Whitman Pioneer Spring 2012 Issue 11

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ISSUE 11 | April 19, 2012 | Whitman news since 1896

Travel policy requires GlobeMed to self-fund volunteer trip

by RACHEL ALEXANDER Senior Reporter

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Megan Oost ‘12 (top left) and Sarah Canepa ‘12 (above, right) pour concentration into the completion of their projects as visual arts majors at Whitman. Photos by Parrish

SENIOR ART MAJORS FINISH FLURRY OF WORK, PREPARE FOR THESIS EXHIBITION

by CLARA BARTLETT Staff Reporter

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or Whitman’s visual art majors, a thesis is not made of paragraphs and footnotes, but of charcoal and pigment.

The “Visual Art Majors Senior Thesis Exhibition” opens tomorrow, April 20 in Sheehan Gallery. This opening is the culmination of months of creativity and long hours spent working in Fouts Center for Visual Arts, where each senior visual art major has a studio. The majors will give a Juror’s Talk at 5:30 p.m. in Olin 130, followed by the exhibition opening in Sheehan.

Art major Megan Oost discussed her senior project and the ex-

tended process of its development.

“I think one of the most gratifying aspects of the senior thesis has been to see the evolution of such a large scale project,” said Oost. “The sustained attention and concentration that I have been able to devote to the work for the show has allowed me to work through ideas in a really helpful way. I have been able to experiment with materials in materials; make things I know don’t work, or that I hate—and then have time to re-work and edit until I am more satisfied with what’s in front of me.”

Julia Schneider, whose thesis seeks to deconstruct typical imagery and stereotypes of homelessness, spoke about the challenges of preparing a senior

art thesis for public exhibition.

“One thing that has been hard throughout the whole process is knowing that about 1,500 people from campus and the community will not only see my thesis, but have an opinion about it. It’s really daunting, especially in comparison to a thesis paper, which only a few people are required to read. The public nature of it has always made me a little nervous because not everyone is going to like it. But learning about the gallery process, from writing a cover letter to the gallery director, to planning out our exhibit space, to installing our work, has been an invaluable learning experience,” said Schneider.

In preparation for the upcoming “Senior Thesis Exhibition”, sen-

ior art majors sought creative stimulation in New York City last November. Their trip, made possible by a Teagle Grant, allowed senior art majors to push the development of their theses to exciting new levels. Nine seniors, including Sam Alden, Sarah Canepa, Kelly Douglas, Binta Loos-Diallo, Hayley Mauck, Megan Oost, Julia Schneider, Amanda Villaseñor and Kiley Wolff previewed their thesis work at the Whitman Undergraduate Conference in a segment titled “Reflections from NYC.” Schneider explained the difficulty of choosing a project, and discussed the ways in which her visit to New York provided clarity and focus for her thesis. see THESES, page 4

U-B editorials spark eco-conversation

by EMILY LIN-JONES Staff Reporter

“H

ere’s a challenge for anyone who really believes anthropogenic global warming exists: prove it,” wrote Steve Singleton in a December 2011 letter published in the Walla Walla Union Bulletin.

Over the past few months, several Whitman students and Walla Walla residents have taken Singleton up on that challenge, opening up discussion on the portrayal of science in local media and local attitudes toward the issue of climate change.

In a recent letter, Singleton made the claim that “CO2—a byproduct of civilization—is beneficial to the planet, not detrimental.” Published responses have ranged from challenges to his claims (“We must accept consequences of human actions”, Feb. 24) to defending his right to express dissent (“Challenging religion of ‘settled science’”, March 11).

Singleton, a retired Walla Walla native, has been writing letters to the Union Bulletin questioning the anthropogenic causes of global climate change for years. Yet only recently has he begun receiving responses in earnest, many of them from the Whitman community.

“I’ve been writing letters on this subject for over a decade and no one’s ever challenged them, so

I appreciate that there are people who are interested enough to write back,” said Singleton.

He cites his extensive personal research on the topic of climate change as support for his claims, especially books and studies that dissent from scientific consensus on the climate change phenomenon.

“I’m not a professional writer or speaker, or even a scientist . . . I just don’t think the science is as settled as they are trying to tell us it is,” he said. “I don’t know these people [who are writing in] individually . . . I just feel that maybe they’re not reading [about] both sides of the issue.”

Whitman students were encouraged to write in to the UnionBulletin as part of an environmental studies course earlier this semester. They were largely positive about the experience of having their opinions published in a public space.

“There’s not enough WhitmanWalla Walla interaction . . . It’s really easy for us to live in our environmentally friendly Whitman bubble and forget that there are people in the community who have very different views,” said firstyear Nevé Baker, who argued in her Feb. 24 letter that “denying [climate change] is counterproductive and ultimately harmful.”

Sophomore John Masla, whose letter also rebutted Singleton’s claims, agreed that the exercise was beneficial to Whitman students. see LETTERS, page 2

ILLUSTRATION BY JOHNSON

Having wrapped up their sixth-consecutive undefeated Conference season last Saturday with a win against Lewis & Clark, the No. 1 seeded men’s tennis team has turned their sights to preparing to host the Northwest Conference Championship tournament this weekend. Seniors Adriel Borshansky (above) and Conor Holton-Burke (below) have both been instrumental for the team’s success over the last four years. Photo by McCormick

his summer, three Whitman students will travel to Thailand to work on a women’s health project. As members of GlobeMed, they have partnered with a group called the Burmese Women’s Union, which strives to empower Burmese refugees living in Thailand.

For club members, the trip will be an exciting opportunity to learn more about global health issues on the ground.

“I want to be a nurse practitioner eventually, but I am extremely interested and invested in global health,” said GlobeMed Executive Board member Abbey McGrath in an email. “Issues of monitoring and evaluation are central to debates among experts in the field right now, and it’s exciting to be part of the movement.”

Whitman’s GlobeMed chapter was founded earlier this year, and its members hope that their first trip project will be the beginning of a long partnership with BWU. “We hope to set the foundation for a framework for monitoring and evaluation of the outcomes and longer term impacts of the projects we’re funding,” said McGrath. “We want to ensure that the project meets the actual needs of the local population.”

The GlobeMed team has fundraised over $3,500 for BWU, which will be used to support women’s health trainings. The cost of the trip itself is being paid for by the project members individually, who will be holding individual fundraisers to offset some of the cost. A grant from the national GlobeMed organization will also cover about 25 percent of the total trip cost for two of the three students going.

McGrath said that it’s been challenging to fund the Thailand trip without support from ASWC or the college.

“The Whitman ban on international travel has been frustrating,” she said.

The college’s ban on funding unaccompanied international student travel has been in place since the fall of 2010. To date, only one student group has an exemption to this policy—Whitman Direct Action, which has partnered with an NGO called Semilla Nueva in rural Guatemala.

WDA was allowed to continue their summer project trips to Guatemala after a faculty member visited the community the group travels to and did a site assessment. Treasurer Peter Harvey said that aside from safety concerns about unaccompanied travel, the policy is designed to encourage Whitman groups to form long-lasting relationships with the communities they work in.

“We’re trying to come up with meaningful communitybased service projects,” he said.

WDA was selected as a guinea pig because of their decision to form a permanent partnership with a local organization and return to work with the same community each summer. Harvey said that the college hopes to move towards a model similar to study abroad programs, where groups doing similar projects with a local partner can be reviewed by a faculty member and approved for unaccompanied travel.

Junior WDA president Natalie Jamerson would like to see other clubs approved to travel, but stressed that developing a local connection was crucial to making this successful.

“By partnering with another organization, it ensures that development work has longevity and will continue,” she said.

“Partnering with an organization is the best model for student development overseas, regardless of school policy.”

Though still in its first year, Whitman GlobeMed is committed to developing a similar partnership with BWU and focusing on the needs of the local community they are working in.

McGrath hopes that GlobeMed’s ongoing partnership with BWU will someday allow them the ability to receive ASWC funding.

“That would be an ideal,” she said. “We’d have to look into that next year once we go on the first trip.”

