Fall 2013 Issue 7

The

PIONEER

ISSUE 7

October 23, 2013 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXI

by HANNAH BARTMAN Staff Reporter

“W

hy do we come here?” said Father Pedro Bautista-Peraza at the Sunday, Oct. 20 morning Mass in St. Patrick’s Church on West Poplar Street in Walla Walla.

“Why?” This question of action is at the root of all decisions, religious and nonreligious alike, but when it comes to religion on Whitman College’s campus, the question is usually “Why don’t we come here?”

Active religious participation among Whitman students, and college students in general, appears to be small compared to that of the rest of the population. The small groups of students who do practice their religions, in whatever form, at times feel stigmatized, and thus religious discussion is further muted. Where is the room for religious freedom at Whitman?

“There are people that I avoid talking to about religion because I know they’re so anti-religion it almost defeats the purpose of talking about it,” said sophomore Noel O’Shea.

Granted, this aversion towards religion is likely to be found anywhere, so a number of religious and spiritual clubs have appeared on campus to create communities for those of similar faiths. Such clubs include Whitman Christian Fellowship, Hillel-Shalom, Muslim Student Association, Namaste Meditation Club, Better Together and the nonreligious club Atheists, Humanists and Agnostics. The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life on campus works to create communication among faith groups a reality, and thus is witness to the actual diversity of religious and spiritual clubs available on campus.

“I think that there is far more religious activity and more students in some sort of a spiritual journey than people realize at Whitman,” said Stuart Coordinator of Religious and Spiritual Life Adam Kirtley. “Even students who are heavily involved in their spiritual practice will sometimes tell me that they feel like they’re the only ones, and yet I see so many of them.”

It may be true that there is a large number of small groups invested in faith, but some students still feel unfairly judged for their religious identity. Katie Steen, one of the eight small group leaders of the Whitman Christian Fellowship, laments that fellow stu-

Searching for religion on and off campus “I get frustrated when people say that they have to hide their religious identity, and that makes me know that I have more work to do.”

Adam Kirtley

Stuart Religious Coordinator & Counselor of Religious Life

Photo by Felt

see RELIGION, page 2

Walla Walla community moves to rebuild public pool

by LORAH STEICHEN Staff Reporter

D

espite the fact that temperatures in Walla Walla are known to spike above 100 degrees Fahrenheit each summer, the community has no access to a public pool facility, which could provide escape from the sweltering heat.

With the exception of Jefferson Park Pool, a shallow pool open only to those 10 years old and younger, Walla Walla has been without a publicly accessible aquatic facility since the closure of Memorial Pool in 2006. Rebuild Memorial Pool, a committee of concerned citizens, is working to remodel and reopen Memorial Pool in order to provide a public pool for Walla Walla.

“There are public pools in almost every community around here, and most of them are substantially smaller than Walla Walla,” said committee member and alumna, Director of Advancement Services Becky Kennedy, ‘96.

The city closed down Memorial Pool in 2006 because it

lacked the funds necessary to repair the aging facility. Since then, there has been a slew of efforts, including three separate bond initiatives that have tried and failed to bring a public pool facility back to Walla Walla. In order to ensure the success of their effort, the current committee to rebuild Memorial is using a revised approach from past endeavors.

“The primary difference is that this is a much smaller project than previous attempts to rebuild some sort of aquatic facility. So that’s one difference: the scale,” said alumnus, committee member and Assistant Swim Coach Chris Bendix, ‘12. “Another difference is that this is not a complete rebuild or starting from scratch; it’s repurposing the existing facility with some additions, which is both more cost effective and more practical [in terms of] getting the community on board for it. It’s not a huge water park.

It’s just revamping and rebuilding the pool as it already exists.”

Although past efforts to bring back a public pool have been unsuccessful, the committee hopes

that this simplified approach will appeal to community members.

“I’ve seen community pool proposals come and go over the years, and this is, hands down, the best one because it recycles an already existing facility and because I’m just a really big fan of the good old-fashioned swimming pool where fun, fitness and imagination meet,” said Associate Professor of Politics Aaron Bobrow-Strain in an email. “All the previous proposals were too focused on Disney-fied bells and whistles. This is a proposal for a pool, and pretty much just a pool.

That appeals to me as a taxpayer, a parent and as someone who cares about fitness and creativity.”

The group plans to construct the pool with the funds from private donors, with the hope that it will be publicly maintained and operated by the City of Walla Walla Parks and Recreation department.

“They have the infrastructure. They have buildings and copy machines and human resources, and not only do we not have it; we don’t want to fundraise for that part too,” said Kennedy.

In addition to the resources that the Parks and Recreation department have to manage a public pool facility, they also have the necessary experience.

“It’s kind of an expertise thing ... It would be possible to have a board of overseers and an aquatics director that managed the facility, but that’s a lot of work, and the city has experience with that and has done that before. So from a managerial point of view, it makes more sense to have the city do it,” said Bendix.

While the rebuild committee has chosen a minimalist approach to the pool remodel, the City of Walla Walla Parks and Recreation Director Jim DuMont expressed doubt regarding the plans.

“In my opinion a city this size and in this climate needs a water facility that serves the public need. That is why we have attempted to solve this issue since before Memorial Pool closed in 2006 ... Whatever you build you have to be able to afford to operate,” said DuMont. “The proposals before included components see POOL, page 3

Varsity athletes host leadership clinics

by MITCHELL SMITH Staff Reporter

V

isitors in the Sherwood Athletic Center on Sunday, Oct. 20 saw the varsity gym full of basketball players going through rigorous dribbling and shooting drills and scrimmaging to improve their skills. Were these players the men’s varsity basketball team, beginning their preparation for the fast approaching season? Not exactly. Instead of an age range of 18 to 22, these athletes, numbering 44 total, were ages eight to 14, and instead of attending Whitman College, they came from everywhere around Walla Walla.

This event was one of five leadership-based basketball clinics that Whitman Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Matt Airy has put on this year with the help of other coaches and players on the team. The clinic, called “Together We Can,” is in its sixth year at Whitman, and is focused on teaching life skills through basketball. It is also one of many camps held by varsity teams across all sports at Whitman.

“What we have is an emphasis on leadership every day. Whether that’s showing good body language, whether that’s getting put ups, or being in next play mode, where we’re not dwelling on successes or failures, but we’re moving on to what’s next and being very focused,” said Airy.

The camp doesn’t just teach these skills to the most gifted athletes, but is open to anyone within the age range. Leadership, according to Airy, is something that can be taught no matter the skill level.

“The leadership emphasis is a factor no matter what your ability levels are. That’s something that is universal that everybody can take with them,” he said.

Airy was struck by the huge growth that kids in the camps have made over the last few years, becoming the leaders the camp has helped teach them to be.

“What’s neat now is to see kids that have been in the clinics and camps from five years ago who see COMMUNITY, page 7

NEWS

PAGE

2

OCT

23 2013 Religious students face stigma, stereotypes from RELIGION, page 1

State of the State provides real-world experience

by RIVER STERNE Staff Reporter

A

t Whitman College, most students agree that their classes are vital in developing their personal and academic passions. Certain classes have a reputation for bringing the best out of students, allowing them to immerse themselves in an area in which they are interested. One of the classes that best fits this description is State of the State.

A three-course program, State of the State aims to collaborate with the Walla Walla community to address and analyze social and political issues in the region, while simultaneously teaching students about social politics.

Politics courses 318, 250 and 319 comprise State of the State, each covering a select segment of the program, focusing on Latino political involvement and community-based research. Each of these courses is worth four credits and the first two (250 and 318) can be taken simultaneously before the last.

The State of the State program has been a semi-consistent but popular part of the Whitman course catalog since Fall 2005 when it began (though it did not run every year or term), and until the 2008-2009 school year, it was only taken as a single semester course.

This past year, the program took a brief hiatus after the 20112012 school year, but it is back this year with some changes.

Corrections to Issue 6 On page 2 in the illustrations credits box, the illustrations that were listed as being on page 6 should have been listed as being on page 7.

On page 2, the photos accompanying the article “Renovations modernize, increase efficiency” should have been credited as being contributed by David Braun.

Whether these will be improvements is yet to be discovered.

Professor of Politics and Paul Chair Political Science Paul Apostolidis is teaching all three courses in the program. He and other politics and social sciences professors developed the new three-course program last year during the class’s hiatus.

“The reason for this change was to make the credits students earn correspond much better to the actual amount of work they do in the program,” said Apostolidis. Obviously with two simultaneous courses and a subsequent, more advanced course, there is a heavy workload considering that most Whitman students take only four to five classes a term. A significant change in the curriculum this year is the distribution of credits for the courses. Students receive eight credits first semester and four second.

“In the past students have felt overwhelmed by the workload, while only getting four credits per semester for their efforts,” said sophomore Josh Rubenstein.

In previous years, managing the amount of work necessary for the program was a difficult endeavor, but the adaptations to the curriculum for 20132014 make it possible to handle other classes at the same time.

“For me credits were not an important factor in doing the program, but it certainly helps with workload and graduation requirements, and I appreciate that the school recognizes the amount of time and energy we put in to our research,” said Rubenstein. “I don’t think I could honestly give my full effort

Illustration Credits Pg 1: MaryAnne Bowen Pg 2: Eduardo Vazquez Pg 6: Lya Hernandez Pg 7: Asa Mease

Pg 9: Sophie CooperEllis, MaryAnne Bowen Pg 12: Tyle Schuh

to STS and three other classes.”

The change to the program also works in conjunction with the projects students are doing this year for the courses, several of which are in Seattle, through OneAmerica and the Latino Community Fund of Washington State.

In some way or another, all projects — which are performed by groups of students acting as a research team — benefit Latinos in the Walla Walla community. Sophomore Andrea Berg is a part of the program this year and notices some differences from what she had heard about the program beforehand.

“I don’t know a ton about the history of the class, but it has evolved to include more and more partners,” said Berg.

“It seems like the type of research students do has also gotten a lot more practically useful to the partner organizations.”

As a whole, the program’s agenda is to connect with the community and create knowledgeable, democratic young leaders. Apostolidis enjoys teaching this course because he enjoys promoting this agenda.

The main tasks students in the program take on include 17 students working in teams of three to complete each of the six research projects that have been planned with the partner organizations, developing final reports and performing public outreach with various Latino organizations in and around Walla Walla.

“This program continues to be one of my favorite teaching experiences at Whitman,” said Apostolidis in an email.

