Fall 2013 Issue 9 by Whitman College Wire

The

PIONEER

Issue 9 | November 7, 2013 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXI

“[I]t was decided to halt temporarily the debate team’s participation in Cleveland, intercollegiate debate competition effective immediately.” Chuck Dean of Students

Debate on hold The administration has suspended the debate team from competition due to Title IX concerns. Members have questioned their decision process. The Pioneer investigates. by Sarah Cornett and Hannah Bartman News Editor and Staff Reporter

he administration has suspended the Whitman debate team’s competition and traveling privileges for an indefinite period in a direct response to a Title IX investigation. The decision was announced to the team at a meeting with debate students and coaches on Oct. 22 by Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland and Provost and Dean of the Faculty Timothy Kaufman-Osborn, prohibiting them from participating in debate tournaments. In late August, a Title IX complaint was filed regarding gender discrimination on the debate team. When a Title IX complaint is filed, a college is legally obligated to begin an investigation immediately, so Whitman administrators conducted an investigation that ended in early October. The results of this investigation inspired the administration’s recent decision. “Specifically in response to recent complaints about the Whitman debate program that were substantiated in an investigation last month, it was decided to halt temporarily the debate team’s participation in intercollegiate competition effective immediately,” said Cleveland in an email. Due to privacy concerns, the college cannot release specific details regarding the Title IX complaint that spurred the investigation.

Whitman’s debate team has been the focus of a Title IX investigation in the past. An investigation was conducted in the spring of 2012 regarding an instance of sexual assault that occurred during the 2010 High School Debate Tournament hosted at Whitman. However, Cleveland confirmed that the travel suspension is unrelated to this past investigation. “Each case is looked at separately,” he said. Motivations for suspension The reason for the suspension, as provided by debaters and administrators, was to give the team more time to focus on eradicating issues of sexism. Cleveland stated that the team needed this time to step away from competition and dedicate its energies to workshops on eliminating inequalities in team culture. “The purpose of this action is to engage team members and coaches in mandatory training focusing on gender and racial discrimination,” said Cleveland. “It is our belief that halting competition would ensure that all team members could participate in the training and that it would send the clearest possible message to the team, coaches and others that Whitman expects to have a program whose culture and environment enables all participants to thrive.” A mandatory training workshop was hosted on Oct. 26 at

see DEBATE, page 3

Photo by Von Clemm

Students explore local history by KARAH KEMMERLY Feature Editor

I Tutoring program links Whitman, Walla Walla students by Lorah Steichen Staff Reporter

hitman students need jobs; the Walla Walla School District needs support. The America Reads America Counts (ARAC) program forms a partnership between the college and the school district that simultaneously fulfills the needs of both institutions. ARAC employs 30 Whitman students to work toward enhancing reading and math skills in classrooms throughout Walla Walla. Committing the entire school year to the program, each ARAC intern works six to eight hours per week in schools throughout Walla Walla. Although there are interns at Pioneer Middle School, Lincoln High School and Desales Catholic High School, most are distributed throughout Walla Walla’s six elementary schools. While the nature of work varies, ARAC interns work primarily with students in small groups or one-on-one settings. “Whenever you can provide a smaller student-to-adult ratio, the student will always benefit, especially when the adult is a very capable and caring individual that is invested in building relationships with people,” said ARAC Site Coordinator for Blue Ridge Elementary School Tina Holbrook. ARAC provides support that benefits students individually and enhances the classroom experience as a whole. Interns are placed in classrooms where teachers would not otherwise have ac-

cess to this kind of support from paraeducators or parent volunteers. “If our interns were not in that class at that time, that small group review, fundamentals, underscoring, encouragement, affirmation, friendship, all that happens, would not be available to those students ... We’re truly meeting a district need,” said Outreach Coordinator for the Student Engagement Center Susan Prudente. In addition to serving the needs of the Walla Walla Public School District, the program meets the needs of Whitman students. “It’s a win-win situation. It’s a win for Whitman. It’s a win for the school district. And it’s a win for the students because they get paid. And hopefully, what we’re hoping is that as they get into it, that maybe they will look at teaching or somehow contributing [to education] in the future once they graduate,” said Director of Financial Aid Services Marilyn Ponti. Even though the program has been successful in simultaneously providing support for the school district and professional development experiences for Whitman students, funding constrains the program from growing at this time. There have been as many as 60 ARAC interns in the past, but decreases in federal and state monies allocated to the college for work study positions, funds upon which ARAC is contingent upon, have kept the program stagnant at 30 interns for the past several years. “The amount of monies that Whitman College is receiving for work study monies has decreased significantly, but we’re trying to keep

[the amount that goes to ARAC] level so that we can continue to keep the program and keep the students in the school and make it a program that is a win-win situation,” said Ponti. Because of decreased funding from the federal and state government, the Office of Financial Aid has leveled funds for the ARAC program despite the great interest from students and need from the school district. “We’re at the max [amount of interns]. I’ve taken us to the max of what I’ve been given because we have interested students, capable students, and the district need is there ... The district would welcome more America Reads America Counts interns if we [were allocated more work-study monies to] fund them,” said Prudente. Although funding prevents ARAC from increasing the amount of students that it can employ, the program continues to seek ways to expand the professional development opportunities for its interns. Interns undergo a formal hiring process and are trained by Whitman alumni who are now professional educators in the Walla Walla community. “[Interns] receive direct experience that is so applicable for the next job they would be seeking. For their next interview they’ll have real stories and real challenges and successes to talk about — real scenarios. It’s an extremely enriching experience for whatever they do post-America Reads America Counts,” said Prudente. Senior Environmental StudiesBiology major Marie O’Grady applied to ARAC on a whim as a firstsee TUTORING, page 2

n the late 18th century, two nuns arrived in Florida to establish a convent school for underprivileged girls. They had only a table, a chair, a building and $2, but because they received overwhelming support from the community, they eventually founded the Academy of Holy Names. Over the past summer, four French majors read this story in the letters of Sister Mary Augustin, a nun who left her family in Quebec and started convent schools across the United States. This nun’s letters were the primary focus of a Perry Summer Research Grant. Associate Professor of Foreign Languages and Literature (French) Sarah Hurlburt and Archivist and Special Collections Librarian Melissa Salrin advised seniors Anne Gaskins, Annique Rice, Lauren Elgee and Meghan Browne as they transcribed and translated letters in order to gain a better understanding of the French-Canadian migration from Quebec to the Yakima Valley. Though this research team began by reading through Augustin’s letters, which were donated by the Bergevin family, their project expanded to include donated letters from dozens of descendants of the Walla Walla Frenchtown settlers. By the end of the summer, approximately 300 new letter artifacts found a home in the Whitman College and Northwest Archives. While they completed this project, the students got to

learn about more about the process of working as an archivist. During the first half of their project, the research team spent time developing an archival organization system for these letters. They placed each artifact in a protective sleeve, labeled each with a document number and, using glittery stickers, indicated whether or not each had been transcribed. Salrin enjoyed helping these students get to know the archival process. She believes that part of her job as an archivist is helping students to understand the importance of preserving materials in the archives. “I don’t intend for every student who comes through the door to decide to be a historian ... The point is understanding that these things are important, so as a society, we need to take steps to ensure they’re taken care of,” she said. In order to ensure that documents are preserved, of course, archivists must acquire documents. This requires forming bonds and establishing trust with donors. Gaskins, Rice, Browne and Elgee experienced this part of archival work as well. During their project, they interviewed the descendants of the Frenchtown settlers to find out more about their memories of the letter-writers and to build relationships with the descendants so that they would know their heirlooms were being well taken care of. Salrin notes that building strong connections with donors is imperative for the archivist. see ARCHIVES, page 4

Archivist and Special Collections Librarian Melissa Salrin advised four Perry Grant students as they processed 300 letters to add to the archives. Photo by Von Clemm

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arac interns tutor off campus

Photo by Von Clemm

from TUTORS, page 1

year but has continued to serve as an ARAC intern into her senior year. Although she doesn’t see herself necessarily working as a teach-

er in the future, her experience as an ARAC intern has influenced her post-graduate plans. “I’ve decided that it would be cool to do community outreach work with some sort

of environmental organization. [Because of] my work with America Reads America Counts, I think I would really enjoy teaching kids about environmental issues,” she said.

