August 7, 2018

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

NEWS

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University uses firms in executive search processes

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Over the last two academic years, the university has gone through the process of filling important university positions from the chancellor to dean of the College of Health. These search processes can take anywhere from a year to more and involve search committees made up of university constituent groups, candidate forums and community forums on university values. For six administrative positions, these search processes also involved a contracted search firm.

Human Resource Services Director Ron Kamahele said there is no university policy that requires the use of a search firm in a search process, but some university administrators believe it is a best practice to hire one. Beverly Shuford, new vice chancellor of Administrative Services, went through a search process for her current position at the university earlier this year.

“To prove that we’ve found the best fit and the very best candidate, a search firm can help us do that when we don’t have the internal resources for [a] nationwide search,” Shuford said.

For the six UAA positions that used a search firm since 2016, the cost of consulting with a firm ranged from $30,000

in fees and other expenses to $171,000 in fees and other expenses. The firm UAA contracted to help with the chancellor search was called Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates. They had a $70,000 consulting fee with up to an additional $23,000 to be spent on other expenses that could include everything from travel for candidates to advertising expenses.

“I guess, like many services that the university pays for, the value is in finding and making sure that you have a high quality pool of candidates from which to select, and then ultimately, you have a high quality individual who ends up getting the job, someone who can lead the institution for the next five to 10 years in a way that elevates the value of the education,” Managing Partner of Storbeck/ Pimentel & Associates, Alberto Pimentel, said.

Pimentel said there are four primary benefits to consulting with a search firm on executive positions: 1. Access to a larger, more diverse pool of candidates 2. Ability to vet candidates using information that may not be available for public record 3. Ability to follow best practices in a marketplace to strategize how to interest and retain good candidates 4. Help with the transition of a successful candidate at the

UNIVERSITY SEARCH FIRM CONTRACTS 201718 Academic Search Inc. VCAS $55,000

$25,000

COH $130,000

$41,000

CBPP $50,000

$25,000

Spelman Johnsen AVC $25,000

$5,000

Storbeck / Pimentel Chancellor $70,000

$23,000

Eastman & Beaudine Inc. AD $50,000

$7,500

Firm fee

Other Expenses GRAPHIC BY LEVI BROWN

university For the chancellor search process, the Storbeck/ Pimentel & Associates strategy included advertising in higher education publications including The Chronicle of Higher Education, Hispanic Outlook, Diverse Issues in Higher Education, Women in Higher Education, Journal of Blacks in Higher Education and Inside Higher Education.

Their strategy also included recruiting and reaching out to lists of potential candidates who met the profile and qualifications of UAA chancellor.

“Primarily you’ll find that the vast majority of the candidates

that were presented were individuals that were recruited not those who applied for the position — they applied after they were recruited,” Pimentel said.

When Shuford applied to be Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, she was already being recruited by other search firms for several small or private institutions. She eventually came across an advertisement for the UAA position in a higher education publication and contacted the search firm to see if she was a viable candidate.

The six positions that used search firms in their process since 2016 were chancellor, vice

chancellor for Administrative Services, dean of the College of Health, dean of the College of Business and Public Policy, Athletic Director and assistant vice chancellor for Admissions, Recruitment and Marketing.

“I wish it didn’t cost so much, but in order to get the candidates and to do it right, you usually need a search firm,” Shuford said.

Academic Search Inc. was used for three of the six search processes but declined to comment on this story. To see the contracts for each position, visit The Northern Light’s website at thenorthernlight.org.

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Freshman survival guide: Tips and tricks to navigating your first year at college

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Robin O’Donoghue features2@thenorthernlight.org

There is a steep learning curve to navigating the responsibility, new envi-

ronment and life changes that come with beginning your collegiate career. Feeling lost, misplaced or unsure are all normal reactions that come with the territory of higher education.

Another obstacle new students are sure to encounter is the UAA parking debacle. Finding a good spot can be the difference between being early to your first day of class or being fifteen minutes late and causing an interruption.

