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The Observer - Fall 2021 - Issue 6

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November 04, 2021

Vol. 120 NO. 6

Donte Hamilton: Continuing the legacy of #44

Head coach Fisk and Hamilton reflect on what #44 means to the program

By Leah Shepherd Staff Reporter Being #44 is a tradition given to a defensive player who represents the football team well and carries the core values of the team. Graduate student Donte Hamilton was chosen as #44 for many reasons, mainly for his ability to lead a team through any kind of game. His love for football and being a leader started at a young age for him. “I started playing [football] when I was 10 years old but wanted to play for a long time,” Hamilton said. He said his mom wouldn’t let him play until he was 10, due to safety, so he started with soccer. Hamilton then made the shift to football when he was allowed. His passion for football started in 2009 when his dad passed away because he took Hamilton to University of Washington football games as a kid. “He is still one of my inspirations today,” Hamilton said. “I’ve always wanted to be a person he could be proud of and kind of do it for him and my family.” Head coach Chris Fisk explained his view on Hamilton and why he is #44. Fisk stated how he is a “relentless” player along with any of the other players who have worn #44. “When I say these things I don’t say them lightly,” Fisk said. “He’s a leader.” Fisk gave an example of how Hamilton’s leadership shows. Hamilton, on multiple occasions, found Coach Fisk at halftime and said, “You don’t have to say anything to the team, I already got it.” “As a head coach that is mind blowing to me,” Fisk said. “That type of leadership you don’t see all the time.” Fisk said Hamilton exceeds all expectations given to him like the football team’s core values of character, strength and honor. “[Hamilton has] the highest character you can find, he’s a strong willed person,” Fisk

For more coverage on construction projects on campus, see pages 4-5

Failed transformer leaves psychology building empty until late November By Katherine Camarata Staff Reporter

Photo Courtesy of CWUAthletics, Donte Hamilton was chosen to wear #44 this year due to his leadership and relentlessness on and off the field.

said. “The way that he honors the 44 and the alumni and everybody that’s come through and built this program, [it’s] how you know you got the right guy … we are so lucky to have him.” Hamilton currently leads the team in solo tackles (40), assisted tackles (21), tackles for loss (12) and interceptions (6). He’s tied for the team lead in sacks (5.5). He’s been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Defensive Player of the Week three times this season for his performances at Eastern New Mexico in the season opener, against Angelo State and against Midwestern State, where he recorded three interceptions in the fourth quarter. Hamilton said being #44 was something he had in the back of his mind when he first visited CWU. “It’s a great honor because it means my teammates [and coaches] look at me very highly,” Hamilton said. “I just [have] to uphold the stan-

dard of the people that have been here before me and have wore #44.” To Hamilton, being #44 means making sure you are someone that people can look to everyday whether that’s games, practice or class. “Being someone on the defense that everyone can rely on, and someone that people

look up to, and hopefully aspire to be like,” Hamilton said. For this year, Hamiliton said he prides himself in coming back during these uncertain times, not only for him but for his team. “We’ve created a culture where guys are really happy and excited to be around each other,” Hamilton said.

Photo Courtesy of Donte Hamilton, Hamilton is pictured here as a baby with his ‘Papa.’

The transformer in the basement of the psychology building had an unexpected failure before the beginning of fall quarter, leaving the building without electrical service and students without a classroom. “There are some parking lights that are fed off of some of those feeds that we just wanted to make sure were still lit for safety of the students, faculty and staff on campus,” Director of Capital Planning and Projects Delano Palmer said. Emergency power is being used to keep these lights in action, according to Palmer. Palmer said the Capital and Facility Management team is “working on doing an emergent remediation of that project, which required us utilizing what’s called our minor works funds to fund that project,” and that the transformer appeared to fail due to age. The transformer was installed and sealed in the basement 48 years ago when the psychology building was originally built in 1973. Palmer said a refurbished transformer was ordered, as a new transformer would take months to arrive. At the time of the interview, he said there is an expected six to eight week long time period before the transformer will be restored.

See full story online


A LOOK BEYOND

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November 04, 2021

Online Teasers:

DEC to host Día de los Muertos event

CWU sports are a key community event on campus

Tech CEO delivers AI lecture

Beyond Our Coverage: Local

National

Washington state’s eviction moratorium expired on Oct. 31. The Seattle Times reported that Gov. Jay Inslee said, “We have to have some end to the moratorium. You can’t have an economy ultimately where just nobody pays rent.” November is National Native American Heritage Month. Stay tuned for The Observer’s coverage on events this month. The Kittitas County elections were held on Nov. 2. The results can be viewed online at results.vote.wa.

