MARCH 27 - APRIL 2, 2018
SPORTS
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
OPINION
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Alysha Devine earns Thirty Under 30 honors for coaching
UA FY17
$15.9 MILLION
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Duterte sets dangerous precedent by silencing journalists
UA seeks to reduce its 8-figure travel budget By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org
The University of Alaska spent $15.9 million on travel in fiscal year 2017, according to UA Chief Finance Officer Myron Dosch. In fiscal year 2014 the university spent $21.9 million on travel, according to an audit done by the Alaska State Legislature’s Division of Legislative Audit from 2016. Since August 2015, $142,711 was spent on travel for UA President Jim Johnsen, according
BOR (past 5 yrs) $358,093
to expense reports obtain from the university using Alaska open public records laws. This amount included airfare, lodging and per diem. $358,093.43 was spent on travel for members of the Board of Regents over the past five years. The board consists of 11 regents that work to create policy for the university. The board does this through meetings throughout Alaska, primarily in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. Members of the current board live all over Alaska, ranging from Soldotna and Kodiak to Anchorage and Fairbanks. The board member that has the highest travel costs since 2013 is Regent Dale Anderson from Juneau at $70,363.48. “Alaska is just geographically large, so it’s a little bit different than Idaho or the State of Washington. And certainly we’re going to go to a conference out of the State of Alaska… and do a
lot of the business we need to travel within the state here frequently,” Dosch said. The audit from the Division of Legislative Audit from 2016 found that the university, “did not leverage its buying power and did not take advantage of the State’s contracts to achieve the best possible price for travel.” The audit stated that the university could have reduced FY15 travel costs by $257,000 in airfare and $132,000 in car rentals by using State of Alaska contracts with travel vendors. The audit listed recommendations for the university to lower travel expenditures including using government lodging rates, purchasing airfare 14 or more days in advance, use a booking tool and utilizing university housing in the summer.
Jim Johnsen (past 5 yrs) $142,711
“We have cut travel costs 32 percent since 2014,” Johnsen said at the State of the University address on Feb. 20. Overall, university spending on travel has decreased since 2014. Johnsen’s travel expense report shows that his travel has increased each year he has been
UA decreases overall travel expenses
president from $20,707 in his first year to $64,167 in 2017. “A lot of that travel was [for] Strategic Pathways and meetings at all of the universities,” Johnsen said. “I think it’s critically important that the president of the university system, especially when difficult decisions are being made, is present and is seen and is listening to people.” Johnsen said that travel expenses are being reduced so that the university can lighten cuts to other departments. “[Travel’s] not directly tied to our university mission, but when your budget is getting hammered, it’s a good idea to get a look at everything you’re doing to see if you can reduce those costs so you can plow more of those dollars.. into our primary mission,” Johnsen said. Some of the ways the university has reduced travel expenses include using video and telephone conferencing, instating a temporary requirement that the chancellor approves travel that used restricted funds and scheduling most of the Board of Regents meetings in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau.
SEE TRAVEL
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Bakery cart stocked full of student-made goods By Mizelle Mayo
features2@thenorthernlight.org
In the early mornings at Cuddy Hall, the smell of croissants and Danishes fills the air. A long line makes its way towards a cart full of baked goods. The UAA culinary arts program opens their bakery cart for the spring semester. The bakery cart is where the culinary students sell any leftover products that they’ve made during the week. “We basically teach them how to run a commercial bakery. It started out as students taking home extra products before they got sick of eating croissants every week. So, we were like, ‘Why don’t we start selling these extra products?’ We can make back the money that we spent, and make more goods,” Tasha Quiett, graduate and lab aid for the culinary arts program, said. The bakery cart has various options, ranging from croissants, Danishes, strudels and other baked goods for sale.
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For students like Fallon Arnott, who is studying hospitality and restaurant management, making baked goods and pastries is an enjoyable experience. “We learned quite a bit. It’s amazing how we can get the products out in a couple of days,” Arnott said. The program orders the ingredients from different suppliers around town like Linford of Alaska Inc. and Food Services of America. The culinary arts classes come in to the bakery at 7 a.m. to spend four days a week, five hours each day, preparing and baking. The croissant dough takes two to three days. Then, the dough is left out overnight to sit and rise. The students form the dough into the croissant shape and bake it the day of sales. “My beginning class runs the baker’s cart,” Chef Vern Wolfram, associate professor in the culinary arts program, said. “They can do everything from breads to rolls, pies and cakes. It’s the basics of baking.” As the students make more
PHOTO BY MIZELLE MAYO
The culinary arts program started the bakery cart for students on campus to taste what they make in class.
products and progress their skills, they also have the chance to give back to the community. “The students get to take home some of the products because they spent five hours mak-
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ing it the entire week. Then, anything that’s left-over, we call the homeless shelters in town. They come and pick up anything extra. Nothing goes to waste. It all goes to people who need it at
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the end of the day,” Quiett said. The bakery cart now accepts credit cards. The cart is located in Cuddy Hall on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 - 11 a.m.
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THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
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Meet the students running for office in the spring USUAA election By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org
This semester, students are running for office in the University of Alaska Anchorage Student Body Election. Elections take place on April 3 and 4. Students will be able to vote online or at booths located in the Student Union and Rasmuson Hall.
President and Vice President
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEC BURRIS
Alec Burris and Geser Bat-Erdene
Jada Caudel and IntiMayo Harbison
Majors: Chemistry and finance, respectively Statement: We are the current USUAA president and vice president, and have both previously served as USUAA senators. During our time in office, we have raised student worker pay, installed new security cameras and worked tirelessly on behalf of UAA students. With our leadership, the USUAA Assembly has been the largest and most effective in recent history. If re-elected, we will continue to listen to student concerns and make real change on their behalf.
Majors: Political science and international studies, respectively Statement: We want to make a difference for the students of UAA. It is our goal to advocate for lower tuition, restructure Title IX training, and eliminate wasteful spending within USUAA. Our administration is dedicated to student involvement and outreach. We will work with the students of UAA to find solutions to the problems we all face. In our administration, your voice will be heard. We will show through policy and action that we are the clear choice for UAA.
PHOTO COURTESY OF INTIMAYO HARBISON
Senators Alex Jorgensen
Clare Baldwin
Major: Political science Statement: I am running for a senator position within USUAA in order to ensure students have a safe and positive educational environment, while at the same time are challenged and exposed to new ideas. Every student deserves a campus where they can grow as individuals while at the same time become a member of the community.
Major: Economics Statement: I am running for re-election as I want to continue the change and advocacy I have put forward during my current term. Even though we are a commuter and non-traditional campus, I want to provide students with the same opportunities and events they would find at any other university. I plan to continue to be a voice for our students when the university as a whole continues to face challenges, and help propose solutions that do not negatively impact students.
