April 24, 2018

APRIL 24 - MAY 1, 2018

FEATURES

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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AE club hosts fun run with ‘80s theme

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Olympians, UAA athletes volunteer for rural ski instruction

Seven senior students hold thesis exhibit

Smoke-free workplace bill sees movement in House committee

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF JADE ARIAH

“Shrinking Women: the Fat Female Apologetic,” by Jade Ariah, ceramics student. Ariah’s art looks at the way women are portrayed in the media.

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

For many seniors, a thesis paper is mandatory before graduating, but for the bachelor’s of fine arts students, a week-long exhibition showcasing their work is expected.‌ It starts with a written thesis proposal the previous semester that the students must submit with what their exhibit would be about. If approved, the students start working on their art that will be displayed in the Kimura Gallery.‌ Each of the students’ art has a certain theme or message they’re trying to deliver. Kendra Harvey has a concentration in ceramics and painting within her fine arts major. Her exhibit will depict myth reinterpreted with animal sculptures. The inspiration for her senior project went back to what she enjoyed as a child.‌ “Mythology always interested me. My parents bought me this planetarium that would project the night sky onto my ceiling and it came with a disc that would walk me through each constellation and the myth behind it and I was obsessed with it… I thought back to that and wanted to investigate how I could apply that to my art and what I’m doing now,” Harvey said. “I wanted to give it a different spin ― a more personal spin.”‌ Jade Ariah, who also has a thenorthernlight.org

concentration in ceramics, created ceramic underwear and has titled her exhibit “Shrinking Women: the Fat Female Apologetic.” Her art looks at the way women are portrayed in the media: often tiny and dainty. Ariah wanted to question the “pervasiveness of fat phobia and celebrate the aesthetic value of fatness.”‌ “Making sculptures of billowing granny panties is a way to talk about women’s bodies lightheartedly, but also to realize our ideas of beauty are based on an oppressive social construct,” Ariah said. ‌ The students are in the BFA program for two scholastic years. For Kiara Kaitchuck, the best part of being a BFA student was learning more about herself.‌ “The program has helped me to consider my work as an artist as more than just a purveyor of pretty things, but as a person who can talk to people visually and influence change,” Kaitchuck said. “In terms of my mental health, the program has helped me learn more about myself than three years of psychiatric treatment did because I have learned it is awesome to be critical of yourself. That’s what makes better humans.”‌ Kaitchuck’s exhibit is a work of paintings entitled “Unheimlich,” where she focuses on four mental disorders, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder. She

chose those four because of the misconceptions about mental disorders.‌ Also hoping to bring awareness to the show is Danielle Morgan, whose watercolor and graphite art shows the “hidden” side of autistic women. Being recognized as autistic as an adult is not commonly seen and gender expectations and other reasonings have made it more difficult for women to be recognized as autistic.‌ Morgan, who is autistic, has her own feelings displayed through her artwork, the feeling of being “invisible.”‌ “There is a general misunderstanding to exactly what autism is… By doing this project, I’m hoping that people will want to research it more themselves,” Morgan said. ‌ In the first week, BFA Thesis Exhibit I will showcase Harvey, Morgan, Kaitchuck and Lauren Stanford. Part two of the exhibition the following week will feature Ariah, Bryce Fredrick and Jeanette Sweetman.‌ Exhibit I opened Monday, April 23 and will stay open until Friday, April 27. Exhibit II will be open Monday, April 30 until May 4. There will be an opening reception on April 30 from 5:30 - 8 p.m.‌ The exhibitions will take place in the Kimura Gallery, located on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building.‌

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On April 10, an anti-smoking bill received movement in the House Rules Committee, and a revised version may be making its way to the floor.‌ Senate Bill 63 has been sitting in the committee since January with little action. Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, chairwoman, has been opposed of the bill, even back when Sen. Peter Micciche first introduced the same bill during the 2015 legislative session. It is up to LeDoux to decide whether Senate Bill 63 makes it to a floor vote and she has remained opposed despite the sponsorship and support of about 30 legislators.‌ LeDoux recognized the need to put the bill to the floor for a vote though she has “some questions about this entire bill.”‌ “Nevertheless, in order to extend an olive branch to the people who really want this bill, I’m trying to do something to get this bill in a reasonable form so that we can get it to the floor,” LeDoux said.‌ The previous version of the bill prohibited smoking in most public places, like bars and restaurants. It also contained language that included the categorization of vapor products and e-cigarettes.‌ During the hearing on April 10, LeDoux put forth a different version of the bill that had three changes:‌ • Communities and municipalities could opt out of the regulation after holding a vote • Vaping and e-cigarettes are no longer considered under the bill’s regulations • The regulation of marijuana is removed from the purview of the bill‌ Rep. Lora Reinbold spoke up against the new changes.‌ “It says that marijuana and vaping usage are not going to be

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regulated,” Reinbold said.‌ For Rep. Sam Kito III, the decision to create a committee substitute for the bill was made too late. He objected to adopting the new version and expressed that he had concerns about the changes.‌ “I think these changes are things that have been discussed in other committees. There were agreements, the bill move forward and we’ve got more than enough support for the bill as it sits on the House floor,” Kito said. “I did not appreciate having these changes being added at this late date in this forum on this particular bill.”‌ Reinbold said that she agreed with his comments, but Rep. Mike Chenault supported LeDoux’s introduction of the new bill. He said there was, “nothing wrong with the [House] Rules Committee introducing a [committee substitute] to a bill that is in their committee.”‌ Rep. David Eastman proposed three amendments that would have narrowed down exceptions for the bill, but they all failed with votes of 3-3, Kito being absent.‌ The committee substitute version for SB 63 was ultimately passed with a vote of 4-2. It now needs to be scheduled for a floor vote.‌ “It is a long time in coming and I am generally opposed to just letting bills sit in committee,” Eastman said on April 18.

