MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
VOLUME 118 ISSUE 50 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
International Students’ Job
Outlook Limited by Visa Process
Senior engineering major Bharat Verma (right) is one of 1,000 international students at North Dakota State. NDSU grad Ramesh Singh (left) said he feels lucky to have secured a visa in 2012 with Fargo’s Microsoft.
Microsoft, tech companies call for increase in work visas Story & Photos by Erica Nitschke
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harat Verma’s flat-billed hat and zip-up hoodie may not distinguish him from the rest of North Dakota State’s campus. But his accent – and his career path – certainly do. Verma, a native of New Dehli, India, is in his senior year in the electrical engineering program with hopes to pursue a master’s in renewable energy. His senior capstone focuses on building a machine that can separate cancer cells from healthy cells. His goal is to hopefully have his work published. “It can be possible, but we’ll see what happens – depends on the results,” Verma said, adding with a laugh: “If I get a little bit of success, it will be very good for my resume.” Despite his ambitious work, Verma is worried about finding employment post graduation. “This is the one and the only, the biggest stress of all time you can ever have in a college life for international students,” Verma said. “I’ve been going to the job fairs, and it’s very nice to say, ‘We have 200 employers coming,’ but who will hire international people?”
The H-1B challenge
For Verma and the almost 1,000 international students on NDSU’s campus like him, his visa status labels him a potential
risk to employers. To work in the country, foreign nationals need a valid visa. In 2014, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services switched the H-1B work visa program from first-come, first-serve to a lottery system, making it more difficult to secure a chance to stay. The costs of filing are big, and the risk is even bigger. Of the nearly 233,000 petitions filed for H-1B this year, the USCIS will issue only 85,000: 65,000 for workers with a bachelor’s degree and 20,000 for those with a master’s. Selection is completely random. Myriad Mobile, a local mobile software development company, sponsored an employee in the H-1B process for the first time this April. “(It) is challenging to say the least, and it’s expensive at the same time,” Human Resource Manager Jon Walters said, “and the worst part of all of it is its just for a lottery so we could go through all of this for nothing, basically.” Walters, who had no experience with the H-1B process before, filed with the help of an immigration attorney. He said the company has invested over $7,000 in legal and application fees.
Myriad Mobile, a Fargo-based mobile development company, spent over $7,000 on one H-1B sponsor this year.
“I’ve been going to the job fairs, and it’s very nice to say, ‘We have 200 employers coming,’ but who will hire international people?”– Bharat Verma, NDSU student from India “We’ve had to write out six different checks so far – some going to the attorney, some going to different departments of the state or the federal government – and it’s really daunting to say the least,” Walters said. “… I think we’re still accumulating costs.”
Cost for small businesses
Don Morton, site leader at Fargo’s Microsoft campus, said he has 20-30 job openings.
INSIDE
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At a small and growing company, that number represents not only a contribution in hard dollars but in time and energy. “It’s very cumbersome,” said Jim Gartin, president of the Greater Fargo-Moorhead Economic Development Corporation. “For a start up with 40 or 50 people to try to do that, it’s almost impossible for them to do it financially and time-wise.” Walters said a significant number of Myriad’s staff contributed to finalizing the H-1B application. “You really gotta get the timing down perfectly,” Walters said. “You gotta have all the wording down perfectly. You have to have all the checks sent in perfectly and the document needs to be packaged just so in order for it to go through. “Just so you can cross your fingers and flip a coin.” Walters and Grade said they thought it was unlikely a company any smaller than Myriad would be able to take it on. “Most of Indian students want to work for small companies,
Sustainability group pushing for a more eco-friendly campus
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but the small companies cannot afford to basically hire people like me,” said Gaurav Kumar Nayak, a software engineer with Microsoft and Indian native. “… A big corporation like Microsoft or IBM or Apple, those are the only options because these are the companies who have those big bucks to basically take the hit of $9,000.” Nayak, who graduated from NDSU in 2008, did not require sponsorship. He married his U.S.-born wife, making him a green card holder. Because of this he was able to intern with a small tech group after graduation. “Otherwise they would have never offered me an internship, let me tell you the truth,” he said. “For them, it’s too much money to basically spend on a person who they don’t think that they can hire at the end of the day.”
Limited Options
This puts international students looking for work in a tough spot. Small companies can’t afford to take on the H-1B risk. Large corporations are extremely competitive – Microsoft recruits only the top 5 percent of most graduating classes. For the other 95 percent of graduates, the options are limited. “I have friends who, for them, the process has been really painful, especially since the
Student government offers open door, accessibility for students
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lottery system came into picture,” Microsoft software engineer Ramesh Singh said. Microsoft sponsored his H-1B in 2012. Singh, who is also from India and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s from NDSU, said he feels lucky he received his visa before the change. “It’s too much hassle, at the end of the day,” Singh said. “I mean, I’m definitely much more free and a lot less stressed compared to my friends.” Those who cannot secure an H-1B have two options: go back home or go back to school. “I have some friends who are in real stress because they cannot get their H-1B anymore,” Singh said, “and they are paying high tuitions just to get a CPT so they can continue working.” Optional Practical Training and Curricular Practical Training are two employment options available to students here on an F1 student visa. OPT is a 12-month period after graduation in which students may work in a field related to their study – and find an H-1B sponsor. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics students are eligible for an additional 17-month extension. To read the full story go to ndsuspectrum.com
Sarah Storandt providing senior leadership for the Bison women’s golf team
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News
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
NDSU + RECYCLING 140,723 Aluminum Magazines 1% 2% Newsprint 3% Plastic
3%
Phonebooks Glass
.01%
.1%
Most used water bottle filling stations on the NDSU main campus:
Bi-Metal
Printer mix
5%
IN THE LAST 6 YEARS NDSU HAS RECYCLED
4%
236,916
MATERIAL
POUNDS OF MATERIAL
Second floor of Memorial Union
PER YEAR
RECYCLED
BY NDSU
39,670
Main floor of Memorial Union
ON AVERAGE
Office Pack
The unofficial total number of plastic bottles saved via water bottle filling stations on NDSU’s main campus
BOTTLES SAVED
A “BOTTLE” IS
MEASURED
AS ROUGHLY
450 mL
Sudro Hall
BOTTLES SAVED
22,233 BOTTLES SAVED
Cardboard
31%
33,290
51%
*Results accurate as of Friday, April 17th
Source: ndsu.edu and NDSU Facilites Management EMILY BEAMAN | THE SPECTRUM
Campus Sustainability Groups: Small Budgets, Big Goals Benjamin Norman Head News Editor
In a past graduate assistantship with the Memorial Union Gallery, a team, including Amy Nash, worked with the logistics of the art room’s light bulbs. Nash, a graduate student studying natural resources management, researched whether expensive LED flood lights would, over time, save money for the gallery. The LED lights claimed to last 38 years, but Nash said the team used a more conservative number – 19 – as the expected lifespan for a bulb. After extensive research, including reaching out to a lighting consultant, Nash said the team used a formula to determine the lights’ cost-effectiveness. “Over the course of the 19 years that those bulbs would last, they’d save the Union $54,000,” Nash said they concluded.
The problem, though, is the two boxes of LED lights the team bought cost thousands. While sustainability offers a cleaner, more efficient way of life, Nash said she understands North Dakota State’s struggle to make the big switch. Misconceptions can run amok, too. “I’m not one of those tree huggers, sustainability people … That’s a piece of it, but the bigger piece of it is working with people and their pocketbooks because that makes the synergy that makes it all work,” she said.
