Dec. 10, 2020

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADS!

VOL. 127 NO. 16

ABSENCE MAKES THE COUG GROW STRONGER

ASWSU LEADER’S FAREWELL | PAGE 4 GRADUATING IN A PANDEMIC | PAGE 6 STUDENTS FACE BURNOUT | PAGE 8

WINTER SESSION

Three Credits. Three to Six Weeks. 100% online.

Last Chance to Register!

winter.wsu.edu

PAGE 2 | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

PAGE TWO

Community Calendar

DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

Daily Police Log

Thur s day @ 4 p. m. , De c . 10

Thur s day, De c . 3

Sunday, De c . 6

Intellectual Property in Indian Country Indigenous artifacts and imagery have been historically used for commercial gain without consideration for the cultures that produced them and continue to be used by outsiders. Cora Tso, a member of the Navajo Nation and law graduate, will discuss how cultural appropriation is interrelated to Native American sovereignty. Tso will also go into how Indigenous intellectual properties can be repatriated back into their communities. If you’re interested in attending the event you can access through the Foley Institute’s YouTube channel.

Pandemic Violat ion NE Terre View Dr., 2:36 p.m.

Officer responded to a report of a possible COVID-19 safety violation.

No Chores, Mom SW Staley Dr., 10:43 a.m.

Officers responded to a caller reporting that their child did not want to do their chores.

Stolen Stop Sign NE Gaines Rd. & NE Orchard Dr., 4:11 p.m.

Officers responded to report of a stolen stop sign and contacted the city to replace it.

Political Vandalism NW Dillon St., 1:14 p.m.

Officer responded to a report that someone had vandalized a political sign.

We dnes day @ 9 a . m. , De c . 1 6 Start Speaking up and stop people pleasing Are you too nice? Do you find it hard to be assertive and ask for what you want? Did you know millions of people struggle with being “too nice”? Being nice can make it hard to speak up, say “no,” or do something that might upset someone. An online event hosted by the WSU Alumni Association will teach participants how to advocate for themselves, say “no” and erase the guilt or anxiety associated with it. If you’re interested in attending the event register at: alumlc.org/wsu/4266 To submit, email events to meditor@dailyevergreen.com.

Preference will be given to events that are free and open to the public or are hosted by an RSO, and must include time, date and place.

Road Rage and Gun Threat s NE Gaines Rd. & NE Orchard Dr., 9:38 p.m.

Mo nday, De c . 7 Officers responded to report of two men threatening the caller with a firearm and following them from Threats for Speeding Pullman to Moscow.

SE Green Hill Rd., 12:23 p.m.

Officer advised about a caller who found a note from someone threatening to smash their windows Fr iday, De c . 4 for speeding.

Indecent Ex pos ure NE Campus St. & NE Opal St., 7:17 p.m.

Officers responded to a caller reporting an act of indecent exposure but was unable to locate the violater.

Pandemic Violation S Grand Ave., 1:59 p.m.

Caller advised officers about employees not social distancing and was given information on how to report the incident on the Stay Safe website.

Sat ur day, De c . 5

Vehicular Accident NE Airport Rd., 3:14 p.m.

Officers and medics responded to driver who drove into a ditch.

Vehi cl e Pr owl NE Maple St., 12:22 p.m.

Officer responded to a repor t that someone broke into two vehicles and stole some items.

T h r e at s NE Skyview Dr., 2 :56 p.m.

Officer responded to a report of death threats received from an upstairs neighbor.

Pa nd e mi c Vi o l at i o n NE Merman Dr., 11:51 p.m.

Officer responded to a report of loud music and lots of people in one home, and issued a warning.

Tu e s day, De c . 8 Deer on the Roadway SR 270 MP 5, 6:45 a.m.

Officer responded to a report of a deer on the road and cleared the body.

Destroyed Drugs SE Kamiaken St., 2:14 p.m.

Officers collected household drugs for destruction from a public drop box.

In the Stars | Horoscopes Today’s Birthday — — Catch a profitable wave this year. Dedication and practice lead to golden prizes. Realize home improvement dreams. You and a partner generate a resolution that leads to a valuable epiphany. Resolve a personal challenge next summer that invites romance, partnership and collaboration. Collect a bountiful harvest.

Aries (March 21 - April 19) —½— Take advantage of favorable conditions to make your move. Both love and money flow with greater ease.

Collaboration bears fruit. Make hay while the sun shines.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) —— Par tnership, collaboration and romance flower naturally. Share a mutual attraction. Someone’s saying something nice about you.

Suppor t and rely on each other. Give and take.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20) —— Grow your hear t strength with exercise and a healthy diet. Align words and actions to break old records.

Launch your physical per formance to new heights.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22) —½— You plus a significant other equals passion. Pursue fun and happiness. You’re drawn to love like a magnet. Reconnect and get playful together.

FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 10, 2020

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Arizona locale for MLB spring training fans 5 __ breath: bouquet filler 10 Human rights lawyer Clooney 14 Enthusiastic 15 Crush the final 16 Nosh 17 *Bovine that doesn’t waste words?

19 Class struggle?

20 Court events 21 Glitz 23 Central Park tree 24 *Dog that had a few too many?

27 Approach evening 30 __ Canadiens: Montréal team 31 Stenographer’s stat 32 Big Ten sch.

33 “I __ had!”

34 *Sheep that can’t see over the pasture wall?

37 Choice cut 40 Fair treat 41 *Insect that caught some rays?

42 Scatter, as seed 43 Having one sharp 44 Morning hrs.

45 Downed 46 Tests for future OBs 48 *Weasel-family critter wearing clothes?

52 2019 event for Pinterest, briefly 53 Legal wrong 54 Ultimatum words 58 Border 60 Leave one’s car unlawfully ... or where you might expect to find the creatures in the answers to starred clues?

62 Mudville number 63 Exclusive, as a community 64 Pop singer Sands 65 “Meet the Press” moderator

Leo (July 23 - Aug. 22) —— SFamily matters take priority. Share invitations, proposals and possibilities.

Domestic activities produce satisf ying results. Cook up something delicious. Fill your home with love.

Vi r g o (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) —½— Speak out and take action for what you love.

Write, publish and broadcast.

A lucky break can propel your initiative to long-lasting benefits. Get creative.

Libra (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) —½— Take advantage of favorable financial conditions.

Invest in your business. Push beyond old limits. Shatter a glass ceiling. Stash away the surplus. Rake it in.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) —½— Use your power responsibly. You’re especially persuasive, charismatic and charming. Personal magnetism works in your favor. Motivate action for a good cause.

Advance a passion.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) —½— Your imagination flourishes. Get creative and productive in peaceful privacy. Recharge your spirit with a walk in nature. Savor favorite rituals and soothing practices.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) —— Your team gets a lucky break. Collaborate with friends for a power boost. Share support, inspiration and motivation. Pull for a heart-felt victory.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) —— Keep your professional objective in mind. Huge advances are possible, by aligning communications and actions for your goal. Mix in passion. Acknowledgement comes from afar.

P i s c e s (Feb. 19 - March 20) —— Fortune favors your educational advancement. Teach as you learn.

Breakthroughs and discoveries await. Align words and actions toward passion. Launch your most excellent adventure.

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66 Perfect places 67 Talk back to DOWN 1 “The Simpsons” creator Groening 2 “Did you __?!”

3 iPhone assistant 4 Source of website revenue 5 Low voice 6 Take steps 7 Disco trio with a Grammy Legend Award 8 Cedes the floor 9 Guitar band 10 Prez on a penny 11 Eclectic art technique 12 In the least 13 “I wanna!”

18 SpaceX CEO Musk 22 Links machine 25 Have in mind 26 Links event 27 Without a clue 28 Bangkok locale 29 React to a missed exit 33 Clever one 34 “Holy moly!”

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NEWS

Leading incoming students; this graduating senior spent his entire WSU career in mentorship roles.

SEE PAGE 4 DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

EDITOR JAYCE CARRAL DEPUTY EDITOR CHERYL AARNIO NEWS@DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020 | PAGE 3

Pantry, go-bags available over break Students can access from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; limited hours from Dec. 28-31

By Andrea Gonzalez Evegreen reporter

Students struggling with food insecurity will have in-person access to WSU’s Office for Access and Opportunity Food Pantry, and can also request go-bags for pickup or delivery over winter break.

The food pantry is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Lighty Student Services Building room 260, said Anna Schilter, principal assistant for WSU’s Associate Vice President and Dean of Students.

