June292010 by The Northern Light

THENORTHERNLIGHT JUNE 29, 2010

NEWS

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Gonorrhea in Alaska: Antibiotic resistant strain

SPORTS

The World Cup:

America’ s interest growing

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OPINION

Editorial:

Voice your issues to Gamble

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The flowers are in bloom and the weather is somewhat nice, but that is not stopping over 16 percent of the UA student body from enrolling in summer courses. Throughout the week, students can be spotted studying outside around campus, either laying relaxed on the university’s green lawns or sitting at a picnic table glancing at their multiple text books.

Summer course enrollment increased by 3.3 percent since summer 2009; sections offered increased by 5.8 percent By Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

A constant buzz engulfs Anchorage during its fleeting summer months. The UAA campus, however, seems somewhat quiet. The vacant classrooms and dark hallways make the university appear deserted to the untrained eye, but students enrolled in summer sessions come and leave their courses faster than the summer itself. A total of 7,899 students have been filling the seats of classrooms statewide during the first summer session according to UAA’s Office of Institutional Research (IR). That total was taken on Friday, June

11, and is 3.3 percent above last year’s total. The total does not include students enrolled in classes for the second session, so the total amount that will have participated in summer courses will be higher by the end of both summer sessions. The nearly 8,000 students taking summer courses occupy 14,431 seats. What that information doesn’t show is that, on average, a single student takes 1.8 classes per session. Thus, if a student is taking two courses, they actually count twice when IR conducts a seat count. There are 1,048 course sections being offered this summer. It is uncertain how many courses are being taught. The total

number of course sections being offered this year is up 5.8 percent from summer 2009. UAA Provost Dr. Michael Driscoll conveyed growth is permeating nearly every aspect of the UA system. “Obviously, we have more students enrolled year round compared to a couple years ago, so we’re seeing more courses and sections being offered as a result,” Driscoll said. The amount of material covered and the objectives of courses do not change whether it is taught over 15, 10 or ﬁve weeks. Students, however, are expected to spend more time in class and working on

homework per day than they are for a regular 15-week course during the academic year. “The workload is not larger for regular semester courses. They are simply spread out over a longer period,” Driscoll said. “Student’s are going to be working harder on a day-to-day basis in a compressed summer course.” Students at UAA are taking summer courses to graduate in a timely manner, and they want to obtain their degrees as quickly as possible due to the rapidly increasing costs of higher education. Biology major Janell Graham stated that SEE SUMMER PAGE 04

Advocacy raises student Sports Dome declares wages 50 cents per hour bankrupcy to stay alive By Joshua Tucker The Northern Light

Younger Oliver, a UAA sophomore majoring in English, works at the information desk in the UAA student union. She was thrilled to hear that the July 30 paychecks for all 500 student workers in the UA system will include a 50 cent per hour raise, their ﬁrst in seven years. For a student working 20 hours a week, that’s an extra $20 in every check. In April, Oliver wrote an English paper highlighting reasons why the student wage should be increased by at least a dollar per hour. Pointing out that according to the Anchorage Police Department the cost of living in Anchorage is 26 percent above the national average and the cost of housing is 38 percent above the national average. Yet, Oliver did not know that USUAA

Senator and Speaker of the Coalition of Student Leaders Peter Finn along with other student leaders had been lobbying for months toward a student wage increase. The ﬁnancial pressures the students face, often working two jobs just make ends meet, are clear considering only 38 percent of UAA students attend full time. Finn recalls when the UA business council, which advises the Board of Regents on ﬁnancial matters, recommended a 25 cent increase of student wages across the board – just enough to keep the University in compliance with the state minimum wage by bringing the bottom tier of student wages to 7.75 per hour. “Usually the Board of Regents just goes with whatever the business council recommends, but we decided not to give up,” Finn said. “I saw President Hamilton’s bald SEE RAISE PAGE 10

By declaring for Chapter 11 bankrupcy, The Dome can continue to operate while decreasing their payments By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

Bankruptcy is usually the last way out for most groups and is often seen as a worst possible outcome. Upon declaring for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on June 5, The Dome in Anchorage views its move as a necessary and positive step in the right direction. “It was the only way to make sure The Dome was going to remain here… so we see it as a positive,” Alice Federenko said, CEO of The Dome since December 2008. Now of course, the idea of having to take this measure is one the leaders of

The Dome would rather not have to take. However, by declaring for Chapter 11, The Dome can take a step back and look to bring their annual payments down to a more reasonable and attainable level with their creditors and bondholders. The restructuring of the long-term debt and bankruptcy protection will not close down The Dome. In fact, the venue will have no disruptions and continues to be open to the public and organizations that use it. Since opening its doors in 2007, The Dome has seen troubles due to a large unforeseen property tax as well as low SEE DOME PAGE 05

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NEWS| June 29, 2010

STATEWIDE BRIEFS

$3.6M ﬁnalized for Auke Bay project in Juneau

Alaska wildﬁres dwindle, ofﬁcials still wary

Modernization and expansion of the Auke Bay loading facility in Juneau can begin with U.S. Department of Transportation approval of a $3.6 million grant agreement. Officials said the new loading facility will improve distribution services for the fishing industry, and boost the efficiency of small freight companies by offsetting the high cost of local operations. The modernization project is expected to begin in November and provide about 250 jobs during the seven months planned to complete it. Final approval was announced Thursday. The funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Rain and cooler temperatures have dampened dozens of Alaska wildfires as firefighters remain wary of the potential threat. There were 84 active fires in Alaska on Thursday, with about 700 firefighters working on eight of the fires, down from about 1,500 firefighters a week ago. Doug Stockdale with the Alaska Fire Service says several Lower 48 crews were sent home because the fire situation in Alaska has moderated. Stockdale said most fires burning in the Interior have received considerable rain during the past week, but it hasn’t been enough to put them out. He said the Yukon Flats, north of Fairbanks, has remained warmer and drier than other areas, and warned that it doesn’t take much wind or warm temperatures to dry out the fuels that feed wildfires.

Michels drops from lt gov’s race Nome Mayor Denise Michels is withdrawing from the race for Alaska’s lieutenant governor. The Democrat, who’d announced plans to run in April, said Friday that she realized she didn’t have the time needed to campaign effectively around the state. Over the next two weeks, for example, she said she’ll be out of state or country traveling for work and other duties. Besides being mayor, Michels also works for Kawerak Inc., a notfor-proﬁt Alaska Native group. Michels said she hadn’t heard from all the Democrats in the race yet and wasn’t making an endorsement now. Democrats seeking the party nomination in August are Diane Benson; Lynette Moreno-Hinz; and J. J. “Jack” Powers. All are from Anchorage.

Alaska unemployment in May at 8.3 percent Alaska’s unemployment in May fell to its lowest level in eight months, 8.3 percent. The rate is higher than May 2009 but economist Neal Fried says a downward trend in recent months represents a “relatively positive signal.” Since December, when unemployment was at 8.6 percent, Alaska’s rate has begun edging down. Unemployment was 8.5 percent from January through March. Nationally, in May, unemployment was 9.7 percent. Tourism and construction jobs are creating positive seasonal effects in some areas, such as the Denali Borough, where unemployment fell from 15 percent in April to 5.8 percent in May. The state Department of Labor says the overall unemployment rate is adjusted so that it’s not skewed by seasonal jobs.

Camp Fire USA to close Fairbanks programs Camp Fire USA Alaska Council plans to close most of its Fairbanks operations in August, citing the economy and the loss of some private and corporate donors. Camp Fire has served Fairbanks since the 1960s, and parents have come to count on it for affordable, quality after-school child care and summer camp programs. Barbara Dubovich, CEO of the Alaska Council, said Camp Fire froze salaries, cut two jobs, stopped travel out of state and limited travel within Alaska, and management took a salary reduction. But Dubovich said the measures were not enough. Camp Fire will continue its other youth programs in 19 rural Alaska communities and in Anchorage.

Salmon streams disputed in Anchorage bear attacks Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist Matt Miller says don’t blame salmon streams too much for bear attacks in Anchorage. Mayor Dan Sullivan has said that rehabilitation of salmon streams should be re-examined in high-trafﬁc recreation areas if it contributes to putting people in danger. Miller told KTUU that urban salmon — whether wild or enhanced runs — are one of the reasons people live in Anchorage. A man riding his bike to work earlier this month survived an attack by a grizzly sow on Rover’s Run trail in Far North Bicentennial Park.

