February 20, 2018

FEBRUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 26, 2018

FEATURES

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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“We’re All in This Together:” First Friday reception on March 2

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

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UAA gymnasts defeat Louisiana’s Centenary

Bill proposes University advocates for land grant smoke-free workplace

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

Senate Bill 63, a bill that proposes to extend the ban on smoking to workplaces, has made its way to the House Rules Committee. It has already passed through the Senate and is currently sitting in the committee to be considered for the floor vote.‌ Sen. Peter Micciche introduced the bill in February 2017. In his sponsor statement, he writes, “SB 63 seeks to protect Alaskan employees from the adverse health effects of secondhand smoke by providing a statewide smoke-free workplace law for business and public places.”

While the bill does not take away a person’s right to smoke, it “simply asks smokers to ‘take it outside.’”‌ Terrence Robbins lives in Ketchikan and has been advocating for the smoking ban for years, even back when the bill was formerly introduced as SB 1 in January 2015.‌ “If you pass this, it’ll save lives,” Robbins said. “No doubt about it. Smoking rates drop in towns that have smoke-free workplaces laws.”‌ According to 2016 tobacco facts released by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, about 20 percent of Alaskan adults are smokers.‌ Robbins has lost several family members to health-related complications due to smoking.‌ “I decided that I would try to do something,” Robbins said.‌ He went to the Ketchikan City Council to advocate for a local smoke-free bill but was unsuccessful while facing opposition from the Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant and Retailers Assocation.

After being contacted by the American Cancer Society, Robbins began testifying for SB 1.‌ CHARR does not support SB 63. Pete

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Government Relations officials from the University of Alaska are continuing to work with federal institutions to receive the federal land grant. The University of Alaska is a so-called “land grant” institution, meaning that federal laws enacted in 1915 and 1929 set aside land for a university in Alaska. ‌ Officials at UA say that the university has not been granted all of the land it was entitled to because the federal land was ceded to state management in 1959, when Alaska was recognized as a state. Associate Vice President of Government Relations, Miles Baker, said he will advocate at the federal level to obtain the total land grant.‌ “That is a huge priority for us, but there is nothing right now that we need from the [state] legislature, but it is our top federal priority,” Baker said.‌ Government Relations professionals at UA have had success at the state legislature advocating for the land grant in the past. In 2005, the legislature enacted a bill that would grant the university 265,000

acres, according to the university’s 2010 memo on the land grant. The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and the Tongass Conservation Society filled a lawsuit against the State which ended with a 2009 Alaska Supreme Court decision that overturned the land grant law.‌ “As this case illustrates, dedicating funds for a deserving purpose or a worthy institution is an attractive idea. Our constitutional founders were aware of the power of the dedication impulse. They decided that the good that might come from the dedication of funds for a particular purpose was outweighed by the longterm harm to state finances… We enforce the considered judgment of the founders in this case. We do so with full awareness that the University is an important state institution and that it would benefit from the enhanced endowment that the legislature intended to bestow,” wrote Justice Warren Matthews in the majority opinion for the court. ‌ Baker said he considers this a federal priority because of a part of the Constitution of Alaska that “dedications,” which were ruled unconstitutional, can be exempted if a federal regulation requires the dedication of land.‌

“We have to go back to Congress, because there is a small exception in the Alaska constitution that would allow such a dedication if it’s to comply with a federal program,” Baker said. “We are working with the Department of [Natural] Resources and the Governor’s office and our congressional delegation to try and find a solution to this.”‌ UA President, Jim Johnsen, said the land is important to the university’s fiscal future.‌ “[It] could very well be a really important funding source for the university in five years, 10 years,‌” Johnsen said.

Like other land managed by the university, property that is not used for educational purposes is termed as investment property. Some UA land holdings from 2017 were classified as potential timber development, material sales and oil and gas development.‌ “Even if we are successful in getting land, you have to then figure out a way to monetize that land,” Baker said. “It’s not going to be an immediate solution to our financing problems, but it’s an important piece of the puzzle.”‌ It is not clear where in Alaska the land for the land grant would come from.

Hockey down to two games left before playoffs

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

After their first meeting in mid-January, UAA and Bowling Green met up again on Feb. 15 - 16. Bowling Green currently sits at No. 3 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association with only five conference loses on the season and 16 wins, almost the complete opposite of the Seawolves.‌ Their first time meeting, the Seawolves traveled to Ohio to battle out their rivals, only to end up disappointed with a 2-6 and a 2-3 loss. Those losses only PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY

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Olivier Mantha blocks a shot from Bowling Green’s Max Johnson during the Seawolves final home game.

Mantha made 20 saves in the game.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

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Stock market drops, Alaska Permanent Fund remains up 26,616.71

23,932.88 23,860.46

GRAPHIC COURTESY OF YAHOO FINANCE

The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a market correction after dropping from its high value on Jan. 26. The bars indicate volume, showing that a stock has either risen or fallen.

By Mariah DeJesus-Remaklus mremaklus@thenorthernlight.org

U.S. stocks plunged on Feb. 5, sending Wall Street into a panic. The Dow Jones industrial average fell by 4.6 percent, its biggest single-day drop, and the Standards & Poor’s 500 fell by 4.1 percent.‌ Since then, the major stock market indexes have fluctuated, but the initial drops brought the Dow and S&P 500 more than 10 percent from their high prices on Jan. 26.‌ This is generally referred to as a market correction.‌ “I don’t think it was terribly surprising. It seems like it’s a reaction to the fact that wages are going up and fears about inflation,” Mouhcine Guettabi, assistant professor of economics and faculty member of UAA’s Institute of Social and Economic Research, said. “I don’t think there is a wider implication than that.”‌ The next day on Feb. 6, the Dow had gone up 2.3 percent and the S&P 500, 1.7 percent. The Nasdaq composite, which had only fallen 3.8 percent the previous day compared to the other major indexes’ tumbles, had risen by 2.1 percent.‌ Jacob Shercliffe, political science ma-

jor with minors in economics and communications, says his reaction to the drops was “it’s about time.”‌ “We’ve been having a solid market for a long time and it’s due for a correction,” Shercliffe said. “I think that there are a lot of other things happening that obviously change the way the marketplace works.

