Whitman College Pioneer - Spring 09 Issue 2 by Whitman College Wire

DANCE TEAM ENTERTAINS B-BALL FANS

pg 17

pg 23

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

SPECIAL VALENTINE’S SPREAD

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BASEBALL GEARS UP FOR SEASON

WhitmanCollegePioneer

VOLUME CXXIV / ISSUE 2 WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON whitmanpioneer.com

Bon Appétit prepares for ﬁrst review by Elana Congress Reporter

No more pineapple, bananas only at breakfast, buckets to collect wasted food… Such changes leave students wondering about the future of Bon Appétit. Are these new waste management programs purely environmental, or are they covert attempts to increase profit for Bon Appétit Management Company in the current rocky economy? According to Bon Appétit General Manager Roger Edens, “It has nothing to do with finances.” Instead, the recent changes have been implemented as part of the Circle of Responsibility initiative. The Circle of Responsibility is a nationwide Bon Appétit program that encompasses the company’s goals and standards. According to the description on the Circle of Responsibility boards in the dining halls, Bon Appétit Management Company is driven to BON APPETIT, see page 3 HONG

Ringing in the New Year

Two lions greet each other during the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration on Feb. 7 in the Reid Campus Center Ballroom. See pg. 26 for article.

Admissions for 2009 strong despite economy by Alex Jeffers Reporter

ZIPPARO

Bon Appétit displays tracking of food waste in Prentiss and Jewett dining halls, as part of an effort to encourage responsible eating.

In the wake of the current economic downturn admissions trends amongst private liberal arts colleges have changed. As global demand decreases and more Americans lose their jobs, working and middle-class families have less

money with which to send their children to expensive schools. So far, these developments have not yet affected Whitman’s overall application trends. Kevin Dyerly, Whitman’s Director of Admissions, explained that thus far the volume of overall applications is very similar to previous years. In fact, 2009 applications, in terms of

sheer quantity, may prove to be a record year. The main difference, it seems, has been in the number of Early Decision applications. Though not quite a record year for Early Decision, both Early Decision 1 and Early Decision 2 counts were up from where they were last year. Total applications last year were just shy of 3,300, APPLICATIONS, see page 5

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

NEWS

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Flu shots, caution urged English department in after ﬁrst inﬂuenza case midst of hiring process by Rachel Hoar by Cindy Chen Senior Reporter

Influenza’s arrival on the Whitman campus has been relatively quiet, with only one documented case so far on campus and one other case at Walla Walla College just a few days earlier. Though the college is not legally required to report diagnosed cases of influenza, the Health Center does so out of courtesy for others so that when cases are reported elsewhere in Walla Walla, it indicates that influenza has ar-

rived. “Usually, the first cases we see are from mid to late January. The peak is mid to late February, and there are intermittent cases into April and May,” said Ellen Collette, director of the Health Center. Despite similar symptoms, there is one big difference between the common cold and influenza. “Influenza is a cold on steroids. Particularly in elderly people, influenza causes a significant number of deaths in the US. Fortunately, college students are very healthy to begin with,”

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said Collette. Symptoms include the sudden onset of a fever of at least 102 or 103 degrees, body aches, a dry cough and bad headaches. “People get really sick, and you’re so sick that for the next week, you are completely toasted,” said Collette. The first documented case of influenza was on Friday, Jan. 30. The student in question didn’t have a flu shot. “He said it was the worst he had ever felt in his life,” said Collette. “Bad part is, someone with the flu is contagious from the day before their symptoms begin until 4 to 5 days after the onset of their symptoms.” Influenza is entirely preventable, with flu shots. The Health Center starts administering them around October. This year they were $25. “It takes about two weeks for your body to build up antibodies, but people start losing interest about now because the flu has already arrived,” said Collette. “It’s so avoidable, but young people don’t get flu shots because they’ve never had the flu and don’t realize how sick they can get,” said Collette. It usually takes about four to five days to recover fully from symptoms of influenza. “I sent an email out to Residence Life ask them to tell all the RAs and RDs that influenza is here, and to encourage people to wash their hands,” said Collette. There are also kits available at the Health Center which contain masks, Kleenex, and sanitizing hand wipes. The masks are especially helpful to wear when coughing, so as not to pass germs on to other people. “I just tell people that during flu season, wash your hands before you touch your eyes, nose or your mouth or eat,” said Collette. “There are so many common surfaces like table tops, keyboards and doorknobs, that washing your hands is the cheapest insurance against illness.” Getting the flu shot however, is definitely the best way to prevent influenza. “If someone said that for 25 dollars you would not have to feel this bad, I think most people would be more than happy to pay 25 dollars,” said Collette.

Reporter

The English department is in the process of filling a tenure-track position in Modern and Contemporary American Literature, which is currently shared by Jean Carwile Masteller and Rick Masteller. The two professors will retire at the end of the year. A Search Committee, appointed by Lori Bettison-Varga, handles the hiring process. The faculty advertises in publications, online, and by word of mouth. Then the long process of choosing a candidate begins. The committee has evaluated hundreds of applications, and after narrowing them down, interviewed those most qualified at the Modern Language Association Conference in December in San Francisco. The top candidates from this group are chosen to come to campus and meet with Whitman faculty and students, and to present their research and teaching sessions to the public. Now the committee is in the process of deciding which of the candidates to hire. “For those seeking jobs, the process is exhausting, exciting, [and] intense,” said English Department chair Katrina Roberts. “For those interviewing, it’s also exhausting, exciting, and intense.” Students are also closely involved in the process. “Nominated English majors are first invited, and then the invitation goes out to all majors, to be part of a committee that meets with individual candidates in a series of lunch interviews,” says Roberts. “As well, committee members attend all presentations by each candidate, and submit written feedback.” The nominated English majors must review the candidates, but all students who attend the lectures are encouraged to provide written feedback to the Search Committee. “Even with not being part of the committee, I still felt like I had some stake in it,” said sophomore Jenna Mukuno, who reviewed one of the lecturing candidates. Each candidate gives two presentations: an interactive teaching session with students, and a research lecture. “I really liked how they [the candidates] had two presentations a week, because that one shot experience where they make it or break it is tough,” said Mukuno, whose

c t schedule precluded her from attending thet lecture sessions. “Presenting research is totally different than teaching and…engagingi p students.” Jeff Severs, Christopher Leise, Kamran Ja-i vadizadeh, and Jen McGovern have lecturedb t so far. The current economic crisis has affectedE the candidate search, but not as much as in o other universities. “Late last fall, the College made the deci-s sion to defer hiring several tenure track po-a sitions,” said committee chair Lori Bettison-i Varga. “Like many of our peer institutions,i we had to make difficult choices about which b positions could be deferred.” “We’re grateful as well to the administra-o tion for so valuing this position as to proceedP with it despite the numerous position cancel-i s lations across the country,” said Roberts. Contrary to popular belief, Whitman doesn not look to hire couples, despite the numeroust duos currently teaching. “Because we have a job share policy, cou-t ples who have the same academic disciplin-a ary area may find the possibility of sharing ap position attractive,” said Bettison-Varga. Whitman’s job share policy accommodatesf professors wishing to share a single position.j They may either interview together, or an existing professor may split their position witha another. Those sharing a position are guar-A anteed to share a single paycheck, althought they may negotiate with the college if they wish to teach more than a single position re-a quires. The college’s faculty code may be re-f vised depending on the situation. Thus far, no positions are shared amongw non-couples. Current couples employed at thew college include assistant professors of biology Leena and Thomas Knight, associate professor of pyschology Melissa Clearfield and visiting instructor of philosophy and general studies Mitch Clearfield, and American literature professors Jean Carwile Masteller and Rick Masteller. “Because we have a job share policy, couples who have the same academic disciplinary area may find the possibility of sharing a position attractive,” said Bettison-Varga. The English department will conclude the hiring process soon. “The whole process is really quite an elegant dance,” said Roberts.

NEWS

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Bon Appétit changes ‘more visible’ before review

BON APPETIT, from cover

sessment because it’s the first one that Whitman has had, but future assessments may be random. Preparations for the assessment started in October of 2008. “It’s a big project,” said Edens. “There are a lot of different systems to make sure are in place - little things that we might not have been doing exactly how [Bon Appétit Management Company] would like us to be doing them.” Bon Appétit’s District Manager and Regional Marketing Director visited campus on Tuesday, Feb. 3, for a preliminary assessment. They met with Edens to discuss progress that has been made since their meeting in the fall, along with improvements that still need to be made for the final assessment. “Changes have already been made and we’re just kind of finishing up the details,” said Edens. Edens refuted rumors that Bon Appétit might leave Whitman next year, calling them “unfounded.” When asked about the likeliN hood of passing the assessment, RO VA Edens’ response was equally concise. “We’re expected to,” he said. “That’s ing halls. Prentiss also received a wooden the reason for the preliminary assessments and what not—to get to the point that the table for its waffle and condiment station. Although the decorative changes are part district manager is confident that we will of the Great Expectations program, the re- pass without any problems.” Although it may seem as though Bon cent flurry of activity precedes an internal Appétit’s changes have been dramatic and assessment that will occur later this spring. About three years ago, Bon Appétit Man- sudden, they’ve been in the works for quite agement Company started an assessment some time now. “Bon Appétit’s always changing, there’s program to ensure high always been things going on. Some of these standards and things are just more visible nowadays, parconsistent ide- ticularly some of the environmental ones,” als at all of its said Edens. Name ______________________________________ For more information about Bon Appétit’s locations. Bon Appétit Circle of Responsibility program, visit www. Address ____________________________________ at Whitman circleofresponsiblity.com or simply read the will have its signs in the dining halls. Information spe_____________________________________________ first assess- cific to Bon Appétit at Whitman is available E-mail ______________________________________ ment at the online at cafebonappetit.com/whitman. end of the seTelephone __________________________________ mester. Edens Sign me up for a S P R I N G 2 0 0 9 was notified Subscription to the WhitmanPioneer about this as-

Make checks payable to The Whitman Pioneer, and send to Megan McIntire at 280 Boyer Ave, Walla Walla, WA 99362.

According to Edens, the Great Expectations program is a “standard that [Bon Appétit Management Company] is looking for all of the accounts to achieve.” Both Jewett and Prentiss dining halls were repainted over winter break and are waiting for new artwork to arrive. In addition, wooden tables for the tea stations have been added to both din-

create food that is alive with flavor and nu- some declines in cash at the cafes. That has trition, prepared-from-scratch using authen- continued on,” said Edens. This decline has decreased Bon Appétit’s tic ingredients. The program extends beyond food qual- total revenue by about 3%. One cook mentioned efforts to increase ity to describe in what manner and for what purpose the company operates. “We do this efficiency, whether for environmental or in a socially-responsible manner for the well fiscal reasons, by using product more effecbeing of our guests, communities and the environment,” said Bon Appétit’s food waste for Egan. week of February 2-6: Menu icons inform students of special dietary programs, Previous week’s daily average: 46 lbs such as “vegan”, “in balance”, Monday: 56.1 lbs and “seafood watch.” These Tuesday: 58.9 lbs Wednesday: 53.5 lbs icons are just one part of the Thursday: 26.8 lbs initiative. Friday: 74.9 lbs Bon Appétit has recently begun tracking the amount Week’s total waste reductions: 18.2 lbs of food wasted. Charts in the Prentiss and Jewett dish rooms indicate the amount of food that students throw away daily. Although there is tively. “We’re spending our money not a chart at the Reid Café, student waste is more wisely and buying less food, tracked there nonetheless. Food waste is also being monitored in being able to stretch the food that the kitchen. The tracking system increases we buy,” said Ashley Delgado, a awareness about waste, affecting how chefs prep cook at Café 66, located in the Reid Campus Center. prepare the food. Sarah Olson, a cashier and card“Maybe you’re cutting the rind around the fruit a little closer,” said Edens. “You know, checker in Prentiss, has a different take on recent dining hall changes. just little things.” “Bon Appétit is trying to upscale to make Bon Appétit will track kitchen, student and catering waste for the next three months. it seem more elegant,” said Olson. “We’re trying to get our name out [by According to Edens, it is still too early to dehaving] special types of food, catering to termine the program’s success. Although their waste reduction programs vegans, that sort of thing.” Bon Appétit’s attempts to improve its imare environmentally driven, Bon Appétit has age are evidenced by recent décor changes felt the impact of the faltering economy. “In November we knew that the college in the dining halls. These changes have been was going to be cutting back on catering and implemented as part of the Great Expectawhat not, and we also were beginning to see tions program.

NEWS

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Career center tackles tough job market by Cindy Chen Senior Reporter

It’s the time of year where students begin to look for summer jobs or internships, and seniors begin to figure out what they will do after graduation, but the major issue on everyone’s mind is the tough economy and the sparse job market. However, the Career Center is adapting to the economic turbulence by developing new workshops and bringing guest speakers. “We are trying to keep aware and be proactive,” said Susan Buchanan, Career Center director. “We developed a new workshop called ‘Job seeking in a tough economy’ on Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. in Reid GO2.” In addition to the new workshop, the spring career and internship fair will be held as usual, along with financial workshops developed in conjunction with the Financial Aid Office. “They’re bringing people in from off campus to talk about personal finance, especially about how to save money and get ahead,” said Buchanan. One of those will be on March 5. Dr. Phil Gardner, a ‘69 alum who researches and lectures on recruiting trends of hundreds of different employers nationwide, will be here at 7 p.m. in Ballroom B. Called “Making a Successful Transition,” the workshop is intended to use Gardner’s expertise to prepare students beyond what the career center advises. With most seniors making plans for their futures, whether in grad school or the workforce, seniors have been making more appointments. “I try to help them understand that it’s a very tough economy and it’s really going to have an impact on their opportunities,” said Buchanan. “The most important things to remember are networking, plan ahead, focus and be flexible,” said Buchanan. The economy affects everyone, from seniors to first-years, and being proactive, and networking remain the best advice. “Alumni are really eager to help in any way they can. I can’t stress enough about being proactive,” said Buchanan. “There are still opportunities and still some jobs but you have to really take charge and go after them.” “Well I’m just glad I still have a few years before I enter the workforce,” said sophomore Anna Sky. “I think the real way you get a job is through connections. So hopefully those will come through for me.”

KLEIN

Local favorite 26 brix was one of four Walla Walla restaurants to close its doors in the past two months.

