Whitman Pioneer Spring 2013 Issue 11 by Whitman College Wire

E WH TH

The

EX AMICITIA VERITAS

ONEER PI

PIONEER

M IT

18 9 6

Issue 11 | April 18, 2013 | Whitman

news since 1896

blue moon creates community by MALLORY MARTIN Staff Reporter

lmost 400 submissions were received, and after headaches, some heartache and a lot of tough decisions, the 26th edition of Whitman’s premier literary magazine is finally ready for release. Only days before the April 19 release of their magazine, blue moon co-editors-in-chief Chelsea Kern and Bo Erickson, both senior English majors, are shining with a sleepy but proud glow as they sit down to chat. The sense of pride is much deserved.

“This is one of the few opportunities that many student writers and artists have to see their work in print. For an amateur artist, to see their stuff in a professional format ... it’s something exciting and important.” Chelsea Kern ‘13

The editors and their team have spent the last few months whittling down their bountiful submissions to around a fifth of Whitman’s best prose, poetry, photography, art and digital media for publication. Of course, both ladies have their favorites. Bo Erickson: I’m always excited about the prose; maybe that’s my English major talking (laughs). I really like “Karl Marx: the Band: the Movie” by [senior] Matt Raymond... That’s a fun one: It’s absurd and awesome. Chelsea Kern: I’m really excited about our cover. It’s a film photograph called “Lycidas” by [sophomore] Josh Tacke. It’s really interesting, probably the edgiest cover we’ve done in a while. Erickson: The staff probably debated that one for an hour. People had some really strong opinions, which is wonderful. It was really a question of, how do we want to represent our-

selves? But it was a great choice, and the title is actually from a Milton poem, so it fits well. In addition to debating and designing, they’ve been hard at work planning an exciting release party, featuring visiting band Beat Connection, and organizing the first ever blue moon exhibit for the Stevens Gallery. Kern: We’ll have some of the original pieces up ... before the performance, and they’ll stay up for a month or so afterwards. We’re even trying to get some of the poetry written out by the authors for display. Along with poems and paintings, attendees should keep an eye out for the blue moon publication footage also being streamed for the gallery. Sped up, the footage will give wouldbe participants an idea of the work that goes into the magazine. Erickson: We’re doing a little bit more than the streamers and balloons we had last year. We’re trying to make it more of an event. Along with fun, the magazine has also recently been under fire from some students, currently upset with Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) budget cuts to clubs. While the literary publication has escaped primarily unscathed, others have not been so lucky. The cochiefs, however, are unshaken. Erickson: Community is an overused word, but that’s what we are creating here. There have been some negative posts on Whitman Encounters, but I really think those people are a minority. We’re very conscious of where our money goes, and we really use all of it. An issue of blue moon goes out to every potential student, and the issues always disappear off the stands. I do think we’re important to and for the school. Kern: This is one of the few opportunities that many student writers and artists have to see their work in print. For an amateur artist, to see their stuff in a professional format, that’s huge. It’s something exciting and important. blue moon Vol. 26 will be released on Friday, April 19 with the Gallery opening at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Beat Connection Coffeehouse performance at 8 p.m. Cake and issues of the publication will be available to all attendees.

ILLUSTRATION BY SCHUH

Reclaiming Space FACE, YWCA join forces against sexual violence by karah kemmerly News Editor

n 1917, Mary Shipman Penrose, the wife of Whitman College president Stephen B. Penrose, was the first president of the Walla Walla YWCA. Almost one hundred years later, Whitman and the YWCA are joining forces again to serve women in the community. YWCA advocate Laura Mills, Americorps Intern with the YWCA Jenna Skinness and several members of Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment, Whitman’s feminist club, met earlier this year to collaborate on planning their annual Take Back the Night event, which takes place this year on Thursday, April 18. Take Back the Night is an international event dedicated to protesting and raising awareness of sexual abuse and relationship violence through marches, vigils and other public events. At 8 p.m. marchers will gather in front of Reid Campus Center and march along Isaacs Avenue. Following the march, participants will meet in the amphitheater outside of the Office of Admission, where they will have the opportunity to share the ways in which sexual violence has affected them in an open-microphone session. After listening to these stories, participants have the opportunity to record their reactions directly on campus sidewalks using chalk. YWCA collaborators suggested adding this new activity, known as “chalk-

upying,” to the event agenda in order to provide a chance for participants to really reclaim something. Senior FACE member Kate Kight feels that “chalkupying” adds an important dimension to this year’s event. “It gives everyone there an ability to talk about and express their own reactions in whatever way is most appropriate for them, and it’s also a way for Take Back the Night to physically take back the space and remain a part of campus for a while,” she said. The fact that “chalkupying” allows for a more direct means of participation for all marchers is especially helpful in light of increased support for this event from FACE members and non-members alike. According to FACE Co-President senior Gabriella Friedman, many students have approached her asking to help with Take Back the Night. “There is a lot of excitement from lots of different people, which really shows that this is an important issue for a lot of people on campus,” she said. In addition to helping formulate an agenda, the YWCA has publicized the march on their website and in their newsletter in hopes of attracting many more community members to the event. Advocates will also attend the event to provide information for Take Back the Night participants. Executive Director of the YWCA and Whitman alumna Anne-Marie Schwerin ‘85 hopes to strengthen

ties between Whitman and the YWCA in the future. “Women from Whitman were involved with the YWCA from the beginning. The Whitman connection is already strong ... I hope we can continue to build that connection and be a resource for the community,” she said. Schwerin feels that Take Back the Night is an excellent way for Whitman students and community members to come together over an issue that affects all of them. “Take Back the Night can help people understand that women have to think about this every day, like in a parking lot or walking to our cars. We have to think all the time. The event can get people thinking and talking about everyday fear,” she said. Kight agrees. “I’m really excited about building those ties because issues like this extend far beyond Whitman. I like the idea of breaking down our community boundaries and realizing that who we are and the issues we deal with don’t have physical endpoints bound by campus,” she said. Next year’s FACE leadership and the YWCA hope to work together again to plan events and to fight sexual and gendered violence. Schwerin believes that this collaboration truly fits in with the YWCA mission. “I love the notion and vision of life without fear. If we can help people to step into an idea of life without fear, that’s something important.”

Yearbook, divestment win ASWC endorsement by sarah Cornett Staff Reporter

he fate of Waiilatpu and a resolution advocating for limiting the college’s fossil fuel investments were decided at an ASWC Senate meeting held last Sunday night. Though its status as an ASWCfunded organization was momentarily in question, production and publication of the yearbook will be continued next year, albeit with less funding than requested. Meanwhile, the Divestment Campaign received cautious support from ASWC, with senators passing a resolution by a 16-1-2 vote advocating for limiting new investments in fossil fuels. First-year Senator Jack Percival wrote the resolution with the help of Senior Senator Marcial Díaz Mejía after gathering information from talks with Divestment Campaign and the divestment student hearing two weeks ago. “In the initial stages, we kind of determined that it wasn’t best

to write a resolution that flat-out advocated for complete immediate and unconditional divestment in fossil fuels,” said Percival. “It was something that would be unpalatable to a lot of students and the trustees, I think, just because of economic viability.” The resolution first advocates for limiting new investment in unsustainable energy, with a focus on coal. “The resolution was pertinent to coal, because I don’t think it’s economically viable and it is one of the worst for emissions,” said Percival. A second measure in the resolution encourages the creation of a committee of students, faculty and trustees to investigate divestment issues and look into green managers. “It would be like a college committee specifically devoted to exploring divestment,” said Percival. Another measure included in the original resolution called for the creation of a specifically green fund for investments only in sustainable energy, but Percival amended this

measure out of the resolution Sunday night after concern from Campus Climate Challenge members, who were present in Senate during discussion of the resolution. “By creating a green fund it’s kind of condoning unsustainable practices elsewhere,” said Percival. Members of Whitman’s divestment campaign saw the resolution as a small but important step in raising climate consciousness, one that allows for more compromise with the college’s administration. “We see it as a step in the process. It seems like it’s mild; it doesn’t call for divestment in five years [so] it’s not a strict resolution at all. And the reasoning behind that was just that in dealing with the finance people, the higher-ups that deal with portfolios, it’s a hugely complex process,” said first-year Campaign member Erika Longino. “It’s the first step in letting the higher-ups know that climate change is on our mind.” A contentious debate on the issue of Waiilatpu, the Whitman yearbook, followed the question of di-

vestment. The yearbook was ultimately retained in the bylaws after a vote of 7-11-2, failing to receive the necessary two-thirds majority to decommission the yearbook. A question-and-answer session with sophomore Grant Rommel, the current editor-in-chief, and first-year Meg Logue, who will hold that position next year, brought up many points that have been frequently discussed in recent talks concerning retention of the yearbook. Senators raised questions of the possibility of creating a digital yearbook instead of, or in addition to, a hard copy edition, though Logue said it wouldn’t be in Waiilatpu’s best interest as a campus media organization. “Digital undermines what a yearbook fundamentally is,” Logue said before Senate. Other senators questioned if The Pioneer could merge with Waiilatpu, a possibility Logue said “wouldn’t solve the funding issue.” However, the organizations may be working more closely together next year.

