Spring 2014 Issue 5

The

PIONEER

Issue 5 | February 27, 2014 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXI

President George Bridges announces he will step down in 2015

by EMILY LIN-JONES Feature Editor

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resident George Bridges announced he will step down from his position at the end of the next academic year in an email sent out to the student body on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Bridges, formerly a sociology professor and associate dean at University of Washington, was appointed as Whit-

man College’s president by the Board of Trustees in 2005. According to his email, his retirement on June 30, 2015 will coincide with the conclusion of the “Now is the Time” campaign, a fundraising drive he launched with the college in 2011 with the stated goal of collecting $150 million for Whitman’s endowment.

“George has accomplished a tremendous number of great successes at Whitman in what will

be a 10-year tenure,” said Board of Trustees Chair Peter Van Oppen. “We are grateful that he’s announced his plans in a timely fashion so we can plan an orderly transition ... We look forward to working with him over the next 16 months and the successful completion of the [‘Now is the Time’] campaign.”

Van Oppen cited an increase in tenure-track faculty hires, studentfaculty research and the raising of

the endowment to $500 million as evidence of Bridges’s impact on the college during his presidency.

Bridges’s announcement closely follows the retirement announcement of Dean of Faculty and Provost Tim Kaufman-Osborn, who stated last fall that he will leave his post after the end of the 2014 academic term. The College appointed Professor of Geology Pat Spencer to fill the position as an interim while they

conduct a nationwide search for a permanent dean of faculty.

The Board of Trustees will begin preparing to begin its search for Bridges’s replacement in the coming months. The search will be happening concurrently with the last year of Bridges’ presidency and the search for a new provost.

According to Van Oppen, the board will solicit input from a search committee while hiring Whitman’s next president.

Symposium successfully engages campus, organizers to continue dialogue

Assistant Professor of Politics Susanne Beechey (left), Paige Joki ‘14 and Sean Mulloy ‘14 (center) and Assistant Professor of English Gaurav Majumdar at the symposium workshop “Intersectionality Roundtable.” Photos by Marcovici

by Lachlan Johnson Staff Reporter

The Power and Privilege Symposium held on Thursday, Feb. 20 was one of the most well-attended events at Whitman in recent memory. The majority of the Whitman community spent the day engaging in dialogue about issues of power, privilege and identity, as the faculty cancelled classes to ensure that all students had time to attend.

While the symposium was extremely successful, activists hope to continue the dialogue it began

in the weeks and months ahead.

This was the first year classes were cancelled for the Power and Privilege Symposium. High attendance and positive feedback from the student body make it extremely likely the Associated Students of Whitman College will approve funds for next year’s symposium.

ASWC and anti-racism activists also hope to carry on the conversations started by the symposium, not limiting discussions to a single day.

“Faculty, students [and] staff really came out for [the symposium]. We had people from every-

where, so I think seeing those numbers is a really cool validation of the hard work that is done for organizing and planning it,” said junior and ASWC President Tim Reed. “I think there’s a widespread consensus [that] we want to be continually pushing and having these conversations, engaging with these things.”

To better organize future Power and Privilege Symposiums, ASWC plans to expand the number of paid positions responsible for the symposium from one to three.

Sophomore and Special Initiatives Director Shireen Nori, who held

Pioneer Park Aviary in danger of closing for second time in two years

by Lane Barton Staff Reporter

T

he Pioneer Park Aviary, which has teemed with a wide variety of avian wildlife for years, may soon find its enclosures empty after Walla Walla City Council voted to close it two weeks ago.

A motion to begin the planning phase of closing the aviary, which has been the subject of closure talks since 2010, was passed by a 5-2 vote of the City Council on Feb. 12.

“The present motion that was passed by the council [two weeks ago] was to direct staff to begin the research and making a plan to close the aviary. I would expect the plan would be operational by the end of this year,” said Mayor Jerry Cummins.

The aviary has had funding issues since 2010, with operational costs being covered by fundraising from the Friends of the Pioneer Park Aviary and some additional help from the city’s budget. However, this year the problem is not just funding operations—the two open enclosures that house the birds are in need of remodel, adding to the potential cost of trying to save the aviary.

“If it was just the operation, we’d find a way to squeak it out. [The aviary is] a great resource for the city [and] it’s kind of an icon for that park ... so I don’t think there’s anybody who’d like to see it go away. The problem is that the foundation is rotting and the net is rotting,” said City Council Member Allen Pomraning.

The specific problems that the aviary enclosure has faced are twofold. First, the netting over the two separate ponds are sagging and tearing due to heavy snowfall, specifically from the winter of 2008 and natural wear-and-tear from sunlight and the elements. Secondly, the wooden support posts that encircle the enclosures are rotting due to their proximity to the stream that runs through the enclosures, weakening the entire structure.

More worrisome for the aviary is that these factors have al-

lowed for predators to slip into the enclosure and kill some of the birds, showing that these improvements need to be made not just from a structural standpoint but from a safety standpoint as well. “[The supports have] lasted 30 years, but they’ve failed now.

So the complete structure has to be replaced because of predator losses that we’ve had with birds over the last four to five years,” said Parks Director Jim Dumont.

Cost estimates for the reconstruction of the two enclosures, according to an engineering firm hired by the parks department, hover around $375,000 for the large enclosure and $275,000$285,000 for the smaller enclo-

sure. Even with the $190,000 the city has saved for aviary reconstruction, the cost to remodel and cover operating costs of the aviary would be significant compared to costs in previous years.

In addition, Dumont and council members expressed concerns about the sustainability of the aviary in the long run, even if funds are raised this year to fund reconstruction and operational costs.

“We wouldn’t want to go in and spend all this money on a new structural fix, and then have to turn around the next year and close it because [we] don’t have the operational funds,” said Dumont. see AVIARY, page 5

the sole paid symposium position this year, expects there to be many more volunteers for next year’s symposium due to the popularity and exposure of this year’s event.

“After the symposium I was talking to different students, and a number of people have been saying they’re really interested in being on the planning committee [next year],” said Nori.

While exhausted from the intensive process of planning and running the symposium, ASWC and anti-racism activists have begun planning ways to continue the

see SYMPOSIUM, page 3

‘Timely warning’ leaves unanswered questions

by Sarah cornett News Editor

S

tudents, faculty and staff were sent a timely warning email from Dean of Students Chuck Cleveland last Friday stating that Eddie Mathews, a custodian employed by the college, had activated “trespassed” status. A photo of Mathews was included in the email, and Whitman community members were urged to call 911 and Whitman campus security if they spotted him on campus.

All administrative sources, including Physical Plant Services, the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Peter Harvey, Human Resources and the Office of Security directed The Pioneer to Chief Communications Officer Michelle Ma.

“You have no idea of what you’re trying to protect yourself from ... sending out an email like that just scares people.”

Meg Logue ‘16

The Pioneer Park Aviary, home to approximately 200 exotic birds representing 50 species, may soon be shut down by the city of Walla Walla. Photo by Turner

dialogue begun by the symposium.

On Tuesday, Feb. 25, ASWC sought student feedback from the symposium at their Town Hall meeting with club leaders and other members of the Whitman community.

A series of conversations on power, privilege, identity and diversity were also organized on Feb. 25, 26 and 27 by students on the ASWC Student Affairs Committee to make a strategic diversity plan.

“We wanted to have these workshops right after Power and Privilege, because we wanted to

“What it means to be trespassed is that the person is not allowed to be on the Whitman college property,” said Ma. “We thought the situation merited a trespass warning.”

As of Wednesday, Feb. 26, Mathews was listed on the campus directory as a custodian with an office in the Physical Plant. Ma could not disclose any specific details regarding Mathews’s case.

“We had a situation on campus, and we can’t say much about it because it’s a human resources matter,” she said.

Director of Human Resources Dennis Hopwood confirmed that as of Wednesday, Feb. 26, Mathews was still under employment at the Physical Plant, but Hopwood could not release any specific information other than the significant need for a timely warning email.

