Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
Vol. 128, Issue 20
THE DAILY
ELECTION EDITION
of the University of Washington | since 1891 | dailyuw.com
S M A E R D “BIG ” ! H T E B A Z I L REQUIRE E
! e m r o f s t h g “Fi ” ! u o y r o f s t h Fig
NEWS PAGE 2
From Red Square to the Oval Office Students rally behind candidates OPINION PAGE 4
EDITORIAL: This election, students must vote progressive OPINION PAGE 5
Queer students of color are rooting for Sanders
, N E H T S A W “ NOT NOW!”
NEWS What happens if your study abroad program is canceled
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
By Hope Morris The Daily Students enrolled in UW Study Abroad programs are finding their plans changed or altered due to the ongoing coronavirus epidemic. All current and departing programs in Italy were suspended until further notice Saturday. Official travel to China has been restricted, and South Korea is on a travel waiver basis. “The health and safety of the students is our foremost concern,” study abroad director Wolfram Latsch said in an information session Friday before the Italy announcement. Latsch indicated that the study abroad office makes and adjusts its decisions based on warnings that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of State release. “We are literally on this 24/7,” Latsch said. Late Friday, the CDC raised the travel advisory for Italy to a level 3 warning, telling Americans to avoid unessential travel as the country is facing an outbreak of more than 1,100
cases of the virus. The UW will refund only those programs, like Italy, with official program-wide cancellations and select emergency withdrawals made by individual students. According to Mike Renes, program manager for partner and exchange programs, these refunds include fees that the UW has control over and the UW Study Abroad Insurance. Personal expenses such as plane tickets are on the student’s wallet. Emergency withdrawals are made by the student and, if approved, can return most fees back before an official cancellation. Latsch and Renes indicated that these withdrawals have to warrant a justified emergency in the eyes of the study abroad office, such as travel to high warning areas like South Korea and Italy. For example, students traveling in Austria might feel threatened by their proximity to Italy but would not be entitled to a full refund unless their country-specific situation changes. “Simply telling students to go
home can have serious financial implications,” Latsch said. The situation becomes more complicated if sudden changes were to happen while abroad. UW Student Abroad Insurance, which all students must purchase before departing, covers medical expenses and emergency evacuations if students become infected or if their area becomes dangerous. Re-entry and return policies vary by country. The United States has so far imposed restrictions on immigrants coming from China. “We’re relying on students to know their own situation,” Daniel Brencic, global travel security manager, said. He pointed to Singapore’s policy against admitting any Chinese nationals into the country, even if they have not been to China recently. However, there are ways students can prepare for any possible changes. Addressing student concerns over class spots, Renes said that outgoing students can work with the study abroad office to enroll in spring quarter classes
File Photo in the case that their program is canceled. If they do end up going abroad, those credits would need to be canceled so the student does not get charged. Students whose study abroad courses are interrupted will have a way to complete their credits, whether remotely or otherwise. “Both in and outside of the context of the virus, we want to support international travel,”
Brencic said. More information about the novel coronavirus can be found here and updates to study abroad programs are posted here. Reach reporter Hope Morris at news@dailyuw.com Twitter: @hopexmorris
Student groups making last-ditch effort for presidential candidates ahead of primary Sen. Bernie Sanders wins Young Dems endorsement
Hannah Morris The Daily
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, center, engaging with UW students at a Bernie Sanders rally and asking them to think about what policies matter most to their peers. By Hannah Krieg The Daily Though there was no assigned seating at the Young Democrats’ candidate endorsement night, the students stayed in their own little pockets — Students for Warren, Students for Bernie, and a lone representative from Students for Pete, all keeping a safe distance. The groups, as well as a stray Tulsi Gabbard supporter, spoke in alphabetical order, with tongue-in-cheek apologies issued to the Warren supporters who were surprisingly second to last due to an impromptu — and potentially ironic — call to endorse former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Devon Sheehan took the floor dressed in a gray Pete for President crew neck with a collared shirt poking out from underneath. The crew neck will probably retire to a permanent hanger in her closet with the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor dropping out of the race Sunday.
Students for Pete, while small enough to keep its main form of communication over Snapchat group chat, functions similarly to the larger groups on campus. “We try our best to have ‘Pete ups’ which is our word for meetups because we’re cute,” Sheehan, the group president, said. “We do phone banking, we have worked with Young Democrats in the past to do debate watch parties, and hopefully we’ll be canvassing soon.” Students for Pete is still in its infancy, but the general support for Buttigieg at the UW extends beyond the unofficial student organization. “[Buttigieg] doesn’t take huge steps to the left, but I don’t think that’s a direction we can go in right now — the stakes are too high,” Kyle Romanoff, a supporter outside of the club who attended the endorsement night, said. “We’re up against Donald Trump, the most disastrous president in history. We need to take an approach
that has broad appeal.” When Sheehan presented her case for Buttigieg, she was met with no shortage of questions, some critical of her more moderate candidate. “Just because I support a candidate that doesn’t agree with absolutely everything I agree with, doesn’t mean he’s a bad candidate,” Sheehan said earlier in an interview. “It’s not all about me, it’s about including everybody.” Students for Bernie might be the opposite of Students for Pete — huge, firmly established, and not at all concerned with a broad, moderate appeal. “Our first event was in October,” Students for Bernie president Logan Jarrell said. “It was a debate watch party in my apartment which was kind of embarrassing. There were officially five members in our organization because you need five officers to start a student organization.” The group now has more than 200 members, Jarrell said.
As the primaries draw closer, student support at the UW for Sen. Bernie Sanders is rapidly increasing. At the endorsement night, Jarrell said the club had gained 50 members in a week thanks to their efforts in tabling and student events that featured guests like Washington state field director and failed Seattle City Council candidate Shaun Scott and Rep. Pramila Jayapal. Sanders has clearly made an impression on the students that support him. “As students, we have the most to lose,” Jarrell said. Unsurprisingly, many students on a college campus are interested in the guy who says he’s picking up the tuition bill. His “College for All” plan would make public higher education tuition-free and cancel all student loan debt. “I’m a working-class American,” freshman Marshall Bender said while tabling in the Quad. “I will have debt after I finish college. I believe in a $15 minimum wage, I believe in stronger unions, and workers’ rights, and I believe in free college because education is a right and not a privilege and this country should not be owned by the wealthy. It should be owned by the working-class Americans.” Free college and student loan forgiveness were common themes among the three groups. “[Warren’s] plan to cancel student loan debt is definitely like my favorite thing,” Students for Warren president Michael Koeger said. In addition to their four officers, Students for Warren has about eight to 10 regular members. They host frequent meetings that focus on taking an in-depth look at a specific Warren policy to inform voter’s decisions and help club members have more insightful conversations while tabling on campus. This methodical approach is reflective of the club’s favorite attributes of Warren, whose “I’ve got a plan for that” has become a rallying cry for her supporters.
