Whitman Pioneer Fall 2012 Issue 1

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ISSUE 1 | September 6, 2012 | Whitman news since 1896

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by ADAM BRAYTON Feature Editor

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hen people pour in from out of town, parking becomes impossible and cowboy look-alikes become commonplace, it all points to one thing.

The Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days is back for yet another year.

The annual event took place this past weekend—the Labor Day holiday that Whitman does not celebrate. Permeating the event, which was located at the fairgrounds near Lincoln Park, were a 4-H exposition, carnival rides and games, a rodeo and neverending greasy fair food. Whit-

Above: Two ropers coax a horse off the stadium floor after the rider has dismounted in the bareback bronco riding competition. Right: One of many flagbearers storms the rodeo arena on horseback.

Photos by Felt

man students could be sighted moving between attractions and seated at the evening rodeos.

Distance from campus and the expenses of going to the fair do not seem to hold Whitties back from enjoying a piece of Walla Walla history; the fair as a tradition goes back to a time before Whitman College existed.

The first annual Fair of Washington Territory Agricultural, Manufacturing and Art Fostering Society, according to the fair’s website, took place in 1863.

At the time, the fair was the only fair in the state of Washington. Today, while it no longer speaks for see FRONTIER DAYS, page 6

Climb on: Inverted slab highlights center remodel

by TRISTAN GAVIN Staff Reporter

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hile there may be value in the old adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” the Climbing Center at Whitman College has thrived by adjusting to the growing needs of its student body.

During August, Whitman built a new addition to the wall, welcoming a more angled slab to the preexisting facilities to better accommodate beginning climbers.

The climbing culture at Whitman is stronger than ever.

Three years ago, Whitman College opened a state-of-the-art climbing center that is among the nicest facilities of its type in the northwest. Built by Entreprises Climbing Walls USA, the Center contains 5,600 square feet of climbable area, ranging from boulders to vertical walls over 30 feet tall. The Center has worked to make its walls available to Whitman students and the local community by offering a variety of classes and clinics.

Climbing classes generally fill up quickly and have long waitlists of hopeful climbers, and the Center employees constantly rearrange holds to avoid monotony for its regular climbers. The new center has become a staple of the campus’s outdoor culture.

So why change what was already the crown jewel of an outstanding Outdoor Program’s growth? The simple answer is that students asked for it. Prior to the remodel, all the bouldering and climbing areas had been vertical or beyond vertical, requiring a combination of strength and balance that often

Responding to student feedback, the Climbing Center inverted part of the old wall in hopes of making it more beginner-friendly. Photos by McCormick

takes great practice to achieve.

“As an instructor, I appreciate how the new terrain offers beginning climbers an attainable challenge and affords them the success that makes people keep climbing,” said junior Kemper Brightman.

“In climbing, the angle of the wall has a significant impact on the difficulty,” Brightman said. The new slab offers a climbing area at a gentler angle, relative to the old wall. This caters to a better learning environment for classes, which is something students identified as an area for improvement as a general response to questions. see CLIMBING CENTER, page 5

Case Closed Former student Simon Van Neste to pay restitution

by LIBBY ARNOSTI Managing Editor

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early 10 months after a Whitman student was accused of second-degree burglary and identity theft, his case was finally closed at the Walla Walla Courthouse on Tuesday, Aug. 28. Pleading guilty to the amended charges of third-degree theft and firstdegree trespassing, 22-year-old Simon Van Neste was ordered to pay a restitution of $33,862.94 to the college in addition to court costs, sheriff fees and a payment to the crime victim’s compensation fund.

Van Neste was found in Reid Campus Center by Campus Security the night of Oct. 27, 2011, using homemade swipe cards containing ID information of students, faculty and staff to gain access to restricted areas. Transformed overnight from a senior math and economics major poised to graduate with honors to an accused felon, Van Neste spent four days in the Walla Walla County Jail immediately following his apprehension as Whitman officials began to investigate the damages.

It was soon discovered that Van Neste had obtained one staff member’s Whitman login password, allowing him access to the student information necessary to create counterfeit swipe cards with usable swipe access and flex dollars. Concerned that a major security breach may have occurred, College President George Bridges hired a private computer forensics investigator to do a full review of all key information technology systems and logs. Additionally, all campus swipe cards were re-encoded in an expensive week-long process. The full cost was passed along to Van Neste in restitution charges.

The investigation ultimately revealed that the IT system remained secure, as Van Neste had obtained only the credentials of one employee, who did not have access to confidential information.

“I believe our team did a remarkable job managing the incident,” said Chief Information Officer Tan Terrio. “There was a lot of overtime put in by many as we investigated the incident through the card re-encoding last fall.”

Meanwhile, Van Neste was expelled from the college following a conduct hearing with the Council on Student Affairs, where it was determined that he had violated school policy.

On Aug. 28, Van Neste stood in the Walla Walla Courthouse cleancut, crisply dressed and ready to move on with his life. Asked by the presiding judge what his plans were, Van Neste replied that he intended to continue his education. Carrying the weight of two gross misdemeanors, two years’ probation and a hefty price tag to boot, Van Neste left the courtroom to pick up where he had abruptly interrupted himself nearly a year before.

“The mistakes that Simon made that led to his expulsion from Whitman were due, in my view, to excessive exuberance in the practice of his considerable computer skills, and to an overactive imagination and creativity,” said Professor Emeritus Dale Cosper, who has known Van Neste

see VAN NESTE, page 3

NEWS 2 Community Fellows program seeks Whitman-Walla Walla collaboration Sep

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by EMILY LIN-JONES News Editor

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he Student Engagement Center (SEC) will kick off its new Community Fellow program this month, pairing eight upper-level Whitman students with local organizations to engage in community development and related projects for the full academic year.

According to Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Noah Leavitt, the initiative was designed as part of the SEC’s ongoing campaign to better involve students in the community and provide more in-depth internship opportunities.

“The college is really aggressively trying to give students, while they’re on campus, the opportunity to get to know and make meaningful contributions to Walla Walla. [We’re] working very hard to give students the chance to have professional experiences, both during the school year and during the summer,” he said.

Junior and senior students can choose to apply to one of six Walla Walla organizations, ranging from nonprofits like Helpline to civic institutions like the Department of Court Services. Those selected as fellows will be compensated for their work by the Student Engagement Center. The initiative is funded

through a grant from the Sherwood Trust, a local fund dedicated to improving community resources.

“It’s at a level we haven’t been able to get [to] before,” said Leavitt, noting that the program was developed partly to address the limitations of the semester-long internships the SEC offers. “We’ve gotten feedback that if there’s a way to have a student participate in an organization over a longer term, it’s a more valuable … and a deeper learning experience.”

Leavitt and the SEC solicited feedback from participating organizations while developing the program. Several of the organizations’ directors have hired Whitman interns in the past or are former Whitman students themselves.

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the chance,” she said.

Dan Willms of Helpline, a nonprofit social service agency that operates the STEP women’s shelter in Walla Walla, echoed that sentiment.

“We are very enthusiastic about having Whitman students volunteer and be interns at Helpline,” he said.

Helpline will be hiring two fellows, who will work on establishing a new volunteer program at the STEP shelter and a case management program at Helpline. Willms hopes to have the students make permanent contributions to the organization.

“I would hope that we will not only work on developing [these programs], but that they ILLU

Alumna Jennifer Northam ’91, director of the participating Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, looks forward to the collaboration between Whitman and her organization.

“We’ve had a Whitman intern for two consecutive summers and our satisfaction with that program is through the roof. So when the opportunity came for us to have a full year of a Whitman student working with us and for us, we jumped at

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will become a lasting reality.”

In addition to working on specialized projects with their organizations, participating students will be required to present their work to the other participants in the program. Leavitt pointed to this sharing of ideas between groups as another unique aspect of the project.

“It’s not a group of organizations that has ever done anything together, and that’s part of what’s so energizing about this. We’ve taken some of the most creative and innovative [people in Walla Walla] and put them in a room together,” he said.

An information session for prospective applicants will be held in the Memorial Building on Sept.

