The
PIONEER
ISSUE 4 | October 1, 2015 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXVII
TRIGGER WARNINGS at
Whitman Illu
A national conversation about language on college campuses is underway. Where does Whitman fit in?
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movement is arising, undirected and driven largely by students, to scrub campuses clean of words, ideas, and subjects that might cause discomfort or give offense...This new climate is slowly being institutionalized, and is affecting what can be said in the classroom, even as a basis for discussion.” “The Coddling of the American Mind,” The Atlantic Monthly In the September issue of The Atlantic, an article co-written by constitutional lawyer Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt challenged what they described as a culture of protectionism on college campuses. Largely absent of student voices, the article received significant media attention for being highly controversial. Regardless of their opinions, Lukianoff’s and Haidt’s writing calls into focus a heightened awareness of trigger warnings, microaggressions, and sensitivity in college environments.
These issues have provoked similarly mixed, and often strong, opinions on Whitman’s campus. The use of trigger warnings and the debate surrounding it has undoubtedly increased in recent memory. Trigger warnings are messages meant to communicate that a material’s content may be traumatizing. Examples of content for which trigger warnings are often used are sexual assault and racial violence. Do these warnings respond to a need for greater sensitivity and self-reflection on difficult subjects? Or do they merely allow students to avoid sensitive topics? Students, faculty, and administrators at Whitman and on campuses nationwide are asking these questions as they consider whether trigger warnings should be included in course syllabi and precede class discussions. Many students contend that trigger warnings are essential in maintaining safety in the classroom. The idea of a “safe space” intends to prevent those who have undergone traumatic experiences from being triggered in a way that causes emotional harm. “Trigger warnings are real-
Students choose favorite local restaurants
ly about being safe and having a safe place, and if you’re fully aware that a certain topic being discussed is traumatizing or makes you feel really negative or anxious or really emotional, then removing yourself to a better place, a safe space, is really important,” says junior and Executive Director of the Power & Privilege Symposium Anna Zheng. Lukianoff and Haidt argue that trigger warnings allow students to “opt-out” of difficult material. Opponents to these warnings often assert that colleges should intellectually challenge students, and giving them the option not to expose themselves shelters students from the harsher realities of the post-college world. Assistant Professor of Psychology Tom Armstrong, whose research areas include anxiety disorders and PTSD, questions the notion that warnings are harmful to student development. Instead, he says that these warnings, when executed properly, can encourage a climate of learning. “The authors claim that trigger warnings prevent contact with triggers, but alterna-
tively, [warnings] could prepare students and increase the odds of experiencing control and efficacy during the exposure,” said A rmstrong in an email. Similarly, many students agree that providing a chance to prepare and anticipate material through trigger warnings could help these individuals deal with similar situations in the future. With this in mind, some say that the decision to par ticipate should be based on personal comfor t levels: the presence of a trigger warning before discussion could have the effect of assigning a par ticular tone to a conversation. “The real world isn’t going to be sensitive to your individual traumas,” said junior English major Molly Walls. “But, in a classroom setting, there’s a way to remove yourself from a conversation without completely derailing it, whether that be physically removing yourself or choosing not to par ticipate.”
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Feature Editor
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by HANNAH BARTMAN
see TRIGGER WARNINGS, page 6
IPECC holds first Whitman History Day by MIKAELA SLADE Staff Reporter
The Indigenous People’s Education and Culture Club, IPECC, set out tables on Alumni weekend in order to educate both alumni and students about the racism and symbolism of some of the landmarks on campus. During this event, dubbed Whitman History Day, IPECC brought in Associate Professor of Art History Dennis Crockett to give a talk on the architec-
ture and the history of the school in order to discuss the misleading romanticism that is associated with some of the historic landmarks and to ensure that their historical context was provided. “I decided to back it up with content about where we are from and emphasize the biases of the foundation of Whitman; it is not a nice clean history,” said Crockett. Crockett spoke about the conflicts between the UK and the US, as well as the conflict between Catholic and Protestant settlers.
Crockett’s talk was geared towards the British and European Americans that were in the Oregon Territory between 1763 and 1846 in order to talk about their conflicts, which preceded the founding of Whitman. Professor Dennis Crockett presents for Whitman History Day “What I was focusing on was British and US conflict out here and Protestant and Catholic conflict,” said Crockett. “The British tended to be Catholic and the US was Protestant.” see WHITMAN HISTORY, page 2
Bright’s Candies, Graze, and Shiki Hibachi Sushi are among students’ favorite places to eat near campus. Photo by Credit
by EMMA COOPER Staff Reporter
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very year, the Walla Walla Union Bulletin announces the “Best of the Best” restaurants in Walla Walla. This week, The Pioneer put together its own “Best of the Best” awards based on Whitman student favorites. While some of Walla Walla’s finest have
received their awards for their friendly ambiance or the quality of their food, a handful of the restaurants are receiving awards because they serve some of the best fried food around. From sandwiches to sushi, teriyaki to tacos, Whitman students’ favorites are represented here in the Fall 2015 edition of The Pioneer’s “Best of the Best.” see EATERIES, page 4
Students listen to Professor of Art History Dennis Crockett (above) speak as a part of IPECC’s Whitman History Day. Crockett’s talk was complemented by stations around campus discussing the symbolism of local landmarks. Photo by Hampson
WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE?
Inside News
A&E
Sports
Opinion
Pio Hour
News writer Ellen Ivens-Duran reports on a recent State Supreme Court decision that could spell trouble for Walla Walla’s previously approved charter school.
A documentary on inmate education programs at the Washington State Penitentiary by three ‘15 alums recently won an award at the Harlem International Film Festival.
With new and expanded training, the men’s cross country team is gearing up for a competitive season.
Columnist Olivia Gilbert questions incessant photo-taking in travel.
Radio hosts Anna Middleton and Andrew Schwartz talk to local engineers about upcoming plans to alter the Mill Creek levees. Tune in at KWCW 90.5 FM this Monday, Oct. 5th.
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Responsible Endowment IPECC talks Whitman history Fund seeks alumni support from WHITMAN HISTORY, page 1
This talk was given in relation to the second part of Whitman History Day, which was a self-guided tour of historical landmarks on campus. Senior Jacqueline Rees-Mikula, a key member of this club, helped research and write about the landmarks students presented. Her work focused on acknowledging the problems with romanticizing memorialized individuals. “It was a self-guided tour and you could start anywhere we [had] pamphlets available,” said senior Jacqueline ReesMikula. “We were standing in front of Memorial Hall, Prentiss Hall, and the amphitheater.” Brenna Two Bears is a jun-
“Our focus for doing this on alumni weekend was to get a lot of alumni interest so we can have their support.” Brenna Two Bears ‘17
ior and president of the IPECC who played a big role in bringing this event together. She worked with club members during this event, all of whom manned tables at several different stations. Two Bears stationed herself in front of Prentiss, at the table focused on Narcissa Whitman. “We were talking about how she was a very strong woman,” said Two Bears, “and how she did all this
work, but we were also trying to de-romanticize her because the work that she did here was not that well done.” An overarching theme of all stations was the iconography of the missionaries, who are still part of Whitman’s culture as the school mascots and logo. “We were focusing on this image of the missionary [and] what we were trying to tell people was that what [the Whitmans] came here to do, what the school was named after, wasn’t accomplished,” said Two Bears. The IPECC is a fairly new club and this event was their very first event. The event had been in the works for a long time and its members worked extensively to gather the research on landmarks and coordinate scheduling. “This is the first official club activity this year, but it has been in planning since last semester,” said Rees-Mikula. The club wanted to educate the Whitman community about the monuments on campus, the missionaries, and the college’s history. They strategically planned the event for this weekend to get the attention of the alumni, who are crucial in providing donations for the school and would greatly influence any change to the school’s mascot. “I think that it [the event] went really well. Our focus for doing this on alumni weekend was to get a lot of alumni interest so we can have their support.” said Two Bears.