“I like parking on the roof of the [East Parking Garage]… There is always room and open spots there, even when other lots around it are full,” Sonja BarnardGraval, a junior studying political science, said. “It’s also really close to both the Fine Arts Building and the [UAA/ APU Consortium Library] so it’s convenient.”

For many students, finding the balance between social life and school goes hand in hand with mental health and stress.

Besse Odom, an alumna who graduated with a degree in elementary education, lived on campus for two years.

Odom says that there is often a struggle of balancing work and play.

“Instead of going out to party, sometimes you should choose to sleep and study for [tomorrow’s] exam… My grades were super low freshman year… but I did have fun,” Odom said.

Emily Alvy, a non-traditional student, believes that connecting with professors is an underrated component of student success.

“My first go-around in college right out of high school, I was so intimidated by my professors,” Alvy said.

Now, after going back to school as a 26-year-old, Alvy feels more confident in approaching professors for help and assistance and is hoping to graduate soon.

“Teaching is a small part of who they are,” Alvy said. “They aren’t perfect.”

“They all also have struggles… in their lives too,” she added.

Alvy encourages students to reach out to their professors if they are going through personal issues.

Tim Flynn, operations coordinator for the Student Union and recipient of the 2017-2018 Staff Makes Students Count Award, has been supervising students for 15 years at UAA and other campuses over the course of his career. Based on his observations, involvement and connection to community are essential for student success.

“Join or start a club, volunteer for an event… Chances are there is something for you here at UAA, and who knows who you might meet?” Flynn said.

For a complete list of clubs and organizations, visit uaa.campuslabs.com/engage.

How to save money on textbooks and materials Whether it’s renting materials online or buying them used, there are many ways to cut down textbook costs

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus

mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

The fall semester is fast approaching and so is the pressure of finding the right supplies and textbooks. Students often find it overwhelming when textbooks can cost hundreds of dollars per semester, especially if their budgets are slim.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics conducted a study in 2016 and found that, from January 2006 to July 2016, consumer prices for college textbooks had increased 88 percent.

Fortunately, there are ways for students to save money, and they vary from renting textbooks online to purchasing used ones from other students.

Rent online. There are textbook rental websites that offer textbooks for prices that are sometimes cheaper than the original retail price. A few popular sites include Chegg, Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Rental lengths usually last a semester, and the websites also have options for extensions.

Buy or sell from fellow students.

Sometimes students decide to sell their textbooks to a friend who will be taking the same course or post them on websites like Craigslist and Facebook. There’s a Facebook group called UAA Student Buy/Sell/Trade - Textbooks, etc., comprised of 4,000 members, where students can buy or sell new or used materials.

Use electronic copies. In this age of technology, reading materials are accessible on any electronic device, whether it’s a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Some textbooks come in an electronic version, which can often be found online or on rental websites. Not only can these copies be cheaper, but they also reduce the stress and hassle of having heavy textbooks in your bag.

Visit the local library. The UAA/ APU Consortium Library has many useful resources, such as course reserves.

Some professors put learning materials on reserve in order for students to have access, and they can be checked out like any other material in the library. The library’s website also provides information about other ways to save money on textbooks; it lists other sites where students can buy and sell, as well as sites that offer open-access textbooks at no cost.

Sell your books to the bookstore.

Students can take their books to the UAA Bookstore and have them checked for their value. The amount of cash a student receives is based on whether or not a book is needed for an upcoming class or a national database. The buyback program is open year-round, though the main time is during finals week.

Neelima Kumar is studying both marketing and management and has been attending UAA since 2012. She says that she has learned a lot about textbooks over the years, including what works best for her.

At first, she would find her required textbooks through the course catalog, then purchase them through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Later, Kumar started to find her books in a different way.

“Eventually, I started to learn that… you shouldn’t ever buy books in advance because sometimes you don’t even need the book or some classes, like a lot of business classes, will have two different books,” she said. “There’s a book with readings and there’s one that actually is a textbook that teaches you methods and vocabulary. I think you can get away with sharing the book with readings with your classmates.”

