PHOTO BY JAMES EVANS/UAA.
UAA Learning Commons moving to Consortium Library
The Learning Commons will have a new home in 2024, moving across campus to the first floor of the Consortium Library.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
UAA’s Learning Commons is moving out of Sally Monserud Hall and into the Consortium Library by the beginning of 2024.
The Learning Commons provides a wide variety of resources to students. Students may already be familiar with the writing center, which provides consultation and feedback on writing of all kinds, and the math lab, which provides math help and tutoring.
The Learning Commons also has a communications center, for students who wish to practice public speaking skills and presentations, science tutoring, and nursing tutoring.
In an email to The Northern Light, project manager Cory Fischer wrote that Sally Monserud Hall is being repurposed as a part of a $5 million grant “in collaboration with the College of Health to support Healthcare Workforce Development.”
Fischer wrote that this move is aligned with UAA’s 2022 Campus Master Plan, which envisions the Consortium Library as a “community learning hub.” He wrote that the Learning Commons was a “critical component” of that plan.
Part of the first floor of the library is emptied of shelves to
make room for the new learning commons space. Most of it will be filled with furniture, but there will be a few things that need to be built inside the space.
“The first floor of the library was chosen, since it represents the area of the library most visible to students. Additionally, it provides a space that is close to public centric building functions, such as restrooms, water fountains, and elevators,” wrote Fischer.
“As a result of learning comments, we had to move every book in the building with the exception of the reference col-
lection and the Alaskana collection. So all the books have been basically back shifted,” said Steve Rollins, the Dean of the Consortium Library, in an interview.
Rollins said that the items that used to be in the now clearedout space were old newspapers that have already been digitized by the library and old journal indexes that were not being used.
He said that having a learning commons in an academic library isn’t a new concept; it’s something that’s been done many times.
“I think it’s a very good thing
to have a learning commons in an academic library because then you’re bringing people in that might not think about coming into a library, because they’re coming in to try to find somebody to help them,” said Rollins.
He also said that the space will be accessible to students looking for spaces to study even beyond the times that the Learning Commons operates. “The space is all usable,” said Rollins.
Executive Director of the Learning Commons Cameron Nay said in an interview that the move to the library will be a
good one for the Learning Commons.
He said that in the past, the Learning Commons had students who needed librarian support while students in the library often needed Learning Commons support. Now, Learning Commons resources and library resources will be in one place.
“That’ll also reduce confusion for students … especially with how our campus is so long, for students to be like ‘Oh! We came over here,’ ‘Oh, we can’t help you, you need to go over there,’” said Nay.
“We’ll be moving to the library which also helps kind of centralize us in an area where a lot of students are at, especially on weekends and things.”
Nay also said that with the Learning Commons operating in the library, he hopes that their services will be more widely available to students. With staff from the library and other departments quickly available nearby, “We can operate within their footprint which is bigger than what we’ve been doing here in this building.”
Nay said that the library is more secure with a frequent UPD presence, making it easier for them to expand their availability.
In addition to the existing writing, math, communications, science and nursing tutoring, Nay said that the Learning Commons is also working on putting together more programs. They are currently working on creating programs for engineering tutoring, foreign language tutoring, creating a learning assistant program to help undergraduates in key challenging courses, peer mentoring, and bringing back academic coaching programs.
Student organizations will be using a new system this fall
An administrator said the new system should offer better connectivity and features for students and student organizations.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
Those who participate in UAA’s clubs and student organizations may be familiar with UAA Life. It is UAA’s system for managing student organizations.
However this year there will be a change. Shelby Krieigh, student organization coordinator, said that UAA’s contract with the service is expiring, and UAA will be using a new system in the fall.
Kriegh said that the previous system wasn’t used for much beyond club registration and requests to use money, and that it was pretty dated.
The new system — which currently doesn’t yet have a UAA-themed name —is provided through an organization called CampusGroups.
It’s meant to be a “one stop shop” to connect students with all of the resources they need, said Kriegh.
She recognized that UAA students have a lot of different online systems they have to navigate during their time at UAA. There’s already UAOnline, Navigate and DegreeWorks, and Kriegh wants the new system to be able to connect students to all of these UAA resources in addition to club information.
The CampusGroups system is able to do more than just provide important forms for student
clubs. The system is available both online and through an app, and provides chat and email options for club communications.
Kriegh said it also provides storage options, so clubs will no longer have to use Google Drive to share important club documents.
“Instead of having those GroupMe’s and trying to figure out different ways to communicate, not only with students outside of your organization but even just internal communication … I am hoping that clubs move to use this as their sole platform because it is so accessible with the app and online version,” said Kriegh.
Kriegh said that this new system should be more user-friendly than the old one, and training videos will exist for students to learn how to navigate it.
Student Organization Services is still working on putting together the system, but Kriegh said that the goal is to get it up and running by August 1 so that
student clubs have time to register before the semester starts. She said August 1 is an ambitious goal, but it has to be ready by mid to late August before classes start.
Avis Alaska secures naming rights to UAA’s sports complex
The renaming comes as part of a decades-long partnership between Avis and the university.
By Kyle Ivacic news2@thenorthernlight.org
UAA’s student sports center has a new name – the Avis Alaska Sports Complex. Avis Alaska secured the naming rights through a $1 million contract with the university. The money will help with such things as renovations and student-athlete recruitment.
To learn more, The Northern Light interviewed UAA Athletic Director Ryan Smartwood who
worked with Avis on the naming rights proposal. Smartwood described Avis as a “long-time supporter of the university” that has been “wonderful.”
Smartwood said that Avis “indicated that they were willing to increase their support and grow the partnership and take it to a whole new level.” That increased support led to the $1 million investment by Avis –granting the company naming rights to the sports complex for 10 years, with the possibility of a 3-year extension that would
be based on a “mutually agreed upon additional investment.”
Smartwood said that private sponsorships, like the one provided by Avis Alaska, are important for the university’s sports programs. Private sponsorship trades also provide transportation for student-athletes to get to and from practice. These sponsorships are also important in attracting new student-athletes to the university and ensuring that students have access to a wellmaintained athletic venue.
“… the overall partnership
[with sponsors] really helps the athletics department and makes a difference in the lives of our student-athletes,” said Smartwood.
Students with no direct affiliation with sports will still benefit from the university’s contract with Avis. “We are working on updating the seating around the rink and this investment … is allowing us to do that and to enhance the fan experience,” said Smartwood.
In a video released to social media, Avis Alaska Vice Presi-
dent of Operations and UAA alum Chris King said that “We [Avis Alaska] believe in UAA and the future of Seawolf Hockey.”
“This investment is going to enhance the student and fan experience during Seawolf hockey games,” UAA Chancellor Sean Parnell said in the video. “Thanks to Seawolf Nation for your continued support of UAA. We look forward to seeing you soon on campus at the Avis Alaska Sports complex,” said the chancellor.
SKETCH COURTESY OF STEVE ROLLINS.
Sketch of different areas of the new Learning Commons space once it’s completed.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR HECKART.
Student Organization Services office in the Student Union.
Update on new dining options coming to campus, new Student Union marketplace
Students should see more dining options across campus in an improvement from last year.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
In April, The Northern Light did an investigative series looking into campus dining options at UAA. In our reporting, one of the most common responses from students was that UAA’s options were too limited, and that there was a strong desire to see more diversity in what was offered around campus.
But, the days of Subway being the only substantial meal option in the Student Union are officially no more. The vacant space that was previously branded as the Taqueria next to Subway will be the Seawolf Marketplace.
In April, a survey was sent out ask-
ing for input on what should fill the space beside Subway. Seawolf Dining Program Director Trenten Hall said that there were 1,200 responses providing input, and the marketplace idea won.
Chris Tarsitano, the General Manager of food and beverage operations, said that the marketplace will offer “made to order salads” that are completely customizable depending on student preferences.
Other fresh options will be available, including cut and whole fruits and parfaits. Students will also have the option to add chicken or salmon to meals. He said that the menu will change with seasonal options and available Alaskan produce.
“So we’re [hoping] to have a lot of great feedback as this happens and … evolve the menu where we can have ev-
erything from vegan options, vegetarian options and just be very conscious of students,” said Tarsitano.
Tarsitano said that the Seawolf Marketplace will have a focus on the environment and sustainability.
“We will not have any plastic bottles being sold there, [drinks will be] out of glass [and] cans. All of our to-go containers are compostable. So we’re really forward-focused on our green initiative and sustainability.”
He said that all options should be under $14, and dining dollars can be used at the Seawolf Marketplace.
Hall said that there will be a soft opening of the Seawolf Marketplace after Campus Kickoff from 4 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 26, and the official opening will be the first day of school, Aug. 28.
In April, The Northern Light reported that Campus Dining hoped to open up the existing coffee shops in both Cuddy Hall and the ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building. The plan for the fall has changed since then. Hall said that because of labor shortages, the ConocoPhillips coffee shop will not be opened. Instead, he said that Campus Dining wants to put automated coffee machines in the building next spring.
The coffee shop in Cuddy Hall will be reopening this fall under a new name. What was previously known as the Daily Grind will now be called Cafe Delgga. Hall said that it is named after the Dena’ina word for raven.
Hall said that they worked with the Alaska Native Studies department, a Dena’ina language expert at UAA, the Native Village of Eklutna, and the curator of indigenous art and culture at the museum while working on the new coffee shop.
He said that the remodel of the space has been delayed, but it should be open by the start of the school year.
“All aspects of it are going to honor the
Anchorage Assembly votes to support one ‘allowed’ homeless camp on municipal land
The political debate over how best to address homelessness in Anchorage continues, though it is unclear on if the resolution will be enforced by the mayor.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
The Anchorage Assembly spent a large part of their June 6 meeting discussing the issue of homelessness in Anchorage.
Mayor Dave Bronson talked about the benefits of a proposed navigation center to help those who are homeless in his Mayor’s report, calling it a place that can “transform lives.”
The mayor also called the current situation where many homeless individuals are camping in the municipality’s parks and green spaces “untenable, and not quite even humane.”
“But if we spend another summer expending our time, our resources, and the public’s willingness to hear us out, I’m afraid we will never reach a modicum of solution,” said Bronson.
“I do not want people to freeze to death this winter. The nav center can prevent that.”
Hellen Fleming, one of the owners of Showdown Alaska, appeared before the assembly to testify about abatement at Cuddy Park.
Showdown Alaska is in charge of the Sundown Solstice Festival, which took place in Cuddy Park June 16 -18. The festival was a source of political controversy, as it was cited as a reason for abating – or kicking out – homeless individuals
camping at the park for safety reasons.
Fleming said that Showdown Alaska wanted to protect the safety of the patrons of the concert and homeless people.
“For the sake of public safety, we were told that abatement was the right choice,” said Fleming, “My only question to the city now is, why? Why was the Sullivan closed with no plan? Why weren’t sanctioned camps created from the start? Why was there no communication to campers about this festival from the very start in the area?”
Fleming urged the Assembly to create sanctioned camps before abatement at Cuddy Park ended.
After Fleming’s testimony, the Assembly passed a resolution brought forward by Felix Rivera, who represents District 4, supporting the creation of “allowed” homeless camps in Anchorage. Mayor Dave Bronson opposed the use of the word “sanctioned camps,” citing possible liability issues with the municipality.
The passed resolution is more limited in scope compared to recommendations originally made by the Sanctioned Camps Community Task Force.
The task force originally recommended that five sites be established as homeless camps. These sites were: Centennial Park Campground, 1805 Academy Drive, land adjacent to the Clitheroe Center, the midtown National Archives site, and vacant land between Viking Drive, Reeve
Dena’ina grounds we work on too, so it’s going to have that full circle,” said Hall.
The “pizza ATMs” that The Northern Light previously reported on in April will not be here until November, said Hall. The proposed locations for these pizza ATMs will be on the ground floor of the Student Union and one in the Social Sciences Building.
Pizzas will be made on-campus, and the machine will be able to heat them up on demand for students.
