March 26th, 2024 by The Northern Light

FEATURES PAGE 3

Mayoral candidate Bill Popp thinks Anchorage needs a promotion

A&E PAGE 4

Glee Club brings up beat entertainment to campus

The Northern Light hosts town hall with USUAA candidates

USUAA presidential and vice presidential candidates gathered for a town hall-style forum on Monday, March 25.

By Matthew Schmitz & Kyle Ivacic

The Northern Light, UAA’s studentrun newspaper, held a public town hall in the Student Union Den with presidential and vice-presidential candidates running in the upcoming USUAA election.

This year there are three tickets for the election of president and vice-president. According to a USUAA communication, the election will take place on April 2 and students will receive a link via email to vote online. Students will have until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday to vote.

In addition to the executive positions, there are other positions up for election, including senators, members of Green Fee Board and Concert Board.

Mark Zimmerman, a reporter with The Northern Light, moderated the town hall, asking questions vetted by The Northern Light staff. Members of the audience were able to ask questions as well during a period of audience participation.

Presidential candidate Iqlas Dubed – running mate Fortune Dinganga not present – said that she will make people feel welcome on campus by being active in the community. She said that her experience working with Alaskan nonprofits has shaped her into a leader who is able to build community.

Dubed said that “establishing a community at UAA” is an important step to achieving a higher graduation rate.

Dubed said would like to see Title IX training take place in-person to show that the university takes the issue seriously. Sexual assault and domestic violence issues are important to Dubed, and she said that she will work to get Title IX issues processed faster.

Rent-a-TKE

By Tanner Croft reporter3@thenorthernlight.org

On March 24, the TKE fraternity hosted their annual auction to raise money for St. Jude. A message from their presentation says that “By participating in Renta-TKE, not only do you receive valuable services, but you also contribute directly to a meaningful cause, making a positive impact on the lives of children in need.”

This act of philanthropy allows you to gain access to estimable services while also providing care to children in need. However, this is not your normal auction. The TKE members are not selling rare arts or exotic animals, instead they are providing something much more beneficial to those who are willing to donate money for their cause. TKE members were offering unique services ranging from tutoring sessions to private flights over Anchorage at sunset.

Among the services up for auction were hobby activities such as basketball, snowboarding, guitar or skateboarding lessons. Useful services like math, english and history tutoring, tech support, Uber rides, DoorDash, date baskets or even car detailing. There were also some unique services for sale like personalized laser engravings and the aforementioned

Dubed said that she would “validate” student concerns as president. She invited students to attend USUAA’s Friday meetings so that they can increase their connection with the organization.

Presidential candidate Joe Pavia-Jones said that he has spent many years in student government at both the UAA Anchorage and Mat-Su campuses. He also has experience with leadership from his time in Scouts, he said.

Pavia-Jones said that he would like to see an increase in campus engagement. He said that he would work with organizations such as Concert Board to increase student involvement on campus.

Pavia-Jones also said that he likes to “talk to people face-to-face” and keep people engaged to help them get their work done. He said that “finding out the

best solution” to each student issue is one of his goals.

Pavia-Jone’s vice presidential running mate, Hannah Huber, said that she has been in UAA’s student government since 2022. She is the current vice president.

Huber said that she would like to focus on the issues of transportation, food on campus and wages for student workers. Huber said that USUAA’s connections to campus executives is an important aspect of the organization that she will utilize to bring about results. “Knowing who runs what” and “starting conversations with higher ups” is important, Huber said.

Huber said that stressing the importance of issues and “improving communication overall” are two of her goals if she is re-elected.

Presidential candidate Luis Sanchez

said that he wants to increase Seawolf Shuttle service if he is elected. A simple way to do this, explained Sanchez, is to add an additional route to the Seawolf Shuttle that runs opposite to the loop the shuttle currently takes.

Sanchez said that he would like to see higher student satisfaction and wants to “reduce intimidation” for students seeking to speak with USUAA about their issues by putting “USUAA more out there.” Better communication, said Sanchez, will create a positive “feedback cycle” that will increase student participation with USUAA.

Sanchez’s running mate, Eisa Chang, said that she and Sanchez will listen to students and be active and involved on campus. Chang said that she has had many leadership roles at UAA, including as a resident advisor.

Chang said that accessibility is an important issue to her and that the university can do better for students with disabilities. She would like to increase investments and discussions around Disability Support Services, especially by actively seeking student opinions.

Chang said that she will work to create a “motivational atmosphere” and wants “to plant a seed in every UAA student’s mind that ‘they can do it’.” Chang said that she also wants to increase the incentive for student interaction with USUAA.

Chang and Sanchez said that they will also work with Parking Services to find solutions to issues that students have with parking on campus. The pair would like to “optimize the current space we have,” said Chang.

Students can look forward to receiving a link to vote for all positions on the USUAA ballot in their email and have until 11:59 p.m. on April 2 to vote.

Members of the Phi Alpha chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity hosted an auction in partnership with St. Jude to raise money to give “children the treatment they need and deserve.”

private flight over Anchorage.

Many of these items sold for well under their market value, offering up great deals for the winners of the bidding. A few bidding wars were even started throughout, showcasing the value that attendees placed on these services.

The auction was led by chapter President Leo Loconte and was energetic, lighthearted and humorous throughout while simultaneously remaining vigilant about its mission to provide for kids in need.

Two items sold for astounding prices. The private flight sold for $150 below its noted market value of $500 — an absolute steal. The real jaw-dropper was when Abdul Zlitni offered a subscription based date basket catered to the relationship of the bidder. Zlitni stated that the amount donated would reflect the depth of the basket and considering that the bidding started at $1 and made its way up to $400, those date baskets may need to be very, very deep.