Consult with recent alumni from a wide range of professional fields!

Thursday November 7 4 PM Reid 207

Student Agriculture at Whitman offers sustainable produce by River Sterne Staff Reporter

tudent Agriculture at Whitman (SAW) and Bon Appétit are redefining the meaning of local produce. Founded in 2009 by alumni Nat Clarke ‘11, Natalie Jamerson ‘13 and Zoe Pehrson ‘13, SAW — then called the Model Farm Project — started as a small project to prove that produce could be grown on campus. The group began growing microgreens in the greenhouse on the Hall of Science’s roof and would sell these to the dining halls to serve in the salad and sandwich bars. “SAW was started by a group of students who were interested in improving the sustainable food and local food and the impact and understanding that students have around the dining halls,” said current SAW co-president Chelan Pauly. Now four years later, SAW has expanded to own a 30-foot by 50-foot plot of land off-campus. This land was previously occupied by a shed behind a Whitman-owned off-campus house, but SAW members have turned

ASWC Senate Minutes 11/3 Passed a Travel and Student Development to send the WCTS student manager to a conference. Approved request of $840 by the Trap Shooting Club by a vote of 14-0-5. Passed Resolution 13.2 calling for Whitman to pursue adding another counselor for LGBTQ issues by a vote of 16-0-3. Passed Amendment 13.2.1 by a vote of 14-1-4, which pertains to Resolution 13.2 by adding three clauses and amending them to say race and gender and gender identity. Passed Bylaw 13.3 by a vote of 18-0-1, which authorizes the Finance Chair to oversee the lifecycle fund for replacing equipment for campus media organizations.

Illustration Credits Pg 1: Eduardo Vazquez Pg 3: Luke Hampton Pg 5: Luke Hampton Pg 6: Sophia CooperEllis, Emma Rust

Pg 7: Eduardo Vazquez, Asa Mease Pg 8: Lya Hernandez, Mary-Anne Bowen

Corrections to Issue 7 On page 1, the photos of the Hall of Science should have been attributed to Marlena Sloss.

On page 4, the web teaser for “New Maxey Statues Elicit Mixed Responses” was misspelled.

it into a garden with beds and compost. The club used money earned from selling their microgreens to Bon Appétit to pay for a drip irrigation system, seeds and other gardening essentials. “It’s a totally self-sustaining club,” said Pauly. Funds from microgreen and other crop sales provide the club bank account with money to purchase supplies deemed necessary. SAW currently has about $2,000 dollars in their account. “It’s not profit that we are receiving, but it’s sitting there and saving up so the next time we want to do a project, we can buy things we need,” said Pauly. This can include anything from wheelbarrows or hoes to dirt and seeds. While SAW does make a profit off their crops, the members generally view it as a project not purely for the cost benefit. This being said, the prospect of making money off their cultivation is exciting to members. “The microgreens are a great profit,” said SAW co-president Kira Murray. “Bon App pays us market value for things, so we’re getting what other farmers around here are getting.” With the addition of the new plot of land off campus, SAW has been able to grow a broader range of crops and can even grow through the winter season. The club is now growing not only microgreens, but also tomatoes, winter squash and mushrooms. During the winter months, the rooftop greenhouse still allows growth, making it possible for SAW to sell to Bon Appétit year-round. While SAW is contributing produce to Whitman dining halls, it is not a significant percentage of the total produce used by Bon Appétit. This is not a surprising fact considering that the club is less than five years old. But club members are taking steps to remedy this. “We are really just trying to figure out how to maximize the space we have on the plot,” said Murray. Fortunately for the club, Bon Appétit is equally excited about the localness of SAW’s produce and is open to an increase in club-grown vegetables in the dining halls. “Bon App tries really hard to support local producers,” said Jewett Dining Hall Manager Laura Palachuk. “Even if it means paying a little more, we would rather buy locally than have it trucked in.” Bon Appétit’s desire to stay local also ties in to connecting with the campus and the student body. “We work with the campus — we feed you guys, so it makes a lot of sense to have you guys involved in feeding yourselves,” said Palachuk.

Kirsten Adams Gable ‘01 Vice President of the Alumni Board Major: Biology

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Erich Wolfe ‘02 Major: Economics Erich Wolfe is a Senior Consultant with over 10 years of professional experience in risk management, baseline development, strategic planning, and decision analysis. He has led and contributed to engagements with governmental, private and energy clients. Mr. Wolf’s work has included planning, development and management of project baselines, risk management and strategic planning for multimillion dollar projects. His diverse experience has included work on construction projects, facility disposition, fish propagation programs and LEED-certified buildings.

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Debate’s competitive season cut short from DEBATE, page 1

Whitman by Tamara King, a professor and administrator at Washington University in St. Louis and a nationally recognized expert on gender and race discrimination issues. As part of their suspension, Director of Debate Kevin Kuswa, the assistant debate coaches and the debate team members were required to attend this seven-hour workshop. According to students and administrators, a second workshop is planned for some time in December. Sophomore Margaret Rockey, a policy debater, said that King facilitated discussion based on concerns the administration had concerning team culture. “We talked about things that the administration feels is a problem that not necessarily everyone on the team feels is a problem,” said Rockey. “She asked if anyone had an experience where they’ve felt uncomfortable, and we all talked about that. So what are ways that we can minimize the risks and problems that could arise.” Rockey also said concerns over team drinking culture, relationships within the team, offensive music being played in the practice room and inclusion of underclassmen students were all discussed. Debate team reactions The team made plans to reduce discriminatory practices at the start of the academic year. Senior Ben Menzies, a policy debater, cited specific actions that the team took during the prep session in August to address discriminatory comments. “Our new policy [assistant] coach, Andy Larson, was very good at policing the language of the space. When it veered towards being a little too much like a locker room, he would say ‘locker room, cut it out,’” said Menzies. Additionally, the team has had weekly meetings that provide an open floor for discussion of various issues, discrimination included. “We have meetings every Tuesday and almost every meeting we talk about steps we can take to make the team more inclusive,” said Rockey. Menzies states that he believes the team has markedly improved its culture from previous years. “Certainly from my standpoint, which obviously is a privileged one, the culture is vastly different this year, and certainly from when I joined the team, and even markedly from last year,” he said. Given this heightened awareness in team culture, the decision to suspend travel shocked many debaters. According to sophomore policy debater Emma Thompson, the administration announced the decision to suspend the team with little notice, notifying the coaches only one hour prior to the announcement to the team. Cleveland and Kaufman-Osborn announced the decision to the team in the two-hour question-and-answer forum on Oct. 22, but students were still left with unaddressed concerns. Rockey said she was frustrated because the administration did not give the team a specific justification for their decision to halt traveling privileges during the meeting on Oct. 22. Instead, they expressed broad concerns regarding a discriminatory culture on the team. “The team has no idea why this has happened,” said Rockey. “The team has been under scrutiny from the administration for many years, and all of those times where the administration has taken action against the team, we’ve had the same questions: What’s wrong and what is the justification for this action?” During the meeting, the administration told the team they had been considering suspending travel privileges for some time. Members of the team were upset that the administration was not in communication with them during their decision-making process. “One thing that was made clear by Tim [Kaufman-Osborn] was that this decision was a long time in coming. It was a product of a lot of discussion with legal counsel. It certainly had been percolating for a while, which was one reason we were so surprised that we hadn’t heard anything about it, or any sort of hint at it,” said Menzies. This is not the first time the debate team has been dissatisfied with their interactions with the administration. According to an investigation by the The Pioneer conducted last May, many debaters and members of the debate community were unhappy with