Exploring Whitman’s $400 million endowment

Feature, page 6

NEWS 2 Club Latino attends Harvard conference Apr

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by EMILY LIN-JONES Staff Reporter

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our members of Whitman’s Club Latino traveled across the country to attend the 15th annual Harvard Latino Law, Policy and Business Conference in Cambridge, Mass. last Friday, April 13.

The conference spanned four days, bringing together Latino students and prominent Latino professionals from around the United States.

Alumnus Pedro Gaval ‘10 helped organize this year’s conference around the theme of “The Rising Latino: Latinos in the United States and Latin America on the World Stage.”

“The conference as a whole focused on Latinos as a group that is growing in power and influence,” said Gaval.

Galval invited senior Adam Delgado and sophomore Cynthia Ramos to present findings from their State of the State for Washington Latinos research project at a student panel exploring the importance of Latino Studies programs in undergraduate education.

“I used to be a State of the State student myself, which is why I thought of them . . . Whitman doesn’t have a Latino Studies program but State of the State is the closest thing it does,” he said. “State of the State has been really influential in Washington, even changing voting systems in certain cities. I was looking at it as

Adam Delgado ‘12, Ashley Hansack ‘15, CNN Anchor Fernando del Rincón, Leslie Rodriguez ‘15 and Cynthia Ramos ‘14 pose for a photo at Harvard’s 15th annual Latino Law, Policy and Business Conference on the weekend of April 14. Photo contributed by Delgado.

an example of what a Latino Studies program can do for a campus, especially at a smaller liberal arts school.”

The trip was funded in part by ASWC, Club Latino, First Generation/Working Class Students, State of the State and the Dean of Facul-

ty. The conference marked the first time that 2012 State of the State findings were presented by undergrads to a national organized audience.

In accepting the invitation to present his State of the State research, Delgado elected to bring

some of the younger members of the club along to the conference.

“I thought it was really important for other students to see the kind of opportunities that are available,” said Delgado. “That’s why I’m really excited that they were

able to attend, because they’ve proven themselves to be rising leaders on campus . . . I thought this was a good opportunity for them to see what’s possible going forward.”

Attendees were enthusiastic about the conference, especially the opportunity to meet and listen to prominent figures in the Latino community.

“One thing [we were] looking forward to [was] getting to network with the speakers and learning more about their experiences,” said first-year Leslie Rodriguez, adding, “It went beyond my expectations.”

Speakers at the conference included former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and Major General Angela Salinas, the first woman to serve as a commanding officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Rodriguez and the other club members said the conference inspired them to start more community initiatives through Club Latino and FGWC, citing work with the Children’s Home Society and local churches as possible future projects.

“We want to get Latinos more involved, [by] asking them to vote and get more involved in politics and in the Walla Walla community,” she said. “That’s something that we wanted to bring back to Whitman, the awareness of voting rights and issues that relate to Hispanics. [We want] to get Whitman students more involved in that.”

Biology, chemistry to add new WWII veteran to lecture professors, offer more electives on liberation of Dachau

by ALLISON BOLIGANO Staff Reporter

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he chemistry and biology departments have each added one new tenure track professor for the 2012-2013 academic year to diversify upper level offerings and to help meet the high demand for introductory courses.

The addition of the new professors comes with changes in class sizes in the chemistry department and accompanies the restructuring of the biology major. The chemistry department has added one new tenure track faculty member but agreed to increase class sizes in general chemistry courses in order to make the new hire. “[In] “Gen Chem”, each section will have 40 to 45 people, which is an increase from 35, but that’s the deal we made to get the new person,” said Dunnivant.

Some students have voiced concerns about this proposed increase in class size. General chemistry student and firstyear Chelan Pauly prefers smaller classes, and believes larger classes could inhibit students from asking questions.

“I know some people do get confused in having larger classes. Sometimes people get intimidated asking questions, and there’s just not enough time for everyone to ask questions,” said Pauly.

The ability of the professor to monitor students’ understanding in a 45 person class is a concern for first-year general chemistry student Carl Garrett.

“I think it will make it a little bit harder for the teacher to keep track of individual students. [The professor] will have to focus more on a larger group of students than the couple who are struggling,” said Garrett.

The biology department will welcome Dr. Arielle Couley, a senior lecturer at the University of Michigan. She will teach “Genetics and Evolutionary Developmental Biology” next year, and

“Plant Physiology” in the future.

The biology department altered its major requirements this year to accommodate the large number of biology majors. Chair of the Biology Department Delbert Hutchison has seen record numbers of students enrolling in biology courses.

“It’s a combination of general

egories. As students spread themselves out, those classes should get down to no more than 24.

That’s our goal,” said Hutchison.

The courses Professor Couley will teach diversify the upper level offerings for biology majors.

“Rearrangement of the structure should spread kids out, but adding a new faculty member gives us a lot more options to ILLUSTRATION BY CARTER-RODRIGUEZ stick in that list so they won’t be piling up in the same classes,” said Hutchison.

The new chemistry professor, Mark Boland, who is currently at the University of Puget Sound, will teach “General Chemistry” and “Quantitative Analysis”, classes required for the major, allowing other faculty to teach electives.

Despite increased general chemistry class sizes, Dunnivant believes that adding the new hire helps the department meet demand and offer electives.

“We can teach all the courses we need to teach for the major and for the college, although they are a little larger than we’d like, but that’s just the way it is with financial pressures right now, and we offer beautiful electives for our majors,” said Dunnivant.

Dunnivant notes that the chemistry department does not offer many electives each year.

“Generally a professor only gets to teach their elective once every other year, but there’s 8 or 9 of us, so we always have an elective offered,” said Dunnivant.

Senior chemistry mainterest in the life sciences . . . than jor Haya Jamali credits the preswe can handle, and it’s a crisis sit- ence of visiting professors for uation over here,” said Hutchison. allowing other professors to To reduce course pres- teach elective courses. She apsures, the biology department preciates the elective offerings. altered its major requirements “I think in my time here, bethis year. Instead of requir- cause of the new hires, I’ve taking all majors to take the same en two elective courses perthree upper level classes, stu- sonally, and there’s been andents now must take one course other two offered. That’s realfrom three categories, each of ly great that we have those elecwhich has at least three options. tives because it allows the seniors “Instead of everyone having to get into classes that are a litto take the same three upper lev- tle bit more specialized, but that’s el classes . . . now you have four only possible because we have or five options, at least four op- other professors teaching Gen tions in each of the different cat- Chem and Orgo,” said Jamali.

by AMY HASSON Staff Reporter

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eeing and hearing directly from an eyewitness can make history come alive. While we’ve all learned about the Holocaust in textbooks and class, not all of us have had the chance to listen to an eyewitness account from a concentration camp liberator.

On Thursday, April 19, Whitman and Walla Walla community members will get the opportunity to hear from Dee Eberhart, a World War II veteran who served in the U.S. Army 42nd Rainbow Division credited with liberating the infamous Nazi concentration camp at Dachau.

The lecture, sponsored by Whitman club Hillel-Shalom and the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center, is in honor of Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. In past years, remembrance day speakers have been Holocaust survivors, but this upcoming lecture offers a different perspective.

“As far as I know, it’s the first time we’ve had somebody speak publicly who was a solider who liberated a concentration camp,” said Sharon Kaufman-Osborn, the adviser of Hillel-Shalom.

First-year Miriam Moran, a member of Hillel-Shalom, is excited to attend the lecture and hear about the Holocaust from the viewpoint of a liberator.

“I’ve heard a lot from the per-

Students add to local debate from LETTERS, page 1

“Especially in an environment like Whitman where most people think pretty similarly, to have to clarify your views to other people can be really helpful. [Writing the letter] made me clarify what I actually believe in more concrete terms,” he said.

Senior Lecturer of Environmental Humanities Don Snow stressed the importance of debate on issues like climate change happening in a local, public forum.

“I think some people are going to trust the local sources of opinion hands-down over journalistic reports . . . That’s the nice thing about a letters to the editor page: it’s grassroots. You may not trust a reporter syndicated through AP, but you might trust your neighbor,” he said.

According to Snow, members of the Whitman community could have a valuable role to play in lo-

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spectives of survivors of the Holocaust within my own community, but the perspective of a liberator is something I haven’t really heard much about. It will be really cool to learn something new,” said Moran.

