CWU Observer Winter 2020 - Issue 5

Vol. 115 NO. 5 February 13-February 19, 2020

CWU student tests negative for coronavirus

See Coronavirus | Page 3

cwuobserver.com @CWUObserver

The Observer showcases student artwork

See Artwork | Page 11

Student employees raise concerns over Dining policies

See Dining | Page 12

Jake Freeman Staff Reporter

CWU is exploring the possibility of becoming a tobacco free campus in an effort to discourage tobacco use among students. On the evening of Feb. 4 ASCWU held a meeting in the SURC pit in which a panel of student government members as well as CWU staff listened to what students had to say regarding the issue.

There were some opposing viewpoints at the conference. Students and faculty expressed their concerns about the implementation of the rule as well as the ability to enforce it.

CWU student Guylean O’Connor related the issue of tobacco use to student success.

“The key priority is for student success,” O’Connor said. “And for students to be successful a tobacco free campus is necessary.”

CWU considers going tobacco free Kyle Wilkinson/The Observer

Football filling coaching vacancies Austin Lane Sports Editor

The offensive and defensive coordinator positions are being filled for CWU football after the departure of two coaches this offseason. Defensive coordinator Ivan Cordova was released and offensive coordinator Kelly Bills resigned.

CWU head coach Chris Fisk announced Saturday morning that Bills resigned, effective immediately.

See CWU Football | Page 19

See Tobacco | Page 3

Will you be my Valentine?

Valentine’s Day is on Friday and there are plenty of things to do in the area, including speed dating, a Valentine’s Day Soiree and more Harleen Kaur Staff Reporter

It’s that time of the year when love is in the air. The shelves are stocked with heart shaped chocolates to human sized teddy bears and flowers are put together in bouquets. Couples celebrate and express their love for one another through dinner, dates and gifts.

Not everyone is in a relationship. There are singles who will be partying all night or eating chocolate while watching a romantic movie and swiping left and right on Tinder.

For students who are single and without a valentine, the

Psychology club is putting together a Valentine speed dating event on Feb. 12.

At the event, singles will wear wrist bands representing their sexuality and get a chance to mingle face to face. The speed dating event will start at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8:30 p.m. in Black Hall 201 and 202.

Jaidyn Alemazkour, a junior double majoring in public relations and psychology, said all you have to do is look cute, maybe brush your hair and put some deodorant on. Who knows people who attend might even meet their future life partner.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day is not just for romantic part-

ners. Students Kayla Trapp and her friends Kirah Horne and Alexa Bond are planning on spending their Valentine’s Day together. They want to keep it laid back and watch RuPaul’s Drag Race while working on their homework.

Bond has plans later that night with a special someone after she spends the afternoon with her friends.

See Celebrate | Page 10

News 2

cwuobserver.com

February 13, 2020

Editor: Nicholas Tucker

Observation Deck Be sure to check up on your mental health this week Hey Wildcats!

I hope everyone’s quarter is going well. Midterms are in full swing, so I want to remind everyone to check in with themselves.

Make sure to take a break from studying to destress every once in a while! Take a walk, watch your favorite TV show or spend time with your friends. Your mental health is more important than your GPA, so don’t be afraid to take some time to yourself this week.

This week, we’re bringing you a special 24-page issue packed to the brim with exciting content, student artwork and more. If there is anything you ever want to see covered in The Observer, or you would like to submit a story idea or student artwork for us to publish, don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at cwuobserver@gmail. com. To keep up with us on a day-today basis, you can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @ cwuobserver.

Valentine’s Day is coming up on Friday, and there are countless ways to spread the love this year. Even if you don’t have a significant other, Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to show your love and appreciation to your friends, family and even yourself! If you’re looking for something to do, check out the Scene section to read up on all the Valentine’s events happening both on and off campus.

You can also flip to our Engagement pages to play Valentine’s bingo and cut out Valentine’s cards to give to that special someone.

Should CWU go tobacco free? Student government held a public forum on Feb. 4 to discuss the possibility of banning any tobacco use on campus.

Several students voiced their opinions on the topic, which has been an ongoing debate at CWU. Want to find out more? Go to the News section, where you’ll also find updates on APOYO’s search for a new space, the state-wide temporary vape ban and more.

Several student employees have voiced their concerns after new policies were implemented in CWU Dining Services at the beginning of fall quarter. Flip to our center spread to discover why students are speaking out and what dining staff has to say about the new policies.

After the departure of two coaches this offseason, CWU Football is looking to fill both the offensive and defensive coordinator positions. Head over to the Sports section to find out more.

This issue, we’ve included a special section showcasing student work.

The Observer would like to thank everyone that submitted art, photos and written pieces. If you have work you would like to submit, please reach out to us at cwuobserver@gmail.com. We love having the opportunity to show off what our readers have been working on!

Have a great week everyone!

Cassandra Hays

The Observer Staff Editor-in-Chief: Cassandra Hays Managing Editor: Mariah Valles News Editor: Nicholas Tucker Scene Editor: Amy Morris Sports Editor: Austin Lane Photo Editor: Téa Green Online & Opinion Editor: Nick Jahnke Graphic Designers: Aiden Knabel & Teagan Kimbro Editorial Policy: The Observer is a public forum for student expression, in which student editors make policy and content decisions. The mission of The Observer is two-fold: to serve Central Washington University as a newspaper and to provide training for students who are seeking a career in journalism. The Observer seeks to provide complete, accurate, dependable 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.

Staff Reporters Della Babcock Taylor Clark Abigail Duchow Jake Freeman Harleen Kaur Photographers Riel Hanson Paneal Holland

Nikolai Kostka Phoebe Lai Tamara Sevao Bailey Tomlinson Copy Desk

Aeryn Kauffman

Faculty Adviser: Cynthia Mitchell Email: cwuobserveradviser@gmail.com Advertising: Cait Dalton Email: Cait.Dalton@cwu.edu Central Washington University 400 East University Way Lind Hall 114A Ellensburg, WA 98926

News

cwuobserver.com February 13, 2020

Editor: Nicholas Tucker

3

CWU discusses banning tobacco Continued from Page 1 Josh Petersen, a junior and RA, said as a former smoker he believes the ban could be a good thing for people looking to quit.

“People who have quit can be tempted by seeing people smoking,” Petersen said.

Many CWU students use tobacco on campus and this new rule would affect their routines. According to the most recent survey conducted by the American College Health Association roughly 3% of CWU students use cigarettes, another 3% use e-cigarettes and vape products and about 1% use smokeless tobacco on a daily basis. The same survey shows 14% of Téa Green/The Observer students have used tobacco products with(Left to right) CWU Police Chief Jason Berthon-Koch, ASCWU President Jasmin Washington, Wellness Center Director Doug Fulp and Mariin the last 30 days.

Freshman Jacob Landreth was most- juana, Tobacco, and Other Drug Education Specialist Andrew Zantow address the implementation of a smoke free campus. ly indifferent to the ban when it came Wellness Center Director Doug Fulp ent on the issue. Freshman Tyler Simpson to cigarettes since there is a clear health on flavored vape products. The ban on flavored vape prod- said that campuses which does not think smoking is risk associated with ucts has started a con- have banned tobacco a major issue on campus. secondhand smoke. versation on banning have seen lower rates of “It’s somewhat annoy“Smoking I unIf a person tobacco altogether. tobacco use. ing when they smoke near derstand,” Landreth People who have Colleges in Washing“I worked for five wants to smoke, the doors,” Simpson said. said. “But chew? That ton like UW have al- years on a policy and “But other than that I don’t doesn’t affect anyone quit can be tempted that’s their ready begun making I left right after it was really see it that often.” by seeing people but yourself.” choice. their campuses tobacimplemented.

They reAs of now, the initiaMany students smoking. co free and CWU is duced smoking on their tive is still in its infancy believe they should Eric Pfingsten, looking to follow suit. campus by five percent,” and will not be implehave the freedom to Josh Petersen, freshman According to the Fulp said. “About 50% mented any time soon as use tobacco on camjunior, former smoker Centers for Disease of people who smoke on it has yet to be voted on. pus as long as it is not Control and Prevention, tobacco use a regular basis have indicated that they For now, the increase in Washington directly affecting other people. state’s minimum age to purchase nic“If a person wants to smoke, that’s their causes roughly 500,000 deaths each have wanted to quit.” year. Vaping has made youth tobacco CWU students have mixed opinions on otine products will be the only thing choice,” freshman Eric Pfingsten said.

Tobacco use is an issue that has been consumption a much greater issue in the the introduction of this rule. Students who preventing certain CWU students from do not use tobacco were mostly indiffer- smoking on campus. in the news a lot due to the recent ban past few years.

“

“

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No coronavirus CWU student test results negative after week of isolation Mariah Valles Managing Editor

Test results for the CWU student who was tested for the novel coronavirus came back negative on Friday. Immediately after the results came in, the student was released from isolation, according to Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) officials.

On Feb. 6, KCPHD announced a CWU student who returned from China would be tested for the novel coronavirus. According to officials, the student never traveled to Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus.

In Washington, as of Feb. 11, there has been one positive test and 23 negative tests, with one test still pending.

Globally, as of Feb. 11, there have been 43,103 confirmed tests. There are 42,708 con-

firmed cases in China, leaving 395 affecting 24 countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO assesses the risk as “very high” in China and on a global level, the risk is “high.”

Currently, the animal source of the new virus is in the process of being identified, according to the WHO. “Identifying the animal source of the 2019-nCoV would help to ensure that there will be no further similar outbreaks with the same virus and will also help understanding the initial spread of the disease in the Wuhan area,” the Feb. 11 WHO situation report states.

There have been 1,018 deaths from the novel coronavirus as of Feb. 11, only one being outside of China.