World

National elections were held on Nov. 2. According to CBS, Republican Glenn Youngkin won Governor of Virginia. At the Conference of the Parties 26 (COP26), President Biden agrees on plans to end deforestation and curb emissions of greenhouse gas according to Business Insider. Same-sex spouses and partners are now able to get survivor benefits from Social Security which were being denied because of same-sex marriage bans, according to USA Today.

A professional tennis star, Peng Shuai, accused Zhang Gaoli, former vice-premier of China, of sexual assault, according to The New York Times. After an apartment building in Lagos, a city in Nigeria, collapsed, there are a reported 22 dead so far. Reuters reports that since the collapse, numerous people have been surrounding the wreckage to learn about the people who may have been involved in the collapse. A 4-year-old girl who disappeared from her campsite in Australia was found 18 days later according to CNN. She was found in a house and a 36-year-old man has been detained in connection with this case. The Galapagos marine reserve is being expanded by 60,000 sq. km. by Ecuador. According to BBC, this is one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world and this action was to combat climate change.

Visit our website for more information.

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in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in information to the campus and community; to provide a public forum for the free debate of issues, ideas and problems facing the community at large; and to be the best source of information, education and entertainment news. As a training program, The Observer is the practical application of the theories and principles of journalism. It teaches students to analyze and communicate information that is vital to the decision making of the community at large. It provides a forum for students to learn the ethics, values and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career. If you have questions or concerns, email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.


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November 04, 2021

NEWS

‘Rocky Horror’ returns to CWU The cult classic returns to the CWU stage in its fifth rendition of Rocky Horror By Kat White Assistant Copy Editor The theater darkens as the audience chants “lips, lips, lips” repeatedly. A person in a corset and knee-high stockings sashays out as red lips appear on the screen and the crowd shouts “Thank you!” The CWU production of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” took place in a packed crowd last Friday, Oct. 29. “Rocky Horror,” a film originally released in 1975, is a cult classic. When it first came out it was considered a flop after not doing well in box office sales with $21,245 opening weekend. But since then, the work has garnered a following during midnight showings that turned into people dressing as characters, lip-syncing songs and performing in front of the movie, otherwise known as a shadow cast. CWU students have gotten in on the act. Since 2016, the Theatre Department has put together a shadow cast version of the show every fall. “Truly, it’s a bad movie,” said Alisa Muench, director of this year’s production. “That’s why it has become what it is. But somehow the more you watch it just the better it gets.” Muench said she is a huge fan of the movie and said she has watched it over 100 times. Muench said she loves “creating new members of the cult … I identify as a member of the Rocky Horror cult.” Character Interpretation Friday’s performance involved a shadow cast, which was the CWU cast standing in front of the movie acting as the char-

acters on the screen. They dress similarly to the characters and lip-sync along to the movie. “We’re trying to get them to imitate exactly what’s happening in the movie,” Muench said. “Right before [the song] ‘Time Warp’ stops, Riff Raff’s character is doing this weird thing with his thumb and that’s something I encourage our Riff Raff to do.” The main part of a shadow cast is that the cast must emulate the characters on screen. There is no character interpretation, unlike stage plays and musicals which “encourage [directors] to interpret the character their own way,” Muench said. “You know you shouldn’t be copying someone when you’re doing the stage musical or play. But for the shadow cast, it’s kind of the whole gimmick is that you are.” “I think what I really love is seeing my actors come into their characters, like really become the character that they’re playing,” said Muench. These aspects of character interpretation are also present for the actors. Shawn Mulligan, a musical theatre major who played Riff Raff this year, said, “It really is a show where it’s very much follow what has been done rather than what’s your character analysis. It’s very much what is the character doing here that you can visibly imitate?” Rehearsals The cast practiced for five weekends after the Sept. 25 auditions. Eighteen students got roles out of the 50 who auditioned this year. “I wanted to get involved with something,” said Andy Johnston, history and social studies major who played Rocky in this year’s

Photo Courtesy of Sequoia Good, (Left to right) Emily Hansen (Columbia), Reese Sigman (Magenta), Libby Williams* (Frank n’ Furter), Shawn Mulligan (Riff Raff)*Libby Williams works as Scene Editor for The Observer.

