Whitman Pioneer Fall 2011 Issue 2

Exclusive interview with DJ White Shadow

Vision 2011 - 2012 ASWC promises greater student representation, communication and funding of student club initiatives.

volume cxxix

The preeminent DJ and producer discusses creative selfdestruction and working with Lady Gaga. page 4

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www.whitmanpioneer.com | Whitman news since 1896 | Walla Walla, Washington

2011

W H I T M A N R E M E M B E R S 9/11

by MOLLY JOHANSEN

Staff Reporter

F

or Whitman College students, Sunday, Sept. 11 was a day that began and ended in song.

Songs from many religious traditions were featured at an interfaith service held at Walla Walla’s First Congregational Church. The service was conducted by the Interfaith Amigos, a trio composed of spiritual leaders from the three Abrahamic religions. The church choir and Whitman’s Chamber

Singers both performed during the service.

Whitman’s Religious and Spiritual Life Coordinator Adam Kirtley, was the organizational force behind bringing the Interfaith Amigos to Walla Walla on the 10-year anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001.

Kirtley contacted Imam Jamal Rahman, Pastor Don Mackenzie and Rabbi Ted Falcon, the members of the Interfaith Amigos. The group came together in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Their work focuses largely on the importance of honest interfaith conversation in healing the rift caused by 9/11. “[The office] felt compelled, with it being the 10th anniversary [of the September 11 attacks], to engage more intentionally,” Kirtley said, talking about his efforts to produce a series of special commemorative events.

The anniversary was marked by the worship service, a lecture by the Inter-

faith Amigos and a candlelight vigil.

The service included songs and prayers from three different religions, giving almost everyone in attendance something with which to connect. Kirtley felt it was important to avoid a primarily Christian service with token elements of Islam and Judaism. Instead, sections of the service were dedicated to Christianity, Islam and Judaism, respectively.

“I’m proud of Whit-

man and the [First Congregational] church,” said Jan Eyestone, a community member present at the service.

Sophomore Rania Mussa, an intern at the Office of Religious and Spiritual life, found the union of the three faiths a special and unique experience. “[It was a] great, oncein-a-lifetime thing. Usually people are trying to do the opposite [of unification],” she said. see REMEMBERANCE, page 3

Sociology department juggles courses to accomodate faculty members on leave, Bridges takes on section

by SAM CHAPMAN Staff Reporter

A

t the beginning of this semester, the sociology department faced a dilemma: With three professors on reduced workloads and one on sabbatical, how could they continue to provide the full slate of courses their students required?

The solution involves a section taught by President Bridges.

“I was bound and determined that we were not going to take a loss in our course offerings,” said Department Chair Keith Farrington. “No one in the department was more determined. I was the chair, so it fell on my shoulders

President Bridges teaches ‘Crime, Law and Punishment’ at his home. Photo by Jocobson

to make sure that we were able to offer our full range of courses.”

Assistant Professor of Sociology Helen Kim, who is currently teaching two courses, was relieved of two for maternity and one as compensation for teaching a first-year Encounters section. Professor of Sociology Bill Bogard left this year to take a pre-scheduled sabbatical, and Michelle Janning, who took up the post of assistant dean of faculty last year, is on her second year of administrative leave.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Gilbert Mireles, who currently teaches or coordinates four courses, also requested a onecourse reduction to prepare for the

impending birth of his first child.

“Whitman College has a family leave policy which is fairly generous and helpful to young professors who are having families. I’ll be able to take a one-course reduction for one year,” said Mireles, who plans to return to a full courseload next semester. “In my experience, the policy impacts the attractiveness of the school for young faculty who routinely take advantage of family leave.”

The four requests for reduced loads arrived on Farrington’s desk last year. As he described, the department chair does not have absolute power to assign leaves. see SOCIOLOGY, page 3

Ultimate starts coed fall season with fun play, high first-year interest

by MATT TESMOND Staff Reporter

A

s happens every fall, a flurry of color, yelling and fun has enveloped Ankeny Field. It can mean only one thing: Ultimate Frisbee is back. The men and women’s teams return to action, preparing for an extremely important fall season. The team must address the issue of keeping practice focused to develop a large group of new players, while keeping the atmosphere light and fun. Not an easy task.

Composed mostly of relaxed co-ed tournaments, the fall is a time for the teams to try new strategies and focus on fun.

“In the fall season, the social part [of the team] is primary, and in the spring, the social part is secondary,” explains junior Beth Davies.

As is true with every year, fun will be a recurring and important theme with the appropriately named Whitman College Sweets, as they continue throughout the season.

The men’s team had a magical 2010 campaign, capped off by their first ever trip to the USA Ultimate D-I National Cham-

Sports

pionships in Boulder, Colorado. The amount of success achieved surprised even the team.

“We had no idea we’d be aiming at D-I nationals,” remembered sophomore Ben Harris.

The Sweets proved they deserved to be there, breaking seed and finishing as the 15th best team in all of collegiate ultimate.

The women’s team had a successful season as well, winning their conference tournament and the Pacific Lutheran University BBQ Tournament. Unfortunately, their trip to the D-I Regional Tournament—the qualifier for Nationals—wasn’t quite as successful as they would have hoped.

“We made a cocky decision [deciding to compete at the D-I level], but we hadn’t had the opportunity to play a higher level team,” remembers Davies.

A small army of new players has presented a new challenge for the Sweets. The team must attempt to give each player the attention they need to develop, which is not easy when it seems all of Jewett Hall wants to play.

Varsity XC runner Oliver Wood ’13 talks skis, Harry Potter and coffee SPORTS, PAGE 6

see ULTIMATE, page 6

Ultimate Frisbee captain Stephen Stradley ‘12 throws a disk around an opponent during last weekend’s season-starting Hat Tournament. Bright colors and outrageous hats characterized the event, held on Ankeny Field. Photo by Bergman

Campus voices

Ten years after the event, students discuss the significance of 9/11 OPINION, PAGE 7

Web Exclusive For a glimpse into the lives of Whitties studying abroad, check out the Off Campus Blogs section at www.whitmanpioneer.com

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WDA develops relationships in Guatemala

by ROSE WOODBURY Staff Reporter

T

he term “sustainable development” is associated with words such as volunteerism, service and internationalism. This summer, five Whitman students worked to understand the difference between these abstract words and their real-life application.

Whitman Direct Action (WDA) sent sophomores Shelly Le, Sean McNulty, Monica Simmons, Julia Stone and alumna Anna Sky to Willywood, Guatemala to assess problems and needs in the community in hopes of returning to the same community next summer.

Stone commented on the nature of the projects: “There’s a lot of controversy in how to do these projects, because who are we to go down and say, ‘You need better [equipment]?’”

Stone explained that it is more effective to learn about the community and to develop relationships with the people before introducing change.

Simmons explained the work that the group did this summer: “We were doing anthropological research with the intention of collecting enough information to do a service project. We have plans to start the project this next summer.”

The students spent two months living among families in the community and working with community leaders. The group partnered with Semilla Nueva, a non-governmental organization founded by Whitman alumni Curt Bowen and Joseph Bornstein. Bowen and Bornstein also started WDA in 2005 and are currently based out of Guatemala.

“They partnered us with a community permanently based on what it needs,” said junior Maggie Appleton, who went

on a similar trip with WDA two summers ago.

This summer, the group went to Willywood with the intention of getting to know the community and building trust in order to pave the way for future groups to carry out service projects. They were initially interested in the inefficient kitchen equipment used by the families in the community.

“There were a lot of inefficient stoves that emit toxic indoor air pollutants,” Simmons said.

They hoped to find ways to popularize eco-stoves. Two of the group members even spent their spring semester prior to the trip doing independent studies on eco-stoves.

“Now, looking back, it’s funny how little that prepared us,” said Stone.

The group assessed the cooking habits, including amount of wood consumed and time spent cooking, of nine families, discovering that several of the families were using broken eco-stoves from past projects by other non-Whitman-affiliated volunteers.

The group eventually concluded that providing eco-stoves for the community was not the best way to cut down on emissions.

“I wouldn’t feel comfortable implementing an eco-stove project because they ultimately break and people don’t have the money to fix them,” said Stone.

While they decided by the end of the summer that the way they originally foresaw bringing about sustainable development in Willywood was not optimal in terms of long-lasting benefits, the group still felt that the project was a success.

“We definitely succeeded in our goal to build trust,” said Stone.

