Issue 12 by The VanCougar

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March 9th, 2015

www.TheVanCougar.com

Issue XII

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Volume XXV

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First Copy Free

SINCE 1994

•March 9th, 2015• www.TheVanCougar.com

PRO WRITERS SERIES

OPEN LETTER

LOCAL WRITERS VISIT CAMPUS TO SHARE EXPERIENCES P.2

ASWSUV REP TALKS ABOUT WORKING IN WASHINGTON'S CAPITAL P.3

KOUG RADIO OPEN HOUSE

STUDENT RADIO STATION COURTS CAMPUS WITH GATHERING P.5

Research voyage yields bounty of credits for VanCoug Student spends semester sailing southern seas By GREGORY WALKER The VanCougar For most students, fall semester is just the beginning of a new year of classes. Student Kate Perkins, on the other hand, spent fall semester studying abroad on New Zealand’s surrounding waters on a research vessel. Participating in the Sea Education Association Semester program, known as simply as SEA Semester, Perkins studied for two months as a shipmate aboard the 135-foot ship the SSV Robert C. Seamans. Perkins, a biology major with a minor in both environmental science and mathematics, earned a full semester’s worth of credits studying oceanography, maritime history and culture, conservation and policy, nautical science and leadership, oceanographic research. Perkins and her fellow program participants were split into groups that took turns on watch shift duty. During each watch shift, students were participating in hands-on learning activities either on deck or in lab. When on deck, the focus was on the day-to-day running of the ship. Perkins and her fellow classmates were taught how to be responsible members of the ship. They daily cleaned and scrubbed the deck and learned about proper sailing and line handling, as

(Above) The crew goes over the day's experiment (Below) Crewmates relaxing on deck | Photo Credit: Kate Perkins

Kate Perkins stands at the bow of the SSV Robert C. Seamans Photo Credit: Kate Perkins well as navigation and piloting techniques. When in lab, the focus was on developing research skills. Perkins learned how to deploy equipment, handle specimen, and correctly log and analyze data, such as temperature, salinity, light content and native organism population. This collected data directly contributes towards a larger project, a comprehensive compilation of global oceanic readings. Perkins said that knowing that her efforts help to work towards a greater goal This time spent in lab

provided time to collect data for her group’s research project. Although Perkins was on the water for the majority of the semester, before setting sail, she spent six weeks of preparation on Cape Cod in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The town, known for its oceanic research community, is the program’s base. Perkins worked with fellow program participants designing the research projects to be carried out once they had embarked. For her group project, Perkins, who is interested in the effects of societies’ waste streams on the oceans, studied the micro

and macro-plastic content in ocean water samples. The research and education were not simply limited to oceanic studies, but also contained a cultural aspect. In addition to her project looking at plastic content in the ocean, Perkins also conducted a cultural research project analyzing New Zealand’s port systems in comparison to Massachusetts’. Perkins also learned much about the indigenous Māori people of the country. During time spent ashore in New Zealand, she attended a traditional Māori marae, a communal and

ceremonial gathering with a spiritual element. The program also stressed the importance of leadership and teamwork. Perkins said that she developed a better understanding of these two ideas. “Being a good leader isn’t just about charging out in front of your team and showing the way,” Perkins said, “It’s really about supporting your team, making sure that everybody’s… on the same page. Shipmates are responsible for each otherw. They support one another.” see "Semester at Sea," page 7

ASWSUV 2015 Election Come to the Debates!

Vote in the Election!

Candidate debates will be held

Online voting and campus polling sites will be available

March 12 & 23, 3-4:30pm in the FSC

March 24-26, 9am-6pm

2 | CAMPUS NEWS

Local authors discuss trials and triumphs of writing

The semester long Pro Writers Series brings insight into the world of authors.

a small window of roughly 28 years where the American hero is the cowboy. “This is America's myth and hero,” she said. Gloss also says that this hero is not gone, but rather has just now gone into space or started running for political office, and to consider how often you may see a candidate with a big belt buckle, white cowboy hat and bolo tie. This is the western myth in present day society and

By RAYMOND WESt The VanCougar

Election board chair Mike White | Photo Credit: Phil Babcock Portland and her childhood was heavily influenced by cowboy movies she would watch at the local movie theaters. After she moved when she was 12 years old, Gloss began to read cowboy novels. Gloss always had to imagine herself as a boy to be a part of the stories she was reading. She began to notice that women were almost entirely absent. If women were present in the

stories they would often be the reluctant pioneer holding back the protagonist cowboy or would be used as the reason to end the cowboy’s solo adventures and hang up his hat. Gloss continued to speak about the western myth. She describes how our nation is young compared to other world nations and does not have epic myths and tales such as Beowulf. Instead, we have

