February 21, 2016
TheVanCougar.com
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Issue XII
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Volume XXVII
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First Copy Free
Trump’s transition: A divisive beginning for the presidency Students share perspectives on a new president By Layne Bauer Times of change in today's American political atmosphere fuel emotions from A to Z, with presidential candidates polarizing voters across whole swaths of the nation. The inauguration of the 45th president, Donald Trump, has produced a variety of responses among students at Washington State University Vancouver, ranging from heartfelt to ambivalent. As with the nation, Trump’s victory in the 2016 election polarized the campus community, with some voters expressing hope for the future and others deep concerns. The Trump presidency has been years in the making. From the campaigns, debates, ceremonies, protests and celebrations, Americans have undoubtedly played an active role in the past year’s election cycle. Following his inauguration on Jan. 20, President Trump entered the White House with an assertive 100-day agenda. His pledge of action focuses on issues like immigration reform and trade deal renegotiation. Without much certainty as to where the policies will lead, students and other observers have turned to reflection and speculation to try and judge what will come from the Oval Office in the months to come. WSU Vancouver serves students from a variety of political backgrounds and beliefs. Two public affairs majors, Mike and Dina, who requested their last names not be used for fear of angering friends and colleagues, were in Washington, D.C., during the inauguration. Both shared their experiences in the past election. Mike initially voted for Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders in the primary and then for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election. Dina voted for then-Republican
candidate Donald Trump. Despite the difference in their politics, Mike and Dina expressed many likeminded concerns regarding the future of the nation. Throughout the campaign, Clinton was unable to fully escape the controversies surrounding her tenure as secretary of state. Both Mike and Dina expressed the belief that Clinton was potentially unfit to run against Trump. “Considering how our electoral system works, I thought [Sanders] would be a much better candidate against Trump than Clinton,” Mike said. Sanders was a popular choice among millennial voters, because he provided an option that circumvented many of Clinton’s shortcomings and advocated for changes that some saw as appealing. All sorts of shadows surround Clinton, Dina said, "that I did not feel comfortable with. A few examples: Benghazi, the emails, The Clinton Foundation, the 1994 Crime Bill and flip-flopping on social issues.” Dina knew for sure, she said, “that I would never vote for Hillary Clinton.” Beyond campus, arguments on cable television echo Dina’s thinking: that Clinton’s potentially troubled past and the congressional investigations into her emails likely spelled her defeat in the general election. Throughout the election year, the personalities of candidates played a large factor during speeches, rallies and debates. At some points, these ranked as major concerns for students. At other times, the minutiae of the horse race became trivial. Trump’s role in the election exemplified this notion. Trump "had awful rhetoric, belittled people left and right and tweets too much,” Dina said. “He is beyond imperfect but as a billionaire businessman who promised to stand by the typical Republican voter, I filled
out the box next to his name on the ballot. It was a gamble, but it was a risk I was willing to take.” To voters like Mike, however, Trump’s rhetoric and personality was enough to sway their vote in another direction. “It was a combination of both Sanders’ sincerity — his character — and a loathing for the pompous authoritarianism of Trump,” Mike said. “I found the emails and the size of Trump’s hands quite trivial, though these ‘issues’ garnered considerable attention from the press.” In the lead up to and wake of the presidential election, voters from both sides of the aisle felt pressured to take action. Mike and Dina both attended the inauguration, but for different reasons. Mike participated in the Women’s March the day after the inauguration while Dina was a spectator at the swearing-in ceremony. When asked for his perspective on the reactions of voters nationwide, Mike became philosophical. “Politics is the absence of violence, so when politics appear to fail, people feel voiceless and react. I am a white, straight, educated, male citizen. I have the least to lose in the next four years but I think it is important for people to articulate and respond to injustice regardless of their leanings.” Not everyone on campus shares feelings of apprehension. “At the inauguration, I sensed a revival of hope for this nation filling the atmosphere that I will never forget. The people surrounding me were excited, they kindly reached out to one another and were giddy about the direction in which they anticipated the new administration would go,” Dina said. “As a conservative attending a liberal college, I have felt ostracized and sometimes