“I think that she cares about every single issue,” Jackie Dayes, a Students for Warren officer, said. “A lot of candidates have their main issue they focus on, but she reaches all around the board and she has a plan for literally everything.” Though Students for Warren is not nearly the size of the Students for Bernie, Young Democrats Vice President Moriah Draper had a hunch that the endorsement had the potential to go to either of the progressives. And while the clubs kept huddled within their respective groups on endorsement night, when Sheehan shared her deeply personal reasons behind her support of Buttigieg, an officer from Students for Warren rose his hand and asked the crowd to join him in applause. “I think that there’s an unspoken mutual agreement that [supporters] need to be more together and more cohesive and less divided,” Dayes said. “We all know we need to unite rather than hate each other.” Young Democrat members who had attended at least three meetings were invited to vote on an anonymous paper ballot by ranked choice. After passing a motion to endorse by majority rather than super majority, the Young Democrats president called for a drumroll and announced Sanders the winner of their endorsement. The students broke ranks to finally intermingle, not a sore loser in the crowd. “We really try to show ourselves as a place for all Democrats,” Draper said. “We all have different ideas of how we can make our country better, how we need to move forward, but we are all centered around the idea that we need to move more left.” Reach reporter Hannah Krieg at news@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @Hannah_krieg
SCIENCE
The Daily Science// 3
The many brains of an octopus By Akanksha Mishra The Daily An octopus has two-thirds of its brain cells in its suckers — suction cups along its arms that help in catching prey and moving around. This enables the octopus to process information locally and allows the arms to work independent of the brain. Researchers at the Gire Lab at the UW are attempting to understand the unique process of decision making in octopuses. Each sucker behaves as if it has its own brain. For example, once a task — say, “grasping” — is selected, the suckers analyze mechanical and chemical information from the environment and decide on the specifics of the arm movement, like where to bend and by how much. “The brain will tell the arm that it needs to bend, and suckers share information from the environment with each other to decide on exactly where the arm should bend,” David Gire, an assistant professor in the department of psychology, said. The brain and the suckers manage different stages of decision-making. However,
suckers first engage in examining an object and only then the signal is sent to the brain. Cephalopods, like the octopus and the squid, have a tremendously soft or flexible body, owing to a lack of a skeletal system. While this has certain evolutionary advantages, such as the ability to fit into tiny crevices to find food or protection, that is too much mechanical information to process. Thus, octopuses developed this unique method of processing information to prevent overloading the brain with information. “The brain would be overloaded if it needed to understand the shape of all the arms all at once, so the brain has offloaded a great deal of computation into its arms and suckers,” Dominic Sivitilli, a Ph.D. student in behavioral neuroscience and astrobiology, said. By determining the relevance of information locally, the brain is freed up to focus only on the most relevant information. “The more suckers that are engaged with an object, the more the brain will be aware of it, and the more influence the suckers will have over the
decision making of the brain,” Sivitilli said. Additionally, a decentralized nervous system also increases the range of information that can be gathered. To observe the octopuses’ process of decision making, Gire and his team filmed captive octopuses as they were exposed to new objects. “They are strangely familiar in their curiosity … the way they explore their environment or the way they interact with novelty,” Sivitilli said. Often, the octopuses try to grab or crawl away with a new object. Currently, Sivitilli is hoping to understand the strategies the octopus uses to coordinate its multiple, soft, computationally complex limbs. According to Gire, the UW offers the best location for an octopus neuroscience lab because of the availability of local species from the Puget Sound, UW collaborations with and access to the Friday Harbor Laboratories, and a marine research facility on San Juan Island. Reach reporter Akanksha Mishra at science@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @Akanksha_2200
Paige Gedicke @bigbluebirb
How August Mikkelsen is expanding our understanding of mixed phase clouds
By Jax Morgan The Daily The phenomenon of mixed phase clouds continues to be a topic of inquiry within the atmospheric science community, as many details about their formation remain to be fully understood. Breaking new ground in the study of mixed phase clouds is August Mikkelsen, a junior majoring in atmospheric sciences who has been tackling mixed phase clouds head-on for the past several months. Early on, Mikkelsen recognized the importance of getting involved in research for gaining experience that would expose him to the type of work demanded in a doctoral program and a future career in research. Last year, he signed on to a project that led to his present research on mixed phase clouds. Utilizing a high-resolution
instrument known as a Raman Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) in conjunction with the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), Mikkelsen observes a region of the Azores archipelago, detecting clouds to determine the fractions of ice and water within them. When Mikkelsen first got involved in the project, he was tasked with observing various types of clouds using the Raman LIDAR. He soon saw that at below 5 km, the clouds he was observing were much lower than one would expect of ice clouds, and also observed liquid clouds above them. These observations then put him on the path of pursuing the study of mixed phase clouds more specifically. In describing his research, Mikkelsen explained that the angle of his work is less about proving an individual point and more about “proving that there are these kinds of clouds here and trying to find patterns when they’re there.” Mikkelsen’s immersion in cloud research has not only solidified his ambition to pursue a doctorate and research as a
career but has also served as an enjoyable outlet during his time as an undergraduate. “I really, really like what I do and when classes are frustrating, I have this thing that’s very fulfilling,” Mikkelsen said. “To me, there’s nothing more fulfilling than making a novel contribution to humanity’s sum total of knowledge which I feel a published paper represents.” When it comes to Mikkelsen’s impact through research, his work will provide insights that have the potential to dramatically expand the knowledge scientists have about mixed phase clouds. “I think that by studying these patterns that are unusual with these very high-resolution, high-confidence instruments, I can contribute a stepping stone toward being able to define mixed-phase clouds and in turn make better forecasts and better climate predictions down the road,” Mikkelsen said. “I think this is the biggest contribution that my project could have.” Reach reporter Jax Morgan at science@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @jaxbmorgan
Democratizing carpentry UW computer scientists innovate the future of woodworking
By Anh Nguyen The Daily For centuries, people have relied on carpenters to get their furniture made, but a group of researchers from the College of Engineering built a computer program that allows everyone to be their own carpenter. “Carpentry Compiler” is a digital tool that helps users design their own wooden objects. Based on the structure of the design, the compiler gives the user the best instructions on how to build the product from scratch. The research was led by assistant professor of computer science Adriana Schulz, fifth-year graduate student Chandrakana Nandi, and their team from the departments of computer science and mechanical engineering. Schulz said that the hardest aspect of woodworking is figuring out how to turn a design into a 3D product. While one project may have “millions of solutions,” the optimal one saves material, saves time, and measures accurately. The role of the Carpentry Compiler is to find the best construction method for the user, but the process has proved to be “computationally very expensive” because of the multidimensional space that it operates in. In essence, the system has to compute how viable each solution is and compare it with the other millions. “There are so many decisions and different layers to choose from,” Schultz said. “The space is very large … it would take a lot of machine power to figure that out.” To illustrate the process, Nandi gave an example of building a chair. The maker first draws the model on the compiler’s interface, which then takes the drawing and writes a guideline on how the chair is made. However, if the maker doesn’t have enough tools, the system has to compute a new set of solutions that meet these constraints. “Maybe you only have a chop saw, or a jigsaw, or a
