Spring 2014 Issue 9

The

PIONEER

2.9

ISSUE 9 | April 10, 2014 | Whitman news since 1896 | Vol. CXXXI

This tuition percentage increase is the lowest in over a decade.

Is Whitman getting more affordable?

by LACHLAN JOHNSON Staff Reporter

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he cost of tuition at Whitman for the 2014-2015 academic year will be raised $1,290 to $44,440, a 2.9 percent increase from last year. The total cost of tuition, room and board and the ASWC student fee for 2014-2015 will be $57,028. While this is the smallest increase in the last decade, this year’s increase is still above the rate of inflation, placing a greater financial burden on students and their families.

The cost of higher education has risen sharply over the last two decades, and Whitman College has followed that trend. An increase in the number of faculty, a rising mean salary for faculty and the creation of a new position in the Counseling Center are major contributors to the rise in tuition, alongside investment in several long-term initiatives.

Each spring, the Board of Trustees decides tuition for the coming year after receiving feedback from the president’s budgetary advisory committee, which includes four student representatives.

“Whitman has continued to increase its tuition because it’s afraid of falling behind, because all of our peer institutions are increasing their tuition, and by increasing its tuition Whitman argues it will be able to support more events and educational aspects of campus. However, some college, somewhere in the United States is going to have to take

Multi-car collision leaves community shaken, unharmed

by ANDY MONSERUD Staff Reporter

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driver, apparently impaired by a medical emergency, struck 11 cars and indirectly damaged a bicycle on Palouse Street, Alder Street and Boyer Avenue last Friday afternoon, April 4.

All injuries, including the bicyclist’s, were minor, but many of the vehicles involved sustained heavy damage.

According to the police report, the driver, George Fry, struck the first car from behind while going south on Palouse. He then backed up and struck it again. The driver of the struck vehicle attempted to escape Fry by driving east on Alder and then north on Park, but Fry followed, striking several parked cars along Park.

The bicyclist was between two parked cars when Fry struck the rear car, pushing it and the bicycle into the car in front. Fry continued up Park until a collision with a pickup truck forced him to a stop. He then exited his truck, a red Silverado, and collapsed on the ground. Paramedics transported him to a local medical facility shortly thereafter.

The Walla Walla UnionBulletin reported that Fry had low blood sugar during the incident, which may have caused the crashes. Fry claimed to have no memory of the crashes.

The police estimated that all the cars involved surpassed the department’s $750 threshold for damage reporting, though many vehicles do not have exact individual estimates yet. Senior Frannie Nunn’s car was parked on Park near Sherwood Athletic Center when Fry struck it and pushed it onto the curb. Her insurance company agreed that the car is now effectively useless and will reimburse her about $10,000 for the damages. While the in-

surance money helps, Nunn is still frustrated with the situation.

“Even though I’m getting this reimbursement, it’s still caused an inconvenience, and it’s nothing like still having my car,” Nunn said in an e-mail. “We bought the car just over a year ago, and it’s frustrating to no longer have the independence and reassurance of having a car on campus.”

Several Whitman community members arrived almost instantly on the scene to help. Whitman security took charge and cleared the scene for police officers, then directed traffic and aided police officers as necessary.

“I spoke to one of the victims’ parents ... and he wanted to thank the Whitman community for how great they were,” said Director of Security Matt Stroe.

“They were really thankful for everything that students, staff and faculty did after that accident.”

Despite the relatively bloodless nature of the accident, it shocked many community members. Nunn expressed her own alarm upon seeing the scene.

“I had actually just parked there to go turn in a homework assignment in Harper Joy,” she said. “To come out ten minutes later and see my car (along with ten others) completely wrecked and a man unconscious on the ground was shocking and, frankly, just bad luck.”

Jarring as the crashes were, they could have been much worse. Walla Walla Police Officer Gunner Fumer cites the fortunate timing of the accident in preventing a tragedy.

“It could have been a disastrous deal,” said Fumer. “Had the kids been out of class and walking around campus ... it could have been a completely different story. I’m very glad that the timing was not too bad.”

a stand on that ... [or] we’ll be left years from now with $100,000 tuition, and that’s unreasonable,” said junior ASWC Finance Committee Chair Tatiana Kaehler, who has served on the budgetary advisory committee for the past two years.

In the next year, Kaehler hopes to work with other students to encourage the Board of Trustees to make a statement on tuition. While it is difficult to make any sort of long-term commitment about the finances of an institution as large as Whitman, Kaehler believes it would be reasonable for the trustees to endorse a long-term commitment to slowing the rise in tuition and acknowledge the hardship caused by the exponential increases seen over recent decades.

Currently, the college has no long-term policy on tuition, which increases every year based on a number of complex factors such as inflation, increases in faculty, salary increases and the creation of new initiatives. However, tuition will likely continue to rise above the rate of inflation for years to come.

“We don’t want to simply increase tuition because other colleges have increased tuition. [But] we do need to recognize that those increases in tuition allow us to strengthen our product ... I don’t believe it’s possible to hold tuition flat long-term without affecting the quality [of the college],” said Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Peter Harvey.

One of the few things which could cause the rise in tuition to stop is a noticeable drop in appli-

cants. It is unclear if this has already begun to happen. 2009 saw a slight drop in applicants to the college, but 2013 saw a record number of applicants.

“Financial aid and the cost of a Whitman education are one of the factors and one of the big drivers for a lot of students and parents [making] their college decision. In most recent years, there’s been more attention paid to cost and the net costs—what we’ve described as cost sensitivity,” said Dean of Admission & Financial Aid Tony Cabasco.

Each year the staff of the Office of Financial Aid try to increase aid to keep students from having to absorb the full increase in tuition.

Generally, students with needbased aid have their aid increased to account for most of the increase, while students with merit aid or no financial aid must find a way to pay the entire increase themselves.

Alongside increases in tuition, student debt has increased over the last decade to the point that nation-wide student debt is higher than debt on credit cards. The Office of Financial Aid works to keep track of the amount of personal debt taken out by students and to help those who are struggling.

While the average Whitman student still graduates with $17,700 in loans, this is much less than the national average of $29,000.

“If we feel a student is taking on too much debt, we have a conversation about it and sometimes Tony and I meet and talk see TUITION, page 2

Students, faculty help select next president

by BEN CALDWELL Staff Reporter

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he moment that President Bridges announced his imminent resignation in February, wheels were set in motion to find his successor. The search will be nationwide and exhaustive, and it will require hard work, expertise and months of dedicated service from those chosen to serve on the presidential search committee.

This committee includes representatives from the Board of Trustees, the Board of Overseers, the faculty, the staff and the stu-

dent body. At its helm are co-chairs Nancy Serrurier and Janice Abraham, longtime trustees and members of the Whitman community.

According to Serrurier, the search committee was selected

by Chair of the Board of Trustees Peter van Oppen after polling the other trustees for their input. Trustees will work with the committee and an outside consultant to find the best candidates to be the next president of Whitman College, then the committee will review applications, conduct interviews and ultimately make a recommenda-

tion to the Board of Trustees.

According to Whitman’s constitution, the Board of Trustees ultimately has the responsibility of appointing the college’s president.

Aside from its trustee members, the rest of the committee is comprised of those within the Whitman community, specifically faculty and staff members, led by Chair of the Faculty David Schmitz. There are also two members of the committee who have an even closer relationship to the student body: the student representatives.

see PRESIDENT, page 8

Williamson named women’s soccer coach

by COLE ANDERSON Staff Reporter

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fter an extensive and comprehensive search to fill the vacant women’s soccer head coaching position, Athletics Director Dean Snider and the women’s team have found a new head coach, Laura Williamson from Vassar College.

For the majority of the spring semester thus far, the Whitman College women’s soccer team has been without a head coach. After previous Head Coach Heather Cato stepped down early in the semester to leave for Rogers State University, finding a new coach was a high priority.

Snider worked with next season’s captains to search for and interview prospective coaches to take over the team next season. After a lengthy interview process that looked at more than 50 potential coaches, they finally chose Williamson, a choice that Snider is very excited about.

“Something we were very pleased with was Laura’s clear understanding of the liberal arts model and the purpose being the development of young people,” said Snider. see WOMEN’S SOCCER, page 5

Pullout section inside!

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Staff Reporter

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y the start of the 2015-2016 school year, Whitman will inaugurate its 14th president. The college is about to begin the search for President George Bridges’s successor with the newly formed search committee.

The presidential search committee pursues potential candidates for the presidency and then provides a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees formally hires the new president. The committee is comprised of trustees, faculty, staff and students hoping to find the candidate to best fit Whitman.

The search committee hopes to have a list of candidates by the end of fall semester 2014 and will have a new president-elect for the 2015 spring semester.

Nancy Serrurier and Janice Abraham are co-chairs of the search committee. Serrurier is a Whitman parent, a past trustee of Colgate College and an elected school board president. Abraham is the CEO of United Educators Insurance and was the treasurer of Whitman College from 1989-1997. Board Chair-elect Brad McMurchie ’84, alumnus Billy Way ’80, alumna Sarah Wang ’89, alumnus David Nierenberg and Chair of the Board Peter van Oppen ’74 are also on the committee. Van Oppen was a member of the board that picked out President Bridges in 2004.

“As for the overseers and trustees, I appointed them based on geographic, gender and other broad-based diversity markers,” said van Oppen. “We also wanted people who will be around and in positions of leadership during the new president’s term.”

The 2004 presidential search committee, which invited President Bridges to Whitman, included three faculty, two Overseers, two students and one staff member. Due to confidentiality associated with President Bridges’s departure, as well as a desire to include more members of the faculty in the process, Chair of Faculty David Schmitz will serve as a faculty representative.

In addition, the search commit-

$225, 717 to attend college for one year.

by ANDY MONSERUD Staff Reporter

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tee has been altered to include four faculty members with one overseer, with the student and staff representation remaining unchanged.

Sophomores Gladys Gitau and Jack Percival have been appointed student representatives.

According to van Oppen, the Board of Trustees solicited nominations from staff leaders and student leadership to find students who would be young enough to see the fruits of their labor on the committee, as well as having a propensity for leadership and the ability to communicate well with others.

“I think it’s important that they have student representation so they make sure they’re hitting certain aspects,” said Gitau. “I think it’s important that they get a holistic picture of what the president needs to be.”

Consultant Shelly Weiss Storbeck of Storbeck/Pimental & Associates has been hired to facilitate the search for a new president. This is common practice for most universities going through the presidential hiring process, and Storbeck/Pimental specialize in identifying and recruiting top college leadership, with a list of past presidential search clients which includes Dartmouth, Haverford, Swarthmore, Pomona, Lewis & Clark and Colorado College.

Storbeck declined to interview with The Pioneer, stating that it is against company policy to interview about clients.

“Tomorrow and Friday [April 3 and 4], the search committee will be meeting to synthesize the input that students, faculty and staff have given into what we want the next president to look like,” Percival said. “During the whole process I want to get as much student input as possible, so I’m going off of what students want to see, not what I want to see.”

On April 3, the Search Committee hosted an open forum in Maxey Auditorium for students to share their hopes for what the new president will bring to Whitman.

A few students attended, speaking out with what seemed to be

one common criterion for the incoming president: inspiration.

Junior transfer student Harrison Wills stated openly that he wanted a college president who would take a bold stance on climate change.

“I think we should talk about ways that we can be a leader in climate change solutions as an institution,” Wills said. “Someone bold enough to say, ‘We’ll be carbon neutral by 2020.’”

