September 3, 2014
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THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
A&E
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August photo spread
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Trade art at UAA’s Student Union Gallery
UA President Pat Gamble offered $320,000 bonus By Kelly Ireland
editor@thenorthernlight.org Amidst prioritization in the University of Alaska system, the Board of Regents has offered the UA President Pat Gamble a $320,000 bonus. The bonus was included in Pat Gamble’s contract extension that the Board of Regents created June of this year. Since word of the bonus has gotten out, outrage has been apparent. Faculty and students alike have expressed upset that the UA President is receiving a bonus that matches his annual salary during times of budget cuts. In response, the UA Board of Regents Chair, Pat Jacobson, sent students and faculty a message via the UA Outreach notification system on Aug. 27 explaining the reasoning behind
the bonus. Jacobson’s message says the bonus was offered to Gamble as an incentive to continue to improve the UA system. Jacobson also said Gamble’s salary doesn’t match the salaries of administrators in similar roles across the United States, and the bonus will make the position and salary more competitive. According to Jacobson, the bonus will only be given if Gamble remains the UA President until 2016 when his contract ends. During this time the Board of Regents may terminate him at any time, and if he is terminated the bonus will be proportionally deducted. “Quite simply, the Board of Regents believes it is in the best interests of Alaska’s university system to retain President Gamble’s leadership through this period of challenge and change,” Jacobsen’s message reads. “It is
also important to offer the system president a compensation package that can compete with the national market now and with future presidents. Leading the UA System is a complex endeavor, and attracting and retaining top-caliber talent is important. With the current salary significantly under market, and given the board’s desire to retain our current president, a performance-based retention incentive was seen as striking a reasonable balance while addressing our broader concerns.” United Academics President Abel Bult-Ito, who represents UA faculty, responded to the letter, asserting the Board of Regents was not at all justified in approving a bonus for Gamble. The response also states that because a bonus was not on the Board of Regents agenda that no public comment could be made, and the Board of Regents were
wrong in moving forward with the bonus without commentary. “As the president of the University of Alaska, this is a normal expectation of performance not meriting any special recognition,” said Bult-Ito. Bult-Ito continued, “The actions of the (Board of Regents), awarding this bonus to President Gamble and failing to offer reasonable justifications for it, suggest that it is out of touch with the realities faced by many UA students and with the academic mission of the university.” At the last USUAA meeting Aug. 29, UAA student government discussed Gamble’s bonus. USUAA senator and prenursing student Dylan Lance said USUAA wanted to know where the money for the bonus is coming from. He said USUAA wouldn’t support the bonus if the funds came from from money intended to be used for students.
Students in attendance at the meeting had similar sentiments as USUAA delegates. “On the one hand I think it’s an effort by the board to make sure he is paid for what he does on a somewhat similar level to other universities,” said Jonathon Taylor, political science major and president of the UAA College Republicans, who attended the USUAA meeting. “... At the same time I would like to know where the money came from because I feel like, as the university is going through reprioritization, it’s probably a good thing for the students to know where that money would have gone otherwise if it hadn’t been used for a bonus.” Taylor said. USUAA and students currently await a response from the UA Board or Regents on where the money for Pat Gamble’s bonus is to be taken from.
"Six-figure bonus for UA president raises eyebrows amid budget cuts" Alaska Dispatch News
"Bonus for University President Raises Questions and Concerns" KTUU.com
"UA president offered bonus at time of budget cut" Associated Press
"Petition launched to protest University of Alaska president bonus" News Miner
Red Zone: Protecting one’s self
from online sexual harassment By George Hyde
gchyde@thenorthernlight.org The webcomic “Penny Arcade” has a great strip regarding what they call the “Greater Internet F---wad Theory,” or GIFT for short. Basically, it states that a normal person, when given anonymity and an audience, turns into a total F-wad, as they say. Thus far, The Northern Light’s Red Zone coverage has included safe partying tips and steps one can take to avoid sexual assault on campus. But campus is not the only place where one can feel sexually threatened. The GIFT demonstrated that harassment can happen to anyone, by anyone on the Internet. The tale of Zoe Quinn, which is pretty big in the news now, pertains massively to online sexual harassment. Quinn is the developer of a recent game called “Depression Quest,” a
semi-fictional visual novel of sorts that explores depression — what it does to victims and those who surround them. It’s definitely a topic worth discussing. But that is not the reason that Quinn is making headlines right now. She’s making headlines because she’s had to fight back against legions upon legions of Internet trolls. Upon putting her game up on Steam, it was faced with tons of comments threatening to rape and kill her, among other despicable things. A man claiming to be her exboyfriend jumped on the bandwagon, too, making several humiliating and shameful allegations about her. And this has added fuel to the fire in what seems like a perpetual harassment loop. You may think to yourself that this is just an isolated case, but it’s really not. The Internet’s culture has a history of being misogynistic and cruel to its
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female members. But what not many realize is that there’s a system in place to prevent and punish that kind of behavior. Title VII and Title IX both apply to online harassment, and if you’re being harassed or threatened by co-workers or students online, talk to someone about it. Don’t let them get away. It is the duty of these titles to prevent harassment and threats, and that applies to the Internet as well. And that leads another side of this topic that I’d like to talk to: the harassers. Yes, that means you, reader. Chances are you are a normal person who uses the Internet, granting you anonymity and an audience. But you don’t have to be a total F-wad. You’re more responsible than that. Sexual harassment is not okay, no matter where it happens. In fact, by doing it anonymously on a global, digital stage, you’re making it worse. The harass-
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ment being inflicted on Zoe Quinn can only be possible on the Internet. And while the Internet is a wonderful invention, it is saddening that many immature people are using it to belittle and shame others. Many message boards and social networks allow users to report behavior like this, and they do have rules against that kind of thing. If you’re threatened, you can take it up with an administrator or report it, which
will probably lead to a ban or a warning. These networks are doing all they can to stop this kind of behavior. You can help them out, and vice versa. No matter where or how you’re harassed, there’s help for you. If you feel threatened or unsafe by someone else on the Internet, there are people everywhere to talk to. And if you post on the Internet, be responsible. You’re an adult. Don’t be a total F-wad.