The [Donald] Trump presidency is one, where there’s some uncertainty, but generally has been pretty good in terms of what some investors think.”‌ Shercliffe has been investing in stocks for about five years. Some of his money has been put towards ETFs, or exchangetraded funds, which track a commodity, bonds or what’s called a “basket” of assets or securities. The S&P 500 index, composed of 500 leading companies’ stocks, is tracked by an ETF called the Spider.‌ The U.S. stock market has its ties with Alaskan economy as well. The Alaska Permanent Fund is comprised of various investments, such as stocks, bonds and real estate.‌ Angela Rodell, chief executive officer of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, says that approximately 40 percent of the permanent fund’s portfolio is invested in stocks, or the public equities.‌

“Those are stocks all over the world, not just the U.S. but international stocks as well,” Rodell said.‌ Since the permanent fund is made up of different assets, a plunge in the stock market could be made up for or compensated through another asset.‌ “When you have stock market drops that happen like that, sometimes it causes valuations in other asset classes to get better because there is what they call a flight to safety,” Rodell said. “People are getting out of their stock portfolios and they’re putting money into bonds and real estate, which means the demand for those assets go up, which means those valuations go up.”‌ “By having that diversified portfolio [in the permanent fund], you’re hoping to counter losses in one area with gains in another area. It’s not going to be perfect but that’s why we have the diversification of asset classes,” Rodell added.‌ The audited value for the permanent fund on June 30, 2017, which was the end of fiscal year 2017, was $59.8 billion. As of Feb. 15, it’s at $64 billion despite the stock market drops.‌ Guettabi says that slow economic growth may bring difficulties for the permanent fund.‌

“If we are entering a period of much slower growth, then that has implications for the growth of the funds, which potentially translates into lower dividends, and potentially translates into less of an ability for government to draw substantial funds from it,” Guettabi said.‌ Shercliffe says that attempting to time the market is “pretty much impossible,” but he encourages people to begin investing.‌ “A lot of investing just comes down to managing the amount of risks that you’re willing to take,” Shercliffe said. “Just try to be financially prudent... There are plenty of safe bets in the market. I think it’s something that everyone should at least know about.”‌ For Rodell, the swings in the market will probably stay for some time.‌ “I think the one thing I am expecting is that it will continue to do the unexpected,” Rodell said.‌ Both the Dow and S&P 500 have increased since their second drop on Feb. 8. As of Feb. 15, the Dow has risen 1.2 percent and the S&P 500 has risen 1.2 percent.

SMOKE-FREE: SB 63 to prohibit vapor and e-cigarette products indoors retail stores, or outside within 10 feet type of success, why would we pass a bill Fisher says, her daughter stopped needContinued from cover and of bar and restaurant entrances. Not only that’s contrary to their results?” McDon- ing treatments or an inhaler.‌ Hanson, president and CEO, says that businesses have already gone in the nonsmoking direction on their own.‌ “A huge majority of hospitality businesses are already non-smoking and most have gone non-smoking on their own,” Hanson said.‌ “The remaining businesses that do allow smoking — they’re going to get there at some point. This has been a trend over the last 30 years, really.”‌ SB 63 includes amendments that prohibit smoking in enclosed areas in public places, such as entertainment venues

does it contain extensive language about the types of buildings and public places that an individual cannot smoke in or near, but it also categorizes vapor products and e-cigarettes.‌ Alex McDonald, owner of Ice Fog Vapor in Fairbanks, quit smoking four years ago. He says that vapor products should be an alternative to tobacco products, referencing the United Kingdom and New Zealand’s legalization of e-cigarettes and vaping.‌ “If other countries are having this

ald said.‌ Jennifer Fisher, who lives in North Pole, switched from tobacco products to vapor products. She had been using tobacco since she was about 9 years old.‌ “I’ve done everything I could to try to quit and I wasn’t able to until I started vaping,” Fisher said.‌ Fisher’s ex-husband used to smoke cigarettes, though not indoors, and her daughter, who was 4 or 5 years old at the time, had breathing problems. Once he stopped smoking and started vaping,

“The senator and everyone fighting the bill both have the same goal in mind, you know, want to help people and help improve public health. But I’d like to see a sensible bill that [helps do] that,” McDonald said.‌ SB 63 was referred to the House Rules Committee on Jan. 26 and it is unclear when or if it will be scheduled for a floor vote.

Mike Mason, press secretary for the Alaska House Majority Coalition, had no comment on the scheduling.

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THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

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Third candidate for vice chancellor for Administrative Services presents at open forum

By Cheyenne Mathews cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

Candidates for vice chancellor for Administrative Services are presenting at open forums to the UAA community throughout February. Stephen Malott, vice president for Finance and Administration at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, answered questions at a public forum Feb. 13. His public forum for Feb. 12 was cancelled since the university was closed due to inclement weather. ‌ The Administrative Services position is one of the highest ranking and paying positions at UAA. The vice chancellor oversees Facilities and Campus Services, Athletics, Human Resource Services, University Police Department, Information Technology Services and Administrative Services.‌ “The position I’m in now has been a good position and so forth, but it has a very limited range,” Malott said. “It’s almost entirely finance. It doesn’t have the range of activities that this position has, and I find that really quite limiting.”‌ Before he worked at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Malott worked as vice president for Administration and Finance at the American University of Iraq in Sulaimani. His other positions in higher education included a role as vice chancellor of Administrative Services at the Missouri

PHOTO BY JAY GUZMAN

Candidate for Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, Stephen Malott, answers questions at an open forum Feb. 13.