“It was incumbent on us to announce to the cam-

pus that Mathews is not to appear on campus,” he said.

When asked why students were directed to call 911 before campus security, Ma said this procedure was standard measure in cases of an incident such as this one.

Director of Security Matt Stroe declined to comment on the situation. Administrative Assistant to the Physical Plant Tracy Peterson also declined to comment.

Students across campus felt the email did not provide enough information to properly inform them of what was happening. The email said that Mathews had “trespassed from the Whitman College campus,” a vague statement that left students unclear about the use of “trespassed” as a verb. Students also noted that the message didn’t provide any information as to why Mathews was not permitted on campus or if he was dangerous.

“I felt like it was really ineffective in the sense that you have no idea of what you’re trying to protect yourself from,” said sophomore Meg Logue, who read the email soon after it was sent out on Friday. “Sending out an email like that just scares people and doesn’t give them anything but a face to go on.”

Other students were unsure how cautious to be when walking in the vicinity of campus.

“Because of the vagueness, I was a little uncertain about walking home off campus,” said senior Will Huskey.

Students were also left feeling unclear about the level of danger Mathews posed, particularly because they were told to call 911 before the Office of Security.

“They should have said why they advised us to call 911 rather than Whitman security,” said senior Kate Runkel.

The email is the only information the Whitman community has received regarding the situation. Officers with the Walla Walla Police Department who were available during the times that The Pioneer called before Wednesday, Feb. 26 also declined to comment on the situation.

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27 2014 Faculty embrace firstgeneration safe zone posters

by HELEN ANGELl Staff Reporter

F

Student advances to second round of Mars One application

by JOSEPHINE ADAMSKI Staff Reporter

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enior Ethan Dederick has passed the first round of applications to be on the first manned mission to Mars. Getting accepted into the program would mean that Dederick gets a one-way ticket to Mars. In other words, he wouldn’t be returning to Earth.

The program is called Mars One, a non-profit organization based in the Netherlands, and its goal is human settlement on Mars. Originally, there was a pool of over 200,000 people who applied to be on the mission. After the first round of applications, 1,000 applicants remained, including Dederick.

“After the original application ... I had to pass preliminary physical examinations, which included a physical, blood work analysis, nerve tests, electrocardiogram, respiratory examination, tests for diseases, eye tests and hearing tests,” said Dederick.

The first unmanned mission will launch in 2018, using only existing technology to establish a settlement that would be ready for the manned missions, the first of which would be launched in 2024.

The second step, if Dederick gets in, would take him to the Netherlands for an interview. If he gets accepted for the mission,

he would then go through eight years of training with three other individuals to develop the skills they need to create, establish and sustain settlements on Mars.

“The crews of four are chosen by how the groups get along, and I know the people they are looking at are all exceptional. So no, I’m not worried about the people I would potentially be placed with. And if at any point in the eight years something happens with a member of the group, they will automatically be removed from the program,” he said.

Dederick explained his family’s reaction to his application and the prospect of a one-way ticket to Mars.

“My dad says he is 49 percent against it and 51 percent for it. My mom won’t really speak on the matter, but my sister is all for it. If it came time, I think someone would have to drag my mother away from the launch pad,” he said.

For Dederick, not returning home is a sacrifice he is willing to make.

“At some point, people came from Europe to colonize [America], and I know I am happy they did that. If I can make a sacrifice for a better life, I will. That’s how I rationalize it. You can’t explore new lands without losing sight of the shore, and that’s kind of what I need to do here,” he said.

According to his advisor, Associate Professor of Astronomy and General Studies Andrea Dobson, it wasn’t a shock when Dederick applied.

“I wasn’t surprised that he applied or made the cut. I could see he wanted to do the astronaut gig ... Ethan has that drive.”

Dederick’s unconventional dream career ultimately led him to apply to the Mars One program.

“My dream occupation doesn’t exist. I would like to be an interplanetary explorer, like Calvin and Hobbes’s Spaceman Spiff exploring the universe. This allows me to get as close as I possibly can. And very few people have the opportunity to take an adventure, an actual physical adventure, and it scares the hell out of me, but it’s very exciting,” Dederick’s application to the program could mean greater exposure for Whitman College and the solidification of the college as a rigorous and noteworthy establishment.

“I think there is something about Whitman that attracts students who are likely to want to take risks ... so I think it’s validation of the sort of place Whitman is, and the type of people who come, grow and turn into interesting human beings. And if he goes, it would let more people hear about this place,” Dobson said.

irst-generation and workingclass students face unique challenges on the Whitman campus, and a new FGWC safe zone poster has been designed to help students recognize faculty who also identify as first generation or working class. These professors often act as unofficial mentors for FGWC students at Whitman.

Designed by junior Jesus Chaparro, the posters are part of a larger effort to improve support for FGWC students on campus. Chaparro, a member of the FGWC student group, hopes the posters will make life at Whitman easier for incoming generations of students.

Posters will be distributed this semester to the 47 faculty members who identify as either first generation or working class, and a few posters already hang outside faculty offices. This network of FGWC professors is a project Professor of History Julie Charlip, the adviser to the FGWC student group, began in 2002 after a student-led forum about classism. Charlip was moved by the stories students told about the struggles they face at Whitman, and she recognized the need for mentorship from faculty who understand the challenges these students face.

Every year since 2002, Charlip has compiled a list of faculty, including visiting professors, who identify as FGWC. Faculty on the list hail from every division of the college.

While the list can help students find FGWC faculty in any department, the posters are an important step in helping students connect with professors. The list is posted outside of Charlip’s office and is available on her website, but the posters greatly increases visibility of FGWC faculty.

“Socioeconomic class is not something that can be seen. You can’t automatically tell if someone is working class or first generation,” said sophomore Maricela Sanchez-Garcia, co-president of the FGWC student group.

This can make it difficult for students to find professors who have been through similar experiences. Speaking with professors who understand the challenges of being a first-generation student or of coming from a working-class background is an important source of support for FGWC students.

Sanchez-Garcia spoke about her own close relationship with Kristy King, a former visiting professor of politics at Whitman who gave Sanchez-Garcia encouragement and advice when she needed it most. Sanchez-Garcia hopes the posters will help more students find a mentor like King.

“There are probably some first-generation students here who

haven’t found a connection with a professor yet,” Sanchez-Garcia said.

Charlip hung up her poster a few weeks ago, but she hasn’t had any FGWC students approach her because of the poster yet. However, Charlip said that in past years she has had many students come and vent in her office because they knew she was first generation and working class, and they could speak to her without feeling selfconscious about their background.

“They just want someone to listen,” said Charlip.

The FGWC student group is another safe space in which students can voice their concerns, share stories about the frustrating or difficult experiences they’ve had on campus and support one another in a variety of ways.

Whitman’s FGWC students make up only 12 percent of the student body, which means that the experience of being first generation or working class is not something the majority of students can relate to.

Sanchez-Garcia spoke about how difficult it can be for a FGWC student, when so many of their peers do not share the same experiences.

“Even when Thanksgiving break comes around, or spring break, I don’t always have that chance to go back home, because I have to stay here and work to make sure that I can pay for my tuition,” said Sanchez-Garcia. “It’s not something I’m embarrassed or ashamed of. It’s just hard.”

Charlip and Sanchez-Garcia both hope students and faculty will become more aware of these class dynamics at Whitman. While students, faculty and staff are very wary of language that could be homophobic, racist, sexist or otherwise contribute to a hostile environment on campus, Charlip and Sanchez-Garcia expressed concern that there is far less campus discussion about class inequality or the ways in which FGWC students can be alienated or marginalized.

“Sometimes [other students] don’t realize that people come from very different financial and socioeconomic backgrounds,” said Chaparro.

Efforts to increase support also include an ice cream social where FGWC incoming students and faculty can meet each other at the beginning of every fall, as well as movie screenings, a panel about class inequality at the Power and Privilege Symposium last week and a mentorship program that pairs upperclassmen with incoming first-years in the FGWC group.

