, without fear of incriminating any involved parties for disciplinary action.” Tobing’s concern is that with the current policies, students may not seek the appropriate medical attention out of fear of punishment. Tobing emphasized, “This prioritizes student safety.”

Similarly, there are examples of PUC students not reporting instances of sexual assault to

By Tara Hattendorf

the appropriate parties who would be able to take disciplinary action because certain situations could implicate the victim as well. The bill states, therefore, “Students seeking amnesty in instances of sexual misconduct and assault should be free and encouraged to report their assaults to the institution’s Title IX coordinators, local law enforcement, and also to seek and receive emergency medical services as needed.”

While the college’s Sexual Misconduct Policy does currently include a Bystander Policy which protects students “who voluntarily report their own lesser violation of the Student Conduct Policies” and ensures they “will not typically receive disciplinary action related to the specific reported incident,” the proposed Amnesty Student Protection Bill goes further

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by proposing full protection for “Good Samaritans” who may be in questionable circumstances along with victims. The bill states that students “should be free and encouraged to seek help as necessary for involved parties without fear of incriminating oneself or other present parties within the context of the incident.”

Tobing feels strongly about the cause because some of his friends, PUC students, have experienced sexual assault that has gone unreported due to the perception that they would be punished. “She never felt safe to tell anyone because she was drinking, and she didn’t want to be a snitch or get herself or her friends in trouble,” Tobing said. “But at the end of the day, she was molested by another student, and that student was allowed to remain at PUC.” One alumna had the same experience during her freshman year, with the same fears of reporting and getting in trouble. “She went five years at PUC seeing her rapist every day until she graduated,” Tobing said.

“Only after graduation did she feel safe to start speaking out about what happened, getting herself help for what happened, and coming to terms of what was done to her.” Tobing continued, “There is no circumstance in the universe where I feel that is an acceptable way for someone to have to live, having been hurt by someone or being actively hurt by someone and not getting the help that you really need because of fear.”

Prior to being presented to Senate, the bill received explicit endorsement from the entire Student Association officers and 24 faculty and staff. Other

Campus Chronicle

faculty and staff provided guidance but did not want their names published. The bill passed Student Senate unanimously.

A new goal for Tobing is the creation of a support group called Safe Haven, as in the last few weeks female students have approached Tobing about a support group. “If we don’t have it, we need to have it. Even if no one else joins, the people who have come up to me are enough to make it a viable support group.”

Tobing continued, “The opportunity has shed light on the current state of our campus, and it has given me an additional opportunity to help people who are in need of these resources to heal.”

The Week of Respect, happening on campus May 9–13, will discuss these situations and needs that students have. Thursday night’s event will highlight information about sexual assault and give support and resources to student victims. Tobing said, “The overarching message is of support, showing students that we are here for you.”

“This is something that PUC is actively struggling with,” Tobing said. “If we act like it is not happening it will only grow. If we don’t give the help that these traumatic survivors need then the campus is not going to recover either. I want what is best for the students and what is best for the school in the end.”

“It’s a problem, but it is not unsolvable. We can do so much, as long as we stick to a proactive mindset by working on the best ways to combat it. I think the Title IX training lit a match under a lot of people

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that needed to, but the external force can only dictate so much — there needs to be a stronger internal movement.”

The bill was presented to Ad Council May 9.

PUC’s current Sexual Misconduct Policy, last updated in October 2015, is available at https://www.puc. edu/__data/assets/pdf _file/0004/149800/Title-IX.pdf

PUC Professor to be Terminated for Disagreements about Academic Freedom By Malek Sheen After this year, Pacific Union College’s psychology and social work department will be virtually unrecognizable. Two of the department’s professors Fiona Bullock and Dr. Charlene Bainum are resigning in correlation to the alleged termination of PUC alumnus, professor of 28 years and 2005 Educator of the Year, Dr. Aubyn Fulton. “The president transmitted to me previously,” Fulton wrote on Facebook, “that she would be firing me because of the events surrounding my decision to invite Ryan Bell … and my subsequent public criticism of the president’s decision to disinvite him.”

Ryan Bell is the former Adventist pastor who gained recognition when he became an atheist. He was a self-defined “extremely conserve student” here at PUC in 1989, and even recollects refusing to read “Candide” by Voltaire in a Great Books class because he said Ellen White forbade the reading of fiction. He then went on to become a pastor in the Hollywood Adventist Church. While pastoring in Hollywood his faith was shaken when he realized his congregation didn’t follow the Adventist tenets as he did and that his “ideology clashed with real people.” Bell said he eventually started to become more liberal in his views. In March 2013, after eight years of pastoring for the Hollywood church, Bell was counseled by the Southern California Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church to resign his position as pastor for his disagreements with the church on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ issues. However, shortly after, Bell gained much attention due to his Huffington Post blog project: “A Year Without God,” where, starting Dec. 31, 2013, for a whole year Bell experimented with living life as if God didn’t exist. After the calendar year was up, Bell concluded that there was no God. He had been invited to lecture at a department colloquium in the fall, but was subsequently disinvited.

Upon hearing the decision to be disinvited, Bell expressed his disappointment in an open letter to PUC President Dr. Heather Knight, a Stanford graduate who has worked in higher education for more than 25

years, saying, “When an institution of higher education censors ideas that it finds threatening, it ceases to fulfill its primary mission.” Fulton called it “the most egregious violation of academic freedom.” Bell did note, however, that he could see how inviting him to campus could be questionable. “I also recognize that having me on campus is akin to the Microsoft Corporation inviting a former Microsoft executive who now works for Apple, to come and talk about what made them leave Microsoft. It’s definitely counterintuitive.” He continued with an urge that PUC be a leader in moral courage and stated: “great leadership is often counterintuitive.”