TH E

The Pro Writers Series, running the length of the semester, works to provide student at Washington State University Vancouver with personal insight into the authorial process. The series intends to provide insight into more than just writing, including the ways authors interact both creatively and commercially with other writers, and gives the authors a chance to discuss the successes and challenges of being a writer. On Feb. 17 Washington State University Vancouver hosted author Molly Gloss as part of the ongoing Professional Writers Series. The purpose of the series is to introduce students to award winning authors from many different genres. Gloss is the bestselling-author of The Jump-Oﬀ Creek, The Dazzle of Day, and Wild Life. Gloss has earned numerous awards for her writing including an Oregon Book Award, a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award, and the PEN West Fiction Prize. Most of Gloss's novels feature a female character in the Old West. The event titled “Reinventing the Western” served a packed room in the Library Building with many more people in chairs outlining the room or standing. Gloss began her talk with her own personal background. Gloss grew up in

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY VANCOUVER The VanCougar is a student-run newspaper serving the students, faculty and staﬀ of WSU Vancouver. The VanCougar is available at distribution sites in the lobbies of most WSU Vancouver buildings. The VanCougar may be viewed online at TheVanCougar.com.

Correction Policy

It is the policy of The VanCougar to correct errors. Please contact the editor via e-mail at vancouged@vancouver.wsu.edu.

is the tale from our past that helps describe how we got to today. Gloss then read some paragraphs from her new book Falling From Horses and concluded her presentation with a Q&A. During the Q&A topics of her writing process, research process, inspiration, routine and opinion on other works were all discussed.

When asked why she enjoyed coming to colleges to speak, Gloss said, “I enjoy the younger audience, my normal fan based is generally older, and it's great to get a different view and perspective on things. Younger crowds also like to ask interesting questions, and I like to be challenged.” Howard Aaron is the professor behind the Professional Writers Series and explained why the series is important to campus life. “There is great local talent nearby in Portland and putting on these events allows for students to meet authors whom they may not normally get a chance to. It gives a glimpse into possible career trajectory for some students, and it brings awareness to our campus. Universities are resources for all, not just students, we don't want to be an isolated entity.” Three more events are ahead throughout the semester: Kevin Sampsell and “Writing Across Genres” on Mar. 24, Martha Grover with “The Modern Memoir” on Apr. 7, and Shawn Levy will conclude the series with “Literature & Legends” on Apr. 21. Every event is held in The Library Building, Room 240 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. For more information Howard Aaron can be contacted at haaron823@gmail.com. n

2014 STAFF DIRECTORY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF................................ ROB SCHUBERT . vancouged@vancouver.wsu.edu MANAGING EDITOR............................ MICHAEL WILLIAMS . vancougme@vancouver.wsu.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER.................... HALEY ELMER . vancougad@vancouver.wsu.edu WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER.. JASMINE BOOTHROYD . vancougso@vancouver.wsu.edu LAYOUT AND DESIGN MANAGER........ ERIK RINGEN . vancouglo@vancouver.wsu.edu

Representation

The existence of advertising in The VanCougar is not meant as an endorsement of any product, service or individual by anyone except the advertiser.

Employment

TEAM EDITORS DANIELLE BLUMHARDT

AUSTYN HOVEY

Washington State University is an equal opportunity/aﬃrmative action educator and employer.

Letters to the Editor

The VanCougar welcomes brief letters (250 words or fewer) from members of the WSU Vancouver community on current issues. Letters must include the author’s full name, contact information and WSU affiliation, year and major for students, department for faculty and staff, degree and year graduated for alumni. The VanCougar does not publish anonymous letters. Letters and suggestions may be delivered to the Office of Student Involvement, the VanCougar office (VDEN 160), or e-mailed to Vancouged@vancouver.wsu.edu. For more information about the VanCougar's policy on letters and other information, please visit the VanCougar policy section of TheVanCougar.com

