March 19, 2019 by The Northern Light

MARCH 19 - MARCH 25, 2019

FEATURES

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

OPINION

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Get immunized: SHCC offers vaccination services

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

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Seawolf Catering’s monopoly diminishes quality of service

11 All-Americans awarded at indoor track and field NCAA championships

PHOTO COURTESY OF LOREN ORR

Caroline Kurgat now has a total of five national titles after the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

The UAA track and field team took nine athletes to Pittsburg

State University to compete in the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships to wrap up the indoor season over the weekend of March 8.‌ Only three women qualified

for individual events but both the men’s and women’s relay medley teams qualified as well.‌ Previous national champions Danielle McCormick and Caroline Kurgat, both seniors, quali-

fied for individual events. Freshman Nancy Jeptoo also qualified for an individual event. ‌ Kurgat earned two more national champion titles, one in each of her events which marks five total national titles. ‌ She started the meet off strong with the 5,000-meter. Kurgat completed the first mile of the race in just around five minutes until she expanded the gap between herself and the other racers. ‌ Kurgat finished the race in first place with a time of 16 minutes and 6 seconds, for an average mile pace of 5:10. Her time set a new NCAA Division II meet and facility record. The previous meet record was 16:07, set in 2012. The previous facility record was 16:09, set in 2016. ‌ Kurgat’s second individual race was the 3,000-meter. In contrast to her first event, she had a slow start to the race, pacing herself near the back of the pack. ‌ It wasn’t until nearly halfway through the race that she pushed her way to the front to finish her last 1,500 in 4:29, a time that

would already be impressive by itself. ‌ She completed the entire race in 9:15.45 to again finish first. Her time set a new meet and facility record. The previous meet record was 9:16.81, set in 2012. The previous facility record was 9:26.76, set in January of this year. ‌ “I am [now] really excited for outdoor season because I feel like I am more ready for the 5K and 10K, just to see where I am going to be this year. Indoor just felt like the beginning of outdoor, so now I just feel like I am in a better position for outdoor,” Kurgat said. ‌ In addition to Kurgat, McCormick and Jeptoo also competed in individual events. McCormick, who won the indoor 800m last year, finished at No. 3 overall with a time of 2:06.28. Her time broke her own school record.‌

SEE TRACK

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Cultural expression: The kilt, the hammer and the hair is, ‘Aren’t you cold?’ and well, my hands are a little features@thenorthernlight.org cold... It is slightly colder than trousers, but it’s not Jacob Ballard, an an- as cold as it seems.”‌ thropology and language Ballard has been wearstudent at UAA, typical- ing kilts for about a year. ‌ ly wears a kilt, a button“I wear the kilt because down shirt and a tie with it’s fun, it’s different and mjӧlnir, more commonly it does represent a part of known as Thor’s ham- my familial history,” he mer, pinned to it. His long, said.‌ dark, braided hair also What prompted his destands out. Everything he cision to wear kilts rather wears speaks about his than pants was when the background, but it is the clothing company 5. 11 kilt that people notice first.‌ Tactical made the ‘tactical “I walk around a lot kilt’ as an April Fools Day [outside] and I walk to joke. Ballard thought it campus so I feel like I’ve was funny and purchased noticed more people driv- his own. After trying it, he ing by looking at me than decided to get a real one. ‌ back when I was wearing “I was born here in pants,” he said. “When I America so I can’t say first started, a lot of peo- that I’m Scottish, or I’m ple were ripping me about Irish, or Celtic… but that’s wearing a skirt... The next pretty much where most of thing a lot of people think my ancestry comes from... By Mary Ryan

thenorthernlight.org

probably about 90 percent of it,” Ballard said.‌ Aside from the kilt, his favorite parts of Scottish culture are “bagpipes and the accents.”‌ The only other connections Ballard has to this culture are the stories that his mother told him about her childhood family friends whom she visited in Scotland. Ballard himself has never been there, but hopes to travel there someday.‌ In his free time, Ballard enjoys reading, video games and role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. He also started a club for people who share his religious views.‌ “I’m heathen. That is my religious-spiritual orientation and identification. [My religion is] a form of paganism that focuses on

