Issue 7 fall 2015

The

PIONEER

ISSUE 7 | October 22, 2015 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXVII

Since 2013 there have been:

152 104

school shootings

injured

73

dead.

What would Whitman do?

by GEORGIA LYON Staff Reporter

D

ue to the five campus shootings that have taken place in the nation in the last month, Whitman’s administration and security staff, as well as the local law enforcement, have tentative plans to make the Whitman community more aware of what to do and where to go in an active shooter scenario.

Whitman Security has primarily used the Shots Fired On Campus video to educate incoming first-years on the courses of action to take during an active shooting situation. The first incoming class to see this video was the class of 2017.

“Theoretically, three-quarters of the students should have seen that film,” Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland said.

Often, Whitman students will come in with some prior knowledge from high school about what to do in an active shooting situation as well.

“We’re also finding that many students have been through training exercises in high school,” Cleveland said.

Some additional resources include the Whitman Environ-

mental Health and Safety website and the emergency notification system available via text.

If Whitman students wish to review what courses of action they should take in an active shooting scenario, the Whitman Environmental Health and Safety website has detailed information about this topic on its website.

“Whitman College has a brand new website available to faculty, staff, and students. The very first thing on that website is what to do in the case of an active shooter,” Environmental Health and Safety Manager Fred Miller said.

Furthermore, Whitman has an emergency notification system that is available to all students. Miller strongly suggests students enter their phone numbers and those of their emergency contacts on the website Quack to receive emergency texts. “[The text] essentially goes out with the urgency of—or even greater urgency than—an Amber alert. The entire campus gets notified in about two minutes,” Miller said.

While all of these measures provide a good starting point, one idea that the Walla Walla Police Department would like to explore is doing active shooter drills

Hoffman brings talent, leadership to men’s golf

by ALDEN GLASS Staff Reporter

I

n last weekend’s Northwest Conference Men’s Fall Golf Classic, Senior Daniel Hoffman sunk a hole in one on the way to helping the Missionaries fight back after a rough first day of competition.

Coach Peter McClure discussed the difficulties of hitting a hole in one and his own experience with this special feat in golf.

“Well it’s just pure chance.

I’ve been playing golf for forty years and I’ve only had three of them, so they come pretty infrequently. Although the better player you are the more frequently they do happen,” McClure said. “You have to hit the ball well, but there are so many things that help getting the ball to go into the hole”.

Hoffman didn’t actually see the ball go in, but when he realized what had happened, he was understandably ecstatic.

“It was on my last hole of the day and was a 171 yard hole.

I knew it was going to be pretty close. I saw the ball disappear and my playing partner saw it go in and started yelling and

jumped on me. It was a sweet way to end a weekend that didn’t go too well,” Hoffman said.

Far from just luck, the hole in one was a testament to his hard work all season. His work ethic sets Hoffman apart from many other athletes. Teammate and first-year Carl Felstiner talked about what Hoffman brings to the team as a captain and leader.

“He is always willing to practice at anytime and is the hardest working person on the team.”

Carl Felstiner ‘19

“Daniel brings great leadership to the team in making the plans for the activities we do as a team and keeping things organized. He is always willing to practice at anytime and is the hardest working person on the team. He is competitive and always encourages me to try my hardest in practice. From him, I have learned to always focus on the next shot and to not think about previous mistakes,” he said. see HOFFMAN, page 5

with students and faculty; however, both the Whitman administration and the Police recognize that these would be hard to do without interfering with classes.

“Are faculty, staff, and students willing to have a minimum of a half-day interrupted for an active shooting exercise? We’re getting some more questions and there seems to be a willingness to learn more, so we’re working with Whitman faculty groups,” Cleveland said.

A campus-wide drill may be difficult to implement, but according to Walla Walla Police Captain Chris Buttice, splitting the drill up into smaller segments could be more feasible.

“I think we should work on doing drills. If you picked a small building and you did a little at a time, worked with all the instructors in the building, even then it is going to be disruptive, a small plan is better than no plan though,” Captain Buttice said.

When a shooter arrives on campus, the general advice is first to run away and then hide silently. Only if there is no other option should one confront the shooter.

“If you know where the shots are coming from and you can safely run as far away from them as

you can, I would say take that action. If you don’t know where the shots are coming from, I would say securely hide yourself somewhere, lock the door, close the blinds, be extremely quiet. If the only thing left to do is fight, if you are in the cross hairs of this shooter it is likely that you would get injured or killed, I would fight,” Walla Walla Police Chief Scott Bieber said.

Buttice also wanted the Whitman community to know the importance of alertness and planning.

“First thing [you should do] when you walk into a room— where are your exits? It’s a really tough thing because we don’t operate under those means all the time, but students in today’s classrooms should at least think about that once or twice: what am I going to do and what’s my response going to be?” Captain Buttice said.

Cleveland believes that table-top exercises, simulations where security and law enforcement officers brainstorm and practice different responses to various, and hypothetical active shooting scenarios, have made local law enforcement and emergency responders well-prepared to support Whitman should an active shooting situation arise. see SHOOTING PLAN, page 2

STEP shelter loses funding

by SARA PLATNICK Staff Reporter

T

he STEP Women’s Shelter is closing down at the end of the year after serving the Walla Walla community for almost six years. The shelter is closing so that the city can provide funding to more long-term solutions for homelessness in Walla Walla.

STEP Women’s Shelter was created in 2009 to address the need for a homeless shelter specifically for women. At the time, other homeless housing services were available, but none were available specifically for women. By making the shelter specifically for women, it could be a better housing environment for victims of domestic abuse or for those who would rather not live alongside men.

STEP Women’s shelter is one component of a larger effort of Helpline Walla Walla, whose goal is to help those in need gain the resources necessary to get back on their feet. With the closing of the STEP Women’s Shelter, other emergency housing resources will be expanding to accommodate for more people and help those who were living at the shelter transition elsewhere, including the Christian Aid Center, WW Housing Authority, YWCA, and BMAC. The decision to close the shelter came about through a varie-

Funding from the County of Walla Walla which supported the STEP women’s shelter will go towards other projects to help homeless people. Photo by Stevens

ty of events and reasons. In early 2015, the County of Walla Walla hired consultants to recommend ways to address the homeless population in Walla Walla. Three of the six contractors recommended diverting funds from emergency shelter to more long-term solutions for housing. The county decided to adopt the recommendations, and so beginning Jan. 1, 2016, the STEP women’s shelter will lose a majority of its funding.

Helpline Board Chair Larry

Nelson said in a press release, “This decision was difficult and not made lightly…While our board supports the plan’s direction, it equates to a loss of over $100,000 in funding for the STEP shelter, which is approximately two-thirds of the shelter’s annual operating costs. The amount of subsidy required to support the shelter’s $150,000 budget is more than we can sustain without putting other Helpline programs at risk.” see WOMEN’S SHELTER, page 2

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS ISSUE?

Inside News

Sports

Feature

Opinion

Pio Hour

ASWC senior senator Godwin Wang wins position after years of being a write-in candidate.

Women’s XC races to secure position in the top 10 of the West Region with addition of six first-year runners.

Staff writer Claire Ommen traces Bon Appétit’s food from farm to table. Students have influence in dining hall decisions.

Columnist Jose Cornado discusses the Latino influence in American presidential candidates in his column “Voice of Latin America.”

This week hosts Anna Middleton and Andrew Schwartz visit a tattoo parlor.

Tune in at KWCW 90.5 FM.

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MONDAYS, 10-11 A.M.

NEWS

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OCT

22 2015

Alpha Phi seek to build on Shooter safety plan success with Red Dress Gala from SHOOTING PLAN, page 1

“When we do our table-top exercises, it often involves the police and emergency people from the community and the county, so it’s not like Whitman running around and pretending, it’s a very serious effort and it can feel very real actually,” said Cleveland.

Though it is good to have a personal idea of what one would do in an active shooting scenario as well as have a campuswide coordinated effort to keep Whitman community members safe, the best option is to

help prevent the shooting if at all possible. The Dean of Students Office and the Counseling Center encourage students to notify them if they know of anyone showing signs of disturbing or explosive behavior.

