March 27, 2017
TheVanCougar.com
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Issue XIV
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Volume XXVII
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First Copy Free
Scott and Grande to lead with 'transparency'
"We know that students want to know what's going on and play an active role in what happens," said incoming president Jose Scott (on the right), who takes office next year along with longtime friend Naomi Grande. Photo credit: Michael Plekhanov to rely on student voices and By Layne Bauer Jose Scott and Naomi Grande were elated on the announcement that they would become the ASWSUV president and vice president for the upcoming school year. Looking forward, Scott and Grande seek
experiences, including their own, to effectively fulfill their roles. Scott and Grande are not newcomers to student involvement on the WSU Vancouver campus. Scott, the president-elect, currently works as an intern for the Student Diversity Center, was
a member of the Impact Volunteer Program which advocates for new students to participate on-campus and is the co-president of the PreLaw Society. The vice-president elect, Grande, is a retention subcommittee member that works with faculty to find ways for students to stay in school, helps co-ordinate and participates in events hosted by the Student Diversity Center, is a member of the College Access Program which advoates for higher education to younger students, and is the cofounder and co-president of the Pre-Law Society. For the 20172018 school year, both members of the team will be entering their senior year studying public affairs. “We have been involved in all of our time spent studying on-campus so far,” Scott said. “Our motivation to run for ASWSUV Executive positions started before we were even freshmen three years ago.” For Scott and Grande, their election is an opportunity to carry on the good works and legacies of past cabinets while simultaneously facilitating a new
New club logos emerge after policy changes Creative changes result in new club emblems By Layne Bauer Like it or not, the redesigns are in. On Feb. 1, Pullman’s Office of Marketing and Communication released a memo to clubs, which clarified changes in branding regulations. Consequently, an array of Washington State University Vancouver clubs were notified that they had to change their logos, including the Veterans Club and Associated Students, International Students Association, Cougar Pride Club and The VanCougar newspaper. Many leaders initially responded with surprise and confusion. The memo clarified how club names and logos should be displayed. “A club has the ability to show affiliation with WSU Vancouver in its official club name. However it must identify the club prior to the university,” the memo said. “A club may use the university spirit marks (cougar head, Butch, etc.)… But [the spirit marks] may not be altered in their shape, pattern and design. In order to be in compliance the cougar head must be presented in crimson, especially for online use. For print purposes the cougar head may be black, reversed or gray.” The deadline for the required clubs to submit new titles and logo designs was last Monday. A few minutes spent scrollng through club logos in CougSync reveals the different purposes these images serve. Some are direct and explicitly state the name and purpose of the club. Others
offer a more nuanced approach to identifying the club's purpose and identity. Each of the affected clubs approached the situation uniquely, through contests, voting and resurrection of past icons. Although the approaches were different, the reasons why were similar. According to club leaders, it was important for clubs to preserve the presence of each club on campus, and finding the best new logo was part of that process. Despite some initial resistance and mild confusion, the Veterans Club and Associated Students used a voting method to agree upon a new design. “We used the image incorporated on our club t-shirts,” said club leader Scott Thompson. “The vote was unanimous.” With grey footprints of military boots stomping on a crimson background, the logo welcomes viewers to take a step in the shoes of veterans and students associated with the group. For the International Students Association, the redesign of their club logo provided an opportunity to reflect upon the club’s values. The club leader, Raj Lamichhane, sought the assistance of a creative artist to help create a new logo. “We decided to have the world map on it so that we can address students from different countries and cultures,” Lamichhane said. “We are still working to develop our logo so that it looks simple and attractive to the students.” With a simple black, white and grey color scheme, the image of the world is encompassed by the title
of the club, inviting all students to join the club regardless of where one might have come from. Members of the Cougar Pride Club worried the implications of the changes would inadvertently hurt the club. “We already miss our rainbow cougar head, but we had fun redesigning the new logo,” said club leader Stefani Mammenga. “It’s a throwback to Cougar Pride Club’s old logo from over half a decade ago!” With font size, structure and colors, the logo captures the attention of viewers and reminds them to be proud of whom they are. The original cougar head also makes a subtle appearance. The VanCougar newspaper was also affected by the changes in regulations. The newspaper hosted a contest to find a new logo design with an opportunity to win a $40 gift card to the Bookie. With over a dozen standalone submissions, the competition provided a wide
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* What's up with the 'O' in VanCougar?