Go-bags will be available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 2123, said Lucila Loera, executive director for WSU’s Office for Access and Opportunity.

Go-bags can be requested on the Office for Access and Op-

portunity’s website.

Students cannot access the pantry Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1 because the university will be closed, Loera wrote in an email. Students will be given larger go-bags before the pantry closes, Loera said.

Students will be able to access the pantry during limited hours from Dec. 28-31, she wrote. Those hours will be posted on the office’s website as the date nears.

The pantry will reopen Jan. 4, Loera said.

“We want our students to be successful and when basic needs aren’t met or students are worried about what they’re going to eat that day it’s hard to focus,” Loera said. “It’s hard to do what they came here to do, which is get an education

and earn their degrees.”

Go-bags are available for pick up and delivery, Schilter said. The Center for Civic Engagement and Cougar Safe Rides help deliver the go-bags.

There are designated staff members who put together go-bags for students, Schilter said. Go-bags are assembled by request, which can be filed on the office’s website.

Students can also request items like safe-sex supplies and sanitary products for their go-bag, she said.

Community members can donate money online at WSU Pullman Food Pantries for Students Fund or drop off donations at the Office for Access and Opportunity, she said.

“This is just one small effort to address the need. We’re always welcoming donations and people’s interest in it,”

LAUREN PETTIT | DALY EVERGREEN ILLUSTRATION

Students can request food, safe-sex supplies and sanitary products to be added to their go-bag for pickup or delivery.

Loera said. “Encouraging students that needed it to access it, because it’s here for them.”

A representative from the Community Action Center will speak about food insecurity, energy assistance and Section

8 housing during a webinar from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Dec. 10.

More information about food pantries available across the WSU system can be found on the Office of the Dean of Student’s website.

Whitman County, WSU to request for national guard to stay in Pullman

ROBERT HUBNER | WSU PHOTO SERVICES

The Army National Guard began testing students Sept. 7. They have tested over 4,600 students, faculty members and staff altogether for COVID-19.

University, county began working on request after Dec. 4; unknown when it will be submitted to state or if it will be approved

By Abby Davis Evergreen reporter

WSU is working with the Whitman County Public Health Department to file a request for the Army National Guard to remain in Pullman after the

semester ends.

The request will be submitted to the Washington State Emergency Operations Center, said Phil Weiler, WSU vice president for marketing and communications.

“We’re also going to be contacting the governor’s office to see if we can make sure that his office is aware of our request,” Weiler said.

WSU and Whitman County Public Health began working on the request after Dec. 4, when federal funding for the guard was extended, Weiler said.

Weiler said he is not sure the request will be approved once it is submitted. If it’s approved, Weiler said he does not know how long the guard would remain in the area.

“It’s going to depend upon where the need in the state exists, and if we can make a compelling case that Whitman County has a high need,” he said.

WSU and the public health department want to keep the guard in Pullman, and make testing available to community members, he said.

The guard began testing Sept. 7.

As of Dec. 7, they conducted more than 4,600 tests on students, faculty members and staff, Weiler said.

“They’ve been a terrific partner and really significantly increased our [testing] capacity,” he said.

Weiler said Whitman County is one of only two counties in the state that does not have highly accessible, low-cost or no-cost testing.

“Right now if someone in the community needs to get a test, they typically have to go to their health care provider, and frankly, it’s an expensive cost,” he said. “In some situations, members of the public can be paying around $250 to get a test.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency pays for personnel costs associated with the guard, including salaries, housing and food.

WSU covers the cost of processing tests, which costs about $100 each.

“We can’t expect that members of the community are going to write a check for $100 every time they want to get a test,” he said.

The university is working with the public health department to see if federal CARES Act dollars could help cover the cost of running community tests, Weiler said.

“We all recognize there’s a need to provide screening testing in Whitman County,” he said, “and this may be an option to be able to do that.”

The request is still in the preliminary stage, he said.

“This whole thing could fall apart quite frankly, because … we don’t have a good sense yet of how much CARES money is available,” he said.

Dining services to close Dec. 24, reopen Jan. 4 Services will gradually reopen after Jan. 4 when students return; they are encouraged to use non-university dining options

By Matt Holm Evergreen reporter

WSU Dining Services will close down all student dining options Dec. 24 and reopen Jan. 4 with limited capacity until classes resume.

Einstein Bros. Bagels, Starbucks, Lighty Espresso Bar, and The Market at Cougar Way will operate on limited hours until Dec. 24, said Sarah Larson, director of residential dining and culinary services.

“A lot of our staff are not full-time, so that week is built into their cyclic breaks,” she said. “It’s part of our model that we use to keep our costs down.”

Most dining services employees are hired to work a specified number of weeks during the year, instead of a consistent weekly schedule, said Brian Keithley, associate director of residential dining.

These weeks are predetermined to align with typical student traffic. This structure allows dining services to schedule as many employees as they think they need, he said.

Larson said dining services has been in contact with WSU Residence Life and WSU Housing to determine the need for student dining options over winter break. Open hours for WSU cafeterias and restaurants will be updated on the dining services website this week.

After Jan. 4, dining services will gradually reopen various student dining options as students return to campus, she said.

She said she does not expect much demand for student dining options over winter break.

“Typically, there’s less than 75 students; I’m not sure of the exact number that are staying this year,” she said. “But that compares a little bit to the 200 or so that we had over Thanksgiving break.”

Larson said the number of students that placed

orders over Thanksgiving break was not significantly different than it had been in previous years.

“We have some of our smaller operations open during those times, and we’ll do anywhere between 14 and 40 transactions in a day, so it’s pretty small,” she said. “Some of those transactions are [from] the few staff that are working.”

Dining services would reevaluate the possibility of opening up necessary dining options if residence life determined a great enough need for their services, which would be determined by student response to residence life surveys, she said.

For students who choose to remain on campus over winter break, Larson said she recommends the use of residence hall kitchens, which will be reopened for the duration of winter break.

Students also have access to the WSU food pantry, which offers packages of food for students in a socially-distanced manner. Students can also use food services not affiliated with WSU, like DoorDash.

Season finale against Cal; the Cougars host the Golden Bears in the final game of their four-game season.

SEE PAGE 5

PAGE 4 | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

R OOTS

EDITOR MADYSEN MCLAIN LIFE@DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

Senior is far from home, but not quite

Political science major began as ASWSU court clerk during first year at WSU; became elected chief justice for spring 2020 despite COVID-19

courtesy of Ally Carney

By Sandi Kobiesa Evergreen reporter

Growing up in Alaska, one graduating senior had no idea where she would end up, but knew it would be far away from home.

Ally Carney, senior political science major and economics minor, came to WSU her freshman year in hopes of studying in pre-law.

“A lot of people ask me, ‘Why’d you choose WSU?’ because it’s crazy far from Alaska,” Carney said.

“They have an amazing pre-law track, but WSU is so welcoming and homey.”

Carney graduated high school with 12 AP classes, which were equal to about 40 credits. WSU accepted all of the credits, so she only had two and a half years left to finish her bachelor’s degree, Carney said.

Carney became involved with ASWSU during her first year of school and was the first official court clerk for ASWSU. She gained experience taking meeting minutes, filing, organizing and reorganizing old case files and digitizing them, she said.

“I joined the ASWSU judicial board as justice in my second year of school,” Carney said. “The board voted and appointed me as deputy justice, meaning once the chief justice retired, I’d take their place.”

Carney was only able to act as chief justice one semester during spring 2020. With COVID-19, the judicial process was significantly more difficult for everyone in ASWSU, but Carney said she believes they were able to rise above the challenges.

“My favorite thing about the program is the camaraderie,” Carney said. “I was first so timid and shy, but all the other justices were so welcoming, that I opened up and felt like I belonged.”

To keep herself motivated throughout school, Carney would remind herself about the most inspiring person she knows – her future self.

“It’s what gets me out of bed in the mornings, kicks my butt when I’m slacking,” Carney said. “The image of who I could be in the future pushes me to strive for greatness.”

Carney’s parents were also an inspiration to her, especially her father, Ralph Carney. He pushed her to be successful and to work towards what she really wanted, she said.

december graduate

See ASWSU Page 12

Student started ‘something bigger than himself’ VIBES co-chair planned event for months, over 115 high school students attended WSU campus

By Jared Bradley Evergreen reporter

When Hezekiah Willard came to WSU, he knew he wanted to welcome incoming students. As a Registered Student Organization specialist and a Visionaries Inspiring Black Empowered Students (VIBES) co-chair, he has done just that.