Radamés Mercado-Barbosa Major: Journalism Statement: I hope to bring big changes to the way UAA connects with the community. To start off, I intend on finding ways to create a student and staff operated TV channel. This channel could open up doors for the university to promote our productions, connect our campus and heighten the opportunities for the students of UAA. Vote for me for a new era of UAA connections. Teresa Wrobel Major: Political science Statement: I am a political science major, working on a minor in Japanese. I am a part of several advocacy groups on campus, including Generation Action and Drag+. After a year in USUAA, I want to continue to bring student concerns to the frontline and advocating for what students at UAA believe in. I also want to focus on bringing the student body together through events and outreach.
Zachary Christy Major: History Statement: I’m running for a Senate seat in USUAA because I believe in the principles of service, advocacy, and selfgovernance. Once I am re-elected into the Senate, my main plan is to continue work in advancing the establishment of a campus bar at UAA, much like the one on UAF’s campus, for students of legal age to have a place to convene together over a glass of beer or wine. Don’t be dry, vote for Zach, and have your wet dreams come true. Nathanial Watanabe Major: Finance and economics Statement: I want to be a representative for the student body. I understand that there is a lack in student involvement, for whatever reason, which I want to better address and ultimately fix. I also want to advocate for better internship coordination and job placement — after gradua-
tion, because ultimately, it is the reason why we are attending the university. Rose Kruger Major: English and German Statement: After becoming involved with USUAA as the club council liaison, I realized that I enjoy the work done by student government. As a senator, I would be able to spend more time advocating for students and clubs here on campus. Joseph Longuevan Major: Economics and history Statement: I am running for a senator position in USUAA because I want to show my fellow students all of the resources that UAA has available for us in regards to activities, career building, and community involvement. It is my goal to help foster a welcoming environment for new students, and to continue improving upon the community we have here at UAA. Ankhbayar Batkhurel Major: Undecided Statement: In my short time at UAA, I have found a level of acceptance and welcoming unprecedented in my life, largely in part due to the amazing students and clubs on campus. My major goal in joining student government is to help students realize that they have a voice and to find ways to effectively give students the desire to participate in the many clubs and events hosted at UAA.
Manal Sharife Major: Undeclared Statement: I have talked with students to identify the variety of challenges that they face. I want to be their voice within the organization. I will strive to make sure everyone who seeks me out knows how I value there insight and concerns. I want my fellow students to feel comfortable with talking to me and be assured their voices do not go unheard. I want to promote diversity within our university. By stepping out of my comfort zone and putting myself out there to be heard, I want to be a beacon for other minorities to be bold and pursue all the endeavors afforded to them. As a Muslim woman, I know my capabilities and I want to show others how I can succeed as a senator in student government.
Concert Board Cody Herron-Webb Major: Logistics & supply chain management and general business Statement: I love live shows and hope to eventually own a music venue. I recently built a website (www.akconcerts.com) for promoting Alaskan bands and concerts. I believe that UAA would be best served with the balance of fanboy/practicality that I have to offer. As a student, our $10 fee goes to Concert Board every semester. I will push for UAA concerts to remain affordable and in touch with the students.
TRAVEL: UA designing cost-effective update to system Continued from cover “If you step back even 15 years, there used to be a lot more board meetings and there were lot more people that attended
them, meaning staff, supporting staff… The actual number of meetings has been reduced, like the number of annual meetings, and the number of people who attend in person has also been
reduced,” Dosch said. Regent Mary K. Hughes has been on the board since her initial appointment in 2002 and she said she has seen more meetings happen via telephone. “We took the committees out of our regular meetings and they’re all telephonic and public hearing is telephonic. In essence we hope that will shorten our board meetings,” Hughes said. UA works on implementing new travel system “We’re putting in a new travel system, which I think will make
it even more efficient,” Johnsen said. “We are working with the State, particularly, and Alaska Airlines to leverage additional discounts. We definitely scrutinize travel and are making sure we are doing it in the most cost-effective way possible.” The new travel system is scheduled for rollout by September, according to a travel memo from Dosch. In the memo to the UA community Dosh wrote, “The Travel Project is a comprehensive reexamination of our travel program with the goal of streamlining our processes, making them
more user friendly, creating a process that will allow us to access airfare, lodging, and transportation discounts to save UA money, and improve our travel reporting capability.” Dosch said there is no current partnerships with travel vendors — outside of some relationships with car rentals — which will change in the new travel system. The university is also going to start using a booking tool to reduce travel prices.
NEWS
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 03
Faculty Alliance pursues faculty regent position
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org
Faculty Alliance, the statewide organization that represents faculty from the University of Alaska, is working to establish a faculty regent position to the Board of Regents. The 11 member board does not currently have a faculty regent, and Faculty Alliance is working with state legislators to sponsor legislation that adds the position to the board.
“The [Faculty Alliance] supports the creation of a faculty regent because faculty develop and deliver the curriculum that is the core of the UA mission and a faculty regent will enable the University’s governing body to more effectively serve the goals defined within that mission,” Lisa Hoferkamp, chair of the UA Faculty Alliance, wrote in a memo to the board from Nov. 20. In response, UA President Jim Johnsen wrote that he believes, “a number of problems would be created by requiring an employee-regent” in a memo from Dec. 11. “The conflict of interest is a problem too,” Johnsen said. “We have no employees of the university who are regents. So you’d end up with whenever there is in issue that has a direct bearing on the employment or other matters that directly affect that particular person, that employee group, you immediately have a conflict
of interest.” A student regent serves on the board for a two year term, and Hoferkamp said the faculty senate position is similar to the student. “The [Faculty Alliance] believes the issues raised by President [Jim] Johnsen that are based in conflicts of interest have already been resolved by the BOR as evidenced by the successful inclusion of a student regent as well as regents with strong personal and professional ties to the UA system and the State of Alaska,” Hoferkamp wrote in an email. “Furthermore, numerous university boards across the nation include faculty regents thus providing a model for a UA faculty regent.” Sharon Chamard, president of UAA’s Faculty Senate, said one alternative to having an employee on the board is to have a retired faculty member fill the position. “Perhaps a way around that
would be to have someone who had been a faculty member. I think the issue is not necessarily that this person would represent faculty, although that is part of the desire. I think for me, one of the benefits of a faculty regent is there’s a person who understands the culture of universities,” Chamard said. On the Board of Regents, there is a student representative that serves a two year term. Johnsen said this position is different than a faculty regent because the student is not employed by the university. Chamard said she supports the establishment of a faculty regent because of the insight a professor could bring to the board. “I think it’s very important. Universities are kind of interesting places organizationally, and I think it’s important for a Board of Regents to have that insight from someone who ideally works in a university still, one of our universities, or perhaps had
in the past,” Chamard said. The members of the Board of Regents have diverse career backgrounds, from business, education and politics to Alaska Native corporations. “The regents have really tried hard not to be representative of a particular constituency. They think of themselves as regents of the university for the entire state,” Johnsen said. “My first concern expressed to the Faculty Alliance has to do with the foundation of their interest in a faculty regent, which is that this person would represent the faculty.” In his memo, Johnsen outlined ways faculty have been included in the governance process including faculty participation in Strategic Pathways and faculty involvement in advisory councils like the Summit Team, the IT Council and the Research Council.
