SEPTEMBER 10 - SEPTEMBER 30, 2024
A&E PAGE 5
Photos: Final day of the 2024 Alaska State Fair
PAGE 10
Pornography: A new era of media requires a new understanding
SUV hits two vehicles in UAA parking lot before driving off road
By Raye M. White multimedia.editor@thenorthernlight.org
A woman driving a SUV hit two parked vehicles in the West Campus Central Parking Lot before driving off the road and into the bushes next to Seawolf Drive on Monday, Sept. 9.
UPD Chief Jeff Earle said the woman
hit the two cars before coming to a stop off the road. He said that she was arrested on a charge of DUI.
The police did not have any further comment at the time.
One of the damaged cars is “Black Beauty,” a beloved Audi that belongs to Dr. Terry Nelson, Interim Dean for the College of Business and Public Policy.
Nelson said she heard a crashing
sound from her office in Rasmuson Hall.
“I heard squealing tires. And I said, ‘Who’s driving crazy?’ Then I heard a crash, and I looked down, I said, ‘Oh, they hit something … That’s my car. They hit Black Beauty.’”
Nelson said she looked out of her office window and saw that somebody had just hit her car.
“I immediately came down,” she said.
“But by the time I got down here, they had left, but evidently they didn’t make it too far.”
The other damaged vehicle in the parking lot belongs to a UAA student who said they were in class and did not witness anything.
This is a developing story.
Student Engagement and Inclusion to stop hiring graduate student employees
By Raye M. White multimedia.editor@thenorthernlight.org
The department of Student Engagement and Inclusion will no longer hire graduate students for Student Assistant 1 and 2 positions.
According to Kim Morton, executive director of Student Engagement and Inclusion, the department will only post positions for undergraduates going forward. There may be case-by-case exceptions if the department determines that it makes sense to hire a graduate student, said Morton.
This change happened after the University of Alaska and the Alaska Graduate Workers Association-UAW Union negotiated a Collective Bargaining Agreement earlier this year.
The agreement raised the pay rates of graduate students in Student Assistant 1 positions to a minimum of $17.50 per hour. Student Assistant 2 positions will now earn $18.50 per hour. The new pay
rate took effect on July 14.
There are currently four graduate students who work in Student Assistant 1 and 2 positions under Student Engagement and Inclusion, said Morton.
“The majority of our positions are really geared towards undergraduate students, and the work associated with it is really primarily for undergraduate students,” said Morton. “So I believe that we will be limiting those positions to undergraduate students only, unless it makes sense for the work needed to have the education and experience of a graduate student.”
Morton explained that for the graduate students currently in these roles, the department “will be reviewing the positions and determining if there are additional expectations that might make sense due to the increase in the wages.”
Previously, both undergraduate and graduate students were paid the same regardless of their academic credentials, said Morton.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR HECKART.
University of Alaska Anchorage sign.
PHOTO
BY KAITLYN GAUB.
The SUV came to a stop in the bushes off of Seawolf Drive next to the Allied Health Sciences Building.
PHOTO
BY TANNER CROFT.
Damaged vehicles in the West Campus Central Parking Lot.
Photos: Kickin’ it at Campus Kickoff
By Raye M. White multimedia.editor@thenorthernlight.org
New and returning Seawolves were welcomed back to Campus with the annual UAA Campus Kickoff from 2 to 6 p.m. on Aug. 24. The Student Union and Avis Alaska Sports Complex were filled with UAA departments, student groups and community organizations that provided resources to students.
Throughout the afternoon, there were musical performances, games and a selection of food trucks. Students competed in rounds of canoe battleship, and baby goats were on hand to feed and cuddle. Afterward, the Campus Kickoff Concert took place in the Alaska Airlines Center and featured K Camp with Husse.
For some University of Alaska faculty, the next paycheck could be $0 University officials say they have made headway on the problem and faculty will be paid “as soon as possible.”
By Claire Stremple Alaska Beacon
This story was originally published in the Alaska Beacon on Sept. 4, 2024.
When Tara Palmer checked her upcoming paycheck online on Tuesday, she got an unwelcome surprise. For her first weeks back to full-time work as a professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, she was scheduled to be paid $0.
“I am a single parent. I have a daughter in college that I help support, and a daughter in high school, and this is a very significant financial issue for me,” she said. “I try to plan ahead. I try to be careful with my money, of course, but missing an entire pay period is significant, regardless of how carefully one plans.”
An unknown number of university faculty learned this week that they were not scheduled to be paid on time for their first weeks of work after three months of summer without paychecks. Faculty and union representatives said Tuesday that the state university system’s failure to pay certain employees on time would be a breach of trust – and the law. They brought up their concerns at a public meeting with the university regents on Tuesday, when one faculty member called it a “travesty.”
Palmer said the situation has left her feeling uncertain about the future. She testified at the meeting.
“If I knew it was just me, and they screwed up something, I could roll with it. But this is numerous people. It’s not just my college, it’s not just UAA, and they aren’t fixing it. They’re just saying, ‘Oh, we’re short staffed,’ which is just utterly unacceptable,” she said.
Several other faculty said they would also not receive their next paycheck, but had concerns about speaking out.
Employees can manage their paychecks through an online portal, which shows the amount that they will receive on the upcoming payday. For the pay period of Aug. 11-24, for which employees are scheduled to be paid on Sept. 6, several faculty members see they will be making $0.
Palmer said she has been with the university for two decades and it is the first time her employer will have missed a paycheck. But she said she was disappointed that the university didn’t reach out and let her know that it would be failing to uphold one of its basic obligations as an employer.
“It’s a terrible way to treat your employees. I’m utterly baffled. And I love my job. I really love my job, but I do not love how they are treating us right now,” she said.
Jonathon Taylor, a spokesperson for the university system, said that university leadership has identified solutions over the course of the day on Wednesday and may be able to pay all employees on time.
“UA has been aware of the issues for several weeks, and we are working diligently to resolve them. Employee compensation is at the heart of our responsibility, and we are working to get all of our employees paid as quickly as possible,” he said in an email.
Taylor said the university does not yet have a count of how many faculty may be affected.
“The issues stem from a confluence of factors, including the start of the academic year, the holiday weekend, and the deadlines for getting hire paperwork submitted for the start of the semester,” he said in a subsequent email. “The full scope of the potential issue came into focus after the holiday weekend. There has been an effort to warn staff who may be affected.”
That message has not been making it out to faculty in the right way, said Jill Dumesnil, a math professor at University of Alaska Southeast and the union president there.