Save these numbers in your phone! • Uni v e r s it y P o l ic e D epA RT ME N T:
Emergency? Call 911. To report an incident that happened to a friend, call UPD at 907-786-1120.
• Dea n o f S tude n ts: 907-786-1214
• Stude n t H ea lth & C o u n se l in g : 907-786-4040
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FEATURES A well-meaning column rife with clunky metaphors and horrible advice, Orange Rhymes With is the go-to place to break the monotony of classes and laugh at someone else’s misfortune.
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
02
Events to check out
Thoughts on the first week By Evan Dodd Contributor
Well the first week came and went without any major fatalities, other than the slow demise of my GPA, so here are a few of my first impressions on the upcoming semester. First off, I used to listen to engineering and computer science majors rattling off impossibly complex names to courses I hoped I’d never have the misfortune to take. Halfway through explaining my intermediate microeconomics course to my new roommate and watching as his eyes widened in sympathetic fear, I realized that I had finally ascended to that level of college. Gone are the days when the first week back consisted of syllabus quizzes and a vague check to ensure that students were awake and in the right class. Now my first week back consists of a crash course in statistical analysis and a calculus “review” which at no point seemed familiar. I think this is the part of college where I stay up all night researching highly technical statistical reports, rather than aimlessly surfing Netflix in search of a new TV fix. This is a reality that I’m less-than-enthused about, given that it runs counter to all the habits I’ve developed over the last three years. Still, there’s a certain sense of accomplishment in learning and applying skills relevant to a career, rather than skating through another easy “underwater basket weaving” type of class. On the plus side, my new Templewood apartment has been a fantastic upgrade from the Main Apartment Complex. Mice, flooding, fire alarms ringing at all hours of the night — all of the issues that have plagued me for the last two years melted away as I moved my belongings into a real home complete with a heated garage. The bliss was unimaginable, until I managed to dye the walls grey with smoke trying to season my new cast iron skillet in the kitchen before class. Though my new roommates seemed confused at my attempts at cooking, coupled
with the muffled cursing after dropping the skillet on my toe, they seem fairly tolerant of my insanity so far. Plus, neither of them have cars, thus allowing me to demonstrate my horribly crooked parking skills in the garage without fear of denting another car. I’m starting to think they have the right idea, given that they’ll never run the risk of papering their windshields with parking tickets. As usual parking was nothing short of hell the first week back, as I spent the better part of 40 minutes circling Rasmuson Hall and cursing at my very expensive but rarely useful parking pass. Finally deciding to leave my car in a grassy area somewhat resembling a green parking space, I was able to give a fantastic first impression by rolling into class decently late. It looks as if hunger is going to be a reoccurring issue as well this semester, considering that the only place to eat on my side of campus was the Fireside Cafe, which has apparently been repurposed as another ANSEP building. The one shining light for this semester seems to be my backpacking course, which, besides offsetting my graduation by a semester, consists of two threeday trips into the backcountry and a great deal of dehydrated food. Not only does this give me
a ready-made excuse to spend way too much on outdoor gear without feeling guilty, but I have a sneaking suspicion that there might be a chance that outdoor gear for a school course may be tax deductable. (Note: I took all of one accounting class and taxes are like voodoo to me, so I’d advise seeking professional guidance before trying that.) The class has already been a blast, and everyone in there seems thrilled to go explore the woods while earning college credit for it. In fact, I’ve already justified taking a winter camping course next semester, despite needing the time to work on my strenuous capstone. Without getting preachy — which, when it comes to outdoor recreation I invariably am — we have fantastic outdoor classes, and there’s no good reason to graduate without taking a couple. So there’s my week in review: new challenging courses, familiar complaints and a backpacking class that will hopefully keep my spirits afloat until midOctober. All in all, despite the ever-increasing workload, it’s shaping up to be an interesting semester. I mean, the worst-case scenario is that I’ll burn down my kitchen or be gnawed on by bears — and I’ll get another story for the column out of it. I’ve definitely had worse first weeks back.