Professor of Art History Dennis Crockett (above) gives a talk on the historical context of Whitman’s founding as a part of Whitman History Day. Photo by Hampson
Divestment activists (from left to right) Adyiam Kimbrough ‘19, Alya Bohr ‘19, Lorah Steichen ‘16 & Thomas Meinzen ‘19 tabled in Reid Campus Center to ask alumni to contribute to the Responsible Endowment Fund. Photo by Nobles
by ANDY MONSERUD Staff Reporter
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ith countless Whitman alumni on campus for class reunions last weekend, Divest Whitman began a new phase of their campaign against the college’s investments in fossil fuels. Group members tabled in Reid and held a concert open to alumni in an off-campus house in order to promote their new Responsible Endowment Fund, which enables alumni and other donors to show monetary support for the group. The fund, created through the Responsible Endowments Coalition, works as a monetary incentive for the college to divest. If the college reduces its investments in fossil fuels to below 1% of the endowment by the end of the year, Divest Whitman will donate their parallel endowment in its entirety. After one year, half of the fund will be donated to the nonprofit Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy. If the college still has not divested by May 2017, the entire fund will go to the Alliance. While the fund has existed for almost two months, Alumni Weekend served as its first major promotional push. “The plan is to really launch it this weekend, but we haven’t really made an effort to reach [the majority of] alumni about it yet,” said junior Divest Whitman member Dani Hupper, before alumni came to campus. “It’s not like we were trying to keep it under wraps,” added junior Mitchell Cutter, Climate Campus Coalition President. “But ... its purpose is for alumni, and we haven’t really had the opportunity to talk to them yet.” Divest Whitman’s efforts over alumni day focused on raising awareness about the fund, rather than soliciting alumni for contributions. “The point is less the amount [alumni donate] and more [that we get their] contact information, so that we can maintain that connection with them and hopefully be able to reach them, and then perhaps
HINDSIGHT
they’d donate post-alumni weekend,” Hupper said. “The main objective of the concert [was] not to raise money there. Although that is certainly an objective, [the event was] to get our name out and the fund’s name out.” Even though their main goal was not to raise funds, Divest Whitman’s efforts over alumni weekend paid off monetarily. The fund rose from $455 to around $1000 between Monday of the week prior to alumni weekend and Tuesday the following week. Divest Whitman’s stated goal for the fund is to earn $10,000 in a year and $15,000 in two years, with at least 300 donors. Divest Whitman began to set up the Responsible Endowment Fund in early August with the help of several alumni. Natalie Jamerson ‘13, who now works for the nonprofit Washington Environmental Council, was particularly involved in the process: she proposed the Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy as the fund’s fallback recipient, and was heavily involved with developing Divest Whitman’s strategy for gaining the support of other alumni.
“Divest Whitman was something that started my senior year, just as I was departing, and so now it feels good to support it as an alum as well.” Natalie Jamerson ‘13
“I was very excited to see this sort of new level of commitment [to] ... responsible investing,” Jamerson said. “I was eager to get involved because Divest Whitman was something that started my senior year, just as I was departing, and so now it feels good to support it as an alum as well.” Cutter and Hupper emphasize that the fund is not intended to take money away from existing donations to the endowment, but to serve as a bonus fund.
by LACHLAN JOHNSON & LANE BARTON News Editors
Friday 9/25
Monday 9/28
Tuesday 9/29
Wednesday 9/30
John Boehner to resign
Signs of water on Mars
Battle for Kunduz
Montreal delays sewage dump
Current Speaker of the House John Boehner announced that he will resign from Congress at the end of October. Boehner, who has served Ohio’s 8th District for 24 years, will be the first Speaker to resign in office since 1986. The decision comes under the cloud of a possible government shutdown, with more conservative Republicans pushing for larger spending cuts.
NASA reported findings on Monday that indicate the presence of liquid water on Mars. Scientists confirmed the existence of salts called perchlorates which are only produced in the presence of water. The identification of water is a positive step towards the possibility of life existing on Mars.
The Afghanistan military launched a counter-offensive to retake the strategic northern city of Kunduz from Taliban militants, who managed to seize the city the previous day. The fall of the city of 300,000 was the Taliban’s first capture of an urban area since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.
The city of Montreal, Canada paused plans to dump 8 million liters of untreated human waste into the Saint Lawrence River, following opposition from residents citing environmental concerns. The diversion was to happen to allow sewer interceptor to be closed during construction on an expressway.
Source: The New York Times
Source: The New York Times
Source: Al Jazeera
Source: VICE News
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Managing Editor Mitchell Smith News Editors Lachlan Johnson Lane Barton A&E Editor Martina Pansze Sports Editor Cole Anderson Feature Editor Hannah Bartman Opinion Editor Adam Heymann Humor Editor Jeffrey Gustaveson Photography Editors Tywen Kelly Hannah Bashevkin Illustration Editor Luke Hampton
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“We’re not trying to go against the alumni giving board here,” Hupper said. “This isn’t a way for us to funnel money that would have otherwise gone to Whitman elsewhere. We’re trying to get people to use their love of Whitman and their money as a way to make Whitman a better place.” Jamerson sees the fund as a way to counteract the environmental impacts of the college’s existing investments. “The point of the fund is to provide an alternate investment in clean energy technologies and [reduce] fossil-fuel pollution, to ... offset or counterbalance the investments that the college is making in fossil fuels,” Jamerson said. “Ideally, we would love the school to divest, and then that money we donate can go back to support the school and continue to show our alumni support.” As Divest Whitman restructures following the graduation of many key members, alumni will remain a major target for the campaign over the next year. Hupper sees them as one of the last major groups to be won over by Divestment, which was endorsed by a student referendum and faculty resolution last year. “The best thing for our campaign now is to make it strong within,” Hupper said. “Make the website as strong as it can be, make the fund as influential ... as it can be, and gain the support of alumni. I mean, that’s really the network we have not tapped into. The students, for the most part, support us, the faculty support us, and now it’s time to get the alumni on board.” Divest Whitman’s other objectives over the next few months include improving the functionality of their redesigned website and solidifying their base of student activism. “We lost a lot of seniors last year, so our next step ... is really to connect with the big group of firstyears we have now,” Cutter said. “They’re really gung-ho about it, but ... we have to build ourselves as a group and sort of give them more institutional knowledge.”
Austin Biehl, Ben Freedman, Meg Rierson, Jack Swain, Clara Wheeler
Producer Marra Clay
Corrections to Issue 3 An article last week about a planned facility for Walla Walla’s homeless misidentified the Walla Walla Housing Authority’s plans for the facility. The Alliance has since decided to make all housing their predomonantly, not entirely, fixed.
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
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State Supreme Court decision threatens proposed charter school by ELLEN IVENS-DURAN Staff Reporter
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recent decision by the Washington Supreme Court may cause trouble for the Willow School, a Walla Walla charter school that was approved by the Washington State Charter Commission on Aug. 13 and slated to open in 2016. The Court effectively banned public funding of charter schools, with their Sept. 5 ruling that a 2012 law approved by voters that intended to fund up to 40 charter schools over a five-year period was unconstitutional. This ruling came in response to a suit brought by several nonprofits and private citizens, and it affects the 1,200 children currently enrolled in Washington charter schools as well as proposed charter schools, such as the Willow School. Unless a change is made soon, the opening date will have to be pushed back, likely for a year or two, perhaps permanently. The Court found that charter schools do not fit into the 1909 definition of “common schools,” mainly because neither the schools nor their funding decisions are governed by local elected school board officials. Dan Calzaretta, the Executive Director of the Willow School team, was shaken by the ruling. He has faith in the charter school as public school model and worries that the decision may harm other supplemental programs administered by unelected officials, which include Running Start, Skills Centers, and some tribal schools, not just charter schools. “Everybody knows ... no one system can meet the needs of every kid,” said Calzaretta during a phone interview. Michael Augustine is a senior at Whitman and one of the Willow School’s summer interns, who is continuing his involve-
ment with the school through a Community Fellowship funded by the Student Engagement Center. He looks on the decision with a similar disfavor. “A big question mark is surrounding Washington public education right now,” said Augustine. Despite the confusion, the Willow School remains hopeful, mostly due to the outpouring of support in Walla Walla and across the state. Augustine and Calzaretta were both cheered by the community response to the ruling. At the Willow School’s September 10th rally protesting the Court’s decision, Calzaretta attested that more than 70 people attended. On the statewide level, Washington’s attorney general is one of several prominent voices pushing back against the decision. “The outcry has been amazing from both sides of the political spectrum,” said Calzaretta. And so, the Willow School is moving ahead with its plans to open an innovative school that they hope will be responsive to community needs. In the year since the school was proposed, Willow’s team has hosted a number of bilingual community meetings in conjunction with local organizer Commitment to Community. Those meetings, according to Augustine, really enhanced the community’s relationship with the Willow School. “When I look at [Willow’s] connection to the community, I’m floored ... the community sees them as a resource,” said Augustine. The Willow School would offer a solution to what Calzaretta sees as a system replete with great educators but lacking alternative programs during the formative middle school years. “At the middle level there isn’t a whole lot for kids as far as different approaches,” said Calzaretta, “there aren’t any, I should say.”