Editor's note: The VanCougar thanks everyone who submitted designs for the logo contest. We are currently in the process of getting a design approved by the Student Media Board, and will have an updated logo in an upcoming issue. n
set of approaches. The team wants to sustain and maintain their ability to connect with students. Scott and Grande plan to achieve this by continuing past efforts that worked while also providing new opportunities for student voices to be heard, and in turn elevate those voices to university administrators and community members. The team is eager to utilize a new plan based on the Impact Volunteer Program, called the Student Voice and Advocacy Council, or SVAC. “We know that students want to know what’s going on and play an active role in what happens. Since there are limited spots in student government, we wanted to design a way for students to voluntarily participate alongside ASWSUV,” Scott said. “SVAC is non-exclusive, will be open to everybody and co-chaired by a member of senate and executive staff. SVAC will allow students to voice concerns while adding a layer of transparency to student government, promoting accountability and accessibility.” The two winning teammembers are not strangers to
working with one another. Scott and Grande worked together for about six years since their freshman year of high school. While attending Fort Vancouver High School, the team worked as a cohort for the AVID program, founded the Students of Color Association, worked for the MECHA program and played active roles in student council and student government. WSU Vancouver has a strong history of electing executive positions of significant diversity. Many winning tickets in the past have had positions held by students from minority backgrounds. The executive team’s platform had four pillars of its campaign. These were equity, accountability, affordability and community. Scott and Grande believe everyone should have an equal playing field in regards to various factors such as education and accessibility. Scott and Grande also advocated for transparency in student government through
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New director of diversity discusses future plans Kelley assumes new role of expanding campus diversity By Yuliya Nikiforets Anthony Kelley, the new director of diversity and outreach, is excited to be a part of Washington State University Vancouver and for the opportunity his position provides to create a positive influence on the campus community. Having previously worked at the University of Washington Bothell as the assistant director of diversity outreach and recruitment, as well as in various countries including Taiwan, South Africa, Europe and Brazil, Kelley said the experiences equipped him with insight that can be applied at WSU Vancouver. Rather than introducing sweeping changes, Kelley wants to examine what is currently being done, find where the gaps are and understand how he can deepen the work to improve. One of Kelley’s roles on campus is to improve the recruitment process of minority populations, which he hopes to accomplish by strengthening partnerships with local Native American tribes and high school programs. Once these students come to this campus, it is vital that they, and the students who are already enrolled, have support. Kelley hopes to build something inclusive, so that "acknowledging culture is a part of our inherent culture, not just a center on campus." This will
Anthony Kelley is excited to become part of the WSUV community. Photo credit: Zeke Estes be accomplished by making minor tweaks to the curriculum and providing space for difficult conversations to take place. According to Kelley, “People on our campus have experienced trauma whether through gender or race, but we've gotten complacent and comfortable.” Kelley said that part of his job is to effectively bring up these uncomfortable issues, keep people at the table and help people realize the need for such conversations to take place. He encourages people to be honest with themselves and be
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2 | CAMPUS NEWS
EPA budget cuts may affect campus research
Loss of funding may derail research and grants By Andrew Hanchett Just a over a week ago President Trump released his preliminary budget proposal for 2018. Of all the government agencies featured in the proposal, the EPA will undergo the largest budget cut. This cut may affect research programs at Washington State University Vancouver, say several researchers who oversee government funded projects. According to the proposal, the goal of such reductions is to reduce federal regulations that “impose significant costs for workers and consumers without justifiable environmental benefit.” The proposal reduces the agency's budget by nearly a third, resulting in the removal of about 3,200 positions within the administration. Some WSU faculty and students are concerned that recent developments and the president’s policies regarding the EPA could affect their research. Eric Dexter is a Ph.D. student and a STAR fellowship recipient. The award pays for his tuition and research, as well as provides some living allowance. He said that he heard the news about the initial January freeze from his program manager at the EPA who in turn learned about it from