The Northern Light was able to secure an interview with President Leo Loconte once the auction was over. In the interview Loconte informed The Northern Light that TKE had started the night with a goal of raising $1,000. They handily beat this goal with over $2,500 raised.

Overall, the event was a success for TKE and St. Jude. Loconte also urged anyone who is interested, to consider rushing with TKE this fall semester.

Students who are interested in getting involved with Greek life should visit

UAA’s Fraternity and Sorority Life website. On this site you will be able to view information about each of the chapters to decide where you would like to apply. There is also a link to the application process provided on the site.

PHOTO BY MATTHEW SCHMITZ.

Candidates for president and vice president answered questions from The Northern Light and audience participants on March 25. From left to right: Iqlas Dubed, Eisa Chang, Luis Sanchez, Hannah Huber, Joe PaviaJones.

PHOTO BY TANNER CROFT.

A photo during the Rent-aTKE auction.

FEATURES 02

USUAA makes ‘a little bit of progress’ on Juneau advocacy trip

In an interview with members of UAA’s student government, TNL learned what the organization is advocating for and whether or not much change can be expected.

By Kyle Ivacic managing.editor@thenorthernlight.org

UAA’s student government, known as the Union of Students University of Alaska Anchorage, or USUAA, recently took a trip to Juneau to advocate for the needs of the university. They were joined by other student governments from across the UA system for a week of university advocacy. They focused on issues such as deferred maintenance, campus security, student mental health support, athletics and staff compensation.

In an interview with TNL, USUAA President Helena Ballard and Senator Joe Pavia-Jones explained what they and their fellow USUAA members accomplished on the trip to the state capital. Pavia-Jones said the issue on which they had the most success was “probably security.”

“A lot of legislators didn’t know, like, how bad it was, the security. So when we told our own personal stories about it, it kind of helped them realize, like, ‘oh they need more funding for this,’” Ballard said.

On security needs across the UA system, Pavia-Jones said, “Talking with other campuses, we kind of realized how much of a bigger thing [the issue is]. It’s not like one campus is [less secure] than the other. It’s just, like, pretty much every campus.”

Pavia-Jones said that the security “workforce is stretched thin” and that there is “a lack of staff.”

Ballard said that the Mat-Su campus uses one of the Anchor-

age campus officers to provide limited security during the day.

“And then at night they don’t have anything — and that’s when most of the crimes happen,” she said. “So we’re just trying to get them to have more security, and not just for four hours a day.”

Ballard said that USUAA is supporting the UAA Board of Regents’ operating budget, which calls for $1.02 million to be allocated to security. Their main goal in Juneau was to help lawmakers understand the need for this money in order to get the funding passed into law.

The other big issue — deferred maintenance — has been a hot topic on the UAA campus this semester after multiple flooding incidents occurred back-to-back in the Consortium Library, Social Sciences Building and Fine Arts Building.

Ballard said the USUAA team advocated “for House Bill 236, which is the University of Alaska Maintenance and Modernization Fund.” If passed, the fund would allocate $35 million yearly toward deferred maintenance across the UA system.

Although House Bill 236 would be good for the university, it would only be a drop in the bucket in terms of the necessary funding required to fully bring the university up-to-date on maintenance.

The university has deferred maintenance of “$1.5 billion,” said Ballard and Pavia-Jones in unison when asked how much money the university actually needs to take care of all maintenance issues.

USUAA is also working to increase student fees that would,

in part, be used for deferred maintenance — specifically for upgrades to the Student Union. “That’s if Chancellor Parnell ever approves that,” said PaviaJones. “So we did write a resolution to help fund our Student Union,” but Parnell has yet to “sign off” on it.

In a follow up email, Ballard wrote that “Chancellor Parnell did decline the Student Union fee increase at this time, he wants to look into it more and see if there are other funding opportunities for the student union that aren’t student fees.”

When asked if USUAA is making progress on its key issues, Pavia-Jones said, “I think a little bit of progress.”

Ballard said, “I would say it’s hard. There are barriers, like with the governor. We can’t do anything if he vetoes all of that [increased university funding]. But, I think we made a little bit of progress, especially with security this week.”

Pavia-Jones said that the main sticking point is money. The state has only so much money and “the governor doesn’t always like to spend money.”

On the issue of mental health, Ballard said that they made progress in talks with the National Alliance on Mental Illness about getting the organization on campus as a student mental health resource.

When asked if there is anything that USUAA is looking forward to or feeling optimistic about, Ballard said that she is excited for the upcoming USUAA elections that will take place in April.

Ballots will be made available via email on April 2. Bal-

lard said that there are plans to hold debates before the election date, but there is not set time yet.

“Anyone can run [for USUAA],” said Ballard. Inter-

ested students can fill out a petition packet that can be found on the USUAA website. Ballard “absolutely” encourages people to run. “Especially delegates, I feel like that’s a really important role … from each college we usually don’t have as many as we can have.”

Each college is allocated two delegates which are the hardest positions to fill, said PaviaJones. As a final thought Ballard said, “If anyone has anything, like concerns, questions or wants help with anything, they can always come in the office and ask us. Or, we have a board thing they can leave a sticky note or something if they want it to be anonymous.”

Moose awareness and safety on campus: Responsibly sharing land with wildlife

Students and staff on the UAA campus can take measures to ensure the safety and comfort of themselves and wildlife.

By Amelia McCormack reporter2@thenorthernlight.org

Spring in Alaska brings about a soggy season, with snow melting just enough for bushes and other plants on the ground to begin to peek through. While this weather may not be a human favorite, it’s the time of year where more food becomes available to moose, and they often move about town in search of opportunities to feast.

Chief Jeff Earle of the University Police Department shared some tips in an interview with

TNL about moose on campus.