President Trump's election and subsequent policies have caused controversy in recent weeks. Photo credit: whitehouse.gov even
bullied by my peers.” In a country where citizens are taught the value of rights ranging from free speech to peaceful assembly, Trump’s election challenged the stability of these common values. Trump has signed 12 executive orders during his first three weeks in office, slightly trailing Obama’s 14 in 2009. Trump’s actions have followed the presidential tradition of delivering on campaign commitments and repealing policies of the previous administration. His orders include a contentious “travel ban” targeting seven countries described as potential sources of terrorism, withdrawal of the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, renewed construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, a federal government hiring freeze and the authorization of a U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Both Mike and Dina expressed opinions on the executive orders. “It is too early to tell what sort of implications they will have on the long-term for this country,” Dina said, adding that she will not be "jumping to conclusions acting on emotions, and protesting the very second the president signs an executive order.” “I believe Trump’s travel ban is absurd and absolutely unconstitutional,” Mike said. “The wall is a ludicrous proposal and will do absolutely nothing to alleviate the problems Trump claims it will [fix].” The differing opinions of Mike and Dina offer a glimpse of the variety of political views being expressed in the wake of Trump’s election and inauguration. Their involvement in the political process shows that voices on campus echo the nation’s uneasy political mood, regardless of political affiliation. n
Engineering capstone project takes flight in international competition Carbon friendly design team prepares to compete in Texas By Yuliya Nikiforets
The WAZZU SkyCougs recently tested their UAV in preparation for a competition in Texas. Photo credit: Yuliya Nikiforets
Every year seniors at Washington State University Vancouver embark on their senior capstone projects. While projects vary across different majors, the School of Engineering and Computer Science provides students with a hands-on approach. One engineering team has taken on the task of building a small aircraft and plans to compete against other teams from across the United States. WSU Vancouver's team consists of four mechanical engineers. Nicholas Rains, Christian Compton, Artyom Klochkov and Nicholas Saunders
collectively call themselves the WAZZU SkyCougs. The SkyCougs were tasked with the design and fabrication of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that meets standards set forth by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The core measurement of performance of a model vehicle, say organizers, is the payload's ratio of loaded weight to empty weight. Other aspects of scoring include the aircraft's ability to successfully complete multiple flights, package size and assembly time. “The team decided early on that innovation in the design is more important than winning,” Rains said. With innovation in mind,
they chose to build the plane primarily out of carbon fiber, which is a very light yet strong material, allowing the aircraft to better withstand harsh weather conditions. While innovative, carbon fiber is not a traditional material such as balsa wood, and tends to involve a steep learning curve. Protech Composites in Vancouver was able to sponsor and provide the material, allowing the team to focus on design rather than finding funding. The design analysis review process consisted of three stages: a preliminary design, an advanced analysis and a prototype design.
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2 | CAMPUS NEWS
Club helps prepare students for legal careers Pre-Law Society seeks to educate both members and public By Andrew Hanchett Washington State University Vancouver students Naomi Grande and Jose Scott co-founded the Pre-Law Society last year to support and educate future law students, and those on the fence about the legal profession. With more than a dozen members, matching polo shirts and a growing following on social media, this club is gaveling in 2017 with gusto. According to Scott, prelaw students show interest in studying law beyond their undergraduate degrees. Legal practice is a very broad field, Scott said, and includes many areas such as law enforcement and paralegal work. Scott is planning to pursue graduate studies in immigration law, while Grande is interested in immigration and environmental law. WSU Vancouver does not currently offer a law degree. Although some law degrees require a specific major, Scott said any undergraduate major has an opportunity to study some form of law in graduate school. Most members of the Pre-Law
