MONTH ##, 2015
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UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
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“Psycho” a wonderful classic horror
UAA Student brings Alaska Grown produce to campus
U.S. Department of Education’s scorecard of UAA demographics
Red Zone: Not so blurred lines By Victoria Petersen
Kelly Ireland
A college campus at the beginning of fall is an influx of new ideas, new people and new beginnings. In college, drugs and alcohol become more prevalent and many will engage in sexual activity. The combination of drugs and alcohol with sex can be dangerous and it’s important to understand when sex is consensual. There is a clear line drawn between a consensual sexual relationships and a non-consensual sexual assault. A poll done by The Northern Light of 195 people at UAA Campus Kick-Off shows that 88.2% of respondents believe that one cannot give consent if they are drunk. 6.67% of respondents claimed you can indeed give consent whilst under the influence of alcohol; the remaining 5.13% of respondents gave other responses. In fact, it is illegal to get consent from anyone who is under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. In the UAA Student Code of Conduct, consent is defined in the following way, “Consent is clear, knowing and voluntary,
and can be withdrawn at any time. Consent is active, not passive and cannot be given while an individual is incapacitated.” This means that no one who is under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is able to give consent. Anyone who engages in sexual contact of any sorts with someone under the influence of alcohol or drugs is committing sexual assault. The UAA Student Code of Conduct defines incapacitation further than just one who is drunk or high, however. “Incapacitation is when individuals are in a state or condition in which they are unable to make sound decisions. This can be due to sleep, age, unconsciousness, alcohol, drug use or mental and/or other disability. For example, someone who is not of legal age or ability or someone who is unable to articulate what, how, when, where, and/or with whom they desire a sexual act to take place is incapacitated.” The Code of Conduct clearly defines what is needed for consent and alcohol and drugs aren’t a part of that mix. Sadly, 50% of sexual assaults of college women involve the use of alcohol or other drugs by the perpetrator, victim or both according to “The Campus Sexual Assault (CSA) Study” done in 2007. No reliable data is available for sexual assaults of males. Lena Illig, a representative from Voices for Planned Parenthood and pre-justice major at
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org editor@thenorthernlight.org
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
A look at UAA demographics and post-graduate earnings.
UAA, understands the importance of consent and what it means for your sexual health. “Consent is being in a conscious and coherent state of mind to engage in sexual activity. Consent is also about fully agreeing to partake in a sexual activity. If you have any doubt or hesitation about it, say no to the activity” said Illig. An individual must know and feel comfortable with what they are doing before and during sexual activity. It’s ALWAYS okay to say no, no matter how far the sexual interaction has gone. The Student Code of Conduct continues in the definition of consent with, “Past consent does not imply future consent. Consent to engage in sexual activity with one person does not imply consent to engage is sexual activity with another. Consent cannot be given by individuals who are not of age to give legal consent. Silence, or an absence of resistance, cannot be interpreted as consent. Consent can be given by words or actions, as long as those words or actions create mutually understandable clear permission regarding willingness to engage in (and the conditions of) sexual activity.” There are no blurred lines when it comes to consent. Individuals should always ask for consent and everyone should be comfortable with saying no when they aren’t comfortable or not willing. Everyone should respect other people’s limits.
Residential hall lobbies to be remodeled
Something phenomenal: Part II hall rennovations By Nolin Ainsworth
sports@thenorthernlight.org
In a few short months, the first floor lobbies of East, West, and North Hall, as students know them, will be no more. Every inch of the corridor and lounge space between the front and back entrances, where students enter and exit the residential halls, will be jazzed-up with new furniture, paint and a variety of other furnishings, including the long-anticipated student kitchenette. The “lounge remodel,” as
it is termed by the architectural firm, ECI/HYER Architecture and Interiors, working on it, is scheduled to begin the week before Thanksgiving and wrap up in the waning days of winter break. According to David Weaver, Director of UAA Housing, Dining, and Conference Services, each of the three remodels will cost approximately $200,000, totaling just over $600,000 for the entire project. “The idea is that we’ll just add an element of variety and
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PHOTO BY RYAN JOHNSON
The East Hall lobby will take on a completly new face spring 2016 after lobby remodeling over winter break.
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NEWS
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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HOUSING: Res Hall lobbies to get face lift
Plans for the North Hall lobby remodel. The floor plans for all the other halls match this one.