Knight replied to Bell in her own public letter, mentioning the complexities and responsibilities in the role of president for any college, and even more so for a religious one. Knight then referenced the school motto saying, “You may also recall that the PUC Seal contains the official school motto, ‘They Shall Be All Taught of God,’ so it would be quite inconsistent to provide a public forum on our campus for a project focused on ‘Life After God.’” Knight continued with stating that her decision to disinvite Bell was not out of fear or lack of moral courage, but to stay in agreement with PUC’s core mission of building up the faith of its students by providing a rigorous context for learning in an Adventist faith. “This has nothing to do with fear itself,” wrote Knight, “but rather the fear of God, which is the beginning of true wisdom.”

On April 28 Fulton said on Facebook, “I dispute the claim that either my invitation to Ryan, or my public criticism of his dis-invitation, constitutes cause under the PUC Faculty Handbook.” The PUC Faculty Handbook, which is a public document that can be found on the PUC website, functions as the faculty contract. Fulton continued by expressing his disagreement in what he considered as a breech in academic freedom saying, “If academic freedom means anything, it has to mean the right (even the responsibility) to express, appropriately and without personal attack, criticism of and disagreement with

With only a few hours’ notice approximately 50 students jointed together May 4 in a peaceful demonstration to request from administration a Town Hall on academic freedom. (Source: freepuc.info) institutional authority.”

Unfortunately, the Ryan Bell incident isn’t the first time administration and the psychology and social work department have butted heads. In September 2013, Fulton was requested by administration to adjust controversial aspects of his lectures; failure to do so would result in his termination. On Feb. 2, 2014, Fulton wrote on Facebook the three main elements of his teaching which he said Knight, mostly in regards to his general psychology course, identified as a cause for termination: 1) His “admittedly provocative” rhetorical ploy used for more than 20 years in his lectures on sexual relations, which entails Fulton setting up a paradigm between church and students with students initially asking the church, “Can I have sex before I get married?” and the church responding, “No, you cannot.” This paradigm is used to demonstrate the difference between sexual intercourse and a broader notion of sexuality. In this example Fulton expands the meaning of sex to more than just sexual intercourse, but

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“a broad range of behaviors from holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes, to hugging and kissing, to intercourse.” With that in mind, Fulton suggests a different model, one where this time, if students ask the church, “Can I have sex before marriage?” the answer is, “Yes, you can; yes, you should; yes, you must have sex before you get married.” Fulton delivers this in an intentionally dramatic fashion with the intention that this feature of his lecture suggest “more effective and productive ways to have conversations about sexuality with young adults in the church.”

However, Knight, who stepped into PUC’s presidency in 2009, said she received four complaints within her first four years from parents claiming Fulton told his students to have sex before marriage, according to a post by Fulton on Facebook. Fulton also mentioned in a 2014 interview with the Chronicle of Higher Education that he sometimes acknowledges students leave the class, believing he is endorsing premarital sex.

2) His anonymous, in-class “clicker” questionnaire on student sexual behavior. Fulton explained how he goes to great lengths to change settings and makes sure the survey is completely anonymous. In addition to being anonymous, the survey is also voluntary. Fulton says there is no penalty if a student simply refuses to answer. The majority of the concern revolves around a question that asks something akin to, “Have you had sexual intercourse?”

After the participating students answer, the class then sees the aggregate scores which still allows the participating students to remain unidentified.

While having never received any complaints himself from students nor parents, Fulton said the president reported that she had received a few very strong complaints. Fulton says this could be because of the perception that he is forcing young adults to disclose intimate information in a classroom setting.

However, Fulton says this presentation is effectual for students because by “showing them that they are overestimating the percentage of their peers that are having sexual intercourse before marriage, I am attempting to decrease the pressure they are likely to feel to conform in this way – and illustrating some important psychological dynamics.”

3) His in-class expressed stance on LGBTQ relationships. Fulton says that following the day of the sexual orientation lecture, students are invited to share in a class discussion relating to any ethical, philosophical or theological aspects of anything having previously been lectured about. “Typically,” writes

Fulton, “a student will ask me if I think homosexual relationships are a sin.” Fulton then shares his own thoughts but first encourages class discussion on the question. Then, Fulton says, he will refer to the Bible for texts “traditionally thought to relate to homosexuality.” After welcoming students to consider what they mean, Fulton says he then shares his own opinions, which he summarized as: “My conclusion is that the Bible does not condemn as sin loving and committed homosexual relationships.”

Fulton initially was called into Knight’s office in September 2013 in regards to an ongoing negotiation for Fulton to tone down his sexual lecture materials, but the dispute was made public Jan. 13, 2014, when the then department chair, Dr. Monte Butler, announced his resignation and intention to accept a job at Loma Linda University. Rumors had spread during the beginning of the school year that if Fulton were fired, the rest of PUC’s psychology and social work department would resign in protest. Butler was present during the September meeting between Fulton and Knight, and students and alumni viewed his leaving as an act of protest.

“I always planned to retire from PUC,” said the former PUC professor of 18 years, Monte Butler in 2014, “but between September and November, I decided I was going to leave. It took a number of factors to lead me to decide that, and one of those key factors was President Knight’s perspective and her actions related to academic freedom.”

Shortly after, Knight had “withdrawn the key elements of a letter,” said Fulton on Jan. 31, 2014, “in which she threatened to fire me if I did not make changes to several of my lectures and other academic communications.”

In a Feb. 2, 2014, post to the Facebook group AF Issues, a page dedicated to discussing academic freedom, Fulton wrote, “The original attempt to narrow academic freedom at PUC by ordering me to stop saying or writing the views described above, or face termination of my contract, has been withdrawn.

I am free to continue teaching as I see fit, within the boundaries of the Academic Freedom Statement contained in the PUC Faculty Handbook.”

In The Weekly Calistogan, Knight denied the notion that she “backed off or retreated,” explaining that “because some agreements were made I was able to pull back. There are mutual understandings and agreements, with both sides willing to do some things to make things better.” Without mentioning Fulton by name, Knight told the newspaper “there were ongoing

LARPing — What Is It? As a kid, my favorite game was playing pretend.

