GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
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Understanding UAA’s budget crisis and Statewide Transformation
PHOTOS BY KELLY IRELAND
The home of UAA Athletics, the Alaska Airlines Center. UAA Athletics may face cuts under the Alaska Legislators’ current budget plans.
By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
Statewide Transformation, which was released on April 14 by UA President Jim Johnsen, outlines decisions regarding cuts and changes that have been implemented, or will be in the next 30, 60 and 90 days, at each university. Decisions regarding UAA more specifically were outlined in a PowerPoint presentation under the chancellor, which can be found on UAA’s website. Both documents discuss cuts and changes coming to the university as soon as within 30 days. Over the years, lawmakers, legislation, the national economy and oil production have dug the State of Alaska into a deep hole, fiscally. The state has been an integral contributor to the University of Alaska and its ability to function. In the current state fiscal climate the university is forced to consider anything that can save them money. For the past two years, UAA has reduced its budget by $19.5 million. Now UAA is looking to reduce costs further, from centralizing IT services to freezing a single librarian position. According to the budget update released on April 14 by Chancellor Tom Case, UAA is hoping to reduce costs by over $15 million and eliminate 213 positions.
Statewide Transformation is Johnsen’s plan to increase efficiency and save the university money. The decisions and Statewide Transformation framework began to take shape before Strategic Pathways was introduced back in February, but both tactics are similar: decrease money spent through strategically coordinated cuts. One of the many decisions outlined in the document is to transform the IT department. The University of Alaska will be centralizing all IT services, across all campuses, to the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. Services that will be moved to Fairbanks include Help Desk, desktop support and staff training. In addition, IT is expected to create a single email and calendar service for all campuses, streamlining communication and schedule. All of these functions are required to transition within a 30-day time period. “I’m most concerned with the changes to IT. Centralizing our institution’s email in Fairbanks and switching to Google Apps is not advisable. Switching will be costly for staff and faculty
who aren’t used to google and who’ve worked with MS Exchange. They’ll spend hours having to be retrained,” Matthieu Ostrander, Vice President of the Union of Students and economics student at UAA, said. The streamlining of IT at the University of Alaska level may save money, but Ostrander is worried about the affects that the centralization will have on the services the university promises to provide. “Centralizing IT in Fairbanks will likely mean higher response times, which is unfortunate since UAA’s average hold time is 14 seconds, which well beats the industry average. Similarly, we can’t afford to lose services to students, particularly at peak times. Being a nontraditional campus, it’s essential that we recognize that many of our students lack the skills needed to fill out complicated online forms,” Ostrander said. “It will be a complete disaster. Think mass staff retraining, huge drain on productivity.” After Statewide Transformation details were released April 14, each decision in the framework was sent to the appropriate department where they will implement their own plan for achieving Johnsen’s plans by deadline. In addition to the decisions regarding cuts and job loss, Statewide Transformation also lists strong programs and func-
The University of Alaska’s budget will not be finalized until June.
tions at the university that have potential for investment. Such programs include health sciences, geology, engineering, public policy, community outreach through University Advancement, support for students with disabilities, and Center for Research and Alaska Native Education. All information pertaining to the budget can be found on the University of Alaska’s website. Students are encouraged to be a part of the Statewide Transformation and Strategic Pathways process, in which the Board of Regents and President Jim Johnsen will evaluate programs considered for both elimination, restructure, and investment. “Though none of us want programs, staff, or faculty to be cut, the unprecedented fiscal situation presents unique challenges to be faced. Student input is crucial in this process. If students do want to be involved, there is a multitude of different ways to raise concerns or provide meaningful input,” Arina Filippenko, a business administration student at UAA, said. Future tuition increases, final cuts, cuts through Strategic Pathways and the impacts of Statewide Transformation are all unknown at this time. Cuts and other budget related decisions will be made final in June after the Board of Regents’ and Governor’s budget approval.