REPORTERS DAROLD LEE BIVENS SARAH DORSCH JONATHAN HAUKAAS TERESA HOYT

Washington State University Vancouver

JACK MARTIN ALEXANDER PERU GREGORY WALKER RAYMOND WEST

Executive branch withdrawals result in extended election By DAROLD BIVENS The VanCougar The ASWSUV presidential elections for the 2015-16 school year have made history at Washington State University Vancouver. For the first time in history, both candidates in the elections officially withdrew from the race 15 days before the elections, garnering an immediate response from ASWSUV. ASWSUV held an emergency elections board committee meeting on Feb. 18. During the meeting, ASWSUV President David Choi said that there were two ways of approaching the issue. The elections could go on as planned with no breaks, concluding before the week of spring break, or executive elections could be extended in order to make sure that the elected candidates will represent the student population properly. Mike White, elections board chairman, said if the election period is not extended and there is not at least one candidate running for the executive branch, both executive positions would go to write-in candidates. One committee member raised the concern that during the entire election process, 90% of candidate applications had not been submitted until the last day, relating the statistic to a possible time extension. Senator Ilana Brown said that a potential extension would be applied to all branches of government, and not exclusively to the executive branch. Brown asked, “How do we explain [the time extensions] to the [other] candidates?” White said that the current

elections should be postponed for two weeks, as suggested by a fellow committee member. In that time, another ad campaign encouraging students to run for executive office could begin. Several people at the elections board meeting asked whether or not current candidates running for a senatorial position could switch to the executive ticket, which the election board committee allowed. Senator Samy Reel said that it should be made clear that, “If you move from senate to executive [branch], you are no longer a part of the senate [ticket],” a motion which passed unanimous. If a senatorial candidate officially enters the executive ticket, that candidate will be unable to continue running their campaign until after attending an executive race orientation. White and other members from the election board committee presented their unanimous proposal to re-open the filing period for the executive ticket. White emphasized that without implementing these changes, a write-in candidate would win the election. After further discussion between the senators, a majority ruled in favor of this change. The filing period has been re-opened from Feb. 23 to March 6, when candidates are required to attend an orientation before they can officially start campaigning. The senators also moved and passed a motion applying these same requirements to candidates currently running for the senatorial ticket, in order to prevent an unfair time advantage. Senator Shores asked whether or

Campus Events

Monday, March 9

n LinkedIn Lab 12 - 1 p.m. Undergraduate Bldg, Room 207 Free Open to all n Campus Conversation: Ask Me Anything! 4 - 5 p.m. Dengerink Admin Bldg., Room 129 Free Open to campus community

Tuesday, March 10 n Strong Interest Inventory Workshop 12 - 1 p.m. Student Commons Free Open to current students

Wednesday, March 11 n The Right to Read: The Importance and Need for Diverse Children’s and Adolescent Books 12 p.m. Library, Reading Room 101 Free Open to all n College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific Northwest 1 - 1:50 p.m. Undergraduate Bldg., Room 311 Free n A-Z of Financial Aid & Scholarships Workshop 6 p.m. Student Services Center, Room 101 Free Open to all n Science on Tap: This is Your Brain on (Legal) Drugs: The Neuroscience and Art of Cannibis and Alcohol 7 p.m. Kiggins Theatre, 1011 Main St. $8 online/$10 door

Thursday, March 12

n Cultural and Cosmopolitan: Idealized Femininity and Embodied National Nigerian Beauty Pageants 12 p.m. Multimedia Classroom Bldg.,

CAMPUS NEWS | 3

Free Open to the public n ASWSUV Candidate Debate 12 p.m. Student Commons

Friday, March 13 n Deadline to Request Services & Activities Funds 5 p.m. n Games as Platforms of Innovation 6:30 - 8 p.m. Nouspace Gallery, 1015 Main St.

Wednesday, March 18

n Master of Education Information Session 4:30 p.m. Undergraduate Bldg., Room 303 Free For certified teachers interested in furthering their careers with a master’s degree

Friday, March 20

n Mario Kart Tournament 12 - 5 p.m. Nouspace Gallery & Media Lounge, 1015 Main St., Vancouver,

Saturday, March 21

n Dance Dance Revolution Tournament 12 - 5 p.m. Nouspace Gallery & Media Lounge, 1015 Main St.