Junior and ASWC Finance Chair Tatiana Kaehler stated that she wanted more student input in the tenure allocation process, allowing students to advocate for or against professors seeking permanent positions at the college. She also wanted a president that focused on addressing increasing tuition costs.

“I know that this is a broader issue in the United States,” Kaehler said. “But I think Whitman needs to set a long-term plan in terms of its increasing tuition prices. If it keeps increasing at the rate that it is, then higher education is not something that is going to be available for everyone.”

Following the forum, a survey was sent by email to all members of the Whitman community to gather further input on the college’s strengths, challenges and what should be sought in a new president.

“I think tonight was great and the students got to speak very freely,” Gitau said after the forum.

“There were only a few students who came, which was disappointing, but the ones who did were very comfortable about speaking. I think they all articulated themselves very well.”

Candidates will not be identified publicly until the search committee makes a single recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

George Bridges will be retiring from his role as Whitman’s president on June 30, 2015. He has left the new president a college with more tenure tracks for faculty, a number of new offerings for students and an endowment that exceeds $500 million.

That’s the equivalent of buying

If tuition increases by 3 percent every year, in 50 years it would cost

H2O

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‘Reservation Blues’ chosen for Summer Read Program

Presidential search commences

by SAM GRAINGER-SHUBA

APR

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nother in a series of “lasts” for President George Bridges came over spring break, when the Whitman Office of Communications announced his choice for this year’s summer reading, “Reservation Blues” by Sherman Alexie. The office also announced that Alexie will visit campus on October 1 and 2 to give a lecture to the community.

Alexie will give a talk on “Reservation Blues” for the benefit of the first-year class and other interested members of the community, but his plans for the remainder of his two-day stay on campus have yet to be announced.

Director of Penrose Library Dalia Corkrum, who has met the author and served on the reading committee that helped to select the book, has high hopes for the visit.

“He’s just a wonderful man,” Corkrum said. “Very interesting [and] very, very funny, but very serious also, and he can make some very important points in a way that really ... [makes] people think.”

Bridges selected the book with input from several members of the Whitman community. He fielded recommendations from the entire community and pared it down to a smaller list. He then gave that list to a small reading committee comprised of professors, administrators and students, who gave feedback and their own recommendations back to Bridges.

Bridges followed a non-traditional path in choosing this summer’s book. He followed usual protocol for the initial stages of selection but ultimately selected a previously unmentioned book. “Reservation Blues” did not appear on the original list of recommendations from the community, but another Alexie book, 2007’s “Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” did. The list also included another book dealing with Native American culture and history, Louise Erdrich’s “Plague of Doves.”

Each committee member read as many of the books as possible over winter break and returned with feedback on each. They narrowed the list down to four recommendations, including “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” and “Plague of Doves.”

Despite its local relevance and the availability of the author—both major factors in choosing a summer reading book— concerns regarding the teenage target audience for “The Absolutely True Diary” followed it throughout the vetting process.

“There were some concerns along the way raised about [‘The Absolutely True Diary’] ... that some high school kids were already reading that,” said Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Noah Leavitt, who served on the committee. “Is the reading of that book, which was written with a target audience of 16-, 17-, 18-year-olds the right one for a col-

reusable water bottles, or

ASWC Senate Minutes 4/6 Approved a request from Club Latino for $1,600 to send students to the Rose City Salsa and Timba Festival.

Macbook computers

Ratified the Mycology Club.

Passed Resolution SRS 14.2 to decrease the amount of time allotted for the process of filling a senatorial vacancy from 30 days to 13 days.

Passed Resolution SRS 14.3 regarding campus communication about marginalization.

Tuition increase pressures students’ finances from TUITION, page 1

about helping that student if we can,” said Director of Financial Aid Services Marilyn Ponti. “I think it’s really important as an institution that we continue to pay attention to student debt and be very careful about that.”

Students’ reactions to the increased tuition were mixed

ranging from understanding to confusion and anger.

“Even though tuition is so expensive, it still doesn’t nearly cover the costs associated with running a college, so we still rely very much on donations and what we get out of the endowment,” said sophomore Phil Chircu. “I have faith the college is do-

ing everything it can to keep the increases in costs at a minimum.”

Other students felt the benefits of rising tuition cannot be easily seen around campus, and that tuition drives potential students away from the college.

“It concerns me. If it’s going up every year, what’s it going to be my senior year? Does it ever stop,

is it a never-ending increase?” said sophomore Allie Smith.

As tuition continues to rise, it remains to be seen how far the cost of a college education may go before families and students are unable to pay, national trends shift or the trustees feel pressure to change the prevailing trend in the college’s finances.

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lege reading list? So those two concerns carried along with the very strong endorsement for the book.”

In response to these concerns, Bridges made an executive decision to select “Reservation Blues.” The book has many of the commonalities found in the other books recommended, and Leavitt speculated that Bridges attempted to find a book that fit the general trajectory of the discussions but had no such baggage attached.

“It seemed like President Bridges got the message that the review committee was interested in a book about Native American issues,” said Leavitt.

Junior Tatiana Kaehler, who served on the committee, supports Bridges’s choice but has a few ideas with regard to the selection process. She and another student on the committee cast their votes for Khaled Hosseini’s “A Thousand Splendid Suns,” which did not make it to the final round, and they didn’t receive any follow-up information on their pick.

“They actually didn’t communicate with us what the final four ended up being,” said Kaehler. “So afterwards, when I got back from break, I had to provide input on the books ... and then after that I didn’t really hear that much ... I think it’s really great that they involve students in this process, [but] I think it would be good to have a little more discussion on the book following break.”

“Reservation Blues,” Seattle resident Alexie’s 1995 debut novel, follows the formation and exploits of an all-native rock band from the Spokane reservation at Wellpinit.

The book thrives on contradiction.

Myths from all cultures permeate the otherwise bleak portrait Alexie paints of the Spokane reservation at Wellpinit. The first chapter, for instance, details a meeting with legendary Depression-era bluesman Robert Johnson, even though the rest of the book is set in modern times and Johnson died in 1938.

These apparent contradictions go beyond myth as well. Alexie tinges even the book’s darkest moments with wry humor, and protagonist Thomas Builds-TheFire’s stories swerve chaotically between oral tradition and improvisation. Alexie’s narration takes all this in stride, easing the reader into stories that often seem like nonsense—and sometimes are— but that retain enough grit and realism to keep them interesting.

Corkrum said that “Reservation Blues”’ themes interplay with issues faced by the Whitman College community, the incoming first-year class and the state and nation at large.

“It talks about so many things that resonate with us right now,” Corkrum said. “It talks about displaced peoples, it talks about the environment and how what we’ve done to our land is reflected in society. It talks about the struggles of being a young person. It talks about the struggles of learning to find yourself.”

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“I understand that, if we want the same purchasing power, tuition needs to be increased at least to address inflation,” said Kaehler.

“However, I have consistently argued for the lowest increase possible, because I think we can work within our budget to make things happen that we want to happen, and I think we need to prioritize.”

EDITORIAL POLICY

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

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The code of ethics is reviewed at least once per semester.

To access the complete code of ethics for The Pioneer, visit whitmanpioneer.com/about.

The

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“The [conference] is plain evidence of the value of a liberal arts education. The conference demonstrates the benefits of broad knowledge and ways of thinking that have practical application every moment of your waking life, personal and professional.”

Keith Raether

Director of Fellowships and Grants

Photos by Clay

UNDERGRADUATE CONFERENCE SHOWCASES DIVERSE STUDENT INTERESTS

ASWC resolutions address symposium, nontenured faculty

by LACHLAN JOHNSON Staff Reporter

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by JOSEPHINE ADAMSKI Staff Reporter

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n Tuesday, April 8, the Whitman Undergraduate Conference sought to showcase the hard work of the students at Whitman College. The day is dedicated entirely to students presenting short talks, posters and performances inspired by academic and extracurricular research and scholarship.

This year’s conference continued the tradition of focusing on the diverse interests of Whitman students and highlighted projects many have spent months completing.

“I think many students want to share something they are proud of with the rest of the Whitman and Walla Walla community—this could take the form of a thesis or class project, or anything really that they’ve devoted a significant amount of their brainpower to,” said senior Emma Snyder, who presented a talk titled “Binge Watchers Anonymous: The Disruption of Contemporary Television.”

Whitman is known for having students who are passionate about their academic work.

The conference allows exposure to projects many have spent the greater part of the year taking on.

“People spend so much time on their research or study abroad and don’t get a lot of exposure for them, and I think

it’s great that the school sets aside time for them to do that,” said junior Clayton Collins.

This year there was no shortage in topic diversity. Presentations included everything from senior Keiler Beers’s topic, “‘Esclavitud en Arizona’: Immigrant Detention as Systemic Neoslavery” to Collins’s, “Fellowship of the Voice,” which examines a capella vocal music. Though diverse in interest, a common theme within these presentations was awareness. The presentations, be they from the hard sciences or the humanities, consistently questioned and analyzed the world around us.

Director of Fellowships and Grants Keith Raether is one of the organizers of the conference. He said this year offered some new record highs in terms of student participation, and in turn offered an example of the value of a Whitman education.

“We did see a record number of poster presentations this year—42,” Raether said in an email. “The [conference] is plain evidence of the value of a liberal arts education. The conference demonstrates the benefits of broad knowledge and ways of thinking that have practical application every moment of your waking life, personal and professional.”

The Whitman Undergraduate Conference gives those who have worked hard a point of pride as they move forward.

“I love the way the conference almost acts as this Whit-

man academic career benchmark I can look back on,” said Snyder This event effectively showcases Whitman students’ dedication to being active participants in the world. Those who are not presenters also reap the benefits of this showcase.

“The Whitman Undergraduate Conference was highly rewarding. The day was significant in that it reflected the extreme wealth of knowledge available to us as Whitman students, and it was inspiring to see so many students participate” said sophomore Randy Brooks.

This day was made possible by the cancellation of all other classes. This allowed students to learn and support friends who participated in the day without academic repercussions.

“I’m really excited [about the day]—I know a ton of people who are presenting and it’s really cool to hear what people have been working on. We have always talked about the thesis as this huge thing, and we don’t really talk about it in detail. It’s fun to hear about the details from my friends” said senior Kari Paustian.

Because there are so many presenters, students attending the day have a hard time choosing who to go see.

“I’m so overwhelmed by it, in a good way. I see so many familiar names, and I want to go support them all,” said sophomore Nick Wechter.

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he Associated Students of Whitman College considered two separate resolutions relating to next year’s Power and Privilege Symposium during the senate meeting on Sunday, April 6. The first resolution, which would have confirmed the spring 2015 symposium, was set aside for further revisions due to inconsistencies in the appointment of leadership for the symposium. The second, which called upon administrators to speak out in support of the ability of nontenured faculty to discuss controversial subjects such as racism on campus, was passed unanimously.

The risk to nontenured faculty became clear during the symposium this year. A disproportionate number of the professors involved in organizing the symposium were nontenured female faculty. This activity took away time which could otherwise be devoted to research or preparing for class, both of which are important activities that come under scrutiny when these faculty members are evaluated for tenure. In addition, campus politics are such that at times it may be difficult for nontenured faculty to speak out.

“I noticed when we were organizing the Power and Privilege Symposium this year ... there were people who actively couldn’t engage with it because of not feeling that it was okay for them to,” said junior ASWC Senator Corinne Vandagriff, who wrote the resolution.

Nontenured faculty do not have the job security of tenured faculty. The decision on whether they will be promoted or let go is made by the Board of Trustees, who take into consideration the recommendation of the faculty personnel committee, which is made up of two representatives from each academic division.