the news. Dexter is uncertain how this will this affect his fellowship as he has not received any updates from the EPA. One of the reasons for Dexter's concern is a report published by CNN early this month. According to the report, the STAR fellowship can potentially be eliminated as a result of the proposed EPA budget cuts. However, Dexter is uncertain if this will affect his grant or if it applies to future grants only. Dexter said there is no communication from the EPA. Dexter studies plankton communities of the Pacific Coast and the spread and impact of disruptive microorganisms in bodies of water. He said more money has been spent on damages and mitigation costs of invasive species than the money spent for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. "I am 100 percent funded by the EPA," Dexter said. The grant covers his tuition, research expenses and provides a living allowance. Dexter said he would have no income if the grant were canceled immediately. With a large portion of his research and studies behind him, Dexter said he would be able to complete his program with some support from his department. "It wouldn't derail my research at this point," he said, "it would just limit
what I do from this point on." However, Dexter said that environmentalists are very concerned with the latest developments surrounding the EPA and said he would not encourage anyone to apply for the STAR fellowship at this time. WSU Vancouver professor Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens has a research proposal pending with the EPA to study harmful algal blooms in Vancouver Lake and other bodies of water in Washington State. According to RollwagenBollens, the algal blooms can be toxic and can have implications for drinking water and bodies of water used for recreational purposes. Rollwagen-Bollens also said she did not receive any updates from the EPA regarding the funding freeze or any other cuts to the agency. However, she is more concerned with recent developments as they are affecting advancement in research. She said the work done at the EPA does not generally make headlines, but if it was to stop, there will be a gradual decline in the quality of the environment. Rollwagen-Bollens said that these are not good times among environmental scientists. “There is just a lot of uncertainty,” she said. Rollwagen-Bollens said that she is concerned because the president’s agenda seems to be
narrowly focused on one aspect of the EPA’s work: climate change. However, she said the cut back affects other important issues not related to climate change. Rollwagen-Bollens said that scientists need to take responsibility for how they communicate the role science plays in society. “Personally, I feel like it’s incumbent on me and other professionals who work with young people to do a better job of communicating about what role scientific information can play in society,” RollwagenBollens said, “and not to get to swayed about people who have a particular agenda when all [that] science is trying to do is to provide information and outcomes based on evidence.” n
"Club logos," continued from page 1
range of options from which to choose. The winning logo design will be revealed soon. The clubs that were affected by the changes in branding policies and enforcement complied in a timely manner and generally met the deadline. The process allowed the affected groups to reexamine their vision and roles on campus, and create logos that reflect those views. n
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"Anthony Kelley," Continued from page 1 able to engage in conversations about the past in order to move into the future. Through this, Kelley hopes that WSU Vancouver can become a local example of how such discussions can facilitate learning to negotiate through problems, issues and tensions. Kelley’s current projects include press conferences to raise awareness about what WSU Vancouver stands for as well as providing workshops to educate students about their rights regarding immigration. In order for these honest conversations to take place, workshops and next year's events have already been planned out. The Diversity Center recently opened applications for positions for next year, and Kelley is currently developing the training for these applicants. Through these trainings, Kelley will be heavily involved with the students this summer. When asked how students can get involved, Kelley advised that students and faculty participate in events on campus. He emphasized that student voices on campus really do mean something and encouraged students to stop by his office in VSSC 111 to share their stories and help him to better understand the WSU Vancouver climate. n
P R E PA R I N G F O R
”the BIG ONE“: CA S CA D I A S U B D U C T I O N ZO N E E A RT H Q UA K E
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6:3 TWO PRESENTATIONS | 3 AND
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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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@wsu.edu. For more information about the VanCougar's policy on letters and other information, please visit the VanCougar policy section of TheVanCougar.com The VanCougar | Dengerink Administration Building (VDEN) Room 160 | 14024 NW Salmon Creek Ave. | Vancouver, Wash. 98686 | 360-546-9524
Washington State University Vancouver
STAFF DIRECTORY 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 SAVANNA FORD ANDREW HANCHETT
g, Room 110
Dengerink Administration Buildin
Learn how to prepare for the aftereffects of a major earthquake. Featuring Scott Johnson, CRESA Raffle prizes and more!