NEWS
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
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UAA values student speakers at commencement By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
Schools across the nation are paying more and more to hire public figures to give commencement speeches. From Katie Couric to Matthew McConaughey, schools are paying thousands of dollars to bring famous people to their school to give a speech for commencement while UAA is putting an emphasis on student speakers. Schools use the public figure’s presence as an investment into the school’s reputation. Many of the speakers will receive honorary degrees as well as a large paycheck, sometimes over $200,000 Jerry Seinfield charges over $200,000 per commencement address, according to Forbes. com. Schools are paying speakers more than a years worth of tuition to make a less-than 20 minutes appearance. Some students may see the investment as a status symbol while others couldn’t care less about who speaks at their graduation. “I don’t really care. It would depend if it was someone I liked, but it would be a waste of money,” Nicholas Jackson, a biology student graduating this spring at UAA, said. UAA has never brought up a famous speaker and has relied on a chosen student commencement speaker for decades. How-
ever, the exact time this tradition began is unknown. “To the best of my knowledge it has always been a student. I can say with confidence that it’s more than 20 years that we’ve had a student commencement speaker,” Bruce Schultz, vice chancellor for UAA Student Affairs, said. With fees starting in the thousands and included travel costs for big speakers, money is a huge factor in why UAA has never hosted a commencement speaker. “I’d say quite frankly with budget issues that would less likely be something that UAA will do anytime soon,” Paula Fish, assistant director of Student Life Leadership, said. Another reason UAA has stayed away from hiring commencement speakers is the added time to the overall commencement ceremony. The student speakers are limited to a six minute speech, while a national speaker can go on for over 25 minutes. Schultz adds that hiring a speaker would add a considerable amount of time to the ceremony. Despite the fiscal situation and the time constraint the university, students and staff, see the student speaker as a better representation to their time at UAA than a national speaker. “We’ve had those discussions before and the overall feedback from the student body is that at commencement it’s really about
the students and having one of them represent the graduating class. The response of this has been very positive with that experience,” Schultz said. The chance to speak at your college commencement is something not offered at many schools. To be chosen to speak at UAA’s commencement graduating seniors must fill out an application. After the application process, the Student Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee, who is appointed by the Dean of Students, is composed of two faculty and three graduating students that aren’t applying to be speakers. The committee evaluates each applicant on their involvement and academic success. After applicants have passed this evaluation they will be interviewed, and asked to deliver the intended commencement speech. After the committee conducts their interview and makes a decision the choice student is passed along to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs where they are officially chosen to have the honor of delivering the commencement speech. “To be able to speak to the graduating class, in such a stage is a great opportunity and honor for our students,” Fish said. UAA administrators see little change coming to this long held tradition. “My perspective and what I’ve been told, there has not been a need or want for a general speaker,” Fish said.
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
For the spring 2016 commencement, graduating senior Jonathon Michael Taylor will be delivering the commencement speech.
Candy graduation lei College CookBook
Ingredients •
Cellophane
•
12 fun size candy bars
•
24-30 inches of ribbon
•
Double stick tape
Directions By Victoria Petersen
vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org
Commonly adorned by graduates, leis are traditionally given to people who are coming and going. It only seems appropriate to bestow a graduate with a lei as they leave college on to their next adventure. The popular garland is most known in Hawaiian culture. Flower leis are most common, but other varieties have been popping up since it became a popular graduation accessory. Money leis, flower leis, origami leis, and candy leis are all common varieties of leis found at graduation. Candy leis make great cheap alternatives to the more expensive floral variety. Here’s how to make your own.
1. Lay a long piece of cellophane out, about 65 inches long. 2. Place 12 fun size candy bars in the middle of the laid out cellophane, with about 1 inch in between each candy bar. Leave 4 inches or more at each tall end of the cellophane. 3. Place the double stick tape parallel to the candy bars. Fold the cellophane over the candy bars, tucking them into the cellophane. Roll until it’s completely enveloped much like you would roll a burrito. 4. In each gap between the candy bars take 2-3 inches of ribbon and tie in a bow. 5. Tie each of the cellophane ends into a knot, and bestow upon your graduate.
PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
05
The undiscovered country Seawolf Slug
In the year 2013, an alien brain slug from one of the galaxy’s most feared empires crash-landed on Earth and assumed control of a lowly reporter at this newspaper. These are his stories.
By Klax Zlubzecon
Translated by George Hyde September 24, 2013. That’s the timestamp on my very first column. My very first public statement to the human race was a calm and collected “ATTENTION EARTHLING WORMS. WE SHALL OVERCOME AND ENSLAVE HUMANITY.” Man, that brings me back. It’s been almost three years since then. My host George was just a sophomore, and his career at The Northern Light had started a mere eight months before that. I first met him shortly after his review of “R.I.P.D.” If that sentence isn’t indicative of the times back then, I don’t know what is. Before my arrival, he had stuck mostly with game reviews and the like. Now look at how far we’ve come. Multimedia, YouTube posts, full-fledged stories about things like trigger warnings and sexual assault awareness… He’s come a long way since that first review of Telltale’s “The Walking Dead.” My little
boy’s all grown up. By contrast, I’m still the same snarky alien slug I was three years ago, but I’ve still come pretty far. Adapting to life on Earth, and Anchorage in particular, has been an absolute treat. Your politics fascinate me – inferior to the Slug Empire as they are – and the anecdotes I’ve seen and heard over the years at UAA have been stupidly memorable. The Northern Light has been a fantastic place to work. When my host proposed the idea for this column, they took it surprisingly well, considering the whole “alien brain slug” thing. Look at how far we’ve come since then! We’ve gone from yelling at politicians for not doing the right thing to… continuing to yell at politicians for not doing the right thing. Okay, maybe that wasn’t the perfect example. Our grammar’s improved since then, though! This begs the question: what happens now? George is going to graduate in the next week and both of us are going to be out of a job. You can’t write columns for the student newspaper if you’re not a stu-