table saw,” Nandi said. “There are lots of constraints that you have to take into consideration when you are producing the instructions. Solving all those constraints is a challenging problem.” But how does the compiler convert a drawing to a guideline? Nandi said the technology behind the “magic” is the “Hardware Extensible Languages for Manufacturing” (HELM), which includes two languages that bridge design and manufacturing: a highlevel language for design allowing designers to focus on the visual construction and a low-level language for the fabrication, giving step-bystep instructions of the most optimal process. “In the high-level language, we mean something that is very abstract, so it hides a lot of the details from the person who is writing in this language,” Nandi said. “In traditional computer science, you can imagine Java being the high-level language.” Schulz said that HELM is what makes the system a “breakthrough” because the technology can be extended to other materials, such as metal or foam. In the future, she envisions that HELM not only democratizes woodworking, but also other fabrication processes. Looking forward, the researchers hope that Carpentry Compiler can empower the next generation of makers to create novel woodwork projects. Students can design furniture for their dorm; hobbyists can build their dream house; people with disabilities can build devices that fit their mobility. “The idea is that anyone has the potential to create anything, no matter where they’re from or what kind of special needs they have,” Schulz said. “Empowering more people to design and create can have a fundamental change in this world. We can make it more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable.” Reach reporter Anh Nguyen at science@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @thedailyanh
Courtesy of Chandrakana Nandi
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
OPINION
The Daily Opinion // 5
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
The Washington state 2020 primary election is happening March 10. In preparation for voting, opinion staff writers offer their thoughts on why or why not to support popular candidates in the race.
Biden was then, not now By Andre Lawes Menchavez The Daily Milo Nguyen @silverkoolaid
The rise and fall of Klobuchar By Priya Sarma The Daily Klobuchar has been dubbed as the Democratic Party’s best bet by papers and political pundits. She is a Midwestern woman who knows how to tell it like it is, and a centrist who can unify the party. She can win the election and take the base who voted for Trump. But one glaring problem with Klobuchar is being ignored: she isn’t able to attract young voters or voters of color. She might appeal to white voters who are older, but when Klobuchar makes an effort to relate to all people, she connects with Hispanic voters by introducing herself as “Elena,” which was her fourth-grade Spanish name. Out in public, she’s lovable and caring, but behind the closed doors of her office, she is a terror as a boss. Elena’s Midwestern charisma is nothing but an act. To wrap all of it up, she’s a hypocrite.
She says “I can’t stand big money in politics” and yet, one of her largest funders/ supporters is Cargill. Her ties to the big agricultural company are undeniable. So what surprises me is how this “neutral/centrist” image of her is disseminated. Klobuchar does not bring any solid plan to the table except her smirk and holier than thou attitude, all hidden behind a style of delivering nastiness with a smile. Do yourself a favor, don’t vote for Klobuchar. Reach writer Priya Sarma at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @ Priyayasarma
Big dreams require Warren By Lydia Ely The Daily I am sick of growing inequality. I am sick of a government that does nothing to combat climate change. I am sick of being sick and not being able to afford healthcare. But most of all, I am sick of being afraid, and that is why I am voting for Elizabeth Warren on March 10. We are at a moment of stifling political uncertainty. Democrats’ only path forward is a candidate who will unite the party with lofty goals and the work ethic to back them up. And damn, Warren has a plan for just about everything. Democrats need to nominate a candidate who will be ruthless and tenacious in the campaign against President Trump. Sen. Warren’s debate performances have shown laser-focused brutality that will readily shut down Trump’s attempts to distract and fluster. To win a general election, we need a candidate who motivates both the far left and the moderate Democrats. Warren may stand at third in dedicated electors, but 93% of the country’s delegates have yet to
be awarded. As candidates drop out, Warren’s strong standing as the second choice among voters sets her as the candidate that not only appeals to her own base, but to every other candidates’ voters as well. What I’m really asking you to do here is take that leap of faith. Progressive legislation on topics like immigration, healthcare, climate change, and more, are well within reach. Remember, big dreams require hard work, and Elizabeth Warren is ready to do it. Reach Photo Editor Lydia Ely at opinion@dailyuw.com Twitter: @lydiaellene
Editorial By The Daily Editorial Board As students, this upcoming election can dictate so many parts of our future; we, in particular, need to be paying attention. Electing a candidate who will ensure change for the better instead of one who will maintain the status quo is essential. On March 10, The Daily encourages everyone to cast their votes, and know what voting for their candidate, as a college student, means. Regardless of which candidate ends up winning the Democratic nomination, this person must be fit to be America’s leader, not just fit to campaign. The Daily believes that a progressive candidate is going to be this person. Our staff was divided between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; however, Sen. Sanders narrowly won the newsroom vote.
Sen. Sanders has been consistent with his messaging since he first ran for the presidential seat in 2016. He has been supportive of LGBTQIA+ rights and gender equality from early on in his political career. Sanders is supportive of the Green New Deal and Medicare for All — just a few of the many equitable initiatives his campaign backs. President Donald Trump has perpetuated a culture where racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia are tolerated. Having someone more progressive at the head of our country will hopefully deplatform this type of bigotry. We must also pay attention to each candidate’s position on higher education funding and student loan forgiveness. Sanders is in favor of free college and canceling existing student debt, but Biden’s plan relies heavily on community
I was a Biden supporter during the 2016 primaries. Four years later, I strongly believe that a Biden presidency is something that was needed then, not now. In 2016, we were making progressive steps toward achieving equity for various communities and issues in our country. The last four years, however, have set us back immensely, leaving this country in need of dire change in 2020. We need a candidate who can uplift a movement to bring a new set of young voters into the political conversation, ignite social movements for progressive change, challenge and reconstruct the systems of power and privilege that dominate this country, and rebuild the post-Trump America. Biden is not adequate enough for this challenge. We need someone to rebuild this country, not manage its current condition. Biden uses false appeals of progressive change that can rebuild this country, especially in debates when he latches himself onto former President Obama’s progressive legislation.