Willard said Black freshmen coming to WSU should prioritize their own beliefs through education, as well as continually asking questions.

“VIBES really helped me out socially and academically,” Willard said.

Willard and another co-chair organized and planned the VIBES event for several months.

Over 115 students from the Pacific Northwest area came to the WSU campus to learn more about higher education and develop leadership skills.

After spending time in the African American Student Center

on the fourth floor of the Compton Union Building, Willard decided to join the VIBES team. He was a team leader when he was a sophomore, and one of the cochairs at the time suggested that Willard should apply for the position of co-chair.

“I just really wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” Willard said.

Although the position was new to him, he has been introducing people to WSU for a while now.

Before working with VIBES, he was an Orientation Counselor.

Aside from working with VIBES, Willard is also an RSO specialist on campus. As an RSO, Willard assists student organizations with any questions they have regarding their group and how to get it running. Willard said RSO specialists also help with fundraising and can even help start an organization.

Willard, 23, will graduate this semester with a Bachelor’s degree in history.

See VIBES Page 12

courtesy of hezekiah willard

Hezekiah Willard, senior history major, spent his journey at WSU in roles, such as an orientation counselor and Registered Student Organization spec ialist .

Music education senior completes recital; pandemic encourages Joel Roeber to better himself on recording equipment.

SEE PAGE 6 DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

SPORTS

EDITOR RYAN ROOT DEPUTY EDITOR NICK OLDHAM DESPORTS@DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020 | PAGE 5

WSU to end season against Cal Cougars hope to improve vs. Cal defense after averaging just 14 points in last three matchups

By Cody Schoeler Evergreen reporter

The WSU Cougars will once again look to get back in the win column when they play the California Golden Bears at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Martin Stadium.

WSU (1-2) is coming off a tough 38-13 loss to No. 20 USC while Cal (1-3) is coming off its first win of the season after upsetting No. 23 Oregon 21-17.

The Cougars’ offense struggled to get anything going against the Trojan defense Sunday. Freshman quarterback Jayden de Laura threw for just 134 along with two interceptions.

Head coach Nick Rolovich said de Laura got outside the system and the receivers had some issues against the USC secondary. He said those factors combined to create some hesitation on de Laura’s part and a lack of production.

“I don’t think it was his best game, I think he saw that,” Rolovich said. “I think the first thing is to admit and work on fixing it and getting better.”

The Golden Bears’ defense may be able to give de Laura and the Cougars a similar challenge. Cal is allowing 26.5 points per game this season, a number that is tied for fourth best in the conference.

Rolovich said Cal is very good at what they do on defense; they do not make a lot of mistakes and are very good tacklers. He said the game will come down to which unit executes better: the Cougars’ offense or the Golden Bears’ defense.

“We’re going to have to do what we do better than they do what they do on defense,” Rolovich said.

WSU has struggled against this defense in recent years. In the past three matchups between the two teams, the Cougars have won just one of them, scoring an average of 14 points a contest.

Cal’s defense lost Evan Weaver, 2019 leading tackler and linebacker,

but it still has considerable talent.

Redshirt senior linebacker Kuony Deng has taken over in the middle of the defense, leading the team with 31 total tackles.

Redshirt senior outside linebacker Cameron Goode also returned for the Golden Bear defense after leading the team with 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss. Goode is once again leading the defense in each category with three sacks and eight tackles for loss in Cal’s four games.

“Goode’s a good player,” Rolovich said. “That’s pretty funny isn’t it?”

He also said that redshirt senior cornerback Camryn Bynum and senior safety Elijah Hicks have been impressive and help make up a very talented Cal secondary.

The WSU offense has the talent to overcome Cal’s defense, especially if de Laura plays as he did in the first two games of the season. He has great weapons in the passing game, which he has used to considerable success.

Redshirt senior Renard Bell and redshirt junior Travell Harris have staked their claim as two of the best wide receivers in the Pac-12. The pair of wideouts are the top two in the Pac-12 in both receptions per game and receiving yards per game.

Bell is first in the conference with 27 receptions while Harris is fourth with 23. They are also each in the top five in yards with 294 and 275, respectively.

The Golden Bears have been stout against the pass this year; they are allowing just 197.8 yards through the air. The unit is more vulnerable on the ground, where they have allowed 169.3 yards per game.

Redshirt senior running back Deon McIntosh has been impressive for the Cougars in the rushing game.

He is one of four Pac-12 running backs to average over 100 yards per game; he has a mark of 101.3 yards per contest. He also has the fourthbest yards per carry mark in the conference with a 6.9 average.

The WSU defense has struggled recently, giving up 43 and 38 points in its last two games. Fortunate-

Ryan pugh | Daily evergreen file

WSU hopes to get back on track against UC Berkley after falling to USC 38-13. ly for that unit, the Cal offense has also experienced its fair share of struggles.

The Golden Bears are last in the Pac-12 in offense yards per game.

They are gaining 192.8 yards per game through the air, which is the second-worst in the conference and rushing for 126.8 yards per game, third-worst in the conference.

Cal will be led by redshirt junior quarterback Chase Garbers, who has thrown for 771 yards and six touchdowns this season. Despite not having the best numbers, Garbers is capable of having a big game.

He threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns against Oregon State earlier this year.

The Golden Bears also have a pair of running backs with over 100 rushing yards: freshman Damien Moore and redshirt senior Marcel Dancy.

Redshirt sophomore edge rusher Ron Stone Jr. said he expects Cal to run the ball a lot and use bigger personnel sets with multiple tight ends

and running backs.

“We’re looking forward to a physical game and just stopping the run and seeing what we do,” Stone Jr. said.

The Cougars have done a good job at stopping their opponent’s ground game this season. They have allowed 132 rushing yards per game, the third-best in the conference.

Stone Jr. said the defense has been successful because the guys have bought into the new system.

He said the players have learned how to play within the scheme and make routine plays.

“The farther we go, the more we’re learning the defense, and getting better and getting more used to it, and it’s just allowing us to play faster within it,” he said.

The WSU Cougars will play what might be their final home game of the season when they take on the California Golden Bears at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Martin Stadium.

The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports One.

Pac-12 Power Rankings: Men’s basketball

No. 23 Arizona State leads way in Pac-12 MBB power rankings after two weeks into season

By Kuria Pounds Evergreen columnist

T

he Pac-12 men’s basketball season kicked off for most teams Nov. 25, and every team in the conference has played at least one game over the two weeks of the season.

Not all the teams in the conference have played against each other, but by the way they look against their non-conference opponents, it’s safe to say who looks like the favorites at this point in the season.

1. No. 23 Arizona State (3-1, 1-0) Being the only ranked team in this conference, the Sun Devils look like a heavy favorite to win the Pac-12 as of now. They dropped a close game against No. 9 Villanova at a neutral

site, but still have an impressive victory against Rhode Island in the process. Led by senior guard Remy Martin, this team could make some noise throughout the season heading into the tournament.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Thursday vs. No. 24 San Diego State at 7 p.m., Sunday at Grand Canyon at 4 p.m.

2. USC (3-1) The Trojans are trying to make some noise in the Pac-12, and this impressive 3-1 start definitely is bringing some attention. USC defeated Brigham Young University at a neutral site by 26 points but lost a close game to UConn by three. After losing Onyeka Okongwu to the NBA Draft, the Trojans seem to have the right pieces to still make a tournament run, especially with freshman forward Evan Mobley.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Tuesday vs. UC Irvine at 7 p.m., Sunday vs. Stanford at 6:30 p.m.

3. Oregon (1-1) Even though Oregon has only played two games on the season, the

Oliver mckenna | Daily evergreen file

Sophmore guard Noah Williams looks right in front of Oregon State defender.

Ducks were still picked to win this conference and have an impressive season, after losing Payton Pritchard to the NBA Draft. The Ducks lost badly to Missouri but bounced back against Seton Hall. I would have

Oregon at the top if they didn’t lose, but head coach Dana Altman can still make this team a contender.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Monday vs. Eastern Washington at See POWER RANKINGS Page 11

MI

Letter from the Editor: We’re finally landing; opinion editor looks back on turbulent semester.

SEE PAGE 9 PAGE 6 | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

EDITOR JOEL KEMEGUE LAYOUT EDITOR JACQU

people of the palouse

‘Art has been my passion forever’

Senior Laura Ballard expresses herself through art, finishes journey to Bachelor of Arts

By Joel Kemegue Evergreen Mint editor

Laura Ballard started her journey to a BA in fine arts 10 years ago in California, and is ending it this semester at WSU Vancouver.