dent, after all. To be honest, neither of us are sure what’s next. I know I want to keep writing this kind of thing, but it’s the business model of it that I’m not sure about. As much as I’d love to keep dictating the Empire’s message for money, I’m not sure if any of the other papers or blogs here in town would be willing to pick us up. Of course, George plans on continuing his work in multimedia. He loves doing that kind of thing. I’m a little scared, though. What’s going to happen to me? Half of my whole “Seawolf Slug” brand is just going to disappear! If I can’t be the “Seawolf Slug,” what else am I supposed to be? “Anchorage Slug?” That doesn’t roll off the tongue nearly as well. Eh. I’ll figure it out later. If I can’t write for someone else’s paper or blog, I’ll do my own. No matter what happens, I’ll keep dictating, and whenever I do figure out how, I’ll make sure The Northern Light lets you know. For right now, however, I want to recall a piece my host did earlier in his career at The Northern Light. It was an opinion piece he wrote for the 2014 Spring Commencement edition, which was entirely “Star Wars” based because commencement day happened to fall on May 4th that year. The piece can be found here (http://bit.ly/26gWymQ), but there’s one bit in particular that I’d like to point out. I quote: “This journey is not over, and it never will be. This is only the calm before the storm, the short break before the real-life equivalent of the Battle of Endor. But focus. Do. Or do not. There is no try. And if you believe your future to be impossible, so it will be. That is why you will fail.” This article still holds up. I wish we could put it in our paper again as a message to new graduates, because even though “Star Wars” has changed
immensely since George wrote that piece, it still stands true. All of it. My host and I are entering a risky job market, with a fair bit of student debt on our shoulders, in a state that’s on the verge of an economic apocalypse. After the congratulations and merriment of graduation, there’s nothing but storm nebulae ahead, but we’re going to venture forth anyway. Why? Because if we don’t learn from our mistakes and try – nay, do – there’s no way we can win. The Emperor has already won. Is Luke going to wallow in sadness for the entirety of Episode VIII just because one of his students turned out to be a bad apple? No! He’s going to make sure Rey continues to carry the torch. So we will venture forth, confident in our ability to change the world even as the world struggles against it. We’ve been through a lot. We’ve made mistakes. George and I still cringe a little bit at a few of his older articles. I’m sure a lot of the other graduates and family members reading this at commencement regret some of their collegiate choices, too. That’s how you learn. That’s how you get stronger. Every failure and success only serves to make you more powerful. Why do you think video games call them experience points? So we march. It doesn’t matter what obstacles we’re going to face, because if the Empire still has thousands of years to get here, we’re still going to make it the best damn thousands of years we can. But keep one thing in mind for when they do get here, and listen well, because this may be the last time I’ll ever get to say it.
RESISTANCE IS FUTILE.
EMBRACE THE SEAWOLF SLUG.
A few parting words: My last goodbye ORANGE RHYMES WITH
By Evan Dodd Contributor
I don’t want to go. With this being my final column with TNL, each word on this page is more precious than the last. With that in mind, it is regrettable that I’m going to squander this precious word space with nostalgia and run-on metaphors, but after four and a half years, I wouldn’t have it any other way. When I started here, way back in the wild days of 2011, campus was nearly unrecognizable. A mighty forest obscured the space where the Alaska Airlines money pit now stands, the exterior of the MACs had not yet been painted to disguise the interior decay, and parking passes came at a cost that we found to be quite unreasonable at the time. Ah, to be young and naive. I’ve written countless farewell col-
A well-meaning column rife with clunky metaphors and horrible advice, Orange Rhymes With is the goto place to break the monotony of classes and laugh at someone else’s misfortune.
umns, thanking everyone from professors who inspired me, to friends who forgave me for destroying their dorms; each time I’ve seen them go to print, only to return the following semester. No more. I mean that quite honestly. I don’t think I can afford to continue to take enough courses to keep this column another semester. So, here we are at a long overdue goodbye. Short of death or dismemberment, there are very few mistakes you can make in your twenties that can’t later be solved. I don’t regret a single outdoor class, not one First Tap concert and certainly not the fortune I blew on Sasquatch music festival. I have time to make money down the road. What I won’t have is plentiful free time and an unfettered curiosity driving me to explore with every second that I wasn’t explicitly required to be in class. As children, we’re lead to believe that
there is a clear-cut path through life, as if all of this is a scripted choose you own adventure with well-defined career tracks and outcomes. This is not the case. Fortune favors those who blaze their own paths; college is no different. What you walk away with is entirely dependent on what you were willing to try and how open you were to trying something new on a whim. For me, it was halfheartedly applying at The Northern Light and mistakenly getting hired, or stumbling in to an outdoor rec meeting and winning a gift basket by chance. For others, it may have been adding an unexpected minor, or simply chancing it with three random roommates. Hell, a friend of mine went so far as to create her own degree upon learning that UAA didn’t offer a film program, and it lead her right where she wanted to be. In the end, college taught me that there are no preplanned routes in life. What I learned was to find a point on the horizon I’d like to reach, and wander towards it. What I mean by that is to aim for a life that incorporates as many of your talents and passions as possible, and be open to changing course a thousand times along the way. If I had any advice to give based on what’s worked for me, it’d be the following rapid-fire tirade. Live in campus housing for at least a year, trust me, it will only make you stronger. Join a club every now and then. Pay attention to the classes that matter, and visit Alyeska during the ones that don’t. Make friends with at least one professor. Learn to recognize bullshit early, and question everything. Never
take yourself seriously. Never eat pears. Travel in the summer, and at least once a month end up in a place that you had no intention of driving to. Do things for no other reason than that you were bored and curious. I’ll always remember my time at UAA. Sea kayaking on the university’s dime, running the university trails and rationalizing my tendency to make a mess of things as simply something new to write about. Seriously, troll the archives sometime. The fact that I never had a column rejected astounds me. And so, after four and half years, here we are. My time documenting these weekly misadventures has come to a close, and I can only hope that whoever takes my position relishes the opportunity as much as I have. As a final gift to you, let me just say that parking services color codes parking tickets. Theoretically, were one to collect enough colored envelopes, it would sure be easy to circle the lot until you found the day’s color, and then place that envelope on your windshield, thus ensuring a cost free parking experience… In theory, of course. I’ve loved this column, week after week, and I sincerely hope that you’ve occasionally found yourself reading it intentionally. What does the future hold for me? Who knows, but I intend to keep bumbling through life and writing for anyone willing to read it. So, after much rambling, so long and farewell, fellow Seawolves. I’ve never felt comfortable with goodbyes. So for now, let’s just say I’m slipping out to buy a pack of smokes and will be back next fall. Orange out.