“We’re looking to collaborate with The Pioneer to share some of the resources that would help the yearbook get off of its feet without losing the yearbook’s individuality,” she said. The yearbook will receive $3,500 from ASWC, which is significantly less than its request of $7,583. Logue and Waiilatpu leadership are trying to explore other mediums of funding. “We’ve discussed working with Alumni Office to seek donation for the yearbook, make buying pages possible,” she said. Logue has discussed possibilities of making Waiilatpu resemble the format of the popular blog “Humans of New York,” which posts street photography portraits of a wide variety of individuals throughout the city alongside a brief description of their lives. She said the yearbook is planning on focusing on revising its content next year to reflect what students want to see.

NEWS

PAGE

APR

18 2013 First-year pedals to pick up offcampus compost ILLUSTRATION BY LUND

by Daniel kim Staff Reporter

f you see first-year Linnaea Weld on a bike, you might want to gather your food scraps. Weld and other members of the Industrial Composting Club have started a new bicycle composting pick-up program specifically targeted at the off-campus student community. Starting in two weeks, members will bike along a circuit of Whitman’s off-campus houses in order to make it easier for all students to deposit their compost. Weld was the mastermind behind this new program. After observing a similar compost pick-up project at Earlham College in Indiana, she knew she wanted to make it happen at Whitman. In order to achieve this goal, she applied for

“We just want people to be aware of where their food waste goes, and what to and not to compost.” Linnaea Weld ‘12 First-year

TEDx builds ties with community Staff Reporter

n April 27, Kimball Theatre will host the first inaugural TEDxWhitmanCollege event, featuring student and faculty speakers. Though tickets for the event in Kimball sold out shortly after sales opened, tickets are still available for a concurrent livestream of the talks in Olin Hall. T EDxWh it ma nCollege is an independently organized, community-based event modeled on the internationally known TED format. Seven speakers from the Whitman and Walla Walla communities will deliver 15-minute talks that creatively interpret the theme “Walla Walla and Beyond.” Juli Dunn, director of the Whitman Academic Resource Center and one of the organizers of the event, believes that TEDxWhitmanCollege talks will create a part-

nership with the wider Walla Walla community and share what the students and faculty of Whitman are working on. “I think the TEDxWhitmanCollege talks are really an opportunity to celebrate ideas and innovation. I work with students in lots of different capacities, and I know they are always up to interesting and creative things. This is the perfect forum in which to showcase those ideas and things,” said Dunn. Themes of the talks vary from environmental to health concerns and everything in between, combining the use of video and live speakers to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. Sophomore Theodore Ciszewski will be giving a talk about aquaponics, a topic based around his work to promote sustainability in Whitman’s food sources. He said he has spent a lot of time preparing for the event. “Preparation has in-

NEWS BRIEFS ASWC Works On Bylaw Amendments The ASWC Bylaws Committee will be meeting on Saturday, April 20 and Saturday, April 27 at from 4 until 5 p.m., as well as on Wednesday, April 24 from 3 until 5 p.m. to discuss proposed revisions to the ASWC bylaws. Students are welcome to attend these meetings and to ask questions if they have them.

volved a lot of reflection on our own process here at Whitman and how it more broadly applies. It’s involved really incorporating the beyond Whitman theme, and made us reflect on our motivations on the physical concept. It involved a lot of writing and a lot of memorization. Right now it feels just like something I would say, in crafting this ... the language can’t sound too forced,” said Ciszewski. Ciszewski said he was excited to share his work with the community in the accessible format of a TED talk. “[I hope to] share the excitement of this idea to Whitman ... and make it more relatable,” he said. Senior Jordan Benjamin is also giving a TED talk about a topic he’s been interested in for years, and has already conducted extensive research on. “I’ll be talking about the issue of snakebites in Africa: what the challenge is, why it should matter to peo-

Volunteers Join with Community for Spring Service Day

Corrections to Issue 10 The photos accompanying the tennis articles on pages 4 and 5 should have been credited to Marlena Sloss.

Several Whitman students will team up with other student volunteers from Walla Walla University and Walla Walla Community College on Sunday, April 21 to participate in nearly 30 different service projects in the area. Participants can meet in the Reid Campus Center Ballroom at 9 a.m. for a kick-off event before driving to their respective project locations.

Sigma Chi to Host Charity ‘Run For Color’

2013 Baccalaureate Dedicated to Richard O’Brien, Composer Morten Lauridsen to Receive Degree

Sigma Chi is hosting a five-kilometer noncompetitive charity run around campus on Sunday, April 21 to raise money for art programs in Walla Walla public schools. Volunteers will throw non-toxic powder paint at participants throughout the marathon, and runners will leave with newly colorful clothing.

This year’s Baccalaureate Service, an event taking place before the official commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 18 from 2:30 to 3:30 in Cordiner, will be dedicated to the memory of Richard O’Brien. O’Brien passed away in a skiing accident in the February of 2010, his first year at Whitman.

Runners should be at Reid Campus Center side lawn at 11 a.m to participate.

Composer Morten Lauridsen ‘65 will speak before a performance of his well-known choral composition Lux Aeterna on Saturday May 18 from 11:00-12:00 p.m., performed by the Whitman College Chorale. Lauridsen, who left Whitman College to study composition at the University of Southern California, will receive an honorary degree at commencement.

The registration fee for Whitman students is $15 online and $20 at the event. Students can also pay $5 to be paint throwers at the event. Those who want to register online can still sign up at about.me/runforcolor.

ple and how we can begin to unravel such a complex mess, based on my experiences working as a snakebite medicine specialist on the continent for eight months,” said Benjamin. “I’ve been working with snakes since I was a kid, studying snakebite medicine for the past couple of years and practicing it in the field for the past year. Hopefully people will enjoy it and come away with something.” The event will be hosted by Northwest Public Radio’s Sueann Ramella. In the end, Dunn said she hoped these talks will become a link between the outside world and the Whitman College experience. “One of my big goals for TEDxWhitmanCollege this year is to share that innovation and creativity beyond the Whitman bubble. This is an amazing community and this is an area [where] we can continue to build strong ties,” said Dunn.

Want to see video of this weekend’s Tour of Walla Walla bike race? Check it out Sunday at whitmanpioneer.com/sports

hunger ...

a place to eat

writing

BUSINESS

Editor-in-Chief Rachel Alexander

Production Manager Sean McNulty

NEWS

Business Manager Vincent Peterson

Managing Editor Libby Arnosti

Production Associates Callan Carow, Maddison Coons, Molly Johansen, Madison Munn, Annie Robison

PIONEER

PRODUCTION

News Editors Emily Lin-Jones Karah Kemmerly A&E Editor Aleida Fernandez Sports Editor Tristan Gavin Feature Editor Adam Brayton Opinion Editor Alex Brott Humor Editor Kyle Seasly Photography Editor Marie von Hafften Illustration Editor Julie Peterson

Chief Copy Editor Marisa Ikert Copy Editors Katie Steen Matthew Nelson Chloe Kaplan

ILLUSTRATION Toby Alden, Katie Emory, Luke Hampton, Emily Jones, Kelsey Lund, Asa Mease, Marlee Raible, Tyler Schuh, Eduardo Vazquez

PHOTOGRAPHY cade beck, Catie Bergman, Devika Doowa, Brennan Johnson, Susie Krikava Halley McCormick, Becca Mellema, Marlena Sloss, Skye Vander Laan

A&E

Clara Bartlett, Emma Dahl, Nathan Fisher, Mallory Martin, Quin Nelson

FEATURE

Hannah Bartman, Serena Runyan, Emily Williams

SPORTS

Cole Anderson, Peter Clark, Sarah Debs, Kyle Howe

OPINION

Sam Chapman, Blair Hanley Frank, Gladys Gitau, Daniel Merritt, Sayda Morales, Natalie Stevens, Spencer Wharton