production. “I had seen the show once before a couple of years ago and I remember it being a really fun show to watch.” Other than copying the mannerisms of the movie, the performance also had a lot of dancing involved. “I have not danced in a very long time, at least, like, strenuously danced, and so getting back into that mindset,” Mulligan said. “I have three songs in a row where I have to dance. I have to have enough energy to get through these. I get done with the first of three songs and I’m dying and I’m like well I gotta keep going on to the next one.” The dancing was especially challenging for Johnston, who had never done a musical before. “During rehearsals, a lot of [the cast] would know some of the movements already or have their body like already under control,” Johnston said. “With practice, I was able to kind of match them.”

Stoker said lip-syncing makes the performance good for people with little musical, or any acting, experience to participate. “I’m always very happy it was a lip-sync, because there’s something I can do,” Johnston said. “I actually had no musical theater experiences before this, so I got an opportunity to learn from everybody else and have more professional-like stuff that I didn’t know before.” Performance Elizabeth Stoker, theatre education major and this year’s stage manager, explained that the biggest challenge for performing and rehearsals is the use of masks. The production’s COVID-19 policy had them masking until the last day of rehearsal. “We’re lip-syncing to the movie having masks on,” Stoker said. “We don’t see our actors lip-syncing.” During the performance, they were allowed to not wear masks

while performing on stage. There were also difficulties surrounding the performance space and audience size. Muench said, “We’ve been through a couple loops in terms of where we’ll be performing and how that will work in the space, how many people will be there, who we’re letting in.” Muench said it all worked out in the end. The production was in McConnell Hall, instead of the SURC Ballroom where it has been in years past and limited the audience number to 570. The audience sat, sometimes standing to dance, and shouted out callouts like “Say it,” during Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s “Sweet Transvestite.” In the end, the lights came up after the cast bowed, ending CWU’s night on the 1975 film. “It’s managed to endure for so long,” Mulligan said. “The reason it’s endured and it is so important is it is unapologetically brash and entertaining.”

Concerns raised about accessibility at CWU: A student and faculty member address accessibility issues encountered on campus By Joseph Stanger Staff Reporter Going to classes while living on campus isn’t particularly difficult: you walk the equivalent of a few blocks and you can get almost anywhere within minutes. But, if you’re a wheelchair user, getting around is a very different experience. “There are smaller things that people don’t think about walking around campus as an able-bodied [person], they don’t see inaccessibility,” said Sawyer Stearns, a graduate student from the family and child life program who’s been navigating campus in a wheelchair for nearly five years. “Not only for someone in a wheelchair, but even people who are visually impaired or hearing impaired there’s definitely some issues.” For an able-bodied person, a large crack in the sidewalk is just something to step over, but for a disabled person, it could be a legitimate

obstacle. Stearns said she’s even fallen out of her wheelchair on campus because of the condition some of the sidewalks are in. Stearns said her experience with accessibility on campus has been overall decent, but because of inaccessibility in certain buildings, her version of getting to class looks a bit different than what it would look like for an able-bodied individual. She said she’s had classes in Michaelson Hall throughout her time at CWU, and in order to get to those classes, she has to enter through a completely different building. “The problem is that the elevator is in Randall and you have to cross the breeze-through to get into Michaelson,” Stearns said. “Also, most of the rooms in there, if they’re not the bigger rooms … [I’m] in a room that’s so tiny that I can’t turn around without hitting things. So, it makes it harder for me to be a part of everyone else because … I’m a little more isolated.”

Although her professors have been accommodating, it doesn’t change the fact that Stearns usually has to take long detours in order to get where she needs to go. During her first few years, she wasn’t even able to get into her friends’ dorm rooms if they lived in one of the older buildings because of a lack of accessibility. Stearns believes that if CWU was more accessible, she would’ve been able to accomplish more in her time here. “I felt more isolated at times when friends would meet in a dorm that was not accessible and I wouldn’t be able to get over there. I couldn’t go,” Stearns said. “I never try to let [my wheelchair] stop me for things, but if I can’t get in, that’s definitely going to stop me.” Stearns said good accessibility starts with allowing those with disabilities to make decisions and have a louder voice in conversations about accessibility.

