The Lumberjack--March 8, 2018

HONORS COLLEGE COMING SOON PAGE 5

T H E L U M BE R JACK

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

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tudents are under a lot of pressure these days — pressure to do well in school, pressure to make decisions your parents approve of and pressure to race to graduate. As May approaches and seniors turn their minds onto their future careers, I find a common frame of thought. When I look around, everyone seems to be thinking 20 years into the future. What are you doing next week? Next year? In the next 10 years? What are they doing in 10 years? This is the permanent frame of mind. Instead of focusing on right now, so many of us choose to frame our lives from the future. In fact, sometimes I can be so focused on an imaginary situation taking place six months from now that I’m completely unaware of what is happening right in front of me. I can be so frozen by this imaginary scenario that I start believing it’s already fated. The irony is, the situation I created prevents me from taking action on it today. We all picture conversations with people that will never happen or situations that could never come to pass. But when I think about these scenarios they’re really a manifestation of my worry or fear. What if the interviewer hates what I have to say? KATIE SAWYER What if graduation is the end rather than the beginning? CULTURE EDITOR I spend my time with my head firmly in the future thinking about things that haven’t happened yet and becoming physically consumed by worry. Distancing myself from these thoughts feels like a breath of fresh air. The moment that I’m living right now — typing at my desk in the newsroom — is a good one. Nothing stressful is happening. It’s not to say there aren’t plenty of stressful and important things to worry about, but none of them are affecting me in this moment. Thinking about the coming years and planning, is different than existing in that headspace. Really, that mental space is an anxiety-driven feeling of having no control. You envision your goals in the future, but have no idea of how to obtain them. Refocusing attention on how these can be achieved through small steps today makes the future seem much more attainable. My yogi self would say, live your life intentionally. Breathe through stress and worry, and don’t let yourself be bogged down by fears of situations that may never actually come to be. Don’t lose yourself to unnecessarily in thoughts that don’t help you today. Author Annie Dillard once wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”

“I have been to 37 different raves in the past year, so I do a lot of raving. That’s my s---.” - Junior business management major Wyatt Bauman, 2018

Thank you for reading. EDM artist Datsik performed at the Orpheum Feb. 27 for hundreds of rave fans. Datsik is known for his love of ninjas and his signature mask and hat, fashioned after traditional bamboo sun hats. Shannon Cowan | The Lumberjack Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 106 ISSUE 8

Editor-in-Chief Megan Troutman

Managing Editor Lance Hartzler

Copy Chief Emma Helfrich

Web Chief Ariel Cianfarano

Faculty Advisor Mary Tolan

Faculty Advisor, Visuals Jennifer Swanson

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Print Chief Matthew Strissel

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Conor Sweetman

Op-Ed Editor Elizabeth Wendler

Sports Editor Bailey Helton

Director of Illustration Colton Starley

Asst. News Editor Mikayla Shoup

Asst. Op-Ed Editor Peggy Packer

Asst. Sports Editor Quinn Snyder

Director of Photography Shannon Cowan

Senior Reporters Adrian Skabelund Chandler Coiner

Culture Editor Katie Sawyer

Features Editor Darrion Edwards

Asst. Director of Photography Maxim Mascolo

Director of Circulation Asst. Culture Editor Luis Gardetto Ashley Besing

Asst. Features Editor MaryAnn Witt

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Senior Photographer Michael Patacsil

On the cover The current Honors Program is being revamped into a new Honors College, which will house students and classes in a new building currently under construction March 6. Jason White | The Lumberjack

Corrections & Clarifications The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Megan Troutman at mlt273@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Feb. 26 At 10:16 a.m., the FBI gave NAUPD an undisclosed tip regarding suspicious activity. NAUPD filed a report, and no criminal activity was observed. At 4:58 p.m., an HLC staff member called to report a student losing vision. FFD, a Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) ambulance and NAUPD responded, and the student was transferred to FMC for treatment. At 8:16 p.m., a student reported being harassed at Reilly Hall. NAUPD responded and filed an official report. No other action was taken. Feb. 27 At 8 a.m., a staff member called to report a student losing consciousness in McConnell Hall. FFD, GMT and NAUPD responded, and the student was transferred to FMC for treatment. At 12:14 p.m., a staff member reported the odor of marijuana at Pine Ridge Village. NAUPD responded, and one student was referred for using marijuana. At 6:17 p.m., a staff member reported a nonstudent was passed out at a computer at Cline Library. NAUPD responded and removed the non-student from campus. The non-student refused medical transport. At 7:12 p.m., an RA reported the odor of marijuana at Gabaldon Hall. NAUPD responded, and two students were cited and released for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. At 8:09 p.m., an RA reported the odor of marijuana

Compiled by Owen Sexton

at Reilly Hall. NAUPD March 3 responded, and one student At 1:49 a.m., NAUPD was cited and released for initiated a traffic stop, being a minor in possession of suspecting the driver alcohol. may have been under the influence. Two non-students Feb. 28 were cited and released for At 4:17 a.m., NAUPD possession of marijuana and responded to a call from drug paraphernalia. The case FPD for assistance during a is waiting for lab results to vehicle pursuit also involving confirm a DUI. the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) At 1:16 p.m., a student and successfully provided reported individuals throwing assistance. The subject was a Frisbee across the road later arrested and detained by near the intersection of San CCSO. Francisco Street and Franklin Avenue. NAUPD responded March 1 but was unable to find anyone At 2:51 a.m., NAUPD in the area. stopped a vehicle in front of Allen Hall. The officers At 5:21 p.m., NAUPD cited the driver for speeding. discovered four students The driver also received a participating in illicit activities verbal warning for not having in the Mountain View Parking a driver’s license and for Garage. One student was cited outdated registration. and released for possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia At 2:45 p.m., a student and underage drinking. Two reported the theft of their other students were cited and wallet while on an NAU bus. released for underage drinking. NAUPD responded and filed a report. March 4 At 2:37 a.m., a resident At 5:39 p.m., a student at Campus Heights reported a reported a non-student on loud party. NAUPD responded the pedestrian path filming and asked the residents to quiet students without their consent. down. They complied. NAUPD responded, but no criminal activity was witnessed. At 4:34 a.m., a student reported being locked out March 2 of his room at Reilly Hall. At 12:38 p.m., a student NAUPD responded, and the reported a non-student student was arrested after it was shouting religious statements discovered he was intoxicated at the University Union. as a minor. The student was NAUPD responded, but no booked into the Coconino criminal activity was witnessed. County Detention Facility. The preacher was allowed to continue. At 6:31 p.m., a staff member reported the At 1:12 p.m., a student possibility of a subject reported that a student was consuming alcohol in Cline suffering a seizure at the Library. NAUPD responded, Performing and Fine Arts but the staff had already building. FFD, GMT and escorted the subject out of the NAUPD responded, and the building. Everything was fine. student was transferred to FMC for treatment.

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 3

NEWS

Native American women face high risk of domestic violence Alexandria Vallejo

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alentine’s Day; a day for love. But a vigil in downtown Flagstaff was held Feb. 14 for a woman who died Christmas Day 2017. It highlighted the realities of domestic violence that Native American women face. The victim, Nicole Joe, was found dead outside in the cold after being beaten by an intimate partner on Christmas Eve. The vigil remembered the life of Joe, and shared more stories of the abuse against Native women. The people in attendance stood with signs in honor of Joe and posters with statistics of Native American women who have experienced domestic abuse just as Joe did. Many of the signs displayed the hashtag MMIWG, or Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, an organization that wants to bring attention to the high rates of violence against Indigenous women. Nicole Joe, as described by her sister Sarafina Joe, was a very resilient person with a good sense of humor and a great love for her children. Sarafina Joe said that Nicole Joe had gone through abuse before, a struggle that led to alcoholism. The abuse she went through haunted Nicole. Sarafina Joe is speaking out for her sister and seeking justice for what happened to her and other women who are victims of domestic violence. “That was my sister. That was my niece and nephew’s mom. That was my mom’s daughter. She meant the world to us. She was a human being,” said Sarafina Joe. “No woman deserves to be treated like that. Women are sacred in our culture, we are taught that. We are taught to respect women, elders and children,” said Sarafina Joe. Sarafina Joe also said that the man who murdered her sister had a history of criminal charges, including assault and drug possession. Sarafina Joe wants her sister’s voice to be heard and for domestic violence and abuse to be discussed more openly in order to prevent it. Sarafina Joe has been working to bring awareness to what happened to her sister and similar domestic violence cases — particularly because the rates of domestic violence are higher among Native-American communities compared to non-native groups. A 2016 study by the Institute of Justice, a research, development and evaluation agency of the U.S. Department of Justice, found that about

Illustration by Brady Wheeler

84 percent of Native American and Alaskan Native women in America have experienced domestic violence. The rate of Native American physical violence with an intimate partner was 55.5 percent compared to 34.5 percent for nonHispanic white women. For more than half of these women, the abuser was an intimate partner. And 66 percent were victims of psychological aggression by partners. Nearly 97 percent of these abuse cases have been committed by non-Native individuals. The abusers of these women were essentially immune from punishment for their crimes. This was because tribal courts in 566 federally recognized Native American Tribes did not have jurisdiction over non-Native American perpetrators of crimes on tribal lands, until the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 was reauthorized and expanded in 2013. The expansion moved to include gays, lesbians, transgendered, immigrants and Native Americans under the federal protections. This study also showed that more than one in three of these Native American and Alaskan

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Native women were unable to get the services needed to help them after domestic violence incidents. In addition to a lack of services, many of these women never see their abusers brought to justice because a majority of these domestic cases are committed by non-Native Americans. According to the Census Bureau, nonNative Americans now make up 76 percent of the population on tribal lands and 68 percent of the population in Alaska Native villages. Before The Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act received a correction in 2013, non-natives wouldn’t be prosecuted by Native law. But even now only certain tribes can prosecute those who commit domestic violence. An overwhelming lack of law enforcement also affects these situations. Without law enforcement, many of these crimes go uninvestigated. In Flagstaff, the Northland Family Help Center houses victims of domestic abuse and violence, and 50 percent of the people served are Native American. They said they know domestic violence happens in the Flagstaff community, and there is also a high demand for services.