BACKPAGE

Evelyn Levine, Tristan Gavin, Zach Gordy, Tabor Martinsen, Matt Raymond

GRAZE

tortas

(Q.E.D)

editorial

Sarah Cornett, Keenan Hilton, Lachlan Johnson, Daniel Kim, Maegan Nelson, Dylan Tull

...

by MAEgan nelson

grant money through the Outdoor Education Leadership Fund, affiliated with the Environmental Studies department, to pay for the cost of bikes and the trailer in which the compost will be collected. She hopes that the bike composting program will serve as an opportunity to help student agriculture and to share information about composting on campus. Even though the green leaders are not involved with this program, green leaders in certain residence halls teach their sections about composting. The compost club as a whole will be educating those off-campus students who are participating in the program. “The bike is supposed to create more compost for the Organic Garden and the student agricultural plot, which needs organic waste for their fertilizer. Also to educate off-campus students who aren’t getting the education through their green leaders about composting,” said Weld. “We just want people to be aware of where their food waste goes, and what to and not to compost.” She didn’t feel that she was alone in planning the project, however. “I wrote the grant and brought up the idea of it, but everyone in the club has been supporting it,” she said. Professor Bob Carson is on the committee that selects recipients of the OELF grant. He supported the project because the students wrote an excellent proposal and requested little money. Weld hopes to see the pick-up program grow just as interest in the composting club continues to grow. One of her long-term goals is establishing an internship to lead the bike composting pick-up program. “We are trying to get as many people involved with the program as possible before we actually start in two weeks. Someone might be able to take this position as an internship next year, similar to the interns we have for the vermicomposting,” said Weld.

Circulation Associate Tom Glass

WEB TEAM Webmaster Ben Schaefer

Web Editor Blair Hanley Frank Web Content Editor Shelly Le

ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Hannah Bauer

Advertising Associates Helen Brooks,Evie Vermeer For information about advertising in The Pioneer or to purchase a subscription please contact business@ whitmanpioneer.com.

509-522-9991 Sunday 10-3:30 Monday-Saturday 10-7:30

EDITORIAL POLICY

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

SUBMISSION POLICY

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

CODE OF ETHICS

The code of ethics serves as The Pioneer’s established guidelines for the practice of responsible journalism on campus, within reasonable interpretation of the editorial board. These guidelines are subject to constant review and amendment; responsibility for amending the code of ethics is assigned to the Editor-in-Chief in conjunction with the editorial board. The code of ethics is reviewed at least once per semester. To access the complete code of ethics for The Pioneer, visit whitmanpioneer.com/about.

The

NEWS

APR

18 2013

PAGE

NUMBERS

IN THE NEWS

Percentage of advertisements in magazines marketed to teenaged girls that use an appeal to beauty to sell their products SOURCE: national institute on media and the family

Percentage of television commercials aimed at female viewers that use beauty as product appeal SOURCE: national institute on media and the family

Percentage of television commercials aimed at male viewers that use beauty as product appeal

SOURCE: national institute on media and the family

Percentage of 13-year-old American girls surveyed in a study who said they were dissatisfied with their bodies SOURCE: national institute on media and the family

Author Jean Kilbourne describes the negative effects of advertising on public health during a lecture on Tuesday, April 16 in Maxey. Photo by beck

Percentage of 17-year-old American girls surveyed who said they were unhappy with their bodies

Kilbourne attacks advertising by KEENAN HILTON Staff Reporter

rmed with statistics and a powerful slide show, veteran of advertisement critique Jean Kilbourne came to campus with a reminder: We might not constantly think about advertisements, but they are constantly affecting us. Kilbourne gave a lecture on Tuesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in Maxey Auditorium. Her presentation incorporated findings from 40 years of research on the presentation of women in tobacco and alcohol advertisements. “I was involved with the women’s movement,” said Kilbourne. “I had some experience as a model which was very soul-destroying ... and it left me with a lot of interests—the whole idea of the image and of beauty and who wins and who loses. This was in the late ‘60s, so I’ve been doing this a really long time. I was the first person to look at gender and advertising.” In her lecture, Kilbourne recast the issue of advertisements as one of public health.

She tied images of emaciated models to the emergence of myriad psychological disorders affecting young women. She argued that most of us are not aware of it, but we live in a toxic cultural environment. “We end up looking for love in all the wrong places and feeling stressed and disappointed even if we’re not conscious of why,” said Kilbourne. Kilbourne barraged her audience with objectifying images and rapid-fire commentary, which affected audience members on an emotional level. “I think [Kilbourne is] very charismatic, and she brings a lot of specific examples that really reinforce her point in a way that’s emotionally poignant,” said senior Robyn Metcalfe, who attended the lecture. During the questionand-answer session following the presentation, Kilbourne also described advertising as a product of a culture that prizes profit over happiness. “The type of monopoly capitalism that we have is being called to question these days ... we’re beginning to

see some of the terrible consequences of the drive for profit being the be-all and endall of life,” said Kilbourne. According to Kilbourne, these corporations are responsible for damaging the psyches of many young people through the presentation of these images in advertisements. She sees movements away from advertisement as part of a broader struggle. “She brought up Citizens United as an example,” said Metcalfe. “I’d never made that connection before. A movement is emerging ... It’ll take a critical mass to make a difference and whether that’ll happen I don’t know, but we’re seeing everything from ... Campaign for CommercialFree Childhood to things like Occupy, you know, that are beginning to break through.” Audience members were glad to see that she incorporated several important points into her overall argument. “The sort of barrage of sexualization that she showed us really hammered home how pervasive the problem is ... I think [by] integrating things like the fetishization

SOURCE: national institute on media and the family

3000

of chastity, and commodification of childhood and anorexia, and other eating disorders and depression, and tying them in with the early adolescent self-esteem slump, she really painted a complete picture of the problem,” said junior Ben Harris. They felt that actually seeing a presentation of these advertisements really helped them to grasp her arguments. “The visuals were a big player in the effectiveness,” said audience member first-year Olivia Kinney. “They’re so surprising to see even though we see this stuff all the time.”

Number of advertisements the average young person in America sees each day

160

Number of magazines targeted specifically at children SOURCE: national institute on media and the family

4.5 billion 2012 net profit (in euros) for Unilever, the maker of Dove soap and Axe deodorant SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal

Admissions director brings liberal arts experience by Maegan nelson Staff Reporter

ven as acceptance letters are going out for incoming students, the Office of Admission is undergoing a major transition in leadership. Claremont McKenna College alumnus Adam Miller was recently selected as the new director of admission to replace former director Kevin Dyerly after a nationwide search. “Adam brings with him good experiences in international recruitment, athletic recruitment and student life; these are experiences that we think can help our office in those areas of admission and in connecting with others on campus,” said Tony Cabas-

co, dean of admission and financial aid at Whitman College. Miller graduated from Claremont McKenna College in 2003 and then joined the Office of Student Life at the University of Redlands. While working toward an M.A. in higher education, he and his wife decided to move closer to Los Angeles. He was later hired by Claremont McKenna and became associate dean of admissions in 2010. In between his educational careers, Miller was a professional baseball player after he graduated from Claremont McKenna. “I pitched for Claremont McKenna’s baseball team throughout college, mostly as a relief pitcher my first two years

and then as a starting pitcher my junior and senior years. Some of my fondest memories from college are from playing baseball and my teammates are among my closest friends to this day,” said Miller in an email. When a former coach asked Miller if he wanted to play for Saint-Lô Jimmer’s in France, Miller “jumped at the chance.” “When I was a kid I always wanted to be a professional baseball player ... how many people actually get to live out their childhood dreams?” he said. With his balanced background in athletics and academics, Miller is excited to work for Whitman. “My initial positive impressions of Whitman were con-

firmed when I came to campus for my interview in January. Whitman is an ideal place in so many ways. The campus is beautiful. The students are dynamic and interesting. The staff and faculty are dedicated to creating a supportive, yet challenging environment that will help students reach their potential,” said Miller. As with any move, changes are inevitable. As Miller is moving from one liberal arts college to another, he believes the changes shouldn’t be too extreme. “I still have a lot to learn about Whitman ... But in terms of size, academic excellence, liberal arts focus, commitment to undergraduates, quality of teaching and a host of other important factors, I think

Whitman and CMC are more similar than different,” said Miller. For admissions office interns such as senior Nikolas Hagen, a new director is expected to bring some changes, though not in the daily routine of most interns. “[A normal workday] in the office as a senior admission intern [involves] doing interviews, planning visit days and reading applications,” said Hagen. Although as a senior he will not deal with the new hire directly, Hagen noted that some interns will be affected by this new development. “I loved my time at Claremont McKenna, but Whitman offers an amazing combination and I am really excited for this move,” said Miller.