“I don’t feel I need to censor myself around the Board of Trustees because I don’t need networking references from them, and they’re not going to get me expelled,” said Vandagriff. “My ability to say in front of the Board of Trustees ‘I don’t agree with that, and I think we should talk about this,’ isn’t necessarily something someone who was thinking about

whether or not they were going to get tenure or whether or not they will keep their job would be doing.”

People of color and women already face greater challenges when working toward tenure, as they may be expected to take a more active role promoting diversity on campus than their counterparts who are white or male. However, this sort of service is not valued as highly as teaching or academic research when tenure decisions are made. “[Service] is not looked upon as an ingredient that is as important to getting tenure as teaching and research. The way that that shakes out is that service takes a lot of time, and some people ... may turn down the possibility of doing certain kinds of service to protect their time,” said Associate Professor of Sociology Helen Kim. In addition to passing the resolution in support of nontenured faculty, ASWC considered renewing the resolution passed in previous years which establishes the coming year’s symposium. After some discussion, it was decided to revise the resolution and return it to the senate for the next meeting on Sunday, April 20.

The revision of the resolution will focus on clarifying the selection of the chairperson who leads the organization of the symposium. This year, the role was held by sophomore Special Initiatives Director Shireen Nori. Technically, these roles are supposed to be separate, as the Special Initiatives Director is a position which may be appointed by the ASWC president to fill the open space on the ASWC executive council, and the symposium chairperson is to apply to the nominations committee and be ratified by the senate. By clearly separating the positions, it will be possible for next year’s president to design a new position for the executive council, as is his or her right.

If she chooses to keep the position of special initiatives director, this person may still apply to be the symposium chairperson but will have to go through the nomination process alongside other candidates.

“We just want to make sure [the Power and Privilege Symposium] is codified and happens to a similar extent as it did this year,” said sophomore ASWC Vice President Jack Percival.

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Some responsibility for shoddy journalism falls on readers Andy Monserud First-year

BASIC PLEBIAN INSTINCTS

F

or reasons irrelevant to this column, I found myself watching Fox News last week during one of its regular Obamacare-bashing segments. The anchors had twisted the results of an Associated Press poll on the Affordable Care Act beyond recognition, insinuating that because a large quantity of people claimed to pay more for health insurance, without taking into account their relation to the health-care reform or any actual monetary numbers, the law had failed. It was outrageous, but not unusual, I thought.

Fox has, after all, spent the last several years making misinformation and blatant bias its trademarks.

Lies, damned lies and sta-

tistics, I figured. But as I walked away, I reconsidered. How, exactly, did I get so jaded? Journalists like me and, ostensibly, those who work for Fox News serve a single purpose in society: to inform the public. How has blatant misrepresentation of facts become so commonplace that we can dismiss it so easily?

Fox, of course, is not alone.

Other media outlets, particularly online media aggregators like Buzzfeed and Upworthy, have shown time and time again that they favor snappy or outrageous headlines to useful content. To a certain degree, this is old news. The media cannot escape a certain amount of propagandizing and sensationalism. In order to function in a capitalist society, any news outlet must have an audience and, usually, advertisers. The media never has been and never will be perfectly objective, just as it constantly works to pick up more consumers with flashy headlines and inane stories.

But the slow demise of print journalism only aids and abets this transition to low-information news. In the internet age, where we get half of our news coverage from Facebook links, this kind of crappy journalism dominates as it never has before. As more and more of

the old guard transition into onlinefocused publications, the quality of reporting suffers. It seems consumers don’t care about good reporting, and content producers are adjusting accordingly. The free market seems to have it out for good reporting.

Fortunately, the free market is not as uncontrollable as we like to think. True, we can’t simply de-

mand that news media abandon its for-profit ways in favor of good journalism. That would require a complete overhaul of capitalism as we know it—a daunting task, and probably even an impossible one.

We can, however, watch our own consumption. Check and doublecheck everything you share against other articles on more trustworthy

Federal campaign reform requires transparency

Mease not Mooses by Asa Mease

Kyle Seasly Junior

Letter from divestment movement to Whitman Board of Trustees

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his letter was authored by members of the Divest Whitman organization in response to the Whitman College Board of Trustees’ decision to not divest the college’s investments from fossil fuel companies.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen of the Whitman College Board of Trustees: Thank you for your thoughtful response to the divestment campaign and ASWC Resolution SRS13.3. We were especially glad to hear you praise the creation of “an environment that fosters this critical thinking and discussion.” This is, after all, what a liberal arts college ought to foster. Therefore, we ask that this discussion not end with your rejection of the resolution’s demands but continue through the months ahead. Let this letter be just the next piece of an ongoing and constructive dialogue.

We would like now to respond to several points raised in your statement. First of all, we are glad that you share our understanding of the scope of climate change. The precipitous rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is the greatest threat humanity currently faces. Preventing calamitous environmental upheaval by reducing carbon emissions will require unprecedented effort, cooperation and sacrifice by all members of our society.

Unfortunately, we are not yet all united in this struggle. Fos-

sil fuel companies have an acute interest in ensuring that carbon emissions continue unabated. These companies have spent billions of dollars acquiring vast carbon reserves with the expectation that they will be able to sell these fuels far into the future. Any reduction in global carbon emissions will be a direct hit to their bottom line. Recognizing this, they have funded an immense lobbying effort over recent years to distribute misinformation about climate change and block action to address it. Thus, while we might currently need these companies to “heat our buildings, power our electronics and fuel our transportation,” we must still oppose them wherever we can. In so doing, we are not protesting just the use of energy but rather the grip fossil fuel companies have on our energy system. If we stand idly by, they will ensure that we never transition to sustainable energy sources.

This opposition must advance in two directions. First, we must reduce our emissions on both a personal and an institutional level. You are right to laud the college for success on this front. The college’s achievements in creating a more sustainable campus make us proud to be Whitman students. But this is not enough. Small-scale reductions in carbon use cannot counter the fossil fuel industry’s sustained campaign to keep our society as

ANDY MARTIN Senior

S

ince the U.S. Supreme Court defined money as speech in Buckley v. Valeo, U.S. federal elections have become increasingly more akin to an ad campaign selling the latest American lager than a model republic’s electoral process.

Whoever puts up more posters with shinier smiles and makes you think they’re someone you “can have a beer with” is the candidate you’re going to support. Even the Associated Students of Whitman College sets up a $50 spending cap on elections, but somehow the federal government can’t take the same basic steps that a bunch of nerds in Walla Walla can.

On April 2, in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court confirmed that there could be no restrictions on public campaign donations, striking down bipartisan campaign reform legislation. Noam Chomsky immediately said, “Let’s forget any pretense of being a democratic society,” and I agree with him.

Money should not mean speech. The first amendment should be attributed to everyone evenly: press, speech, assembly, religion and petition—every-

tary impact on fossil fuel companies, the impact of reinvesting those funds in the much smaller renewable energy sector is quite significant. We hope that you will continue to consider creating this committee. For doing so would merely allow divestment to get consideration commensurate to the size of the crisis it would counter. That is hardly an

one enjoys an equal say. No one has a “more equal” right to petition or assembly. Each individual has singular power—no more, no less.

Throwing money into the equation makes everything more complicated and less equal. Justice Stevens said in his dissent in this case’s predecessor, Citizens United v. FEC, “The Court’s ruling threatens to undermine the integrity of elected institutions across the nation.”

It’s not necessarily true that money always wins elections. It certainly helps, although it can be argued that the parties that get more money are more popular and therefore win because of the combination. This ruling empowers people who are supported by wealthy individuals, a class that is grossly misrepresented already in the U.S. political process. Sixty-six percent of senators and 41 percent of house members are millionaires. These are the people representing the American people, who are supposedly in touch with our values. Money does find its way into politics.

The first step in campaign reform should be transparency, so at least the public can be aware of who is making the big donations to campaigns and how that effects legislation. Even Senator John McCain commented, “I am concerned that today’s ruling may represent the latest step in an effort by a majority of the Court to dismantle entirely the longstanding structure of campaign finance law erected to limit the undue influence of special interests on American politics.” Super PACs and unlimited individual donations are indeed the first steps toward a continuing special interest government. Only 700 people reached the individual limit. unreasonable request.

Thank you again for your response. We very much hope that this discussion and critical engagement can continue. After all, at stake is not only the future of the Whitman community, but the future of our entire planet.

Sincerely, The students of Divest Whitman

Why did you choose to attend Whitman? Poll

by CATIE BERGMAN & SHELLY LE

CORINNE VANDAGRIFF

KEVIN OBEY Sophomore

Junior

First-year

“I remember what really made me fall in love with the school when I came here on Admitted Students Day and we were all in the Reid Ballroom waiting for George Bridges to speak and there was an accordion and violin just playing music together and it made me so happy for reasons that I can’t explain.”

MUSTACHE MUSINGS

a whole carbon-driven. This is where divestment comes in.

Divestment erodes the current perception of public support for fossil fuel companies and urges them to halt their obstructive action while calling attention to the gravity of the climate crisis.

As you have stated, divestment would not be easy for the college. However, this difficulty is precisely what gives the act value. Were it not a pain to divest, divestment would not be able to make the statement it does make.

Divestment demonstrates that a respected institution of higher learning cares enough about the future of its community to put a portion of its endowment on the line to change things. This sends a powerful message to the companies and politicians currently reclining on the investments and consent of America’s intellectual elite.

However, we also believe that there are ways to mitigate the financial risks of divestment.

The committee requested by the ASWC resolution would be able to explore how this could be done at a depth the Board of Trustees as a whole cannot. This committee could also consider how the college might reinvest the freed capital in the renewable energy sector. Specifically, the college could expand its investments in wind and solar real assets or invest in environmentally-oriented mutual funds. While divestment would have a negligible mone-

Voices from the Community ERIN WALTERS

sites or even refuse to publicize articles found on untrustworthy or link-bait dense websites. Leave Buzzfeed and Upworthy to their quizzes and lists. Decent, well-researched and important content often does not come in link-friendly format. It’s the duty of consumers to show that they care about good content, not just catchy headlines.

“It was the best gut decision I ever made.”

“When I visited as a prospie I felt like people were able to get really excited about the things I already had to offer but also tell me about all these new things that I could get involved in that would challenge me ... and so I felt like it would be a really supportive community where I could learn a lot.”

“Everyone

was

really

welcoming.”

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N I W F F O G N I M O C E R O M S T N A W G MERIN

the far one of y b is l r a d “K orking an hardest w teammates I dedicated ad.” h have ever -Brotherton ‘14

mm

Von Cle Photos by

Galen S

by SARAH ANDEREGG Staff Reporter

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nly three weeks shy of becoming Whitman College’s first national champion in its Division-III history, junior two-time All-American swimmer Karl Mering already has his eye set on his next and final season.

“The off season is an extremely important time for swimmers.

It’s not just about getting in the pool. It’s the dry workouts, too, taking the time to get stronger,” said senior teammate and fellow AllAmerican swimmer Claire Collins.

Collins witnessed Mering’s record-breaking 100-yard butterfly in Indianapolis, for she too was competing at nationals. Collins finished her career with two 11th place national finishes, both in breaststroke.

Where most athletes take a month to reflect and recuperate

from a long season of hard work, Mering’s immediate drive to improve his strength in the off-season is not surprising to his teammates.

“Karl is by far one of the hardest working and dedicated teammates I have ever had,” said senior Galen Sollom-Brotherton, former teammate and 2013 All-American who will start as an assistant swim coach for the team next season.