Because of these issues happening on and off the reservation to Native American women, those impacted are forming groups to try and solve the issues. A project of the Montana-based Indian Resource Law Center is the Safe Women, Strong Nations project. The project is working to gain federal action to end domestic violence against Native American women and children. The program also works to spread legal advice to other Native women’s organizations and Native Nations to help them restore tribal criminal authority. Their essential purpose of this project is to bring more awareness to the issue and help those affected by domestic violence. A South Dakota-based organization called Sacred Circle aides tribes and tribal organizations to stop domestic violence. The issue of domestic violence is one that is difficult to discuss. Nicole Joe is one of the many victims of domestic violence and her family is working to make sure it stops happening to other women. The Joe family wants people to hear her story to bring more awareness to the Native women who have suffered like Joe.

NEWS

New Honors College aims to attract more students Valentine Sargent

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he Ernest Calderón Learning Community was announced as the new Honors dorm in 2015, yet in fall 2018, students will be moving into a new Honors dorm a stone’s throw from the current one. Along with a new building, the Honors Program will transition into an Honors College housed in the new building. Honors programs are attractive to students for their small class sizes, early enrollment and their challenging curriculum. Many students wish to graduate with Honors to set themselves apart from other students for graduate school. “I was looking to challenge myself further as well as expand what I was learning. It has offered me early enrollment, jobs as well as a setting to completely change how I process information,” said senior anthropology major Abby Olmstead. Some students, however, have dropped Honors due to the requirements and the extra costs. “It seems like they are trying to separate the student body and this ‘elite’ group of people. They are putting them in a separate college, you have to pay more to be in the college ... they are separating people who can afford to do it and who can’t afford to do it,” said freshman psychology major Jeremiah Chaplin. Chaplin dropped out of the Honors Program this past semester and felt it was not going to be beneficial because he did not plan on going to graduate school. Honors Professor William Cordeiro said Honors students face unique challenges. “Honors students are the ones who want to triple major, study abroad for a year ... We want to encourage that, but with the increase of the Honors curriculum, almost every student feels that crutch of ‘how can I do this and this.’ At some point you have to make choices,” said Cordeiro. Freshman political science major Mackenzie Barnhart said the Honors capstone is a year long, while a typical capstone for her major is a semester long. Barnhart is one of the many Honors students who want to graduate a semester early. Because the Honors capstone is longer, she will have to start her Honors capstone her junior year to be on track to graduate early. “That’s stressful and may not be obtainable just because of the nature of the project,” said Barnhart. Honors is going through a variety of changes. The program is transitioning to be a full college, searching for a new dean for fall 2018 and building a higher-capacity dorm with combined academic spaces. There is also a change to the curriculum for Honors students with the implementation of the college. “It changed last fall. It’s a little bit more structured, we have the capstone pathways, we are really excited about its totally unique curriculum. There’s nothing like it anywhere ... It’s going to be helpful for students to have that flexibility,” said George “Wolf ” Gumerman, the founding dean of the Honors Program. About 8 percent of students applied to the Honors Program last fall, which included 520 freshmen students. There is a seven-year review that is implemented to evaluate the Honors College by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).

The next seven-year review will start in two years. “The main conclusions were to become a college and then work on new facilities,” Wolf said, in reference of the previous review. In changing the program to a college, the new dorm will be able to have all Honors facilities, classrooms and offices in one place. Calderón has a capacity of 350 beds, while the new Honors dorm is predicted to have 620 beds. Incoming freshmen honors students are required to live in the new Honors dorm — it was originally optional. The new Honors dorm is about $6,700 per year for a suite style room, while Calderón was $5,576 per year. Cordeiro feels that the new dorm is necessary. “Calderón wouldn’t be able to support all the incoming Honors freshmen. There are also studies that show if you get students living together, not only do you increase retention, but you also form a more cohesive community,” Cordeiro said. Residential housing is implementing a campus-wide change to how students are assigned to their dorm rooms. Students will be brought together based on the college of their major. For example,

all students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences College could be on the same floor. This will happen in the new Honors dorm as well. Along with the new building, the Honors program fee will be increased too. Originally, the price was $250 per semester, now it will be $350 per semester, or $700 per year. The fee will go toward new classrooms, extracurriculars and 14 percent of the fee is required for need-based scholarships for students. ASU has Barrett Honors College, which was announced as an Honors College in 2001. There is a $750 fee each semester. ABOR approved an Honors College to be built at UA in September 2017. Arizona universities seem to be on the same path, implementing and continuing to promote their own Honors colleges. “It means a lot of different changes. For some people, they see the designation as a college as having more prestige. There will be additional curriculum requirements,” Cordeiro said. “We may be perceived differently.” The change aims to attract more motivated students to NAU. Calderón will transitions to a regular dorm building for other students, allowing for more residential living on campus.

The Honors College building is currently under construction Feb. 28. The new dorm is expected to be completed by Fall 2018. Jason White | The Lumberjack

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 5

NEWS

despite outcry, multi-term enrollment is here for now Jayna Arola

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new program designed to allow students to plan out their academic careers a full year in advance, rather than for just a semester, has continued to be met with backlash. Multi-term enrollment began with early enrollment this spring. Both students and faculty have voiced concern about the change. According to the Office of the Registrar, multi-term enrollment offers multiple benefits to students, to help plan ahead and balance their class schedules. Other benefits include the opportunity for students to secure required classes needed for the following academic semester as well as future semesters at the same time. This was intended to allow students to plan classes around their daily life events and activities. NAU spokesperson Kimberly Ott said one of the positive impacts of this type of enrollment includes, “increased focus on year-long planning.” Although NAU’s administration made this decision with the intention to help students with their future careers, there is still an increase in frustration. More than 300 students signed a petition in late February to repeal multi-term enrollment, but it is still in the process of being sent to President Rita Cheng. Sophomore comparative studies major Leanna Wynne said that she did not send the petition because she is waiting for more signatures. There is no expected time when the petition will be sent to the president. “I fully expect them to tell me to give multi-term enrollment a try for a year. But I think it’s important that they know how many people don’t like it,” said Wynne. At the spring 2018 campus forum, Cheng, along with other administration officials, listened to students and their issues about multi-term enrollment. Wynne expressed a multitude of concerns toward this new enrollment process to Cheng and Provost Dan Kain. “It’s a way to give assurances to students that what they are looking for will be available. It helps our units and our academic departments to plan for what they’re going to need to have to serve those students,” said Kain at the campus forum. “But as the president said, there are still options for people to change their mind. We understand people do so all the time, and this system gives a different way of planning those.” Students are not required to enroll in fall, spring, winter and summer terms all at once, however, the Registrar’s office explained that doing so will help students to secure their schedule and allow them to plan ahead for the entire year. Senior strategic communication major Kayla Morrow said that the enrollment does not affect her, but she has seen a lot of negative opinions from students. “I’ve heard that it made enrolling super stressful since people don’t necessarily know what they’re doing next spring or if they’ll have the same major even,” said Morrow. Most students still fear that their expected graduation date will be pushed back further, due to multi-term enrollment. Because students have the ability to enroll in classes for multiple

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Sophomore comparitive studies major Leanna Wynne directing a question to President Rita Cheng about the student concerns about multiterm enrollment at the Campus Forum Feb. 20. Devyn Coons| The Lumberjack

semesters, there could be a greater chance for fewer available courses if a student changed their major. Wynne expressed that concern at the forum. She said that some students want to explore different courses before choosing a major, so there may not be enough availability for those opportunities. However, according to the Registrar’s office, multi-term enrollment will not limit students’ options to make changes to their course schedules. In addition to this, the Registrar suggests that students meet with an academic advisor if they have any problems with enrolling in the courses they need. Despite students being worried about classes filling up, there has been a high number of students taking advantage of this yearlong planning. “As of [March 5], 77 percent of students who enrolled for fall 2018 also enrolled for spring ’19. That’s over 8,000 people already

enrolled for [spring] ’19,” said Ott. Students are also worried that planning their schedules an entire year in advance will cause additional stress to their academic success. Junior strategic communication major Hadley Harris, who is currently studying overseas, was unaware of this change. “It was annoying because they didn’t let me know that I had to enroll for both terms. There wasn’t much information on it at all so I just enrolled for one term,” said Harris. Ott said the university holds seats for new students in the spring and fall. As of now, NAU has no plans to roll back multi-term enrollment. Cheng said that multi-term enrollment is about student success. She said at the campus forum, “It’s about putting you on a pathway that you can complete your degree in a timely manner.”