06 FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
Grad cords explained
c o n g r at u lat i o n s c la s s o f 2 0 1 6 ! The Alumni Association will provide refreshments for graduates in the auxiliary gym prior to Commencement. Arrive early and decorate your mortarboard with us!
 O f f i c e O f A lu m n i R e l At i O n s 907-786-1942 | uaa.alaska.edu/alumni
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
07
The Only International Business Program in the University of Alaska System
08 FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
Graduate programs at UAA By Jake Johnson
jjohnson@thenorthernlight.org
The average time it takes a student to graduate from UAA is around 5.5 years versus typical four year degrees. Some students decide that they want to continue their education even after receiving their respective four year degrees and pursue graduate school. All schools offer similar graduate programs with a mix of different specialties so why continue at UAA when you could see the world? The average resident cost to finish grad school at UAA without textbooks and other expenses is roughly $12,000 $15,000. Attending schools outside of UAA could cost you up to $30,000 at some colleges or $40,000 to complete grad programs at certain private colleges. The going rate of an MBA at Columbia University currently is $168,307. For nonresidents at UAA, graduate school will cost you a total of $31,057, which is still very competitive in the market of schools with accreditations similar to UAA’s. “We are staying very competitive in the cost value of our grad programs,” UAA director of graduate programs, Bogdan Hoanca said. After 4-5 years of attending UAA you have become accus-
tomed to the way the campus works and the availability of resources UAA offers. Starting at a new school it could be more difficult to access these resources in short time frames. Staying at UAA allows you to use the relationships built with professionals to enable grad school research to be easily accessible as well. However, there are reasons to leave UAA. You may just want a new start in life or UAA doesn’t have the graduate program or specialty in a program that you are looking for. Making the decision to leave UAA may be difficult, and the decision to stay may seem easy. It is important to weigh all the options. UAA offers graduate schools that could apply to a multitude of different job opportunities. In order to make sure that you are choosing the right option for yourself, be sure to ask a few different influential people who can help you make that decision. Each graduate program has an advisor that would be more than willing to help you come to a final decision without bias. These advisors can be reached by viewing the graduate school programs on the UAA website. “Our goal is to see the students succeed, whether that is here (UAA), or somewhere else,” Hoanca said.
Graduate programs
Master of Applied Environmental Science and Technology Master of Applied Environmental Science and Technology
Master of Arts
Anthropology English Interdisciplinary Studies
Master of Social Work
Master of Social Work
Master of Arts in Teaching Master of Arts in Teaching
Master of Business Administration General Management
Master of Civil Engineering Master of Civil Engineering
Master of Education
Counselor Education Early Childhood Special Education Educational Leadership Special Education Teaching and Learning
Master of Fine Arts
Creative Writing and Literary Arts
Master of Public Administration Master of Public Administration
Master of Public Health Public Health Practice
Master of Science
Engineering Management Global Supply Chain Management Interdisciplinary Studies Mechanical Engineering Nursing Science Project Management Science Management
Applied Environmental Science and Technology Arctic Engineering Biological Sciences Career and Technical Education (suspended) Civil Engineering Clinical Psychology Computer Science
Dual Degree, Master of Public Health/Master of Social Work Master of Public Health/Master of Social WorkGraduate Certificates Advanced Human Service Systems Children’s Mental Health Clinical Social Work Practice Coastal, Ocean and Port Engineering Counselor Education Dietetic Internship Earthquake Engineering Educational Leadership: Principal Environmental Regulation and Permitting Family Nurse Practitioner Language Education Nursing Education Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Social Work Management Special Education
Doctoral Programs
Biological Sciences Clinical-Community Psychology Nursing Science Occupational Therapy Pharmacy WWAMI School of Medical Education
Lei: Symbolism of Mana By Nita Mauigoa Contributor
In ancient Hawai‘i, “ali’i,” or royalty, wore feather lei as a sign of “mana,” or spirit and grandeur. In contemporary society, there are endless varieties of lei and meanings. The sentiment of mana, however, still echoes during times like graduation — even in ice-ridden Alaska. The word “lei,” or garland, is specific to the Hawaiian language, called ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. The plural form of lei is simply “lei.” Attaching an “s” is similar to saying “mooses.” Hawai‘i falls under the umbrella of the Polynesian islands, which includes among others, Tahiti, Samoa and Tonga. Each island has a rendition of the lei with its own name, history and meanings. For example, in Samoa the lei is called “ula.” For this article, local Hawaiian leaders have introduced some cultural aspects of the lei. Kawehi Mahi, president of Alaska’s Na Keiki O Hawai‘i Hawaiian Civic Club, touched on historical context of the lei in Hawai‘i. Mahi said in ancient Hawai‘i, lei were made of flowers, leaves, shells, seeds, nuts, feathers and even bone and teeth of various animals. Lei were worn both aesthetically and for social dis-