The group was also able to

NUMBERS IN THE NEWS

by SHELLY LE News Editor

3,654

Days since the September 11th attacks

2,975

Total death toll of the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Western Pennsylvania field attacks

20%

Americans who knew someone hurt or killed in the attacks

422,000

Estimated number of New Yorkers suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of the September 11th attacks

1,714

Total number of hate crimes reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since the attacks

1,751

Number of American causalities in Operation Enduring Freedom

Julia Stone ‘14 poses with her Guatemalan host mother. She learned about Guatemalan cooking practices. Photo contributed by Simmons

gather data and compile a set of demographics that will be useful for future trips. Some of these statistics were especially groundbreaking for future development projects because, for example, nobody had ever quantified how much wood the community used.

On a more personal level, Simmons stressed that the trip was life-changing and will remain a crucial part in her decisions about her future.

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“[The trip] was amazing. I learned a lot about the developing world. I learned a lot about Guatemala and Guatemalans,” said Simmons. “It changed my thinking and informed what I want to do with my studies and my life.”

WDA will spend part of this coming year figuring out what actions the next group of Whitman students should take based on the groundwork laid by this past summer’s crew.

Estimated minimum total number of Afghanistan civilian casualties as a result of insurgent actions

1.28

Trillions of dollars spent on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to date SOURCES: NEW YORK MAGAZINE, CBS NEWS, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, U.N. ASSISTANCE MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN, CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE

Nominations for next Beyond Borders Club changes year’s commencement focus to attract new members speaker solicited

by DYLAN TULL Staff Reporter

by KARAH KEMMERLY News Editor

T

he Office of the President is currently looking for input from students, faculty and staff to aid them in choosing the speaker and honorary degree recipients for this year’s commencement ceremony.

Choosing a speaker is a multi-step process. First, nominations are accepted from members of the Whitman community. The nominations are approved by the Board of Trustees, and then a committee looks at details like the availability of the potential speaker, the potential speaker’s relationship with Whitman and the speaker’s travel plans in order to find the best fit.

In order to make a nomination, students, staff and faculty have to fill out a form which can be found on the Whitman website at this link: http://www. whitman.edu/content/president/ nominate.

The form asks for the name, occupation and a brief biography of the candidate along with a reason for nominating this person.

Nominations opened on Sept. 9 and they will remain open until Saturday, Oct. 1. The Office of the President was keen to start taking nominations as early as possible so that they would have more time to consider each candidate.

Mara Sorkin, events coordinator in the president’s office, urges students, especially seniors, to place their nominations.

“Anyone from any class can nominate someone, but we’d especially love it if the seniors would share their feelings. It’s their graduation and their ceremony. We want to know who people want to hear,” she said.

Sorkin looks forward to seeing the list of nominees.

“We’d love to see a diverse, wide range of candidates this year,” she said.

Ruth Wardwell, assistant vice president of communications, is working with the rest of the staff of the Communications Office to help publicize the process of finding a commencement speaker by including information about it in a weekly staff and faculty newsletter and by posting announcements about it on the Internet.

Wardwell feels that allowing students, staff and faculty to participate in the nomination process is very valuable. She plans on submitting a nomination herself.

“Whitman is a community.

Whitman people are deeply invested in and take great care and ownership of the college, and something like the commencement speaker is very meaningful,” she said.

CORRECTIONS TO ISSUE 1 In the article “Whitman alumna works with USAID in Africa,” Outside Whitman page 6, USAID is an acronym for United States Agency for International Development.

T

he Beyond Borders Club, formerly known as the International Students and Friends Club, has recently undergone a few pointed changes in order to expand the club’s boundaries. The name and mission statement changes reflect the club’s new drive to encourage non-international students to participate in international affairs.

The club hopes that this simple change of brand will go a long way in reaching out to people. By removing the connotation that the International Students Club was solely for international students, the Beyond Borders Club hopes to recruit all Whitman students, not just international students, who are interested in international affairs.

Senior Marcial Diaz, copresident of the Beyond Borders Club, explained the reason for the change.

“The name Beyond Borders would transmit what we are trying to do with the club, which is trying to get people to talk about international affairs and be more interested with what happens outside of the U.S., whether it’s in Canada, Argentina, South Africa or anywhere else in the world,” he said.

The number of international students at Whitman is small. According to Diaz, it’s about three percent. But judging by the number of Whitman students who study abroad, international interest is extremely high. This club, with its new focus and name, could be the perfect way for Whitman students

BBC members pose after their first meeting of the semester, during which both international and non-international students expressed interest. Photo by Li

to explore that interest. In fact, students who are interested in studying abroad or who have already spent a semester abroad could be a perfect fit for this club.

Senior Alegria Olmeda, BBC’s advertisement chair, explained why students involved in studying abroad might be interested in the club.

“Usually when the people who have studied abroad just come back, they are really in love with the country they went to and really want to stay in touch with that country somehow. And if, in the club, there are people that are from that country, or who want to go or have gone, it will be a good link for them,” she said.

In order to get Whitman students engaged with international affairs, the club has planned four different events for this year.

They hope to have a lecture series focusing on the concept of peace around the world and to

host cooking lessons teaching students how to prepare food from all over the world. On U.N. Day, which coincides with Parents’ Weekend this year, the club plans to host a talk about the role of the U.N. for parents and students alike. BBC is also making big plans for next semester in the form of a big name speaker who will help get people talking about international affairs.

The energy and optimism surrounding this change is unmistakable. Already, the effects have been positive. At the activities fair, international and noninternational students of every grade took an interest in the Beyond Borders Club.

Senior Laura Coulson, club treasurer, remarked on the new focus of the club.

“We wanted to make the club less focused on international students and more focused on international issues, and to generate discussion about the culture aspects as well,” she said.

EDITORIAL

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Editor-in-Chief Patricia Vanderbilt

Production Manager Ted Hendershot

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Business Manager Hailun Zhou

Managing Editor Cara Lowry

Production Associates Katie Berfield, Alecia Kaer, Carter Muenchau, Madison Munn, Molly Olmsted, Cara Patten

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

News Editors Karah Kemmerly Shelly Le A&E Editor Caitlin Hardee Feature Editors Alyssa Fairbanks Kelsey Kennedy Sports Editor Libby Arnosti Opinion Editor Kyle Seasly Humor Editor Adam Brayton Photography Editor Ethan Parrish Illustration Editor Binta Loos-Diallo

Chief Copy Editor Gillian Frew Copy Editors Aleida Fernandez, Marisa Ikert, Erik Larson

PHOTOGRAPHY Marin Axtell, Cade Beck, Caitlin Bergman, Faith Bernstein, Allie Felt, David Jacobson, Jack Lazar, Chaoyu Li, Marie von Hafften

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ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Phuong Pham For information about advertising in The Pioneer or to purchase a subscription please contact vanderpa@ whitman.edu.

SUBMISSION POLICY Letters to Editor may be submitted to The Pioneer via e-mail at vanderpa@ whitman.edu or sent to The Pioneer, 345 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla, WA, 99362. All submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Saturday prior to the week that they are intended to appear. All submissions must be attributed and may be edited for concision and fluency.

CODE OF ETHICS The code of ethics serves as The Pioneer’s established guidelines for the practice of responsible journalism on campus, within reasonable interpretation of the editorial board. These guidelines are subject to constant review and amendment; responsibility for amending the code of ethics is assigned to the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher in conjunction with the editorial board.

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

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

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Thetas ‘Pack the Backpack’ for local foster kids in need

by EMILY LIN-JONES Staff Reporter

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hitman’s Kappa Alpha Theta chapter is ushering in the new academic year with “Pack the Backpack,” a school supply drive for local foster children. The event is being run in collaboration with Theta’s national philanthropy organization, Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA), which will distribute the collected materials to children in Walla Walla county’s foster care system.

“We’re very excited,” said sophomore Frannie Nunn, co-coordinator of the event. “This fundraiser is really interesting because it’s a local cause. It makes it personally more exciting to help children that you know are a part of your community.”

Yellow boxes have been placed in the residence halls and other gathering spots on campus to collect donations. Members of

ILLUSTRATION BY BAILEY

Theta will also set up a table in Reid Campus Center from Sept.

12 to Sept. 16 to accept monetary

donations and answer questions.

Suggested donations include such essentials as pens, pencils,

folders, binders and highlighters.

The Thetas have expressed their hope that the donated supplies will be able to benefit CASAsponsored students of all ages.

“When most people hear school supplies they tend to think elementary school, but there are a lot of foster kids in middle school and high school who need stuff too,” said sophomore Mykhanh Pham, the other event coordinator.