NAU community grieves student’s death Chandler Coiner

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AU senior and Delta Chi member Nick Acevedo died the morning of March 5. The death was a result of an apparent suicide. The fraternity and the university community are grieving the loss of their charismatic friend. Acevedo’s death came just days after the second annual Walk for Waltman, an event put on by NAU Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI). Former FIJI president Ryan Waltman took his own life a little more than a year ago. Walk for Waltman aims to bring awareness to suicide and its prevention. “Me and my fraternity were in this exact same situation a year ago, so it brings back those similar emotions. Because you have to kind of empathize with the Delta Chi chapter because they’re going through exactly what we went through,” said sophomore Dom Ryan, a FIJI brother and triple major in chemistry, music and astrophysics. “It’s definitely disappointing because I really wish that my event could’ve been a bigger outreach for someone, because something like that could really turn the tables,” Ryan said.

Acevedo was a witness to the 2015 NAU shooting, and testified at the trial in April 2017. Acevedo was one of the first people to help Collin Brough during the shooting. Acevedo tried to stop the bleeding from the two gunshot wounds. Many NAU and community members took part in the Walk for Waltman. “This isn’t a police issue or a government issue, this is an every-citizen issue,” said Flagstaff Police Department spokesperson Cory Runge. “[They all] need to become involved because it’s becoming an epidemic in our society.” Some of the major warning signs for suicidal people include talking about feelings of hopelessness, talking about being a burden on others, extreme mood swings and isolating themselves, according to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The national suicide prevention line is 1-800-273-8255. If you or a friend are suffering from depression, you are urged to reach out and get help. The Delta Chi chapter did not respond to a request for comment before publication. Photo courtesy of Facebook

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 7

COMIC SPOT

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MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 9

OPINION-EDITORIAL

The facade of life on Instagram HARRISON DOWNING

Get freaky in the sheets, not the streets

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ver had sex in a public place? If you have and you’ve never been caught, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Having sex in public can be as simple as giving your partner a hand-job in the theater or doing it in a car. No matter how you do it, if you’re caught by police, you’re going to suffer the consequences. In Arizona, sex-offender laws for public sex, which falls under indecent exposure, are pretty lenient. According to azag.gov, you can be labeled a sex offender if you’re busted for a third indecent-exposure violation. If it involves a minor under 15, you only get two chances. ELIZABETH How generous. WENDLER Once you are convicted as a sex OP-ED EDITOR offender, you have just 10 days to register or you face a felony charge. Not fun. Not worth it. Sure, sex can get boring if it’s the same old, same old. People tend to fall into routines based on their schedules and access to love-making spots. If you live at home, you’re probably familiar with what time your parents leave and when they’ll be home. The same goes for those with roommates. So, giving your partner road head on your way back from a dinner date might seem like a great idea. That is, until you’re seen and pulled over by a cop. It’s just not worth it, people. As someone who’s done the do in public more times than she’d care to admit, I can honestly say doing so was foolish. If I had been caught even one time, I could have been labeled as a sex offender. If I had been convicted as a sex offender, I would have that hanging over my head for the rest of my life. And I wouldn’t even be able to keep it to myself. I’d have to alert my neighbors any time I moved. That’s reason enough why I probably won’t be having sex in public again any time soon. If you absolutely must have sex in public — you don’t — please, be careful. Take every precaution to make sure you and your partner are alone, using protection, keeping watch and leaving everything as clean as you found it. Don’t leave used condoms in the public pool. Don’t park outside a preschool assuming recess won’t be for another half hour. And whatever you do, don’t give road head. That’s not just a good way to get busted, it’s a good way to lose an appendage. There are plenty of ways to spice up your sex life. Getting freaky in the streets shouldn’t be one of them.

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hen I log onto Instagram, I see an array of posts. I see pictures of food, vacation spots, sunsets, personal achievements, animals, memes, selfies and beautiful people showing off their attractive physiques. Some of the aspects of Instagram that I listed are perfectly fine. It shows viewers certain food recipes, provides entertainment, pleasure and lets people stay in touch with friends who might not be in their physical lives because of distance. The three aspects that I believe are bad for our generation are the posting of personal achievements, selfies and full-body pictures. At the end of the day, Instagram is a social media platform with 800 million monthly users who allow people to show off their lives to others. The only time I will ever post on Instagram is when I want my followers to see that I am doing something cool with my life. For example, I posted about my trip to Italy in September 2017. I also posted about my trip to Puerto Rico, a few pictures of me I thought I looked good in and a picture from when I won a humorwriting award in the past year. I do not consider my Instagram profile to be detrimental to our generation. The people with millions of followers who only post about how well they look and how amazing their lives are. Let’s talk about Instagram model Alexis Ren. The 21-yearold model with almost 12 million followers posts pictures of her unrealistically amazing body, her travels to exotic places and selfies of her 10-outof-10 face. Now, if I had a life like hers, I’d probably be doing the same thing. But I don’t. Out of her approximate 11.8 million followers, I’m sure most of them do not either. So, when ordinary people look at the pictures on her profile, it is incredibly hard not to compare their lives and think, “Her life is so amazing, and my life sucks and I’m ugly.”

And this goes for every other popular Instagram star out there, male or female. When I see pictures of guys with six-packs and huge arms, I look at myself in the mirror and think, “Wow, my body is terrible.” We as a society have to stop comparing the unrealistic lives of others on Instagram to our own because it is not healthy. According to the Huffington Post, in a study conducted in 2017, “Researchers assessed 1,479 people with ages ranging from 14 to 24 on how Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Snapchat made them feel in both a negative and positive way. Participants answered 14 questions in total about each social media platform, including whether or not they experienced feelings of anxiety, depression and loneliness while using the apps.” Out of all five social media platforms in the study, Instagram was the clear front-runner on negative impacts toward its users. A participant from the study stated that, “Instagram easily makes girls and women feel as if their bodies aren’t good enough as people add filters and edit their pictures in order for them to look ‘perfect.’” That is the other negative aspect of Instagram. People edit their pictures to make themselves look better than they actually do. People also only post positive images to make their lives look amazing. Rarely is anyone going to post a picture of their beat up 1999 Toyota Camry. But every time a famous rapper or celebrity buys a new Bentley, it’s going to be posted to Instagram. I even read that Ren suffers from mental health issues and struggled with an eating disorder in the past. And yet, every picture on her Instagram feed shows her smiling from cheek to cheek and supposedly living her best life. Instagram is merely a false reality for people to show off the highlights of their life so that the entire world thinks their lives are going well. Do not be fooled by it. Stop comparing your life to the lives of others. I guarantee you will see a positive difference in your own. Illustration By Kaitlin Gould

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Don’t you dare censor my comedy and societal taboos. In an interview with NPR, Jeselnik said, “Anything you think there shouldn’t be a joke made about, I’ve n many aspects of our social world, political correctness has got two of those.” taken over. There are some instances where this is acceptable, This is the spark the comedic scene needs. Uncomfortable and some where it just simply is not. One target of political jokes and stories are what make the world go ’round. So, there correctness that I am discussing is comedy. is no reason for someone to refrain from sharing Comedy has always been, and should them on a stage. remain, a form of entertainment intended to The topic of comedic censorship has a make people laugh. To censor comedy is to lot to do with the sensitivity of an audience. lessen the shock factor and excitement of it. According to an article in the Sabotage Times, No one wants to hear the same bland stories “Audiences are as entitled to be offended by a repeated one after the other. The vulgarity added joke, as they are to find it funny.” into comedic performances is what keeps the audience Even so, an audience member might as Illustration By Kaitlin Gould well give a few chuckles rather than sinking in guessing. Sensitivity of others has become a big deciding their seat and taking offense to the material. factor in comedians’ choice of words. Comedy shows are the one time where someone should not be In comedy, sensitivity should be thrown out the window. censored or told what they should — and should not — talk For some, comedy is an escape. It creates a space of joy and about. laughter and maybe even some slight disturbance. Without these, Now, I must be clear: I do not necessarily mean comedians the world of comedy would be lackluster. should joke about mass shootings or rape victims and say the Comedian Anthony Jeselnik has gained fame through his opposite of what most people are thinking. These are two sensitive risqué and unsettling jokes. Although unnerving, he has grown subjects that shouldn’t be carelessly joked about. Hate speech in the comedic scene for a reason. In this day and age, more shouldn’t be condoned on the stage either, as it is not protected by comedians like Jeselnik are needed. the First Amendment. Informally known as “The Dark Prince of Comedy,” Jeselnik That said, if more and more topics are deemed taboo, uses material often containing jokes regarding death, illness comedians will have less and less material to work with.