Plans for the West Hall lobby remodel.
UAA RCR West Hall Lobby Remodel UAA RCR North Hall Lobby Remodel
UAA RCR North Hall Lobby Remodel
Plans for the North Hall lobby remodel.
CONTINUED FROM COVER
add an amenity that students might want to program around and create a sense of camaraderie among students,” Weaver said of the remodel. A computer-generated rendering of the space shows a sleekly-designed area that looks nothing like the current one. Porcelain tiles, soft seating, high-top tables and green walls give the room the look of a modern café. The redesigned lobby will open up more space for students to lounge, or just pass in and out of the building. The check-in counter, where guests are required to check-in during evening and night hours, will be moved across the hallway. Resident Hall Association President Sam Gonzalez was one of the student leaders that placed this project high on their list of priorities for changes to the residential campus. Gonzalez was vice president of RHA when the student advocacy group proposed the upgrades. “We had it kind of separated into two ideas: the kitchenette was one idea; the lobby remodel was another,” Gonzalez
said. Eventually, RHA combined the two ideas into one, and housing backed the decision. East Hall resident Savannah Blankenship thinks more space in the lobby is a good idea. “A lot of people end up getting clustered like right at the desk,” Blankenship said. “I know I sit there a lot because a lot of my friends are RAs and it kind of clogs traffic flow sometimes.” As one would expect, culinary arts students are all for the addition of a kitchenette into the residential halls. Nikaela Walters is a freshman in the culinary arts program and lives in West Hall. She says cooking within the confines of her room just doesn’t cut it. “It’s not easy to make a lot of stuff in a microwave.” For Weaver, the key is that students have the option to cook if they choose to. “Even if it’s just a simple meal that they had from back home, or cookies or a special Thanksgiving dinner when their parents come to visit them.” The remodel is scheduled to be complete by the end of this year’s winter break.
UAA RCR East Hall Lobby Remodel Plans for the East Hall lobby remodel.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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Klax and George do Singles Night In the year 2013, an alien brain slug from one of the galaxy’s most feared empires crash-landed on Earth and assumed control of a lowly reporter at this newspaper. These are his stories.
By Klax Zlubzecon
Translated by George Hyde I’ve stated in previous columns that I have no idea what makes human romance so appealing. I’m a brain slug. We multiply asexually. I have no business trying to seduce or fall for someone. It just doesn’t make sense for me biologically. And yet, last Friday, I found myself being dragged to UAA’s Singles Night. And it was quite the experience. As new as this was to me, it was kind of new to my host George as well. The last time he had been at a dance of any kind was back in middle school, where he went once and was immediately turned off to the idea. After all, if they were going to have him ask a girl out and dress formally and keep everything super classy, the last thing he would expect would be a hiphop-fueled grind-fest with music loud enough to deafen a bat. And yet, as I found myself struggling for things to write about this week, I noticed the signs for a “Singles Night” all around campus. George, being a sweaty zit-faced nerd who still thinks “Pokemon” is cool, is naturally single. While he seems to enjoy the single life, it doesn’t seem to fit him as well as it fits me. I don’t know what either of us were expecting. A simple meet-and-greet? A fun “Grease”-themed, old-school dance? Something along the lines of George’s terrible middle-school memories?
George was nervous, and I was excited. A first-hand glimpse of the human mating grounds, with George awkwardly stammering through it. How could it not be entertaining for a bystander like me? Turns out we didn’t even need George’s awkwardness. It was weird enough on its own. We walked in at about seven to a mostly empty room. It was us and a few guys, plus a few burgers and shakes to go with the whole “Grease” theme. We were all on our phones, of course. The people running the shindig had this unbearable look of defeat, like they knew in the back of their minds that it would be a group of lonely awkward men glancing at their phones all evening. I had a bad feeling that the bucket of complimentary condoms in the corner would go unused tonight. Then, finally, a single girl walked in, and all eyes were on her. She too grabbed some food, went to a table, and looked at her phone as the “Grease” soundtrack blared loudly in the background. You could almost sense the nervousness in the air as ten whole minutes passed without a single word or action. George couldn’t stand it anymore. He walked right up, gave her the usual schtick. (“How are you? What’s your major? Are you a proud supporter of the Slug Empire?”) Much to his relief, she had a massive collection of “Magic: The Gathering” decks in her backpack, which is a card game George has always wanted to learn how to play. So, they spent the next half hour or so connecting on a spiri-
PHOTO BY RYAN JOHNSON
Fellow Seawolves dance the night away at Singles Night in the Student Union Den on Friday, September 18, 2015
Two students battle it out on the dance floor as they enjoy Singles Night.