6, where organization directors will be available to answer questions about the positions being offered through the program. The official kickoff ceremony for the program, attended by Mayor Jim Barrow and President George Bridges, will take place on Sept. 18.

Leavitt hopes the project will help in breaching the distance between campus and the larger community, encouraging students to make lasting differences in Walla Walla.

“I think this will be one of the most meaningful ways to get beyond the bubble that this college has been able to figure out,” he said.

New staff bring fresh perspectives to admissions

by A LLISON WOR K News Editor

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he Office of Admissions and Financial Aid brought new faces to campus this summer after former admission officers decided to leave Whitman for other positions.

Three admission officers are replacing outgoing officers Katie DePonty and PJ Petrone, and a nationwide search is in progress to replace Kevin Dyerly, former director of admission.

“Some of this is a normal, natural cycle,” said Director of Admission and Financial Aid Tony Cabasco. Younger officers often want to go to graduate school or pursue other options after a few years, and other professional opportunities crop up that allow more seasoned officers new responsibilities.

“This allows us to refresh the staff and have the opportunity to bring in some new folks who bring new perspectives to campus,” Cabasco said.

DePonty and Petrone have been replaced by Sadie Nott, Katherine Buckley, and, starting Sept.

10, Jeewon Lee. Nott and Buckley are 2012 graduates of Bowdoin College and Bates College, respectively, and Lee comes from a position as an admission officer at Pitzer College in California. The three are the only non-Whitman-graduate admission officers, according to Cabasco.

The Director of Admission position remains unfilled. Dyerly announced he was leaving in June, and is now the vice president of enrollment at Univer-

sity of Redlands in California.

“A number of us have had to take on more responsibilities,” said Cabasco. “A lot of that primarily falls on my shoulders.” There are plans for an interim position to fill in during the gap, but no formal announcements have been made. Cabasco hopes to hire a new Director of Admission by this winter or spring.

“It is a challenge because anytime you are missing one staff member, a key leader like that, there’s certainly a gap there,” said Cabasco. But he said the unfilled position will not affect the admissions process for the class of 2017.

“A lot of the things that we do are [already] in process,” said Cabasco. “We have most of the pieces here. We have the processes, the workflow, the tasks built into what we do; we’re moving ahead. The ship keeps running.”

The Director of Admission is the supervisor for the day-to-day actions in the Office of Admission. The position directly oversees the admission officers, works on recruitment plans and strategies, and works with the Director of Financial Aid on financial aid policies. They also report directly to Cabasco, who reports to President George Bridges.

“I have to be much more engaged with the admissions office than I normally would,” said Cabasco. “It’s just making sure that all the mailings are going out on time, that the web page is being updated, that the admission officers have the guidance that they need to be successful, [and that] someone [makes] sure the

recruitment plan that we’ve developed is being implemented. A number of us are taking a look at all that.”

In the hiring of new staff members, the admissions office employs similar strategies as when looking to admit prospective students.

“It’s good to have people with different outside experiences,” said Cabasco. “When you have that mix of admission officers, they bring all different perspectives to the table. That variety is important when

we’re talking about how we craft and build a Whitman community.”

Nott and Buckley both felt that Whitman held similar values to their own institutions.

“I had a great time speaking passionately about liberal arts [at Bowdoin] and wanted to continue to do that here,” said Nott.

Buckley said that because she brings an outside perspective from a different institution, she believes she has the abil-

ity to “[pick] up on what really does make Whitman stand out.”

“It’s important to have different kinds of perspectives [and] different kinds of people on the team,” said Cabasco. “Just as in a classroom, this would be less interesting if we all had the same kinds of folks who approach work, approach life, and approach how they view recruitment or whatever it might be in the same way. You want a variety of folks on your admissions staff.”

Katherine Buckley (left) and Sadie Nott are two of the newly hired admission officers replacing outgoing staff members. Photo by Li

Counseling Center enhances services for new year

by L ACHL A N JOHNSON Staff Reporter

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hitman’s Counseling Center is improving its services in preparation for the academic year under the guidance of its new director Thacher Carter. New services will include expanded drop-in hours and an electronic organizational system.

Carter said he is excited to be joining the Counseling Center staff.

“When I first came to Whitman, I didn’t want to change anything. I just wanted to see how the system worked, because it was working before, so it’s not like there was something wrong with it,” he said.

Since settling in, Carter has instigated several changes to help the cent-

er serve students more efficiently.

Carter is replacing Dr. Richard Jacks as the director of the Counseling Center this year. He hopes the center will provide a “humanistic overview in terms of how we can help someone navigate college and navigate life.”

When working towards his doctorate in clinical psychology, Carter visited Whitman to attend the Northwest Directors Meeting and was impressed by the school.

“I remember looking at Rich Jacks and wondering when he was going to retire,” said Carter. Jacks’ tenure at Whitman lasted for another 19 years, during which time Carter worked as the Counseling Center director at Eastern Oregon University, but now Carter has returned to Whit-

man to head the counseling program.

One change Carter is overseeing at the Counseling Center is the transfer from paper to electronic records.

While the majority of counseling centers throughout the country use electronic records, before this year Whitman still used paper records to track patients. Electronic records will allow the center to help students more quickly and efficiently.

“Everything can be in one spot, on a program, and everything is easier to access and organize,” said Tyler Moorehead, a graduate student working in the center.

Also debuting this fall are new drop-in hours from 1 to 3 p.m.

Monday and Wednesday and 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday.

In previous years the Coun-

seling Center had an hour every day for drop-ins, during which two students could be helped in half-hour sessions.

The new drop-in hours can provide six students with 20-minute sessions. If students can’t be seen within 20 minutes of arriving, they will be asked to come by the next drop-in time.

“In the past we had such a high demand from students and a really hard time managing all of them,” said counselor Tracee Anderson. According to Anderson, the Counseling Center saw roughly 27.5 percent of the student body last year, and expects to see a similar amount of students this year.

After arrival, students fill out an intake form which is entered into

PRODUCTION

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BUSINESS

Editor-in-Chief Rachel Alexander

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NEWS

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PIONEER

EDITORIAL

News Editors Emily Lin-Jones Allison Work A&E Editor Alex Hagen Sports Editor Pam London Feature Editor Adam Brayton Opinion Editor Alex Brott Humor Editor Kyle Seasly Photography Editor Marie von Hafften Illustration Editor Julie Peterson

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ILLUSTRATION

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the new software. The form gives the center some basic information about the problems the student is facing. With this information, the center can decide which of its counselors are best suited for each student, or whether the student would be better helped by another resource at Whitman or in the wider community.

“We’re triaging people a little differently,” said Anderson. “We’re still going to see a lot of students for regular ongoing care, but we might shift some out to some different places. Maybe they need to go to the ARC [Academic Resource Center].

Maybe they need to go downtown to get some substance abuse treatment.”

The Counseling Center will continue to provide free and confidential one-on-one and group counseling.

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.

SUBMISSION POLICY

Letters to Editor may be submitted to The Pioneer via email at editors@ whtimanpioneer.com or sent to The Pioneer, 345 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla, WA, 99362. All submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Saturday prior to the week that they are intended to appear. All submissions must be attributed and may be edited for concision and fluency.

CODE OF ETHICS

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.

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Green Dot goes high-tech

NUMBERS

IN THE NEWS

by EMILY LIN-JONES

by MAEGAN NELSON

News Editor

165 million

Staff Reporter

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arlier this month, hundreds of first-years filed through Reid Campus Center to get their student IDs, record their voices and receive their mailbox assignments. Among the many tables that they passed by was one dedicated to the newly introduced “Campus Safety App” available for free.

ASWC President junior Kayvon Behroozian spent the past summer researching and designing this app.

“It came about second semester of last year; it was around the time when our campus was really talking about rape culture,” he said. Around this time Behroozian noticed the campus starting to discuss assault prevention programs such as Take Back the Night and Green Dot. “My friend was vice president at UC Berkeley [and] posted on Facebook about this smartphone app.

I called him up and he put me in touch with Defend Call, the company that hosts this app for us.”

