February 28, 2017

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 7, 2017

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THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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Localize It: Evan Creasap has been behind the needle since ‘09

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Scholarships and competition keeps UAA invested in Division I

UAA women’s basketball put to the test in back-to-back games

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

As the women’s basketball season is nearing the end, the team only seems to defy all odds and continues to break records.

Before coming into the weekend, the women had already cliched a 21 game win streak, as well as remaining the reigning Great Northwest Athletic Conference and West Regional No. 1 seeds. In addition, the women still hold their No. 2 position in the national division II rankings, only 31 points behind the No. 1 Ashland.

The Seawolves came into the weekend of Feb. 23-25 prepared to play the second two highest seeds in the conference, first, No. 2 Western Washington and No. 3 Simon Fraser.

Thursday, Feb. 23 vs. Western Washington Being No. 2 in the conference, the team and head coach Ryan McCarthy knew it wouldn’t be an easy game.

“They’re a well coached team

PHOTO COURTESY OF SIMON FRASER ATHLETICS

Senior guard Kiki Robertson stays focused during an offensive play during Saturday, Feb. 25’s win over Simon Frasier.

and they play very hard... We haven’t played them since the beginning of December, but we can diversify what we can and cannot do and change things up,” McCarthy said.

The Seawolves debuted the

night against WWU with the first lead of the night, credited early on to senior guard Kiki Robertson and senior forward Autummn Williams.

By the end of the first quarter put the Seawolves ahead, but

only by 3 points, something that the team wasn’t used to, usually obtaining a lead much larger.

Slowly redeeming themselves, the Seawolves pooled their effort with eight of the women securing points.

By halftime, the Seawolves had a slightly larger lead at 32-23. Temporarily, they stayed within in a safe lead, enough to get them through the third quarter.

Junior forward Sierra Afoa and Williams came into the spotlight after halftime, managing a combined 10 points total to keep the team at a steady 10 point lead coming into the fourth quarter.

Quickly, the game started to go downhill for the Seawolves.

With many offensive errors and not enough points, Western Washington managed to tie the game up, sending the teams into overtime.

Each team managed to score 10 points in the first overtime period, reluctantly sending the game into a second overtime, with Williams having scored 5 of those 10 points.

Second overtime again brought out Williams and sophomore guard Tara Thompson to score the majority of points, pushing the Seawolves past

SEE BASKETBALL

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Safest cities in Alaska ranked Survey based on FBI crime statistics ranks 24 Alaskan cities

By Alexis Abbott

news2@thenorthernlight.org

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

facebook.com/northernlightuaa

@tnl_updates

Alaska’s crime rates have grown through recent years, but results from the most recent FBI crime report show a decline in criminal activity in Alaska’s five safest cities.

SafeWise, a source for home security and safety news, used statistics from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program to rank cities in Alaska according to safety.

The ranking included 24 cities in the state but closely focused on the top five safest.

To identify the five safest cities, SafeWise analysts reviewed FBI crime report statistics from 2015 and state population data. All cities with fewer than 2,000 residents or those that failed to submit an

@tnl_updates

annual crime report were not included in the evaluation.

Sarah Brown, community outreach manager at SafeWise says that the analysts that conduct the city-ranking research do so in a team effort to ensure the data is analyzed accurately.

“The way SafeWise analyzes our data is useful because it gives you a normalized number that is based simply on crime rate. People often dispute the number because some areas don’t rank high simply because of property crime, however, an increase in property crime leads to an increase in violent crime,” Brown said.

The ranking began with an analyzation of reported violent crimes, including assault, murder, rape and robbery – and

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NEWS

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SAFEST: Cordova ranked safest city in Alaska Continued from cover

property crimes, which include burglary, arson and theft in each city. SafeWise calculated the likelihood of these crimes occurring out of 1,000 citizens in each city.

Cordova was ranked the safest city in the state of Alaska. Next followed Unalaska, Haines, Wrangell and Sitka.

Based on FBI statistics, the crime rate in the top five cities is nearly half the national average – with 15 crimes reported per 1,000 residents.

According to SafeWise’s research, the city of Cordova had two violent crimes and seven property crimes reported per 1,000 people. Unalaska had two violent crimes and 11 property crimes.

Haines reportedly had three violent and nine property crimes, while Wrangell had 43 violent and 13 property crimes. The fifth safest city, Sitka, had just one vio-

lent crime and 16 property crimes reported per 1,000 citizens.

Mary Weaver, a senior at UAA who is originally from Sitka, shared how small and comfortable her hometown is, and that she is not surprised that it was ranked one of the safest cities in the state.

“Coming to Anchorage from Sitka for me, was a little bit of a culture shock. I always had to remind myself to lock my car, because Sitka is such a small town. When I moved up here, my mom would always yell at me for leaving my purse in the front seat... She would say that somebody will break your windows,” Weaver said. “For the most part, we’re a community that is pretty strong and safe.”

Although the data focused mainly on the top five safest, SafeWise ranked another 21 cities in the state.

Following the top five came the North Slope Bor-

ough, Palmer, Nome, Valdez, Seward, Petersburg, Homer, Ketchikan, Bethel, Dillingham, Fairbanks, Kodiak, Soldotna, Juneau, Kenai, Anchorage, North Pole, Wasilla and Kotzebue.

Ellen Carlson, a sophomore at UAA who commutes from Wasilla, was surprised to see her hometown ranked 23rd most dangerous out of 24 cities.

“I actually feel really safe in Wasilla, usually. I mean, the farther out in the boonies you get, the more concerned I am. But in Wasilla, I’m usually fine... People leave you alone and are decently friendly most of the time,” Carlson said. “I feel a lot less safe in Anchorage.”

Gov. Bill Walker signed a criminal justice reform bill in July of last year, to modify the state’s criminal justice system. Alaskan law’s are aiming to enhance public safety, curb corrections spending and reduce the state’s prison population.

The Edge Update: New state budget proposals, Standing Rock evacuation and North Korean assassination gatherings of Native Americans in history.

By Max Jungreis KRUA

The Edge Update can be heard every weekday on KRUA 88.1 FM The Edge, UAA's college radio station.