the handling of the 2012 Title IX investigation. Those interviewed for the investigation said that the questions asked by the administration were problematic because they were incriminating towards the debate culture and then-current head coach, Jim Hanson. Then, in April of last year, Professor of Rhetoric Studies Jim Hanson stepped down as director of debate, leaving the team without a director and only a few months to find a replacement. Kevin Kuswa, the former director of debate at Fresno State University, was ultimately hired and assumed the position on Aug. 15. The conditions of his contract became a source of contention between debate team members involved in the hiring process and the administration. “We expected [Kuswa] to be hired as an interim director for a year, and then for there to be a subsequent search that would take place this year that he could apply for. Instead the process bypassed that,” said Menzies. This decision to halt traveling privileges will alter the debate team’s entire competitive season because it will force them to miss fall and winter tournaments. For Menzies, a senior, this decision is cutting his career as a competitive collegiate debater short. “This suspension is occurring as the season peaks — it’s a little like suspending an athletic team right as conference play begins. Even if we are reinstated, we’ll need to do a lot of work to get the rust off,” he said. “Obviously time is short for me and my fellow seniors.” Future plans to alleviate discrimination The team is responding to concerns raised by the administration by taking steps outside of the workshops to establish a plan to alleviate inequalities. Team members and coaches drafted a letter to the debate community announcing the suspension and establishing their plans for moving forward. Their goals included establishing awareness of inequality, additional training and educational sessions, establishing clear team guidelines and policies, and providing equal opportunities to students. In an email interview, Kuswa said that he was pleased with the team’s progress, though it will take time to overcome the issues that instigated the suspension. “The team is doing very well and making some good progress in key areas. We are working to overcome a culture that had become comfortable for some of the team and inhospitable for others. That is hard to reverse, but it can be done,” he said in an email. Thompson feels that Kuswa has exhibited an appropriate concern for creating a climate of equality in the team. “I think Kevin is doing a really good job, and I think it would be pretty clear with anyone familiar with him that he cares a lot about [preventing gender discrimination],” she said. “He’s been involved in the debate community for a long time addressing issues about discrimination and sexism in the debate community, and I think that he will continue to do that.” The team is continuing to practice and some members have developed a draft of a plan of action to send to the administration. The plan of action details their specific goals in markedly altering team culture to be more inclusive. Goals include developing a clear and consistent set of repercussions for inappropriate behavior, placing an anonymous comment and complaint box on Kuswa’s door, requiring headphones in the prep room, starting institutionalized mentoring, promoting dry social events, advocating for issues of discrimination and harassment in debate, and recruiting new team members, particularly among under-represented groups. Though travel and competition have been suspended, the team is still meeting at regular practice times and continuing its involvement with the high school tournament it is hosting this week. Regardless of the team’s actions and progress, the administration has given them no specific benchmarks or requirements in order to lift the suspension. Menzies said administrators emphasized during a conference call last week that there is no defined endpoint to the suspension. “It will last until they will have deemed there to be demonstrable progress. Again, on what benchmarks, we don’t know,” he said.

Junior Sarah Cronk has received a $35,000 grant to expand her non-profit, The Sparkle Effect. She plans to add another 100 Sparkle Effect cheerleading teams, among other expansions. Photo by Clay

Junior wins World of Children award cepted Charlie into their social group and gave Charlie Staff Reporter a place where he belonged. To me, this idea of belongn Nov. 7, junior Sarah ing — of being an acceptCronk will receive ed part of a high school comthe World of Children munity — shouldn’t be conAward, often referred to as sidered a privilege available the “Nobel Prize for Child to only some students. RathAdvocates.” The award rec- er, we should consider it a baognizes those who focus on sic human right,” Cronk said. changing the lives of chilFrom there, Cronk dedren around the world. cided to use her role as a cheerleader to create the school-based, inclu“My organization first sive cheerleading program is simply about in the country, the Sparfacilitating the tan Sparkles. An inclusive cheer program has teams success of people of all that do not discriminate abilities” based on ability. The proSarah Cronk ‘15 gram enjoyed success, to the point where Cronk decided to start her organiCronk will receive a $35,000 zation, The Sparkle Effect, grant to expand the work she the name of which came has been doing with her non- from a nickname created by profit, The Sparkle Effect. members of her community. The Sparkle Effect was “It’s an incredible honstarted by Cronk during or to receive the World of high school. Her older broth- Children Award. The Sparer, Charlie, was born with a kle Effect is really only a disability that hindered his small piece to the puzzle of comprehension of social what children need today, cues, which made the tran- but winning World of Chilsition into high school dif- dren gives us faith that we ficult. According to Cronk, have the potential to help a popular upperclassman more and more communiinvited Charlie to join the ties in need of compassion swim team, which made a and inclusion,” said Cronk. world of difference to him. She was excited to “The swimmers ac- be attending the awards by Sam GraingerShuba

gala in New York City on Nov. 7, which will put her in the same room as many advocates that have inspired her and that may be able to help her cause. At Whitman, Cronk has continued work with The Sparkle Effect from remote distances. There are over 100 teams established nationwide, but she has yet to start a team in Eastern Washington. According to Cronk, the college has been supportive of her endeavors with The Sparkle Effect. “When you boil it down, my organization is simply about facilitating the success of people of all abilities,” she said. “I believe that Whitman likewise focuses wholeheartedly on the success of its students, which is an attitude I hope continues long after I’m gone. Cronk plans to add an additional 100 Sparkle Effect teams, provide uniforms and on-site teacher training for 2,000 students with the grant money, as well as start camps. “Right now we’re planning on launching our first Sparkle Effect cheer camps in some of the cities where we have several programs started (Seattle, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Chicago, etc.),” said Cronk.

This week on web: Women in Science panel recap. Check it out online at www.whitmanpioneer.com/ news

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Museum hosts Victorian ball by Serena Runyan Staff Reporter

he Kirkman House Museum is a Victorian Italian house that was built between 1876 and 1880, and it was the home to one of Walla Walla’s most affluent families, the Kirkmans. The house was a boys’ dormitory for Whitman College from 1924 to 1929, and it was later an apartment building for 50 years before becoming a museum showcasing the Victorian era in which Walla Walla was created. On Friday, Nov. 8 and Saturday, Nov. 9, the Kirkman House Museum will host the Festival of Converging Histories: A Fusion of Steampunk and Victorian. Activities available include a tour of the museum, a grand ball, a variety show and a psychic fair. Rick Tuttle is the president of the Board of Directors and webmaster for the Kirkman House Museum. For this upcoming event, Tuttle decided to expand on last year’s Victorian Ball by including a new element: steampunk. Whitman Development Officer Donna Gardner, a former board president for the Kirkman House, explained that the idea to include steampunk was the result of Tuttle and his wife, Patty, attending a steampunk convention in Puget Sound. Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that essentially takes elements of the 19th century and places them in the future. It features anachronistic technologies, powered by steam, in the Victorian style and also draws largely on