“I think unless there’s something you can show that is a good reason to keep working on a bill, the expectation that I have is that committees will do their work quickly according to the rules.”‌ “Either way, the bill belongs to the body. It doesn’t belong to a committee,” he added.‌ Rep. Matt Claman, vice chair of the Rules Committee, said that he supported the new version of the bill in order to get it to the floor.‌ “Folks wondered why I supported the revised bill and when they understood that I actually was supporting it because that was a way to get the entire bill to the floor so the House could consider amendments to that proposal, then there’s been broad support at least getting the amended version onto the floor so we can really have the full debate,” he said.‌ Reinbold said, through a staffer, that she believes that “people have the right to work in a smoke-free workplace.”‌

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Facebook-Cambridge Analytica leaks prompt discussions about user privacy

PHOTO BY JAY GUZMAN

Facebook updated its data policy as of April 19 following Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony to Congress over the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal.

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

Earlier this month, Facebook announced that a data firm had improperly collected information about nearly 87 million users, prompting a global debate around the issues of user privacy and data protection.‌ The firm, Cambridge Analytica, had been hired by President Donald Trump’s political campaign and used the obtained data to target voters. According to The New York Times, users downloaded a survey app and the researcher who created it gathered the information of those

270,000 people — including data about their friends — and later gave the data to Cambridge Analytica.‌ “It’s impressively disturbing what predictions computers are able to make about people’s voting, buying behaviors or behaviors in general from the findable information,” Kenrick Mock, UAA department chair of Computer Science and Engineering, said.‌ Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified on Capitol Hill before the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees on April 10, where he was questioned about the company’s practices, government regulation and, of course, the mishap with Cambridge Analytica. Lawmakers

pressed him about possibly offering an ad-free version and whether the company was a monopoly.‌ The entire debacle has brought up questions of how efficiently and effectively companies, such as Facebook, protect user data and how transparent they are to the general public about their methods.‌ Yet, what do people think about this incident and the notions of user privacy?‌ “There are some pretty impressive predictions that computers can make about things like political views or things you might buy,” Mock said. “I find it pretty interesting from a technology and machine perspective… But from a privacy point of view, I think it has this potential to be possibly misused or used in ways that weren’t intended.”‌ Cambridge Analytica used the acquired data to possibly aim advertisements at users. Third-party applications are already able to collect personal data like this on Facebook and it is up to the user to choose what information is shared in their settings.‌ The tools that allow this kind of access are referred to as application programing interfaces, or A.P.I.s.‌ “Facebook does need to define more on how companies access their A.P.I.s as well as flesh out the terms and conditions [on] what is being shared to Facebook’s customers,” Xavier Cho, a UAA student, said.‌ He doesn’t think that the company is at fault, though. He said that Cambridge Analytica should be held responsible for the way it used the users’ information.‌ For Paul Babbitt Jr., an Alaskan resident, it also isn’t Facebook’s fault if people don’t read the fine print.‌ “People knowingly and willingly give up the right to their private information they share on social media the moment they agree to the terms of use,” he said.

“Anytime you install an app, it specifically asks for permissions to access cookies, share your information you have linked

through your phone and people just hit ‘Accept’ and think, ‘Oh, okay, I have nothing to hide and I really want this app.’”‌ Joseph Sasis is a computer engineer in Liverpool, New York, and he said it’s hard to define privacy on the internet.‌ “If you let yourself out there, say, you post your opinions, you post memes of what you like, you post political agendas and what not, it’s really hard to restrict who can see your stuff and where your data goes,” Sasis said.‌ There’s a gray area for privacy, Sasis also said, and no fine line that distinguishes what can be private and what cannot.‌ “Most people think we have a right to privacy. We don’t,” Saiss said. “It’s not in the [United States] Constitution. People don’t have a right to privacy; it’s a privilege to have privacy. I think that’s one of the big things people are overlooking. I don’t think Facebook or Zuckerberg is largely at fault... I mean, Google is already out there listening to us. Everyone has their own personal FBI agent watching from their webcam camera, right?”‌ A new privacy law is being implemented in Europe in response to Facebook’s incident with Cambridge Analytica. The General Data Protection Regulation will take effect on May 25 and aims to give users more control over their information while requiring companies to be more transparent.‌ For users who are curious about their Facebook data, there is an option to download their archive. In general account settings, you can download a copy that will be prepared into a .zip file. The file will include your “digital life” such as people you have removed as friends, your entire timeline, ad topics you are interested in as well as advertisers that have your information and more. Even private messages are archived.‌ “Be very careful what you put on the internet,” Cho said.‌

Scholarship lands students opportunity to teach abroad

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Mizelle Mayo

features2@thenorthernlight.org

Ioana Lobontiu and Megan Green will be able to teach English as newly minted Fulbright scholars. Both will be working as English teaching assistants abroad.‌

The Fulbright student program offers opportunities in 140 countries to do research, study and teach for recent graduates and graduate students.‌ According to the Fulbright’s official website, Sen. J. William Fulbright created a bill in the United States of Congress that funded students who were studying education, culture and science in 1945.

President Harry S. Truman then signed the bill into law creating the Fulbright program for an international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S government.‌ They applied for the scholarship in September 2017 and learned that they received the scholarship in March 2018.

Green will be an English teaching assistant in Germany while Lobontiu will be teaching in Austria.‌ For Lobontiu and Green, the program was fitting for their areas of studies. Both students went to West High School and were always interested in language. ‌ Green is double majoring in economics and German and minoring in math.‌ “In seventh grade, everybody had to choose a language to study. You had two options, German and Spanish. I was cu-

rious about German, so I decided to go into that language,” Green said. “I like the way that the words were like puzzle pieces and you have to fit them together, express ideas and everything. It felt natural in studying it.”‌ Lobontiu was born in Romania and followed her father, professor of mechanical engineering, all throughout the U.S. until settling in Alaska. Already in a bilingual family, the Fulbright program is a major stepping stone for building her career after college, she said. Lobontiu is currently majoring in French and German and studying international studies.‌ “International studies was always something that interested me. Then, I started taking languages in middle school and high school, and it kind of just snowballed from there,” Lobontiu said.‌ Green is a German tutor on campus and studied abroad in Germany. Lobontiu volunteered at Rilke Schule, a German immersion school in Anchorage and has also been the president of the German club for the last two years.‌ With determination to tailor their academic careers for the Fulbright scholarship and their future careers, they met

Natasa Masanovic-Courtney, German coordinator and department chair for the languages department, fairly early in their academics. ‌ “It was an intensive editing process.