The posters are one very visible step toward raising awareness about these inequalities on campus and building better support for FGWC students.

*

Want to see more photos of the Global Studies Symposium?

Check out more photos by Alyssa Goard online at whitmanpioneer.com

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EDITORIAL POLICY

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

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FACE prepares for second annual Breaking Ground Monologues

by Sam Grainger-shuba Staff Reporter

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arch 7 and 8 mark the second year of an annual Whitman event: the Breaking Ground Monologues. Student, staff, faculty and alumni will contribute to the event put on by Feminists Advocating for Change and Empowerment.

Inspired by the Vagina Monologues, the Breaking

“[I]t is particularly inspiring to me as a first-year to get to work with the wide variety of people that the monologues attract . . . it’s good to know that there’s a community that shares my interests and priorities.”

Cleo Young ‘17

Ground Monologues showcase a series of monologues about issues of race, gender and sexuality created

by Whitman students, staff, faculty and alumni. However, unlike the Vagina Monologues, Whitman’s version includes topics other than those relating solely to females.

“We want to break out of the essentializing nature of Vagina Monologues as ‘experiences of womanhood’ and represent real experiences of people within the Whitman community,” said sophomore and FACE Co-president Katie Steen in an email.

FACE used to put on the Vagina Monologues but switched to Breaking Ground last year. In response to a tumblr “zine,” an online magazine on a blog site, started by Amherst, FACE re-

leased their own zine in spring 2012. The zine is filled with stories, poems, rants and art created by members of the Whitman community.

“The publication was incredibly powerful and was positively received by the Whitman community,” said senior and FACE Co-president Molly Dubrovsky in an email. “This showed FACE that there was a willingness and need for Whitman community members to have a space to write about their own experiences and for others to listen. So, shifting from the Vagina Monologues to Breaking Ground seemed like a great way to contin-

ue the “Break Ground” powerful tradition of creating space for traditionally marginalized experiences to be heard and bring a more diverse discussion of gender and sexuality to campus.”

According to Dubrovsky, all writers, directors and actors are new this year.

FACE will also be hosting a reception after the show for actors, writers, directors and audience members to decompress and discuss.

First-year Cleo Young is directing one monologue and acting in another. She was emotionally touched by the pieces in the show when asked to direct a monologue

Symposium organizers prepare for future from SYMPOSIUM, page 1

take that energy that was coming out of people being so excited after Power and Privilege and really springboard off of that so we could get the conversation going as soon as possible,” said sophomore Leda Zakarison.

Participants in the symposium faced hard choices about which events to attend, with 50 workshops, panels and lectures spread over four time slots. Some students suggested that workshops in future years be recorded to allow those who couldn’t attend the chance to see what they missed.

Finding larger spaces for next year was also a concern, as some workshops only had standing room.

“You want to go so many [workshops], but you can only go to four max. There’s no way around that, just because there are only so many hours in the day. You just have to cram in as much as you can,” said junior Dane Kawamoto.

While most of the Whitman community participated in at least part of the symposium, not all did. Some seniors who wanted to attend could not find the time, as they needed to apply for jobs and study for multiple exams scheduled for the Friday after the symposium.

“If I didn’t have so much work that week, I would have gone to at least one or two [activities],” said senior Kyle Bloomster. “If they wanted to have more students go, I think they could have informed professors to assign less [homework] or space [exams differently], because I had many tests that week that necessitated me to study.”

The symposium was entirely organized by student volunteers and ASWC, who coordinated panels proposed by different members of the Whitman community. Some faculty have raised concerns that the volunteers, who

were disproportionately women and people of color, were not given enough appreciation or official recognition for their work.

“There should be much more of an institutional expression that these things really matter in a very substantively important way,” said Associate Professor of Sociology Helen Kim. The faculty will not decide whether they should cancel classes again until next year. Until that time, however, ASWC, activists and faculty have been focusing their attention on ways to expand discussion beyond a single day and establish an ongoing awareness of issues of power and privilege on campus.

“The symposium is not the solution to the problems we face on this campus in regards to race, gender, sexual orientation, class and so on,” said Nori. “[ASWC is working] to dish out what the steps to do next and continue the conversation are.”

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and is excited to participate.

“I think Breaking Ground provides Whitman with an outlet for voices that usually don’t get to speak very loudly,” Young said in an email. “It’s an important venue not just for the actors but for all the audience members who will see something of themselves in the stories; even the most intense of the monologues can be cathartic, affirming and healing.

Another thing is that Whitman is known to have a very laid back, unpretentious atmosphere, which can occasionally mean that issues with a lot of charge don’t get talked about. It’s impor-

tant to bring up taboo subjects every so often and give them the space they deserve.”

The show will take place in Kimball Auditorium. Tickets are $5 with all proceeds going to the Walla Walla STEP Women’s Shelter.

“I think this event largely means to me what it would mean to someone of any age, but I guess it is particularly inspiring for me as a firstyear to get to work with the wide variety of people that the monologues attract,” said Young. “As I’m settling into being a student at this school, it’s good to know that there’s a community that shares my interests and priorities.”

ASWC Senate Minutes 2/23/14 Ratified the Gleaning Club by a vote of 14-0-4.

Recognized Adopt-a-Grandparent, the Buddy Project, College Coaches, Mentoring, Service Trips and Storytime Project as service learning organizations by a vote of 13-0-5.

Approved junior Nicole Holoboff to be the KWCW General Manager for 2014-15 by a vote of 16-0-2.

Approved a request from the Japanese Cooking Club for $900 to provide the club with a budget by a vote of 15-0-3.

Approved a request from the Climbing Club for $1,825 for the redrocks trip by a vote of 15-0-3.

Rejected the sanctions for ASWC Senator James Lavery by a vote of 8-6-4.

Approved the Publisher Act by a vote of 16-0-2.

Passed Resolution SRS14.1 for amending the by-laws by a vote of 16-0-2.

Passed SAS14.1, the Petition Act, by a vote of 16-0-2.

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Student pursues photography passion

PIO PICKS Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights events happening on campus or in Walla Walla.

Here are this week’s picks: Casino Night: Mardi Gras: Come on over to Reid to celebrate this year’s “Fat Tuesday” with games, food and prizes. Sponsored

by WEB.

Saturday March 1, 9:00 p.m., Reid Ballroom

The Oscars: Lights, camera, Maxey auditorium!

Come and root for your favorite movies at this year’s filming of the Oscars. Free dessert will be provided.

Sunday, March 2, 4:30 p.m., Maxey Auditorium

Mardi Gras at the IHC: Join in the festivities with the IHC by making Mardi Gras masks, traditional pastries and dancing along to student band Annie Ocean.

Saturday, March 1, 7:00 p.m., French House

Fridays at Four Recitals: Whitman faculty, Rachel Chacko on flute, Amy Dodds on violin and Jackie Wood on piano will serenade the public in this week’s Friday concert.

Friday, February 28, 4:00 p.m., Kimball Theatre

Creating an Immigrant Memoir in Words and Images: Artist Lila Quintero Weaver, whose work is currently on display in Reid gallery, will share the process that she used to create her graphic novel.

Tuesday, March 4, 7:00 p.m., Young Ballroom-Reid Campus Center

by James kennedy Staff Reporter

M

ost college-level photographers aspiring to make money off of professional portraits have been interested in a photography career for many years. Senior Alecia Lindsay, however, only needed a spontaneous burst of passion.

Lindsay came to Whitman College aspiring to major in economics, but that dream quickly turned sour.

“I came to Whitman and thought I was going to be an economics major, so I took a few classes, and hated it more than anything ever,” said Lindsay.

“My whole world fell apart.”

Panicking that there was nothing practical she could major in, Lindsay turned to the possibility of majoring in art or music. Just like economics, music failed to work out, but Lindsay saw a glimmer of hope in art.