19th century fashion, art and design. “You’ve got a lot of modern day science thrown into the Victorian aesthetic, but there’s no patroleum based economy, so there’s no plastic,” said Tuttle. For example, steampunk literature might include a computer, but there is no plastic — it’s made out of brass and wood and features obviously Victorian aesthetics. “Basically, it’s a reimagining of an idealized Victorian past where steam technology has accelerated to produce a relatively modern ... level of mechanical sophistication,” said junior Sam Chapman, who is familiar with steampunk literature. Dan Clark, who served on the board of the Historical Architecture Development Corporation in Walla Walla and formerly coordinated the Living History Company at Fort Walla Walla Museum, will be serving as dance master for the Victorian Ball. Clark will be teaching dances and leading participants. According to Clark, his interest in the Victorian time period led him to work with Tuttle to create the ball. “We’re all interested in history, as well as dance, and love the idea of bringing the two together in a classic evening ball of the kind you read about in literature and see at the movies,” said Clark. This event will not only be a good opportunity to learn about the Victorian era and the steampunk genre, but to emulate and experience elements of Victorian life. “I love the joy old-time dancing gives to people when they interact with everyone else on the dance

floor, changing partners throughout the evening and dancing in sets with a variety of people to zesty tunes played by live musicians,” said Clark. But the ball isn’t the only opportunity people will have to get a taste of history. Converging Histories will also offer tours of the museum, a variety show and a psychic fair. People can have their palms or Tarot cards read, and they can connect with the dead through a medium. “You’ve got to have a lot of stuff to do if you want people to come from out of town,” said Tuttle. Hopefully they will come. Tuttle hopes that by combing Victorian with steampunk, he can reach out to a larger audience. “I’m trying to marry the alternate Victorian with the real Victorian with this festival,” said Tuttle. Beyond bringing the two styles of Victorian and steampunk together, the event is meant to introduce these themes to the rest of the Walla Walla community. “I’m hoping Walla Wallans and others will embrace their roots and celebrate our historic community and common past through this event,” said Clark. Event costs range from $15 to $20, and events will take place at various locations. The Variety Show will be held Friday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gesa Power House Theater. The Grand Victorian Ball will be held at Sharpstein School on Saturday, Nov. 9. A dance workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to noon, and the ball will begin at 6 p.m. Psychic activities will

take place in the museum on Friday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m. and on Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event planners hope the festival will benefit both the Kirkman House Museum and the greater Walla Walla community.

“One of the goals is to get a whole different group of people involved with the museum, and I wanted to draw in people from out of town and make it a tourist event for the whole town, not just fundraising for the museum,” said Tuttle.

Kirkman House Board President Rick Tuttle poses with Victorian decor. Photo by Clay

Project spurs students to form personal archives from ARCHIVES, page 1

“It’s about establishing connections and building trust. When [we] do work with the community, [we] want to tell them that they can trust us with their important documents. We will be good stewards of these materials,” said Salrin. Salrin loves that her work with Whitman students enables her to bridge both the Whitman and local communities. “It’s an exciting place to be because I get to really go out and forge connections between these differ-

ent communities,” she said. “That’s something that is really important to Whitman, because the goal of the archives is to create an opportunity for students and faculty and community members to engage with history and with culture from previous generations, and [to] use that to inform and deepen our learning experiences.” Gaskins is pleased that her work this summer helped to preserve the memories of an important population within the community. “I think it’s important for validating the stories and the people who

gave us letters. I know that for at least one of the women who gave us letters, it was really hard to part with the letters because they’re family heirlooms. But she eventually decided we could preserve them better than she could, and she wanted other people to have access to them. It’s important for this community that there’s a store of their history,” she said. The project also enabled Gaskins and these students to increase their academic knowledge. After collecting and transcribing the letters, these four French majors did research on

topics like epistolary theory and the effects of globalization on these settlers. They plan to create posters to present their research at the Whitman Undergraduate Conference in the spring. Additionally, the project affected these students on a personal level. It made Gaskins reconsider the ways in which she personally treats her documents. She talked about how she met a member of the Bergevin family at a Frenchtown Historical Society who believed, like Sister Mary Augustin, that writing letters was almost like

visiting someone in person. “He still writes letters to his daughter. When he sends them, it’s like he’s taking a moment and conversing with her and putting everything aside to spend time with her. And when she gets the letters, she spends time with him,” said Gaskins. Working on this project inspired Gaskins to consider preservation in her daily life. “It made me think about letters in a really different way,” she said. “I save all my letters. They’re my own personal archives.”

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

SPORTS

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2013

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WINTER PREVIEWS

SWIMMING

Members of the women’s swim team practice the breaststroke in the Harvey Pool. The men’s and women’s teams head on the road this Friday, Nov. 8 to take on Linfield College in McMinnville, Ore. Photo by Barton

by cole anderson Staff Reporter

ith about a month of official practice under their belts and coming off of last year’s successful season, the Whitman College men’s and women’s swim teams are poised to continue their success this season. The men’s team ended with a second place conference finish, and the women narrowly missed out on second as well. The team sent three swimmers to the DIII National Championships, and each went on to receive All-American honors. Senior Claire Collins from the women’s side was a standout athlete last year as was junior Karl Mering, who earned third and eighth places in the 200- and 100-yard butterfly, respectively, at

the Men’s National Championships. “The success our team has had in recent years only makes our team want to do even better this year. We have a relatively young team, and our new swimmers are anxious to play their part in the continued success of Whitman Swimming. And they are poised to do just that,” said Head Swimming Coach Jennifer Blomme. The youth on the team this year will hold considerable weight as the season progresses. This is especially true for the men’s team, which does not have seniors on its roster. The team is still very optimistic about the season. “It will undoubtedly be different. However, a young team is not a bad thing in any sense, especially considering the talent of the freshman class,” said

sophomore captain Sam Starr. Starr also noted that the firstyears on the team have shown maturity and an impressive work ethic. Their cohesiveness as a class, noted Starr, is what has helped them already start the transition into the team and do so pretty smoothly. As for the women’s squad, this year brings a team full of the strongest swimmers in recent years. Collins remains optimistic that the strength of this year’s swimmers will keep them competitive against traditional swimming powerhouses. “I believe that this is the best women’s team we have had since my time at Whitman. I think it would be awesome to get second in conference, and I think we will be closer in match to Whitworth than we have ever been. I also think we

have the potential to send some swimmers to nationals and break a bunch of records,” said Collins. With a group of first-years already showing tremendous talent as well as upperclassman experience to refine their skills, Blomme is very confident about her women’s side. “Our women’s team is perhaps the strongest it’s ever been,” she said. With such optimism about the upcoming season, there are quite a few goals for which each team is striving. Though the men’s team is relatively young, they still have their eyes on a top finish in conference. “Coming off of a very successful season, our men’s team is using the positive energy as momentum to push us into our fall/winter training coming up. We hope the talents of our new and returning swimmers will

lead us towards becoming the best team in the conference,” said Starr. The whole team is focused not only on individual performances and team meet results, but also on improving the general team dynamic. “It sounds overly simple, but we want to be the best team we can be. We won’t let anything get in the way of competing at the very highest level we’re physically capable of, but we are also bringing our best in terms of our mental game and in terms of teamwork,” said Blomme. In the last two years, 52 school records have been improved, 28 two years ago and 24 last year, and this season looks to be no different. “It’s hard to guess what will happen this year, but more records will go down, guaranteed,” said Blomme.

MEN’S BASKETBALL by dylan snyder Staff Reporter

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Guard Heather Johns ‘14 shoots over guard Alysse Ketner ‘17 during practice as Meghan White ‘14 looks on. Photo by Sloss

by Kelsey peck Staff Reporter

he Whitman College women’s basketball team faces high expectations as they approach the start of their 2013–2014 season. With an Elite Eight finish in the national tournament and 23-6 record last season, D3Hoops.com ranks the Missionaries 11th in the nation as they look toward the upcoming season. “There’s a good confidence about this group — they have high expectations for themselves,” said Head Coach Michelle Ferenz. “Last year we felt like the underdog, and this year we’re definitely not, so we’re learning how to handle it.” With all eyes on them, the Missionaries are focusing on much more than the heavy expectations. “After going to the Elite Eight last year, there are a lot of expectations for us this season. Instead of focusing on what we did in the tournament, as amazing as that was, we are a new team with new players and talents,” said senior and First Team All Conference player Sarah Ande-

regg. “We want to take one day at a time to improve and get better, rather than falling into the pressure of expectations and national rankings.” With this in mind, the team came up with the season motto “win the day” in order to keep them focused on taking the season day by day and improving at every moment. The team has plenty of experience this year, with four seniors and four returning starters. Anderegg, Meghan White and Tiffani Traver are three returning starters who look to lead the team as seniors this season. “These three have to lead the way,” said Coach Ferenz. “They play a ton of minutes.” Junior Heather Johns returns as the team’s starting point guard with another year of good experience under her belt, and she also looks to play significant minutes. “Our team is fortunate to be returning such diverse talents. Myself and the rest of our seniors are looking to maximize our chances of success through playing good team basketball and using everyone’s individual talents to make the collec-

tive group stronger,” said Anderegg. But even with such strong experience, the team acknowledges that every year is different. “Part of preseason is putting it all together, and with every year comes a different team and dynamic,” said Ferenz. The team relies on preseason as a time to work out the changes that the new team and season will bring. “Every year you have to refine where you fit in,” said sophomore Hailey McDonald. “People have been switching positions and roles — you just have to put the pieces together.” Their preseason work is soon to be tested. Whitman opens its season on Nov. 15 in Spokane, Wash., as they take on University of St. Thomas (MN) who is ranked fifth in the nation according to D3Hoops.com. Ferenz believes this will be an excellent preseason test for the ladies, who have been working extremely hard in the offseason. “They have the right mindset,” she said. “They’re just anxious to get started.”