University of Science and Technology, assistant dean of the School of Business Administration at Georgetown University and assistant dean for Residence Life at Georgetown University. ‌ Senior Human Resource Services Consultant, Michelle Yerkes, asked Malott what experience he had with all of the different departments and divisions within Administrative Services and, “How would you pay attention to or focus, or give attention to the smaller departments like HR services, parking and the University Police Department?”‌ “I see the primary role as Vice Chancellor of Administrative services as the people who

report to him, is to make sure they have the resources they need,” Malott said. “There’s this dual role because you’re the manager of a major unit and you have to look at all the people in that unit, but at the same time you are managing an institutionwide kind of approach to budgeting.”‌ Outside of higher education, Malott has had a career as a foreign service officer for the Department of State, where he was posted in Africa, Europe, India and the Caribbean. Malott said he has experience with security management through his foreign service. ‌ “One of the regular things I

did was have meetings, for example in Prague, I met every three weeks with the city police chief. That was a time when embassies were coming under threat,” Malott said.‌ Executive Director of Student Outreach and Transition, Theresa Lyons, asked Malott, “how do you utilize the mission or the strategic plan of the institution to help make decisions around the budget of the university overall?”‌ “You spend a lot of time building trust. You get out and chat with people… you give them an opportunity to show you what they’re doing and what they take pride in,” Malott said.‌

On Feb. 14-15, there was an open forum with candidate Beverly Cotton Shuford; you can read about Shuford in the paper next week. One of the candidates, Andrew Harris, has withdrawn his application and will not be presenting at UAA. The final candidate forum will be held Feb. 2122. Interim Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Pat Shier will be answering questions in the UAA/APU Consortium Library, Room 307.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

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Mountain View urban farm offers opportunity for refugee farmers Anchorage Community Land Trust and Catholic Social Services to enhance the Mountain View neighborhood and provide social opportunities, business opportunities and increase food security so that participants have access to food to provide for their families,” Krauszer said. “It’ll be a place where the neighborhood can access healthy affordable food as well.”‌ ACLT works with residents, business owners and stakeholders in Mountain View, Fairview and Spenard. The nonprofit organization purchases property that has been vacant for 10 or more years, or contaminated by hazardous materials.

“Back in 2016, we had heard from a lot of refugee families from the neighborPHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES hood were looking for more economic opportunities in the neighborhood that Catholic Social Services and Anchorage Community Land Trust work together to expand the Mountain View they live in,” Cohn said. “Transportation farmers market. can be a big issue; a lot of people are on gram was created by the Catholic Social the bus system. They were looking for Services in 2007. The program helps ref- opportunities to operate their businesses

By Mizelle Mayo ugees hone their agricultural experiences in their own neighborhood,” Emily Cohn, features2@thenorthernlight.org from their former lives to the Mountain ACLT communications and development Mountain View is the most diverse View neighborhood. The refugee partici- manager, said. neighborhood in the U.S., according pants in the program will be able to showAs refugee families voiced out their to the 2014 diversity census created by case samplings of their produce at the up- needs for economic opportunities, the UAA’s sociology professor, Chad Far- coming Grow North Farm-raiser.‌ Mountain View farmer’s market was Catholic Social Services’ Director of born.‌ rell. Anchorage welcomes refugees with the help from Catholic Social Services Refugee Assistance and Immigration According to New Americans in Anand Anchorage Community Land Trust. Services, Liza Krauszer, brought the pro- chorage, refugees and immigrants conThey are given opportunities to be inte- gram up into a conversation with ACLT tributed $1.9 billion to the city’s gross dograted into the community by programs and formed a plan to utilize a space for mestic product in 2014.‌ refugee farmers to grow and sell produce.‌ like Fresh International Gardens.‌ Two years ago, the Anchorage Com“It’s a joining of the missions of both munity Land Trust received a grant to The Fresh International Gardens pro-

build a farmer’s market on the vacant lots where the farm is going to be. The initial farmer’s market season was a success with over 27 vendors involved. In the summer of 2017, they put $20,000 directly into the pockets of the entrepreneurs in the neighborhood.‌ The partnership of Catholic Social Services and ACLT created the Grow North Farm-raiser event to raise money for an urban farm in the heart of Mountain View neighborhood.‌ “This lot that the farm is going to be built on used to be this old RV park hotel. It was super run down, old rusty pipes coming out of the ground. It was really contaminated,” Cohn said. “We took that and invested a bunch of money to the site and demolished everything.”

The urban farm on Mountain View Drive will expand the Fresh International Gardens’ current garden plots to 27,000 square feet. One third of the lot will be for current Fresh International Gardens participants and the remaining two thirds will be for those that have graduated from the program.‌ The Grow North Farm-raiser will have baked and fermented goods, such as pickled grapes, garlic cloves, onions and carrots to name a few. All proceeds will go towards soil to build the Grow North Farm this summer of 2018.‌ The event will be held on Feb. 21 at Resolution Brewing Company on Mountain View Drive from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Sustainable Seawolf: Community gardens bring people together

By Abby Slater

features@thenorthernlight.org

In last week’s debut of the Sustainable Seawolf column, we broke down the process of building an indoor container garden. If you are completely out of space and cannot spare room for your own garden, you’re not alone.

