Whitman Pioneer Fall 2012 Issue 8

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ELECTION SEASON Ray Suarez addresses political realism

by Jacqueline Rees-Mikula Staff Reporter

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cclaimed journalist Ray Suarez took the stage in a packed Maxey Hall on Tuesday night, Oct. 24, to share his observations about this presidential election with Whitman students and the Walla Walla community.

Suarez has spent more than 30 years bringing local and national news to the homes of Americans. His most recent accomplishments include hosting “Talk of the Nation” on National Public Radio from 1993-99, and now a position as senior correspondent on PBS’ “The NewsHour.” In addition to contributing to several books and writing some of his own, Suarez is a founding member of the Chicago Association of Hispanic Journalists.

His lecture came as the second part of a Whitman series also featuring David Brooks. Though Brooks identifies as conservative and Suarez has been labeled a liberal, both are known for their moderate and reasoned stances on political issues.

Both speakers happen to be friends and colleagues—each was well aware that the other was coming to campus and that students would be ready to compare their lectures.

“I’m a little taller than David,” Suarez joked, adding, “because I’m a news reporter and not an opinion writer, I’m a little more restrained by definition.”

Getting down to business, Suarez noted (just as Brooks did last week) that the presidential debates have helped to narrow the gap between Romney and Obama in opinion polls. see SUAREZ, page 3

Issue 8 | October 25, 2012 | Whitman news since 1896

Conservative students seek broader dialogue

by SARAH CORNETT Staff Reporter

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t is no secret that Whitman is a predominantly liberal campus community. The vast majority of students identify with left-of-center political viewpoints, and oftentimes it can be difficult to find differing perspectives on political issues.

Last year, a conservative student, sophomore (then first-year) Alexandra Calloway-Nation, decided to create a safe place for students with similar political beliefs to share their views.

“A lot of what I’m trying to do with the Campus Conservatives Club is to create a place for people with ideas that aren’t the standard liberal ideas at Whitman,” said Calloway-Nation.

“I’ve tried to create a safe place where people can come and express their ideas and share dialogues with other people and spread the word around Whitman that there are other people with varying viewpoints.”

Though Whitman emphasizes diversity and openness, many students like Calloway-Nation are surprised that those themes don’t carry over to political views.

“I have some friends who are afraid to come to club meetings because they don’t want people to know who they are and that they have conservative views,” she said. “When I was looking at Whitman, I was thinking about the great education I would re-

ceive, and d i d n ’ t consider the political dynamic on campus. I learned [about] that last year in my dorm having discussions with people who weren’t very tolerant of conservative views.”

To people who have recently come to Whitman, the political dynamic seems to be extremely confined. Martha Sebald, a junior transfer student from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and a member of Campus Conservatives, said she has been surprised by the one-sided nature of political discussions.

“There’s no political diversity. I’m sure any conservatives are more closeted conservatives because it can be awkward here,” she said.

Many recent events have highlighted this theme on campus. During debates screened in Maxey, students often jeered when Mitt Romney made comments, and students and professors could be seen disagreeing amongst themselves at his statements. This does not happen when President Obama speaks; if anything, it is the opposite: Students visibly express support for many of his liberal policies. see CONSERVATIVES, page 2

ILLUSTRATION

BY PETERSON

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Examining the religious lives of the candidates pg. 3 The Pioneer breaks down West Coast ballot measures Learn more at bit.ly/pioinitiative

Our columnists weigh in on the election pg. 7

Campus history Alumni match up against swimmers dug up in library archive A

by TRISTAN GAVIN Staff Reporter

by KAILI MASAMOTO Staff Reporter

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hile working inside Penrose Library may not sound like most people’s ideal way to spend summer vacation, senior Erika Horwege jumped at the opportunity. When Barbara Maxwell sent out an email asking for someone to help in the archives, Horwege readily applied since working in the archives incorporated history, archival work, research and design and graphics. Since she is toying with the idea of going into PR or marketing, an internship in the archives seemed to best encompass all of her interests.

So what does one do when they work in the archives?

“I’d actually start in the archives themselves and I’d pull out one of the boxes that was relevant that day,” said Horwege. “I would just go through it, look at all the materials and take notes on them. If it was really cool, like a picture or an article, I would scan it and then file it away.”

Horwege’s main focus was Greek life on Whitman campus, since this year is the 100th anniversary of National Greek Life at Whitman. As part of her work, she got to sort through old scrapbooks, newspaper articles, posters and formal dance invitations. “[The invitations] had who sponsored it, the pledges who were at that new class, where it was held, the menu, the chaperones and then lines for each girl to reserve a dance,” said Horwege. “Some of them had the gentlemen’s names filled out already and some of them didn’t. It was so different from dances now and so that was fun.”

By far, though, her biggest—and some might argue best—finds in the archives were two pairs of boxer shorts.

“I scanned two pairs of boxer shorts,” said Horwege. “One of them was just from a boxer party but the other contained a rather cryptic message about traditions involving cellophane and male honorees and bras.”

One of her favorite parts of being in the archives as a history major was simply handling the materials directly and seeing the differ-

ences in Greek life from 1913 to the present. Some things that changed were past traditions (the May Queen and the Ball Queen used to exist), while some of the founding fraternities and women’s fraternities are no longer on Whitman campus.

“It’s cool to see that it’s not just the culture here that’s changed but that a hundred years ago, Greeks were still big contributors on campus. And seeing the groups that aren’t here anymore, that was really cool,” said Horwege.

Besides having a greater appreciation for the historical significance of fraternities and women’s fraternities, Horwege said she also was inspired to bring back old philanthropy, sisterhood and function ideas from the past. “[Sigma Chi] and one of the [women’s fraternities] had a Trikea-Thon ... They just had a little kid’s trike and the big fraternity guys would be sponsored for a certain number of hours and they had a goal to lap Ankeny [Field] a certain amount of times and all the money went to a specific charity,” said Horwege. “Then there was a sewer function with [Sigma Chi] where they saved up all the boxes that first-years threw out when they moved in and constructed an elaborate system of tunnels spanning from the basement to the fourth floor.”

The archive contains a wide variety of fascinating things beyond Greek life. There is a large Northwest collection that contains many artifacts relevant to Whitman and its founders. Also, the archive contains many great resources such as a copy of part of the original Gutenberg Bible. As a history major, Horwege’s favorite part of the archive is the rare books, specifically the “Book of Hours” and “The Nuremberg Chronicle.” Sadly, many Whitman students have yet to set foot inside the archives.

“You can just walk in and say ‘I’m interested in this,’ and they’re really accommodating,” said Horwege.

You also have to go into the archives in order to access the Napoleon room since Melissa Salrin, archivist and special collections librarian, has the key to the room. see ARCHIVES, page 5

t the annual Whitman alumni swim meet on Saturday, graduated swimmers got back in the pool to test themselves against the 2012-13 Missionary team.

Current swimmers lined up in even lanes and alumni in the odd lanes, but for most it was a swim down memory lane. Alumni sported familiar attire, although they augmented their attire by wearing fins on their feet in an attempt to make the event competitive.

The fins not only showed the growth of the program and alumni’s struggles to keep pace, but also reflected the lighthearted nature of the event.

“It is always a really fun meet,” said junior Claire Collins, who participated in the event for her third time.

While the event marked the first time back in the pool in a long time for most alumni, it was the accumulation of weeks of training for the current swimmers.

“It was a great chance to get a feeling for where we stand,” said Collins.

For the first-years, it was also the first time competing alongside their upperclass teammates.

“We have been training together and hanging out all year, but that was the first time competing together in front of a crowd,” said first-year Cameo Hlebasko.

Robby Dorn, a firstyear who only started swimming three years ago, was impressed with the attendance.

The meet served as an introduction to the swim season and the meet format. For a first-year like Dorn who has relatively little experience, the afternoon offered insight to the expectations of collegiate swimming.

“It was great to see all the support. I hope that people continue to come out when we really get going,” said Dorn.

The crowd, which mostly consisted of parents and students, was given extra entertainment when the first-year swimmers put on a show that Hlebasko called “her brainchild.”

see SWIMMING, page 6

Erin Kiskaddon ‘13, above, and Rebecca Ryle ‘13 take the plunge in the team’s first meet of the season, a lighthearted bout against swimming alumni. Photos by McCormick

NEWS

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25 2012

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More options for 2013 study abroad New informational chang- charged enables us to have a fi- to offer more aid for those goes have also been added to bet- nancially stable program and al- ing to places with more expenter organize the various programs lows us to increase the number sive costs of living, like England. s study abroad deadlines by majors for the students. In eve- of options available to students.”

