Thursday | October 31, 2019 | Volume 90 | Issue 25
AUBREE ECKHARDT | The Signpost
2 | October 31, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com
By JENNIFER GREENLEE Section Editor
went to voicemail. The professor has not called back.
Medical Call A student felt faint after hitting their head on a soda dispenser in Wildcat Village on Oct. 26. A second student helped her onto the ground. Medical responded and transported her to McKay Dee Hospital.
Threats A professor was concerned about information that had been posted on Reddit about him. He contacted police on Oct. 26. An officer contacted the phone number the professor gave twice, and both times the officer attempted contact, the phone
Burglary and Assault Housing at Wildcat Village contacted police after hearing a woman screaming on Oct. 25. Police located her by the construction area near the alumni center where she was yelling into her phone. The student told police she had gone to her ex-boyfriend’s dorm room where there was a gathering. She barged into the dorm room and assaulted one of the females in the dorm room, causing injury to her face. The student was arrested and charged for assault. She was escorted off campus.
Welfare Check A student had been sending “goodbye” texts to her sorority sisters. Police were made aware of texts on Oct. 25. Officers went to her scheduled classes while Clearfield Police went to where she lived. The student was found okay and was driven to where she could get help.
Vehicle Burglary A student’s vehicle was broken into in the W-4 parking lot. The student reported it on Oct. 25 after arriving home. The vehicle had been handled for a day, so there were no prints that could be used. Security cameras did show a black vehicle, but the driver and the license plates were too far away to be identified. At this time, no
other vehicles have been reported to have been broken into.
Has there been a murder? The Director of Housing contacted police that a student’s parent was trying to get them out of their housing contract on Oct. 22. The parent claimed the student had witnessed a murder and no longer felt safe on campus and needed to get out of housing. Police contacted the student who said he had never witnessed a murder and only wanted out of the contract for financial reasons. Police reconfirmed with the student that he had never witnessed a murder. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
Photo by Matt Popovich on Unsplash
Other Side of the Hill
by B.C. Sterrett
KALIE PEAD | The Signpost
MyWeberMedia.com | October 31, 2019 | 3
By RAYMOND LUCAS Assistant Section Editor
The women’s basketball team makes their return in November and are ready to turn the tides. In last year’s season opener, the women’s basketball team put a beating on the La Verne Leopards and surpassed triple digits as they rolled to a 105-43 win in the Dee Events Center. The rest of the season, though, winning became a rarity due to the young ‘Cats struggles. They finished with a 6-25 record and then lost their two star players to graduation. How will they move forward this season? By moving on. The Weber State women’s basketball program and head coach Velaida Harris are about to enter the second year of their union and the team is looking forward to the 2019-20 season. “I’m excited to show everyone what we have been doing this summer; it’s going to be something special,” junior forward Kayla Watkins said. “What’s done in the dark comes to light.” As mentioned earlier, Harris and her staff lost their two best players to graduation. The program also had two players transfer and continue their playing careers at schools that were closer to home. To combat
the loss of players, WSU brought in 5 freshmen and junior college transfers to balance the team at 14 players. “What gives me confidence about this recruiting class is that they have a will to win, get better and work hard,” senior Dominique Williams said on the new additions. “Those are my favorite type of people to play with because you can’t teach that stuff. It’s just something that you have to have in you.” With tons of young talent coming in, there is a lot of potential for Harris’ future ‘Cats, but those young players will not be quite ready to carry the load. With the Wildcats losing two starters, a large responsibility is on the returning players to bring in wins. Players this year seem to have more confidence as they are now under the second year of a new system and have had more time to prepare. “I’m really excited. I think Coach holds high standards, and as a team, we’re almost there when it comes to reaching them. We’re just ready and more prepared,” said freshman Shianne Johnson. Johnson played in all 27 games for the Wildcats; she was a starter in 24 of those games. Johnson also spoke about the lessons
that we learned from the previous season, “We had a very young team last year and we weren’t meshed well. This year we are meshed, we learned how to play together and the culture is better. We’re starting to learn more about the game.” The Wildcats take the floor for the first time on night against the Western Colorado Mountaineers in an Oct. 30 exhibition match. While this game does not count for anything, it will be important for the Wildcats to get in-game reps before beginning a schedule that will be anything but easy. The first time the ‘Cats take the floor in an official match, they will be in Los Angeles at Pauley Pavillion as they tip off their season against the UCLA Bruins. The following week, they’ll travel to Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle to battle with the Washington Huskies. On Dec. 7, it’s a date with New Mexico State, who posted a 26-7 record. The last of the tough four-game slate will be an in-state clash with the Utah Utes in Salt Lake City. This gives the Wildcats three shots against Pac-12 schools. The new Wildcats are hungry, excited and ready to prove people wrong. It all officially begins on Nov. 5 vs the Bruins. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
WSU ALUMN SUCCEEDS
4 | October 31, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com
THROUGH TOP BUSINESS SCHOOL
By GARRETT LEE Reporter
Young Adult Season Passes!