My friends and I would play make-believe almost every single recess, and those times remain some of my fondest memories. For some reason, there is a stigma about playing make-believe: that it is childish and, after a certain age, shameful. Yet, thousands of LARPers (generally adults) in countries all over the globe meet every year to, essentially, play pretend.

LARP is an acronym that stands for live action role-playing (aka interactive literature or free-form roleplaying). LARPing is like the more adult, organized version of playing make-believe. Participants take on the role of characters within a fictional world that is represented by the real world. They try to achieve goals and interact with other characters. The outcome of players’ actions may be influenced by the game’s rules or decided via consensus. During a LARP, participants’ actions in the real world represent their characters’ actions in the fictional setting of the event. Game rules, physical symbols and theatrical improvisation are used when there are disparities between the real world and the fictional setting (e.g. a rope stands

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negotiations between employee and employer, even before the September meeting.”

In the 2014 Chronicle of Higher Education interview, Knight also said, “[Fulton] made it clear that he would tell his classes where he is speaking for himself versus saying something is truth.”

Throughout this years-long dispute Fulton argued that his lectures adhered to the college’s policy of academic freedom, which allows professors to express views contrary to church doctrine as long as those views are not “taught as truth” and the professors first consults with their colleagues. Fulton said in his February 2014 Facebook post, “Administrators have had occasion to meet with me to discuss concerns or complaints about controversial aspects of my teaching with some regularity. I have never objected to this, and indeed have always welcomed as much feedback as I can get from all sources, students, parents, colleagues and administrators.”

Knight, when talking to The Weekly Calistogan, noted that PUC professors have more academic freedom than their counterpart at secular schools: “When I was at UOP [University of the Pacific] for 18 years, I couldn’t talk about my faith, only my discipline,” she recalled. “So we’re actually freer here because we can talk about our disciplines freely … and at the same time we can also talk about how we integrate our faith into that. We can very skillfully take our students through an intellectual as well as spiritual journey.”

Senior psychology student Katrina Viers told the Campus Chronicle, “There’s a lot of anxiety and tension among the students right now. We’re worried about the future of the department because it is so uncertain, but also because it is upsetting to see professors who we love and who helped shape our department being treated this way.”

With Bullock and Bainum resigning, Fulton soonto-be terminated, and the new announcement May 6 that department chair Dr. Greg Schneider will be stepping down before retiring next year, the psychology and social work department will surely be taking a hit and it’s the students in the department who will feel the impact.

In an event described as a “peaceful demonstration” students organized themselves to walk to Knight’s office in order to request a Town Hall on academic freedom.

The Town Hall took place May 5 to address student concerns about the situation.

By Andrea James

for an imaginary wall). Realistic weapons and risky physical activity may be discouraged or forbidden at an event for safety reasons. LARPs normally run in real-time, with game-time (either faster or slower than real-time) only used in special circumstances.

Ian Brooks, the gamemaster for Pacific Union College’s LARPing group and substitute teacher at PUC Preparatory School, said, “[LARPing] can encompass a lot of stuff. Even Civil War re-enactors could technically be called [LARPers]. It’s just playing as a character in a universe that is taken from a book or a movie, or created on your own — which ours is.”

Gamemasters (GMs) choose the setting and rules of a LARP. The GMs may assign characters to certain players, or the players may choose their own roles.

Some participants help the GMs and are sometimes known as the crew. They may act as stagehands or play non-player characters (NPCs) to fill out the game’s setting.

Participants improvise their characters' speech and movements in a manner similar to actors in improvisational theatre. Players may dress up in

kind of costumes. Players also may change character from one event to another, or further develop their character’s relationships and personality over the course of several events. Players may be encouraged to remain consistently in character (excepting emergencies), or may be allowed to be occasionally out-of-character.

The first LARPers were inspired by tabletop roleplaying games and popular fiction in the late 70s.

The activity does not have a single point of origin, but was invented independently by groups in North America, Europe and Australia. In addition to the aforementioned influences of tabletop role-playing and childhood games of make-believe, LARP is also rooted in costume parties, roleplay simulations, Commedia dell'arte, improvisational theatre, psychodrama, military simulations and historical reenactment groups.

The activity of LARPing spread across the globe during the 80s and there are now many diverse styles of play. The experience might be designed to achieve educational goals, or it might be more concerned with artistic expression, etc. Language classes are sometimes taught when students are put in a role-play setting

Campus Chronicle

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and must improvise speech or writing in the language they are learning. The type of fictional world can also vary a great deal — from realistic historical settings like 17th-century Scotland to fictional settings like steampunk or the future. The setting where the event is held may be decorated in line with the fictional setting of the game. LARP events range from small and private, lasting a couple hours, to huge and public, lasting several days. There is typically no audience.

When asked about the typical real-life setting for a LARP, Brooks answered, “We’ve done one on the campus. All the other ones have been out in the woods. … [The setting] depends on what we’re trying to do. Every story we choose is different. It depends.

For instance, last time we had an ambush planned so we had to find a place that had tall enough trees set

Letter from Abroad

back from the road.”

Brooks expressed his opinion on why there is a stigma surrounding the LARP subculture: “Probably because almost everything that’s kind of nerd-related or geek-related has one. I don’t know. People can get really obsessed with football or something and … that’s considered popular. Same thing, same amount of obsession is considered weird.”

Despite the bad reputation, there are many great things about LARPing. The participants in a LARP event are co-creators and collaborators of the game.

LARP is also less commodified than the video game industry. Women actively participate, collaborate and co-create in the events. LARPers cast off the role of passive observer and often take on new roles outside of their daily life or even roles contrary to their culture.

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Brooks said, “I think it’s good to use all of your creativity that you have. It helps you with your imagination, with stress relief depending on how hard you’re hitting people.” When asked why he thinks LARPers put so much time, effort and money into these events, Brooks said, “At least with ours, I think they appreciate a good story. And being a part of that story, being able to affect the outcome of whatever’s happening I think appeals to a lot of people.”