“They’re getting emails from their deans and directors saying … they might get paid next week or in two weeks,” she said. “Part of what’s really upsetting is just the casualness with which our members are being contact and told, ‘Oops, this happened.’”
Union members say they are hearing from administrators that the issue is a result of understaffing in human resources. Dumesnil stressed that the affected faculty are not to blame: “They signed their paperwork, they did their part, they did their job, they showed up, they worked and they should be paid on time. Understaffing in HR is not a legitimate excuse for not paying employees.”
The news comes as United Academics, the union for full-time university faculty, negotiates a new contract with the university. Several faculty members who called into the Tuesday meeting with the regents said their pay is not keeping up with the cost of living in the state. One faculty member from UAA described seeking relief at the local food bank because her salary is too high to qualify for food stamps.
Dumesnil said the paycheck issue comes on top of other financial concerns.
“We’ve already suffered the loss of purchasing power and a lot of faculty are living paycheck to paycheck,” she said. “A lot of faculty can barely afford to live in their communities, especially in the rural communities and in Southeast.”
Dumesnil added that the problem of late pay has come up before. “To our knowledge, this is at least the third occurrence of this problem in the last four years,” she said.
Douglas Cost, a union representative, associate professor and program chair in the education department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said he has been getting texts, calls and emails from faculty concerned to see the university will not pay them at the end of the
week.
“In cost-cutting measures, (the university) reduced HR to a shambles of what it once was. Now the HR concerns come to the union because faculty know that HR is not going to be able to really help them,” he said.
Cost said his colleagues have worked hard to get their degrees and achieve their roles on faculty at a university, but said it was laughable to have “made it” and then find you can’t count on a paycheck: “You’ve arrived, and you’re like, ‘Wow. T.J. Maxx has never not paid me.’”
UAF is currently seeking to double its doctoral student graduation rate to become a top-tier research university. Cost said he is unsure how the university can be top-tier without attracting talented faculty with competitive wages.
Graduate students are also affected. K. Janeschek, an organizer of the newly formed graduate student workers union, said not all graduate student workers have gotten their contracts processed by the university either, including several who have already started work. Janeschek said paperwork issues like this are “standard operating procedure at this point” for graduate student workers, but that has cascading consequences.
“For students the effects are pretty extreme,” they said. “Their salaries are small and most people can’t pay rent without biweekly paychecks. People I’ve known have missed rent payments in the past.”
Janeschek said that the union made sure their contracts included protection from late fees on tuition if contracts are processed late because students were charged late fees on tuition they don’t even owe.
They said human resources employees have pointed to short-staffing as a reason for delays, as well as the time-consuming nature of inputting the information by hand.
“Manual data entry in 2024 for thousands of contracts is not a good system,” Janeschek said, adding that, according to another union member, the university had about 150 graduate student contracts left to process as of last week.
In Anchorage, Tara Palmer said she has not heard anyone from the university say the problem may be resolved soon enough that employees like her are paid on time, but she hopes it will be. She checked her online account again on Wednesday afternoon, and her pay for the last two weeks of full-time work was still scheduled to be $0.
Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Andrew Kitchenman for questions: info@alaskabeacon. com. Follow Alaska Beacon on Facebook and Twitter.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
Students participate in a canoe battle in the Avis Alaska Sports Complex pool.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
Rising sophomore Abigail Turner paints a rock in an art activity hosted by UAA Grounds and Horticulture Department.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
A variety of UAA departments and community organizations set up in the Avis Alaska Sports Complex gymnasium to provide information to new students.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
8-week-old baby goats from The Tiny Homestead butt heads.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
A student gets her face painted.
&
AE
Hidden Gem: Pink Cadillac
Dance, drink and dust off your pool skills.
By Tanner Croft & Murat Demir
As most of our readers have noticed, the general goal of this Hidden Gem column is to find niche restaurants, bars or just cool locations where college students may want to spend time. This week, we stumbled upon The Pink Cadillac Country Bar & Dance Hall.
On Feb. 1, the Pink Cadillac opened its doors to the residents of Anchorage. Since then, this new addition to the Anchorage bar scene has quickly become a great place to spend your evenings, despite being relatively obscure.
Rico Agudelo and Kastle Sorensen co-own this establishment. After Agudelo realized he was amassing quite the following due to his DJing skills, he decided to open a bar of his own — located in the same building that once housed The Last Frontier Bar.
This gem is located in a strip mall off Muldoon Road on the
east side of town, about 15 minutes from UAA, and worth it if you’re seeking change in your day-to-day.
There is a brand-new dance floor that was installed during recent renovations. Bistro lights hang above, illuminating the dance floor with a soft glow that compliments the sharp neon lights on the walls.
In addition to the dance floor and bar-style room, there are also several couches that are comfy as hell.
Since the Pink Cadillac is a dance hall, they feature free dance lessons of all different styles and skill levels four days a week.
These lessons include twostep, country swing, Latin and
Upcoming events
UAA event list for Wednesday, Sept. 11, to Tuesday, Sept. 17.
By Kyle Ivacic managing.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Events happening throughout the week:
Midnight Sun Theatre Presents: “Leave Your Fears Here”
According to the event description, this is a one-man play that “is a tale of losing a language and learning a new one, of a child teaching the parent, and the power of hope in the darkest of times.” Tickets start at $20.
Fine Arts Building, Room 129
Thursday, Sept. 12, 7–9 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 13, 7–9 p.m.
Saturday. Sept. 14, 7–9 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 15, 7–9 p.m.
Sitka Music Festival Autumn Classics
Students and community members are invited to a weekend of classical music brought to Anchorage by the Sitka Music Festival. Various artists are scheduled to perform throughout the weekend. Tickets start at $40.
Fine Arts Building, Room
150
Fri. Sept. 13, 7–9 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 14, 7–9 p.m.
Sun. Sept. 15, 4–6 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
Noon Music
UAA Concert Board is putting on a weekly concert showcasing Alaskan music. This week’s artist is yet to be announced. For more information, visit the Concert Board’s Facebook page.
Student Union cafeteria Noon - 1 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 12
School of Nursing Information Session
According to the event description, students can “join the UAA School of Nursing for a program informational session about associate and bachelor’s degrees around the state. The program will present a program overview, admission requirements, due dates, and compliance requirements and answer general questions about the programs.”
Zoom Noon - 1 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 13
Public Show: From Earth to the Universe
According to the event description, “From Earth to the
Universe takes the audience out to the colorful birthplaces and burial grounds of stars, and still further out beyond the Milky Way to the unimaginable immensity of a myriad galaxies.”