Kumar also rents electronic versions and finds them to be more efficient.

“I have the Kindle [app] on my MacBook. If you rent an e-text [from Amazon], it’ll just download straight to your Kindle,” Kumar said. “It’s cheaper that way, and you don’t have to worry about selling it to somebody else.”

Delphine Dyer, a UAA alumna who

PHOTO BY MARIAH DEJESUS-REMAKLUS

The UAA/APU Consortium Library’s course reserves section is temporarily housed in a study room, where students can check out materials provided by professors.

graduated last year, suggests that students find out if professors will use the required books and materials.

“My first semester, I bought a couple books that we never even used,” Dyer said.

Classes may require the updated edition of a textbook, but sometimes a professor will allow students to use an older version. Kumar says she has waited until the first week of school to see if she can use past editions, which can be cheaper than the newest one.

The UAA Bookstore not only buys books from students, but it also offers textbook rentals. Monte Burton, textbook manager, says that this is how their largest textbook discount is offered.

“The rental discounts can be up to 50% off the retail price and applies to almost half of all the titles,” Monte wrote in an email. “We also offer different versions of textbooks, hardback, paperback, loose-leaf and digital when available. The digital and loose-leaf versions are the cheapest options usually.”

Burton encourages students to do their research and look at the website before visiting the bookstore. Most of them are aware of the buyback option, but not many use it, he says. More and more stu-

dents are renting their books instead of purchasing them.

Lorelei Sterling is a distance education librarian at the UAA/APU Consortium Library and says students can borrow books from the majority of libraries in Alaska. This includes UAF, which is now part of the Consortium Library’s collection.

“It can take a little bit of time, but if you plan ahead, you can get a book from Fairbanks for free and you don’t have to pay for it at all,” Sterling said.

Checking the local library for materials can be a “great way” to save money, she added. The Consortium Library provides other types of academic support that could help students and it can all be found in the Student Success Toolkit.

This online tool kit links to the pages for course reserves, homework help and other resources.

Textbooks and materials can be an additional burden on top of college tuition and fees, which rose 63 percent from January 2006 to July 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. There’s a variety of options for students to avoid spending hundreds of dollars, and it’s up to them to decide what best suits their needs and budget.

FEATURES

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

Services: Alcohol misuse and drug dependence screenings Advise sober living groups on campus Substance use risk-reduction courses Brief interventions to address high-risk drinking behaviors or drug use Referrals for intervention and treatment Campus events including Safety Awareness Month and National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week Informational tables on current alcohol, drug, and wellness issues Consultation services provided for UAA employees, all students, parents, and departments on campus General support services for student wellness questions or concerns

BRITTNEY KUPEC

Alcohol, Drug & Wellness Educator Rasmuson Hall 122 | 786-1511 | bkupec@alaska.edu UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

 ADWE

Alcohol, Drug and Wellness Education

UA is an AA/EO employer and educational institution and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

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Tracking student success with Seawolf Tracks

New app aims at streamlining advising, preparing first-year students

By Sam Davenport

editor@thenorthernlight.org

Seawolf Tracks, an app created to help students with advising, financial aid, navigating campus and more launched on Aug. 1.

From the app, students will be able to access a directory of university events, programs and advising, as well as be notified of registration holds and ways to resolve them.

The project was led by Claudia Lampman, whose role was to oversee the process, help build content, promotions and decide on when to launch it.

“The student mobile app is a newer [Education Advisory Board] companion product that we learned about last fall. We decided to adopt the student mobile app too and have branded the two products (advising platform and student mobile app) Seawolf Tracks. The app (called Guide-College Simplified in the App Store) is designed to help orient students to the campus and student services,” Lampman said in an email.

“It uses 10+ years of historical data from UAA to let the [adviser] know how the student is faring and how to best help them by recommending services on campus or helping to make a change to a different path or major,” Lampman added.