“That’s for many reasons — I truly love seeing my students develop a sense of themselves as serious scholars whose research can have a genuine public impact (often far beyond what they initially imagine it could be), and I stay in touch with many of these students long after they graduate, and they typically go on to do great things with a public-service bend.”

“People aren’t very sensitive to Christians on campus, such that they lump them together with other groups like Republicans or the Westboro Baptist Church,” said Steen. “[Some students] don’t really want to hear what you have to say, which is a bummer because I would really like to share it with people, but they don’t seem open a lot of the time.”

Steen also recognizes that Christians are a minority on campus when they are a majority on a national scale. This statistic actually works against Christians on campus, making non-Christian students believe that sensitivity towards Christians is of a lesser value because they are not a perceived minority.

“There’s a weird stigma against Christianity [at Whitman] specifically,” she said. “Christianity is the mainstream [religion in the United States] so it’s okay not to be super tolerant [at Whitman], whereas you need to be tolerant of minority groups.”

Similarly, junior Leslie Rodriguez sometimes feels judged for her Catholic background. In a liberally saturated community, there are certain stereotypes that can follow any type of rightwing associated community.

“I feel like people associate Catholicism with conservatism, and they associate religion with politics, and religion is very personal for me,” said Rodriguez. “I do have intimate discussions about my religion with my friends, but sometimes I feel uncomfortable with people who are very liberal.”

Kirtley believes that Whitman’s reputation of diversity does not stop at religion, and while judgements are inevitable among differences, he wants to make Whitman as open as possible.

“I get frustrated when people say that they have to hide their religious identity, and that makes me know that I have more work to do,” said Kirtley.

Stigmatization of religious students on campus is a reality, but more than that there seems to be simply a lack of discussion of religion on campus. Other religious groups such as Better Together, which focuses on creating religious dialogue, find that perhaps student’s lack of discussion of religion is just due to the pressures of the college lifestyle.

“It seems that there isn’t that much discussion about [religion] on campus, but that might just be that college is a time where people don’t have it as a high priority, and they’re discovering other things, and religion is not the first thing on their mind,” said Co-President of Better Together Joel Ponce. “It’s hard for me to keep myself away from it because I think it does have a big impact on everything that we do.”

If Whitman, then, is seemingly dry of a majority religious fervor, students focus on their own personal relationships with their religions and less on the presence of a student majority community. Religion is focused on as a personal priority and less of a social pressure. “[St. Patrick’s Church is] about a 10 to 15 minute walk, but I always feel better when I go because it’s so easy to get stuck in that Whitman bubble,” said Rodriguez. “I enjoy the time it allows me to reflect on my week, which I don’t get to do that often.”

Further, perhaps the shift in public religious activity is really just a shift in the function that religion plays in a college student’s life. There is not the pressure of family or a large friend group to force religious activity, and now faith is a personal prerogative, the latent effects of which become more obvious through discussion with close friends. “[My spirituality] is so community and friendship based that it comes in the form of talking to friends,” said O’Shea.

Even though religion may be a minority, there are still strong communities in small numbers. Hil-

PRODUCTION

writing

BUSINESS

Editor-in-Chief Shelly Le

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NEWS

Business Manager Skye Vander Laan

Managing Editor Pam London

Production Associates Maddison Coons, Jess Faunt, Molly Johanson, Marianne Kellogg, Jesse Moneyhun

PIONEER

editorial

News Editors Sarah Cornett Dylan Tull A&E Editor Aleida Fernandez Sports Editor Quin Nelson Feature Editor Karah Kemmerly Opinion Editor Kyle Seasly Humor Editor Molly Johanson Photography Editor Catie Bergman Videography Editor Skye Vander Laan Illustration Editor Luke Hampton

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ILLUSTRATION

MaryAnne Bowen, Sophie Cooper-Ellis, Lya Hernandez, Emily Jones, Kelsey Lund, Asa Mease, Emma Rust, Tyler Schuh, Eduardo Vazquez

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY Rachael Barton, Jade Blake-Whitney, Tanner Bowersox, Marra Clay, Devika Doowa, Allie Felt, Chaoyu Li, Halley McCormick, Marlena Sloss, Anna von Clemm

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WEB TEAM Webmaster Nick Budak

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lel-Shalom Vice President sophomore Deborah DeHovitz grew up in a large Jewish community and finds the depletion in numbers by comparison to be a different, but adaptable change. “[The small Jewish community] was one of the biggest cons to Whitman when I was looking at colleges,” said DeHovitz. “It’s not the same as my Jewish life at home, but it’s turned into something different, and it’s still a community I know that’s there for me.”

Father Pedro Bautista-Peraza answered his question to the attendees of St. Patrick’s Church by suggesting that going to church is one way to “pay for your week.” Even among finals and the social pressures of college, religion and spirituality ripple on the surface in the micro community of Whitman in a diversity of small groups. While it may not be a frequent or easy discussion, religious preference among students only adds to the diverse views that Whitman has to offer.

NUMBERS

IN THE NEWS “The drones are like the angels of death.

Only they know when or where they will strike.”

Nazeer Gul, via NYTIMEs

9

Number of U.S. drone attacks in other countries that Amnesty International is investigating.

SOURCE: the guardian

374

Estimated drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004.

SOURCE: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

900

Highest estimated number of civilians killed in Pakistan by drones. At least 400 deaths have been confirmed.

SOURCE: BBC

16

Number of drone strikes in Pakistan this year, compared with 48 in 2012, 73 in 2011 and 122 in 2010.

SOURCE: NEW YORK TIMES

45

Percent increase in recorded child casualties from explosive weapons from 2011 to 2012.

SOURCE: The guardian

68

Age of Mamana Bibi, a grandmother killed in a drone strike in October of last year.

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

0

Number of U.S. officials held accountable for civilian deaths by drones.

SOURCE: bbc

ASWC Senate Minutes 10/21 Approved request of $300 for yoga classes.

Approved request of $100 by the Pre Health Society.

Approved request of $119.24 by the Campus Progressives.

Confirmed Emily Jones and Dalton Cooper to the Bon Appétit Committee by a vote of 18-0-1.

Ratified Whitman Action Games by a vote of 18-0-1.

Passed by-law amendment that maintains regular contact between senators and clubs by a vote of 17-0-2.

EDITORIAL POLICY

The Whitman College Pioneer is a weekly student-run newspaper published under the auspices of the Associated Students of Whitman College. The purpose of The Pioneer is to provide pertinent, timely news and commentary for Whitman students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents, as well as the Walla Walla community. The Pioneer is dedicated to expanding open discussion on campus about the issues with which students are most concerned. We provide coverage of Whitman-related news as well as featured local and regional events, and strive to maintain a standard of utmost fairness, quality and journalistic integrity while promoting freedom of the press. In addition, The Pioneer strives to be a learning tool for students who are interested in journalism. The Pioneer welcomes all feedback and publishes letters to the editor in print and online.

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ADVERTISING

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For information about advertising in The Pioneer or to purchase a subscription please contact business@ whitmanpioneer.com.

CODE OF ETHICS

Advertising Manager Cali Goldberg Advertising Associate Maya Booth-Balk

The code of ethics serves as The Pioneer’s established guidelines for the practice of responsible journalism on campus, within reasonable interpretation of the editorial board. These guidelines are subject to constant review and amendment; responsibility for amending the code of ethics is assigned to the editor-in-chief in conjunction with the editorial board.

The code of ethics is reviewed at least once per semester.

To access the complete code of ethics for The Pioneer, visit whitmanpioneer.com/about.

The

FEATURE

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4

OCT

23 2013

Welcome to

Walla Walla University

JumpStart program prepares incoming students for college

by Karah Kemmerly Feature Editor

W

alla Walla University (WWU) first organized the JumpStart orientation program in 1999. This September, firstyears gathered on campus for the 14th annual JumpStart week.

The WWU Academic Advisement Office designed JumpStart to help incoming firstyears prepare for the transition from high school to college. During the week of Sept. 22 to Sept.

28 this year, 26 groups of approximately 15 first-year students each got together with upperclassman JumpStart leaders to find out more about life at WWU before classes officially began.

Throughout the week, firstyears attended information sessions about various aspects of life at WWU. Some session topics included campus safety, overcoming computer addiction, the benefits of liberal arts and the importance of academic honesty.

Additionally, students took part in break-out elective workshops and large group games and social events. These elective workshops are a chance for students to gain advice from WWU staff members about practical aspects of college life. Discussion themes range from learning about careers, to getting prepared for college-level academics, to exploring relationships in a college setting.

Junior health sciences major Ryan Thornton, who worked as a

JumpStart leader this year, participated in a money management workshop when he participated in JumpStart as a first-year. With his group, he talked about making frugal financial decisions, particularly while grocery shopping.

“Some of it was just funny, but some of it was super helpful stuff I hadn’t thought of before,” said Thornton.

In addition to gaining tips from these sessions, first-years attending break-out workshops also learn a little more about navigating the campus. JumpStart leader Shannon Gaskill, a sophomore in the nursing program, emphasized the importance of activity locations.

“The break-out sessions are purposefully spread out so you could see where each building on campus was and get acquainted with them before school started,” she said.

According to JumpStart leader Justin Mock, a junior health science and business double major, learning the ins and outs of a new place is one of the most valuable effects of the JumpStart program.

“JumpStart gave you the chance to learn outside-theclassroom details. You got to learn how to use the cafeteria and how to find buildings.

If you had to wait until classes started, that first week would be really stressful,” said Mock.

JumpStart also gives firstyears the chance to get to know one another. Director of Academic Advisement Betty Duncan believes this opportuni-

ty to socialize with other firstyears is an invaluable one.

“It helps them meet other students, and it introduces them to their academic departments and faculty ... We believe that getting connected to each other and to the university is very important,” she said.

Thornton created bonds of friendship during JumpStart that have lasted his entire WWU career.

“It was a great experience.

I kept in contact with my JumpStart leader throughout the year,” said Thornton. “Three of my best friends now, I met in JumpStart.”

Of course first-years do not only interact with other students.

They also have the chance to meet with faculty members and other important members of staff.

“The faculty and financial aid people are all there for you.

Everyone is available that week if you need help figuring out your finances or figuring out how to register for classes,” said Mock.

Students pay a flat fee of $200 to participate in the JumpStart week. The fee covers all activities, materials and meals in the school cafeteria. JumpStart students also move into their dormitories early with no extra cost.

Overall, students are extremely happy with the experience.

“We always do a survey of the participating students at the end of the week, and the students are very positive about JumpStart. This year, 87 to 90 percent of students said it was well worth their time.”