So don’t be ashamed to play a serious, grown-up game of make-believe.

PUC’s LARPing group can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chroniclesofvirath

By Carlo Péan

Former Campus Chronicle Op-Ed Editor Carlo Péan graduated from Pacific Union College in 2015, but decided to continue his education studying in Italy with the ACA program at Villa Aurora.

So Josh Tobar and I walked into an apartment in Stockholm, Sweden, for a Christmas Eve party last year. Gabriel Riojas was already there with his friend, Brandon. The there was Brandon’s distant relative, Tore’s (pronounced Tör) home. Gabe was quick to show us around to the other guests, including a Swedish politician, an administrator of a nursing home who was modest about her involvement in Swedish healthcare, two opera singers (who both sang traditional carols), three stage and film actors, a classical musician, a rock star and a playwright. Gabe was talking to the rock star, while I ran to the playwright and Josh to one of the actresses. During this party (of which we were the youngest by far), English and Swedish flew over my head, and the bubble around Josh grew stronger and stronger in German and broken Norwegian. One of the actors, Peter, heard that I spoke Italian and tried to impress everyone in the room with his Italian.

(Conversation in Italian) Peter: Hello! My name is Peter! She speaks Italian!

Me: You speak Italian? That’s wonderful!

Where did you learn?

Peter: Uhh … I am tired! Revenge!

Me: I’m sorry?

Peter: Revenge!

Random actress from across the room: Marcello!

Though there was no Marcello, nor revenge, we got along quickly and soon were singing Motown music to each other. It wasn’t until Peter casually started to talk about working with Daniel Craig in the movie “Girl with a Dragon Tattoo,” that I turned to Gabe and asked, “Where ARE we?!”

“You’re with Tore,” he answered with a smile.

It has been this memory, in addition to talking with strangers on trains and in hostels that have since become friends, and sitting on a hotel floor with

Renée Beaulieu, Josh and Gabe talking about living in Europe, that makes me inexpressibly thankful for Adventist Colleges Abroad.

Why a year abroad isn’t required is beyond me. Many protest studying abroad because they can’t afford to take the time out of their school schedule. The truth is that we can all afford to learn another language, even if it turns out to be one that seems “useless,” like Italian. It helps us to understand our own languages and minds. We can all afford to live in and learn about a new culture. It saves us from xenophobia, being closed-minded to problems that other people have already solved, and above all, it saves us from ever thinking Donald Trump should be considered as a serious candidate for president. Seriously, imagine trying to explain to Europeans for a year why and how a reality TV business mogul ever made it this far to becoming the president of the free world. We can all afford to be homesick, because in homesickness we learn and appreciate the true meaning of home. And

by God’s grace, we can all afford 20-euro flights across the continent through Ryanair.

In my plea for people to take the time to study abroad, I must admit that I am biased to France, where you can take snowboarding and skiing as P.E. credit and start on one slope in France, only to end up in Switzerland or Italy. Of course I’m biased to Italy where you get to live in a city where you can see graffiti that was made by Michelangelo and has survived all these years. But whether you choose another country in Europe, South America or the Middle East, your time will not have been wasted. I have never met someone who said, “Man that year in Spain was a total waste of time; I should have stayed home and gotten married,” or, “I really regret going to England. I wish I would have stayed at home so I could get into a program.” No boss is going to think that the sentence “speaks German” on your application doesn’t make you more interesting, more mature and more developed.

So if you’re reading this and wondering, “Should I or shouldn’t I,” then GO! Right now. Find Dr. Gregorutti

Péan visits the Duomo in the heart of Florence, Italy.

This is Péan's second time doing the ACA program, as he studied in France previously. and talk about which country sounds right for you.

Your future memories and future friends are waiting for you. Don’t let fear stop you. The world is not as scary as CNN makes it out to be. And when you come back, you’ll hold that unspeakable bond with other ACA students who know that the answer to “How was your year abroad?” isn’t just, “Good.” The answer is too long and hilarious and painful and beautiful for ten minutes. The answer is a new, fuller life that began with this experience, and changed everything.

PUC’s Favorite Hawaiian Wins Educator of the Year Every year at Pacific Union College, the student body is asked to vote for Educator of the Year. The students vote for who they believe meets the qualifications of an outstanding educator. “When I think about who I am going to vote for, I like to see that the professor fits my checklist,” said Talissa Romero, a junior health communication major. “I look for someone who is available, likeable, dependable, friendly and [has]

aptitude in their teaching availabilities.” On April 28, Professor Lloyd Best, last years’ Educator of the Year, announced Michelle Rai as the 2016 Educator of the Year.

It’s safe to say that Rai is greatly cherished throughout the whole campus. When Best announced Rai as the Educator of the Year, the PUC church was filled with overjoyed students and faculty who gathered

By Ashley Camacho

together, clapping and screaming, “Go Rai!” Being the poised individual that Rai is, she walked up to the stage smiling and thanking everyone as she was presented with the magical lightsaber that protects the Educator of the Year.

Rai is a PUC alum; she graduated in 1997 with her bachelor’s degree in communication and journalism.

The young and talented Hawaii-native was offered a

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full time job as an enrollment counselor for PUC, then later became the director of public relations.

After working for enrollment and PR, Rai found many doors opening. 2006 brought many accomplishments for Rai; she graduated with her master’s in Integrated Marketing Communications from Ageno School of Business at Golden Gate University, and she started teaching in the communication department, where she later was promoted to chair.

As department chair, professor and adviser to many students, Rai has always been able to show and demonstrate Christ-like characteristics to those around her. She always has “a shoulder to lean on,” Romero mentioned in her speech to Rai at the Educator of the Year Colloquy.

Not only is Rai a professor, tennis champion and “master of social media” (what Doug Wilson calls her), she is also a wife and mother. Rai is married to

David Rai and has a daughter named Sophie (10 years old) and son Joshua (6 years old).