Julia Vizcaino, a residence coordinator with the department of Residence Life, has been

leading the content development team for Seawolf Tracks since April. This summer, she’s been building content that will appear on the app alongside her team, which is made up of professionals from various departments on campus.

“There are so many amazing resources offered by the university, but in order to navigate all of them, you kind of need a few years, generally, to figure out that these things are even available to you,” Vizcaino said.

She said that the first iteration of the app is geared towards incoming first-year students. The team built the content knowing that they would get the greatest number of downloads from New Student Orientation. The second iteration is to build the app out for specific constituency groups, like veterans or the online student population.

“I think there are a lot of features that we are not going to turn on right away because we are still developing them. It’s a long process,” Vizcaino said.

The app asks students questions based on who they are and what their hobbies include. Vizcaino said that there are questions asked for students specifically living on campus, and as someone who lives on campus, there are certain requirements students have to meet.

Seawolf Tracks keeps everything organized and creates a chronological list of to-dos for students. The app even gives step-by-step resolutions so stu-

PHOTO BY CHEYENNE MATHEWS

Seawolf Tracks, which launched on Aug. 1, aims to help students gain access to a variety of tools and services in order to stay organized and succeed.

dents can stay organized. “[Students living on campus] have to finalize their meal plan, they have to complete their roommate agreement, they have to attend a community meeting.

All of those things can get lost in the shuffle… It relies heavily on the students’ ability to keep all of that information organized,” Vizcaino said.

She also said that there are two sides to the app. The first is “student-facing,” and the other is the adviser side. Advisers will be able to check a student’s GPA, current grades, major and other features.

“Hopefully by October, we will be scheduling advising ap-

pointments through the app,” Vizcaino said.

Valerie Robideaux, the director of First Year Advising and Success, was hired for her current position in the midst of app development. Since then, she’s been working with the EAB, which is coming to UAA on Aug. 21 and 22 to train the advisers on the advising tool and make sure they understand the appointment scheduling feature.

The company has over 500 universities that utilize either the app, adviser portal or both. “[Students] can soon, hopefully, schedule an appointment with their adviser, they can see their class schedule, it can load

directly into their calendar, their phone calendar, they can look at campus resources and be able to see who they need to talk to or where they can go for certain things,” Robideaux said.

To download the app, download “Guide College Simplified” from either the Apple App Store or Google Play. Students can log into Seawolf Tracks by logging in using their UA System username and password.

“We want students to feel welcome, connected and prepared. That’s kind of our theme for advising, for first-year advising,” Robideaux said. “Hopefully, it’ll take a lot of guessing out of their experience.”

Eat, drink and be merry: Finding food, coffee and more on campus

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By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

Being a freshman can be daunting; there are so many buildings, classrooms, professors and events to find and meet.

Another tricky thing to figure out as a freshman is where to eat and how to do it responsibly.

For students living on cam-

pus, one of three meal plans can be purchased while residing in the dorms or apartments.

The three plans give students a certain amount of dining dollars and meal blocks. The meal blocks can be used in an all-youcan-eat style at the Creekside Eatery, the main dining hall on residential housing. The dining dollars can be used at all Seawolf Dining establishments on campus.

Director of Housing, Dining and Conference Services, David Weaver, confirmed that the prices for the meal plans, as well as housing, will not increase from last year’s rate. The “freeze” on these rates was made in consideration of the rising cost of tuition. They hope to keep the rates the same for a while but will be uncertain until the end of the academic year.

Commuter students may consider investing in a Campus

Meal Plan, which is dollar-fordollar for dining dollars, with an additional three meals at Creekside Eatery for every $100 put on the plan.

Coffee and snacks (* asterisk implies that dining dollars can be used here) The Daily Grind* can be found on the west side of campus inside Cuddy Hall. It offers plenty of coffee options, as well as tea, hot chocolate, smoothies and a fridge full of juice and RedBull. A small selection of sandwiches, sushi, salads, cookies, banana bread and more are available right next to the ordering counter.