Rikita Patel ‘15 and Jonathan Simons ‘16 study for their Spanish and public health classes on a fall afternoon. Photo by Sloss ADVERTISEMENT

WWU by the Numbers 12

1892

the year in which Walla Walla University was founded

75

the percentage of WWU students living on campus in 2012

$24,822

the estimated WWU tuition cost for the 2013-2014 academic year

90

the approximate percentage of WWU students who qualify for some form of financial aid.

the number of study abroad programs available to WWU students

230

the total number of graduate students at WWU in 2012

$21,566

the average annual undergraduate financial aid award package for 2011-2012

83

the first-year retention rate in 2012

12

the number of degree types offered at WWU

1,710

5

78

53

the total number of undergraduate students at WWU in 2012

the number of undergraduate programs offered at WWU

the number of varsity sports teams at WWU

the percentage of WWU students who are female SOURCE: WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY WEBSITE

Walla Walla University volunteers get involved on Fall Service Day

by SERENA runyan Staff Reporter

B

y participating in community service, students at Walla Walla University find a chance to break out of their routines and get involved within the community.

WWU Community Service Coordinator Ellie Veverka helps to organize one big service event during each academic semester. Fall Service Day is set up specifically for WWU students, and Spring Service Day brings together volunteers from WWU, Whitman and Walla Walla Community College.

Veverka begins calling local agencies during the summer to line up service day projects. After that, she and her office staff publicize each event on campus and online. She also coordinates with the church staff to prepare a free breakfast and lunch for all WWU student volunteers.

Fall Service Day 2013 took place on Wednesday, Oct. 16. To make it easier for students to participate, all WWU classes before 2 p.m. were canceled for the day.

Service day participants could choose from 40 different service projects. These projects included rebuilding water stations at Mill Creek, cleaning up Pioneer Park and helping administer vision tests at Davis Elementary School in College Place. Other agencies involved were the Blue Mountain Humane Society, the YMCA and Country Estates Housing Community.

Veverka believes that student volunteers are extremely important to the local agencies and individuals they serve.

“The community agencies and elderly residents count on student groups each year. It really saves them money when they don’t have to hire some-

one to do the work,” she said.

Working on projects often gives students valuable opportunities as well.

“Sometimes students can connect to the agency they volunteered with and continue to volunteer there throughout the entire year,” said Veverka. “It’s a good connection all around.”

Students at Whitman College have gained valuable experiences by working together with Walla Walla University students in various community-oriented activities.

Whitman junior Nicholas Win gained a better sense of the greater Walla Walla community when he participated in Spring Service Day 2013 with WWU and WWCC students. Together, these students helped clean houses for members of the community who are unable to do so alone. “[It was a] great opportunity to learn the cultures of other schools in the area, in addition to those in need in Walla Walla,” said Win. Win saw WWU volunteers engaging with their faith while they worked for local agencies and residents.

“The WWU students I met seemed devoted to what they believe in. [They] carefully and thoughtfully performed mundane tasks [and] prayed before service began,” said Win. In addition to providing him with an opportunity to get to know other students, community service helped Win to see beyond his typical environment and to think more about the ways in which he could engage with locals. “[It] reminded me how ... [bad] it is just a couple blocks off campus — made me want to ... actually do something about it during my one-class days,” said Win. “[It] definitely made me feel like I transcended the Whitman bubble.”

FEATURE

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23 2013

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Students like Lisa Reeves ‘15 (above left) strengthen their spirituals beliefs and practice their faith within the community with help from Walla Walla University Chaplain Paddy McCoy (above right). Photos by Sloss

University staff aids students in spiritual growth on campus

by Isabel Mills Staff Reporter

W

alla Walla University is just a quick car ride from Whitman College, but so many of us seem to be unaware of what the university is really about. Most of us know it is a private university affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but what does that mean?

According to the WWU website, one of the university’s most basic goals is creating an environment in which students can understand and further develop their spiritual beliefs by taking religion classes, doing volunteer missions and community service, attending worship services and working in small groups.

Campus Chaplain Paddy McCoy helps students through their personal religious discoveries and in their community outreach projects.

“One of our core elements at the university is that we are committed to faith in God, so part of my job is to provide opportunities for the campus to worship, to connect with God and to challenge them to go deeper into that journey. I’m really there to be a care provider and a teacher,” said McCoy. Building a personal relationship with God An important part of students’ personal relationships with their faith is observation of the Sabbath day every Saturday. On the Sabbath, believers are supposed to refrain from all secular work.

“It’s just a way to spend the day differently than we do the other days and kind of [to] unplug from the business of the week and plug in to community, time together, time to worship, time to rest and sleep,” said McCoy. WWU senior theology major Jesse Churchill explained how he observes the Sabbath in his own way.

“I’ve come to my own view of what the Sabbath is. I believe that there are radically different ways to think about it. You don’t really watch secular TV or listen to secular music. When I thought why that is, I realized that Sabbath is a time not to just keep yourself from doing the things you normally do, but rather a time to focus on God. So I’ve come to the point where I participate because I want to do it, not just because it’s expected of me,” he said.

WWU students are not thinking of their spirituality only on the Sabbath, however. They try to incorporate their faith into everyday life. Part of that project is blending fairly conservative Adventist beliefs with the freedoms available to students in college.

Unlike some college students, senior English major Rachael Coon avoids drugs and alcohol in an effort to keep a close relationship with God. According to her, some WWU students do drink alcohol, but partying is not the norm.

“A lot of the things we put in our body cloud your mind, especially things like smoking or alcohol, and something God has given us is the ability to think and to reason, so

when you put things in that hinder that, you’re also hindering a gift God gave you and your ability to listen to God,” she said.

Churchill believes that different generations approach this balance between religion and everyday life in very different ways. He cites feelings about tattoos as an example.

“There are people who have tattoos, but it’s just not really flaunted. There’s a potential for it not being accepted. People my age are usually OK with it. But if you walk into church, there will be older people judging you,” he said.

He said Adventist beliefs could definitely change in the future.

“Church in general is dying. I want to have a church that can actually reach people where they are, here in this culture, rather than try to revert back to the ‘60s. The religion of our parents and grandparents tended to accept the beliefs a little more, whereas our generation questions everything,” he said.

Bringing faith into the wider community WWU students often explore their faith within the community through mission trips. There are opportunities to help out all over the world and here in Walla Walla.

Jeanne Vories, the director of student missions, is in charge of sending students to countries in need. Sometimes they need teachers, and other times they need someone to work in an orphanage or in a medical setting.

While on a mission, stu-

dents sometimes have to get creative in order to fulfill themselves spiritually.

“Sometimes [the students] might be the church. Sometimes they might have to organize story hours and times where they invite the children, and so there’s often not really church per se for them because they’re it. Either that, or church is in another language. When they’re alone and in another culture, God is their friend,” said Vories.

The students on these missions accomplish a lot while they’re gone, but they also face challenges while abroad.

“Some of them will have reverse culture shock. Some of them go down to Walmart and just cry because there’s so much stuff, and for the last year they were in a place where there just wasn’t anything,” said McCoy. In spite of this, the students come back to the supportive community at WWU where Vories and McCoy are there to help them readjust. Sharing stories about their mission experiences with friends helps too.

Coon had a great time on her year-long mission trip this past year.

“I took this last year off and I worked in an orphanage in Belize.

That was an incredible life experience. Life is raw there. It is what it is. There’s no fluff. There’s no mask to put on,” she said.

Churchill has been on four short mission trips to Mexico, Honduras, Fiji and Mozambique. Each trip was just a few weeks long, but they inspired him to change his ma-

jor from engineering to theology.

More than a religion Although being Christian is an important part of the identity of WWU, the students there get a liberal arts education. In other words, the university is not the type of school McCoy called a “bible college,” and students learn much more than religion. In fact, some of the most popular majors are nursing, business and engineering.

Coon talked about the value of the experience students receive at WWU. “My parents say they’re investing in more than [my] education ... in [my] future, spouse, spiritual life, eternity, in a sense.

So to them the money is worth it, because they’re looking at a bigger picture, which I think is what a lot of parents do,” she said.

While religion obviously plays a big part in the lives of students like Churchill and Coon, it doesn’t necessarily have to.

“If you’re looking for something else in life not religiously based, you’re going to find it. That’s how it is all around the world,” said Coon.

McCoy aims to help the students get the experience that they want, whatever that may be.

“My hope is that Walla Walla University is a good neighbor not only to the schools, but to our community, and that our students have a positive experience that leads them to go from here to be a change agent in our world,” he said. “And to go in and make a difference.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Dana Leighton ‘01 Real Talk With Professor Leighton

Major: Psychology

Monday, October 28 12 p.m. in Reid *E-mail Noah Leavitt, leavitns@whitman.edu, to be notified of the location and to reserve yourself a spot and lunch.

The Injustice of Threat: How Perceived Threat Shrinks Our Scope of Justice

4 p.m. in Kimball Theatre *Programs sponsored by the Student Engagement Center & Office of Alumni Relations

*

Professor Leighton is a Whitman Alumnus and 2013 Recipient of the Pete Reid Award for Young Alumni presented by the Alumni Association for outstanding work in his chosen field, commitement to serving others & significant contribution to the college.

23 SPORTS 6 Women’s soccer seeks strong finish OCT

PAGE

2013

by chris calamita Staff Reporter

A

fter flying out of the gates to start the season, the Whitman women’s soccer team has slowed down considerably. The preseason saw the team grab a perfect 4-0-0 record over five games in which they outscored their opponents 11 to one.

Since the season began, however, the team has found their road to success to be a bit bumpier, compiling a 4-7-0 conference record after going undefeated in non-conference play. Head Women’s Soccer Coach Heather Cato largely attributes this gap to the stronger competition that comes with Northwest Conference competition.

“We played strong teams during our preseason to try to prepare us for our conference play,” said Cato via email. “However, nothing can compare to the talent or competition once you begin conference games, which is why we have been a bit up and down in the win-loss category.”

The level of competition changes once the season begins, but the team refuses to use this as an excuse. Senior midfielder Hallie Swan feels that some of the struggles as of late have had less to do with a change of competition, and more to do with the natural ups and downs of sports.

“There’s sometimes things that you can’t control,” said Swan.

“In the preseason, a lot of stuff just went our way; we were scoring a lot of goals. But as the season has progressed, we’re still making those opportunities, but the team as a whole isn’t taking responsibility for putting those away.”

