Portland State Vanguard

VOLUME 68 | ISSUE 33 | MAY 6, 2014

LET’S BE HONEST PORTL AND’S DESIGN COMMUNIT Y GATHERS TO OFFER PSU STUDENTS ITS HONEST OPINIONs NEWS

OPINION

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

Online classes are on the rise at Portland State, but how effective are they? pg. 6

Watching porn with your significant other can be more complicated, and more fun, than you realize. pg. 10

Good Editions, a new online shop, showcases the work coming out of PSU’s graphic design program. pg. 15

The NCAA rules that schools can provide unlimited food to athletes. How does this affect Viking recruiting? pg. 21

CONTENT NEWS OPINION COVER ARTS & CULTURE CALENDAR SPORTS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

4 8 12 15 18 20 COPY EDITORS

EDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM Whitney Beyer

Sabrina Parys Margo Pecha

MANAGING EDITOR

ADVERTISING MANAGER

MANAGINGEDITOR@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jordan Molnar

JGEKELER@PDX.EDU Jordan Gekeler

NEWS EDITOR

ADVERTISING DESIGNER

NEWS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Coby Hutzler

Michelle Leigh

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Reaz Mahmood

ARTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Turner Lobey

OPINION EDITOR OPINION@PSUVANGUARD.COM Breana Harris

ADVISER

ADVERTISING ADVISER Ann Roman

DESIGNERS

SPORTS EDITOR

Alan Hernandez-Aguilar, Rachael Bentz, Brendan Mulligan, Christopher Peralta

SPORTS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jesse Tomaino

WRITERS

ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR ASSOCIATENEWS@PSUVANGUARD.COM Ashley Rask

PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION@PSUVANGUARD.COM Sean Bucknam

PHOTO EDITORS PHOTO@PSUVANGUARD.COM Miles Sanguinetti Corinna Scott

COPY CHIEF COPY@PSUVANGUARD.COM Chelsea Lobey

ONLINE EDITOR

Mike Bivins, Ryan Delaureal, Joel Gunderson, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Adam LaMascus, Colleen Leary, Kennedy Martin, Zachary Miska, Alex Moore, Jay Pengelly, Matt Rauch, Jeoffry Ray, Tobin Shields, Brandon Staley, Stephanie Tshappat, David Wooldridge, Adam Wunische

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jacob Ashley, Alex Hernandez, Jeoffry Ray, Adrian Shu, Christopher Sohler

ADVERTISING SALES

Lisa Bauman, Robin Crowell, Muhsinah Jaddoo, Casey Jin

ONLINE@PSUVANGUARD.COM Jaime Dunkle

The Vanguard is published weekly as an independent student newspaper governed by the PSU Publications Board. Views and editorial content expressed herein are those of the staff, contributors and readers and do not necessarily represent those of the PSU student body, faculty, staff or administration. One copy of the Vanguard is provided free of charge to all community members; additional copies or subscription issues may incur a 25 cent charge.

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Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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NEWS

MAY DAY MARCH Adam Wunische

May 1 is a day marked by protest and solidarity for the workers of the world. This year in Portland, the event attracted groups and people from various causes and visions of the future to make their presence felt.

Participants gathered in the South Park Blocks where they enjoyed music, dancing, pamphlets for various causes, and plenty of reporters and cameras. Entertain-

ment included a group called The Aztec Dancers, who performed traditional dances, and a band called General Strike, that performed songs of workers’ rights.

Organizations set up tables in the park and shared their causes with anyone who was interested. Those in attendance included the International Socialist Organization, the Portland Anarchist Black Cross, and the Industrial

Workers of the World, as well as 15 Now PDX, a campaign to raise Portland’s minimum wage to $15.

After music, entertainment and speeches, demonstrators marched off through the streets of downtown Portland chanting and singing. This year’s permitted event attracted around 500 participants and caused some traffic delays with no significant incidents.

Mounted police officers made an appearance at the Park Blocks before the march.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

The march drew a crowd of all ages, which advocated topics ranging from a higher minimum wage to measures to improve the conditions of undocumented immigrants.

Dawa Freeman, program coordinator for the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party, spoke before the march to advocate the rights of people of color.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

Members of The Portland Immigrants Rights Coalition led the march with a banner as the group made its way out of the Park Blocks.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

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MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

NEWS

PSU takes back the night Kennedy Martin

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and in protest of sexual violence, over 300 people came out for Bike Back the Night/Take Back the Night on April 24.

The event took place in Smith Memorial Student Union, Parkway North, and was hosted by Portland State’s Women’s Resource Center and the Portland Women’s Crisis Line.

Kari Anne McDonald, events and publicity coordinator for the WRC spoke about some of the goals for the night. “We hope to raise awareness on campus and in the larger community, and start a dialogue about creating a world where sexual violence doesn’t exist.”

BBTN/TBTN is one of the events put on at PSU this April as part of SAAM. However, TBTN rallies have been happening for over 30 years, to support survivors and raise awareness.

PSU has held its own TBTN event annually the last 12 years and has partnered with the Portland Women’s Crisis Line to include the BBTN portion of the event for the last four. This year’s event theme was Transcending Rape Culture: Rewriting the Narrative.

The function kicked off with a resource fair and live entertainment, giving attendees a chance to talk to and learn from representatives of the many organizations tabling at the event. These included the Sexual Assault Resource Center, NARAL Pro-Choice Oregon, the PSU Queer Resource Center, the Feminist Community Center, In Other Words, the South Asian Wom-

en’s Empowerment and Resource Alliance, the WRC’S Reproductive Justice Action Team, Victims Rights Laws, the Associated Students of PSU, Bradley Angle, and the Center for Student Health and Counseling.

Food and drinks were available for guests to munch on as they wandered through the fair, and live entertainment was provided by the Little Music Collective.

Attendees were also encouraged to participate in a clothesline project that allowed them to write about their personal experiences or supportive messages on paper T-shirts. The messages were then hung up throughout the room.

After giving guests approximately 45 minutes to tour the event and enjoy the fair, the TBTN march began. Making a loop around campus, marchers held signs or wore clothing bearing messages protesting rape culture and sexual violence. Literature, including several motivating chants, was distributed to marchers who shouted them with passion throughout the walk.

“We’ve really been working hard getting the word out about BBTN,” said Kirsten Adkerson, a crisis line specialist for the Portland Women’s Crisis Line. “We’ve talked to people at bike stores, bike repair shops, as well as going around neighborhoods.

“I think it’s really important that survivors feel supported in telling their stories and know that their communities are rallying behind them. That’s why these kinds of events are so great.”

Regrouping in the South Park Blocks, the marchers

Take back the night attendees march through campus to protest sexual violence.

CHRISTOPHER SOHLER/PSU VANGUARD

then joined forces with the BBTN riders who had begun their march in Colonel Summers Park earlier that evening.

As it began to rain, everyone moved back inside to hear Monika Weitzel, a direct service advocate specializing in working with survivors experiencing homelessness for the Portland Women’s Crisis Line, speak about how we can begin to transcend rape culture.

“I want us to celebrate this safe place, but remember

that rape culture affects our entire community,” Weitzel said. “The simplest thing you can do to transcend rape culture is to believe and support survivors.”

The next plan for the event was to move to the Walk of Heroines next to the Stott Recreational Field for a candlelight vigil and performance from the Aurora Chorus, but the rain left event coordinators with no choice but to cancel

the vigil and continue the event indoors.

The Aurora Chorus, a nonprofit women’s community chorus whose mission, as stated on their website, is “to inspire and reflect the universal yearning for peace by giving voice to women” squeezed into the room to perform two songs.

To end the night, representatives of the WRC led a collective Moment of Noise, reminding the crowd that

everyone has a voice. An optional Survivor Speak Out was held after the main event, giving survivors a safe space to share their stories and experiences. Advocates were also on hand to speak with participants.

“I just really believe that everybody deserves to feel safe,” said Samantha Gardner, a freshman at PSU majoring in social work. “Nobody should have to be scared walking around campus.”

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

5

NEWS

Online classes on the rise at PSU Adam Wunische

The number of online classes offered at Portland State has been steadily increasing over the past few quarters, and 230 are being offered this term. With offerings in every subject from strategic global logistics to public speaking, both teachers and students are convinced these classes have their place in university education.

Online classes are on the rise around the country. Tom Luna, Idaho’s superintendent of public education, considered a plan in 2010 to give every high school student a laptop and require them to take online classes to graduate.

At PSU, the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and Student Success, Sukhwant Jhaj, said, “Over the last few years, student are more interested in alternative forms of delivery.”

“Online classes haven’t increased by much, but partici-

pation has been increasing,” Jhaj added.

Jon Olson is a plant manager for Intel and manages a factory with over 1,000 people. He’s been an adjunct professor for three years at PSU and taught his first online class last term, Principles of Strategic Global Logistics.

Olson said, “The tools provided by online classes are better because it allows you to gauge exactly who is engaged in the class discussions, and the grades are more dependent on activity.”

Olson added that in traditional classes, on the other hand, “It’s easier to engage as a teacher and you can take the topic where the students want to go.”

In late 2012, PSU unveiled a new program called the Provost’s Challenge. According to the website, “The Provost’s Challenge allocated $3 million in 2013 to fund

and support 24 innovative faculty-staff activities to accelerate online learning and the use of innovative technology in educational delivery, and to improve student success and graduation.” Full implementation is planned for June 2015.

“Both research and my own experience suggest that it is crucial for instructors to be very clear about exactly what they expect from their students,” said David Del Mar, an associate professor of history at PSU. “The rub, of course, is that few professors have been trained to teach online.”