The Drowsy Wolf inside the UAA Campus Bookstore was added when the Bookstore was remodeled several years back.

Along with coffee and other drinks, to-go snacks can be found there, too.

You can find the student-run coffee shop, Union Station, on the second floor of the Student Union. This coffee shop is open the latest, until 9 p.m., and has daily special discounts on certain drinks throughout the week.

Next to Union Station is a variety of snacks, from Clif Bars to ramen to yogurt and kombucha, which students can purchase at the Student Union Information Desk.

On the first floor of the Student Union in The Den is The Daily Den, which is run by Stu-

dent Activities and Commuter Student Programs. They offer free snacks and drinks Monday through Thursday, 10 - 11 a.m. and 2 - 3 p.m. with proof of a valid Wolfcard.

Inside the Engineering and Industry Building, coffee can be found on the second floor at eXpress*. The only paninis on campus can be found at eXpress, but it also has a selection of other snacks, too.

Between the Social Sciences Building and the UAA/APU Consortium Library is the hardto-miss Kaladi Brothers Cafe*.

The cafe offers coffee from their own beans and snacks and soup for purchase.

All the way on east campus is the ConocoPhillips Integrated Sciences Building, which has Borealis Brew* on the first floor.

The small spot has coffee, to-go snacks and ice cream.

The Bear Necessities* is located inside of the Gorsuch Commons and is a small convenience store to buy snacks and get a caffeine fix, as well as some of life’s other necessities.

Food Don’t be mistaken that the Daily Grind is the only option for snacks in Cuddy Hall. Further back is a whole market, Cuddy Marketplace*. There are plenty of food options, like Chinese cuisine, Mexican food and pizza, so don’t miss out on grabbing some good food, then grab-

bing a spot in Cuddy to study.

The Student Union hosts neighbors Subway* and Union Burger*. Subway offers the classic made-to-order sub sandwiches, and Union Burger is the newest restaurant to join campus. NMS Food and Facility Management marketing manager, Kari Sellers, said the new burger-stop has a “retro vibe” to it. It’s a made-to-order burger joint that comes with jojo potato fries and a beverage with every burger purchased. Union Burger is replacing Caliente, the former burrito restaurant.

Creekside Eatery* is the main dining cafeteria for students living on campus. It offers breakfast, lunch, an in-between meal called a “tweener” to accommodate class schedules, dinner and late night on the weekdays.

Creekside Eatery offers brunch, dinner and late night on the weekends. It has a new menu coming this fall.

The Varsity Grill* is on the fourth floor of the Alaska Airlines Center. It’s a convenient place to sit down and order some food before catching a basketball game or gymnastics meet. It offers a student menu with items, like grilled cheese and reindeer sausage and a limited menu with entrees like beer-battered halibut and oven-fired pizzas.

For the list of meal plans, visit seawolfdining.com.

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Kick off the school year with live music, food and SNL comedy

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

Campus Kick-Off is a huge welcoming party for UAA freshman and returning students. It’s a great way to see what UAA has to offer and to socialize and connect with fellow colleagues. Bring some friends and your mom and dad because admission is free for everyone.

Here’s what’s happening on Saturday, Aug. 25: 5 - 7:30 p.m.: The Cuddy Quad will be filled with UAA departments, student clubs, Greek life and other organizations for students to visit and maybe even snag a free t-shirt or other swag. A few more activities include the infamous Butt Sketcher Artist returning to draw students’ backsides, face painting, food for purchase, getting Wolfcards printed if needed and a photo booth. KRUA, the campus radio station, will provide a live

DJ, too.

7:30 - 9 p.m.: Every year in the Wendy Williamson Auditorium, students fill in to catch a comedy show. This year will host “Writers of SNL Live” with Andrew Dismukes, Nimesh Patel and Steven Castillo.

9:30 - 11:30 p.m.: In the past, a movie showing on the green usually filled this time slot. This year, a new dance party where students can socialize and show off their moves will take place.

