The VanCougar: October 5, 2009

8/14/2019 The VanCougar: October 5, 2009

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Welcome to week seven of the Fallsemester. This is roughly the middle of the

semester as most students probably know from

the midterms that their professors have either

given them or are warning them of.

Some begin to evaluate how things

are going for themselves or the

campus during the middle of their

semester.

Academically speaking everything

seems fairly average. Tests are going

alright, some are struggling whileothers find it to easy. However some people find

it harder to study well enough for what they are

dealing with in school.

The more involved people are in the campus,

the more overwhelmed they feel on a daily

basis. Being swamped is just a part of the

overcommitted and overworked student. Most

who put themselves in that situation thrive on

the pressures of being rushed. However, some

may be thrown into the mix of being rushed and

overwhelmed by force rather than choice.

Many people have been affected not only by

the workload at school, but by the increases in

tuition as well. Having

to take extra jobs or

focus more on their

own financial issues

instead of how well

they are doing in class is

adding to the stress that

students already face. It

is difficult for students to

be able to survive during

the economic downturn,

with unemployment rates

never seeming to give

anyone a break. Simply

put, it is getting tough

for those at WSUV.

Students have had

to drop some classes,

but nothing out of the

ordinary. Everyone

knows in the first few

weeks people drop out

for various reasons; be

they life or academicissues. They could

be withdrawing from

courses for reasons of the

economy or just personal

conflicts. It appears

that those who have

remained in school and

only dropped one or two

classes are mostly due to

personal complications

or just lack of interest in

the subject.

Though students have

been working hard in

school and on job, they

have had just enough

time to enjoy the new

U n d e r g r a d u a t eClassroom Building

(UCB). So far, it seems

to be received well.

Comfortable benches to

sleep on and quiet places

to study are available there.

There are roughly 100

courses being taught in the UCB, so the building

is being utilized well. However this doesnt

mean that the building is entirely finished.

They have to do what you would call a

punch list, said Officer Raglione. This means

that after the construction workers finish the

main project, a small crew on campus does

walkthroughs to find the problems that need to

be corrected. This is a long process done by

a crew of about three or four people who find

issues such as doors that do not lock right or

ceiling tiles that dont fit correctly. These are

the things you usually do when you buy a brand

new home. You have to work out all the kinks

until everything runs smoothly. Raglione

continued to mention that he saw the

crew of WSU-V workers doing their

walkthroughs in the mornings when

he would unlock buildings. This

new building gives us the promise

of a growing campus, but is it just an

illusion?

Surprisingly, the campus is notgrowing as much as it is just stretching its legs.

Rough estimates provided by Randy Boose

from the Human Resources Department say that

from Dec. 1, 2008 to Sept. 2009, Tenured track

professors decreased from 101 to 99. Boose

said that it does not reflect the exact number of

professors WSUV gained. Just that the campus

gained nearly as much as it lost. Adjunct turn

over varies a great deal, but even with that, there

was hardly a change in faculty and staff. This

is most likely due to the hiring freeze. Though

there arent many new members added to the

faculty, the construction of the new building

was no waste at all.

According to Boose, all

the people from the English

department, some from

Human Development,and faculty from other

departments now have

offices in the UCB. Boose

continued to say that the

people from the two main

departments in the move

had not changed location

in about ten years. They

must appreciate the new

view. Hal Dengerink,

Chancellor, said at a

Chancellors Student

Advisory Board meeting

that there were about 250

more students accepted

as freshman and transfers

than there had been last

year.

So with the a building

and a couple hundred

people as the only big

changes, has the quality of

the semester been the same

as last year? Last year a

great number of students

had been involved in

activities on campus. This

year the events have been

greater in frequency, but

fewer students seem to turn

out for them. What is the

reason behind the lack of

participation? Are we too

busy with financial issues

to attend? Is the campus

itself less connected with

the students and its needs?Maybe the lack of

participation is due to the

fact that school has only

been in session for a

little over a month.

Though it seems like a

short amount of time,

Midterms are just around the corner.

Cougars vs.

SMU football

game

Annual

dodgeball

tournament

pictures

page 4

Different perspectives mid semesterJake Kleinschmidt

Campus News Editor

{ }

}Student Spotlight:

Harrison Polo;

musician and

student

ASWSUVs

Cougs and

Cowboys dance

page 9page 7 page 13

Washington State University Volume 15, Issue 4Vancouvers Student Newspaper

October 5, 2009 www.vancougar.com

Students monitor grades while staff enjoys a new view

(Top) Located by the side doors of the lower level of the Undergraduate Classroom Building, this small pond provides a calming view.(Above) The Undergraduate Classroom Building has received many compliments toward the group study rooms and outdoor benches.

Jake Kleinschmidt/The VanCougar


2/16

2 CAMPUS NEWS

10/7 Cougar Wine and Dine Night at Everyday Wine in Portland, OR @ 6 p.m. - 10/17 Cougs in the Community; volunteer to paint @ 7 a.m.; contact Lea Pfau

It has been about two years, since thedreadful day of April 16, 2007, when an

estranged college student opened re on his

fellow classmates at Virginia Polytechnic andState University. The killer took 33 innocent

lives, before turning the gun on himself. The

incident is one which has stayed in our minds

and reminded us of the horrors of columbine.

These events lead to several changes on

campuses nation wide to prevent from anything

like this ever happening again.

AWARE Network at WSUV campus was a

precipitate of that day. The tragedy left many

institutions to rethink the safety of students, and

led to develop better precautionary measures to

prevent such massacres.

AWARE network was established last

year with collaboration of several different

departments on campus. The program is a

medium for WSUV community to proactively

respond to individuals exhibiting behaviors

that pose threat to other students as well as tothemselves. The AWARE program provides a

way for students and faculty to channel their

concerns.

Our purpose is not to pinpoint any individual,

but rather to ensure safety of all, mentioned

Nancy Youlden, the Vice Chancellor of Student

Affairs and an active member of the Behavioral

Assessment Team. AWARE Network provides

an important avenue for the campus community

to communicate added Youlden.

AWARE network is a non-emergency

response system, where each complaint is

thoroughly analyzed by a Behavioral Assessment

team. A Behavioral Assessment Team, made up

of personnel from Student Affairs, Public Safety,

Counseling Services, Student Conduct, Human

Resources, Disability Resources, Academic

Affairs and Risk Management, oversees the

program. The team functions individually

in order to quickly and effectively judge if a

person is indeed a threat to the safety of WSUV

students.

After review, the person in question is referred

to appropriate counseling services. Or any other

necessary course of action that is needed to be

taken will be appropriately taken.

Keeping our eyes and ears open to our

surroundings is the key to safety. AWARENetwork web site lists warning signs as indicator

of troubled and distressed individuals. Some of

the warning signs include: change in f requency

of absences, disinterest, apathy, hopelessness,

angry outbursts, suicide talk, noticeable change

in behavior, neglect of personal well being,

paranoia, communicating threats as well as

social threats.

Seung-Hui Chong, the perpetrator of Virginia

Tech killings was described as a quiet, loner

and a shady character by both his instructors

and fellow students. Chongs writing reected

anger, and his strange behavior had led his

professor to recommend counseling. Warning

signs were there, but no action was taken.

As human beings, all of us ride the roller

coaster of life. Ups and downs come and go.

One day you are ying high, while the next

you are falling with non-functioning parachute.

AWARE network is as much about helping

troubled individuals as it is about safety. Proper

care can make sure you stay grounded and avoid

any parachute related accidents

Students are encouraged to visit the AWARE

network web site, for any assistance and

referrals, at www.aware.vancouver.wsu.edu.

Rup BrarStaff Writer

AWARE Network programHelps students feel safer on campus

WSUV students joined local doctors,

bankers, and health insurance managers for

the rst Chancellors Series lecture of the

2009-2010 school year on Sept. 25. Steve Hill,

administrator of the Washington State Health

Care Authority, spoke about health care reform.

The message wasnt pretty, particularly for

students. Many students, Hill acknowledged,

lack health insurance. His advice for them? Get

a job with benets.

He wasnt dismissing the question or joking

around. He was emphasizing that in the current

state of affairs in the U.S., thats the best a

student, and most people, can do for health

insurance: nd an employer who provides it.

Meanwhile, about 46 million Americans are

uninsured, including 30 million working poor

and 13 million young adults.

To arrive at a workable health-delivery and

payment system wont be easy, he said. Wehave a long journey in front of us. The health

care crisis will not be over in January.