Compiled by Stefanie Vigoren
03 FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Ballot Measure 1: Alive after death? By Klax Zlubzecon
Translated by George Hyde
SEAWOLF
SLUG
In the year 2013, an alien brain slug from one of the galaxy’s most feared empires crash-landed on Earth and assumed control of a lowly reporter at this newspaper. These are his stories. Yes, yes, I know it’s a bit late to be talking about Ballot Measure 1, and I should probably move on and do something on Ballot Measure 2. I may just be doing that next week. However, BM 1, as I shall call it now, is still an important issue, even a couple weeks into its
apparent demise. Actually, as my manservant types this, BM 1 is still too close to call, but it’s pretty likely that it’s dead anyway. It’s not quite dead yet, but it probably will be, like that one dude in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” So let’s just close our eyes, plug our ears, pretend
it’s dead and talk about it as if it is dead, because that’s apparently the way Alaska businesses want it. So BM 1 was a rather, shall we say, divisive measure that would have repealed Senate Bill 21, which grants tax breaks to oil companies. That is the most basic interpretation of it, and if you were a smart voter, you read up on it before you voted on it. But therein lies the issue with BM 1, which is dead. BM 1 was contentious because there were two massive ad campaigns telling people what to vote for without really telling them what BM 1 really is. Ad campaigns against BM 1, which is dead, simply stated that voting no on it would be beneficial to Alaska’s future. Voting no would make Alaska more prosperous, result in a higher Permanent Fund Dividend and get more oil jobs flowing. Alright, so what do supporters of BM 1, which is dead, argue in response? Well, voting yes on it would be beneficial to Alaska’s future. Voting yes would make Alaska more prosperous, result in a higher PFD and get more — waaaaaaait a minute. I’m no statistician, but I think somebody’s lying.
So did No supporters lie, or did Yes supporters lie? I have no clue. But it still confused voters. George did tons of research on the topic, and he came to his own conclusions on BM 1. Was he right to vote the way he did? Again, I have no clue. Ask different people around Alaska, and you’ll get wildly different answers. That, and the ballot itself was worded very confusingly, in a way that he wasn’t sure whether “Yes” meant “No,” or if “No” meant “Yes.” That wasn’t helping his opinion of it. But there’s another side of this whole BM 1 issue, which is dead, that I’d really like to discuss. The race for BM 1, which is dead, was one of the closest Alaska has ever seen. The unofficial election summary reported BM 1 voters 48 percent in favor and 52 percent against — and as mentioned before, it may even out a bit as absentee ballots are counted. But doesn’t that say something about our current tax laws? Alaska’s population is split pretty much down the middle on this issue. And that means unless some middle ground is reached, half of Alaska is going to be unhappy with how this turns out.
And a system where half the people are unhappy isn’t a very stable system, no matter which side of the political spectrum that half falls under. At this point, I remain wholly convinced that BM 1, which is dead, will have an effect, whether or not it truly is dead (which it is). The fact that Alaskans are so divided over this ballot measure, which is dead, means that the current tax laws need to be changed until a more solid majority is happy. And no matter how you look at it, 52 percent is not a good-enough majority. What is a good enough majority? I don’t know. I’m just a slug, and my host is an idiot when it comes to politics. But I know that a state law can’t really work if half of a state is against it, especially with a law as crucial as this. So hear this, supporters and opponents of BM 1, which is dead! Work together and find some middle ground. Whether we tax the oil companies more or not, we can’t afford to be this divisive. The Slug Empire can’t afford for you to be this divisive either. RESISTANCE IS FUTILE. EMBRACE THE SEAWOLF SLUG.
September & October, peak months for fires in housing By Valerie Hudson
features@thenorthernlight.org
Moving into on-campus housing is a monumental step toward one’s independence, but with this step comes responsibility.
in a press release. So what are habits college students can adapt to prevent a fire from occurring or prepare if a fire does occur? Never remove batteries or disable the alarm. Cook only when feeling alert. Remain in the kitchen while
“As college students settle into housing in dorms and off-campus apartments, it’s important they review saftey tips to learn how to prevent fires, check smoke alarms and prepare escape plans.” lorraine carli
nfpa’s vice president of outreach and advocacy
September and October are peak months for fires in college housing, according to the National Fire Protection Association. September, in particular, has been marked as Campus Fire Safety Month by the Center for College Safety. “As college students settle into housing in dorms and offcampus apartments, it’s important they review safety tips to learn how to prevent fires, check smoke alarms and prepare escape plans,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of outreach and advocacy,
cooking, as most cooking fires stem from a stove being left unattended, added Carli. In case of a power outage, use a flashlight. Use a surge protector for one’s computer and plug the protector directly into the outlet. “The best thing that a student can do once the fire or smoke alarm sounds is get out of the building as quickly as possible and stay out until it is said to be safe to return,” said Jody Inman, associate director and operations manager of UAA Housing Services.