tual level through the medium of trading card game. Then, after he was brutally slaughtered in-game, they exchanged numbers, and he left the table with a song in his heart. He hadn’t even noticed that the room had filled up, and that the music had shifted from cute “Grease” pop to loud hip-hop hits. It was no longer the kind of awkward, wallflower-ridden event that it was when the first girl walked in. That bucket of condoms probably wasn’t feeling so useless anymore. After that, it was next to impossible to socialize with anybody. We couldn’t hear anyone, and we had a feeling no one could hear us. We shared only two other conversations before the noise drew us off. Because that ruins the point, right? It’s an event specially crafted to get lonely, single folk, like my host, someone to talk to, or something deeper, if they desire. And it’s pretty hard to get a lonely, sin-
gle person to meet or talk to anyone new when there’s loud music overshadowing every other noise in the room. We didn’t come to dance. We came to get George out of the single life. And...well, I can’t say we were unsuccessful, but once the party actually kicked in, it ceased to be useful to my host. I had a great time, though. It’s incredibly endearing to see him interact with someone he actually has chemistry with. Plus, that nervous first ten minutes was incredibly exciting for me. For a species that obsesses over sexuality as much as I’ve observed, it’s crazy that you guys can get so nervous about it. There’s a reason you guys are so inefficient. It’s because you guys get so flustered at the thought of reproduction. It comes so naturally to us! What an alien concept.
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.
EMBRACE THE SEAWOLF SLUG.
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FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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Nearing the end: A look back and nervous glance forward A well-meaning column rife with clunky metaphors and horrible advice, Orange Rhymes With is the goto place to break the monotony of classes and laugh at someone else’s misfortune.
By Evan Dodd Contributor
13 weeks. By a rough estimate, that’s the imprecise remainder of time in which the excuse of being a college student is sufficient to explain my Netflix habits, granola appearance and the tendency to keep all my belongings in the backseat of my car. This horrifying realization came up between roommates, all of whom are graduating in December due to scheduling and poor planning. A heavy somber silence enveloped the room as, in a state of horror, each of us quietly repeated the inevitable truth: 13 weeks. How did I get to this point? It seems like yesterday that I was forestalling my degree to take backpacking, or bleeding out my college savings to take sea kayaking or paying what felt like a second tuition to Alyeska for the privilege of falling down their mountain twice a week. I suspect the disconcerting part of the time crunch may be due to an unexpected absence I took after the first week of this semester, leaving me with the hollow comfort of thinking it was still the first week when it was really the fourth. Or maybe it’s the fact that I’m only doing a bit of clean-up with a course or two, and only one in person. Whatever the reason, I’ve never felt less like a college student, yet been more surprised by the looming graduation. Looking back over the previous four years is a bit of disturbing experience. After
something like 42 classes, the little details start to all fade into a vast continuum of academic stress. Did you know that I was once a criminal justice major? Neither did I until I was going through old transcripts. Apparently, I once harbored a desire to be very unemployed until I swapped out psychology for economics as a major, which let’s be honest, is really just “money psychology” with a great deal more calculus. I’ve lived in almost every habitable area on campus, from the halls, to a two year purgatory in the MAC’s in which I moved seven times, to a finally near-comfortable abode in the Templewoods. I’ve held just about every job here, including four years at The Northern Light and one humiliating semester spent selling my soul to beg for donations from alumni who had some very creative names to call me. I have weird flashbacks to the forest that once inhabited the area where the Alaska Airlines Center stands, which was invariably filled with drunken voices and strange noises and was always a good place to avoid. Or that time during a run behind University Lake when I discovered a vast makeshift village of tents and tarps that vanished two days later when I ran back by. Back in the years of meaningful snowfall, I even once found a two story snow fort that may have been the most conspicuous deathtrap I’ve ever seen. The experiences I’ve had through campus housing will fill chapters in books long after I’ve left. I’ve seen residents rappel out of windows using makeshift climbing harnesses, stumbled across what seemed to be glass blowing demonstration in an open garage and walked face first into a pillow-fort city