Society major in public affairs, but Scott said there are also some English and science majors. "There is this view that law is government-related," Scott said, "but law is anything. We are engineers, we are biochemists, we are everything. So [the field] is very broad." The club is planning to host several events in the near future. On Tuesday, the WSU Vancouver community will have a chance to hear from Clark County's senior deputy prosecutor Dan Gasperino. On Mar. 28 the club will be conducting an open mock trial. The members will fill the roles of the judge, defense, prosecution and witnesses. The audience will act as a jury and will present the verdict. "We really want to be a community focused group," Scott said. "It is really nice to have this sense of community because sometimes you might not know what to do in order to get into a law school, or someone might not know what the LSAT [is] or that they need to build their resume," Grande said. The LSAT is a half-day, standardized test
The Pre-Law Society prepares students for futures in law related careers by engaging in discussions and practice scenarios. Photo credit: Andrew Hanchett administered four times each year at testing centers throughout the world. Students planning to pursue graduate studies in law are required to take it. Overall, according to Grande, the Pre-Law Society experience provides opportunities for specialized learning and networking with peers and experts that come to speak on campus. "It is our first shot at a
State of the Campus Address reflects on challenges and looks to the future By Tommy Culhane
Chancellor Mel Netzhammer presented the State of the Campus Address on Feb. 1, flanked by several other administrators. A wide variety of topics were covered ranging from the recent winter storms, the effects of national political events and the future of Washington State University Vancouver. Netzhammer began by discussing the recent winter storms that hit campus. He reviewed the school’s policy on closures in the case of inclement weather, and its impacts to campus life. Netzhammer addressed the fact that WSU Vancouver frequently remains open when other similar schools in the area close. “If we open, people get really pissed off, and if we close people get really upset and that is ... the nature of this kind of call,” Netzhammer said. “You also don't really want to be dismissive of that either because there's so much emotion and so much anxiety
that is tied up in the weather and people's feeling of personal safety.” Netzhammer said that a large amount of the staff on campus rely on hourly wages, so the campus closures directly impact their income. This is just one of the factors he has to take into consideration when deciding to close campus due to weather. The chancellor then addressed the executive order signed on Jan. 27 by President Donald Trump that attempted to suspend travel to the US from the seven Muslimmajority countries and what it means for WSU Vancouver students. “The executive [order] around immigration ... doesn't deal with the DACA or other laws ... that would directly affect our students,” Netzhammer said. Also covered in the address was the newly accredited Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. Out of 60 students who get accepted into the first class, approximately 15 will count WSU Vancouver as their home campus. They will go back and forth between WSU
Vancouver and WSU Spokane throughout their first two years and by their third and fourth years, they will be full time students at WSU Vancouver. Netzhammer noted that this year has brought “the largest enrollment in the history of our campus.” Netzhammer said that the higher levels of enrollment are “primarily due not to new enrollments, new transfer students or new first year students, but to a larger number of students taking a larger number of courses.” He said that this is partially due to “the work that everyone has been doing around retention." n
In a future issue: n State of the University Address and Drive to 25 Public Kickoff n ASWSUV elections n New club logo policy n And more!
2017 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.
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network," Scott said. Members have the opportunity to interact and make connections with students from various fields of law. Such connections can be beneficial when graduates begin their careers as lawyers, Scott said. Upon graduating, PreLaw Society members receive a graduation sash that sets them apart as members of the club. Organizers say club meetings
are more formal than students might expect, as they are intended to simulate a legal environment. Meetings are open to all students and held every Tuesday, with more details available on CougSync. During the meetings members discuss club affairs and practice LSAT questions. For more information, contact Naomi Grande at naomi.grande@wsu.edu. n
"Engineering project" continued from page 1
