Utah Statesman The
Utah State University • Logan, Utah
Organ festival brings MoTab guest
March Madness craze takes over USU page 7
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
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Survey shows low public interest in science, technology, math, engineering 4By Ashlyn Runyan staff writer
Last month, the National Science Foundation published a study to test the general public’s thoughts and knowledge of science and technology. The NSF study found that people are generally uneducated about science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, and most are not interested in discussing or
learning about them. Forty percent of Americans indicated they were interested in news about “new scientific discoveries,” and 36 percent reported regularly discussing scientific issues with friends, family and colleagues. As part of the study, the Committee on Science and Engineering Indicators assessed Americans’ knowledge by asking them a series of 10 true-or-false questions. The average score in 2012 was 65 percent.
David Feldon, an associate professor in instructional technology and learning sciences and director of the new USU STE2M Center, said having at least a basic understanding of STEM disciplines is much more important than most people realize. “Understanding of how the natural and man-made worlds work is a fundamental part of general human knowledge along with history, literature, the arts, etc.,” he said. “A well-rounded foundation of knowl-
edge opens many doors for people through conversation, exploration of new ideas and employment opportunities.” Feldon said STEM is not only part of a well-rounded general education, but it is also becoming increasingly important in all aspects of the workforce. “As the economy evolves, employment opportunities across the income spectrum have increasingly and will continue to require knowl-
Aggie Blue Bikes hires coordinator 4By Manda Perkins staff writer
Aggie Blue Bikes created a new position this semester to serve the USU biking community. Wayne Elder, a member of the League of American Bicyclists, was hired as the first bicycle education coordinator. Elder has been tasked with a two-fold mission; to encourage more bicycle use on and off campus and to promote bicycle safety through education. “There is a need because of our observations on how people bike in this town,” Elder said. “We observe a lot of people riding bikes on the sidewalk, riding on the wrong side of the streets and not doing things safely. And there appears to be a severe lack of bicycling in this area … because of the air quality and the health of people. There’s just a lot of benefits for increasing bicycle use.” As the weather gets warmer, Elder and his team at Aggie Blue Bikes plan to promote biking by hosting several big events, including the celebration of National Bike Month in April, and a “Family Biking Fun Fest,” which will be held Saturday, May 3, after finals week. Paul Urzagaste, a graduate student studying plant science, is an avid biker. He regularly rides his bike to and around campus. He said there is plenty of room to improve the number of students who use this alternate form of transportation. “A lot of people are leaving their bikes outside when it starts getting cold or rainy and leave them unattended all semester,” Urzagaste said. “There are at least 10 bikes in my parking lot, and of those 10 bikes, I see maybe three people use them regularly. The rest have flat tires or have rusty chains, so they just sit there.” By implementing programs to pro-
edge and skills related to STEM, from computer programming to advanced manufacturing techniques,” he said. Amy Wilson, an assistant professor in teacher education and leadership in the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, said the problem may lie in the fact that most people do not see the connection between STEM and
See SURVEY, Page 9
Engineering enrollment increases 4By Maile Burnett staff writer
ride with people who are more experienced to learn how to negotiate traffic,” he said. “And if they can’t, they should take a class to learn how to ride, like a class through the HPER.” Plans are still in the works to finalize other informal courses, such as Traffic Skills for Commuters and Family Bicycling, but Elder plans to start bicycle maintenance seminars for anyone interested in sharpening their mechanical skills. Until then, the mechanics at Aggie Blue Bikes are willing to help anyone fix
Graduation rates have dropped over the past 10 years for the College of Engineering, but the associate dean of the college, Dean Adams, said the college is expecting to increase the rates for this year and in years to come. Enrollment in the college reached a low in 2006, and consequently, graduation numbers have dropped. Christine Hailey, dean of the College of Engineering, said she believes this was partially caused by Utah House Bill 331, which in 2002 reduced the number of out-of-state tuition waivers the university granted and required someone to live in Utah for two years before they could gain residency for in-state tuition. After the bill was repealed, enrollment throughout the university increased. Hailey said despite fears that enrollment would drop again due to the missionary age change for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, enrollment numbers have held strong. Adams said there was a university decision to increase the amount of out-of-state tuition waivers in order to attract students from outside Utah. The College of Engineering worked to recruit students from both in and out-ofstate. In Fall 2013, engineering was the only college at USU to see an increase in enrollment numbers. Enrollment has reached more than 2,000 students, the largest number Hailey remembers since 2002. “This should translate into good graduation numbers if we retain them,” Hailey said. Kristina Glaittli, the retention specialist
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Zak Ricklefs photo AGGIE BLUE BIKES hired its first bicycle education coordinator, Wayne Elder. His mission is to both encourage more bicycle use on and off campus and increase education about bicycle safety. He’s observed many safety issues with bicycling in Logan and hopes to inform the public and USU students with several different events and classes.
mote bike safety, Elder hopes more students will feel confident to get out and ride. “It is important for people to feel and act safe,” he said. “I feel that there are a lot of people who would like to ride, but don’t feel comfortable getting in traffic, so we want to teach them to ride comfortably and confidently in traffic situations.” And to do this, Elder has been working to implement traffic safety courses that students can take for school credit. These courses should be available next fall. “There’s a lot of people, from my own
personal observations riding around town and up on campus, who don’t understand how to safely negotiate traffic,” he said. “We have our fair share of traffic in Logan. So, as far as knowing what side of the street to ride on and how to negotiate intersections, these are all skills that could save our life or keep us from getting hurt.” Corey Checketts, a senior majoring in public relations, said bicyclists need to know what they are doing out on the road to make the roads safer for everyone. “New bike riders definitely need to go
IT develops new Nobel laureate talks about economic uncertainty Canvas update 4By Maile Burnett staff writer
4By Lyndsey Snyder staff writer
USU instructional developer Kenneth Larsen has gained national and international recognition for his work on the Canvas website. Larsen, a grad student in the instructional technology and learning sciences department, designed templates for the website when he was hired in June last summer to help develop elementary education courses. “It was a lot of redundant hours, a lot of copy and paste,” Larsen said. “I thought there had to be an easier way.” Larsen created a way for professors to go into their Canvas courses and, using a series of templates and tools, build and style a course quickly. He started this particular project in August, and it has since gained momentum. “I just wanted to make what we were doing easier,” Larsen said. “Apparently everyone else was frustrated as well.” Schools across the country have recognized Larsen’s work and want to use it. “Thanks to Kenneth’s projects, USU is leading the pack when it comes to innovative design in Canvas,” said instructional designer Travis Thurston. “We’re being contacted by Ivy League schools who want to implement our innovations at their institutions.” John Louviere, the director for the Center of Innovative
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2013 Nobel laureate and USU alumnus Lars Peter Hansen spoke to a full crowd in the Performance Hall on March 7 about the uncertainty of economics. Hansen said there are two types of uncertainty in economics. There is the uncertainty from a researcher examining a model, and there is uncertainty among the players in the model. Often, economists simplify their models by ignoring the uncertainty of the players. In this case, players are investors, consumers and people participating in the economy. “Models, at the end of the day, they’re wrong,” Hansen said. Much of Hansen’s work has been trying to figure out how to model the uncertainty of the individuals within a model. After the financial crisis, Hansen said he went to many conferences where people discussed financial policies. “People would say, ‘This is a really complicated problem, therefore it requires a complicated solution,’ and I think that’s not the obvious
Mikayla Kapp photo LARS PETER HANSEN was surprised on Founder’s Day by Craig Petersen, the mayor of Logan, announcing he would name 800 East after the USU alumnus. Lars Hansen Drive will replace 800 East.
conclusion,” Hansen said. According to Hansen, not enough is known about the economy, and patterns to give a complicated answer. He believes simple, clear solutions would be more effective right now. “Save the complexity until our full understanding catches up with things,” he said.