A different kind of hot-food vending machine will be available at the start of the school year, though. Just Baked machines will placed in the Professional Studies Building, the ConocoPhilips Integrated Science Building and in the Consortium Library vending machine area.
Hall said that the Just Baked machines are “kind of the same concept as the pizza ATM machine, but this one holds a variety of products like bao buns, vegetable potstickers, White Castle sliders [and] breakfast sandwiches.”
Hall said that these machines will be available at all times, making it an option for people on campus in the evening who are looking for something to eat.
For those who live on campus, the Late Night hours of the Creekside Eatery will be expanding by half an hour. On Sundays and Mondays, after dinner ends at 7:30 p.m., Late Night will open from 8:30 to 10 p.m. as an option for those who missed dinner.
Tarsitano said that the new executive chef “is really focused on fresh options and … making sure that we’re focused on all dietary restrictions, dietary needs, special diets, religious diets and just really celebrating culture and diversity.”
The Varsity Sports Grill, which is located at the Alaska Airlines Center, will also be opening on September 11, and will be operating on Mondays from 48pm.
lowed camp site, the Municipality may proceed to abate prohibited campsites regardless if there are no available overnight indoor shelter beds.”
Boulevard, and Commercial Drive. Three sites were recommended to house up to 75 people, while the remaining two were recommended to house up to 40. The recommendation also provided names of other possible camp locations.
The task force recommended nine Anchorage School District relocatables be used at the camps and that 90 Pallet Shelters be purchased by the municipality. Pallet Shelters are marketed as a kind of shelter that can be built in less than an hour and that are cheaper than other homelessness housing solutions.
The recommendation also requested support from multiple groups to construct tiny homes, and for landowners with large lots to consider sponsoring a site.
In the passed version of the resolution, only one site was established: an area in the National Archives site with capacity for 30 - 60 people. The proposed start date for the camp would be July 17th.
The resolution also removed all mention of Anchorage School District relocatables, and decreased the number of Pallet Shelters from 90 to 30.
According to a June 6 Assembly Memorandum from Rivera, in the version that the assembly chose to pass “allowed camps are considered available shelter space for purposes of deciding to abate prohibited campsites.”
Also according to the memorandum, “if camp site space is available at the al-
Assemblymember Daniel Volland, who represents District 1, recognized the recommendations of the task force, but also said that “It is not feasible in terms of cost and workforce to implement five different locations. But this is the start of the conversation.”
Rivera echoed what Volland said in his speech, saying his proposal was a “politically realistic” version of what the task force recommended.
“This site is really a pilot, that’s how folks should think about it, to see what works, what doesn’t work, so … by the time we get to summer 2024, we are in a better position to consider our decisions on allowed camps.”
There is an important difference between a resolution and an ordinance, a point brought up by Assemblymember Cameron Perez-Verdia who represents District 3. He asked, “does this compel the administration to do anything?”
Legal counsel at the meeting said that the resolution would establish policy and the intention of the Assembly. If the administration were to not do what the resolution asked, it would violate the resolution, but it would not violate law.
When asked if he would implement this resolution immediately, Bronson said, “The problem comes down to money, there’s no money left to do this. I support this, but we gotta look at the money now.”
The resolution passed with a vote of 9-2, with Christopher Constant – representing District 1– and Scott Meyers –representing District 2 – voting in opposition.
IMAGE COURTESY OF TRENTEN HALL.
An architectural rendering of Cafe Delgga in Cuddy Hall, which will also feature an art piece depicting the Chugach Range.
WOLF-E the robot serves Seawolves at Creekside Eatery
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
Something unexpected has rolled its way into Creekside Eatery in the Gorsuch Commons – a dessert serving robot by the name of WOLF-E. The robot is the newest member of the dining team, patrolling the
dining room in search of those without cookies.
WOLF-E plays jazz music while making its rounds. Seawolf Dining Program Director Trenten Hall said that WOLFE’s “pronouns are they/them, as to be more non-binary.”
I quickly grew fond of the robot throughout my interactions with it. WOLF-E has a high
work ethic and unique attributes that will soon make it everyone’s favorite robot.
“It’s been active for probably three months,” said Hall.
Hall and Seawolf Dining and Catering General Manager Chris Tarsitano were excited to talk about UAA’s newest robotic addition.
WOLF-E was not developed by UAA, but Hall and Tarsitano gave it the Seawolf-inspired name.
WOLF-E is originally owned by NANA Management Services, a company Tarsitano works for.
“We currently use similar Bear Robotics at APU, at the Pioneer Homes” where the device services food and beverage needs.
“NMS has provided food services for residential and retail dining on the University of Alaska Anchorage campus since the fall semester of 2007,” according to the NMS Website.
Surprisingly, WOLF-E came at no cost to the university as it was a gift from Pioneer Homes.
Pioneer Homes “ended up having an extra one and they were gracious and asked if we would like it over here” said Hall.
Despite the great deal, there is a cost for maintenance. “We’ll have to put up a small amount of maintenance cost, in case something goes wrong,” said Hall.
The generosity of the Pioneer Home has provided students “a conversation piece. It enhances the dining program and high-
University Lake Dog Park reopens after oil spill
An oil spill forced the lake’s closure for several weeks as officials worked to clean and discover the source of the oil.
By Kyle Ivacic news2@thenorthernlight.org
University Lake and its adjacent dog park have been reopened after an oil sheen spotted on the lake last month sparked concern that the water was unsafe for dogs and wildlife to be in or near.
The trails and dog park were cordoned off between June 21 –when the spill was first reported – and July 11.
Although reopened, a small southern portion of the lake is still fenced off at as city and state authorities work to remove the remaining oil and keep wildlife out of the area. A sign posted by the US Fish and Wildlife Service near the spill area says that the spill will require “absorbents and fencing to remain in place for several weeks.”
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation discovered that the source of the 20-gallon spill was an underground fuel vault at the Alaska
Native Medical Center.
Under normal circumstances, the leak would have been caught by oil separators in the city’s drainage system. However, Public Information Officer for the Alaska Department of Conservation Kelly Rawalt told The Northern Light in an interview that “because it had been raining so much in recent weeks, it [the oil separator] overflowed before the municipality was able to empty it.”
Once the spill was discovered, Rawalt said that city officials “promptly emptied the separator so that it didn’t discharge any more oil and they’ve been monitoring it pretty closely ever since.”
Rawalt said that Alaska Native Medical Center was “really on the ball” with helping the state find the source of the oil. “Professionals from both [The Department of Enviromental Conservation] and the EPA … have been with working with folks like [the Alaska Native Medical Center] to track
lights innovation” said Hall.
Energy consumption is another cost that is always a factor to consider, especially for modern robots. Tarsitano explains that the energy consumption for WOLF-E is “very very minimal. Probably less than charging a cell-phone, from my understanding and what I was told.”
“We were a little bit concerned about that, but technology today has very minimal energy use.”
It may be difficult to place the true purpose of a cookie-serving robot at a dining hall, but Tarsitano had bigger ideas than dessert staff.
“It shows that innovation is part of the future, it’s part of not only dining programs but a little bit of everything nowadays. If we can impart a little bit of that and the students have these conversations — thinking outside the box — it’s only a plus for us,” said Tarsitano.
Tarsitano said, “WOLF-E actually goes throughout the whole dining room, periodically around tables and greets the students and guests and we normally have desserts with WOLF-E.”
“Bear Robotics came out and they programmed a full floor plan. And helped us – Trenton and myself – [achieve] our vision of how WOLF-E could be a great addition to the dining program.”
Bear Robotics is a California based robotic engineering company that is partly dedicated to restaurant automation.
While there was not a pur-
chase made for the ownership of WOLF-E, “There is a monthly fee, but it’s nominal” said Tarsitano.
According to Reuters, “Bear Robotics charges a $999 monthly fee for Servi in the U.S. –which gives the robot a running cost of around $2.75 per hour.”
If you are walking through the dining area and run into WOLF-E, you may hear it say a few different phrases.
WOLF-E is able to detect people and can even say “Excuse me” if its mapped path is blocked.
Hall explained that pathfinding for WOLF-E is simple:
“There are stairs but it knows where they’re at. It does go down the ramp to the lower dining room and it’s programmed where to go, so there’s no way it would go past where it’s programmed to leave. It has a passcode lock on the screen too, so students can’t mess with it.”
But how would a cookie serving robot know when to serve?
“It knows when it’s empty because of a weighted plate, and when it’s empty, it will stop at the fridge and wait to be refilled. It can tell when it’s refilled, and it goes back out,” said Hall.
WOLF-E is surely an interesting addition to UAA and will definitely be a conversation piece as it delivers cookies to hungry students this coming semester.
through the drainage system,” said Rawalt.
Rawalt explained that officials used a photo-ionizing device capable of detecting hydrocarbons in the air or soil which she said “is an indicator of fuel being present.”
According to Rawalt and the agencies involved in the cleanup, no wildlife, pets or people were reported harmed by the spill.
Rawalt said that personnel hired by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Environmental Protection Agency have been on scene to “haze” or deter wildlife from entering the spill area. “You have to be permitted to do that professionally,” she said. The agencies are using hazing techniques such as predator decoys, fencing, balloons and kayakers.
“Having dogs in the area can disturb the environment and sometimes kind of scare wildlife into the area when we’re trying to the do the opposite,” Rawalt said – explaining the need for the weeks-long closure of the
nearby park and trails.
Observation of the lake by The Northern Light over recent weeks has seen fencing taken down and the spill area shrink in size. The small area of the lake that remains closed has almost no visible oil sheen and has a
layer of absorbent pads on the surface.
Fencing and absorbents as well as other hazing measures will continue to be removed as officials monitor the improving situation.
PHOTO BY KYLE IVACIC.
The remaining spill area seen covered by absorbent pads on July 12.
IMAGE COURTESY OF TRENTEN HALL.
Photo of WOLF-E in Creekside Eatery.
Restaurant review: Two Hands Korean corn dog stand
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
Deep fried anything reminds me of my home in Georgia.
While strolling through the local flea market, deep fried twinkies, oreos, ice cream and okra was always a stop my family made when shopping.
While never the biggest fan of deep fried twinkies, I would always get a corndog at the end of the day.
So while walking through the Dimond Mall over the Fourth of July weekend, with my fiance and friend, I was struck by a longing for home and a deep fried anything, preferably a corndog.
I remembered someone telling me of a new Korean corn dog restaurant a few weeks earlier. The three of us practically sprinted to the food court.
At the restaurant, called Two Hands, we came across an abundance of people waiting for their orders of corn dogs, elote, horchata and kimchi seasoned fries. I had no idea what to order.
Presented with a variety of choices, I never expected a
crispy rice corn dog to be an option, but I had to try it.
There were seven different types of corn dogs, which all sounded enticing, so I went with the five piece box containing the Two Hands, Spicy, Potato, Classic and Crispy Rice Dog for $23.99. I happily secured my entire day’s food in one meal.
Each corn dog has a filling option which includes a mix of cheddar and sausage, mozzarella and cheddar, or any of the four options individually.
I chose mozzarella and sausage for each. The potato dog is a giant corn dog with protruding cube shaped crispy potatoes. Trying to take a bite from it left malleable cheese stretching a foot from your face.
The end contained only sausage. This change in delectability influences you to believe you’re eating something new entirely. That change in flavor is what reminded me of home, extra seasoning and deep fried food.
After taking a couple bites of the geometric sausage and cheese filled potato dog, I decided to try the most interesting flavor in the box.
My next bite was one of curiosity. While I had seen the explosion of Korean corn dogs as a trend these last few months, I had never seen or heard of a crispy rice dog.
The crispy rice dog looked as though it was covered in perfectly white beads, encasing a sweet and savory sugar coated corn dog.
The crunch of the beads were satisfying and so was the flavor, exceeding what I had expected from Two Hands.
While I thoroughly enjoyed each of the corn dogs in the five piece box, I would order only the sausage filling next time. The mozzarella was good, but I was slightly disappointed when there was more cheese than sausage.