D’ANNA DAVIS

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I believe that if done respectfully and tastefully, comedians can share laughs revolving around these societal taboos and the audience can choose to accept that. In the same Sabotage Times article, the author said, “Successful comedy often pushes boundaries and can provoke discussion on any number of serious issues. So as long as a piece of comedy is well-written and has a point, should it ever be censored?” If comedy can provoke discussion and potentially educate listeners, it should not be censored. What the general audience must remember is that, although something may be offensive, they are still entitled to say it based on their First Amendment rights. An article in the Huffington Post explained it best by saying, “We are living in a time where we have to consider the feelings of all people because of an increase in diversity in our communities.” Due to this increase in diversity, it can become more difficult for comedians to come up with non-offensive material. Poking fun at a group of marginalized people can put comedians in the hot seat on social media. Daniel Tosh faced immediate backlash for a rape joke he made as well as the rape threat he made to a heckler who opposed it. Political correctness has shaped the comedic world in a negative manner. Comedians should have the right to say whatever they please as it clearly states in the First Amendment. If someone feels they are entitled to take offense to any joke, they should turn off the TV or leave the show. Simple as that.

You don’t need to buy your booty to be booty-full KELSEY SPIGELMIRE

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s a woman who has grown up in an overwhelmingly sexist society, it’s hard not to look at myself in the mirror every day and think about what could be improved. It’s difficult not to feel a little down about the things I cannot change. In a world where looking like a toothpick has been popular for some time, society has evolved to something thicker. Now, having the biggest booty on the block is the most desired feature on a woman. We have seen celebrities magically grow three pant sizes overnight while their waist remained the same. Some use the help of injections and plastic surgery, which can cost thousands of dollars. The average person does not have that kind of money to spend on cosmetic surgery. So, why are we drooling over Kim Kardashian’s body, yet criticizing and even making fun of other women with beautiful curves that come naturally? There is a social stigma that differentiates being called thick versus being called fat. Thickness is seen as a positive attribute and is defined by a person having curves in all the supposedly right areas of the body. Being called fat is seen as negative to both sexes and usually implies that a person needs to lose weight, either to meet a certain beauty standard or ultimately for their health. Most of the time, when I’m scrolling through social media,

I notice a trend. Women who have had surgery to look a certain on themselves behind closed doors than society could ever be way — mainly celebrities — are rewarded by being associated publicly. This is why it is extremely important to take a stand with the more positive thick term. Women who are naturally for those who have natural curves. They need to know they are curvy get called fat. This is not OK. beautiful, too. And just because their waist isn’t as teeny-tiny People need to recognize that classifying women based on as their favorite celebrity’s, that should not discredit them from their weight distribution is a detriment to young people growing feeling beautiful and accepted. up with social media constantly waved in their faces. It tells them In an article on the Huffington Post, “Having so many ways what is and isn’t acceptable solely based on what others think. to showcase beauty and personal self-expression is awesome. But Since the 1900s, movies and television shows when most mainstream images push one narrow have been known to alter women’s perceptions of depiction of beauty, it also suggests that women who how they’re supposed to look. But social media don’t look like that are inadequate.” has changed the game completely and was On the other hand, there are celebrities who described as a “toxic mirror” in an article in Time are looking to change this stigma and are zinging Magazine. back at the plastic surgery fad on their own. For According to the article, “Visual platforms example, the popular Orange is the New Black star like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat deliver Dascha Polanco tweeted a photo of herself Feb. 18, the tools that allow teens to earn approval for their saying, “People out here buying my thickness but appearance and compare themselves to others.” roast mine.” To me, this is far worse damage than any Now, I don’t mean to bash people who opt for movie could do. I have personally experienced plastic surgery, because that is perfectly fine, too. how these constant comparisons can break people Instead, I am making a sincere call to action for down to the core. It is not pretty and will break women everywhere to unite against these wretched even the coldest of hearts to see. beauty standards put forth by society. Body image issues are a dangerous topic Self-love is important. Don’t let social Illustration By Dominic Davies standards define your love for yourself. for young women, as they are more critical

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 11

FEATURES

Exploring Exciting possibilities of exoskeletons Zara Glidden

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n a typical Wednesday, NAU’s new Human Performance Lab is filled with a quiet buzz of activity. Students and professors work at desks and computers, and there is a sound of metallic clunking coming from a nearby room. This is a slow moment in what is normally a busy week. Patients and test subjects can be found interacting with robotic braces and motion-recording equipment built in the lab. The lab’s official opening, which was open to the public, took place Jan. 25. It has been an ongoing project on a less-public level for nearly a year. If asked what the lab is used for, every person in the room answers differently. The diverse mindset is one of the most standout aspects of the space. A plethora of technologies, disciplines and individuals of varying expertise meet there to study and improve human movement through the application of biomechanical tools. Biomechanics relate to everything from external braces to prosthetics, which are any man-made gears that mimic or assist human movement. Kiisa Nishikawa, regents’ professor in the Biological Sciences Department, initiated plans for the lab as a space to conveniently approach integrative work on a variety of biomechanical projects. The Human Performance Lab has both undergraduates and graduate students working in it. This is unique because many other similar programs only use graduate students. The lab works with patients across every level of the fitness spectrum. Though the lab emphasizes improving mobility for people with disabilities, it is also a space to test and analyze the movement of healthy individuals. “We want to do it all ... [from] optimizing performance in sports, to disability,” said Nishikawa. “My lab is really interested in applying new ideas about how muscles work.” Nishikawa is happy to be joining the ranks of many universities with similar research facilities. She said NAU’s Phoenix biomedical campus already had something like this, but that it was difficult to access for scholars in Flagstaff. Though this type of lab itself is not unique to NAU, Nishikawa noted that several of the ongoing research projects are. Nishikawa leads operations at the lab along with Tarang Jain, assistant professor of physical therapy, and Zachary Lerner, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Jain, who focuses

Biology graduate student Thomas Huck and senior biomedical science and mechanical engineering major Jennifer Lawson troubleshoot the imaging system at NAU’s Human Performance Lab Feb. 23. Hunter Weiler | The Lumberjack

on living patients, explained that together they work to innovate the way muscles are understood and functionally improved through the use of robotic exoskeletons. “Dr. Nishikawa came up with a muscle model, so she’s changing the basic physiology on how we understand muscles [to] work,” said Jain. “Now [we’re] trying to apply that model in a live human.” Senior mechanical engineering major Daniel Rivera works in the lab developing this model digitally. “[This is a] mathematical description of muscle tissue, which is relevant to us because robots only understand math, and the idea is that if you can make a description of muscle tissue in robot-speak, then you can make a robot that would move like us,” said Rivera. One of the projects taking place in the lab

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is a study of cerebral palsy patients who often have difficulty walking naturally. Lerner said the overall purpose of this experiment is simple: to help these people walk and move better by implementing mechanical aid. “We do that by designing custom, wearable exoskeletons, basically powered leg braces, that we control to provide assistance to certain muscles and joints,” said Lerner. “The purpose of the pilot projects we have going on is to evaluate and test our latest assistive device design.” Lerner added that the exoskeletons are being tested on the researchers as well as patients with cerebral palsy. The process leading the construction of the exoskeletons is complex. The lab itself, a relatively open space within a small complex of rooms and offices, is framed by an arrangement of technical equipment. A sophisticated system

of cameras and sensors equipped with infrared light capture the movements of patients, which are then translated into computer images. Jain and Lerner compared this approach to techniques that create action sequences in Hollywood movies. “These cameras emit infrared light, which is reflected off the marker and captured in the camera sensor, and we have many cameras that we can triangulate the positioning of each marker — basically determine the 3-D position and import those markers into a computer to reconstruct how the entire body moves,” Lerner said. Jain said, without this complexity and interconnectedness of technology, a full picture of the situation would be impossible. There is also a variety of equipment that interacts directly with patients’ bodies. A

FEATURES treadmill with internal plates records the particular force of each limb and step as a patient walks. There are also breathing monitors which keep track of how much oxygen a person is taking in as they move. These tools help to assess how well the braces are working on a particular body. “If somebody’s actually using a lot more oxygen, that means they’re working harder. I want to develop equipment that is not too heavy, that works for them,” Jain said. As many types of technology and machinery come together to facilitate research, numerous disciplines and types of scholars merge their skills to move it forward. Biology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, sports medicine, physical therapy and athletic training have a place within the lab. “I cannot imagine a more interdisciplinary project,” Lerner said. Nishikawa, Jain and Lerner believe bringing scholars together in this way increases their potential exponentially. Nishikawa said many different departments at NAU helped to fund the lab’s construction, seeing how beneficial it could be for their fields of study. Jain said that engineering is a necessary middle-man for his work. “When you have these equipments ‘talking to each other,’ or sharing data, engineering helps to process all that data,” Jain said. Jain noted that he plays a part in the beginning, working directly with a patient. He then comes in after data has been recorded and arranged to interpret what will work best for the patient’s body. Within this interdisciplinary setting, there is also room for all levels of academic experience. Research at many universities has been traditionally delegated to graduate and doctoral students. Several of these students are pursuing double-majors and can perform work that combines their talents and interests. Rivera said he did not expect this opportunity to include such valuable work prior to his graduation. “What I’m doing right now is pretty much what I want to do with my life, so I’m pretty grateful for that,” Rivera said.