Local On Friday, the state senate’s Republican-dominated majority proposed a bill to reduce the state’s deficit by reducing Permanent Fund dividends and limiting government spending. Senate Bill 70 would withdraw 5.25 percent of the Permanent Fund annually. The fund is currently worth $57 billion. Three-quarters of the withdrawn cash would pay for state services, while the rest would go towards dividends, which would be set at $1000 each for the first few years. After three years, the withdrawals would reduce to five percent. Projections by the Legislature’s budget analysts show the bill reducing the deficit from $3 billion to $900 million. SB 70 would also cap the state’s general fund level at $4.1 billion, allowing it only to grow with inflation.

It remains to be seen whether this par-

ticular bill, one among a few tackling the state’s budget gap, will make it into law.

National Last Thursday, police officers in riot gear cleared out the Standing Rock protest camps, arresting the few stragglers who had refused to leave the day before.

Authorities used bulldozers to raze the camp debris, much of it set ablaze by protesters the day prior. Some ran to Sacred Stone, the original campsite established 10 months in what was the largest environmental protest in history. The movement was sparked by the Dakota Access

Pipeline, a $3.8 billion, 1,170-mile project by energy company Energy Transfer Partners. The pipeline would carry oil from the Bakken shale fields in North Dakota to Illinois. Energy Transfer Partners says the pipeline will be a safer means of transporting oil than truck or rail. Opponents said the project threatened sacred native lands and could contaminate water supplies from the Missouri river. The local Standing Rock Sioux tribe and thousands of Native Americans from across the continent gathered in camps to try and block the construction of the pipeline. The protest also counted as one of the largest

Global On Sunday, Malaysia’s health minister announced that the exiled half-brother of North Korea’s leader had been killed by a dangerous nerve agent. The Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam at a Malaysian airport has sparked a dramatic heightening of tensions between the two countries, not helped by the fact that assassination appears to have utilized a banned chemical weapon, VX nerve agent, in a crowded public place. Although North Korea’s government has steadfastly denied any involvement in the incident, the Malaysian government has requested that local North Korean diplomatic officials turn themselves over for questioning. The Malaysian government has stated that four North Koreans provided two women with the poison to carry out the attack.

The four men then fled the country; the women were arrested. One of them, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, claims that she was believed she was being paid to pull a harmless prank.

Snow plowing on campus comes at no cost

UAA Maintenance clarifies the cost to students to remove snow on and around campus

By Sarah Tangog

stangog@thenorthernlight.org

Living in Alaska issues a major landscape obstacle for UAA students and staff, snow.

It obscures lines on sidewalks, roads and parking lots, making it difficult for drivers and pedestrians to see.

The UAA snow removal system is simple. Run by Glenn Brown from the Maintenance and Operations Department, each day is planned several days ahead. Though there are two separate crews who work to plow the snow, most of the removal is done at night, “when campus is effectively closed,” Brown said.

Brown looks at the weather patterns to see what equipment will be needed for the upcoming days. On dangerously icy days,

environmentally friendly gravel and salt products, both liquids and granules, are used. Usually, mechanical equipment is sufficient. All the snow plow vehicles are maintained regularly and repaired when needed.

In the event that new vehicles need to be purchased, the crew gets in touch with Fallon Harkins, associate director for Parking Services, manages the budget for the snow plow plans.

However, equipment seems to be the only thing money is spent on to remove the snow.

“There is no cost to snow plowing,” Brown said.

Brown and his crew work around the clock to clear the roads, trails, and entrances to all the buildings at UAA. They also clear the main roads to the dorms and residential housing for students, though the trails and sidewalks snaking through-

PHOTO BY JAY GUZMAN

The UAA Maintenance and Operations fleet vehicles parked on stand-by beside the Gordon Hartlieb Hall.

out the dorms are out of their jurisdiction.

Though there is no monetary cost to plowing snow, sig-

nificant time and effort are certainly spent. Sometimes, even weekends are given up when the weather is especially snowy.

It’s quite a price to pay to keep our roads clear, and our staff and students safe.

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04 | NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

President Jim Johnsen says university is ‘strong’ in state of university address UAA students react to President Jim Johnsen’s state of university address

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

In a speech describing the state of the university, UA President Jim Johnsen announced Feb. 16 that the University system was going “strong” despite a decline in state funding and enrollment.

Johnsen expressed optimism in the university system, noting that strong leaders in the UA board of regents and his implementation of Strategic Pathways are increasing productivity and money management since a lack of state funding.

“President Johnsen’s address had the incredibly difficult job of honestly stating the needs of the university at a time when those needs, primarily more money, are at direct odds with the ability of the state to provide,” Sam Erickson, USUAA President, said. “However, I do believe that being honest about the real challenges faced by UA, such as the deferred maintenance backlog of close to $1 billion, was the best move, enabling a transparent plea to be made to the state based on the realities of funding needs when the university system has already absorbed cuts of almost 14 percent.”

For a university system that has seen nearly 10 percent of UA’s degree and certificate programs eliminated or suspended, a $52.7 million budget shortfall and the elimination of 923 university jobs in the last three years, UAA students are finding it hard to agree with Johnsen’s state of the university statements.

“I’d probably disagree. It seems like UAA struggles a lot financially. I’ve gone here the last two years and have seen a really high increase in tuition. It’s sad to think that Nordic skiing was almost taken away from UAA strictly from budget cuts. I think it’s pretty obvious UAA isn’t

Caption

PHOTO BY JAY GUZMAN

President Jim Johnsen held an open forum last September discussing Phase 1 of the university’s Strategic Pathways plan with students and faculty.

really doing that well considering there is constantly something else the are trying to get rid of,” Andrea Brainerd, a UAA health sciences student, said.

Johnsen mentioned a possible five percent, or $16 million, cut to UA funding when the legislature passes their budget for the next fiscal year. Cuts to UA funding are not included in the current budget at this time.

“I don’t think we’re doing that well, but I think we’re doing well considering that we haven’t been doing so well in recent years you know? Like, we’re in a bit of a weird spot and we could be doing a lot better. But we could also be doing so so so much worse,” Hannah Dorough, UAA English student, said.

