Issue 3 fall 2015

The

PIONEER Madison Park

ISSUE 3 | September 24, 2015 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXVII

Homelessness advocates divided over new site

BOOKSTORE REMAINS INDEPENDENT

by CLAIRE OMMEN Staff Reporter

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vocates cited a lack of collaboration between neighbors and other organizations in the early stages of planning as the chief roadblock to the project.

“I think there was a lack of communication between the Alliance and the neighborhood,” said Walla Walla County Director of Community Health Harvey Crowder. “I think they’re working hard now to take a look at what’s going on in the neighborhood and try to figure out where to go from there.”

Walla Walla Housing Authority Director, Renee Rooker, echoed this sentiment.

“Everything that we’ve done prior, we’ve always had community involvement,” said Rooker.

“This idea was going through and the group that’s doing it didn’t contact any of the other housing providers. [They were] just kind of charging forward and not being inclusive in the conversation, and not sitting at the table with other providers of housing.”

ith the beginning of the new academic year, all students feel the financial pressure of buying textbooks. With a steady increase in the price of textbooks in the last ten years, many students have sought alternatives to purchasing traditional textbooks. Students see e-books or retailers such as Amazon as cheaper alternatives to purchasing books in overpriced campus bookstores. As students take their money elsewhere, bookstores on college campuses begin to feel the strain. Independently owned bookstores take the worst hit. In fact, the bookstore at Whitman College is one of the only independent bookstores remaining in Washington. This trend away from college bookstores belies some more serious issues than simple textbook inflation.

In the last ten years, textbook prices have risen 86 percent, and continue to increase by about 6 percent each year. For reference, the average rate of inflation in America is currently 2 percent per year. So why are textbooks outstripping the rest of the economy by 300 percent?

Privately-owned bookstores have almost no control over the prices of the books they sell. In reality those prices are set by the publishers. Whitman buys most of its new textbooks from the publishing company Pearson, as do most colleges, universities and school districts in the United States. Pearson owns several other smaller publishing companies, in addition to most of the major education consultants (such as the SAT, and teacher’s licensing assessments) in America. This monopolistic hold on the textbooks in the education system allows the company to dictate which books are selected for use, and to set the prices of those books.

Meanwhile, college bookstores try to maintain a hold on a market quickly escaping them. In 2011, 22.6 percent of the books purchased in America were bought via amazon.com, as Amazon offers a discount over many other retailers. E-books also claim a share of the business from college students, because e-books can cost 60 percent less than their paper equivalents.

Correspondingly, there has been a 12.2 percent decrease in the number of independent college bookstores since 1997. The negative repercussions of the loss of independently owned bookstores could be greater than immediately apparent.

see MADISON PARK, page 3

see BOOKSTORE, page 6

Madison Park (top), located on Pine St. south of Highway 12, will be the site of new facilities for homeless people. It is expected to open by next spring. Photo by Mendoza

by ANDY MONSERUD Staff Reporter

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he Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless expects to move forward with controversial plans to build a day center for Walla Walla’s homeless on Pine Street.

Plans for the site, known as Madison Park, have angered some neighbors and received a lukewarm reception from others working to address homelessness in Walla Walla.

The Alliance formed early this year with the express purpose of creating the proposed center, which would sit on a disused lot directly south of Highway 12. They intend to provide shelter and showers for homeless populations, and chose the location because of its adherence to zoning ordinances for both campgrounds and homeless shelters, as well as its proximity to downtown services. While early plans for the center included camping and RV hookups, the Alliance has since decided to make all housing there fixed, allaying concerns about a tent

city on the site. Whitman alumnus and Alliance founder, Dan Clark ‘65, believes the center could meet the need for accessible shelter with fewer strings attached than other area homelessness programs.

“Our primary objective is to provide a safe, legal place for people who are unhoused to be,” said Clark.

“It’s a place to have your belongings, a place to sleep without fear of attack or of being rousted because it’s illegal. And it’s also a place for people to shower, to wash their clothes, to get mail.”

The Alliance met with roadblocks this summer when the Walla Wall City Council declined to grant an exemption from state energy standards for the one existing building on the property, a disused auto shop. The Alliance has already begun to refurbish the building to provide shelter and showers, but this repurposing means that the center would need to comply with updated energy standards in order to meet code, which could potentially delay the project and increase expenses.

The exemption, which the city council would be authorized to create under a 1992 law, was requested at a July 13 work session but ultimately did not pass.

“It’s going to cost us more,” Clark said of the decision. “On the other hand, operating costs will be lower, so it’s not the worst thing in the world. It’s bad for the community – the community ought to have that kind of provision in its building code for this or any other building to help the community accomplish its goals.”

While most public debates on the proposed center have focused on the Alliance’s relationship with its new neighbors, the Madison Park project has also drawn criticism from other prominent figures and organizations in the fight against homelessness in Walla Walla. The last several months have seen the Alliance struggle to find a place alongside efforts from other organizations as well as the city and county governments to combat homelessness in the area. Several homelessness ad-

Architects share design proposals for new housing, dining hall with campus iors and seniors. Both firms will return to campus in November to present their ideas to the Board of Trustees, taking into consideration student input as well as cost estimates that are scheduled to be completed by the end of October. The trustees will then vote on whether or not the construction projects should move forward.

Both firms stressed the benefits of the new construction projects.

“The two projects together–the dining hall and the residence hall–and the way they’re situated on the site complement each other, they create ... a new green space ... that you don’t currently have,” said ZGF project manager Lee Kerns.

In addition to creating a green space, the dining hall would revolutionize the way students eat

on campus. In addition to having space for more diners, expanded meal options and longer hours, Associate Dean of Students Nancy Tavelli hopes the dining facility will have a different atmosphere from Prentiss Dining Hall, which it will replace.

“It will be more of a marketplace-type scenario,” said Tavelli.

According to Tavelli and Kerns diners in the new facility would pay by item instead of being charged a single entrance fee to have access to a buffet, as they do in Prentiss, Lyman and Jewett.

Both ZGF and Hacker emphasized sustainability in their design plans. ZGF plans for both the new dining facility and sophomore residence hall to be LEED certified, while Hacker plans to make the new apartments have a net-zero energy use.

“The objectives that are really important to us [with the apartments] are ... creating a neighborhood and doing something that is beautiful and sustainable,” said Nick Hodges, a Senior Associate from Hacker.

Hacker’s strategy for achieving their energy goal includes passive solar heating, photovoltaic cells, energy efficient appliances and solar water heating among others. Although the apartments would not be able to be off the grid, Hacker plans to make the energy output match or exceed energy use.

However, according to Tavelli, the college may not be ready to commit to the price-tag associated with Hacker’s sustainability plans. The apartments are to be rented at a rate comparable to other properties rent-

ed to students by the college.

“Cost will certainly be a factor in that [decision] because it needs to be done in a way that is affordable for students,” said Hodges.

ZGF, Hacker and Tavelli all refused to estimate what the cost of the new construction projects may be. According to Tavelli, the funds will not come from tuition increases or the proceeds from the Now is the Time campaign.

However, the college remains open to the possibility of raising room and board in the future for all students. She expects fundraising to cover at least part of the cost for the buildings, particularly the sophomore residence hall.

“We haven’t built a [new residence] hall since ’69, so there’s not a lot of people who are tired of giving money to the residence halls,” she said.

Inside News

A&E

Feature

Opinion

Pio Hour

Staff Reporter Sara Platnick discusses Whitman’s new Computer Science department, which gets its start with new staff members and remodeled classrooms in Olin Hall.

You can get more than just pizza at Sweet Basil! Read about their weekly ‘Go’ game night, which offers the public a chance to play the ancient Japanese board game every Wednesday at 6:30p.m.