“If you know of a student who is experiencing difficulties, psychological difficulties, expresses anger, you as an individual are probably not the best person to get involved. You need to bring that person to the attention of the Dean of Student’s Office or the Health Center and let us reach out,” Cleveland said.

Alpha Phi is the newest Greek chapter on campus. Since arriving on campus in 2011, it has rapidly established itself alongside the three older sororities. This weekend, Alpha Phi will hold its third annual Red Dress Gala Photo by Rose

by ELLEN IVENS-DURAN Staff Reporter

A

lpha Phi’s third annual Red Dress Gala, a silent auction and social event, will take place this Friday at Main Street Studios. Half of the proceeds of the evening will go to the Alpha Phi Foundation, which supports women’s heart health and women’s leadership, while the other half will go to Trilogy, a local organization that supports children whose lives are affected by substance abuse.

Alpha Phi is Whitman’s newest female fraternity on campus; the chapter was started by Alpha Phi International in the spring of 2012. Caitlin Mahan, a senior and former president of Alpha Phi, is currently the Vice President of Recruitment and Membership as well as a member of the first formal pledge class. Her involvement has taught her how difficult planning new events on campus can be. “[Because] everything we do [is new], it’s hard to know what to expect from it, and it’s just kind of challenging to get the word out that we do it,” Mahan said. “Some of the other groups on campus have things that they do every year, that they’ve been having for 30 years, so it’s just harder to start something and get people pumped about it.”

However, she also sees Alpha Phi’s novelty as an opportunity; they aren’t locked in by tradition.

“Being new has allowed us to have total control over what events we have,” Mahan said.

The Red Dress Gala has

seen its fair share of transformation since it began in 2013. It has moved from the Elkhorn Lodge, to the Charles Smith Winery, and finally to this year’s location: Main Street Studios. And the success has varied as well. Most members seemed to think of the first year as a trial run. Last year’s event saw a significant increase in donations and earned Whitman’s chapter the Most Improved Philanthropy Award from Alpha Phi International.

“Kappa’s Mr. Whitman… raised [29,038 dollars], which I think is really cool, and…Theta’s...[Walla Walla’s] Best Dance Crew made 16,000 dollars last year,” said sophomore Liz Chenok, who is the Director of Marketing for the Gala. “I think the Red Dress Gala is getting there and that’s really exciting.”

“Because everything we do [is new], it’s hard to know what to expect from it...[But] being new has allowed us to have total control over what events we have.”

Caitlin Mahan ‘16 Alpha Phi Vice President of Recruitment and Membership

The Gala itself consists of an open bar, a silent auction, and heart healthy food. This year, ticket prices have been lowered for students. For Whitman students and people under the age of 18, the cost is 15 dollars.

HINDSIGHT

For others, the cost of attendance is 35 dollars. Alpha Phis and their families have made up the majority of attendees in the past, and Alpha Phi is counting on that trend to continue.

“There’s definitely things geared towards parents because we are trying to raise money for our philanthropy, and ... it’s easier for a [parent] to donate money than a student,” said Liz Chenok.

Each initiated member is responsible for helping make one basket, with items donated by family members, local businesses, or by the member herself. New members are obligated to perform tasks the night of the event.

Annalise Bond, the sophomore planning the event, is responsible for the changes to cost and venue this year. She has also made the decision to contribute half the proceeds to Trilogy instead of STEP women’s shelter, which was the original intended recipient. Since STEP is closing at the end of this year, Bond decided that Trilogy was a better choice. “[W]e already have a partnership with Trilogy and our spring Philanthropy event ... donated its proceeds to Trilogy, and I’m still waiting to hear back from them, but they will most likely [be] who we donate to,” Bond said. “That’s a really great cause as well.”

Although the philanthropy aspect of the Red Dress Gala is difficult to overlook, Bond wants to keep people conscious of the other important parts of the event.

“The event is to raise money,” Bond said. “But also to raise awareness about heart health.”

Illustration by Rannestad

Women’s shelter closes in December The on-campus student group Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment (FACE) has worked closely over the years with the STEP shelter. In the past, they have raised funds through the Breaking Ground monologues to support the shelter, and many students have also volunteered with the shelter in the past.

One student who volunteered there was the co-president of FACE Ione Fullerton ‘17. She worked at the front desk to keep the shelter running during the day, as there was no hired staff that worked during the daytime on the weekends at the shelter.

“I see the effects [of the shelter closing] being two-fold: in once sense, there might not be a place for women to go. There might not be beds for women to stay at since they can’t go to Helpline. And also, those who are directed to the Christian Aid center may not want to go there.

The Christian Aid Center is a very different set-up from the STEP shelter… so people either might not have somewhere to stay or they will be uncomfortable staying there,” said Fullerton.

Nevertheless, the shelter still believes that the transition from emergency shelter resources to more long-term solutions to homelessness will allow them to better help the community.

“Operating a women’s shelter was never part of Helpline’s core purpose, and stretched our organizational capacity. We are proud to have ‘stepped up’ and met what was at the time a critical community need but, moving forward, we feel it best serves the community to focus on our essential role of connecting homeless and low-income individuals and families with available resources, and assisting them in moving out of a cycle of crisis and into a state of self-sufficiency,” said Helpline director Liz McDevitt in an email interview with the Pioneer.

from WOMEN’S SHELTER, page 1

by LACHLAN JOHNSON &LANE BARTON News Editors

Saturday 10/17

Sunday 10/18

Monday 10/19

Tuesday 10/20

Wednesday 10/21

Xenophobic attack on mayor

Conflict continues in Palestine/Israel

Liberals win in Canadian elections

San Francisco stands by immigrants

Quantum entanglement study

An independent candidate for mayor in the German city of Cologne, Henriette Recker, was stabbed in the neck and severely wounded. The attacker, who also seriously wounded an aide, said the attack was motivated by Recker’s support for refugees from Syria and the Middle East. Germany expects 1.5 million refugees to arrive by year’s end, and has been struggling to house thousands of refugees who arrive every day.

At least four Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, banned Arab workers from schools, as violence between Israelis and Palestinians continued to spiral in light of perceived Israeli encroachment on the al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem. Arabs make up about 20 percent of Israel’s population, and the move was widely decried as racist. In the last month 10 Israelis have been killed by Palestinians attacks on the street. 57 Palestinians-including attackers, protesters and bystanders--have been killed since Oct. 1, many shot by Israeli soldiers.

The Liberal Party won 184 out of 338 seats in Canada’s House of Commons, meaning that the Liberals may form a majority government with leader Justin Trudeau as the nation’s prime minister. Trudeau and the Liberals ousted incumbent Stephen Harper, whose Conservative Party earned 99 seats. The New Democratic Party, a social democratic party which finished third in the elections, won 44 seats.

San Francisco reaffirmed its status as a sanctuary city for undocumented people. Supervisors rejected a resolution calling for federal immigration officials to be involved in local jails and passed one encouraging the Sheriff to not cooperate with a notification system that connects the federal Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) with local jails. Earlier Tuesday, Congressional Democrats successfully blocked legislation that would punish jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE.

Researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands produced a study that observed interconnected, instantaneous behavioral changes in a pair of electrons separated at a distance of 1.3 kilometers. This study of quantum entanglement, or the dependance of one electron state on another even at a paradoxically large distance, claims to have addressed concerns that “that particles could somehow synchronize behavior ahead of time” or “that testing might detect only a subset of prepared entangled pairs” based on its setup and execution.

Source: Vice News

Source: Vice News, Washington Post, Al Jazeera

Source: BBC

Source: Al Jazeera

Source: Reuters

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The

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Write-in candidate fills senator position

by ANDY MONSERUD Staff Reporter

G

odwin Wang has replaced Nick Hochfeld as a senior senator on ASWC. Wang, who garnered two writein votes in last spring’s election, was offered the position following Hochfeld’s resignation at the beginning of the semester.

Hochfeld’s departure left ASWC with a tight schedule for replacing him as the fourth senior senator. ASWC Oversight Chair senior Jon Miranda, in accordance with the senate’s bylaws, asked fifth-place candidate Duy Tran to take the place, but Tran declined. Wang, the sixthplace candidate, accepted the position in time to attend the first senate meeting on Oct. 4. He has also filled Hochfeld’s position on the Student Affairs Committee.