PHOTO BY KELLY IRELAND
tinction. Sacred lei were also offered to royalty and gods. “The maile lei was perhaps the most significant. Among other sacred uses, it was used to signify a peace agreement between opposing chiefs,” Mahi said. She said in a “heiau,” or temple, chiefs would symbolically intertwine a green vine lei of maile leaves, and its completion officially established peace. This maile lei is seen today during graduation time. Its bold green color and double-twisted vine is distinct, like its richly rooted history. Lei were so integral to Hawai‘i history that there are royal lei made of special materials on display in museums. Thais Rector is among sev-
eral lei vendors spotted around Anchorage during graduation time. Her lei are not made of teeth, bone or feathers. Rather, they are made of materials like candies and flowers — fitting for contemporary occasions like graduation. “The lei represents honor, achievement, our culture and our love for the one receiving the lei,” Rector said. Rector said that with the high demand of lei in Anchorage today, she often refers customers to fellow vendors after running out — and those demands are climbing rapidly. According to the U.S. Census bureau, the Asian and Pacific Islander population is the fastest-growing demographic in Alaska. Polynesians fall under
that category with sub-populations such as Samoan and Hawaiian soaring through the charts. With this, the culture of lei-giving has crossed into mainstream celebrations. “It’s about friendship and welcoming people to our island culture,” Rector said of nonPolynesians participating in the cultural tradition. She said she understands the common thread is celebration of mana during graduations. Sammi Pedro, instructor of Hula Hui Na Haumana ‘O Alaka, touched on how the importance of lei extends beyond leigiving and is still a major aspect of Hawai‘i’s culture today. “One of the main events held in Hawai‘i is May Day, or Lei Day. On May 1, we celebrate in schools across the island chain,” Pedro said. Pedro said each of the eight Hawaiian islands are represented by a specific lei and color of flower. For example, Maui is represented by the pink roselani lei, while the yellow ilima lei represents O’ahu. She said there are songs, dances and regalia that coincide with this. Mahi said Lei Day was conceived in 1927 by poet Don Blanding, an employee at the Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper. She recalled a Lei Day in 2008 when the city of Honolulu set the record for the world’s longest lei, measuring in at a whop-
ping 5,336 feet long. This importance and value of the lei beckons the understanding of a few unspoken rules of lei etiquette Mahi shared. Mahi said a lei should be a welcomed celebration of one person’s affection to another, therefore never refuse one. If a person cannot wear a lei due to allergies or other reasons, it is displayed in a place of honor. The proper way to wear a lei is draped over the shoulders, hanging down both in front and in back. In modern times, a lei is usually given with a kiss — a custom which began in World War II. Traditionalists, however, give a lei by bowing slightly and raising it above the heart, allowing the recipient to take it. Raising the hands above another’s head, or touching the face or head, is considered disrespectful. Simply knowing can insure that all who embrace the culture of lei-giving can enjoy the experience. “Mana is a divine energy given to us. It’s the divine right and access for people to use this synergy to do good. Mana is in us all,” Mahi said. Hawaiian ali’i of old are gone from the earth. Still the value of mana and greatness linger, even through forms like mountains of lei at a UAA graduation in Alaska.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
VIEW FROM UP HERE R
09
The Arctic at the Center of the World Opens Friday, May 6 Artistic and insider look at the North reveals a complex and changing place Image: Jeroen Toirkens
Come to know the true North anchoragemuseum.org
Members enjoy free admission. Join today.
This exhibition is supported by
JL Foundation
Carr Foundation
The Andy Warhol Foundation for Visual Arts
10 FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
Adulting 101: Things adults should know By Casey Peterson
cpeterson@thenorthernlight.org
Graduating college is a huge life step, and one that, if you had any doubt before this point, surely makes you an adult. So, what is it that adults do that make them
different from the kids that you may have just finished being? Here are a few ideas that might help you answer that question:
Becoming an adult is not as glamorous as it once seemed to us when we were children. It is filled with lots of responsi-
bility, but these are coupled with lots of opportunity to be exactly what we want to be.