Luckily, there are solutions to this issue. Community gardens provide plots of land to people who want to grow their own herbs, foods and flowers, but don’t own the space to do it on their own. In some gardens, people pay for plots and reap everything that they sow. In other gardens, people plant in their plot and all of the gardeners share in the bounty. ‌ Community gardens are abundant around town, with some of them owned by condo associations and others open to the public. McPhee Community Gardens near Mountain View and C Street Community Gardens are just a few of the available options. ‌ Around April, registration opens for garden plots. You can sign up through the Anchorage Municipality website, pay a fee for the plot, and in late April you can begin working on your plot, preparing it for May 15 when the city turns on the water supply to the area. ‌ According to the Municipality’s guidelines for the community gardens,

“Garden amenities vary from site to site; however, most community gardens have access to water, are monitored by Parks and Recreation staff and provide portable toilets, garbage cans and parking.”‌ Community gardens sometimes have waitlists. If you can’t get a plot of land in one, Yarducopia is another option in town. It pairs gardeners with homeowners who have yard space that they would like to share with people who don’t. Signup is a quick online process through yarducopia.org. ‌ For ambitious students wanting a plot of land a little closer to campus, UAA has hosted a community garden in the past. ‌ Shannon Donovan, an associate professor of environmental studies at UAA, said that the garden disappeared after two years of being in operation due to the remodel of Beatrice McDonald Hall.‌ “During the remodel, the garden area was torn up and we were not allocated another plot of land,” Donovan said. ‌ This does not mean that the garden is gone entirely. ‌ “It would be great if someone wanted to start another garden,” Donovan said.

“We do have a manual that includes the protocol the students used.”‌ Community gardens are a fun, easy way to learn a new skill while helping to support an important city project. For the full list of community gardens in Anchorage, go to muni.org.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

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VH Hydroponics pilots new line of College Cookbook: Alaskan Pop-Tarts growing cabinets in Student Union

By Victoria Petersen copy@thenorthernlight.org

I’ve been dreaming about summer and berry picking. To satisfy my fresh Alaskan berry craving, I pulled out all of my jams and jellies that were made last summer. I wanted to stray away from the classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and use the jam and jelly in a more creative way.

Toaster pastries are an easy food to grab in the morning and I saw a recipe for them on Pinterest, so I thought I would give them a try and add an Alaskan twist. I used a basic pie crust recipe and royal icing recipe, but you can buy the pie crust and icing if that’s easier for you.

These ended up being more similar to a toaster strudel, but it was tasty nonetheless.

Ingredients • Pie crust, store bought or homemade • Jelly or jam of your choice, about 1 tablespoon per pastry • Royal icing, store bought or homemade • Sprinkles, optional PHOTO BY SAM DAVENPORT

Chard, kale, lettuce, chamomille, mint and strawberry sprouts are some of the first plants being grown in the VH Hydroponics growing cabinet, located in the Student Union.

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

A demo unit of Vertical Harvest Hydroponics’ new indoor gardening cabinets is now installed in UAA’s Student Union. The university is one of only two places that the hydroponic growing cabinets are located in Anchorage, along with the Anchorage Museum.‌ VH Hydroponics is an agricultural technology company headquartered in Anchorage. The company, founded in 2014, has a mission to “provide an alternate way to source fresh, locally grown and sustainable produce in remote communities, year round,” as stated on their website.‌ Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in a nutrient dissolved solution rather than in soil. This method offers many advantages, notably location flexibility and ability to produce crops yearround. Other pros include no weather dependency, little to no bugs or weeds, less water consumption than typical farms and the ability to grow a large variety of crops.‌ The idea for installing a hydroponic cabinet in the university was presented by a group of students to the Green Fee Board. Many other hydroponic-based proposals have been brought to the board in the past, but according to Heather Jesse, chairperson for the Green Fee Board, this idea rose above the rest.‌ “Hydroponics is one of the most popular student ideas and one that is frequently presented to the board via grant proposals,” Jesse said. “This was the most feasible hydroponics proposal we’ve ever received, financially and physically. We were more than happy to fund it.”‌ After the efforts of the Green Fee Board, partnered with Student Activities and Commuter Programs, the hydroponic cabinet is now up and running in the Student Union. It is currently growing chard, kale, lettuce, chamomile, mint and strawberries. ‌ Produce grown in the cabinet will help support the Daily Den and offers free food and beverages to students twice a day, Monday through Thursday. Vegetables produced in the cabinet will be introduced into the meals made at the Daily

Den.‌ Jesse found the decision to install the cabinet extremely beneficial to students who take advantage of the Daily Den. She also believes it is a good use of the Green Fee, a $3 fee collected from every UAA student taking at least three credits on campus. ‌ “As a student who frequently eats at the Daily Den, I think the benefits are very clear. Almost all of the meals I’ve had there have been carbs, frozen or both,” Jesse said. “Being able to provide students with proper nutrition, fresh vegetables and fruit is a priceless opportunity, especially since the Daily Den serves so many students each year.” ‌ The growing cabinets are a new and smaller alternative to VH Hydroponics’ main product, the Containerized Growing System. These 40-foot units function relatively the same as the cabinets, although much larger. They are used in grocery stores, restaurants and hospitals.‌ Joe Selmont, a member of the Green Fee Board, sees the current cabinet system as an investment that could continue to grow in the future.‌ “In the long term, our little experiment with hydroponics holds potential to inspire confidence for the university to purchase a larger system that could eventually make us more self-sufficient, while simultaneously providing much needed nourishment to food-insecure students,” Selmont said.‌ If the cabinet proves successful, Kojin Tranberg, Commuter Programs Coordinator within the Student Life and Leadership office, hopes to invest in one of the larger, commercial hydroponic units.

This investment would also involve the organization’s campus partners, Seawolf Dining and the UAA Culinary Arts program.‌ One of Tranberg’s main focuses is food insecurity on-campus. This topic is one of the motivations behind the installation of the hydroponic cabinet. Tranberg believes the new growing unit will initiate student conversations about the topic.‌ “I personally have an ambition to stamp out hunger on campus,” Tranberg said. “This hydroponic garden is a key part in bringing awareness to the issue of food insecurity.”

Directions 1. Roll out your pie dough until it’s about 1/4 inch thick.