“Right now I’m just…[getting] some ideas for… initiatives, and discovering potential improvements around the campus,” Wang said of his work on the Senate and committee. “I’m still on the stage of gathering ideas, so right now I don’t have any specific aims or goals. I think I will figure it out very soon.”

As a fail-safe should both Wang and Tran refuse the position, ASWC announced in early September that they would open petitions for seniors interested in the position. After three weeks, no candidates surfaced, despite heavy marketing via email. Fortunately, Wang’s agreement to take on the position rendered the petitions irrelevant.

“We wanted to install a senior senator as quickly as possible, and having to miss the fewest number of senates possible. In this case we were very lucky, because we were able to have Godwin attend the very first senate meeting,” Miranda said. “That’s why we wanted to open the election as soon as possible as well, because the election process for ASWC is … [a] four week process.”

While unconventional, Wang’s election has precedents.

As recently as 2014, senior Jack Percival took on the role of ASWC Vice-President after the elected VP resigned. Percival had taken second place in the election with 66 votes despite never announcing his candidacy. Miranda expressed his satisfaction that all bylaws had been followed.

“I think Godwin’s a great guy.

I’ve known him for several years, and I have no doubt that he’ll be

a great senior senator,” he said.

“So I definitely have zero reservations about him being in the position. There’s four duly-elected senators, and so I’m pleased.”

Wang says he had never given much thought to joining ASWC prior to the recent proceedings.

While he’s still getting into the swing of working on ASWC, he shares Miranda’s optimism.

“I had some experience in high school as part of the student government. So I think that this position is actually very interesting,” Wang said. “There was an opportunity, so I thought, ‘why not?’”

As a Chinese international student, Wang hopes that his work on ASWC will galvanize other international students to follow his lead.

“I think this opportunity for me is also a good opportunity for all international students to participate more in the school’s activities [and] affairs,” Wang said.

“So I think it’s a rewarding experience, and that’s why I decided to accept the position.”

Sophomore ASWC senator and Nominations Chair AnnaMarie McCorvie also expressed the belief that Wang brings something new to the table.

“It’s really hard to find seniors who have never been on ASWC before and that are fully capable… but he’s really great. He asks really great questions.” McCorvie said. “I think that it’s going to be great to have a kind of non-ASWC voice. You know, sometimes the senior delegation is full of ‘ASWC people;’ people who are entrenched in it. I think it’s going to be nice.”

Wang’s two electoral supporters, seniors Ryan Wallis and Mateo

“Sometimes we may not understand everything Godwin does, but Godwin works in mysterious ways.”

Mateo Seger ‘16 Seger, expressed extreme confidence in Wang’s ability to govern.

“I really hope that everyone realizes Godwin’s true potential and true worth, and they just make [Godwin] decide everything. It really would be in the interest of everybody if Godwin were just in charge,” Seger said. “Sometimes we may not understand everything Godwin does, but Godwin works in mysterious ways.”

Power and Privelege Symoosium Executive Director Anna Zheng (above) sits at a tabling event in Reid. Leaders for the 2016 Symposium held sessions this week to listen to ideas for panel topics; students could also submit ideas online. Photo by Nace

Symposium leaders gather ideas for 2016 workshops

by MIKAELA SLADE Staff Reporter

L

eaders of the 2016 Power and Privilege Symposium are preparing for the February event by speaking with students about possible panel topics, both in person during tabling events and via online applications. The Symposium is an annual event centered around discussions of issues like power dynamics, racial stereotypes, gender orientation, and growing up with or without the presence of privilege, creating a greater awareness of these issues for students , faculty, and staff.

“This is an event for students to have a space to talk about their own experiences and their own issues that they are going through,” the Executive Director Anna Zheng ‘17 said. “I think that this is very important because it is a space for people to voice and express their perspectives and it really should expand your awareness on your reality versus other’s.”

Last year after the Symposium, staff members, and student leaders came together to talk about improvements that could be made to build upon the topics and the way that they were discussed. This year, event organizers are hoping to increase participation and em-

phasize conversations between Symposium attendees.

“I think a reason that a lot of people don’t go to the Symposium is that they don’t want to be spoken to or lectured at,” Co-Director of Programming Elliot Granath ‘17 said.

“They feel like they should be able to have their own voice, and in that sense our only really goal is to open conversations.”

The Marketing Director of the Power and Privilege Symposium Samantha ‘16, has been working on making the information available for students.

According to Grainger-Shuba, this year’s Symposium is working to bring people together to discuss issues that not everyone feels comfortable talking about.

“Every year I think we say the same thing, that really the goal is that not [to bring in] the most people but just [to have] someone walk away learning something new,” GraingerShuba said. “[This is especially true] if you choose panels that you don’t know anything about, specifically, I went to one about queer issues and mental health.

Those two panels truly allowed me to expand into an area of inequality or an area of issue that I didn’t know anything about.”

The goal of recent tabling events and online applications has been to explore a wide range

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of possible topics for panels. Although it is too early for event organizers to know the exact format of the event, previous versions of the Symposium have included four sessions each with 12 to 13 panels led by a combination of students, staff, and faculty, as well as a keynote speaker talking at a separate time.

The Associate Dean of Cultural Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer Kazi Joshua is in full support of this event and believes that this is an essential part of bringing the school together to recognize who we are and what we represent. Although, he also sees that there are some improvements that can be made this year.

“My hope is that this symposium continues to be a reminder to everybody at Whitman to what we claim to be and to what we can become,” said Joshua. “That every person–staff, student, faculty who steps on the grounds of Whitman can feel, be treated, and believe that they are a valued member of this community.

That no one will [be] slighted; that nobody will be disrespected; that nobody will mistreated because of their sexual orientation, their religion, or national origin. That this symposium becomes one small part of truly creating a democratic and inclusive society called Whitman, because that’s who we really are.”

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KWCW Show of the week:

MC

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Staff Reporter

“I

by EMMA COOPER Staff Reporter

O

n Mondays from 12:0 0 pm -2:0 0 pm , sophomore Molly Cameron hosts the MC² show, playing music that is influenced by current events.

MC² is a great show to experience new music while also becoming aware of the events happening in the world. By keeping an open mind about current events as well as music, Cameron has opened up an avenue for Whitman students to remain connected with the world outside of “the bubble.”

MC² got its name from witty wordplay.

“The show’s name is a play on an MC (Master of Ceremonies), or the host of an event. Since my initials are MC and I’m hosting a show, I thought it would be a fun name for the show.”

When talking about the criteria for her weekly current event selection, Cameron also gave a sneak peek into what she might play for us next.

“My decision on a theme for the week is pretty random. Usually if something jumps out at me, then I will decide to do something about it. For example, with all of the news that Planned Parenthood has gotten recently I’ve been

thinking about doing a girl power week where I play music by and about strong powerful women.”

Cameron keeps an open mind when determining the music she plays.

“I don’t always know all of the songs that I play. Each week we’re required to play 5 new songs, so I look through the new music that is at the station. I also look through new music and genres on Spotify to find songs.”

There is not a lot of criteria for the music Cameron plays.

“I obviously don’t play any explicit music, but otherwise I’m pretty open. Sometimes I focus on specific decades like the 80’s and 90’s. Usually I play indie/alternative music, but it is [also] a mix of a lot of different kinds of music!”

Cameron started the show as a way to get involved with Whitman campus life.

“I’ve always been interested in having a radio show and I thought this would be a great time to start! I’m a sophomore, but I just transferred here and I was looking for ways to get involved at Whitman quickly.”

If you’re looking for fun study break on Monday afternoons, listening to Molly Cameron’s MC² is a great way to unwind to great music, as well as learn a thing or to about what’s going on today.

22 2015

“The Martian” film successful, adaptation true to novel

by ERIC ANDERSON

Sophomore Molly Cameron (above) hosts MC² on Monday afternoons. Photo by Hampson

OCT

’m the first person to be alone on an entire planet,” says Mark Watney, the lead character in the Ridley Scott’s “The Martian,” which is based on the book of the same title by Andy Weir.