2 – 7 PM | TALK TO RESOURCE EXPERTS Dengerink Administration Building, Rooms 129/130
QUETZALI RAMIREZ YULIYA NIKIFORETS MEGAN PEAKER
Sponsors: WSU Vancouver Public Safety and ASWSUV
STUDENT LIFE | 3
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Accessible health care brought to campus New health services clinic opens
Biographer tells of his experiences with rock stars
By Emily Bratcher
Everyone gets sick, but for a college student it is even more challenging to become ill, because finding time to seek care can be difficult. Over spring break, facilities and operations staff were busy putting the final touches on the health services clinic that will make basic health care more easily accessible to Washington State University Vancouver students. The university recently partnered with The Vancouver Clinic to provide free basic health care to currently enrolled students. Services will be carried out by qualified nurse practitioners who can evaluate and treat basic health concerns for students. “Basic health care services is available at no cost to students," Patience McGinnis, lead psychologist for the Student Wellness Center, said. "Basic health care services include: treatment of acute illness and injuries, evaluation of stable chronic conditions, physical exams, immunizations, medications and prescriptions, point of care lab testing, smoking cessation, nutritional counseling and confidential STI/ STD (including HIV) testing.” According to McGinnis, “The providers will refer higher acuity medical needs to a specialist and our Health Services staff will work to connect you to a primary care provider in the community for follow up.” Services such as diagnostic
"Election," Continued from page 1 accountability. For example, they plan to post notes from meetings to CougSync so students can be a part of the ASWSUV process. For Scott and Grande, affordability meant the continuation of ongoing events like Coug Day at the Capitol and increased awareness of financial aid options. For example, they hope to promote awareness of the State Need Grant, Washington State’s version of the Pell Grant, where according to Scott, 27,000 eligible students are not being funded. With a possibility of tuition being raised by 2% this year, Scott and Grande wish to work to freeze this potential legislation. Scott and Grande also advocate for open–educational resources, such as providing grants for on-campus professors to write their own textbooks to reduce out-of-pocket costs for students. Finally, Scott and Grande seek to further community by reinforcing the VanCoug identity. Since WSU Vancouver is strategically located, with deep connections and relationships within the Vancouver
Living the rock star life: Chronicling the lives of music legends
By Megan Peaker
A new health clinic recently opened on campus, and provides basic health care to WSU Vancouver students. Photo credit: Emily Bratcher testing that may require a fee will be provided at a Vancouver Clinic outpatient facility and will be billed directly to insurance or an out of pocket expense to the patient. According to the WSU Vancouver website, “The Vancouver Clinic nurse practitioners will refer higher acuity medical needs and certain medication prescriptions (e.g., benzodiazepines, opioids, narcotics) to a specialist. Our Health Services staff will work to connect you to a primary care provider in the community for follow up.” The university and The Vancouver Clinic plan to extend women’s health care in an individual women’s clinic that will be held each semester. McGinnis said that the first clinic will be held on Apr. 20. The new clinic is “ funded through the Services & Activities fund,” McGinnis said.