Leading the nation in the 100yard fly for nearly all season, Mering knew his potential for being the front-runner in this event.

“I think in swimming the goal is first and foremost to improve on what you’ve done in the past. I have had it as my big goal since last season, when I finished eighth at nationals, to finish first [this season],” he said.

Despite losing his goggles earlier in the morning preliminaries and seeding sixth, Mering was in a good place come the finals.

“I was feeling pretty relaxed and confident. I knew that I had a good race in me. I didn’t know if I was going to execute perfectly, but I felt like I had it,” said Mering.

Although the race wasn’t over until Mering touched the wall at 47.91 seconds, Collins, watching impatiently, was confident that her teammate would take home the title after just a few strokes.

“I have been training with [Karl] for so long, I know his stroke count and what he needed to win.

Once he hit the wall on the first lap, I knew he had it. Even though the race was close the whole way, I was sure he was going to win just after a few seconds,” said Collins.

It was a mix of emotions as Mering read his name on the reader board.

“I was definitely a little surprised, relieved and super excited all at the same time,” said Mering.

Mering’s 47.91 time was

ollom

just .01 seconds faster than the second place finisher, and Sollom-Brotherton credited that to the strong fundamentals that Mering as well as Whitman’s coaching staff emphasizes.

“At such a high level, working hard in practice isn’t always enough. Karl works on his fundamentals. He won by .01 and that was in his finish. He put his head down and knew how to finish,” said Sollom-Brotherton.

The butterfly in particular is a race that requires attention to detail and a lot of focus in order to get the techniques just right.

“It’s about finding the flow and rhythm of the stroke and spacing of the wall, being in touch with those kinds of things dictates really minor things in a race, like taking six kicks off a wall versus seven,” said Mering.

Making Whitman College history with record breaking times,

Williamson fits well at Whitman from WOMEN’S SOCCER, page 4

and other athletic staff were part of what furthered her decision to choose Whitman.

“After meeting the athletic department staff and other members of the Whitman community, I got the sense that people were doing things the right way for the right reasons and that was attractive,” said Williamson in an email.

This visit also allowed her to see the campus-wide drive for success.

“I also get the feeling that the success of Whitman as an institution is a collaborative effort across campus, and that is not always the case at this level,” said Williamson.

Snider and the athletic staff weren’t the only people involved in the process, however.

The athletic department was intent on allowing players from the team, especially captains, to help select their new coach.

“We consistently asked coaches how they would deal with the transition, and I don’t remember exactly what she said, but one thing that was important to her was fitting into our

system smoothly,” said Kelsey Peck, a sophomore midfielder who will be a captain next year.

When prospective coaches were on campus visiting, anyone on the team who was available was encouraged to meet with them. In general, all the players seemed to like Williamson and were excited about her potential as a head coach.

“She fits well with the team.

“She said she wouldn’t be looking at the team if she didn’t see a lot of potential and the ability to come into a good program and just make it better.”

Kelsey Peck ‘16

She has a similar sense of humor as us, she seems like she’s going to be tough and knows what she’s talking about. She seems like someone who isn’t going to beat around the bush and is going to tell it like it is and be tough on us,” said junior captain Jade Anderson.

A large emphasis that both the captains and Williamson herself put on this position was not necessarily the chance to redefine a program, but simply pick up where the previous head coach left off and continue to improve what they had already accomplished.

“She said she wouldn’t be looking at the team if she didn’t see a lot of potential and the ability to come into a good program and just make it better,” said Peck.

Williamson was certainly on the same page with the captains when it came to their aspirations for the coming years.

“It seems that the program is in a great position as is, but it’s crucial to set the tone from the start. I expect my team to compete at their highest level at training everyday, and I expect them to respect me and one another enough to do their absolute best to put us in a position to succeed,” said Williamson.

One thing Snider was very excited about was Williamson’s recruiting prowess, as she was the recruiting coordinator at Smith College, a school

that is similar to Whitman.

Williamson was also the assistant coach and recruiting specialist at Steven’s Institute of Technology. Each of these schools, explained Snider, are “niche-recruiting” schools, similar to Whitman College. This means that in recruiting, there is a specific population from which they draw.

“We’re a niche-recruiting institution and she was clearly very skilled at recruiting for niche institutions, and that was a primary factor,” said Snider.

Williamson will be coming to Whitman all the way from the East Coast, but to her, that is a good thing.

“I’m incredibly excited to get to know a different region of the country.

I’ve lived in the Northeast my entire life, and it’s exciting to think that it will all be new to me,” said Williamson.

Until Williamson arrives on campus on April 13, men’s coach Mike Washington will run the women’s practices, but after that Williamson will be able to practice with the team for the rest of her NCAA allotted practice days.

UConn’s veterans overcome UK’s youth DYLAN SNYDER Junior

Overtime Thoughts

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he University of Connecticut beat Kentucky 60-54 Monday night to become only the second team in NCAA men’s basketball history to win in their coaches’ first attempt at the dance. Their run to the title was a familiar story with new faces as UConn rallied behind their best player in order to become the kings of college basketball.

Fresh off of NCAA sanctions banning them from post-season play, coach Kevin Ollie guided the Huskies to their second title in four years. There was little doubt who the best player in game was, since Shabazz Napier led all players with 22 points. Napier’s tournament may go down along-

side one-time teammate Kemba Walker’s as one of the greatest individual tournament performances in recent memory.

Kentucky was hoping it could once again regain its lategame magic, having come from behind in each tournament game they played this year. It looked like a real possibility at times, as the Wildcats cut the lead to a single point three separate times throughout the game, but they were never able to take the lead.

The game itself was a classic match-up in several respects.

Calipari has proven himself to be one of the best, if not the best, recruiter in all of sports. He not only constantly has a surplus of top recruits every year, but he has mastered producing top end draft picks that legitimize his process.

Kentucky was by far the more physically imposing team, but something about the way UConn played as a team set them apart.

UConn was led by Napier, a senior who is very skilled, but who may not have the physical tools to excel at the NBA level.

The Kentucky big men rendered UConn’s youngest starter, sophomore Phillip Nolan, effective-

ly useless, but his upperclassman teammates picked up the slack.

Conversely, Kentucky became the second team ever to start five first-years in a national championship game, with only one sophomore stepping onto the court as their most experienced player. The freshmen did their best to compete with the older more experienced UConn, but eventually they came up short.

During the game it became pretty clear what each team needed to do in order to win, and whoever executed more effectively would walk away a champion.

UConn needed to push the pace, let Napier be a floor general and force Kentucky into silly turnovers. Kentucky needed to use their size to dominate the rebounding battle and limit Connecticut’s transition opportunities.

Kentucky would have had a real shot at winning if not for an Achilles heel that has plagued Calipari in title games before.

Free throw shooting, which is typically a skill taken for granted, was not Kentucky’s strong suit.

Kentucky shot only 55 percent from the line, triggering flashbacks to Calipari’s 2008 runner

up season where his team shot 64 percent from the line en route to blowing a late lead to Mario Chalmer’s Kansas Jayhawks.

In the end, however, Napier would not be denied as he and his backcourt partner Ryan Boatright combined for 36 of UConn’s 60 points.

Now the Huskies are only

becoming the school’s first DIII national champion and setting a Northwest Conference record is just the beginning for Mering.

“I have no doubt that he will return to nationals next year for individual events. We are all excited for the possibility of a real national presence,” said Sollom-Brotherton.

Mering won’t settle for one national championship, and he continues to set impressive goals for himself.

“I know that I still have some big room for improvements and would really like to break the national records in the 100- and 200-butterfly,” said Mering.

Collins echoes the possibility for a three-peat at nationals.

“He could come back and win it again. It is within reach for him, and I am beyond excited to see what he does in his senior year,” said Collins. “I think he still has some surprises left for Division III.”

SCOREBOARD BASEBALL

v. Pacific April.5: W 2-0, W 9-6 v. Pacific April 6: L 5-3

TENNIS

Men’s v. Lewis & Clark April 5: W 8-1 v. George Fox April 6: W 9-0 v. Whitworth April 9: W 9-0 Women’s v. George Fox April 4: W 9-0 v. Lewis & Clark April 5: W 8-1

GOLF

Men’s v. NWC Spring Classic April 6: 6th Women’s v. NWC Spring Classic April 6: 4th

UPCOMING BASEBALL

v. Willamette April 12, noon: HOME v. Willamette April 12, 3 p.m.: HOME v. Willamette April 13, noon: HOME

TENNIS

Men’s v. Lewis-Clark St. April 11, 3 p.m.: HOME Women’s v. Whitworth April 12, 2 p.m.:HOME

GOLF

Men’s Spring Thaw April 12-13: AWAY

one game away from becoming the only school in NCAA history to win the both men’s and women’s basketball titles in the same year. UConn became the second highest seed ever to win the tournament, but given UConn’s talent level and consistent excellence, you would be hard pressed to call them a true Cinderella story.

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Women’s basketball leaves winning legacy

by MITCHELL SMITH Staff Reporter

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he 2013-2014 Whitman College women’s basketball team will go down as the most successful basketball team ever to don the maize and blue. The Missionaries boasted an undefeated regular season, hosted a sectional and a regional game in the NCAA Tournament and finished second in the country after a loss in the national championship game to Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham.

They set the school record for wins with 31 and had the first two Division III All-Americans in the school’s history in junior guard Heather Johns and senior forward Sarah Anderegg. Johns won the Elite 89 award for being the best scholar-athlete to reach the Final Four. Anderegg will also go down as the third-highest scorer in the history of the school. The Pioneer has broken the historic year down into four parts, featuring quotes from Johns, Head Coach Michelle Ferenz, first-year guard Alysse Ketner and senior forward Meghan White Part 1: Regular Season The Missionaries were able to live up to lofty expectations after an Elite Eight Finish in 20122013, defeating every regular-season opponent they faced. Before the Northwest Conference playoffs began, the team’s record stood at 250, highlighted by sweeps of both Whitworth and George Fox (both of which were ranked nationally throughout the season) and a win in the team’s first game over St. Thomas, then ranked number five.

Michelle Ferenz: “We played very well before Christmas, beat some very good teams.

We struggled a little bit in a few games after break and got a little bit of a wake-up call about making sure we brought our best effort and staying focused.”

Heather Johns: “Even when we had an off day, we still found a way to pull through and get the win. It gave me a lot of confidence that even when we weren’t at our best, we were still mature enough to pull through and win.”

Alysse Ketner: “Our motto was ‘win the day.’ Every day, whether it was practice or a game or an off day, we focused on whatever we had to do to get better for that day.”

MF: “By the end of the season, this group knew how to win. They won a lot of games on the road, they’d come from behind, won with big leads. They had won a lot of different ways with a lot of different weapons.”

Part 2: Conference Tournament The Missionaries continued their perfect season in the first game of the conference tournament before running into rival Whitworth in the conference championship.

The final was 68-65, Whitworth.

MF: “Honestly, they just played very well. We played pretty well. They made every free throw and we didn’t.”

Meghan White: “I personally was in foul trouble, so it was frustrating for me because I had to watch most of the game from the sidelines. They made a lot of great shots and defended us well.”

HJ: “If we were going to lose a game, that was a good game to lose. It fueled the fire to stall any complacency that might have gotten into us in the regular season.”

MW: “When I came to shoot the next day, I was really motivated. I wanted to show them who really deserved that win. It helped us focus and helped us have this run to the Final Four and this run to the national championship game.”