Columnist Jose Coronado points out the flaws in GOP candidate Donald Trump’s misguided rhetoric on Latinos in the United Statements.

Every Monday Anna Middleton and Andrew Schwartz, Julio Escarce and Mary Kampa of The Pioneer’s radio show, discuss current events in and around campus, the state, and the world. Tune in at KWCW 90.5 FM.

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Whitman’s bookstore is one of the only remaining independent college book businesses in the state. Despite an increase in industry prices, they still provide essential support to Whitman’s finances, including financial aid.

PAGE 6

by ELLEN IVENS-DURAN Staff Reporter

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odels and designs for the proposed construction of a new sophomore residence hall, mixed junior and senior housing and dining hall were on display in Reid Campus Center on Thursday, Sept. 19. Architects from ZGF and Hacker (formerly THA), the two firms chosen

by Whitman to present proposals, were also present to explain the plans to students, staff and faculty.

The Board of Trustees approved exploration of the possibility of building three new facilities on campus last spring. Over the summer, the “Living at Whitman” committee selected ZGF to design a sophomore residence hall and dining facility and Hacker to design apartments for junWHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE?

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MONDAYS, 10-11 A.M.

NEWS

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Murray installed as 14th President

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24 2015

NUMBERS IN THE NEWS: SEATTLE TEACHERS STRIKE

President Kathy Murray (center) address an audience in Cordiner Hall during the presidential installment ceremony. Murray began work on July 1 of this year. Photo

by Hampson

by LANE BARTON News Editor

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crowd filled Cordiner Hall on Friday, Sept. 18 for the Presidential Installation of Dr. Kathleen Murray, which officially welcomed Murray as the 14th president of Whitman College.

The installation was attended by a wide range of members of the Whitman and Walla Walla communities, and included individuals representing 30 different academic institutions across the country. A variety of speakers spent time praising Murray’s credentials and expressed eagerness to work with her in the coming years, while Murray herself spoke about her eagerness to help students succeed as the college moves forward under her leadership.

“I pledge to pay attention to every aspect of our students’ lives, to focus on what is best for student learning, and to help each student develop a personal narrative that makes sense of that learning and carries them into a lifetime of continued learning,” said Murray in her speech.

A number of the speakers at the event had worked on the Presidential Search Committee which eventually selected Murray as the ideal candidate, and some spoke to the qualities highlighted by the search process.

“It was clear early and throughout the search process that Kathy understands the liberal arts intimately. She is deeply committed to students and ... to a collaborative partnership among administration, faculty and staff in order to provide [an] exception educational opportunity,” said Chair of the Faculty and Professor of Psychology Melissa Clearfield in her speech.

Other speeches highlighted shared goals regarding education and building a community with the new president in charge. “[W]e dedicate ourselves to the business of student learning at Whitman. We further dedicate ourselves to an inclusive, equitable and diverse communi-

ty that reflects the beauty and the promise of Whitman. Under your leadership we will together build on the past while being attentive to the present and anticipating the future of Whitman that you will lead us to and is still yet unfolding,” said Kazi Joshua, Dean for Intercultural Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer, in his speech.

Perhaps the most personal insight at the event came from the introduction given by Dr. Brian Rosenberg, the President of Macalester College. Rosenberg worked with Murray at both Lawrence University where she rose through the ranks to become Dean of the Faculty and then again at Macalester College where she was Provost and Dean of the Faculty. “[S]he will be a great president: not simply because she is smart and hard-working, but because she is civil and empathetic and stubborn in the way that transformational leaders have to be stubborn – tireless and even impatient in the pursuit of excellence. Because her gift for grasping the measures of deep patterns of music is matched by a gift perhaps more rare: for taking the measure of people and listening to the heart that beats at the core of every tightly-knit small college,” said Rosenberg in his speech.

When it was her time to speak , Murray addressed a theme of being at a frontier of liberal arts as she comes into the Presidential Office at Whitman.

“The frontier that I am imagining inspires a spirit of exploration and discovery, intellectual stimulation and growth, with a focus on those areas that could help to distinguish Whitman from the other fine liberal arts colleges across the country,” said Murray in her speech. “There are risks on the frontier...but we can minimize those risks by remaining true to our core, our fundamental culture and ethos...I firmly believe that if our discussions and our decisions always center on what is best for student learning, we are going to be amazing together.”

Source: Seattle Times

Infographic by Whalen

Computer Science Department takes shape

by SARA PLATNICK Staff Reporter

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hitman College made new additions to its computer science department this year, welcoming new professor Janet Davis and remodeled classrooms in Olin Hall.

This year is the first year that Whitman will offer computer science as a minor to students. While the college has administered classes in computer science in the past, the department has expanded its course offering to include a HumanComputer Interaction class and 400 level Special Topics courses that will be determined in the future.

The department saw its biggest addition with the hiring of Janet Davis, a professor of Computer Science. Davis previously taught Computer Science at Grinnell College, a liberal arts college in Iowa.

“I think there is a lot of student demand for computer science

and that is really exciting,” said Davis. “It’s remarkable that Whitman has been without a computer science major for so long given that we’re in the land of Microsoft and Intel and other tech companies.”

One major addition to the Computer Science department is the planned hiring of two additional tenure-track professors, along with Davis, to head the Computer Science Department. Davis hopes that in bringing on two additional professors, they can diversify the department.

“Who we hire will have a big influence on what direction the program takes. I want to make sure that [with all the professors] we hire, we can teach all of the core courses in the computer sciences, but [then] what we teach beyond that will depend a lot on who we bring in,” said Davis.

The Computer Science Department expansion also saw the remodeling of two classrooms, Olin 165 and Olin 224. The first floor classroom features remodeled wiring, comput-

ers and an added office, which houses Math and Computer Science Technology Specialist Dustin Palmer.

Palmer was brought on to the Whitman College Tech Services in July of this year to help facilitate the technological transitions of the Math and Computer Science department. His primary role in the department is to ensure that the classrooms are functional and to implement any changes to the classrooms that the department may request. But Palmer also takes on a more personal role with the students in the computer science classes.

“It’s a bit more of a teacher’s assistant mentality behind it. I work with individuals to sort out all of the work that needs to be done around here and help the students with some of the more complex issues that may come up,” said Palmer.

Underclassmen will benefit most from the new addition, as the minor is difficult for to seniors to obtain without tak-

ing classes outside of Whitman.

“I get to take a class that normally wouldn’t be offered, so that’s cool,” said senior mathematics major, Casey Schafer. “But I wish they have more of a selection that I could take and I wish they had it earlier so I could have the chance to take more classes.”

While not personally able to complete the minor, Schafer appreciates the ability for Whitman students to take computer science courses that provide real-world, in-demand skills after college.

“I think it’s good for underclassmen who have something that’s really popular in the real world that they can minor in now. I’m happy that Whitman’s getting it, but I’m disappointed from my standpoint that I can’t do it” said Schafer.

Davis acknowledges that some students may feel uncertain about taking a computer science class, but she advises students to be open to the opportunity.

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“I would say just try it. You never know, you might love it ...

It might be unlike anything else you’ve ever done,” said Davis. “I love having students in my courses who’ve never programmed before or who have never done any computer science before because the joy of discovery is just so wonderful to see. Don’t be afraid, it’s fun.”

Corrections to Issue 2 An article on Page 6 on campus sustainability efforts incorrectly stated that the development of a wind turbine would not produce any electricity due to financial specifics.

However, Whitman physics students have designed and are preparing to build a turbine that will emit some electricity: enough to illuminate the turbine at night.