Every other developed country has a less

expensive and more comprehensive health-care

program, he said. We spend twice what the

United Kingdom spends on health care, and the

others spend even less than the U.K. If we had a

system like theirs, the governments share could

pay for all of our health care.He pointed out that the U.S. has elements

of health care insurance similar to the models

of other developed countries: Our Veterans

Administration plan is like the Great Britain

and Italy models; our Medicare and Medicaid

programs like the models used in Canada and

Australia, and our employer-funded private

insurance like Germany, France, and Japan.

But the fourth model common in the U.S. is

the out-of-pocket model, which is what the

undeveloped countries, and the U.S., have: a

large populace of uninsured.

So, Hill asked, Why is health care reform

so hard for us? He answered: Because the

U.S. is a democracy. And if we have a public

that believes were spending too much or too

little, it will be hard to wrestle the affordability

elephant to the ground.

He asked the audience what they thought

a comprehensive health-care insurance plan

should cover: dental care, stomach bypass

surgery for weight loss, acupuncture, massage

therapy, long-term nursing care, fertility

treatments, tness club memberships, Lasik eye

surgery?

Most thought only dental care and long-term

nursing care were important. But Hill pointed

out that the stomach bypass surgery is covered

by many plans.

Well pay $30,000 for stomach surgery,

he said, which often ends up costing much

more because of complications, but we wont

pay for a health or nutrition coach, or a gym

membership, and we wont pay for dental care,which by itself prevents many non-dental health

problems.

Hill said he supports many aspects of the

health-care reform bills being considered now

in Congress, but the problem is this:

We have an access problem because we

have an affordability problem. We have an

affordability problem because we have a

quality problem. We have to improve quality

and efciency to get affordability, and thats

what will lead to access to health care for all

Americans.

Health care costs accounted for 4% of the

economy when Hill was born, in 1947; for 8%

of the economy when his daughter was born;

for 16% of the economy when his grandson was

born, and for 20% of the economy now. I dont

think theres a bright future for my grandson,he concluded, unless we reform health care.

Hill recommended two recent articles,

available online, that review Americas health-

care problems and suggest solutions:

The Cost Conundrum, Atul Gawande,

New Yorker: http://doclibrary.com/MSC149/

DOC/Cost_Containment_Article_NewYorker_

6.1.092050.pdf

How American Health Care Killed My

Father, David Goldhill, Atlantic: http://www.

theatlantic.com/doc/200909/health-care

* * * *

VanCougar questionnaire:1. Do you have health care insurance?

2. If not, do you think youre okay without it?

3. If so, do you get it through:

your parents

your employer

WSUV

other________________________

4. Do you think youre paying too much for

your coverage?

5. What do you like about your health insurance

coverage?

6. What would you like added to your health

care insurance plan?

7. Do you use free clinics or emergency room

care for your medical/health needs?

8. Do you think standard quality health care

should be available to all Americans?

what about legal immigrants, foreignworkers, international students?

what about illegal immigrants?

Louise WynnStaff Writer

Health care reform debateChancellors Seminar Series begins

Join the Clark County Historical Museumduring the week of October 6-10, 2009 as we

present, Andrew Carnegie Live! (Well, his

look-a-like, noted re-enactor and humanities

scholar George Dauler) with a series of ten

performances that are free and open to thepublic. In an effort to celebrate the museums

double anniversary year (building is 100 years

old and museum is 45 years old) and to make

museum programs accessible to the broadest

possible audience, the Clark County Historical

Museum has partnered with four branches of

the Fort Vancouver Regional Library System,

the Camas Public Library, and the Washington

State University History Department to

provide performance venues in eight different

locations (see program schedule for locations

and times).

Nineteenth century industrialist and

philanthropist Andrew Carnegie did more

than any other individual to advance the

cause of literacy and self-improvement by

helping communities build quality libraries

and museums. The buildings represent a timewhen the public really began to embrace civic

responsibility. When he was a teenager, Andrew

Carnegie was given access to the personal

library of wealthy businessman, Col. James

Anderson, an iron manufacturer in Allegheny

City, PA.. Carnegie (1835-1919) never forgot

the experience or the opportunity to further

his education. Upon his retirement, Andrew

Carnegie was the richest man in the world,

having amassed a fortune of $500 million (about

$200 billion in todays dollars). Believing

that the man who dies rich, dies disgraced,

Carnegies retirement years were spent giving

away his fortune through numerous cultural

donations. Carnegie donated the funds for the

construction of 2,509 libraries world-wide.

In each locale it was up to the community to

provide the land, pay for the books, furnishings,

and staff. This opportunity provided thecatalyst for community engagement. All of the

2,509 buildings represent Carnegies legacy

and his belief of giving a hand up, not a hand

out.

In Vancouver, the Hidden Family donated

the land (which was formerly the clay pit for

their brick yard) and the library was built with

a $10,000 Carnegie Foundation grant. The

library opened on December 31, 1909 and

is the former home of the Vancouver Public

Library, now the Fort Vancouver Regional

Library System. In 1963 the library system

relocated to their new building at the time on

Mill Plain Blvd. On May 24, 1964 the Clark

County Historical Society re-adapted the

building and opened the museum to the public.

A number of Carnegie Library buildings across

the country have been converted to museums

and art centers.

Funding for this program is provided by a

generous grant from Humanities Washington

with additional support from museum

supporters, Friends of the Library Groups, theColumbian and Vesta Hospitality.

Performance Schedule:

Tuesday October 6, 10 am Clark

County Historical Museum located at 1511 Main

St., Vancouver; 7 PM La Center Community

Library at the La Center Community Center,

1000 E. 4th St.

Wednesday October 7, 10 am

Woodland Community Library, 770 Park

Street.; 12 noon Vancouver Rotary; 7 PM

Vancouver Community Library, 1007 E. Mill

Plain Blvd.

Thursday October 8, 4 PM

Goldendale Community Library, 131 W.

Burgen.

Friday October 9, 10 am Clark

County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St.; 7

PM Camas Public Library, 625 NE 4th Ave. Saturday October 10, 10 am

Washington State University Vancouver

Campus, ADMIN 110*; 2 PM Clark County

Historical Museum, 1511 Main St.

*The 10/10/09 10 am WSU V performance

is open to the public but is a special presentation

that is also tailored for high school and college

age students interested in pursuing a career in

acting or re-enactment of historical characters.

ABOUT ANDREW CARNEGIE RE-

ENACTOR GEORGE DAULER: George P.

Dauler, a graduate of Indiana University, has a

masters degree from McCormick Theological

Seminary. He is an Ohio-based, retired

Presbyterian pastor, counselor, and humanities

scholar who has performed historical re-

enactments for more than 30 years. Dauler has

appeared as Andrew Carnegie since 2002.

CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL

MUSEUM INFORMATION: The Clark

County Historical Museum is housed in

Vancouvers 1909 Carnegie Library which

is located at 1511 Main St. Vancouver, WA

98660. The building is listed on the National

Register of Historic Places. Regular museum

hours are: Tuesday through Saturday 11-4

PM. Admission rates apply. The museum is

also open rst Thursday evenings (Feb Nov)

from 5-9 PM for First Thursday Museum After

Hours. A wheelchair accessible entrance to

the museum is located on the east side of the

museum building accessed from 16th street.

For more information contact the Clark County

Historical Museum at (360) 993-5679 or visit:

www.cchmuseum.org.

Andrew Carnegie liveHistorical re-enactor to visit WSUV

WSU Vancouver Librarywww.vancouver.wsu.edu/library

Warning signs of a distressed student:Assignments not being turned in, frequent absences,disruptiveness, excessive emotional content indiscussing or writing class materials, mention ofsuicide or homicide in the content of coursework,signicant decline or decit in self care behaviorslike personal hygiene and extreme weight loss.Signs that the student may be experiencing a mentalhealth emergency and in danger of harm to self orothers include:Direct suicidal or homicidal statements, bizarrespeech, loss of contact with reality, extreme anxiety;

panic.

In these instances, walk the student to CounselingServices (280 Lighty), Health and Wellness Services(Washington Bldg.) or call 911.


3/16

CAMPUS NEWS 3

10/17 Eco Friendly Volunteering; clean up Battle Ground Lake State Park @ 10 a.m. - 10/21 Cougar Networking Night @ 5:30 p.m. at The Club at the Historic Reserve

Bret Davis - Psychology

Pie.

Psychology -Mitzi Ang

Cake.

Caitlin Ribera - English

Cake.

Which do you like cake or pie?Jake Kleinschmidt

Campus News Editor

Business - Leah Sarkkinen

Pie.

Liz rosas - PsychologyPie.

Elijah Houle- -Computer Science

Cake.

Biology - Bryan Johnson

Cake.

Candid Cougs

Youre a writer? Perfect! The VanCougar is hiring

reporters for all sections.

Please apply online at vancougar.com.