”

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News 4

cwuobserver.com

February 13, 2020

Editor: Nicholas Tucker

City to annex 260 parcels of land

Bailey Tomlinson Staff Reporter

As part of a funding agreement, the City of Ellensburg agreed to begin the process of annexing sections of county land. When negotiating funding for a 2017 roundabout project, Kittitas County and the City of Ellensburg reached an agreement in which the county would contribute funds to the project. In return, the city would conduct an annexation.

The 260 parcels designated for annexation, now referred to as the Currier Creek Area, were chosen for their contiguity with the existing city limits and their designation under the city’s comprehensive plan as urban growth area. Housing need, employment projections and the land’s ability to support growth over the next 20 years were taken into account.

Updated in 2017, the comprehensive plan indicates how a community envisions its future and outlines ways to achieve it. It has previously been revised to meet the requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA). Under the GMA, local governments are required to propose urban growth areas.

At the Jan. 21 city council meeting’s allocated time for public comment, members of the community attended to voice their opinions, with several residents of Dry Creek Road speaking out against the annexation.

According to Paul McBride, a Dry Creek Road resident, the already developed Currier Creek Estates, which accounts for 205 of the 260 parcels, is better suited for annexation than the undeveloped Dry Creek Road. He raised concerns that many of the residents of Dry Creek Road chose to live there for a rural lifestyle which now “feels threatened.”

“Our neighborhood could not be more different than Currier Creek,” McBride said.

“I understand that progress happens, and that we will continue to build out and that’s just how things operate,” Nick Majsterek, another resident of Dry Creek Road, said.

“But I also agree with the fact that there are certain sections of Dry Creek Road that could be carved out to afford that rural lifestyle that we purchased, whether it be 70 years ago, 27 years ago or two years ago.”

Of those who spoke at the public hearing, three spoke in support of the annexation.

None of those in favor were residents of Dry Creek Road.

The GMA was created to preserve rural lands in Washington state by creating high density population areas around urban centers. For Kittitas County, Ellensburg is the urban center. According to the goals specified in the law, this is done to reduce urban sprawl and condense growth to areas where resources are already available or easily extended.

Though the Currier Creek Area may technically be county land, the GMA has designated it to be available for city growth.

There will be one more public hearing

regarding the annexation on March 2. If the council does not alter their plans following that meeting, the process of changing the city boundaries to include the annexed properties would begin.

Community Development Director Kirsten Sackett says people shouldn’t be concerned about changes to what they can use their land for.

“We’re not going to go knocking on doors or sending letters telling them they’ve got to stop, we’re gonna allow them to continue [their regular land use],” Sackett said.

According to Sackett, changes would only take place on the terms of the property owners themselves. If a property owner on Dry Creek Road wanted to develop their land, there would be necessary changes associated with that such as road construction and utility extension.

Until that happens, though, “we don’t intend for anything to change for them the day after, or the next month, or the next year,” Sackett said.

Dry Creek Road resident Fabian Kuchin is already seeing changes, however. Kuchin bought his property in 1977, and in the late 1990s the county acquired a right of way through his property that is now called Reecer Creek. Following that, according to Kuchin, the city came seeking an easement to extend Reecer Creek Road and connect a water line through his property to West University Way. In return for this, his land would be granted a zoning of light industrial, which expands the agricultural uses of the land. Kuchin uses his land for agriculture, including ranching cattle.

A City of Ellensburg zoning information sheet defines light industrial as allowing a range of general service uses which can be operated in a relatively clean, quiet and safe

Photos by Riel Hanson/The Observer

(Bottom left) Fabian Kuchin, who originally bought his property (top) in 1977, uses it to ranch cattle as per an agreement in the 1990s which in turn allowed for further development.

manner without serious effect, danger or hazard to nearby residential uses.

Upon annexation, Kuchin’s property zoning will be reverted to residential, where the city defines the prominent use as single family dwellings. Other properties around him zoned as light industrial, he said, will retain their zoning.

“It was a foregone conclusion that it was going to be annexed,” Kuchin said. “I was just trying to protect the zoning that I had.”

According to Kuchin, city staff have not come out to evaluate what he uses his property

for, and the zone change does not make sense.

“I don’t know what happened to the agreement between the city and me,” Kuchin said. “I’m disappointed.”

Sackett wants people to know the staff are accessible to answer any questions.

“It’s going to start changing as it grows, and I understand that is disheartening to folks,” Sackett said. “But it is … in the urban growth area. An area that’s designated for future growth in order to protect those rural lands.”

City of Ellensburg

News

cwuobserver.com February 13, 2020

Editor: Nicholas Tucker

5

Photo by Nicholas Tucker/The Observer

APOYO looking Vape ban ends for new location

Photo Illustration by Nicholas Tucker/The Observer

Cassandra Hays Editor-in-Chief

After CWU decided not to renew its lease with Allied People Offering YearRound Outreach (APOYO) food and clothing bank, students and community members rallied in support of the organization. APOYO is now in search of a new space within the community. ASCWU Vice President for Equity and Community Affairs Jessica Hernandez provided an update about APOYO’s relocation at a public meeting held on Feb. 10.

Hernandez met with Dean of Student Success Gregg Heinselman on Feb. 7 to discuss ASCWU’s resolution regarding CWU’s lease with APOYO. Hernandez said APOYO can no longer be located on campus, but they can choose a space within the community as close to campus as they want. APOYO’s proximity

to CWU is part of what makes them a valuable resource to students and the community, according to several APOYO staff and volunteers.

According to Hernandez, APOYO will be partnering with Friends in Serving Humanity (FISH) food bank to seek the resources necessary to either find a new location or to renovate an older building. APOYO is currently looking at three potential spaces to relocate to when their current lease ends in June, Hernandez said. FISH has also offered APOYO a space within their building.

According to Hernandez, this would specifically be a row or shelf for the food APOYO provides, which is catered more to the LatinX population.

Hernandez said she would be in direct communication with APOYO faculty and staff about what they want to see out of the resolution passed by ASCWU.

Nicholas Tucker News Editor

The statewide ban on flavored vaping products ended on Feb. 7 after 120 days. Senate Bill 6254, proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee, would have made the ban permanent, though after numerous amendments it now allows for the sale of said products to those 21 or older.

This follows in accordance with Washington’s new tobacco and vapor laws which raised the legal age of purchase from 18 to 21 at the start of January.

The original emergency ban was put into place after 25 cases of severe lung injury in Washington which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) attributed to the use of vapor products. Later, the CDC found that the main ingredient likely causing the cases of injury was vitamin E acetate found in many counterfeit, non-FDA-

approved THC vapor products.

Inslee’s senior public health policy adviser Molly Voris says Gov. Inslee is “disappointed” with the Senate’s decision not to pass a broad, permanent ban on flavored vaping products. At hearings and announcements for the original emergency ban, Inslee cited many other reasons for implementing a ban in addition to the cases of lung injury. He argued vape retailers are intentionally marketing to children by advertising flavors that largely appeal to youth. Inslee also said vape retailers could not have a sustainable business unless people who had never smoked developed nicotine addictions from vaping.

The amended version of SB 6254 does ban products with vitimin E acetate as well as limits nicotine levels and introduces a 37% tax on all vape products. Flavored vape products also are banned from sale in gas stations and grocery stores.

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February 13, 2020

Editor: Nicholas Tucker

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On Feb. 3, the city council passed a proclamation that Feb. 14 will be Women’s Voting Rights Day. The proclamation was proposed by the League of Women Voters of Kittitas County. The proclamation was passed through unanimous Photo by Rob Fraser vote of the city council. (Left to right) members of the League of Women Voters of Kittits County The League of Muriel Weaver, Charli Sorenson, Kathy Matlin, Mollie Edson, Nan DooWomen Voters was little and Julie Prather with Mayor Bruce Tabb. founded on Feb 14, 1920. This year, Women’s Voting Rights City Council member Tristen Lamb is Day is extra special to the League of Women one of the members who voted in favor Voters because it is the 100th anniversary of of the proclamation. Lamb described how their founding date.

Women’s Voting Rights Day is impactful to On their website they say the League of the community. She said she was excited to Women Voters’ goal is to empower voters see the women at the city council meeting and defend democracy. They also say their who work locally and volunteer their time value is believing in the power of women to to inform and assist voters. She said the create a more perfect democracy.

League of Women Voters works not only to The website also says the League of inform women voters, but all voters.

Women Voters “envision a democracy where Lamb said the League of Women Votevery person has the desire, the right, the ers put on a forum to meet the candidates knowledge and the confidence to participate.” for city council in 2019. This is another The League of Women Voters also way they assisted the community in being states that they are not biased against a cer- informed voters. tain political party. The goal is to inform “My daughter turns six next month and and educate voters, not to sway them to a if I accomplish only one thing during my certain party or to believe in certain things. service on city council, I hope it’s that my An accounting student named Erynn daughter only knows a world where womBrown said of the proclamation, “wom- en can be and are leaders,” Lamb said. “My en’s voting rights day is such an important daughter told someone, ‘when I grow up, day to not only me but for so many other I’ll be president, and a mom, and a prinwomen because it signifies the barriers that cess.’ She’s got a long list, but for her, all women face but eventually overcome.” those things are equally attainable.”

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Scene

cwuobserver.com

7 Editor: Amy Morris

February 13, 2020

These bins are how the the workers at the salon organize their waste. By going green, the salon will now have a system to recycle practically everything.

Photos by Paneal Holland/The Observer

Stephanie Castillo, the Mangos Salon manager, has helped the Mangoes Salon become the first salon in Ellensburg with no waste.

Going green one salon at a time Mangos Salon is the first zero waste salon in Ellensburg. It is officially Green Circle Certified which means waste will be recycled instead of thrown away Tamara Sevao Staff Reporter

If a customer goes up the stairs into Mangos Salon to get a haircut, they may wonder where the hair goes. If it were a year ago then the hair would have just been thrown into the garbage without a thought. Well, not today.