Set in a near-future era where manned missions to Mars are being conducted by NASA, the book centers on the trials and tribulations Watney endures after being stranded on Mars by his crew, who mistakenly thought he had died when he was struck by debris during an evacuation. In order to survive, he must learn to grow food for himself and establish contact with Earth, relying on his skills as a botanist and an engineer. Meanwhile, on Earth, NASA discovers evidence of his survival and frantically charts a course of action to assist him.

The film hews very closely to the plot of the novel, streamlining only when necessary and keeping consistent with the characterizations of the text. Of course Watney now records his messages through video logs instead of written logs, but given the visual format shift, that’s hardly an issue worth griping over.

Matt Damon (“The Bourne Identity”) excellently portrays Watney, spending the majority of the film acting opposite no one. Damon handles his oneman show with ease, bringing to life Watney’s constant sarcasm and gallows humor, as well as his optimism. Even in the most dire of circumstances, Watney can find the drive to keep pushing and is always able to find a joke to keep himself–and the audience–from feeling defeated. After the unrelenting bleakness of recent survival films such as “Everest,” the optimism of “The Martian” is a welcome change.

This outlook also helps differentiate “The Martian” from recent space survival thriller “Gravity,” as well as Christopher Nolan’s space adventure “Interstellar” (which, incidentally, also featured Matt Damon stranded on a planet by himself). While all three

films are defined by themes of optimism and perseverance, as well as realistic treatment of extraterrestrial environments (Mars, inner Earth orbit, and black holes, respectively), Watney’s easygoing yet deter-

After the unrelenting bleakness of recent survival films such as ‘Everest,’ the optimism of ‘The Martian’ is a

welcome change.

mined characterization and relentless good attitude differentiates him from the more emotionally volatile leads of “Gravity” and “Interstellar” (to say nothing of Damon’s character from the latter).

Despite its positive attitude, “The Martian” never lets the audience forget just how perilous Watney’s situation is.

When the astronaut first awakens after being abandoned, the audience is treated to a harrowing sequence where he must return to the base and treat his own (pretty nasty) injuries.

From there, Watney lays out his circumstances, which include the risk of suffocation, thirst, and starvation, as well as “kind of implod[ing]” if the base breaches. His skills are put to the ultimate test and not all of his endeavors culminate in success. Watney may be a laid-back guy, but he can’t survive on Mars lying down–and he doesn’t plan on dying there.

The remainder of the cast is relatively familiar, with actors such as Jessica Chastain (“Interstellar”), Kate Mara (“127 Hours”), Chiwetel Ejiofor (“12 Years a Slave”), and Jeff Daniels (“Good Night, and Good Luck”), who all give strong performances. On Earth, the drama remains high, with all sorts of scrambling to try to keep Mark alive, and the decision still has to be made as to whether or not to inform the returning astronauts of their colleague’s survival. No villain exists in “The Martian” except time and the elements, and, even though much of the film focuses on Watney alone, the story ultimately isn’t just about him; it’s a reminder of

the strength of the human spirit, the willingness of others to come together to help just one person, the importance of scientific skill and ingenuity, and, perhaps most importantly, the strong impact having a music library of nothing but 70s disco has on a human being.

“The Martian” is a great adaptation of a great source material, and has no difficulty portraying Mark Watney as he faces dozens of problems in his daily struggle to survive. The film is highly recommended for all audiences.

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:

Alison Bechdel Lecture: Friday, Oct. 23, 5:30 pm.

Bechdel will lecture as part of Sheehan Gallery’s “Seeing Stories” fall exhibit. A reception in the gallery will follow her talk in Maxey Auditorium.

Performance of ‘The Liar’: Oct. 22 - 25, Alexander Stage of Harper Joy Theatre.

Red Dress Gala Fundraiser: Hosted by Alpha Phi and benefitting heart health, Friday, Oct. 23, 7:00 p.m.

- 10:00 p.m. at Main Street Studios, 207 W Main St.

Third Annual Dia de los Muertos Street Festival with Food, Art, and Music: Sunday, Oct. 25, 11:00 a.m.

-5:00 p.m. at the Gesa Power House Theatre, 111 N 6 Ave. Free to the public.

Inside the Grotto of Candace Rose

by MEGAN HEARST Staff Reporter

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Artist and Whitman Dance Pianist Candace Rose (above) shares the philosophy behind her art studio. Photo by Nobles

n the outside, the Barrett Building is rather unassuming. The 19th century facade and green awning do not suggest that on the inside there is an entire wing devoted to one artist’s free expression, a studio known as the Noodle Grotto.

When Candace Rose arrived in Walla Walla in 1974, she thought she would only spend the summer and wound up staying 40 years. Thirty years ago she was lucky enough to claim a whole wing of the Barrett building and thus the Noodle Grotto was born.

Candace Rose’s artist statement is a simple one, starting with the declaration, “I walk. I look. I find.” Rose works in many mediums: photography, sculpture, clay, and collage, all united by this idea of discovery. The Noodle Grotto is a testament to this.

The walls are covered with fantastical assemblages of seemingly disconnected objects: ice skates, trash can lids, camera lenses, and glasses (sometimes belonging Ms. Rose herself).

“I don’t look for stuff,” says Rose, “because I already have so much.”

Rose rarely seeks out objects– many come to her by chance–she stumbles upon them on the street, she receives them as gifts, and sometimes she even discovers forgotten objects in her own studio.

Rose’s found object assemblies often weave in pieces of Walla Walla history. She points out several of these objects: a shoeshine box from a store called Cinderella’s electric shoeshine, flash bulbs from the “old days” at the Union Bulletin newspaper. “I’m not a historian, but I like this town, and I’ve been here a while, it’s my home,” Rose states.

The name “Noodle Grotto,” actually comes from Walla Walla’s history. Hidden beneath the linoleum at the bottom of the stairs is a series of black and white hexagonal tiles which spell out “Noodle Grotto,” a remnant of an old Canton restaurant which used to reside in her

building. When Rose moved in, she decided give this name to her studio.

“I just thought this is way too cute to disappear,” she said. The naming came with its own set of problems, “People would come in and say, ‘I thought we could get noodles here,’” she recalls with a laugh.

Noodle Grotto is a perfect name for Candace Rose’s studio, playing into the whimsy of her art. She is fascinated by movement, light, and shadow, and almost all of her photographs play on one or more of these aspects. “I could just take a picture of a building, but that’s too simple”, Rose says. She has pictures of Walla Walla landmarks like the Baker Boyer Bank rendered nearly unrecognizable by reflection.

Shadow holds particular interest to her. She points to a picture of her shadow in the snow and says, “I can’t adjust that. It’s just a picture that’s already made and it seems perfect to me.”

Another common theme of Rose’s art is the self portrait. Her walls are lined with the self portraits in many different forms. Some are made of the objects she collects , which she calls “face assemblies.”

“Basically all of those face assemblies are kind of self portraits,” Rose says, “you can look at them and say ‘there I am.’” She also has many photograph self portraits, though they are often distorted and difficult to identify as Rose herself. She likes the self portrait because, as she says, “I’m always here, and I’m always available.”

Candace wears many hats besides being a visual artist. She manages her building, she works as a massage therapist, and she volunteers at the Church, but Whitman might know her best as a pianist.

Rose began working as a piano accompanist in the dance department a few years ago at the request of Assistant Professor of Theatre Jessica Cerullo. Music and dance are just a few of the many passions she has.

Anyone can visit her studio on the first Friday of every month at the Barrett Building on 13 1/2 Main St, and artists and onlookers alike can enjoy the strange and wondrous pieces kept there.

SPORTS

OCT

22 2015

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Women’s XC sprints towards strong conference finish

by MARIO SANTOS-DAVIDSON Staff Reporter

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he Women’s Cross Country team entered the season with relatively high expectations after finishing 9th in the West Region during the 2014 season.

The addition of six first-year racers helps replace the seven that graduated a year ago and provides optimism for the future of the team.

After having the first race of the 2015 season cancelled due to wildfires, the season kicked off in Spokane on Sept. 19, with Whitman finishing 2nd of 4. They finished 10th of 18 two weeks later at the Willamette Invite, beating five Northwest Conference rivals in the process.