“In high school the things you have are more of a status symbol. It can be more embarrassing to go to the front of the classroom and ask your teacher for a binder or folder,” said Nunn.

At the same time, donations for the younger crowd are also highly encouraged.

“When you’re in elementary school, it can be a big deal to have that 64-pack of crayons,” said Pham, adding, “It’s really anything anyone can donate. It doesn’t have to be big. We’ll take anything you’re willing to give.”

Although this year marks the first time “Pack the Backpack” is being run at Whitman, the Thetas have had a long history of organizing fundraisers for CASA, including their annual Cakes for CASA fundraiser.

CASA, which is affiliated with Theta chapters across the nation, specializes in training volunteers to advocate for neglected and abused children in court.

“We are very gracious and happy that they’re doing this project for our kids,” said Jane Sporleder, manager of Walla Walla’s CASA program.

Both Nunn and Pham expressed their hope that “Pack the Backpack” will inspire Whitman students to search for ways to get more involved in their community.

“Whitman students want to make a difference in the world,” said Pham. “If we can get students to think about this and possibly even become a volunteer with CASA, that would be so cool.”

GlobeMed chapter joins campus clubs Whitman community commemorates 9/11 with song and candles

by KYLE SEASLY Opinion Editor

A

ccording to the GlobeMed national website, over one billion people across the world lack access to health care systems and each day more than 36,000 people die preventable deaths.

GlobeMed is a network of university students across the United States who partner with grassroots organizations around the world to improve the health of people living in poverty. Whitman sophomores Colleen Bell and Kaitlan Benner have started a new GlobeMed chapter at Whitman in hopes of leading the fight for global health equality.

Bell first heard about the program when she was at an admitted students day event at Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT and talked with several members in the Middlebury GlobeMed chapter. Since then, Bell has been working to get a club started here at Whitman College.

“The selection process for starting a new chapter is selective because GlobeMed national office wants to make sure all of the new chapters and partnerships will succeed,” Bell said.

While GlobeMed has become selective, it has been growing quickly, and has gone from 19 to 32 to 46 chapters in recent years.

Bell has been working since last spring to get the Whitman GlobeMed chapter started. Recently she attended a GlobeMed workshop in Chicago.

“The training in Chicago went really well. It had lots of great information as well as awesome speakers. GlobeMed has a unique and cool network all across the country.”

The Whitman College chapter has been assigned to raise funds for a refugee camp locat-

from REMEMBERANCE, page 1

GlobeMed Co-Presidents Colleen Bell ‘14 and Kaitlan Benner ‘14 present. Photo by Felt

ed in Thailand called the Burmese Woman’s Union. The leaders of the camp are very excited to work with university students.

If all goes according to plan, some members of the club may even venture to Thailand over the summer for hands-on work with the refugees. Among their many options, Bell and Benner hope to start a reproductive health training program with their organization.

However, Bell warns that the club’s mission is not to send students to Thailand, but to work as an outlet for students with a passion for global health and social justice.

“Don’t think of this club as a ‘free trip to Thailand club.’

We are looking for people with a passion for helping people, regardless of if they get the opportunity to help over the summer or not,” Bell states.

Although the club promotes global health equity, the club is not only directed at pre-med students.

“It’s important to have a global perspective at this day and age,” states Benner. One can indeed gain lots of knowledge

from learning about how other cultures work, and in the premed field it certainly cannot hurt on an application.

The club is also currently looking for members of its executive board.

“We haven’t set a specific tone to the club yet; we are welcome to new ideas,” states Bell.

“We want a club that has a positive tone of collaboration as well as effectively funding our partner group in Thailand.”

Although the group is fairly new on campus, Bell and Benner have done a large amount of advertising, encouraging first-years and upperclassmen to join their cause.

“GlobeMed sounds like a good program with lots of potential for helping people,” stated first-year Tom Shellum.

Amongst the many clubs on campus, Bell hopes that GlobeMed can work cooperatively with students to grow into a well-respected program on campus.

“I hope the Whitman community can come together over GlobeMed as it has done for so many other programs,” said Bell.

During their afternoon lecture, the Interfaith Amigos sang their theme song, a song that incorporates the unifying philosophies of their respective religions. They also discussed in more detail the difficulties of interfaith work, as well as its importance. Interspersed with humorous anecdotes, the lecture focused on the core values of each faith and their interconnectivity.

“It’s a troubled world. If we didn’t know it before 9/11, we know now,” said Pastor Mackenzie.

And in the evening at the candlelight vigil, a moment of silence was ended by a solemn and warm rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

Junior Abby Salzer organized the vigil. Salzer, who is from New York City, felt that a memorial was important for students living in the Northwest who may not have been directly affected by the attacks. She also wanted to create

a supportive space for those dealing with loss.

“I remember every single second of that day,” Salzer said about the September 11 attacks.

Many touching stories were shared among the nearly one hundred people who showed up for the vigil. Despite the passage of ten years, almost everyone who attended the memorial had an acute knowledge of where they were when the World Trade Center fell.

“It shocks me that the firstyear students were eight years old on the date,” said Kirtley. “For the post-9/11 era generation, it’s a fairly abstract historical event.”

Despite, or perhaps because of, its abstract yet collective sense of loss and sadness, 9/11 holds a prominent place in many students’ lives.

“I didn’t lose somebody, but I’ll hold a candle for somebody else,” said first-year Sam Fischer.

Front page graphic by Katie Berfield

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, the Interfaith Amigos emphasize the need for discussion across religions. Photo by Axtell

Bridges back in classroom teaching ‘Crime, Law and Punishment’ from SOCIOLOGY, page 1

“All these policies reside within the Dean of Faculty’s Office,” said Farrington. “We are given the opportunity to say whether we support a colleague’s sabbatical. It’s not ever really a con-

troversial decision, as faculty members typically use sabbatical leaves to get professional work done.”

Farrington explained that he had no trepidation about granting all the requests at once.

“Several of them are parental ADVERTISEMENT

leaves, a pretty typical benefit in a lot of progressive occupations,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re not hampered a bit.”

Though Farrington was initially worried, he and the other professors eventually found a way to reshuffle teaching respon-

sibilities so that no courses would be lost.

Janning, who only teaches two and a half classes due to her responsibilities as assistant dean of faculty, also feels that the reshuffling was successful.

“In our department every year we are down a certain number of classes. Some are automatically replaced, but most require a request for replacement from the provost’s office. Some are internally replaced, which was part of our department’s agreement upon receiving an additional tenure line a few years ago,” she said. “We agreed to replace five courses internally every year, and shuffle those around or not offer them, in exchange for another member of the department.”

Eleven and a half total courses were left in flux by the four leave requests. Of those, five were internally replaced as per routine, and a further five were taken by Brooke Neely, a new visiting sociology professor, who is covering both Kim and Janning’s loads.

“We had to figure out how to staff that extra class,” said Mireles, referring to the one course he gave up this year. “Keith Farrington was very supportive. He took over the class I would have been teaching, Crime and Delinquency, so students aren’t missing out. He’s taught that before, so it worked out nicely.”

Additionally, five environmental sociology classes were left uncovered with the resignation of professor Kari Norgaard,

though all five were taken up by newly hired Jesse Abrams.

The final course left uncovered was filled by President George Bridges, who decided to return to his old subject of sociology in a limited capacity.

“As president, I have little time in my schedule for intellectual exchanges with students and, quite frankly, I have missed them,” said Bridges, who teaches Crime, Law and Punishment this semester. “I am pleased that my efforts have assisted the department, but my contribution is small.”

Though she asserts that the department has proven fully capable of teaching its normal load even with its reduced staff, Janning says that certain conditions have been “exacerbating the problem.”

“Last year was the first year the teaching load went from 6 courses to 5 courses, so the number offered was reduced,” she said. “Add that to high enrollment in last year’s class, and last year Principles of Sociology had 52 students. That’s too many.

This year is back to normal, and I can already tell it’s better.”

For his part, Farrington is confident the department can continue as usual.

“We’re a very teaching-oriented department; we care about our students and their well-being,” he said. “It was a very important agenda item to make sure that we made up for everything that we lost, and I can say I’m very confident that we did.”

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DJ White Shadow discusses sacrifice, self-destruction, PIO PICKS experiences collaborating with ‘little sister’ Lady Gaga

by CAITLIN HARDEE A&E Editor

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ass pulsed through the arid earth. On Saturday, Sept.