Rai shared, “I am humbled and honored to have been selected as this year's Educator of the Year. Teaching was never a profession I envisioned for myself, and yet God kept opening the doors for me to be here in the communication department.”

Romero reminded the audience that Rai has taught many important lessons to her students, the most important being the cardinal rule of PR: “always tell the truth and tell it fast.” Because of this important Communication department students and professors lesson, many communication students will always show their appreciation for Rai after she wins Educahave Rai’s voice in the back of their heads reminding tor of the Year April 28. them to always tell the truth. communication, Dr. Tammy McGuire, reminded We would like to thank all the past and future the audience, “Rai, the magic that you have is a gift Educators of the Year for dedicating their time to to PUC.” students. The lessons these professors have given will always stay with their students. Professor of

Mental Health is No Joke When mental illnesses are brought up, many people skirt around the topic. People who have the illnesses are written off as crazy or attention-seeking, and are never taken seriously. It’s time we face the facts about anxiety and depression and the harm it is causing college students especially.

According to Healthline, recent studies from the U.K. show that people in this generation of college students have a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression than their predecessors because they are unprepared for the higher debt and fewer jobs than previous generations. Many students suffering from anxiety and depression will drop out of school and are at a higher risk of developing problems with substance abuse, binge drinking and unsafe sexual behaviors to cope with their mental illness.

Healthline notes one out of every four college students suffers from some form of mental illness, including depression. It may be you, it may be your friend, but there has become such a stigma against having a mental illness that many people don’t mention it to anyone. In fact, Healthline says that 75 percent of college students do not seek help for their mental health problems, and unfortunately because of that statistic, suicide has become the third leading cause of death among college students. Among those college students who either contemplate or attempt suicide, four out of five show clear warning signs despite having not spoken to anyone about it previously.

Depression and anxiety don’t come quietly; they have symptoms and sudden changes that go with them that are hard to miss, but easy to misinterpret. Many college students are labeled “lazy” or “disinterested.”

While being called those things is easy to agree with,

By Hannah Barnes

it is very important that you recognize these symptoms of depression and speak to someone as soon as possible.

There are six aspects that depression and anxiety can affect: mood, sleep, the body as a whole, behavioral, cognitive and weight.

Mood: Emptiness, anxiety, hopelessness,

loss of interest.

Sleep: Waking up early, excess sleepiness,

insomnia or restless sleep.

Whole Body: Excessive hunger, fatigue,

loss of appetite, restlessness.

Behavioral: Agitation, excessive crying, irritability,

social isolation.

Cognitive: Lack of concentration, slowness in Mental illness is not something just felt, it is caused by

activity and thought, thoughts of chemical changes in the brain. suicide.

Weight: Excessive weight gain or weight loss.

While there are plenty more symptoms, these are the few that are easily distinguishable from what you may experience during leg day and finals week.

Mental illness is no joke; according to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention over 50 percent of people who die from suicide suffer from major depression, and if you believe that you or a friend may be suffering I recommend that you speak to someone as soon as possible. Don’t let yourself be a statistic.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in regard to mental health issues, but if you find yourself or someone else needing help or if you need to speak to anyone, Pacific Union College’s Counseling Center is open Monday – Friday.

So, What are You? I Am Biracial.

Almost every time I meet someone new, I hear the same question: “What ethnicity are you?” I hear various forms of the same question: “Where are you from?” or “What are you?” Sometimes it’s a game: “Let me guess, you’re Mexican,” or “I can tell you’re a mix, but I’m just not sure what.” Then I’ll finally tell them, “I’m half Filipino and half German.”

I never knew my family was different or special.

Growing up, my family felt normal. It didn’t bother me that my grandma on my mom’s side spoke Tagalog and my dad on my dad’s side is as white as they come. When I would l look at myself in the mirror, I would see my dad’s chin and my mom’s eyes. I am my parent’s kid. I never thought anything of it until I went to school.

Growing up in Southern California, I went to a

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PUC Counseling Center: Monday – Thursday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 – 5 p.m.

Friday: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Phone: (707) 965-7080.

For immediate help call After Hours: (707) 965-6789.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Phone: 1 (800) 273-8255. Hours: 24/7.

Website: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

By Taylor Pittenger

diverse Adventist school. My classmates all looked different, and there were plenty of mixed kids at my school. It wasn’t until we were older that distinctions were made. In my area, there are several different ethnic churches: black churches, Chinese churches, Hispanic churches, and of course multi-ethnic churches are all located in the same area. As we grew older, a lot of students grew stronger bonds with people who went to the same church. This created racial groups at school.

People were still friends with people from other races, but it was apparent that some people tended to feel more comfortable or closer to those who were the same race as they were.

So where did I fit in? Within my experience, I didn’t fit in with the Filipinos or the white kids.

Who am I, and where do I belong? Some people

would tell me I’m not “pure” or that I’m not allowed to call myself Filipino because I don’t look full. I’ve had other friends tell me I’m lucky to be mixed race because, “I’m the future of America.” For the most part in my experience, I’ve felt like a spectacle — and not necessarily in a good way.

In our society today, people don’t take much issue in interracial couples are mixed raced people as much as they did in the past. Being a student at Pacific Union College means that we are surrounded by diversity, which means we have numerous students who are biracial. Every person’s experience is unique to their race, culture and area.

Kelsea Jackson, a multiracial senior who is predominately white and black, explained that growing up she didn’t perceive her family any differently as

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the next. She said, “Personally, I never thought about it growing up. It was just me. There was nothing really that I thought was different.” She continued, “I wouldn’t think about being biracial until I was in school and we would talk about race.”

Throughout Jackson’s life, there have been small instances where she felt people had a problem with her being biracial. Jackson briefly explained that some people would not accept her because she was not fully one race. She doesn’t think that being biracial should be an issue, but she said, “I feel like it’s with other people is when it becomes an issue. To me, being biracial is not a big deal. There are a lot of people who are biracial.”

