March 20, 2018

MARCH 20 - MARCH 26, 2018

FEATURES

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

OPINION

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Reading program pairs shelter pets and children

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

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Toe to toe: Tightening restrictions on firearms in the U.S.

Swirbul accumulates two All-Americans at nationals

Putting the miles in ‘milestone’

Over the weekend of March 7, 12 Seawolves traveled to Colorado to compete in the national ski meet

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY

UAA sophomore Hailey Swirbul places second and third in the 10K freestyle and 5K classic races at the NCAA 65th Annual DI Skiing Championship in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

To conclude the 2017-18 skiing season, the UAA skiers competed in the NCAA

65th Annual Division I Skiing Championships. Of the 26-member team, 12 skiers became eligible for the national title.

They took off to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to compete March 7-10.‌ As for the twelve, senior Charley Field;

juniors Toomas Kollo, Zackarias Toresson, Anthony Naciuk, Marcus Deuling, Sadie Fox and Alix Wells; sophomores Hailey Swirbul, Natalie Hayes, Dominic Unterberger; and freshmen Georgia Burgess and Erik Cruz competed in the meet.‌ Despite the small number compared to other competing teams, Head Coach Sparky Anderson was excited to see what would happen. ‌ “We’ve certainly proven to be dangerous throughout the regular season. It’s a tremendous field we’re going up against, [we needed] all 12 to be at their best,” Anderson said, “It [was] a challenge to find the right crew that was going to be fast on each venue but I think we had some good horses and we took our shots.” ‌ The giant slalom took place on the first day of competition, with three male and three female competitors from UAA. ‌ Anderson explained that they actually were able to go down to the venues early and get some practice in on the giant slalom hill, which he believes worked to the advantage of his athletes. ‌ Cruz and Field finished at the top of

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Mental wellness workshops continue this spring health conditions begin by age 24. Understanding and talking about mental health is easily accessible through the SHCC.‌ The SHCC is offering drop-in workshops that inform and guide students through depression, stress and anxiety management, test anxiety, ADHD, suicide prevention and coping skills.‌ “The focus is on educational workshops as oppose to a support group.

These are meant to inform students that they can come in and spend an hour, get some good information and start to feel like they have some strategies or skills that they can use depending on what their concern is,” Georgia DeKeyser, director GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA and psychiatric nurse practitioner for the SHCC, said.‌ Last spring semester, the SHCC had a

By Mizelle Mayo few workshops on test anxiety and anxfeatures2@thenorthernlight.org iety and management. With a growth At the halfway mark of the semes- of attendance for these workshops, the ter, many students are trying to balance counseling center wanted to expand their school, work, friends and family. How- topics addressing other mental health isever, wearing oneself thin can lead to de- sues.‌ “Some people, depending upon their pression, anxiety and stress. UAA’s Student Health and Counseling Center is of- personalities, like the one-on-one infering spring semester workshops that fo- teraction behind closed doors, but other cus on different aspects of mental health people are maybe comfortable in a group and strategies to maintain a healthy mind.‌ learning environment where informaAccording to National Alliance on tion can be shared and received,” JenniMental Illness, 75 percent of mental fer Jepson, mental health counselor for the SHCC, said. “When other people are

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in the class and are nodding at the same time their nodding, then it’s a shared experience.”‌ This spring, the workshops are four times throughout the semester on varied days to accommodate student schedules. ‌ Not only do these workshops inform and suggest mental health issues and healthy coping skills against stress, anxiety and ADHD, the Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention workshop helps students to communicate effectively to those who are at risk of suicide. ‌ In 2003, the Division of Behavioral Health of the State of Alaska awarded UAA a grant that funded the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to create programs regarding suicide prevention. ‌ In order to further educate UAA students, the Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention workshop is open to anyone in the community that is interested in talking about suicide prevention.‌ “These are all toolbox classes. The mission of the health center is to help students be academically successful through the provision of health care. Part of health care is wellness and prevention,” DeKeyser said.‌ For more information about the SHCC workshops’ dates and times, call 907786-4040.‌

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By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

Seawolf Shuttle safely arrived at their latest milestone this semester. The team of nine drivers reached over 200,000 miles of being at-fault accident-free.‌ Over the last three years, Seawolf Shuttle has not been responsible for any of the accidents that may have occurred, continuing to keep students’ transportation a smooth ride. ‌ A celebration for the drivers was held March 10 in the Gordon Hartlieb breakroom. Eight of the nine drivers, staff members from UAA’s Facilities and Maintenance Operations and Chancellor Sam Gingerich attended.‌ “I know this crowd well,” Heather Pawlak, interim associate director of Operations said at the celebration. “I’ve managed them for about six years now and they’re a great group of folks. About three years ago, we decided that we wanted to start tracking at-fault accidents and I can’t say more about the professionalism of the [drivers].”‌ The celebration started with thank yous from Pawlak and Gingerich followed by pizza, cupcakes and a surprise bonus to all the drivers in their next paycheck. A new sign will be put inside all the shuttles by next semester that show off the team’s achievement and highlights the significance of 200,000 miles, which the sign says is the equivalent of over eight times around the world.‌ “Your efforts here are incredible. They are appreciated. Yeah, there’s a direct impact on the bottom line, but obviously, you don’t do that every day; you don’t do what you do every day because of the impact, you do it because it’s the right thing to do,” Gingerich said at the celebration.‌ During the fall and spring semesters, Seawolf Shuttles average hours of operations are approximately 14.25 hours per day. Monday through Thursday are longer days, averaging around 15.5 hours, and Fridays are shorter, averaging an operating day of 9.5 hours.‌ “I’m extremely proud of the drivers’ efforts to operate safely and expand their safety record number of days, miles year after year,” Pawlak said. “I’m glad that the team has embraced the mindset that repetitive safe practices become safe