10, IDentity Festival turned the Gorge Amphitheatre into a giant subwoofer, the scenic sweep of cliffs vibrating with sonic power. A sea of tie-dye shirts, glistening skin splattered in neon paint, and girls in fishnets and furry backpacks engulfed the breathtaking venue from the crest of the cliffs to the floor of the moshpit. While the ecstatic masses partied, famed DJ and producer Paul Blair, known as White Shadow, took a moment to chat with The Pioneer backstage.

On learning to DJ: I was in Osaka. I walked into an expat bar, this guy who’d lived in America a while and was hip to DJ stuff had a set of turntables and some records, and I was like, ‘Can I DJ?’ and he was like, ‘Yeah.’ I didn’t grow up as a rich kid, so I couldn’t afford to buy turntables.

So I ended up playing records there and learning how to DJ a little bit, so when I came back [to America], I took out a bunch of credit cards and bought turntables.

On his favorite place to perform: I love the Midwest, you know? My residency at Hyde in LA was killer, because it was only like eighty

people and they only let people in that love music. So it was fun, because you could play whatever you wanted, it could just be good music. But in my hometown of Chicago, everybody knows that I only play good music. So my home— it’s like wearing a pair of house shoes and eating a beef sandwich on your La-Z-Boy. I love the Midwest, I love Chicago, I love Detroit . . . I love Washington too!

This was the most amazing drive I’ve ever had in my entire life. It’s beautiful! This is shit compared to what it was on the drive here, just big mountains and trees, I got to eat a piece of cherry pie where Twin Peaks was filmed, it was crazy.

On working with Lady Gaga for her latest album, Born This Way: Have you ever met somebody that you really admired, like a super smart person that you learn from every day? I get nervous when she’s not around, she’s like my little sister, but like my big sister. I’m ten years older than she is, and she gives me advice on life. She’s so smart and amazing at playing music, such an amazing songwriter. And she’s awesome, she’s fun to hang out with, and she’s my friend. So you get to make music with somebody who’s a genius, that you respect, and admire, and consider a friend— how do you get better than that?

Each Thursday, The Pioneer highlights several events happening on campus or in Walla Walla during the weekend.

Here are this week’s picks:

Amphitheatre Unplugged The Outhouse presents Amphitheatre Unplugged—come revel in the joys of music, moonlight and friendship.

Vegan treats provided.

Thursday, Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m.

Amphitheatre

Pendleton Round-Up Take a drive down to Pendleton, Ore. for wild rodeos, pageantry and live music.

Masses of sun-drenched electronic music fans take in UK dubstep duo Nero playing the IDentity Festival Rockstar / Dim Mak Stage at the Gorge. Photo contributed by Hardee

On the title of his new EP, I’m Killing Me: You know how hard it is to do this every day? Traveling, drinking, staying awake for fortyeight hours, it’s not good for your health. Keith Richards looks like shit, because he was working twenty-four hours a day. I just want people to know that in order to do something great, you gotta sacrifice everything. You sacrifice your relationship with your friends, you sacrifice your health, you sacrifice your relationship with your parents, and it’s tough. So all

those records were me staying up till four o’clock in the morning when I should have been sleeping, or drinking when I should have been eating, or being on the road when I should have been sleeping. We’re all killing ourselves in one way or another. I’m just trying to kill myself in the best way possible.

For the full interview with DJ White Shadow, audio and photos from the festival, check out www. whitmanpioneer.com/category/arts

Thursday, Sept. 15 - Saturday, Sept. 17

Harmony and Me The Cinema Art Series presents Bob Byington for a screening of his film “Harmony and Me,” and a questionand-answer session.

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m.

Kimball Theater

The Puzzle of Queen Himiko Guest speaker Professor Richard Pearson presents new archaeological exploration into the past of ancient Japan’s fascinating figure Queen Himiko.

Thursday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m. Olin Hall 157

New professor Dr. Douglas Scarborough brings passion for jazz to Whitman

by MALLORY MARTIN Staff Writer

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ILLUSTRATION BY PETERSON

‘Friends with Benefits’ has easy appeal, star chemistry

by ALEX HAGEN Staff Writer

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ower temperatures and shorter days mean not only the end of summer, but also the end of the summer movie season. In the months to come, movie studios begin releasing more serious films, and breezy comedies and action-packed blockbusters slowly fade away. But even with fall upon us, there’s one last lighthearted movie that deserves your attention.

Though it’s saddled with a generic title and an outwardly one-note premise, “Friends with Benefits” quietly emerged as one of the summer’s smartest, most entertaining comedies. Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake star as Jamie and Dylan, two friends who decide to have sex while keeping their relationship platonic. It’s easy to guess where the plot heads from there, but “Friends with Benefits” boasts a snappy script and a pair of leads who have an easy, enjoyable chemistry.

Kunis in particular has a charismatic screen presence, imbuing Jamie with subtle heartbreak beneath a resilient veneer.

Timberlake, while not as sea-

soned an actor, possesses outstanding comic timing, and the rapid-fire dialogue between the two stars is thrilling to watch.

The film’s supporting cast, featuring Patricia Clarkson, Woody Harrelson, Richard Jenkins and Emma Stone, is uniformly great.

Clarkson is especially top-notch, turning her minor role into a delightfully kooky performance.

This is not to say that the film doesn’t have its faults. Aiming to subvert the clichés of typical romantic comedies, the writing and direction still fall prey to a few familiar plot points.

There’s the “meet-cute” at an airport in New York, various misunderstandings and hurt feelings, and the grand romantic gesture (in Grand Central Station, no less!) at the end. In addition, the subplot with Jenkins as Dylan’s Alzheimer’s-afflicted father often veers into melodrama and exists primarily to inspire Dylan to get back together with Jamie after their relationship falters.

It may not be as subversive as it thinks it is, but with a cast this talented and a mostly satisfying script, “Friends with Benefits” is an excellent choice for a carefree sunny afternoon.

his year Whitman welcomes new jazz professor Dr. Douglas Scarborough to the music department staff. Scarborough has held teaching positions at the University of South Carolina-Upstate and Virginia’s Washington and Lee University. A singer, composer, trombonist and keyboardist, he has written and recorded two solo albums as well as toured with various artists and orchestras, winning three DownBeat Awards for his work.

When asked what he thought of Whitman’s student body, Dr. Scarborough had only positive things to say.

“Colleges run the gambit, they’re just like people. The students [at Whitman] are on the level of the top colleges . . . I’ve worked at all kinds and I’m glad to be back at this situation. Most everybody here . . . are what you would classify as overachievers.

It creates this environment where everybody wants to get it right.”

Today Scarborough holds a full-time position at Whitman, but this is not the first time he’s taught on campus. After teaching here for a year in 2005-2006 as a visiting professor, he was elated to see the permanent position open for the 2011-12 school year.

Scarborough will be teaching a variety of classes in jazz, from the ensemble to courses on jazz’s

Professor Douglas Scarborough brings his experiences writing and performing jazz to Whitman and offers students new chances to get involved. Photo by von Hafften

rich history. He’s eager to enroll students unfamiliar with jazz as well as avid fans such as himself.

“There can be a room full of people who don’t own a single jazz record and that’s fine. I’ll show you what it’s all about,” said Scarborough. “I use jazz as a microscope; we can look at our country through the lens of music.”

Most of all, Scarbor-

ough wants to develop a connection with his students.

“I want to be approachable if any student has a problem,” he said. “I think learning in a classroom can be fun, but just because a class is fun doesn’t mean it has to be easy. If you’re doing it hands on, if you’re actively involved in it, it sinks into a deeper part of your brain; you don’t forget it.”

Author David Chariandy shares perspectives on memory, cultural history

by KYLE HOWE Staff Writer

O

n Monday, Whitman students had a chance to hear acclaimed Canadian writer David Chariandy read the first chapter of his novel, “Soucouyant.” Chariandy, who teaches at Simon Fraser University, was nominated for numerous prestigious awards with the novel’s publication, including the 2009 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

“Soucouyant” focuses on the life of a young second-generation immigrant growing up in Canada, who must endure the trials that come with his mother’s dementia. The Soucouyant is a ma-

licious, blood-sucking spirit that exists within Caribbean lore; it evokes the idea of attempting to maintain one’s cultural identity.

According to Chariandy, the title of the novel was centrally important, because of the concept of lost heritage it embodies.