Utah as the only business school to offer the MTax program and the only distance program in the area. The Goddard School of Business reports that bachelor and master graduates in 2018-2019 of the business school have started with higher mean salaries, while management information system students were 100 percent accepted to the Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College of Information Systems and Public Policy. “I encourage students to take advantage of the excellent programs by the Goddard school of business. It really is a top tier program, and pursuing any kind of business or accounting degree helps you get an excellent job," Cornicelli said. "I especially like accounting because when you know the financials of an organization, you are really able to lead at a different level than you are able to in any other kinds of positions.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
Photo by Alesia Kazantceva on Unsplash
Phoenix Children's Hospital named Weber State University graduate Kari Cornicelli as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in July of 2019. Phoenix Children's Hospital is recognized as Arizona’s premier family-centered, pediatric care for patients with complex medical needs. The hospital's departments rank in the top 50 children's hospitals in the nation, and one of the best children’s hospital by U.S. News & World Report, making it the eighth year the hospital has been awarded a prestigious ranking. Cornicelli has taken over a tremendous role as Vice President and CFO and oversees the financial operations of Phoenix Children’s such as general accounting and planning, managing care contracting and revenue cycling for the hospital and the physicians working at the hospital. “I had lots of opportunities while being
at Weber State. I was working full time and worked in banking and financing. It gave me an opportunity to learn how to do general accounting and pursue any type of business I wanted to with an accounting degree,” Cornicelli said. Cornicelli attended Weber State in pursuit of an accounting degree from the years of 1980 to 1985. “Weber was local, accessible and inexpensive when I went, and they had an excellent business program,” Cornicelli said. The Goddard School of Economics and Business is one of the top business programs for 11 years running, according to the Princeton Review, while being in the top six percent in the nation on the major field achievement examination. The Goddard School of Business also gives many opportunities for students to get scholarships and paid internships at local and national companies while pursuing their degree. The Goddard School of Business specifically outshines other business schools in
"It gave me an opportunity to learn how to do general accounting and pursue any type of business I wanted to with an accounting degree." -Kari Cornicelli
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MyWeberMedia.com | October 31, 2019 | 5
SYMPOSIUM
THE CODED STORIES THROUGH A FORBIDDEN LANGUAGE
SUNRISE CEREMONY
JACOB MARTIN | The Signpost
14TH ANNUAL
NATIVE
WSU Wildcat Center offers students access to athletic equipment for enjoyment and competitive use.