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Scandinavian mythology. You know- Oden, Thor, Loki… that whole ordeal of deities,” Ballard said. ‌ For this reason, his mjӧlnir pin has a lot of cultural significance to him.‌ Ballard’s long, braided hairstyle came from trying the opposite of a former culture. After being in the army with a buzz-cut and a clean shave, he grew his hair out for about three years.‌ Ballard is just one of the unique UAA students. Like many others on this diverse campus, his culture and personality are tied to the way he dresses. Many people don’t know the meaning behind it and might simply ask, “Aren’t you cold?”‌

PHOTO BY MARY RYAN

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FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

Shoot your shot: Get vaccinated

The UAA Student Health and Counseling Center offers vaccination services By Robert Gant

features2@thenorthernlight.org

The UAA Student Health and Counseling Center, or SHCC, offers vaccines for students who are living in the dorms, traveling or are part of athletic or extracurricular programs. During flu season, they offer community flu shots throughout campus for all students. The SHCC nurses recognize that not every student and vaccine is covered under those criteria, and any student can go get any vaccine, as long as they’re willing.‌ Mary Woodring, an advanced practice registered nurse and board-certified family nurse practitioner, said that vaccinations vary in price. The more common vaccines, such as flu shots, are provided by Alaska state vaccination programs, which means the UAA SHCC does not have to pay for them. As a result, the SHCC only charges a small administration fee. Other vaccines have to be purchased by the center, which can lead to a larger bill. However, there are alternate, affordable ways to get these vaccines.‌ “Some of the manufacturers

of the vaccines have programs where if you fit the income criteria, you can receive the vaccine for free or for very low cost,” Woodring said.‌ Peer health educator Betty Bang, a family nurse practitioner, advocates for students to get the Human Papilloma Virus vaccine in particular. According to the FDA, the HPV vaccine is indicated to prevent many types of cancer, such as cervical, vulvar, vaginal and anal cancer. The Alaska Vaccine Assessment Program covers the cost of the vaccine for male students aged 19 through 21 years and female students aged 19 through 25 years. If a student is covered under the program, the only cost is an administration fee of $15.‌ “We have private vaccines we can use for folks who fall outside of the AVAP,” Bang said. “We can check to see if their insurance carrier will cover it, otherwise it’s an expensive vaccine. If their insurance won’t cover it, we can contact the vaccine company and request a free vaccine for that person. It’s recommended that students at least stop by and we’ll see if we can get one for them even if they’re not in the AVAP guidelines.”‌

PHOTO BY ROBERT GANT

UAA Student Health and Counseling Center is located in the Rasmuson Hall 116/120.

Registered nurse Jennifer Larson recognizes that a fear of needles is common and offers support to students who decide to get vaccinated, such as time to lay down, a cup of water and hand holding. ‌ “Vaccines help prevent or very much lower the rate of transmittable diseases,” Larson said. “In Washington and other states there is a huge measles outbreak and 30 years ago that was pretty much eradicated from the United States. Because

of the people being misinformed and not getting vaccines, among other things, there is a resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases.”‌ Woodring echoed Larson’s concern about those who choose to go unvaccinated. ‌ “The whole measles thing got started because people were relying on herd immunity, or that most people were immune to measles, so the likelihood of them getting exposed to it was very small,” Woodring said. “All

it takes is one person coming into the country, maybe from an area where there is measles, and it reintroduces that disease. If there are people that aren’t immune, then it spreads.”‌ Bang encouraged students to visit the Alaska vaccine record online, VacTrAK, to see their previous vaccines. Call the Student Health and Counseling Center at (907) 786-4040 or visit them in Rasmuson Hall, rooms 116/120, and inquire about getting vaccinated today. ‌

Elizabeth Smith: There’s more to pageants than external beauty By Mary Ryan

features@thenorthernlight.org

Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Smith came from a family of pageant contestants. Now Miss Alaska High School 2019, she has been participating in pageants since before she can remember. Her mother Sarah Smith coaches her, as Miss Alaska America Teen 94, Miss Alaska Teen USA 98 and Mrs. Alaska America 2011 herself. Even Elizabeth Smith’s little sister is part of this culture. ‌ For those who didn’t grow up with pageants like Smith, the concept may be misunderstood. Stereotypes dictate that pageants are all about who looks the prettiest. Smith tells a different story. ‌ There are many different programs and types of pageants, each with various phases of competition. Smith said they PHOTO COURTESY OF ELIZABETH SMITH

Elizabeth Smith signs a document alongside Miss Alaska Junior Elementary.