Part 3: NCAA tournament The NCAA Tournament was a dream come true for the Missionar-

Point guard Heather Johns ‘15 looks to pass around a defender from Christopher Newport during their Sweet Sixteen game at Whitman. Johns and the Missionaries went on to lose in the national final against FDU-Florham. Photo contributed by Libby Arnosti

ies. Not only did the team make the Final Four, they hosted a sectional and a regional, keeping them in Walla Walla for the first two weekends of the tournament. In their third game of the tournament they were able to avenge their Northwest Conference final loss to Whitworth, defeating the Pirates 73-67. After advancing past these weekends, the team traveled to Stevens Point, Wis. for the Final Four. After defeating Wisconsin-Whitewater, the Missionaries lost in the national championship to FDU-Florham, 80-72.

MW: “Ever since I was a little kid, it’s been my dream to go to the Final Four. We got to take a charter plane all the way to Stevens Point, and we show up and we’re treated like we’re professional athletes or celebrities.”

MF: “The Whitewater game

was huge. It was so fun. We had probably over 100 people there.

Every vice president on campus was there, President Bridges was there, even some community members were there.”

MW: “[The national championship] was a well-fought game.

We didn’t get the result we wanted. It was a really dramatic game.

I knew it was my last game as a Whitman missionary, having Whitman on my chest. I wasn’t disappointed with how we played, I was just sad that my career was over with the team that I loved.”

Part 4: The Legacy With all the success the team enjoyed this year, what will be remembered of this group of student athletes?

MW: “We know how to have fun and really enjoy the game. As seniors, we taught that to our younger teammates. For me, it’s that if you work hard, you can accomplish anything.

Whitman basketball for life!”

HJ: “There’s no way you can’t say this season was successful. I don’t want to say we surpassed our expectations, but we kind of did.”

MF: “Now this team knows what it takes. Every season is different, every challenge is different. They won’t all be All-Americans. But they got to play in a national championship. We finished number two in both polls.

They made history. And they did it together. They will go down as the best team in Whitman College history. And that’s something you can hang your hat on.”

Community gets big kick out of swim team clinic

by MARAH ALINDOGAN Staff Reporter

A Nic Win ‘15 (above) and Melanie Notari ‘14 help some local youths splash around in Whitman’s Harvey Pool. Photos by Bowersox

fter a long successful season, including recordbreaking national championship appearances by All-Americans senior Claire Collins and junior Karl Mering, the Whitman College swim team continues to make its mark in a different way. From April 7 -11, the swim team is putting on a week-long swim clinic for the Whitman and Walla Walla community.

Swimmers on the team become coaches for the week and put on a variety of lessons that range from parent-toddler classes to competitive classes for older children. These swim clinics also serve as a fundraising effort for expenses in the program, especially out-of-region travel.

Sophomore Elise Tinseth, the sole organizer of the clinics, talks about the popularity of the lessons within the community.

“We open the lessons up to the Walla Walla and Whitman communities. A large majority of people in lessons are professors and Whitman staff.

I have had a lot of requests for an extra week of lessons, and I have had great feedback about the lessons,” said Tinseth.

Head Swimming Coach Jen-

nifer Blomme, whose main role is overseeing operations of the clinics, believes her team’s dedication is a key to the clinic’s success.

“There is an unbelievably positive community response. Because of our numbers, we are able to provide oneon-one lessons, which is something that is really hard to find outside of these clinics. It is difficult to find teachers who are so invested,” said Blomme.

The clinics prove beneficial and enjoyable for participants and the swim team alike.

“The swimmers really enjoy teaching lessons to the kids. It really is rewarding to pass on something that is so important in your life to all of the kids,” said Tinseth.

Senior Melanie Notari also mentions the joy she receives from teaching the lessons.

“I love the parent-toddler class. It is super fun, but it can be kind of difficult because you deal with toddlers who are not familiar with the water. I also enjoy teaching younger kids more because you see a lot of improvement,” said Notari.

Similarly, Blomme talks about the shift in roles for the swimmers from athletes to teachers.

“There is great expertise

among the swim team. A lot of them are really awesome with working with kids and adults.

It’s a good teaching-learning experience for the swimmers that are doing the work.

The folks that are taking the lessons also seem to be quite happy with the results,” said Blomme.

Notari believes the lessons are not only fun but very important, especially in the Walla Walla community.

“It is really important to learn how to swim. I don’t think until I moved to Walla Walla that I realized how many people don’t know how to swim.

It is an important skill to have.

It’s something that is easier to learn when you are younger, so we are encouraging safety and healthy behavior through these clinics,” said Notari.

However, one of the most important things that both the team and its clinic participants gain are the personal relationships.

“I think there is nothing better to reconnect to the joy of the sport than teaching somebody from the very beginning. A kid that is scared to go in the water, and all of a sudden at the end of the week they are jumping off the side and blowing bubbles is the best thing in the world,” said Blomme.

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Senior art majors experiment with theses

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

Here are this week’s picks: KWCW “Shirt Happens”: Come and dance to ‘Made in Heights,’ an electronic artist duo based in Los Angeles. Student T-shirt group Cryptid has also made shirts for the event and will be selling them for $10.

Saturday, April 12, 8 p.m., Reid Coffeehouse

Neil Hilborn: Whitman’s final spoken word poet, Neil Hilborn, who is a College National Spoken Slam champion and contributor to the online poetry site Button Poetry, will perform after openers Active Minds and Almighty Ink.

Friday, April 11, 7-8:30 p.m., Reid Coffeehouse

Senior Galen Sollom-Brotherton’s paintings (above & right) are among the 17 other art theses in the class of 2014. The theses will be on display in the Fouts Center and the Sheehan Gallery on April 25. Photos by Felt

by VINCENT WARNE Staff Reporter

E

ach year, the senior art majors at Whitman College each produce an art project as the culmination of his or her focus throughout senior year, which is then exhibited at galleries on campus. This year there are 17 seniors who have decided to experiment outside their usual media to engage with a diverse range of ideas and materials to present to the public.

This year, the senior theses are being overseen by Assistant Professor of Art Richard Martinez, who is enthusiastic about this year’s crop of seniors.

“This year we have a particularly strong group of seniors,” said Martinez. “They have a solid balance between technical skill and thought-provoking work. We have students working in a broad range of media this year.”

The mediums used include charcoal, painting, digital media, clay and sculpture, among others. Martinez notes that the thesis is important for the development of the students as artists with personal visions and styles.

“It is the culmination of a lot of hard work both in terms of making art and considering theoretical issues and how their work functions within a larger world culture,” said Martinez. “Art at this level becomes about both formal concerns (materials, form, process) and intellectual ones as well, like how we read meaning in the art in relationship to broader cultural ideas.”

One senior working on her thesis is Becca Gotz, whose project is a room-consuming installation piece using the mediums of digital photography and photo manipulation.

The thesis has allowed her to work

with materials both familiar and new.

“Photography became my passion a couple of years ago, but photo manipulation is still pretty new to me,” she said.

As with the creation of all art, the senior thesis brings stress and challenges with it.

“The biggest challenge is trying to figure out which ideas to run with and which to let go,” said Gotz.

“You have so many in your head, it’s tough to figure out what will ultimately be the most successful.”

Natalie Stevens is another senior working on her thesis. Her concentration is in book arts, but she is using the thesis as a chance to get outside her comfort zone and address issues she cares about.

“I am using some elements from my concentration, but primarily my work is digitally manipulated and photographic,” said Stevens. “I am working in an unfamiliar medium because the themes of my work are addressing digital identity, and I formally wanted my concept and medium to work together.”

Stevens also struggled to find a direction for her thesis. She had trouble reconciling her artistic concepts into satisfying visual representation.

“Eventually, I let go of this preconceived notion that my ideas and interests would have recognizable and translatable visual forms,” said Stevens. “This is when my work evolved into the confrontational, digital, feminist work that I am doing currently. I feel accomplished in my ability to recognize that the way I thought my thesis would be wasn’t working, and for taking the risk I did creating my current work.”

Galen Sollom-Brotherton is another senior working outside of his usual medium. His the-

sis is an installation in the gallery which involves painting on the walls and clay slip on the floor.

“I had never even tried to paint until the beginning of this year,” said Sollom-Brotherton. “My concentration is in ceramics, and I also worked in sculpture and new genre.

However, working with unfired clay has been both taxing and rewarding, as it can be a fickle material.”

Other artists, such as Kaity Curry, will attempt to involve and engage the audience in her thesis.

“My thesis project consists of a line of stickers, coloring books and wall decals of my own design,” said Curry. “The designs are stark, graphic cartoons of human-animal hybrids interacting with each other. People visiting the gallery will be encouraged to take stickers and coloring books home with them as well as to add color, lines and words to a collective coloring book that will remain on display at the gallery.”

And of course the thesis is not just a product—it’s a process with learning opportunities along the way.

“My thesis process has improved my drawing and design skills, my ability to think non-linearly and metaphorically, my oration, inter-personal communication and writing,” said Curry. “I feel very confident that I have been prepared, in great part by the thesis experience, to converse intelligently and honestly about art with other artists as well as with outsiders to the art world, and to create work that contributes to a greater dialogue.”

Erika Zinser, another senior, is going to be an animation artist for a studio after she graduates.

“My thesis project consists of a series of drawings that illustrate 150 things that I am ashamed and afraid

of telling people I like,” said Erika. “The images are drawn in a cartoonist style, depicting my main artistic influence, which is animation.”

Zinser’s thesis contains familiar elements for her, as well as experimentation. She used charcoal as the medium for the drawings, which she has used many times before, but the technique in which she drew them was different. “Most of my work has always been carefully planned and thought of, leaving almost no room for regrets,” said Erika. “In this piece, I purposely decided to be spontaneous and let my hand draw, not my head.”

Gotz also noted the other duties that are helping to prepare her for her future as an artist.

“You have to create a proposal, figure out your spacing and work with a strict deadline,” said Gotz. “You also have to communicate a lot with those who run the gallery. You can’t really just show up, hang a photo and call it good.”

But ultimately, the students believe all of the hard work will pay off.

“At the end, when the

The Proper Pirate: A Psychological Study of Robert Louis Stevenson: ARR MATEY! Visiting educator and psychology professor Jefferson A. Singer from Connecticut College will give a lecture focusing on the psychology of the famed novelist, poet and essayist, Robert Louis Stevenson.

Thursday, April 10, 7-8 p.m., Maxey Auditorium

Pablo Alvarado: Kick off WEB’s Immigration Week with the Keynote Speaker, Pablo Alvarado. Alvarado is the National Coordinator for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and works with local governments to build work centers for job seekers.

Monday, April 14, 4 p.m., Reid Ballroom

show opens, I think we will all feel a sense of accomplishment,” said Sollom-Brotherton.

The work of the Class of 2014 Senior Thesis Exhibit will be on view at the Sheehan Gallery and the Fouts Center for Visual Arts Gallery, with an opening reception at 6 p.m. on April 25, which is open to all.

The exhibit will run through May 25.

Captain America: a superior sequel

Rob Schlegel releases new book of poems

by JAMES KENNEDY Staff Reporter

A

long time has passed since the sonnet and other similarly restricted forms of poetry were the dominant art form in the popular consciousness, but many enterprising poets still carry on the tradition and adapt their work to the modern day. One such man is Visiting Assistant Professor of English Rob Schlegel in his new poetry book, “January Machine.”

“January Machine” is his second book. This new book, which is composed of modified sonnets, is very different in structure from his first, “The Lesser Fields.” While Schlegel thinks that “The Lesser Fields” could have been written in prose, “January Machine” is a very distinct work of poetry. “[‘January Machine’] is formally much different [than my first book],” said Schlegel. “I wanted to challenge myself.”