Del Mar also noted that there are efforts to improve this shortcoming which aim to make sure that instructors are properly trained.

Virginia Thompson, a senior psychology major, thinks online classes are less effective than traditional ones.

“With online classes, there is no interaction and everything is impersonal. The discussion board on [Desire2Learn] isn’t a replacement for classroom conversation since students just do it to get done,” she said. “I think online classes can be very convenient, especially for students who are working, but they are not as effective as traditional classes.”

Some online instructors, however, are more optimistic about the possibilities of these classes. Suzanne Atkin is the public speaking program coordinator at PSU, and also teaches an online public speaking course. “The online student will often feel less inhibited when interacting with others, which can make his or her college experience much richer, socially and academically,” she said.

Online classes at PSU require an extra $40 per credit compared to their brickand-mortar counterparts.

Thompson thought this was counterintuitive since on-

line classes seem to require fewer resources than traditional classes.

“Generally there are several areas that require monetary support: server space and upkeep, IT personnel to upkeep the online course system, instructor training, [and] ensuring school resources are available to the online student, like library and advising,” Atkin said.

Olson also provided reasons for this $40 fee.

“Every week, I shoot [a] video in front of a green screen and PSU edits the footage, puts it with my slides, and adds special effects like the MAX going by.

This is about 8–10 hours a week and the D2L site is extensively used in online classes, while it is barely used in regular classes.”

“In my experience, many students perceive the online course to be easier because it doesn’t require showing up anywhere,” Atkin said. To many students’ surprise, the online learning experience

is quite rigorous, requiring a dedicated schedule and motivated investment.”

This was the general opinion amongst the instructors, but Olson also noted that “online classes can be more challenging and difficult for the instructor. Instead of having a four-hour block, you’re on all the time.”

“In the last few years, student interest has been increasing,” Jhaj said. “However, it has been in about the last year that the university has made a real effort to use technology more.” Some of the projects being accelerated thanks to the Provost’s Challenge include putting the whole of the three-year Masters of Social Work program online, creating online academic advising modules and placing university studies courses online.

In a recent visit to an Associated Students of PSU senate meeting, President Wim Wiewel said, “Everything at this school is underfunded.”

“We need to consider all options moving forward.”

The number of online classes at psu has increased each quarter this year.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

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ASPSU candidate campaigning begins

NEWS

New regulations in place for 2014 elections Colleen Leary

The Associated Students of Portland State University hosted three mandatory orientations last week to prepare candidates for upcoming elections. In attendance were approximately 40 candidates who’ve met the requirements to run for president, vice president, senate and Student Fee Committee member positions.

At the end of May, students will vote to elect a president/ vice president team, 15 senators and seven SFC members.

The candidate registration this year is up significantly from last year.

The candidates running make up three president and vice president pairs, 20 potential senators and 16 running for SFC positions. The Elections Board has also registered three slates, or platforms so far: Take Back PSU, Pheonix and Sam, and Students for a Better Tomorrow, Today. There are 42 candidates total.

“When I saw that there are more candidates running than open positions, that was exciting. We actually have a competition,” said Elections Board member Adam Wunische. “[Last year] there weren’t enough

senators running to fill the open spots, so they had no incentive to campaign. If one person showed up to vote they knew they were guaranteed to get it.”

With campaigning having kicked off on May 5, students will participate in candidate meet-and-greets on May 6.

“The point of the meet-andgreets is for folks who are not declared on any slates yet to mingle with each other,” said Candace Avalos, ASPSU adviser. “They don’t have to be on a slate. It’s not a requirement, but it’s a strategy. We want to offer an opportunity for candidates to meet people.”

Slates need to be declared to the Elections Board by May 9.

ASPSU adopted an updated set of elections bylaws in March 2014. “The past version was pretty weak.

We’re hoping to have a much more professional election this year,” Wunische added in an email.

The new bylaws reflect stipulations for an ethical campaign. “We’ve gotten complaints from people who are in ASPSU now who have seen campaigning practices they have a problem with,” Wunische said. In the past, candidates have walked

around with cell phones asking people to vote on the spot and using other techniques that cause pressure on student voters.

“If you are physically present, you’re causing pressure.

That’s what causes coercion,” said Krystine McCants, SFC chair. The Election Board’s bylaws have created more structure to prevent this type of coercion from occurring.

Campaigning candidates must follow strict guidelines.

Candidates and slates have a $400 spending cap for anything they plan to give away to students. These funds will come directly from a candidate’s own funding. Students will not be allowed to use university resources for campaigning, but they can be endorsed by student organizations. University departments are not permitted to endorse any candidates.

Bylaw stipulations also include appropriate places to hang posters, advertise with chalk and approach students. Students cannot campaign within 25 feet of polling stations. Polling stations, per the bylaws, are any device used by more than one person to cast votes in the election.

Candance Avalos, coordinator of studentgovernment relations and ASPSU adviser, goes over rules and regulations with prospective student government candidates.

“Any place that has more than a certain number of computers is considered a polling station. That includes resource centers and computer labs,” Avalos said.

The candidate orientation covered the consequences for students who do not follow the bylaws. “We don’t really have to watch candidates because they watch each other,” Avalos said.

During elections, the Elections Board meets weekly to address any reported infractions. “Infractions are addressed on a case-by-case basis by the board. We need to use the context. It’s a conversation. No decision will be made before you have had

a chance to talk about it,” Avalos added. Five infraction points disqualify a candidate from the election.

Beginning May 8, candidates will participate in public debates. The first of these is the presidential and vice presidential debate. The SFC debate is May 13. The debates will pull questions from two sources: student media and students physically present at the debate. “We’ll also have a live twitter feed coming in because KPSU is planning to broadcast it live,” Wunische said.

On May 15, candidates will participate in a town hall formatted senate debate. “The senate meeting is more casual. It is for senators, but

CRIME BLOTTER

Week of April 28–May 3

Stephanie Tshappat

April 28 Arrest

Smith Memorial Student Union At 5:49 p.m. Officer Chris Fischer, Officer Denae Murphy and Sergeant Michael Anderson responded to a report of someone inside the bathroom stall of the men’s restroom near the Office of Information Technology for several hours. Officer Fischer opened the door to the restroom and asked the subject if he or she was okay, and a male responded, “I will be out in a second, G” and then said, “I been feeling sick homie, I’ll be out.” Officers waited outside the restroom for about 29 minutes until non-student Laroy Alexander exited the bathroom.

Alexander had a valid exclusion and is a registered sex offender on parole.

it’s also for everyone. It’s a chance for students to mingle with everyone who’s running,” Avalos said.

ASPSU continues its emphasis this year to improve student voter participation.

“Last year we got less than one percent of the students to vote,” Wunische said. ASPSU members have encouraged candidates to promote voting in general to the student body, even if not for them specifically. Avalos advised candidates to begin campaigning right away.

Voter polls open May 16 and close May 23. Students enrolled in at least one credit during spring term are eligible to vote at elections.aspsu.pdx.edu.

While attempting to place Alexander under arrest, he began to resist, and during the ensuing struggle he began to unzip his coat and reach toward his belt line. After continuing to struggle with him, Officer Fischer used his pepper spray on Alexander, which resulted in his compliance. Portland Fire Bureau medics responded and flushed Alexander’s eyes.

Alexander’s parole officer issued a detainer, and Alexander was arrested for criminal trespass II and the parole violation detainer, and lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center.

April 29

Anderson had contacted earlier in the day, and for a report of smoking marijuana. Officer Fischer contacted the student by phone who stated he didn’t have time to talk or meet with the officer because he had to play a God of War video game and suggested Officer Fischer email him instead and hung up. Officer Fischer responded to the dorm room and contacted the student who was still uncooperative. The report was forwarded to the Dean of Student Life.

Read the full crime blotter online at psuvanguard.com

Student Conduct

Joseph C. Blumel Residence Hall Officer Fischer responded to a resident assistant request for an officer in regard to a student resident Sergeant

Jacob Ashley/PSU VANGUARD

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

7

OPINION

The vulnerable pedestrian Simply Complicated

by David Wooldridge I am an aggressive pedestrian. I’ll admit it. I’ll jaywalk, signal, and “You better stop before you hit me—that won’t look very good on your resumé” my way toward shaving five minutes off of a 20 minute commute. It’s the best thing in the world. Seeing a driver speed away from a light only to be forced to stop and twiddle their thumbs because I stepped into the road is an amazing feeling. It’s my own micro revolution.

You see, when you’re a pedestrian, drivers ooze smugness as they pass you by. “Yeah, that’s right. You wait on that curb, stomach churning in an agonizing pizza withdrawal while I speed through this light. You look so stupid standing there. I might even gun my engine just to gloat. This is my world you little (insert derogatory term).”

The only reason that pedestrians wait on that curb is because not waiting would open oneself up to the possibility of having a two-ton metal brick fly in your direction—a brick directed by someone who only stops for pedestrians in order to mitigate the risk of tedious paperwork and of losing social esteem by becoming “that asshole who ran someone over.”

Maybe that is why I signal the drivers who are kind enough to stop for me at an unmarked crosswalk right on through. I figure that they have the presence of mind to realize their own position of power and relinquish some semblance of it to me, so I’ll give them a break. The drivers always look surprised when I wave them through, as though I needed their cooperation in order to achieve my goal of crossing the street. Then, having received my merciful pardon, they drive off. The motorist immediately following them is made to wait behind the wheel of their killing machine while I traipse across the street.