Barbara Maxwell, Whitman’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention Coordinator, determined that it would be “ideal if [Whitman] could somehow connect [the Campus Safety App] to the Green Dot” program. Since then, Behroozian has put Defend Call in contact with the Green Dot creator, Dr. Dorothy Edwards. In the future, there is hope of starting a partnership for other Green Dot campuses.

Number of active iOS and Android devices in the United States as of July 2012.

SOURCE: FLURRY ANALYTICS

$119

Cost per year to subscribe to “My Force,” an assaultprevention iOS app that connects user with a 24/7 call center who relay user’s GPS coordinates to the police.

SOURCE: COSMOPOLITAN

12 million

Number of Apple mobile ID numbers hacking group claims to have obtained from FBI computer this week.

SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES

ASWC President Kayvon Behroozian displays the campus security application he helped develop over the summer. Photo by McCormick

The app features four blue buttons that connect students to safety resources: a button for 911, a button to call campus security if the situation is not an emergency, a button to call an RA on duty in every hall with RAs who have duty hours, and a button that calls the health center.

The app also comes with a button that alerts security of a student’s location when pressed.

“Green Dot is about the com-

munity being responsible for the safety of individuals—saying or doing something when you see another person in an unsafe situation,” said Maxwell.

“It literally creates a bystander situation with no bystanders by simply pushing a button to call friends to your assistance.”

“The Campus Safety App makes me feel more secure. I know that if I’m in a red dot situation, I can contact someone to

make an awesome distraction,” said first-year Emily Grossmann.

Students may download the application by texting “WHITC” to 32705, then opening the link that is texted back, then registering on that page and clicking “save.” Once on the screen, bookmark that page and hold down the bookmark until options appear.

Click “Create shortcut to Home.” If there are any difficulties or issues, email support@defencall.com.

$31 million

Cost of resolving the most expensive data breach included in 2012 study by Ponemon Institute.

SOURCE: HEALTHCARE FINANCE NEWS

780,000

Number of Medicaid patients who had personal information stolen after a hacker exploited a weak password to gain acess to the Utah Department of Technology Service’s server.

SOURCE: PONEMON INSTITUTE

Changes made to handling Student entrepreneur of sexual misconduct cases recruits peers for tutoring business

by R ACHEL A LEX A NDER

with allegations that Whitman mishandled her sexual misconduct complaint, said that she aphe Whitman adminispreciated the chance to speak tration made signifiabout what happened to her. cant changes in its proce“It was really nice, bedures for handling sexual ascause I was able to sit down sault over the summer, with an [with the administration] and emphasis on improved commube like, ‘These things are failnication with the Walla Waling your students,’” she said. la YWCA and police departStill, she’s not sure that ment. These changes were made the recent changes will be in response to student complaints enough to address the isabout Whitman’s handling sues she raised last spring. of sexual assault on campus.

“Any change is good Specifically, the Whitman change, [but] it’s really hard administration said they were to have faith in an institution addressing concerns raised in a that’s betrayed you,” she said.

March 1, 2012 Pioneer article, The Whitman adminisin which two students who had tration also met with the Walbeen sexually assaulted on camla Walla Police Department to pus spoke about the difficulclarify Whitman’s responsibilties they encountered in reportities with regard to sexual asing their rapes to the police and sault. Although sexual assault is going through Whitman’s sexua crime which can be handled by al misconduct hearing process. local police, Whitman is legally Dean of Students Chuck obligated to investigate claims Cleveland said that his office of sexual assault under Title IX, met with these two students last a federal law pertaining to genspring and asked them to make der discrimination in education. recommendations for chang“Most law enforcees to Whitman’s practices. ment [doesn’t] understand Ti“We went over in detle IX or our obligations tail every issue that they to comply with that federhad. That was difficult, and al regulation,” said Cleveland. it was helpful,” he said.

Cleveland believes that clarBased on these conversaifying procedural issues with tions, Cleveland presented a verthe police will make it easier for bal report to the college’s govstudents who choose to report erning board detailing the stuthese crimes to law enforcement. dents’ suggestions, as well as the “If a student wants to make March 1, 2012 Pioneer board eda contact [with the police], we’re going to be much more effecADVERTISEMENT tive in helping students do that,” he said. “We’re going to make sure that students understand that this is an option. We’re not going to force them to do it.”

Maxwell hopes that students will continue the conversation about sexual assault that began last semester.

“Last semester, it was on everybody’s minds. I don’t 1. Superior view know that the first-year class will think too much about it,” 2. Inferior view she said. She added that a number of students have come to her with ideas for addition509-522-9991 al programming related to consent and sexual misconduct.

“I’m really optimisSunday 10-3:30 fig. 1 fig. 2 Monday-Saturday tic about it,” she said. a place for food Maxwell said that last 10-7:30 spring’s discussion of sexual assault also helped ADVERTISEMENT her clarify her own thinking about her role on campus.

“Green Dot is a really amazing program, but it’s $2.00 off any full sandwich for students and faculty with only one side of Whitman ID the issue. I hadn’t been spending enough time on the other side of the issue,” she said.

Editor-in-Chief

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itorial which criticized Whitman’s handling of sexual assault cases. Cleveland said that his office is working the students’ suggestions into the college’s practices for dealing with future cases. He is also working with Sexual Misconduct Prevention Coordinator Barbara Maxwell to ensure that victims who come forward receive more systematic support from Whitman, whether they choose to pursue a formal case or not.

Maxwell redesigned the opening week consent program to have a more serious tone, since the students in question felt that using too much humor detracted from the importance of consent.

Maxwell said she is also planning to do follow-up sessions with individual first-year sections over the course of the semester.

“We’re going to do some more follow-ups and not put all our eggs in the Green Dot basket,” she said.

Additionally, the Health Center will now automatically contact a victim’s advocate from the Walla Walla YWCA if a student comes in alleging sexual assault. While the student will be able to choose whether or not they wish to speak to an advocate, the college’s default position is to provide one.

“The Y is thrilled about it,” said Maxwell.

Whitman alumna Zoe* ‘12, who came forward last spring

Graze’s

anatomy of a sandwich:

522-4826

Note: Zoe is this student’s real name. She asked that her last name not be used so that this article would not appear in search results.

by ELISE TINSETH Staff Reporter

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hen Whitman junior Fernando Medina saw a need for tutors in the Walla Walla area, he knew he wanted to do something about it. This past summer he founded Valley Tutoring, a local business that employs Whitman students and graduates as tutors and seeks to help provide educational assistance to Walla Walla students from kindergarten- to college-age.

Medina utilized his interest in business to create a new way for qualified students and alumni to help the community. Though many students at Whitman are already involved in the community, Medina has a strong belief in helping whenever possible.

“I don’t think that there can ever be too many opportunities for us as students to get to know the place that we’re living in,” Medina said.

With the new business came obstacles that he didn’t anticipate, such as new technology and scheduling conflicts between his business and the timing of local public schools.

“Schools [are] currently not in session, which means that I can expect business to be slow and need to instead focus on building the foundations. It’s nervewracking, though, because I can’t test these foundations until business picks up,” said Medina.

Despite Medina’s knowledge of the business and marketing aspects such as advertising around campus and school, he still had to work hard to familiarize himself with some of the technology that came with the job.

“Because [I] also started out being unfamiliar with website design, I had to spend a lot of time learning how to use a content management system, HTML,

CSS, and other aspects of building my own website,” Medina said.

Despite these challenges, Valley Tutoring will be open to assist students of any age, offering tutoring in most subjects from kindergarten through introductory college-level classes, with different hourly charges depending on the academic level of the students.

Given the breadth of subjects and the multitude of students that Valley Tutoring hopes to serve, Medina is looking for students that have been trained in SAT or ACT preparation and who also have strong references, social skills and a desire to help people learn.

“I am looking for these tutors to act as role models for the students they work with,” Medina said.

Cindy Chang is a junior biology major who will be working for Medina this year along with numerous other Whitman students and alumni.

“I was intrigued by the idea of Fernando starting his own company, and wanted to see what it would turn out like, so I decided to get involved,” Chang said. “I also love tutoring and working with kids, so I thought this would be a perfect fit.”