Talk to strangers Sounds kind of funny, but it is important that you are able to talk to people in any situation. This is an important tool for the workplace, as well as the day to day navigation of life. Many people you meet will be strangers, future landlords or employers, bank tellers, bus drivers, etc. You spent your youth being told not to talk to strangers, but now it is an important life skill to do so. Solve your own problems You may not always be the cause to the problems that arise in your adult life, however we need to be sure that you are the solution. Having a support system definitely helps, but adults are expected to be able to solve their own problems. Having money set aside for financial difficulties, or being emotionally prepared for some of the hardships of adult life will go along way to help you tackle your problems. Branch out from Ramen College students are always on a time crunch, it is something that we all go through. School occupies so much of our lives that few of us find time to earn a decent amount of money. Most college students resort to cheap and quick ways to feed themselves. Proper nutrition is important, and as an adult, money won’t be so scarce, you’ll be able to afford more than Ramen. Buy a cookbook, or use Pinterest (it’s not just for women), and find some recipes that you will enjoy making. Many people find cooking a great way to relax, and there is little more satisfying than eating a meal that you took a little time out of your day to prepare. Manage assignments and meet deadlines Most college students got a fair amount of practice with this during school. This is a good habit to be in as you enter the workforce. You will continue to have deadlines placed upon you and meeting those deadlines is an important way to keep a job and rise higher in your new career. Successfully navigate life using risk management As hard as our educational path has been, for most of us it has been pretty well laid out before us, and all we had to do was walk the line to get to graduation. The world outside of school does not have this structure, and will require us to decide our own paths. This will involve risky choices, and knowing that sometimes those choices will be wrong. The silver lining is there are so many possibilities and so many ways to find your path. Writing down plans and goals can make things more manageable.
Understand money Where does your money come from? Where does it go? Keeping track of your spending to make sure there is always enough to meet your bills and provide you with some left over for your own enjoyment takes effort, but is well worth it. Find ways to buy only those things that you truly feel like you need, and save the rest. Having a savings account that you never touch in case of an emergency will be something that will be there to help you during some of the down times of adult life. Purchase your own insurance Car, house, or health. We all need to have insurance. Finding and choosing the insurance that fits you is your choice entirely. Compare different insurances before making your choice to find the option that best fits your needs. Establishing good credit Good credit is what is used to help secure loans from a bank to help make a downpayment on a house or to buy a car. Establishing good credit can be a tricky thing, as it often requires the use of a credit card, and many cards are hard to get without good credit already established (many banks offer college cards to students without a credit history). The key to establishing good credit is to make large purchases on credit and then be sure to pay it off each month. The sooner the better. To make sure that you’re creating good credit, save up money for those big purchases you want to make. Make the purchase using a card, then pay it off with your saved up money. There are many other ways to establish good credit, and paying off your student loans promptly is one of them.
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Jonathon Taylor: USUAA president, spring 2016 commencement speaker and much, much more
PHOTO BY YOUNG KIM
Jonathon Taylor is the 2016 spring commencement speaker.
By Sam Davenport
content@thenorthernlight.org
Each semester, the Student Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee is tasked with selecting an exemplary graduating UAA student for the student commencement speaker. The spring 2016 commencement speaker is Jonathon Taylor, president of USUAA and political science major, with minors in economics, communications and journalism. Taylor has been a deeply involved student at UAA. His hard work and achievements even got him the attention of UAA advancement. Taylor was part of advancement’s Amazing Stories series, a segment where students from UAA that have inspiring stories are featured. Taylor’s Amazing Stories video reached over 29,000 views. In the video, Taylor talks about getting involved at UAA. Taylor was elected last spring as the USUAA President, alongside Matthieu Ostrander as the Vice President. Taylor
said that one of their goals was to have students become more engaged at UAA. Taylor believes that the surge in active student voices came from social media, changing their internal structure of how USUAA engages with students or a combination of both. He believes that the voices of students is critical, especially going into next year and the concerning budget and financial issues at UAA. Taylor is happy to have been the voice for students at UAA and is honored to be selected to speak at commencement to continue representing students. “For the last year, I’ve been able to speak on behalf of the student body, and this is the last time I’ll get to do that. It’s a little bittersweet, but I’m also really proud. This year, not just as student government, but also students in general have become a lot more engaged in the process. Whether that’s because of the state budget, or whether that’s because these things started impacting people on a much more personal level,” Taylor said. “I feel like we have been able to make and continue some really major strides for us,
and I’m proud of that. We need to hear from everybody. We want to hear from everybody.” Taylor and Ostrander have worked hard this year to represent the voices of students at UAA. “Under Jonathon’s leadership this past year, USUAA expanded its legislative structure to incorporate delegates from each college in order to better represent students, has become the definitive voice of UAA students in print and television media, and had generated over 1,300 hours of documented effort in service of students,” Ostrander said. “Working with Jonathon has been an outstanding experience. His high energy and curiosity made him a vibrant presence in the office, in meetings, and at events.” In addition to Taylor’s time representing UAA students on USUAA, Taylor was a member of the UAA debate team and represented UAA across the world competing in debate competitions. Johanna Richter, major in Math and Economics debated alongside Taylor for three years. Earlier this year, Richter and Tay-
lor went and competed in the World Universities Debating Championship, where they placed 33rd as a team out of 400. This is also Richter’s last year being on the debate team, which they both say is bittersweet. Richter was recently elected as the upcoming USUAA vice president, alongside Sam Erickson as president. Richter says that she and Taylor have excelled in public speaking since they were first paired together in 2013. “JT is naturally a really gifted speaker, but I think in the last year he really out did himself with how dynamic and engaging his speeches were, he got complimented on it by judges all the time,” Richter said. “He is definitely the type of person who sets an excellent example for everyone to look up to.” Taylor will be speaking at the May 1 spring commencement at the Alaska Airlines Center. This will be Taylor’s final time representing UAA students as the outgoing USUAA president and as a graduating senior.