“All the time we’re tearing down buildings and then we’re making new ones,” Stearns said. “I think good accessibility starts in letting [disabled people] have a voice. Just because Disability History Month is over doesn’t mean the awareness is over.” Web accessibility can also be an issue for those with disabilities, but unlike CWU’s campus, there aren’t standards or regulations for it. During a screening put on for Disability History Month, which occurs every October in Washington, Disability Services Director Wendy Holden talked about some of the issues she’s seen at CWU regarding online accessibility. “There are faculty who are worried about textbook prices so they … take a textbook and they photocopy it, and they upload photocopies for everyone to save them money,” Holden said. “I keep telling them, ‘First of all, no one wants to read your crooked photocopy.

Second of all, it’s inaccessible!’” Holden said Disability Services is looking to get people signed up for their disability advocacy organization, ABLE (Accessibility Belonging Learning and Equality), which is currently inactive due to previous student leadership graduating from CWU. Disability Services is also hoping students will show up to the meetings held by the Accessibility and Disability Action Planning Team (ADAPT). She said that changes are more likely to be made if students make their own voices heard rather than leaving faculty to be the advocates. “I don’t know if students realize how valuable your voice is and how much power you have. I can say, ‘we need to do this and we need to do this,’” Holden said, “but if a student says, ‘this is a problem and this is what’s important to me,’ it carries a lot of weight.”


$60 million building set to open in January 2022: Facilities staff and professors describe plans for new Health Sciences hub By Katherine Camarata Staff Reporter CWU’s latest construction project is drawing to a close this winter as the Health Sciences program prepares to inhabit its new home. The Health Sciences building will be three stories tall, house over 600 students and cost an estimated $60 million, according to the CWU website. As students enter the building set to open its doors in January 2022, they will see multiple new simulation laboratories according to University Facilities Planning Officer Doug Ryder. A Number of Programs Hosted Here According to Health Sciences Department Chair Ethan Bergman, the building will host five undergraduate programs: Clinical Physiology, Exercise Science, Food Science and Nutrition, Paramedicine and Public Health. The building will also host three graduate programs: Integrative Human Physiology, Nutrition and Public Health. The new facility will prepare students to go into graduate nursing programs, physician’s assistant programs, doctorates in physical therapy or occupational therapy and many other fields, according to Clinical Physiology Professor Vincent Nethery. “If there are community challenges that exist, quite likely some of the expertise in that building will be able to help resolve community concerns or be able to answer questions,” Nethery said.

The regionally renowned Health Sciences program will gain lots of useful technology in this building, according to Ryder. “This facility is going to be great for our students because it allows better hands-on learning,” Ryder said. “Our paramedics and EMT students will have simulators in the building. [There will be] a biomechanics laboratory, and a new anatomy laboratory that will be used by all of the sciences on campus. Simulation Laboratories Offer Near Real World Experience Ryder said the paramedic students will be able to practice with brand new ambulance simulators using mannequins or other students. “We’re going to have a stateof-the-art cadaver lab with eight cadavers in it, which is really exciting,” Bergman said. “There is an environmental chamber that is going to be able to simulate different environmental conditions like heat and cold, also elevation changes so we can see the physiological response of people in those circumstances.” The new building will include a hospital room simulator and a clinical exam room simulator for students to practice. “We’ve got a … food production kitchen and a food tasting area that is going to be really great for our Food Science and Nutrition program,” Bergman said. “We have a morphology lab that is going to have all the different ways to measure and estimate body composition.” Faculty involved with the building are looking forward

to laboratories that will provide students with practical experience for their careers. “Another part of their laboratory space includes an apartment simulator [with] a kitchen, bathroom and living room,” Ryder said. This simulator will help students prepare for difficult situations that require assistance, like a person falling out of bed or falling in their bathroom at home. According to Ryder, there are video cameras in the simulation laboratories so students can play back their work and receive critique. “When they go out on their first calls as a paramedic, they’ll have a lot more confidence and a lot more experience,” Ryder said. “[They’ll] be much better prepared for helping people in the community.” New Upgrades Create New Opportunities With so many upgrades in this facility that directly impact learning, CWU is eager to open the doors of the Health Sciences building. Nethery expressed excitement about all the Health Sciences programs residing in one building for the first time. “At the moment, this department is spread all over the campus across six or seven buildings,” Nethery said. “There’s no home for Health Sciences on this campus and in January there will be. The laboratory components that they teach students with right now are very much makeshift. Equipment is minimal. This will provide ... enhancement of the instructional component