Currently, Medina is waiting for local schools in Walla Walla, such as Walla Walla High School, to open this Sept. 4 to get students to tutor.

“I have already started advertising at local schools and have met with some of the administrators there,” Medina said.

“The ones that I have talked to are very excited about the program.”

Despite the challenges of starting a new business, Medina is optimistic about the future of the project.

“I think it will help Whitman connect with the greater Walla Walla community and have a positive impact,” he said.

Van Neste prosecution wraps up investigation from VAN NESTE, page 1

since his first-year Core class and observed his transformation over the past year. “He has come to understand the seriousness of these acts and is remorseful for what he has done.

Now, he has his life back, and I think we will all learn one day to what positive ends he will direct his many gifts.”

The Technology Services team plans to continue updating and reviewing Whitman’s security systems to preempt any future attempts to compromise security. “We also will continually educate our students, faculty and staff about their role in maintaining information security and protecting themselves,” said Ter-

rio. Staff and faculty can no longer access the WID numbers of students via People Search, a key feature Van Neste used to obtain student ID information. WCTS is also working more closely with Whitman Security to monitor unusual facilities access activity on campus. The college has also invested in a new system that encrypts ID card numbers, making it impossible for anyone to duplicate a false card.

As all parties involved in this case move forward, Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland reminds us of the lesson to be learned from the incident.

“It’s a reminder and a caution that there is far more to lose than gain by breaking the law,” he said.

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Blogs offer new musical insight

by EMMA DAHL Staff Reporter

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he internet sometimes seems like an endless source of information, but some sites achieve a higher quality than others.

Here are a few fantastic music blogs and websites dedicated to the unearthing of new music, places where quality tunes can be discovered with ease.

1. Music for Kids Who Can’t Read Good (www.musicforants.com/blog): This music blog, in addition to having an incredibly entertaining “Zoolander” theme, also keeps up with the latest releases in the indie rock circle. The moderators of the blog post information on new artists, very good mixes, reviews of albums and sample MP3s, as well as a section displaying recently released album covers entitled “My iPod is So Hot Right Now.” If you like to stay on top of the indie scene while soaking in some Blue Steel at the same time, this blog is for you.

2. Last.fm (www.last.fm/ home): Last.fm is a website that appeals to those occasional neurotic impulses. Downloading their “scrobbler” allows users to keep track of play counts from both Spotify and iTunes. As mundane as that might sound, it’s very interesting and kind of addicting to follow the trends of various songs and artists and how they fluctuate throughout the year. Last. fm’s radio service, Pandoraesque in the way that it plays groups of similar songs but different in the fact that it plays off of your most frequented artists, doesn’t disappoint either.

3. Future Perfect Radio (www.futureperfectradio.com): As far as internet radio goes, FPR is a fantastic site. It’s essentially an indie version of Pandora, with a large array of genres to sample from, such as “Au Naturale,” “Femme Fatale,” and several best-of stations.

FPR is a great cure for those musical slumps; it always produces fresh, quality tunes and is anything but repetitive, unlike similar internet radio stations.

A look ahead to fall TV

by MALLORY MARTIN Staff Reporter

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chool is starting and you all know what that means: time for the start of fall’s new TV lineup! With so many shows up to the bat and so much buzz, it can be hard to pick out what’s worth watching and what’s worth skipping. Here’s a little guide to clear the air.

The winner of best new show has got to go to Fox’s “The Mindy Project.” Granted, the initial storyline may seem a little tired: a woman with a successful career struggles with a messy personal life. However, “The Office” alum Mindy Kaling brings so much charisma, wit and comedy to her character that it’s definitely worth the watch. Her co-stars are equally humorous and fun, and she’s actually relatable, unlike some other Fox females (I’m looking at you, Zooey Deschanel). Also worth checking out is ABC’s “Revolution,” J.J.

Abrams’ piece about a post-apocalyptic world; Fox’s “The Following,” which stars Kevin Bacon as an FBI agent struggling with a gang of serial killers; and ABC’s “666 Park Avenue”: part “Rosemary’s Baby,” part “American Horror Story.” This promising lineup of newcomers will keep you glued to the TV screen every week.

NBC and the CW, however, appear to be striking out this year.

NBC’s “Animal Practice,” about a grouchy veterinarian, seems like nothing more than an attempt to claim abandoned “House” fans.

“Chicago Fire” offers smoking leading men, but a flickering storyline. Ryan Murphy’s “The New Normal” holds potential, but could easily turn into just another “Glee.”

Meanwhile, the CW attempted to feed off the superhero buzz with “Green Arrow” but forgot to make it compelling, and their remake of the ‘90s hit “Beauty and the Beast” looks to be just another sappy, supernatural love story.

“Lawless”: blood and love, but mostly blood

by NATHAN FISHER Staff Reporter

U

nfortunately, none of this week’s new movie releases excited me. The best of the bad seemed to be “Lawless,” a movie that couldn’t quite figure out if it wanted to be a gangsta, hillbilly or period flick.

“Lawless” follows the Bondurant brothers and their moonshining business in Virginia.

The trio includes Forrest (Tom Hardy, most recently Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises”), the leader of the brothers who is reportedly immortal; Jack (Shia LaBeouf, “Transformers” guy), the youngest bro who thinks he knows everything; and Howard (Jason Clarke), the muscle of the gang, who can lift a man above his head with one hand. The family’s loyalties are tested when the evil Special Agent Rakes (Guy Pearce) comes to town to clean up the streets—or get a cut of the business. “Cleaning” the streets is a dirty business, and Agent Rakes may have met his match with the Bondurant boys, the only bootleggers not willing to pay him off. This insolence, of course, results in torture with pots of hot tar— you know, the basic “do you get my point now?” stuff.

“Lawless” tries to add some spice to the classic Prohibition mov ie b y

ILLUSTRATION BY PETERSON

throwing in love interests for a couple of the boys. Forrest gets cozy with the sometimes-naked waitress, Maggie (Jessica Chastain), and LaBeouf tries to court the notso-naked preacher’s daughter (Mia Wasikowska). Although “Lawless” tries to soften the dark side of the business with the ladies, the movie just cannot seem to help itself from oozing blood. A pop to the face brings blood gushing from the nose and mouth; a slit throat brings, yes, lots of blood, but with added gurgling sounds; and body parts are excised with ... blood flowing.

“Lawless,” even with blood taking center stage, boasts an allstar cast who all seem to have had different dialect coaches. LaBeouf surprised me the most, sporting a Southern accent, but I kept expecting to see him trying to yell over Optimus Prime fighting the evil Transformers. Hardy’s southern drawl is punctuated with grunts as he punches out teeth and pummels with his brass knuckles. Pearce, playing an evil and annoying character, is spot-on; and, as usual, Gary Oldman is dynamite playing a classic Prohibition gangster.

All in all, even with the pools of blood littering the fight scenes and the fluctuating dialects of t h e actors, I enjoyed this gangsterhillbilly a lmost-t r ue story.

Less gratuitous blood and a better ending would have made it a hit for me.

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Get out of the

BUBBLE

Walla Walla wineries host musical guests SONiA and Ian McFeron

by CLARA BARTLETT Staff Reporter

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cclimating to a new school year, living space and variety of classes, it’s easy to get caught up in the stress and resulting exhaustion that is the beginning phase of September. So, rather than selfmedicate your September strain with too much chocolate, Facebook time, excessive room rearrangement or other unnamed pastimes (illegal and otherwise), why not venture outside the Whitman bubble and check out some unique and new musicians?

On Friday, Sept. 7, both folky singer/songwriter Ian McFeron and cultural critic/vocalist SONiA will grace Walla Walla with their melodious presence.

“When Ian wrote me about playing Walla Faces, I was more than anxious to have him play at our tasting room,” said Rick Johnson of Walla Faces. “I feel fortunate he

is passing through this area.”

McFeron’s innate gift for music has made for a busy year.

His sixth and newest album, Summer Nights, was released in 2011, and was produced by Patty Griffin’s long-time guitarist and musical collaborator Doug Lancio. The album also features musical performances by Lancio as well as Ryan Adams. “[McFeron’s] lyrical prose has been compared to Bob Dylan and Ryan Adams. I grew up listening to Bob Dylan and find listening to a unique approach to Dylan’s songwriting style very interesting,” Johnson said.