Some of the trouble with scoring may have to do with the loss of one of their top offensive players, sophomore midfielder Clara Merlino, to injury at the beginning of the season.

“Unfortunately, injuries are part of any contact sport, and losing Clara, who is a good, solid player and an offensive threat for our team is a setback,” said Cato.

Merlino’s injury is hard on the team, but Swan doesn’t see the loss as insurmountable.

Defender Naomi Lee ‘17 clears the ball around a Puget Sound player in their game on Oct. 20 (above). The Missionaries lost 1-0 in overtime. Photo by Bowersox

“It would be hard to lose anybody because the team is such a unit.

But we still have the talent on our team to produce goals,” said Swan.

When it comes to surmounting their misfortune in losing Merlino, Cato and the team are on the same page. They see perseverance and teamwork as the only way to overcome this and the other struggles that they have faced early on.

“We’ve been taking it back to the basics,” said Swan. “Taking the

game in five minute periods and doing all the little things right, because that’s how you win games. We’ve also been looking at playing more for ourselves, because when we play our game it can be really beautiful.”

Getting back to the identity of the team and committing to each other can be more difficult during the school year when various other commitments can distract players from soccer. The team sees this as a challenge to over-

come, and when they do, this will begin to naturally right the ship.

“I think our play has improved overall as a team up to this point in the season,” said sophomore forward Brianna Brown via email. “We just have to catch our step again and move forward past these obstacles.”

Moving into the second half of the confe=rence season, the team is very aware that there is plenty of time to turn things around.

Some of it will come simply from

a little more luck and a few more bounces. The team is still confident in themselves, and that confidence, combined with the struggles they’ve faced thus far, will determine how far they get from here. “[We need to] learn how to respond to close losses,” said Cato, “and continuously come out each day ready to work, challenge one another and overcome the adversities our season to show the true character of our team.”

Raechel Gano ‘15 passes the ball as Lee looks on (left). Kelsey Roehner ‘14 and Nicolette Carnahan ‘15 defend a Puget Sound attacker (above). Photos by Bowersox

Superstition, rituals help athletes perform by marah alindogan Staff Reporter

A

thletes at all levels are known for having quirky habits to help their game. A five-time MVP, Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six league championship titles. Surprisingly, he partially attributes his success to game shorts from his alma mater, the University of North Carolina, shorts he wore underneath his uniform during every game.

Likewise, women’s tennis player Serena Williams follows a strict routine of wearing her shower sandals to the court, trying her shoes in a particular way and bouncing the ball five times before her first serve and twice before her second.

Though hard work and ability are huge factors in succeeding in sports, out-of-the-box superstitions and rituals are very much commonplace with athletes. Whitman athletes are no exception.

It is important to note that while most people use the terms superstitions and rituals interchangeably, there are also subtle differences.

“Rituals to me are simple actions that you perform in order to reinforce motor learning, such as bouncing the tennis ball or basketball a certain number of times before the act of serving or shooting a free-throw,” said senior men’s tennis player Andy Riggs. “Superstitions don’t matter very much for me, but they’ve worked at some point, and therefore are easy enough to replicate before a contest.”

While superstition orig-

inates as a belief about the significance of an idea or thing without valid knowledge or reasoning, rituals are more about controlled action. However, both provide a sense of familiarity and consistency for athletes.

Riggs’ ritual is to always bounce the tennis ball nine times before a serve.

“The ball bounce was a deliberate attempt to slow down my service motion, which would speed up when I got nervous,” he said.

After winning six matches in a row in a tournament in which he forgot to bring his razor, not shaving became a huge superstition for Riggs.

“I always shave my face the night before a tournament, and then I don’t shave until I lose,” said Riggs.

For senior volleyball play-

er Maddy Bell, watching Nike’s inspirational videos has become an important part of her pre-game routine.

“They are basically emblematic of beast mode for me,” said Bell.

One Nike video, “Rise and Shine,” especially connected with Bell.

“That is the video I always start with, and then I go from there,” she said. “It made me work really, really hard. It was beautiful and inspired me.”

These superstitions and rituals are exactly what some athletes need for that extra mental boost of confidence and power, potentially making or breaking one’s performance.

Senior women’s basketball player Meghan White, whose shoe tying before every game is ingrained in her routine, be-

lieves that it switches her mindset into game mode.

“It affects my performance in a positive way and gets me focused,” said White.

Nike’s inspirational videos have the same encouraging impact for Bell.

“They get me pumped for the match and in the right competitive frame of mind,” said Bell.

Riggs, Bell and White all agree that superstitions and rituals are very apparent amongst their teammates in some shape or form.

White observes that most of her teammates are very superstitious and ritualistic because of their obsessive tendencies.

“They are very particular with their routines and beliefs, whether it is eating an apple during the game or wearing a specific pair of socks,” said White of her teammates.

Riggs believes that tennis players as a whole are more ritualistic than superstitious, while Bell thinks that for her teammates, superstitions and rituals are more of a personal thing that everyone does. Different athletes treat superstitions and rituals differently, but they all utilize them to gain an edge.

Though athletes are most successful when they are in control, the sports they play are filled with uncertainty and thus, lack of control. For some athletes, superstitions and rituals are everything.

“It is one aspect you can control. With every game or match, you don’t know what is going to happen,” said White. “It is one piece you can hold onto.”

SCOREBOARD Soccer

Men’s v. Pacific Lutheran Oct. 19: W 1–0 v. Puget Sound Oct. 20: L 2–0 Women’s v. Pacific Lutheran Oct. 19: L 3-0 v. Puget Sound Oct. 20: L 1-0

Volleyball

v. Lewis & Clark Oct. 18: W 3–0 v. Willamete University Oct. 19: L 3–1

Cross country

Men’s Lewis & Clark Invitational Oct. 19: 4th Place Women’s Lewis & Clark Invitational Oct. 19: 8th Place

Golf

Women’s Fall Classic Preview Oct. 20: 1st Place

upcoming soccer

Men’s v. George Fox University Oct. 26: AWAY v. Pacific University Oct. 27: AWAY Women’s v. Linfield College Oct. 26: AWAY v. Pacific University Oct. 27: AWAY

Volleyball

v. Pacific University Oct. 25, 7:00 p.m.: HOME v. George Fox Oct. 26, 6:00 p.m.: HOME

Golf

Men’s NWC Fall Classic Oct. 26-27: AWAY Women’s NWC Fall Classic Oct. 26-27: AWAY

SPORTS

oct

PAGE

7 Varsity teams give back to community

23 2013

from COMMUNITY, page 1

have to teach as much because the younger kids will look at what the older kids are doing and emulate it.

You feel like you’re making an impact when you start to see kids already knowing and living out the emphasis on leadership,” he said.

Just down the hall in the auxiliary gym, another basketball practice was going on. This one featured members of the Whitman women’s basketball team coaching a camp similar to the one in the main gym. This time, though, the participants were local girls. The camp is one of many put on by the women’s basketball team, and it has been going on for the past five years under Head Women’s Basketball Coach Michelle Ferenz.

Ferenz loves the camps because they have a lasting value both to her team and to the community.

“It’s really about building relationships and promoting the game,”

she said. “But it’s not a one-way street. It’s valuable for our players ... to have the opportunity to teach the game and be role models.”

While the number of participants in the clinics put on by the women’s team is considerably less than the men’s (on Oct. 20 there were only five girls and over 40 boys), this small size helps the coaches and players at the girls’ camp focus on the main point of the camp: individual skills.

“They’re meant for skill development,” said Ferenz. However, in the end, there is much more to these camps than just skills.

“Honestly, it’s giving back to the community,” said Ferenz. She repeated multiple times the team’s emphasis on being a resource for the community.

This emphasis is something that is not just seen on Whitman’s basketball courts, but on the soccer fields, the tennis courts and

the baseball diamond as well. In fact, most of the sports at Whitman have some sort of way that they give back, something that has become more of a trend in recent years. Airy, who played basketball for Whitman from 2000 to 2004, noticed that the community

“I think Whitman athletics in general have never had a better relationship with the community.”

Matt Airy

Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach

outreach was nothing like it is now.

“I think Whitman athletics in general have never had a better relationship with the community,” said Airy. Ferenz sees this as part of a larger trend involving the entire school.

“I think we’re modeling what the college has always tried to promote,” she said, “I think the community sees Whitman as a resource. They love having Whitman students involved in things, and we’re just trying to follow suit.”

Another part of the emphasis on reaching out to the community is a series of tennis lessons taught

by Chelsea Patton, an assistant coach of the women’s tennis team.

She is currently in charge of a revamped youth tennis lesson schedule that serves as the primary tennis program for Walla Walla youths.

“There aren’t a whole lot of resources [in the area] for kids’ tennis,” she said. This past week was the opening of the lessons, and the turnout has been modest so far, with between six and eight kids showing up each time. The turnout should improve with time. Next week Patton and Head Women’s Tennis Coach John Hein plan to visit local

elementary schools to play tennis with second graders, just another part of Whitman’s school-wide initiative to give back to the community.

All three of these camps rely on strong community support to be able to put them on at little to no cost for the kids. This year is the second straight year that the basketball clinic has been free of charge, due to a grant given by the George T. Welch Testamentary Trust. In addition to this, both the women’s basketball team and tennis team have built strong relationships within the community that allow them to reach out to the local youth who may be interested in camps or lessons.

The next time an unsuspecting visitor walks into Sherwood and assumes that varsity basketball practice is taking place, that visitor could instead be hearing the sounds of a community bonding with its school, or possibly even the next Missionary basketball star learning the tools of the trade.

Is Redskins moniker as good as changed?

by Dylan Snyder Staff Reporter

T A local youth enjoys a tennis clinic put on by Whitman (above), while Alysse Ketner ‘17 helps with the shooting form of a girls basketball camper (right). Photos by Barton

DIII recruitment boasts unique perks by cole anderson Staff Reporter

T

he differences between Division I and Division III athletics are a hot topic, especially in recent years, and when it comes to recruiting, DIII schools are competing more than usual with DI programs.

For the varsity coaches at Whitman, the recruiting constraints that come with competing at the Division III level pose somewhat as a disadvantage in picking up great players. That being said, the Division III athletic experience, to some athletes, is preferable, and can even give Whitman coaches an advantage in recruiting. These coaches have had great recruiting success, as evidenced by this year’s strong recruiting class, with many first-years already showing promise early on. The work they do in the offseason and the attractiveness of a Whitman education is what truly draws high caliber athletes to Whitman athletics.

