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In This Issue
March 29, 2011
Staff EDITOR IN CHIEF Andrew Sheeler editor@uafsunstar.com (907) 474-5078 LAYOUT EDITOR Heather Bryant layout@uafsunstar.com (907) 474-6039
The Sun Star Volume XXX Number 23 March 29, 2011 The Sun Star’s mission is to provide a voice for the UAF campus and be a written record where news, people’s opinions, and events (whether extraordinary or ordinary) are expressed honestly and fairly. EDITORIAL OFFICES 101G Wood Center P.O. Box 756640 Fairbanks, AK 99775 Tel: (907) 474-6039 Ads Dept: (907) 474-7540 Fax: (907) 474-5508 www.uafsunstar.com
COPY EDITOR Rebecca Coleman MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Jeremy Smith web@uafsunstar.com AD MANAGER Alex Kinn fyads@uaf.edu (907) 474-7540 DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Daniel Thoman distribution@uafsunstar.com ASSISTANT DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Ben Deering REPORTERS Alyssa Dunehew Kelsey Gobroski Elika Roohi Amber Sandlin Jeremia Schrock COLUMNISTS JR Ancheta Jamie Hazlett Jeremia Schrock PHOTOGRAPHERS JR Ancheta Dillon Ball ADVISOR Lynne Snifka
The Sun Star
This Week Politics West Ridge A&E Perspectives Editorial Fun Star Online More news on Libya, a major victory for the ACLU, Parnell pushes for an oil tax reduction and last week in crime.
Nookraker discusses why the regent-removal bill is a bad idea and the weekly report on ASUAF.
Miho Aoki uses digital design to make science accessible and a report on the steady march of science.
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The Pub plays host to a wine-tasting and a concert 6 and your weekly dose of A & E briefs.
Weekend Wanderlust asks, “What kind of traveler are you?”
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Shattering UAF’s glass ceiling
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April Fool’s Day comes early, hilarity ensues.
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Elika is back from Ecuador and blogging better than ever.
Corrections: Taian Trujillo, lead singer of New Teen Paranormal Romance, moves to the rhythm during the bands March 24 show at the Pub. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star
In the March 22 article “The sea butterfly effect: Distorted oceans could shatter ecosystems,” we incorrectly listed the range of pH as 1 to 14. The correct range is 0 to 14. In the March 22 ASUAF Weekly Update, we incorrectly listed the ASUAF Public Relations Committee as the University Relations Committee. We also reported that the Masquerade Redux bill was sent to committee. The bill was passed. The Sun Star regrets these errors.
This Week
www.uafsunstar.com
March 29, 2011
News Briefs
Sports Briefs
Compiled by Rebecca Coleman Sun Star Reporter
All persons referred to in the blotter are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
West named D-II men’s basketball player of the year Senior Parrish West was recently named the Ron Lenz National Player of the Year. He led the NCAA Division II with 27.2 points per game this season. West also earned a firstteam spot on the Daktronics All-American team. He is the second player in Alaska history to earn both of these honors. West traveled to Springfield, Mass. for the 2011 Reese’s Division II College All-Star Game March 25. “I’m proud of Parrish and his accomplishments,” said UAF head coach Clemon Johnson. “Now we can tell recruits, ‘Not only do we play [basketball in Alaska], but we had the best player in the nation.’” -Alaskananooks.com
Nanook hockey player goes pro It was recently announced that defenseman and junior Joe Sova signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the NHL’s New Jersey Devils. He will start out by playing for the Albany Devils, New Jersey’s farm team. He’ll have a couple of years to prove that he’s ready to play at that level. “I’m excited for him,” said UAF head coach Dallas Ferguson. “He’s a good example of a guy who put the work in to accomplish his goals.” Sova was the Nanooks’ top offensive defenseman this season, after tallying four goals and 20 assists. -Alaskananooks.com
CCHA hockey format changing for 2013-14 season Despite the name, the Big Ten only has five schools with hockey programs, preventing them from forming their own hockey conference, as the NCAA requires at least six teams per conference. However, Big Ten announced March 21 that Penn State is adding hockey programs, giving the Big Ten its sixth needed team for the 2013-14 season. Their conference will take Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State from the CCHA, leaving Alaska only seven other opponents. The Big Ten will also take two teams from the WCHA. This affects UAF because the Big Ten teams create a lot of revenue; most of the remaining CCHA teams are smaller schools. “We’re headed into uncharted waters,” said UAF head coach Dallas Ferguson. “No one knows what the outcome will be, but it’s good to see another program added because it creates about 50 new hockey opportunities.” -collegehockeynews.com
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Possible Assault
Amber Sandlin Sun Star Reporter
On Saturday, March 19, an unspecified person reported a “possible assault” had occurred outside of MBS. Although the investigation is continuing and no further information can be provided, three people have been contacted and banned from UAF.
Compiled by Amber Sandlin Sun Star Reporter
Right to sue – wiretapping On Monday, March, 21, civil libertarians made a breakthrough after an appellate court reinstated a lawsuit that was thrown out in 2008. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other groups have opposed the government’s expanded wiretapping powers, claiming that the expanded surveillance powers granted by Congress were unconstitutional and illegal. In 2008, the Bush administration passed a law allowing the government to legally tap wires without a warrant. It permitted the government to listen to the international phone calls of Americans who are not engaged in criminal activity, and to read their e-mail messages. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit disagreed on Monday, allowing the lawsuit to move forward.
Double whammy
Whiskey upfront
During a traffic stop on Thursday, March 17, a police officer discovered the driver, a 23-year-old man from North Pole, had two outstanding warrants. One warrant was for fourth-degree assault. Fourth-degree assault is the act of either causing fear in someone or striking someone. The man also had a trespass warrant for his arrest. A trespass warrant is issued if an individual is banned from a piece of property. Violating that ban results in arrest. The man was arrested and taken to the Fairbanks Correctional Center.
Late Friday night, on March 18, two people were seen drinking whiskey in the front seat of a car in the Patty Gym parking lot. The driver was not charged with DUI because the keys were not in the ignition. The man, a 24-year-old from Minto, did have two outstanding warrants: one was for fourthdegree assault, for allegedly slamming his girlfriend’s head on the ground in a Holiday Inn Express room on Nov. 6, the other was not specified. He was arrested and taken to the Fairbanks Correctional Center.
Not. Cool.
Locker room theft
Alaska oil taxes attempt to be cut
Outside the Patty Gym on Thursday, March 17, a woman called UAF Police to report that her boyfriend hit her in the face and kicked her. Although he took off before police showed up, the charges were submitted to the District Attorney’s office. Since the officers were not able to find the boyfriend and make contact, the District Attorney must decide whether they will charge the man and place a warrant for his arrest or force a summons on him, requiring him to show up to court.