that managed to block off an entire hallway. Through it all, I still haven’t lost that college spirit, though for better or worse remains to be seen. I’m still more excited about the upcoming Doctor Who premier and the Pirate Pub Crawl than I am about prospective careers, and my list of shortterm goals involves buying outdoor gear and learning photography rather than forcing myself through grad school. After four and a half years, 42 classes and 114 columns I’m still no closer to understanding what was going on during my time here. The degree I’m solid on, at least that’s what I’m hoping to convince prospective employers. But the sheer insanity I’ve witnessed will take years to sort out. This isn’t the end. I’ve still got another 13 columns to churn out, midterms to cram for and finals to bungle. Even when I’m graduated I’ll still be taking classes to advance the resume arms race I seem to be involuntarily competing in and the outdoor adventures and weekly shenanigans won’t be going anywhere soon. Don’t worry. You aren’t being subjected to three more months of nostalgia. Far from it, as I intend to spend my final semester in blissful denial of the cap and gown that’s menacingly looming in the not so distant horizon. So, 13 weeks. That’s loads of time. That’ll feel like eons. Hell, I could do anything in 13 weeks. Plenty of time to relax and reminisce and quietly transition to professional adulthood. Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick.
Produce stand brings Alaska Grown to UAA
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEVIN JOHNSON
Devin Johnson and Kyla Byers, a recent UAA graduate from the environment and society program who recently started her own produce delivery business called Arctic Harvest Deliveries. Johnson and Byers are working on the UAA produce stand together.
By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
Every Tuesday and Thursday for the month of September, you can find Devin Johnson selling Alaskan grown produce in various spots on campus. The produce comes from over nine different farms from the Mat-Su Valley. This produce stand is part of a pilot project for Johnson’s honors thesis. Johnson’s goal with this produce stand is to gauge how students feel about having Alaskan grown produce at UAA and if students and faculty would like to see more stands like Johnson’s on campus, more frequently. The research project is being funded by a USDA grant, and all the proceeds from the produce stand sales go back into funding more projects like this one. Johnson is pleased with the attention the stand is receiving and is optimistic about the outcome. “We didn’t advertise it at all, but we still had great sales. People are walking by and they get excited and check it out,” said Johnson. Students are also interested in a healthier option when it comes to on campus food
PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN
Just a small sample of some of the produce that’s for sell at Johnson’s produce stand.
selection. Ashley Seliger, an elementary education student at UAA, is eager to have more options for fruits and veggies on campus. “I think it’s good to have something that’s healthy around campus because we have so much stuff that is unhealthy that students are eating and then you have the freshman fifteen that always happens,” said Seliger. In addition to healthier food, students also are also excited by the idea of bringing sustainable Alaskan grown products and eating local. Madeline Neel, a member of UAA’s sustainability club and natural sciences major, is especially excited about the accessibility for healthy food on campus. “I think it’s a great opportunity for college students to have easy access to fresh locally grown vegetables right here on campus. It should be helpful for students who can’t easily get to the grocery store to get fresh food and even better food that is grown right in our own backyard,” said Neel. The stand is selling all Alaskan grown vegetables and fruits, ranging from carrots, broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, kale, winter squash, strawberries, heirloom tomatoes, potatoes and more. Due to the growing season, the produce stand will continue until the end of September every Tuesday and Thursday on campus.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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Meet the Ombudsman By Nathan Burns
nburns@thenorthernlight.org
As the good students of UAA walk from building to building, from class to class, they can walk tall, free from fear of their rights being violated. They have a silent guardian, watching and waiting eagle-eyed for any breach of a student’s rights. Well, maybe not a silent guardian. ‘Silent’ and ‘waiting’ both fail to describe UAA’s new ombudsman and protector of student rights, who can often be seen in the Student Union advising students, attending meetings or talking with anyone and everyone who walks by. Grievances, issues or questions: Demry Mebane, a pre-law Junior majoring in political science, is here to help as the new USUAA ombudsman, and his door is open. “The ombudsman, to put it plainly, is an advocate for students. You have a problem with a grade, or you have a problem with a class, or you have a personal problem that is impacting your academics and you don’t know what to do, you go to Demry,” explains USUAA President Jonathan Taylor. Some people are born civic-minded, some have service thrust upon them and some people stumble into it while browsing the Internet. “I was doing research on the constitution of USUAA and found that we had no ombudsman,” Mebane explains. “After reading the duties of the ombudsman, I felt as though somebody needed to be the advocate for students. We need