are not all glitz pageants, which judge external beauty. Her pageant system, Junior High, High School and Collegiate, or JHC, focuses on personality and intellect. ‌ “I don’t look at it as judging me. I look at it as getting to know me,” Smith said. “It’s like going in for a job interview… they’re getting to know me to see if I have the potential to carry on to nationals.”‌ The competition phases of her pageant are interview, opening number, fun fashion and evening gown. The interview is where the judges get to know her. During the opening number, the contestants walk out on stage and introduce themselves, which tests stage presence skills. The fashion phases are also for personality.‌ Smith competes for scholarships and the friendships that develop along the way. She won $2,000 with her Miss Alaska

High School 2019 title. She plans to use this award for college at California Baptist University or UAA for a pediatric nursing degree with a focus in mental health.‌ During the pageant, crowns are won along with a sash displaying the winner’s title. The crown represents authority, while the sash introduces the girl wearing it. ‌ “The local titles help you reach out to your community to talk about your platform,” Smith said. ‌ The Anchorage JHC system required Smith to advocate for Building Respects and Values for Everyone, or the BRAVE anti-bullying platform. As Miss Alaska High School 2019, she plans to reach out to schools in Anchorage to talk about BRAVE. She will start with the one she attends, Grace Christian School.‌

FEATURES

Word of Mouth: Anchorage’s premier destination for Dominican and Puerto Rican fare

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOEY CARREON

Tropical Latin Food is humbly located at 341 Boniface Parkway.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOEY CARREON

Carne de res guisada (braised beef stew), arroz con habichuelo (seasoned rice with black beans) and plantano frito (sweet, fried plantains).

By Joey Carreon Contributor

Amidst the gray, slushy Alaskan spring, Tropical Latin Food on Boniface Parkway provides Anchorage’s tastebuds with a one-way ticket to sunny Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. ‌ “The music, the decor, the language spoken, will fill all your senses with the enchantment of Latin culture,” is what their website claims — and the statement holds true. ‌ Tropical Latin Food wraps up Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisine into a nostalgic, fastcasual parcel that gives patrons a sense of home. The smells,

sounds and ambience of the restaurant are as authentic as the dishes served up by owner Maria Rodriquez, who opened shop 10 years ago. ‌ “[First] I worked out of my house for two years, it was a lot of work,” Rodriquez said. She explained that a move to their Boniface location was necessary as their clientele grew. ‌ Tropical Latin Food doesn’t just appeal to those with Dominican and Puerto Rican roots, however. Rodriquez says they see a diverse variety of customers with a common craving for tropical island fare. ‌ Upon entering the restaurant, your nose is greeted by the scents of stews that have been slow roasting for hours, spiced

to perfection, and your eyes are greeted by the humble decor and beverage cooler full of imported drinks. ‌ Tropical Latin Food serves up their dishes cafeteria style, and each dish is lined up behind a glass case. Highlighting their lineup are carne guisada, pollo guisado, bistec encelbollado (beef, pork and chicken stews), as well as various sides such as mofongo (mashed, fried plantains), plantano frito (sweet, fried plantains), yuca cocida (boiled cassava root) and more. ‌ When asked what their most popular dish was out of the several they had, Rodriquez confidently answered “everything.”‌ I went with the carne de res guisada (a braised beef stew),

arroz con habichuelo (seasoned rice with black beans) and plantano frito.‌ The guisada was braised in a flavorful, tomato-based sauce and the entire dish was fatty, flavorful and delicious. The meat was tender and disintegrated in my mouth without the need for much chewing. It was obvious that the stew had been simmering for hours, allowing fat to render out of the beef and marry its flavors onto the rest of the dish. ‌ The seasoned rice was selfexplanatory, but it offered a depth of flavor that I would’ve missed out on had I opted for white rice. ‌ The fried plantains were the perfect compliment to the salty, flavorful stew. The large chunks of sweet, caramelized plantains cut through the rich stew and offered a nice contrast. These are a must-try — as on their own,

the plantains would make for an outstanding snack. ‌ The whole meal was $18 — not the most affordable, but you can’t put a price on nostalgia and quality. Being that it’s not really possible to find similar cuisine in a convenient fast-casual setting, Tropical Latin Food is worth every penny. ‌ Certain items varied in cost, but a plate with your favorite entree is going to run no more than $15. For an extra side like plantains, you’ll be shelling out another few dollars. ‌ However, the restaurant fills a much-needed niche in Anchorage, which has a decent-sized Dominican and Puerto Rican community. It’s impossible to put a price on satisfying a craving, and Tropical Latin Food is the destination for Dominican and Puerto Rican cuisine. Try it today at their 341 Boniface Parkway location.‌