Commuters find humor amidst #bridgepocalypse By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org
Gridlocked traffic and closure of southbound Glenn Highway lanes in Eagle River ensued after an 18-wheeler carrying an oversized load hit the South Eagle River overpass on the afternoon of March 21. The Anchorage Police Department closed the inbound lanes and set up detours throughout Eagle River for the Thursday morning commute, but drivers still experienced travel time that was much longer than usual. People took to Facebook, expressing their frustrations and sharing stories, while others made jokes and posted memes. Some took photos of Alaskans sitting on the road sides with signs that read “Almost there!” “You’ve got to have a sense of humor about it, otherwise you’re going to get road rage and we don’t need that,” MaryAlice Lovel Larmi, an Eagle River commuter, said. “There were a lot of jokes about how they should’ve dropped porta-potties in the ditches because people were having to stop. Some guy behind me threw a bucket of pee on the ground.” Larmi made a Facebook post that gained over 1,000 likes and reactions. Larmi wrote that she had moved less than a mile in under an hour to Anchorage from Wasilla and that, “I no longer remember what driving feels like... To my loved ones; goodbye. I belong to the Glenn now.” Larmi has family in Anchorage and made plans to stay with them until the commute to Eagle River lightened up. The traffic gridlock, dubbed “Bridgepocalypse” on social media, also impacted UAA students, like Christina Bubna who lives in Chugiak. What normally would have been a 10 to 15 minute drive home to Eagle River ended up taking nearly two
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
An oversize load hit the South Eagle River overpass on March 21, causing closures and delays on the Glenn Highway. The exit and southbound lanes will be closed indefinitely, according to the Department of Transportation and the Anchorage Police Department.
hours Thursday morning, making her late for her 10 a.m. class, despite leaving an hour and a half prior. “It was insane. By the time I got to Eagle River, it was, like 11 [a.m.],” Bubna said. “There was no way I was going to make it to class.” She ended up turning around and figured she would email her professors about the huge traffic delay. Schools in Chugiak and Eagle River were released early Thursday and later scheduled to be closed on Friday. The state also announced that executive branch employees that lived in Eagle River or beyond were not to go to work Friday. Ben Morton, UAA Dean of Students, said in an email that the Office of the Provost told all college deans that “students, faculty and staff from throughout the UAA community have been impacted.” Notices have also been posted on UAA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts. Morton also wrote that the university encourages students to communicate with their professors. Kristina O’Mara, who lives
near south Birchwood, had to call in to work after realizing she didn’t have enough gas to make it to Fred Meyer during her commute. She was told not to come in, so her daughter and her neighbor set up a hot cocoa and tea stand after completing an entitlement for their business. “They took advantage of the opportunity today to start early,” O’Mara said. “The girls have had over 1,000 likes on [Facebook].” She added that the responses they received were positive and the police had also stopped to say hello. Tonya and Ron Bell posted on Facebook while stuck in traffic and got positive comments and support as well, but for a different reason. They were heading into Anchorage to the Alaska Native Medical Center from Wasilla after Tonya, a mom-to-be, thought her water broke. She began having her first contractions, so the hospital advised them to return to the valley and head to Mat-Su Regional Hospital. After turning around, the contractions eased and the couple decided to try getting to Anchorage again.
“Her contractions went from 20 minutes to five minutes in about two minutes, so I knew we weren’t going to make it. If I kept going, that baby was going to born on the side of the road,” Ron Bell said. They made it to Mat-Su Regional. over two hours after first leaving the house, where Mackenzie Rose Bell was born. Bell said that they had remained “pretty calm” about the situation, but he was surprised about the reactions he received of a photo he posted on Facebook. “Next thing I knew, I looked at it and it [had] 300 likes, 1,000
likes, 1,500 likes,” Bell said. “People were hitting up my private messenger, you know, news stations, radio stations. It’s pretty cool, actually.” The estimated cost of repair for the South Eagle River overpass is $1.8 million, according to the DOT. Despite the inconvenience and grievances caused by the Bridgepocalypse, Alaskans managed to grin and bear it, finding ways to make light of the situation. There are now bumper stickers, t-shirts and other merchandise commemorating the epic traffic delay.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 04
De-stress for wellness By Caleigh Jensen
cjensen@thenorthernlight.org
Every Sunday until the end of the semester, UAA’s On-Campus Living Community will be hosting Ohm Campus Living yoga classes. The classes are offered with the residential community in mind, but are open to all students, staff and faculty as well. April Rochford, UAA alumna, instructs the two yoga classes in the Gorsuch Commons every Sunday. Rochford has been practicing yoga for around 15 years, and two as a certified instructor. For Rochford, yoga has been a way to improve her mental health and wellness. As an instructor, she wishes to share those benefits with others as a form of stress management. “There is definitely a stress relieving aspect of yoga. I remember when I was a student, my brain was so busy. Being able to focus on one thing at a time is something we train ourselves to do with yoga,” Rochford said. Kerry Davis, office manager for Residence Life and adviser of the Wellness Cluster, is also a registered yoga instructor, and teaches classes regularly outside of UAA. She launched Ohm Campus Living as a way to support students during their time here at UAA, and to bring some
of yoga’s wellness practices to the university. “I have been interested in bringing more mindfulnessbased practices into Student Affairs to benefit students, staff and faculty for several years,” Davis said. “I found myself incorporating many of my own practices into the workplace in terms of seated posture, connecting with breath and movement in long meetings and conferences.” The first class on Sundays, intro to yoga, is a gentle yoga class that focuses on a wide variety of simple moves to educate students on the practice. The slightly more difficult restorative yoga class takes place right after, and acts as a way to relieve the tension and stress of being a student. Bethany Mabry, senior elementary education major, is a student facilitator for the yoga classes. Mabry initially began practicing yoga in high school for flexibility and physical health. As she continued throughout college, Mabry said yoga became a source of peace and revitalization for her. “It is an opportunity to focus on myself in that moment and not worry about everything else going on in my life,” Mabry said. “These classes offer me the opportunity to start my week on a positive note, and motivate me to be the best that I can be.” No experience is needed to
attend the yoga classes, and it can be beneficial for those who are experienced, as well. “The thing with yoga is that even yogis that are really advanced, and have been in the practice for a long time can go into a beginner class and still get something out of it,” Rochford said. The yoga classes are also beneficial to students financially. Rochford said people pay hundreds of dollars a month to have access to this type of yoga and materials, which are offered free to students. Along with Rochford and Davis, Mabry encourages all students and staff alike to take advantage of this opportunity. “Yoga can be intimidating, but don’t let your lack of experience keep you from taking advantage of these classes,” Mabry said. “The benefits of yoga are overwhelming, don’t miss out on a chance to take care of your mind, body and spirit.” To participate in the classes, you must be 18 years or older, and complete a physical activity waiver. No prior experience is needed, and yoga mats and props are provided. The intro to yoga class takes place every Sunday from 2 - 3:15 p.m. The restorative class begins shortly after from 3:30 - 4:45 p.m. Both classes are located in the Gorsuch Commons, Room 106.