The show will be followed by a presentation from UAA planetarium technician Sera Shaughnessy.
ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building, Planetarium, Room 220
6:30–7:30 p.m. 8–9 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 14
Skinny Raven Oktoberfest 5k & 10k
According to the event description, this is a “celebration of German culture that’ll leave you hopping with joy. From scrumptious pretzels & cheese, savory sausages, and even Turkish doner kebab.” Tickets start at $47 and include a commemorative t-shirt and a $10 voucher for use at 49th State Brewing.
49th State Brewing, 717 W. Third Avenue, Anchorage Starts at 11 a.m.
Monday, Sept. 16
UAA Fall Payment Deadline Tuition and student fees must be paid by this date or students
line dancing styles. So if you have no moves, this just might be the best place for you to learn.
In addition to the dance lessons, there are several other events going on at the bar each night. On Sunday, there is a poker tournament with free entry, and a Latin night social.
Monday night is Buckaroos Night, when guests of any age are welcome until 11 p.m. It’s the perfect opportunity for younger college students to safely experience a night out on the town.
Tuesdays are game nights. Pool, darts, cornhole, Super Smash Bros., Mario Kart and board games can all be enjoyed.
The Pink Cadillac hosts many other events during the rest of the week, such as live ‘80s and ‘90s country music, additional swing dance lessons and much more.
However, the highlight of the schedule is on Thursday night, which is Ladies Night. According to Agudelo, one of the main goals of the Pink Cadillac is to offer a safe environment for women to experience nightlife
in Anchorage — in addition to creating the best country bar in town.
On Ladies Nights in the past, each woman has received a free gift, according to The Pink Cadillac Facebook page.
As with any bar, you may find yourself several drinks in and searching for the nearest place that you can find something to eat.
With The Pink Cadillac, you do not have to go far to find food. You can order a whole pizza — great bar food, but not necessarily filling enough.
If you’re still hungry after eating pizza, you can order cheesecake, which is utterly delectable. These cheesecakes are provided thanks to Kastle’s Kreations, which you may recognize as the winner of the ninth season of Cupcake Wars.
Whether you are an avid enjoyer of country music, or you are a single lady looking for a safe location where the staff cares about your well-being, the Pink Cadillac is a spot that you want to keep on your radar. If you do swing by, make sure you ask for the Pink tea shot, the signature drink of the Pink Cadillac.
will incur a $125 late fee and an account hold. Payments can be made at UAOnline and payment plans are available.
Tuesday, Sept. 17
20th Annual Constitution Day Chartwell Lecture
The Department of Political Science is putting on the annual Constitution Day Chartwell Lecture. This lecture will focus on the Constitution and relevant political science topics.
ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building, Room 120 6–9:30 p.m.
PHOTO BY MURAT DEMIR.
A neon sign glows in the dimly lit Pink Cadillac Country Bar & Dance Hall.
COURTESY OF EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY. “From Earth to the Universe” poster.
Movie Review: ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’
36 years in the making, but should it have been made at all?
By Tanner Croft columnist.editor@thenorthernlight.org
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is finally here, almost 40 years after the release of the cult classic “Beetlejuice.” Now that we finally have the sequel, the question of whether or not it was at all necessary arises.
After being announced in early 2022, the sequel had caught the attention of longtime fans, but are those fans happy with the final product?
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” takes place several years after the events of the original film. Lydia Deets — played once again by Winona Ryder — has gone on to sell out and become a famous “ghost hunter” personality type on a T.V. show. She is occasionally haunted by visions of Beetlejuice, who appears to be messing with her from the other side.
Her stepmother Delia Deets — played once again by Catherine O’Hara — is now a famous artist, and surprisingly, the two characters have a decent relationship, counteracting the entire plot from the first film.
In addition to several returning characters, we are introduced to Astrid Deets, the estranged daughter of Lydia. Astrid is played by Jenna Ortega, and her addition feels the best out of the rest of the newly added cast.
Another standout char-
acter from the new additions is one named Rory, who is dating Lydia. Rory is played by Justin Theroux. We also see Willem Dafoe, and Monica Bellucci added to the cast, and while they play their roles energetically and seem to be having fun on set, the characters are not as fleshed out as they should be.
Michael Keaton reprises his role as the titular character, however, because it is no longer the ‘80s, that character is a tame shell of what it once was.
Where the original film was filled with raunchy perversion, this new film’s character has to adhere to a much stricter outline in order to remain likable to a modern viewer. There are still funny scenes involving the character, but overall, when compared to the original, not even Keaton could have saved what Beetlejuice has become, although he tried his best.
This is not to say that the film is bad though — in fact quite the opposite — this film is good, but it is only good. The original however, is often regarded as great, and is many people’s favorite film.
It is unlikely that this sequel will garner the same level of praise. Once the dust settles, it is likely that most people will forget that this movie exists.
It cannot stand next to the original film, and instead becomes muddled and indecisive, undoubtedly going through several obvious rewrites over the 36 years that have taken place since the release of the original.
There are about four main plotlines, and that makes it slightly hard or annoying to follow what is going on within the story. Where the original had one plotline and found a way to fit Beetlejuice into that story, the writers of this film clearly did not want to do away with any of the good ideas that the previous writers had come up with for the script, which leaves us, as viewers, with a less immersive experience and potentially even a bit of mental whiplash.
There are several positives of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” though. For one, the visuals are ramped up this time, and the film looks great. Although some viewers may share the sentiment that the limited capabilities of the technology in the ‘80s helped contribute to the overall vibe of the first film.
The practical effects from the first film helped with the comedy and overall theme. In this sequel, the practical effects are often overshadowed by the CGI effects. While the film may look great, it doesn’t feel as cared for as the original in the effects department.
We get to see a lot
more of Beetlejuice’s past within this film, which is nice for viewers who were wondering how the character met his demise and wound up in the afterlife in the first place. In addition to the added backstory for Beetlejuice, we also get to see a lot more of the afterlife, and how it functions behind the scenes in the world of this franchise.
The soundtrack is one of the best aspects of this film, and may even be the one thing that this film did
better than the first. While the first film had an amazing soundtrack that contributed to and enhanced the plot, this film doubles down and provides an excellent list of licensed music that all fits well within the world of “Beetlejuice.”