However, when Obama’s faults are brought up, Biden is suddenly no longer joined at Obama’s hip. We often hear Biden’s name in tandem with “electability.” However, if we’re going to talk about electability, let’s at least have a candidate with proper debate preparation and skills to take on the orange man in office if given the nomination. We need a candidate with a strong stance on the issues, the grit to withstand any punches thrown their way, and the charisma capable of sparking passion in the next generation of voters. Biden was a great fit in 2016, but in 2020, he may be what gives us a Trump reelection.
Sanders having to explain M4A, again. ‘Yes Senator Warren, we know you have a plan.’
“Let me be clear, I’ve done the math, and I have a plan.”
Joe Biden feels like the only one who keeps getting cut off.
Reach writer Andre Lawes Menchavez at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @itsjustdrey
Sanders fights for me, and he Fights for you By Tatum Lindquist The Daily Everyone deserves the basic human rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, this idealized and capitalistic society hinders these rights because corporations’ profits too often take priority over workers’ rights, affordable healthcare, and equality for all. Coming into the first election where I can vote, I know America needs a candidate strong enough to stand against white-collar manipulation and reprioritize our rights. For me, that candidate is Bernie Sanders. Sen. Sanders has been fighting for me since before I was born. He’s fought for me the countless times he’s defended the LGBTQIA+ community and every time he’s advanced economic equality for women. Now, he continues to fight for me as he works to become the president he always envisioned. Sanders’ consistency in his politics is unseen across other democratic
candidates, and his dedication to improving the lives of millions of Americans is unparalleled. Sanders is also one of the few candidates who consistently beats Trump in national polls. Not only does this country need a candidate who fights for its citizens, but a candidate who can win for them. I’ll be voting for Bernie Sanders. He fights for me, and he fights for you. Join this movement of the workingclass, the disenfranchised, the formerly unheard, and be heard. Don’t stand for silence. Reach writer Tatum Lindquist at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @TatumLindquist
Our choice for college students is Sanders colleges. Klobuchar is focused on reducing tuition costs, while Warren, like Sanders, plans to cancel student loan debt and make college universally free. Beyond this, healthcare and climate policy will impact us far beyond our education. Inclusive healthcare that is affordable and
comprehensive is necessary, as not all jobs after college include these benefits. Mental health is the subject of many conversations among students, and this needs to be factored into accessible healthcare. The urgency climate change requires has intensified over the course of Trump’s presidency, and appropriate action has not been taken by his administration. The Green New Deal is supported by all of the Democratic candidates, aside from Bloomberg, Elijah Pasco @the_campus_sketcher who has his own
climate action plan. This election is vital in making sure a Democrat wins the presidential seat come November. Someone has to address the climate crisis we are facing and make America a safe place for everyone. When choosing a candidate, consider who will most effectively address these issues. Ballots must be placed in an official dropbox by 8 p.m. March 10. Cast your vote now. Editorials are written, edited, and approved by Opinion Editor Rachel Morgan, Engagement Editor Hailey Robinson, Sports Editor Alec Dietz, Health and Wellness Editor Mac Murray, and Co-Copy Chief Sam Steele, and reflect the opinions of The Daily Editorial Staff. Reach the Editorial Board at opinion@dailyuw.com.
“Monies” “I’d say the biggest misconception about me is that I’m boring ...
“Do you think if we ask politely they’ll stop talking? Or maybe we must show them the timer? Should we vote? Okay...” cause I’m not.” - Amy Klobuchar, 2020
Elijah Pasco @the_campus_sketcher
Queer students of color speak up for the 2020 primary Which Democratic candidate will best alleviate this community’s issues? By Andre Lawes Menchavez The Daily Going into the Democratic primaries, it’s important we consider who and why queer people of color are supporting in this election. This is especially important because this community faces intersectional oppression due to the policies, or the lack thereof, that are in place. The presidential nominee must be someone who can best serve this community. I interviewed six queer students of color and asked them who they’re rooting for to be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee. Every person stated their top choice as Bernie Sanders. Sen. Sanders’ long history of advocacy for marginalized communities is something many of the students I interviewed resonate with. “I support Sanders because, much like his fight for racial equality starting from the very beginning, his goal in liberating the queer community has just as long of a track record,” Filipinx sophomore Angela said in an email. “He fought to abolish the homophobic sodomy laws while he was running for mayor in the early mid-1950s. He is literally the only candidate running who has time and time again made Indigenous peoples heard and visible.” Placing marginalized communities at the forefront
speaks a lot to Sanders’ campaign and core values. “One of his most appealing traits is [his] track record regarding civil rights issues,” Indigenous student Emma Sulosky, said. “There’s never been any doubt with him on where he stands. He brought out the Puyallup tribe as a way to recognize Indigenous people. To my knowledge, no one has ever done that.” Sanders has garnered support for his progressive plans as well. “Out of all the presidential candidates, as a queer student of color, I feel my needs for accessible healthcare and higher education, addressing climate change, better living wages, affordable housing, and ensuring the legalization of cannabis benefit communities who have been historically most affected,” Sam Choi, a senior who is Korean, said in an email. “These are all echoed by Bernie Sanders, which is why I am standing with him.” The “queer vote” often is assumed to be given to the country’s first openly queer candidate, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. However, many queer people of color want to ensure that that narrative is analyzed deeper. As a white candidate, Buttigieg did not automatically gain this support. “There was a lot of talk around Buttigieg being the first openly gay Democratic presidential candidate,” Choi
said in an email. “He appeals to middle- and upper-class white (heterosexual) populations through being a ‘model minority,’ rejecting any and all radical notions of queerness and all that encompasses. His identity as a gay man also doesn’t negate his history of anti-Black racism that has come up again and again.” Choi referenced the heightened rates of incarceration of Black people in South Bend while Buttigieg was mayor. “We see through his white privilege and using his queerness as a pedestal to try and get Brownie points with whoever else may share an extra ounce of marginalization,” Angela said. “We see when he lies about black voter support to benefit only himself.” Kenneth Curry, a freshman who is Black, agrees since Buttigieg has a questionable past. Because of this, trust is a major factor in why Curry is supporting Sanders as the Democratic nominee. “Our intersecting identities are put on the line every day, especially with this upcoming election,” Curry said in an email. “We have past actions (and even current ones) from candidates that have done things against black and brown bodies and we have a president in office right now who has always been against QTPOC. Unlike many other candidates, [Sanders] has always rooted for us since day one. [Sanders is] someone I feel that the community could trust.”