“We, on a nearly daily basis, get a phone call about a wildlife sighting on campus,” said Earle. He said that if moose are not obstructing pathways or causing a disturbance, there isn’t a need to alert UPD. However, he said people should not be afraid to contact UPD if they are uncertain, uncomfortable or worry the moose may be a danger or disturbance — it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Chief Earle says one of the biggest steps students and others on campus can take to be safe around wildlife like moose is to be aware of your surroundings. He says students are often on their phones while walking or have headphones in. This makes it easier to be startled by an animal, caught unaware or walk between a mother and calf. Moose are extremely protective of their young, and calves should be given as much space as possible to avoid confrontation and interaction with the baby or adult. Being aware of your surroundings includes keeping an eye out for moose while spending time outside.

Chief Earle shared that this semester, on Jan 25., a student

had an incident with a moose and calf while leaving the Engineering and Industry Building. While exiting, the student accidentally came between a mother and calf, and the adult moose made contact with him. Chief Earle says both the student and moose were unharmed.

In the 1980s, an individual was killed on campus by a moose — they are powerful animals, so it is important to do all you can to protect yourself. If an animal is reported to UPD near an entrance, “... sometimes, depending on the nature of what’s happening, we may try to move the animal a little bit — but that’s always a little dangerous as well,” says Chief Earle. UPD works to alert students of moose near building entrances and directs students to alternatives for safety, since moving an animal is rarely the best or easiest course of action.

Another key tip is to not attempt to approach moose to pet or feed them. While moose may look cute and friendly, they can be heavily territorial and just like all wild animals, deserve respect and distance. Moose should only ever be watched or photographed from a safe dis-

tance. It is also illegal in the state of Alaska to harass moose — never chase a moose, or do anything to purposefully agitate or scare it. More tips from UPD about moose safety can be found on the UAA website.

The Residence Life area is also prone to moose and bear sightings. Making sure trash is properly disposed of and not left outside of dorms is important to ensure wildlife is not attracted to the area. Food dependency is dangerous for both animals and people, as animals may attack when no longer fed, and have to be put down. “We really encourage people not to feed [the wildlife], not to set up those conditions … we don’t want to set them up for failure,” said Chief Earle.

Moose and bears also interact with each other, especially during calving season, and year round. Chief Earle said a moose on campus had given birth to a pair of calves in the past year or so, one of which hadn’t survived. He said “a couple moose got into a fight with the bear, because they were still trying to protect the deceased calf.”

Students and staff should always avoid interactions between

moose and bears, as both species are more aggressive when defensive or hunting. UPD does send out warnings about scenarios like this, and asks people to not seek out these situations for photos, as it is dangerous and can worsen the situation.

Due to UAA’s location, the campus weaves in and out of heavily wooded areas with a variety of streams, flora and fauna. Students should take enclosed walkways, like going through buildings or the Spine, whenever possible and try to never walk through wooded areas alone or in the dark. While it may seem animals are a disturbance to campus life, as Alaskans we share our land with these creatures and must be respectful of their natural environment and space. A few moose move throughout campus regularly Chief Earle said, along with some black bears in the spring and summer, and smaller wildlife. “We, in a very unique way, share our existence with a wide range of wildlife that is both sometimes majestic and scary.”

More tips for wildlife safety and laws can be found on the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USUAA. USUAA members stand in front of Alaska State Capitol Building. Left to right: Joe PaviaJones, Helena Ballard and Jason Ritter.

PHOTO BY KYLE IVACIC.

Students watch a moose resting outside the windows of the UAA Engineering Building.

UAA’s Planetarium and Visualization Theater produces more than a colorful array of constellations

The Planetarium and Visualization Theater exhibits beautiful shows, 3D models and universe exploration.

By Hannah Dillon reporter1@thenorthernlight.org

This story is a part of The Northern Light’s investigative series into art culture on campus, which follows different groups at UAA and their experience with campus art.

The Planetarium and Visualization Theater is located on the second floor of the ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building. The impressive theater finished renovation in February and will receive a new manager along with a “soft-opening” to the public sometime this year.

According to UAA’s Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Jenny McNulty, the Planetarium and Visualization Theater offers more than just a detailed look at the night sky. She said the planetarium is “like an IMAX theater” in its capabilities.

Professor of Physics and Astronomy Katherine Rawlins demonstrated to TNL the range of possibilities the Planetarium and Visualization Theater is capable of.

The renovation of the theater created a new experience for those who control the master computer. Rawlins participated in a week’s worth of training to become familiar with the intricate equipment.

Rawlins sat down at the master computer that controls five different computers, lights

and two projectors. The control space is filled with an abundance of dials, buttons and sliders, making the area look like a small production studio.

She then dimmed the lights and explored both the exterior and interior of an incredibly detailed 3D model of the International Space Station.

Rawlins then moved on to the Mars Rover, which was intricately controllable and allowed the observer to vicariously explore Mars.

Interactable 3D models like the Mars Rover are very detailed and the controller can move many parts of the model. Each tiny section of the model must be created separately and then coded together to work in unison.

The dark room then faded into a colorful interior model of wooden walls illuminated by an indoor campfire. The camera slowly exited the 3D model and looked up to the stars to display the cultural perception of constellations by Indigenous Navajo peoples.

A seven-minute-long video played above and featured beautiful renderings of constellations in the night sky against the backdrop of mountains in the American Southwest. The narration of the short movie was perfectly balanced over the ambient sounds of birds, thunder and music.

These are just a few of the many examples of scientific and artistic capabilities of the Planetarium and Visualization Theater. Experiencing the theater’s visual performance is similar to a virtual reality headset, which Rawlins explained that there is a slight connection in design to such devices.

Students who have attended an Astronomy class or a Planetarium and Visualization Theater show may have seen the details embedded into every inch of our unexplored universe through the theater’s models, but how far does that detail go?