PHOTO COURTESY OF APRIL ROCHFORD
“Ohm Campus Living” yoga classes are offered every Sunday in the Gorsuch Commons.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 05
Three accounting students win Paul Hagelbarger Scholarship By Caleigh Jensen
cjensen@thenorthernlight.org
Since 1964, the Alaska Society of Certified Public Accountants has awarded students in Alaska with the Paul Hagelbarger Scholarship. This year, UAA was home to three of the four recipients: Valeria Dorofeeva, Molly Monaghan and Hyun Teresa Lee. The fourth recipient, Marcela Nichifor, is a student at UAF. Each student won a scholarship of $2,000, as well as recognition on AKCPA’s Facebook page and newsletter, which is mailed to around 1,000 accounting professionals in Alaska. The recipients were also granted free membership to the AKCPA. “It’s a lot of recognition and great exposure. It shows involvement in the profession itself,” Crista Burson, executive director of AKCPA, said. “It’s a feather in their cap.” Applications of the Paul Hagelbarger Scholarship were due on Nov. 20, 2017, and reviewed by a committee within the AKCPA. Applications were open to all junior, senior and
graduate students majoring in accounting and attending an educational institution in Alaska. Molly Monaghan, senior accounting and finance major, said she was pleasantly surprised with winning the award and found it beneficial to her academics and career in more ways than one. “I’m so excited about it because [the scholarship] is about half of my tuition for a semester, so it takes a weight off my shoulders,” Monaghan said. “It’s also such a great opportunity to just get your name out there. The people that review the applications are CPA’s and are in the workforce, so it’s valuable for them to see your name.” The scholarship was created as a memorial fund to honor the service of Hagelbarger, the first elected president of the AKCPA. The Paul Hagelbarger Memorial Scholarship Fund came into existence about 10 years after he served two consecutive terms as president in 1954 and 1955. “[Paul Hagelbarger] was all about promoting this profession,” Burson said. “The primary purpose of this fund is to provide financial support and
promote accounting and the practice of public accounting in our state.” The amount of money given away in scholarships and the number of recipients varies from year to year, depending on the number of students that apply, says Stasia Straley, associate professor of accounting and AKCPA board member. “It’s not unusual that as long as we have qualified applicants, they will often win,” Straley said. “We always tell our students that there isn’t many legal ways to earn $2,000 in one hour of work, and that’s about what it takes to apply for a scholarship.” Straley, along with Burson, presented UAA’s recipients with their awards. Straley said that the physical presentation of the scholarships began recently as an outreach to meet students, as well as draw attention to the scholarship and encourage students to apply. PHOTO COURTESY OF CRISTA BURSON “I was honored that both StaAlaska Society of Certified Public Accountants’ Executive Director, Crista Burson, sia [Straley] and Crista [Burson] presents two Paul Hagelbarger Scholarships to Molly Monaghan and Hyun Teresa came to my ACCT 409 Income Lee, alongside Stasia Straley, associate professor of accounting. Tax class to congratulate me and award me with this scholar- Hagelbarger Scholarship will in May 2018.” ship,” Dorofeeva said. “My goal help me stay on track with my is to become a CPA, and the Paul school curriculum and graduate
Making money funny
College Cookbook: Homemade hotcakes By Victoria Petersen copy@thenorthernlight.org
By Marie Ries
news2@thenorthernlight.org
The UAA Office of Financial Aid is celebrating Financial Literacy Month with a variety of events and workshops from April 2-5. Thursday, the final day of the event, is highlighted by a informative, yet comedic program and the opportunity to win a scholarship. Financial literacy focuses on efficient management of personal finance matters, including decisions about paying for college, student loans, budgeting and taxes. The Savvy Seawolf initiative promotes financial literacy at UAA. It offers one-on-one counseling, workshops and events throughout the semester, aiming to help students make smarter choices with their money. “Understanding your finances affects so many different areas of your life. Especially as a student, if you don’t understand your finances or have your finance in order, there is really good potential for you to not be successful as a student,” Laura Zamborsky, financial literacy outreach specialist, said. Zamborsky oversees the Savvy Seawolf initiative at UAA and organized the different workshops and events for Financial Literacy Month. “It’s not just something that we just want to promote for one
week in April. It’s important to think about [financial literacy] all the time,” Zamborsky said. There will be three events each day focusing on different finance-related topics such as salary negotiation, owning a home and cyber threats. Students attending the workshops will have the opportunity to be drawn for a scholarship at the end of the week. Comedic speaker Colin Ryan, who visited UAA in 2013, has been trained in credit counseling and financial advising. As the author of several books on financial literacy, he speaks to student audiences nationwide about money and offers financial literacy training for schools and financial institutions. “He’s actually a little bit more well-known in the financial literacy community now than he was five years ago… We’re really excited to have him back. The feedback from last time was really good and that’s why we’re bringing him back,“ Zamborsky said. Ryan’s programs emphasize the role of money as a tool to accomplish life and career goals. “If you can control the flow of money [in and out of your life], you can control everything. Not only can you control how much, or what you have, you can even control what you do with your life,” Ryan said in one of his programs for college students. For his work as comedian and
financial educator, he received two awards by the National Youth Involvement Board. Zamborsky sees Ryan’s presentation as a way to get more students involved with financial literacy. “I think financial aid sometimes is scary to students generally, so this is a side of financial aid that is a little more… approachable,” Zamborsky said. “Colin Ryan will go over some of that dry, sometimes boring material about finances and understanding finances — and he’s going to do it in a really fun way.” Travis Turner, senior business major, stressed the importance of being financially literate as a student. “Until about three years ago, when I moved up to Anchorage, I never really had to [manage my own finances] or think about it,” Turner said. “I would definitely encourage students to educate themselves on personal finance — everyone is going to come across it at some points in their lives.” The program by Ryan starts at 5 p.m. in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium. There will also be a resource fair featuring community organizations with financial literacy resources starting at 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free for UAA students and the community.