and the types of experiences that students will be able to undertake in the classroom.” Students will experience cutting edge innovation in eco-friendly energy sources as well. “It’s really an exceptionally designed building,” Ryder said. “It’s very energy efficient, it has lots of natural daylight and has 9,000 square feet of solar panels.” Ryder said the heating and cooling system will use recovered heat from the exhaust jack on the campus boiler. Costs of gas and electricity will be lowered once this system is implemented. Cost effective measures benefit students and taxpayers alike, while measures to preserve the environment are necessary to combat climate change. Parking for electric vehicles will be available outside the building to promote energy efficiency. According to Ryder, the project has experienced some pandemic related delays but their general contractors and vendors have worked hard to ensure the building will be open for winter quarter. “I think that’s a testament to all the people involved, including our consultants LMN Architects, our contractor T.W. Clark [Construction], and all of their subconsultants and subcontractors that have done an excellent job for our project,” Director of Capital Planning and Projects Delano Palmer said. Palmer said he was proud that the CWU Facilities and Planning teams completed a “masterful and successful project during the middle of a pandemic.”


The construction site of the Health Sciences building.

“This facility is going to be great for our students because it allows better hands-on learning.”

New auditorium in Health Sciences building.

-Doug Ryder, University Facilities Planning Officer

New gas ranges ready for connection in Food Sciences labs.

2022 Construction Projects on Campus Expansion to Southeast side of Nicholson Pavilion, connecting to Purser Hall for Health Education Electrical feed maintenance on North side of campus Replacement of Barge Hall roof Brick tuck pointing for Barge Hall Update of McConnell Hall elevator Update of fire alarm panels in Barge Hall and Discovery Hall Update of fume hood digital controls and ventilation in Science building Landscaping that includes irrigation control and tree replacements Roughly $700,000 worth of IT and IS modernization for data infrastructure Over $500,000 to update building metering to improve energy efficiency Improvement of sidewalks and concrete around campus

Photos taken by Doug Ryder, Atrium inside the new Health Sciences building.

“We’re going to have a state-of-the-art cadaver lab with eight cadavers in it, which is really exciting.” -Ethan Bergman, Health Sciences Department Chair


OPINION

Page 06

Edith and Ethel: Ask the Aunties By ‘Edith and Ethel’ Columnists Dear Aunties, How do I finish stats without throwing myself off a bridge? Sincerely, an Overworked and Overstressed Business Major Edith: Considering I have zero information on stats or anything smart in general, this is probably more of a question for Ethel this week. Ethel: Easy! Throw the stats off the bridge instead. Edith: I’m assuming stats is a topic that constantly has heavy homework, and takes more than the two brain cells I possess to understand? Ethel: To be honest, I had a hard time with statistics. I had to watch lectures on repeat, and thankfully was able to watch them while I was doing open note tests. I just really recommend walking away from the work when it starts getting frustrating and coming back to it in a half hour to an hour. Edith: I would go about this the same way I approach any difficult work. Ethel: Which is what, not do it? Edith: Cry. Just kidding, I would do my best to space the work out throughout my day so I don’t get overwhelmed, or I would do it all at once. Per our first column, I suggested doing everything in a Red Bull powered work session. Ethel: If you’d like to avoid a caffeine induced heart attack, you can also check out Khan Academy online. It’s available for all grade levels and higher education levels and includes extra lessons and practice for math, science, economics and test prep, such as LSAT and MCAT, among other categories. Edith: You can do the work session without pumping yourself full of straight caffeine, but that’s the only way I get through it. I’m here for a good time, not a long time. But I would suggest studying and finding what study techniques appeal to you. I enjoy taking colorful notes and I find writing everything that I want to remember down makes it stick better in my little brain. Ethel: I also enjoy colorful notes. I don’t ever go back to them again, but it’s fun writing things down in different colors because it makes me feel like I’m procrastinating when I’m really not. #ProcrastinationNation Edith: Trying out different studying techniques is the best advice I could give. We gotta go, Ethel. I’m embarrassed that I’m uneducated. Ethel: I agree, let’s leave it at this. Best of luck Overworked and Overstressed!