Michael Augustine ‘16 worked with the Willow School this summer through a Community Fellowship. The Willow School, a charter school in Walla Walla, is currently in limbo due to a recent Washington Supreme Court ruling. Photo by Hampson
According to Calzaretta and Augustine, Willow aims to employ project-based learning, cultural competency through bilingual education, and a truly collaborative educational program, with group study time and administrative focus on fostering a supportive campus culture. Willow’s message, however, has not made it to all corners of Walla Walla. Lydia McDermott, an Assistant Professor of Composition and the Director of the Center for Writing and Speaking at Whitman, who has children in Walla Walla’s public school system is uncertain about the school, but not necessarily opposed to it. “I like the idea of the Wil-
low School as far as I understand what it is,” said McDermott. That being said, she has reservations. “The educational mission, I agree with; whether or not it should be happening as a charter school, I have mixed feelings about,” she said. “I would be just as happy if one of the middle schools that currently exists were to extend the project based learning ... to all students.” McDermott did identify the lack of a bilingual education program at the middle school level as a major gap in Walla Walla’s schools. This ambivalence among members of the community who have not been exposed to
Willow’s educational paradigm, or who are hesitant to speak out in support of charter schools, may hurt Willow’s efforts to come back from the Supreme Court ruling. Although the future remains uncertain, with the Court having extended its deadline for Motions for Reconsideration to October 23rd, the Willow School remains optimistic. “I’m very optimistic that a fix will be found and hopefully it will be found soon so that we can again fulfill the promise to the families and children not only of Walla Walla, but also Washington State ... an excellent public ... educa-
tion for all kids,” said Calzaretta.
Interdisciplinary Silk Roads course to offer China trip
New ASWC senators discuss goals
by SARAH CORNETT
by GEORGIA LYON
Editor-in-Chief
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s a liberal arts campus, Whitman takes pride in course offerings that are frequently interdisciplinary. Perhaps the most clear recent example is The History and Ethnobiology of the Silk Roads, taught by Associate Professor of History Brian Dott and Professor of Biology Heidi Dobson. This spring, the course will be offered alongside a field study component that involves traveling to China over spring break. The course, originally conceived by Dobson in 2007, combines history and biology to study the Silk Roads in China. Dott and Dobson take turns doing lectures during three days of the week. The course also includes a weekly labstyle demonstration component. Dott lectures on Chinese and Southeast Asian history that deals with the Silk Roads, while Dobson uses ethnobiology to discuss animal and plant life in the region. Students receive two science and two history credits at the 100-level. “We’ll alternate between history and biology lectures, but we bring in some of both,” said Dott. “For example, I touch on the bubonic plague [in my lectures].” In her lectures and demonstrations, Dobson incorporates the evolution and physiology of animals and plants common on the road such as hors-
es,
camels, and local crops. “My goal has been to provide basic understanding of biological processes so that students can follow and grasp current issues of biology in our every-day lives, as well as to give students a glimpse into a wide range of very different topics in biology that I think are really cool,” she said. Dott says that the students who enroll in the class come from a wide variety of backgrounds and interest. Though fulfilling science credits lured students like senior Alex Ayal when the course was offered two years ago, it ultimately offered more than distribution requirements. “It was definitely one of the more unique classes I’ve taken here at Whitman,” he said. “The way that [Professor Dobson] and [Professor Dott] combined science and history was an interesting and novel take on what a curriculum could look like.” Dott views the course’s field component, an optional spring-break trip to China to do on-the-ground study, as one of its most engaging interdisciplinary elements. “Part of the innovation was combining disciplines, and part of it was offering a field component,” he said. The field component allows students to get into issues of contemporary trade, commerce, and culture in the historic area of the Silk Roads. “It’s really exciting to do teaching on the ground, and take students traveling.”
The course is designed as a lecture class that is offered every other year, with the field course offered when funds are available. The David Diel Endowment, a Whitman fund that offers financial resources specifically for taking students to China, typically alternates between funding the Silk Roads program and the popular Whitman in China program. Dott and Dobson try to ensure that interested students aren’t deterred from the trip by costs. “We don’t want to do the field course unless there’s financial aid available,” said Dott. The professors are currently accepting applications for the field component through the Office of Off-Campus Studies (OCS), and are aiming to take 1215 students. The field component will provide students with twocredits in Asian Studies. Interested students must have either taken the Silk Roads course in 2014, or enroll in the spring 2016 class. Students like Ayal, who took the course knowing that they wanted to eventually participate in the China trip, are excited to have the chance to go after two years. “I recently came back from study abroad, and travel has been big on my mind ever since. [It would be] an amazing opportunity to see a place I’ve never been to, and might never see otherwise.” More information on the class and an application for the field course can
be found on the OCS website.
The last group from Whitman to travel to China as part of the Silk Roads course went in 2012. The trip included traveling with camels in the desert around Dunhuang, China. Photo contributed by Brian Dott
Staff Reporter
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he Associated Students of Whitman College is preparing to pursue new measures with the help of the existing leadership and the first year senators elected on September 22. Whitman’s first-year class elected Erin Lopez, Shannon Zander, Caroline Bauwens, and Ben Cosgrove as its ASWC senators. Many of these senators wish to bring a mobile application and increased cultural awareness to campus and collaborate with other ASWC leaders to further some
“One initiative that we have been working on for the last couple of years is switching to a test optional admissions policy, and I think that is going to come to a head this year.” Jack Percival ‘16
of
ASWC’s main objectives. ASWC President Jack Percival spoke to The Pioneer regarding the organization’s goals for the year. One of the most important was helping President Murray implement a strategic planning process. “Kathy Murray is going to initiate a strategic planning process at the end of this year to formulate a kind of vision for the college and take input from all the campus constituencies. I think that it is important to lay the foundation for student involvement in that process and also in major decision making processes that will occur in the future,” said Percival. Percival also seemed to place value on having student input in the search for the new Provost and Dean of the Faculty and trying to get the Office of Admissions to consider not requiring standardized test scores in the admissions process. “While [the search for the Provost] does not directly relate to students, it directly relates to students. The provost hires of all the faculty who teach us. The provost also oversees departments— like athletics—that are involved in student life, so I think that it is important to have students oversee that process ... Additional-
ly, one initiative that we have been working on for the last couple of years is switching to a test optional admissions policy, and I think that is going to come to a head this year,” said Percival. Although first-year senators did not explicitly suggest these agenda items, many seemed willing to support concepts such as looking into test-optional admissions. “I am definitely pro making it test optional. Everyone has something to contribute; however, some minds just don’t do things like ACT or SAT very well, so are we not limiting an entire quota of students by requiring this test? So understanding why the admissions office finds it so necessary to have those requirements would be a big priority of mine,” said Zander. Lopez’s and Zander’s visions for Whitman seemed to share the overarching theme of consolidating Whitman’s information into a mobile application. “I had a few points that I really focused on, the first one being a more developed Whitman college app. My platform added links to Whitman websites, a campus map, facility hours, school calendar and weekly schedule of campus events, potentially professors’ office hours and dining hall menus and hours to help students be able to access all this information in one central location,” said Lopez. Zander suggested an application that would put information in one easy-to-access place, but her emphasis was more on dining information. “I would like to develop a MyWhitman app ... Having an app that contained nutrition information and flex, menus, also hours for the different dining halls, would be incredibly useful for the student body,” said Zander. Meanwhile, Bauwens seemed to prioritize multiculturalism in her agenda. “I come from a school where 80% of the student body was Hispanic, so coming here was a bit of a culture shock ... I feel like there’s not a lot of talk about diversity and different cultures, so I would like to work on that, and maybe bring awareness to different traditions and different cultures,” said Bauwens. Percival seemed optimistic about the successes ASWC and its senators could experience this year. “I’m looking forward to seeing what ASWC accomplishes this year,” said Percival.