For more information about how to be more fire-conscious while living on campus, visit http://nfpa.org.
FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
04
Do you have a life hack that might make someone’s day a little easier? Email it to features@thenorthernlight.org
COLLEG E
HACKS
By Valerie Hudson
features@thenorthernlight.org
1. No mess orange peeling: Peeling an orange with bare hands can leave them sticky all day. Use a knife for a cleaner way of eating this healthy snack. 2. Make a password into a goal of yours so you constantly have to be reminded of it. 3. Placing an envelope in the fridge for an hour will unseal it. 4. Cell phone running low on battery? Put your phone on airplane mode and it will charge much faster. These helpful college hacks came from Pinterest and hellogiggles.com.
Avoid the mess of peeling oranges with this college hack.
Photo by Valerie Hudson
FIRST FRIDAY 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 5 Enjoy free admission to the galleries, a presentation on a journey into Kobuk Valley, and dinner and wine in Muse
Museum members enjoy free general admission. Join today!
anchoragemuseum.org
SMITHSONIAN SPOTLIGHT
FINAL WEEKEND
MASK MAKING CLASS
IĂąupiaq artist Holly Nordlum melds traditional imagery and contemporary art
Last chance to see Gyre: The Plastic Ocean and Arctic Desert
Carve with artist Drew Michael
7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4
Closing Sunday, Sept. 7
Starts Sept. 15 Register online
A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
A&E OPINION
Ruggero Deodato’s “Cannibal Holocaust.”
Eli Roth’s “The Green Inferno.”
Let cannibal horror starve By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org
The annals of horror are inundated with inexplicable trends. From 1972 to 1988 one such trend took cinema by storm: cannibal horror. Cannibal horror is a subset of exploitation, focusing on realistic depictions of violence and rape, and many infamous scenes of animal cruelty. These culturally charged gorehound fantasies are thematically tricky. On the one hand, movies like “Papaya, Love Goddess of the Cannibals” can be seen as a critique on European colonialism, according to Victoria Ruetalo, associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Alberta. On the other hand, films like Ruggero Deodato’s seminal cannibal epic “Cannibal Holocaust” could be seen as endorsing xenophobia. The main characters are liberal documentarians who seek to understand the ways of Amazonian rainforest tribes. Their aim is simple, but the movie pays more attention to their eventual, and notoriously graphic, demises than their aims. In this way, “Holocaust” and movies like it focus too much on bloodshed to be anything but exploitation. This is why lauded horror director Eli Roth’s upcoming cannibal film, “The Green Inferno” just feels unnecessary. The so-called “civilized” people enter a “savage” world filled with murderous natives. Our heroes are stripped and
flayed every which way until their blood fills the rivers. “Inferno” is no different. Liberal college students travel into the Peruvian rainforest to save a dying tribe. They succeed, begin to fly back and ultimately crash in the forest whereupon the same, or a similar, tribe kidnaps and tortures them. According to the Anti-Defamation League, the stereotype of Native Americans and indigenous people as savages and warriors still persists. Any “antiimperialist” message encoded in these films is undercut by the filmmakers’ exploitation of the natives and wildlife, according to Ruetalo. But maybe there’s hope yet. By all accounts, Eli Roth, his cast, and his crew all got along with the Peruvian tribes and treated them as equals, even learning from them in the process. Even so, there’s no removing the film from its bloodsoaked and exploitative history. Horror has an ugly history of stereotyping, objectifying and excluding people of color entirely, according to Ian Olney, associate professor of English at York College. Movies like Robert O’Hara’s “The Inheritance” have set out to improve diversity in horror films. But two years have passed since its release with little progress. The world is too diverse a place for this lack of people of color to be excusable. The mythos of horror is sorely lacking, and Roth’s “The Green Inferno” doesn’t seem to be changing anything. It’s far past time for a change.