Ballard grew up in southern California and has been practicing art her entire life. That passion originally took her to study fine arts at Cabrillo College, but after three years she dropped out to raise her son. “[Art has] been my passion forever,” Ballard said. “I’m not really good at anything else.”

After seven years, two more children and a move to Vancouver, she decided to continue her education at WSU Vancouver in 2018. She said she returned to school to explore new mediums and expand her knowledge of art, which was easier for her through

classes and resources at WSU. “There’s so much equipment and supplies you are provided with that it’s really an environment for exploration and to try new things that you’ve never tried before,” Ballard said. “That was really appealing to me, to further my interest in the materiality of art and getting to know new processes.”

Ballard practices multiple art forms, like ceramics clay, hand-building large sculptures, acrylics, charcoal and more.

“I’ve always been interested in art, and especially exploring different mediums,” Ballard said. “I’m kind of an exploratory person, just trying a bunch of different things.”

Since coming to WSU, Ballard has also developed an interest in anthropology. She is minoring in it, and much of her ceramics work takes inspiration from Neolithic and Paleolithic art.

“I never had a negative experience in any of my classes,” Ballard said.

“I think that the environment is very conducive to people finding their way,

even if they’re not sure what that is yet.”

Recently Ballard worked on and had her work featured in Rain, an online art show curated by students in the WSU Vancouver fine arts department. She is also currently working on a joint show with Sharalee Chwaliszewski that WSU will host in January, featuring some of her work in Rain.

Ballard said she wants a job that involves working with kids and the community in the future, but right now the most important thing for her is waiting out the pandemic with her family. She also said she wanted to make time to do more art activities with her kids, and is planning out how to continue her love of art whether that means attending school or starting her career.

“I’ve always had this need to do [art],” Ballard said. “It sounds really cheesy but I really just need to express myself ... This is my thing. I really feel like this is what I want to spend my life doing.”

voices

Graduating in

Celebration for receiving diploma may not happen, but it’s one of Young’s most valuable possessions, will be hung up

Student makes music, defies limitations

By Anna Young Evergreen columnist

Senior shares his music, dream with WSU

By Anna Young Evergreen reporter

Almost nothing went as planned for senior Joel Roeber going into this semester, but that hasn’t stopped him from working toward earning his degree.

Roeber, who will receive his Bachelor of Music in Music Education next semester, recently completed his senior recital in a non-traditional way because of limitations caused by the pandemic. The senior recital is pivotal to music students’ progress and ability to graduate, so he said the setbacks he faced were overwhelming at times.

“The story of my senior recital involves a lot of COVID taking away opportunities, and persevering anyway,” Roeber said.

Initially, he said his recital was scheduled for April 2020, which got canceled due to the breakout in COVID-19 cases.

He couldn’t practice with any of the other people who were involved and had to reschedule for December.

A recording date was set for early November, he said, but that was pushed back when the recording studio’s producer had family members get sick with COVID-19. Roeber said his guitar professor, Gabe Condon, tried to help with the numerous setbacks. “[Condon] gave me three options,” Roeber said. “Get the recital done somehow this semester, move it to sometime next semester or somehow get the university to waive it.”

Despite lacking several members he originally wanted for the recording, Roeber managed to get together with the other musicians and rehearsed for about 45 minutes. He then decided to record the entire thing live the next day in Bryan Hall with no studio involved.

L a t e r , WSU alumnus James Carter added a saxophone part to the last two songs, recording separately in his own studio.

He said they wanted to record altogether, but since he plays a “death cannon,” COVID-19 regulations dictated that he add to the recording remotely.

“It is what it is now,” Roeber said. “Even for as many things to go wrong as they did, we still managed to squeak it out.”

With that accomplished, Roeber said he will finish his School of Music requirements this semester. He will spend the spring semester student teaching to complete the education section of his major.

A prolific member of the music scene in Pullman, Roeber has been part of several music ensembles with Carter and other WSU music students, including North Paw and NUU WAVE. Carter said he met Roeber through North Paw, as they would play gigs together at places like Rico’s Pub and frat parties. “[Roeber] has a very eccentric music taste and also the skills to back that up,” Carter said. “If there’s something that interests him, he dives into it heavily.”

Roeber is currently working with Hunter Thompson, drummer and former WSU student, on a band project called Calligraphy. He described the project’s sound as “jazzy progressive and technical death metal.”

With Thompson living in Spokane now, he said, it’s been hard to collaborate, and the limitations of COVID-19 make it hard to find places to rehearse.

“If we record in an apartment, it’s either noise complaints or giving the neighbors a headache constantly,” he said. “We’re trying not to be deterred by the obstacles that have walled us in.”

Roeber already has an established discography to his name. He has recorded with NUU WAVE, which included Thompson as well, releasing a five-track EP in 2019 called “Initiation.” Additionally, he has recorded one song with Calligraphy called “Death of the Individual.”

He said the song currently features himself on guitar, bass and vocals, with Thompson on the drums, but he wants to add something to make it more eclectic. Maybe Carter can contribute on saxophone, he said, or some kind of synth.

“We’re confident that, like with Goldilocks, we’ll find just the right amount of spice,” he said.

Roeber also said he composed a jazz fusion piece as a ballad for one of his old friends and another former WSU student, saxophonist Branson Bell. He said he hoped to record it and send it to Bell sometime in the near future.

While the pandemic has caused a lot of roadblocks, it has also helped him become more proficient with his recording skills and equipment. However, as a student teacher at Chase Middle School in Spokane, Roeber said he feels remote learning deprives his students of the full experience.

“We really need to be together, ultimately,” he said.

“They’re missing the sense of community you get when you play together.”

Carter said he always enjoyed playing with Roeber in various music groups and cultivating that same sense of community and envisions himself collaborating with Roeber in the future.

“I’ve always seen Joel as an exceptional musician and an amazing person to work with,” he said.

Going forward, Roeber said he wants to someday open his own private studio for music lessons. He also wants to keep performing and hopes to make a living that way, sharing his work for people to enjoy.

“Considering how much we use music in our lives to cope with everything, its value isn’t nothing,” he said.

“My dream is to create music that will spur positive innovation in some part of society.”

I

took my first online class ever in my senior year of high school. It was Spanish II, and I only went online because I couldn’t stand being in a class of really, really obnoxious freshman. They say sometimes, if you go into Capital High School late at night, you can still hear Ms. Van Stry yelling at the students rampaging around the classroom.

So I went online. And it was a mistake (though it would have been a bigger mistake to stay with all those freshies). The teacher remotely running the course responded to all questions with “read the assignment again,” and after a few weeks I gave up on logging in at all.

I got my first B of my entire high school career after bombing the final — which I cheated on heartily, but still goofed up somehow — and vowed never again to take an online class.

Imagine my reaction circa March 2020.

My distaste was totally warranted, too.

I got my first college B in planetology last semester, a class I loved to death in person but grew to loathe online. For the life of me, I couldn’t make myself watch pre-recorded lectures, and my notes turned into doodles of me smashing my head into a keyboard.

But it was only going to last a week.

No, wait, a month. Actually, the rest of the semester. Actually, it was going to last all of fall 2020, too.

Well … sh*t.

That meant my plans to study abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia, went out the window for spring 2021 because I couldn’t apply for a visa. I was unemployed for a while, and I’m forever grateful that my parents could back me up when that happened. Less monumentally, the first-ever Vampire Weekend concert in Montana got canceled – yes, I will forever be salty about it.

And then at some point, I realized all my credits were covered. There was nothing else to do. I could graduate, and a semester early, too.

As of this Friday, I will be one degree-holding bad*ss. Creative writing major, music technology minor, non-degree certificate in editing and publishing. Little to no fanfare, really, but that’s fine by me — with two older sisters and a number of older friends, I’ve gone to so many graduations that hearing “Pomp and Circumstance” gives me a Pavlovian-response headache.

INT

WSU wants national guard to remain; university and public health department will file request to extend stay.

SEE PAGE 10

UI THOMASSON MINT@DAILYEVERGREEN.CO MINT@DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

DAILYEVERGREEN.COM | PAGE 7

Freshman year through Zoom

n a pandemic

Evergreen columnist writes about his first year of college

By Joey Franklin Evergreen columnist

M

In the end, it’s all fine by me, but I know there are others who will feel cheated out of the experience of walking at commencement. Ceremonies are not my cup of tea, but for all you other seniors graduating under the radar this semester who aren’t happy about it, I really am sorry. I hope you get something better in the future.

