November 16, 2015
www.TheVanCougar.com
•
Issue VII
•
Volume XXVI
•
First Copy Free
SINCE 1994
•November 16, 2015• www.TheVanCougar.com
WRITING WORKSHOPS
STUDENT TUTORS TAKE THE LEAD ON EDUCATIONAL SERIES PAGE 2
PROJECT LINUS
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT CLUB CRAFTS BLANKETS FOR CHILDREN IN NEED PAGE 3
TAMALE TALK
ASWSUV'S UPCOMING EVENT PROMOTES OPEN-FLOOR DISCUSSION PAGE 3
“Selma’s Bloody Sunday” brings civil rights activist to campus
Joanne Bland recounts events of Bloody Sunday in Marquee Diversity Series appearance By: DAWN BAILEY The VanCougar Joanne Bland, one of the youngest persons to be jailed during any civil rights demonstration, was a guest of Washington State University Vancouver on Nov. 3. Bland spoke to packed room filled with students, teachers and community members about the historical events that she witnessed and her work on civil and human rights in a public event titled “Selma’s Bloody Sunday, the Voting Rights Movement and the Ongoing Struggle for Civil Rights.” The event also featured a question and answer session in which the subjects of voting rights, racism and activism were discussed. Bland was born in Selma, Alabama, and at age 11 witnessed activists being beaten by police and Alabama state troopers on March 7, 1965, in an event that went down in history as “Bloody Sunday.” In a trembling voice Bland described the scenes she witnessed on that day, saying police "came in from both sides, and they were just beating people… [you] couldn’t stop
Joanne Bland: "We have a rainbow of humanity. What affects me, affects you." | Photo Credit: Dawn Bailey
to help them or you would be beaten too.” Bland spoke about her fear upon her returning to the scene for a second march the next day, saying, “I went, but I was scared… [it was] too much for this 11-year-old.” Bland found the scariest police to be those on horseback, because she could not outrun the mounted patrolmen. Bland described a scene she witnessed
that was particularly traumatic for her involving a policeman on horseback who hit a woman. The woman fell after being struck and was trampled by the horse when she hit the ground. “I can still hear the sound of her head hitting the pavement,” Bland said. Bland told of the conditions of the jail cells, saying there were 30-40 people crammed into cells
that usually held only one or two prisoners. She said the toilets were exposed and the food practically inedible. “I think they took pride in bringing us a plate with rocks in it.” Bland is the cofounder and former director of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Alabama, and is an active member in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, in addition to others. Bland is also a veteran of the United States Army and is a graduate of the University of Staten Island. WSU Vancouver hosted this event as a tribute for the 50th anniversary of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, and to shed light on the current voting rights struggles. Professor Laurie Mercier said, “Today voting rights are once again in jeopardy, as many states are making it more difficult for citizens to vote, including removing many potential voters (especially African Americans) from voting rolls.” During the question and answer session after her speech,
Bland spoke about how to engage young people in the continuing to fight for civil rights and voting equality. “We have a rainbow of humanity.," said Bland. "What affects me, affects you, and what affects you, affects the rainbow.” Bland’s visit gave attendants a rare first-person perspective on what the struggles of the civil rights movement were like for young people. It was Bland's first appearance at WSU Vancouver, but she has met with teachers in Southwest Washington previously to encourage teaching students about the civil rights movement. Bland concluded her remarks with a piece of advice for moving the conversation forward with the next generation: “Learn from lessons of the past. Take the good and make it better. Right the wrongs. Get up off your behind and do something. You see something wrong, cry out; last time it was someone who looks like me, next time it may be someone who looks like you.” For more information on Bland, visit her website at joannebland.com. n
Dia del los Muertos celebration returns to campus Spanish Club brings students and community together on the dance floor By: ROB SCHUBERT The VanCougar The Washington State University Vancouver student body celebrated Dia de los Muertos last Thursday with help from the Spanish Club. The annual event welcomed a crowd of students, faculty, university staff, and community members to celebrate the Latin American holiday and to learn about its meaning. Dia de los Muertos, also known as the Day of the Dead, is a celebration originally practiced in Mexico and Guatemala.