On Monday, March 21, a student’s wallet, cell phone, and keys were stolen from the locker room of the Student Recreation Center (SRC). An officer and a community service officer checked ID’s and started an investigation. UAF Police have not noticed an increase in thefts from the SRC from previous years but have noticed students not locking their things up, or placing items on an open bench in the locker rooms. The surveillance videos are being reviewed and investigation continuing.
Gov. Sean Parnell’s attempt to cut Alaska oil taxes to encourage more development appears frozen in the State Senate. Senate leaders have said that since the start of the legislative session in January, there was not justification for what could be a tax cut of $2 billion a year for North Slope oil producers. The bill remains in the Senate Resources Committee. “We can’t let legislators do nothing,” Parnell told the Anchorage Daily News on Thursday, March 24. “I’m asking the Senate to move the bill and get moving on creating more jobs.” Senators said they do not want to cut oil taxes before receiving studies on how Alaska’s tax system compares with other oil producing regions worldwide. The studies will not be ready until next year.
- New York Times
- Anchorage Daily News
U.S. and allies launch on Libya The U.S. and its allies attacked Libya Saturday, March 26, attempting to take out air defense sites and clear the way for a campaign against Moammar Gadhafi. 112 cruise missiles launched from U.S. and British warships hit more than 20 targets in Libya, most targets located along the Mediterranean coast and near the capital. President Barack Obama, not eager to launch the third U.S. war in a Muslim nation after Afghanistan and Iraq, stressed that the U.S. action will be limited. Obama pledged anew that he would not send any U.S. ground forces into Libya, and that he reluctantly came to accept even a limited air-only role. - Miami Herald
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March 29, 2011
Politics
ASUAF Weekly Update
Nookraker
Jeremia Schrock Sun Star Reporter
Bill to remove regents unnecessary
The following briefs are based on the ASUAF Senatte meeting held on March 27, 2011.
Jeremia Schrock Sun Star Reporter As of March 29, a bill that would affect the UA system as a whole (and the Board of Regents in particular) is making its way through the state legislature. House Bill 6, sponsored by Rep. Max Gruenberg (D), would grant the governor the power to “remove or suspend a member of the Board of Regents (BOR) of the University of Alaska for good cause.” The reasoning behind the bill is that while the BOR has the ability to regulate itself, it has failed to adopt the rules necessary to handle the removal or suspension of a regent. However, several individuals disagree with Gruenberg’s bill. “I don’t think the bill is needed,” said Joe Hayes, UAF’s Alumni Director. Between 1995-97, Hayes was a student regent and the board’s first African-American member. Hayes believes such issues should be handled within the BOR itself and that the bill is simply a reaction to the 2007 federal indictment of former board member Jim Hayes, who is not related to the Alumni Director. Jim Hayes is also a former Fairbanks mayor. He was indicted for conspiracy and money laundering by a federal grand jury in January 2007. Throughout the entire process, and despite calls for his resignation by both the legislature and then-Governor Sarah Palin, Hayes continued to serve as a member of the BOR until April 2007 when he (it is said) reluctantly resigned. In 2008, he was found guilty and is serving a fiveyear prison sentence. “You would hope a sitting regent would not want to impugn the integrity of the board,” Joe Hayes said. “You’d hope they’d do the right thing and step down.” While the former mayor did eventually step down, the damage, it seems, had been done. The BOR bylaws (BL05-C: Removal From Office) state “an officer of the board may be removed from the office by a simple majority vote of the whole board at any regular or special meeting.” In short, if the board wants to remove somebody it can.
The Sun Star
Present Chelsea Holt, Jesse Cervin, Arthur Martin, Robert Kinnard III, Dillon Ball, Ian Pfeiffer, Mary Strehl, Tay Chairat, Ryan Duffy, Joshua Cooper and Hollie Seiler.
Motivational speaker That particular bylaw was revised on Feb. 7, 2007, two months before Jim Hayes’ resignation. While the minutes from both the regents’ regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 7-8 and an earlier emergency meeting held on Jan. 23 remain mysteriously silent on Hayes and the changes to the bylaws, the fact remains that the BOR now has a process in place. This means that the primary reason for HB 6 to move from being a bill to a law is, essentially, false. Jo Heckman, who became a member of the BOR on Feb. 7, also believes that the bill is unnecessary. “The process works just fine,” she said. “This is how I run my business: ‘if it’s not broke, why fix it?’” Heckman is the president and CEO of Denali State Bank and the first female bank president in Alaska. In HB 6, Gruenberg states that the BOR is ignoring its obligations under AS 14.40.170 (b) (1). That statute states that the board will “adopt reasonable rules, orders, and plans with reasonable penalties for the good government of the university and for the regulation of the Board of Regents.” Is the February 2007 addition to the bylaws not a reasonable rule? Is being removed as a regent not a reasonable penalty? While proper oversight of any organization is imperative, it is also important that the reasons for said oversight be justified. In the case of the BOR, it appears they are operating just as they should be. On Feb. 23, HB 6 was referred to the Judiciary Committee and as of March 29, has not yet been discussed. If the bill remains in committee at the close of the legislative session on April 13, it will die in committee and cease to be on the table. Jeremia gives his opinion on university, state and national issues in the Nookraker: a weekly political column which tackles issues relevant to Nanooks both at home and abroad.
Tristian Monterastelli spoke on behalf of SB 176-017: Operation Troop Support. She approached Sen. Martin with the idea of bringing up Keni Thomas in conjunction with the Residence Hall Association’s plan to send care packages to US soldiers overseas. Thomas is a former soldier who is now a motivational speaker. Monterastelli believes that bringing up Thomas would be a good fit for UAF due to a strong ROTC presence and numerous veterans on campus. The bill was sent to Executive Committee.
Wrong numbers? President Nikki Carvajal stated that the student enrollment numbers ASUAF uses to budget are wrong. She believes that this would explain such a large carry forward amount. In her budget, she has also allotted an additional $20,000 a year for an ASUAF adviser.
RISE board update Heather Currey spoke to the senate on behalf of the RISE Board. She stated that the board had selected nine projects to fund, but did not discuss all of them as the list of approved applicants had not yet been made official. She further stated that the recycling dumpsters are taking in “way more then you would think.” Currey said “almost everything” that they take in (including glass and paper) was averaging over 10,000 pounds a week. Several of the projects the RISE Board has made public include the purchasing of a glass pulverizer (which will be managed by Facilities Services), wherein glass will be crushed and used for both traction control and horticultural purposes. The board plans to retrofit the Honors House with new appliances, provide summer classes that will teach carbon emission calculation and create a local community-supported agriculture (CSA) program on campus.