“We raced against our entire Conference at Willamette, but it was a 5k, and normally women run 6ks. Our team is a much stronger 6k team,” said senior captain Emily Williams. “We did pretty well there, but I think with a longer race we’ll see better results.”

Fellow captain Julia Hart shares Williams’ optimism about the rest of the season.

“I’m looking forward to Conference and Regionals and hoping to do really well at both of those,” the senior said. “We’re doing a new training plan this season, more geared toward succeeding at the end of the season.”

That is exactly what Coach Scott Shields wanted from the new system.

“We’ve done a few new workouts this year and everyone seems to be responding very positively,” he commented. “I meet with all my runners on a weekly or biweekly basis and they just talk about how much better they feel this season, how strong they feel.”

On top of his improved training regime, Coach Shields has been able to support the new runners and help set and reach their goals.

“All the coaches are really knowledgeable and good at telling you what you need to work on,” first-year Andrea Hood said. “I walked on to the team and the coach was really welcoming and said he was going to train me the rest of the year and turn me into a whole different runner by next season.”

The coaches can’t do everything themselves, however, and captains Emily Williams and Julia Hart, along with the rest of the veterans, are also important leaders. “[The veterans] are the teachers of how to do things as studentathletes. [The first-years] watch, they learn, they listen, and the ones that latch on to that sooner than later have success quicker,” said Shields.

Hart spoke to her role as a captain and overall leader for the younger runners.

From left: Ziggy Lanman (‘16], Julia Hart [‘16] and Emily Williams [‘16] finished out the fall season strong. Photo by Mutter

“[I try to be] a good role model, trying to teach them how to balance [practices and meets] with working and sleeping,” Hart stated.

This is very important for the new racers, and they have more than just a few role models to look up to. Not only have the first-years been great additions to the team as competitors, but they have also fit in seamlessly with

From the Dugout: ‘15 MLB Postseason pairs excitement with controversy

by ALEC RAINSFORD Staff Reporter

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fter two weeks of intense playoff baseball, the Major League Baseball playoff picture is much clearer. The story of this October has so far been littered with bizarre developments.

In a game five winner-take-all match up between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers, a seemingly routine play nearly decided the game. All Star catcher Russell Martin made a routine throw back to the mound following a pitch, only to have it carom wildly from the bat of Texas batter Shin Soo Choo, allowing the go-ahead run to score in the seventh inning of a tie game.

In a pivotal moment between the Kansas City Royals and the Houston Astros, a ball took such a crazy hop that Houston’s phenom shortstop Carlos Correa could not man-

three-run home run in the seventh inning to put the Blue Jays on top by a score of six to three. What followed was more than a mere celebratory bat flip. After the swing, Bautista paused to admire his work and then ferociously chucked his bat into the air.

In the heat of the moment, Bautista’s actions seem justifiable; a home run in a big moment should draw an emotional response. However, Bautista’s grandstanding warrants complaint. There are many who believe his bat flip and stare down disrespected the Rangers team, pitcher Sam Dyson, and the game as a whole. Bautista’s reaction was certainly over the top, but often pitchers earn big strikeouts and walk off the field pumping their fists and shouting, and these actions are hardly met with uproar. As in many sports with numerous unwritten “rules,” there is a double standard in baseball.

Los Angeles Dodgers second

ley was ruled safe during the game.

In fact, the play went into video review, and after careful examination, an umpire in New York upheld the ruling. Utley has appealed his suspension, referencing the many slides far more appalling than Utley’s in the history of baseball, particularly in the playoffs, and those players were not penalized. The bottom line is that a player cannot be suspended based on an emotional reaction to the play.

What Utley has succeeded in doing is bringing Major League Baseball’s attention to a flawed rule. Utley’s slide was dangerous, and it does not belong in baseball, but it was technically legal. Hopefully, Major League Baseball will make the necessary changes this offseason. Expect the madness to continue this October, and watch little known utility players become heroes overnight.

SCOREBOARD SOCCER

MEN’S v. Pacific University Oct. 17: L 1-2 v. George Fox University Oct. 18: W 2-1 WOMEN’S v. Whitworth University Oct. 14: T 0-0 v. Pacific University Oct. 17: T 0-0 v. George Fox University Oct. 18: L 2-1

VOLLEYBALL Illustration by Rannestad

age to put his glove on it. The Los Angeles Dodgers employed such an extreme shift with Mets hitter Lucas Duda at the plate, that baserunner Daniel Murphy was able to walk from first base to third base.

These playoffs have also given birth to endless debates about the decorum of bat flips. In the aforementioned game five matchup between the Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers, Toronto slugger José Bautista hit an emotionally charged

baseman Chase Utley stirred up a great deal of controversy when he slid into second base in game two of the NLDS. Utley went in hard to break up a double play, with a slide that resulted in a fractured fibula for New York Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada. Utley angered New York and many other voices in Major League Baseball, ultimately earning himself a two-game suspension for his actions. What makes that suspension so controversial is that Ut-

v. University of Puget Sound Oct.16: L 1-3 v. Pacific Lutheran University Oct. 17: L 1-3

UPCOMING

HOME CONTESTS ONLY

WOMEN’S SOCCER v. Willamette University Oct. 24 @ 12 P.M. v. Linfield College Oct. 25 @ 12 P.M.

their teammates off the course.

“It’s a good group of freshmen, and they dove right into the team and really hit it off with everyone right away”, said Shields.

Andrea Hood also praised her teammates’ willingness to help her become adjusted to life as a cross-country runner. “[The team] has been really helpful with me manag-

ing my mileage per week because I’d never done that before.

Overall the team is just full of great people,” Hood commented.

Despite solid contributions across the board and a few noticeable improvements after an offseason full of work, the team still has some work to do if it hopes to secure its place in the top 10 of the West Region and potentially make it to Nationals.

Golf finishes strong at NWC finals

by GRANT LACO Staff Reporter

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he Men’s and Women’s golf teams both had solid outings at the NWC Fall Classic the weekend of Oct. 10-11. The tournament was the last of the fall season for both teams, providing each with insight for the Spring.

The women’s team capped a phenomenal fall season with a third place finish at the tournament, having three golfers place in the top seven: Sophomore Phoebe Nguyen in 4th place, senior Alyssa Maine in 6th, and first-year Shiyang Fan. Coming into the fall classic, the team had the lowest stroke average that they’d had since Maine’s first year on the team, setting a few Whitman team records along the way. Shiyang set the new singleround record of 70 earlier in the season, and Phoebe hit a new school record for 36 holes with one-under par in a recent tournament.

The immensely successful fall season bodes well for the spring, when junior Lou Points will return to the team after studying abroad this spring. The return of Points will bring even more firepower to the already explosive team.

“We’re all looking forward to getting Lou back – another leader – and just rockin’ and rollin’ in the spring,” Maine said.

Assistant Athletics Director and Coach Skip Molitor also is optimistic about the team’s prospects next semester.

“In the spring there is a good chance they’ll have the best women’s golf team that Whitman’s ever had,” said Molitor. “They’re a fun group to work with, they get along really well, [and] they approach their preparation and their practice very diligently.”

Alyssa noted her goal for the upcoming spring season is to extend the season past conference play.

“The perfect way to end my senior year [would be] a trip to Houston for nationals,” she said.

The men’s team also had an overall successful fall season, despite being in a very different place from the women’s team in terms of dynamics. They have a relatively

new team, with two new players this year: sophomore Andrew Schwartz and first-year Carl Felstiner. Given the youth of the team, they are focused mainly on improving and developing their tournament experience. The men’s team ended up placing 8th at the NWC Fall Classic.

Schwartz had never played competitive golf before the start of the season, but decided that he wanted to play with the team this year. Head Men’s Golf Coach Peter McClure welcomed him onto the team along with Felstiner. “[Carl has] gone in all the way, got himself some good equipment, and has really improved since the start of the season,” McClure said.

Felstiner played in high school, and has put together some solid golf this fall.

Senior Captain Daniel Hoffman has himself had a great fall season, including a spectacular finish at the NWC Fall Classic where he put up a birdie and a hole-inone to finish the second round.

Hoffman reflected on his fall season as a learning and growing experience for the team.