“One of the challenges of the book is to represent a cultural past that is being forgotten . . . the son’s cultural past is the mother’s, who was born in the Caribbean, and he doesn’t know what is being forgotten of the mother’s past. The word ‘Soucouyant,’ which is foreign to him, in a sense, evokes the decipherability of indecipherability,” said Chariandy.

Chariandy was brought to the subject of dementia through

David Chariandy reads aloud from his acclaimed novel “Soucouyant.” The author discussed the themes of cultural inheritance and loss in his work. Chariandy’s reading marked the start of this year’s Visiting Writers Reading Series. Photo by Felt

personal experiences in his life.

“I had an aunt who suffered from dementia. I was so saddened by her death, and I was puzzled, and in a sense, awed by dementia . . . The novel arises from watching someone unbecome as a person through dementia.”

To write a novel involving dementia, Chariandy thoroughly studied the mental illness.

“I read many books; I spoke with doctors and people working with patients with dementia . . . I got a specialist who works exclusively on dementia to read the entire book, to evaluate it. This is a work of fiction, with a very peculiar case

of dementia,” said Chariandy.

Whitman’s Assistant Professor of English and General Studies Sharon Alker was intrigued by the novel, which she is teaching in her class this year, and sought to book the writer to visit Whitman. “[Soucouyant was] different from the others . . . focusing on second-generation migrants then looking back…captured the experience of the second generation…using the trope of early onset dementia to try to explain the experience of trying to pass down a culture,” said Alker.

Alker, who advises Whitman’s Canadian Association, is also involved in an ongoing effort

to integrate Canadian perspectives into Whitman’s cultural offerings. “[The Canadian Association] tries to increase the number of Canadian writers and scholars that [they] bring to campus, because Canada is seen to be just like us—having the same objectives, goals, and culture, but is in fact surprisingly different. But in many ways we are similar. Cultural problems from a Canadian perspective enlighten the campus with different ideas,” said Alker.

Currently Chariandy is hard at work on a new novel that revolves around the relationship between two brothers, which will extend a concept explored in “Soucouyant.”

FEATURE

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ASWC Vision 2011 -2012

1% Operations

Whitewater Club, SAW among beneficiaries in new budget

by MOLLY EMMETT Staff Reporter

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very year, the Finance Committee of the Associated Students of Whitman College (ASWC) makes a budget for the school year that represents the needs of the student body.

Looking at the ASWC budget for this school year (fiscal year 2012) compared to the budget for last school year (fiscal year 2011), there are some notable amendments.

Some clubs, like The Secession, have no money this year because they missed the deadline to submit a budget request last spring. There are clubs that gained funds this year because they demonstrated increased need, and others have less because they may not have used all they expected to use last year.

There are notable budget changes such as the increase in Panhellenic’s budget and the Interfraternity Council (IFC) receiving no money. According to IFC President senior Peter Olson, IFC did submit a budget request, but it was lost somewhere in the process.

Olson is working with senior Matt Dittrich and the President of Panhellenic to rectify the situation.

IFC uses the portion of their budget given by ASWC to fund events that benefit the entire campus.

“Thus for first semester, the events that these include are security guards for the all campus rush parties and putting on other all campus events. If we do not receive ASWC funding, then we will not be able to do these things this semester,” said Olson in an email.

However, IFC does collect dues from the fraternity members, which generally go to Greekrelated events. Olson intends to use this portion of the budget to make sure IFC’s usual events happen, at least for this semester.

This year, ASWC Finance hopes to focus on, “really listening to student initiatives, and working with students to amass the financial resources needed to bring wellcrafted ideas to fruition,” said senior Fritz Siegert, current chair of ASWC’s Finance Committee.

One such student initiative is Student Agriculture at Whitman (SAW). Headed by junior Natalie Jamerson, SAW engages in agriculture projects on campus, and in particular, growing produce that it sells to Bon Appetit. SAW pursued club status for this year so that it could reap the benefits of ASWC’s support.

“ASWC empowers recognized groups [by] . . . not only [giving us] a club budget to spend on campus activities, [but also] gaining more recognition and validation for our projects,” said Jamerson through email.

Like SAW, the Whitewater

Club’s budget increased significantly. The club’s mission is to facilitate whitewater experiences above and beyond what OP trips can offer. This translates into trips tackling challenging runs in the class III, IV and V categories. However, in the past year the Club has worked to incorporate more beginner kayak and rafting trips to include more of the Whitman community.

“These trips allow Whitman students the opportunity to get in to the whitewater community,” said Club President senior Adam Michel in an email.

Whitewater Club uses its money to subsidize gear for the rafting trips because most people do not have their own equipment, and to cover travel expenses.

“ASWC funding allows us to include more people in our activities and travel to the beautiful rivers that are in the Pacific Northwest,” said Michel.

In order to fund any student initiatives, a student association fee is collected from each enrolled student.

This year the fee is $316.00 from students’ tuition, a lower amount than previous years due to an initiative by the previous Finance Chair, Matt Dittrich, to decrease the cost. As this year’s Finance Chair, Siegert has his own vision for student advocation.

“The reason I ran for Finance Chair was to work with students— to tell them their idea is doable and see them light up,” said Siegert.

Each year, ASWC funds almost every student organization, activity or opportunity. These include productions like The Pioneer, KWCW, club sports, WEB and other clubs—and many of the related trips and events.

In order to obtain funds, however, a club has to be officially recognized by ASWC. This process is facilitated by ASWC’s Clubs Clerk, junior Allison Burns, and a club must fill out a form in the ASWC office as well as compile a half-page description of what it will offer the student body. To be considered, a club should have held meetings, have some sort of order and objective, and be able to cite specific members.

One club that has been recognized at Whitman for several decades is Drama Club, which requests funds annually through the budgeting process. This year, it has been allotted about the same amount of funds as last year, which it uses for ticket purchases for its annual Spring Break trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, as well as scholarships for the trip and other miscellaneous needs.

“In the past the committee has been generous and supportive.

We hope that the new committee will continue this tradition,” said Vice President of Drama Club, senior Jack MacNichol, ‘12.

4% Travel 5% Honorarium 6% Club Sports 7% Clubs 16% Staff 25% Media 37% Programming

BUDGET BREAKDOWN

ASWC promises feasible changes, greater student representation

by TYLER KING Staff Reporter

J

unior Maggie Appleton, vice president of ASWC, says that student government is “not looking to reform a broken system.” But that doesn’t mean ASWC isn’t looking to make some significant changes this year.

Senior Matt Dittrich, president, outlines a main goal: “I’ve been working with [Whitman President George Bridges] and various trustees to help integrate students into the governing process,” Dittrich said.

There is one student representative on the Board of Trustees. Currently, Dittrich is the representative by virtue of his office.

“But, theoretically any student can apply to be the representative. I did before I was president,” said Dittrich.

Dittrich wants to pair students with trustees and overseers on the Board Of Trustees Budget Committee and the College Budget Advisory Committee, so that there is more student representation in Whitman’s larger financial decisions.

Dittrich also wants students to be involved in the Board of Trustees Investment Board, but in that case, students would play a different role.

“Ideally speaking, students will be conducting research projects on various market sectors and then the Trustees Investment

Board would actually utilize that information for the benefit of our institution,” Dittrich said.

Concerning the feasibility of these projects, the Executive Council notes that schools similar to Whitman have students working with members of the Board of Trustees.

“This probably won’t be happening for a couple of years,” said Appleton by phone. “But, we do have several Trustees we’ve been working with who are on our side.”

Dittrich would also like to make better use of the Student Engagement Center.

Often, students go to their advisors first with their questions about career advice and graduate school, but the faculty does not necessarily have a complete knowledge of the SEC’s resources. If the faculty is more aware of these resources, they can better guide the students that come to them with these questions.

Dittrich’s vision has already been realized in the Curriculum Committee, which will include students this year. This year’s student representatives on the committee are Dittrich and Appleton.

“We have gained opportunities for representation, we have gained opportunities to be vocal, and now it’s time for us to use those productively,” Dittrich said.

This attitude extends to other forms of student representation on campus. Sophomore Senator David

Fleming is new to ASWC and wants to make the most of his position.

“In everything that you do, you’re hoping that you can make some sort of difference, like in your everyday life, so I’m hoping that, being part of ASWC, I can really have my input mean something big,” Fleming said.

Fernando Medina, who is also a sophomore senator and new to

,,

Another academic year affords the officers of the Associated Students of Whitman College the chance to make their campaign promises a reality.