With all five of the corn dogs that I eventually ate, none but the potato and the crispy rice dog were appealing to me. Surprisingly, the spicy dog tasted of decent sushi, which was neither expected nor wanted.
Overall, Two Hands was a fun experience for the Fourth of July weekend and I will one day return for another giant potato dog.
Book review: ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie’
Has the plastic Barbie doll negatively influenced children, or is she a toy for exploration?
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
Stone, Tanya Lee, “The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll’s History and Her Impact on Us.” Viking. 2010. 128 pages. 0147516064 Library Copy 978-0147516060
With the Barbie movie release on July 21, there has been a lot of discussion on Barbie. Some love her, some hate her. And a few, like myself, just never got into her.
Like her or not, the doll, which debuted in 1959, is part and parcel of American culture.
Tanya Lee Stone tells the history of Barbie in “The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll’s History and Her Impact on Us.” In many ways the book about Barbie is a reflection of Barbie.
If there was ever a book you could judge by its cover, it is this one: With a powder blue background, it has an original Barbie doll headshot with the title above her in red.
Inside, there are pictures of Barbie in her many outfits, her creators, and young girls playing with her. Also, there are images that reflect the eras that shaped Barbie.
The number of pages does not seem like a lot, but “The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie” covers many topics. Barbie is a doll, but like the book, she is more than meets the eye.
Stone begins by telling the reader about Barbie’s maker, Ruth Handler, who was one of the three people who started the Mattel toy company, which made and introduced Barbie to the world. Born in 1916 to Polish Jewish immigrants, she was raised by her sister and brotherin-law who owned a pharmacy.
Ruth grew up having a job and learning how to run the pharmacy. She was a risk taker by nature. Not long after she married, Handler encouraged her husband Elliot, an art student, to quit his job at a lighting fixture company and focus on making his ideas come off paper and into people’s hands.
Later, after their children Barbara Joyce and Kenneth Robert were born, they would meet Harold Matson, who wanted to produce Elliot’s ideas.
Stone writes that Ruth had an idea where Elliot “would design beautiful things, Matson would produce the products, and Ruth would sell them.”
Among many business achievements, it needs to be noted that Mattel was inclusionary. “There were people of different ethnicities working together,” which was not seen very often in the 1950s. Most of their workers in the early days were women. There were shared bathrooms that Black and white people used. Stone quoted Hander as saying that she “didn’t intentionally set out to integrate our plant,” their philosophy was to “hire the best person for each
job.”
At the time, Stone writes that most of the dolls were for letting little girls play “Mommy and other games that involved nurturing and caring for their babies at home.” Girls didn’t have the dolls to imagine themselves playing “older girls or single women.”
Handler’s idea for Barbie came from watching her daughter Barbara play with dolls. Barbara wasn’t interested in playing with baby dolls or the “glamor dolls” sold by make-up companies for women to learn to use their products. Barbara and her friends played with adult paper dolls, attaching clothes to them with paper tabs. Stone quotes Handler as, saying that her daughter was “carrying on conversations, making the dolls real people. I used to watch that over and over and think: if only we could take this play pattern and three-dimensionalize it, we would have something very special.”
Barbie’s inspiration came from what was happening in the world at the time.
It was the 1950s and Stone shares images of pinup models and starlets. As Handler was thinking of the shape, Stone writes, “it would have to have the figure that Ruth believed a girl might want to pretend having as a teenager. Ruth thought of her doll as a teenaged fashion model, a teeny tiny mannequin.”
In 1956, Handler would see the doll that would ultimately inspire the Barbie doll. It was the Bild-Lilli doll, “a sexy novelty gift for men,” which wasn’t even
created for children.
Stone writes about the shape of Barbie and body images the doll put forward about women. She notes the way supermodels try to achieve a certain image, using photoshop to help. But like Barbie, none of these images are real. Barbie is a doll, originally designed with different careers and hobbies that didn’t tie her down, and she has no personality.
Stone writes, “She isn’t stuck-up. She doesn’t brag about her-one-hundred-twenty-pluscareers.”
Handler was surprised that Barbie had controversy. She referred to earlier versions of Barbie as “quite bland.” Stone writes that in later years, sales increased with consumer satisfaction as they made her “a little prettier.”
Stone covers Barbie’s evolution. She writes of how Barbie
had had friends of other ethnicities since the 1960s, but in 1980, Mattel introduced Black and Hispanic dolls who were Barbie. Barbie was no longer white, Barbie was representing more American girls.
Barbie’s personal adventures with the children who played with her are covered – and uncovered – by Stone. If she wasn’t being dressed and going on dates and getting undressed with Ken by the girls themselves, she was getting attention from their brothers, “She has been burned at the stake, put under the wheels of a car, torn apart, delimbed, and flushed down the toilet.”
Is Barbie good or bad? Stone gives support for Barbie being a tool of self-expression for the people who interact with her. Kids explore what they like and dislike, and Barbie, who changes with the times, is great for that.
PHOTO BY KAYCEE DAVIS.
Look how far she has come! A library copy of, “The Good, the Bad, and the Barbie” by Tanya Lee Stone is propped up on a Barbie display in the toy section of a grocery store
PHOTO BY HANNAH DILLON.
Book review: ‘Don’t Read Poetry’
demystifies the art form
Are you new to poetry or uncomfortable analyzing what you read? Do you love it but want to better explain it to your peers? This is the book for you.
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
Burt, Stephanie, “Don’t Read Poetry: A Book about how to Read Poems.” Hachette Book Group, 2019. 320 pages. 0465094503 $18.99 9780465094509
The title holds her thesis statement: Don’t read poetry. For the rest of the book, Stephanie Burt demystifies and explains how to read poems.
Burt is an English professor at Harvard, a poet, and the recipient of a 2016 Guggenheim fellowship for poetry.
Poetry can be complex, and once it is written, the understanding begins between the ears of the reader. Normal poetry classes teach how to label poetry and how to understand the rhythms. And you learn how to glean what a poet was saying with their work.
But Burt’s book gives hints on making it personal to the reader without the help of a professor.
Burt simplifies poetry and works from what most of her readers can relate to, showing a poem or poem segment and deconstructing it. Burt has a way of connecting with her readers
and poetry she loves, pointing out aspects of it and why she is sharing it.
In the first chapter on feelings, Burt writes of how poetry can express a lot of feeling without telling the whole story, “inviting you to put yourself into the poet’s place.” The words of a poet’s words can “seem to connect feeling across time and space,” she writes.
Burt explains form, writing about different patterns in poetry and compares patterns to what readers will recognize, such as in music, dance, and architecture. She explains how the schemes can almost feel like
“magic.”
She shares how sonnets have become modernized and shows how different they are under the label of being called sonnets. She introduces forms that may be new to readers, all presented with a poem and an explanation.
When it comes to understanding poems and recognizing their messages, Burt explains that techniques used in creating poems makes them easier to remember, even when we are surrounded by media, friends, novels and other published ideas. Poets chose forms for delivery and with repetition, rhyme, and meter — and many other techniques — she shows how the reader can better glean the idea being shared and remember it.
Even though we cannot see or
hear Stephanie Burt talking to us, her writing style is personal and friendly. “Don’t Read Poetry” is like having a good friend chatting with you on a Zoom call and sharing poems.
In the “Dead Poets Society,” Mr. Keating says to his students: “One reads poetry because he is a member of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion! Medicine, law, banking - these are necessary to sustain life. But poetry, romance, love, beauty? These are what we stay alive for!” I think that Mr. Keating would give “Don’t Read Poetry” his stamp of approval. For many who start out not liking poetry or who feel overwhelmed by it, Burt does a truly fantastic job presenting it.
Movie review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ is a
breathtaking blend of art and storytelling
With over 1,000 animators behind it, the sequel to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” expands on the creativity of its predecessor and pushes the limits of what an animated film can do.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
It’s always nerve-wracking watching the sequel of a popular movie, especially the sequel to one as well-received and critically acclaimed as 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” which has an impressive list of awards under its belt. With the first film already sporting an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, could the second film within the Spider-Verse series even compete?
The answer is a resounding yes. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” takes the multiverse of the first movie and pushes it even further.
It begins with Gwen Stacy, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, joining a society of multiversejumping spider-people who are working to stop “anomalies” from breaking different universes. Meanwhile Miles Morales, voiced by Shameik Moore, is battling both a new nemesis and the conflicting expectations of his parents. When Gwen jumps into Miles’ version of Earth, their paths collide again, sending them both on an adventure with far more friends, enemies and spider-people than they could have imagined.
If the current 96% on Rot-
ten Tomatoes doesn’t convince you that the movie’s a hit, Variety reported that “Across the Spider-Verse” has already made more money in twelve days than the entire box-office run of “Into the Spider-Verse.” According to the same article, it’s also Sony’s highest grossing animated release ever.
“Across the Spider-Verse” is able to take animation and celebrate the medium by creating evocative storytelling. The film is able to play with emotion by creating backgrounds that bleed into each other and change with the character’s emotions.
Each world and spider-person has a completely different illustrative style, and the film somehow finds a way to put all of these characters into cohesive scenes on screen.
Not only that, but 3D, 2D, third person POV, and first person POV are all mixed in throughout the film. It makes the movie a visual feast, and with so much detail packed into each scene, the rewatch value is incredibly high.
The movie also hits every single beat – action scenes are well-choreographed and engaging, emotional highs and lows take up just the right amount of space, and the comedic scenes are perfectly timed and plentiful, without overwhelming the rest of the movie.
Just like the first movie, there are even more variants of SpiderMan. Hundreds of spider-people grace the screen, of all different genders, races, religions, body types, and abilities. The SpiderVerse series takes the multiverse and uses it to show an incredibly diverse amount of spider-people on screen, allowing many people in the audience to see themselves be reflected in the movie.
With a runtime of 2 hours 20 minutes, the movie is long, but it never feels like it’s dragging on.
“We don’t think there’s any fat in this film, to be honest,” said Kemp Powers, one of the directors of the film, in an interview with Collider Interviews. He said that this final runtime worked well with test audiences, leading to the time of the final cut. “You take the time you need to take to tell the story you need to tell,” said Kemp.
“This movie is big, it’s like making five movies at once,” said Justin K. Thompson, another director on the project. The movie, indeed, was so massive that it had over 1,000 animators working on it, according to IMDB.
Not only that, but a lot of time was spent to make sure the movie was done right. In an interview with Discussing Film, Thompson said it took 2 - 3 years to develop the distinct visual style of one single spider-
person: Spider-Punk. That was only one character out of the 240 that were in the film.
“Across the Spider-Verse” also has a distinctly comic-book feel. Word balloons and narra-
tion boxes are scattered throughout the film, and in action scenes words such as “POW” sometimes appear.
There are even comic book covers that break up sections of the movie.
And just like a comic book, this film ends on a steep cliffhanger.
For those who enjoyed the Spider-Verse and are left wanting more, IGN reports that the final film in the trilogy, “SpiderMan: Beyond the Spider Verse” will be released on March 29, 2024.
Don’t let the cliffhanger ending be a deterrent from watching the movie now, though. When a movie like this is filled with so much heart, character, skill, and humor, it’s something you’ll wish you watched sooner.
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB..
Poster for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Tiger Amornkiat takes the stage and merits a standing
Burning bright with passion and enthusiasm, Amorkiat lit up the auditorium with classic and modern pieces.
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
It ended as every musician might hope their final performance at their alma mater might end, with a standing ovation that included loud but polite whoops from an energized, enthusiastic audience.
For Tiger Amornkiat, playing his senior recital on July 1, this end was also a new beginning.
Amornkiat wowed an audience in the UAA Arts Building playing the four movements in Beethoven’s Sonata in C major, Op. 2 #3, “Musica Nara” by Tokuyama, and Schubert’s Fantasie in C major, Op. 15 D 760 (“Wanderer-Fantasie”).