‘By the bootstraps’
A push for a more ecofriendly university, Nash said, started two years ago under student government leadership. Luke Brodeur and Jace Beehler, the then-student body president and vice president, respectively, addressed the need for sustainability on campus
during their tenure. They placed the foundation for student government’s E n v i r o n m e n t a l Sustainability Committee. Today, Nash, who also doubles as student government’s executive commissioner of public relations, chairs the committee. It meets every other week and is open to students, faculty, staff and administration. Their task, Nash said, can be daunting. “Where do we start?” she said. “There’s so much that needs to be done.” The committee’s mission is further complicated, Nash said, because of their lack of funding. Unlike Concordia College’s sustainability movement – funded primarily by their presidents’ offices – and Minnesota State UniversityMoorhead’s movement – funded by student fees – NDSU has nothing in
place to stir up revenue for sustainability. Our goals, Nash said, “are not a high priority in that (NDSU Facilities Management) has to stretch every single dollar to maintain and fix buildings.” The grassroots committee, Nash said, operates “by pulling themselves up by the bootstraps” continuously.
The routes will follow the same detour, but will use Barrett Street to reconnect with Albrecht Boulevard, resuming the regular route. At the moment, times of the routes will remain unchanged.
south entrance. Westbound students will be able to turn in from 12th Avenue North like usual.
Tackling recycling
The Environmental Sustainability Committee shares synergy, Nash said, with a student-run organization that shares the same name and goals. Both the committee and club said today, their main push is to better NDSU’s recycling. “Recycling seems to be the number one concern,” Stephanie Wirz, president of the Environmental Sustainability Club, said. Last week, the club presented Faculties Management with a map of
“hot spots” for recycling. The club had asked students where they personally need more recycling options around campus. Nash said the strategic meeting with key campus officials discussed, among other ideas, focusing on relabeling and increasing recycling receptacles. Wirz said their plans were well received. The committee also discussed contamination, which Nash said is an issue in some outside receptacles. The problematic bins have openings labelled for cans, plastics and trash. But for some receptacles, only one bag collects everything. The cans and plastics can be placed together, Nash said, but the trash soils the bag.
Tomorrow’s campus
greener
Nash said Faculties Management is committed to improving NDSU’s sustainability initiative in
the future. Faculties Management uses grant money to save water throughout campus, seal up NDSU’s aging infrastructure and upgrade light bulbs to LED, when funds are available. Nash said future grants could be obtained and then matched by outside investors, alleviating the sustainability committee and group’s financial burdens. With a tight budget, improvements are made by campus’ central supply, albeit slowly. As for now, Nash said, they will do what they can. Future projects include placing enhancing the library’s sustainability efforts and placing more visible recycling bins in heavily trafficked areas. Wirz said it’ll be a challenge, but both the committee and group are looking forward to it. And students, she said, should, too.
Thordarson Hall Demolition to Cause ConstructionClosure on Campus Caleb Werness Spectrum Staff
Detour
MATBUS routes 32 and 35 will be affected.
Parking in the T-lot will remain open during the closure period. Students driving east who need to park can follow the detour and enter the T-lot from the
For any further questions or concerns, the NDSU Parking & Transportation Office is available at 701231-5771. You can also visit the NDSU Parking and Transportation Facebook and Twitter pages for any traffic related updates.
14 St N
MATBUS changes
Student parking
Further questions
12 Ave N
16 St N
A three block detour will be in place. Eastbound traffic will be guided south before the site via 16th Street North before turning east on 11th Avenue North. Traffic will then travel north up 14th Street North before entering back on 12th Avenue North.
12 Ave N
17 St N
Students and travelers beware: 12th Avenue North near campus will experience a lane closure beginning next week. From Monday to at least Apr. 28, the eastbound lane of 12th Avenue will be closed for the demolition of Thordarson Hall. The closure will not effect traffic heading west,
but travelers will likely see congestion around the site.
T-Lots
11 Ave N
11 Ave N
East-Bound Lane Closed Construction Zone Detour
EMILY BEAMAN | THE SPECTRUM
KNDS 96.3
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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Fired NDUS Officer Claims Cover Up
Franzen calls out intentional deletion of Bresciani’s emails
Pace Maier
Co-News Editor
A former North Dakota University System officer claimed she was fired on false pretenses, stemming back to the 2013 email scandal involving North Dakota State President Dean Bresciani. The system placed Kirsten Franzen, the thenchief compliance officer, on leave from her position last November. She was ultimately fired, NDUS officials claimed, because of unprofessional conduct and failure to create a creditable compliance program. Franzen, as noted in her notice of claim sent to the Office of Management and Budget, alleged these “false accusations” occurred, in part, because of actions
she and others suggested NDUS should enact while investigating Bresciani and the missing emails. These actions include telling the Attorney General’s Office about what she was told by NDUS’ technology personnel. Technology officials allegedly told Franzen and other staff members “there was very little likelihood” the emails disappeared because of “an automation deletion process.” “Technology personnel advised Franzen that it appeared as if the email was intentionally deleted,” the document, released to the public by sayanythingblog.com, reads. “ ... Several members of the NDUS Senior Staff, including Franzen, strongly encouraged Chancellor Skogen to have
an independent investigator examine Bresciani’s email disappearance.” An independent investigation never occurred. The notice of claim alleged the investigation was swayed by a conversation had between Skogen and Bresciani. “Skogan initially agreed and asked then-General Counsel Claire Ness to arrange for an investigation,” the document said. “ ... Nonetheless, a few days later, Chancellor Skogen received a phone call from Bresciani, who was overseas at the time. “After this phone call, Chancellor Skogen decided not to pursue the investigation.” NDUS told local media it would not comment on pending legal proceedings.
Assistant Vice President Laura McDaniel said through media relations “it is inappropriate for anyone at the campus to comment about system issues,” directing questions to NDUS. Bresciani sent a Listserv to the student body in August 2013, reiterating his innocence. “I did not ‘dump’ my email, nor did anyone on my staff do so,” he said. “All evidence shows us that the new auto-purge function of the NDUS IT did run on my account.” Franzen told media outlets the document speaks for itself, refusing further comment. Franzen plans to sue NDUS, the state of North Dakota, Skogen and other members of NDUS and the State Board of
GOOGLE IMAGES | PHOTO COURTESY
Kirsten Franzen, a former NDUS officer, claims she was fired on false accusations.
Higher Education. Franzen said in the document that she would be up for 15 months of
salary and benefits and the document added, “but as this matter goes on, damages will increase.”
Grass fires from Grand Forks to Pembina blazed near Interstate 29 on Wednesday afternoon, closing the highway from Grand Forks to Canada.