The poems that make up the book are composed of sonnets that were 11 lines long, then doubled to 22 lines, then condensed into 14 lines, though

there are some sonnets that are double or triple that length. Often loose in structure, the lines don’t often rhyme.

“They’re kind of bastard sonnets,” said Schlegel.

Although the formal poetry presented in “January Machine” is rarely seen in recent works, Schlegel hopes to create a poetry book that will resonate with modern audiences by changing the form and presenting a unique work drawing on the texts of famous poets. The author’s wife, Adjunct Assistant Professor of English Kisha Schlegel, elaborated on this point.

“The sonnet is not a commonly used form. It’s definitely not in the popular mind, which is what I think makes it interesting,” said Kisha Schlegel.

“It’s fraught, it’s tense, [and] I think it speaks to a lot of fears that people have.”

The parts that make up the book both work on an individual and grouped level, leading to multiple possible frames of expression and storytelling.

“It’s creating an overall, general narrative, but also each poem in itself offers a narrative,” said Kisha Schlegel.

That narrative is one derived from the differing viewpoints of poets Walt Whitman and George Oppen,

with some inspiration taken from Elizabeth Bishop in its use of description. “[George Oppen’s] emphasis on the isolated self contrasts with [Walt] Whitman’s plurality,” said Rob Schlegel.

In creating such a work, peer review is important to improve drafts in progress. As his wife is a fellow English professor, Schlegel has continued to rely on her in the more isolated environment of Walla Walla, which is very different from the poet-heavy environment of Iowa City, Rob Schlegel’s previous place of residence.

“I would tell him where it’s particularly sparkling with energy … or where it seems kind of flabby, where it’s out of sync with the rest of the poem,” said Kisha Schlegel.

Despite accusations of poetry being in decline in recent years, Rob Schlegel asserts that poetry is everywhere and continues to remain very relevant. Rather, its form has merely changed, and it is “thriving against all odds.”

“Hopefully [poetry] is changing, always changing. That is the poetic mind. That is poetry,” said Kisha Schlegel.

Ice Chalet hosts final event of season

by HANNAH BARTMAN A&E Editor

S

tudents are invited to take a step out of the April showers and onto the ice at the final Ice Chalet event at the YWCA. The Ice Chalet, the only public ice skating rink in Walla Walla, will close for the year at the end of April.

The event, which goes from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on April 13, will feature live music from local acoustic artist Quinell.

“We planned to have live music earlier this year, and there’s not a whole of live music for people who are not of drinking age in Walla Walla,” said Rink Manager Jodi Alden.

“We can offer this event for anyone.”

Quinell Oucharek graduated from Walla Walla University in 2011 but has been a Tri-Cities local since age 12. Oucharek grew up playing ice hockey and has

used the YWCA ice rink for practices for the WWU ice hockey team.

“The only other time I am at ice hockey rinks is when I am playing hockey, because I’ve been playing hockey since I was three years old,” he said. “Going to a rink and playing music instead of hockey will be interesting.”

Similarly, Alden was familiar with Oucharek through his involvement in ice hockey and was surprised when she made the connection that he was returning to the rink for music.

“It’s fortuitous that he has a local fan base. He’s familiar with the rink, with us, and I am sure he was tickled to have the opportunity to help us out,” said Alden.

YWCA Intern and Walla Walla University student Cami Waring heard of Quinell through a Walla Walla University event, and she was ultimately the person responsible for inviting Quinell

to perform at the Ice Chalet.

“Not only is he a great musician, he is a lifelong hockey player and has spent years playing at the Ice Chalet. He’s the perfect fit for our event,” she said.

The Ice Chalet is open October through April on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for public skating and has held other Sunday night events, such as Hawaiian shirt night, in the past. Alden uses events such as these to encourage people to come skate who normally would not and to expand their revenue base.

“It’s difficult with all the electronics now—it’s hard to pull kids off the couch, since there’s too many other things for them to do now,” said Alden. “It’s a constant battle to keep boots coming in the door.”

The event asks for a $5 admission fee to be paid at the door. The YWCA is located at 213 South First Street.

NATHAN FISHER Junior

HOOK, LINE & CINEMA

I

’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I love (good) superhero movies. Surprisingly, Marvel’s recent installment, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” does not disappoint. After the Marvel superhero clan banded together in “The Avengers” and reminded us how awesome Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk and Captain America are, Marvel has not backed down in rolling out movies showcasing individual heroes. Frankly, Captain America has always been my least favorite “hero” because he seems a bit of a dud. But the ole Captain has matured; maybe his testosterone has increased along with his muscles—whatever, he’s worthy of a solo adventure, and contrary to what history might suggest, a sequel can be better than the original.

“Captain America” round two follows our manly-muscles-popping-from-his-suit American hero (Chris Evans) after the fallout from “The Avengers.” Captain Rogers is working for SHIELD, the secret organization that tries to keep peace in the world. Steve is still trying to acclimate into the 21st century after having been frozen for over 70 years and unthawing just in time to help save mankind in the “The Avengers.” SHIELD has Captain America running missions and “saving the world,” but one of his assignments with Black Widow (his trusty and hot sidekick played

by Scarlett Johansson) by his side goes horribly wrong when the head of SHIELD, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), is attacked by the “Win-

ter Soldier.” The attack leaves Fury to believe the multibillion-dollar organization he and his friend Agent Alexander Pierce (Robert Redford) run is compromised. The only man who can save the day is, yup, you guessed it, Captain America, the Black Widow and the Falcon (Anthony Mackie)—oh, dear god, they need better names!!!!

The ending set up what could have been a very interesting twist in the future, but for the majority of the movie, the other characters of the Avengers were not even mentioned, which disappointed me. There wasn’t even a hint toward the T.V. show “Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD,” which is directly affected by the events of “Captain America.” But by taking out any references to other characters and movies, “Captain America 2” made itself able to stand alone, unlike the Thor sequel, which highly incorporated plot and characters from “The Avengers.”

The plot unveiled itself as expected with our superhero, but Captain America was not the highlight of the movie for me, even with his improved wit and physique. Robert Redford, the leathered 77-year-old Sundance kid who recently survived a capsized sailboat in “All is Lost,” continues to create magic on the big screen. His relaxed and laid back style shows he still has life left in him and was the perfect opposite to the heavily CGI-ed “Captain America.”

I was surprised by how enjoyable the Captain America sequel is. The second time around, Captain America is here with a purpose! He’s a better fighter, more muscular, and he fights alongside Scarlett Johansson. Everything is upgraded! The dialogue was better, the supporting cast was more enjoyable, the gadgets were newer, the explosions were bigger and the movie was more fun to watch all around. So, if you’re looking for some superhero fun, don’t hesitate to see “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

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FEATURE

As the search for the 14th president begins, faculty and staff reflect on the century-long history of Whitman’s presidency.

APR

10 2014

ALEXANDER J. ANDERSON

RUDOLF A. CLEMEN

First President

Fourth President

1882-1891

1934-1936

Photos from Whitman College and Northwest Archives

Faculty recall past presidents

by LANE BARTON and DREW EDMONDS Staff Reporters

I

n 2015, Whitman College will say farewell to President George Bridges and welcome the 14th member of a long line of college presidents. When looking at the legacies of past presidents, it’s clear that Bridges’s successor will arrive on campus to a scene much changed since Alexander Anderson became Whitman’s first president in 1882.

One of the most noticeable changes is the greater funding now at the president’s disposal. Between 1882 and 1885, Anderson constructed the first college building and a ladies’ hall with a total of $21,400. In 1998, Thomas Cronin completed the all-time best fundraising year to date, raising over $12.2 million in a fiscal year.

Now, George Bridges expects to complete his $150 million dollar Now is the Time campaign at the end of his term next year, the largest fundraising campaign in the school’s history.

As Whitman has evolved into a fiscally stronger and more nationally recognized institution, the expectations of the college president have also expanded, making the search process for the ideal president more difficult.

“Some people just say [searching for a president is] an impossible job ... that the number of attributes you’re looking for is just so large.

I would say the person has to inspire confidence,” said Professor of Mathematics Patrick Keef, who first came to Whitman in 1980 and served as dean of the faculty from 1996-2006 under president Thomas Cronin.

Longtime Whitman professors agree that the president’s primary role is to represent the college and establish financial security, but often presidents are remembered most by how they respond to the unique challenges of the time and how they choose to relate to students and faculty.

“In a lot of ways, the primary responsibility of the president is to present us to external constituencies,” says Keith Farrington, who has been a sociology professor since 1977. “On campus, the president also serves as a representative of the school and can have a huge impact on relations with students, faculty and staff.”

This is especially true for small college communities like Whitman, where the president is a visible personality thanks to the campus and enrollment size.

“It’s a small campus, so most of the faculty members are going to get to know the president pretty well just by being here,” says Keef.

The president serves as the symbol of the college. He or she is selected

for his or her ability to affirm the value of the college experience and provide a vision that strengthens the college’s reputation while maintaining the unique character that binds the Whitman community together, according to Professor of Geology Patrick Spencer, who has been a faculty member since 1984 and who will become the next provost and dean of faculty in 2015.

“I think one thing [the last four presidents] shared is a real commitment to liberal arts ... a recognition of both the uniqueness of what we do here and of its value,” said Professor of Religion Walter Wyman, who first arrived on campus in 1982.

While there is some agreement among faculty about the qualities and responsibilities of the president, each president is unique both in personality and in what he or she chooses to focus time on when he or she is in office. This is something that a handful of faculty members, who have been on campus during the last four presidencies, have noted through first-hand experience.

“Each of them has brought a distinctive style to the presidency, very distinctive priorities, and their presidencies have been quite different,” said Wyman.

The first of these presidents was Robert Skotheim, who completed the second-longest presidency in the college’s history from 19751988. Well respected by those on campus, he was also excellent at raising funds and traveling around the country to elevate the profile of Whitman on the national level. “[Skotheim] was a silver-tongue guy, a thinking man’s president. Everybody thought he was just ideal in many respects,” said Keef.

According to faculty who experienced Skotheim’s presidency, he was successful at both bringing professors closer together and also inspiring them to become more involved in broader scholarly discussions off campus. Now, Whitman students take for granted the close relationships professors often have with each other and their involvement in the publication of their own research.

“There was a feeling of family during Bob’s term. The faculty did a lot of socializing,” said Spencer.

While Skotheim had a talent for external affairs and relations with faculty, his successor, David Maxwell, turned his focus more to internal affairs. In particular, he made substantial changes to the curriculum during his term from 1989 to 1993.

“Maxwell was really concerned about the curriculum at Whitman College ... and one of his first acts was to convene what he called the curriculum review committee, which he actually chaired, which was very

rare for a president,” said Wyman.

This committee spearheaded many changes to the college’s course offerings, including the idea of a common course for all first-year students, which has since evolved into Encounters.

When Thomas Cronin stepped into office in 1993 for a term that would last until 2005, the economy was booming, and campus was primed for positive change. According to some faculty members, it was this historical advantage combined with his naturally energetic disposition that defined Cronin’s legacy and directed Whitman down its current path. “[Cronin] was here at a time when the college was amazingly healthy. There was lots of money in higher education, he had a vision [and] he had a very cooperative board of trustees. Huge amounts of things got done here ... he was a whirlwind, things were happening all over campus,” said Farrington.

Cronin was famous for his energy and rumored knowledge of the names and hometowns of the entire student body, whom he would often greet and interact with on campus.

“I mean, [Cronin] would hand deliver cookies to students in the library during finals or he would go to read bedtime stories to a residence hall section,” says Farrington.