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

| 02

New academic reinstatement policies approved

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Marie Ries

news2@thenorthernlight.org

The UAA Faculty Senate has approved new reinstatement processes for academically disqualified students at a senate meeting on March 2. The current policies are bureaucratic and need to be revised, a review

by Enrollment Services found.‌ The new policies for students will enable academically disqualified students to apply for financial aid and include a mandatory advising program. A previ-

ous rule required the applicants to earn at least 12 credits before their official readmission.‌ Lora Volden, associate vice chancellor for Enrollment Services, is overseeing the changes of the regulations.‌ “Our current [reinstatement] policy does not work, specifically for academically disqualified students,” Volden said. “They may have dug themselves into a deep hole that they have now to get themselves out of [on their own].”‌ UAA places students with a

semester and cumulative GPA below 2.0 on academic probation. Students beginning a semester on academic probation and failing to earn a semester GPA of at least 2.0 render themselves academically disqualified.‌ Once they get disqualified, students are not allowed to attend UAA for at least one semester.‌ Affected students are unlikely to succeed in college after that under the current regulations, as shown by data collected by Enrollment Services.‌ Only 34 percent of students academically disqualified in fall 2016 chose to enroll in spring courses the next semester. These students completed an average of 4 credits with an average GPA of 1.01. Of the 265 academically disqualified students in spring, less than 8 percent took summer classes.‌ “Their only option to get reinstated into that degree program was to take minimally 12 credits, usually more, get a C or better, get their whole GPA up to a 2.0 and until that happened, all the expenses for these courses had to come out of pocket,” Volden said.‌ Under the previous regulations, the reinstatement applicants had to complete their first semester back at the university as non-degree seeking students, rendering them ineligible for financial aid.‌ Christina Stuive, associate

professor of counseling and cochair of the Student Academic Support and Success Committee, was one of the faculty members involved in the policy review. ‌ There are two kinds of students getting academically disqualified, Stuive said. The first type is usually about 18 or 19 years old; these students, mostly freshmen, might find college overwhelming and choose a different career path. ‌ “But then they come back five or 10 years later and they still can’t get admitted because of this academic disqualification,” Stuive said.‌ Those students will typically choose to enter the workforce.‌ Molly Romero, sophomore business major, understands the problems students with a fulltime job are facing. She has decided to focus more on school after working full-time on top of her course load for three semesters.‌ “My biggest challenge was having the motivation to do my homework after working for eight hours already,” Romero said. “You miss out on university events, study groups or even being able to join clubs. Something that’s hard for me is that I miss out on a lot of extra credit opportunities because they are only offered during my work hours.”‌ The second type of academically disqualified students is older; these students are often

dealing with family issues.‌ “These issues are keeping them from success. They often try to keep going, but struggle a lot,” Stuive said.‌ The revised regulations are supposed to make the readmission processes easier for all students.‌ “The new policy says you need to take a semester off, spend some time with an academic adviser, make a plan, but then assuming you’ve met with your adviser and they agree with your plan,” Volden said. “Then you just need to fill out the form [to request reinstatement], we’ll put you back in the program and you can continue on.”‌ Special regulations apply to international students. Once they become academically disqualified, they lose their enrollment and full-time student status, as well as their F-1 student visa. ‌ “They do [lose their visa status] and that wouldn’t change [under the new policies],” Volden said. “The important thing with the international students is that really from the moment they get a warning, everybody needs to have a more intentional interaction to make sure that they don’t get to the point that they’re disqualified.”‌ The specifics of the new policies are yet to be developed and expected to come into effect in fall 2018.‌

National stores announce firearm sales restrictions

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

On Feb. 28, retail giants Walmart, Inc. and DICK’S Sporting Goods announced new restrictions on firearm sales.

This includes both companies no longer selling firearms or ammunition to anyone under age 21.‌ These announcements follow the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people.‌ “In light of recent events, we’ve taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearm sales,” Walmart’s statement read.‌ Walmart stopped sales of modern sporting rifles in 2015 and said that it will also be removing “non lethal airsoft guns and toys” that resembled such

firearms from the website.‌ In the statement by DICK’S, the company said, “We at DICK’S Sporting Goods are deeply disturbed and saddened by the tragic events in Parkland.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the victims and their loved ones. But thoughts and prayers are not enough.”‌ The statement also outlined the company’s updated firearms sales limitations:‌ • sell assault-style rifles (modern sporting rifles) in all of their Field & Stream stores • sell high capacity magazines • sell bump stocks (The company never has and “never will” sell these bump stocks)‌ DICK’S urged for the U.S. government to take action on new regulations, such as banning assault-style firearms, rais-

ing the minimum purchase age to 21 years old, universal background checks and closing the “private sale and gun show loophole that waives the necessity of background checks.”‌ Grocery chain Fred Meyer said the company would also no longer sell firearms and ammunition, according to the Associated Press, though the decision was made based on customer preferences.

It has been reducing its firearm category over the years “due to softening consumer demand,” the company said. After the Parkland shooting, it had also joined Walmart and DICK’S in choosing to not sell firearms to anyone under 21.

There is currently no timeline set for Fred Meyer to phase out its firearms category.

The companies’ decisions have been met with mixed reactions. ‌ “I think if a person is old enough to be held criminally liable for his or her actions, they should be able to own a firearm,” Caleb Martin, an Alaskan gun owner, said.‌ Martin also said he believes that events such as the Boston Marathon bombing as well as the Columbine High School shooting show that if a person intends to harm the legality of their weapon is of little relevance.‌ Steven Untiet is a gunsmith and the owner of Alaska Cus-

tom Firearms, Inc. He says that Walmart and DICK’S should not have done anything at all.‌ “Did they break into a school and shoot a bunch of people? Did they... brainwash [Nikolas Cruz] into wanting to do that? Did they have anything to do with it? I don’t think they should’ve done anything,” Untiet said. ‌ Untiet added that a good guy is what stops a bad guy with harmful intentions.‌ “There’s gonna be bad people doing bad things no matter what you have floating around in this society, so any of that stuff is pointless and stupid,” Untiet said.‌ Untiet commends 20-yearold Tyler Watson from Oregon who filed lawsuits against both Walmart and DICK’S after being turned away from purchasing a rifle in their stores. Oregon’s minimum gun purchase age is 18 and Watson alleges that the companies are practicing age discrimination.‌ “Good for him,” Untiet said. “[The age limit] is not going to stop anything, not going to protect anybody.”‌ For Marc Robertson, a UAA student and gun owner, the age limit is appropriate, especially since the federal legal age for alcohol is 21 years old.‌ “It is that way because we’ve established that it’s just a smart idea for people to reach a certain threshold of maturity before they start doing things that have

the risk to impact their lives and impact other people’s lives,” Robertson said.‌ That same rationale should be applied to firearms, Robertson said.‌ Northern Security Inc. is a company in Anchorage that not only sells firearms and ammunition, but also police and military equipment and accessories. ‌ Becky Rush, one of the owners, says that the company follows state and federal laws, and Walmart and DICK’S are right to make their own decisions.‌ “They’re right to do what they want to do, just like refusing business to any individual,” Rush said.‌ Robertson said that Walmart and DICK’S are setting a good example for others and their new policies show “the power of public opinion.” He hopes to see more regulations put in place, including banning high-capacity magazines.‌ “Those are the principle things I’m hoping to see, just decreased access to weapons that are designed for intense combat by professional soldiers and not civilians that are using these for hunting,” Robertson said.‌ Untiet is unsure of what other companies might do in response to the Parkland shooting, but he said that there will always be people with bad intentions.‌ “If you give up freedom for security, you will end up with neither,” Untiet said.‌‌