JACK DURA | THE SPECTRUM
Dry Conditions Bring Grass Fires, Burn Ban
Extremely dry spring brings grass fires, burn ban, interstate closure
Jack Dura
Spectrum Staff
North Dakota has exchanged overland flooding this year for a different springtime danger. Abnormally dry conditions throughout the state have heightened fire dangers and resulted in a burning ban by order of Gov. Jack Dalrymple. Numerous grass fires broke out across North Dakota and western Minnesota last week. In contrast to recent springs in the state, this year has not had wet, flooding conditions; instead, the month of April has been exceedingly dry, which is the traditional weather cycle
Flames were reported to be up to 15 feet high in areas with cattails. Other blazes broke out in North Dakota near Casselton, Granville, Pembina and Bismarck, the latter of which experienced a fire that caused the evacuation of the University of Mary campus. A fire near Rothsay,
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“I do believe most of us have lost context ... historically because April’s always the time of year where A: things dry up, and B: vegetation is still dormant.” - Daryl Ritchison, assistant state climatologist
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gone
we’ve
EDITORIAL STAFF
The Spectrum
for North Dakota this time of year. “I do believe most of us have lost context ... historically because April’s always the time of year where, A.) things dry up, and B.) vegetation is still dormant,” Daryl Ritchison, assistant state climatologist, said. “Always we’re high in fire danger in April.” Due to such dry conditions, chances of grass fires are very high. On Wednesday afternoon, grass fires were ignited along Interstate 29 from Grand Forks, N.D., to Oslo, Minn. Transportation officials closed the road from Grand Forks to Canada due to low visibility from smoke and windy conditions.
Modern.
Minn., was ignited Thursday by a tire falling off a trailer. Ritchison said grass fires can steam from a variety of sources, from thrown cigarette butts to vehicle sparks. “Just the heating of the ground, what was out in that ditch (on I-29), was it a piece of glass?” Ritchison said. “It’s just like
a magnifying glass. It’s all human elements that add to (fire danger).” With gusty winds and little rainfall in the forecast, conditions are prime for other grass fires to break out. Any rainfall the state gets is not expected to impact the dry conditions, Ritchison said, as the earth is so dry it will simply be absorbed. Traditional annual rainfall for April in North Dakota is 1.3 inches, he added, explaining the state’s position on the map brings more rainfall in May and June than from November to April combined. Meanwhile, one positive of the state’s dry conditions
is many farmers have been able to plant early, contrasted to previous years of late planting due to heavy, wet springs and floods. “This year, already, there’s a good percent that’s in the ground planted already,” Ritchison said. “I think just about everyone is going to get their planting done early.” Ritchison said two things will end the fire danger across the region: more rainfall and natural green-up. North Dakota’s statewide fire emergency is in effect until April 30. The order from the governor outlaws all outdoor fires without special permission.
CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED: CHUB’S PUB IS NOW HIRING Servers. 15-25 Hours Per week. Nights and Weekends do apply. Also hiring liquor store clerk/ door person. Apply in person, 421 N University Drive. Must be 21. No experience necessary. Exp Date 4/30/15 MAID TO PERFECTION is in search of FT/PT cleaners. Would you like to make money while you lift, stretch, push, pull and burn calories? Come join our active team and enjoy a fun work environment. We offer a variety of hours and paid training. Daytime hours would be cleaning residential and post construction, evening hours would be cleaning offices. Our cleaners are paid
to pay attention to detail. Must have a vehicle/valid driver’s license, car insurance, and pass a background and drug test. Starting pay $11.00/ hour. Call 701-356-0200 Exp Date 5/11/15 NO BULL COUNTRY CLUB in downtown Fargo is hiring for Bartenders, Wait Staff, Security, DJs and Kitchen Staff. Email your resume to nobullfargo@gmail. com Exp Date 4/23/15 NOW HIRING SEASONAL: Five Star Services, Inc. is looking for a motivated, professional and customer service oriented office assistant. Schedule would consist of 2535 hours per week with the possibility of occasional
weekends. Tasks include but are not limited to answering phones, greeting and assisting customers, filing documents, and assisting staff with daily tasks as needed. Must be at least 18 years old, have a driver’s license and be dependable. Five Star Services, Inc. is a professional and expanding selfstorage business with a background of property management. Please apply in person at: 3255 43rd St S; Fargo, ND 58104. Exp Date 4/23/15 FOR RENT: APARTMENTS FOR RENT. Northwood Commons 2 bedrooms near NDSU. Indoor pool, sauna, and workout room for $650-$745 monthly. Call (701) 280-2369. Exp Date 4/30/15
4 MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Features
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
Experience Institute, based in Chicago, celebrated their first graduating class of five students in 2014.
EXPERIENCE INSTITUTE | PHOTO COURTESY
Experience Institute: A Self-Made Enterprise Alternative graduate program focused on networking, apprenticeships Tessa Beck
Features Editor
Taking a year at a non-accredited university in its infancy seems like an incomprehensible risk. “... Even if (Experience Institute) totally flopped and it was a terrible year – I could still go to a traditional grad program if I needed or wanted to,” said Dane Johnson, a founding student focused in writing. With new approaches to education and career building, more individualized paths are being drawn in order to create wellrounded, personally satisfied adults and employees. One specific example of the current alternative education trend can be found in Experience Institute. Developed on the principle of a selfmade, masters program, Experience Institute gives students a year to hone in on specific skills relating to business, design, technology and social change. “Every single student will have a completely different experience depending on their chosen field of study,” said Johnson. Generally, the program functions on three apprenticeships as chosen by the students that each last for three months. The program also provides two-week meetings where the students reconvene, learn from coaches, take workshops and plan their next internship. The group meetings are in Chicago, but students are encouraged to apply for top tier apprenticeships throughout the U.S. At the end of the program, students have an “expo” where they display the learning that has occurred throughout the year. Experience Institute is meant to function as a graduate program but is welcoming to those in a transitional phase within their undergraduate degree, or otherwise. Joe Burgum, another founding student who focused his studies in organizational strategy, explained the application process in further detail. He said it was a character application with questions like, “What have you started, what have you finished? Where do your passions lie? What do you want your year of self-guided education to look like?” The application is a three-part process. Beginning with the written portion, then a two-minute video submitted to explain the purposes and goals for the program and finishing with an interview with the Experience Institute team. Tuition for the program totals at $12,000. The expense covers housing during the
Fargo native, Joe Burgum, engages in collective learning.
EXPERIENCE INSTITUTE | PHOTO COURTESY
Students develop skills based on self-awareness, storytelling, operations, community building and design thinking.
EXPERIENCE INSTITUTE | PHOTO COURTESY
Chicago meetings and the coaching staff provided for each student. Travel and housing is not provided at each internship. However, a majority are paid and stipends can be negotiated. Burgum and Johnson were both members of the founding class, and found their way to Experience Institute through various routes. Burgum met program founder Victor Saad at the Misfit Conference in Fargo. After hearing the prospective details of the program, Burgum was on board.