He finished with “La Valse” by Ravel. Amornkaiat is completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts in music from UAA this semester and plans to continue studying and playing music after graduating.
I had no idea what I was getting into when I went to the recital – my background is not music. I messaged the music department ahead of time and there just wasn’t enough time for me to specifically learn all the parlance to describe what I would experience.
Dr. Timothy Smith, Amornkiat’s piano teacher at UAA, had written in an email that the senior recital concerts “typically showcase some of [the musi-
cian’s] most difficult and challenging repertoire.”
Going to a musical recital is a lot like going to a one person play, and just like in a monologue where the actor wouldn’t bring a script on stage, Amornkiat had no sheet music for reference. He was one guy on a stage with a grand piano.
He stepped out, walked to his seat at the piano and started to play.
The piano is classified as a string instrument and also percussion, and on this evening its capacities were displayed to their fullest. Amornkiat would arch his back, raise his hands and pounce on the keys to get the full sound out of the piano. The reflection of his hands on the flatboard of the grand piano made it seem that he was merg-
Book review: ‘Water Mask’ takes readers on memorable trip through Alaska
Readers get to experience some of the many cultures in Alaska and see the terrain through the eyes of a well traveled, observant and loving teacher.
By Kaycee Davis features2@thenorthernlight.org
Devine, Monica, “Water Mask.” University of Alaska Press, 2019. 176 pages. 1602233721 $18.95 9781602233720
Monica Devine’s memoir, “Water Mask” made me think of this quote by Dr. Seuss: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
It is true, and if your plans don’t have you living a full Alaska life, you can read “Water Mask” and experience life in Alaska as Devine has.
Devine was a traveling speech therapist and traveled all over Alaska. Through her encounters, readers learn of loss, longing, finding, with heaps of adventure along the way. “Water Mask” was a finalist in the Willa Literary Awards, and she has received other awards for her many works from the National Federation of Press Women and the Alaska State Poetry Contest. She was a Golden Kite nominee, and she received best creative non-fiction in the literary journal New Letters for the piece “On the Edge of Ice,” which is in “Water Mask.”
The book is not “feminist,” but it is told through the eyes and experiences of mostly women, women such as herself, her mother, Alaska Native women, the mothers of the children she works with as a speech therapist, and her friends.
Her stories are true and real. So much so that someone thinking they want to come up to Alaska to live off the land without research will think twice before committing: One can die on these adventures, even when one is knowledgeable about the terrain and conditions.
Devine opens her book with an essay called “Mission of Motherhood.” Through a character sitting in Mendeltna Creek Lodge named Agnes, she tells how life is fragile, especially for children. The elements spare no one, even when the parents, who are often experienced in whatever they are doing, are with them.
Readers are pulled along and glimpse into the lives of her life as a teacher and into the lives of her students and parents. In a chapter called “Things Fall Apart” she describes giving a four-year-old in Anaktuvuk Pass a test where she pointed to shoes, clothing, things we eat. He told her, “I don’t care.” Being a good teacher, she explains how her questions were “excessive, out of context, and held no meaning for him.”
She describes his culture and what matters to him, how his parents raised their children, with her young student watching his parents, whose world is closer to nature and the animal world.
She compares this to her world and how she was raising her children, “preparing them for college from the moment they were born.” She concludes with, “One way of educating is not better than the other, just different.” And she tells how she made changes to help her visits with her students, talking to elders and learning the vocabulary they knew at home, and joining in on activities such as berry-picking and grocery shopping with the families to find relevance.
Devine takes readers along on a trip through the Inside Passage and weaves it with experiences at a horse ranch where she just completed a workshop called “Landscape and Literature of the Horse.” She learns patience and facing fears with her horse at the ranch, contrasting it with seas that are calm and a boat that runs smoothly until the seas are no longer calm and the boat has a loose rudder and other problems that can happen in the ocean.
Devine’s essays bring readers into experiences with characters from her real life whose likeness few will ever meet. She states that, “proficiency comes through experience and the true grit of flying by the seat of your pants” as she launches into a story about a Minnesota pilot who has only been in Alaska for “a couple weeks.” We feel her horror as, once airborne, the pilot pulls out a map and studies it, and her feeling of “flying inside
ing with it. Amornkiat may not have left his chair, but his intense physical movement was constant and swift as he hit the keys from one side of the piano to the other. His exertion was like watching someone running a three mile race. That he would do this for almost two hours was like watching him run a minimarathon.
My favorite piece came at the end. Amornkiat played “La Valse” by Maurice Ravel. This piece, as explained at the Houston Symphony website, was commissioned by Sergei Diaghilev, artistic director of Ballet Russes and completed in 1920, was initially written to be a ballet. Diaghelev did not like it for dance, but it was immediately taken up by musicians to play
ovation
for its own sake. It is abstract – what starts out feeling like a waltz is at times depressing and dark, and other times very light. After a standing ovation, Anornkiat told the audience that he has been accepted to the Manhattan School of Music, but that he is going to take a gap year and start in the autumn of 2024.
a bottle of milk” in thick fog. Rationally we know she lives to tell the tale, but there is relief when they land. No matter where she takes readers, the descriptions are vivid and employ the senses. This is the kind of a book that you might want to read with a map of Alaska next to you to see where Devine is taking you next, to appreciate just how far she travels. The book is a fun read, but not light, and can be read cover to cover or essay by essay.
PHOTO BY KAYCEE DAVIS.
Books can be magical and transport readers over many miles. “Water Mask” will take readers through Alaska and to some notable places in the Lower 48.
Scan this QR code to see Tiger Amornkiat play his senior recital.
Photo essay: Three Barons Renaissance Fair
By Justin Cox
This summer the Three Barons Renaissance Fair made its annual appearance in Anchorage. So I went out to see what it entailed and get some photos. Here is a photo journey to the Three Barons Renaissance Fair.
There are a plethora of shows that you can enjoy ranging from the Naughty Bawdy Tavern Show, a musical performance between the Rogues and Wenches that is not appropriate for all ages, to the Tomato show where you can pelt the actors with tomatoes, if you don’t think their acting is good enough.
If you want to really get in on the action, you can stop by the peasant dance and learn several dances and try them out yourself.
Market review: Southside produce and more
The South Anchorage market was filled with produce and local food.
By Savannah Johansen news5@thenorthernlight.org
The South Anchorage Farmers Market – located in the O’Malley Ice Center parking lot – is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from May through October.
The market has many produce vendors with items like tomatoes, cabbages and even gourmet mushrooms. Goshen Garden Greenhouse, sells vegetables along with pickled versions of produce, herbs and jams.
One produce vendor accepts cards from the federal WIC program.
Arctic Choice was at the market selling halibut, salmon and various other fish and shellfish.
The food spanned from Little Dipper Mini Donuts to Beach Tribe Soda Works who sell their own handcrafted beverages.Another popular vendor was Spinz: Charcoal Rotisserie Pollo a la Bards. They sold chick-
en lunches, street corn and other hispanic foods. Wild Scoops also had a booth at the market selling their ice cream.
A harpist played music for shoppers in the middle of the market.
K. Paulson Illustrations was at the market as well selling their hand-crafted illustrations and stickers.
Lines formed at popular vendors like Spinz, Arctic Choice, Little Dipper Mini Donuts and Dalias; Homemade Salsa. Vendors were friendly and willing to answer any questions customers had about their products.
South Anchorage Farmers Market is pet-friendly and even has a vendor – Drool Center – who sells dog food.
The average price for produce was higher than the grocery store. The food was expensive for the amount received. Spinz chicken meals were $18 per box and $8 for street corn.
The market can be done in about 30 minutes. How-
ever, there are enough vendors for someone to spend an hour walking around, grabbing a bite to eat and talking with friends
And finally to round out my day at the fair, I watched the various participants in the costume contest, judge by the Red, Green and Blue Baronesses.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
The Rogues performing during the Naughty Bawdy Tavern Show.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
The audience performing a peasant dance.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
Actors in the Tomato show perform MacBeth while attempting to dodge flying tomatoes.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
A Rogue performing during the Naughty Bawdy Tavern Show.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
Two of the three Baronesses heading to the Costume Contest to be the judges.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
A Costume Contest Participant dancing for the judges and audience as an undead pirate.
PHOTO BY JUSTIN COX.
Members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) performing demonstrations of fight skills for the crowd.
photographer@thenorthernlight.org
PHOTO BY SAVANNAH JOHANSEN. South Anchorage Market entrance.
OPINION
‘Barbie’
movie banned in Vietnam: An issue made in China or imagined?
A childlike depiction of a world map in the movie led Vietnamese authorities to ban the movie for supposedly depicting China’s nine-dash line.
By Kyle Ivacic news2@thenorthernlight.org
Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism determined on July 3 that Barbie would be barred from screenings in Vietnamese theaters for an apparent depiction of the nine-dash line.
The nine-dash line is a controversial maritime claim by China of much of the South China Sea that extends hundreds of miles beyond what international law deems to be China’s actual territory. Countries whose maritime claims are violated by the line include the Philippenes, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietname. Over the years China has created artificial islands in the claimed territory to strengthen its hold on the region. According to research by The Guardian and other outlets, some of these islands are even home to military bases.
This is not the first time that China’s maritime claims have caused issues with its neigh-
bors. A United Nations tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016 when that country made claims against China for its violation of Philippine maritime territory.
The action taken by Vietnam against the Barbie movie appears to be an effort to pressure the international community into doing more on the issue of Chinese territorial claims.
However, there is no proof that the Barbie movie truly shows the nine-dash line. In fact, the controversial map –which appears to be drawn by a child – has many dotted lines scattered about with countries and continents drawn woefully out of scale. Many claims could easily be made of the map and all could be refuted.
While there is no scientific or expert opinion to be given on the matter, it appears that Vietnam’s banning of the movie is an emotional reaction more than anything. Internationally Vietnam’s decision has made a splash in the media, but its outrage over
Payment to park
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
Every new UAA student is greeted at the welcoming doors of each campus building. But before you may enter the building hosting whatever class you will call home for the next four months, you have to pay to park your car.
For one hour of parking, in the majority of the parking lots on campus, you must pay a $2 fee for one hour. While $2 is not much, one must take into consideration the amount of hours an average student spends on campus each week.
With many students attending classes 2-5 days a week, at an average of five hours a day, that is $10 a day just to park your car.
If the person who has parked does not pay the $2 an hour fee, students and faculty are subject to a fine of “$10–$500, depending on the violation.”
If a student is required to pay between $20 and $50 a week just to attend classes, how is the average student, who is often too busy with academics to work,
expected to afford this weekly payment?
Even if students are able to work, between paying tuition, grocery expenses, gas and all other financial aspects of life, this weekly bill becomes hard to manage.
Not only do students have to pay for parking, but so do UAA faculty and staff. I spoke to an employee here on campus to hear additional perspectives on parking fees.
I discovered this employee and I share similar opinions on the matter.
They said that the required payment to park “feels weird. It’s definitely not something I’ve ever had to do before, for any job.”
They chuckled as they looked through their email saying, “I did get a ticket. I bought my summer permit and it has to go through a processing before they send you your permit. So May 25 ‘your permit has been set to active status’, that was at 7:51 am. Then on May 25 at 11:45 am, I got a warning ticket.”
While this is a comedic situation in timing, the process can
the movie has not been matched by other countries. In early July, NPR reported that Authorities in the Philippines were consid-
ering a ban. However, Filipino authorities later decided that the Barbie movie did not depict Chinese territorial claims.
With tensions already hot between China and much of the world, there is little room for
major international players – especially the United States – to complain about a fictional map. Overall, Vietnam’s banning of the Barbie movie appears to be over an imagined issue rather than one that was manufactured in China. Maybe next time Vietnam’s outrage will be more successful in galvanizing the international community and American Armed Forces Barbie will be sent to take care of it.
still be stressful for the parties involved.
If most UAA employees work an eight hour work day, as well as submit payment for parking on campus during those work hours, it seems as though one is working just to pay for a parking spot.