“if you can make a description of muscle tissue in robot-speak, then you can make a robot that would move like us.” -Senior mechanical engineering major Daniel Rivera Nishikawa said this inclusion of students in the lab’s collective work is absolutely intentional. “It’s a point of pride that we take seriously, the inclusion of undergraduate students in our work,” Nishikawa said. In accordance with this desire to promote student involvement, Nishikawa urged that any students who are interested can contact the lab’s faculty. Participation opportunities range from being a test subject, to providing basic hands-on assistance, to helping interpret and translate the research.

Left: Jennifer Lawson wears retro-reflecting nodes at NAU’s Human Performance Lab Feb. 23. Right: Jennifer Lawson walks on the force-plate treadmill Feb. 23 wearing the human-gait recording equipment. Hunter Weiler | The Lumberjack

The public will likely see benefits that extend beyond NAU. Though the lab’s primary objective is to serve NAU and provide research opportunities for scholars, each professor believes that its presence will positively influence the outside world. While the testing of the cerebral palsy exoskeletons is still confined to the lab, their final assessment will take place in patients’ everyday lives. “Our ultimate goal is to be sending these things home,” Lerner said. Achieving their goal will take some time. Every proper scientific study involves a number of phases, from obtaining research grants, to accumulating a large number of patients. However, this experiment seems to be moving steadily in the intended direction. The patients are using the robotic tools and are responding positively. “Intuitively, we see that there will likely be a benefit from our work,” Lerner said. “We can visually inspect how the patients are walking, and we see an improvement. We’re really excited.” Jain also noted that the lab’s multifaceted nature makes it very eligible for large-scale funding. “The big push in healthcare right now is interdisciplinary education ... [the lab] appeals to grants, which fund interdisciplinary work,” Jain said. NAU’s Human Performance Lab is creating innovative uses for technology in order to help the community. While the lab will continue to work to advance the use of the technology for multiple areas, the focus for exoskeletons to assist people diagnosed with cerebral palsy is a highlight to its dedication.

Thomas Huck holds a prosthetic foot at NAU’s Human Performance Lab Feb. 23. Hunter Weiler | The Lumberjack

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 13

FEATURES

Gun advocates want education, not control Brittany Viar

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s more information develops about the recent school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, survivors, pro-gun and anti-gun individuals have spoken their minds about gun control. Their opinions have again sparked debate of the controversial issue. Growing up around guns, sophomore forestry major Gabrielle Allgood understands the importance of gun safety. “I’m around guns a lot,” said Allgood. “My recreation is going mudding and shooting out in the woods. I’m always shooting a gun. I’m pretty much around them all the time. It’s just a personal preference.” Allgood is studying to become a game warden, a person who regulates hunting laws, poaching and fishing licenses. “I was born and raised here,” Allgood said about Arizona. “We’re a very open, gun-law state. I’m for [gun laws and regulations] 100 percent. I do think maybe with the guns, there should be a little more restriction on them when it comes to purchasing a gun.” She said people should be required to take classes about gun usage, the safeties of the gun itself and how to properly clean and care for guns. Allgood said proper precautions can help prevent many gunrelated violences, especially in schools. “I don’t think people are properly educated on [guns], and that’s why you have kids getting a hold of them,” Allgood said. Multiple social media postings declared 18 as the number of school shootings that have happened in the United States in 2018 alone, including the Florida school shooting. However, that number is incorrect, according to an article by The Washington Post. This number originated from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that works to reduce and prevent gun violence. According to The Washington Post, only five of the 18 listed school shootings resulted in physical injury and were during school hours. Everytown for Gun Safety defines a school shooting as, “any time a firearm discharges a live round inside a school building or on a school campus or grounds.” CNN reported a total of 12 school shootings in 2018 as of March 2. Of the 18 listed shootings, one involved an elementary school in Michigan. On Jan. 3, an armed, suicidal 31-year-old man parked outside of the school with no students or teachers on campus. He killed himself hours later, causing the closure of the school for several months. Allgood does not think changing gun laws would change anything as far as crime rates. She thinks that mental illness and bullying in the school systems lead to crime more than other circumstances. “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people. My gun has never grown legs and shot at anybody. Not to be insensitive with that, but it does take someone to pull the trigger,” Allgood said. Allgood understands that any gun can be modified and she believes guns should not be removed from being sold to the general public. However, she said military weaponry should not

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Infographic By Camryn Bowers

be sold to the general public. Sgt. Cory Runge, spokesperson for Flagstaff Police Department (FPD), has developed his own opinions on gun control throughout his time on the police force. “We invest so much time in firearm training because it’s a skill that we rarely actually use in our job. But it’s extremely important to be prepared to use it when the occurrence happens,” said Runge. Education for active shooter situations in schools is something that the FPD provides and encourages. “We also work with our schools and the school district. We encourage our officers to do walk-throughs of all the schools and familiarize themselves with the layout of the schools, talk to the school staff and we also encourage them to talk to the students,” Runge said. Runge said people who have ill intentions will still find ways to avoid protocols for gun control. The response to active shooters is an evolving process based on prior incidents. There has been emphasis from some people in the U.S., including President Donald Trump, about wanting to arm teachers in schools. Some argue that it is a great idea, while others disagree. “It’s not just as simple as bringing firearms into schools and arming teachers. There’s a lot of other consequences that could come from that,” Runge said. “For instance, what happens when the teacher leaves his gun in a drawer and a student takes it? Or, [there is] a much more likely scenario of theft. If a person is going to carry a firearm, please practice and train with it.” Runge said the decision to carry a gun is a personal decision, but there are pros and cons to owning a gun. The reason officers are trained with a gun is because there are instances when a gun is

the most effective tool. “I’ve used my gun many, many times on duty. I’ve never actually fired my firearm,” Runge said. Although Runge has been an officer for about 18 years, he has only drawn his weapon but has never fired it, and has used it for building-clearing purposes when necessary. “Most of our job does not involve even looking at or thinking about our firearms. It involves talking to people, solving community problems and talking to the public in a civil manner,” Runge said. Runge said carrying any weapon is safe as long as the people carrying them are also being safe with them. “I think that it’s not about the guns. I think that people can be unpredictable. People often times behave not rationally, but most people do behave rationally. They do behave safely, they do effectively use safety precautions and procedures, [and] they do take that kind of responsibility [of having a gun] very seriously,” Runge said. “It’s a very small portion of the public that does not exercise safety with their firearms.” Runge explained that each individual is responsible for their own safety. He is open minded with stricter gun laws and the ability of those laws to reduce crime and school shootings. “I think accessibility is one of the big factors of whether anything occurs. So, yes, I think having firearms in society does increase the likelihood of an event happening. I also think making stricter regulations with people who are likely to follow those rules is going to prevent the people that would not be involved in those kinds of activities not having access,” Runge said. “It will not prevent people who are motivated to violate the law or do not respect the rule of law, or do not respect the rights of other people. It’s not going to prevent them from obtaining a firearm just because there’s rule about it.” In 2015, three people were injured and one person was killed during a shooting incident at NAU in the parking lot of Mountain View Hall. This is considered a school shooting according to Everytown for Gun Safety. The shooter and the victims were all NAU students. Some retail stores have already changed their policies for gun purchases. Two leading gun sellers, Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods, have raised the age of gun purchase to 21. Dick’s also discontinued their sales of assault-style rifles. NAU graduate Phillip Scavo has owned and operated the 2nd Amendment Store located near the NAU campus since 2012. “All federally licensed firearm dealers have to abide by federal law. So, that would begin with a passing of a background check,” said Scavo. “Arizona doesn’t necessarily have too many state laws on firearm sales and how that transaction goes, but we do abide by all federal laws.” Scavo believes that the Second Amendment is perfect as it is and should not be changed in any way. Scavo has seen the news and understands that the students had been suspicious of 19-yearold Nikolas Cruz who killed the 17 people in the recent shooting. “I don’t believe that the Constitution at all should be regulated,” Scavo said. “I think in this previous event, there was obvious reason to be concerned that that young man would do something foolish.”

Arizona Snowbowl Is Hiring Cooks! We are looking for experienced cooks for the rest of the season! Pay is based on experience Part-time or Full-time Free skiing for you and your friends Perks and discounts here and in town Position could continue into the summer

Call 928-214-4018 or email enestel@snowbowl.ski if interested or if you have questions!