EDITORIAL POLICY

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

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Radio Hosts Julio Escarce, Mary Kampa, Anna Middleton, Andrew Schwartz

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

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

The

NEWS 3 Future facility incites controversy SEPT

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Madison Park, a project by the Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless, has drawn criticism from other homeless advocacy groups for not coordinating a 5-year plan to eliminate homelessness in Walla Walla. The 5-year plan is supported by most other advocacy organizations, while the Alliance has proposed a separate plan of its own. Photo by Mendoza from MADISON PARK , page 1

In particular, the Alliance’s plan runs counter to the philosophy of “Housing First,” which guides Walla Walla County’s 5-year plan intended to end homelessness in the county by the end of its span. Housing First, as its name suggests, focuses on providing affordable housing to homeless persons in order to provide the stability they need to deal with any other issues they may face. The philosophy gained national attention after a dramatic success in the state of Utah, where chronic homelessness declined by 72 percent between 2005 and 2014, according to the state’s Department of Workforce Services.

Walla Walla County has an estimated 35 chronically homeless people, a category distinguished by being homeless for a year or more or during four or more episodes over three years due to some disabling condition. The 5-year plan seeks to

put these 35 into housing by the end of 2016 and use the funding freed up by reducing stress on shelters and transitional housing to put other homeless persons into homes. These homes would be privately rented with assistance from the county.

“We believe that with our changes in resource allocation ... if people are homeless and need shelter, we can quickly move them into shelter and then move them ... back into permanent housing rather quickly,” Crowder said. “Some of that will require the reallocation of resources and changing people’s approach ... and then looking for some additional resources.”

The Walla Walla Housing Authority has already done some work in this vein in the neighborhood surrounding Madison Park, where it has its headquarters. A large bloc of housing that the Housing Authority worked to make ac-

cessible to low-income populations sits near the lot, and many neighbors believe that the proposed center would set back the neighborhood’s development. Among these are the Housing Authority itself and Rooker, who lives in the area.

“We ... are all about sustainability, and meeting the needs of all income populations with dignity and respect,” Rooker said.

“We... have worked hard in that particular neighborhood to provide a variety of housing choices.”

The code requirements could be a major setback for Madison Park, the cost of which have yet to be determined. The Alliance’s original plan was to complete the center by winter, a goal now jeopardized by time and funding constraints. Whether or not that goal is met, Clark anticipates that the site will be ready for operation sometime next year.

With opposition still strong,

members of the Alliance have begun meeting with neighbors and other housing-centric groups in hopes of easing tensions surrounding the Madison Park project. The Alliance held meetings with the neighborhood and community leaders throughout the summer in order to allay fears that the Madison Park site would be a tent city, as early critics feared. While the site would still include tents and RV’s, Clark emphasizes that the Alliance intends to focus on more permanent structures.

“Our goal ... is to build out, to have them nearly all ... be tiny cottages,” Clark said. “We hope to provide good information and allay some people’s fears about this, that or the other thing.”

Among the various groups fighting homelessness in Walla Walla, the conversation is turning toward coexistence and collaboration. Clark is skeptical that the County’s plan

will achieve its ambitious goals, but he and the Alliance laid out a parallel plan promising to work alongside the county and other organizations rather than against them.

“We have a five-year lease on this property, and we’re adopting our own Walla Walla Alliance for the Homeless five-year plan, and that calls for us to cooperate with [the County], to help achieve those ambitious goals, so that we end homelessness entirely in five years... We have a five-year lease, and we’ll close down in five years if it’s no longer needed,” Clark said.

“On the other hand, we will continue to deal with immediate human needs between now and such time as [the county] achieves those goals.”

Rooker is skeptical but hopeful.

“Can we get to a better place, and can we not have this kind of friction going on?” she said. “I think time will tell.”

Record bike thefts across campus

by MIKAELA SLADE Staff Reporter

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Bicycles sit locked up outside of Anderson Hall. A record number of on-campus bike thefts have occured during the first four weeks of school, with the library and residence halls being the primary locations of thefts. Photo by Nace ADVERTISEMENT

he first four weeks of school have seen a record-number of bike thefts on campus, according to Whitman Campus Security.

Security Officers and the Walla Walla Police Department have received reports of bikes being stolen from all over campus, ranging everywhere from North Hall to Anderson Hall, as well as at off-campus houses.

“It’s almost [as] if [the thefts] are sporadic right now. We had some at the library and Jewett, and three from Anderson, and apparently North Hall had signs of theft. The college houses [rented to students] have had some [stolen] as well,” said Director of Security Matt Stroe.

To prevent the loss of more bikes, Whitman Security is trying to get students to become more aware of the thefts. If students see suspicious activity around a bike rack, they are encouraged to report it to their Resident Advisor or to call the nonemergency lines of either the police officers or campus security.

This year has brought the highest concentration of bike thefts in recent memory, so Whitman Security has been discussing new ways that students can store their bikes away at night.

“It is a really big shift right now [from past years]. We don’t have an explanation for it,” said Stroe.

A few of the ideas that are currently being discussed include installing cameras

HINDSIGHT

around the bike lockers, locking more of the bikes in Douglas and creating more inside space in residence halls for students to store their bikes at night.

However, there are quite a few ways that students can already protect their bikes; these include calling campus security when you see suspicious behavior, ensuring bikes are properly locked up and replacing bike parts that can be easily removed (such as tires seats that aren’t bolted down).

First-year student Thomas Meinzen had his bike stolen recently outside of Jewett on Sept. 5.

“It happened around 2:30 a.m., because I heard the sound of the rack going down when I was half asleep. I checked the time, but I didn’t know what to do,” said Meinzen.

Similarly, students all around campus have been experiencing incidents like Meizen’s.

Tim Bennett, Public Information Officer for the Walla Walla Police Department, encourages students to register their bicycles. Registered bicycles can be returned to their owners if they are stolen and recovered by police.

“Students should have their bikes licensed for a one-time fee of five dollars. A licensed bike provides a license number to the officer who is called to pick up an ‘abandoned’ bike, as well as the serial number of the owner’s bike when he or she reports it stolen,” said Bennett, “We pick up well over 250 bikes each year, but only a small fraction are returned to their owners because they couldn’t be traced back to an owner.”

by SARAH CORNETT Editor-in-Chief

Monday 9/21

Tuesday 9/22

Wednesday 9/23

Scott Walker exists from GOP race

Volkswagen car controversy

Pope Francis lands in D.C.

Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, an early frontrunner in the Republican 2016 presidential race, dropped out on Monday after a steady decline in polling numbers. His campaign ultimately lasted just 70 days, and is being called by commentators like the New York Times’ Nate Cohn a lesson in how not to “handle the pressure” of a competing candidate (in this case, Donald Trump).

Walker had received millions from the Koch brothers and their web of superpacs. His move to exit is further showing how rapidly the Republican field is shifting, and that money doesn’t necessarily equal high popularity.

German car company Volkswagen fell further into controversy as news of an emissions cheating scandal became more widespread. Last week, the company had admitted to tampering with software devices in some of its vehicles to fool emissions tests that regulate car production.

Pope Francis arrived in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to begin his first visit to the United States, fresh off a trip to Cuba.

President Obama hosted an arrival event for the Pope at the White House, during which Francis expressed strong support of Obama’s climate change policies.

According to executives, 11 million cars worldwide contain the software. The company has enjoyed a long history of positive sales in the U.S., and the current scandal may prove irreparable for the automaker.

After a short parade that drew thousands of supporters, Francis celebrated Mass at the Catholic University of America for over 20,000 attendees.

Source: New York Times

Source: BBC

Source: The New York Times

A&E

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24 2015

Sweet Basil hosts ‘Go’ board game night

by EMMA COOPER Staff Reporter

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f you’re looking for more than just pizza at Sweet Basil, Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. is the time for you.

Sweet Basil hosts the Walla Walla Go Club (WWGC) game night on Wednesday nights, and the club is open to new members.