2. Cut the dough into rectangles, about 5 inches-by-3 inches.

3. Dollop a spoonful of jelly or jam into the middle of one of the cut rectangles.

4. Place a second rectangle on top and press down on the sides of the pastry to create a pocket. Cut a slit on the top of the pastry.

5. Continue this until you have used all of the cut rectangles from your dough and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden in color.

7. While the pastries cool, get your royal icing and sprinkles ready.

Frost the top of the pastries when they have cooled, enjoy.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA PETERSEN

& AE

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

Three winter day trips

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A noteworthy weekend

Symphony of Sounds 2018 is a major event for UAA’s Department of Music, Feb. 24 - 25

PHOTO BY ABBY SLATER

By Abby Slater

features@thenorthernlight.org

Winter can be a hard time for Alaskans. After all the holidays feasts, many of us hit a wall. It’s around this time that we begin to daydream about summer camping trips.‌ In spite of how it feels sometimes, Alaska does not shut down in the winter. Although it takes a lot more planning and packing, winter travel can be done safely. Here are three trips that you can make in a single day from Anchorage. ‌ Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center‌ Many people don’t know that the conservation center remains open during the winter. If you go during this time, you can skip the lines and crowds and get great photos of wildlife in winter. From midtown, it takes less than an hour to get there, and the journey is relatively easy. You should pack warm gear in the unlikely event of your car going off the road, but there’s no need for hardcore survival gear with this trip.‌ Oh, and don’t forget to stop at The Bake Shop in Girdwood for a giant cinnamon roll. ‌ Ice skating in Eklutna‌ There are plenty of indoor skating options in Anchorage, but none of them offers up a view like Eklutna. With wideopen spaces and views of beautiful mountain ranges, ice skating on Eklutna Lake is the perfect day getaway.‌ Rentals aren’t offered on site, but you can rent skates for the day at Play It Again Sports, Alaska Outdoor Gear Rental and the Gear Room in the Student Union. You can check skate conditions at www.anchorageskates.org. If conditions aren’t right for ice skating, bring ice cleats and take advantage of good hiking. Visitors should pack warm gear and a basic first

aid kit, as driving conditions in Eklutna can be rough during the winter.‌ ‌ Snowshoeing at Alyeska‌ Snowshoe rentals are available at the Alyeska Hotel for $15 all day. Rentals are open to the public, and you do not need a reservation in order to rent a pair. Snowshoes allow hikers to trek in areas of high snow. Be sure to take someone knowledgeable of the trails or have a GPS tracker. ‌ Alyeska is about 40 minutes south of Anchorage, but wrecks are common in the winter along the Seward Highway and can slow traffic down. Plan to leave early to avoid any hiccups on the road. Pack a heavy coat, wool base layers and a good first aid kit in case you get into a wreck or get lost while snowshoeing. ‌ Honorable mention: Dog sledding in Denali‌ Though this is technically an overnight excursion, it deserves mentioning since Fur Rondy is right around the corner. For those wanting a lesson in dog sledding, Earthsong Lodge and Denali Dog Sled Expeditions offer overnight tours by dog sled, including a full day of training.

Excursions require a reservation, which can be made online. ‌ Earthsong Lodge is a little less than five hours away by car, and it passes through some treacherous driving conditions.

Pack as much wool gear as possible, a first aid kit, a spare tire, enough extra food to get you through at least 24 hours and a full gas can. Some of these areas are far away from the next town, and if you break down in one of them you’ll be thankful for the extra supplies. ‌ Winter doesn’t have to be a depressing time of year. Getting out of the city can help alleviate that cooped-up feeling that tends to accompany seasonal affective disorder. With these three day trips, you’ll stay busy until spring hits.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHIL HALL

Grant Cochran conducts UAA performers at the Symphony of Sounds 2016. This year, Symphony of Sounds 2018 returns to the Fine Arts Building’s Recital Hall, Feb. 24 - 25.

By Malia Barto

arts@thenorthernlight.org

During the last weekend of February, the Fine Arts Building’s Recital Hall will be filled with a ‘symphony of sounds.’

Symphony of Sounds 2018 is a non-stop musical performance, offering samples of multiple selections of music. Developed 22 years ago, it is the largest musical performance UAA’s Department of Music offers yearly and will hold two performances this year: Saturday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.‌ UAA professor of music and one of the organizers this year, Mark Wolbers, gave a rough estimate of nearly 100 musicians performing this year.‌ “The event is really exciting as a whole. You don’t just stay in any one piece and there’s a lot of variety happening throughout each half,” Wolbers said.‌ The performance is divided into two halves with a silent auction during intermission and after the show. The ticket sales,

silent auction proceeds and any donations raised will go to benefit the UAA Excellence in Music Fund, which helps provides scholarships to music students.‌ “[The shows] are two opportunities to hear the best of what we have to offer at the music department,” Armin Abdihodžic said. “If you haven’t been to our event, check it out, all the money goes to the students so you’re supporting a good cause by showing up.”‌ Abdihodžic is an assistant professor in music at UAA with a focus in classical guitar and one of the organizers for the performances this year alongside Wolbers, who is also the coordinator for wind and percussion studies and conductor of the wind ensemble.‌ The night will give a sample of the work the music department has been working on from musical theater to opera, from student ensembles like the university singers and guitar ensemble and much more. Auditions are held in the ending of the fall semester for those outside of the ensembles who would

like a spot in the program.‌ Rain Essex, major in vocal performance with a jazz emphasis, will be performing with the choir this year. She and fellow musicians have been hard at work in preparation for the upcoming nights of music.‌ “I get nervous before shows, but when you’re up there on stage with such fantastic performers and have a great conductor, it’s easy to forget the nerves and just have fun,” Essex said. “Many times in my other classes, I’ll have a student in another field ask my major and tell me ‘oh, that must be easy,’ but I think students in the music department work the hardest to become the best at what they do.”‌ Symphony of Sounds will have a free, “behind the scenes” preview show, Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 5 - 7 p.m. held in the UAA Bookstore Loft.‌ Tickets for Saturday and Sunday’s shows are available at ArtsUAA.com, and range from $19.99 to $24.99, depending on seating in the hall.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

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A new spin on cardio Student sends political

message with art collection

By Robin O’Donoghue arts2@thenorthernlight.org

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Caleigh Jensen

cjensen@thenorthernlight.org

Throughout the 2018 spring semester, UAA is offering rev cycling, or group cycling, classes. Consisting of a stationary bike workout, each hour-long class offers a cardio workout, creating heat during the winter and spring months. It takes place twice a week and is free to all full-time students. Classes are also open to the rest of the university and Anchorage community.‌ The instructor, Skyla Walcott, is a graduate student in the biological sciences department.