As of January, Mangos Salon is officially Green Circle Certified. Green Circle is based out of Tacoma.

They send multiple waste bins to Mangos Salon for them to use for recycling. Everything from used wax strips to hair color can be recycled.

The bins make it easy to throw away items that the employees never knew what to do with, like mannequin heads, according to Stephanie Castillo, the Mangos Salon Manager.

According to the Green Circle website, their mission is to allow salons to repurpose and recover up to 95% of the resources that can be considered waste.

So far, a little over 2,000 salons across the U.S. are Green Circle Certified. Over six million pounds of waste has been diverted from landfills and waterways, according to the live count on the Green Circle website.

“Green Circle is fantastic because they fully support you,” Castillo said.

“They make it really really easy.”

Once the bins are full, they get taken to Green Circle where they proceed to process the waste.

Green Circle partners with other companies to process the more contaminated products such as bleach and hair color.

While Mangos Salon just recently went green, it does not stop them from wanting to do more.

What next step could they possibly be taking? Castillo said the salon is seriously considering beginning to compost.

“We’ve already started this. We might as well go all the way and then we would have zero waste,” Castillo said.

There are minimal items that don’t have a way to be thrown out such as razor blades and perm solutions. However, according to Castillo, the sorting bins are still “way better than before.”

Mangos Salon is currently the only salon on the east side of the mountains that has been Green Circle Certified.

Castillo said it would be really cool to get at least 10 other salons in Ellensburg to go green.

“I think once people realize that it’s really not that hard, and they make it really easy for you, then hopefully [more salons will become certified],” Castillo said. “To me, it’s a no-brainer.”

Castillo invited Delainey Waddell and Sara Holloway, co-owners of The May Salon, to check out the differ-

ences in going green. The May Salon loves the idea of going green and they are now in the process of becoming certified, according to Waddell.

“They make it super simple for you,” Waddell said. “I mean, it’s as easy as just putting it in separate bins and picking them up. They really have thought of it all.”

Salons produce tons of waste, Waddell said. Certain products can not be reused after a single use, so they just get thrown away.

By going green, the salon will now have a system to recycle practically everything.

While Green Circle is primarily for salons and spas, Waddell hopes to see them start to intermix with other companies.

Everyone creates waste, so there should be some form of appreciation for going green, according to Waddell.

The May Salon is in the process of training to become certified.

After a conference call and a couple of informational videos, the salon will receive their starting package which includes the waste bins. They hope to become certified in the next year.

About two years ago, Castillo visited a New Mexico salon that was Green Circle Certified. Ever since that visit, Castillo wanted to have that same certification.

The visit was really, really cool, Castillo said. She, and various employees, discussed how much waste

they just throw away each day saying it just bugs them.

About 42,000 pounds of salon waste is thrown away each day in the United States, according to Castillo. Waste includes hair, waxing strips, curling irons, hair color, used foils and more.

Castillo wanted to see for herself just how much waste can be created. She decided to test it from a single visit.

“From one client, I just saved everything that I used just to kind of see,” Castillo said. “It was shocking.

I was like, that’s it. We are just going to do it.”

Mangos Salon did a practice run for a couple weeks before officially being certified. The practice run helped the employees get into the habit of recycling into all the bins.

Castillo said a lot of sorting is involved with going green.

It is not as easy as throwing everything into the garbage.

After getting into the habit of sorting all of the waste, the salon was ready to officially go green.

Mangos Salon has been receiving exciting reactions from clients, according to Castillo. One client, Nancy Schnebly, said that people are more aware now than ever about going green.

“I think this will benefit the community a lot,” Schnebly said. “I’m glad they are doing it, and I expect other salons will follow.”

Scene 8

cwuobserver.com February 13, 2020

Editor: Amy Morris

The rise of Disney Plus Amy Morris & Nikolai Kostka Scene Editor & Staff Reporter

Disney Plus has amassed a total of 28.6 million subscribers in the months since it was released on Nov. 12, 2019.

This growth has been achieved partly because of a bundle with the streaming service Hulu and ESPN+. Verizon is also giving its unlimited data users Disney Plus free for a year.

The Disney Plus subscription on its own is $6.99 a month while the Disney Plus package with Hulu and ESPN+ is $12.99 a month.

Not only does Disney Plus offer their old movies and television shows but it also adds exclusive Disney Plus originals.

Disney remains the second largest media company, according to Forbes. Disney has theme parks, cruises, clubhouses and resorts that cater to their fan base. Some CWU students are part of that fan base.

Leilani Sheffey is an English major who took part in the Disney College Program. She said when Disney plus was announced she was so excited, she pre-ordered it while she was still in the Disney College Program.

She said it was disappointing to find out not all of the Disney Channel original shows would be there.

“I am glad that they didn’t add their racist work, as well as making a note about some old movies that have racist scenes,” Sheffey said.

Disney Plus is always adding new content. Sheffey is excited for some promising new originals including “Diary of a Future President.”

As far as remakes go Sheffey is adamant the originals are always better than the live actions.

Maria Sanders, the director of the film program at CWU, said Disney Plus will have an effect on filmmakers.

“The more platforms that are out there the more content can be created that reaches niche audiences,” Sanders said.

Teagan Kimbro/The Observer

While Hulu and Netflix used to be the most popular streaming services, now Disney Plus adds some competition.

According to Statista, as of 2019 Netflix has over 167 million paying subscribers worldwide.

Hulu, on the other hand, has over 28 million paying subscribers worldwide as of 2019, according to Variety.

The Disney Plus show “The Mandalorian” that continues Disney’s “Star Wars” franchise is one of their biggest hits.

The show surpassed Netflix’s “Stranger Things” 21 straight weeks at the top of Parrot Analytics’ weekly list of the most in-demand original streaming shows in the US, according to Business Insider.Disney Plus also offers tv shows/movies from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic.

Streaming Services Subscribers

Disney+ 28.6 million

Netflix 167 million

Hulu

28 million

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Editor: Amy Morris

February 13, 2020

‘Birds of Prey’:

A unique story made by unique voices

Teagan Kimbro/The Observer

REVIEW: ‘Birds of Prey’ is a quasi-sequel to pop culture’s favorite punching bag ‘Suicide Squad.’ This movie tells the story of Harley Quinn and dives deeper into the emotional and physical stakes of being a woman Jackson McMurray Staff Contributor

Used to be that asking someone if they were “Marvel or DC” was a pretty benign question. In a culture where comic book superheroes were only just a part of the mainstream, it mostly meant “do you like Batman and Superman or Spider-man and the X-Men?”.

However with both companies seeing enormous box office success multiple times a year, the debate has heated up.

Marvel succeeded by slowly and methodically crafting a universe with a tight, overarching narrative and a steady voice over the span of 23 movies and counting. DC tried to do that, and it didn’t work. So now they’re doing something else.

After “Justice League” (2017) crashed and burned, Warner Brothers made a decision. They weren’t going to try and be Marvel anymore. Since then, their films have strong, disparate voices and no interest in multi-film continuity.

No film more perfectly encapsulates this new ethos than the quirkily named “Birds of Prey” (2020),the fantabulous emancipation of one Harley Quinn, is a title which is really doing a lot of the heavy lifting on the word count of this article.

“Birds of Prey” is a quasi-sequel to pop culture’s favorite punching bag “Suicide Squad” (2016), but you wouldn’t know it by looking at it.

“Birds of Prey” works hard to feel separate from its predecessor by being violent, R-rated, and deeply self-aware, while “Suicide Squad” is among he least self-aware movies ever produced.

The generic could-be-anywhere cityscape of “Suicide Squad’s” Gotham becomes a Los Angeles-inspired, sprawling, sunny city in “Birds of Prey”.

“Birds of Prey” also has the good sense to do away with Jared Leto’s Joker before the film even starts, and replace “Suicide Squad’s” cluttered, boring and unreadable action with clean, personal and economic choreography that’s exciting from a mile away.

While the choreography is clear, the events around it aren’t always so easy to grasp.

The movie is, by design, loud, fast, frenetic and stuffed to the gills with exciting new characters, but the script isn’t always clear enough to make that satisfying. It’s tough to follow and there’s at least one character that could be cut out of the movie’s whole cloth without affecting its final result.

Its quirky nonlinear structure is a confident stylistic choice, but one that makes the character’s motivations and objectives harder to track. The final set piece of the film is a gloriously colorful ass kicking extravaganza but it’s tainted slightly by the fact that you’re not sure exactly why it’s happening.

However, the practical stakes of this

Teagan Kimbro/The Observer

movie are not the most important ones.

The real meat of the story comes from Harley Quinn’s titular emancipation.

The story, written by Christina Hodson and directed by Cathy Yan, focuses on the stakes, both emotional and physical, of being a woman with a newfound sense of individuality.

“Birds of Prey” is at its heart about the experiences and the dangers of simply being a single woman, and posits that the only way to survive it is by women sticking together and defending each other.

There’s lots to pick at in this movie, my own personal vendetta being that it’s annoyingly insistent on a constant stream of pop song needle drops.

Why hire “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018) composer Daniel Pemberton for your movie if you’re not gonna let him do his thing? But at the end of the day the movie still works because it’s confident, exciting, funny and extremely unique.

It’s something that could only happen under DC’s weird newfound devil-maycare attitude.

“Birds of Prey” is not a cinematic triumph, nor is it blockbuster perfection, but it is a unique movie made by unique voices, and it works well enough that it will make a lot of people feel seen in ways they’re not used to.

“Birds of Prey” will no doubt have a life long after its theatrical release.