As for me, I’m going home to my parents in Montana to sleep for about a week straight. We’ll do a quiet Christmas Eve, with a remotely broadcast Lutheran church service (and while we’re counting our blessings, staying remote means I’ll get out of a 20-minute sharing of the peace. So. Many.

Handshakes). Christmas Day will hopefully involve me snuggling my dogs, eating cinnamon rolls with my family and wearing the same fuzzy socks from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed.

My favorite holiday by far, New Year’s, won’t be the rager it usually is, but maybe that’s okay. I’ll want time to reflect on the past year.

Like, it was a whirlwind for me even without the pandemic and the protests and the election. In infinitely smaller ways, but ways that mattered to me.

I got a short story published in an anthology at the beginning of the year. My 21 run took place three days before the first shutdowns and about a week before my professors told us we were going online for a while. I got an offer to record music with a studio in Boston that is indefinitely on hold, but that’s motivated me to polish my composing/performing/mixing skills. A colleague of one of my favorite authors of all time, Tamora Pierce, started helping me edit a novel manuscript that I completed early in January.

And now I’ve got half a year to do two things: go to work and relax. I’ve applied to a number of grad schools for creative writing, so I’ll be pulling my hair out all winter until I find out if I’ve gotten in anywhere.

For now, though, I’ll try to mitigate my hand-wringing with the happy knowledge that, hey … I did it.

When I finally get my diploma (and guaranteed, it’s going to be all wrinkled up from its journey through the postal system), you best believe it’s going in a pretty frame and hanging on the wall of my apartment. In my last Culture Brew, I talked about how a handful of people discouraged me from getting an English degree because they thought it would be worthless.

But after all the work I put in, and especially after this year, it’s one of the most valuable things I own.

Anna is a senior creative writing major from Helena, Montana. She can be contacted at 335-1140 or at mint@dailyevergreen.com. The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of The Daily Evergreen, its editors or publishers.

y final visit to Pullman before graduating high school was on March 6. COVID-19 was only a thought in the back of everybody’s mind, schools had not shut down yet, and I thought I would be moving into a dorm come August.

Visiting campus one last time before starting college in the spring was almost surreal; all of my K-12 education had been leading up to that moment. All the standardized tests and projects I completed have finally come to fruition. I was able to walk around the Edward R. Murrow School of Communication before presumably starting in the fall.

I celebrated my 18th birthday on campus with my dad, so that made the trip extra special, realizing I would have my 18-22 birthdays at WSU. I had no doubts in my mind that I would begin classes in Pullman come August.

Going to college was an expectation I have had since I was young, but I did not have a real plan on how to do it until my junior year of high school.

I anticipated coming home from Pullman, riding out a couple of months of school and returning in the middle of August.

Exactly a week later, I was sitting in sixth period when Gov. Jay Inslee made his announcement that schools would be shutting down until the middle of April. Everybody was excited — no school! I was thrilled to have six weeks off from school and to spend time with my friends before classes would inevitably restart after Inslee’s restrictions lifted in April. The shutdown felt like winter break 2.0.

That time never came and my school, and like all others, we transitioned to online learning, and in-person gatherings were banned.

My teachers did their best to transition to distance learning, but it was not the same. I ended up only having a few assignments, but the real blow was not being with my best friends to end our senior year. My friends and I had plans to go on multiple camping trips and

concerts, to go to prom and graduation together. We ended up camping for a couple of nights and fished a few times, but it was nothing like I envisioned.

Summer rolled around and my school put on a fun drive-through graduation ceremony. I was able to go on a camping trip with my best friends when restrictions started to ease. By then, I was still waiting to hear about my housing assignment. The announcement had been delayed for a few months while waiting for more COVID-19 guidelines.

I was coming home from vacation in Idaho when I saw the email from housing saying to stay home this fall.

I was crushed, it felt like everything that could have gone wrong since March had gone wrong. Time slogged on through August when my sister left for school, followed by my two best friends, all leaving for colleges that were over 100 miles away. I expected my freshman year to be amazing, staying up late with new friends and going to football games. Neither of those ended up happening, so seeing that email was kind of a cheap shot.

Going to college felt like it was going to be some kind of adventure, so I was disappointed that my departure would be delayed by a few months.

Around the time school started, I signed up for some 100-level classes, expecting them to be a walk in the park. I was very wrong; I was blindsided by how much more work these classes had compared to hardest classes I took in high school.

I was able to skate through my high school work, and only a handful of my classes took a lot of effort and were really hard. My classes this semester have not been necessarily difficult, but the level of effort and work I have had to complete has been a new beast.

I have had to write a seemingly endless number of essays for my history class, and one of my communications classes had assignments posted on three different websites — finding them was difficult.

It has also been tough to not see my friends for long spans of time either at school or work. I had seen a mix of my friends every day for the past 10+ years of my life. They have been back in my area a couple of times apiece since August, but only seeing my closest friends four times in as many months has been really tough.

There have been times where I was lonely and thinking about how much differently the past six months could

read more online at dailyevergreen.com

people of the palouse

‘I had stability through music’

Prykhodko finds passion, solace through teaching music; is self-described non-traditional student

By Kassandra Vogel Evergreen reporter

Anna Prykhodko’s parents were reluctant to allow her to begin piano lessons because of the strict nature of the schools in Ukraine. Finally in 3rd grade, she began her music studies at the Mykola Lysenko Music School, which she attended three or four times a week.

There, she trained with teacher Yuliya Kolesnichenko. Though strict, her teacher had what she describes as a “heart of gold.”

Prykhodko came to America with her family at the age of 13 on refugee status, with the expectation that the family could not afford a piano of their own or pay for lessons.

“To me, moving to the United States equaled burying my love for piano and knowing that was the end of it,” Prykhodko said.

Luckily, things did not end there for Prykhodko, as she found her teacher, Sue Piatt, through her school counselor.

“When we came here, I couldn’t even have dreamed about [taking lessons],” Prykhodko said. “I didn’t tell my parents about it, I just went to my counselor and cried about it everyday in school.”

Piatt took Prykhodko under her wing and gave her both a free piano and lessons until the family was able to afford them.

Piano lessons provided Prykhodko with an intimate connection with her teachers. Looking back, those lessons gave her a sense of stability in life that provided her with some grounding. She said it helped her through her first, years in America, which were especially rough.

“Private piano teaching has such an intimate and powerful impact on a child,” Prykhodko said. “I know for me, at a time when I had so many things being a roll-

ercoaster in my life, I had stability through music and private instruction.”

Prykhodko describes herself as a non-traditional student. She came to the U.S. in 8th grade and was not mentally present enough to even consider thinking about college. She began to teach piano as a student of Judy Baker. By the time she graduated high school in 2009, she had upwards of 30 students.

“I had to make a lot of changes over the next couple years, and a lot of tough decisions to be able to commit to full-time school,” Prykhodko said.

Raised to appreciate education, college was always in the back of Prykhodko’s mind and in 2013, she decided to return to school and attend Edmonds Community College. Her time there showed her the world actually does care.

“Up until then, it felt so lonely outside of my immediate family,” Prykhodko said. “School, in general, was really tough, but when I came to community college, I met such good people who really cared.”

Prykhodko transferred to WSU after two years and finished her coursework at WSU in 2017; however, she suffered a concussion in her last semester due to falling on ice. She finished the semester but was unable to complete her senior recital until this December. Prykhodko jokes that her four-year degree took eleven years to finish.

“Looking back at it, I view it with compassion because I know that I did the best I could given all the circumstances I had,” Prykhodko said.

Prykhodko is now at the Solovei School of Music & Arts, which she co-founded with her friend Elena Tselnik in Woodinville, Washington. Prykhodko says as a teacher, she tries to fulfill the role her students need, acting as a chameleon for whatever they need.

“I was really lucky to always have the kind of teachers and people in my life that had the heart of music and the emotional, expressive, and kind side of it be at the center,” Prykhodko said.

OPINION

Fraternity president finds new path; graduating senior will apply leadership experience to his career.

SEE PAGE 12 PAGE 8 | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

EDITOR JACOB HERSH OPINION@DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

BEWARE OF STUDENT BURNOUT

It’s been a rough semester; make sure that you prioritize taking care of yourself

By Meghan Henry Evergreen columnist

J

“

Lauren pettit | Daily Evergreen illustration

Finals and COVID stress have all conspired to make student burnout even more prevalent than before. tor, is also exhausted in every way from this semester.

In order to fight this inevitable negativity, many people tried to get more involved by joining new clubs, going to university programs via Zoom and taking on more responsibilities.