We’d talk about how well the piece was working and where things that needed to get put in,” Green said. “There’s so much you want to say, but the pieces are limited to one page. You really have to be efficient in how you write. It wasn’t any kind of writing I’ve done before.”.‌ The Fulbright scholarship has helped them open their opportunities to learning about different cultures and expanding their skills in the German language.‌ “I’m really looking forward to the multicultural aspect that’s even more present in a different country in that I would feel like I’m the outsider coming in,” Lobontiu said. “I think it’s a really good opportunity to learn about another culture because Germany and Austria are very multicultural societies. I think that interchange is something I’m looking forward to the most.”‌ The 2019-2020 Fulbright U.S. Student competition is open for submissions. Applications are due Oct. 9, 2018.‌

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FEATURES

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TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018

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College Cookbook: Moonwalk into the Hot and sour soup 80’s with the AE Club

By Victoria Petersen copy@thenorthernlight.org

It’s starting to feel like summer, but it’s still a little chilly outside. Warm yourself up with this quick and easy-to-make soup. It’s the perfect meal if you’re feeling under the weather, or if you’re just in the mood for a soup that isn’t everyday chicken noodle. I’ve made this recipe many times, and it never disappoints. ‌ I found this recipe through Pinterest. It comes from a blog called Gimme Some Oven. She uses tofu in her soup, but you can add meat if you want it to be more substantial. This recipe can also be made vegetarian by using tofu and vegetable stock. ‌

Ingredients • 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock‌ PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOB MAXWELL

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar

Participants in 2017’s ‘80s 5K Fun Run stop at one of six dance stations along the trail.

While costumes for the run are optional, bright colors and outfits brighten the ‘80s 5K Fun Run, hosted by the UAA AE club.

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

On April 28, grab your leg warmers and head over to the Social Sciences Building for the AE club’s annual ‘80s Fun Run/ Dance/Walk. The club focuses on hands on experience, community service and raising money for Habitat for Humanity. ‌ The event, consisting of two run options, is also a costume

contest and offers opportunities to learn popular dances from the past. Participants choose to run one of two courses: a timed 5K or a personal paced 5K Fun Run that includes six stops for dancing.‌ Both courses take runners across the UAA campus. This year’s schedule includes stops at Cuddy Hall, the Alaska Airlines Center and the Health Sciences Building, with two dance moves presented at each. ‌

• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms ‌

Members of the AE club will be waiting at each stop to demonstrate dances, like the MC Hammer, the running man and the moonwalk. Participants then mimic the dance through a dance zone indicated by cones, and continue to the next stop.‌ David Chamberlain, senior mechanical engineering major and AE club member, is helping with the run for his second year.‌ “My favorite part of the run is talking to the people who participate. The energy they bring definitely makes me proud to be a part of these events,” Chamberlain said. “Also, there are some great ‘80s costumes that people show up in.”‌ The ‘80s Fun Run/Dance/ Walk is one of the many fundraising events put on by the AE club. According to their web page, the AE club has collectively completed over 15,000 hours of service and raised more than $12,000 for the Anchorage Habitat for Humanity.‌ Chong Her, a mechanical engineering major in his fourth year at UAA, says the club is about having fun while making a difference in the community.‌ “The mission of the club is to have a positive impact on people’s lives,” Her said. “[Last year’s run] was fun and went really well. My favorite part of the event was hearing and seeing everyone having fun.”‌ At the end of the event, medals are handed out to everyone who finishes, along with door prizes.‌ The ‘80s Fun Run/Dance/ Walk begins at the Social Science Building at 12 p.m. on April 28, with music starting at 11 a.m. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online through AEclubUAA.com, or in person at 3890 University Lake Drive, suite 110i. An extra $5 is charged for day-of registration.‌ Strollers are allowed, and pets are prohibited. Bibs can be picked up the morning of the event.‌

• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce‌ • 2 teaspoons ground ginger‌ • 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, like sriracha‌ • 1/4 cup cornstarch ‌ • 2 large eggs, whisked‌ • 8 ounces firm tofu, or protein of your choice‌ • 4 green onions, thinly sliced‌ • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil‌ • Salt and pepper to taste‌

Directions 1. Add all but 1/4 cup of the stock, mushrooms, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and chili garlic sauce to a large pot. Stir over medium-high heat until the soup begins to simmer.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup of stock and cornstarch until combined. Pour the mixture into the simmering soup. Stir the soup for about a minute, until the soup thickens.

3. Continue stirring the soup while drizzling in the whisked eggs in a thin stream to create ribbons. Stir in the tofu or meat, the green onions and sesame oil.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To make the soup more sour, add in another tablespoon of rice vinegar. For a spicier flavor add in more of the chili garlic sauce.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN

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Where to go when you’ve got to go

PHOTO BY JAY GUZMAN

Med lab students, Amanda Olson, Dong Won Yu, Lesley Garcia, Lesly Mislang and Rachel Sanders, conducted a study on UAA’s bathrooms for bacterial growth. Their study was presented at the Student Showcase where it received an honorable mention.