Rawlins “zoomed out” on the universe to show the limits. We first arrived at Saturn, where we traveled through rings of modeled dust and thousands of particles that surround the planet.

Further exploration of the universe unveiled the Local Group, distant galaxies, lanes of dust and possibilities of planets that we have not yet discovered.

For example, we have only seen pictures of the Andromeda Galaxy from Earth’s perspective, but the people who created this model of the universe took the time to render an entire representation of the galaxy where each perspective is explorable.

Rawlins then noted that not every show involves Astronomy. “Not all of our shows are about Astronomy. Many of them are, but not all of them. We used to

have a show about earthquakes. We have shows about climate science and ecology. There is one about how the human eye works. There is even one about the artist M.C. Escher. So there are a wide variety of shows,” said Rawlins.

There is also biology and chemistry content available in the Planetarium. A large 3D model of the human body can be explored in detail or as a whole. The rendering allows the controller to view the nervous, organ and lymphatic systems.

“You could use this facility to represent any kind of thing in three dimensions and interact with it. I actually talked to someone from the Art Department about taking sculptures

and scanning them to make a three-dimensional model that could be interacted with visually. Another fun thing you could do is take panoramic photography or hemispherical photography and look at the images in here,” said Rawlins.

If students are interested in displaying something, such as an art or photography project, Rawlins stated to simply ask a faculty member what can be done.

“We are very much wanting to get the rest of the university community involved in producing content for this facility. It wasn’t built to be hoarded by the astronomers. It’s here for the entire campus community. Help us dream of things to do with it.”

Four anchors aweigh: Mayoral candidate Bill Popp thinks Anchorage needs a promotion

This piece is the first in a series of four profiles on the leading candidates running in Anchorage’s mayoral election. No copy approval or prior review was given to these candidates.

By Mark Zimmerman reporter4@thenorthernlight.org

In Anchorage’s upcoming mayoral election, Bill Popp says he wants to carve an economic path through Anchorage’s head-

lining challenges.

Popp — who recently stepped down from his role as 16-year head of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) — is on the ballot as an independent. His time in South Central Alaska began in 1968 when his military family moved to what is now JBER.

“Coming to Anchorage was an adventure — we fell in love with the city when we first moved here,” said Popp.

From his East High School Graduation in 1972 to his adulthood in the ensuing 30 years, his ambition grew with his business experience. Unable to complete a double-major at UAA, he slowly worked toward management at Safeway, opening their

Arctic Winter Games

The 54th biannual Arctic Winter Games was being hosted in the MatSu Valley with contenders coming to play from most of the world’s far north provinces

By Vadim Bledsoe video2@thenorthernlight.org

Follow the QR code to watch the video!

first location in Soldotna before marrying his wife in 1979. This moved Popp toward entrepreneurship, in two different capacities.

Capitalizing on the novelty of CD music, Popp opened two combination CD/bookstores that flourished for five years before competition forced him to close their doors.

“In 1996, one of the box stores in town — I won’t name names — but they marked all their music down to cost and all their books down to cost and we’re out of business in a year.”

However — by the year 2000 — Popp would rebound by establishing a branch of the national Challenger Learning Center, which is still in operation

despite its origin in a small office with $23,000 in seed capital. This spurred him to a successful run for Kenai Borough assemblyman, while also peddling commercial trucks, the ladder of which Popp described as “Capitalism at its purest.”

“That got a little tiring,” Popp said of balancing two jobs with seven-day-a-week commitments, “the mayor of the borough at that point in time in 2002 offered me a position”

That position was Oil and Gas Liaison for Republican Kenai Borough Mayor Dale Bagley, which Popp was kept in through Democrat John Williams’ administration. Popp’s business and public policy experience attracted the AEDC’s attention in

2007, which, after multiple attempts, convinced him to successfully apply for President and CEO.

Follow the QR code to read the rest of the story, and follow the series.

PHOTO BY MARK ZIMMERMAN.

Bill Popp sat down with TNL in January to discuss his plans for bolstering development in Anchorage.

PHOTO BY HANNAH DILLON.

Navajo constellations seen on Planetarium and Visualization Theater.

Glee Club brings upbeat entertainment to campus while fostering a tight-knit team of performers

By Kaityln Gaub copy.editor@thenorthernlight.org

Glee Club at UAA offers a creative and team-oriented outlet for its members. The club performs musical pieces with some dance elements. Glee Club performs acapella with live accompaniment provided by the members themselves. The club is on their twenty-seventh season. In an interview with one of Glee Club’s members, sophomore Alex Lim, she described her experience in the club and how it operates.

Glee Club finds or makes arrangements for songs in their program. The songs are chosen based on the interests of the club’s members and do not have to follow a theme. However, a few seasons ago, the club per-

formed emo songs by bands including My Chemical Romance and Panic! At The Disco.

Glee Club has cultivated a close-knit group amongst its members. “It’s kind of like a

family. You get really close to people really fast, because you see each other for two hours and a half on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And a lot of us stay longer because we like being around

Movie Review: “Imaginary” Spoiler

free!

By Tanner Croft reporter3@thenorthernlight.org

Blumhouse Productions is one of the better known companies that produce films in the horror genre. They are mostly known for their low to mid budget horror films that are often hit or miss among viewers. This newest edition may have been a miss.

The modern film industry is accustomed to having plenty of “bad” horror films shoved into it each year. “Imaginary” may just be another such film. The budget for most Blumhouse films fluctuates between low and mid budget — which allows the company to churn out cash grabs just as often as they create memorable films such as “Insidious” or “Paranormal Activity.”

‘“Imaginary” seems to have

fallen short of its mark only to become the newest addition in mid budget cash grabs from the horror industry. When we compare this film to films such as ‘Sinister’ or ‘Get Out’ — which are films that were also provided to us by Blumhouse — we can see the blatant difference between directors and writers who genuinely care about scaring their audience and giving them something to remember, versus those who are simply contracted to print money for the parent company.