Hansen thinks the idea of uncertainty — the idea that people have a limited understanding — should play more of a role in policy discussions. “Unfortunately, if you want to influence a politician … it’s more effective if a colleague stands up and pretends he knows everything,” Hansen said.
Along with two others, Hansen won the 2013 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. Hansen attended Logan High School and graduated from USU in 1974 with a bachelor’s in mathematics and political science. He is a professor of economics at the University of Chicago. At the University of Chicago, a conference for economics was held in his honor and the students wore T-shirts with a cartoon version of Hansen. “I’m not quite sure it’s sunk in,” Hansen said. “The person I was five months ago and the person I am now, it’s the same person, except people treat me different.” In addition to winning the 2013 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, Hansen has a long list of prestigious honors and awards, including an honorary doctorate from USU. “One of the great benefits for us of Dr. Hansen’s recognition is we truly can say to our students that they can aspire to the greatest heights,” said USU President Stan Albrecht. – mburnett@aggiemail.usu.edu Twitter: @BurnettMaile
CampusNews
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Nation & World
In brief Aggie Jarred Shaw sentenced to 10 days Utah State basketball player Jarred Shaw appeared in court on Monday to be sentenced for possession or use of a controlled substance after an incident in his home involving marijuana. Shaw pleaded guilty in January to the charges. He appeared in court with USU assistant basketball coach Tarvish Felton. Shaw was sentenced to ten days in jail, which will be served on weekends so they will not interfere with school. Shaw played his final game with the Aggies on Thursday in the Mountain West Conference Tournament last week.
Summerfest receives funding for scholarships The Summerfest at Tabernacle Square scholarship has announced it will be holding another round of applications for its scholarship. The announcement comes in light of a grant from the George S. and Dolores Dorre Eccles Foundation. The due date for applications is April 7. The scholarship supports both individual and group artistic projects in the visual, performing, literary and media arts. Applications are available at www.logansummerfest.com and can be submitted via email to info@logansummerfest.com.
Utah caucus meetings this week for Dems, GOP Both Utah’s Democratic and Republican parties are holding neighborhood caucus meetings this week to choose local delegates. The Utah Democratic Party will be holding the caucus on March 18 and the Utah Republican Party will be held on March 20. Cache Valley residents can look up times and locations for the caucuses at http:// www.cachegop.com/2014CaucusLocations. pdf. Both parties will hold their annual nominating conventions on April 26.
Car accident kills man near Wellsville Canyon A 25-year-old man died in a car crash near the mouth of Wellsville Canyon on Saturday. The man, Weston Love, was pronounced dead at the scene. Love was perceived to be traveling at a high speed when he went over rumble strips and over corrected, rolling his vehicle into an embankment off the road. Love was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and was thrown through the front windshield of his vehicle and was found 45 feet away from where the car rested. An investigation is ongoing, but it is speculated Love may have fallen asleep or been temporarily blinded by the sun.
4Compiled
from staff and media reports
The policy of The Utah Statesman is to correct any error made as soon as possible. If you find something you would like clarified or find in error, please contact the editor at 797-1742, statesman@aggiemail. usu.edu or come in to TSC 311.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Canvas
Bicycle
From Page 1
From Page 1
Design and Instruction, said Larsen’s work has been recognized by universities in the U.S., Australia, Puerto Rico and Great Britain. “Our mantra is ‘empowering teaching excellence.’ Everything we do is to help our faculty,” Louviere said. “The biggest part of our job is putting content into the online environment.” Larsen’s work is well-received because it speeds up the process of putting content online. “It makes our job much more effective,” Louviere said. “He’s given us a better tool that our instructional designers can use.” The CIDI is receiving a lot of attention for its work, but its employees aren’t claiming all the spotlight. “We pride ourselves from being behind the scenes,” Louviere said. “This is just a way to help our faculty look like the rock stars they are.” The center may have a big win with this project, but it’s far from done. Louviere said a project the center is working on is Flexible Learning Experience education options for USU students. In FLEX education,
to make it more of a flexible schedule to meet student needs. “The real challenge is we’re not developing robo courses,” Louviere said. “They’re active classes with feedback from real professors.” Louviere said the department developed more than 50 projects since June. Louviere said it’s a step up compared to the roughly 20 programs they typically develop.
bike issues. “If someone’s confident that, if they have a problem out on the road they are able to fix it, they are more likely to get out on their bike,” he said. “I think some people might be afraid to take their bike on trips around town because, if it breaks down, they don’t know what to do. These guys will teach how to fix and troubleshoot out on the road.” Checketts compared riding a broken bike to driving a car with its headlights out: “It’s important to know what to do if your bike breaks down.” “Whenever I go out on a long bike ride, I always prepare for the worst,” Checketts said. “I usually carry tools to fix a chain or a tire … I think a lot of it comes to safety, like driving a car that shouldn't be on the road.” Elder said he hopes to start presenting these ideas on campus to encourage a stronger biking community at USU. “It should be a program for the long-run,” he said. “We should never want to stop encouraging people to ride bikes and teaching them how to do it safely because that’s how important it is.”