Parnell wants aid for idled AK rig workers Gov. Sean Parnell wants to make sure that Alaskans affected by a six-month moratorium on arctic drilling are included in a $100 million compensation fund. BP PLC has agreed to establish the fund to support oil rig workers idled by a federal moratorium on offshore drilling. The moratorium followed the April 20 explosion of a BP rig in the Gulf of Mexico that killed 11 workers and unleashed a massive oil slick. President Barack Obama’s admininistration was also to seek from Congress special unemployment insurance for the idled workers. Parnell said hundreds of Alaskans were preparing for offshore work this summer. He said he wants to make sure the administration applies the same rules to Alaska as to the Gulf Coast region.

US rig count increases by 12 The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. increased by 12 last week to 1,539. Baker Hughes Inc. said Friday that 953 rigs were exploring for natural gas and 574 for oil. Twelve were listed as miscellaneous. A year ago this week, the rig count stood at 899. Of the major oil- and gasproducing states, Texas gained 12 and Colorado, Pennsylvania and Wyoming each gained four. California gained three and West Virginia gained two. New Mexico and North Dakota each gained one. Louisiana lost six, Oklahoma lost ﬁve, and Alaska and Arkansas each lost one.

Health Sciences Department hosts two webinars at UAA By Shana Roberson

Special to the Northern Light

While many UAA students are out researching summer fun, the UAA Health Sciences Department is keeping the academic momentum going. June 15 and 24, the department hosted separate webinars that highlighted recent medical research findings. Because summer travel is both expensive and often difficult to plan around, the UAA Health Sciences Department scheduled webinars rather than seminars. Dr. Janet Johnston, Assistant Professor in the department, explained the purpose of a webinar. “The goal of doing a webinar is to reach health professionals and students across the state,” Johnston said. “As you know, travel is expensive and in the summer many people outside of Anchorage do not want to travel due to subsistence or other summer activities.” Webinars are live seminars that are transmitted over the Internet, allowing participants around the globe to view. Participants with microphones were able to engage by asking questions. There was also an ongoing chat in which all attendees could join in. Using this structure, the UAA Health Sciences Department put together a two part series for summer 2010. The first part, entitled “Comparative Effectiveness Research” (CER), was presented by Dr. Richard Windsor. Johnston hosted the second part of the series, called “Free Epidemiology.” Windsor is a professor at George Washington University, though he is also an appointed presidential professor at UAA. His presentation focused on CER, which researches treatment and intervention options for many different types of health conditions and compares their effectiveness. Windsor introduced the webinar as, “sound clarification of the issues, answers and methods from my experiences as well as the experiences from thousands of other colleagues around the country, including Alaska.” CER has received national attention, particularly from

Washington D.C. as lawmakers attempt to improve health care costs. Congress has issued a mandate within the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act that called for a list of 100 Priority Topics within CER. CER was also included in the recent healthcare bill signed into law by President Obama. According to Windsor, the purpose of CER is to assist in making, “Informed decisions that will improve health care at both individual and population levels.” Windsor provided specifics on an example of CER by looking at Smoking, Cessation and Reduction In Pregnancy Treatment (SCRIPT) research. Windsor presented his findings on SCRIPT in Alabama. The goal was to evaluate types of counseling and intervention that are used in getting pregnant smokers to quit. Johnston believes the benefits of the webinar could be far reaching. “People will benefit by learning more about how data and evidence is collected and used to make decisions,” he said. There were 15 in-person attendees and 11 online attendees who participated in the first

webinar. The second part of the webinar series, “Free Epidemiology Resources,” was held on June 24 in the same manner as the first. Johnston spent numerous hours preparing himself to conduct the webinar, which targeted health care professionals, but was also useful to students. “I plan on showing people where on the web they can find useful free health data,” Johnston said. “It will also be useful to students who want to learn more about how to find health information on the web.” The department has been steadily increasing their online presence. Both webinars were available online afterward for viewing. In addition, they have added online courses for the fall semester, including HS A326, Introduction to Epidemiology, which will be taught by Johnston. The UAA Health Sciences department has been working hard all summer to keep staff, students and medical professionals informed. The efforts are valiant and much needed due to the continually shifting nature of health services.

Need help paying for child care while you work, go to school, or attend job training?

The Child Care Assistance Program is available to low to moderate income families with children under the age of 13 and/or children with special needs up to age 19. For information and an application, visit www.muni.org/health or call (907) 343-6700.

Funding provided by the State of Alaska Department of Health & Social Services

Enrollment Management Public Announcement UAA's One Stop service center located in the University Center is upgrading the HVAC and electrical capacity in those areas beginning June 21. Student enrollment services including Financial Assistance, Registration, Admissions, and Records will continue serving students through the University Center central kiosk. Processing staff will be temporarily relocated to other areas in the UC to allow the contractors unencumbered access to the areas they need to be in. Efficient and quality service to students remains our top priority and Student Affairs staff are committed to minimizing any inconvenience to students during this period of facility improvement. For further information, please contact the Enrollment Management at 786-1480

- Compiled by Jerzy Shedlock

June 29, 2010 | NEWS

TNL

New Silent Witness Program puts anonymous tips to use By Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

involved. Now information can be relayed through the program, so you don’t even have to give a your name,” Beckner said. “We are a small department and we can’t be everywhere, so the students and faculty are our eyes and ears.” Programs such as Silent Witness are designed to allow ordinary citizens a safe means to provide law enforcement information, but college age

On the other hand, Amara Vandoren, psychology major, stated that the Silent Witness is something she could see herself using, but she has never felt unsafe on campus. “The only time I’ve really felt in danger is when moose are on campus, but nothing crime related,” Vandoren said. Students will also be glad to know that the program is of no

“Two kids smoking pot.” Those are the words of the only anonymous information submitted thus far through the University Police Department’s new Silent Witness Program. The program has only been in place since the end of the 2010 spring semester. UPD in cooperation with IT services at UAA created the program. It is an online form easily accessible through UPD’s webpage where concerned citizens can provide the department with tips and information. According to the Silent Witness webpage, the program was designed to allow anyone to report criminal activity anonymously, report suspicious activity and to make UAA a safer place. Universities throughout the nation have been using similar programs for years. Once IT Services worked out the bugs of the webpage, it was easily created. UPD simply modeled the program after others already in use around the country. It is something that the department has wanted to implement at UAA for a long time, according to Sgt. Michael Beckner. The webpage states, “This form is intended to aid in information gathering for events that have taken place and you have information to share. However, you may remain anonymous.” JERZY SHEDLOCK TNL There is a space for There are several methods people can use while on campus to reach the University Police Department. contact information UAA emergency communication stations are placed strategically around the university and should be on the form, but it used in instances of immediate crisis. is clearly labeled students are often reluctant to cost to them. Being created in optional. Whoever may choose to come forward. Others are scared conjunction with IT services, submit information has a to the point of where they would no new fees will be added to the cost of tuition as a result of Silent short list of types of crimes or rather not be involved. “Unfortunately, today’s culture Witness. incidents that they can pick from. The received information of The choices include drugs and and a lot of student’s being a alcohol, domestic violence and young age causes them to not two people smoking marijuana abuse, stalking and harassment, reveal information,” Beckner near a quad late one night resulted assault, disruptive and concerning said. “This way, if it’s something in an extra patrol being conducted, we follow up on, we don’t know and no one has been charged or behavior and other. Other areas to fill out on the where the information came from, arrested. At the beginning of fall form include location of the and in this way it relieves pressure incident, the date and time it took on someone who wants to help semester 2010, Beckner hopes to publicize the Silent Witness place, and a description of the out.” Trish Rowse, civil engineer Program so more students will incident witnessed. The information submitted via major, believes the program could be aware of its existence and the online form is reviewed by the make the campus safer. If people hopefully use it. A number of UPD Tuesday through Friday 8 can remain anonymous to the students have already expressed a.m. to 4p.m. This excludes UAA wrongdoer, then they should be interest, according to Beckner. “I know we’re going to get a lot more willing to report something, holidays. of pranks, but it doesn’t matter,” stated Rowse. Beckner and the department “If it comes to where I felt the Beckner said. “I’m looking for are seeking any information need to use it I would,” Rowse the tips that help us out and that’s people may have. Anything from said. “If I feel something needs to what counts.” a student having problems with be done about a situation it would a roommate taking drugs to be more convenient to use (Silent strangers walking around campus. Witness) than actually finding or “We might have a crime occur calling a police officer to tell them where people don’t want to get what’s going on.”