9

Scene

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10 Editor: Amy Morris

February 13, 2020

Celebrating the day of Love

Valentine’s Day is filled with possibilities. There are activities around Ellensburg and Yakima that people can participate in such as going out to eat, speed dating, swing dance lessons or going to a concert Continued from Page 1 Another event taking place on Feb. 12 is a Valentine’s Day soiree. It is a semi formal event free for all CWU students and $5 for general admission at the Sue Lombard Ballroom. The swing dance event starts at 7 p.m. with swing dance lessons provided to students at 6 p.m. Games and desserts are also available.

Cupid is also going to be sparkling his magic all over downtown Ellensburg. The Ellensburg Pasta Company and the Palace Cafe are having a special menu for Valentine’s Day. Taylor Elligsen, a sophomore in the aviation program, plans on celebrating Valentine’s Day by going to lacrosse practice and ending the night by playing video games with his friends.

“Valentine’s Day is not overrated, it is overhyped,” Elligsen said. “There

is nothing wrong with spending money and time with someone you are in a relationship with on Valentine’s Day, but you shouldn’t need the one day to do that. There are other days throughout the year that should be celebrated with your partner.”

For professors spending the night with their special someone and wanting to avoid the awkward eye contact from students while out, they might want to head down to Yakima, Elligsen said.

Yakima will be hosting multiple events.

The Seasons Performance Hall will have live music, featuring FRETLAND. If couples are looking to spin their partner around until they fall madly in love with them, the Yakima Sports Center will be hosting a Twin Tolo Dance. Twin Tolo Dance is a throwback to a high school dance with 90’s and 2000’s music.

Attending dinner at a fancy restaurant is also an option for a Valentine’s Day activity. According to TripAdvi-

Valentine’s Day Events • Valentine’s Day Soiree: Sue Lombard Ballroom at 7-9 p.m. on Feb. 12.

• Live Music: The Seasons Performance Hall at 7-10:30 p.m. Feb. 14.

• Twin Tolo Dance: The Yakima Sports Center at 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.

sor, the top five restaurants in Yakima are Wine o’Clock, Zesta Cucina, WaterFire Restaurant & Bar, Crafted and Gasperetti’s Gourmet Restaurant.

Valentine’s Day is a billion-dollar industry. According to Finder, Americans will spend $19.2 billion on just gifts and $30.7 billion on Valentine’s Day activities. An average American will drop approximately $110 on their partners.

There are also some couples who do not believe in Valentine’s Day or don’t like to celebrate by spending a lot of money, Elligsen said.

According to the Guardian, there are ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget. Couples can cook dinner together, go on a romantic walk or make their own Valentine card. As little as a love note can go a long way.

According to the Happy Life Formula, no matter how you plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day, don’t forget to spread the love and joy with one another, whether partnered or single.

Student Work

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Editor: Cassandra Hays 11

February 13, 2020

The Observer would like to thank everyone who submitted their artwork to us for this issue!

We are always looking for original art, photos, poetry, short stories and more to feature in the newspaper. If you would like to submit something, please email us at cwuobserver@gmail.com.

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Sexual and Reproductive Rights

“My Body, My Choice” Krista Kok

“The Threat” Lauren Miller

“Feeling Square” Justin Kloster

“Tetrad Skulls” Justin Kloster

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Policies reworded after controversial meeting Student employees of CWU Dining Services have come forward with concerns about new management practices, including changes to the sick leave policy.

Six current student employees spoke to The Observer but wished to remain anonymous out of fear of losing their jobs for speaking publicly.

“I’m not doing this just for my benefit. I’m doing it for all the other students who are too scared to come forward or talk about their experience,” an anonymous student said. “I’ve talked to a lot of people about trying to come and do this interview with me and a lot of them are scared because [management] will just fire you at the drop of the hat. They don’t care.”

Another five indicated they were willing to talk about the same issues but cancelled later due to sick-

ness and scheduling issues.

Two former employees came forward to talk as well, such as senior Andrea Terry, who said that she loved working at her job for two years before the changes went into place.

“I felt very comfortable with my supervisors and my superiors,” Terry said. “Once this all changed, I just really felt like any mistake I made, I was going to be yelled at, possibly fired. I felt depressed working there. I didn’t want to come to work anymore, and that’s why I quit. I quit the last week of fall quarter.”

Multiple other employees expressed their concerns on social media but say they were later told by dining management to take their posts down.

Common Cold The common cold is listed in the most current CWU Dining Services student employee handbook as an unexcused absence.

“These are minor conditions that any reasonable person would be able to work with,” the policy reads.

Student employees raised concerns about this being a safety risk when dealing with food.

“We all work in the food industry and someone mentioned that it’s against food health code,” a senior barista said. “And [Payton] said ‘not if you cough into your elbow and wash your hands frequently, it won’t spread.’ That made everybody cringe.”

The employee handbook includes the statement that everyone experiences pain differently, which many of the students say was later added following negative feedback.

Payton explained that the policy is not a hard rule, but a guideline for students to use their judgement on.

“If you have a cold where you got runny nose and you know you’re coughing, then

you would call in,” Payton said in an interview with The Observer. “But if you’ve just got that minor cold where you’re not symptomatic then you wouldn’t call in because it’s not contagious to food.”

The Washington State Retail Food Code does list coughing, sneezing and runny noses as symptoms that prevent food workers from handling food. It does not list specific ailments like the common cold. The code also says that sick workers can be given tasks that do not put them in contact with food or food-safe surfaces. However, many student employees feel that allowing anyone with the common cold to work with food is a safety risk.

“It’s the same virus and to an immunocompromised person, it doesn’t matter how bad the symptoms are in the person carrying the virus,” a senior who has worked as a server, cashier, kitchen aid and dishwasher for dining services said.

According to student employees, the problems started at a meeting on Nov. 12, 2019, when they met Assistant Director Denise Payton. Payton was hired in October having previously worked at Oregon State University as the operations and training manager/dining. Prior to that she worked in many management positions, including for the federal government, and she ran a law firm.

The November meeting was to discuss employee policies and tell students about some changes in how those policies would work. The updated sick leave policy specifically raised concern.

“I would encourage that if a student has a concern, that they’re bringing it forward to their manager. If they don’t feel that they are heard by

their manager, bec doesn’t know how out to us,” Payton some time with the tion into considera about it.”

Many of the stu have raised their c haven’t been listen management.

“They pretty m listen to student co customers or stude barista said. “It’s a tion. They tell us ho what we have to s

Menstrual Cram The students who spoke up said that one of their biggest concerns was that the sick leave policy mentions that menstrual cramps would not be an acceptable reason to call out sick.

“I raised my hand ... and I was like ‘that’s kind of sexist’… cramps and periods and stuff can be a really big problem for a lot of women,” an anonymous junior working as a barista said.

This was confirmed by other students who attended the meeting. One student said Payton’s reasoning for not being allowed to call out sick for menstrual cramps was so that it would be fair to male employees.

“A student said, ‘I have really bad cramps, sometimes I throw up.’ And [Payton] said ‘Well, it’s actually more fair to your male coworkers because they don’t have the opportunity to call out every month,’ ” the student, who is a senior, said. “She said like, ‘I’m a woman and I’m okay with this’ because as a woman, she can’t be sexist that she agrees with it.”

“I know a lot of coworkers, specifically a few that get really faint when they are on their menstrual period, and if they aren’t allowed to [call out], then I don’t see how that’s a safe working environment for them,” Terry said.

At later meetings, students said that the wording Payton used changed regarding

the sick leave poli handbook provide simply to “cramps cramps.” Student was the result of t “I heard that D throughout the we an uproar about i dent employee sa her is she basicall cramps unless you When asked, P can use their best the decision to ca “What it said o all experience pai we say you’re a n level of pain, you if you have an exc come to work,” Pa we don’t ask them what they call in f are excused. They wouldn’t be excus are excused.”

Executive Dire (HR) Staci Sleigh-L need to hear the s dents to comment violate any sort of ment law.

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cause sometimes the manager w to answer it, feel free to reach said. “We will gladly spend em and we will take every quesation and will be very honest

udent employees say that they concerns and feel like they ned to or taken seriously by

much ignore us. They don’t really omplaints, whether it’s from ent employees,” an anonymous a very one-sided communicaow it is and they don’t care say.”

mps

icy. The student employee ed in November refers s” instead of “menstrual employees say the change the negative feedback.

Denise changed her answer eek because there was such it,” another anonymous stuaid. “But what I heard from ly said you can’t call in for u have a doctor’s note.”

Payton said that students judgement when making all out sick. on our document was we in differently, right? So normal person, a normal would come to work, but cessive pain, you wouldn’t ayton said. “But even still, m. It’s their personal choice for. If they call in sick, they y were concerned that they sed but, yes, illnesses they

ector of Human Resources Layman said she would specific concerns of stuon whether the policies f equal opportunity employ-

Email sent from General Manager Christine Cloninger to student dining employees

Aftermath According to Payton, the reactions to the Nov. 12 meeting were mixed.

“I would say [it] was half and half,” Payton said. “I had a lot of students who came up to me and said, ‘Thank you for putting policies and procedures in place. We feel like you know, some of us are having to work extra because others aren’t coming to work.’”

Student employees said the response was far more negative, with one claiming that between 20 and 30 students quit immediately following the meeting. Another said that there were at least five that she could name personally who had quit, and that she knew of more.

“We have a group chat of people who work here and they all wanted to quit, they just couldn’t find another job,” the student employee said. “Everyone says that if they had another job opportunity, they would leave in a heartbeat.”

Payton, on the other hand, said no students quit immediately but that some said they wouldn’t be returning for winter quarter. She could not provide exact numbers for this.

Both the CWU public records department and Payton were able to provide employment numbers on a quarterly basis. However, since employment numbers change between quarters anyway, they cannot be definitely attributed to any specific policy or meeting.