“

ust opening my laptop to begin this column took quite a bit out of me, I won’t lie. Many breaks were required. I rewarded myself for every line I wrote … the typical just-get-through-the-finish-line tactics I’m sure we are all experiencing right about now.

With dead week and finals starting, it was tough to find students who had enough time to answer a few interview questions. The irony of this does not escape me – a column on student burnout requiring students to take more time on their phones and computers to answer a bunch of questions … I know.

In fact, there were a few who volunteered and then backed out due to stress. And herein lies what I believe to be the ultimate cause of burnout this semester: even the things we want to do are exhausting because they are all online.

Though some students saw this semester as an opportunity to become more invested in interests outside of school, most were overwhelmed by the thought of opening another tab on their computer.

“Before doing online school, I enjoyed walking to class and interacting with my peers and learning and doing. Now I feel like school is a chore and it gives me anxiety thinking about it,” Emily McDonald, senior elementary education major, wrote in an email.

Where there was once the enjoyment of interacting with others in class or on our walks to campus, there are now only the same walls of our rooms and kitchens-turned-classrooms for four to six hours a day. I can attest to the

My lack of motivation has changed my study habits because I don’t have the passion or drive to do well.

Emily McDonald senior elementary education major

dreary reality of this: I took to switching my entire room around every few weeks just for a change of pace.

Student burnout is a “combination of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion brought on from work,” according to Therapy Centre.

The two main side effects are some we can all recognize: exhaustion, which makes it incredibly difficult to feel capable of doing your work, and cynicism, which makes it even harder to want to try.

“My lack of motivation has changed my study habits because I don’t have the passion or drive to do well,” McDonald wrote in an email.

I’m sure many of us can relate to this reality. Even someone like McDonald, who is incredibly passionate about her future career and works hard to be a great future educa-

“Having online classes has allowed me to be more productive with other aspects of my life,” McCall Penna, senior criminal justice and criminology major, wrote in an email.

In his case, this meant pursuing avenues of personal growth, like exercising or reading.

But many students were really looking for more connection with others.

Unfortunately, this also meant more time online. And for once, despite everything our parents have claimed about our technology addictions, we didn’t want to spend all day staring at a screen. The prospect of getting more involved inevitably meant more “Zoom burnout.”

“I used to love interacting with my peers and my professors,” McDonald wrote in an email. “Now most of the time I feel too anxious or unwilling to interact.”

There seemed to be no win-win in terms of

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Responsibilities for establishing news and advertising policies and deciding issues related to content rest solely with the student staff. The editor and advertising manager provide reports to the Student Media Board at its monthly meetings.

The views expressed in commentaries and letters are those of the individual authors and not necessari-

ly those of The Daily Evergreen staff, management or advertisers, or the WSU Board of Regents.

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mental health.

Students saw classes become more exhausting, despite the fact that all they had to do was roll out of bed and log on. There has been a major loss of motivation – even when we care about the thing we are doing. Our eyes can’t seem to stay open, and our brains won’t focus.

As much as students may be missing in-person classes after this semester, the end of a pandemic is far out of our reach. What we can control is our attitude and our effort. Students like Sydney Brager, junior elementary education major, can attest to the importance of this.

“Even during times where I may have been feeling discouraged, tired or burnt out,” Brager said, “I just had to keep reminding myself of what I was working towards: a future and career that I love.”

Seeing as I also have an endless number of projects to finish and finals to study for, I’ll keep this short: student burnout hit with a different power this semester, and we have to be prepared for it to happen again. Not by comparing what others are doing to cope, but by determining what we need as individuals. We have never experienced learning in this way, so don’t be too hard on yourself for struggling.

Take fewer classes, make time for health-conscious hangouts and please, reward yourself for every sentence you write. You deserve it!

Meghan is an English literature major from Austin, Texas.

She can be contacted at 335-1140 or at opinion@dailyevergreen.com. The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of The Daily Evergreen, its editors or publishers.

Editorial BOARD

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Angelica Relente, editor-in-chief Daisy Zavala, managing editor Jayce Carral, news editor Cheryl Aarnio, deputy news editor Jacob Hersh, opinion editor Madysen McLain, ROOTS editor Jacqui Thomasson, chief layout editor Oliver McKenna, photo editor

Typed letters to the editor may be mailed or brought to Murrow East room 122 or emailed to opinion@dailyevergreen.com. All letters 250 words or fewer are considered for publication. The Daily Evergreen also welcomes guest commentaries of 550 words or fewer addressing issues of general interest to the WSU community. A name, phone number and university affiliation (if applicable) must accompany all submissions. Letters and commentaries should focus on issues, not personalities.

Personal attacks and anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. The Daily Evergreen reserves the right to edit for space, libel, obscene material and clarity. The Daily Evergreen also reserves the right not to publish letters. The views expressed are solely those of the individual authors.

Email opinion@dailyevergreen.com to share issues, ideas or letters with the editorial board.

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OPINION

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020 | PAGE 9

Letter from the Editor: We’re finally closing out this semester Opinion editor looks back on fall semester, election, COVID-19

By Jacob Hersh Evergreen opinion editor

W

hen I first started working for the Evergreen, I was a fresh-faced first year with a spring in my step and a song in my heart. The world was my oyster, by golly, and I was going to milk it for every pearl I could. I was Woodward, Bernstein and Spider Jerusalem all rolled into one, and I was going to set the journalism world on its head — or at least give it a kick in the teeth.

Three semesters, two majors and one pandemic later, most of that optimism has been beaten out of me. Student journalism is a young man’s game, and at the joint-cracking, Grateful-Dead-listening age of 19, I’m too worn out to continue. As Hunter S. Thompson wrote in his suicide note, “No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67.

That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always b*tchy. No Fun – for anybody.

67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax – This won’t hurt.”

Most of this is a joke, except for the stuff that isn’t. The fact remains, however, that I’m leaving the opinion editor position to work on some personal projects and to focus on classes.

I’m hoping to scrape together enough funds in the interim to grow my hair out, buy a used Ford Econoline at a police auction, Minutemen style,

and travel the country following UFO sightings.

It’s been a hell of a semester — we had an election that rocked the country to its core, in the middle of a pandemic. WSU almost caught on fire, Jerry Falwell got busted and we saw a new president take the stands. I discovered a really decent Thai place down the street from my Pullman apartment that gives you a metric ton of Pad Thai for around $10. “Borat 2” came out.

My roommates introduced me to gin and Squirt, consumed heavily in a two-week stretch that I like to call the “Lost Fortnight.”

Covering the 2020 election was one of the highlights of my fall semester. “Countdown to the 3rd” was the fulfillment of a personal goal I’d had ever since I read “Generation of Swine.” At times, my writing was unintelligible — at others, it was probably downright concerning to our readers, but it was always original, and that’s all I really wanted.

I also got the chance to work with some intelligent, interesting columnists, covering topics from the local to the national about important issues and current events. It’s easy to get sucked into one facet of opinion journalism and forget about the wide array of topics that exist to discuss and write about. Working with students from different walks of life and educational interests helped inform not only our readers but also me personally.

As we ease into 2021, it’s tempting to look back and regret. I wish I’d gone to that KZUU house show last November instead of staying in my dorm and rewatching “Starship Troopers.” I wish I hadn’t spent $160 on an Israeli-import gas mask in the early days

Courtesy of Jacob Hersh

The Evergreen Opinion editor reminisces on the highs and lows of the fall semester. of COVID-19 panic. I wish Palmetto State Armory shipped to Alaska so I didn’t have to buy PPU from the angry guys at the surplus store. The list goes on, with everyone having their own individual list of “shoulda, coulda, woulda.”

Inevitably, though, that line of thinking is inherently self-defeating.

At the end of the day, we all lost a good chunk of a year to something none of us could really control. There’s nothing else to do with that knowledge than pick yourself up, dust yourself off and give it the old college try.

It’s been a pleasure working with the staff at the Evergreen, and it was a privilege to be able to cover the elec-

tion from showboating beginning to murkily-legal end.

The Evergreen is a testament to the fact that you don’t need a big budget or a top-of-the-line newsroom to produce original, well-written content.

All you really need is a group of motivated, interested people, and the work will fall into place. “We jam econo,” to quote Watt, Boon and Hurley.

A thousand blessings to my legions of devoted fans, and as always, keep watching the skies.

Jacob is a political science major from Anchorage, Alaska. He can be contacted at 335-1140 or at opinion@dailyevergreen.com.