– lsnyder94@gmail.com
– manda.perkins@hotmail.com
Madeline Payne photo KENNETH LARSEN was hired last summer and immediately began developing new technology to make Canvas easier to navigate. Since then, he’s gained recognition from schools across the U.S.
the student controls when they join the course. The primary target of this project is returning missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, students in the military and students who have missed a general education requirement. “It’s very difficult for everyone, but awesome for students if done right,” Louviere said. Louviere said Canvas is built on a semester schedule, and it’s difficult
The Police Blotter Friday, Feb. 28 • A resident at Aggie Village reported a possible break-in. The complainant informed police her mother entered the premises without permission and stole keys to a truck and drove away with the truck. The complainant said she would speak to her mother before pressing charges. • Police responded to a traffic accident at 400 N. 700 East in a yellow parking lot. A vehicle swiped another vehicle while parking. No injuries were reported. • USU Police assisted Logan City Police Department on a traffic accident at 800 E. 1000 North. The incident involved a longboarder who was evaluated by medical personnel and released to a friend. Sunday, March 2 • USU Police responded to the orange parking
Contact USU Police at 797-1939 for non-emergencies. Anonymous reporting line: 797-5000 EMERGENCY NUMBER: 911
lot near the Performance Hall. A male individual was seen entering the fenced-off construction area and allegedly took tools out of a nearby toolbox. He told the officers he was working on a friends car and didn’t have the proper tools, but thought it would OK to borrow the ones in the toolbox. Police informed him the site is fenced off for a reason and has no authority to take the tools. He was given a warning. • USU Police responded to Mountain View Tower because a resident assistant reported a suspicious odor. They discovered the occupant smoking an e-cigarette and informed him smoking was not allowed on the premises. Monday, March 3 • USU Police responded to an incident in which a professor was using foul language with a group of students. Officers are working with department heads to solve the problem.
Engineering From Page 1 for the college, said undergraduate research experiences are important for retaining students. She said students in the program start taking a lot of math and science classes, but research experiences help expose them to engineering at an early stage. Adams said most of the time, students don’t realize what engineering is and become intimidated when they realize how much math and science is required in addition to the engineering courses. An engineering degree requires 126 credits, sometimes more, and students can find the workload overbearing, Hailey said. “Engineering requires that you always keep up with the work,” Hailey said. “There is no cramming.” The college has a tutoring center that covers all the math, science and engineering so students can get the help they need, and this helps considerably, Glaittli said. Advising and mentoring is another focus of the college in retaining students. The college tries to provide opportunities through its professional societies and a new mentor program that connects students to the engineering ambassadors during common hour forums.
Samantha Behl photo SOPHOMORE JACBOB YARDLEY is majoring in engineering. It was the only college to increase enrollement in 2013.
“We try to connect students with other students and mentors who will, in a down moment when you think you can’t go on with yet another calculus assignment, will turn to you and say, ‘Come on, if I can do it, you can do it,’” Hailey said. Hailey said she went into engineering because of the mentors who encouraged her and told her she was good at math, though few
• USU Police are investigating a harassment case that occurred on Feb. 2 on Old Main Hill. The complainant said a male individual used profanity toward her and maced her dog for not having the animal on a leash. Tuesday, March 4 • USU Police responded to the Merill-Cazier Library because a student was feeling ill. The individual was transported to the hospital by a private vehicle. • USU Police assisted the Wyoming Fish and Game Department in locating a student. • Due to a conflict of interest, the Logan City Police Department asked USU Police to investigate a report of sexual harassment involving a child.
4Compiled by Danielle Manley women study engineering. Glaittli said Hailey now teaches a women in engineering seminar course that is key in retaining women in engineering. “I’ve known (Hailey) for many years and I’ve seen her skills and abilities, and she’s an agent for change and improvement here,” Glaittli said. Hailey is the first woman dean of the College of Engineering at USU. Ten percent of undergraduate majors in engineering at USU are women, and that percentage has remained consistent for years, Hailey said. “When the numbers are small like that, I think women find themselves asking the question, ‘Do I belong?’” Hailey said. Besides retaining women in engineering, Adams would like to improve that 10 percent and thinks the number can increase with some effort. One of those efforts is through the Society of Women Engineers, which does outreach to K-12 students. On March 29, the Society of Women Engineers will hold one of its biggest events, an Engineering Extravaganza, Glaittli said. Young women in high school are invited to come and explore labs, meet professors and professionals and gain a better understanding of engineering.
– mburnett@aggiemail.usu.edu Twitter: @BurnettMaile
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Alumnus honored by annual organ festival Organ festival offers workshops for students and community members 4By Miranda Lorenc staff writer
USU’s annual Campbell Organ Festival will feature a concert by Richard Elliott, the principal organist in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, on Wednesday in the Kent Concert Hall. The event features classes open to the public. Lynn Thomas, a university organist and director of organ studies in the music department, said the event began a couple of years ago. “It’s named to honor a woman who has donated significantly to the USU organ program and to the maintenance of the Campbell-Holtkamp Organ in the Kent Concert Hall,” Thomas said. Paulette Campbell, a former student in the USU organ department, heard the Holtkamp Organ was in need of major tonal and mechanical repairs after 40 years of use. She donated money to restore it and established two scholarship funds and a maintenance fund to help with the organ’s upkeep. “Thanks to the generous donors of the organ program here, I have access to organs on which to practice daily,” said Luke Shepherd, a senior in choral education. The organ at USU was installed in 1973 and 1974. It has a classic American design with 42 stops, 57 ranks and 3,143 pipes. After restoring the run-down organ to its original glory in 2012, Thomas said the music department wanted to showcase it and thank Campbell for her donation, thus establishing the annual festival. This year’s featured organist, Elliott, plays and records with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He was a guest during the first year of the organ festival. “It took two years to get Richard Elliott, since he is in such demand worldwide,” Thomas said. Elliott will be present during workshops and mas-
Schoolboy Q’s ‘Oxymoron’ draws average ‘hip-hopinions’ Schoolboy Q’s “Oxy Scott E Hall moron” topped the the US alAlbum bum chart critic this week. This isn’t a 7.5/10 bad thing, considering the top spot was held by the “Frozen” soundtrack last week. The snow has melted, and it’s time to “Let It Go.” Get it? Get it? Man, I crack myself up. Anyways, I will use this album to explain my thoughts on hip-hop. With most genres, I can shell out facts and judge music with my trivial knowledge and keen ear for production. However, the critical acclaim for hip-hop is more opinion-based than universal. Two people rarely agree on hip-hop preferences.
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Riley Densley photo LYNN THOMAS, DIRECTOR OF THE ORGAN PROGRAM AT USU, PLAYS THE ORGAN in the Kent Concert Hall. The music department will host the annual Campbell Organ Festival this week.