It has recently occurred to me that some of my peers don’t know how to make pancakes from scratch. If you’re in the mood for a more classic breakfast, but you don’t have any pancake mix left, hotcakes can easily be created using a few simple ingredients you probably have in your kitchen.
Ingredients • 1 cup flour • 2 eggs • 1 cup milk • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Directions 1. Combine all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and whisk until a smooth batter forms. 2. Pour the batter into small round shapes on a lightly greased skillet, set to medium heat. 3. After about 30 seconds, flip the pancake over to finish cooking on the other side. This should take about 20 seconds. Both sides should be a golden color when finished. 4. Serve hot with butter, syrup, jam, jelly or whatever you like on your hotcakes.
& AE
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 06
Students speak up at last open mic of the semester By Robin O’Donoghue arts2@thenorthernlight.org
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
March 21 was UAA’s last Open Mic Night of the semester. Raquel Williams, a freshman in the nursing program played guitar and sang at the event in front of the largest crowd of people she had ever performed in front of. “A lot of my friends are in the crowd… and I wasn’t planning on playing [guitar]... but since there was a guitar I thought, ‘Well, I guess I can,’” Williams said. “These open forum events allow students a level of self expression… and I’m really glad that the university has
these.” Munkh-Urguu Enkhbold, a senior graduating this spring with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in management, used the event as an opportunity to discuss the importance of students speaking out when they feel a professor is not performing adequately as an educator. “Last year I had an experience that left me thinking… maybe professors are one of the factors of why students choose to go to other schools,” Enkhbold said. “We have beautiful Alaskan nature and we can offer anything, but in order to do that we must hire the right professors… whoever is most qualified needs to get the job.” Ankhbayar Batkhurel, a freshman in his first semester of college, spoke about
the importance of raising awareness about suicide. He emphasized the need to be compassionate and for students and faculty to look out for each other. “The first [open mic] event I went to had a lot less people but we still had a great time… I was glad to see a lot more people at this one,” Batkhurel said. “Everybody is really considerate and understanding you know, nobody is judging out here and it’s a great way to get whatever you want to say out there.” Open Mic Night is hosted at the UAA Student Union. More information on future events is available through the Student Life and Leadership Facebook.
‘Verónica’s’ paranormal drama can go two ways, and both are tired By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor
It’s a shame that Netflix’s latest horror offering “Verónica” isn’t stronger. It has all the ingredients of a great shocker: solid performances, interesting turn on an old trope and an unnerving monster, but they don’t come together in a meaningful way. It doesn’t help that far better paranormal tales have come out recently like “Under the Shadow.” A few sequences show what “Verónica” could have been, but they stand out in the often formulaic thriller and the set-up is the movie’s weakest part. After her father’s death, unstable teenager Verónica (Sandra Escacena) is left to take care of her three siblings, twins Lucía and Irene (Bruna González and Claudia Placer) and Antoñito
(Iván Chavero). Their mother Ana (Ana Torrent) owns a cafe busy enough to keep her away most nights. On her way to school one day, Verónica spirits a picture of her father away. With two friends, she tries to contact him via ouija board only to be possessed by a dark force. In the movie’s best scenes, that dark force is lurking behind the action, an ominous shadow and one of the movie’s most striking images. Its design is simple, but effective, and doesn’t try to do more than it should. Where “Verónica” missteps is how early on it shows up. For how long the movie is, it seems to take off too early. This leads to later stretches that drag on much longer than necessary. Even with that concrete premise, director Paco Plaza leaves room for ambiguity. Is the monster real or is it a prod-
uct of Verónica’s trauma? Does that distinction matter? Either way, the movie isn’t ambitious enough to make either interpretation interesting. Beyond the scares, “Verónica’s” story isn’t potent. It’s a retread, albeit a competent one, with your standard approach to bigger budget horror: plenty of eerie music and low light. There are times, however, when the movie steps out of the box and crafts some truly affecting set pieces. One hearkens back to Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “Kairo,” released in 2001, and is just as effective as its progenitor. This moment’s out-of-character for “Verónica,” however. Otherwise, the movie is a solidly constructed, sometimes boring and always formulaic supernatural tale. There’s something to be said for how tired it all feels, but at least it does it well.
TITLE “Verónica”
DIRECTOR Paco Plaza
RELEASE DATE Aug. 25, 2017
COUNTRY Spain
GENRE Horror
A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 07
Lineup of First Friday events headed your way By Robin O’Donoghue arts2@thenorthernlight.org
This upcoming First Friday, April 6, there are a plethora of events taking in and around Anchorage, with four events taking place on the UAA campus. Alaskan author David Brown presents “Shadowing Dizzy Gillespie” accompanied by live jazz music in the loft of the UAA bookstore, 3211 Providence Drive from 4 - 6 p.m. The UAA Bookstore notes the event is for everyone to come and listen to stories, hear live music with the UAA Jazz Combo, eat pizza and more. From 3 - 5 p.m., there will be a student recital, also taking place at the UAA Fine Arts Building in Recital Hall Room 150. The event is free to attend and open to the public. Following the student recital, from 6 - 10 p.m. also in the Recital Hall, Standing Together Against Rape will be hosting “Stand Strong for STAR.” The event seeks to create a fun and family friendly environment to empower survivors of sexual assault and raise awareness. The event will feature games, a si-
lent auction, performances and an open mic starting at 7:30 p.m., hosted by FreeQuency, a spoken word artist and activist from New Orleans. The event is free to attend with a $5 donation suggested. Also at UAA, “New Dances” will also be taking place in the UAA Fine Arts Building - Room 129, Harper Studio from 8 - 10:30 p.m. The event will feature a showcase of seven choreographers and 30 performers for a dance packed evening put on by the UAA Dance Program. Tickets are available at artsuaa.com Anchorage-based psychedelic funk rock trio SunDog will be taking to the
Bringing France to Anchorage
By Malia Barto
arts@thenorthernlight.org
Romantic French music will fill the Recital Hall as some of UAA’s music faculty will perform a one-night-only chamber concert, The French Connection. The concert on Friday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. will feature pieces from French composers Jules Massenet, Maurice Ravel, Vincent d’Indy and Gabriel Fauré. “It’s a concert of late 19th-century, late romantic music by some more important French composers who were starting
an interesting transition into more modern 20th-century styles. It’s a really gorgeous, really sensuous kind of writing for piano, strings, voice and guitar; all music I’ve loved for a long time and thought it’d be good to put together for a long time,” John Lutterman, associate professor and performing cellist, said. Lutterman and fellow UAA professor Timothy Smith together run the student chamber music program. Smith, pianist, will also be performing in the upcoming concert. He is looking forward to getting to perform with fellow faculty and the type of music that’s just their forte. “There is something in this program that everyone will enjoy,” Smith, the associate dean for the fine arts and humanities, said. “It’s a way of showcasing our abilities, our talents and also collaborating with one another, which we really enjoy doing.” The faculty have started rehearsing for the concert at various times but have started coming together to polish it up over the past month. The concert will also include guitarist Armin Abdihodžić, soprano Mari Hahn, violinist Dawn Lindsay, violist Oleg Proskurnya and clarinetist Mark Wolbers. The music as Lutterman described is romantic and sensual, but also still filled with emotion. The quartet to be performed, composed by Fauré is an example of the emotion packed into the music. Tickets for The French Connection are $19.99 for adults, $14.99 for seniors and military and $9.99 for students and are available at ArtsUAA.com.