It is no surprise that a Division III athletic career is less desirable than that of a Division I, but that is simply in regard to athletics. Yes, in general DI is more competitive, but for athletes who also want to be successful students, Division III is favorable. One of the biggest advantages of a DIII athletic career is that an athlete can also experience a fruitful academic career.

“You have some independence as an athlete at a DIII level. My expectations of a player coming in as a student athlete are a lot different than an athlete that is also a student [at a DI program]. I think it’s a more well-rounded experience,” said Mike Washington, head coach of the men’s soccer team.

Eric Bridgeland, the men’s basketball head coach, expressed similar sentiments.

“The main difference [between DI and DIII] would be that most DI institutions don’t necessarily let you major in a ‘timeconsuming’ degree, like premed or engineering. In Division III, we are all about the student-athlete; this gets lost at the DI level,” said Bridgeland.

Jeff Northam, the men’s tennis head coach, spoke to how the disparity in the level of competition is not as great as one might think.

“There are many reasons to choose DIII over DI. In tennis the level of competition is still quite high. Currently in tennis, some of the top players in the U.S. are now going DIII. But honestly the main reason is the balance provided at DIII schools,” said Northam.

The academic freedom that

Bridgeland refers to is extremely important in an athlete’s decision to go DI or DIII. Even if an athlete is capable enough to compete at the Division I level, typically he or she will have to settle for a degree that suits their demanding practice schedule. Often times these degrees are rather basic and don’t allow for many options in the job market after graduation.

The lack of athletic money, and thus financial incentive to play for a certain team, is a problem coaches often face, as many of Whitman’s athletes could play at a DI level and fight for an athletic scholarship. But Whitman also offers generous academic grants, and in some cases, DIII is a better financial option in the long run.

“It’s a four-year program here; for most DI athletes, it’s a six-year program. That’s another big seller for me, is that sometimes a DIII career can be less money because the last two years of a DI, you’re actually paying full pay,” said Washington.

The reason a Division I program can turn into six years is because oftentimes athletes will be encouraged to redshirt one or two years. On top of that, it can be difficult to complete sufficient credits to graduate in four years as a DI athlete, causing those athletes to need one or two more years of college after their athletic career at that school has run its course.

There is also the fact that athletic DI scholarships are yearbased, and can be taken away if the player isn’t performing.

“If the player isn’t playing at a high enough level, they can be told to look elsewhere. This represents a flaw in the system rather than with any particular coach. The

“In tennis the level of competition is still quite high ... Some of the top players in the U.S. are now going DIII.” Jeff Northam

Head Men’s Tennis Coach

emphasis is on athletic success and prestige, rather than on development of student-athletes,” said Ben Eisenhardt, a senior forward on the men’s basketball team.

Eisenhardt transferred from a Division I school to Whitman early in his collegiate career. For Eisenhardt, the switch has been nothing but positive.

“I wouldn’t say that the reason why I made the switch had anything to do with which athletic classification Whitman was or wasn’t affiliated with, but rather I chose Whitman because it provided an opportunity to challenge myself academically, be closer to

my family and be part of a winning program that worked to develop its players as both people and as athletes,” said Eisenhardt.

Like Eisenhardt, DIII athletes are rarely just concerned with their athletics.

“We look for prospects that aren’t defined by basketball. Obviously, and I think our current and past rosters speak to this, we target prospects who not only end up being, but want to be significant parts of our beautiful college,” said Bridgeland.

To Northam, how a player sees himself within the current team and at Whitman is a big factor in his recruiting.

“Fit is very important. With the men’s tennis team we have a very supportive and family-like atmosphere. I and the rest of the team want recruits that will we enjoy being around for the next four years. Then obviously their academic profile is huge. And then tennis ability is the last part of the puzzle,” said Northam.

Fit within the team, as well as the school, is so important because a DIII coach can’t build a team with the same objectives a DI program might have.

“One of the things that I think is difficult about DIII is finding specific things in a player. ‘I want a 6’4” center back’ just isn’t something we can do because we don’t have money to offer. We try to look for the best athlete we can. If they can play multiple po-

sitions, that’s big, and if they are a good fit with the school and our program,” said Washington.

Washington’s statement really exemplifies what characterizes Whitman students in general. Students and student-athletes at Whitman are flexible and versatile, which is important in many sports, as an athlete is sometimes more valuable if he or she can play multiple positions well.

Ultimately the most important difference between DI and DIII recruiting and recruits is the level to which they intend to continue to compete. In many cases, especially football, for example, DI is the only viable avenue to the NFL. However, if an athlete is looking for four more years of highly competitive play supplemented by an excellent education and college experience in general, DIII seems to be the growing trend.

“At Whitman, and I assume at other Division III institutions, student-athletes have opportunities to pursue a variety of other interests, not just athletic ones,” said Eisenhardt.

Northam, a Whitman graduate, looks to his own experience in describing Whitman to prospective student-athletes.

“Many student-athletes are looking for a balance between academics, athletics and the college experience, all things that Whitman does very well,” said Northam.

he key to keeping things as they are is to avoid negative attention whenever possible. This is especially true in the world of sports, where owners and executives have to listen to millions of people who are entitled to have their opinions on the state of a team or organization.

In the same way that the customer is always right in retail, the fan is always right in sports, unless, apparently, the man making the decisions disagrees. I am not here to discuss the racial implications of the term Redskins as a team moniker, but only to question whether the recent media attention regarding the name means that Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, will have no choice but to change the name of his team.

At the end of the day no one has the power to make Snyder change the name of his team. However, if the organization’s public reputation declines enough that the fans decide that they will stop supporting the Redskins financially, Snyder will have no choice. The real problem is that Snyder has no incentive to change the name and he seems to feel that the term isn’t offensive, or he just doesn’t care. At the end of the day, Snyder paid $800 million for the right to do what he wants with the team, and he paid for a team with a lot of tradition behind its name. If he wants to keep the name, he has the right to do so.

Recently the Daily News ran a cartoonist’s impression of the Redskins logo juxtaposed with a swastika and Confederate flag. Those symbols both represent a lot of hatred and have terrible histories behind them, but the fact that there has been no public outcry over the comparison is very telling. If someone placed the Patriots logo in such a position it would have been seen as an affront to America, Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick all rolled into one.

Last week on Sunday Night Football, NBC anchor Bob Costas used the halftime platform to discuss his take on the Washington team’s nickname. Costas attempted to take a middle-ofthe-road approach, acknowledging that the desire for political (over)correctness can be problematic with names like Chiefs, Braves or Warriors, which show respect. He also discussed how actual tribe names like Seminoles, Blackhawks and Chippewas come under criticism, but, as they have ensured that these tribes have worked to maintain a positive and healthy image of the tribes, they shouldn’t be faulted or forced to change their names. This seems to indicate that the problem with the Redskins moniker is not that it refers to Native Americans, but that it does so in a derogatory manner.

If the media and fans are paying this much attention to the name of a team, when does it start to detract from the product on the field? It will be interesting to see if the team can turn its season around. They are currently 2-4 and third in their division.

They say that winning is the best Band-Aid in sports, and I expect this to be no exception. No one seemed to mind too much last season when the Redskins made a playoff run. It has only become an issue now that they are losing.

A&E 8 Catching up with Rimmy Doowa

OCT

PAGE

by ADAM HEYMANN Staff Reporter

A

lumna Rimmy Doowa ‘12 is living the dream. Since graduating from Whitman in 2012, life has become one wild ride as Doowa turns her sights to a career as a full-time musician.

As her professional persona Rimi Nique, Doowa has been kept busy with rehearsals, interviews, photo shoots and performances — big performances. She’s sung in venues that range from Hard Rock Café, Pattaya and even to the Overlove Music Festival in Thailand where 2,000 fans watched her perform.

Recently The Pioneer caught up with Doowa to find out what life’s been like since leaving Whitman and how her stay here has impacted her flourishing career.

According to Doowa, music has always been one of her biggest passions. As a child, she sang with her grandma at temple and was pushed by her parents to perform for their family friends. Wherever she went, people took note of her vocal chords, described as an emotional mix between Rihanna and Alicia Keys.

Originally from Thailand, Doowa studied as an international student at Whitman and was active in numerous parts of campus life. An environmental studieseconomics major and music minor, Doowa chose Whitman because she believed the school stressed the notion of being a Renaissance person. This appealed to Doowa especially as she had been involved with the prestigious Jeremiah Singers choir group at her Thailand high school and knew she wasn’t ready to give up singing just yet.

“Some people say when they grow older, go to college, they stop all this choir stuff they did in high school unless they were serious. But I kept doing it because, why not?” said Doowa in an email.

Although Doowa didn’t major in music, she wasn’t deterred from following a musical path. Doowa was one of the founding members of student band, Dabbles in Bloom, touring with other band members Adriel Borshansky, Jonas Myers and Robby Seager across the northwest in summer 2011.

23 2013 PIO PICKS Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights events happening on campus or in Walla Walla.

Here are this week’s picks: Taste of Asia In conjunction with the Language Learning Center’s Around the World Week, the Asian Studies House will feature different dishes from countries all over Asia! Come have a bite while you quench your thirst for knowledge. Sponsored by ASWC. Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Asian Studies House

Cookie Contest Think you’re the best one to judge the best cookie ‘round these parts? Test your cookie tasting skills at the annual Cookie Contest. Leave no baked good untried. Sponsored by ASWC. Friday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m. in Reid Coffeehouse

Rimmy Doowa ‘12 has found musical success post-college; currently she is making a name for herself on Thailand’s version of ‘The Voice.’ Photos by Doowa

Although the band enjoyed a supportive fan base at Whitman, Doowa noted that all good things came to an end. When she graduated, Dabbles in Bloom disbanded.

Doowa returned to Thailand to initiate her professional musical career, and through a musical con-

tact named Paul Ewing, Doowa met Journeyman producer Henrik Algren. According to Doowa, Algren’s support has made her a one-of-a-kind act as a Thai-Indian performer. Her performance name Rimi Nique came from a play on words with her first name

Rimmy and the word “Unique.”

Along with live gigs, Doowa also participates in “The Voice: Thailand.”

“I was always skeptical about these singing shows,” said Doowa.

“But for some reason I thought I should try this out because I agree with their audition process — the most unbiased and fair audition one could ever think of.”

Doowa went on the show to have fun and enjoy the experience, and she did that knowing that participation was reserved only for elite singers. “The Voice” continues to air in Thailand and is currently in the battle rounds.