ter classes today and perform in tomorrow’s concert. Thomas said they will discuss ways to enhance music in a church setting through improvisation, literature selection and improved performance techniques at the workshops. “Though this may sound a bit dry, anyone who plays
or is interested in organ music will find it enjoyable and quite accessible to a wide range of technical skills,” Thomas said. The workshop will take place today at 2:30 p.m. in the Kent Concert hall. “There’s a lot an organist can do to help the congre-
gation feel uplifted and gain new insight into hymns sung and heard,” said Kadie Clark, a senior in elementary education and one of the participants in the master class. “Many organists don’t use or are unaware of
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Logan’s annual Celtic Night celebrates culture Students participate through dancing
Event experiences growth in popularity
4By Katie Whitmore
4By Scott E Hall
USU offers a variety of dance classes, and one of these is the Irish Dance class, which directly ties into the Inishfre Irish Dance Company. Director Julie Zufelt began the Inishfre Irish Dance Company in 2002 and later put together Celtic Night, which has now become an annual event. She said at first Celtic Night was expected to be a small, informal event at the Whittier Center, but tickets sold out and the standing room in the back filled up. Now the event takes place every St. Patrick’s Day weekend in the Ellen Eccles Theatre. There are about 40 students who take part in the Irish Dance class and 12 who take part in Celtic Night, Zufelt said. Inishfre specializes in a “riverdance” style of dance and during Celtic Night they perform to the live music of the band Leaping Lulu. The company invited An Tus Nua Academy of Irish Dance, another local dance group, to join in the event this year. “Inishfre Irish Dance offers classes for students of all ages and all levels,” said Katelin Madsen, a senior studying biological science education and executive director of Inishfre. “Our current danc-
cool experience at the same time.” Meghan Lachmar, a graduate student in the marriage and family therapy program, said the group has a laid-back environment and makes it easy for students to balance practice times with their school work. “It is a lot easier to balance with school (than other forms of dance) because it is more laid-back, and they understand we are all working with crazy busy schedules,” Lachmar said. “We all love it, but it’s not our life.” Van der Walt said the group has become like a “giant dance family.” “We work hard together, sweat together, laugh together,” she said. “We support each other through injury and even problems outside of dance.”
Bridger Folk Music Society presented their biggest event of the year last weekend; the annual Celtic Night benefit concert at Ellen Eccles Theater. The concert featured live Celtic music from Logan-based band Leaping Lulu with accompanying dances from the local Inishfre Irish Dance Company. Proceeds went to Cache Humane Society and Four Paws Rescue. “This is our 10th anniversary this year, so we tried making it bigger and better than before,” said Susan Hancey, a stage manager for the show. “Not only is it a big deal to us, we get plenty of people to show up every year.” Emily Firth, a dancer in the company, agreed that this year’s show was different. “We put together a unique show that not a lot of other people could pull together,” said dancer Emily Firth. “We had some dances that we’ve brought back from years past, but we have a lot of new ones this year.” Jared Gunnell, a fan who has attended
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staff writer
staff writer
photo courtesy of Brittany Blakely
ers range in age from 5 to 61. It is a great way to get to meet new people, get some exercise and have fun.” At the end of the year, all of the students in the dance class get the chance to perform. The group performs in a variety of settings throughout the year, including events like Celtic Night, festivals, and fairs. The company also has the chance to dance in performing arts center all over Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. Marilize Van der Walt, a junior studying cellular and molecular biology, said being a part of the company has literally been a whirlwind of excitement. “One year … the wind picked up in the middle of our show and I thought the tent would blow away,” Van der Walt said. “The wind knocked over the speakers and blew off all the hats on one of the dances. It was crazy, but it was a pretty
For more information call Dennis • (435) 770-2326
– katie.whitmore@aggiemail.usu.edu
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Humans of USU: Eric Richins enjoys Halloween and hunting The Utah Statesman interviewed Eric Richins, a sophomore in psychology from Heber, Utah.
The Utah Statesman: What do you think is the meaning of St. Patrick’s Day? Eric Richins: Pinching some-
one who doesn’t wear green, drinking, partying. I don’t do that, but yeah. US: What’s your favorite holiday and why? ER: Halloween. I love scary stuff. I love haunted houses. They’re my favorite. US: What’s the best Halloween costume you’ve ever had? ER: Probably Superman when I was little. I don’t really care for dressing up. I just like haunted houses and the feel of Halloween. US: Do you like scaring people people or being scared? ER: Both. I mean, I don’t like being scared. I don’t think anybody does, but it’s funny after a little bit.
Mikayla Kapp photos SOPHOMORE ERIC RICHINS does a handstand (left). He likes the feeling he gets when he has accomplished a day’s work.
Organ From Page 3 niques such as improvising, sound settings and organ technique.” The second workshop and master class at 6:30 p.m. will feature six USU students demonstrating pieces and styles that will be of use to other organ enthusiasts and players. “It’s all lovely music that appeals not only to musicians but average listeners as well,” said Thomas. Elliot will be playing a variety of pieces during the concert, a few of which will include the accompaniment of bagpipes from the USU
Scotsmen Pipe Band. “I know of Richard Elliott because he is an organist on Temple Square,” Clark said. “I admire his arrangements and skills with the organ. I’ve always admired his mastery of the organ. I look forward to receiving instruction from him at the master class.” Thomas said everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend any of the workshops or the concert, and all events are free with no registration needed beforehand. Thomas said they’ve had exceptional student attendance each year because “around these parts, Richard Elliott is famous and a real rock star.” For those interested in the organ program, there is a two-semester
Celtic From Page 3 the event multiple years, said he noticed the changes. “This year they added band members, changed the songs and added a little more elements too,” Gunnell said. “It was great. The event may be a family affair for me, but it’s also just really good music and you can tell a lot of effort really went into this.” Firth said the group performs throughout the year, but this event is one they look forward to. “It’s definitely a really rewarding experience,” she said. “It’s a lot of hard work, but it pays off.” Hancey said hearing the music and seeing the performers makes the audience want to dance. Julie Zufelt, creative director, and Katelin Madsen, executive director, choreographed this year’s event. They have been part of Celtic Night since it began. “When we get onstage, you aren’t just seeing us perform, you’re seeing us really enjoying ourselves and coming together as a team,” said Madsen, a senior majoring in biology. “It’s the passion and excitement of the show is what makes it. It’s nothing you want to
organ literature class and another called Church Music for Organists. There are also opportunities for non-majors and community members to take lessons. “Though I’m studying nursing, I find that organ is a way for me to keep up on my music skills and gives me a break from all the science,” said Brandy Armstrong, a junior. Both Armstrong and Shepherd said they’ve grown leaps and bounds in playing the organ since entering into the program. “My experience with the organ program at Utah State can be summed up in one word: invaluable,” Shepherd said. – lormialor@gmail.com
miss.” Zufelt, an instructor for the Inishfre dancing program for years and founder of Celtic Night, said the company will lose a dancer this year and Leaping Lulu will be losing one of it’s members. “Our core group pretty much remains the same, so this is kind of a sentimental time,” she said. “10 years is a real milestone. If you missed this, you missed a great performance and you should be sure to come next year.” Sara Gunnell, a fiddler for Leaping Lulu, said the show has been a fun tradition. “A lot of us didn’t realize we’d do it this long,” Gunnell said. Michaeline Vaslet visited from New York to see her granddaughters perform. “It was amazing,” she said. “I’ll be coming next year. It was worth the travel.” Kathleen Atwood, one of the show’s stage managers, said the event affects those involved. “Celtic Night has gotten so many people with Irish heritage back into being interested in being Irish and getting their true blood out,” Atwood said. – scottehall3@gmail.com
US: What did you do for spring break? ER: I went pheasant hunting. That’s really fun. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I kind of just chilled and hung out with my family and friends.