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

TRACK: Making it as a team, not just individually tance medley relay] more than anything else. It is just really Jeptoo competed in the pre- awesome to have a team that is liminaries for the women’s 1 really passionate about somemile run; she finished at No. 14 thing and it was just time to pull with a time of 5:01.15. She did them along and help them get not qualify for finals.‌ there and to make something In addition to the individual huge as a team, not just an indievents, McCormick and Kurgat vidual,” Kurgat said. ‌ also joined two other teammates UAA also qualified a men’s to compete in the women’s dis- team for the distance medley. ‌ tance medley. ‌ Sophomore Felix Kemboi The medley is broken down opened up the race in the back of into 1,200m, 400m, 800m and the pack for the 1,200m before 1,600m. ‌ handing off to freshman NathaSophomore Ruth Cvancara nial Brunett for the 400m. The opened the race up for the Sea- team fell even further behind wolves, completing the 1,200m during Brunett’s leg and senior in third place before handing off Eduardo Orozco’s 800m. ‌ to junior Vanessa Aniteye for The final 1,600m was run the 400m. ‌ by freshman Drew Johnson, After the completion of the who was able to sprint his way 400m on Aniteye’s part, she through the last 600 meters to handed off to McCormick in finish off in seventh place. ‌ fourth place. During McCor“I am amazingly proud of our mick’s 800m, she pushed her team. A total of 11 American PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA ATHLETICS way up to second to hand off to performances and an amazing Kurgat. ‌ podium finish for the women’s At the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships, UAA track and field women’s team ended up finishing fourth overall; Kurgat held strong and closed team. We are bringing back a the men tied for 52nd. in on the gap to first place, but trophy. It was an amazing weekThe women’s team ended up The track and field team will lamette Invite in Salem, Oregon.‌ ended up finishing No. 2 overall.‌ end for UAA track and field,” finishing fourth overall while be back in action for the outdoor “Honestly, I love the [dis- Head Coach Michael Friess said.‌ the men tied for 52nd. ‌ season on March 23 at the Wil-

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OPINION Letter from the Chancellor: Alaska spirit is alive during the Iditarod Dear UAA Community, Last week, I stood with many other Alaskans and guests from around the world to witness the ceremonial start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. This was my first year attending the start in person and as I stood there, I witnessed just how much the Last Great Race reflects the Alaska spirit that is rooted so deeply within everyone who calls this state home. As I cheered mushers and their teams alongside the trail a little way from the start, I could see the collective ambition and determination as they prepare for the journey ahead. As a new Alaskan, I couldn’t help but think about how lucky I am to witness a similar Alaska spirit every day on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus.‌ Since I accepted the chancellor position last fall at Alaska’s largest university in its most diverse and populous city, I’ve learned a lot about what is important to our state and how our university is constantly evolving to be responsive to community needs.‌ The student body at UAA is growing. Applications and enrollment are up, and our students are achieving national recognition for their research, academics and athletics. Three years ago, the school increased investment in student recruitment efforts, specifically in our presence in local communities. We hosted a handson Academic Preview Day last fall that brought in more than 900 participants from Eielson to Kenai. We’ve achieved significant increases from each Anchorage and Mat-Su high school and more than half of the students applying from these schools have high school GPAs of 3.5 or higher. We are proud to have a school that high-achieving students from Alaska choose to attend.‌ When students complete their education in Alaska, they are more likely

to stay in Alaska. We know that we are grooming the future leaders of our state and we take that responsibility seriously. This means listening to the needs of our community so that we are providing the programs both our students are interested in and that will benefit our community later. For example, by revamping the application process for nursing programs, enrollment is up, and for our associate degree in nursing, by 35 percent. Our focus on Alaska’s health care needs is also evident in our initial accreditation for a new Surgical Technology program by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. We’re planning an open house for students, staff, faculty and community partners to learn more about this program later this month.‌ We rely on state funding to assist us in providing this support in our community and we strive to be dependable stewards of those resources. ‌ There are a lot of unanswered questions right now. Gov. Dunleavy has proposed budget cuts that I believe will have an impact on every Alaskan in some way. Now, our legislators are responsible for difficult, yet important decisions as they define the budget. Once the final budget is released, the UA Board of Regents will also have its own big decisions to make.‌ I know people are concerned and they have questions about what the future of the University of Alaska system looks like. I also have questions, but for one Saturday witnessing the Iditarod ceremonial start, I was thankful to let all the noise fade away and enjoy a day with fellow Alaskans; all of us from different backgrounds, with different ideologies and beliefs, coming together to celebrate the Alaska spirit that ties us all together.‌ Sincerely, Cathy Sandeen UAA Chancellor