After students raised their concerns, an email was sent

by General Manager Christine Cloninger to all CWU Dining student employees on Nov. 18.

“I have the emails, text messages and have heard what my employees have to say about the ‘new employee handbook’ as your General Manager I am shocked at the negative feedback,” the email reads. “I would like all of you to read the old handbook and know the so called new one is 99% the same. Let me say this you all have gotten away with things that you shouldn’t have. And yes that is all our fault. Its a new year, enforced student handbook and a NEW minimum wage. We are all a team, if you cant follow 3 policies then this is not the place for you to work.”

The email goes on to list things CWU Dining Services does for the student employees.

“We care about you and your safety,” the email said.

“We do our best to create a fun and positive environment.”

Payton said that she knew the email was sent but wasn’t copied on it.

“Her intent of that email was to say they weren’t new policies. They were just in a different format,” Payton said.

She also added that Cloninger has since met with the employees under her management to hear any concerns they have and help them understand the policies.

According to Payton, the handbook policies themselves hadn’t been changed, just the enforcement of them.

“They’re not new, they’re just finally put in one place so that everyone’s aware of them,” Payton said. “They were unknown policies I guess and unfortunately they weren’t communicated well.”

However, the student employee handbook used prior to fall 2019 does not include the policies in question. They appear in the most current employee handbook, released in Nov. 2019, and a document titled “CWU Dining Services Updated policies,” dated Jan. 5, 2020, which lays out the changes to the policies, including the sick leave policy.

ASCWU President Jasmin Washington announced during the Feb. 10 ASCWU meeting that she and Dean of Student Success Gregg Heinselman were aware of the issues brought up by student employees. She added that they have met with Payton to start working on solutions.

HR head Sleigh-Layman said that students can’t legally face any retaliation if they bring their concerns to HR. She also added that CWU’s overall university policies go through an intense review process but that different departments on campus write their own employment policies without a review process. She added that managers and directors go through leadership training before they begin working at their position.

“A lot of it feels like a parent saying ‘because I said so,’ ” the anonymous senior said. “We keep asking for reasons. Change for the sake of change is just never a good thing, especially when you’re implementing so many that make no sense.”

Student Work

cwuobserver.com

February 13, 2020

14 Editor: Cassandra Hays

“Ring No. 2” Sterling silver, fine silver, steel.

Kenon Jeffers

“Necklace No. 2” Sterling silver, steel, Ethiopian opal.

Kenon Jeffers

Kassandra Eller

Kassandra Eller

Kassandra Eller

Student Work

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Editor: Cassandra Hays 15

February 13, 2020

“Without Within” 36 x 24 in, oil on canvas Christian Mcgirk Instagram: @mazacast

“I’m pushed to create work because of the aspect of utilitarian ceramics; function facilitates form, and form of the piece influences the experience of the user.”

“At Rest” 36 x 24 in, oil on canvas Christian Mcgirk Instagram: @mazacast

“Bottle and Tumbler Set” Woodfired Ceramics, 2020 Evan Russell

“Tether” 36 x 24 in, oil on canvas Christian Mcgirk Instagram: @mazacast

TECH NICL A Opinion

cwuobserver.com

16 Editor: Nick Jahnke / Design: Teagan Kimbro

February 13, 2020

Become a

Aeryn Kauffman Columnist

Technical writer. If that profession sounds too boring for you, you could also be called content developer, requirements analyst, documentation specialist or the mysterious, yet impressive, information architect. These are all titles of technical writers, and the profession is booming.

After perusing the 40 pages of job openings on LinkedIn, 8,358 results on Indeed (just from typing technical writing, and documentation specialist produced 64,098 job results) and a whopping 661,966 job postings on ZipRecruiter, it’s safe to say technical writing is in high demand. And all it takes is an English degree.

Technical writing is still not a wellknown profession, despite the need for it. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics summarizes the profession: “Technical writers prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily.”

If it sounds vague, that’s because it is. Technical writing is that and so much more. I usually tell people this: you buy a new piece of furniture, but you have to put it together using the instructions.

Someone wrote those instructions: a technical writer.

Technical writers are key in the technology industry, especially when it comes to end users. End users are those who use the final product. For instance, the Twitter terms and conditions?

Duolingo Spanish lessons? You guessed it; a technical writer wrote those. Technical writers make apps, websites and devices easier to use, and their work can mean the difference between Facebook and MySpace.

Technical writers work alongside software developers and web designers to make superior user experience.

If an app or website interface is intuitive and easy to use, people download

it more, leading to more revenue for the creators. Technical writers translate complex jargon into simple, direct language any adult can understand. This is why technical writers are so valuable; they are the connection between the experts and the users.

A prime example of successful technical writing is the wildly popular “For Dummies” book series. Everyone has a copy at home, it seems. The series’ popularity coincided with the tech boom; “Windows 95 for Dummies” and “DOS for Dummies” are their best-selling books of all time, according to a Slate article. “DOS” author Dan Gookin said, “This level of user… [wants] to get the answer to the question, close the book, and move on with their life.”

And the need for technical writers is only getting stronger. According to O*NET Online, the holy grail of job information sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, technical writers have a median salary of $71,850 while journalists have a median salary of $41,260. One of my professors with technical writing experience said she was making six figures.

Technical writing positions have a projected ten-year growth of 7-10% and journalist positions are expected to decline by 2%. As a technical writer, you will always have a job, and you will always live comfortably.

For summer 2020, I have been offered four internship positions and counting. Paid internships in the $17-18 an hour range. Just search “journalist internship” on Indeed and try to find one that pays higher than minimum wage.

I’ll wait.

To sweeten the deal even more, many technical writing positions are remote.

You don’t have to “work your way up the ladder” to be rewarded with a remote position; many remote technical writers have only a few years of experience.

Technical writers don’t get stuck in the same position, either. Technical writing serves as a springboard into IT management, nonprofit work, web design, medical writing, grant writing, proposal writing and more. According to the reference book “Solving Problems in Technical Communication,” technical writers often learn skills in document design, web design, project management, multimedia design, content management, editing, single-source publishing and computer programming.

And CWU offers courses in these subjects.

CWU students should take advantage of the Professional & Creative Writing (PCW) specialization of the English major to become a technical writer. My major advisor, Professor Cynthia Pengilly, said most PCW students focus on creative writing. The job prospects are scarce for them. It is incredibly hard to make a living as an author, poet or playwright, though almost every English major I know (including myself) dreams of doing so.

Instead, creative writers are either delegated to educational professions or

writer

starving artists. Some eventually make their way to technical writing. Except instead of using pertinent information they could have learned in one of CWU’s professional writing courses, they must self-study to compete with professional and technical writers who received formal training.

CWU students can receive this formal training in the dozens of professional writing courses offered by the English Department. Some examples offered each year are Technical Writing, Business Writing, Advanced Technical Writing, Rhetoric for Professional Writers and more, including a Professional Writing Certificate.

The Information Technology/Administrative Management (ITAM) and Computer Science Departments offer courses in project management, web design, front and back-end software development languages like Java and Javascript, technical writing in computer science and IT management.

The tools are here for English majors to receive a robust, technology-focused education that will propel us forward in our careers.

Don’t get stuck being a starving artist, English majors. Explore technical writing, get paid and live comfortably.

Opinion

cwuobserver.com

Editor: Nick Jahnke / Design: Teagan Kimbro 17

February 13, 2020

Emotional Support Animals might be the choice for you

Riel Hanson Columnist

Among those with mental disabilities it is common to seek help and companionship with an Emotional Support Animal, or ESA. Mental disabilities differ from physical disabilities but still impact a person’s daily activity, making it difficult to live a normal life. John Hopkins Medicine states 18% of adults aged 18-54 have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and 9.5% of adults 18 and up have been diagnosed with a depressive illness. Both studies being around the time adults start college, many students are either medicated or rely on ESAs. “[Under] the federal Fair Housing Act, housing facilities must allow service dogs and emotional support animals, if necessary for a person with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the home,” Lisa Guerin, graduate of Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley said. CWU has a “no pets” policy in residence halls, however that does not apply to support animals and ESAs. The federal laws provide protection for those with ESAs and exclude them from paying the various pet fees or deposits for different housing options.

There are those that make it even more difficult by claiming to have an ESA or support animal in order to avoid paying to have their pet live with them or just to take them into different places. This

makes it extremely difficult and frustrating for those with actual ESAs to be trusted.

Determining if an ESA is the right option for you can be challenging and to find the right fit for you can take a long period of time. How do you know if an ESA is an appropriate accommodation for you? If you’ve been diagnosed with a disability, either mental or physical. Along with that, if the animal you’re requesting to live with you would provide alleviation for the current disabilities you’ve been diagnosed with.

There is a lengthy process that can take up to several weeks to complete to have an ESA live with you in CWU’s residential halls. First you must complete the online request forms with CWU Disability Services.

This will include documentation by a therapist or doctor of your disability. It is important the documentation states the connection between the disability and the accommodation of an ESA that is being requested.

Next, disability services will review your request and contact you to set up a meeting. During the meeting, disability services will determine if an ESA is an appropriate accommodation. If it is decided it is, they will send the ESA request to Housing.

The final step is a meeting with the director of Housing Operations to discuss the request. Later, after the decision is made, CWU Housing contacts the student to inform them if the request has been approved or denied.

There are other rules for an animal to be considered an ESA or support animal.

According to an official emotional support animal website where you can get an ESA prescription letter by medical professionals, any domesticated animal can be qualified to be an ESA. But the animal must be manageable in public and not create a nuisance in a home environment. They can technically be any age to be an ESA, however CWU requires the animal to be at least one year old to live in residence halls.