Despite having good intentions to nishthe paper sooner, I procrastinated and left ituntil the night before it was due. With so little

time to focus, my research was halfhearted, my

sentences lazy, and I was hard-pressed to write

an original thought. By 2 a.m. the paper was

nished, but it wasnt my best work, and I knew

it.

The following week the papers were handed

back. I hesitated before looking at my grade,

then there it was on the back side, an A

scrawled in pencil. I was pleasantly surprised

and relieved. But somewhere deep down, I felt

slightly disillusioned, and strangely, a twinge

of disappointment. I guess thats all it takes, I

thought.

It was one of my rst papers coming back to

college after an 8-year hiatus. I had expected my

upper-division university courses to challenge

me, to ask me to dig deep. But I found that,

as with the paper, in many classes I could get

by on less effort. The discovery surprised me,

and at the same time, as a full time-plus student

working part time on the side, it was welcome.

Maybe I wouldnt have to work as hard as I

thought.

Was I being my own worst critic, or are

college grading standards lax?

Grade ination is the award of higher

grades than are warranted, generally to avoid

displeasure with students, says Dr. John Barber,

a professor of WSUVs Digital Technology

& Culture program. Students have come to

expect higher grades for marginal work at the

university level.

Grade ination has been a concern in

universities for a long time, but critics say it

began in earnest in the 1960s. Research evidenceis somewhat mixed, but studies have shown that

average GPAs have increased steadily since the

1960s. Ivy League schools such as Princeton,

Stanford and Harvard have gained notoriety

for grade ination and have made changes to

combat it. An ongoing study by a former Duke

University professor at gradeination.com

shows average GPAs at American colleges and

universities have risen from 2.93 in 1991 to

3.11 in 2007.Many professors assert from their experiences

that grade ination is a problem, and some admit

to giving in to the practice themselves.

What used to get a C now gets a B, says

Dr. Andrew Giarelli, who teaches English and

writing courses at WSUV. I try to resist grade

ination, but I have also participated in it. He

says rather than give Cs to average work, he

reserves Cs for pieces that have really missed

the point.

Often, professors

have their jobs in

mind. Students take

advantage of teachers

already nervous

about their future

employment, says

Barber. Teacherswant to be seen as liked, and therefore successful,

so they often give in to pressure from students

to raise grades.

Dr. Wilfred Wu, Assistant Professor of

WSUVs Management Information Systems

program, thinks that course evaluations, which

are taken into consideration when professors

are up for tenure, have a lot to do with grade

ination. Professors with tenure can grade how

they want, but non-tenured professors have to

be more careful, he says. Teachers want good

evaluations from students, and students tend

to give better course evaluations when theyre

getting good grades.

There were some semesters where grades

were really bad, and my evaluations dropped

proportionately, Wu says. Despite the pressure,

he resists grade ination as much as possible. I

dont give out very many As.This correlation between grades and course

evaluations was supported in a 1999 study at

Duke University by Dr. Valen Johnson, author of

Grade Ination: A Crisis in College Education.

Johnsons study also showed that grade

ination is less of a problem in the natural

sciences than in the humanities. Perhaps this

is because in mathematics and sciences, grades

tend to be more quantitative and thus easier

to grade on a black-and-white basis. GretchenJohnson, a 2009 graduate of WSUVs biology

program, found her courses difcult. I did not

notice teachers grading easily in my classes,

she says.

In the humanities and liberal arts, there is

more room for grading interpretation. What

is the difference between an A- and an A?

Barber says. The teacher has no support for

their determination of a grade, other than years

of experience, time

spent reading thousands

of papers, and perhaps

research into assessment.

This relativity often

allows students the room

to negotiate or argue their

grades.

Not everyone isconvinced that grade ination exists, however,

or if it does, that it is a problem. Author and

lecturer Ale Kohn writes, Maybe instructors

have been too stingy with their marks and now

have become more reasonable.

Among arguments denying grade ination are

those that contend that the quality of students

work has simply improved over the years.

Giarelli disagrees. In 25 years as a professor,

That has not been my personal experience, he

says. A 2002 study by Dr. Henry Rosovsky and

Dr. Matthew Hartley showed that SAT scores

have not increased. An increase in SAT scores

would be expected if students were performing

better.

If students arent doing better work, why

are they expecting better grades? Dr. Harvey

Manseld, professor of government at Harvard

and a critic of grade ination, points to a greatercultural trend.

Grade ination has resulted from the

emphasis in American education on the notion

of self-esteem, he writes in an article featured in

The Chronicle of Higher Education. According

to that therapeutic notion, the purpose of

education is to make students feel capable and

empowered. So to grade them, or to grade them

strictly, is cruel and dehumanizing. Grading

creates stress. It encourages competition ratherthan harmony. It is judgmental.

Since 2001, Manseld has chosen to deal

with grade ination by giving students two

grades, an ofcial inated grade for the records,

and another unofcial grade he feels the student

has truly earned.

Emily Jones, a 2009 WSUV graduate, isnt

sure if grade ination exists, but if grades have

been inated, she says, I think its because

more students are working [in addition to

school], and teachers understand that.

Jones has a point. On commuter campuses like

WSUV, many students have full lives outside of

college, with families and jobs. Students load

up on courses in order to complete their degrees

faster and save money in the long run. Few

students are able to put the recommended study

and preparation time into their courses.I understand all that. Prior to my graduation

last May, I was one of these nontraditional

students. And I wanted my A as much as

anyone. Still, I wanted my college degree to

mean something. And I wanted to improve. An

A grade for a paper when I knew Id been lazy

was good for my GPA, but it deprived me of

incentive to improve. I was left with the feeling

that Id somehow fooled my professor. The

classes that I tended to work hardest in were

those in which I knew the professors had the

highest expectations.

In the end, everyone is hurt [by grade

ination], says Barber. The student is hurt

because he/she cannot live up to the rigor

required of individuals in the marketplace

Other students, true achievers, are hurt because

their achievements are marginalized by higher

grades being awarded to sub-par work. Theuniversity is hurt because it gains a reputation

not for preparation for life, but rather an easy

way to obtain a college degree.

Melissa VikContributing Writer

Grade inflation at universities nationwideIs A the new B?

Students have cometo expect higher gradesfor marginal work at the

university level.

- Dr. John Barber


4/16

4 STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

10/6 Archery Indoor Instruction at Archery World @ 7 p.m.; $5 for students, $10 for non-students - 10/7 Diverse Careers, Diverse people @ 4 p.m. in VLIB 240

(Top) Nick Jurgensen prepares to throw the ball at the opponent. (Above) Sean Meyers and Jake Kleinschmidt defend themselves from being thrown out in the dodgeball tournament on Sept. 24. Joseph Tiegs/The VanCougar

FRUGAL FAMILY FUN

TUESDAYTO SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 10

Main St., Vancouver WA() -

www.cchmuseum.org

Located in Vancouvers 1909

Carnegie Library building, the Clark

County Historical Museum is one

of 41 Carnegie libraries built in

Washington State with funding from

steel magnate and philanthropist,

Andrew Carnegie.

Join the museum and WSUV History

Department on campus, Saturday, Oct. 10 at

10 a.m. in ADMIN 110 and experience George

Dauler as he portrays the famous philanthropist.

Contact the museum for official schedule and

location of all performances taking place Oct. 6-10.

This FREE programis sponsoredby HumanitiesWashington, Friendsof the LibraryGroups, individual

museum supportersand The Columbian.

CelebrateOur

CarnegieLibrary

Centennial

andmeet

AndrewCarnegie!(well his look-a-like, noted re-enactor George Dauler)

Annual dodgeball tournament


5/16

STUDENT INVOLVEMENT 5

10/12 Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization; Professor Dave Montgomery; Scholars Lecture Series @ 6 p.m. in VUCB 1 - 10/14 National Dessert Day; Free ice cream @ 1 p.m.

Social and Environmental Justice

Now is the time to get involved with the Social andEnvironmental Justice Club if you are concerned about

many of the issues facing not just the local community,

but the world at large. The Social and Environmental

Justice Club complements the overall University

education by teaching students about issues they may

not learn about in their classes. Also, the club features

issues that are of particular concern to the students.

In a sense, the goal of the Social and Environmental

Justice Club is to inform students and the community

about some of the problems facing our global and local

communities.

If you come to the Social and Environmental

Club, you can expect to find ways to get involved

with community issues right off the bat. Community

members and professors often come to meetings to

share information about local volunteer projects that

directly affect issues of social and environmental

justice. You can find information about projects like

Stream Team, which helps to clean up local streams in

the area from litter and invasive species in an effort to

restore the vegetation to its normal state. Or you canfind information about the Vancouver division of Meals

on Wheels which provides meals to members of the

community in need of food.