US: What does pheasant taste like? ER: Delicious. Chicken, but better. US: What’s a good piece of advice? ER: Stick with what you believe in. It’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned being on my own. US: What was the best thing you ever ate? ER: Steak from Ruth’s Chris in Park City. It’s like my favorite restaurant. It’s the best. Or my dad’s baby back ribs. Those are good. He makes his own barbecue sauce. US: What’s the best part of the day for you? ER: At the end of the day when you know you’ve accomplished everything you needed to get done that day, just that feeling of accomplishment. US: What is your dream job? ER: A sports psychologist for the Atlanta Braves. That or a
Hip-hopinion From Page 3 Some of my favorite rap albums from last year came from Danny Brown, Earl Sweatshirt, Ka, Run the Jewels and Kanye West. You’ve heard of some of these artists; probably not all of them. They don’t have much in common with each other, but they all have distinguishable personalities. A personality is what I want from a hip-hop album. California rapper Schoolboy Q’s personality has been developing for the last couple years. I hated his bucket hat image at first, although it’s kind of growing on me; just like his music. “Oxymoron” has more to offer than Schoolboy’s 2012 release “Habits & Contradictions.” This album is more focused and consistently enjoyable. However, it’s full of little annoying hip-hop pet peeves. Since this album contains a mixture of both awesome and stupid attributes of rap music, I’ll use it as a guide to my hip-hop opinions. “Hip-hopinions.” Good hip-hop: Lots of people out there think I dig old-school hip-hop more than modern hip-hop. Well ... I do. However, I want to hear progress in the hip-hop world. I love me some Wu-Tang Clan and Public Enemy, but sounding exactly like them can be a turn-off. Songs like “Gangsta,” “Break the Bank” and “Collard Greens” may come off as annoying to oldschool purists, but these are great sing-along tracks with hidden, blended-in doses of echoed production. By the way, Kendrick Lamar’s verse on “Collard Greens” is tight.
clinical psychologist.
US: What do you dislike about Logan? ER: I feel like it’s just a bubble a lot of the time when I’m here too long. I have to drive past Brigham City and go see the highway. I have to look at the highway.
US: What’s the best movie you last watched? ER: “300: Rise of an Empire.” Just saw it in theaters, and it’s the best movie.
US: What makes it so good? ER: The war, the blood and the gore.
US: We know you can do a handstand. What’s the coolest physical stunt you ever did? ER: On my mission when I was running from a dog, a vicious dog, and I hopped this fence and I just cleared it full on. I just grabbed it and hopped over it. It was perfect … My suit and tie didn’t rip or anything.
My favorite tracks are “Los Awesome,” “Hoover Street” and “Blind Threats.” “Blind Threats” is a chilling, personal track that features Wu-Tang veteran Raekwon and some smoky instrumentation. Even more personal is the scary, lengthy life story “Hoover Street.” With these two tracks, Schoolboy Q reveals his dark past in a musically innovative way, which is pure gold songwriting in my hip-hopinion. “Los Awesome” does the exact opposite, yet it’s totes my jam. In short: hot rhythms section, sick Jay Rock verse, “Chilling cool, cool with you!” Bad hip-hop: “Oxymoron” starts off impressive, but the rest of the album could definitely be better. “What They Want” is a very bad song. I’ve heard my share of rap songs about sex. In my hip-hopinion, you have to be pretty darn clever to make one that’s actually good. This track is simply too bland and wastes more than four minutes of your time. The “go-go-go” chants on “Hell of a Night” sound somewhat embarrassing. It’s an unnecessary detour to the club. I honestly tried to enjoy the album’s centerpiece “Prescription/Oxymoron,” but at seven minutes, I found it painfully long-winded. I can only stand hearing Schoolboy’s obnoxious voice crying, “I just stopped selling crack today,” so many times. Perhaps this album isn’t necessarily amazing, but it has some unexpected moments and it’s actually a worthwhile listen. I thought I’d hate it, but “Oxymoron” is fairly enjoyable.
– Scott Hall is a newcomer to the world of journalism. He is studying public relations and stage management at USU. His spare time is dedicated to music. For more, email scottehall3@gmail.com.
‘Need for Speed’ delivers fast-paced race scenes some of the logic does not make Despite some confusing Christopher moments, “Need for Speed” sense. The man who sets up the proves to be a very entertainrace is a video blogger named Campbell ing action flick with enough Monarch (Michael Keaton), racing scenes to go around. who has somehow never been As much as I enjoy the caught despite the fact that a lot Film “Fast and Furious” movies, of people know what he looks critic it is disappointing to me that like. His voice is what sets up they do not take advantage the opening scene, and this is 3.5/5 of the street-racing aspect. confusing at first. It sounds like There are some awesome stars something on the radio, but that race scenes, but they are few would be impossible because and far between. “Fast Five” street racing is illegal. even brushes over one, im This film will not win any plying that a race occurred Academy Awards, and it cerbut never actually showing it. tainly does not try to be an “Need for Speed,” howevOscar contender. It is simply er, takes advantage of street racing by making a fun racing movie that does not overstay its it central to the plot. The story is simple: In or- welcome. At just 130 minutes, it is the perfect der to get revenge against the pompous Dino length. I give it three and a half out of five stars. Brewster (Dominic Cooper), Tobey Marshall If you are looking for a fun flick to watch with(Aaron Paul), an expert street racer, travels out thinking too much, this is one to go see. I from New York to California within about 50 would not mind seeing it become a film franhours with an attractive British woman named chise like the “Fast and Furious” movies. Julia Maddon (Imogen Poots). The main reason I looked forward to this film Content: Rated PG-13. There is a moderate is because of Aaron Paul. He is most notable amount of profanity throughout the film, and for his role in “Breaking Bad” as Jesse Pinkman. no F-words. The film is mostly rated PG-13 for He has been nominated for four Emmys and violence. There are some intense car crashes won twice for not only portraying the drugged- throughout the film. A little bit of blood shown out meth cook, but for causing the audience is shown from scratches, but it is not gory. There are maybe one or two sexual innuendos to fall in love with him. Paul does a great job with what he has. that will go over children’s heads. One scene There are several scenes that require him to features male backside nudity for about a solid show extreme emotion, and he does it well. thirty seconds (it is meant to be comical). However, there is not a lot of depth to the char- – Christopher Campbell is anAggie film buff acter for Paul to showcase. who has written reviews for several publica It seems like he doesn’t know what to do with himself during the first half hour. That tions. He has been involved in the National Sotime is mostly used for exposition, and it starts ciety of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) and Psi-Chi. He is currently majoring in psychology and off pretty slow. It is also hard to follow at first minoring in Portuguese. Send any feedback to because some characters are talked about before they even appear. They are not properly topherwriter@gmail.com, check out his blog at introduced. criticalchristopher.blogspot.com or follow him Another confusing aspect of this film is that on Twitter @ChrisCampbell02.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014 Page 5
StatesmanSports Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com
Men’s Basketball
Pick em: staff Final Four predictions South
East
Midwest
West
Curtis Lundstrom Jeffrey Dahdah
Logan Jones Emily Duke Brad Ferguson Calvin Makelky Kalen Taylor
Where were all of the Utah State fans? Fans of New Mexico’s women’s basketball team were painfully familiar with the scene unfolding in the Thomas & Mack Center on Monday in Las Vegas. The Lobos found themselves in a dogfight with USU and couldn’t find an answer for senior guard Jennifer Schlott. Schlott, who had already dealt New Mexico
two last-second defeats this season, led another late Aggie comeback to beat the Lobos by three, bouncing them from the first round of the 2014 Reese’s Mountain West Basketball Championships. It was a thrilling victory, and it wasn’t even the most intense finish of the year for the Aggies, who repeatedly found them-
selves in close games this season. So, where were the fans? I understand the Las Vegas is quite a drive, but I don’t just mean at the conference tournament. I mean all season — one of the most entertaining seasons of basketball I’ve had the privilege of watching — where were our fans?