Local restaurants close their doors Delicatessen, agreed with Davis about the harsh winters. “After being here six years Reporter we’re used to it. It’s just like any other date No one can escape it. Even the bubble of on the calendar, but combined with the greatWalla Walla has been popped by the recent est amount of ice and snow that we’ve had in years, and with the downturn we’ve had economic recession. Four restaurants, 26Brix, Luscious, Sean in the economy, this has been a really tough Destination Grill and Pine Street Diner at El- winter…” The closure of the mer’s closed within 26Brix was our dream restaurants also afthe last two months and two businesses, and our passion. Los- fects the prominent Gotta Go Embroidery ing it was like losing a family Walla Walla tourist agency, which reand A Touch of Class, member” lied on places such are planning to close - Mike Davis, Owner of recently closed 26Brix as 26Brix and Lusin March. cious, to pull in east While the owners coast travelers. of the local business“It sad to see these folks go because they’re es are choosing to close for personal reasons, the restaurants needed to close due to poor a major part of our tourism industry,” said a representative of Tourism Walla Walla, weather conditions and the credit disaster. “Back to back harsh winters, the reces- Chris Erickson. The Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, sion and the inability to re-structure debt because of the credit meltdown all contributed an organization formed in 1984 to address to our closure,” said owner of 26Brix, Mike economic activity in the downtown area, hopes to improve the situation through variDavis. Bob Austin, owner of another local res- ous methods. These include lowering rents taurant that survived the winter, Merchant’s to ﬁll vacancies, assembling a group of exby Alethea Buchal

perts to offer free services to local downtown businesses, and trying to reach out to more regional tourists instead of East Coast travelers. Jennifer Northam, Events and Public Relations Manager for the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation, stated that recent times will still be rough even though Walla Walla is in better shape than other communities. “[We] have two different bankers on our board of directors. They are pretty certain it won’t be until 2011 when things are seeing the uptake again. So, yeah we’re in it for the long-haul…” said Northam. Perhaps the greatest reaction to all four of the local restaurants closing was about 26Brix. Senior whittie Ron Davie commented on the closure, saying: “It was unfortunate because they [26Brix] actually had really good French cooking combined with American inﬂuences.… it was actually one of my favorite places.” Davis, owner of 26Brix, is “personally devastated [in] being forced to close. 26Brix was our dream and our passion. Losing it was like losing a family member.”

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

NEWS

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Early Decision option Bridges joins NAICU draws more applicants board of directors for fewer high school seniors after the class of with 1450 acceptances. This made for an incom- 2009, may begin to take a larger toll on application volume. ing class of around 415 students in fall 2008. “National demographics show that 2009 is “We won’t really know for certain for another month, maybe five weeks whether it’s actually a the peak of high school graduates in terms of record year. We’re about flat for total number of sheer population. The concern for admissions applications to the college from where we were is that the recession is coming right at the same last year,” Dyerly said, adding that “this is the time where we already expect to see a slight decline in applications,” said Dyerly. second highest year ever in Early Decision.” As yet, the good news for Whitman is that Despite the harsh economic climate, the admissions office has made speculations as to why there has not been a significant decline in apthis increase in Early Decision applications has plications. What the future holds for the economy and for national occurred. demography is still “Families, with all This is the second to some extent unthe [economic] unhighest year ever in known. certainty, might want Early Decision.” There are a variety to have some finality - Kevin Dyerly, Director of Admissions of factors to which in this college search Whitman’s consistent process a little bit earlier, and also to some extent even demonstrate application trends may be attributed. Some beinterest to their top college earlier,” said Dyerly. lieve that foremost among them is Whitman’s “It seems to be a trend across the country with increasing national reputation. “Just recently, Whitman was named both by nationally selective liberal arts colleges.” In terms of academic qualification, the cali- Kiplinger’s personal finance and by the Princber of students applying to Whitman has held eton Review as a Top-50 Best Value College. So you’ve got some third steady. party endorsements “Our profile for National demographrecognizing that students admitted ics show that 2009 ‘Yeah, the sticker price for Early Decision is of this place might be consistent with what is the peak of high school pretty expensive, but it’s been for the last graduates in terms of sheer when you look at the several years,” said population.” quality of the educaDyerly. “Even though - Kevin Dyerly, Director of Admissions tion, and the resources we had a large quanand the faculty…it’s a tity, the quality was good value.’ That type of endorsement can restill there.” What may be much more important, though, ally strengthen our reputation,” said Dyerly. is what lies ahead in the coming months and years. It still remains to be seen how the ecoAdmission statistics for class nomic crisis will affect students who are only of 2012 now starting to choose where to apply to. “This may ultimately hit us harder in the 2010 [high school] class. The class of 2009 seApplications Received: 3266 lected their colleges in September, October, beStudents Admitted: 1462 fore the market hit the tank. But now, the high First-Year Students: 403 school juniors are going through their college Transfer Students: 22 selection process with the market in mind and First-Generation that may ultimately affect who chooses a place College Students: 45 like Whitman,” Dyerly said. “It’s like looking into a big gray fog bank. We don’t know what Information courtesy of Whitman lies ahead and we are trying to prepare for a College Admissions number of different scenarios.” This, coupled with a demographic prediction APPLICATIONS, from cover

by Libby Watkins Reporter

Whitman College president George Bridges has recently been elected to the board of directors of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). The NAICU, which is made up of college presidents from more than 1,000 private and independent colleges and universities, exists to speak about and advocate for private independent colleges. As one of four newly elected at-large board members, Bridges will serve a term of three years, and is honored to represent and advocate for Whitman. “Whitman is highly regarded nationally,” Bridges said. “ It is really an honor to be recognized as one of the country’s strongest independent colleges and certainly one of the top two or three in the West.” Bridges was elected to the board based off of a recommendation made by NAICU President David L. Warren. In an interview conducted by Lenel Parish of the Whitman College News Service, Warren said that Bridges was “elected because of his expertise in the ﬁeld, proven leadership and commitment to America’s college stu-

dents.” Bridges will attend three meetings a year, where he will work on strategies for encouraging and representing liberal arts colleges in the federal budget. “This group pushes very hard to ensure monies for federal ﬁnancial aid for students stay in the stimulus package,” Bridges said. The group works on better lending practices, ensuring that despite the struggling economy, students will have proper funding to go to the school they wish. What does Bridges’ new position mean for Whitman College? Not only will it help Whitman continue to gain national recognition, it will also directly beneﬁt Whitman students and the future of the college. “Typically at meetings college presidents discuss their schools, the challenges they face, and how they are addressing them,” Bridges said. “These conversations, over meals and at receptions, allow me to promote Whitman and also learn from other presidents ways of adapting to changes in the economy.” The most important part of it all, Bridges said, is that he can serve as an advocate for students, which is the primary goal of NAICU. “That was really the hook for me,” Bridges said.

apply online 800.424.8580 | www.peacecorps.gov

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WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Welty center provides free HIV testing to students Health Department, Planned Parenthood and college campuses. “The district was looking at how many positives they were picking up in each group. People often hold the opinion that college students may be irresponsible when it comes to…sexual safety, but the college student population had the lowest rate of asymptomatic disease out of the three populations covered in the program,” said Collette. In 2006, the district got rid of the grant for

by Shannon Buckham Reporter

The thought of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is enough to instill fear in the average college student. To combat the spread of STDs on campus, the Whitman Welty Health Center provides services that enable students to get tested for STDs efficiently and at the lowest cost possible. The Health Center provides free and anonymous HIV testing, which has STD Testing Contact Information been available for 15 years. The testing Welty Health Center # 509-527-5281 was made available Planned Parenhood # 509-529-3570 to students by a grant Public Health Department # 509-524-2650 provided by Region 10 of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which is the regional administrative authority for all the public health departments in the states of Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Oregon. According to Ellen Collette, Director of the Health Center, students also have the option to get the “Orasure” HIV test at the Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, a good option for those uncomfortable with the standard blood test. Between 2003 and 2005, the health center was also able to offer free Chlamydia and Gonorrhea testing through another HHS grant. This grant was available to the Public

Planned Parenthood and last year the Public Health Department started to charge a $25 appointment fee in order to have the testing done, due to severe cutbacks in federal funding. Whitman was able to secure funding so that students did not have to pay for this testing if they were willing to go to the Public Health Department. “Last year the Dean of Students [dedicated] time and successful effort to procure temporary college funding to aid students who were financially unable to afford the $25 appointment fee,” said Collette.

This year, however, the cost has increased to $50. “The increase of cost this year made it unfeasible for the college to subsidize the cost of the appointment fee, but fortunately, Planned Parenthood provided free testing without an appointment fee at the beginning of the academic calendar year. Unfortunately, since that time, Planned Parenthood has had to charge a $20 appointment fee, but the actual testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea is free,” said Collette. Only HIV testing is provided at no cost and on an anonymous basis at the health cenFALLTRICK ter, Collette noted. Along with HIV testing, the Health Center can also run tests for other STDs such The costs for all as HPV, Hepatitis B, Syphilis and Herpes. other tests are charged to the student by the lab process- symptoms but just want to make sure they ing specimens. Not all insurance compa- don’t have it. In this case the test might nies cover these expenses, and the ones show up as a lab charge. Parents get the bill that do typically send an Explanation of and might want to find out what it is,” said Benefits (EOB) form to either the student Collette. The most common STDs tests that Whitor their parents. According to Collette, students wishing to bypass the insurance man students request are for HPV, Hepatitis process and avoid disclosure have the op- B, Syphilis and Herpes. Of these four, Herpes Simplex is the most commonly requested tion of paying the lab fees upfront. “Paying the lab for the test prior to the and HPV is generally the most commonly diprocessing of the test...means there would agnosed. “At this point, students both male and febe no insurance forms sent to the student or family, and no bill sent to the student or male who know about the STD testing use it. A lot of times students will come in with family,” said Collette. Along with the privacy concerns asso- vaginal discharge or pelvic pain and it will ciated with the EOB, insurance coverage end up being an STD,” said Collette. “I’m can also depends on the type of test and hoping once students know that STD testing whether or not one’s insurance covers pre- is available they will come in and use the services. ventative care. “A lot of policies don’t cover preventative care, which means students have no

NEWS

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Center for Community Service expands programs

y t l d

s d -

e h l m g e

by Elana Congress Reporter

Two student-created community service programs, The Youth Adventure Program (Y.A.P.) and Adopt-A-Grandparent (A.A.G.), have been incorporated into the Center for Community Service (C.C.S.) this semester. Junior Elena Gustafson started Y.A.P. during her ﬁrst year at Whitman. According to Lina Menard, the coordinator for C.C.S., Gustafson started Y.A.P. to ﬁll a void in the community. “She realized that there really wasn’t a program at Whitman or in the Walla Walla community that provided training and helped people to take kids out into the community… to play and learn more about the environment,” said Menard. Now that Y.A.P. is a part of the Center for Community Service, Gustafson serves as the Y.A.P. intern. Every student-run community service program that’s part of the Center has a paid student intern. The student-run programs at C.C.S. include Y.A.P., Adopt-A-Grandparent, the Story Time Project and the Mentor program. In addition, a community outreach intern coordinates seasonal and ongoing C.C.S.

projects. Menard emphasized the importance of student interns in the success of the community service programs. “Because we’ve been able to provide internships for each of our student-run programs, it has allowed us to give some committed time to coordinating the program, not just volunteering,” she said. Adopt-A-Grandparent is the other studentrun program that was integrated in to the Center for Community Service this spring. Sophomore Matt Manley started the program in the spring of 2008. He gathered a few friends together to “adopt grandparents” at the Washington Odd Fellows Home, a nursing home on Boyer Avenue. “This past fall, he was coordinating, along with [sophomore] Kelsie Butts, to connect Whitman students with residents of Odd Fellows,” said Menard. They managed to get about 20 Whitman students involved in the program last semester. Now that Adopt A Grandparent is part of the Center for Community Service, it’s likely that the program will grow even stronger: incorporation into the Center has its beneﬁts. “Because we work with so many contacts in the community, we can help students to net-

work to figure out other resources that they might be able to work with,” said Menard. Incorporation ensures that the program will continue into the future, despite fluctuations in student interest. “It helps over time for there to be a little bit more cont i nu it y in the way the program is run,” she said. Although incorporation into the Center has its benefits, a student-run program can still thrive independently. “Both of these programs have been quite successful before coming under the Center umbrella,” said Me-

nard, referring to Y.A.P. and A.A.G. The Whitman community will beneﬁt from the recent changes, though. “Since the focus of course for the Center for Community Service is to get Whitman students, faculty and staff involved in the Walla Walla community, it makes sense for them to be a part of the center,” she said. For more information about the Center for Community Service or any of its student-run programs, check out w w w.w h i t m a n . edu/content /community_service or visit the Center for Community Service VARONIN ofﬁce in Reid Campus Center (room 208).

Campus activities event calendar Thursday, February 12

Friday, February 13

Sunday, February 15

Campus Climate Change meeting Reid 207 12 p.m.

One-Act Play Contest Freimann Stage in Harper Joy Theater 8 p.m.

One-Act Play Contest Freimann Stage in Harper Joy Theater 2 p.m.

Career Center Workshop: Finding International Employement Reid G02 4 p.m.

Coffeehouse – Liz Townshend and Jenny Gilbert 9 p.m.

Mahjong at the ASH 7 p.m.

Saturday, February 14

Visiting Writers Series: Linda Bierds, Kimball Theater in Hunter Conservatory 7 p.m. One-Act Play Contest, Freimann Stage in Harper Joy Theater 8 p.m. Writers Colony at the Writing House 9 p.m.

Tuesday, February 17 Meditation Prentiss Spirituality Room 8p.m.

Ski Bus to Bluewood 8:30 a.m. One-Act Play Contest Freimann Stage in Harper Joy Theater 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Adopt-A-Parent Valentines Day Party Odd Fellows Retirement Home 3 p.m.

Wednesday, February 18 Campus Activities Board (CAB) Meeting Reid G02 12:00-1:00 p.m.

OP-ED

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

PIONEER BOARD EDITORIAL

A call for transparency Whitman students live in a world of deliberate complacency, but this does not mean we are unaware of the world around us. The economy has the same effect on our lives, and especially our parents’ lives, as it does on everyone else. Thus, when Whitman tries to hide their economic struggles behind phony guises it can be insulting. So Whitman’s endowment is down, so alumni aren’t giving as much, so it is harder to get grants, so what? We aren’t afraid that the economy is hurting Whitman. In fact, if the economy wasn’t hurting Whitman, then we might start worrying. We do care about Whitman going around behind our backs. President Obama’s new administration is promising more transparency in government actions, which has gotten Whitties very excited for the change. With the current economy, maybe we should be looking more closely at home for transparency as well. Right now the Whitman Administration is failing to be transparent—to tell us why they are really cutting back. Instead, they are hiding. They are pretending to care about things that they have never shown a care for before in order to cut their costs. There is a new printing quota system which has everybody riled up arguing on both sides. But they’re not arguing about whether it is fair. They are arguing about why it is even there in the ﬁrst place. Whether the printing quota is good or not, it should not have been played off as some environmental movement. Let there be no misunderstanding: the printing quota is good for the environment and we appreciate that side effect. But it is just that: a side effect of an economic maneuver. We know as well as the administration that it costs a lot of money to support the amount of printing students

do. So tell us that. If the printing quota was established as a program to help cut the costs of printing for the school, we would not be having this same debate. People would have grumbled about it, then swallowed it and gotten back to their work. But instead, the printing quota is supposed to save the world one flimsy piece of paper at a time. We don’t believe it. The printing quota is supposed to save Whitman’s budget one flimsy piece of paper at a time. So the printing quota is a lie. We’ll get over it. But will it stop there—has it stopped there? What other cutbacks have been or will be played off as political, or environmental, or as some other concern? Bon Appetit has been taking on all these new “environmental causes” lately too. No more tropical fruit except at breakfast because of the carbon emissions for shipping it. And the signs about food waste because of the landfills. What about food waste because of the cost? We aren’t fooled. We want the truth. It shouldn’t be a surprise to find out that we are okay with economic cutbacks. Really, we are. Of course it is not what we really want to hear. But it is better to hear the truth. At least then the college isn’t trying to pass off economic cutbacks as deep-seated environmental concerns that are just now coming out when the economy goes sour. To be fair, President George Bridges is now coming out and saying he wants to be honest about the economic problems that the college is facing. It just seems a little late. So here is what we say to the administration: tell us the truth about your failings. We will respect you more for it in the long run, and quite frankly we know already, so there is no point in hiding it any longer.