Students are more than encouraged to get involved

because the club is interested in student input and the

direction that the members want to take the club. At

the first meeting, advisors stressed the ideas of the

open ended possibilities of the club and the type of

progressive messages the club could promote. Its

really about where the members want to take the club,

said Taj Mahon. And the members have already started

thinking about where exactly that is.

The club is still in the planning stages for what they

would like to do this year, and some ideas are already

being discussed. Members of the club are discussing

the possibility of getting some guest speakers to come

to campus and inform the community of issues that

might be of interest to the people. There have also been

talks of social and environmental justice themed art/

performance art shows or finding a way to bring social

and environmental justice publications and literature to

campus. The Social and Environmental Justice Club

is interested in any way to disperse information aboutimportant issues, including working with KOUG radio.

Input from anyone in the community who would like to

get involved is welcomed and appreciated.

So far this year, the Social and Environmental Justice

Club has already been hard at work trying to get more

people interested in the club and some of the goals of

the club. The Social and Environmental Justice Club

tabled at Vancouvers Peace and Justice fair where

there was a great turn out from members of the local

community and presented the club with opportunities

for possibly collaborating with other local organizations

in the future. The Social and Environmental Justice

Club is thinking of collaborating with the Center for

Columbia River History and the Center for Social and

Environmental Justice on a conference about the impact

of dams on indigenous peoples and the environment.

This year the work builds upon that of the Social and

Environmental Justice Club last year.

Last year, the Social and Environmental Justice Club

hosted a symposium open to the public called Cross

Cutting the Themes of Social and Environmental

Justice. This symposium hosted panel speakers

discussing with the community issues ranging from

free trade agreements, to poverty, to political amnesty.

It provided a forum for the public to chat with

knowledgeable speakers about these dense issues and

gain a better understanding of the issues and maybe be

presented with differing view points.

If any student is interested in getting involved with

the Social and Environmental Justice Club, they are

encouraged to come to the club meetings every other

Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Firstenberg Student

Commons. The next meeting will be on Wednesday,

Oct. 7.

Sally ThrallStaff Writer

WSU VANCOUVER CAMPUS READ: LIFE OF PI

VANCOUGAR.COMVANCOUGAR.COMReligion and Spirituality

inLife of Piby Yann MartelOctober 21 - VUCB 125 - 6:00 p.m.

Moderated by Jorge Lizrraga

Cougs zoo trip

Triana Collins/The VanCougar

WSU VANCOUVER CAMPUS READING PROGRAM: LIFE OF PIby Yann Martel presents

Ecology and Geography inYann Martels Life of Pi

BY

Brian Tissot, PhDAssociate Professor, Science Program, WSU Vancouver

Jorge LizrragaDiversity Faculty Fellow, WSU Vancouver

&

Brian Tissotsresearch is focused on the ecology and conservation

of marine invertebrates and fishes. His research projects investigate

issues at the interface between conservation science, management,

and policy. He holds a PhD in zoology from Oregon State University.

Jorge Lizrragas research and teaching interests center on human

geography, designed landscapes, and environmental studies.

He is ABD in geography from the University of California, Berkeley.

Wednesday, October 7, Noon, VUCB 125


6/16

6 FEATURE

10/6 Costco Sustainability Supply Chains presentation @ 7 p.m. in VADM 220 - 10/7 Master of Accounting Information Night @ 6 p.m. in VADM 129

I hate La Center.

Unfortunately, I live in that town. Well, not

in it, but near it. I was given the rock and a hard

place decision between La Center and Woodland

as my home address. This feeling of not really

belonging to either small town helps me sleep at

night, because if I lived in either of them, I donot think there would be enough water on earth

to wash off my shame.

When people say La Center either they dont

know what you are talking about, or think about

casinos. La Center must have about 500 of

them and they seem to do pretty well at taking

everyones money. Either by legal or illegal

means like the horse betting that happened

several years ago. These gambling houses

which lead to the legendary La Center Bum

have been reaping in the prots ever since I

was born. And if you are still shocked on the

statement that La Center is large enough to be

a city, but at the same time have a label for a

vagrant, believe it.

La Center is small, ridiculously small, yet

is still a city. No Street lights, but still a city.

Maybe thats just simply because they havesidewalks. The once quaint little logging town

sitting off the east fork of the Lewis River has

turned into a city with an inated sense of self

importance.

The casinos enjoy the easy life by purchasing

the police shiny fast cars, and the government

new city halls. This allows the card dealers

to have a great deal of inuence on what they

are allowed to get away with. To make matters

even worse, the second largest entity associated

with the government through marriage is the

construction companies.

When the economy is in the toilet and the

housing market already in the sewers you would

think that if someone mentioned building more

houses the industrial strength landscaping

fertilizer would hit the fan. But alas, they are

still building because that helps the powers that

beget not only more money from taxes, butmoney from business. I am not terribly fond of

paying for my mayor to go golng on weekends

on taxpayer money, even after being reelected

after that discovery.

To make matters worse, La Center seems to

have quite the arrogant atmosphere about it. And

I am not just talking about the typical small

town values or keep the community small,

as they keep building residential areas without

caring about peoples jobs. They seem to believe

that they are the worlds example to a perfect

community. If a perfect city requires arrogance,

stacked on top of more corruption than the

mind can possibly imagine, then La Center has

achieved above and beyond perfection.

La Center, I hate you. I hate you for your

casinos buying out the government. I hate you

for your absolute arrogance and unimaginableignorant ways of life. Go back to your logs and

rivers, get a new government and stop whining

about Indian casinos that give people jobs other

than the ones that line the governments private

pockets.

Having to wake up early and be outside inthe cold weather did not stop the Chi Alpha Club

members from getting together and praying.

As a lot of people drove by the agpole onWednesday, Sept. 23rd from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.,

they slowed down and wondered what a group

of people were doing in front of the Student

Service Center. It was See You at the Pole

Day 2009, when Christians all across America

gather to pray for anything. See You at the

Pole connects Christians on campus at the

beginning of the school year and helps them

stay in unity throughout the year.

Eight people held hands and prayed for

America, for the U.S. troops, the President,

and the government. They prayed that poverty

and hunger would be reduced or no longer be

in existence. They also prayed for Christian

churches around the world and were thankful

that they live in a country where they are not

persecuted for their religion. Some Chi Alpha

club members stepped up and prayed for eachother. They prayed for a fabulous school year

during which everyone will do well in school

and for families to be able to take some time

off from work and also for friends to talk with

their parents or siblings. Emily Mertsching, the

Chi Alpha Club President, prayed for younger

generations that they will be protected from thedangers of the world.

Chi Alpha Club is a Christian club on campus.

It meets every Thursday at 11 a.m. in the

Student Commons and Monday nights at 6 p.m.

The location is not yet determined for Monday

nights. Anyone interested can send e-mails to

[email protected] and Mertsching will

send out updated information about the club

and meetings.

Mertsching is really excited to see the club

grow. More people show up at club meetings

this year than last year. We have about 12 solid

members. There are new people coming to

meetings every week.

The club has some exciting plans for this year.

In December, the members are doing Christmas

blessings when they will give out coffee, cocoa,

or cookies. They also plan to do a concert with

local bands in either January or February. And

in the spring, they will do free car washing!

Chau NguyenStaff Writer

Matt Hunter was one of the students who showed up Wednesday, Sept. 23 for the See You At The Pole event.

Chau Nguyen/The VanCougar

See You At The PoleNationwide event also held on campus

For most students who want to go on toGraduate school and earn a Masters degree or

a Doctorate, the Graduate Records Examination

(GRE) is a big scary monster lurking in the

future for which they know they must prepare,

but for which they know not how to prepare.Many undergraduate students do not even

know they will have to take the GRE in order

to get into Grad school. When I heard about it,

I assumed that since it is a test one takes after

earning a Bachelors degree, I would already

know everything I need to know to pass it.

I assumed wrong. The GRE standard test

is a beast, and the worst part is that it isnt

even a real gauge for the breadth and depth of

a students knowledge. All it measures is the

students ability to take standardized tests. The

questions are designed to trick you, to get you to

answer wrong. The math section is the worst for

English majors, and it says something about the

uselessness of the test that more and more grad

schools are no longer requiring GRE test results

in application packets.

When I started studying for the GRE I found

out that I can retake the test as many times as I

want in order to improve my score. That was

my plan for awhile; take the test, then re-study

for the sections I failed. Unfortunately, the test

costs $130.00 to take, and they list all of your

previous scores when they send the results to

your schools. Instead of looking like someone

who can get an awesome score on the GRE, you

end up looking like a professional test-taker.

Also, you look like an idiot because youretoo poor from paying for 6 exams to buy new

clothes for your college interview.