he men’s basketball team is coming off a strong season, but there is still room for improvement after their season-ending loss to Whitworth University in the Northwest Conference Tournament championship game. This season the team is hoping to move further in postseason play, whether it is capturing an elusive NWC championship or making the NCAA tournament. Head Coach Eric Bridgeland was hesitant to give any concrete goals. “[The team] would like to get a little better and a little closer as a group each day. Our guys are very competitive. I believe they want to keep taking steps and blaze new trails as a program,” said Bridgeland. Player turned assistant coach D.J. Wright feels the team sets a high standard for themselves but is not necessarily trying to match the Elite Eight women’s team from last year. “The men’s team has high expectations for themselves,” said Wright, “regardless of what the women’s team does.” Now that the team has emerged as one of the perennial contenders in the NWC, each graduating class is looking to upstage the preceding class. Last year’s graduating class of Ryan Gilkey, Ignes Pavilonis, Peter Clark and Drew Raher had won more games than any other class in Whitman College history, but their record may not stand for very long. This year Whitman may have its most decorated returning class ever featuring two All Conference players in seniors Josh Duckworth and Ben Eisenhardt, as well as Luquam Thompson, who is returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for the entirety of last season. Eisenhardt, the reigning conference player of the year, is the first AllAmerican who has returned to the men’s basketball team for an encore performance, and Duckworth averaged a solid 14.5 ppg along with 2.9 assists per contest. The team also returns several key role players. Bridgeland seems excited to see who among this supporting cast can step up and become leaders moving forward. “We believe we have four to five players who are poised to have breakout seasons,” said Bridgeland. “Through hard work and dedication in the off season, we feel like we are as deep as we have ever been at Whitman. Seven or eight guys have come back significantly better than they were last season.” Juniors Matt Mounier and Clay Callahan both played significant roles last season and will have increased responsibility on the team for the upcoming year.

The team will be relying once again on Bridgeland’s signature fast-paced offense, but last season may have been the end of the aggressive full court press that the team used so often. Spectators may be a little surprised as the defense may be backing off at points in the game. Eisenhardt is not concerned with the team potentially having a less aggressive defensive scheme. “Rules have changed that dictate how much contact is allowed defensively, so we have had to tone down the speed of our defense,” said Eisenhardt. “But that also gives us the opportunity to show off that we can play great half court defense.” Despite the less aggressive nature of the defense, there should still be plenty of firepower on the offensive end. This should be an important year for the program as they look to continue their progress toward a conference championship.

SCOREBOARD Soccer

Men’s v. Linfield College Nov. 2: W 4–1 v. Willamette Nov. 3: W 3–1 Women’s v. Lewis & Clark Nov. 2: W 2-1 v. Willamete Nov. 3: W 1-0

Volleyball

v. Pacific Lutheran University Nov.1: L 3–1 v. University of Puget Sound Nov. 2: W 3–0

cross country

Men’s NWC Championships Nov. 2: 3rd Place Women’s NWC Championships Nov. 3: 3rd Place

swimming

NWC Relays Nov. 3: 2nd Place Men’s NWC Sprint Nov. 2: 1st Place Women’s NWC Sprint Nov. 2: 3rd Place

upcoming soccer

Men’s v. Whitworth University Nov. 9: AWAY Women’s v. George Fox University Nov. 8: AWAY

Volleyball

v. Whitworth University Nov.6, 6 p.m.: HOME v. Linfield College Nov.9, 6 p.m.: HOME

Swimming

v. Linfield College Nov. 8: AWAY v. Willamette University Nov. 9: AWAY

A&E 6 Nothing blue about Blues Therapy show

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Staff Reporter

Swing Dancing Come one, come all! Learn how to swing dance with great instruction from FAH resident Chloe Kaplan. Classy snacks and drinks provided. Sponsored by ASWC. Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Fine Arts House

clear blues influences but don’t express the feelings of a true blues jam. To Bigdaddy and The Doctor, a blues song is immediately recognizable by the feeling it conveys through its music and lyrics. Luckily for them, it’s not hard to find a blues song these days. The genre has been around so long that when the pair decided to do a show featuring only foreign blues bands, it wasn’t hard finding quality songs to fill the time. “We easily had enough for two hours. We could have done two shows,” said Hansen. Despite its strong roots in American culture, many countries — even historically “un-American” countries — embrace the genre. “The Russians were good,” said Parada. While the show really is fun and games for Bigdaddy and The Doctor, it serves an important role in dissipating blues throughout the Northwest and Kansas City, where the show is

Fancy Cheese Night It’s that time of year again — prepare your fancy clothes and your fancy palates for an evening of cheese tasting! Nibble on cheese and mingle with other turophiles (lovers of cheese) while the German House and the French House share with you their vast, cheesy knowledge. Sponsored by ASWC.

Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. at La Maison Française

Community members Ray Hansen and Armand Parada have created a national following for bringing a mixture of blues music to the masses. Photos by McCormick

lege kids call in and want to know what they’ve heard,” said Parada. “That makes Ray and I feel good.” With fan numbers constantly rising, the pair has one last goal in their blues quest: to win the Inland Em-

re-broadcasted three days a week on KCOR. At the end of each day, Bigdaddy sits down to watch a game and listen to the CDs sent to him by blues labels across the world. On Sunday he showcases these bands and exposes listeners to music they likely wouldn’t have heard otherwise. While the pair loves to come hang out and share their love for the blues, they operate a radio station because they want to expose people to the blues, and when they know they have done so, it makes their day. “I love the fact that the col-

by Nathan fisher Staff Reporter

by emma dahl Staff Reporter

Spirituality has found a home at the First Congregational Church. Spiritual lessons are taught by Dr. Joy Kachel, and participants discuss mystical aspects of the world religions Photos by Clay

ilar point. Often, they’re only expressed differently due to culture and perhaps time.” When asked about the difference between spirituality and religion, Kachel explained that it boiled down to the presence or lack of rules. “Spirituality has no dogma. Spirituality is an experience, where religion has a set of laws,” she said. Another attendee of the class, Marty Quistberg, agreed with Dr. Kachel. “There’s no rules or dogma in spirituality. It’s essentially who we are. We are not our bodies; we are spirits,” said Quistberg. Adam Kirtley, the Stu-

Missed the Diwali celebrations? Check out photos from the festivities at whitmanpioneer.com/category/media-2

pire Blues Society Award for best radio station. Even if they don’t win the award for the Spokane-based blues organization, Bigdaddy and The Doctor won’t be shutting down anytime soon. Enjoy some aural therapy on KWCW at www.facebook. com/Bluestherapyradio/info.