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THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

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Library survey shows impact of budget cuts

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Data from the UAA/APU Consortium Library faculty and graduate student survey shows that the library is not meeting minimum expectations of the library in several areas. The undergraduate student survey showed that students felt their minimum expectations were being met. ‌ “That to me is an unfortunate result, but it is exactly the result we were going to predict after cutting the library’s budget for three years,” Stephen Rollins, dean of the Consortium Library, said.‌ Cuts to the library budget have impacted staff positions and online offerings from the library. In fiscal year 2015, the library budget was cut by over $400,000. This was followed by steeper cuts in FY16 and FY17 of $602,423 and $741,320 respectively, according to the Consortium Library website. For FY18 the library faced a smaller reduction of $80,471.‌ Currently, the majority (92.5 percent) of the library budget is funded from general fund allocations. The other 7.5 percent of the budget comes from grants, donations, contracts with health care providers for the medical library downstairs and a partnership with Alaska Resources Library and Information Services. ‌ In response to the survey, the library

PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM

Students mentioned their key concerns in the LibQUAL survey were library hours, noise levels, building temperatures, resources cut and lack of access to vending machines during after hours.‌

has expanded hours, allocated more money to the collections budget and brought back some materials that had been cut in previous years.‌ “There was a lot of concern about the hours again… so the first thing we did was added an hour to the schedule,” Rollins said. “We’re closing at midnight instead of 11 p.m.”‌ The survey showed that faculty rated the library low in the question of having

“Print and/or electronic journal collections I require for my work.”‌ In 2008, the library survey demonstrated that faculty and graduate students both felt the library was not meeting their minimum expectations for journal collections. By the next library survey in 2011, the library had devoted funding to this concern and was rated higher for meeting minimum expectations. ‌ “We spent the next three years trying

to beef up the collection, trying to get more money for the collection… By the time we’ve gotten to 2011, [concern has] gone away and then 2014 it’s gone away…

2014 was the year we started getting our budget cut. And here we are starting to get [concern] now showing up three years later,” Rollins said.‌ The library performed well in questions about the library as a place and the library service.‌ “Although they’re disappointed with the collections, I mean, their satisfaction with the collections is declining, they’re even more enjoying the building and enjoying the other services we provide,” Rebecca Moorman, head of Technical Services, said.‌ In the comments section of the survey, UAA students said their key concerns were library hours, noise levels, building temperatures, resources cut and lack of access to vending machines during after hours.‌ In response to these concerns, Rollins said “I think we need to look at the location of those vending machines,” so that students can access food in the Social Sciences Building after the library has pulled down the gate to secure the area. ‌ Rollins said the library also tries to section off the building into differing levels of quiet zones for students with different needs.‌

Chancellor announces vice chancellor for Administrative Services

PHOTO BY JAY GUZMAN

Beverly Cotton Shuford will start her new job as vice chancellor for Administrative Services on May 3.

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Chancellor Sam Gingerich’s office announced that Beverly Cotton Shuford has

accepted the position of vice chancellor for Administrative Services in a memo on March 9. The memo stated that Cotton Shuford would begin at UAA on May 3. ‌ The administrative services position is one of the highest ranking and paying positions at UAA. The vice chancellor

SHUTTLE: Drivers recognized for commitment to student safety Continued from cover habits, and in the world of professional transportation a three-year record without an at-fault accident is impressive, to say the least.”‌ The team has the common goal of keeping the campus and students safe, but also share the common interest of providing for students and building connections with them.‌ “I like being able to, in some small way, help the students with their education as in driving them to class on time and keeping snacks available for them so

they aren’t hungry. That’s two less things for them to worry about during their busy day,” Donald Walker, a driver for the last six years, said.‌ “We love our job because of the students who ride our shuttles. We have pride in our university and in the service we provide. We listen, we encourage, we support,” Judith Arp, lead driver for UAA, said.‌ Shuttle drivers recognized at this event include Arp, Dani Been, Richard Crook, Janeen Herr, Robert Reif, Katharine Swift, Larry Vanderlinden, Donald Walker and Nicholas Weaver.‌

oversees Facilities and Campus Services, Athletics, Human Resource Services, University Police Department, Information Technology Services and Administrative Services at UAA.‌ “Beverly [Cotton Shuford] brings a wealth of experience in university finance and administration to this role,” Gingerich wrote in the memo. “Since 2014, she has served as the associate vice president of budget and analytics at the University of North Texas where she has been responsible for an annual operating budget of more than $700 million and served as lead for strategic planning operations.”‌ Cotton Shuford is currently serving as associate vice president of Budget and Analytics at the University of North Texas. She has Bachelor’s of Business Administration degrees in finance and accounting, a Master’s of Science in accounting and she has almost completed a doctorate in higher education administration, according to her resume.‌ Cotton Shuford was one of five finalists for the position. In an open forum

to the public on Feb. 14, Cotton Shuford spoke about why she wanted to move to Alaska.‌ “Why UAA? Looking at it, if I was going to leave the state of Texas, I was going to leave it big,” Cotton Shuford said.