Eberhart will be telling the story in terms of what he witnessed at Dachau, a major Nazi concentration camp responsible for the deaths of more than 28,000 people.

Eberhart’s platoon, which was attached to the first Battalion 222 Infantry for the attack against Munich, arrived at the Dachau concentration camp complex on April 29, 1945. There, he witnessed a horrifying scene—stacks of bodies, starving prisoners and crematoriums.

Kaufman-Osborn says that this lecture offers a wake-up call for the campus, a chance to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust and to think about the Holocaust’s devastation.

“It’s also a reminder of current tragedies going on all over the world,” said Kaufman-Osborn.

Member of Hellel-Shalom, first-year Sabra Jaffe encourages students and community members to take advantage of this unique opportunity while they still can.

“We’re probably the last generation to be able to hear from survivors or liberators who were there and can tell us to our faces what happened,” said Jaffe.

The lecture is will be held on Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Young Ballroom. The lecture is free of charge and open to the public.

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cal discussions about global issues.

“The question for us in environmental studies becomes, to what extent could our program and any of the people involved in it contribute to a fuller, more thorough and more robust public debate on the pages of the local paper?” he said.

Mayor Barbara Clark agreed that local debate should include voices from multiple perspectives in order to be effective.

“Climate change affects all of us, and its impacts are going to increase . . . I’ve personally urged scientists and science students I know, both at Whitman and in other places, to become involved in the public discourse on climate change, and of course many more people have independently concluded that they can’t sit this one out. It’s been very encouraging to see increasing numbers of U-B letter-writers taking up the challenge,” she said in an email.

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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 weekly Letters to the Editor in print and online.

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Professor of History and Family Studies at Evergreen State College Stephanie Coontz delivers a lecture on the misconception of gender roles throughout history on Tuesday, April 17 in Olin Hall. Photo by Farrell

Coontz brings history back to sociology

by SHELLY LE News Editor

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hitman students, faculty and locals interested in feminist history had the opportunity on Tuesday, April 17 to meet family historian Stephanie Coontz. Coontz delivered an hour-long lecture in Olin Hall on the misconception of gender roles and the family unit of the 1960s.

Coontz is a professor of history and family studies at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash. She has appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the Colbert Report and has testified about her research before the House Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families in Washington, D.C. Her latest work is titled “A Strange Stirring: The Feminine Mystique and American Women at the Dawn of the 1960s.”

Peterson Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, Keith Farrington, brought Coontz to cam-

pus after introducing her earlier works to students in his Sociology of the Family class last fall.

“I thought students responded to her really well,” he said. “She’s able to come to campus at a time when her latest works is coming out. So we’re getting a really great family scholar at a time when one of her written works is very popular.”

Although Farrington brought Coontz to campus through Whitman’s sociology department, Coontz is specifically a historian, not a sociologist.

“I think it’s really important to put gender and how female role has changed over time within a larger historical time-frame and Professor Coontz is ideally situated to do that,” Farrington said. “She always analyzes current trends with regard to what’s happened in the past and looking for parallels in points in time.”

Coontz began her latest book as a historical biography on Betty Friedan’s “The

Feminine Mystique” but quickly became disappointed in how Friedan posed the advancements of feminism in the 1920s.

“I don’t think sociology can exist without history . . . and I don’t think historians can learn good history without understanding sociology,” she said. “When I first began my research, I decided I was more interested in women and men in interaction.”

Coontz’ reading of “The Feminine Mystique” inspired her to observe family roles in the 1950s and early 1960s to examine oppositions to the feminist movement.

“Back then, only eight states had laws that allowed a women to have any claim on a man’s earnings,” she said. “A woman college graduate earned less than a male high school dropout.”

She further noted many Americans today are often illusioned into regarding the 1950s as the time of the traditional family.

“Many American’s don’t re-

alize that the 1950s family was, in fact, the most non-traditional family in all of American history . . . It’s not until the 20th century where we get the idea that people put emphasis on the male breadwinner of the family,” she said.

Coontz noted that many old American sitcoms can create a romanticized notion of life in the 1950s and can lead people to forget the social gains groups such as feminists and the civil rights movement have made in the past 50 years.

“It’s easy to look backwards at 1950s sitcoms and use them as documentaries, but if you look below the surface, you find tremendous unhappiness. This was a time that had no concept of married-rape, much higher level of child abuse and spousal abuse, and of course, racial segregation,” she said.

Sophomore Emma Snyder, who has read Coontz’s work and was excited to meet her, noted that Coontz’s work has broad-

Whitman creates community ties with middle school science fair

by MOLLY JOHANSON Staff Reporter

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or middle school students of Walla Walla and College Place, this Sunday represents a unique chance to pursue and display independent research projects. Students could research whatever they wanted, and the results range from the airplane aerodynamics, to sound waves, to phobias.

The science fair, which will be held in Reid Ballroom from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, represents the first of it’s kind.

Most schools in Walla Walla cannot afford the time or effort needed for school science fairs, so Science Outreach Coordinator Mary Burt decided to organize one.

After working for months on their individual projects, 11 middle-school students attending will get a chance to have their work critiqued by six judges: Science Professors Kurt Hoffman, Dalia Rokhsana, Andrea Dobson, Tim Machonkin, Marion Gotz, and Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations Rachna Sinnott Burt had the idea to host a middle school science fair because of the positive experiences that science fairs can bring.

“I’ve heard a lot of stories from faculty . . . about how they’ve had such valuable experiences being in science fairs when they were younger and how it was a shame that we didn’t have one here in Walla Walla,” she said.

Burt chose to open up the science fair to middle schoolers because of the connections that Whitman maintains with local mid-

dle school science teachers through professional development workshops. Burt promoted the science fair to individual teachers and students, as well as in the Union-Bulletin. There was no obligation on either teachers or students to participate, and students were encouraged to participate on purely a volunteer basis.

The participants come from all over the area. A few of the participants hail from Pioneer or Garrison Middle Schools and one partic- ILLUSTRATION BY HWANG ipant is home schooled, but seven of the science fair par- jor, helped a seventh grader from ticipants are from Sager Mid- Garrison Middle School on a prodle School in College Place. Sci- ject about sound. When Logan ence teacher Darin Durand, who was in sixth grade, he conducted offered his students extra cred- a similar science fair experiment. it for applying to the fair, empha“It’s pretty rewarding doing sized that while the projects would something for someone other than be a lot of work, they were worth it. myself. I like seeing young people “[Projects are] a nice tool who are inspired to do science, not to build a resume . . . The whole being force-fed. [The seventh gradpoint was not to make a ground er] was willing to put in time on breaking discovery at this point his own, and he deserved to have in their career but to take the in- someone help him out,” said Logan. quisitive question they have and While the science fair is see if they could set up a lab to an- small this year, Burt hopes to swer them,” said Durand. “A lot see growth. She hopes to look of students were coming back to into opening the fair up to high Myth Busters [for inspiration].” school students in the future.

Many Whitman professors and students offered to help mentor interested middle schoolers so as to not burden middle school teachers with more work. One local student took them up on this offer.

Senior Matt Logan, a physics ma-

Correction to Issue 10 In the article “Harper Joy throws wild ‘Birthday Party’” on page 11, senior Michail-Deyan Georgiev’s name was spelled incorrectly.

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ened her sociological horizons.

“She’s just able to stand up against what has become normative and shake them up,” Snyder said.

“I bought into the romantic notion of the American family just from studying T.V. shows like ‘Leave it to Beaver’ but there was always a hint that something was off and it’s great that Professor Coontz can bring statistics to academic standing to debunk these myths.”

Farrington hoped that bringing Coontz to Whitman would help the campus challenge the nature of male and gender roles.

“The things that often times we’re told by our parents and the media and the way people used to behave sexually and what we accept as common knowledge aren’t really true,” he said.

Coontz reminds her audience not to romanticize the past.

“To think that we should turn the clock back instead of moving the clock forward is a big mistake,” Coontz said.

NUMBERS IN THE NEWS

by SHELLY LE News Editor

$20,000

The average cost to cover a typical family of four under an employer health insurance plan this year.

7

Percent increase in that cost since last year.