Separate days commemorate adults, young children and the elderly who have passed. Marigolds, sugar skulls and the construction of private altars, among other practices, characterize the celebration, which often focuses on family and friends retelling favored anecdotes about the departed. Shortly after the event kicked off with an address by Spanish Club Chair Guiselle Santacruz, the Firstenburg Student Commons filled with attendees taking in the decorations, music and an informational display. Santacruz
expressed her gratitude for the student assistance she received from student volunteers as well as organizations like Black People United and KOUG Radio. Coming through the door, senior Ryan Griffith said, “I just got here and the atmosphere is electric.” Volunteer Ryan Lucas offered lessons on how to dance the merengue while a session of hula hooping broke out. Other guests were content to simply enjoy a meal while taking in the presentation on the meaning of the holiday. see "Dia de los Muertos," page 4
Attendees at the Spanish Club's Dia de los Muertos celebration Photo Credit: Rob Schubert
2 | CAMPUS NEWS
WWW.THEVANCOUGAR.COM
Writing Center tutors host workshop series Student staffers' upcoming composition topics include grammar, bibliographies By: TERESA HOYT The VanCougar Writing papers can be a difficult, tiring and stressful process for some students. There are certain aspects that students may have difficulties in whether it is citation, writing a bibliography or just knowing how to start a paper. Fortunately, there is help for students. The writing center of Washington State University Vancouver began offering workshops that are designed to assist students become better writers in the beginning of the semester. Some of these workshops include research and thesis development, evaluation of sources, pre-writing, writing a college length paper and a grammar workshop. Grace Williams and Angelica DeYott, WSU students tutoring at the writing center, lead these workshops. Though Williams and DeYott frequently teach the workshops, Kandy Robertson, clinical associate
professor and writing center coordinator, also gets involved. So far the writing center has offered four different types of workshops. Williams and DeYott plan on offering a few more. “Next we have the grammar workshop coming up. That will be in a couple of weeks. It will cover grammar, common errors and how to edit your own paper.” Williams said. The first workshop offered was the research and thesis development workshop was meant to assist college student in writing longer research papers. The second workshop offered was evaluation of sources workshop was meant to guide students on how to “dissect” sources. During this workshop, students who attended learned how to use the library databases and learned what to look for when reading multiple books. Williams said that students who attended the event learned how to tell if the author of a particular source is educated and unbiased. In the third workshop, which was the pre-writing
Writing Center staff take a break from tutoring to pose for a photo | Photo Credit: Rob Schubert workshop, students who attended learned about different ways of pre-writing. Students who attended got to try out various pre-writing techniques. “[DeYott and Williams] had several different methods that we had [students] try, and we had them come back and tell us what they thought.” DeYott said. The fourth workshop was called “how to write a college
length paper.” Students of this workshop learned about how to outline a shorter version of a college paper. Williams and DeYott showed the students two different kinds of papers, a longer paper and a shorter paper. They showed the students how they followed the outlining steps within the paper. Though Williams and DeYott have been offering
workshops around six weeks ago, DeYott mentioned that previous tutors in the writing center offered workshops similar to the ones that they are currently offering. The workshops offered by the writing center happen twice a week, on Wednesday at 10:10 to 11 a.m. and on Thursday see "Writing Center," page 4
Cougar Leadership Program seeks to pinpoint challenges for inclusivity Meeting needs of diverse student body emphasized By: ALEXANDER PERU The VanCougar
intended to start a conversation about fostering accessibility and diversity among student organizations and the activities they host. The night began with introductions of group leaders, and afterwards several student representatives gave their perspectives on the accessibility of the campus, and ways in which student events can become more inclusive. Participants were encouraged to think about the
TH E
The Cougar Leadership Council has a number of events scheduled throughout the year, focused on seeking out new challenges for campus and open discussion on how to solve them. One such meeting, held Oct. 21, was called “Student Events: Making them accessible and inclusive.” Michelle McIlvoy, director of student development,
led the event. Various leaders and representatives from a wide range of student organizations attended the event, which was held to address ways to make student events more accessible and inclusive for the diverse student body at WSU Vancouver. According to McIlvoy, the purpose of the event was to foster growth and awareness among student organizations, and to allow for “perspectives to be challenged.” The event was
accessibility and inclusivity of club activities throughout the stages of planning, as well as during the event itself. Guidelines and suggestions for event planning, marketing, and accessibility were outlined for the organization leaders and participants. Leaders were encouraged to make sure that events were not restrictive for participants. Student leaders were encouraged to consult interfaith calendars
2015
STAFF DIRECTORY
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.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Correction Policy
MANAGING EDITOR
ROB SCHUBERT . vancouged@wsu.edu
It is the policy of The VanCougar to correct errors. Please contact the editor via e-mail at vancouged@vancouver.wsu.edu.