After concluding his venture overseas, McFeron is now scheduled to perform over 200 shows in 2012. Included in his lengthy tour itinerary is a stop at Walla Faces, performing alongside Alisa Milner, a fiddler, cellist and vocalist. The show begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4.

Performing on the same night, SONiA, singing in He-

brew, Spanish, Arabic and English, will take the stage of Sapolil Cellars at 9 p.m. Performing in an intimate solo setting, SONiA is known for her energetic performances, insightful cultural commentary and ultimately hopeful messages.

Abigail Schwerin of Sapolil Cellars describes SONiA’s music as “heartfelt folk-rock,” adding that “she’s got a lot of passion with what she does.”

“She’s got this great kind of folk-rock voice. It’s just tender and sweet, but with power behind it. I kind of appreciate that, something with a little more passion,” Schwerin said. She, along with the Walla Walla community, eagerly anticipates seeing SONia perform.

So, once again, feeling overwhelmed? Take a break: Enjoy some unfamiliar yet enjoyable tunes while dancing it up in a Walla Walla winery with some mid-thirty- to mid-forty-year olds.

Noelle Butler ‘16 accentuates her wardrobe with understated jewelry collected from various people and places. Photos by beck

STYLE SPOTLIGHT Every week, The Pioneer searches out Whitties who bring an extra splash of fashion consciousness and sartorial daring to campus. This week’s Style Spotlight: first-year Noelle Butler.

“This [ring on my right hand middle finger], I also have a matching one with my German exchange student. This one’s kind of special because she’s not here anymore. [On] the left hand ring finger, I have a matching one with one of my best friends. I do like [the matching rings] because it just reminds me of them when I put it on. It’s like another connection.”

“This [light blue bracelet] is for one of my friends from high

Style Soundbites “My dress is from ModCloth. It was a birthday present for me from my German exchange student and my mom.”

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school who passed away in a car accident. I always keep this one on. I like to collect bracelets from places I go or that people give me ... they start accumulating.”

“I like things that aren’t too flashy but then they’re also nice-looking. [Wear] whatever makes you feel good. If you like wearing a certain thing then you should wear it. I wear things that I like, and if other people like it, it’s a plus.”

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2012

SPORTS

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CLIMBING CENTER UPENDED Already a popular destination on campus, the Whitman Climbing Center built on its strong climbing culture this summer by making a beginner-friendly modification to make the wall more accesible. Photo by McCormick from CLIMBING CENTER, page 1

Although the wall is still nearly vertical, the slight angle makes balance easier, allowing even beginners to scale heights of over 30 feet. Says Climbing Center Manager Katie Lei, the new slab will “make it much more practical to teach skills like rappelling and multi-pitching at the wall.”

The slab is not just for begin-

ners, however. The combination of an angled ascent and custom walls that mimic an actual rock face allow advanced climbers to get a realistic climbing experience that differs greatly from the experiences offered by the surrounding walls.

“I like [the new section] because it duplicates another surface found frequently at many outdoor climbing spots,” said senior Matt Raymond, an experienced climber and new em-

ployee at the Climbing Center. Regional features surrounding Walla Walla like Smith Rock and Vantage offer climbers the chance to practice their newfound skills on real rock.

The remodeling took nearly three years to finance, months to design and two weeks to construct. Construction began Aug. 1 and the newly renovated center is up and running. This semester alone, over 160 students will benefit di-

rectly from the new wall in classes offered by Whitman, while hundreds more will enjoy the section in clinics and open climbing hours.

From the continuous adjusting of routes to making fresh renovations, the Outdoor Program and climbing staff are constantly catering to the wants and needs of the student body to make the Climbing Center the most valuable resource possible.

Get involved at the wall In addition to offering classses each semester, the Climbing Center provides numerous weekly and monthly clinics where eager climbers can learn everything from the basics to route setting.

Call: (509)527-5223

Dedicated: In memory of long-time SID Dave Holden On Aug. 3, Whitman College athletics lost one of its most dedicated supporters. Longtime Sports Information Director Dave Holden suffered a fatal heart attack, leaving student athletes and many members of the Whitman community without a dear friend.

For 18 years, Holden served as the voice of Whitman varsity athletics. A consistent attendee of Whitman athletic events, Holden watched hundreds of contests during his career, examining each and every one with a closely trained eye and extracting details that he used to entertain and educate his readers.

Holden touched a myriad of student athletes while at Whitman as he wrote about their successes on the field and in the classroom.

He was one of the quietest members of the athletic department, but universally beloved and respected amongst his colleagues.

Below, former student athlete Taylor Chock ’12 reflects on her memories of Holden.

A

s a game statistician for basketball and baseball and a student athlete during my four years at Whitman, I was fortunate to have gotten to know Dave fairly well, as I spent many a weekend learning from and working with him.

Dave was a sports guru who knew the answers to any scoring question (he was very generous with stats, especially to Whitman players), and he had a fantastic sense of humor that always made it entertaining to sit next to him.

Without fail, Dave was present at every home sporting event.

Dave was unconditionally dedicated to his profession and, more importantly, to student athletes and their families. He often worked late into the night to get game reports written and onto the Whitman athletics website as soon as possible so that impatient parents and grandparents could read about how the game transpired in great detail. Thanks to Dave’s promptness, my parents often knew the outcome of the game and even the number of our team’s shots on goal before I had a chance to call them that night. Not only did Dave write the stories for all to see and enjoy on the website, he also worked tirelessly behind the scenes to nominate student athletes for numerous academic and

Dave Holden joined Whitman in 1989 as a news services officer before taking the title of Sports Information Director in 1994. Photos contributed by Lehman

athletic awards. Because of his efforts, dozens of student athletes have reaped the benefits of being recognized as Academic All-District and All-Americans.

A fond memory that showcases Dave’s unique personality and unexpected humor came before a basketball game versus Willamette University. Willamette brought one of their sports broadcasters to Walla Walla to cover the game on their school radio station. For some reason or another, there were technical difficulties and the entire scorer’s table, including the Willamette broadcaster, was not able to connect to the internet. It was five minutes before tip-off and the Willamette radio personality was literally twitching in agitation and then proceeded to cause a scene. Dave was sitting next to me, calmly clicking around on his computer and seemingly ignoring the fit of hysteria brewing next to him. I was engrossed in setting up the game files when suddenly Dave silently slid a piece of paper over to me without even so much as a glance. It read, “Guy’s a dork.” Surprised and highly amused, I let uncontrollable laughter escape as I glanced over at Dave. As usual, Dave’s expression was almost unreadable; he still peered intently through his glasses at his computer screen, but if I looked closely I could see the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. That was Dave: He could always find jocosity in stressful situations and deliver it in the most unanticipated way.

Dave’s frank and unpredictable humor, unrivaled dedication and infinite sports IQ will be greatly missed. His passing will continue to impact the Whitman and Walla Walla athletic communities as we have lost an irreplaceable Sports Information Director, student athlete advocate and friend. Rest in peace, Dave—you can finally watch every sporting event you want from above!

Did you know?

In his journalism career, Holden earned 20 awards in state and national competitions for reporting, editorials and photography.