At the end of the day, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is yet another legacy sequel that is obvious about having been rewritten many times, and while it is an improvement visually, it is not as enjoyable of
an experience as the first. The cast worked great together and you can tell that they had fun on set, but it is not enough to overcome the obstacle of being a sequel. While this film is enjoyable and fun, it will never be as good as the original. It is worth watching if you are a fan of the characters and the world, but it is not anything that will be overly memorable in the years to come.
Photos: Blueberry Fest at Ski Land resort
By Vadim Bledsoe video2@thenorthernlight.org
The second annual Blueberry Festival was held at the Ski Land resort outside of Fairbanks on Aug. 17. The festival featured blueberry harvesting, hiking, mountain biking and lift rides. The band Almost a Minyan, the farthest north klezmer band, performed in the Ski Hut.
Tickets were $35 per adult and $25 for children 12 and under, which included access to berry picking, lift rides and live music.
PHOTO BY VADIM BLEDSOE.
Tamarack Grill serves food and drinks for the klezmer performance in the ski hut.
PHOTO BY VADIM BLEDSOE.
Farthest North Klezmer band Almost A Minyan performs for Ski Land’s Blueberry Festival.
PHOTO BY VADIM BLEDSOE.
Beaver Sports and Bankstown Bike and Ski rents mountain bikes to explore the trails at Ski Land.
PHOTO BY VADIM BLEDSOE.
A violinist playing with Almost A Minyan.
PHOTO BY VADIM BLEDSOE.
Attendees dance and watch a performance by Almost A Minyan.
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS. PICTURES.
A movie poster for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.”
Video: Campus Kickoff Returns! 2024
Campus Kickoff on August 24th held an array of activities and opportunities for new and returning students, staff, and faculty.
Video by Anja Burnett
video1@thenorthernlight.org
Photos: Final day of the 2024 Alaska State Fair
By Raye M. White
multimedia.editor@thenorthernlight.org
The 2024 Alaska State Fair wrapped up on Monday, Sept. 2. The 2024 Alaska State Fair opened on Aug. 16, and took place on the Alaska State Fairgrounds in Palmer, located about 45 miles northeast of Anchorage.
The Alaska State Fair hosted a variety of performances, ranging from acrobats that performed astonishing feats of balance, to the final round of the state-wide Alaska’s Got Talent competition. Each evening, the fair hosted a concert on the Borealis Theatre Stage. The concert series included two sold-out shows by rapper and actor Ludacris.
PHOTO BY ANJA BURNETT.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
performer with Cirque Ma’Ceo does a handstand while she twirls hulahoops on her feet.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
Drummers with the musical group Tomodachi Daiko perform on the Colony Stage.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
Spectators fill the benches to watch the Alaska’s Got Talent competition on the Colony Stage.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE. Attendees stroll through Irwin Hall and observe the fiber arts and quilts on display.
PHOTO BY RAYE M. WHITE.
pig in the petting zoo waits as a handler fills their bowls with food.
Consoles and computers: UAA Esports fifth anniversary
The first few weeks of class can be stressful — visit the Esports Lounge to unwind before your next lecture.
By Hannah Dillon associate.editor@thenorthernlight.org
2024 marks the fifth anniversary of the UAA Esports Lounge’s creation. The lounge has 18 computers, two Nintendo Switches, an Oculus and a Playstation 5 — all for students to use.
UAA’s Esports lounge is located on the second floor of the Student Union, next to the coffee shop. The ambience of green RGB lighting that lines the walls and the slight heat coming from computer fans provide a fun space for students.
Student Esports manager Daniel Ribuffo spoke with The Northern Light about the Esports Lounge and the amount of traffic consoles and computers have seen in the last five years.
All UAA students who are taking at least one credit can use the lounge’s gear at any time. If students would like to use a controller or other accessories, they can be checked out through the Esports staff members.
According to Ribuffo in a follow-up email, the Esports lounge computers had 4,586 hours of playtime in the 2023 academic year. The average session playtime was one hour and 43 minutes. These numbers were spread out among 430 users and do not include any time gaming on consoles.
Ribuffo said that students taking 12 credits a semester and are in good academic standing can participate in tryouts for UAA’s Esports competitive teams.
The Esports lounge has six different teams, each allowing a maximum of five people to join. The titles that are supported by Esports competitive teams are Super Smash Brothers, Rocket League, Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch, League of Legends and Valorant.
Tryouts took place on Aug. 29-30, and team captains decide who will be accepted onto the team.
If students are not interested in any of the mentioned titles, Ribuffo said that Esports Lounge staff can help students become part of a desired league, assist with game registration, advertise teams and provide a space to hold tryouts.
Ribuffo said that if students have their own gaming laptops or handheld devices, the lounge can be enjoyed as a space for the ambiance and as a place for students to
game together on their own devices.
The Esports Lounge is completely self-funded which can prove to be a challenge for adding every game students would like to see available. Some of the most requested games for the lounge are fighting games like Tekken.
Although the lounge cannot buy game titles very often, if students have their own Steam, Riot or Microsoft accounts, they can log in with their unique user ID and will have all of their owned games available.
Ribuffo said that while there is nothing set in stone for the celebration of the lounge’s fifth anniversary as of
yet, they hope to have another event similar to the UAA vs. UAF vs. UAS Esports competition that was held last year.
“We hope to be able to do something to show appreciation to the students who have legitimized our existence the past five years,” said Ribuffo.
Students can join UAA’s Esports Discord to keep upto-date with everything the lounge is planning.
“Thank you to everybody who comes by and uses the space. Hopefully we can continue to support them [students] in having fun throughout their college experience,” said Ribuffo.
Photos: Hmong New Year’s Celebration
By Sarah Bennett photo1@thenorthernlight.org
The Anchorage Hmong New Year’s Celebration welcomed hundreds of people to the Delaney Park Strip on Aug. 24-25. This annual celebration honors Hmong ancestors for the upcoming year.
The event consisted of performances, dancing and traditional games. Vendors provided a variety of Hmong cuisine. Special guests performed throughout the day. Johnny Lo was featured after the fashion show and talent show. Traditional clothes and games shared with the community allowed others to immerse themselves in the Hmong cultural celebration. This event was free for everyone.
PHOTO BY HANNAH DILLON.
UAA Esports lounge gaming computers with Seawolf brand chairs and custom desk mats.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.
Young women pose for a portrait while wearing traditional Hmong clothing.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.
The Hmong New Years sign welcomes the attendees.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.
A group of young women watch the dancers.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.
The crowds gather to enjoy the talent show.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. Hmong garments feature wealth.