somebody able to inform students, and if nobody was doing that on campus, that needed to change.” Demry wasn’t the only one who wasn’t aware of the ombudsman. Student Trey Feagin-Walden admitted that he, like many at the school, did not know what the position of ombudsman was, or what rights he has, but was kind enough to make a guess for The Northern Light. “Ombudsman,” reflected FeaginWalden, rolling the word around his mouth. “I assume he’s an older man who... removes barnacles,” he hypothesizes, “off of the bottom of boats, or maybe ships.” When asked what rights he enjoyed at UAA, he queried, “I have rights? Like the right to remain silent?” The students of UAA have numerous rights, however. “We have a code of conduct and it contains a list of student rights and responsibilities, but sometimes it’s confusing what they look like, or how they are applied. Demry’s job is to tell people what their rights are and how they apply to their situation,” clarifies President Taylor. Mebane wants to increase awareness of these rights that so few know about. “You have a lot of rights, and a lot of students don’t seem to know this,” explains Mebane. “That’s one of the reasons to have an on-campus ombudsman, to let them know what they have. Students have the freedom of expression, freedom of access, freedom of association, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, a right to a safe and positive
learning environment and student participation in institutional government.” While students are encouraged to thoroughly read, or open, the student code of conduct, the USUAA constitution and the student handbook, the ombudsman is more than happy to the help few students that don’t religiously read university policies. “I think that most students don’t really think about their rights day to day, and like most people, they don’t really actively care about an issue, till things go south. When things do though, I’m here to be support and information for even the pettiest issue,” says Mebane. “My sole purpose is to help the students, whether it be being a source of information for the students, helping them with their cases, dealing with misconduct or dealing with any appeal processes or academic disputes. I’m there as the student advocate on behalf of the rights they have, and that many of them don’t know they have.” Student Life and Leadership director and former advisor for The Northern Light, Annie Route noted that, “It’s a little bit like going to court and having a court advocate. It can be scary. You’ve never been here before, you don’t know what to do, but the ombudsman is there for you.” Mebane is ready to help any and all students map the intricacies of UAA policies. He doesn’t want students to be afraid of going alone. “Students don’t know what happens when they violate the student code of conduct. They don’t really know what the process is going to be,” said Mebane.
“I’m here to not only simplify the process for them, but also act as a support. If a two-way confidentiality form is signed, I can be their defender, their confidant and sit in with them in meetings they’ve got to go to.” Privacy is tantamount for the ombudsman, and students can speak freely without fear of reprisal. Mebane made it very clear that anything he talks about with students as an ombudsman is confidential. Demry Mebane was too humble to boast of his qualifications during the interview, focusing on the job, and how much he was learning from his fellows. His fellow members of student government held no such reservations about boasting of Mebane. “It’s going to be fantastic,” predicts USUAA Senator Ashleigh Roe. “I’ve mostly only worked with Demry during this semester and he’s already wonderful. He’s just got his first case and he’s super excited… He’s trusting, trustworthy and always willing to go the extra mile for people. Come to him for any reason, issues on campus, issues with faculty or other students or even if you just need to talk he’s there.” Mebane finished the interview with his message to the student body. “My name is Demry Mebane, if you feel your rights as a student have been infringed upon, if you have had any issues on campus, then email me, call me or walk into my office. Students have rights, they have responsibilities as well. I’m here to show you both and walk with you through the process.”
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A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
| 08
MOVIE REVIEW
“Psycho” is a horror masterpiece – Don’t spoil it!