SAY WHAT?

Cops ﬁnd naked drunk men covered in mud in woods LEWISTON, N.Y. (AP) -- Police in western New York said two Canadian men attended a church festival and wound up in the woods drunk, naked and covered in mud. State police said troopers found a 22-year-old man from Hamilton, Ontario sitting along a road in the town of Lewiston, just outside Niagara Falls, around 5:45 a.m. Sunday. Troopers said he was caked in mud. After questioning him, troopers found a 23-year-old man from Hamilton covered in mud and passed out in a ditch nearby. Police said both men were highly intoxicated. Troopers say the men had attended the St. John de LaSalle Carnival on Saturday and afterward decided to make it a “Woodstock event” by dancing naked in the woods. Both men were taken to a local hospital where they were treated and released. Neither man was charged.

Dog spots gator in Ohio that’s captured barehanded COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -Witnesses say a reptile wrangler used his bare hands to capture a 4-foot alligator that an alert dog noticed outside an Ohio business. Employee Jeff Colucy was with his Weimaraner in the parking lot of a Columbus company that makes ofﬁce ﬁxtures when the dog went on alert Wednesday morning, focused on the alligator hunkered down in a puddle. Police brought in reptile wrangler Chris Law, who captured the gator by grabbing it at the tail with his bare hands. He says he didn’t have his usual reptile rescue gear because he was about to leave on vacation. Law says people often buy alligators as pets, then dump them when they get too big. He picks up about 40 a year and turns them over to wildlife rescue groups.

Michigan woman shoots self to get medical attention NILES, Mich. (AP) -- An out-ofwork Michigan woman shot herself in the hope she’d receive medical treatment for a shoulder injury. Kathy Myers says she injured the shoulder a month ago while playing with her dogs. The 41-year-old Niles resident said she’s been unable to see a specialist because she can’t afford health insurance. So Myers shot herself on Thursday. She was released from the hospital a few hours later. Myers told WSBT-TV in South Bend, Ind., she has “no suicide wish.” She says her life isn’t great “right now, but I want to live.” Myers says she wouldn’t do it again and now is searching for a specialist who will accept a payment plan she can afford. The prosecutor’s ofﬁce is going to decide whether Myers will face charges for ﬁring a weapon within city limits.

Ice cream vendor accused of threat in turf battle MARYSVILLE, Wash. (AP) -Police said an ice cream vendor threatened another vendor with a knife and told her to get off his turf. The man acknowledged talking with the woman Sunday in a cul-

de-sac but denied making threats. Police found a knife in his truck and arrested him for investigation of assault. The Daily Herald of Everett reported the 51-year-old man appeared in District Court Monday and was ordered held on $25,000 bail. The woman said she didn’t think she was violating the unwritten code among vendors about where they sell frozen treats.

Cops bust woman, 74, for pouring mayo in book drop BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Police in Idaho think they might have solved a yearlong condiment crime spree. Authorities said a 74-year-old Boise woman was arrested after pouring mayonnaise in the Ada County library’s book drop box is a person of interest in at least 10 other condiment-related crimes. Joy L. Cassidy was picked up Sunday at the library, moments after police say she pulled through the outside drive-through and dumped a jar of mayo in the box designated for reading materials. Cassidy was released from jail and faces a misdemeanor charge of malicious injury to property. Boise police say Cassidy is under investigation for other cases of vandalism that started in May 2009. Library employees have reported ﬁnding books in the drop box covered in corn syrup and ketchup.

Virginia officials find goat shoved in woman’s trunk BEDFORD, Va. (AP) -- Authorities said a regional drunken-driving checkpoint led to the discovery of a goat, bound and shoved in the trunk of a car. The Bedford Sheriff’s Office said the car, driven by 32-year-old woman, pulled up to the checkpoint on Friday night when deputies heard noises from the trunk. When asked what was in the trunk, the driver said she bought a goat from a farmer to give to the four passengers in her car, who are from Kenya but reside in Lynchburg. The goat was panting heavily and animal control officers said the temperature in the trunk was 94 degrees. The woman told deputies she is from the United Kingdom and transporting goats in this manner was acceptable there. She was charged with cruelty to an animal and released.

Man allegedly uses torch to scare census worker COLUMBIA, Tenn. (AP) -- A man was charged after allegedly holding a U.S. Census worker against his will. The Daily Herald of Columbia reported that the man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and false imprisonment for the June 9 incident. The 61-yearold was eventually released from Marshall County Jail after posting $8,500 bond. According to an incident report, the man took the 20-year-old census worker to an outbuilding on his property, melted a Coca-Cola can with a blow torch and asked the him if he knew what physical injury the blow torch would do to his hand. The workers also told authorities that the man acted as if he had a weapon in his pocket. The suspect later told authorities he was only trying to scare the worker.

- Compiled by Jerzy Shedlock

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NEWS| June 29, 2010

Antibiotic resistant gonorrhea could be in Alaska Jerzy Shedlock The Northern Light

If you receive an e-mail from a Brazilian website, be cautious before assuming you’ve won a vacation getaway. A government sponsored website in the South American country serves as a convenient, yet cowardly, way to notify a partner that you have contracted a sexually transmitted disease (STD). UAA students should remain resilient in taking necessary measures before having sexual intercourse. Recently, there has been an outbreak of gonorrhea across Alaska. In addition, a new strain sweeping across the nation is becoming resistant to treatment and, in effect, becoming incurable. There is only one remaining class of antibiotics recommended for its treatment. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) STD guidelines recommend that cephalosporin antibiotics be used to treat all gonococcal infections in the U.S. Historically, gonorrhea has progressively developed resistance to all antibiotic drugs prescribed to treat it, such as penicillin, tetracyclin, spectinomycin, and ciproﬂoxacin. “Any disease has the potential to become incurable. The reason being bacteria and viruses will mutate in response to interference,” Director of the Student Health and Counseling Center Bette Fenn said. “Bacteria are mutating and changing into something else at the threat of being killed. It happened with tuberculosis, as there is now something called multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.” The top two bacterial infections gaining resistance around the world and causing problems for millions are staph and tuberculosis, according to Fenn. Gonorrhea is not toward the top of that list, yet. Gonorrhea is a common sexually transmitted infection. It can cause additional health problems if left untreated. Possible health complications include pelvic inﬂammatory disease (PID), infertility and ectopic pregnancy, which are abnormal pregnancies that occur outside of the womb, in women. An increase of gonorrhea in Southwestern Alaska began in 2008, and the infection rate rose statewide in 2009, according to a recent bulletin released by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services. “A total of 997 GC (gonorrhea) cases were reported in Alaska in

2009, yielding an incident rate of 144 cases per 100,000 persons, which represents a 69 percent increase from the 2008 rate of 85 per 100,000 persons,” the bulletin read. “The greatest single-year increase in reported GC infection in Alaska since the 1970s.” Infection rates are on the rise in Alaska, but the reasons for such a steep increase remain elusive. “The state heath department has ruled out increased rates of testing as being a major factor in the rise, but part of it is better methods of notiﬁcation,” Fenn said. “The state has

individuals in epidemiology whose entire job is calling partner contacts and closing the circle of infection. Partner notification, having partners informed and tested, and the improvement of that process throughout the state is thought to be part of the rise in numbers.” Treatment methods being used in Alaska appear to be working at the moment. Drug resistance can only be tested with a culture, not simply a urine sample, so it remains unclear whether or not the resistant gonorrhea strain has reached Alaska. Labs in Alaska have the capability to conduct cultures, but resistance testing is no longer done in the state. Resistance testing was previously funded by a grant that the state received from the CDC. It halted in 2002 after the grant was given up by the state, according to Susan Jones of the state’s Department of Health and Social Services. “Cultures are more expensive to conduct, they take longer to conduct and the organism has to be viable in order for it to grow,” Jones said. “We have to conduct a certain volume of cultures in order to do resistance testing, so if we’re just doing a test here and there it will not be enough.” The Gonococcal Isolate Surveillance Project (GISP) conducts research regarding the growing resistance of the bacterial infection. According to the CDC, 25 to 30 sites and four to five regional laboratories across the U.S. participate in the GISP. In 2007, 27 percent of the isolates collected from 29 of 30 GISP sites were resistant to penicillin, tetracyclin, ciprofloxacin or some combination of those antibiotics. There is a distinction between having an organism that is totally resistant to antibiotics and an organism that is not susceptible to antibiotics, according to Jones. “It’s not true resistance, it’s decreased susceptibility,” Jones said. “It’s always possible (gonorrhea) could become incurable. This is one of the reasons we need to get gonorrhea rates down in the state.” Pure abstinence is the only method by which people can be guaranteed to never get a STI or STD. Since not having sex is unrealistic for many people, protection such as condoms should always be used before engaging in sexual intercourse. Sex with fewer partners and fewer sexual encounters can help as well. “If people never had sex they would never get a STD,” Jones said. “If people always used some sort of barrier method, a polyurethane or latex condom, that would decrease the risk, but they have to be used correctly every time.”