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WhitmanCollegePioneer SPRING 2009 Editors-in-Chief: Kim Sommers, Jamie Soukup Director of Writing: Gillian Frew Business Director: Megan McIntire

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C O L U M N I S T S Russ Caditz-Peck, Lisa Curtis, Bryant Fong, Spencer Janyk, Alex Kerr, William Lawrence, Leor Maizel, Kari Martin, Stephen Parkin, Tom Poole, Sophia Sady Caitlin Tortorici, Jesús Vásquez, Gary Wang Reviewers: Lauren Beebe, Corey Feinstein, Andrew Hall, Becquer Medak-Seguin

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EDITORIAL POLICY The Whitman College Pioneer is published under the auspices of the Associated Students of Whitman College. The purpose of The Pioneer is to provide pertinent, timely information and entertainment for Whitman students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents, as well as the Walla Walla community. In addition, The Pioneer strives to act as a catalyst and forum for communication within the Whitman community. To do so, The Pioneer publishes weekly Board Editorials. These opinion pieces reﬂect the views of The Pioneer, and not necessarily the views of each individual associated with the newspaper. The Pioneer welcomes letters to the Editor or any contradicting opinion pieces.

SUBMISSION POLICY Letters and Opinion articles may be submitted to The Pioneer editors, Jamie Soukup and Kim Sommers, via e-mail at editors@whitmanpioneer.com or sent to The Pioneer, Whitman College, 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. Please limit letters to 500 words or less. All submissions must be signed and may be cut for space and edited for journalistic style.

OP-ED

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

I use Facebook a lot. So yeah, you got me, I’m not actually planning to delete my account. Nevertheless, in the spirit of defeating Russ Lisa Curtis and Alex CADITZ-PECK Kerr’s article, here’s Columnist why you should—in three easy points. First, Facebook preys upon the selfinvolvement of young people, and encourtheory that if you find your recent actions ages us to pretend we know who inconsistent with your beliefs, you are more we are. likely to change your beliefs than conEveryone say this out loud demn your actions. right now—I am not my profile picture. I am not my status. I am not my favorite movies, books or bands. My Facebook profile is not me. At an age when many begin to negotiate the complexities of their identity, Facebook offers the easy way out. If only we can pick the right pictures, bands and funny quotes that truly define us, then everyone—including ourselves—will understand who we are. Pixels and pictures allow us So to simplify our complex identities if your DOUGLAS and simulate them on digestible Web friend gets pages. Millions of adolescents—and you, an apaI’d guess hundreds of people you know— thetic non-recycler obsessively update their profile pictures, and casual hater of spotted owls, to join two and for what? or three environmental groups, even if only Second, on a related note, Facebook is an out of peer pressure, you will likely come to exercise in narcissism and self-promotion. see yourself as a supporter of these moveFacebook encourages people to imagine ments over time just because it makes you themselves in a fictitious public eye. Fafeel consistent. Then you are not only more cebook users imagine themselves celebrilikely to support Obama’s green-jobs package when it comes into the sphere of public debate, you are likely to insist that you always would have supported it. So with a couple “meaningless” clicks, Greenpeace just gained a new “lifelong supporter.” That is better advertising than Greenpeace can buy.

T P O I N

FACEBOOK: CHANGING THE WORLD ONE ‘POKE’ AT A TIME Not only is Facebook a great way to procrastinate, it might help change the world. Recent studies have shown that virtual worlds sway realLisa CURTIS life choices. If you and apply that science Alex KERR to Facebook, all Columnists of us believe that we have over 500 friends, care about countless “causes” and really can save the world from global warming by sending a little green plant. Past studies have found that video games and virtual reality can sway our emotions, help treat post-traumatic stress disorder and even trigger the same biological pathways as food and cocaine. A recent study at Cambridge University found that a video game could train conditioned responses that underlie much of our behavior. The New Scientist quotes neuroscientist Deborah Talmi as saying that “many virtual things activate very real representations in the brain. For instance, online donations to charities activate the same reward centre – the nucleus accumbens – that is activated to food reward in rats.” Facebook uses this natural desire to contribute to turn itself into worldwide tip jar for countless NGOs in a far more efficient manner. Of course, most people don’t use Facebook to donate to their favorite causes. And no, not everyone who accepts a Lil’ Green Patch request will go plant a tree, if anyone. Nor have all hundred of thousand “Save Darfur” group-members written to their representatives demanding “urgent action.” Most people only belong to causes because someone invited them and they don’t care enough to say no. The non-profit organizations that start these groups should be just fine with this, though, because of cognitive dissonance. Cognitive Dissonance, essentially, is the

COUNTE

ties—constantly under watch, they compulsively seek publicity. They spend their nights posing for the camera and days “de-tagging” bad pictures, as if any of this really matters. As long as a “future employer” and your parents don’t see, anything goes. As Walla Walla resident Don Aschrin points out, “The ‘Wall’ is the weirdest part of Facebook to me. It’s almost like an advertisement masquerading as an intimate conversation. People have personal conversations, but with a public audience in mind.” Good point, Don. Last, Facebook encourages us to replace “real-life” interactions with digital friendship and too-easy politics. All of Facebook’s little gadgets are designed to keep us sitting at the screen—and people seem to take the bait. With its surplus of tools for chatting, commenting, poking, gifting etc., Facebook offers itself up as viable way to maintain or develop relationships—as an alternative to face-to-face interaction. Political activism via Facebook has been a joke. The feeling a youth might have gotten from writing his legislator or protesting a war can now be simulated with any of Facebook’s “Green” applications. Clicking to donate a few grains of rice or joining “Americans for Alternative Energy” makes you feel nice, but it’s more self-promotion than activism. Hopefully Obama can change this by harnessing his millions of “Friends” to donate and hit the streets, but until then, Web sites like MoveOn.org take the cake for political efﬁcacy. It’s true that Facebook is just a tool, and that narcissism is by no means a prerequisite. Facebook can be a great way to supplement daily interactions, and can be a useful social crutch to facilitate low-stakes text ice-breakers. But for everyone I know using it to keep in touch with their Aunt Klaudeen, it seems like there are a hundred others wasting their precious youth compulsively marketing their e-image.

R- POI NT

QUIT FACEBOOK BEFORE YOU BECOME IT

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

AVE THE C

OP-ED

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Shedding censorship at Whitman

EX AMINING RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION ON CAMPUS As it turns out, “We are accepting!” is a mantra that can be as much a barrier as an afﬁrmative statement. Following a poorly-received incident at commencement a few years back, the Whitman Stephen faculty quietly decided PARKIN that content of overtly Columnist religious nature should be banned from ofﬁcial college events, which most noticeably includes commencement and convocation. Invited speakers are barred from discussing religion even at the baccalaureate service, the traditionally religious sending-off for the graduating senior class. Though the religious counselor, for example, is exempt from the policy, the general effect of the rule is the imposition of conformity and a noticeable lack of diverse voices. There was a time when a ban like this would not particularly concern me. Like most people, I claimed that there were valid reasons for content to be censored. To assert that all censorship is categorically inappropriate seemed to enter dangerous waters, where one’s sailing mates are revealed to be extremists and fanatics who revel in their so-called “right” to sling

libel, rancor and hatred. Indeed, this was the very position that I found myself supporting after Salman Rushdie visited Whitman and gave a speech decrying censorship. At the time, I was angered at Rushdie’s claims that there could never be a valid reason for censorship. One way to defeat communication that we find unwholesome is to censor it. But this path is difficult to navigate and is full of contention and arbitrary application of force. What I had missed before was the better option. Censorship aims to eliminate the damage that can be done with words, but in doing so it damages one of the most precious gifts we have: our ability to share our thoughts, opinions and values with one another. The damage can be eliminated in a different way: by changing the way that we receive others’ thoughts, opinions and values. Rather than trying to change others, we can change the way that we receive their opinions through critical reflection and a re-affirmation of our own beliefs. If those who preach hatred or ignorance are not allowed to gain foothold in our mind, then there is no need for censorship. If we can learn to think critically and reject those ideas and opinions that are not beneficial

to us, we will have learned a far more important skill than merely the ability to gag, deface or burn. Censorship attempts to protect but actually harms. Real protection can only come through careful, deliberative thought and a critical engagement with the doctrines to which we are, and always will be, subjected. Regarding Whitman’s gag order against religious content at official functions, then, I must express disappointment. While I personally prefer there to be no religious content at these functions, this preference does not entitle me to force another to be muted. To approach the situation as a violation of my rights not to have to listen is to act with the utmost selfishness and egotism. It is utter hypocrisy to silence the people that one finds irritating, offensive or just plain wrong, and yet to proclaim loudly one’s own openness and acceptance. Acceptance does not mean shouting “I am open to your views!” so loudly that another cannot express him or herself. Acceptance means providing a space for all, and most especially for those with whom you have the deepest disagreement. Character and responsibility, two of the tenets of Whitman’s mission statement, demand nothing less than the complete rejection of

DOUGLAS

censorship alongside an increased capacity for reasoned, critical judgment and engagement. The best place to start is at home. Let’s shed our hypocrisy.

Oblivious students misunderstand printing policy

Gabriela SALVIDEA Associate Op-Ed Editor

It’s endemic: money, for too many Whitties, is just an abstraction. Magically, material comforts exist at the tips of their ﬁngers. Including, until this semester, unlimited printing. For many of my friends, money doesn’t demand self-awareness, practical considerations

or making sacriﬁces. For this reason alone, I commend Whitman’s decision to charge for printing. It bluntly makes students aware that their consumption has a material toll in the world.

This is no hippie standpoint. Neither am I thinking green when I insist on turning all lights off before I leave my house. Not thinking green in the environmental sense, anyway. I’m thinking about money, and I’m thinking like someone who pays her own bills. But obviously Whitman’s aim is practical, not philosophical. When Harvard lost about thirty percent of its endowment, it was top news on the New York Times Web site. Keeping in mind that Harvard’s endowment is vastly larger—billions compared to millions—consider that Whitman too lost about thirty percent of its endowment. Yet Whitties still seem blithely unaware of

what that actually means. The culture of privilege here insulates them, then their sense of entitlement inspires blind criticism. The car industry almost imploded because it didn’t do what Whitman now is doing for us: rethinking its practices to remain ﬁscally sound. Even the budgets of billionaire colleges are being slashed. “Quota,” as the new system is labeled by last week’s news article and this week’s board editorial, is a sneaky misnomer: you can print a million one-sided pages if you’d like—you simply can’t put them on Whitman’s tab anymore. Because of their ﬂimsy understanding of money, students forget that Whitman can

only provide fantastic resources and continue to attract students if ﬁscally sound. Colleges compete with one another based chieﬂy on the vastness of resources they can offer. It’s no surprise then that Whitman wouldn’t debut the new printing measures under an alarming and unattractive tryingnot-to-go-broke banner. WCTS introduced the program as a “multifaceted campus conservation effort.” Few Whitties experience material hardship, so for them “conservation” has immediate environmental connotations rather than monetary ones. Whitman isn’t being deceptive. Students are being presumptuous readers. And from this mistake, they’re up in arms.

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

OP-ED

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Life in Paris: sex, smiles and shouting by Margaux Cameron Contributing Columnist

I’ll admit, when I decided to write a column from abroad, I thought it would be a unique opportunity to report on international perspectives. Worldwide, opinions toward the United States have changed dramatically since Obama’s inauguration. The Whitman study abroad ofﬁce and the several books on French culture that I read to prepare myself all advised me to be wellinformed on U.S. foreign and domestic policy, since the French would be sure to see me as an expert in my country’s government. I anticipated long discussions analyzing U.S. politics and history from a European perspective. However, my host family doesn’t seem to be interested in my opinion about anything but food, and the only time politics have been mentioned was when an extremely drunk Brit alternated between yelling that the American people were responsible for millions of deaths and pretending he supported Bush because it was “ironic.” So I was forced to turn my attention elsewhere to ﬁnd an evocative subject for intercultural discussion. When most Americans think about the French, a wealth of stereotypes surface. The French are cold, unfriendly and uninviting;

they’re sex-obsessed, argumentative and have no sense of common decency. French people see Americans as greedy, naïve and prudish. There are some truths behind these stereotypes: I’ve come to the conclusion that most of them arise from very different deﬁnitions of public and private spheres. When the United States was in uproar over the

Argument and criticism are interesting for the French. They’re subjective. Mutual agreement or compromise is not the goal. It would be so boring if everyone agreed.”

Clinton-Lewinsky affair, the French scoffed. It was childish, they said, for a nation to be outraged over one man’s personal choices. In France, romance and sex aren’t secrets. The cliché of Paris as the city of love is not without basis. On the second day of orientation, one of my advisors told me that in France, there are no “PDA rules.” Of course, by then I’d already sat across

MUSINGS FROM

Abroad

from a young man on the metro who nuzzled his girlfriend’s ear all the way from Argentine to Châtelet. Everywhere you go in Paris, people are kissing— regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation or degree of publicity. For me, this took a lot of getting used to. I’m the kind of girl who doesn’t even like holding hands in public. Unexpected physical contact, even if it’s totally innocent, makes me jump. I’ve yelled, “Get a room!” my fair share of times. I don’t see it as being unromantic, but merely respectful. Who really wants to see that? However, long metro rides face to face with necking couples has given me plenty of opportunities to rethink this stance. I don’t think I’m the only one here, either: Why are Americans, as a society, trained to reject actions that prove their affections? Our culture is obsessed with sex and marriage – from a certain age, we’re surrounded with images and slogans meant to jumpstart our biological clocks. Every TV show, every movie, your parents, your friends, your magazines: all the same messages. Have sex, get married, have kids. In whatever order you prefer. So why are the manifestations of these occurrences, the success of all these messages, kept so hidden?

French people also don’t disguise their emotions. I don’t know how many times I’ve been told this: when in France, don’t smile at strangers. Smiles for no reason are interpreted as insincere and unwarranted. Why would you smile at someone you don’t know? Last night, I came home to find my host parents in the middle of an argument. I was extremely uncomfortable; they didn’t seem to mind at all. Argument and criticism are interesting for the French. They’re subjective. Mutual agreement or compromise is not the goal. It would be so boring if everyone agreed. Americans want to make people comfortable: they save the nasty scenes for the privacy of their own homes. Criticizing your significant other in public won’t make you look cleverly cutting – it’ll make you look like a bitch. The French say: Don’t you ever get tired of pretending that everything’s fine, even when it’s not? So after two weeks in Paris, I’m not sure which philosophy I agree with: the one I’m living in or the one I’ve grown up with. It’s more interesting that way.