Although these new changbegin to loom larger on ry department, professors have The difference between the es and elaborations will affect the the horizon, members of been attending various meet- new fee model and the pre- students’ study abroad choices for the class of 2015 are in the pro- ings to create new pages on the vious fee model is that the full year, fall or spring semescess of deciding whether to study off-campus website that describe t h e p r e v i - ter, they will not affect students abroad and choosing an off-cam- to the students programs that studying abroad over the sumpus studies program. In previ- can be taken to best complemer, because Whitman does not ous years, students have been al- ment their majors. have a summer term on campus. lowed to choose from about 40 “Another new “Students who want to study different partner programs with thing is the pagfor credit in a foreign country which to study abroad their jun- es online called in the summer still ior year. However, for the first ‘O f f- C a m p u s have a wide range of time, the class of 2015 will be able Study Advisoptions.

They to choose from a list with double ing Sheets can find a sumthe number of programs offered. by Mamer program of “Because of the many in- jor’ that deinterest—even on the teresting challenges in the glob- scribe to the Internet—and apply al issues in the world today, we students, dethrough Off-Campus wanted to increase the num- pending on Studies for approvber of options available to stu- their maal through the Sumdents,” said Susan Holme Brick, jor, the recmer Study Abroad director of off-campus studies. o m m e n d Transfer Cred“We’ve made a lot of additions ed off-camit Application,” to our off-campus studies part- pus study said Brick. ner programs in the developing p r o g r a m s S o m e world. We now have four new pro- which will students are algrams in Africa, seven in Asia, hopef u l ly ready planning their one in the Middle East, six in Lat- help them study abroad proin America, four in Central and m a k e grams and are excitSoutheastern Europe and some their proed for the improved and new ones in Western Europe.” gram seILLUSTRATION BY HWANG bigger list of available places.

With the addition of these new lection,” said Brick.

“There could be some reprograms, the Off-Campus StudIn increasing the number ous model capped the amount of ally cool opportunities to learn ies Office has incorporated input of study abroad programs, the aid students received when go- about the rise of communism and from professors and departments Off-Campus Studies Office has ing abroad as compared to the being behind the Iron Curtain, in order to add specific programs changed the financial aid aspect amount received on campus. So and then the transition in the last that will be beneficial to the stu- as well. Before, students had to if there were a $2000 gap be- 20 years to a basically capitaldents in their respective majors. pay for what the program charged cause studying abroad might be ist system,” said sophomore Ju“These programs have been plus the $500 off-campus study more expensive, the students lia Thompson, who hopes to benvetted by the Off-Campus Stud- fee, which would restrict some would have to pay the remaining efit from a new partner program ies Committee and faculty in the students from going abroad be- fee. In the new model, the Off- in the Czech Republic. “It’s cool major departments,” said Brick. cause financial aid did not ap- Campus Studies Office is able because this history is so recent, “For example, the art depart- ply to so many places. With this ment really recommended we new change, new financial aid work with the Glasgow School of will play into effect in order to Art in Glasgow, Scotland, so stu- keep up the number of students dio art majors can attend this re- who study abroad, and so Whitnowned art academy. The thea- man need-based financial aid and tre department asked if we could merit scholarships are applicable please partner with The Eugene to all 80-plus partner programs.

O’Neill Center’s National Theat“We’re changing how we er Institute in Connecticut. Be- charge fees. Students will be cause the faculty has helped us charged Whitman tuition plus by Evan Taylor “I thought it was an exidentify the best programs for stu- program room and board, and Staff Reporter citing and lively discussion,” dents in their fields, we believe estimated additional expenssaid Beechey. “People brought that these off-campus study op- es will include airfare and othhe Politics Department up a number of strong points portunities will be excellent lo- er personal expenses,” said held a screening of the sec- about the content of the decations for Whitman students.” Brick. “Modifying how fees are ond presidential debate fol- bate and raised some questions lowed by a town hall discussion about important issues that we last Tuesday, Oct. 16 in Maxey Au- haven’t heard in the debates yet.” ditorium. Present at the discusIndeed, members of the dission, moderated by Assistant Pro- cussion were discontented that fessor of Politics Susanne Beechey, issues such as women’s issues, Senate ratified Aikido Club, 17-0-2. were Whitman students and pro- gun control and gay marriage Passed resolution advocating for the creation of a full-time paid sustainability fessors and Walla Walla residents. were not surfaced in the debates. coordinator position funded by the college, 17-1-1. Passed resolution to organize Race Symposium, 14-2-3.

“It was useful,” said ChanEven though the town hall dler Briggs, a Walla Walla res- discussion was occupied by a Discussed town hall, ASWC’s relationship to campus media, college funding issues. ident. “The comments every- majority of Obama supportFinance Committee passed request for $1074 by Model U.N. to attend a conference one made were intelligent and ers, the discourse remained relin Seattle, 5-0-1. Also passed request for $35 from Badminton Club to replace broken equipment, 5-0-1. worth hearing and discussing.” atively unbiased and open.

Briggs heard about David “My intention was to steer the Brooks speaking last Monday, conversation into a broader conOct. 15, on an advertisement on versation than simply having peothe Northwest Public Radio. He ple engage in partisan politics,” then heard about the debate screen- said Beechey. “One of the unforing and discussion the follow- tunate things is that we actually ing night, and decided to attend. don’t have a lot of conversations The meeting was a chance for across party lines in elections. A the perspective of the community lot of times when we are engaging to be heard concerning this presi- in discussion around the elections, from Conservatives, page 1 represented,” said Sebald. “Col- dential debate between candidates we frame our comments in a way It seems odd to some that lege is for broadening yourself, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, where we’re talking to people who Whitman’s supposed empha- and it’s hard to do that when peo- held at Hofstra University in agree with us, rather than really sis on diversity does not ex- ple share the same viewpoints.” Hempstead, N.Y. This town-hall- being open to engaging with peotend to conservative views.

The Campus Conserva- style debate concerned domestic ple who might think differently.”

“Being liberal is so normalized tives hope to change this atmos- and foreign policy, and sparked anThe Whitman communion this campus and is something phere by creating discussion. imated responses from participants ty is made up of a majority of libthat people take a lot of pride in,” “Next semester we’re hoping to during the subsequent discussion. eral students, which can leave said first-year Ellen Ivens-Duran. have some dialogue with the Young The dominant liberal- Democrats,” said Calloway-Nation. ism spreads through all of cam- “We’re also definitely more of a conpus life, including classes. servative group rather than a Re“I’ve had lots of professors publican group. Most everyone in make jokes about conservatives that the club has agreed that we’re liberare funny to me, but could be offen- al on social issues but conservative sive to people who have more con- on economic and fiscal viewpoints.” servative viewpoints,” said IvensBy creating this dialogue Duran. “They assume liberal view- and raising awareness of these ispoints where they may not exist. sues on campus, conservative stuIt’s hard to be the one voice of dis- dents hope to broaden perspecsent in a class of 25 when you feel tives and end the intolerance. Callike no one is there to support you.” loway-Nation and the Campus ConThis problem on campus can servatives are beginning to focus leave some students questioning on these issues and work to proif they are in fact gaining a world vide a haven for many students. view, something an education at a “What I’ve tried to do with place like Whitman emphasizes. this is create an environment “It’s detrimental to the idea [that is] safe for people to discuss of a liberal arts education be- their views without being crit- Students look on as presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Barack Obama encause all viewpoints aren’t being icized,” said Calloway-Nation. gage in the second presidential debate of the 2012 election. Photo by von Hafften

by Daniel kim Staff Reporter

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and I can hopefully actually learn about what happened from people who experienced it. There are tons of classes offered by [the Council on International Educational Exchange] in Prague, definitely some great history ones and others too.”

Programs appeal to students who have specific academic interests as places to best explore those interests.

“I have always been interested in environmental issues, and Denmark is a world leader in green efforts. I’m excited for the opportunity to live in rural countrysides, but still close to a city. I hope to experience its Scandinavian culture while learning from the sustainability program in Denmark,” said sophomore environmental humanities major Erik Anderson.

The Off-Campus Studies Office continues to plan on expanding the study abroad list to enhance the experience students receive while abroad academically and financially, while still maintaining the enthusiasm students have for studying abroad. At this point, they hope the new programs added that link with specific majors and better financial aid will increase the number of students who study abroad.

“Whitman students have high standards academically, and one of our greatest challenges is to find really rigorous study abroad programs for our students where they feel like they’re learning a lot, having free time to enjoy the community they’re in, but at the same time being academically challenged,” said Brick.

Second debate provides open forum for student discussion

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ASWC MINUTES 10/21

Campus Conservatives challenge silence around differing political views

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out the opportunity to have good debates between the parties.

“I did not hear anyone voice support for Romney,” said sophomore Woody Jacobson. “You could imply from many of the comments that were said that they were Obama supporters. I think it would have been more interesting to have a variety of viewpoints on what happened at the debates instead of a lot of critiques of Romney’s ideas and a lot of supportive comments for Obama. I would have loved to engage a little more in that way between the two opposing sides.”