A few Whitman students, especially members of the Japanese club, have frequented Go Club.

Go is an ancient Japanese board game that has simple rules, but the road to mastery is complex.

Go and its distant cousin, chess, are both strategic games. There is one interesting difference, however: human players play Go better than computers do.

The game is usually played on 19x19 square boards, making it complex for computers to beat human players.

Anne Ogborn, a beginning Go player at the event, enjoys the complexity of the game.

“Go is a game of great depth.

You can learn the rules in five minutes...but you can spend your whole life sort of learning and developing as a Go player.”

Robert Frohardt, veteran Go player of 15 years and regular member of the WWGC, explained why humans play Go better than computer players.

“Part of it is that the board is a lot larger than a chessboard so there’s a lot more options, so it’s harder for a computer to just brute force analyze it.”

The larger board means more possible combinations, and the computer has to take all of these in to account, even though, to the human brain, some are irrational and counterproductive.

Despite how complex Go can get, the rules are simple and easy to learn.

Anthony Lizotte, founder of the WWGC, started the club to build a community that will play Go together.

“We started the Walla Walla Go Club–it’s nice to have a club– [so we can] play on a regular basis. It’s not a well-known game, so you have to have people to play.”

He started the WWGC at Sweet Basil because, before the WWGC, he was planning on meeting some friends to play Go with at Sweet Basil, but they never showed up. In their absence, Lizotte began the WWGC. Lizotte is also enthusiastic about the Japanese culture that gets introduced through Go. Whether you are a just learning about the game from this article or have been playing for years, the Walla Walla Go Club on Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m. is a great place to meet new people and sharpen your Go playing skills.

The Mowgli’s

Walla Walla Go Club members play a round of Go, an ancient, easy-to-learn Japanese board game. Sweet Basil Pizzeria hosts the club every Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m., an event open to the public. Photo by Rose

Moviegoers flock to midbudget summer films

by ERIC ANDERSON Staff Reporter

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The Mowgli’s performed in Reid Ballroom during their Sept. 17 concert hosted by Whitman Events Board. Photo by Clay

t’s easy to be cynical about the state of the film industry these days, seemingly driven by nothing but greed and producing nothing but expensive franchise sequels (or remakes) and restricting top billing to white male superstars.

This year, however, the summer box office tells a different story. In a surprising development, it was not superheroes, giant robots or retro space adventures that dominated the box office this summer, but rather an eclectic assortment of lower-budget titles featuring female comedians, a cappella stars, yellow cartoon minions and the N.W.A., among others.

Although indie films like “Dope” and “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” struggled to capture audience attention, midbudget studio films exerted a powerful influence this summer, with titles like “Pitch Perfect 2”, “Spy”, “Trainwreck” and “Straight Outta Compton” massively outperforming big budget would-be tentpoles like “Fantastic Four” and “Tomorrowland.”

Especially notable is the fact that nearly all the movies in question did not feature a white male lead character. Summer was sold on names like Anna Kendrick, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer and the Straight Outta Compton trio (Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell and O’Shea Jackson Jr.), while past draws like Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney and Adam Sandler suffered major box office and critical misfires (though Sandler is no stranger to those).

In addition to scoring big in attendance, this lower-budget slate of films also won a lot of critical praise. Rotten Tomatoes ranked Compton, Trainwreck, The Gift and Spy very highly, each scoring 85% or high-

er on the site’s “Tomatometer.”

Reviews and word-of-mouth were the keys to success this summer, as nearly all of the summer’s biggest films earned positive press while the flops were generally unpopular with those who saw them.

On the higher-budget side, “Jurassic World,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Ant-Man,” and “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” were successes in both the critical and box office sense, while “Fantastic Four,” “Terminator: Genisys,” and “Pixels” fell victim to terrible press and gained no traction with audiences, becoming costly disappointments.

This may seem like stating the obvious, but considering the past success of critical failures like “Transformers” and “Twilight,” it’s noteworthy that none of the summer’s top 10 films scored below 50% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Notably, “Mad Max: Fury Road” leveraged extremely positive press. Praise for the movie’s direction, story, characters and usage of practical effects, helped this summer flick break out of box office obscurity and become a surprise hit. Although the film’s 1980s predecessors were primarily known only by cult film enthusiasts, “Fury Road” pulled itself to a strong $150 million domestic gross, even as the more well known Terminator franchise sunk to a new low (less than $90 million domestically).

Disney-Pixar’s “Inside Out,” which boasts an incredible 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, was similarly rewarded, earning one of the top debuts ever for an original (i.e. non-franchise, non-adaptation) picture and powering to a joyous box office tally (over $350 million domestically). That’s well ahead of Pixar’s other post-Toy Story 3 endeavors, all of which garnered less ecstatic reviews.

Still, it was Universal Studios who ran away with the gold this summer, and it wasn’t all thanks to

big-budget blockbusters – though Jurassic World’s spectacular ~$650 million gross cannot be discounted. Instead, Universal succeeded through a stellar line-up of attractive mid-budget titles, including “Pitch Perfect 2,” “Straight Outta Compton,” “Minions,” and “Trainwreck.” Those four films produced a combined stateside gross of over $780 million – a number that is still climbing – which is more than the entire yearly output of 20th Century Fox, Paramount, and Sony, all of which chose to rely on long-running franchise titles and male star power. And they did it with a combined budget of $166 million, which is less than the $190 million budget Disney gave to Tomorrowland alone.

So what are the lessons to be learned from this summer at the movies? Will studios give up on expensive, effects-heavy productions in favor of smaller-scale stories? Probably not, considering that “Jurassic World,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and “Furious 7” were global hits that each made over $1.4 billion worldwide this year.

But the stateside success of these smaller, star-minimizing titles may certainly influence some of those other struggling studios to focus less on resurrecting dead franchises and instead look at a potentially more diverse slate.

Universal played its cards right with many small movies that appealed to all kinds of different audiences, rather than one big movie that tried to appeal to everyone (though, ironically, they also released a movie that did exactly that with “Jurassic World”). Perhaps others will follow their lead.

Or perhaps they’ll look at the resurrection of Jurassic Park and Mad Max and keep trying to dredge up old franchises to reboot. But hey, it’s Hollywood. What else is new?

All box office data from BoxOfficeMojo.com.

KWCW RADIO SHOW OF THE WEEK: THE PIO HOUR

by MEGAN HEARST Staff Reporter

I

t’s been just a few days since the Pio Hour’s last broadcast and already Sophomores Andrew Schwartz and Anna Middleton are gearing up for next week’s bi-monthly release. As the show’s editors, reporters, broadcasters, and research team, there’s a lot of work to do before 10 am Monday.

The Pio Hour started off as an effort of The Pioneer to start a radio show dedicated to stories and news important to Whitman and Walla Walla at large. Schwartz and Middleton, both first-years at the time, were all too willing to take up the post. Inspired by radio shows such as “This American Life,” “Radio Lab,” and “The Moth,” the Pio Hour broadcasts a mix of interviews, reporting and personal stories.

Middleton says, “We like to have a mix of things that are funny and light-hearted and serious issues on campus.”

Past shows have covered eve-

rything from the couches in the library to the struggles of reintegration into society after prison, topics united by the relevance to the Walla Walla community. “It’s extremely random, but I kind of like it that way,” says Schwartz.

Despite the great variety in topics covered, “there’s always little things which connect the stories,” Schwartz says.

In the upcoming weeks the pair hope to cover topical issues such as breast-pressing in Cameroon and migrant workers in US. The local community inspires the stories and topics covered on the Pio Hour. Schwartz reflects that “people don’t realize that within Walla Walla there’s so much going on, people from all walks of life,” and in the future the team hopes to cover more events going on within the town.