Out North Radio stage, 411 W. Fourth Ave., for an April First Friday concert. The event is part of KONR Studio Sessions, a monthly live concert series. The event is free and open to the public. SSP Studio and Gallery will be hosting a free First Friday photography exhibition from 5 - 8 p.m. located at 2217 E. Tudor Road. According to the gallery’s website, attendees should be prepared to experience “thought provoking, intriguing and mind blowing art.” Hard Rock Cafe Anchorage, 415 E St., will be hosting a First Friday comedy showcase featuring a completely new
comedy lineup. This 21 and up event is free to attend, but a $5 donation is suggested. Doors open at 7 p.m. Midnight Sun Cafe, 245 W. Fifth Ave. will be featuring an exhibition of artwork by Emily Gelino-Bequette from 5 - 7 p.m. The Wasilla-based artist describes her work as “earthy, colorful, and elegant.” The event is sponsored by the Midnight Sun Cafe and Easy Park. The Anchorage International Film Festival and E Street Theater will be hosting a screening of “Catching Sight of Thelma & Louise” at the E Street Theater 315 E St., from 6 - 9 p.m. The film, directed by Jennifer Townsend, is said to take viewers “on a dramatic and exciting ride.” Tickets are available at the door for $10. Bernies’ Bungalow Lounge at 626 D St. will be hosting an exhibition of the work of photographer Heidi Kroll of “Eyes Wide Open” starting at 5 p.m. Kroll, who was a photojournalist for the military for 15 years, only recently transitioned to sharing her artistic vision with others, believing Alaska to be the best place to do that, according to her biography.
SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 08
Season-high score concluded gymnasts’ season
PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY
Kennedy Green earned a career-high 9.65 on the floor exercise during the UAA gymnastics team’s competition at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships on March 24.
all meets are more exciting and thrilling when everyone on the sports2@thenorthernlight.org whole team is focusing on each other and as a whole,” Daniels Nearing the end of the quick- said. ly completed season, the SeaOver the course of the last wolves’ gymnastic team com- two months, the Seawolves have peted in the final meet of the managed to compete against season for most of the gymnasts. 10 different teams, spread out The team competed in the through six different competiMountain Pacific Sports Federa- tion weekends. tion Championships on March Despite the amount of inju24, hosted by the U.S. Air Force ries and the lack of a full squad Academy in Colorado. for the majority of the season, With the MPSF Champion- Head Coach Tanya Ho and Asships being the first conference sistant Coach Alina Cartwright meet for several of the gym- produced a season with four nasts, senior Kendra Daniels wins, one loss, one 2nd of 3 and used her experience to offer ad- two 3rd of 3 meets. vice. The team saw a season-high “Go out there with confi- score of 191.950 and seasondence and to have fun, because By Lauren Cuddihy
low of 186.150. The previous season’s gymnasts produced a 192.700 and 188.950 high and low, respectively. The season high of 191.950 was last seen on Feb. 23 against Seattle Pacific and Sacramento State. “[During the previous two weeks,] we were watching out for our beam lineup because we had some confidence showing, the skills everyone have been doing are so elegant and beautiful,” Daniels said. With their season-high score, the Seawolves currently rank 71st against all Division 1 gymnastics teams in the nation. UAA’s conference competitors are No. 46 UC Davis, No. 50 San
Jose, No. 52 Sacramento State, No. 57 Air Force and No. 65 Seattle Pacific. Coming into the meet, several of the gymnasts recently posted career-highs on floor, including Daniels (9.85), Kennedy Green (9.65) and Kaylin Mancari (9.8). “Our floor team, well, it’s thrilling. It’s nice that we didn’t have to worry about who’s going to make it and everyone was confident. I knew my teammates had my back… and I had theirs,” Daniels said. Despite best efforts in the weeks prior, the highest scorer at the championships was Mancari with a 9.725, placing her in 17th. Following her was Green in 25th (9.65), Fox in 31st (9.525), Miller in 32nd (9.325) and Daniels and Nelson in 34th and 35th, respectively. Green’s score proved to be a career-high. The highest scorer of the meet was freshman Hope Nelson, who placed third in bars with a score of 9.80. Second highest from the Seawolves was Sophia Hyderally, who placed 12th with a score of 9.750. Fox scored a 9.850 on beam, which placed her in a 8-way tie. Daniels tied for beam at 17th, scoring a 9.800 with two other gymnasts. Nelson and Mancari also placed in the top-25 for beam, at 21st and 23rd. The Seawolves had two competitors for the all-around event. Fox and sophomore Mackenzie Miller, who competed in the
11-gymnast event, placed 10th and 11th, respectively. Fox finished off with a score of 38.475 and Miller with a score of 37.70. The first place finisher, Kaitlin Won from San Jose State, scored a 39.225. Together, the gymnasts concluded their season with a score of 192.200 which was the highest score for the 2017-18 Seawolf team. Ho addressed their accomplishments in a press conference after the meet, satisfied with the progress they have made. “We achieved a big goal of ours by breaking the 192 barrier tonight, and we’ve continued to improve throughout the year,” Ho said. “I’m really encouraged by the progress that each individual gymnast has made, while Isabelle [Fox] and Hope [Nelson] showed tonight why they will be the rocks of our program for the next three years.” With the end of the season for most of the gymnasts, they can now return their full focus to their academics for the remainder of the semester, as senior Madeleine Arbuckle noted. “Even though we travel to the Lower 48 for almost all our meets, we usually don’t miss too much school. Regardless if we miss class or not, the challenge comes with having less time during the week and on the weekends to get school work done,” Arbuckle said. The gymnasts will continue their off-season training until their next competition in spring of 2019.