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A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
06
GAME REVIEW
‘The Walking Dead: Season Two’ falls flat By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org
and
With “The Walking Dead,” Telltale Games struck gold. “Season One” was a breath of fresh air in the sadly tepid zombie horror landscape. Coming off an emotional roller coaster like that, expectations for “Season Two” are justifiably high. While it falls flat in comparison to its predecessor, it reaches new heights that still make it an experience worth having. The story is impossible to talk about without spoiling anything from “Season One.” Simply put, “Season Two” is not for first-time “Walking Dead” players. A player’s choices from the first installment ripple through all of the second. Sometimes, the scars from the first
George Hyde
gchyde@thenorthernlight.org
game bleed like they are new. But more often than not, it just isn’t as beautifully painful as the first time around. Players who want in on Telltale’s series should jump into the first season. With the exception of a couple cameos, the characters are almost completely different from the comic series and TV show, and neither of those two are spoiled. Players of the first title will be pleased to hear that save files from the first game will carry over to the second, meaning their choices can (and will) come back to haunt them. Because of this, the story has a sense of fluidity and feels more important than many other games of today. Unfortunately, “Season Two” has
some pretty serious flaws. There are simply too many characters, and while they’re all exceptionally written and acted, the game struggles to maintain any kind of focus. The first “Walking Dead” felt more emotional because a single character, Clementine, was the focal point of the whole piece. Everything that happened in the first title revolved around her. That sense of laserg uided focus is lost amongst the glut of characters in the second installment. When the credits roll on “Season Two,” the experience as a whole feels empty. The writing is still strong, but some characters are introduced haphazardly and, as a result, their respective fates don’t have the punch they could. Some truly tear-jerking moments hint at what the season could’ve been. From an ambitious premier to a lacklus-
ter conclusion, “Season Two” will sometimes disappoint. Too many moments feel contrived for it all to come together. But when the season takes flight, however inconsistently, it truly soars, living up to the blood-soaked legacy Telltale Games has written into gaming history. It may not be the satisfying morsel that “Season One” was, but “Season Two” is still worth cleaning the plate for. It won’t fill your stomach, but the thing about hunger is that it leaves one wanting more. Game: “The Walking Dead: Season Two” Developer: Telltale Games Platforms: PS3, PS4, Vita, 360, Xbox One, iOS, PC Release date: Aug. 26, 2014
New Alaska Airlines Center hosts drive-in movie
By Kelly Ireland
editor@thenorthernlight.org Drive-in movies have a place in American nostalgia of the old days. Bringing back the old, the brand-new Alaska Airlines Center will host a Drive-In Movie and
Food Truck Rodeo, Sept. 12. “Everyone was kind of excited for a more nostalgic drive-in movie,” said Brooke Shary, account coordinator
for Spawn, an agency responsible for Alaska Airlines Center’s advertising. The event starts at 5 p.m. when the food trucks open for business. The food trucks that will be in attendance are Boombai Thai, iFood, Kokopelli, Yeti Dogs and Fishalicious. Boombai Thai, based in Seward, is making the long drive to the event to serve both traditional Thai and modern twists of it. A couple of their items include pad thai, Boombai curry and banh mi. Boombai Thai also often prepares special items at each event. Next, iFood serves a variety of American cuisine with Alaska twists. Items on the menu
include handheld salmon sliders, fried mac-n-cheese bytes, Text Mex fish tacos and hot wings. The iFood truck uses only fresh ingredients. Follow its social media or check its website to find their current location. The Kokopelli food truck vendor specializes in southwest Navajo street food. Its signature is Navajo fry bread that is made fresh every day. The menu also includes homemade chili, guacamole and tacos. Yeti Dogs is one of the many hot dog/reindeer dog stands that Anchorage is home to. Yeti Dogs offers a variety of signature dogs and toppings for a cost that won’t break the bank. Lastly, Fishalicious will be
parking at the drive-in movie. Fishalicious serves seafood items, including Alaska smoked salmon cake sliders, Alaska king crab cakes and Alaska smoked salmon chowder. When the sun starts to go down around 9 p.m., “Jurassic Park” will be projected onto a 30-foot by 50-foot screen donated for use by NC Machinery. The food trucks will remain open during the movie as well. The movie can be enjoyed from the comfort of each visitor’s car with audio coming over radio, or visitors can sit outside and watch. Speakers will be used for the audience sitting in the open. The event is free to attend — just remember to bring some money for the food trucks.