It was clear during the screening of the debate toward which political party Whitman students lean. When Romney spoke, there seemed to be a more satirical air amongst the audience; students would laugh at certain phrases and arguments from Romney.

“It was a little too loud for me,” said Briggs. “I had a lot of things I couldn’t hear because people were laughing and heckling a little more than I would have liked.”

However, during Obama’s time speaking, a more serious atmosphere spread which was significantly quieter and more attentive.

“I thought it was a good idea to have this kind of streaming of the debate and let everybody watch it as a group and dissect it afterwards,” said Bill Richards, a resident of Seattle visiting friends in Walla Walla.

A group of students from Beechey’s Introduction to U.S. Politics course gave presentations before the debate, while a different group from the same class presented before the final presidential debate this past Monday, Oct. 22.

The group put forward issues they thought to be important in the presidential election, whether or not they were recognized or discussed.

“It’s an opportunity for students to talk about some issues that, in some cases, are not getting a lot of visibility,” said Beechey. “It’s an opportunity for them to infuse a little more campus perspective [and] discussion on the debate.”

EDITORIAL POLICY

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

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The

NEWS

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3 Students, alumni have “Real Talk” about career path options, life after graduation 25 2012

by Emily lin-jones News Editor

“I

had no idea what I wanted to do when I got out of school,” said alumna Kate Morrison ’95 to a small group of students gathered in Reid Campus Center 240 on Monday, Oct. 22. For the next hour, she described her journey to her current career as a freelance web and graphic designer and answered questions from students interested in entering that field.

The event was the sixth installment in the Student Engagement Center’s Real Talk with Alumni series, a semester-long series of workshops that invites local alumni from a variety of professions to share insight and career advice in a small group discussion setting.

According to Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Noah Leavitt, the series was developed in response to student feedback requesting more opportunities to be in direct contact with alumni.

“This came about because students, over and over, tell us that they would really love to have more contact with alumni,”

he said. A survey of last year’s senior class found that 97 percent of respondents wanted a top priority of SEC to be creating more opportunities for student engagement with alumni.

Potential participants must register by submitting a brief application explaining their interest in a particular session. Each session of Real Talk can accommodate a maximum of 15 students.

“Our goal for these is small discussions, for the students who are coming to have really productive and meaningful exchanges with someone who can be informative and potentially professionally helpful to them,” said Leavitt.

The discussion-based aspect of the sessions is intended to facilitate more networking between students and Walla Walla-based alumni, creating potential connections to local job openings and internships.

“Being in Walla Walla, it’s tough to get in contact with alumni in many cases,” said junior Kayvon Behroozian, who helped develop the Real Talk program over the summer as an SEC intern. “But we have so many alumni that are local

that are doing amazing things. This is one of the best opportunities you can take, because we have alumni from all different professions and a good variety of them are represented in the Real Talk series.”

According to senior Lauren Maher-Payne, the current SEC office intern, a majority of student participants have found the program useful.

“All of the feedback has been enormously positive. I think that people have taken away different things, but everyone has found something they can apply to their life,” she said.

In her session, Morrison shared her experience working for nonprofits, doing marketing for various companies and starting her own design business. She offered advice on finding employment after graduation, advising students to be flexible and ready to learn on the job.

“Know how you work best and look for opportunities wherever you find them,” she told attendees.

Students came to the session armed with plenty of questions about acquiring marketable skills, self-employment and design.

Alumna Kate Morrison ‘95 (left center) addresses students interested in marketing and graphic design as part of the SEC’s “Real Talk with Alumni” series. Photo by McCormick

“It’s really nice how kind of informal it is,” said firstyear Cody Burchfield. “I feel like any questions in this realm I have I could now ask her, and she would respond.”

Maher noted that the Real Talk series marks the first visible step in an ongoing effort by SEC to respond more to student feedback and bring in more alumni contacts.

“I think it’s key that we’re responding to students’ needs in

a manner that extends throughout the entire semester,” she said.

The SEC hopes to invite all the alumni and students who have participated in the Real Talk workshops to a reception in November, and is looking into continuing the series for the spring semester.

The next Real Talk session is on Monday, Oct. 29 and will focus on small business management, with alumni Alasdair Stewart ’94 and Holly Nelson ’98.

Suarez challenges candidates to acknowledge “economic realities” of debt and outsourcing from SUAREZ, page 1

“I’m glad to be here at a point in the contest when the outcome looks less certain than it did several weeks ago,” said Suarez. “The amazing thing to me is that anybody wants the job!”

Part of what makes Suarez so distinct as a correspondent is his ability to weave humor into profound and sobering analyses. After coaxing some laughs from the audience, he regained seriousness and added: “It takes a colossal amount of self-confidence to put yourself in front of a country ... and say ‘I can fix it. I got this.’”

No matter who takes office, observed Suarez, there’s a substantial mess to be inherited. In particular, he noted that both candidates are forced to take on problems that neither one of them caused.

“They didn’t create the conditions that the country faces,” he said.

He also noted that each candidate is inevitably defined by these conditions. The public tends to judge candidates by the issues they debate.

“I found his point that we are simply basing our ‘likes’ and ‘dis-

likes’ of the candidates on the current situation [compelling]. In other words, Obama just happened to become president during a recession,” said first-year Marcus Helm.

A significant point Suarez brought to light is that despite whatever agenda each candidate presents, both are pursuing a position in which they will find very little freedom to realize their proposals.

“When one of them takes the oath, their hands will be tied … by the actions of previous governments,” he said.

This lack of room for political creativity was especially perti-

nent when Suarez discussed the role of the national debt. Regardless of what domestic policies the next president seeks to enforce, he will find his plans inhibited by the deficit.

“Debt means less room for maneuver no matter who becomes president,” he said.

Furthermore, he discussed how both candidates refuse to openly acknowledge the somber reality behind the state of the U.S. economy.

Projecting statistics and looking for corners to cut is one thing, but telling the public that everyday life is not about to become easier is another.

“Both candidates are talk-

NUMBERS IN THE NEWS

by Emily lin-jones News Editor

59.2 million Number of Nielsen-tracked television sets that tuned in to the third presidential debate at Lynn University on Monday, Oct. 22 SOURCE: nielsen

65.6 million TVs that tuned in to the second presidential debate at Hofstra University on Oct. 15

PBS NewsHour correspondent Ray Suarez addressed his lecture, titled “Election 2012: The American Political Landscape,” to a full house Tuesday night. Photo by von Hafften

ing about the national debt ... but both are careful with what they say about it ... some families will never break even, and they won’t mention that on national TV,” he said.

In particular, Suarez critiqued the candidates’ claims to promote employment among U.S. citizens.

“Both candidates celebrate American workers, and each presents the idea that more jobs should be in this country. And that’s okay, but it depends on the job; most manufacturers are overseas.”

Suarez explained that although the intention of creating more jobs on American soil is good, the reality is that today’s market relies heavily on cheap, foreign labor.

“Neither candidate seems to want to take the risk to talk to voters about ... what’s really going on in the world economy,” he said.

He directed his final points toward the audience by reminding them how immediate a role the politics at hand play in their lives. He questioned whether the recent debates brought the most threatening concerns of the American public to light, and whether either candidate is capable of addressing those concerns.

“Some of [the issues] are beyond both of their abilities, but neither one will say it.”

The disappointment many students felt after watching the presidential debates, he claimed, is the realization that the president (and America) is not the answer to the world’s problems.

Ours is a generation that grew up with the perception of America as a country that can solve any conflict and wield so much power; this generation “is having a

hard time adjusting,” said Suarez.

When asked to compare their reactions to Brooks and Suarez, Whitman students noted that both speakers had valid, albeit overlapping, critiques of the candidates.

“I feel they both raised issues I hadn’t considered before,” said first-year Tino Mori. “Suarez addressed the idea [that] presidents and candidates can’t admit that they can’t fix everything. Brooks mentioned how political campaigns suffer almost no repercussions for dishonesty. It definitely made me view the debates more critically.”

“I feel that both men believe that this election is a close one—it seems that neither candidate is offering what the public is really wanting. They are restricted,” said first-year Ruth Thirkill.

Suarez and Brooks both expressed a sense of disillusionment with the current state of U.S. politics that resonated strongly with some students attempting to engage in the political process.

“For me, Suarez effectively elaborated a popular critique among people who want to be more actively informed and participatory in political discussions ... that this presidential race is little more than a contest to see who can most effectively avoid answering critical questions about the condition of our country,” said junior Ben Harris. “I think it’s important to note that David Brooks made a similar point in his lecture: that neither candidate has actually put forward a specific political agenda for the next four years. Instead each candidate has focused their efforts on not letting the other guy win. And that’s dumb.”