“Imaginary” was a great idea in concept, only to fall victim to the stereotypes of its genre. As with most modern horror films, to substitute the not-so-interesting plot, there are an abundance of jumpscares to create the horror vibe. While not as chock-full of jumpscares as a movie like “Smile,” we do see plenty of use with this tactic. However, there are two moments throughout the

film which are psychologically thrilling, and do well in creating the genuine feeling of dread within the viewer, but these moments are both predictable and ultimately meaningless.

Typical tropes that this film succumbs to include a possessed child’s toy, a family that moves to a new location, an unaccepted step-parent, a redemption arc, a betrayal and the inevitable sequel teaser at the end. Each of these cliches contribute to the downfall of “Imaginary.” With more care taken to the script, and less predictability, this truly could have been another work of art from Blumhouse.

There are two twists throughout this film which are also the moments where you feel the most thrill and dread. However, as mentioned before, these moments are entirely predictable because they follow all of the rules of the genre. Instead of doing something new with the out-

each other,” Lim said.

They always perform pieces in groups, with exception of “solo swan” songs when a member is leaving the club. The performances range across genres — from emo to pop and kpop songs — as well as emotionally from comedic to somber performances.

Glee Club has a show at the end of each semester, held in the Fine Arts Building. This can increase stress experienced by its members during finals.

“A lot of stuff goes on, it is a very stressful club … we are on a timeline to make a show by the end of the semester, and it’s kind of hard to balance that with school. But the fact that there’s a bunch of people there who are going through the exact same thing, it’s like a family,” Lim said.

comes of the situations, we can simply deduce that it will play out exactly the same as every other horror flick we have ever seen.

At its core “Imaginary” tries to talk about childhood trauma and its effect on young children, while also attempting to discuss the innocence of imagination we all experienced as children. At the end of the day it is only able to come off as cheesy and insincere.

Overall, if “Imaginary” had avoided a lot of the stereotypes of the horror genre, and set out to push the boundaries instead of just grab a quick buck, this could have been a clever project. Instead, it chose to adhere to the horror genre tropes and stereotypes in an attempt to make as much money as possible while providing us with a lackluster story that we only wish could have been better.

Glee Club prepares all semester for their show. “Before we do a show, we have tech week, which is essentially running the show over, and over and over again. So by the time people see the finished product it’s literally like our seventh time of the week,” Lim said.

“You go to Glee Club and you kind of realize that like, we have like nursing majors, we have all types of majors. That’s like the only thing that brings us together … they have some type of connection to music,” Lim said.

Additionally, Lim said the Fox series “Glee” has not been her experience with the Glee Club on campus. Though, she said the members frequently reference the movie “Pitch Perfect.”

Glee Club’s performances and live streams of shows can be found on the club’s YouTube channel. For updates on auditions and upcoming shows, go to the club’s Instagram.

With a budget of 10-12 million dollars, “Imaginary” has only been able to pull in around 15 million from its first week at the box office. It is up to the studio to determine whether or not this is enough profit to consider turning that sequel teaser at the end of the film into a reality. If you’re here for cheap thrills and horror that is less scary and more jumpy, this is not necessarily a “bad” movie, but it isn’t going to be memorable by any means.

Book review: ‘The Three-Body Problem’

This article contains some spoilers for Cixin Liu’s “The Three-Body Problem.”

By Kyle Ivacic managing.editor@thenorthernlight.org

When Netflix began advertising its “3 Body Problem” TV series, I became interested and looked into the show. I soon discovered that the series was based on Cixin Liu’s book trilogy “Remembrance of Earth’s Past.” Curious, I fell down the BookTok rabbit hole and knew I had to read the series’ Hugo Award winning first book, “The Three-Body Problem.”

The book is apparently in popular demand and it took over a week to find a copy. According to the BBC, around nine million copies have been sold between the three books in the series. I eventually landed the first book at the Wasilla Public Library. I

began reading right away, becoming enthralled page after page. This sci-fi story is both creative and enormously captivating.

It begins in the darkest days of China’s Cultural Revolution — a period of time from 1966 to 1976 that saw brutal conflict in which revolutionaries changed Chinese thought and governance for decades to come. This being a sci-fi novel, the main focus was the effect that the revolution had on academics in China. Liu paints a picture of widespread persecution of scientists and professors who supposedly abandoned Chinese culture and interests in favor of Western science.

Early in the book, one of the main characters, Ye Wenjie, los-

es her father, who is a professor, to revolutionary fanatics who decry him as a traitor to their cause. The book then follows Ye through her life as she copes with her father’s death and as she herself becomes a target of revolutionary fervor. She is spared by the revolutionary government due to her training in physics, as her skills are needed at the secretive Red Coast Base.

At Red Coast, Ye learns that humans have attempted contact with extraterrestrials by sending radio waves into space — a fictional portrayal of undertakings by real-world scientists. Ye spends years as little more than a political prisoner at the base, but slowly builds trust with those around her and is eventually al-

lowed to directly help with the project.

What unfolds next is the story of contact with an alien race that is bold and unlike any other that I have watched or read.

While monitoring the base’s receiver, Ye watches as a transmission from beyond Earth comes in: “Do not answer,” it says. The transmission is from a member of a highly intelligent alien civilization; a warning in response to a human signal that made its way to that civilization. The transmission explains that the sender is a dissident of a hostile civilization in search of a new home. The message warns that any attempts to communicate would spell doom for the human race.

Having lost faith in humanity, Ye responds to the transmission — putting Earth’s future in the balance.

I will not spoil anymore, but between what follows after Ye’s decision and the details I left out, expect an exciting sci-fi tale.

The book receives a 9/10 from me and I cannot wait to begin reading the next in the series. I found Liu’s story to be intelligently crafted and accessible even at its most technical points.