Happy ending for ‘Ender’s Game’

Mystics discuss spirituality at local church t’s a quiet Wednesday morning at the First Congregational Church located just across Mill Creek from the Whitman College campus. The church is mostly empty, but in a little room around the corner from the main sanctuary, a small group of people is meeting to discuss spiritual aspects of world religions. This week’s focus is Sufism, a mystical sect of Islam. It’s one part of a four-week course on the core beliefs of various mystical religions. The classes are led by Dr. Joy Kachel, the spiritual leader for the Unity Church of Peace in Walla Walla. The course is aimed at exploring what different world religions have in common and what those similarities say about mankind’s universal search for spiritual identity. Dr. Kachel laid out the goals of the class. “The purposes [of the course] are to expand knowledge about other religions, because especially in a conservative town like [Walla Walla], people have very set ideas,” said Kachel. “What I’m trying to do is show how everyone has this yearning for connection ... If you look at [different religions], they all converge at a very sim-

PIO PICKS Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights events happening on campus or in Walla Walla. Here are this week’s picks:

by adam heymann

very Sunday night from 7 to 9 p.m., the dynamic duo Ray “Bigdaddy” Hansen and Armand “The Doctor” Parada waltzes into the KWCW radio room and puts on one helluva blues show for anyone willing to tune in. Parada, an ex-hippie from Southern California, who played keyboards with Crosby, Stills and Nash as a young man, provides the experience, the sass and the older blues discography. A Walla Walla native and father of four, Hansen offers youth, contemporary blues taste and joviality to the mix. Together the two create a show that plays blues of all types, ranging from Robert Johnson to Stevie Ray Vaughn, then back to B.B. King and all the way down to Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. That’s right, Aerosmith. For Hansen and Parada, blues isn’t restricted to the slow, blue, stereotypical porch music of which you might think. “For me blues is about being real ... The lyrics really gotta touch you,” said Hansen. Bands like Aerosmith count because, although they might be designated as classic rock, they’ve put out songs that, to Hansen, respect the message of blues without deviating too far musically. Heavy metal band Metallica, on the other hand, would never work. “I have heartburn with some of these bands playing now,” said Parada. Hard rock music like Metallica and other groups have

2013

art Coordinator of Religious and Spiritual Life at Whitman College, stated that fewer than half of Whitman students enter the college with any religious association, but that 6075 percent indicate that spirituality is important to them. “Whitman does have fewer religious students than most schools, but this is to be expected for a non-sectarian liberal arts college in the Pacific Northwest,” said Kirtley. It’s possible that this discrepancy of spirituality says something about Whitman, or it could say something about young people’s quest for spiritual fulfillment in general. Kachel explained that an individual’s spiritual journey can begin at a young age and that it should continue into adulthood. “It’s nothing new ... As young people are exploring their world and the hugeness and vastness of knowledge and wisdom, I think the religion part of it can be confining. This is a time for expansion, not contraction, in [student’s] lives — actually in all our lives,” said Dr. Kachel. Kachel went on to explain that connections can be found in major world religions on a spiritual level because as people, “we are all really looking for the same thing.”

hen it comes to movies, I pride myself on being on top of what’s new and what’s coming out soon. This week, however, I lost track of the Hollywood hype regarding the release of the movie adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s classic young adult book from the 1980s, “Ender’s Game.” Naively, I went to see the movie and enjoyed it until I finally exited the Whitman Bubble and looked up some news surrounding the release. I did a quick Google search to find out a little bit more about the book, the author and the movie. To my surprise, I discovered that the movie was being boycotted by several national organizations because of the homophobic views of the book’s author. Throughout the past 25 years or so, Card has publicly written and spoken about his views opposing same-sex marriage, even violently opposing same-sex relationships. I was appalled at Card’s backwards views and wondered if I should not have paid money to see the film. Regardless, I had seen the movie, so here’s a brief summary. For those who haven’t read the “Ender’s Game” or the sequels, the story line is set in the distant future after buggers (aliens) tried to conquer Earth. The humans were able to fight off the six-legged buggers’ invasion but have been preparing for the next invasion ever since. In an attempt to stay ahead of the aliens, the humans create a space program and begin training kids and teenagers as commanders and fighters. The younguns think outside the box and are quick-thinking experts at war video games. Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield) is selected by Colonel Graff (Harrison Ford) to be the next brilliant commander against the aliens. Ender is a scrawny kid who gets picked on constantly. The two male leads are followed by a strong young female cast of characters, Abigail Breslin from “Little Miss Sunshine” and Viola Davis from “The Help.” Personally I enjoyed Harrison Ford’s performance as the hard-ass Colonel with his three facial expressions: thinking frown, mad frown and smirk. I have to admit that I enjoyed the movie and especially liked the graphics. I’m not giving a glowing endorsement because, as with any film adaptation of a movie, if you’ve read the book you will have a better

understanding of what is going on. Having never read the book, I was a bit confused at times, and the movie seemed rushed. It tried to squeeze in as much information as possible into too long of a film. Throughout the two-plus hour movie, I never felt like I was given a chance to sit back and pause to enjoy the graphics, which are often my favorite part of any sci-fi movie. If you have read the book, you’ll probably really enjoy the movie version, which reportedly stays fairly true to the book. Now back to its homophobic author. After seeing the movie, I didn’t recognize any homophobic views. Should I have not seen the movie because I find the author’s views as repugnant? I think Harrison Ford said it best when he was asked if he knew about Card’s views. “I am aware of his statements admitting that the question of gay marriage is a battle that he lost, and he admits that he lost it. I think we all know that we’ve all won. That humanity has won. And I think that’s the end of the story,” said Ford. If the movie was propaganda promoting Card’s views, then obviously I would not pay money to see it. However, “Ender’s Game” was not made for promoting the author’s personal homophobic views, but rather for entertainment and money for the studio. I think “Ender’s Game” was a success; I enjoyed the movie! I liked the graphics, the scrawny kid ruling, Ben Kingsley’s tattoos and that classic Harrison Ford attempt at smiling.

RENTAL HOUSES

(only 4 units remaining for 2014-15)

Near campus - flat room rate includes utilities 5+ bedroom each ExemplarRealEstate.com 509-520-2272 Please bill to Exemplar Real Estate, Inc. PO Box 1802, Walla Walla, WA 99362

OPINION

NOV

2013

Punk rock’s message in Myanmar KYLE SEASLY Junior

n George Orwell’s essay/short story “Shooting an Elephant,” where he was stationed in Burma (now Myanmar), he remarked: “I thought that the greatest joy in the world would be to drive a bayonet into a Buddhist priest’s guts.” It seems that certain punk rockers in Myanmar share a similar sentiment today. In Myanmar some radical Buddhist monks are leading a movement referred to as “969” that promotes anti-Muslim sentiment in this largely Buddhist country. According to “The Hindu,” “[969’s] following is growing as [they] criss-cross the country calling for boycotts of Muslim-owned shops and a ban on marriages between Buddhist women and Muslim men and warning that a higher

birth-rate could one day bring Muslims from four percent of the population to a majority.” Yet, few are speaking out against this movement, except for, oddly enough, punk rockers. Punk musicians across the country are seemingly the only ones who are acknowledging this movement and its flaws. In interviews, these punk bands mention that this movement is nationalist and largely fascist. They also emphasize that the perpetrators are not necessarily the biggest problem — it’s the people not speaking out against the discrimination against Muslims. Punk rock has always been a form of expression as well as rebellion. Johnny Ramone hated long guitar solos and his style brought rock and roll back to its roots. The Dead Kennedys and Bad Brains pushed for political reform and protested against the norm. Stiff Little Fingers wanted a change in the culture and pushed for an “Alternative Ulster.” Even today, we see bands like Pussy Riot in Russia pushing for change against Putin’s repressive regime. Why is punk rock such a tool for rebellion and reform? My answer would be that

What do you miss most when away from home?

Senior

Poll by JADE BLAKE-WHITNEY

MARSHALL THOMAS Junior

“I’m from Denver, Colo., and the thing I miss most about being away from home are the mountains. They just don’t have mountains like the Rocky Mountains here.”

AISLYN BOOTH Junior

“I’m from Portland, Ore. and I think the things that I miss most are ... all my favorite restaurants, like the Thai place that’s on the corner of my block, and this ice cream place called Salt and Straw. They have crazy ice cream flavors, but you can’t find them anywhere else.”