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November 04, 2021

Opinion: ‘Squid Game’ has become what it criticizes By Joseph Stanger Columnist *Light spoilers for the show* If you haven’t already seen it, you’re probably sick of hearing about it. “Squid Game” is a Korean drama series and the latest pop-culture craze to come out of Netflix, and whether you hate it or love it, you can’t deny its explosive success. I shouldn’t have to convince anyone that “Squid Game” is an anti-capitalist show. The creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, has outright said it. If you understand capitalism, then you understand this show is commenting on it from the moment money gets involved. You might hear grifters on the internet try to convince you that Hwang is somehow wrong about his own series, which he first conceptualized in 2008 amidst the collapse of the global economy that year, and that it’s actually a critique of communism. That’s a silly notion considering how applicable much of the show is to any society under a capitalist organization of the economy. The main character is an ex-factory employee who experiences PTSD from a violent work strike, which eventually resulted in him getting to a place where he’s a ripe contestant for “Squid Game.” The game, in and of itself, is reflective of capitalist society, which influences and pushes participants to step on and over others in order to improve their own chances of success.

Photos Complied by Addie Adkins, Netflix and Walmart partnered in offering ‘Squid Game’ merchandise, contrasting with the show’s meaning.

The game also allows participants to democratically decide if they want to participate, but once they see how poor their conditions are outside of the game, they conclude that they have a better chance of succeeding in “Squid Game” than they do in normal society. But, despite the clear meaning of the show, which advocates against capitalistic greed, “Squid Game” has quickly become a money-printing pop-culture phenomenon. Because of this success and the business decisions that come with it, “Squid Game’s” impact is virtually antithetical to its meaning. In the weeks following the release of the show, Netflix quickly

partnered with Walmart in order to create merchandise. You can already purchase hats, T-shirts, notebooks and even Funko Pops based on the main characters. The show also influenced Netflix’s competition in the streamer space to commission more international productions; not because good shows can come out of international productions, but because cheap shows can. In the weeks following “Squid Game’s” release, Disney announced that it was planning 27 new shows and movies from the Asia Pacific region. Corporations have taken to social media to turn their logos into shapes for the dalgona game from the show, real-versions of “Squid Game” are popping up

around the world (without killing, thankfully) and the IRL VIP himself, Jeff Bezos, is making posts congratulating Netflix on “Squid Game’s” success. “I can’t wait to watch the show,” he tweeted. I believe that part of the reason for the show having an impact that opposes its own values (at least in the United States) is due to a lack of media literacy. In South Korea, the show has resulted in workers using it as inspiration to strike against the government’s labor policies. Meanwhile, in the US, people are using it as inspiration to dress up like one of the “Squid Game” guys for Halloween. There are definitely Americans that recognize the meaning of the show, but most will probably watch it for the characters and gruesome set-pieces. From what I’ve seen, most of the discourse revolving around “Squid Game” is about the games played, whether kids should be able to watch the show or Jung Ho-yeon, the South Korean model and actress who gained over 20 million followers after the release of the show. Until media literacy in the US is made more important, shows even with the most obvious and harsh criticisms of the systems we live in will only be swallowed up and used to perpetuate those systems. And maybe, if more people are made aware of the problems that exist in our current society under capitalism, more people will be willing to stand up against it instead of becoming players in the very real “Squid Game.”

Opinion: Disney helped shape our childhoods By Kate Caviezel Columnist Disney movies teach some of the most important life lessons. I grew up watching almost every Disney movie and never realized all the hidden concepts until I was a little older. From the classics to newer releases, each movie teaches us something new. The classic movie, “The Lion King,” has one of the most iconic quotes. “Hakuna matata,” the words spoken by Timon and Pumba, meaning no worries, are the words that stick out the most. This is a clever way to say relax and go with the flow which is important to remember when life gets challenging. According to EduAdvisor, “The Lion King” teaches that you shouldn’t worry about the inevitable and live in the present. If the problem can be solved, there’s no reason to worry. “The Lion King” is a true example of not worrying about the past or the future.

“Tangled” is another movie with a strong lead character. Rapunzel proves that taking risks is a part of life. She shows that it’s important to be brave and step out of your comfort zone occasionally. This movie tells the story of Rapunzel and her bravery, and in the end she is finally able to find herself and her true love. According to EduAdvisor, Rapunzel’s journey in “Tangled” allows her to experience new things and find herself. It’s important to not keep yourself locked away from the world just to play it safe. We must learn to embrace the unknown and to not be afraid to try something new. “The Princess and the Frog” is another favorite of mine. Like “Beauty and the Beast,” it teaches to not judge a book by its cover. However, it also teaches how important it is to always work hard. Tiana shows us that she can’t reach her dreams magically, it involves real world hard work, time and patience.