Walcott took cycling classes at UAA in previous years, and recently took over the instructor position. In her classes, Walcott puts her own spin on the tips and tricks she learned from past experiences.‌ “My goal for each class is to play fun music that appeals to everyone and keeps you motivated to focus on different types of spin training. A mix of everything to keep things interesting,” Walcott said.‌ Each cycling class kicks off with a 10 minute warm-up, leading into a 20 minute workout, consisting of resistance and sprint training. After a three minute break, another 20 minute cardio session takes place. The class wraps up with 10 minutes of cool down and stretching.‌ Although each class follows the same basic outline, sessions vary for each cyclist. According to Gregory Michaelson, civil engineering lab tech and regular attendee of the class, one of the many benefits of cycling is the self-motivation it encourages.‌ “You control how hard the class is. You have the ability to push harder or rest more, depending on how you feel during each class,” Michaelson said. “In a way, it is very flexible within each class.”‌ Another perk of the workout is the fact that it’s indoors.

This creates an opportunity to keep up endurance, and even strengthen muscles further during the cold winter months.‌ “I recently had knee surgery, and spin has really helped loosen it up and speed the recovery,” Greg Merrill, second-year graduate student in the biological sciences department, said. “It’s a great way to stay active in the cold, dark winters here.”‌ Rev cycling uses a variety of muscle groups within the cardio workout. Both Walcott and Michaelson find the sessions helpful in staying in shape for long mountain biking rides across trails and around town during the summer.‌ “Spin has been a way for me to work different muscle groups that are not used during running, and helps to strengthen my knees and aid different muscle groups for a much healthier body,” Walcott said. “Some students even use this class as a way to train for triathlons and long bike races.”‌ No experience is needed to attend a class. Although the workout is hard, it is both rewarding and fulfilling, according to Walcott.‌ “It’s all about knowing your body and knowing where you want to keep consistent and where you want to improve. Everyone is on different levels, going through the same motions to keep one another motivated,” Walcott said. “It’s your ride, and you make the most of it.”‌ To participate in the group cycling classes, only a current UAA Recreation Pass and a signed form are needed. Those without a pass are also welcome to attend by paying a daily-use fee for each class.‌ The rev cycling classes take place every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the entire spring semester, running from 5:306:30 p.m. The class is located in the stationary bike room in the Wells Fargo Sports Complex, Room 205.

The first thing you see when you walk into the Hugh McPeck Gallery’s exhibition of Carol McCarty’s “We’re All in This Together” is “Coastal Erosion,” a scene of ceramic human figures with pained expressions laying on a sea of blue fabric next to a submerged Statue of Liberty.‌ “It occurred to me that villages in parts of Alaska are being washed away… so I thought, ‘What if it were Manhattan?’

Then, people would pay attention,” McCarty said.‌ McCarty, who worked as a registered nurse before obtaining a master’s degree in public health, channels her career, life experience and interests in “We’re All in This Together.”

After being confirmed by the advisory board last spring for a solo gallery show, she began working to put the exhibition together. ‌ The politically charged collection reflects on motifs of public health, environmental health and the long-term effects war imposes on societies.‌ Jaydon Mitchell, a culinary major, particularly enjoyed “Coastal Erosion.”‌

“Taking into account the current global climate, this exhibit was really raw and eye-opening... it sent shivers down my spine,” Mitchell said.‌ Across the gallery opposite of “Coastal Erosion” sits a vibrant red, abstract sculpture called “Horror.”‌ “‘Horror’ is based on the weapons of war and the impact, so it had to be bloody. I’ve long been disappointed that the world thinks we need so many landmines and that they still remain submerged, maiming and killing humans and animals,” McCarty said.‌ McCarty began taking art classes while she finished her master’s degree in public health in 2015. She took a few art classes each semester, gradually exploring different mediums before deciding to focus on threedimensional art.‌ “I’ve gotten to know Carol [McCarty] a lot over the last few years,” Alanna Derocchi, UAA ceramics instructor, said. “This exhibition is a great collection of all her experiences into the statement she’s making... Having someone like Carol is useful in class, so other students can see how someone brings their experiences into their work.”‌ In “We’re All in This Together,” McCarty also responds to

the current political climate in America.‌ “It seems like everything I care about is under attack, healthcare, the environment and science...” McCarty said. “It seems like it’s not being listened to.”‌ While putting the exhibition together, McCarty realized she needed a symbol of hope for the dystopian world she was reflecting on, which brought her to create the piece “Mother.” She purposely crafted the face and features of the woman in “Mother” to be non-distinct because she wanted the focus of the piece to be on the hands holding the child.‌ “There is no greater symbol of hope than a human child,” McCarty said. “Every child deserves to be given what they need to achieve greatness because… without this nurturing and domesticity, societies will fail.”‌ There will be a First Friday reception for “We’re All in This Together” from 5 - 7 p.m. March 2 in the gallery, located upstairs at the Student Union.‌ The Hugh McPeck Gallery is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHRISTIAN CIELO

“Coastal Erosion,” created by Carol McCarty, was inspired by a lack of focus on the erosion of Alaskan villages.