The funds are going to not only benefit the wellness of students, but also to help educate those associated in the health science career path. “We plan to partner with the nursing program and will likely offer a few events each semester for flu vaccinations, cholesterol checks, et cetera,” McGinnis said. Appointments are available on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Same day and scheduled appointments are provided. The Health Service center is located in the Classroom Building in room 160. To make an appointment with the Health Service center call (360) 546-9238. If no one is available, WSU has a 24 hour advice nurse on call that can be reached at (509) 335-3575. For more information, visit: https://studentaffairs.vancouver. wsu.edu/health-services. n
and Portland communities, Scott and Grande believe continuing the promotion of on-going networking opportunities and retention for graduates and alumni is imperative. “To promote the pillars of our campaign platform, we talked with students out on the quad, had supporters go out in teams to popularize our campaign, and handed out fact sheets to relay information efficiently to students,” Grande said. According to Scott and Grande, not all aspects of the election process played out in a smooth way. With controversial actions taken by some of the opponents, Scott and Grande emphasized that they tried to set themselves apart from competitors by playing by the rules with respect for the student government constitution. Scott and Grande said their familiarity with the structure of student government helped in their victory. After two weeks of debates and campaigning, Scott and Grande found themselves at the election viewing party on Mar. 8. As the results came in, a 12.3% voter turnout rate showed the two
had won with 53% of the votes. Looking forward, next year’s ASWSUV president and vicepresident wish to accomplish the pillars of their platform, start the SVAC, and create an online forum as a way for students to get involved with their elected representatives. Scott and Grande can be reached via email at Jose.scott@wsu.edu and Naomi.grande@wsu.edu. n
was resistant at first and then eventually cooperated to make the book a success. Simon, however, actually went out of his way to stop Carlin from writing and publishing “Homeward Bound.” When faced with the active resistance of his subject, Carlin tried harder than ever. Even though Simon’s career spans over 50 years, there is very little written about him. This led Carlin to research even harder than before and make connections in a way that challenged him as a human being. Networking and building trust with people in Simon’s circle eventually allowed Carlin to obtain the information he sought to make the book a success. Carlin read an excerpt from his book and left time at the end of the session for questions. The event ended with applause and laughter. The next presentation in the Professional Writers Series will be Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner presenting “Activist Poetry.” The event is March 23 from 7-9 p.m. in MMC 6. For more information about the Professional Writers Series, contact Howard Aaron at 503-816-2742. For more information about Peter Ames Carlin, visit http://peteramescarlin.com. n
Famous musicians are not always willing to have their life written about. Biographer Peter Ames Carlin found this out when trying to write about Paul Simon. Carlin discussed the challenges and rewards of writing biographies at a recent installement of The Professional Writers Series called "Biographies that Rock." Peter Ames Carlin was introduced by Ryan C. Rose, a senior in the English program at Washington State University Vancouver. Rose read reviews of Carlin’s writing in which the writer was acknowledged for his in-depth and detailed style. Carlin’s most recent book, “Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon,” was inspired by singer Paul Simon’s political background and the fact that there is very little written about the singer. Carlin started out his presentation by playing the music video for Simon’s song “Boy in the Bubble.” The animation for “Boy in the Bubble” was created by a Portland artist named Jim Bashfield. Bashfield is also known for the animation done for Michael Jackson’s “Leave Me Alone.” Carlin is a Portland local, and started his professional career as a copy editor for the Oregonian. Carlin said he took writing seriously and he had mentors that helped him along the way. Carlin largely attributes his success to these factors. After leaving the Oregonian, he started freelance writing. The work came without stability, but “It became an obsession,” he said. Eventually he started working for People magazine in New York. While writing for People, Carlin had the opportunity to interview Brain Wilson of the Beach Boys. This opportunity would eventually lead him to writing a biography about Wilson. Carlin wrote two other biographies before his work on Simon. These books were about Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen. The writing process for the Springsteen book was much different than the one about Simon. Springsteen
Peter Carlin discusses the difficulties and successes of writing about famous musicians. Photo credit: Megan Peaker
Did you know the library has added 4 Macs?
Between the back row of PCs and the Study Rooms you will find 4 Macs — and cool new chairs!
Join us for a talk by English Visiting Scholars Series speaker, Dr. Anjali Arondekar, Associate Professor of Feminist Studies at University of California, Santa Cruz. Title of Talk: “In Other Worlds: Sexuality, Archives, Histories,” 9:10-10:25 am, at VDEN 110. Free and open to the public. Washington State University Vancouver
4 | EXTRAS
Highlighting student research, scholarship and creative expression
THURS., APRIL 13 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Poster and Podium Presentations FIRSTENBURG STUDENT COMMONS AND DENGERINK ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, ROOM 110
2 – 2:30 p.m. Award Ceremony DENGERINK ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, ROOM 110
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Reception DENGERINK ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, ROOMS 129/130
Learn more at vancouver.wsu.edu/showcase
Washington State University Vancouver
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