$9,235

The average cost to cover a typical family of four under an employer health insurance plan in 2002.

“This is just the start, our little baby science fair. Maybe next year it will be a toddler science fair. I think there’s a lot of interest, it’s just a matter of figuring out the logistics and making it happen,” she said.

Logan, who will be speaking at the beginning of the science fair, thinks that the science fair will benefit not just the middle school students but Whitman students as well.

“It would be sweet to have some science majors come, and engage [the students] in some scientific dialogue. It will be good for middle schoolers to walk around the science building,” Logan said. “To have a whole building for science is an overlooked benefit of college.”

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$7,102

The average premium for a family in a non-group health insurance plan in 2010.

6.6

Percentage of the average household budget that health care (including insurance), medical services, drugs and medical supplies accounted for in 2010.

$2.6 trillion

Average annual public and private spending on health care.

SOURCES: THE WEEK MAGAZINE, CNN, PBS.

A&E

Apr

19 2012

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4

Struggle to stop sexual violence inspires new artistic initiatives

by MALLORY MARTIN Staff Reporter

T

he stand against sexual violence on campus has taken a creative turn. With the “Take Back the Night” rally on Thursday, April 19 and the release of a new zine, “Breaking Ground,” Whitman College students seek to combat sexual assault with artistic expression.

Over the past month, Whitman has seen growing campus engagement in the discussion around sexual assault. Several student groups as well as individuals have banded together to raise awareness, activism and to keep the discussion rolling through various media.

“I think people are inspired to talk about sexual assault because it is so not spoken about, but it is such an important issue,” said sen-

ior Emma O’Rourke-Powell, politics major and member of the Coalition Against Homophobia. “It’s something that really does need to be addressed, so trying in different ways to create a dialogue about sexual assault and how we can work against it is really important.”

O’Rourke-Powell currently serves as the Coalition sponsor for the second annual “Take Back the Night” rally. A program centered on re-claiming the night as a “safe space,” the rally is a two-part event involving a candlelit walk from Reid Campus Center to the outdoor amphitheater, and an open mic performance for music, poetry and sharing of personal stories.

“It’s a march both in solidarity with the victims of sexual misconduct, and for those who you would march in protection of,” said junior Michael Putnam, an unaf-

filiated member of the TBtN planning committee. “It has that double aspect where it’s against the bad things that have happened, but it also feels like a hopeful approach.”

The rally happens to fall on the same day as the release of “Breaking Ground,” an art zine created by senior F.A.C.E. members Ellie Newell, Alice Minor and Mehera Nori.

“There is some vaginal art, some photography of vaginal objects in our world, and I think pen and ink drawings, as well as some chemical printing,” Newell said of the zine’s content. “One of the more powerful pieces was done

by Madeleine Peterson, a junior, and she took a huge sheet of paper and scribbled on it with a black ball point pen, because when she thinks of rape, she gets that angry.

It’s this incredibly angry, powerful piece. Lisa Beneman has done

a series of really beautiful prints that are more metaphorical. It’s going to be all over the place.”

“Breaking Ground” will hopefully become a safe place for people to share their experiences with sexual violence and have their voices heard.

“This is my parting shot. With The Pioneer’s good work and the ‘Vagina Monologues,’ and a whole bunch of other things combined, I’m really seeing that the culture is changing and the people are talking,” said Newell. “I don’t know if that will actually result in one less person being raped, but if it did, then it would all be worth it.

I see it as a really receptive community right now and that there’s a lot of buzz for these issues.”

It is this very buzz that inspired the united efforts of the two events. Through art, the sponsors

and organizers of “Take Back the Night” and “Breaking Ground” hope to find a unique way of reaching out to students otherwise uncomfortable or closed to the topic.

“I think that because art is necessarily performative it’s a way of communicating with people that doesn’t subject you to all the negative things,” said Putnam. “It’s a different way of trying to connect with people. You can testify that ‘this is what happened to me’ and all these negative people respond back and say ‘that isn’t rape.’ Art is a way of communicating that elevates what you’re trying to do above all that stuff, and without pointing fingers.”

“If this just leads to a 15 minute conversation over dinner with your friends, that’s worth it,” Newell said of the week’s events. “Because if we don’t talk about it, then we can’t do anything to change it.”

Jack Lazar ‘13 (left) shares his sharp style tips. Lazar, who favors a combination of unusual niche-market fashion items and vintage pieces with strong sentimental value, spoke on his appreciation for fashion as a social, creative act. Photos by beck

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: junior global health major Jack Lazar.

Style Soundbites “The shoes are from Gorilla USA; I got them on a steep men’s fashion discount website, so I’ve been enjoying this pair of Chukkas. The pants are Le-

vi’s raw denim; I got them over the summer, purely for the novelty of wearing some different type of fabric. Raw is obviously denim, but you have to care for it differently. I didn’t really care for it properly; I washed it after a couple months—there were a lot of grass stains—and they shrunk a lot. So now they’ve turned permanently into rolled-up capris.”

a lot of significance to me, because it brings me back to a time when I was in Sun Valley with my family.”

“The shirt, I don’t know the brand, but it’s just a henley staple.

The necklace is a silver amulet, which has a snowflake, a salmon, a river on the bottom and a bear claw on the back, with a spiral as its paw. I got this in Sun Valley from an artisan silver worker, several years ago. This is the only jewelry I wear, just this necklace. It has

“I turn putting together outfits into a very social process. That’s one of my favorite things about fashion; I get to collaborate with different people about my outfits.

I talk to my housemates a lot. Being color blind, one of the reasons I originally got into style was to heighten my awareness of colors and what colors go well together.”

“The scarf was my dad’s.

He got it with his mother at a department store in New York, 50 years ago. Every time I go home, I end up taking back another article of his clothing that he never wears anymore.”

Senior music majors rev up for imminent recital performances

by ALEX HAGEN Staff Reporter

F

or Whitman’s senior music majors, the end of the year brings senior recitals—their last chance to perform for the Whitman community and watch their peers show off what they can do.

Beginning Sunday, April 15 at 3:00 p.m., with the recital of senior cellist Carrie Sloane, and ending with the recital of senior saxophonist Peter Qualtere-Burcher on Sunday, May 6 at 3:00 p.m., the seniors’ performances reflect not only their current talents and skills, but also their growth and progress from the beginning of their music studies at Whitman.

Qualtere-Burcher plans to

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: blue moon Release Party blue moon and Coffeehouse present an evening of live music and a fresh batch of Whitman’s premiere literary magazine, featuring student art and writing.

Friday, April 20, 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. Reid Campus Center Side Lawn.

Record Store Day Come support local record store Hot Poop and celebrate the vinyl record at a free all-day live concert, featuring campus bands Plateau and Chastity Belt and other Northwest groups, including Livevil, Soul Status, Burger Machine, Acid Reflex, Lentil Brothers, Franky Jo, Jacob’s Weekend and Joe Keown.

Saturday, April 21, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Hot Poop Records, 210 East Main Street.

Imagine The Whitman College Intercultural Center presents the Imagine Festival, featuring campus band Dabbles in Bloom, Ray G and the DSP, the Wakilisha dancers, Nilce and Her Salsa Crew, the River Rince dancers, Whitman Slam Poets and assorted campus clubs.

Saturday, April 21, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Reid Campus Center Side Lawn.

perform both a sonatina composed by William Schmitt, and also a suite of his own composition. Inspired by Tibetan Buddhist monks as well as Christian monasteries—not to mention Thelonious Monk—his “Monk Suite” follows his “Pirate Suite,” which he wrote and recorded last year.

“The inspiration came from this idea that we all have sort of a pirate and monk inside us,” said Qualtere-Burcher.

“It’s like the angel and the devil.”

Senior Elizabeth Fleming, whose recital will be performed on Sunday, April 29 at 3:00 p.m., found inspiration in her “Women as Composers” class, taught by her adviser, Chair of Music Susan Pickett.

“I became really interested in trying to forward the movement of getting works by these women composers published,” Fleming said.

After learning about Swedish

composer Elfrida Andrée, whose works largely went unperformed for most of the twentieth century, Fleming decided to help edit her a cappella choir manuscripts in hopes of having them performed. The editing process, though “nitpicky,” resulted in pieces that will have their debut in Chism Hall later this month.