18 A&E Theses produce inspired art works APR

PAGE

2013

by CLARA BARTLETT Staff Reporter

“For my thesis, I’m exhibiting a series of very long panoramic photographs made by a robotic contraption I built with [a] repurposed scanner and computer hardware. The prints themselves will each be over 150 feet long and provide a new window onto the expansive and troubled landscapes of the American West. They will be printed in the Fouts Gallery over the course of the monthlong exhibition.” -Ben Lerchin

arking the opening of the Senior Thesis Exhibition, 5:30 p.m. tonight in the Olin Auditorium, there will be a visiting artist talk by Elizabeth Dove followed by a reception outside the Sheehan Gallery. The exhibition and reception will continue in the Fouts Center for Visual Arts Gallery, displaying the hard work, thought and artistic talent of the senior class art majors. The Pioneer asked the exhausted and glowing artists about their inspiration behind the works on display. For more photos of the artists and their work check out www. whitmanpioneer.com/category/ae

“For my senior thesis project I’ve made two wearable costumes from sculptural materials and LEDs. I’ve used my love for video games, fantasy and cosplay to create two characters that aim to blur the lines of our conventional ideas of good and evil.” -Lauren Maricle “In ‘Cuz I Loved You,’ I personified this ‘curse’ by creating a fictional couple whom I utilize to explore relationship dynamics. The moving film scenes are shot with Super 8 [mm] film.” -Lily Idle ‘13

“I use plastic and ceramic materials, binding and inflating them. I explore these materials’ designated function and then use them incorrectly. Lots of color. I’m interested in weightlessness and play.” -William Newman-Wise

“For my thesis, I have created a body of mixed media collages. They consist mostly of found photographs that I have integrated with my own drawings and embroidery. Each collage lives inside of a thick stack of glass panes, which are held together by handmade wooden frames.”

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: Take Back the Night March for justice against sexual assault. The march departs from Reid Campus Center lobby. An open mic follows the march in the amphitheater. Thursday, April 18 at 8 p.m.

Weeding and Waffles at the Co-op Come for the weeding and stay for the waffles! Weed gardens in the Walla Walla community and then enjoy homemade waffles at the Community Service Co-op after a morning of hard work! Saturday, April 20 at 9:30 a.m. Meet at the Co-op.

Quesadillas at La Casa Join La Casa Hispana for some delicious quesadillas and practice your Spanish. ¡Qué bueno! Sunday, April 21 at 4 p.m. at La Casa Hispana.

-Anna Dawson

“My thesis work is about capturing the ephemeral qualities of human relationships, the beautiful and the ugly, the happiness and the pain. My work concentrates on my relationship with my mother, but can be applied to any relationship to certain degrees. Being here and having things is great, but that condition also means that just as easily one could be gone or have nothing.” -Nicholas Leppmann

“My work deals with the image of an ideal home I’ve been exposed to through various medias, from television programs to sentimental home decorations from Hallmark stores. How do these shape and reflect our ideals and what do they say about the places we actually live in? These are some of the questions I hope to ask through my work. I would highly encourage everyone to come out and see all the senior art that is in the art building’s gallery as well as in the Sheehan Gallery.” -Sara Portesan PHOTOS BY DOOWA AND VON HAFFTEN

Powers of the False: “Tange Sanzen and the Plot Worth a Million Ryo” This talk by Phil Kaffen, lecturer in the department of cinema and media studies at the University of Chicago, focuses on Yamanaka Sadao’s brilliant 1935 film “Tange Sazen and the Pot Worth a Million Ryo” in order to illuminate the distinct imagination and complexity of jidaigeki in Japan, in addition to highlighting the skill of Yamanaka, one of Japan’s great filmmakers. Monday, April 22 at noon in Olin 157.

The Strokes’ Comedown Machine falls short of cohesiveness by EMMA DAHL Staff Reporter

he Strokes, one of the greatest modern post-punk bands (in this reporter’s humble opinion), is a group that has a clear evolutionary arc in its style; beginning with the debut album Is This It, The Strokes’ sound was beautifully unassuming. The instrumentation of their first album was simple, just what

you’d find in a typical punky garage jam session. The melodies were clean and uncomplicated. Through consecutive releases, the band’s sound grew and evolved and fluctuated from there, turning a little more electronic perhaps, and complicating song structure a little here and there. This process of change is a natural development any musicmaking group has to go through if they want to keep making interesting music. I have to give them credit, though; The Strokes always manage to retain the critical elements of their music that made their debut album so good: quick tempos, fun guitar riffs and catchy drum beats, and Julian Casablancas’ perfect crooning voice singing great, angsty lyrics. So when I started to listen to their new release, Comedown Machine, I was excited to see what direction The Strokes were headed nowadays. Would they be a little more pop-ish? Would they return to their simpler roots? However, the first time I listened to the album, I was a little confused. Normally, I think an LP should have a kind of traceable arc among its tracks; the songs should be connected by a common theme, or style, or story or whatever. That’s what makes albums such a pleasure to listen to as a whole; the album as a collection of music is an experience, besides the joy of listening to individual songs. That was not the case with Comedown Machine. Every other song felt like it was pulled

ILLUSTRATION BY MEASE

from one of The Strokes’ older albums. For example, “All the Time” seems to belong to Room on Fire, and “One Way Trigger” is straight out of Angles. The most baffling track is “Call it Fate, Call it Karma,” which sounds so much like a Little Joy song (a side project of drummer Fabrizio Moretti’s) that when it came on, I actually thought Spotify had randomly ditched The Strokes and started playing Little Joy instead. So I think the word that best describes Comedown Machine is “disjointed.” It’s difficult to understand what the band was try-

ing to do with it, what direction they were trying to go with their sound. The LP gets lost in its diversity; the tracks aren’t cohesive with each other at all. All this being said, though, it’s still a solid release, and a lot of the songs are really good on their own. “Welcome to Japan” is a great track, as well as “All the Time.” Like I said, The Strokes didn’t lose their essential elements, and their music is still great. But considering the album as a whole, The Strokes may have been just too unfocused on this one.

APR

18 2013

SPORTS

PAGE

SPRINGTIME INTRAMURALS RETURN Ultimate Frisbee is one of many intramural sports Whitman students are enjoying as the weather improves. Above, Isaac Reister ‘14 reaches past the outstretched arms of his defender. Photo by McCormick

by cole anderson Staff Reporter

t a school as active and enthusiastic as Whitman, the intramural program is a popular facet of the outdoor community. While the varsity sports teams are all about competition and serious participation, intramural sports allow for those who are less competitive and more interested in the fun of a sport to get the chance to play. Most sports involve two divisions, the first being more competitive. With team names like “Notorious D.I.G.” in volleyball, “Brokebat Mountain” in softball and “Hold Ma Disk” in intramural ultimate Frisbee, though, it is easy to see that most of the atmosphere is fun and laid-back across the board. Due to the club team use of Ankeny Field and the busy lives of most Whitman students, arranging field space and game times that work with everyone can be very tough on intramural organizers who have a variety of responsibilities. “As the league organizer, you have to make sure the ros-

ter form is current, make sure publicity is adequate and schedule and lead the captains’ meeting. I also work with the Sherwood [Athletic Center] field space coordinator to figure out when and where there is space to schedule the games,” said senior Gus Friedman, one of the directors of the intramural committee, regarding his role. Friedman is one of many students working to set up the leagues students participate in with responsibilities of the six students on the committee ranging depending on their positions. “We’re also responsible for creating the game schedule for the season, collecting and recording scores and standings as the season progresses, staying in contact with captains so that we’re in the loop with the season and can respond to any concerns that arise, scheduling playoffs and finally ordering blue shirts for the champions,” said Friedman. In general, fall intramural sports like football, soccer and basketball are most popular, but the spring season has been surprisingly busy. “We have 20 teams for softball,