By George Hyde
gchyde@thenorthernlight.org
A woman is showering peacefully, when, suddenly, the strings in the orchestra loudly and suddenly screech at the top of their lungs. The shower curtain is forced open by a figure in shadow. We see the woman screaming in fear as the camera only intermittently cuts to the butcher knife in the shadowed figure’s thrusting hands. After trying to keep herself upright with the shower curtain, she drops to the bathroom floor with nothing but flowing blood in the drain and a cold, dead stare for the audience to see. It’s an iconic moment in film history, and whenever people speak of Alfred Hitchcock’s seminal horror film “Psycho,” the scene inevitably comes up. But as effective as that scene is, it does the rest of the film a severe injustice to only focus on that. “Psycho” had many firsts. It was more sexually intimate than almost any other film before it, being one of the first films to come out after the Production Code had waned away. Curiously, it was the first film to feature a toilet being flushed on screen, which as weird as it sounds, was definitely a big deal for censors at the time. And of course, it was the very first slasher film, despite its relatively low body count. But even the many things with which “Psycho” broke ground are in service to one thing: the total edge-of-your-seat suspense of which Hitchcock is a master. It’s a shame that the film’s big twist has reached such a pop-culture osmosis that
it’s impossible to keep hidden anymore, because going in knowing nothing is definitely the best way to go into “Psycho.” As the audience gets closer and closer to unraveling the truth, they gradually enter a world of such psychosexual discomfort that it becomes intoxicatingly unbearable. Many of the camera angles are almost nauseating, despite the almost neutral action of most of the film. The shady motel that the film takes place in is almost a character in and of itself. It hides, tortures, and plays with the protagonists (and the audience) almost as much as the film’s antagonist does. If, by some impossibility, you don’t know of the film’s big twist, try and keep it that way! The film is showing as part of Cinemark’s Classic Series this Wednesday, and those who choose to venture in with a blank mind are in for a torturous work of suspense from the master himself. TITLE “Psycho”
RELEASE DATE September 8, 1960 (Original), September DIRECTORS 20/23, 2015 (Cinemark Alfred Hitchcock Clssics Series) STARRING Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin
GENRE Suspense/ Horror
A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
UAA’s Glee Club to open for The Exchange By Samantha Davenport arts@thenorthernlight.org
October 8 marks the 22nd Annual A Capella Festivella. The Exchange, an a capella group who performed on NBC’s “The Sing Off” will be the headline act. UAA’s own Glee Club will be opening for the group. Antony “Projekt” Reese, major undecided, has been a member of Glee since spring 2013. “I’ve sung and beatboxed, so I have the experience of both sides of the coin, and how synergistic a group can be. Watching The Exchange perform, I can see the amount of fun the group has on stage, and I know the kind of fun that can be. Personally, I strive to be the kind of performer where every performance is such a new experience, and even though we as the UAA Glee Club have new members every year, it’s always a new, fun experience,” said Reese. Lailani Cook, President and Music Director of the group, was ecstatic to hear the news that they would be opening for such a well-known group. “Every group that has been on ‘The Sing Off’ has been phenomenal, and The Exchange is no different. There are so many different factors a cappella groups have to navigate through that groups using instruments don’t have to worry about. As Glee’s director and music education major, I’m always looking at how other musical groups work. Their technique, their style and their chemistry. Most importantly, as an a cappella group, I hone in on pitches and vocal blend. For example, I’d be watching how they regulate their breathing on stage while still performing high-energy songs. It’s not an easy task!” said Cook. Emma Wasko, a music education major with an emphasis on voice, is starting her second semester of Glee Club. “When I found out that our club was opening for The Exchange, I was so excited. Watching this group perform at The Sing Off and seeing how much talent they have and then saying to myself, ‘I’m opening for these extremely talented people!’ I feel so much pride, not just for myself but for our group as well. It shows that the dedication and talent that this groups brings with them to each rehearsal and being able to open for The Exchange shows the group that dedication and time is not being wasted, doing something you love can turn into what you do for life,” said Wasko. Tickets can be purchased at uaatix.com. The price for UAA students is $5 in advance and $10 at the door. UAA staff, faculty, alumni and anyone under 17 can purchase tickets for $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
College Cookbook Mac and Cheese in a mug
By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
The perfect comfort food, macaroni and cheese is an easy and delicious way to get your single serving fix of comfort food. All the equipment you’ll need for this recipe is a mug and a microwave.