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

In my first semester as a staff reporter for The Northern Light, I wrote a piece entitled “Where to go when you’ve got to go: The best bathrooms on UAA’s campus.” I was reminded of the article when a group of medical laboratory science majors used that piece as the basis for a study they did on which bathrooms at UAA were the most clean. ‌

While my article focused solely on the aesthetic value of the bathrooms, the medical laboratory science majors found that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the school’s facilities. ‌ “It turns out there really is no correlation between like a nice bathroom and how clean it is versus an [unclean] bathroom,” group member Dong Won Yu said.‌ Yu and four other class members recently presented their study at the Student Showcase

on April 6 and were recognized as one of three honorable mentions. ‌ “It was nice that we were selected and notarized as interesting and putting ourselves out there for everybody to know about,” group member Amanda Olson said.‌ So what did they find?‌ “The male [bathrooms] had more contamination on the sink handles and the female [bathrooms] for the stall locks — or most when compared to each other,” group member Rachel

Sanders said.‌ The group swabbed the faucet handle, interior door handle, interior stall lock and the toilet handles of multiple first floor bathrooms for different types of organisms.‌ “We found a lot of things,” Yu said. “The two main organisms that were found were bacteria and fungus, and so we screened a total of nine buildings, a total of 72 sites. The main bacteria we found was… staph aureus. It’s a bacteria and it was found in like most of the buildings and it’s a bacteria that’s normally found on the skin.”‌ From their research they found the first floor Student Union bathroom — which received the lowest rating for a female bathroom in the November 2016 aesthetic rank — was actually the bathroom that had the least amount of bacteria.‌ The worst bathroom surprised everyone, including group member Lesly Mislang.‌ “It was surprising for us to find [MRSA, or methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus] at the Health Sciences Building because you know it’s the Health Sciences Building… It’s pretty surprising because it was the male’s bathroom, too,” Mislang said.‌

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MRSA “is a bacteria that is resistant to many antibiotics… and MRSA can cause a variety of problems ranging from are skin infections and sepsis to pneumonia to bloodstream infections.”‌ The research project made several group members more aware of the bacteria that surrounds them. They advise readers to wash their hands.‌ “Patient care is the most important thing. If even small projects like this can make you more aware that, ‘oh this is how it’s happening for real than how I’m assuming than,’ it can make a huge difference in patient care later,” group member Lesley Garcia said. “Because we are students and we are getting this experience under our belt it is going to help people in the long run.”‌ “Ever since we started our project I literally wash my hands before I touch anything and after, before I leave and try not to touch anything on the way out,” Olson said.‌ Their group research demonstrated that the first floor bathroom of the Social Sciences Building was also one of the cleanest. ‌

ASD serves up job skills in coffee shop

By Mizelle Mayo

features2@thenorthernlight.org

Located on the first floor of the Anchorage School District Education Center is the Transitions Coffee Shop which helps students in the Adult Community Transition program learn workplace skills and how to make a warm cup of coffee.‌ Lucia Wooley, teacher aid in the ACT program, is working with several students with disabilities to hone their skills through this new opportunity. ‌ The original idea came to mind from Katy Boneta, a K-12 vocational teacher in the ACT program, about starting another coffee shop housing a new field of learning for their students.

There was a coffee shop prior to Transitions Coffee Shop but was vacant for some time before getting it back up and running in December 2017. ‌ Before the official opening, Wooley was able to partner with Kaladis in learning how to make varieties of coffees. In turn, she was able to teach the students how to work the machines and

make coffee as well. ‌ Last week, Transitions Coffee Shop opened their windows for ASD employees and other customers who happened to stop by. They started off making complimentary drip coffee and delivering them to customers.‌ “None of us really worked in a coffee shop before, so it’s been a learning experience for me.

It’s been really fun working with the students,” Wooley said. ‌ For Paul Olitk, a senior at the East High School ACT program, working the register was a different experience for him. He hopes to have his own coffee shop in the future. For the most part, he likes working with other students at the coffee shop.‌ Mae Celeste and Mio Smith, seniors at East High School and West High School, have also enjoyed the experience so far.‌ “I sometimes work at the machine and sometimes talk to the people. I go back and forth and make coffee. Then, sometimes I go up there and give them their coffee,” Celeste said.‌ Smith believes that working at the coffee shop is a stepping stone into becoming a doctor.

PHOTO BY MIZELLE MAYO

Mio Smith, Mae Celeste and Paul Olitk work at the Transitions Coffee Shop at the Anchorage School District Education Center. The shop is run by Adult Community Transition program to allow 18-21 year olds to learn workplace skills.

He plans on going to UAA for a couple of years before heading to a different state.‌ “Eventually, I want to take [being a doctor] more into the military,” Smith said.‌ The Transitions Coffee Shop aims to help students age 1821 years old gain people skills,

team building and job maturity skills.‌ “When they graduate from our program, we really would like to see them out in the community working and holding down a job and being successful,” Wooley said.‌ In the future, Kaladi Brothers

will directly work with the students by teaching new tips and tricks to making coffee.‌ The Transitions Coffee Shop is located on the first floor of the ASD Education Center on 5530 E. Northern Lights Blvd. The coffee shop is open weekdays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.‌

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Ceramics students prepare for pottery sale

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

On May 4 at 8 a.m., the doors to the wheel throwing studio will open for the Annual Spring Pottery Sale. UAA’s Clay Body club hosts the event at the end of every spring semester, along with their sale in the fall. Pottery, sculptures and jewelry, all handcrafted by ceramic students and faculty at the university, will be up for sale.‌ The Clay Body club has been hosting sales for over 25 years.