Jackson expresses how, regardless of what race a person belongs to, people will create divisions. She said, “To me, I think that race will always be an issue.

People will always be there to seek your differences and try to put people down. I think that happens with every race, and I think that’s a human thing.”

Nick DeChicchis, a half Italian and half Mexican freshman, explained that people often mistake him as white because of his features and complexions. He said, “A lot of the time, people think I’m joking when I talk about how I’m Mexican because I don’t look very Mexican. I kind of get where they’re coming from because I don’t look very Mexican and I was raised a very typical American.” DeChicchis continued, “It was very interesting growing up because when I would talk to people about being Mexican they would be like, ‘Oh, well you’re not really Mexican.’”

There have even been times where people will tell DeChicchis he’s not really Mexican because he doesn’t speak Spanish. His responds is, “What does speaking Spanish or a different language have to do with anything?”

With certain tests or official forms, typically there is a section to fill out race. DeChicchis shared his experience with this: “It always interesting because

when you’re taking tests or filling out forms you can only pick one [ethnicity], so typically I’ll just put Caucasian because that’s what I feel like people tend to look at me and see. So rather than what I see myself, I tend to go with what other people see me, but I would say I’m just biracial. I’d like to identify myself as biracial. I’d like to have connections to both cultures.”

Jackson also had an interesting experience when filling out the race section. She said, “If you have to fill out the bubble of your race, I just know whenever it said choose only one I would always say ‘Other,’ because I did not want to choose only one because I do not consider myself more one than the other.”

“Being a student at PUC means that we are surrounded by diversity, which means we have numerous students who are biracial.”

Personally, I’ve had my fair share of identity crisis.

Am I this or am I that? Since I look more like one race than the other do I reject the other? It wasn’t until I was older I became more comfortable with just being both. Being biracial doesn’t mean you’re one or the other, it means you are each race equally. Part of my journey is accepting that rather than trying to fit into one group I belong to both. No one, not even myself, can take that away.

The Purpose of Makeup The influence of makeup stretches across the globe — from the Americas to the tribes of the Amazon, all people groups have a personalized approach to body art. Culture owns a tight grasp on the form and function of style in any country, but what does it mean to the United States? Makeup is utilized in artistic circles for the expression of personality and creativity, as well as an everyday confidence boost.

Many young girls can trace their makeup use back to watching their mothers prepare for parties and outings. A little eyeliner here, lipstick there and voilá!

A beautiful transformation. When asked when she was first introduced to makeup, sophomore Sabrina Mostoufi recalls watching her mother prepare for work in the mornings. “As a kid I remember makeup as a beautiful and mysterious door into womanhood,” she said. The application of beauty products for girls today is looked upon as a turning point in life, a sign of maturity and a step in the direction of independence.

Although technique and style has changed, the goal of beauty remains.

Erika Dalida, a half Italian and half Filipino sophomore, expresses her joy in both her heritages.

Dalida said, “I love being Filipino and Italian because it’s pretty uncommon. I love seeing the reactions of others trying to guess what I am and then telling them what I really am. They are always so curious and it’s almost like a game, ‘Who could guess Erika’s race.’”

Dalida has a deep love for both sides of her family and embraces their differences. She said her Italian side “is extremely loud, basically shouting at each other just to say ‘Hi’ and very enthusiastic. They always welcome anyone with a hug and I almost always lose my voice coming back from an Italian gathering.” Dalida explained that her “Filipino side is more reserved and quiet, but we still know how to have fun. There aren’t that many cousins on the Asian side, which has allowed us to become so incredibly close and feel like brothers and sisters.” Dalida shared how this part of her has enhanced her life. She said, “Being different ethnicities has exposed me to different cultural practices which is a blessing to be able to experience them.”

I think being biracial is an amazing experience.

Within my life, I have the opportunity to embrace two parts of my one whole. In our world today, people will point out differences. For me, I have learned to accept both sides and acknowledge that I am both.

Being proud of our race, whether it be one race or many, is not a bad thing. Being hateful towards others because of their race is always a problem. That says more about who you are rather than who they are.

Jackson shared her perspective on what it means to be biracial. She said, “My race does not define me.

It doesn’t make me who I am, it’s just what I am. To me, what I am doesn’t really matter but who I am is what matters. This just happens to be what I am, and I choose it to really not define me. It’s me, and who I choose to be is what makes me the person that I am.”

By Eryn Pongs

Whether it is enhancement of natural features or covering up unwanted blemishes, makeup gives people confidence. Every person is entitled to their opinion; unfortunately this makes it difficult to determine the “right” and “wrong” of beauty products. One store may sell out of purple and blue lipstick while another is forced to give it away. This variety in preference is a testimony to the diversity and ingenuity of current culture; therefore, the purpose of makeup can only be determined by the person who is wearing it.

What women wore in the nineteen fifties and before may not be considered in style, but does that make it wrong? The focus of makeup is to feel confident.

Makeup application is considered “right” when it satisfies the wearer. Classic techniques and timeless styles serve as the basis for makeup use, but there are no rules. Natural approaches and bold expressions serve as a window to someone’s personality. Although there is a time and a place for certain beauty products, the possibilities are endless.

Green Eggs and Hamilton (Warning: contains “Hamilton” spoilers. So if you don’t want to spoil the plot, don’t read this article or any U.S. history book.)

A young man is born in a ravaged family. His father leaves before his first memory. His mother falls deathly ill, leaving him with a distant cousin. The cousin commits suicide, leaving the boy with nothing. Does he let it consume him? No, it fuels him. The boy is forced into manhood and embraces the possibilities.

He fights for his country. He sets up the coast guard,

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Hannah Barnes shows that makeup is a personal choice and can be used as an art form, just like hair styles and fashion.