While Doowa has been making progress in her career, she is still facing obstacles inherent in the music industry. Her dad has been her makeshift manager, as she does not want to commit to a contract until she finds the right fit. Regardless, Doowa is on her way up and plans on a career in the music industry whether it be as a musician or a manager.

You can listen to her music and follow her journey at riminique.com.

The Music Department Sampler Concert Feeling a need for some classical music? Want to see all of Whitman’s music ensembles but only go to one concert? Then come listen to the Whitman College Music Department’s Wind Ensemble, Choir, Chamber Singers and Orchestra perform selected pieces at the department’s annual Sampler Concert.

Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. at Cordiner Hall

Tartuffe by Molière Theater more your thing? Watch the Harper Joy Theatre’s adaptation of Molière’s “Tartuffe,” one of the playwright’s most famous comedies. Perfect entertainment for the entire family.

Friday, Oct. 25 at 8:30 p.m. at Harper Joy Theatre

Scary Story Night Join the Writing House for a night of terrifying literature.

Bring a story to share (and scare) or just listen to a few of our favorites. You know there will be baked goods.

Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 8:30 p.m. at the Writing House

Tia Nina Dance Theater Movement-based rock band Tia Nina gives a dance theater performance followed by a reception.

Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Power House Theatre

History comes alive at Fort Walla Walla

by ALEIDA FERNANDEZ A&E Editor

“L

et’s start with ‘Bringing in the Sheeps,’” said Reverend James H. Wilbur, and in a booming voice, he led the crowd in the hymn.

Walla Walla Museum was transported back to 1857. On a sunny afternoon, and amidst a fall background, Reverend Wilbur engaged the crowd in a discussion of his specific journey in Walla Walla.

An early Methodist preacher and circuit rider, Wilbur, along with an assigned pastor, founded the first church east of the Rocky Mountains in Walla Walla. At six feet and four inches, Wilbur was a strapping man who helped create good relations with the Yakima Tribe and with the community at large. At 35, Wilbur was already past life expectancy when he arrived in Walla Walla and quickly became affectionately called “Father.”

The man behind the time travel is Chuck Hindman. Even though Hindman is nearly as tall

Community members and former Methodist pastor Chuck Hindman (above) narrate the story of Rev. James H. Wilbur to a crowd at Fort Walla Walla. Photos by Li

as Wilbur, he is a soft-spoken and humble man, so it is a surprise to hear him belt out “Bringing in the Sheeps” and “Amazing Grace” during his presentation. Hindman, like his alter ego, is a retired Methodist pastor and volunteered at the fort because he had some extra time on his hands.

“I just wanted a chance to support the museum and bring some history to life,” said Hindman.

The leader of the Living History Series, Dan Clark, had been looking for a Reverend Wilbur for quite some time, so when Hindman volunteered, it was like a match made in heaven. This Sunday was

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the first time Hindman had presented for the Living History Series, but it wasn’t the first time he had played Wilbur. Last year, Hindman presented Wilbur to his church at a potluck at the fort. “[The Living History Series] seemed like an interesting thing to do,” said Hindman.

To prepare himself for the series, Hindman did extra research on Wilbur including reading the biography “There Were Giants: The Life of James H. Wilbur” by Maurice Helland. In his research, Hindman found some parallels between his life and Wilbur’s.

Hindman twice served as a pastor at Pioneer Methodist Church, the church Wilbur helped found.

Like Wilbur, Hindman was also a founding member of a Methodist church: Sunrise United Methodist Church in Federal Way, Wash. While there seemed to be many similarities between the two men, Hindman doesn’t think so.

“He was much more conservative than I am on issues like drinking, dancing and acceptance of religious and cultural difference,” said Hindman. “He needs to be judged based on his time, not ours.”

Fort Walla Walla’s Living History Series began in 1998 when Clark’s wife Barbara was appointed the city’s representative on the museum’s board. Finding the fort charming yet under-utilized, Barbara and Clark concluded the way to increase patronage was to create a unique living history company.

The Clarks appealed to Museum

Director James Payne who agreed, and beginning in June 1998, the Clarks called around Walla Walla to see if they could find any volunteers. By the end of the month, they had around a dozen.

“I talked to a lot of people to find [the characters],” said Clark.

The first series was planned for Sept. 13, 1998, the first day of the museum’s Fall Festival. The initial concept for the series was to have each building in the village represented by a character from Walla Walla’s past. Each character was to interact with visitors and be knowledgeable about their own history. The characters made appearances around town to promote the new attraction in the week leading up to Fall Festival.

When the first day of the series rolled around, the museum was filled with visitors. Alive with music and old-time dancing, patrons stayed later than usual, to the delight of the museum staff. By the end of the day, the Clarks knew they had a success on their hands.

“Walla Walla is a place where good things happen,” said Hindman, at the beginning of his presentation.

Fifteen years and multiple Living History Series companies later, Fort Walla Walla can certainly agree.

Fort Walla Walla’s Living History Series ends this next week, Oct. 27, with the Final Day Celebration featuring the entire company. The Series will start at 2 p.m.

Next season’s Living History Series will pick up in April 2014.

A&E

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9 Hidden treasures find home at Whitman 23 2013

The Whitman Archives are full of hidden treasures. Among the more notable artifacts are items from Napoleon Bonaparte and money from the Confederacy. Photos by Bowersox

by EMMA DAHL Staff Reporter

W

hitman College, like any other academic institution, has a vast collection of knowledge. It comes in the forms of books, professors’ insights and online databases. But what students might not realize is that academic knowledge and historical understanding can also come in the form of physical objects.

When one thinks of historical artifacts at Whitman, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the Maxey Museum. Opened in 1899 by Professor of Biology Howard S. Brode, the museum holds a total of 3,500 artifacts, most of them related to Walla Walla and the history of the American West. Brynne Haug ‘12, a former history major, is the current interim exhibitions and collections manager. Haug explained the contents of the museum.

“It’s about one-third Native American, one-third Oregon Trail and one-third mostly alumni and community donations that relate to people’s travels abroad,” said Haug of the collections. “What ends up in a museum

is sometimes strange and random because it has to do with what people thought were important at the time.”

In the climate-controlled examination room, there are shelves upon shelves of various artifacts. Among them are Confederacy monetary bills with Jefferson Davis on them, a Nazi flag that had been extracted from a battlefield and some ivory-handled cataract surgical instruments that belonged to the mayor of Walla Walla in the late 1800s. The museum also hosts a large collection of 19th-century Native American basketry from tribes such as the Nez Perce, Umatilla and Klamath. The baskets were collected

by Myron Eells, the son of Whitman College’s founder, Cushing Eells.

It’s no surprise that Whitman’s geology department also hosts a large collection of specimens collected from nearby the Walla Walla area. In an email interview, department head Pat Spencer explained one particular collection of mammal fossils from north of Richland.

“Last year a collection of mammal fossils from the Pliocene Epoch was donated ... by William Shawver Jr. The fossils were collected by his father ... from the White Bluffs along

the Columbia River north of Richland, Wash.,” said Spencer. “The collection includes wild pigs, camels, hyenas, bears, giant ground sloth and many others, and represents a look at life in our area in the Pliocene.”

Another holder of interesting artifacts is the Whitman College and Northwest Archives, located in the basement of Penrose Library. Archives assistant Bill Huntington explained that the archives are divided into three parts.

“Of course it’s the history of the college, we keep all the records of the college all the way back to the beginning,” said Huntington. “[We also keep records of] the local area of Walla Walla and the Northwest ... And the third thing is the rare book collection.”

Some of the archives’ most significant artifacts include a saddle that allegedly belonged to Marcus Whitman, a lock of Narcissa Whitman’s hair and a copy of one of the first printed books, the Nuremburg Chronicles, from 1493.

One of the most talked about aspects of the archives’ collection is the Stuart Napoleon Room. The room itself is wood-paneled and well-furnished, with its own climate control. Donated by Whitman alumna Evelyn Stuart ‘28, the collection contains a variety of items associated with Napoleon Bonaparte, and features a desk that was used by the conqueror’s personal physician after he had been exiled to the island of St. Helena.

Haug explained that the reason she loved the historical artifacts at the Maxey Museum was because they provided more insight than a written paragraph ever could.

“They’re like three-dimensional primary sources,” she said.

“In history you do a lot of looking at written sources, but the physical ones can tell you just as much and sometimes more about what peoples’ lives were actually like.”

Sam Alden finds success in comic world

by JAMES KENNEDY Staff Reporter

A

lumnus Sam Alden ‘12, who once drew comics for The Pioneer, is now featured as one of the “Best American Comics 2013.” With several physical books in the works and a consistently updated digital collection at gingerlandcomics.com, Alden has found success in a field many say is dying off.

How did Alden first take an interest in comics? Like most of us, it began with “Calvin and Hobbes.”

“I did grow up with ‘Calvin and Hobbes,’” said Alden. “It was always in the house ... [It was] kind of how I learned to read.”

Alden also turned to comics his parents had lying around, such as “Crazy Cat” and “Peanuts.”

“I grew up on the newspaper stuff,” said Alden. “I can’t remember how long ago I got into comics ... It’s pretty much been my whole life.”

With years of doodling skills and a strong affection for the art form, Alden transitioned into drawing comics himself, and is currently preparing to release multiple books.

One, entitled “And It Never Happened Again,” is composed of one previously published story and one unrelated story that is in the process of being drawn.

The first story, “Hawaii 1997,” was mostly drawn on a threehour plane trip back from Italy.

“I just started these tiny little doodles, and it ended up being like a 100-page comic,” said Alden.

The second book Alden is working on, entitled “Haunter,” is a “color adventure comic” set for release in spring of this year. The work was previously featured in “Best American Comics 2013,” but will be receiving its own publication.

Both books have received nominations for “Igntaz Awards,” awarded for outstanding achievements in comics and cartooning.

While drawing comics, Alden prefers to stick to tradition.

“I draw everything by hand, pretty much,” said Alden. “I only

get into Photoshop when I’m doing very specific color stuff.”

Howe ve r, when it comes to distribution, Alden has embraced more modern avenues.

“I think at this point pretty much every comic that I’ve ever drawn is on the internet for free,” said Alden.

He does sell print versions, but is less concerned about the profit.

“I’m more concerned with nobody reading my comics than not having enough money, so I might as well put myself out there as much as possible,” he said.

As a recent graduate, one of the few points of Alden’s education that facilitated his career was the selection of writing classes offered at Whitman.

“I took some classes from [Associate Professor of English] Scott Elliot that were helpful in getting me in a more literary frame of mind,” said Alden.