“Socialism” is a piece inspired by Kathe Kollwitz, a politician many believed to be a socialist. Artist Carol McCarty composed the piece for her exhibition in the Hugh McPeck Gallery, entitled “We’re All In This Together,” to demonstrate motifs of the long-term effects surrounding public and environmental health issues.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

| 08

Seawolf gymnasts fend off Centenary

By Marie Ries

news2@thenorthernlight.org

On Feb. 9 and 11, the UAA gymnastics team earned two victories in dual meets against Division III Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. After struggling with injuries, the Seawolves are now on the road to recovery, beating the Centenary Ladies with 188.500 to 187.700 on Feb. 9 and 189.050 to 188.750 on Feb. 11.‌ The Friday meet was highlighted by the all-around performance of sophomore Mackenzie Miller. The Michigan native scored a career-high score of 38.200 to take home the allaround victory and boost the team to its fourth meet win of the 2018 season. ‌ Despite the injuries and illnesses the team had to overcome in the last weeks, she believes that the UAA team is still competitive.

“I think the team has continued to do a great job throughout the season, even with all of the injuries. A lot of girls have really stepped up, and I’m very proud of how far we have come.

This has added a lot of depth to the team,” Miller said.‌ Freshman Isabelle Fox placed second in all-around with a result of 38.075.

Vault was the strongest event for the UAA gymnasts, making up for a rocky start on the un-

even bars. Freshman Isabelle Fox and sophomore Kennedy Green placed first with scores of 9.675, respectively. This score was a career-best for Green.

With the help of junior Kierra Abrahams’s 9.625, the Seawolves swept the top three ranks and posted a season-high team score for vault with 48.075.‌ Senior Kendra Daniels secured the highest score for UAA in floor exercise. Her 9.625 ranked her second, just 0.050 points shy of Centenary’s Navia Jordan result.‌ With 9.725, Daniels also performed well on the balance beam, followed by Fox (9.625) and Hope Nelson (9.600). Again, UAA went 1-2-3 on this apparatus.‌ Team captain Madeleine Arbuckle made her debut back after suffering an injury in the Green and Gold intrasquad meet in December. At the Seawolf Invitational tri-meet, the senior had already performed exhibition routines in three events.

This was her first time back in official line-up, helping her team with solid efforts in vault (9.450) and floor exercise (9.200).‌ Before the rematch on Sunday, the gymnastics team used their day off to attend the local Mardi Gras parade in Shreveport.

“Some of the girls had never seen a Mardi Gras parade before. We had a lot of fun with the team,” sophomore Sophia Hy-

PHOTO COURTESY OF SKIP HICKEY

Hope Nelson transitions between uneven bars. Nelson scored a 9.7, winning the apparatus, during her rotation at the Feb. 11 meet versus Centenary in Shreveport, Louisiana.

derally said.‌ On Sunday, the team returned to Centenary’s Golden Dome. ‌ This time, Fox earned the allaround win with a 38.400 after her runner-up performance on Friday. Her teammate Nelson contributed the highest uneven bars score with a score of 9.700, highlighting the troubled first rotation.‌ The Ladies were leading for the first half, but the Seawolves had a strong comeback during the last two rotations. They posted their best scores in floor exercise (47.875) and on balance beam (48.175) to earn a narrow victory over Centenary. ‌ Daniels once again helped the Seawolves with her balance

beam performance, scoring a winning 9.82. Fox earned a career high 9.775 in the last rotation, placing her second behind her teammate.‌ Boosted by the strong performances in the last rotation, UAA overcame Centenary and secured the overall win.‌ Head Coach Tanya Ho was optimistic about the remaining part of the season after the two meets in Louisiana. “We had a strong first half of the meet Friday night and a strong second half of the meet Sunday night.

Once we figure out how to put those two together, we can become competitive within our conference,” Ho said.‌ In practice, the team will be

working hard to achieve that, Miller explained.

“We’re still continuing to push ourselves in the gym every day,” Miller said. “I think our main focus right now is to stay healthy and continue to work hard. We want to be able to compete like we practice, so we’re really trying to focus on being clean and consistent in the gym.”‌ The gymnastic team returns to action on Feb. 23 in Seattle, Washington, facing conference foes Seattle Pacific and Sacramento State in a tri-meet. The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championships are scheduled for March 24.

UAA’s running phenomenon: Caroline Kurgat

PHOTO COURTESY OF WESTERN OREGON ATHLETICS

Caroline Kurgat leads the pack at the West Region Championships on Nov. 4, 2017 in Monmouth, Oregon. Kurgat has been named the Division II Female Scholar Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association.

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

Lauren Cuddihy is a member of UAA’s track and field team.‌ Starting off as Great Northwest Athletic Conference freshman of the year in 2015, senior Caroline Kurgat has worked her way up the ladder of success to seize many more awards and records. The nurse-to-be is set to compete in her final outdoor track season starting this March after competing in her final season of cross-country in

Fall 2017. She will also have one more season of indoor track left to compete in next year. ‌ Currently balancing a major in both medical laboratory science and nursing, Kurgat was honored with the prestigious title of NCAA Division II Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. This was the first time in UAA history that a track and field or crosscountry athlete was awarded the title. ‌ That award came only after her NCAA DII Cross-Country Championships first place finish. In November of 2017, the