SUMMER: Non-credit recreational courses are offered CONTINUED FROM COVER

the summer course she is taking seems to be more difﬁcult than those of a regular semester. “The medical terminology course I’m taking is harder because it’s more rapid memorization, but it’s good because the class is teaching me how to learn at a faster pace,” Graham said. “I might not be able to retain the information for quite as long, however.” Economics major Xianli Wang agrees with Graham that summer courses are more demanding. “The mathematics class I’m taking seems as though it’s rushing, but I think it’s worth doing just to get additional classes done,” Wang said. The UA system offers professional development and recreational courses over the summer. These classes are often non-credit. For example, the Kenai campus has a Kenai River Fishing Academy a couple times every summer. The course primarily draws people from outside Alaska, not UA students. A few colleges within UA, such as the College of Education and the School of Nursing, offer courses more regularly during summer. “There are classes that are more frequently or almost exclusively offered during the summer,” Driscoll said. “There is differential demand among departments and different availability of faculty.” Courses that are offered during the summer are chosen on the likelihood that enough students will enroll in them.

Some classes are cancelled because low student enrollment does not make them ﬁnancially feasible, or there may be

‘If you have a college that is offering one course that has 50 students in the summer that would be more than enough to cover the costs, but then you might have another course that only has three students. (The department) might see that as a resonable balance.’ - Dr. Michael Driscoll, Provost of Academic Affairs no faculty members available to teach certain courses. The dean of each department decides how many students should be in any given summer course stated Driscoll.

“If you have a college that is offering one course that has 50 students in the summer that would be more than enough to cover the costs, but then you might have another course that only has three students.” Driscoll said. “(The department) might see that as a reasonable balance.” In 2009 a total of 72 sections were cancelled; about 6.4 percent of all the sections offered last summer. There is no difference in the cost of tuition simply because the courses are being taught during summer. The 2010 summer sessions are considered part of the 2010/2011 academic year, so it’s conceivable that students currently taking part in them are paying the same amount of money they will in the fall. Demand for summer courses certainly seems to be increasing, according to Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Rick Weems. “I think demand is increasing a lot because students are trying to graduate sooner. The past two years have been pretty steady for (summer) enrollment,” Weems said. “I can look back ﬁve years and see that we have grown 1,500 students. That’s pretty solid growth, especially for summer courses when it’s so nice outside.”

SPORTS

DOME: Not all hope is lost Overtime- Why it’s now or CONTINUED FROM COVER

revenue numbers in the summer months. The Dome has to pay just over $200,000 annually to the Municipality of Anchorage. The grey space in between comes from The Dome being owned by a non-profit corporation, Anchorage Sportsplex, Inc., but being on for-profit lands. “98 percent of our users are non-profit organizations, so we’re really baffled as to why we don’t meet the same criteria as other groups for non-profit exemptions,” Federenko said. Conversations with the creditors about how to avoid this have been ongoing for some time, according to Federenko. “They’ve been going on since January of last year, but they really got serious the last four to six months,” Federenko said. Both sides took action to increase revenues and cut expenses. The simple fact, though, was the long term debt was something The Dome and its leaders could not avoid any longer. The Dome has become the place to go year round for many types of sports. Within its walls, it hosts a full size soccer and football field and regulation size track. Everything from softball to lacrosse and flag football is played inside year round in perfect conditions and weather. The largest air supported structure in all of North America cost just around 14 million to construct. It has become home to many club organizations, including the home of the UAA Track and Field and Cross Country teams. UAA Athletic Director Dr. Steve Cobb recognizes how important The Dome has become for the teams. It remains a valuable tool for them to continue to grow. “The fact of the matter is The Dome is very important to us. Our programs have improved fairly dramatically since we’ve been training there,” Cobb said when talking about the resurgent Track and Field and Cross Country teams. This past year alone, both the men and women’s Cross Country teams returned to the NCAA Championships after very successful seasons. The women’s team even captured their first GNAC and West Region titles. The Track and Field team got into the act by sending nine athletes to the NCAA Championships and having four AllAmerican finishes. That came on the heels of a combined nine titles at the GNAC Championships, along with three GNAC records and 16 new UAA record finishes. “We have a great relationship with (UAA),” Federenko said. “(Head Coach) Michael Friess is very supportive and vocal about The Dome, as well as Dr.

Cobb. We are trying to partner and ﬁnd ways to work out ways they could use (The Dome) more.” According to Cobb, UAA spent about $45,000-$50,000 in rentals last year to The Dome. But UAA isn’t the only one who could feel the effect if The Dome were to shut its doors. Many of Anchorage sports organizations and clubs would get the worst of it. “I think it would be devastating to the

‘The fact of the matter is The Dome is very important to us. Our programs have improved fairly dramatically since we’ve been training there.’

-Dr. Steve Cobb, UAA Athletic Director

Alaskan sports community, not just for soccer, but all sports, if The Dome were to cease to exist,” Barat Killian said, a Cook Inlet Soccer Club staff coach and Dimond High School soccer coach. Killian, an Alaskan resident for the past three years, was not around to here to experience training in gyms and small spaces inadequate for soccer, but doesn’t want to imagine what it could be like. “In the winter time, it’s our haven,” Killian said. “That’s where we go to play and train during that time, and we need it.” Fellow CISC and South High School coach Tim Valesko said The Dome has been essential not only to his team’s success, but his own as well. “It’s great for coaching development. I have the appropriate space to run better sessions,” Valesko said. “You can work on so many different aspects of the game without the confinement of a gym floor.” The Dome hopes to be out of Chapter 11 bankruptcy by the end of summer, and has every reason to believe their talks with the creditors will be successful in keeping the facility open in Anchorage for generations to come. “Right now, were going to go forward with the idea they’re going to continue to operate for some time,” Cobb said. One can only hope that these ongoing talks will not deflate both The Dome’s and its user’s hopes of year round sports and activities.

TAYLOR HALL TNL

Teams of many different sports have become dependent on The Dome for year-round training. These include UAA’s very own men and women’s track and feild and cross country teams.

never for soccer in America The U.S. national team is bringing new fans into a game that has historically taken a back seat in the states