Monday, March 23 n ASWSUV Canditate Debate 3 p.m. Student Commons

Tuesday, March 24 n A-Z of Financial Aid & Scholarships Workshop 5:30 p.m. Student Services Center, Room 101 Free Open to all n Professional Writers Series: Kevin Sampsell “Writing Across Genres” 7 - 9 p.m. Library, Room 265 Free Open to all

Wednesday, March 25

Room 22

n Business Growth Map Alliance: Keys to Successful

not the elections board foresaw “any problems for these people running for president and vice president,” considering that the week of spring break few students will be on campus. Phil Babcock,

student involvement specialist at OSI, said that candidates would have a week prior to spring break to campaign. One week after changes were made, White said at the Feb. 25

Forecasting-and Why it Matters 8:30 - 10 a.m. 805 Broadway St. Free Please RSVP n W.E.B. Du Bois and B.R. Ambedkar: Global Resonance of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement with Special Reference to India 2 p.m. Dengerink Administration Bldg., Room 110 Free Open to all n Cover Letters & Professional Correspondence 4 - 5 p.m. Student Commons, Room 104 Free Open to all

Wednesday, March 25 n To Hell With Milton and African American Literature 12 p.m. Dengerink Admin. Bldg., Room 110 Free Open to all

Thursday, March 26 n 2015 Women of Distinction 6 - 9 p.m. Student Commons Free Open to all

Friday, March 27 n Resume Lab 12 - 1 p.m. Multimedia Classroom Bldg. Room 115 Free Open to all n Night with a Game Designer 6 - 8 p.m. Nouspace Gallery & Media Lounge. 1015 Main St.

Saturday, March 28

n Voiceover in Video Games with Sam A. Mowry 5 - 7:30 p.m. Nouspace Gallery & Media Lounge. 1015 Main St., Vancouver

Want your event featured here? Email details two weeks in advance to vancougme@vancouver.wsu.edu

senate meeting that while “I don’t want to talk too soon… it looks like we might have seven to See "election," page 7. eight executive tickets” running for election. White said that

An open letter from the director of legislative affairs By ASHLYN SALZMAN The Washington State legislative session convened on January 12, and it has certainly not slowed down since then. As the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Associated Students of WSU Vancouver, I have had the privilege of spending the days a week in Olympia as a registered student lobbyist. As a group, the individuals who serve in my position on the other WSU campuses and myself set a legislative agenda for the 2015 session. This includes key issues effecting students such as college affordability, a proposal for a WSU Medical School in Spokane, the implementation of remote testimony, and the passage of a “sip and spit” bill which would allow college student minors to fully participate in wine science classes. It is my job to meet with

legislators on a regular basis and testify in support or opposition of bills, which affect students on our campus. Getting to know the policymakers of the legislature is one of the most important things that student lobbyists must do in order to ensure their issues gain traction. Unlike many lobbyists and interest groups, which have been around for decades, student lobbyists change each and every year. The work of building relationships with legislators began way back in August, when you may recall we held Floats for Votes, a voter registration event which almost all of our county legislators attended. Additionally, WSU Vancouver has faced barriers in filling the position for a student to be in Olympia on a regular basis in the past. It has been especially important to assert

that WSU Vancouver is at the Capitol and has a voice just as loud as the other campuses. In addition to our WSU legislative agenda, the student lobbyist from Pullman and I work with eight other student lobbyists as part of the Washington Student Association. This group adds power to our cause at the Capitol because we are most effective when we collaborate and share responsibilities. There are 147 legislators and only ten of us, so the method of divide-andconquer has worked really well to ensure we meet with as many members as possible. With this group, we also monitor many higher education related issues such as bills to limit the cost of textbooks, increasing voter registration access, and see "Letter," page 6

Ashlyn Salzman director of legislative affairs for ASWSUV

Washington State University Vancouver

4 | StUDENt LIFE Student Advisory Board brings administrators and students together By GREGORY WALKER The VanCougar The Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board consists of representatives from both the student body and campus administration who work together in order to improve the quality of the Washington State University Vancouver college experience. According to Natasha Sharer, ASWSUV’s director of student enrichment, the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board aims to “bridge communication between the administration and students.” Student leaders are able to advocate for the concerns of the student population to administration leaders. The board is made up of the Chancellor, the three Vice Chancellors and various student leaders. The student leaders include the president of ASWSUV, the vice president, the director of student enrichment who is in charge of the board, the lead ambassador, the student media board chair, the student diversity intern and three regular

Natasha Sharer, CSAB chairperson student members. This past semester three new student members— one undergraduate and two graduate students—joined the board. The addition of two graduate students, one of whom is an international

student, helps to bring a voice to the underrepresented graduate and international student populations on campus, while also offering unique perspectives that might otherwise be overlooked with a board comprised only of local

undergraduate students. The board has proven to be instrumental in the creation of new programs and classes popularly requested by students, such as adding a music class to the course catalog. One particularly noteworthy accomplishment of the board is the acquirement of a more reliable Wi-Fi service. Acknowledging that there may still be complaints about the campus’ internet connection, Sharer says that “it is much better than it used to be.” Though the board is dedicated to student issues, there are certain limits to how much the board is able to discuss. The board’s meetings are “a table for certain issues. You have to be delicate in the things you bring up,” Sharer said, “You don’t want to waste the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor’s time with… things that aren’t necessarily pressing student issues.” Sharer and the other student leaders meet “with various student organizations and student leaders as well as just talking to students themselves” in order to determine what is important to the student

