FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2010 • PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY • VOLUME 64, ISSUE 113
Event of the day Need help figuring out class scheduling or graduation requirements? Stop by today’s open advising fair with a copy of your DARS report and faculty advisers will be available to answer your questions When: Drop-in sessions from 10 a.m.–Noon or 1–3 p.m. Where: SMSU, room 425
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INSIDE OPINION
PSU in space Portland State experiments performed at International Space Station
Transparency in city hall Mayor Sam Adams takes action regarding Portland police PAGE 3
ARTS
Junkies energize Backspace Ascetic Junkies bring high-energy folk to your saturday night pAgE 5
Sharon Rhodes Vanguard staff
Portland State-based research on fluid dynamics is currently underway at the International Space Station. On April 5, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration launched two sets of experiments designed by PSU researchers, which are being performed aboard the ISS. The two sets of experiments launched by NASA are the Capillary Channel Flow experiment, in collaboration with a German research team, and the Capillary Flow Experiments (CFE), designed solely by the PSU team, according
to Dr. Mark Weislogel, the principle investigator. In general, Weislogal’s research and experience being run at the ISS lie in fluid dynamics, which is the study of how liquids and gases move. These experiments have both applied and fundamental aspects, Weislogel said. “The applied parts are learning how to manipulate fluid…in spacecraft systems without the benefit of gravity by just using clever selection of container geometry,” he said. The goal of the CFE is to determine the best-shaped vessel in which to move fluids. “Without gravity, it is more difficult to control the flow of fluids and this is a challenge for designing spacecraft systems,” according to the summary of the research done by Weislogal’s team.
Fifth Annual Pilipino Cultural night returns Kaibigan throws the party of the year this weekend pAgE 6 A well-rounded artist Liz Hailey dares us to question the relationship between tech and nature PAGE 7
NEWS Sustainability conference at PSU Scholars gather to discuss the meaning behind the greening pAgE 8
SPORTS
STS112 Shuttle Crew/Nasa
Research for space: Mark Weislogel and Yongkang Chen are involved with the NASA research.
However, capillary forces—for instance, those which draw water uphill against the force of gravity— continue to act in the absence of gravity and can be exploited to control fluid orientation so that fluid systems on spacecraft perform predictably. Weislogel said the research was motivated by “a need to process liquids with pumps, centrifugal forces, etc.” He and other researchers hope “to increase [the] reliability of spacecraft hardware from fuel tanks to toilets, to oxygen supply.” The opportunity to launch these experiments is a great honor, because time and space are in such short supply on the ISS. “[It’s] very difficult to get an experiment accepted for flight,” Weislogel said. According to the project website, NASA requires that experiments launched to the ISS have a mass of less than 2.5 kilograms and a volume of less than two liters. In short, any experiments and accompanying equipment must have approximately the same weight and volume of a two liter bottle of soda, or less.
In addition, experiments must also involve minimal crew training and have very low power requirements. Weislogel and his team designed the CFE to be “simple and intuitive,” meaning that they can be set up quickly and only run for two to three hours, he said. Weislogel said his team also had an advantage in that “we work in a niche area that seeks to learn both fundamental and applied aspects of microgravity fluid mechanics.” The CFE involves 11 experiments in total. Four were launched April 5, while the other seven will follow later this year, Weislogel said. According to Weislogel, “the applied parts [of the experiments] can be used directly by NASA and [the] aerospace community,” to make a number of improvements in the lives of those working at the ISS, from better managing waste to improving the reliability of oxygen flow. “The fundamental stuff,” as in all basic scientific research, “is interesting and provides insight into possibilities down the road,” he said.
SPACE continued on page eight
In orbit: Research from PSU is underway on the International Space Station.
Public forum to inform students of stipend changes University reinforces educational component of stipend system Vinh Tran Vanguard staff
Talking softball After her second year as softball coach, Tobin Echo-Hawk talks shop PAGE 10
Liana Shewey/Portland State Vanguard
A public forum is in the works to help students understand several upcoming changes to the student stipend program for the next academic year, according to the office of Student Activities and Leadership Programs. Currently, there are not enough distinctions between student leaders who are paid a fixed stipend and regular student employees who are paid by the hour. Since there are differences in the nature of their work, the way in which they are being paid should reflect that as
well, according to several university administrators. Few students understand this distinction that presents a set of liability issues for the university. “[A] student leadership position is not a job; [it is] more like an internship so you need to show that you are learning something,” said Aimee Shattuck, director for SALP. “A stipend is an award, since the student is not an employee, [and therefore] it should not be seen like a wage.” According to Shattuck, part of the reason many student leaders that participate in a student group see their stipends as wages is because of the manner in which they are getting paid. Currently, Human Resources processes all student paychecks, regardless of job title. Naturally, the first order of business is to find another venue in which student
leaders can receive their paychecks instead of going through HR, Shattuck said. There are two other options the university is considering for the stipend program as an alternative to HR. Student leaders can receive their awards through a scholarship account, or through their preexisting student account, in the same manner that they receive their financial aid disbursements in the beginning of the term. Shattuck said SALP will not be changing the amount of the stipends, but will review the overall policy to emphasize the education component of the stipend. “If students keep getting paid through HR, they will think that they’re employees, and it changes the nature of the relationship with their work,” she said. “We’ll have to show that this is an internship and
that they’re getting paid for their participation.” Currently, SALP manages 150 student groups on campus, 38 of which pay their leaders a stipend. These groups are quite diverse, ranging from cultural groups, such as the African Student Association, to political and academic groups, including Portland Pre-Health. In keeping with the mission of SALP, student group leaders enjoy a certain level of autonomy in administering their stipend. This presents another problem with accountability, according to Shattuck. Since the money came directly from the student fees, the university requires a higher level of accountability. “We value the fact that students lead their own group, so we’ve left [it to] student leaders of these 38 groups figure out who gets paid and how much,” she said. The problem with accountability arises when a student leader is the same person who determines how much he or she will get paid.
STIPEND continued on page eight