Photo by Aziem Hassan, Courtesy of Flickr.

In the article from EduAdvisor, Tiana knows that hard work is the key to achieving your dreams. The movie gives a realistic outlook on life and how to reach success. When she tried the easy way by agreeing to kiss

the frog, she quickly learned the easy way out backfires. These life lessons are just a few examples of what Disney teaches us. They may be made for kids, but everyone can learn something from watching each movie.


Page 07

November 04, 2021

SPORTS

Athletes choose against college athletics:

A look at the perspectives of two former high school athletes

By Jamie Bass Staff Reporter Many high school athletes make the decision to not continue playing sports in college. There can be many reasons behind choosing to end an athletic career, and there are many students at CWU who have made that choice. Sophomore mathematics education major Alise Rohr played volleyball, basketball, fastpitch and track and field during her time at South Bend High School. She said that being able to control her schedule was a factor in not continuing sports. “I didn’t want to be tied down, or have any serious commitments when I was moving away from home,” Rohr said. Rohr said she never planned on continuing sports into college and doesn’t have any regrets about it. “I don’t regret not doing sports because I like where my life is now,” Rohr said. “If I did sports I don’t know that I would have become friends with the people who I am friends with, who knows if I would have even met them.” Now that Rohr is no longer a competing athlete she spends her time working, spending time with her friends and being outdoors around Ellensburg.

Photo Courtesy of Sidney Schmidt (Soccer, Number 10) and Alise Rohr (Basketball, Number 15) , Both Alise Rohr and Sydney Schmidt decided not to play sports in college, but for different reasons.

Other students may have wished to continue their athletic career in college, but circumstances wouldn’t allow them to do so. Sophomore criminal justice major Sidney Schmidt said she had originally planned to play sports in college. Schmidt played both soccer and softball in high school and was on track

to play softball at CWU. However, playing in high school was a rocky experience for her. “My experience was that if you didn’t give a name, then no one would care about you,” Schmidt said “No one would give you a chance unless you had a name and money.” Ultimately, she decided not to continue her ath-

letic career in college. She said she wanted to be able to experience the childhood she would have experienced without playing sports. However, she does have some regret with that decision. “A part of me misses it a lot. It was a big stress relief,” Schmidt said. “It was a way for me to deal with my mental health

and mental illness struggles appropriately without harming myself.” Both Rohr and Schmidt agreed that just because sports are what’s expected of a person, that doesn’t mean that it’s right for them. Both encouraged for athletes to do what they want and what one believes is best for themselves.

Wildcats thump Lincoln:

CWU basketball welcomes Gary Payton back to PNW with beating

Football team sets multiple school records in 92-0 victory

By Jared Galanti Sports Editor

By Jared Galanti Sports Editor The CWU football team came to play last Saturday, Oct. 30 blowing out Lincoln University 92-0. Multiple school and Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) records were broken along the way. According to Wildcat Athletics, CWU (6-2) set both school and GNAC records for most points in a half (56), most points in a game (92) and most touchdowns in a game (13). Kicker Pat Hegarty tied a GNAC record for most extra points made in a game (10). The Wildcats combined for 435 yards of total offense and 22 first downs while the defense held Lincoln to just 38 yards of total offense and six first downs. They also allowed negative seven total rush yards throughout the whole game. All three quarterbacks who had snaps threw at

Photo Courtesy of CWU Athletics, The Wildcats put up a school and GNAC record 92 points in last saturday’s win over Lincoln University.

least one touchdown, with sophomore JJ Flemming throwing three to go along with 67 yards passing, two rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. Senior cornerback/running back Davine Tullis led CWU in rushing with 128 yards on nine attempts (14.2 avg) and two touchdowns.

The Wildcats have two games left to play before playoff seeding. CWU has not made the playoffs since 2017 and is currently ranked third in the latest polls. They will play at Western New Mexico on Nov. 6 before returning home to play their final home game of the year Nov. 13 against Simon Fraser.