Vulnerability is what the walker has in comparison to the driver. While the driver may have the weapon, they do not have the permission to use it to hurt others, yet people still get hurt by them. According to a document released by the city of Portland, from 2008 to 2010 an average of 660 pedestrians were injured and 51 killed in motor vehicle crashes. To arbitrarily fill that statistic with slightly more emotional energy, many of those killed in such accidents are children and the elderly: Bright Billy with all that potential, racist Grandma Gladys with her overly-abundant “glaucoma medicine,” Small Suzy who aspired to become an artist and racist Grandpa Tom ( just admit it. If you have grandparents they’re totally racist) with his pimped-out walker.

The people who suffer the most from a driver’s negligent use of power are those who are unaware of or incapable of shoul-

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ADRIAN SHU/PSU VANGUARD

dering the responsibility that comes with vulnerability. You know the responsibilities I am talking about: stopping at the curb to wait for cars to pass, wearing brightly colored clothing or flashing lights at night, watching out for blind corner crossings, listening attentively for car noises (good luck hearing hybrids/EVs, and looking left and right. The main thing to remember is that safeguards such as sidewalks, crosswalks (marked or unmarked), stop lights, stop signs, medians and low speed limits will not protect you from someone in a car who is abusing their privilege.

That is not to say that pedestrians are powerless. Just because the laws demand that pedestrians must yield to cars (the reason we have roads) doesn’t necessarily mean that pedestrians will yield. Some pedestrians understand their power over the driver.

The real strength in being vulnerable is that it makes those who take advantage of that vulnerability actually appear as the predators they are. Hence, it is in the driver’s interest to humor the pedestrian in order to maintain social esteem and keep the subjugated from vindictive retaliation. Pedestrians may take the risk and cross the street, safe with the knowledge that the driver will protect his own self-interest instead of running them over.

The fact that crossing the street has such an apparent power dynamic begs us to examine the power dynamics of our less superficial interactions. Our relationships are inescapably about

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

power; are we accumulating it or giving it away equitably? Are we using our power to protect the vulnerable or merely accumulating it in order to earn (justly or unjustly) the esteem of those around us and egoistic satisfaction? Are we actively oppressing them or are we waiting patiently for them to cross the street?

It is the responsibility of the privileged to listen and serve the vulnerable. Through this responsibility, the privileged may have the satisfaction of knowing that what they did was right and still accumulate those coveted ego points.

It is the responsibility of the vulnerable to respond to the plight of others in the same or worse situations by communicating and coordinating with those of privilege.

Orwell stated the allure of power most magnificently in 1984: “Unless he is suffering, how can you be sure that he is obeying your will and not his own? Power is in inflicting pain and humiliation.” There is no little satisfaction in exerting your power over another. For even the brief moment it takes a motorist to breeze past a pedestrian waiting on the curb, the small thrill of getting your way while someone else waits helplessly gives a certain empty satisfaction. Eventually, the driver must exit the vehicle, walk among the weak and become a picture of the perfect pedestrian, allowing themselves to wait indefinitely for all the cars to pass. Until the driver gets fed up and puts out a hand to say, “I need to cross,” they will not understand the struggle of the lesser.

This is not about crossing the street.

OPINION

Students: The university’s third wheel Third Option

by Zachary Miska While the strike was looming over Portland State—the faculty versus the administration—I noticed that the students seemed to be siding with their professors. One could suppose that it was mostly because they know their professors, and the administration is like some abstract entity—an impersonal force that is some kind of evil but for some reason is necessary.

As a student, I might have a personal preference as to which side I want the issues to be resolved in favor of, but mostly I want things to be resolved to my benefit. I do not care if it is to the benefit of the faculty or the administration. I am far more concerned with having a continued, uninterrupted and highquality education. A strike threatened that.

Perhaps students, instead of throwing their support in favor of their professors, should have threatened to go to another university if the situation was not resolved. It would be inconvenient but better if we could have planned some kind of vacation term instead of one where we find out the hard way that the discord between the faculty and the administration is hurting us perhaps more than anyone else in the short run.

In a more typical factory worker type of strike, for example, there are pretty much just two sides: the workers and their bosses or company owners. But in a sense, in the case of education, the factory is like the classroom and the products are like the students. Normally products are inanimate objects. In this case, the students should have a voice of their own. We want to be treated as quality merchandise. Unfinished products are not as valuable.

What I continue to be disappointed in is that I do not see anybody willing to play hardball and voice the concerns of the students. During the negotiations, I saw posters that said “accept no substitutes,” encouraging students to walk out of class in the event that scabs were brought in. There are problems with that idea. By simply not going to class, we risk only our own education. Furthermore, it gives the administration little incentive to change their minds just because some students do

not show up for class. Once we sign up and pay for classes, a student walk out might cause them to lose face, but they will not feel an impact in their wallets.

The PSU Student Union is supposed to represent student interests to the university. But instead of taking a powerful independent position in favor of the students, they only supported the American Association of University Professors. This may be in part because of a lack of unity among students. Students are only here for a few years, and joining and being committed to a union and collective action is inconvenient. We are busy with classes, studying and choosing two of the following three: a job, sleep or social life.

We cannot normally take the time to be committed and involved in a union. Only a small percentage of PSU students vote or have meaningful involvement in their student government. We are, in fact, relatively insensitive to sizable changes in tuition costs because it rarely makes more than a small difference in how long it will take to pay the money off.

As it is, most students tend to benefit as “free riders” of what a few interested people do for all the students anyway.

The bottom line is that students should not care who “wins” disputes between the faculty and the administration as much as they should care that a strike did not happen. We are not paying the professors to not show up, and we are not paying the administration to provide whatever education is manageable for them.

In a political science class, I learned that some companies pay a lot of money to both of the major political parties.

Students are doing something similar. We need what they offer, but they need us more since we are their source of income. Some companies or political action committees give a lot of money to both of the major political parties so that their interests are represented either way. Likewise, neither the faculty nor the administration would have jobs without the students.

Students in higher education facilities around the world have more power to bargain with both the administration and the faculty than the two have with each other. Students are limited in their influence over their education only by how much money they can throw around.

CORINNA SCOTT/PSU VANGUARD

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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OPINION

To watch or not to watch The Cuddlefish

by Adam Lamascus Time to discuss a controversial question: Would it be fun to watch porn with your significant other?

Whether you like it or not, almost everybody watches porn.

Exactly how much “almost everybody” is changes depending on who you ask and where you are. The three most reliable studies I could find were mostly focused on men (as most studies of sexuality unfortunately are).

In the US, Canada, France and Australia, studies found that between 77–99 percent of men ages 18–25 watch porn on a regular basis, and a conservatively estimated 30–60

percent of women do as well. Either way, odds are solid that the person you’re dating watches porn regularly, especially if they are a guy.

What does that mean? Well, that is one of the most controversial and highly disputed topics I’ve ever read about. I won’t dispute the vices or virtues of porn at this moment. I will just say that before you radically alter your opinion on porn because of whatever click-bait headline you just read, look at who did the study.

While doing research for this article, the first 30 or so articles I found all decried the “epidemic” of porn and how harmful it is. Upon further reading, almost all of the articles cited the same two or three studies which were all conducted by extremely conservative Catholic or Mormon institutions. Gee, those guys “discovered” that porn is the worst thing to ever happen to men? I’m shocked. Really.

In short: Don’t believe everything you read, especially on the Internet.

One article that seemed a lot less biased came from the Huffington Post. In February 2014, they reported on a survey conducted by the French polling institute IFOP. Their polling found that “90 percent of men and 60 percent of women reported watching porn regularly. 53 percent of survey partici-

RACHAEL BENTZ/PSU VANGUARD

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pants watch porn as a couple, and 66 percent said they would watch with their partner if asked.”

Anyway, assuming that you feel porn is OK, you or your partner may bring up the idea of watching porn together. Should you do it? The short answer is yes, if you are both comfortable and want to. If you’ve read my column at all, or have talked with me about sex in person, you’ll find that’s my opinion on most sexual acts.

The better question, I feel, is how to prepare for the experience to make it as comfortable as possible. Here are some hopefully helpful thoughts to guide you through those moments following “So, do you maybe…want to watch some porn together?”

Numerous relationship articles I’ve read talk about how watching porn with your significant other is incredibly erotic and can help introduce each other to new ideas. To this I say, “Eh, sort of.”

Frankly, porn is usually pretty absurd, especially when the actors and actresses attempt to actually act. All of the idiotic plots and oftentimes weird or idiotic things they say during sex seem doubly stupid when your SO is sitting right next to you.

This awkwardness can get in the way.

On the other hand, watching porn together can jump-start an encounter. The taboo-ness of openly watching porn can also be titillating. On that note, the French poll I mentioned earlier found that the couples who watched the most porn also tended to have more sex than couples who did not.

I’ve heard many people say that watching porn together is a great way to find out what your partner likes or to let your partner know what you like. This is the part I really disagree with.

Porn can be really weird, especially when you are on websites like pornhub.com or youporn.com. They are kind of grab bags of random five-minute clips; you don’t really know what’s exactly in the video until you watch it.

Nothing obliterates a sexy mood faster than, “Wow, she’s way younger than she looked in the thumbnail. Oh god, please don’t think I’m a creepy pedophile.”

What’s more, based on conversations with friends, I’ve noticed that kinky people tend to like to watch more extreme and intense things than they like to do. You don’t want you partner distracted by thoughts of “Geez, this is getting rougher than I… HOLY GOD WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Please don’t ever do that to me!”