“It meets that criteria, but also looking at Anchorage and UAA, what is done here, Anchorage is a nice sized city.”‌ Before working at the University of Texas, Cotton Shuford was the vice president of business and finance at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University. She has also worked at Texas Tech University, Wayland Baptist University and Oakwood United Methodist Church in positions in administration to teaching.‌ “Beverly is a certified public accountant with a proven track record of effective leadership across the institutions she has served,” Gingerich wrote. “I am delighted she will soon become part of the UAA leadership team and know you will join me in sending her a warm welcome to UAA and to Anchorage.”‌

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

FEATURES

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TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

| 05

14-year-old creates animal reading program

By Mizelle Mayo

features2@thenorthernlight.org

Animals are known to create companionships with their human counterparts and form a significant impact on each others’ lives. Ashley Perry created the “Shelter Animals Reading Program” for children who want to practice reading in front of a sheltered animal at Anchorage Animal Care and Control.‌ “When I was younger, I hated reading in class because I was afraid I’ll mess up,” Perry said. “The goal for the kids is to get a positive experience with the animals in a non-judgmental way.”‌ Not only can children improve their reading skills, it also gives the animals a chance for adoption in the process.‌ “For the animals, it’s simply interaction. It’s a long day sitting here in the kennel with not a whole lot to do. If it helps one of our shy cats learn to be more comfortable with people in front of their kennel, ultimately, that may help them get adopted,” Laura Atwood, AACC’s public relations coordinator, said.‌ Perry has established the program at her previous home in Charleston, South Carolina, and has now expanded to Anchorage, Palmer and Wasilla. She is cur-

PHOTO BY MIZELLE MAYO

Despite having health issues, Ashley Perry takes action in the Anchorage community by creating the “Shelter Animals Program” throughout Alaska.

rently working on getting approval for the program in the Fairbanks animal shelters.‌ “We went to the [Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] one time to discuss the program, and we left with a dog. There was also a dog there that trained to fight. It had some injuries, and you can tell it was skittish. Ashley said, ‘This dog needs to be read to,’” Kimberly

Perry, Ashley’s mother, said.‌ For Ashley Perry, animals have always been an important part of her life to comfort and build companionship. Before she was born, Perry was diagnosed with Turner syndrome. Only affecting girls, about one percent with Turner syndrome make it into the world. She was one of the lucky ones. So far, she’s under-

gone 21 minor and major surgeries.‌ With her circumstances, Perry had gained local and national attention from Wade Marrs, an Iditarod musher, to Joe Jonas, member of the band DNCE. ‌ “She sees that a voice, even somebody at her age, can make a difference,” Kimberly Perry said.‌ Perry hopes to establish the program all over the United States.‌ At the moment, AACC has lenient rules as to when hours are open for the “Shelter Animals Reading Program.”

Children and adults are allowed to come in during open hours of AACC operations to grab a chair and read to the animals.‌ “We always have cats. There will never be a day where you’ll walk in here where there aren’t plenty of cats for adoption,” Atwood said. “We have rabbits, hamsters, gerbils and guinea pigs in the other room who you’re welcome to read to. And of course, if we have dogs, they’re welcome to read to them too.”‌ The “Shelter Animals Reading Program” asks that all minors be accompanied by an adult.‌ AACC is located on 4711 Elmore Road Monday - Friday from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.‌

Team Archosaurs wins 2018 Cabin Fever Debate who I’ve known for a number of years…

Ultimately, it came out in our favor. ‌ Nile Morris: The really challenging and interesting and intriguing thing about debate is that you don’t choose the side of the bench you’re on… and so being on closing opposition, whether or not I believed that the only just penalty for the Parkland shooter is death, I have to argue to the best of my abilities that I am against it. The debate really equips you this whole other way of thinking about arguments. Whether or not you agree with the argument, you have to research both sides to create a very holistic one yourself… I felt really confident going into it.‌ How did it feel when you won? ‌ PHOTO COURTESY OF JOLEY HODGSON

College of Arts and Sciences Dean John Stalvey presents Nile Morris and Joey Sweet with their awards at the final of the Cabin Fever Debates on March 8.

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

Cabin Fever Debates held their final round March 8 in the Fine Arts Building.

This year’s finalists debated if “the death penalty is the only just punishment for the Parkland shooter.”‌ Joey Sweet and Nile Morris made up team Archosaurs, the closing opposition that won this year’s 13th Annual Cabin Fever Debates. This is Sweet’s second consecutive Cabin Fever win and Morris’ first time participating. Morris was also the recipient of the Quianna Clay Prize for Excellence in Debating.‌ TNL: How were you feeling going into the final debate?‌ Joey Sweet: I really didn’t know how it was going to go. We were against some very, very good teams, particularly the team Hold Out Boyz. It was my buddy Travis [Klover] and his friend Jordan [Clark]. The way Cabin Fever works is that every member of [Seawolf Debate] has to recruit two teams and that team that was recruited was by my friend Nathan Burns, who is a close friend of mine

Sweet: It feels good, I’m not [going to] lie. I entered with the intent of getting all the way to the finals and taking home the grand prize and that’s how it worked out, so I feel very good about it.‌ Morris: I was elated. We worked really hard and I did my absolute best. Going into each one of those rounds I knew that there were individuals around me that were just as good, if not better, so I felt a lot of satisfaction from coming away with those, knowing I did my absolute best and having a lot of fun. The debates are the most fun I’ve had in ― I can’t even remember how long.‌ How was your overall experience?‌ Morris: I had always been kind of apprehensive to participating in Cabin Fever Debate because it’s one thing to know you’re good at something in your circle of friends, everyone is always telling me “you love to argue,” but it’s another thing to be judged by a panel of peers, a panel of judges, let alone a panel of professionals. I always had that apprehension of going, but once I heard was I being recognized for the work I was putting forth, but potentially a contender for winning the whole entire thing, I really felt like I had found something that a lot of people won’t find which is not a calling but a hobby that is also a fulfilling. I’m really fulfilled by debating.‌ Sweet: It was pretty different from

what we’ve seen in the past where, generally, the topics were all pretty serious, which is not to say that past years have been completely silly or unserious, but generally, this year the topics were a bit more worked from the headlines, more geared towards things specific consequences in real world. There weren’t really any conceptual or philosophical sort of rounds; really, the closest one we had to that would probably be the final, because there was a lot of talk in the final round about “what is justice?” and “what is the best method to provide closure to the community in the wake of the shooting?” and things like that. Previously, in some of the other years, they’ve had rounds that focused on UAA. The final motion for 2016 was about whether or not the university should allow guns on campus, for example.‌ Okay, what was the idea behind your cool team name, Archosaurs?‌ Sweet: That was Nile’s idea. We were thinking something dinosaur-related and that’s what he came up with.‌ Morris: Archosaurs are last living relatives of dinosaurs: birds and crocodil-

ians. Both of these animals are ancient apex predators, that have survived for millennia. I wanted to bring that same spirit of determination and survival into our Cabin Fever Debate team and, if you ask me, it definitely worked.‌ The winning team splits $1,000. Any grand plans for your reward money?‌ Morris: I went and bought a new pot for my favorite shamrock plant and I’m going to probably buy a few things. I just got a 1989 Subaru Legacy Wagon... it’s very Alaskan. The back window has, like, duct tape and plastic over it. So, in short, a pot for the plants and buy some parts to fix my car over the summer. ‌ Sweet: I’m not sure exactly yet. I do want to save a good portion of it. I do want to be responsible about it ― there is that temptation to just really take a day and blow all of it, and I’m gonna have to resist that urge because it will cover a little bit more than a month’s worth of rent and I know I should be responsible... But, man, I just want to go to the 5th Avenue Mall and absolutely waste every single dollar I have. But I’ll rely on my friends to talk me out of that.