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 15

CULTURE

Popping down to Peak sweets and popcorn Kaylin Dunnett

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ntering the Peak Sweets and Popcorn shop, patrons are immediately greeted by the warm, sugary smell of doughnuts and caramelized popcorn. Owner Linda Place, who grew up in Rhode Island, has been an aficionado of sweets for years. She first saw a mini-doughnut machine in a 1979 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine when she was 23 years old. “I’ve always been an entrepreneur and worked for myself,” said Place. “It took me until I was 59 years old to purchase one, but I was always fascinated ... Going to a lot of large fairs and festivals back East, they would have mini doughnuts.” She began to sell sweets in 2008, working special events with an Italian-ice cart and freshsqueezed lemonade. “My son has high-functioning autism, and I wanted to think of something fun to do with him and give him a part-time job,” Place said. “I opened a store for a couple of years from 2010 to 2012 [in east Flagstaff], but mostly it was just to have a legal kitchen because we did popcorn, fudge, caramel apples, and I did a lot of wholesale, fundraising, special events and catering.” Place said she then took time off to be with her family and kept some of her equipment from her original store. The space off of Milton Road that Flagstaff knows today as Peak Sweets and Popcorn became available in 2015. “I opened this store June of 2015, so it’ll be three years [since opening] in June. We still do fundraising, catering, special events ... I actually have more business outside the store than I do in the store,” she said. “I have some equipment [and] another doughnut machine [in Phoenix] ... There are larger corporations down there to do catering, and that’s guaranteed money.” For Place, however, the real reason she made the journey from Rhode Island to Flagstaff was for her son, Christopher. “I moved here for my son, knowing he was never going to drive. We were looking for a biking community,” Place said. “I relocated from Rhode Island. I had lived in the same town for 47 years. It’s a good fit for him because he’s independent, very social,” said Place with a laugh. “I hardly see him.” Place said that he enjoys helping her both in the business and at her events. “He volunteers at every fair and festival

Left: A wall of flavored popcorn at Peak Sweets and Popcorn in Flagstaff Feb. 28. Right: The snow cone machine at Peak Sweets and Popcorn Feb. 28, is a new addition since last summer. Madeleine Dill | The Lumberjack

there is,” Place said. “At our little town of 10,000, he would have been bored. I would have had to have driven him everywhere. He wouldn’t have had that independence ... he loves it here.” The business sells a multitude of confections, including ice cream, shaved ice, popcorn, mini doughnuts and, on occasion, chocolates. Place said that out of all of the sweets she creates at her shop, she sells the most popcorn. Place’s popcorn is uniquely colored to denote the flavor. “Popcorn is the biggest seller year-round,” Place said. Shaved ice is a close contender. “In the summer, shaved ice and ice cream [are popular] ... I even sold more shaved ice than ice cream last summer,” Place said. “I didn’t have the shaved ice after October, but the college students [wanted the shaved ice back]. So I brought it back this month, and I sell some every day.” Peak Sweets and Popcorn has brought her many happy memories, but the best for Place is when her regulars return time and time again. “Seeing my old customers, people from when I was in business before when I was doing events and even when I had my old shop,” Place said. “That’s why I kept the name but added

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‘popcorn.’” Place did this because she felt that old customers would recognize the name. “[I had] a [wireless] credit card machine and sometimes I had to go in the parking lot to get it to work,” Place said. “I would tell customers to pay me next time.” Place said that after she took a summer off, two of these customers came back into her shop and attempted to pay her back for the pounds of fudge they had purchased. Place appreciated the honesty of her returning customers but wouldn’t allow them to pay her back. “I have a lady who is 85 years old, and she drives from Munds Park two times a week for two bags of cheese [popcorn]. When I was sick [in September], she was calling to see how I was ... When she was afraid I would be sick again, she came and bought six bags,” Place said, laughing. “Just in case!” NAU alumnus Shawn López has fond memories of visiting Peak Sweets. He found the current shop by following the smell of frying doughnuts. “I followed the smell to a shop I had never seen before, and I was greeted by a nice woman who immediately began talking to me like she already knew me,” said López. “That experience

reminded me of why I wanted to come to a small town in the first place ... [when I left the store], she walked me out like I was a friend leaving her home.” Former NAU student, Zachariah Luther, found out about the business through López. It became a regular spot for the two looking to get their mini-doughnut fix. “I would go there [almost] every day, getting mini powdered doughnuts with caramel way too often for my health,” said Luther. The children who come to her shop are another perk of running Peak Sweets for Place. “They’re always smiling [when] they get their shaved ice and ice cream, or when they watch the little mini doughnuts being made,” Place said. “I love the excitement the little kids show.” Place said that seasonal flavors of popcorn are made in accordance with traditional holidays. “I’ll have popcorn with crushed gingerbread men on it, or pumpkin spice, and we’ll do vats of red and green [popcorn],” Place said. “When I sold fudge, I did seasonal flavors.” She also plans on selling Easter-themed, chocolate bunnies made of Belgian chocolate. For Peaks Sweets and Popcorn, home is wherever their loyal customers are.

MARCH 8, 2018 – MARCH 14, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 17

CULTURE

Review: A New Form of Beauty Kendra Hastings

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he Glen Canyon and the Colorado River Basin areas face a prolonged dry spell as a result of climate change, which has devastated much of the surrounding environment in modern history. In the photo exhibition at the Museum of Northern Arizona, “A New Form of Beauty,” photographer Peter Goin collaborated with writer and journalist Peter Friederici to tackle the science behind the changing landscape from an artistic standpoint. The exhibition ended March 1. They created a story through words and photographs that illustrate Glen Canyon and Lake Powell — areas that are the crossroads between deconstruction and creation. Goin’s images delivered a shocking reality and reveal the result of our impact within these altered landscapes. It’s story a story of both grief and celebration. Goin and Friederici ventured with a camera and pen in hand, traveling by motorboat and kayak throughout Lake Powell. The three-decade project documented their experiences. The two were able to capture evocative photographs and insightful essays that transport the viewer into these grieving landscapes. When Glen Canyon Dam was completed, Lake Powell was at the center of controversy and years later continues to be a example of the dire challenges the future holds for this devastated environment. “A New Form of Beauty” creates an eye-opening experience for the viewer. Goin’s colored photographs were displayed in three galleries ­— “Low Water,” “Artifacts” and “Flora and Fauna” — interspersed with four short essays by Friederici. The photographs, printed on specialty watercolor paper, captured a hauntingly beautiful reality that millions of Lake Powell visitors overlook every year. The watercolor paper drew the viewer in and created an illusion of the water flowing. Upon walking into the gallery, visitors first witnessed a huge panorama of Moqui Canyon. The photograph shows the broad canyon walls with water flowing in the foreground. Bold watermarks exposed on the canyon wall show the progression of decreasing water levels. As viewers continued clockwise through the gallery, the next grouping of photographs attendees viewed was titled “Low Water,” which displays barren riverbeds and dead solitary trees. These photographs showed the lasting effect climate change continues to have on this

deconstructed environment and how the water levels continue to lower. “Burning Tumbleweed” is one particular photograph that received attention from viewers. The photograph showed a burning tumbleweed in the foreground and the vast canyon and lake in the background. Sophomore psychology major Bethany Rossew shared her thoughts on the meaning behind the photograph. “There’s a lot of conflict within this image ... the burning tumbleweed, I believe, represents the catastrophe and damage of the drought, yet there’s still the element of water present in the background. And people are the water flowing by, unfazed by the destruction of nature,” said Rossew. The next sub-gallery, titled “Artifacts,” displayed beautiful nature elements throughout Lake Powell that are tainted by debris left behind by people, which includes items as small as eyeglasses to sunken boats. “Artifacts” illustrated the idea of how the lowering water levels exposes the effects people have had on this environment. The last sub-gallery, “Flora and Fauna,” displayed the alteration of natural elements and the effect climate change has had on surrounding vegetation. Friederici includes a compelling essay about individuals of the Hopi Tribe and how they were once able to adapt and survive to the harsh conditions of the Southwest, but now the land has become barren and much of the native vegetation no longer thrives in the worsened conditions. Volunteer at the Museum Annie Khoury said the exhibit changed her perspective on the canyon. “It makes you stop and think of what has happened since the dam was first formed years ago,” said Khoury. “It’s very eerie, in a way.” Allison Klion, membership administrator at the Museum of Northern Arizona, said Goin and Friederici provide a window for looking at the environment and the human impact on the West. Climate change is a serious issue, and “A New Form of Beauty” serves as solid evidence of what has taken place over decades as humans continue to try and conquer nature. “A New Form of Beauty” created a sense of awareness in the viewers and encouraged reflection on humanity’s role in this new world. Goin and Friederici encouraged attendees to question the way they perceive the world, how they live in it and what the future holds.