16 teams for volleyball and 18 teams for ultimate Frisbee. This spring we’ve had an incredible turnout,” said sophomore Julianna Wetmore, one of the intramural coordinators. Though there is quite a bit of planning and work that goes into the intramural season, it is also a rewarding process for those involved. “I enjoy organizing events similar to this, so the coordinating process is enjoyable for me. I think what makes this job rewarding is having to adjust to obstacles that are inevitable,” said junior Brian Choe, the ultimate Frisbee coordinator. There definitely is a tangible appreciation that comes from those playing on intramural teams. Rarely do participants have a bad experience playing their respective sports, and for the most part everything goes smoothly. Riley Paul, a sophomore on the varsity soccer team, reflected on the contrast between playing IM and varsity sports. “It’s nice to take a break from a really competitive atmosphere and play strictly for fun. Being able to play a sport in a less competitive

atmosphere and just branching out and trying sports I’ve never played before is awesome, and doing that in an environment that’s really friendly, with lots of friendly people: That’s the best,” said Paul of his favorite aspects of intramural sports. Intramurals are also a chance for participants to try a sport they may not have ever played before. “I’m playing Frisbee and softball. But ultimate [Frisbee] has been more enjoyable so far. It’s a sport I can relate to a bit more because I have a lot of friends on the club team here, so I’m learning the sport a bit more through them,” said Paul. Besides learning skills in a sport, participants get a chance to reconnect with friends from previous years. Many teams consist of re-

Mariners’ outlook

Seattle faces fan expectations TRISTAN GAVIN Sports Editor

S Photo by Johnson

Kinney produces wins for Missionary baseball by cole anderson Staff Reporter

ith a 12-18 overall record and a 7-13 league record, the Whitman varsity baseball team is having one of its best seasons in recent memory. This could be due to a higher work ethic on and off the field, an improved emphasis on practice or an overall heightened sense of confidence. If one person can be credited with bringing changes to Whitman baseball, it’s Interim Head Coach Sean Kinney. After a disappointing season last year, it was clear that the team would need a new coach. But few were sure whom—and even fewer had any idea what—to expect in 2013. Fortunately, the appointed interim coach Kinney knew the program well enough to understand the necessary changes, and so far his knowledge has paid off. The position of an interim head coach isn’t technically permanent, and depends on how the season goes. As tough as that alone is, Kinney also took over a team that had amassed only 10 total wins over two seasons. He has led the team to more wins than that in less than one season. “This has absolutely been a rewarding experience. The members of this team make that a reality every day. Each has [his] individual strengths and personalities, and I believe that provides an incredible environment for learning while enjoying a sport that you love,” said Kinney of his first head coaching season at Whitman. Players noticed a stark change when Kinney assumed his new role. “He’s definitely set a nononsense tone. No time is wasted messing around or going through the motions. From start to finish, it’s grind, grind, grind,” said senior Chris Andrews.

That hard work has shown in the team’s ability to carry early leads late into games and ultimately come away with wins. However, getting to this point hasn’t been easy, and the work that remains to be put in will be just as tough. The team has already made enormous strides under Kinney to become a contender in the Northwest Conference, but hopes to continue the transition into a top team. The team’s success this year comes as a result of its ability to adjust to the new system, and Coach Kinney’s ability to motivate. “Last season was just a story of a lot of losses. We knew the old coach would be out the door and we knew there’d be a new coach, but weren’t sure which. Coach Kinney stepped in beginning in the fall and it was right away a good start,” said Andrews. “He’s been in the program for a long time and so far he has executed well with that vision he had for the program.” “Coming in as a freshman ... I was unfamiliar with what college ball was like and coaching is important for that transition. Coach [Kinney] provided the guidance and patience needed for freshmen. That was really helpful,” said Ozzy Braff, a first-year shortstop. With only three weekends left for the Missionaries, the common goal for the players and coaches is to finish off an improved season with several more solid wins. “It means a lot to see the team seeing more success in terms of wins and losses. That helps to show that we are moving in the right direction, with our baseball IQ and athleticism improving. This is why I feel like this is the place I need to be. I want to get this program to the point where we are making a regional every year and providing the positive experience that Whitman is all about,” said Kinney.

The difference between this year’s team and ones from recent memory is discernible from the box scores alone. Unlike previous years, the team is scoring runs at a high frequency. “Offensively, [juniors] Aaron Cohen and Cam Young have been our best hitters this season, both hitting above .360 in the middle of our lineup. [Junior] Kyle Buckham is hitting over .300 and has 14 [stolen bases], third in Conference. Kyle Moyes [‘14] leads the conference with seven home runs. Cohen and Moyes are both top 15 in conference in [runs batted in] with over 22 apiece,” said Kinney. The offense alone is not winning games. Whitman has been much more consistent in giving the team a chance to win by pitching well from start to finish. “Pitching-wise, [sophomore] Spencer Hobson has been our best starter. He is 4-1, with a 1.93 [earned run average], and three-time Honorable Mention Pitcher of the Week. [Senior] Justin Weeks, [senior] Brett Lambert and [junior] Dakota Matherly have all been good starters for us this season. They give us a chance to win almost every outing. Cohen is 2-0, has one save and has been great out of the pen. [Firstyear] Robert Maislin has had three saves for us this year,” said Kinney. With all this improvement, there are only positive hopes for the future from both players and coaches. This is an exciting transitionary time for Whitman baseball. The early successes of Coach Kinney and high praise from players beg for his transition to a permanent coaching role to get the team to the top of the conference. The team heads to California this upcoming weekend to take on University of Redlands before its final home series against conference-rival Whitworth University.

peat teammates which makes intramural games even more enjoyable. “Playing on a team with friends makes the games so much more fun. Though we’re all relatively competitive, the overall atmosphere is very friendly and laid-back,” said firstyear Jeremy Kruger, an athlete playing ultimate Frisbee and softball. As a coordinator and player, Choe has insight on both ends of the spectrum. “I think part of the reason why I applied for this was because I had a great experience freshman year ... Most of the people on the committee want to give back and make the experience that great for everyone. I think having fun is what it’s all about, and that’s the essence of IM sports,” said Choe.

eattle is a sad sports city. No, it isn’t hopelessly doomed to horrendous teams in every sport like Cleveland, but that is precisely what makes me sympathetic to Seattle sports fans. They are hopeful. Hopeful enough to expect an undersized rookie quarterback to take a good-not-great football team to the Super Bowl. Hopeful enough to try to buy basketball season tickets as soon as rumors of the return of the SuperSonics began to circulate. Hopeful enough to root for the MLS. Seattle fans want so badly to be a great sports city like Boston, New York and, in recent years, San Francisco. While the fans’ struggles are almost admirable in a sad sort of way, their anxiousness to be great is dooming them for the mediocrity they despise being associated with. Any Seattle Mariners fan you talk to will take pleasure in reminding you of the early 2000s when the team thrived with a newly inked Ichiro Suzuki and cast of strong role players. For the last decade, the Mariners’ organization has fought tirelessly to return to that glory without avail. They have brought in stars and big contracts with optimism for success, but have lived and died (but mostly died) by the successes and failures of big name players. The Mariners’ front office is desperate to appease their frustrated fan base. They always bring in exciting new faces, bring back old favorites like Junior Griffey and Raúl Ibañez, and even changed their stadium to try to remedy their struggles. But that isn’t how baseball works. If you look at the teams that have been successful in the last decade—the Yankees and Red Sox in the early 2000s or the Giants and Rangers in the past four years— they have a general philosophy and constants that ground them in success. The Red Sox and Yankees constantly make big free agent signings, but build around a core of franchise players like Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz. The Mariners have tried to build teams from the top down, bringing in star talent to fill their biggest roles, when they should be building the team up from homegrown talent, using free agency to push the team from good to great, not from medium to medium-plus-Beltré. Building from homegrown talent allows you to play to your or-

ganization’s strengths. The Giants stocked up on young pitching toward the end of the Bonds Era. In the last five years they have emerged as a top team thriving off of a stellar pitching staff. They have not made big name signings because pitching can be developed and big bats don’t make a lot of noise in the windy AT&T Park. Their sexy blockbuster move to help the team on their World Series run last year was journeyman second baseman Marco Scutaro. Sure, fans would have loved to see them bring in a big bat to stand at first base, but that isn’t how the Giants win games. The Mariners’ organization has great young talent and a deep minor league system, but it has too many moving pieces to establish itself as a team with the sustainable success its city deserves. Why move the fences in when you could have speedsters Michael Saunders and Franklin Gutiérrez chasing down balls to provide defense for your young crop of pitchers? Why bring in defensive liabilities in Morse and Bay to hit 20 solo home runs each and take up a lineup spot for younger players? It is clear that Seattle fans want and expect big things from the Mariners immediately, but the Mariners simply need patience. Great pitching depth and young talent behind the plate and up the middle could mean success for the next decade in Seattle. In order to develop into the perennial division champions they want to be, though, the Mariners need to allow players to develop within a system rather than trying frantically to compete with much more developed Anaheim, Texas and Oakland teams in the short term. Seattle fans are loyal and optimistic, but if you think this is the Mariners’ year, you are only echoing the desperate mentality that doomed your team to a decade of mediocrity. It probably won’t be a good year for Seattle, but if fans aren’t patient enough to see things through without demanding trades and signings halfway through the year, there won’t be many good years to come.