Those who can not afford taking an Uber or the bus to UAA are forced to pay these parking fees and there is little room around this requirement.
The “Pay N Park Kiosk” is probably the most common way individuals who are visiting or staying for a short period of time pay for parking.
But if you look at the “Passport” section under the parking services website, it’s flaunted as the “Best option for multiple short-term parking needs.” But, it’s noted that “each transaction includes a $0.20 convenience fee”, which does not seem very convenient to me.
While this measly 20 cents is less than a quarter, the weight of these fees add up, digging a financial hole in the wallets of students and staff.
My biggest qualm with these fees is the $2 an hour for anyone who may park on campus, even for five minutes. I also see how other parking permits limit students and staff.
Another permit option, not including resident students, is $131.25 per school semester (Fall and Spring) and $56.25 in the summer. This may seem like a “fairly” priced single semester long expense, but the installation of a parking fee itself, seems unfair.
The $131.25 semester charge on top of “$7,014 one-year estimate for full-time resident tuition and fees” is just another add on to an already debt-creating charge.
The $131.25 semester charge is much cheaper than paying a constant $2 an hour, which would equal $80 for the average school week. But the entirety of
parking permits for students and staff, who keep this school alive, is a bit odd.
I understand UAA is in a financial predicament and must find new ways to gain income, but placing yet another fee onto the student body shows minimal effort in understanding others perspectives in life.
And if we are to pay for a parking permit, where does this money go?
With 11,000 students at UAA, the financial support UAA may receive from even a third of the student body paying parking fees, is more than enough to allot money to certain campus aspects, such as maintaining roads and buildings.
I can level with UAA in understanding the economic and natural crises and the pollution vehicles emit, if that is the sole reason to charge students and staff parking fees.
Public transportation, such as buses, have less gas emissions and carry multiple people at a time. You can also show your Seawolf card to the bus driver, and your ride is free.
The problem with this notion is the time spent to get to classes. Most bus trips that I have personally experienced last at least 30 minutes, while I live only 10 minutes from campus.
Many of the students I have spoken to live in Matsu or on the far side of town, making a bus trip ranging from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, or rendering the option impractical.
It is more understandable to charge parking fees for those who visit UAA, as this may contribute to the security of UAA while still acquiring a small constant income.
But with all the tuition fees that we already pay as a student body, is the need to pay for a spot to park really necessary?
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROTHERS PICTURES.
The world map featured in the Barbie movie pictured behind the film’s lead actress Margot Robbie.
PHOTO BY HANNAH DILLON.
Sports Series: From mintonette to volleyball
This story is part of a series about how popular sports began. In this story, the history of volleyball is explained.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
Prior to 1895, popular sports in the United States were physically grueling, such as football, rugby, an early version of hockey called bandy bandy (an early version of hockey), boxing and more.
As William G. Morgan, an instructor at the Young Men’s Christian Association in Holyoke, Massachusetts, welcomed his class of businessmen into the gymnasium, he realized his students wouldn’t be able to play such rough games. Thus, he sought to create a new one.
According to the Northern California Volleyball Association, Morgan “decided to blend elements of basketball, baseball, tennis, and handball” that was also “fit for the gymnasium or exercise hall but, could also be played outdoor.”
As Morgan combined the basics of these sports, he created mintonette– what we now call the game of volleyball.
The basics of the game was to keep a ball in motion by hitting it over a net that stood six feet and six inches above the ground. If one team failed to hit the ball over the net – or if the ball hit
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the ground – the other team recieved a point.
After demonstrating the game, a spectator commented that it appeared the players were “volleying” the ball over the net, thus the name “volleyball” was born.
Morgan then established the ten original rules of volleyball. These rules referred to the length of the game, the size of the court, net and ball, how to serve the ball, how to score and the number of players on the court at a time.
The rules have evolved since 1895, but the basics of the game is still evident in Morgan’s original rules:
The game shall consist of nine innings.
The man serving continues to do so until out by failure of his side to return the ball.
The court or floor space shall be 25 feet wide and 50 feet long, divided into two square courts, 25 feet by 25 feet, by the net.
The net shall be at least two feet wide and 27 feet long and shall be suspended from uprights placed at least one foot outside the side lines. The top of the net must be six feet six inches from the floor.
The ball shall be a rubber
Photographer Justin Cox photographer@thenorthernlight.org
Graphic Designer Tressa Wood graphics@thenorthernlight.org
bladder covered with leather or canvas.
The server shall stand with one foot on the back line. The ball must be batted with the hand. Two services or trials are allowed him to place the ball in the opponent’s court.
Each good service unreturned or ball in play unreturned by the side receiving counts one score for the side serving.
A play, which hits the net, aside from the first service, is called a net ball, and is equivalent to a failure to return, counting for the opposite side.
A line ball is a ball that strikes the boundary line. It is equivalent to one out of court, and counts as such.
Any number of players may participate that is convenient to the place.
Volleyball quickly became very popular, and by 1896 it had reached Asia through the YMCA network. Because of this popularity, by 1900 there was a specially designed ball for the sport.
From 1900 to 1920, rules were set in place. The Philippines are credited for creating the “set” and “spike” in 1916. In 1918, a six-on-six play was standard, and by 1920, there were rules mandating three hits per side and back-row attacks.
Now with universal rules, volleyball became more acces-
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sible. In the 1920s, the United States, Russia and Japan each created their own national volleyball associations.
While the sport was popular in the United States and Asia, volleyball lacked popularity in Europe. This was until World War II, when U.S. soldiers brought the game overseas. From here, it spread incredibly fast.
In 1949 the International Olympic Committee recognized volleyball as a non-Olympic sport, and the first World Championships for men were held the same year. Three years later, the first women’s world-level competition was held.
In 1964 volleyball was introduced as an Olympic sport, appearing in the Tokyo Summer Olympics. The Soviet Union took gold, losing only one out of their nine games to Japan.
The Soviets dominated volleyball from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Although Japan challenged them a few times – defeating the Soviets and taking home gold in the 1972 Munich Olympics –the Soviets still dominated the sport, winning the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
The United States eventually proved themselves to be strong competitors when the men’s team won back-to-back gold
medals, first in Los Angeles in 1984, and then in Seoul, South Korea in 1988.
In the late 1990s, the libero position was officially introduced to volleyball. The libero is easy to spy, because they’ll be wearing a different colored uniform than the rest of their team.
This position is reserved for the team’s most defensive player. The libero is a back-row player who can only be replaced by the same player they were substituted in for.
The libero can also not perform attack hits if the ball is above the net, nor can they set the ball to teammates when they’re in front of the attack line, which is ten feet away from the net.
To simplify the complex position, the libero is a highly skilled defender and passer. After introducing this position to volleyball, the libero has evolved into a vital component to the game.
According to ncva.com, “today there are more than 46 million Americans who play volleyball” and “over 800 million people (worldwide) who play volleyball at least once a week,” making volleyball a very popular sport throughout the world.
A sport that began as a way to accommodate the physicality for businessmen has evolved into a highly competitive, strategic and dexterous game that will continue to influence millions of people.
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Denver Nuggets win first NBA finals after long uphill battle
Making the finals alone would have been a first for this team, but the Nuggets went a step further by defeating the Miami Heat and winning the finals.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat in game five of the NBA finals on June 12, winning their first championship.
The Nuggets made the NBA playoffs as the number one seed. In game one of the first round, the Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-80.
Denver continued to win until game four, falling to Minnesota 108-114. However, they returned to the court for game five with new energy, defeating the Timberwolves 112-109 and winning the first series of the NBA playoffs.
In this final game of the series, Jokić was responsible with 28 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists, while Murray racked up 35 points of his own.
From here, the Nuggets went on to play the Phoenix Suns. The Suns gave the team a run for their money, forcing the series to game six. However, Denver ultimately came out victorious, winning game six by 25 points.
In that game, Jokić led the Nuggets with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, and Murray was the second-highest scorer with 26 points.
The Nuggets then advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they took on the Los Angeles Lakers.
Denver completed a clean sweep of the Lakers, winning the series in four games and claiming their first Western Conference championship.
The Nuggets then defeated the Heat in five games to claim their first NBA finals champion-
ship in franchise history.
In game one, Denver proved they were a force to be reckoned with. They defeated Miami 10493, with their star player Nikola Jokić recording an impressive triple-double – three statistics in the double-digits – of 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
In game two, the Heat found their groove and gave the Nuggets a run for their money. With Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Gabe Vincent scoring over 20 points each, the Nuggets weren’t able to shut down Miami, losing 108-111.
The Nuggets didn’t let this faze them, though. They won games three and four, defeating the Heat 109-94 and 108-95, respectively.
Leading the series 3-1, Denver only needed one more win to claim their first NBA championship. Miami didn’t make this easy for them, though.
It seemed as though the Heat might push the series to game six, as they led 71-70 going into the fourth quarter. Impeccable defense by the Nuggets prevented this from happening, though.
Denver held the Heat to only 18 points in the final quarter, which allowed them to surpass their opponents, win game five 94-89 and claim their first NBA finals trophy.
We can discuss statistics all we want, but the story of the Denver Nuggets is much more complex.
This is a franchise that has struggled for years to make themselves competitive in the NBA, and it’s safe to say now that they’ve officially conquered this feat.
But it didn’t happen overnight.
The Nuggets embarked on their long journey to finally reach the championship way back in 2014.
The Nuggets used their 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft on Nikola Jokić.
Surely Jokić is a name every basketball fan has heard at some point in time. He’s a fivetime NBA All-Star, has made five All-NBA teams and won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
However, Jokić’s career didn’t start out this impressively. After being drafted 41st overall, no one considered him to be an upcoming MVP.
Jokić – a Serbian native –first drew attention playing youth basketball for Vojvodina Srbijagas in Serbia. From there, he signed a contract with Mega Vizura, a professional basketball club in Belgrade, Serbia.
As Jokić continued to improve, he gained recognition from the NBA. In 2014, he was selected at the 41st overall pick, and his rise to the top began.
However, Jokić still had one more year playing for the Mega Vizura team. That February, he was named the MVP of the month, averaging 21.7 points and 12.3 rebounds a game.
Throughout 14 games in the Serbian League, Jokić averaged 18.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. With these impressive statistics, Jokić headed to the United States to begin his NBA career.
In his rookie season for the Denver Nuggets, Jokić recorded
career-highs of 27 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists.
From this point forward, Jokić grew into the dominant player we know today. He continued to improve his careerhighs, and now they stand at 53 points, 27 rebounds and 18 assists.
While Jokić contributed greatly to the Nuggets, his presence alone wasn’t enough. This is when Jamal Murray enters the picture.
Murray – born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario – began playing basketball when he was only three years old. He fell in love with the game and practiced for hours each day.
Murray’s hard work paid off, because in 2015 he was named the MVP of the BioSteel All-Canadian Basketball Game, a game only the top high school players in Canada are invited to.
After graduating high school, Murray signed his Letter of Intent with the University of Kentucky. In just his freshmen year, Murray set a Kentucky franchise record of most points per game by any freshmen with his average of 20 points per game.
In April 2016, Murray announced he would not use his final three years of college eligibility. Instead, he was heading for the NBA draft.
On June 23, 2016, the Denver Nuggets drafted Murray with their seventh overall pick. By the end of his rookie season, Murray had recorded a career-high of 30 points and was named a member of the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
Murray has continued to improve steadily, and now his career-high sits at 50 points.
With the dominance of both Jokić and Murray, things were
starting to look up for the Denver Nuggets. That was until April 2021, when Murray suffered an ACL tear in his left knee.
The Nuggets announced that Murray would be out indefinitely, and on April 21, Murray was wheeled into the emergency room to undergo surgery.
Due to his injury, Murray missed the entire 2021-22 season. Without the other half of their unstoppable duo, the Denver Nuggets lost in game five to the Golden State Warriors during the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
Eighteen months after his injury – on October 19, 2022 –Murray stepped onto the court. In his first game back, he scored 12 points in 26 minutes.