It’s important we share the opinions this community has because allies of this community must consider how this election will impact their lives. Furthermore, we need the queer POC community to participate in voting this year as this is a direct way we can make change in how the community is impacted by those in power. One-fifth of LGBT adults are not registered to vote, and voters of color had lower turnout rates in the 2016 election. The time for voter participation and progressive change is now. “America works to oppress, in some way shape or form, anyone who isn’t a middle-aged straight white man who’s uppermiddle class,” Joshua Adamson, a sophomore who is Black, said in an email. “Giving up your democratic right to participation is disregarding not only your communities, but others who might be at a bigger risk than yourself.” Adamson makes a great point because there are many people
in our country who can’t vote, but these votes heavily impact their lives. “As a brown Latina noncitizen, not only am I excluded from voting, but there is also current policies under the Trump administration that directly affect me, along with the widespread racism present in American society,” sophomore Sara Mustre del Rio said. “I encourage those who can to vote, because your vote is a way to give a voice to those who don’t have one.” As a Sanders supporter myself, I agree that we both need to recognize his positionality as the most accountable and consistent candidate. Furthermore, we need to be politically present to ensure that we see the future where folks like us can thrive. Reach columnist Andre Lawes Menchavez at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @itsjustdrey
Vivian Mak @vivianlmak
OPINION
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
The Daily Opinion // 5
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
The Washington state 2020 primary election is happening March 10. In preparation for voting, opinion staff writers offer their thoughts on why or why not to support popular candidates in the race.
Biden was then, not now By Andre Lawes Menchavez The Daily Milo Nguyen @silverkoolaid
The rise and fall of Klobuchar By Priya Sarma The Daily Klobuchar has been dubbed as the Democratic Party’s best bet by papers and political pundits. She is a Midwestern woman who knows how to tell it like it is, and a centrist who can unify the party. She can win the election and take the base who voted for Trump. But one glaring problem with Klobuchar is being ignored: she isn’t able to attract young voters or voters of color. She might appeal to white voters who are older, but when Klobuchar makes an effort to relate to all people, she connects with Hispanic voters by introducing herself as “Elena,” which was her fourth-grade Spanish name. Out in public, she’s lovable and caring, but behind the closed doors of her office, she is a terror as a boss. Elena’s Midwestern charisma is nothing but an act. To wrap all of it up, she’s a hypocrite.
She says “I can’t stand big money in politics” and yet, one of her largest funders/ supporters is Cargill. Her ties to the big agricultural company are undeniable. So what surprises me is how this “neutral/centrist” image of her is disseminated. Klobuchar does not bring any solid plan to the table except her smirk and holier than thou attitude, all hidden behind a style of delivering nastiness with a smile. Do yourself a favor, don’t vote for Klobuchar. Reach writer Priya Sarma at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @ Priyayasarma
Big dreams require Warren By Lydia Ely The Daily I am sick of growing inequality. I am sick of a government that does nothing to combat climate change. I am sick of being sick and not being able to afford healthcare. But most of all, I am sick of being afraid, and that is why I am voting for Elizabeth Warren on March 10. We are at a moment of stifling political uncertainty. Democrats’ only path forward is a candidate who will unite the party with lofty goals and the work ethic to back them up. And damn, Warren has a plan for just about everything. Democrats need to nominate a candidate who will be ruthless and tenacious in the campaign against President Trump. Sen. Warren’s debate performances have shown laser-focused brutality that will readily shut down Trump’s attempts to distract and fluster. To win a general election, we need a candidate who motivates both the far left and the moderate Democrats. Warren may stand at third in dedicated electors, but 93% of the country’s delegates have yet to
be awarded. As candidates drop out, Warren’s strong standing as the second choice among voters sets her as the candidate that not only appeals to her own base, but to every other candidates’ voters as well. What I’m really asking you to do here is take that leap of faith. Progressive legislation on topics like immigration, healthcare, climate change, and more, are well within reach. Remember, big dreams require hard work, and Elizabeth Warren is ready to do it. Reach Photo Editor Lydia Ely at opinion@dailyuw.com Twitter: @lydiaellene
Editorial By The Daily Editorial Board As students, this upcoming election can dictate so many parts of our future; we, in particular, need to be paying attention. Electing a candidate who will ensure change for the better instead of one who will maintain the status quo is essential. On March 10, The Daily encourages everyone to cast their votes, and know what voting for their candidate, as a college student, means. Regardless of which candidate ends up winning the Democratic nomination, this person must be fit to be America’s leader, not just fit to campaign. The Daily believes that a progressive candidate is going to be this person. Our staff was divided between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; however, Sen. Sanders narrowly won the newsroom vote.
Sen. Sanders has been consistent with his messaging since he first ran for the presidential seat in 2016. He has been supportive of LGBTQIA+ rights and gender equality from early on in his political career. Sanders is supportive of the Green New Deal and Medicare for All — just a few of the many equitable initiatives his campaign backs. President Donald Trump has perpetuated a culture where racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia are tolerated. Having someone more progressive at the head of our country will hopefully deplatform this type of bigotry. We must also pay attention to each candidate’s position on higher education funding and student loan forgiveness. Sanders is in favor of free college and canceling existing student debt, but Biden’s plan relies heavily on community
I was a Biden supporter during the 2016 primaries. Four years later, I strongly believe that a Biden presidency is something that was needed then, not now. In 2016, we were making progressive steps toward achieving equity for various communities and issues in our country. The last four years, however, have set us back immensely, leaving this country in need of dire change in 2020. We need a candidate who can uplift a movement to bring a new set of young voters into the political conversation, ignite social movements for progressive change, challenge and reconstruct the systems of power and privilege that dominate this country, and rebuild the post-Trump America. Biden is not adequate enough for this challenge. We need someone to rebuild this country, not manage its current condition. Biden uses false appeals of progressive change that can rebuild this country, especially in debates when he latches himself onto former President Obama’s progressive legislation.
However, when Obama’s faults are brought up, Biden is suddenly no longer joined at Obama’s hip. We often hear Biden’s name in tandem with “electability.” However, if we’re going to talk about electability, let’s at least have a candidate with proper debate preparation and skills to take on the orange man in office if given the nomination. We need a candidate with a strong stance on the issues, the grit to withstand any punches thrown their way, and the charisma capable of sparking passion in the next generation of voters. Biden was a great fit in 2016, but in 2020, he may be what gives us a Trump reelection.
Sanders having to explain M4A, again. ‘Yes Senator Warren, we know you have a plan.’
“Let me be clear, I’ve done the math, and I have a plan.”
Joe Biden feels like the only one who keeps getting cut off.