Former Seawolf receives WBCA coaching honors By Marie Ries
news2@thenorthernlight.org
The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association named UAA assistant coach Alysha Devine as one of their Thirty Under 30 honorees of the 201718 season on March 15. It was Devine’s first year of coaching after playing four seasons for the UAA basketball team under Head Coach Ryan McCarthy. The Wasilla local is one of the eight NCAA Division II coaches honored by the association, and the third consecutive UAA coach earning Thirty Under 30 honors. Current Associate Head Coach Shaina Afoa was recognized by the program in 2017 and was recently named NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year. The WBCA established the prestigious Thirty Under 30 program in 2016 to recognize upand-coming women’s basketball coaches age 30 and under. “These coaches have demonstrated eagerness, effectiveness, loyalty, love of the game and a commitment to the student-athlete. We celebrate their effort on the basketball court as teachers and equally applaud the extensive role they play in impacting the lives of their student-athletes,” WBCA Executive Direc-
tor Danielle Donehew said in a press release. Devine already impressed on the court as a high school student. She was named Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year in 2013 for helping Wasilla High School to three consecutive class 4A state titles. Under McCarthy, she helped the Seawolves to reach the NCAA Division II National Title Game in 2016 and sweep GNAC title honors three times straight. She also collected MVP honors at the 2016 NCAA Division II West Regional Tournament and finished her senior season with a total of 785 career points. Changing roles from player and teammate to “Coach D” was challenging at first, Devine said. “I did struggle to figure out my role as a coach in the beginning, but throughout the season I started to really understand and develop in my role as a mentor, encourager and defensive coach,” Devine said. “I remember being so nervous leading my first workout with the girls in the preseason, but I think being thrown into that role is what helped me figure it out so much better.” In her new position, Devine mentors other Seawolf athletes together with McCarthy, Afoa and volunteer assistant Patrick Flanigin.
“A thing that really changed was that I no longer could earn respect just by playing really hard or winning on the court. Instead, I had to learn how to earn respect in a whole new way,” Devine said. Being faced with this challenge helped her grow in other areas of her life, Devine said. “As a player, I was so focused on playing hard and being a good teammate that I often did not focus as much on the X’s and O’s or the strategy of the game. This year, Coach [Ryan] McCarthy and [Shaina] Afoa have really broadened my basketball knowledge and it has become so much more valuable to me,” Devine said. Senior guard Kaitlyn Hurley was one of only five returners from the 2016-17 campaign. The physical education major experienced Devine both as a teammate and coach. “Having her around definitely helped the whole team all season long. She is a winner — she pushed us to be the same,” Hurley said. With nine new players, the women’s basketball coaching staff had a lot of rebuilding work to do for the past season. “The new girls immediately saw how much Alysha [Devine] means to the program even as a coach. The returners respect ev-
PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY
Women’s basketball Assistant Coach Alysha Devine made the WBCA’s Thirty Under 30 list. She helped coach the Seawolves to their fourth consecutive GNAC regular season title and to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in the 2017-18 season.
erything she is about,” Hurley said. Encouraging the players and helping them overcome difficulties was a positive experience. “It was so rewarding seeing the growth that many of our girls made as basketball players and especially, as people,” Devine said. “A huge reason I took this job was because Coach [Ryan] McCarthy told me that it would give me the opportunity to touch a lot of people’s lives. Now that I have experienced it, I can really understand what he means by that.” The Seawolves managed to claim a share of their fourth straight GNAC regular season title and made it to the NCAA
Division II Sweet Sixteen. They finished their season ranked 13th in the nation. “I am glad that I am able to just be friends with a few of those girls again now that season is over,” Devine said. “[This past year] has been challenging in many ways, but it has helped me to grow as a person and as a leader… I am very grateful for that and am looking forward to next season.” Over the summer, the UAA women’s basketball team will travel to Taiwan to make an overseas debut in the BLIA Cup. The regular season of 2018-19 will begin in November.
SPORTS
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 09
OPINION
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 10
Why I will vote for Philippine media: Silencing the press builds Rebecca Logan ignorance in society
By Caleb Berry
cberry@thenorthernlight.org
Caleb Berry is a senator for USUAA. Citizens of the Municipality of Anchorage must once again decide which outstanding individual deserves the honor of serving as their mayor. There are many issues that voters must take into consideration. I believe Rebecca Logan is the superior candidate and is thus most worthy of this office, due to her position on law enforcement and fiscal matters. In 2017, Anchorage officials reported an unfortunate total of 36 homicide victims dispersed among 32 incidents within the municipality compared a total of 34 victims in 2016. If elected mayor, Rebecca Logan stated her commitment in a press release to working alongside policymakers in Juneau to combat these sad statistics. Logan said that she believes that some stipulations under SB 91 hinder Anchorage public safety and the ability of the municipality government to deter criminal actions. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has also expressed distaste for SB 91, but has not moved to amend it. Perhaps a new administration can better negotiate with Juneau bureaucrats to secure greater local rights for the population. Logan said she wishes to see the law changed for the better. Logan said she specifically has deep concerns with Section 113 of Senate Bill 91, which states that a municipality “may not impose a greater punishment than that imposed for a violation of the state law. This subsection applies to home rule and general law municipalities.” SB 91 has been in effect for two years and the result has been an increased rate of homicide and an increase in the municipality crime rate. Logan says does not want the law repealed, but simply amended to allow for Anchorage to be able to decide what an appropriate penalty for a crime should be. She said she understands that a mayor’s top priority must be to protect the people, and is committed to working alongside other stakeholders in the state to ensure that Anchorage’s criminal justice system is both fair and
functional. Logan has received the endorsement of the Alaska Republican Party in her efforts to become our next mayor. This is especially spectacular as municipal elections are nonpartisan. Logan does not officially represent the Alaska Republican Party, but they have chosen to put their faith in her anyways. They made an investment in her, much like Logan has invested in this municipality. Logan has owned three restaurants in this city and each was very successful and sold for a profit. Logan claims that she employed more than 300 people during her tenure as a small business owner. She is a fiscal conservative and her experience as a business owner within the municipality has shaped her philosophy concerning the role of government in fostering economic well-being. When I asked Logan about the role of the municipal government in creating economic wealth, she said that only the private sector could achieve that noble goal. “It is government’s job to provide a stable business climate that the private sector wants to participate in,” Logan said. I believe that, regardless of your views, the honesty and transparency displayed by Logan is worthy of your respect. In politics, it has become the custom to tell people what they want to hear. It would be easy to tell people that under her administration she would bring wealth and growth and increase their paychecks, but that is not what she does. Logan said she commits to simply doing what she can to create a good city for both big Fortune 500 companies and the little guy. It is the personal conviction of myself, and millions of other proud Republicans and conservatives, that only the private sector can generate economic growth and that government interference in the natural order of the market stunts the natural developments of ideas and enterprise. Many of us also believe that responsible civil servants understand this basic economic principle and work to make their community the easiest and best place to start and maintain a business. On April 3, we will elect a mayor. I advise each person to vote according to their conscience; however, I sincerely hope your conscience can be persuaded in favor of Rebecca Logan. Ethan Berkowitz is a good guy, but under his administration, things have not gotten better. Crime has not decreased, the cost of living has not increased, wages, for the most part, have not increased and, to be honest, despite adding about 100 police officers to the city, we are not any safer than we were before Berkowitz took office. It is time for a change. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Northern Light.