Visiting religious leaders open conversation about faith, policies in presidential race

SOURCE: nielsen

67.2 million TVs that tuned in to the first presidential debate at the University of Denver on Oct. 3 SOURCE: nielsen

5 million Dollars spent by Lynn

University in Boca Raton, Fla. to host the presidential debate SOURCE: HUFFINGTON POST

11

Percentage of polled viewers who felt neither candidate won the second debate SOURCE: GALLUP

Corrections to Issue 6 The scoreboard on page 6 of Issue 7 should have read that the women’s varsity volleyball team defeated Whitworth with a final score of 3-0.

*

Want to find out what’s new in the Registrar’s Office?

Check out the new transcript delivery services Transcripts on Demand and eSCRIP-SAFE online at: whitmanpioneer.com/news

by Sarah cornett Staff Reporter

I

n recent weeks the presidential race has become increasingly heated, with candidates’ professional and personal lives coming under close public scrutiny. Last Friday, Oct. 19, two prominent members of the faiths of both presidential candidates came to the Glover Alston Center to present a basic overview of their religions in the context of the presidential election.

Adam Kirtley, Stuart coordinator of religious and spiritual life, organized the lunchtime discussion in hopes of providing students a way to learn more about the two faiths.

“We thought that having those traditions explained at the same time, in the same space, might create an interesting juxtaposition,” said Kirtley.

Cecilia King is an ordained minister at the local United Church of Christ, a denomination which counts President Barack Obama among its members. She spoke about her faith’s theology, mission and history.

“The UCC is an incredibly diverse congregation and denomination of churches. The members of the churches are diverse, and the denomination itself is very diverse,” she said. Outlining a brief history of the UCC and its theology, she shared historical details that demonstrate the progressive nature of the denomination. The faith was the first to ordain a woman as a minis-

ter in the 18th century, and also ordained the first African American.

King also discussed Barack Obama’s Chicago church, Trinity UCC, which is the largest church in the UCC and has a predominantly African American congregation of 8,500 members. “[Trinity maintains] huge outreach to the community, and is quite bold and sometimes controversial,” said King. Many UCC churches have voted to be “open and affirming,” pledging to be inclusive to all potential members.

Following Rev. King’s talk, Dr. Ben Clark, a former bishop in the Church of Latter-day Saints, gave a presentation dispelling common misconceptions about his faith, of which Republican candidate Mitt Romney is a wellknown follower. Adam Kirtley described his contact with Dr. Clark and his desire to speak at Whitman.

“Interestingly, I was approached initially by the presenter of the LDS tradition. He has a non-proselytizing informational presentation that provides accurate information about a tradition that is often misunderstood, and he was hoping to find a way to present it at Whitman,” said Kirtley.

Though Clark did not describe theology in detail, he discussed Mormon family, educational and faith life, highlighting the service work of the LDS church. Through describing the missions young Mormons are called to serve and other

ways Mormons perform outreach, Dr. Clark provided a genuine understanding of the day-to-day lives of members of a frequently misunderstood faith. He articulated that his hope with the LDS-created presentation was to dispel common myths and stereotypes about Mormons.

“News media try to define us with trivial and irrelevant questions,” said Clark.

Following the presentation, the presenters answered audience member questions about their respective faiths. When asked about the presidential candidates and the role their faith plays or will play in their respective policy, each discussed the role of the candidates’ faith backgrounds in possible political decisions.

“I think [Romney] will make good, upstanding decisions,” said Clark.

King shared what she felt about President Obama, stating her belief that his faith has played a role in his presidency.

“I think Barack Obama has tried valiantly to govern according to what I suspect his faith is. I trust Obama’s heart, that he comes from a place of social justice and is evolving,” she said.

Students and others who attended the presentation thought it interesting and informative.

“It’s interesting to get context for the religions of both of the candidates,” said first-year Greg Holdman. “I learned a lot more about both of these religions, especially LDS.” Though the two faiths have clear differences, the presentation served to inform and provide context to the religions, both in a general sense and in the context of the upcoming election.

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4 Raw Geographies students make political art 25 2012

by CLARA BARTLETT Staff Reporter

O

n Thursday, Oct. 18, students walked to class with their gaze not cast down upon the usual sight of Ankeny Field’s greenery, but instead upwards at the sky, where a weather balloon hung, figuratively and literally watching over the befuddled observers below.

This apparatus, the Whitman Sky Project, was one of many recent projects created by students in a 300-level interdisciplinary course called Raw Geographies, co-taught by Assistant Professor of Art Michelle Acuff and Associate Professor of Politics Aaron Bobrow-Strain.

Born from the global studies seminar, the goal of the course

is to study the intersection of critical social theory and art practice.

Acuff discussed the course material and its objectives.

“We could have established a whole curriculum, but instead, we decided to make it a little more organic and sort of have the students generate the syllabus because of their interest. And so we have very broad prompts,” she said.

Inspiring the recent projects was the first prompt for the students to make visible a social relation on campus. After the projects were established on campus, Acuff discussed the results.

“They just put out their first project. They just finished them, and so they steeped, and they wrestled, and they came up with what we think are truly amazing, hybrid things,” she said.

Walking around campus, one might have also noticed a barbedwire fence surrounding “Treaty Rock,” or what is also known as a Frisbee golf hole on Whitman’s unofficial course. This was yet another project examining the interaction of geography and social relations, particularly the removal of Native American land rights, produced by senior Raw Geographies students Kasey Burden, Mattie Griswold, Olivia Kipper and John Whiting.

Whiting, an environmental studies–geology major, discussed his project and class experience.

“I’ve always been interested in Native American relationship and history here in Walla Wal-

la and just sort of the relationship between the school and the outside community, and this class gives us the opportunity to delve into that,” he said. “And so, I think just giving us that chance to research something that we’ve always been curious about is excellent.”

The Whitman Sky Project, produced by seniors Ben Lerchin, Anna Murveit, Daniel Swain and Marcial Díaz Mejía, additionally sought to reveal subtleties in the relations of space and social interaction.

Lerchin, an art major, explained the concept and goal of Whitman Sky Project.

“One of them is the notion of surveillance that is becoming more common with the way we use the Internet with Facebook and Google and whatnot, and this idea that more data is good,” he said. “And I don’t think we disagree with that, but we’re questioning it. I think we also wanted to consider how Whitties interact with that space and the paths that we make; whether we’re carving a straight line across

the field or winding and weaving in interesting ways and look at it from this really interesting vantage point that you can’t get normally.”

As a whole, the students bring a vast range of skill sets and perspectives to the class.

“They’re making works that would have viability in both the fields of geography and art,” said Acuff. “It’s inherently interdisciplinary, the true way of thinking about the contemporary art world. So you’re drawing upon lots of different disciplines.”

Whitman Sky, an apparatus mounted over Ankeny Field, was one of many projects conceived and constructed by students in Raw Geographies, an intense interdisciplinary course combining art, environment and politics. Photos contributed by Lerchin

PIO PICKS ‘Seven Psychopaths,’ a Shih Tzu and slit throats Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights several events happening on campus or in Walla Walla during the weekend.

Here are this week’s picks: BodyKind Burn the BS Campfire To help promote positive body image and overall well-being, everyone is welcome to write down negative feelings and burn them in a campfire at this event.

Thursday, Oct. 25, 8:00 p.m. at the Outhouse (424 Boyer St.)

Coffeehouse: Ranger and the Re-Arrangers Whitman alum Ranger Sciacca ‘09 and his father Michael form the core of this jazz band, which will perform at WEB’s weekly Coffeehouse.

Friday, Oct. 26, 8:00 p.m. at Reid Basement

Haunted Hospital North Hall’s annual event will present its requisite array of ghosts, ghouls and a slew of terrifying frights.

Saturday, Oct. 27, 7:00 p.m. at North Hall

Poetry under a blue moon The Writing House and blue moon team up to offer an evening of poetry, refreshments and other amusements.

by NATHAN FISHER Staff Reporter

I

love the glitzy and over-thetop world of Hollywood and totally get that the sole purpose of a movie trailer is to entice you to see that movie. The snippet from “Seven Psychopaths” seemed to be a comedy about a couple of buddies who run a dog kidnapping business and one day steal the wrong dog. Great actors, cute furry dog—sold. Marketing successful! Unfortunately, the advertising fails to mention how bloody and violent “Seven Psychopaths” is. Be warned: This movie is not for the faint of heart! ”Seven Psychopaths” is about Marty, a drunk Irish writer (Colin Farrell) who is struggling with writer’s block for his movie titled “Seven Psychopaths.” Trying to help Marty come up with ideas is his friend Billy (Sam Rockwell), who runs the dog kidnapping business with his nonviolent Polish “associate” Hans (Christopher Walken). One day Billy steals a dog who happens to be the prized

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 7:00 p.m. at the Writing House (121 Otis St.)

Style spotlight Every week, The Pioneer searches out Whitties who bring an extra splash of fashion consciousness and sartorial daring to campus.