With possible cuts in the future, university leaders are devising ways to save the UA system money, while maintaining a “strong” quality and efficient education.

USUAA’s Juneau advocacy trip was successful in gaining support from legislators and spreading the word of UA’s need for state funding.

“If Alaska is ever to transition to anything beyond a mere extraction-based economy, UA will play a vital role. We sink or swim together, and the job now falls to us as students and student advocates to press that point home,” Erickson said. “USUAA’s Juneau advocacy trip was already met with significant success and support from many of the new class of freshman legislators, but we won’t stop there.”

Erickson is urging students to call legislators and notes that the best way to get legislators to fund what’s important is to make calls and tell them.

FEATURES College Cookbook: Mozzarella cheese from scratch

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

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UAAnonymous: Sexual harassment on campus

I’ve been challenging myself to make things I’d only ever thought I’d buy. I couldn’t have imagined myself ever making cheese, but I decided to go for it. After a quick trip to Arctic Brewing Supply for some rennet and citric acid, I was ready to for this culinary adventure. The rennet and citric acid cost me around $12, but it comes with enough to make about 60 batches.

This recipe was easier than I thought and anyone with the right kitchen utensils can make this, even in a dorm room. You’ll need a slotted spoon, a large pot, cheesecloth, a colander, a microwave safe bowl and a thermometer.

Ingredients • 1 gallon whole milk • 1 and 1/2 teaspoon citric acid • 1/4 teaspoon rennet • 1 and 1/4 cups of water • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions 1. Pour whole milk into large pot and heat on medium heat until it reaches 85 degrees, stir regularly.

2. In a small bowl, dissolve citric acid in a cup of water, and pour into the 85 degree milk.

3. Once the milk reaches 100 degrees, dissolve rennet in a 1/4 cup of water and stir into milk. Stir continuously. At this point, curds will begin to form.

4. Continue heating the milk until it reaches 105 degrees. Once it reaches this temperature. Remove from the heat, cover the pot and let it rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.

5. Once curds have formed completely, use a slotted spoon to transfer all the curds into a cheesecloth lined colander. Let the curds drain in the colander. Squeeze out as much of the whey liquid whey into the colander.

6. Transfer the curds to the microwave and cook for 75 seconds.

Use a metal spoon to stir the curds until the curds are able to be kneaded by hand.

7. Knead the curds until the cheese reaches a consistency you like.

Dunk the cheese into ice water to hold shape. The cheese will last for about four days in the refrigerator.

Student Health and Counseling Center 786-4040

The UAA Peer Health Educators host a weekly peer-to-peer discussion about healthy sexuality. Questions are taken from UAA students.

“This person in my hall keeps making really sexual comments towards my roommate and asking my roommate out even though they’ve been told to stop. It started out pretty innocent, but now it’s really starting to cause a lot of stress.

They seem to be under the impression they aren’t doing anything wrong, like somehow it’s a compliment and we’re just making a big deal out of it. I’m just not sure how to help.”

This is sexual harassment and you are completely justified to see it that way. As students of a university that receives federal funding, we are required under a federal law, Title IX, to provide an environment free of sex-based discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and any physical and verbal conduct of a sexual nature which impedes your academic performance or creates a hostile environment. Your roommate has the right to file a Title IX complaint which will result in an investigation into the matter. The Title IX office can relocate students, change schedules, enforce

no contact orders, refer counseling services, provide academic assistance and can enforce sanctions on the offender.

Since this is also against the UAA Code of Conduct, they can also file a complaint with the Dean of Students office. These complaints can be filed anonymously or on someone else’s behalf. A Title IX complaint and a criminal complaint may also be filed simultaneously.

Don’t let sexual harassment be tolerated on campus. For this to happen, we need to be able to recognize what sexual harassment looks like in our everyday lives. Here are a few examples: Making sexual comments, jokes and gestures towards or about you or calling you a homophobic name. Showing, posting or giving you sexual pictures.

Spreading sexual rumors, spying on you as you dress or shower, flashing or exposing themselves to you. Touching, grabbing, pinching, pulling at your clothing or intentionally brushing up against you in a sexual way. Cornering you or following you in a sexual way. Asking you to do something sexual in exchange for something else. Pulling off or down your clothing or forcing you to do something sexual.

If you experience any of these things or anything else which makes you feel uncomfortable and impedes your ability to have a safe, non-hostile and unimpeded learning environment, know there are resources to help.

If you or someone you know have experienced any form of sexual misconduct, there are many resources available on and off campus.

Student Health and Counseling Center: 786-4040 Standing Together Against Rape: 276-7273 Title IX: 786-1424

PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN

06 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

FEATURES

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35th annual Model UN conference held at UAA High schoolers from across Alaska gathered in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium and Rasmuson Hall over the weekend to attend the annual conference

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

The 35th annual Model United Nations Conference was held over the weekend at UAA in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium and in Rasmuson Hall. Kimberly Pace is the Faculty Director of Model United Nations of Alaska, and Pace said that the conference was the largest conference to date.

“Our topic is ‘Global security: Fight, flight and human rights,’” Pace said. “I think that now, more than ever, this is a very topical topic. A lot of people are interested in refugees, and what’s going on in the world, and cyber security.”

Pace said that high schoolers from all over Alaska are attending the conference and that members of the Model United Nations, MUN, class at UAA are helping run the conference. One of the MUN students, who has helped organize the conference, is political science and economics major, Jacob Shercliffe. Shercliffe first got involved with MUN his senior year of high school and he’s carried on with the activity throughout college.

“The style of learning that MUN teaches you was really good for me,” Shercliffe said. “I think this is sort of that perfect balance of research you do on your own, and then using it and applying it into something. The great thing about MUN is you have this simulation, and you’re talking about current events, and you get to embody the different designations. I worry a lot that our school sys-

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

High schoolers from all over Alaska gathered Thursday through Saturday at UAA for the 35th Model United Nations Conference.

tems and education process far too much focus on how well you can pass a test, but this engages people. People get passionate. It’s a lot of fun to watch that growth cycle. The first time I was participating, I remember how fun it was to learn all these new things and see how these procedures work.”

Shercliffe said one of the best things about the annual MUN conference is that it makes students passionate about international current events.