The lowdown on UAA’s Student Health and Counseling Center
All UAA students have access to inexpensive options for physical health check-ups, mental health assistance, sexual health screenings and medication management.
By Hannah Dillon associate.editor@thenorthernlight.org
UAA’s Student Health and Counseling provides a space for students to seek medical aid. The program is located on the first floor of Rasmuson Hall, Room 120, and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a onehour break from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursdays.
Health promotion specialist Summer Sweet discussed health counseling provided by UAA with The Northern Light.
Sweet said she and Sarah Mills — alcohol, wellness and drug wellness educator — both work on the Health Promotion team to keep students informed about health services provided by UAA.
Students who wish to utilize the on-campus clinic for physical and mental health services need to be registered for at least one credit and have paid their student fees.
Some of the available physical health services include standard checkups, travel vaccines, STI screenings, sexual health information and medication management.
Mental health services include counseling and an on-campus psychiatric
nurse practitioner who can prescribe medications to students, as well as assist in any ongoing conditions where students may need to see a health professional.
Student Health and Counseling has implemented a $10 fee for each appointment this year. Depending on the visitation and what students are seeking assistance for, insurance may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
Sweet said that walkins are welcome — especially if a student is in need of immediate assistance — but appointments are preferred.
September is Suicide Awareness Month and Sarah Mills will be hosting a suicide prevention workshop to inform members of the UAA community on how to detect if someone is at risk and how to talk to someone who may have mentioned suicide.
UAA students can get involved in the work Sweet supervises by becoming peer health educators. Sweet said the peer health educator positions are funded through a Department of Health grant program.
The grant focuses on violence prevention, substance use — including early intervention — and dementia prevention.
Sweet said the student position and another grant-funded position, titled “health educator assistant,” cover mental and physical health, accident prevention, safe living situations and social deter-
minants of health.
Sweet and other counseling contributors visit classrooms throughout campus to educate students and staff on violence prevention and bystander training.
“If you see something, say something,” said Sweet.
Student Health and Counseling also travels to other UA universities
throughout the state to participate in events such as health fairs and prevention and awareness campaigns.
Student Health and Counseling is also affiliated with a basic needs initiative at UAA. Emergency food is provided by the Seawolf Food Pantry and the Seawolf Essentials Center provides free basic needs such as hygiene
products, menstrual products, coats and safe sex supplies.
Sweet and the rest of the counseling center are also responsible for providing free menstrual products in some of the restrooms around campus.
Many students may have recognized the “Lavatory Lowdown” paper that is updated almost every month and placed in nearly every bathroom on campus.
Sweet said the purpose of the “Lavatory Lowdowns” is to easily inform students of awareness months, programs and events that coincide with the Health and Counseling Center’s ambitions to keep UAA students healthy.
Students seeking counseling or any of the center’s services should not provide any medical information through email. Students have access to a Patient Portal that will allow anyone to securely communicate their medical needs.
If students would like to stay up to date with UAA’s Student Health and Counseling program, they can follow @uaa_phe_hpt on Instagram, and , contact uaa_studenthealth@ uaa.alaska.edu or call 907786-4050 with any questions.
Photos: Arctic Thunder Open House 2024
By Sarah Bennett photo1@thenorthernlight.org
Arctic Thunder Open House featured land and sky demonstrations that were performed for a crowd of thousands. This biennial event was hosted at the Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson or JBER on July 20 and 21. This year’s theme was “Honoring Legacy, Inspiring the Next Generation”
The open house also had local food vendors, memorials and tours of military aircraft. This event was free to the public. The next Arctic Thunder Open House is planned for July 2026.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.
Thunderbirds perform a Diamond Pass-in-Review.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT.
fans in the crowd.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. Crowds gathered around the planes.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. The simulated assault demo ends with a bang.
PHOTO BY SARAH BENNETT. Melissa Burn celebrates her high-performance aerobatics in her Zivko Edge 540.
PHOTO BY SUMMER SWEET.
Health Educator Assistant Fabiola Lugo.
Sound and sociology: Is Hip Hop dying?
The new column that discusses music, sociology, and sometimes
By Nahla White columnist2@thenorthernlight.org
I remember where I was on April 30 when “Euphoria” by Kendrick Lamar first dropped. I had just gotten home from the morning shift at my job and had opened TikTok only to see video after video about the newly released diss track.
Hip Hop is my life. I start the day off bumping 21 Savage while putting on my makeup, ride to work with Outkast blaring from my car speakers and cry myself to sleep at night with Noname playing in my headphones. Hip Hop is an art and a way of life for so many people, including myself. With roots buried deep in the heart of Brooklyn, New York, and branching out toward the rest of the country, the different aspects and nuances of rap are much more complex than the media gives them credit for.
These components lie far deeper than just the music — going down into the fashion, the language, the art and the ideology. It’s culture in the most literal sense of what culture can be.
So when Kendrick released a response to Drake and J. Cole’s “First Person Shooter,” I knew I couldn’t miss a single beat of the chaos that was sure to follow.
What followed could only be described as a slaughter of Drake’s reputation and credibility as a reliable source of information.
Kendrick released diss track after diss track filled with bold claims of Drake being a culture vulture, absentee father to another child, and a pedophile and pedophile enabler.
It was intense for anyone watching the situation unfold in real time, and as both a Drake hater and Kendrick fan, I enjoyed every second of it.
Beneath the biracial jokes and allegations of pedophilia lies a much more nuanced discussion to be held about Drake’s role in the overcommercialization of rap and the death of Hip Hop as a culture.
“Euphoria” features one of the most important lines out of the entire beef when Kendrick says, “Notice I said we. It’s not just me. I’m what the culture feeling.”
Over the course of four songs, Kendrick structures a cleverly crafted narrative that paints rap’s golden boy as a villain. From his perspective, Drake’s worst offense is his culture-vulture tendencies and disrespect for Hip Hop as a culture. On numerous occasions he mentions times when Drake — either subtly or not so subtly — utilized his Blackness and proximity to hip-hop to increase his own capital with no regard for the art or the people that it came from.
In many ways, Drake could be considered the personification of a culture dying. His mu-
both.
sic — and the way he understands and navigates his way through the culture — is proof of this as well.
I think it’s safe to say that Drake does not have any traditionally classic albums. Arguably, many refer to his earlier works as some of his best music, with the picks from his official releases being “Take Care,” “Nothing Was the Same” and “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late.”
However, a noticeable shift in quality could be seen around the time “Scorpion” dropped in 2018, which was the same year TikTok was officially available for download in the United States.