Currey further stated that the solar panel project is progressing with the panels being installed over the summer. The RISE board is intending to locate a private funder who will be willing to share the costs with the board, but who is willing to give UAF the energy at no cost. While the investor would own the panels, they would receive a tax break and after 10 years, transfer the ownership of the panels to UAF. The total cost will be half of what they originally thought and Currey stated that they are “getting pretty close” to breaking even.
Appointments Michaela Swanson was confirmed for nomination to the RISE Board. Yuzhun Evanoff and Ashton Compton were confirmed for appointment. Compton was not present but had mentioned to Vice President Mari Freitag that since she is graduating this May that she’d like “to do this one last thing” for the student government. She is currently the student regent.
Vetoed legislation During the week, President Nicole Carvajal vetoed two pieces of legislation. She vetoed SB 176-003: Masquerade Ball Redux stating that the $800 cost was not justified. The veto was upheld. She also vetoed SR 176-002: Amendability of Legislations Purpose. During the senate meeting, Senate Chair Ryan Duffy stepped down so he could discuss SR 176-002. The Senate Chair presides over the meeting and as such is not allowed to partake of discussions on the senate floor. Sen. Cooper was made temporary chair. Duffy spoke on behalf of the bill, arguing that the veto left the senate with the ability to alter a statement of purpose on the senate floor. He felt that when it comes to altering a statement of purpose that power should be left with the bill’s sponsor and not the senate as a whole. Duffy made the motion to overturn the veto and Sen. Tay Chairat seconded it. By a vote of 6-4, the veto was upheld.
Senator steps down Sen. Sophia Grzeskowiak-Amezquita stepped down as a senator this past week.
West Ridge Report
www.uafsunstar.com
March 29, 2011
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UAF professor blends arts and sciences
Miho Aoki explains the design of a poster to the Advanced Digital Design class at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Aoki’s art has been on exhibit at a number of galleries including the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography and the University of Alaska Museum of the North. March 24, 2011. Heather Bryant/Sun Star
Andrew Sheeler Sun Star Reporter At the intersection of the arts and the sciences, you will find UAF professor Miho Aoki. Her office might be tucked away inside the Fine Arts complex, but some of her most notable work was done on West Ridge. Case in point, her tsunami animation. After the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake triggered tsunamis that led to more than 200,000 deaths, there was a need for the
public to understand just how tsunamis work. That was where artists like Aoki stepped in. Although Aoki is in the art department, she frequently works with departments on West Ridge, including the Arctic Regional Supercomputing Center (ARSC) and the Geophysical Institute (GI). Following the Indian Ocean tsunamis, Miho Aoki and GI tsunami researcher Elena Suleimani received a Sea Grant to put together a computer
Science Briefs Compiled by Kelsey Gobroski
penguins were affected; the spill could have devastating consequences for the ecosystem and island residents, whose economy deSun Star Reporter pends on fisheries. The MS Olivia’s 22 crewmembers were rescued before the wreck. High-rise produces energy Floridian credit union Community First The ship carried more than 1500 tons of changed its name to Magnify when it drafted crude oil when it ran aground. plans for an energy-saving building to stand - NPR out against competitors. The building, which Algae meets dermatology Cosmetic company Sephora introduced opened in 2009, is Florida’s first net-zero structure — it produces as much energy as a new line of algae-based balms, Algenist. The it consumes. Forty-five percent of the solar skin-care products use algae’s shielding algupanel energy goes back to the Lakeland, Fl. ronic acid to protect skin, executives said. grid. President Obama signed the Better The research company Solazyme supplies Buildings Initiative last month, requiring the algae, but this type of partnership isn’t structures to consume 20 percent less energy groundbreaking. The blending of cosmetics by 2020, but companies like Magnify try to with other industries is already common in pursue net-zero energy and reduce con- Japan because shared ingredients and supsumption by 80 percent. Magnify estimates pliers is common. Worldwide, 100 cosmetic the building should pay for itself in 15 years. products use algal derivatives. Algenist is the first to use alguronic acid, which Sephora - Scientific American purports to be more active. The line isn’t a Oil spill coats penguins A shipwreck on Nightingale Island in the science-approved product yet; none of the South Atlantic Ocean covered up to 20,000 experimental results have been published endangered penguins with oil. The British in peer-reviewed journals. The preliminary territory houses half the world’s rockhopper results look promising, according to biochemist Tony Day of Solazyme. penguins, an endangered species. Not only - New York Times
animation depicting how tsunamis form. Suleimani initially used the animationas a teaching tool, but it didn’t take long for national media outlets to get wind of the animation. Aoki started receiving requests from The History Channel, PBS’ NOVA and others. For Aoki, computer animation is a powerful tool that can be used to explain difficult concepts. Aoki said that 3-D animation and computer graphics draw on many different artistic disciplines, including sculpting, film, lighting and photography. Would-be students also need a healthy understanding of computer science. “It’s very good for people who are very curious,” Aoki said. Aoki received her Master of Fine Arts degree from Ohio State University and while
she was there, studied digital art and animation at the Advanced Computing Center for Arts and Design (ACCAD). ACCAD has produced several animators who have gone on to work for Dreamworks, Pixar, Adobe Systems and others. Despite her impressive resume, Aoki is quiet about her accomplishments. Hannah Foss, a junior on exchange from Adelaide, South Australia, is taking Advanced Digital Design from Aoki. She said that Aoki was mum on her record at first. “The funny thing is, she never told us about her awards until I had to Google her name to find her email,” Foss said. To see the tsunami animation Miho Aoki created, go online to uafsunstar.com.
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March 29, 2011
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March 29, 2011
Intimate wine tasting fun, delicious Jeremia Schrock Sun Star Reporter On March 24, the Pub saw an intimate wine tasting hosted by Bruce Abbott. Abbott is the resident wine expert at K&L Distributors, a beer and wine importer that provides the Pub with its medley of libations. He also maintains Frozen Grapes, a wine blog. The tasting was an intimate affair with a dozen attendees sharing wine, conversation and knowledge. Abbott began his talk by discussing how evaluating wine can help one better appreciate it. The process has four steps: check the color, swirl it, sniff and then taste. A cursory glance across the room showed many at the tasting preferred to skip to the last step. In between wines, Abbott discussed the culture and history of the liquids, as well as their myths. One of the more interesting myths Abbott discussed (and dispelled) was that all wine gets better with age. Not true, said Abbot. While red wines do get better with age, white wines do not. In fact, most white wines have a limited shelf life and go bad within 20 years. As the evening progressed (and as the wine continued to flow) the room began to swirl with greater conversation and laughter, rivaling Abbott’s own enthusiasm. “I get excited about this stuff, if you couldn’t tell!” he said. When Abbot left for the second tasting he was holding that night (this one at Gambardella’s), Ken Thomas took over. Thomas is a senior wine distributor for K&L. He stated that while he was not a specialist, he had no problems sharing what he knew while he refilled attendees’ glasses.