Jade Ariah, bachelor’s of fine arts student and Clay Body club president, advises customers to arrive up to an hour prior to the start time, as a line typically forms.‌ “We definitely have established a following of people who come to every single sale and bring their friends and family. There’s usually around 100 people running around when the sale starts. It’s a hot mess,” Ariah said. ‌ Although students name the prices for their own work, Steven Godfrey, chair of the art department and advisor for the club, says the sale is “the best

deal in town,” and a little support goes a long way.‌ “It gives students the sense that they can make a living doing this. It feels like a pat on the back or a nod from the public when they sell something,” Godfrey said. “It also helps students with their confidence. They realize they’ve gained great skills and knowledge in the field.”‌ Profits from the sale help fund the individual artists, as well as other events within the Clay Body club, such as hosting visiting artists and sponsoring a yearly trip to a ceramics conference. ‌ Shelsea Dodd, a post baccalaureate student from Maryland Institute College of Art, has been working in the ceramics field for around nine years. Her sculptures in this semester’s sale have a special meaning behind them.‌ “My work investigates topics concerning feminism, LGBT and queer issues and human-animal relationships,” Dodd said.

“The pieces I am most proud of are ones that are not only visually appealing, but that communicate these concepts successfully to the viewer.”‌ Dodd is attracted to the ce-

ramics field for the support and bond of its community, as well as the flexibility of the practice itself.‌ “I love that clay can become sculpture, or it can become functional pottery. In this duality we can enjoy ceramics visually, conceptually and as an integral part of our everyday routine,” Dodd said. ‌ Ceramics term instructor Alanna Derocchi is impressed by the dedication of the Clay Body club and the quality of work available at this semester’s sale.‌ “The ceramics students run such a great club because of the inclusive community they form while working in the shared studio. Everyone supports each other, which has created a dynamic environment that has increased the level of engagement in the pottery sale,” Derocchi said. “There is always a great selection of unique and creative pieces all across the board.”‌ The club’s Annual Spring Pottery Sale will take place on May 4 from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the Gordon Hartlieb Hall, Room 108. The event is open to everyone, and now accepts credit cards.‌

PHOTO BY CALEIGH JENSEN

Shelsea Dodd designed several “pocket fertility goddesses” to sell at the Spring Pottery Sale hosted by the UAA Clay Body club. These Venus-inspired figurines are seen throughout cultures as far back as 28,000 B.C.

40 years later and all that jazz

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

Karen Strid-Chadwick will direct her last jazz show on April 25.‌ Strid-Chadwick has been teaching at UAA for 40 years.

She started as an adjunct in 1978 when UAA was still a part of Anchorage Community College. When her mentor, Wendy Williamson, whose name is now a part of UAA, retired, StridChadwick was hired. She said that she just fell into teaching.‌

“I wouldn’t recommend what I did at all,” Strid-Chadwick said. “They needed someone to teach at ACC and I had just gotten my theory degree and I said, ‘Sure, I’ll do it.’”‌ Strid-Chadwick has taught jazz theory, history of jazz, private piano lessons and functional piano. She likes when students “get it” and are performing like they don’t need her anymore. ‌ “Seeing the light bulbs go on, just seeing the students get better, just seeing the breakthroughs and when they go, ‘Oh, that’s how it goes,’ ‘Oh, I

get it now.’ That’s the best part,” Strid-Chadwick said.‌ In her class for seniors, student David Peach has nothing but high regards for Strid-Chadwick.‌ “She has a real good blend of encouraging you on and challenging you at the same time,” Peach said.‌ This is not Peach’s first time working with Strid-Chadwick.

Peach played in the Wind Ensemble under Strid-Chadwick’s direction back in 1985.‌ “She’s a fun conductor, too; she taught us a lot,” Peach said.‌

In her tiny office with enough room for two pianos, StridChadwick thought about the quickly-approaching last weeks of teaching at the university. She looks forward to tending to her home in Homer, reading books and, of course, continuing to practice music.‌ “I’m going to keep playing and stuff,” she said. “I think it’s just time to pass the torch to someone new, that’s all. I guess I’m not real emotional about it, I think they’ll carry on just fine without me. I think it’s all good.”‌ The last Jazz Week Benefit

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC

Concert of the semester is April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building’s Recital Hall, featuring four jazz classes. Tickets are available at ArtsUAA.com.‌

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Unalakleet local sets Arctic Winter Games record

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

At the end of March, UAA student Stuart Towarak spent his time in Fort Smith, Canada competing in the 2018 Arctic Winter Games.‌ Towarak, a physical education student at UAA, returned to Alaska after AWG with a new record. Even more impressive, this was Towarak’s first year competing in AWG, finishing the one foot high kick at 9-feet and 7-inches to win the gold medal.‌ The new AWG record that he set wasn’t even threatened by the second place finisher, who ended with a final 9-feet and 2-inches. Nick Hanson came in at 3rd.‌ “When I was in high school [Hanson was] my coach, the Eskimo Ninja. He’s been coaching and helping me out in the Native Games the last 10 years. [At the AWG this year] we pushed each other to do our best in competition,” Towarak said. ‌

Despite this being his AWG debut, Towarak has been competing for a long time. ‌ “I started competing in the one foot high kick 10 years ago. The one foot high kick is one of many Native Games played in the Native Youth Olympics, World Eskimo Indian Olympics and Arctic Winter Games,” Towarak said.‌ He has participated in these events for years, including the NYO from 2008 to 2013 and the WEIO from 2011 to 2017.‌ “One of my best accomplishments from the Native Games is kicking 114 inches in the one foot high kick in the Native Youth Olympics back in 2013, which is the NYO record for the boys. I share that record with John Miller of Barrow and Tim Fields of Noorvik,” Towarak said. ‌ Towarak said that still doesn’t top the new AWG record that he set; he broke that record after it was set 30 years ago, at 9-feet 6-inches.‌ “It’s really a step by step process with doing the one foot high kick because you

have to work on your approach, take off spot, exploding up on your jump, finding your target on the ball, kicking at your pea, and focusing on landing on that same foot you just kicked with,” he said.‌ The basic goal of the one foot high kick is, from a standing or running start, to jump with both feet, kick a suspended ball with one foot, then land on the kicking foot, all by doing so without losing balance. ‌ Towarak said that even with his training of over 10 years and people always telling him he makes it look easy, he still has to work on each step in order to kick it without difficulty. ‌ From his perspective, these skills are something he can work on for a long time.