Reach writer Andre Lawes Menchavez at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @itsjustdrey
Sanders fights for me, and he Fights for you By Tatum Lindquist The Daily Everyone deserves the basic human rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, this idealized and capitalistic society hinders these rights because corporations’ profits too often take priority over workers’ rights, affordable healthcare, and equality for all. Coming into the first election where I can vote, I know America needs a candidate strong enough to stand against white-collar manipulation and reprioritize our rights. For me, that candidate is Bernie Sanders. Sen. Sanders has been fighting for me since before I was born. He’s fought for me the countless times he’s defended the LGBTQIA+ community and every time he’s advanced economic equality for women. Now, he continues to fight for me as he works to become the president he always envisioned. Sanders’ consistency in his politics is unseen across other democratic
candidates, and his dedication to improving the lives of millions of Americans is unparalleled. Sanders is also one of the few candidates who consistently beats Trump in national polls. Not only does this country need a candidate who fights for its citizens, but a candidate who can win for them. I’ll be voting for Bernie Sanders. He fights for me, and he fights for you. Join this movement of the workingclass, the disenfranchised, the formerly unheard, and be heard. Don’t stand for silence. Reach writer Tatum Lindquist at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @TatumLindquist
Our choice for college students is Sanders colleges. Klobuchar is focused on reducing tuition costs, while Warren, like Sanders, plans to cancel student loan debt and make college universally free. Beyond this, healthcare and climate policy will impact us far beyond our education. Inclusive healthcare that is affordable and
comprehensive is necessary, as not all jobs after college include these benefits. Mental health is the subject of many conversations among students, and this needs to be factored into accessible healthcare. The urgency climate change requires has intensified over the course of Trump’s presidency, and appropriate action has not been taken by his administration. The Green New Deal is supported by all of the Democratic candidates, aside from Bloomberg, Elijah Pasco @the_campus_sketcher who has his own
climate action plan. This election is vital in making sure a Democrat wins the presidential seat come November. Someone has to address the climate crisis we are facing and make America a safe place for everyone. When choosing a candidate, consider who will most effectively address these issues. Ballots must be placed in an official dropbox by 8 p.m. March 10. Cast your vote now. Editorials are written, edited, and approved by Opinion Editor Rachel Morgan, Engagement Editor Hailey Robinson, Sports Editor Alec Dietz, Health and Wellness Editor Mac Murray, and Co-Copy Chief Sam Steele, and reflect the opinions of The Daily Editorial Staff. Reach the Editorial Board at opinion@dailyuw.com.
“Monies” “I’d say the biggest misconception about me is that I’m boring ...
cause I’m not.” - Amy Klobuchar, 2020
“Do you think if we ask politely they’ll stop talking? Or maybe we must show them the timer? Should we vote? Okay...” Elijah Pasco @the_campus_sketcher
Queer students of color speak up for the 2020 primary Which Democratic candidate will best alleviate this community’s issues?
By Andre Lawes Menchavez The Daily Going into the Democratic primaries, it’s important we consider who and why queer people of color are supporting in this election. This is especially important because this community faces intersectional oppression due to the policies, or the lack thereof, that are in place. The presidential nominee must be someone who can best serve this community. I interviewed six queer students of color and asked them who they’re rooting for to be the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee. Every person stated their top choice as Bernie Sanders. Sen. Sanders’ long history of advocacy for marginalized communities is something many of the students I interviewed resonate with. “I support Sanders because, much like his fight for racial equality starting from the very beginning, his goal in liberating the queer community has just as long of a track record,” Filipinx sophomore Angela said in an email. “He fought to abolish the homophobic sodomy laws while he was running for mayor in the early mid-1950s. He is literally the only candidate running who has time and time again made Indigenous peoples heard and visible.” Placing marginalized communities at the forefront
speaks a lot to Sanders’ campaign and core values. “One of his most appealing traits is [his] track record regarding civil rights issues,” Indigenous student Emma Sulosky, said. “There’s never been any doubt with him on where he stands. He brought out the Puyallup tribe as a way to recognize Indigenous people. To my knowledge, no one has ever done that.” Sanders has garnered support for his progressive plans as well. “Out of all the presidential candidates, as a queer student of color, I feel my needs for accessible healthcare and higher education, addressing climate change, better living wages, affordable housing, and ensuring the legalization of cannabis benefit communities who have been historically most affected,” Sam Choi, a senior who is Korean, said in an email. “These are all echoed by Bernie Sanders, which is why I am standing with him.” The “queer vote” often is assumed to be given to the country’s first openly queer candidate, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg. However, many queer people of color want to ensure that that narrative is analyzed deeper. As a white candidate, Buttigieg did not automatically gain this support. “There was a lot of talk around Buttigieg being the first openly gay Democratic presidential candidate,” Choi
said in an email. “He appeals to middle- and upper-class white (heterosexual) populations through being a ‘model minority,’ rejecting any and all radical notions of queerness and all that encompasses. His identity as a gay man also doesn’t negate his history of anti-Black racism that has come up again and again.” Choi referenced the heightened rates of incarceration of Black people in South Bend while Buttigieg was mayor. “We see through his white privilege and using his queerness as a pedestal to try and get Brownie points with whoever else may share an extra ounce of marginalization,” Angela said. “We see when he lies about black voter support to benefit only himself.” Kenneth Curry, a freshman who is Black, agrees since Buttigieg has a questionable past. Because of this, trust is a major factor in why Curry is supporting Sanders as the Democratic nominee. “Our intersecting identities are put on the line every day, especially with this upcoming election,” Curry said in an email. “We have past actions (and even current ones) from candidates that have done things against black and brown bodies and we have a president in office right now who has always been against QTPOC. Unlike many other candidates, [Sanders] has always rooted for us since day one. [Sanders is] someone I feel that the community could trust.”