This week’s style spotlight: sophomore Natalie Shaw.

Style Soundbites: “The yellow cardigan ... I got it when I was in Berkeley with my mom and my aunt. We were at

some sample sale that was mainly for them, and I was just tagging along. Mostly it was pretty mom-ish. But then there was this little gem that was this cardigan! ... It looks like something you would get from ModCloth ... It’s too expensive to buy from them. I’m a cheapskate ... except for makeup. I spend too much money on makeup.”

“My navy lipstick ... I just got it in the mail last week. It’s from this brand called Portland Black Lipstick Company and they make ... all-natural makeup based off of Victorian recipes

ILLUSTRATION BY ZINSER

stray very far from the advertised version and is filled with witty dialogue and benign gunfire, but then turns down and dirty and becomes a movie about seven bloodthirsty, gun-bearing, knifetoting, extremely violent psychopaths. Each character, even those with cute little bunnies, is scarred with a violent history.

While the dialogue brings some laughs, some of the funniest parts of the bloody movie are when the psychotic group tries to brainstorm a shootout ending to Marty’s movie. The theorized ending leads to very funny fictional Quentin Tarantino-esque violence, which doesn’t have to take reality or laws of physics into account. Although “Seven Psychopaths” is still very funny, I couldn’t get over the obscene amount of blood shed in so many ways. Had I been prepared to be grossed out, I might have found people slitting their own throats pouring out blood or people’s heads getting blown up funny.

Instead, I sat in the movie theater stunned and could not totally enjoy the twisted black humor that oozes in “Seven Psychopaths.”

love of a ruthless gangster, Charlie (Woody Harrelson). Charlie will do everything he can and

kill anyone he has to in order to get his beloved Shih Tzu back.

Initially, the movie does not

for makeup. It’s really affordable ... and great quality. And it’s sort of minty-flavored, which is kind of exciting. ... Their motto is ‘allnatural makeup for your unnatural look,’ which I really like because I like the unnatural look.”

Upcoming Composers Concert showcases students’ music

“I don’t worry about embracing my natural beauty. I like how my face looks with no makeup on, and I like how my face looks with makeup on.”

W

“When putting an outfit together ... lots of colors and at least one print. I’ve been kind of amassing printed pants.”

“Just put the damn thing on.

It doesn’t matter if it’s ... ugly.

Just put it on if you like it. I have a lot of things that ... some people say they don’t have the confidence to wear ... but ... it’s not that they can’t wear them; they just have to put them on and be happy about wearing it.”

“More color is always good.

What’s a wardrobe without color?”

“I would characterize my look as being colorful but slightly edgy. I’m going through a slightly goth phase, at least makeup-wise.”

by EMMA DAHL Staff Reporter

hitman’s biannual Composers Concert will have its fall show Friday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Chism Recital Hall. The concert is an opportunity, albeit a required one, for students of Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music John David Earnest to showcase the music they’ve been working on in his composition class since last semester.

“One of the requirements of composition students ... is that they have stuff in the composers’ concert,” said junior Erik Feldman. “Even if you’re just in composition for one semester you’ll have something in the concert.”

In the upcoming concert, pieces that were written last spring will be performed.

The Spring Composers Concert will feature pieces written during the current fall semester and vice versa; since the concert falls in the middle of the semester, two months or so isn’t enough time for a piece to be written and rehearsed.

Feldman, who has contributed a piece featuring a trio of wind instruments, explained the process of preparing a piece of music for performance.

“We worked on them a little bit and fine-tuned [our pieces] before the beginning of the semester,” said Feldman. “My piece is for two clarinets and bassoon. I’ll rehearse with the musicians and work with them and make a couple little changes here and there, and they just get to play it [in the concert] and I won’t be conducting them.”

Many of the students who are presenting pieces in the upcoming concert are composition majors.

“I’m a composition major and I’d like to write music for movies and video games and stuff like that in the end,” said Feldman.

Not all of the composers are current Whitman students.

There is one student from Walla Walla University, and there are other students who composed their pieces when they were seniors in the spring last year.

Admission to the concert is free, and it is open to the public as well as to Whitman students.

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Natalie Shaw ‘15 combines vibrant colors and striking prints, along with plenty of makeup, to complete her look. “Just put it on if you like it,” she said. Photos by beck

FEATURE

Oct

25 2012

PAGE

5

Artifacts fly under campus radar Whitman hosts a wealth of exhibits and collections, but they often don’t get the recognition they deserve.

Olin 110 houses the Asian Studies Art Gallery, one of many campus exhibits. Photo by Felt

Archives open worlds

from ARCHIVES, page 1

While most of the pieces are period pieces or recreations, the room does contain Napoleon’s surgeon’s writing desk from when he was in exile.

“There’s a really cool cane that she showed us and it just looks like a walking cane, but if you look at it from the side, it’s Napoleon’s profile. When he was in exile but still had supporters, you could walk down the street and see who the fellow supporters were because only you guys were in on the joke, or in on the secret,” said Horwege.

These pieces were donated by a Whitman alumna and her husband who acquired them while working in France.

Surprisingly, there is not a lot of information on student life in the archives because students generally forget to submit things. However, the archive is

trying to turn that around and get more student and club involvement. Horwege says Salrin enjoys talking to people about how to get involved with the archives and what students can submit.

“We’re only here for four years and it’s really easy to think that that’s your experience with it,” said Horwege. “It was really cool to see men and women have been involved in the same things for about a hundred years just at Whitman.”

Whether stopping by the archives in order to get a peek inside the Napoleon room or browsing one of their collections, Horwege urges people to get involved.

“I didn’t know [the archive] was a resource, so I’d say for student groups and just individuals on campus to contribute so that in another 100 years, there’s evidence of what we’ve contributed [to campus],” said Horwege.

by Hannah Bartman Staff Reporter

M

any of the exhibits on campus fly under the radar of many students, ranking as features of the college that people have heard of but not actually taken the time to see. Between the Penrose Library archives, the Maxey Museum holdings and many others, Whitman has much to offer in exhibits. That they go unnoticed is surprising—especially when there’s an entire room in the basement of the library devoted to Napoleon.

The Stuart Napoleon Room was opened in 1974 and is home to roughly 35 artifacts related to the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. All of the artifacts as well as the funding for the room were donated by Elbridge H. Stuart, husband of alumna Evelyn Clark Stuart ‘28. The room is decorated by elaborate curtains, chairs and furniture that are from Napoleon’s era. Only three objects within the room are replicas of the time period; the rest are from the 19th century. The centerpiece of the room is Napoleon’s surgeon’s desk.

“When you look at the room you’re not just looking at the text that people wrote about the past or wrote during the past; you’re also looking at what people were wearing and what the furniture was like and what the decorations were like. It says a lot about the kinds of things they were privileging or emphasizing during the time,” said Melissa Salrin, archivist and special collections librarian.

While the Stuart Room seems inaccessible, it is still available for any student or community member who wants to explore Napoleon artifacts. The archivists are more than willing to open up the room to visitors. The only reason that the room is not permanently open is because artifacts must be kept at a certain temperature and humidity to be preserved, and constant supervision of the room is not a feasible option with the limited archivist staff.

The Stuart Room is not the only impressive display the library archives have to offer. A library committee in connection with the archives has been formed this year to create two glass showcases that are placed at the entrance of the library. The two exhibits showcased now are “The Ages of LitADVERTISEMENT

erary Magazines at Whitman College” by senior Bo Erickson, which shows the transformation of the Whitman magazine blue moon over the years, and “This is Sunday the Day of Rest, but No Rest for Us: The Henry Canfield Civil War Letters” by senior Kate Kunkel-Patterson, which contains letters from the Civil War era that were available in the archives. The exhibits are new experiments this year to showcase the varied talents and interests of Whitman students.

“We have not concretely defined what [the exhibits] are because we want them to be open,” said Salrin. “We are definitely open to students contacting us with ideas about things they potentially want to show off, because we want to showcase the kinds of amazing work that students are doing.”

Also featured in the library as well as in Maxey Hall is the Maxey Museum, which is really an assortment of ten exhibits.

Beginning its collection in 1899, the Maxey Museum archives are home to approximately 3,500 artifacts that have been donated by residents of the community.

“It’s a hugely diverse collection; we have an unusual assortment of artifacts,” said alumna Brynne Haug ‘12, collections manager of the Maxey Museum. “It takes a lot of research experience and practice to figure out what artifacts are.”

Currently on display in the Maxey Museum is an assortment of hats from different cultures and time periods. In another exhibit in Maxey there is a description of different rocks and their or-

igins within Palestine and Egypt.

“Part of [the exhibit] is education; to arrange artifacts in a way that makes people think about ideas or history in a way that they have not thought about before,” said Haug. “It’s interesting to put those artifacts there and think about what was necessary and why.”