Ergo, going in with the assumption that you or your partner is using porn to reveal their longings is a recipe for disaster.

If you want to reveal or discover sexual tastes, you’re going to have to use your words.

Altogether, watching porn together can be a lot of fun, and I’d recommend adding it to your sexual bag of tricks. Just keep in mind how fulfilling (or more accurately, not) watching porn is on your own. Also keep in mind how many times you have looked at the screen post-orgasm and thought, “What weird crap was I just watching?”

In short, it’ll work best if you don’t expect too much. Use their moans like mood music, or perhaps a competitive challenge, and you should have a good time.

OPINION

‘A thousand points of light’ U.S. foreign aid doesn't help the indigent

The Illuminator

by Mike Bivins

“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed.”

These words spoken by the late, great Dwight Eisenhower are eerily prophetic. He gave this speech on the last day he served as our president, in 1961. On that day he warned us of the dangers of the government being in bed with the defense industry. On that day he also coined the now popular phrase: the industrial-military complex.

Our rich Uncle Sam delivered $42 billion in aid to foreign countries for the 2012 fiscal year. This figure represents about 1 percent of the United States budget. While it does feel good to know that our country is being mindful of those who are needy in the world, it does not feel good to know that our country is also delivering aid in the form of weapons to parties whose interests apparently align with our own.

Let us use our aid to Egypt as an example. The United States has given ten Apache helicopters to a regime that has taken power via a military coup—a coup which is supposed to preclude them from receiving aid. The fact that we have sold military technology to a corrupt regime, even when our own laws do not allow for us to render traditional aid, harks back to the immortal words of Dwight Eisenhower. It has been over 50 years since Eisenhower’s speech, and it could not be more relevant today.

There are people in the world, and indeed here at home in Oregon, who go to bed hungry every night. According to the Oregon Food Bank, a whopping 270,000 people in Oregon eat meals that were provided by the food bank’s supply.

Do we not see commercials everyday on our television screen telling us that for pennies a day we can make a difference in the life of a child in a country on the other side of the world?

When I catch the TriMet bus over the Burnside Bridge to work, I look to the regionally famous “Portland, Oregon” sign that rests on the Chinatown side of Burnside. As the bus glides past, my eyes follow the sign to its base. In my field of vision I see a gaggle of people waiting for a bed at the Portland Rescue Mission. These poor indigent souls have been left behind by America. They are not alone, as a report by the Portland Mercury points out: There are roughly 4,441 homeless across the entire city of Portland.

I see homeless people who are waiting in line, likely as cold and hungry as Eisenhower predicted, who have been unknowingly cheated. They have been cheated by the United States government from aid that should rightfully be theirs—aid that would put food in their aching stomachs, that would give fresh clothes to replace the rags that they wear and that will give them hope for a better life.

Detractors will cry that we have food stamps. George H.W. Bush would respond that we have got “a thousand points of

Jacob Ashley/PSU VANGUARD

“There are people in the world, and indeed here at home in Oregon, who go to bed hungry every night.” light,” meaning charitable organizations. Canadian music legend Neil Young punctuates this sentiment with the addition “for the homeless man!” in his classic tongue-in-cheek anthem “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

George Bush was partly right though, as homeless missions and the Oregon Food Bank do count as the points of light that Bush spoke of. Essentially, he was saying that it is not the job of the government to care for the downtrodden, and that it is a role best served by charitable organizations.

When this is coupled with the Michael Moore flick Fahrenheit 9/11 and its exposé on the Bush family’s connections to the defense industry, one can begin to think very poorly of our elected officials, especially when you consider that the defense industry absorbs money that could be flowing to the truly needy.

It makes me sick to my stomach that instead of doing the right thing and funneling this foreign aid to those who are starving and cold, we funnel it to the defense industry. Why are we not thinking about the estimated 16 out of 80 million Egyptians who live in slums around the country? Cairo, Egypt’s capital city, has one of the largest slums in the world.

With a population estimated at over one million, that is a lot of mouths that need to be fed and clothed.

Why, then, are we sending attack helicopters to Egypt? Is it the threat of terrorism? If it is, then what are ten helicopters going to do against a group of people who would gladly blow themselves up to spite us? I’ll leave you to ponder the question, “Why are we doing this?” However, I think you already know.

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COVER

LET’S BE HONEST PORTLAND’S DESIGN COMMUNITY GATHERS TO OFFER PSU STUDENTS ITS HONEST OPINIONs B randon S tale Y

DAN CAsSaRO presents his graphic desgin work portfolio and experience, while comparing types of designers to Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

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The Portland State Graphic Design department hosted its fifth annual installment of Be Honest on Saturday at Wieden+Kennedy, a design agency in Northwest Portland.

Be Honest is an event that invites sophomores, juniors and seniors in the graphic design program to showcase their portfolios for both the Portland design community and the general public.

Kate Bingaman-Burt, assistant professor in the graphic design department, said the name Be Honest is indicative of a desire for honest feedback from both communities.

“It’s almost like a conversation starter,” Bingaman-Burt said.

“Like, ‘be honest, what do you think about the work that I’m doing’ or ‘be honest, what do you think about these different ideas that I’m having’ or ‘what do you think about this typography?’”

Be Honest sprawled across four floors of the show space donated by Wieden+Kennedy. Students chose projects completed in graphic design courses to display at the event. They stood by their work, chatting with attendees. Seniors occupied the foremost space on the ground floor, while the second floor was dedicated to juniors and sophomores. Sophomores, the largest group featured, also showed work on the fourth floor.

Zach Franceschi, events coordinator for Friends of Graphic Design, said more than 100 students participated in this year’s Be Honest, a record for the event. Franceschi said the number of students who participate in Be Honest has only increased with each year. Underclassmen, in particular, are drawn to the event.

“When it started, we had two sophomores who participated in Be Honest,” Franceschi said. “Now, sophomores are the biggest class who show.”

Bingaman-Burt said Be Honest serves as an open house for the graphic design department, despite not taking place on campus. Franceschi said holding Be Honest off campus means that it becomes less insular; it’s not just students who show up.

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“We’re always inhabiting other spaces,” Bingaman-Burt said.

“Be Honest is something where we actually pick the space. We can design the environment.”

Fresh Faced For seniors in the graphic design program, Be Honest serves as preparation for the portfolio review event Fresh, the inviteonly senior showcase that’s held at the end of each term.

“This is definitely a test run for Fresh,” said Cody Sprague, a senior. “When we sit behind this table, we can observe what people gravitate toward and what’s getting totally ignored.”

Sprague said it was his first time participating in Be Honest.

“It was kind of tough,” Sprague said. “I had to print everything, and I’ve mostly been doing digital work. So, having things to show was a week filled with a lot of late nights and printing, getting ready.”

Sprague’s pieces included custom bottle labels and an elaborate cigar box and wrapper display. Golden ankhs and other symbols peered out from mostly black backgrounds.

“My personal brand ties into a lot of the work I do,” Sprague said. “It’s kind of cryptic and I really like secret societies and conspiracy theories, stuff like that. I try to bring some of that into my work.”

For some, the event being held at Wieden+Kennedy proved to be a motivating factor in joining the show.

“It’s very overwhelming,” said Anna Ropalo, a senior. “You have to present yourself in the best light, and you have to really edit down, but it’s great. You get to meet a lot of people from the industry.”

Ropalo said she originally hadn’t intended to participate in Be Honest, but that she changed her mind when she heard the event was going to be held at Wieden+Kennedy.

COVER

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

“I said, why not? I love this place,” Ropalo said. “It’s such a powerhouse in the design world. I’ve always admired their work and what they’ve done. The essence of the place, it’s perfect for this.”

Ropalo’s display included an elaborate promotional poster advertising a Georgian food festival and bags of black currant tea with wrappers designed by Ropalo herself. A sign lay next to the teabags, encouraging passersby to take one with a business card.

Ropalo said she was primarily looking for feedback at Be Honest. She said her style is very definitive, and that it can be difficult to get into other styles once one has been established.

“You wouldn’t necessarily see this design in advertising,” Ropalo said. “I’d really like to hear feedback from people here about where my design could live.”

Lessons Learned It wasn’t everyone’s first time presenting at Be Honest.

Benjamin Woodcock, a junior, said it was his second year participating in the event.

“It was nice, coming into this year and having a better sense of what to expect,” Woodcock said. “Just having another year of school under your belt makes it a lot easier to prepare for something like this.”

Woodcock said he made a conscious effort to create a visually appealing display. Bright, high contrast reds and blues popped against a black background, beckoning eyes. A red View-Master was tucked in amongst the numerous eye-catching posters, piquing curiosity.

“you have to present yourself in the best light, and you have to reallY edit down, but it’s great. You get to meet a lot of people from the industry.”

— anna ropalo

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COVER continueD FROM page 13

KAREN SCOTT, a sophomore in the graphic design program, shows off her work at Be Honest.

Woodcock said his favorite piece on display was a distressed illustration of an American flag. The flag differed from the rest of his display, which was dominated by vector art, infographics and schematics. Woodcock said the flag was part of a series he was working on in a class, which required him to render a single object in different styles over the course of several weeks.

“I’m definitely looking to push the aesthetic in a more experimental way,” Woodcock said.

Woodcock said he was looking for any feedback he could get.

“I feel like the work, for the most part, is about as good as I know how to make it,” Woodcock said. “I’m looking for any kind of insights at all. I know there’s always a way to improve the design work. Sometimes you just need a fresh perspective.