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‘Magical, elemental materials’ come alive in ‘Stone, Water, Wood’

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

On March 22, a new exhibition will open in the UAA Kimura Gallery: Stone, Water, Wood. The exhibition will feature three landscape-based print series, as well as drawings, watercolors and two limited edition artist-books by Jim Lee, professor of printmaking and drawing at the University of Hartford in Connecticut.‌ Lee got serious about making art while he was in high school, and got into printmaking as an undergraduate. He was the first student in 10 years to graduate from his college with a printmaking concentration. Lee said he got hooked on the processes of printmaking and has done it ever since, totaling around 45 years.‌ Inspiration for the Stone, Water, Wood came to Lee when he moved to New England, where the landscape highly contrasted that of where he grew up. ‌ “I have worked all over New England, in Maritime Canada, and most recently on the west coast of Ireland. What each of these regions have in common is the rugged, lonely coastline

and a sense of mystery in the landscape,” Lee said. “The title of this exhibition, Stone, Water, Wood, refers to the magical, elemental materials of the natural world.”‌ Lee works in series that often extend over several years, beginning with drawings and photography and leading to woodcuts. This series showcases about 25 years of work, and Lee is particularly proud of how the watercolors turned out.‌ “Each medium has its own voice, both in its feel as you work and its resulting look. I have always been a scratcher and scraper, and I like the physical resistance of cutting into a woodblock, but I am a draftsman by nature, so everything I do is based on drawing,” Lee said. “The watercolors are a new medium that I have never really worked with before, and it has opened up new ways of thinking about my color woodcut prints.”‌ Riva Symko, assistant professor of art history and curator

and attention to detail.‌ “I am a big fan of Jim Lee’s technique. He is an established print maker with a very refined level of skill,” Symko said. “For instance, his prints are made with multiple woodblocks, which is very labor intensive, but pays off in the finished work.

You can really see this in the fidelity of his prints.”‌ Symko also views Lee’s exhibition, along with anything else featured in the Kimura Gallery, as a learning experience for students, both in the Department of Art and not.‌ “The Kimura Gallery is directly connected to the teaching and learning of the Art department. Exhibitions tend to reflect on the ideas, mediums or artists studied in the art history, art education and studio classes,” Symko said. “The artwork acts as primary research material for students. Although it may sometimes be challenging, contemporary art offers a space for all levels of viewers to view, think

our times.”‌ Along with the exhibition, Lee will also be hosting relief printing demo-workshops, where he will demonstrate his techniques though a multiple block relief print with many colors.‌ Steven Godfrey, chair of the Department of Art at UAA, has a minor in printmaking and was a student in Lee’s printmaking class while obtaining his undergrad at Hartford. He says the printmaking program at UAA has been around for 30 years or longer. However, enrollment in the last five or six years has dropped in Alaska and around the country. He hopes these workshops will get students more interested in printmaking at UAA. ‌ “Enrollment always fluctuates, but we want to get them up to a point where they are very consistent,” Godfrey said.

“Printmaking is a great option for students to communicate their experiences visually.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM LEE

Jim Lee’s “St. Kilcomin Church, Co. Mayo.” is a color woodcut he created in 2015. Lee’s work will be on display in the Kimura Gallery in the Fine Arts Building until April 13.

of the Kimura Gallery, admires Lee as an artist for his skill level

about, figure out and contemplate ideas and issues related to

They can also make multiples of things, so it’s a great avenue for

making a living, and a great area of study.”‌ Lee advises art students, in printmaking or not, to build a strong foundation in the fundamentals and create a broad skill and interest base in order to find their passion.‌ “Find a way of working, medium or central theme that really speaks to you, that you really enjoy doing and [don’t] worry about its money-making potential or if it is currently popular,” Lee said. “Trends come and go, but follow your personal instincts and passions, not the trends. Find something that you just have to do.”‌ The relief printing demoworkshops take place March 21 - 23 from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. in the UAA Print Shop, room 313 in the Fine Arts Building. ‌ The Stone, Water, Wood exhibition will kick off on March 22 at 5:30 p.m. with an opening reception. The reception is located in the Kimura Gallery on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building, and is free and open to the public. The exhibition, same location, is open for viewing for everyone every Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m until April 13.‌

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

| 08

‘Gymwolves’ prepare for MPSF Championships

By Marie Ries

news2@thenorthernlight.org

The Seawolf gymnastics team is set to compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Colorado Springs on March 24. It will be the first conference meet under Tanya Ho, the new and just second head coach in the history of the UAA gymnastics program.‌ The Seawolves posted their two highest scores of 2018 in their latest meets in Sacramento (191.925) and Seattle (191.950) after having trouble with injuries at the beginning of the season. ‌ Junior Kaylin Mancari, natural sciences major, said that the challenges the Seawolves are facing this year helped them grow as a team.‌ “Having multiple girls out of the lineup early in the season was not easy, but it forced girls to step up and they came through in a big way for us,” Mancari said.

When posting their season high in Seattle against MPSF foes Seattle Pacific and Sacramento State, the Seawolves’ performances were highlighted by sophomore Mackenzie Miller and Isabelle Fox.‌ Miller has become one of the Seawolves’ most consistent scorers this season. After focus-

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY

Junior Kaylin Mancari and the UAA gymnastics team will compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Colorado Springs on March 24. The Seawolves are ranked sixth in the league.

ing only on bars and floor in her freshman year, the accounting major from Michigan has competed in all four events in six out of nine meets. ‌ In Seattle, she earned a career-high on beam as UAA’s top scorer in this event with a result of 9.75 and posted UAA’s second-best bars score (9.700). ‌ Physical education major Fox was another reliable all-around performer for the “Gymwolves” in her rookie season. Fox, who earned MPSF freshman of the week honors in January, com-

peted on all four apparatuses throughout the entire regular season. ‌ After posting a 38.575 in Seattle, she earned an all-around score of 38.525 two weeks later, helping UAA to the two highest team scores of the season. ‌ The team’s performance in Sacramento was also boosted by a team season high on floor. The total of 48.850 also ranks fifth in Seawolf history. ‌ “We have been very consistent all year on floor and… at this point in the season, we are

focusing on fixing the little details in our routines. I felt this was evident in our performances [two weeks ago],” Mancari said.‌ Mancari was one of the three Seawolves posting a career high on floor (9.800) in the quad meet hosted by Sacramento State.