MICHAEL WILLIAMS . vancougme@wsu.edu
Representation
HALEY ELMER . vancougad@wsu.edu
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
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.
ADVERTISING MANAGER WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER, LAYOUT AND DESIGN EDITOR ERIK RINGEN . vancougso@.wsu.edu
TEAM EDITORS AUZ BURGER REPORTERS DAWN BAILEY JOHN COMBS SARAH DORSCH AMANDA FLYNN
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
DANIELLE BLUMHARDT TERESA HOYT MEGAN JOHNSON ALEXANDER PERU QUETZALI RAMIREZ GREGORY WALKER
to make sure the date of their event did not conflict with specific, non-federal holidays. Also, making sure disability accommodations are available during events was stressed during the planning stages. Attendees were also encouraged to use marketing tools and images that respect a wide range of diverse backgrounds and that notice of disability accommodations be included in any marketing media. After McIlvoy discussed the suggested event planning guidelines, attendees broke into small discussion groups. These groups were presented with various situations that provided them with challenges for group integration. These situational problems dealt with issues ranging from physical disabilities and restrictions to issues of diversity. For example, one group was presented with a hypothetical situation involving a club member that could not attend all club events because they were a bus user and thus bound by the limits of public transportation. Another group focused on advertising ticket sales for the Portland Winterhawks hockey team, whose emblem is a stylized Native American head. Advertising literature portraying this emblem was considered to be potentially insensitive to Native Americans, and the group thus raised concerns about diversity in advertising. see "Inclusivity," page 3
STUDENT LIFE | 3
WWW.THEVANCOUGAR.COM
VanCougs provide blankets for children in need
Human Development Club teams with Project Linus
Monday, Nov. 16
n Pre-Health Week: Inside Admissions 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Classroom Building Room 6 Free Open to students
By: QUETZALI RAMIREZ The VanCougar The Human Development Club and Project Linus, a nonprofit organization that provides handmade blankets and quilts year round, teamed up on Nov. 6 to help children in need. WSU Vancouver students worked together to decorate and sew a quilt to be gifted to children in crisis. “It’s a win-win,” said Jodene Cook, Coordinator of the Portland/Vancouver Project Linus Chapter. “Kids come together to make blankets while helping children. [It] is the best thing to do!” Project Linus has teamed up with the Human Development Club and has visited campus every semester for the past four years. The blankets that are made by students are sent to a variety of places including the Legacy Emanuel Children’s Hospital, Camp Rosenbaum, Community Action Shelter, Snowball Express and Providence St. Vincent’s Medical Center, among others. Private individuals donated all the fabrics used for blankets to the organization. Project Linus has been able to provide more
Tuesday, Nov. 17 n Interviewing Skills Workshop 3 - 4 p.m. Student Commons Room, 104 Free Open to all n Pre-Health Week: Testing Tips and Resources 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Classroom Building Room 6 Free Open to students
Wednesday, Nov. 18 n Blood Drive 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bloodmobile Near Dengerink Admin. Bldg. Open to all
Student volunteers and coordinators show off their handiwork Photo Credit: Quetzali Ramirez
than 350 blankets every month to local children and more than five million- nationwide. These handmade blankets help provide a sense of comfort and security to children who have been traumatized, who are in social service agencies, or are seriously ill. By volunteering to help make these, students are a part of making a difference in a
child’s life. Not only do volunteers get to put together these blankets, they also are able to uniquely customize each square of the quilt filling each space with color. For more on the Human Development Club, including future events and contact the group on CougSync. n