Court decision erodes important freedoms Lest Democrats get too excited about their newfound dominance in the White House and Capitol, a recent Supreme Court decision serves to remind us that, alas, liberals still don’t call all the shots in William Washington. LAWRENCE Columnist In a 5-4 decision, the court created a signiﬁcant and dangerous exception to the exclusionary rule and encouraged future negligence and malevolence by police departments. The case, Herring vs. United States, stemmed from a 2004 incident in Coffee County, Alabama. Police, believing they had a valid arrest warrant, searched a man named Bennie Herring and discovered an unlicensed pistol and methamphetamines. It was later revealed that the warrant had been withdrawn ﬁve months prior to the arrest, but remained in the computer system due to a clerical error. Mr. Herring’s lawyers contended the illegal

items were the product of an invalid search and therefore inadmissible in court. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts states that the exclusionary rule, created to discourage unconstitutional searches, did not apply in Mr. Herring’s case because the error was made in “good faith” rather than “reckless disregard of constitutional requirements.” A seemingly reasonable distinction, sure, but the Chief Justice’s language reveals distaste for the exclusionary rule in general and bodes ill for its future in the Roberts Court. When Chief Justice Roberts writes that “the beneﬁts of deterrence must outweigh the costs” of excluding evidence, he introduces a slippery value judgment that can—and will—be interpreted many different ways. In the judicial world, where precedent means everything, conservative judges will certainly quote this ruling as they further and further weaken the Fourth Amendment as they weigh costs and beneﬁts on their faulty ideological scale. When defending an essential constitutional principle such as the Fourth Amendment, no cost is too high. The Fourth Amendment states, “The

right of the people to be secure in their persons… against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated.” The search in question was patently unconstitutional—nobody disputes this—so the evidence must be discarded.

If your CORE professor rewarded sloppy disorganized work with prizes, you would be disinclined to do your work well. In fact, you might purposely rough up your papers a little bit at the end just for good measure.” The constitution is tantamount, and as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg notes in her minority opinion, the exclusionary rule “is often the only remedy effective to redress a Fourth Amendment violation.”

Another argument made by Chief Justice Roberts concerns the deterrence value of exclusion in this case. He claims that the potential for future deterrence in this case is negligible, because the error was borne of simple neglect rather than active deceit. Here, he is just plain wrong. If your CORE professor rewarded sloppy, disorganized work with prizes, you would be disinclined to do your work well. In fact, you might purposely rough up your papers a little bit at the end just for good measure. Similarly, this case gives police departments an incentive to be just a little bit sloppy in their record-keeping, in the hopes of winning a “prize” like Bennie Herring. Ultimately, this case boils down to a simple question: which decision creates a greater danger? Does Bernie Herring with pistol in pocket and meth in bloodstream present a threat to society? Probably. Does the continued erosion of our individual constitutional liberties to the beneﬁt of police forces present a threat to society? Absolutely.

OP-ED

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Registration holdin’ you back? This column is supposed to be about environmental issues. But not today. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to talk about the new printing quota or the national teach-in hosted by Campus Climate Challenge. Sophia Yet, right now, my thoughts SADY Columnist are occupied. All I can think about is how irate I am that after the registration hell of clearing my holds and web check-in, the art department booted me out of class—very unceremoniously. I mean, seriously? It’s my last chance to even use this amazing building that everyone has been waiting for, and I get kicked out? The nerve. Since my first year, I’ve been plagued with horrible registration times that have left me with the proverbial “ass” of class selection. This is not a unique story. It is one that I have heard countless times from frustrated Whitties of all ages. Every spring and fall, students everywhere on campus are tearing their hair out. Either a professor forgot to give consent to register, a hold didn’t get cleared, an advisor gave some bad advice or the waitlist on a crucial class just filled up and it has closed. It’s like clockwork. I understand that the small classes offered at Whitman require caps on student enrollment. So, when I was a first-year, I sucked it up and played patsy for the registration gods, enrolling in whatever random classes my advisor said would fulfill distribution. I assumed I would be rewarded my senior year. Wrong. This spring all I wanted to do was get into that freaking art building. But, it turns out, everyone was too excited about it and every single class that fit my

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

letter to the editor

schedule was closed to me. And, per usual, all the classes that were open conflicted with a class I had to take. I was foiled at every turn, a problem I had before, in my youth, but did not expect to encounter as a senior. Damn you registration gods! I asked myself ‘how could this happen?’ Honestly, I still don’t completely understand it. But to my knowledge there are only a certain number of slots available to people from each class-year and once those slots get filled for enrollment and waitlist, the class is closed. So I couldn’t even get on the waitlist! Then when I showed up for the class, a scheme I was sure would be rewarded, I and several other seniors were booted out! It was remarkable. I guess someone should have thought about hiring more staff before making a huge building that a lot of students are going to want to get into. As you can see, it sucked. So I went and complained to the department office. Didn’t work. So, I wrote an e-mail to the booter explaining my situation and asking to make an exception for a senior who was losing her last chance to cultivate her artistic side. I begged. No reply. I guess I’m doomed to have bad taste forever. Exiled to study the potential emissions produced by the building from a distance rather than take advantage of the opportunities that lie within. The bottom line is: I am paying way too much to be disappointed … ever. And have been disappointed way too much. This college is advertised as a place that cares about its students, yet having complained multiple times about not getting into the art building for my last semester, I am ignored. Just try to ignore me now.

How to be an effective citizen EDITOR, Raise your hand if you voted on November 4 and then thought, “Now what?” For many Americans, their involvement in the democratic process is limited to once a year, if not once every four years, on Election Day. They vote and think that’s all there is to being an effective citizen. But, as rapper Chuck D once said: “voting is like brushing your teeth in the morning. It’s a necessary thing – but it’s only the first thing you do... It doesn’t mean you’ve done a full days work.” Being an effective citizen doesn’t mean you have to quit your day job, give up your hobbies and friends and watch C-SPAN nonstop. You can do it in as little as one minute, one hour, one afternoon a week or month. The first step to effective citizenship is to study the issues – there are Web sites, TV channels, radio stations and publications galore to provide you with this information. Find the ones that stimulate your brain, tickle your curiosity bone and use factual sources and continue to check in with them. Take note of those topics that pique your interest and start looking for more information. And don’t forget to share and ask questions of those around you—others are also paying attention and might have some valuable insights or tidbits of info. While on your fact-finding mission, you also want to learn how the political system in your town, county, state and nation works. Watch School House Rock’s “How a Bill Becomes a Law.” Find out more about those

elected into the positions that cover those areas and what their positions are on those issues that matter to you. Learn about the issues they support and who supports (i.e., votes for and donates to) them. Once you’ve got the info you feel you need, it’s time to find out what you can do with it. Contacting your elected officials is a good place to start, but you only want to contact those that can do something about your issue. You can thank or spank an official for their support of or work on an issue, or encourage them to get involved. A way to get the rest of the community involved is to write a letter to the editor of local publications, detailing why others should care. Also, you can attend town meetings and candidate events and debates and raise the issue there. Circulating a petition for other concerned citizens to sign that’s submitted to elected officials is another good tool. To make a difference in this world, you do not need to be an expert or have a lot of money or power (though, that can help). But you do need to do more than just vote. If you are interested in seeing effective citizens in action, I urge you to attend Planned Parenthood’s annual Reproductive Health & Rights Lobby Day being held Feb. 22 and 23. To learn more and sign-up, visit http://tinyurl.com/lobbyday09.

- Cora Davidson Public Affairs Field Organizer, Planned Parenthood of Central Washington

Sweet Sasha and marvelous Malia: Lay off the Obama girls Ben and Jerry’s has just debuted a new ice cream flavor “Yes Pecan,” Chrysler is using an Obama-inspired voice in car commercials in Australia and Pepsi’s billion Lisa CURTIS dollar re-branding project and is looking surprisingly Alex KERR like a flipped Obama Columnists logo. Obama might as well turn the economy around by selling Barack-andRoll t-shirts at Urban Outfitters. It seems just as futile to resist the onslaught of new fashion

movements in Michele Obama’s wake. Michele and Barack are adults, they can handle this kind of scrutiny. Their 10 and seven year old girls, however, cannot. Picture slideshows of Sasha’s “Sassiest Campaign Trail Moments” or VH1 features on Malia’s fashion choices are tasteless. Far worse is the pair of Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia dolls produced by the Beanie Babies company. It has gotten so out of hand that Michele Obama had to issue a press statement through her secretary, stating that she ﬁnds it “inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes.” So inappropriate that until this presidency,

profiteering off first kids has been mostly taboo. During President Clinton’s impeachment debacle, People magazine ran a cover article on Chelsea Clinton’s day-to-day struggles. The magazine was criticized by the media, Hillary Clinton and even the Secret Service for revealing too much. Chelsea was almost eighteen years old at the time. The Obama girls are far less prepared for this kind of exposure, and yet journalists find it appropriate to publish their morning routine, school schedule and even their lunch menus. Some reporters have even solicited quotes from anonymous fifth graders. No detail of these girls’ lives, it seems, is too minute to publish na-

tionally. “We can reliably report some details,” reported Richard Leiby and DeNeen L. Brown of the Washington Post, “such as: Sasha carried a JanSport Trans backpack with a camouﬂage pattern of pink, magenta, gray and white camouﬂage. Attached to the backpack was a turquoise, threeeyed Uglydoll keychain.” Sales of Uglydolls are rumored to have skyrocketed and the Uglydoll blog has lauded Sasha for her good taste. Can we just go back to critiquing Barack for his horribly worn-out baseball hats? Let’s let Sasha and Malia grow up before we turn them into twin Miley Cyrii.

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

FEATURES

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

FROM: AN ONYMOUS FROM: JENNIL BARKER E T O: AMAND I N BRETT OM: MICHAE N FR O B : FER A M O P R R K OTTI F ONEN I love Roses are TO: T TO: DORI you al : CLYDE O re TO: HAILUN T d, y, H Da E vi s l ol e’ ! PIT in ets are this y Living blue. This I’d Happy Valent ear is Big hug to you with y ne else po o em o ? n do ne SO awe s mi es ’ o n’t u have pretty There with! some. will you be s k n a today and alb ey b es o Happy but you do Valent Happy Vale rather r . ways! XOXO ine’s ntine’s Da Day! y! Love, -<heart>Jen Brett. FROM: ANONYMOUS FROM: M TO: THOSE WITHOUT A VALENTINE TO: BATS like a OUTHOUSE y heart m E O, if thou hadst breath’ed then, Now H p ERIK FROM: T o t : s M O u FR Yo FROM: TYLER bacon. f o e KIM E c V the Muses had been ten. At least e TO: R E i : p w O e ho T n i us TO: ST f O ng S hi IE ac g te for forevermore, evermore, shall I call a bi “Will Thank you you be the Earth! e Kim, r ve e lo h e t d v o an mine?” the Muses Four. Says t Hey I l to recycle he oct you! FROM: KIM opus t u old RA! your ss for t i n h , k i e gs in o e d Th n We miss yo o i lphin, n TO: ERIK , in the sh e, and Gree awaitd blue g n After all th a i Love, Peac t n s e dulcet re is time I’m rt in eyes g call glad I can st my hea respon Sell A Jam IHO ill say “Olow in se. n R s k i W , I e v r : o e l M v r e O u r FR ive Juice.” that o us fo true. FAH gnore t week? TO: i t ’ an ex FROM: IAN GILL You c Dinner n . TO: JOE CROSS y Hb FROM: ALEX ba ILLIAN YMOUS FRES FROM: G s! FROM: ANON Joe, you are so so sexy. I TO: Kisse X GILLIAN E L A RL : TO MAN GI want you. Now. Let’s make It has been one gloriEND e red r AR a EY s e IL s o BA R TO: Sage jealous with our sweet om ous year since our awkwar are blue ming back fr d Violets -I saw you co CRET eye-love. E ed S nt y incred t wa fir t st date -- hopefully my d e R an r p U ce s ti O ’ ac t pr I Y i sk r a : e flirting skills have imnt a y FROM ER many beads of I’ve spe to know how R down ng pro ved. pi u ADMI MILY J. ip o y dr with sweat were h you ery : E c s. O t ab T d a ar w bo ER your wash , I r ev N ALK Emily far. You y SHARO m Me love you. a R s E FROM: m fro hant N ALK c A n L g e A n a n TO: seas g motio ’ the FROM: POOPERS . Till a l u o , s dear wi’ TO: SCOOPERS t l e dry my m s e rock ))<>(( And th FROM ! n u : s e ELLI th TO: E M You’r OLLY e a BAM LLY F, to : MO o. FROM LLIE E . F : M A TO e a B You’r FROM:

? e n i t n e l a v y m e b F E AT U R E

FEATURE

FEBRUARY 12, 2009 SELECTED STATISTICS. QUOTATIONS GATHERED BY GILLIAN FREW

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Do you have any favorite memories of celebrating Valentine’s Day on campus? ♥ “Last year in the game room in Prentiss, I found nice dishes and a nice table cloth and I transformed the room into a cute dining room. I bought sweet basil and a friend made dessert; my boyfriend and I dressed up and we pretended we went out for a nice dinner. It was a nice way to celebrate on a budget.”

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Such blatant signs of commercialism have led

the “Hallmark holiday” argument—the idea that Feb.

many citizens of the new millennium to reject the

ing and enjoying American consumerism.

14 signiﬁes nothing but corporate dominance. The

holiday altogether, through boycott and other forms

are many antivalentinist individuals who are not op-

other is that Valentine’s Day promotes romance to

of protest.

This phenomenon has spread far and

posed to movies, and everybody likes candy, so why

the point of causing great discomfort and embarrass-

wide, from the declaration of Singles Awareness Day

not get together and watch My Bloody Valentine (the

ment to those without a partner.

(also celebrated on the 14th) to the ofﬁcial banning of

original Canadian slasher from 1981) and eat Red

Valentine’s Day in Saudi Arabia.

Vines? At least one treasure among those that com-

Valentine’s Day, or St. Valentine’s Day as it is

Valentine’s Day could also be used for recognizThere

called by some other cultures, has been celebrated

There are also many cultures that have devoted

prise the vast ocean of pop culture is truly loved by

since the High Middle Ages, a time when formalized

Feb. 14 to friendship and acts of appreciation, from

every American. This love, while petty, is deserving

courtship was fashionable. According to a Belaru-

Finland’s Friend’s Day to Guatemala’s Day of Love

of celebration in and of itself, if not with friends.

sian myth, Saint Valentine carved out his own heart

and Friendship.