Now you may be wondering why I, a first year student at CWU, care or know about ESAs. The reason must be because I have one, right? And surprisingly enough, no I do not have one. So why listen to me? I may not have one right now, but I’m working towards getting one for my mental disabilities. For the longest time I did not even know there was such help as an emotional support animal. I thought I was in the battle against mental illness alone. This is why I want to inform people of the possibility and the process of requesting to have your ESA live in on campus housing.

“Institutions that unlawfully reject such requests are finding themselves in court and charged with disability discrimination,” said C. W. Von Bergen from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. More and more universities are acknowledging that mental disabilities are just as much of an impact on people as physical disabilities and are starting to allow ESAs on their campuses. Still, there are people out in the world who don’t understand the need for that bit of extra help from a furry friend.

h t a p ly n o e h t t ’ n College is Harleen Kaur Columnist

College is a waste of time and money. A college degree does not guarantee employment nor does it prepare you properly for the world. It prevents students from thinking outside of the box.

Students are not learning, they are trying to earn high scores on exams and compete with each other. Students and parents pay thousands of dollars to an institution for years. Society tells us college is the right path and the only path to becoming successful.

I’m not saying education and learning aren’t important, but there are so many opportunities and options available to students other than sitting in a boring lecture. Other options might include the workforce, an apprenticeship, trade school, the military or being an entrepreneur.

“Don’t confuse schooling with education. I didn’t go to Harvard but the people that work for me did,” tweeted Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, business magnate and engineer, in 2018 on Twitter.

Colleges and universities don’t teach students about investing and saving money, to learn from mistakes and how to file taxes. In fact, students are taught mistakes are not good. For example, teachers mark students wrong on tests and assignments instead of giving them a chance to learn and fix their mistakes.

Making mistakes and learning from them is a part of life.

“In school we learn that mistakes are bad, and we are punished for making them. Yet if you look at the way humans are designed to learn, we learn by making mistakes,” Robert T. Kiyoaski said in the book, “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” Currently, I am a college student double majoring in public relations and business. College is a route I decided to take just like 19.9 million other students in the U.S., according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

One of the biggest reasons I chose to attend college was for the happiness of my parents.

There are so many people who did not go to college and are successful today. For instance, Ellen DeGeneres, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Bill Gates.

These successful people, instead of spending money and wasting their time in a classroom, followed their dreams.

“There’s no need even to have a college degree at all,” Musk said in his interview with Auto Bild in 2014.

As a college student, the cost adds up pretty quickly. The cost of tuition, transportation, food, textbooks and entertainment can be expensive. According to the Student Debt Relief websites, the average cost for one year to attend an university is $20,770, which includes tuition, room and board, books and transportation. Students that are out of state are paying an extra $16,000 per year. Most college students and families don’t have that kind of money.

“We ask kids that are 16 to 18-year-olds to make $100,00 debt decisions when they go off to University and they are not prepared for that,” said Kevin O’leary, the chairman of O’leary Financial group in an interview with Business Day. “They don’t know what they’re getting themselves into, they just assume, ‘Okay, I’m going to pay four years of education at 20,000 a pop and when I come out the other side somehow I’ll be able to pay it back.’”

According to the Marketplace Debt website, more than 70% of students take out loans to pay for college. In 2019 the average nationwide student loan was 1.4 trillion, according to Debt.org. Graduation and earning a degree, students are expected to sign their lives off to a career and slave until they pay off their loans.

My friend at CWU has taken out multiple loans in the last four years. He is a senior but still has one more year. He is in debt of more than $120,000. He is spending thousands of dollars on paper that is apparently going to guarantee him a better job and pay in the future. After graduation, he hopes to pay it off in five years.

Don’t waste your time and money if college is not for you. Use that time and money towards your dreams. Educate yourself using the resources available and create your own opportunities.

Opinion

cwuobserver.com 18 Editor: Nick Jahnke / Design: Teagan Kimbro

February 13, 2020

e h t f o e On s l o o t t s be : e l b a l i a av t r a m s r You phone

Phoebe Lai Columnist

Smartphones have become a pivotal communication tool among young people in recent years. It has indeed become a common phenomenon for most youths to feel incomplete whenever they are out of touch with the devices. Fundamentally, the incorporation of smartphones into everyday life is revolutionary, helping humanity in a variety of ways including education, entertainment, business

and sports. Notably, the use of smart devices has increased tremendously recently with more and more people adopting the technology day after day. Although today smartphones are an essential aspect of life, they are like a double edged sword for they present both positive and negative impacts on the young generation.

Undeniably, smartphone technology brings advantages to most youngsters. According to an article in The Guardian, smartphone technology improves their skills in a plethora of ways including multitasking, problem-solving, fast thinking and information gathering among others. All are crucial elements in life and the boost youths receive through the use of smartphones is commendable. Even three-year-old kids who use smartphones today portray higher capabilities and intelligence levels than one would expect. These are life-enhancing attributes the world cannot ignorin a smartphone debate.

Independence is another benefit young people gain from using smartphones, according to an article in The New York Times. Teenagers might, at times, develop uncertain independencies, especially those with over involved parents who try to fix ev-

ery challenge the children face. The over-involvement at times suffocates the kids’ independence thus limiting their self-reliance. However, the use of smartphones strips away such issues, making most youths independent in such a way that they can do different things by themselves. According to an article in The Guardian, at 12 years old, a kid can surf the internet and access a plethora of elements including shopping, making orders, buying movie tickets, educational materials and connecting with others. The independence is incomparable to what youths had before smartphones, and through it, they can escape issues such as anxiety and depression.

Besides that, smartphone use substantially facilitates learning in youths, making them competent in different areas of education. For instance, smartphone technology acts as a homework assistant, helping students tackle difficult questions that they would otherwise fail to understand. Apart from that, they can search for definitions of difficult words conveniently and collaborate with other students without being in the same physical location. Additionally, numerous education tutorials are available on the internet and smartphone technology grants students access to crucial educational materials.

On the downsides of smartphone use, the concern of addiction among youths is increasingly overwhelming. The Guardian also mentions most young people are overspending their time on screens, engaging themselves in useless chit-chat and unproductive video games. Many fail to involve

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themselves in vital and productive ventures such as education simply because they have become slaves to technology. Additionally, the addiction largely degrades their social lives, and because they are used to virtual interactions, some end up developing health issues such as obesity, teen tendonitis, and arthritis among others. In the process, they may develop stress and fatigue which negatively affects their quality of life.

Smartphones also place most youths close to danger and risks in a range of ways. According to an article on Momjunction.com, it is common for teen drivers to text or pick up calls when driving and this not only places their lives in danger but also endangers the lives of other road users. Another risk comes with the increasing cyberbullying with many youths in the United States and around the world falling victim to cyberbullies. The Momjunction.com article also said, around one third of teenagers encounter cyberbullying and most of them end up not knowing the identity of the perpetrators. Extremities of cyberbullying become detrimental in some cases pushing victims to dark places with others even committing suicide.

Although the use of smartphones is two-sided, the benefits are immense and crucial, especially in the current world. Besides, most negative aspects come with overusing smartphones and a regulated use would otherwise minimize them. Therefore, it is irrefutable that smartphone technology is important and youths and the rest of the world cannot afford to abandon such a revolutionary technology.

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Sports

cwuobserver.com

Editor: Austin Lane 19

February 13, 2020

CWU Football encounters coaching carousel Continued from Page 1

Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson/Thompson Sports

Flores helping Wildcats make presence felt in GNAC this year Taylor Clark Staff Reporter

As the CWU women’s basketball team heads into their last couple games of the season, the pressure is on. The Wildcats are led by their team captain, Kaelie Flores, who is a senior this year.

Flores has been a part of the CWU women’s basketball team since she joined the squad in 2017.

“When Central came to me, they had been kind of looking at me since 8th grade and I thought that was super special.” Flores said. “They were invested in me, they traveled for me, and I just knew they wanted me to be here.”

Head coach Randi Richardson-Thornley has been coaching Flores since she came to CWU. Richardson-Thornley was Flores’ assistant coach her freshman year and then took the head coach position Flores’ sophomore year. Richardson-Thornley said Flores is a competitor on the court and takes what she does very seriously.

“Off the court [Flores] is a very kind

person but also very lovable and fun,” Richardson-Thornley said. “[She is] a very happy person that brings joy to other people.”

Flores’ fellow teammate, Taylor Shaw, who is also a senior has been playing with Flores at CWU. Flores and Shaw competed against one another in previous years.

“We’ve played against each other since we were in fourth grade,” Shaw said. “She’s so sweet, so caring and a really good friend.”

Shaw said Flores is a real competitor.

Shaw also said one thing she’s learned from Flores is no matter what is going on, you have to get out on the court and get the job done. Shaw said Flores is a great teammate and she’ll always be there for her friends.

Not only is Flores leaving her mark on her teammates and coach but she is also leaving her mark on the team’s history at CWU. Flores is averaging 12.3 points per game and is the team’s leading scorer.

“We’re excited,” Flores said. “We definitely know our place.”

Flores has been a part of the CWU women’s basketball team for four years now. Flores also said since this is her senior year, she feels like this year is very special and super important.

“I want to leave an impression on my team and this program,” Flores said. “I know I’ve been a part of a changing moment in Central history, so I want to carry that with me.”

Richardson-Thornley said Flores’ biggest attribute to the team is her competitive nature. She said she has the ability to balance that along with leading the team.

“She is able to be really competitive around [her teammates] and push them,” Richardson-Thornley said. “She also has such good relationships with [her teammates] so they respect her and don’t take things personally.”

Flores, Shaw and the rest of the team will be competing in their next game against Simon Fraser on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. in Burnaby, B.C. The women’s next home game is Thursday, Feb. 20 at 5:15 p.m. against Western Oregon.