“I waited as long as possible to declare, and I decided to go with art only because I felt like I was going to die in my other music classes,” said Lindsay.

Up until she declared her major, Lindsay had not only taken no photography classes, but she

also had no real interest in photography to begin with. Against all odds, Lindsay became an art major.

“In that moment, I also had to decide what my area of interest would be, so without having taken any art classes, I had to decide that I was an art major and also that I was going to specialize in photography without having taken any photography classes,” said Lindsay.

After taking Beginning Photography, Lindsay had to take her second semester of photography as an independent study.

With this newfound independence in her photography, Lindsay began to find her passion.

“I started taking pictures of people, but I was like, ‘I don’t really know how to do this.’ I tried it out and I loved it, and I didn’t take pictures of anything else the entire semester,” she said.

During her independent study, people began to approach Lindsay to take portraits for them by commission. Seeing an opportunity, Lindsay jumped at the chance to make a career for herself.

“I saw my photos going in a fashion or commercial direction,” said Lindsay. “The moment that a door opened, I just got so excited about it.”

Palm Reading & Future Telling: Do you ever wonder what your future will hold? MECCA house will give you answers. Palm and face readings, fortune tellings and more will be found at the IHC this weekend.

Tuesday, March 4, 7:00 p.m., Young Ballroom-Reid Campus Center

Alecia Lindsay ‘14 began taking photos her first year of college, and she now runs her own portrait photography business (top right and middle images). Photos by Felt

Lindsay offers photo sessions for family portraits, engagement photos, baby photos, individual portraits, pet portraits and beauty photos. Prices are determined on a person-by-person basis, and Lindsay is open for other requests.

Since she began offering her portrait skills as a service, Lindsay has branched out in more artistic directions by using Photoshop to push the limits of reality.

“Portrait photography isn’t

always accepted as an art,” said Lindsay. “I also do more artistic stuff, more along the lines of fairy tales and surreal pictures.”

While Lindsay knows several other students in the Whitman art community who enjoy taking portraits, she doesn’t know anyone else who offers photography services.

With some professional experience under her belt, Lindsay plans to delve into the world of wedding photography starting this summer, tak-

ing inspiration from her own wedding during spring break of 2013.

“I’d like to get some more experience before I just dive into weddings, because if something goes wrong, there’s no fixing it,” said Lindsay.

Currently, Lindsay is holding a giveaway on her Facebook page to get her name out.

The giveaway is particularly focused on the female body.

“It’s particularly to promote positive female body image, because that’s something that’s really important to me ... Women don’t always see their bodies as beautiful,” she said.

For Whitman students trapped between majors without a goal in sight, Lindsay advises them to find a passion and maybe a career.

“I just had faith that the decision I made would work out,” said Lindsay. “Your major doesn’t decide your whole future, and that was something that was really hard for me to figure out, but it’s true.”

Fierce competition predicted for Oscars Trio of hip-hop musicians coming to campus for spring concert

NATHAN FISHER Junior

by emma dahl Staff Reporter

T HOOK, LINE AND CINEMA

M

ove aside “Downton Abbey” and “Good Wife,” because the Oscars are on Sunday, March 2. That’s right, the golden phallus, the Academy Award of Merit, dubbed the Oscars, will be awarded to the top dogs in the film industry. This year’s competition was fierce, and it showcased a plethora of standout movies. Well, I guess there has to be a winner, so here are some of my picks for this year’s most sought-after Oscar winners.

Best Actor: Three diverse male, alpha dog performances stood out. Leonardo DiCaprio encapsulated the drug/ power/sex/money-obsessed sleazy financier in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” DiCaprio owned the screen as the king of decadence for almost three hours. Chiwetel Ejiofor slaved away in “12 Years a Slave,” giving a powerful performance that almost moved me to tears. But despite these two knockout performances, my vote for best actor goes to former pretty boy rom-com king, Matthew McConaughey, for his role as a bigoted macho cowboy with AIDS in “Dallas Buyers Club.” McConaughey, former sexiest man of the year, lost more than 40 pounds to play this role fighting to survive AIDS in the 1990s.

Best Actress: Three female performances are noteworthy. Sandra Bullock’s

performance in “Gravity” as a reluctant astronaut struggling not to be swept into space was strong, but overshadowed by the sheer beauty of the movie’s cinematography. The horse race in this category is really between Amy Adams with her performance in “American Hustle” and Cate Blanchett in “Blue Jasmine.”

(Sorry, Meryl, for once I just don’t think this is your year). Deep down I’m hoping Amy Adams wins because I could not take my eyes off of her the entire movie. Sure, she wasn’t wearing much clothing, but it was her charisma and acting performance that mesmerized me, not the lack of outer (and under) wear.

Best Animated Feature Film: Oh, I do love animated movies, and I was not disappointed this year! Although I am a huge fan of “Despicable Me 2” and decorated the entire Anderson C-Section with “Despicable” memorabilia last semester, Disney’s “Frozen” was magical and gets my vote. I fell in love with the voices, the characters, the animation and the songs.

You may even hear me singing “Let It Go” occasionally in my room...

Best Picture: For those of you who were unable to make it out to see many of the nominated movies in theaters, I cannot stress enough

how powerful this year’s nominees are. Each film brings different elements qualifying it for the title of “Best Picture.” “Her” made me think about technology and love in a new and beautiful way. “The Wolf of Wall Street” glorified sex, drugs and criminals for three hours. “Philomena” had great chemistry between Judi Dench and Steve Coogan and made me laugh and fall in love with the sad characters in depressing situations. “American Hustle” brings the ‘70s and ‘80s alive in a well-written and wellacted crime film filled to the brim with star power. In the end, the two movies that I believe to be vying for the award are “Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave.” Without a doubt, “Gravity” is going to win big in the technical awards categories. “12 Years a Slave” was, at times, almost too hard to watch, but the brutal story of a free man sold back into slavery and fighting his way to go back home for over a decade deserves the award for Best Picture.

Now, grab some buddies, throw a bright red sheet down on the ground leading to your TV, don your best outfit, grab a bucket of popcorn, pop a cork or two and tune in with me on Sunday, March 2, to watch Ellen DeGeneres host the Oscars!

his Thursday, Feb. 27, three hip-hop artists will be performing in the Reid Campus Center Ballroom for the Whitman Events Board big spring concert.

In the past, ballroom performers have included Macklemore, Kitten and St. Vincent (although she technically played on the sidelawn).

This semester, there will be not one, not two, but three artists playing one big show: headliner Sol, who actually opened for Macklemore when he played at Whitman a couple of years ago, Sam Lachow and Skizzy Mars.

Sophomores and WEB Music Directors Olivia Hagel and Katrina Allick both worked to bring all three of these artists to campus.

Often bringing bands to Whitman is the luck of the draw and depends on multiple factors. WEB must find artists who are available at a certain time, who are within their budget and who appeal to Whitman students. They also often seek to bring bands or artists to campus that they think are on the rise, just like they did with Macklemore.

Sol was one of many musicians favored by students on a survey filled out earlier this year, and after a good amount of positive feedback on bringing a hip-hop artist to campus, Hagel and Allick decided to opt for a performance by Sol. Hagel sorted through hundreds of artists who could compliment Sol’s sound well, and she found Sam Lachow, who has opened for Sol before. For a third artist, Hagel

*

eventually came across Skizzy Mars. She believes he will complement both other artists’ sound, as well as offer his own unique vibe.

The artists are also connected to Whitman College. Allick reported that Lachow attended high school with a number of Whitman TKE fraternity members. Allick and Hagel both sought to bring artists from the Pacific Northwest to campus, so it’s no surprise that Sol and Lachow are both from Seattle.

Allick explained in an email interview that students should take advantage of free shows, since there is often more talent present than one might think.

“This should be an amazing show, but as are all of the shows here. Hopefully students realize that whether the artist is popular or not, they should take advantage of the events here on campus because these are all artists we specifically hand pick and truly believe will blow up,” said Allick.