“First off, I think this semester was crucial for getting newcomers more tournament experience,” said Hoffman. “We are a very young team and can use as much tournament play as possible. I know that each golfer can play much better next semester and that many of us were left disappointed about how the season ended. We’ll need to hit the ground running and make sure to keep pushing ourselves to get better every day.”

McClure shared similar thoughts.

“Of course we always want to score better,” McClure said. “That’s one of our goals for the season.”

The steady improvement sets a great tone for the spring semester for the men’s team.

“I’m looking forward to next spring, the guys are eager to go,” said McClure. “I feel like we’re at a good place. Everyone wants to get better... they try on every shot. I didn’t see anyone quit [this season]... that’s all you can ask for, that everyone gives it their all on every shot.”

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Leadership by example from HOFFMAN, page 1

His coach had similar feelings about Hoffman’s role on the team and the determination to improve that he always shows.

“Daniel is the captain this year and he’s been a very good leader. He always sets a great example, he’s on time, and he’s got his gear just like it should be. It’s his determination,” McClure said. “He wants to be a better golfer, and that is so important.

You can go out and play golf and practice golf, but unless you have that drive that you want to improve every time you go out and you’re willing to put the time in, that’s the way you succeed, and he does that voluntarily.”

Despite all the praise, Hoffman is continuing to keep putting in the work that has gotten him to this point. He is looking towards next semester and how he can help the team improve.

“I’m not there to be their coach, but I am there to show them what a good work ethic looks like and to lead by example. We all know we should be shooting better scores, but we’ve set ourselves up in a good position for next semester,” Hoffman

said. “This year my goal is to make first team all-conference. It’s going to be an uphill climb because I didn’t play very well in the fall classic, but I just need to play well when it counts next semester. I think we can finish in the middle tier of conference if everyone continues to work hard.”

Daniel Hoffman (‘16) Photo by: Hampson

FEATURE

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6

OCT

22 2015

Following Food The epic journey behind the food on your dining hall plate.

Bon Appétit’s meals are prepared long before students consume them. From months of growing local produce to weekly preparations to daily observation of food trends, Bon App invests a great amount of time to ensure that students are eating foods they enjoy and meals that accommodate their needs. Photos by Mendoza

by CLAIRE OMMEN Staff Reporter

T

he food that many students gaze at through the windows of the dining hall three times a day is merely the tip of the vast iceberg that is Bon Appétit’s food production outfit.

The process behind Bon Appétit’s food service at Whitman College is lengthy and complicated.

Each ingredient has a history of its own, and came to occupy Bon App dishes in sometimes surprising ways. Consider a potato that you might find sitting on your dinner plate.

It probably came from Locati Farms, a local farm from which Whitman buys approximately 90 percent of its potatoes.

According to Executive Chef at Whitman, Jim Cooley, Bon Appétit kitchens use as much locally-grown food as they can.

Whitman uses many local farms to source food, especially produce. These farms include Upper Dry Creek Ranch, Edwards Farm, Locati Farms, Cavali Acres and more. Cooley said that he tries to source as much produce locally as possible. Many students also work on these farms, including junior Mona Law. “I wanted to work at a small, organic-style farm this past summer because I’m really interested in local and sustainable food production and I wanted to see firsthand what that looks like,” Law said in an email.

She worked on the Nothing’s Simple Farm during the past summer. Nothing’s Simple, run my Whitman ‘15 alum Theo Ciszewski, is a small organic farm which provides produce to many of the high-end restaurants in Walla Walla, as well as Bon Appétit. The variety of produce grown locally is ex-

tensive, including kale, collard greens, peppers, summer squash and sweet potatoes, to name a few.

Law feels passionately about organic and local farming.

“More than just feeding people healthy food, we are defying the ecologically-destructive conventions of monocultures and chemical inputs and the rest of the whole food production chain,” Law said.

Involvement in local farming was Law’s way to influence her own food, as well as the greater community. The local farms in the Walla Walla area are one avenue for student involvement in their food.

The locally-grown potato served at Bon Appétit is now making its way to the kitchens and the cooks of the Whitman dining halls. In the dining halls, there are two sets of cooks: the morning shift and the night shift. The morning shift arrives at 5:30 a.m. to prepare breakfast and lunch. At 11:00 a.m., the night shift arrives to finish lunch and then prepare dinner. All of this preparation is done about a day in advance.

“If you don’t stay–we call it half a day ahead–if you’re not a half a day ahead and you’re doing average about 300 meals a meal period, that’s a lot of stuff to get done the day of a meal,” Cooley said.

Approximately 95 percent of the food arrives at Whitman in a raw, completely unprocessed form. If the raw potato is delivered to the kitchen on a Monday, it will be cleaned and skinned for use in a recipe that most likely won’t be served until lunch on Tuesday.

Once the chefs have prepared the food, it is served to the students (typically by other students).

Bon Appétit is one of the most popular student jobs on the Whitman Campus, and is one way for students to become more involved

with what they eat and with the whole Whitman community. Sydney Gilbert, first-year, works as a server in the dinning hall.

“We work pretty well together to get it all done. It’s fun,” Gilbert said. “It’s a way to interact with people.”

Student workers such as Gilbert work mostly as servers (a few are dishwashers and cashiers), yet they still have more influence over the food here than most. The student servers interact with the chefs on a daily basis and are asked for input on which recipes are received well and which are not.

The recipes used are left entirely up to the executive chefs.

The potato may be served roasted in a way the chefs have never tried before–variety is important.

“We don’t have any corporate recipes, just whatever I think of. Whatever we want to do,” Cooley said.

This means that the recipes the students at Whitman are served are the result of years of observation on what the students prefer to eat, and on years of trial and error. “I follow up afterwards, I find out after dinner: Did they eat this? Did they eat that?

If something doesn’t work at all the servers tell me ‘well ... you might not want to do that again.’”

This trial and error is necessary because the tastes of the students are changing constantly.

Within the student body are vegetarians, vegans, people with allergies and a huge number of other dietary preferences and restrictions. When planning the menu– which Jim does weekly–he must account for the season, the upcoming holidays, the weather, the current trends in food and the overall mood of the campus.

This explains why comfort foods are more prevalent during finals weeks. The complexiADVERTISEMENT

ty of judging what students will or will not eat is a challenge, which generates a good deal of waste.

“I try to balance it out so that there’s something for everyone,” Cooley said. “Sometimes the person you’re trying to take care of, or the group you’re trying to take care of isn’t very big.

But they’re important. Sometimes we hit it and it works out perfectly, sometimes we run out of fried chicken and we have 500 pounds of something else left over.”

Fortunately, uneaten food doesn’t necessarily mean wasted food.

“We work really hard not to waste,” Cooley said. Anything that can be processed and made into delicious food is reused. Which means that the uneaten potatoes could make their way into a curry, or the soup for the next night.

This is an excellent method for reducing waste, but it doesn’t work for most recipes. If leftovers can be stored safely, the uneaten food is donated to the senior center to avoid wasting. The donation of leftovers is part of the corporate policy of the Bon Appétit company on a larger scale. Other branches of Bon Appétit donate food to Feed America and other local food shelters. The corporate policy of Bon Appétit also includes education about waste and healthy consumption, and batch-cooking. These help to ensure that the amount of food prepared is the amount required, and that students do not take more food than they can consume.

In past years, students negotiated food waste which is not of a quality to be served (such as produce and meat trimmings) to be sent to a local hogfarm to feed the livestock. The cooks and kitchen staff go to great lengths to make sure that food is not wasted, however the

best methods all involve more involvement from the students.

“Talk to me!” Jim says. “I write the menu every week, you know, I can put something on the menu next week if someone requests it today. We’re wide open.”

The most effective way to prevent food waste is for students to communicate directly with the chefs about their needs and desires. The comment cards are one way of doing this. The chefs read the comment cards every night, and in most cases the request can be accommodated within the week. Jim also invites students to approach him personally with requests, ideas, or questions.

Incredibly simplified, the goal of the Bon Appétit food service is that the potato gets eaten, and that the students enjoy eating it. The best thing that students can do to help them with this goal is to be more aware of the work that goes in to the process of making food, and to communicate their desires for their food.

The people who work for Bon Appétit strive to be receptive to input from students, not only regarding the foods that are served but also regarding how waste is handled, and any views of students toward their food.