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
By Mizelle Mayo
features2@thenorthernlight.org
My goal after graduation was to move to the Philippines for three months and build my career as a journalist there. My parents warned me that being a journalist in the Philippines was a dangerous job because they killed reporters for exposing the injustices and corruptions of the country. Since 1986, 177 reporters have been killed in the Philippines. Journalism is about presenting news from an unbiased standpoint. Journalists are the medium for the public to know what is happening within their country and government. We do not control corruption, that is solely the person who chooses so in the first place. Yet, President Rodrigo Duterte believes that journalists that “disrespect” others, despite the constitution protecting the rights of the press, can still be violently attacked or killed. Duterte has an iron grip on the media, skewing facts to fiction so that the citizens of the Philippines are informed by the mouth of an authoritarian leader. As news rotates around the country, some things aren’t absorbed quite right. The Philippines was rated the third most “ignorant” country, according to Ipsos’s “The Perils of Perception 2017.” The Philippines were rated highly misinformed and ignorant to topics of terrorism, murder and health issues. 33 percent of Filipinos that took the survey were confident in all their answers. That is alarming because fake
news can spread rapidly among them. According to an article on Rappler titled “Why worry about Filipinos online being ‘most ignorant?’” seeing more coverage on fake news can ultimately make them believe it is prevalent and true. What does that say about the harmful effects for news organizations? Maria Ressa, a former CNN bureau chief who founded a digital news site called Rappler, has been combatting Duterte on the future of Philippine democracy. Rappler is focusing on Duterte’s corruption of power and police abuses on the war on drugs. Independent news organizations are looking to report news, not stories that flatter Duterte ego and power. With Duterte building his empire through violence such as extrajudicial killings over the war on drugs, it’s difficult for these people to choose which is moral and unethically wrong. When fear is implemented in the stakes of getting rid of a problem instead of working through it in a moral way, many choose to abide. For instance, Duterte encourages the unemployed to kill criminal suspects. These reports on the war on drugs are what irks Duterte to challenge and invoke the press to be silenced. Anyone and everyone has the right to express themselves as they please, but rights also come with consequences. The press is not here to try to hide the actions of extrajudicial killings, which is a major problem in the Philippines. The press has every right to expose and justify the actions that have been taken place by politicians and other authorities. To silence and eradicate the freedom of the press incites censorship to biased news. The public has the right to know what is going on in their government in an unbiased manner. Building trust with a nation on lies can only make the country more of a dystopian than reality. Reading the news about my home country is disheartening. As much as I love my culture, the attack on freedom of the press makes the country corrupt in power. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Northern Light.
Letter to the Editor: Reporting on Alaska from Northern Virginia on my report. Information that I gather for my report will mainly be from books and websites, but I would also like to get information from the people who live in the state. This is why I am writing to you. I was hoping that you would be willing to send me some items to help me learn more about the best things in your state. It could be things like postcards, maps, pictures, souvenirs, general information, this newspaper article or any other items that would be useful. You can mail items to the address below. I really appreciate your help. Dear people of the great state of Alaska, Hello! I am a third-grade student in Northern Virginia. In third-grade, we do state reports, and I have chosen your state! I am very excited to learn more about the great state of Alaska as I work
Sincerely, Brady Mrs. Bozorgzad’s class The Langley School 1411 Balls Hill Road McLean, Virginia, 22101
OPINION
THENORTHERNLIGHT
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018
| 11
Why I’m voting for Burris and Bat-Erdene By Radamés Mercado-Barbosa Contributor
PHOTO COURTESY OF RADAMES MERCADO-BARBOSA
Radamés Mercado-Barbosa is a senator for USUAA. Alec Burris, the incumbent president of USUAA, and his vice president, Geser Bat-Erdene, are two incredible individuals who are running for re-election this upcoming April. For those of you who have no clue as to who these two gentlemen are, allow me to explain. Burris and Bat-Erdene are two students who want to help make UAA better than it already is. Don’t believe me? Take a look at their achievements. With the help of USUAA, they increased the student worker pay here at UAA, a massive feat with an incredible outcome. They’ve helped defend UAA’s stance on creating an environment where
all students can feel accepted and safe. With every breath, they continue to fight for better budgeting so that UAA can prosper every single year. Lastly, they have even more plans on how to continue the great things UAA is planning. So, my fellow students, because I would like to continue to see more action taken from our student body, I am officially endorsing Alec Burris and Geser Bat-Erdene for their re-election as your President and Vice President. The two are a better pair than even Batman and Robin, as cliché as it sounds. If you want your student government to keep its good works going, I implore you to vote for Burris and Bat-Erdene on April 3 or 4. The future of UAA depends on your vote. 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 The Northern Light encourages readers to express their views in the newspaper. The Northern Light reserves the right to reject or publish any submission, online or in print. Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a letter to the editor is 250 words, and 150 words for letters specifically endorsing candidates for federal, local, or university office. A letter to the editor is written by someone who does not have authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing. Contributors are restricted to one published letter to the editor per month. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a contributor’s opinion piece is 450 words. Contributors are restricted to one published opinion piece per month. Opinion pieces written by staff of The Northern Light are limited to 800 words. An opinion piece that is published in The Northern Light should be written by someone who has authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. All letters and opinion pieces must include names, major and/or group affiliation and contact information for verification purposes. The Northern Light will not publish anonymous letters or pseudonyms. 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 deadline for submissions is the Friday before publication at noon, no exceptions. The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union Room 118.
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