By Taylor Hall The Northern Light

The time is now. Soccer has never been at the forefront of the American sports scene. Some sports take a back seat to the major sports in the U.S., such as baseball, football and basketball. Soccer, on the other hand, has never been in the same bus as all the others and has been cast aside as the redheaded stepchild of U.S. sports. But the winds of change are stirring. It all comes half a world away from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. After the highly anticipated showdown against powerhouse England, the comeback thriller against Slovenia and the nail-biting finish against Algeria, the common sports fan has taken notice that this American side is for real. Two weeks ago, most people wouldn’t have been able to pick out the likes of Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey from a crowd. Now, people who have never seen a soccer game have become transfixed to the television sets when the U.S. takes the pitch. Hey, American sport fans love a winner. Is there a hotter team in the country right now? With every goal they score and win they capture, they are changing the outlook of the game in the U.S.. The total package for permanent change is here. The ESPN channels are keeping constant coverage of all World Cup games. The NHL and NBA finals are over and all there is on TV now is World Cup, baseball and golf. Not much in the way of viewers tuning

into the constant action from South Africa. Did I mention the U.S. is winning right now? The U.S. has gone through to the knockout round of 16 as winners of Group C, ahead of the mighty English side. Not to mention that they received a favorable draw and the quarterfinals and beyond don’t look so distant. What better way to announce their arrival to the world by making a long run into the quarters, semifinals or even… hey, why not? It only helps that the group chosen to represent their country is full of humble and down to earth players who put their team and country before the name on the back of the jersey they wear. On top of that, the Americans play a blue-collar style that has a never say die attitude. Just look at the win against Algeria on June 23. One thing the game of soccer always catches flack for is the boring, low scoring affairs between the two sides. The 1-0 victory the Americans enjoyed came on the wings of one of the most back and forth tilts ever in the World Cup, with everything at stake for both sides. The game had everything to make soccer fanatics and regular bandwagon-ers go ballistic. The perfect storm is upon us. Constant coverage, no other sports to compete with and a U.S. team who seem to have a bit of destiny on their side. Perhaps the ordinary group of players who have made their presence known have an extraordinary fate. One in which the whole country is now eager to be apart of and cheer on. Take notice world – the Yanks are coming

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FEATURES

RAISE: Board of Regents approves wage increase UAA student leaders successfully advocate for student worker pay raise; staff ﬁght to unionize and increase wages

CONTINED FROM COVER

head outside the library and I called the statewide office to find out where he was going.” Finn was already flying to Fairbanks for the November Board of Regents meeting, but he changed his flight to get more face time with Hamilton. Three times in the two days leading up to the critical Board of Regents vote, students spoke with Hamilton about student wages one on one. Hamilton contacted the chancellors who agreed to support a 50 cent student wage increase. The board of regents voted it in the next day adding 452,000 dollars to the UA budget along with 11 million in raises for faculty and staff. “It’s not very often that you actually get enough respect from administrators that they actually see your way, especially to the point where they spend more money on students,” Finn said. This represents a five percent pay raise for student workers, a three percent pay raise for all other UA staff, a three percent pay raise for administrators, a 3.5 percent pay raise for tenured faculty and a four percent pay raise for adjunct faculty. Currently Chancellor Ulmer makes approximately $255,000 annually. “It was implied that the Board of Regents would give us an additional 50 cent increase in student wages this year,” Finn said. “We’ll know by November if we are going to get

it. The second raise would become effective in July 2011. The next thing is to set so the student wages increase 3% percent a year like staff and faculty wages do.” Now the three tiers of student workers will make eight, nine and 10 dollars per hour respectively. Some student workers make more than this based on the requirements of

‘It’s not very often that you actually get enough respect from administrators that they actually see your way, especially to the point where they spend more money on students.’ -Peter Finn, USUAA and Speaker of the Coalition of Student Leaders their position. Graduate student workers will also receive the pay raise, bringing their wages to 17.50 per hour. Any student employee who works in the same department for more than a year earns a 25-cent pay raise on the yearly

anniversary of the day they were hired. If you are unsure if you are receiving this pay raise you can contact the department you work for and make sure they have filed the appropriate paperwork. UAA Staff is the only group of workers on campus without union representation. For months the Alaska State Employees Association (ASEA) has been campaigning for UAA staff to form a union and join the 8,000-member American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees local 52. ASEA Business Manager Jim Duncan confirmed that they have submitted 1,022 cards signed by over 30 percent of the 2,642 UAA staff members calling for a vote among the staff on whether to form a union. If enough of the cards are verified, the vote will likely occur in September or October. “Once we have become the official bargaining representative, it is clear without a doubt that pay will be a top priority,” Duncan said. “That’s the real purpose of unionizing, giving folks a voice and a place at the table.” As the nation experiences the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression, millions of workers face stagnant wages and rising costs of living. Oliver says she will probably spend her pay raise on rent.

Annual weed pull targets invasive plants at UAA Volunteers joined the landscaping department for three hours to remove ecologically detrimental, non-native plants Shana Roberson

Special to the Northern Light

Just because you’re in college doesn’t mean you can’t relive your summers as a child. One such opportunity was the annual weed pull, held on Wednesday, June 23. Volunteers joined the landscaping department for three hours pulling out weeds before heading to a barbeque hosted by the landscaping department. Mary Parker, business manager for the UAA School of Social Work, clariﬁed the purpose of the weed pull. “The word weed is really misleading,” Parker said. “I realize you look around campus and see a lot of dandelions, but what we’re really focusing on are invasive plant species

and horticultural supervisor, said. “It replaces the natural plants in the woods and around the streams. Weeds are opportunists.” Those who have spent endless summer afternoons pulling weeds know that the work is never done. That is why Leary stated the annual weed pull is an important resource for dealing with UAA’s invasive weeds. Gov. Sean Parnell recently issued a proclamation declaring June 20 through June 26 as Alaska Invasive Weeds Awareness Week. “Cornerstones of Alaskan life and quintessential Alaskan experiences are threatened by the introduction and spread of invasive and noxious weeds, damaging the health and abundance of our natural resources,” the proclamation

impact they can have. The Nature Conservancy is one of many organizations that aims to control the threat of invasive weeds. They estimate that the troublesome weeds cost the United States over $120 billion a year due to loss in agricultural production and control and management initiatives. A study done over a decade ago by the University of North Dakota found that Montana was losing over $42 million annually from the effects of knapweed, a plant indigenous to Russia. Knapweed damages all land, including grazing acres that are vitally important for Montana’s economy. According to the University of Nevada’s Cooperative Extension, Nevada loses up to $19 million a year just in outdoor recreation losses. The problems invasive weeds

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PAT LEARY

Over a dozen people came to UAA’s campus to help clear its grounds of invasive weeds. The group spent most of a dreary morning pulling dandelions, bird vetch and other invasive species from around the buildings of the university. While the efforts do not eradicate the problem entirely, flowers planted by the lanscaping department can now bloom unscathed by the troublesome weeds.

that don’t belong here in Alaska.” Invasive weeds, also referred as invasive species and invasive plants, are those that are not native to the land in which they are growing. They are also characteristically stubborn; they outcompete the local plants and do not contribute to the ecological system. One of the main invasive species present on campus is bird vetch. Also known by its scientiﬁc name, vicia cracca, bird vetch is a vine plant with purple ﬂowers. “It started out as a plant introduced for fodder for animals up in Palmer and then it spread through tires, vehicles, animals and people,” Pat Leary, UAA landscaping

asserted. Unlike other states, Alaska remains less harmed by invasive weeds. “Widespread invasive plants have created burdensome expenses in the other 49 states, but Alaska still has the potential to avoid such extreme damages,” according to the proclamation. The weed pull and weed awareness week were both part of a larger national initiative to remove invasive plants from areas where they are disturbing the local ecology. Along with the environmental hazards they pose, invasive weeds have gained much attention because of the economic

cause in Nevada might sound especially alarming to Alaskans. These problems include soil erosion, poor water quality and loss of habitat for ﬁsh and game, according to the Cooperative Extension’s study. Preventing these types of ecological and economical distresses was the purpose of both the annual weed pull and the Alaska Invasive Weeds Awareness Week. So grab your gloves and help keep Alaska beautiful by participating in events around the state that target invasive weeds.