“Last year, I had kids come up to me and say, ‘I can’t wait to someday be an ambassador.’ That is this process, not

only getting people passionate about learning, but learning the substance and getting involved with it beyond some score or grade they might get,” Shercliffe said.

At UAA, the MUN course counts for three upper division credits throughout a six or seven week period, with the conference culminating the course.

“I think it gives students the opportunity to really delve into the international issues,” Pace said. “Students are either assigned as a delegate for a country, they are assigned as an [non-governmental organization], or as a member of the

World Bank. They really get an opportunity to look at things in a really deep way.

If you are assigned as a delegate, you’re also assigned to a committee. We try to make it as realistic as possible.”

Moira Pyhala, political science major, is a first-year member of MUN, and she said she likes how the class takes serious issues and engages with them in a less serious environment.

“I think the biggest takeaway, is that you read what’s happening in actual UN, but you don’t actually see what goes into being in the United Nations and it really affects global security and international relations as a whole,” Pyhala said. “It also has opened my eyes on global human injustice, and actually the processes of how those happen and how the United Nations react to certain acts of war or just human injustice as a whole. Actually, gives me a feeling that people are out there trying to actively make the world better, also there are several downfalls to international relations as a whole.”

Pyhala’s main goal for the conference was to get her resolution passed. “[I’m] the delegate from Israel and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and I’ve submitted a resolution to eliminate sex trafficking by building a wall around Israel. Encompassing the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. I wanted to make Mexico pay for it, but... On that note too, it’s a non-serious way of taking serious issues into the highlight.”

The conference opened on Thursday and concluded on Saturday.

Radical Recreation: Extreme volunteering Eva Ulukivaiola dedicates countless hours to her favorite hobby of volunteering

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

Hobbies come in all forms, shapes and sizes. What makes a radical recreation is the passion behind it. Eva Ulukivaiola, economics major, has a unique pastime that she has spent over 600 hours doing throughout her life.

Many would be confused hearing that volunteering is a hobby, but Ulukivaiola loves spending her time helping others and considers it her favorite activity.

“I consider volunteering my hobby because I started at such a young age and just continued with it until it became my passion, and I just look forward to giving back at any chance I have,” Ulukivaiola said.

Ulukivaiola is 21 years old and began participating in volunteer work around the age of 7. It started when her parents took her to Spenard Recreation Center to help plant trees around the building, which led her to join the Educational Talent Search (ETS) nonprofit, that helps low-income and first generation college students attend school.

“When I was younger, my parents told me that others were not fortunate enough to have a warm home, food and clothes to wear. That really put things in perspective for me because I had everything I needed with my

family,” Ulukivaiola said. “The reason why I still volunteer to this day because of the strong value my family has instilled in me about giving back and that makes me want to continue with being active in the community.”

Most of Ulukivaiola’s volunteer hours come from her time with ETS. Through ETS, she was able to have many opportunities to volunteer in the community for things like Thanksgiving Feast, Toys For Tots, Food Bank of Alaska and more.

“My senior year of high school I had counted over 400 hours of community service for my scholarship portfolio. Now, I am a senior in college and my total is about 605 hours,” Ulukivaiola said. “The majority of hours I have accumulated were generated when I was in a program called TRIO Educational Talent Search throughout my middle school and college career.”

Unfortunately, ETS closed the program last December, but now Ulukivaiola has been volunteering for a sister program to ETS called TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) that serves low-income and first-generation college student who need assistance with scholarships, finding internships and provide academic workshops.

“SSS is the program that I have generated at least 50 hours volunteering with... At UAA, SSS is actually the last TRIO program left and I really am so thankful to have been in ETS and now SSS,” Ulukivaiola said.

Recently, Ulukivaiola joined a sorority to surround herself with others with the same interest.

“Last semester, I decided to join a sorority because I wanted to be around a positive group of ladies who loves giving back and who maintain high GPAs. Even though this is my second semester in Alpha Sigma Alpha, I have already accumulated over 55 hours through volunteering with Covenant House, Special Olympics and more,” Ulukivaiola said.

Ulukivaiola has also gained many hours through volunteer work when she was a senator in USUAA Student Government and accumulated 50 hours of community service planning events for students like the homecoming dance and the Thanksgiving feast.

“After I graduate with my B.A., I would like to return to UAA to pursue my masters in education,” Ulukivaio-

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVA ULUKIVAIOLA

Eva Ulukivaiola volunteering at the USUAA Thanksgiving Feast.

When Ulukivaiola was a senator in USUAA Student Government, she accumulated 50 hours of community service planning events for students, including the homecoming dance and the Thanksgiving Feast.

la said. “Before that happens, I plan on looking into an internship with the Anchorage School District, teaching either high school or middle school students.”

When Ulukivaiola is not volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, maintaining a high GPA and snowboarding, but volunteering is still her favorite hobby. Being passionate about volunteering is what makes Ulukivaiola’s hobby so unique from others.

08 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

Prof-iles: Chad Farrell, UAA sociology professor, has received national recognition for his research on diversity

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

If you had asked a highschool aged Chad Farrell what his future looked like, it probably involved a career at a factory and a life in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. But instead of following his parent’s footsteps in blue collar occupations, Farrell found himself not just with a college degree, but a Ph.D. in sociology. As a first generation college student, Farrell has now made university his career by becoming a UAA professor and the Chair of the Department of Sociology. Farrell could have led a very different life if it wasn’t for some friends of his who pressured him into attending college together at the University of

Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

“I think that’s a big issue with students: what are your horizons,” Farrell said. “I think my parents wanted me to [go to college], but they didn’t necessarily know how to get me there because they hadn’t gone through the experience themselves. I think a lot of first generation students have similar experiences, where their parents may have aspirations for them, but it’s difficult finding your way through that whole process.

I think I had limited horizons for myself because I didn’t really have a sense of what’s possible.”

Part of why college wasn’t on Farrell’s radar was because he describes his high school self as ‘lost’ and that it really took his experiences in college to help him see different possibilities

for his future. With a dad who worked at a factory and a mom who worked as a secretary, Farrell saw his horizon limited to blue collar occupations.