After the struggle to gain student representation on the Curriculum Committee last semester, the newly elected ASWC Executive Council and senators promise to increase student involvement in administrative decisions this year. This week, Feature talked with the president, vice president and senators about their vision for ASWC in the upcoming months.

We have gained opportunities for representation, we have gained opportunities to be vocal.”

Matt Dittrich, ‘12

ASWC President

ILLUSTRATION BY BOWEN

ASWC, has already been working to increase communication with incoming first-years.

During his freshman year, he didn’t discover opportunities for student representation until it was too late for him to run.

To fix this lapse in communication, Medina has been going to section meetings in the various first-year dorms with Appleton to inform students about running for office. Though he’s proud of the fact that he is already working on a project, he recognizes that there is more for him to learn as a new senator.

“I have to study [the bylaws] and figure out what I’m going to do with them. [I] have to be aware of the rules,” Medina said.

As vice president, a large part of Appleton’s job is to help senators like Fleming and Medina with their individual projects and to make sure they have the resources they need. However, she does have some goals of her own.

One is to have more programs like Semester in the West and more outdoor, experiential, hands-on learning. She points to the Crime and Punishment class, which visits the penitentiary, as another successful educational model.

She wonders why elements of these programs are not integrated into more classes at Whitman.

“Almost every student should have the opportunity to be involved in one of these types of learning experiences,” Appleton said.

Regarding the different members of ASWC, she said, “Everyone’s working on something different. I mean, you’ll always have groups working on bigger ones, but it’s great to have these individual initiatives and we really want those to be strong.”

SPORTS

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Profile: Athlete-adventurer Oliver Wood ’13

by LIBBY ARNOSTI Sports Editor

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itting outside of the library with bare feet, munching on a carrot, Wood sips coffee from a homemade mug with a mountain scene glaze.

After joining cross country this year, you are one of the top men’s runners. Where have you been for two years?

[Big grin] I’ve been skiing! All the time. I took last semester off and lived in Idaho and skiied every day, and last year I was a part of the back country ski club. I came to Whitman to nordic ski, and that turned into running in the summer and in the fall, and that’s kind of how I made the transition into cross country.

How’s the team?

It’s been really fun. There’s a really good community of runners that I hadn’t even known existed at Whitman. So it’s fun to tap into that.

What’s the European Challenge?

When I was sixteen, I did this bike trip with a group called Overland Summers, from Paris to Rome, which crossed over the Jura and over the Alps and down through Tuscany and into Rome. Then last summer I led a bike trip from Seattle to San Francisco, with twelve really amazing kids and a co-leader. I’m hoping to lead a bike trip across the country this year.

Wow . . . do you ever go home?

Three summers ago I led trips in North Carolina all summer with Overland Summers, backpacking—and then last summer I was living out of my car all summer and then flew back to Williamstown, then led this bike trip out here [in the PNW], and then I flew to the Mojave to support another bike trip—it was kind of all over the place. I don’t go home much.

Post-graduation plans?

I want to get my teaching certificate, and teach at some sort of environmental outdoor ed-type semester program school, at least for a while. But I’d really like to apply for the Watson. I’m really interested in how skiing in the United States has kind of become this elitist sport, but in the rest of the world it’s not necessarily that way. And so I want to go and find those pockets.

If you could be any Harry Potter character, which would you be?

[Laughs] Well . . . the easy answer would be to say Oliver Wood! But I always thought that Sirius Black was an interesting character because he had been judged for being a Death Eater, but he never was. Plus he was best friends with James.

So yeah, Sirius Black for sure.

What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Just coffee, so far. [And a carrot.] My house all gets together and makes coffee—a lot of it.

This morning we all sat out in the backyard. We have this little fire

Athlete Profile: Oliver Wood Age: 21 Hometown: Seattle, Wash.

Class: 2012, with 2013 standing.

Major: Philosophy

In his first-ever XC race, Wood finished first among the Whittie men with a 6km time of 27:50.68. Photo by Von Hafften

Some may be surprised to learn that though he is an athlete adept with bicycles, skis, and running shoes, Wood claims never to have trained with a broomstick or bludgers. New to the varsity cross-country running team this year, Wood originally came to Whitman intending to nordic ski.

pit, and we sat around that and talked about our days. Since our floors are really thin, when some-

one wakes up and starts walking, everybody wakes up. So then they have to get up and come hang out!

Which of the following terms is used in both baseball and tennis?

8 13% 3 17%

Correct Answer: Lane 4

1 22%

4 48%

Men’s vs. Augsburg College Sept. 8 vs. Bethel University Sept. 10 Women’s vs. Augsburg College Sept. 8 vs. Bethel University Sept. 10 vs. Whitworth University Sept. 14

Loss 1-0 Tie 2-2 2x overtime Loss 2-0 Loss 2-0 Win 3-2

Golf Men’s vs. Whitman Three-Way Match Sept. 10 Women’s vs. Whitman Three-Way Match Sept. 10

Second place Second place

Volleyball vs. Colorado College Sept. 9 vs. Dominican Sept. 9 vs. Whitworth University Sept. 10 vs. Whitworth University Sept. 10 vs. University of La Verne Sept. 13

Loss 3-0 Loss 3-0 Loss 3-2 Loss 3-0 Loss 3-0

Soccer

Whitman varsity swimmers flex for the camera after completing a 1.5 mile swim across the Columbia River last Saturday, Sept. 10. Out of 138 participants, Whitman men and women swept up 1st, 2nd and 3rd in their age categories. Photo contributed by Brayton

Dinger 11% Baseliner Heat 37% 18%

Correct Answer: Ace

Basketball

UPCOMING

How well do Whitties know sports?

Which is the fastest lane in a swim meet?

SCOREBOARD

Ace 34%

In what sport is it okay to “kill”?

Tennis 3%

Swim 2%

Rugby 13%

Men’s vs. George Fox University Sept. 17 vs. Pacific University Sept. 18 Women’s vs. George Fox University Sept. 17 vs. Pacific University Sept. 18

Away Away Away Away

Volleyball vs. Pacific University Sept. 16, 7 p.m. vs. George Fox University Sept. 17, 5 p.m.

Home Home

Cross Country Correct Answer: Volleyball

Volleyball 82%

Men’s and Women’s Sundodger Invitational Sept. 17

Away

Look for “How well do Whitties know sports?” weekly in the Sports section.

Whitman sports weekly factoid

by PAMELA LONDON Staff Reporter

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irst-year libero Annie Sing (volleyball) is one of just five players, and the only first-year, to appear in every game of every match this season.

Frisbee reaps huge fall turnout from ULTIMATE, page 1

As the only team at Nationals without a full time coach, the Sweets’ development as a team falls on the talented returning players. The quick development of young players is especially important considering the Sweets are attempting to implement a “flow offense” in which the line between cutters (agile players who specialize in receiving) and handlers (players adept at throwing the frisbee) blur. This requires a lot of attention to detail from returning players and first-years.

“We don’t want to be intimidating because of our success. We are making a real effort to be a team,” says Harris.

Luckily costumes, friendship and shenanigans forming the team’s defining feature, “Calculated Goofiness,” will keep things lighthearted. Making a cohesive team means keeping practices fun to draw in the new players in a comfortable way. Goofiness is just as important for the returning players to stave off any frustration that comes from teaching the game.

“We are struggling with an accelerated program,” said Harris with regards to the large freshman class.

“We need to keep people focused and lighthearted,” asserted senior captain Stephen Stradley.

With strong, experienced leadership, the men’s team is well equipped to handle the task.

This season’s women are especially excited to see so many players out, after a showing of only four new players last year.

This is thanks to a new recruiting strategy: the women went viral, creating a Facebook group to connect with people early and a website with the men’s team to get the team’s name out there.

Volleyball foresees bright future with solid first-year class, strong leadership

by SYLVIE LUITEN Staff Reporter

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ast year, the women’s volleyball team was the youngest in the Northwest Conference (NWC). This year, the team hopes to use their experience to emphasize strong team leadership and focus on their goals.

“The junior class has matured into the system, the juniors know what’s expected of them, and they are learning how to be good leaders,” said Coach Carolyn Papineau.

“The leadership dynamic is all around the court, the focus is on everyone knowing what their role is in making the team better,” said sophomore Becca Gotz. “Instead of having captains we have a leadership committee. There’s a captain from each grade and it helps spread the leadership around.”

This year’s recruiting class has brought in six new freshmen who have already bought into the atmosphere of Whitman volleyball. Each one brings something new to the team.

A few standouts have already made a splash on the team.