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT

MOVIE REVIEWS

“Splice” is twisted, “Toy Story 3” a magical ﬁnale morally disturbing By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

The writer’s of “Splice” are as visionary in their concept as they are depraved. This movie depicts an internal battle of morals versus the medical needs of science, a concept explored before, but never in such a raw manner. Scientists Clive Nicoli (Adrian Brody, “Fantastic Mr. Fox”) and Elsa Kast (Sarah Polley, “Mr. Nobody”) run a genetic laboratory at a large corporation seeking to discover and synthesize a new protein to assist in curing many diseases. At the beginning of the film, the two have already created a new species of animal which shows immunity to many diseases. These two creatures, (one male and one female), resemble flesh colored blobs. Wanting to experiment with human DNA – the next step – the lab partners (also lovers), secretly combine human DNA with several combinations of animal DNA until a viable match is found. Elsa, against Clive’s wishes, initiates ‘pregnancy’ with the synthesized DNA, and a new species begins growing within a pseudo-womb in the lab. The remainder of the movie depicts the experiment, Dren’s (Delphine Chanéac, “The Pink Panther”) life as she rapidly grows to adulthood under the close watch of Elsa and Clive, who develop parental feelings for her. The consequences of creating a new humanoid species is also, quite vividly, explored at the end. While “Splice” is original, the make-up and computer graphics intensely life-like and the acting rather good, I would not willingly touch this movie with a ten-foot pole. “Splice” does many things, and one of them is to completely and utterly shock and alienate the viewer. The plot falls slowly into place as the beginning of the movie drags on. Once the meat of the story is underway, it does not conform to what moviegoers expect to see, which is an experiment on the loose with the two creators rushing to stop it from wreaking havoc. The movie trailers fail to depict a true representation of the movie, and leave the expectant audience unequipped to properly deal with the relatively boring plot. The movie does contain a few startling moments, but it isn’t until the last ten minutes that anything truly horrifying occurs. This is also where the nearly snail-like pace of the story suddenly turns fast, knocking the viewer off balance slightly. It is in the final minutes of the story that something truly disturbing occurs as well. This final portion of the movie left a bad taste in my mouth and I highly recommend not seeing this movie because of it. Due to the plot twist leading

up to this event and the twist it creates, the movie would be ruined if I were to explicitly spell out why this movie is best left empty in theaters. So think on this: certain concepts are generally deemed acceptable in movies as long as they are explored tastefully and with purpose. “Splice” fails miserably in doing so by using these concepts purely for shock value. For the concept, the general plot, the decent direction and the acting talents of Delphine Chanéac as a very convincing half-human experiment, this

While “Splice” is original, the makeup and computer graphics intensely life-like and the acting rather good, I would not willingly touch this movie with a tenfoot pole.

ﬁlm warrants consideration. Although there are a few explicit scenes, the movie is not overly graphic. If you choose to see this movie, be warned that it is more psychologically stimulating than visually captivating and may seem very disturbing morally and emotionally to some viewers. “Splice” Directed by: Vincenzo Natali Starring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, Delphine Chanéac RUN TIME: 104 min Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller Rating: R

★★

At long last, Woody, (Tom Hanks, “Beyond All Boundaries”), Buzz Lightyear, (Tim Allen, “Crazy on the Outside”) and the rest of Andy’s toys return to the silver screen in the highly anticipated “Toy Story 3.” Andy is off to college and the toys feel more than a little neglected, having not been played with for years. Many toys are missing at this point, having been donated or thrown out over the years, (including Woody’s romantic interest, Bo Peep), but Andy decides to place those that do remain in the attic. Woody is set aside to be taken with Andy to college. After nearly being thrown in a garbage truck when Andy’s mother mistakenly takes the toys out to the trash, the toys decide to hop into the ‘donate’ box Andy’s mother is taking to the local daycare. Woody tries to explain that they weren’t supposed to be thrown out and that it was an honest mistake, but the toys don’t believe him. Buzz takes charge, believing like the rest that they had been thrown out and stands with their decision. Once at the daycare, the toys discover that they are practically prisoners. While at first, the daycare and its toy inhabitants, had seemed like a dream come true, the reality is that they are meant to be abused by toddlers until they break and are thrown out. Woody finds out about their plight and forms a plan to rescue them, hopefully in time to get back to Andy before he leaves for college. The third installment of the “Toy Story” franchise is every bit as fun, heart-warming and magical as its predecessors. It tackles ideas such as the final stages of growing up, the concept of true love and standing behind those you care about most, no matter what challenges arise. “Toy Story 3” has something to offer every age group. Adults as well as children will be able to enjoy and appreciate the humor, adventure and utter fun

this movie exudes. This movie is very possibly the best written and most engaging of the three, and though rated G, it will likely be enjoyed the most by the pre-teen through adult audiences. This ﬁnal installment to the much adored world of “Toy Story” brings the story to full circle, and while the ending is a bit of a tear jerker, it is quite possibly the best, most hopeful and most wholesome ending that fans of the original two movies could have ever hoped for. Andy isn’t the only character to grow up a little in this movie. All good things come to an end and, 15 years after the original “Toy Story” made its debut, it’s time to close the toy box for the ﬁnal time on our beloved characters.

Directed by: Lee Unkrich Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen Run Time: 103 min Genre: Animation, Adventure, Family Rating: G

★★★★

TNL

A&E| June 29, 2010

“Jonah Hex” cursed to be a western-action ﬂop By Heather Hamilton The Northern Light

“Jonah Hex” was an utter failure of a movie. Hollywood should be ashamed. Only one thing kept me in my seat – Josh Brolin’s acting prowess. Jonah Hex (Josh Brolin, “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger”) is a former Confederate soldier who betrayed his regiment when given an order to burn a hospital in Union territory. He killed his best friend in the process, who also happened to be his commanding ofﬁcer’s son. Quentin Turnball, (John Malkovich, “The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer”), Hex’s commanding ofﬁcer, then burns Hex’s house with his wife and son still inside, tying Hex to a cross so that he is forced to watch. He then brands Hex’s face, (which Hex later removes with a red hot hatchet,) and leaves him to die. A tribe of Native Americans brings Hex back from the brink of death, however. Hex is left with the ability to resurrect the

dead for a short period of time and converse with them. He seeks revenge against Turnball, but discovers that he has died, ironically, in a hotel fire. Hex then sets his sights on bounty hunting. With the first five minutes of the movie over with, the real plot begins. It turns out that Turnball faked his death, and, a few years later, returns with a plan and resources to bring the United States to its knees with the use of an ultimate weapon referred to as the “Nation Killer.” ‘ The government enlists Hex to stop Turnball, and in return, he will receive a full pardon, as he himself has a substantial bounty on his head. Realizing that his family hasn’t been avenged, Hex agrees and the hunt is on. Brolin played the role of the hard-arsed, cowboy-like Jonah Hex perfectly. Hex is a character that displays few emotions, but is honestly complex underneath the surface. I enjoyed having the ability to detect what Hex would do in the film based on subtle motions he made; the slight twitch of the mouth, a swift glance to the

side, a small hesitation before he committed to actions a few times. Brolin, as an actor, made these typically obvious habits quite subtle, and most of them didn’t feel as scripted; they felt natural. Brolin was brilliant. Acting aside, the movie was horribly shot. There are a few night sequences in the story and unless heavily lit by props, the viewer can barely, if at all, make them out clearly. Yes, it is a night sequence, but yes, we do still need to see what’s going on. To be subjected to such poor lighting on such a high budget movie is unforgivable. The supporting characters aren’t that fantastic either. Lilah (Megan Fox, “Jennifer’s Body”) was a character solely for the purpose of teenage eye-candy. She held roughly 20 minutes of screen time, and most of those minutes were spent with her half naked (or completely naked but covered with a sheet) and fawning over Jonah Hex in her own emotionless, dull way. Fox is featured more in advertisements than she is in the

actual movie. Her role is so small that the plot probably would not have suffered without her there. Megan Fox also seems too young for the role of Lilah, and seeing her standing next to a much older Josh Brolin, or naked in bed with him, was more than a little awkward. The movie was dull and jumbled. There were a few moments, such as whenever something blew up, where it was worth sitting up a little straighter. Otherwise, the movie repeated itself in a destructive cycle of Hex talking, Hex shooting and Hex remembering his past. Hex’s ability to temporarily resurrect the dead also seemed distracting and thrown together at the last moment. Thankfully, the movie was short. In this day and age where movie theater patrons barely bat an eyelash at the prospect of sitting for two and a half to three hours in uncomfortable theater seats, this movie was less than an hour and a half long. Josh Brolin couldn’t save the movie, but he appeared to put his

best effort into it. “Jonah Hex” isn’t worth the light of day. “Jonah Hex” Directed by: Jimmy Hayward Starring: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, John Malkovich Run Time: 80 minutes Genre: Action, Drama, Western

★

OPINION The Northern Light 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508 Phone: 907-786-1513 Fax: 907-786-1331 info@thenorthernlight.org

EDITORIAL

Express UAA’s needs to new UA president Students need to advocate for issues that were not tackled by UA former-President Hamilton

MANAGING EDITOR 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Vacant

By Josh edge

COPY EDITOR copy@thenorthernlight.org Brittany Bennett

A changing of the guard has taken place at the University of Alaska. As has been reported on extensively since former-President Mark Hamilton announced his retirement, those at UAA, and throughout the system, have kept a close eye on the selection of a new president. That new president is Patrick Gamble. With the new blood that has been introduced into the UA system, we can only hope that it will play out in UAA’s favor. Sure, the president needs to work in the best interest of the entire University system, but let’s face it – the effects of the new president on UAA is probably the biggest

NEWS EDITOR 786-1576 news@thenorthernlight.org Jerzy Shedlock FEATURES EDITOR 786-1567 features@thenorthernlight.org Vacant A&E EDITOR 786-6198 arts@thenorthernlight.org Heather Hamilton SPORTS EDITOR 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Taylor Hall PHOTO EDITOR 786-1565 photo@thenorthernlight.org Logan Tuttle WEB EDITOR 786-1506 web@thenorthernlight.org Vacant LAYOUT EDITOR layout@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR news2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Joshua Tucker ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant GRAPHIC DESIGNER graphics@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ADVERTISING MANAGER 786-4690 ads@thenorthernlight.org Mariya Proskuryakova ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Vacant CIRCULATION ASSISTANT Munkh-Erdene Tsend-Ochir MEDIA ADVISER Paola Banchero ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISER Annie Route

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 5,000. 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.