BY EILEEN QUINTANA, DINÉ, NEBO SCHOOL DISTRICT TITLE VI INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAM DIRECTOR 8:30 a.m. Ada Linquist Plaza
Nov. 4
BREAKFAST WITH SPIRITUAL LEADER: BY EILEEN QUINTANA EILEEN QUINTANA
9-10:15 a.m. Center for Diversity and Unity (SU 232)
TEACHING THE NAVAJO LANGUAGE AND HISTORY THROUGH THE LENS OF A NAVAJO TEACHER: WORKSHOP WITH PATRICIA JOHN, DINÉ, DAVIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TITLE VI INDIAN EDUCATION PROGRAM, NAVAJO LANGUAGE TEACHER 10:30-11:30 a.m. Shepherd Union 320
PATRICIA JOHN
Keynote Speaker
Nov. 5
PETER MACDONALD, SR: NAVAJO CODE TALKER AND FORMER LEADER OF THE NAVAJO NATION 6-7:15 p.m. Native Symposium Keynote and Q&A (SU Wildcat Theater) 5-5:45 p.m. Native Symposium Mixer (SU Fireplace Lounge) 7:30 p.m. Book Signing (SU Fireplace Lounge)
Nov. 14
FILM SCREENING “TRUE WHISPERS” FILM SCREENING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UEN 5 p.m. SU Wildcat Theater
RSVP at weber.edu/diversity For more information or to request accommodations in relation to a disability, please contact Andrea Hernandez by Oct. 29 at 801-626-6957 or andreahernandez2@weber.edu
Center for Multicultural Excellence Diversity and Inclusive Programs
American Indian Council Office of the President
By JACOB MARTIN Correspondent
Weber State University’s competitive sports department offers a variety of competitive sports clubs for students, but accepts applications daily for new sports clubs for Wildcat students to participate in. Each club is managed by WSU student staff and club presidents. These extracurricular activities are available to all students. Individual athletes' love to the sport and dedication to the sports helps the school start new clubs. When a club is approved by the WSU sports club council, Whitney Batchelor, coordinator of competitive sports and director of clubs and organizations, assigns a student staff member to help the organization be successful. The role of the club’s managers is to help team presidents manage their budget, pay their dues, manage their schedules and arrange travel for away games. Depending on the level of the club, a budget is determined at the beginning of each calendar year. The clubs bringing in more revenue will receive a bigger budget. Each club must maintain their budget by fundraisers and other community involvement activities. “Communication is really important. The leader has to get everyone to fill out their forms on time,” Jordan Collinsworth, WSU sports club manager, said. Along with communication among the club members, it is important for students and the community to gain a passion for WSU sports clubs. “Success among clubs and organizations comes with dedication to the sport. We want to make sure they’re active," Batchelor said.
Batchelor said it's important that clubs have enough people, around six or so, show up to practices. Leaders also need to connect with the community, as those who are involved will be more successful in raising funds for the club, according to Batchelor. Posting flyers and posters throughout campus to raise awareness is one way for clubs to outreach to WSU students. The only requirements for students to participate are paying dues, being enrolled in six credit hours and having the motivation to play through the course of the year. “Sports clubs on campus are a great way to get involved, especially the out of state students. It gives them something to do and participate in something they love,” Collinsworth said. Anyone interested in starting a new sports club on campus must complete the following steps. 1. Submit a new club request form to the competitive sports department. 2. Have six students taking at least six credit hours 3. Each student must complete membership and informed consent forms. 4. Compose a WSU approved constitution meeting specific guidelines, such as, wording and formatting. 5. Submit a leadership form including a club president, vice president and CPR certified safety officers. 6. Seek approval and meet with the sports club council. Anyone willing to start a club can find information at www.weber.edu/sportclubs. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
WSU TABLE TENNIS CLUB 6 | October 31, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com
HOLDS FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE By JACOB MARTIN
Correspondent
Starting sports clubs at Weber State University runs in Jackson Bolos’ family. The Weber State University table tennis club is the third club started by a Bolos family member. Bolos’ sister started the women’s lacrosse club and his brother-in-law started the tennis club at WSU. “I love ping-pong, and they had the knowledge to help me get it up and going,” said Bolos, table tennis club president. “The process of starting the club took three months and a lot of dedication.” The sports club council approved the club on Oct. 11, making table tennis WSU’s newest sports club. The team will compete in the National College Table Tennis Association’s (NCTTA) Rocky Mountain division and will meet at 8 a.m. on
Saturday mornings in the Wildcat Center gym. “Because of how the process goes, it was tempting to quit halfway through it. With how many people wanted to play, it made it easier. I was doing it for them,” Bolos said. The first practice as an official WSU club took place on the morning of Oct. 26 at the Wildcat Center in Ogden. The club is open to anyone who has a desire to come and play for fun as recreation and also for anyone who wants to compete in tournaments, Bolos said. Places to play ping-pong, or table tennis in Ogden are limited, said Bruce Majors, WSU table tennis coach. With the club being a competitive and recreational club, it gives each member the choice coming to play for fun or practice and get better and compete against other schools.