He said that he plans to continue competing until he can no longer handle it. ‌ Towarak also said he would like to continue his life in Alaska for the foreseeable future, hopefully getting a job post-graduation.‌

PHOTO COURTESY OF TUSAAYAKSAT MAGAZINE

UAA student Stuart Towarak participates in the one foot high kick at the Arctic Winter Games in Fort Smith, Canada. Towarak’s one foot high kick reached 9-feet and 7-inches to win the gold medal.

Miller placed No. 1 on MPSF all-academic team

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY

Mackenzie Miller and six other UAA gymnasts were named to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s All-Academics team, the fourth most of the colleges in the conference.

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

After the conclusion of the 2017-18 gymnastics season, it was announced that six of the 14 women on the UAA gymnastics team were awarded the honor of being selected to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation 2018 Women’s Gymnastics All-Academic Team.‌

36 gymnasts from the conference made the honor of the AllAcademic team. With six honorees, UAA had the fourth most on the list, behind Sacramento State who qualified 10 women and a tie between San Jose State and Seattle Pacific who both qualified seven. ‌ In order to qualify for the All-Academic team, a studentathlete must carry a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA, be in at least

her second season, and compete in at least 50 percent of meets.‌ Of the Seawolves’ six, Mackenzie Miller (4.00) and Madeleine Arbuckle (3.94) lead the team, followed by Kennedy Green (3.81), Kaylin Mancari (3.48), Kendra Daniels (3.36), and Kierra Abraham (3.31).‌ “I am working towards a bachelor’s of science in environmental studies and a business administration minor. I chose

this degree because I am interested in attending law school to practice environmental law,” Arbuckle said. ‌ Miller is an accounting major/‌ “I haven’t decided exactly what I want to do post-graduation. I’m finally starting to get into more classes that are directed towards my major, and I’ve really been enjoying them,” Miller said.‌ Keeping a 4.0 and competing in a Division I sport may seem like a daunting task, but it’s nothing that Miller isn’t used to.‌ “Balancing school and gymnastics has been something I’ve had to do my whole life. I learned how important time management was at a very young age,” Miller said, “School and gymnastics have always been top priorities in my life, so making it work, in both areas, has been my focus.”‌ This balancing act between school and sports is a very normal thing that most of the gymnasts have to participate in.‌ “At this point I think it would be weird to not have a full schedule and constantly have to prioritize things,” Arbuckle said. ‌

The real struggle that student athletes face is having less time during the week to finish school work when they’re already physically exhausted. ‌ “Pre-season and during season are the toughest times for sure, due to our heavy schedules and the exhaustion that comes with our longer workouts, which makes getting into the homework zone a challenge sometimes,” Arbuckle said. ‌ There isn’t much time to stress for these athletes. Miller added that her day is usually filled back-to-back.‌ “In a typical day, I’ll have a morning class before heading to practice. During season, our practices last three to four hours, so I’ll spend quite a bit of time at the gym during the day,” Miller said. “I’ll usually have some time before my next class starts, so I make sure I use that time to work on any schoolwork I may have. After my afternoon class, I’ll head home, relax and finish up any homework I still have.”‌ As of now, the gymnasts are finally out of season and vigorously studying for the finals to hold onto those high GPAs. ‌

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018

| 09

Creating a culture of skiing

By Marie Ries

news2@thenorthernlight.org

Getting Alaska on skis is the goal of Skiku, a statewide program providing annual Nordic ski instruction to Alaska Native youth at schools in rural Alaska.‌ Outside of the school lessons, the Skiku teams of qualified volunteer and staff coaches offer lessons for both the children and their families. The name of the program comes from a combination of “ski” with “siku,” the Inupiaq word for ice. ‌ Skiku Director Robin Kornfield started the program in 2011. Her initial goal was to help children from her hometown, Kiana, qualify for the Arctic Winter Games. ‌ When World Cup skier Lars Flora came to her with the idea of bringing elite skiers to teach the children in Kiana to ski, she decided to focus her work on the establishment of the skiing program.

A team of 18 coaches traveled to four villages in the Northwest Arctic Borough in 2012. The next year, they provided instruction in 11 villages.‌

“People started hearing about it in other parts of the state and so we started expanding. We ended up with 40 locations across the state,” Kornfield said.‌ Soon, the program moved beyond the goal of just helping children to get to the Arctic Winter Games. It also helps address social problems like unawareness of nutrition, lack of physical activity and high suicide rates, Kornfield said.‌ “I think there’s so much more to it. It’s not just an athletic thing,” Kornfield said.

“It’s actually about taking people outdoors in a time of the year when they are desperate to be outdoors.”‌ The volunteer coaching teams include Olympians, World Cup skiers, high school athletes and collegiate skiers. This year, 2018 Olympians Caitlyn Patterson and Scott Patterson were part of the Skiku team.‌ “There’s a lot of motivation potential when you introduce kids to elite athletes like our Alaskan Olympians,” Kornfield said. ‌ Out on the trails of the villages, the children get the opportunity to form relationships with the high-level skiers.

“Pretty soon, they are just Caitlyn or

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIKU

UAA Nordic skier Zackarias Toresson volunteers as a coach for the Skiku program, helping young skiers get out on the trails.

Scott [to the children],” Kornfield said.‌ Charley Field, health sciences major and Alpine skier for UAA, volunteered as a Skiku coach for the first time this year.