In essence, Johnson heard through his friend circle about Saad’s “Leap Year Project” and had to decide between a traditional graduate program to which he had been accepted or taking a risk on the new school. When asked what each had gained after completing the program, both highlighted the relationships they had gained. “The people I met throughout the year were completely inspiring,” Johnson said. “You’re the average of the five people
you spend the most time with, and being constantly surrounded by people who challenge you and make you better was a huge gain.” Both former students also highlighted the confidence they took upon completing the program. Burgum’s confidence boost was portfolio and hire-ability based. “Upon entering EI, I wouldn’t have called myself a writer, at all. I wanted to be a writer, but I didn’t feel that I had the portfolio to back it up,” Johnson said. “After a year at EI, I had the confidence to call myself that – and to offer my skills to different companies.” The innovative and risk-taking elements of the program are better suited to creative fields, but Burgum noted it is applicable to anyone. “I don’t know if there’s a judgment value on better suited versus worse suited,” Burgum said. “I think it’s those willing to take education into their own hands.” Johnson expressed personal qualities that are better suited to an optimal Experience Institute venture. “People who are self-starting, people who have maybe started things in the past, who just need to be exposed to experts who have maybe done things that they are aspiring to,” Johnson said. “People who can easily learn and absorb from others.” He noted people who are lazy – or who need to be micromanaged – should avoid Experience Institute. There are notable benefits to the variety of skill sets applied, but having an open calendar for the sole purpose of learning and self-discovery was both exciting and nervewracking according to Johnson. Major drawbacks exist for those set on having namely universities in their portfolio. The program is not accredited and requires a bit of a backstory when explaining to future employers. Foreign students can experience complications with student visas, which is a considerable hindrance. In many ways, it is comparable to the European approach to their “gap year” during undergraduate studies. Spending time learning about passions and exploring curiosities while developing networks is a major benefit. “It’s a very guided, intentional learning time,” said Johnson. “It’s not like, go backpacking and get drunk in Australia.” With applications open until May 22, Experience Institute may be worth consideration for those open to taking education into their own hands.
NoDak Moment| I r o n S p i r i t s o f t h e P l a i n s Jack Dura
Spectrum Staff
Sprinkled across the Great Plains of North America are cultural creations found almost nowhere else in the world. Wrought-iron crosses are a form of folk art concentrated greatest in the cemeteries of central North Dakota – primarily in and near German-Russian communities. Germans from Russia brought the art of iron crosses, or eizenkreuzen, with them from abroad – establishing the tradition in prairie communities of the Great Plains. Prairie blacksmiths were known far and wide for their skills in constructing iron crosses, all of which are original works made by hand. Withstanding the prairie’s strong winds and harsh winters, the wrought-iron crosses are not susceptible to crumbling or erosion like stone monuments. Most iron crosses were constructed between the 1890s and 1930s until commercial manufacturing of gravestones made the tradition unpopular.
Since 1989, many wrought-iron crosses sites have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Such sites – mainly cemeteries near North Dakota cities like Hague, Zeeland, Mandan and Golden Valley – are still maintained and accessible to the public like any graveyard. What is most notable about the plains’ wrought-iron crosses is the personal touches added by the blacksmiths. Their designs and styles of ironwork are entirely unique. Though commercial gravestones began competing with the handmade crosses by 1900, the prairie blacksmiths began to develop intricate and often elaborate crosses to meet the challenge. By the 1940s, however, the tradition declined considerably, and today all of the original cross makers are gone. Cross making does continue to this day in many of the communities where it flourished, and thousands of examples of this folk art can still be found from Saskatchewan to Mexico and particularly in North Dakota.
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THE SPECTRUM | FEATURES | MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
While the feel of Woodstock is in the air, Coachella tackles an entirely different feel with music like AC/DC, Disclosure, Ratatat and other artists.
ELLE.COM | PHOTO COURTESY
FARGO FASHION
Amber Zolondek Staff Writer
The seemingly magical, weekend-long music festival Coachella is a street-style fanatic’s dream. From 1970s-themed attire to raver-esque fur boots and glow accessories, Coachella goers pull out all the stops when it comes to fashion and what their personal style is all about, as I’ve seen via Instagram posts and
bloggers aplenty. It brings me to wonder what exactly would I wear to Coachella. Seeing that it is in California under the blazing sun, I struggle to understand how so many layers could be worn in one day. The first thing likely found in my suitcase for Coachella would be hats, hats and more hats. Whether it be to protect myself from the beating sun or to keep me warm during chilly nights and acoustic sets, it is easy to see why they are the most popular accessory
among concert goers. Second, seeing that being in the hot sun all day may be less than ideal, I would suggest keeping ensembles simple yet dynamic. Tossing a romper or two into the mix would keep your suitcase and mind clear of matching pieces. Throw a fun crossbody bag into the mix with some bold jewelry, and the simplicity of the outfit will speak for itself. Lastly, at Coachella, the fashion is part of the culture alongside the art, the music
NYTIMES.COM | PHOTO COURTESY
Coachella Street Style
and the people. But having fun with it is what keeps things interesting. To keep the mix fun and fresh, I’d add Hawaiian shirts, kimonos and flannels to implement for layering and for at night when the temperature starts to drop. The point of Coachella is certainly not to strut on a runway, but festivalgoers certainly know that it is a safe haven for personal expression – whether it be through art, music or fashion.
DO YOU LIKE BUSINESS? Is it time to drop the books and get into the real world?
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Opinion
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
The student government office is located on the first floor of the Memorial Union and is always open to student concerns.
GABBY HARTZE | THE SPECTRUM
Student Government Offers Open Door Accessibility, transparency are ever-evolving works in progress
Caleb Werness Opinion Editor
Student government is here to serve the students of North Dakota State, and it wants to make that intention clear to all. Two weeks ago, I wrote a column about the need for transparency within student government – touching on the importance of accessibility. A few days ago I met again with student body president Sarah Russell to discuss what can be done and what is
currently being done.
Accessibility
To help ensure everyone is one the same page, student government is trying to emphasize use of the university calendar. Organizations looking to host an event of any sort must place it on the calendar for students. The university calendar is by no means new, but the idea is to have a stronger push for students to use it as a central guide. Doing so will help eliminate confusion and give all students who are not directly involved a clearer direction and accessibility. The door is always open in the student government office. Anyone with
concerns or questions can feel free to come in and discuss them. Those in government want to be accessible to the students they represent. I was not aware of this previously, but student senators have a mandatory outreach program – simply meaning senators must go out and engage with students and student organizations. This face-to-face service is important. Meeting someone in person and listening to them offers a sense of care and provides that desired accessibility.
Transparency
Transparency within student government is an ever-evolving process. To
help continue this drive for transparency, student government emails out the minutes of meetings. Anything discussed is openly accessible to NDSU students. The student body president also gives the State of the Students address once a year. Here the president provides information regarding what is happening on campus and in student government. The speech is given at the Bison Leader Awards once a year. If possible, I would still like to see this done once a semester to connect government executives with the student body. This year the Bison Leader Awards will be on
April 23 at 5 p.m. in the Great Plains room.
The Future
One of the future improvements I was most excited about hearing was implementing a filter for ListServ emails. I have been wishing for this since I was a freshman when the first barrage of ListServ emails hit my account. Students will be able to choose which content is pertinent to them and filter out the content that is not. I was always confused when I was asked to join the society of woman engineers. Soon this won’t be an issue. Student government is working to do its share, but it is a two-way street.
Students have to take initiative to get up and access what they have been given. The student government holds a lot of power over student fees and how they are dispersed. It is in every NDSU student’s interest to be knowledgable about what is going on. Improvements cannot be made to the student experience if the students don’t make the initiative. Student government is looking to extend its hand to students. It is time the students reached out in return to make NDSU an even better campus.