Two months later, Murray racked up 21 points and scored the game-winning three pointer over the Portland Trail Blazers.
In his next few games, Murray continued to set careerhighs. On March 10, 2023, Murray made his 805th career three pointer, making him the all-time leader in three pointers for the Denver Nuggets.
With both Jokić and Murray healthy, the Denver Nuggets finally had their shot at an NBA finals championship. The team had the best overall record in the Western Conference, winning 57 of their games and losing 25.
The Denver Nuggets stand as a testimony to hard work and patience. It took years for the team to develop Jokić and Murray into the powerful duo they are today.
The city of Denver should not only be proud that their team brought home a trophy, but they should also be proud of the way their team handles adversity. The Nuggets have finally climbed their unclimbable mountain.
But don’t think this story of triumph is over for the Denver Nuggets just yet. With such a young, talented team, we’re going to be hearing a lot more about this franchise in years to come.
Sports series: The YMCA and its legacy
This story is part of a series about how popular sports began. In this story, the history of YMCA – an organization responsible for many popular sports – is explained.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
The Young Men’s Christian Association –now known across the world as the YMCA – was founded by George Williams in London in 1844.
According to ymca. org, the organization emerged as a way to combat the “great turmoil and despair” of industrialized London.
“For the young men who migrated to the city from rural areas to find jobs,” ymca.org writes, “London offered a bleak landscape of tenement housing and dangerous influences.”
Williams, a 22-year-old department store worker, saw this and sought to fix it. He wanted to create a safe place for young men looking for jobs. With the help of 11 of his friends, the YMCA emerged.
According to ymca.org, “the organization’s drive to meet social need in the
community was compelling, and its openness to members crossed the rigid lines separating English social classes.”
As the YMCA became more popular, the United States was inspired by Williams’ movement. In 1851, retired Boston sea captain Thomas Valentine Sullivan noticed that sailors and merchants also needed a safe place like the YMCA. Thus, he created the first U.S. YMCA.
Two years later, Anthony Bowen created a YMCA in Washington D.C. for African Americans who had been freed from slavery.
In 1856, Cumberland University, in Lebanon, Tennessee, created the first YMCA specific to students. According to ymca.org, this organization was “dedicated to the leadership development of college students.”
That same year, the Cincinnati YMCA held the nation’s first English as a second language class
for German immigrants.
According to ymca. org, offering a second language class was important to the organization because “welcoming immigrants has always been an important part of our work at the YMCA.”
In the 1860s, housing was introduced to the YMCA. According to ymca.org, the purpose of this was “to give young men moving from rural areas safe and affordable lodging in the city.”
Housing was a huge success, and between 1922 and 1940 the YMCA’s
housing rooms increased from 55,000 to over 100,000.
Additionally, the YMCA found success during World War I and II. During the first World War, 5,145 women worked at YMCAs. According to ymca.org, the women “ran canteens and organized entertainment and R&R (rest and recreation) for the troops.”
During the second World War, the YMCA co-founded the United Service Organizations for National Defense, or what we now call the USO.
YMCA staff also worked inside the United States internment camps – which held over 110,000 Japanese Americans – and organized activities for the kids.
From this point forward, the YMCA began to evolve into the recreation organization we know today. Volunteers at the YMCA began to invent sports, such as racquetball, basketball, volleyball and more.
In 1994, the organization began to shift from the “YMCA” to the “Y” in an effort to redefine their values. According to ymca.org, these values include “caring, honesty, respect and responsibility” and “these values continue to guide everything [they] do.”
In 2010, the YMCA officially became the Y. In a press conference, Kate Coleman – senior vice president and chief marketing officer of YMCA of the United States – said “we are changing how we talk about ourselves so that people better understand the benefits of en-
gaging with the Y.”
According to clubindustry.com, the transition is “an effort to modernize [the Y’s] image and draw attention to its core areas of focus.”
Today, the Y continues to combat turmoil and despair with their safe environment. This is illustrated in their countless partnerships, which includes supporting military families, joining Walmart’s “End Childhood Hunger” Foundation and promoting “Healthier America.”
Throughout its history, the Y has been nothing short of incredible. It has offered – and continues to offer – a safe place in times of need.
Additionally, the organization is responsible for the creation of numerous sports popular throughout the world.
Most impressively, the Y continues to gain momentum. Though the Y could stop now and still be remembered as an amazing organization, it keeps finding new ways to improve the world around us.
It’s exciting to think about what the Y will accomplish in years to come.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.
The Y is an organization dedicated to providing people with a safe environment.
New club via Special Olympics
By Savannah Johansen news5@thenorthernlight.org
In December of 2022 the first Partners Club event with UAA , sponsored by Special Olympics, was held at Center Bowl bowling alley. The club provides ADA accessible events and currently has 25 active members – they’re also open to all UAA students.
The goals of the club are to build a community for the members to have social and recreational opportunities.
Special Olympics personnel Joanna Paris said the club was created with the Adult Community Transition Program. The Adult Community Transition Program is not a part of UAA, but it is a branch of the Anchorage School District. The program is meant to help students in post-secondary education maintain social skills, vocational connections and build a community after their education while also being able to live independently.
A physical education teacher, Charlie Schultz, is a part of the Adult Community Transition Program and was the first
to push for the club to begin. Paris said students who graduated high school were looking for community in college at UAA, creating a bigger need than before for the club.
Numerous members of the Adult Community Transition Program are now attending UAA, so the Special Olympics found it necessary to begin their club. Paris said that UAA has been in support of the club since it began.
The club is currently funded by the Special Olympics and various grants. With volunteering and fundraising throughout next year, club leaders hope to be self-sufficient like most other UAA clubs.
The Partners Club wants to be sustainable and create an ongoing inclusive community for their members while at UAA and after their education. Paris said, “we really want this club to last,” when speaking about the goals of the club.
There were two Partners Club events this year: the first was bowling in December and the second was a skiing event held in March. The club plans to have one event a semester with
the possibility for more.
The next event will be around the beginning of the fall semester. It is going to be a kickoff for the club and school year.
The Partners Club is hoping to gain new members this upcoming school year.
Volunteers to help with the
club are wanted as well. The Special Olympic personnel that run the club are open to anyone eager to get involved.
The Special Olympics has multiple events all year. They have just finished their 2023 Summer games over the weekend of June 9- 11.
They are also hosting a camp in July, a dance in August, the Polar Plunge in December, and
more events during the school year. The Partners Club would like to be able to have their own Polar Plunge team represented this winter.
For those who want to join, more information can be found on the Special Olympics website: https://specialolympicsalaska.org/programs/unified-champion-school/
Vegas Golden Knights win Stanley Cup after being in the league for only six years It usually takes years for new professional sports teams to reach the top, but not the Vegas Golden Knights.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
The Vegas Golden Knights claimed their first Stanley Cup on June 13 after defeating the Florida Panthers in game five of the NHL finals.
The team – which is only six years old – is now tied with the Philadelphia Flyers for the quickest Stanley Cup win in NHL history.
The Golden Knights began their journey to the top when they were introduced to the league in 2017 . The team played their first game – and won their first game – on Oct. 6 against the Dallas Stars.
Four days later, the Golden Knights hosted their first home game against the Arizona Coyotes, and they won that game too.
Vegas then set an NHL record for an expansion team with their 3-0 unbeaten streak. They later set the expansion team record for wins in an opening
season – winning 34 of their 50 games.
The team continued to improve at an impressive rate, making the playoffs their first season. The Golden Knights took on the Los Angeles Kings in the first round of the playoffs, and swept them in four games.
Vegas then defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games, becoming the third team in NHL history to win more than one playoff series in their opening season.
The Golden Knights carried this momentum into the Western Conference Finals, where they defeated the Winnipeg Jets in five games and became the third NHL team to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals in their first series.
However, Vegas ultimately fell to the Washington Capitals in five games.
This year, the Vegas Golden Knights found themselves in the Stanley Cup Finals again, but this time they left with the tro -
phy.
Prior to this season, Vegas fired their head coach and replaced him with Bruce Cassidy, former Boston Bruins head coach.
They also lost a few of their best players, between multiple leaving, being traded or getting injured.
However, the Golden Knights made up for these changes by trading for Adin Hill, their goalie that helped them win the Stanley Cup.
Vegas kicked off the 202223 season leading their division with a 17-6-1 record at the end of November. The team then fell into a slump, winning only one out of eight games in February.
The Golden Knights were able to pick themselves up, however, wrapping up the final three months of the season 22-4-5.
On March 30, Vegas clinched a playoff berth, and two weeks later they secured the first seed in the Western Conference.
In the first round of the play-
offs, the Golden Knights faced off against the Winnipeg Jets. After losing 5-1 in the first game of the series, it was looking grim for the Golden Knights. However, the team won the next four straight games to win the series in five games.
The Golden Knights advanced to the second round where they took on the Edmonton Oilers, who they defeated in six games.
In the Western Conference Finals, Vegas took on the Dallas Stars. The Golden Knights got off to a great start, leading the series 3-0. However, the Stars won the next two games, forcing the series to a game six.
In game six, Vegas blew out Dallas 6-0 to win their second Western Conference championship and advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second time in franchise history.
In the Stanley Cup Finals, the Golden Knights faced off against the Florida Panthers. Vegas won the first two games of the series to lead 2-0, but the Panthers found a way to make themselves competitive in game three and brought the series to 2-1.
Despite their effort, though, the Golden Knights were unstoppable. They won game four
3-2 and then destroyed the Panthers in Vegas in a blowout win of 9-3.
With that, the Vegas Golden Knights had won their first Stanley Cup – and did it only six years after joining the league.
As for their last-minute trade, Adin Hill ended up being an absolute steal for the Golden Knights. Hill had a save percentage of 0.915 this season –saving about 91.5% of the shots taken on him.
While Hill has only been in Vegas for a year, he’s surely made his mark as a Golden Knight.
Compared to other professional sports teams, the Vegas Golden Knights seemed to figure out how to be competitive at an accelerated rate.
More impressively, though, despite facing countless difficulties before the start of the season, they found a way to overcome adversity and end up victorious.
The story of the Vegas Golden Knights – making a Stanley Cup Finals their first year as a franchise and then winning it six years later – is truly inspirational. It’ll be exciting to see what the team can accomplish in the future.
Tragedy and triumph: Houston Astros win World Series after Hurricane Harvey
This story is part of a series about how, historically, sports teams are triumphant after a tragedy in their town. This story explores the Houston Astros and Hurricane Harvey.
By Avery Williamson sports2@thenorthernlight.org
On Aug. 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey – a Category 4 hurricane – devastated Houston with its 130 MPH winds.
In the four days that Hurricane Harvey hovered over Houston, it dumped more than 60 inches of rain, caused $125 billion in damages and killed 68 people.
Throughout the state of Texas, Hurricane Harvey damaged 204,000 houses and killed 103 people.
A few months later, on April 2, the 2017 MLB season kicked
off. The Houston Astros won their first game of the season the next day against the Seattle Mariners.
The Astros continued this winning streak, finishing off the regular season with a 101-61 record. With this impressive record, the Astros won the American League West Division.
From here, the Astros advanced to the American League Division Series, where they faced off against the Boston Red Sox.
Houston defeated the Red Sox 3-1 and headed to the American League Championship Series to play against the New York Yankees.
The Yankees gave the Astros a run for their money, pushing the series to game seven. The Astros played tough defense this final game though, defeating the Yankees 4-0 in the game and 4-3 in the series.
Having won the American League Division, the Astros headed to the World Series to face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Again, the series went to game seven, where George Springer carried the Astros to victory with five home runs. Houston won the World Series 4-3 -- their first title in franchise history.
The Houston Astros won the
2017 World Series, but this title was not their biggest success. Instead, their crucial victory came in the form of a healing city.
After Hurricane Harvey rained destruction on Houston, hundreds of thousands of people were left hopeless. But the Astros gave them something to cheer for.