“Samantha ‘Sam’ Cahill is a strong offensive threat, and a skilled, six rotation player who will be playing both opposite and outside. Jazmin Moledina comes from a high level club program in California and has worked herself into a starting

“One of our goals was to recruit more students. We see ourselves as a defining feature of Whitman College,” team captain Natalie Jamerson explained. “We focus on the spirit of the game and the team being supportive.”

Competition started this past weekend with the annual Hat Tournament. The next date of competition will be Oct. 14 for the Angels and Devils Tournament, held at Whitman. Both tournaments consist of co-ed exhibition play among local college teams and some non-collegiate club teams. Although the results do not matter for national seeding, the tournaments are ideal times for the team to track their season’s progress.

It seems that this year the Ultimate Gods will once again be smiling on the Sweets.

The Whitman volleyball team gathers for a huddle during a practice before this weekend’s home games. Archive Photo

position currently on the outside,” said Coach Papineau.

The women are excited about their prospects this year and aim to rise in prominence in the NWC. They intend to push the skills they developed last year as a budding team.

“Our strong serving and

blocking should help us to reach our goal of competing for a top spot in the conference,” said Coach Papineau.

The Colorado Classic, from Sept. 9-10, is the first great challenge for the team, giving them an opportunity to test their preseason efforts. The team has plans for exADVERTISEMENT

actly how they will be able to reach their season goal of excelling at this year’s NWC championships.

“We would like to raise the bar in practice intensity. We want to start the season out well, which should help bring the necessary momentum in order to reach our goals,” said Coach Papineau.

OPINION

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Don’t place quota on ‘Voices of Whitman’ speakers’ diversity Benjamin Roberson Sophomore

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he opening week of freshman year is—if I recall correctly—filled with many fun and exciting activities ranging from moving in and kicking the parents out to journeying to the wheat fields for the first time with one’s newly acquired section. For me, para-

mount among these was the experience of Voices of Whitman.

However, being again required to attend Voices in my second year left me frustrated and jaded. Perhaps it is simply my new-found sophomoric attitude, but the Voices of Whitman program seemed to be set on emphasizing specific groups over others in such a way that the idea of diversity that it sets forth becomes almost a parody of the idea they prescribe.

During the house conversation that followed the program, we discussed how many of us had applied for the Voices program and been rejected because our particular branch of diversity had already been filled

by another student who either had seniority over us or was more diverse than us in the given area. One housemate of mine told us how she had written about her own ethnic diversity in coming to Whitman and had been rejected, not because her story did not have merit, but because they had already selected someone who was to speak on ethnic diversity; that they had already filled the quota in that specific area.

The idea of a quota in a discussion or presentation of diversity is odd in the least harsh terms. Diversity, as Voices presented it, is a constructed, specific view of what it means to be diverse. Lumping our individual diversities into pre-

scribed categories of ethnicity, religious identity, sexuality or any other field is an abomination to the very idea of the word.

As a somewhat rational individual, I do understand the need to prioritize and streamline the presentation to reach the greatest number of incoming students and make it okay for them to be themselves no matter what their particular mode of diversity. However, having now been a student for a year, I realize that diversity on this campus is something that cannot be encapsulated by these narrow divisions.

Rather, Whitman students often have multifaceted identities made up of millions of little, individual di-

Apple will Letters to endure the Editor

Political Cartoon by Kelly Douglas

Blair Frank

Celebrating showcase of student involvement

Junior

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Synthetic biology will deliver exciting changes, compelling responsibilites for human race Alfredo Villaseñor Junior

H

ow would you design nature? It’s a question almost too grand for any one of us to answer adequately.

But know that designing nature is something we humans have been working up to ever since we began to throw down our spears to take up the sedentary life of the sickle, hoe and cattle prod.

Through agriculture, domestication, selective breeding and all the other forms of genetic engineering, humanity over millennia has expressed a general dissatisfaction with nature: a dissatisfaction that, coupled with our intrinsic curiosity, has brought us things ranging from yogurt, cheese and broccoli to Labradoodle puppies. It’s human nature to think that if we could just make a few tweaks, we would make life a lot easier and more enjoyable.

Today, thanks to the boom-

ing rate of discovery and innovation in genetic engineering, our facility in making these tweaks to nature has reached the point that we may soon be on the verge of a new era in human and, dare I say, evolutionary history. It has reached the point that it’s not simply genetic engineering anymore: it’s synthetic biology, no longer just the mixing and matching of genes, but the invention of whole new biological functions: silk worms spinning glass cocoons, algae excreting their weight in biofuel, viruses programmed to target cancer cells.

We have today the capabilities to simply insert into a machine an E. coli culture and then, in a matter of minutes, pull out that same culture in which every microbe now has a completely new genome: something that in nature would happen in exponentially more time.

We have snatched the reins from natural selection and have taken evolution into overdrive!

And given all this, it is only a matter of time before we reach the grand prize: the ability to synthesize life from scratch, with a genetic code especially tailored for our use.

So should we be excited about all these science-fictionlike ventures that scientists are

versities.

That guy may be a varsity athlete, bisexual with a boyfriend, and a faithful Christian. This girl is quite possibly a BBMB/Religion double major and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma with a penchant for the outdoors. We as individuals are not the single sides that Voices wishes us to ascribe to ourselves but rather diverse in every aspect of our personalities, and this diversity makes us a unified whole.

As an end note, I feel obligated to say that I have nothing but respect for the people who possess enough personal strength to present some part of themselves to their fellow students.

poring over?

I’m sure that members of the Bio department are in throes of joy over these things, and I am too, in my own way, but I want to make a point that is easy to forget during all the excitement.

Synthetic biology will very likely bring some novel and breathtaking improvements to our society, but we should not be so naïve as to think that just because we’re discovering new things, attaining more skills, becoming nearly omnific, we’re going to be able to solve the problems that have plagued us since our species came into being.

The biggest difference between now and then, during the birth of mankind, is that now we have astronomically more advanced means to endure and especially inflict death, suffering and cruelty upon each other.

Therefore, I don’t think that the attainment of enlightenment or peace and prosperity are left up to scientists and thinkers.

We have a natural knack for improving our lives on the surface, but when we want to do some real good, it might help to remember that it always comes down to individual choice and whether you decide to dedicate your life to loving mankind or yourself.

Voices from the Community

teve Jobs, Apple Inc.’s CEO, stepped down from his position last month. Normally, this would be the sort of thing that would lead to perhaps a bit of concern amongst investors, but nothing like what we’ve seen in the tech pundit space. Only for someone like Jobs could the resignation of his post as Apple’s CEO ultimately lead to a discussion of the company’s imminent demise.

For those who are unfamiliar with Apple’s history, here’s some quick background: Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne founded Apple in 1976. After an incredibly successful IPO, John Sculley, the former CEO of PepsiCo, was hired for the chief executive job at Apple. In 1984, Apple released the Macintosh, along with a legendary Super Bowl ad, which was met with a resounding success. In 1985, Jobs was forced out after Sculley discovered that Jobs was going to attempt to force him out. Jobs went on to found NeXT, while Apple fell from grace after several poor business decisions.

When Steve Jobs returned in 1997, Apple was at an all-time low. Over the next four years, Jobs worked on putting the company back together, going on to release the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad. There was a point this year when Apple had more cash on hand than the United States government.

I think it’s fair to say that they’ve done fairly well under Jobs’ renewed leadership.

But one of the curious things about Apple is that everyone seems convinced that Steve Jobs was the man behind everything. And thus, people have started making apocalyptic predictions about the company’s future. Most of them tend to follow the same pattern: when Jobs was at the helm, Apple did well, and when he wasn’t, Apple did poorly.

In addition, they usually say, Jobs was the brains behind some of Apple’s most successful products.

While I think those are valid concerns, I also think that, at the end of the day, Apple is pretty well set when it comes to talent.

In my years of following Apple tech news, it’s clear that their talent pool runs deep. Sure, the vision and ingenuity of Jobs helped propel Apple to its place in the market today.

In the time since Jobs’s return to the CEO’s office, he’s developed a team of folks committed to following the design philosophy he promoted.

The team he leaves behind at Apple is a direct descendent of all the work he put in while he was there. I’m looking forward to what Apple has in store for the rest of us in the years to come, and while I’ll miss having Steve on stage for product unveilings and other such things, I think Apple is going to handily avoid disaster.

Congratulations on a fantastic first issue. It is clear that Pio readers are in for a treat with this year’s talented staff.