“It’s a lot of fun to come out. You can get better quickly by learning techniques on how to hold the paddle and where to spot the ball on the table,” Majors said. “I’ve seen people who were pretty bad get decent by adjusting to proper form.” Majors, who's also a two-time Utah summer games winner, helped start the table tennis club at the University of Utah in 2009 and has competed in the United States national tournament throughout his career. Members of the club leadership participated in WSU’s block party at the beginning of the semester to attract the attention of students. At the block party, Colin Otteson, a student, saw the club with a table set up and signed up to join. “I enjoy playing ping-pong, and I saw the table at block party and decided to see what it was about,” Otteson said. “I got a text about the practice and thought it
would be fun.” All members of the organization must pay dues: $60 for students and $120 for non-students to participate. The money received through membership dues and fundraisers will go toward new equipment. A ping-pong tournament will be sponsored by the table tennis club at WSU for students to participate in. The tournament will have a $5 registration fee, and the winner will win a grand prize. Information will be made available when it's available. Bolos and Majors encourage anyone interested in table tennis to come have fun and learn a little more about how to play. For more information about the table tennis club, check them out on Facebook and at weber.edu/sportsclub. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
JACOB MARTIN | The Signpost
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Jackson Bolos, table tennis club president, participates in a drill at the beginning of Saturday's practice.
MyWeberMedia.com | October 31, 2019 | 7
By IAN SYME
Reporter
Weber State University’s basketball team received an unexpected lift earlier this week. Junior guard Khameron Davis was granted a waiver by the NCAA and will be able to play for the Wildcats this season. Davis transferred to Weber State from the University of Pittsburgh during the summer. The NCAA’s rule normally requires students who transfer from one Division I school to another to take off a year before they can begin play at their new school. Due to what the NCAA deemed a specific, extraordinary circumstance, Davis will be able to begin play immediately for Weber State. Davis stated that he was preparing to redshirt during the 2019-20 season and that the NCAA’s decision shocked him. “When I found out the news, I wasn’t very excited,” Davis said. “Later on, it real-
ly hit me. It was like, ‘Wow, I can really be playing.'” Davis played two seasons at Pittsburgh, where he averaged 3.3 points in 58 games for the Panthers. He had a 37 percent three-point average, 36 steals and 21 blocks during his time in the Steel City. Davis planned to work out and develop his game during his redshirt year. His focus will turn instead to leading the Wildcats to victory while helping both himself and the team improve. The NCAA’s announcement adds strength and skill to head coach Randy Rahe’s Wildcat roster. “We are really excited that Kham has been granted a waiver and will be allowed to compete this season," Rahe said. "We certainly appreciate Pittsburgh for their assistance during the process and are grateful that the NCAA has come to this decision." The University of Pittsburgh competes in the best college basketball conference in the ACC. Davis is looking to bring his
experience of top-tier basketball to the Wildcats this season. Davis played at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, where Rahe began to recruit him. Before his senior year, he transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas and later trained at the Forest Trail Academy in North Carolina before enrolling at Pittsburgh. Davis chose to transfer to Ogden because of the family-centered atmosphere of the city and how the coaches and players on the WSU team treat each other. Coach Rahe’s recruiting efforts also factored into Davis’s decision. Academically, Davis plans to major in professional sales as he finishes at Weber State. Davis says fans can expect him to exhibit high energy and tenacious defense on the court during the season. "I love winning, and when people
make winning plays," Davis said. "I’ll be the first person to react." Davis and the Wildcats begin their season Nov. 2 at the Dee Events Center with an exhibition matchup with Western Colorado. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
ALLI RICKARDS | The Signpost
08 | October 31, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com
MyWeberMedia.com | October 31, 2019 | 09
Inktober, a yearly drawing challenge during the month of October, was created by artist Jake Parker back in 2009. Each year, Parker posts the official prompt list, which encourages those participating to come up with an original piece that corresponds with a single-word daily prompt, like “ghost” or “temptation.” It encourages artists to draw every day to enhance their skills and develop positive drawing habits. What started out as an ink-and-paper challenge has since grown to include practically every artistic medium. The rules are simple: make a drawing, post it, hashtag using #inktober, repeat. Some choose to do it daily or just reach the halfway point. Some do every other day or week. It’s meant to be enjoyable and encourage you to share your art. At The Signpost, Graphic Editor Aubree Eckhardt and Graphic Designer Delaney Nye share their experience with Inktober: some good, some bad, a few days behind, getting caught up in between classes or slow moments at work. For more information on Inktober go to https:// inktober.com/ or follow Jake Parker on Instagram @Jakeparker “I have defintely seen a difference in AUBREE ECKHARDT | The Signpost