07 A&E
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
‘You Want to be an Artist’ exhibition highlights artist’s experience By Jacob Holley-Kline arts2@thenorthernlight.org
Truly knowing someone does not mean just knowing how their features twist and turn, or the facts of their life. In the world of life drawing, where artists trace the bodies of models, an artist’s relationship with his or her subject bleeds into the portrait. The subject of junior fine arts major Jenna Gerrety’s Student Union Gallery exhibition, “You Want to be an Artist?,” is East High School senior Hannah Wallace. “I know her face pretty well,” Gerrety said. “She’s someone who I find very beautiful.” To build a show, Gerrety found different locations in downtown Anchorage, had Wallace pose and focused on sketching her facial expressions rather than her whole body. “I’m pretty proud of Jenna,” Wallace said. “I’m happy with the results.” Knowing the work they both put in, Gerrety is quick to tell Wallace, “Be proud of yourself.” The duo’s chemistry shows in the portraits. Against a cosmic background Wallace stands poised in black and white, her expressions looking as if she’s speaking the title out loud. “I tried to match her expressions to the different titles,” Gerrety said. The titles are based on things people have told Gerrety after learning she is an art major. But she concedes that it’s not based solely on what people have said
to her. “They’re also things that have been floating around in my mind,” she said. Her vision for both the gallery opening and the individual pieces was apparent to the Student Union Gallery staff including Alexis Rasley, senior hospitality and restaurant management major and Student Union Gallery manager. “Jenna was a breath of fresh air,” Rasley said. “She came in and she had the vision. She said, ‘This is what I want to do’ … and we just went with her.” With help from the staff, Gerrety put all the paintings up herself, as well as spray painting the installment’s title on the wall. “We want (the gallery) to be a helping tool for new artists,” Rasley said. “But she was a professional. She came in and knew what she wanted.” As a part of her vision, Gerrety wanted her exhibit to have a communal aspect. Inspired by similar installments in places like San Francisco, California, and Chicago, Illinois, she put up artist’s trading cards in the middle of the gallery. These trading cards are miniature sketches by varying artists. Each gallery visitor is welcome to come in with his or her own mini-sketch, take one of Gerrety’s or another artist’s and replace it with his or her own. “I don’t know if I’ll sell anything, but I want people to have
THENORTHERNLIGHT N FEATURES
THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE
APRIL 1, 2014
A&E
PAGE 7
50 years later: The aftershock of the 1964 earthquake
PAGE 9
Exclusive Q&A with Ryan Merchant from Capital Cities
UAA senior Matt Bailey signs pro NHL contract
news editor needed!
By Travis Dowling
sports@thenorthernlight.org
University of Alaska Anchorage senior hockey captain Matt Bailey signed a two-year contract with the National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks on March 25. Bailey left Anchorage last week to play for Anaheim’s American Hockey League team in Norfolk, Va. Goseawolves.com reported that Matt is working with professors at UAA so that he can complete his Bachelor’s degree in marketing, and graduate this spring. Bailey posted career highs of 20 goals and 38 points in the 2013-14 hockey season with the SeaZROYHV %DLOH\ DOVR ¿QLVKHG KLV FROOHJLDWH FDUHHU with a ranking of 23rd all-time on the UAA scoring list with a total of 94 points in 138 career
games. Bailey started his professional career with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals. According to Goseawolves.com, Bailey said, “I want to thank the people of Anchorage and the University of Alaska Anchorage for allowing me to chase my dreams while getting my education. I feel truly grateful to have been able to live in Alaska and have this amazing experience.” Bailey also added, “I’d like to thank the entire coaching staff this year for making this the best year of hockey of my career.” Bailey was recently named to the All-WCHA First Team, the WCHA All-Academic Team and honored as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete. Only one Seawolf alumnus, Jay Beagle, currently plays in the NHL. He plays for the Washington Capitals and played hockey for UAA from 2005-2007.
PHOTO BY COREY HESTER
Matt Bailey set to take the faceoff in his senior year.
•Write, edit and decide what Masquerade ball NO MORE campaign goes steampunk gains momentum news to print •work with a team of writers to cover news and events •learn while you work and gain REAL LIFE experience! PHOTO BY KAYLA MCGRAW
A masquerade is a festive gathering where people wear masks and other disguises.
20 hours per week $10.50 an hour
By Kelly Ireland
arts@thenorthernlight.org
PHOTO BY ADAM EBERHARDT
Choose Respect supporters march down F Street last Thursday afternoon.
USUAA student government will hold their masquerade ball April 5 at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Anchorage from 8 p.m.-1 a.m. April 6. Normally part of Winterfest, the event was once just a dance that happened in the spring. One year, when the dance was hosted as a Mardi Gras dance, the reception to the masquerade theme so positive that the spring dance then morphed into the masquerade ball. This year, the theme for the masquerade ball is steampunk. Students who have gone in years past have enjoyed the event and love the fun of wearing masks to a dance. “I had a lot of fun,” said Bradford Gaines, an undeclared major at UAA, who attended the masquerade ball last year. “If everybody wore a mask it would make it so much better.” “I’m beyond stoked to go to this,” said Danny Field, natural and biological sciences double
major, who has never been to a masquerade. “I’m actually excited for this theme of wearing a mask and not having people see my face.” Masquerades are most often done as a part of Carnival season, which usually occurs before the Christian religious period known as Lent. Because Carnival is usually practiced before Lent, its festivities occur most often in places with Catholic and Eastern Orthodox populations. Carnivals didn’t necessarily begin as religious practices, such as in medieval Italy, where the carnival of Venice is the most notable. In France, a masquerade ball called “Bal des Ardents” or “Burning Men’s Ball,” celebrated the marriage of Charles VI of France. Dancers ZRUH RXW¿WV FRYHUHG LQ SLWFK WKDW ZRXOG FDWFK RQ ¿UH LI RQH FDPH too close to a torch that were litWHUHG DURXQG WKH GDQFH ÀRRU
By Suhaila Brunelle
news@thenorthernlight.org
More than 100 communities across Alaska participated in the Choose Respect march on March 27 to combat domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska. The Choose Respect campaign began in 2009 when Gov. Sean Parnell pledged that Alaska would take every step necessary to address the serious problem of domestic violence and sexual assault in the community. This year, members of UAA’s NO MORE campaign chapter participated in the march. NO MORE is a national campaign that was started by Mariska Hargitay and the Joyful Heart Foundation to raise awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. The campaign is designed as an easy tool for organizers to bring awareness of domestic violence and sexual assault to the community.