However, if you still ﬁnd yourself lonely on Valen-

as a gesture of undying love after being rejected by

Though our American celebration is irrefutably

tine’s Day, in spite of the relationships which already

his mistress. Feb. 14 allegedly became associated

targeted towards lovers, there is no need to exclude

exist in your life, it is probably because there is an-

with romantic love in Chaucer’s circle of friends,

the other forms of love, which are both bountiful and

other relationship in your life which is either desired

and has since been celebrated in the Western world

equally beautiful, from Valentine’s Day. If you ﬁnd

or in need of repair. If this is the case, it is strongly

and beyond.

yourself stuck on the 14th with no lover, there are still

recommended that you be bold and take measures to

plenty of ways to enjoy the holiday.

correct the situation. Whether it is sending a valen-

In America, Valentine’s Day has long been considered a commercial holiday, invented and exploited by

Anonymous acts of kindness and hand-made

tine to a crush or calling your estranged parent, the

the card and candy companies for the sole purpose of

crafts, for example, provide perfectly lovely, non

action is worth the risk, for our time here is too short

prying money from the hands of consumers. Indeed,

(potentially even anti) consumer solutions.

to be spent wondering about missed opportunities or

it is hard to repress the cynic within upon seeing the

any friend or family member would be delighted to

halls of Safeway crammed with pink and red décor,

receive such an expression of love. Rejoicing in love

ﬂuffy white teddy bears, and Russell Stover’s heart-

is an uplifting and uncommon act that should surely

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J?8EEFE 9L:B?8D was born two days after Valentine’s Day and I cannot remember a birthday when everything went right. I am convinced, perhaps some would argue unreasonably, that the hype surrounding Valentine’s Day and the entire month of February is the reason that I have eventually grown to dread this month. Last year, I forgot to fear the outcome of the month of February, and a week into the month, my entire world fell apart (though only temporarily... it was quite tragic at the time). This year I have attempted to remain true to my optimistic nature, but in the span of three days was subjected to a number of unfortunate events. Therefore, I maintain my dislike of this. I argue: Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday. Companies like Hersheys and Hallmark wait every year for the month of February when they can pull out the pink hearts and sappy “I love you forever and ever” cards. There exists an immense pressure to demonstrate your love through gifts and material objects. American culture is incredibly materialistic, and eventually we are going to have to accept it, or move to Canada. Defenders of the holiday refute the commercialism by arguing that, every once in a while, it is all in good fun to show someone we love them through the materialistic route. This I cannot argue with since every Christmas my bank account dwindles because I enjoy buying things for the people I care about. Of course the real point of Valentine’s Day is not to support Hersheys and Hallmark, but to let people know that you love them. What I do not understand is why we have to wait for a special day in February. Why not tell people that you love them any old day of the week? That, after all, would be much more of a surprise, since not every couple in America would be waiting in anticipation for a token of affection. Come to think of it, bringing home ﬂowers and chocolates on a random Tuesday would probably make your signiﬁcant other feel much more special than on Valentine’s day when such gifts are expected. Yes, every couple is different; and hopefully each “I love you” card is individualized. But what about celebrating birthdays and anniversaries? Aside from the random Tuesdays, people never seem to run out

of reasons to celebrate; and in these instances the celebration is actually unique for each couple, not simply commercially manufactured. Another misconception associated with Valentine’s is that it sucks for singles. I would argue against that. Valentine’s Day is the best day to be single. Singles are not suckered into an obligation to celebrate. When in a relationship, ignoring Valentine’s Day is horrendously offensive to your loved one. We are taught to believe that those who do not receive a plethora of chocolates are lonely and unloved. In reality, being single is the way to go. The single life is free from the responsibility of making the day perfect, making the single life, the guiltfree life. February is a great month for people to get together: consider the really excited man who decides to propose on Valentine’s Day (ah, how cute). It is also a terrific month for people to find reasons to break up. Valentine’s Day creates an obligation for couples to celebrate, to be happy and genuinely in love. Valentine’s Day suggests, on one day, you have to be the perfect person for your significant other, and this is intimidating. Individuals in relationships that are not going as well could start to re-evaluate them. People who feel like they cannot live up to the socially constructed demands of Valentine’s Day start to consider that maybe they cannot meet the needs of their relationship. Valentine’s Day becomes a good excuse for people who do not know where their relationship is headed. If they feel like they cannot show the required amount of love on one day, then clearly the relationship is not going to work at all. Because we never stop to consider that perhaps not all people like to demonstrate the amount of love and affection that Valentine’s Day requires, the concept generates fights and breakups throughout the entire month. For those who decide to live up to expectations even if they don’t want to, the display is fake, the celebration of the relationship false. On Feb. 14, we are told that for one day it is our responsibility to love everyone, but this love is not truly genuine. Pick a nice Tuesday, make their birthday extra special, but celebrating Valentine’s Day is not the honest and best way to tell someone you care.

FEATURES

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

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FEBRUARY 12, 2009

SPORTS

Baseball season begins amidst roster trouble

by J. Staten Hudson

spite its forwardlooking mindset, the team still appreciates support from fans during these testing times. “We’ve been working hard and we’re having a lot of fun. It’s always great to have fan support out there. It’s guaranteed that you’ll see 100 percent effort out there on the ﬁeld,” said Kitamura.

quickly approaching in March. “‘Early bird’ registration starts to give us an idea of where the numbers are going to go for the year,” said Pacific Little League President John Zodnick. “Little league numbers fluctuate yearly. If you can get the returning kids signed up sooner, it’s just that much done ahead of time and you’re not pushed so hard in March when you have practice and tryouts.” Pacific Little League is looking for volunteers to help with registration. They also need volunteers during the season. Volunteer opportunities include umpiring, running the scoreboard, running concessions, or even bud-

Reporter

In many American households, the advent of spring means one thing: Little League baseball. Across the country, gloves are being brokenin, throwing arms strengthened and ﬁelding techniques perfected in anticipation of the start of the season. Walla Walla is no different. Over 550 kids in the greater Walla Walla area are expected to turn out this year for what promises to be an exciting season. “Early bird” sign ups, where parents can register early in order to avoid the rush right before tryouts, will be held Saturday, Feb. 14 outside of Shopko. Regular registration is from February 18-21 and February 23-28. Early registration helps organizers more acc u rately plan for the upcoming season, allowing t h e m breathi n g room with t r youts SO

Last year’s season was not one to remember for Whitman baseball. With an overall record of 4-36, it seems that in 2009 there is nowhere to go but up. For their first tournament in California, the team traveled with only 16 players, a number two or even three times as small as many of their opposing teams. After losing many of last year’s players for various reasons—including graduation, school transfer, injury and outright discouragement—the Missionaries are carrying an undeniably thin roster. Some might say the outlook for this season is bleak, perhaps even more so than the previous one. Luckily, the Whitman baseball team doesn’t think that way. They are determined to stay positive in light of these setbacks. Sophomore shortstop Jay Richards characterized the general outlook among players as excited and hopeful. “We have all the excuses in the world to quit… but being at a disadvantage can sort of give us motivation to rise above it. There’s something exciting about being the underdog,” Richards said. “It’s pretty hopeful; we’ve got a solid group of guys and a really positive attitude.” Head Coach Casey Powell is also optimistic. “Hopefully we stay healthy. We’ve got a good one-two, pitching wise. We’ve got to play the game between our ears just as much as we do on the field,” Powell said. “We finished off on a strong note last year, so hopefully some of the younger guys coming back this year can kind of continue to feed off that. If we can continue to get better every week, that’s kind of our main thing.” Last season’s struggles, however, have not been forgotten. “Last year we had a lot of chances to break through, some pretty close games…I felt like if we could’ve busted through, it would’ve been a different season,” Powell said. Under the determined leadership of senior pitcher Pete Stadmeyer, the Missionaries are looking to turn a less-than-ideal situation into something positive and constructive. “We’re going to need a strong performance out of everybody and just constantly be on top of things,” Stadmeyer said. “We’re going to be going against teams with bigger rosters, more pitching depth, and more depth all around. I think just going against those schools is intimidating, and I think everyone’s going to have to step up and contribute at this point.”

Many of the younger players have adopted Stadmeyer’s attitude of humility and hard work. “Everyone on the team has complete confidence in Pete, he’s a great ballplayer,” Richards said. “He’s not a guy that tells you how to do things; he’s a guy that shows you how to do things.” Asked whether this determined mindset will prevail in the coming years, junior outfielder Brian Kitamura spoke about the attitudes of all players present and future and how these ultimately affect the program’s success. “The program is definitely in a re-building mode. But this is a new year, and there’s a whole bunch of us that are trying to change the core culture of the program, so we’re building a foundation for the young guys coming in. We’re trying to do away with the losing ways, and we’re trying to instill traits of character and hard work,” Kitamura said. So it is with hope and determ i n a t ion that Whitman baseball begins the 2 0 0 9 season. De-

Reporter

First Whitman home game will be Thursday, February 26 against Central Washington University at Borleske Stadium, 4 p.m.

Little league volunteering, something to give back

by Alex Jeffers

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

dying up with physically or mentally disabled players. The Challenger baseball Program for disabled kids has been extremely successful since its inception. Players from DeSales High School often buddy with the kids, teaching them how to throw and hit. “We have a lot of the DeSales kids come out and help the buddy program and we split it into teams and we have one buddy for every kid,” said Zodnick. “That’s our pride and joy, that’s the part we really like. See, when these kids enter the Challenger Program, they have entered Little League and they never forget that. It’s just a lot of fun to watch them.” But volunteer opportunities are not limited to those listed above. According to Zodnick, the league allows a lot of freedom in choosing volunteer opportunities. “One of our volunteers was a photographer and he just came out and took pictures of all the teams and all the kids,” said Zodnick. “Parents would pick them up for about $2.50 a shot and he’d give a little bit back to the league for doing it. We never say no to a volunteer.” Paciﬁc Little League has had a hard time recruiting volunteers lately because of increased interest in other sports like soccer and karate. The number of players that join Little League has decreased over the last few years for the same reason. “Baseball is holding its own, but it used to be a lot better,” said Zodnick. “There are so many youth activities now that it’s hard for parents to do everything—soccer, baseball, karate, dance and all that. It’s just getting harder and harder. When they didn’t have soccer and all the other activities, our leagues were a lot fuller.” In contrast, though, volunteers have stayed loyal. “[Volunteering] can get in your blood really easy,” said Zodnick. “I know people that volunteered down in our place at one time who left and they just seemed to sniff out a Little League in the town they moved to and, before you know it, they’re helping out another league. It’s just something to give back to the kids.”

Interested in volunteering? Contact John Zodnick at (509) 529-6589 or jzodnick@bmi.net. Positions available include managers & coaches, umpires, concession workers, and more.

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Game of the week: NWC Swimming Championship by Noah Moskat Reporter

This upcoming weekend, Feb. 13-15, Whitman’s swim teams will take part in the culminating event of their season, the Northwest Conference Championships. A three-day competition, the meet will be held at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash. In one last chance to showcase a season’s worth of effort, the Championships will undoubtedly mark the teams’ most important event of the year. Coming off third and fourth place finishes, respectively, at last year’s competition, both the women’s and men’s squads are looking to finish this season on a high note. “This is the one meet we’ve been preparing for all season, since September” said sophomore Lauren Flynn, a captain for the women’s team and one of Whitman’s top swimmers. “To see your teammates on the podium, to see the rivalries played out—it’s exciting. I think it’s going to be really special.” For the men’s team in particular, this weekend may prove to be a defining moment in the program’s history. “We have a great men’s team, maybe the best we’ve ever had,” said captain George Stanton, a

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junior, who suggested that at least one swimmer on their results in these heats, they may then swim had a shot at advancing to this year’s Division III in event finals during the afternoons. Coming into the championships, the men hold Nationals. “Some records could definitely fall.” Along with Stanton, other swimmers to watch fourth place in the conference standings and the for on the men’s side are seniors Noel Sollom- women sixth, with Whitworth leading on both Brotherton and captain Ysbrand Nusse, junior Eric Molnar, sophomore Jamie Nusse and standout first-year Chris Bendix. After several significant losses to graduation, and with only one senior currently on the roster, the women’s team is looking to gain experience and lay a foundation for future success. “This year we’re building,” Flynn said. “It’ll be about exposure.” JACOBSON The women, led by Flynn, Matt Liedtke, ‘12, will compete in the upcoming championships. have top performers in juniors Kendi Thomas and Sidney Kohls, senior Courtney Fitzpatrick and first-year sides. Stanton highlighted a rivalry with third place Pacific Lutheran, and Flynn mentioned Linnea Scott. Over the course of this coming weekend, Lewis and Clark. But with so many schools toswimmers will take part in three preliminary rac- gether at once, every team will be fighting for es, held on the tournament mornings. Depending their own place on the leaderboard.

FullCourt PRESS

COMMENTARY

by Andy Jobanek and Billy Low Sports Editor and Reporter

Andy: Irrelevant. Too commercial. Boring. That’s the way all-star games are described nowadays, and with good reason. While it’s an honor to make an all-star game for athletes in any sport, the actual game usually amounts to a three-hour practice. Players are taken out before they can even break a sweat and the play is sloppy at its very best. Seeking to stir some excitement for their allstar game this weekend, the NBA announced it would televise a game of H-O-R-S-E between two of its players. The move drew a smattering of praise from the sports media, but it didn’t last long. On Friday, February 6th, TNT sold the rights to the name’s game to Geico. So instead of H-O-R-S-E, the players’ missed shots will spell out G-E-I-C-O. That’s embarrassing. That’s not the name of the game any of us grew up playing. If the NBA has to resort to that kind of corporate marketing, then the economy is worse off than

With the meet fast approaching, team energy is running high. In addition to the months of physical preparation, the captains described the large mental and emotional investment that goes into the conference championships. “After conference last year, I was more emotionally exhausted than physically tired,” Flynn said. “I’m excited, but equal parts nervous and terriﬁed.” Stanton echoed her sentiment. “You’ve been working on a project from September to February, and now you’re going to see if your work paid off. So it’s extremely emotional. There’s big pressure.” But it’s also evident that these swimmers are ready and raring to go. “This is the last chance for swimmers to show their stuff,” Stanton said. “So everyone really gives everything they’ve got.” “It’s hard not to get excited,” said Flynn.

The Northwest Conference Swimming Championships will take place Feb. 13-15, at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Wash. Events begin at 10 a.m. each day.

ARE ALL-STAR GAMES STILL RELEVANT?