“There [are] all these dynamics that are really interesting and kind of embody a lot of bigger things with America generally, its just fun to tap into Walla Wal-

la, and show small connections between Whitman and Walla Walla,” says Schwartz. The objective of Pio Hour is to tell relevant and often overlooked stories, and Middleton hopes “to create a show worthy of the story,” and states that “we’re trying to find narratives in things which don’t traditionally have a narrative.”

It’s hard work putting together an all-new news hour twice every month, but Middleton and Schwartz are driven by their passion for journalism and storytelling. “Stories are meaningful in the sense that they speak to something bigger,” says Schwartz. And the Pio Hour has big hopes for radio news on campus.

The hosts of the Pio Hour are always on the lookout for new stories. If you have a story to tell or a topic to suggest, contact them at schwarao@whitman.edu or middlea@whitman.edu. And if the thought of Whitman-centered, Whittie-produced stories excites you, make sure to tune into the Pio Hour at 10 a.m. every Monday. The next broadcast will be on Sept. 28.

Show: The Pio Hour Time: Monday, 10-11 a.m.

Host: Andrew Schwartz, Anna Middleton, Julio Escarce, and Mary Kampa

Illustration by Penner-Ash

SPORTS

SEPT

24 2015

“Together We Can” Area youth learn lessons through basketball

by COLE ANDERSON Sports Editor

W

hile the rest of the student body is either back at home or working a job or internship, each summer starting in 2009 the Whitman men’s basketball team has extended its collective hand out to the rest of Walla Walla in putting on its “Together We Can” (TWC) basketball camp. This past summer more than 200 children from the area laced up their basketball shoes and learned valuable lessons about life through basketball.

Led by head coach Eric Bridgeland and assistant coach Matt Airy, and funded entirely by local businesses, the two 4-day sessions aimed at developing leadership had record success this summer and past year.

“This past calendar year we saw more than 800 children come through Sherwood, attending leadership lessons through basketball.

800 of our community’s youth may not seem like much, but considering they’re free, it’s head turning especially when one understands the limited populace of Walla Walla,” wrote Bridgeland in an email.

TWC started with Bridgeland and Airy when they coached together at the University of Puget Sound, the two brought the camp to Whitman when they joined the program in 2008. Since then, it has grown in popularity and been a consistent source of excitement for numerous Walla Walla youth. Phil Chircu, a senior on the team, spoke to how influential the camp has been for the attendees.

“For the kids and families themselves, I think it’s really good.

They make new friends and they find out who’s in the neighborhood and it’s something that they do and look forward to throughout the summer,” said Chircu.

Though the camps are based around basketball, the objectives reach much further, with an emphasis on personal development in more than just the game.

“The mission of ‘Together We Can’ has been, from day one, to ‘teach leadership through basketball’.

We wanted to have the chance to create positive experiences for youth in Walla Walla, using basketball as the ‘carrot’,” wrote Airy in an email.

Chircu expressed the same goals of the camps.

“I think it’s a really wholesome experience for them. It’s basketball but it’s also leadership and a mentality and approach outside of basketball and more pertaining to life. And how they think about themselves as well. Teaching them to dream bigger and that there’s so many possibilities out there,” he said.

Bridgeland sees the opportunity to teach these lessons through basketball as unique due to the emphasis on teamwork throughout the camp.

“Team athletics teaches invaluable life lessons to all who participate. What people that haven’t been in a culture of trust are missing or don’t realize is the sense of positive friendship and bonding that develops when everybody is focused on it over a period of time,” he said. “In short, positive leadership combined with trust is as powerful as any combo out there in developing not only our youth, but adult teams as well.”

Outside of teaching opportunities for the coaches and lessons within drills, TWC also offers opportunities at the end of each day for par-

ticipants to give each other compliments and words of encouragement. These “put-ups” are an essential part of everyday of camp.

“We talk about life-skills, such as positive body language and positive communication (“put-ups”) in everything we do. This makes the activities in camp accessible, regardless of a camper’s basketball skill level. Everyone gets enthusiastic reinforcement for modeling these behaviors,” said Airy.

The camps aren’t just helpful for the campers however. Chircu, one a handful of athletes who helped coach, enjoyed his experience teaching by example and meeting all the eager faces over the course of the two sessions.

“I really liked just joking around with the kids. They’re kids but they have a great sense of humor and some of them just get it. And that’s the fun of it. You start to build relationships with the kids and you see them progress day to day and from camp to camp and to me those moments were the most rewarding,” he said.

Coach Airy saw the same outcomes from his other players.

“Like all Whitman students, they are extremely busy, but camp is an opportunity to create positive experiences for local kids-- some of whom might not have much of that in their lives otherwise. They do an amazing job and are great mentors. Sometimes a powerful method to improve leadership skills is to teach them to others, and I think that ‘TWC’ camps have provided that opportunity for our players,” said Airy.

All the positives of ‘Together We Can’ would not be achieved without the support of the community and the sponsors that make the camp possible for so many.

“The community support is huge. We’re very thankful to be able to have this opportunity to do this for the kids. It’s a really special experience that we’re fortunate to be a part of ourselves,” said Chircu.

SCOREBOARD SOCCER

Men’s v. Linfield College Sept. 19: L 1-3 v. Willamette University Sept. 20: W 1-0 Women’s v. Pacific University Sept. 19: L 1-2 v. George Fox University Sept. 20: T 1

VOLLEYBALL

v. University of Puget Sound Sept. 18: L 0-3 v. Pacific Lutheran University Sept. 19: L 0-3 v. Whitworth University Sept. 23: L 1-3

MEN’S GOLF

Pacific Fall Invite Sept. 19-20 5th Place

UPCOMING SOCCER

Men’s v. Pacific Lutheran University Sept. 26 @ 2:30 PM v. University of Puget Sound Sept. 27 @ 2:30 PM Women’s v. Willamette University Sept. 26 v. Linfield College Sept. 27

VOLLEYBALL

v. George Fox University Sept. 25 @ 7 PM

GOLF

Men’s Lutes Invitational Sept. 26-27 Women’s Whitman Women’s Invitational Sept. 26 @ 12 PM Whitman Women’s Invitational Sept. 27 @ 8 AM

PAGE

5 MLS gaining in popularity JOSE CORONADO Sophomore

F

or a long time, Major League Soccer (“MLS”) has been ignored by most of the soccer fans around the world. Some people think MLS is where old stars from Europe go to retire and make money. But over the last five years, MLS has grown in both quality and popularity.

MLS has attracted young talent in its prime, mostly from Europe’s elite leagues. Players like Sebastian Giovinco, Giovani Dos Santos, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, Pedro Morales, Diego Valeri, and Manuel Martinez could easily find a spot on any respectable European team. But for various reasons, each of them has chosen MLS. The major league has several advantages over other professional leagues that make it especially attractive to athletes. The most significant of those is the American lifestyle. In an interview, Portland Timbers midfielder Diego Valeri, of Argentina, talked about the fact that the quality of life in the US was one of the biggest factors in his decision to play in MLS. While kidnappings and robber-

ies may be commonplace in countries like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia or Mexico, they are rare in the US. Just some weeks ago, Alexis Viera, who played goalkeeper for a Colombian soccer team, was shot in an armed robbery.

Soccer players in the United States tend to live more peaceful lives than players in most Latin American countries.

When Mexican international Rafael Marquez played for the New York Red Bulls, he noted that in the United States he could walk on the streets without being bothered. “In the street or walking in the city, I don’t have any problem. I like that because never in my career have I had something like this. In Mexico, to go out like this I would need five bodyguards,” Marquez told a reporter from the New York Times.