SCOREBOARD SOCCER

Men’s v. University of Redlands Aug. 31: W 1-0 v. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Sept. 1: L 2-3 v. Pomona-Pitzer Sept. 2: W 2-1 v. College of Idaho Sept. 4: T 1-1 Women’s v. Webster University Aug. 31: L 2-1 v. Washington University Sept. 2: L 4-0

VOLLEYBALL

v. St. Norbert College Aug. 31: L 3-0 v. Carleton College Aug. 31: L 3-0 v. Albion University Sept. 1: W 3-0 v. John Carroll University Sept. 1: W 3-0

CROSS COUNTRY

Whitman Invitational Sept. 1, Men: 2nd, Women: 1st

UPCOMING SOCCER

Men’s v. Occidental College Sept. 7: Away v. Chapman University Sept. 9: Away Women’s v. Warner Pacific College Sept. 8: Away v. Whittier College Sept. 9: Away v. Whitworth University Sept. 12, 1:30 p.m.: Home

VOLLEYBALL Holden sets up in his natural habitat: with his computer and statistics, looking down on the sports and student athletes he loved. Photo contributed by Lehman

v. Whittier College Sept. 7: Away v. Luther College Sept. 8: Away v. Whitworth University Sept. 8: Away

by PETER CLARK Staff Reporter

A successful collegiate athlete himself, Matt Helm brings unique enthusiasm and passion for excellence to his first collegiate coaching position. Photo by Li

Profile: Matt Helm reinvigorates program

by PETER CLARK Staff Reporter

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efore coming to Whitman, new women’s varsity volleyball coach Matt Helm led Molokai High School to four Maui Interscholastic League titles, six consecutive state tournament appearances and the 2010 Hawaii Division state championship. Coach Helm and his wife Erika have four children: daughter Noelani (10) and sons Kahili (12), Kahiau (six) and Makaio (one).

What made you decide to take the job here at Whitman?

Well, first, applying to a college coaching position is something I’ve always dreamed about. Secondly, coming from a DIII program myself—I played at University of La Verne—I understand the student athlete concept very well and that’s part of my philosophy here at Whitman. And obviously researching Whitman and the excellent academic reputation that it has, why not? Why not take this job? I love the facilities, great people— and I was born here in Washington.

Was it hard uprooting you and your family from Hawaii?

They were excited. Obviously, uprooting your family from one lifestyle to the next is tough. Change is always hard, but I feel it is also necessary for growth. Where I am from in Hawaii is not the Hawaii that everyone pictures. My island was very small, only about 7,000 people, but it’s similar to Walla Walla in that it’s a rural community.

How have the first few practices gone so far?

We’ve been going full force; I think within the first five days of practice we had got in 15 total practices. The girls’ progress from the start to where they are now is phe-

nomenal. I am seeing excellent growth, buying into the philosophy and effort. The girls really want to be good. We’re holding a very high standard because it is something we have all agreed upon. I’m really excited to see how we carry these great practices into game situations.

How would you describe your coaching style?

I like my athletes to be athletes. I don’t like to micromanage.

If you’re a player, I give options and they execute. That’s my philosophy. Everything is a classroom; when we’re in the gym we’re teaching, we’re educating, we’re learning about life. We take things that happen inside practice or what’s going on in the world and we apply it to what we are trying to accomplish in the gym. I try to teach life in the context of competitive volleyball.

Is the team pretty excited to travel to Chicago and begin their season?

From what they tell me, they seem very excited. I think we are confident and anxious to play games and find out where we are in building our new culture. Also, no one has ever been to Chicago— including myself—so it’s going to be a brand new world for all of us.

What are your goals this year from a wins and losses standpoint, as well as goals beyond that?

I want our seniors to have a great experience this year. As far as team goals, we want to come out on top. Why else do we play?

We don’t play for second, third or fourth; we play to win. That’s the way we train, to be champions.

As far as bigger goals, we want to start creating a culture here that exudes success. We want successful student athletes that excel both in the classroom and on the court.

Sep

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2012

A day at the

FEATURE

FAIR

A night at the

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RODEO

A cowboy and calf scramble in the dirt during the calf wrestling competition. The object of calf wrestling is to go from riding a horse to pinning a calf down on the ground in the fastest time possible. Photo by Felt

Fair connects Whitman, community from FRONTIER DAYS, page 1

the entire state, it still represents the same cultural values. Whitman students are especially drawn to the agriculture side of things— particularly the 4-H livestock.

“I spent a majority of my time looking at and petting all the different animals,” said junior Beth Levin. “It was also fun to hear animals like geese and chickens making noise. Growing up in San Francisco, I didn’t get to hear a lot of farm animals in my childhood.”

Some Whitman students had a specific favorite animal in the 4-H competition.

“Petting the cow that kept licking my hand was my favorite part of the fair,” said sophomore Rachael Barton.

Going around and petting farm animals is not a normal weekend activity by many a Whittie’s standards. Still, as fun as the animals may be, there is more to the Walla Walla fair than what lies on the surface.

As a staple of the town itself, it has undergone transformations as well as quite a few name changes over the years. The title of event became, in order, Walla Walla County Fair Association in 1903, then Southeastern Washington Fair in 1936, with Frontier Days added to that in 1938, then Walla Walla Frontier Days in 1992. This went on until the present name of the event, the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days, was decided upon in 1996.

For all involved, the fair represents a place apart from day-to-

day life in which people can take on temporary personas and appearances. It is a step into the deep history of Walla Walla, and even its temporary Whitman residents take part in the celebration of country culture.

The manifestations of country-style performance could be seen in big ways. Students and townsfolk alike donned full western gear acquired from Goodwill specifically for events like this. Whitties could be seen decked out in Western apparel, from their cowboy hats down to their leather boots.

“It’s a hodgepodge of clothes.

I got my boots from the OP gear sale, just had a pair of jeans, and my mom got me a western-style shirt from the Southwest,” said sophomore Tom Whipple of his Western style get-up. Hailing from the East Coast, the fair and the attire that goes along with it are a novelty. “It’s not what I usually wear, even though I’m known to sport some of it to class on occasion. It’s all about blending in with the local crowd.”

The act of going to the fair itself, a celebration of conservative agrarianism, is stepping out of the box for many Whitties.

“There was a huge Republican booth at the entrance, and an anti-abortion booth in a building with vendors,” said Levin. “The Democrats’ booth was much smaller. It might just be because it is close to election season, but I don’t remember political activities at other fairs.”

Even those accustomed to going to the fair in their home-

Horsedrawn carriages add to the pomp and flair of the night’s ceremonies at Walla Walla’s annual rodeo event. Photo by Felt

towns were surprised by the immediate political differences.

“The fair I go to in Clackamas is more liberal, but still agricultural,” said Barton. “This is very different from the fair back home … especially when the only political booth I saw supported Romney.”

Whitman students may pride themselves on being health-conscious, especially when reading Bon Appétit’s odes to hale and hearty dining. This all goes out the window when confronted with the slough of curly fries, funnel cakes, pulled pork sandwiches, burgers, onion rings and corn dogs that can be found at the fair.

“I tried to stay away from

the more greasy food,” said Levin. “But those fries, while bad, were sort of addicting.”

The curly fries are the most visibly notable item of fair fare. A large amount of curly fries are placed in a deep fryer and are served in the rectangular shape of the deep fryer in a solid brick of fries. This is then served on a paper tray that is too small for the food it holds.

The rodeo was an extra treat for those who were willing to stay at the fair into the night, when they could otherwise be partaking in usual weekend activities. This was a novelty to many attending students, and the events entertained well.

“I was absolutely amazed at the bareback riding. They were riding so far back on those bucking broncos. It was intense,” said Whipple.

The Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days is but a part of a larger series of local agricultural festivals that happen every year, including the Grant County Fair in Moses Lake, Wash., the Adams County Fair in Othello, Wash., and the Pendleton Roundup in Peldleton, Ore. To see what all the commotion is about, the Pendleton Roundup is coming up, from Sept. 12-15.

Otherwise, make a point to join the festivities at the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days fair next year.

Horsin’ around

Students get a kick out of rodeo

by TALIA RUDEE Staff Reporter

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Above: Punkintown the Rodeo Clown gallivants about the center stage. Below: Many riders take the stadium floor as a part of the night’s festivities. Photos by Felt

opes swing, a Ferris wheel turns, horses gallop and music plays at the Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days. This event, this year running from Aug. to Sept. 2, is the oldest fair in Washington state beginning in 1863. One of the main events is the rodeo, where a multitude of cowboys gather to compete for a grand cash prize.

The rodeo is an exciting highlight at the annual Walla Walla Fair and Frontier Days. All photos by Allie Felt.

The rodeo, an extra attraction within the larger attraction of the fair, began in 1913 as the Wild West Show. Today, the event consists of a three-hour performance of fast-paced events, including calfwrestling, solo and team roping,

women’s barrel racing and bareback and saddle bronc riding. For those willing to stay late, there was also the exciting event of bullriding. For those who came early, small children participated in mutton-busting, in which said children must stay atop of a mobile sheep.