11:45 p.m.: Shuttles will be available to take students to the Fred Meyer on Northern Lights Boulevard.

Midnight - 2 a.m.: Fred Meyer opens its doors for only UAA students and offers special sales, food and prizes for a late night of fun until the last shuttle leaves for Gorsuch Commons at 2:30 a.m.

Shuttles will be available at Gorsuch Commons for students to take to KickOff starting at 4:30 p.m.

Advertise in The Northern Light’s Campus Kick-Off Edition!

For ad rates, visit thenorthernlight.org/advertise or call 786-6195

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SPORTS

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Get involved, make friends and stay active with intramural sports A way for students to combine social life and physical activity

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

Transitioning into college and trying to maintain classes, jobs, volunteering, extracurriculars and a social life makes it difficult for many people to stay in shape and stay active.

Many students may find it hard to find the motivation to plan a gym session or get outside for a run, but there are many ways to stay active and have fun at the same time.

UAA features an intramural and club sport department in the recreation department that aims to provide “a means of improving the quality of life, which allows all participants, regardless of degree of skill, an opportunity to develop new friendships, group loyalty, sportsmanship and the respect for all opponents and officials.”

The appeal to participate in intramurals is more than just staying in shape. Many find that it’s easier to stay active when involved with their peers. All sports are coed.

Mike Giles, a UAA student, enjoys the coed aspect.

“I think it’s good to have it coed because it’s more fun and a little bit more exciting,” Giles said.

The three current available sports, basketball, volleyball and soccer, all require a certain ratio of men to women both on the team and on the starting line up. This aspect prevents any discrimination and allows equal play.

Another student, Molly Romero, went a step further than just meeting friends on the team and actually used intramurals to enjoy a new activity with her old friends.

“I started with just soccer, made some friends and then convinced some friends from high school to make a volleyball team. I used to play soccer in high school, so one day I randomly went into the office in [the Wells Fargo Sports Complex] and signed up for a random team,” Romero said.

It was beneficial in both ways for Romero: she made new friends on her soccer team and spent time with old friends on her volleyball team.

Now, going into her third year as a commuter student at

UAA, Romero says that she believes this was the best way she could make friends while not living on campus.

Although Giles did meet people along the way, his initial reason to start intramural sports was different than Romero’s.

“The reason I got into it was to stay in shape while in college because I was no longer doing school-related sports competitively,” Giles said. “UAA definitely does provide a good intramural program. Like any program, it’s not perfect and has its flaws, but I think they do a good job, and I think it’s a pretty successful program.”

Despite the possible imperfections, Julie Weber, director of Intramurals/Club Sports, does her best to make sure the students are satisfied with their experience.

When Romero initially joined the program, Weber learned of her goals to make friends and assigned her to a team that had many other people with the same goal.

In addition, Weber helps organize the referees for intramurals, another great way to get involved in the program instead of

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

playing on a team.

Junior UAA student Vanessa Aniteye has been working as a referee for intramurals for a year and sees the benefits of getting involved from an outside perspective.

“I think it’s a good way for students to get involved because they get to know people that study different things and not only the ones that have the same major,” Aniteye said. “It’s very social and teams meet up outside of the sport, too, sometimes.”

Since Aniteye already competes in track and field for UAA, she knows the benefits of participating in a sport. The German local wanted to be able to get involved in sports outside of her

own and meet people as well.

“Sports are the best way for social integration. For example, getting international students to become involved with locals,” Aniteye said.

Since she used to play soccer, she usually referees for soccer games, but sometimes she gets the chance to help out at basketball and volleyball games, too.

Aniteye explained that basketball is the most popular so the referees help out whenever it’s needed.

To learn more about intramural sports at UAA, visit the recreation tab in the UAA Athletics department at https://www.uaa. alaska.edu.