control. The team quickly learned after a few crashes that it is better to have experienced pilots at the helm, leaving the engineers to work on the design. The SAE also provides pilots on hand at the competition so that "the team can focus on engineering and let the pros fly the plane," Rains said. The team has continued to reevaluate their final design through calculations, the gathering of empirical data and hours of testing at WSU Vancouver’s wind tunnel. Part of this extensive process involved testing a variety of motor and propeller combinations to find the best package. The team has turned in their report and is currently working on the construction of the final plane. They continue to prepare the presentation for the competition and testing the motor, props, batteries and the airframe as a whole to ensure their readiness. Further recent testing of the aircraft has yielded positive results, and the team looks forward to the upcoming competition. The WAZZU SkyCougs will compete March 10 through March 12 in Fort Worth, Texas. Look for updates on the journey of the WAZZU SkyCougs and their UAV in a future issue of The VanCougar. n
Preliminary designs included rough sketches and concepts that had been generated through the research of previous competitions, videos of flights and textbooks. Each of these designs were then rated with criteria ranked on innovation, competition, safety, reliability, aesthetics, durability, maintenance and cost. The designs with the highest rating then moved onto the advanced design phase where they were generated in 3D on a computer using SolidWorks and further fine-tuned. The design of the aircraft itself included heavy calculations and analysis in which assumptions reflected the most difficult flight conditions. This analysis allowed the team to choose the overall size, the airfoil shape, the wingspan, the motor, the propeller, the tail, the boom and importantly, the fuselage, which acts as the backbone of the aircraft. The team has built and tested several prototypes. Testing was very limited however due to the inclement weather over winter break during which the entire air strip was snowed in. The Clark County Radio Control Society offered their support in testing by flying and controlling the plane by remote
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ALEXANDER PERU . vancouged@wsu.edu MANAGING EDITOR HALEY ELMER . vancougme@wsu.edu ADVERTISING MANAGER DAWN BAILEY . vancougad@wsu.edu LAYOUT AND DESIGN EDITOR CHARLES MITCHELL . vancouglo@wsu.edu WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER AUZ BURGER . vancougso@wsu.edu TEAM EDITORS AUZ BURGER REPORTERS KELLI ANDERSON LAYNE BAUER EMILY BRATCHER TOMMY CULHANE SAVANNA FORD
ANDREW HANCHETT QUETZALI RAMIREZ YULIYA NIKIFORETS MEGAN PEAKER
The WAZZU SkyCougs used modern materials and design processes to construct thier UAV. Photo credit: Yuliya Nikiforets
CAMPUS NEWS | 3
V-Day raises awareness about sexual violence Information, displays and pledges aim to reduce violence against women By Quetzali Ramirez
The V-Day that is usually associated with Feb. 14 is a day to express love, but there is another version of V-Day that shares the date, which focuses on raising awareness of and preventing violence against women and girls. V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. Washington State University Vancouver students increased awareness for the global movement to end violence against women and children by tabling in the Dengerink Administration Building on Feb. 13 and 14. Volunteers supplied information about physical and sexual assault resources in the community and on campus. Students could also sign a pledge in support of the It’s On Us campaign. The It’s On Us strives to get people to commit to being part of the solution to keep men and women safe from sexual assault. The V-Day campaign began Feb. 14, 2012. It is based on the statistic that one in three women will experience physical or sexual assault during her lifetime. Since it began, people all over the world have come together to stand against the injustices women may face. V-Day hosts many events that produce innovative gatherings, like films and campaigns, to
Volunteers staffed a V-Day information table where students could learn more about the movement and make consent cards to help curb violence against women. Photo credit: Haley Elmer
educate and change social attitudes towards violence against women. Many college campuses have taken part in this global movement. Auz Burger, a senior majoring in English at WSU Vancouver, said, "In a perfect world, the only V-Day we'd have is the one where couples celebrate their love. Since rape culture still persists, V-Day is important to help highlight the violence against women and girls, and helps connect victims with the services they need to help the healing begin.” To illustrate the statistics of violence against women, the display “One in Three” was hung in the Firstenburg Student Commons. Three pairs of lace panties, two white and one red, represented