Seawolves took off to Indiana to compete in Kurgat’s last crosscountry championship.‌ “Receiving the Scholar Athlete of the Year award on top of that was so amazing. After being in the top 10 the past two seasons, I was motivated to go for the win,” Kurgat said. ‌ With a time of 20 minutes and 32 seconds, Kurgat finished the 6-kilometer race with a 20 second lead and became the first Seawolf to ever win a cross country title. She also had other members of Seawolves trailing in behind her and cheering her

on. ‌ “My friends [and teammates] have been challenging me to make it happen, too. I was very happy when it actually happened because I proved to those who believed in me that they had seen something positive which was slowly coming to a reality,” Kurgat said. ‌ That race was only the mere eighth appearance that Kurgat had made at a national meet, including four cross-country championships, two outdoor track championships and two indoor track championships. ‌ Throughout her eight appearances and three and a half years at UAA, Kurgat has managed to accumulate 14 awards in 2017 alone. ‌ Among those awards, the ones with the most prestige include: National Scholar Athlete of the Year, National Athlete of the Year, West Regional Athlete of the Year, GNAC Runner of the Year, and DII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for crosscountry.‌ In addition, Kurgat has made twelve separate first-place finishes during her time so far at UAA, with an additional ten runner-up finishes and nine third place finishes. ‌ These top finishes all helped her improve her personal best times for her track events which include a 4:53 mile, a 9:27 3-ki-

lometer, a 16:44 5-kilometer and a 33:38 10-kilometer. ‌ As for cross-country, Kurgat holds a 18:15 5-kilometer and a 20:14 6-kilometer. ‌ As for now, Kurgat is only training and focusing on her schoolwork, but she will be back in action for the 2018 outdoor track season which starts in March. The nursing major is thankful for the time she has to focus on school.‌ Her main goal is to graduate with her degree, but Kurgat wants to make a difference in people’s lives.‌ “School always comes first.

I have learned to be organized and to stay on top of things at all times. My coaches and professors have been so understanding and supportive to contributing much to my success,” Kurgat said. ‌ Despite the break, she said she is looking forward to getting back into the swing of running.

“I have two outdoors and one indoor left and those are my focus points right now [as for running]. I don’t have any cross country which is sad because I liked it better, but I am excited for the remaining few seasons,” Kurgat said. ‌ Kurgat and the Seawolves will debut their 2018 outdoor track and field season on March 16 in Oregon for the Willamette Invitational.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

| 09

HOCKEY: 2 wins, 21 losses for Seawolf season Continued from cover contributed to the 10 game losing-streak that the Seawolves currently have. Their last win was a 2-1 win against AlabamaHuntsville on Jan. 13.‌ At that point, the Seawolves were higher in the rankings but have fallen since. Head Coach Matt Thomas has been contemplating the issues they have run into over the season. ‌ “I think that any time you’re right in the mix [like we were most of the season] you’re doing something right when you’re at least getting points, but we haven’t been able to really connect offensively because its just injury after injury,” Thomas said. ‌ This time, the home-field advantage for the Seawolves didn’t have much of an impact on the outcome. The first game, similar to the first one in Ohio, resulted in a 2-5 loss for the Seawolves.‌ As goaltender, the Seawolves made a switch up from the well-known and expected Olivier Mantha, and put in freshmen Brody Claeys for the entire game. He made 25 saves on the night.‌ Both teams suffered a slow start, with no points in the first period and only 1 each in the second period. However, Bowling Green pulled things together in the third period to extend their lead by 3 points.‌ In addition, both teams start-

ed out with an even amount of shot attempts: 8 in the first period. During the second period UAA made 5 more attempts than Bowling Green, who attempted 9. The outcome was the same, both teams made 1 goal.‌ Once the third period was underway, Bowling Green more than doubled both UAA’s attempts and goals. The Seawolves only put in 6 attempts and made 1 goal; Bowling Green put in 13 attempts and made 4 goals, including 1 empty-netter.‌ One goal on UAA’s side was credited to sophomore defensemen Tomi Hiekkavirta at 9:16 in the second period. His goal was assisted by senior defensemen Jarrett Brown and freshman forward Jordan Xavier.‌ Brown made the second goal in the third period of the game.

Of his two attempted shots during the game, this was the only one that was successful.‌ It was early in the period, only two minutes in, when Brown was assisted by junior forward Alex Jackstadt and Xavier to make the final UAA goal of the game.‌ As for Friday night, the Seawolves came back for redemption, ended up a little closer, but still lost.‌ Similar to Thursday’s game, there was no scoring in the first period of the night. That changed when Bowling Green scored nine seconds into the sec-

ond period for the first goal.‌ Bowling Green’s Connor Ford managed to score on his only attempt for the night, helping his team win with a one point lead at 2-1. Second to that was Tyler Spezia who scored just over half way through the third period to solidify their win.‌ As for the Seawolves, it was late in the second period when they were able to temporarily tie up the game.‌ Regardless of the end score, a momentary tie is still an accomplishment to Corey Renwick and his teammates. ‌ “I think I just want to see us keep getting on the board and also to stay out of the [penalty] box a little bit, we’ve been getting a lot of penalties lately, but yeah, we just need to keep playing hard and stick to our system,” Renwick said. ‌ Senior forward Alec Butcher worked off of assists from senior defenseman Tanner Johnson and sophomore defenseman David Trinkberger to score the Seawolves’ only point for the night.‌ The tie lasted for 13 minutes until Bowling Green finished off the final point of the night for the win.‌ Of Bowling Green’s 22 shots on goal, it was Mantha who made the 20 saves that reduced the lead Bowling Green had over the Seawolves. On the other side of things, Bowling State’s goaltender Eric Gop made 16 saves

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLLEEN KOZUN

Olivier Mantha and Tad Kozun share an emotional farewell to the Sullivan Arena after their final home game on Feb. 16.

that prevented the Seawolves from advancing their score.‌ “It’s been frustrating because we are having to overplay guys and they are getting tired in the third period. That is an area that we don’t want to get into, but we have a lot of younger guys that

aren’t 100 percent comfortable with our systems,” Thomas said.‌ The Seawolves only have two games left in the regular season. Both games are a part of the Alaska Airlines Governor’s Cup in Fairbanks, taking place on Feb. 23-24.

10 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2018

CONTACT

THENORTHERNLIGHT

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