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Student-directed film wins at festival by MARTINA PANSZE A&E Editor
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hat began as coverage of a debate event has evolved into an award-winning student project that challenges the stigma surrounding prisoners. The documentary “Call Me Joe,” created last year by three Film and Media Studies (FMS) seniors and filmed in the Washington State Penitentiary, tells the stories of inmates in education programs directed by Walla Walla Community College. Earlier this month, the film won Best Youth Documentary Short at the Harlem International Film Festival in New York City, held Sept. 9 through 13. The filmmakers, FMS majors Jessica Good, Nick Roberts and Jessica Lawrence all graduated from Whitman in May. The trio collaboratively directed and edited the film, taking turns interviewing, filming and working audio. Over five visits to the penitentiary, they collected over 20 hours of footage. The idea for the documentary began when Good, Roberts and Lawrence were disappointed when the Film and Media Studies major dropped the requirement of making a film for its thesis. “We were bummed out because we were interested in making a film,” said Roberts. An opportunity arose for the trio when they learned of the Whitman Debate team’s collaborative debate education program at the penitentiary. Good, Roberts and Lawrence were given access to cover the culmination of the program, a debate event. However, they soon realized that access to the inmates opened the door to explore broader, important issues. On May 2 of last year, the 25-minute documentary was premiered to a packed Olin Hall. “At the screening, there were people sitting in the aisles. It was very humbling,” said Roberts. For attendees, the screening challenged existing preconceptions of prisoners, and offered a unique look at the penitentiary’s place in the Walla Walla community. “I thought it was a compassionate, well-rounded look at the penitentiary and some of the offenders housed there,” said senior Rose Gottlieb, who attended the screening. “I found it awesome that some students and professors were able to forge a community with some of the people in the prison.” The showing was followed by a discussion led by the film’s creators. Two interviewees attended the premiere and participated in the discussion, one of whom was the documentary’s namesake, Joe Fields. Roberts thought that the discussion was important to the message of the project. “It’s important for the community to engage and continue the conversation and talk about what was covered in the film and what wasn’t,” he said. The group found that once they began talking to the incarcerated individuals, many stereotypes of prisoners don’t hold true. “Meeting them was fantastic,” said Roberts. “It changed the idea of who felons could be. I saw that they’re just regular people who have made mistakes.” “I felt so connected to them. The hardest part was that after the project was done, we weren’t allowed back in and there was no way we could see them again,” said Good. Making the documentary was not an easy process. The Film and Media Studies department failed to provide the trio with any money or equipment, so they borrowed cameras from Walla Walla University to film the interviews. The group also needed financial help to submit the film to the Harlem International Film Festival and other festivals. As a final resort, the three students appealed to Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) for funding through the Travel and Student Development Fund. Although ASWC doesn’t usually give out the type of grant that is allocated to academic departments, they made an exception with “Call Me Joe” and the funding was secured in a 29-0 vote. “That shows a lot about our student government,” said Good. “We needed that support.” The group only found out about their project’s acceptance into the Harlem International Film Festival the day before the event. “It’s cool that it showed in Harlem, where the message resonates well,” said Roberts. When she heard the news of the award, Good said she was ecstatic. “I was overjoyed with the recognition. We wanted people to see this because of the people in it. To me, it felt like those people’s importance was validated,” she said. They are still waiting to hear from a handful of other festivals they submitted it to. At Whitman, “Call Me Joe” stands as a successful example of organic and collaborative student work. “I’m excited about the prospect of more students doing things like this,” said Roberts.
OCT
01 2015
Whitman students pick ‘Best of the Best’ Walla Walla Eateries
The people have spoken! Restraunts including Taqueria Mi Pueblito and Sweet Basil Pizzeria are decidedly Whitties’ local favorites. Photo by Stevens from EATERIES, page 4
GRAZE -for the best Sexy Time Sandwich5 S Colville St. This gourmet sandwich shop is known for its quality sandwiches and salads. Graze was nominated for its “Sexy Time” sandwich featuring caramelized onions, brie, provolone, chili pepper flakes, chicken and bacon. Need you ask for more? “I love it because it has chicken and bacon AND brie with pepper flakes. Pairing it with the house salad and some water is the best way to relax and eat well.” –Jessica Palacios, Senior BRIGHT’S CANDIES -for the best peanut butter ice cream11 E Main St. Bright’s candy shop is a common locale for Whitman students looking for candy, ice cream or just a sweet environment for studying. Despite specializing in chocolates and candies, Bright’s ice cream should not be overlooked. Bright’s has been
nominated for their creamy peanut butter ice cream. “Because they have the BEST ice cream.” –Erin Coffey, Junior SHIKI HIBACHI SUSHI -for the best Golden Whitman Roll220 E Main St. Shiki Hibachi Sushi, which opened last spring, has not only received stellar reviews from Yelp!, but also from Whitman students as well. Known for their spectacular Japanese style sushi, Shiki Hibachi Sushi has been nominated for their “Golden Whitman Roll” which has cream cheese, crabmeat, and cucumber wrapped together and deepfried. “It’s fried.” –Kristina Roy, Sophomore TAQUERIA Mi PUEBLITO -for the best California Burrito1633 E Isaacs Ave. The Taqueria Mi Pueblito is a wellloved Whitman favorite for its Mexican cuisine. “Taq,” as it is affectionately known, has been nominated
for its French fry-filled California burrito, satiating even the most particular of palates. “It’s got French fries in it.” –Sam Jacobson, Junior SWEET BASIL -for the best BBQ pizza5 S 1st Ave. Bringing a taste of East Coast pizza to Walla Walla, Sweet Basil’s Pizza is a favorite not only for its delicious varieties of pizza, but also for its Whitman student discount. Sweet Basil has daily specialties as well as an everyday menu featuring the classics of cheese, pepperoni and Margherita. Sweet Basil has been nominated for their everyday slice of “BBQ” pizza. “I love it because they give a student discount and the food is so great.” – Miranda Taylor, First Year TIKI TERIYAKI GRILLE - for the best Chicken Teriyaki – 205 Wildwood St. Tiki Teriyaki serves not only quality teriyaki, but also juicy hamburg-
ers. Tiki Teriyaki has been nominated for the “Teriyaki Chicken” made with boneless chicken and house made teriyaki sauce. “The restaurant feels very personable and ‘small town-esque’ with a really friendly staff.” –Mathias Palmer, Junior BACON & EGGS -for the best Migas57 E Main St. Bacon & Eggs is known for their incredibly popular breakfast and brunch food. A local instutition that supports local farms across the nation and brews Portland-based Stumptown coffee, the business recently moved to a bigger location a few blocks down Main Street. The local favorite has been nominated for their “Migas,” a delicous combo of eggs, onions, chiles, fresh pico de gallo and hash browns. “When I go into town, I want to pay for something I’m really going to appreciate, especially things I can’t get in the dining hall.” –Whitney Wood, Senior
Instant Play Festival fosters creative collaboration
Students, faculty, and staff rehearse for the Instant Play Festival last weekend. The 14 plays were written by student playrights in the space of one night. Photos contributed by John Lee
by MEGAN HEARST Staff Reporter
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he Instant Play Festival arrived this year in a whirlwind of activity, creativity and collaboration. For two days, over the 26 and 27 of September, theater goers were entertained by 14 funny, strange and often poignant plays Whitman students produced. The premise of the Instant Play Festival is simple: Each night, sev-
en writers were given 12 hours each to create a ten minute play. In the following 12 hours, the plays are cast, blocked and memorized by a group of volunteer actors, directors and tech workers. It’s in the execution that production gets complicated. The Instant Play Festival has its roots in the 14/48 festival held in Seattle, which describes itself as the “world’s quickest theatre festival,” but Whitman adds a collegiate twist to the traditional 14 plays in
48 hours model. For eight years, Whitman College has offered an opportunity for 14 student writers to spend three weeks studying under professional playwrights (this year brought the likes of Sharon Bridgeforth, Basil Kreimendahl and Scot Augustson to campus) to prepare for the 48-hour push. It’s this combination of education and experimentation which makes the Instant Play Festival unique. Finally, after all the preparation the time for performance ar-
rives. Eager volunteers swarm in at 9:30 in the morning, and then a flurry of activity begins. Actors get into character, directors orient themselves with the script and all across campus dozens of people go on the hunt for elusive costumes and props. “It’s just amazing how so many different people from all different backgrounds are drawn together for two days of artistic collaboration and experimentation,” said stage manager, junior, Alex Lewis.
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PIO PICKS Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights several events happening on campus or in Walla Walla during the weekend. Here are this week’s picks:
Zoo Renewal: White
Flight in the Animal Ghetto: Thursday Oct. 1, 7:00 p.m. in Olin 130. Assistant Professor of Art History and Visual Culture Studies Lisa Uddin will host a reading and signing of her new book that discusses American attitudes towards the modern zoo.
First Friday Open Studio: Friday Oct. 2,
6:00 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. at Noodle Grotto Studio, 13 ½ E Main St. Local artist Candace Rose (also the pianist for many of Whitman’s dance classes) hosts a monthly open studio showcasing her work.
Portland Cello Project Performs:
Friday Oct. 2, 7:00 p.m., Main Street Studios, 207 W Main St.