“It’s especially close to my heart because it’s a woman composer,” said Fleming, who plans to go to graduate school for music. “This is something that Elfrida had wanted and couldn’t do herself because she was a woman.”

Though the seniors each have a distinct and specific musical interest, their passion for music unites all of them.

“I’m gonna play music for the rest of my life, and that’s all I’m gonna do, basically,” said Qualtere-Burcher.

For a complete list of seniors’ recitals, visit http://www. whitman.edu/content/calendar.

Art majors reveal theses from THESES, page 1

“Before the New York trip, I really had no idea what I wanted to do for my thesis,” said Schneider. “I was having trouble narrowing down what media I wanted to use, as well as what type of content I wanted to address. During the trip, the Met had two Chuck Close portraits. He does large scale, hyper-realistic paintings of people’s faces. They were so spectacular to see in real life, and they stood out to me the most in terms of inspiration for my thesis.”

Whether meeting with artists, or soaking up the New York art scene in galleries and museums, for these nine senior art majors, the trip offered new perspectives that shaped the development of the senior art theses.

“It’s a lot to process, all the art we saw in New York,” said Wolff. “There was a great diversity in the art of the pieces and work we saw. I guess what I found most inspiring about the New York trip was that there were just so many directions you could take.”

Oost agreed with this assessment.

KWCW SHOW OF THE WEEK

In My Genes WEB presents a screening of “In My Genes,” an internationally acclaimed documentary on living with albinism in Kenya.

Tuesday, April 24, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Kimball Theatre.

GRAPHIC BY ALDEN

“It’s just nice to see artists that you feel like are amplifying an aspect of what you’re doing and putting it on a larger scale. It’s a way to push what you’re doing and think about it in different way,” said Oost.

Other seniors were inspired not only in looking at works, but also by meeting other New York artists.

“I met with Lisa Hanawalt, a cartoonist I really admire,” said Alden. “Something she said that’s been rattling around with me for a while is that the kids who survived after art school were the ones who had learned how to keep making art even when there wasn’t someone telling them to do art. So I think that for this thesis, I really wanted to prove to myself that I could draw something insanely large, even though there wasn’t explicitly anyone telling me to do that.”

The “Visual Art Majors Senior Thesis Exhibition” will commence on Friday, April 20 with a talk from a thesis juror at 5:30 p.m. in Olin 130, and an opening celebration to follow in the Sheehan Gallery.

‘Hot and Bothered’ Join your co-hosts Hari and Madelaine—dreamers, thinkers and problem drinkers—for a night of fun folk music and discussion of feelings, celebrities and the state of Libertarianism in America.

Thursdays, 7 p.m. - 8 p.m. On the dial at 90.5 FM Walla Walla and streaming live at www.kwcwradio.tumblr.com. For requests, call (509) 527-5283.

ILLUSTRATION BY BAILEY

‘Cabin’ surprises with satiric, bloody good fun

by NATHAN FISHER Staff Reporter

I

n my vast experience as a movie reviewer (eight months) and 19 years of movie watching, I never—NEVER thought I would recommend, let alone voluntarily go see a horror movie. Well, “The Cabin in the Woods” changes all of my preconceived notions about horror flicks—it was amazing, albeit scary, gory and bloody.

“The Cabin in the Woods” has a tricky and intricate plot which is hard to believe in a horror film. Without giving away the key points of the plot, a group of college friends decide to take a weekend vacation to a remote cabin away from civilization.

The group consists of two girls, a jock, his buddy and, (my personal favorite), a stoner. Sounds cheesy, but a secret underground lair, headed by the hilarious masterminds Stitterson (Richard Jenkins) and Hadley (Bradley Whitford), controls what happens in and around the cabin. Oh, it’s so hard for me not to spill the beans and tell what happens. Suffice it to say that the bizarre and scary twists and turns keep coming as the group of friends goes

up against—ugh, dear me, I can’t say it! Let’s just say, oh so many bad things happen to our weekend sojourners. You really have to see this movie to experience the well-plotted and crafted horror.

Now, “The Cabin in the Woods” is NOT “The Little House on the Prairie.” It’s full of “horror” and seems at times to be a satire as well as giving homage to the horror genre. I loved it because it was so incredibly unpredictable and kept me at the edge of my seat, waiting for the next shock to my senses. Jenkins and Whitford along with the stoner Marty (Fran Kranz) are hysterical and keep taking your mind off the fact that more blood is spilled in this movie than in “Kill Bill.”

I walked into the theater regretting my decision to watch and write a review on a horror movie, but bounded out of the theater with my mind blown and a smile on my face! The teenage girls behind me certainly peed their pants, several times, and the audience got the scare they came for, and soooo much more. Really, you have to see this flick! Freddy Krueger, sit down and move over! Anyone up for renting a cabin in the Blue Mountains this weekend?!

SPORTS

Apr

19 2012

PAGE

5

First-year golfer rips up course

by MATT TESMOND Staff Reporter

T

his week’s sports profile centers on up-and-coming golf star Scott Martin.

Martin, a first-year from Escondido, CA, was integral in the men’s second place finish at the NWC Spring Classic two weeks ago. Martin came in second overall, posting a two round score of 146(+2), a mere three strokes off of the winning score of 143(-1). Scott sat down with the Pio to talk about his start, the challenges of playing golf and competition between teammates.

How did you get into golf?

I got into it thanks to my dad.

He played tennis in college but had played golf his whole life.

When I was little, he’d take me out to the range to hit some balls, and it just stuck. I really liked it.

I bet he had some good wisdom to impart.

Yeah, he actually helped me a lot with the mental side of the game. Especially things like having a short memory on the course.

Yeah the mental aspect is quite fascinating, especially since golf is certainly a game when a few degrees can put you in the rough.

How do you deal with that side of the game?

It’s basically five or six hours straight of having to stay focused.

You can’t get caught up on one bad shot–you have to let it go. Be-

tween shots, I normally don’t think about the shot too much. Obviously you measure it up and stuff, but after that, I find the club and go hit the shot. One other thing that really helps me is for five seconds I’ll let all the emotion in, and after those five seconds, I just let it go.

Well, besides the mental aspect, what’s the hardest part of golf?

When I’m on the course and I have to be out there for six hours with an unpleasant person (Laughs).

Off the course, it’s really hard to find time to get out and practice.

So what is the best thing about playing golf at Whitman?

Definitely the guys on the team. I’ve played countless individual tournaments, but playing with the team is really fun.

The team’s small size is good because it keeps everyone close.

Since golf is one of those individual-sports-turned-team, is there ever bad blood from inner-team competition?

When we are qualifying we do compete, but it’s not a negative aspect because everyone is a good sport.

Golf is nice because you can judge based purely on scores. You can’t just play because you are the coaches favorite. But at the same time, I really wish everyone could play.

Well thanks Scott. Good luck with the rest of your season!

Thanks, I’m excited to see what happens.

First-year Scott Martin (above) has taken the NWC by storm in his first collegiate golf season. This weekend, Martin and his teammates head to Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick, Wash. to compete for the NWC Championship. Photo by Farrell

Women’s lacrosse grows across W Club gives athletes nation, preserves historical roots moral, financial support

by SYLVIE LUITEN

by SARAH DEBS

O

T

Staff Reporter

riginally based off of the Iroquois style of play, lacrosse has evolved significantly over the years from its roots. Women’s lacrosse today, which lacks significant protective gear and focuses more on mass attack, more closely resembles the original Native American activity than does men’s lacrosse.

It has gained widespread national attention as a growing popular sport both in the east and west up to the professional level. The game’s popularity, however, seems to be focused primarily in the east, where players begin practicing from a much younger age than on the West Coast. The sport has also taken notably different forms for men and women.

For some Native Americans on the East Coast and in the Great Lakes area, lacrosse was often played for ceremonial or ritual purposes as well as to settle disputes within tribes.

According to the U.S. Lacrosse participation survey, more than 680,000 players were involved in lacrosse nationally in 2011—a 60,000 member increase since the previous year. More than half of this total comes from young players.