“I think this is the right venue for that.”

A Brief Review

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

For sophomores, Be Honest is a way to prepare for the mandatory portfolio review that’s required to advance to the junior level in the graphic design program.

“I’m doing the sophomore review at the end of the term,” said Tyler Spencer. “Most of the stuff I have out here is stuff I plan to work into my review, so I’m looking for some honest critiques on it, what I can improve.”

Spencer said he hopes the feedback will help him get to the point where he’s confident about turning in his work for the review. He said Be Honest also acts as a way for him to catchup with his peers.

“You get to see a lot of the people you’ve been in classes with,” Spencer said. “A lot of their stuff, they’ve worked on it a lot more since we were in class. You remember what they did and you get to see everything they’ve done on the same project since.”

Spencer’s display included labelling for jars of moonshine and an album cover for a local band in which his friends play.

He said the album art, which depicts an illustrated man in a suit with a gramophone for a head, was his favorite piece on display because it came out exactly as he had envisioned.

“For so long you think of something and then when you do it, it looks nothing like what you thought it was going to,” Spencer said. “This looks the way it looked in my head, so I’m happy with it.”

Spencer said it was his first time attending Be Honest, but that he has plans to participate in the event next year.

“It’ll be so much better, right?” he said, laughing.

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

“i know there’s always a way to improve the design work. sometimes you just need a fresh perspective. i think this is the right venue for that.”

—BENJAMIN WOODCOCK

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ARTS & CULTURE

Good Editions helps students make it in the art world Online store features PSU graphic design student artwork Elizabeth Hendrickson

Recognition by the public is one of the greatest struggles student artists face in their careers. However, several students at Portland State in the graphic design program may just have an ingenious solution.

During winter term of last year, Seth Gale, Zack Franceschi and Julie Lesseg created Good Editions, an online store marketing PSU student artwork.

“It kind of came out of a desire to expose all the really rad student work that’s coming out of our program,” said Gale, a senior at PSU majoring in graphic design. “So we kind of figured, we have all these awesome students making really good work, and

there’s a market for people to buy it. We can kind of kill two birds with one stone here and kind of leverage that talent to create some funds to go right back into the program.”

“We are a program that is high on talent and low on funding,” Franceschi said.

“We thought it’d be great if we could try to raise some extra money to fund events, workshops and supplies while also showcasing the work coming out of our program.”

Good Editions selects three guest curators from the community to submit a piece of their own work. Each curator then chooses two student works to sit alongside their own. The recognized name of the artist provides an anchor for the public, who could be timid about purchasing student artwork.

“Whether the curators select you or not, they’ll be looking at your work, and that’s a risk worth taking,” Franceschi said. “If your work is chosen by the curators, you’ll get your work put on the site with the option to purchase, which is great exposure.”

“I think it’s been interesting to see what people are kind of putting out there,” Gale said, “Because I think as an art student, they have this desire to make and just have things live and be physical in the world. But as a student, it’s kind of difficult to make that a reality, just because of personal funding.”

Part of what makes Good Editions so successful is their partnership with Buy Olympia’s Land Gallery, a store and art gallery in North Portland which op-

erates as the store counterpart of their online market.

“We were able to partner with a really awesome gallery in town that does all the printing and shipping for [Good Editions],” Gale said.

Buy Olympia offered to print and ship posters, as well as handle e-commerce through their website for free, for which Good Editions members feel extremely lucky, Franceschi said.

“We’ll be responsible for taking the art and making fine copies, nice prints of them, then roll them out and ship them to people who buy them,” said Pat Castaldo, co-founder of Buy Olympia. “We’re covering our costs basically, and then the rest goes to PSU.” “Without their help, this project probably does not happen. This is a perfect ex-

ample of why it’s so great to study graphic design in Portland: The community is extremely supportive and generous,” Franceschi said.

“The program itself, I think, helps bring exposure to the artists and what’s going on in the program, and it also gives a nice aspirational quality about it; that student work can be put up with other working artists at the same level, on equal footing,” Castaldo said.

It is the hope that Good Editions will continue to grow and to become something that can contribute to the graphic design program as a whole, Gale said.

“The biggest thing now is to support and spread the word because all of the funding is going directly into the program and allows us to get feedback

back into the community. It turns into this great, busy cycle of creativity and that’s really rad,” Gale said.

“It’s also been really fun seeing it catch on with the students, having them get excited about it, and seeing the great work that comes out,” Franceschi said.

“Also, it feels really good when our guest curators agree to take time out of their schedule to participate,” Fraceschi added. “It reaffirms the great relationship PSUGD has, not only with the local design community, but designers all over the US.” M ore inf orm ation on Good Editions’ curated artwork and the submission process can be found at getgoodeditions.com or their Instagram, @getgoodeditions.

SETH GALE holds a custom sign at the Good Editions booth during Be Honest.

©DANIEL COLE

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ARTS & CULTURE

A LITTLE BIT OF MEXICO

RevoluciÓn coffee house brings an authentic flavor to downtown pdx rYAN DELAUREAL

Revolución Coffee House, a new coffee shop that opened in March on Southwest Clay and Sixth Avenue near the Portland State campus, offers authentic and traditional Mexican drinks and cuisine in an atmosphere which evokes the flavor and liveliness of Mexican life and culture.

In addition to the standard coffee shop fare of lattes and cappuccinos, Revolución offers Mexican beverages such as café de olla (coffee infused with cinnamon and piloncillo), atole (a drink made from corn masa, water and spices), champurrado (chocolate atole), and agua de jamaica (boiled hibiscus flowers).

The cafe also offers delicious Mexican cuisine such as pan dulce (sweet Mexican bread), tamales, flan and bread stuffed with ingredients like potatoes, chorizo, cream cheese and jalapeños.

The shop serves fair-trade Cafe Mam coffee, roasted in Eugene, and is sustainably grown at cooperatives in Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico by native Mam, Tzetzal and Mocha farmers. The growers are committed to supporting child welfare and education, sustainability and the defense of Native American groups in Central America.

Revolución’s owner Maria Garcia, spoke of the inspiration behind her shop, and her hope that it would provide a welcoming and open environment for anybody looking for a quick snack or coffee with an authentic Mexican twist on

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Maria Garcia, owner of Revolución Coffee House, offers authentic Mexican treats.

their trek through downtown.

The shop is decorated in vibrant colors which evoke the art and soul of Latin America. Garcia discussed her desire to recreate an authentic Mexican atmosphere for customers, and she spoke of the openness and support she has received from many customers since the shop opened, a large number of whom are Americans of nonLatino descent.

“They've been to Mexico and they come here and they like that. They remember. It brings back memories of the bread, the coffee, the atole.

And a lot of them speak Spanish, so they like to come here and practice. The support that I have received from customers and people…it is really amazing.”

The cafe’s menu offers a unique selection of beverages which are ubiquitous in Mexico but are rarely found in the United States, despite the abundance of Mexican restaurants and the large Mexican-American communities found here.

A highlight and staple of Revolución’s menu, and of traditional Mexican life, is café de olla, a coffee beverage made with cinnamon and piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar typically found in cone shaped wedges). The distinctive sweet flavors of piloncillo blend with the cinnamon and coffee in café de olla to create a delicious coffee drink which can be served black or with milk, and does not require any ad-

ALEX HERNANDEZ/PSU VANGUARD

ditional sweetening. It is an excellent replacement for the standard daily drip coffee or latte, and a perfectly all-natural and flavorful alternative to the sweetened double-frappa-mocha-ccinos which can be found at your typical American coffee shop.

Other drinks on the menu are equally flavorful and authentic, having their roots in

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Mexico’s pre-Hispanic culture.

Atole is a beverage typically made with corn masa, water and various spices, which can include cinnamon and vanilla.

When prepared with chocolate, the drink is called champurrado. Traditionally, atole could serve as a breakfast for entire native households. It is often served with tamales and is popular during the Christmas season; its warmth and

flavors make it the perfect winter comfort food.

Revolución’s atole is flavored with pecan and is a perfect accompaniment for Portland’s days of chilly, overcast and rainy weather.

Its champurrado inhabits the space somewhere between smooth, spiced oatmeal and hot chocolate, and is one of the shop’s most unique and delicious drinks.

Revolución’s prices and its unique menu offerings make the shop an excellent alternative to the many Starbucks found in the area surrounding the PSU campus. Its location and atmosphere make it a perfect stop for PSU students who are arriving downtown and looking for a place to read, to do homework, or to pick up a little bit of authentic Mexico on their way to class.

ARTS & CULTURE

Student Screenings PSU THEATER SUBMITS OPEN CALL FOR STUDENT FILMS Jeoffry ray

Are you a filmmaker? Aspiring to see your work flickering on the silver screen? The enterprising staff of Portland State’s student-run theater could help you make that a reality this week, if you act fast.

Later this month, 5th Avenue Cinema is hosting Visuals, an annual screening of short films created by members of the PSU community. The film festival itself will show Wednesday, May 23 at 7 p.m., and will feature work submitted by students and faculty, as well as members from the greater Portland community. The cinema staff will accept submissions in digital format until Friday, May 9, and they encourage filmmakers of all skill levels to submit.

Matt Ellis, 5th Avenue Cinema coordinator, explained that all genres and styles, including art films, are welcome.

“What we’ve done in the past is open submissions,” he said. “Anyone can submit short films. We get everything from stop-motion to actual hand-drawn animation. Experimental, full-narrative. It’s really everything. Every year is kind of determined based on what we get.”