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A & E Briefs Compiled by Elika Roohi Sun Star Reporter
Aretha Franklin gets ready to turn 69 Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, is bouncing back from some health problems to celebrate her 69th birthday in New York City. Franklin underwent surgery last year, and has been recovering ever since. Now she’s ready for the world again, starting with a big birthday bash, followed by a return to the stage in May, and a new album. - The Washington Post
Damn You, Autocorrect: the book Damnyouautocorrect.com, the popular website that showcases the embarrassing situations the iPhone’s autocorrect function can cause, is releasing a book. The website receives hundreds of autocorrected text messages a day, and Jillian Madison, founder of the site, decided it was time to publish “Damn You, Autocorrect” the book. The book features many popular text mishaps from the website. Things like mixing up the words fuhrer and future or arrested and rescue. “Autocorrect has a mind of its own,” Madison said. And now there’s a book about it. - NPR
Elizabeth Taylor dies at age 79
Pub Manager Heather Kraemer maintains an open bar for (L-R) Jen Medl, Michael Skulstad and Amy Wellman after last Thursday nights wine tasting at the Pub. The tasting featured local wine expert Bruce Abbot discuss both New and Old World wines. March 24, 2011. Photo by Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star.
David Martinson, an engineering student and Pub employee, takes a break from drinking wine during the March 24 tasting at the Pub. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star
While Thomas stopped drinking years ago, he still loves wine. “I can taste it just by smelling it,” he stated. Thomas is also studying to become a certified wine expert like Abbott, and intends to have his certification by the end of 2012. Attendees Bridget Hardy and Jen Medl made their own fun by scribbling down interesting (and potentially lewd) quotes that they overheard during the tasting. One of their favorites? “It tastes better then it smells.” Both said that they had a “very good time” and spent a good deal of the evening laughing and helping other taste-goers finish off the sample bottles of wine that had been provided. Michael Skulstad, a figure skater attending the event with friends, enjoyed the tasting for both its peace and quiet. “I absolutely love it,” he said. “It was something I really needed.”
Elizabeth Taylor lived a full, dizzying life. She starred in countless movies, dazzled us in glamorous photographs, sparked countless headlines for marriages and break-ups, got actively involved with several causes, and even tweeted. She died on March 23 at age 79. She was hospitalized six weeks ago with congestive heart failure, a condition she had struggled with for many years. It had been hoped that her condition would stabilize and she would be able to return home. This was not the case. Taylor died in Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. - CNN
Will Ferrell to ‘The Office’ As Emmy-winning actor Steve Carell counts down the days until he leaves NBC’s “The Office,” there has been much speculation as to who will be replacing him as the head of Dunder Mifflin. Stepping in as the boss for a four-episode arc is none other than Will Ferrell. Ferrell will play a branch manager brought in as Carell’s character prepares to leave. - The Huffington Post
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March 29, 2011
Campus Life
The Sun Star
New Teen Paranormal Romance does ‘gypsy jazz’ at the Pub
Above: Isaac Paris of local band New Teen Paranormal Romance talks to the crowd during a show at the Pub on March 24. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star Left: Isaac Paris’ hands are a frenzy of activity. Paris, formerly of local favorites Paper Scissors, has a new band: New Teen Paranormal Romance. They Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star Bettom Left: A plate of leftover food from the Pub’s wine tasting sits atop equipment boxes used by local band New Teen Paranormal Romance . Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star Bottom Right: Luke “Poncho” Ponchione plays bass during the performance of local band New Teen Paranormal Romance. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star
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Fun Star
April 1, 2011
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Fun Star
April 1, 2011
Say “Ah” Donna Patrick, ANP MEDICAL ALERT: NEW PATIENT HEALTH CONDITION DETECTED ON UAF CAMPUS Q: I’ve noticed I’ve had a lot more gas lately and it’s not the kind you fill your car with. What do you think the problem is? A: Everyone has gas. It is normally eliminated from the body through belching and by passing it through the anus. The average adult produces about one to three pints of gas each day and passes gas through the anus about 14 to 23 times per day. Burping occasionally before or after a meal is also normal. Some feel they pass too much gas from below (flatulence) or burp (eructate) too frequently, both of which can be a source of embarrassment and can be uncomfortable. However, most people who complain of excessive gas do not produce more than the average person. Q: What could be causing me to be producing so much gas?? It can be embarrassing! A: There are several conditions that may indeed lead to increased gas formation. Several foods contain the carbohydrate raffinose, which is poorly digested and leads to gas production by the action of colonic bacteria. Common foods containing raffinose include beans, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli and asparagus. Starch and soluble fiber are other forms that can contribute to gas Formation. Potatoes, corn, noodles, and wheat produce gas while rice does not. Soluble fiber found in oat bran, peas and other legumes and most fruit also cause gas. There are many other possible reasons for gas production but the bottom line is that you are just full of it! My advice to you would be to “Bear the shame; relieve the pain”!! Sponsored by UAF Center for Health and Counseling For additional information, contact the Center for Health and Counseling at 474-7043 or visit our Web site at www.uaf.edu/chc Division of Student Services
The Sun Star
Obscure rituals give hockey players success Rebecca Coleman Fun Star Reporter Every successful athlete has their own rituals and superstitions, some more extreme than others. Have you ever wondered what your Division I hockey team does to prepare for a game? Here are some of their secrets revealed. Senior Ryan Hohl spends about an hour styling his hair. “We’ll have problems if he runs out of gel, so we always make sure to have an emergency stash,” said one of his roommates. Junior Carlo Finucci colors his fingernails blue and yellow with Mr. Sketch markers before every game. “The scents keep him focused,” said a source close to the team.
Junior Scott Enders watches an episode of “Spongebob,” then an episode of “Glee,” followed by another episode of “Spongebob.” “It has to be in that order,” Enders’ rep commented. “If he has time to cap it all off with an episode of ‘Sesame Street,’ he’s golden.” Senior Bryant Molle always does math homework. “When he finishes his, if he still has time to kill, he’ll do the other guys’ homework so he can help them with it after the game,” said the team’s tutor.
Junior Joe Sova builds an A out of hockey pucks on top of the Nanook rail before every game. Most people think the A stands for Alaska, but it really stands for Avalanche, the NHL team in Colorado. “It has always been Joe’s dream to play for the Avalanche,” said one of his friends. “Who knew he’d sign with the Devils?”