Students who usually have an affinity for history or anthropology join the museum each year to sort through the hodgepodge of items collected over the years and form a cohesive theme for an exhibit.

Haug has worked in the Maxey Museum for four years. She was appointed this year as the museum’s first collections manager. Along with creating written instructions for upkeep of artifacts, Haug has new plans for the museum.

“When the museum was founded they had a goal and a plan for it and we’re just sort of coming back to that,” said Haug.

“My job is to professionalize the way the museum is run and to get the word out into the community that it exists, which is hard because it’s so spread out, but certainly possible because the museum has a lot to offer Whitman.”

Whitman has a wealth of resources, from written records to historical artifacts. These resources are always available to be viewed and accessed, but it’s a matter of personal imperative to get out there and check them out.

“People need to see that we have a lot of amazing special collections at Whitman,” said Salrin.

“These are the raw materials for intellectual pursuits and creativity.”

The knives above were part of the Maxey Museum’s ‘Weapons of the World’ exhibit, which illuminated the nature of weapons and violence around the globe. Photo by Felt

Oct

25 2012

SPORTS

PAGE

6

Varsity athletes maintain fitness abroad in preparation for upcoming seasons

by KYLE HOWE Staff Reporter

E

very year Whitman students travel the globe participating in the Off-Campus Studies program, focusing on a wide expanse of topics that suit their interests. For athletes, this can be somewhat of a hassle: They are apart from the sport for half a year and then return to Whitman with the expectations to pick the sport up again immediately. Nonetheless, many Whitman athletes studying abroad are resourceful and find ways to answer this dilemma.

Some sports, such as golf and tennis, start in the fall but really pick up in the spring. These athletes are left with a semester to play their sport, requiring them to find ways to practice while abroad in order to be prepared for the upcoming season.

Some athletes, like junior golfer Jonathan Standen, selected their study abroad program specifically for the sports and the academic opportunities offered there. This fall Standen is studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

“I [chose] St. Andrews primarily for the golf, so while I’m missing a competitive season at Whitman, I am still able to play quite a bit at St. Andrews. However, most of the time I’m playing, not practicing. I would much rather go out and

play 18 [holes] than practice hitting 500 shots on the range,” said Standen in an email.

With opport u n ities

like playing at St. Andrews, athletes have little to worry about when they return for the season in the spring.

“Needless to say, I do miss my teammates and the competitive atmosphere. I don’t foresee many problems with rejoining the team in the spring,” said Standen.

Some athletes even believe that the new environment helps them with their sport, as practicing abroad can sharpen their skills in ways they couldn’t have imagined.

“As a golfer in Scotland, I

would say that in some ways being over here is helping my game. A lot of people say that you need to ‘relearn’ how to play golf in the UK as courses and conditions are totally different than [in] the United States. Courses are shorter here. But to make up for that, fairways are much tighter, rough is thicker and wind is incomparable to the [United States].

You need to learn how to h i t different shots and control the golf ball

ILLUSTRATION BY JONES

more,” said junior Andrew Welch in an email. Welch is studying math and economics in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Not all athletes have such luck with their location. Regardless, they still focus on maintaining their endurance and their strength by working out on a regular basis.

“I haven’t been playing any tennis here in New Zealand, but I’ve been going to the gym pretty regularly. I’m trying to maintain (and hopefully improve) fitness so I’ll be ready for the season. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this long of a break from tennis, and I think it’s been good for me both physically and mentally.

I’m definitely eager and excited for the spring season,” said junior tennis player Maggie Eismeier in an email, who is at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Whitman athletes know that they have to find time to practice while abroad, so they will be prepared for the upcoming season.

“While studying abroad, I’m lucky enough to be located on a university campus, which means I have access to a gym and tennis courts.

So I am able to keep up with my [workouts] and lifting and get an occasional hit in. However, a good amount of my time this semester is in the jungle/field doing homestays. This means runs through the rice paddies and [plyometrics] and stretching late at night when my host family is asleep. So, I guess I consider myself taking somewhat of a break, but I really try to incorporate fitness into my schedule,” said junior tennis player Hannah Palkowitz, an environmental-sociology major who is spending the

semester in Thailand, via email.

Some athletes have the opportunity to take advantage of the teams that play at their location abroad.

“I have also been spending time with the golf club—which is essentially the Varsity Golf Team—to stay competitive. I’ve been getting out to the course regularly and have already made a trip to St. Andrews to play both the New and Old Courses,” said Welch.

The time that the athletes have spent abroad has only added to their excitement for playing in the spring.

“I’m still expecting a conference championship and a trip to nationals for this spring. If anything, taking this semester off from tennis has made me more hungry to compete and has reminded me how much tennis and my team mean to me. I am also reminded about how lucky I am to play alongside such wonderful teammates and coaches,” said Palkowitz.

SCOREBOARD soccer

Men’s v. George Fox University Oct. 20: W 2-0 v. Pacific University Oct. 21: W 2-0 Women’s v. George Fox University Oct. 20: W 1-0 v. Pacific University Oct. 21: L 1-0

Alumni dive back in at annual meet

volleyball

from SWIMMING, page 1

soccer

The first-year women put together a well-choreographed dance routine that included an aquatic performance by the men.

Although dances may not be a typical swim-meet norm, it is a tradition that the swim team honors every year at the event. The dance offers a chance for the first-years to join in a team-building activity that allows them to put their creative minds together.

The traditions are part of what brings alumni back year after year. The swim team has a history of success and community that defined past and present students’ experiences at Whitman College, as evidenced by Saturday’s festivities.

The swim season picks up speed with a pair of home meets against Linfield and Willamette on Nov. 2 and 3, respectively.

“That is going to be the first big weekend of the year,” said Hlebasko, who joins a women’s team that broke several records last year en route to a thirdplace finish at the Northwest Conference championships.

v. Willamette University Oct. 19: W 3-0

upcoming Men’s v. Linfield College Oct. 27: AWAY v. Willamette University Oct. 28: AWAY Women’s v. Lewis & Clark College Oct. 27: AWAY v. Willamette University Oct. 28: AWAY

volleyball

v. George Fox University Oct. 26, 7 p.m.: HOME v. Lewis & Clark College Oct. 27, 5 p.m.: HOME

cross country

NWC Championships Oct. 27: AWAY

Golf

NWC Fall Classic Oct. 27-28: AWAY

swimming Nic Win ‘15 (above) and his teammates took to the pool with alumni this past Saturday. This coming weekend, however, the Missionary swimmers will face their first NWC competition at the NWC Sprint Pentathlon and Relays. Photo by McCormick

“We graduated some great leaders, but have a core of seniors and a lot of [first-years] and sophomores to be excited about,” said Collins of the 2012-2013 team. The Mission-

aries look to build upon last year’s success and compete for a conference championship.

The men’s team placed second last year and have the senior leadership to give reign-

ing champion Whitworth University a run for its money. The team’s camaraderie and strength are a combination that may have opponents resorting to fins to keep up.

Men’s, women’s soccer honor seniors

NWC Sprint Pentathlon Oct. 27: AWAY NWC Relays Oct. 28: AWAY

Sports weekly factoid Alumnus Tucker Jackson ‘01, former record holder of the 50and 100-yard freestyle for over 10 years, was inducted into the Whitman Hall of Fame this fall.

by Peter clark Staff Reporter

A

s the soccer season winds down for the Whitman women’s and men’s soccer teams, both women’s head coach Heather Cato and men’s head coach Mike Washington waved goodbye to two groups of seniors that played their final home weekend of matches this past Saturday and Sunday.

While watching their seniors play for one of the last times is a tough moment for the coaches, it is an even harder moment for the players. For most seniors, collegiate soccer is the last juncture in their soc-

From L to R: Seniors Jaclyn Rudd, Kelsey Houghton, Marisa Poorboy, Misha Evertz, Julianne Masser and Erin Flannery were honored before Sunday’s game. Photo by Li

cer careers where they will have the opportunity to play at a highly competitive level. It marks the end of fierce competition and the beginning of casual pick-up soccer.

Even though this realization is tough to swallow for most seniors,

Seniors Leland Matthaeus (center), Jed Jacobson, Andrew Clark and Michael Bathurst will be honored before the Nov. 3 game vs. Whitworth. Photo by Woletz

most players can look back on their careers at Whitman and smile. Senior women’s soccer player Jaclyn Rudd did not take for granted her opportunity to play soccer in college.

“Coming into college I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play.

It’s been great that I did get the opportunity to play. Being a senior, you really realize it goes by quick,” said Rudd.

The most memorable moments of being an athlete come not just from times on the field, but from times off the field as well.

Rudd reminisced on one of these moments by recalling a dance that the rest of her team is working on.

“Some of my teammates are doing a ‘Gangnam Style’ video. So we’ve been doing the dance everywhere we go, and everyone on the team is going to have to do it,” said Rudd.