For the most part, however, Alden’s college education and nascent career in comics existed as entirely detached entities.

“In general, college was sort of a separate endeavor from my comics,” said Alden. “It’s definitely not where I got my chops.”

For all the like-minded doodlers and comic fans on campus, Alden shared a few tips on breaking into the industry and sharing your art with the world.

“I think the best advice I could have given myself or other artists of college age is just to put yourself on the Internet and smear it around as much as possible and do as much of it as you can,” said Alden. “Prioritize it over as many things as you can prioritize it over without really hurting your grades ... Or if you have to hurt your grades, do it!”

While there are certain roadblocks to doing art that often hold people back, Alden advises aspiring artists to just push on through.

“The hardest thing in the world is making yourself do something you don’t want to,’ said Alden. “And you don’t always want to do art, but that’s exactly when you need to do it.”

Find pride in guilty pleasures

by Nathan fisher Staff Reporter

A

dmit it: You have at least one secret show you watch when no one is looking. The show you just can’t live without seeing, no matter how stupid, corny or predictable it may be. We all have our little guilty pleasures, but why be ashamed of them? Why not admit and embrace the ugly and horrible tastes that we truly have? This week I’ve been talking to some friends about their guilty shows trying to discover why we watch bad TV. My first suspect I talked to about her addictions is also the sweetest person I know.

Her shows included a seem ingly endless list of reality TV shows.

Now, granted I am not a huge fan of reality shows, but my friend excitedly rattled off her love of shows including “Awkward,” “The Hills,” “16 and Pregnant” and “Extreme Couponing,” just to name a few. I could sense that she feels bad about enjoying these shows, but can’t help her guilty pleasure.

“I know horrible, but I just think those are so funny!” she said.

I would never criticize my friend’s taste because my taste in guilty pleasure shows is far from intellectual. My “quality” shows are “Mad Men”, “Breaking Bad” and “Homeland,” among others. But come Sunday night, you can’t keep me from watching “Revenge” and “Walking Dead.” Weeknights for 11 seasons, I still laugh at every sex, fart and self-deprecating joke on “Two and a Half Men.” Heck, I’m one of the tens of millions of Americans tuning in to watch the most watched show, “NCIS,” also on its 11th season. Yes, my friends all comment on how their parents and grandparents religiously watch “NCIS” too. For the past 10 years, my staple for Thursday night has been “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Even when the show is bad, I love it!

I even kept up with the spin-off, “Private Practice” (which was AW-

*

FUL) until the inevitable cancelation. And of course I still watch “True Blood” with all of the ridiculous vampire gore, sex and violence. What really takes the cake for my favorite guilty pleasure shows is “Sex in the City.” I blew through the series before coming to college, and I learned so many life lessons from my girls Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte.

Yes, I’ve even had a cosmo or two!

In the past I would be embarrassed about watching “girly” shows, and I would pawn them off as shows my sister made me watch.

But I’ve begun to think, “Why be emba r ra ssed by a guilty plea su r e? ” Clearly I like shows that seemingly have no redeemable value. But all of my shows are near and dear to my heart!

W he n we finally met the mother in “How I Met Your Mother,” my friend and I were freaking out and ecstatic! When Castle and Beckett finally get together in “Castle,” a huge tension was released inside me. One of my fellow film and media studies majors and I had a discussion about how and why people are drawn to these “bad” TV shows. My friend came up with a good explanation.

“As you’re watching it, you know there are a million other things you probably should be doing, but somehow watching the absurd lives of people that is on such a different level than [ours] (and also CLEARLY staged) can be pretty hilarious,” he said.

So don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed about your guilty pleasures. Heck, admitting them to your friends might bring you closer through “Walking Dead” marathons, “Revenge” screenings or cosmos and “Sex in the City” gettogethers! If those reality shows help my friend relax after a long week or the characters have a special place in her heart, then good for her! There has to be a reason for finding pleasure in your guilty pleasure... Just embrace your eclectic, weird and bad tastes and enjoy.

What’s your guilty pleasure?

Discuss yours online on the comments section of the article at whitmanpioneer.com/category/arts ADVERTISEMENT

WINE MAP

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23 2013

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Pioneer guide to

Walla Walla

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1

L’Ecole 41 Lowden School Rd. Lowden, WA (509) 525-0940 Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

This weekend Whitman parents enjoy complimentary wine tasting — with this ad.

2

Three Rivers Winery 5641 Old Hwy 12 (509) 526-9463 Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Special: $150/case on our 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon — rated Year’s Best, Best Buy and 91 points from Wine & Spirits Magazine

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Amavi Cellars 3796 Peppers Bridge Rd. (509) 525-3541 Open daily 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

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Charles Smith Wines 35 S Spokane Street (509) 526-5230 Open daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

2-for-1 Tasting Oct. 24–27 — Just mention that your are a “Whittie Parent”

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Cadaretta

315 E Main Street (509) 525-1352 Thursday–Saturday 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Tasting fee waived for any Whitman parents

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College Cellars

3020 E Isaacs Ave (509) 524-5173 Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.

No tasting fee, 20% off cases including mix-and-match

4

Spring Valley Vineyards 18 N 2nd Ave (509) 525-1506 Thursday, Saturday and Monday 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

No tasting fee for Whitman parents. 10% discount on two bottles.

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Buty Winery 535 East Cessna Avenue (509) 527-0901 Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

This weekend Whitman parents enjoy complimentary wine tasting. Please present this ad. Buty is 100% Whitman alumna owned.

OPINION

OCT

23 2013

PAGE

11

Do not remain silent on divestment

Police cameras offer answers

by SIERRA DICKEY ‘15 AND COLLIN SMITH ‘15 Guest Columnists

ANDY MONSERUD

Divest Whitman Members

“T

he outcome of the stigmatization process, which the fossil fuel divestment campaign has triggered, poses the most far-reaching threat to fossil fuel companies and the vast energy value chain.” Those are the words of a new report, released on Oct. 8 by Oxford University. The report adds to the growing body of research on the fossil fuel divestment movement, a movement which hit Whitman earlier this year in January.

Last spring saw an explosion of student discussion and activism on campus. ASWC held its first ever hearing to explore the issue of divestment; over 200 members of the Whitman community marched in support of the movement; and in April, ASWC deliberated and passed a resolution. This resolution asked for the appointment of a research committee of trustees, staff, faculty and students “for the purpose of exploring the effects of fossil fuel divestment on the expected annual return on Whitman’s endowment.” Our student government spoke with the students body’s voice. And then...we waited.

We waited through the Board of Trustees meeting held in May, as carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere hit 400 ppm. We waited through the summer as citizens of the Northwest blockaded the Columbia River in Portland to protest the transport of fossil fuel on that water body. Today is Oct. 23, and we have yet to receive anything in the way of formal response to or consideration of our proposal from the administration. It is worrisome that ASWC has not pushed for such a response. We believe that creates a dangerous precedent where student body concerns (even ones taken up and made into formal resolutions) can fall upon deaf ears.

Please remember what the student body asked for: a joining of the various stakeholders in this issue to pursue evidence-based answers to the question of fossil fuel divestment. A request for research is in no way a radical request, and yet the administration remains deafeningly silent. We are simply ask-

First-year

T

hose readers I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting in person should know that I proudly represent St. Paul, Minn.

To those who don’t care, I hope you’ll forgive me for discussing a topic that’s quite literally close to home for me. A debate in the city council of St. Paul’s twin city, Minneapolis, caught my attention this week. Three city council members made a proposal to equip police officers with body cameras. The proposed measure is still in its infancy, but it’s not a bad idea.

The police force in Minneapolis, of course, is wary of the idea, but it may benefit them more than they let on. Cameras would have a positive influence on police work for the police as well as the people they apprehend.

On the whole, I like police officers. They get a bad rap, but those that I have met have largely been pleasant, friendly people with a genuine interest in helping their communities. They are usually not interested in harassing citizens for the fun of it. In fact, none of them appear to look at their work as fun, but as a job and a necessary service to the community they belong to. Most officers understand and respect what they can and cannot do in the course of that service. But, just as nobody ever seems to suspect that their neighbor could do some horrific, criminal thing, we can’t always assume immaculate behavior from police officers. They are human, and like all of us they make mistakes and sometimes they simply behave badly. Cameras would help prevent and prosecute incidents of police brutality, excessive force and other violations of the law by police officers, and it would help innocent officers keep their names out of the mud.

This would save the city millions of dollars in settlements, more than paying for

the cameras’ bill. As of Aug. 17th, the Minneapolis Police Department faces 61 excessive force lawsuits, 53 of which were filed in the last three years. One officer is responsible for 13 excessive force complaints since he was hired in 2000. The city and other agencies settled nine of these for a total cost of over $700,000.

The city of Minneapolis evidently believes this officer is worth keeping around.

Video cameras would certainly help clear up the cases, one way or the other.

Not only would cameras protect police officers’ reputations, they could help protect their lives — or at least ensure the capture of those who perpetuate violence against police officers. Five Minneapolis police officers were killed between 2009 and the end of 2012, one of which sparked the city’s longest investigation in a case of this kind since 1970. This represents a substantial spike from the period of relative stability in the ranks between 1998 and 2008. The Minneapolis police force appears hesitant to adopt a more stringent policy regarding cameras, but ultimately the cameras would do more to protect officers than to harm them, especially if they do their jobs the way regulations prescribe.

Police already use body

cameras in many major cities. The New York Police Department will deploy them in certain high-stop neighborhoods, and the city of Oakland, Calif. uses 500 such cameras, one for most of about 600 officers. New Orleans talks to implement body-camera surveillance soon, too. In Seattle, the home of many Whitman students, the last mention of such cameras came in 2011. It’s high time to resurrect that idea. From a technical and economical standpoint, cameras become more viable every year. The arguments against them are fast disappearing.

In Walla Walla, we may have to wait while for a proposal of this kind to gain any steam. Cameras are expensive, and they require a fair amount of systems overhaul and political juggling. In a small town like this where it’s much easier to keep a police force in check without them, I can understand that the investment might be a little much. But police officers may want them for their own protection. The camera trend is an exciting one, and I hope it will eventually spread nationwide, for the benefit of law-abiding citizens, unfairly treated criminals and police officers alike.

ing that the college recognize Whitman students as legitimate stakeholders in decisions which affect us and include us in transparently deciding if divestment, either total or partial, is an avenue that is indeed actionable. We need action on climate justice now, and neither Whitman nor any other college can responsibly rely solely on research and campus greening to push forward such action.