The Northern Light

point of interest among TNL readers. It is the time to let President Gamble know what means the most to us at UAA – let him know what we need. Something that was getting a lot of attention during the previous academic semester is the changing of the anti-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation. Though it is doubtful that this issue has been forgotten so soon, it is imperative that the regents do not move this particular issue to the back burner while they feel out the new UA president. Though the particulars of changing the anti-discrimination policy may be slightly more complicated than just taking a simple vote, it needs to be addressed soon. It has been put off for too long already.

Another thing that needs to be fought for is a new sports complex for UAA. It seems that we keep banging the same drum while calling for this sports complex, but the plans that have been formulated over the last couple years need to come to fruition. UAA’s sports programs have been extremely successful overall during the last few seasons and they, as well as the students, should be rewarded. Athletics, especially successful teams, can potentially attract a lot of students and make a lot of money for the University. Our athletic teams also tend to cultivate a lot of school spirit and pride – something that is sadly lacking at UAA, minus a handful of students. Students, staff, faculty: do not sit idle in these ﬁrst few months

of President Gamble’s time at the head of UA. Instead, let the regents and the president know what is wanted, what is needed. Whether you believe that the anti-discrimination policy needs addressing or that UAA is in dire need of a new sports complex – or if you believe that UAA needs something completely different, because the list can go on and on – let President Gamble know. Make your voices heard and become an active part of this University. One or two people might be able to make a difference, but the best chance that UA has to attain the things it needs is if many people speak up and let the regents know that what we need instead of letting them try to ﬁgure it out themselves.

Public sector unions are bad for America Government spending must be quelled by scaling back the cost of the public sector unions By Daniel McDonald Special to the Northern Light

It has become clear in recent months that the model of ever growing spending, regulation and social welfare programs is unsustainable. The recent economic recession has only escalated this reality and brought it to the forefront. States such as California, with a mind-boggling 21.3 billion-dollar budget deficit, are on the verge of bankruptcy. Despite this grim forecast, however, there are some elected officials who are willing to take on the entrenched powers that be in order to address the heart of the problem. One such leader on the national scene is the “honest and refreshing” governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. Christie, after vetoing a tax-hike on the wealthy, responded to his critics by declaring, “New Jersey does not have a tax problem, that we don’t have enough tax revenue. We have a spending and size of government problem, and we need to start saying “no.” And, today is another one of those examples of saying no.” With his blunt and almost Churchill-esque stance against taxes and spending, he has been on a one man mission to face down what he calls the “mindless, faceless union leaders” in order to establish some fiscal order in his home state. That is at the center of these massive state budget deficits – the unaffordable state workers and the negative effects of public sector unionization.

Due to the political inﬂuence and protection of public unions, whose members vote at a 40% higher rate than the average citizen, it is the private sector that bears the brunt of bad economic times. Since the beginning of the recession in

The inflated scope of government has required more and more of these expensive public employees with their defined benefit plans that we can no longer afford. December of 2007, the private sector has seen a loss of over 8 million jobs. Conversely, the public sector has had a net gain of around 100 thousand. According to Forbes reporter Stephane Fitch, “In public-sector America things just get better and better. The common presumption is that public servants forgo high wages in exchange for safe jobs and beneﬁts. The reality is they get all three. State and local government workers get paid an average of $25.30 an hour, which is 33% higher than the private sector’s $19, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics

data. Throw in pensions and other benefits and the gap widens to 42%.” The inflated scope of government has required more and more of these expensive public employees with their defined benefit plans that we can no longer afford. They have become an overbearing leech on the more productive and wealth producing private sector. Fortunately there are several reforms other than mere temporary budget cuts that can be used to scale back the cost and influence of public sector unions. One such reform would be a mechanism to allow citizens to challenge public sector collective bargaining agreements in court, according to Professor Richard Epstein in a 2009 CATO Institute policy analysis. A few other reforms suggested in the analysis would be to repeal laws that legalize strikes as well as requiring public unions to pay for the cost of their dues rather than requiring the tax payer to foot the bill. Whether these sorts of reforms are passed or whether there are simple spending cuts remains to be seen. What cannot happen is a continuation of the status quo. Something must be done, because the ship of state can no longer afford to continue on this unsustainable course. We can only hope for more leaders around the country to take note of Christie, put their petty self-interest aside for once and stand on principle rather than swaying with the political wind.

PRIDE

CHIDE

Students enrolled in summer courses…

Students that were enrolled for summer course…

…for diligently finishing their first session classes.

…for being unmotivated and dropping their first session classes..

10 COMICS|

TNL

June 29, 2010

BROKECOMICS | Alec Fritz

TUNDRA l Chad Carpenter

CRYPTOQUOTE PUZZLE l M. Proskuryakova

Odd Jobs WORDSEARCH l M. Proskuryakova BALL TESTER BEER TASTER CARNEY DIENER DOG WALKER FANTASY BROKER FOLEY ARTIST GOLD RECLAIMER GUM BUSTER HAIR BOILER MORTICIAN OCULARIST ODOR TESTER SAFE CRAKER SNAKE MILKER VIDEO GAME TESTER WEED FARMER WIG MAKER

“ 4

“ 11

7 A

G H

M N O

this monthʼs cryptoquote solution He who has why to live can bear almost anyhow. - Friedrich Nietzsche

SUDOKU

CROSSWORD

this month’s SUDOKU solution

this month’s CROSSWORD solution

ACROSS 1 5 9 12 13 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 24 25 28 33

DESK ACCESSORY BECAME A REDHEAD CURVED BONE SILICA MINERAL FRIGHTENING CLAMPING DEVICE THREE OCEANS TOUCH IT DRUG BUSTERS HELM POSITION WRESTLING HOLDS UNIFORM DECORATION GIBE AT POPEYE’S SWEETIE MALLETS THEY HAVE SEATS WHODUNIT SUSPECTS

34 35 36 37 38 39 41 42 44 46 47 48 49 53 57 58 60

OFFICIALLY DISALLOWS ACHING BOSTON BRUIN GREAT TRAVESTY SIGMA FOLLOWER MONGKUT’S DOMAIN A WOODWIND VULGAR E-MAIL PREDECESSOR DISSERTATIONS DUNDEE REFUSAL CAFE AU — GO INTO FREE-FALL WAS IN STORE FOR BLACKTOP MAKE CHANGES TO YARD TOOL

61 STARED AT 62 KITCHEN GADGET 63 BUSINESS VIP 64 SOME, TO PIERRE 65 PROMISING 66 FLOPPY DOWN 1 CASH ADVANCE 2 NAVE NEIGHBOR 3 BODY ARMOR 4 WALL COVERING 5 COMIC-STRIP “MENACE” 6 LEAVENING AGENT 7 MISCALCULATE 8 MINCE 9 LITTLE CREEK 10 AHA! (2 WDS.) 11 BORSCHT VEGGIE 14 TAKE UP, AS A CAUSE 15 SAFE PLACES? 20 BIRDS OF PREY 22 — RAND OF FICTION 25 PHANTOM 26 HAWK’S REFUGE 27 KIND OF INFECTION 28 REBOUND 29 A SINGLE TIME 30 JOTS 31 WIPE OUT DATA 32 GRINCH CREATOR 34 ALI WHO SAID “OPEN SESAME!” 37 NONSTOP 40 PATCHED 42 “WOOL” ON CLAY SHEEP 43 HIT THE HAY 45 MOO GOO — PAN 46 SLEAZY 48 NARROW STREETS 49 WENT FAST 50 SAMMY OR DANNY 51 MONTAND OF THE MOVIES 52 QATAR RULER 54 BUS ALTERNATIVE 55 MAKES DO WITH 56 KNOCK FLAT 59 ENVIRONMENTAL PREFIX