The ability and willingness to interact freely with everyone in the Whitman community has carried over to the current president, George Bridges, who took over in 2005.

“George wants to understand faculty, wants to maintain close relationships by looking at Whitman as a family of people who are in it for the same overall goals,” says Spencer.

Soon, however, Bridges will be stepping down and a new president will begin the next chapter in the college’s history. It is a new leader that faculty hope will expand upon the work of his or her predecessors in taking Whitman from a regional to national level of attention.

“The new president will need to look to strengthen the college’s national reputation at the same time as maintaining our character as a top flight regional college,” said Spencer.

The person who takes over the presidency will have their work cut out for them to improve upon the great steps that recent presidents have taken. But the right choice will be the person who can exemplify the leadership of past presidents and display Whitman as the quality institution those presidents have helped make. “[The president] is the public face of this institution and that person has to be the kind of person that gives everyone faith that Whitman College is a fine place,” said Keef.

WALTER A. BRATTON Fifth President 1936-1942

WINSLOW S. ANDERSON Sixth President 1942-1948

CHESTER C. MAXEY Seventh President 1948-1959

DONALD SHEEHAN Ninth President 1968-1974

ROBERT A. SKOTHEIM 10th President 1975-1988

Consultants, committee collaborate in search from PRESIDENT, page 1

Sophomores Gladys Gitau and Jack Percival were recommended by their peers and the Dean of Students Office to the Board of Trustees. Percival is the Vice President of ASWC, and Gitau was chosen because she has also embraced a number of leadership roles on campus and consistently made the effort to be involved on campus.

“This is not a representative board in the [same] sense that a faculty representative is not necessarily just going to advocate for faculty views. We’re all on the committee to choose the candidate that’s best for Whitman,” said Percival on his role in the search. “While Gladys and I can speak to the student perspective on a lot of things ... we’re not necessarily there to advocate for a particular point of view—we’re there to function as full members of the committee.”

There will be forums for other faculty, staff and students to express their views on what they want to see in the next president. The committee also plans to send out surveys during the search process.

Percival and Serrurier both stressed how important this feedback is to forming the outline of characteristics that the committee will use to find candidates over the summer.

According to Gitau, President Bridges has always made himself an approachable and personable administrative figure with whom the Whitman community can connect. He will also leave the college’s endowment larger than it has ever been in the history of Whitman, thanks in part to his Now is the Time campaign. But with this improvement in place, Gitau hopes for a different focus in the future.

“Because he was working very heavily on the financial campaign, he was away a lot ... and that’s going to be one of the responsibilities of the president. But one of the things I would like is to have a president who is more present on campus, who is around more, maybe to deal with these issues going on like the rally last semester, things that are important to students, things that make them feel safe and included, like issues of diversity,” said Gitau.

Percival hopes the next president will be able to devote more attention to other concerns in addition to fundraising.

“I would like to see a president who is more inwardly focused, strengthening Whitman’s curriculum and community and [student involvement] while simultaneously still enhancing Whitman’s national reputation,” said Percival.

Abraham suggested that a college president has to be a great listener who can craft a collaborative vision for the future of the college from the various voices he or she hears on a daily basis, while still maintaining strong leadership.

“I’m looking for someone who is as passionate about the college as all of us are. They have to be intellectually curious about Whitman, about how we tick and where we want to go,” said Abraham.

Serrurier is interested in finding someone who can move forward with the liberal arts model of education in the 21st century.

“I want to make sure this person can be a leader who will make this the best liberal arts college that it can be,” she said.

Another key step in the search pro-

cess is bringing in external expertise in the form of hired search consultants. According to Serrurier, the consultants play an essential role in the search process because they are experts who specialize in filling top leadership positions in education. The consultants lend a degree of objectivity to the search and also contribute their familiarity with the wider job market.

“They learn from us, what we’re looking for in the next president, and they make matches with people who are out there, who may not know that Whitman College even exists. But [the search consultants] know that ... this person has these experiences, this kind of background, these kinds of beliefs, interests, philosophies and skills, and they would really like a place like Whitman,” said Serrurier.

The consultants contact candidates and introduce them to the committee for the interview process.

According to Serrurier, many of the potential candidates currently hold other positions at other educational institutions. For this and other reasons, the search itself will remain confidential and closed to anyone outside the committee.

All committee members noted, however, that it is not only their voices that determine who the next president of Whitman should or should not be. Percival emphasized that it benefits members of the Whitman community to speak up, fill out surveys, contact committee members with feedback and generally take an interest in the search.

“It’s one of the biggest decisions that we as students have input on in our time at Whitman, and it will shape the long-term future of the college,” he said.

GEORGE S. BRIDGES 13th President 2005-2015

?

14th President 2015-

WINE MAP

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The Pioneer guide to

Walla Walla

WINERIES

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4 Three Rivers Winery 5641 Old Highway 12 (509)-526-9463 ext. 1

1 Woodward Canyon Winery

Offering exclusive case specials as low as $65 per case this weekend.

Open daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Open daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The last tasting of the day starts at 4:30 p.m.

11920 W. Highway 12 Our Reserve House resLowden, Wash. taurant will be serving lunches Thursday through (509)-525-4129 Sunday from 11:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. beginning May 8.

5 Amavi Cellars

3796 Peppers Bridge Road (509) 525-3541 Open daily 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

2 L’Ecole

41 Lowden School Road Lowden, Wash.

(509) 525-0940

6 Gifford Hirlinger

Open daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

1450 Stateline Road

This weekend, parents enjoy a complimentary tasting­with this ad.

Open Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

(509) 301-9229

3 Long Shadows Vintners

1604 Frenchtown Road Walla Walla, Wash.

7

(425)-454-3918

Bergevin Lane Vineyards

11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

BY APPOINTMENT

d.

Mill Creek R

S College Ave.

7

TO

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cs Ave

4

Open 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or by appointment.

1215 W. Poplar St. Come visit us and enjoy a complimentary wine (509)-526-4300 tasting just by mentioning this ad!

WINE MAP

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APR

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TERO Estates, Flying Trout Wines and Waters Winery

Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

6 W. Rose St. Suite 103 (in the Marcus Whitman) (541)-203-0020

8 Dusted Valley Vintners 1248 Old Milton Highway (509) 525-1337

Friends of Whitman Open Saturday from 11 a.m. College may present - 4 p.m. or by appointment. map in tasting room to waive $10 tasting fee for you and one guest.

12 Spring Valley Vineyard

Open Thursday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

18 N. 2nd Ave. Complimentary tasting fee when bringing in the map.

(509) 525-1506 100% estate grown

9 Buty Winery

Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

18 N. 2nd Ave. This weekend Whitman parents enjoy complimentary wine tast(509) 525-1506 ing. Please present this ad.

Buty is Whitman alumna owned.

13 Otis Kenyon

Thursday through Monday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

23 E. Main St. Our 2011 Carmenere has been released and (509)-525-3505 it’s tasting great!

Adamant Cellars

525 E. Cessna Ave.

10

No tasting fees for Whit(509) 529-4161 man parents, 15% off case purchases for Whitman Open daily from 10 a.m. - parents and 20% off when 5 p.m. you join the wine club.

Just let us know you’re a Whitman parent!

14 Charles Smith Wines and K-Vintners 35 S. Spokane St. (509) 526-5230 Open daily from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

APR

10 2014

ASWC CANDIDATE PROFILES 11 PAGE

To serve as next year’s ASWC president would by my honor and privilege! I am dedicated to improving student life, determined to enact positive change and experienced in advocating on behalf of Whitman students. You can count on me to act with open-mindedness, efficiency and the utmost regard for my constituents.

The ASWC president funcWhat is your year and major?

I am a junior health science, policy and culture major.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

For the past year, I have had the opportunity to serve as ASWC finance chair. This role provided the invaluable experience of working alongside the administration and trustees. More importantly, it has allowed me to collaborate with dozens of student

tions as a liaison between the Board of Trustees, college administration, ASWC senate and the student body.

This job requires a leader with knowledge and enthusiasm about the college’s decision-making processes.

As a two-term senator and the current ASWC finance chair, I have cultivated the experience and passion necessary to represent the interests of Whitman students. leaders who keep Whitman engaging, exciting and eclectic. I have advocated for these students by supporting various initiatives. These include funding an additional position at the Counseling Center, creating a sustainability coordinator position and establishing the Power and Privilege Symposium.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

If elected, I will advocate for an increase in student input in the tenure review process for faculty, the establishment of class credits for academically-related summer internships and

Over the past year, I served as the business manager for The Pioneer. Using my experience collaboratively managing an operating budget, I will advocate on behalf of the student body on the president’s budget advisory committee, responsibly allocate student dollars for student development and implement legislative change to the green fund to allow students to

use funds for off-campus projects. I will establish a greater degree of communication between ASWC finance and the student body, not only increasing awareness of how student dollars can be allocated, but increasing transparency of the ASWC financial processes, objectives and performance. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at any time at vanderjs@whitman.edu!

What is your year and major?

I am a junior majoring in economics.

cal decisions, managing the newspaper’s financial affairs and communicating financial information to the appropriate staff. I worked closely with the editor-in-chief to responsibly maintain a balanced budget and improve accountability, which I will do on a larger scale as finance chair.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

I am qualified for this position because of my experience in the past year as the business manager for The Pioneer. During my time as the business manager for The Pioneer, I gained experience making difficult fis-

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I hope to increase awareness of the availability of ASWC funds and increase the reach of how these funds can impact the stu-

My platform is largely focused on maintaining the progressive and positive direction that the finance chair position is heading toward. Among other positive trends, ASWC finances are becoming more transparent every year, we are able to fund more and more student initiatives, and the strengthening relationship with the administration and board of trustees has meant that the finance chair has a more influential voice for things such as setting student tuition and allocating college

funds for awesome student initiatives such as the Power and Privilege Symposium. In accordance with this, I want to implement a new spreadsheet system called Smartsheet for budget managing and planning that is real-time, collaborative and cloud-based that will streamline the most inefficient and timeconsuming aspect part of the finance chair’s job.

This will enable more time that can be spent building on the encouraging steps made by the previous finance chairs.

What is your year and major?

I am a junior anthropology major.

cesses of ASWC and finance chair duties. I think ASWC experience is essential for this position because the job of finance chair is not limited to budget managing. The finance chair is also part of the executive council and an active leader of ASWC who must constantly communicate with every level of the college.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

I am distinguished from the other candidates because of my ASWC experience. I work with the finance committee almost every day and I am familiar with all the pro-

After much consideration, I have decided to withdraw my name from the race for vice president and student affairs chair in order to devote my full energies to the presidential search committee. After reviewing the duties associated with the committee, I do not believe that I would be able to perform the duties of vice president, if elected to do so, as well as those of the search

­ hat do you hope to acW complish if elected?

I hope to accomplish three things as finance chair: working with the ad-

Tatiana Kaehler Presidential Candidate

the development of a longterm plan with the Board of Trustees and administration to address the continuously increasing costs of higher education.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

I’ll never forget the day my individually planned major (called “health science, policy and culture”) was approved. I have always been passionate about the scientific, cultural and political aspects of health, so I was ecstatic to be able to combine them all in my studies.

Skye Vander Laan Finance Chair Candidate

dent body. Additionally, I hope to implement legislative change to allow students to use the green fund for off-campus projects.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

I am proud of working to revolutionize the budget system of The Pioneer.

I instigated a new budget register that allows more up-to-date and detailed information to be relayed to the editor-in-chief and other decision makers at a moment’s notice.