Senior Kendra Daniels was the top scorer in the event with 9.850 while sophomore Kennedy Green posted a new best of 9.650.‌ “I couldn’t be more excited to compete on the big stage again,” Mancari said.“The atmosphere

at the championship adds to the excitement. I think I vouch for everyone when I say that we can’t wait to compete at the MPSF Championship.”‌ Sophomore Sophia Hyderally, school-record holder on the balance beam, feels optimistic about the postseason meet.‌ “I think the whole team is ready for conference. We’re peaking at the perfect time,” Hyderally said.‌ This year, Hyderally had to sit out the first meets of the season due to a knee injury and is now making a comeback on the uneven bars.‌ UAA will enter the MPSF meet ranked sixth in the league; rival UC Davis is seeded first in the conference. The Aggies, nationally ranked 34th, have claimed five out of eight MPSF crowns since UAA’s last conference title in 2009. ‌ “I know if we do it at MPSFs, our team score should jump tremendously,” assistant coach Alina Cartwright, said. “I do expect more competitive fire from the team and confidence, because they are all capable of hitting their routines like they do at practice.”‌ The conference meet starts at 4 p.m. on March 24. Live coverage and more information about the meet can be found at mpsports.org.‌

UAA head hockey coach released from position After five seasons, Matt Thomas’ contract will not be renewed

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

As announced in late February by the University of Alaska, the position that Matt Thomas held, as head coach of the hockey team, was terminated and a

search for a replacement began immediately. ‌ After five years as head coach, Thomas leaves the team with a declining overall record that had the community questioning the continuation of UAA hockey program. ‌ The termination came just

a few days after Thomas’ fifth season, which resulted in a total of four wins, out of 34 games played, resulting in an 11 percent win average. ‌ During the 2017-18 season, the team managed to accumulate the second least amount of wins in program history. The four wins were only just three more than the 2002-03 season had; with only one win for the season, they hold the program record for the least amount of wins.‌ His career at UAA only progressed downward, a trend that interim athletic director Tim McDiffett wanted to prevent from continuing. ‌ It was not originally expected to result in such an extreme decline, with Thomas’ first season record being 18-16-4, it only tapered from there.‌

Overall, Thomas concluded his time at UAA with 48 wins, 105 losses and 21 ties, resulting in a 0.336 winning percentage.‌ Previous coaches also finished off with similar percentages. Dave Shyiak had 0.332, John Hill had a 0.325, and Dean Talafous had a 0.338, which puts Thomas close to the top.‌ These statistics prompted Thomas and other athletic department staff to question what the real problem might be, with four coaches and over 25 seasons consisting mainly of losses, Thomas argued that bad coaches aren’t the issue.‌ Regardless, McDiffett and other staff from UAA Athletics thought it would be best. ‌ “We just feel we need to be more competitive. We want to compete for championships. We didn’t see the trajectory going in

PHOTO COURTESY OF UAA ATHLETICS

UAA hockey Head Coach Matt Thomas speaks at a press conference soon after starting the position in 2013.

the right direction,” McDiffett announced with his decision of termination. ‌ A nationwide search for replacement has already begun. ‌

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

| 09

9 days and 12 hours later, Ulsom wins Iditarod

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

The 46th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race came and went as the mushers battled the Alaskan wilderness for approximately 1,000 miles, from Willow to Nome. ‌ Sunday, March 4 marked the official start of the race, and nearly 10 full days later, the unexpected winner crossed the finish line in Nome. ‌ When the race began, Nico-

las Petit and Mitch Seavey were slated to win by popular opinion. Soon after, Joar Leifseth Ulsom pushed his way up. ‌ Petit, who has been competing since 2011, finished his seventh Iditarod this year in second, his overall career high. ‌ When he first started Petit finished in 29th with a time of 10 days and 15 hours. He improved that time over the years to run a career-best of 8 days and 6 hours in 2017. ‌ Coming into Shaktoolik, Petit was significantly in the

lead, but soon after, he lost his way and went off course during whiteout conditions. He eventually had to backtrack and spend an extra 1.5 hours getting back on course.‌ Once he reached the next checkpoint, he announced that he mistook the Iron Dog trail markers for the Iditarod markers and mistakenly followed them. ‌ When the emotional distraught Petit learned that he had been passed, he admitted he was heartbroken.‌ “I started bawling like a little baby. This race be be an emotional roller coaster,” Petit said. ‌ Eventually, he accepted his fate of second place, changed his attitude and picked the race back up. ‌ As Iditarod fans and race judges followed his progress, race judge Karen Ramstead contemplated Petit’s future in the race after his mishap.‌ “[That mishap] changed things a lot,” Ramstead said. “[After Shaktoolik], he was either going to figure it out in the next few hours or it would be his peace for this year.”‌ Petit finished the race 2 hours and 15 minutes after Ulsom, on

March 14 at 5:15 a.m. ‌ As for Seavey, the three-time Iditarod champ succumbed to third place for the first time since 2014. ‌ Seavey has been competing in the Iditarod on and off since 1982, accumulating 24 race starts, finishing 23 of them. He currently holds the record for the fastest completion time, 8 days and 3 hours in 2017.‌ Halfway through the race, Seavey began to fall behind his counterparts, eventually trailing in to take third. He finished 3 hours after Petit appeared in Nome, at 8:11 a.m.‌ After finishing up in Nome and reflecting on the race, Seavey announced in a public statement that he hasn’t gone that slow with a sled dog team in 15 years; as long as his dogs were healthy and happy, he was fine with it.‌ Seavey has won the Iditarod three times and placed as runner-up twice, and has also finished in the top-10 in 14 of his races.‌ As for Ulsom, his first place was the first time he even placed in the top-three. He has placed in the top-ten every year, even

winning the Jerry Austin Rookie of the Year award in 2013.‌ Ulsom gave a lot of credit to the trail for his rookie award.‌ “I think that maybe that had something to do with the conditions we [had], it was definitely a really fast trail,” Ulsom said, “But you just have to put in the training and try to do a little better every year and improve small things that can make a difference.” ‌ Ulsom, originally from Norway, was the second European to win the race, a dream that he had since he was a child. He began working on his dream when he was 11 and begged his parents for a dog. Years later he moved out, adopted more dogs and moved to Alaska in 2011 to be a musher.‌ The 46th Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ended after 12 days, 20 hours, 13 minutes and 14 seconds with veteran musher Magnus Kaltenborn crossing under the burled arch on the morning of March 17. Kaltenborn, from the Yukon Territory, received the Red Lantern award, which serves as a symbol of perseverance.‌