The views expressed in this column do not necessarily represent the views of The Daily Evergreen, its editors or publishers.

Letter from the Editors: Uncertainty, wildcards made us stronger Editor-in-chief, managing editor reflect on fall semester’s special challenges, triumphs; excited to see what spring semester holds

By Angelica Relente and Daisy Zavala Evergreen editor-in-chief and managing editor

W

e had a vision for the paper we were hoping to accomplish before we even stepped into our roles.

Then the pandemic presented us with a new set of challenges, and we worried our plans would be curtailed — maybe cut short. But we stuck with them anyway.

We set out to establish new projects that could outlive us and made sure there was diversity throughout the paper. Real diversity. Not the kind constrained to only one section or a tag.

And we did it, all thanks to our dedicated staff who — amid online classes, second jobs, not to mention a pandemic — had a visible passion in what they do.

For all those times we sat through our journalism classes, learning about ledes and media ethics, one thing didn’t make the cut: how to lead a newsroom in the middle of a pandemic.

We didn’t expect to learn about it.

To put simply, no one expected a pandemic to change the course of fall 2020 — we certainly didn’t.

Not all news organizations were immune to the effects of the pandemic, let alone a college newspaper. When we made the decision to switch from a daily print publication to a weekly, it discontinued a tradition that was special and unique to The Daily Evergreen.

We know editors before us fought long and hard to continue daily print production, so we made sure this discontinuance didn’t affect the quality of our content. And sure enough, it didn’t. It was the most sound decision we could make given the circumstances and is not permanent.

This fall, we were fortunate to have talented individuals in our staff, who made sure a pandemic didn’t stop them from doing their job.

Roots launched Cultivating Roots, a podcast that highlights student leaders in the multicultural community, as well as the journey they’ve been through and continue to go through.

Mint also launched a series called Culture Brew, which is dedicated to showcasing personal stories that make people who they are, whether they’re an Evergreen writer or member of the community.

Opinion ran pieces that mattered on a local level, like supporting Native students at WSU, and a national level, like the impact late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has on American politics.

Sports, on the other hand, published features on current and former athletes, as well as game previews and recaps as the football and basketball season progressed. Sports editors prepped gracefully for a season where it was uncertain whether there would

Angelica Relente | The Daily Evergreen

Fall semester brought new challenges, but the Evergreen staff adapted admirably. be anything to report on.

News, in particular, continued its coverage on the WSU and Pullman community nonstop ever since Summer Evergreen began, whether it is COVID-19-related or not. This section highlighted a multitude of topics, including how students of color were dealing with the pandemic. We even published an investigative piece regarding allegations made about a local pizza shop.

Among all the challenges we had to face this semester, doing remote production might be the biggest of them all. Loud conversations used to fill the newsroom, but now all we’d hear is the electric tea kettle when we’d occasionally

make hibiscus tea.

Almost all editors worked remotely, with one living in a different timezone.

We had to communicate through Zoom and Slack with the deadline breathing down our necks. Thankfully, we managed to send our pages before our deadline, night after night.

It may sound cliche, but the wildcards we were dealt only made us stronger, and we’re thankful to everyone who stayed with us through it all. The semester is coming to an end, which means we’ll be passing the baton to a new pair of leaders.

They, too, will thrive, and we’re excited to see what they have planned for spring.

PAGE 10 | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

NEWS

DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

Students required to get tested in spring

Students who test positive will isolate at McEachern Hall; testing begins Jan. 4

By Alexandria Osborne Evegreen reporter

Students coming to campus in spring will be required to take a COVID-19 test upon arrival at Beasley Coliseum.

“If students are living in a residence hall or on-campus apartment, they will be required to do the arrival test before they’re actually able to even get their keys,” said Phil Weiler, WSU vice president for marketing and communications.

Once students get tested, they will need to stay isolated in their rooms until they get their results back, Weiler said. Students will receive their results within 48 hours.

Students will receive their test results by email, said Kim Holapa, associate vice president of external engagement and strategic initiatives.

“If they are planning on using any of our university facilities, they will be required to show the date they did their testing,” she said.

There will be an indicator on a student’s phone to show they have taken the test, but Holapa said she is not sure how that is going to work.

If a student living on campus tests positive, they will need to move to McEachern Hall, she

said. This hall is set aside specifically for students who need to be isolated.

Housing staff will be checking on students on a daily basis, Weiler said. Staff will help the students move between halls if needed, and will be providing food and other necessities.

“The hall we’ve set aside has many bathrooms, so we can minimize the number of people per bathroom,” he said.

Students living off-campus or in fraternities and sororities will not be required to take arrival tests, but are strongly encouraged to do so, Weiler said.

There will be different facilities where off-campus students can get tested, he said.

“For example, we will have a testing facility set up in what used to be the Stubblefield Bar and Grill for members of fraternities and sororities,” he said.

Between Jan. 4-6, student employees will be able to get tested on campus, Weiler said. There will be about 700 student employees on campus.

Testing will be available to students between Jan. 6-10, he said.

There will be around 1,000 students coming to campus for the first time, and they will be able to get tested between Jan. 8-18, he said.

The Greek community will be tested between Jan. 14-18, he said. There are tests available for

ANISSA CHAK | DAILY EVERGREEN ILLUSTRATION

Students will receive test results within 48 hours.

about 1,500 students.

WSU is partnering with a company called Insight, Weiler said. Insight staff will be helping with the tests.

Students from WSU’s College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Spokane will come to Pullman to help test students within the Greek community from Jan. 14-18, he said. They will be overseen by trained medical professionals.

“It will be nice to get our students some practical experience, but also be able to benefit our students in Pullman,” he said.

Police warn residents to lock homes over break

Areas with high student populations more at risk of getting homes burglarized

By Trinity Willsey Evergreen reporter

The Pullman Police Department and WSU PD recommend students lock their windows, hide their valuables, and ask a neighbor to collect their mail and shovel their walkway before leaving town.

Burglars will be looking for easy targets over the holidays, said Steve Hansen, WSU assistant police chief.

Neighborhoods with high student populations are at higher risk of getting burglarized because students tend to leave over break, said Pullman Police Cmdr.

Jake Opgenorth.

During this time of year, Pullman PD conducts extra patrols to make sure that homes are not burglarized, Opgenorth said.

A 27-year-old man broke into several places over

Thanksgiving break, Opgenorth said.

The man is currently booked into Whitman County Jail, according to the Inmate Listing Website.

There have not been any similar crimes since the Thanksgiving break-ins, Opgenorth said. Pullman PD has seen a decrease in the number of reports they have been receiving.

“Some years we have a number of break-ins, other years we don’t have any,” Opgenorth said. “Since we know that people are out of town during the holidays and during the breaks, we just retain and provide the extra patrol and keep an eye out for break-ins.”

Residents should make sure that their windows are locked, Opgenorth said.

Wooden dowels can be placed in the track over sliding doors or windows, Hansen said, so burglars cannot easily enter the house.

Residents who plan on leaving should lock up or move their valuable items from reach, Hansen said.

“Sometimes there is just a crime of opportunity,” Opgenorth said. “Anything we can do to reduce that risk is a good thing, so lock your doors, lock your windows.”

When it starts to snow, residents need to make sure their sidewalks and driveways are shoveled, or ask neighbors to do it for them if they are planning on leaving town, Opgenorth said.

“It’s kind of a sure sign,” he said. “After a fresh snow, if there is snow in the entryway with no footprints, it looks like nobody’s home.”

Residents should also ask their neighbors to collect their mail or packages so it is not left on the doorstep, he said.

“If you know your neighbors just ask them to watch out for your house,” he said. “Let them know what the plan is.”

Another way to make sure a house does not appear vacant is to set up automatic lights inside that will turn on throughout the day, Opgenorth said.

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SPORTS

THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020 | PAGE 11

POWER RANKINGS | Cont. from page 5 4 p.m., Saturday at Washington at 5 p.m.

4. UCLA (3-1, 1-0) The Bruins started ranked in the top 25 before losing to San Diego State and having a close game with Pepperdine. UCLA didn’t look like any contender in the first two games of the season, but having back-to-back dominant wins against Seattle University and California moved them back into talks of contention. Under head coach Mick Cronin, the Bruins look to make it back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2017.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Wednesday vs. University of San Diego at 6 p.m., Friday vs. Marquette at 6:30 p.m.