Have no fear, tickets are still here! Clarification on ticket sale adjustments By: QUETZALI RAMIREZ The VanCougar Early this semester the ticket purchasing process through ASWSUV, OSI, and SAB was modified and caused some confusion for students. ASWSUV began running lotteries for ticket sales through CougSync in order to increase ticket accessibility for all students. This led some to conclude that all tickets, including those for recreation trips such as the annual Mt.
Bachelor excursion, were also changing to this new system. Trips with the recreation center were not a part of this new change. The Office of Student Involvement confirmed that students can continue to sign up for events organized by the recreation staff members at the recreation annex on a first come, first served basis. The “lottery system” was introduced to allow tickets to be made available to students who could not make the ticket sale time, live far from campus, and
so on. For some tickets, such as games to watch the Blazers, students were lining up more than an hour before the sale began. The lottery system was implemented as a more equitable alternative, but recreation trips offer a bunch larger window to acquire tickets, so a lottery was not needed. For more information regarding the change in ticket sales visit the ASWSUV page on CougSync. n
ASWSUV hosts upcoming Tamale Talk 'Solution-oriented' event to focus on open-floor discussion By: AMANDA FLYNN The VanCougar The Associated Students of Washington State University Vancouver invites students to connect with fellow Cougars and enjoy free tamales. The event, which will take place on Nov. 17 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Firstenburg Student Commons, is aimed at getting students together to discuss issues and seek solutions to them. While the event is an open floor for concerns, the organizers have prepared some topics they think attendees will want to talk about. “We have some topics ready for people to say which
CAMPUS EVENTS
are the most important for them,” said ASWSUV’s director of student enrichment, Julie Mercado. While some topics are prepared, she also said she hoped ASWSUV hopes that students will offer their own relevant topics that influence WSU Vancouver as a whole. The event will also have many clubs available, providing resources with ways to get involved. Tamale Boy, a Portlandbased restaurant, will be catering the event. The tamales are on a first come, first serve basis. For more information on Tamale Talk, visit the CougSync events calendar. n
n LinkedIn Lab 3:10 - 4 p.m. Undergraduate Building Room 207
n Pre-Health Week: Life as a Health Professional 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Classroom Building Room 6 Free Open to students
n Pre-Health Week: Diverse Careers in Healthcare 4:15 - 5:15 p.m. Classroom Building Room 6 Free Open to students
n From Local to Global: How Columbia Sportswear Fuels Growth Through Innovation 5 p.m. Vancouver Hilton $20 per ticket Purchase online
Monday, Nov. 23 - 27
Thursday, Nov. 19 n Pre-Health Week: Make the Most of a Gap Year 3:15 - 4:15 p.m. Classroom Building Room 6 Free Open to students nSalmon Creek Journal Talent Show featuring recycled arts 4-7 p.m VDEN 110
n Thanksgiving Break No Classes
Friday, Nov. 27 n Native American Heritage Day Campus Closed n Hazard Communication/ GHS Training 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. VECS 122
Wednesday, Dec. 2 n"Pretty Faces" allfemale ski film featuring #KOUGWinter Instagram prizes Doors open at 6:30 VDEN 110 Open to all
Want your event featured here? Email details two weeks in advance to vancougme@vancouver.wsu.edu