Seniors also have the privilege of recollecting earlier years and considering how far their programs have come during their careers. Senior men’s soccer player Dhavan Vengadasalam remembers back when he was a first-year and the program was rebuilding.

“When I came in as a freshman we were a rebuilding program. The next year we took second place, and we’ve had very good results since then,” said Vengadasalam.

Vengadasalam also acknowledged the type of leadership role that comes with the territory of becoming a senior.

“Players naturally step into roles. All of us seniors were starters this year, and it’s really evident on the field that when we’re in trouble or when we’re in times when we need leadership, it’s def-

initely nice to have an older group to look to,” said Vengadasalam.

Like many college coaches, Cato had the opportunity to play soccer in college at the University of Arkansas, where she was a four-year starter. Her ability to think back to her senior days allows her to empathize with the emotions that were running through her seniors this past Sunday.

“When you’re a freshman in college you don’t realize how fast it goes, so when you’re a senior it all kind of hits that your senior game is the last time you’re going to be able to put this uniform on,” said Cato.

Cato also had high praise for this group of seniors in that they assumed a role where the bar was set particularly high by last year’s seniors.

“This is a great group of seniors; I think they had some big shoes to fill

from last year, and I think they stepped into them and took charge. It has been evident throughout the season.

They’re the senior class and they’re the leaders of this team,” said Cato.

While some seniors will continue to play competitive soccer through various professional teams, the majority of seniors’ competitive playing days are over. For all seniors, however, their playing days at Whitman will be remembered and cherished for the rest of their lives.

The graduating seniors of the women’s soccer team are Kelsey Houghton, Jaclyn Rudd, Misha Evertz, Julianne Masser, Erin Flannery and Marisa Poorboy. The men are graduating Michael Bathurst, Leland Matthaeus, Jed Jacobson and Andrew Clark.

Senior Julianne Masser (above) and the rest of the class of 2013 will play their final game on home turf Friday, Nov. 2 against Linfield College. Photo by McCormick

OPINION

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ILLUSTRATION BY MEASE

With the 2012 election around the corner, Pioneer columnists comment on American political issues from the perspective of their column themes

Both parties fail on sex ed Casting Green Spencer Wharton Senior

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s a high school senior in 2008, I watched the election, boiling over with the indignation of being three months shy of voting in an election relevant to my life. In a week and a half, millions more teenagers will be in the same place. It’s our obligation as young voters to keep teens in mind when we vote for president, but when it comes to sex education, which directly influences teenagers’ lives, neither party offers a healthy vision for the future.

Of course, both the Republi-

can and Democratic parties’ platforms address sex education, but even the Democrats’ stance falls short. The Republican party platform promotes teaching “abstinence until marriage as the responsible and respected standard of behavior,” whereas the Democrats “support evidence-based and ageappropriate sex education.” Naturally, the Democrats’ stance is more progressive than naïve abstinence-only education, but even so-called “comprehensive” sex ed fails to provide teenagers with a healthy view of sexuality. Neither model accepts that teenage sex is anything more than risky behavior.

My high school health classes weren’t abstinence-only, but were guilty of stressing the risk of sex.

They tested us on the names and symptoms of sexually-transmitted infections. Pregnancy dangled over our heads like a sword. They even brought in an energetic proabstinence speaker who impressed upon us the risk of losing our virginities to people we weren’t going to spend our lives with. Yes,

Political Cartoon by Maggie Appleton

there are risks inherent with sex that teenagers need to know. I’d never argue with that. But sex ed can and should be so much more.

Why not teach responsibility and pleasure? Imagine a curriculum that taught that masturbation isn’t a sin and that horny high school dudes are hardly the only ones who do it, singing the praises of self-love no matter who does it or how. I want to see a curriculum that teaches what the hell a clitoris is, and why everyone in the world should care. Sex ed could teach students who are going to be sexually active how to enjoy it.

What’s more, being a sexual person is far more than a transmission risk. Good sex ed would start with the fundamentals of sexuality by giving students a place to explicitly examine and identify their values and feelings toward sex. We should teach teens that sex shouldn’t only happen when you’ve calculated your readiness, but also when your body is burning with desire for it—and that if you don’t want it, absolutely nobody gets to tell you otherwise.

I left my sex ed classes with the names of different types of birth control and images of STIs. We could educate students so that along with the risks of sexual activity, they understand the equally important things like consent, human sexuality’s wide range, how to have healthy relationships, the intersection of gender and sex, and that nobody ever has to have sex if they don’t want to.

Sure, it’s idealistic. But high school students today aren’t getting the information they deserve. Despite the fact that teenagers are and will continue to be sexually active, both abstinence-only and comprehensive sex ed curricula are written in the hopes that teens won’t have sex. Rather than closing our eyes, making believe and hoping adolescents will somehow figure it out, we should equip them with the resources they need to experience sexuality responsibly and joyfully.

Voting for Obama’s “evidence-based and age-appropriate sex education” is a step in the right direction, but it’s not enough. On behalf of our teenagers, anxiously and indignantly watching this year’s election, we ought to demand so much more.

Insecurity plagues web voting Blair Hanley Frank Senior

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s the sales pitch goes, we ought to have the capability to vote online. After all, it’s the 21st century. We have phones that can watch feature-length films, and there are startups that want to start delivering tacos using unmanned drones.

It’s election season, and that means the blogosphere has picked up its usual penchant for discussing internet voting as a means for increasing voter turnout. On Mon-

day, Edmonton, Canada opened its first pilot testing for absentee internet voting. Here at Whitman, we’re certainly no strangers to the concept: ASWC uses web voting for all of their elections, and it seems to work just fine. But Whitman is a small campus, and swaying an ASWC election seems a trivial prize at best for even a budding hacker. National elections are significantly higher-stakes.

There are a few key problems with web voting. The first is one of voter identification: It is really hard for someone to show up at multiple polling places throughout the country and impersonate multiple people on the same election day. Even within the same state, any sort of voter fraud would take a massive amount of time (and gas money). It’s just not feasible with our current system.

On the Internet, though, those barriers disappear. First, there’s no easy way to identify individuals securely. Email addresses can be spoofed. IP address-

es don’t remain constant. Any techniques that have been developed for consistently identifying someone are far too technical for widespread adoption when it comes to something like voting.

Election officials encouraging web voting also have to worry about the security of the voting process itself. Electronic voting machines have a terrible track record of security and reliability, and they are designed to be used for secure, verifiable elections.

As I have noted on multiple previous occasions, personal computers are usually far from secure.

If we were to ignore, for a moment, the host of challenges presented on the client side of a web voting equation, we would still be left with a system that is incredibly vulnerable to outside tampering. An illustrative example is that of the University of Michigan’s attack on Washington, D.C.’s absentee voting system in 2010. J. Alex Halderman, a professor at UM’s Ann Arbor campus, broke into the District’s voting

Voices from the Community

vote not in vain

the notion that they never will be.

Second, Stein’s platform includes several key planks on Sophomore which Obama is either silent or wrong. These are issues which should decide the election, but have been infuriatingly absent from the campaign—even from the debates, where the candidates should be fielding questions for which they aren’t prepared.

Stein has pledged to end the double standard whereby corpoA MOVING FOREST rations are so human when they want free speech that they actudream of an election in which ally get more free speech than the Green, Libertarian, Con- the rest of us, but are not human stitution and Justice parties when they want to dodge chargare all polling around 17 percent es of bullying, vandalism and beside the Democrat and Remurder. Obama’s website is publican, who are doing about void of any reference to corpoas well. Instead, this elecrate personhood. If we don’t tion is another iteration of the stop letting big business dicusual two-party nightmare. tate its own terms, we are on I’m not writing to complain track to lose vital control over about third-party marginour country. Therefore, we alization; that race should vote Green. will be run time and Stein has furagain by demagogues ther stated that coal, more capable than myoil and natural gas self. Instead, I look ought to have no fuon it as a chance for ture in this counme—a first-time try. This position voter—to defend is once again a my democrastark concy against the trast to Obama, corr upting forcw hos e “all of the es of cynicism. above” energy poliI will be voting cy so blatantly panders to fosfor Dr. Jill Stein of the Green sil fuel interests that it is litParty as soon as I can get my erally right there in the tiballot in the mail. Those who tle. He’s bought in to the red call themselves political realherring of energy independists—and may indeed be politence (as long as the oil is still ical realists—will at this point being burned, does it matcome forward with several ter where we got it?) and the good reasons why I am wasttwin fantasies of cure-all ing my vote. She has no chance natural gas and “clean coal.”

(Stein is polling at two percent I am voting for Stein nationally). I’ll be siphonbecause, if these issues ing votes away from Barack are not addressed, the othObama, who may not repreers are pointless. Why sent my views as well, but has bother educating chila much better chance of windren for a future in which ning. Even if elected, Stein corporations make all of has no experience in politics. their decisions for them?