Symphony Series Opening Night :
Tuesday Oct. 6, 7:00 p.m. at Cordiner Hall. A pre-concert talk will be at 6:00 p.m. in the Reid Campus Center.
SWEET BASIL Hand crafted, highest quality artisan pizza. STUDENT DISCOUNTS:
2 slices $5 slice & salad $5 10% off all 18” pizzas, calzones, stromboli & gluten free pizzas
OCT
SPORTS
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5 Men’s XC racing for top conference honors 01 2015
by JOSE CORONADO Staff Reporter
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ith the Whitman men’s cross country season underway, a palpable confidence surrounds the team and their chances of a successful season. Several runners are enthusiastic about the start to the year, and have already set high goals. The team is excited about the possibility of qualifying for Nationals at the end of the season, including team captain, senior T.C. Heydon. “Nationals is always a goal for the team, but we haven’t really explicitly talked about it much this season. We’re taking things one step at a time, and it’s hard to know how things will turn out because it is so early in the season,” said the team’s captain, senior T.C. Heydon. “I can say with certainty that it has been decades since the men’s team last went to Nationals.” But the team will have to get through a grueling Northwest Conference regular season in addition to two important races at the Conference Finals and Regionals before they can qualify for the Nationals race. Heydon earned his spot as captain during his final year at Whitman by being an outstanding athlete and leader, and he feels comfortable in his role. “It’s a really enjoyable experience. I really hope to help create an environment that my teammates enjoy and that is conducive to our success as a team. It’s awesome to spend time with a hardworking, dedicated and talented group of guys,” said Heydon. For members of the cross country team, which operates on significant teammate initiative and oversight as the coaches don’t typically run with them, the captain serves as a second coach and motivator during workouts. One big change from last season is the increased competition throughout the team. Junior Matt Wotipka explained how Head Cross Country Running Coach Scott Shields has influenced the
In preparation for his first Conference meet of fall ‘15, the Willamette Invite, Matt Wotipka [‘17] leads the pack at a practice to improve as much as he can. Photo by Mutter
team and made it more competitive. “Scott has been a coach for four years, and before that the team was just not competitive at all. I do not think the coach [prior to Shields] did any recruiting or anything like that. In the last two years, Scott has slowly tried to make the transition to a more competitive team,” said Matt. Sophomore Riley Worthington talked more about training changes. “There have been a couple changes such as the addition of Michael Gordon as an assistant coach and more specific workout pacing instructions based on heart rate and physiological data that have really helped our training. We also moved
our mandatory day without a coach as per NCAA rules from Sunday to Monday so that we can now access our locker room in the Sherwood Center along with the ice bath, foam rollers, and other recovery tools on our long run day,” he said. Worthington also mentioned how each member of the team has improved and almost everyone on the team is clocking similar times. “Something that has really developed this year has been our tendency to run more as a pack in races. Many guys have moved up to a place where on any given day we could finish in any order depending on who is feeling the best,” said Worthington.
Both Worthington and Wotipka agree that the team is much deeper than last year. The team had only a 1:30 spread from their first place runner to their ninth place runner in the last meet at Plants Ferry Park in Spokane, considered a difficult course. The decisions of the coaching staff seem to be paying dividends for the team. “We have an excellent coaching staff, and the program is headed in a great direction. This season is looking good, as are the years to come. Our coaching staff is excellent and they have our workouts and racing schedule planned out in a way that truly
sets us up for success,” said Heydon. Sophomore Will Mullins also shared his thoughts about the coaching staff. “Almost all the credit needs to go to the coaches. They are the ones who set our schedules, who do all the science, and do everything that we need in order to be the best we can. They give us everything we need. All the food, all the nutrition, all the advice ... ultimately it is down to them at the end of the day. Scott, Neal, and Michael are all fantastic; honestly I could not wish for a better coaching staff and without them we would not be able to hit the times we do,” he said.
Nguyen making major contributions Women’s tennis kicks off fall season to Whitman women’s golf team by GRANT LACO Staff Reporter
Phoebe Nguyen [‘18], though just a sophomore on the team, is no stranger to success on the course. Last spring, she posted 1st place finishes in four of their five tournaments. In their recent Lutes Invitational, Nguyen erned medalist honors. Photo by Mutter
by ALDEN GLASS Staff Reporter
On Sept. 12-13, the Whitman Women’s Golf team won their first tournament of the year at the Pacific Lutheran University Invitational. After two grueling days of competition, Whitman emerged as the winner by a mere two strokes over rival Whitworth University. The Whitman team stated its high ambitions by coming out strong early in the season. Sophomore Phoebe Nguyen was pleased with the team’s performance at their first major test of the year. “We had the spring classic [at Pacific Lutheran University] last year, so we were all pretty familiar with the course,” said Nguyen. “It was pretty cool to win
SCOREBOARD SOCCER
Men’s v. Pacific Lutheran University Sept. 26: L 0-2 v. University of Puget Sound Sept. 27: L 2-3 (OT) Women’s v. Willamette University Sept. 26: L 0-2 v. Linfield College Sept. 27: L 0-5
VOLLEYBALL
v. George Fox University Sept. 25: L 0-3
GOLF
Men’s Lutes Invitational Sept. 26-27: 9th Place Women’s Whitman Women’s Invitational Sept. 26-27: 1st
MEN’S TENNIS
ITA Northwest Regional Singles: Zach Hewlin 1st Doubles: Zach Hewlin and Phillip Locklear 1st
UPCOMING (ONLY HOME GAMES LISTED)
WOMEN’S SOCCER
v. Pacific Lutheran University Oct. 3 @ 12 PM v. University of Puget Sound Oct. 4 @ 12 PM
by two shots over Whitworth because it meant every shot counted, and you had to play your best.” Nguyen certainly played close to her best as she won the entire tournament and the Athlete of the Week award from the Northwest Conference. Nguyen was understandably pleased with the honor and her performance even though she is no stranger to being the Athlete of the Week. “I won a few times last year, but it’s still special. It’s the first tournament of the year, I’m off to a good start, and the team’s off to a good start,” Nguyen said. “I want to help my team out as much as I can. I’m not super worried about winning tournaments; it’s nice if I do, but I just want to help the team get to nationals.” One of the biggest challenges for the team this fall will be building a team with only a few returners. Due to junior Lou Points going abroad first semester and first-year Charlotte Simons currently recovering from a foot injury, the team only has four eligible players. In collegiate golf, the scores of a team’s top four scores count towards the team total. With no extra players, there is pressure on all four teammates to perform, because no one can pick up the slack. Nguyen talked about her teammates stepping up and performing under this pressure. “I’m proud of my teammate Kendall [Dunovant], because she was our fifth last year and now she’s a counting scorer. She did really well in the last tournament, and I’d like to see her keep doing that,” Nguyen said. Another player who has immediately stepped up to help the team is first-year Shiyang Fan. Fan was an integral part in the first win of the season, yet she believes she has even more to offer. Fan discussed her transition into the college game and her goals for the year. “My transition was pretty smooth. The golf team helped a lot. My high school team didn’t have
many practices together. But here we practice together, and it’s a good team bonding process,” Fan said. “I want to play my best, hopefully. I just try to do what I’m supposed to every time, and the results will come. We want to go to the National Championships at the end of the spring.” Team cohesion is vital in golf, even though it seems to be a very individual sport. That belief in your teammates’ abilities and trust that they will back you up is a huge component to any success. Senior captain Alyssa Maine will be charged with helping form this chemistry and creating a strong, close team. “As the senior captain, my whole goal has been getting that cohesiveness in the whole team with the two new first years coming in,” Maine said. “We definitely are a family, and by the end of the year we’re all sisters. That’s the hardest part of being captain, but the girls are making it so easy and the team is very close already.” With only a win at the conference tournament standing in their way, the Missionaries could be poised to make a run to the National Tournament. Maine, as the only upperclassman on the team this fall, will provide the experience and leadership in that hunt for a bid to nationals. Maine believes that George Fox will be the main competitor for that bid in the conference. “Every year, George Fox is ranked top ten nationally, often top five, but we usually get them once or twice a year in other tournaments, so they are definitely beatable,” Maine said. “I’m really looking forward to it being my senior year, I’m hoping I can win a tournament or two, and I want to get my scoring average down under 80. But that trip to Nationals is the biggest goal for me.” The team is next in action on Oct. 3 and 4 at George Fox University as they build their promising start to the season.