The senior just finished her final collegiate season highlighted by a 14th place finish in the giant slalom at the NCAA championships.‌ She worked in a team of five coaches in the village of Selawik. Though it was challenging to accommodate all the different levels of skiing at times, Field said she was very lucky to get the opportunity to coach in the village.‌ “The most rewarding part was seeing the smiles and enjoyment on the kids’ faces,” Field said. “Seeing them really

get into skiing was amazing. It gives kids the chance to do something fun outside during the winter that they may not get a chance to do a lot of.”‌ The long-term goal of Skiku is to keep the kids on skis — even when the program is not in town. ‌ “I’m looking forward to seeing if we can really create a culture of skiing all across Alaska, not just here in Anchorage,” Kornfield said.‌ UAA students looking to volunteer and experience rural Alaska are welcome to apply as coaches for the program. More information about the volunteer work and applications can be found on skiku.com.‌

Adrenaline rush in the Alaskan backcountry

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRAD KRUPA

Brad Krupa and his snowmachiner Chris Carroll won the semi pro class skiing a the possibly final edition of the Arctic Man race at Summit Lake.

By Marie Ries

news2@thenorthernlight.org

Over the weekend of April 12-15, competitors and spectators from all over the world met at Summit Lake for the annual Arctic Man race, an adrenaline-packed winter sports event.‌ The Arctic Man is a team race in which a skier or snowboarder starts at the summit of a mountain and descends 2,000 feet into a narrow canyon where they meet their snow machining partner.

From there, the participant grabs a tow rope and gets pulled up a second mountain.‌ The teammates separate again. After racing across the side of the second mountain and dropping another 1,200 feet, the athletes reach the finish line. The speeds reached in the race go up to a record 90 mph.‌ UAA ski coach and Olympian Anna Berecz won the women’s ski section at

this year’s race in 4:23.19 with her snowmachiner Ashley Nicolai. She first heard about the race when she was still competing for UAA.‌ “I couldn’t wait to do it after I graduated. It consists of something that I know how to do — skiing — but adds the excitement of doing something unfamiliar — being pulled behind a snow machine,” Berecz said.‌ Once she tried the Arctic Man, she realized how fun this unique ski race was.

This year was her fourth time competing in the challenging race.‌ She spent a major part of her training lifting weights to prepare for the race.

The “hook-up,” or the section where the snowmachiner hands off the tow rope to the skier, is one of the most difficult aspects of the race, Berecz said.‌ “Things can go really wrong there if you miss it and the race is over. [This] happened to me twice in my four years and it was quite disappointing,” Berecz said. “The canyon pull is also very challenging. You are towed behind a snowmachine spitting snow right at you.”‌ Despite its challenges, the Olympian enjoys the race at Summit Lake.‌ “Arctic Man is one of the hardest and most exhilarating races I have done in 20 years of ski racing,” Berecz said.‌ Brad Krupa and snowmachiner Chris Carroll earned the title in the men’s semipro skiing race, which was offered for the first time this year. They crossed the finish line in 4:26.41.‌ It was Krupa’s sixth time taking part in the Arctic Man. He has participated as forerunner, skier and snowmachiner.‌ The race has a special meaning for him because the 2011 race was dedicated to his father, Tim Krupa. He was known as a great supporter of the event, Brad Krupa explained.‌ “The day after we got home from one Arctic Man, we would start planning the next. It really brought my family together,” Krupa said.‌ This year’s race might have been the last one. The number of spectators and racing teams has been decreasing for the last years.‌ “Officially, Arctic Man featuring ski-

ers and snowboarders will not happen in 2019. This portion of the event will be put on hold for review,” Race Director Howard Thies said in a statement on the event’s website. “After this year’s race,

we will step back and decide its future in the years to come.”‌ More information about the future of the event can be found on its website arcticman.com.‌

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018

| 10

Should the voting age A minority-first defense of campus carry be lowered to 16?

Radames Bradley Mercado-Barbosa Contributor

In Washington D.C., the question of how old someone should be when they can vote has arisen once again.‌ Lowering the voting age requirement to 16 would be the same as beckoning a Little League player to join the MLB ranks. It is dangerous and impractical.

Being able to drive does not make anyone qualified to give an informed vote on any future candidates for an office in the United States government.‌ Simply because the Parkland shooting survivors are strong, intelligent and patriotic does not mean they should be trusted to vote for the positions in government.

The way they are currently voicing their opinions — through lawful protests and strong requests to their lawmakers to change the laws — is how it should continue be.‌ If the nation were to stoop to such disgraceful measures and give 16 year olds the right to vote, the nation would see a huge increase in partisan beliefs.

Both the Democratic and Republican parties would see an enormous shift in how many people vote for their respec-

tive candidates. Children would vote for whomever their parents vote or vote against them out of spite. ‌ At this point, if we will allow 16 year olds to vote, we might as well indulge ourselves and grant the same right to preteens. Why not allow kindergarteners to vote? Perhaps even a newborn child could impact our budding republic.‌ The voting age should’ve stayed at 21.

I am 19 years old, and I take pride in my right to vote. Still, the founding fathers had implemented an age in the original Constitution that they believed was old enough for citizens to make an informed vote on federal positions. Congress has already stretched the number to 18 in 1971. ‌ If a 16 or 17 year old wants to change the government that serves them, they can advocate and fight for what they believe needs to change, just like every other revolution in our history. The March for our Lives protest is where those 16 year olds should be, not in the voting booths.‌ Radames Bradley Mercado-Barbosa is a Senator for USUAA. He is a journalism and public communications major with a minor in political science. ‌ Opinions expressed in The Northern Light do not necessarily reflect that of the newspaper, its staff or faculty advisor(s).‌

Zachary Christy Contributor

On April 8, USUAA Senator Caleb Berry, wrote an opinion piece arguing for concealed carry practices for students on UAA campus. Throwing more guns into any equation is not a fix-all solution, this is well known. However, a different perspective concerning the conversation of campus carry, is needed.‌ We live in a country where minorities, women and academics have historically endured prejudice and oppression.