Inclusivity, continued from page 2 Once the groups had a chance to come up with solutions to their case studies, each presented their proposals to the rest of the attendees. This allowed all members to comment on proposals and glean ideas for event planning for various student organizations. After the small group discussions, the question of how to move forward was addressed. A wide variety of suggestion were proposed. Leaders of clubs and organizations proposed a reexamination of club bylaws, allowing officers to find and fix areas where accessibility and diversity may not be sufficiently addressed. Having an event checklist with categories pertaining to accessibility and accommodation was another proposal. Finally, McIlvoy recommended that in order to best foster accessibility and diversity at campus events, leaders should “ask students
what they need.” The main intent of the event was to raise awareness of diversity and accessibility issues for student organizations. Additionally, it was intended to determine if a consensus for change existed. Attendees responded positively to the need for change and the proposals given. The event was not intended to create wide-ranging solutions, but rather begin a conversation that will lead to solutions in the future. Students wishing to find more information regarding coordination of inclusive events on campus can visit http://admin. vancouver.wsu.edu/diversity/ coordinating-inclusive-eventscampus. At this site, interested students can find resources as well as contact information for on-campus organizations that can assist with hosting inclusive events. n
Did you know the Library has extended hours December 5 – 17? Saturday/Sunday 12/5 & 12/6: 10am – 7pm Monday 12/7 – Thursday 12/10: 7.30am – 11pm Friday 12/11: 7.30am – 7pm Saturday/Sunday 12/12/ & 12/13: 10am – 7pm Monday 12/14 –Thursday 12/17: 7.30am –11pm Friday 12/18: 7.30am – 5pm.
@ the Library
Washington State University Vancouver
4 | EXTRAS
WWW.THEVANCOUGAR.COM
Dia de los Muertos, continued from page 1 “I think they did a fantastic job,” said ASWSUV VicePresident Yesenia Herrera, who has celebrated Dia de los Muertos since she was a small child. She congratulated the
Writing Center, continued from page 3
Spanish Club for their event bringing in both students and community members, as well as for being family-friendly. Timothy Meade, a biology major, described it as one of his
Attendees at the Spanish Club's Dia de los Muertos celebration Photo Credit: Erik Ringen
favorite events on the calendar for the past few years. “It really brings the campus community together,” he said, saying it had been one of his favorite events on the calendar during his time at WSU Vancouver. Santacruz emphasized that the Spanish Club is open to anyone and is focused on celebrating culture, not
on majors or fluency in the language. Students interested in learning more about Spanish Club can contact the club via their CougSync page. n
from 2 to 3 p.m. Aside from the grammar workshop, Williams and DeYott mentioned that the last workshop offered will be the citation workshop, scheduled to take place during the second to the last week of the fall semester. Williams said that she believes that the citation workshop will most likely be their most popular workshop, since they are often a major challenge for students. In the event that students are unable to attend any workshops, DeYott said that they save the handouts from the workshops so students can come in and obtain a copy when needed. For students who have more questions about the writing center or any of the specific workshops, Grace Williams can be contacted via email at gracenoel15@gmail.com. Angelica DeYott can be contacted as well at angelica.deyott@wsu. edu. More information can be found at cas.vancouver.wsu.edu/ writing-center n
WSU Vancouver Blood Drive Wednesday, November 18, 2015 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Bloodmobile parked near cafeteria.
Show your Cougar pride by donating at the UW vs. WSU Apple Cup Blood Drive November 18. Donation appointments can be made online at BloodworksNW.org/Schedule, with any SHPA member, or stop by as a walk-in donor. Give blood then vote for your favorite school! Free food and fun swag available to all registered donors. BloodworksNW provides all of the blood needed in Clark County. BloodworksNW.org 1-800-398-7888
Washington State University Vancouver