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Show some spirit in the UAA Spirit Run

The fundraiser will be hosted by Alpha Sigma Alpha to benefit Covenant House

By Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

The start of the school year brings many opportunities for students to get involved and show their UAA spirit. A perfect time to get involved may be during the long Labor Day week in the midst of the start-of-semester chaos. One event with a purpose is the UAA Spirit Run. The race, a 5K fun run, might not sound familiar to many students due to the discontinuation of the event over the last two years. However, a UAA sorority took the opportunity to bring the race back and give students an event to enjoy.

Alpha Sigma Alpha, a Seawolf sorority since 2004, brought the race back this year with a special purpose. Madi Burgess, Alpha Sigma Alpha president, explained why this year is different. “[This year] the UAA Spirit run is being used as a fundraiser run benefiting Covenant House of Alaska. Alpha Sigma Alpha and Student Activities teamed up this year to bring it back as it has been discontinued for the past two years,” Bur-

gess said in an email.

The Covenant House is a non-profit organization that works to provide shelter and food to homeless youth around the state.

ASA member and USUAA Vice President, Clare Baldwin, said that they want to become involved in long-term volunteer work.

“One of our goals this year is to focus more on service and giving back to our community. We decided to give all of the proceeds from the event to the Covenant House,” Baldwin said. “They are our local philanthropy and we thought a collaboration between our two organizations would be a great way to start forming a closer relationship for the future.”

Burgess hopes that her sorority becomes more involved in campus activities.

“Within the Greek community we are one of the few that still don’t have an annual event for the community, so we de-

cided to put it on in order to have an annual event,” Burgess said. .

Baldwin explained that there is much more to the event than just the race.

“This is a great way to showcase UAA spirit and get together to celebrate the new academic year. After the run, we will have all of our sponsors and other campus groups on site, as well as refreshments for race finishers,” Baldwin said.

ASA doesn’t want people to be dissuaded due to it being a running event.

They hope it will attract a diverse crowd.

“The race will be timed for those who want to be competitive, but it’s going to be pretty low key,” Burgess said.

For those who are not interested in the UAA Spirit Run, Burgess said that joining a sorority is a great way to get involved with events like this and meet new friends.

The UAA Spirit Run will take place on Saturday, Sept. 1. and will begin at the Alaska Airlines Center.

OPINION A message from the Student Body President

Dear Seawolves, Whether you are still taking classes, interning or just taking a break from it all, I hope you’re having a great summer. My name is Geser Bat-Erdene, and I am the UAA Student Body President.

The Vice President, Clare Baldwin, and I will be serving as the USUAA leadership for the next academic year.

USUAA, the Union of Students of the University of Alaska Anchorage, is a student-led governing body that aims to provide services for you.

In the past years, USUAA has successfully advocated on behalf of students for initiatives like a sustainable university budget, continuation of Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS), Alaska Education Grant (AEG) and the increase of student worker pay.

This summer, we have been busy meeting with members of the administration, faculty and community to discuss our main goals for the upcoming year.

In the 2018-2019 academic year, we will focus on: (1) Advancing the culture of Title IX In conjunction with the Office of Equity and Compliance, we will organize and execute in-person trainings (as an alternative to the online training), providing students a better understanding of Title IX.

(2) Increasing transparency in the student fees review cycle We want to use the fall semester to ensure that every student knows about their student fees as we evaluate and review them with campus departments.

(3) Promoting awareness of food insecurity and homelessness We plan to work alongside the newly formed faculty, staff and student “Hunger and Homelessness Support Network” to determine ways we can support students dealing with food insecurity and homelessness while attending classes.

As you may already know, UAA welcomes Chancellor Cathy Sandeen this fall, and we are excited to be working closely with her in the future. If you are you interested in joining USUAA, there are currently open senator and delegate seats, as well as open positions on a number of boards and committees across campus. Find more information and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or at www.usuaa.org to stay up to date with what is happening.

Hope to see you all at Campus KickOff on Saturday, Aug. 25 in the Cuddy Quad!