This book falls in the category of “hard” sci-fi as it uses true scientific principles to explain certain events within the story. Even the more “out there” aspects of the book are made to feel real — at least for the average reader — with Liu’s seemingly sound knowledge of physics and astrophysics.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction or is looking for a read that can spark deep contemplation.

COURTESY OF GLEE CLUB’S INSTAGRAM.

Glee club season 27 group photo.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BLUMHOUSE PRODUCTIONS. A poster for “Imaginary.”

Movie Review: ‘Late Night with the Devil’

An example of what a horror film should be. Spoiler free!

By Tanner Croft reporter3@thenorthernlight.org

“Late Night with the Devil” is a psychological horror masterpiece brought to us by director duo brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes. This film was released in theaters on March 22 here in the United States and has garnered a positive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The Cairnes brothers also participated in the writing of the story.

“Late Night with the Devil” is structured as a found footage horror film that allows its audience to view an episode of a 1970s late night talk show. There are also fictional documentary elements that give the viewers more background on the host of “Night Owls” which is the show that Jack Delroy – our protagonist – hosts.

The specific episode featured in this film takes place on halloween night, where Delroy is hosting experts on the occult in an effort to prove or disprove the presence of the supernatural. The characters that we see include a psychic medium, a skeptic, a doctor in parapsychology and a thirteen year old girl who is believed to be possessed by the demon Abraxas.

Delroy and his producer are attempting to get their ratings up so that “Night Owls” does not get canceled. They are hosting occult experts so that they can gain positive ratings due to shock value.

Throughout this entire film we see Delroy continuously ignore the warnings of his cohosts and aforementioned experts because he is so blinded by

the positive ratings he is receiving, which ultimately begins to unravel his entire show.

The story for “Late Night with the Devil” is unique enough to have made the film interesting, but the reason for the positive audience response is arguably due to a perfect execution from the Cairnes brothers.

The setting of a late night talk show allows this horror film to feel fresh, like something you’ve never seen and even humorous at times. Although all of the humor is forced, making it resemblant of a real life talk show. This forced humor ironically makes the film more endearing and genuinely funny at times.

The setting also allows for a charming and warm feel, which is not something that you would expect from a horror film. There can be a lot of nostalgia for viewers who grew up watching late night talk shows – contributing to audience immersion.

Throughout this film, we are provided with exactly what the “live” audience sees when Delroy and his guests are on camera, and we get snippets of what happened during the “commercial breaks” provided to us in black and white to give any background information that is not provided “on screen.” This method is ultimately one of the more satisfying aspects of the film because it adds an element of mystery. By the end of the film, viewers will surely be left wondering “what actually happened?”

Other remarkable aspects of the cinematography include the foreshadowing “glitches” we see in the cameras when supernatural elements enter the room,

the overall pacing and the film’s ability to play on its viewers’ auditory senses.

Due to its setting, “Late Night with the Devil” is able to offer moderated silence throughout its runtime – however this silence is often filled with gasps, whispers and other commotion from the “live” audience – which enhances the immersive experience. These silences create a sense of anticipation from the crowd which is conveyed onto the real life viewers. Sound overall is a large part of this film, and it is done exceptionally well.

“Late Night with the Devil” is psychologically thrilling and does not rely on jumpscares to create an eerie environment. It doesn’t feel like a horror movie, it’s just genuinely horrifying.

While this movie adheres to most archetypes and tropes of the genre, it does so in a way that feels fresh because the Cairnes brothers made the stereotypes work for their plot, not the other way around. At times this movie can feel like a mirror house, with every horror greater than the last and no way to escape.

“Late Night with the Devil” is a mystery that you may be able to unravel if you pick up on all of the tiny little clues sprinkled throughout.

Toward the end of the film, we see that Delroy has regressed from being the star of the show to not knowing his place at all, leaving the viewer with a similar feeling. Very rarely is a horror film able to feel so immersive and make the audience feel as though they are actively watching the events of the story unfold. “Late Night with the Devil” will leave many viewers

confused and unsatisfied at its end, which – because of its realism – is one of the reasons it is

Movie review: ‘Poor Things’ filmed in poor taste?

“Poor Things” was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and released in theaters Dec. 2023. The film starred Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo.

By Hannah Dillon reporter1@thenorthernlight.org

The film “Poor Things” recently won four Oscar Academy Awards and has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes along with many other critic sites holding the film in high regards.

This movie review will contain many spoilers of “Poor Things” as opinions are shared and scenes are explained. A trigger warning is also needed as there is talk of sexual abuse.

The story begins with Bella Baxter — played by Emma Stone — stumbling through a large mansion owned by her father figure, Godwin, played by Willem Dafoe.

As the story progresses the audience is soon met with the unveiling of a Frankenstein-ian brain transplant.

Godwin tells the story of how Bella is technically her own child. Godwin had found the recently deceased body of Bella in a river and discovered she was

pregnant.

Godwin proceeds to reveal that he had transplanted the newborn baby’s brain into the body of the fully grown deceased mother.

You begin to understand that the brain transplant is the reason Bella acts so childlike in her mannerisms such as soiling her pants, stumbling through the halls and speaking in the third person.

The idea of the movie is very unique and has intrigued many of those who watch the film. Those who stick around to find out what happens to Bella will find all that seems to be on this young-minded individual’s brain is sex in the first half of the movie.

This is where I develop the idea that many scenes in the film are written in poor taste. The film is labeled “comedy/sci-fi” but feels like a horror film when children are constantly involved with intense sexual themes.

Bella seems to progress to the mental age of two to 22 while consistently having relations

with various men who take advantage of her mental age, impulsivity and naivety.

Oddly enough, most sexual scenes happen when Bella is clearly still a child mentally and the film is on the cusp of being considered pornography. This is disturbing and does not feel appropriate for any film.