After winning the World Series, Carlos Beltrán – a centerfielder for the Astros – told Bleacher Report “there are a lot of people who are really hurting right now in this city.”
“[Baseball] gives the city something to rally around. It gives people something to cheer for that otherwise may not have a lot to be hopeful for.”
Not only did the Astros bring home a World Series title, they
also brought Houston hope –something much more valuable than a trophy.
The Houston Astros’ 2017 MLB season will always be remembered as a successful sporting season, and it will forever be remembered as a story about overcoming adversity for Houston.
As Beltrán told Bleacher Report in his interview, “to be a part of that [a World Series], no matter how big or small it is, whether you’re the MVP or the last pitcher in the bullpen, that’s something you will never forget.”
And Houston will never forget the hope the Astros gave them six years ago.
PHOTO BY JOANNA PARIS.
Group photo of the first Special Olympics Club meeting in December, 2022.
FEATURES
Where did the UAA daycare go?
A deep dive into why UAA shut down daycare when students and employees with children needed it.
By Kate Monahan features1@thenorthernlight.org
In 1989, UAA offered daycare for parents pursuing a higher education. In 2015 that service was shut down leaving families to find care away from campus.
Where did it go and will it ever come back?
Kaycee Davis is a fellow TNL reporter and UAA student. However, in 1991, Davis was a single mother with two daughters attending college here on campus. Her girls, Viktoria and Monica, were in preschool at the time.
Davis said that for her to succeed in school, support and care was needed for her children.
Lucky for her, UAA offered daycare through the Tanaina Child Development Center. Davis said that she and her daughters found a community and a family through the college.
Also, professors and other staff with students at UAA could also use the daycare.
Davis said, “Seeing my professors also drop off their children at care had a humanizing effect that showed that professors were just like us studentparents.”
Not only that, the daycare gave opportunities for parents to eat lunch and spend time with their children on campus. An added benefit was that UAA offered not only daycare for the children but a place for them
to learn, find friends, grow into their own personalities, and create long-lasting memories.
In addition, it was more than just a daycare. It was also an educational program for students who were pursuing early childhood education degrees. They were employed at the daycare and received the hands-on training necessary to understand the growth of young children. For a time, all was well with the daycare for anyone who needed it.
However in 2015, then UAA chancellor, Tom Case,made the decision to cut the childcare program, operating inside the Student Union at the time. Case was chancellor of UAA from 2011 to 2017.
Case said this about the ter-
mination and move of the care center out of UAA and to the Alaska Regional Hospital on the UAA website: “On Jan. 28, the administration chose to end UAA’s formal partnership agreement with Tanaina, which was first signed in 1989. Tanaina is not a UAA function and therefore was not evaluated as a part of UAA’s recent prioritization process. Rather, the decision and timing were due to several factors, including planned renovation of the Wells Fargo Sports Complex where Tanaina is housed, necessary budget cuts, and increasing facility needs for UAA’s 15,000 students.”
Austin Osborne is UAA’s director of marketing and communications. Osborne shed some light on the reasons for daycare termination in 2015, the chances of it coming back, and what it can do for parents who attend and students pursuing an educa-
Spine of the school : A librarian’s dedication
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
The spine of a school is made up of those who keep the campus running during the school year as well as in the summer, often in the shadows. They contribute to the development of students and the community as a whole.
The fall and spring semesters are when most students attend classes and the campus sees the most activity. But in the summer, when many of those students are taking a breather after a brutal spring semester, who continues to help keep the campus going?
Often, the first group that comes to mind are the faculty. However, there are many other people and professions that help UAA fulfill its mission, especially during the slower summer semester.
The library is arguably the most important building in any university, acting as the center of information needs for students and faculty.
The librarians, who occupy that space and disperse knowledge, are some of the most important people contributing to a student’s education at UAA.
Some of the most recognizable faces, both during the normal school year and in the summer, are the librarians and staff of the Consortium Library.
First year students attending UAA must go to the library to obtain their Wolf Card. Your photo is then taken by the librarians and critical information is given by the staff to ease future semester sweats.
After the welcoming experience from the library staff, the upcoming semester gives students the opportunity to visit the library as an aesthetic place to study or ask for help from staff on projects or research.
I wanted to understand more of what many librarians do in a day, so I decided to stop and have a chat with them.
I introduced myself to Lorelei Sterling, a face I see nearly everyday I’m on campus. Her title is Head of Access Services, Associate Professor.
As I sat in her office, grate -
ful for the chance to talk with a librarian, I was greeted by the masked cardboard cutout of Benedict Cumberbatch, overseeing our conversation.
Sterling said she is responsible for “Department head for circulation stacks maintenance, interlibrary loan,” and that she has “indirect reports of up to 20 student workers and … direct reports of nine staff members.”
The library also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, engaging students in events, seminars and discussions of community issues.
“We have some really popular rooms, specifically 307. Where we do everything from host community events — we had the surgeon general of the US this week — as well as senator Dan Sullivan to talk about the healthcare crisis, all the way to athletes using our spaces to do tutoring type services during the school year.”
“We also had the crane exhibit that’s in our great room. It’s the 5th anniversary of that installation this year so we had a reception for that,” said Sterling.
The sheer amount of events and organizations associated with the Consortium Library is astounding.
As we spoke, Sterling’s infectious enthusiasm for her job, her staff, events, and everything associated with the library influenced my own perception of the library as well, just in the first few moments of our conversa-
tion.
As Sterling spoke about her staff, her appreciation radiated for those who dedicate their time to the library.
“My favorite thing is watching them. They’ve really developed and become professionals and they’re ready to start their careers. I want to make sure I’m providing all the skills and all the opportunities for them to learn and grow so that when they are ready and they graduate, they are able to be successful in their chosen career. I like to nurture them into their next step.”
While shocked at the actual number of librarians that work at UAA, I found that each member of faculty specializes in different subject matters and, as Sterling said, “I am not a liaison librarian. Research and instruction librarians are liaison librarians.”
For instance, she said, “we have a business and public policy librarian who works mostly with business and public policy students, we also have science and engineering, we’ve got a humanities librarian…”
When the individual librarian does a variety of different things in the library, each library has its own procedure. Sterling said she’s worked “just about every job in libraries” and worked at a special library where she did “metadata applications.”
“You know when you do a Google search and you’re look-
tional degree.
Osborne said that the reason for the removal of the daycare by former Chancellor Case was “due to funding not being available from the legislature to the university, completely cut off,” and that “the legislature made no plan on returning the budget for it.”
Osborne said, “[Chancellor Sean Parnell] is now open to bringing care back for families and staff attending the university, looking around for financing through Grants from the federal government, or even partnerships.”
If childcare comes back, we as a college can continue taking steps toward an in person college experience again. With on campus childcare, current and future students pursuing childhood education degrees may find success; students, staff and other personnel within UAA can also succeed in their individual careers and in school.
near future.
“So within the one building we’ll have the library and all the research help, the tutoring and learning commons support, and the testing center. So you can study for your test, get tutoring support to do well on your test, then take the test. All in one building.”
This streamlined use of study space is exactly what the library needed, and a learning commons in the library sounds like it should have always been there.
This installation of new learning commons could make the library an even more accommodating place for learning, essentially becoming another hub for students.
ing for images? Well, how do they know what pictures to bring back from that search? Somebody has to apply words in the background to those images so they come forward. It’s not magic! It’s librarians,” said Sterling.
This was one of the most interesting topics to find out during our conversation. Something as common as Google searches foster demands for meticulously typed descriptions, often performed by individual librarians.
This is another example of the helpful people who are sometimes shadowed behind the binding of a book. No matter what we do as a community, there is someone dedicating their time to bringing the individual pieces of the whole, together. It’s never magic.
Sterling knew a small portion about the history of the Consortium Library, but gave me some insight as to some celebrations and additions throughout the years.
“This year is the 50th anniversary of our building. In 1973 it was opened and in 2003/2004 the addition was put on. The addition was all the glass, the great room, and all the curvy stuff,” she said.
Many students and staff may have noticed the large empty area where shelves once stood on the first floor of the library. This empty space is where the learning commons will be joining the library, sometime in the
With all the installations, movement, and events happening in the library, I was curious as to Sterling’s opinion on the library itself.
Sterling quickly answered how she “would really like to see more group study rooms put into the library”. She said the library has many spaces to study and a few rooms already, but many students enjoy an actual room. Anything to entice students to study more and more comfortably, would be a big advancement for the Consortium, she said.
If there is one thing Sterling would like for the people who are a part of UAA to know, it is “never buy your textbook without looking at the library first.” While the book checkout period is just three days, this can save any student the hassle of purchasing an expensive textbook.
The library can also help with electronic books, as long as there is no code. “We can get a print copy but it’s that code that gets in the way of a lot of us being able to support you,” said Sterling.
With all of this information about the library and those who keep it running fluidly, there is still so much more going on behind the scenes with everyone who is involved in this particular community.
The spine of a book holds all of the contents of inked papers that translate knowledge and creativity, the very same way the library and its dedicated staff hold the UAA community together.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR HECKART
What happens to the food in the blue bins?
There are many blue bins around campus that are often filled with food, but what is their purpose and where does all this food go?
By Hannah Dillon opinion2@thenorthernlight.org
Every semester students walk through the corridors of another intricate campus building, where they soon become familiar with winding layouts and numbered doors.
Through these halls, large billboards offer opportunities to join a club or an internship, and the scenery of greenery catches the eye. But there is another hidden gem that students may not know about.
Throughout almost every campus building, there are often blue plastic bins that are filled with donated, non-perishable food.
Many of these bins are accompanied by a sign that says “Food Pantry Donations,” and anyone who may have an extra can or two at home is able to donate.
Individual items may be taken from these bins in an emergency, but they are mainly used as an easy access donation point.
The UAA Seawolf Food Pantry is located on campus in the Professional Studies Building, where food pantry volunteers “serve(s) all UAA students who are experiencing some type of food insecurity and provides a three-day supply of shelf-stable food for individuals and households of up to four people” according to the Food Pantry website.
Food availability associated with the food pantry and its outreaching programs offer students multiple options, with the food blue bins being the quickest method of obtaining food during shortage or insecurity.
Amanda Walch is the lead for the food pantry and is part of Dietetics and Nutrition, the program that developed the idea for the blue food bins.
With “Alaska ranked 15th in the nation in overall food insecurity” according to Alaska.gov, the efforts of the food pantry can be life-saving for some.
History on the blue food bins originate from a survey that was conducted on students about food insecurity.
At first, the survey was relatively small “with around 400 students”, said Walch. After finding sources that lead surveyists to understand the sheer number of possible food insecure students, a much larger study was conducted.
“We found that 45% are in some form of food insecurity. Whether that be not knowing where their next meal is coming from, unable to buy meals or borrowing food from friends,” said Walch.
The astoundingly high number of food insecure students is the reason the food pantry and participating staff are so important to addressing this problem.
This 45% food insecurity should also be a reason to respect the dedication staff have provided as “We’ve had bins go missing and signs ripped off walls” said Walch.
The signs and bins are important to stay where they are as “it took about two years to get all of the approval that was needed to make the pantry available to students” said Walch.
“We have about 10-12 bins around campus and some are filled each month, others are filled every two months or so. Outside of the library… Allied health sciences has many donations and fills fast” said Walch.
I originally thought items in the food bins were for students to grab if supplemental food was needed. Walch said “The bins are meant to be filled with donated food, then that bin is taken to the food pantry where students can access the three days worth of meals for a family of four.”
Walch noted that while grabbing individual items from the bins is not exactly what they are intended for, if a student notices something they need, they may take it.
And if you are a student who has a surplus of food at home, make sure to donate so others have an opportunity for steady
meals.
If there is no extra food in home, the food pantry also has a service where you can donate directly to the program.
The food pantry website has a simple layout and allows you to donate here directly. A “one-time gift” or “monthly gift” are the options available in support of the items provided by the food pantry.
“You can also donate money to the donation account and the food pantry directly receives that money,” said Walch.