It’s important we share the opinions this community has because allies of this community must consider how this election will impact their lives. Furthermore, we need the queer POC community to participate in voting this year as this is a direct way we can make change in how the community is impacted by those in power. One-fifth of LGBT adults are not registered to vote, and voters of color had lower turnout rates in the 2016 election. The time for voter participation and progressive change is now. “America works to oppress, in some way shape or form, anyone who isn’t a middle-aged straight white man who’s uppermiddle class,” Joshua Adamson, a sophomore who is Black, said in an email. “Giving up your democratic right to participation is disregarding not only your communities, but others who might be at a bigger risk than yourself.” Adamson makes a great point because there are many people
in our country who can’t vote, but these votes heavily impact their lives. “As a brown Latina noncitizen, not only am I excluded from voting, but there is also current policies under the Trump administration that directly affect me, along with the widespread racism present in American society,” sophomore Sara Mustre del Rio said. “I encourage those who can to vote, because your vote is a way to give a voice to those who don’t have one.” As a Sanders supporter myself, I agree that we both need to recognize his positionality as the most accountable and consistent candidate. Furthermore, we need to be politically present to ensure that we see the future where folks like us can thrive. Reach columnist Andre Lawes Menchavez at opinion@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @itsjustdrey
Vivian Mak @vivianlmak
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
HEALTH & WELLNESS
How to not contract coronavirus (for dummies) By Sophie Mize Contributing writer
Boys are like buses: Stop waiting for them By Hannah Krieg The Daily Editor’s Note: Thirst Trap is a weekly column on dating and relationships in college. There are two bus routes that most conveniently take me from campus back to my house: the 67 and the 49. I prefer the 67. It comes in relatively quick intervals, as predicted by the app, and picks up right outside of the Communications Building, which I’m known to frequent. On Tuesday, I waited the nine minutes OneBusAway promised the 67 would arrive in. It never came. In fact, the app said it passed. I might have been consumed by my phone most of the time, but I’m pretty sure I would have noticed if an entire bus drove by. I refreshed the app, hoping there had been a glitch and that my ride would be there shortly. The app only projected the bus to be further north on its route. I wasted a little more time waiting for a bus that would never come until I remembered I had other options. Boys are like buses. Not because I personally love to be driven around (seriously, if you have a car, you fully skip the line to my heart), but because waiting around for them is — and I mean this in the nicest, most big-sistersupportive way — dumb. I get it: attraction is a little more complicated than a hunk of metal that brings you from point A to point B. But only a little. It does not make sense to sit my cute butt down to wait
for the 67 when it continues to send me mixed signals and leave me hanging. That is clearly a waste of time, and the appropriate response would be to move along to a different bus stop, call a Lyft, or just peel myself off the bench and walk home. I am a busy girl. I’ll just go ride something else — another bus, to be clear. Take the emotions out of it for a second (though emotional reasoning is a crucial component in decisionmaking and not necessarily the antithesis of logic). If you are waiting around for someone, U-PASS at the ready, without a guarantee that anything will come to fruition, you are not getting anything out of it. I know the chase is exciting and being in constant turmoil and distress is a sick thrill, but at some point, you have to realize you’re not having fun, you’re just attached. We’ve heard that there are plenty of fish in the sea, and yet we still, without fail, find ourselves hooked on some dorky trout with a serious lack of emotional depth and maturity. There will always be other buses. Google Maps always has alternate routes. Why sit in the cold waiting when you could easily take another bus and be home by the time the initial one finally pulls up? You deserve reliable (and free) public transit. You deserve people who don’t waste your time.
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Wash your hands “The things that we do to prevent flu and respiratory cold viruses are the best things we know to protect folks against COVID-19 — washing your hands with soap and water, using alcohol-based
Stop coming to school (sort of ), and don’t be a jerk about hygiene Gottlieb tacked on other methods of prevention in addition to the sacred hand washing. “Staying home when you’re sick, avoiding sick people, using a tissue or your sleeve to cough into instead of your environment, and just being cognizant of your surroundings,” Gottlieb said. In case someone doesn’t follow the rules and comes into class hacking up a lung, there isn’t much you can do. Wearing a mask yourself doesn’t mean much if the actual infected
person doesn’t do the same, but sometimes it’s OK to call someone out for spreading their spit germs into the open air. “I think certainly a polite reminding of classmates and colleagues about respiratory hygiene and those basic principles is important,” Gottlieb said. And if you’re that scared to miss, know that professors have been advised to allow absences. You won’t be making many friends by getting the whole room sick. In addition, Gottlieb reminded students that a quick visit to Hall Health Center is never a bad idea. Located across from the HUB, Hall Health is well stocked with masks, so you won’t have to deal with Amazon’s shortage. Make a quick call or visit their website here to set up an appointment if you feel ill. In the event your roommate gets sick, just be sure to follow Gottlieb’s advice on handwashing and try to avoid sharing food or drink. And remember to treat your fellow students kindly — false information is just as harmful as coronavirus itself. Reach contributing writer Sophie Mize at wellness@uwdaily.com. Twitter: @yung.sophocles
Reach columnist Hannah Krieg at wellness@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @Hannah_krieg
CLASSIFIEDS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Picture this: It’s day 32 of self-quarantine. Your dorm room smells like yesterday’s discarded Hot Pocket, the sole ration you have remaining — its moldy sleeve is as dirty and worn down as you are. Your roommates have all transferred out. You now pay $3,500 a quarter or a double that probably should’ve been a single in the first place; you’re wasting away, breathing into a wet mask and scared to catch a disease that seems like the end of the world. Now picture this: You go to class and enjoy the Seattle sunshine because you don’t have coronavirus and neither does anyone around you. “Currently, I think the risk is quite low to the general campus community,” Dr. Geoffrey Gottlieb, a professor of infectious diseases at the UW, said. But in the rare event that something does happen, here’s how to keep yourself (and the people around you) safe on a college campus.
gel if you can’t do that,” Gottlieb said. It’s easy, and in case you forget, here’s a quick refresher from the CDC: it’s as easy as it sounds. The UW has over 500 buildings to its name — it won’t be hard to find a bathroom. And both Center Table and Local Point have gender-neutral, soapstocked facilities to ensure clean eating. Various shopping centers across campus carry antibacterial soap and alcohol-based sanitizers including the Nook, the HUB, and District Market. The flu, by the way, is far more deadly and widespread than coronavirus, with one billion cases worldwide versus coronavirus’s 80,000. So be sure to apply these tips 24/7, not just in the event of a pandemic.