The chefs at Whitman rely upon the students to tell them what they enjoyed, and what missed the mark. Similarly, the peels from the potato may be wasted, or they may be sent to a hog farm on the initiative of Whitman students. The local produce eaten at Whitman may have even been grown by Whitman students.

There is room for student influence at every stage in the process behind the food served here, and by understanding that process and becoming part of it, students can help to optimize the food and the community of Whitman College.

OPINION

OCT

22 2015

Rejecting binaries leads to meaningul living ALYA BOHR First-Year

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t first blush, saying that everything in the world is both joyful and sad at the same time is bewildering, comical even. But upon further rumination, that pithy little statement offers a credo that hugs the truth rather closely. You see, we’re inclined to classify everything in life in terms of clearly defined extremes. We separate emotions by like colors, mark beliefs as true or false, and snap our ideas into their respective air-tight containers. To lean on a popular colloquialism, we tend to see things in black and white.

However, life is much too nuanced for such a worldview. In reality, multiple things can be true at once.

Many of the most important aspects of life are made up of dualities, of contradictions. Moments of the most dazzling and all-consuming joy are often accompanied by a resigned sadness, acknowledging the eventual passing of our happiness. The deepest, richest love brings with it a gripping fear of loss and loneliness. In bright moments of success we are reminded of how much we dread failure. Pain and darkness can steal days from us, but in that dreariness, one small moment can bring a splash of joy richer than anything we’ve felt before. These opposing polarities may very well be the backbone of the human condition.

However, we humans tend to shy away from embracing these contradictions. It’s easier to put positive emotions in one box and negative ones in another. It’s more simple to cling firmly to one belief and kick away anything that slightly opposes

it. Living with a definitive sense of right and wrong is more comfortable than living in the murky grey areas, but that messy no man’s land is perhaps exactly where we should be.

When faced with difficult decisions, we are often tortured by the fear of choosing the wrong option.

But the truth is, there is no wrong option—there is only the choice we make and the choice we leave behind. There’s a beautiful poem, “The Blue House” by Tomas Tranströmer, in which he alludes to this issue: “Both joy and sorrow swell in the magnifying glass of dew. We do not actually know it, but we sense it: our life has a sister vessel which plies an entirely different route.”

These “sister vessel[s]” we may never know, but no life we experience is wrong or right; our choices simply guide us in narrowing down the specific sliver of the world that unequivocally belongs to us.

Life is nuance, not clarity. We can want two entirely opposing things. We can feel many contradicting emotions at once. The most terrible moments in our lives can also be the source of some of the most beautiful. Looking at my own life, it’s clear that the times of inkiest darkness have been the greatest catalysts for my personal growth.

The moments of joy that stand out to me most clearly are the little jewels I managed to find in my saddest times.

We can find success in failure if we learn how to rise with resilience. We can find ringing laughter in sadness if we understand the beautiful mutability of pain and joy.

And we can make the most difficult decisions if we stop fearing the ominous right versus wrong duality.

People have an affinity for binaries: we like clarity and absolute truths. In reality, these divisions don’t exist. It’s uncomfortable to acknowledge the tangled bundle of opposing emotions, desires, and fears that rule us, but an understanding of these ever-undulating realities is critical to an understanding of life. We should embrace these inherent contradictions.

We should learn to hold two opposing truths at the same time, to let the confusion of happiness and sadness, of love and fear, of success and failure, morph into an appreciation for the crazy, beautiful complexity of life. We should learn to live in color.

Illustration by Burch

The candidate Latinos want JOSE CORONADO Sophomore

VOICE OF LATIN AMERICA

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ccording to Pew Research, 11 percent of the national eligible voters are Latinos. As elections come close, candidates will inevitably try to lure in Latino voters with promises.

Bernie Sanders has promised immigration reform that would legalize 11 million illegal immigrants. Other candidates like Donald Trump have leveraged issues surrounding Latin Americans to gain popularity with other voters. Less extreme Republicans like Rand Paul and Marco Rubio want immigration reform that will facilitate legal immigration and increase security at the border, but don’t plan to legalize millions of illegal immigrants.

Hillary Clinton recently said that she looks forward to forming a path to citizenship that will benefit millions of undocumented immigrants.

60 percent of the Latinos voted for the Democrats last midterms. They tend toward the Left because they like Democratic social policy. Liberal representatives have supported many bills like The DREAM Act that assists Latin Americans while Republicans

have tried to stop immigration legislation proposed by Democrats.

The trends are clear. The question is, what are Latino’s looking for in their Democratic candidate?

Latinos in the United States want to stop living in fear. Fear that largely comes from the migrant status of their families. Many Latin American citizens have at least one relative who is in the country illegally and are threatened with deportation everyday. Illegals and their relatives are even discriminated and attacked by other people.

Last month a video of a policeman in New Jersey threatening teenagers with “sending their families back to Mexico” was released. Latinos are tired of these attacks, they want a candidate that will help them and their families to obtain legal status. Someone who will consider the consequences of separating families.

Deportation results in forced abandonment of Latin American kids. Many times they grow up with other relatives, or friends, or in foster homes. Kids that grow up without parents are more likely to join gangs or drop out of school because no one is there to guide them.

Latinos also want easier access to jobs. Entire sectors like construction and agriculture depend on them, but tougher immigration laws make it hard for Latinos to come work in the United States. There is a shortage of workers in both areas because American workers are less interested in working fields or building homes.

Reform is necessary to help the American economy by bringing in people from Latin America who

are willing to work in these sectors.

The United States should expand its temporary workers program. This would not only improve the economy, but also discourage illegal immigration. Tech companies already use visas to bring people from China and India to work in the U.S. If we simplify the process, thousands of workers from Latin America would also be able to come work legally without breaking any rules.

Higher education is another huge issue. The majority of Latinos that came to the United States before the year 2000 were uneducated. Many of them did not finish high school, and some were illiterate. A lack of educational opportunity in Latin America has resulted in a deep appreciation of the United States’ free education system.

But today, a high school diploma is not enough to get a good job, and sending children to college is expensive. Latinos would love more assistance in sending their kids to college. Asking for free college education (as Sanders proposes) might be too much when considering the United States’ budgetary issues, but there should be more programs that encourage and help Latinos attend college. This would greatly improve the socio-economic situation of the Latinos in the United States.

My hope is that the next American President will put an end to deportation. Latinos in this country have been able to accomplish many things, despite the many issues and obstacles they cope with everyday. If Americans allow Latinos to feel safe in their country, there will be a great increase in levels of Latino success and accomplishment.

Voices from the Community

PAGE

7

I’m basic, and you probably are too PEGGY LI Sophomore

T

he seasons are changing! Fall has fallen and girls all over America are sticking their lower extremities into black Lululemon leggings, knee socks, and leather boots.

To top off the outfit, they pull on a long sleeve shirt, a puffy vest, and a scarf (if you attend Whitman college like me, Patagucci’s and Birkenstocks popular additions). There are, of course, regional deviations to this formula, but the look remains distinct. These girls then wear this get up into the nearest Starbucks with a 3-letter mantra resounding in their brains: “P... S... L...”

This is the basic white girl.

The term “basic” should come to represent uniting similarities among people who are not necessarily similar in character.

I am not one to keep up with ever-changing slang. I shamefully rely on Urban Dictionary to better understand my peers.

But somehow the term ‘basic’ has managed to invade my vocabulary, and honestly, it’s a fun word. A girl loves Taylor Swift and shops at Forever 21? Basic. They love shopping at Target and burning Bath & Body Works candles? Basic.

One pumpkin spice latte a day?

Basic. It’s seems harmless to make jokes about these types of girls and tease your friends, but the word basic does carry negative connotations. To be basic is to be vapid, to be generic, to be common. In a world dominated by aggressively unique hipsters shopping at thrift stores and listening to indie music, it’s a pretty ‘unique’ contradiction.

About four years ago, there were 228 variations on the word “unique” for baby names.

Clearly being original is important to people.

It’s natural for humans to want to be unique and remarkable, but why chastise someone for not being such a snowflake? I own exactly three pairs of the same black leggings.

Why? Because they’re comfortable and easy to wear.