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THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2016
Engineering a path to graduation By Jake Johnson
jjohnson@thenorthernlight.org
It should come as no shock that the current job market in Alaska has taken a few substantial cutbacks. Oil had dropped below $30 a barrel a few times this past year and big employers like Shell, B.P. and ConocoPhillips have had to layoff employees continually. The scarcity of jobs will effect a wide variety of students moving forward after college. For one group of graduates, it might be more nerve-racking than others. Engineers are always in high demand, at least that’s the attitude that has been drilled into the graduating engineering students of UAA for the last 4-6 years, but the times they are a changing. With the state facing big budget problems, some engineering students are going to be faced with more challenges than they had expected in finding jobs. “There are definitely less internships this year,” Donovan Parker, a Civil Engineering student graduating in December, said. “I’ve called around, looked online, spoke with other students, and it seems the consensus is companies are just not in a position to bring on interns right now.” While UAA engineering graduates are worried, UAF petroleum engineering students may have it the worst. According to Parker, those are the graduates who may face the most difficulty with finding jobs. The state of Alaska is always in constant need for many types of engineers. Even with the current economic challenges that face the state, it is still a very extreme weather climate. This means that there is constantly a need a repairs on roadways, water and waste transfer, as well as developing new ways to keep rural Alaskans safe from the extreme weather. “Engineering opportunities in Alaska will most likely always be necessary,” Fred Barlow, Dean of the College of Engineering said in an interview earlier this year. “Even with the price of oil low right now it relatively cyclical.” It seems as though jobs are scarce in Alaska and that any jobs related to the oil market are somewhat unpredictable. UAA offers many different types of engineering programs though that are also just as high in demand in our state. Those programs include: civil engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, computer systems engineering, electrical engineering, geomatics, Arctic engineering, project management, and engineering & science management. All of which can be utilized for jobs that aren’t necessarily related to the unpredictable oil market. Students graduating this year remain optimistic about searching for jobs. Even with the current job market slightly slowed down engineering grads like Brenden Welsh, a geomatics major, are just happy to be at the point of graduation and for a few other changes coming in the next weeks. “It’s another: milestone in life; a large amount of effort to get behind me; and a pathway to open doors ahead of me,” Welsh said. “My first child is due on May 1, same day as commencement. Nothing in life could be more exciting.” The College of Engineering is also not worried about their future. While the state’s fiscal situation looks grim, enrollment into the UAA College of Engineering is high with over 1,200 students currently enrolled in Engineering programs. Dean Barlow only expects that number to continue to rise. “Each year we have a slight increase in our program numbers, we have not lost students due to the economy,” Barlow said. While many students may not be as motivated this time of year as Welsh and Parker they advice engineering students to “keep on truckin.”
GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA
PHOTO BY KELLY IRELAND
With current oil prices, many engineering students are worried about their abilities to get jobs.
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MUSIC REVIEW
10 tracks to get you ready for graduation By Felipe Godoy Diaz Contributor
The last four years have been emotionally exhausting. Maybe you got and regretted getting food surprises from the Cuddy. You were definitely late to your class due to UAA parking. Maybe you saw that guy you were kinda friends with your sophomore year. Should you say hi? Should you even make eye contact? He was your partner on that assignment but didn’t you end up doing all the work? Anyway, now that you’re graduating, here are ten songs to play at your graduation party. Turn up Grandma!
Queen “We Are the Champions” This Queen track has become a staple at sporting events as the go to victory anthem. Graduating is definitely a personal victory that should be celebrated. Congratulations graduates, you are all champs.
The Who “My Generation” This track became one of The Who’s most successful songs ever recorded. It encapsulated the entirety of youth culture and put a time stamp on an era. Years from now you’ll probably brag to your children about how back when you graduated, your generation was better then theirs.
Green Day “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” Goodbyes can be hard. “Good Riddance” is another great 90s throwback that touches upon the memories and reflections of our past. The song reminds you to always remember the experiences you had in life including the ones in college.
LCD Soundsystem “All My Friends” Earlier this year LCD Soundsystem reunited for a series of shows that saw the band bring back their 2007 hit “All My Friends.” It details the highs and lows of friendships because what’s graduating college if you’re not doing it with your friends.