I thought. All other all-star games have similarly faded into obscurity. The aftermath of the Super Bowl overshadows the NFL’s Pro Bowl. Major League’s all-star game substitutes players after every pitch and the NHL’s all-star game is the most forgotten day during their forgotten season. Billy: Your points suggest the irony surrounding all-star games these days. Leagues see unpopular all-star games as chances to cash in on their sport. Or perhaps leagues feel they have to sell naming rights just to make the games worth the trouble. Last summer, I listened to radio host and NBA analyst Tom Tolbert plead for one NBA game with only basketball—no music, halftime stunts, etc. But as businesses, leagues have the right to try to make as much money as possible. An all-star game can be a great chance to exercise that right since only entertainment and fun are at stake. Until enough fans abandon all-star games to offset a league’s revenue from its commercialization, fans will have to watch players play G-E-

I-C-O at U.S. Airways Center, or Quicken Loans Arena or the AT&T Center. Andy: I understand the reasoning behind playing half-speed in an all-star game. If I were an owner and my hundred million dollar investment got injured during an exhibition, I’d feel cheated. The 2002 MLB all-star game ended in a tie in order to avoid any such injury. However, I’m not an owner, I’m a fan of the game. I still don’t want the players from my favorite team to get injured at an all-star game, but the purpose of these games should stretch beyond these concerns. At its core, the NBA all-star celebration is a great example of what an all-star game should be. The whole week is surrounded around showcasing talent whether in the Slam Dunk competition, the skills challenge or the three-point competition. Then, after all of that, the game itself is supposed to be the display of the league’s best players. While the best players still attend the event, the game has become a competition to be the most viewed video on Youtube the next

day. As fans, we’ve seen everything in an allstar game before. The regurgitation of the same dunks every year does not showcase any talent, just a lack of creativity. Billy: Players’ apathy toward all-star games can explain a league’s apparent need to commercialize the events. Fans have no reason to watch players go 50% for ten minutes of play. At the same time, fans can overlook all the frills if all-stars play the game hard the same way recreational players play hard in meaningless pick-up games. No rule or coach can give a player a burning desire to do whatever it takes to win an all-star game. All-stars play enough competitive games in the regular season, so all-star games should be played for fun. But a game played for fun doesn’t mean a game played without effort. If players don’t want to play or feel it is in their team’s best interest for them to rest, then it is their responsibility to decline the invitation give up their spot. Cleveland guard Mo Williams probably wouldn’t mind.

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

SPORTS

T H ROUGH T H EI R EY ES:

Lacrosse gains popularity on campus department has made attempts to set up a tournament with these varsity teams Reporter sometime in the near future. As for the league in which the women The westward surge of lacrosse that has play currently, the Northwest Women’s occurred over the past decade has hit Lacrosse Association (NWWLA), the Whitman and left in its wake men’s and teams range from strong club programs women’s club programs that are rapidly that exist under varsity programs, like attracting new players. that at the University of While neither program Oregon, to brand new prohas become a varsity grams like that of the Colsport, the presence of the lege of Idaho. All teams in teams on campus and the league play in weekend their role in the Whitman tournaments, rather than athletic scene is not to be regular games. belittled. Whitman hosts the big“The only thing that regest tournament of the year, ally separates us from varthe Sweet Onion Shootout. sity sports is the fact that Initiation for freshmen is our sport is not sanctioned the week leading up to the by the school,” said sophotournament, which the team more Sunn Kim about the uses as an opportunity to admen’s team. “Other than vertise and try to reach out that, we begin practice at to the student body and as4 p.m. Monday through sist the growth of the sport. Friday and end when our “It’s a pretty laid-back coach [David Schmitz] deleague,” Flanigan said. cides to end practice.” “Last year at Sweet Onion, The student-coached some team wanted to do women’s team also has boat races for extra points.” daily practices, which juHowever, there are some nior captain Hailey Flaniintense teams in the league, gan said become more inand as Whitman continues tense each year. Much of to increase emphasis on fitthis has to do with the inness and efficiency at pracflux of experienced playtice, they hope to see their ers in the program. hard work translated into “We used to get only success. seven people showing up to practice,” Flanigan said. This year, the Sweet OnJACOBSON “This year we’ve been get- Nick Donaldson, ‘09, challenges Ryon Campbell, ‘11, in a team practice. ion Shootout will be held ting 26.” the weekend of March 7, These numbers, indicative of the Whitman, but the process will take a few which will be the only home games of the growth of the sport, mean the Whitman more years. women’s season. The men have their first “In order to become a Division III team home games against Western Oregon women can select a traveling team to play at away tournaments. This selection will we would need all the teams in our divi- University and Willamette University on sion to add lacrosse as a varsity sport,” Feb. 21 and 22, respectively. be based primarily off of commitment. “We want to privilege people who are explained Kim. If you are interested in either club On the women’s side, the situation is a dedicated,” Flanigan said. lacrosse team you can reach the The men’s team currently boasts 21 different one; there is an existing varsity women’s team through Hailey players, but welcomes players who are women’s lacrosse league in the Pacific Flanigan at flanighb@whitman.edu and the men through David Ogle at interested in the sport to come out and Northwest and California that Whitman ogledw@whitman.edu. The Men’s play. Consistently a dominant force in the could enter if it chooses. The athletic deteam has their first home game Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse partment talked of making the switch, February 21 at 1 p.m. against League (PNCLL), the Whitman men have but for now it will stay as a club sport. Western Oregon. gone to their division playoffs every year Flanigan, however, noted that the athletic by Libby Watkins

since 1995. In a preseason poll, the team was ranked second in their league, which is made up of smaller schools in the Paciﬁc Northwest who have men’s club lacrosse programs. The teams play games most weekends, similar to varsity sports. Kim says that there is a possibility of lacrosse becoming a varsity sport here at

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Whitman Athlete

of the Week Etienne Moshevich Each week the sports staff will pick one Whitman athlete that performed exceptionally in the previous weekend’s games. The distinction will be judged both on the individual’s performance and their impact on the team. Sophomore No. 1 singles and doubles player Etienne Moshevich led the Whitman Men’s tennis team to a big win over conference-rival Pacific Lutheran University on Saturday, Feb. 7. During the competition, Moshevich won a close match in No. 1 singles against Kevin Floyd of Pacific Lutheran and teamed up with Nadeem Kassam to win at No. 1 on the doubles side as well. For his efforts Moshevich is this week’s Whitman athlete of the week. Last year, Pacific Lutheran was the team Whitman beat in the Northwest Conference Championship match to take home the trophy. A year before that, Whitman entered the conference tournament as the number one seed, but was upset by Pacific Lutheran in the championship match. The two teams have met in the championship round of the conference tournament each of the last five years. Barring an upset, the two appear destined for another fateful match this year, but with last Saturday’s victory, Whitman will enter that match with the upper hand, thanks in part to Moshevich. by Andy Jobanek

KIM

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

New four team tournament promises fairer, more exciting postseason play by Andy Jobanek Sports Editor

The 2003-04 Whitman women’s basketball team won 12 of their last 13 games, finished 19-6 overall and 13-3 in the Northwest conference, won a share of the conference title and was denied a chance in the NCAA Division III playoffs because of a coin flip. Men’s Standings NWC Puget Sound 12-0 Whitworth 9-3 Lewis & Clark 9-3 Linfield 6-6 Willamette 5-7 Whitman 4-8 George Fox 4-9 Pacific Lutheran 3-9 Pacific (Ore.) 3-10

All 19-2 17-4 15-6 8-13 9-10 8-13 8-14 9-12 8-13

“That was really hard to take,” said women’s head coach Michelle Ferenz. “It was really hard to tell a group of kids who went 13-3 in a brutal conference ‘you don’t get to go to postseason play’ and they really deser ved to.” Instead, P u g e t Sound won the toss and consequently received the conference’s lone automatic bid into the playoffs. Since then, the Northwest conference has examined their policy to ensure that their champion earns the conference crown on the court and not over a conference call. The latest rule change to accomplish that goal is the instigation of a four-team conference tournament at then end of the regular season in both men’s and women’s basketball. The winner of that tournament will be the undisputed conference champion and receive an automatic bid into the NCAA playoffs. The rule is a slight change from the former three-team tournament, where the regular season top team got a bye and played the winner of the game between the second and third place

ﬁnishers. Asked why the conference doesn’t employ a full conference tournament rather than just the top four teams, Northwest Conference commissioner Matt Newman primarily pointed to ﬁnancial reasons. “There could be a team at the bottom of the league that has no chance to advance, but they have to incur some additional cost,” Newman said. Newman also mentioned that he felt the full double round-robin schedule separated the good teams from the bad well enough without a larger tournament. As it is now, the addition of just one more team in the tournament adds just one more game to the conference’s costs and gives more teams a chance at getting to the NCAA playoffs, espe-

cially on the women’s side. The current selection process leaves spots for 41 automatic bids out of a maximum 64-team ﬁeld. The other 23 spots are given to teams who have outstanding records against other division III schools outside of their conference. The East however, has many more teams than Whitman’s west region. “Back east, a division III school never has to play an NAIA,” said Ferenz. “We’ve always had a double edged sword because we’re not going to play a full DIII schedule, we can’t afford to, we can’t travel that much.” Recently, that same selection process passed over this year’s men’s soccer team for an atlarge bid, in part because they chose to play

tougher Division II and NAIA schools in their pre-season. A tournament would have given the men’s soccer team a chance at the automatic berth that got away from them as it gives the third and fourth seed in both the men’s and women’s basketball tournament a chance that they otherwise wouldn’t have. According to Ferenz, with a three-playoff system, the runner-up to the autoWomen’s Standings NWC George Fox 13-0 Puget Sound 8-4 Whitman 7-5 Pacific (Ore.) 7-6 Pacific Lutheran 6-6 Whitworth 6-6 Lewis & Clark 3-9 Willamette 3-9 Linfield 2-10

All 22-0 14-7 15-6 8-13 12-9 12-9 9-12 4-14 3-18

matic qualifier was recently strong enough to make it as an atlarge. Now with a n other tea m in the E. JOH NSO N mix, t h e first two runner-ups might be able to earn at-large berths on their own. If the season ended today, the women’s team would be in the playoffs as the third seed, while the men would fall two games short of the fourth and final seed. Last year, the women finished fourth, which put them a spot out of the playoffs at that time. It’s been four seasons since a Whitman basketball team has made the postseason and the Whitman women would very much like to end that drought. “We’re a really close team so it would mean a lot to us to make it to that point together,” said women’s captain Michelle Krall. The four games left on the schedule will de-

SCOREBOARD of the Week THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5, 2009 Alpine Skiing: University of Denver Invitational (m/w giant slalom) in Tabernash, Colo. Whitman Women Top Finisher Time 32. Polly Evans 2:10.86 Whitman Men Top Finisher 31. Nathan Ord 2:00.89

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6, 2009 Alpine Skiing: University of Denver Invitational (m/w giant slalom) in Tabernash, Colo. Whitman Women Top Finisher Time 29. Lexie Drechsel 2:23.74 Whitman Men Top Finisher 34. Nathan Ord 2:09.91 Nordic Skiing: University of Denver Invitational (W5K, 10K) in Tabernash, Colo. Whitman Women Top Finisher Time 25. Eloise Zimbelman 22:19.7 Whitman Men Top Finisher 40. Warren McDermott 41:09.0 Men’s Tennis: University of Puget Sound versus Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. Teams Matches #20 Whitman (2-1, 1-0 NWC) 9 Puget Sound (0-1, 0-1 NWC) 0 Singles #1: Chris Bailey (Whitman) def. Jamie Hosmer (Puget Sound) 6-0, 6-0 Doubles #1: Etienne Moshevich/Nadeem Kassam (Whitman) def. Jamie Hosmer/George Murphy (Puget Sound) 8-5 Women’s Basketball: Whitman College vs Linﬁeld College in Walla Walla, Wash. Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Whitman (14-6, 6-5 NWC) 43 43 86 Linﬁeld (3-17, 2-9 NWC) 29 30 59 Top Scorers: Hilary White and Rebecca Sexton, Whitman, 17 points each Top Rebounder: Rebecca Sexton, Whitman, 10 rebounds Top in Assists: Dawna Mello, Whitman, 6 assists

Men’s Basketball: Linﬁeld College vs Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Linﬁeld (8-12, 6-5 NWC) Whitman (7-13, 3-8 NWC)

41 29

35 39

76 68

Top Scorer: Cody Tesoro, Linfield, 25 points Top Rebounder: K.C. Wiser, Linfield, 9 rebounds Top in Assists: Cody Tesoro, Linfield, 5 assists

Baseball: Whitman College Angeles, Calif. Game 1 1 Whitman (0-1) 0 Occidental (1-0) 0

vs Occidental College in Los 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E 0 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 6 10 3 0 1 1 1 0 3 5 x 11 9 2

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7, 2009 Alpine Skiing: University of Denver Invitational (m/w slalom) in Tabernash, Colo. Whitman Women Top Finisher Time 31. Liza Allen 1:46.93 Whitman Men Top Finisher 29. Nathan Ord 1:42.35 Nordic Skiing: University of Denver Invitational (W10K, M15K) in Tabernash, Colo. Whitman Women Top Finisher Time 21. Eloise Zimbelman 37:11.8 Whitman Men Top Finisher 30. Warren McDermott 48:18.9 Men’s Tennis: Pacific Lutheran University versus Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash. Teams Matches #20 Whitman (3-1, 2-0 NWC) 8 Pacific Lutheran (1-2, 1-1 NWC) 1 Singles #1: Etienne Moshevich (Whitman) def. Kevin Floyd (Pacific Lutheran) 4-6, 6-3, 10-6 Doubles #1: Nadeem Kassam/Etienne Moshevich (Whitman) def. Kevin Floyd/Joel Trudel (Pacific Lutheran) 8-5 Women’s Basketball: Whitman College vs Willamette University in Walla Walla, Wash. Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Whitman (15-6, 7-5 NWC) 43 43 86 Willamette (4-14, 3-9 NWC) 23 29 52 Top Scorer: Jenele Peterson, Whitman, 17 points Top Rebounder: Molly Fillion, Willamette, 11 rebounds

Pitchers

W—Tyler Eyrich (1-0)

2.2

L—Erik Korsmo (0-1)

0.1

Game 2 Whitman (1-1)

4 5 6 2 1 0 H: 21 0 0 4 H: 19

1 2 3 9 0 0 R: 15 Occidental (1-1) 0 2 1 R: 13

7 8 9 10 11 12 0 0 1 0 0 2 E: 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 E: 2

Pitchers

W—Blaine Mercado (1-0)

3.2

L—Noel Banuelos (0-1)

3.0

SO 0 2

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2009 Baseball: Occidental College vs Angeles, Calif. Game 1 1 2 3 Whitman (1-2) 0 0 2 Occidental (2-1) 1 1 1

Whitman College in Los 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 8 2 5 0 10 (10) 0 x 28 26 3

Pitchers

W—Brooks Belter (1-0)

3.1

SO 2

L—Blaine Mercado (1-1)

4.0

SCHEDULE for Next Week

Top Scorer: Kyler McClary, Willamette, 28 points Top Rebounder: Cameron Mitchell, Willamette, 23 rebounds Top in Assists: Chris Faidley and Jordan Wheeler, Whitman, 4 assists each

behind Whitman at No. 12 in those rankings was their opponent on Friday, Lewis & Clark. Women’s Basketball: Whitman College at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., 6 p.m. Game Notes: This weekend’s games are both the final games on the road and probably the most pivotal of the season for the women’s basketball team. Currently, Whitman is tied with Pacific (Ore.) for third place in the Northwest Conference. If the season were to end today, those two teams would finish out the four team bracket for the conference playoffs. However, lurking one game behind them is PLU. If PLU beats Whitman here, than the two teams would be tied for fourth. Earlier in the season Whitman beat PLU 56-43 at home, giving head coach Michelle Ferenz 100 career wins at Whitman. Men’s Basketball: Whitman College at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., 8 p.m. Game Notes: The Whitman men also have an outside shot at making the conference playoffs at the end of the year. Currently, they are two games behind fourth-place Linfield with four to go. The first of those games will be against PLU, a team that beat Whitman 105-97 on the Missionaries’ home floor. The Lutes shot 60 percent from the field in that game and had six different players in double figures.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2009 Swimming: Northwest Conference Championships at King Co. Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Wash., 10 a.m.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2009 Swimming: Northwest Conference Championships at King Co. Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Wash., 10 a.m. Game Notes: See game of the week article