After one season at CWU, Bills is taking over as the offensive coordinator for Dixie State University, a program that will be making the jump from Division II to Division I-FCS next fall.

Fisk said the administration, coaching staff and team were thankful of Bills for his time, dedication and production as the offensive coordinator at CWU. Fisk also said the team wishes Bills the best at Dixie State.

“It’s hard,” Fisk said. “I brought him up here as my first hire as a head coach and [we are] very good friends on top of colleagues working together, so it was tough to hear the news, but it’s also part of the profession. He had an opportunity to do something that he thought was better for his family, which I respect.”

With Bills on staff last season, CWU’s offense finished first in the GNAC and 10th in Division II in average points per game, with 41.8. CWU also finished first in the GNAC and eighth in Division II in average total yards per game, with 504.7.

Cordova was the defensive coordinator for CWU from 2018-19. Under Cordova last season, CWU’s defense was second in the GNAC in average points allowed per game, with 29.6. They were also second in the GNAC in average yards allowed per game, with 399.0.

Daily Record Sports Editor Luke Olson said in a tweet on Feb. 5 that CWU hired Nate Johnson for the defensive coordinator position. In 2019, Johnson was the safeties coach for Stephen F. Austin (SFA), a Division I-FCS team located in Texas. Last season, SFA allowed 34.92 average points per game and 453.0 average yards per game.

Fisk said the new opening for the offensive coordinator position has been filled, but could not comment until early next week on who it is until they sign a contract.

Men’s basketball needs strong finish to make playoffs Austin Lane Sports Editor

With six games left in the season, CWU Men’s Basketball is 7-7 in conference games and is currently tied for sixth in the GNAC. The GNAC postseason tournament takes the top six teams in the GNAC, so CWU is sitting on the bubble entering the final part of the season.

CWU was named GNAC Team of the Week after going 4-0 on a four-game homestand in Ellensburg. CWU de-

feated Simon Fraser University, 84-77, Western Washington University, 82-60, Northwest Nazarene University, 64-59 and Montana State University Billings (MSUB), 67-56.

After the win over MSUB, head coach Brandon Rinta said in a press release that playing eight games in four days was tough, but the team handled it well.

“That’s a tough stretch [of opponents to play], but thankfully we were at home for all four,” Rinta said.

The team travels to the last frontier this weekend to play two pivotal games,

against the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA).

Earlier this season, the Wildcats lost to UAF, led by former CWU head coach Greg Sparling, with a final score of 60-78. UAF is currently tied for second in the GNAC with a record of 9-5.

The result of the first game this season against UAA went largely in favor of CWU. The Wildcats defeated the Seawolves 84-50, their biggest win in a GNAC game this season. UAA is cur-

Women’s Basketball Standings as of Feb. 11 RIP Concordia :(

Women’s Basketball Schedule

Feb. 8

UAA L, 59-67

Feb. 13 @ SFU 7 p.m.

Feb. 15

@ WWU 7 p.m.

rently tied for sixth with CWU in the GNAC, also sitting at 7-7 on the season.

If two teams are tied on conference record at the end of the season, the first tiebreaker towards seeding in the GNAC tournament is the record between the two teams. Because of this, there is added importance to the game between CWU and UAA. Due to the fact that CWU defeated UAA earlier this season, if they win the second matchup and are tied with just UAA at the end of the season for the final spot in the playoffs, CWU would get in and UAA would be kept out.

Feb. 20

WOU 5:15 p.m.

1. Alaska Anchorage 2. Northwest Nazarene 3. Simon Fraser 4. Western Washington 5. Central Washington 6. Montana State Billings

14-1 9-5 9-5 9-5 8-6 7-7

7. Saint Martin’s 8. Seattle Pacific 9. Concordia 10. Western Oregon 11. Alaska Fairbanks

7-7 6-8 4-10 3-12 2-12

Sports

cwuobserver.com

February 13, 2020

20 Editor: Austin Lane

Men’s Lacrosse Club seeks bigger audience

Photos courtesy of Samantha Wary/CWU Sports Clubs

Della Babcock Staff Reporter

Peter Semler is a senior on the CWU Men’s Lacrosse Club.

Semler has been enjoying lacrosse since he was in fifth grade and said he still has a love for the game and the teammates he plays it with.

Semler wants to increase CWU students’ awareness of the men’s lacrosse program campus-wide. Semler highly encourages his fellow students to come out and support the team during their season this year. “We would love to see you guys come out there,� Semler said. “It’s going to

make us play a whole lot harder and it makes us a whole lot happier.�

Semler expressed his excitement for this season as he is fulfilling his senior year of eligibility at CWU. As Semler discussed how he is hoping for success in their season he has other ambitions on his mind as well. “We want to take this program as far as we can this season,� Semler said. “The farthest this program in history has ever gone.�

Fellow teammates of Semler, Keegan Sullivan and Ethan Olson have positive outlooks on what this season holds as well. Both athletes are working towards personal goals. Sullivan, as lead point

holder for the team in their previous sea- Schnitzius is excited for what they’ll acson, is hoping to keep the role of that in complish in this year’s season. motion and lead the team in points once Schnitzius said when it’s time to play, more in the upcoming season. Olson’s he hopes to have a ton of supporters. personal focus is to dial down how he “Now we have this huge stadium and leads the team. a big stand. I would love to have our “As a senior, I just want to strive to be whole school recognize us and know a better leader for myself and the team,� that we’re playing for this school,�

Olson said.

Schnitzius said. “We repBoth Sullivan and Olson resent CWU. We want evWe want to take believe CWU is a great fit eryone to see that.� for anyone looking to pur- the program as far as Schnitzius is able to sue their lacrosse journey. we can this season, construct specific practicBoth athletes encourage The farthest this pro- es that benefit the athletes people to come try it out. both individually and colSullivan and Olson both gram in history has lectively. Schnitzius said ever gone. had plans to play at differlacrosse did not have a set ent schools before visiting coach in past years which Peter Semler, senior led to them having to rely CWU. After they toured, they both fell in love with on player coaching primarall CWU has to offer. Sullivan described ily. Because Schnitzius played for CWU his teammates as accepting as well as a for four years prior, he feels he is able fun group to be around and Olson agreed. to gain a clear understanding of what the Sullivan expressed how his love for the team needs to be doing in practice to be game continues to grow. successful in games. “I think I love it more every time I “Last year was a big building year,� come to practice. And every single time I Schnitzius said. “This year we have clear set foot on the field,� Sullivan said. set goals, we know what our team is.�

The lacrosse team has new facilities The mentality of Schnitzius ultimateto work in. After CWU put in the recre- ly was able to get his team into semifinals ation sports complex, the lacrosse ath- in the 2019 season and perhaps even furletes expressed appreciation. Semler said ther in this team’s 2020 season.

CWU does an amazing job of taking care “We’ve been able to become a team of the team’s needs. and build this program,� Schnitzius said.

Based on last year’s run where they “We have a clear set path of where we made it into semifinals, head coach Evan want to be in the next couple of years.�

“

�

Men’s Lacrosse Club Schedule

Call for Capital Academic Building

Idea Incubator Non-Capital Projects

Construction of academic buildings and/or their renovation, which are funded by the Washington State Legislature.

Projects/campus needs that can’t be funded by the legislature, such as parking, housing & dining upgrades, or major equipment.

Â

Saturday, Feb. 22 Western Oregon University 2 p.m. Recreational Sports Complex

Friday, March 6 Washington State University 6 p.m. Recreational Sports Complex

Men’s Basketball Schedule

Feb. 6

MSUB W, 67-56

Feb. 13 @ UAF 8 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Standings as of Feb. 11

Feb. 15 @ UAA 8 p.m.

Feb. 20

WOU 7:30 p.m.

1. Seattle Pacific 2. Western Washington 3. Northwest Nazarene 4. Alaska Fairbanks 5. Western Oregon 6. Central Washington

14-1 9-5 9-5 9-5 8-6 7-7

7. Alaska Anchorage 8. Simon Fraser 9. Montana State Billings 10. Saint Martin’s 11. Concordia

7-7 6-8 4-10 3-12 2-12

Sports

cwuobserver.com

Editor: Austin Lane 21

February 13, 2020

Baseball ready to put last year in the past Austin Lane Sports Editor

After a 13-27 conference record in 2019, the CWU Baseball team is looking for success in 2020.

It was the first time since 2015 the team finished under .500 in GNAC games and the most losses in one season since they won 11 GNAC games in 2012.

Head coach Desi Storey is ready to get back out onto the field this season and put last year behind them.

“We wanna bounce back from last year, a bit of a rough year on the injury side and that kinda spilled over into the wins and losses,” Storey said. “The guys battled hard but we definitely didn’t finish where we wanted to so we wanna get back in the hunt and I think the guys are ready to get after it.”

The team has played in two road series in California already this season against Stanislaus State and Academy of Art. The team will play one more series this weekend against Corban University, before GNAC games begin Feb. 28 as CWU will take on Northwest Nazarene University at home in a four-game series.

Senior outfielder Justin Hampson has been at CWU since 2017 and said the team feels like last year wasn’t a true example of their ability to compete in the GNAC. “All the guys showed up this year with a mentality that last year was a big fluke,” Hampson said. “We were pretty embarrassed honestly about how the season went, so we came out with a chip on our shoulder, ready to prove everyone wrong, working as hard as we possibly can every day, day in and day out, going out there with a mission.”

That mission is to compete for a GNAC confer-

ence championship.

“I have the expectation that we are going to take the league by storm, to be honest… I have expectations to be right up there for first place this year,” Hampson said.

In the GNAC preseason poll, CWU was picked to finish fourth out of six teams in the GNAC this season.

Coaching staff changes CWU added two new assistant coaches in the offseason.