The Aggies battled No. 1-seeded Colorado State in the second round of the tournament and nearly pulled it off. Do USU students even know that happened? So many of the USU women’s basketball team’s games in the Spectrum this season came down to the wire and occurred in those final seconds when momentum can mean the difference between a win and a loss. Most USU basketball fans are well aware that home-court advantage can have a huge impact on a game’s outcome. But it didn’t. Not for the women’s basketball team. Not this year. If anybody should’ve been eagerly anticipating the Jen Schlott show week in and week out, it’s USU’s storied fanbase. Even in a conference full of traditionally volatile student sections like the Mountain West, people respect the Spectrum. So why are we reserving that oft-mentioned Spectrum Magic for the men? Jen Schlott finished this season ranked No. 4 in the nation in scoring average. The Arizona native was named the Mountain West Women’s Player of the Year and captured the Mountain West scoring
Logan Jones Trail Blazin
Logan Jones
“
Why are we reserving that oft-mentioned Spectrum Magic for the men?
”
title in USU’s first season in the conference. She’s a big-time premier player. Nine hundred fans attended senior night — a season high attendance for the Aggie women. The average for the season was 689. Just for the sake of comparison, New Mexico’s women’s team averaged 5,914 fans a game. I don’t know math, but I like to think I know sports, and nearly 6,000 fans is one
hell of a home-court advantage. We owe it to our women to show that level of support. Even with Schlott gone next season, sharp-shooting Makenlee Williams will be back. Stephanie Bairstow, who ended the last few weeks of the season playing scary good, will be back. Lockdown defender Elise Nelson will be back. Head coach Jerry Finkbeiner, one of USU’s best all-around coaches and perhaps the most underrated, will be back and looking to reload with a squad that knows it can compete with any team in the conference. I hope for a day when our women’s team can take the court in the Spectrum and hear the deafening levels of fans that USU is so famous for, both for the team’s sake and for the fans themselves. Most everybody missed out on an incredible women’s basketball season this year — a mistake that shouldn’t be repeated. – Logan Jones is a sophomore studying journalism. When he isn’t writing about sports, he’s updating his blog at mindgrenades. blogspot.com. Contact him at logantjones@aggiemail. usu.edu or tweet @Logantj.
StatesmanSports
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Tuesday, March 18, 2014
MOUNTAIN WEST TO U R N A M E N T 1
2
3
4 5
1) Jalen Moore goes up for a jumpshot against San Diego State. 2) Spencer Butterfield elevates for a 3-pointer against Colorado State. 3) Preston Medlin attempts a layup against SDSU. 4) Tenale Roland dribbles down the court against CSU. 5) Jordan Stone goes for a loose ball against CSU.
6
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– Kylee Larsen photos 6) Jennifer Schlott dribbles into the key against New Mexico. 7) Ingrida Strikas, Cristal Turner and Jasmine Porter celebrate against UNM. 8) Stephanie Bairstow shoots a jumpshot against CSU. 9) Makenlee Williams dribbles past a defender against UNM. 10) Jennifer Schlott, Makenlee Williams, Franny Vaaulu, Ingrida Strikas and Elise Nelson huddle against UNM.
Look online at www.usustatesman.com for the tournament gallery
StatesmanSports
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Page 7
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Opinions&More Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com
Liberate yourself from your apathetic attitude You couldn’t care less, right? If you’re Casey an average college student, that’s a true statement. It drives me absolutely crazy that so many students are so apathetic toward things that matter. Of course, we all have our interests and hobbies that we actively engage in, but when it comes to the more “boring” issues, we all have a tendency to just tune out. Stop it. Stop tuning out. Our generation will never have the say or influence we deserve if you’re tuned out. You will never make an impact on anything if you don’t start to care. A recent example on campus that proves to me that we have an apathetic student body is the poor turnout to USU President Stan Albrecht’s “Truth in Tuition” meeting he held a couple weeks ago. There were only a handful of students who attended. Do you care about your tuition dollars? Probably. The problem is that you probably don’t really care enough to attend a meeting to ask questions and speak up about it. I know you probably consider yourself an adult, especially now that you’re in college, so it’s time to start acting like one. Start caring about tuition. Start caring about education policy. Start caring about government and politics. Start caring about the welfare of oth-
Saxton The USU/SA view
ers. Start caring about your future. Imagine how much better USU would be than it already is if all of our students actually cared. In order to liberate yourself from your apathetic attitude, I propose three steps: Step 1: Change Your Attitude
If you’re going to start caring about all of these “adult” things, you’re going to have to change your attitude. You need to first realize that things you might not be very interested in can actually have a huge effect on your life. You don’t need to be interested in it; you simply need to understand how things can affect you. Remember how elections week was just a few weeks ago? Remember how you didn’t vote (props to you if you did)? If your attitude reflected your pocket book, everyone on campus would have voted. Our student government manages a budget of more than $1 million each year that comes from the student fees you pay. Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter. Step 2: Speak Up Once you’ve changed your attitude, it’s time to speak up. The world will never change and you will never have an impact on anything if you don’t open your mouth. Speak up about the issues that affect you. Speak up
To the editor: During the 2014 State of the Union Address, President Obama introduced a single mother by the name of Amanda Shelley. He told the story of how Amanda Shelley did not have insurance, but how the Affordable Care Act saved her from bankruptcy. The Affordable Care Act may have helped this individual in this circumstance, but it will not benefit Americans in general. We know the Affordable Care Act will give low income families health coverage. It is important that everybody has proper health care, but the Affordable Care Act is not the right way to achieve this goal. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act has huge costs. It gives any person under 400 percent of the poverty line an opportunity to sign up for subsidized health insurance. Most people, including myself, grew up in families with this range of
Step 3: Get Involved Once you’ve spoken up, get involved. The world is run by people who show up and get involved. It’s not hard. If you’re concerned about Logan City’s parking rules around campus, go to a Neighborhood Council or City Council meeting and speak up. Call the mayor. Run for office. The possibilities about getting involved with things that impact you are endless. You might not even be initially interested in some things, but getting involved can spark interest and stir passion. You won’t be disappointed if you do get involved, and you may even begin to realize you can have an impact; you can be an agent of change. Just remember that nobody ever changed anything by doing nothing. – Casey Saxton, a senior majoring in business administration, serves as the Public Relations and Marketing director for the USU Student Association. He can be reached at ususa.pr@usu. edu or in TSC 332A . Follow Casey on Twitter at @caseysaxton.