The Women’s Tennis team played in its first tournament of the year, the USTA/ITA Northwest Regional Championships, between Sept. 18 and 20. The tournament, held at Willamette College, consisted of eight conference teams. The USTA/ITA Northwest Regional tournament is the only fall conference for the women’s team and the formal season isn’t until spring. While the results had no affect on the team’s ranking, they could impact individual player rankings in the region. Whitman was successful at the tournament despite graduating some important team members from last year’s team. In singles, Jana Klages-Miller ‘19, Cello Lockwood ‘19, Mary Hill ‘19 competed in the quarterfinals, and senior Jenna Dobrin made it to the semifinals. In doubles, three teams made it to the quarterfinals but Lockwood and Dobrin were the only players to advance to the semifinals. First-year Lori Sheng also won the Championship Consolation Bracket, meaning that although she wasn’t able to win her first match, she won every other match she played—an incredible feat, especially since it was her first collegiate tournament ever. Sophomore Lindsey Brodeck reached final round of the consolation-2 bracket, consisting of those who fell out of the main draw in the second round of play. She lost in round two to the number one seed in the tournament, then proceeded to win four matches in a row. She lost a nail-biter in the finals. “I felt really good with my performance,” said Brodeck. “I constructed points well and played the patterns I wanted to play. I had a high first serve and return percentage, and I was aggressive at net in doubles. My mantra is to be patiently aggressive and I felt I accomplished that.” Senior Jenna Dobrin fought hard to make it all the way to the semifinal round in the main draw. On Saturday, she played four matches: two doubles, and two singles. According to the Fitbit (a fitness tracking device) Dobrin wears on her wrist, she had taken 45,000 steps and covered 20 miles of court in eight hours of play.
Jenna Dobrin at practice on Tuesday, September 29, 2015 Jenna Dobrin at practice on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015 To the team, the tournament meant much more than performing well. It is a young team, and this was their first opportunity to compete together and get a feel for the season to come. Head Women’s Tennis Coach John Hein is very excited about the way the team performed. “This was a physical tournament,” said Hein. “We showed a ton of depth. [The team] showed that they can graduate some of the best players they’ve ever had and still be at the top of their game. The depth and the talent is really exciting, and there’s nowhere to go but up.” Not only is the fall tournament a great preview for the rest of the season, but it is also a good way for the team to come together. “It’s great bonding, and we get to see one another in a more competitive environment. We get to see how everyone fights,” said Dobrin. Looking forward, the players are focused on channeling the energy they felt coming out of such a difficult tournament into something great. “The team vibe was positive, but we always want to accomplish more. We take the off-season very seriously and are ready to put in the work needed to stay the top team in the conference. Our coach always tells us to feel proud after our matches, because we fought our hardest, but to not be satisfied because we can always do more to improve. I am so unbelievably proud of how hard we fought last weekend,” said Brodeck. The team’s positivity and cooperative mindset is evident in the way the players talk about their successes. For Dobrin, the highlight of the tournament wasn’t necessarily the outcome. “To have my team there the whole time, I’d say that was the highlight, and I couldn’t have gotten through all those hours without them sitting by my side. Everyone is there for one another, on and off the court,” she said. The start of the Whitman Women’s Tennis team’s season is still a little distant, but if this tournament is any indication of how it will turn out, it will be a great spring.
Jenna Dobrin [‘16] advanced to the semi-finals in both singles and doubles play in the USTA-ITA Northwest Regional tournament, held Sept. 18-20. Photo by Nace
FEATURE
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“I feel like I probably deal with a lot of [microaggressions] but I’m so used to [them] that [they] don’t even cross my mind anymore.”
OCT
01 2015
Policing language?
Anna Zhang ‘16
Executive Director of 2016 Power and Privilege Symposium
“The real world isn’t going to be sensitive to your individual traumas. But, in a classroom setting, there’s a way to remove yourself from a converstion without completely derailing it, whether that be physically removing yourself or choosing not to participate.” Molly Walls ‘16
“A classroom free of anything like a trigger warning, free of any ackowledgment that students with rape or other trauma histories exist, free of a heads up before a particularly potent discussion or video, is not a ‘safe space.’” Tom Armstrong
Assistant Professor of Psychology
from TRIGGER WARNINGS, page 1
Mental and Emotional Health Some supporters of trigger warnings at Whitman want to see the college go beyond warning students about threats to mental health by taking concrete steps to increase counseling services on campus. Junior co-president of Females Advocating for Change and Empowerment (FACE), Ione Fullerton, acknowledges that while trigger warnings are necessary, the availability of mental health resources for students is more important. “If you’re seeing an uprising of students saying that [certain material] is triggering [them], there need to be more resources at schools, more mental health counseling where people can unpack this trauma [so they do] not need to carry it alone,” she said. The college’s administration would be responsible for funding new counseling resources. However, it is up to faculty whether to include trigger warnings in courses they teach. One option Armstrong suggests is providing students with two syllabi, one with trigger warnings and one without. This would provide students who have experienced trauma the ability to come to class prepared to deal with difficult topics. “I worry that ‘you are triggering me’ will become a reinforced idiom of distress that will draw many students into a trau-
“I think our comedy begs for
*
What do you think? Tell us what you think about trigger warnings and microagressions on campus. Join the conversation at www.whitmanpioneer.com, or submit a Letter to the Editor.
ma narrative that doesn’t accurately reflect the nature of their emotional difficulties... But I don’t think that gives me the right to opt out of creating a more inclusive classroom for students with a history of trauma or other adversity (including racism, homophobia, transphobia, mental illness, etc.),” he said. Microaggressions Another term that has seen increased use in recent years is ‘microaggression.’ A microaggression is loosely defined as an unintentionally offensive remark which targets a person as a member of a marginalized group. These statements are hostile markers of difference that reinforce the separation of the target from the broader community. Recent racial incidents on campus and street harassment show that microaggressions consistently occur at Whitman, despite its reputation as an informed and unprejudiced campus. “At Whitman, people think they’re [free from prejudices]. Racism and sexism are not only overt, [they are] things we internalize,” said Fullerton. According to Fullerton, people can only stop expressing subtle forms of prejudice when they acknowledge the possibility that their actions are oppressive. However, simply calling out comments as problematic does not necessarily allow someone to understand why what
was said was inappropriate. At times, identifying what someone said as being racist or sexist can shut down a conversation. “At the end of the day, they won’t say [a problematic comment] but it doesn’t change anything. It just becomes more invisible and more obscure while also not really offending someone, so what do you do?” said Fullerton. On the receiving end of offensive comments, students have been accused of being too sensitive. Current debates surrounding trigger warnings are reminiscent of debates about political correctness and its place in campus rhetoric. “It’s a tough issue. Are we a [community] where every voice that’s not hateful does deserve to be heard, or are we a place where certain positions are privileged and others aren’t and that privilege is extended to those people who are [politically correct]?” said Peterson Endowed Chair of Social Science Keith Farrington. Allowing for only certain informed voices is a continuous debate amongst students, faculty and administrations nationwide. Does the fear of breaking political correctness by broaching sensitive topics create an even more harmful silence? Humor: Helpful or Harmful? Humor is another area where questioning political correctness has consistently been brought into focus. At times comedy runs the
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empathy instead of political correctness because it’s human to laugh at something that makes you uncomfortable or someting that makes you angry.” Sam Gelband ‘15
Four-year Member of Varsity Nordic
Illustration by Mease
risk of subjecting an audience to offensive material that may reinforce the content it tries to parody. College campuses in particular have appeared to be very aware of and sensitive to this issue. At the convention for the National Association for Campus Activities (NACA), comedians performed for student representatives from 350 different colleges in the hopes of receiving a bid from students to perform at their campuses. The overwhelming majority of the comedians who received bids avoided controversial topics such as gender and race, whereas comedians that used controversial material were far less likely to receive a bid. Whitman’s improvisational comedy group, Varsity Nordic, does not have formal guidelines in regard to the use of offensive humor. Senior Sam Gelband, currently in his fourth year with Varsity Nordic, says that the group has an unspoken understanding that members do not make jokes about potentially sensitive subjects. “[We do] ourselves a disservice for comedy’s sake, but we like to make people feel comfortable. First and foremost, we’re entertainment. We want people to feel like they can rely on us and have a safe environment where they can laugh their asses off,” said Gelband. In classes, professors might feel the need to refrain from using certain kinds of humor in order to create a safe classroom setting.