Now that I know I only have one chance

to pass the GRE, Im spending more time

studying vocabulary than doing homework for

my actual classes. The study guide that I bought

for the GRE has a list of the most commonly

used words on the test, and tips on how best to

memorize them.

Oh, by the way, the list is six hundred

words long. One of the study tips is to use

these words in your everyday conversations

to allow maximum retention. First of all,

just no. Second of all, if I went around using

words like impecunious instead of poor and

intransigent instead of stubborn I would

look like a pompous ass. There may be those

of you out there thinking, I use those words

all the time, and nobody thinks Im a pompous

ass. Yes, they do. Just stop.

Dont even get me started on the subject

tests. Most of the grad schools Im applying

to dont require a subject test, but since one

of them does I have to take that one as well.

As it is only offered three times a year, and

costs $150.00 to take, I only have one shot. In

addition to the scarcity of test dates, there is

only one available practice test. While the GREstandard test is repugnant for just plain sucking,

at least there are almost countless practice tests

available online and through mail order with

which to humiliate and disillusion myself.

The GRE subject test in English Literature

is a freaking nightmare. You are tested on

basically everything written in the English

language since there was an English language,

even back when it sounded like German with a

Scottish accent. Becoming familiar with these

archaic texts basically involves learning another

language, because the excerpts used on the

GRE subject test are in modern English and the

original freaky Germanish-Scottishish English,

but you never know which it will be.

Im basically trying to familiarize myself

with the major authors as canonized by the good

people at Norton, but Ive noticed that the Bronte

sisters, Jane Austen, and William Makepeace

Thackeray are not in those anthologies, so Im

pretty sure there are huge gaps in my literary

knowledge. Yay!

GRE, look at what you have done to my

life, and the lives of so many others. Because

I was so thoroughly unprepared for you when

I was supposed to be applying for Grad school

last winter, I have had to take a year off before

grad school, effectively putting my entire lifeon hold.

I have spent more time learning how to dodge

your trick questions and effectively guess on

questions with no clear answer than I have spent

learning anything of value. I have increased my

vocabulary by six hundred words that I cant

use in everyday conversation or for some

even in my academic work without appearing

to be a self-inated egomaniac. And I have lost

nearly $300.00 for two tests that I may have

no choice but to retake. In all the time I have

spent doing this, I have not had time to work on

my college essays or writing samples. And yet,

GRE, you are one of the basic assessments that

determine whether I get into Brown University

or the University of Loserville. GRE, you are a

big, fat, stupid jerk and I hate you!

Kati HughesCopy Editor

The Rant

Jake KleinschmidtCampus News Editor

The Rant


7/16

FEATURE 7

10/8 Test Anxiety Workshop @ 1 p.m. in VFSC 104 - 10/13 HD Club Meeting @ 12 p.m. in VMMC 219 - 10/17 Fall Preview Day @ 9:30 a.m. in VADM 110

I met Harrison in myanthropology class this semester. I

could tell from a distance that he was

musical because if you have seen

him walking around campus, he is

often carrying his guitar. After class

one day he invited my roommate

and I to attend a local acoustic

performance at the Vancouver mall.

So, I decided to see what he was allabout. After hearing him sing and

play the guitar I began to see just

how talented Harrison really is.

Harrison has been writing music

and singing for about two years. He

writes songs daily, and confessed

that in class it may look like he is

taking notes but he is actually jotting

down ideas for songs. He says his

inspiration for songs comes through

his life experiences. He writes about

topics ranging from fun times to

relationships to tragedies. Talking

with Harrison let me know just how

much music and performing means

to him. Music to me is an escape to

another reality. When I am on stage,

I can bring out my alter-ego.For Christmas in 2007, Harrison was given

his rst guitar. Since he did not know how to

play it, he went to the Power Cord Academy

in Seattle. He described this as a rock n roll

music camp. While at the camp Harrison

learned to play the guitar and discovered his

talent of singing. When put into a small group

to perform, he was forced to be the lead singer

when no one else would! Hey, you have to

discover your talent somehow.

After attending this camp, guitar has become

Harrisons favorite instrument. He can play

both electric and acoustic but he prefers electric.

Besides his vocal talent and skills on the guitar,

Harrison can also play bass and drums.

With the discovery of his musical ability,

Harrison entered the Summer of Rock Anthem

hosted by KUFO. This is a contest specically

created for songwriters looking to have their

songs recognized by the public. The song

Harrison chose to enter was Summertime,

which is about living it up on the last night of

summer. This contest not only won him $500,

but allowed him to be recognized in a huge

way.

Since this contest, Harrison has performed

many times at Vancouvers Pop culture, a

music venue that allows local bands to perform

live. Although he sometimes performs with

friends, Harrison is mostly a one man show.

He has also been recognized through his

work on the radio. On Thursdays from 12-1 in

the afternoon he co-hosts the Koug radio, right

here at WSUV. Its called H and H, which

stands for Harrison and Hillary. The show

covers life at college, both the fun times and

the challenges. On Monday nights from 8-9 p.m.

Harrison hosts error FM, a station in Portland

that plays indie/alternative rock/pop music. This

new development called Monday Night Polo

will cover a variety of topics. In

the rst show, which took place

just last week, Harrison talked

about the art of irting.

Although Harrison may be

mostly known for his musical

talent, there is more to him

than just that! Some other fun

facts about Harrison include his

obsession with Star Wars. He

calls himself a fanatic when it

comes to Star Wars trivia. He also

loves to play video games, and is

a big Halo fan. He is an English

major, and enjoys writing ction

short stories. And, he has been a

vegetarian for about 16 years!

In the future, Harrison dreams

of having his own record label.

Although his major is English,

he is also thinking about going

into audio engineering and

working toward having a studio.

More than anything, he would

just like to have recognition as a

singer/songwriter. He is not the

typical guitar player who wants

to be famous and have every girl

in the world drooling over him. Hegenuinely loves music and simply wants to have

people everywhere hear his music.

If you are wondering how you can witness

the talent of Harrison Polo, there are many

opportunities. On October 10th he playing at the

Waterfront in Portland for a fundraiser at 12:00

p.m. He is also playing at Pop Culture October

23rd and 24th at 7:00. Pop Culture is located at

1929 Main St, Vancouver, WA 98660.

If you happen to pass by Harrison on

campus, dont be afraid to say hello. He is one

of the friendliest and most approachable people

I have met my rst semester at WSUV. For

more information about Harrison, and to hear

the song that was selected as the Summer of

Rock Anthem, visit his myspace page at www.

myspace/vecpu.

Question: Im really attracted to a goodfriend of mine and would like to get somethinggoing, but Im afraid to mess up our friendship!

- Allen C.

Answer: This is a tricky one. Especially if

your friend happens to much more attractive

than you. No offense, but that is probably why

you guys are just friends. However, if you feel

like you really have a chance at making your

friendship something more, follow these steps.

1. Pretend you like someone else. Someone

really, really hot. Talk about this girl constantly

and how she just gets you. Your real girl friend

will become super jealous almost immediately

if she does in fact like you.

2. When she becomes jealous, start

complimenting her on her outts, smile, jokes,

and of course, new shoes. She will notice that

even though you like that other girl, you are

noticing her as well.

3. Finally, when you have her on your sly,

sticky web, tell her that the girl you liked was

her. Either shes attered, or she becomes

super awkward. Whats true love with the risk

though, right?

Have any questions youd like to ask our

resident Sexpert? Contact Dr. D. at vancoug@

vancouver.wsu.edu

The SEXpertDr. D

Staff Writer

Student Spotlight: PoloMusic, writing, and Star Wars?

Danielle TannerFeature Editor

Web Editor

Needed

Apply now at vancougar.com

Photo courtesy of Harrison Polo

It was a sunny day. I was walking by one ofthose informative, shiny black boards with the

colored letters when I saw the sign: Horseback

Riding!!! September 27th Next thing you

know, Im in the Rec ofce, handing over my

last $5.

You see, I love horses. Yes, I may be

completely terried of them (such big teeth!

such large appendages!) but that will not stop,quell, or tame my adoration. Put a horn on a

hippopotamus and it becomes a rhinoceros

(terrifying!). A toad becomes a horny toad

(gross!). But a horse becomes the ultimate

creature of magic and mystery: a unicorn. So

in my mind, on Sept. 27, I had a date with a

unicorn.

In the carpool, WSUV student and Recreation

Assistant, Denise Eyerly, explained the origin

of the horseback riding trip that she organized

with the help of the other recreation-dedicated

individuals in the WSUV Rec ofce: she loves

horses and wanted to go for a ride! Renee Rugh,

a sign language interpreter at WSUV, said she

signed up simply because she had never been

on a horse before. I decided not to share my

real reason for going, thinking they might nd

it odd, strange, or even unrealistic. The

real reason was nding the perfect horse to

become my perfect unicorn that would dye its

hair rainbow, learn how to y, and leave a trail

of glitter everywhere we go.