The Real Advantage of an NDSU Education
NDSU creates an environment that is conducive to networking, collaboration, efficient education
Lucas Schaaf Staff Writer
Many people outside the Midwest would struggle to recognize the logo of North Dakota State. However, in the past years North Dakota State has throttled itself into the national spotlight in both athletics and academics. We are enjoying more success in athletics than we have ever seen before. Our academic programs in various colleges are also drawing national interest. Our school is propelling into the next era by creating
an environment that sets NDSU on the global stage for athletics and academics alike. I had never seen this before, but it became evident when I was travelled to Chicago last week. People from Oklahoma, California, Tennessee and even Pennsylvania knew of and admired NDSU for our past achievements. These people, from large tier schools, knew and admired our school. That was a mind-blowing experience for myself as I always thought of NDSU as a down-home school in a
“Our school is propelling into the next era by creating an environment that sets NDSU on the global stage for athletics and academics alike.” virtually unknown state. This is another huge advantage of our school. The small-town feel of this school allows us to be successful on a national level but also allows us to be approachable and relatable to a large amount of people. I was talking to various employers in the past week,
and many were optimistic about our tremendous academic programs at NDSU. Employers were more than impressed about the work ethic and background of many students. Many firms often came back and recruited at NDSU after the quality of employees who were
performing better than other larger tier universities. Personally, some of the best qualities of NDSU for me was the large faculty to student ratio in my engineering program. This allowed me to excel above and beyond my typical skills as I had a large faculty behind me to push me to new heights. Many students at other universities would not have this opportunity to have an immense amount of faculty experience. All these reasons help place NDSU as one of the better colleges to go to in the Midwest for both
academics and athletics. Athletics is receiving national attention to help our athletes reach the next level by the mass amounts of media coverage our school receives. Academics is better than ever by creating a progressive environment focused on pushing students to reach their full potential and having an advantage on the other graduates in the industry. There has never been a bad day to be a Bison, but NDSU is getting better each and every day.
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THE SPECTRUM | OPINION | MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Gwyneth Paltrow Not Relatable Celebrity tries to budget a week of “food stamps” meals
New Page For Women
Female presidential bid shows just how far women have progressed
Denise Luttio
Contributing Writer
Amber Zolondek Staff Writer
I normally don’t carry a heavy amount of disgust or contempt for celebrities. This is unless they’re terrible human beings or absolutely unable to grasp the concept of real life. You know, the lookobsessed, overwhelmingly wealthy starlets who don’t understand why people don’t live like them. A prime example is Gwyneth Paltrow. For years, Paltrow has made the general public furrow their brows and question her touch with reality – from writing cookbooks that require supplies and ingredients far beyond any average family’s budget and revealing strict diets that are borderline starvation. Most recently making my eyes roll back was Paltrow’s latest Instagram post showing her ability to “live” off $29 of groceries for the week. Now, while that might be a humble reminder to most stars of what working class and other “real life” people live off of every day, it’s what Paltrow bought with her set budget. Pictured in her tweet, Paltrow apparently lives on seven limes, a dozen eggs, black beans, rice, tortillas, some kale, and a few other choice produce. She goes on to tweet “This is what $29 gets you at the grocery store – what families on SNAP (i.e. food stamps) have to live on for a week.” Sorry Gwenny, but I don’t think families of three or more would invest their time or food stamps on seven limes nor are they interested in kale or garnish. What is likely most infuriating to most people is how condescending Paltrow still sounds, even though this project was likely meant to bring a spoonful of humble pie to Paltrow’s paleo-patronizing mouth. TheFrisky.com cleared the air with a more well-rounded, “caloric” shopping list for those who are using SNAP benefits, seeing that their lives are likely more physical or laborious. • One five-pound bag of potatoes: $2, 1,800 calories • Two dozen eggs: $4, 1,700 calories • A five-pound bag of flash-frozen chicken breasts: $5, 2,400 calories • A block of cheese: $1.50, 900 calories • A gallon of whole milk: $2.50, 2,175 calories • 4 pounds of apples: $3, 950 calories • A 3-pound bag of oatmeal: $2.50, 900 calories • A bag of celery: $1, negligible calories • A 16-ounce jar of peanut butter: $2, 2,650 calories • A 15-ounce box of raisins: $2, 1,260 calories • A 1-pound bag of carrots: $1, 175 calories • A 28-ounce bag of rice: $1.50, 2,800 calories While it’s understandable that Gwyneth would have such a low-calorie shopping list given her “lifestyle,” the #FoodBankNYCChallenge is meant to be a way to educate and show others how SNAP works. It’s unfortunate that someone like Gwyneth Paltrow is taking something like a Food Bank campaign used for education and awareness and putting her ridiculous spin on it once again.
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As if it were really a surprise to anyone, Hillary Clinton has announced she is running for president. I am one happy feminist. There has been much speculation ever since Barack Obama beat her in the 2008 primaries, but she has kept quiet and succeeded in keeping all her supporters on the edges of their seats for years. Cue the hate mongering. I have already seen tons of anti-Hillary propaganda, and we aren’t even officially in election season. There are other posts floating around dogging Rand Paul and Ted Cruz but nothing quite like what Clinton is going to endure. We live in a unique time where women finally have the respect and backing
from a lot of people in America to be able to run for president, but they are still thought of as inferior to men by some. I think it’s important that we look at the gender gap that is sure to come to the forefront of the election. As the first woman to run for president, Clinton is going to be faced with new challenges her male counterparts won’t face. I have full faith that she will be able to brave the sexism and come out swinging. This isn’t even about the issues each candidate will stand for. They will each take their turn enduring criticism and full blown mockery from the media and each other, but I am specifically talking about the mockery Clinton will have to endure just for being a woman. I have already seen articles and posts about
women not knowing their place and how she is on a power trip. Why the disrespect? What is it based on? I am not a fan of Michele Bachmann or Sarah Palin, but I don’t like that they had to go through the same thing when they were in the public eye talking about the presidency. The massive amount of disrespect they got was completely unwarranted. Instead of attacking the positions they held on important issues, they were attacked for being women. They were labeled as “emotionally unstable” and “menopausal” among other ridiculous things. Women have enough problems trying to earn respect from men. On average, we still make 78 cents on the dollar to what men make for the
GG2.NET | PHOTO COURTESY
Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton recently announced her intent to campaign for presidency in 2016.
same work. Other countries have women presidents and other power positions. We are starting to fill that gap in our own legislation. But we still have a long way to go. Please, when you’re thinking about who to vote
for, look at the issues the candidates stand for and vote based on that instead of their gender. Let’s move America forward and show the world that we aren’t just a bunch of old, white men. We can be a leader in gender equality.
The Moving Pains of College Apartment Hopping ‘Spoiled’
Living one place during college is not likely
Rebecca Opp
Contributing Writer
Spring means moving season. You’re in the market for a new place and have been looking at apartments online. Unless you can afford to live by yourself, you might even be looking for a roommate. Maybe you haven’t started looking at all. If so, there’s still a chance you might find a nice room to rent on Craigslist. Okay, so maybe that’s a bit extreme. Plus, it isn’t always a good idea to rely on Craigslist. Moving is stressful enough without having to worry about living with total strangers. Although, that’s exactly what happens to the majority of college students who apply for campus housing. Since I started at North Dakota State, I’ve moved a grand total of four times. That’s four moves in three years. I’ve relocated for a variety of reasons. First, it was to live in a dorm,
then an apartment. Next, it was because I wanted to part with my less-thanconsiderate roommates. Then, I moved to be closer to campus. This summer, I am excited to say that I will be moving back into the dorms as a COAR Team member. At this point, I’d like to think I know a thing or two about moving. In reality, all I know is that moving is a giant pain. You have to pack all of your possessions into boxes and load those boxes into a car. It may involve multiple trips, and I probably don’t need to tell you how difficult it is to move furniture. However, I will point out that this difficulty is directly correlated to how many flights of stairs you have to maneuver. Just saying. If you’re lucky, you might have friends or family who are willing to help. For me, it seems like moving is inevitable. Even if I hadn’t been accepted as a member of COAR Team, another move would still be
The moving process is a tedious and often time consuming one.