The goalies, Scott Greenham, junior, and Colin Rundell and Steve Thompson, sophomores, play “Twister” together. “It helps them stretch out, and whoever wins gets to start the game,” said the team’s trainer. “Greener [Greenham] is a master. Since [Chad] Johnson graduated, he’s never lost.” Freshmen Eric Slemp, Cody Kunyk, Michael Quinn and Colton Beck play a few rounds of root beer pong. “The sugar pumps them up,” one teammate said. “Team BeckSlemp dominated the beginning of the season, but for the last few weeks, Team Quinn-Kunyk took over.” Senior Kevin Petovello “rocks out with ‘Guitar Hero,’” one source said. “Lately he’s been getting into into the country version. He can play on expert level like nobody’s business.”
Sophomores Andy Taranto and Kaare Odegard have snowball fights that travel across campus. “It sucked in the beginning of the season when we didn’t have any snow Junior Cody Butcher has a serious because they had to use marshmallows,” addiction to honey, so on game days, every said an innocent bystander who once got food he eats is topped with the sweet, sticky caught in the crossfire. “The marshmallows substance. “He put honey on a cheeseburger were sticky.” once,” said a random Tilly-goer. “It was kind Junior Ron Meyers always drives to of gross, but whatever works for him.” the Carlson Center early so he can lasso his teammates as they arrive at the rink. “It’s kind of annoying, but he’s the cowboy, so what can you do?” one teammate said. Junior Aaron Gens jokes around with everybody and comes up with stand-up comedy routines. “If this whole hockey thing doesn’t work out for him, his back up plan is to be a comedian,” his adviser said. It is easy to see why Alaska hockey is such a successful program. As long as the guys stick to their routines, they should have a great year next year, too.
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Fun Star
April 1, 2011
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Students, staff mystified by large erection Andrew Sheeler Fun Star Reporter Students outside the Moore-BartlettSkarland complex (MBS) gathered around a snowy erection on Thursday, March 24. The sculpture, thrusting out of the ground in front of the primarily freshmen dormitory complex, has students and university officials baffled as to what it represents. “Maybe it’s a snow man with some very large feet,” said Miranda Nodaphallus, a freshman, “It looks happy to see me.” “No, I think it’s a castle tower,” said fellow freshman Jacob Cox. “It even has a little minaret.” The baffling bulge was highly visible. Students on both upper and lower campus were able to see the jutting monument, as were pilots in the cockpits of low-flying planes. Don Balls, with Facilities Services, said the edifice offended him.
“It looks like a peni…” Balls paused, “a penitentiary. What sort of message are they trying to send, that UAF is a prison?” Balls and several other employees of Facilities Services were on hand to observe the stability of the snow structure. Zack Longrod works with Balls and said that he was impressed by the tower’s girth. “I feel strangely inadequate when I look at it. It’s sort of intimidating,” Longrod said. Longrod ran a hand along the shaft of the sculpture, noting it was incredibly firm. “It’s been erect for more than four hours now. Should we be concerned?” University officials are considering what to do about the mysterious monolith. Doug Shaft, a university spokesman, said that the university would be unable to take it down as they lacked protection in the event of an accident. Shaft said that all people could do is hope for a cold rain shower.
A mysertious white monolith surprised students Thursday morning, appearing outside of the Moore-Bartlett-Skarland complex. Facilities Services remains baffled as to its purpose, while many students believe it to be a sign from God. Jeremia Schrock / Sun Star
UAF scrambles to ready for rare graduation Andrew Sheeler Fun Star Reporter The UAF Office of the Registrar is working overtime ahead of an event nobody could possibly have anticipated: students graduating. With the May 15 commencement just a handful of weeks away, staff members are feeling the crunch and trying to figure out what to do about this predicament. “Maybe it’s a joke. Like just a sick, sick joke. It could be a joke, right?” said Linda Hammond, UAF Graduation Coordinator. Hammond’s desk was covered in loose papers and empty bottles of Pepto Bismol. Neither Hammond nor her coworkers could remember the last time such an event happened. “Maybe it was in ’96? Or was it ’86? Or was that when we thought about what it would be like for a student to graduate?” Hammond said. Hammond wasn’t alone in her despair. In his attic, Chancellor Brian Rogers frantically searched through boxes trying to find his formal cap and gown. He smiled when he found a box labeled “In the event of graduation, please open,” but quickly frowned when he removed the moth-eaten gown stowed inside. “Crap,” Rogers said. “I wonder if [former Chancellor] Jones has a spare he can ship up?” With UAF’s graduation rates so low,
the university has forgotten what to do if it were to happen. When reports first came to University of Alaska President Patrick Gamble of possible student graduation, he held an emergency, closed-door meeting. The meeting was confidential, but UA Statewide spokeswoman Helen Barclay said that Gamble “had planned for this eventuality, however unlikely it might be.” She added that she thought they could rent a pavilion at Pioneer Park, or maybe Chena Lakes, for the event. Barring that, Barclay said she was “pretty sure” they could just
just use Schaible Auditorium for the event. “I mean really, how many people are going to graduate anyway?” Barclay said. Even as UAF struggles to find a venue for graduation, the question of who will be the keynote speaker must be resolved. According to Barclay, administrative assistants had to explain to President Gamble that no, he couldn’t also be the keynote speaker, no matter how many stars he earned as a general. Cindy Beckett, UAF public information officer, said that the university was reaching out to a variety of
Pictured: Last known student to graduate from UAF. Date unknown.
people. “There’s [Borough Mayor Luke] Hopkins,” Beckett said, although a quick phone call revealed that Hopkins had a prior obligation that day. Beckett went on to say, “Maybe we can rent a party clown and just dress him up.” She then flipped through the phone book for the number of Party Palace. As stunned as the idea of graduation has left the university administrators, it has had an even more stupefying effect on the students and faculty. “I don’t understand,” said Abraham Felch, a history professor, “I failed as many as I could. I gave them an incomprehensible syllabus and even changed my office hours twice to further confuse them! How could something like this happen?” “It isn’t right,” said Jack Zandy, a journalism professor. “We do our best to make graduating difficult. We switch up required courses, attach oral- and writtenintensive requirements to the most ludicrous classes and students disrespect us in turn by graduating anyway. This university used to mean something.” When asked what he thought about the prospect of graduating, senior Mike Header said, “So you mean, we actually get something to show for all these loans? You’re kidding me, right?”