Top in Assists: Elle Vertatschitsch, Whitman, 4 assists

Men’s Basketball: Whitman College vs Willamette University in Walla Walla, Wash. Score by Periods 1st 2nd Total Whitman (8-13, 4-8 NWC) 36 52 88 Willamette (9-10, 5-7 NWC) 41 43 84

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER 21

Women’s Tennis: Lewis & Clark College versus Whitman College at Home, 2 p.m. Game Notes: This will be the team’s first spring match under first-year coach John Hein. The Women had a strong showing in their only fall tournament with senior Katie Oost and sophomore Elise Otto both earning ITA all-american honors. Oost and Otto’s success earned them a No. 3 ITA doubles ranking in the West region. Otto was also ranked No. 4 in singles and Whitman as a team was ranked No. 11, right behind conference rivals Linfield and Whitworth. Right

Women’s Tennis: Whitman College versus Willamette University at Home, 11 a.m., versus Lewis and Clark State College at Home, 4 p.m. Game Notes: The Whitman will start a busy Saturday against conference rival Willamette in the morning. Last season, the Missionaries cruised to victories in the three matches in which they faced Willamette. The last of those matches was a quarterﬁnal match-up in the conference tournament. Later in the afternoon, Whitman will step out of the Northwest Conference to face Lewis-Clark State College, an annually tough NAIA school. Last year, Whitman fell 9-0 to Lewis-Clark State despite good efforts from Whitman’s top four singles players. Women’s Basketball: Whitman College at University of Puget Sound

in Tacoma, Wash., 4 p.m. Game Notes: One game ahead of Whitman in second place in the Northwest Conference is the University of Puget Sound. The Loggers edged Whitman earlier this season 69-66 on Whitman’s home ﬂoor. If Whitman were to return the favor with a victory in Tacoma, then the Missionaries would have a good chance at hosting a playoff game at the end of the season. Men’s Basketball: Whitman College at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., 6 p.m. Game Notes: The UPS men’s team has not dropped a conference game yet this season. Through February 8, 2009, the Loggers were ranked No. 6 in the d3hoops.com Top 25 poll. In the earlier meeting between the two teams, Whitman stayed relatively close, but UPS steadily increased its lead throughout the game for a 75-60 win in Walla Walla. After this game, Whitman will return home for the ﬁnal two games of the regular season.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2009 Swimming: Northwest Conference Championships at King Co. Aquatic Center, Federal Way, Wash., 10 a.m.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2009 Women’s Basketball: Whitworth University versus Whitman College at Sherwood Center, 6 p.m. Game Notes: Once again, the Whitman women will take on a team close to them in the middle of the Northwest conference standings. Whitworth is currently tied for fifth with PLU, one game behind Whitman in third. Both teams are part of the foursome—including PLU and Pacific (Ore.)—vying for the final two spots in the conference playoffs. With only one game left in the season after this one for both teams, this game probably eliminates the loser from playoff contention. Men’s Basketball: Whitworth University versus Whitman College at Sherwood Center, 8 p.m. Game Notes: After taking on conferenceleading UPS on Saturday, the Whitman men follow against second-place Whitworth. Whitman must gain two games on Linfield over its final four games. The team will have to at least win three of those games as Linfield has three of its final four games against the three worst teams in the conference. That will mean a split between UPS and Whitworth.

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

A&E

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

‘Viva La Vulva!’: Exploring women’s issues, experiences in Whitman production of ‘Vagina Monologues’ by CJ Wisler Reporter

Embracing the challenge of performing one of the most controversial and dynamic performance ensembles of recent times, Whitman clubs Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX) and Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment (FACE) have collaborated to portray the powerful stories from the award-winning series “The Vagina Monologues,” a collection of works based on the testimonials of women concerning sexual fears, frustrations and ultimately freedoms. The project of “The Vagina Monologues” was to expose the intricacies of the women’s body and mind. Eve Ensler, the playwright of “The Vagina Monologues”, selected stories from over 200 women which revolve around the feminine sexual experience. The directors must take a deep interest in these monologues in order to portray them. “I’m the vice president of FACE,” said sophomore and director Gabby Brandt. “So I’m really involved in talking about and getting the dialogue out about feminist issues.” “These different perspectives help me learn more about myself and how I work,” said senior and director Mark Kennedy, the only male director involved with the play. “So while I can’t directly connect to being female, the physical reality and everyday experience of being a woman, I deeply care about themes like self-love and selfrespect.” Student directors include Brandt, Kennedy, junior Anastasia “Stazh” Zamkinos,

sophomore Patricia MacMorris Xi and first-year Abbey McGrath. Brandt revealed how the collaborators worked together. “Each director works with their individual segments with their actors, and at the end we come together. We have a few ensemble pieces where we work together on a regular basis with,” Brandt said.

While many celebrate the series, controversy surrounds it as well. Aside from making the more conservative audiences uncomfortable, some feminist groups also take offence at stories such as “The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could.” The monologue portrays a scene in which a thirteenyear-old girl has a “positive sexual encounter” with an older woman. Some viewers, therefore, believe that this particular story is promoting statutory rape. The directors struggle with this controversy, Brandt said. “People don’t talk about sex and sexuality, or repression – it can spark different emotions in different people. What these pieces are supposed to portray is how women find and learn something through their sexual experiences,” said Brandt.

Ultimately, Brandt and the other directors hope that this play will send a strong message, particularly to women about their own sexuality. “It can make women feel really empowered and start the discourse on women’s issues,” Brandt said. “It’s reminding every woman who sees it that she’s not alone, and she’s not limited,” said McKenna Milici, a sophomore involved with the play. The directors also give men a chance to appreciate the messages as well. “Seeing the other side of the issue can help men reflect back upon how they feel about their own sexuality, their own body,” said Kennedy. “With this culture, men are supposed to be sexual, but not to really think about it.” “These aren’t just for women. This is about acknowledging sex and gender issues,” said Brandt. “For me, these monologues are about power, hope and celebration. We don’t want people to walk away thinking we’re trying to push a ‘women are better than men agenda,’ because that’s not our intention,” said Milici. One of the issues many feel curious about is the absence of a MITCHELL male role in the monologues. “Part of it has to do with the rights laws involved,” said Brandt. “It’s also because they are from women and about women. To have a man tell a story about the vagina would not be convincing because men don’t have vaginas, obviously.” Many students involved or know about the upcoming performance question why Kennedy was allowed to direct. However, Brandt sees Kennedy’s involvement as a positive one. “I think it’s great,” said Brandt. “He’s a great director with a lot of theater experience and is concerned about the issues – he’s able to do it.” Kennedy comments on the controversy surrounding his involvement, as he is the only male directing a very feminine play. “I act as more of a constructive audi-

ence,” said Kennedy. “I can’t tell women how to feel about the issues, but [tell them] what messages I get out of their portrayal. In theater history, most stories are about men and men’s issues. As a director, I’ve been focusing on works that let women act and portray their stories.” Colleges across the country have performed excerpts from “The Vagina Monologues” with various results. However, student directors at Whitman feel that the audience will give positive feedback about the viewing experience. “I think Whitman students for the most part are culled to seeing the other side,” said Kennedy. “I imagine it will be welltaken.” “I think we’re going to sell out,” said Brandt. “I think most people at Whitman have heard of them or seen them, or are curious about them. I encourage everyone to come.” The performances will take place in Olin Hall, Room 130, on February 27, 28 and March 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $5.The money made through ticket sales will go to both Planned Parenthood and the YWCA.

FAS T FAC T S •

“The Vagina Monologues” is an internationally-staged production (over 800 productions in 119 countries).

•

HBO developed a feature on “TVM”.

•

Productions range from a church-sized performance to a 6,000-person stadium.

•

Eve Ensler is the adoptive mother of actor Dylan McDermott.

•

“TVM” has been translated into 45 different languages

•

Ensler has won 21 prestigious awards.

•

V-Day, a global non-profit launched by Ensler, raises money for women’s anti-violence groups through “TVM” benefits.

•

Celebrities who have starred in “TVM” include: Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon and Oprah.

A&E

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Dance team debuts at basketball games

Rachelle Sloss, ‘11, Kayla Chory, ‘11, and Laura van der Veer, ‘11, rouse the Whitman crowd.

by Alyssa Fairbanks Reporter

The Whitman Dance Team spiced up the Feb. 6 men’s basketball game against Linfield and the Feb. 7 women’s game against Willamette with a brand new routine performed during half-time. The dance team of 17 girls had been practicing nonstop for the past two weeks in preparation for their half-time performances. They performed a short routine to “The Fame” by Lady GaGa to the cheering Whitman fans. “The past two weeks we have been practicing five times a week, which is a ton. We have been working really hard to get ready for our performance,” sophomore Rachelle Sloss, the dance team co-captain, said. This is Sloss’s first semester as a team captain, although she has had been dancing since she was very young. “I’ve done a little ballet, hip-hop and jazz. But, I really got into dance in high school when I was in my high school’s dance team,” she said. As captain, Sloss choreographed the entire dance. Last semester she helped the senior captains choreograph sections, but this is the first entire routine she has done without assistance. When asked about the challenges of choreographing a routine for a sporting event versus a stage performance, Sloss said, “The routine has to be bigger and more visual to fill the space. The audience is looking down, the lighting is different and the proximity to the audience is different. All this changes the cho-

NORMAN

reography.” Senior Lauren Adler, Sloss’s co-captain, agreed. “[At] the basketball games . . . you are extremely close to the audience and you can see every individual face. It can be awkward and scary, especially if you’ve never performed at one before,” Adler said. Sophomore dance team member Kristine Unkrich is relatively new to performing at sporting events, but she already has some observations. “In a theater, it’s more of a show because you can work with lighting and background—it’s more theatrical. At a half time show, it’s more there for a little entertainment,” Unkrich said. Despite the challenges, Adler believes that performing at basketball games is a good venue for the dance team. The court ﬂoor is easy to dance on and there is a pre-existing sound system. Nor do other sports lend themselves as well to half-time dance performances. “Think of how ridiculous it would be for us to bust out on Ankeny during the halftime of an IM football game,” Adler said. Apart from these two basketball games, the dance team will be performing at two more games later in the season. Sloss hopes they will also perform at Greek Week as they did last year. “Performing is what I like most about dancing,” said Unkrich. And Whitman fans seemed to love watching the dance team perform.

Kayla Chory, ‘11, performs at the event.

NORMAN

Laura van der Veer, ‘11, and Annie Horman, ‘11, strike a pose.

A&E

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Coffeehouse seeks new co-manager by Josh Goodman Reporter

When senior Tricia Chow graduates this spring, she’ll leave behind friends, professors and her job as co-manager of Coffeehouse. That leaves the weekly concert series, featuring Whitman students and the occasional out-of-town band, in search of someone new. Chow believes the position needs someone extremely motivated who works well with others. As for experience, Chow said, “We train students before the actual job position starts; a lot of the stuff they’ll learn with us.” Though applications were due last Monday, the hiring process is far from over. “We’ll be interviewing throughout February,” said sophomore and comanager Matt Coleman. “Probably in [a week] we’ll be interviewing people. We’ll make a decision the following week, and then we’ll send out an acceptance. It’ll be busy.” Asked what he wants in his new comanager, Coleman responded, “I would like to work with someone who is col-

laborative, I guess, rather than someone who works alone all the time. It’s a job for someone who likes to work in a team.” “I want to work with someone who’s ambitious, too,” he added. Ambition will be necessary in the coming year. Coffeehouse’s budget, like most on campus, may be cut, requiring the new co-manager to either ﬁnd more student acts or be creative. Fortunately, there are many talented musicians at Whitman. One of them is senior Todd Hawes, who performed at last Friday’s Coffeehouse. It was his ﬁfth time performing in the last three years. “It’s so cool to have a series [of] individual performer[s],” said Hawes. “I know there were a ton of people tonight that weren’t here because I was here, but because Coffeehouse was here.” As a person who’s performed under many different Coffeehouse managers, Hawes also has an idea about what makes a good one. “I’d like to see them hire someone who’s also a performer,” he said. “It’s really great to have someone there who knows what you need, knows the pres-

sures, knows it can be stressful and helps you reduce that.” He commended alum Toby Kahm, saying, “He was just super involved in the beginning. He was the one who sought me out to play, he was the one who spearheaded the advertisements and the posters and stuff, and once I got here, he was really involved in making sure I was comfortable.” While the co-managers make their decisions on whom to hire, Chow recalls parts of the job she’ll miss. “I’ll miss getting the opportunity to put on events every week and work with other students,” she said. “I don’t think I’ll get another opportunity to put on events for a campus.” Still, Chow is looking forward to what’s to come this semester. “We have a faculty group called Orange Fight that’s going to perform on March 6,” she said. “At the end of the year, we always have a showcase of some kind, so this year we’re having a senior showcase.” To see those events and more, come to the basement of Reid on Fridays from 9 to 11 p.m.

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

C O F F E E H O US E S C H E D U LE The remaining events for the ‘09 spring semester Feb. 13

No Coffeehouse- 3-day

Feb. 20

Jenny Gilbert ‘08 and Liz Townsend

Feb. 27

TBA

Mar. 6

Orange Fight

Mar. 13

No Coffeehouse- Spring Break

Apr. 10

Davey and Becca Friedman

Apr. 17

Ranger and the Re-Arrangers

Apr. 24

No Coffeehouse- Choral Contest

May 1

No Coffeehouse- CAB Drive-In

May 8

Senior Showcase

The ‘Rohd’ to Harmony: Art in the Obama Age Sojourn Theatre, rarely uses theaters for their performances. Instead, they make events site-specifReporter ic, and use location as a fundamental part of their Ensemble leader Michael Rohd believes art in the message (search “GOOD / Sojourn Theatre” on YouTube to see an example). In the productions, Obama age is about changing lives. Clad in jeans and a shirt with the sleeves rolled which typically involve dancing, singing and acup, Rohd sat on the edge of the stage and ad- tive audience participation, everyone is invited to voice his or her opinion. dressed his audience. “If we can approach “We’re sort of a an issue with curiossmall group tonight, If we can approach ity instead of certainty, so that’s lovely, we can an issue with curioswe’re already a step have a conversation!” ity instead of certainty, we’re ahead,” Rohd said. Rohd said. “We’re trying to infect From there he went already a step ahead.” people with a healthy on to talk about what it - Michael Rohd, Ensemble Leader curiosity rather than means to live in an age project to them ‘This is of civic division. “As an artist and a citizen, something I’m what I want to say.’” According to Rohd, this method of outreach called to do is to try to make spaces for people on all sides of big issues to come and talk about has made a variety of impacts on people. After them,” said Rohd. His Portland-based company, attending a performance called “Witnessing Our by Sarah Levy

Schools,” (2004) a Republican senator who was in the audience stood up. He said it was one of the best-articulated summaries of the problems with public education that he had ever seen, and informed Rohd that he was going to invite all of his colleagues to it. On the other hand, seven boys had reacted angrily to a similar performance four years earlier called “Look Away.” They were prime examples of children who were victims of the economic misfortunes that were being presented, and Rohd said that the reality of it had gotten under their skin. Before giving his lecture, Rohd led workshops on Whitman campus. Junior Alex Thomas attended one of them and was struck by how a group of students studying theater, politics and education were able to ﬁnd common ground right away. “We didn’t really know each other at all, but he created a space where we could all talk about things that normally we wouldn’t talk about or

wouldn’t plan to,” Thomas said. “Creating a space for dialogue isn’t really something people are aware there’s a need for, but once [Rohd] says it, it makes so much sense. I was thinking to myself how you can get hundreds of people into the same room, smashed up against each other, without having any interaction between them. I’m still unwinding from it!” First-year Alex Folkerth, who attended a workshop with his acting class, was impressed with how well Rohd provoked genuine responses from the participants. “He gave us two minutes to prepare, so everybody had to use their ﬁrst impulse, which is more honest than when you think about it too much,” he said. In a time of staunch partisanship, Rohd sees it as his duty to bring people together in a way that fosters unity: as he said, “I have a lot more to learn from your point of view than I do from my own.”