Tabor Martinson Finance Chair Candidate

ministration to keep tuition low, funding as many considerate and cool student initiatives as feasible and implementing a cloud-based spreadsheet (to change from word excel) to make budget managing more efficient.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

I am most proud of rebounding from a difficult first year to make a positive impact on campus and in the community through my involvement in an assortment of extracurricular activities and jobs.

committee to the best of my ability. I am fully confident that Sayda will excel in the position and make a huge difference on Whitman’s campus. I hope to continue to serve ASWC as a junior senator, if I am elected to do so.

Thank you to all who supported me in this race.

Love, Jack

Jack Percival Withdrew as a Vice President Candidate

Want to know what other activities candidates are involved in?

Check out our full candidate profiles online at www. whitmanpioneer.com

I take initiative, I have experience and I’m dedicated to ASWC. This year, I took initiative and implemented the “Innovation in Registration” campaign, which led to creating the student Registrar committee to develop an avenue for students to give registration feedback. Additionally, I tabled in Reid on

Wednesdays to tune in to student opinions. I have experience inspiring, motivating and collaborating with students through my involvements on campus, and I’ve been involved with ASWC my whole time at Whitman. I know where ASWC has been in the past, and I know where to lead ASWC in the future.

What is your year and major?

I am a sophomore sociology major.

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I would like to take an inside-out approach to improve the daily operations within ASWC, which would in turn benefit the students with having a more efficient and productive student government. For more tangible objectives, I would like to implement more twocredit exploratory courses, which would allow opportunities to try new fields without having to commit to the full four-credit workload. I would like to see more indepth experiential learning opportunities so students at Whitman can learn how to apply their liberal arts ma-

If elected, I aim to increase student involvement in program planning and financial decisions within ASWC and Whitman as a whole. I will decipher the jargon and numbers to make information about our school’s financial process-

es more accessible and understandable for all. I will relay your needs, concerns and suggestions to the administration, ensuring that you have a say in where your money goes, whether it is your tuition or your ASWC fee.

What is your year and major?

I am a sophomore BBMB major.

istration, equipped me with skills needed to effectively voice your requests, opinions and concerns to the administration and given me experience with working with other clubs and departments to sail through the intricacies of financing large events while balancing a small club budget.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

I have the advantage of time, in that I will be able to focus on the presidential duties next year if I were elected as opposed to a senior thesis.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

I have a working knowledge of how things are operated at Whitman, particularly when it comes to financial and budget issues, and I’m eager to learn more. In addition, my current involvement as the co-president of the Beyond Borders Club has helped me build strong working relationships with staff members and admin-

­ hat do you hope to acW complish if elected?

My goals will be twofold: to ensure that students’ money is spent judiciously and to help students finance initiatives that will enrich our community. I will work to increase dialogue between the ASWC finance committee and the student body by

Allison Kelly Presidential Candidate

jors to career-related experiences. I would like to have a cohesive student calendar that students would easily be able to access, including activities as broad as sporting events, guest lectures, club meeting times and concerts.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

A great season finish in D2 IM dodgeball this season.

Let’s go, Gummy Bears!

Phuong Le Finance Chair Candidate

inviting all interested students to join our meetings and by creating online mini surveys and polls, informing and giving students ample time to respond to important financial decisions.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

A wave of positive changes has been happening at Whitman, socially and structurally. A few lines on The Pioneer will not do my thoughts justice. Talk to me, and I will let you know my answer!

I believe that I would make a great nominations chair because I have three semesters of ASWC and nominations experience, I am well versed

with application evaluation and interviewing and have a passion for ASWC and improving the representation of our student body.

What is your year and major?

I am a classics and philosophy double major and a member of the class of 2015.

tions, to look into listing them on the Student Engagement Center’s iEngage site and to better facilitate communication between campus media organizations.

George Felton

What do you hope to accomplish if elected?

I plan to standardize ASWC position applica-

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

I am most proud of starting All Students for Consent.

After hearing statistics and stories of sexual assault on campus, and going to events like the Breaking Ground Monologues and Take Back the Night, I became increasingly frustrated by my inability to do anything to change it.

However, I firmly believe that education and positive perspectives can do more good than negative reinforcement. Luckily, some

other students felt the same way, and we decided to do something about it. ASC is a way for students to learn about and discuss consent with other students. We try to keep our events and programming fun and engaging, and approach consent from a forward-looking and honest perspective. My dream would be for Whitman students to actively uphold a culture of consent on campus, and I think that we’ve already made strides in that direction through ASC.

As vice president, I would work tirelessly to hear from you about what changes can be made to improve the Whitman experience for all students.

I will work to improve the climate of diversity at Whitman. When I say “diversity,” I refer to race,

gender, social class, ability, sexual orientation, mental health and each and every other kind of identity that has an impact on a student’s Whitman experience. I want to ensure that all students, regardless of identity, feel safe and content at Whitman.

What is your year and major?

I am a junior majoring in sociology with a minor in art history and visual culture studies.

­ hat do you hope to acW complish if elected?

I would be dedicated to enacting ideas such as creating a Pan-African Interest House with a standard Arabic native speaker, bringing an Arabic language program, since there continues to be significant student interest and creating a pre-orientation program geared toward students of color and students with a working-class background.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

I am the only candidate on the ticket for nominations chair. However, I believe that my previous experience combined with my dedication to student action and turning ideas into realities make me wellqualified for this position.

What do you think differentiates you from the other candidates or makes you especially qualified for the position you are running for?

Being away for a semester studying has allowed me to reflect on my experiences at Whitman. Additionally, this summer I will be gaining applicable experience through the Washington BUS Fellowship, promoting local and state-level political campaigns.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of at Whitman and why?

Standing at the top of the steps of Memorial Hall with a megaphone at my lips and a thumping heart in my chest as I looked at all my peers being in solidar-

Nominations Chair Candidate

Sayda Morales Vice President Candidate

ity with me is the proudest moment of my Whitman career and my life. Since I was 12 years old, I have struggled with an anxiety disorder that has made me feel afraid for most of my life.

I have been afraid to succeed, afraid to take risks and afraid to be me. But last year, I began to open up to my peers and try new things. So, when I was confronted with a problem that I knew was shared by many others on campus, I didn’t think a beat about speaking out and working to address it. If elected, I only hope to continue to ride that wave.

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10 2014

Best destinations in Walla Walla: An insider’s guide to living sweet G

osh, isn’t it terrible when you wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy, but you can’t hit the city? Fortunately, you have something even better right at your fingertips: the unconventionally hip, endlessly happening town of Walla Walla. Once again, USA Today has named Walla Walla one of the best destinations in America, and we could not agree more. Where else can you find overpriced restaurants, overpriced boutiques, overpriced wineries and overpriced bakeries all sandwiched into one place? Nowhere.

Navigating this vastly cosmopolitan landscape can be a little overwhelming. Don’t worry though, for we have prepared an expert guide to all of the hottest places in town.

1) The Wheat Fields Is Ankeny Field not enough for you? Are you just dying to hang out among some taller blades of grass? Well, look no further than Walla Walla’s premier wheat fields. If you’re missing the city life, the murky smog of pesticides will make you feel right at home when you rest among these patches of dirt and blonde-colored plants.

3) Church We have a lot of those here. Everyone knows that the best place to spend your Sunday hangover is among stained glass and Holy Scripture. Plus, you can atone for your sins from the previous

night—that is, if you remember them.

conveniently open every other Tuesday from 1 - 3 a.m.

4) Antique Shops Whenever you have a free moment, we suggest hitting up the local antique shops. The best one is located on Boyer Avenue, directly across from the GAC. It is

5) Cold Poop The sister store of Walla Walla’s beloved Hot Poop record store, Cold Poop is a thriving ice cream parlor located just North of Boyer Avenue. Serving up its famous

chocolate soft serve in pristine porcelain bowls, Cold Poop is one of the most popular hangouts for the youth.

6) Library Strip Club You probably haven’t heard of this unless you’ve been in the archives at 2 a.m. on the first Fri-

“Marky” Mark Whitman reveals real town origins N

ow ya’ll already know my name. I mean, I am pretty damn famous ‘round these parts, but ya’ll don’t know the half of it. I mean, seriously, I am one badass dude, and I am here to give you the full scoop.

In case you’ve forgotten, I am Marky Mark Whitman. I was born in 1802 up in NYC, or near enough, so I know what’s what. One day I was out in my hot rod (it had four horsepower) and I spied myself a tight little Betty by the name of Cissa Prentiss. Well, we fell mad in love and got hitched up real good and fast.

Well, me and Cissa, real in love, were smashing it up in the Big Apple for a number of years before the scene got tired, and we decided it was time to move on. I worked as a PR rep to the Cayuse peo-

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I’m that friend you never talk to, but I’ve been a symbolic part of your Whitman experience. Heck, I’m probably in your profile picture.

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UNDERGRAD CONFERENCE: HIGHLIGHTS

U

ndergraduate Conference is unarguably the best day of the year. Every 15 minutes brings a different powerpoint theme and new things to learn! The only downside of the conference is not being able to attend every session, but below you’ll find some of this year’s highlights.

Complicating Post-Postmodernity: Senior Noelle Quinn’s presentation on her thesis, which she had turned in the previous night, mostly had slides reading “I just ... ugh ... why?”

Hip-Hop, Comics, Macklemore and Game of Thrones: This session was so packed I wasn’t able to see or hear anything, but I bet it was super awesomesauce.

Radiologography of Endothermic Islet Cells: I mainly went to this one because it was my biology major friend’s presentation, and I didn’t understand a lick of it, but the rest of the audience did. They even asked questions.

Pride, Prejudice & Smashing the Patriarchy: It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must CHECK HIS PRIVILEGE.

Whitman Riddles I’m the perfect cure for your hangover. Though I’m a little hectic, brave the crowds. I’m worth the wait.

STUDENT DISCOUNTS:

ple for those good old Christian fellows like myself, and they transferred me to the western division. So me and some other cohorts, along with the little wifey, hitched up our wagons, headed west and played the Oregon Trail all the way there.

I opened up our new PR “mission” headquarters in the west in a town that would become Walla Walla, Wash., all thanks to yours truly. Now we were livin’ the high life up in W2, adopting little orphans left and right and building a big ole’ happy family. The little missus worked as a teacher—she was real educated having a fine liberal arts degree in both physics and chemistry—while I myself got to doctoring all the traders and settlers in the area. I tell you, life was good until everyone ran into a spot o’ trouble with the measles...

Anyways, maybe my plans required time and distance, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t know how to cut loose and enjoy the view in this gorgeous town.

day of any month. If the leather old-book smell and dust turn you on, then this is the place to be.

Just remember to be courteous and keep the noise level down for those who are actually studying. (But what losers would actually be in the library at 2 a.m. on a Friday?)

People usually have a strong reaction when you mention me. For plenty of first-years, I’m a bonding experience, and when you look back, you realize I was pretty basic.

If you talk to me, you ruin me.

I’m a bit of an anomaly on campus, but I have some loyal (and very productive) followers. Once you visit me, you’ll keep coming back.

I’ve inspired many a Halloween costume. Although I provide lots of variety, I’m pretty unique.

You could even say I’m a little twisted, but you find me funny all the same.

(answers: brunch, Styx, Gen Chem, the quiet room, George Bridges’s bow ties)

2) Marijuana Dispensaries Speaking of grass, if you ever get bored (which you won’t because Walla Walla is too exciting), we suggest getting stoned.

You can procure your supplies at any one of Walla Walla’s excellent dispensaries, a.k.a. every upperclassmen house.