On the West Coast, however, athletes tend to come to lacrosse somewhat late in their youths.

“With the exception of one or two people [at Whitman] most people start playing in high school unless you’re from the East Coast and have been playing since the age of five,” said senior women’s lacrosse player Monica Paulson.

While lacrosse has a more established base on the East Coast, it is beginning to spread more and more throughout the rest of the United States.

“Washington’s High School League has doubled or tripled in size

Staff Reporter

since I started playing,” said sophomore lacrosse player Alice Willson.

Consistent with this West Coast trend, it is common for college to be the first experience Whitman’s team members have with playing lacrosse.

“It’s one of the things that I love most about the sport—it’s not like soccer where you have to have played since second grade to be any good at it. You can pick it up in high school, [and] you can pick it up in college and still be competitive,” said senior co-captain Krista Garrett.

Women’s lacrosse rules are constantly changing, and much of the changes are safety oriented.

“It’s a very evolving sport, there are sports like soccer and basketball where the rules are pretty set, but lacrosse is changing all the time. Each year they come out with new rules,” said junior and co-captain Annette Patton.

ILLUSTRATION BY PETERSON

The team finished at .500 this season and was one win away from qualifying for conference championships but lost to Boise by one point. “[Boise] played very dirty and did not deserve the win,” said Willson.

As it is a club sport, the success of the Whitman women’s team is based on the commitment of the players.

“We have a set-up where we encourage people to come to practice every day, and if you want to travel, you’re particularly encouraged to come to practice everyday. We welcome people who just want to come to practice once a week,” said Patton.

“Our team is really what you make it if you come every day and play on the weekend that’s awesome; but if you want to just come twice a week and throw around, that’s great too,” said Garrett.

SCOREBOARD UPCOMING

Sports highlights

GOLF

The Whitman men’s Ultimate team took first place at the Big Sky Conference Tournament last weekend April 14-15. The Sweets next compete at the Division I National Championships May 25-28 in Boulder, Colo.

Men’s Whitman Spring Preview April 14: 2nd Women’s Whitman Spring Preview April 14: 1st

BASEBALL

v. Willamette University April 14-15: W 4-2, L 6-3, L 11-4

TENNIS

Men’s v. Lewis & Clark College April 14: W 8-1 v. Lewis-Clark State April 14: L 7-2 Women’s v. George Fox University April 13: W 6-2 v. Lewis & Clark College April 14: W 7-2

BASEBALL

v. Chapman University April 21-22: AWAY

GOLF

Men’s and Women’s NWC Championships April 21-22: AWAY

TENNIS

Men’s NWC Tournament April 21-22, 10 a.m.: HOME Women’s NWC Tournament April 21-22: AWAY

Senior basketball player David Michaels capped off a spectacular final season last weekend at the annual Portsmouth Invtitational Tournament. Michaels was the only Division III player invited to the tournament, which showcases the nation’s top 64 collegiate players in front of a crowd of professional scouts.

Michaels and his team took third place in the eight team field.

he Whitman W Club is an athletic booster club composed of alumni, friends of the college and parents who want to support excellent student-athletes and competitive varsity athletics. Even though the W Club is very new, having just been established over the past five years, it has already helped many areas of Whitman’s athletic programs. In particular, the W Club has made it possible for Whitman athletics to hire assistant coaches, increase budgets for higher allowable spending and fly in recruited students to see the college campus.

Before the W Club, the varsity athletic department’s budget was significantly lower. Traveling athletes were allotted around $5 dollars for food, and some slept on floors due to low budgets. However, with the establishment of the W Club, Whitman athletics has seen a definite surge in its capabilities. Charlie Stookie, a prominent W Club board member, is enthusiastic about the enormous support the W Club has provided for Whitman Athletics.

“With these new resources, Whitman has been able to hire assistant coaches and provide an overall increased athletic experience. In just the past few years, I have seen Whitman become competitive in the Northwest Conference instead of

just being a doormat,” said Stookie.

The W Club has also dramatically increased alumni support. Tailgate and alumni events centering around games have become more common.

Such events provide great opportunities for athletes to meet the alumni that support their athletic endeavors.

Jenn Keyes, a senior basketball player, reflected on the direct benefits she’s noticed as a result of the generosity of the W Club.

“In my time as a Whitman player I have had the opportunity to travel with my team and compete in Minnesota, California, Montana, and this past season, Boston! The W Club provides both alumni and financial support that help make the experience of being a Whitman athlete that much better,” said Keyes.

In order to ensure sustainability of the W Club, Whitman’s athletic director Dean Snider hopes to increase the breadth of supporters.

“Right now we have a big group of committed folks who are really trying to help. Our largest portion of giving right now comes from some of these folks. One of the big changes that we have to address is that we have to access more people by reconnecting more alums across a broader spectrum of years, ages and interests. We want to include people who give smaller amounts instead of relying on a few people to give large amounts,” said Snider.

Thriving Whitman pool culture provides splashy opportunities

by KYLE HOWE Staff Reporter

W

hitman’s sparkling blue Baker-Ferguson pool is an incredibly versatile body of water that provides students, staff and community members with a variety of opportunities to get involved in water-based activities on campus.

From basic swimming lessons, to intense games of kayak polo, the pool houses a wide range of water-logged activities.

Swimming lessons Students on the varsity swim teams host an annual week of swimming lessons for the community.

“The Whitman swim team does lessons as a fundraiser,” said sophomore swimmer and lesson teacher Melanie Notari.

“One week in spring and possibly more in the fall next year. We had a ton of kids at lessons [this year], and even some adults.”

This opportunity provides for a lot of memorable experi-

ences for both teachers and students. Notari highlighted a few of her favorite memories from swimming lessons in the Whitman pool: “Teaching a four-yearold girl to swim freestyle with side breathing, or getting my coach’s daughter to go underwater.”

Kayak Polo This is another popular event that occurs in the pool about once every two weeks, during an open kayak session. Teams of three to five people attempt to throw a water polo ball into rectangular goals suspended eight feet above the pool deck. “It . . . works kind of like ultimate Frisbee with kayaks and balls, instead of cleats and Frisbees,” said Chapin.

Like in water polo, when a player has the ball, they are not allowed to paddle forward, but kayak polo also involves tipping the boats of opponents paddling frantically.

“It is a lot of ramming boats,” said Jorgensen.

*

What other pool activities are available?

Find out online at www.whitmanpioneer.com

FEATURE

Apr

19 2012

ENDOWMENT

fosters diverse initiatives

by MOLLY EMMETT Staff Reporter

T

he cost of a Whitman education is high. That fact is indisputable.

However, without Whitman’s approximately $400 million endowment, tuition would cost about 30 percent more.

An endowed fund is a sum of money, small or large, that is gifted to a college or university that will be kept forever and used to make additional income for its designated recipient program. There are four types of endowments that can be given to Whitman: unrestricted, designated fund, scholarship, and professorships and chairs.

Peter Harvey, treasurer and chief financial officer of the college, said in an email, “[At Whitman, endowments] provide financial aid to students, they help pay faculty salaries and fund new faculty positions, they buy library books, they bring in visiting speakers, and some of them are unrestricted: They subsidize the general educational expenses of the college so not as much in tuition has to be charged.”

These uses of endowment money are decided by the donors—alumni, parents and friends of Whitman College who make the decision to support the school philanthropically. Some donors do not have monetary gifts to offer, but instead give the college wheat fields or farmland that now holds windmills. More abstract gifts like these are just as helpful because they raise money in their own way, in addition to diversifying the endowment portfolio.

Regardless of their type, donations from supporters of the school have always been crucial to the life of the college. When Whitman was first being established as a seminary, Reverend Cushing Eels had to rally financial support before the place could start functioning as a college.

“Whitman was established the way a lot of educational institutions in America were in the mid- to late-nineteenth century: on a vision and a dream, and without very much money,” said John Bogley, vice president for Development and College Relations.

The current fundraising campaign, “Now Is the Time,” is working to continue to find support for the institution just as Eels did over 150 years ago.

Though the country has been in an economic recession now for a number of years, Whitman’s supporters have continued their philanthropic efforts, both in the form of individual donations and as wider outreach efforts.