Joel Johnson, a former CWU baseball player from 2012-14, joined the staff in fall. Johnson played for the Mainz Athletics of the German Bundesliga after graduating from CWU and also coached at Seattle University from 2018-19.

K r a m e r Champlin joined the coaching staff as a pitching coach in fall as well. Champlin was drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 MLB June amateur draft out of Olympia High School in

Photo courtesy of David Dick/CWU (left and right)

Olympia, Wasington. Champlin decided to go to college instead, playing for Arizona State University. Champlin was drafted by Toronto Blue Jays in the 2011 MLB June amateur draft. Champlin played four seasons in Minor League Baseball for Blue Jays affiliates, one season in a foreign league in Australia and three seasons in an independent league with teams from located in Northeast United States and Southeast Canada.

Photo courtesy of Jacob Thompson/Thompson Sports (middle)

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Join CWU's Wildcat Battalion Army ROTC! Call (509) 963-3518 - email armyrotc@cwu.edu Stop by Lind Hall, Rm. 220 or visit goarmy.com/rotc/ahf7 for more information. ©2019. Paid for by the United States Army. All rights reserved.

Baseball Schedule

Feb. 7-8

@ Academy of Art 2/4 games won

Feb. 14-15

@ Corban 3-game series

Softball Schedule

Feb. 28-29

NNU 4-game series

March 7-8

WOU 4-game series

Feb. 6-8

Dixie State Tourney 1/5 games won

Feb 15

UPS 2-game series

March 7

CU 2-game series

March 8

WOU 2-game series

Sports

cwuobserver.com

February 13, 2020

22 Editor: Austin Lane

Feel the burn with

GROUP

X

Paneal Holland/The Observer

Phoebe Lai Staff Reporter

Group X is a group training program at CWU. Group X offers different exercises for students to get a unique, instructor-led workout on campus. Group X offers exercises to help students burn calories.

According to the CWU Group X website, classes provide a variety of choices for exercise. For example, Group X has yoga and pilates for people who are into the slower, mind-body workouts. Group X also guarantees to have appropriate classes because everyone has different workout preferences.

There are 11 Group X instructors in the program. Kristin Keller, one of the instructors in the Group X program teaching Pop Pilates, said Group X offers a healthy way to connect with others.

“What I’ve learned is Group X offers that family environment of trust and availability, knowing you will have your instructor come and know you have a group of people have your back,” Keller said. “You’ll build such a positive con-

nection outside of the Group X classes, which is so rewarding.”

Group X offers Barre, Cycle, Cycle Strength, Full Body Circuit, FitCat Bootcamp, HipHop, P90X, Pound, Strong by Zumba, TRX, Yoga, Zumba and many more. All the classes work all the different muscle groups.

According to Keller, Pop Pilates helps students work on flexibility and focus on how to breathe correctly while working out. She said Pop Pilates offers a lower impact type of movement. The core work and strength in people’s legs and arms are important. And glutes are part of our core, so they are connected. If students strengthen their core, it can balance the rest of our body parts.

Group X instructor Shantyle Black, who teaches FitCat Bootcamp and full body circuit this quarter, said both classes are strength training exercises and have higher intensity.

Black said FitCat Bootcamp is a Crossfit type of workout. Moreover, full body circuit is back to back exercise in a short amount of time with

little rest, so it requires people to do a bunch of movements.

Group X instructor Lexi Cozart, who teaches Zumba and HipHop this quarter, said Zumba is very beneficial to students on campus because students have a chance to have fun and get exercise at the same time.

When it comes to safety, trainers are certified in the exercise they are teaching.

According to Black, she got her certification in personal training. With her certification, she is allowed to teach FitCat Bootcamp and full body circuit. Keller said she got certified from online Pop Pilates classes.

Cozart said she is certified under Zumba Fitness and World of Dance Ujam. She trained to learn the proper technique and format for the classes, so the certifications mean she is licensed to teach Zumba and hip-hop.

Teaching exercise in Group X also brings enjoyment to the instructors.

Cozart said she enjoys being a Group X instructor because she gets to bring people into the gym that may not come

in to work out.

Cozart also feels very passionate about teaching and leading her classes.

“I love it, especially in my Zumba class,” Cozart said. “Last week, I had my entire class full by about 12 hours after registration opened, which is very cool.”

Cozart decided to start teaching Zumba classes due to her early experience. Cozart said when she first went to Zumba classes, it was at a point in her life when all she had was school. Zumba was a way for her to get out of her house and do something fun with others. She wanted to bring joy to the other students as well.

“I decided to teach students because one of my favorite parts of being an instructor is being kinda dramatic during classes,” Cozart said. “I make a lot of noise, so students are laughing together at me. They’re all having fun.’

Group X classes are free to all people who have a membership at the CWU Recreation Center. Every student has two free guest passes per quarter they can use.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

TRX

POUND

YOGA

CYCLE STRENGTH

POUND

6:30 A.M.

TAYLOR

12:15 P.M.

CHRISTINE

CHRISTINE

CYCLE

X

CHRISTINE

CYCLE

FULL BODY CIRCUIT

5:10 P.M.

ZUMBA

BARRE

STRONG BY ZUMBA

ZUMBA

X

6:10 P.M.

ZUMBA

POP PILATES

FITCAT BOOTCAMP

ZUMBA

X

7:10 P.M.

HIP HOP

FITCAT BOOTCAMP

ZUMBA

FULL BODY CIRCUIT

X

MAREN

P90X

VICENTE

ALYSSA

DAVID

KRISTIN

SHANTYLE

LEXI

Track and Field Schedule

Feb. 14-15 @ UW 2 p.m.

Feb. 21-22

GNAC Championships

MAREN

ABBY

VICENTE

ALEX

VICENTE

ANYA

DAVID

SHANTYLE

LEXI

Rugby Schedule Men’s

Feb. 29

DII Last Chance Qualifier

March 13-14 DII Indoor Championships

Feb. 8

Gonzaga W, 110-3

ABBY

Feb. 14

@ Trinity Western 6 p.m.

Women’s

Jan. 25

Seattle Saracens L, 20-43

Feb. 22

@ Lindenwood 11 a.m.

Engagement

cwuobserver.com

Design: Teagan Kimbro 23

February 13, 2020

Valentine’s Day

CARDS If you are reading this thinking “oh no, it’s Valentines Day,” don’t worry we have you covered. Cut out one of our cards and have a happy Valentine’s Day.

are you the newspaper? because i want to see you every mornin

hey look at us Valentine’s You and me who would of thought? not me

baby, yoda one for me be my valentine

u make my heart rise and shine

u caged my heart

u pass the marie kondo test

Engagement

cwuobserver.com

February 13, 2020

24 Design: Teagan Kimbro

W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G ALL WEEK Call for Capital Submit your ideas for CWU’s next construction priorities. View, comment and vote on recommendations for future CWU capital and non-capital projects.

Visit cwu.edu/capital.

Register for Battle of the Bands Are you part of a band here at CWU? Interested in participating in Battle of the Bands? Register by Feb. 19. Bands chosen will know by Feb. 21. Event is March 6.

THURS. FEB. 13 Wildcat Success Day 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. • SURC, 1st floor • Free Get a refresher on what resources are offered at CWU. Enjoy free hot chocolate and pastries.

Identities Abroad 12 p.m. • Black Hall 101 • Free Come hear students from underrepresented backgrounds talk about their travels abroad and how identities influence their experiences.

Sushi Fest 4:30-7 p.m. • Holmes Dining $15, meal plan discounts apply Featuring California and spicy tuna rolls!

Poems of Color and Resistance 5:30-7:30 p.m. • SURC 137 • Free Join the Equity and Services Council for an evening poetry event aimed to highlight poems from marginalized identities on campus.

Condom Fashion Show 7 p.m. • SURC Theatre • Free Join the Wellness Center for this annual event, in a new location this year!

FRI. FEB. 14 Manastash Call for Submissions due Submit your work to Manastash, CWU’s annual student literary journal, at ManastashLiteraryJournal.submittable.com.

Valentine’s Day Hot Chocolate 12-1 p.m. • SURC W. Patio • Free The ‘Burg and Hype invite you to celebrate Valentine’s Day by grabbing a hot chocolate with your sweetie or friend.

Valentine’s Day

BINGO Give or recieve flowers

Cry alone

Buy discount candy the 15th of February

Do absolutely nothing

Eat chocolate strawberries

Only get a valentine’s gift from your mom

Get dumped

Watch “The Notebook”

Go on a romantic dinner date

Celebrate Galentine’s Day

FREE SPACE

Give or recieve a custom playlist

drink wine

Pop open champagne

hug a teddy bear

watch the sunset

give or recieve chocolate

download tinder

play hooky

go on a first date

see heart shaped... anything

boycott Valentine’s Day

write a love letter

MON. FEB. 17 Monday Movie Madness: “Waves” 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m. • SURC Theatre Free for CWU Students, $3 GA An epic emotional journey of a suburban family as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the aftermath of a loss.

WED. FEB. 19 Find Your People: African American Men 5-7 p.m. • Diversity & Equity Center • Free Connect and dialogue with people who have shared experiences with you.

Refreshments will be provided.

“

Buy a hallmark card

HOLIDAYS OF THE WEEK

02.13 02.14 Never be limited by 02.15 other people’s 02.16 limited 02.17 imaginations. 02.18 Dr. Mae Jemison 02.19

“

TUES. FEB. 18 Jackbox 7-8:30 p.m. • SURC Theatre Free for CWU students, $5 GA Enjoy a night filled with a bunch of mini games. Let your phone become your controller.

Cook dinner for a loved one

Galentine’s Day Valentine’s Day Annoy Squidward Day National Almond Day National Cabbage Day National Drink Wine Day International Tug of War Day Valentine’s Day cards on page 23