LUCINDA SISK Sophomore

he roguelike genre of video games takes its name from Rogue, a text-based dungeon crawl game made by Michael Toy and Glenn Wichman in 1980 that boomed in popularity on college campuses soon after its release. Rogue was by no means the first of its kind; plenty of Dungeons & Dragons aficionados had attempted to replicate the experience of the pencil-and-paper role-playing game on the computer, with varying degrees of success. The difference between Rogue and the games that preceded it was that, while the latter contained unvarying, pre-programmed levels and puzzles whose novelty quickly faded after multiple playthroughs, Rogue could build its own dungeons using random generation, giving the player a original experience with each new game. The other important design decision Toy and Wichman made was to make death permanent; when your character died, the game was over, and if you wanted to keep playing you had to start over from the beginning in a new dungeon, with a new character. This feature, which became known as “permadeath,” was complemented by the game’s random generation, which insured against repetition even as the player was made to restart the game again and again. Moreover, because the player only had one chance to win each time, the stakes would naturally get higher as his or her character ventured deeper into the dungeon, making the game more exciting as it went on. The problem with Rogue is that it was obtuse. The graph-

Letter from the Editor: MidSemester Check in

punk rock’s message is usually straightforward and full of energy. This allows rockers to deliver messages unhindered by pretentiousness and ready to inspire those who feel frustrated at the norm. Kurt Cobain said it best: “Punk is musical freedom. It’s saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster’s terms, nirvana means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world,

and that’s pretty close to my definition of punk rock.” Punk can express ultimate frustration while still bringing an uplifting message. Punk, similar to some of the most successful political movements, is grassroots and can appeal to a wide audience. In Myanmar’s case, the message is simple: ending religious intolerance and rightist extremism. I can only hope that message gets through.

Voices from the The Binding of Isaac offers throwback Community TOBY ALDEN

PAGE

ics were crude text renderings, in which your character was represented by an “at” symbol (@) and monsters corresponded to various letters of the alphabet (for instance, a “j” might represent a jackal, while an uppercase “A” might be a giant ant). Worse, Rogue’s successors added dozens of keyboard commands, all with different, specific uses; in the most popular derivative of Rogue, Nethack, there were keys to put on armor, keys to take it off, a key to dip things, a key to rub things, separate keys for eating and drinking and so on. Because the people who made roguelikes were the same people who played them obsessively and were accustomed to their idiosyncrasies, there was never an impetus to make the genre more accessible, and for a long time roguelikes remained an insular oddity among games. Recently, however, a number of games have reclaimed the fundamental tenets of Rogue’s design — permadeath and random generation — while eschewing the form’s outdated trappings. Foremost among these is The Binding of Issac, a game by Edmund McMillen about a

child whose mother hears the voice of God commanding her to sacrifice her son, Issac, as a test of loyalty. Obliging her deity, she grabs a butcher knife and bursts into Issac’s room, who, terrified, escapes down a trapdoor into the basement. What follows is a bizarre synthesis of Biblical allusion, scatological humor, body horror and childhood anxieties as Issac descends deeper and deeper into the bowels of his home, careening around flies, spiders and flesh-less abominations in his quest to escape his mother. The gameplay borrows Zelda’s formula of using keys, bombs and special items to progress through the levels, and the combat is modeled off of Smash T.V.’s independent control of moving and shooting (or in this case, crying; the weaponless Issac fends off enemies with a barrage of tears). The sheer depth of the game is incredible; I’ve logged over 120 hours and still have yet to see everything it has to offer. For anyone looking to revitalize their faith in video games’ ability to evoke a seemingly endless world of possibility, you could do worse — much worse — than The Binding of Issac.

his is our ninth issue of the year, and while we’ve passed our halfway mark of the semester and of publication, now is a better time than any to reflect on the work we’ve done so far this semester. This period has been a time of tremendous growth and learning. While we’ve hired many returning staff, we’ve also hired a large group of eager first-years to fill positions as reporters, columnists, photographers, illustrators, production and advertising associates. Although this is my seventh semester working for The Pioneer, I still have a lot to learn with my position. During my short time as editor-in-chief, I hope to do a lot of things that maintain the highquality standards that have been set by editors-in-chief before me, while also forging new avenues. Like many editors before me, I hope to expand and improve our coverage, and I can confidently say that each subsequent issue that we publish is stronger than the last. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself. The Pio, like every college paper, is only as good as the work its students put into it. In my eyes, there is always something that we can improve upon to make the paper better, and there will always be an occasional error. The question, however, is how we will use moments of frustration and errors of judgement to learn and grow. Thankfully, the work of editors before me has given me the luxury of saying that the paper provokes valuable discussion around campus, and just two weeks ago The Pioneer was awarded a national Online Pacemaker Award for our website. In short, we’re already doing great, but there is still much learning and work to be done. As a college newspaper, The Pioneer’s growth and success has always depended on hearing from the campus community. In order for us to best grow and learn, we want to know how we can best be your newspaper. Let us know if there’s something you want to see from us. If you have a complaint, criticism or suggestion, write a comment on our website or send us an email at editors@whitmanpioneer.com. All the best, Shelly Le Editor-in-Chief

Mease not Mooses by Asa Mease

School segregation lives on in class difference ography, of course. From sheer hisANDY background, Louisiana will MONSERUD torical probably always have more Afri-

“I’m from Flagstaff, Ariz. and I miss my family and my dogs. I have two little corgi dogs.”

JACK COPPINGER Junior

“I’m from Oakland, Calif., and I really just miss being in the city.”

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

First-year

n a recent trip to New Orleans with a few other Whitties, a concierge at a hotel made a joke that made me think. Exhausted from almost a full day of traveling, we had come to the hotel for the Associated College Press conference hosted there. Amused by our dazed appearances, the concierge laughed and said, “Y’all look like you’ve never seen a black person before.” We explained our fatigue, but over the course of the weekend, I realized that the man had a point. African Americans, especially those from working-class backgrounds, are conspicuously absent at Whitman. Less than three percent of the class of 2017 are African American, and while first-generation college students are more common they still only make up 10 percent of the class. This has a lot to do with ge-

can Americans than Washington does. The African American population of the state of Washington is not much denser than that of Whitman, representing a little under four percent of the total population. But that can’t be the whole story. A better illustration of race at Whitman lies right here in Walla Walla County. Twenty percent of the county identified themselves as Latino or Hispanic in the most recent census. Of the class of 2017, only 7.4 percent claimed Hispanic heritage on their applications. This puts them well behind Asian Americans, who clock in at 12.6 percent at Whitman. This makes Asian Americans the largest non-white group by a full 5.2 percentage points, but only 1.4 percent of Walla Walla County and 7.7 percent of Washington identifies as Asian American. Obviously, Whitman wants to recruit from outside of the Walla Walla bubble, but there is a noticeable imbalance between the college’s demographics and those of the state. The Seattle area, home to an enormous portion of Whitman students, reflects these statistics a little more closely with a low Hispanic population and a high Asian Amer-

ican one, but it is almost eight percent African-American and just under 70 percent white, a drop from Whitman’s Caucasian numbers. So the geography argument is moot. Whitman College’s admissions process is selective, with only a 54 percent admittance rate. So most of the people who come here are not only intelligent, but come from strong educational backgrounds, not to mention parents willing to foot at least a large part of the bill. That means that most students come from private schools or high-income public schools. Most working-class families of any ethnic group don’t have access to that kind of education. I remember visiting my mother, a public school teacher at an inner-city school, at work in my youth. Upon walking in the door, I realized that almost everyone I saw was black — most of them first- or second-generation Somali immigrants, whose families began coming to Minnesota in large waves in the early 2000s. I remember marveling at the fact that there were so many black people; at my second-ring suburban elementary school there were so few I could probably count them on my hands. Much larger classes than mine were packed into rooms smaller than those at my school,

teachers had to make do with outof-touch curriculum mandated by No Child Left Behind and my mother to this day will rarely talk about anything other than the fact that she has to teach for standardized tests to keep the school above water, preventing her from helping students actually learn anything. But I may talk education reform another time. The point is, school segregation lives on in class distinction. College is expensive for everyone, of every race, ethnic group, religion or socioeconomic class. Whitman’s courses of study are difficult and require a solid high school education. Although Whitman offers impressive financial aid, it’s important that as members of the community, we examine the factors that contribute to Whitman’s white-washing, and take action to combat them. Walla Walla has so many schools that it’s hard to find a spot outside a school-zone, as Residence Life staff informed us on move-in day. With all those kids around, we should do something to help them get the opportunities afforded to us. Student service opportunities abound at Whitman, including several that support schoolage children and adolescents around Walla Walla and the world. I strongly recommend checking them out.