Hagel also expressed her desire for students to use the concert as a time to have fun and de-stress a little.

“I really just want students to have a good time at the concert. Everybody is so busy with school and extracurriculars, so we want students to have some fun listening to good music and hanging out with good people for the night,” said Hagel.

The show is this Thursday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. in Reid Ballroom. Tickets are free and will be available for students with IDs at the door unless they are sold out before the concert begins.

Look online to read about students who play music at wineries Available online at whitmanpioneer.com /category/arts

FEATURE

FEB

27 2014

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5

Supporters determined to keep aviary open

Joanna Lanning (above) feeds the resident waterfowl of Pioneer Park Aviary. The aviary has kept a wide variety of bird species for almost two decades, but soon those birds might be re-located. Photos by Turner

by ANNA ZHENG Staff Reporter

W

ith the possibility of the Pioneer Park Aviary closing in the coming year due to lack of funds, its longtime volunteers and supporters remain adamant that it should stay in operation.

Since the 1940s, animals have been a part of Pioneer Park.

By 1982, the Walla Walla Valley Lioness Club had fundraised $90,000 to build pheasant pens and waterfowl enclosures, while a $10,000 fund was donated to help maintain the park. The park has kept its bird enclosures open to the public ever since, but in recent years the aviary has repeatedly been threatened by the city’s budget concerns. On Feb. 22, the Walla Walla City Council finally voted to close the aviary for good, but its defenders aren’t yet ready to give up the fight.

Aviary supporter Craig Keister has been campaigning to preserve the aviary since December 2010 as part of the citizens’ fundraising group, Friends of the Pioneer Park Aviary. According to Keister and his fellow aviary advocates, the aviary is a unique asset to Walla Walla, since it is an unusual bird-keeping facility that is open to the public and free for the community. There are only five parks like it in the United States.

“I will fight for it,” said Keister. “It’s an amenity that needs to be here. It’s a good teaching opportunity about the stewardship of animals and being kind to animals.”

Part-time caretaker Joanna Lanning has been working at the aviary for over 19 years. Like Keister, she also believes the avi-

ary offers educational opportunities for people. She goes to classrooms and nursing homes to advocate the preservation of the park.

“We do as much education as we can,” said Lanning.

“I give a lot of tours. We were hoping to increase the education of the facility over time.”

Lanning works five days a week at the aviary. Her responsibilities and job have changed over the years, but she said she is still passionate about caring for the birds.

“I have a lot of emotional attachments to the birds here,” said Lanning. “We try to take the very best care [of the birds.] I think we have succeeded from what people tell me.”

Keister’s determination to keep the aviary going is rooted in the stories he has heard throughout his years of involvement.

Since 2010, when he joined together with former city council member Shane Laib to lead a fundraising drive for the aviary, he has heard many stories from community members about how the aviary affected their lives.

“It’s a community jewel that we cannot afford to lose, [especially after] hearing all these stories,” said Keister.

Sophomore Katie Gillespie started volunteering at the aviary near the end of September, after noticing that her morning visits to the birds would positively affect her mood.

She believes closing the aviary would be a disappointment.

“I just like being there so much, [and] I really hope it doesn’t close,” said Gillespie. “Sometimes I’ll be working in the mornings, and I’ll be feeding the birds, [and] a family would come by with their kids. The kids just seemed

so excited about the birds.”

According to its advocates, the aviary offers families from the community a way to entertain and educate children about the birds. Keister remains determined to keep the aviary on its feet, promoting it as an economic benefit to Walla Walla.

“There are a lot of small towns in America where [the towns] don’t have amenities, and there’s not much to do for young people and old people,” said Keister. “These towns disappear. Young people have no great memories. If the young people go away, the old people will [also] leave. Towns die; they lose their future in one end and lose their past in the other end.”

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Saturday, March 29thSunday, March 30th (last two days of Spring Break)

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Since the motion was passed, the parks department has been planning how to remove the birds in the aviary to a safe new home and how to remove the existing structure from Pioneer Park. But the timeline for these activities is still in flux, and the question of where the birds will go remains.

“There are other private and municipal agencies that have expressed interest in buying all or part of our collection ... The transfers would be made during certain times of the year when you can transfer these kinds of animals—when they’re not nesting, when it’s not too hot, when it’s not too cold—so that when you transport them it would be a humane process,” said Cummins.

The next step in closing the aviary is the deconstruction of the enclosures, a process which likely would start in July or August if approved by the Department of Fish

and Wildlife. If both of these goals are met, the hope of the parks department is to turn the stream where the aviary currently resides into a natural space for wild birds.

“Basically we’ll try to create an environment where migratory waterfowl would use the pond, as we have migratory waterfowl in cages in the pond. It just becomes more natural,” said Dumont.

However, until the sale of birds and deconstruction of the aviary actually takes place, there is still time for donations and fundraising to save the aviary.

Both Pomraning and Cummins stressed the fact that they didn’t take their votes to close lightly and that there is still a window of time for funds to be raised.

“I would encourage people to really see if they have the ability to help. It’s not that we want it to go away. We’d like to find a way to make it sustainable,” said Pomraning.

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SPORTS

feb

27 2014

Men’s tennis looks to bounce back from rough season by marah alindogan Staff Reporter

I

f you walk into Sherwood Athletic Center, you will see banner after banner hanging on the rafters of George Ball Court commemorating the success of the nationally ranked Whitman College men’s tennis team. The program has won six of the past Northwest Conference championships and is now currently ranked 16th in the nation.

Even after coming off a NWC championship season with appearances both as a team and as individuals at the NCAA tournament, last season left the team with a sour taste. The haunting question of “What if?” is the sole motivator for the returners of last year’s squad.

“Last year was interesting because we lost two starters to graduation, and we were down four starters off the bat due to injuries. We started and finished the year nationally ranked. Under the circumstances it was a good season. Yet, it was still a missed opportunity. We could’ve done better,” said junior Colton Malesovas.

Senior Andy Riggs sees last season’s outcome as the team’s sole motivator.

“There were definitely many issues—we were never healthy, there were holes in the lineup. That’s not the case now.

Looking back, it was successful. Now it’s a full lineup. Why can’t we do better?” said Riggs.

With last season behind them, the team has begun the season with a hot start. They are currently 2-0 in conference after soundly defeating Willamette University and Linfield College.

And yet, these regular season matches are only stepping stones

toward the team’s ultimate goal.

“Winning the national championship is what we were talking about since last year. It is not acceptable to lose in the first round.

A lot of guys have bought in to the training program since then. It all started in the summer, and I have seen huge improvement individually and as a team,” said Riggs.

First-year Parker Silverman also talks about the team’s hunger for a national championship.

“This year we are playing three teams who are all top 10 in the nation. With our increased schedule, strength, strong upperclassmen presence, elite coaching and young talent, we have really set the bar high for ourselves. We want the national championship, and we want it now,” said Silverman.

With the intense training program mixed with the strong team camaraderie that Riggs, Malesovas and Silverman describe, the men’s tennis team has the recipe to be nothing but successful.

Specifically, both Riggs and Malesovas describe the intensity of the challenging matches the team has during preseason to determine the match lineups.

“It is really tough because Division III does not have the luxury of a fall season like Division I does. Coming into the season where you have guys fighting for spots, you have to make the team play against each other. It is something that we wouldn’t do if we didn’t have to,” said Malesovas.

Riggs also expresses the hardship of competing with team members for such limited spots.

“It sucks competing against people you care about,” said Riggs.

This competitive environment is balanced with the strong relationships that the players even describe

Parker Silverman ‘17 (right) prepares to return a shot during a doubles match with partner Andrew La Cava ‘14 at the Bratton Indoor Tennis Center over the past weekend. Photo by McCormick

as a brotherhood within the team.

“I have the best teammates in the world. They have made me feel a part of something, and they let me know how much I mean to the team. I never feel less important than them, and that has been one of the more humbling experiences of my life,” said Silverman.