SCOREBOARD Baseball

v. Willamette University Apr. 13: L 9-5 v. Willamette University Apr. 13: L 4-3 v. Willamette University Apr. 14: L 8-5

tennis

Men’s v. Pacific Lutheran University Apr. 13 (doubleheader): W 7-2, 8-1 v. University of Puget Sound Apr. 14: W 9-0 v. Lewis-Clark State Apr. 16: W 6-3 Women’s v. Pacific Lutheran University Apr. 12: W 9-0 v. University of Puget Sound Apr. 13: W 8-1

FEATURE

PAGE

APR

18 2013

Whitman College— Encounters has grown from a small website riding the coattails of LikeALittle to being its own anonymous forum with all kinds of discussion. As the administrator graduates, we look back at what brought us to this point, as well as what lies in the future of the website.

—The Pioneer Posted at noon on April 18th

comment

link

hide

flag

ENCOUNTERS of the second kind

Internet chatter in our lifetimes 1988: AppleLink, later known as AOL, develops the first chat room. Its max capacity is 23 people per room.

1999: Blogger started, becomes world’s first blogging platform.

1996: AOL transitions to monthly fees; users now able to spend unlimited time in chat rooms. 1998: AIM becomes available to non-AOL subscribers after 1997 start-up.

2001: Sixdegrees.com ceases operations. 2002: Friendster founded as social networking site, then later becomes social gaming site.

2003: Myspace founded as social networking site.

2004: Facebook founded at Harvard University by Mark Zuckerberg, initially for Harvard students only. 2005: Reddit is founded. 2006: Pioneer column shows Whitman students disapprove of brand new Facebook news feed feature. 2010: “Overheard @ Whitman College” Facebook group is founded, today still going strong at over 1,100 members.

2010: Myspace, now boasting a greater emphasis on connecting with musical artists, changes its logo.

2012: Whitman Encounters founded.

2006: Whitman College Pioneer website is launched using the WordPress platform.

2010: LikeALittle founded, used at Whitman for light, anonymous flirtation.

2012: Facebook makes school-specific open groups possible with valid college email address.

Present day TIMELINE BY BRAYTON

by Hannah Bartman Staff Reporter

1992: AOL comes into its own and goes public, operating with hourly fees.

1996: Sixdegrees.com becomes world’s first social network, is organized around degrees of separation.

Graduating administrator plans future of ‘Encounters’ hether it’s for creative expression, brutally honest opinions or sexual curiosity, Whitman Encounters provides a forum for the emotions kept behind doors on campus. It has become a Whitman norm, and with the graduation of the site’s anonymous creator, the fate of the website is put into question. “[The future of Encounters] is up to everybody that uses it; I’m just as much of a user as anyone else,” said the administrator of Encounters. “I’m the arbiter about what gets posted and what doesn’t, and that task will be passed on.” The future of Encounters is dependent upon popular demand, and that demand is not lacking, such that the site reaches roughly 1,200 views a day. The small amount of technical and operational work that the supervisors of the site must instate will not affect the future of such a site with their disappearance. “I try to keep it free of malicious users,” said the administrator. “Most of what I do is reinstating stuff that people have taken down, because the Whitman ‘nice’ pours over even into that.” Encounters was predated by LikeALittle, a website that focused more on the undercurrent of sexual tension on campus. Posters would specify the hair color and sex of their admired and a short message about them. At Whitman, LikeALittle was receiving up to 100 posts a day before Encounters knocked the website out of its fame. “I think Encounters can get a little heavy, but LikeALittle was always just fun,” said sophomore Molly Streeter. Looking back, the administrator saw a fault in this site as being excessively “banal” and “hetero-normative.” Part of Encounters still offers the possibility of sexual relations, but it has a greater nondiscriminatory nature towards gender. Sexual orientation is, most of the time, not presupposed to be strictly heterosexual, and other forms of sexual relations are engaged as well. The dual ability of Encounters to provide the blanket of anonymity and the social comfort of the possibility of an email address gives students the possibility but also the responsibility to speak blatantly. “It was a response to a feeling that I got that people don’t feel comfortable actually communicating at this school,” said the administrator. “It’s time to create another place for people to connect and have meaningful discussions without the pretense of reputation and the feigned niceties.” The administrator created Encounters in February of 2012 partially due to a belief that Whitman has a culture “where niceness is valued more than honesty.” A key component of Encounters was the wish to embrace the true emotions of Whitman students—regardless of their confrontational nature. Despite this original wish, the administrator believes that Encounters subscribers have only reached “five percent” of its potential value.

“I am utterly fascinated by the weird stories that people have to share and I feel like it’s so rare to hear them, especially on Encounters. You have to wade through a lot of posts to get to those few actual thoughtful tidbits, but it’s worth it to me,” said the administrator. The quirky and love-starved posts do get their share of activity, but Encounters has opened new channels of communication for students—especially Whitman’s queer community. The site’s creator remarked that earlier in the year a group of students mentioned a Queer Girls Club, recruiting students who might not have heard of the club otherwise. Encounters also offers an interesting perspective for discussions that are difficult to sustain without the anonymity factor that the site provides. One recent post opened a discussion on Whitman’s view on “race and/or racism.” “I frequently feel that the Whitman community is trying to challenge me to talk about race more, but at the same time, the more I talk/think about it, the more likely I am to say something that will offend someone,” said an anonymous poster on Encounters. Race is a topic that can promote perceived prejudices simply by the identity of the opinionated. Encounters provides discussion without knowledge of a poster’s identity; his or her sex, history, race, sexual orientation or reputation is unacknowledged and unknown to the ensuing virtual crowd. This provides discussion to be based simply upon the content of the post and not about the integrity of the poster. A personal offense to one’s identity cannot be felt because a disagreement is based on an argument. In this way, the administrator believes that discussion is encouraged in a way that it usually is not on campus. “What good is an intellectual community if you never talk about anything intellectual?” said the administrator. However, some Whitman students find that the anonymity granted with the site offers the opposite effect. “It saddens me that Encounters functions as a place for people to vent their emotions anonymously because it might discourage them from seeking help in the real world. There’s only so much that you can do on an online forum,” said first-year Ellen IvensDuran. “I don’t think it sparks really open and honest dialogue all the time. It’s not productive.” The nature of this kind of site—its honesty of the truth behind Whitman’s student encounters—is an element that will not disappear from Whitman culture. The fate of Encounters, or a site like it, is unknown but relies on the student body’s inevitable demand for this unique type of outlet. “The whole point of the site is to generate the possibility of a different kind of encounter, romantic or intellectual,” said the administrator, looking back on the progress of the website. “It should be a kind of encounter that can engender sincerity and growth: the growth that comes from surprise and difference.”

OPINION 7 ASWC needs to do more than talk APR

PAGE

18 2013

Blair Hanley Frank Senior

TECH TALK

hen I wrote my election season column last semester, the Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) was in dire straits. A disjointed communications strategy and ineffectual leadership made for a political entity that seemed distant from the students it was supposed to represent. There’s good news, though. ASWC has made vast improvements since last year, especially in the realm of communications. The work of Sally Boggan ‘13 and the Department of Communications has improved ASWC’s reach by leaps and bounds. It’s been a big year for ASWC as well, with huge victories regarding inter-

national travel and student representation with the Board of Trustees. But there’s always room to improve. Now, ASWC needs to take those successes and convince the Whitman campus it is worth it to care. I love the constant emails through the ASWC listserv, but some of my friends find them tiresome. Now that its communication is on track, ASWC needs to reach out to those people who aren’t predisposed to pay attention to everything that comes out of their office. That’s not an insurmountable problem, but it won’t be solved simply by writing better emails. ASWC needs to give the student body an opportunity to get some skin in the game, and that means radically rethinking some of the key assumptions behind the existence of a Senate and Executive Council. With an incoming Senate class that represents a wide swath of the Whitman community, I think it’s an excellent time for ASWC to turn over a new procedural leaf and become more welcoming to those who aren’t a part of Senate or EC. My recommendations for next year are twofold: ASWC should provide greater opportunities for students to directly influence the political process and work hard to make that process more accessible.