5. Colorado (2-0) The Buffaloes looked impressive in both games they’ve played this season, even though it is somewhat easy competition. Led by senior guard McKinley Wright IV, Colorado seems to have things clicking on the offensive side of the ball, averaging 80 points a game and only giving up about 60 points on the defensive side of the ball. The Buffaloes could sneak into the tournament if they play consistently well throughout the season.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Tuesday at No. 12 Tennessee at 3 p.m.

6. Arizona (2-0) It really was a toss-up for me between Arizona and Colorado, when making these rankings, but the only major difference I see between these two teams is the level of competition they’ve faced. You can argue it either way, but Arizona barely defeating Eastern Washington at home is not equivalent to Colorado’s big wins against Kansas State and South Dakota. The Wildcats are still a good team, nonetheless, coached by Sean Miller.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Monday vs. Northern Arizona at 6 p.m., Wednesday vs. Cal State-Bakersfield at 4 p.m., Saturday vs. University of Texas-El Paso at 3 p.m.

7. Stanford (2-2)

The Cardinal have a lot of talent still on their team, and even though the losses don’t show for it, this team is still very talented and capable of being in the tournament. Stanford’s two losses come in the Maui Invitational to No. 16 North Carolina and Indiana, both great teams this year and tournament teams. Stanford still has senior forward Oscar da Silva while bringing in freshman forward Ziaire Williams from Sierra Canyon High School. Watch out for Stanford in the long run.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Sunday at USC at 6:30 p.m.

8. Washington State (3-0, 1-0) I know, I know, you’re definitely asking why I have the best team in the conference, in terms of record, all the way down at No. 8. Here’s why. Because they got lucky. In all three games for the Cougars this year, they’ve failed to score more than 75 points, and continue to have some major shooting struggles. The Cougars have failed to shoot more than 40 percent from the field in each game and 39 percent from behind the threepoint range. I got to say, even though WSU is 3-0 on the season, it definitely does not feel like it.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Wednesday vs. Idaho at 6 p.m., Sunday vs. Portland State at 2 p.m.

9. Utah (1-0, 1-0) The Utes have only played one game on the season, and it was against Washington. Utah did look impressive, but, it’s still only one game on the season, so it’s too early to call whether or not Utah is a real contender. They shot about 44 percent from the field and almost 32 percent from the three-point range. The Utes even had a 23-point lead at one point in the game. Utah just needs to play more games, and we’ll really evaluate them.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Tuesday vs. Idaho State at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at BYU at 3 p.m.

10. Oregon State (2-2, 0-1) The Beavers started off to a 2-0

oliver mckenna | Daily Evergreen file

Freshman forward Andrej Jakimovski dribbles to hoop vs. Oregon State Dec. 2. start, and then back-to-back losses against WSU and Wyoming really changed the outlook on Oregon State’s season. Even though both losses were close, the Beavers still seem to have some problems shooting from the field and scoring. With the loss of Tres Tinkle, the Beavers need a new scorer on the offense and it seems they haven’t found it yet. A loss to Wyoming at home really set this team back and hopefully they can find a way to win.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Thursday vs. University of Portland at 5 p.m.

11. California (2-3, 0-2) The Golden Bears have won against a NAIA school and Nicholls State, and all three losses have been at the hand of conference opponents. California lost to Oregon State earlier in the season, and in the two conference matchups that count, they lost against Arizona State and UCLA. The Golden Bears shooting as well, as they have only scored more than 65 once on the season, which was against Northwest

College. California needs to fix their scoring issues if they want any success this year.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Wednesday at Pepperdine at 6 p.m., Sunday vs. San Francisco at 12 p.m.

12. Washington (0-3. 0-1) The Huskies are the only team in the conference that has not won a game this season so far, so putting them in the last place seems reasonable to me. Washington lost to No. 2 Baylor by 34 points at a neutral site, along with University of California-Riverside by 15 points. The Huskies also lost to Utah in their only conference game so far by 14 points on the road. Washington has failed to score more than 65 points on the season and after all the talent left for the NBA draft, head coach Mike Hopkins will have to scramble to find some talent to have any success this season.

Games this week (12/7-12/13): Wednesday vs. Seattle University at 8 p.m., Saturday vs. Oregon at 5 p.m.

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PAGE 12 | THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020

ROOTS

DAILYEVERGREEN.COM

IFC president challenged peers to change culture

courtesy of aaron fandel

Aaron Fandel did not know where he would fit on the Interfraternity Council, but he knew it was the place he wanted to be. This year he served as president.

Graduating senior forms rule requiring behavior, grade assessments for fraternities

By Jenae Laxson Evergreen reporter

When Aaron Fandel took over the WSU Interfraternity Council president position, he had a long list of issues to address, like alcohol abuse and sexual assault.

Fandel began taking on leadership positions during his sophomore year, first as the IFC director of policy procedures, where he educated fellow Greek members on risk and safety.

He would speak mostly about drugs and alcohol abuse, but he also educated the chapters on proper risk management and safety.

“After a year of that I just loved it so much,” he said. “The

best thing I could do was take another term on the council.”

Fandel said one of the platforms he ran on as IFC president was changing the culture of Greek life because people need to be more respectful and held accountable for their actions.

“I think it is an issue we already have in Greek life,” he said. “The guy that speaks the loudest or has the deepest voice is going to control the room.”

The members in the fraternities will need to come together as a community and be the ones creating change because the root of the problems starts there, Fandel said.

When Fandel spoke to a chapter’s fraternity members about sexual assault, it was an experience he realized he would remember forever.

“It’s the guys who didn’t learn how to respect women,”

ASWSU | Continued from Page 4 “I would say that Ally is a combination of independence, tenacity and extreme focus,” Ralph said. “She totally rocked her grades in high school, and she rocked her college career.”

Whether it was hanging out with her friends at Flix Cafe or attending WSU football games, Carney kept busy with friends and classes. She said during one game last fall, which WSU won, she stood up and shouted ‘Go Cougs!’ A group of students and alumni yelled it back to her.

Carney joined the United Nations organization, U.S. Women Connect, last

year. She was supposed to attend a conference in March 2020 in New York City, but due to COVID-19, the program was halted.

She remains hopeful for the future, Carney said.

Carney said she may have spent her time having fun and being involved at WSU, but she warns incoming freshmen to be wary of spreading themselves too thin.

“It’s okay to say no to activities. You may be able to handle them at first, but the later in the semester, the more things happen,” Carney said. “Make time to be social and live life, but you can’t live life without ever relaxing.”

VIBES | Continued from Page 4 During Willard’s childhood, he would visit Multnomah Falls, Oregon, every year with his family. He said visiting his father’s hometown will always stand out because he likes seeing his roots.

Willard owns a dog named Zahra, who keeps him plenty of company, he said.

Matt Holman, Willard’s friend, met him when they

were both OCs together. He said Willard was quiet for much of the summer, but when they started getting to know each other they became fast friends.

“Even just from our first day of hanging out, I knew Hezi was one of the most encouraging and kind people I’d ever met,” Holman said.

“He also sometimes refuses to tie his shoes.”

he said.

The crowd went absolutely wild in support of what he had to say, Fandel said. A wave of inspiration overcame him because he felt like he instilled a sort of excitement among a group of 100 men.

Dan Welter, associate dean of students and director for fraternity and sorority life, said he met Fandel during his sophomore year.

Fandel was applying for an IFC position at the time and had no idea what job he wanted. When he was hired as the director of policy procedures, Welter said he tackled the position.

He said Fandel reduced the amount of substance abuse on Greek Row and figured out how to implement stricter regulations, such as not allowing hard alcohol.

“Aaron was elected right af-

ter the passing of Sam Martinez, and worked on the Development Initiative,” Welter said.

The Development Initiative now requires chapters to complete behavioral assessments, as well as grade assessments, Welter said.

He said the big question was ‘How are we going to change behavior in our chapter?’ For the behavior to change, either the culture or people need to change.

Fandel began his journey at WSU as an engineering major, but decided the major was not for him, he said.

“I had a passion for arguing with people so I changed my major to criminal justice,” Fandel said.

He will be graduating with a double major in political science and criminal justice with a minor in business administration.

Fandel said he chose criminal justice and political science because they allowed him to listen to other people’s perspectives on issues.

Fandel is looking forward to his career and becoming involved in philanthropy, he said.

Specifically, with organizations that promote education.

After he has left Greek Life, he hopes issues will continue to be addressed, as well as the success his chapter has had, he said.

“I think five years out I would like to see if the same university administrators are still here,” he said. “Maybe I’ll be a parent who sneaks into the student’s section.”

Fandel said he is still in the interview process for a job. He plans to invest in real estate and hopes to retire when he is 50 years old.