Both Riggs and Malesovas believe Head Coach Jeff Northam has played a significant role in fostering a positive team environment.

“It’s funny; what separates him is what he does off the court.

He goes so far to make sure our experiences and relationships are great here at Whitman. It’s interesting because it has noth-

ing to do with tennis,” said Riggs.

Malesovas also describes Northam’s mindset about team unity.

“He believes the people on the team are the people you spend the most time with and the people you care most about.

Coach always makes sure we are all super tight and work toward the same direction.”

With a competitive zeal and bonds that cannot be broken, it is no wonder the men’s tennis team is a national powerhouse. The team also likes to have fun as well.

“Our practices are goofy and rambunctious—rap [or] techno music in the background, peo-

ple pegging each other with balls and guys squirting water in each other’s faces. We love to make fun of each other, but it is always in good spirit,” said Silverman.

Though there is no denying that the team has talent left and right, that is not what the players hang their hats on. In fact, it is something that is not reflected in statistics or records broken.

“Our team chemistry and our brotherhood mentality has really propelled us to successful results and given us lifelong friends. Being on the team comes to an end at some point, and because of that we try to make as many memories as possible,” said Silverman.

Cycling team quietly rides under radar

by Mitchell smith Staff Reporter

W Claire Collins ‘14, respected by her teammates for her humility and energy, took first place in the 200 yard breastroke at the NWC Championships and earned a spot at the NCAA National Championships for a second consecutive year. Photo by Clay

Collins swims her way to record-breaking career by sarah anderegg Staff Reporter

W

hitman’s All-American Honorable Mention swimmer Claire Collins has every right to brag about her recordbreaking accolades, but when it comes to her success, Collins offers nothing but modesty. Collins, who took first place in the 200 breaststroke at the Northwest Conference Championship last week, just recently heard that she will be returning to the NCAA National Championships for the second consecutive season.

Not only is Collins just the second female swimmer in the history of Whitman to make it to the NCAA National Championships, but she also holds the school record in both the 100 and 200 yard breaststroke. Collins was shy and humble when asked to talk about her accomplishments.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” she said.

This kind of humility is an attribute that makes Collins’s standout performances in the pool all that much more respected.

“She swam so fast this weekend. If it wasn’t for the articles plastered with her face and headlines with her name, you would never know how much she rocked.

She is so modest,” said fellow senior teammate Ellen Banks.

Aside from being so proficient in the pool, Collins radiates love and energy everywhere she goes, making her a remarkably devoted and inspiring teammate.

“Claire is my number one fan.

I think she’s a lot of people’s number one fans. She greets everyone with a huge smile and open arms, and so many people appreciate her ability to say just the right thing,” said Banks of her teammate.

Her bubbly personality and undeniable love for swimming make for a positive atmosphere whenev-

er Collins is in the room or in the pool. She is known for wearing her superstitious duck boots and a huge smile up to the block, where she does a little dance before plunging into the water to set records.

“She is this really beautiful combination of a light-hearted and kind nurturer with a totally powerful beast of a swimmer,” said Head Swimming Coach Jenn Blomme. “She is an incredible role model to all of her teammates.”

This blend of silliness paired with a competitive drive to succeed helps Collins stay focused throughout the season, rather than getting burned out.

“Claire takes swimming so seriously and brings intensity to practice, keeping in mind what her long-term goals are,” said senior Melanie Notari.

Despite this level of seriousness, Collins is always looking to have some good clean fun.

Whether it’s busting moves on the block before a race or an impromptu dance party in the basement of a fraternity, Collins is always dancing and having a good time. Notari spoke of one of her favorite memories of Collins outside of the pool, where Collins convinced her two housemates, Banks and Notari, to start a dance party in the basement of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

“It was just us three and was so unbelievably fun. Claire and Ellen are both those people you can have a good time with no matter what, and I can’t imagine my college experience without that,” said Notari.

Although swimming is thought of as being an individual sport, and Collins has more than excelled in that area, she attributes most of her success to being a part of such a great program focused on team and family. This individual versus team dynamic of swimming is unique and something that Collins recognizes and appreciates about the sport.

“You can do your own thing, work hard and race on your own, but you’re still contributing to the entire team. You get together while being an individual, and other sports just don’t offer that dynamic,” said Collins.

Being a student athlete can be difficult, and when schedules get hectic, athletes often shut down, but not Collins, who admits to flourishing in times of chaos.

“Honestly, I swim better when I’m really stressed and have a lot going on. It makes me appreciate being in the pool so much more. It’s an escape, and I really love being there,” said Collins.

Collins, who recently passed her senior English exams and is applying to graduate schools, has a lot on her plate, but as soon as she gets into the pool, all her stressors disappear.

“My mind turns off and just wanders. I don’t even have to think about moving. It’s this thing called flow, and I love it,” she said.

Teammates agree and praise Collins for her ability to commit equally to academics, swim ming and her social life. Collins is also a member of the Delta Gamma women’s fraternity, a volunteer with Adopt-a-Grandparent, an Athlete Ally campus representative and a writing fellow.

“She makes it all look so easy,” said Notari.

While the regular season may be over for Whitman’s swim team, which took third in the NWC last weekend, Collins is still in the pool waiting to get news from nationals.

“I’m not ready for it to be over. It’s almost time, and it’s a bittersweet feeling,” said Collins, hoping to make one last mark in her career here at Whitman.

Claire Collins will be dancing her way to the pool at the NCAA National Championships from March 19-22 in Indianapolis, Ind.

hitman College has a secret. A club team here finished in the top five in the country for both men and women last year, and it has a defending national champion and alumni who have become some of the best riders in the United States.

That secret is the Whitman cycling team, which has quietly become one of the most successful teams at the school, regardless of their club sport status. Especially after last year’s strong showing by both the men and the women, they will look to make this cycling season a landmark year.

Any strong season starts with a strong offseason, and the importance of this has not been lost with the Whitman cyclists. As with any club team in which theoretically anyone can participate, there are a wide range of abilities that must be accommodated during off-season training.

“There’s such a wide level of ability and experience. For some people it’s learning how to ride a bike, while for others it’s very planned, structured training. We have to learn how to accommodate that massive range of ability and experience,” said junior Alberto Santos-Davidson.

While many could perceive this as a weakness, with less experienced riders holding back those who will have more immediate success, senior and Cycling Team President Luke Ogden believes it helps them in the long run. He cited the fact that most people, including himself, had never raced on a bicycle before coming to Whitman.

“Especially with cycling and collegiate cycling, you’re never too old to start. People will finish their first race and just be in awe about how fun it was,” said Ogden.

The most notable alumna of the cycling team, Mara Abbott ’08, took up cycling as a way to stay in shape during the swimming offseason. Abbott can now boast two U.S. Road Race National Championships and two wins in the Giro Rosa, the most prestigious women’s road race in the world.

Developing young riders, however, does not just lead to future success, especially in the case of this year’s class of first-years.

FIrst-year Zander Guzy-Sprague has raced for four years and already has enough points to qualify to join Santos-Davidson and Ogden in the “A” classification, although he will likely start his college career in the “B” classification. On the women’s side, firstyear Fiona Bennitt has experience and will look to contribute in her opening year at Whitman.

The first-years with less experience have looked to the upperclassmen so far for help and advice.

“It’s extremely helpful. Especially going into [the first race]

where I will have had no race experience at all. Just having them as a resource to talk to or to lead me through how I should warm up, how I should prepare myself, what I should do during the race,” said first-year Alexander Ihle. Ihle rowed in high school but decided to switch to cycling in college for the same reason that many others have taken up the sport. He is trying to find a way to compete at a high level and have fun at the same time.

“There’s a lot of learning that happens on the team that just gets passed down each year. The people who know teach the people who don’t,” said Santos-Davidson.