population. In their last meeting, the first one of the school year, the board discussed the topics of parking, food, and smoking. While any changes to the campus’ smoking policy in the future looks doubtful, improvements to parking were examined. The board discussed the upcoming 200 parking space expansion project that will be carried out over the next few years. While parking prices are unlikely to decrease, the board is hoping to keep them steady. Another topic that Sharer hopes to discuss in future meetings this semester is changes to the campus’ currently unfriendly structure towards those in need of handicap accessibility like in restrooms and other areas. Students who have an issue that they feel should be discussed may contact student leaders of the Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board through the “Leave CSAB Comment” option under forms at wsuv.orgsync. com/org/aswsuv. n

Students With Disabilities Club seeks support for academic success Club voices their concerns in meeting with administrator By SARAH DORSCH The VanCougar On Feb. 13, the Students with Disabilities Club met with Vice-Chancellor’s representative Michelle McIlvoy, who is also the director of student development. The meeting was called to address concerns the club has regarding relations with their note-takers, the accessibility of Blackboard and the installation of more automatic door activation buttons for campus bathrooms. Also present at the meeting was Michael Dunn, associate professor in special needs and Sally Dost, coordinator of the access center. James torres, secretary of the Students with Disabilities Club, served as moderator for the meeting. The first item of discussion was the relationship students have with their note takers. Paula Achter, president of the club, stated that disabled students do not get notes if they miss class, even if the absence is due to a doctor’s appointment or a hospital visit. Dost responded and said that “it is state policy, no class no notes. Making changes to that would be difficult.” However, if the student made previous arrangement with their note taker, they would still be able to obtain the information they missed during class. Rusty Wray, vice president of the club, said, “it is our responsibility as a club to enable us to be successful in the classroom. We need to take more personal responsibility in making sure our accommodations are met.” Washington State University Vancouver

Other concerns surrounding note takers included the lack of availability and the fact that some note takers quit towards the end of the semester due to heavy course loads. McIlvoy and Dost agreed that this was an issue that needs to be addressed and they would work together to come up with reasonable solutions. The second issue addressed by the club surrounded the lack of door buttons for bathroom accessibility. McIlvoy said that the cost of buttons was a factor, as they are $4,000-5,000 a piece, though that was not the limiting factor. McIlvoy said, “current buttons are reactionary, students have to ask for buttons in locations that are most needed. We will do an accessibility audit in the near future to decide locations for future buttons.” McIlvoy also stressed the importance in student voice to let administration know where buttons would be most useful. The first floor of the Undergraduate building and the second floor of the Multimedia Classroom building were specific examples mentioned. The final issue addressed was the conversion to Blackboard going into full effect fall semester. Club members asked if accessibility for disabled student’s meet both theirs’ and the University’s standards. McIlvoy said that Michael Stamper, Washington State University Vancouver’s newest It director, will be putting together tutorials for all students to use regarding Blackboard. McIlvoy said

Members of the Students With Disabilites Club meet with Michelle McIlvoy | Photo Credit: Sarah Dorsch

Blackboard is nationally known for their accessibility and said she would talk to Stamper about letting disabled students have early access to Blackboard in order to familiarize themselves with the new program. McIlvoy once again stressed how

important the student voice is in understanding what the specific needs are regarding the software switch. Students who have any questions regarding the issues talked about in this meeting or those who are interested in

becoming involved with the Students with Disabilities Club can contact Paula Achter at pmachter@gmail.com or Greg Rose, faculty advisor for the Students with Disabilities club, at grose@vancouver.wsu.edu n

Encounter Research at the Library “The Right to Read: The importance and need for diverse children's and adolescent books” March 11th, Noon Library’s Reading Room Refreshments provided. Join Dr. Deanna Day, Associate Professor in Education, and Cheryl Johnson, M.Ed., Program Coordinator for the Child Development Program, in discussing why integrating diverse books into classrooms challenges students to understand and accept those different from themselves. As students read diverse books, they come to recognize the common feelings and needs they share with children around the world.

Funded through the generous support of the Diversity Council in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.