“It’s mostly involving people connected with the PSU community,” said Evan Burchfield, cinema projectionist and incoming coordinator. “It's really our film festival, to get our students’ work out there.”

Burchfield explained that the festival is a great chance for students to get exposure, as oftentimes the cinema is able to screen a majority of the submissions. In previous years, the staff has even been able to screen everything submitted, but this is always dependent upon the number and nature of submissions.

“I think in the past few years, it’s typically been more like we play something like 75–80 percent of what gets submitted,” Burchfield said. “There's only a little that gets lopped off.”

The film festival is not limited to film enthusiasts or film students. Ellis noted that students of all disciplines can be capable of producing strong work. He attributed it in part to the creative culture of Portland.

“That’s one of the most interesting things too,” Ellis said. “I used to expect that it would be all film students. But a lot of it involves art students, people working with the Time Arts Club, and others. Some of it is even just students who happen to have a camera. Some of the best stuff we've got is not from film students per se.”

Burchfield agreed. He also pointed to the increased accessibility of recording technology.

“It kind of illustrates a change in film culture, really,” he said.

“Now a lot more people have access to cameras. Just about everyone on campus has access, through the school or whatever, to film and cameras. Is it just making a standard film with those new technologies, like the phone? Or is it something totally new as well?”

In addition to special events like Visuals, the cinema curates and coordinates a regular stream of weekend programming. As a committee, the student staff aims for a mix of programming to include both popular films and works that students may not have seen before. Ultimately, the staff relies on their personal tastes and film knowledge; currently much of the staff studies film as part of their curriculum.

“I think it’s more in terms of the preference of the committee,” Burchfield said. “We'll hopefully show the best films, but also not the films that have been overly seen. We’re really riding the line, in a lot of lines, looking at the spectrum in terms of audience enjoyment and popularity, but also films that you might not have a lot of access to.”

Burchfield and Ellis also pointed to the cinema’s unique position both within the city and among campus galleries.

Burchfield noted that many student-run operations host rare, small-scale events. The 5th Avenue Cinema, to contrast, operates weekly and more like a business. The cinema is also one of few locations that currently shows films in 35-millimeter format.

“There are a few other student theaters that may live in the same space as us, but I think we’re one of the few that does the 35 millimeter, and does it as often as we do,” Burchfield said.

“At least in the Northwest I think we’ve got a very solid corner on this very unique moment. One of the advantages is that it’s from the minds of students. We get to say, this is what we like and what we hope other students will like too.”

“We’re very cognizant that we’re the only 35-millimeter theater in Portland,” Ellis said. “Coming and seeing them on film, other than giving the community an opportunity to see the film, it’s a question of what would be great to actually see on film.”

The cinema staff acknowledged that the position also gives them a chance to do the work that interests them. They pointed to the film festival as a chance to use their positions to help students as well.

“We get to be the gatekeepers, and it’s interesting to do a lot of creative programming,” Burchfield said. “Visuals is a chance to do curating on a different level. The work that we do is what we're trying to be good at. That includes getting student work on-screen, and getting the best stuff.”

Though there is only a little time left for the Visuals submission, Burchfield had a message for students all over PSU: Give it a shot, even if you’re new to the filmmaking process.

“I want to see your films, and if you haven’t ever made a film, I want to see you make one,” he said. “I would love to see something that someone made for this festival just to say they’ve made a thing and got it on the screen. If you’ve ever been thinking of something and want to put it into action, I would love to see that.”

Evan Burchfield, a projectionist at 5th Avenue Cinema, explains the screening process.

JEOFFRY RAY/PSU VANGUARD

Submission Guidelines

Visuals Film Festival

Guidelines: Any short film under 10 minutes. Digital format.

Submission: Share dropbox file or Vimeo link to film@pdx.edu Art inspired by films will also be considered (poster-size or smaller)

5th Avenue Cinema 510 S.W. Hall St., Portland, OR 97201

Deadline: Friday, May 9

Wednesday, May 23 7 p.m.

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ETC

EVENT CALENDAR Tuesday, May 6 Portland State Tweetup 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Urban Plaza Between the Rec Center and Urban Center The Portland State Tweetup is an event to celebrate PSU’s social media presence. The event is a great chance to get together with other students to enjoy free food and drinks, listen to some music, and win some prizes. FREE

2014 Annual Senior Capstone Fair 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union, room 327/8/9 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 The PSU community is invited to the Senior Capstone Fair, an event that showcases the University Studies capstone options for the coming academic year. This is a great opportunity for students to find out what capstones are all about and what their options might be for completing this requirement. FREE

PSU All Majors Career Fair 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union, ballroom (355) 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 No matter what you are studying, this fair is your chance to get a foot in the door where your future career is concerned. Over 75 different organizations and employers will be on campus, ready to answer questions and give you all of the information you need about internships and future employments opportunities. FREE

Wednesday, May 7 Commuting 101 Noon–1 p.m.

PSU Bike Hub 1818 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 If you ride your bike to and from campus, or you are interested in doing so in the future, this class is the perfect place to pick up some tips about staying safe as well as some emergency maintenance skills. FREE

Bollywood in the Age of New Media 4 p.m.

Lincoln Hall, room 355 1620 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97201 The PSU film program presents Indian cinema scholar Anustup Basu, associate professor of English and media and cinema studies at the University of Illinois-UrbanaChampaign. Professor Basu will be speaking about the place of Bollywood in contemporary media. FREE

Thursday, May 8 Biker Breakfast 8:30–10:30 a.m.

Urban Plaza Between the Rec Center and Urban Center If you bike to campus you are invited to enjoy a free breakfast of coffee and donuts in the urban plaza. Make sure to arrive as early as possible, however, because this event will only run while supplies FREE last.

Bike Ride 10:30 a.m.

PSU Bike Hub 1818 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201 Bring your bike and join other PSU bike enthusiasts on a ride that will begin at the PSU Bike Hub and last around two hours. All members of the PSU community are welcome. FREE

Friday, May 9 5th Annual Law and Disorder Conference 9 a.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union, 2nd floor 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 The PSU Students for Unity would like to invite any and all students and community members to the 5th Annual Law and Disorder Conference, an event that will focuses on civil engagement relating to political and social issues in a series of panels and workshops. FREE

Saturday, May 10

Monday, May 12

2014 St. Johns Bizarre

Bike Maintenance 101

10 a.m.–6 p.m.

St. Johns Downtown N. Lombard St. and Philadelphia Ave., Portland, OR 97203

Noon–1 p.m.

PSU Bike Hub 1818 S.W. 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97201

The St. Johns bizarre is a street fair that offers visitors the chance to enjoy music, crafts, food and a parade, all in the middle of downtown St. Johns. This is a great event for people of all ages and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, visit www. stjohnsbizarre.com FREE

Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute 8 p.m. doors, 9 p.m. show Dante’s 350 W. Burnside St., Portland, OR 97209 If you are a Michael Jackson fan then Dante’s is the place to be on May 10, when an epic tribute featuring an expansive collection of his work will be performed by a group of dancers with impressive backgrounds. Tickets are $15 and the event is 21+. To purchase tickets in advance visit www. cascadetickets.com

The PSU Bike Hub offers bikers the chance to bring their bikes to this interactive workshop where they can learn about basic bike maintenance. Attendees will be instructed on proper methods of lubricating your drivetrain, adjusting your brakes, and properly maintaining your tires. They will also have the chance to ask questions about bike care. FREE

Grave Injustice 3 p.m.

Smith Memorial Student Union, room 296 1825 SW Broadway Portland, OR 97201 PSU’s Alpha Phi Sigma-Pi Sigma Upsilon chapter presents an open discussion about wrongful executions and the death penalty with guest author, Dr. Richard Shack. FREE

FREE

21+

FEATURED EVENT Sanskriti 5–10 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 Smith Memorial Student Union, ballroom (355) 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201 Sanskriti is an event that celebrates the diversity of Indian cultures. The event incorporates music, dancing, fashion and food. Everyone is welcome to enjoy this event and PSU students receive free admission with a valid ID. Admission for the public is $10 for adults and $5 for kids. FREE

©PSU Indian Student Association

18

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

PSU FREE OPEN TO PUBLIC 21 & OVER

ETC

Taurus Apr. 20–May 20

You feel that, Taurus?

Spring is in the air!

The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and you’re kicking ass. Take advantage of this time and let go of your responsibilities. This is your time, Big-T. Get out there and soak up some rays.

Cancer Jun. 21–Jul. 22

Virgo Aug. 23–Sept. 22

Scorpio Oct. 23–Nov. 21

Leo Jul. 23–Aug. 22

Libra Sept. 23–Oct. 22

Sagittarius Nov. 22–Dec. 21

Everything is smooth sailing for you lately, which makes it a great time to plan ahead. Remember to enjoy the good times, but it’s not being a Debbie Downer if you’re prepared for the chance of storms. Every good ship needs a life raft!

Gemini May 21–Jun. 20

What’s that Leo? You want to be outside enjoying the nice weather?

Well, too damn bad. You got shit to do, and people are relying on you. Stop setting aside your responsibilities and start knocking things off your list.

Outside can wait!

You expect a lot out of yourself, so don’t get too upset when you don’t score that A+ you were aiming for. Nobody is perfect, and evaluations of your work don’t make you any less gifted and talented.

As a Virgo, you’re normally polite to a fault, so don’t let the little things ruffle your feathers this week.

Sometimes you have to keep your feelings in, and nobody knows it better than you. Hold on to that tactful nature.