UAA’s NO MORE campaign recently hosted a standing roomonly kickoff event and is gaining momentum. After the kickoff, they received a large anonymous donation and nearly tripled their likes on Facebook. Student organizers Simona Gerdts and Kristen Speyerer brought the campaign to raise awareness of Alaska’s major problem of domestic violence and sexual assault, on campus. Gerdts said UAA is the prefect place to start the campaign because it is a community institution. By bringing this campaign to campus, Gerdts and Speyerer hope to bring awareness of the problem to the future leaders of Alaska. According to the 2010 Alaska Victimization Survey, 58 percent of Alaska women have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence, 47.6 percent have experienced intimate partner violence and 37.1 percent have experienced sexual violence.
According to Speyerer, domestic violence and sexual assault affects everyone. “It (the victim) can be a professor. It can be a student. It can be a staff member,” Speyerer said. “It’s (the problem of domestic violence and sexual assault) from all socioeconomic levels, all education levels. UAA is very diverse, and we do have a commuter campus here. These are our future leaders, and they need to be aware of the problem and how they can help reduce it. In Alaska, it’s an epidemic.” In bringing to light the issue of domestic violence and sexual assault in the community, the NO MORE campaign hopes to end the stigmatization of victims. Anyone, regardless of gender, can be a victim of these crimes. Members of the NO MORE campaign will be at the Student Resource Fair on April 17.
apply online at UAKJOBS.COM SEE BALL
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Posting moves #0068750 SB 176 amended, to committee students who have a concealed carry permit. Advocates for the legislation say the current policy overrides the state’s conState Senate Bill 176, which would if stitution regarding weapon use, while a passed, allow students with concealed EULH¿QJ VWDWHPHQW LVVXHG E\ WKH XQLYHUVLcarry licenses to bring concealed weap- ty says the current policy matches Alaska ons on campus, including the residence gun law restrictions for sensitive areas. halls, has been amended and moved The Alaska Constitution includes WR FRPPLWWHH 7KH ¿UVW GUDIW RI WKH ELOO weapons restrictions regarding concealed allowed for open carry, which student carry. These restrictions say no one under advocates say was not their original the age of 21 is permitted to carry a conintent. The Senate Judiciary Committee cealed weapon, even with a permit. A amended the bill, which is now submitted person concealing must ask the permisas CSSB 176 (JUD) and focuses solely on sion of an adult when visiting a residence
By Suhaila Brunelle
news@thenorthernlight.org
to bring their weapon into the home. 7KHUH DUH DOVR WR EH QR ORDGHG ¿UHDUPV in places where intoxicating liquor is served, such as bars or lounges. Restrictions also say possession of a concealed weapon in childcare facilities, court system facilities, domestic violence and sexual assault shelters and K-12 schools is against the law. University administration argues that many of the restrictions placed on those with concealed carry permits can be found throughout the UA system. The brief states 60 percent of residential students are under 21 years of age.
Both UAA and UAF have childcare facilities on campus. The University of Alaska adjudicates disciplinary and academic issues daily. UA operates
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A gallery visitor views Jenna Gerrety’s portraits of Hannah Wallace.
Photos by Adam Eberhardt
my art,” Gerrety said. “This was a good way that people can put their own stuff up … and take my art with them.” Whether or not she sells her paintings, Gerrety believes art is first about honest expression. “You’re bringing something of yourself and putting it on display for other people, and it’s up to the viewer to take away their own meaning from the work,” she said.
“You Want to be an Artist?” will be on display in the Student Union Gallery from Aug. 28 to Sept. 24. The gallery is open from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Thursdays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Fridays. The gallery is free for students and the public. The “You Want To Be An Artist?” exhibit features a trading card art exchange.