SWIRBUL: Ski-wolves place ninth in DI championships Deuling (30th, 29:59), Toresson (36th, 30:20) on the men’s side. ‌ the UAA competitors, in 24th The Seawolves remained in and 14th place respectively. ‌ ninth after day two. ‌ Cruz finished with a time of Continuing on, Saturday led 1:52.35, scoring seven points for the six alpine skiers to their secthe Seawolves and finishing just ond and final race of the meet, over three seconds slower than the slalom. ‌ the first place finisher. ‌ The women’s team finished Field’s two combined runs with an accumulation of 16 gave her a finishing time of points, 14 of those from Burgess 1:54.99 to put her just over a (17th place) and two from Field second behind first place and (29th place). Wells did not finhelped her accumulate 17 points.‌ ish. ‌ The remainder of UAA comThe men’s team finished with petitors in the giant slalom were 16 points. Nacuik’s 19th place Naciuk (27th, 1:53.04) and Un- finish scored them 12 points, terberger (did not finish) on Unterberger finished at 27th to the men’s side and Wells (19th, accumulate four points and Cruz 1:55.80) and Burgess (did not at 32nd didn’t score any points. ‌ finish) on the women’s side. ‌ Still in ninth, the Seawolves After day one, the Seawolves had one final day of competicame in at ninth. ‌ tion; the Nordic team competed “Our kids skied their hearts in the 15K and 20K freestyle. ‌ out,” Anderson said, “the times Kastining was optimistic were super stacked… We gave about this event prior to the our best and just got beat today.”‌ meet; he said that due to the Following day one, the Nor- fact that they had just raced on dic team had a chance to com- the course, he had high expectapete, with the 5K and 10K clas- tions. ‌ sical taking place on March 9.

To surpass her previous high Three of the UAA women and finish of the meet, Swirbul came three men competed. ‌ runner-up in the 15K freestyle, Top scorers were Swirbul with a time of 44-minutes and with a third place finish (15:38) 0.4-seconds. She finished 38 and Toomas Kollo with a 22nd seconds behind the first place place finish (29:34). ‌ finisher and only eight seconds Swirbul’s finish on Friday ahead of third place. ‌ was the, at the time, the highest Kastining was happy with the place the a Seawolf managed to way Swirbul skied, saying it was accumulate at the meet, a finish one of the most exciting races that head Nordic coach Andrew he’s watched and that Swirbul Kastining was happy with. ‌ skied very smart.‌ “[Swirbul has] had a fantasHer two top-placing finishes, tic season and her hard work second and third, awarded her and dedication to getting better two All-American honors.‌ while being tough as nails has Despite her success at the really paid off this year,” Kastin- meet, Swirbul had some struging said, “She had her best finish gles going into the meet.‌ of the season on the stage where “I think [traveling up to altiit really matters and that speaks tude] is one of the hardest things a lot to her talents.”‌ about being a part of the western Staggering in after were circuit and coming from Alaska Hynes (16th, 16:24), Fox (37th, and trying to adapt to that. It is 17:33) on the women’s side and a different feeling and and expe-

Continued from cover

rience entirely when you’re racing,” Swirbul said. ‌ Additionally, Hynes (16th, 46:21) and Fox (38th, 50:02) competed as well, helping the women’s team to a sixth place finish in the event.‌

As for the men, the highest place finish was Kollo, who finished the 20-kilometer race in 56 minutes flat. This was good for 23rd. Following him was Deuling (28th, 57:01) and Toresson (1:01:53). ‌

After the conclusion of the meet, the Seawolves still sat at ninth place overall with 194 points. Denver earned first place with a total of 604 points, Colorado second with 563 points and Dartmouth third with 448.5. ‌‌‌

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

| 10

‘Common sense’ gun Should the U.S. control measures tighten restrictions unconstitutional: The on firearms?

People v. Chairez

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

By Caleb Berry

cberry@thenorthernlight.org

Caleb Berry is a senator for USUAA. Our nation has been sent into a state of shock and grief in the aftermath of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting. The shooting in Parkland, Florida took the lives of 17 people as well as leaving 17 more injured. It was a true tragedy and the victims of such a horrendous act of violence will always be in our thoughts and prayers. ‌ In the aftermath of this misfortunate event, some have argued for an increase in “common sense” gun control measures enforced by law at the federal, state and local level. ‌ However, some “common sense” gun control measures are unconstitutional; specifically, that some gun control measures creating an extended “gun free” zone around campuses are unconstitutional.‌ In order for this argument to be valid, it is first necessary to define a “common sense” gun control measure to oppose.

It is ill-advised to write an argument against all gun control efforts in general due to the diversity of each measure and the jurisdiction enforced. ‌ Between 50 states, multiple territories and multiple levels of government ranging from the federal government to county regulations, it is unlikely that a single gun control measure could have a significant and enforceable effect on the life of the average American nationwide.‌ For the sake of clarity, let us examine a recent Illinois Supreme Court case in support of my thesis: The People of the State of Illinois, Appellant, v. Julio Chairez, Appellee.‌ The State of Illinois is currently subject to the Unlawful Use of a Weapon (UUW) statute (720 ILCS 5/24-1. The People v. Julio Chairez partially concerns the constitutionality of subsection (c) (1.5) which prohibits an individual from carrying a licensed gun within 1,000 feet of a school, public park, public transportation facility or residential property

owned, operated or managed by a public housing agency.‌ In April 2013, defendant Julio Chairez entered a plea deal professing to unknowingly possessing a firearm within 1,000 feet of Virgil Gilman Trail. In 2015, Chairez filed a postconviction petition arguing that statue under which he was convicted was unconstitutional. The State of Illinois Supreme Court agreed that the UUW statute was indeed unconstitutional, issuing the following statement in the opinion of the court: ‌ “The effect of the thousand foot language on gun rights is a near-comprehensive ban. The practical effect is that a person cannot leave his house with his licensed firearm because he would constantly be in jeopardy of accidentally and unknowingly entering within a thousand feet of a school, public park, public transportation facility, or residential property owned, operated or managed by [a] public housing agency.” ‌ Not all “common sense” gun control measures are unconstitutional, but some are. The fact that the highest court in Illinois, one of the most liberal states in the union concerning gun ownership rights, has declared a state statute that extends the “gun free” zone around schools, parks and other public accommodations unconstitutional is proof of that. ‌ The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Governing our society and the people within it. If the Constitution needs changing, then find enough people who agree and work to change it; however, until it’s changed, the Constitution is what we live by. ‌ Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Northern Light.