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Pisces Feb. 19–Mar. 20

Capricorn, you ever hear the story about the man who made it through life without getting off the couch? No? That’s because it’s never happened. Good things don’t just happen; you have to make them happen. You don’t want to wake up old and realize you missed out on life!

You’re a divided soul, Pisces, and it’s taking its toll on you. You’re giving 50 percent of yourself to two things, which isn’t fair to them or to you. Bite the bullet, make the tough choice and throw yourself fully into one thing.

Sag loves to make new Aries Mar. 21–Apr. 19 friends, but they don’t Aquarius Jan. 20–Feb. 18 Are you feeling a little have to have everything in self-absorbed, Aries?

I hate to be the bearer of common with you. Open Stop taking Buzzfeed bad news, but even though your social sphere to peoquizzes to find out the sun is out, things ple who see life a little difmore about how great aren’t looking so hot for ferently. You never know you are and spend a you this week. Instead of when you might learn little time with your tanning in the Park Blocks something new about friends and family. you should be hunkering Theprocess.

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Sometimes it’s hard to keep your head above water, but it only takes a little bit of paddling to get to the shore. You’re in rough waters right now, Libra, but take heart! There are cold ones waiting for you on the beach!

Sudoku 9 8 2

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Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

19

SPORTS SCORES

UPCOMING

PSU TRACK AND FIELD

PSU TRACK AND FIELD

OSU HIGH PERFORMANCE

OREGON TWILIGHT

Top Performers: Genna Settle and Jasmine Woods finished 1–2 in both the 100 and 200 meters.

FRI. 5/9 | EUGENE, OR NBA PLAYOFFS

PORTLAND @ SAN ANTONIO TUES. 5/6 6:30 p.m. | TNT

PSU SOFTBALL

WEBER STATE PSU

Top Performers: Brittany Hendrickson, 2–4, RBI

3 MLS 5 LA GALAXY vs. PORTLAND

Taking a Big Step toward success COACH TYLER GEVING is excited about adding some height to the roster.

SUN. 5/11 11:30 a.m. | PROVIDENCE PARK WHL FINALS

NBA PLAYOFFS

HOUSTON PORTLAND

Top Performers: Damian Lillard, 25 points, including the game winning 3 pointer

98 99

PORTLAND @ EDMONTON TUES. 5/6 7:00 p.m. | KPAM 860 AFL

ARIZONA vs. PORTLAND SAT. 5/10 7:00 p.m. | MODA CENTER

MLS

DC UNITED PORTLAND

Top Performers: Gastón Fernández, 1 goal, scored at 0:34, fastest in team history

2 3

WHL PLAYOFFS

EDMONTON PORTLAND

Top Performers: Paul Bittner and Brendan Leipsic, 1 goal, 1 assist each

1 3

STRAIGHT YEARS THAT VIKING GOLFER A RAM CHOI HAS BEEN NAMED BIG SKY CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. 20

©MacKenzie Kasper

Joel Gunderson

Taking a proactive approach to a potential lack of size, Portland State Vikings basketball coach Tyler Geving announced the signing of two junior college transfers, bolstering what was already going to be a stacked roster for the 2014–15 season.

After a disappointing start to last season, the Vikings had a late-season surge that led to a collegeinsider.com tournament appearance. The Vikings returned with a plethora of talent in 2014–15, including nine lettermen. With the signing of Collin Spickerman, at 6 feet 8 inches, 210 pounds, and Braxton Tucker, at 6 feet 6 inches, 220 pounds, the Vikings have addressed what surely looked to be their Achilles heel: front-court size.

Geving, who will be entering his sixth season as the Vikings head coach, was recently at spring practice for the football squad and couldn’t contain his excitement about his two newest members.

“Right now we are getting some good individual work

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

done with the new guys,” Geving said. “[Spickerman] has some good game and will help fill the void left by [Kyle] Richardson. He’s a good kid with scoring ability. He does have some work to do to be as physical as he needs to be.”

Spickerman, who graduated from Jesuit High in Portland, comes home after averaging over 17 points per game last season for Clark College.

Tucker, from North Idaho College, could play the three or the four for the Vikings. He’s a versatile player who will fit nicely into the Vikings freeflowing offense.

“Braxton is another guy that is a great athlete. The biggest thing he adds for us is his ability to rebound and defend bigger guys inside. He fills a need of adding more size and depth to our front line,” Geving said.

Geving also told GoViks. com, “One thing we like about Braxton is that we are getting a junior college guy that we can have for three years here at PSU. When you have someone for that long it makes a differ-

ence in his development and contributions to the program.”

While Geving expects to sign two more players this spring, there’s already excitement brewing for the coming season. The Vikings played so well the second half of the season that they made the postseason, despite a midseason stretch that saw them lose three games in a row twice, and a four-game losing streak as well.

The late season surge, combined with the returning talent and now two guys who will shore up the low post, the Vikings enter 2014 with as much confidence as they finished last season with, and maybe more.

Led by seniors Gary Winston (whose breakout performance in the second half of the season was the main catalyst for the team’s success), point guard Tim Douglas, Marcus Hall, DaShaun Wiggins and Brandon Cataldo, the Vikings have the experience to avoid the slow start that hampered them last season.

Winston, who battled a hand injury early in confer-

ence play, got his shot and never looked back.

Geving is high on Winston, no doubt aided by his seasonsaving performance to end the 2013 season. “We need to get him healthy because he can shoot it. He is our best perimeter shooter and led the league [his sophomore] year in three-point percentage.

He is a talented player that has matured.”

Douglas, who played last season after transferring from the University of Portland, provides leadership at the point guard position. Combined with Winston and Zach Gengler, a sophomore who showed flashes of lights-out shooting, the Vikings could have a three-headed monster for defenses to contend with.

Losing Kyle Richardson in the middle appeared to be the Vikings’ big problem entering the season. Now, with the addition of Braxton and Collin, the size is there. Once they spend the summer working together and learning the system, the Vikings appear to be set for a magical season.

The NCAA’s hunger games

SPORTS

Tobin Shields

This past Thursday the NCAA passed a number of new rule changes that all Division I schools must now follow. While most of these changes will have little effect on the current athletic system, one change could have an immediate impact on students this coming 2014–15 school year.

Currently, the NCAA requires that all students who are competing on a scholarship not only be provided with free tuition, but also with housing and access to at least three meals a day.

However, a new rule change allows universities to provide unlimited meals to all Division I athletes. This is a drastic change from the previous rule, in that walk-ons (students playing without a scholarship) can now also receive this benefit as well.

While the NCAA has been considering this option since around 2012, recent pressures tipped this deliberated decision into realization. In the Final Four of this past season’s NCAA basketball tournament, University of Connecticut’s Shabazz Napier mentioned in one of his postgame interviews that he would often go to bed hungry because he couldn’t afford food outside of the prescribed meals that he was being given.

Shabazz is credited for carrying his team to a championship victory, and was named the to ur n a m e n t ’s Mo st Outstanding Player. After the media had a field day in making the NCAA look like Oliver Twist’s Mr. Brumble, a number of people began

to claim that the league’s restrictive rules resulted in the starvation of athletes who make millions of dollars for schools. The NCAA decided to throw the players a bone, and offer them all the food they could eat.

However, this was not the first time that the NCAA has received bad press regarding food and players. Earlier in the year the NCAA ruled that players must be given the option to have snacks throughout the day, along with their normal meals.

They provided schools with examples such as “nuts, berries or bagels.”

While schools complied with this change, many only provided dry bagels and refused to offer sides such as cream cheese, jam or butter, claiming that the rule didn’t require them to provide anything more than the base food. Various media agencies like ESPN and CNN Sports felt that this was just another example of how schools do not respect the work of their athletes, and insulted their players by giving them subpar food. The NCAA quickly modified that rule, and (I am not kidding) explicitly stated that cream cheese, jam and butter must also be offered with the bagels.

In response to this new rule change, Stephen Ross, the director of Penn State’s Institute for Sports Law, Policy and Research, commented that the limit on the number of meals and snacks provided to athletes was a way to supposedly “level the playing field” among competing universities, and avoid a

Will the availability of snack food become a recruiting issue for PSU?

CHRISTOPHER SOHLER/PSU VANGUARD

rise in competition between schools to lure recruits.

While Ross does not necessarily believe that changing the meal allotment for athletes was a direct response to the recent pressure the NCAA has received, he argued that athletic departments have a great interest in treating their revenue-generating athletes well. He said that for schools who can afford it, it will be a welcome change for the athletes. However, they have failed to take into account schools like Portland State whose sports programs operate with a limited budget.

The NCAA has also been feeling a lot of pressure from various student-athletes

around the nation who have been voicing their desire to unionize. Many feel that schools are making a ridiculous sum of money from their work, and they are seeing only a small amount back through their scholarships. Some see this as a political move on the NCAA’s part to try and avoid the potential unionization of student-athletes.

According to Athletic Director Torre Chisholm, “The PSU football program won’t be able to afford this without reducing other expenses or adjusting the meal money it already provides.” He continued to say that while it is too early to determine exactly what kind of decisions they are going to make with this new rule, the

teams could feasibly redirect funds away from other areas if this becomes a priority.

However, this is sure to become a recruiting issue for PSU, if surrounding schools in the area are able to afford it. Chisholm said, “We know that the PAC-12 schools will do it, but don’t yet know if the MWC, WAC, WCC or Big West schools will be able to afford it. We will likely need to develop a program for providing additional meals, just not in the same quality as schools with larger budgets.