Also appealing to soccer players is that not one of the MLS teams are bankrupt. Teams with financial problems are common in Europe and Latin America. Last summer, Parma, a club in Italy, had to sell its trophies after declaring bankruptcy. The team was also relegated to the third division of the Italian soccer league. In Spain, the situation is even worse. Real Madrid and Barcelona are a duopoly that is harmful to the league. Madrid and Barcelona get 80 percent of the money from television networks and the remaining 20 per-

Illustration by Penner-Ash

cent is divided between the other 18 teams in the first division.

Most of those 18 teams are almost bankrupt and struggling to avoid relegation to the second division.

In America, there no monopolies or big teams that take such a disproportionate amount of television network revenue. Players are also paid relatively similar salaries on a consistent basis, and players’ positions are secure – players do not have to fear being sold to other clubs because of financial deficit within teams.

MLS might not be the best soccer league in the world, but it is the fairest league. The increasing popularity of soccer in the United States will soon attract more young talent and improve the league’s reputation.

Who knows? Major League Soccer could be one of the top leagues in the world in ten years. So far it is the one with the brightest future.

Whitman Soccer takes talents to Big Apple

by ALDEN GLASS Staff Reporter

W

hitman Women’s Soccer returned from a preseason trip to New York last week having suffered a pair of close losses. With games against New York University and Vassar, the Missionaries had the opportunity to fine tune tactics and lineups the weekend before their first conference game against Whitworth University. Sophomore defender Linnea Soo believes that the results give an unfair representation of how far the team has progressed.

“In New York, we played NYU and Vassar. I think NYU taught us how to make decisions quickly and how to defend as a cohesive unit.

They are definitely one of the better teams we played during our preseason,” said Soo. “WVassar I think we played with a lot of confidence and intensity for the whole game.

I think the Vassar game taught us that we have to maintain a high level of play throughout the game, which is hard but I’m confident our team is going to be able to do it.”

The team replaced the four departing seniors from last season’s squad with a small yet strong firstyear class and a number of sophomore walk-ons. Senior Captain and midfielder Bri Brown believes there are big things to come from the new additions to the team.

“The [first years] have really established themselves as important parts of our team. They will be a strong class, despite there only being four of them,” said Brown.

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With all four receiving minutes in the first games of preseason, their additions to the team are taking a very concrete form.

Soo agreed with Brown’s optimism about the newcomers and discussed their potentials.

“Kristin [Brady] and Chelsea [Day] really add size that we lack in our lineup. In addition, Chelsea has an amazing shot that we can really utilize this season and Kristin has some phenomenal foot skills that allow her to dribble through multiple defenders,” said Soo. “I think they will become really important members of our team in terms of morale and a positive mindset.”

This will be Head Women’s Soccer Coach Laura Williamson’s second season in charge of the program, and the team is still looking to improve and change in order to build upon their successes from last year.

After a strong first half of the season, the team’s challenge for the title faltered in the latter stages of the conference schedule. This was, in part, due to a number of injuries to important players all over the field. Junior defender Elyse Laurin discussed how the team is attempting to ensure that they can remain healthy and fit for the entirety of this campaign.

“We’re trying to take care of our bodies as that was an issue for us last year, with injuries and just being too worn out to play our best game,” said Laurin. “So we’re doing more pool workouts and stretching and just really taking care of ourselves.”

After losing both starting center backs to graduation, the team was left with big shoes to fill in the heart

of the defense. However, with the emergence of Laurin and fellow junior Naomi Lee, and a renewed focus on defensive shape, the back line has become a solid foundation for the team. Laurin discussed the rigors of changing positions to playing as a defender and how the team has stepped up to work on defending together.

“We’re really working on defensive shape, and trying to make sure we play defense and offense as a team. We’re also trying a different formation this year, a 4-2-31 and we hope that will work better for the players we have this year,” said Laurin. “I’m hoping I’m in good enough shape to play a full 90.

This is my first time playing center back since freshmen year of high school. I hope to keep improving and learn [to position myself] better.”

After only conceding more than one goal only once in all of preseason, it appears that the focus on defending as a team has been paying off. In addition to increased attention to their physical wellbeing and defending, the team has adopted a new motto: #We’veDecidedToGetLoud. When asked to explain the phrase, Brown had a simple but enlightening answer.

“I believe we have the skill and drive to compete for the NWC title this year and everyone on our team is on board with that being the overall goal this season. I want to have a successful and fun final year and I can’t think of a better way to do that,” said Brown. “We are stronger, faster, and more energetic when we’re making noise so we’ve decided to get loud this year.”

FEATURE

PAGE

6

SEPT

24 2015

The Whitman Bookstore: The expense of an independently-owned business

Competing with online marketplaces, Whitman’s book store is one of the only privately-run college book businesses left in Washington. Photo by Stevens from BOOKSTORE, page 1

“Being competitive with online and big box retailers is our biggest challenge,” said Janice King, Book Acquisitions Specialist at the Whitman College Bookstore.

“Books are the big thing ... keeping the bookstore alive.”

King handles most of the textbook purchases for the Whitman bookstore. She and Tracy Oberg, the bookstore’s Merchandise and Marketing Specialist, work together with the publishers, administration, and students to best meet the needs of all parties. Oberg’s job includes reaching out to the student community at Whitman to determine which products the store will carry.

“We are able to personalize the store to reflect the culture and priorities of the Whitman community,” said Oberg.

“Our customer is the student; that’s who we care about.”

This level of student influence over the store’s merchandise is not common on most campuses. The advantages of a privately-owned bookstore can be

seen in a variety of ways, from the club apparel sold in the store, to the large quantity of chocolate on the shelves, to this year’s supply of used physics textbooks.

“Prices are set by publishers and distributors. Used books [are] where we have

Cost of Textbooks: Up 86% in 10 years, rising 6% a year.

Independent Bookstore Ownership: Down 12.2% since 1997. more control,” said King.

The textbooks in question were purchased one at a time, until the store had enough copies resulting in an estimated 4050 percent savings for students who purchased that book. The managers and employees of the Whitman Bookstore strive to operate a store which reflects the community, and which can pro-

vide the students with everything they need. Additionally, all profits of the Whitman bookstore are returned to the college, for the benefit of the community.

Though Independentlyowned bookstores are less secure than those backed by companies such as Barnes and Noble, they are able to offer many services that those larger companies simply cannot. The differences are apparent if one ventures into the Walla Walla University Bookstore which is backed by a larger franchise. There, the larger company sets the standards for textbook prices, often at a mark-up even from the publisher’s prices.

Larger companies are also unable to offer many of the used book and buy-back deals of privately-owned stores. Last semester, students at Whitman received a total of 71,000 dollars from the bookstore from buybacks alone. The store also recently introduced a loyalty program called the “Whitcoin,” which will reward students with increasing discounts as they spend money at the school store.

“I’m always open to carry what students want. If I can get a deal on the item, I get a deal,” said Oberg.

Despite the work of the managers to benefit Whitman Students, the store still faces criticism. High prices are not made more affordable by the other benefits to the Whitman community. The publishing companies earn immense profits from college students; last year, Pearson took in a net profit of 1.5 billion dollars. With profits of that size, there is little incentive for publishers to reduce their prices to a more affordable rate.

Because independent bookstores rely upon the business of students for their success, they cannot fall back on other franchises for support. While their goals are noble and their efforts productive, many independent booksellers cannot provide for students who cannot afford to buy books. Regardless of whether or not students wish to support the college-owned store, it is not practical for all of them. This creates a paradox

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within the college community: to pay more for books in order to support the other advantages the bookstore provides the community, or to seek a more financially efficient solution. Many Whitman students reflected that their own opinions regarding the Whitman Bookstore were irrelevant when faced with other (far less expensive) options.