The streaming era has undoubtedly changed the sound and culture surrounding music. Rap has taken the spotlight as the new genre of pop, with almost a quarter of all streams being hip-hop songs, and RapCaviar being the second most followed playlist on Spotify
It is safe to say that rap is a victim of over commercialization. Certain songs by Drake like “In Your Feelings,” “Nice for What” and “Tootsie Slide” had a catchy quality to them that made it impossible to resist dancing to.
That’s exactly what Drake wanted — something that could go viral on apps where the main focus is people dancing and lip syncing to his songs. It didn’t take long for people to realize that anything could go viral so long as it had a hard beat and catchy lyrics.
Another factor is that the material needs to remain short enough to stay within the atten-
tion spans of social media addicted youth. Drake — and by extension his OVO label — recognized this and capitalized on it immediately.
A pattern began to emerge of Drake making music that was subpar in quality, in favor of capitalizing on the industry.
Atlanta is considered a hotspot for Hip Hop, with many iconic artists, trends and unique sounds originating from Georgia’s capital city.
As Kendrick pointed out in “Not Like Us,” Drake has a tendency to partner with Atlanta rappers on singles and fullfledged projects to create average products.
Kendrick lists a handful of rappers that Drake has collaborated with, with his main point being how Drake borrows sounds from anywhere in order to stay relevant.
Whether it’s the sounds of Atlanta, Caribbean or New Orleans bounce, Drake loves to take whatever is in the eye of the mainstream audience and brandish it as if he’d been down with it since day one.
I could bring up example after example of how Drake is the manifestation of rap’s transformation from culture into a commodity.
However, it would be counterintuitive to single out Drake when so many rappers have sold out in the past in favor of gaining more money. The only reason Drake has been catching heat is because he did it so successfully.
Billboard awarded him Artist of the Decade in 2021, and at one point he was the second mostlistened-to artist in the world on
Spotify. Even in the aftermath of the beef with Kendrick, he still sits at the number 11 spot, which is not an easy feat.
So, bringing it back to the very reason I decided to have this be my debut article, is Hip Hop really dying? In short, yes, I do think Hip Hop is dying. The Kendrick and Drake beef made it evident that the culture’s death has been a long time in the making.
Ever since Hip Hop began to cross over into the mainstream all the way back in the 90s, we’ve seen an eagerness from record labels to commodify the culture as much as possible in an effort to make it palatable for a larger audience.
Once these companies realized that white people could comprise a much larger consumer base, appreciation for the culture no longer became a requirement, and it became more about record sales and which artists could be the most marketable.
Drake is the marketable face that so many record labels have been waiting for. For so long, it had been Eminem, but I think Drake’s biracial identity and proximity to African American culture nullify any argument about him misrepresenting the culture. It can’t be considered cultural appropriation and privilege when he’s Black, right?
The real-world implications of this are much deeper than rap just losing substance and having worse lyrics than it did 20 years ago. African Americans have been stripped of our cultural identity for as long as we’ve been in this country.
Whether it was forcing us to abandon our traditional names
in favor of European ones, or forbidding us from wearing our natural hair in public, there has always been an ongoing fight to keep Blackness shielded and contained. Hip Hop placed so much emphasis on breaking out of that confinement. It took so many of the aspects of urban-life that were considered undignified and amplified them tenfold, creating a community through the vocalization of this shared experience that millions across the country had lived.
Even though this issue is so much larger than Drake and Kendrick — and even rap as a whole — I think Drake’s role in Hip Hop’s transition from culture to a commodity is representative of the way in which white America continuously tries to separate our culture from the people that it came from.
It’s happening with rap, street fashion, our language and even our hairstyles. The line for what’s considered cultural appreciation and appropriation is constantly being muddled, which leads to a form of art and way of life losing its roots, and in turn, slowly dying out.
While the beef between Kendrick and Drake could have initiated a movement of enlightenment for Hip Hop, there’s still so much work that needs to be done in order to get the rest of the world to realize that Hip Hop is more than just loud beats and vulgarity. It’s so much more than just drugs, money, women and guns. Hip Hop is the way we speak, the way that we carry ourselves and the way we take our experiences and life circumstances and transform them into art.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENDRICK LAMAR.
A clip from Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video where Kendrick beats on the mascot of Drake’s label, OVO.
Pornography: A new era of media
requires a new understanding
A multibillion dollar industry needs to consider the mental health of its consumers.
By Hannah Dillon associate.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Consistent consumption of pornography should be recognized as an addictive disorder in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders”.
Excessive use of pornography shares many characteristics with diagnosable addictions and can even be mitigated by medications used to treat other forms of addiction.
Pornography addiction should be taken seriously, and we should analyze the effects of pornography exposure in order to help those who struggle with avid pornographic consumption.
“The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision” — shortened to DSM-5-TR — is a regularly updated guide used by mental health professionals to assist in diagnosing mental disorders. Commonly known DSM-5-TR conditions include anxiety, depression, eating disorders and substance use disorder.
The DSM-5-TR does not currently list constant pornography viewing as an addiction — but instead a compulsion.
The American Psychological Association — or the APA — lists addiction as “a state of psychological and/or physical dependence on the use of drugs or other substances, such as alcohol, or on activities or behaviors, such as sex, exercise, and gambling.”
Sex is listed in the definition of addiction yet the American Psychiatric Association denied the identification of pornography viewing as an actual addiction in 2013 upon the release of the then updated DSM-5.
According to the APA, they debated whether an addiction called “hypersexual disorder,” that included a pornography subtype, should be added to the DSM-5. By publication of the fifth edition, reviewers determined that there “wasn’t enough evidence to include hypersexual disorder or its subtypes in the 2013 edition.”
But 11 years later, there is even more sexual media. And each year, consumers are exposed at an even younger age.
According to The Guardian, revenue estimates for the pornography industry in the United States range between 9 billion to 97 billion dollars a year — with a conservative estimate of $15 billion.
Addiction Help statistics cited that “the porn industry saw a 12.6% increase in revenue each year from 2018 to 2023.”
Pornography’s customer base has grown significantly since the DSM-5’s publication in 2013; a new understanding of sexual media is needed.
This is not to say casual viewing of sexual media is wrong or an addiction after a few questionable late nights or spicy mo -
ments with a partner.
Pornography consumption is like a digital media diet. Some over consume or under consume, some are average and some are at opposite ends of an extreme spectrum. But binge eating is listed as an eating disorder in the DSM-5-TR, while instances of voracious consumption of a pornographic diet are ignored.