I don’t anticipate launching anything next year, but we need to look to the future.”

The overall cost of this new rule is hard to determine. If the sports department were to of-

fer even one meal a day to all of their athletes for five days a week (averaging ten dollars per meal), then in 30 weeks with roughly 300 student-athletes, it would cost the department close to $450,000 a year.

As of right now, there isn’t a single department at PSU that is excited to fork over that kind of extra expenditure.

It will be interesting to see how similar schools react to this new rule, and if PSU suffers in recruiting for not being as competitive as other schools in terms of what they can offer their players. Check back next fall with the Vanguard for continued coverage of this issue, and any additional rules that the NCAA may change or introduce.

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

21

SPORTS

Rose Garden Blues Jay Pengelly

“The Rose Garden is our house.” These words are not eternal. From my memory, they were first shouted before Blazers games in the 2008-09 season, but they embodied the die-hard nature of Portland basketball fans.

This season the Rose Garden was renamed the Moda Center, and now instead of a local signature identifying our sports arena, we have a local insurance company.

This trend of corporate branding for arenas has been happening for years now. Gone are the days of the Fabulous Forum, Boston Garden and Memorial Coliseum. Now we have the Staples Center, TD Garden (formerly the Fleet Center) and Moda Center. Attaching a big company’s name to your building provides a substantial revenue stream for your team, but what are the non-financial costs?

The Rose Garden was one of the last buildings in American pro sports to not have a business’s name associated with it. Only two NBA arenas are left with their original

names. Madison Square Garden (which in itself is a brand name) and The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit.

On a side note, I find it baffling the Pistons have not renamed their arena. The Malice at the Palace is one of the most horrifying and scandalous events in NBA history.

It seems to me that of all the arenas in American pro sports, that one needs a rebrand.

The Pelicans recently changed their home court’s name from the New Orleans Arena to the Smoothie King Center. I guess we lucked out on that point; we could’ve had the TacoTime Garden.

In baseball, Fenway Park stands firm as the league’s only locally flavored stadium, named after the neighborhood where it’s located. Yankee and Cowboy Stadiums also stand out, but they are some of the most decorated clubs in their respective sports’ histories.

But the Portland Trail Blazers are far from being one of the NBA’s elite franchises.

This small market, one-team town has dedicated fans and

a championship 40 years ago, but in today’s non-stop sports world, you need to stand out somehow. The Rose Garden made Portland unique. In a city obsessed with green initiatives and locally sourced produce, we could also hang our hats on the fact that we didn’t need a corporate sponsor for our team.

That’s another fact that seems to be lost in this conversation: Paul Allen doesn’t need the money. He’s estimated to be the 53rd richest person in the world, worth around $15 billion. The deal with Moda Health is for 10 years and around $40 million. Allen will write checks to the tune of $61 million this season for player payroll. Not included in that figure is the coaching staff and other personnel, so ultimately $40 million over 10 years feels like a tiny drop in Allen’s Scrooge McDuckian money vault.

Public reaction has been almost completely negative.

It’s not that people don’t like health insurance—Moda Health is based in Portland

and provides great services to the community—but associating our favorite team with something completely unrelated feels wrong. It feels like we sold out without having a say in the matter.

There have been some nice improvements to the arena this year. Well known Portland food spots have replaced the traditional stadium vendors on the concourse, some seats were refinished, the new panoramic bar on the 300 level was added, and in general the overall décor has been improved.

These are all happy changes, but could’ve been made at any time in the last decade.

All frustration and complaining aside, the Blazers are stuck with the Moda Center for the foreseeable future.

The deal could possibly be undone, but Mr. Allen doesn’t strike me as the kind of businessman who gives money back. It is quite likely that in three years we’ll all be used to the name Moda Center, and the early backlash will be forgotten. What I am most afraid of is some corporate merger or bad luck changing the situation at Moda Health, causing a new name to be jammed down Blazermania’s throat.

The Portland Trail Blazers played in the Memorial Coli-

seum for 25 glorious seasons.

The building saw a championship, three finals, the first president to attend an NBA game, and the world’s first view of the Dream Team. They played 18 seasons in the Rose Garden, highlighted by off-court incidents and several promising but unfulfilled teams.

Maybe it is time for change.

The first season under the name Moda Center has been one of the most exciting in recent memory, not to mention successful. I’m willing to give it a chance, but shouting “the Moda Center is our house” just doesn’t have the same ring.

Whatever you call it, the home of the Blazers has seen some quality basketball this season.

MILES SANGUINETTI/PSU VANGUARD

22

Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

Monahan comes full circle in Portland

Former Vikings passcatcher playing well for Thunder Matt Rauch

Oregon native Justin Monahan has been making an impact on Portland area football fields since high school and is still doing so after college.

Before his reputable and productive career as a Portland State Viking, Monahan was a star player at West Linn High School. After high school, he played for PSU. He saw playing time in the 201012 seasons. He played in 30 games, caught 112 passes and logged 1,579 yards, which resulted in 14 touchdowns during his three seasons at PSU. After graduating from PSU, Monahan signed with the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger Cats. Before he took any snaps for the Tiger Cats, Monahan signed with the local arena football expansion team, the Portland Thunder.

Since signing with the Thunder, Monahan has put up some respectable numbers. He’s second on the

team for receptions with 32, fourth on the team in yards with 304 and touchdowns with three. Don’t let the numbers fool you, the AFL is a league that relies heavily on passing, and games are usually high scoring.

Unlike the NFL, in arena football receivers are allowed to move toward the line of scrimmage before the snap. By getting a running start, receivers have the advantage of momentum and speed to throw off defensive backs trying to cover them.

For a receiver coming from standard football, the transition into arena football could take some time to fully adjust.

The sooner Monahan adjusts, the better. After starting the season losing the first five games, three of which were at home, the Thunder finally picked up their first win on the road against the Jacksonville Sharks. On April 14, the Thunder traded their number-one receiver, Jeffery Solomon, for 2010 Arena

Justin Monahan during his time as a Viking.

Adam Wickham/PSU VANGUARD Archives

Bowl champion quarterback Kyle Rowley.

With the old number-one receiver off the roster, this is the perfect opportunity for Monahan to step it up. Prior to the trade, the Thunder had been through a variety of quarterbacks, with none being able to produce a win.

Even highly touted former Oregon Ducks quarterback Darren Thomas wasn’t able to effectively distribute the ball.

In Kyle Rowley’s first game under center, Monahan caught six passes for 79 yards in a heartbreaking loss against the San Jose SaberCats.

These numbers were second only to Douglas McNeil III, who logged six catches for 108 yards with two touchdowns. These were the only two receiving touchdowns of the game for the Thunder.

For undisclosed reasons, Monahan didn’t play in the Jacksonville game. Too bad he didn’t play, because the newly acquired Rowley put on a show. According to the Portland Thunder’s website, “Quarterback Kyle Rowley shattered team records. His eight touchdown passes eclipsed the previous record of four set by Danny Southwick.”

With the Thunder finally having a talented quarterback at the helm, it will be great to see how Monahan progresses as a wide receiver in arena football, and hopefully beyond. With more and more AFL and CFL players transitioning into the NFL, there’s no telling what’s in store for the future of Justin Monahan.

SPORTS To Whom it May Concern Dear NBA, I have never been more proud to be a fan.

I write this with a smile on my face, because last week you made a statement. That statement was powerful and it was something along the lines of, “We’re not going to deal with this shit.”

For those of you who live under a rock, Donald Sterling, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, was heard on an audio recording making some very racist statements. Sterling admitted to making the statements, didn’t offer any regret or remorse, and then was fined $2.5 million by the NBA and given a lifetime ban from all NBA events.

Justice was served.

People ask me all the time why I love sports so much. When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came out and put the hammer down on Sterling, I couldn’t understand why anyone would even ask me that. I got chills. I got that feeling reserved for moments that are indescribable, and I don’t even care about the image of the NBA or Silver. What happened was bigger than that. Racism and other kinds of bigotry will continue to be a problem in our society, maybe forever, but it’s statements like this that show progress.

Sports are an escape from reality, but they failed to offer any escape for a while there when what Silver would do was up in the air. But instead of the legitimacy of your league being questioned, the only remaining questions have to do with when and how Sterling will be completely out of the public sphere of the NBA. When I first heard of Sterling’s comments, I questioned what I would do in Adam Silver’s place.

That’s a tough call. He’d been commissioner for 88 days when he had his press conference. That’s not long, especially after the previous commissioner, David Stern, held the office for 30 years. What made it even more difficult was whether or not you could really come down hard on someone for having an opinion. And no matter how terrible of a guy Sterling is, what he did have was an opinion, and he happened to be on the wrong end of a recording. People have opinions that they wouldn’t want the world to hear, which is exactly what happened to Sterling, right?

I’ll admit, I thought this at first. I thought that the First Amendment should protect someone like this, but it didn’t take me long to realize how completely wrong I was. Who cares about his right to speak?

First of all, he’s a part of the business, and if he makes a statement that affects the business, then he should be punished.

Secondly, and more importantly, put business aside. This guy is a racist. This guy said horrible things that should not be accepted in any part of our society anymore. Period. As sports fans, we should be able to escape without having to feel unaccepted in any way.

You, the NBA and Commissioner Silver, made me so proud. We won’t let any of that garbage pollute our league. There’s no room for it. That is why I love sports so much: the ability to make such a powerful statement on a global stage.

Sincerely, Alex Moore Vanguard Sports Desk

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Vanguard | MAY 6, 2014 | psuvanguard.com

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