Political Cartoon by Tyler Schuh

Having a Senate that’s able to direct policy and handle housekeeping of ASWC as a system is important and useful. We’re a busy campus with hardworking students, and when it comes to discussing policies with members of the administration, or managing ASWC’s bylaws, having an elected political elite on campus to represent us makes sense. But that system separates average students from the mechanics of governance. Representation means that it’s possible to vote a couple times and then ignore what ASWC is doing for the rest of the year. Senators already propose measures in committees: Why not allow students to make their own proposals? I’m sure it would require some creative changes to the bylaws, but a more direct democratic system would provide an excellent opportunity for students to influence ASWC’s process in a tangible way, and make us feel like we matter in our student government. In order for those changes to be effective, though, ASWC’s meetings need to become more approachable. The current obsession with strict parliamentary procedure has to go. I understand that running a tight meeting is important, but the mechanisms ASWC has in place to do that

Sophomore

mind the gap

Spencer Wharton Senior

SEXCETERA

t’s the classic setup. A and B are dating. Due to some misunderstanding, A becomes incredibly jealous of the relationship B has with C—which is actually nothing more than a platonic friendship. This becomes a serious plot point, leading to arguments, character development and all sorts of juicy drama. That’s how jealousy works. It’s the doomsday clock on a relationship, ticking down to detonation, and the only way to stop it is for someone to make a sacrifice. Right? Well, no. Jealousy is real and it sucks; there’s no two ways about that. Shakespeare didn’t call it the “green-eyed monster” for nothing: Jealousy can feel like a hulking Jabberwock, eyes aflame and jaws snapping. It’s terrifying and infuriating and not something anyone wants to deal with. But it’s also not the emotional juggernaut it’s often made out to be. From “Othello” to “Doctor Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” we make jealousy out to be an unassailable force of nature. We’ve made such a terrifying specter out of the mere idea of jealousy that it’s often hard to imagine how it could be managed in a way that’s healthy for everyone involved. Let’s start by breaking down the idea of jealousy. As authors Janet W. Hardy and Dossie Easton write in “The Ethical Slut,” jealousy itself isn’t an emotion. Rather, it’s an umbrella term—when you feel “jealous,” you’re probably feeling a potent cocktail of fear, sadness, anger and disgust. This ain’t just a semantic difference. “I’m jealous” only gives you a vague idea of what’s wrong—whatever your partner is doing with someone else. If you break it down into its component parts, you can better put

a finger on what’s bothering you. Maybe you’re scared that you’re going to be replaced. Maybe you’re angry because you feel betrayed. Whatever it is, you’ll have a better chance of identifying it if you look deeper than the easy “jealousy” label. When you break it down into its emotional components, jealousy also becomes a more familiar problem. Fear, sadness, anger—feelings like these often lose their sting when you share them with a compassionate, attentive partner. And putting it in terms of actual emotions often sidesteps the baggage that comes with saying “I’m jealous.” Defanging jealousy also opens up new possibilities for solutions. As long as we treat jealousy like an angry god, the appropriate solutions are similarly dramatic: ultimatums, demands and edicts. But these don’t make healthy relationships. If you go at jealousy as a manageable emotional issue instead, then you can still maintain compassionate communication and an open heart. This means making requests rather than demands. It’s one thing to say, “I would feel better if you did X”—it’s quite another to say, “You need to stop seeing C right away.” The first is something that both you and your partner can cooperate on and feel good about, whereas the second is unlikely to leave anyone feeling good. This also means taking some responsibility for recognizing and meeting your own needs. Our partners often fill a lot of our emotional needs, but—and I’ve been here myself—it’s really easy to slip up and imagine that it’s their duty to fill those needs. Look for other ways (within the bounds of your relationship, of course) to get your needs. If your partner’s plans with a platonic friend are leaving you lonely, text a friend and get out of the house. Sure, it won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll often be a lot better than dwelling on what you don’t have. Finally—and take it from someone who’s been through a ton of jealousy—understand that it fades. Especially once you’ve shared your feelings and no longer feel like they’re trapped inside you, jealousy, like any other source of emotional strife, loses its edge with time. Jealousy sucks, undeniably, but if you manage it with open communication, an open heart and a willingness to cooperate, you can weather it without letting it wreck you.

exclude everyone but the initiated few. It seems that there are even times when the Senate gets confused by its own parliamentary acrobatics, as shown by the fact that the Senate voted on the same amendment three times in a row last Sunday. If the Senate can’t grasp its own procedures, how can a student be expected to understand them? Moreover, the jargon-filled language of parliamentary proce-

dure isn’t even helping the people it’s supposed to keep organized. That should be a signal that it’s high time to reevaluate the way things get done, especially because a more accessible, more human Senate is better for everyone involved. ASWC has made some great strides to bring its message to Whitman’s campus. Now it just needs to put the hard work in to actually make its process more engaging.

Schools: give weight to ACEs Sayda morales

Defanging jealousy demands nuance

ILLUSTRATION BY VAZQUEZ

id a parent or adult in your household often put you down, insult you or humiliate you or act in a way that made you fear you might be physically harmed? If the answer is yes, then you have scored at least one point out of 10 on the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) test. If you were to keep taking the test and score anything above 0, you would be considered at risk of committing crimes, becoming addicted to drugs and/or alcohol, dropping out of school, etc. For many students at Lincoln Alternative, ACEs have been a major part of their lives. But by focusing on addressing and dealing with ACEs as a way to help students stay in school, faculty at Lincoln have also helped students stay out of prison. The school-to-prison pipeline is a recently discovered phenomenon in which students who attend poorlyfunded public schools or come from

impoverished backgrounds are more likely to fall through the cracks of the education system and end up in prison. ACEs play a significant role in determining whether a student ends up in prison. Specifically, if a school does not help a student overcome his/her ACEs, then that student is far more likely to commit crime and be sent to prison for it. Historically, students who misbehaved too much were sent to Lincoln Alternative. Lincoln has not infrequently served as a stepping stone in Walla Walla’s own school-to-prison pipeline, until a dramatic shift in disciplinary policy changed the way Lincoln approached its students. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when then-new principal Jim Sporleder sought to find a way to reform Lincoln, that the idea of ACEs even became a part of the school vernacular. Jim had attended a psychology conference where he learned about adverse childhood experiences, and when he returned to Lincoln, was not so surprised to learn that many of the students score highly on the ACE tests. The students who fall through the cracks of any public school system tend to have high ACE scores; their dropping out of school and ending up in prison is no coincidence. Many of their schools enforce “zero tolerance” policies where if you act out once, you are immediately suspended or expelled, depending on the severity of the act. At Lincoln, however, if students skip class or get into a fight, they are

Voices from the Community

more likely to meet with a counselor to figure out what may be happening at home that is affecting the way they are behaving at school. For many youth at Lincoln, they have parents who have been in and out of prison or adults in their household addicted to drugs, which does not set a positive example for them. If a student goes to school but doesn’t feel that it is a safe space or if he or she feels unable to excel, then street crime and gang activity become increasingly appealing. The way to put a stopper to the school-to-prison pipeline is to adopt a motto similar to that of Lincoln’s, as well as find ways to keep students engaged in school. This is tricky at underfunded public schools because they do not have resources for the programs that could benefit students most. However, it doesn’t cost anything to educate all teachers on ACEs. And there are ways to offer reduced programs such as creating a community garden where the students can work or starting a debate team. Addressing these ACEs head-on can help more completely address the problems that keep these students from succeeding in school, and put them too often in prison. Anything that gives students purpose and makes them feel that even if no one at home cares or even if society expects them to fail, their teachers and school administrators do care and, in fact, know that they can succeed, will help students stay in school and out of prison.

How do you celebrate spring at Whitman? Poll by Marlena Sloss

Sam Gelband

Sierra Dickey

First-year

Sophomore

“Four words: lots of bike polo.”

“I celebrate spring by going on long runs up Mill Creek when it’s nice out.”

Grayson Carlile

Rachel Reiter

Sophomore

Senior

“Climbing trees.”

“My favorite part of spring is taking out my road bike and getting to go on long bike rides.”