“I grew up in a working-class family, and I identified with that. I had pride that my parents worked hard,” Farrell said.

“I kind of embraced the idea of working hard, playing hard, that rough sort of background.”

His desire to work hard helped him get his B.A. in sociology, and with the encouragement of some good professors, he applied to graduate school at Pennsylvania State University.

His preliminary visit to Penn State was Farrell’s first time on a plane, but certainly not his last.

With an M.A. in sociology, Farrell was able to teach on base in Japan after his wife, who was in the Air Force, was stationed there.

Farrell grew up in a place he says is not known for being that diverse, but Farrell himself has gained some national recognition for his work on diversity and urban inequality. The research that showed that Anchorage had some of the most diverse schools in the nation, was actually conducted by Farrell, along with research assessing the changing racial and ethnic contours of American society.

“There have been a couple cases where students have actu-

ally cited my research back to me. ‘Dr. Farrell, do you know we have some of the most diverse schools?’ Which is great, I love it,” Farrell said. “Usually I just say, ‘yeah, I have heard that.’”

The project Farrell is working on is research done in conjunction with people from Cornell and Penn State, and it was funded by a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Going into the research, Farrell didn’t expect his work to become so popular.

“I never anticipated that this would catch fire like [it did],” Farrell said. “When you’re doing an analysis of tens of thousands of communities or thousands of communities and tens of thousands of neighborhoods, over multiple decades, there’s a tendency to get lost in the data a little bit. I think that’s why some of this took me by surprise, plus as a demographer, it wasn’t particularly shocking to me that there’s a lot of diversity here.

I just never anticipated that it would be such a big deal to other people.”

His interest in residential segregation and diversity began in his hometown of Sheboygan, because he saw how Hmong populations, refugees from the Vietnam War, were treated differently. At the time, Farrell didn’t know what sociology was, but he still asked questions

about the inequality he saw. “[Sheboygan’s] not a very diverse place,” Farrell said.

“When I was growing up, we saw a growing Hmong population in our community, and that’s actually common in Wisconsin... Some of those experiences earlier on, and some of the struggles I saw with my Hmong classmates... started getting me to ask questions of why? Why are people treating this group so poorly? Those were the first inklings of not only diversity but inequality and discrimination. I think that helped inform some of my pursuits later on when I got into an academic career.”

Before going to college, Farrell said he didn’t imagine he would do much beyond Sheboygan. But ever since he enrolled, his horizons have expanded from his hometown to the east coast, to Japan and now to Anchorage. His working class upbringing may have made him less confident in pursuing academia early in life, but the work ethic that upbringing instilled in him, helped him become Chair of his department, a member of the Board of Directors for the Alaska Institute for Justice, and a commonly referenced researcher. For the future, Farrell aims to retain a high-quality department despite the difficult fiscal challenges the state and the university currently face.

FEATURES

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BANFF is back for annual showing at UAA’s Wendy Williamson Auditorium

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

One of UAA’s biggest events is approaching this weekend on March 3 and 4 starting at 7 p.m. in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium. Every year, UAA hosts the BANFF Mountain Film Festival, which is an international film competition that selects from over 300 films to be presented at the festival. These films are short film and documentary style that are about outdoor cultures and ranges from extreme sports, culture and environment.

In the past, BANFF Mountain Film Festival has been very successful and sells out all the seats in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium, bringing in many students and Anchorage residents.

“I never knew about BANFF until I started attending UAA and I plan to keep going once I graduate,” Jocelyn Humble, finance major, said.

“The crowd it attracts is always so involved and pumped up, I plan on going this year and I love seeing all the crazy stuff people are doing around the world.”

What makes these films so enjoyable is being able to experience the individuals in the films’ accomplishments and struggles throughout their journey.

“I have been to BANFF twice and I love it, there is something so cool about watching people do what they love and experiencing their adventures,” Savana Hartley, marketing major and student activities programming manager, said. “You will honestly never see so many smiling faces and Patagonia and North Face apparel.”

Besides taking home the experience of the adventures in the films, there will be other opportunities to take home prizes.

“I like it a lot because it sells out every year and it attracts a lot of outdoor enthusiast on and off campus,” Juan Cielo, elementary education major and Student Activities gallery manager, said.

“Minus the films, there’s also a raffle where there’s a bunch of cool free stuff that people can get.”

After watching these influential films, you’ll be wanting more and plotting your next adventure.

“When it ends, I feel like I should start training at the rock gym to just casually free climb around Alaska some day. Definitely go if you can,” Humble said.

Although BANFF sells out every year, there are still seats available to be purchased on uaatix. com as of now. If you have not attended BANFF in the past, here is your chance to sit down and experience people’s journeys from all over the world alongside your fellow Alaskans.

Films that will be showing at BANFF: Friday, March 3 • DreamRide • Young Guns • Iran: A Skier’s Journey • Dog Power • Packing It Out • The Accord • Trail Dog • Super Salmon • Metronomic Saturday, March 4 • Max Your Days • SHIFT • Ruin and Rose • Elk River • Ace and the Desert Dog • For The Love • Four Mums in a Boat • Danny MacAskill’s Wee Day Out

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

BOOK REVIEW

‘The Night Circus:’ Welcome, one and all, to the circus of dreams

Localize It: Building community through ink Evan Creasap shares his experience as a tattoo artist in Anchorage

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

By Sarah Tangog

stangog@thenorthernlight.org

There is an aura of elegant mystery surrounding “The Night Circus,” and it’s not just because of the black-andwhite colored tents. Though the monochrome carnival certainly plays a part, it’s the author’s depiction of the struggle between the dark and the light that makes us readers beg for more.

Written in 2011, “The Night Circus” is Erin Morgenstern’s debut novel, and it has certainly become a smashing success since then. The story’s centerpiece is the Night Circus herself, complete with elements of magical simplicity — yet there is no denying beauty into the equation.

Woven between the pages are the tales of the peculiar performers and wide-eyed patrons, each chapter different that the last.

I’ve been reading “The Night Circus” annually for five years now, and each reread finds a new detail or a new element of foreshadowing I had not previously spotted. The meticulous word choice is incredible, the imagery deliberate and the secrets hidden within the novel are not always readdressed – leaving us readers wondering more and more about this fantasy world Morgenstern has created.