The debate around gun control in the U.S. has been going on for years, all talk with little to no action. On Feb. 14, the lives of 17 people were taken in Parkland, Florida which is 17 more lives and one more mass shooting than what should’ve happened.‌ This time has to be different.‌ This time, thoughts and condolences need to be followed through with action. This time, the same teenagers who witnessed a horrific event are the ones standing up for themselves and their peers, demanding that their government listen to what they have to say. This time, we have to end this vicious cycle of mass shootings followed by political debate, which only ends up fading within weeks and bringing us back to where we started.‌ Military-style and assault weapons do not belong in the hands of a regular citizen, let alone someone who isn’t old enough to legally drink. Federal law says that the minimum age for purchasing or consuming alcohol is 21 years old, and the same goes for marijuana.‌ Federal law requires that persons must be at least 18 years old to purchase a long gun (rifles and shotguns) from licensed dealers and 21 for a handgun.‌ According to the Small Arms Survey, a research project through the World Health Organization in Switzerland, the U.S. owns 35-50 percent of the world’s civilian-owned guns and we only have less than 5 percent of the world’s population.

We also have the highest homicide-byfirearm rate among developed nations.

Numerous studies have also linked firearms to suicides and accidental shootings. Although there might not be causation between these weapons and violence/crime, it would be ignorant to deny that there’s a strong correlation.‌

TOE TO TOE

A 2015 study conducted by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard University showed that firearm assaults were nearly seven times more common in states with the most guns in comparison to those with the least.‌ The U.S. should look to other countries for example, such as the U.K., Australia and Japan, who have reacted to mass shootings and passed reasonable restrictions accordingly.‌ They’ve implemented a combination of strict regulations and requirements for possession, such as providing good reason, going through rigorous background checks (criminal, mental health) and safety training. It’s also required to renew licenses every few years.‌ These countries have not experienced the high frequency of mass shootings that we have.‌ This is not a situation where we fight fire with fire.‌ Others have said that perpetrators will still find another way to hurt others. While that is absolutely possible, it questions the purpose of laws and regulations. If we were to depend on the logic that “there’s no point, people will break the law anyway,” does that mean we shouldn’t have any laws at all? Should we not have speed limits or age requirements for alcohol and over-the-counter medications?‌ The answer is to limit access and decrease the likelihood of such crimes happening. This isn’t about whether restrictions will be perfect. This is about deterring gun violence.‌ The demand for gun control and tighter restrictions does not equate to a complete ban or even an infringement upon the second amendment. When the evidence and research shows an undeniable connection between the accessibility of firearms and violent crimes, who is anyone to say that military-style weapons are not part of the problem?‌ The second amendment is not some unlimited right that takes precedence over lives. There is nothing “well regulated” about the easy accessibility of firearms here and that has to be fixed. We, as a nation, have a responsibility to come together, which begins with open ears.‌ This time will be different.‌ Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Northern Light.

OPINION

What a utopia

By Caleb Berry

cberry@thenorthernlight.org

Caleb Berry is a senator for USUAA. What would a country be like if every member consistently lived the teachings of the Bible 24/7? A society like this has never existed on Earth. John Adams, our second president, had his thoughts on what this society would look like.‌ “Suppose a nation in some distant Re-

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2018

gion should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God … What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be.”‌ If every man, woman and child in this country would regulate his and her conduct to the teachings of the scriptures, America could be the most successful, functional and happy society the world has ever known. Or at the very least our society could be an improvement over our current state. ‌ For obvious reasons the entire Bible cannot be analyzed for one opinion piece; I offer the King James Version biblical positions on regulating one’s actions towards other and regulating one’s thoughts to others.‌ Christianity, along with other major religions, teaches followers to practice what is known as The Golden Rule. ‌ In Luke 6:31 the Bible teaches “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” The concept that we should only do to others what we would like done towards us creates the

de facto requirement that one must avoid carrying out actions against others that one would not want to be done towards you. ‌ No person wants to be discriminated against, and any man who says he does is a liar. I argue that in a society where every individual always treated every person how they wanted to be treated, racism could be near extinct. It all comes down to how we treat one another. A society where every member follows the teachings of Luke 6 would be the more generous, charitable and kind.‌ While it is important to regulate one’s actions, the Bible also teaches us to regulate our thoughts.‌ Exodus 20:17 instructs “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” ‌ Dennis Prager of Prager University defines to covet as “to want to the point of seeking to take away and own something that belongs to another.”‌ If one ignores the biblical instruction to not covet, if one allows himself to covet over what belongs to another, it becomes increasingly more likely that a transgression, crime, will be committed

| 11

by the coveter.‌ Why do people steal? Because they want what belongs to another. There is a difference between coveting and admiring. If someone pulls into the parking lot driving a Ferrari, there is nothing wrong with admiring his car. To let your heart covet it, to say in your heart, “I would take that car from him if I could get away with it,” once one does that, he may be on a very slippery slope. ‌ If coveting encourages theft, then it is a logical argument that a reduction of coveting would lead to a reduction of theft. If every person would make a conscious decision not to covet what belongs to another, occurrences of theft in America would be reduced significantly.‌ An America where every member regulated his or her thoughts and actions in line with biblical teachings would be more successful, less violent and happier. It is a noble goal. Obviously, no one person upholds the Bible all the time, I certainly don’t. It is a noble goal though, one that I strive to fulfill, and I hope you will too.‌ Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Northern Light.

A S S O C I AT E D CO L L E G I AT E P R ES S The Northern Light is a proud member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood.

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

N OT I C E O F N O N D I S C R I M I N AT I O N The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. The University of Alaska does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, physical or mental disability, status as a protected veteran, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, parenthood, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, or other legally protected status. The University’s commitment to nondiscrimination, including against sex discrimination, applies to students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment. Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA’s statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

L E T T E RS A N D CO R R E C T I O N S P O L I C Y Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight. org. The maximum word length is 450 words. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www. thenorthernlight.org. The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.

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