According to another article in the National Library of Medicine, some evidence suggests that compulsive pornography consumption “may fit into the general addiction framework, and share similar mechanisms with those observed in addictions to chemical substances.”
In the same article, it is noted that naltrexone, a medication used for treating alcohol and opioid dependence, can also help those who compulsively view pornography achieve success with the treatment.
The article stated that out of 4260 individuals who were selfdeclared pornography consumers, “51.0% admitted to making at least one attempt to give up using it with no difference in the frequency of these attempts between males and females.”
The article also stated that between 14.8 and 19.3 percent of university students experienced a neglect of basic needs and duties — such as food, sleep and responsibilities at home and work, in preference of pornography consumption.
But the current version of the DSM-5-TR does not include overconsumption of pornography as an addiction, only a compulsion.
The neglect of everyday duties and the instinct to sustain the human body over routine viewing of pornography can lead to mild to severe distress. Distress is one of the main factors the DSM-5-TR considers when determining if a compulsion has become an addiction.
Distress can originate from a multitude of factors. Medical and relational damage can result from an overconsumption of pornography. According to the same article, “The odds for longer stimulation and more sexual stimuli needed to reach orgasm with pornography, decrease in sexual satisfaction and quality of romantic relationship, and neglect of basic needs and duties were higher in females and
males exposed earlier to pornography.”
So, if people who avidly consume pornography attempt to stop but cannot find relief through medication, lose romantic partners, as well as disrupt their day-to-day lives, how would this issue not be considered an addiction when it reaches these extremes?
Pornography has become available to nearly every man, woman and child in the last 15 years. The 1970s were colloquially known as the “Golden Age of Porn,” but the unlimited access we now have as a population may lead to even more unhealthy mindsets and possible actions.
The National Library of Medicine article that was earlier referenced stated that more sexual stimuli are needed along with a decrease in satisfaction. This can arguably lead a very small number of the population to seek out more intense or even illegal material.
Pornography has made its place in the world. Now that it has established its roots deep into the knowledge of everyone with internet access, we should attempt to understand those who struggle with pornography addiction.
Listing consistent pornography consumption in the DSM5-TR would allow researchers to better determine the effects of pornography consumption, in turn, allowing mental health professionals to better assist those who are struggling. Therapeutic programs, relationship counseling and medical considerations could all be advanced to help people who suffer from pornography addiction.
Anchorage celebrates Hmong New Year
Anchorage celebrated the new year with exciting performances, activities and colorful traditional clothing.
By Cee Xiong advertising1@thenorthernlight.org
A disclaimer: Cee Xiong contributed to this story article in her personal capacity. The story ideas expressed are her own and do not necessarily represent the views of the performers at Hmong New Year festival.
Hmong people in Anchorage, Alaska celebrated the Hmong New Year in Delaney Park Strip downtown on August 24-25. Many people gathered to celebrate with friends and family — embracing their culture and traditional values by wearing Hmong traditional clothing.
A little history about the Hmong people is that we originated in China and were around 2700 B.C. until the 19th century, following the conflicts with the Han Dynasty that caused Hmong people to migrate to Southeast Asian countries,including Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar. In the mid-20th century, the Vietnam War began spreading into Northeastern Laos, where the Hmong people lived.
Gen. Vang Pao, was a Hmong leader and a legendary hero who marshaled a CIA mercenary
army to fight in the secret war against the communists in Laos. Between 1975-1997, approximately 138,000 Hmong people escaped by crossing the hazardous Mekong River to refugee camps in Thailand, while some refugees arrived in the United States with the help of American troops.
As a Hmong person, seeing everyone dressed in Hmong clothing filled me with great joy because it shows that Hmong people care about who they are and are here to celebrate it. Not only watching soccer and performances, I had also performed at the Hmong New Year by singing a song written by Josh Vue, “Ib Hnub.”
It was my first time performing at Hmong New Year stage. I had never performed on previous events, but this year went well on stage. I have met a few backstage performers and the music producers, who were great and were really kind.
Some of the attendees’ favorite activities during the festival were watching people “Pov Pob” — a Hmong New Year tradition in which performers toss a decorated cloth ball — playing soccer, tasting the food and watch-
ing the performances.
While there, I received a few people’s opinions about their experience at Hmong New Year. Gaoshi said she liked seeing her people embracing the culture and tasting the food, while Sheng said she loved watch-
ing the performances by artists Johnny Lo and festival dancers Ntxhais Ntuj Nag, Ntxhais Ntuj Ci, Ntxhais Tshaj Lij and many other performers. A proper celebration of Hmong New Year has been anticipated for the last two years,
BY
as the community was unable to receive enough sponsors to open the Hmong New Year event.
Many festival attendees enjoyed the New Year while watching soccer, exciting performances and people dressed in colorful fashion.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CG-CREATIVE.
XXX - Understanding Pornography’s Effect.
PHOTO
LUCY MOUA
STAFF CONTACTS
3211 Providence Drive
Student Union 113 Anchorage, AK 99508
Executive Editor Matthew Schmitz (907) 786-1313 editor@thenorthernlight.org
Advertising and Communications Manager Kaitlyn Gaub (907) 786-6195 admanager@thenorthernlight.org
Managing Editor Kyle Ivacic managing.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Associate Editor Hannah Dillon associate.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Multimedia Editor Raye M. White multimedia.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Layout and Web Editor Linnaea Gossard layout@thenorthernlight.org
Columnist Editor Tanner Croft columnist.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Copy Editor Murat Demir copy.editor@thenorthernlight.org
Reporter Patrick Doty reporter2@thenorthernlight.org
Columnist Nahla White columnist2@thenorthernlight.org
Multimedia Journalist Vadim Bledsoe video2@thenorthernlight.org
Multimedia Journalist Anja Burnett video1@thenorthernlight.org
Photographer Sarah Bennett photo1@thenorthernlight.org
Photographer Justin Cox photo2@thenorthernlight.org
Cartoonist Alex Luangasa cartoons@thenorthernlight.org
Graphic Designer Edleen Guiao graphics@thenorthernlight.org
Advertising Sales Representative Cee Xiong advertising1@thenorthernlight.org
Advertising Sales Representative Skye Smith advertising2@thenorthernlight.org
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.
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.
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.
OPINION 12
Croft’s Comments: Ask anything anonymously
We still want to hear from you! This time, anonymously.