“I think there’s something to be said about creating a light atmosphere ... [but] I’m really, really sensit ive to t he fact t hat t here [are now] fewer things that I want to, or feel I should, joke about ... That’s been good for me to have learned over time,” said Farrington. According to Zheng, offensive humor is simplifying an individual’s traumatic experience for mere entertainment value. “It’s not funny to see [people’s] experiences trivialized [in humor] ... it really negates t he experience of the victim,” she said. Continuing the Conversation In classes and in informal conversations, trigger warnings continue to receive significant attention on campus. Last April, ASWC senators passed a resolution that called for written warnings of triggering content in Encounters syllabi. Ultimately, the decision to include trigger warnings was left up to Encounters faculty: for many, this semester has been their first using these messages. This article only touched on some of the opinions surrounding trigger warnings and political correctness. Share your thoughts by joining the conversation online at whitmanpioneer.com, or by submitting a Letter to the Editor.
OPINION
OCT
01 2015
Op-Ed: Save trees on Mill Creek Levees T
he following is an Op-Ed submitted by former Professor of Geology Bob Carson. For the following reasons, the Army Corps of Engineers should either abandon the plan to clear-cut the trees on and near the Mill Creek levees, or file an Environmental Impact Statement. 1. SAFETY: There is no definitive engineering evidence that tree roots weaken levees. Indeed, many engineers believe that tree roots strengthen levees. If the Corps of Engineers removes the trees and the stumps, eventually the roots will rot, potentially leading to piping and levee failure during a flood. Because the trees are not on the stream side of the levee or on top of the levee, none would damage the integrity of the levee if they were overturned. 2. RECREATION: The levees are the most popular place in the Walla Walla area for walking, running, and biking. Clearcutting the levees will reduce shade, scenery, and wildlife viewing. The Corps states that Mill Creek has more than 143,000 visits per year; the proposed action could hurt tourism. 3. ECOLOGY: The Corps admits that clearcutting trees on and adjacent to levees will adversely affect wildlife, particularly birds and ES-listed fish. 4. ECONOMICS: Considering the multiple adverse effects and the potential reduction of safety, the Corps proposal is a waste of approximately $300,000 of taxpayer money which could be much better spent on improving fish passage at Rooks Park dam; the fish ladder there is the greatest obstacle to anadromous fish between the Pacific Ocean and upper Mill Creek. 5. LEGAL: The proposed action by the Corps may be breaking public law, specifically the Water Resources Reform and Development Act, passed by Congress and signed by the president in 2014. Follow the issue on Facebook: Save the Trees on Mill Creek Levee Coalition.
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With travel photography, less is more OLIVIA GILBERT First-year
TELL IT SLANT
I
n the words of Pierre Bernardo, “To travel is to evolve.” Plucked from familiar surroundings and cut off from our everyday routines, travel provides us a chance to re-invent ourselves in unique ways. It yields fruitful experiences that push our boundaries and challenge who we think we are and what we know about the world. But we live in a visual culture that demands we document every moment of our existence to the detriment of more meaningful engagement: “Pics or it didn’t happen.” In recent decades Southeast Asia has seen an explosion of travelers. Its popularity has grown especially among young adventurers, with good reason: the region has a wealth of historical, natural, and cultural treasures; it’s inexpensive; and it has some of the best food on the planet. Unfortunately though, the “backpacker culture” that has existed in the region since the hippie trail of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s has morphed into a strange, self-indulgent, Instagram-ing beast. Our flower power predecessors left home seeking adventure, enlightenment, drugs, and their own identities— no doubt many of the same reasons people are compelled to travel today. Modern backpackers, however, are armed to the teeth with gadgets and guide books, maps and iPhones, Yelp reviews and travel blog posts; all of which make information more accessible and travel easier, but they also simultaneously distance travelers from their surroundings and shift focus from the unadulterated experience to capturing and documenting that experience. The New York Times article “The Documented Life” uses the selfie as an example: “Technology doesn’t just do things for us. It does things to us, changing not just what we do but who we are. The selfie makes us accustomed to putting ourselves and those around us ‘on pause’ in order to document our lives. When
Illustration by Patel
mentation. They inundate us with carefully culled images of happy travelers and picturesque locales. Post after post details incredible experiences, wild nights and spontaneous friendships with fascinating individuals. They perpetuate the societal myth that travel will instantly transform a person into a cultured and interesting individual with no effort on their part. These blogs neglect to mention the less glamorous aspects of travel, setting us up to feel that if our travel experience is anything less than exhilarating and enlightening, we have failed. It’s no wonder the modern traveler feels compelled to show everyone what a great time they are having on social media. Don’t get me wrong—there is nothing inherently bad about taking photographs. They serve as remind-
ers of good times and new friends. They connect our loved ones back home to our experiences. They make for better mementos than silly knickknacks. The problem arises when we are so distracted trying to capture every moment that we forget the point of travel is not to document and show others how cosmopolitan we are, but to allow new cultures and environments to change us. We take too many photos, diluting each of their individual values as a consequence. So if you are considering traveling in the near future, whether to Vietnam for three months or to San Francisco for one, by all means, take photos. But do so sparingly and with intention. When you feel your hand creeping toward the camera, resist, ask yourself if you really need another picture. When it comes to photography, less really is more.
Accomodating diversity in critical conversations
Letter to the Editor:
BEN SHOEMAKE Senior
W
FAINT
hen I first conceived of this column, I imagined it as an open and inviting space, trying its hardest not to shut down ideas or opinions and instead focusing on novel and diverse perspectives. I’m taking a break from that for a moment, however, because there is one idea that needs to be addressed before it can entrench itself further; one with a profound impact on our ability to have the varied and interesting conversations that I’m looking to achieve. I speak of political correctness. What do we mean when we say “political correctness”? The phrase is perhaps misleading: political correctness has less to do with whether an idea is right or wrong, than it does with the way in which
it is said. Perhaps a more accurate term would be “politically inoffensive”– ironic, since so many people seem to be offended by the concept. Increasingly, the term is also used to refer to a couple of other related but distinct practices; those of providing content warnings and creating safe spaces, for example. In total, these ideas have received recent criticism in certain circles as being forms of intellectual “coddling,” making college students overly sensitive and incapable of critically approaching important issues. I don’t want to lend this idea too much credence, so I’m going to be blunt: the opposite is true. In the interest of brevity, I’m going to stick to the most important point. A frequent criticism of political correctness is that it can act as a form of censorship, reducing the diversity of conversations in and around campus while promoting a single, pre-approved stance. Indeed, in recent times students have made attempts to shut down speakers and exhibits which they feel might be triggering to others. If our goal is to have diverse conversations, though, we must first ensure we have diverse participants. Safe spaces, content warnings, and political correctness in general
you get accustomed to a life of stops and starts, you get less accustomed to reflecting on where you are and what you are thinking.” Wrapping ourselves up in capturing our travels and trying to prove what a good time we are having robs us of the opportunity to have an authentic experience in a new environment. We think in terms of what will look good on Instagram rather than allowing ourselves space to absorb and reflect. The article goes on to say, “We don’t experience interruptions as disruptions anymore. But they make it hard to settle into serious conversations with ourselves and with other people because emotionally, we keep ourselves available to be taken away from everything.” Travel blogs that offer unrealistic representations of the world further fuel the obsession with docu-
exist to make conversations accessible to the largest number of people possible. Speaking personally, if I am forced to chose between having a panic attack or missing a discussion, then I will choose the latter every time. It often is the most vulnerable voices that are the most essential, and claiming political correctness as the result of an overly sensitive student body is stifling to any real analysis of the systemic issues at stake– if I do not feel safe in a situation, it is not me that is the problem. To be frank, people who voice opposition to “political correctness” make no effort to decry speech that caters to entrenched systems of oppression. They raise no objection to the fact that our society, as a whole, is more comfortable with Donald Trump stating that all immigrants should be deported than it is with the sentence “Black Lives Matter.” This kind of coddling – coddling targeted at wealthy white men – conveniently escapes their critique. Taking the thoughts and feelings of actual victims of oppression into account, however, that would be going too far. I find it suspect that it is often the most diverse, subversive,
Voices from the Community
and revolutionary voices that find themselves in the crosshairs of the anti-PC movement. I find it frightening that we, as a society, accept and promote warnings about sexually explicit content in film but are opposed to asking professors and public speakers to disclose subject matter in advance. I find it dangerous that students are expected to put themselves at risk to obtain an education they are literally paying for. Whitman has a diversity problem for a reason. I want to promote open discourse and discussion of ideas, but first Whitman must ensure that everyone is able to come to the table. We must make an effort to create spaces where the most essential voices aren’t prevented from being present. College is an axis of political change not because of the institution, but in spite of it, and most critical discussions today take place outside of any classroom. We must strive to keep these spaces open and inclusive to all, and raise our expectations for ourselves with respect to what we feel okay saying. If you feel comfortable hurting others in the process of asserting your right to speak, perhaps you had better stay home.