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ARTS & LEISURE
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
The uncertain future of humanities education How economic downturn and the UW’s STEM obsession corrode an increasingly undervalued core of education
By Natalie Rand The Daily Every year, thousands of undergraduate students compete for coveted spots in STEM-related fields such as computer science, nursing, and engineering. But where does that leave students who want to major in linguistics or classics? Or want to take an elective to bury their nose in some Foucault for a quarter or two? According to many professors in the humanities division, a gradual dwindling of resources over the years has made this an enormous challenge. The number of humanities majors at the UW has decreased by 45% in just the past seven years. The 12 majors in the humanities division have graduated fewer students combined than individual majors like biology and communications. Classics, the study of Ancient Greek and Roman cultures, has been a staple of higher education since the Middle Ages, yet only 15 students graduated with a Classics major last year. What’s behind this drop? The financial crisis of 2008 is largely to blame. In 2000, student tuition funded just 29% of the UW’s operating budget. After 2008, state funding was cut and tuition rose to fund 63% of the budget in 2020. This has increased the pressure for students to pick more career-oriented majors as opposed to humanities majors that don’t have a job title in their name. In turn, this has created a vicious cycle where UW students opt to not take humanities classes, the humanities department receives less funding, and then fewer opportunities are available for students to take these courses that open students’ eyes to the possibility of majoring in the humanities. “The university has very few ways of balancing its budget,” Paul S. Atkins, department chair and professor of Asian Languages & Literature, said. “Intellectually, there’s always spots that we need to cover … but there’s a balancing act that goes on between us and the deans about the budget and whether there’s money to pay for it.” This vicious cycle of budget cuts and fewer humanities students was exacerbated by the consolidation of advisers in humanities departments, an
Elijah Pasco @the_campus_sketcher upcoming change announced last November. “With the cuts, what we see is that fewer people are interested,” Carrie Matthews, a lecturer in the English department, said. “If you can’t get in to talk to an adviser and there’s no support, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.” The increased privatization of funding, Matthews says, also means that the university has more leeway in deciding where funds go. More often than not, the humanities get ignored in the funding decision-making process. “This institution seems to be run by UW Medicine and a STEM focus, and I just worry that the humanities are not being intellectually respected,” Matthews said. Studying the humanities over fields like business or technology doesn’t have to be a dichotomy of picking passion over financial stability. Only 27% of college graduates have a job strictly related to their college major. In fact, if one wants to argue for the economic practicality of a humanities education, many aspects make it an excellent career choice. The critical thinking and communication skills that a rigorous humanities education provides can also be incredibly useful to pre-graduate students — both for pre-professional training and for lifelong wisdom
as highly educated professionals. For example, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges, humanities majors are among those who score highest on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) — just third after math and physical science majors, and, ironically, higher than students who study biological or health sciences. Studies have also shown that physicians who study the humanities have higher levels of empathy, wisdom, and self-efficacy than those who do not. “We’ve had a lot of philosophy, history, and literature students … doing really well with [the] MCAT and going into medical school,” Gordana Crnkovi , a Slavic Languages & Literatures professor, said. “And they were very happy that they had that philosophy, history, or literature training and they keep reading, and they’re just the physicians who really read a lot.” Crnkovi emphasized that knowledge of the humanities is especially crucial to the functioning of a healthy society, and that with a shortage of humanities majors, we’re potentially facing a dark age. “[The humanities allows for] this whole chain of lifelong education that makes you into a full person able to actually try to understand what’s happening in the world,” Crnkovi said. “If there’s not substantial training in literature, and in the tools of language that literature that really
teaches … people might be much more susceptible and uncritical to rhetorical persuasion, say, by politicians.” Another concern with the cuts to humanities funding is the decline in language classes offered. Despite Vietnamese being the third most commonly spoken language in Washington state after English and Spanish, only 22 spots were offered for the introductory class last Autumn. According to Atkins, students have had difficulties getting into Japanese and Korean language classes because there aren’t enough seats to meet the demand. Spaces in Russian classes have dropped by nearly 50% in the past 10 years — a particularly concerning statistic when language barriers were among several roots of a measles outbreak among post-Soviet immigrant communities in Clark County last year. Thanks to efforts from passionate individuals, the situation for the humanities isn’t completely dire. Last year, Sanskrit courses were almost cut due to a lack of state funding, but were revived via private donations by concerned community members through the Friends of Sanskrit fund. Thai courses were cut as their own department, but will now be taught under the Jackson School. ASUW recently passed a bill to delay the consolidation of humanities advisers.
But these last-ditch efforts are Band-Aids on bullet holes. Unless more substantial, preventive change is implemented, the pattern will persist. What’s the solution? According to Matthews, the university needs to assuage students’ hesitancy to major in the humanities due to financial uncertainties by making a stronger effort to highlight humanities alumni accomplishments. “I don’t think UW has done a very good job of countering the panic that’s caused by our economic inequality, that college is about job preparation,” Matthews said. “I don’t know how you make that case other [than] by enabling it to happen in students seeing other students … and I think that’s one of the reasons advisers are so important. Talking to students, finding out what they’re doing — I don’t know if we’ll have a way to get that data. I don’t think we’ll know two years from now what our English majors come out to do.” Crnkovi agrees, but adds that the issue also needs to be addressed at a broader, more systemic level in all education, not just college. It’s hard to get students interested in the humanities at a college level when they haven’t been exposed much to them before entering college. “A lot of pre-college education has really moved away from teaching art and humanities — civics, literature, art, history — into really focusing on standardized testing that is mostly developed for STEM subjects,” Crnkovi said. “We … have a problem with students coming in with much less training and education just in basic history, philosophy, literature, reading, and writing.” But if the humanities are to be saved, we don’t have to sit around and hope for society to get better. Along with ASUW bills and individual students standing up against advising consolidation, students can continue to fight for what’s important to them. “Students have a lot of power at this school,” Matthews said. “Faculty don’t have the same power that you do collectively.” Reach writer Natalie Rand at arts@dailyuw.com. Twitter: @airbudfan
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SPORTS
Monday-Friday, March 2-6, 2020
Anderson sets 3000-meter PR in his final Dempsey meet his Dempsey career with a PR that now puts him at seventh in school history. “It’s something special to
be at the Dempsey for my last indoor season,” he said. “It’s something special to finish your The Washington track and field career at your home school. team finished off the MPSF Anderson ran the 3000-mechampionships strong on Saturter with Washington freshday with multiple PRs and event man Luke Houser who holds wins. One of those victories came the freshman record in the 3k. in the men’s 3000 meters where Although Houser did not match senior Tanner Anderson ran a his record-breaking mark, his personal best 7.58.34 to cap off presence did help push Anderhis Dempsey Indoor career. son across the finish line. “This race was about having “It was nice, I had Luke next fun, keeping it light, and going to me, I feel confident having my out and seeing what I could do,” teammate there,” Anderson said. Anderson said. “It was really Lydia Ely The Daily “It’s cool to have your teammate nice.” there to be able to guide each Anderson, who didn’t comSenior distance runner Tanner other.” pete in cross country last fall, Anderson runs the men’s 3000 Anderson’s victory gave 10 credits his fall training and his meters at the MPSF championteammates for his strong senior ships at Dempsey Indoor on Feb. points to the Huskies in the men’s overall competition. The indoor season. Anderson was 29, 2020. Anderson won the event Huskies finished in third place also happy to be able to cap off with a time of 7:58.34. By Nick Lombroia The Daily
Dawg Deals
scoring 62 points, which was 20 points off the MPSF winner, BYU.
Wilson breaks out in sprint events Sophomore sprinter Aaliyah Wilson helped the Washington women finish in third place in the overall competition after finishing in third and fifth place in the 60-meter dash and in the 60-meter hurdles, respectively. Wilson’s 60m dash time of 7.31 was a new PR for her beating her previous time by .01 seconds. “It felt really good,” Wilson said of her 60-meter dash. “I’m happy with my improvement and am ready to go from there.” Wilson believes that her
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strong results in the indoor season will push her into a strong outdoor season, where the 100-meter waits. “Since my races are going to be longer, working on my execution,” Wilson said. “Just keep improving in practice and in the actual races.” The women’s team finished the meet with 70 points in the overall competition just three points behind second-place USC and 31 points off overall winner Oregon.
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