TEAMSHOWGRIN.COM | PHOTO COURTESY
in my future. For each year that my current roommate has renewed the lease, rent has gone up. It’s almost like our rental company doesn’t want loyal tenants. This time though, I’m really going to miss my roommate and her little dog,
of time. Has anyone actually accomplished this? If so, what’s your secret? Moving is a hassle, but I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I had stayed in the same place. Change is a part of life, but maybe college students are just incapable of being content.
too. Even so, each move promises something new and exciting. I’ve often thought, is there anyone out there who can break my record? I’ve also wondered if it was possible for a college student to live in one place for an extended amount
8 MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Arts & Entertainment
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
Biggest Bang For No Buck
FM Symphony’s Urban Overture offers free wine tasting, music, mingling for all under 40
Jack Dura A&E Editor
JACK DURA | THE SPECTRUM
The Spring ’15 Baccalaureate Exhibition was installed last week for its presentation of senior art majors’ works until May 1.
Writer’s Choice: The Arts and Events of April Madelyn May Spectrum Staff
Monday: “Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter” This Monday will be an excellent time to drop by if you are in search of a new film that includes dark comedy, mystery and treasure buried near our very own city of Fargo. “Kukimo, The Treasure Hunter” shows at 4 p.m. Monday at the Fargo Theatre and runs for 105 minutes. Tickets are $6.25. The Fargo Theatre is at 314 Broadway N. Tuesday: Spring ‘15 Baccalaureate Exhibition From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the NDSU Department of Visual Arts and the Memorial Union Gallery will present an exhibition of visual arts created by the spring 2015 baccalaureate candidates. The ongoing display of work created by eight talented graduating NDSU Visual Arts students will be showcase their current projects to the NDSU campus. Admission to the gallery is free. Wednesday: FABO Fashion Show This year’s annual Fashion Apparel & Business Organization Fashion Show will take place at noon Wednesday. The theme of this year’s FABO Fashion Show is Fargo Fashion Week. The theme’s is brought to life with the help of local stores, boutiques and designs by the FABO students. The fashion show will take place in the Great Plains Ballroom, and freewill donations can be made to go toward the Frasier House. Thursday: Theatre NDSU presents “Lysistrata” Thursday is opening night for Theatre NDSU’s most recent production. The story delves into topics concerning sexuality and equality of woman displayed in a humorous and comical light. “Lysistrata” performances run for two weeks from April 23-25 and April 29-May 2 at 7:30 p.m. for all showings. The show takes place in Askanase Auditorium. Tickets are free for NDSU students with a valid ID and can be picked up at Reineke 107.
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When it comes to free events, the FargoMoorhead Symphony is about as good as it gets. Urban Overture, the symphony’s preconcert party, is free for all under 40, offering wine tasting, live music and mingling with people and performers at no charge. In its sixth year, the event happens the Wednesday before a Masterworks Series concert of the symphony, allowing 20- and 30-somethings to explore what the organization has to offer. Linda Boyd, the symphony’s executive director, said Urban Overture is a great entry point for anyone unacquainted with this style of live entertainment. “This is for folks who are really brand new to the whole notion of going to a symphony concert,” Boyd said, “and they just want to find a little bit of what it’s about and what to expect.” Urban Overture is also geared toward music lovers and F-M Symphony fans who wish to learn a little more about the upcoming concert program. Excerpts from the forthcoming Masterworks Series concert are presented by visiting guest soloists or symphony musicians, giving a centerpiece for the event, Boyd said. Half an hour of mixing and mingling takes place before a welcome by conductor Christopher Zimmerman, who introduces the night’s program. Wine samples are provided by Bernie’s Wines & Liquors and hors d’oeuvres by the Radisson Hotel Fargo, the event’s sponsor. Following the event’s program, attendees can mingle a bit more, try a little more wine and Urban Overture is over by 7 p.m. “It’s really informal, and it’s a chance to get to know the conductor up-close and personal,” Boyd said. Anyone interested in Urban Overture
URBAN OVERTURE | PHOTO COURTESY
The Fargo-Moorhead Symphony’s Urban Overture free events are offering wine tasting, music and a chance to meet conductor Christopher Zimmerman (pictured). can keep in touch about upcoming events and concert ticket discounts by signing up for such alerts on the symphony’s website. “The cool thing about Urban Overture is it is a free ... entity to belong to or register for,” Boyd said. “There’s no membership fee, but you get benefits.” Benefits include discounted tickets for $10 when tickets are usually priced at $35. Rush rates are also available for students half an hour before concerts, outings that Boyd said offers a “different date night.” “You get to go hear fabulous music. You can dress up if you want to, but you don’t have to,” she said. “Some people just are W casual ... Other people see it as a fun excuse to dress up ... Either way is perfectly fine for the concerts.” Urban Overture specifically targets those in their 20s and 30s, people in the “prime time” of exploring intense, different experiences, Boyd said, who noted the best
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thing of all about the symphony. “It’s one thing to go to a movie or one S thing to listen to music on a recording, but it really is a powerful experience to live a live performance,” Boyd said. “There’s nothing like live performance.”
$ ‘Farmland’ Puts Fresh Spin on Farming
Ag Weeks screens informative documentary Linda Norland Staff Writer
Last week was North Dakota State Ag Week, a time to celebrate this university’s agricultural roots, which can sometimes be forgotten as new disciplines grow and flourish. As part of Ag Week, the documentary “Farmland” was screened. For students going into agriculture or farming, this film rings true with their experiences and (possibly) futures. On the other hand, students from other disciplines get a look into a world with which they may or may not be very familiar. A fresh documentary with a unique angle, “Farmland” follows a group of farmers and ranchers in their 20s from around the country. Among others, there is Margaret Schlass, a first-generation communitysupported agriculture (or CSA) farmer from Philadelphia; Ryan Veldhuizen, a fourthgeneration hog farmer from Minnesota and Brad Bellah, a sixth-generation rancher from Texas. One of the strongest messages surrounds the stereotypes people have of farmers. From 1930s Depression-era depictions to classic American gothic paintings to country bumpkins, there are a lot of farming stereotypes out there this film seeks to break. “Farmland” is kind of a big public relations campaign for U.S. farmers and ranchers. It talks about the issues of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Each of the subjects has a different view on the matter, offering arguments and sympathy for both sides. There is also the question of what is organic compared to all-
CAROLINA THEATRE | PHOTO COURTESY
“Farmland” follows several 20-somethings in their daily lives as American agriculturalists. natural, something the federal government is in charge of, as well as pesticides and whether or not they are harmful. Both sides are represented, so in that way it seems very fair. The film also talks about the difficulties of farming, as well as the rewards. Some of the subjects have chosen it as a path after attending college, while others felt the pressure to take on the family business. There is feeling and emotion in their stories, tales of trial and loss and triumph. A whole range of stories are woven together, with people of all different economic levels and from different backgrounds. But they all have one thing in common: They are young and determined to keep alive a profession where the average age gets higher each year.