Upon arriving at Silver Buckle Ranch

in Bush Prairie (a non-prot organization

dedicated to helping at-risk youth through hard/

horse labor), I found out that the eleven eager

riders from WSUV were pretty evenly divided

by those who had ridden a handful of times to

those that had never even touched a horse. Due

to the abundance of attendees (or the shortage

of horses), our group had one horse to two

riders. (While the ranch did have a fair number

of ponies, goats, and cows, they were not up for

the task of carting around a large human on their

backs).

Mason OLennick, a hardworking yet

somehow relaxed student double-majoring in

Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, was a

relative beginner with horses. I started riding

a few months ago and havent wanted to stop,

said OLennick. Our shared horse was named

Black, probably due to its coat, which was the

color of oil. It glistened in the sun like it had just

had that precious natural resource poured on.

Our instructor was half my height and half

my age. While a senior in the horsemanship

scene, she was in the sixth grade, had been

working with horses for eight years, and was

a highly valued volunteer at the ranch. She

showed us how to brush Blacks lthy coat,

comb his knotty hair, and tie his hairy face to a

pole. She warned us not to get our toes crushed

by his massive hoofs, and explained the reasonwhy horses and ponies are always separated (an

ancient feud; they just dont get along). We

were then tted for a life-saving, yet optional

helmet. (Two people in the group chose not to

wear them, apparently having extremely hard

skulls).

Out in the rink, we learned the essential

horse commands. Whoa equals stop; kicking

your feet into bulbous belly equals go. As

usual, I had some trouble paying attention to

instructions. I was too busy wondering about

the best placement for a sharp, pointy, golden

horn on Blacks large, luscious head. Thus, I

wasnt surprised when I was clueless as to how

to maneuver Black left and right between the

obstacle course poles (we knocked down every

one! Attaboy!).

It was a 90 degree day. Black was black, hot,

and cranky. He repeatedly

ran when I said walk,

stopped when I said go,drank deeply from a blue

bucket when I said trot

around the orange cone.

He did not want to entertain

my unicorn fantasies. I

decided it was time to get

off and let my partner have

a go.

Around 4 p.m. everyone

seemed exhausted, covered

in horse hair/dandruff

and ready to call it a day.

Was it a success? Rugh

answered, Denitely. Would you go back?

OLennick didnt need to think, Oh, totally.

Eyerly, the group organizer, thought the event

was such a success that she plans on having

another horseback riding trip in the spring.

As we were leaving, everyone profusely

thanked the instructors, inquired about how to

volunteer or get private lessons, and excitedly

planned for Silver Buckle Ranchs upcoming

Fall Festival. The free event will feature

hundreds of pumpkins, demos on roping, pony

rides, equine displays, a petting zoo, and more.

For more information on the ranch, visit: www.

silverbuckle.org.

Cougs horsing aroundRecreation center rounds up riders

Triana CollinsStaff Writer


8/16

8 SPORTS AND RECREATION

10/8 Last Day o Outdoor Soccer @ 3:30 p.m. - 10/10 Outdoor Soccer Tournament; sign up in Recreation Ofce on Oct. 5 - 10/15 Flag Football begins @ 3 p.m.

All the single ladies at WSUV hollaat me at 509-855-1636.

Name: Abraham (Abe) RoblesBirthday: April 9, 1989Position: ForwardReasons for joining the soccer club: I enjoy

playing soccer and scoring goals.Did you play soccer in high school?: Yes, I

played on varsity in my freshman and sophomoreyears. I did not play in my junior or senior year

because I did Running Start.Favorite food: Gyros sandwichRandom facts: I hate it when people touch myhair and I went to Germany for a week when Iwas sixteen for World Youth Day.

My name is Ochoa.

Name: Andrew MontehermosoBirthday: June 25, 1989Position: MidelderReasons for joining the soccer club: I love

playing soccer and playing keeps me in shape.Did you play soccer in high school?: Yes, I

played all four years of high school.Favorite food: French toast with peanut butterand jelly sandwich.Random facts: I like long walks on the beach,walking my dog in the park, lying on a blanketunder the stars, and all I can afford right now is

top ramen.

Students came out ready to play on Sept.23, 2009 for the second basketball open gym.

There were around 30 athletes excited to play

some competitive basketball. The location

of open gym is at Alki Middle School off of

134th St. Washington State University students,

faculty, and staff are the only ones allowed to

participate in open gym. Some students had

to arrive late due to class conicts. Open gym

is usually between 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on

Wednesdays and everyone has the opportunity

to get in early for a warm up. The season of open

gym basketball usually runs mid September to

late November. There is another season that

starts up in early spring. Open gym is put on by

the WSU Recreation center.

We are lucky that we are at Alki because in

the past we have had to move around to many

locations, said Tim Snyder. The gym seemed

to be enough space for the Cougars because it

was two full sized courts. The way open gym

is set up is there are two courts with four even

teams playing two games simultaneously. The

winners of each court play a nal match and

then the teams split up again.

Skill level varied amongst players, but

everyone was able to put forth a strong effortand have a good game. The constant squeak of

the gym oor resembled the melody of a song.

Athletes giving it there all and having a positive

attitude is what was happening in Alki Middle

Schools gym at 8:30 p.m.

Everyone seemed to be so aggressive as

if there was a social status to winning. Many

were happy to see that four girls came out to

compete. The sportsmanship was good for the

most part according to Kevin Guzman. Joseph

Tiegs stated, The sportsmanship varies most of

the time. Its basketball, and people are getting

into each others faces, so its to be expected.

There were a variety of comments, but for the

most part there was a lot of positive feedback.

This is well known in basketball on and off

the court. People are always in each others

faces because of the close proximity of players.Although this was intramural basketball

the intensity was unrivaled. Players were

hustling and diving to keep possession of the

ball. Teamwork is essential in basketball and

everyone was working well together to have a

strong defensive and offensive game.

The way we set up open gym allows everyone

to play with everyone else that came out, says

Tim Snyder. Open gym allows students to make

connections and meet new people while playing

some competitive basketball.

Alex GiebelhausSta Writer

Open gym basketballBringing the heat

Joe Creager/The VanCougar

Soccer Profles


9/16

SPORTS AND RECREATION 9

10/26 Pac 10 Fitness Challenge Week - 10/26 Pac 10 Billiards and Ping Pong Play in VFSC - 10/27 Elliptical Relay in Fitness Center - 10/29 Bowling Tournament

Cougars win in OT kickPULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - Nico Grasu

kicked a 39-yard eld goal in overtime as

Washington State came back to beat Southern

Methodist 30-27 on Saturday for their rst win

of the season.

The Mustangs (2-1) had the rst drive of

overtime. But Bo Levi Mitchell threw deep into

the end zone on the rst play and was picked

off by Chima Nwachukwu. It was Washington

States fourth interception of the game.

The Cougars (1-2) took over on the 25 and

gained just three yards on three plays before

Grasus game winner. Earlier in the game he

missed a 39-yard eld goal.It was the rst time Washington State had led

all season.

Southern Methodist led 24-7 in the third

quarter and seemed to be cruising to victory.

Then the WSU defense took control.

Linebacker Alex Hoffman-Ellis picked off

Mitchell at mideld and ran the ball back 52

yards for a touchdown late in the third. But the

snap for the conversion was fumbled, and the

Cougars trailed 24-13. That missed extra point

would end up costing them a chance to win in

regulation.

Matt Szymanski kicked a eld goal early in

the fourth for SMU.

Linebacker Myron Beck picked off a

scrambling Mitchell and outran the Mustangs

for a 67-yard touchdown that cut SMUs lead to

27-20 with 10:07 left.

Mitchell led SMU deep into WSU territory

on the next drive but was picked off by Brandon

Jones. The Cougars offense went 3-and-out,

but SMU did the same and Washington State

got the ball back on its 20 for one last drive.

The Cougars beneted from a key pass

interference call on fourth down against Sterling

Moore on receiver Jared Karstetter that gave

them rst down on SMUs 34. Quarterback

Marshall Lobbestael completed two passes to

give them rst down on the SMU 7 with 36

seconds left.

On the second play, Lobbestael hit a divingKarstetter in the end zone with 28 seconds left.

Grasu kicked the extra point to tie the game at

27-27.

The loss ruined a career day for Mitchell,

who completed 40 of 57 passes for 424 yards

and two touchdowns, but also four interceptions.