In the end, “The Night Circus” is not a story about a carnival. It is a story about the contrast between right and wrong, dark and light, love and hate. It tells us to bring all the broken bricks of our past struggles and hardships and create from them a pathway that will lead to the other side of the curtain, despite all the other pathways that has already been set before us.

Overall, this feat deserves a standing ovation.

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It is no longer uncommon to shake someone’s hand and catch a glimpse of writing inked on their arm, or to spot a flower drawn in on their shoulder, peeking out from under a shirt. As time passes, tattoos are becoming more and more normalized, and people’s demand for them is going up. Tattoo shops are found frequently in Anchorage, filled with artists who are eager to tattoo anyone who walks in.

Evan Creasap, 28, is a tattoo artist currently working at Body Piercing Unlimited, a business in Anchorage with multiple locations that offers both tattoos and piercings. The downtown shop, located on West Fifth Avenue, hosts multiple different tattoo artists including Creasap.

He has been working at the shop for nearly four years now, tattooing both regulars and people he hasn’t worked on before.

“I’ve been interested in being a tattoo

artist since I was a teenager. The culture and the art always intrigued me. Once I found my knack for drawing and thought about how I could incorporate that into a certain style of tattoo work, I started thinking about the idea more seriously,” Creasap said.

Creasap began as a tattoo apprentice in 2009, starting at the midtown Body Piercing Unlimited location in Anchorage. He went through his apprenticeship, and after it was completed, worked at a few other shops before finding his more permanent home that he tattoos at now. Creasap tattooed at Body Piercing Unlimited locations in Palmer and Sitka for several years before he came back to Anchorage to tattoo.

“Before I even started my apprenticeship, I worked as a behind the counter guy at BPU, just helping customers and doing that side of it. After getting my foot in the door that way, I was able to start learning and begin my apprenticeship,” Creasap said.

Since he began tattooing, Creasap has focused on his style in American traditional work. This style of tattooing features bold black outlines with very bright colors, and is popular among many of his clients. American traditional is the style that Creasap feels most comfortable in, but he is willing to tattoo anything that people want outside of that style as well.

“That’s probably my favorite part about being a tattoo artist, just being able to tattoo a little bit of everything, a little bit of everybody. Anchorage is a really awesome city to be able to do that in, I plan to work here so long as people keep walking through that door,” Creasap said.

Creasap plans to stay tattooing in Anchorage for as long as he has customers who want to be tattooed by him, and will continue to improve and expand his styles and techniques.

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Evan Creasap started as a tattoo apprentice in 2009, and has tattooed in both Palmer and Sitka. Creasap has called Body Piercing Unlimited on Fifth Avenue home for the past four years.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

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There’s not a dull moment in ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’

By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is one of those movies where everything about it just works. It’s a remarkable thing, given how disparate so many of the parts feel. It’s part coming-of-age tale, part heavy drama and part 80’s action tribute. Yet, in scene after beautifully constructed scene, all of that just works. Writer-director Taika Waititi’s visual sensibility is most like Wes Anderson here in the states, though to conflate the two would be a disservice to both.

Wes Anderson builds elaborate dioramas, Waititi builds character perspectives and lets the world grow around them. Ricky (Julian Dennison) is one of the most believable young characters to grace the screen in ages. Save for some detours here and there, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” stays squarely in Julian’s head space. He’s a worldly youth, fiercely independent, but still young. Some experiences that’d be small for Bella (Rima Te Wiata, “Pork Pie”) and Hector (Sam Neill, “Tommy’s Honour”), like slaughtering a boar, are big for him, even though he boasts about being a gangster.

Circumstance, however, force him and Hector (a true-to-life thug turned bushman) to run away together. Ricky is an orphan who’s been homehopping in foster care for some time before he’s adopted by Bella and Hector in rural New Zealand. Just as he gets comfortable there, Bella dies,

and child welfare worker Paula (Rachel Houser, “Moana”) comes to take him away. Before she can do that, Ricky fakes his death and flees, only to be immediately found by Hector. Through some serious misunderstandings, Paula believes Hector has kidnapped Ricky. The ensuing nationwide manhunt forces the duo to run away for as long as they can.

Make no mistake, this is a comedy first and drama second. The laughs come quickly and often, sometimes gut-busting other times not, and are always surprising. Bella’s funeral is a perfect example of the movie’s marriage of tragedy and comedy. The priest presiding it stumbles through a needless metaphor about doors, candy, and Jesus, much to everyone’s befuddlement. He even tries to do crowd work. It’s a moment of humor where a straight movie would make it heavy and sad.

That’s because, ultimately, “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” knows exactly what kind of movie it wants to be. It doesn’t want to be just sad, funny or absurd. It wants to be all three. And it succeeds.

With Ricky and Hector as the movie’s emotional core, those emotions pour out naturally. Their relationship is oftentimes overwhelmingly sweet without being sentimental. Waititi balances it perfectly, always making sure you know the darkness that brought them together. It takes a special kind of movie to incorporate all these seemingly unmatched feelings, and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” is that special kind of movie.

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”

TITLE

DIRECTOR Taika Waititi

RELEASE DATE March 31, 2016

COUNTRY New Zealand

GENRE Comedy

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

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The Last Great Race to restart in Fairbanks with 72 teams The 2017 Iditarod will now start in Fairbanks instead of the traditional start in Willow due to unfortunate conditions on several stretches of trail

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

March 6 marks the start of the 44th Iditarod race since the very beginning of the tradition in 1973. Although the race has taken place for less than 50 years, the trail has been used for over 100 years as a popular mail and supply route, as well as a common “highway” for Alaskans to travel throughout the state. It wasn’t until 1908 that they trail was first surveyed by the Alaska Road Commission and is now classified as a National Historical Trail by Congress.

The trail spans nearly a thousand miles that racers travel on for generally nine to 15 days.

The race itself is the ultimate test for the racers and their teams of 21 dogs; with Alaska’s unpredictable terrain and conditions, the racers need to expect the unexpected. Whether it be blizzards and white-out storms or temperatures with a wind chill reaching nearly -100 degrees Fahrenheit, the racers cover all possible aspects that are expected to occur in remote areas of the state.