Sincerely, Geser Bat-Erdene UAA Student Body President (907) 786-1206 usuaa.president@alaska.edu

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

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14 OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018

15

Letter from the editor: Your future is waiting for you

By Sam Davenport editor@thenorthernlight.org

When I started my collegiate journey at UAA in 2014, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life because let’s be real, who knows that at 18?

Well, some of you reading this, I’m sure, but I didn’t. I honestly didn’t want to be in college (sorry, mom and dad) and thought that UAA was going to be temporary.

I realized soon after I started my freshman year that I needed a job because your girl was broke. A friend had told me that he knew the editor of the student newspaper, The Northern Light, and that he would put in a good word for me. I always had enjoyed writing in high school and had even been published in a local newspaper, but I never considered journalism as a career opportunity.

I applied to the newspaper on a whim and was pleasantly sur-

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES EVANS / UAA RELATIONS

Samantha Davenport is the executive editor of The Northern Light (TNL), UAA’s student newspaper. Davenport encourages new students to get involved on campus, whether it be through a department, organization or club.

prised when I got a call requesting an interview for a reporter position.

Fast forward four years later, and I’m still here. If you would have told me where I would be

in 2018, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Applying to The Northern

Light opened so many doors for me. I’ve been lucky enough to travel to journalism conferences and work with fellow students to create a quality product every week. Because of this job, I’ve interned at two local media outlets. Most importantly (and the corniest), I have gotten to know so many people in the UAA community and made friends that will last a lifetime. I love this college and the opportunities that it gives for students who want to be part of something bigger than themselves.

If you take anything away from this letter, take this piece of advice: get involved. Join a club or Greek life organization.

Start a radio show on KRUA. Become a senator for USUAA. Heck, if there isn’t a club that you see yourself fitting into, you can create your own. There is absolutely nothing standing in your way except yourself.

Now, get out there, Seawolves! Your future is waiting for you.

A S S O C I AT E D CO L L E G I AT E P R ES S The Northern Light is a proud member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 2,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood.

The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.

N OT I C E O F N O N D I S C R I M I N AT I O N The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. The University of Alaska does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, physical or mental disability, status as a protected veteran, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, parenthood, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, or other legally protected status.

The University’s commitment to nondiscrimination, including against sex discrimination, applies to students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment.

Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA’s statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

L E T T E RS A N D CO R R E C T I O N S P O L I C Y

The Northern Light encourages readers to express their views in the newspaper. The Northern Light reserves the right to reject or publish any submission, online or in print.

Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a letter to the editor is 250 words, and 150 words for letters specifically endorsing candidates for federal, local, or university office. A letter to the editor is written by someone who does not have authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing. Contributors are restricted to one published letter to the editor per month.

Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a contributor’s opinion piece is 450 words. Contributors are restricted to one published opinion piece per month. Opinion pieces written by staff of The Northern Light are limited to 800 words. An opinion piece that is published in The Northern Light should be written by someone who has authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing.

Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. All letters and opinion pieces must include names, major and/or group affiliation and contact information for verification purposes. The Northern Light will not publish anonymous letters or pseudonyms.

Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www.thenorthernlight.org. The deadline for submissions is the Friday before publication at noon, no exceptions.

The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union Room 118.

T H E N O RT H E R N L I G H T CO N TAC TS

Executive Editor

Sam Davenport 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org

Managing Editor

Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Copy Editor

Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

Features Reporter

Multimedia Editor

Arts & Entertainment Editor

Graphic Designer

Robin O’Donoghue features@thenorthernlight.org

Malia Barto arts@thenorthernlight.org

Sports Editor

Lauren Cuddihy sports@thenorthernlight.org

Mizelle Mayo multimedia@thenorthernlight.org

Jian Bautista jbautista@thenorthernlight.org

Layout Editor

Levi Brown layout@thenorthernlight.org

Media Adviser Paola Banchero

Administrative Adviser Zac Clark

Administrative Assistant Allie Hartman

3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508