The Ninjacrat
Yesterday saw some spectacular festivities all across the U.S., attended by throngs of green-clad revelers in various stages of inebriation. St. Patrick’s Day is one of our favorite holidays. It’s an opportunity for millions of Americans to celebrate their Irish heritage and millions more to share in the fun. For a few, the holiday involves digging into authentic Irish folklore and feasting on Irish staples like corned beef, lamb stew, and 700 recipes involving the domestic potato. But for most, the St. Patrick’s Day we celebrate is an Americanized holiday that takes a few highlights from a foreign culture and whips up a shiny holiday version for our enjoyment. St. Patrick’s Day isn’t an isolated case. Cinco de Mayo is another popular
Americanized holiday that celebrates Mexican culture and heritage, but it means far more in the United States than it does in the country which it supposedly represents. In fact, many Americans believe Cinco de Mayo is Mexico’s Independence Day, when in reality Mexicans celebrate that event on Sept. 16. Cinco de Mayo is actually only celebrated in a few areas of Mexico as a commemoration of an unlikely military victory over the French in 1862. Now, before I’m harangued for downplaying cherished cultural events, let’s talk about the significance of these holidays. As a celebration of cultural heritage, especially those mixed with and evolving alongside American culture, holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo are great fun. The problem arises when we take these holidays –– and other shallow, Americanized stereotypes of foreign cultures –– as a comprehensive profile of those nations or ethnicities. When we start looking at Irish culture as consisting of little more than beer and leprechauns, we’re doing both ourselves and our friends across the pond a serious disservice.
jSee BOWEN, Page 9
Haslam Comic • marcus.haslam@aggiemail.usu.edu
income and had very good health care during all stages of life. These subsidies are going to be a massive cost to the government, which will in turn increase taxes on all Americans. Part of the Affordable Care Act plan will pay hospitals and doctors less while making them take on more patients. It is never good when somebody is paid less than what they are worth. When incentives are lowered, quality decreases. If professors here at USU had their compensation cut by 20 percent, we probably would not have the same level of professors as we do now. Hospitals will not be as high-quality or progressive as they are now if there are budget cuts. America has led the world in medical studies and innovations in the last century. Incentives must stay high for our country to continue being a leader in medicine. America has the best health care in the world right now. If you have ever talked to someone who has been in a hospital in another country, even developed countries, they will tell you the same thing. Massive health care reform was not necessary to fix what minor problems the American health care system had. The Affordable Care Act is simply increasing costs greatly for little return. It is hurting and will continue to hurt many Americans, businesses and the health care industry financially.
Wonders and Blunders • melissamw89@gmail.com
– Bryan Daines
Immigration contributes to American economy
All But Dead • abdcomics.com
To the editor: It was a normal October evening as Congress began closing down after the hard day’s work when it were immediately seized upon by pro-immigration protesters, demanding attention for the abolishment of the immigration reform bill set in place by President George W. Bush in 2007. The New York Times reported,
• All letters may be shortened, edited or rejected for reasons of good taste, redundancy or volume of similar letters. • No anonymous letters will be published. Writers must sign all letters and include a phone number or email address as well as a student identification
number (none of which is published). Letters will not be printed without this verification. • Letters can be hand delivered or mailed to The Statesman in the TSC, Room 311, or can be emailed to: statesmaneditor@ aggiemail.usu.edu.
Opinions on this page (columns, letters) unless otherwise identified are not from Utah Statesman staff, but from a wide variety of members of the campus community who have strong opinions, just like you. This is an open forum. Want to write something? Contact: statesmaneditor@ aggiemail.usu.edu.
The staff
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Letters to the editor
The Deep End • Tyson Cole
Briana Bowen
with questions you have. Speak up when you see something that is wrong. Speak up when you see good things happening. The trick to speaking up is being educated on the issues. If you’re educated on the issues, your voice will be credible; likewise, if you’re not educated on what you’re speaking up about, you won’t be taken seriously. There are many ways to speak up; you just have to be willing to do it.
Forum letters Obamacare increasing costs too much
We need to look past the shamrocks
Editorial Board: Lis Stewart Danielle Manley Eric Jungblut Mariah Noble Chelsea Hunter Curtis Lundstrom Jeff Dahdah Mikayla Kapp Meghann Nixon Noelle Johansen
Editor-in-Chief: Tavin Stucki
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Letters From Page 8 “Their version would provide a conditional path to citizenship for many of the estimated 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States, pour billions of dollars into the efforts to seal off and secure the southern border and ports of entry, create a new work visa for future immigrants.” In my opinion, I see ... – Steve Wilcox
University students: be warned about minimum wage
Bowen From Page 8 Imagine if the European Union celebrated “Uncle Sam Day.” If they followed our model, they might celebrate this great “American” holiday on Jan. 8, the date of a decisive American victory during the War of 1812. European revelers might celebrate Uncle Sam Day by shooting off firearms galore, sporting cowboy hats and boots and
Survey From Page 1 real life. “It’s presented as a series of mathematical equations or formulas and is not connected to normal, everyday experiences,” she said. “I think that’s why it seems really distant.” Wilson said the language used by STEM teachers and professionals can also be a barrier. “In English, it’s OK to say ‘I feel’ or to express feelings and emotions,” she said. “In science and engineering textbooks, nobody even uses the word ‘I.’ There is no human there.” Nicole Martineau, a junior majoring in biology education, said the perceived absence of interpersonal skills in STEM fields can be a turnoff to people who want to help people and make a difference. “In general, society’s focus on politics and opinions is all
To the editor: In his State of the Union address, President Obama announced his intention to use his executive powers to raise the minimum wage for federal contractors from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour. In 30 states, there are also bills being pushed that would increase the minimum wage; one such bill including a $1 hike in minimum wage here in Utah. Suddenly, we college students have an issue at hand over which we must be greatly concerned. Minimum wage should not be raised, not at the state level, nor at a federal level. As a poor college student, I can understand an increase in minimum wage could at first be intriguing, especially since as we tend to work minimum wage jobs. However, statistics have shown that after
Views&Opinion
Finish online Read the rest of these letters online: www.utahstatesman.com
the minimum wage raise of 2007, unemployment in youth increased from 15 percent to 27 percent by October 2009. While it may be intriguing, it is very likely that instead of benefiting from the increased minimum wage, we will end up as casualties to the increase. With an increase in minimum wage, the costs to a company are driven upward. In an effort to reduce production costs, most companies will find ways to do the same job with fewer people, thus decreasing the need for minimum wage employees and in turn will lay off workers ... – Greg Schenk
cramming down hot dogs and apple pie while gulping 72-ounce canisters of Diet Coke. ’Merica. Would Uncle Sam Day highlight a few features of American culture? Sure. Would it serve as a good profile of the complex society of the United States? Nope. Here’s the bottom line: Stereotypes are bad –– and dangerous –– when they are accepted as a complete and accurate profile of a group. But interestingly, stereotypes can actually be a good thing if they are
used as a launching point for genuine curiosity and inquisitiveness about a culture. What if, rather than looking at St. Patrick’s Day and other cultural stereotypes as comprehensive profiles of foreign cultures, we were to look at events like these as an opportunity to scratch the surface of other societies? What if we were to take advantage of these holidays and popular images of other cultures as just a starting point to dig in and learn about the actual history and values of
other nations and peoples? By all means, celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. But take advantage of holidays like this one to expand your curiosity and genuine understanding of other cultures rather than being satisfied with shallow stereotypes. – Briana is a political science major in her last semester at USU. She is an avid road cyclist and a 2013 Truman Scholar. Proudest accomplishment: True Aggie. Reach Briana at b.bowen@aggiemail.usu. edu.