my digital drawing while doing Inktober. I did notice that when I started to not have fun, my ideas and drawings were complete shit. At that point, I needed to just get up and walk away. Then, when my head cleared, I would come back and doodle or decide to just focus on something else. These were the moments when my best drawings came to life. It wasn’t easy keeping up with the challenge, so to anyone who wants to do it next year, keep in mind that you DON’T have to do everyday. The point is to have fun, and when you stop having fun, then it’s time to walk away and give it break.” —Aubree @aubree_eckhardtart “I knew from my experience last year that doing Inktober as a full-time art student was going to be a real challenge. Still, even though I’m pretty far behind, I’m really happy with the work that I’ve created this month. I feel like I’m developing my own style and getting a little bit faster at sketching. I’m going to try to keep doing Inktober in the future; I might even try a themed challenge next year.” —Delaney @delaney_nye Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
Day 1:...or technically day 2... just finished my first drawing...digitally. Ugh the minutes escaped me but I liked what I did either way. Day 3: so I’m getting my drawings done but around midnight I’m off to a great start. Hopefully this weekend I can get caught up on a more regular and I notice that I put too much thought and time into each drawing when I should just focus on getting just something done and just have fun. I think that’s key to this whole fucking thing. I am hoping to go back and forth from digital to traditional ink perhaps on the weekends Day 4: actually on time with an hr and a half to spare so I started on day 5. My issue is I can’t seem to keep it simple Day 9....omg did I finally catch up? Yess oh man it’s 1:30...what’s happening Day 10:...am I still fucking behind? What day is it? *long slow sigh* Day 11:*CURSE WORDS* Day 14: *CURSING* well I got caught up...no wait. I’m still two days behind.....*MORE CURSING* Day 15...I’m finally FINALLY caught up! It’s only 1AM? Halfway through!!!
Day 1: I’m already staying up late to finish the day’s drawing, and it’s only the first day. I’m determined not to fall behind this year, because that was my undoing last year. Day 5: You know when you start a drawing and it ends up being so much more complicated than you had planned and you end up spending all day on it instead of doing more productive things? Yeah... Day 10: So much for not falling behind. Day 13: The feeling of finally catching up is worth staying up until 1 AM to finish that third drawing of the day. Day 22: I had to put school projects before Inktober the past two weeks, and suddenly I’m 5 days behind and counting. This is fine. Everything is fine. Day 27: I just finished day 20’s drawing. It looks like I’m not going to catch up by the end of the month, but I’ve made it a little bit further than I did last year. Even if I’m still doing them in November, I want to finish all 31 days. DELANEY NYE | The Signpost
ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY:
10 | October 31, 2019 | MyWeberMedia.com
PROMISE OR PERIL?
By FRANCISCO RUIZ Reporter
market to exist. Bowles hopes governments will introduce new regulations to protect consumers’ privacy and anticipates that tech firms will diminish possible harms before that occurs. Lastly, Bowles hopes that tech firms let go of their “faux neutrality,” which equates voices of hate and extremism with constructive dialogue. However, he also recognizes that over-regulation will be counterproductive. “We need to find a way to make ethics a part of the way we approach our entire world,” Bowles said. “Not just a checklist.” WSU student Jon Lauritzen said Bowles made a lot of promising ideas, which made him feel optimistic about the way tech firms will become more regulated.
“There is a lot of room for growth there,” Lauritzen said. “I like the way he was able to congeal those down. We need to look more at what we should do less. We are often too focused on what we should be doing more.” Dr. Luke Fernandez, who helped organize the lecture, hopes Bowles’ presentation will help attendees think more deeply about their interactions with tech. “We often like to think that the tools we use are neutral,” Fernandez said. “Just as we shape our tools, they ultimately shape us. Technology shapes us. We need to pay attention to its design, especially the ethical choices we make when we design it.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com ISRAEL CAMPA| The Signpost
London-based author and futurist Cennydd Bowles called attention to the ethical challenges facing tech companies, governments and its citizens as society progresses into the next decade, becoming much more dependent on tech, to Weber State University students and staff on Oct. 28 as part of the Peterson Speaker Series. According to Bowles, the early 2010s were a period of “techno-utopianism,” featuring near-limitless confidence in the power of technology to positively change humanity, which includes the emergence of social networks: including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. “There was astonishingly rapid progress, particularly around mobile technology,” Bowles said. “The promise was the world at your fingertips.” The Arab Spring, a series of anti-government protests and uprisings that occurred in the Middle East in late 2010, justified Bowles’ claim. Technology allowed connection all over the world during the protests. However, before the “techlash” against tech companies by their consumers, social network firms always believed that increased networking and communication between the world’s citizens would be beneficial for global change. Bowles said the techlash began to occur in the second half of the 2010s, once consumers started becoming aware of problematic occurrences of data and privacy leaks. This includes hacks and discrimination against minority groups and their voices, which have led to the public further questioning the security of these tech firms. Privacy and national security issues involving tech have also come to the forefront of political discussion. The repeated appearances of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in front of U.S. congressional panels and online privacy laws in Europe demonstrate that governments are concerned about big tech companies’ power over their citizens’ information. The 2020s are promising increased scrutiny towards tech giants, in a world where
many individuals can’t help but feel resignation and helpless in the face of tech’s power. Bowles claims this is a result of individuals’ feelings toward relying on technology in their day to day lives and how they would manage if these tech firms didn’t exist. “There is an acceptance and acknowledgment by the public that there are going to be damages in the technology that we use,” Bowles said. “It’s going to exploit us in some kind of way.” Despite this claim, individuals are still intent on buying new and smart technology. According to Bowles, this suggests that the public still sees technology’s value and, paradoxically, that they feel a lack of power and agency if they don’t have the newest tech. Bowles then presented solutions to these issues. He believes tech companies should stop their “apology tours” and focus on change and improvement. “Those who got us into the mess are not necessarily the best people to get us out,” Bowles said. “Let’s get past the gnashing and lamentations and focus on real progress.” Bowles also believes tech companies should stop hiring high-profile business leaders to run their ethics boards, as it only serves as a public relations move. He thinks low-profile people, insulated from the pressure of a public profile, are better suited to run a successful ethics board. In addition, tech companies need to get out of the “technocracy trap,” or the idea that only tech can solve tech problems — he believes that technocracy should not replace democratic decision-making. “It cannot be right that people in power, including these elite technologists, should always make the decisions about the future,” Bowles said. “They will just reinforce the status quo that afforded them that power.” The monopolistic power of tech giants has made it impossible for a free market to discipline bad actors in the tech industry. Bowles claims consumers have no alternatives, making it impossible for an ethical
Futurist Cennydd Bowles took the time to lecture to Weber State students and staff about ethics as part of the Peterson Speaker Series.
MyWeberMedia.com | October 31, 2019 | 11
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By KIERSTYNN KING Reporter
The Weber State University music department hosted their Opera Scenes night on Oct. 25, where students performed beloved scenes from acclaimed and historical operas, including “The Ride of the Valkyries,” “The Magic Flute,” “Don Giovanni,” “Rigoletto,” “The Old Maid,” “The Thief”, “Lolanthe” and “Into the Woods.” The students’ performances included iterations of the operas in their original languages, such as Italian, German, French and English. Dr. Karen Bruestle, director of voice and opera at WSU, directed the performances and said they had been working on the scenes for opera night since August. “Opera is part of the students’ training in the music program and helps them to further their careers and education while
at the same time providing quality entertainment for the campus and the broader community,” Bruestle said. “Opera combines every type of art form possible and is considered emotionally powerful for most people. It’s visually and aurally satisfying.” James D. Brunker is a music education major with an emphasis in choral conducting. For Opera Scenes, Brunker was the principal or lead role in certain scenes while also the backup role in other scenes. “That’s the beauty of Opera Scenes: everyone has an equal role, which gives everybody a chance to shine,” Brunker said. For Brunker, singing opera is all about the challenge. “What most people don’t realize is that opera is so heavily focused on basic techniques. When it comes to singing in any style, you use the same techniques you would use in opera,” Brunker said. “It’s more challenging for me to learn an entire
show in Italian. There are different barriers, and you get the opportunity to learn another language.” Brunker was introduced to music early because of his family, who are also musically involved. “I got introduced to music very young. ‘Les Misérables’ was my favorite show of all time. I wanted to sound exactly how the actors sounded,” Brunker said. “I started exploring choirs and taking voice lessons. My vocal coach helped me start exploring the opera world, which opened so many doors for me.” WSU student Audrey Christensen found her passion for opera in middle school after hearing an opera singer perform at a church activity she attended. “I’ve always loved to sing, and I’ve always had a bigger and louder voice. When I heard this opera singer sing, that’s when I decided I wanted to do opera too,” Chris-
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Audrey Christensen, Brookelyn Bell and Azaria Mailo wait for their scene.