June 29, 2010 | COMICS

TNL HOROSCOPE l Stella Wilder

ride now

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 7) -- A FAST START PROMISES TO PROPEL YOU INTO AN AREA CHARACTERIZED BY ONE ACCOMPLISHMENT AFTER ANOTHER. IT CAN PROVE A BANNER WEEK. (JULY 8-JULY 22) -- NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO PUT ANOTHER AT EASE, EVEN IF IT MEANS YOU MUST REMAIN UNSATISFIED FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. GENEROSITY IS ITS OWN REWARD.

ski l ater

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 7) -- YOU MAY MAKE A MINOR MISTAKE EARLY IN THE WEEK, BUT RATHER THAN FIGHT TO CORRECT IT, YOU MAY REALIZE THAT IT CAN ACTUALLY FURTHER YOUR EFFORTS. (AUG. 8-AUG. 22) -- A LOVED ONE COMES TO YOU WITH A COMPLAINT AND A REQUEST. YOU MUST REMAIN OPEN-MINDED AND WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY IN THIS SITUATION.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 7) -- YOU CAN ENJOY A ROUSING GOOD TIME EARLY IN THE WEEK, BUT EVEN YOU MUST REALIZE THAT THINGS HAVE TO SETTLE DOWN A BIT SO YOU CAN GET YOUR WORK DONE. (OCT. 8-OCT. 22) -- FOLLOWING ANOTHER’S LEAD MAY NOT BE INSTINCTIVE TO YOU, BUT IT CAN CERTAINLY BE INSTRUCTIVE. FOCUS ON FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 7) -- POTENTIAL IS HIGH, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN SIT BACK AND HAVE GLORIES RAIN DOWN UPON YOU; ON THE CONTRARY, YOU MUST WORK EVEN HARDER FOR THEM. (NOV. 8-NOV. 21) -- YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PRESENT TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE OVER OTHERS; FROM A DISTANCE, YOU MAY HAVE MORE OF AN IMPACT. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 7) -- YOU’LL WANT TO DO WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU, SURELY, BUT HOW YOU DO IT IS ENTIRELY UP TO YOU. YOU CAN EXPLORE ALL SORTS OF TECHNIQUES AND STYLES. (DEC. 8-DEC. 21) -IT’S A GOOD TIME TO PUT YOURSELF IN ANOTHER’S SHOES IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND A TRICKY SITUATION MORE FULLY. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 6) -- ALL EYES ARE ON YOU AS THE WEEK OPENS, BUT YOU MAY NOT BE IN THE MOOD TO SATISFY THEIR EXPECTATIONS -- JUST YET. LATER, YOU’LL SWING INTO ACTION AND PLEASE ALL. (JAN. 7-JAN. 19) -- TAKE CARE THAT YOU DON’T LET CONFIDENCE BECOME OVERCONFIDENCE, LEST YOU BEGIN TO BOAST AND ENDANGER YOUR OWN REPUTATION. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 3) -- YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT A PAST EFFORT LONG FORGOTTEN IS ONLY NOW COMING TO FRUITION. WHEN THE TIME COMES, YOU’LL ENJOY SOME WELL-DESERVED PRAISE. (FEB. 4-FEB. 18) -- THE WAY YOU GOVERN YOUR AFFAIRS WILL GARNER YOU A GREAT DEAL OF PRAISE. OTHER TALENTS SERVE YOU WELL, ALSO. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 5) -- THOUGH YOU ARE WORKING AS PART OF A WELL-DISCIPLINED TEAM, YOU MAY NOT FEEL AS THOUGH YOU FULLY BELONG. (MARCH 6-MARCH 20) -- IT’S A GOOD WEEK FOR EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AS YOU BEGIN TO FORMULATE PLANS THAT MAY INVOLVE A DRAMATIC CHANGE IN DIRECTION, PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY. ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 4) -- OTHERS MAY NOT BELIEVE IN YOU FULLY, BUT FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS KNOW THAT WHEN THE TIME COMES YOU WILL BE THE ONE TO TURN TO FOR ANSWERS. (APRIL 5-APRIL 19) -- YOU’VE BEEN TRYING HARD TO KEEP UP WITH OTHERS; YOU’LL WANT TO CHART YOUR OWN COURSE AND GO IT ALONE FOR A WHILE. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 5) -- YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT MAY NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO YOUR BEST EFFORTS, BUT IF YOU MAKE SMALL IMPROVEMENTS, YOU’LL IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES FOR SUCCESS. (MAY 6-MAY 20) -- YOU’RE LIKELY TO HAVE YOUR FILL OF FAMILY AS THERE ARE REASONS FOR MORE THAN ONE GET-TOGETHER. FIND TIME TO BE ALONE IF YOU REQUIRE IT. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 6) -- YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF WAITING FOR MESSAGES FROM THOSE WHO SEEM TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON MORE THAN YOU DO. YOU’RE MUCH MORE IN THE KNOW THAN YOU KNOW. (JUNE 7-JUNE 20) -- YOU’LL HAVE MUCH TO DO FOR OTHERS, BUT YOU’LL SURELY FIND THE TIME TO TEND TO YOUR PERSONAL ISSUES AS WELL.

2010 College Season Passes Now on Sale! Take advantage of pre-season discounts*. Buy before October 31 and save $200 Flexible Class Schedule? Midweek College Pass (valid M-F) – only $560 New! Buddy Discount Grab a buddy & save more money! Ride the Tram all summer with your 10-11 Season Pass Buy passes online or call 754-2275

©Yves Garneau

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 7) -- THERE’S NO REASON FOR YOU TO THROW YOUR WEIGHT AROUND; A SUBTLE, GENTLE APPROACH IS RECOMMENDED. (SEPT. 8-SEPT. 22) -- YOU MAY BE RUBBING SOME PEOPLE THE WRONG WAY WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING IT -- UNTIL ONE OF THEM OPENS UP AND SHARES HIS OR HER DISCONTENT. WHAT ARE YOU TO DO NOW?

Hiking & Biking Trails at Alyeska Now Open!

Hike up & ride the Tram down for free! Bike rentals available

907-754-1111

Progressive Bluegrass Live in Concert July 23 & 24 $25 advance/ $30 day of show Buy tickets online or call 754-2275

alyeskaresort.com

*Sale ends October 31, 2010. Must be taking at least 12 undergraduate credit hours or 9 graduate credits at accredited Alaskan college. Must present enrollment verification and valid student ID.

Peppercini’s Deli House in the University Center

Pizza By The Slice $3.00 Use Your Wolf Bucks!

E Northern Lights Blvd.

Old Seward Way

E 36th Ave.

Lake Otis Parkway

In and Out in 90 seconds • Salad, Pizza, Soda $6.50

(907) 279-Deli www.AlaskaDeli.com

Goose Lake Park Univ of AK Providence Alaska Medical Center

Use your WolfCard - Save 20% !

E Tudor Rd.

Take 20% off clothing, general books, gifts, and insignia when making a purchase with WolfBucks from your UAA WolfCard. Offer excludes textbooks, electronics, sundries and other sale or store promotions.

This ad brought to you by UAA General Support Services • www.uaa.alaska.edu/gss/ 4x7.375 LC ANC.indd 2

2/6/09 2:33:38 PM

More Lines, More Free Phones

Share your minutes with a GCI partner plan and get any phone Free.

Get Into GCI Today! Follow GCI on twItter and FaCebook

www.gci.com • 265-5400

*Requires new, two year contract. Customer can add up to four additional lines to minute buckets. Partner plans start at $9.99 per line. Smartphones require data. Supplies are limited and not all handsets will be available in all locations. Offer ends July 11, 2010.