StUDENt LIFE | 5 KOUG Radio open house invites students into the broadcast booth By ALEXANDER PERU The VanCougar KOUG Radio has been Washington State University Vancouver's student radio station for over a decade, and on Feb. 25, the station held an open house to give students a closer look at the radio station and the people who run it. KOUG Radio is a student run internet radio station, located in the Math Lab. It employs student DJs who share their tastes in music to a wide audience. Available online as well as through a mobile app, KOUG Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day, with live DJs filling time slots from nine in the morning to five in the evening. Currently, the station hosts approximately twenty DJs, although the number often fluctuates, according to station manager Elizabeth Brodie. The KOUG Radio open house was designed to give more exposure to the organization, and give students more access to the station. Students were able to come to the Math Lab throughout the evening. Food was provided, and students were able to meet and interact with some of the DJs to get an understanding of what working for the station was like. A raﬄe drawing was held at the end of the night with winners receiving KOUG Radio shirts and coffee mugs. Throughout the evening, students and DJs were able to have their photo taken in a KOUG Radio themed photo booth. KOUG Radio began broadcasting via the internet five years ago. In the past, the station has broadcast over AM and FM frequencies, but currently is an internet radio station only. According to Brodie, the internet based broadcast is much more accessible than standard radio broadcast channels. Because the range of transmission is not limited by the physical range of radio waves, KOUG Radio boasts listeners from all over the world. Brodie says that one of the

station’s consistent listeners is located as far away as Germany. DJs for KOUG Radio have a wide variety of choices for content. typically, DJs can choose to hold a thirty minute time slot or a one hour time slot. two broad forms of radio show are available to Djs: either music or talk radio formats. DJs generally choose to play a specific genre or theme of music, based on the interests and tastes of the individual. Any interested student can be a DJ for KOUG Radio. According to Brodie, being a DJ is “a volunteer position that you do for fun.” It gives students a creative outlet that does not require a large time commitment. KOUG Radio hosts a program called “DJ for a Day.” This allows students who may be considering volunteering at the station a chance to experience the job first hand, before committing to a position as a full time DJ. The primary goal of the open house was to allow students to get to know KOUG Radio’s staff and DJs. Many members were in attendance, and each represented a diverse range of musical interests and radio show tastes. For Doran Figart, known by his on-air name of “DJ,” working for the radio station provides him with a weekly creative outlet. He began working with KOUG Radio in Jun. 2014, after a rock history assignment made him interested in hosting radio. Each week, Figart hosts “The Rock Show,” chronicling the history of different rock bands and eras in the genre. KOUG Radio DJs are not simply limited to playing music. Another DJ in attendance at the open house was Eli Omans, a junior in the University’s DtC program. The show “Live with Eli!” is a biweekly broadcast where Omans provides a platform of expression for “underrepresented writers.” A spoken word show, Omans highlights the work of writers who would normally not have

(Above) Audrey Miller gets photobombed (Below) Elizabeth Brodie, Eli Omans and Megan Johnson. | Photo Credit: Kerold Layne Jefferey

an avenue for being read or published. For example, Omans recently highlighted the written work of incarcerated women. Working for KOUG Radio allows Omans to share stories that most people would have never heard about. The KOUG Radio open house gave listeners and students see "Open House", page 7

Michael Williams and Meghan DeGallier initiate pose sequence | Photo Credit: Kerold Layne Jeffery Washington State University Vancouver

6 | OPINION EDItORIAL

35 years later, Portland flavor remains strong

Big League Chew creator Rob Nelson talks about his history with the Portland Mavericks By JONATHAN HAUKAAS The VanCougar The big names in local sports are dominated by trail Blazer greats such as Walton, Drexler, Kersey, Roy and Aldridge. One name that does not come up as often as it perhaps should is Rob Nelson, a Portland baseball player from the mid70s invented Big League Chew as an alternative to the chewing tobacco that was wildly popular in baseball during his time with the Portland Mavericks. The Mavericks were an independent minor league baseball club ran by actor Bing Russell (father of Kurt). The team was active from 197377, and were the first team in professional baseball to hire a female general manager as well as the first Asian-American to hold that position. tryouts for the team were always open to anyone off the street, with up to 150 people attending.

quickly the team was good. It was like a movie. Was this an accurate representation? Rob Nelson: I think it was an untapped resource, a lot of guys hungry to play ball. One of the other reasons we were better than most was because most of the Mavericks were at their peak, so major league baseball wasn’t really interested in those guys. Their job was to groom players to get to the next step, to the next step, to the next step. Single-A ball was just a stepping-stone for them. What Bing Russell did was make Portland the be-all endall. For the Maverick nation, it’s not insignificant that we wore an “M” on our cap instead of P for Portland. It’s like we represented the Maverick in everybody. When triple-A baseball kicked us out, I said to Bing: “can we do it somewhere else?” and he said “no. It was just the perfect city and the perfect time. We couldn’t go to Gresham

it was more like a jazz ensemble.

there was a team bus.