Going into this season, which starts this Saturday with a race in Corvallis, Ore., there should be no lack of motivation. Sophomore Mackinzie Stanley has a national championship to defend, and both teams will look to improve on last year’s finishes of second place for the women and fifth place for the men. Also on the horizon is the possibility of a race around the Whitman campus. With a lot to ride for, the cycling team should be expected to sustain its place as one of the most successful teams at Whitman.

SCOREBOARD basketball

Men’s v. Lewis & Clark College Feb.22: L 82-60 Women’s v. Lewis & Clark College Feb.22: W 77-70

TEnnis

Men’s v. Linfield College Feb.21: W 9-0 v. Willamette University Feb.22: W 9-0 Women’s v. Linfield College Feb.21: W 5-4 v. Willamette University Feb.22: W 8-1 v. Eastern Washington Feb.23: L 5-2

upcoming Basketball

Men’s v. Puget Sound Feb.27, 8:00p.m.: HOME v. NWC Championship Mar.1: TBD Women’s v. Puget Sound Feb.27, 6:00p.m.: HOME v. NWC Championship Mar.1: TBD

BasEBall

v. Puget Sound Mar.1, 11:00a.m, 2:00p.m: HOME v. Puget Sound Mar.2, 12:00p.m.: HOME

TEnnis

Men’s v. George Fox Mar.1, 11:00a.m.: HOME v. Lewis & Clark Mar.2, 10:00a.m.: HOME Women’s v. George Fox Mar.1: AWAY v. Lewis & Clark Mar.2: AWAY

Golf

Women’s v. Spring Kick Off Mar.1: AWAY

OPINION

FEB

27 2014

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Eating Disorder Awareness Week offers opportunity for education Anu lingappa Junior

THE QUIBBLER

T

his week, Feb. 23–March 1, is National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men will suffer from a serious eating disorder. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders. Many important issues have days or weeks dedicated to raising awareness, and sometimes I wonder what the point is. Why would you raise awareness about an issue for one day or week, and then tacitly ignore it with no follow up for the rest of the year? However, raising awareness for eating

disorders is absolutely crucial, not because people have never heard of them, but because, like most psychological disorders, they’re surrounded by misconceptions and stigma.

The first time a guest speaker came to talk to my school about eating disorders and struggles with body image, I must have been in second or third grade. Someone came every couple of years subsequently, and they all followed the same general storyline of taking on increasingly problematic behavior, which leads to worried loved ones, hospitalization and then a magical recovery. Yet, despite focusing on recovery and rehabilitation, the speakers themselves always gave off a pretty strong vibe of self-hatred. They would always talk about their shame and how mentally weak they were to succumb to an eating disorder in the first place. I should have been learning that internalization of society’s unachievable standards of beauty warp perceptions of the self. Instead, I picked up a very problematic idea: that people who let external pressures affect them to such a degree must be shallow and weak-willed.

Mease not Mooses

I could not have been more wrong.

Eating disorders are very common, especially in college student demographics, and the underlying feeling of having an inadequate body extends even further. In our society people see an estimated 3,000 advertisements a day, featuring beautiful airbrushed models who are skinnier than 98 percent of American women. Disorders like anorexia, bulimia and binge eating come from a feeling of control, or lack thereof, over the body, especially in regard to how it looks. They manifest as extreme, unhealthy and obsessive behaviors relating to food and the body, especially weight. Dismissing eating disorders or people who have them is not an okay response for an ally. They are clinically significant illnesses, not lifestyle choices.

Awareness of eating disorders is important because education and early recognition of symptoms save lives and enhance recovery. Don’t allow symptoms, such as harmful body talk or development of problematic food rituals, to go unnoticed. Offer support and be sensitive.

Sherman victim of gender normativity in media Alisha Agard Junior

by Asa Mease

THE MIND OF AN ACTIVIST

T

Olympics jump foward but problems remain Pam London Senior

W

ith an emphatic ceremony celebrating the past and the future, the XXII Olympic Winter Games came to a close. The flame was put out—by giant stuffed animals crying fake tears, no less—and now the eyes of the world turn to the next great sporting venture. The Olympic cycle will next stop in Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Games in 2016, a short turnaround for Brazilians as they host the FIFA World Cup this coming summer. In numerous ways, the 2014 Olympics were a success and revolutionized the Winter Games, both from a sporting and political standpoint. In countless other ways, however, questions remain not only about Sochi and its future but also about the Olympic system as a whole.

The novelty aspect of the 2014 Winter Olympics is not to be underestimated. These games marked the largest total budget of any previous Olympics at an estimated $51 bil-

lion spent on infrastructure, transportation and other costs, according to Business Week. Speaking of extremes, Sochi introduced 12 new medal events, many of which came from the Winter X Games and thus brought a new “extreme” element to the Olympics. Sochi also saw the warmest temperatures on record for a Winter Olympics: temperatures reached as high as 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the Olympic Village, which led to improvisation, to say the least, on the part of event organizers in the mountain cluster.

And from a sporting standpoint, the games were a success in the home country’s eyes, since the Russian federation earned 33 medals in all, more than doubling its total from four years ago in Vancouver.

However, the political and cultural storylines are the key elements in this equation. Sure, Sochi pulled off two weeks of Olympic competition seemingly without a hitch. But it was what happened behind the scenes—in the buildup, the seven years of planning and preparation—that truly defines this Olympics, and frankly worries me as a fan of global sport for the years to come. After all, it was just a few months ago that Russians staged anti-gay rallies outside stadiums (to which the Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion had a cheeky response). Now that the games are over, all that infrastructure that was created, all the roads that were

built to bring people from all over the world to this small coastal city, all of that has to become something. Just because Sochi 2014 was successful in terms of holding an Olympics without any major disturbances—political or otherwise— during the games does not make the economic and political problems go away. This is a culture where people still suffer. Police violence is not out of the ordinary. Free speech is to an extent still restricted. President Vladimir Putin’s anti-gay law from 2013 and the attacks by Cossacks on the Russian punk band Pussy Riot are just two examples.

This is not the end of global sport in Sochi. The city will host the XI Paralympic Winter Games starting March 7 and the Russian Formula I Grand Prix beginning this year and lasting until at least 2020. Russia will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup, and Sochi’s newly built Fisht Olympic Stadium is one of the scheduled venues. But what sort of precedent does it set that a nation so fraught with political issues was awarded the opportunity to host an Olympic Games? Russia is tied to numerous surrounding nations, whose problems are thus compounded with Russia’s. There’s no turning away from the spotlight that hosting an Olympics puts on you. The Olympics did not solve Russia’s problems; the question is now, is Russia willing to try?

his NFL football season was an entertaining one. Full of rivals and surprising wins, it was cool to see some of the underdog teams step up to the plate.

As a Seattleite, I was happy to see the success of the Seattle Seahawks, and when they won the game against the San Francisco 49ers that sent them to the super bowl, I was thrilled. However, my happiness was short lived after seeing the way the media painted Richard Sherman as a “thug” and criticized him for his post-game interview.

After the game, the players were all interviewed, but Sherman’s interview got the most media attention. After going on a rant about how he felt as though his rival and 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree was a mediocre player, blogs and news sites did not hesitate to critique Sherman’s behavior by calling him a thug. The Monday following the game, the word “thug” was used over 600 times in relation to the postgame interview. What made him a thug in the media’s eyes was not just that he was displaying a hypermasculine image, but also that he was a black man displaying a hypermasculine image, which makes him much more “thuggish” and threatening.

Hypermasculinity has been something our society generally accepts, and all men are held to the same standard of masculinity. If a man, especially a male athlete, acts in ways not perceived as masculine, he’s labeled a sissy or weak. To en-

sure they don’t get labeled, men often act in a hypermasculine manner, and that image is forced on men in our society as a standard they must meet to be accepted. When Sherman started trash-talking Crabtree, he was labeled a thug immediately, even though he just helped his team win a trip to play in the super bowl.