Preparing VanCougs for the future one outfit at a time Dress a Coug clothing drive provides professional wear for students By Emily Bratcher Throughout January bins to donate clothes were scattered around Washington State University Vancouver. Students and faculty were encouraged to donate gently used business and formal wear in preparation for the Dress a Coug event that took place in early February. At this event, students and community members had the opportunity to come and create two entire outfits for free that would suit them for interviews or events like the Career and Internship Fair. The Firstenburg Student Commons was turned into an oversized closet for students and community members on Feb. 6-7. Upon entering, attendees were greeted with a selection of men and women’s clothing arrayed on tables. Shoes and accessories were available in addition to clothing items. Women could find anything from a skirt and blouse to an entire pantsuit. Men could also find a nice business ensemble to fit their professional needs. Brenda Andrade, a senior and volunteer
at the Dress a Coug event, discussed the donation process. “Throughout the month of January, students and faculty were encouraged to donate gently used business wear,” Andrade said. “At the end of the month, we picked up and sorted through the clothing and got it ready for the Dress a Coug event.” “My favorite part of this event was probably the accessibility it gave to the students and community, it is a great resource for our students here at WSU Vancouver,” Andrade said. WSU Vancouver hosts the Dress a Coug event annually to prepare students for business encounters and mock interviews. During the spring semester, WSU Vancouver offers several events that help prepare students for careers and internships. Given competition in the local economy, organizers say the professional wear provided by this year’s drive will elevate students’ chances at landing a well-paying job before or after graduation. n
the statistic that found one out of three women will experience violence during their lives. Volunteers wore pink V-Day shirts throughout the day to show their support for the movement. At the tables, students had the opportunity to create Valentine's Day consent cards that shared positive messages and the importance of consent. Counseling services are available free for students, and more information can be found at https:// studentaffairs.vancouver.wsu. edu/student-affairs/counseling. For more information on the V-Day movement stop by the Diversity Center or visit http://www.vday.org. n
Correction: In Issue 11 of The VanCougar, dated February 6, 2017, a photo accompanying the article "Annual Mount Bachelor ski and snowboard trip offers mountainous fun" was incorrectly attributed. The second photo in the right column was credited to Quetzali Ramirez. It was taken by Sterling Fletcher. n
Campus Events
Person, Isn't that Enough?" 3 - 4:30 p.m. Open to all VDEN 110 n Where We Build: Bystander Intervention 4:10 - 6:10 p.m. Open to students VDEN 129 Tuesday, February 28 n Job and Internship Seeking Strategies Workshop 12 - 12:50 p.m. FSC 104 Open to all Wednesday, March 1 n Global Learning Day 10:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. VDEN 130 Open to students, staff and faculty n "Local Action on Immigration and Refuge" 12 - 1 p.m. VECS 105 Open to all Thursday, March 2 n Global Cougs 101 9:10 - 10 a.m. Open to students RSVP at studentaffairs. vancouver.wsu.edu/ student-resource-center/ sign-global-cougs-101 n American Democracy Project: Drop In Engage In 1:15 - 2:45 p.m. VDEN 130 Open to students n Time management Workshop 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. SSC 101 Open to students n LinkedIn Lab 3 - 3:50 p.m. Location TBA Open to all n Noche de Familia 6 p.m. FSC Open to students from grade 6-11 and their families RSVP at studentaffairs. vancouver.wsu.edu/studentdiversity/noche-de-familiarsvp n Native American Culture and History Film Series: "Promised Land" 7 p.m. VDEN 129-130 Open to all n Strong Interest Inventory Workshop 10:10 - 11 a.m. FSC 104 Registration required Call 360-546-9155 Monday, March 6 n Your mindset matters! 1:10 - 2 p.m. SSC 101 Open to students n Negotiating Salary Workshop 2:10 - 3 p.m. FSC 104 Open to all
Tuesday, February 21 n Self Defense Class 6 - 8:15 p.m. VDEN 129 Open to students, staff and faculty RSVP on Cougsync Wednesday, February 22 n Emotional intelligence: understaning ourselves and others workshop 12:10 - 1:30 p.m. SSC 101 Open to students n Global Cougs 101 3:10 - 4 p.m. SSC 101 Open to students RSVP at studentaffairs. vancouver.wsu.edu/ student-resource-center/ sign-global-cougs-101 n Interviewing Skills Workshop 3:10 - 4 p.m. FSC 104 Open to all Thursday, February 23 n Help! I need scholarly articles 12 - 1 p.m. SSC 101 Open to students n "Black History in Action: Past, Present and Future" 5 p.m. FSC Open to all n Native American Culture and History Film Series: "Celilo Falls and the Remaking of the Columbia River" and "The Lost Fish" 7 p.m. VDEN 129 & 130 Open to all n Professional Writers Series: David Naimon and Benjamin Parzybok in conversation, "The Art of the Literary Podcast: A Conversation" 7 p.m. MMC 6 Open to all Friday, February 24 n Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Workshop 10:10 - 11 a.m. FSC 104 Registration required Call 360-546-9155 n Traditional B&W Photography Workshop Part 3/3 12 - 3 p.m. MMC 107 Open to all n Cross-cultural and Evolutionary Perpectives on Male Androphilia 12 - 2 p.m. VDEN 110 Open to students Monday, February 27 n Debby Irving, "Leveling the Playing Field — Interrupting Patterns of White Privilege" 12 - 1:15 VECS 105 Open to students, faculty and staff n Debby Irving, "I'm a Good