“The economic climate the last three or four years has been challenging worldwide . . . Even in these conditions . . . we had our largest fundraising year in the fiscal year 2011, in which we raised over $15.3 million. We announced the “Now Is the Time” campaign, and at this time our gift and pledge total surpasses $106.8 million,” said Bogley.

Looking at these large amounts, Bogley knows that some of the campus community will misunderstand its purchasing power. According to Bogley, Whitman’s endowment may seem incredibly large, but to illustrate its relative size, he compares it to the endowments of other liberal arts schools that are similar to Whitman.

“Our $400 million endowment sounds like a lot until you realize that it’s a fifth the size of Pomona’s. That it’s a fifth the size of Grinnell’s,” Bogley said.

Whitman’s endowment is not as large compared to its competitors because some other colleges have existed much longer than Whitman, and have had more graduates who go on to donate over more years. A few competitor colleges have even experienced transformational moments of extremely high returns

or extraordinary donations that have positively affected the size of their endowment.

In addition, Bogley and his fundraising team want students, faculty and staff to understand that there is a certain formula for how much of the endowment can be used every year.

Because the goal is to preserve the purchasing power of the endowment, only five percent net spending is allowed annually.

This way, the college always has enough to invest in order to make more income, but can also ensure that gifts to endowment are spent and invested in a manner that allows their value to keep pace with inflation.

However, when the college does not spend the endowment in visible ways, members of the Whitman community often voice their concerns.

“The frustration that occasionally occurs on campus is if we have so many million dollars in endowment, why can’t we get A, B and C done, all of these priorities that are really important to me, the student, or me, the staff member, or me, the faculty member . . . [But] the endowment is meant to be here in perpetuity, and that has a profound impact on how you utilize the endowment and what it’s worth,” said Bogley.

Recognizing that this sense of perpetuity is important to them, members of the Class of 2012 have decided to raise a $50,000 scholarship endowment as their senior gift. Led by Alyssa Breetwor, the senior fund takes any donations, whether it’s $25 or $2,500, which will be invested to support scholarships for students entering Whitman in 2013 and after.

Said Breetwor in an email, “Endowments are beneficial because they have durability—a perpetual stream of financial support . . . [It is] incredibly fulfilling to do something good that lasts, something that really makes a difference.”

PAGE

6

WHITMAN’S

FARM COMMITTEE Through endowments, Whitman owns

21,200 acres of farmland.

14

farms produce wheat and traditional food crops.

Whitman also owns

62

wind turbines on Braden Farm.

Leading regional farmers and the Whitman College Treasurer together

select tenants to manage the farms.

STATISTICS FROM

WWW.WHITMAN.EDU/CONTENT/GIVING/WAYS/FARMS GRAPHIC BY BERFIELD

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OPINION

Apr

19 2012

PAGE

7

Voters give unfair weight to gas prices SAM CHAPMAN First-year

I

n March, ABC News and The Washington Post conducted a poll in which 62 percent of responders said they disapproved of President Obama’s handling of rising gas prices. There is a growing fear that members of

ILLUSTRATION BY BERFIELD

that fraction will take their discontent to the voting booth, a fear signified by the fact that his opponents have chosen that issue as their attack of choice in battleground states (according to npr.

org). Now, discontentment at gas pumps isn’t necessarily a reason to believe Obama will be voted out of office, but when a trend has the president scrambling to make speeches and his enemies scrambling to attack them, it’s going to worry some people—myself included.

This would result in a presidential election gone drastically awry. It is not wrong to vote based on gas prices, but it is very wrong to vote based entirely on gas prices.

People get angry about the cost of a gallon, and it’s easy to see why: Unless we’re unemployed, in the military or directly threatened by rising sea levels, few other issues have the same power to batter down our doors. Gas goes up to $3 per gallon, so we trade our car in for one that gets 30 mpg; gas thanks us by going up to $4 per gallon. It can, at times, seem like a Sisyphean grind.

That said, choosing who to back for president based on this

Rising Latino population must engage with politics, business

by ADAM DELGADO ’12 Guest Columnist

A

s Latinos emerge as a growing economic and political force in the United States, we must also examine how the rise of Latino populations across the nation will affect the progress and future of our own communities. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, Latinos now make up 16 percent of the U.S. population. Latinos represented 56 percent of our population growth over the past decade, represent over $1 trillion in buying power, and are one of every four children born in our country today.

However, Latinos remain an under-served and underrepresented population in many sectors and institutions in our economy and society. We struggle with one of the highest dropout rates, and only one in eight Latinos will attain a college degree, despite the fact that these qualifications will be essential for most competitive jobs in the markets of tomorrow. Latino communities must also contend with issues of generational poverty, anti-immigrant policies and practices, and educational systems that are failing our

youth. While Latinos may represent the largest demographic minority in the United States, the lingering effects of discrimination and marginalization do still affect the life chances of many Latinos today and represent barriers that must be overcome by the next generation of Latino leaders.

Whether here at Whitman, in Walla Walla or across Washington State, three imperative messages strike me as incredibly salient to Latino students in our campus community. The first is mentorship. By identifying a leader with whom you share unique experiences, whether a professor, administrator or community member, you are empowered to cultivate a lasting relationship that will provide guidance and encouragement when you face key decisions both during your academic career and after graduation, as you endeavor to make a difference in our community. I see exciting examples of this in Club Latino’s volunteerism with the Children’s Home Society and Walla Walla Public Schools.

Secondly, activism is a powerful tool for rising Latino leaders. On campus, courses such as the State of the State for Washington Latinos conduct rigorous field

research and public outreach in issues such as education, immigration and voting rights that directly affect Latino lives. These classes are innovative ways to bridge the ideas we grapple with in this classroom to address real issues in the world beyond campus.

Finally, sustainability is a term many Whitties are already familiar with in terms of environmentalism, but we can also apply this idea to creating new initiatives that parallel the growing Latino population at Whitman and in Walla Walla. Only a few decades ago, very few Latinos attended Whitman, and while numbers have increased in recent years, we still have work to do. The establishment of a Latino Studies program at Whitman would reflect national movements, including at Harvard, towards establishing academic programs and institutional spaces that support the enrollment, retention and success of Latinos in higher education.

As I graduate this May and begin a professional career in Washington, D.C., I hope that future Latino students will continue to engage with these values and realize their full potential as active members of a rising and inspiring community in the years to come.

Lasting community partnerships in global development bring mutually beneficial results

by TATIANA KAEHLER ’15 Guest Columnist

D

r. Alfodis Kagaba, executive director of the Health Development Initiative, opened his presentation on partnerships in global health stating, “If you want to go fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together.” His advice came as part of a larger GlobeMed Summit, held at Northwestern University. The two-day conference reflected a growing trend among college students throughout the nation: Caring about global development is “in.” More youth are pursuing careers in global health, education and politics. For many, this means developing projects for communities that lack essential resources.

However, in order for students to create sustainable, effective and necessary change, they need to form partnerships with the developing communities they wish to work in. No one knows exactly what can help a community better than the community itself. However, Western society often believes it knows exactly what developing countries need in order to progress.

Too often these sorts of development models take on the “white

savior” model. The white savior comes into communities, implements the changes he or she sees fit and leaves when the project is finished. The white savior naively assumes the community is thankful for such changes and will continue the work necessary to the program.

This method of addressing global development issues is ignorant to the needs, culture and desires of the developing community. Due to this ignorance, the change implemented will die out without the community’s commitment and support.

Forming partnerships between students interested in global development and grassroots organizations within a developing community allows for the implementation of a project that is sustainable and worthwhile for a longer period of time.

The benefits of successful partnerships are immense for all of the parties involved. However, there are many challenges to creating an effective partnership. The most significant one is the time it takes to build consensus between the involved parties.

Because these partnerships take the cooperation of people of completely different cultures and backgrounds, it is often difficult for the

parties to agree on approaches to problems. However, as long as the partners share the same intent— helping the community—eventually a consensus can be reached.

So far, GlobeMed has used this partnership model to create lasting improvements in the health of individuals in 18 different countries. The national organization has forged over 45 partnerships between universities and grassroots non-profits. Whitman’s partner, the Burmese Women’s Union, is using the money we’ve fundraised to implement a reproductive health program for Burmese refugees. The program will give Burmese women the necessary tools to become educated and empowered leaders in their own communities.