First-year Lucy O’Sullivan sums up this paradox and echoes the views of many of her peers, saying, “it’s just too damn expensive.” One student at Whitman went as far as to pen an anonymous letter, venting his or her frustration. Although the letter directed blame at the bookstore, rather than the publishers, the sentiments it expressed were valid concerns. Students need to use these books, and as their cost increases students find it more and more difficult to afford them. Publishing companies hold a monopoly which allows them to charge any price for textbooks, putting both the students and the independent bookstores in a state of financial distress.

OPINION

SEPT

24 2015

PAGE

7

Satisfaction in life requires personal resolve

by ALYA BOHR First-year

L

ife is kind of a mess. Actually, let me rephrase that more aptly: Life is a big, huge, crazy, mangled, tangled conundrum. And I’m just one more bundle of neurons and cells trying to navigate this wild and precious privilege we call living, so I can’t exactly claim any authority on the subject. Nevertheless, I’d like to offer up some slightly jumbled thoughts that have emerged from the inky recesses of my brain in regards to some of the more important things in life.

In other words, this column will be an attempt to answer the unanswerable questions: How do we find connection? What gives our lives meaning? How do we find and hold onto our true selves? Who is the best Beatle?

There’s clearly a lot to ruminate on and I’ll undoubtedly arrive at many faulty conclusions, but I’d like to try anyway because, well, why the heck not?

To quote the author Susan Sontag, “God, living is enormous.” I’m certainly inclined to agree. There are paradigm-shattering, golden moments of instantaneous joy when it feels like the entire universe has aligned.

There are crushing moments of darkness, pain and failure

when we feel pinned beneath the weight of the world. And there are people who make us feel big, invincible and whole, while others make us feel small and unworthy. There’s so much room to fall, to rise, to grow. There is every shade of emotion and every genre of experience. There are little bits of magic and wonder

... this column will be an attempt to answer the unanswerable questions: How do we find connection?

What gives our lives meaning? How do we find and hold onto our true selves? sprinkled throughout the world, waiting to be stumbled upon.

And, somehow, here we are plopped in the middle of this madness, charged with making some sense of it all. I, for one, am totally winging it. I have no idea what I’m doing the majority of the time, but somehow I’ve made it this far. You have too, which is really special if you think about all the wonderful, terrible, beautiful, tragic moments we’ve both cumulatively experienced.

The world is far too big, too wild and too vastly nuanced for anyone to condense its quintessence into a lowly column, but I’m young and I’m foolish so I’m going to try. I have no wisdom to impart, but rather lessons learned the hard way. I have no erudite philosophical insights, but rather cobbled together musings from the hormone-addled brain of a college student. Trust me, this is going to be great.

So where do we go from here? Eh, I’ll get to that in my next article. But, for now, I’ll leave you with this most fundamental point: Let yourself be seen. Start there. That means fighting for the things you’re passionate about with reckless abandon. It means knowing you are completely, entirely enough and reveling in that wonderful feeling. It means being vulnerable and courageous and sharing the deepest parts of yourself with the people in your life. Because — though this is bordering on trite and grotesque self-help phraseology — you are a gift to the world. Seriously. You add a richness, vibrancy and power to the world that quite simply wouldn’t exist without you. So, finally, I invite you channel Rumi’s words of wisdom: “Shine like the whole universe is yours.”

Because it is.

Tino’s Bridge Corner

Illustration by Rannestad

Donald Trump’s words make life harder for Latinos JOSE CORONADO

Find the full column online at whitmanpioneer.com

Sophomore

VOICE OF LATIN AMERICA

I

Illustration by Bohr

H

ello!

Welcome back to this little corner of Bridge-related malarkey! If you read last week’s column and have returned for more, then you’ve got some serious gumption! Let’s get started with some bridge lingo, eh?

The Post-Mortem: There are two parts to any hand of bridge: the bidding and the play. But there’s also a classic cliché which insists there’s a third part to a hand of bridge: the Post-Mortem.

The Post-Mortem is the discussion with one’s partner about the last hand, which most likely did not go particularly well.

Both players will try to absolve themselves of any wrongdoing, blaming luck, gimmicky opponents and their partner for their misfortune. I’m not saying all bridge players are defensive and a bit immature – no wait, actually I am; we’re often an argumentative bunch.

The Post-Mortem does have actual value though, because everyone makes mistakes. The PostMortem lets you learn from them.

A bridge column, in some ways, is just a Post-Mortem for a hand you didn’t play. Most bridge puzzles in this column have origins in hands I messed up in the past.

Good players don’t only look at what they could have done bet-

ter, they look at what the opponents could have done better, and how one would respond to that.

Of course, you don’t have to be a bridge player to benefit from humility and self-reflection. Taking the opportunity to evaluate your small failures is part of this agonizing transition from frolicking childhood into stern adulthood. Make mistakes, look at them in your Post-Mortem, then make them again, down the road. Eventually you’ll stop making those errors and find new mistakes to make. In bridge, just as in life, you can never escape being a dummy from time to time. see BRIDGE, online

Voices from the Community

n June, American businessman Donald J. Trump announced he was running for President of the United States. In his announcement speech, he made outrageous remarks about Mexicans: “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best ... They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems to us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people!”

Trump’s remarks are not only inaccurate, but also racist and defamatory. The fact that a hate speech was on national television for weeks and attracted followers just makes life harder for Mexicans and Latinos in general.

According to pewhispanic.org, approximately 33.7 million Mexicans live in the United States today.

Mexicans have migrated to the United States for centuries now, largely motivated by lack of opportunity in Mexico. They come to work, not to steal or kill. From 1940 up until the 1990s, Mexicans came mainly to the United States to work blue-collar jobs on farms and construction sites. After the 1990s, motivations shifted towards academics and job opportunities in the tech industry.

Donald Trump’s assertions that America’s Mexican population is mediocre and criminal are beyond inaccurate. In recent times it has been Mexico’s best – intellectuals with master’s degrees and PhDs – coming to the United States in pursuit of better standards of living.

Mexico’s best cinematographers live in the United States; two of them just recently won Academy Awards!

There are numerous Mexicans working in science in America, such as Deborah Berebichez, a physicist who earned her PhD at Stanford.

A Mexican doctor, Alfredo Quinonez-Hinojosa, is director of the Brain Tumor Surgery Program at John Hopkins Hospital, as well as a Professor in Neurosurgery, Oncology and Neuroscience.

Mexican jockey Victor Espinoza was the last person to win the Triple

Crown in horse racing. Both men came to the United States knowing almost no English and got their starts in low-paying jobs. The opportunities they found here allowed them to prove themselves and become the best in their fields. I myself came to America to study after obtaining a scholarship and I have many Mexican friends here working for Chrysler and General Motors factories (legally) as a result of their hard-earned engineering degrees.

Another issue with Trump’s speech is his failure to provide real solutions. Sending back all illegal immigrants is not a realistic solution. To remove the Mexican immigrants who make up large parts of America’s agricultural, construction, service and factory workforces would require millions of dollars in deportation costs. Families would dissolve and many more kids would grow up without crucial parental guidance.

It’s not wrong to say Latinos in the United States commit crime and take part in organized crime, but the majority of Mexican criminals choose those paths as a last resort.

New generations of Latinos have limited possibilities because poverty and poor education make it hard to care about or be aware of things like standardized tests and college applications. These are young U.S. citizens who simply lack opportunity, not demon-driven invaders.

Donald Trump’s solution is to deport parents and revoke the citizenship of sons and daughters. The United States cannot have a president with ideas like these. Kicking people out of a country because of their ethnicities is not only racist but also bad or the economy and society in general. These people have dreams, ideas and the potential to contribute to the economy in myriad ways.