Ingredients: 1/3 cup of macaroni noodles ½ cup of water ½ cup of shredded cheese (of your choice) 1 tablespoon of butter 1 tablespoons of milk Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Fresh broccoli and cooked, shredded chicken
PHOTO COURTESY BY PINK SHERBET
1. Add the macaroni and water together in the mug and microwave for three minutes. Take the mug out and stir. Put the mug back in for one minute, then remove, stir, and then microwave for one more minute. Do this until the noodles are soft. 2. Add the butter, milk and cheese. Mix around the ingredients with the cooked noodles. Stir until thoroughly mixed. 3. Add salt and pepper to taste. 4. Optional: Stir in chicken and broccoli.
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A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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GAME REVIEW
The Ten-Week Initiative: “Silent Hill 2” is complex, if not frustrating at times
By George Hyde
gchyde@thenorthernlight.org
“In my restless dreams, I see that town. Silent Hill. You promised you’d take me there again someday, but you never did. Well, I’m alone there now… in our ‘special place…’ waiting for you...” These are the words that open one of gaming’s most legendary horror titles. Critics and fans alike regard “Silent Hill 2” as one of the finest horror games ever made, for its exploration of topics that games before then (and after, in many cases) wouldn’t dare touch upon, as well as its very psychologically complex and screwy story. While I won’t say that it’s perfect, I will say that it does indeed manage to tell one of the most interesting stories in gaming history. James Sunderland, the protagonist, receives a letter from his wife saying that she’s waiting for him in Silent Hill, a resort town that he used to visit with her. The weird thing, though, is that his wife has been dead for three years. With this fact in mind, James goes to Silent Hill anyway in order to solve the mystery of who sent the letter, what’s happened to the resort town he remembers and why all of the people there seem to be seeing different things than he is. The key to understanding “Silent Hill 2” is its atmosphere and environment, through which the story is mostly told. Symbolism is everywhere. James sees elements of his marriage and sexual frustration everywhere in town — including the iconic Pyramid Head, who is introduced here plunging his massive elongated sword through many fleshy beasts. Throughout the course of the game, we see James slowly descend into madness as he discovers that the town caters to his own fears and guilt a
little too closely. It’s outstanding character development through the medium of foggy resort town, and its creepy psychological effect is undeniable. This would all be helped by smart, exploratory gameplay, but unfortunately, it isn’t. I admire the game for trying to have a clunky control scheme along the lines of the original “Resident Evil” games, and while the combat isn’t bad (if not a little repetitive), the point-and-click-esque puzzles that pervade the game certainly mess with the pacing. They’re somewhat few and far between, but if you’re not the type of person that likes the kinds of puzzles from games like “King’s Quest” or “Monkey Island,” “Silent Hill 2” is going to frustrate you more than it’s going to scare you or mess with your head. And yet, the few moments of frustration are worth it for a metaphorical and often very cerebral experience, admirably told mostly wordlessly through environments and atmosphere. It’s not a good time, but one gets the sense that it isn’t meant to be. For a heavy, foreboding and spooky experience this Halloween season, it’s hard to go wrong with a return trip to Silent Hill.
TITLE “Silent Hill2” DEVELOPER Team Silent
PLATFORMS PS2, Xbox, 360, PC GENRE Atmospheric Horror
RELEASE DATE Sptember 24, 2001
CONTACTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015
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Yeah, I guess you could take the Mapworks survey… if you like making college easier and winning prizes.
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Mapworks is a program that assists degree-seeking first and secondwho completes the survey year students successfully transition to UAA. Everyone is automatically entered to win prizes What you need to know:
(iPads, gift cards and more)!
Take it – When you get the survey in your UAA email, it should take about 15 minutes to complete. You will get 4 surveys over the year. You are expected to take all 4 surveys. Review it – Look over your customized report based on your survey answers, take some time to reflect on your strength and weaknesses. Bring it – Bring your report to your next advising meeting, your advisor will help you make a plan for success based on your specific needs. The first Mapworks Survey will be open Sunday, September 20 through Sunday, October 11. For more information, please contact the Student Retention & Mapworks Coordinator: (907) 786-6496 • Mapworks@uaa.alaska.edu
Looking for VoLunteers
UAA FUSION is a program designed to connect students with the community and help local agencies and non profits for a few hours a day.
Dates for uAA fusion september 28th - october 2nd, 2015 sign up toDay at: uaa.alaska.edu/orientation Questions: uaa_orientation@uaa.alaska.edu