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

OPINION

End the Seawolf Catering monopoly

By Ben Edwards

opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

Wherever a monopoly exists, the variety of choice and quality of service are diminished. Authoritative bodies, such as the government, can be manipulated into granting exclusive contracts with lavish privileges and protections to those that lobby effectively. These monopolies breed complacency. Without a need to compete for customers, they feel little pressure to innovate, maintain low prices or demonstrate quality. ‌

UAA has such a monopoly. All food and beverages served at a catered event on campus must be provided by Seawolf Dining & Catering. They have been awarded this monopoly as per the terms of their contract with the university. You could request permission to use an outside vendor for catering your event, but the success of this is unlikely. Seawolf Catering would need to conclude that they cannot accommodate the food needs of your event. Typically, they will insist that they can even if the evidence shows otherwise. When their contract comes up for renewal, UAA should seriously reconsider the terms of this monopoly.‌ Doubts about the quality of Seawolf Catering have been apparent on campus for over 10 years. Former USUAA president John Roberson expressed concerns about how clubs were being treated as far back as 2008, citing one outrageous example where an on-campus club was charged $50 by the caterer for a cake that still had a $10 Costco price tag on it. Markups are seldom justified by NANA Management Services, which operates Seawolf Catering. They are not beholden to transparency. They are only required to meet the expectations of UAA’s contract management, which doesn’t always reflect the concerns of students due to miscommunication. This means that the student population is less like a customer

STAFF CONTACTS Opinion Writer Robert Hockema opinion@thenorthernlight.org‌

Executive Editor Levi Signe Brown (907) 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org‌

Opinion Writer Ben Edwards opinion2@thenorthernlight.org

Copy Editor Caleigh Jensen copy@thenorthernlight.org Features Editor Mary Ryan features@thenorthernlight.org‌ Features Reporter Robert Gant features2@thenorthernlight.org‌ Arts & Entertainment Editor Malia Barto arts@thenorthernlight.org‌

continuity. Model UN will be held next year, like always, and they will be forced to hire Seawolf Catering, just like always. A monopoly suffers no consequences.‌ The answer, then, is to break the monopoly. There are a multitude of catering services in Anchorage that would be happy to compete for contracts at UAA if given the chance. The decision-making of who to hire for catering an event must be given to the organizer of that event. Furthermore, a caterer’s performance is more accurately evaluated by the event host than the university’s contract manager. The manager can only be informed of shortcomings if students provide constant feedback, which they often do not.‌ Breaking the monopoly can be done through a revision of the contract. USUAA should push for this. It should be understood clearly that the cessation of the monopoly does not have to imply the doom of Seawolf Catering. It just means that they will have to work hard for each job and take nothing for granted. They will have to demonstrate competitive quality, and this would have positive implications for both the customer and the provider — a service built on reputation rather than coercion. ‌ Ben Edwards was a member of the Model UN Secretariat. ‌

A S S O C I AT E D CO L L E G I AT E P R ES S

3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508‌

Managing Editor Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org‌

base and more like a token to be bartered away in a contract.‌ Large events on campus are especially vulnerable to catering shortcomings. Model United Nations of Alaska has hosted conferences at UAA for many years, and these events involve hundreds of high school and college students from around the state. Catering for that many students is a challenge that Seawolf Catering struggles to meet, despite the fact that it exclusively claims the job every year and charges upwards of $8,000. ‌ For example, portion control is something that should be reasonably expected from a caterer, especially when it comes to hungry high schoolers. To accommodate nearly 300 students, Model UN structures lunch into three back-to-back phases. The first group eats lunch and leaves, then the next group follows suit. Unfortunately, Seawolf Catering appears to be shy about enforcing portion control in the first and second phases, so by the time the third group is ready to eat, there is hardly enough food available to them. There were also reports that catering staff departed the lunch event too early, and failed to accommodate special dietary requests like allergies and vegetarianism.‌ Large event organizers have high expectations for caterers, but Seawolf Catering is mostly immune to these expectations because they can always rely on

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