OPINION
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
08
OPINION
UA President Pat Gamble should forfeit retention bonus By Tim “Cecil” Brown Contributor
In a recent letter to the University of Alaska system, the UA Board of Regents chair, Pat Jacobson, asserts a number of things. She says the Board of Regents’ decision to give University of Alaska President Pat Gamble a six-figure retention bonus is prudent for the university system. She asserts his bonus, in addition to his $320,000 annual salary, is necessary to prevent his flight from public service in Alaska. I would venture to guess that the University of Alaska-wide email sent through UA-Outreach titled “Message from UA Board of Regents chair re president retention bonus” — also echoed on Alaska Dispatch News — was in response to a sharp outcry from faculty who have been seen the greatest impact of budget cuts. Even as a student, it is a slap in the face. Our teachers, not our administrators, determine the quality of education at UA campuses. Students who enroll in programs throughout University of Alaska
are paying for the opportunity to study with the most highly qualified experts in their fields of study. It is unconscionable for administrators to hand each other raises while teachers are being forced to eat each others’ lunches. Prioritization may be terrible — necessary, even. It is my personal belief that the university should do whatever it takes to proceed in an economically sustainable fashion. However, the burden of these cuts should be shared. On Aug. 1, an article appeared in the Lexington Herald-Leader titled “KSU president gives up over $90,000 of his salary to boost lowest-paid campus employees.” In the article, the interimpresident of Kentucky State University announces having given up his salary to support the lowest-paid employees on that campus. System-wide cuts should insulate the quality of the classroom, not the boardroom. Administrators should share the burden of tighter budgets and give preference to teachers, students and programs. Pat Gamble should give the bonus back or get out of public service.
Photo courtesy of UAF Cornerstone
PEOPLE
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
09
HOT TOPIC
“What constructive advice would you offer to UAA Parking Services?”
Andrew Thomason Biological Sciences
“I would argue that having a grace period for the parking permit system would be beneficial to students, because it seems right now that it’s an overly sharp way of enforcing their policies, as opposed to gently reminding students that they need a permit.
Devin Johnson
Environment and Society
Dmitri Wines
“Have some mercy. Be courteous if the person is just parking for five minutes.”
Hospitality Management
“Why do you have to charge $250 for a parking spot when there is no parking spot? I understand that you have to charge people, but where’s the money going? Hot Topic Questions, photos and Comments compiled bY George Hyde
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PEOPLE
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
10
Photo by Kelly Ireland
Cirque Mechanics perform at the Alaska State Fair.
Photo by Kelly Ireland
A 117.95-pound cabbage won the “Giant Cabbage Weigh-off� at the Alaska State Fair.
Photo by Kelly Ireland
A City Cirque juggler performs at the Alaska State Fair.
Photo by Adam Eberhardt
A firetruck arrives after child from Tanaina daycare pulled alarm in the Student Union on Aug. 25.
Photo by Adam Eberhardt
Julia Mackey hits the ball between teammates Breanne Sytnyk and Katelynn Zanders during an inter-squad scrimmage at the alumni game.
Photo by Adam Eberhardt
Children in the Tanaina Child Development Center find cover from the rain during false fire alarm.
COMICS
THENORTHERNLIGHT Wednesday, September 3, 2014
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The Northern Light is a proud member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The Northern Light is a weekly UAA publication funded by student fees and advertising sales. The editors and writers of the Northern Light are solely responsible for its contents. Circulation is 4,500. 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.
LETTERS AND CORRECTIONS POLICY Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@ thenorthernlight.org. The maximum length is 250 words. Opinion pieces can be submitted to editor@ thenorthernlight.org. The maximum word length is 450 words. Letters and opinion pieces are subject to editing for grammar, accuracy, length and clarity. 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 Northern Light newsroom is located on the first floor of the Student Union, directly next to Subway.
THE NORTHERN LIGHT CONTACTS 3211 Providence Drive Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508 Phone: 907-786-1513 Fax: 907-786-1331 info@thenorthernlight.org Executive editor 786-1434 editor@thenorthernlight.org Kelly Ireland Managing Editor 786-1313 content@thenorthernlight.org Tulsi Patil
Photo editor photo@thenorthernlight.org Vacant Staff Photographers photo2@thenorthernlight.org Kayla McGraw Adam Eberhardt Layout Editor layout@thenorthernlight.org Vacant
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ANSEP • BONUS • CANNIBAL • FIRES • GERRETY • KOKOPELLI • PARKING RODEO • SAFETY • SEPTEMBER • SLUG • WALKINGDEAD
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FEATURES EDITOR 786-1576 features@thenorthernlight.org Valerie Hudson ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR features2@thenorthernlight.org Vacant A&E editor 786-1512 arts@thenorthernlight.org Vacant ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR arts2@thenorthernlight.org Jacob Holley-Kline sports editor 786-1512 sports@thenorthernlight.org Vacant
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