Letter to the Editor: Divestment about commitment I have joined a campaign at my college to call for our endowment to be divested from the companies with the largest reserves of fossil fuels. We call for divestment in solidarity with people on the front lines of extreme resource extraction (like mountaintop-removal coal mining and fracking) and victims of climate change all over the world, present and future. The divestment movement is a political strategy, not an economic plan to “bring down” the fossil fuel corporations. The objective of divestment is to help neutralize the fossil fuel industry’s influence by making it so unpopular and politically unattractive that accepting indus-

try money is too costly for any politician. Counteracting the industry’s influence is vital to the success of any effective climate policy. Divestment campaigns perform a powerful, nationwide political action that conveys a warning to our political institutions about the authenticity and depth of our commitment to a livable future. This action is meant to convey the seriousness of our demands for effective climate action from our elected representatives in a way standard pressure tactics cannot. Divestment will not on its own lead to climate justice, especially given the amount of political in-

ertia needed to be overcome and the wealth and entrenched power of the fossil fuel industry. But along with the combination of other tactics that are now being employed, divestment can make a significant contribution to climate justice. The divestment movement is gaining traction. Four colleges have agreed to divest their endowments from fossil fuel companies and the City of Seattle has also moved to divest the city pension fund from fossil fuels. This may be a viable option for Whitman College as well, but only if we demand it. Audrey Vaughan ‘15

BACKPAGE

PAGE

APR

18 2013

Macklemore returns to eager Whitman

fter Allen Stone came to campus, students were left with a lot of questions about the Whitman Events Board (WEB). “Why are we wasting money on ‘blue-eyed soul singers’? Isn’t that racist?” asked ColorBlind on Whitman Encounters. After asking the student body what sort of events they would rather WEB put on, it became clear that the students had a very ... distinct vision. “MACKLEMORE!!!” shouted a group of Kappas. Other students agreed. “I don’t care if we have to raise tuition; it’s Macklemore. He’s from Seattle. I have friends from there,” said first-year Cam Srosby. Srosby, despite not actually being from Seattle, feels like Macklemore’s music really speaks to him. “‘Thrift Shop’ was definitely probably about me at the ‘80s

dance. I bought my clothes at a thrift shop,” said Srosby, wearing a Wa-Hi JV Track and Field t-shirt. WEB has given in to student requests and spent all of its funding, and the Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) is contributing, too. The Board of Trustees is also considering selling half of their stocks in oil companies to book Macklemore at Reid Coffeehouse until 2018. “The students of Whitman should really manage all of Whitman’s money because even though they don’t understand finances, they understand what they want. It’s Macklemore. They want Macklemore,” said trustee Max Wallace. Macklemore will be coming to Walla Walla in the fall as a new addition to his tour for his new top-selling CD, The Heist. “I’m totally going to get him to sign my Mariners hat,” said senior

Whitman students have no idea what divestment even is

ll around campus we see posters: “Go to see this mediocre artist who’s not FIDLAR (who the mutha-fuckin gangsta squad is that?) WEB has brought in! Check out this talk that looks vaguely interesting about birds riding on top of various felines.” Yet, there is still a myriad of confusion that is growing among Whitman students. Joseph Ratzinger, an exchange student from Vatican City, posed the question that many are asking: “Jesus Christ, what the hell is divestment and why should I give a poop?” Indeed, in a recent survey conducted with a grant from Whitman President George Wash-

ington Towers, it turned out that 98 to 99 percent of students not involved with ASWC “don’t really give a shit about divestment.” (It was one of the answers they could click, seriously, folks.) “Why should I care about modern events? It’s actually probably best if people don’t pay attention to them,” noted Ratzinger. “I think divestment is an old wooden ship,” noted sophomore Buzz Jacobson, quoting a movie that’s 10 years old, and bringing hilarity to all. “It’s like divestment is a word in Spanish ... and I don’t speak Spanish!” Some senior members of ASWC have even grown cynical. “I just honestly care more

and heard about the concert on a tour. Even some faculty members are anxiously awaiting the tickets. “My wife left me when I said I was going to sleep my way into a concert, but at least I have my job,” said a tenured professor of Italian studies from under a picnic table. Perhaps the most surprising face, though, was a mophaired, glasses-wearing, blonde hipster of a man who has taken to playing music for the Hooverville gathered outside the campus center. “I was unaware Macklemore would be gracing us with his presence. I heard someone say so while I was visiting and I got a contact high. I thought, let’s celebrate tonight, and came back here to play some soulful jams. I can’t wait for Macklemore to come; I can barely sleep in this bed I made. Can’t wait to hear some ‘blonde-haired rap,’ as I like to call it,” said the man.

Matt Rickulate, who has withdrawn from his last semester to be present for Macklemore’s concert next year. He might need to act fast on getting tickets, because they are selling like hotcakes that give you access to Reid Campus Center’s 30-person venue. Students have already begun camping outside of Reid to get one of the 30 tickets. Although the tickets don’t go on sale, the students are confident that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “I have seen Macklemore live, like, eight times. But I have never seen him live in the fall of 2013, right? I’d be crazy not to,” said Stu Pidass, a sophomore bundled up in quilts on the back patio. Pidass is not alone camping out. There are literally 16 people. Figuratively, there are hundreds. The faces poking from bundles each tell a unique story, like the prospective student who came for Spring Visitors’ Day from his high school in Seattle

about Beta these days than some big word that’s on some posters and has hearings. How come that word gets hearings? I want other words to get hearings, like ‘octopus’ and ‘crawfish,’” commented junior John Zacharyson, working on his marine biology homework. “Wouldn’t you go to an octopus hearing? I mean, free calamari at the end after we decide it’s a witch, right?” As this reporter was confused and bemuddled by all the references to old movies, he came to his own conclusion, and sat down and decided to watch “Happy Gilmore.” I noted to myself, “If not caring is cool, then call me Miles Davis.”

Unusual new changes to

Greekend

APRIL

WORD SEARCH a y k u f a h a m e p b c p e d v e

d i a m b n d e a a s v u a s a b s

x g a e z c b e g s a t n s h t l h

a b i o i k n e f t l o d s o a o p

l e o h i j g l o e m u e o w b o f

i e l o u a r b o r e u r v e f m g

c u v d h i o i u i i c r r s d f v

p d a f f o d i l v o n g e r e q z

w j t u l i p o d k o t a u r u s w

a n h o i i u j p e u o d u y r a x

i s s e m y i v a x a t s e i n i a

WORDS showers underground daffodil tulip bloom taurus diamond earth easter passover fool

ILLUSTRATION BY HAMPTON

he weekend of Greekend is upon us. That means debauchery, shenanigans, regrets and whole lot of things that sound cool in theory but don’t quite live up to their high expectations. To help change that image, the students in charge of organizing Greekend have decided to implement a few different activities to freshen things up. 1) Instead of the traditional dance competition between the first-years of each Greekfraternity and women’s fraternity, this year first-years from each Greek chapter will choose two partners to try and pick up a coconut and kiss it ... without using their hands. And yes, butt-clenching has been an approved tactic. 2) Hot dog contests are controversial, gross and now a thing of the past. Not only is it a wasteful contest, but it also disregards vegans and vegetarians. To make the contest more equal and inclusive, this year the hot dogs will be replaced by wheatgrass. Contestants must eat or drink as much wheatgrass as they can in five minutes to win. Another important addition to this contest is the “Beauty, Grace and Style” award which is given to the contestant that looks the happiest while eating wheatgrass. 3) In past years, Barefoot

I AT TR

Formal has led to many a scandalous and forgettable night. To prevent this from happening again, a more hygienic and safe event has replaced Barefoot Formal and it even has a catchier name: Blindhand Dance. This event will begin with every attendee standing facing inwards in a large circle under the tented area. They will be asked to close their eyes, stick their hands out and walk forward until they touch another person’s hand. That person is now their one and only dance partner for the night. In this way, there is equality and fairness for even the less “outgoing” people who still want to have a good time. 4) By far the biggest change to this year’s Greekend is the dramatic, emotional, some might even go so far as to say stupid/childish/hilarious/immature change to the women’s fraternity football games. This year, keeping with the fun, fair and equal-for-all theme, women’s fraternities will have teams that will be decided based on attractiveness. It may seem ridiculous or catty, but it is important to keep in mind that students in the Greek system are prone to being overemotional, superficial and self-indulgent, so in other words, not much different from Tristan Gavin’s articles.

NEW id t n de

tu s d ali v h wit

E E F COF RIES T S I A F P I W E FRE

HAPPY HOUR BAR MENU CHICKEN & BEER Any draft beer and chicken nuggets.

BURGERS & BEER Any draft beer and two sliders.

A BITE & WINE

Glass of wine and two grilled chicken skewers or four potstickers.

Draft Beers $2.50 • Well Drinks $3.75 Monday - Thursday • 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.

(free refills on brewed coffee)

509-522-8422

www.w2breadco.com 225 E. Main St. Downtown Walla Walla

BrewPuB 15 Years of Food, Fun, and Great Beers!

11 So. PalouSe • Walla Walla • 522-2440 www.millcreek-brewpub.com