I especially want to commend you on the ‘Outside Whitman’ section, which did a great job showing a few of the ways that Whitman students participate in interesting and highvalue experiences that can be used to both complement their academic programs and also provide them with useful transferable skill sets. These skill sets can then be drawn on and showcased when seeking other kinds of opportunities, be they internships, jobs, community service or graduate education.

I hope that throughout this year the Pio continues to highlight these kinds of extraordinary activities.

Noah Leavitt Assistant Dean for Student Engagement

Parent proposes ‘pretentious’ clothing My livelihood has been creative brand-building for nonprofits— not a profitable activity, I might add. But here goes nothing: I was delighted to see the bookstore’s smart clothing line that gets to the bottom of Whitman’s new theme: “unpretentious Northwest culture.” Prominent display of an organization’s name, tag line and mission on clothing has been a staple of nonprofit branding since T-shirts and sweats went haute.

But if advertising Whitman’s culture as unpretentious is actually pretentious, then the best way to drain-and-seine Whitman’s protein and to broadcast its appeal would be to drolly brand it as “pretentious.” Get it?

Imagine the popularity of sweatpants with “PRETENTIOUS” on one side—and maybe “PRECOCIOUS” on the other. I’ll leave variations on a theme to the English Department.

I might offer, though, that the “Northwest” theme misses a key to Whitman’s magic, which is its global outlook and studyabroad facets.

So, here’s a possible workaround: Why not offer “unpretentious” apparel in multiple languages? Of course, putting anything in French on a piece of clothing is, by definition, pretentious—and gauche.

Promoting a liberal arts education can be awfully weird sometimes. Especially in the marketplace. But as Ms. Ruth Wardwell has proposed, “let’s own it.”

John Mills Parent

10 years later, what does September 11, 2001 mean to you?

ALEXANDER BAKER

LAUREN HOPSON

SARAH SCHAEFER

LEA NEGRIN

Sophomore

Senior

Junior

Junior

I remember 9/11 as something politicians reference when they want to talk about how great America is, or protecting the United States, or something like that, but not as a certain event that involves real people, honestly. It seems like something that happened like the Civil War.

Initially I think people were angry and trying to find some kind of scapegoat for that anger. Now that Osama Bin Laden’s dead and it’s been ten years and we are still fighting two wars, I think people are [. . .] not sure how they are supposed to feel anymore.

It’s so strange to think about the place we are now versus the place we were ten years ago, and everything that’s happened and all the reactions—gains and losses—that have been made since then.

9/11 happened in an age in which I began to be aware of political issues, so for that moment forward, 9/11 has been a demarcator of the war in the Middle East, which has dominated my awareness of politics. 9/11 shows the relationship between the United States and the rest of the world to me.

BACKPAGE

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15 2011

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P A R T Y T H E M E S T H A T A B S O L U T E LY M U S T H A P P E N What’s Up, Holmes?

It may seem elementary that there be a festive occasion in the spirit of Sherlock Holmes.

But get decked out with elegant or checkered bowler hats, magnifying glasses and trench coats to chillax in a Victorian-style parlor, and you’re sure to change your mind! As

people sip on tea in the proper way, they can solve pressing mysteries such as why dear Watson is lookin’ just too fly over in the corner puffing on a tobacco pipe. Just wait for the chemistry lab that pops off later in the night . . . can you say waltz party?

Mustachefest Doesn’t it seem like the guy with a mustache is always the life of the party? Therefore, a party filled with nothing but mustaches would be off the chain. All types of mustaches are welcome: homegrown, pasted on, milk mustaches too.

Mustaches as far as the eye can see sported by all the jolly fellows will certainly be cause for ruckus.

Grizzly man-hair is the beginning of ultimate party-dom, and now both sexes can experience the best cause for celebrations and toasts.

Exhibit A: Holmie

Exhibit B: Sexual tiger

Exhibit C: This is not edible

A

Interview

Patricia Vanderbilt, pictured (left) with personal idol Glenn Beck (right), has assured the Whitman population that “editorial integrity will always be at the forefront of [her] regime . . . now where the fuck’s my check, Murdoch?” Archive photo courtesy News Corp.

Backpage interviews the new EIC The Pioneer is under the wing of a new Editor in Chief, Patricia “Pati” Vanderbilt. To gain a sense of her vision for the paper, Backpage arranged a special interview with our enigmatic leader.

BP: What grand plans do you have on the table for the paper this year?

PV: I want to hear the sounds of the men working on the chain . . . gaaaaang.

BP: . . .

PV: [glares] BP: Uh . . . has your study abroad experience in India influenced your views on the journalistic process?

PV: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but chains and whips excite me.

BP: So, our correspondents tell us that you’re terrified of commitment. Can you confirm or deny this?

PV: I keep your love locked down, love locked down!

BP: Oh . . . okay. W-would you call yourself the harbinger of a new era?

PV: You ARE the weakest link. Goodbye!

BP: . . . What?

The interview halted at this point because Ms. Pati went Full British. Never go Full British.

Comic by Jung Song

LETTER FROM THE SLUTTITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dear Readers, NEWS F LASH: I like it RAW. Love, Adam “slutteroni” Brayton p.s.: Try this word ladder, sluttites!

Cheez Pleez!

Everybody is stoked on cheese!

So how ‘bout a party that’s just filled with unimaginable amounts of cheesy goodness? Inflatable cheese hats start the happening

queso gathering, centered around a fondue cheese fountain. Forget boring old trays of cheese varieties, instead go for walls made of cheese. Lactose-intolerant folks, never fear! The squishy cheese everywhere will make for fun previously unimaginable, as well as fruits and beverages that complement the most social snack.

No cutting the cheese allowed.

fter being rejected from the annual Voices of Whitman presentation for first-years, some students have come to the Backpage to tell their stories. Here are some excerpts from their presentations:

being mocked, called stupid or told that I don’t know what I’m talking about. We don’t need to be going to all these third world countries when we have such a positive effect at home. FIGHT TO RECLAIM AMERICA!

My name is Nicole and I have a story to tell.

Coming from North Dakota, I tend to see things a bit differently than many Whitties from the West Coast. I love the cold, I love the snow and I love Michelle Bachmann. She wants to repeal Obamacare, fight to increase access to the billions of barrels of oil and trillions of feet of natural gas on the Outer Continental Shelf and will do whatever it takes to fulfill the federal government’s foremost responsibility under the Constitution. She is the key to a better future for America, and we are the future of America. I hope that others here feel the same as me and understand that I, your fellow Whitman student, want to make a difference here in our own country. I don’t appreciate

My name is Josh and I have a story to tell.

I am a junior transfer from UW. While there I participated in many activities including Club Lacrosse, IM Soccer and Greek Life. PI KAPPA PHI WADDUP. What I miss most about the Dub is the social part of Greek Life. I heard Whitman has a tight, close-knit Greek community. Churrrrr.

There aren’t parties every Tuesday, girls wear jeans when they come over and there are only one or two kegs max. This is college, man. COLLEGE. How can I get the full college experience if I can’t even kick back a few dozen while grinding on some dank badonk? I need some broskis that can relate. This is nonsense. Help a bro out and bro out. I wanna party, please.

The Foldening

H

ector Clemons was on his way to pick up his laundry; he had stuffed it all into a dryer hours ago and forgotten about it. After realizing there was no clothing whatsoever in his room, he decided to retrieve it. As he approached the dryer, he was shocked to see his entire wardrobe folded neatly atop it.

“What the—” he looked around for the person responsible, but the room was empty.

Staring in amazement, he slowly inspected the handiwork. It was flawless—but what did it mean? Yes! It was a laundry fairy! Wait—no, no—a house elf! WHAT THE FISH?!

With newfound knowledge of Jewett natural history, Hector became obsessed with catching the elf in action. He took to leaping through the door of the laundry room screaming, “GOTCHYA!” and “AHA!” and “ACCIO DOBBY!”

This was to the chagrin of the prospies being led on tour through the basement. Bewildered eyes were cast on his excited frame, and the tour guide flinched and moved on: “Over here is the free laundry room.

People here are so nice that when I forget to do my laundry, I find it done for me!”

Does this fool of a tour guide not know there are more magical things about? Hector thought. This degree of altruism was only possible in one species: The Jewett Hall Elf. Hector never stopped believing. He knew the truth with the conviction of a child knowing its mother’s love. No mere mortal could have perpetrated the folding, and definitely not some random chick in need of a dryer who felt bad for emptying one and piling everything in a giant mess on top of the washers. Nope.

Definitely not.