Divest Whitman takes this opportunity to insist that our request has not been responded to in the way a request from the student body merits. The April resolution was presented to President Bridges and the Board of Trustees by ASWC. By virtue of this procedure, ASWC spoke to the administration, yet the administration has not spoken back. Small groups of students have heard from administration members (namely to hear them say that the committee won’t happen), but the concerns of the student body have not been seriously addressed in any formal way. The administration needs to start accepting forthright and public responsibility for its leg of this dialogue. We demand that the Board of Trustees either create the proposed divestment investigation committee or publish justification, by way of formal letter, post or op-ed in The Pioneer for the dismissal of the student body’s will. We want to hear back publicly, and before the Board of Trustees meeting in November. There is no private place for discussions on climate change and divestment — the former affects every inhabitant of this planet and the latter implicates every member of this community.

We don’t need Oxford’s endorsement to know that divestment is the most powerful way our institution can act on climate change, refuse political passivity and uphold its responsibility to the future of its students. The students represented by the ASWC resolution know and declare this openly. The administration is evading a conflict here, but in this demand and in all of our actions from now on, Divest Whitman intends to hold them accountable.

There is also no acceptable way to remain silent on an issue like this — passivity cannot be misconstrued as neutrality. The ball is in your court, Memorial.

Mease not Mooses by Asa Mease

Problems arise with Kanye West’s ego QUIN NELSON Sophomore

M

y seventh-grade self will always defend Kanye West. His Late Registration was the first album on my first iPod, and I have stuck with the guy ever since. While he still creates brilliant music, West’s role in the public conscience has gone from gifted artist to ridiculous diva, and the shame is that we don’t recognize the relationship between the two.

From saying that George W. Bush doesn’t care about black people to protesting Taylor Swift’s VMA win, West has gotten himself in numerous snafus due to his

strong sense of right and wrong and his lack of sense of when and when not to speak, traits that were famously parodied with “South Park’s” portrayal of West. This limitless audacity and honesty has led to West’s most embarrassing public moments, but has also led to his music career. Kanye has put himself out there and taken one chance after the next, remaking the sound of hip-hop as a producer, re-defining what a rapper can rap about and even singing for an entire album despite being a terrible singer. West embarrasses himself as a celebrity for the same reasons he is a great artist. One goes with the other.

West has been in the news recently because of his interview with BBC that touched on such subjects as leather jogging pants, and the subsequent feud with Jimmy Kim-

mel when Kimmel made fun of the interview. Kanye trusts us too much. He thinks that we try to understand what he is trying to say, when really we are nitpicking for his next sound bite that we can laugh at. Who cares if West makes an interesting point about racial inequality or artistic frustration when we can make fun of him for wanting to design water bottles?

That was what was most concerning about We s t ’s feud w it h

Voices from the Community

Kimmel. West opened up and then snapped at Kimmel when he taunted Kanye for his very honest interview. West is at his best when at his most vulnerable, as shown in his latest album, the raw and raging Yeezus. The more we poke fun at him, the closer he gets to closing us off. And a silent Kanye is the worst Kanye we could have.

At their core, Kanye’s statements are fairly normal. He is a guy who is upset with injustice and is frustrated when he is unable to carry out his ambitions.

These are things that people talk about all the time. The only dif-

ference is that Kanye does it with the world listening, while average people like me just whine to their roommates. He lives in the cold stratosphere of celebrity, but he hasn’t lost the ability to feel passionately about things, which is something to be appreciated.

That being said, Kanye does and says a lot of ridiculous stuff, and it’s all right to laugh at them.

While we laugh, we at least have to recognize why Kanye does the things he does, and that’s because he still cares and wants to offer his creativity to the world. Let’s hope he keeps doing so — my seventh-grade self can’t wait for his next album.

Where would you like your ASWC funds to be spent? Poll by TANNER BOWERSOX

BEN HERNRIED

MEREDITH RUFF

NICK PREVOT

GRADY OLSON

First-Year

Sophomore

Sophomore

Senior

“I would like to see ASWC funds allocated to both residence life, specifically section funds, and certain clubs that have become larger in the past couple of years, notably the climbing club.”

“I think that ASWC funds would most appropriately be put into more funding for the counseling center ... I know that the counselors are overworked and the students need more funding in that area.”

“I would like to see ASWC fees be spent more on club sports — for example, the alpine ski team.”

“I want ASWC funds to go towards more ducks on campus.”

For video responses visit: whitmanpioneer.com/category/opinion

23 BACKPAGE 12 Chamber of TKErets has been opened A OCT

PAGE

2013

Our anonymous source (above) prepares to fight the Brosalisk. Photo by Barton

n unnamed, former Pio sports and Backpage writer, poetry-writing Tau Kappa Epsilon senior agreed to speak to reporters in attempts to dissipate the cloud of mystery surrounding the much-rumored and mysticized Chamber of TKErets. Our unnamed, English and philosophy double major source confirmed the rumors we have all feared to be true.

“The Chamber of TKErets has indeed been opened,” he said.

He explains that upon the formation of the TKE fraternity here at Whitman College, the founding members decided that in order for the fraternal order to remain pure and “bomb-diggity,” drastic measures had to be taken. The founding members installed a secret chamber, or “basement,” underneath the house in which resides a heinous and hella-tight creature known as the Brosalisk.

What little information we have on the fearsome Brosalisk

was found in a book clutched in the hands of a first-year TKE passed out from pulling an all-nighter on the fourth floor of the library in order to finish his Encounters paper.

“Whitman: A History,” the book the first-year found, revealed that the Brosalisk is a “sick and gnarly creature” who possesses razorsharp fangs and black-light eyes.

Its cry of mad beats has the power to make anyone burst out into dance. The book states, “The purpose of the Brosalisk is to seek out nerds and keep them from entering the Chamber of TKErets.”

Blind in all settings unaccompanied by light shows, the Brosalisk tracks down these “nerds” using its keen sense of smell, and then incapacitates its victims in fits of dancing to the Brosalisk’s dubstep cry. Paralyzed by sweet dance moves, these “nerds” are incapable of entering into the sacred realm of the TKE basement and thereby the unquestionable

coolness of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternal Order is preserved for generations of TKEs to come.

Lyle Sealsly, a junior TKE, supports the presence of the Brosalisk on campus, stating that “All of those other frats — the BETAclaws, the SIGendors and the HufflePHIs — are all letting so many nerds into their parties. It’s an abomination; they are polluting their own bro-purity with these nerdbloods.”

“I am proud to be a SlytherTKE because we have standards,” said Sealsly.

The Chamber was reportedly opened earlier this month as the true heir of TKE returned to the basement. The identity of the heir is cloaked in secrecy. However, our anonymous source (Gisten Taven) knows who the heir is.

“I saw him last week. He walked into the Chamber, took the Brosalisk for a walk and then let him loose on campus. It was definitely Ryan Bro,” said Taven.

Campus Poetry Corner Vegan sexologist brings activism to bedroom

I

n order to appear less frightening to students, the following campus agencies would like to make a few announcements in the form of limericks:

From the Office of the Dean of Students About grief, we have tried to be nice But it seems that you need some advice: We’ll put you on probation For re-incarnation ‘Cus grandmothers should not die twice.

From the STD Prevention Initiative The Planned Parenthood Club has conveyed At their delight at the progress we’ve made Upon their inspection Not one new infection!

‘Cus none of us have gotten laid.

From the chemistry department I’m all for a little libation When discussing amino substration, But we’re getting off task So I now have to ask: Don’t be drunk at your chem recitation.

From the Maintenance Team From Science to Ankeny we jet Used water to keep the grass wet,

But the jets may come on While you mack on the lawn So please take it back into Jew-wett.

From Security From the tall maple tree to the oak-ling We know you are climbing and smoking We won’t come and get you In fact, we’ll just let you Have fun climbing down after toking.

From the dance department Whitman is well to the fore In its classes and teachers and more, But walk past Sigma Chi And we all want to cry, So dancing is now part of Core.

From the biology department Your loved ones, for doctors, have prayed, But your numbers have got us dismayed.

While French majors are lonely, We’re standing room only.

We swear we will break out the Raid.

From Bon Appétit Whether gluten/fat-free enchilada Or cactus leaves flown from Nevada, We’re just not in the mood To serve rich-people food, So from now on its burgers or nada.

O

n Tuesday, Oct. 22, Whitman hosted Shanae Williams, renowned sexologist and vegan. Williams is known for her revolutionary coverage of vegan options for foreplay and sexual intercourse. She has visited Barack and Michelle Obama at the White House, and has spoken at Harvard, Columbia, Yale and many other prominent vegan loci.

“I would eat whipped cream if the cows who made it didn’t live in filth and oppression. I would eat sushi if the fish weren’t wrenched out of their homes, destroying the ocean. I would eat chocolate if the people who picked the cacao beans were paid enough to thrive on, not just to live on,” said Williams.

While pop culture celebrates intimacy with whipped cream and chocolate, Williams presented alternatives for those who are hungry, turned on and conscientious.

“It’s all about what you can spread and lick. Quinoa is a bad choice because it rolls,” she said.

She urged students to try new things like thinly sliced fruits, kimchi and

radishes, but she also made a point to clarify that any food could work.

“When in doubt, blend it first,” said Williams. Williams prefers a Magic Bullet because it blends quickly, efficiently and makes a good amount, but told the audience that any blender would do.

Students left the talk inspired and ready to take action. They celebrated Williams positive attitude, humor and message.

“Some people felt like the talk with Nobel Peace Prize winner Rigoberta Menchú changed their lives; this talk changed my life,” said an enthusiastic sophomore.

“From this moment on, I have vowed to be vegan in every way, and not just the ways it is most convenient to me,” said a first-year.

Williams closed her talk with her message.

“When we are consuming, giving love and making love, there is no reason to have caused any harm,” she said.

“Unless you’re into that,” she added with a knowing wink.

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GLOBAL ENTREPENEURERSHIP WEEK NOVEMBER 18-24

Pain in the Glass Competition Winning Team Recieves $1,000!

Deadline: Noon on Friday, November 15 Submissions due to Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce

ARTrepreneurship

ART SHOW Winner recieves $100 and a tour of the Walla Walla Foundry!

Deadline: Noon on Friday, November 15 Submissions due to the SEC

For more information, drop by Reid 219 or visit the SEC website: www.whitman.edu/student-life/student-engagement-center/entrepreneurship & www.unleashingideas.org