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Top: A visitor views an image inside the exhibit at the Museum of Northern Arizona Feb. 28. Bottom: A book containing images from “A New Form of Beauty” exhibit rests on the table at the Museum of Northern Arizona Feb. 28. Austin Corbett | The Lumberjack

CULTURE

Custom Sound goes no strings attached Sebastian A. Moore

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he sweet, soothing sound of music is in the Flagstaff air. In 2004, owner Ryan Elewaut opened the guitar shop Custom Sound Instruments on San Francisco Street. Six years later, Elewaut moved the store to Beaver Street. In 2017, Elewaut merged his retail location with Thomas Byers Guitar Studio, and in mid-March 2018, another big change is scheduled to take place. Elewaut is planning to close his retail location to solely focus on the custom-made instruments and repair shop. Elewaut has had a passion for music and guitars since high school. This passion is what ultimately led Elewaut to pursue his dream and open his own guitar store. “I started building guitars in high school,” said Elewaut. “I built my first one by 17 and then that got me an apprenticeship in this little acoustic shop. I’ve been kind of obsessed with working on guitars and building guitars ever since.” Aside from having a passion for music, Elewaut was playing guitar long before he built his first one. Nowadays, Elewaut focuses more on building than actually playing. “I get just as much creative release from working on guitars and building guitars, especially compared to playing them,” Elewaut said. During Elewaut’s time at NAU, he realized the work he was producing could earn him more money with his own business. That’s when he decided to be his own boss. “When I went to school up here, I was working for somebody else and realized I was getting paid minimum wage for highly skilled work,” Elewaut said. “The wheels started spinning, and I wanted to start my own shop.” Of course, another major inspiration for Elewaut starting his own business was his family. Elewaut and his wife have a 4-yearold daughter. “Your perspective, your goals and your focus kind of change when you have a kid,” Elewaut said. “My wife has been very supportive. She was the one who really encouraged me to make this move.” When Custom Sound moved to Beaver Street, the location served as the retail, repair and custom shop. When Elewaut created a partnership with Thomas Byers Guitar Studio, he moved his retail store into the studio, which is also located on Beaver Street. “We partnered up in terms of the location. Thomas is a good friend of mine. We’ve always had kind of an affiliation between his lesson program and our store,” Elewaut said. “We just decided the best opportunity for both of us to try expanding both of our operations was to move in together.” The partnership between Elewaut and Byers was ultimately a move to save money and be more productive on repairs and custom builds. “It gave us an opportunity to expand our retail program and our repair shop because all of that was squeezed into this one building before,” Elewaut said. “We could relegate all of us repair guys here and keep the distractions down so we could just focus on working. When retail was in here, it was a little bit distracting.

Custom Sound Instruments employee Jason Lindsey constructs a handcrafted guitar at the shop in Flagstaff Feb. 5. Maxim Mascolo | The Lumberjack

People were always coming in shopping, and we’d have to stop what we’re doing and go help the customer.” Elewaut is not selling his second location. Byers has the lease on that location, and it will remain as Thomas Byers Guitar Studio as the partnership between the two continues. “The affiliation is continuing,” Elewaut said. “The partnership, we’re both very happy about. It was more just a business decision in terms of what we wanted to focus on and where we wanted to put our energy.” One reason for closing the retail store has to do with a lack of sales. “There is so much online shopping these days,” Elewaut said. “We get a lot of people looking and then buying online. The phrase in the industry is like, ‘You don’t want to just be a showroom for Amazon,’ and sometimes it feels that way.” The retail store was a great expansion idea in the company’s early years, but online shopping has caused the market to become unpredictable. “The retail store is really volatile and it takes so much work to

keep the numbers up,” Elewaut said. “The return on investment is just diminishing over there. It takes more and more work and marketing to keep pulling the numbers I need to break even.” On Feb. 22, Custom Sound began a liquidation sale for the leftover inventory of guitars. The sale will continue until midMarch when the move is completed. “We sold specific companies’ guitars,” Elewaut said. “We’re dealers for some brands like Alvarez, Larrivee, Seagull, Orange Amps, Electro Harmonix and Fishman.” Elewaut wants to refocus his attention solely on the custom and repair aspects. Repairing guitars is the bulk of the work that he does. “We do thousands of repairs a year, something like 1,200 per year,” Elewaut said. With the retail store almost out of the picture, Elewaut and his employees can begin working more on custom builds, including a new line of custom guitars. “Solstice guitar is the one we’re working on and focusing our energy,” Elewaut said. “Solstice guitars will launch this summer with two models of electric guitars and two models of acoustics. From there, we have nine different acoustic models. We are just starting small with what we can get produced before the summer time.” Elewaut can also refocus on the goal he had when he created Custom Sound. “Our mission has always been to provide an alternative resource for musicians,” Elewaut said. “Music stores can be kind of intimidating, especially for beginners. A lot of our mission is to educate people as to what the potential is with a guitar.” Certified luthier, a maker of stringed instruments, Jason Lindsey started working at Custom Sound in 2010 but left the company before returning in 2017. “My passion lies more in building. Music is certainly a part of it, but I’ve always been a builder,” said Lindsey. “I liked playing guitars, so I just combined the two passions.” Elewaut provides a relaxing work environment, which helps the creative process for him and his employees. “We’re all mostly very mellow-minded, and we all really enjoy what we do, so it creates a nice, light-hearted atmosphere,” Lindsey said. Austin Bingham works as a retail salesman but is also a certified luthier. He is the newest employee, having only worked for Elewaut for three weeks. “I do retail, shipping and online retail,” said Bingham. “Our number-one seller is probably the Alvarez Dreadnought; it is the standard acoustic guitar.” Bingham has a similar take as Elewaut when it comes to online shopping and music stores becoming showrooms. “Overall, the state of the music industry is you go into a guitar store to try something out and then probably order online,” Bingham said. The retail shop closing its doors only means Custom Sound will no longer sell other manufacture brands. Elewaut and his team can refocus on their mission of bringing custom sounds back to the community of Flagstaff.

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SPORTS

From the screen to the court

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nly days ago, NAU men’s basketball head coach Jack Murphy was on his soapbox, sending a message of urgency to his team. Redshirt senior guard Gino Littles was Murphy’s protagonist. This time, though, the situation was bleaker than illustrating Littles’s unsinkable attitude. Littles had recently suffered a knee injury, and the NAU training staff wasn’t sure if it would end his collegiate career. There Littles was, though, on the court and dressed for practice. He wouldn’t participate that day. But the point was made — Littles was there for his teammates. Born in Denver, Colorado, Littles is the son of former NBA head coach, Gene Littles. MATTHEW JARECKI The resemblance is striking. HOST OF “THE JERK” More striking? How Littles describes what ON KJACK RADIO most would consider a tough early life. “My parents split up when I was about 4,” said Littles. “I’ve lived [in Arizona] since I was 5 years old all the way up until now. I love it. You know I got a great stepmom, great stepdad, great family, love it.” Folks, I don’t carry this much positivity in my two front teeth, and if Littles was putting up an act, get this man an Oscar. Of course, it’s not an act, but if it was, it wouldn’t be shocking because, wait for it, Littles split time as an actor and a basketball star during his time at Desert Mountain High School. “I happened to land a TV show. But it came to the point in my high school career where it was either college basketball or that,” Littles said. Happened to land a TV show, huh, Gino? Some people just have it. Trust me, I’m scrounging for a hard-hitting dig at Littles too, but I must admit, 20 minutes later, I really like this guy. It hasn’t been all TV shows and starting point guard duty for Littles, though. “I was always small. I’m still small you know?” Littles said. Littles was prescribed and used Human Growth Hormone for seven years due to irregular hormone production, but his frame remains slight to this day. That slim frame, and a lack of big-time offers, led to Littles walking on at the University of Texas at San Antonio to begin his college basketball career. Eight games in, Littles became the starting point guard. Not long after, he’d earned a scholarship, but as fast as the good times came, they left, Littles suffered a season-ending knee injury. Self-loathing, though, just isn’t Littles’s style. “I was just trying to keep the guys motivated ... Let’s just keep going,” Littles said. Then, after a healthy junior year, another speed bump. Littles learned his father had cancer, making it impossible for him to fly out to Littles’ games. He’d also learned that his minutes would decrease during his senior season. Coming home just felt right. Now, in his first and last year at NAU after transferring, Littles is what he’s always been: a torchbearer for positivity. That injury, by the way, turned out to be minor. Littles was on the court looking like his normal self before I sat down with him. You get the feeling, Littles would have been just fine either way.

