MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018
VOLUME 121 ISSUE 48 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
The Results Are In Ryan Nix
Co-News Editor
Chase Grindberg and Marisa Pacella will be North Dakota State’s new student body president and vice present. The results were announced April 5 outside of the student government office in the Memorial Union. Grindberg attributes his ticket’s success to the people who helped advertise and spread the word about
plish is to get “a very solid executive team in place so then as the year progresses, throughout next fall and this spring.” Grindberg is excited about the work that goes along with the job saying, “I’ve been involved in politics, you know, my whole life.” Fiscally, Grindberg is looking to lobby state representatives to raise funding for North Dakota State. Vice President-elect Pacella said she attributes
Students elect Grindberg-Pacella as Student Body President and Vice President
safety initiative. Pacella said they spoke with Carol Cwiak, an associate professor in the emergency management department, when they were developing their initiative. Landon Holmquist, the current executive commissioner of finance, said if the Powley-Patton ticket would have won it would have been a bigger learning curve because of their lack of student government experience. The new student body president said he wants
“I’ve been involved in politics, you know, my whole life.” - Chase Grindberg, Student Body President-elect their campaign. According to Grindberg, their ticket got people to come out to vote by “getting out there doing the contact tables, really getting impassioned about our platform and really seeing, you know, exactly how we can change the student experience here at NDSU.” The first thing the president-elect wants to accom-
some of the campaign’s success to student organizations. During the campaign, Grindberg and Pacella talked to “over 40 student organizations,” according to Pacella. Pacella said they told the student organizations they are there to listen. Grindberg and Pacella have also stressed their
to increase state funds for NDSU so this would involve lobbying. The remodeling of Dunbar Hall is also included in his aspirations. The turnout for this election was 11 votes shy of last year’s turnout: 792 students voted for Grindberg-Pacella and 275 students voted for Powley-Patton.
Vice President-elect Marisa Pacella celebrates victory.
MIRANDA STAMBLER | THE SPECTRUM
Σnough: Educating Students on Sexual Violence I Stand with Enough event brings advocacy and support for those dealing with sexual assault Miranda Stambler Features Editor
On April 4, North Dakota State student organization Σnough, hosted the event “I Stand with Enough” to educate students on sexual abuse and violence. This is a Greek organization that is based on the prevention and advocating against sexual assault and abuse. The event had multiple booths of support systems or advocates such as: Planned Parenthood, YWCA, Red River Children’s Advocacy Center, Red River Women’s
a local non-profit running through the Red River Women’s Clinic and partners with the Plains Art Museum. They give women a note of compassion, written by a stranger, and a ceramic potted plant to give support. They consider themselves pro-compassion by not taking a stance on abortion, but give a support system and love no matter the decision. Why plants? “It’s a proven fact that plants help in the healing process, so that’s where our originator came up with the idea. She worked at the Red River
someone there to help you,” Aguilar explained. The Red River Children’s Advocacy Center is a center where they examine children and advocate for any child that shows symptoms of abuse. The importance of attending events to represent the center is important because according to Val Erickson, a nurse practitioner at Sanford Hospital, “What we know is that those victims or those survivors are out there, so it’s important that they know that they are not alone and that they are being heard and
“We know that each survivor will share his or her own story when they are ready” - Kate Christensen, speaker for Planned Parenthood Clinic and Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. YWCA is an organization that provides shelter for women and children who are escaping homelessness or domestic violence. They have a variety of programs and classes for women and do not tell them what choices they should make, but rather guide them with the choices they do make. The Red River Women’s Clinic provides care for women with birth control and abortion services. By attending the event, Katelynn Norman, a worker at the clinic, believes, “It creates awareness and a lot of people aren’t aware that these resources exist in their community until they are told.” Plants for Patients is
Clinic and was thinking that for her senior project, here from NDSU, how can we bring the community in and how can we show people compassion and non-judgement,” Monica Gelinske, director of operations, explained. Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, where they offer many services such as help with child care, counseling, therapy classes, supplies for food and toiletries, etc. NDSU student Courtney Aguilar volunteers at the center and sees the importance of representing the center at events. “To spread awareness, that way everyone can know and if you — hopefully not — but if you’re ever in that situation and you feel like you’re alone, you have
INSIDE
2
that there are safe places out there that they can come to.” Among one of the speakers was Officer Gennifer Sprecher of the University Police Department. She spoke about her self-defense class offered to women, RAD. This is a two-hour class for six days, with practices outside of class as well. The class is for women to learn self-defense moves and act them out. “An attacker looks for people that are vulnerable, so the more confidence that you have when you’re walking around (then) you’re less likely to be victimized,” Sprecher said. Sprecher referenced the murder of Dru Sjodin. Back in 2003 in Grand Forks, she had been abducted while
Honoring the memories of Danika Murphy, Ellie Helm and Noah Rockenback
MIRANDA STAMBLER | THE SPECTRUM
Kate Christensen spoke on resources Planned Parenthood has for victims of sexual assault. She then did an to help with sexual abuse/ only walking to her car from the Columbia Mall parking interactive experience where assault. “We always believe she taught the audience how victims,” Christensen said. lot. Sprecher wants to make to punch and scream “no” at “All sex should be wanted.” They focus on what a students think about ‘what the same time because she if’ scenarios and how said the voice is as good as healthy relationship looks they would react. “Going a physical attack. Sprecher like and what consent looks through ‘what if’ scenarios also wanted the audience to like. Christensen summed and thinking about that,” know they always win in the up the event, as well as Sprecher said. Whether it’s scenarios because in the real the advocacy of Planned an active shooter, someone scenario if you think you Parenthood, by stating, grabbing you in the parking are going to win, you will “Educate people to hopefully bring sexual assault violence lot or someone inviting you consistently keep fighting. The second speaker of the to an end and we can live in upstairs at a party, she wants to make it so people have event was Kate Christensen, a community where all sex is Planned wanted, all sex is consensual thought it through before so representing they know what to do and Parenthood. She focused and all sex is safe.” on the treatments they offer will be less likely to panic.
4
Women’s Activist Organization hosts fourth annual Sex Positivity Expo
7
Comic and gaming convention iMagicon returns to Minot, ND for fourth year