He was excited, and because he and Crabtree had been rivals long before this particular game, the win and his post-game interview were ways to let people know that he deserves respect. He works hard and worked hard to help his team, and he wanted to brag about it. That is not “thug” behavior. Sherman’s interview is just an example of the many ways men display hypermasculinity every day, and though it’s unfortunate that hypermasculinity has become an accepted norm, Sherman’s interview isn’t deviant from that norm, and he doesn’t deserve the backlash.

People judged Sherman on his appearance and labeled him dangerous, even though Sherman is nowhere near being a thug and does not deserve that description. While the world criticized and ridiculed Sherman, many failed to note that Sherman, a Compton native, graduated high school with a 4.2 GPA and has a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University. He has no criminal record and no one was physically harmed during his interview, nor did he use any profanity. Despite his credentials, his brown body has been reduced to something that should be feared.

Every day celebrities and athletes act in hypermasculine ways, yet many rarely receive the same treatment Sherman received, and it goes to show how black men are viewed in today’s society. It seems like every week, something negative is happening to black men. Whether it’s being a victim of unwarranted vigilante “justice,” or being labeled as a “thug” for participating in the hypermasculine trash talk our society has deemed acceptable behavior, black men are not given the respect they deserve, no matter how hard they work.

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“We at the post office love duck season!

We used to make a duck every spring because it is a sign of spring.”

*

For video responses visit whitmanpioneer.com/category/opinion

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FEB

27 2014

Wedding (taco) bells ring for senior

arlier this week, senior Holly Johnson became the future Mrs. Bell when her significant other of the past three years proposed to her in the Taco Bell on N. 9th St. Correction: the proposal was made by Taco Bell on N. 9th St. “I’m so happy that I could celebrate with a combo meal. I always knew we were meant for each other from the day we met as first-years during a drunken Friday evening, but when he popped the question I was still so surprised,” said Johnson.

“It happened as I was grabbing some border sauce to put on my crunch wrap supreme. One of the sauce packets read ‘Will You Marry Me?’ Of course I said yes,” she said.

Senior Heather Roberts, who accompanied Johnson to the Taco Bell and was a mutual friend of the couple, had known about the proposal for weeks and was glad to have the secret finally out in the open.

“I’m really happy for them. I mean, they’re just so perfect for each other. They’ve been through everything together. Bad grades, difficult exams, moving off campus, her parents not getting her a car, spending summers apart, questionable in-

gredients and now getting her through her thesis. I know Taco Bell is going to treat my girl Holly right as her spouse,” said Roberts.

Upon learning the news of her engagement, Johnson’s other friends have reacted positively.

“Yeah, I can see it,” said senior Druple Owen.

“Makes sense,” said junior Sarah Green.

Senior Josh Davis has trepidations about the engagement.

“Can you really know what the future will hold when you’ve only known each other in a college set-

ting? I mean, all Taco Bell wants to do is get his fourth meal on at 2 a.m. on weekends,” said Davis.

Johnson had this to say about her future spouse.

“Taco Bell has been nothing if not consistent. I don’t see our relationship changing once I graduate. Our lives may be loco, but we’ve had a lot of time to tacobout it, and I think I’m making the right choice,” she said.

Fortunately for Johnson, this marriage makes her an heiress to the Taco Bell fortune, which is worth untold billions.

Photos by McCormick

I

Sunshine disrupts senior hibernation

am a senior. It is second semester. This means long days and longer nights of sitting in my room, the library or the basement of Reid, drinking too much coffee and pouring over notes for writtens, orals and the most dreaded thesis. It being February, I was prepared for the dark and cold days to help drive and keep me inside, focused and studying in productive senior hibernation—like a bear, except with school work instead of sleep.

But the weather has betrayed me.

This sunshine, these breezy blue-skied days, what do they mean? Coffee is no longer necessary to keep my fingers warm as I type away page after page of thesis, and I no longer need the light of my laptop to illuminate my 30 notebooks of carefully-scrawled information. It is time to go outside and play frisbee, pretend to read for class but really just lie in the sun and attempt to tan. It feels as if graduation is almost here, I am sure of it. This is what the weather is telling me, and I want to go frolic across Ankeny and through the wheat fields.

Yet, it is still winter. The exams are not finished, and the thesis not yet turned in. I ... I do not understand. The sunshine makes it impossible to see my computer screen, and writing anything is now impossible, so how

Students judge books by their covers

O

am I meant to complete my thesis? I have been awoken from my hibernation too soon, and now work is futile. I now wander campus in a daze, like being awoken much too early from a deep, deep sleep, not knowing what is real and what is a fragment of a dream I can no longer remember. I try to force myself inside, to study, to learn, but the sunshine keeps calling to me, calling me outside and away from the cold winter of senior exams. I am so confused; I have left my cave and no longer wish to return, but I know I must, and my heart is breaking in two. How can I go on studying when I see that there is a life out there to be lived? Yet I must study on, in hopes that even more beautiful blue skies lie around the corner.

n Feb. 24, while perusing the aisles of the Whitman College Bookstore for her spring Encounters books, first-year Willow Goff was entirely unsure of which texts to purchase until she really analyzed their covers.

“I could have looked at the required reading list on cleo, but I feel like I can determine which books I should read by what they look like,” said Goff.

Goff cited her art history class as a source of inspiration.

“I took this class last semester that made me realize how important it is to analyze artwork. Like, I could get “Hamlet,” but why would I get that when there’s this other awesome book with a cartoon monkey on the front?” said Goff.

Indeed, a recent study published by Whitman Professor of Psychology Agatha Stone shows that students often judge books by their covers.

“No matter what they learned as children or what their parents told them, our data demon-

strates that the vast majority of students are still judging books by their covers,” said Stone.

When questioned about his own habits, senior Brandon Dane admitted that he too bases his purchasing decisions on the books’ covers.

“It’s easier that way. I don’t have to do something ridiculous like actually reading the summary on the back of the book or looking at the reviews on the inside. I hate opening books, so my method is much more efficient and useful,” said Dane.

Despite Dane’s claims, research shows many good books have bad covers and many bad books have good covers. When this radical information was revealed to sophomore Candace Aims, she was shocked.

“I don’t know what to say.

I’m baffled, really. I have read some bad books, but I just figured that was because their covers were ugly. Take Augustine’s “Confessions,” for example. Now, however, this information makes me feel like I have to

reevaluate not just how I choose books but also how I make decisions in general. Like, could this whole judging books by their covers thing possibly be an analogy for other things in my life?”

Chair of the Sociology Department Marnie Fallon was intrigued by this idea, explaining that it could have larger implications than just book sales.

“If students start realizing they can’t necessarily judge books by their covers, then this could cause them to reevaluate other important decisions they make in their lives. When else do they make snap decisions based simply on appearances? Does this affect who they date? Who they befriend?”

When confronted with this information, Goff was still confident about her purchasing decisions.

“I think it’s important to judge books based on their covers.

Life is not about content or character or whatever, but about appearances. I mean, just look at our celebrities, you know?” said Goff.

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Across:

Down

1. This mirror shows your longings 4. He was a good elf 7. Trelawney’s “subject” 8. Harry’s mother 9. Fudge’s replacement 11. Hogsmeade sweet shoppe 13. This professor is a ghost 16. Harry’s first crush 17. Someone who catches dark wizards 18. Female Triwizard competitor 19. Mad-Eye’s first name 20. Notoriously strange wizarding family 22. Harry’s first broomstick 23. Pettigrew’s alias 26. Voldemort’s most loyal follower 28. Myrtle won’t stop doing this 29. Narcissistic former professor

2. Harry’s owl 3. Troublesome reporter ____ Skeeter 5. Whatever you fear most 6. Voldemort’s snake 7. Krum’s alma mater 8. Wizard-born but without powers 10. Tonks’s first name 11. Voldemort, kind of 12. Popular wand shop 14. Dumbledore’s phoenix 15. Wizarding daily news 20. Albus’s brother 21. Hagrid’s hippogriff 23. Not her daughter, you ... witch...

24. Moony 25. First to open the Chamber of Secrets 27. Fan of radish earrings