Although a popular event in the larger Walla Walla community, students at Whitman embrace their collegiate experience in Walla Walla as well by attending the fair and watching the rodeo, becoming more involved in the small-town country culture.

Last year, on the first day of classes at Whitman, senior Emilie Gilbert and her sister began a tradition of going before class to watch roping events beginning at 7 a.m.

“I think it’s a great way for Whitman students to break the bubble and get involved with the community, see what it has to offer,” said Gilbert.

Gilbert is a cross country runner, originally from the Seattle area, and often runs past farms and wheat fields, which was one aspect that sparked her interest in learning more about these places she sees and interacting with people outside of the “Whitman bubble.” Rather than running by as an ignorant city girl, Gilbert took the initiative to embrace her temporary citizenship in Walla Walla.

Gilbert has always loved horses, which is another aspect of the ranch and country lifestyle. Over the summer, she fulfilled one of her dreams to work on a dude ranch, also called a guest ranch, in Colorado. Here, Gilbert was able to learn even more about roping.

“A lot of the guys who worked as wranglers there knew a lot about rodeo,” said Gilbert.

Contrary to what Whitman students may see every day, ranch culture is a large part of many students’ lives on campus. Much like Gilbert, senior Sa-

rah Brown has always loved horses and worked hard to convince her parents that riding was worth her time when she was younger.

“We went to a few dude ranches, where I first rode and was exposed to rodeo. They thought going to these would get it out of my system.

It didn’t; it only made me want to be more involved in it,” said Brown.

Ever since, Brown has been involved with a variety of horse and ranch opportunities including working at a summer camp with kids riding horses and learning both Western and English styles of riding on her own horse. The Walla Walla rodeo gave Brown yet another chance to enjoy her passion, attending as a spectator every year she has been at Whitman.

“The events are exciting and fun to watch. There are some pretty talented athletes, both in the people participating and in the animals, which makes it a great experience too,” said Brown. “It’s a fun atmosphere to be in and one that is kind of different around campus, so that’s refreshing.”

Both Gilbert and Brown have grown to see the Walla Walla rodeo as a way to expand their experiences beyond the “bubble.”

Gilbert has grown to see Whitman as more than just a campus you can walk across in 10 minutes, but rather a school with a larger country culture to discover around it.

“It’s surprising how many Whitman students don’t know that [the rodeo] is happening,” said Gilbert.

The visible advertising is off campus, displayed on light posts downtown. But if students don’t go outside the “bubble,” stuck in a rut of homework and the chaos of opening week, they are left unaware of the larger community.

“I think it’s something everybody should see the atmosphere around it embraces America,” said Gilbert.

OPINION 7 Discomfort with diversity limits our understanding of complex identities Sep

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JOEY GOTTLIEB Community Member

THE WHITEST AFRICAN

I

am gay. I am somewhat homophobic. I am white and was born in this nation’s capital. My memories begin in Nairobi, Kenya, where I was raised.

I am here to write about the unsettling question of diversity and how it relates to Whitman College.

I am here to discuss and to learn.

Our college struggles with diversity. This we can observe in the enraged writings of campus radicals and the Arabic signs held by Persian students in college greeting cards. We often engage with diversity as the differences in identity. However, in doing so we generate superficial understandings of identity for minority populations and delegitimize the majority’s thoughts and opinions.

These “differences” are usually understood as the marginalized voices that disrupt the homogeneity of the majority population. The majority is taught to seek out and glorify the minorities: the queer, the dark-skinned and the financial-

ly assisted. Marginalized people’s experiences with inequality and discrimination become educational resources that expand the majority population’s spheres of understanding and capacity for tolerance.

I have come to realize that my homosexuality and my multicultural upbringing are often to my benefit here at Whitman. These aspects of my identity generate interest and excitement in many Whitman community members without any further explanation.

On a campus that so glorifies diversity, however, one’s minority status may become the defining aspect of one’s identity. When difference is seen as the more legitimate, or just more interesting, part of an identity, individuals become known solely for their minority status rather than their whole personhood. This often leads to more superficial relationships, based on only the differences that exist between individuals.

Our campus emphasizes difference as a desirable attribute, and I wonder what impact this has on the majority population. How does a more privileged majority regard their alleged lack of diversity, of difference? Do they feel less interesting, less deserving of celebration or curiosity because they are representative of the majority?

There is insecurity about privilege on this campus. It is expressed in the elimination of language that might in any way be construed as oppressive to a minority and the near absence of potentially offensive questions about

what it is like to be black, to be lesbian or to be a woman. The “privileged” majority population begins to bury their questions and their identities under a wave of political correctness, afraid to expose their “privilege” because it seems elitist and oppressive next to the celebrated struggles and differences of the minority populations.

Consider how I began this article by introducing my differences: capitalizing upon my minority status so that readers might think my opinion is somehow more legitimate, that I might speak to issues of identity and diversity with greater authority. Sadly, I believe this authority will stop many of the majority from questioning my arguments. Furthermore, I am afraid I may become known as that gay, fake African who writes for The Pioneer.

This is what emphasizing difference creates: an overly cautious and stifled majority population and a minority population celebrated for their uniqueness but perhaps known and understood superficially. What, then, do we stand to gain by refocusing on our similarities, as I suggested earlier?

What we stand to gain is the knowledge that regardless of our status—minority, majority or otherwise—we are all capable of existing within the fullness of the human spectrum. I

Letter from the Editor I

joined the staff of The Pioneer my freshman year at Whitman, mostly because I thought I’d have a better shot at making friends if I was involved in something on campus. I was a news reporter with no experience, but I quickly grew to love the weekly cycle of setting up interviews, chasing down sources, writing an article and seeing it come out in print later in the week.

The Pioneer has seen a lot of growth since I penned my first article (“Proposed Valley Transit cuts meet resistance”). Two redesigns have left the paper looking much cleaner and more professional, and every semester I hear more students, staff and faculty discussing articles during breaks between class. For the first time this year, The Pioneer is a finalist for three national awards from the Associated Collegiate Press, the national organization for college journal-

ists and media organizations. Out of all the colleges selected by ACP this year, we’re one of a very small few with no journalism or communications department or program.

This may sound like bragging, and perhaps it is. While The Pioneer isn’t the most visible organization on campus—we don’t throw a ton of parties, and our office is tucked away in the top corner of Reid Campus Center— we are one of the largest, with about 80 paid staff members. In this sense, we reflect the Whitman campus, not only by recording what happens here on a day-today basis, but also by giving students a place to speak about the things that matter most to them.

This year, I hope to continue to grow The Pioneer—not only the print newspaper, but the organization as a whole. We’re planning to have weekly videos on our website, covering everything from

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIE PETERSON

can be gay, but that does not preclude my being homophobic.

One can be white and wealthy and able to interact meaningfully with minority populations. The

similarities between us are fundamentally human. We all deserve to have our views examined and refined with the help of our friends, professors and mentors, and we all deserve respect.

Political Cartoon by Maggie Appleton

major events on campus to Walla Walla’s surprisingly vibrant hiphop scene, and expanded blog content, with daily updates from a diverse lineup of Whitman students.

Of course, these are just our ideas, and while The Pioneer’s staff is a big part of campus, we can’t be everywhere. If there’s something you’d like to see from us, let us know. If you have a complaint, criticism or just want to bounce an idea off of us, drop us a line at editors@whitmanpioneer.com. The growth and success of The Pioneer have always depended on hearing from the campus community, and this year more than ever, we want to know how we can best be your newspaper.

Rachel Alexander Editor in Chief

Online threats demand meaningful security BLAIR HANLEY FRANK Senior

I

n August, Mat Honan, someone whom I consider to be one of the leading voices in technology journalism, had his entire life turned upside down. Hackers found their way into his Google account, which they used to reset his passwords on services like Twitter and Facebook. Worst of all, they reset the password to his iCloud account, and remotely wiped his iPhone, iPad and MacBook. Honan’s story isn’t typical, but it is a neces-

sary reminder of just how important it is to secure your life online.