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tensen said. “Since then, I’ve worked on my voice and pursued opera when I got here because Weber has a great opera program.” Christensen was most excited about preforming the opening scene “The Ride of the Valkyries,” which was sung in German. “That performance was big operatic singing. There were a lot of high notes that I got to pound out, and hitting high notes is always really fun for me,” Christensen said. Christensen said she hoped the audience left the Opera Scenes night feeling like they wanted to hear more because it’s not very often that people can go out for a night and listen to some of the most powerful voices in the business.
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PASSING THE TORCH “
By MICHAEL VAUGHAN Professor of economics and director of the Center for the Study of Poverty and Inequality at Weber State University In 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president at age 69. At that time, Reagan was the oldest person to be elected president. During the campaign, some made an issue of Reagan’s age. The concern over Reagan’s age was warranted. Before he left office, he was showing obvious signs of dementia and subsequently was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. On Oct. 2, Bernie Sanders underwent surgery for a heart problem. This event highlights the fact that Sanders is 78 years old. The other Democratic frontrunners are not much younger. Joe Biden is 76 and Elizabeth Warren is 70. Donald Trump is 73. The winner of the 2020 presidential election is likely to be a septuagenarian. The aging of the presidency is a relatively recent phenomenon. Of the 45 people to occupy the presidency, three-quarters were under age 60 at the time of their initial election. From 1861 to 1933, no one over age 60 was inaugurated for their first term as
president. Why has the presidency started to age? One factor is the fact that people are living and staying active for longer periods of time. In the 1950s, the average age of someone moving into a nursing home was 65. Today, that age is past 80. Yet, increasing longevity is not the only factor. Another is the fact that voters tend to vote for candidates they identify with. In the 2016 presidential election, the older candidate, Trump, received 53 percent of the vote from those 65 and older while the younger candidate, Clinton, received only 44 percent. The pattern was reversed for younger voters. Clinton received 58 percent of the votes from those under 30 while Trump received only 28 percent. Clearly, younger voters do not always favor younger candidates, but the important point is that younger voters may have different concerns and preferences than older voters. The age demographic of voters becomes critically important when you consider that older people are far more likely to vote than younger people. In the 2018 elections, more than two-thirds of those 65 and old-
2018 VOTER AGE BREAKDOWN
2016 VOTER AGE BREAKDOWN ages: 65+ ages:30
voted for trump 53% 28%
voted for hillary 44% 58%
SOURCE: PEW RESEARCH CENTER
almost two-thirds of those under age 30 did not vote
more than two-thirds of those 65 & older voted
Why is the younger generation letting the older generation determine the outcome of the presidential election? Why is the younger generation letting the older generation determine their future?
er voted, but almost two-thirds of those under age 30 did not vote. Those 65 and older have the highest rates of voter participation, and those under 30 have the lowest rates. The lack of voter participation among the young is especially astonishing when you consider some of the key issues confronting voters: the environment and climate change, the national debt, affordable college tuition, student loan debt, the prospects of finding meaningful employment and globalization. All of these issues should matter more to those with most of their life remaining than to those with most of their life in the past. In essence, those under 30 are letting those 65 and older decide their future. Here are some questions for those under 30. Would you let your grandmother pick your clothes for you? Would you set your car radio to that oldies station your grandfather listens to and leave it there for a month? Do you use the same type of social media as your grandparents? When you think of about fine dining, does the early-bird special at Denny’s come to mind? How often do
you show up at McDonald’s at 8 in the morning to nurse a $1 cup of coffee for the next two hours? I am pretty sure I know the answers. That brings me to more important questions. Why is the younger generation letting the older generation determine the outcome of the presidential election? Why is the younger generation letting the older generation determine their future? If you are old enough to vote, you need to register to vote, and you need to vote. The preponderance of those 65 and older do just that, and they have a meaningful influence on the outcomes of elections. The preponderance of those under 30 neglect to do so, and their influence is far less than it could be. In 1961, John F. Kennedy proclaimed, “The torch has been passed to a new generation.” It is time to pass the torch once again. That can happen as soon as the next election. Mail ballots were sent to registered voters on Oct. 15. For those who have not registered, there is still time. In fact, voters who wait to the last minute may register at a polling location and vote with a provisional ballot on the day of the election, Nov. 5.
This reproduced editorial is sponsored by the Weber County League of Women Voters; the original editorial was published in the Standard-Examiner (10/16/2019). The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.