Receiver Emmanuel Sanders caught a school

record 18 passes for 178 yards, while Terrance

Wilkerson caught two touchdown passes.

The Mustangs had 504 yards of offense,

compared to 276 for WSU.

Lobbestael, who replaced Kevin Lopina at

starting quarterback this game, completed 24

of 52 passes for 239 yards and was picked off

twice. Karstetter nished with ve catches for

63 yards.

FITNESS CENTER

HoursM-Th : 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sat-Sun: Closed

EquipmentEllipticals & Treadmills

Free Weights

Leg Presses, Extension, & Curl

machines

Medicine balls & Yoga mats

Strength bands & jump ropes

PolicyFitness center is free to all WSUV

students, faculty, and staff. Must

sign liability waiver. Bring Fit-

ness Center card each visit.

TrainerA certied personal trainer is

available to Fitness Center users

at no cost. Develop a tness plan,

learn how to use the equipment,

or develop strength for a specic

sport or activity. The sessions are

free. Get t! Stay t!

Southern Methodist University alls

Senior Linebacker Jason Stripling (51) attempts to tackle SMUs Running-back RyanArmstrong. Joseph Tiegs/The VanCougar


10/16

10 ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT

10/13 Promotions Committee Meetings: Plan the fun for Downtown Vancouver @ 8:30 a.m. in VDA office - 10/14 Design Committee Meeting @ 12 p.m. in VDA office

Poetry PlaceYou need a hug, she says.

I feel the heavy softness

of her experienced arms encircling me.

No longer firm flesh or toned muscle

they are history and wisdom.

Worn smooth from the dispensation of comfort

Her skin is cool and paper-thin like fine silk.

The fabric of a treasured dress one cannot bear to stop wearing

I have accumulated in my own years

resentment and uncertainty layered like the earths strata

Her hugs slowly, tenderly excavate the fossils of my life

eroding without judgment the sediments

binding the truth of my future to the error of my past

By Penney Samuel

Elizabeth

Submit now to the Salmon Creek Journal

[email protected]

Essential Guide to Bars and Clubsin Vancouver

Cougs Night Out

Bar Name and Location

Back Alley Bar & Grill

6503 E Mill Plain Blvd

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: (360) 694.6873

Beaches

1919 Se Columbia River Dr

Vancouver, WA 98661

Phone: (360) 699.1592

Blackstone

3200 SE 164th St.

Vancouver, WA 98683

Phone: (360) 253.0523

Chronis

819 Main Street

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: (360) 690.0032

Cinetopia/Vinetopia

11700 SE 7th St

Vancouver, WA 98683

Phone: (360) 213.2800

Elbow Room

1800 Broadway St

Vancouver, WA 98663

Phone: (360) 694.3552

Irishtown

11600 SE Mill Plain Blvd # F

Vancouver, WA 98684

Phone: (360) 253.1470

Oscars Place

400 NE 112TH Ave

Vancouver, WA 98684

Phone: (360) 256.7175

Salmon Creek Brewery and Pub

108 W Evergreen Blvd.

Vancouver, WA 98660

Phone: (360) 993.1827

The QuarterDeck

4300 E Fourth Plain Blvd

Vancouver, WA 98661

Phone: (360) 694.8016

Bar Features and Happy Hour

Six pool tables, Karaoke seven days a week,

Seven big screen TVs.

Happy Hour: M-F, 3 - 6 p.m.

Waterfront location, Outdoor volleyball.


Live music late week, Upscale atmosphere, Full

menu during happy hour.Happy Hour: M-Sa, 4 - 6:30 p.m. & 9 p.m.-

Close, All Day Sunday

50 cent or 6/$2.50 Taco Tuesday night, Two dart

boards, Pinball, Golf, Karaoke Th-Sa, 9pm.


State of the art theatres on-site, Full restaurant,

Live Jazz and blues in bar and before mov-

ies, Wine tasting machines. Happy Hour: M-F,

3 - 6 p.m. & 8 - 10 p.m.

Heavy handed bartending, Attentive servers.


Full menu, Live Irish music on Wednesdays/

Rock music on Friday, Karaoke Monday, Two

pool tables, Five dart boards, Big screen TV.

Happy Hour: Everyday, 3 - 7 p.m.

Three pool tables, One dart board, Shuffleboard!

Happy Hour: M-F, 3-6pm.

Beer brewed on-site, Laid back atmosphere, Full

menu.

Happy Hour: M-Th and Sa, 3 -6 p.m.

Karaoke Wed. and Fri; Four pool tables, Two

dart boards, Two Mega Touchs, Pinball, Golf,

Foosball, WII.

Happy Hour: M-W, 4 -7 p.m.

When first walking into Mint Tea Imports,I was overwhelmed by the cozy atmosphereand visual aesthetic. The eclectic collection of

worldly goods adds a colorful element to the

shop that would otherwise look like an English

country home. The outside of the shop welcomes

the public with plenty of seating and a well-kept

garden. The exterior complements the inside of

the shop, where imported merchandise mingles

with delicious food and tea. There are two

levels to the shop. The

bottom level contains

the merchandise,

kitchen and a seating

area, while the top story

has additional seating,

including a fun alcove

to share with close

friends.

Mint Tea Importssells imported items

ranging from free-trade

olive oil, to bath and

body care, to beautifully made scarves. If you

are in the market for Moroccan drums, or henna

tambourines, then you might enjoy shopping in

the Moroccan Room. Or if you want to purchase

hand crafted jewelry from India, then you can

probably find it at Mint Tea. One could spend

over an hour looking at all of the fun items on

sale. But merchandise is not the only thing sold

here.

Mint Tea Imports is also a bistro that

provides local, sustainable and organic

goodies for purchase. They have many vegan

and vegetarian options to choose from, like

Moroccan spiced tofu and summer vegetables.

They also have fine cuts of meat, including

carefully seasoned lamb, to satisfy carnivore

cravings. They have baklava, truffles, lunch and

dinner menus, oh and of course, tea. The tea

comes in a variety of flavors and varieties, such

as black, herbal, green and even special blends.

The tea is imported seasonally from around the

world and blended by Strand Tea Company in

Oregon. The staff is very friendly, and will offer

to let you smell any of the teas, and recommend

what to eat with the tea or when to eat it.

In addition to food and merchandise, Mint

Tea Imports occasionally hosts events. During

the summer months, Mint Tea Imports hosts

a free drum circle where the public can come

and jam with others, or just enjoy the music.

Dancers are also encouraged to come enjoy thedrum circle. Mint Tea Imports also hosts art

shows for the public to enjoy and musicians to

add to the customers experience. If you really

enjoy Mint Tea Imports, you can also rent

private space to host events.

The seating on the bottom floor includes an

adults-only Moroccan room, where I chose to

drink my pot of Roo-Berry Tea. The Roo-Berry

Tea, now one of my

personal favorites, is

a slightly sweet herbal

tea that contains just the

right amount of fruity

flavor. Do not expect

to find any NSFW (not

safe for work) items in

the Moroccan room; it

is adults-only becausethere are expensive

musical instruments

that can only be played

responsibly.

When my party of four friends took our

seats, we had the pleasure of listening to one

of our friends play a Tibetan singing bowl. As

the reverberations filled the room, we waited

for our tea to steep. Service is fast; depending

on the type of tea, service will take anywhere

from two to five minutes for the tea to brew.

The tea comes brewed in a pot placed with tea

cups on an ornamental tray. You can ask for

cream and sugar to add to the tea, but many

brews are enjoyable by themselves. They also

have jasmine blossom tea, which comes in a

flower that opens up when it is done brewing.

The aroma and taste of the tea adds to the rest of

the atmosphere for a full-bodied experience.Needless to say, I fell in love with this shop

once I explored all it had to offer and was able

to taste their wonderful teas. If you are a tea (or

food) lover, I recommend Mint Tea Imports for

a tasty time. If you are a fan of imported items, I

recommend Mint Tea Imports as a new location

for shopping. If youre open for something new

and a little out of the ordinary, I recommend

Mint Tea Imports for the cozy atmosphere and

the escape it provides from the mundane caf.

Local Fare: Mint Tea ImportsA unique addition to Main Street

Sally ThrallStaff Writer

Jess DavisACE Editor


11/16

ARTS, CULTURE, AND ENTERTAINMENT 11

10/15 Wait Until Dark @ 7 p.m. at The Magenta Theater; suspenseful mystery/thriller; tickets available online - 10/17 Farmers Market at 8th and Esther Street

KOUG Radio DJ Stuart Ellis involvementwith music does not end when he leaves the ra-

dio studio. In addition to hosting his radio show

Radiodiffusion Internasionaal, Ellis dedicatesmuch of his time to maintaining his web site of

the same name. His web site focuses on explor-

ing popular music from the 1960s 1970s in

Africa, The Middle East, India, and Asia, while

displaying how popular Western music influ-

enced music in these other parts of the world.