Walch said that the food pantry also has “more than just food, we also have toiletries like toothpaste, razors, tampons” in which all of these items may be donated to the bins as well.
Access to toiletry items in addition to food covers many insecurities students may have. As we have seen in the past, toilet paper can be a great commodity in shortages.
While there is an abundance of food and toiletries for those who may need additional help, “There is a stigma to the food pantry. Some students may be uncomfortable coming to the pantry,” said Walch.
Everyone struggles from time to time, especially students who have to pay tu-
ition on top of all other daily expenses. The food pantry welcomes anyone who is curious or interested in its services; its donations are for the student body, and we are all a part of that body.
Support comes from many different areas on campus. Telling friends, students and even faculty about the opportunities at the food pantry advances that support for those around you.
In addition to students and staff talking about the food pantry, other organizations at UAA attempt to boost the donations and acknowledgement of the food pantry.
“There are events that help with the food pantry. The improv club helped out a lot last year and we also had a ‘Parking for the Pantry’ drive where if you got a citation and you paid it, 100% of those proceeds went towards the food pantry,” said Walch.
The support UAA programs provide are invaluable to students. The food pantry and its bins are just one of many programs inclined to provide access, availability and amenities to those who may need it.
A look into UAA Residence Life and on-campus living
With residential scholarships, peer-to-peer support and unlimited Wi-Fi, there are many incentives for students considering whether to live on campus during the school year.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
As the fall semester once again creeps ever closer, students are preparing for the start of a new school year. For some, a part of that is preparing to move into – or return back to– the residential campus at UAA.
Director of Residence Life Ryan Hill sat down with The Northern Light to talk about what new and returning students can expect from Residence Life.
Unlike some colleges, UAA does not require new students to live on campus during their first year. Instead, UAA offers the First Year Residential Experience program, known as FYRE.
According to the Residence Life website, students who have lived at UAA for less than two semesters, are under the age of 21 and have earned less than 18 college credits are automatically made a part of the FYRE community.
FYRE students will be living in residence halls with other FYRE students, along with “staff who are selected with the needs of first year students in mind,” said Hill.
In addition, he said that FYRE programs are specifically built for the transition to college in mind.
“You’re living with other students who are in the same boat, going through the
same experience. So … that’s a pretty powerful experience,” said Hill.
Though there is no requirement to live on campus, Hill said that there are some practical reasons for a student to live on campus. First and foremost is Residence Life’s proximity to the rest of the UAA campus; students are able to walk from their homes to class.
“I would say that we have nice facilities — some … students don’t always agree with that — but compared to a lot of other schools and what a dorm looks like on a college campus, we have relatively new and nice facilities,” said Hill.
UAA offers three residence halls, six Main Apartment Complexes and some Templewood Townhomes as housing options for students. According to the Residence Life website, some of the amenities include parking, internet, laundry, snow removal, university police patrolled parking lots and unlimited Wi-Fi access.
“For many students, having a place to live on campus is a safe, stable home. To live on campus is really … the difference between being able to attend college and not being able to attend college,” said Hill.
Hill said that Residence Life also provides a number of resources to students including 24 hour on-call crisis response, student peer and academic wellness leaders, resident advisors and professional
staff residence coordinators.
When the university is closed, there will always be a resident advisor on-call for students. That means someone will usually be on-call between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on weekdays, and on-call at all times on weekends and holidays. Each student will also have an assigned resident advisor that they can go to for help.
Resident advisors also help create events and programming at Residence Life. Hill said that close to 600 unique events have been hosted at Residence Life in the past year.
Returning students may remember that surveys from Residence Life come out in the fall and the spring. Hill said that student concerns in these surveys are the reason that Residence Life changed internet providers last year to provide better residential internet access. Previous student concerns about food in the dining hall led Residence Life to hire a director of dining services.
Hill said that another incentive to live on campus is the scholarships offered to residential students. He said that one concern that students often expressed in previous surveys was the cost of living on campus.
For the 2023-24 school year, each student who lives on campus automatically receives a $1,000 General Housing Scholarship toward housing costs each semes-
ter.
Students who are in the Honors College or are UA Scholars will also receive $750 off of their housing costs every semester. Hill said that this scholarship can be stacked with the General Housing Scholarship.
One final option to decrease college costs for students is the Live and Learn in Alaska Initiative. According to the Residence Life website, “students who live in the Anchorage campus’s residential community will pay the equivalent of instate tuition for both online and in-person courses taught through UAA as part of the Live and Learn in Alaska initiative,” which can save out-of-state students over $560 per credit they take.
Hill said that “for the first time any of us can remember”, Residence Life has had to implement a waitlist for fall housing. He said that it’s unlikely just any one reason, but “I have to believe there’s definitely evidence there that [the Live and Learn in Alaska Initiative] is a big driver.”
Those who haven’t yet signed up for UAA housing should still sign up for the waitlist, said Hill. He said that Residence Life is working to address waitlist students as quickly as they can. Hill recommends that students on the waitlist should check their emails regularly and be responsive if a spot opens up for them.
Tours of the residential campus happen on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and the details can be found online.
PHOTO BY HANNAH DILLON.
Meet KRUA: UAA’s studentrun and operated radio station
KRUA offers indie tunes and gives students the opportunity to run their very own radio show.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
UAA’s college radio station is pretty tucked away near the back of the Professional Studies Building. If you don’t know how to find it, look for the large red poster of a robot, and take the nearby stairs to the second floor where you’ll find the station.
Everything about the space says that it’s a college radio station – especially the many album covers decorating the walls.
KRUA 88.1 FM “The Edge” has been operating as UAA’s radio station under
its current name since 1992; though, the station technically started a little earlier than that, said Willem Krieter, the current station manager at KRUA.
Indie and alternative rock are the main focuses of the station, though Krieter said that during his time with KRUA he’s tried to expand the music offerings. Now, Krieter says, the station offers a broader set of indie offerings – with everything from hip-hop to electronic jazz.
Krieter said that another important focus during his time with KRUA was highlighting Alaskan artists on the station.
“I really like to help the local music
scene, I think we have a lot of great local musicians.”
Before being Station Manager, Krieter was the music coordinator, and was shocked to find that there weren’t many Alaskan artists in their catalog. Due to his involvement in the local music scene, he was able to find and highlight Alaskan artists.
“I think … that’s the coolest thing to me, is that I’m helping promote people that I think are cool and make good music.”
In addition to songs, Krieter said that KRUA offers shows that are created by UAA students and local community members. He said that the content of a show is up to the volunteers: some play music, some host talk shows and they’ve even hosted a poetry show.
The current count of KRUA shows running during the summer is around 15, with closer to 20 shows regularly scheduled during the school year. A list of current shows and the broadcast schedule can be found on their website, kruaradio. org.
Volunteering at the station doesn’t necessarily mean running a show, though. It could mean helping to create one-liners for the station or help with public service announcements or screening music that could be played on the station.
Thoseinterested in volunteering can sign up at https://kruaradio.org/volunteer-hub. Students must be enrolled in three or more credits with at least a 2.0 GPA. Community members have to pay $20 each year to volunteer.
Krieter said that prospective volunteers can expect to go through four training sessions that are one hour each.
Folks interested in playing music on the radio should be aware, though, that a “do not play list” exists. Due to licensing
issues, those who are interested in playing well-known artists like Brendan Urie, Drake or The Weeknd are out of luck.
Returning students may notice that KRUA’s remote studio in the Student Union is becoming more active.
Krieter said that during COVID, the remote studio became disconnected from the main studio, but he hopes that all of the technology will be fixed by the start of the fall semester.
“And that will be a really cool thing, because a lot of our shows will start being hopefully from there,” said Krieter.
Cyan Shuman, the Production Coordinator at KRUA wasn’t originally interested in college radio. It wasn’t until a mentor of his at a previous college asked him to join a college station that he fell in love with radio.
“I wasn’t particularly into producing music or being a DJ before that. And it’s been years now and I’ve been doing it ever since.”
For those curious about KRUA, Shuman said, “We are always looking to expand and to have new talent, whether that’s behind the microphone or behind the board. And that no matter what your interest is, as long as you’re interested in some way in college radio, we will be more than happy to have you.”
KRUA staff can be best contacted via email, which can be found on their website.
First-Year Experience provides peer-to-peer support for new students all year long
Though the school year hasn’t yet begun, UAA’s First-Year Experience orientation team is still hard at work preparing for the upcoming year.
By Taylor Heckart new3@thenorthernlight.org
First-Year Experience, previously known as New Student Orientation, provides resources and support for students new to UAA – all by UAA students themselves. Student leaders run orientations, provide campus tours, answer calls and questions and more, directly interacting with new students.
The support that First-Year Experience provides doesn’t stop at the beginning of the semester, instead continuing year-round.
“I feel like it’s important that they know us so that in the middle of the semester, there’s follow through,” said First-Year Experience orientation leader Bay Baqi.
The team said that UAA students providing this support makes a difference, because they’ve gone through this experience before. Not only that, but since the First Year Experience team is made up of current students, they’re in the same spaces that new UAA students are.
“If they recognize us, they can always like just come up to us … because we’re also students here at UAA,” said FirstYear Experience orientation leader Gerricka Cowan.
First-Year Experience also provides support for international students.
Orientation leader Fotokalafi Vea said, “We understand that process and we understand how alone they can feel and how scary it is to like step out of your home country.”
Adding to that, Aidan Jackson, another orientation leader, said, “We center students of marginalized identities and we make sure that they know the resources that are here to support them specifically,
like Multicultural Student Services.”
The team said that through this job they wanted to create a sense of community at UAA, where students could feel supported.
“Prior to having this position, UAA was just a school to me. I came for my class and then left right after. And now it’s become more of like a community where I can get support … and now in turn, I can give support to the new students that are coming on campus.” said New Student Orientation Manager Jocella Thompson.
The orientation leader positions also aren’t exclusive to veteran students of UAA. Orientation leader Hanlin Feng was with UAA for only one semester before she joined the team. Through her job she was able to learn more about UAA.
“You learn everything, then you can help
others,” she said.
The team said that during this time of the year, they often get questions from students about who their academic advisor is and where to receive their WolfCard. Students can receive their WolfCards from Eugene Short Hall or the Consortium Library.
One thing that the team recommends for incoming students looking to prepare before coming to campus is to take their placement tests, which can be found online. UAA has placement tests for both writing and math that help place students in courses that best fit them.
The team also said that the UAA campus is open during the summer. She said that coming in before classes start is a great way to find everywhere you need to go before the first day of school.
First-Year Experience has many events coming up that they encourage new UAA students to attend:
New Seawolves Belong
Friday, Aug. 18, 5 - 7 p.m.
Multicultural Student Services, Rasmuson Hall 106
This event is a way to connect with new students and get to know Multicultural Student Services while enjoying fun games and food!
Resource Fair
Wednesday, Aug. 23, 1. - 3 p.m.
Student Union Cafeteria
Get to know UAA departments and local organizations who are here to support students during their time with UAA.
Campus Kickoff 2023
Saturday, Aug. 26, 1 - 4 p.m
Student Union parking lot
Campus Kickoff is UAA’s celebration to kick off the beginning of the school year. Meet UAA departments, student organizations, community partners, and more!
First-Year Experience also provides Howl Days, which are orientation sessions for new students. All in-person Howl Days are currently full, but virtual or self-guided virtual options are available.
Students can also sign up for a 1:1 appointment with an orientation leader by sending First Year Experience an email at uaa_orientation@alaska.edu.
First-Year Experience offers campus tours by appointment most weekdays. Students who have signed up for an inperson Howl Days will already have a campus tour included.
More information and resources from First-Year Experience can be found at https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/ first-year-experience.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KRUA. KRUA staff in the Student Union.
KRUA logo, courtesy of KRUA.
PHOTO AND CAPTION BY JAMES EVANS/UAA.
First Year Experience staff member Fotokalafi Vea practices giving a tour of the UAA campus to her colleagues as the team ramps up for summer tours.