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Fun Star
April 1, 2011
The Sun Star
Apocoalypse now Subterranean students flee from radiation threat Kelsey Gobroski Fun Star Reporter Stale air filtered in through vents and stirred the dust over dozens of greasy heads. A philosophy student began weeping. Students hunkered down in the utility tunnels for the fifth day in a row Saturday, March 26, in response to coal radiation fears, despite admonishment by administrators, Facilities Services, and displaced voles. “Jeremy started going all ‘Survivorman’ on us by day two, eating his shoes and cursing the frigid temperatures down here,” said Madison Young, computer sciences senior, of her fellow survivor, Jeremy Smith, a journalism senior. “I don’t know how much longer we’ll last without Subway.” The Atkinson Building houses a 47-year-old coal power plant with a 50-year life expectancy. Coal power stations can generate more radioactivity than nuclear power plants, according to the magazine Scientific American. Students responded to rumors of imminent “apocoalypse” by organizing a March 21 pilgrimage. The students manipulated Facility Services’ underground maze into a fallout shelter. Young, the refugees’ spokeswoman, said the students plan to stay underground until UAF receives 100 percent of its power and heat from solar energy. “I mean, coal emits 100 times more radioactivity than a nuclear plant producing the same amount of energy,” said Ashleigh David, an English sophomore, as she clutched a bowl fashioned from ventilation tubing. David raised the bowl to a flickering EXIT sign, capturing water droplets. She blew on the soup and sipped. “If things can go south fast with that nuclear stuff, where does that leave coal?” Hunger pangs struck the crowd when the Lola Tilly Commons closed Monday evening, the “first night in this awful place,” David said. Everyone planned to spend the night under the pool at the SRC. Fellow students struck the pipes beneath the SRC with discarded wrenches, hoping the metal straws would deliver milk and honey. Chlorine sprayed into the tunnels, forcing students to higher ground and alerting campus authorities of the underground movement. “We don’t know where the vandals lurk
Day 5 underground: Supplies are dwindling. The tunnels have become ripe with fear and BO. (Seriously, though, when we opened the pool pipes, I’m like ok, people you need to go bathe, but they don’t.) We may have eschewed life on the surface to live in tunnels with voles and spiders but that’s no reason to not be civilized. I’ve been monitoring radiation on my computer, but the batteries are dying. I’ve located a schematic of the tunnels. We may be able to access the Tilly from underground. I’ve got to be honest, many of them aren’t going to make it. They just don’t have the instincts. I have to go fashion a pickaxe from a water pipe now. Will write more tomorrow. -Excerpt from discovered journal of Jeremy Smith. Smith was also in charge of the group’s Facebook page and Twitter feed..
on West Ridge, but this fiasco risks student safety,” said Tom O’Brien, a UAFPD officer. Campus police fear the students may be holding ducks from the Biological Research and Diagnostics Facility hostage. Electrical engineering students rewired some of the student traps to envelope trespassing officers with metal grating. Chancellor Brian Rogers offered mixed praise for the students. “I commend the students for their proactive attitude,” Rogers said. “The university recognizes the need for clean energy. We plan to have algae-powered dormitories by 2020. But someone broke into my house’s utiliduct and stole my Perry Mason DVDs. This has to stop,” he said with a drooping mustache. By the third day, students began to adjust. Many compared the foraging experience to searching for that last pack of instant coffee before doing a store run. Once
the engineering students MacGyver up some radiation detectors, they’ll accept food donations from aid groups. Young stepped on a discarded CAUTION - ASBESTOS sign and surveyed the crowd, the new crow’sfeet around her eyes tightening into a smile. “We’re trying to stay connected,” she said. “This is the first fallout shelter with its own hashtag.” Aboveground, UAF students continue to monitor other known radioactive threats. Bananas remain a disproportional source of radiation, according to student organization Stop Living Off Bananas (SLOB). “Don’t forget about bananas because of this hullabaloo,” said Antonio Torres, SLOB president. “Eating three bananas gives you a year’s worth of coal radiation. Bananas are the real threat to America.” Some students blame the Sun Star’s “sensationalized” reporting of the ailing coal plant, Vitya Romanovsky said. Romanovsky,
a cosmetology student, feared coal’s health consequences after reading a Sun Star article describing the plant’s disturbing “rocket ship” noises, he said. “We never should have used that nuclear comparison chart as last week’s xkcd,” said Andrew Sheeler, the Sun Star Editor-in-Chief. “We knew something like this would happen.” Local authorities deny any evidence that radiation levels are above normal, but they are taking precautionary steps. The Environmental Protection Agency’s spokesperson Gwen Lake alluded to changing times in the wake of a possible coal plant meltdown: “But, I mean, and this is totally unrelated, we’re keeping an eye out for Santa, if you see him. You just can’t throw coal around like that anymore, especially when kids are involved.”
Fun Star
www.uafsunstar.com
April 1, 2011
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Schaeffer Cox: Militia leader, Sci-Fi enthusiast Esme Broussard-Lambert Fun Star Reporter In a surprise move, militia leader Francis “Schaeffer” Cox has fired countappointed attorney John Q. Public, after claiming he was nothing more than a tool of the federal government. Cox and several others have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping. He has also been charged with conspiracy to import unobtanium. Unobtanium is currently only found on the planet Pandora, in the Alpha Centauri star system. The RDA corporation currently has exclusive rights to the importation and distribution of the rare mineral and is currently considering a civil suit. Public, who has practiced law since Stardate 5507.93, was shocked by the decision. “I’ve defended time-traveling midgets, rebels on Hoth and even Keanu Reeves,” said Public. “I don’t have to take this kind of crap from him.” Cox has stated that he has selected Hyper-Chicken to represent him as legal counsel. Hyper-Chicken, the wellknown attorney from the hit reality series “Futurama,” stated that while he may be a simple hyper-chicken from a backwoods asteroid, he is sure of Cox’s innocence. “If we ain’t successful in court, I intend to advise my client to plead insanity,” he added. When asked if he thought Cox was
insane, Hyper-Chicken responded by saying, “Well, for one, he done hired me to represent him.” Since Cox’s arrest on March 10, nothing has been heard from the Second Amendment Task Force (2ATF), a “militia” “organization” Cox currently “commands.” According to a recently released FBI report, Cox stated that if a militia member was arrested, he would immediately implement their “241” (two for one) plan. The plan called for the kidnapping or murder of two state officials for every one militia member detained or killed. According to the same report, Cox expected military assistance from a group of anonymous space smugglers calling themselves “Browncoats.” The “Browncoat”
movement received national attention during 2002 after the release of the controversial television documentary “Firefly.” Due to its sympathetic portrayal of space piracy, Congress felt obligated to cancel the series. “Neither myself nor Han [Solo] are gonna be involved with this guy,” said Malcolm Reynolds, a space pirate. “But, I gotta add, man’s got beliefs. Least he’s willin’ to fight for ‘em.” In an interview with KJNP-TV before his arrest, Cox claimed that the commanding officer of Ft. Wainwright offered him political asylum in the event of his arrest. Col. Timothy Jones, the installation’s commander, could not be reached for comment, but an aide close to Jones stated
that the Colonel was not amused with the statement. “He pretty much went off on Cox,” said the aide. “He was like, ‘Who does Cox think he is? A rebel in Libya?’ Yeah, the Colonel wasn’t happy.” What has struck a cord among many of Cox’s supporters is the court’s choice of legal counsel. According to court documents, the State of Alaska contacted the prestigious law firm of Lincoln, Who, Birdman & Q. The firm is best known for its successful prosecution of Ender Wiggin, the admiral responsible for the genocide of creatures known only as Formin. The genocide was covered in depth in Orson Scott Card’s Pulitzer Prize-winning history “Ender’s Game.” “I can’t believe they got Harvey Birdman in on this,” said one 2ATF member. “Not only him, but that British guy. You know, the time traveler guy with the crazy hair?” When Hyper-Chicken was informed of the states choice in prosecution, he released a single-sentence memo: “We are most definitely chicken-boned.” Efforts to reach Hyper-Chicken have been unsuccessful and Alexandra Cabot, a court staffer returning from Japan, stated she saw Cox’s lawyer board a flight to Rio de Janeiro. “Which is odd,” stated Cabot. “Because Alaska Airlines doesn’t fly to Rio from Fairbanks. The TARDIS does, but the Doctor would never let him borrow it.”