Why couldn’t the sex scenes where Bella is still a child either be shown with much less fullfrontal nudity and sexual acts or simply be implied?

Why must another movie — where women are once again victims — be constantly sexualized not only by the obsessive people in Bella’s life, but possibly those who watch the film itself?

I will assume many of these scenes, unfortunately those that involve children as well, will be found on inappropriate websites for inappropriate purposes.

Watching the first hour of the film feels like yet another movie where everyone can “finally” see the fully naked body of an A-list celebrity; all while

her newborn-infant-brain steers the infantilized body which somehow only thinks sexual thoughts. The beauty of the production attempts to convince the audience of the “artistic” nature of the film even though many scenes border on pedophilia.

After Bella endures and experiences the good and bad of life as a child, she grows into an adult-minded woman who exercises her free will by engaging in prostitution.

I have no issue with the choice of a grown woman to become a prostitute and I do not agree with the men in Bella’s life who view prostitution as “the worst thing a woman can do.”

I also have no issue with disturbing premises of real-world events that unfortunately take place every day. I am also not naive to the fact that this abuse is addressed in various films — with “Poor Things” attempting to do the same.

I do, however, have an issue with Bella when she accepts a proposition to “teach children” with a customer who is a father. The scene plays for an uncomfortable amount of time while your gut twists at the sight of

something so disturbing with nothing to address the immense sexual abuse the children suffered while watching Bella have sex with their father.

I also have an issue with the fact that there seems to be less sex scenes and nudity with Bella as a prostitute than when she is innocently asking for “furious jumping.”

My major issue is with the possible perpetuation this film may have in the abuse of children. Scenes involving children in “Poor Things” may display the “more cruel side of humanity” as the directors would state. Part of me feels the directors must have realized the hypocrisy of the film in its attempt to describe the horrors of sexual childhood abuse where — in turn — the film itself could be used as something to “entertain” people who may watch scenes involving children with ill intent; which is why I believe “Poor Things” was filmed in poor taste.

I actually enjoy the entire premise of the movie and Bella’s discovery of self. I love the premise of the movie so much I wish I could cut out the parts that are disgusting — like an expensive moldy cheese that would be disappointing to completely throw away.

such a memorable psychological horror film.

COURTESY OF IFC FILMS SHUDDER.

A poster for “Late Night with the Devil.”

Upcoming events

UAA event list for Wednesday, March 27, to Tuesday, April 1.

By Kyle Ivacic managing.editor@thenorthernlight.org

Events happening throughout the week:

The Future of AI in Higher Education

The Faculty Alliance presents a forum on “the ethical integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into educational practices.” The forum is open to faculty, staff and students and will include professor presentations from multiple universities.

Zoom

Thursday, March 28, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Friday, March 29, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Wednesday, March 27

Juried Student Art Show Juror Lecture

According to the event listing, attendees can “meet the Guest Juror for the 2024 Juried Student Art Show and learn about their work.”

Fine Arts Building, Room

150 7 - 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 28

Moving Forward, Thinking Ahead: The Value and Ideals of a “Good” Education

A public lecture by Leeva Chung of the University of San Diego about finding success after graduating. According to event flyers, she created a teaching style called “organized chaos” and she has received many rewards for her success as an educator.

Fine Arts Building, Room 150 5:30 - 7 p.m.

William H. Seward Lecture

Join the Women’s and Gender’s Studies Program and the Department of Political Science for a lecture from Alaska State Representative Genevieve Mina.

Zoom 8 - 9 p.m.

Friday, March 29

Priority deadline to submit financial aid paperwork for Summer 2024

Students in need of financial aid should submit their paperwork by this date to be given priority status.

Online

Spring Semester withdrawal deadline

Students wishing to withdraw from a class must do so by this date.

Online

Let’s Get Critical, Critical! Participate in this workshop directed by Leeva Chung of the University of San Diego. According to event flyers, this event is designed to help ease students’ fears of life after college by connecting creative expression and critical understanding to practical matters.

Consortium Library, Room 307 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Super Smash Brothers Ultimate Tournament

Join other students in a fun tournament of the popular Nintendo game. The event listing warns “that some participants in the tourney have lots of experience and even are part of gaming

teams outside this tournament.” However, all are welcome. Engineering and Industry Building, Room 211 3 - 6 p.m.

UAA Department of Music

Student Recital Watch music majors perform in this event, which is open to the public.

Fine Arts Building, Room 150 3 - 4 p.m.

Screening of “The Jones Plantation” Join Seawolves for Liberty for a screening of this film, which “tells the story of an enslaved people yearning for liberation, only to be ensnared in a web of manipulation and deceit by a charismatic yet sinister figure.” Pizza and refreshments will be available free of charge. The screening will be followed by a discussion of the movie.

Social Sciences Building, Room 118 6 - 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 30

Alaska PreMed Summit People interested in the medical field can attend this summit to learn the ins and outs of ap -

plying to med school.

Rasmuson Hall, Room 101 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Monday, April 1

Seawolves for Liberty discussion group

Join this student club for a discussion on “philosophy, economics and social issues.”

Social Sciences Building, Room 366 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Tuesday, April 2

UAA HEMA Club meeting

Learn about historical sword fighting techniques at this club. Fine Arts Building, Room 116 1:15 - 3:15 p.m.

Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Practice: Addressing Moral Distress in Veterinary and Human Medicine

According to the event listing, attendees can listen to multiple guest speakers who “will facilitate a veterinary ethical dilemma workshop for practitioners and techs on addressing moral distress.”

Consortium Library, Room 307 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Photos: UAA Fur Rondy Car Show - Winter Edition!