Vitamin C “Graduation (Friends Forever)” This is not only the ultimate graduation song but also a great 90’s throwback. Played at nearly every graduation, this track will forever be associated with graduates everywhere.
Alphaville “Forever Young” This 80s German power ballad was initially not successful in the United States but its legacy has spawned numerous covers including being sampled by JayZ in 2009. The song’s nostalgic synthesizers will always be associated with the 80s but the message can be carried on forever.
Beach Boys “Graduation Day” The band, The Four Freshmen, initially recorded “Graduation Day” in 1956 but years later it became a hit for the Beach Boys. It was covered live by the Beach Boys in 1968 and eventually thrown in as the B-side to the rerelease of The Beach Boys’ “Be True To Your School” in 1976
Bob Dylan “Forever Young” Dylan wrote and recorded the song as an ode to his newborn son Jakob. Released on his 1974 album “Planet Waves” it features the song twice in a fast and slow version, both equally great. Even though you’ll be graduating at least you’ll always be young inside.
Kool and the Gang “Celebration” Nothing makes you want to party more than this song and knowing that you’ll never have to procrastinate writing an essay ever again (at least if you don’t continue on in another program). “Celebration” is the perfect soundtrack to kickoff your graduating festivities especially if you’re hosting a groovy disco dance party.
Kanye West “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” Kanye completed his third installment of his educationthemed studio albums in 2007 with the classic record “Graduation.” The track “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” is the epitome of Kanye West’s attitude. From now on no one can doubt you because you’re finally graduating. Sometimes you have to live with that Kanye mantra.
f 2016
n o s n o i t a l Congrathuievement! Your Ac so Spring Clas
“I am proud to celebrate with you as your hard work and dedication are recognized, and I look forward to the mark you will make with the education you’ve received at UAA.” Tom Case, Chancellor
A&E
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‘A Wolf at the Door’ is a gut punch By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor
It’s tough to know who has it worse in “A Wolf at the Door.” The Brazilian crime thriller leaves none of its characters unscathed. Viewers’ sympathies are tested in nearly every scene, no small achievement, but first time director Fernando Coimbra makes it look easy. Downtrodden couple Bernardo (Milhem Cortaz, “Mundo Cão”) and Sylvia’s (Fabiula Nascimento, “Operações Especiais”) daughter is kidnapped. During the investigation, Bernardo reveals he has been sleeping with Rosa (Leandra Leal, “Chatô”). When Rosa is brought in for questioning, the story becomes far more complicated. In equal measure, “A Wolf at the Door” is filled with moments of hilarity and appalling cruelty. Bernardo, Sylvia, and Rosa are so well sketched that their actions, despite how awful they may be, make sense. There’s a rigid logic running through the movie: what goes around comes around. Seeds are planted, they grow, and they’re uprooted. Coimbra contrasts each one-on-one conversation, sometimes back to back, to emphasize the consequences of each relationship. In an unset-
tling, but telling, framing choice, characters are often introduced with their heads out of frame. By repeating these contrasts and images, Coimbra plays on viewers’ intuition. As such, something, in every scene, feels off-balance. Rosa’s introduction exemplifies this technique. Leandra Leal’s performance as her is riveting. Where Bernardo acts like a child, and Sylvia acts like an adult, Rosa falls squarely in the middle. She meets Bernardo at a transitional time in her life. Without truly knowing herself, she starts an affair with a man who she knows even less. As the relationship picks at her psyche, you may wonder if she’ll break. Leal’s performance is ambiguous enough that, truly, viewers may never be sure. From beginning to end, “A Wolf at the Door” is unpredictable. Each scene is unsettling on a deep level, and while viewers may not be able to pinpoint exactly why, Coimbra intentionally uses alienating formal techniques to evoke that feeling. An excellent cast, Leal best of them all, excels under that direction. It’s a dark and emotional roller coaster, but one viewers will want to endure.
TITLE “A Wolf at the Door”
DIRECTOR Fernando Coimbra
RELEASE DATE June 5, 2014
COUNTRY Brazil
B.A. Political Science Minors in Communication, Economics and Journalism President, USUAA Student Government
uaa congratulates
jonathon taylor student speaker for the
spring 2016 commencement ceremony Jonathon Taylor is a fitting selection for commencement speaker. After all, he’s been speaking on behalf of his 16,000 classmates as student body president. Jonathon took the reins of USUAA in May 2015. In times of significant change, his role often took the focus of a full-time job. Despite the demanding schedule, Jonathon has excelled academically while dedicating himself to the diverse concerns of UAA students. He is a three-time recipient of the UAA Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award and was named to the Chancellor’s List each year. His research on media portrayals of the trans community was a top paper of the 2015 Student Showcase.
uaa is an eeo/aa employer and educational institution.
He has also made a name for himself on Seawolf Debate. His persuasive skills earned him the top novice debater prize at regional tournaments. As a senior, he and his debate partner ranked 33rd in the world at the Worlds Universities Debating Championship in Greece. Jonathon clearly likes to stay busy, and graduation will provide only a brief rest. Tomorrow, he returns to his job. Yes, in addition to his immense campus involvement, he has also worked full time throughout his senior year.
GENRE Crime thriller