Look no further than slavery, absence of female rights and university killings. All demographics not affiliated with these groups are to be associated with the government’s status quo. This status quo seeks to remain in power, through the use of fear and intimidation, usually by means of firearms.‌ Democratic action is needed in society, though we must remember that a right to firearms is granted to all Americans, as ambition must counteract ambition. In 1966 the Black Panther Party was formed in Oakland, California with the goal of arming themselves to protect fellow African-Americans from police brutality. Once black men were armed and organized, Governor Ronald Reagan forwarded the way for California’s stricter gun laws.‌ This provides evidence that the gov-

ernment does not serve the interest of minorities to defend themselves. Minorities need firearms to protect themselves from police officers and those who wish them harm, who are an extension of a racist tyrannical government currently in power.‌ Women have, for centuries, been the victims of violent crime. It is an unfortunate reality that women are often sexually harassed, and victims of rape. In 2016, at Stanford University, Brock Turner raped a female student. When facing the judge, Turner was only sentenced to six months in prison.‌ Turner’s loose sentencing shows how the Justice system does not afford women the full protection of the law. Women might recognize that violent force is needed for them to protect themselves from potential abusers, as the courts will not advocate for them after being assaulted or raped.‌ We would undoubtedly be safer if gun ownership was responsibly regulated.

This desire though does not reflect our present situation. Until our government values the lives of all American citizens, one must consider the use of deadly force to protect themselves from the current system of institutionalized oppression, as well as its subsequent hate groups.‌ Zachary Christy is a senator for ‌USUAA and a history major.

Opinions expressed in The Northern Light do not necessarily reflect that of the newspaper, its staff or faculty advisor(s).‌

UAA should have a chaplain part-time chaplain, the Student Health and Counseling Services Fee should incberry@thenorthernlight.org clude an additional $2 surcharge, from $14 to $16, to be paid for by all students.

This would also mean the maximum total Caleb Berry is a senator for USUAA. Students of UAA have the ability to would need to be raised to $170 opposed visit the Student Health and Counseling to $168.‌ UAA uses student fees to fund projCenter to receive a large variety of services that benefit them both physically ects and services that benefit small portions of students all the time. Every seand mentally.‌ However, the center lacks a dedicated mester, UAA students who took a minprofessional that specializes in religious imum of six credits paid an Athletic/ counseling. UAA should invest in an offi- Sports Complex Fee. Whether or not that cial part-time chaplain to continue to pro- student ever went to a volleyball game or set foot in the school gyms, they paid for mote good health on campus. ‌ In religious, as well as secular, schools the service. ‌ UAA students also pay for a Transchaplains provide essential services that are irreplaceable. Stanford University, portation Fee. This fee allows UAA stuthe University of Portland, Barton Col- dents to ride the People Mover and Vallege and Rhodes College are all institu- ley Transit for free as well as funds the tions of higher education that employ a shuttle system on campus. Some students chaplain or its equivalent for the benefit do not need the services for the transporof its students mental and spiritual health.‌ tation fee, but they pay for the right to use The National Association of of Col- the service anyways. ‌ The chaplain should be provided on lege and University Chaplains, a nonprofit organization providing professional the same principles. Some UAA students fellowships for chaplains on university or will not need or use the service, but some college campuses, states that a chaplain will. Just like the gym and the buses evis a formal official within an organization eryone should pitch in and contribute to a who provides religious guidance, coun- helpful service.‌ Religious clubs on UAA’s campus inseling and directing when consulted.‌ Secular counseling is very valuable, as clude Chi Alpha, Mosaic, Cru and Wisa Christian student who is experiencing a dom, with a combined weekly attendance conflict of faith or emotional distress at that is consistently greater than 200. church may not find what he or she needs These are only the students who attend in a secular counselor. A chaplain would public religious clubs, and there are likebe better suited to aid religious students ly more who attend religious services offin times of distress when the nature of campus. These students matter as much their problem is religious. Religious cri- as others who are part of the UAA comses are very similar to secular crises, both munity, and a spiritual advisor and councan cause emotional distress to students selor could be beneficial to them and others.‌ and harm their mental health.‌ Opinions expressed in The Northern If UAA were to hire a part-time chaplain, the position should be included in Light do not necessarily reflect that of the the SHCC as part of their access to coun- newspaper, its staff or faculty advisor(s).‌ selors. In order to provide revenue for a

By Caleb Berry

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018

| 11

Letter to the editor: Support and pass HB 54 Barbara McDaniel Contributor

In life, death at some point is inevitable. While most accept that, many wonder, “Will it be comfortable?” When I was young I would say, “I hope I die in my sleep.” But later as an adult, I found that I no longer needed to settle for simply hoping that I die comfortably.

In 1991, the Patient Self-Determination Act was established to at least make legal, mitigating plans that will improve our own

odds that we won’t die a prolonged, painful, and very expensive death, one that would traumatize us and those who care about us. ‌ In consultation with my children, all adults, I modeled taking responsibility for one’s life and death and created my Advanced Directives 16 years ago.

Five years later, on my request, my doctor helped me obtain my Certificate of Comfort One Status, the do-not resuscitate order for emergency or medical personnel. My local hospital has copies of the documents on file.

I wear a bracelet. Basic information is always with me. The best part is my children know what is coming, they know the plan and they know what to do. We are prepared. ‌ I am covered legally in instances of sudden, life-threatening accidents, violence or physical failures. I still do not possess the last piece of personal control I need to ensure my access to careful, professional medical assistance in ending my life in the event of a diagnosis of terminal illness. HB 54 is the missing piece I need to complete my per-

sonal plan to increase my likelihood of experiencing a comfortable, orderly, dignified death. ‌ I encourage readers to consider the benefit of such preparations, contact their representatives and ask them to support and pass HB 54. ‌ Barbara McDaniel is lifelong Alaskan who resides in Wasilla.‌ Opinions expressed in The Northern Light do not necessarily reflect that of the newspaper, its staff or faculty advisor(s).‌

Find Alaska’s Advance Directives (Living Will) form at: http://tinyurl.com/y9fg46po ‌ For more information and forms for Comfort One visit: http://tinyurl.com/mtkmp24 ‌ For information about HB54 visit: http://tinyurl.com/ycob22sk‌

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