By developing partnerships, we can forge long-term relationships with communities, rather than the “one-night stand” often used by volunteers. Working together will allow us to go far in the global development movement. Partnerships are essential in creating sustainable, culturally acceptable and necessary change in our increasingly connected world. Passionate students, who hope to change the world, will see their efforts thrive if they keep this principle in mind.

Voices from the Community CLARE SOBETSKI

will work against one over time.

First of all, numbers can be misleading. George W. Bush benefited from a fortuitous drop in oil prices right before he took office; Barack Obama suffered from a fluctuation in the opposite direction. It’s less a matter of policy than of timing—and while it would be nice to know which candidate was a luckier person, it’s something we can’t determine.

Second, wrestling with the oil market is barely within the president’s control. A column on the website Consumer Energy Report details how the price we pay for oil is dependent not on our domestic production but on competition with the developing world: The higher the demand in China and India, the more we have to pay to compete.

The most industry-friendly decisions Obama could make—with which I disagree—would have little effect until years had passed.

Yet, as I said above, I don’t think that voting based on gasoline policy is a mistake on its own. A president who promises to work for fuel efficiency, and against Big Oil, will have a positive impact on the world even

if they can’t control gas prices. More than that, though, they will have the people’s best interests at heart. There’s no better reason to vote for a candidate.

It’s a valid perspective, and one that I espouse myself: Each American has only one vote, and no obligation to use it for the sake of anybody but themselves.

If an issue is not on our doorstep, it need not inform our decision. However, the range of issues on each of our doorsteps is larger than we may think. It includes the issues that have the potential to affect us in the future, even if they may not now: health care, because we won’t always be strong; welfare, because we won’t always be employed; even social issues like abortion and marriage rights, because someday many of us will have daughters and sons.

When you cast your vote, it’s acceptable to be selfish, and it’s perfectly acceptable to keep it in mind if you’re hurting at the pump—just as long as you take a sensible and far-sighted view. A good gas policy can hint at a good politician, but it is only one part of your life, and it is far from adequate proof.

Political Cartoon by Kelly Douglas

SEC offerings ample, various

by NOAH LEAVITT Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Guest Columnist

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n his column last week, Alex Brott performed an important service by focusing attention on ways that the College can do more to help students understand opportunities in the professions. And he was exactly right. Whitman can do more and should be encouraged to do so by students who are getting ready to use their education to be the visionary and productive change-makers and leaders that our world needs.

I read Alex’s suggestions when I was participating in a conference at Wake Forest University, called “Rethinking Success: From Liberal Arts to Careers in the 21st Century.” The conference brought together several hundred administrators, faculty members, Fortune 500 CEOs, entrepreneurs, thought leaders (including our very own alumnus Dr. Phil Gardner ’69), new media specialists and others who are on the front lines of figuring out how liberal arts students can take their academic training and put it to effective use to solve this generation’s most pressing social, economic and environmental problems.

The conference was exciting in part because over the past four years, Wake Forest has tackled this issue with a great deal of energy and money. Their solution was to create a bold new personal and career development office, that through an intensive $5 million dollar fundraising campaign was able to grow from five to 28 full-time staff members all focused on helping Wake Forest undergraduates take their liberal arts training and be competitive in the interconnected, dizzying world in which we find ourselves.

At Whitman, we too have been responding to these needs, albeit not at the level that Wake Forest has. For

instance, we have been creating many new opportunities for students with professional interests to meet community leaders and Whitman alumni who can provide them with information, guidance and network access.

For students interested in law, we recently organized a networking event with the leadership of the Washington State Bar Association.

For those interested in entrepreneurship, we took students to a recent Chamber of Commerce luncheon where the keynote speaker was alumnus John Stanton ’77. For students interested in business, we recently brought to campus the director of the local Small Business Development Center. For students interested in meeting local leaders in the for-profit and non-profit sectors, we took a group to a recent “speed mentoring” event with some of our community’s best and brightest.

In addition, we always welcome the chance to work with students and student groups to develop the kinds of support you are interested in. As one recent example, late last semester a student contacted us and indicated that she and her friends realized that they needed to learn more about Excel to be competitive for the kinds of jobs they are pursuing. Within six weeks, in partnership with WCTS, we organized an Excel training that immediately filled up, which then led us to organize a second session, which was also oversold.

I encourage all students—from first-years to seniors—to learn about what is happening in the Student Engagement Center, to take advantage of the Center’s many programs, events, workshops and expertise, and to continue to let us know about what we can do to be a resource as you are preparing to take your fantastic Whitman liberal arts training to the world that needs you. We’ll do all we can to help you be successful.

Where would you like to see ASWC funds (i.e. your student fee) going?

ANNIE SIRSKI

BRETT LEROUX

First-year

Sophomore

JORDAN BROWN

Junior

“Less money towards ASWC and more money towards professors.”

Sophomore

“More emphasis on funding student-run things because right now I think it’s difficult for students to go to ASWC.”

“I would like ASWC funding to be used to bring more guest lecturers from other universities to present their research.”

“To me!”

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Apr

19 2012

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WEB PRESENTS

HIGHLIGHTS

FRIDAY 4/20

OF MEGHAN McCAIN

11:30a.m.- 12 p.m.

Taco truck next to Reid. Burritos half price!

12 p.m.-3 p.m.

Blonde hair, black outfit, fierce heels

Picasso exhibit in Sheehan Gallery

Fiscal conservative and social liberal, a rare species, whaaa?

1 p.m.

Life Skills class: How to properly grow weed.

Meet in the greenhouse.

At the end of most of her responses she asks, “Does that answer your question?”

4:20 p.m.

Free joints will be thrown onto Ankeny. First come, first served.

Tilted a little awkwardly, facing 45 degrees backstage

7 p.m.

Stumbles over names of TV hosts

Screening of “Dazed & Confused” in Kimball Auditorium

Awkward laugh How did the campaign change her?

Gained weight Media too obsessed with weight, shut down their obsession

Re-Bar Mitzvah’d

Says there was a “dark point”in Republican Party, referring to accusations of dad’s black illegitimate child

Do you love this shit?

Reminds us that GOP has no candidate right now Lots of hair flipping Stupid Ronald Reagan and setting the drinking age at 21 Her next book is “America, You Sexy Bitch” Pro-women

tweets of the week Tweets Kanye West @kanyewest

18 Apr

Ok, what does Rock the Casbah mean exactly?

50 Cent 50@cent

18 Apr

He Sed “Thass A Big Ass Doobie Cuh” Lol

Cartoon by Erica Zinser

Wayne in a panda hat and the combo of stunna shades with a yarmulke. This idea of re-commitment has inspired other famous American Jews to follow suit.

Andy Samberg is expected to get re-bar mitzvah’d this June. There are speculations of a $2 million budget and special appearances

by T-Pain, Akon and other famous celebrities. We

can only hope Samberg’s re-bar mitzvah is recorded as well and turned into an SNL Digital Short. Some of the Jewish community was offended by the inappropriateness of parts of Drake’s re-bar mitzvah, but so far, the only statement Drake has released on the issue was, “hell yeah, hell yeah, fuckin’ right.”

GOT A] [I’VE RAGING CLUE

DOWN 1 Bridge is falling down 2 Lead in Sherlock, 2010 3 Holmes’ romantic interest. Two words.

4 1968 film starring Frank Sinatra 5 Anthropomorphic aardvark ACROSS 2 C17H21N04 7 Bitchinest Sax Solo Ever; Rafferty. Two words.

8 In which Mario may warp

18 Apr

I can’t belive my grand mothers making me take Out the garbage I’m rich fuck this I’m going home I don’t need this shit Wiz Khalifa @RealWizKhalifa

I

n Drake’s new music video for HYFR, he gets “re-bar mitzvah’d as a re-commitment to the Jewish religion.” Now that he is of legal age and loaded, he can have a real rager as opposed to the relatively mild bar mitzvah he enjoyed as a 13-year-old. He has set the bar for these rebar mitzvahs to include naked women dancing, Lil

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