The web site evolved out of a set of mix CDs

that I had made for a few friends, said Ellis,

Over time, I started posting new finds, and that

eventually became the mess it is today.

On his web site, Ellis posts hundreds of songs

from these areas of the world. For each song,

he provides a detailed description of the song

and artist as well as showcases the record cover

for the song. Additionally, Ellis includes links

to other web sites that focus on world music,

including Seattle based record label Sublime

Frequencies.

Sublime Frequencies founder Alan Bishop

has been an important influence for Ellis radio

show. He is the person who gave me the idea

for the format of the show, said Ellis, with the

bits of static and other sounds. I borrow heav-

ily from his radio collage releases on Sublime

Frequencies.

The music Ellis plays for his radio show is the

same music his web site focuses on; late 1960s

to early 1970s era music from Africa, The Mid-

dle East, India, and Asia. The show is mixed

to sound like you are scanning the shortwave

frequencies, said Ellis, so various bits of field

records, song fragments, found sounds and stat-

ic are mixed in between the songs.

Working for KOUG is not Ellis first expe-

rience with radio. Ellis, a current print and

graphic designer, was involved with radio

when he was a student at Auburn University. I

worked in the production department at WEGL

at Auburn University when I went to college

there and occasionally helped out on the Punk

Rock/Hardcore show, he said.

Though Ellis is not a student at WSUV, he

was convinced by a fellow KOUG DJ to join

KOUG radio. Rich Lindsay talked me into it.

I couldnt think of a reason not to do it, Ellis

said.

The music Ellis has been playing for his show

has greatly influenced his current musical pref-

erences. Right now, I would have to stay the

stuff that I play on my show [is my favorite

kind of music], said Ellis, Its why I do what I

do. Its just something I find unlike most of the

other forms of music that are generally shoved

down your throat on a daily basis. A lot of radio

stations claim to be Al ternative. The stuff I lis-

ten to is a real alternative to the Alternative.

If you would like to listen to Ellis show, Ra-

diodiffusion Internasionaal, it airs every Mon-day from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone who would

like to request songs can e-mail Ellis at stuart@

radiodiffusion.net If you would like to check

out his web site, the address is www.radiodif-

fusion.net In addition to posting information

about world music to his web site, Ellis posts

downloads of most of his previous radio shows,

links to artists played in the previous shows,

and playlists from his previous and upcoming

shows. For anyone who would like to help fur-

ther Ellis efforts with the web site by sending

him information, music, or translating record

covers, one can contact him at the e-mail ad-

dress stated above.

Amy ThielenStaff Writer

DJ Dossier: Stuart Ellisards

Listen to KOUG Radio streaming live on kougradio.com

My dad is an early victim of this economic

crisis/financial meltdown thing thats been

a nonstop topic on radio, TV, newspapers,

the internet, and the minds of each and

every American. The oncoming poverty

of US citizens has become such a common

and widespread theme that its the type of

conversation you can have with a stranger.

If youre thrown into an awkward situation

with a coworker you dont have anything in

common with, you can always bring up the

economic climate. Its put the weather on

the back burner. Instead of saying, Well gee

golly gosh it sure is hot today. How bout this

heat wave? You can say, Well gee golly

gosh, I sure do need to get my food stamp

forms in, how bout you?

If you havent lost your job, you

know someone who has. If youre not on

unemployment, you know someone who is.

In my opinion, its bringing us all closer. My

dad can no longer tell me to stop dreaming

and get a real job! because he doesnt have

one and has resorted to working on his

pairing of wine with certain TV shows (talk

shows are great for reds, Animal Planet for

white, etc.).

This whole job thing is no longer dividing

us because the truth is: life is work. We are

both just people, living, breathing, wandering,

wondering about what were supposed to be

doing next, and perhaps taking advantage

of all the FREE events other people have

organized for our enjoyment and enrichment.

The City of Vancouver wants to know ifyou know where your garbage, yard debris,

and recycling go once youve haphazardly

thrown them on your curb. Well, do you?

They claim that this stuff you no longer

want and gift to the garbage man every

week takes a fascinating journey. They

want you to meet the haulers, processors,

local government peeps, and advisory

committee players responsible for managing

this fascinating journey and have planned

a presentation titled Take It Away! The

Many Travels of Your Trash and Recycling.

Sounds fascinating

Iran has been in the news a lot recently.

A lot of this news is negative. But how

many of us really know this country throughand through, let alone what it looks like?

Battleground librarian, Jackie Spurlock,

and her husband Mike traveled to Iran in

2006 and 2008, lived there from 1974-78

and took loads of pictures. They report

that the country is complex, beautiful, and

fascinating. See for yourself with their

presentation, Images of Iran: A Slideshow

of Recent Visits.

Okay, the event info says that you have

to be between the ages of 5 and 12 to

participate, but I highly suggest using your

persuasive skills to get in on the action,

because this is amazing. For two whole

hours, you get to read to a real, live, and

possibly listening therapy dog. Its unclearwhether the dog needs therapy or the reader,

but either way, I guarantee this event will

unleash the roaring reader within.

If you like birds, music, history, or

buying stuff, youll probably have fun at the

BirdFest and Bluegrass Festival. Featuring:

Audubon-led bird and plant tours, bald eagle

talks, kayak tours, birders marketplace,

Native American demonstrations, salmon

bake, Bluegrass music with a jamming

workshop, craft stations, storytelling, raptor

shows, and so, so, so much more.

Ive saved the best for last. FREE

THEATRE! Free stuff doesnt get much

better than this. Last year a fabulous nation-

wide program, dedicated to introducing

people to live theatre, organized for 650

theatre companies in 120 cities to open their

doors to 65,000 new theatergoers for free.

The program is back this year, and our very

own Magenta Theatre will be participating

with their show, Wait Until Dark, a play

about a doll filled with narcotics, a blind

women, and two con men (how suspenseful!

How mysterious!). So, starting on Oct. 1,

you can get your pair of FREE tickets on

www.freenightoftheatre.net for this one of

a kind spectacle.

What: PresentationWhen: Tuesday, Oct. 6

Time: 4 p.m.

Where: Vancouver City Hall

Cost: FREE

What: Slideshow

When: Thursday, Oct. 8Time: 7 p.m.

Where: Battle Ground Community Library

Cost: FREE

What: Reading (to Dogs!)

When: Saturday, Oct. 10

Time: 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Where: Vancouver Mall Community Library

Cost: FREE

What: Festival

When: Saturday, Oct. 10-Sunday, Oct. 11

Time: Various

Where: Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Cost: (some stuff is) FREE

What: Theatre

When: Friday, Oct. 9 and Thursday, Oct.

15

Time: 7 p.m.

Where: Magenta Theatre

Cost: FREE

Heroes - Can this show be saved? Maybeit will, while this season brings a few new faces,

but its still full of misplaced dialogue and lame

powers for new characters. However, because

of the new cast additions it might come back

with a bang

Flash Forward - ABC Network is looking

for a new lost, this might be it. Everybody on

earth passes out and sees their future in exactly

six months. A few members of the Lost cast

show up in this series and gives us a lot of

promise. Pilot episode had great action sets and

resembled a lot of the first episode of Lost.

Sons of Anarchy - Second season of FXs

biker badass has a great cast, but the narrow

focus of the show might not attract the general

viewer. That is disappointing because it actually

has great writing, and a becoming-of-age

storyline. Also, its safe to say that this show

might have one of the best casts on current TV

show line-up.

Fringe - FOXs sci-fi series continues with the

second season. One-crazy-mystery-per-episode

theme worked great for the first season, and it

might work here as well. The lead detective

(Anna Torv) is horrible in front of the camera,

every dialogue she is in makes me cringe, butthe show is saved by the dad-son relationship

between Joshua Jackson and John Noble.

The Office - Its the same: kind of funny

and awkward. Pam is pregnant, thats the new

theme, but the show should of focus mainly on

the supporting cast to mix things up, and they

didnt, doesnt look like they will in this season

either.

Trauma - Its shooting for a full hour medical

drama with prolonged action scenes, which

sounds pretty interesting, but yet, its boring.

Full of awkward dialogues and clich characters,

skip it.

Community - Possibly the funniest series

on TV this season. Chevy Chases plays a great

trying-to-be-cool-grandpa, and the rest of the

cast is just as funny. Please watch this instead of

The Office, you wont be disappointed.

House - Best two hour season premiere yet.

Dr. House is still crazy and off the meds, which

makes the show. It looks like the writers will not

take this season to i

The VanCougar: October 5, 2009

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