Q: Did you ever realize how special it was while it was happening? Or did you only really appreciate it years later when you could reflect back? RN: From day one it was special. I remember my first tryout. The ballpark was awesome. No one was there; I was pitching at ten in the morning. My first game was on a Saturday night and I got beaten like a piñata. Sunday morning, I went to Bing and said, “look, I know I pitched myself off the team last night, but I’m not going back to New York. I am staying.” That’s when we decided I could throw batting practice. I went on the first road trip, not on the roster. Why I got to go on the road trip? Who knows; I just wouldn’t leave. I knew it was special and most of the other guys did too. There was the occasional grump who believed their college coach screwed them, but not many.

Q: Portland is connected so well with the guys on the team, but most do not stay with one team like they used to; Jeter and Kobe are a dying breed. Will we ever see kind of fan-athlete chemistry again? RN: There’s a lot to be said for that kind of continuity: tony Gwynn or Cal Ripken. Sometimes when you have that, you not only play better but you have a better life. Had A-Rod never left Seattle, I don’t think he’d be in the soup he is now. We have this thing about more see "Mavericks," page 7

Rob Nelson during his time with the Portland Mavericks | Photo Credit: The Battered Bastards of Baseball

During their tenure, the Mavericks were beloved by the people of Portland for their passion and unruly behavior both on and off the field, setting league records for attendance. In 2014, Netflix released The Battered Bastards of Baseball, a documentary about the Mavericks that followed the story of how the team came together and the culture Russell was able to create. The VanCougar recently had the chance to interview Nelson about his time as a Maverick, the influence it has had on the rest of his life and what major league baseball can learn from the group of scruffy, rowdy has-beens who, for a short time, brought passion and life to minor league baseball. Q: Something surprising about the documentary was how Washington State University Vancouver

or somewhere outside the boundary. It had to be Portland.” He hated giving it up. I even suggested we play the whole season on road and maybe they’d let us use the stadium if we made the playoffs. Bing said baseball would never let them do it. Q: On the documentary you said that a big part of the team’s success came from the fact that fun was emphasized. What was practice like? Was it more structured and intense than what the public saw on game days? RN: It wasn’t intense at all. I don’t remember getting batting instruction or anything like that. We were mostly on our own. There were really no rules at all on the team. Like Frank Peterson said, [in the documentary] “if you wanna steal a base, steal a base. If you wanna hit a home run, hit a home run.” In terms of strategy,

Most guys couldn’t believe they were there, couldn’t believe they got paid and couldn’t believe

Letter, continued from page 3 identifying sources of funding for higher education which make college more accessible and affordable for all of us. As mentioned, the most important legislative priority for all of our campuses is college affordability. Within the 5 years between 2007 and 2012, tuition doubled in cost. The state has gone from subsidizing about 60% of a college education to just 30% in the time it takes the average student to get a bachelor’s degree. This has resulted in increased levels of student debt. In the past two years, the legislature held tuition at a flat rate. This is extremely important and helpful to students and their families in planning to pay for their education. I think this issue is particularly crucial for students on our campus, many of whom chose WSU Vancouver because it was the most affordable option for their situation but offers the same quality of education as anywhere in the state. There is a lot of pride in the tuition freeze of years past, and this is something that many members of the legislature look forward to doing for students in our state again.

Kurt Russell models the uniform of his father's team. State budgets operate on a two-year cycle, and although we have heard from Representatives and Senators alike that higher education should be a priority in the budget because it is a valuable investment, the state faces many other budget obligations. We just passed an important milestone in the legislative session where all policy bills had to be out of their respective committees in order to continue in the process of going from a bill to a law. Now, we move into the phase where legislators vote on those bills and finally, we will start to hear some actual numbers and figures being proposed for a state budget. Though we do not know what portion of the approximately $37 billion budget will be allocated to higher education, we hope for reinvestment in a service that has been on the chopping block for many years. Stay tuned for more updates from Olympia, and feel free to contact me at aswsuv. dla@vancouver.wsu.edu with any questions about policy, politics, and legislative affairs. Subscribe for updates on WSU’s legislative priorities at www. wsuimpact.org n