Here at NDSU, those of us who are not in an agriculture-focused discipline sometimes forget where this university got its start. Even if you are not planning on being a farmer, watching “Farmland” gives you insight into what your peers are doing and where your food comes from. Visually, this film shines. The scenes are beautiful and nostalgic as the camera pans through a field or follows a truck down a highway. The score is moderated and nice, and altogether this has all the elements for a classic documentary. Best of all, this film is available for everyone to watch at the moment. Those who would like to can stream it on Amazon or get the DVD from Netflix, as well as several other sources.
9
THE SPECTRUM | A&E | MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Downtown Fargo’s Plains Art Museum offers more than an art space and its gallery pieces.
FILE PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
Plains Art Museum Offers Unexpected Exhibit Museum offers visual art, view of downtown
Jennifer Fatz
Contributing Writer
The many-faceted Plains Art Museum offers more than one Fargoan may think. The museum’s first floor contains chatter and interaction as guests can receive information on the museum and upcoming events. They may find themselves sitting for a conversation in the café in the corner. Not only can art connoisseurs enjoy conversation about the exhibits, but they can expect a selection of speakers to engage with. The second floor shares its space with the most exhibits and pieces the museum offers like “Bakken Boom!” and Minnesotagrounded artist Julie Buffalohead’s exhibit
STUDY
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BREAK
This week’s puzzle and answers will be published through the study break link on The Spectrum’s homepage.
“Coyote Dreams.” Creative studios for visitors and members of the museum line the corners of the second floor along with employee offices. Walking up the stairs to the third floor provides a change of atmosphere for the art spectator as this floor provides a different exhibit. The third floor is mostly empty with two cubical walls filled with local works in the exhibit “Community: A Print Exchange.” A venue largely for the use of renting for weddings and conferences offers more than just an art space. This isolated floor provides spectators a chance to observe Fargo from three stories up. In fact, this view may be the most remarkable and unnamed exhibit the
Plains Art Museum has to bestow. The view delivers an interesting collection of buildings that make up the mosaic known as downtown Fargo. Whether an intention of this space is for that purpose or not, the scene from three different viewpoints lets onlookers see the true beauty and art downtown Fargo holds. A work of art that needs no artistic statement, the view of downtown lets the viewers develop their own interpretation. East of the museum, historical buildings line N.P. Avenue, while the west side shows views of the Quentin N. Burdick U.S. Courthouse and the peak of Barry Hall. W An unnamed exhibit that will continue to evolve with the expansion of downtown Fargo surely will have visitors returning for more.
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10
Sports
MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
The Spectrum
Sluggish Start Bison don’t have many bright spots thus far North Dakota State baseball has struggled to start the season, despite starting its home schedule.
Colton Pool Sports Editor
T h e only saving grace North D ak o t a S t a t e baseball has is that it just started playing at home. Even then, it’s hard to say that the Bison will finish anywhere close as they did last season. I’m not ruling out the possibility of a late run, especially because two of their remaining 20 games will be played at home. Obviously, this makes
Taylor Kurth Staff Writer
Baseball The North Dakota State Bison had a tough going in Brookings, S.D., and Minnesota on a Midwest swing. They took on the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in Brookings and the Minnesota Gophers in Minneapolis. They were swept by both teams, four games to zero. In the series opener against SDSU, the Bison lost 5-2. David Ernst made his 46th career start, which made him the Bison’s alltime leader in starts. Ernst took his seventh loss of the year. He pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs. Center fielder Zach Coppola went 3-for-5 from the plate with two runs scored. In the second game, the
FILE PHOTO | THE SPECTRUM
things a lot easier for the Bison when they don’t have to travel across the country just to play a couple games and then come back and crank out missed school assignments. But college will only get harder and Summit League teams aren’t going to get worse. This team had a ton of high hopes at the beginning of this season. David Ernst said he wanted to make sure NDSU (8-22, 3-12 Summit League) wouldn’t get complacent after winning the Summit League championship last year and losing to No. 2-ranked Oregon State by a single
run in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Tod Brown has been with the program long enough to make fixes when he needs to. Look no further than last year when the team got off to an awfully sluggish start, especially before conference games. Somehow, someway, the Bison turned it around just enough to find themselves with the No. 4 seed in the Summit League championship. And they did just enough to get into the championship game, where they demolished Fort Wayne. But this is a different team – as proven by the
miserable record NDSU has recorded up until this point. The Bison’s eight wins aren’t even something to necessarily marvel at. In non-conference play, the Bison have five wins, three against Northern Colorado during the same weekend, two of which were close games. The Bison also have a decent 5-0 win against Kansas and a 9-1 victory over Dakota (S.D.) State. That’s one decent win paired with a triumph over a team that’s three divisions lower than you. Congratulations. In their Summit League schedule, the Bison have three measly wins against three different conference
opponents, but the Bison have lost more games to those teams than they have won. Once again, kudos to you. So what’s the problem? I think the first thing that needs to turn around is NDSU’s pitching. Jay Flaa has been solid this year thus far. In 31 innings pitched, he has a 2.84 ERA and has only allowed 17 total hits. Ernst and Trent Keefer, on the other hand, need to step it up for their team’s sake. Ernst has pitched the most innings of any other Bison pitcher and has a 6.26 ERA in 46 innings of work. Keefer has the worst Bison ERA with 6.37 over
41 innings. For NDSU’s lineup, Ben Petersen has led NDSU with a solid .364 batting average with a .505 slugging percentage in nearly 100 plate appearances. However, only two other batters have a .275 average or better this season. It’s not like NDSU’s losses are mostly even close. Of its 22 dropped games, 14 were decided by three runs or more. At this pace, the Bison will be incredibly lucky to make the postseason again. To the team, I challenge you to prove me wrong. In fact, I hope you do. But I doubt you will.
Jackrabbits won 5-4. After taking a lead early on after a Ben Petersen home run, the Bison would find themselves behind 4-1. Juan Gamez did his best to keep them in it, driving in three more runs, including a two-run blast in the eighth. However, it was not enough. Reed Pfannenstein took his fifth loss of the year. He went four innings, struck out three, surrendered two earned runs and three runs total. In the finale against SDSU, the Jacks dominated the entire game. They led from the first inning on and hit four home runs. Trent Keefer took his fourth loss of the year in three innings of work. He surrendered five earned runs. Shortstop J.D. Larimer went 2-for-4 with a run scored and outfielder Paul Funk had three RBI. The Jacks scored in each of the
first five innings before opening the flood gates in the seventh and scoring five more. In their lone game against the Gophers, the Bison lost by a score of 13-5. The Bison were bombarded by a barrage of base hits by the blazing bats of the Gophers. NDSU drew blood first in the the top of the third. Ben Petersen singled up the middle and Paul Funk scored. The lead would be short lasted because in the bottom of the frame, the Gophers turned the notch up. The Gophers sprayed seven hits over the field and scored six sizzling runs in the third. They would add another in the fourth. The Bison tried to rally in the fifth, as they scored four runs to cut the deficit to 7-5. The first three runs came off of a blast by Petersen. Then, just two batters later, John
Skrbec sent a jolt down the left field line for the second Bison home run of the inning. The Bison would not score for the rest of the game. The Gophers added an insurance run in the sixth before putting up five more in the seventh. Blake Stockert had a forgettable appearance. He allowed six runs and seven hits while only recording one out. Petersen continued his great season as he went 3-for4 with four RBI and a run scored. Petersen is now hitting .364 this year with three home runs. Track and Field Men’s The NDSU track and field team traveled to Lincoln, Neb., and won three events. Freshman Landon Jochim won his second straight 400-meter dash, as he ran it in 47.98 seconds.