The race consists of checkpoints: Locations the mushers can stop throughout the race to rest, eat and gather supplies. The 2017 course consists of 19 different checkpoints spanning from the ceremonial start in Anchorage, re-starting in Fairbanks and then going all the way to Nome.

The ceremonial start runs 11 miles through Anchorage, on March 4, but then the teams will relocate to Fairbanks for the actual start on March 6. Tradi-

tionally, the race starts in Willow, but for the second time in three years, the start will be held in Fairbanks.

The Alaska Range, the mountain range just north of Anchorage, was monitored for weeks prior to the start by Iditarod Race Marshals. The marshals, including marshal Mark Norman, described the conditions as getting significantly worse, so the start had to be moved for the safety of the teams.

Regardless of the start, it will still be a fair race between the teams; the winning spot is in competition between 72 mushers and their teams, with the assumption that none drop out before the commencement of the race. With various reasons, 11 of the mushers who were already accepted and expected to race have withdrawn from the competition.

Included in the 2017 race is the record holder and youngest four-time winner (2012, 2014, 2015, 2016) Dallas Seavey.

A Willow local, Seavey joins again the 2017 Iditarod in hopes to break his own record and expand his win streak.

If Seavey wins this, he will be tied with Rick Swenson for the most wins in the Iditarod.

Joining Seavey in the race is four-time Iditarod racer Nicolas Petit, who got into the sport only due to one of his dogs with a paradoxical name.

“I got into [mushing] because of my dog, Ugly. Super cute husky mutt I adopted in Girdwood when I moved to Alaska. He pulled me very slowly around town... [until we got a team and then began training],” Petit said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARC LESTER / ALASKA DISPATCH NEWS

Dallas Seavey crosses the finish line first in Nome, winning the 2016 Iditarod. If Seavey wins this year’s race, he will tie with Rick Swenson for most races won.

Petit realized that everyone is going to be in their best conditions this year for the race, due to the unexpected snowfall during the winter.

“This has been a great training season. Lots of snow makes for more trail access and soft cushion for the dogs to run on,” Petit said.

Racers like Petit look forward to the race now only for the exhilaration of the competition and Alaskan outdoors, but also because they get treated partly like a local celebrity. He explained that, with all preparations done ahead of time, the race can be a real vacation to a

musher like himself with limited kennel help.

In addition to Petit, seventime Iditarod runner Kristy Berington shared her experience and insight on the race.

Berington recalled that she has very memorable parts of the race, but they aren’t always they best.

“You can see all the hard work you’ve put in for years trotting in front of you...all that matters is you, your dogs, the trail and the race. [But the worst part], in a way, is getting to the finish line, the adventure is over.

Back to reality. Also, [the possibility of] finishing the race with

a feeling of disappointment,” Berington said.

Along with Petit, Berington agreed that training and race conditions are a lot better than in the years past. Smaller, middle distance races haven’t been canceled at all this year which served as excellent practice for the teams.

To catch the ceremonial start, the racers will be taking off in the morning of Saturday, March 4 in Anchorage. For more information or live tracking, visit www.iditarod.com or visit their Facebook page, The Iditarod Trail Committee.

BASKETBALL: The Seawolf women’s basketball team compete in their final regular season games

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWU ATHLETICS

Senior forward Autummn Williams rushes past Western Washington’s defense on Feb. 23. The Seawolves narrowly defeated the Vikings 75-72 in double overtime.

Continued from cover

Western Washington at 75-72.

Overall, Williams put 31 points total into the game, helping lead the Seawolves to 22 straight wins.

Saturday, Feb. 25 vs. Simon Fraser In a change of scenery, the Seawolves moved from Bellingham, WA to Burnaby, BC to take on GNAC No. 3 Simon Fraser.

Although the team is ending up just as

successful this season as they were last season, the seniors and Alysha Devine know that things have changed.

“Last year, we went in and we were basically just playing not to lose, but also not to win. This year it’s just a different mindset, we go in and we just want to get the win and keep this going,” Devine said.

With an unusual slow start, the Seawolves let Simon Fraser spike the first lead of the night early on. Quickly enough, Shelby Cloninger and Thompson stepped and pushed the lead out of Simon Fraser’s favor.

The Seawolves slowly paced their lead, but not enough to stay safe by the end of the first quarter, at only a 4 point lead, 15-11.

The second quarter only proved to set the Seawolves back even more. Even though seven of the Seawolves managed to get in at least one point, Simon Fraser was able to match them for almost all of them. Williams got in the last 2 points before halftime, leaving the Seawolves only at 38-33.

Coming into the second half, the Sea-

wolves had a lot more pressure put on them, causing the lead to switch quickly and dramatically. Many offensive errors led the Seawolves to miss points that Simon Fraser was then getting.

Halfway through the third quarter, the Seawolves continued trailing behind at 54-59.

In a turnaround, the Seawolves managed to redeem themselves before time ran out. Freshman guard Kimijah King and Colinger jumpstarting the beginning of the fourth quarter and Williams finishing it off getting the Seawolves to 77-72.

This pushed the Seawolves to 23 straight wins and leaves with the GNAC Championships to play in next. Now that the final regular week is over, head coach McCarthy is happy with the results.

“We are healthy, we are good. For us, I just want to see what we do and how we react when we are hit with some diversity,” McCarthy said.

The women take off again to Lacey, WA for the GNAC Tournament semifinals on Friday, March 3.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

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Climate change in the Iditarod

Iditarod Sled Dog Race restart moved to Fairbanks

MAP COURTESY OF THE ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

By Alexis Abbott

news2@thenorthernlight.org

The restart of the 2017 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race has been confirmed to move to Fairbanks. The Board of

Directors on the Iditarod Trail Committee voted to move the restart location from Willow due to poor trail conditions in critical sections in the Alaska Range.

This will be the third time in the 45-year history of the Iditarod that the race has been moved to Fairbanks

due to low snow and poor trail conditions. The first move was in 2003, and the second in 2015.