By Aaron Jebb Hernandez

the postal service, the national bank. He dies a valiant death, shot by a comrade. Alexander Hamilton was one America’s founding fathers. Everything I know about him I remember from a musical — not a single history class I’ve ever taken.

Lin-Manuel Miranda — the genius who almost singlehandedly wrote, composed and even played Hamilton in the musical — makes his inspiration behind writing a hip-hop rendition of the American Revolution blatantly known. What began as an inside

joke grew into a momentous performance in the White House in May 2009, and eventually came to fruition in August 2015 — marking the completion of the musical in its entirety. “Hamilton” has taken the theatrical world by storm mostly in part because of its fresh and diverse take on the Revolutionary era.

What’s more amazing is the cast themselves. In what can be considered one of America’s palest eras, the talented Broadway powerhouses are distinguishingly colorful. Which is to say, the people of color are actually

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the majority. But not once does this take away from the accuracy of the play. Miranda’s intentions were to portray a snapshot of history while simultaneously showcasing how far the country has come in terms of diversity. The rounded cast also brings life to the hip-hop and R&B-based soundtrack — illustrating an accurate appropriation of the genre’s roots.

Hamilton succeeds in catering to the palettes of a wider variety beyond just the theatrical world. This popularity facilitates an interest in the subject matter akin to what schools, in essence, seek to instill in their students — which is to say, “Hamilton” succeeds where academia fails: it makes history interesting. At its core, the purpose of education is to inspire a pupil to pursue a lifestyle of learning. Children are much more susceptible to feed off their curiosities and learn exponentially. It can be seen in the tendency of kids to obsess over seemingly random topics — dinosaurs, the color pink and even Hilary Clinton. The Dr. Seuss franchise owes its success to this inherent curiosity.

Much like the easy-to follow-nature of a typical Seussian narrative, the “Hamilton” storyline is a perfect mix of

palpable plot and emotional investment. The musical manages to keep the audience on the edge of their seats listening to the artfully crafted lyrics. Almost all the musical is entirely in song, most of which is portrayed in insightful rhythm and poetry (that’s rap, in layman’s terms).

Now what does this musical mean for the future of theater and, more importantly, history in general?

It opens up the floor to alternative means of academic learning. It has long been known that no two students learn the same, and yet the school system set in place today is not much further than stagnant in its educational diversity. Past elementary school, teaching styles seldom stray past the test-taking paradigm. Not everyone can excel in memorization and monotonous bubbling. “Hamilton” is living proof that people are capable of absorbing knowledge in an educational and entertaining environment. What’s more is that the musical’s compelling narrative is influencing a revival of theatre. What used to be an audience of longtime fans and critics is now bringing in larger, younger and more enthusiastic masses. If this eagerness for

When Life Gives You Lemons…

Black women have always been given lemons and told to make lemonade. The last few years have seen an increase in attention for black culture and struggles, but the music industry has been mostly cautious about addressing the topic as directly as Beyoncé’s overnight-hit album, Lemonade.

The 12-track album, which the Queen released April 23, is accompanied by an hour-long visual component, featuring an all-black cast, including some famous female icons. Viewers may have recognized popular athletes, such as Serena Williams, who twerks beautifully alongside Bey in one part of the film.

Other younger artists appear with the Queen, such as Zendaya, Quvenzhane Wallis and Amandla Stenberg, though Beyoncé made sure to include all kinds of powerful Black women, such as Winnie Harlow and Solange Knowles. She also featured the music group Ibeyi, which is comprised of Afro-Latino artists. In addition, the spoken word poetry elements of the album were all written by 28-year-old Warsan Shire, a black Somali-British female poet. The visual album not only includes an all-black cast, but features scenery and experiences common to black culture across America and the world.

Reaching first to her sisters and brothers in the black community, Beyoncé’s album brings to light not only black culture, but also the parts of society that people of African descent often struggle with.

Much of the discussion surrounding the Queen’s new album is about those elements of the album dealing with being cheated on, and Beyoncé is very open and frank about the problem. It is a sad fact that parts of black culture makes it common and accepted for black women to be cheated on, particularly with white

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Following the success of "Hamilton" the musical, the libretto, "Hamilton: The Revolution," is available for fans to read lyrics, annotations and more about the creation of the musical. the arts was translated into how we teach our youth then, maybe, there’s still hope yet.

By Dominique Townsend

women, hence the Queen’s line, “He better call Becky with the good hair.”

Aside from infidelity, Bey deals with the media’s fetishizing of black women, while simultaneously berating them for their culture. Black women in the media are constantly held to unrealistic standards that their co-stars and fellow artists do not have to endure.

Black women are supposed to conform to traditional beauty standards, so the media tears them down viciously when they try to celebrate their heritage, such as wearing dreadlocks or braids. However, these same styles are seen as avant garde when white celebrities appropriate these styles as their own (looking at you, Kylie Jenner). Beyoncé rocks her braids throughout much of the album, and many of the other cast members wear similarly Afro-originated hairstyles.

“Black women in the media are constantly held to unrealistic standards that their co-stars and fellow artists do not have to endure.”

skinned black woman and the jealous, crazy, “angry black woman” ideals. Beyoncé is not afraid to display several sides of herself, the justified anger, the family woman, the powerful entertainer, and the concerned and active community member as she follows her journey through the stages of grief and added stages of joy and acceptance in the visual album.

In fact, Queen Bey is very deliberate about making this album a statement about involvement in the community. Besides working to dispel the myths surrounding black women and the community at large, Bey also stands in solidarity with the mothers of Eric Garner, Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin, making sure that the recent rise in awareness of police brutality towards individuals of African and minority descent remains in the forefront of everyone’s mind.

With its gorgeous scenery (and cast), its brilliant writing and instrumental genius, Beyoncé’s new album Lemonade is a gift the world was sorely in need of. This album not only brings new, incredible music, but also an important message for all viewers and listeners. This is one lemonade that combines the perfect amount of sweet, refreshing flavor with just the right amount of kick. Enjoy!