Challenging Whitman’s bubble with journalism
To the Editor: Sometimes we hear that students are caught inside the “Whitman Bubble.” However, last week’s Pioneer should disabuse anyone of the truth behind this. The articles about homelessness in Walla Walla, a new weekly radio show about topics of “relevance to the Walla Walla community,” an investigation of a game night at a downtown restaurant, and profiles of the amazing outward-facing basketball camp for local youth all point to the fact that Whitties are indeed interested in the fascinating piece of the map in which we all get to live. Keep up the great work reminding us that the Bubble is only a figment of our collective imagination and that it can be popped with a little curiosity and some good reporting! Noah Leavitt Associate Dean of Students
What’s the most provocative issue you’ve heard lately? Poll by TYLER WARREN
KRISTEN DAVIS
PARKER SILVERMAN
GRIFFIN CRONK
CAITLIN GRIFFIN
WWHS Senior
Junior
First-year
Senior
“The teacher’s strike in Pasco. I know that it is causing a lot of trouble for students who will have to make up the missed days.”
“The Syrian civil war. It’s been four years since the crisis has been going and now it’s picking up mainstream media. I find it appalling how long it’s been going on.”
*
“Sex-trafficking. It doesn’t get a lot of media attention and is a big issue in our country. [It’s] basically modern day slavery.”
Watch the complete video online Whitties discuss at www.whitmanpioneer.com
“The recent drive-by instance of a car yelling out racial slurs to students this week. It’s probably going to excite people on campus and there are probably going to be problems with racial tensions.”
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Whitman Instagram:
A champion’s guide to crushing the competition W
Illustration by Revere
henever you see a Whittie on their phone, there’s an excellent chance that they’re doing one of three things: getting out their aggression by down-voting everything on Yik Yak, pretending to text so as to avoid eye contact when they pass you in the hallway, or, most likely, checking their Instagram desperately hoping for likes. Everybody knows that the number of likes you get on your Instagram pictures is a great way to measure your self worth. As a result of this undeniable fact, many Whitties experience a lot of anxiety when trying to pose “naturally” or making that critical choice between Valencia and Mayfair. To help make things easier for you, we here at the Backpage have a few tips to help you win Whitman Instagram: 1. Sunset in the wheat fields. You honestly cannot be on Instagram at Whitman if you don’t have AT LEAST one photo of you and your friends enjoying #classicWW. So get your friends, pack some beers, run recklessly across Highway 12 and document that shit. Furthermore, this is a great opportunity to get some bang for your buck. Also, since it’s 100 percent socially acceptable to Instagram the wheat fields every 1 to 3 months, we’d recommend taking lots of pictures on this trip to create a stockpile of material. Wheat is poky and itchy and
you don’t want to have to pretend to enjoy sitting on it too often. 2. Photograph your Birkenstock-clad feet. Birkenstocks are viewed with a mixture of love and irony at Whitman. People will admire your self-awareness, but at the same time will respect your desire to fully inhabit the Whitman aesthetic. 3. OMG there’s nothing Whitties like better than going into the great outdoors with their iPhone so that they can constantly take pictures to prove how much they enjoy getting away from the world of social media. Like, were you even outside if you don’t have a photo to prove it? Obviously don’t forget to include a quote by Jack London or John Muir. 4. Document your study abroad experience AT ALL TIMES. Instagram can be a great way to convince your friends (and yourself) that you’re having a way cooler semester than they are. Prove this by posing for pics with hot locals at a trendy Berlin nightclub, chugging wine from the bottle in front of the Eiffel Tower, or gallivanting around some Greek island in a long flowing dress á la Mamma Mia. 5. Hold fresh produce. This one is a classic. Nothing screams,“I’m natural as fuck” like an Instapic of you with a bunch of carrots in your hands. Be sure to get your hands dirty so people know you picked them yourself.
Scientists urge public to crank up A/C Jackpage: in effort to combat global warming Who killed the pork chops? S JACK SWAIN Senior
“I
t looks like it’s going to rain,” the supermarket checkout girl said. “When it rains, it pours.” I replied. Her name tag said “Claire.” I looked at Claire’s hands. She had dirt under her nails. It was from gardening that morning in her elderly neighbor’s vegetable patch. She had been helping Mrs. Sharp with her garden ever since Mr. Sharp passed away. Mrs. Sharp took great care in her gardening, and taught the checkout girl to do the same. Whenever Claire left the garden, Mrs. Sharp would call after her: “take care!” Claire’s coworker once mentioned how disgusting she thought dirty nails were. Claire used to be more self-conscious when she was younger. So did I. Now, Cla i re’s dirty
Illustration by Penner-Ash
nails reminded her of helping Mrs. Sharp. Claire was especially nice to all the elderly people who came through her checkout line. Even people in a bad mood. I’m not old yet, but she was still nice to me. Meanwhile, in the bread aisle, a man was putting a jar of blackberry jam into his cart. He had been buying the same jam for six years. Every day for breakfast he would eat an English muffin with blackberry jam. And coffee. He would buy different coffee, but never different jam. He ate so much jam that it had stained his teeth. He planned on eating jam until the day he died. Several aisles down, an expectant mother walked through the diaper aisle and her heart fluttered. She only had one item in the basket she was holding. It was a jar of Nutella. It was the larger-sized jar of Nutella. Amongst the juices, a man was trying to remember what kind of Capri-Sun his children liked best. He was a very practical man. He bought the flavor that was on sale. In a car outside, a teenager extinguished a cigarette in the ashtray. There were seven cigarette butts in the ashtray. One of the butts had a lipstick stain. I finished paying for my groceries. “Take care!” Claire said as I hoisted up my bags of food. I could tell from her voice that she meant it too. On my way out, I saw a man at the ticket-scratcher machine. He was buying a piece of paper that might give him money. The ticket he purchased ended up giving him eight hundred dollars. He spent some of the money on a skateboard for his daughter for her birthday. At her birthday party, she would cry when they brought her the cake. She cried because she had never felt so loved in her life. Outside, a sparrow crashed into the store window. I watched it fall into lifelessness on the dirt-strewn concrete. As I walked away, I felt a raindrop on my face. When it rains, it pours.
cientists have confirmed that due to global warming, this next winter could be the warmest yet, unless we act fast. Unlike the usual environmental issues that impact solely the poor, this one will be devastating to the whole human race. Enjoyable winter activities like snowball fights will be replaced with throwing dirt. Sledding will devolve into wrangling a pig down a steep, muddy hill. A romantic winter stroll in the snow will be demoted to a boring walk outdoors. The issue is so dire that the American government has decided to take a leading role. In a statement delivered last evening, all of Congress, dressed in dark robes, chanted in eerie unison from the middle of a thick mist: “All cars will be destroyed. A dromedary will be issued to each person who formerly owned a car. Cow flatulence is causing global warming. Therefore all cows must be
Welcome to Wilfrie: Global Citizen! by Noah Porter
eliminated. Expect lower prices on beef. End statement.” The fog rolled back, withdrawing Congress from the podium back into the Capitol building, leaving behind nothing but the faint smell of cumin. Adding to the national planned action list, Congress issued a series of tips for the general public to fight against the warming of the planet. If you have air conditioning, start running it at a frosty 40 degrees Fahrenheit (about 4 degrees Celsius for all you Canadians) and open all doors and windows, allowing the gloriously cool air to exit and reduce the unnatural heat. Keep all refrigerator doors open at all times. Start using your freezer to make vast amounts of ice and throw it into any body of water you can find. Encourage birds to flap their wings more. Scientists say this fanning of their feathery hands will disperse ADVERTISEMENT
the hot air particles amongst the cold ones. Left by themselves, the hot air particles will die out and disappear. Try shouting at the birds. So many animals besides humans exist on this planet – it is time they do their part. If you feel cold, don’t put on a sweater. Scientific findings prove that hot air particles multiply greatly within human bodies upon contact with warmth. These hot air particles escape outside with every breath and significantly impact the overall temperature of the planet. Similarly, don’t drink any hot beverages, eat hot meals, or fall in love. Remember, it is only through constant effort that we can maintain our beautiful planet. These new changes will impact us all and usher in a new utopian age. So enjoy your new dromedary. Name it Alex. Savor the taste of beef while it lasts. And relish the upcoming win-
ter, citizen. You’ve earned it.