Trump’s speech simply makes integration harder in a country that already has enough racial issues. In this era we need to ignore differences and find similarities in goals and objectives. If we stop classifying ourselves by race or political opinion and learn to cooperate, we will accomplish great things. A shining example is Jordy Munoz, founder of 3D robotics, who spread his knowledge about drones across the internet. Eventually American business Chris Anderson discovered Munoz’s talent and partnered with him to create 3D Robotics, a company that just fundraised 50 million dollars. Great things happen when we learn to see past race and uphold intellect.

What do you do to de-stress?

Poll by MADALINE STEVENS

MARIAH BRUNS

BEN CALDWELL

RALPH HUANG

JEREMIAH

Junior

Junior

First-Year

First-Year

“I like to either hang out outside or cook an awesome meal with my housemates.”

“I usually get together with some friends, have some tea, and watch a good movie.”

“I watch anime with my friend, hang out and get some fresh air.”

SILVERHEART

“I’ll watch TV shows, pour out to friends, sometimes I’ll distract myself with creative fiction, and physical activity.”

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24 2015

Encounters woes New Accommodations Available for Students Shielding Themselves from Outside World

Illustration by Patel

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lans have recently been approved to allow a new vendor to begin selling large sheets of bubble wrap for students to wrap around themselves in an effort to protect their fragile self esteems from the difficult conversations that lie ahead in class discussions of race and gender.

The new precautions come just in time for the beginning of Encounters, in which first years will soon be engaging in texts such as Simone de Beauvoir’s “The Second Sex,” W.E.B. Dubois’s “The Souls of Black Folk,” and other works that may foster discussion offensive to those first year students with white penises.

Students will be able to purchase enough bubble wrap to encase their bodies and various intersecting privileges, waddle off to their classrooms, and be sufficiently counterproductive to the goals of the Encounters department.

“We eased them into the curriculum with ‘Frankenstein,’ a text with white male protagonists, but we want to make sure students are sufficiently prepared, emotionally and physically, for the future bruises that may come to the egos that society has tirelessly worked to inflate,” said one Encounters professor.

The venture is headed by two Whitman alumni, John

Marcus and Joe Narcissa, who realized the market for the emotional and physical cushioning when they were victims of countless articulate and reasonable criticisms of their privileged perspectives in various Encounters texts. In a recent interview, Marcus and Narcissa told The Pioneer, “We’re just trying to look out for the white men.”

The best part? All bubble wrap expenses can be charged to students’ Whitman account so they can forward the emails from the Finance Office to their parents and hope Mom and Dad don’t ask for a detailed invoice.

Though the initial plans

approved only enough bubble wrap to cushion the egos of the first year class, the Administration-with-a-capital-A has plans to expand the availability of Marcus and Narcissa’s services to the entire Whitman student body. Bubble wrap will be available not only to those offended that four entire non-white non-male authors made it into the Encounters curriculum, but also to those unlucky upperclassmen who ended up in a Gender Studies or Race and Ethnic studies class to fill distribution requirements.

The plans don’t stop there.

Marcus and Narcissa also have also proposed mandatory

faculty singing lessons to start staffing an on-call lullaby service to those students particularly bruised by the day’s horizon broadening. Professors will rock students to sleep with dreams of sugar plums and full participation grades. Scheduling for this program is not expected to be a problem because time has been freed up for the professors since the Qur’an was removed from the syllabus.

As one member of the Board of Trustees told The Pioneer, “any and all of our favorite students and highest donors should have the opportunity to feel safe. College is about growth, but only the kind of growth you’re comfortable with.”

Cultivating your PC image

Father concedes toddler not really a person

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recent poll shows that 88% percent of Whitties care deeply about other people thinking that they’re politically correct. Even if you don’t care much about making a show of how PC you are, it’s important to remember that other people really do. Since it’s the appearance of caring that matter most at Whitman, we at The Pioneer have compiled a number of ways to make yourself seem politically engaged and tolerant, even if you couldn’t care less.

The best way to enhance your politically correct image is to cultivate some minority friends. This can be a feat at a place as whitewashed as Whitman, so commence your search early. Also, be sure that others are aware that your friend is a minority. This means no closeted gays since they are not easily recognized and will therefore not be helpful to your image. Also, be sure not to have too many, or you may go from pretending to care about social issues to actually feeling the need to do something substantive. This is not the Whitman way.

Another excellent way to seem politically correct lies in your ability to make PC excuses. For

example, let’s say that your friend invites you to Take Back the Night, but all you want to do is eat Cheetos and play Super Smash Bros. Obviously you can’t tell them the truth.

Instead, say something like, “I’m really flattered that you would invite me. I have so much respect for that event. But as a white, heterosexual male, I’m also super aware of my insane social privilege. I wouldn’t want to subvert the narrative of reclamation that you’re trying to tell by asserting my phallic, patriarchal presence within your womanist space.” Wow. They are impressed. Do they know what you said? No. Do you know what you said? Of course not. This is the ideal situation. Your friend will assume that they are too ignorant to understand you, and, not wanting to reveal their ignorance, will smile and abandon the conversation. You can now go about your evening, safe with the knowledge that you came across as super informed and considerate.

Cultivating your spiritual side can give you an edge over the largely secular student body by allowing you to shame others of their religious ignorance. Adopting an non-

Western religion is probably your best bet since being Christian will make you seem too Republican.

Buddhism is a great choice since it’s very trendy right now in Western culture, and you’ll easily be able to find some wall hangings or incense. Furthermore, incorporating non-Western religions into your image will give you a great opportunity to tear other people down.

Whitman students love to do this, and it’s important for asserting your PC dominance. For example, when someone tells you that they are taking a yoga class, shake your head and tell them, “I think it’s really problematic how Western culture has appropriated an ancient faith for no purpose other than working out. It’s a sickening display of Western privilege.” Your friend will hang their head in shame and you will feel good about yourself.

The most important message to take away is that being politically correct at Whitman does not require you to actually be informed, or worse, to actually care. Instead, simply focus on cultivating your image, know enough fancy words to get by, and be sure that you look better than whoever is nearest to you.

Welcome to Wilfrie: Actijism by Noah Porter

fter much reflection, Walla Walla native Jim Schindler formally announced that his one-and-a-half year old son, Tommy, does not yet deserve the recognition of personhood.

“Once he was born there was a brief honeymoon period when I showed him unconditional love and respect, but after I realized that Tommy can’t really do shit, it’s been tough trying to maintain those feelings,” said a disappointed Schindler.

Last Saturday, the Schindlers were purportedly crossing Maple Street heading to the ice cream parlor when an oncoming van spooked Tommy, causing him to hold out his hand expectantly towards his father.

“It’s moments like those that remind me how helpless the little guy is,” said a disgusted Schindler.

Jim later clarified that Tommy’s disappointing lack of redeeming qualities does not end there, but continues into numerous aspects of family life.

“Like just a couple days ago... the boys came over to watch the game, and with two minutes left we get a touchdown to take

the lead. We’re all going crazy, and there’s Tommy, just sitting a nd staring with those big unseeing eyes, drooling like an idiot. It’s like he doesn’t even care.”

The family babysitter chimed in on the manner, adding that when it came to getting ready for bed, Tommy could seriously be “a little prick.”

When reached for comment by The Pioneer, Tommy let out a confused grunt, and fell off of the sofa.

“I guess part of the reason it’s been so hard is that I expected more from the kid, you know?

I’m a doer; I want to get out in the world and make waves, but Tommy? Well, he just seems content milking his family for attention and playing with toys.”

Although this fundamental divergence in life values between father and son is troubling, Schindler still believes the future might hold hope for their relationship yet. “I’m optimistic at some point he’ll better resemble an actual human being, but for now I guess I’ll just have to be content going through the motions of being his dad.”