Before making the final decision, the Trail Committee staff and crews monitored trail conditions closely, finding that the Southcentral area saw just enough snowfall, while areas like Rainy Pass and the Dalzell Gorge did not. The final determination for the race restart was made on Feb. 10.

“While some snow did fall east of the Alaska Range over the past couple of weeks, other critical areas along the trail received little snowfall, if any at all, including the trail into Rainy Pass. Additionally, trail conditions leading up to both Ptarmigan Pass and Dalzell Gorge are still considered unsafe at this time for the teams participating in this year’s race,” Mark Nordman, Iditarod Trail Committee Race Director said in a recent press release.

There are 73 teams registered to race in this year’s Iditarod, while more than ten have withdrawn from the race. Last year’s top-ten finishers will also be competing.

Joanne Potts, assistant to the race director, says that moving the race was not an easy decision to be made, while the crew was heavily criticized for moving twice before. The Trail Committee wants to ensure the best possible race every year, even if that involves moving the restart.

“Now that it’s beginning in Fairbanks, the whole race has changed. There are different checkpoints, new routes and mushers have to changes their plans a little bit,” Potts said.

Despite changes in the race, the ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage is still scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 4, and begin at 10 a.m. The restart will begin in Fairbanks on Monday, March 6 at 10 a.m.

14 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

How hockey became D-I, and why they’ve stayed

There are many differences between Division I and Division II sports, but for hockey, those differences are very apparent

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

UAA has two Division I teams: Hockey and gymnastics, but hockey was not always a D-I sport.

According to UAA Athletic Director Keith Hackett, hockey became a Division I sport in the ‘80s after Division II hockey was eliminated as a sport at that level by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“The options available to UAA at the time were to move to Division I or Division III. UAA chose to move up in the level of competition to Division I,” Hackett said.

Matt Thomas is the head coach of Seawolf Hockey, and he says that there really is no other division for UAA to compete, except at the top level.

“There wasn’t enough schools that supported [Division II hockey], so you either compete at the Division I or the Division III level in hockey. We wouldn’t have a conference that we’d be able to go into. There’s no Division III programs out west,” Thomas said. “We wouldn’t have a conference to go to. Nobody would accept us. They pushed so hard back in the ‘80s to go Division I because that was the only conference they could go into because of those teams. Division I teams, they travel. We travel quite a bit and that’s why we need it for Alaska.”

Hackett said there are several differences between Division I and II sports, and while UAA offers two Division I sports, the school is still recognized by the NCAA as a Division II school.

“Some of those differences include numbers of permissible scholarships available, size of coaching staffs, recruiting rules and regulations, level of competition, etc.,” Hackett said. “Chief among these requirements is a desire to make a commitment to developing a program that can be competitive at the highest level in college sports through competitive facilities, salaries and the support services needed to build a winning program...

Up until a few short years ago, UAA did not have these kinds of necessities for our Division I programs to compete at the Division I level on a consistent basis.

Competing at the Division I level takes a significant commitment of human and physical resources.”

Thomas said that the team and the scholarships it would be able to offer would be greatly affected by a different division and that only local students would come for the sport.

“There are no scholarships in Division III. You’d only have one comprised of…

Well, it depends, you’d still have teams,” Thomas said. “From a scholarship standpoint, you can probably get Alaskans to play because they’d probably be here but I don’t know how many out of state people come up here. I think a lot of Division III schools people go there, they’re regional, they live in that area.”

The overall cost of athletics would be reduced if UAA didn’t offer Division I sports, Hackett said, but that many of the costs would stay the same regardless of division. “[Without Division I sports] we would have to add programs to meet our NCAA minimum requirements to be a D-II member and to maintain our compliance with Title IX,” Hackett said. “A majority of our costs are travel related. When you have to fly to every competition, there are

PHOTO COURTESY BY ADAM EBERHARDT

Goalie Olivier Mantha makes a save during the game against UAF on Saturday, March 7, 2015.

significant costs involved. Sponsoring Athletics is an expensive proposition but an important one for most institutions.”

Dede Allen, the associate director of Athletics, is the designated Gender Equity Coordinator for athletic programs and Title IX issues. All divisions are subject to the same Title IX regulations, Allen said.

“Title IX’s intent is simple; provide participation opportunities and athletic grant-in-aid in a gender equitable manner,” Allen said. “Any institution that receives federal funding is subject to Title IX, therefore the NCAA Division I, II or III is irrelevant. The details of how gender equity is achieved can be complicated. Title IX gives us guidance in the operation the department of athletics and it is our responsibility to make decisions in a gender neutral manner.”

Some issues that Allen focuses on are equipment and supplies, travel and per diem allowance, coaches, services, facilities, publicity, recruitment and scheduling of games and practice times.

Hockey costs more than gymnastics, and Allen said that budgets don’t need to match up as long as decisions about the teams are made without a consideration of gender.

“This doesn’t mean that we are required to spend dollar for dollar the same on men’s and women’s sports, only that decisions are made in a gender neutral manner…[For example,] gymnastics uniforms and equipment are less expensive than hockey uniforms and equipment,” Allen said.

Hackett said that there have been no further discussions to eliminate any athletic teams at UAA since Nov. 2016, and that talk of transitioning into a Division II school isn’t very serious.

“If we were to make a decision to move solely to a D-II Conference there would need to be a careful review of what that would look like and what sports might be considered for expansion,” Hackett said. “At this time there has been no serious discussion about this topic. Many of our costs would remain the same because of the huge amount of travel we already have based on our geographic location in Alaska.”

Allen said that outside of Title IX

requirements, cutting or transitioning divisions also means discussing NCAA requirements.

“There are other considerations like NCAA membership requirements and Conference sport offerings, in addition to Title IX, when determining sport sponsorship,” Allen said. “While dropping a male sport may not hurt our gender equi-

ty position, it may put us in jeopardy with NCAA or Great Northwest Athletic Conference rules.”

If UAA were to cut hockey, Allen said that there may not be an immediate Title IX issue, but NCAA rules require a minimum of 10 sports, and GNAC membership requires offering specific sports such as basketball and cross country.

CONTACT

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2017

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ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS The Northern Light is a proud member of the ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood.

The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.­­­

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Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words.

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Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity.

Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org.

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