How to Book A Librarian
Needing help with a research project? Want to learn how to navigate the Library? In addition to dropping by or contacting the Reference desk, you can also meet with a librarian for one-on-one help. The Subject Librarians page includes a list of librarians, their subject specialties and contact info. Click on the Book a Librarian link on the Library’s home page. https://library.vancouver.wsu.edu/book-librarian
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4 | OPINION Guest contribution: Why summer abroad was the best decision I've ever made School for Field Studies veteran shares experiences in Tanzania By Jennifer Ruthruff You will always hear people saying that “everyone should study abroad!” and “It’s the best experience you could give yourself as a college student.” Well, not to be one of those people to tell you that you should pack your bags and go abroad, but they aren’t wrong. Studying abroad was never something that I thought I would pursue. Growing up a little on the shy side, I was not one to step out of my comfort zone on my own. I just never saw myself being emotionally and mentally able to do it. That apprehension all changed during my freshmen
ROAR orientation. There were different information sessions that new students could attend and studying abroad was one of them. I had made friends with one of the girls in my orientation group and she was going to attend that session. Knowing a very limited amount of people I decided to tag along with her and see what studying abroad was all about. That one decision changed my outlook on life. Not only did I discover the possible places that I could go, but I began to have a more confident and independent attitude. From that day on I made it my plan to study abroad the summer after my junior year.
A male lion patrols Serengetti National Park. Photo credit: Jennifer Ruthruff
Fast forward three years later and I was on a plane to meet people with the same passion and excitement I had, and who would become some of my best friends. I had chosen to study abroad with the organization The School for Field Studies, or SFS for short, through their summer Tanzanian program. The summer program was split into two sessions focusing on wildlife management and conservation and techniques for wildlife research. As a biology major, wildlife and the environment have always held a special place in my heart and the SFS program could not have been a more perfect fit for me. The courses through SFS are field based, enabling one to gain skills in field research with hands-on experiences actually out in the environmental settings. From field lectures to hands-on activities to actually utilizing the skills we learned in the classroom and applying the knowledge to the tasks that we were assigned, the field school was an excellent experience for a biology student. We were constantly learning about wildlife and environmental issues not only through the course content, but also by going out and witnessing it with our own eyes. Whether we were conducting research on the changing environment by interviewing locals, witnessing a lioness in the Serengeti become stressed as tourist cars blocked her from her
Jennifer Ruthruff takes photos from a Land Rover in Lake Manyara National Park. Photo credit: Cailey Daluga pride or hearing about humanwildlife conflicts in the villages, the reality of the issues behind each topic became more and more clear. Although I only spent a short two months abroad with SFS in Tanzania, those two months had a huge impact on me. I learned that I greatly enjoy being out in the field conducting valuable research, that I have no problem with picking up wildlife dung, that zipping through the Serengeti standing in a Land Rover with the top off brings you immeasurable amounts of joy and that when you spend two months living with the same people you will come out with some of the most amazing friendships imaginable. Studying abroad with SFS was the best decision I could have made, not only for my education and career goals in life but for making me a better version of myself, and
I would not trade it for anything else. If you are like me and have a passion for the environment and wildlife and want to actually contribute to research in the field, or if you just want to experience the nature of another country, then I highly encourage you to consider a program with SFS or a similar program. Who knows, maybe it will have a large impact on your life like it did for me, or better yet an even greater one! Editor’s note: For more information about the SFS study abroad program, contact Jennifer Ruthruff at jennifer. ruthruff@wsu.edu. Additional information can also be found at http://www.fieldstudies.org. n
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