BACKPAGE

PAGE

NOV

ELEVEN DOLLARS

2013

A Manifesto

e The Backpage, a conglomeration of Whitman students committed to providing comedy and coincidence to the student newspaper experience, are entitled to and deserving of social and financial equality within the Whitman College Pioneer writer’s staff. Students, community members and alumni value The Backpage. Yet, within the newsroom, it is frequently the subject of dismissal, ridicule and half-page advertisements. The Backpage does not bother students about passivity in the green energy movement, missing “great” lectures on climbing Kilimanjaro, the exact route a dining hall banana took from Chile to it’s metal basket, scores of an under-under-underdog baseball team or a recently graduated student who still is not earning that much money but is pursuing their dreams regardless. The Backpage is a creative and yet constructed break. The Backpage requires tact and wit. While other writers are given words during interviews they can copy-and-paste into an article, Backpage writers must create these dialogues. While other writers are given photos of events that are taken for them, Backpage writers must communicate with illustrators to create the visual experience of an article. While other

writers are given a direction, Backpage writers must forge their own path. The Backpage writers not only get less pay; they also get less page, and yet they are still required every week to have enough material for an entire page even if it is not used. The Backpage does not have the right to enter any writing competitions and cannot garner formal praise. The Backpage is under-appreciated, ridiculed and underfunded. Therefore, the Backpage proposes that The Whitman College Pioneer institute a three-step solution to resolve this great injustice. 1. The Backpage will have a $1 raise. 2. The Backpage will have an official Backpage Appreciation Week. 3. The Backpage will have a bi-yearly competition for best article. If all of these demands are met, The Backpage will cease the strike and resume working as individual and equal contributors to The Backpage section of the Whitman College Pioneer. Sincerely, The Backpage Writers

we demand

Stand up for Justice

Sit down when tired W hile the rest of The Backpage writers are on strike, I’ve decided to conduct a one-woman sit-in to present the administration with the visible face of our struggle. I will not leave the Pio office — even to go to class — until this travesty of unequal pay is remedied.

Day 1— Got pretty bored after half an hour. Went to the Bon App coffee stand to buy a frappucino. Was $1 short. How long will this injustice stand?? Still no word from administration except that they were vaguely surprised that I actually came to work today. Burned my bra. Set off fire alarm. Day 2— All articles submitted were funny, but not “haha” funny. Death to the Fascist Oppressors. The people will not stand for injustice. Power to the worker. Working men of all nations unite! Overthrow the capitalist pigs. Write to your Congressman. Cascadia will rise again for the first time. Took a nap. Realized I’ll never win an Oscar for comedy. Started work on the next Great American Novel. Thinking of calling it “The Sound and the Fury of Not Getting a $1 Raise, You Jerks.” Sure to win Oscar now. Maybe even a soundtrack by Adele. Day 3— Made tea. Read a book. Forgot I was involved in a sit-in. Went for a walk. Locked myself out of the Pio office. Checked my mail. Got an Opinion writer to let me back in. Made more tea.

Realized that I am probably being paid less because I am a woman. Burned my bra. Set off fire alarm. Man, I could buy 1/15 of a Bon App meal with that extra dollar. I should have brought more food.

Day 4— Administration suggested a fullpage ad in(stead of) the humor section. This is not part of the gag, they actually do this. As it is, many of us don’t get paid some weeks because they consistently run half page ads instead of our stories. Not bitter, just going to passive-aggressively write this in my article. Chained myself to a chair with a bike lock. Now I am stuck to a chair and someone made off with my bike. Picked a fight with the Sports writers. Lost. Next time I’m going after Opinion. Day 5— Wanted to sing protest songs, started with Buffalo Springfield, realized I only knew a few words and ended up singing Adele’s “Someone Like You” for several hours until ASWC came in and told me to stop. Started a hunger strike. Ate a burrito. “Never mind I’ll find someone with booooooooooooooze!” Day 6— Realized I am probably being paid less because society thinks women aren’t funny. Burned my bra. Set off fire alarm. Glad I wore so many bras. Day 7— Wrote a number of very clever articles. Published this instead in protest.

11 >10

COMPENSATION!

We, the writers of The Backpage, demand proper compensation for our hilarity. For years our comedic genius has been taken for granted, but no more! We demand recompense. To supplement our monetary compensation, here is a list of ways you can repay us (enclose list with donation campus mailed to box 769, 729, 640 or 912): __Hot beverages: including but not limited to tea, coffee and cocoa from the Colville Street Patisserie __TKE abs (and/or T Gavs) __Half-finished knitting projects, but only if they’re good __Dark chocolate, fair trade, organic, 75% cacao with sea salt __Lightly used copies of “Harry Potter” __Kittens __Nordic sweaters hand-knit by grandmothers (not necessarily your grandmother) __Honeycrisp apples with a diameter no less than three inches and no more than 4.5 inches __Pony-riding lessons with Rim Teed __French fries: curly or waffle but not regular-shaped __Sparkly tiaras __Boyfriends __Miniature horses wearing miniature hats __Highlighters in pink, green or orange but no yellow because we already have too many __Trees and benches dedicated in our honor so long as the trees are maple and the benches are wood __Cooked fusilli pasta with vodka sauce and your choice of cheese __Adult beverages __Carrier pigeons __First-born children __Well-imagined cardboard box spaceships, planes, trains or automobiles __Boas: snake or feather variety acceptable __Glow-in-the-dark stars __Larger than life-sized bronze statues of the Backpage writers triumphantly astride miniature horses __Pudding pops __Vanilla yogurt, carrots, mushrooms, a can of tomato sauce, long-grain rice and a loaf of sourdough bread (I just don’t feel like going grocery shopping this week) __More episodes of “Firefly” or “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23” __Formal thank you notes hand-written in calligraphy delivered by chanting Gregorian monks __Hugs

ALSO-TISEMENT

We surveyed the campus and found out what we were really missing on campus. Eleven is more than ten. Prentiss Dining Hall: $11 - Thanksgiving dinner $10 - Canadian Thanksgiving dinner Jewett Dining Hall: $11 - Ribeye steak $10 - Ice-cream cone Whitman Bookstore: $11 - Signed copy of Whitman alumni’s most recent book $10 - Chocolate bar

Café 41: $11 - Curry chicken salad sandwich $10 - Small container of peanut butter Café 66: $11 - Deluxe double hamburger $10 - Parfait cup

Writers wanted The Pioneer is now hiring writers for the backpage. Must be funny (negotiable), and must be willing to work for $10 per article (non-negotiable). Must be able to start immediately. Expect no raises. Ever. Email your application to: pio.backpage@gmail.com

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Kairos is a brand new education program designed to help graduates make the leap from college into a meaningful career. More info at kairos4.com sponsored by

With Kairos Co-Founders: Kristen Hamilton, CEO Josh Jarrett, CLO and Courtney Stanford ‘12, Kairos program participant

Monday, Nov. 11 4:00 & 7:30 PM Maxey 207 Food Provided for those who RSVP at http://www.whitman.edu/student-life/ student-engagement-center/kairosinfo-sessions