fine and dandy, but science is harder because you actually have to look for the right answer and you have to keep trying,” she said. “You can’t just say this is the way I think it is.” Feldon said stereotypes are another huge issue with how the public views STEM. “If you ask almost any American child to draw a picture of a scientist, you will see a portrait of a white man in a lab coat who is talking about things inaccessible to anyone who isn't a genius or likewise wearing a lab coat,” he said. “In reality, there is room in the STEM disciplines for all kinds of people — from different backgrounds, of different genders, introverts, extroverts, geniuses and people who are ordinary hard workers.” Feldon, Wilson and Martineau, as well as other clubs, organizations and individuals, are attempting to change the way people see STEM. Martineau said STEM educators are always trying to come up with the best ways to
teach students. “What they are really emphasizing right now is inquiry,” she said. “It’s the idea that you teach students how to approach science.” Wilson said she is trying to help students see the connection between STEM and the real world and understand how STEM makes a difference in peoples lives. She is working with a group of Latino high school students who were asked to identify a problem in their community and use engineering to solve it. “It’s an action-research type of education,” she said. “We are spreading the idea that young people can engage in engineering through what they are doing in the community.” Though most of their work is focused toward children, Feldon said one of the biggest problems is adults who regularly interact with children such as parents and teachers. “Most people, teachers in-
cluded, do not deeply understand the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics as disciplines which act as lenses through which to ask questions, seek answers and solve problems,” he said. Martineau said parents have a huge impact on whether or not their children see STEM as important and interesting. “If parents don’t care about science or don’t think it is important, they aren’t going to sign their kid up for science camp or a science fair,” she said. “That definitely becomes a barrier.” “To be informed and empowered citizens who are equipped to evaluate information and make informed decisions through their votes, the public must understand both the information presented and the disciplinary lenses through which it is derived,” Feldon said. – ashlyn.tucker@aggiemail.usu. edu
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theBackBurner
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
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Tuesday Partly cloudy
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Wednesday Partly cloudy
March 18 • UAEE North Teacher Fair, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., TSC Ballroom • Taste test on milk, 12-5 p.m., Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences building 209 • 10 ways to beat stress and become a stronger student, 2-3 p.m., TSC 335 • Organ workshop with Richard Elliott, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Kent Concert Hall • Provost’s Series on instructional excellence, Getting Started with Flipped Learning, 3:30-5 p.m.
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March 19
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50/29 Friday Clear
53/29 Saturday Clear
March 20
• Student Recreation and Wellness Center • Better Notes = Better Grades workshop, 1011 a.m., TSC 315A Groundbreaking Ceremony, 11:30 a.m., • Mightier than the Sword: the women who HPER Field wrote WWll, 3 p.m., TSC Auditorium • Tanner Talks: Community and the Liberal Arts, 11:30 a.m., Merrill-Cazier Library 101 • Third Thursday at 3: Museum and Music, 3-4 p.m., Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art • Common Hour: Liz Howell, 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., TSC Auditorium • Author T.V. Paul Lecture and Book Signing, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Eccles Science Learning Center 046
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ACROSS 1 Motel in the movie “Psycho” 6 Sheriff’s Andy Taylor’s aunt 9 Lucy’s landlady 10 “Dancing with the __” 12 Actor Noah __, Jr. 13 “Hart __”; series for Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers 14 Brain wave test, for short 15 Actress Daly 16 Sharif and Epps 19 Skelton’s __ Kadiddlehopper 23 “__ and the Tramp” 24 Violent anger 25 “Seven __ for Seven Brothers” 28 Richard __ of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” 30 Gregory Peck’s “Moby Dick” role 31 Henry Winkler’s role on “Happy Days” 32 “__ with the Wind” 33 Quaid or Travis 34 “__ Window”; Hitchcock classic 36 “Cat __ Hot Tin Roof” 39 Harry __ of “M*A*S*H”
2 Seymour and Pauley 4 44 “...He’s making __ and checking it twice...” 45 “Falcon __” 46 “__ and Stacey” 47 Spaghetti or ravioli DOWN 1 Lilith’s portrayer __ Neuwirth 2 To __; exactly 3 George Segal sitcom 4 Suffix for command or auction 5 Stallone, to friends 6 Sheep’s cry 7 Goof up 8 Suffix for old, cold or bold 10 “Sanford and __” 11 Series for Robin Williams 13 Cobb and Burrell 15 “__ a Little Tenderness”; Otis Redding hit 17 Actress West 18 Commercials 20 Fond du __, Wisconsin 21 Sense of self-esteem 22 “__ of a Certain Age” 25 Paper sack 26 Fraternity letter 27 Actor McKellen 28 Knotts or Rickles
29 “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s __” 31 “Master and Commander: The __ Side of the World”; movie for Russell Crowe 33 Galloped 35 “Please Don’t __ the Daisies” 37 “Empty __”
8 Dog on “The Thin Man” 3 39 “Last __ Standing” 40 “Grand __ Opry” 41 Get __ of; eliminate 42 Monogram for the founder of Penney’s department stores 43 Notre Dame coach Parseghian