As I said, all sound reaWhy reform healthsons, but I reject the the- ILLUSTRATION care if our groundwasis that I will be throwing

BY RAIBLE ter will be poisoned by away my vote. First of all, natural gas? Why end I don’t see it as voting for some- foreign wars while pumping one who has no chance; I see it enough CO2 into the atmosphere as being on the cusp of a move- to introduce a new breed of chament which will eventually give os onto the geopolitical stage? candidates like Stein, LibertarI am voting for Stein beian Gary Johnson and others a cause I refuse to compromise defair shot. The more people vot- mocracy. Now that I have the ing for Green or Libertarian can- vote, I will not ever use it for andidates, the better they’ll poll, the ybody other than the candidate I more their voices are heard and believe would be the best leader. the richer the debate. Reforming Political expedience is a red herthe electoral college is critical, ring that feeds on itself and limbut the only way to make third its democratic possibility. It’s an parties truly viable is to give up idea we need to start killing today.

Sam Chapman

I

system, which they opened to all attackers prior to the actual election.

Halderman and crew were able to determine past and future votes, alter those votes and see identifiable information about voters.

They had complete control over the election system. Perhaps more shocking was that it took people who were supposed to be monitoring the D.C. voting system 36 hours to notice there was something wrong, and they only figured it out then because the system had been reprogrammed to play the UM fight song after a ballot was cast. If the UM hackers hadn’t left a calling card, it seems unlikely they would have been detected.

While they had control over the system, the Michigan hack-

ers noticed that there were computers with IP addresses in Iran, China, India and New Jersey attempting to break into the system as well.

While the UM team was able to repel other attackers, their experience shows that an election system would be a hot target for hackers around the globe. Securing a system against threats of that caliber would be exceedingly difficult.

In essence, web voting is destined to remain a pipe dream, possibly in perpetuity. There are just too many issues, and elections are too important to trust to systems that can be broken easily. While paper ballots may seem like a clunky option in this modern age, in many ways, they provide levels of security that electronic voting just can’t match.

What do you think is the most important issue in this election? Poll by TANNER BOWERSOX

John Hunt

Ali Holmes

Matt Raymond

Andrew Patel

Class of ‘71

First-year

Senior

Junior

“The economy is the most important issue in any election. Especially this one, with 23 million people out of work. All the numbers we’re hearing are accurate.”

“I think healthcare is the big step, and Obamacare allowing us to stay on our parents’ plans for longer is a big issue for college students especially.”

“Women’s rights in the workplace and just sort of increasing equality in the workplace altogether. It’s something both candidates have talked about and I’d like to see what they actually do.”

“I feel the most important issue in the upcoming election is focusing on the actual issues instead of silly things.”

BACKPAGE

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Renaissance society and Environmental House join forces to make wiping with left hand cool again

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somehow their hippie dippy propaganda will catch on if they put up enough tie-dye posters. The Renaissance society agenda is not as environmental.

“People wipe with their left hand because that’s the evil hand. Lefthanded people are freaks, and probably satanic worshippers,” said Renaissance society member Romeo Isolde after drinking a bit too much ale. “We used to wipe with the left hand, now we don’t. I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s tradition.” He then started singing the soundtrack to “Fiddler on the Roof.”

It’s true, tradition does have one wiping with his left, and

therefore shaking with his right, because the left hand was considered unclean. In certain countries the tradition carries on today.

Indeed, the Outhouse and the Renaissance society were looking to team up together on some event, and finally one evening, after searching for wood elves, they came to the conclusion that they needed to bring the fad back to Whitman.

Suprisingly, in some circles, the fad has caught on. “Toilet paper does just kinda smear, and that’s, like, super, gross. So I wipe with the left now. I’m a new woman,” reluctantly admitted one sophomore Kappa Kappa Gamma.

“I wipe with the left

now” has become a promotional phrase around campus, with trees and attractive women holding up their left limbs and smiling at you.

Obviously the LeftHand group around campus is a little more than offended at this new “Whitman fad.”

“They said Pokémon was a fad too, but it’s still around. The Frisbee team still makes references!”

“Lef t-ha nded people are people too!” the lefthanded club ended their press release. “Just because we rock at sports doesn’t mean we are freaks!”

t n e c

legend

s students trickled back onto campus following the recent four-day break, so did stories of adventures and wondrous escapades. Yet one rather awesome, some might even say legendary, tale must be put in a league of its own, apart from the more blithe ventures.

It began as most four-day jaunts do, with a couple of overconfident but “underappreciated” students who sought to desperately mimic the antics and experiences of the guys in “The Hangover.”

What makes this story different (and remarkable) is that Alex “Big Dick” Schneider, Peter “Pickle” Madison and Taylor “Man-Taters” Jones actually followed through with their “Hangover” idea.

While details are still a bit obscure due to students’ efforts of not wanting to concern administration, what can be discerned is what started as your typical cumbersome trip to Seattle for the “three cabrilleros,” as they called themselves, ended in bamboozling mystery. As the story goes, on their first night in the Emerald City the three amigos bungee-jumped off the Space Needle, got laid in the Ferris Wheel and after getting split up, each found a gentle homeless man to sleep next to for warmth.

What happened the next morning is still being disput-

47 Per

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edieval reenactment nerds and environmental activists have few things in common, those being wearing outdated clothes, walking around like they own the place and believing in fairy tree spirits. Recently, however, the Environmental House (a.k.a. the “Outhouse”) and Whitman’s Renaissance society have teamed up to bring back “wiping with the left hand.”

“It’s not outdated,” said one Outhouse member, “you just need to wash afterwards, but remember, save enough for the fishes!” Obviously the Outhouse’s goals are to save paper, therefore saving trees, and hoping that

ed, but evidently “Big Dick” Alex eloped with the entire national women’s Brazilian volleyball team after their international friendly match with the United States in Seattle. Peter apparently seized an opportunity to search for, tame and train Siberian tigers to perform personally for animal enthusiast and clinically deranged Russian President Vladimir Putin.

And as for Taylor’s fate, nothing can be known for certain, but rumors are circulating that he was last seen getting into a limousine near the sketchy Rainier Beach area with Whoopi Goldberg, Jay-Z, Stanley Tucci, Kate Middleton and, reportedly, President George Bridges.

As more evidence of the recent events leaks out, tension and awe have spread around campus.

Some students are advocating for a statue of the three legendary students to be put up in front of Memorial Hall, while others are anxiously wondering why Jay-Z and Stanley Tucci haven’t opened a designer clothing line yet and if there could be a more awesome combination of people to disappear with.

When the Backpage asked to meet with President Bridges, we were sent an automated email response explaining that the President was away on an indefinite leave of absence for “personal reasons.”

B

ay von Kehroozian is Whitman College’s ASWC president—for the time being, at least. After some loose lips led to a major slip-up at an alumni donor banquet, the junior’s regards for the interest of the school’s population have been put into question.

Much of Whitman’s student body was appalled when they saw YouTube videos of their president denouncing 47 percent of the campus. While addressing the alumni, Kehroozian made comments about the 47 percent of students receiving scholarships that forced a collective cringe from

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most of the school’s population.

“Like, 47 percent of students here are just leeches, sucking the life out of this school, leaving nothing but a barren carcass filled with fat, undeserving leeches.

It makes me want to vomit just thinking about it,” asserted Kehroozian subtly.

Keh roozian, who argued that the quotation was taken out of context, was also recorded saying, “We studied leeches in biology once, and they are actually super cute. The comparison is, frankly, super offensive to leeches.”

A major source of the uproar surrounding the quotations arises from the fact that many of the scholarships do not even reflect need, but were awarded due to excellence in academics and arts. Kehroozian responded by rolling his eyes and stating, “Students feel super entitled to, like, everything. They want affordable education and positive reinforcement. Whatever.”

Kehroozian refused to release his financial aid information from the last two years to The Pioneer, but reports from his fresh-

man year found that he only paid for 14 percent of his education.

In order to save face, the president consulted his cabinet, which is made of teak wood and filled with canned food in anticipation of our impending doom come December, yet still strung together more coherent sentences than Clint Eastwood at the Republican National Convention.

Kehroozian came away from the consultation with a plethora of ideas to change his image. For starters, he has proposed a five-point meal plan, which has answered none of the student body’s questions except for whether their president can count to five. “He can,” said Schmidty Jammerson, mildly impressed.

The president has since decided to begin slandering George Bridges in order to paint himself in a better light. Kehroozian cited Bridges’ inability to solve the national debt and job crisis and made up data to support his argument.

Not only were his statistics fabricated, but also even used made-up numbers like “thirty-twelve percent loss of revenue” and “twenty-double-thousand unemployed.”

For now Kehroozian remains in office, but his chances of reelection are slipping as his approval rate dropped below 21-teen percent.

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