Similarly, Beyoncé makes it a point to dispel the binary between the sexy, grateful, demure, light-

To Tray or Not to Tray: Tray Debate 2016

By Aaron Jebb Hernandez & Jonathan Salvador The Pacific Union College cafeteria has long been a source of trays. Whether or not this integration is warranted amongst the student body has long been a focal point of controversy. Fighting for pro-tray rights, we have Aaron Jebb Hernandez and their opponent, advocating against the use of trays, anti-tray activist Jonathan Salvador.

Pro-tray: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These were the fundamental ideals the U.S. constraytution and our very countray was built

on. Traymerica was founded on values of freedom, equality and, most importantly, convenience. Why did we leave Britain? They’re too extra. Powdered wigs. Calling fries chips. A distinct lack of trays. It’s truly phenomenal how they’re still standing to this day. Our prestigious campus upholds these classical ideals and keeps a constant reminder of our patrayotic roots on display in our very cafeteria. That’s right, your tuition is not in vain! What’s more is that these symbols of freedom are available for our own leisure.

We live in a society of change and progress but our one constant has always been trays. But, recently, there has been a fall in tray awareness coupled with a rise in tray brutraylity. The #traylivesmatter movement has shaped how our nation views protest and actrayvisim.

Anti-tray: One could just as readily view the #traylivesmatter movement as a convenient cover for the tray agenda which, at its core, seeks a complete upheaval of PUC’s delicate economy and the values we uphold. Hard-working students will find that they

Campus Chronicle

are more than capable of transporting their goods from the checkout to the table without oversight, yet tray activists are dead set on making the student body rely upon tray assistance to meet their basic needs.

Perhaps instead of free tray handouts, students should be trayned in basic handling and delivery techniques that would enable and empower them to make a living for themselves and put food on the table.

Pro-tray: George Washington once said, “My first wish is to see this plague of mankind, war, [and a distinct lack of trays] banished from the earth.” Our most prestigious founding father warned against the unwarranted discrimination of tray users from the very birth of our countray. The argument that trays serve as a sort of second-rate handout is an egregious and privilege-based claim. Every day, tired, poor and hungry masses wander the caf in disatray, hands in a desperate balance of the dinner special, chips, iced tea and water. We, as hard-working students, seek a safe haven from the chaotic world of academia in the welcoming hands of food. Nothing disrupts a utopia like the constant fear of dropping a shopping spree of deliciousness does. If only there was a heaven-sent piece of plastic on which I could stack all my hardearned morsels. For the longest time, I myself was forced into the impoverished lifestyle of using my laptop as a makeshift tray. The symbol of intelligence keeping a careful balance of nutrition was an intense analogy for the frail balance we must keep to survive in this world. But once I saw the light — reflected off of one of the sneeze guards — revealing the trays, I was forever changed. I can now walk the caf with confidence, knowing that I no longer have to worry about dropping the proverbial ball.

Anti-tray: If there’s one thing the trayterous tray activists want you to believe, it’s that the tray initiative will lift you out of poverty, when in fact the opposite is true. Trays have long been used as a tool to oppress culinary laborers. Have you ever worked at a cafeteria before? I have, and I’ll tell you that there are few more

degrading, menial and pointless jobs than cleaning trays. Any given tray is either too clean to need cleaning or too messy for the eyes of men. In any case you end up having to give each and every tray equal cleaning treatment (regardless of merit, much like the touted #traylivesmatter initiative) and it takes a good hour just to get through about 200 of them. Can you imagine how long it would take to clean 3000? Reintroducing trays to the cafeteria adds yet another vile, filthy, greasy, grimy, polluted, bedraggled, sullied, foul, dungy, squalid and contaminated surface for some poor overworked minimum wage worker to clean instead of performing any number of more meaningful tasks.

Pro-tray: It’s obvious that my opponent is too personally attached to the matter to provide clear, objective insight. I mean not to delve into the histories of adversaries, but on a certain foggy winter quarter afternoon, my opponent was seen hand in hand with one of his so-called hated trays. It is clear that some people are just ashamed to embrace their tray roots.

Records and admissions would point out that a certain Mr. Salvador was, in fact, raised by two loving trays.

Coincidence? Your decision.

Anti-tray: Ever heard of the term “ad hominem” ?

I haven’t but I’m told that it’ll help my case ... and that this will all be over soon ... he promises. Contrayry to what my opponent would have you believe, I left the tray business years ago and never looked back. While he may portray the pro-tray movement as stalwart defenders of civil liberties, they are in fact government hounds tearing down our pride in place of artificial equality, leveling the playing field with their level trays until nothing exceptional exists.

Pro-tray: Conspiracy trayorists seek to blind the public to the truth with outrageous accusations meant to discount our rich histrayry. While there is a clear syndicate of tray users who have called on divine intervention as an excuse to forward a violent use of trays, trays are still, in essence, innocent. Factory-raised trays are made with the finest recycled plastics and are

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allowed to roam cage-free until they are distributed to wholesome cafeterias like ours. How can such humane means result in violent ends?

Pro-tray: In my closing statement, your proverbial honor, I ask the proverbial jury to look into their hearts and really think: would Traymerica be the same without the delicate balance that trays have provided for centuries? Is there really any harm in using trays? Why must we perpetuate a construct of trayphobia? Why does my closing statement have so many questions? The use of trays is a dying art. The versatility they serve as a means of convenience and even an occasional self-defense tool against hungry crowds during the dinner rush has long been a symbol for the resilience of we as a people. We are a strong people.

We are a wise people. We are a tray-loving people. As I leave you today, may I end with the words of the late great Nelson Mandela: “Let freedom trayeign, let freedom trayeign.”

Anti-tray: No. Inspired by Luke Thornburg's article in 2013. https://issuu.com/puccampuschronicle/docs/ issue_1_028a137377fd87/4

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Cafeteria trays can serve practical purposes, for example, late-night snack runs.

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