The CWU men’s basketball team hosted Lincoln University Friday Oct. 29 for their first exhibition game of the season. However, this was no ordinary exhibition game as Lincoln’s head coach is legendary Seattle Sonics player Gary Payton. Payton, the former NBA champion and nine time NBA all star, played for the Sonics from 1990-2003 before playing for four other teams before calling it a career after the 2007 season. “The Glove”, which is a nickname Payton was given due to his defensive prowess, averaged 18.2 points, 7.4 assist and 2.1 steals per game while in Seattle. He along with Shawn Kemp led the Sonics to the 1996 finals in which they would lose in five games to the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan. Payton’s presence didn’t help his team on Friday. The Wildcats took care of business with a comfortable 90-72 win. Four Wildcat players, including sophomore guard Shayden Knight who led the team with 18 points, had double digit scoring efforts.

Photo Courtesy of CWU Athletics.

Senior guard Xavier Smith put up 17 points while going 7-10 from the field and junior guard Micah Pollard helped with 16 points while shooting 6-9 from the field. On defense the Wildcats held Lincoln to seven points off turnovers while they scored 16 points off of Lincoln’s 14 turnovers. The Wildcats will head to Seattle on Thursday Nov. 4 for their second exhibition of the season when they take on the Washington Huskies at 7 p.m.


EVENTS

Page 08

November 04, 2021

Wildcat Words: What did you dress up as for Halloween?

Glo

ria C a m p b e l

l

Gra

ci e M a g n u ss

en

Cha

Ta r a n

rlo tte B a r y o

Mc a l li s t

er

Ro w a

n Va l v i s

So., Business with specialization in Finance

Jr., Secondary Math

Jr., Double major in Psychology and Sociology

Jr., Tech Ed

Sr., Elementary Ed

“I dressed up as a depressed college student.”

“I didn’t dress up this year.”

“I was a giant constellation. I had a mask with a constellation on it with earrings, and a shirt to match.”

“I was a knight.”

“A friend and I dressed up as Sam and Dean Winchester from ‘Supernatural.’ ”

Q& A

weekly events 04

with Mario Andaya

THURS

Q&A by Paije Maas for PULSE Magazine

Mario Andaya has been the head volleyball coach at CWU for 25 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Administrative Management and a master’s degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration. His patience and guidance has helped Wildcats push through losses and revel in wins. What is your favorite childhood memory? Some of my favorite memories are with family. The time spent with my sisters and cousins are very vivid and fun to look back on. What are some of your hobbies? I enjoy working on my house. The trial and error of those DIY projects are frustrating at times, but once I figure out the solution it keeps me wanting to do more stuff. I seem to always start a major home improvement project right before the volleyball season and it drives my wife crazy. What are your personal goals? I always talk about growth to my players. If I continue to have the passion to grow and improve in the major aspects of my life, there’s always another level. What are your career goals? Coaching is about people and accomplishments. My career goals will always remain teaching people to win moments and achieve success. When I lose the passion for learning new ways to do that I would probably find something else to do. What are three fun facts about you? -I have three great kids, two in college and one freshman in high school. -My wife got me into yoga, so I enjoy it as part of my fitness routine. -I used to have hair, but I probably should have shaved my head a good five to seven years before I did. What is a quote you live by? “Teach us the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom,” Psalm 90:12.

05 FRI

06 SAT

07 08 09 10 SUN

MON

TUES

WED

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wildcat Success Day: Resource Refresher @ SURC 137A and 137B 7-9 p.m. Volleyball Vs. University of Alaska Fairbanks @ Nicholson Pavilion 8-9 p.m. Fall Concert Series: The Voice’s Angie K @ SURC Pit (100C)

5-7 p.m. First Friday Art Walk @ Downtown Ellensburg 8-10:30 p.m. Intramural Madden 22 Tournament @ SURC Theater 210 National Doughnut Day 12-2 p.m. Soccer vs. MSUB @ Tomlinson Stadium 6-10 p.m. Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead Celebration @ SURC Ballroom 7-9 p.m. Volleyball vs. University of Alaska Anchorage @ Nicholson Pavilion 7-8:30 p.m. Shea-Kim Duo Concert @ McIntyre Hall 174 Daylight Saving Time Ends 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Red Cross Blood Drive @ SURC 137A and 137B 4-6 p.m. LGTBQ2IA+ Teach-In @ Brooks Library 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. Monday Movie Madness @ SURC Theater 210 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Memory Care Cafe @ Kittitas Co. Historical Museum 6-9 p.m. RED Week Movie @ SURC Theater 210

6 p.m. & 8 p.m. Clarinet Studio Recital @ McIntyre Hall 175 7-9 p.m. Trivia Night with the Transfer Student Center @ SURC Theater 210

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