By Tanner Croft columnist.editor@thenorthernlight.org
As stated in the previous two releases of this article, we here at The Northern Light have decided to start an advice column. This advice column is available to all students and any other readers who want to submit a comment or question that they would like to receive advice for.
However, we listened to the lack of responses and — thankfully — have made some revisions to the requirements for submitting a response on Croft’s Comments. No longer are we requiring any inclusion of your name, initials, or email.
Now, the comments and questions will allow you to remain completely anonymous. So feel free to ask away without any risk of me, or anyone else, knowing who you are.
My name is Tanner Croft, and I will be responding to each comment and question personally, hence the name “Croft’s Comments.” All submissions will be read, but it is not guaranteed that all will be included in every edition of the paper.
A QR code attached to this article will allow you to submit comments and questions. Your submissions can be about anything.
Whether you are seeking relation-
Late to the party
Here’s the deal, campus life at UAA kind of sucks.
By Tanner Croft columnist.editor@thenorthernlight.org
This is a new limited series that aims to break down and address the current social state of the campus and social life here at UAA. This will be the beginning of a handful of stories written by me that discuss how we, as students, as well as the administration as a whole, can hopefully improve the experience and social life on campus.
I won’t sugarcoat it. Most students here walk to class with their headphones in and look aimlessly at their shoes while they meander their way to their next class — if they are even attending a class in person.
While registering for class this semester, it became an actual chore to find courses that were offered in person — what the hell is that about? I am sure that I will address that in a later article, but it is yet another factor that actively destroys the social life on campus.
How are we supposed to make friends if all of our classes are conducted in Zoom rooms? Yes, I understand some people need to attend courses from a distance, but that should be no reason courses are not offered both in person and online simultaneously.
So many classes being conducted over Zoom has allowed students to get too comfortable. Being uncomfortable is an integral part of development. You are not supposed to go through college feeling totally comfortable and safe; this is supposed to be a risky situation. Now, everyone simply sits in a Zoom room and stays completely silent, even having their camera off in many situations.
I blame COVID-19 and the fact that many kids never learned that it was necessary for them to put themselves in uncomfortable positions and to take risks in order to experience certain aspects of life that they may otherwise never have been exposed to.
The core argument of this article, however, is to illuminate something that I personally find to be one of the biggest issues on this campus: the severe lack of partying on a state-level college campus is appalling.
Every Thursday through Sunday should be filled with rowdy, rambunctious late nights, and each morning should be accompanied by sunglasses worn to brunch and a debilitating hang-
over, only to be met with claims that “tonight will be even better than last night.”
If you are a reader who is afraid of getting in trouble with either the university or your parents, just remember that each and every single one of them has had a wild streak within their own lives. You are young, you are supposed to make mistakes and get in just a little bit of trouble.
I, of course, am not condoning that any of our readers go out and break any laws, but I am stating that you are not supposed to rigidly do your homework and not have any fun while you are at school. In fact it is a core component of the college experience that you cut loose a little bit.
Of course, not everyone has fun by partying. For those of you who do not have or see any fun from the party scene, just remember that the more parties that there are, the more that social life in other areas will bloom.
People will begin to make more friends who have interests other than what they would normally expose themselves to, which in turn may guide them to joining clubs or other social groups on campus.
While there may be some issues that accompany Greek life at the larger state schools of the Lower 48, it is undeniable that these atmospheres and groups bolster the strength of a campus’s social life, while also supplying the school itself with a strong and supportive alumni association.
This strong alumni association would provide a nice stream of revenue for the college in question, which as we all know, is something that the university cares deeply about.
You may be wondering what any of this has to do with the importance of partying on campus though, and the answer is quite simple: The more partying that happens on campus, the more social life on campus can heal.
Instead of being encouraged to hang out outside of our classes, instead of being encouraged to have a few drinks responsibly with our friends, we are constantly greeted with UPD knocking on our doors because of a noise complaint or because we violated the absurd maximum guest limit.
Another complaint that I have heard around campus is that some people have roommates who are complete buzzkills and who contact the RA as soon as you do something that they don’t like.
This is where Fraternity-Sorority Life
ship advice, school advice, or are simply a new student with questions about how college works, this is the place to go.
Ask anything at all — there are no limits.
Although, I do suck at math, so maybe avoid asking me how to do complicated mathematics. I mean, I’ll try my best, but I can’t guarantee that any of my answers will be accurate.
Once a comment is submitted, expect a minimum of a two-week delay for a response in the next edition of the paper. I look forward to hearing from all who choose to submit a question! Scan the QR code, or visit this link for submissions.
(FSL) housing would come in handy and counter a lot of the issues that arise on campus between the party crowd and the non-partiers.
If the party crowd had a safe haven that they could go to in order to party without disturbing those who wish to be left alone, then we would not have to crack down so hard on impromptu apartment parties in the MACs or the Templewoods.
However, the university administration would never let that happen, because as much as they want to encourage social life on campus, they are also not willing to risk the liability that comes with that social life.
The university actively fights as hard as it can to contain the FSL here on campus, they are so afraid that they actively inhibit social life, especially when it comes from fraternities or sororities.
UAA, you cannot have it both ways. Let the people party, or let the social culture and environment on your campus die completely.
The lack of a robust social climate on campus is also creating a lackluster dating scene. College is incredibly important for the personal lives of students, especially when it comes to dating and finding out for yourself what type of person you are interested in and what type of relationship you are looking for.
There is a reason that it is a stereotype that when someone goes off to college they will leave their partner so that they can search for themselves. This is not the
case here at UAA, everyone either has a significant other already or they express zero interest in dating in general.
Even if you are bold and outgoing, you will still have an incredibly difficult time finding someone to date on this campus. This further encourages the isolation within some students.
Remember friends, college is a time in your life where indulging in excess is tolerated, and, damn it, it’s a part of the expectations young adults have had for generations when entering higher education.
You are supposed to party — that is what your early twenties are for — and since the responsibilities of college are so lax compared to what you will face once you enter the workforce, you may as well party your ass off now.
Drink responsibly, within reason; now is the time to make mistakes, because the real world will not be so easy on you if you decide to party later in life.
As previously stated, the law should be followed. Underage drinking is not appropriate. And if you decide to indulge in any intoxicating substance, whether it is alcohol or otherwise, please do not operate a motor vehicle. How is the party supposed to live on when you are behind bars or in a grave?
UAA, you are not a community college, so stop acting like one. Where every other campus around the country has bounced back from the damaging social effects of the pandemic, you seem to be late to the party. It is time to catch up.
CARTOON