English class teaches texting Rebecca Coleman Fun Star Reporter Have you ever gotten in trouble for texting in class or sneakily hid your phone under your desk to hold conversations? Well, stress no more because Ricardo Karr, the UAF English department chair, announced early this week that there will be a new three-credit English elective that encourages texting. Texting: English through Modern Technology – ENGL 275 – will be available for Fall 2011. The course description illustrates the class as stressing the importance of the relationship between modern English grammar and modern technology, claiming that grammar does not have to be thrown out the window just because of limited space. Since texts are limited to 160 characters, the class will also focus on the successful
as punctuation,” Karr said. “Most students don’t know how to properly use these elements. Colons and semicolons, for example, reduce the need for conjunctions, which then saves characters, allowing text messages to contain more content.” With the growing reliance on texting, it is believed that prior forms of written communication such as letters and emails will become extinct. To further emphasize this point, colleges will soon send out acceptance letters via text to save money and time. “Txting: The Gr8 Db8” by David Crystal is avlbl @ Amazon 4 $8.63. Ths bk hs ben adptd 4 Eng 275. Karr hopes that students will get a chance to practice these business-oriented communication of ideas through brief message types in addition to commonplace, messages. To practice these skills, all homework practical messages such as recipes and assignments are to be submitted via a single movie reviews. It is unknown at this point who will be teaching the class, but the books text message. “We want students to understand the have been chosen. For those of you who want to go out and buy them now, “Txting: importance of sentence structure, as well
The Gr8 Db8” by David Crystal is available on Amazon.com for $8.63, and “Textionary” by CL Hogan is available on Amazon.com for $11.15. Both are eligible for free super saver shipping. The English department hopes that hundreds of students will take advantage of this class, so there is no limit on the number of students who can sign up. Karr said that if necessary, they can use the Schaible Auditorium and will add as many sections as need be. For students with iPhones, Karr stressed the importance of proofreading and turning off autocorrect. This came after an incident where a student movie review of “Clash of the Titans” was changed to read “Clash of the Titties.” Another student reported that an acceptance letter from Harvard accidentally read “You’re adopted! :)”
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Perspectives
March 29, 2011 It’s not just about the room...
Room Selection UAF Residence Life Fall 2011 - Spring 2012 In the Residence Life Office, MBS complex. Select your room for next year!
Monday, April 4 to Friday, April 8 9am-noon each day
LIVING
April 4 Groups of 4 or more April 5 Graduate students, Seniors & Juniors April 6 Sophomores April 7 Freshmen April 8 Open to all students
Check out the Room Selection Booklet delivered to your room! More info also available online at www.uaf.edu/reslife
UAF Residence Life
474-7247
www.uaf.edu/reslife
housing@uaf.edu
ON CAMPUS
SUSTAINABLE REGALIA AT THE UAF BOOKSTORE April 5, 2011 Last day to place orders
Spring 2011 commencement will find all Associate, Bachelor, Master and Doctor Students wearing regalia made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles! In the latest effort to go green on campus, the new line of graduation wear – named GreenWeaver – is made of fabric spun from molten plastic pellets. With some 60 million plastic bottles going into U.S. landfills every day, UAF is helping to turn trash into keepsakes. Congratulations again, and we wish you the best of luck with your new adventures
UAF Bookstore Constitution Hall | 907-474-7348 | www.uaf.bkstr.com
The Sun Star
Weekend Wanderlust Traveler, Study Thyself Jamie Hazlett Sun Star Columnist While idly surfing the internet, looking for inspiration for this week’s column, I came across a link to a short quiz* that promised to help me “find my travel style.” I was intrigued, but skeptical; what could an internet quiz tell me that I didn’t already know about myself? Despite my doubts, I clicked the link. The process was quick, painless, and told me absolutely nothing new. According to the all-knowing quiz makers, I’m a “cultural explorer,” which means I “seek constant opportunities to embrace, discover, and immerse [myself ] in the entire experience of the culture, people and settings of the places [I] visit.” Really? Gee, I would never have guessed that a person who spent four years studying history and anthropology would be interested in cultural immersion. Go figure, I don’t magically morph into a stylish, clubhopping diva the moment I step foot on an airplane! It seems painfully obvious that you are the same basic person on vacation that you are in your day-to-day life. If you’re a worrier at home, you’ll find something to worry about on vacation (Is the water safe to drink? Will you make your connecting flight? What if you run out of shampoo and can’t find the right kind?). If you’re the laidback, anything-goes sort normally, you probably won’t spend the weeks leading up to your departure making rigorous, minute-by-minute itineraries for each day of your trip. Despite the apparent blatancy of this fact, many of us still seem to be operating under the assumption that we’ll be different people on holiday. After all, who wants to pay thousands of dollars to do the same thing they would have done if they’d stayed home? Most of us, actually. Sure, you might participate in a few activities that you wouldn’t have if you’d lugged your Kindle to the couch instead of Hawaii, but the odds are good that that’s mostly because there aren’t many cliff-diving opportunities in Alaska in March. Most people are going to read, shop, watch television, and update their Facebook status 12 times a
day whether they’re on vacation or not. You might also take a surfing lesson or swim with dolphins, but you’ll be sure to find the time on vacation to do the things that you’ve made space for in your every day routine. The difference isn’t so much in what you’re doing as where you’re doing it. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. The human brain craves new experiences, and most of us have the common sense to know roughly what our boundaries are and how much change is too much. Try new things, but don’t be so caught up doing things that will impress your friends back home that you forget to do what makes you happy. Kicking back on the beach with a drink and a book might not yield any great stories, but it’s better than being the person who paid $300 to chicken out of skydiving – or worse yet, the person who paid that much to panic in mid-air and end up as an interesting new topographical feature.