Extras | 7 Semester at Sea, continued from page 1

Open House, continued from page 5

Perkins first learned of SEA Semester from Professor Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens, who had previously spent ten years working with the program as a chief scientist. Now, thanks to her participation in the program, Perkins’ interest in pursuing a future job aboard a ship has been affirmed. “I loved being at sea, loved being on a ship,” she said. Perkins hopes that, by sharing her story, other students will be encouraged to participate as well. Students who are interested in learning more about the SEA Semester program can visit www.sea.edu for more information. Applications for the Summer 2015 program are open until April 15. n

a chance to see what the station looks like and how it operates. Further information can be found on the KOUG Radio website, kougradio.com. From the site, interested students can learn more about the staff of the station, as well as view the station’s broadcasting schedule. Also, the website allows students to tune into the station broadcast. Those interested in becoming a DJ will find the necessary application forms online and those wishing to simply try being a “DJ for a Day” can find the application on the website as well. Additionally, KOUG Radio can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/kougradiolive n

Mavericks, continued from page 6

Election, continued from page 3

means better: 20 million or 17 million, who cares? It will not change your life at all. Nelson claims that the creation of Big League Chew was simply lucky. However, anyone who has spent time with him knows this is not the case.Nelson’s vision for a non cancerous lip-stuffer took equal parts hard work and tenacity; much like the Mavericks, which began as Bing Russell’s dream and grew. n

Don’t sell yourself short

he has personally avoided looking up the exact number of candidates running, not wanting to “say ‘seven to eight, that’s enough’,” keeping himself motivated to find as many potential candidates as possible. White says that advertisement is being worked on ahead of time; there are plans to put up full banners across campus as well as an ad on KOUG Radio, encouraging students to vote. For more information on the election changes, go to www.orgsync.com or www. ASWSUV.com n

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Student Diversity is back with Noche de Familia celebration

The annual Noche de Familia celebration continues providing support for Latino families By TERESA HOYT The VanCougar On Mar. 5, Washington State University Vancouver’s Student Diversity Center brought back the annual Noche de Familia event. According to Cesar Moreno, student intern of Student Diversity, the main purpose of the Noche de Familia event is to engage with the Latino community, especially parents. The event is primarily targeted for the benefit of potential future WSU Vancouver students, including middle school students, high school students and students currently attending community college that want to transfer. The event hosted a series of workshops aimed at transforming the idea of going to college from a vague idea to an attainable goal with a series of tasks to accomplish one at a time, ultimately turning a concept into a reality. During this year’s event, families who attended learned about financial aid, preparing for college, and other

Student and staff volunteers for Noche de Familia | Photo Credit: Student Diversity difficulties that Latino families face. Other topics include tips on how to save money for college, how to fill out the FAFSA, WSU Vancouver’s admissions requirements, and how to become a successful college student. Moreno said that this event also gives support to future students and at the beginning of their college careers. Although the event

was spoken in Spanish, an interpreter was available for translation. Moreno said that having the event in Spanish helped bring WSU Vancouver closer to the Latino community. “That is one way that we [people in Student Diversity and WSU Vancouver staff and faculty] try to be effective in taking WSU Vancouver to a community that deserves more representation on

campus.” Noche de Familia has been running for five years, starting as a small get-together. Moreno said that when the event began, a few families would come to campus and learn about the resources available. Noche de Familia eventually became a much bigger event when more Latino families in the Vancouver and Clark

County area heard about the event through word of mouth. Last year, the event had set a new high of about 160 attendees, which was surpassed by this year, which had an estimated 230 guests. Moreno said that variations of the Noche de Familia event exist on other WSU campuses as well. In Pullman, there are several other events that specifically engage the Latino community since there is a bigger Latino population at the Pullman campus. Although there are various versions of the Noche De Familia celebration in other WSU campuses, Moreno believes that WSU Vancouver has “one of the best” celebrations out there. Anyone with questions about the Noche de Familia event can contact Cesar Moreno by email at cesar.moreno@email. wsu.edu. The Student Diversity Office is also available in their office in the Firstenburg Student Commons from 8:30 a.m to 5 p.m Monday through Friday. They can also be found at facebook. com/studentdiversityn Washington State University Vancouver

8 | ADVERtISEMENt

Research Showcase 9 A.M. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; NOON

Poster and Podium Presentations Firstenburg Student Commons & Dengerink Administration Building, Room 110

1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 P.M.

Award Ceremony Dengerink Administration Building, Room 110

Reception Students, faculty, staff and guests are invited to celebrate all research accomplishments. Dengerink Administration Building, Rooms 129/130

Washington State University Vancouver