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NAU Club Baseball team members watch a teammate at bat April 9, 2017. Matthew Strissel | The Lumberjack

Swing, batter batter Ashley Majchrzak

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pringtime means many things, but for NAU Club Baseball, it’s game time. After finishing in last place for conference play last season, the Jacks are back wanting some redemption. “It was a big disappointment because we know we are capable of beating anyone in our league, and we are ready to prove that this year,” said junior pitcher Tanner Bradford. With such a young team, there will be some rebuilding and molding of the Jacks’ leadership. “We have a new president, Ryan Munoz, and vice president, Dave Lucia, and you are looking at a team that is more young than we have probably ever been, but the core players all have a lot of experience in this level of baseball,” Bradford said. With these new leaders, the team hopes it will be able to grow its chemistry on and off the diamond. The team is planning fundraisers and team bonding to take place throughout the season. With the fundraisers, the team hopes to relieve the stress and added pressure of buying supplies and equipment that is not provided by the school. Funding and chemistry isn’t the only thing that the team is trying to fix. They are taking it back to the beginning —

working on the fundamentals and getting better with the basics. This will allow them the time to grow as a young team and get better through the years. “We are focusing on hitting a little more this year after kind of falling off from the year prior,” Bradford said. “We are also focusing on having fun but at the same time being serious and going out and winning some baseball games, and hopefully that leads to a regional playoff berth.” NAU is doing their part to help out this club by putting new batting cages in the field house so the team can work on their hitting without having to travel to the east side of Flagstaff to Signua Middle School fields for practice and games. Even though they have a lot of work ahead of them going into this season, the teams passion for the game doesn’t make it feel like work. “Everyone that plays on this team really loves the game of baseball and is just really playing so they can keep playing the game that we all grew up loving as well,” Bradford said. The Jacks started their season on the road Feb. 17 and hold a record of 1-2. The team will have a four-game series on the road from March 8 to March 10 in Nevada. The Jacks will remain on the road until their first home game of the season, which is scheduled for April 14.

SPORTS

Long distance taken to a whole New level CARA HEISE

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e runs on trails. He runs Mount Elden. He runs Mount Humphreys. He runs from the top of the Grand Canyon to the bottom and back again. He ran 50 miles in the Avalon 50/50 Benefit Run and won first place, and he plans to run 100 miles in San Diego June 8. His name is Austin Horn. A junior exercise science major, Horn is just like any other college student, he just happens to take long-distance running to another level. Horn ran cross-country and track and field in high school. However, once he noticed he did better at the distance events, he decided he wanted to run longer distances. “I kept trying to do longer races, and the weekend before I graduated, I ran my first marathon, and ever since then, I just keep trying to find longer races,” said Horn. A Coconino High School alumnus and Flagstaff native, Horn credits Mary Kemp for his love of distance running. Kemp was his crosscountry and track-and-field coach his junior year of high school. “Austin is very unique,” said Kemp. “He was not the typical high school student, nor is he the typical college student for his age. He is much more mature and introspective. I think distance running in general lends itself to introspective opportunities, so I think that’s where his love of running fell in line with who he is as an individual.” Horn has participated in the Catalina Island 50-mile Avalon run twice. The second time he ran, he took more than 30 minutes off of his previous time and won the race with a time stamp of 6:32:19. “I did a lot more training because I knew what to expect and I knew what the course was like, so I trained for that,” Horn said. To prepare for his next race, the San Diego 100-Mile Endurance Run, Horn has been taking the past month to recover and has been slowly getting back into the groove. He also is a part of the Run NAU club. This past semester, he met another longdistance athlete, Brandon DeBolt, a sophomore mechanical engineering major who would become his running partner. When the trails dry up from the snow, they will be running the San Francisco Peaks as they actively participate in elevation-gain running. Running the Peaks involves running an individual peak starting at the trailhead and

Junior exercise science major Austin Horn is a competitive long-distance runner. In January, Horn won the Catalina Island 50-mile Avalon race in southern California, Feb. 3. Raymond Felix Olivarez | The Lumberjack

stopping at the end, then driving to the next peak to do it again. The duo will also run rim-to-rim-to-rim at the Grand Canyon soon, which is considered a graduate-level run because it is so advanced. The runner goes up and down 10,000 feet. “It’s a lot about climbing and how far you can go, mainly vertical ascent and high mileage weeks really plays into it,” said DeBolt. “High mileage for me is about 60 miles a week. For

him, he hits 100-mile weeks before leading up to his Avalon race. A lot of consistency in training is what it’s going to be the most important thing.” Because Horn is running 100 miles in June, DeBolt has been helping him train by pacing him when they go on runs together. Longdistance trail running is the way to go when training for the longer-distance events. “He has never shied away from a challenge,” Kemp said. “He is very demure, very

humble, very gentle in his approach to really big challenges. So, I think he serves as a role model to people who have this idea on what a competitive athlete looks like.” When Horn runs, he thinks about random things to distract him, like school or television shows, but not all of the time. “Sometimes I think about what I need to do to keep moving, and sometimes I’m not thinking at all, I’m just zoning out,” Horn said. Horn has competed in six ultramarathons, which is any race that exceeds 26 miles, thus making distances vary in those events. He has also competed in three marathons. “He has never crossed a finished line and threw his arms up in the air and said, ‘Hey everybody look at me,’” Kemp said. “He’s much more of a community player, like, we’re all in this together, and wants to really build his community to make everyone around him better, not just him.” There are different benefits of running: sleeping better and increased creativity to name a couple. When people run, they may be trying to get through it and not pay attention to what is around them, or they could be like DeBolt, Horn and Kemp. “In distance running, you’re out there for a long time at a moderate pace, and that lends itself for opportunity to get to know people,” Kemp said. “On the other end of the spectrum, you are totally alone. You are in this world that we have and getting to see it from a very different perspective. Whether it’s out on a very quiet trail, observing the animals and listening to the sounds of the forest, feeling the cool air against your skin, all of the things we take for granted. It teaches you to enjoy the moment and the nature around you.” Horn graduated at the top of his class in high school and gave a speech at graduation. Kemp shared the ending sentences of his speech. “So, he said to his class, ‘Please remember to thank the people who support you, in your everyday as well as long term efforts. You can achieve your goals with the help of the others around you, and in return, you must help those in need. Remember that although obstacles are always in our path, we can overcome them by putting one foot in front of the other and keeping our focus on the finish line,’” Kemp recalled. Kemp says Horn uses running as a metaphor for his life, and also happens to run ultramarathons to continue to push his limits.

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SPORTS

Chiara Tomasetti, left, and Madi Moore, right, congratulate each other after scoring a point in a match at the Aquatic and Tennis Complex March 2. Madeleine Dill | The Lumberjack

Meet freshman break-out tennis player Madi Moore Elizabeth Wendler

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reshman Madi Moore is more than a 19-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona, local. She’s also a tennis, golf and all-around team player. Moore’s parents both played tennis and often played with her. She began to play in tournaments when she moved to Texas, and eventually became invested in the sport at a Mercedes Benz Tournament when she saw college students play at a level she aspired to reach. Moore now competes with the Lumberjacks and has gained some much-needed experience this past fall. Moore went 5-4 in singles and 5-4 in doubles in the fall and competed in the UNLV Invitational with fellow freshman Worthy Goldman in doubles. Goldman went 4-5 in singles and 5-4 in doubles. “Madi is really feisty on the tennis court,” said head coach Maciej Bogusz when describing Moore’s playing style. “She’s not gonna back down on the pressure. So, it’s good to have her on the same side of the net with you.” Bogusz said Moore became quite the disciplined player on and off the court, putting in plenty of hard work in the weight room and at practices to hone her skills. Her standing as a Arizona local helps the team during tournaments, because Moore’s family has been known to host for the team when they compete in Phoenix. What started off as playing around with her parents turned

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into serious practice, and now, Moore is driven to evolve as a tennis player with the help of her coach and her friends. “I feel like she’s just scratched the surface of the level of the tennis player she’s gonna become,” Bogusz said. “She had a very successful fall semester.” Aside from being a tough player, Bogusz described Moore as an “ultimate team player” and her peers could learn much from her style of teamwork. Before the spring season, Moore described how she planned to practice, saying she would set up practice partners and even train at an academy to stay in shape and sharpen her skills. “This is kind of an important time to make sure you’re selfmotivated and practicing on your own because, if you’re not, then you won’t see results in the spring season,” Moore said. “I honestly think I improved a lot more than I would have because the intensity of the practices. I feel like my teammates pushing me to be better has really helped me because they’re always encouraging me to get better.” Moore said her hobbies include volunteering — she completed 500 hours of volunteer work throughout high school — hanging out with her friends and going on adventures. When she is not with her friends or exploring, Moore is in the weight room, study room or practicing on the courts. She didn’t always aspire to be a tennis player and described her recruitment process as challenging. “Honestly, a couple years back, I didn’t even see myself

playing college tennis,” Moore said. “I wasn’t at the level at all, I didn’t care at all, and then all of a sudden, one day something just happened, and I wanted to play so bad. And it just became a goal of mine.” Moore talked about having to play a game of catch-up to get on the level of her peers, practicing often to boost her rankings. Ki Kroll, former women’s head coach and current men’s head coach, spoke with Moore about NAU. She then decided it was the school for her. With the spring season in full swing, Moore said she was looking forward to seeing her teammates compete well in their tournaments. Moore said the Lumberjacks have made it to Big Sky Championships in the past but have yet to win it. She expressed her hopes to help her team reach their long-awaited goal in the next season. With such a young team, Moore felt the Lumberjacks might be underestimated at tournaments, which could work to their advantage on the court. Moore said she still has room for improvement. “I feel like I have more room to improve, especially getting a lot of match play,” Moore said. “I wanna be the best player I can be.” Moore is interested in the medical field, particularly as a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner. Until then, her biggest challenge will be managing athletics with school work, and being there for her team.

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