A&E

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

No ‘ﬁnal answer’ for rags-to-riches fairytale:

a review of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ by Corey Feinstein Movie Reviewer

“Slumdog Millionaire” is an unlikely fairytale, told in raw fashion by its diverse and genre-less director Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting”, “Millions”, “28 Days Later”). The very moment that the projection hits the screen, the ﬁlm switches to full speed and drives the audience with a compelling, actionpacked story that never once slows down. When I ﬁrst heard about it, the premise seemed absurdly stupid to me: its plot is framed within the Indian version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Though it begins with aforementioned “slu mdog” Jamal (Dev Patel) on the verge of winning 1 million

rupees, the film effortlessly intertwines the past and the present with a question & answer narrative that stirs up painfully vivid memories of his childhood on the rough streets of Mumbai. All filmmakers should take notes from “Slumdog” on how to do flashbacks correctly, because there’s not one sense of cliché in Boyle’s editing. Jamal and his older brother Salim fight their way through life after their mother is killed during anti-Muslim riots in the slums. Together, they end up nomadically moving through the country with a shy young eight-year-old girl named Latika (Rubiana Ali), who they meet during the attack. Young Jamal (Ayush Mahesh Khedekar) falls in love with Latika, which triggers the story that next unravels on the screen, including the only reason he is now on the game show. The actors who play the younger versions of the three main characters are all non-professionals, hired straight off the Indian streets. They do an amazing job, keeping the viewers on the edge of their seats as they go through very real and painful events that still take place on the

streets of third-world countries around the world. Imagine seeing a much more brutal and realistic version of “Oliver Twist” where singing is probably the last thing you’d want to accompany the difficult scenes on display here. (Although, the villain in “Slumdog” happens to make his children sing too - for all the wrong reasons.) Boyle delivers some beautiful footage, filled with extremely vivid colors that scream their way off the screen and into the audience’s eyes. His seductive visual style is brilliant, and the soundtrack by composer A.R. Rahman, that also features M.I.A., complements his ‘in-your-face’ rapid filming perfectly. All of the elements come together flawlessly, and I really felt like I was travelling along with Jamal on his journey. The story is irrefutably compelling and interesting to watch which makes Doyle’s job, keeping viewers entertained, just that much easier. My only qualm is that the film makes for a great viewing experience, and indeed is a great film, but not one that lingers in the mind for hours after the credits finish rolling. It also has a rather corny ending, which really ruined it for me, but Boyle makes up for it

O. JOHNSON

with the creative credits, included to show us that “it’s okay to move on, it was just a movie.” But for me, a great film must inspire change - not completely morph you, but affect you in some way so that life is just a bit different after the film finishes. The movie is still quite an achievement that is most definitely worth watching, in fact one of the best films released this year. It’s already taken home a bunch of Golden Globes (including Best Picture); you decide how many Oscars it deserves .

O. JOHNSON

Boobs, blood, bloody boobs in 3D make a poor ‘Valentine’ REVIEW by Iris Alden Reporter

In 1981, Canada revealed one of its finest exports to date, the low-budget slasher sensation “My Bloody Valentine.” The film is about Harry Warden’s murderous reign over a small mining community after he is trapped underground as the result of an accidental explosion. While the film was neither blockbuster nor a critical darling, it has since become both a cult classic in the slasher genre. Jan. 16, 2009 marks the debut of the American remake, “My Bloody Valentine 3D.” Shot in the new digital HD 4K format and designed meticulously to make axes, severed limbs, and nipples pop out of the screen, the film is the first R-rated film to utilize the trendy, high-budget 3D technology.

On opening night, the theater was ﬁlled with anticipation. At last, it was time to put on the goggles and get ready for the 3D slasher awesomeness. The ﬁlm started rolling, and it immediately delved into familiar territory: horny teenagers getting drunk. It didn’t take long for the blood to start pouring, or for the audience to start groaning at the disappointing fact that they’d just paid extra money for this crap. To begin with, the whole “three-dimensional” idea didn’t really pan out. Back in the Renaissance, artists like Leonardo DaVinci discovered that they could create the illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface through perspective, the principal that objects in the foreground are bigger than objects in the background. One might think that we would have developed better illusions half a millennium later, but “Valentine 3D” showcased little beyond the old tricks of the eye. Instead of seeing a three-dimensional pick-ax, you

see a really big two-dimensional pick-ax right in your face. It’s more distracting than immersing. Every other element of the movie was right in line with the obnoxious and overwhelming characteristic of the 3D. While this did provide for a cohesive experience, it also made the film feel unbearably long, despite its measly running time of 101 minutes. Almost every actor’s performance was tarnished with phony melodrama, but this is to be expected when one of the lead males (Jensen Ackles) was pulled directly from the set of “Days of Our Lives” and the principal actress (Jaime King) made her debut on the runway. The plot stuck to conventional slasher structure, making a final effort to set itself apart by adding a “who dunnit” element in the last twenty minutes of the film. The formulaic narrative would have been forgivable had the killing scenes been exciting, but they proved more cartoonish than terrifying. The film also did not help to endear itself

by adding an entirely despicable sex scene that included 10-whole minutes with a shaved vulva in full view. In essence, “Valentine 3D” (along with most contemporary American horror films) failed to tap into society’s deepest fears. In terms of their respective abilities to induce terror, slasher films have a steep advantage over supernatural horror films, simply because their subject matter presents us with a truth that has already been woven into the fabric of our society. One can easily shake off stories of possession or vampires, but stories of murder are found every day in the popular media and can often be hard to ignore. These fears are real and were once harnessed to create truly captivating cinematic experiences, like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Halloween or even the comparatively modest “My Bloody Valentine.”

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

A&E

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

Chinese Lunar New Year:

Celebration rings, bangs, dances into new year by Rebecca MacFife Reporter

Joy, happiness and prosperity thrived in the Reid Ballroom Saturday, Feb. 7 with the Lunar New Year Celebration. Children sang good wishes, Vietnamese fans danced in unison, a Chinese yo-yo soared through the air and two lions paraded down the aisles. Asian Cultural Awareness (ACA), Campus Activities Board (CAB), and the Vietnamese Cultural Club (VCC) sponsored the event, which has plans to become an annual tradition. The audience included community members in addition to Whitman Students, and excited children kept up the air of wonder. Goals of the sponsors included raising awareness not only about traditional celebrations, but also about the diversity of cultures that enjoy the holiday. “We want to emphasize that the Lunar New Year is not just Chinese,” said sophomore and emcee Lauralee Woods. “Other countries that celebrate it include, but are not limited to, Vietnam, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia and Korea.” As is cultural tradition, children began the festivities. The Chinese Children’s Chorus, all dressed in silk, sang a song, held up a banner of good wishes and elicited chuckles from the crowd. Florian Deredec did tricks with a Chinese Yo-yo, also known as a ‘Diablo,’ and the VCC put on a traditional fan dance.

The main event of the night was the Lieu Quan Dance Team, a Seattle-based group that performed the traditional Lion Dance among the music of drums and percussion. “It is believed in the Asian Lunar New Year that whatever happens to you in the first three days will be repeated throughout the year,” said the dance instructor. The lions in the Lion Dance are each made up of two dancers: one acting as the head and front legs of the lion and the other leaning over as the hind legs. The lion costume is highly stylized and decorated with white fur, colorful paint and glitter. The lions’ eyes, ears and mouth all open and close, making them lifelike and allowing them to give out candy, pretend to eat children and chomp on offerings of lettuce. A monk in a smiling mask accompanied the lions, playing with them and encouraging children in the audience to pet their padded bellys. The dancers range in age from 10 to 20. After the performance, the instructor of the team explained the legend on which the performance was based. The story was about a small town that was attacked every new year by a lion that terrorized the people and destroyed the crops. A monk saved the town by teaching the people to scare it away with loud noises of pots and pans and then chasing the retreating lion up the mountain to tame it. The tamed lion came to represent joy, happiness and prosperity, and continues to come every Lunar New Year to bless and protect.

ALDEN

Trang Pham, ‘11, and Tam Truong, ‘10, perform at the Lunar New Year celebration.

HONG

New footing for arts in the

Obama Age COMMENTARY

by Derek Thurber Op-Ed Editor

For many years, the arts have been delegated to the back burner when it comes to attention and funding. This is a shame. A shame that is being addressed under Obama’s new administration. Obama has recently supported the arts economically in a way that the arts have not enjoyed in many years. But many question if this was a prudent decision in the current economic situation. There is another side to that argument, though. The arts are not taking away from the economy. They are supporting it. Artisans will always exist and for good reason. They support culture, the development of society. Supporting the arts not only directly supports the percentage of our population that create art but also indirectly supports the rest of society that enjoys the beneﬁts of art. That seems worth it. To save the economy we have to save our culture. And to develop as a society we have to support the arts that create that culture. But if that isn’t convincing, maybe this is: The National Endowment for the Arts Census found that one out of every six households in the United States contains an artist. If every one of

those artists were to go unsupported, then more than 25 million people would be out of a job. This is more than the number of people who would be out of a job if the education industry was not supported. A large portion of the population relies on the arts for their livelihood and wellbeing. Supporting this part of the economy is supporting all of the economy. It is supporting people who buy their art, people who sell their art and even people who just look at it in art galleries and museums. In fact, the stimulus package not only supports artisans, it is also supporting the Smithsonian. It is rebuilding the buildings and supporting the industry. So even if the artisans shouldn’t be supported, then at least the museums, which directly affect consumers who visit them and employees who work at them, are being funded. Besides, just looking at the raw numbers the stimulus for the arts is barely even a dent. In total, the stimulus package is $873 billion and the arts (including the museums) are only getting $200 million. This is less than .01 percent of the total stimulus package. I think it can be spared, especially given how many artisans there are in the United States. As the stimulus package is set to pass as it stands in the next week, Obama seems to agree.

HUMOR

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

Candy shortage puts pressure on locals by Evelyn Windsor Reporter

Today computer technician Derek Walters, 27, was disheartened to ﬁnd the candy section of his local grocery store almost completely picked over.

“What the hell is this?” he demanded to no one in particular, pointing to the one remaining package of Sweethearts nestled beside three dented Whitman samplers. “Where’d all the chocolate go?” Upon posing the same question to a passing store employee, he learned that the majority of their stock had sold out the previous evening. “So you’re telling me that every single goddamn heart-shaped box of chocolates is gone?” said a visibly upset Walters. “See, this is why we have an obesity problem in America!” With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, many locals are feeling the pressure. “It’s hard enough having two elementary-school age children around this time of year,” said Dana Harris, 32, wrestling with several boxes of Hannah Montana paper valentines. “And now that all the merlot is sold out, I have nothing to get for my husband.” Grocery stores across the country are suffering similar problems, running low on such holiday essentials as roses, wine, and copies of 27 Dresses. Economic experts cite the current recession as the source of the Valentine’s shortage, saying that the sale prices offered on chocolate were simply too good for hungry consumers to ignore. Back at the local store the situation was much the same, empty shelves taking the place of seasonal goodies. Finally, Walters decided to make the most of what he had. “My girlfriend’s going to kill me,” he sighed, looking down at his bedraggled bunch of pink carnations and bottle of Arbor Mist. “Good luck getting laid with this.”

Choose Your Own Adventure!!!

THIS WEEK’S EXCITING EPISODE: FIND A DATE FOR VALENTINE’S DAY! You’re walking across Ankeny to your 11:00 class like any other Thursday, when suddenly – you lock eyes with the most beautiful person you’ve ever seen. Something seems to be said between the two of you. And then it’s over – off they go in the other direction, and you’re left wondering how you’re still alive after your heart skipped so many beats. You realize you are abruptly and irrevocably in love. Your 2:30 class is as boring as ever, but then you cast your eyes across the room – you know those eyes that are staring back into yours! Could this paragon have been in your class and you never noticed before? Impossible! They must have just transferred in today. It is a sign. What do you do next?

After class is over you approach your beloved carefully but conﬁdently, and praise them for their contributions to the day’s discussion. You strike up a conversation and immediately the two of you click - art, politics, literature – the conversation is amazing! You both agree to see each other later that evening to continue talking – what do you do now? You sit demurely in your seat until your beloved leaves the classroom, then cautiously exit yourself. Back in your room, you do some Facebook stalking for about half an hour before carefully crafting an email that proposes working together on an upcoming class project. Moments later you receive a reply – your beloved agrees, and proposes meeting within the hour to discuss it! What do you do?

YOU DIE. People don’t date at Whitman.

WHITMAN COLLEGE PIO NEER

PERSPECTIVES

FEBRUARY 12, 2009

1 Zipparo ‘11

2 Zipparo ‘11

Perspectives: A ROOM WITH A VIEW Perspectives takes a look at Whitman life from a new angle each week.

1. A vibrant mural accompanies Albert Einstein on junior Graham Brewer’s wall inside the TKE house.

2. One resident of the Fine Arts 3 Zipparo ‘11

4 Norman ‘12

House, Liz Hockett, ‘11, decided to furnish her room with a bicycle trainer this semester.

3. Alex Folkerth, ‘12, has turned his Anderson Hall room into a makeshift recording studio.

4. Tibetan prayer ﬂags hang in ﬁrstyear Meghan Bill’s Lyman double.

5. A study room in Prentiss Hall, donated by Agnes B. Little in 1927, is now being used as a single by sophomore Katie Richards.

6. A closet turns out to be more than enough room for Elise Otto, ‘11, a resident of Tamarac House.

5 Norman ‘12

6 Kim ‘11