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns about security, you are often the weakest link in your security chain. (I know from personal experience.) But even when you have made absolutely certain to avoid giving out your login credentials to a phisher, hackers can still get into your account.

Over the past few years, there have been several high-profile incidents of major digital institutions having their entire password databases stolen and then spilled onto the Internet for all to see. Sometimes, you just draw the short straw when it comes to digital security.

Ultimately, aside from completely avoiding the Internet, it’s impossible to completely secure your digital life from those who would try to do you harm. But

that doesn’t mean you should give up hope. Often, hackers are willing to settle for the easiest prey, and so by adding extra lines of defense to the services you use, it’s possible for you to save yourself a lot of grief in the future.

What follows is a quick guide to adding security to key parts of your digital life: Google Accounts: Google allows what’s known as two-factor authentication to better lock down your account. The name two-factor authentication comes from requiring a code from a second source in addition to your password. In Google’s case, you can choose to have the code sent to you via text message, or if you have a smartphone, you can install the Google Authenticator app. Two-factor authentication makes it significantly harder to break into your account,

Voices from the community ALEX EMRIE

FLORENCE LEBAS

Senior

Junior

“I think of public access to certain information about you. And passwords, lots of passwords.”

“Trusting that other people are not able to access my personal information; it means that I don’t have to worry about it.”

because if an attacker doesn’t have access to your phone, they can’t access the account. To set up twofactor authentication on your account, go to your Google Account settings (google.com/settings/account), then click on the “Security” tab, and then click “edit” next to Two-Step Verification.

Unfortunately, your Google account through Whitman College does not currently support twofactor authentication, but according to Mike Osterman, Whitman’s IT Security Officer, Whitman College Technology Services is “looking into two-factor authentication,” though there are still currently several obstacles to implementing it.

Facebook: Facebook has a number of available security options. You can choose to enable two-factor authentication, but unlike Google, Facebook will only

send you an authentication code via text message. So, if you’re short on text messages, you can choose to only be notified by email when someone new logs in to your Facebook account. Granted, someone malicious might be able to already do damage to your Timeline by the time you get the email notifying you that they logged in, but any notification in this case is better than none. To access your Facebook security settings, go to your account settings (there’s a drop-down menu in the upper-right corner) and click on the security tab. The settings you want to look at are Login Notifications and Login Approvals.

If you use other services that aren’t covered here, don’t fret. A simple search with the name of the service and “two-factor authentication” should turn up relevant results.

What does online security mean to you?

MONICA SIMMONS Junior

“I am an advocate of online insecurity.”

TOM VOGT Senior

“It means that I feel comfortable doing business online.”

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Sep

6

2012

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8

Pinging: Rite of passage or ResLife hazing technique?

I n the midst of an investigation of TKE’s initiation scandal, the morality of rituals of nonGreek factions on campus has been put under a lens of scrutiny.

The sanctity of the residential community has been put into question after an anonymous freshman, hands blistered and eyes still bleary from the previous night’s chaos, came forward to Associate Dean of Students Marah Baxwell with a disturbing testimony of a ritual referred to as “pinging.” The student’s confessions were shortly followed by many similar allegations throughout the day, some claiming that entire sections were subjected to the process. In an exclusive interview with The Pioneer, Baxwell mentioned that she had to resort to pen and paper communication with some students, their ears still ringing painfully. For the first time, members of the administration must ask themselves a hard question: Is the pinging tradition

a blatant violation of their own hazing policy?

The allegations raised place pinging in flagrant violation of the college policy, defining hazing as “degrading or humiliating” activity. Students of the ritual are allegedly subjected to covering their eyes with a blindfold, or hoodwink, so that they have no idea where they are.

“We’ll have to go over historical protocol before I can, in good faith, sign off on continued pinging.”

Charlie Cincinatti, Dean of Students

“They took us to Waitsburg!” testified one freshman, still painfully unaware of local geography.

The process was downright mortifying for certain victims, too. A female student was in-

dignant after being brought out in “sweats and a Seattle Storm t-shirt,” concerned about her eligibility for a KKG bid. Participation was never advertised as optional, and peer pressure overwhelmed most students.

“I just wanted to play Smash Bros in my section lounge. I only made it through 16 minutes of pinging before the sensory deprivation set in,” a Jewett resident recalled, still too shaky to defeat a Level 5 Yoshi days later.

“At least [Dan] Hart only had to make breakfast,” one student chimed in, citing the popular belief that it is the most important meal of the day. Overall, the experience was disturbing for many first-years, even scaring some into going Greek.

ResLife refused an interview, but stressed via e-mail that pinging is not meant to be demeaning, but to instill a sense of community and build character.

Pinging has seemingly had an adverse effect, however, caus-

ing several Anderson rooms to request having their beds unbunked. While pinging gives students a shared experience, the perpetuation of the cruel practice has little significance other than its history, which is only now under investigation by the school.

Dean of Students Charlie Cincinatti told The Pioneer that putting ResLife on two-year probation “may be a necessary gesture.”

“We’ll have to go over historical protocol before I can, in good faith, sign off on continued pinging,” said Cincinatti.

ResLife is likely to remain on campus for the time being, but these confessions open a coffin of worms on dormitory happenings. Administration has since enlisted the help of several investigators to look into further allegation that there is actually a functioning fraternity on the second floor of Jewett.

Interview with the Editor

ILLUSTRATION BY PETERSON

RACHEL ALEXANDER Editor-in-Chief

The Backpage had the opportunity to sit down with the beautiful yet notorious Editor-inChief of The Pioneer last week. Upon entering her lair of propaganda and untruths, posed as a news reporter, I had to brace myself for what could potentially be the most strenuous and life-threatening interview of my career. I kept some garlic and a steak in my breast pocket just in case.

Backpage: Thank you for having me today; I had no idea you had such a busy schedule.

Rachel Alexander: You smell like garlic.

Backpage: Yeah, I had an omelet for breakfast, and maybe went a little crazy on the garlic powder. Anyways, congratulations on your prestigious position as editor-in-chief of such a well-respected publication.

Rachel Alexander: It has its perks. What exactly did you want to know? You were a bit hazy in your e-mail.

Backpage: Well, I understand you heavily edit everything that makes it into The Pioneer [note: the only section she does not edit is the humor section]. Why do you do this?

Rachel Alexander: Well, I like to think of Whitman as a “happy place.” I feel like anything deviating from that image is downright evil.

Backpage: So you control the information The Pioneer conveys?

Rachel Alexander: Me, and my gang of five, I call them the Politburo—er—I call them quality control.

Backpage: This is sounding an awful lot like communist China under Mao. Rachel Alexander: Similar, but not the same. People only need to know so much. What if everyone on campus knew about the hidden hot tub on top of Prentiss or the fact that they do in fact serve brunch in Jewett?

Backpage: You can’t hide the truth; there will be a revolution!

Rachel Alexander: There is so much you don’t understand. What if I told you this practice has gone back since the conception of The Pioneer all those years ago?

Backpage: I don’t understand.

Rachel Alexander: There is only so much Whitties should know. They are so young and full of life; just thinking about it makes me shudder. We need to keep it this way! Things must stay the same! What if an article got published revealing the fact that people here are not always down to go hiking or that the whole campus doesn’t like “Game of Thrones”? There would be chaos.

Backpage: You can’t get away with this! It’s wrong!

Rachel Alexander: I wasn’t done! There’s something much darker.

Backpage: It’s true, then? You’re a vampire?

Rachel Alexander: Yes. Backpage: Why are you telling me this?

Rachel Alexander: Every year, one of your kind comes into an interview and let’s just say, they don’t leave alive.

[Pulling out the garlic, I tossed it at her. She began to scream.]

Rachel Alexander: Too bad no one truly knows how to kill a vampire.

[I pulled out the steak* and slapped her across the heart with it. She melted into a pool of water. In her seat lay a pile of articles, unedited.

This paper you hold in your hands is the conglomeration of the unadulterated columns I was able to save from the clutches of evil.] *Everyone thinks you use a stake to kill a vampire. This is a common misconception. You use a steak.

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Comic by Ruth Hwang