The lesson to carry away from this is to make sure you know yourself before you plan your next trip, especially if your goal is to just relax and unwind. Don’t rent a villa in the middle of nowhere if you recharge your batteries by hitting the bars. Don’t go to Rio during Carnival if you hate crowds and loud noises. Find someplace that offers you a few opportunities to test your boundaries but make sure it has plenty of things that cater to your everyday personality, too. Even if looking before you leap isn’t your style, at least if you know just how long of a fall you’re equipped to handle. *To take the same quiz, go to http:// www.tourismvancouver.com/visitors/ and click the “What’s Your Traveler Type?” link.
www.uafsunstar.com
Editorial
Letters to the Editor Have something to say? Say it here. The Sun Star welcomes reader commentary. Be good global citizens As winter melts away, I’d like to share a few thoughts. At low temperatures not seen for many years, we had experienced an almost forgotten phenomenon: ice fog. Gases otherwise invisible became quite visible as they poured out of power plants, furnaces, and motor vehicles. From high vantage points, one could see all these combustion byproducts form a thick blanket over the city. One could not help thinking, thousands of people live, work, and breathe within that blanket of pollution. Granted, much of it was harmless water vapor. Yet the mix also included toxic carbon monoxide, various oxides of nitrogen, and climate altering carbon dioxide. People should make themselves aware, that while this blanket of pollution becomes starky visible only under certain conditions, it is generated and exists YEAR ROUND.
Each year, mankind generates 7.9 gigatons of CO2. Photosynthesis and ocean absorbtion recycle and sequester 4.6 Gt of it. The atmosphere is still burdened with a not inconsiderable load of 3.3 Gt. How many more years will Gaia be able to absorb all this, before lashing back at us through environmental changes and disasters? These reactions have already begun, and only threaten to get worse with time. Even an economy car will contribute 8 tons of CO2 annually. Other vehicles easily add twice that. Multiplied by the millions, the problem becomes apparent. While modern societies cannot do without carbon fuels, we can at least try to minimize our use of them. It is incumbent on all global citizens to minimize their carbon footprints. Thank you, Paul Tengan
Letters to the editor should be no more than 250 words in length. Please include the author’s full name and contact information (phone number, e-mail or address). E-mail your letters (preferred) to editor@uafsunstar.com, fax them to 474-5508, or mail them to to PO Box 756640, Fairbanks, AK, 99775. Letters must be received by Friday at 5 p.m. in order to run in the next issue. All letters are subject to editing for brevity and grammar.
Coffee Break
xkcd
Sudoku
March 29, 2011
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Breaking through UAF’s glass ceiling Last week, I touched briefly on the subject of gender inequality at UAF. A subject as stark and serious as gender discrimination deserves more attention than just a few sentences under a bullet point. I’ll start with the good news: we’ve made a lot of gender equality progress at UAF. In the 1970’s, more than 80 percent of new faculty hires were men. As of the 2000’s, the gender scale has tipped — slightly more than 50 percent of new faculty are female. This is according to the 2005 “Study of Faculty Work Life at the University of Alaska Fairbanks” by the UAF Faculty Senate Committee on the Status of Women (CSW). UAF history professor Carol Gold created the CSW six years ago. The bad news is that most of those new female professors are starting out in lowranking, less secure positions. That same CSW study found that of the 406 tenured or tenure-track faculty, just one-third were women. Tenured professors enjoy higher salaries and stronger job security than non-tenured professors. According to the CSW, a disproportionate number of female professors are adjunct faculty, a position that offers no benefits, no insurance and little pay. Quite simply, it’s nearly impossible to make a living as an adjunct professor. There are also more women in term-funded positions than men. A term-funded position is a step up from adjunct in that it comes with benefits and better pay. However, term-funding means that a position is paid only for the duration of the school year. Termfunded professors, predominantly women, find themselves at the end of every school year wondering if they still have a job. Kayt Sunwood, director of the Women’s Center and member of the CSW, said that the disparity in pay and positions of rank between men and women at the university is often shoved under the rug or explained away. “That for me is very frustrating,” Sunwood said, “that it’s not taken seriously.” A lack of a living wage is just one problem affecting many women faculty on the UAF campus. Another is blatant misogyny. According to the CSW study, a quarter of female faculty at UAF has reported being sexually harassed with 5 percent saying they’d experienced chronic harassment. Women who were harassed said their antagonist was frequently a junior member of the faculty, an administrator or a student. Distressingly, only a minority of men at UAF considers sexual harassment to be a serious problem. The CSW report says that a slim majority at UAF considers the university’s handling of sexual assault claims to be effective. That’s not a statistic to be proud of. Yet another area where female faculty members face discrimination is in childbirth. When Melanie Arthur, a professor in the sociology department, came to UAF, she was pregnant. When her child was born, she was only able to take time off from work that semester because she had received a research grant that allowed her to devote time to research instead of teaching. Professors without accrued leave or a grant must choose between working the semester and being paid or staying at home and bonding with their child. For single parents, this isn’t even a choice. I grow weary of hearing phrases such as “man-hater” and “feminazi.” I am tired seeing men and women(!) happily buying in to the notion that a woman “deserved it” if she was raped or harassed or that women who protest their unequal treatment are being shrill. I am exhausted from the casual and omnipresent sexism and misogyny that pervades our society. But I am angry about the inequality women face at UAF. Why? Because I live here. Because UAF is my home and I give a damn about how my home behaves. I am angry because I have two daughters and I don’t want to see them grow up in a world that secretly fears and loathes them for their gender. I am angry because UAF, with all its lofty ideals, should know better.
Andrew Sheeler Editor-in-Chief UAF Sun Star
Breaking ground for groundbreaking science
west ridge 1 2 3 4 5
Join us!
Akasofu – refreshments Arctic Health Research Groundbreaking site Butrovich Museum of the North, UA
Upper-campUs living 11 Residence halls 12 Student apartments 13 Chancellor’s residence
Yukon Drive
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at 4 p.m. p
Tanana Loop
aLumni Dri
THompson Drive
Refreshments will be served after the event in the lobby of the Akasofu Building.
GeisT roaD
UAF is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. Illustration by SmithGroup. 03/2011