Then, later on in the meet, he placed sixth in the 200-meter dash. He ran that in 21.58 seconds. That’s the second fastest time in the last 11 years for the Bison. The 1,600-meter relay team of Matt Bedard, Wesley DeLong, Aron Klos and Daniel Asa won the event. They ran it in 3 minutes, 19.43 seconds. Sophomore Alex Renner broke his own school record in the shot put. He added an incredible 18 inches onto his record. He threw a 59 feet, 01.50 inches that placed him second. He is now in the top 40 in the nation this year in the event. Renner also tossed a career-best throw in the hammer throw with an 183-5. That is now seventh all-time in NDSU history. Renner went on to win the Summit League Player of the Week award for his performance. Senior Trevor Berner
finished third in the hammer throw. He tossed a 186-2. Women’s NDSU sophomore Katelyn Weimerskirch won the hammer throw in the women’s track and field meet with a 187-2. She was the leader of an Olympic style sweep for the Bison. Senior Emily Lesser placed second and Courtney Pasiowitz placed third. Weimerskirch also took second in the discus, as she tossed a 169-2. Lesser took first by shattering the field in the shot put by over three feet. She threw a 52-09.25 in the event to break her own school record. That moves her to ninth overall in the nation. Lesser went on to win the Summit League Player of the Week Award for her performance. Freshman Alyssa Olin finished third in the javelin. She tossed a 150-0.
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THE SPECTRUM | SPORTS | MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Sarah Storandt provides a veteran presence for the Bison women’s golf team.
DENNIS HUBBARD | PHOTO COURTESY
The Steady Senior Leader
Math education major wants to minimize score on the golf course, not in the classroom
Pace Maier
Spectrum Staff
Sarah Storandt has played 115 collegiate rounds of golf for North Dakota State and this season isn’t over just yet. Add what she did last summer and you’ll have more respect for golfers who walk each round. “Last summer I played a 100 holes of golf (and) raised money for charity,” the Bison senior golfer said. The event was played at Meadows Golf Course
in Moorhead where the women’s golf team practices. Practicing is a top priority for Storandt, who came into the NDSU golf program and instantly became an impact golfer as a freshman. The Moorhead native improved her stroke average by about three strokes every year she has been at NDSU. Freshman golfer Natalie Roth said from the perspective of a first-year student athlete, Storandt achieved success right out of the gate. “She’s a very great
“For the team, I hope we win the conference. I think we have a good shot this year. For me, I just want to contribute to the team.” - Sarah Storandt, Bison senior golfer leader – she definitely set the bar high for what freshmen want to achieve,” Roth said. “Her whole story of her coming in as a freshman and improving so much, because she’s improved tremendously over the years that she has been at NDSU.” This season, Storandt has found herself in the No.
2 spot for the Bison with a season average of 76.79 and has recorded the lowest round for the team thus far with a five-under-par 67 at the second invitational of the season. And she doesn’t do anything flashy. She just golfs her game and she said she doesn’t do anything
different this year than what she did last year. She just leads by example. Bison head coach Matt Johnson said Storandt works hard at the task at hand. “She’s just been someone who works super hard to get where she’s at,” Johnson said. And Johnson said the team is getting better every round, but the competition continues to get even better. “For the team, I hope we win the conference. I think we have a good shot this year,” Storandt said about
the team’s goals. “For me, I just want to contribute to the team.” If Storandt and the other golfers can stay consistent, NDSU will have a shot at the conference title when that time rolls around. Storandt, who is a little bit of a jokester, said the team is saving their best golf for the end of the season. “In general, our scores haven’t been fantastic, but they have been pretty good,” Storandt said with a smile. “We are just kind of saving it for conference. That’s what I keep telling coach.”
GRAB GRADUATION BY THE HORNS
20TH ANNUAL
WEDNESDAY APRIL 22, 2015 3-5 P.M. NDSU MCGOVERN ALUMNI CENTER All 2015 (spring/summer/fall) NDSU graduating seniors are invited; student ID is required.
• Free grill-out from NDSU Dining • Free T-shirt (limit one per person, while supplies last) • Door prizes, including a tile from the McGovern Alumni Center • Free Dippin’ Dots from NDSU Career Center • Inflatable games by Games Galore • Photo booth
www.bisonambassadors.com Sponsored by NDSU Dining, NDSU Development Foundation and Alumni Association, NDSU Career Center, NDSU McGovern Alumni Center, Bison Ambassadors, Games Galore
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THE SPECTRUM | NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015
Ben Peterson and the NDSU baseball team went 1-2 over the weekend against Oral Roberts, dropping its record to 9-24 overall.
GABBY HARTZE | THE SPECTRUM
The Struggles Continue for Bison Baseball Oral Roberts beats NDSU, keeping the Bison on a losing streak Pace Maier
Spectrum Staff
John Skrbec hit his fifth home run of the season Saturday against Oral Roberts as the Golden Flashes beat the Bison 5-3 at Newman Outdoor Field. With zero outs in the bottom of the fourth inning Skrbec belted a two-run homerun over the left field fence that pegged the scoreboard. However, his
teammates couldn’t follow up his act trailing 4-3 later on in the inning. The Golden Flashes started off hot scoring one or more runs in the first three innings to take the early 4-1 lead and in the ninth inning ORU picked up their fifth and final run of the first game of a double header. After the fourth inning the Bison were unable to cross home plate. The last place team in the Summit League had runners in
scoring position during the bottom of the ninth, but couldn’t rally for the win. JD Larimer was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning, two batters later Bison catcher Juan Gomez singled to left field advancing Larimer. With two outs and a man on first and third Brayden Resch stepped up to the plate and grounded out out back to the ORU pitcher to end the game. Skrbec and Paul Funk
finished 1-for-3 and both combined for three runs batted in for North Dakota State. Unable to pick up his first win of the year, Reed Pfannenstein was the losing pitcher moving his record for 0-6 on the season. The Bison sophomore gave up three earned runs in three innings pitched with three strikeouts. Even though the Bison take another loss to their record the pitching was solid
throughout the whole game. Junior Brian VanderWoude pitched five and two-thirds innings for the Bison and had a teamhigh seven strikeouts in the game. He only gave up one earned run, but allowed six hits and the Golden Flashes finished the game with nine hits and gave up five. Xavier Altamirano earned the win for the Golden Flashes improving his record to 4-1 on the year. His teammate Anthony
Sequeira picked up his fifth save of the season. The Golden Flashes were led by right fielder Noah Cummings who walked twice and had two RBIs. At the plate he was 1-for-3 and his teammates Chase Stafford and Derrian James finished with two hits. The Bison are set to play five games this week including one against instate rival North Dakota.
Watch The Spring Game at Chubs! April 25th $3.25 Pounders $2.95 Icehole Karaoke p.m. - Close
Bar Specials Monday’s Big Mug Night - 34oz $3.95 Refills Tuesday’s $2.50 U Call It ($3.50 Top Shelf ) Wednesday’s Happy Hour 4p.m. - Close Icehole Shots $2.95 Thursday’s $1.00 Tap Night Icehole & Fireball $2.95
Thursday Nights $1.00 Tap Beers 8 pm - Close
Friday’s Beer & A Bump Night Get A Domestic Beer & A Shot For $7.00 Teas & Stumplifters- $2.95