2024 UAA Fur Rondy Car Show - Winter Edition

By Sarah Bennett photographer1@thenorthernlight.org

On March 2, the UAA Automotive Department hosted an event that brought together car enthusiasts, community members and industry partners in the celebration of vehicular excellence. The event took place both indoor and outdoors, and provided a platform for showcasing a wide array of vehicles — fostering connections within the community. The event featured an impressive display that captivated

attendees of all ages, including sleek sports cars and rugged utility vehicles. One of the highlights was winterized, amphibious small unit support vehicles, offering a glimpse into specialized vehicle operations crucial in Alaska’s unique terrain and climate.

UAA Auto Diesel Technology showcased the exciting opportunities available through

their training programs. Aspiring technicians and enthusiasts alike were given insight into the training and career pathways.

CORRECTIONS

In the previous edition, the story “Women’s Seawolves sting Yellowjackets in overtime” had a photo with the incorrect caption of “#29 Adam Tisdale faces off against Stinehill opponent.” The caption should have been “Vishe’ Rabb and her family honored during Senior night prior to the start of the game.”

STAFF CONTACTS

3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508

Executive Editor

Matthew Schmitz (907) 786-1313

editor@thenorthernlight.org

Managing Editor Kyle Ivacic managing.editor@thenorthernlight.org

Copy Editor Kaityln Gaub copy.editor@thenorthernlight.org

Layout Editor

Linnaea Gossard layout@thenorthernlight.org

Reporter Mark Zimmerman reporter4@thenorthernlight.org

Reporter Hannah Dillon

reporter1@thenorthernlight.org

Reporter Tanner Croft reporter3@thenorthernlight.org

Reporter Amelia McCormack

reporter2@thenorthernlight.org

Video Reporter

Vadim Bledsoe video2@thenorthernlight.org

Sports Reporter

Patrick Doty

sports1@thenorthernlight.org

Photographer Cian Abad photographer2@thenorthernlight.org

Photographer Sarah Bennett photographer1@thenorthernlight.org

Sports Photographer Justin Cox sports.photographer@thenorthernlight.org

Graphic Designer Tressa Wood graphic.designer@thenorthernlight.org

ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS

The Northern Light is a proud member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The Northern Light is a bi-weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of The Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 1,500. The University of Alaska Anchorage provides equal education and employment opportunities for all, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, Vietnam-era or disabled-veteran status, physical or mental disability, changes in marital status, pregnancy or parenthood. The views expressed in the opinion section do not necessarily reflect the views of UAA or the Northern Light.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION

The University of Alaska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and educational institution. The University of Alaska does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, age, sex, physical or mental disability, status as a protected veteran, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, parenthood, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation or belief, genetic information, or other legally protected status. The University’s commitment to nondiscrimination, including against sex discrimination, applies to students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment. Contact information, applicable laws, and complaint procedures are included on UA’s statement of nondiscrimination available at www.alaska. edu/nondiscrimination.

LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY

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

Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a letter to the editor is 300 words, and 150 words for letters specifically endorsing candidates for federal, local, or university office. A letter to the editor is written by someone who does not have authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing. Contributors are restricted to one published letter to the editor per month.

Media Adviser Paola Banchero

Administrative Adviser Zac Clark

Fiscal Technician Micah Perino

The Northern Light is hiring! See our job listings at careers.alaska.edu.

Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length for a contributor’s opinion piece is 500 words. Contributors are restricted to one published opinion piece per month. Opinion pieces written by staff of The Northern Light are limited to 1,000 words. An opinion piece that is published in The Northern Light should be written by someone who has authoritative knowledge on the subject they are discussing.

Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. All letters and opinion pieces must include names, major and/or group affiliation and contact information for verification purposes. The Northern Light will not publish anonymous letters or pseudonyms. Requests for corrections can be sent to editor@thenorthernlight.org. Print publication is subject to accuracy and available space. All corrections are posted online with the original story at www. thenorthernlight.org. The deadline for submissions is the Friday before publication at noon, no exceptions.

The Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union Room 113.

PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.

General Motors’ donation to UAA’s Automotive, a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 with a ZO7 package.

PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. Anchorage Police Department display of aerial and ground drones.

PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. Cadillac CTS testing its power.

PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. Interior of sleek panoramic sunroof. Follow the QR code to

Mat-Su Valley hosts Arctic Winter Games

Arctic Winter Games 2024

By Justin Cox sports.photographer@thenorthernlight.org

The Arctic Winter Games were held in the Mat-Su Valley from March 10-16. The Arctic Winter Games are both an international sports competition, featuring 20 sports, as well as a cultural event. They are held every two years, with Alaska last hosting the games in 2014. Overall, Team Alaska came away with 222 medals: 70 gold, 84 silver and 68 bronze.

ASAA state championships held in Alaska Airlines

By Justin Cox sports.photographer@thenorthernlight.org

The Alaska School Activities Association, known as ASAA, state 3A and 4A basketball championships were held March 23 in the Alaska Airlines Center.

For the 3A basketball championships, the girls from Grace Christian School faced off against Barrow, and the boys from Nome-Beltz faced Mt. Edgecumbe.

While Barrow brought

a lively and dedicated cheering section to the championship, ultimately Grace Christian School defeated Barrows 35-27.

Once the girls matchup completed, the boys from Nome-Beltz faced a difficult game against undefeated Mt. Edgecumbe and narrowly won 63-61 thanks to a 3-pointer with just two seconds remaining in the game by Orson Hoogendorn.

For the 4A championship, Wasilla High School girls basketball defeated Colony High School, and Bettye Davis East Anchorage boys basketball defeated Thunder Mountain High School.

Number 2 seed Wasilla had a tough match against the number 1 seeded Colony, narrowly managing to clinch the victory 35-32 in the hard fought game.

Meanwhile, East took an early lead against Thunder Mountain, with the gap growing throughout the entire matchup,