I always cringe slightly as I put them on in the winter, but the reason they’re labeled basic is because liter-

ally everyone has a pair. And everyone has a pair because they’re so totally comfortable.

When it comes down to it, being basic entails liking things that are popular. While one could interpret that as lacking originality, certain items are popular for a reason. Black leggings are flattering, more comfortable than jeans, and versatile.

I’m sure pumpkin spice lattes are legitimately delicious too.

Why do we judge each other for the clothes we wear and the food we eat, anyway? In elementary school, teachers encouraged us to express ourselves regardless of differences. But let’s be honest, people are pretty similar too–we have common ties.

If we didn’t, how could we ever make friends and personal connections? If you like the color red, and I like blue, I shouldn’t be teased for liking blue just because everyone likes that color.

You shouldn’t be teased for liking red if no one else likes it.

That’s exactly what we’re doing when we label people as “basic.”

Consider the hypocritical nature of the term “basic.” Does anyone honestly believe they are absolutely unique and distinct in every way? How could someone in that state of mind ever connect with another person? As a society, we work particularly hard on appreciating differences and diversity among people. I applaud this effort, but we should not neglect to appreciate the similarities among people.

There should be nothing wrong with being basic. The term “basic” should come to represent uniting similarities among people who are not necessarily similar in character. Even if we don’t get along, we both have red blood, we both breath oxygen, and we both live and die in black leggings.

Illustration by Hampton

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What’s your most effective procrastination technique? Poll by MISSY GERLACH

CONNER WARREN

KENDALL DUNOVANT

EMMA NESLUND

RAJESH NARAYAN

First-Year

Sophomore

Senior

First-year

“YouTube is pretty distracting.”

“Going somewhere with the intention of doing something, but not actually doing it.”

“I don’t really procrastinate, but when I do, it’s productive, like answering emails or cleaning the kitchen.”

“Whenever I study, I end up lying down, and whenever I lie down, there’s a 100% chance that I’m going to fall asleep.”

BACKPAGE

PAGE

8

OCT

22 2015

Tamarac House to replace Health Center

A

ttention all sick and injured Whitties! School administrators announced this morning that they will be closing the Welty Health Center, effective immediately. In its place, Tamarac House will now be treating all medical problems on campus.

The closure of the Health Center is reportedly due to the high number of students in Tamarac with a WFR certification. WFR–Wilderness First Responder–trains students in procedures necessary for saving lives in the outdoors. Because of the vast WFR-readiness of Tamarac, the administration felt that the existing Health Center was simply unnecessary.

Whitman boasts an impressive WFR to Student ratio of 2:1, and in Tamarac, that figure is even higher.

“Who needs doctors and nurses when you have a whole building full of students who’ve completed a two-week crash course in basic wilderness first aid?” said Dean of Students Cluck Cheveland. Noting that Walla Walla still has a hospital if “things get really bad.” Cheveland added, “The students in Tamarac are eager to practice their skills, and the school won’t have to pay those pesky desks, so this is pretty much a win-win for all involved.”

The Pioneer decided to give Tamarac a visit to see how the new system would work. Sophomore Milly Wendelsohn answered the door. In one hand, he held a thick coil of medical tape; in the other, a small binder full of instructions that he received during his WFR course.

“Does somebody need a WFR?” asked an excited Wendelsohn. Upon hearing his words, six other Tamarac residents rushed downstairs. Out of breath, they began chattering amongst themselves about “stabilizing the C-spine,” as well as the best way to tape an ankle.

Like the Welty Health Center, services will be available in Tamarac 24/7.

“Just knock on the door anytime, and one of our qualified residents will be with you faster than you can say ‘Please take me to a hospital instead!’” Wendelsohn promised.

Anticipating the success of the Tamarac plan, Whitman may also begin allowing BBMB majors to issue prescriptions and perform surgeries. As Dean Cheveland put it, “They’re basically doctors anyways.”

Jackpage: Hello!

JACK SWAIN Senior

“W

hat are we all doing here on this planet?” the boy in the treehouse wondered as he dug a little deeper into his sleeping bag.

Every once in awhile, he could hear an owl hoot.

The night wind blew and the branches swayed. The few leaves left on the tree shivered. Some fell to the ground, adding to the great mosaic of red, orange, and yellow below. The tree remembered when she was very young, and her mosaic had been small.

Many creatures lived in the

tree besides the boy. Spiders and ants, even a family of birds from time to time. A few years from now, the tree would be chopped down.

Far away (or very close, depending on whom you ask) stars swirled in the churning cosmos.

The boy saw some of these stars from the window of his treehouse. The stars could see him too. They both twinkled brightly.

The owl hooted again.

Carefully arranged on a shelf in the corner of the treehouse were seven seashells the boy had brought home from the coast.

Each tiny shell held the full weight of memory from that particular cloudy day. The smell of the foam that carried the shells into the boy’s hands and pockets. The sound of his older sister’s laughter as her toes felt the coldness of the sea.

His sister had built the treehouse. She had painted tiny white flowers on the ceiling. The flowers reminded the boy of the stars.

“If I lived in the year 800,”

the boy thought, “and was never educated on such matters, what would I think the stars were?”

If he was being honest with himself, the boy still didn’t know what the stars were. Or lightning, or rainbows. There had been a faint rainbow at the beach on the day the boy had brought home the shells.

The boy wondered if anyone else in the world was lying awake in a sleeping bag in a treehouse. He wondered if anyone else was thinking about things too.

He wondered if anyone out there was thinking about if anyone out there was thinking about things.

The world sure is a big place.

There are a lot of people here.

“Hello out there,” the boy whispered.

The wind blew a chill through the open window. The cold air kissed the boy’s cheeks and he felt warm and safe in his sleeping bag.

The tree added a couple more leaves to her mosaic. The boy fell asleep as the moon slunk across the sky.

Illustration by Penner-Ash

Pros and Cons of Oprah’s Favorite Things: Joining ASWC Whitman Edition Pros

• • • • • • •

Nice way to boost deflated ego Modest resumé builder First-hand experience working inside an obsolete governing body Pay helps subsidize weed habit Keeps parents believing you have productive time at school Can be used as an ice breaker at dinner parties Sexual tensions involved in communal late night crafting of campus policy might help in getting laid

In the news

Cons

• • • • • • •

Mandatory Sunday meetings turn weekend into hollow shell of a break Exceedingly large amount of monotonous memories Not as similar to House of Cards as expected Frequent divestment related filibusters Limited electoral competition to smear with targeted attack ads Incessant begging of Kathleen Murray to give student government actual power Moral qualms of embezzling summer internship grant funds

Prentiss Brunch Moved to Quiet Room for Hungover Masses After many months of petitioning Bon Appétit and filling out comment cards, the hungover electorate has won: Brunch will now be held in the Penrose Library quiet room. The change was made to preserve the emotional health of

1. “Sticker-genes,” shells of outdoorsy stickers in the shape of a Nalgene.

6. Kygo remixes 7. Frisbees with consent slogans printed on

2. Going barefoot around campus even though

them.

you have 200 dollar climbing shoes sitting in

8. Glass recycling.

your room.

9. Intramural extracurricular overcommit-

3. Trucker hats with “SOBER” written on them.

4. Divest Whitman shot glasses (now available in the bookstore: get ‘em while you can!).

5. Flashcard sets of politically contentious topics you can pretend to know a lot about. older students who were forced to interact with irrationally chipper first-years whose bodies are somehow still immune to the repercussions of their poor decisions.

The move is expected to save students from hours of pounding migraines and allow more quiet time to contemplate the exact

Welcome to Wilfrie: Ra Ra Solicitors by Noah Porter

ment.

10. Bumper stickers with complaints about campus sprinklers.

11. Visors to shield yourself from eye contact with whoever you saw naked last weekend.

line of regrettable choices that led them to this point in their lives.

Sex education and consent training for campus ducks Marbara Baxwell recently distributed a campus climate survey that revealed the biggest political issue on the minds

of Whitman students is duckon-duck sexual assault. As a result, a task force has been put together to combat the epidemic.

A formal Title IX training with the campus ducks is in the works and duck-specific consent slogans will be printed on coffee sleeves and water bottle stickers.